It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Summer

Summer is, certainly here! Now that it's July 1st, it is very hot outside. I went kayaking, last week. It was gorgeous outside; not too hot, but lovely. I was hoping to see a lot of wildlife, ie. turtles, beaver, fish. Alas, I only saw a loon. However, there is still plenty of time to see creatures throughout the summer. I do think these lily pads are very pretty. I love to look at them whenever I kayak through them.

The peony bush bloomed. The flowers were huge and fragrant. I was really looking forward to enjoying them. Then, one night, it rained hard and the flowers drooped to the ground and they didn't last long after that. They were beautiful while they lasted!

The bees are loving the sage flowers. I don't usually let the sage flower, but I left them alone, this time. The herb garden is starting to smelly dreamy.

Daisies really do complete a summer garden.

This week will be filled with holiday, birthday and bicentennial celebrations. I hope to keep up with the blog as these events happen. I think I'll be far too busy for crafts, but who knows?
 Until then~ Toodahloo!

Easy Wall Art

Back when I first started this blog, I would often write about my admiration for the CBC show Being Erica. I regularly watched the show as it aired on CBC. After four seasons, the show ended and I was left without the adventures of "Erica Strange."

One of my favorite things about he show was Erica's apartment. I loved the set and the way the set designer decorated the apartment. On the wall of Erica's bathroom was a poster that read "Keep Calm and Carry On;" this message was very fitting for the theme of the show. I had never seen the poster elsewhere, this was before the Keep Calm trend took off. I went on the internet to research the poster and find a place to buy one. It was interesting to see the origins of the poster and how they were used in England, fun history, really. I have found various copies of the print online. I even have a mug and a journal with the message printed on them. However, I have never found a version that I really loved. I have kept an eye out for what I wanted and nearly gave up. Then, I went to the Dollar Tree and found wall stickers made by Main Street Wall Creations which had the Keep Calm message for you to stick on your wall. I bought the wall stickers and decided to be creative...

I happened to have stretched canvas, white latex wall paint, a paint brush and lavender acrylic craft paint on hand. I used lavender and lilac acrylic craft paint to tint white latex wall paint; which I used to coat the entire surface of the canvas.

I painted 4 coats of lavender paint, waiting for each to coat to dry before applying another. Once the paint was completely dry, I then placed the stickers onto the canvas. I used my journal, with the Keep Calm phrase printed on the cover, as a guide as to where the place the stickers. I also used a ruler to locate the center of the canvas; this enabled me to eyeball the approximate placement of each sticker.

I really like the end result. It was very easy to do and a very inexpensive project. Considering I already had most of the materials for the project on hand, I only invested $1.00 to make this wall art. Now, I have the poster that I always wanted! If you find this sticker, or another sticker that you like, at the Dollar Tree, this is very easy to do. You can purchase acrylic craft paint for $.50- $1.00 and if you can't find a stretched canvas, you could buy a cheap painting at a thrift store and blank out the painting with white or black craft paint before adding layers of the color that you want for your poster. This project could be made with a very small investment. So, keep an eye out at those summer yard sales for fun future projects and have fun! Until next time! Toodahloo!

The Most Important Meal Of The Day

I can tell the sort of day I am going to have, based on the breakfast that I eat that day. The breakfast featured above is poached eggs on top of avocado on whole wheat English muffins. I've seen this breakfast idea on Pinterest countless times. I love poached eggs, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was delicious! However, there is one thing that people never warn you about. Poached eggs layered on top of avocado are very slippery- good luck keeping that together. Not to mention that fact that poached eggs are messy. Once you bite into the yoke, that's it, prepare yourself for a messy breakfast. One of my poached eggs slipped off of the plate and onto the floor, making a delicious treat for Fred to enjoy. Although the breakfast is fast and easy to make, it is tricky to eat. When I made this, my heart was in the right place. I wanted to do something good for myself, but eating it was a comic performance.

This plate of cottage cheese pancakes topped with bananas and syrup, shows that I still took the time to make myself something filling, slightly healthy and tasty. It also says that I don't care about my desire to avoid sugar, that morning. I might have been eating my emotions.

This smoothie that I made, this morning, says "Hey, you're too tired to function. Make yourself a high protein banana smoothie and keep things low maintenance." So, I did, it was for the best. Not every day can be absolutely perfect. Some days are hectic, others are low key. Some days, I wake up and I remember all of the things that I need to accomplish by the end of the day. Which is why some days I eat hazelnut spread stuffed crepes and other days I eek by with black coffee and toaster pastry. Really it's all okay, I'm thankful to have options and the materials on hand from which to choose. Summer will be here soon and I can't wait to just enjoy it. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Warm Days In New England

I am finally experiencing warm weather days! It was a late start, but well worth the wait. The weather has been lovely, with a few days of rain. The lupines and irises are up and soon I'll see my peonies bloom. Lately, I've also seen wild animals that I've never before seen in my backyard. Aside from the family of skunks that have always inhabited the nooks and crannies of the yard. This week, I saw a chipmunk and two woodpeckers. It was actually exciting to see new life here. Fred is very excited about these encounters whereas, I am just trying to prevent an altercation.

The veggie garden has been planted and I am working on a scrappy garden. When I have completed that project, I'll post more about that. Also, I've expanded the herb patch. I should see a tremendous garden haul, if the weather proves to be accommodating.

I'm really looking forward to all the delicious masterpieces that I'll be able to create from the garden pickings and posting about them too. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Dormez Vous?

A sleep mask that I repaired after I broken the original band.

Over the past month, I've had a difficult time staying asleep. There is nothing that is bothering me that would cause me to wake, early in the morning. For some strange reason, I wake up at 3 am and I can't seem to get back to sleep until sunrise. This was really beginning to be problematic, in that it messed up my schedule for the remainder of the day. Then, I began to think about what was going on, and I remembered that this same thing happened to me last Spring. I decided that there must be some issues with the transition of the seasons.

I then decided to consider slight changes that I could make in my bedtime ritual that could aid in an easier sleep. Here are some things that I've done which have made a big difference in my sleep quality: 1) I shut the tv off when I am done watching tv for the night. I had gotten into the habit of falling asleep to the sound of a television, I ended that.
2) I don't eat any food at least an hour before bed time.
3) I don't concern myself with the things that I need to get done the next day. I save that for the morning when it actually matters.
4) Lastly, I sleep with a sleep mask. I know this seems weird, maybe even high maintenance. However, the mask cancels out light, which relaxes me. Also, I found that I had been waking up with terrible headaches. This was because, once the sun rose, I'd squint my eyes to block out the sun. The strain on my facial muscles was causing the headaches. Not to mention that it could have led to premature aging, no thank you!

A sleep mask that I made with reversible fabric.

Yesterday, I broke the elastic band on a sleep mask that I use. I actually have several on hand. I used the mask to make a stencil to make another sleep mask. Then I repaired the mask. The sleep mask above, I made with soft fleece and flannel fabric and I reused on old elastic band from another craft project. The sleep mask at the top is velvet on one side and satin on the other side. Soft fabric is key, because you don't want to irritate the delicate skin around your eyes. Also, a soft fabric that isn't itchy won't wake you in the middle of the night. 

Sleep masks can often be found at department stores, in the spa section, for very little money. It has been tremendously helpful in increasing the quality of my sleep. I now wake refreshed and full of energy for my day. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cheesy Marbled Brownies!

The other day, I was craving brownies; specifically, marble brownies. I decided the only way to get over those cravings, was to make some marble brownies. They are very easy to make. Here are some basic instructions for you, in case you find yourself craving these yourself!

Ingredients:
1 box of brownie mix for a 9 x 13 in. pan
Any ingredients listed in the back of the brownie mix box
1 tsp. instant coffee granules
2 tbsp. cocoa powder

4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 c. peanut butter
2 tbsp. confectioners sugar
2 tbsp. milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

So, I began with the brownie batter. I placed the mix into a bowl and I added the cocoa powder and coffee granules and mixed them together. Then, I added the ingredients that are listed on the back of the box and I set the bowl aside. This is when I preheated the oven and prepared the baking pan with butter spray.

I had the cream cheese in a separate bowl, where I kept it at room temperature before I added the peanut butter.

Using a hand mixer, I blended the cream cheese and peanut butter until it was mostly blended. 

At a certain point, the mixture does get a bit stiff, this is when I add the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Be careful to mix at the lowest speed so that the sugar doesn't fly out of the bowl. Otherwise, if you start at a high speed, even a moderately high speed, a huge mess will happen and you'll be wearing your mixture.

Once the sugar was blended into the mix, I added the egg and blended that in. Then, I spread the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. I took large blobs of the peanut butter/ cream cheese mixture and placed them, at random points, on top of the brownie batter.

   

Using a rubber spatula, I gently spread the cream cheese/ peanut butter mixture on top of the brownie batter. It was a lot like frosting a cake. I just made certain that the mixture was spread on evenly.    

Finally, I ran a knife through the brownie batter and the cheese mixture. I did that in a swirling motion, being careful not to stir or mix the two together, but to feather them together. This made the marbling. Then, I baked the brownies according to the instructions on the back of the brownie mix box. After I allowed for a bit of cooling time, I enjoyed some very delicious brownies! I know it wasn't 100% from scratch, but I wasn't in the mood to make the entire treat. I really don't think that I had the patience for that. Plus, I really wanted those brownies and I didn't want to waste any time. It was that kind of day. If you decide to make these, I hope they work out for you! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

I Made A Shoulder Bag Out Of Trousers

These lovely trousers had an unfortunate experience in the washing machine. They were not washed on the correct heat setting, causing the fabric to shrink. To make matters more awkward for the pants, the lining of the pants are made of a different material, which is resistant to shrinking. So, the lining was longer than the pants. I decided to keep the pants to use for a craft project. I wasn't certain what I would do with them, but I don't like to throw away good material. I never know when I'll be inspired.

Lately, I've been wanting a new bag that I could throw over my shoulder that could not only hold essentials, but also a lunch. I needed a bag with ample space. I measured the pants, starting at the crotch, to decide a suitable length for shorts. Perhaps sometime, late summer, I'll fashion some "Zoe Hart" inspired shorts. I set aside the top of the pants and used the legs to make a bag. I saved the lining to use to line the bag. Cutting along the inseam, I had a large amount of fabric for the front and back of the bag. I used another pair of brown trousers to use for the handles and for a outside pocket for my cell phone.

I used an assembly method based on that used for a basic tote bag. The end result being a very roomy bag that is 17 in. x 21 in. This will give me plenty of space to carry my wallet, my cell phone, an emergency make-up kit, a folder and a lunch. It would also be great for those long days where I'm running errands.

 It will be fun to make some late Summer/ early Fall shorts, in a few months. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the warm weather, while we have it. I look forward to more baking, gardening and crafting over this summer. All of which I will share, until then..~ Toodahloo!

Time Killer Addictions

There will be no photos in this blog, that would take too much time! I really need to admit to some ridiculous time killers that I have been indulging in a bit too much, as of late. I think that the harsh winter was a big contributor to this problem. The snow would not stop coming, which meant that I was stuck inside a lot. Ordinarily, I would curl up with a good book and read whilst sipping hot cocoa. However, this winter, I was far too agitated to read. So, I killed time with the screen. Armed with Netflix, Hulu, Youtube and Video On Demand I'm never without something to watch.
Some of the shows that I watch are a favorite among many, while others are simply questionable. SO, here's my list of time killers in no particular order:
1) Orphan Black on BBCAmerica- This show is ridiculously amazing; it's a bit of sci-fi, mixed with action and mystery. The plot is enough to keep any nerds sucked in, but I'm particularly interested in watching the show, not just because of the plot, but because I love spotting the actors from other Canadian shows. It's amazing how many actors who've appeared on the show "Heartland" have also been on this show, as well as other shows like "Haven," "Emily Of New Moon" and "Being Human" (U.S. version).
2) Moone Boy featured on Hulu, this show is so flipping funny! I can relate to the main character, as I would have been the same age as him during the time period that the show is set. The main character has an imaginary friend played be Chris O'Dowd. If you've ever watched "The IT Crowd" you'll know how hilarious he is. The nostalgia and innocence of the show is endearing and the comedy is so delightful. I could watch this show all day.
3) My Drunk Kitchen seen on Youtube, the web series features Hannah Harto as she endeavors to create culinary masterpieces while consuming copious amounts of wine. Sometimes, she has guests who help her make edible disasters, all while she throws puns at the viewer. I can sit to watch one video and an hour will pass before I realize what I've done!
4) Endeavour seen on Netflix, it's a sort of prequel to the series Inspector Morse. Set in 1960's Oxford, the men wear suits (with skinny ties), the featured detectives drive a Jaguar, there's some opera music, mystery, side burns, mid century modern sets, mod clothing, and delicious British accents. This show is very irresistible. Really, I don't feel the least bit guilty about watching this show.
5) Pixiwoo make up tutorials. This is also seen on Youtube and features the delightful Chapman sisters, Nic and Sam. These makeup artists are from Norwich, so again I'm pulled in by the accent. Also, they are very personable, they're my age, so it feels like one of my gal pals teaching me how to execute the perfect cat eye. Although, try as I might, I'll never duplicate their looks exactly, the tutorials are so engaging.  A bit of warning: Once you've watched a few of their videos, you'll start watching their brothers videos and their friends videos, and their future sisters in- laws makeup tutorials and her friends videos. Seriously, it's a big community, but they are all delightful and they'll make you laugh and introduce you to beauty products you never knew were possible.
There are a few other time killers that I won't even get into, because it's far too embarrassing (ahem, TOWIE). I am now starting to experience sunshine, singing birds, dandelions and blossoms. I think these time killers will now be experienced at night when I"m too tired to function. It would be a shame to be pasty looking, when I could get some fresh air outside. Then again, there's always time on rainy days. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Baked Goods

Last Friday, I had a craving for Hot Cross Buns. This is something that I, usually, only make once a year. I think I rarely make these, because it is such a long process and it requires more patience than I have. However, I had the craving, and so I made them.

A few days before that, I baked cookies. I had the house to myself and I was bored and decided the best way to spend my time was by baking. I played Take That in the background as I spent the afternoon baking chocolate - chocolate mint cookies.

I used a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, with a few additions.

 



To the dry ingredients, I added 3/4 cup of baking cocoa powder. This makes a very dark chocolate cookie base.

Then, I unwrapped a package of individually wrapped mint chocolate wafer candies and chopped those into chunks to use in place of chocolate chips. Although it was a tedious task, the end result was super yummy!








Now that the holidays have come and gone, I'm a bit tired of baking, so I think I'll take a break from that. I'm very excited to have my sewing machine fixed so that I may resume some sewing crafts. I have a tote bag project that I'm working on and when I finish that, I'll post about it. Also, the weather is warmer and even though we might get some snow tonight (sadly I'm not joking) I'll soon be cleaning up the yard and beginning my Spring time work on the herb garden. This week is a busy week, but I do hope to get some sort of project successfully completed.... that would be fabulous! Until then~ Toodahloo!

Thrifting For Creativity

Spring is in the air. Even though another snow storm might be arriving this weekend, the birds are chirping, today, and the sun is shining! For the past few weeks, I have been hunting on Pinterest for craft inspiration. After much pinning, I have a list of projects to work on. I like to go to the thrift store to find my supplies for my craft projects. Last week, I went to my local thrift shop and found five t-shirts and two books for a total of $5.00. One of the t-shirts I used in a craft project that I did yesterday. The book on birds I intend to use for this year's nature journaling. The copy of the book Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a nice hardcover book (as is the bird book) with a fun art work on the dust jacket. I grabbed the book after seeing in on a list of books everyone must read, online. So, I couldn't resist snagging it. It should be a fun read on a warm sunny day, this summer.

Earlier, this week, I went to another thrift shop while I was on a girls day out with my bestie. I went there looking for a the game Guess Who? and the game Operation. Then, I found a copy of the soundtrack to the movie Elf, such fun holiday music! I also found a denim skirt that was on sale for 1/2 price, which was a nice bonus, because I wanted another skirt for the summer.



I was in search for the game, Guess Who?, after seeing an amazing craft project on Pinterest where some very crafty Whovian actually drew each Doctor, some of his companions and some of his nemeses. This clever little Whovian then put those pictures in the slots of the original Guess Who? characters, and thus, they had  Guess Doctor Who?! I know! I want to track down that brilliant Whovian and make them some fish fingers and custard! I wish I could remember the exact link to that awesome craft, but it can be found on Pinterest.

I wanted the get the game Operation after I saw "Sherlock" playing the game on the show Sherlock. I forgot how much I loved that game. So, when I saw it at the thrift store for $.99, I was very happy. I was even happier when I opened the game and discovered that the only piece missing was the Adam's Apple. I can easily make another Adam's Apple with polymer clay. So, the 99 cent investment was well worth the effort.

So, this week will be filled with a lot of crafting. I still have so much more that I wish to do, but it all hangs on what I can find at the thrift shop.  I like the challenge of using what I can find at the thrift shop for crafts; it's almost like Iron Chef, but with fabric, thread, paint and hot glue instead of potatoes, marshmallows and catfish.  I hope to keep this updated on this blog, as well as any other baking, and etc. that I take the time to do. Until then~ Toodahloo!

March And The Unbreakable Lion

Today is March 25th; according to the calendar, this means that the current season is, in fact, Spring. However, if I look out my window, my eyes see a few feet of snow on the ground. There is so much snow, that the glare from the sun hitting the snow hurts my eyes. The sunshine is, most certainly, Spring sunshine. These sunny days do bring a glimmer of hope that, eventually, I'll see grass on the ground. At first, it won't be pretty green grass, but the muddy and dead brown grass.. still, it won't be snow.

The channel playing in the other room is informing me of a nor'easter coming my way. Yes, another messy snow storm is heading for New England. This has been an ongoing plot line this winter. Now that it's Spring, I'd really like a reprieve from all the fluffy white stuff. The long winter is common in New England. The transition from Winter to Spring is always unpredictable. Most New England residents find a way to make the most of the weather. They take advantage of the snow for outdoor recreation, or they use that time to catch up on their reading or another hobby that gets neglected over the summer months. I've done all of these things and now, I'm ready to transition into Spring.

Did I mention a nor'easter heading my way? This puts a bit of a crimp in my plans. However, it's not all doom and gloom and Ladytoesocks will not be bothered. Over the next few weeks, I will be preparing for warm weather, because it is coming. Once the warm weather is here, I want to take full advantage of it. So, I've decided to begin my Spring cleaning next week. While the outdoors still looks like it's January, I'll be indoors, clearing away clutter, cleaning curtains, dusting, removing cobwebs and pine needles and all of the winter debris. This way, once the nice weather arrives I'll have the free time to spend on my garden.

There are other ways in which I have avoided the blues, grays and all around blahs. I have re-introduced summer treats, while indoors. The things that I enjoy doing and treats I enjoy eating, I play with now. I bought myself a hula hoop! Yes, the prices of hula hoops drop tremendously during the winter months. So, I bought one for a few dollars and it's fantastic! Not only is it fun, but it's surprisingly excellent exercise; it also lifts my spirits. I like to hula while I watch re-runs of Merlin on Netflix. Another trick that I like to use is, I like to make myself a treat, like a nice latte and watch the show McLeod's Daughters on either Hulu or Netflix. No matter how cold it is on that show, Australia always looks far warmer than New England. On that show, they spend a lot of time outdoors, riding horses or driving around in their utes, or sitting on their veranda, drinking beer and eating summery food. Sigh, it almost makes me forget that it's cold outside.

The next few weeks will be filled with preparations for warmer weather and more crafting, all of which I look forward to sharing with you! Until next time~ Toodahloo!