AARGH!!

I purchased a new camera to take pictures of my new floors and chandeliers and wouldn't you know the camera ate all the pictures so I have to retake all of them.  Your probably wondering why I don't have pictures up today, well 88 sugar cookies for a Halloween party later and running around again tomorrow after work means I hope to get them up tomorrow. 

Thanks for the patience, I hope you feel it's worth the wait.

Patricia

A touch of Halloween

Halloween is nice, not my favourite decorating time as it involves black and orange which aren't my favourite.  Last year I saw this pumpkin in a store window:

Isn't this amazing??  I tried to replicate it and as my daughter would say it was an epic fail. 

Welllington's had a beautiful corner of Halloween and I tried to get close for a good picture but it was by a till.

I love the draped black cheesecloth and the black crows and silver skulls are a nice combo.  All this is fine but what I love about Halloween is that the stores start to do their Christmas display.

Last year I wanted to add a little freaky to our Halloween display so I went hunting on google and I think I put creepy picture in the search.  I found an image and printed it on vellum - see through paper.  I put it in a vase with a candle and this is the result.

I like this freaky little image.  To me that's Halloween. 

Today's a big day, my sweet nephew is coming to put up my chandeliers.  Pictures will follow. 

Until next time,

Patricia

Closet re-do part 2!

I like my new job but I have to be there by 8:00 a.m. so I have to get organized quickly in the morning.  Last month I re-did my closet with that beautiful shabby chic box and in the pics I had a shelf with hooks above it where I hung my necklaces.  The only problem was the necklaces were becoming tangled because they hung together.  I knew I needed a fix so I called in an old frame that I had already added fibreboard to.

This is wallpaper on it but I wanted something different, so I glued on some paper I picked up at Wellingtons.

I find it too......vivid, so I went to Michael's and purchased these travel labels.

By adding these on it made the background work a bit better.

Speaking of Michael's, I went in the other day and they have some great stuff for Christmas and a beautiful display (great shabby chic pink and lots of mercury glass.  I had to walk away!!).

Back to the closet, I like the result so I hung it, put clear pushpins in with the long necklaces on one side and short on the other.  Ahh, no more knots.

Then I hung the shelf with hooks on the wall behind my door and hung my scarves.  It works because with the door open it can't be seen.

So now I'm organized and I found what I needed this morning without knots, or hunting around to find what I needed and it all works.  Not bad for about 1 hours work.

Until next time,

Patricia

My Favourite Place

My favourite store is Wellington's Garden Centre.  It is on 13648-142 street in Edmonton.   I found it a few years ago and became addicted.  I go every few weeks just to see the beauty.  It is my understanding that every year the owners travel while the shop is closed and they bring back beautiful (mostly french) treasures. I adore this shop and have purchased many meaningful pieces for myself (some other time I'll show you what I have), and I thought you might want to see why I love it.

This is the entrance.

This is a little cottage just at the entrance filled with beautiful french inspiration.

It's like  I'm in France, but it's Edmonton.

Just outside the front of the store,

isn't it amazing? All this beauty and now to go inside.

I have been adoring this mirror for a few weeks.  I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who reads my blog, I do not need another mirror!

No one makes me want black in my colour scheme like Wellington's.

I have been adoring that chandelier for months, it's vintage and stunning.

On top is a crown that removes and is completely unnecessary and yet every time I'm in the store I have to remind myself I don't need it.

I have never seen anything like this.  It's a paper replica of an opera house.  Amazing.  But that's Wellington's, every time I go in it's amazing.  The gardens in the summer are stunning.  The statues and planters all make you feel like you stepped out of Edmonton  into Europe.  I have never found anything else like it. 

I love how this is casually placed out in the garden,

and this is in a greenhouse,

When I was in yesterday I was told that the Christmas decorating begins October 30th!!  I can hardly wait (oh yes, don't worry I will be blogging about it with loads of pictures).  Years ago when I moved away I went on the Wellington's web site, http://www.wellingtongardencentre.com  about once a week and dreamed of returning to see it.  I'm back now and I go often.
The staff is friendly and helpful, they offer online shopping, everything is amazing and if possible (because the flights are cheap) come and see this shop you will never regret it. Oh yes, and if you come let me know and I will meet you there or.... I may just be there already. I hope you enjoyed this and my only hope is that these pictures do this beautiful place justice.  Thank you to Wellington's for letting me come and take photos and write about my favourite place.

Until next time,
Patricia

A Beautiful Obsession

I have posted before that I love mirrors, well this one is specifically about my favourite, Venetian Mirrors.

I adore them and have a few,

that always look beautiful.

Sunlight reflected on a Venetian mirror is amazing, but even better than that is the light from a chandelier.  I am still waiting for my chandelier to be installed but here is the mirror that will reflect it beautifully.

Isn't it something??  My Mom picked it up in HomeSense.  Yes, for under $100.00.

It happened in 07, I woke up one morning and had a .... well I guess a shopping premonition. I phoned my Mom as soon as my daughter went to school and said we had to go to the HomeSense on 170th street because I just knew Venetian mirros would be there.  We went and found this amazing mirror, and my Mom just happened to have the matching sconces from a previous trip.

In the same aisle, hidden away  was this one,

a tri-fold Venetian.  It was $39.00 and I have never found another that was not $500.00.  I don't know why we had such luck that day but I do know every time I have tried to find this tri fold I can't or it's on ebay for $500.00

My obsession went from mirrors on the wall to boxes.

which I know are for jewelry, but I like them in my living room as candlelight reflectors. 

I like to group my obsessions together and take pictures.

See, those jewelry  boxes come in handy.

Forgot to show one final one, purchased for $15.00 because it's crown (the top) is missing a few pieces.  I don't care, scratches and dents don't bother me at all.

Until next time,
Patricia

Oh yes, I promised a great Halloween idea and the picture has disappeared into thin air, I will keep looking, sorry.

Sometimes

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian Readers.  I have always loved Thanksgiving as a wonderful dinner and a great time to be with family.  My family broke down this year.  Not my choice.  So... it's just my daughter and myself for Thanksgiving this year.  It's tough to go through hard times and then have to keep your head above water for someone else but as a Mom it's worth it and it's what we do.

We are going out to dinner but having dessert at home.  We are making a recipe I found last year which is late for Canadians but early for everyone else.  I found it last year in Style at Home magazine (A Canadian publication, and a great magazine if you can get your hands on it.  I have subscribed for 14 years). 

Baby Pumpkin Puddings
1 can pumpin puree
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mace
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk or 18% cream
2 Tbsp dark rum
1/2 tsp orange zest preferably organic
Preheat oven to 350

Combine pumpkin brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and spices in a large bowl.  Whisk together eggs, evaporated milk rum and orange zest in a separate bowl.  Stir egg mixture into puree.  Divide custard mix into 6 3/4 cup ovenproof ramekins and place in roasting pan.  Draw the tip of a small knife across the top of the custard to break any bubbles.
Make a bain marie and cover all with foil.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the puddings are barely quivering in the middle. Remove from oven and and cool.  Add whip cream mixed with cinnamon on top and serve. 

Take care all, enjoy your day and thank you for all the nice comments sometimes they are the brightest part of my day. 

Until next time,
Patricia

Sorry

So sorry, I have not posted this week because  got a job offer on Monday and started on Tuesday.  It happened to be one of those weeks where I have something to do every day after work so I have been unable to get much done. 

I will be posting soon about a great Halloween project that I have been trying to get to.  Thank you for being so patient with me.

I wanted to show you my favourite screen saver.  I was in the local library and when I walked by a computer and saw this on the screen.  As soon as  I saw it I had to find out what it was and where it was as I was amazed.  I found the person who took the picture and she told me it was of the Monks Library in Prague.

Could you imagine?  I love it.

It's all the things I love, white, moulding, books, and beauty.   Sigh..... maybe one day I can get to see it.

Until next time,

Patricia