A Foggy Morning

On a foggy Ottawa morning, when you are waiting for the bus, what better thing to do than take pictures of the view before you?

A Frosty Forest

 

Echoing the frosty reality outdoors, this wee scene I created with cream-coloured brush trees was enhanced by the late afternoon sunshine coming through the window.

Happy Christmas

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

Although its been said

Many times, many ways

Merry Christmas to you...

Music and lyrics by Torme and Wells, 1946

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Christmas Eve

Preparations are well underway for Christmas Eve, the baking has been done and the ham is now cooked and looking resplendent in it sugary pineapple goodness. A lovely collection of scents are in the air.  All the best to you this Christmas Eve!

Christmas at Marie Antoinette

A new decorating store has opened up in Ottawa, located in the up and coming Hintonburg. 

 Their plan is to sell seasonal vintage.  And right now of course it is Christmas! 

 So many beautiful things wherever you look.

Traditional red and green...

to pretty in pink.

Just like fairyland...

such an utterly  gorgeous shop.

Let it Snow

Lots of snow falling since last night. Heavy wet snow that sticks to everything.  But it's mild enough outside that things are dripping too, like the droplets of water from these red berries.

A Day with the Impressionists

Spent a day in Montreal with D. visiting the Impressionists at the Fine Arts Museum.  What a lovely collection of paintings. And Degas's The Little Dancer was there to greet us too!  We started the morning with a cafe au lait that was a work of art in itself.

And after viewing the exhibition we revived ourselves with a cup of tea at a tearoom on Sherbrooke Street, just a couple of blocks from the museum.

As we dined at The Commensale, before boarding the train to return home, it was starting to get dark and so we were in time to see the Christmas lights along McGill College Avenue. A wonderful day!

Swag Making Afternoon

In keeping with tradition, two Sundays ago I had my forth annual swag making afternoon.  Invited guests come  to create their own Christmas swags for themselves or to give as gifts.  It is always fun to see everyone so busy, lost in their own creativity. Every now and then there is a pause to take refreshments and enjoy some conversation while sipping on a hot apple cider or cup of tea and munching on some holiday baking. Then it is back to work!

And it's even more fun to survey everyone's efforts at the end. No two swags are ever the same!

Vintage Clothing Show

This year's Vintage Clothes Sale was held at the Convention Centre, rather than the sumptuous and highly  nostalgic ballrooms of the Chateau Laurier Hotel. You can't stop change, but you can certainly lose something in the name of progress.  Still, the lovely vintage clothes and accessories still have the power to make the heart skip a little faster.

And some of the vendors definitely have the knack of displaying their merchandise to its best advantage.

Pretty pink shoes placed just so and an ivory pillow with ballerina flounces.

Adorable bunnies made from vintage fabrics.

A hat plumed in the most delicate shades of feathers.

More hats of all descriptions, from pert and perky to flowery extravagance.

A table filled with handbags.

A profusion of flowered tapestry handbags to choose from.

But let's not forget the clothes...

Beautiful cottons and linens with embroidery and lace.

Delicate concoctions from days gone by.

Autumn Bounty

While out at the apple orchards, buying apples, we came across these odd looking pink banana squash, which I have never seen before.  Very large and quite amazing. At only $5.00 each, I am kicking myself for not buying one to carve up for Halloween.  Oh well, next year!

There is something so jolly about the bright orangeness of traditional pumpkins though. They truly are one of the most powerful symbols of Halloween, along with witches and black cats.

Surprise Packages

It's such fun to surprise someone with a themed package, so now that I have a nephew who is away at university I thought it would be fun to create a Halloween-themed package to send to him. 

First place to start was with some baking: meringue bones and almond shortbread witches' fingers.

Then a selection of Halloween candies: salt-water taffy pumpkin faces and ghostly chocolates.

Added in a black cherry-flavoured skull lollipop...

and an elegant mask, a tiny pumpkin that can be turned into a Jack o'lantern by drawing on a face with black marker, salt-water taffy treats and candy sticks in Halloween colours.

Mustn't forget a pair of bloody eyeballs.

Those witches' fingers really are creepy...

 Best to hide them away in a box packed with black construction paper that I put through the shredder.  I've sealed the box tight and mailed it off!