Another Busy but Fun Weekend!

Whew, its Sunday night and back to work tomorrow after we had another busy but fun weekend.

Brittany and I visited my Grandma on Friday and we went to lunch at a restaurant called Katana Kafe near the London airport. The lunch was delicious and I tried sweet potato fries for the first time, they were yummy! We also watched the private planes land and take off while we ate. Brittany was amused with the fact that the runways were identified with the letters 'GAG' right outside the restaurant. We then visited a couple of stamping stores(yes, that means more new stamps!)and another eclectic store called The Birdies Nest that had great jewelry and more.

Then Saturday, I went to another House Mouse stamp class. I'll share my creations soon! They are sooo cute. Saturday evening Steve's brother and sister-in-law came over for drinks and we had a nice visit.

On Sunday, Brittany and I crossed another item off of her summer list. We went to the Metro Toronto Zoo (the third largest zoo in the world and the largest in Canada)with Charlene(a coworker and friend) and her son Josh. Its been awhile since I've been to the zoo and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The weather was pleasantly cool so all the animals were outside and we saw several at close range. At one point I tried to convince Josh that we were going to enter the African "Envirosphere" and it would be a duplicate of weather in Africa but he didn't buy it. Can't blame me for trying, lol. I did get several great shots of various animals and Brittany and have shared some in the slide show below.

Celebrate Its Your Birthday!

I was thrilled to be asked to join in a blog tour to wish my stamping and blogging friend Dee a very happy birthday today.

I dug into my new PTI Damask Designs stamp to create this card in celebration of Dee's birthday!



Have a very Happy Birthday Dee! I hope you enjoy all the birthday wishes being sent your way!

If you want to see all the cards created for Dee, just click on the links below:

Avril

Tracey

Sue

Steph

Stampin Pam

Donelda

Deb

Ashley

And the Loonie Stampers too!

Regan

Maria

Jewels

Char

Wendy

And last but not least a link to Dee's blog:

Dee

Lovely Blog Award

My scrapbooking and blogging friend, Joanne, gave me this lovely blog award a while back and I decided that its time to pass it along!



It is always nice to encourage each other in our blogging efforts and Joanne is always ready with a kind comment. Thanks so much Joanne for the award!

I am passing this award along to:

Mom
Deanna
Heidi
Regan
Judy
Sarah
Stephanie

Now I challenge each of you to take this award and pass it along. You never know when you just might be the bright spot in someone's day!

What Have I Been Up To?!

Well its been awhile since I've posted hasn't it?

I've been busy at work, busy organizing scrapbook pages(I'll elaborate on this in another post) and then I was away all weekend!

I was away with my friend Kathryn at Memories Manor in St.Clair, Michigan and it was such a wonderful weekend! Terrific accomodations, wonderful scrap space, wonderful food, squeezed in some shopping and got lots of scrapping done!

Kathyrn and I both cleaned up at Kohls, lots of sales, so we got tops galore! And a few other things too!And I'll post some of the layouts I finished in another post but for now I'll share some highlights of the Manor.

The Manor is a 10,000 square foot mansion built in 1882 that has been restored by Jan and Deanna with help from their family. The detail work in the house is just gorgeous although some original painting and fireplaces have been changed or removed through the years. Fortunately some of the original handpainted flower border in what used to be the reception rooms was retained and I do have a couple pics in the slide show below. We stayed in the Sinclair room and there were several other unique and pretty rooms. Likewise the baths were beautifully decorated and had some unique features. Our scrap space was huge with terrific lighting, it was a very comfortable spot to scrapbook. Then there was the food, it was totally awesome!

Jan and Deanna of Memories Manor were the perfect hosts and sent us the recipes for the wonderful things they served. Hopefully they won't mind me sharing a couple of my favourites.

Our breakfast on Saturday morning, so yummy!

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast
3 eggs
1/3 C milk
1 T cinnamon
4 slices thick Italian bread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 pkg frozen raspberries, thawed and mixed with 4 T sugar

Combine eggs, milk and cinnamon in bowl, set aside. Cut a pocket in the side of each bread slice. Mix cream cheese and raspberry mixture. Fill pocket with raspberry cream cheese mix. Dip bread in egg mixture, turning to generously coat both sides. Bake in greased cake pan on 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Flip bread over and bake for an additional 8 minutes until golden brown. Serve with warm syrup. Serves Four

Lunch on Saturday, so fresh tasting!

Chicken Salad

6 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 bunches of red grapes, washed and halved
1 C dried cranberries
2 C mayo
Salt
Pepper

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. Serves 12. Serve with crackers or on croissants.


Part of our Sunday Breakfast, so sweet, gooey and good!

Cinnamon Walnut Roll

1/3 C. chopped walnuts
½ C. Sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 count)
½ C. cream cheese , softened
¼ C. melted butter
Rolls:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Lightly spray 8 or 9 inch round cake pan.
2. In small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar, set aside.
In separate bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth, set aside.
3. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Press each one
into a 3 inch round. Place 1 teaspoon of cream cheese on center of each biscuit. Bring all sides of dough up over filling,stretching gently if needed, and gather in center above filling to form ball, pinch edges to seal.
4. Roll each biscuit in melted butter, then in sugar/cinn mix. Placing first biscuit in center of pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining biscuits, sides touching around center biscuit.

5. Pour remaining butter over biscuits.
6. Bake 28 to 33 mins, or until golden brown. Place heatproof serving plate upside down on pan. Carefully turn plate and pan over. Let stand 1 minute, then carefully remove pan
7. Sprinkle walnuts over cake. Drizzle glaze over top of rolls. Serve warm.

Glaze:
1 T cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 to 2 T milk


It was tough to choose just three recipes, I think I'll share more recipes in a future post as I'll definitely be trying out a few!

And I'll be definitely returning to the Manor for another stay! Anyone want to come with me?

The Seventh Anniversary

of my 39th birthday was yesterday!

Again this year I was totally spoiled by my friends and family. Most of the very thoughtfully picked gifts and cards are pictured below.

I love that everything supports my hobbies and interests in some way from money/gift certificates to spend to chipboard letters to stamps, punches, a book to read, a bookmark, notepad, fancy tea towel, jewellery, a mug with a favourite saying, a microfibre duster for my new car, a shopping carry cart,turntable, coaster and place mats with birds and butterflies. Thank you so much to everyone, I truly appreciate each and everyone of you, I think you know who you are. Thanks too to everyone who wished me a happy birthday on facebook,sent me e-cards and via text, I certainly felt very loved!

And Steve bought me a 12 cup food processor! I can't wait to whip something up in it. And I just have to share the sentiment from the card Steve got for me:

I would cross the widest desert, climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest ocean. I would battle my way through hordes of evil enemies and face the biggest dragon guarding the strongest castle to get to you. Okay I don't know if I actually could. I mean it's all really fancy, romantic talk. But I would try. I would try with all I have.

Isn't that sweet? It reminds me of the lyrics to our wedding song that I think I'll share on our upcoming anniversary.

La Cucina

This past Friday night Kathryn, Dave, Steve and I went to one of our favourite restaurants, La Cucina, for dinner.

This is Kathryn. She won't like that I put this photo of her on my blog but I like living dangerously!



This is Dave. Doesn't he look sweet? But remember looks can be deceiving!



Here's Steve.......I'm not quite sure why he holding up that bit of food but it could have been after he almost dumped his whole plate of calamari on the table while holding it up for me to take a photo.




There is no photo of me, I didn't like any of them!

Anyway, here's some photos of what we ate. Please note, the photos are not in order of how we ate them!

Steve and Dave had the sea bass but were disappointed that the head had been removed!

I had veal tenderloin, soooo yummy!

Kathryn had Ravioli Culigiones, ricotta, spinach and saffron stuffed ravioli in a tomato sauce.

This is Lasagna al Gattopardo, otherwise known as ragu of pork lasagna with shaved egg and carmelized onion. I know it sounds like an odd combo but it was totally awesome!

Kathryn had this special soup, I think it was potato and carmelized onion.



Calimari. This is Dave's plate because Steve almost dumped his and ruined the presentation.

A yummy insalata, local mixed greens with shaved fennel and dandelion in an orange infused dressing(description is taken straight from the menu).

A complimentary appetizer, I forget what they called it but the bottom rectangular layer is sausage and it was really good.

The dessert photos didn't turn out but three of us had lemon panna cotta and Steve had something that was very similar to chocolate mousse.

It was a wonderful dinner with wonderful company!

Some New Favourites and A Card!

Good morning everyone!

Thought I'd share a few of my new favourite things.

I think New Yankee candles are some of the best out there and have a few favourite scents, Greenhouse and Harvest immediately come to mind. A couple of weeks ago I discovered this scent, Farmer's Market..........a spicy, sweet scent with an undertone of apples.......so yummy!



This past Tuesday Kathryn and I popped into Toronto to visit Yorkdale where there is now a Crate and Barrel. I found some cute cupcake cookie cutters. Then we made a trip over to Don Mills to check out the new Anthropologie store. I've been drooling over the Anthropologie website and the bits I've read about this store on other blogs. I couldn't let a trip to Toronto go by without checking it out. I loved this store, its very vintage'y! I found some cute oven mitts on sale as well as a cute embroidered and appliqued tea towel that I couldn't resist.......an early birthday present to me!



And speaking of my birthday, here's another birthday card. This is from Mette of England and has cute stamped and coloured image. Thanks so much Mette!



I'd love to hear about some of your new favourite things too!

A Kit and Two Cards

I've received some special mail recently.

First I won a scrapbook kit from Kenner Road at My Life in Lower Case. It contains some wonderful new papers/chipboard including some by Cosmo Cricket, buttons, ribbon, a stamp and a great piece of vintage ledger paper. I can't wait to create with it, thanks so much Celeste!



Then I've received a couple of birthday cards.

The first is from Liz of East Haven Connecticut, the cupcakes are so cute.



The second is from Birgit of Austria, isn't the stamped and coloured image pretty?



Thanks so much ladies!

Garden Pics

I've been meaning to share these garden pics for awhile. The garden has changed again since these were taken and I hope to share some more recent pics next week.

Hydrangea

Buddelia

A Day Lily

Darling Deception Day Lily

A David Austin Rose

Updated - 20 Things Brittany Wants To Do This Summer

I've updated Brittany's summer to do list and reminded her that summer doesn't officially end until Sept 21st. Time does seem to get away from you, lol.


[x] Have lunch out with Mom. Done! We went to Applebees in Cambridge.
[x] Go to Starbucks for a frappucino.Done!
[x] Go camping with Dad.
[ ] Go to Grand Bend.
[ ] Go shopping in Buffalo.
[ ] Go to Toronto.
[x] Go to the movies.Done! Went to see the new Harry Potter movie.
[ ] Go fishing.
[ ] Make homemade pizza.
[x] Go to Chapters. Done! Brittany bought herself 4 great books to read.
[ ] Make applesauce.
[ ] Go to Wonderland.
[ ] Play board games.
[ ] Go to a baseball game.
[x] Make rhubarb/strawberry dessert . Done, we made a crisp!
[ ] Visit Gramma.
[ ] Go to the zoo.
[x] Pick strawberries. Done, on Canada day!
[x] Go shopping.Done! We went shopping in Cambridge and bought some shorts and tops on sale!
[ ] Go to a play in Stratford.


Hmmm, we still have a fair bit to do but I think we have a couple more things planned that may happen fairly soon!

I've Been Knitting....

.........just a bit,lol!




Seriously though, these dishclothes work up so quickly and are the best for washing dishes!

One of my favourite new patterns is a checkered one that I think looks best on solid yarn although I've also done it in a varigated yarn.



What do you think?




And in case you're a knitter, here's the pattern:

Checkered Dishcloth

Materials: 1 ball of cotton yarn, Size 4.5 MM knitting needles.

Instructions:

Cast on 40 stitches

Rows 1 - 5: P5, K5 across

Rows 6 - 10: K5, P5 across

Repeat rows 1 -10 four times, then repeat rows 1-9 once, bind off in pattern.

Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate

While watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels I created a card for this week's Use It challenge, no. 22 by June.

We were to try a new technique...... I used a rub-on on twill, it actually worked quite well!I wasn't sure what would happen.
Then we were to use a virgin stamp....... I used another one of my new button bits stamps by PTI to create the balloons.
And finally use papers you have never used before..... I broke into my new PTI kraft paper, love it!

And here's my card: