Christmas Music

This version of "God Rest Ye Gentleman" by BNL and Sarah McLaughlin is one of my favourite Christmas songs. It is so beautiful and I had to share it with everyone! And bonus - you can sing along!

Merry Christmas!

I appologize for the lack of posts! Apparently I have been busy... I am all done my Christmas shopping, done my baking, almost done cleaning the house and have decorated.

db and I are off to Calgary on Friday and are hosting a New Years Eve party - so I needed to get organized before we left. I think I have accomplished that!

This year, my friend and I made our own wreaths... and not the fake kind! We took a class last year, so we decided to go back again this year. Last year's wreath was a classical cedar wreath, so this year, I branched out and made a wreath with various types of greenery. It turned out wonderful.

Last night I finished off all the baking (which most of it is for gifts). I made the typical christmas cookies: sugar cookies, rice krispie squares, turtles, brownies, short bread and the famous nanaimo bars. Feff... I am glad it is all ready to give away!

What else... oh ya, I made a bunch of angel ornaments. I can't find a picture of it right now, but I will post instructions and pictures soon.

I love these sparkleballs! Check out how to make them at: http://www.sparkleball.com. I will defintely be making some of those for next year! What a great idea!

Well, hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and see you on here in 2008!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everybody!

I was up late last night carving my pumpkins - I really like the way they turned out! For more photos, check out my flickr account. Tonight we will be going with some friends to the Saanichton bombfire and fireworks event. We went last year and it was a great time! Last year, we didn't even get 1 kid - but I will leave candy outside with the pumpkins... you never know... this may be the year!

Hope everyone has a spppppoookkkyyy day!

Office is Painted!

I did it! It only took 2 days, 2 panicked phone calls to my dad, and 2 friends coming over to make sure it looked alright.

I will post pics soon!

I love checking things off my list... so here it goes!

1. Thursday night - clean up spare room so office furniture can fit in it
2. Friday night - clean out office and wash walls
3. Friday night?? - tape the walls
4. Saturday morning - paint first coat
5. Saturday @ 11:00am - hair appointment - Opps... missed it!
6. Saturday early evening - paint second coat
7. Satuday evening - remove tape and stuff - if don't need another coat of paint 8. Sunday - move stuff back in!

October? Yikes!

Wow... I can't believe it is October! Sorry for not posting lately. db and I have been busy! We had a ball tournament last weekend, plus had people over for turkey dinner. I learned how to set our stove to start all by itself since we were playing ball. When we got home, our appartment smelled like turkey! Yummm...

This weekend db is going to Seattle to see an NFL game (SeaHawks vs. Saints - I think). So, we all know what that means! Yup! I am painting! This is my to do list this weekend:

1. Thursday night - clean up spare room so office furniture can fit in it
2. Friday night - clean out office and wash walls
3. Friday night?? - tape the walls
4. Saturday morning - paint first coat
5. Saturday @ 11:00am - hair appointment
6. Saturday early evening - paint second coat
7. Satuday evening - remove tape and stuff - if don't need another coat of paint
8. Sunday - move stuff back in!

Wish me luck!

Bon Voyage Ma Soeur!

Today my sister is moving from Montreal to London. She will be attending graduate school... She has sold most of her belongings and will start fresh. Good luck Steph! Make sure you keep your blog up-to-date, so we can know how you are doing.

If you like the card above, you can purchase it here.

1 Year in our house...

I can't believe we have been in our house for a year now! That is insane! I thought we would have had more done, but... oh well.

If you like this card - you can buy it on etsy here.

Have a great Monday everybody!

Hooded Baby Towels

A couple weeks ago, I bought this great fabric with intentions on sewing hooded baby towels to give to my friends that are having babies. Well, when my mom was visiting last weekend, I finished one (with her help of course). It turned out really well! So, if you are my friend and having a baby - you know what you are getting. My plan is to make one this weekend too. I have to get better at sewing... I had to pick out many of the seams before I was satisfied with the quality.




Yes - I did notice that I cut out the animals upside down... When I was in junior high home economics class, I made a great hoodie with a snoopy pattern. When I cut the sleeves, I cut the pattern upside down. You would think I would have learned from this experience... but apparently not. My sister thinks it should be my trademark :)

Finished Bathroom

Bathroom Before:


Bathroom After:

Pillow Splurge!

I have been looking for log shaped pillows for my two leather club chairs. I have been keeping my eye on this Sakura Butterfly silk and cotton cushion and today I saw that the etsy seller had 2 in stock! I had to have them! I am so excited! I have no clue if db is going to like them... hehehe oppps!

Shyvioletdesign's etsy shop has lots of other beatiful pillows (the pillow insert only cost $5.00 more... great deal).

I know I owe pictures of the bathroom... tomorrow I promise!

Work and Play

Wow! I can't believe we are into September already! Where did the summer go? For the long weekend, I went to Nanaimo for a baseball tournament. db decided not to go because of his back... he received his results - it is a protruded disc. Yikes! He is off to a sports physio therapist next week - so hopefully that helps!

On Wednesday my parents arrived! Yeah! I had 2 jobs for my dad to do while he was here: 1) fix the stove as the right side of the stove doesn't work 2) fix the dishwasher. Of course my dad has already fixed the stove and is in the process of fixing the dishwasher! I love dads :)

Yesterday was my parent's 32nd wedding anniversary! They went golfing at Bear Mountain during the day. Then we went to the Canoe Club for a wonderful dinner! Today the plan is to go to Jordan River and look at some land that they may buy. Lucky for us the weather has been beautiful. For the rest of the weekend, we have no concrete plans, but probably a little shopping will be involved!

On the home front, the bathroom is done! WOOT! I will post pictures next week. Okay - I cheated a little bit - I had to get my dad to help finish it. It feels great to have it completly finished!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

My To-Do List for Today

I have been slacking! I have all this stuff to do around the house and haven't done any of it. So, I figured I would motivate myself and post a "To-Do" list to ensure I at least get one thing done to show.

Okay! Here it goes!

1. Paint patched hole in downstairs bathroom.
2. Re-caulk the bathroom upstairs.
3. Hang picture frames in hallway.

Keep your fingers crossed that I get at least one of these to-do items marked off!

On a scary note, db is at the hospital right now getting a CAT scan. He has been having a hard time with his back and the doctor was nervous about the numbness he has been feeling. Hopefully everything goes well today. He won't know the results until his next appointment, which is next Wednesday. Maybe he will be all better by then??!!

Stuff for Sale!

Living in the Montreal area? Well, my sister is selling all her stuff! If you want anything, please contact me with the details and I will forward the message on. She has quite a few good deals, including a futon, an armoir, and other various items. Check it out here!

Weekend Fun in Vancouver

We are off to Vancouver for the weekend. DB's work is hosting a BBQ and paying for our travel and accomodations. Should be okay.

The best thing about going to Vancouver for the weekend is that I get to go to IKEA! There is no IKEA stores on the island. I started making a list of the things I wanted to buy, but the major thing that I wanted to get is a shelf for the guest bedroom. However, db says it won't fit in the car :( Booooo.... Oh well. I am not sure when we will be able to get the shelf then. Other than the shelves, I wanted to get some wooden hangers, picture frames, white towels, and maybe some fabric. The fun part of IKEA is walking around and getting inspiration!

Have a great weekend all!

Dan May:: Great Artist!

Today I was surfing around the net, looking for some art to hang on the walls. I am going to IKEA in Vancouver this weekend and wanted to get an idea of what size of frames I should get. Grace, from Design*Sponge posted this and I went to check it out. I was browsing around and found beautiful prints from Dan May. I wish I could afford to commission him to do some art for my walls. However, I will defintely be buying one his prints - I am just having a hard time deciding which one!

For more from Dan May, visit the following links:

• Dan May's art on BlueFlip
• Dan May's Flickr Site
• Dan May's Website

Feature Etsy Artist - Braved Timid Toned Girl

Okay - this week I may be a little biased with my choice of the best etsy artist, since I picked my sister! However, I totally love this fabric envelope! I would have bought it right away, but she made me promise not to. To buy this wonderful item, just visit Brave Toned Timid Girl's Etsy shop!

I know she will be adding more items soon, so keep going back!

It's Friday!

First day of grade 4 ... Miss Opinko's class.

Awww! So Cute!

Looks like outfit #1 fits Madison! SOOOoooo cute!

Secrets

I was sent this video clip the other day. I thought I would share it with all you who read my blog. Would you send in a secret?

Friday Funnies

Funny clip: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end

If you are 18 and under (or prefer not to watch anything with a little bad language) - do not watch the clip.

Pretty Me - Featured Etsy Shop

Finding cool (inexpensive) kids clothes can be a challenge. I was shopping for Madison last week and I went into the Gap for kids and I was shocked about how expensive their dresses were. So, this week I searched etsy for summer dresses. I found this great shop, which has inexpensive, custom made dresses! I love them!

Oooo... Baby Gift Project!

Lately on my exploration of etsy for a hooded baby towel, I have had the desire to sew again. There are a lot great fabrics out there and lucky for me, my mother is coming for a visit - so I will get her to help me make a hooded towel!

Look at the great fabric I bought yesterday! Okay - I bought enough fabric to make about 20 hooded towels, but I couldn't help it! They were all so cute! I will absolutely post pictures of the finished products and if you are my friend and having a baby... you know what you are going to get as a baby shower gift! HAhhaha...

Congratulations Bob & Pam!

Congratulations to the newly married couple! It was a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful day! All the best to them in the future!

The Red Cowboy Boots

My two nieces, Madison (2 years old) and Anna (16 months) are so very special to me (well, Madison is really not my biological niece, but whatever). Yesterday I was in Zellers and saw a bunch of kids clothes on sale. When I was talking to Dave the other day he said that Madison needed some clothes. So, I thought I would stop and check out the deals.

Man, Zellers has great kids clothes. I couldn't help myself! So, then I thought... hmmmm... I wonder what Sears and Walmart is like. Off I went, on my mission to find Madison some great shorts (and for a deal). Now Sears needs to get their act in gear. I mean, they have a nice selection, but it is VERY similar to Zellers except with higher price tags. Walmart has nice clothes, but you have to dig through all the Disney and Dora crap to get to it. I mean, I like Dora and Disney, but cool kids DO NOT wear it. Errr... at least in my mind. And Walmart's boy section is WAY better than the girls.

My shopping adventures didn't stop there! No way! I was on a role! I had seen this adorable outfit (the brown dress one) online at the Gap. So, I saunter over to the Gap to check it out. I think I had a heart attack. Seriously. The dress was like $50, the leggings - $12.50, the sweater - $45. I mean, I really love my nieces, but they would wear the outfit maybe once and then it goes into the bin. I am sure I can find other cute dresses around (stupid Gap - I hate the Gap). The leggings were an okay price, but I didn't buy them until I find the dress. Plus, I can't see Dave putting that outfit on Madison. Am I wrong Dave??

For those of you that know me well - I know I hate shopping - but I loved shopping for kids clothes. It was like it was my mission to find 'cool' clothes (all for a reasonable cost of course). Then it reminded me of my sister's favourite outfit when she was a little kid - red cowboy boots and the navy swim suit. I am sure my mom bought us cool clothes - but in all our pictures we defintely don't look very cool (unless we had to go to the stupid studio to get family photo's taken... seriously, I hated that. I wonder if I will make my kids to that, but I digress) and it didn't harm us in any manner. Plus, I have the coolest sister who got accepted to fashion school. I should seriously find a picture of her in her red cowboy boots and navy swimsuit and make t-shirts. You wouldn't kill me, right Steph? But until I find that picture, here is a picture of my preschool class - can anybody find me?

Fun with Tracey, Jake and Anna

I just can't believe that Tracey, Jake and Anna's visit is over already! It went by so quickly! We had so much fun! There was lots of activities like going on the pickle boats, watching the fireworks at Butchard Gardens, playing at the park, running around the house like maniacs! Overall, it was a great visit!

Anna has such a fun, outgoing and go-go-go personality. She made me laugh all the time! She would walk up to her mom or db and smell their feet and say "Stinky!" Oh it was funny! Her words are coming along very quickly. She could say hi, bye, ya, GG (for Great Grandma), Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Tracey, sit down, no, woo hoo, auntie, and uncle. Well - there are more words she can say, but those are the ones that I remember the most.

Bart and I decided to babysit Anna one night so her parents could go on a date. We had a lot of fun! We took her to the park for a long time. There was two other boys her same age and she really enjoyed playing with them. She would climb up to the slide and wait until one of them sat beside her before she would slide down. Once we got her home from the play ground, we gave her spaghetti! So fun! Then it was bed time. She laid down beside Bart for awhile (until she almost fell asleep).

Fun, fun, fun in the bathroom!

I had a cold on Thursday and Friday and didn't meet my deadline of having the bathroom light up by Saturday morning. Luckily our guests don't mind working around my mess. But the hole is patched. All I have left to do is sand the plaster one more time and paint. Then the new light fixture can go up. Just about there!

Through all this pain, I started to think about the upstairs bathroom. I have been having a hard time finding a shower curtain that I like. Then today (Monday morning surfing on the net), I think I found it! What do you think?

Featured Etsy Artist - leigh k photography

I was bored on Saturday night, so I randomly put words into the search field on the Etsy website. I came across these wonderful photographs and had to share them. I really enjoy the lighting of the photo's. I am even thinking about buying a couple.

Please click here to see more of leigh k photography.

The Bathroom... will it ever be done??!!

I started renovating my bathroom about a month ago. If something could have gone wrong in the process it did. The first weekend I started, my friend Niko came to help. We washed the walls, filled the holes, taped, painted the ceiling, taped some more. All went pretty well the first day.

Then it came... I put the colour on the wall and started panicking. Oh ya - it was dark. I new I picked a dramatic colour, but thought it would work because there is a window in the bathroom. I was wrong.

I called Niko and burst into tears. Or well - more mike "Oh my goodness - bd is going to kill me." So, off we went to the Home Depot because Benjamin Moore is closed on Sundays. Picked a colour and we were off. Well, Behr paint is horrible. It went on crappy, so in between coats we had to sand it down. Then I spilled the can of paint in the tub. Lucky for me I had a plastic drop cloth in the tub. About 1:30 we were done painting. Never wanted to see a painted brush for a long time.
This past weekend, I went and bought a light fixture because my niece, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law (you know - db's side of the family) are coming for a visit and I still had not purchased a light. I found one right away. It is beautiful. Expensive, but beautiful. Happened that Niko was coming over - so we were going to put it in. Oh ya - not so easy. The hole the electricians punched to put the last light fixture was huge and so we had to patch the hole. So, tonight and tomorrow I have to finish patching the hole and then get the light fixture up. Lucky I had Niko! Thanks Niko!

Vernon Funtastic Tournament

Back from Vernon! It was a great time. We arrived and set up our campsite and it started to pour rain. Crazy rain! Lucky for us that our friends had a massive vestabule and we were all able to fit inside and hang out until the rain ended. There was 17 of us in total. Luckily the campground managers were nice enough to let everyone stay.

The tournament itself was fun! Our first game we were unable to play because the field was a disaster (see picture). The next morning we played on the same field - it was a little better, but not much. Yeah for playing in the mud!

Monday it was hot, hot, hot. 36 degrees! We won both our games and ended up in 6th place in the top division. Not too shabby!

Defintely will have to go to this tournament again!

Xenia Taler Site!

I am so excited to see Xenia Taler has a website and online store! How exciting! If you remember, I found tiles that I thought would like to hang above my stove from
Rare Devices. I didn't end up buying the tiles because the shipping was riduculous! I am so excited to browse through Xenia's other works and see what else she will tempt me to buy!

Visitors!

25 - Mon May 2007 - Cows
Originally uploaded by Ariane.Phillips

I know I haven't posted anything for awhile. This summer has been insanely busy!

So, I painted the bathroom (pictures coming soon), then Dave and Madison came for a visit. We had a great time! We went to the beach, took the harbour taxi to Fisherman's Warf, went to the petting zoo, and lots of visiting parks! Oh ya, Madison came to our baseball game to cheer us on! It was so awesome.

Oneday we went for a walk and stopped to talk to the cows. If you ask Madison "What do cows say?", she replies "Meow". It is hillarious!

So, the next couple weeks are pretty busy also. This weekend db and I are playing in a baseball tournament in Victoria. Send me an email if you would like to come check out a game! Then on Wednesday it is my last piano lesson - so sad! I have enjoyed my time playing the piano. Then on Thursday we are off to Vernon for a baseball tournament. No rest for us!

oladesign

Wow - I fell in love with this artist! I was searching online for this week's featured Etsy artist, when I came across Olga's wonderful handpainted ceramics. Her elegant style with her use of colours entrances me. I will be shopping at her Etsy store!

Long Weekend Project...

I am a little nervous... I am planning on painting the bathroom this weekend. I have never painted before!

Today after work I am going to pick out a new facet and light fixture for the bathroom. I have an idea what I want - but not exactly sure. Oh ya - I need to buy a new towl and toilet paper holder too. My list keeps getting longer and longer!

Any last minute tips you have on painting would be great! I sent DB away - well - no - he is out of town - which is good so I can't hear him say "The bathroom is going to be THAT colour?"

When it's done - I will post pictures!

Etsy Artist - pdxbeanies

If I had a little girl or boy - I would definitely buy them a beanie from pdxbeanies. I think they are very stylish and very west coast!

pdxbeanies is a small, family company located in the Portland Metropolotian area. All their products are handmade and can make a product upon request. To see more of pdxbeanies items, click here.

Blog Banner

Thanks to my sister who created my blog banner. The plain text one was probably driving her nuts and she quickly created me the new one!

Clocks!

My lovely sister had suggested I started to collect something neat for a shelf in my guest bedroom. So, we decided clocks would be a fun thing. I have been searching ebay now for awhile and this past weekend I won these two clocks. I can't wait for them to arrive!

Etsy Artist of the Week

Etsy is a wonderful website where artists sell their wares. Each week I will post an featured artist that I found on Etsy. If you find an artist or yourself have items on sale on Etsy - send me an email and I will feature them here on this site!

The first Etsy artist this week is bibbidibaubles - she is a wonderful jewelery artist from Colorado. I love her pendants and look forward to seeing more of her work. Click here to see her Etsy store.