And Sew On

Recent Randoms

A few random things to share:

I'm almost done preparing my December Daily album. Here is the cover and one of the inner pages. I made the design very simple, much like last year. The pages are all 5X7, and I will use a ring binding. Look for more on this album in a day or two.

Here is the shop window that inspired my ribbon treatment from yesterday. (Turns out it was Club Monaco, not Banana Republic.)

A child's desk from the 1930's, I believe, that I found on the side of the street! That's right: FREE.

Audrey's letter to Santa. What a sweetheart.

("Dear Santa Claus, Did you have a good summer? love, Audrey'. Daddy helped with the spelling.)

Lily came with me to Audrey's ballet class yesterday. She insisted on wearing her backpack.

Millie, my little monkey. I think it's starting to set in that she is a senior dog now. (She's 8.) She still has oodles of energy, but also long periods of rest on various pieces of furniture. It's a tough, tough life for a dog.

This next one cracks me up the most. She wants to be on the couch so much that she is content to rest her hind quarters there, front paws on the floor, and head on the coffee table. Seriously.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was so much fun! Both girls were so excited to go Trick or Treating. It was the first year that Lily really understood what was going on. (Last year she would take a candy at one house, then put it back at the next house.) She's kept saying, "We go now? We go Trick a Treat?"

As usual, I took them outside at about 4:30 to get pics before the light went away. Audrey was a "Blue Princess" as she called it, and Lily was a Witch. (The same costume Audrey wore two years ago, and Becca wore a few years before that!)

I made the tiara for Audrey in about five minutes upstairs. She helped me with the pearls and rhinestones.

Audrey drew a face for the Jack-o-lantern and Daddy carved it into the little pumpkin:

Lily-Belle was super cute, too!

One of the best parts was seeing how much fun they had together. They are playing together more and more, and it makes my heart happy.

After taking photos outside we had dinner, skyped the west coast family, and then I got them bundled up for trick or treating. It was freezing out (there was even a little snow today), so Audrey got pants, and they both got fleece jackets.

After about  a dozen houses we went back inside. They each picked one treat--- Audrey picked a peanut butter cup, and Lily an O'Henry-- and then they spent half an hour "watching for kids".

"Kids! Where are you?"

We didn't get a lot of kids, though-- I think most of them came while we were gone. We left a bowl of candy out on the porch, and most of it was gone by the time we got back.

I have a few layouts to share tomorrow-- come back and see!

Yesterday (by iphone)

When I finally bit the bullet and ordered the iphone I was prepared to be disappointed by the camera. I have never been very impressed with phone cameras-- but I must admit I have been pleasantly surprised by my iphone 4. Although it isn't great in low light, it is quite wonderful for taking photos outside, and there are so many editing options with many free apps available. To give you an example, here is my yesterday-- by iphone:

1. Getting out the door. Little girls all set to go on a crisp and sunny autumn day.

2. The lady at the Tim Horton's drive through on the way to Costco. Q thought it was weird for me to take her picture-- but I think it made her day. She was beaming as she passed me the Timbits.

3. Costco. You gotta do it every once in a while.

4. Walking back from taking Audrey to school. I love the way the oaks look on our street this time of year.

5. A certain someone who wanted to play on the trike rather than have a nap.

6. After getting the baby down for her nap, I sat outside on the porch with Millie, enjoying the amazing weather and reading the front section of the newspaper.

(The view from the porch)

7. Picked up Audrey from school and took her to ballet class. (It's technically Creative Movement...but we call it ballet.)

(With her friend, Isabella)

8. Sitting at the coffee shop next door while I wait for the class to end, working on the laptop and drinking peppermint tea.

9. Back at the studio, but class still isn't quite over. Take artsy photos of the decor.

 

10. Walking back to the car we stopped for a snuggle and a photo.

11. My favourite hand-me-down shoes from Becca that I am SO glad finally fit her!

12. Driving home along Queen St. we pass one of my favourite wall murals.

13. Home again, and Lily is very glad to see us.

14. I keep meaning to plan a slow cooker meal for Wednesdays, but have yet to get my act together.  Grilled cheese it is!

15. A little play time, then Backyardigans before bed.

16. 7:30 and the kids are in bed,though not asleep. (Lily was up almost until 9, the little monkey.) For Millie, this is the best time of the day.

So there you go! I cropped and edited all of these photos entirely on my phone. There are lots of free photo apps you can download, and I love being able to e-mail or upload directly to Facebook or Typepad. Almost all of these were given a little sass with the free app, Mill Colour. There is one called Diptic that I used to create the two photo layout (i.e. the diptych). Although I didn't use them for this project, I often use PS Express for cropping and editing, and Gorillacam for extra features (like anti-shake and on screen grid) while shooting. If you have any photography apps you'd like to recommend, I'd love to hear about them!

Captured with my iphone

(from top left: Audrey waiting for ballet to begin, the girls with their Grandma and their new umbrellas, oak trees above our house, Q and I out for dinner (lit by the light of the ad in the streetcar shelter), Lily with blueberry jam all over her, and little white pumpkins.)

Autumn Splendour

We've started going to Riverdale Farm again for Song Circle class. This week the weather was just glorious-- and the light through the trees was a photographer's dream come true. At one point I looked down  a path and saw this beautiful tree just lit up with sunshine. I promised the kids chocolate chips when we got home, if they would pose for pictures for me. No, I am not above bribery. 

Just look at this tree:

Show Mommy the leaf:

Getting down to Lily's level totally changed the composition of this next shot:

Pigtails in the sun:

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians. I, for one, am hosting dinner for 14 tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

What I've Been Up To

 

Sorry, little blog, you have been a tad neglected this week. Here is a run down of the past few days:

Making breadcrumbs:

I love baguettes, but sometimes I don't get through them before they start to go stale. Enter the dried bread crumb:

Tear your baguette into smallish pieces and pulse in the food processor until you get fine breadcrumbs. Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 200F oven for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Sometimes I just turn off the oven and leave them in there for another hour so they are good and dry. Cool on the counter, then store in your pantry for homemade fishsticks, chicken fingers, etc. I think I'm going to use mine for pork chops tonight.

Applicious

The (rather disappointing) apple festival in our neighbourhood. I kind of expected it to be a bit...more...than it was, but the kids had fun making apple magnets:

Happy Mail from Creative Memories:

I received a few of the new lines from Creative Memories. They've gone through a re-branding recently, and the new designs are so fresh and beautiful. Here's a preview of the new Hummingbird line, coming out October 1st!

Isn't it pretty? I absolutely love it.

Eunice

My friend, Eunice, came over with her girls on Sunday. We went to the restaurant on the corner for yummy Chinese food-- Chicken with Snowpeas and steamed rice, with a few dumplings for the mommies-- then headed back to the house for a little play time, and pie for dessert!

Yes, September certainly is rolling along! Don't forget that Friday is release day for the new issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today. I am totally in love with the Cover Girl... Lily. :)

 

First Day of JK

After orientation day yesterday, today was Audrey's first official day of Junior Kindergarten-- the first grade of elementary school here in Ontario. She was not the least bit nervous, although she did stick close to me until it was time to go inside.

First we did a few quick portraits at the house:

Then we all walked her up the hill a block to the school, where she met up with a friend from preschool:

I ducked into the classroom for a few minutes to take photos. The classroom is colourful and bright, with lots of wonderful learning material on the walls. There's a cozy reading nook, and of course desks and chairs. I love that the classroom opens right onto the playground-- no walking through the halls for the wee ones.

Before I knew it the buzzer rang and she was off:

Wait, wait! Don't I get a goodbye?

Bye, Mom. I'm almost 4, and I'm at Big Girl School now. Get used to it.

*sigh*

Yep, get used to it.

What a Difference a Week Makes

Autumn is here, and I have to spend some time digging out the fall clothes. Just a week ago it was 32 degrees and incredibly humid. The girls and I were out and about, but sticking to the shady spots:

And yesterday they were out back in these outfits:

It's sad to pack away the sundresses-- one of my favourite things-- but hopefully we can break them out for a trip to Florida this winter. I'm sure by January we'll need it.

One more shot of Lily-- I love the toddler squat!

We are guerilla potty training this week-- cold turkey, no diaper. (This is only when we're home and can really pay attention, though. I'm not that crazy.) She's had some success, so I think if we're consistent we could be diaper free really soon. After four years of diapers, it's hard to imagine being Pampers free.

More Mel and Stephen, cuz they're just so cute!

A trip to Niagara on the Lake

Yesterday we took a really lovely trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Our friends, Mel and Stephen, live there with their daughter, Eleanor. Mel is an actress in the Shaw Festival, so we popped down for a visit during the day. When we arrived, the kids went upstairs to Eleanor's bedroom. The girls were completely besotted with "the big girl", and Eleanor was happy to have two little minions who were content to do as she said.

Mel poked around in the fridge, and in ten minutes had set out the most beautiful spread of food, straight out of Martha Stewart:

A late summer afternoon with friends, eating and drinking well. What could be better? The girls agreed:

One of my favourite moments was looking over and seeing Eleanor teaching Audrey how to make a fishy face:

Mel and I met in 2002, doing Anything Goes. Since then we have been wonderful friends, and although we don't see each other as much as we'd like, we have a blast when we do manage to get in the same room:

When I caught this cute shot of my hubby:

I knew the light was perfect to do a few shots of Mel and Stephen.

Stephen being a goofball:

Thanks for a great day, guys!