a sweet weekend...

Busy making homemade turtles, caramels and sugar coated peanuts.

It has been a great long weekend full of sweetness with family and friends.

How was your weekend, friends?

xoxo

Love,

~dee

onwards with the christmas cheer....

 starting with a little bouquet of baby cedar trees that I wrapped up in fabric and tucked into a vintage bowl...

 and a Swedish Christmas greeting, "god jul" done with one dollar frames and letters I did up in different fonts and then printed out...

We are definitely on our way to a very Merry Christmas indeed! 

Best Wishes this lovely Friday!

Happy weekend, friends!

I am working on making some chocolates and cleaning house today!

Love,

~dee

xoxo

P.S.  Thank you to Don's parents for an amazing Thanksgiving meal yesterday!

His mom wore herself out on that wonderful meal while we relaxed like we were in a spa. We ate so many incredible tasting foods that I am pretty sure we put on some weight.  

Spoiled us. ;)

xoxo

Love,

~all of us

cleaning day in our nest...

 

 

 (This original watercolour of Bastion Square from 1978, done by artist, Nada Lozkovova was found here in the South by my sweet mom-in-law and it makes me so happy because you will never guess where it was from....

If you guessed Victoria, B.C., you are right and you may know by that why it made me so thankful to her for finding it.  She has a wonderful eye for finding interesting and pretty things.  You should see all the wonderful things she finds in thrift shops.)

Today our kiddos are all at home on holidays for Thanksgiving here in the USA and I have a million errands (okay a slight exaggeration) to do.  I have them helping me out, doing chores like dishes, vacuuming and laundry.  It is so funny how they always tell me that their friends don't have to do these things and yet I talk to their friends' mothers and they say something completely opposite.  I really think if they don't learn how to keep a home clean when they are young, they will have no clue when they are older.  So house cleaning is a family thing in our home.  I am sure they think  I am a slave driver and super mean mom for having them help out but you know...

one day they will seriously love the fact that they know how to do the small tasks it takes to live on one's own successfully.

So as we clean this house of ours, feel free to say a prayer for my poor children, whose mom loves them so much that she wants them to learn basic living skills which happen to include various household chores and not a day full of games and play.  I know kids need time to play, but seriously video games and skateboarding will not be a priority when they have a family of their own.

(or at least I would hope not....aaack)

My morning rant is over now.  

Go on and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Love,

~dee

xoxo

you know its a good morning....

 

when it begins with a chai and chocolate chip cookies, right?!!

Hoping your morning is going just as good as ours'. 

Its a week of thanks and I am thankful for a decadent breakfast, a handsome husband, beautiful children, a snuggly baby, wonderful friends and a cozy home.

Wishing you all some warmth, goodness and of course a little bit of chocolate for your Tuesday!

Love,

~dee

xoxo

a tiny project for my day...

 

 I am not usually one to purchase things like scented wax but on this weekend Don and I went to a little shop in Marshville, NC where Don's parents and I visited earlier in the week.  They had these incredible little pieces of wax that were scented with oranges and cloves.  A scent I couldn't get out of my mind.  I only have a small burner for essential oils so I didn't want to buy more than a couple but we went back to pick up a couple more when I got creative with old metal star cookie cutters and some antique metal measuring cups.

Fun looking and a great little way to re-purpose these plus I can't describe how magnificent they smell.

We had a great weekend and so much to be thankful for!!

A BIG HUGE hug and thank you to my gorgeous and very talented friend, Barb of Knack for her lovely words on our calendar!!

I am so excited that she is going to have her very own book in 2012!!

I can't wait to see it!

Her work is perfection.

Happy happy day!

Hoping yours' is too!!

xoxo

Love, 

~dee

little pleasures of my week...

 

the coffee I am loving this month is a sugar-free cinnamon dolce latte with low fat whip and a drizzle of honey...

 this sweet little pillow I picked up yesterday....
the little corner table Don's father made and I lucked out on receiving...

the creating of this Swedish 40s/50s Christmas tree I did mid-week...

 twig and greenery tie backs I had fun making...

 the little wreaths below, I made from some branches of our willow tree and Ikea deer cut outs...

and some calendar loving from my sweet cousin, Dawn and dear friend, Melissa!
Christmas is coming early in our nest this year.

Thank you both so much and a big thank you to everyone who scooped them up so quickly.

I am feeling warm, cozy and loved today.

Hoping you are too!

Happy weekend, friends!!

xoxo

Love,

~dee

christmas early for our friends...

 doing the happy dance...woohoo!

We have a special offer for the first 3 orders of our 2011 adventure illustrative calendar. We are going to send two for the price of one if you let me know in a message on Etsy that you read our "Early Christmas" blog post.

So snap up this listing quickly and you will have a free Christmas gift for yourself or a friend.

Merry Christmas early to everyone, deck the halls and all that jazz!!

Happy Wednesday!

Love,

don+dee

xo

p.s.  Please let us know if you would prefer our calendar a little more understated and we can have your calendar done up in gray-scale instead of the brightly colored version.

a little sneak peek at our 2011 calendar...

Are you eagerly anticipating these incredibly fun-tastic calendars???

I am and I am just itching to get them up in our shop!

I apologize for the delay due to some computer problems here in our little love nest.  I hope to have them up in our shop by early tomorrow.

What a wild ride it has been in creating these.

Our computer's power supply went on the weekend along with this being my first illustrative collection and all of the new things I am learning through trial and errors but oh what fun and how truly suitable for a calendar focused on adventure.

Woohooo.. the wait is almost over!  We will be getting a new computer part this evening and these hot little numbers should be up and ready for you to purchase tomorrow!

 (Praying and crossing my fingers & toes!)

Aren't they the best calendars ever?!! (just sayin')

They make me want to sing and dance and live out the new year with a truckload of adventure and fun!!

Happy Wednesday, friends!!

(I have missed having my own computer to check out your blogs and emails.  I am sneaking my honey's MacBook Pro right now but not for long as he needs it back for work.

Promise, I will be back once I have my big computer up and running!)

Love,

~dee

xoxo

remember....

While our American friends and family honour Vetran's Day here, we Canadians and many other countries honour a similar day called,  Remembrance Day. 

I also steal some moments as I remember a wonderful best friend, Dion who died 24 years ago today on his way into Edmonton, Alberta to hang out with us for an evening, while riding with my boyfriend at the time who ended up in a coma, turning my world upside down at the age of 17. 

I felt lost and alone for a long time, other than my relationship with God which grew stronger and more cemented because of these tragedies.

  Wikipedia's definition of Remembrance Day is truly well written, in my opinion:

"Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries to remember the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognised as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.
Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. (Note that "at the 11th hour", refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.)
The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. This was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.^[1]
The red poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem In Flanders Fields. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilt in the war."

As you go about your day, I hope you will remember those who fought for our freedom.
I will remember them and my best friend whose passing changed my life and journey.
Love and best wishes,
~dee
  xoxo

yum....

We pruned all of our fruit trees this week and I found a lot of good uses for their beautiful branches but my favourite use was the one below.

 

 

Although, these are definitely not weight loss appropriate, I do have to say they are healthier than most.

I found their delicious recipe here.

Happy Wednesday, everybody!

I am off to work on some projects.

(& yes maybe steal a bite of Bella's caramel apple...notice her pout ;)

xoxo

Love,

~dee

ta-da...finally....

ingredients:

1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 quarts popped popcorn

Directions:

	Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
	In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
	Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces. Finally for those of you have been wanting this recipe I have this recipe post put together. We have had a crazy busy time of it but I had a few free minutes and its up in all of its deliciousness. I love my cousin Jodie's comment, "I too enjoy gaining weight the quick and easy and delicious way...why prolong something you can get done quick and efficiently?!" She is the cutest! Well friends, I have more caramel-y goodness for you tomorrow. Sorry dieters and sorry to my diet too. Happy Tuesday! Hoping yours is sugary sweet and full of goodness! xoxo love, ~dee

a weekend of warmth and goodness...

 

This weekend was a mix of a warm visit with family (Don's), candles, carting in the last bits of greenery before the frost and enjoying every little moment we all have together on the weekend.  Oh how I wish weekends could be a little longer.

I promise I am going to try my hardest to get that recipe up before this evening.

I am trying to re-arrange and clean things up around here after a busy weekend bustling here and there.

How was your weekend?

Wishing you a happy Monday and the very best for your week ahead!

xoxo

Love,

~dee

little pleasures of my week...

Our 2011 calendars are almost ready (Just a few more illustrations along with a little bit of digital playtime before they will be full of colour and ready for packaging)....

little glowing tea lights arranged softly around our home...

 a wee bit lighter eating this week...

 vintage workbook pages I make prints of for little Bella to colour...

 simple non fat stove-top lattes...

and a wee bit more kid art to love thanks to our youngest son.

I don't really know what we are up to this weekend but I hope both yours and ours will be good ones.

I would love to hear a little about your week.

Happy Friday, friends!

xoxo

Love,

~dee

P.S.  I will get that recipe up for my mom's caramel corn very soon.

mmm christmas...

Don and I are heading out next Friday to pick up some Christmas presents and decor and I am so excited I could burst.  

I have been lighting candles and filling pots with cider because I can't stop thinking about it.

We are going to have a real tree this year for the first time since we have been married. 

Ikea will definitely be visited for Christmas ideas, along with vintage malls, thrift shops, and various other places, I am sure.  

I just love the planning and plotting of Christmas decor, the feel of going out to find friends' and family's presents and an early Christmas date with my love, so even though it is early I couldn't help myself but create this little collage of ideas with found photos. (I apologize for not knowing where they all came from.)

Enjoy your Thursday, friends!!

xo

~dee

caramel corn...

I've put back on 10 of the 20 pounds I had lost and I am thinking my mom's caramel popcorn recipe may be the culprit.  

If you want the recipe, let me know;)

You too can put on weight quickly and easily.

HA!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

 xoxo

  love,

~dee