rose hip

January gardening...

...I am itching to start gardening at our house by the lake, but I certainly won't be doing so in the next few days, because this is what southern coastal British Columbia looks like at the moment:

But don't get me wrong!... I love when it snows around here. While I don't know that a lot of people living in this city feel as I do, for me, a snowfall in Vancouver is as sweet as a wintry treat can be! I guess I'll always be a Montrealer at heart, where winter doesn't seem quite right without a snowscape like this one...

 

So while gardening outdoors might not be for the immediate future, I have found a way of sowing a garden while sitting by my window, watching the snow fall: I have been going through my woolly yarn reserves and found so many yummy skeins and balls, that I could'nt resist pulling out my crochet hooks and making a few flowers... Of course, this being such an addictive pastime ('should be doing so many other things instead at the moment), a handful of flowers has suddenly becoming a full-blown flower nursery! Now, I have to start thinking of where to plant them... perhaps on a few cushions or maybe a blanket or two -- I shall keep you posted... 'Hope you are also finding ways of enjoying your month of January!...

 

 

goodbye 2011, hello 2012...

 

 ...I hope you all had a good time ringing in the New Year! I had a rather calm New Year's Eve at home with my family because, unbelievably so, I'm still not over my cold -- along with some of the rest of my family, I spent the second week of our Christmas holidays in bed with a Kleenex box... Luckily, you gifted me so wonderfully throughout the week with all your lovely comments to my last post that I didn't feel so sorry for myself! Thank you to all of you... I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing readership!

And now, lucky me, I get to gift one of you with a pillowcase!... So, according to random.org, the winner is:

Tuia from Bags, Crafts and Happiness

Congratulations!

 

I can't imagine that this cold bug can drag me down for much longer, so I'm sure that I'll be back very soon with new pillowcases, of course (I will be listing the new cream and black one shown above and in my giveaway post in my Etsy shop this week), but also with lots of other new goodies that I can't wait to start up on!...

 

Christmas pillowcase giveaway...

  

 

 ...I was planning on writing this post a good week ago, but Christmas preparations got the best of me and then, just before Christmas. I got sidelined by a nasty laryngitis/cold bug that's making its way through our household... So, while Christmas day finds me without a speaking voice, I have thankfully got my blogging voice back just in time to wish you every happiness during this Christmas season... I also hope that, in the days leading up to the New Year, you will be able to take time off your day-to-day routine just to do the things you love and never seem to have time to do and, of course, get cozy with your loved ones...

As well, I also hope that you will take a moment to enter my little Christmas pillowcase givewaway by simply leaving a comment to this post. (If you'd like, you can specify which one of the three pillowcases you prefer: the cream, pink or black one.) I will post the winner in about a week's time, on the day after New Year's day... So, I wish you the best of luck, I hope you have a great week and, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you so much for your continued support of my blog and Etsy shop!...

 

it's starting to look a lot like Christmas...

 

 

 ...well, probably everywhere but at our house except for this little vignette I put together when I took some photos of a few new pillowcases! To be honest, that's not unusual for us because I like to start decking the halls much closer to Christmas day -- it all feels more special that way, maybe because that's what we did when I was growing up. In fact, I was shocked early this week when I noticed that all the Christmas decorations were already on sale at a local store... I bet they'll be pulling out the Valentine's stuff soon!...

Not getting right into the Christmas swing of things may also have something to do with having a daughter whose birthday is in mid-December -- for her 12th birthday this year, Eva has decided to invite a handful of her friends to our almost-finished weekend cottage by the lake. While I've been running around more than usual all week trying to get everything ready for the party, I'm really looking forward to the weekend because it should be a lot fun: hot chocolate, bonfires, chocolate fondue, baking cupcakes, spooky nighttime scavenger hunt, flashlight tag, cooking big hearty breakfasts and more hot chocolate are all on the list... Ah, to be turning 12!

Despite all the running around, I did find a bit of time this week to stock my shop with some new pillowcases which have mostly sold out already... Thank you so very kindly for your continued support of my shop!! I will be listing more very soon (I have nearly finished them), such as the styles below:

I do hope that you are easing yourself nicely into this holiday season... I also hope that you will come back and visit next week, as I'm planning a little Christmas pillowcase giveway as a way of thanking you all for being so incredibly loyal to my blog and shop... See you then!

 

 

Christmas at Hycroft...

 

 

...Yes, it's that time of year again! Over the last couple of weeks, I've been helping my friend Molly, owner of this lovely Vancouver shop, decorate a room for the annual Christmas fundraising event at Vancouver's Hycroft mansion which will be held this weekend. This year, my part in putting together this lovely room was making all the cushions you see stacked up in the old armoire which Molly restored in the most beautiful way. So, if you live in Vancouver and are looking for something special to do this weekend, come take a peek and kick off your Christmas season at the same time (you can find all the info here). I'll be back soon with a pillowcase update...

 

speed crocheting...

   

...is what I've been up to, making cushions for a Christmas event this weekend... 'Tell you more about it in a couple of days by which time I should have caught by breath!...

 

 

stocking the shop...

 

 

...'just a very quick hello to tell you that I've come up with some new pillowcase styles and will be coming up with more new ones throughout the next little while. Instead of waiting to stock my shop only after finishing a whole bunch as I have done a few times in the past, I will list them in my shop as I finish them. At the same, I've been working on some crochet-trimmed cushions and re-upholstering a loveseat... 'Show you very soon!

 

 

Ouch!...

 

 

 ...it's almost been a month since my last post! I've missed blogging, but with the death of my mother-in-law, everything seemed a bit off this September and I feel like it's taken me quite a while to settle into our new fall routine... I think I'm finally getting there -- my energy's better and I've started on a few projects I've been meaning to get going on. I've been working on some new crochet-trimmed pillowcase styles like the one above and as I finish them, I will be putting them into my Etsy shop. I'm also making more crochet-trimmed cushions which I will show you soon. The other big project I'm still working on is our cottage by the lake -- as you can see in the mosaic below, a lot of progress has been made...  

 

 

1. I've started thinking about how to landscape the bare spots on the property which there are several of like the ones you can see in photos 13 and 16. This is a great time to be buying trees and shrubs for there are great fall sales on now, so I've definitely started making the rounds of the nurseries and thinking about how I all want it too look: very natural, no formal gardens here! So, I planted my first tree - a pine tree - a couple of days ago.

2. The cedar exterior of the house is being painted at the moment -- we opted for a lighter color, a mellow blue-green-grey which I think blends nicely with the natural surroundings. I like the color a lot because it's always changing depending on the light -- sometimes it seems more green and other times it tends more towards the blues.

3. Mmmm... my kitschy olive green crushed velvet loveseat -- what do you think?! The wood frame was originally painted a very icky brown so I covered it with a coat of yellowish green paint which I think has given it a whole new look! I sure do like quick makeover projects...

4. and 10. More trees that need to be planted -- a mixture of birch and maple. I do like the way the autumn leaves of these trees look against the color of our house!

5. A gardening rule that I've never had to consider before: if you want the plants to still be there the nexy day, they must be deer-resistant!  The deer may not like the plant in the photo, but the bees adore it and so do I ... Verbena bonariensis, a wild-looking self-seeder is a definite keeper!

6. and 15. Is it possible to be in love with a shower? Yes, I think so... maybe it has something to do with the rain shower fixture and the pebbles underfoot, but taking a shower in this stall is a lovely experience and this is coming from someone who loves baths and not showers!

7. The house as seen through the neighboring trees... I really do like its color!

8. We've finished putting up the interior walls and ceiling on the first floor -- all tongue and groove pine boards which give it a nice light country look. Now, we have to put up the boards on the second floor...

9. There is so much rock lying around the property as a result of the rock-blasting that had to be done to get access to the house site, so I decided to make a rock wall between our property and the neighbor's. It's a slow process because the stones that are around have a lot of irregular edges, but I'm enjoying it because it's like finding pieces to a jigsaw puzzle.

11. I planted one lovely delphinium and so far, so good: no deer nibbles...

12. It blows me away how much wood is scrapped when a house is built... 'Hope to recycle some of it and make some furniture with it.

13. One of the property's seriously bare spots is where the septic field is and where I've already thrown some  alternative to grass seed mix -- can't wait to see what comes up! I'd like to level this area a little bit more, plant some shrubs around its edges, so that one day we could play volleyball here without the ball rolling down the hill you see in photo 16!

14. When I saw this vintage eiderdown at a local thrift shop, I thought it would be a perfect fit for the house, so I couldn't wait to throw it on the only bed that's in the house at the moment!

16. I already seeded this hill with some wildflower mix this summer and was so excited when a lot of different flowers popped up -- I hope to continue seeding it with some deer-resistant wildflower mix which I recently got my hands on and turn it into a densely-planted wildflower meadow... 'Hope to be twirling (or maybe tumbling) on it next summer to "The Sound of Music"!

So that about wraps up the house update for now... I hope to start blogging more often again very soon as I do have so much to show you... Talk to you soon!

back in town...

 

...but just barely.  We spent the last stretch of summer at the lake, working on the house (I will update you soon with some photos), but mostly having fun with the children and friends, in and out of the lake (the weather was absolutely gorgeous!). However, last week we hurried off to Montreal because, very sadly, my mother-in-law passed away -- at the beginning of summer, we got the sad news that liver cancer would probably only give her two more months with us and sure enough, two months later, she slipped away from us on the day of her birthday... Her pain near the end was unrelenting, and after many moving and very earnest moments spent with family and friends, she finally let go -- I do hope and pray that she is at peace.

So, I am back in Vancouver now... heavy-hearted, but very busy with the children as we start up yet another school year. Along with re-organizing my work area (a never-ending job in my case!), I have lots of new project ideas germinating in my head... One of the projects I did manage to finish this summer was giving an old leather chair which I purchased for $5 a new look -- what do you think?

  

 

(Don't you love before and after shots! -- If you're into furniture before and after's, check these out...) I have to say that I didn't mind the chair in its original shabby state, but I was worried that my kids would very quickly make it so there would be no leather left at all on the top seat... (Yup, my kids are animals!) And, I also really wanted to try the idea of blanket stitching the fabric onto the leather seat -- I actually enjoyed doing it except for the fact that I got very sore fingers while doing it (I don't like using thimbles!).

    I do have another old leather chair which I'd also like to perk up a bit with some fabric -- in this case though, some of its seams are ripped and the leather has cracked on the chair back instead of the seat, so I'm thinking of touching it up with fabric a bit differently this time ('show you when it's done...)

 

 
 
If you're like me and the thought of autumn gives you an urge to whip up a patchwork quilt or two, I recently received a heartwarming email from Annette who lives in Switzerland in which she mentions the quilt she just completed for her daughter -- take a look here at how sweet is! I also recently received a note from Beth who pens the inspiring blog give1save1.com asking me if I'd like to donate one of my pillowcases as a giveaway, in order to raise money for an orphanage in Rwanda to buy 50 new beds and mosquito nets for the children living there. So if you have a moment, please, please take a look at her post about the GIVEAWAY --  whoever wins the giveaway will have a choice of any one of the pillowcases which are in my shop at the moment. And that's about it for me for now... 'Hope you are taking the time to enjoy the beauty that September has to offer, wherever you may be...

 

'still fishin'...

 

 
 ...well, you know what I mean! I've just popped into town to water the garden and do the laundry, and off I go again to my hammock by the lake. I have been been working on a few things though... yes, of course the pillowcases, but also, giving a new look to an old leather chair -- as soon as I'm done, I'll let you have a peek. 'Hope August is being good to you!...

'gone fishin'...

 

 

 ...well, not exactly fishing, but I feel like hanging up the sign in my workshop because gorgeous summer weather is finally here and we're off to our "not quite finished but who cares" cottage by the lake! I will be bringing lots of crochet work with me though, which I'm planning on doing in that lovely hammock you see... While I plan on spending most of August there, I will be popping back into Vancouver regularly to check up on things here, as well as hopefully update my blog and my Etsy shop.

If you live in Vancouver and are around on Sunday, August 14, I think this would be a great way to spend the day:

   

While sadly I won't be around then because I will be at the lake (not so sadly), I'm sure my crochet hooks won't be too far away... Happy August!

 

pillows and pallets...

 

 

 ...I hope that this post finds you happily enjoying your summer -- I have to admit that I feel like I'm still waiting for summer because we've barely had any summer weather to speak of! I'd say that, since the children finished school, we've only had a handful of real summer days and I feel quite ready for a lenghtier stretch of heat and sun.. As always though, I'm forever hopeful, especially since I just heard that Environment Canada has predicted a warm and dry August for Vancouver -- keeping my fingers crossed!!

 

 

On the plus side, our lousy weather has made me hang out at home more than I usually do at this time of year and work on a few ideas I've had rattling around in my head... Above is a photo of the living room space at our cottage and given the tall windows which are quite low to the ground (which by the way, I love, love!), I thought a pallet daybed like the one in the photo below (from one of my favourite books, Simply Scandinavian) would work perfectly in this space... what do you think? I don't know if we'd actually use pallets to make it since our house construction has left us with a huge pile of scrap wood that would be perfect for this project. If you're interested, there are some great DIY instructions on how to make one of these daybeds online, such as here. Of course, this type of seating requires a ton of pillows so, as you can see in my first photo, I have been working on crochet-trimmed pillow designs. I'm having lots of fun with this because I'm dipping into my vintage fabric reserves which I always love doing!

 

 

The last time we went to our cottage which was at the beginning of July (I think that was also our last little stretch of true summer weather!), I got to do something that I've been dying to do for the longest while now: get to see our house as it looks from the lake! As you can see, the house is perched on a hill, so unless you get on the water, it is impossible to get a sense of its lakeside facade. Given that we added a dormer on the second floor of this side, I've been really wanting to see how it all came out and I have to say that I'm very pleased!  I'm off there for the weekend (we're meant to have a respite from the bad weather and have a sunny weekend...Yay!) with 6 girls to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday... can't wait!  Hope your weekend is looking bright as well!

 

 

 

what a treat...

 

 

...to read all your comments to my last post! As far as I'm concerned, reading your comments is the best remedy for any low-energy slumps I may suffer from, whether they relate to blogging, crafting, gardening, and yes, even housecleaning! After browsing through such an amazing collection of comments, I feel so revitalized, up for everything and anything, absolutely ready to conquer the world (a very scary prospect to my family, I'm sure!)... So, THANK YOU, and I wish I could offer a pillowcase to each one of you who spoiled me with your kind words, but alas, I have to choose, and this time random.org picked the following two names for me:

 

 Liz from Ollie Kate  and

Sarah from Rhinestones & Telephones

 

Congrats to both of you and I hope you enjoy your new pillowcases! 

 
 

While I have a whole bunch of pillowcases ready to go into my Etsy shop, I am waiting on listing them because Canada Post is on strike at the moment -- as soon as our  postal service is up and running again (perhaps as early as the beginning of next week) all these new pillowcases (all of which can be seen in this photo) will appear in my Etsy shop... In the meantime, I have been playing around with some new ideas like crochet-trimming cushions of which you can see a bit in the photos above and below -- I will be showing you more very soon...

 

 

This past week, I also went up to our construction site on the Sunshine Coast to consult with our builder about the interior finishing of the walls and ceilings in our house -- I'll tell you more about how we've decided to finish these in my next post... For now, I just wanted to show you how the house looks with its new windows...

 

 

Overall, I'm very pleased with how it turned out  --  it seems to me that the character of the house is really starting to come through with its windows in place... 

The day I went up to see the house was absolutely gorgeous and I was able to sit on the deck which wasn't there the last time I visited the house -- as you can see, it's still a work in progress, but to already feel like you are closer to this view is not too shabby!...

 

However, the view from the back of the house (say, if you are looking from the triple set of windows in the photo of the house above) will need a fair amount of replanting work. Our property is basically the highest point of the side of the bay it's on and, before we started our construction, was basically rock with some very weak, weathered trees growing very sparsely. So, to put in an access driveway, make room for a septic field, we had to do a fair amount of rock-blasting and, as a result, a lot of this part of our property is quite denuded of any vegetation now. Being a huge tree-lover (since I can remember, I have always hated seeing trees being chopped down and I have such a hard time trimming anything in my garden!), I'm itching to plant, plant, plant and make it all lush and green with lots of dappled shade!

 

 

In the last couple of weeks, we started this process of replanting by terracing this area (which essentially is a hill) in what I think is rather a naturalistic way. (I have to say that the person who did all this earth-moving work has an amazing eye and did a fabulous job!) Arable soil now covers what was rubble from all the blasting that had to be done and is now begging to be planted. Eventhough I so dislike how bare it is now, I have to think that, with the new layer of good soil we spread over the rock, the resulting vegetation will be stronger than what was there before...

As I was walking on our naked hill and spreading wildflower seeds which I bought on the way up to the house (as I said, I'm itching to plant!), I spotted this little wild rose which must have poked its way through the rubble and newly-laid soil, and my heart went pitter-patter with happiness to see that nature has started the re-greening job on its own! Thank you again for all your sweet comments and I shall be back very soon with more house construction updates (work on the exterior finishing is meant to start this week...Yippee!) as well as more talk of crochet-trimmed cushions...

 

it's been a while...

 

 

...since my last giveaway, so how about a pillowcase giveaway?!... All you have to do to throw your name in the hat is to leave a comment to this post telling me which pillowcase is your favourite in the photo above or in the other photos in this flickr set (you can describe them by color or fabric, by the names I've given some of them already in my Etsy shop (here and here), or simply by where they are from the top or bottom in one of the photos in the flickr set). In exactly a week (June 23), I will pick a winner (and perhaps more than one if the response is high!).

This giveaway is my way of thanking all of you who keep popping by my blog despite my lenghty absences of late (blast the house construction (of which I will give you an update very soon) -- it seems to be eating up all my time!). It's also my way of celebrating with you this very exciting pillowcase-related news... I've been dying to share this news with all of you because you are such a big part of it -- there is no way this would be happening if you didn't visit my blog so loyally and in such great numbers! So please, don't be shy -- leave a comment and, of course, best of luck!

 

wanted: princess and pea!...

 

 

...I've been itching to make a pileup like this for a while now with all the pillowcases I've been working on recently... Isn't it fun?! I've actually made an even higher pile which I'll show you very soon -- Hope you're all having a nice weekend!

 

 

P.S. If you should be wondering... my Etsy shop will be stocked with all these pillowcase styles very soon !