a blog about the little things

Scenes from a Birthday

2012-01-26T23:43:00.001-05:00

{I ate the above birthday cake for breakfast; 3 days in a row!}

{Strongpaw loves gift opening time!}

{the birthday Instax at Matsu Sushi; a tradition! that's Karen & I in the photo!}

{Mr Kim, owner of Matsu Sushi, singing a boisterous rendition of Happy Birthday!}

{Mel's daughter Azriel loved the desserts as much as I did!}

{from top left: Chantilly & Carly + a bit of Des, cutting the cake, eating the cake, Mel's heart hoots!}

{little girls had many snuggles with Frank the cat! (I did too!)}

There are but a few scenes from my (ongoing) birthday celebrations! Y'know you're having a good year when you're birthday lasts for days!

I had the most delightful surprise on Monday - my friend Karen picked me up to take me to Matsu Sushi for a birthday lunch date, but told me I was in for a surprise. She also told me to "look pretty". I figured I'd do my best on the pretty part, and then I kept looking over my shoulder for any surprises waiting to jump out at me. Dinner went by with much laughter and good food (cannot go wrong with Matsu Sushi!), but the surprise was still awaiting me. On the way to this surprise, Karen blindfolded me.

She needn't have, as I still had no idea where we were when she took it off of me! We turned up at an unknown house with a pretty blue door. I don't even remember if I opened it or not; all I remember is being in complete shock when I entered the house!

There were so many familiar faces beaming towards me, some saying surprise, some saying happy birthday. I was flabbergasted! I am not sure how long it sunk in that this was a surprise birthday party for me! There was Michele, Astrid, Carly, Chantilly, Elycia, Leigh, Desiree, Mel - and Karen! So many dear souls all in that one house (which turned out to be Chantilly's house!). It was a veritable blogger heaven! I'm still a little overwhelmed by it all. Things like this don't happen to me (parties, surprises, etc.) so I was truly touched by the whole shebang.

Thank you, all you lovely ladies, for making this girl's year! I wish I had taken Polaroids of all of your sweet selves to remember the day by! xox

Tomorrow is yet another day of birthday fun; I go to Astrid's house for cream puffs! This year is starting off to be the sweetest one yet :)

with grateful joy,

Caren

p.s. Don't forget to enter my happy little Birthday Giveaway!

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Sunday Smile: Birthday Giveaway!

2012-01-22T22:17:00.004-05:00

So, it's my birthday today.. and it's sort of a big one. I am now 40 years old!

(my mama told me it's the flirty & fun forties!)

Because it's my birthday, I wanted to do something special for my sweet chickadees (you!).

drum roll please

I'm doing a Birthday Giveaway that encompass a few of my favourite things!

If you've been following Tea & Chickadees for a while now, then you know I am a big fan of analog photography (lomography & polaroids), that I love kittycats, I have a pretty sweet dog named Grace, I'm a sucker for anything owl shaped, enjoy tea on a regular basis, and am a fan of handmade and vintage.

This happy little package covers all of those things, and one sweet Tea & Chickadees follower will win 'em all!

Take a gander at all the pretty pictures I took of the goodies included:

Here's what's in the Birthday Goody Bag:

little hoots owl earrings by Mel of Needle & Nest Design

teacup & feather tiny framed photography by Erin of Feather + Anchor

a few of my favourite teas: Zen Green Tea, English Breakfast Tea, Echinacea Elder Tea

the sweetest kitten & yarn yellow tin!

a vintage lusterware owl shaker!

a Happy Happy Joy Joy card by luckyjackson

an original polaroid of my dear puppydog Grace

a brand new Olympus Trip 500, a fun little automatic film camera!

{I have this exact same camera & have so much fun with it; some of those photos can be found here}

I had a lot of fun putting this birthday package together, and look forward to giving it to someone who will enjoy all of my favourite things!

{here I am with Gracie as a fresh new 40 year old! huzzah!}

To win this Birthday Giveaway, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (subscribe by feedburner, follow on Bloglovin or join via GFC) and leave a comment letting me know a few of your favourite things!

Tweet this giveaway for an extra bonus entry!

Be sure to include this URL (http://www.teachickadees.com/2012/01/sunday-smile-birthday-giveaway.html) and my twitter name @buttercupcaren.

Remember to leave a 2nd comment to let me know you did the tweet. :)

Contest ends January 31st and the winner will be announced February 1st!

with birthday cake joy,

Caren

light it up : vintage camera lamps

2012-01-20T23:47:00.000-05:00

{above: polaroid land camera lamp : Minolta vintage camera lamp : ceramic vintage camera lamps : vintage camera floor lamp}

I love coming up with random neat stuff to share with you guys, this time in the form of camera lamps! I really wish I was a techie crafty artist who'd come up with these ideas first, 'cause they're all kinds of awesome.

Love the idea of upcycling vintage cameras (ones that are beyond repair, of course!) into something functional. I am also digging making faux cameras, but not just to look at, but to use in the form of a light-maker! Brilliant! (pun intended)

{above: John Hull's fab upcycled vintage camera night lights!}

I'll have to see if I can wield the power of making electricity like these folks do. ;)

with geeked out camera bliss,

Caren

chocolate brownie cookies (and a cat who loved them)

2012-01-18T20:28:00.000-05:00

I found this delicious recipe for chocolate brownie cookies over at the equally delicious Please Note blog (one of my new favourites, and not just because of the yummy recipes!).

Of course, I had to make them. One does not ignore a brownie in a cookie form!

My kittycat Strongpaw was greatly enamoured with them. I left a plate full of them on a stool in the living room and the next thing I know, she licked two of them! If I hadn't have caught her when I did, I'm sure there would've been only crumbs left behind. Silly kitty, brownie cookies aren't for you!

{melted chocolate & butter sinfulness ... the best kind of sin}

Elizabeth's Aunt Lynnea's Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate *I ended up using 1 cup of chocolate chips in lieu of semi-sweet squares
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (use Baker's chocolate for both)
3/4 cube of butter *this turned out to be about 1/2 cup
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups toasted chopper walnuts (optional) *I didn't use any walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt the chocolate with the butter and stir until smooth. *I used a double broiler
Stir in the sugar until well blended. *I added the sugar in the pot, then transferred the batter to my mixer
Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
Mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder.
The dough will be very soft. *I ended up having to add a 1/4 cup more flour to make it the right consistency (i.e. so it didn't just run off of the cookie tray! :)
If adding the chopped walnuts... toast them on a cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes and add them to the dough now.
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes and watch them carefully. *mine only took 10 minutes so please do check the cookies!
Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet and cool completely on wire racks. Be sure and eat these with a big glass of milk... they're rich! *they really are that rich!!

* = my little add-on notes to Elizabeth's recipe

Now, stuff your face with brownie cookies! You won't be sorry.
with joy,
Caren

the music & vision of Gotye & Kimbra

2012-01-17T18:31:00.000-05:00

this video caught me unawares. i randomly came across it just now, and it struck a cord - visually & lyrically & musically. wow. can i admit i never heard of Gotye before? i feel embarrassed somehow that i didn't. now i want to see him live; i bet he puts on a fabulous show!
i found this video on EST Magazine's blog {see post here}which i found via an awesome blog called Project2012 {i highly recommend you check it out if you're into brand identity, photography & style - specially minimalist black & white Scandinavian style}.

wow, this is a random post isn't it? but, if like me, you like to find out about new cool stuff, then this post is right up your alley! i took some screen captures of the video so you can see just how awesome the visuals are:

the woman in green is Kimbra, another fantastically talented person i had never before heard of.

do i live under a rock?

this video is so candylicious! it's a colourful joyful celebration of awakening. great happy visuals! here's some screen caps i took (i apologize for the black bands; widescreen format video!):

well, there you have it! a visual & audio smorgasbord for you to treat your eyes & ears with!

i find myself quite inspired by both artists, and am so happy to have found their music!

with random joy,

Caren

A gathering of handmade & vintage via Etsy

2012-01-16T14:59:00.001-05:00

The other week I did a post dedicated to the drool-worthy goodies I found at Chapters-Indigo.

This is a like-minded gathering, but instead of mass-produced, these are handmade by individual artists or unique vintage pieces. More of a one-of-a-kind vibe; an antithesis to the world of retail.

{above: egg warmers : vintage owl napkin rings (sadly, they're sold) : knitware porcelain vase}

{above: bamboo bird mobile : Bone n Cozy cups}

{above: 4 Oga shakers : table napkins : sugar jar : 5 little owls}

{above: vintage owl planter/jar : bib apron}

{above: vintage tea canister : sugar & cream set : vintage coffee canister : porcelain lace bowls}

phew. This gathering took me a long time to put together; I immersed myself in pretty things to find items that reflected the same style as that which I found at a retail chain store. I would always prefer to buy handmade (support the independent artist!) or vintage (recycle, reuse, reduce stylishly!). And yes, I want one (or more) of each of what I picked to showcase here... that's not being greedy, is it?

That isn't to say I won't be buying those white owl bookends I saw at Chapters-Indigo ... there's some things a girl just can't deny herself. Besides, I like having a mix of things in my home - it creates a real eclectic vibe to mix & match!

with much joy,

Caren

where insomnia turns into YouTube cat video watching...

2012-01-16T03:27:00.000-05:00

why yes, I did lose some time on YouTube watching cat videos.

this one's been viewed a gazillion times, so you've probably seen it already.

I don't go on YouTube very often; only when I'm a really crazy insomniac.

so, you can imagine how entertained I was by this kitten playing in a hamster ball.

I even had to take screen-shots to share. 'cause I'm that (cat)crazy.

the video itself is kind of lame, what with the music dubbing + poor quality, but whatever. it's a kitten in a hamster ball ...

you're welcome,
Caren
*note: this is not my kitten and nor to I endorse this video or YouTube cat videos.
**one more thing: cats really will take over the world one day; we are unsuspecting fools to ever think otherwise.

the one where I go on about Olivia Mew

2012-01-13T13:47:00.001-05:00

{above: my 'buttercup' canvas patch from feverfew}

I bought the above piece of fabric art as soon as I saw it in Olivia Mew's feverfew Etsy shop.

Two things led me to this quick decision: 1. the sweet fox, & 2. the word buttercup!

Okay, and the price was beautifully accessible! I love affordable art!

Thank you Olivia Mew.

When 'buttercup' arrived in the mail yesterday, I fell in love all over again!

Luckily, I had an embroidery hoop that was its exact size. Bonus points for it being a perfect shade of blue!

I'll clean up the edges somehow & will hang it either on my wall of nature, or in my studio space for inspiration. I may even want to use it to create a functional textile piece (a tote, a pillow, etc.).

Heck, I may even do some freehand embroidery or quilting on it to give it some dimension!

ah, inspiration, it's the most wonderful thing to be given.

a few more Mew designs:

{above: "dry your eyes" handkerchief}

{above: "fox club" 8x10 print}

{above: "tabby" printed silk scarf} - I might have to get one of these for my kitty self!

where to find Olivia Mew on the interwebs:

website

feverfew (handmade Etsy)

young captive (vintage Etsy)

twitter

I hope you enjoyed this little ode to Olivia Mew!

with buttercup joy,

Caren

focus on: FruitFly Pie

2012-01-12T16:56:00.011-05:00

{above: owl candy dish : owl vase : owl planter : love owl figurines}

Since it's quite apparent that I like owls (quelle surprise!), I thought I'd do a Focus On post dedicated to the ones that FruitFly Pie make. If you love the look of vintage, but rather have something freshly made then FruitFly Pie is the place to go! Specially if you dig retro owls. Everything is made with a vintage vibe, either using an actual vintage mold or from the artist's own imagination.

Wendy Alderman, the creative force behind FruitFly Pie, shares her studio space with two potbellied pigs named Sammy & Freddy. You heard that right, potbellied pigs. Which is why you'll find pig shaped ceramics in her shop just as much as owls! There's also ice cream cone & cupcake shaped cookie jars, not to mention a variety of woodland-inspired items. Truly, there is something for everyone!

I think I'll give in to my want of a Fruity owl one day!

with owl & potbellied pig joy,

Caren

my morning, a morning of lattes and stretchy cats

2012-01-12T11:17:00.000-05:00

this is exactly what my morning looked like today.

the only thing i didn't photograph is the delicious bowlful of oatmeal that kickstarted it all.

but Stepanka mugfulls of latte goodness & stretchy cats were captured!

{i do apologize for the poor photograph quality; crappy lighting makes my camera suck}

i loved how the Stepanka mugs sat at the bottom of a wall of handmade art;

an original painting i bought from Mel to gift to my mom at Christmas

and the sweetly stitched piece by Lucky (of my face!).

original art makes a space more beautiful, more unique, and most of all, more personal.

this space is my mom's, as i continue to live in her space until my apartment is livable again.

i am so blessed to have a mom who puts up with her daughter's mysterious ways! hehe!

i hope you, too, find yourself surrounded by meaningful moments & yummy foodstuff!

with joy,

Caren

life is beautiful when you can hold something you love

2012-01-10T18:30:00.000-05:00

{sweet vintage postcard found here : ismoyo}

I just came across this sweet vintage postcard whilst perusing Etsy.

I was struck by its sweetness and wanted to share it with you.

It's as simple as that.

with joy,

Caren

what I found at Chapters-Indigo today : owls & Scandinavian-esque style!

2012-01-09T20:04:00.001-05:00

I did not anticipate such a plethora of cool stuff when I went to Chapters-Indigo earlier today.

I had to restrain myself from buying 3 of everything.

To help you visual what I saw, I put together little vignettes:

{above : white jasmine tea container: tea towels}

{above : knit vase : leather owl journal : Hammam towels : owl sculpture}

{above : blossom tea canister, gray blanket}

{above : carafe with wood ball : tray}

{above : owl S&P shakers : owl bookends : lidded box}

{above : bird mobile : owl bank}

{above : bookcase : bunny frame : triptych frame}

{above : owl frame : egg cozies : apron}

Most everything that I fell in love with had a distinct Scandinavian aesthetic, which I applauded Chapters-Indigo for duplicating. It seems someone there knows what's going on in the pulse of home style right now; I was impressed. I was drawn towards white & wood. A little gray, and then there's those cute egg cozies! The owl frame is for a baby's room, but hello! I'd use that in my office! Same goes for the owl bank, bunny frame & the bird mobile. Why limit design to a particular room/age?

I want to redecorate my entire apartment to be natural soothing white with bits of wood accent & joyful colour (blue & yellow with bits of orange, please).

But that will be my next incarnation. For now, I have a very loud patterned 1960s couch, a rather large teal chair, a yellow formica diner table, amongst other colourful bits & bobs. I am starting to head towards a distinctly Scandinavian look, though, so perhaps a few years from now I will achieve that "minimalism" look (I use quotes because I will *never* be a true minimalist).

I hope you enjoyed your shopping excursion at Tea & Chickadees! I apologize if I've made you want to spend money.

with abundant joy,

Caren

p.s. all I came home with from Chapters-Indigo was a little linen pouch with an owl on it & a bunch of Paris-related books.

Sunday Smile: cookies, cat & dog

2012-01-08T20:12:00.001-05:00

My mom baked up a frenzy yesterday, filling her home with the yummiest of smells & tastes!

Oatmeal cookies & molasses sugar snaps. Oh, and chocolate cheesecake brownies!

Since I'm living temporarily in my mom's home whilst my apartment is getting fixed,

I got to be immersed in all the baking goodness! I felt like a kid again :)

{above: Strongpaw the cat & Gracie the pup seeking the sun ... together! cutes!}

{above: the little helper!}

I've been doing a lot of work in my apartment before the big move back in.

The main improvement I'm doing is painting the walls whilst everything is in disarray.

I already painted my beige bathroom a gleaming white, which took DAYS to complete.

Today I tackled an easier job, repainting one big wall the original robin egg's blue colour.

I was only going to do some minor patch work on the big blue wall,

but it turned out I only had a quart of satin finish blue paint in the house

(which I used for shelving, as having a glossy finish makes them more durable)

so I decided to do the entire wall in a shiny finish - and I LOVE it!

It was a quick fix, and really refreshed the space.

Once my place is finished, I'll be sure to share many a photo!

(are you excited? I am!)

There's always something to smile about, and I have to say cookies, kitties & puppies are among the top of the list! A freshly painted wall is lovely, too, but not quite so smile-worthy as it turns out I'm quite allergic to paint.

with joy!

Caren

some handmade Etsy love : Bark Decor & GoodKnits

2012-01-06T17:36:00.000-05:00

It's not the holiday season until you start buying equal amounts for yourself as well as for your loved ones.

er, maybe that's just me? I didn't mean to buy myself so much pre-Christmas self-gifts, but with all the deals and shopping buzz, I just couldn't deny clicking that Add to Cart button on Etsy! I also figure I'm doing a good deed buying extra for myself, as it's keeping a handmade shop in business. See how I just did that? I just justified some serious self-gifting!

Above shows a very happy me in my GoodKnits hat & my Bark Decor circle scarf.

I am seriously that happy when I wear these things. I am so thrilled with the goodies I got from these two artisans! I've been wanting a Nell hat (the knit hat upon my head) for a while, and my mom even tried to knit one for me (how sweet is that?!) but just after Christmas I finally ordered one to gift myself.

The lovely Lisa of GoodKnits sent me little extras for being her 75th customer:

2 cute lomography postcards, a button brooch & a pretty fabric-covered moleskine!

Everything was so prettily put together, that it felt like it was all a gift.

It's why buying directly from an artisan is such a delight; the extra effort that they put into their creations make it so special! I started using my pretty moleskine on the first day of January; it's my thought-keeper for 2012!

I wear my Nell hat quite often; it's so luxurious in its wool & bamboo yarn goodness! The perfect shade of blue, too. I adore Lisa's doily blankets (think of an extra large doily that you cozy up under!) & might just have to get one for my couch.

I won a gift certificate to use at Bark Decor over at the delightful i heart this blog and immediately dived into the shop to sort out what I would buy. The thing is, I love everything at Bark Decor. EVERYTHING. So, how could I possibly just pick one thing? Right. So, I picked three things!

1. a going hunting circle scarf

2. an arrow necklace

3. a catalope flour sack towel

Let me tell you, it was not easy to choose. I also wanted a pillow & a ghost banjo owl tank top. I'll probably be back for more later. I am so smitten with the goodies I did get, that it won't be hard to be a returning customer!

{the Catalope ate my cat! teehee!}

Just to recap who these delightful artisans are, here's their links:

GoodKnits : blog : etsy : twitter

Bark Decor : website : etsy : facebook

Have you gotten yourself some handmade (Etsy or otherwise) love lately? If so, do share!

I did a lot of local handmade shopping for the holidays, which felt fabulous, as well as some choice Etsy purchases (not all for me - I did buy for others, too!). I'll have more happy handmade goodies to share in future posts, including a wonderful gift that was given to me at Christmas.

with joy,

Caren

why I don't want to leave the house today...

2012-01-03T12:09:00.001-05:00

Puppydog eyes and yummy foamy lattes make me want to stay home and stay warm!

When Grace woke up this morning, she ran out into the living room & leapt on my lap & gave me the exact look you see below. She then curled up in a ball, with her head curled on my arm. I tells ya, how does a girl hope to achieve anything in a day with a warm puppy on her lap?!

To make matters worse, I made the prettiest of all lattes right before Grace joined me. So, not only was there puppy cuteness, there was foamy honey-topped latte goodness!

It's a good day. The sun is shining, the snow is glistening, and this girl is warm & fuzzy.

{had to do it : an animated gif of Grace face!}

I hope you find warmth & sweetness today, too, my dear chickadees!

with joy,

Caren & Grace

the one with the What I Wore bad photos...

2012-01-02T23:34:00.002-05:00

I bought this cute lil dress today; it was a perfect fit & even had 3/4 sleeves (my favourite!). The pattern to the dress is what drew me to it and as soon as I put it on, I knew it would pair perfectly with my black leggings or my grey cable knit tights. Then I stood in front of the hallway mirror & took silly self-portraits. Of course, the lighting sucks and the background is clutterville, but i think the little critters on the shelf & the halo-lighting-effect makes up for that!

What did I wear, you ask? A grey & black patterned dress from Sears (!!) & a crazy sale steal (40% off of clearance price). Black leggings also from Sears (!!) for $4.

Yup, I'm a Sears shopper. It's like thrifting for me; you wade through all the crap until you find a gem & that gem is always on sale.

Okay, so this isn't really up to par with "What I Wore" posts in the blogworld, but hey, I tried! I figure 2012 is a brand new year, so why not try something new? I will attempt to do this more often; it really stretches ones comfort level to pose all cutesy-like in front of a camera.

with joy,

Caren

p.s. hey! look at my hair! I just realized how long it's getting. neat. :)

Hello 2012 : a mix of pretty pictures and deep thoughts

2012-01-01T03:10:00.001-05:00

2011 ... it was a good year:

full of dear friends, finding new paths, copious amounts of tea, hanging art on walls, focusing more on film photography, lots of day trips, planning Paris, losing sleep, hosting two yard sales, finding myself in the pages of Uppercase (literally & figuratively), learning to let go, being a part of the sweetest blogger tea party, having my face stitched by Lucky Jackson, getting fabulous new floors installed post-sewage-backup-crisis & so much more.

{above: the sweet Blogger Tea Party! I'm the one with the biker boots.}

{above: a rare photo of my sister & I, her 2 daughters & our mom}

{above: I even had a bit of pink in my hair for awhile!}

{above: I finally painted my bedroom white & bought a new bedspread!}

{above: evidence of my tea addiction}

{above: got myself a ukulele!}

2012 is a brand new year, one that will be filled up with the good & the bad that comes in Life. The important thing is to start each day anew; to let go of those anxious/stressful/hurting thoughts and know deep-down-inside that everything's going to be okay.

I used to hate it when people said that to me. I felt patronized and belittled. That my pain wasn't real and that "they" just didn't understand. But it's true. Everything is okay. It's not perfect, nor is it (Life) what I pictured it would be - but it's good. It's real. It's mine. It's better than okay.

Looking towards 2012: I'm starting yoga again in just a few weeks. I'm so excited to let my body learn to be more flexible (and my mind!). I am also dedicating a lot of my focus on creating art. First, though, comes the reintegration of life in my apartment (i.e. moving back in). Then the rest of my focus will be on wellness, and all of the aspects in which that word encompasses.

In an odd way, the wretchedly stressful sewage backup scenario my little home experienced (+ the hit it took on my health) in early November has been a blessing. It's funny how unexpected (stressful) moments can bring about positive* change.
*if you let it!

The last day of 2011 was a pretty damn crappy one in my little world, and I think that's just fine. It was a day where nothing went right and I emitted a heckuva lot of negative energy. I woke up sicker than ever, broke my windshield wiper (which caused me to become a swearing monster version of myself), spent too much money on medicine to combat my symptoms, ate Kraft Dinner by myself on New Year's Eve, and went to bed by 9pm.
During this crappy day, I was given a book called "Everyday Matters" by Danny Gregory. This little memoir was the perfect gift to be given to me at that exact moment (thank you Rebecca!). Because everyday does matter. In every little way. The ups and downs, the contents of your medicine cabinet (you have to read the book to know what I mean by that), how one misstep can cause a forever change, how important it is to really *see* what's around you, and to live the Life you live in.

The first day of 2012 will be an awesome one. To quote Star Trek's Picard, I am going to "make it so". See? It's already an awesome day ... I just quoted Picard!

I hope it will be awesome (or is, or has been, depending on where you are in the world!) for you, too.

with renewed joy,

Caren
p.s. wow, am I ever introspective! must be the nighttime sinus meds I'm on...

"i thank you god for most this amazing day; for leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of a sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes." -e.e.cummings

what are you doing New Year's eve?

2011-12-30T05:25:00.000-05:00

What Are You Doing New Years Eve? by Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I saw this wee video being tweeted by every other twitter account in my activity feed, and after ignoring it for the first 20+ times, I finally clicked on the link. Kinda happy I did! Terribly sweet duet. Makes me want to pick up my ukulele & sing ... although my voice is kind of lacking the ability to, y'know, keep a tune. Nor do I have a cutie-patootie like JGL by my side. Anyhoo, I hope it brings you a little smile!

As for what I'm doing New Year's Eve? The most I hope to achieve is rent a movie and wear PJs whilst eating cake & drinking mimosas. I've never been a huge fan of New Year's festivities, and much prefer ringing it in quietly and comfortably. Admittedly, though, if my apartment was finished its remake and I wasn't currently sick with the never-ending cold/flu/sinusitis/whatever-the-heck-this-is, I'd probably have a friend or two (or six) over to help celebrate. Probably with a ukulele in hand & a pretty frock on!

Hope your New Year's weekend is all that you want it to be, whether it's cocooned in your home with your loved ones or out amongst the revelers wearing sequins* & (responsibly) imbibing!
*because sequins are so necessary!

with joy,
Caren

New Year Thoughts: finding quiet pockets of time

2011-12-28T17:41:00.000-05:00

{above: look carefully & you'll see Gracie's wee bum running in the opposite direction!}

On Christmas Day, I took Grace for a little walk. It was overcast and the snow that had fell that morning had mostly melted. The trail was muddy, and the birds were quiet. Everything was still, as if nature was taking this exact moment to reflect, to listen, to breathe. Every once in a while, another person and their dog would pass our path - and it was if Grace knew that it was not right to ruin the quietness as she did not bark her usual hello.

I had dressed up for Christmas, wearing a forest green dress and a freshly thrifted apron which I immediately deemed my Christmas apron. It has bright red strawberries, dainty white blossoms, bright green leaves and best of all it has cheerful little pockets tied with red ribbons. I felt quite festive walking the muddy wet trail in my pretty frock, which was set off by my tall plaid winter boots.

It's important to take a breadth of time to find the quiet moments, especially during the holiday season when it can sometimes be overwhelming. It's part of having a healthy self-care regime; some may deem it meditation or prayerfulness. For me, it's finding quiet pockets of time amongst the trees.

My hope for you, my dear chickadees, is that you can find those pockets of quiet when you need them. With the upcoming new year just around the corner, it's a good time to start adding a bit more self-care into our routines. I hope to find more of those pockets in the pages of a book. I used to be a voracious reader, but somehow I let the stresses of Life take away that simple pleasure. The fact I have 5 new books, thanks to generous Christmas gifts, to read definitely gives me a push in the reading direction!

with thoughtful joy,

Caren

Christmas scenes from Tea & Chickadees!

2011-12-25T00:23:00.000-05:00

{above: a vintage deer ornament I recently found whilst antiquing; she makes my tree happier!}

{above: the most recent addition to my ornament collection! an owl from a dear friend - thanks Karen!}

{above: doing some simple wrapping with a mug full of tea close by}

{above: my messy wrapping & Christmas card zone & a mug full of tea}

{above: Strongpaw & Gracie are "helping" me wrap!}

{above: Strongpaw loves Christmastime - all the papery crinkle sounds make her go crazy!}

{above: a bag full of Christmas! I used tissue paper, vintage pillow boxes & vintage wrapping paper}

{above: stickers were my go-to Christmas accessories for fancying up brown paper lunch bags!}

I love coming up with new ways to wrap gifts every year. This year I got lucky when I found a stash of unused vintage pillow boxes & wrapping paper! I also love using tissue paper to wrap with - my cat agrees with this choice; she loves how tissue paper sounds!

I picked up a couple of rolls of Christmasy stickers to use for decorating, and then found a stack of name tag stickers with owls on them! I swooned when I saw them & knew they'd be perfect labels for my cookie packages. I'm finding myself sticking stickers on every surface now ... terribly addictive, the act of sticking.

Oh, and then there's the time I attempted to put antlers on Grace's head to take cute Christmasy photos of her. Below shows you just how well that went over! (I also attempted to do likewise with Strongpaw ... note, there is no photographic evidence of that event)

Merry Christmas all you sweet chickadees! I hope you find love, peace and sweetness all around you!

I'm spending my Christmas Day with my mom & dog & cat - a nice quiet day eating good food, opening special gifts, watching Doctor Who (there's an all day marathon on Space! woot!) and movies. Probably will throw in a game of Scrabble, too, just because. I love a quiet Christmas!

A fun Christmas tradition is The Noisy Plume's Christmas Tree Photo Contest! If you don't know about this annual event, it's on one of my favourite blogs & it's where folks submit a Christmas tree photo & the public votes on the winning photo. I submitted one (my 3rd time entering the contest!) of my little deer ornament. Pop on over & take a boo at all the lovely trees and vote for your favourite.

with mistletoe & sugar plums,

Caren

looking to the new year : 2012 calendars

2011-12-22T06:15:00.000-05:00

I've been enjoying other blogs' posts sharing 2012 calendar finds, and decided I wanted to do likewise. I love calendar art, but funnily enough, I hardly ever use calendars! I tend to forget to switch to the new month. Last year, I used My Owl Barn's awesome free downloadable/customizable owl calendar - and will do so again this year, as it's just so owlful!

I've also decided that what I need for 2012 is a poster calendar - the entire year mapped out on one pretty page to pin up on a deserving wall. Here's a small selection that I've found on Etsy:

{click on individual images to visit the artist's listing}

And if that wasn't enough calendar love, here's a treasury I made in the wee hours of the morn:

Are you a fan of calendars? Or do you use technology to keep you informed on days/dates?

I tend to be a fan of paper (or fabric!) calendars, just like I prefer a real-life card/letter to their digital counterparts. There's something about the tangibleness of something you can hold in your hand, mark up with pen, and perhaps even reuse after its original purpose is done.

*note: paper used from renewable/sustainable/recycled sources is an important factor in my decision making! even though I love paper, I love it responsibly. ;)

with thoughtful joy,

Caren

Christmas isn't Christmas until Russian Tea Balls are baked...

2011-12-21T13:20:00.000-05:00

{above : wearing my apron smock to ensure the icing sugar doesn't get all over me!}

Yesterday, I started my annual Christmas baking event. I knew I had to get my Russian Tea Balls made, as I am bringing some to a family-friend gathering this week. Also, Christmastime isn't real to me until these cookies are baked; they are my go-to holiday cookie! It could be their wintry cloak of icing sugar that does the trick, or the melt-in-the-mouth buttery goodness ... either way, these little balls are worthy of Christmas!

This year, I baked in my mom's kitchen, due to my apartment's continued state of construction. I brought my trusty old Kenwood Chef mixer with me, though, because baking is just not the same without her. She's the best, most hard-working mixer! The 'Chef' was a gift to my parents on their wedding day in 1956. I was lucky enough to get my hands on it when my mom decided it was too big for her space. yay!

{above : the happy little sugary cookie balls!}

I have previously blogged the recipe of these delightful little morsels, so won't repeat myself. If you've been a long-time follower of this blog, I do apologize for repeating myself... but, Russian Tea Balls are worthy of duplicate posts!

with cookie joy,

Caren

the one with the happy distractions.

2011-12-17T19:43:00.000-05:00

I'm always been a person who sees/cherishes the little things - allowing myself to be distracted from Life's daily routines & realities. I've lost a little of that ability recently, but Grace & Strongpaw are my constant reminder. Their furry little selves can bring me a welcome distraction, if I take the time to appreciate the moments.
Take, for instance, the fact that Grace likes to burrow under my bed's many blankets - the moment she snuffles her way out from under, her face all sleepy, melts away any stresses I might have had.
As for Strongpaw, any time she deigns to give me (perchance to purr?!) is a sweet one. In the above photo, she steals the spotlight from Grace, who is watching the outside world on a high vantage point. I love how my little Christmas tree is glistening in the background.
A new day always brings a fresh viewpoint, and after writing yesterday's post I already feel lighter and brighter. The moldy smell is dissipating in my apartment, and dreams of redecorating a fresh clean home is making me want to paint all of my walls white before I move in again.
It's good to be distracted now & then.
with joy,
Caren

comfort in a cup of tea AKA how I cope with stress

2011-12-17T00:07:00.000-05:00

above : taking time out to sip some tea at my favourite restaurant, Starlight Dining Lounge

below : why I need a time-out

my foyer, where mold was found underneath the original vinyl flooring

above: the Daleks are coming! run away!

for those of you who watch Doctor Who, I salute you.

above: the bathroom, where sewage backups reign supreme.

(okay, not really. only once, but grossly so)

above: the remnants of my kitchen... in my living room.

So, do you recall my mentioning how I've been displaced for the past month+ after a bit of an icky thing happened in my apartment (in the name of sewage backup & major main pipe surgery)? Well, just when I thought things were finally on the up-swing, in the form of the laying of new floors - yet another disaster was found beneath the original flooring. The subfloor and the concrete below were WET. All because of improperly installed flooring. It seems the concrete couldn't breathe, so basically just wet itself into the vinyl floor underlay. That was the kitchen. That was bad enough.

Then they (a great group of guys, in actual fact) decided to check out what was under the floors in my foyer. Guess what they found? Yup! More wet, and this time with the extra bonus points of stinky icky black mold! Mold was already found in my bathroom during the clean-up/restoration post-sewage backup issue. I wasn't prepared for more mold to be unleashed upon my super-duper-sensitive immune system.

Suffice it to say, the new floors have not been installed. Instead, we had to go on mold patrol. Dry out the floors, spray the mold, etc etc. Also, I had to pack up my kitchen belongings, with the help of my dear mom, so that the workers could *remove* my kitchen cabinets in order to fix any other issues before laying the floor.

I fear what they might find when they look under the original flooring in my office and furnace room.

For now, though, I am told everything is coming along ticketyboo & I might even see my apartment finished by next Friday!

I never thought I'd see it done before Christmas ... but I'm also not holding my breath.

It seems everytime I turn around, something new and dreadful is revealed.

I'm pretty tired.

Of all the new things.

All I want for Christmas is the comfort of tradition... and no more mold!

with little bits of joy found in a cup of tea,

Caren

p.s. the night that the wet moldy floors were found, I turned to beer & wings to soothe my stress. tea is a much, much healthier option... but perhaps not quite as tasty. ;)

Owls : Anthropologie found

2011-12-13T01:18:00.000-05:00

Remember my West Elm owl finds post? Well, now it's time for a good old fashioned Anthropologie one! I've shared some owl favourites from Anthropologie before, but I thought I'd put them all together in one post for the eye candy of it all.

I swoon over these owls. I want to bring them all home with me.

Fill the owl cookie jar with home baked cookies. Dry off my dishes with the embroidered owl tea towel. Keep my back door open with the owl door stopper. Oh, and yes, update my light switches to owl switchplates!

1 owl cookie jar 2 owl door stopper 3 owls tea towel 4 owl switchplate

the owl 'loungers': I want these. I would wear them everyday.

I am so easy to buy for. If it's got an owl on it, I'll probably be pretty happy.

If it's an owl on lounge pants, all the happier!

... how did I become such an owl freakazoid? (don't worry, that's a rhetorical question)

with owlful joy.

Caren