Why Not?

Today finds me at home by myself (an extremely rare occurrence) and I wanted to celebrate the occasion with some decadence. I made a salad - a fantastic salad that I would normally prepare ONLY if we were having guests.


But why not just for me? Why not?


I caramelized the pecans. I whipped up a mouth-watering balsamic vinaigrette, bought some creamy goat cheese and selected the juiciest strawberries on hand.





I ate it on the verandah, listened to the birds and felt the breeze.


I'm having such a good day.


Happy Saturday everyone :)

Winding Down

Today was the last day of school.

This day has been met with trepidation (how can I keep the boys entertained all summer?) and a sigh of relief (no more frazzled morning rushes trying to get everyone dressed, fed, packed and out the door by 8:45 am).

This day also means that I will be unable to accept custom orders until the fall. As much as I love doing them, it will just be too hard and stressful trying to get something out in a reasonable amount of time. My kids (well, I think all kids) have an extraordinary 6th sense which springs to life the minute they sense their mother has got something she has to do.

So I'm going to just roll with it and take it easy too. Custom work will return in the fall. I promise!

A Secret Crush

I've been harbouring a secret crush on this guy for the last few years. I believe that every married girl should have one. I dearly love my husband, but he cannot sing to me as I work.




Thank you Sam Roberts, for sharing your music and talent with the world.

Helpless

I don’t want to turn this blog into a blog about my children, but there has been too much weighing on my mind to just not write about it.

My 5 year old son has recently developed a rare allergy to his skin being cold. Tehncially, this condition is known as Cold Urticaria. It is the strangest thing I’ve ever heard of, but completely true.

On a cool spring morning, his exposed skin breaks out into welts. A mild sun shower? Hives. After swimming, he turns neon, glow-in-the-dark, bumpy lumpy red. Being submersed in water, we’ve just discovered, can be extremely dangerous (the anaphylactic shock kind of dangerous).

After several days of crying and with an epi pen in hand, I can now compose myself to write about my fears. It is so incredibly easy for worry and fear to twist its way into my gut.

Will he ever learn to swim (he so loves the water)?
Will the kids make fun of him if he wears a balaclava to school in September?
How will he cope with extreme humidity in a smoggy, congested city all summer without the relief of cooling off in a lake, pool or splash pad?
How will he cope with extreme winters? We do call Canada our home.
Will he be able to ski ever again?
What are the long-term effects from taking antihistamines?
Is this a symptom of a larger disease at hand?

These are relatively minor problems on the whole, but no mother ever wants to see her child fight battles she’s never had to fight herself.

I know he’s healthy and happy. He will lead a privileged life with loving parents, clean drinking water and all of the education his little heart desires (or doesn’t desire).

Swimming is minor. But it still hurts.

Oh Happy Night

I was on the front page of Etsy last night!!!! A huge thank you to www.lazygiraffe.etsy.com for her lovely list.

I've been fortunate to have been featured quite a few times, but it is still a complete rush. A validation that somebody out there is noticing what you are doing.

It is also fun to feel like a mini-celebrity (if only for a brief moment), dressed in mismatched pajamas, dancing about, while your husband is convinced you've gone bonkers.

The Story behind the Avatar

Why don't I use one of my own pieces of jewelry in my avatar?

Well for one, I'm incredibly indecisive. I have too many favourites and I would forever question if I'm featuring the right one.

So I decided to use a photo that embodies everything I am passionate about.

Firstly, I am a mother, and while it is not the only facet of my life that defines who I am, it is certainly a dominate one. Experiencing a love that feels larger than life, on a daily basis, changes you (exhaustion, fear and frustration that are larger than life also change you, but this is best left to another post).

Secondly, this photo was taken on a blessedly beautiful, perfectly perfect day. The kind of day you want to always remember. We flew to Ireland last year. Rented a car. Explored a new land. The photo was taken at Slea Head on the Dingle Peninsula and I am in it with my then 4 year old son. We drove, we stopped, we drove, we stopped and were amazed at the jaw-dropping, eye-popping, unbelievable beauty of Ireland.

Slea Head has got to be one of the world's best picnic spots. If you ever have the good fortune to visit, I highly suggest bringing:

1. a good bottle of wine
2. smelly cheese
3. raingear (it WILL rain in 10 mins)
4. a loved one or a good mate

These are in no particular order, but combined together they create pure magic.

Bye for now,
C

Getting Crafty

Look what arrived in my mailbox today!



I do not know what I'm going to make yet.
The possibilites are endless.


I love that.

An Apology

To my dearest of friends.

Tracy, Joeanne and Gina, please accept my sincere apologies. I'm horrible with staying in contact and I feel terrible about it.

It shouldn't be hard to send a quick email now and then. My computer = work. Convos, listing, renewing, downloading photos, ordering supplies, taking inventory, spreadsheets.... the list goes on. When I am not working, I long to be off the computer. I want to talk and play with the kids, pay some attention to my neglected husband and get started on creating the gazillion ideas swarming through my head.

But it is still not an excuse. Because I don't call either :)

So I made a vow this week to get caught up. Unleash the weight that is crashing down on my shoulders. Set it free. I stayed up 'til the wee hours last night making something I've been wanting to make since last September. September came and went. I procrastinated and thought I would surprise you at Christmas. October got busy and November and December are always a complete sleep-deprived blur.

This is for you. They are on the way girls! My super-duper-delayed Christmas present. A little piece of Dundee for us all to share.



Dundee Days

I will see you there next summer! And I will write soon!

Love,
Me