Make it: Stencil Tote

April showers bring May flowers...right? And since tomorrow marks April 1st I thought I would use the fabric paint from the runner and napkin project to make a cute little tote bag to bring library books back and forth or for Oliver to bring his lunch to school in. Clouds rather than sunshine because the sun is being ever so stubborn and seems to refuse to make more than a fleeting appearance. 

Click through for the complete, easy instructions.

Link it: Books, books, books

Currently, we are reading Goldfinch by Donna Tartt for our book club and although it is a bit daunting because of its length but now that I am into the plot I am really enjoying it. But of course because it is me and I cannot stop buying books I have a whole list of pending to read. Do you do that? See a book and buy it because you want to read it later? Or are you good and just read one at a time. What books are on your reading list?




Love it: Ben Skinner, artist

Ben Skinner is a Vancouver based artist who primarily works with text and creates images with certain sense of nostalgia or feel of snippets of an overheard conversation on a bus but then he elevates the words by creating large scale works with beautifully curated font choices. First you read the words, then you appreciate the font and then you read the words again and chuckle. I like that he takes something very simple and is not afraid to hang his hat on it. He is not going for grand but rather forcing you to focus on the small, the absurd, the nonsensical.  As he says on his website he is looking for the "blurry and banal" which I feel is an important corner of the art world to occupy seeing as not everyone can relate to a hedonistic Lucien Freud painting or a stark Dan Flavin installation, sometimes simple, well executed and with a dash of humour is exactly what you are looking for.  




images via Ben Skinner


12/52

He knows exactly where all of his favourite books are in the library. 

more pictures...

Mama Adventure: New York City for the Weekend.


I had such a great time in New York over the weekend. It was a treat being able to set my own agenda and walk around without the constrictions of toddler time, naps and snacks. I quite literally walked everywhere and I did not even take a subway train or cab, just me and my feet galavanting all over the city. 

Keep reading for plenty of pictures of my solo adventure!

Make it: Graphic Table Runner and Napkins



I have been making our napkins for a while now. It is an easy way to cut down on disposable paper goods and to add a pop of color to your table. I decided to use some leftover scraps of cotton and linen to make a couple of sets of colorful napkins and runners with graphic fabric paint. It was an easy craft and I was really pleased with the graphic yet homey quality the colors and design created. 

Continue reading for all of the instructions.

Road trip to NYC!

I had the pleasure of heading to NYC solo to celebrate my wonderful friend Renee's 30th birthday. It was a surprise and her face was pretty amazing when she walked into the bar to see a bunch of friends and family. Plus while in NYC I have gotten to leisurely walk around a couple of museums, sip coffee and peruse a few shops. More pics to come! 

Solo road trip.


On the road. Solo adventure for mama. 

Love it: Lucy Snowe Photography

Lucy Snowe is a photographer who uses her camera to create still-life style snapshots of the beautiful and mundane with a particular emphasis on the Mid Century style. I love the dream-like quality of her photos which to me they harken back to the hot muggy days of August when everything seems to radiate heat and everyone moves at a crawl. 

Keep reading for gorgeous images.

11/52

This is going to be quite a smattering of photos. My mom (meme) came into to town for a couple of days and we took her to the Museum of Science and to Shake Shack for lunch. It has been a jam packed Wednesday but those are almost always the best kind of days around here.

So keep reading for more picture from our museum outing as well as some glimpses into our days around town.

Taste it: Mac & Cheese

Here is the deal. I have never been a big cheese person. I know, I know, go ahead and weep for me but it is a sad but true statement. So since cheese is not the numero uno food in my life I tend not to order or cook macaroni and cheese. Ok, pause number two for some weeping. That being said my husband and son really enjoy cheese, heck Oliver will try any cheese sample out at Whole Foods including the ones that I would not touch with a ten foot pole. Anyways, I digress. This is a post about a recipe for macaroni and cheese, right? Yes, it is. In an effort to assuage my cheese loving boys I decided to make my own macaroni and cheese rather than the stuff out of a box and you know what? I really enjoyed it. A lot. It is a simple recipe that can be dressed up a bit by adding chopped kale or cooked bacon but I think it is a lovely meal with a side salad. So although I may not be a cheese convert I do immensely enjoy this creamy, comforting Winter meal. 

Continue reading to see how the above trappings of a great macaroni and cheese become golden, brown and delicious.

Make it: Maple Syrup

Ok so we did not technically make the maple syrup but we did head out to Drumlin Farm this weekend and partake in their sugaring event, complete with a pancake breakfast! It was a lot of fun and Oliver loves going to the farm and a big bonus was that we got to see newborn lambs and a mama goat had her baby kids while we were there.

click through to see the rest of our farm adventure. 

Link it: Put a Spring in Your Step


Still patiently waiting for Spring to arrive so I thought some pops of color and bright blooms would be a pleasant sight for a chilly yet bright Friday morning. I hope everyone has a pleasant weekend.




Love it: Etsy Artist, Kai Samuel Davis

"The Decision"Kai Samuel Davis is a northern California artist who primarily does figurative paintings. I am drawn to his work because of the dream-like renderings of his subjects which are not sweet and saccharine but rather a bit dark and macabre.  I appreciate Davis's brushwork and the bold, broad swaths of paint that drip and run down the canvases. I also enjoy how all of his portraits are different, some are traditional straight on view but others are not even stagnant or a face at all but rather of a person's back, side or neck and this I believe can create an even more intimate look into what portraits can be comprised of.





One last icy blast...

Yup, that's right don't let your eyes deceive you, that is snow. White fluffy snow and I do not mean that to sound cute and cuddly seeing as this snow is not welcome.  Not pictured is the biting wind and cold that is whipping around as well. 

So in order to cheer me up and make up for the serious lack of sleep these past few days (damn you insomnia) I went to a lovely bakery, Sofra. This is a lovely little cafe that is inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. My favourite breakie treat is their morning bun with an orange blossom glaze...yum!

So I brought my treat home, made a cup of coffee and decided to think of sunshine and decorating our patio for the spring rather than the blowing, cold snow outside.

10/52

Sometimes I look at him and I cannot get over how big he is! A full fledged person who grows and expands right in front of my eyes, truly crazy. He seems to have turned a corner these past few days in regards to his moodiness but man we had some rough days. Whining is a form of torture I am sure. We have had a few tastes of Spring and it is glorious. We even busted out his scoot bike yesterday and rode to the park down the street. What a treat. 

Click through for a bundle of pictures from the park and our adventures as of late.

Taste it: Bolognese Sauce


If you do not already have a great adaptable pasta sauce in your kitchen arsenal then you are in luck because I have taken all of the guess work out for you! Here is my simple and delicious pasta sauce that can be tailored to any taste. Add more garlic, omit the meat whatever strikes your fancy but this is a great starting point. This sauce is a delightful amalgamation of various recipes I have tried over the years and I think it is a winner.
Keep reading for the recipe.

Badly mispronounced words by toddlers!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Mommyshorts.com for compiling this list! Hilarious and true all rolled together! Oh my goodeness. Cannot. Stop. Laughing! Head on over to her site to see some more hilarious work mashups.





all images via Mommyshorts.com 

Make it: Our Own Version of Spring.


Ok, so here is the deal. We had a 45 degree day this weekend and everyone in the city (well everyone who wasn't ill, that is) was jumping for joy and threatening to pull out the flip flops. Then you wake up this morning to a white dusting of snow on the ground?! Seriously? We New Englanders may be hearty but man alive this Winter is testing every one's limits. Even the birds were chatting about the weather on a bush outside of our window this morning; pecking at the snow with deep hearted disdain. So in an attempt to bring a bit of Spring to our house I am following Project Little Smith's lead and I did a few little plantings with Oliver. Take that Old Man Winter we are bringing in Spring sprouts whether you like it or not! Oh dear, did I just taunt a fictitious being about the weather? I did. Well that is what it has come to around here. Sigh.

Carry on to see our planting adventure.

Under the weather.


Pondering buying stock in tissues and Tazo mint tea

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and stays healthy. 


Love it: Waterlogue App

Have you heard of the Waterlogue App? It is an app that uses your photos and renders them into watercolor drawings. It is a fun new way to view some of your images. It seems to work best with still life clusters and profiles versus straight on face images. It is a fun app to play around with but I do not think it should replace the real talents of working with watercolors.

I've been playing around with the app for the past few days so click through to see my images.

9/52


Waiting for friends to come play on another cold, blustery day.

Keep reading for a bundle more cute pictures!

Taste it: Yellow Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

I love Thai food but I have always shied away from cooking it because I felt like it would be too complicated. But since I have yet to find a really tasty version of yellow curry with chicken and pineapple for take away close to our house I decided to make my own and you know what? It is not as hard as I imagined and for my first attempt I was very pleased with the results! So if you too have a hankering for yellow curry then continue reading for the simple yet fulfilling recipe.

True Story.

I just came across this image again...so true. 

Seemed fitting for a Monday.





Make it: Petite Pennant Notecards

You know you've done it. You go into Target with a list of items and leave with a few extras? Yes? I do that pretty much every time I enter into the big red bullseye. It just cannot be helped! But recently while perusing the Dollar Spot I found cute craft paper, washi tape, and the cutest little notecards. So I gathered everything up and heck for a $1 a pop it was a bargain, right? (convincing voice). Now I was in possession of all of these sweet, springy craft items but what to do with them? Well I looked on the back of the card package and their was a picture of a card with pennants on it, how fun! That is a perfect idea, so thank you Target for not only having the cute craft items but also a great simple idea to go with it, score!
So I decided that after Oliver went down for bed I would arm myself with glue and scissors and a large glass of red wine and make a couple of sets of petite pennant notecards. 

Click through for the complete instructions. 

Sunday Excursion: Donuts, Taxidermy and Hibiscus Tea


Sounds like an interesting day, eh?  Oliver and I started our day with a sweet treat then it was off to the airport to pick up Matt after which we went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and capped off our outing with lunch at a family favourite, Clover.

Click through for all the fun details.

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