To A Pretty Life

Garden Help from New House, New Home, New Life (Guest Post)

2013-05-23T10:48:00.002-06:00

This spring, once the snow finally melted in the front yard. I looked at one of my flower beds and thought, "I need help!" The bed was overrun with snap dragons and grass, with a few random perennials here and there. Since it's an island bed, I had no clue how to make it look good. It didn't take me long to decide who to ask for help. Heather from New House, New Home, New Life is a fellow Canadian blogger. She has a gorgeous garden of her own, and I knew she'd be able to help me figure out what to do. Lucky for me, she agreed to help! I can't wait to make use of her suggestions to make my front yard pretty again. ~Jo

*****

First of all, I want to thank Joanna for allowing me the opportunity to help her with her garden even though it’s been done virtually. One day I would love to visit with Joanna and her darling family, but for now 2000 km separate us. Thank you Joanna for letting me is part of your wonderful blog. I so enjoy reading it!

Hi, I’m Heather from NewHouse New Home New Life where I blog about all things domestic. But at this time of year, it seems that my blog is about my main passion: gardening.

About a month ago, Joanna emailed me and asked if I could help her with a little garden project for her front yard. I was thrilled to think that someone as creative as Jo would want my help. Please keep in mind that I’m not a master gardener and have only ever really “designed” a couple of gardens other than my own. That and the fact that Joanna lives in a climate very different to my Southern Ontario garden made this an interesting and exciting challenge.

So she sent me a few photos of the existing space, which was still barren from the winter. Joanna had few criteria for me to work with: keep the existing trees and the brick as it was vintage and special to her, plus she would like to have things that bloomed later in the season. So after doing a bit of research on what would grow well in her Zone 3 climate, this is what I came up with:

I apologize for my awful hand-drawn rendition. I’m a gardener, not an artist. As Wynona Judd said after her wonderful performance on Dancing With the Stars “THIS is what I do”. I garden, I don’t draw.

This is a plan for Joanna to work with when laying out the garden. It includes the brick border that is already there, the existing trees and it is drawn to scale. In another version, I’ve drawn the garden as if you were looking at it from the street with everything in bloom.

Included in the plan are some of my personal favorites that provide good ground coverage to help retard weeds like the Carpathian bellflowers, some spring interest with the blue forget-me-nots and some all year interest with the peegee hydrangeas.

In the centre of the bed, I chose to put 3 Peegee hydrangeas to give some all year interest and height to the middle. They will stay about 3’ high, have terrific cone-shaped flowers that start out white in July and stay throughout the fall months turning into a great rusty red. Joanna can leave the flowers on all year or trim them back for a neater look. (I like to keep them on all year for some winter interest.)

Surrounding the hydrangeas, there are five Stella D’Oro daylilies. These daylilies are reblooming so there will be new flowers throughout August and into September. Hardy and easy to grow, these are a great addition to any garden. Plus the yellow will play nicely against the blue siding on Joanna’s house.

Flanking either side of the front hydrangea bush are two Rudbeckia alba AKA white coneflowers. A native plant to Canada, the white blooms give the coneflower an unusual twist. The colour will complement the yellow of the day lilies and works well with the hydrangea. It grows about 2 ½ feet tall so won’t crowd the blooms of the peegee hydrangea.

Under the two existing trees, Joanna will need something that will provide some ground cover. I chose campanula as they are a small plant that will create a nice mound of blooms. Here it is in purple, but it’s really a lot bluer. Or Joanna can choose white. It’s also known as Carpathian Harebell. Don’t get confused with the ones you see in the supermarket in the spring – those are not meant for the garden and are just houseplants providing a shot of blue inside during the early spring months.

Finally, I’ve added forget-me-nots. A traditional flower that is hardy in most of Canada, this lovely fairy like flower never ceases to amaze me. It starts out so delicate and you think it will be nothing, but the flowers provide a light airiness to a spring garden. I know Jo didn’t ask for spring flowers, but I couldn’t resist. These should be planted between the bellflowers as they will fill any spaces quickly.

Here’s a quick shot of one of my small gardens filled with forget-me-nots in bloom last week:

So Joanna, you’ve got some work to do. Don’t forget that when planting any flowers and shrubs to fertilize them – I like to use blood meal dropped right into the hole as you plant. Top-dress the garden with a dark mulch (please don’t use natural bark as it grays down and gives everything a worn look very quickly). I like to use a dark brown mulch (Scott’s has a beautiful one that we just used on our front gardens).

If you have any question, Jo, please let me know. And once again, thanks for this opportunity. I hope you have fun creating this garden. I certainly had fun mapping it out for you.

*****

Thank you so much, Heather! I love your drawings, they're adorable. Once I get a chance to move the few perennials that are in the way, I will get started!

Oilo Play Blanket Review and Giveaway

2013-05-21T07:17:00.000-06:00

I don't have babies, but lucky for me, my friends do. I get to cuddle them, and then give them back. It's really a great arrangement. I knew when I was asked to review a Play Blanket from Oilo that I would have no trouble finding babies to test it with. My plan was to bring the blanket to the Moms' group I attend and ask each of the mamas with babies to test it out and give mini reviews.

But before I was able to put that plan into action, I had occasion to try out the blanket myself! I brought it to my husband's softball game. It was the perfect size for me and my two kids (and a big bag too). The durable canvas side kept the dampness of the grass away for the duration of the game. I was also impressed with the blanket's construction. There are no loose threads, and all the seams are hidden and appear to be very secure.

The other side of the blanket is soft cotton sateen. Smooth enough for a tiny newborn to lay on, I'd say. I really like the size of this blanket. I don't think I'm the type of mom who would carry around a play blanket for my babies all the time, but if I knew I was going somewhere to sit outside, have a picnic, etc, it's the perfect size and weight to throw in the bag on the way out the door. I believe it will get a lot of use this summer at the beach. As for babies, little C played on the blanket for a lot longer than I expected, given that he has just learned how to crawl. I think he liked it!

Oilo has offered one of these play blankets to you!

Product Details:

Play Blanket - Turn a questionable area of flooring or carpet into a clean, stylish play space for your baby. Oilo's new line of play blankets measure 40x50-inches and feature a durable cotton duck surface on one side and a snuggly soft sateen finish on the other. Choose from an array of stylish colors and elegant designs accentuated by solid 2-inch flange along the edges.:: Cotton Duck Surface on One Side, Sateen Finish on Reverse Side:: 2-inch Flange along Edges:: 40” x 50”:: Made in the USA

Enter via Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: While Olio did provide me with free product to review, I have received no other compensation for this post. All opinions stated are my own. All images are my own except for the one that shows the folded blanket.

Thirty

2013-05-20T11:25:00.001-06:00

Today, at 12:52 PM MDT, I turn thirty years old. Much to my surprise, I'm having a hard time dealing with that particular number. I would write more, but I'm enjoying time at the cabin with family. Later today, when I get back home, I will have another post that includes a giveaway. So stay tuned! Until then, enjoy last night's sunset.

Nature-Water-Swamp-Themed Centrepieces

2013-05-14T16:22:00.000-06:00

Last Monday I put together my last centrepieces for a Women's Ministries event at our church. I've been in charge of table decorations for the past 3 years or so, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. However, at this time I need to remove as many commitments from my life as possible in order to figure out how to be a work at home mom.

I had fun doing these ones. I reused many of the decorations from my friends' frog-themed baby shower, for a spring/nature/water-themed centrepiece. I had rolls of olive green organza that I bunched up and cut with pinking shears into roughly squarish pieces. I tried initially to cut straight lines, but gave up after one attempt. I figured the ragged edge fit into the swamp-like theme. Dollar store reeds and cattails with Costco curly sticks in Ikea vases stood tall in the middle, surrounded by huge blue and green confetti and river rocks.

I kind of forgot about the event until a couple of days before. I had already planned what I was going to do, but hadn't put one together to make sure it was going to work. I was pleasantly surprised how nice it looked! I didn't get decent pictures, since I had to run for school pick-up as soon as I was done setting up, with no time to pull out the camera. And that night at the event I took a few pictures and then my camera's battery died!

Snippets

2013-05-13T15:44:00.001-06:00

I've mentally composed so many posts this past week. I could have written about the Yeggies, buying a decent pair of jeans, my latest table centrepieces, my daughter's first soccer games, my ineffectual housekeeping over the past couple of weeks, helping my grandma-in-law with her garden, mothers' day, etc...

But as soon as I sit down at the computer, I forgot my perfectly-crafted sentences that were so brilliant in my head, and became overwhelmed by everything on my to-do list. I ended up just not posting anything. It is a pity, since compared to the average week, this one was rather eventful! So here's a quick run-down:

Yeggies - After all my stress about what to wear for the Yeggies award event, I ended up fitting in perfectly. I chose the striped dress, black boots, teal tights, and an apple-green scarf. My husband insisted I put my hair up, and I'm so glad I did, or I would have been constantly playing with it or wondering whether it was looking stringy. Of course I don't have pictures! I didn't bring my camera in, and misplaced my iPod in the car before the event. The deserving winner of my category was Attack of the Redneck Mommy. I was more relieved than disappointed that I didn't win!

Soccer - This is my daughter's second year playing soccer in the U6 division. Last year she was more concerned with blowing dandelion seeds and talking to the boys than she was with playing the game. I think she scored on her own team once. This year, she's some kind of soccer superstar, with 4 goals in the first two games. I'm thrilled that she's showing more interest, and is more willing to get in there and actually touch the ball. I did have to remind her that she is allowed to take the ball away from the other team, and she doesn't have to be nice. It was after that reminder that she scored her first ever goal. Her 3.5-year-old brother is showing signs of soccer skills too. Next year...

Garden - My front garden is looking gorgeous, as it always does in the spring. It's mid-to-late-summer that I lose my tolerance for the heat and give up my battle against the weeds. But I'm determined not to do that this year. I'm getting help dealing with the worst-looking/most visible flower bed, and I believe there will be lots of weeding in my near-future. My kids love to help, and are getting pretty good at it.

On Friday, I was planting some free Stella de Oro daylilies (I love free plants!), and weeding. I was trying to uproot a particularly stubborn clump of grass when I suddenly dislocated my thumb! Lucky for me, it was only out of place for a second, and needed no help to pop back into place, but, Oh! the pain was nauseating! Either that, or I'm a pansy. Maybe both. It's healing nicely, and it's not too difficult to avoid hurting it. Except when I start the car. I have to do that with my left hand.

Double-flowering-plum - AKA, my birthday bush, since it's always in full bloom for my birthday.

Almost luminescent orange tulips - My favourite flower.

Mothers' Day - For Mothers' Day this year, we went over to my mom's place for a walk and picnic. "We" being me, my younger sister, our families, and my brother. My older sister lives too far away to make it, but we wished she and her kids could have joined us anyway. It was a gorgeous day, and although the walk was a little long, none of the kids complained until the way back. Understandably, they were tired. I love this shot of my son walking with his grandma. He and his 4-year-old cousin thought Grandma's scooter was the coolest.

Other highlights of the day: My first ever breakfast in bed (My husband got up early to make me pancakes, even though he never eats pancakes for breakfast himself, being a strict cereal-for-breakfast devotee. You can see the result on Instagram), handpainted flower pot and card from my daughter, a little "Happy Mommy's Day" card from my son, a pretty purple pansy from church, and my first sunburn of the year.

Where Babies Come From (according to a 5-year-old)

2013-05-04T11:33:00.002-06:00

My 5-year-old daughter thinks she has it all figured out. This is her explanation:

Step 1. Someone wants a baby.
Step 2. That person tells someone, anyone they want a baby. (at this point, she tried to get me to say out loud that I want another baby)
Step 3. God puts a baby in the mommy's tummy.
Step 4. The baby grows.
Step 5. The baby is born.

If she asked, I would tell her the truth, but she hasn't asked yet. Although this morning she asked me how cows get babies. I'm sure she'll be wanting more details soon. In the meantime I love how she works it out on her own.

And then my 3-year-old son says he wants a brother. But not just any brother. He wants my friend's 7-year-old to be his brother.

Fashion Anxiety

2013-05-03T20:28:00.000-06:00

So, I've got a bad case of fashion anxiety. I haven't had time to plan what I'm wearing to the Yeggies on Saturday. Never mind time for shopping. And I didn't really want to spend money anyway. So today I pulled out absolutely everything in my closet that could conceivably be called "business casual" and tried stuff on. I immediately decided I didn't want to wear dress pants. I'm always more confident in a dress. I finally did decide on something, with help from my friend Julie and my husband, but now I'm worried that it won't be right. I hate going to an event and feeling like I'm overdressed or under-dressed I like to blend. But in this case, I didn't want to be too businessy, because I don't think that's the vibe this young, hip, and twitter-savvy crowd will be going for (someone mentioned sparkles). I shall try not to think about it any more.

But now WHAT do I do with my hair?

The aftermath...not as bad as I expected, actually. Probably because I have so few options.

May Day - Wordless Wednesday

2013-05-01T16:15:00.000-06:00

Conversations with Preschoolers

2013-05-01T03:01:00.000-06:00

If you're just tuning in, N is my 3-year-old boy. J is my 5-year-old girl.

---
Me: "Who wants parmesan cheese?"
N: "Flummit cheese?
J: "No, permanent cheese."
Me: "PARM-eh-san cheese."
N: "Worm sand cheese?"

---
N: "Mom, I'm going a lasso a horse!" He throws the jumping rope and the end lands on his shoulder. "Aw, I lasso me."

---
J, who believes that her fairy talent is cleaning, is washing the dishes and singing, "Rub a dub dub! Bubbles in the tub!..."

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J made me a maze: " I made it easy because you're not as smart as me."

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N is arguing with himself: "Fine, foget it! No you fine foget it! Nevah! Grrr..."

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N, to his sister: "Hey you! You know my name? My name's N."

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N: "You made dat?!? Good job Mom!"

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N: Knock, knock.
Me: Who's there?
N: Achoo.
Me: Achoo who?
N: Chicken butt!

---

"Annoying. Annoying. AnNOYing. Annoying..." No idea what he was so annoyed about.

J's 3 wishes: "I want to have my own house. I want to have my own baby. I want to be grown up."

First Spring Harvest

2013-04-30T14:06:00.000-06:00

There is fresh snow on the ground, and the wind feels like ice. Yet today, I harvested from my garden. the chives were about 2 to 4 inches long, and just right to add to the chicken soup I have simmering on the stove. As I dashed outside to cut these, I noticed my garlic chives are coming up too.

Last year, I was not a very good gardener. I didn't weed nearly as much as I should have, and several of my flower beds went wild. One is nearly full of grass among clumps of clay, and another has been overtaken by wild snapdragons. I'm determined to get them under control this year! If only the weather would let me spend more time outside. Warmer days are coming soon. I don't have major plans to add things to the garden, but I've compiled a list of things I'd like to do this year.

Take care of the front yard grass (to reduce weeds, etc). It was downright disgraceful at times last year.
Completely plant and mulch the island bed in the front yard. I'm sure any accomplished gardeners in the neighbourhood take one look at it and know that I have no clue what I'm doing. That's the one with the snapdragons.
Dig out the grass in the backyard bed, and add landscape fabric and mulch around the shrubs, hostas, feather grass, and lilies that currently inhabit it.
Plant another blueberry bush if necessary (I've been told that if I only have one, it won't make fruit...is that true?)
Replant annual herbs and tomatoes.
Dig out dead lilacs that have never flowered anyway. Maybe plant something else in that corner.
Weed and mulch rose garden (I call it a rose garden, but really, it's just three rose bushes in a little half-moon-shaped bed.)

This year I get to help my husband's grandma with her planting. She has an amazing garden. Perhaps I'll learn some things from her.

What's on your outdoor to-do list this year?

Rescued

2013-04-28T09:19:00.000-06:00

Last night. Driving on the highway with my daughter in the back seat. Suddenly, I had a hard time keeping the van from swerving. At first I thought it was the strong winds we'd been having that day (that flipped over a semi on another highway). But then the "tire reset" warning turned on (which is a common occurrence for our van since the tire pressure fluctuates with the weather). I pulled over, thinking I could pump up the tires and/or call my husband, who was also driving home from the same place at the same time.

Turns out, I did not have my cell phone. And I did not have the air pump (plugs into the lighter...best anti-damsel-in-distress invention ever!) And a thunderstorm had been threatening all evening. Before I could even realise the extent of my plight, my knight in shining armour (aka, husband in a dusty Dodge) pulled up behind me. With the air pump.

Lucky me. TWO tires were flat.

Pin-tertaining

2013-04-26T23:04:00.000-06:00

After a good year or two of never having anyone over for dinner except close family, we invited some friends over tonight. My van was in the shop all day so I couldn't go anywhere. So I had to come up with a menu using what I have.

Lucky for me, my friend was bringing an avocado tomato bacon pasta salad. (and what a salad! So delicious!)

photo source

I had some pork tenderloin in the freezer, the only kind of meat we had enough of. It's too bad my barbecue isn't quite working, because it's best when grilled. I looked through my Food board on Pinterest and found a slow-cooker recipe I could adapt for the oven. My slow-cooker is tiny, and I didn't have enough time for that anyway. I added some coconut rice and cucumber spears to the menu, and the meal was set!

photo source

One of the things I always forget to plan for when we have company is dessert. I was determined not to forget about that this time. I found, buried on my Pinterest board, a recipe for Lemon Bliss Cake. I had pinned it ages ago, and once even bought lemons in order to make it. At that time I realised I didn't have a bundt pan. Later I bought a bundt pan, but forgot about the recipe until now. It just so happened that I had a lemon and a half in the fridge. It was meant to be.

photo source

The cake turned out beautifully, in spite of having the shop call to tell me my van was ready half-way through the cake baking time. I barely had enough time to finish baking and glazing the cake, take the shuttle to the dealership, drive home, finish cleaning up, and cook supper. I was just putting on my lipstick when our guests arrived.

Do Something! Update (The Red Lipstick Edition)

2013-04-23T15:55:00.002-06:00

I don't really feel like I've had much to post about this past week or so. Everything is so small on its own, and not really worth a post of its own. So here's a run-down of what I've been doing:

1. My husband turns 32 today. I was an awful wife and forgot to wish him happy birthday this morning as he was leaving for work. In my defense, I was still mostly asleep. Then I had the kids call him while we were heading to the grocery store, but couldn't talk myself because I was driving. So he called me at 2:30 with a well-deserved guilt trip. I, who believe feeling special on birthdays is IMPORTANT, failed to make the most important person in my life feel special on his birthday. I hope I can make it up to him when he gets home from work

2. This is day three of Red Lipstick Week! So far it is going well. Sunday I paired my red lips with a pretty yellow shirt, brown dress pants, and flats. Monday was cleaning day, so I wore yoga pants and a stained t-shirt. I also had an unplanned but definitely welcome visitor in the morning and didn't leave myself enough time to change before picking up my daughter from school. So I threw on a denim jacket and a scarf to dress it up a little. Tuesday was jeans, Chucks, and a t-shirt...but it's a blinged-out t-shirt, so I thought the red lipstick worked well.

photo credit: my 5-year-old.

photo credit: my tripod and timer

3. I'm working on a How to Design an Apron (Without a Pattern) tutorial...who knows when I will get it finished.

4. I've been keeping up with my housekeeping routines for the most part. Sunday was a bit chaotic (because I started sewing the aprons on the weekend), but I was able to catch up a bit on Monday. Even to washing my dishes at 9:45 pm after returning home from bible study and putting the kids to bed. It's so much nicer to wake up to a clean-ish kitchen than one full of dirty dishes! It took me less than 10 minutes to wash, dry, and put away.

5. After about two years of excessive use, I figured it was about time to polish up my faithful favourite boots. I used mink oil and they look almost new. (Before on the right, After on the left).

6. As seen by the yellow, patched walls in one of the above photos, I am preparing to paint our master bedroom and closet. Probably while wearing red lipstick.

Red Lipstick Week

2013-04-21T13:09:00.003-06:00

As I've said before, I love my red lipstick. But I've been too chicken to wear it. So I set myself a challenge. I am going to wear my red lipstick every single day this week, no matter where I'm going or what I'm doing. My husband isn't particularly pleased since he says it's too bright. I must admit that It will take some getting used to for me too. I'd love it if you would join me for Red Lipstick Week! It doesn't even have to be red. Is there something you've been wanting to wear on your lips (or your face, like coloured eye-shadow) that you've been too afraid to try? If so, do it this week! Blog about it, and send me the link.

Hunting the Housekeeping Fairies

2013-04-17T10:01:00.001-06:00

I grew up in a house full of stuff. In the 10.5 years of my marriage, I have been battling my history with stuff. I've been more successful some years than others. Part of that battle has been trying and failing to figure out how to keep my house clean. I did ok before I had kids, doing most of the cleaning on Saturday mornings. But of course kids throw everything out the window (sometimes literally). When we had our last house staged for selling, I think I burned myself out keeping it spotless every day. Once it sold and the packing started, I let every kind of cleaning routine go, and haven't yet figured out how to start again.

So in one of my attempts to get organised as a mom and housewife was to make a household binder. The moms' group I attend had a craft day to decorate and put together household binders. This is the one I made (the "leather" is brown kraft paper, elmers glue, and wood stain). It worked well as a calender and to-do list for a while, but then I just stopped using it.

This winter was a really unproductive time for me. I suspect that I'm sometimes a little depressed. But what do I know about that? Recently a friend of mine has started following FlyLady's housekeeping system, which is based on habits and routines. Once established, these routines almost make for a self-cleaning house. Since it's always better to have a friend for support and encouragement, I decided to give FlyLady another try. The last time I tried I was working full-time doing shift-work, so I didn't really make it work.

So over the past week and a half, I've been slowly picking up good habits. I started with making my bed each morning. It seems to work. The bed in our undecorated bedroom isn't exactly pretty, but it still looks better than a messed-up jumble of sheets and blankets. Then, following my friend's example, I added drying and putting away my dishes after supper each night. I almost always wash them anyway, but would just let them air dry. On Sunday night I was visiting with my mother-in-law and didn't put the dishes away. First thing Monday morning, I wished I had! It is so much easier to start the day when the kitchen sink is empty and clean and shiny!

The purpose of all this habit-making is so that I can choose how my life runs and how I feel about it all. I'm sick of feeling guilty about my housekeeping. And not doing fun things because I really need to stay home and clean...and then not getting much done after all. I want most days to follow a routine so I just do what needs to be done without procrastinating. This will give me more freedom to do fun things with the kids, and get other projects, writing, and editing done instead of the constant halfhearted cleaning.

Caring for my home should be a joy. It should be homemaking, not just house cleaning. So my next step was to create my ideal daily routines. Many of the things in my routines are things I already do, but I wanted to set a specific time and order to each item. For example, I decided that my intention to sweep after supper each night wasn't working, because after washing (and now drying) the dishes, I didn't feel like sweeping. Now I aim to sweep after lunch instead.

Obviously my routines are not rigid, and I don't plan to beat myself up if I miss something. I revamped my household binder into something closer to FlyLady's Control Journal. Instead of being mainly for a calendar, it's now mainly for housekeeping. I use my iPod calendar most of the time anyway. Each routine is in a plastic page protector so I can use my trusty red dry-erase marker to cross things off as I complete them. I've always loved lists and crossing things off is cathartic.

Of course, being me, I had to make it all pretty with nice fonts and cover pages.

Would you be interested in a printable download of these sheets?

I couldn't resist including some shots from my weekend as a little PS:

gorgeous clouds promising rain (but unfortunately not delivering)

"Nanny" playing cars with the kids. I love how excited they get for her visits

An early birthday gift...now I can make Simply So Good's crusty bread properly!

Five Years of To a Pretty Life

2013-04-14T05:00:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's been five years since my first official post on To a Pretty Life. I don't really know what to say! How about a comparison of life then vs life now?

Lets start with the weather:

Then:

Wife of one
Mama of one
Lived in a townhouse with a tiny but cute backyard and almost no front yard
Decorated in gold and red for the living room, with a bright turquoise kitchen.
Dabbled in all kinds of crafting, DIY, and sewing endeavours.
Afraid of writing, or of failure in writing, which amounts to the same thing. So I didn't write.

Now:

Wife of one...the same one.
Mama of two, ages 5.5 and 3.5
Live in a duplex with a decent-sized backyard and a garage.
Decorate in various shades of blues and greens with lots of neutrals. Kitchen is still turquoise, although a much muted version.
Not sure which areas of craftiness/DIY I want to focus on.
No longer afraid of writing...I'm actually published now! (ok, so it's only one article.) But I really do need to start writing more.

Thanks to all my readers, who make this blogging thing worthwhile. I couldn't do it without you!

Introducing Nikki the Nikon

2013-04-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, so no, I haven't really named my new camera. Its name is not Nikki. Although my son, whom I often call Nicky, has recently named our minivan "Mortimer". Lucky for me, it does not go "bang, bang, rattle ding bang" all day like its namesake.

When we found out that we couldn't replace our defunct xD card for our old camera, it didn't take long for us (ok, me) to decide that it was time to get a new camera. Our old one had served us well, even after I dropped it in the playground sand, but after 5 or 6 years it was time for a new one. I had the Nikon Coolpix p510 on my wish list after reading reviews and comparisons of similar cameras last fall.

I'm still learning (I have yet to actually read the manual), but it has been so much fun so far. I have not yet pulled it out in public. It's a bit more obvious than our last camera.

Favourite features so far:

The strap and lens cap make me feel so professional! (my 5-year-old has already perfected her "mom, the lens cap is still on" tone that makes her sound like a teenager)
large hand grip to help me keep it out of the sand this time
tilt-able viewing screen
option to use the small viewfinder instead (perfect for bright sunshine)
the 16GB memory card allows me to take 1900+ pictures...it seems endless compared to the old 1GB xD card.

Now I just need to find the time to sit down and read the manual. I can't wait 'til I figure this all out. Now if only the world would hurry up and look green and spring-ish so I have something to take pictures of.

What kind of camera do you use, and what are your favourite things about it?

I'm really looking forward to using the 42x zoom, especially on the cross-continent road trip we're planning for this summer. (to do this week: get passport pictures!)

Do Something! - Week One Update

2013-04-09T13:37:00.002-06:00

First things first: The winner of the 2 Red Hens Studio Rooster Bag is...

Christan!

I started my day yesterday with grand plans. I was going to bake some bread, shine my sink a la FlyLady, get all the laundry done, and have supper ready for my husband and kids before I had to the leave the house for a meeting. My mother-in-law is coming to visit this weekend, and I wanted to be On The Ball for once. And I wanted to make up for being rather unproductive last week.

I got things going the night before, choosing a delicious overnight-rising bread recipe and mixing everything together for two loaves. First thing in the morning, after getting my 5-year-old sent off to kindergarten, I gathered all the laundry, sorted it, and filled up the sink to soak with hot water and bleach. Everything was going well. The kids were even playing nicely, and when I decided my niece needed a quick morning nap she went to sleep with no problem, giving me an opportunity for a shower before kindergarten pick up time.

The trouble started when we got back to the house. I have no idea why, but I was cranky (ok, so I have an idea...the reason happens about once a month). I got the kids some lunch and turned on the oven to preheat for the bread. I then forgot about it, knowing the oven would beep once it was heated. An hour or so later, after the kids were all finally napping, I happened to glance over at the oven. The preheat light was still on. And the loaves of bread had risen and were starting to fall over. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out what the problem was, while worrying about what I was going to do with all this now-useless bread dough. Turns out I think the bake element is broken. The broil element still worked so I attempted baking one of the loaves on low broil, turning it upside down once the top was starting to brown a little too much. It worked sort of. The other loaf was too far gone and I made no attempt to save it.

So that was my messed up day. Still, I managed to finish shining my sink! It looked beautiful. For about 5 minutes. I think sink shining is best done at the end of the day so you can wake up to a fresh clean kitchen.

One of the few productive things I did last week was making homemade from scratch chicken noodle soup. This is probably the third time I've attempted it in my life and the only time it was successful. The kids ate it with absolutely no complaining. It was so good! In fact, I want to buy another rotisserie chicken to make it again this week.

I let my daughter make the garlic biscuits. She was so proud of herself. Biscuits are a great learn-to-bake recipe. I promised my son that he gets to help next time.

What have you been doing this month? Are you feeling productive? Anyone know if Lowes sells oven elements? I'd rather go there than have to find an appliance repair store.

I'm in Love with White Walls

2013-04-08T14:51:00.001-06:00

In spite of my initial fears, I'm discovering that everything looks good against white walls. I finally got around to painting our stairwell, complete with it's 16-foot ceiling. I managed it with a combination of a roller extension and a ladder. And choosing wall paint the same colour as the ceiling helped too. If a 12-foot-tall person were to visit my house and inspect that upper corner, I'm sure it looks awful. But from way down here at my not-quite-5-foot-4-inch height, it looks great.

I looked through my collection of wall stuff and removed everything with black frames. I wanted a warmer look for this particular gallery wall. The black frames will go in our bedroom if I ever get around to painting the walls in there. The remaining mix is a bit ecclectic, containing:

two of our engagement photos,
two mirrors (the pine-framed one was from my parents' wedding in 1979),
one painting done by me,
one painting that we paid way too much for at Home Sense,
a sepia-toned sailboat photo that we found at a garage sale,
a tiny print of old buildings along a canal,
a wooden plaque that I made during the first year of our marriage: Est. August 10, 2002.
a large antique frame,
and two other empty wooden frames that I rescued from a neighbour who was going to throw them out. Even at age 15 I knew they were worth saving.

What do you think of white walls? (PS: there are only a few more hours to enter the 2 Red Hens Rooster Bag giveaway!)

The Ultimate Blog Party 2013

2013-04-05T08:39:00.000-06:00

So there's this thing...a big party of moms who blog. The Ultimate Blog Party includes about a million and a half giveaways...one of which is from me! I committed to making a polka-dot apron. I've needed to make myself a new one anyway, so this will be my incentive to get both done. My daughter needs a new one too, so if I get really motivated, I'll do hers.

So in this post, I need to share a bit about me and To a Pretty Life...pay attention: there will be a quiz.

My name is Joanna, and I live in currently-snowy Alberta, Canada.
I'm a wife, a mother of two (ages 5.5 and 3.5), and until the end of next week a babysitter of one adorable niece.
I'm a not very good housekeeper, a wannabe decorator, and a diy-er.
I'm a writer, freelance editor, and a staunch supporter of the serial comma.

To a Pretty Life is a blog dedicated to celebrating the beautiful side of life, in the midst of the chaos of preschoolers. I don’t sugar-coat my life (as delicious as that would be…mmm, sugar…), but I do try to remain upbeat while showing my reality. One could say that my blog is my happy place; the encouragement I receive from my readers always boosts my mood and makes me smile. In addition to family, home, and parenting, I write about creative projects, home decorating, books, and my fledgling careers in writing and freelance editing. I enjoy getting to know other bloggers, writers, and entrepreneurs through my blog.

Once the apron for the giveaway is finished, I'll add a picture here. Taken with my fancy new Nikon p510.

Currently Reading...Inspired You

2013-04-03T15:10:00.003-06:00

Lucky me, I recently won a book in a draw by Apple Box Boutique. Miss Mustard Seed's (Marian Parson's) Inspired You. I've been slowly reading through it and it is beautiful. It very well may be my next book review. Thanks Leanne!

In the meantime, have you entered the 2 Red Hens giveaway? You have 'til Tuesday to get your entries in. I hope you're all enjoying a sunny day like I am (although I'd enjoy a full-on spring downpour even more, of course).

2 Red Hens Studio: Review and Giveaway

2013-04-02T07:02:00.001-06:00

Today I get to review two items from 2 Red Hens Studio. Except for the book reviews I've done, this is the first time anyone has offered me free product to review. So I had no idea that I was allowed to pick my own item! And I didn't want to be greedy. I mentioned I liked the Coop Carry-All Bag or the Mama's Makeup Bag. Lucky me, they sent me both! Of course I forgot to specify the colour, but I love the Grey Damask they sent. Now, on to the reviews!

2 Red Hens Studio's Coop Carry-All Bag

Ok, as a diaper bag, this bag is huge! I'm not a big-bag type of person. Even my diaper bag, when I used one, was just a tote bag, and I downsized to a purse as soon as possible. That said, the bag isn't bulky. It is fairly narrow, only about 5 or 6 inches deep.

I loaded up the bag and used it as a purse/diaper bag over the past week in order to give a well-rounded review. It was easy to carry, not sitting too high or dangling too low. If I were to use it as a diaper bag, I'd want to add a cross-body shoulder strap too it. There's nothing worse than loading up with baby paraphernalia (plus baby!), trudging halfway to your destination only to have your bag slip off your shoulder. With the d-ring strap attachments, and removable straps, switching to a cross-body strap would be so easy. It just would be nice if the bag came with one. I suppose one could unhook one side of each of the existing straps and clip them together to make one long strap, but my guess is it wouldn't be very comfortable. The website calls them "convertible stroller straps".

The bag, being a diaper bag, comes with a cute extra-long changing mat. Now, a changing mat is a changing mat, and there isn't room for much innovation. But this particular one has a button and elastic closure to keep it needly folded. The mat I used for my kids was forever coming unfolded in my bag and when I pulled it out one-handed I'd often dump out a bunch of other things too. That won't be a problem with this one. Not only does it have the button, but it also has its own pocket on the outside of the bag to make the mat easy to grab.

Now that I've treated the bag as a diaper bag, I'll address the reason I chose it. I needed a cute overnight bag (for which I don't want a cross-body shoulder strap). Until now I've been using a dollar-store tote bag (which shall now be demoted to beach bag) or a mini-suitcase (which was often too small). I haven't yet had a chance to use it as an overnight bag, but I'm looking forward to it.

Oh my word, this bag is full of pockets! I've never seen this many pockets in a diaper bag before My full-size water bottle fits in the bottle holders (although it does stick out the zipper), and the bag is big enough to fit my laptop, which means I can also use it for those rare (oh-so-rare) occasions that I work away from the house.

Oh boy. This is going to be a long post.

2 Red Hens Studio's Mama's Makeup Bag

As for the makeup bag, the very best thing about it is that it stands up on it's own. Gone are the days of accidentally dumping my makeup into the sink or the garbage can. The size is good too, although it is a little tall. This makes it a little harder for me to quickly choose which eye-shadow I need. That may just be because I have five colours of the same brand. Maybe I should downsize a little.

Both bags are very well made. The seams are strong, and there are no loose threads. The fabric is durable and wipe-able A couple of friends did mention that they'd like it better if the diaper bag could be thrown in the washing machine.

Giveaway

Rooster Diaper Bag
in Grey Damask

2 Red Hens has offered a Rooster Diaper Bag as a giveaway on To a Pretty Life. The Rooster bag is smaller than the Coop, and great for every day carting around once you don't need to carry the 12 outfit changes and 15 diapers required by a newborn.

Product Details:

Interior zipper pocket, bottle holder, and 2 elastic pockets
Convertible stroller straps
Attached key fob
Magnetic snap and button closure for easy access
Choose from five vintage-inspired patterns:

Peacock Mum, Owl Dots, Grey Damask, Pink Lemonade, and Chevron Stripes

Extra-long polka dot changing pad included

Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: While 2 Red Hens Studio did provide me with free product to review, I have received no other compensation for this post. All opinions stated are my own. All images are my own except for the Rooster Diaper Bag.

New Blog: Marigold and Grace

2013-04-01T09:02:00.000-06:00

I just have to introduce you to my friend Meredith's new blog, Marigold & Grace. Her pictures are just gorgeous: perfectly vintage-beautiful with lovely glowing light. I'm looking forward to more posts.

We had Easter brunch at Meredith's house and I brought her a book and some Steeped tea for a hostess gift (aka an I-have-the-perfect-thing-to-give-you-even-without-an-occasion gift.) I found the book at a thrift store about a year ago. If you google "Marigold and Grace", you get three pages of references to this book before anything else, so I thought it was perfect.

April 2013: DO Something! Month

2013-04-01T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'd like to announce that this month, is Do Something! Month for me. All winter I've felt lethargic and unmotivated, which has definitely shown on the blog, with fewer projects and fewer posts. With spring and sunshine upon us, I have decided to make a point to do something each day this month. Preferably something I've been procrastinating. I'm not sure what exactly I will do, but it should be fun!

Feel free to join me! I'd love to see what you accomplish this month. I may even have a link-up at the end of the month. We'll see how it goes.

To get a jump start on the month...well actually, because my husband was really sick of the huge pile of mess in the basement, I sorted out my craft stuff. It still needs work, but at least now the floor is visible, and the washer, dryer, and printer are all accessible without first scaling Everest. I'd share a picture, but frankly, the basement isn't pretty. Concrete floors covered with a mish-mash of ugly area rugs and half-drywalled walls don't exactly make for a pretty picture.

Today, my job, besides looking after my niece because her parents weren't lucky enough to get Easter Monday off of work, I'll be doing copyediting and layout for May's issue of FellowScript. (If you're a Christian, a Canadian, and a Writer, you should join InScribe Christian Writer's Fellowship and then you can see for yourself what this magazine I work on is all about. It's a great publication.)

ModCloth's Spring Dresses

2013-03-31T05:04:00.000-06:00

Facebook knows me well. Nearly every time, the top ad on my page is for ModCloth. I've only ordered one thing, but I visit the site regularly. My wishlist is getting a little out of control! So I thought instead of hoarding such loveliness, I'd share it with you! Such pretty, pretty dresses...

Top to bottom:

Renowned Repetiore Dress
Romance Holiday Dress
Beyond The Tea Time Dress
Have the Dance Floor Dress

Train Trip Dress
Just Bike Starting Over Dress
Author Outings
Bygone Days Dress in Skeleton Toile

What about you? What's your favourite place to window shop? I hope you're all having a wonderful Easter weekend!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I am in no way affiliated with ModCloth, as much as I'd like to be for any potential employee discount!