Five Faves Friday - Favourite Decor Books of 2011

This list was hard to narrow down!
My five Favourite Decor / Design / Style Books of 2011

1. Nomad ... & Etcetera (Sibella Court)
2. Dottie Angel (Tif Fussell)
3. Decorate (Holly Becker)
4. A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign of a Misspent Life (Mary Randolph Carter)
5. Creative Walls (Geraldine James)
6. Pale & Interesting (Atlanta Bartlett)


okay, I can't count :)

Andy's pajamas

Andy patiently awaits breakfast in his super cute pajamas ...(he loves them)(really -- he is the best dog ever for dressing up -- he pushes his head through when you ask him, and lifts up his paws to put them into the sleeves).

A year of living frugally

(frugal - 4x6 -- made from stuff that was already on my desk)

I am challenging myself in 2012 to a year without retail -- in-store or online shopping. This is not something I'm undertaking lightly. I am very serious and committed to this. Why? Because I feel that I'm buying things that I don't truly need. Last year (2010) I read Annie Leonard's book "The Story of STuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health -- and a Vision for Change". Read it or read about it if you like. don't worry -- I'm not going to try to brainwash anyone into joining me. This is my journey, not yours :)

I am going to (try to) buy only consumable items for the whole year. Consumables include toiletries -- I might need to buy some antiperspirant sometime during the year and I don't want anyone else to have to suffer through my challenge :).

My exceptions will be books if they are gifts or for my classroom -- I live a few blocks from the library and really should be using it more than I do-- and anything that I already have that breaks and needs to be replaced (like my washing machine that currently needs replacing) (and something like a toner cartridge for my printer -- printing report cards and newsletters, etc. is part of my job).

I think that I'll allow myself exceptions at thrift shops and yard sales... (and I get to use up the gift cards that I currently have -- those were GIFTS to me-- and I have one for the Workroom and to Deserres to use when I really need an art fix :)

I have enough art supplies to get me through the year (okay, to get me through a lifetime). Enough paper, tape and staples...

I have enough clothes. And plenty of fabric if I run out.... I even have enough thread...

I certainly have enough stuff... too much stuff....

So, if you are getting a gift from me, or a trade in 2012, it will either be thrifted or handmade using materials that I already have. Or it will be edible -- I promise that I won't use any thrifted ingredients to make food, lol.

Anyone care to join me in this challenge? I am going to list every single purchase that I have made and then publish it at the end of each month (Mr. B buys the groceries, so I should be able to "balance" my wallet).

The part that I anticipate as difficult will be the online shopping, and the book buying. And the magazine buying. Wish me luck!!

(my word of the year this year is "frugal" -- and it's not even a pretty word, like meander was in 2009, remarkable in 2010 and content in 2011)

starting balance in my wallet:
$100

Happy New Year!

Source: brentfosterphotography.com via Martha on Pinterest

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

I will be spending a quiet evening with friends.....

Five Faves Friday! Favourite Fiction Books of 2011

My favourite fiction books that I read this year (not necessarily published this year)

1. Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2. Come, Thou Tortoise (Jessica Grant)
3. Room (Emma Donoghue)
4. The Red Queen (Philippa Gregory)
5. Never Look Away (Linwood Barclay)

13 Days of Christmas - Day 9,10,11,12,13

oops... I kind of dropped the ball on the 13 Days of Christmas! I was too too busy with school and preparations at home. I didn't even get my tree decorated for Christmas! That's okay, because my mom had a beautiful tree and I was able to spend 4 days looking at it!

Back to the 13 Days...
(Most of the unwrapped images were taken from Leslie Brier's blog -- because I forgot all of the gifts and my camera at school for the holidays... )

Day 9 was Hope

Hope made these beautiful pins --she is so talented at painting faces... my pin is actually a bit darker grey/ blue and goes with my grey sweaters perfectly!


Day 10 was Terrie. The clasp on the bag is a vintage candle clip for a Christmas tree!


Inside was a pretty ornament -- vintage sheet music wrapped around a wooden spool -- it has the perfect amount of glitter on it, and looks fantastic on my little tree! (I have a twig tree up that carries all of my 13 days ornaments from this year and years past)


Day 11 was Linda Morgan


Linda made beautiful assemblage dolls --= the arms and legs are vintage doll parts uneartherd (literally) in Germany.
Day 12 was Terry

-- she made us these super cute birds -- I love the eyelash detail and the plumage :)


Day 13 was Pat Winter


Pat made us each a pin -- it is very romantic and filled with lavender so it smells so pretty!


So many of us made ornaments this year! Our instructions simply said to make a gift for each person in the group. I'm glad that some people made pins though -- I can wear them all year round :)

Next up with this group is a Valentine Charm swap (not a 12 Days or 14 days -- just a simple swap)... I'm off now to start sketching charms !

13 Days of Christmas - Day 8

Day 8 was from Corinne


This garland is BEAUTIFUL! The photo doesn't do it justice at all. I have this hung in my kitchen doorway now. It looks fabulous!


Thank you, Corinne!

13 Days of Christmas - Day 7

Day 7 is Vivian!
Viv is fabulous at making very detailed little bundles of whimsy!
This is the group of them (photo from Viv's blog)

13) Days of Christmas - Day 6

Day 6 is me!


This is my gift all wrapped up. I recycled a bird seed sack and cut it into small pieces, sewed them into small pouches and then stamped a 6 on each one. then I punched some holes in then and tied them up with yarn. I love white and red. So pretty......

I made some decoupaged glass ornaments. First I made collages and then I decoupaged them on to the backs of glass hearts.


Then I collaged the backs. SO one side is under glass and one side isn't.


I'm sure that everyone expected a stitched ornament (or gift) from me this year. I hope that I didn't disappoint anyone! I really wanted to try these :)

13 Days of Christmas - Day 3,4,5

Oops -- I went awol for a few days -- I even missed Five Faves Friday! (it will return next Friday)

Day 3


Day 3 is Elizabeth. Elizabeth was our lovely hostess. I give many thanks to any American host of a swap that has me in it. Not because I'm difficult, lol, but because they have to do extra work to get my package back to Canada. THANKS for having me, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth made us pretty hanging fabric cones. She sun-printed the fabric herself. It is so pretty and this photo really doesn't do it justice :)


Day 4

Day 4 was Leslie.
She made these super cute little snowmen and trees in a basket. They are so fun in the tree!
Here is a shot of them from Leslie's blog -- I love them all grouped together!


Day 5

On the fifth day of Christmas Patti and Elizabeth were channeling each other :) Patti made ths sweet vintage cone. It was nicely wrapped in a piece of muslin (all ready for me to use when I make some fabric tags for Christmas gifts)

13 Days of Christmas - Day 2

Day 2 was from Mary Zimany!


I love Mary's packaging. I'm not sure if she put the bags through a printer, or not. I'll report back on that :)

Again, some hard-to-photograph glass...
This is very 3D inside a watchmakers case. It is so pretty. I'm going to have THE BEST tree this year!!

13 Days of Christmas!! Day 1!

Our 13 Days of Christmas started of a bit later than intended (we were supposed to start opening on December 1), because Canada Post decided not to be super speedy :) But the gifties are finally here safe and sound! Let the rumpus begin!

These are all of the wrapped gifts:


I've decided to open Day 1, 2, 3 and 4 all at school this week to make it easier to photograph. Won't all of my teacher friends be jealous?

Day 1 is from the WONDERFUL Barbara Burkhard!

Here it is all wrapped in black and white splendor...


And inside was this beautiful delicate ornament! So difficult to photograph, but I didn't do a bad job, I don't think. It is a clear glass ball with a transparency inside. I've seen tutorials of these around blogland lately -- and I think that barb did a fabulous job!!!


The ornament was nestled inside of this pretty winter cuff.


Barb has set the bar high for the rest of us to follow!!!
Thanks Barb :)

Another simple card

This is one of my favourite cards. I love the simplicity. And the pine cone stamp is fabulous, isn't it?

Holiday cards 2011!

I've been making cards! (not that I've had much time with all of these craft shows to visit :)


I like the simplicity of these... and of course, using up fabric bits is high on my priority list...


But I love playing with washi tape too!

Five Faves Friday! Salty Snacks

I love salty snacks. Problem is, sometimes I eat a whole meal while I'm snacking.

My favourite salty snacks!
1. Cheese and crackers (Triscuits or Wheat Thins)
2. Plain ripple chips
3. Nuts and Bolts (Bits and Bites)
4. Nuts -- Peanuts, almonds, pistachios....
5. Olives

Wychwood Barns Holiday Art Market

December 4th & 11th, 2011
Barns Holiday Art Market (at Artscape)
Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street , Toronto
12-5

OOAK - Stacy Cameron

Another one of my favourite OOAK artists is Stacy Cameron. Stacy makes BEAUTIFUL jewelry from silver and copper. I have many of her pieces! She's in booth O-06. She'll be filling up her etsy shop after the show, so be sure to check it out in December.

OOAK Danielle Hession

If you are in Toronto, don't forget to go to the One of a Kind show this week! It's on until December 4. (10am-9pm Mon-Sat. Closes at 6 on Sunday)


Please stop in and see Danielle Hession. She's in booth K 53. This is the first year that she's done this show, but I've purchased work from her in many sales all over the city! She has so many beautiful collages this year... it will be hard for me to choose only one when I go back today!