Dutch Birthday Calendars

I have very clear memories of my Oma Vandermolen's bathroom in Chilliwack.

I'm not entirely sure why a bathroom holds such strong memories for me but but two things stood out in my mind. . .

The lilac scented can of air freshener on the toilet tank (I found that unsettling because it meant my Oma acknowledged that sometimes poop was stinky. . .) and the Dutch birthday calendar that hung on the back door of the bathroom.

As a girl who has to read when ever and wherever possible, I appreciated both the pretty picture and the opportunity to catch up on who had a birthday that month.

 I thought she was a genius!

After all . . . how many times do you go to the bathroom a day? There would be no excuse when it came to remembering someone's birthday . . .

Mine for example. . .

In honor of my Oma (and my mother-in-law) I decided to put together a Dutch Birthday calendar of my own using some of the photo's I've taken over the past year.

If you would like to have one of these calendars on your bathroom door you're in luck! I will be selling them at my Plant Sale starting this Thursday for $12 each.

Now I'm off to hunt up a hammer and a nail to install one in my bathroom!

Adventures in Edmonton . . . Tea at Rutherford House

For my mother-in-law's birthday this year all the daughters and daughters-in-law ( there are 10 kids in Henry's family) thought it would be fun to do something a little different. A few ideas were tossed around but in the end we all agreed that high tea at Rutherford house sounded the most fun.

If you love delicious food, old houses and decor and lovely service . . . the Rutherford House is the place to go.

I was still not feeling the greatest so I was really looking forward to an afternoon out and a chance to use my camera in a new location.

Only, if you can believe it (I can't!) I forgot my camera!!!

Disaster!

While I was busy kicking myself my lovely sister-in-law Andrea saved the day by offering me her camera!

How sweet was that?

Because I use and Olympus and she a Canon I decided not to try to figure out how to use manual settings but just went automatic for the afternoon.

I had a blast taking pictures although . . .  I do believe I may have missed out on some quality visiting time as I wandered around the house once I had finished eating.

They were about to send out a search party when I finally rejoined them.

So, without further ado . . . another adventure in pictures . . .


Ummmmm. . . 

I am experiencing some very odd technical problems . . .

When I try to add these pictures to my blog all but one of them show up black!!

I've tried a few things but nothing seems to work.

So, because I spent a long time working on this post and the pictures, I am going to be a little unorthodox and give you a link to send you to my Facebook page to view them.

Because I can load them onto Facebook!

How weird is that?

Pop on over to Facebook and check them out.

*I need one more like on my Facebook page to unlock extra features so if you you give me a like I would be very grateful. . .

Product Photography or . . . A Bunch Of Pretty Pictures

My sister-in-law Leona dropped of some of her jewelry with me a while back and I took the opportunity to play around with my camera and a few props in the greenhouse.

I have to say I'm loving this kind of product photography. It's so much fun to make little vignettes and start snapping away.

If anyone has something they need pictures of   for an Etsy store or what have you . . . let me know. I'd love to play some more! Free of charge of course . . . I barely know what I'm doing at this point. 

It's just  so much fun . . .

It also gave me the perfect excuse to buy this gorgeous African violet.

Which I promptly killed when I forgot it in the greenhouse over night and it froze to death . . .

Arghhhh!!!

In the end Leona preferred the style I did with her first batch of jewelry which has a slightly different feel. (Partly because the light was so different. Late afternoon winter sun rather than stronger midday spring sun.)

Which of course is one of the reasons this is so much fun . . .

Each time I do this I get the chance to try new ideas, different styles and play with a variety of props until I find something that speaks specifically to someone's personal style.

What could be more satisfying???

Adventures in Edmonton. The Strathcona Farmers Market

Although Holly and I have been keeping our noses to the grindstone for the last month or so, we have managed to sneak in the odd adventure here and there.

A few weeks ago we visited the Old Strathcona Farmers Market to stock up on some delicious local food and indulge in breakfast from Toast Fine Catering.

I'm a very picky eater. As the daughter and granddaughter of European bakers how could I not be??

People. . . You have got to try this food!   It.Is.Fabulous.

Holly had never been to the Farmers Market and enjoyed the experience immensely and I thought we should share it with you.

An Adventure in Pictures . . .

Good food, beautiful goods, unique entertainment.

What more could you ask for?

A Successful Sale!

I was part of an Open House sale (my first ever) as one of three handcrafting ladies which was held at my sister-in-law Leona's house over the weekend.

Things have been pretty quiet here on the blog lately as getting ready for this sale and caring for the plants  needed for the upcoming plant sale has kept both Holly and I hopping!

It was totally worth it though. We met many lovely ladies and snacked on the delicious chocolate chip squares provided by my mother-in-law as well as the fabulous garlicky hummus Leona made. For those who enjoy a little wine, a few varieties were offered allowing us to sip while we chatted and people shopped.

Check out my set up and wares. . .  (Morgan and Henry obligingly made me these beautiful cedar boxes the day before the sale!)

Can you believe I found this sweet vintage baby scale at Goodwill???  For $25?!!

Yes those are real hydrangeas! 

I sold the majority of my concrete leaves and terrariums as well as bits of everything else I had for sale (clay tags were also very popular).

This one (everyone's favorite) went to my mom for Mother's day.

All in all? A very successful sale!

Next up? The plant sale. I'll be open Friday and Saturday on the Mother's day weekend and then closed more or less until the Friday of the long weekend. Of course if during the week I'm closed, you suddenly have an urgent need for plants and can't wait until the long weekend, feel free to call or e-mail me and we will work out a time for you to drop by and do a little shopping.

Now I'm off to do a few supper dishes, eat a delicious donut with my tea as a reward and then head off to bed  for a good night's sleep.

Life is good.

Big Sale this Weekend!

We are having a big sale this weekend!

Holly and I have been hard at work on lots of different things, getting ready for the sale. I had hoped to have pictures of some of the items in the shop over at Growing Wisdom but I have only manage to do a few so far.

Hopefully I can get a few more posted tomorrow afternoon and you can check things out before the sale.

Also thanks to Nicole East at LemonTree Avenue , Growing Wisdom has a new look. Thanks Nicole! I love it!

Check it out!

I'm thinking I may have to purchase this as well, which she sells in her other shop.

They are all so pretty!

Now I have to get back to it.

Tomorrow will be here before you know it!

Spring In Alberta

Spring is Alberta can be elusive. Fickle even.

One day the sun shines, the snow begins to melt and your heart warms.

Spring is here!

Then the snow begins once again.

There are days, weeks even, where you become convinced that this is the year we will skip spring altogether.  Go straight from winter into summer.

Some years . . . it has nearly done just that.

The trick is to look closely . . . and quickly. Spring shows herself here in Alberta, you just have to know what to look for.

What is more fun in the spring than 'crack ice???'

 

Catching a few warm rays on a bench overlooking the river valley?

Jada's not too sure about that.

Her favorite spring activity is looking for the best grass to graze on once the snow starts receding. (We've tried to tell her she's a dog not a cow . . . but . . .  somehow. . .  when it comes to just the right kind of grass, she doesn't seem to care!)

Of course you can't find spring without looking every where. Jada likes to keep a close eye on the path leading to the river . . .

Spring comes slowly most years . . . but it always comes. And the snow leaves.

And the flowers arrive.

The forecast for this week is wonderful.  Temperatures are finally on the rise. Plants are moving into the greenhouse today and, if I have a few spare minutes, I'm going to snip back a few of those tired looking, dried out iris leaves in the front garden.

It's time to make room for a new gardening season.

Spring!