Holiday Traditions...

TOP TEN:

1. Deckin' the tree.  I'm one of those compulsive decorators - everything must happen in a certain order and each step must be perfecto before I'll move to the next.  This is probably why I do up the tree on my own!

2.  Watching copious holiday movies, usually in pyjamas or other comfies, and almost always snuggled up under a blanket on the couch with sister.  A couple of my favorites to watch this time of year are Elf (of course), Winter Passing (not really festive, but go with it), and let's round it off with a classic, It's a Wonderful Life.  I do realize that two of these films feature Zooey Deschanel - I love her.  True love.  

3.  While we're talking Zooey, let's throw in some Christmas tunes - How 'bout her rendition of 'Baby It's Cold Outside' (Elf)?  Holiday music is a must.  I'm not really into the cheesy pop-star versions, it's gotta be more traditional for me.  Think Ella & Bing and you've got me pegged.

4.  Brunch on Christmas morning.  This one includes my extended family on my mom's side.  These boys have always been more like brothers than cousins, and now their girly 'others' are also part of that greatness.  This is when we all spend the day relaxing together, drinking coffee and eating all sorts of great breakfast foods and appies.  The best, just the best.

5.  Chilly walks in the snow around my sleepy little town.  Things kinda shut down early here in winter, and as long as I'm bundled up, a frosty stroll downtown makes me a happy girl.

6.  Taking silly pics with sis on Christmas Eve.  EVERY year, for as long as I can remember, Ma has made us pose for a photo by the tree or the fireplace.  And EVERY year, Kimmy and I pull out a goofy face at the last second.  You would think she'd learn ;)

7.  Parties, festive drinks, gatherings, friends... just getting together.  Why don't we do it up like this all year?

8.  Cozy nights with a book by the tree, fireplace cranked... hot chocolate in-hand.  

9.  Selecting, wrapping and giving gifts.  I'm not into extravagant, but I am always choosy and want to be sure to pick something personal... and then I wanna wrap it up so it looks darling sitting under the tree.  Bows and ribbons, oh my!

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10.  Dressing up.  In dresses.  Anyone who knows me, or has read more than one post on this blog, has likely already put this together: I LOVE DRESSES.  I love everything about them, and I can never pick just one for the holiday season... nope.  I'll share my picks for this holiday season as I wear them, starting this weekend with dress #1 - to be worn to a friend's work holiday party.  Fun!

What are your favorite holiday traditions?  

K.

--- WOW!  I am overwhelmed at the kind words and comments from those of you who are already entered in the 100th Post Giveaway.  Thank you so much everyone!  I will be leaving the draw open for entries until midnight on Wednesday.  If you haven't already, just leave a comment on this post with your first name and last initial.  Thanks again people!

one hundred

This giveaway is all about a BIG BIG BIG thank-you to my readers.  I so much appreciate that you check-in every now and again and put up with my quirky rantings :)

The giveaway includes:

-Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom Body Butter

-Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Natural Soap

-Pacifica Brazilian Mango Grapefruit Solid Perfume

-Ferrero Rocher 16pc Chocolates

-White Swiss Truffle Loose Tea

-Loose Tea Infuser

-Purse Sized Note Pad

-Greenroom Eco Notebook (made with recycled materials)

-Rectangular Espresso Wicker Basket

-Torre & Tagus Chrome Decorative Apple

-Torre & Tagus Set of 3 Rose Magnets

So here's how it works:  You can enter by leaving a comment on this post with your name and last initial.  Your name will only be counted once (no matter how many comments you leave).  I will leave this open for entries until mid-week and then do an old school draw out of a bucket.  The winner's name will be posted later in the week and they will then contact me by email to arrange for shipping (my cost, of course).

Good Luck!

And again, THANKS so much y'all!

K.

*** Just a little FYI - Most of these great items are from Bloom ***

Oh.So.Cozy

1. Urban Outfitters Fall Leaves Quilt

2.  Neapolitan Waterfall Ruffle Duvet Cover

3.  Folk Patchwork Quilt

4.  Sunshine Duvet Cover

5.  Kaleidoscope Patchwork Quilt

6.  Corner Ruffle Duvet Cover

7.  Bohemian Medallion Duvet Cover

8.  Jones Patchwork Quilt

These comfy, cozy duvets and quilts are from the Urban Outfitters apartment line.  These are my favorites, including the one that I sleep under most nights - #4 was a Christmas gift from my Ma last year.  I stuffed it with a big fluffy goose down duvet and it is like a cloud.  It's so snuggly that apparently I disappear in there and it would be a good hiding place if ever I needed one :)  Although I do love the pattern, I like to mix it with whites and every now and then I'll switch out the cover for all white-on-white, just for a change.  Mmm, and now I am tempted to crawl back under the covers with a book and a cup of tea.

But.

That won't help me with the to-do list for the day.  So instead I will pick up the last few goodies for the giveaway happening HERE this weekend.  Then there is a painting to hang at Bloom for the grand opening tomorrow and lots of sewing and coats of stain to get at too.  Maybe, just maybe, if I work really hard, I will be able to shelf this *darling* to-do list for a day next week and treat myself to a day of holiday lattes and gift shopping.

Happy Friday!

K.

--- Oh, and in other 'Happy's: Happy-Happy Birthday to the Pegster, and also a big Happy Thanksgiving weekend to my American friends!

Della Luce & Twila

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This photo shoot from Della Luce makes me oh-so-happy.  It's perky and cute - so easy.  I'm just in love, that's all.  The lovely creative behind the duds in this shoot is Twila of Twila's Vintage.  Please do stop by her shop and her gorgeous blog!

Whoa.  This week has gotten outta hand.  The days have flown by and I feel like I've been playing 'catch-up' the whole time... without ever actually catching up!  Yesterday was spent at Bloom having good fun building pretty gift baskets and prize packages for their grand opening on Saturday.  Today is all sorts of crazy with dresses to sew, frames to stain and errands to run.

And here I go.

K.
--- And check back over the weekend for my 100th post giveaway... Details soon.

Before the Snow Flies

 Livingston Nature Park (Morden)

Morden Park

Morden Civic Centre

Here are my favorites of the photos that I took on my outing last week Tuesday.  I'm torn on my absolute favorite: either one of the sedum shots or the landscape photo of the creek?!  It was a totally grey sky day and it felt like the snow was about to fall at any second.  Luckily it stayed away - although looking outside now, it's hard to believe this was only a week ago.  The challenge for Jamie and I was to find some local beauty to photograph on a day that was just really kinda ugly.  The overcast skies did provide the perfect light and I think we did a good job of finding some pretty in the world on such a day.   I'm looking forward to photographing the winter wonderland out there with Jamie next week, and I can't wait to see how her shots from these locations turned out.

This morning is about getting things organized, making lists and deciding what the course of action will be for now until, well, maybe just for the week...  I think that's about the extent of my 'long-term' planning skills.  So, I'll go with it.  There is a stack of half-cut holiday dresses to  address, finishing touches and staining frames for two collages, planning for two more paintings and, and, and... Oh my.

Coffee required.

K.

Black & Blue... (and Green)

Holiday Party Dresses from ModCloth

1. Make a Point Dress

2. City of Emeralds Dress

3. More Than Just Romance Dress

4. Fondly Yours Dress

5. Seneca Falls Dress

6. Lady Jane Dress

Just a few of the many great holiday wearables from ModCloth.  I'll definitely be posting more.  My favorites tend to be the golden girl dresses, and since there will be plenty of my take coming, I decided to start it off with the more classic holiday party looks.  I will also put together an entire party outfit plan (shoes and accessories to boot) to post as well.  Dressing up for the holidays is definitely one of the reasons I love this season.  

Today is catch-up day for me.  There are so many projects near completion and ohhh my, so many just started.  It's time to tie up some loose ends and get a few more pieces of art out the door.  Otherwise, it's goodbye to the sister today (sigh), after a short visit under less than ideal circumstances...  Hmm, and I've got some baking to do for a friend's baby shower tonight.

Crazy busy Monday, and go!

K.

Turn it Down

By no means a new tune, but a faithful favorite for a mellow day.  Not only is it beautiful, it will make you feel something... whatever that may be.

Enjoy.

K.

Bloom... The Space.

Not much to report today, except that I'm thankful to be spending some of today at Bloom with a friend since forever.  

Here's the promised shots of the interior.  I'm still so impressed every time I walk in here.  Enjoy the pics and, if you're local, be sure to stop in and see it for yourself!

K.

--- P.S. The grand opening will be Saturday, November 27th. 

8 Mile...

End of the Road.

I can't even count how many times I've driven down the mile 8 road on my country drives; it's the perfect 'from-here-to-there' between my favorite stops.  If you're west-bound, there are a whole lot of very pretty little ponds, puddles and marshes right before you hit the highway.  I have been meaning to stop and snap a couple of pics for weeks and I'm so glad that I did last week.  I love the totally bleached-out look that happens at the very end of fall, when all of the life and color is fading fast.  Of course, I would rather do without the part that comes between now and spring.  It would suit me just fine to skip back to the green state-of-being without the ice and cold in between.

Today it's work on art orders, then off for a chilly afternoon of photo adventure, to be followed up by yoga class and wine with a girly friend in the evening.  That's a good kind of busy day.

K.

Powder Pink & Paint

(Untitled, 36"l x 36"w x 3"d, acrylic on canvas)

This piece has haunted the dining room table for TOO long and I'm finally done with it... And this time I mean it.  It's not going to be like the other three times I told myself it was done and then went back to re-do this part or that.  Nope, not this time.  The End.

Oy.

Wish me luck keeping my hands (and brushes) off of it for the day.  Hopefully these collage pieces will be just what I need to distract me.  Art, coffee and a round of cookie baking should keep me occupied until late in the day.

On to the Monday-ness then!

K.

Feathered Finery

The Pheasant Feather Necklace is in a beautiful Etsy Treasury by Diamond Dolls Couture - You can check it out here.  I would love to see this one make the front page, the curator did such a phenomenal job creating a pretty collection of feathered items.

I think the rest of this very chilly and cloudy afternoon will be spent hibernating with chai tea lattes and a good girly friend.  After that, some planning for the second collaged piece so that all the PVA goodness can happen for both pieces at once tomorrow.  I'll hopefully post some photos of the second Bloom painting too, if I can get around to pulling out the camera today.  

And suddenly the lazy day has accumulated quite a number of 'to-do's...

K.

Jack & Ruby Photography...

Girls Are A Girl's Best Friend Photoshoot.

Back in July, Meg and I were lucky enough to get to spend the day with a couple of brilliant ladies, Kara and Becky, that are the masterminds behind Jack and Ruby Photography.  I did a bit of a post back then with a few photos that you can check out here.  BUT now, the girls have unleashed the rest of the shoot on their blog and if you are into big, cheesy open-mouthed smiles, then please do check out the slideshow here.  I think that we should forward these pictures to our dentists and orthodontists, there seems to be much toothy grinning in these pics - probably because we had such a great and very fun day.

Thanks again Becky and Kara - you gals are just so great at what you do!

K.

(And I keep talking about Megan, and her shop and flowery life, so maybe it's about time I shared some photographic proof that she really does exist.  Here she is people, in color... and well, black and white too.)

Bloom... The Wares.

The above photos showcase only some of the many beautiful gift and home decor items that are for sale at Bloom.  There is a great selection of faux grasses, succulents and silks... you know, for those who like their pretties to last for an extremely looong time.  There's also everything from decorative plates and glassware to wall art and seasonal goodies.  
My personal favorite is the line of Pacifica soy candles, soaps and perfumes.  They smell wonderful and exactly like what the labels says they will smell like - rare.  Aside from that, they are so beautifully presented that you'll hardly want to part with the pretty packaging!
Meg and I had a great Wednesday afternoon chatting with customers and playing with flowers - what a sweet way to spend the days!  I'm just so happy for Megan and her family, and yeah, I'm proud of her too.  She is living her dream and I think that takes a lot of sacrifice and determination.  Love it.
K.
(Yes, there are still MORE pics to come next week... the store space and perhaps a little holiday sneak peek too.  I was a wee bit snap-happy with the camera on Monday morning.)

Remember

(Digitally colored photo of one of my paintings - "Poppies" is acrylic on wood and approx. 36" x 48").

Show Your Stripes

1. Marine One Green Toggle Coat - Ruche

2. Cube Necklace - Polyvore

3. Filigree Ring - Polyvore

4. Gray Tights - Polyvore

5. Earn Your Stripes Dress - Ruche

6. 'Randy' Riding Boot - Ruche

7. Glasses - Polyvore

8. Messenger Bag - Polyvore

Just a quick little wardrobe inspiration for Wednesday... 

I'm off to Bloom for the afternoon - check in for photos of their giftware soon!

K.

Bloom... The Buds.

The number of photos I took of these blue beauties is silly, especially considering the temperature in the cooler.  They are gorgeous though, and a testament to Meg's goal for Bloom to truly offer something unique to their customers.

The rest of the cooler is filled with fall favorites and definitely made me want to pick out a few for the dining room table... and I would have, if I could find the dining room table under all of the painting chaos.  Next week!

I've got a gazillion more pics to share from my photo sesh at Bloom yesterday morning, so check back soon for photos of  giftware, holiday goodies and the space in general.

The morning is being consumed with painting, to be followed by another Tuesday afternoon photographing adventure.  Fun.  Once again the weather is *supposed to be* just right for an outdoor excursion... layers are on, camera is packed, look out puddles and ponds here we come!

K.

Bloom Art

I did decide to keep the last field of flowers painting and instead did up this similar one for Meg's shop... it's 48" x 36" on a 2 1/2" deep canvas.  This version is detailed and it's definitely more textural.  The palette is mellowed out and the colors are all knocked back so that it's a good fit for Bloom's interior (for as long as that's home).  

You will likely see this painting in more photos very soon since Bloom is opening for business Monday, November 8th.  Yahoo!  I will be there bright and early before the shop opens to snap some photos of everything in its state of perfection... and believe me, it is looking quite perfect in there.  I told the Pegster I might take up permanent residence on the office couch, I just want to be around the prettiness all the time.  As is, you'll find me there on Wednesdays... which I guess will get me my fill of flowers and gifts.

More on Bloom soon!

As for this weekend - it is GORGEOUS out and I'm taking advantage again today.  Sunday will start off with my new favorite version of a London Fog, with gingerbread tea and a cinnamon flavor shot.  This will be followed by a repeat performance of yesterday, meaning that I'll soon be off for walks, park naps and country drives...

K.