4 things that made me happy...

I intended to post this yesterday as that was when the moments struck, but the day got away from me and.....alas here I am

4 things that made me happy yesterday

1 - putting my daughter in pattern and colour combinations that I don't have the guts to pull off myself (i love how babies can wear anything and look put together)
2 - the sunlight and its effects on my surroundings - the first thing that caught my eye was the light reflecting off the water in the backyard and dancing on my dining room ceiling (but that was too hard to photogaph, and then I saw the light hitting the orchid in my bathroom and voila a photo opportunity (although much more spectacular in person)

3 - noticing an elderly gentelman walking on the sidewalk putting something white into his mouth and realizing seconds later that it was in fact his teeth

4 - having someone make me lunch - I spent the afternoon with 6 other moms and babes having a delightful lunch and ensuing chats and winning two "door prizes" for having the longest labour and the biggest baby at birth - ah the rewards just keep on coming ( and so did the oohs and ahhs, both from amazement and pity)

and for today...too many things to mention, but I will start with waffles for breakfast, puttering around the house and late afternoon gelato, coffee and a walk with the promise of snow - FABULOUS!

little window in....

here it is...my list of 4 things

4 jobs i have had (it would be easier to list 4 I haven't had)

teacher (k-12 and every subject you can imagine)
nanny (for 3 families all of whom had girls named Sophie - weird)
barista (at the same time as nannying and going to school)
"do it all" at an RV park (with my now hubby)

4 movies i love

the princess bride
so i married an axe murderer
garden state
anything that makes me cry - truthfully i am not an avid movie watcher, at least not enough to remember any more than 3, but if you mention one i might have an opinion

4 places i have lived

saltspring island
north vancouver
victoria
port coquitlam
(all in beautiful british columbia)

4 place i have vacationed

tofino, bc (my current favorite)
pinner, england
almeria, spain (well most of europe really)
the interior of bc (very fun car camping here)

4 tv shows i will rush dinner for

24 (just got addicted this season)
house
the o.c. (i know, saying it out loud makes me ashamed - it must go back to the 90210/melrose/days of our lives part of my personality)
oprah (always good for a cry or a tidbit of life saving info)

4 albums i can listen too over and over and over again

joni mitchell - blue
alison krause - forget about it
michael franks - the art of tea
and lastly anything by chicago, foreigner, toto and the like (good lung stretching tunes)

4 of my favorite things to eat

pie (yup, just about any kind will do)
thanksgiving dinner (not the same as christmas, must be the atmosphere that does it)
salad (also any kind will do)
corn on the cob

4 plus 1 sites i visit daily (there are way more than this...)

muddy yellow dog
fred and toots
bird in the hand
superhero journal
soulemama (a new favorite)

4 places i would rather be right now

anywhere with my hubby and babe
chestermans beach, tofino
pinner, england
sitting in my pool in the summer sun with a bevie and a trashy mag

4 things on my to do list ( i was just saying last night how i need one of these)

sing in a radio/tv commercial or any kind of studio recording
take more wedding photos - heck take more photos all together
pursue my creative talents (and figure out a way to exploit them for money)
get a body like elle macpherson (by the time i am the age she is now - 41 i think)

the 4 people i would have tagged have already been tagged so if you haven't then...you're it

So much to say...

Trust me, this is what success looks like as far as knitting club and me lately. Having a little one to tend do does hamper the knitting a bit - as one needs both hands in either case. I know it is only a few rows of rib stitch, but it is the start of a cute as nuts pair of baby mittens that I am intending to make for a friend of mine for her upcoming bundle of joy. It will be my first adventure into knitting an actual project. Yup, I have been part of a knitting group for about 10 years and this is my first intentional project, how sad is that. That is not to say that I haven't knit other things for fun, or practice, but not from a pattern and not as a gift. So I better complete them now that I have told you lot about them. I must also comment on how fabulous it is to belong to the Knaughty Knitters -a lovely bunch of women with different lives and backgrounds, all knowing each other for different reasons, with a common hobby and a love for eating, drinking and chatting. I look forward to the next one the minute I get in my car to drive home.



This is the start of my room. I haven't done much organizing as of yet, but I have made something already, which is amazing. I sewed up a baby sling this morning with Eme sitting on the spare bed playing, and the best part was, everything I needed was right there and I didn't have to clean up the sewing machine in order to have a meal! WOW. It is in it's infancy at the moment, but I can't wait to crowd the walls with inspiration and art on the go, ideas and wishes and pictures and whatever I want. As a whole the space looks so much better. New light carpet and fresh walls. It is so much brighter in there with out the brown shag and green paint. Ah but for the brick everywhere it is pretty perfect. And soon to have a piano.....

As it stands my desk is make shift, using and old metal medicine cabinet salvaged from a nursing home down the road, our filing cabinet and a sheet of painted MDF for the desk top. But it is smooth and white and a thing of beauty to me. And I have a place to put my vintage chair that was purchased simply because it was turqiose.

And this is just because.... I find it so fun and such a reflection of my life at the moment. They both sit on my kitchen window sill, the little succulent I just brought in from the back yard where it had rotted a bit and needed pruning, and the stacking cups are Eme's play toys for her baths in the kitchen sink - which are not as prevalent these days. She is so big and likes to splash so we have her in the big bath most nights. It reminds me not to try to hard, not to worry about the "look" of the house too much and to just enjoy the new life all around.

I have been tagged by Muddy Yellow Dog and will attempt to get to my version of 4 things promptly - I must say that I love this...a window into peoples lives and preferences, and I love love love reading everyone I can find. (please note the link provided.... I think I might finally be getting the hang of this blog thing)

Subject, What subject?

I have been playing around in the world of BLOG lately and realizing more and more how little I know. You may have noted that I, for an extremely short time, had links to fav sites to visit. You may note they are no longer there, WHY? because I did something stupid and gacked the page and so reset it and lost all of my customizations. Why not just do it again? Well I can't seem to find the appropriate place in the code to insert it. HMMM puzzling yes, I will get to the bottom of this eventually if I don't go nuts first.

On a happier note - the sun is shining again and I am happy to say I can't remember how many days in a row it has been as such - Yah! It was odd earlier this morning - the sun was trying to break through, but it was as if a kid had found a dimmer switch and was playing with it for the first time - bright, dull ,bright, dull - now just bright.

The painting is happening tomorrow dowstairs and I am sad to report that we will be painting it a very safe and recyled mixture of prarie wheat and clear moon - which combined make a safe and neutral beigey taupe colour. We are doing this because we want to neutralize the room for one, and secondly it won't cost anything as we are using up already purchased paint. I feel a little bright colour blocking coming on though.

I have been saying to the hubby lately that I am a little tired of the neutral palette of our house - we need a little punch of colour, I have been collecting paint chips from the local hardware store and am noting that they are much more fun, cheerful and spa like in colour with a little kick, although this pic doesn't really do them justice.

Below is the Valentine's card I got this year - FIL is so sentimental sometimes. I am sure that his is not what he thinks I do all day, although sometimes I look like this when he gets home.

I am also loving this color, although am not sure if I am bold enough to use it on a wall in my house. Perhaps in the creative zone - ahh I love the thought of that, I can't wait for it to be Saturday because we get to start and work on it all weekend. This feels more exciting than Christmas.

The best Valentine's ever

Well, I had a delightful day. Spent most of it with my fabulous cousin, reconnecting, chatting, drinking hot beverages and watching the little ones be little. Then home to prepare a yummy pasta dinner to have with my hubby who brought me one bright orange gerbera daisy and a silkscreened card created by someone at his work (image to come) - PERFECT! To top it all off the little miss fell asleep a little after 8 and didn't stire until 6:15 this morning, and after a quick nurse was asleep again until 7:30. Bliss, eight whole hours of uninteruppted sleep for Mama and Daddy! Here is a picture of her first experience on a swing, this is the very first moment! She loved it!

Too cute for words.

This is what she looked like after a few minutes of swinging - HAPPY MUCH?

peek-a-boo

Is anybody out there?

peek-a-boo

I have just had to fix a problem with a previous post and so am re-doing these last two posts, but the magic is just not the same. However I could not deprive my mass of loyal followers the pleasure of an EME UPDATE. I am pleased with myself as I have jsut discovered how to include more than one picture at a time within the same post. I know, how could I have not known this previously? Well I was posting all of my images through Picassa and it will only let you post one at a time, however if I had been smart enough to read the help section earlier I could have saved a lot of frustration. C'est la vie. Much more to come, but not now....

Valentine's cometh early

I couldn't resist making a few of these tasty morsels to share - and as Valentine's day is on a Tuesday; the weekend won. So I will deliver a few tomorrow and hopefully spread some cupid style love. Happy Valentine's day to all if I don't post again before!

 

just can't help myself

I know, I know, a little biased - I honestly have other things to share with you, but at this time I have not taken any pictures to share and of course I always have new pictures of this little monkey so... what is a proud Mama to do. Tomorrow we are having new carpet installed downstairs - very exciting. Some of you may wonder why we are having new antique ivory carpet installed in what is soon to become my art and craft "studio" - this question would not even come to you mind if you had seen the brown 1970's mostrosity that was there before. Perhaps the color choice is not the most practical, but with red brick on half the wall and buying at a budget store and having specific size requirements... well it was the best choice, not to mention how bright and beautiful it will be.

When you come to visit - if you do, I think you will appreciate the transformation, I will try and dig up a photo of the before and will definately show you the after in progress and hopefully a few of the things that get created down there.

Until then, some cuteness to carry you through. 

exciting things to come

I have just spent the majority of the weekend and really a few days before the weekend, planning and organizing for my new creative space. Over the years I have relegated my creative energy's to short intense bursts, usually carried out on my bed or at the dining room table - not the greatest places as both are used for other purposes at least once a day. So the time has come to have a space that I can leave "messy" and full of creative energy and clutter if I choose. It will be a work in progress as it is being carries out with minimal expense, but I am sure that I will love it and make it "mine" not matter how cheap - I love a good bargain anyways. Stay tuned for some photos when it is "done".