Took A Walk in My Neighbourhood..

"This city is a ribcage: you are the heart"

    Sometimes we are so in this thing called life we forget to stop and look around. Coming to this space, thinking about what is worth putting here, and then the follow through - holds me accountable for being present, looking around and catching bits I may have other wise missed. Take today for example- a completely ordinary day- except for the colour of the bricks against a blue jacket, the brilliant yellow leaves on a rain slick street, the vrooming of a car speeding along an imaginary race track. 

    When you consider what is this crazy ride called life all about- it's these little things that matter most. More than a better apartment, more than better shoes, more than a clean house- in my opinion that is anyways. I realize we can't all live off of warm fuzzy feelings and someone has got to pay the bills- but man I would not miss these days of doing nothing for all the days of doing something! 

   
 I know my time with our Littles is short- as my sister is fond of saying " they are only this young right now". Tomorrow they will know something different, tomorrow they will be older- maybe they will tell you to stop being silly, maybe they will start colouring in the lines, maybe they will ask to borrow the car keys. It's all going too fast- I say put on the breaks I want to stop and look around a bit- I want this time right now to be forever.

    I didn't start off this post aiming to be all melancholy about how fast life is going and how big my kids are getting- I wanted to write about this really great roast beef sandwich I had from Big Lou's! Needless to say we had a fantastic walk today- complete with a mini photo shoot- trying to get a shot for the Holiday cards being mailed out soon. Apparently as you can see we are raising a couple of comedians- I think the photo below is the winner-  Grandma will be so proud!

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it"

Ferris Bueller

Sew Easy- Bath Hoody Tutorial

      I like to give really use full gifts and so when I heard the news that two new wee babes will be coming into the lives of some dear friends I started to think about the gifts we received as new parents. The item I kept coming back to has proved to be infinitely use full - a friend of my family sewed each baby a bath hoody- simple yes but oh so good!  Today I thought I would share the very easy instructions for the bath hoodies I have been working on lately- along with some yummy, locally made baby bath products these are a great go to gift for expecting parents.

Hooded Bath Towel Tutorial

The Goods:

 1 meter of terry cloth fabric 

              or

1 large store bought bath towel

4 meters double fold biased tape

matching thread

The Deal:

Step 1: 

-Measure out 30" x 30"( perfect size for a baby burrito)- and cut out

- an easy way to cut a square  is to position your fabric so it is flat and square to the edge of a table- get out all wrinkles- bring the bottom right corner of the fabric up to the top left corner forming a triangle- use the top edge as a guide to cut off the excess- effectively forming a square.

- use the extra fabric and cut a triangle that is 16"x11"x11" ( this is the hood)

- to round the corners of the square- place a plate in the corner and use it as a guide- trace a rounded edge and trim- do this four times to the main towel and once at the top of the hood piece.

Step 2:

- Start by enclosing the long edge of the small triangle with the binding tape- open up the binding tape and sandwich the towel in the middle- pin and then sew in place- catching both sides of the tape.

- Lay the triangle across one corner of the main towel- pin in place and stitch down trying to stay as close to the edge as possible- you don't want this stitching to show

- Enclose the entire towel in binding tape. Make sure the edge of the towel is flush with the centre of the tape- pin and then sew into place- making sure to stitch through all layers.

- When you reach the end trim the binding tape- allowing for about a 1/2" extra- tuck this up and sew down over top of the beginning point- covering all raw edges.

     Apparently even big kids like new bath towels because like with everything I sew I have two more requests from my own Littles- I am not sure if the realise it is not a super hero cape! For a larger child you can just increase the size to 40 x 40 for a really sumptuous bath towel- big enough for a kid burrito!

Low Expectations

    
       This was the view we woke up to on Saturday morning- grey, dreary and generally soggy- the sky so low it felt like I could touch it. This is November in Vancouver - it is our reality and so we grab our rain gear and head out the door- soccer and ballet wait for no one- not even a parent who wants a second cup of coffee!

   
       Post activities for the Littles and in spite of the rain we headed to Nat Bailey Stadium- local foodies in the know make a B Line there every Saturday between 10am and 2pm for what can really only be described as manna from heaven. A culmination of all the Vancouver Farmer's Markets in one place the Winter Market has all a person's grocery needs. Saltspring Island cheese- yes please! Jane's Honey- oh yah! Chili from a vintage Czechoslovakian military kitchen- ummm OK! It is all there!

   This contraption below is The Chili Tank in the flesh- err metal- it is a vintage military soup kitchen shipped over from Germany and converted into the Chili Tank. Made from local and organic produce and served up with a side of organic baguette this is some of the best chili I have tasted to date- it is also kid tasted and approved even though it packs a bit of a spicy punch. The most interesting bit about this food "truck" is that it is heated with a green log- made out of 80% used coffee grounds- bringing me back full circle to that extra cup of coffee I was jonesing for pre-ballet!

   

       In between dodging rain drops, soccer balls and beets things are starting to look a bit festive around here. I always love putting up twinkle lights in November to help combat the darkness- and so this week up went the lights and I added in a bit of glitter with a jar of sparkly peace signs. The pretty pink tissue flowers were a birthday gift from a friend last spring- I think they work all year round!

    Of course in amongst all this daily life Holiday sewing is starting to creep in- a visit to the fabric store yielded a fresh stack of inspiration. I have two special friends in my life that are expecting their first babies this spring and so I do what I know how- I sew- little bits and bobs that wee ones need. Once again I turned back to one of my favourite books Little Things To Sew from Oliver & S- filled with classic patterns that are easy to follow as well as being really functional in every day life. If ever there was a weekend to do some sewing it was this one!

   I am starting to get excited about the holidays- they are peaking around the corner. I have a pretty extensive list of sewing to accomplish before December 24 and my plan of attack is to have it finished so I can kick back and relax early on. St. Nicholas Day, Solstice, Christmas- I find can be very overwhelming and  I tend to over commit during this season. I love to make things for people but a good way to ruin that is to bite off more than I can chew- so baby steps starting with something special for a new little babe- full of hope and love!

In My Kitchen

   
       Lately I have been going through some health stuff and have felt the need to take back control of my eating- pre babies I was not the healthiest but I ate elaborate salads every day for lunch at work- and I had a lunch hour where I sat and relaxed and mindfully ate my food. Then the babies arrived and I stayed home- I feel like my story is the story of many mothers- grabbing random slices of toast while standing by the sink. So four years into being a Momma and I am now facing doctor's orders to lower my sodium and loose the weight-  and this Momma wants to stick around for awhile!

   Enter in the salad as a meal- I do love my greens and am welcoming them back into my life as a key player on my road to good health. Last weekend in Portland I ordered a salad that I feel is going to change my life- it was delicious, filling and satisfying- Kale, beet and quinoa with candied hazelnuts and goats cheese. Yah it hit all the right notes- sweet and savory- just the way I like it! So today I tried to reproduce this wonder salad as best I could- and I gotta say I am one happy gal!

The Goods:
 Kale- washed and taken off the hard stock
beets- roasted, skinned and cubed
quinoa- about 1 cup cooked
goat cheese- I just used a bit
cranberries ( oh yes!)
candied nuts- I used walnuts

The Deal a.k.a. The Dressing
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary- finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 sprigs parsley- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt( I omit this)

- put everything in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake senora, shake it all the time....


      Now I suppose you want the candied nut recipe! I will give you fair warning- they are completely addictive- I made them for a bake sale once and was yelled at when I sold out! They make a great Holiday or hostess gift when packed inside a pretty and useful jar- and are fantastic on top of ice cream or in trail mix as a little somethin' somethin'.

The Goods:
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cup of nuts- pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts are all great
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt (again I omit this for myself)

The Deal:
in a pan ( I use cast iron) over medium heat add nuts, butter and sugar- let butter melt and then mix evenly to coat nuts in butter & sugar mixture. Stirring constantly until nuts are toasted and sugar is golden- and syrupy looking- about 15 minutes. Removed pan from heat and add vanilla- immediately spread out  evenly onto aluminum foil, sprinkle with salt and let cool.

Word: have everything set up before you start this- have your aluminum foil spread out onto a cookie sheet right beside you- have the vanilla with in arms reach- this is not a recipe to walk away from at any time!

    Thanks to my mom for sharing this recipe with me years ago- you helped me look gourmet and fancy even in university!

    Friends it is Friday again- already- that is what happens when you have a long weekend at the start of your week! I think we are just going to snuggle in this weekend- get caught up on some boring home repairs, start some Christmas sewing and have dinner with my Mr.'s Aunt and Uncle- they are always a hoot. Hope your weekend is creative and warm- see you Monday!

Through the Lens

    I love my Mr. and I love seeing the world how he sees it- through his lens so to speak. Last weekend I spotted these beautiful old cars sitting in the brambles behind our hotel- I was reluctant to trespass (cause I am one of those annoying people who don't even J-walk) and to be honest those brambles were pretty terrifying and I am a huge klutz- I knew I would get hurt. So off goes the Mr. into the crisp and frosty morning- tramping through brambles and weeds to take these photos- he was gone a long time and I can see why- the variation of the rust, shapes, textures and light would cause anyone to lose track. So I hope you enjoy these beauties as much as I did- take a peak at how my Mr. sees things!

Seam Allowance

     All too often this Momma's sewing gets passed over ( by herself admittedly) for smaller, cuter and easier garments. Not so the case this week- I made the time for myself- yah it's something new I'm trying out- this making time for myself. The boy was temporarily put out that the three pairs of pants he has so patiently been waiting for were put on hold while his Momma sewed something that made her heart sing.

    If you remember last Wednesday's post where in I totally nerded out over some organic chambray that I had ordered from Merchant & Mills- well I wasn't sure what I was going to sew with it. Then I received a pattern - also from Merchant & Mills- that I didn't think I would be seeing for a few weeks- The Dress Shirt pattern. Sigh- this looked to be the perfect pattern- simplicity and ease at it's best- with details pulled from classic men's shirting. This would be the pattern to use with my lovely chambray.

      And so the wild rumpas began- my Mr. had to work late one evening so I popped some corn and threw on a movie for the Littles- they were ecstatic over having a movie night mid week! I layed out the pattern and took that first snip into the yardage- then hours just fell away. This dress seriously only took about three hours from layout to try on- it was that easy!

 
     I love everything about this dress- the casual ease- the delicate gathering across the back yolk, the unexpected subtle detail of the bib front with a few tucks and gathers and best of all - three quarter length sleeves- I am forever rolling sleeves up to wash dishes or tackle some other messy bit of life.

    I am giving this pattern two  enthusiastic thumbs up- I will most definitely be making this dress again- perhaps in a more summer weight voile to sport over a slip. When I started my Seam Allowance project I had every intention of sewing up tonnes of beautiful frocks for myself- time however is the ultimate enemy- never enough time. I have to start taking myself and the the projects that fill my heart with joy off the back burner more often- my goal for the coming year is to do more for me- I'm starting that now- Hello November 14, 2012- I am taking time for myself today!

Portland Adventure

     Oh Friends I don't even know where to begin-we had such a weekend and it flew by just too quickly! A few weeks ago the Mr. and I decided we needed to get out of town- and yes go to a different town! We just needed a change of scenery, some inspiration- to get away- and so we decided to head to a city that is so very dear to our hearts- Portland. Back in the day ( which was a Wednesday in case anyone is wondering) the Mr. and I went on a honeymoon- we were oh so young and had no real agenda which meant no planned course of action besides having fun. On our way home from California we found ourselves at the end of our trip in Portland- and here we tarried for a few days reluctant to continue on- we loved it.

     The Mr. and I have been back a few times and so this time when we were struck by itchy feet* we decided it was high time our Littles got a taste of the magic that is Portland. We left on Friday evening and after an extensive wait at the border drove onto Burlington where we spent the night- first thing Saturday we were up and on the road to Portland. 

     Once again like with pretty much everything we do we did not have any set plans for what we wanted to see and do in Portland- two things were a priority- a Trip to Powell's Books and a stop at Voodoo Doughnuts but beyond that we were open to opportunity. So we wandered- and looked at buildings- oh the buildings- and public art- so many sculptures- and took a ride on the Street Car- might have gotten slightly lost. Mainly we just wandered around- poking into cute little shops and taking pictures of buildings- looking for coffee- just relaxing and soaking it all in.

    Of course we are pretty new to this whole travelling with kids thing- in fact this was the first trip we have taken where our end destination didn't involve staying in a house or cabin or tent- this was our first hotel based trip. We learned a few things- with kids we had to take it slowly- in the past we may have left the hotel after breakfast not to return until after dinner- not the case anymore. We expected this would happen and were prepared with snacks back at the hotel mid day. Of course we also located the nearest playground which the Littles thought was awesome- imagine having an elephant in your playground- those lucky kids in Portland!

    Lets face it- we knew the weather was not going to be balmy and so again we were prepared- when Miss Lo came up to me with icicles for fingers at the park we knew it was time to seek out some warmth- this is where the Street Car ride came in. What a good idea- we got to see parts of the city we hadn't explored as well as warm up! Also a stop into Powell's Books was a great place to get in out of the rain and oh what a treat- I could have spent the entire day and my entire allowance in there! One of my favourite Portland spots- hands down.

        To wrap up our trip we ventured out Monday morning down to Voodoo Doughnut- we had stopped the night before but the lineup was around the block and it was raining- best to come back in the morning. A clever wind was whipping up as we stepped out of the hotel- the final leaves blowing down from the trees lining our way- the rain had paused and for the most part we had the streets to ourselves- I love early morning in the city- it's like the city exists just for you! Back down to Voodoo we trekked- there was only a small lineup- donuts and coffee procured we sat munching our treats in the weak sunshine that had surely come out just to say good by to us!

       Now we are home and everyone is still all snuggled into bed- I am sitting here with my latte listening to our own city waking up for the day- my new socks still on my feet keeping the chill off- looking over the evidence of a weekend well lived. I think the sign of a good road trip is when you start talking about where you would like to go next as soon as you get home- hmmm maybe California?

* Noun 1. itchy feet- a very strong or irresistible impulse to travel

p.s - yes I did have a bacon maple donut- and yes it was life changing