Clove Oranges

The smell of Christmas ...

A long time tradition but new this year? We used a lino cut tool to make patterns first, which sure makes it easier to poke those cloves in!

Party Like it's 12.12.12!

A few shots from a little shindig we had celebrating Spud's Grandee who officially turned 75 on 12.12.12!

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #31

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

DAY 211: December 3, 2012  |  Tis the season! #adventcalendar #365grateful

DAY 212: December 4, 2012  |  Pretty red petals #365grateful

DAY 213: December 5, 2012  |  Sport Junkie find. Let the skating season begin! #buyused #365grateful

DAY 214: December 6, 2012  |  #saintnicholas was here! #365grateful

DAY 215: December 7, 2012  |  Stars of light up ... decorating done! #365grateful

DAY 216: December 8, 2012  |  Look what came in the post today ... All the way from Toronto! #365grateful

DAY 217: December 9, 2012  |  A round of aqueous martinis! Ingredients: water, shaken over ice and a skewer of olives. #365grateful @lemonysnickett

See Week one here.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

It's December 6th, St. Nicholas day where Spud's Grandee is from ... so it's a tradition in our house to put out a shoe/boot the night before in hopes that he comes to fill it with goodies. Check out the loot!

• Freckle Juice, by Judy Blume
• Mad Libs
• Chocolate St. Nick
• Cute dental flossers
• Staedtler markers
• 1 happy cookie
• Robot timer
• Piranha ear bud tamer and keeper
• More chocolate!
• 2 egg cups

Lucky lucky boy.

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #30

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

DAY 204: November 26, 2012  |  Good morning sunshine walk home from the gym #backatit #365grateful

DAY 205: November 27, 2012  |   My little couch potato. #365grateful

DAY 206: November 28, 2012  |  Somebody with a crazy, irritating wiggly tooth is very hungry. Soft ramen in soup should do it.  #365grateful

DAY 207: November 29, 2012  |  At the annual lighting of the house at Canuck Place Children's Hospice Spud makes a card for the kids. He's getting all multi-faith including a menorah too! #cute  #365grateful

DAY 208: November 30, 2012  |   That is one serious Mo. Ceremonious shave at midnight is in order. #movember #365grateful

DAY 209: December 1, 2012  |  Celebrating 29 years with this beautiful human being today.  #365grateful

DAY 210: December 2, 2012  |  Final touches.  #365grateful

Vote! Riviera Tee Spoonflower Contest

I've entered this week's Spoonflower fabric design contest: Jelly in Flight. The fun part is, that it's a girl's t-shirt pattern. The contest is hosted by Spoonflower AND the publishers of the book series called One Yard Wonders. 

Here's a detail of my jellyfish drawing ...

The winner will be in the next One Yard Wonders book and I believe the top 10 will have their designs for sale on the Spoonflower site. So ... hey ... if you're not doing anything else ... why not go vote!? Right here ... Spoonflower Fabric of the Week.

UPDATE: Contest is closed. Thanks for everyone who voted!

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #29

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

Milestone ... hit 200 days of documenting my gratefulness!

DAY 197: November 19, 2012  |  Exotic poolside pals #mexico #365grateful

DAY 198: November 20, 2012  |  Got me the new Dallas Clayton book! #kidspoetry #365grateful #makemagicdogood

DAY 199: November 21, 2012  |  Totally adorable book launch party #wearecanada http://wearecanada.org/ #365grateful

DAY 200: November 22, 2012  |  Poster found on my nightstand #365grateful

DAY 201: November 23, 2012  |  Thank you umbrella #365grateful

DAY 202: November 2417, 2012  |  Festive outdoor ice sculptures #candytown #yaletown #365grateful

DAY 203: November 25, 2012  |  We finally have plants in our #fishtank #365grateful

See Week one here.

Book Review: Make Magic! Do Good!

Hubs and I grew up on poetry. Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, of course. And I have special memories of the Canadian classic Alligator Pie too. Page after page of thought provoking words, unimaginable worlds and pure silliness in all of them, crafted to draw in and inspire little readers. Spud loves them as much as we did. And now we have another to add to the list ...

Dallas Clayton, of An Awesome Book (which is truly awesome), is launching a book of poetry called Make Magic! Do Good! this month and I have a copy! It was the perfect book to bring on our little vacay last week; so many late nights meant very little time for reading before bed. A few charming little poems with charming little illustrations did the trick though! The quirky, whimsical, and at times inspiring messages always left Spud asking for more.

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #28

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

Holidays! This week I was grateful for holidays!

DAY 190: November 12, 2012  |   Warm water. Warm sand. Pretty blue. #365grateful

DAY 191: November 13, 2012  |   Textures. #365grateful

DAY 192: November 14, 2012  |   Snorkel boy. #365grateful

DAY 193: November 15, 2012  |   Giant sombreros. #funny #365grateful

DAY 194: November 16, 2012  |   A cool dip in a fresh water cave #cenote #365grateful

Actually, today was a tie ... Chichen Itza World Heritage Site.

DAY 195: November 17, 2012  |   Quiet but memorable mornings with our comic making machine #365grateful

DAY 196: November 18, 2012  |   It's hammock time. #365grateful

See Week one here.

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #27

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

DAY 183: November 5, 2012  |   Spending a lot of time here lately! Grateful for all the work! #365grateful

DAY 184: November 6, 2012  |   Waiting for the "Secret Meeting with Lemony Snicket" in this 100 year old church. #365grateful

PS Completely love his outrageous sense of humour. Here he is suggesting that Spud runaway from home and hit the streets. He signed his book "to a future orphan". So far Spud's not heeding his advice. Grateful for that too! Ha!


DAY 185: November 7, 2012  |   Working breakfast. #365grateful

DAY 186: November 8, 2012  |   Coming up for air from a busy-busy and productive day at my desk. To be continued. #365grateful

DAY 187: November 9, 2012  |   Salted Caramel Mocha. Dessert in a cup. #treat #365grateful

DAY 188: November 10, 2012  |   Mani-Pedi. Woot. #365grateful

DAY 189: November 11, 2012  |  Automatic feeder taking care of business while we are on a wee vacay. #happyfish #365grateful

See Week one here.

My 365 Grateful Project: Week #26

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.

Milestone this week ... half way through my grateful project. That's something to be grateful for!

DAY 176: October 29, 2012  |  New kicks keeping my toes dry! #365grateful

DAY 177: October 30, 2012  |  The grey rainy day is making me appreciate this display of colour even more! #365grateful

DAY 178: October 31, 2012  |  Halloween. #365grateful

DAY 179: November 1, 2012  |  Real chef hat from Kevin Sylvester, the author of @neilflambe. Great reading at @kidsbooks_dotca tonight! #365grateful

DAY 180: November 2, 2012  |  Thank you smoked salmon. You do wonders to a boring old salad. #365grateful

DAY 181: November 3, 2012  |  Mmm. Sleeping in on a rainy weekend and being woken up with a series of pretty scales. #spontaneouspractice #365grateful

DAY 182: November 4, 2012  |  Crib night! #365grateful

See Week one here.

Spud's Halloween Costume

Meet Professor Eagle Eye. Spud's spy alter ego. He boasts many gadgets. Some of which are magical. Like the amulet around his neck. His compass eye always tells him where he is and where he ought to be. 

But we can say no more at the moment. What is in his pockets and what special features his cane has will remain a secret. For now.

Costume Credits:
Concept and Creative Director: Spud
Art Director and Designer: Hubs
Consultant and Shopper: Me