Fabric Covered Canvas Frame

When my Mom was in Florida this winter she brought me back a couple of items I had requested(thanks Mom)so that I could complete a couple of DIY projects.

I'm really happy with the one project that I'll share in another post.

This one I'm not so sure of yet.

I've really been liking all the lattice-like prints I've seen used in home decor.

So I got the idea of using fabric to cover a canvas frame and creating an art piece.

At Joann's Online I found a gorgeous fabric by Waverly that Mom was able to track down for me and I used it to create this:

I was originally thinking of placing it in the powder room but it looks terrible on the dark green walls. So I tried it here. I like it a bit better but I think it's still missing something.

I think perhaps it would look better on more neutral coloured walls similar to the creme coloured lines in the fabric. And as I am thinking of renovating/painting the powder room all is not lost, this piece may still find a home.

And the best part is that I still have enough fabric left to make a pillow.

I'll keep you updated on where it finally lands.

Little Red Wagon #139 - Sentimental You

Time for another Little Red Wagon challenge!

This week Jan is challenging us to make the sentiment the main focus of our creation.

I decided to embellish a bottle gift tag:



Here's a better view with the sentiment 'for you' more visible:



I dug Thrift Shoppe paper out of my wagon to create this one, love that line of paper!

So if you can please join us with your sentiment focused project over at Little Red Wagon, we love to see what you create!

Planters 2012

As other years I take inspiration for my garden planters from ideas I find on the internet.

This year I found these two at Proven Winners:





And I found this one at Better Homes and Gardens:



And here's how mine look so far this season:



They look similar although not all the plants can be seen.



This window box is my favourite.



And I planted the hanging container in whites to match the window box.



I may trim some of the planters up a bit so they more closely take the shape of the inspiration photos.

But we'll see ;)

Healthy Recipes

I've been sorting through my Everyday Food magazines and tearing out the recipes I want to keep then the magazine is recycled.

I found a couple of healthy recipes that I tried recently.



The first is Crisp Celery Salad:

2T fresh lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
coarse salt and ground pepper
5 celery stalks,ends trimmed, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch thick diagonally;season with salt and pepper. Add celery and celery leaves; toss to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice,oil and mustard. Serve at room temperature of chilled.

I'll be making this one again.

And the second is Roasted Sweet Potato Fries:

Preheat oven to 425.
Scrub 1 1/2 pounds( 2 to 3 medium)sweet potatoes under cold water;pat dry. Halve lengthwise; quarter each half.
On large rimmed baking sheet toss sweet potatoes with 1 tsp cumin,1 tsp coarse salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper and 1 T olive oil until coated. Arrange cut sides down, in a single layer.
Roast,turning potatoes halfway through, until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.
Let cool slightly before serving.

I made these without the cumin(don't like cumin) and really liked them, more than my family actually. I'll be making them again!

Blooming in the Garden

A warning, this is a photo heavy post.  With all the heat we've been getting our plants and flowers have been really growing.

This year, I'm really liking geraniums in this plant holder.



As previous years,  I've planted my bird bath with impatiens.



The neighbour's tree with wonderful scented blooms that drape over the fence.



The hostas are doing amazingly well.



The last of the peony blooms. Do you see the ant?



Our climbing rose that is OUT OF CONTROL!



Another rose in bloom.



The delicate blooms of an astilbe.



Tiger lilies.



Another pretty rose.



The hydrangeas are just starting to bloom.



As are the shasta daisies.



Our clematis is doing much better with the changes we made to the side garden.



And a shot of our neighbour's clematis.



I love hanging  fushia  from our linden tree.



And finally a peek at some ornamental grass through the fushia.



I'll be back soon to share photos of my container gardens.

Little Red Wagon # 138 - Get Krafty

This week at Little Red Wagon Joanne has challenged us to Get Krafty!

So I dug into my wagon for some kraft cardstock and printed paper to create this card:



So please join us at Little Red Wagon with your krafty project, we love to see what you create.

St. John's, Newfoundland

Steve was in St.John's for a few days last week and enjoyed some wonderful weather while he was there.

The colourful houses look fabulous in the bright sunshine. And see the painter?



And he had a chance to go up to Signal Hill to take in the views.





St.John's as seen from Signal Hill.



And finally the Cabot Tower which on December 12, 1901, stood witness to possibly the most important accomplishment in modern communications - the reception of the first wireless transatlantic signal by Guglielmo Marconi from his Poldhu Wireless Station, in Cornwall, England. A Marconi Wireless Station operated on the second floor of Cabot Tower for many years afterward. In fact, in 1920 one of the first wireless transatlantic transmissions of the human voice was made there. Men at the wireless station were able to talk with the steamship Victoria which was steaming out of England. The station operated until around 1960.



Hope you enjoyed this mini-tour of St. John's!

Rhubarb Cake

A few weeks ago my Mom brought me some fresh rhubarb from her garden and along with it she brought me a cake recipe by Edna Staebler.

I did try it and am finally posting the pics and recipe as it is totally yummy!

Here it is before it was baked:



And a piece once it was baked:




And last but certainly not least, the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract or almond extract 
2 cups unbleached flour
1tsp. baking soda
1tsp. baking powder
2 or 3 cups diced rhubarb
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts 
Directions:
In your stand mixer cream sugars and butter until creamy. Beat in egg. Add sour cream and almond extract. Combine until just mixed.In small bowl combine flour, baking soda and baking powder with a whisk.Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and blend until just mixed.Take off mixer and fold in rhubarbPour into 9" X 9" baking pan.Sprinkle topping to top of cake.Bake 350º for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tootpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you are using frozen rhubarb bake 15 minutes longer.
Serve warm.


Enjoy!

Little Red Wagon #137 - Boy's Birthday Card

This week Deanna is challenging us to create a boy's birthday card.

I dug into my wagon for my PTI Aloha stamp set and a sentiment stamp to create this card:



If you can, play along with us this week at Little Red Wagon, we love to see what you create!

Little Red Wagon #136 - Use a Playing Card

This week it's my turn to set the Little Red Wagon challenge and, boy, did I regret my choice of using a playing card!

It took me ages to decide on a project then my first card was hideous, I do not exaggerate!

So after a couple of days I created a second card:



I like it much better!

So if you can why don't you join us over at Little Red Wagon with your playing card inspired creation, we love to see what you create!

Kabobs for a Card Party

Last weekend we hosted a Shanghai Rummy card party at our place for which I debated on what kind of evening snacks to serve.

Finally I decided on three types of kabobs as found on Pinterest. The photos below are not mine but taken from Pinterest.

The first are some fruit kabobs, simply skewer fruit of your choice and voila!

I liked serving them so that the same type of fruit is all lined up as shown.

Next is a tortellini kabob, with recipe from Betty Crocker.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

24 uncooked refrigerated or dried cheese-filled spinach tortellini
1/2 cup reduced-fat Italian dressing
12 small whole mushrooms
12 small cherry tomatoes
12 bamboo skewers (6 inch) or rosemary sprigs
Lettuce leaves, if desired

Directions

1 Cook and drain tortellini as directed on package. Cool 15 minutes.
2 Place dressing in shallow dish. Stir in tortellini, mushrooms and tomatoes. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, stirring once to coat.
3 Drain tortellini mixture. On each skewer, thread tortellini, mushrooms and tomatoes alternately. (For rosemary sprigs, use your fingers to remove all but the top leaves; thread ingredients from the bottom.) Serve on bed of lettuce leaves.

And finally antipasti kabobs, for which there was no recipe,so I just followed the photo.

I used hungarian salami and tuscan ham cut in half then folded and skewered, along with cherry tomatoes, bocconcini,halved and two types of olives. And while I liked all the kabobs, I think these were my favourite.

And all of these are easily prepared in advance too.

I think I'll definitely serve them again.