Some Answers

I have been asked a few questions lately and I think now would be a good time to answer them. But first I must tell you about my knitting progress. I am working on the second sock so going at the same rate as the first sock, I should be finished that one by this time next year. I am also working on another baby hat for my little niece/nephew that will be arriving the end of April. (I have so many things I want to knit but feel I am a little late at the starting line)

I wanted to get some Debbie Bliss or Rowan at my lys, but they order both brands in and I wanted yarn NOW. So I picked this up and it is gorgeous. Has anyone ever worked with this? Quite heavenly. And the colours a so beautiful. It is Sirdar Calico. Yummy.

How pretty are those colours?!

I picked up an issue of BBC mag and look who was featured in there? Btw, do we know how old this issue is? Yes, like October or November. Aren't we colonials up to date over here ;) Such a wonderful article, Julia, congratulations!

Oh yes on the computer, writing a post and not a bed made in the house. Yes, if you are checking up on me it is 10:07 am EST and not a bl#*dy thing done all morning.

Not that I always make their beds.

But sometimes, if the mess is really getting to me, I do. Slightly obsessive perhaps.

Mine. Not made. I am dawdling I know.

Still trying to get a decent photo of the curtains. I know, that isn't happening either.

Now for some answers...

1. Frances, the yarn is Trekking XXL from a few years ago.

2. Thank you Marie for the generous offer of sending me Marie Claire from France. How terribly, terribly sweet of you. I can find it here, however I must trudge downtown to get it, but I do get it.

3. I have had a few people ask about the Amy Butler Gumdrop Pillow. It is a copyrighted pattern. I would be in breach of this copyright if I were to post it here or email it to you. The pattern can be found at many online resources and at most sewing shops, especially if they carry her fabric.

And a few funny things...

1. I had a reader email me asking what she thought was an obscure question. Would I happen to know what the pattern of the blue dishes are on the "All Creatures Great and Small" series? Now, dear readers, I ask you, is that an obscure questions for those of us that absorb every detail of our favourite programs? That some us actually watch these shows, specifically for their curtains, dishes and furniture?
My reply was that I did not know but I would try and watch the shows (I have them on DVD) and help her figure it out. In the meantime, I suggested she try Lovers of Blue and White.
She did. And found her pattern and where to buy it.

How happy am I?

2. While visiting one of my favourite bloggers, Sairer, I got the word verification HOLYSIT. Sorry, it was just too funny not to share. Go visit her and perk her up a bit.

3. Finally, a big thank you to all your lovely comments on my handsome man. Especially you, Elyse, thinking he is pretty darn cute and you not even a dog person ;)

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And a special thanks to Bellascountry for an award!

I will be adding it to my sidebar, again, much appreciation.

Have a great day girlies.

Deep and Adoring Pug Love

Kind of makes you forget the snoring and snorting doesn't it?

Photography by Chris Johnston

What are you up to on this fine day?

I will guess you are just dying to know what I am up too, right? I am so funny. I am eating, savouring and well not to put too fine of a point on it, pigging out totally on the long sought after, previously mentioned biscuits. I FOUND them! Oh the excitement is palatable here. Shortly after I touched on this subject, right here on my little blog I discovered them at my grocery store under a new name. They are now a President's Choice product and are still the same biscuit I have bragged about so many times. After spotting them I had to tell my husband to turn around while I scooped the lot off the shelf. They are now safely hidden in the sideboard in the dining room. Ahhh, relief.

The curtains have been made by my lovely and talented seamstress. I could not get a better shot as the sun is quite hidden in this spot of the house. But they are lurvely. Trust me. I will try and get a better picture so that you can truly appreciate the Sanderson beauty.

Sock knitting at its finest. Slow but beautiful. I knit a pair of these about 3 or 4 years ago in a mauve colourway. They wear like iron. Four winters of wear and not a hole. If you like sock knitting I cannot emphasize more the durability of this yarn. The camera did not pick up the gorgeous colour. It is a pink and pinky red with a moss green.

And finally, washing the green linen curtains that are usually hanging here. I won't get into too much detail but the dog basket sits right beside the curtains on the right and they were quite, um, dirty in that area...however last time I washed them the linen shrunk a wee bit and of course the lining didn't and well I guess that's another job to put on the list.

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I am going to assume that everyone had just the jolliest of holidays. We had several days of doing absolutely nothing. Snuggled down in comfy flannel jimjams watching movies and consuming loads (not exaggerating here in the slightest) of chocolate. Did I mention I found these?

Life is good.

PS You know I could have entitled this "Chocolate Biscuits" but I didn't. That would have been the THIRD time ;)

~Vintage Year in Review~

January

Always contemplating a new colour for the bedroom

February

My favourite tea towels

March

Crochet cushion

April
Beautiful blue and white book

May

Learning about my new camera

June

Loving my new blue enamelware

July

~sigh~

August

Making the Amy Butler Gum Drop Cushion

September

Simple Pleasures

October

With Niki's help, discovering I have Sanderson fabric

November

Swapping with Mary Poppins

December

Gingham Christmas

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I wish to thank you, all my readers, for your lovely comments throughout the year. You have no idea how much they mean to me.

All the very best in the coming year!

It's Christmastime

Quiet gingham corner

Christmas card display table with the branches that fell last week from the big old pine tree in the garden

Look who's hiding in those branches

Of course the paper chain

Vintage Christmas Balls

A wee pine tree growing where it should not have been, plucked into a teacup

Messy dresser, as always

The tree, who can get great pictures of their tree? Not me

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Did the shopping. Did the wrapping. Did the decorating. Did the baking. Now doing the cleaning. How do we do it all? And I don't know about you but this is all pretty well done on my own. Hubby just kind of congratulates me on a job well done.

Thanks honey.

Chocolate Biscuits (Again)

These Milk Chocolate Rounds were available here at Sobeys and IGA. They were packaged under their label of Our Compliments (I think). I need them. I cannot find them. The sanity of this blogger is at stake. If anyone knows where I can find them please let me know.

Thank you.

Blimey, Marks and Spencer, where are you when I need you the most?

PS How sad and pathetic is it that one blogger has used the title "Chocolate Biscuits" more than once as a post title?

Cath Kidston Christmas Catalogue

I know the catalogue has been out for a while and I have been meaning to comment on this since the day mine arrived. On page 10 there is this photo of the girl drawing her bath. At first I thought what a lovely photo! Right? Then I looked really closely at her feet. Is it just me or do they look dirty? And her toenails are, well, how can I put this nicely? They are not clean. I was a little unsure about this and showed it to my husband. His comment? "I don't think she shaved her legs either." Well it is winter right? I guess my legs don't look the best at this time of year either! Well, what do you think? Bad photography or dirty feet?

That being said, I did love so many items and of course do want it all.

And lastly, a handy tip. I always cut out the little fold over shopping list and use it as a bookmark. Do you?

Will Your Christmas be Merry & Bright?

All images are from the beautifully photographed

Merry & Bright

*301 Festive Ideas for Celebrating Christmas

I got it. Sooo lovely.

Knit Hat

I have been totally playing with blogger and flickr, trying to figure out how to easily enlarge my photos without too much html knowledge.

If anyone out there knows how to do this simply please let me know. This is a little baby hat I knit on the weekend. My husband's sister is pregnant and I thought I would knit up something for her for Christmas. The little crochet flower can be taken off if it is a boy. I made the pattern up myself after spotting it on this blog. I just fell in love with that wee hat and could not for the life of me find a pattern on the web so I winged it.



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I am still reeling from the discovery of the horrid conditions at the Toronto Humane Society. Yesterday, it was discovered that the food they have been feeding the animals is over six years old. I just cannot comprehend that there was not any kind of supervision or governing body keeping an eye on this organisation. Who watches the watchers?





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Thanks for popping in and listening to my drivel ;)

Lisa

I am so sickened by this...

Please note there are some very disturbing photos on this page.

What is going to happen next? I am very confused.

How could things have escalated to this degree?

I am still reading reports.

And the saddest thing? My eldest daughter has asked most of her friends and family to donate to The Toronto Humane Society instead of Christmas gifts. Apparently some of the donated funds are used for useless lawsuits.

Jam and Bread

My bedroom is very special to me. I tend to luxuriate in there. I knit in bed. I read in bed. I drink tea in bed. I eat jam and bread in bed. Sometimes, on rainy Saturdays or Sundays, my husband and I just spend salubrious hours, cosied right in beneath the duvets. Right now it is a very soothing green colour. I know it needs to be painted but I loathe the thought of actually doing it. I just lurve this bedroom with the gingham headboard and the ever so lovely wallpaper. Tranquil.

My problem is I love too many styles. And colours. And patterns.

I wish I could pinpoint the look I really want. But, alas, I cannot.

Blues, greens and pinky reds are definitely some of my very favourites.

How sweet is this spot blanket? And the lovely, lovely flowery sheets? Divine!

See how I just love it all? How I cannot make up my mind? Too many choices I tell you!

And just look at that scrummy pale blue pillowslip? And let us not forget that perpetual problem of the husband. Where are the boundaries there?

Photos::Bella Notte, Pineconehill, Google Images