New Hobby

A while ago, I taught Deanna to crochet.  It's such an easy craft - you can pick it up for a few minutes and put it away until you have time again.

She did well and made an infinity scarf for herself and one for her cousin.

Since I taught her, I can't seem to stop crocheting!  I am really enjoying it - it's so much fun, and the projects I have been doing are quick and easy.  I can finish a hat in a few hours.  No afghans for me - I just don't have the patience...  I remember my Mom one winter made me a crocheted blanket for my bed.  It took for-e-ver to make.. it was bright yellow with popcorn stitches.  I loved that blanket!

Hats seem to be what's happening here these days though.... there are so many free patterns online, and also videos of how to do different stitches and techniques.  So easy to learn!

So here's a few things I've been working on....

Newborn Owl Hats.  (pardon the creepy doll...)

Natalie wanted an owl hat too!  This one is my favourite, I think.  Seriously, 2 hours it took me to make this hat!

Tim wanted a hat with a pom-pom.  He picked the colours... I love it!

Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou, Romeo?

A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to go see Romeo and Juliet at the Stratford Festival with my SIL, niece & nephew.

Art, Deanna and I went - it was fantastic!  We really enjoyed it.

And Bethany & Deanna were happy for the opportunity to see each other.

On a school night even!

Best cousin/friends!

Yep, we were there...

Hmm, those musketeers look oddly familiar...

More Makeovers!!

Deanna's room this time!  We decided it was better to put Natalie in with the twins, and give Deanna her own room.  Now she is starting high school, she will need her own space, and she will be on a totally different schedule than Natalie.  It was really starting to be an issue, Nat would go to bed, and Deanna would decide she needed a shower... Deanna would get up and wake Natalie up before she needed to be...

That room is pretty small, and really a good size for one person.  We had picked up a paint mistint a few weeks ago (when I painted my island!)  and we picked up a new duvet cover at JYSK for pretty cheap.

Thursday we got right to work!  Took the twins' bunkbeds down, moved Deanna and Natalie's bunkbeds into the twins' room with Natalie's new captains bed.

Removed everything from Deanna's walls, spackled, sanded, washed walls.  Then two coats of paint.  Some laundry in between waiting for paint to dry...

I had found a double bed on Kijiji for Tim, so we went and picked that up, moved his single bed up to Deanna's new room, and put the double in Tim's room.  That was about enough work for one day...

Today was finishing touches - we bought her a new mattress, put up window blinds and her mirror, and got a shelving unit for her books etc.  We are still looking for a wrought-iron type headboard, or a nice white wooden bed/headboard.  Wheels on hardwood is a little annoying.. never know where you'll end up in the morning!

Here's the finished product:

Before.  A long time ago, but you get the idea..

After!!  So much more grown-up.  I just love the paint colour

New shelving unit, she can keep her treasures and do her hair!

We need to re-paint the desk, and we also plan to spray paint the chair.  Maybe silver?

She is very, very happy with the end result!

One-day Makeover Project

I got this portable island from my parents neighbours... minus the butcher block.  Found that on Kijiji

It's a little dated and tired looking...

Until NOW!  Amazing what a couple of coats of paint and some new hardware will do!

Hubby and son were really skeptical of my colour choice, but I think  they'll come around... I like it!

May 4, 1991

Family Day Fun

We spent the weekend at THIS cottage with my brother and his family.  We had such a great time...

Sledding right off the deck!  What could be better?

Right down to the lake - express route

Lots of snow... and so beautiful 

R & A exploring... they were looking for a helicopter that had flown overhead.  Never did find it..

Natalie being silly... 

Warming up inside!

We went for a walk with Uncle R.

Time to warm up inside again!

Walking on the lake!

Ice fishing hut

Go R!

Uncle R's birthday message for Deanna

Mom & Boys!

Happy 14th Birthday Deanna!!!

Oldest brother reading to youngest brother :)

Oh yes.  Jumbo jawbreakers on a stick...

...can't believe they put those in their mouths!

J's was red.. he looked like his mouth was bleeding!

The neighbour kindly let the men take all the kids for a snowmobile ride!

Waiting for the next turn...

Gillgan's Island - the TV show of choice for the weekend... so funny!

New Budgies!

Meet Fili (blue) and Kili (green).

After Bert the Beautiful Blue Budgie Bird died a few weeks ago (sad, sad day) we discovered we missed having a bird in the house.

We found these two on Kijiji, from a lady in St Thomas.  Her daughters pet budgies had babies, and they were selling them.

These little guys are about 6 weeks old, and hand-raised, so used to being held.

Deanna named them after some dwarves in the Hobbit.

Shortbread

Last week for our Sandink Sinterklaas, I made some Christmas cut-out cookies (with cookie cutters) to share.  While they looked pretty, I found them pretty tasteless.  I was hoping for more of a shortbread type cookie...

I went on a search for a good shortbread recipe, and found this one in one of my Robin Hood Baking Festival magazines (I love those little books - we used to get them with the Readers Digest)

You should know this about me:  my rolling pin and I - well, we're not the best of friends.  Pizza dough - ok, that's pretty easy, but pie crust or cookie dough.... well, let's just say it's not a pretty sight.  It may or may not be true that Art has banned me from making my own pie crust - apparently I am not a pleasant person when I'm fighting with the rolling pin

This shortbread rolled out no problem, didn't stick (if it started to, I put it back in the fridge for a few minutes) and it is delicious!

Here's the recipe:

Grandma's Shortbread Cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup icing sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened

Combine flour, cornstarch, icing sugar in large bowl.  With large spoon, blend in butter.  Work with hands until a soft, smooth dough forms, shape into a ball.  (Edit:  I just put everything into my food processor and pulsed it until I got a nice dough.  I doubled the recipe too...)
If necessary, refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.  ROLL dough to 1/4" thickness.  CUT into shapes with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased baking sheets.  Decorate as desired with colored sugars, sprinkles, etc...  BAKE at 300 F for 15-25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned (20 minutes in my oven).  Remove and cool completely on wire rack.  Store in tightly covered container.
MAKES:  about 24 cookies, depending on size...

Aren't they pretty??  We got some neat sprinkles at Bulk Barn

I found these cute little cookie boxes at the Dollar store - I'm thinking teacher/neighbour gifts!!

Niagara Falls Getaway...

Art and I were able to get away for a few days last week.  We went to Niagara Falls and were totally tourists - it was fun!
We did not brave the Black Friday sales in the U.S. of A., but did hop the border on Wednesday to check out the Outlet Mall (huge!) and have dinner at the Olive Garden.  I miss that restaurant!  Best part was, we waited forever for our food, and then Art's steak was way overdone, so we got his meal free plus a gift certificate.  We ended up paying $8 for our entire dinner, including drinks!  Now that's good customer service...

View of the American falls and Rainbow Bridge from our hotel room

The Canadian Falls

Here we are, at the Falls!  It was a gorgeous day

HAD to go into this store...

Yup, 5lb bar of chocolate.  Only $49

View from my chair as I read my book - bliss!

We couldn't have picked a better week - Wednesday was beautiful, and Thursday was better.  15 degrees and sunny - we walked everywhere!  Good thing, because we sure ate well too - dinner at Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse.  That was an experience!!
Friday was cloudy and rainy, which was fine, since it was time to drive home anyway.  It was nice and relaxing, but it sure feels like a long time ago already.... can we go back???  Ah.... it's good to be home too!!