A Wedding From Scratch

   As everyone knows by now this past weekend found me kid free at my cousin Caitlin's wedding in Saskatoon. Everything about the day was thoughtful and adorable just like the bride and groom- the ceremony took place in the gardens at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park- in such a beautiful setting not many decorations were needed. This cute bunting hung behind the alter providing a whimsical backdrop for the vows and kisses.

The Happy Mr. & Mrs.

       All the little details were perfect and Caitlin and her sisters made them all- the name tags were ingenious- paint chips- donated by a local store! The runner down the table was a simple strip of white burlap with the table numbers inscribed. The white on white tonal scheme really kept everything fresh and clean without overwhelming guests.

The yummy favour table- little plastic bags and silver ties were provided for the guests to make their own take home treat- although mine never made it very far!

     The reception was decorated with giant tissue flowers- what makes this D.I.Y so genius is the stems of the flower- a pool noodle was wrapped in green streamer and weighted at the bottom with a cup of rocks- allowing these huge flowers to free stand- the flower blossoms were then tacked on top- so fun!

    All the fantastic little touches that went into this day really made it special and brought across the whimsical, fun nature of the couple. Weddings obviously should be about the bride and groom but often the personality of the couple gets lost in the planning process- Caitlin and Kent did a great job and created a memorable evening for themselves and their guests!

A Weekend with My Sister

The Hotel Bessborough

      This past weekend my sister, Heather, and I had ourselves a bit of an adventure! We boarded a plane bound for Saskatoon early Saturday morning - one might argue a little too early but we had a spa appointment to make- so early Saturday it was. Neither of us had been to Saskatoon in years and certainly not in the middle of the summer- we were not sure what to expect. Turns out the rumours of mosquitos are true! We stayed at the Hotel Bessborough right in the heart of downtown Saskatoon, the hotel is a historical landmark built in the early 30's by the Canadian National Railway.

 
     The Hotel Bez- as my cousins refer to it as- is located right on the banks of the  beautiful South Saskatchewan River, along which runs a fantastic walking/running/biking path.  In classic Delta style The Bez has luxurious beds that one could get lost in, and fantastic toiletries- Philosophy goodies which I may have hogged! We had a bit of spare time on Sunday before our cousin's wedding and so after locating the nearest Starbucks we ventured out for a bit of exploring- and possibly some shopping!

     






















    I have to say this time spent over the weekend surrounded by our cousins and aunts and uncles was really special as we are scattered all across this country from Vancouver to Halifax and rarely are we all in one place. It was fantastic to re-connect with a few family members we haven't seen in over ten years and to enjoy the family members we see all the time but in a different setting. I soaked up every second from the minute my sister boarded the plane to the time we parted company last night. Un-interupted conversation, relaxation, good food, pedicures, even more good wine and fantastic company was what really made the weekend one to remember! Not to mention our Aunt Kathy's quiches and Aunt Barbi's tort- we have all agreed you two should have a bake off and all us cousins will be the judges!

The South Saskatchewan River

       To give credit where credit is due- we could not have had this weekend away with out the help of our own families. We might make fun of our dad and his fancy dance moves but that guy really does come through- everything from getting coffee and toast in the morning to making sure we had a chilled bottle of Thornhaven wine for our spa session- so thank you dad! And thank you to our mom who is always entertaining and an amazing dance partner! A huge thank you to our fantastic husbands who missed out on all the shenanigans and stayed at home with the littles- making sure they were moderately clothed and ate something green over the weekend!

   The biggest thank you goes out to my sister who was my date for the weekend- I miss you even though we only live four hours apart and talk constantly. It was so fantastic to just be you and I over the weekend- not moms, not wives - just us!

Mr Crab

      We live in a beautiful part of the world- in a beautiful city- surrounded by amazing scenic shots everywhere you look. One place people don't often look is under the bridge, and it is under the bridge- The Granville Street bridge in particular- where you will find some of the best seafood in town.  Living in such close proximity to the sea we have become completely spoiled by the abundance of fresh seafood- something pointed out to me by a visiting cousin last week. We really just take it for granted that  Wild Salmon, Crab and Mussels are part of our weekly menu.

Most days in the afternoon you can find local fishermen selling their catch down at Fisherman's Wharf in False Creek. This is the go-to location for fresh fish with the Seafood shack Go Fish located in the parking lot- this is the real deal folks- possibly the best Fish & Chips I have ever had! If you go I would recommend a Tuna or Salmon Tacone- there is still some debate between the Mr. and I over which is better.

     
      Last Saturday afternoon found us perusing the fresh catch on the VUNG TAU- fresh Dungeness Crab? Yes please! Not only did the kids get to see where the crabs came from but they got to make a connection with the fisherman who had caught what we were going to eat. They also realised that this food that we eat is alive which to be honest really bothered Miss Lo- she passed on eating Mr. Crab for dinner!

picking out dinner

        The Mr. did a great job of steaming up the crab and doing all of the dirty work- the bits that make me squeamish!  We kept the sides really simple with some steamed green beans picked in my parent's garden and some brown rice- two of Miss Lo's favourites.

       We may not have fancy crab hammers of tiny forks like Williams and Sonoma would like you to believe you need- I find that the same hammer used to hang art and build bird houses also works to break into crab shells!

Crab is a lot of work to get at a small amount of meat but it is such a fun and social meal- we lingered out on the deck picking away for quite some time. A real treat  even  for those of us lucky enough to have access to fresh fish all year around!

Date Night

My impression of a flamingo! Dress- J.Crew, bag- Clare Vivier and shoes- N.d.c

As was so widely advertised last week was the Mr. and my 8 year anniversary- in a shocking turn of events we actually had a babysitter which enabled us to go out to a real restaurant, have several drinks and take several hours to eat our meal! This never happens- but at Christmas we received a voucher for kid sitting as well as a gift certificate to the Cork & Fin located right around the corner from our house. We are so glad we saved it until the summer- we were able to sit outside and soak in everything that Gastown has to offer.

We started the meal out with what I have decided is my drink of the summer- a French 75- the classic cocktail that combines my favourite booze- Gin and Champagne.

        I had a delicious meal of steamed mussels in fennel and shallot broth as well as the C& F signature summer salad- strawberries, walnuts and goat chevre on a bed of spinach with balsamic dressing- and of course bread! Everything was delish and there are many things on the menu that I would like to go back and try.

    I think what made the evening so special is knowing our kids were at home having a blast with our friend Jenn- we don't go out often with out the Little's and knowing that they were probably having more fun on their own made me feel much better. As these kids of ours grow and create identities separate to ours I know the Mr. and I will have more special nights like this but for right now the memory from last week as well as a few French 75s will get me through!

Wedding Weekend Away

 

       Way back in the winter my dear cousin Caitlin and her fiance Kent approached me about making the invitations for their up coming nuptials. I was excited to be asked but a little hesitant- if only due to a lack of confidence on my part. I feel that when someone buys what I have all ready made then they obviously like what I have done- but to custom make invitations for a wedding is a great deal of pressure! Invitations really set the tone for the party or event- this would be the first tangible evidence- besides the ring- of their wedding plans.

    After I got over my initial case of jitters and actually got down to the business of making the cards everything went smoothly. The happy couple claim they are happy with the outcome and I will admit I think my fears were unfounded- the invitations are really cute just like Caitlin and Kent!

    The details: I worked with Caitlin to come up with a theme- a bicycle built for two seamed to be really appropriate and the balloons are just straight up fun and whimsical. I created a custom screen and printed all the cards by hand in my studio- A.K.A. kitchen table. Caitlin had the stamp made with all the pertinent details made and sent it out to me where I stamped each card by hand. The finishing touches were the balloons cut out of co-ordinating paper which add another dimension before I went in and sewed my Plain Jane signature touches.

    That brings us up to today-my bags are packed- this weekend is the wedding and I will be joining my sister on our own sans kids and husbands to fly to the metropolis of Saskatoon.  Magazines have been purchased and sit whispering promises of an uninterrupted read with a latte in the boarding lounge at YVR. I know this time away spent with my sister and parents and cousins and aunts and uncles will be any thing but relaxing and restorative- I will more than likely need about a week to recover- but oh it is much needed!

    Friends- I hope where ever this weekend finds you it is a good one- filled with love and joy, laughter and reminiscing, family and friends!

Thrifted Thursday

    Today's Thrifted Thursday is brought to you from the beach- which as discussed in a previous post is one of my favourite places to be. Being a dedicated beach bum in the Pacific Northwest can be tricky, the weather is pretty hit and miss. For example we spent New Years day at this same spot and it was sunnier and possibly warmer- yes it is August in Vancouver I promise you!

     Enter in my all time favourite beach essential- yes it is a little worse for wear but it is the coziest sweater ever- I love the hood and ample pockets- perfect for stashing chap stick. I also love that it appears to be hand knit and from what I can determine is actually wool. The best part about this sweater though is that it cost me a whopping $15 at Community Thrift and Vintage! Incidentally my denim crops are thrifted as well from Turn About Clothing on West Broadway- hands down my best score of the summer $11 for a brand new pair of pants with tags- originally over $100!

the perfect sweater for keeping cozy when the cool breezes kick up at a BBQ

   Another favourite beach style of mine is the ever present head scarf which has evolved over the years from bandana to a vintage silk scarf. This one is beautiful- love the colours- it is from Deluxe Junk and came in at under the $20 mark. I may not be a hat girl but I sure can rock a scarf!

   No BBQ is complete with a little libation- our current favourite is Ginger Beer. I happen to be drinking mine out of a vintage enameled mug that came from my Grandma's home. Sand in my toes, beer in my mug, friends laughing, bbq smoking, sun setting, kids still up- my idea of a good time!

Plain Jane Designs

collaged greeting cards- $5 ea or packs of 6- $20

     I have mentioned a time or two in this space that I am a bit of a maker- an artist who likes to make useful objects really special and sell them. I dabble in lots of different mediums- I make greeting cards, tea towels, kids clothing, paper goods like blank books and wrapping paper and now add to that list tote bags and pencil cases! I am super excited to announce that as of next week Plain Jane will be back on Etsy- I will post the link when I re-open my shop.

kid's library tote with inside pocket -$20

    These totes are made with a wide variety of sturdy fabrics in cute prints and can be customized with kids initials for and extra $5 per letter! Perfect to carry snacks in to Pre-school, books home from the library or toys and treats out to the car- the handle can either be worn cross body of over the shoulder.

hand screen printed tea towels $11 each or 2 for $20

bunny books- $8 each

With the start of Fall craft sales, back to school and even (gulp) the Holiday Season I decided it is time to get back into the swing of things. I will post select items here before I post them in my Etsy shop- giving my friends a chance to snap up some Plain Jane goodies before the general public. I'm expanding my line so watch for fantastic new items like Play Teepees- perfect for a toddler to snuggle up in on those rainy fall days. I am also hoping to be in a few Holiday Fairs this year so I will keep everyone up to date as to when and where you can find Plain Jane. Of course as usual I am always open to custom orders- particularly Holiday cards, birthday cards or really any other special event card!

I am super excited to be back in my studio - sewing and creating! I hope you all enjoy what I have to offer- if anyone is interested in purchasing something feel free to email me directly at sharilyn.plainjane@gmail.com