~Craft..a~holic~ All my life~

 Lucas and Max at one of their games..

Lucas' blanket... school colors..Max is next..

 Noah and his dad went to Hogan..Alain's hunting cottage( ok shack..w/ an outhouse) the setting is out of this world..Noah had a great time..so many beautiful videos and pics his dad took..
like the one below.I love that Noah did this..he drove an ATV..w/ Alain..but he drove..this tiny camera Alain has is MARVELOUS.

Photo above courtesy of Alain~ Noah's dad~

Crafts....I guess from Crayolas to Prismacolor as a child..then a very very long hiatus..

But once married..I took up stitching with a passion..making soo many crewel pictures for our home..while the girls slept..I stitched..:)
I made them matching dresses..:) With Velcro bacause I didnt know how to do buttonholes..all my cute little patterns♥
Fabric and patterns were way cheaper than clothes..not anymore..clothes are cheaper.
We had a super tight budget.I did not work outside our home until both girls were in school..
There wasn't any type of social media..I was 21 w/ a baby and no friends of mine had any..they were traveling and going to clubs etc:)
I never missed that.I had a few yrs of those empty years..not for me.

I am eternally grateful to every mentor that came into my life..ya'll (;) ) know who you are..
I did give craft classes in our basement to nice nice women.
And wallpapered a few homes..and did Mary Kay:)
But that was it really..
Then I worked and fit in crafts when and where I could..ceramics..tole painting..etc..a watercolor class or two..

Made gifts..
Tried calligraphy.
Paid for my real estate course by attending a huge craft fair..
It went well.
Today people are so TALENTED and creative..perhaps they were back then too but I never saw it until blogs and then the internet blew up with so much to see.
I'm a jack of all trades master of none..
But how I LOVE to play ..
w/ pens and pencils and paints and stickers and felt and needles and thread..yarn and hooks and watercolors and pastels..cameras..and seeds and dirt.Spatulas and ingredients and cake pans lol..Cookie cutters and more than an Easy Bake Oven;)

And I am so very very grateful to have this love.
I encourage you to try..anything.
You never know when being able to create on your own..can become a life raft..

A companion..a friend..
Zen moments.

Books can do that too.

There's nothing wrong w/ your own company.:)
A loyal friend;)

Press some flowers..Mod Podge them on a pumpkin..cheap and cheerful.
Learn a stitch or two..That crochet? OMG I spent hours watching Youtube after being inspired by many..
If someone can sit beside you and show you..ask:)
Same w/ needlepoint or crewel..

You can..everyone can make a blanket.I promise.
If I can you can.

Color..paint..draw..
And if you have a chance..

Go see..

Bon Weekend:)

Sunshine is all around me! Yet here are moody shots;)

Food for thought~

When I saw Linda's IG post about this Apple Fritter Bread on IG..I knew I had to..make it:)So I went to where she sent me:) Here.

When I saw Suzie's IG post ..I knew I had to go to her blog and get the recipe!

Being INSPIRED..
my fave learning curve♥

And these were delicious too!

From Diane Morrisey on IG again.
This flat bread from Adonis..toasted w/ roasted tomatoes..garlic ..honey..and a baked goat cheese round..I love Nonna's balsamic Glaze Drizzle to bits.

Below..my new FAVE date squares..for now;)
I have been making date squares for 45 yrs..so many versions..
this one w/ coconut..in the crumble..and butter in the filling..caught my eye.
You can find the recipe ..here..

Below..
This chintz loving light loving yellow loving girl has a hidden secret:)
We have a Game..of Thrones..ish dining room.
perfect for darker moody looks..lol
Lots of windows..gratefully..

Chair backs and drawer pulls..that green paint..my mom was an artist..is it hers?

I am so INSPIRED lol by all the dark and moody shots on IG..

So the only area that can be dark and moody here ..really..is our dining room.

It has followed me ..all the days of my life..

It followed my dad..all the days of his life..

His dad..would be maybe 130 yrs old?

As my dad would be..107..so his dad would be more.

I never met him..my grandfather..

But I do know he was well known..well loved..accomplished.
A judge.

The dining room set we have had for 46 yrs..belonged to my mom and dad..

He had inherited it from his dad..the judge..

M.Le Juge ..used this table..chairs..buffet and an ornate beveled glass curio/china cabinet for his..chambers.
16 chairs ..many panels.

I use 4 chairs and keep 2 to the side..

One of my daughters ..may use many panels and make way better use of it.
But everywhere we moved to....
I made sure the table ..in it's square form..no leaves....sat 4..fit.
Mahogany..Jacobean..
It won't matter once I am gone..I won't know..but I would hope it stays in the family.

Lucas loved hiding under  all the beautiful ornate legs..he loved jumping on our bed and furniture too..LOL and we laughed..

Only Oli..has been a bit like Lucas and jumped on sofas:)

When our whole family is here..it is not at it's best this dining room style wise;)

Cramped..mismatched chairs..

But..
I have my favorite people in the world around me♥

It looks fab..in it's present state..antique wise..I could get a toothbrush in all those nooks and crannies..but no..

Family wise..tablesetting..it's more a cartoon..and I need to laugh.Less now w/out high chairs and I MISS those days..

Like I will miss these.

It all ends in a few days but we are in forr a last hurrah summer weekend..This weather has been nothing short of stellar with crisp mornings and evenings and blue skies..with still lots of blooms around.
Russian Sage..zinnias..hydrangeas..roses..not many but still some roses..and sedum.
Have a nice weekend~

Beauty Days~

Garden dept:)

Sedum is a magnet.For so many little flying treasures.
I could watch and watch and watch.

Art dept;)

Fun watercolor books..Arteza..cheap and cheerful..good for mixed media..3 books to a pack.Amazon:)

Baking dept..

With Sarah's little beehive cakelet pan..I dressed up my sideboard for DA:)Hope to see it:)

In other news..

I am often complaining that we NEVER go downtown anymore..unless we have an appointment.
Years ago..it was fun to go to the markets..Little Italy..Old Montreal..

the last 3 yrs have been utter chaos for us.

I live in the country surrounded ..by..shhh......
and butterflies and bees ..
Here I just look about and see the sky..

In the city you must look up.

We went yesterday..

Took 1.5 hrs to get there.
It's really 45 mins from here.

Our beautiful city is still beautiful but..as even downtowners will say Orange ConeVille  these days..Huge new hospitals being built..interchanges....wow.
All my old Ipad/pics..through the window and not.

Detour is règle du jour.

Men at work..wait..women too..many many ..at work are everywhere.

How the merchants are surviving all this is beyond me.

These brave guys I tell ya..

Imagine  me alone w/ no sense of direction..Oh lala.

Rue Barrée..means Road Closed..OMG..what would I do? CRY.

Everything is in French here.
But you will find the majority can speak English in stores downtown and in Old Montreal.
I live in an English enclave.
I have the very best of both worlds.
I was brought up syaing Oui and Yes in the same breath.

All my primary and secondary schooling was done in French.
College..English..
and then McGill University..English.

My family is bilingual..from the biggest to the littlest.
It's a gift really.
I am always grateful.


It's like most cosmopolitan cities..lots of black..lots of men in suits..lots of men in tight suits now..tight jackets shorter pants and jackets..
Lots of BEAUTIFUL people.
The shortest skirts.. the tallest heels..

Don't wear orange lol.

To me Montréal is so beautiful..the architecture..the boroughs..
The trees..the Old part..truly a city to be so proud of.I grew up there until the age of 10.
Then we moved to the suburbs.
As a young bride..we moved to the country.

It's been over 43 yrs..

I have been sort of gardening..not much to do in Sept..
Crocheting..
Working on a Lucas blanket..went and bought Max blanket yarn:)

At Michaels..I picked up a small bid 60% off and it just fell  and broke it's tail.
My husband was in tears when I tell him what I did..what I always do.
I brought it to a clerk and told them and asked if I should pay for it.
Don't worry they said.

ME? Not worry.
Fat Chance.
Have a great weekend.
I'll be enjoying quietude.And watching the leaves change as I speak..

No football this w/e..they are palying out of town..last weekend we watched Lucas and Max now both on the same high school team.
I only have eyes for them.

Beautiful seeing 2 brothers together..
The Littlest..played elsewhere and we couldn't be in 2 places..

This is the kind of Little he is..

3 touchdowns.. 3 injuries.

:(

He gets up and keeps going..never complains..

He lives breathes and eats football.

That's not an unhappy face..that's a focused face on how can I win this game with my team.

I adore all my 4 grandsons.

They are my sweet..funny..lovely and loving rewards of my later  life.

~I'll See You..In September~

Looking so forward to trying this out:):)Below..and I will soon:)

Thoughtful,thoughtful girl sent this ..she knew I had ordered it and it never came then was unavailable..

How NICE.♥

Many Thanks  ..Sarah..

everyone that knows Sarah..loves Sarah.

Above..I took an online class ..Mindy Lacefield..

go see..you will be happy you did:)

Waning waning Summer... yet so pretty at many moments ,and much needed rain has fallen~

I love having a variety of tomatoes as much as flowers believe it or not..

I made tomato jam..that leads to THIS RECIPE~

It is AMAZING.

I have better luck toasting my home made baguette slices  in my toaster..(we fell in love w/ a particular one in our apartment in Paris..)and found one here..it toasts a few slices at once..lenghtwise♥
Then I rub w/ my garlic..
Spread that NRJJ spread on top and you are in like Flint.

The figs have been so beautiful we eat one a day at lunch..
and I've made some tortes w/ them.

I am grateful we kind of renovated our small breezeway/screened-in porch w/ windows and new doors..Everything stays cleaner and I love looking out front and out back through the new doors.

More windows to wash..but worth it.

I live in such a great neighbourhood.
Great neighbours.
♥
5 of which you hear about regularly;)

With Instagram ..I forget what I have talked about here..but I am not ready to jump the wagon on blogging.
Blogging is where I met such wonderful people.
I am not ready to let that go.

And my husband reads my blog and knows most of you.

So many connections have been lost with the other venues..
But I hang onto things lol..

So that cute book  above is so worth buying..the Joanna Gaines book..We Are The Gardeners..  for the art and the words..for me and ..more youthful people;)
I love it..
and I love ALL the others I have pictured here.They are not how to books..they are..:Oh I just love looking at these books books.
I will never part with them;)

It's time to start saving seeds..tomatoes..calendula..poppies..(done a while ago)..4 O'Clocks ..etc..

Soon..not yet..I'll be preparing beds for garlic..

So many cool songs for September:)

The Happenings ..;) 

Go see..
Oli turns 10..Sunday..double digit delightful.
He is.♥
Have a good weekend!