tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64045411313030367172024-03-04T23:34:02.067-05:00My Fresh FigsMusings about food, products and sometimes other things.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-74021674627873143932011-04-10T01:50:00.003-04:002011-04-10T10:25:11.351-04:00Cake anyone?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfi6sZKAPxT2x0RAsvJ_Wifl4Yk_NSjdwQn68Dm7-zTKTYcDcO5VC_DGUb2zyHqVz9LeT3zecKp9Ep9NtVoR9Rh3tIPylm-un8ZhBkYHwChkR76UQE_i9q2Dmnqvp0F5clZx-LSdDtwvF/s1600/DSC_0582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
I've resurfaced to share with you the various delights I've been working on.<br />
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Over the past few months I've made a lot of cakes, pastries and various sweets. Some of which I shared with friends and neighbours. I've been doing a lot of that lately. Sharing. You see, I have a sweet tooth and it's beginning to show. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfi6sZKAPxT2x0RAsvJ_Wifl4Yk_NSjdwQn68Dm7-zTKTYcDcO5VC_DGUb2zyHqVz9LeT3zecKp9Ep9NtVoR9Rh3tIPylm-un8ZhBkYHwChkR76UQE_i9q2Dmnqvp0F5clZx-LSdDtwvF/s1600/DSC_0582.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfi6sZKAPxT2x0RAsvJ_Wifl4Yk_NSjdwQn68Dm7-zTKTYcDcO5VC_DGUb2zyHqVz9LeT3zecKp9Ep9NtVoR9Rh3tIPylm-un8ZhBkYHwChkR76UQE_i9q2Dmnqvp0F5clZx-LSdDtwvF/s320/DSC_0582.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Strawberry shortcake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0t59en0joHCn3JHLTF8ZWtcqUWTOzWpJI-vfG7YvK1xK7yITZF4LXvh_G7ue7EPI5XykDDoKc3smxwKcOi1lJZ-6wPClgZqWG0k-UQN27swEGafLaJr-pp_u2CkjWcw89tyEYdVR8wKn/s1600/DSC_0332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0t59en0joHCn3JHLTF8ZWtcqUWTOzWpJI-vfG7YvK1xK7yITZF4LXvh_G7ue7EPI5XykDDoKc3smxwKcOi1lJZ-6wPClgZqWG0k-UQN27swEGafLaJr-pp_u2CkjWcw89tyEYdVR8wKn/s320/DSC_0332.JPG" width="284" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> learning to mask a cake -<br />
we used whipped topping (Nutriwhip) bleh!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoCpxgrx5o_zPX4R5kv2tNymQlO3JR3n65Ij8JuLdwumNZBqkVaFsrDCKHV8IopoezY0n4bdJuKv_ytdPfVG7Sqn2GU637iqeA48oYrDQLv9oqxWDY4cqUjRz5VQfa0Ugx9ldV1iECmRE/s1600/DSC_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoCpxgrx5o_zPX4R5kv2tNymQlO3JR3n65Ij8JuLdwumNZBqkVaFsrDCKHV8IopoezY0n4bdJuKv_ytdPfVG7Sqn2GU637iqeA48oYrDQLv9oqxWDY4cqUjRz5VQfa0Ugx9ldV1iECmRE/s320/DSC_0465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Black Forest cake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym2p3ORJH0XP3uzUkbQS60XtQf-fEvmQ7XIPG2KS8nSqdsb_DoG1pMOGLxGfcArdjAQl4wkiMpLxgKnSc0n-RtFLfaZNGOdkt8c3aR6K-KqBrc9voIiNVuPZPx4ZGlbsFZHFF-hf3-Np2/s1600/DSC_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym2p3ORJH0XP3uzUkbQS60XtQf-fEvmQ7XIPG2KS8nSqdsb_DoG1pMOGLxGfcArdjAQl4wkiMpLxgKnSc0n-RtFLfaZNGOdkt8c3aR6K-KqBrc9voIiNVuPZPx4ZGlbsFZHFF-hf3-Np2/s320/DSC_0488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> learning to decorate a cake with Italian buttercream </div><div style="text-align: center;">and using the various sugar flowers I've made</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroNxQCjlgCgbzkCnMC7T2pYBgw_YzvBjikwmMtyLZtZovzQHMAhr6o2IpIxg_yGqUnbIo6LYJnkE0eez64sSyC4A7OPxZnetWKUXGSo4kOKWHX8DDJpvcsAIL2FNsYzebyW8oskvyJNOb/s1600/DSC_0496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroNxQCjlgCgbzkCnMC7T2pYBgw_YzvBjikwmMtyLZtZovzQHMAhr6o2IpIxg_yGqUnbIo6LYJnkE0eez64sSyC4A7OPxZnetWKUXGSo4kOKWHX8DDJpvcsAIL2FNsYzebyW8oskvyJNOb/s320/DSC_0496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> inside view of above cake with mocha buttercream</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIc9MSjuectI2PcPyPTJDGFtR9L-2S9gMEjfDWixDN1nGhgwee94akP3U7cxph0PTJIy2uOyYDWbEo3KrD33Apt2VBYW5Rkkq7JlPcb7Nl1XCR-t7ggKhgSqVeHOYge8U1B8I9n-qaDJy/s1600/DSC_0570.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIc9MSjuectI2PcPyPTJDGFtR9L-2S9gMEjfDWixDN1nGhgwee94akP3U7cxph0PTJIy2uOyYDWbEo3KrD33Apt2VBYW5Rkkq7JlPcb7Nl1XCR-t7ggKhgSqVeHOYge8U1B8I9n-qaDJy/s320/DSC_0570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> more cake decorating with buttercream -<br />
I can say without hesitation that Italian buttercream is delicious!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJN4nhaYcRrZb9F-6HUdiC0GzF3mQi96ygw_UD363BdJSlEP-0_NqbZAmJOoknL58ZKiwad9njEGCfGtR48ciKk7IojkYWnIJEUNimlIgil9Pt3elg7QoLQfvxRowQep-dxDgz0HlCGBv/s1600/DSC_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJN4nhaYcRrZb9F-6HUdiC0GzF3mQi96ygw_UD363BdJSlEP-0_NqbZAmJOoknL58ZKiwad9njEGCfGtR48ciKk7IojkYWnIJEUNimlIgil9Pt3elg7QoLQfvxRowQep-dxDgz0HlCGBv/s320/DSC_0516.JPG" width="229" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> seriously delicious Swiss jelly roll - we made two of these <br />
one with lemon curd and the other with raspberry jam</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY_L6typ0kxmyHULO5D7Hw8Nrc4dwIVCbv0quB8S81u0uUpcuHiLGESQt43NObTxehF0a-YZbmEyj52Sx1-5CMjrhgcHu8zK5GYWlVZSikDxteAYV7TC3w57u5Cg6BkHeuGPiuPSKTDdd/s1600/DSC_0559.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY_L6typ0kxmyHULO5D7Hw8Nrc4dwIVCbv0quB8S81u0uUpcuHiLGESQt43NObTxehF0a-YZbmEyj52Sx1-5CMjrhgcHu8zK5GYWlVZSikDxteAYV7TC3w57u5Cg6BkHeuGPiuPSKTDdd/s320/DSC_0559.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Fruit Flan with pastry cream flavoured with Triple Sec -<br />
we used Triple Sec often for flavouring our desserts</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRp71P5xR5qewvbkHk3t3Yjy-NtQk9w2HCKD_RKlh9_3kDHjFTSFgfN04t0abktFbM4wdUHiBWz0i8e-5DJIey5t859vRvIcns1Aw3AEwg5XONiwVug58sAquwZwklt2PdkIAQNaD1aRf/s1600/DSC_0590.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRp71P5xR5qewvbkHk3t3Yjy-NtQk9w2HCKD_RKlh9_3kDHjFTSFgfN04t0abktFbM4wdUHiBWz0i8e-5DJIey5t859vRvIcns1Aw3AEwg5XONiwVug58sAquwZwklt2PdkIAQNaD1aRf/s320/DSC_0590.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Napoleon Mille Feuille with strawberries </div><br />
I've also made bread. I like making bread. It's so satisfying. Tastes much better than store bought supermarket bread. I wanted to register for the bread making course but it was full. Oh well, it'll have to wait until September. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxS2sH94Q1rIYzcHAOm5Fdh6yfT9l-t5gjOPvgwoKeRkgg-u9fwV-KMmBKZeQq1LQeV73j_S8nIs65-81upSmJBRhdZIugpmrYVLDqiQU-YME-g5VaIRo9HI7kcB9QCmny7VYqgk2epno/s1600/DSC_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxS2sH94Q1rIYzcHAOm5Fdh6yfT9l-t5gjOPvgwoKeRkgg-u9fwV-KMmBKZeQq1LQeV73j_S8nIs65-81upSmJBRhdZIugpmrYVLDqiQU-YME-g5VaIRo9HI7kcB9QCmny7VYqgk2epno/s320/DSC_0520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Irish Soda (yeast-free) bread</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vyAbGY4bAOTJ709B2_flMdiz23ZjwxcKKQxn8C6me9WeGfFsx7FNvrpt79Y4-mFYxiHsX417IBri7o-k73SwNPmlzhsSrzPqxNjCwhRK2HxoKRGhOJCys8xCoZ0iZr37csL4YVw4IGsL/s1600/DSC_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vyAbGY4bAOTJ709B2_flMdiz23ZjwxcKKQxn8C6me9WeGfFsx7FNvrpt79Y4-mFYxiHsX417IBri7o-k73SwNPmlzhsSrzPqxNjCwhRK2HxoKRGhOJCys8xCoZ0iZr37csL4YVw4IGsL/s320/DSC_0380.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheesy herby monkey (aka pull apart) yeast bread </div><br />
A while back, I also entered a <a href="http://www.usapears.com/Recipes%20And%20Lifestyle/Culinary%20Corner/Culinary%20Student%20Competitions/Canadian_Culinary_Students.aspx">culinary student competition</a>. Unfortunately, I didn't make it as a finalist. Even so, it was a great learning experience and I found it challenging when it came to making up my own recipe using pears as a main ingredient.<br />
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For my submission to the competition, I made this Caramelized Bosc Pear and Butternut Squash soup. I also made Bosc Pear and Pecorino cheese biscotti. The savoury biscotti was delicious! Piquant and cheesy. The soup was scented with thyme and sweetened with roasted Cipollini onions. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwnBabBsr2qXYwkY9gLDbnCaYqJSpm53KN56ygIQGX_wohgf4mKYB_VH5PWAQJFV92-c_P1oURlNl3tEyMtwJM5BnREOpAUKGWPahBCVUu9CHkzUQeDU7osq3JbAM0SUJv0HmEeYIZQYO/s1600/USA+pear+recipe+submission+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwnBabBsr2qXYwkY9gLDbnCaYqJSpm53KN56ygIQGX_wohgf4mKYB_VH5PWAQJFV92-c_P1oURlNl3tEyMtwJM5BnREOpAUKGWPahBCVUu9CHkzUQeDU7osq3JbAM0SUJv0HmEeYIZQYO/s320/USA+pear+recipe+submission+photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'm still taking courses and learning a lot. French pastry class is running up until May. I have learned to make puff pastry from scratch. What a bicep developer making puff pastry is. Especially when it's part frozen. Apple strudel, strawberry-rhubarb turnovers and other delicious buttery pastries like Palmiers (elephant ears) have been made and consumed.<br />
Hello hips!<br />
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Next month on my agenda is a pie-making course.<br />
Then I'm stopping with the baking courses until September because...<br />
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1) it's Summer and I need a break;<br />
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And...<br />
<br />
(insert drum roll)<br />
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2) I'm now working as a part-time production pastry chef at a local bakery making pies, cookies, and tarts and helping the head pastry chef with cake decoration. Yeah!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-72447610000385501862011-02-05T20:47:00.001-05:002011-02-05T20:49:40.355-05:00Keep on keeping on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhLEu_oMxPLXbT-0GaRUAJ4Rgvc1N7oLPCrSBo31oii5y9SFNyU4SJIOcIdJiWRh4VlPQmD1TZod0JDN4EQIAdCsq916D2u-OWeT-YymyY1H6E_5pY8JjcphictMlT0Jg6t-3HHf_1nHW/s1600/DSC_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhLEu_oMxPLXbT-0GaRUAJ4Rgvc1N7oLPCrSBo31oii5y9SFNyU4SJIOcIdJiWRh4VlPQmD1TZod0JDN4EQIAdCsq916D2u-OWeT-YymyY1H6E_5pY8JjcphictMlT0Jg6t-3HHf_1nHW/s320/DSC_0248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
As you can see, I've been busy.<br />
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Lately I've made English tea biscuits with currants and bran muffins with raisins and walnuts in my baking class. A standard recipe with standard ingredients. However, I did learn that before filling the muffin liners with the wet batter, we should allow the batter to sit for half an hour to thicken. I questioned that duration of time for the batter to sit, but the chef told us it's necessary for the ingredients to meld together and the bran to swell. It's also easier to scoop the batter with the ice cream scoop. Yes, we used an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin tins. This allows for evenly baked muffins. One full scoop per tin. My muffins definitely were identical. <br />
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In my cake decorating class, I've also been making various decorations with royal icing such as shells, a variety of borders, and of course roses and rosettes. Making roses is quite the ambidextrous skill. Piping icing with one hand while turning the rose nail with the other hand can lead to hand cramps. But I think I'm getting the hang of it.<br />
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As much as I enjoy my tooth achingly sweet desserts, eating a sugar rose made with royal icing is actually sickeningly sweet. Too sweet for me even! It is made with plenty of icing sugar, meringue powder, cream of tartar and water. Food colouring and vanilla flavour can be added after. <br />
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There are 2 months left until these set of classes are over. I'm already thinking about what classes to take next....Healthy Desserts? The Art of Bread? Breakfast Cakes? <br />
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I've learned all kinds of great skills, tricks and techniques and I'm eager to learn more. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the chocolate eclairs we'll be making soon!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-78611531489892436752011-01-19T17:27:00.055-05:002011-01-19T20:35:18.518-05:00It's just pie but it's good.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzIzUiMr82Z3bCI9x_fm4nkzTg9vfUbwxcLSs-sZ5fbwwNWcCedrJegyMVqI46nT7e7s4sDkimYZT2D8rSgaLrsPVYupdGz902R78Qb9XcZkYNqLeTyM1q1T1_B8E5xKTsTUr0RQhIBVI/s1600/DSC_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzIzUiMr82Z3bCI9x_fm4nkzTg9vfUbwxcLSs-sZ5fbwwNWcCedrJegyMVqI46nT7e7s4sDkimYZT2D8rSgaLrsPVYupdGz902R78Qb9XcZkYNqLeTyM1q1T1_B8E5xKTsTUr0RQhIBVI/s320/DSC_0178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yesterday I made this pie in my pastry arts class. Today it's half gone. Was it good? You bet!<br />
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Although I won't post this pie recipe, as it's a pretty standard pie recipe, unless you REALLY want it posted, in which case I will. Instead I will share some tips and tricks for creating a flawless pie.<br />
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The course instructor encouraged the use of Tenderflake (lard) instead of butter. It's supposed to be a good stand in for real butter while keeping the costs down. Of course you can also use half butter and half Tenderflake if you prefer a more pronounced buttery flavour.<br />
It was also recommended not to use vegetable shortening because of the water content. Apparently, it makes pie crust shrink in the oven. <br />
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Also a must is to use pastry flour to make the pie dough, but to use all purpose flour for dusting and rolling surfaces. <br />
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We used Cortland apples as they are apparently one of the best apple choices for making apple pie. Also important is to use a good vegetable peeler to prevent bruising. The apple pie filling called for lemon zest and juice in it as well as cinnamon. The lemon added a lovely subtle tang to the apple pie filling. I think the filling could have used a tad more cinnamon. But I always like to increase the amount of cinnamon in recipes anyway. <br />
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The final touch was to use any leftover dough for making cut-out leaves and apple shapes to "glue" (with egg wash) onto the top of the pie. These add-ons are not mandatory but can, in addition to adding some aesthetics, easily patch up a hole or tear in the crust.<br />
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In terms of the egg wash, we added some water (50ml) to a beaten egg to create a seal for the edges, as well as to glaze the top of the pie. Also a must is the hole cut into the top of the pie. This prevents the pie from splitting open and thereby allowing all the pie juice to ooze out. <br />
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I've made pie before but never with such great detail and with such scrutiny. This course is forcing me to move slower and take notice of things I otherwise would not be concerned with like neat edges.<br />
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I also have a tendency to cut away too much of the apple with the peel or core. It was brought to my attention in class that I should refrain from doing this. I definitely learned a lot during the pie-making process. I probably gained some weight too in the pie-eating process (lard sure makes a good crust) but that's another post altogether.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-11217767244152250042011-01-15T01:05:00.000-05:002011-01-15T01:05:42.881-05:00Pastry 101Happy New Year!<br />
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This year I'm embarking on an adventure in the culinary world. <br />
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Stay tuned as I highlight delicious things made with sugar, butter, and cream. My weaknesses.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMxHaUoPej3GbXB5KCiHP-nwvk_Qb4xjvLu3TSV0sQbdIG1eMavqdnrXf31DbKnCcHKlLOoDrlb4xn2-XDu4HtWkJUAsBGeUwmhyphenhyphendG2wysfqAN81X4HaxwHH0wYwYikqTT9RvgZS_rHyx/s1600/IMGP0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMxHaUoPej3GbXB5KCiHP-nwvk_Qb4xjvLu3TSV0sQbdIG1eMavqdnrXf31DbKnCcHKlLOoDrlb4xn2-XDu4HtWkJUAsBGeUwmhyphenhyphendG2wysfqAN81X4HaxwHH0wYwYikqTT9RvgZS_rHyx/s320/IMGP0198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Salted butterscotch pudding!</div><br />
And here's a photo of some delicious butterscotch pudding that I made a few weeks ago. I ate 4 bowls of it but not in one sitting. The taste was wonderful. The texture was a bit chalky though...perhaps it was the corn starch? <br />
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Did you know that there is a baker's product, a butter scented extract, which gives desserts a butter aroma? I just found that out this past week! Who would have thought? Anyway, I just thought I'd share that bit of info with you. <br />
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If you have a sweet tooth like I do, then you are in for a surprise. Maybe I'll even show you a photo of me wearing my full chef's uniform, checkered pants and all. I said maybe.<br />
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Stay tuned!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-81871052119219794932010-08-29T22:26:00.028-04:002010-08-30T22:15:03.926-04:00Shoes with a conscience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dbB82NjPjaFSbcLTFCIYf6dM0qd1tNdvL7ehkEaXQ8qCODZtCHRCSZvxLiBicJ-QBacy6FWKU0QRFN9wHdtk4iaP-7MFNs4WL-lNWuWKeenQmi-rRK64TtoRQbK5iCUcrBdatBwh-69J/s1600/IMGP0107.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dbB82NjPjaFSbcLTFCIYf6dM0qd1tNdvL7ehkEaXQ8qCODZtCHRCSZvxLiBicJ-QBacy6FWKU0QRFN9wHdtk4iaP-7MFNs4WL-lNWuWKeenQmi-rRK64TtoRQbK5iCUcrBdatBwh-69J/s400/IMGP0107.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511027643902224610" border="0" /></a><br />You may know by now that...I'm obsessed with shoes!<br /><br />Unlike pants, I seldom have an issue fitting into shoes.<br /><br />I'm willing to pay more for shoes that have not only a nice style, but comfort and quality.<br /><br />Enter into the picture <a href="http://www.nayashoes.com/">Naya Shoes</a>. Have no clue what I'm talking about? Stick around and be impressed.<br /><br />Naya is a forward thinking, eco-friendly shoe company. You can follow them on <a href="http://twitter.com/NayaShoes">Twitter</a> too!<br /><br />Naya uses natural and eco-friendly materials: <ul><li>Vegetable-tanned leathers and linings</li><li>Natural or recycled content fabrics</li><li>Water-based cements</li><li>Footbeds containing natural cork</li><li>Boxes made with 80% recycled paper pulp, soy-based inks and water-based glue</li></ul>The comfort is oh.so.comfortable!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"We infuse each style with pure comfort using soft leathers, breathable leather linings and layers of premium cushioning."</span><br /><br />As Naya says: Good for you and for the Earth!<br /><br />I first stumbled on Naya at Sears (shock!). Yes, that's right, I saw their shoes on display and was instantly drawn to the craftsmanship and array of vivid shoe colours...yellow shoes (see below) and green shoes, among others. Nicely designed and with great attention to detail, all for a reasonable price point.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t6IhMFMCDjGU0y9ixcm6KCqacfbl_XvgWVpclQs4F5n6Ol2ggsKPwNweC9bI3edj9MZH48BVtDrOwsx5Tbi_8NXXDZthk9ArHuuIoh6dR31t2Q87vPS3RF_uJxWjhUJtVufGQ5TsTd3o/s1600/Naya-Sandals.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t6IhMFMCDjGU0y9ixcm6KCqacfbl_XvgWVpclQs4F5n6Ol2ggsKPwNweC9bI3edj9MZH48BVtDrOwsx5Tbi_8NXXDZthk9ArHuuIoh6dR31t2Q87vPS3RF_uJxWjhUJtVufGQ5TsTd3o/s400/Naya-Sandals.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511343030485953138" border="0" /></a><br />I tried on a pair and was reveling in the soft, cushiony insole and how butter soft the leather was. Very soft leather means no blister or sore spots. So I purchased a pair of their gladiator sandals back in June and I have been living in these sandals all Summer! Not a single blister I tell you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgQ_iGir-7iqeNGm3BqfnICiFXZ3xxRPwPISJfsv2wJSIlqy_CSz405uSOycfPEZCzjPrXoeP_rAWPF3lMlxRabO0RapQcGTu1WAWPTZmPfNzpS0ya6tZBEp779xIsaM3LwDv9YUW8cc9/s1600/IMGP0127.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgQ_iGir-7iqeNGm3BqfnICiFXZ3xxRPwPISJfsv2wJSIlqy_CSz405uSOycfPEZCzjPrXoeP_rAWPF3lMlxRabO0RapQcGTu1WAWPTZmPfNzpS0ya6tZBEp779xIsaM3LwDv9YUW8cc9/s400/IMGP0127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511330226627958818" border="0" /></a><br />A few weeks ago, Naya sent out a Tweet asking their followers if anybody would like to review their Fall shoes on their blog. Being a shoe fanatic and having previously owned (and loved!) a pair of Naya shoes, I offered to review a pair of Naya shoes from the Fall line. I am writing this review without payment and without an exchange of free merchandise. Just because I love shoes!<br /><br />Naya has launched their Fall line and after I perused their on-line Fall catalogue, I instantly swooned over several pairs of their shoes. The one shoe design in particular, which caught my eye was the oxford-style shoe or as it is named in the Naya catalogue "Jasper." (Btw, these shoes are not mine, I'm borrowing them for this write up!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOwuilJpE-DgbOgSRAODEcTPeWTl151rXJrGadqARiVZQzDUstFjnhCGs5ZQDpfDB5cQFpCoWjyTs8K_ahkEpo3f74Bl9tORFudascC8_-eHe_tWXgbvHqMHAgogU4wRZrp0JEkH7wePs/s1600/IMGP0124.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOwuilJpE-DgbOgSRAODEcTPeWTl151rXJrGadqARiVZQzDUstFjnhCGs5ZQDpfDB5cQFpCoWjyTs8K_ahkEpo3f74Bl9tORFudascC8_-eHe_tWXgbvHqMHAgogU4wRZrp0JEkH7wePs/s400/IMGP0124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511327289022881074" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOALjEQRVNiOXFm9KDWHebzuNLxRMVY30PLxohQLy14VjuVtpBj4kVgcVBQFBl2DiaOhmpVtDJq4uaHULHKcwqnHEj0WC5MKFFqantZ8myuYFjEOEzPypQbRJUn2YnI0T2L2xRnf7UEPf/s1600/IMGP0104.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwFmoLOw7ln-dzCaceslqbGlwCVLZGqIyzG8Kp8-XRrwnuw97pWxZ7L4eFNLpAk82L04RsPP44ABi4ddESJZIaIZPspZww97PCo8Q-U2GvEwJ6MZKwHaArL9-LP3L7VlS4fjyqXKpq4uZ/s1600/IMGP0105.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwFmoLOw7ln-dzCaceslqbGlwCVLZGqIyzG8Kp8-XRrwnuw97pWxZ7L4eFNLpAk82L04RsPP44ABi4ddESJZIaIZPspZww97PCo8Q-U2GvEwJ6MZKwHaArL9-LP3L7VlS4fjyqXKpq4uZ/s400/IMGP0105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511029431337067010" border="0" /></a><br />What a stunning, vintage-inspired design. Satiny ribbon laces. The trademark Naya soft cushion sole is evident as soon as you slide your foot in the shoe. The exterior of the shoe reminded me of a modern, feminine version of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle_shoe">saddle shoe</a>, but instead of the classic two-tone black and white, there are two contrasting materials: wool and leather. It's very feminine yet tailored. Perfect for this Fall's tweed or woolen pant suits. The heel is almost 3 inches high (way higher than I tend to wear) but it didn't feel very high (when I tried it on) probably due to the chunky heel. The heel also has a rustic look to it, further adding to it's vintage charm. Think 1900s Victorian boot meets 1940s glam.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpI_tPMYiUR6rJtqUTGavDsl_dMPZa3FHUG4BLC3AF9k7Xjlwhh2Ewjq5gRPOC19_V9-4JLdXUT4uMe9FLjfinyqH6GscSHIuMU8kI9d6xhpfiw5AL8Web7WVTna1YFmPyeb53I11Fd3r/s1600/IMGP0110.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpI_tPMYiUR6rJtqUTGavDsl_dMPZa3FHUG4BLC3AF9k7Xjlwhh2Ewjq5gRPOC19_V9-4JLdXUT4uMe9FLjfinyqH6GscSHIuMU8kI9d6xhpfiw5AL8Web7WVTna1YFmPyeb53I11Fd3r/s400/IMGP0110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511026564906706402" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjat9eqamxBZJXQ5r8h0xmEDx54I57pTkXC8Up_Sw1vkSrRMtFDQb3mgBlF1eROSp7S-OIfoj_Oo1U7D5zHjGPdPl8VewvCAVc-pQ8SaZQHyrWhG-rmQsw8oOQjIuC0u2eNNWdOCp3MUDYG/s1600/IMGP0126.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjat9eqamxBZJXQ5r8h0xmEDx54I57pTkXC8Up_Sw1vkSrRMtFDQb3mgBlF1eROSp7S-OIfoj_Oo1U7D5zHjGPdPl8VewvCAVc-pQ8SaZQHyrWhG-rmQsw8oOQjIuC0u2eNNWdOCp3MUDYG/s400/IMGP0126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511327494696046482" border="0" /></a><br />If you're not feeling the rustic wood heel? That's okay because Naya has plenty of different shoes for you to choose from. Check out their <a href="http://www.nayashoes.com/content.aspx?contentID=collection#content3">Fall line</a>. Try on a pair and you will be glad you did. Sleep peacefully knowing you are doing something good for your feet and for the environment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIg9u3SkS9Lb9XVslc0FsX1qlUAeX74wK1CDmJ1OWUBn4wLARF6KdEbrufDCe9-8tll6U4uBXKV9YThPvrE1sjwOIUZfjABTuHr9QKbKqZOoI29THPWL_GSeif2uRgMbnd4ORPiSb6jS1e/s1600/IMGP0111.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIg9u3SkS9Lb9XVslc0FsX1qlUAeX74wK1CDmJ1OWUBn4wLARF6KdEbrufDCe9-8tll6U4uBXKV9YThPvrE1sjwOIUZfjABTuHr9QKbKqZOoI29THPWL_GSeif2uRgMbnd4ORPiSb6jS1e/s400/IMGP0111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511029012645218018" border="0" /></a>"Renewing body, spirit, earth"<br /></div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-82392907684863210192010-08-20T13:37:00.030-04:002010-08-20T21:08:06.209-04:00I ate my way through MontrealIt was hard to leave Montreal knowing I may have to wait a very long time before I sunk my teeth into another one of those buttery and flaky almond croissants. I developed an addiction to them and I did not feel one bit guilty!<br /><br />The two days we spent in Montreal revolved around food.<br /><br />For lunch there was a tasty, fresh vegan tofu sandwich with all kinds of veggies from <a href="http://www.casadelpopolo.com/contents/casadelpopolo">Casa del Popolo</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJDFbt7qOxfD4Opt8otPDniQK-lSJQ5jq_cpZHPTru1WJHbPxte0nR0WL9teWb4Wnm4Nj6VTRRYMhDRtkucSi164HMSDqwkj-Az6REye92JECys7YT6CH2bGZa7QgpUpTS0dB0_I1_WX_/s1600/IMGP0032.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 381px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJDFbt7qOxfD4Opt8otPDniQK-lSJQ5jq_cpZHPTru1WJHbPxte0nR0WL9teWb4Wnm4Nj6VTRRYMhDRtkucSi164HMSDqwkj-Az6REye92JECys7YT6CH2bGZa7QgpUpTS0dB0_I1_WX_/s400/IMGP0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507612436025176258" border="0" /></a><br />For dinner there was diner food from Nickles, a Montreal chain restaurant. It was as good as to be expected given that it was diner food. We didn't go there for the food. It was the retro 1950s decor that lured us in, equipped with a jukebox, black and white tiled flooring, red vinyl stools and booths and chrome detailing. I kept it safe by ordering pan fried fish fillet and steamed veggies with a side Caesar salad. Yeah, I know, boring! No fries, no milkshake, no burger...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZnafT9y-SXBDM_1NhKXAwzFfZEHq07BbTb5gR3TmpBRPQyO0hiZveQTXT-PvN5b6llMJzQoLdst8siLcy1aaTfe_YhucpTZAu4wEdwfJnth5Rk6sxPpvfNKFRPQW6LVZLHASf9h9mi-X/s1600/IMGP0039.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZnafT9y-SXBDM_1NhKXAwzFfZEHq07BbTb5gR3TmpBRPQyO0hiZveQTXT-PvN5b6llMJzQoLdst8siLcy1aaTfe_YhucpTZAu4wEdwfJnth5Rk6sxPpvfNKFRPQW6LVZLHASf9h9mi-X/s400/IMGP0039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507613018032624242" border="0" /></a><br />The second day in Montreal I struck gold! Breakfast was at a French-speaking restaurant. Luckily my husband is competent in French and did all the talking. I ordered Eggs Benedict with asparagus and mushrooms (a la forestiere) and the most ornate (and delicious) fruit salad I had ever seen!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK84v7vFi8lryi7azgSO01oS5C29lRc9ME5UP-qSnja11bgDLxcmHdpEKlJkEAJBmnXGdBMW__bvlfDEbLQyi1uecCPyRO8LrzrMlDskdgpn6RH_rXeE_QYqA13bO3ej17pBpS3iytrkl/s1600/IMGP0042.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK84v7vFi8lryi7azgSO01oS5C29lRc9ME5UP-qSnja11bgDLxcmHdpEKlJkEAJBmnXGdBMW__bvlfDEbLQyi1uecCPyRO8LrzrMlDskdgpn6RH_rXeE_QYqA13bO3ej17pBpS3iytrkl/s400/IMGP0042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507613365119956226" border="0" /></a><br />Afterward we (husband and I) walked over to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Talon_Market">Jean Talon farmer's market</a>, which was nearby and we discovered the most amazing <a href="http://www.premieremoisson.com/index/">French bakery</a> (Premiere Moisson) with mounds of pastries! I ordered a croissant aux almond (almond croissant), a decadent chocolate mousse bombe filled with molten caramel (<a href="http://www.premieremoisson.com/images_upload/Piquant_Truffes.jpg">chocolat piquant</a>) and a <a href="http://www.premieremoisson.com/Produits/Viennoiserie/Notre-nouveau-bouchon/">bouchon</a> (a less heady muffin oozing with caramel and pecans). So very delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmz2BlhOobSRWWKTnKL1GQJCqdkMEgbe7eDZCV9qz2S9Hz4K64pKjL1Bzgq7gVtZNiIwO9gla8hDPTHX_KHmgXyjN5avtv6JrsYfNkwfyF2KrXSFNyZACDSEPzZ6aLX4bn9ZGVgaNAoQhp/s1600/IMGP0047.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmz2BlhOobSRWWKTnKL1GQJCqdkMEgbe7eDZCV9qz2S9Hz4K64pKjL1Bzgq7gVtZNiIwO9gla8hDPTHX_KHmgXyjN5avtv6JrsYfNkwfyF2KrXSFNyZACDSEPzZ6aLX4bn9ZGVgaNAoQhp/s400/IMGP0047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507613945400696178" border="0" /></a><br />Just beyond the bakery was a vast expanse of fresh fruit and vegetables from the local farmer's market and I strolled the farmer's stalls ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all the beautiful produce. The mushroom stall with over 15 types of mushrooms really made me giddy with excitement. Lobster mushrooms and morel mushrooms along with your more familiar mushrooms oyster, shitake and cremini. I knew I had to come back again before we departed for Toronto the next morning.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jXCN3KNq6PPpj6Ta8u7JpCKkJuQNEPV7GaFcasApyPXz52driMmX2LkJqyWLGz5eUAyKrklmV9y9wObXT8biuqhKxVvom4PiIC431TCAcgrp7P3_VtspfFzgN6i-ScUJ70QrvwOwtqlr/s1600/IMGP0051.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jXCN3KNq6PPpj6Ta8u7JpCKkJuQNEPV7GaFcasApyPXz52driMmX2LkJqyWLGz5eUAyKrklmV9y9wObXT8biuqhKxVvom4PiIC431TCAcgrp7P3_VtspfFzgN6i-ScUJ70QrvwOwtqlr/s400/IMGP0051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507614659175374114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPeC5J_It3S6zSGgKDcAW99qFd8tkDVFP0aFLPwx_tL-5MzSoRoSeYHWAPY9ySbuKqUdeBMHg0pREMUwJtDs9Hasqwmf3vhYQXFvkIKmJGBREAyJFSowjTyZud26e4qqGPbL9eYPqp3iK/s1600/IMGP0056.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPeC5J_It3S6zSGgKDcAW99qFd8tkDVFP0aFLPwx_tL-5MzSoRoSeYHWAPY9ySbuKqUdeBMHg0pREMUwJtDs9Hasqwmf3vhYQXFvkIKmJGBREAyJFSowjTyZud26e4qqGPbL9eYPqp3iK/s400/IMGP0056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507614866783470082" border="0" /></a><br />For lunch I had...poutine! It was in the Old Montreal section at a touristy restaurant. It took over half an hour for the poutine to arrive but it was eaten in less than 10 minutes. It was good but I found the gravy a bit too salty for my taste. My favourite part was the cheese curds. If there were a "foods to eat before I die" list, I could now cross out poutine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxTKEVQw_VV3agiOBT0I0SEPqwVw_JYepzQe8VA-xY_N8qmAkBTdpSqbddXXflFih7ubVRrfdq6CjHWqMBkS5-bxACcplJcT8BxRrjK7X_xNVieuHAyBS0Lekm1Tl7eLPlk_SRau_FGcr/s1600/IMGP0068.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxTKEVQw_VV3agiOBT0I0SEPqwVw_JYepzQe8VA-xY_N8qmAkBTdpSqbddXXflFih7ubVRrfdq6CjHWqMBkS5-bxACcplJcT8BxRrjK7X_xNVieuHAyBS0Lekm1Tl7eLPlk_SRau_FGcr/s400/IMGP0068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507615063685367730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Just to digress briefly, although our trip was fantastic, there's also a lesson to be learned. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Warning:</span> Long convoluted story follows...</span><br /><br />When we went to Old Montreal we parked the car in a metered parking lot nearby. We paid for a parking pass. Placed it on the dashboard and left. We arrived back to the lot after 3 hours and our car was gone! We soon discovered a sign above the parking meter machine, that we absent-mindedly did not see indicating that cars will be towed if they did not pay the correct amount for parking. We had paid our fare so why did we get towed? Seems the instructions for parking in this lot were very confusing - written with a pen on a piece of paper taped to the ticket machine and bleached out from the sun. Barely legible. Earlier that day we concluded that $10 should cover it as it was indicated on <span style="font-style: italic;">the scribbled paper</span> that after 2pm it was $10 and we were coming up to 2pm...but it was in fact $13 maximum that we should have paid.<br /><br />Our rental car had been towed!! A 20 minute cab ride and $12 later we were at a impounded car lot with a one-armed woman behind a shatterproof glass partition and a large barking German shepherd dog. No word of a lie. I know it sounds like a scene from a David Lynch (or Quentin Tarantino) movie. We had to pay the fine for being towed. This royally sucked big time. I insisted to my husband that we cancel our restaurant reservations at a fancy pants restaurant called <a href="http://www.brasserie-t.com/index.php">Brasserie t!</a> and instead we decided to go out for tapas. This was a smart decision!!!</span><br /><br />Dinner was a phenomenal meal at a (recommended by friends) <a href="http://www.casadelpopolo.com/contents/lasalarosa">Spanish<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></a>restaurant. Those feta cheese fried balls (in the photo below) drizzled with honey and caramelized onions were superb! The squid was soft and melted in your mouth. The stewed chickpeas had a hint of cumin and the rapini was al dente and garlicky. The Sangria was quite sweet (my kind of drink); I consumed 3 glasses of Sangria and quickly forgot about our towing drama of earlier.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5CnLYVQW_aUHB9T8wnzhRqgv4ZpZBW1bja6fNCJDTToC92uBHzBp8Se20bwv2hE0auteAxhfKn-Uh5Zz7WYI9FoJnFAfjPnA63cUPHxETQ6umzjv7XjbfW2Fpq0l3dgbcctcqk1hBFCE/s1600/IMGP0074.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5CnLYVQW_aUHB9T8wnzhRqgv4ZpZBW1bja6fNCJDTToC92uBHzBp8Se20bwv2hE0auteAxhfKn-Uh5Zz7WYI9FoJnFAfjPnA63cUPHxETQ6umzjv7XjbfW2Fpq0l3dgbcctcqk1hBFCE/s400/IMGP0074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507615265148987714" border="0" /></a><br />The next morning prior to our departure from Montreal, we drove back up to the amazing bakery "Premiere Moisson" at Jean Talon's farmer's market. Another gorge-fest ensued with (again!) the fabulous almond croissant and a Chausson aux pommes (apple turnover) along with the freshest sandwiches ever. The bread was airy and light with a crispy crust on the outside. I had brie cheese with tomato and spinach sandwich on a mini olive baguette. The bread inside was slathered with fresh creamy butter. Oh man...fresh butter! So good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm7bsVQxeU7jBn_AIDfEYACP56iHBPOx8yWxrV7SCYchyphenhyphenwLdG8I0XQl1MdBXNbpwqSL0nxDeMhHogfS1IOZNlYx2yH9IV2FNaOj5yuFbUYicf4xFKqryq0OkLqY_Ol53rbUcueqVGJDu1/s1600/IMGP0084.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm7bsVQxeU7jBn_AIDfEYACP56iHBPOx8yWxrV7SCYchyphenhyphenwLdG8I0XQl1MdBXNbpwqSL0nxDeMhHogfS1IOZNlYx2yH9IV2FNaOj5yuFbUYicf4xFKqryq0OkLqY_Ol53rbUcueqVGJDu1/s400/IMGP0084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507615981543207906" border="0" /></a><br />Several stops at the fruit and veggie stands and my hands were hauling bags of sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh green beans, fresh fava beans, assorted coloured peppers (purple!), assorted coloured baby carrots (yes, purple too!), long white eggplant, a pound of juicy, tart apples, the sweetest and juiciest strawberries ever and a basket of ground cherries which are my new favourite fruit. Thank you Montreal for introducing them to me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0N2Nx5YthNenyl2q-6SADBtw3mb49h9OCBAKIPB8CZmRPnRsAwUJe7pdEoMyrqhDDlfK6zcprNAUTe4t1gDNkjhd879Y2eByueZeRl1f3nA2NDtShlKsaKogtd-t9QvcZgXCxSP_9Mff/s1600/IMGP0087.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0N2Nx5YthNenyl2q-6SADBtw3mb49h9OCBAKIPB8CZmRPnRsAwUJe7pdEoMyrqhDDlfK6zcprNAUTe4t1gDNkjhd879Y2eByueZeRl1f3nA2NDtShlKsaKogtd-t9QvcZgXCxSP_9Mff/s400/IMGP0087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507616449421290786" border="0" /></a><br />It was a bit sad to leave such an amazing food experience, we drove home with our farmer's market purchases and delicious pastries for the road trip. I savoured every crumb.<br /><br />I can seriously see myself living in Montreal. The food alone is enough to lure me there. But I'm told the winters there are much harsher than in Toronto. Hmm, maybe I need to think about this a bit more.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-6236432069635587682010-08-13T23:24:00.015-04:002010-08-14T16:49:55.395-04:00Vacances<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ5LfyNYQZNTc3K445Dhuh993IzyK4TmsxBz1_wCW1HnIrzPNE57VvacC1udenZZmWxggnCqLItNrsJ00A7GiCPl9xunMYp47WtoVfKogizR3cAst1UpZzMwMs5HyzGemBaVqstBc6M24/s1600/vieuxMontreal.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ5LfyNYQZNTc3K445Dhuh993IzyK4TmsxBz1_wCW1HnIrzPNE57VvacC1udenZZmWxggnCqLItNrsJ00A7GiCPl9xunMYp47WtoVfKogizR3cAst1UpZzMwMs5HyzGemBaVqstBc6M24/s400/vieuxMontreal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505370250498011186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7KvjJfke4WIBH6JNgsT_9b9UsYR7DHSl6a9BUDy-tjILv8cFiYAjoz2t1Z4D2eqQ1YC_k2LX0rqMx4QmGvY7Lpe1v2CdTd0xCkT97hb4EhwhUPeQ7_ZIVagS8AbAOYbsewgTHfB-r2zB/s1600/mag-4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7KvjJfke4WIBH6JNgsT_9b9UsYR7DHSl6a9BUDy-tjILv8cFiYAjoz2t1Z4D2eqQ1YC_k2LX0rqMx4QmGvY7Lpe1v2CdTd0xCkT97hb4EhwhUPeQ7_ZIVagS8AbAOYbsewgTHfB-r2zB/s400/mag-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505370037722336962" border="0" /></a><br />Vacation time is here! I'm heading out to Montreal for a week.<br /><br />First we're staying at a cottage north of Montreal with friends for a few days and then we're going into downtown Montreal for some sightseeing and of course, good eats.<br /><br />One thing I plan to do is to finally try some <a href="http://montreal.about.com/od/foodwine/tp/Best-Poutine-in-Montreal.htm">poutine</a> because I have never had it before and people are shocked when I mention this fact about myself. I know it's just fries with gravy and squeaky cheese curds but I very rarely eat french fries with gravy in Toronto so I guess, as the saying goes...'when in Rome'... or rather 'when in Montreal.'<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKSi_RVHzrSLG4H_SCt75QMrwQsRBv9hik9B_vlgyWYhYSBJWQIOiNa7xlATvuv7izA5K8-TGtOoIQOQx6SKU03gCemtwQdJ8g70Hlbp5742QrLeYq85VDoe5gDmxTyj0TIc7N5pJhp4q/s1600/poutine.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 353px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKSi_RVHzrSLG4H_SCt75QMrwQsRBv9hik9B_vlgyWYhYSBJWQIOiNa7xlATvuv7izA5K8-TGtOoIQOQx6SKU03gCemtwQdJ8g70Hlbp5742QrLeYq85VDoe5gDmxTyj0TIc7N5pJhp4q/s400/poutine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505350782153533058" border="0" /></a><br />I've been to Montreal once before. It was a short trip mainly focusing on meeting with some friends from abroad, so we did things as a group. I didn't get to visit the places I wanted to nor eat at the restaurants I wanted to because...we made decisions as a group. We went to pubs that served primarily beer and I don't drink beer. (Beer drinkers, I know I won't get any sympathy from you!) We ate at a restaurant that was over my budget at the time. I somehow managed to piss off the server when I didn't order a pre-dinner Port like everybody else at the table did. The server obviously had her own agenda.<br /><br />This time <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> have an agenda. <a href="http://www.oliveetgourmando.com/">Bakeries</a> to visit are at the top of my list. Bagels and smoked Montreal meat are not my thing, so I won't be hunting down any authentic bagel shops like <a href="http://www.stviateurbagel.com/main/">St-Viateur Bagel</a>, or deli meat shops, like <a href="http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/index2.html">Schwartz's</a>.<br /><br />I would like to go back to Old Montreal and explore it more. The quaint shops especially. There is also an <a href="http://www.artefaks.com/en/calendar/the-lucky-country-carrie-chisholm-wilder-1704.html">art exhibit</a> I would like to check out. The artist is a friend of a friend and I really like her paintings.<br /><br />All in all, a time for <span style="font-style: italic;">me</span> in Montreal.<br /><br />If you have any (affordable!) suggestions about what to see, eat and do while in Montreal, please leave me a comment.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-79339708305507388952010-07-14T16:12:00.019-04:002010-07-15T21:39:37.909-04:00dreamy and creamyI have been jumping on the homemade ice cream/gelato bandwagon lately and enjoying the ride.<br /><br />There is something quite satisfying about making your own ice cream. You get to adjust the ingredients to your liking. If you don't want it too sweet, reduce the sugar. If you want it low-fat, use 1% milk or soy milk OR make sorbet. If you want it crunchy, add some nuts or chocolate chips. If you don't want eggs in your ice cream custard, skip them.<br /><br />Anyway you choose it, it's your own creation, so none of the additives and chemicals that you would find with commercial supermarket ice cream. Just spoonfuls of creamy, cold goodness.<br /><br />With the rosewater ice cream , I followed the recipe loosely (see link). I omitted the eggs in the recipe and just made a simple cream base and added rosewater (God, how I love thee). I also added chocolate chips, which I don't think really went well with the flowery, delicate flavour of the rosewater. Oh well, next time I'll add pistachio nuts or candied lemon peel. See what I mean? You're the boss...<br /><br />Of all these ice cream flavours below, my favourite so far was the lemon gelato. Oh boy! I've made it twice already. Just 4 ingredients. You can't go wrong with that!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeIHKVhtlmEyzsk0v7C8w3ROVH8sErmSPs94VIglB4l3wOV8De2rIdkEbFPU63jw_Ig3BQac9D1AdX0udOW2uqumJX-uQbE0hylJjhI7AB_DJxJhqtfQawpynJDj_cc3Iy_KmbLllA5JZ/s1600/IMGP0331.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeIHKVhtlmEyzsk0v7C8w3ROVH8sErmSPs94VIglB4l3wOV8De2rIdkEbFPU63jw_Ig3BQac9D1AdX0udOW2uqumJX-uQbE0hylJjhI7AB_DJxJhqtfQawpynJDj_cc3Iy_KmbLllA5JZ/s400/IMGP0331.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493862006259377394" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.mangiodasola.com/2010/04/gelato-al-limone.html">Lemon gelato</a><br /></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dpATK8vfy2rIs3hFRi-TNak5-vJ6kPPyqZ1-ZkvMMH4FHTGZhXfLrIpP2MH-2bMIkGNH9cXj5EX3KhkYwk8qbCltYeyPFqCRNdHIR_rBgSUpzeOJie-2NlDkTRLkc_7RKhC_8cimFQiq/s1600/IMGP0340.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dpATK8vfy2rIs3hFRi-TNak5-vJ6kPPyqZ1-ZkvMMH4FHTGZhXfLrIpP2MH-2bMIkGNH9cXj5EX3KhkYwk8qbCltYeyPFqCRNdHIR_rBgSUpzeOJie-2NlDkTRLkc_7RKhC_8cimFQiq/s400/IMGP0340.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493857986082372322" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.spicelines.com/2009/03/baby_its_cold_outside_incompar.htm">rosewater ice cream</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8DcYryhqbcYiWf9jPL96nSSBUztUDiClUc0-8VecZSblKuYyl7foY42-ry-3Iew7j-A52f86UBVnhrBKaOqd0dJZD30FGhAZg6knCUnFxOwnD0NUMHuDzwrAEl0CC8sj1npEA_1cWCeP/s1600/IMGP0340n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8DcYryhqbcYiWf9jPL96nSSBUztUDiClUc0-8VecZSblKuYyl7foY42-ry-3Iew7j-A52f86UBVnhrBKaOqd0dJZD30FGhAZg6knCUnFxOwnD0NUMHuDzwrAEl0CC8sj1npEA_1cWCeP/s400/IMGP0340n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493857793876461650" border="0" /></a><a href="http://batterandbeat.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-hereby-declare-its-gelato-season.html">mocha chip gelato</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPGrOHbEq42SDfkZjD7CpzWKVY8L6KpaIyuKTz2ldnZnoAPZ96eIf1banKbV3NitI5OlflZrm32F6gUIFBnVft2aDxII2DoJJjm9DnO8t8pu2_9Pmu8OjFVufy89b-JK2XQaTaTgfAoQd/s1600/IMGP0391z.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPGrOHbEq42SDfkZjD7CpzWKVY8L6KpaIyuKTz2ldnZnoAPZ96eIf1banKbV3NitI5OlflZrm32F6gUIFBnVft2aDxII2DoJJjm9DnO8t8pu2_9Pmu8OjFVufy89b-JK2XQaTaTgfAoQd/s400/IMGP0391z.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493857593668885810" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.simplecomfortfood.com/2010/05/30/mint-chocolate-chip-ice-cream/">mint chip ice cream</a><br /></div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-83381468807511715032010-07-04T15:38:00.009-04:002010-07-04T16:01:36.150-04:00It's getting there...Well I'll be...I have banana peppers growing! Hot banana peppers! Yeah!<br /><br />I foresee a dish of hot banana peppers stuffed with ricotta cheese or chèvre and fresh herbs and pan fried in olive oil. So very yum!<br /><br />I also had a tiny green bell pepper but a pesky squirrel came around and scooped out the innards, i.e. the seeds. So my husband built some kind of protective barrier around the potted pepper plant to protect them. So far I think it's worked.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuzagGuk36j_esyp39gjtEFBeAreWcyA3uVwe0H1OKDKPb48XjgKIwmponfZe1p8TAypkT4eQpvoNAoKxOK5Yw4DCnf7vpbjxqjESEKtYQF62bYPofPZKu45Yx1srZgBnLC7g57YYIDIu/s1600/IMGP0345.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuzagGuk36j_esyp39gjtEFBeAreWcyA3uVwe0H1OKDKPb48XjgKIwmponfZe1p8TAypkT4eQpvoNAoKxOK5Yw4DCnf7vpbjxqjESEKtYQF62bYPofPZKu45Yx1srZgBnLC7g57YYIDIu/s400/IMGP0345.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490139181010177762" border="0" /></a><br />The rest of these images are just a few snap shots of the herbs growing in the herb garden.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGmdhuR16n5v5hBRJjCr1pyMltJpfdhcuxc_d811xgzuumRXO-idyMrxVwrDsjlxT77ksfdONhWZ3Pc0rngdJiVk2gfLqBVaV4_gJGl-Vkkmo1CbpY5TJN4fRfRW1RuM6SG7K5_mn3lLc/s1600/IMGP0346.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGmdhuR16n5v5hBRJjCr1pyMltJpfdhcuxc_d811xgzuumRXO-idyMrxVwrDsjlxT77ksfdONhWZ3Pc0rngdJiVk2gfLqBVaV4_gJGl-Vkkmo1CbpY5TJN4fRfRW1RuM6SG7K5_mn3lLc/s400/IMGP0346.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490139902385545442" border="0" /></a><br />Basil!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYmLW3fWdIHFUXbcXOBmcYuLd4R2KsTOTX4I7AvW2m6P-kKIOBEU0htePTzn7MYLG1LRoTb5gNnvFHVz4ShBc54OxqZiAxfBYP2IzlnA707WCB6lEIONxW1sYAhgLsv7H7TgXMvRlvU0T/s1600/IMGP0350.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYmLW3fWdIHFUXbcXOBmcYuLd4R2KsTOTX4I7AvW2m6P-kKIOBEU0htePTzn7MYLG1LRoTb5gNnvFHVz4ShBc54OxqZiAxfBYP2IzlnA707WCB6lEIONxW1sYAhgLsv7H7TgXMvRlvU0T/s400/IMGP0350.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490140067222958562" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Oregano!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwjljgpVK8uim4buvGU2Y83QoOkO5Zt_6uEFcYx8pnOilJXlEYY7yGITFpRHM0d5dgHNKUP_cj_5nHZNk9VeydisWhM3Q3RBhzoAWXmmXnolWLKdY-I6L4CbHIlHiBIVwMZ2_bqvvRQZ7/s1600/IMGP0348.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwjljgpVK8uim4buvGU2Y83QoOkO5Zt_6uEFcYx8pnOilJXlEYY7yGITFpRHM0d5dgHNKUP_cj_5nHZNk9VeydisWhM3Q3RBhzoAWXmmXnolWLKdY-I6L4CbHIlHiBIVwMZ2_bqvvRQZ7/s400/IMGP0348.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490139986078877122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Dill!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, all in all, a good decision on my part to grow herbs on the front lawn! I can only imagine how luscious the tomatoes would have turned out on the front lawn with 8 hours of sunlight. I sense a "told you so" moment arising.<br /></div></div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-78767587430832773022010-06-18T12:32:00.021-04:002010-06-18T15:39:24.335-04:00Brown thumb turns GreenThis year when planning my gardening repertoire, I decided that I would create a front lawn veggie garden. My thinking: lots of sunshine would definitely yield to a successful crop. Last year, I tried to plant a series of veggies and herbs (tomato, pumpkin, raspberry, onions, garlic, mint, celery) in the backyard but with two tall and leafy trees casting shade and shadows over our yard, nothing came to fruition, except 3 little raspberries and some mint.<br /><br />This is what our backyard garden looked like in May 2009:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ULtYdo6Nu8zxfBqH-TZ5QtPbdO91gwsU0gYxSHTBk_fTUWnJOO5TMl9qNoy6WS-TSz2c4FZ8NMP0GhdSKNGloR-L216XZH1DJLUj4KZ2Xnd1q52TMSF-NFfn32WSzFmo8hMysbOtpL_w/s1600/IMGP0116.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ULtYdo6Nu8zxfBqH-TZ5QtPbdO91gwsU0gYxSHTBk_fTUWnJOO5TMl9qNoy6WS-TSz2c4FZ8NMP0GhdSKNGloR-L216XZH1DJLUj4KZ2Xnd1q52TMSF-NFfn32WSzFmo8hMysbOtpL_w/s400/IMGP0116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484160558285677042" border="0" /></a><br />This is our back yard garden now in June 2010:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9yFzVg9Bxt8pUrLIr7Ln0yThJw36DGCgsJi1Lnb1Fi9ufqrmIoopiAIjmB_aRtL3kvV9RNOAJ4cLdpM8V3xAmkz7FLJ1fkbg2GkoUTIpqKOeboGJ4UjL5IgH3e9KlK6O130j8Jvb36OG/s1600/IMGP0338a.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9yFzVg9Bxt8pUrLIr7Ln0yThJw36DGCgsJi1Lnb1Fi9ufqrmIoopiAIjmB_aRtL3kvV9RNOAJ4cLdpM8V3xAmkz7FLJ1fkbg2GkoUTIpqKOeboGJ4UjL5IgH3e9KlK6O130j8Jvb36OG/s400/IMGP0338a.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484162754166226994" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">See how dark and shady the backyard is...<br />it's great for keeping the house cool in the summer though.<br /></div><br />There are still some veggies in the backyard. I thought I'd give the tomato idea another run and planted three of them, directly under a sunny spot where tree branches had been trimmed back. There are also two pepper plants in a pot, a hot one and a mild one. They too, are strategically placed under a sunny spot. There are also garlic shoots, raspberry plants, spring onions, mint (which is resilient and grows like weeds) and more basil in planters, as I love the stuff and plan to make basil ice cream one day!<br /><br />Planting a front lawn veggie garden did come with resistance. My husband was against the idea as he didn't want our house to look like a Greek - Italian immigrants front lawn with sticks supporting tall tomato plants and a smorgasborg of miscellaneous, unruly crops. He likes order, symmetry, neatness, and colour. So I struck a deal with him. I suggested an herb garden. He agreed and so I (we) set off deciding what to plant in the front lawn.<br /><br />This is what our front lawn looked like before:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hzgx4b0BeoZcr8lGZ5vcNuQ7DVuOExn1KzKEqfhRF-nV1a2fyXMfjdNvwDe03zdZD9s1JmQ2YV0GeeWtSJmxkaKtKJRrn9YsBZtJ0PeGpyP0YW_lBLY9Tu58bLIXeYzzarRtYz6PUpeU/s1600/IMGP0330.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hzgx4b0BeoZcr8lGZ5vcNuQ7DVuOExn1KzKEqfhRF-nV1a2fyXMfjdNvwDe03zdZD9s1JmQ2YV0GeeWtSJmxkaKtKJRrn9YsBZtJ0PeGpyP0YW_lBLY9Tu58bLIXeYzzarRtYz6PUpeU/s400/IMGP0330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484158251188686530" border="0" /></a><br />This is sand by the way, which is under everybody's lawn.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwOM5ce2VXFKtgVmW_M-SraXooVndevth-uV63CV8wW0s5NgREeUmoajOSSAJFX6KB0GWg34PYgBxBKwcbccloFcMX7Aep5DYJTTnDE3TosygkhS1Lylx1W94KVxiV5OJ_tR0KmjXoG0/s1600/IMGP0327.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwOM5ce2VXFKtgVmW_M-SraXooVndevth-uV63CV8wW0s5NgREeUmoajOSSAJFX6KB0GWg34PYgBxBKwcbccloFcMX7Aep5DYJTTnDE3TosygkhS1Lylx1W94KVxiV5OJ_tR0KmjXoG0/s400/IMGP0327.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484158386780277954" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-KP9q62gcZ0tGFTqo_e2a-lC6WICX6GNva3DN-oKcxi4E8HMJKX5HMQ6aWAvA3ENvVKIwT8GgKsK8i09Bt_0MSVQ6yWZjN9jPKE7EQfBZC5TnquvGvLDDVN9HFeuJXvh9YDNgp2S6nRR/s1600/IMGP0326.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-KP9q62gcZ0tGFTqo_e2a-lC6WICX6GNva3DN-oKcxi4E8HMJKX5HMQ6aWAvA3ENvVKIwT8GgKsK8i09Bt_0MSVQ6yWZjN9jPKE7EQfBZC5TnquvGvLDDVN9HFeuJXvh9YDNgp2S6nRR/s400/IMGP0326.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484158486039430082" border="0" /></a><br />We removed the sand and mixed some of it with nutrient rich compost soil.<br /></div><br />And this is what our herb garden looks like now:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4IzaVoPz_Ms8yAB1Z7JZemBDlG8YoGgWoHx_TeHOZn5cgT9BCP5bO3O8bgJ8nkx5kRTAKNk_f_FAF3GgN4VcR9q9WHe1YnRDh92ZfXFUeXiwUKydFDp_0K0OlM5SQ60JrZKjOtAdzNiw/s1600/IMGP0338.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4IzaVoPz_Ms8yAB1Z7JZemBDlG8YoGgWoHx_TeHOZn5cgT9BCP5bO3O8bgJ8nkx5kRTAKNk_f_FAF3GgN4VcR9q9WHe1YnRDh92ZfXFUeXiwUKydFDp_0K0OlM5SQ60JrZKjOtAdzNiw/s400/IMGP0338.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484158668736626162" border="0" /></a><br />Big rock in lower corner is covering the city water main valve.<br /></div><br />Some of the plants in my herb garden include: basil, purple basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, sage and cilantro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEfyg9IdqKB4KpAWSVJEPB9pR44zxT76PJ6udasXoG5p5NxCoJv0BEExsU6w07q4c-b_SxQqlKDlSDQP0vhD5LU5g7MkT1AYY2unbBDFSRL373nR_EMpYPjXuG21X8tBlgwn0m-u-jC2x/s1600/IMGP0339.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEfyg9IdqKB4KpAWSVJEPB9pR44zxT76PJ6udasXoG5p5NxCoJv0BEExsU6w07q4c-b_SxQqlKDlSDQP0vhD5LU5g7MkT1AYY2unbBDFSRL373nR_EMpYPjXuG21X8tBlgwn0m-u-jC2x/s400/IMGP0339.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484163138753294162" border="0" /></a><br />I've already dipped into my basil, rosemary and oregano yesterday to add to my pizza toppings. The cilantro is taking a bit longer as it was planted from seed. The other herbs were planted from plants that were already grown.<br /><br />There is no doubt in my mind that this herb garden will be a success unless "Orange" the neighbourhood tom cat pees on it, or if neighbours run off with my herbs. The intense sunlight of about 6 to 8 hours worth is perfect for herbs on the front lawn. Notice in one of the photos that the grass is brown? That's because the intense sunlight fries the grass, which generally requires watering everyday. Such a waste of water for something as completely useless as lawn grass.<br /><br />Ultimately, my husband has huge dreams of tearing out all the discoloured lawn grass and turning our front lawn into a urban oasis - haha - but maybe that's just wishful thinking...only time will tell.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-7200435639313692602010-06-06T10:02:00.022-04:002010-06-07T18:10:24.333-04:00Sewing 101: The dress, the curtains & the birds.Remember <a href="http://bijouxkeepitsimple.blogspot.com/2010/03/projects-galore.html">the dress</a> I mentioned I was sewing a few months ago? Well, it is now finished!<br /><br />Despite a few sewing glitches around the neckline and a 2-week hiatus from completing the hem of the dress, I can now say that not only is the dress finished - but I also wore it!<br /><br />The dress is form-fitting and slimming. The fit is absolutely perfect as it should be because it was made to fit my body. My favourite part of the dress is the neckline and the bodice area. There is something to be said about making your own clothing. Not just from the satisfaction of finishing a project, but that you actually get to use the finished product, and the end result looks damn good too! FYI - This photo does not do the dress justice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kEKK5C77z92eQ2gTV2mg2kWh1UdpiqP_W01XmTl2dKJUuBHmvgXACKZFIVXlXaj-qa7RQ0wnLdUBVRNs3MEj7TJpoDw8GliMKOpSSwfgC5o2pQsY6S-IkK4efAXVxzst-qivw3ZfJtau/s1600/IMGP0352.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kEKK5C77z92eQ2gTV2mg2kWh1UdpiqP_W01XmTl2dKJUuBHmvgXACKZFIVXlXaj-qa7RQ0wnLdUBVRNs3MEj7TJpoDw8GliMKOpSSwfgC5o2pQsY6S-IkK4efAXVxzst-qivw3ZfJtau/s400/IMGP0352.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479675810836206674" border="0" /></a><br />Truth is, I had help making this dress. My sewing skills from Grade 7 and 8, just didn't cut it to complete this dress flawlessly. I must give credit to my good friend and sewing tutor, Cara of <a href="http://leopardspotteddesigns.wordpress.com/">Leopard Spotted Designs</a>. Cara's background is in costume design and she has worked in numerous films and movies as a professional costumer, dressing many famous celebs. She also teaches sewing at a Toronto-based sewing studio.<br /><br />Cara also made these lovely kitchen curtains for me from (get this) cheese cloth fabric!! This loosely woven fabric, provides privacy, while allowing natural light to penetrate through. Clean, simple and with no frills. I LOVE my new curtains! Thanks Cara!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d1w8Tpj2jH5e8-X_Un7BEDFTVvZCKQoKSMsOrkbiu2PjYr76AV7U1yIKJrYFKgMdoUfM5ZV01W4-mM3VMVvpF47Gaa5u0Y3tGW70l8zJ9m_5wW4DV72HNaOr1XzgShMTBrZiRm8kPirm/s1600/IMGP0347.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d1w8Tpj2jH5e8-X_Un7BEDFTVvZCKQoKSMsOrkbiu2PjYr76AV7U1yIKJrYFKgMdoUfM5ZV01W4-mM3VMVvpF47Gaa5u0Y3tGW70l8zJ9m_5wW4DV72HNaOr1XzgShMTBrZiRm8kPirm/s400/IMGP0347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479676293996983810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvmDZN3aHfIg9Iq5iQWHfmb6M-JlDNs-x0ER9bcZEs0JQVy1BIOTy0CslJ4lqt4A14o_eTNRRjaxUkb__-uf6YwAAM7I5YU815JK2O_mTJK0iH0GjzDa2KXzQqua5Ad-y4vOOOtgD6go4/s1600/IMGP0348.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvmDZN3aHfIg9Iq5iQWHfmb6M-JlDNs-x0ER9bcZEs0JQVy1BIOTy0CslJ4lqt4A14o_eTNRRjaxUkb__-uf6YwAAM7I5YU815JK2O_mTJK0iH0GjzDa2KXzQqua5Ad-y4vOOOtgD6go4/s400/IMGP0348.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479676026358752386" border="0" /></a><br />And because all good things come in threes, Cara also sewed up these adorable fabric birds for me and I stuffed them with polyester fiber fill. I also added some rhinestone eyes to the birds, just because. I have a vase with some branches in my living room and these birds will look just perfect on there, once I've finished attaching the ribbon on them, of course.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C5Uunalmi1gjSsYrCgqK6OmFPpISK6PhDHLbmL62Agw470jn8YsMlgP84ReY89KC3LkpL-GJIHx67GQ44V-mpar-jIDbb3_LaSGw0iTerSKCamTFbup4OwroUZ0Qt-BgRpkrAlnaXfD9/s1600/IMGP0339.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C5Uunalmi1gjSsYrCgqK6OmFPpISK6PhDHLbmL62Agw470jn8YsMlgP84ReY89KC3LkpL-GJIHx67GQ44V-mpar-jIDbb3_LaSGw0iTerSKCamTFbup4OwroUZ0Qt-BgRpkrAlnaXfD9/s400/IMGP0339.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479676661354655266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFE3CDdZekFnzf07QEgW7A98GOhgdfLCgNXKHJ_bKYebrDpL7rQi-B5Rg2Y8DMmbB1bgkt0DCIPqsGj9-4GxPaGV5Yyn284dFHVzRSTg4kwMlg5kByzSJvRpgsPckIpCDg1uhPxI5hX-5/s1600/IMGP0344+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFE3CDdZekFnzf07QEgW7A98GOhgdfLCgNXKHJ_bKYebrDpL7rQi-B5Rg2Y8DMmbB1bgkt0DCIPqsGj9-4GxPaGV5Yyn284dFHVzRSTg4kwMlg5kByzSJvRpgsPckIpCDg1uhPxI5hX-5/s400/IMGP0344+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479677149194572466" border="0" /></a><br />So this ends my foray into sewing 101. I don't think I will be sewing anything else at the moment as I must tend to other pressing matters, like my neglected <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/jomadesign">Etsy jewellery shop</a>.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-51191191413922255222010-06-01T11:23:00.006-04:002010-06-01T12:29:19.966-04:00Accessorize like Cleopatra<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RtDnwOmb3Z9nRsNZhvhi-8Q4QaYIYqJd5pIW-uaAY0gnXCTsN0NBX8Fam9fH9-vrC9DACpLcSJiZTwGK5ZBzF6mpTsbJC1G78MeWtE4CSSwfy2n7CFboo1o5Z2djayRoEETLKWXGAum4/s1600/IMGP0334.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RtDnwOmb3Z9nRsNZhvhi-8Q4QaYIYqJd5pIW-uaAY0gnXCTsN0NBX8Fam9fH9-vrC9DACpLcSJiZTwGK5ZBzF6mpTsbJC1G78MeWtE4CSSwfy2n7CFboo1o5Z2djayRoEETLKWXGAum4/s400/IMGP0334.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477826664268660466" border="0" /></a><br />If you have a fascination with Ancient Egypt, mummies and curses, you're probably a nerd like me. And you've probably watched all "The Mummy" films too. Okay maybe not.<br /><br />As a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum, I often browse the jewellery section at the Ancient Greece, Roman and Egyptian exhibits. Yes, I am a huge fan of antiquity and as a teenager I wanted to become an archeologist. No lie. I would have had to go away to study at McMaster University. The only Ontario post secondary institution offering an archeology program in the 1990s. Going away to study was unheard of in my family and as such, I never pursued my dream of traveling to distant lands and digging in dirt to find ancient relics...sniff.<br /><br />So when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. As a result, nowadays I make jewellery reminiscent of ancient civilizations.<br /><br />Case in point, these Egyptian-inspired sterling silver earrings. They are shaped like a pyramid and are made with (thin yet sturdy) 22 gauge sterling silver wire shaped with pliers. The beads are made of lead crystal, also known as Swarovski crystals. I chose red crystals for their vivid colour and how nicely they looked juxtaposed against the silver triangles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_LMKqFEcnHbExI1ZyuadRbgpUJyDqIzE_Yd83X6px1JDZJqyVoCVtRh9Uljicm-q14GizKFMqUYQ_qjlzzaPbgAA11kWO54byfnhTWZjbq0LuetRm_W9k28EQkBQLIvz6KUZltNvCcdQ/s1600/IMGP0332.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 372px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_LMKqFEcnHbExI1ZyuadRbgpUJyDqIzE_Yd83X6px1JDZJqyVoCVtRh9Uljicm-q14GizKFMqUYQ_qjlzzaPbgAA11kWO54byfnhTWZjbq0LuetRm_W9k28EQkBQLIvz6KUZltNvCcdQ/s400/IMGP0332.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477833473056094578" border="0" /></a>They look just gorgeous in the sunlight as the crystals pick up the light. I will be making more pairs of these earring using other coloured beads, so if you would like to see another colour in these earrings, leave me a comment here or send me a message via Etsy.<br /><br />Next on the agenda, Grecian key pattern jewellery...Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-1522678835208548452010-05-19T18:01:00.019-04:002010-05-20T16:50:00.628-04:00All things blue...I'm briefly resurfacing ~ from resume writing ~ to tell you all that I have a new feature in my Etsy shop. And it's...blue!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHmy0xvqGXda1E6Gi5ts50uTANNXEmXa9uwleClmN6LJgFyCDDK_ybyIuerQi8fyhbtGxNbn1MQr25NBhJyWC_FvdeihcXTgvZ-LgqcQJ_6KK-QaWzz4fYt1yXPPpJtfkonTQmaOUSztw/s1600/gift-certificate10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHmy0xvqGXda1E6Gi5ts50uTANNXEmXa9uwleClmN6LJgFyCDDK_ybyIuerQi8fyhbtGxNbn1MQr25NBhJyWC_FvdeihcXTgvZ-LgqcQJ_6KK-QaWzz4fYt1yXPPpJtfkonTQmaOUSztw/s400/gift-certificate10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473106392905709682" border="0" /></a><br />I'm introducing Gift Certificates! I've had the idea bouncing around in my head for some time and then this week I thought "why not?" Why not just design some digital gift certificates for my Etsy shop, so that friends can give each other the gift of jewellery without committing to one specific item. There's nothing worse that buying something for your girlfriend or mom only to never see them wear it because...{insert one of many reasons} they don't wear red, or pink, or earrings, or bracelets....<br /><br />I've got the certificates in denominations of $10, $15 and $20 dollars but customers can also request a higher denomination if they like. Just send me a message vie Etsy and I'll whip one up for you in no time.<br /><br />Two new and blue jewellery items that I've added to my Etsy shop:<br /><br />1) A playful pair of genuine aquamarine (icy blue) and sterling silver earrings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSiJxmJcjFm555BAAcHNpPpeFxEOsUt1uhovuR3DodUnRAFtndh5xdEylmN24uigz8eItxl1as0r_3bNlvCmaCnfx3xf1L9bsLCdDv2qjfsMatfMtRwi2iBhnTJRe5rpr-u2N806sqZnf/s1600/IMGP0313ab.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSiJxmJcjFm555BAAcHNpPpeFxEOsUt1uhovuR3DodUnRAFtndh5xdEylmN24uigz8eItxl1as0r_3bNlvCmaCnfx3xf1L9bsLCdDv2qjfsMatfMtRwi2iBhnTJRe5rpr-u2N806sqZnf/s400/IMGP0313ab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473107771301440114" border="0" /></a><br />2) An Egyptian inspired 3-strand necklace with genuine turquoise "marquis" stones and a durable sterling silver clasp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo85Vmr070zxUxQ_LS4_WfYbnE_ddgtwMo2l6dPYiRmq0Lk6DLjZdrg-o01bGBsGMZOycSLzVm1EpqX69OhpcbKfT-Zz6EAxuLeZn9x78-7gXPb1C_z1Dbo3StnpEM3iWbsmyer1QLWiXA/s1600/IMGP0323abc.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo85Vmr070zxUxQ_LS4_WfYbnE_ddgtwMo2l6dPYiRmq0Lk6DLjZdrg-o01bGBsGMZOycSLzVm1EpqX69OhpcbKfT-Zz6EAxuLeZn9x78-7gXPb1C_z1Dbo3StnpEM3iWbsmyer1QLWiXA/s400/IMGP0323abc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473108482951865954" border="0" /></a><br />As an aside, the weather here in Toronto has perked up considerably, the skies are blue and I have started to go for leisurely, (okay, who am I kidding)....intense (huffing and puffing) uphill/downhill bike rides along city streets, bike trails and paths in my neighbourhood.<br /><br />For those that are into bicycles, here's a pic of my 2 year old turquoise blue bike. Cute, eh? It would look even nicer with a basket on the front.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqH0kDINjswKetrhvwCsrtB-sHzQ_BOdN6YCGWeotPhnzjQBwZygMnyFPTXLLx7FjSH8FHqvQoKFDEHLmtlVWtHTn1vn70SA9ty4CuZIJ-4UYekNPEFWFuKU23u4hreQz44OCorlrqh33u/s1600/IMGP0316.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqH0kDINjswKetrhvwCsrtB-sHzQ_BOdN6YCGWeotPhnzjQBwZygMnyFPTXLLx7FjSH8FHqvQoKFDEHLmtlVWtHTn1vn70SA9ty4CuZIJ-4UYekNPEFWFuKU23u4hreQz44OCorlrqh33u/s400/IMGP0316.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473453259758896434" border="0" /></a><br />This long weekend, I'll be riding my bike...among other things.<br /><br />To my fellow Canadians, how will you be spending the Victoria Day long weekend? Or the weekend in general?Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-56862247053096004872010-05-02T12:50:00.016-04:002010-05-03T11:18:53.139-04:00I'm posting a recipe!That's right! I've decided to post a recipe here on my blog, aside from the usual rants about design, jewellery and joblessness.<br /><br />I did try starting up a <a href="http://imhungryyourehungry.blogspot.com/">food blog</a> over a year ago and although I was excited about it at first, reality quickly sunk in that I kind of sucked at it! There are so many talented food Bloggers out there, that I just didn't feel I could successfully join the ranks and keep plugging away at it long term. So, I gave up on my food blog only after a few months, but I still love trying out new recipes and eating delicious food and of course, commenting on other Blogger's food blogs.<br /><br />Here is the first official (sweet!) recipe on Keep it Simple: Walnut Fudge Truffles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUIvl99M-MIGkyQCIViuM5VAnz1bEuR-Z8Fk9DNueh2_JjRnW38LZiucmwA09ga7qFXco8xEArkLbdJMD1qjJmR84dhqX32NdmorT26I1E6aBK_wq7bMyyJsPQ1KmI3MBqqNz1gAkMqVz/s1600/truffles.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUIvl99M-MIGkyQCIViuM5VAnz1bEuR-Z8Fk9DNueh2_JjRnW38LZiucmwA09ga7qFXco8xEArkLbdJMD1qjJmR84dhqX32NdmorT26I1E6aBK_wq7bMyyJsPQ1KmI3MBqqNz1gAkMqVz/s400/truffles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466908960072278642" border="0" /></a><br />I love my desserts and I love my chocolate. What I don't enjoy are my wide Mediterranean hips - the first place I tend to gain weight and the last place I tend to lose the weight.<br /><br />This recipe for chocolate truffles is taken from a fantastic cookbook called: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Carb-Conscious-Vegetarian-Delicious-Lifestyle/dp/1594861234">Carb-Conscious Vegetarian</a> by Robin Robertson. I've been creating recipes from this cookbook for the past 4 months and I have enjoyed every one of them. I've also managed to shed about 13 lbs in that time span yet have not deprived myself of fantastic food and desserts!<br /><br />I've made these truffles before and loved the intense cocoa flavour combined with the buttery, creamy texture. Hard to believe these truffles are low-carb. And they are made with prunes...<span style="font-style: italic;">prunes!</span> They were so amazingly good and were consumed so quickly that I forgot to snap a photo of them. The illustration I've posted does not do these justice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Walnut Fudge Truffles</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">(taken from Carb-Conscious Vegetarian by Robin Robertson)</span><br /><br />1/2 cup walnut pieces<br />1/3 cup pitted dried prunes<br />1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<br />1/4 tsp stevia, or to taste (I used about 2 tbs agave and was happy with the results)<br />4 tablespoons non-hydrogentated, trans-free margarine, at room temperature<br />(I used Earth Balance which is suitable for a vegan diet)<br />Ground toasted walnuts and unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling truffles onto<br /><br /><ul><li>In a food processor, finely grind the walnuts and the dried prunes.<br /></li><li>Add the cocoa, stevia, and margarine; process until well blended. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Note: If you prefer a nuttier texture in the truffle, add the walnuts towards the end of the blending process to maintain a coarser textured mixture.) </span></li><li>Shape the mixture into 1" balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.</li><li>Consume as is, or to make them all fancy and pretty you can roll the truffles in the ground walnuts or cocoa, or a combination of each. (I loved them with the bitter cocoa on the outside).<br /></li><li>Cover and refrigerate until firm and keep refrigerated until ready to use.<br /></li></ul><br />Makes 12<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Extra notes about recipe: </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Variation: You can substitute butter for the margarine</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The "dough" will be quite soft when it first comes out of the food processor, but it should roll up just fine and then firm up nicely in the refrigerator.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For a sweeter, firmer truffle, you can replace the dried prunes with dates. Keep in mind that dates are higher in carbs, because of their high natural sugar content.</span>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-28798141510914473432010-04-25T20:04:00.009-04:002010-04-25T21:08:07.006-04:00Product Review: airplus™ shoe accessoriesThis past week I had a job interview. Yup! Finally, after all these months I had a call from an organization I had applied to asking to see ME! They were interested in my "diverse" resume, i.e. years of administration experience plus a design degree plus a former small business owner teamed with months of unemployment gaps.<br /><br />In preparation for this job interview, I bought a business suit: a black jacket and black pants, a button down dress shirt in a baby blue shade, a new black handbag, and nude stockings - my least favourite kind. Yes, I know - very corporate. I also purchased some kind of new shoe inserts called "airplus™"... <a href="http://www.airplusforher.com/Products.aspx">rubbery, gel cushion shoe insoles</a> for my black pumps in order to avoid blisters. You see, I seldom wear high heels (no more than 2-inches) and when I do...ouch!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpshw1jDt_VoB32OUYOGvZtceTEDzEeR6299MxgGt5hoTV0nuahJNdZpb6HyEHuQfqryw1JT9EXIZ9be4HvoCxXk7G_JNt9J6jI6bIC0oWOQ320tHxWcvW6xDNjB6_b14VLBSISNzY9ih/s1600/insoles.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpshw1jDt_VoB32OUYOGvZtceTEDzEeR6299MxgGt5hoTV0nuahJNdZpb6HyEHuQfqryw1JT9EXIZ9be4HvoCxXk7G_JNt9J6jI6bIC0oWOQ320tHxWcvW6xDNjB6_b14VLBSISNzY9ih/s400/insoles.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464236627483751698" border="0" /></a><br />This product was a disappointment. The part that goes under the toes (the forefoot), cutely named "Gel Steppies" eventually became unglued from the shoe insole underneath and bunched up, and thus made walking very uncomfortable. I tried several times to fix the problem with no luck. The "steppies" just reverted back to their pre-disposed bunching. It made my one shoe much tighter. I hobbled home. I developed a blister as a result.<br /><br />I also purchased the gel "heel cup" product from the same airplus™ line. The heel cup on the other hand was fine. I did not notice a significant improvement in my ability to walk in heels. In fact, I don't think that it did much. But thankfully I did not get any blisters!<br /><br />Not only was I unimpressed with these products but it cost me around $22 for both the forefoot "steppies" and the gel heel cups. One more thing, the excessive plastic packaging REALLY annoyed me. When I got home, I kept thinking of ways that I could re-use the packaging rather than just discard it. Ultimately, I threw the packaging out after I realized how disappointed I was with their product.<br /><br />One aspect that made this product somewhat redeeming was the pink ribbon symbol on the packaging, suggesting donations (or sponsoring) to breast cancer research.<br /><br />What kind of product do you use to make your high heels more comfortable?Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-13713975395817223022010-04-15T14:21:00.010-04:002010-04-15T15:02:09.779-04:00The weakest linkHurray, I finally finished the second of two identical sterling silver bracelets. Chain Maille bracelets to be exact. If you're not familiar with Chain Maille, it is also called "Mail Armour" as it was used to make protective garments of armour in the Dark Ages, High Middle Ages and during the Renaissance. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_%28armour%29">You can read some history about Chain Maille here. </a><br /><br />Chain Maille jewellery is made from links (or jump rings) that are linked together (using small pliers) to create necklaces, bracelets, earrings, you name it. The end result is very beautiful and very strong and durable. Getting there is another story.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphhkBVkvmuXGm5z7gTJ4XlW7GJRPtv4mbSjSUd2qQ8FNyIZN8-lYIFEWla2aPPHWb78pxprEFkf532ljqkNfDwPQMsYWO686GPTKWkrKDgsWF-cFYm-S_tXqL4Gl3hDfHjFx1YMURmDOW/s1600/IMGP0270.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 356px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphhkBVkvmuXGm5z7gTJ4XlW7GJRPtv4mbSjSUd2qQ8FNyIZN8-lYIFEWla2aPPHWb78pxprEFkf532ljqkNfDwPQMsYWO686GPTKWkrKDgsWF-cFYm-S_tXqL4Gl3hDfHjFx1YMURmDOW/s400/IMGP0270.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460438155420863602" border="0" /></a><br />The first bracelet took me a total of about 6 hours to complete within a span of several days. The second bracelet took me even longer ( 10 hours maybe?) because I messed up half way through the bracelet and had to undo several rows of the mistake and start over. What a pain in the you know what!! Argh!<br /><br />Anyway, both bracelets are now complete and I can send them off to Greece to the woman that ordered them from me. Chain Maille jewellery is not something I make very often due to the cost of the materials (ahem, customs and duty fees, shipping fees, weight of silver) and because of the duration it takes to make it.<br /><br />Here is a photo of the finished product. Beautiful! It's called a "European 4-in-1" (4 rows in 1 bracelet). There are so many different styles and patterns that you can make just by following the detailed instructions that arrive with your supplies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEMcATmaGIf1hChXUWhcbJf1_SevZ6w2TK0N70RdWzrBxUxpZOj_J_Zk8EJLyUARS55EHtSA0Y_cRoSf4fzvuJ-XxF5S7b_txrOeMi27mQMGPZgGaqG4nkSQcDp8g2kzk3CN2ifbklNf9/s1600/IMGP0273.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEMcATmaGIf1hChXUWhcbJf1_SevZ6w2TK0N70RdWzrBxUxpZOj_J_Zk8EJLyUARS55EHtSA0Y_cRoSf4fzvuJ-XxF5S7b_txrOeMi27mQMGPZgGaqG4nkSQcDp8g2kzk3CN2ifbklNf9/s400/IMGP0273.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460439642383403202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaAuRT0mssS_wl9GAf1RD53S-CcsbBMtNSwUTtbt3b1xKP4znTlCtT80mmQUBGAiq1qFlGzqd__HckKtG3NPXi2Mac-lQqFQfBptxugt4781zdysMyKLH26T6xHxCs68mIDM1YSwFKube/s1600/IMGP0273.JPG"><br /></a>Check out my Etsy shop for another style of Chain Maille bracelet called the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/14013864/sterling-silver-chain-maille-bracelet">"3-in-3" bracelet</a>. I've also added a genuine jade laughing Buddha charm on the bracelet for some visual interest and charm. Pardon the pun!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-53015862852583054262010-04-12T12:30:00.007-04:002010-04-12T17:50:52.523-04:00Spring cleaningWelcome.<br /><br />No, no...don't leave!<br /><br />This IS the "Keep it Simple" blog. You ARE at the right place.<br /><br />I did some Spring cleaning. It was long overdue actually.<br /><br />I decided to change my blog header. (Hurray Photoshop course!!)<br /><br />I went with something lighter on the soul and um, let's call it ..."tranquil and peaceful and zen."<br /><br />Ommm....<br /><br />I grew a bit tired of the black background and so I decided to go with a more traditional sterile white. I may change this though. There is such a thing as too much white, right?<br /><br />I've also changed some font colours around.<br /><br />I'm still experimenting with things so next time you visit, the blog may seem a tad different again.<br /><br />I love feedback. So if you have any sound advice, I'm listening.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-69649688254342144762010-04-06T11:33:00.000-04:002010-04-10T14:53:46.708-04:00The Distillery District and polka dot beadsThis long Easter weekend was a complete blur. It went by so fast. I did however manage to squeeze in a visit to <a href="http://www.thedistillerydistrict.com/frameset.html">The Distillery District</a> in Toronto. A former whiskey distillery that stopped operating in the 1920s. (Trivia: The movie "Chicago" starring Catherine Zeta Jones was filmed there because of the 1920's feel of the place). The district is a vast area of cobblestone brick paths and an assortment of newly renovated Victorian Industrial buildings transformed into posh restaurants, cafes, artisan shops and artist's studios. You can even go for a tour of the grounds on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segway_PT">Segway</a>.<br /><br />I especially enjoy going to The Distillery for my fix of <a href="http://www.somachocolate.com/">Soma chocolates</a>. Pricey? Yes! Delicious? YES! Olive oil, salted caramel and pecan butter crunch are just some of my favourites. No chocolates were consumed on this visit since I had another purchase in mind.<br /><br />A trip to The Distillery is not complete without visiting some of the in-house artist studios, and getting a glimpse at their crafts. There are several jewellery studios over here. Need I say more?<br /><br />One such venue is <a href="http://tankstudio.blogspot.com/">TANK fire + metal</a>. This place is like eye candy for a jeweller or bead collector. It has so many stunning hand crafted glass beads and yes, some beads can be extremely pricey. They also sell their own line of jewellery using these handcrafted glass beads. Drool...<br /><br />On this particular visit, I perused the bead selection and spotted these lovely polka dot beads. I love polka dots. Red polka dots especially. There is something very spring like and playful about them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-mnVVjmnwqsJA4M9cArlKw5hGSURc99TJYzzdXZ5Uj1h7wK54pqkjdD3vp6IpFdgLCxFv_Syglw7PBugH5FfH8cjoISrpOL1Xu9pN8-KARi_S3Syf78rjKFm_AQyvVWKB1qPjTlmeOqP/s1600/IMGP0256.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-mnVVjmnwqsJA4M9cArlKw5hGSURc99TJYzzdXZ5Uj1h7wK54pqkjdD3vp6IpFdgLCxFv_Syglw7PBugH5FfH8cjoISrpOL1Xu9pN8-KARi_S3Syf78rjKFm_AQyvVWKB1qPjTlmeOqP/s400/IMGP0256.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457052193717998994" border="0" /></a><br />I purchased them. Ouch! A painful purchase when you aren't working. There goes my eating out budget for the month. But you see, I was smitten with these glass beads and gosh darn it, they are SO cute!<br /><br />Being the proud owner of these happy beads, I have already come up with several ideas as to what to create with them. I will be eventually selling the end result on Etsy so stay tuned for that.<br /><br />UPDATE! Have a look at the earrings I designed with the above glass beads. Now available on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44508237">Etsy shop</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83YMjHc26moP0Boa17FOnmgi1GG0OXKU9myE-GOV_nUsHOSCuVnETZxwYYryioT1kV2y2i3CrIJd3Srd3nHCqO0VrQ5e4Hye7XNSgPwxYydXg1Wn2AZmYSm1w_RwRi39tCE_cm_ee8C-z/s1600/IMGP0261.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83YMjHc26moP0Boa17FOnmgi1GG0OXKU9myE-GOV_nUsHOSCuVnETZxwYYryioT1kV2y2i3CrIJd3Srd3nHCqO0VrQ5e4Hye7XNSgPwxYydXg1Wn2AZmYSm1w_RwRi39tCE_cm_ee8C-z/s400/IMGP0261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458583867361690578" border="0" /></a>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-38602770479096441522010-04-05T00:18:00.000-04:002010-04-05T11:17:16.997-04:00Back on Etsy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYLBuzCOsykILCJS_3jbhtb7KW-OG0_3Vxmqe8GrlwFs_GaDYOGgD6H-FTzIdJkfXFx-EbBof-91u4nnla4gaJ76uwhL5EcJAnclYHgpcNnYDh-iNNoRf_vH8bmoJJeoKT2CrUCL5Yv2d/s1600/snapshot-etsy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYLBuzCOsykILCJS_3jbhtb7KW-OG0_3Vxmqe8GrlwFs_GaDYOGgD6H-FTzIdJkfXFx-EbBof-91u4nnla4gaJ76uwhL5EcJAnclYHgpcNnYDh-iNNoRf_vH8bmoJJeoKT2CrUCL5Yv2d/s400/snapshot-etsy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456516632570517010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Over the past year I have been asked repeatedly by people if I would ever sell on Etsy again.<br /><br />I would reply with a quick "no."<br /><br />People could not understand why I was against setting up shop on Etsy (again!)<br />Don't get me wrong, I love Etsy! It's great! I have purchased many items on there. And I still do on occasion. But, well, let's see...6 sales in 4 years? Hmm, not a good sign!<br /><br />It's just a lot of leg work photographing and posting new products, typing up all kinds of info and listing and re-listing with zero return. I'm not sure where and why I failed but Etsy just wasn't working for me.<br /><br />Seems no matter where I went, people would ask me if I had a website to showcase my work. They wanted to see my jewellery designs on-line. They would often mention Etsy to me as if I had no idea that it existed. "Yes, I know all about Etsy," I would say, adding that I had signed up back in 2005. "It's just so saturated with jewellery sellers and there is a LOT of competition," was my often repeated excuse.<br /><br />Then one day, I heard through the grapevine about a site where I could create an on-line portfolio easily along with a monthly fee - of course. So I decided to do just that. The site is called <a href="http://www.wix.com/">wix.com</a>. I spent hours and hours uploading images and typing text into my soon to be new on-line portfolio. I was so excited and really keen to get it done. This wasn't going to be an e-commerce site. It would just serve the purpose of displaying my work. I really enjoyed the easy to use web tools and all the interactive widgets on there. And I really liked hitting preview and having a glimpse at what the end result would look like.<br /><br />Despite the extensive work I did on that site, I was still not 100% happy with it. There were constant technical glitches and often my hard work would disappear (by accident) into cyber space and I had no idea why and then I'd have to begin over again. How frustrating!<br /><br />Weeks and months came and went and still I had not launched my new site. I desperately needed to set up a site to showcase my jewellery. Etsy came to mind. I toyed with the decision daily. A photographer friend of mine wanted to provide a link to my jewellery site from his photography site, yet I STILL had no site set up. "Just get something up there," he said..."a site of some kind or whatever." "Just do it!"<br /><br />Becoming impatient with myself and the situation at hand, I sat down earlier today and spent 2 hours uploading images and typing out descriptions. Yes, I re-launched my former Etsy site. <br /><br />I'm not expecting much this time around. I just want to have an on-line reference for anybody that may be interested - now or later - to see what I've been creating. If I do happen to sell something along the way...bonus!<br /><br />Anyway, If you have any suggestions or ideas on how to improve the selling power of my Etsy shop, please let me know.<br /><br />You can find my Etsy shop widget on the right hand side of my Blog.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-86573207647519706272010-03-25T16:13:00.000-04:002010-03-26T00:57:15.933-04:00Projects galore!In a previous post, I had showcased an assortment of vintage beads my friend K had given me to incorporate into a necklace. Well, the necklace is finished! I have created a long necklace using sterling silver parts (chain, beads, clasp) along with the one-of-a-kind, vintage beads. I am very pleased with the results as I'm sure K will be when she sees it up close!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQ6aM5vH_-mdyMLiUZ6ON8Xs8oSI1FWmqBnNM_tUAYkDyp3NvfmQksmCRpKmaNDl3vgutBNl3kCKZBo5tpyMj4sMHR3NjKZemEqAGDF4lKfmMRtLaZTd8ueeoGCH6OqIVz0EXDOOrkUa9/s1600/IMGP0255.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQ6aM5vH_-mdyMLiUZ6ON8Xs8oSI1FWmqBnNM_tUAYkDyp3NvfmQksmCRpKmaNDl3vgutBNl3kCKZBo5tpyMj4sMHR3NjKZemEqAGDF4lKfmMRtLaZTd8ueeoGCH6OqIVz0EXDOOrkUa9/s400/IMGP0255.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452667795261336002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo7J0qDv4quNhdUiv2DYPOIb5SJ8MpCfn-E-adOYYBgyJTJDzpRRVKXzH3CKh-aUuYgLL6JMfvOtZlE9BiLDXGerm0OeOC39w3d09LoBSEJOpCX_eJB3FTcgPmmMb0ya3b1NGywGnrAwM/s1600/IMGP0257.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo7J0qDv4quNhdUiv2DYPOIb5SJ8MpCfn-E-adOYYBgyJTJDzpRRVKXzH3CKh-aUuYgLL6JMfvOtZlE9BiLDXGerm0OeOC39w3d09LoBSEJOpCX_eJB3FTcgPmmMb0ya3b1NGywGnrAwM/s400/IMGP0257.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452668039131036114" border="0" /></a><br />On another note, I have become inspired to sew a summer dress for myself.<br />Here is the lovely grey-blue fabric I will be using.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEDTbJ47qs64uSihQ2BZ4waEurp__yvRER7boDG7Wy8MQ6KcKisOmCEXjWjPWpvH9pv3q-XfF32pLQBj_3XJflUPHSxofUwumfZVVo_cyYtK9Lv-LiCJKp-0xsd5wvmSfG7Q2c9ESEsmy/s1600/IMGP0259.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEDTbJ47qs64uSihQ2BZ4waEurp__yvRER7boDG7Wy8MQ6KcKisOmCEXjWjPWpvH9pv3q-XfF32pLQBj_3XJflUPHSxofUwumfZVVo_cyYtK9Lv-LiCJKp-0xsd5wvmSfG7Q2c9ESEsmy/s400/IMGP0259.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452668377141666018" border="0" /></a><br />And here is the Burda pattern for the dress. I'm so excited to be making this dress! And you know what? The supplies hardly cost that much. The pattern, 3 of metres fabric and the zipper came out to $30 CDN with the Fabricland member discount card. Of course, there is labour involved, but since I'm making the dress for myself, I'm not factoring in the cost of the labour. I'm anticipating that it will take me a while to complete, as I am a newbie. All I know is that if I had purchased a similar type dress at a clothing store it would have been priced anywhere from $60 to $100 and it would have been made in another part of the world, and probably in a sweat shop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJOXkeI1Jx_yIjemBreoZsxllWRgmiewOJUKSUKkv0ulPcco_8Guyg3PK4LJ41KdoBAuV7VJu3qDH1tAIK6ry3-n-hm7HfioiYWmm-jQH7tSj_-rXg682RwHgL53pyA_qxcsZe-mNw0VQ/s1600/IMGP0262.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJOXkeI1Jx_yIjemBreoZsxllWRgmiewOJUKSUKkv0ulPcco_8Guyg3PK4LJ41KdoBAuV7VJu3qDH1tAIK6ry3-n-hm7HfioiYWmm-jQH7tSj_-rXg682RwHgL53pyA_qxcsZe-mNw0VQ/s400/IMGP0262.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452668583565843202" border="0" /></a><br />I have also (finally!) completed the Photoshopped image that my photographer friend J asked me to help him with. Here is a portion of the image with the copyright watermark splattered all over it. Yes, I'm paranoid and neurotic! (As a side note, for the Bloggers that may want to know how to re-create this copyright watermark effect, there is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT8zR0hqaXI">tutorial on YouTube</a> showing you step-by-step how to do this using Photoshop).<br /><br />On the image below (and with the help of Photoshop), I tweaked the model's make-up, the skin on the entire face and body, the eyes and eyebrows, the hair, I added a motion blur in the background and I also highlighted some details of the vintage car. I sent the photographer a jpg of the finished image and he really liked the work I did!!! I have learned quite a bit at my Photoshop course. I now have new work to add to my portfolio and a new skill set to add to my resume!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SlBVb5Eob2WdjQ5Bk8t_HCdyto1_jHLpybMfvZvXjhEEkHkIv-8YjloEfGRgban4mVcP7kNrvo2zIYE5wgZQGZcAeoK2aCvpnxF8uyR9x79PbZxO2EimVRYL4IoCyGLxm7-FIz-QPPgJ/s1600/model-in-Ghia-watermark.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 391px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SlBVb5Eob2WdjQ5Bk8t_HCdyto1_jHLpybMfvZvXjhEEkHkIv-8YjloEfGRgban4mVcP7kNrvo2zIYE5wgZQGZcAeoK2aCvpnxF8uyR9x79PbZxO2EimVRYL4IoCyGLxm7-FIz-QPPgJ/s400/model-in-Ghia-watermark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452793030321356226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq2SCgBVFrN59tWPpUb4SZjBf5WpFtY3OJq4K_PbO05yNeu8-DpDBi5W8KAm3jKxldhbai3tl1jco5GTCv3CLrM0T3FE3DBNfSl1QdmlQARTZwKq1BWd5sufaolppjsGXCP_DryXMdJ91/s1600/model-in-Ghia.jpg"><br /></a>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-89730809973231898072010-03-21T00:45:00.000-04:002010-03-21T11:39:31.632-04:00a walk down memory laneI have been digging into my numerous art portfolios of yesteryear and walking down memory lane as I unroll my drawings and dust off my old paintings.<br /><br />Have a look at what I unearthed recently:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Uu4Ht0OxT9VJsQeUr1iYwK0mGXo_6TfEREN4cuocA0uT58wn3lPbzUKd2bBXGoutsUsxaRpodeizo-F3hXgr33LSEl53us7XO5PP3PTs-L6Pk2OqYezTCbL7Y2q2Cuu1kdCup6SvU2o/s1600-h/IMGP0236.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7Uu4Ht0OxT9VJsQeUr1iYwK0mGXo_6TfEREN4cuocA0uT58wn3lPbzUKd2bBXGoutsUsxaRpodeizo-F3hXgr33LSEl53us7XO5PP3PTs-L6Pk2OqYezTCbL7Y2q2Cuu1kdCup6SvU2o/s400/IMGP0236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450949686419661186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> a cubist ink drawing of moi (1992)</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE9nD6RB0FeFqMGvWLRUzLc0RhzRuuPiMctZUJYzFoslp5c38Yf8eHq9o1zYsRoaE78RbqxALlLT-kR_DOhMDbiMD3gbBjqg68MGaadcmb4YCM9jmFYhMJW9B6rq1ZH9ONFeP2-O46GTb/s1600-h/IMGP0240.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE9nD6RB0FeFqMGvWLRUzLc0RhzRuuPiMctZUJYzFoslp5c38Yf8eHq9o1zYsRoaE78RbqxALlLT-kR_DOhMDbiMD3gbBjqg68MGaadcmb4YCM9jmFYhMJW9B6rq1ZH9ONFeP2-O46GTb/s400/IMGP0240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450949336586605634" border="0" /></a><br />me holding an onion (how symbolic!)<br />chalk pastel/conte (1999-2000)<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx63Qfce8W_zp14f8xwzpdcsVjzS0krd_LfZ5PQ2_g-DZmQQ2npp1AKTrrVXPRaShPTYAR7DUsy1GbX48Qj5z_D4C_4wmaekfH3Ub_aCaZ4QTkxnU3otIW7AWL93k2-qxMTHt1y25GuJtu/s1600-h/IMGP0220.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 377px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx63Qfce8W_zp14f8xwzpdcsVjzS0krd_LfZ5PQ2_g-DZmQQ2npp1AKTrrVXPRaShPTYAR7DUsy1GbX48Qj5z_D4C_4wmaekfH3Ub_aCaZ4QTkxnU3otIW7AWL93k2-qxMTHt1y25GuJtu/s400/IMGP0220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950302187703010" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">gouache paint in a multi-colour me (1999-2000)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4rqZy9H-kdhmGO0byuR3GQrMjyL49h23TuSxUID8BjGYL6OR0BY66XS4HPEhxFHIdRt1V3YvR3ZR6UR8D13CpPWV3-tSGfP6fTbIcujkwewUghkmIWC5mKZAOUnb0T2jNOK59NXIv4ko/s1600-h/IMGP0247.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4rqZy9H-kdhmGO0byuR3GQrMjyL49h23TuSxUID8BjGYL6OR0BY66XS4HPEhxFHIdRt1V3YvR3ZR6UR8D13CpPWV3-tSGfP6fTbIcujkwewUghkmIWC5mKZAOUnb0T2jNOK59NXIv4ko/s400/IMGP0247.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450949464823936178" border="0" /></a><br />chalk pastel and peeking self (1999-2000)<br /></div><br />These are all self-portraits drawn for my various drawing classes over the past 20 years. I swear I'm not vain. Well, maybe just a little - but these self-portraits were requested by my art instructors over the years. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo">Frida Kahlo</a> did several self-portraits of herself too so self-portraits is a common theme in art.<br /><br />I have plenty more drawings/paintings to scan or photograph and upload. Some really weird stuff from my abstract <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dal%C3%AD">Salvador Dali</a>-inspired days. Like this one for instance:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapbNYLsdLSqDtNIqL9wtVguaD6-gJjqe7K2vMUINGBga5HkDuovPgshT-az9uakZzvXKv0JJtqTbAgGKbkVENPrmdLo57nV82y1nw8fNHVp5YDpdtxagySUCDInTzb4YSbY0KFIbDkJ9k/s1600-h/Painting+Flower.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapbNYLsdLSqDtNIqL9wtVguaD6-gJjqe7K2vMUINGBga5HkDuovPgshT-az9uakZzvXKv0JJtqTbAgGKbkVENPrmdLo57nV82y1nw8fNHVp5YDpdtxagySUCDInTzb4YSbY0KFIbDkJ9k/s400/Painting+Flower.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451112099695154258" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">an oil painting called "Hush" (1993)<br /><br /></div>Stay tuned...Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-59277742055622789252010-03-08T12:52:00.000-05:002010-03-08T16:26:10.614-05:00Plenty of hats...I'm wearing many hats these days. Jewellery making is still at the forefront of my daily regime. I'm designing a necklace for a friend with some vintage beads she picked up at an estate sale years ago. The beads are gorgeous! Unlike anything I've seen. Have a look:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQ9h3cbbDqp9iT0kL4uSuZWVwuXpF6IDHAR_f-1hKOMFIjjHFGXkL9w_J_HhnMQGYJXtyweuP_TOJLMLmxH3BwYI5Y9jQKzNhiDz_VDSphdjO6qyiqCQI5SRBYyyfiqX6CCkPEePVcmkM/s1600-h/IMGP0191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQ9h3cbbDqp9iT0kL4uSuZWVwuXpF6IDHAR_f-1hKOMFIjjHFGXkL9w_J_HhnMQGYJXtyweuP_TOJLMLmxH3BwYI5Y9jQKzNhiDz_VDSphdjO6qyiqCQI5SRBYyyfiqX6CCkPEePVcmkM/s400/IMGP0191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446336225792619570" border="0" /></a><br />I'm also completing a Photoshop advanced level course at night school. This will soon be followed by InDesign. I'm trying to get up to speed in my knowledge of graphic design software. My hope is that it will open a door (or two) for me in terms of job placement. I've been wearing the unemployed hat far too long and it really sucks!<br /><br />I'm still plugging away at sending out resumes, and networking, and telling everyone I know, including their grandmother, that I'm looking for work. According to the job hunting books, this is the way to do it. I've also visited two temp agencies as a last resort. And, if that weren't enough, I'm also looking to volunteer at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). I love learning about ancient civilizations and dinosaurs!<br /><br />Friends of mine have been very supportive and have been offering me all kinds mini-projects to keep me busy and inspired. I mentioned earlier in this post about the necklace I'm working on. Another friend, a photographer, asked if I would be willing to tweak some photos of his with Photoshop in exchange for some professional photography shots of my jewellery. Sweet!<br /><br />I've also been asked by friends, who are launching their own businesses, to design their business cards for them. These are the perfect projects with which to augment my design portfolio!<br /><br />In my previous post, I had mentioned about working on my on-line portfolio. Alas, it is still under construction. I really want to hit the 'publish' button and make it visible to all, but it's still lacking in samples of my current work. I already have plenty of scanned images of my art class projects from high school from over 20 years ago. I doubt a prospective employer cares about those doodles. I need plenty of fresh, recent work.<br /><br />So as you can see, I'm working at a variety of things in an attempt to keep busy and I'm also enjoying the creative work process. It takes time, effort and commitment to create things I feel are worthy of displaying.<br /><br />For instance, I made these two pairs of earrings this past week. I am so pleased with the results that I wanted to share them with you. The 'peacock' earrings are my recent favourites. They are made with Swarovski crystals in two shades of blue for added depth. And the beads splay apart over the silver "Smarties" bead just like feathers, hence the name.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13UjTw0xcrsA5OFsQT6-ia7C7H0SlWHAmuhloEmd-yglUL5g6eRkXO-MlHLYkWZuSPILc0I4GJq64UKm2j0uIkN43sLDvtnIui7xKWg2ZyZyCtkIJzoGT-C7nRQ9CavnNzk9xsfDWd9RU/s1600-h/IMGP0174.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13UjTw0xcrsA5OFsQT6-ia7C7H0SlWHAmuhloEmd-yglUL5g6eRkXO-MlHLYkWZuSPILc0I4GJq64UKm2j0uIkN43sLDvtnIui7xKWg2ZyZyCtkIJzoGT-C7nRQ9CavnNzk9xsfDWd9RU/s400/IMGP0174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446331956073159362" border="0" /></a><br />The second pair of earrings which I named 'glitterati' were made especially to be worn on a sunny day. Why? Because the sterling silver beads I've used, pick up the light and sun beautifully due to their glittery, pocked surface. A perfect homage to the sunshine we've been getting lately.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6dMBOkkPZ6hAncOSYIR-7dP4GbjKFVV9tPyGy1hhvpC3Y0Ij61dpwBc_JwMZjZ2RyuTvET8TEahYhiyoIduRKeob-I-8rGRyxVyCg_7gYE_pkdu9SGcHKCbWW-AIBgnvSwIKkpipTSRQ/s1600-h/IMGP0186.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6dMBOkkPZ6hAncOSYIR-7dP4GbjKFVV9tPyGy1hhvpC3Y0Ij61dpwBc_JwMZjZ2RyuTvET8TEahYhiyoIduRKeob-I-8rGRyxVyCg_7gYE_pkdu9SGcHKCbWW-AIBgnvSwIKkpipTSRQ/s400/IMGP0186.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446332055522470546" border="0" /></a><br />The weather has warmed up considerably and I'm much more inclined to go for longer walks with my dog. He's such a sweet, quiet little dog and he's made so many friends in the neighbourhood, with other dogs and people alike. Neighbours greet him before they say "hi" to me. I'm not complaining though, he's been (the vet and I suspect) through some abuse in his former life in Texas (before we rescued him), so he deserves all the loving he can get. Here is Dexter sunbathing, his favourite afternoon activity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaU6GTOv04gdnz4h3e9Hk_FH-VXdCgPb_5okaAU-GnH0xmxu6ncfXvsE574-EN3uuXyzFIxhgwbohbJkjjRKrpVyvF2I_GD_VC-XiuVLOvGTos_GDqq0BIxWsGfhKIy5BrhGtKuamInmT/s1600-h/IMGP0182.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaU6GTOv04gdnz4h3e9Hk_FH-VXdCgPb_5okaAU-GnH0xmxu6ncfXvsE574-EN3uuXyzFIxhgwbohbJkjjRKrpVyvF2I_GD_VC-XiuVLOvGTos_GDqq0BIxWsGfhKIy5BrhGtKuamInmT/s400/IMGP0182.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446334216105467186" border="0" /></a>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-74011320321030908652010-02-04T21:30:00.000-05:002010-02-04T23:42:54.398-05:00Back to lifeAfter a long hiatus, I've decided to return to this fair-weather blog of mine. I'm not sure why I have neglected this blog other than the fact that I dislike writing about myself. Yes, you heard correct. I'm one of those people that rather keep her thoughts hidden in the depths of her brain. Sometimes this is counterproductive. Like the dozens of times when I can't remember my dentist appointment because I did not write it down right away. At the time I had convinced myself I would remember it. Guess what? I didn't! Thank goodness for reminder calls.<br /><br />Blogs are about writing and communicating. It's an on-line diary. I never had a diary as a kid or a tween or a teen. Never! I did not understand the concept of a diary and why would I want to write things down if I can keep them locked in my head for ever...where nobody could find them. Not even me!<br /><br />It's true. I once used to pride myself on remembering all kinds of details and information and now...now, I'm lucky if I can remember my best friend's telephone number. Aging does that to you.<br /><br />So, where was I ? Yes, I have neglected this blog for awhile because I have been doing other things that have taken up precedence in my life. Like what, you ask? Well, like getting back into making jewellery. My Etsy shop is no longer functioning and I doubt I will re-activate it for selling purposes. However, I will keep my account on Etsy because I LOVE shopping there.<br /><br />It feels good to be creating once again. I sure have missed it. I'm not sure how I will pursue the selling aspect of my jewellery production. My friends are very fortunate gals, especially at Christmas time and on their birthday. They know what they will be getting: one of my creations. Sometimes it's earrings. Sometimes it's a necklace. They are always so grateful to wear my pieces and incredibly supportive about my craft.<br /><br />I have been working steadily on an on-line portfolio, which will showcase my jewellery and also other creative projects. The portfolio will display images of all the things I've worked on in the past like my medical device thesis from OCAD, my charcoal drawings of nudes, my oil and acrylic paintings of yesteryear (as far back as high school) and some very old, out-dated fashion design illustrations that I drew back in junior high. I unearthed a series of drawings from my parents basement a few months ago that I had not laid eyes upon for 20 years. Both my husband and friends who saw these drawings were amazed that I made them because I had never talked about them or showed them to anyone in years! This show-and-tell resulted in many questions from friends about why I never pursued fashion design or illustration as a career. Well, it's a long story but I'll give you a hint..."whaaat iz dis, you want to be a fasion design? Dat is ridicula. No ay, you going to you-niverseti to be a tea-cher!" Need I say more?<br /><br />So without further blah-blah, here are a couple of images of my recent jewellery work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JuifOhINFRGV_EqJSH0ta3X8DmVKFQihDQoNYkYwfR-KMkv65U31Qx3vnkVQrzZkeaDDEsV8OzwInhn2Gnl3ftq1MUAcQRX_vHM-ZzNnuoW9fy6M127gK86flpcGb7GmlA62HaPDA2aR/s1600-h/IMGP0036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JuifOhINFRGV_EqJSH0ta3X8DmVKFQihDQoNYkYwfR-KMkv65U31Qx3vnkVQrzZkeaDDEsV8OzwInhn2Gnl3ftq1MUAcQRX_vHM-ZzNnuoW9fy6M127gK86flpcGb7GmlA62HaPDA2aR/s400/IMGP0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434589232150633442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV01POHoiJZgPVGisl-Z1zCmuYsq7_3q0D0VSOjyZ48GpYOyVYlJBQ9mrzNr0WLAZ_yoSagc7PvD1ohIjA4f0C4S4B1Yd8qh6eGFg5RNfLRTyqtCydzkTAvlKcUKtaT3edxhR89o2oZrVv/s1600-h/IMGP0049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV01POHoiJZgPVGisl-Z1zCmuYsq7_3q0D0VSOjyZ48GpYOyVYlJBQ9mrzNr0WLAZ_yoSagc7PvD1ohIjA4f0C4S4B1Yd8qh6eGFg5RNfLRTyqtCydzkTAvlKcUKtaT3edxhR89o2oZrVv/s400/IMGP0049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434589384028655794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNpabgAQAfdV8jNq7wd7syxziU4caHRgrPdQToTBrjhKEMYGy96vlYP3JoLenBKMAyKw1klOIJkzLGUUYVYRPNVbUDlqkift81_qQmOQy03LUq4lI3uWk50yc_SOVQtIPRmkCXPFFvjY9/s1600-h/IMGP0062.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNpabgAQAfdV8jNq7wd7syxziU4caHRgrPdQToTBrjhKEMYGy96vlYP3JoLenBKMAyKw1klOIJkzLGUUYVYRPNVbUDlqkift81_qQmOQy03LUq4lI3uWk50yc_SOVQtIPRmkCXPFFvjY9/s400/IMGP0062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434589572908442114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX9OartXvtBL3Gp_pDOZeetMWGk9pM4UcAQdF6eJHryfftSd-uFVR0AxE9kUbaxiWc-r5Z0LuCOy-m2x6sGlo8irKC8FHmI3rh3LBYF114iqitjBrIXWEukKfvjLD2EqRa7bpduk23poS/s1600-h/IMGP0066.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX9OartXvtBL3Gp_pDOZeetMWGk9pM4UcAQdF6eJHryfftSd-uFVR0AxE9kUbaxiWc-r5Z0LuCOy-m2x6sGlo8irKC8FHmI3rh3LBYF114iqitjBrIXWEukKfvjLD2EqRa7bpduk23poS/s400/IMGP0066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434589744961931794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaO52jxkO998QfbLSBArPzrXqqNW1ReJjD-LyTs-6LN4I6JItFMCR1pe6xxzeHAEY6brTlOjHzxChVipiEtR1p5V0d6ktHmL9vGSuJIT0p-6Jp1I4V4o7uIkvcOZc00qjSA3Bg_rVldlm/s1600-h/IMGP0118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaO52jxkO998QfbLSBArPzrXqqNW1ReJjD-LyTs-6LN4I6JItFMCR1pe6xxzeHAEY6brTlOjHzxChVipiEtR1p5V0d6ktHmL9vGSuJIT0p-6Jp1I4V4o7uIkvcOZc00qjSA3Bg_rVldlm/s400/IMGP0118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434589894712584002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2a82ngm-7vDFg_Ch5BjsCFygG-ZqcjospQattecz6s4Z2FXrVHBM6nZ4T2N-IP0blfpV_q4aTTFknchgn2oVULeMe2ltUcz8kV0a6qPzTEKy3N4CjHXBOtr-sPInj4WziQ_MWhjC3Hx0/s1600-h/IMGP0080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2a82ngm-7vDFg_Ch5BjsCFygG-ZqcjospQattecz6s4Z2FXrVHBM6nZ4T2N-IP0blfpV_q4aTTFknchgn2oVULeMe2ltUcz8kV0a6qPzTEKy3N4CjHXBOtr-sPInj4WziQ_MWhjC3Hx0/s400/IMGP0080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434590058862150466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZSWxG_XZ2QA9frxElJV8MjPmKvhRv9cZ26zaqxna5hY-6SAZeMqoeDvFubUvvWbIAsKR9nCFc6SagBVvq_jRxVUN6rTWm3sYoEDKziumK5X3Me9W4_6NiSK9Xi_nMl5boTdJ_Mv4j3c9/s1600-h/IMGP0124.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZSWxG_XZ2QA9frxElJV8MjPmKvhRv9cZ26zaqxna5hY-6SAZeMqoeDvFubUvvWbIAsKR9nCFc6SagBVvq_jRxVUN6rTWm3sYoEDKziumK5X3Me9W4_6NiSK9Xi_nMl5boTdJ_Mv4j3c9/s400/IMGP0124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434595828246813010" border="0" /></a>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-16966728888051699832009-10-24T23:56:00.001-04:002009-10-25T09:55:40.741-04:00Long overdue shoe talk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW4JnBzMkb2edHZexQRGkfymeHzAd5svnVzP3bgFKbJ46NXU5pcHAWRnriMmTovYzI7J-cw4_YSn9RaWka0Fs8jpdp4TxgtF002zHaYwufLEAVTf8XKB_c7PYigAZsmb9Mdi1e9Kehjqe/s1600-h/jos_nadine(bordonatur)_thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW4JnBzMkb2edHZexQRGkfymeHzAd5svnVzP3bgFKbJ46NXU5pcHAWRnriMmTovYzI7J-cw4_YSn9RaWka0Fs8jpdp4TxgtF002zHaYwufLEAVTf8XKB_c7PYigAZsmb9Mdi1e9Kehjqe/s400/jos_nadine(bordonatur)_thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396381603353630594" border="0" /></a><br />When it comes to shoes, I often put quality and style first. Don't get me wrong, I love bargain shopping just as much as the next person but sometimes you get what you pay for. When it comes to the comfort of my feet, I'm willing to fork over a bit more cash if it means no limping and no blisters.<br /><br />The Josef Seibel "Nadine" bootie satisfied my needs and my wants recently. I bought these incredibly comfortable boots (pictured above) and have not looked back. They are worth ever penny I spent. <span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><br />Here is an <a href="http://www.softmoc.com/ca/Josef-Seibel-Shoes.asp?WebLinkID=129&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=55&gclid=CPfrx5Cq150CFUdM5Qoduy1qrQ">on-line source</a> with plenty of shoe eye candy from the Josef Seibel collection. If you reside in Ontario, you can find Joseph Seibel shoes at <a href="http://www.walkingonacloud.com/xq/aspx/qx/locations.htm">Walking on a Cloud</a> and at <a href="http://www.greenlivingonline.com/guide/blue-shoe-box">The Blue Shoebox.</a><br /><br />I'm also looking at <a href="http://www.jamesandjames.com/pictures/merrell-shoes/merpuffinfrgr.jpg">these cute winter boots</a> called "Puffin Frost" from Canadian company <a href="http://www.merrell.ca/home.php">Merrell </a>for the snowy season...hmmm, I have a birthday coming up!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404541131303036717.post-62178039559971877682009-10-16T11:30:00.000-04:002009-10-16T11:53:05.750-04:00Retail TherapyOkay, so now that we are all caught up I just wanted to emphasize how important retail therapy is when you need a pick-me-up!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a>, as we all know, is a GREAT place to shop and despite my current unemployment status, I can still find some wonderful and unique items that won't break the bank.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=9598">Pretty Raccoon</a>, a Toronto-based, on-line store sells a vast assortment of woman's clothing in a variety of colours and styles. They also sell some funky vintage clothes, but what I had been ogling for quite some time was their line of screen printed tops and scarves. So pretty!<br /><br />Another bonus is that the Canadian dollar is almost on par with the U.S. dollar, so I did what any savvy shopper would do, I seized this opportunity. I purchased a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32584151">black boat neck top with a white chandelier print</a> and a raspberry scarf with silver seagulls printed on it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCymb_7CH7xK9TEGeOx11hkXAVlXqMOSSEMbaL5evqaeIBzmf-D-LG8_uv91hut3e8iWYZqNPbshHR4ydRyJDarSaNkaYDpgaepa7hIvTYAHT9EaZ67XTTcrPg299b-X4yu8gKTmQNCIz/s1600-h/Photo+59.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCymb_7CH7xK9TEGeOx11hkXAVlXqMOSSEMbaL5evqaeIBzmf-D-LG8_uv91hut3e8iWYZqNPbshHR4ydRyJDarSaNkaYDpgaepa7hIvTYAHT9EaZ67XTTcrPg299b-X4yu8gKTmQNCIz/s400/Photo+59.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393225201440744338" border="0" /></a><br />My order arrived 3 days after I made it...how's that for expedited service when you shop local. I just can't wait to try out my new purchases. I feel better already.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01883021740835234832noreply@blogger.com0