This Is Christine's Life

A Room With A View

2010-09-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

I never really thought I needed a room with a view. For the last 8 years I have lived with a view of a building that is 20 feet from my window. But when I travel, I have a need for a view. I went to New York City, stayed in Times Square on the 18th floor and had a view of a building. I went to Chicago and had a room on the 23rd floor at a hotel on the river and had a view of the other side of the building through the court yard. So, the next time I went to Chicago, I paid extra for the Room with a View!

We stayed at the Congress Plaza Hotel, not the nicest hotel. It is old and shows its age, but I had a room with a view. Straight in front of me was Buckingham Fountain, with Lake Michigan behind it. Every hour on the hour the fountain would spray water way up into the air! I could sit there all day and gaze out my window. As I watched it I thought of many things, including new projects to work on! At night I would lie on the bed and watch the fountain. It made me think that a Room with a View is something I desire out of life. Will I get it? Probably not. I will continue to look at the uninspiring view of the yellow building. If I step outside, I do have a view of the CN Tower, but the side walk isn't a comfortable place to hang out. But I do know, from now on when I travel, I am looking for that view! It is worth the extra money!!

What is your Addiction?

2010-06-28T15:46:00.001-07:00

I have many addictions. If you are a Scrapbooker or Paper Crafter you too probably have an addiction or two. But my addictions go past some paper and glitter!

I am addicted to Art Supplies!! I am a Jack-of-all-Trades. I can't stop with one medium. I have acrylic paints, then Fluid Acrylics, Shiva Paintstiks, watercolours, Copics, Prisma Pencil Crayons and PanPastels on the way!! Plus dye inks, pigment inks, distress inks, alcohol inks and solvent inks. Glimmer mists in a pile of colours, luminarte sprays and Adirondak Sprays! For me scrapbooking is about trying new techniques and getting messy!!

And how do I learn all these new techniques? Why books and magazines of course. You can't judge a book by it's cover, but if it pretty I will buy it!! I love to buy books!! I love to read the instructions and look at the pretty pictures. I love paper crafting books from Japan! I can't read it, but the pictures are still pretty and I can totally get inspired by the way they look at design. Plus almost all magazines from Somerset!! They are all so inspiring that I can't bare to get rid of them!!

My next addiction is Dies. I love the dies by Quickutz and the new dies by Tim Holtz released through Sizzix. I also have a pile of Spellbinder dies! The good thing is that they don't take up too much space! I could easily use my dies in every project I do. From an alphabet, to a label design to a cute shape!! I love to use my dies!!

Outside of the paper crafting world I also collect Blythe Dolls, which can be a bit on the pricey side! My collection has held at 10 dolls for a while now. But there is always clothing to buy. Between Etsy, Brilliant Haute Couture and This Is Blythe I could spend a pile of money!!

Then there are necklaces - I have to avoid Anthropology. I am guaranteed to buy a necklace every time I enter the store. Then I get an idea to make necklaces. How many necklaces can 1 woman have!! But they are so pretty!!

Oh wait - I also have a music addiction!! I love music!! With over 15000 songs in our iTunes library - probably over 80% are mine, I would never be able to listen to it all. But that is 20 years worth of collecting. Now I mainly buy individual songs, versus the whole album.

Some past addictions have been beads, expensive shoes and purses (OK, I am still working on the purse addiction).

What are some of your addictions?

Crafty Goodness in NYC!

2010-06-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I was in New York City!! I hadn't been there in about 16 years or more. When I did go it was in University, so I had different priorities. This trip was for Mark - who had never been and wanted to see the city, Gemma - who needed kid friendly activities and shopping, and Me - who needed a little bit of crafty inspiration! And I am going to share with you some of the inspiring stores!!

While I was there I hit about 3 Kate's Paperie's! I love this store!! So many fabulous papers and embellishments!!

Then I went to M&J Trading! This is 2 stores filled with ribbon and embellishments!! So much beautiful goodness!!

I bought some ribbon here. But you could spend an hour here looking through everything. I had about 40 minutes, while I was waiting for another store to open.

Around the corner was Tinsel Trading! This is more of a vintage store with some amazing older ribbons and finding!

I bought their book, some vintage twill ribbon, plus a vintage assorted pack.

We also made it to the Ink Pad in the West Village. This store may be small, but it is jammed packed with stamps and inks! Small as it was, I was still able to easily spend $100.

And I even found some Crafty goodness for Gemma at the Children's Museum of Art in SoHo. For $10 a person, you child can go in to the Museum and create all day! There was painting, clay, dress up, puppets, plus activities with instructors. Gemma did Chalk drawing Stop Animation and helped build a piece of Rome.

Plus just being in NYC is inspiring!! Do you have any favorite Crafty stores you like to visit? How about in Chicago - I am going there this summer!!

Day 2 (or 3) of the Big Purge!

2010-04-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was successful! Round 1 through the scraproom is almost done! I just need to go through my cardstock and be ruthless! I have over 2 bins of cardstock and seldom use it on a project.

All the cabinets of the kitchen have been emptied. I found Baking powder that expired in 2005, chocolate that expired in 2006 and Truffle Oil that expired in 2001. I moved in 2002. Hmmm... Anyway, although I have emptied all the cabinets, I haven't restocked them, so the kitchen is a little messy at the moment.

But since Gemma is at school I am working upstairs in our open area. I have recovered Gemma's table. I have made a box for all the American Girl stuff. I have removed some toys she doesn't play with. I am determined for her to have a table she can actually work on! I am setting up a great little art studio up there for her! Which later can be her homework zone!

When she gets home I will hopefully put the kitchen back together!

Tomorrow is the big task of Gemma's room!!

Purging away!

2010-04-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

I have a few days this week to work around the house (vs. getting scrapping projects done) and I am on a purging spree! Scrapbooks By Design is having another Garage Sale in May which gives me a great reason to get rid of stuff!! I have already filled 2 bags, a box and started a pile on the floor! But I feel I can still get rid of more!

But my next quest is that darn kitchen I keep talking about! I am determined to make it feel a lot cleaner/emptier! I want to transfer my bowls and serving dishes out of there. I haven't hosted a party in a while and these beautiful pieces sit there. Well, they can sit somewhere else!! Since I barely cook, there must be stuff I can get rid of!!

Then there is the upstairs area! Determined to get rid of more of Gemma's toys she doesn't play with! The school is having a Rummage Sale at the end of May and my goal is to be through this house before the sale!

I will keep you updated!

Can I really be a Happier Person?

2010-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

Cleaning makes me happy. Organizing makes me happy. Shopping makes me happy. But can I be a Happier person? I sometimes wonder because I am a bit of a cynic. I don't want to make small chat with the Mom's waiting to pick up their kids from school. When I am at the park I would rather watch a movie on my iPod. I don't like loud kids. I don't like some kids for no reason. They just bug me. I like to gossip. I even get Gemma to tell me the goings on her class so I can be involved in the Grade 2 gossip. People I haven't even met bug me. I am happy creating by myself. When I am at work I avoid some customers because they bug me. I could never own a store where I had to be nice to everyone. Do I want to make the extra effort to be a happier person? I just don't think I necessarily have a happy disposition.

But don't get me wrong. I am a happy person, with friends. I do like people. I am just picky with who I want to be friends with. I am just questioning, do I have what it takes to be a 'Happier' person. The first step to be a happier person is having the energy, and I think that is what I am lacking. The energy to be a happier person. I guess the question is: Do I want to find the energy to be a happier person? Or do I want to stay the way I am? And is that a bad thing?

Does a Clean Living Room Bring Happiness?

2010-04-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

I want to believe so. I left the Kitchen behind for now to concentrate on the Living room. Our Living room is definitely a multi-tasking room. It is a dining room, an office, a tv room, a craft room, a filming studio and the only room to find a couch to relax on. All this in about 300 square feet. I am constantly trying to find a 'home' for everything. When I can't I continue to purge. I don't want to walk in to the room to find a pile here, some stuff there, I want order. And I think that this order is what will make me a little happier. Or at least, less tired.

So my hopes this week is to find a home for everything in my living room. I want to walk into the room with a sense of happiness and relaxation. And then, hopefully, this will stimulate my creativity. Because, this is the room where all my creating happens.

My Jewelry Project

2010-03-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago we went to the Mall so Mark could get a Winter Coat for work. I wanted to do a few things myself so I thought he could buy a jacket without me. Well, I was wrong. He ended up with a Jacket from Le Chateau. I didn't even know that he knew that store existed. I was a little ticked at the time (okay, a lot ticked) because he could only get a credit note for the purchase and Le Chateau is not a store I shop at. Plus he had to spend more money to buy a proper coat!

So fast forward to this afternoon when I finally went into Le Chateau. I thought I would look at their jewelry to see if I could find something I could take apart to make my own designs with. And I have to tell you, I hit the jackpot. I got this fabulous necklace that had six necklaces in one! There is gold chains, gold chains with pearls and beads, pearls linked together, antiqued gold chains and fabulous charms - hearts, leaves, keys, cameo, and a pin!! The next necklace is eight necklaces in one! This time in silver and flat black metal links, plus rhinestones! The next necklace has nine large flowers linked together in silver. And the final necklace is an antique gold with 5 large charms! Mind you, these necklaces cost $150, but I had the credit note to spend, so at this point, it didn't cost me anything!

So my plan for sometime in the near future, is to take these necklaces apart and see what I can create with them! When I am successful, I will post pictures of my new creations!!

If you Don't have Something Nice to Say, Don't Say Anything At All

2010-03-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

This morning I was on the Queen W Streetcar heading East. This is a double car because it is a busy route. When the streetcar came, I got on. It was very busy and I had to stand near the front of the car. A few stops later a man gets on and starts yelling at the driver. He said that 3 cars went by and didn't stop, but the backs of the streetcar was empty. He continued to yell that it is this drivers fault and he should get everyone to move back. Well, the driver is constantly yelling, "Move back", but it is the passengers responsibility to actually move back. The yeller said that another employee should be in the back telling people to move back. The driver retorted by asking if he wanted to pay $5 to ride the streetcar and the yeller said, "I already pay $3". The driver gave the suggestion of getting a pass then entering through the back doors.

Anyway, this whole thing bothered me. How would you like someone entering your workspace and before greeting you, just start yelling at you. I always tell my daughter to talk to others as you want others to talk to you! And the same goes for those people who use their phones to film the drivers. Would you want cameras filming you at work while you were on Facebook instead of doing your job? Streetcar drivers should be able to go to the washroom without people filming and reporting them. Enough with slamming the TTC. Why don't we work together to make using the TTC a pleasant experience.

The Kitchen

2010-03-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

So I thought starting in the Kitchen, as part of my organizing for The Happiness Project, would be good because I no longer cook or bake that much. I thought there must be gadgets and dishes/bowls/serving plates that I could easily get rid of. But you know what - that is not the case. My bowls and serving dishes were picked from Artists and Shops that I really like. I can't see getting rid of them. I do see some of Gemma's plastic plates and bowls that I have no problem dumping. Plus cups picked up from restaurants. And I do have to go through my Baking Cupboard - I am sure there is expired products in there - does Flour and Sugar go bad? Maybe once I start at it, it won't be so bad. I was thinking of bringing some of my serving dishes to my Mom's. She loves storing things for me :) At least I can try to be apart from them and see if I miss them - even if they are really pretty.

As for the exercise. Gemma is learning to skip, and now that the weather is nice she is skipping after school. So I went out to give her some tips and sure enough, I can still skip - forward, backwards and fast! The Fast did work some of my arm muscles too. I didn't skip loads, but if I go out each night with her, maybe I can once again become a pro skipper. Actually, I was never a pro skipper, but it could be my new calling. I also walked Gemma to school and back, which in total is almost 3K. Every bit helps!!

The Happiness Project

2010-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

I started a personal blog to talk about my life - only to never post. What does this say? Is my life that mundane. Do I do the same things day in and day out? I was at the bookstore a few weeks back and picked up The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Although I do not blog day in and day out, I do consider myself a happy person. But the thought of being a Happier person intrigued me. How can I be happier in my day to day routine.

I finally started reading the book and she is outlining her month by month goals and challenges to becoming a Happier person. A lot (but not all) ring true. I think I can incorporate some of these ideas into my daily life. I am currently on the April Chapter. The problems I see is how do I not incorporate all of it at once. When I start a project I go full steam ahead. But like her I think I will start with organizing and exercise. I am constantly dealing with clutter and trying to find solutions. Well it is Spring and the perfect time to do Spring Cleaning - No Hold Bars!!! I need to set up a schedule to deal with each room of the house. The good news is that having a small home, I don't have that many rooms to deal with! I am thinking of starting in the kitchen!

Next is the exercising. I get on and off the band wagon too often. At least with the warmer weather I will be walking back and forth to bring Gemma to school. I will try to add some other exercise into my schedule as well.

So, I will see how things go. Maybe I will try blogging more. Now that Spring is here, maybe I will actually leave my house more. Winter and me just don't mix!

Organizing Again!

2010-02-07T21:42:00.001-08:00

How many times a year do you organize your craft area? I seem to be continually doing this!! We recently bought a bookcase, which now holds all my die-cutting machines and tools, plus the top 2 shelves hold our DVD's. This has freed up space on my Hoosier - however, the Hoosier is currently piled with stuff from my shelves!!

I seem to have made space in my paper storage - some Iris bins - but I don't have anything to put in them, so they are now empty. I have space on the open shelf, but I want something pretty to put there, and I am not sure what this is. Meanwhile, my Glimmer Mist is now being stored in 3 boxes, up from 2. Although I keep purging my stamps,I still have 6+ boxes of them. 3 boxes of adhesives. 6 boxes of inks and paints. And my pile of 'stuff' on the Hoosier. I really want to be rid of stuff, but some stuff I still cannot part with.

However, the things I am parting with will be available for sale at Scrapbooks By Design in Toronto, on Sunday, February 28th at the 2nd Hand Sale!!

And once I finish with the pile of 'stuff' I will take pictures of my once again organized space!

Could 'Awesome' Be a Spy?

2010-01-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

I just want to say that although I like Chuck, I am not a HUGE fan. And secondly, I am usually the last person to pick up any subtle hints. However, I think this may be a possibility. The following re-counts of Chuck are all from memory, so things may be out of order.

Last night I went to watch episode 3 & 4 of Chuck with Mark. He had already seen episode 3 and says to me, "This episode explains a lot about Awesome", and my quick reply was, "Is Awesome a Spy?". He just looked at me and we watched the episode.

The episode starts with Awesome and Ellie making out in the cupboard, on their first day as interns at the hospital, without knowing each other. This makes me think that he was told to do it, so he could get closer to her father.

He gets called not once, but twice to work on a very special patient, the Premiere. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the Premiere again, possibly with something that may have been planted in him.

At the party, Awesome is talking to Chuck about how hard it must be to pretend you are in love with someone. I think this conversation was actually more about himself then Chuck.

When Casey tries to save the Premiere, Awesome jumps Casey and makes the comment that he knew what he was doing, then looked directly at the guy with the needle. Possibly, who Awesome is working for, could want the Premiere dead.

Awesome kept pushing Chuck about the 'secret place' and was finally shown where the 'secret place' is. This will be big information to share with his handler.

As well, he is extremely fit and we learned speaks multiple languages.

And, can a surgeon really be as dense as Awesome is portrayed to be?

In episode 4, Awesome is taken through a CIA ordeal. I think he was purposely planted there to get more information in to the workings of the CIA. There was the comment made about Awesome & Chuck, "One looks like a spy, and one looks like Chuck." I think that line has more meaning to it.

My guess is over the next few episodes our focus will probably be re-focused elsewhere, away from Awesome. But I wouldn't be surprised we see more involvement of Awesome closer to the end of the season.

So, once again, this is just my take on the episode. As mentioned before, I am not Chuck's #1 fan. I am a wife of a fan, that enjoys the show.

Winter - Blah

2010-01-16T07:38:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted in a while and it is mainly because I haven't had any great story to tell. It is Winter - Blah. I don't like Winter. It snows, then becomes warmer, then gets slushy. Blah! I am happier once Spring is here.

But with that being said, 1 good thing about Winter is CHA in Anaheim. I am not looking forward to the weather though. Last year it was cold and rained the entire time we were there. However, there were major snow storms here, so I guess it was still better than what we left behind. But I am looking forward to seeing all the new products and tools and demos. As well as seeing friends I have made over the last couple years. There are so many sneaks available already! I can't wait to see it all in person, and then start working with it! There are so many creative people in the Scrapbooking Industry!!

So by the time I get back from CHA, January will almost be over. One month closer to Spring and the end of Winter!!

Christmas Cat Nip!

2009-12-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Each Christmas I treat the cats to some fresh Cat Nip toys!

They take great pleasure in attacking the cat nip, throwing it around, and then passing out on it!

They scheme up ways to try to get the other cats cat nip as well!

Until the Cat Nip kicks in and they sit comatose for the rest of the afternoon! Ahhh, I love the smell of Cat Nip during the Christmas season!!

Some Christmas Spirit

2009-12-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a video we shot at Disney Hollywood Studio of the Osborne Lights! This will definitely get you in the holiday spirit!

Osborne Family Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios from Mark Giles on Vimeo.

Dec. 3rd prompt - The Holidays Smell like...

2009-12-05T02:25:00.000-08:00

When I think of the smells of Christmas my first thought is Gingerbread! However, as much as I like to smell it, I don't like to eat it. I have never been a fan of gingerbread.

The next smell is pine trees. I love to have a real tree in my house and smell that fresh pine each day!!

Then back to cookies baking. Any cookies, they all smell delicious.

Turkey. The smell of Christmas dinner is such a warm feeling!

Fresh snow. That crisp, cold air. I only like this smell on Christmas Eve, and no other time of the year.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2009-12-05T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our big travel day to Disney. It started at 6am, which is too early for me. The Limo picked us up at 7am to take us to the Airport. By 8:30am we were through the process and waiting until 10am to board. We were on our way probably by 10:30am. However, due to high winds and bad weather, we arrived 30 minutes late. We went to find the Disney Magical Express and finally made it to Port Orleans French Quarter about 3:15pm.

After checking in we headed out to the Magic Kingdom. It was raining quite a bit. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the bus ride was only 10 minutes. All we did at the Magic Kingdom was look in some shops, then headed to the monorail to go to the Grand Floridian.

The monorail was a very slow process. If it wasn't for the rain, I would have definitely taken the boat. After about 30 minutes we made it to the Grand Floridian. This was my first time at the resort. I was never really interested in it. I thought it had a stuffy feeling. But at Christmas time it is beautiful. They had a massive tree in the lobby. Plus the life size Gingerbread house made out of Gingerbread! A live band playing Christmas music. A photopass photographer was taking family portraits in front of the tree. It gives you a very warm and welcoming feeling.

We had gone there to attend the Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Fare Restaurant. Because I told her the wrong time of my reservation, she said she didn't have it. They still accepted us. She said it would be a 40 minute wait, but 5 minutes later our pager was buzzing. We were seated near the food and before we could get comfortable Prince Charming was beside us! Shortly followed by Cinderella, the Wicked Step Mom, Anastatia and Drisella. Plus they had a waltz and a dance! It was a very interactive meal. Gemma was still shy but was good a posed for all the pictures. Anastatia was even jealous about my fabulous Tarina Tarintino necklace I was wearing! We were still there when the Prince came out again, but remembered Gemma and asked her how her meal was.

Then back on the monorail. Only 1 stop this time. And another bus back to the hotel. We grabbed our resort mugs and some drinks and came back to our room to find our bags waiting to be unpacked.

Day 2 prompt - Movies that put me in a Holiday Spirit

2009-12-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

While it is still raining outside, the next step to feeling festive is Holiday Movies. Some of my favorites are:

1. A Christmas Story - I am so surprised when I find out some people still haven't seen this movie. It is from 1983 and definitely a Christmas Classic. From the Red Ryder BB Gun, to the Mayor Award, and FUDGE, the movie is funny and definitely a favorite.

2. Love Actually - I love this movie. I love Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister. I love the Art Gallery Boy and his crush. I love the Porn Stand Ins. I love the English guy making a splash in America. And I love that even the little boy finds Happiness in Love!!

3. Miracle on 34th Street (the original) - This movie is another favorite. More of a heart warming story.

4. It's a Wonderful Life - I don't watch this every year. I find I already need to be in a festive mood, since there is a large part of the movie that is sad.

Movies I don't like: The Christmas Story - any version with the Ghost of Christmas past, present and future. I've never had any interest in watching any of the comedies with Will Farrell or Tim Allen, or Arnold or Jim Carrey.

Sparkly Red Toes

2009-12-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

The great thing about taking a vacation somewhere warm in the Winter, is it gives me a chance to get a pedicure that people will see! And with the holidays approaching I decided to get my toes painted a Sparkly Red!! Now I can show my toes with pride!!

December 1st prompt - Around Me, I See..

2009-12-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

I am taking a 12-31 Art Journal class on line - kinda like a Daily December book with more of an Art twist. I haven't got my pages put together yet, since I am hoping to use some pamphlets and things from Disney. So in the meantime I thought I will do some of my journaling here, so I remember what I wanted to add. The first prompt Dawn has given us is: Around Me, I See. My book is titled Welcome to my Non-Traditional Christmas 2009.

Just to prove that this is indeed a Non-Traditional Christmas, I am going to stop, and look around me, here on December the 1st. It isn't so much as what I see, but more so what I do not see.

1. SNOW!! - We have yet to have a single snowflake fall from the sky!! A record that we broke!! No snow also means being a little slower to get into a Festive mood.

2. A Christmas Tree - usually by now my Christmas tree is up and decorated!! Lights are flashing and the fresh smell of pine fills the air. This year, I don't even have last years decorations up to look at. No tree, no decorations, no smell, no flashing lights.

3. Wrapped gifts - I have bought many gifts that sit piled in bags and boxes. Haven't had the time to start wrapping them yet. I am lucky that Gemma is used to see boxes all over our house. She doesn't even think to look or else she could easily know every present she is getting for Christmas. They are all sitting in the living room.

That's a pretty good description of my December 1st! The thing I like about doing a December Art Journal vs. A Daily December book is the pressure to have photos each day isn't there. Last year I tried to think of activities to do, just for a photo. And then I never finished the book. Let's see how this one works out. Since I am going away I'm not even going to fully start it until mid-December.

Window Shopping on Bloor St. and Yorkville

2009-11-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Holiday pass times is checking out the window displays put out by retailers. Historically, The Bay used to be my favorite, but I was disappointed to see that they didn't change their Queen St. windows this year. That would make 3 years with the same windows, and for a local, it doesn't give me a reason to check them out. However, Holt Renfrew on Bloor W. has raised the barre with the most creative and whimsical Holiday windows. I can vividly picture their windows from the past 4 years in my mind, that is how amazing they are. And this year they don't disappoint. If you visit Toronto during the Holiday season, be sure to take a stroll to Bloor and Bay to visit Holt Renfrew.

Their windows, plus the Holiday music playing outside the store, make you want to go in and investigate more. Even if you can't afford the price tag on many of the items, you can always afford a $3.50 vintage style lollipop!! And you will buy one just so you can take a piece of the Holiday Magic home that Holt Renfrew has created.

Harry Rosen also has a corner of festive windows. I especially loved this wallet by Prada. I have no one on my shopping list that made me go into Harry Rosen, but they do put out a full effort with their windows.

This window from Red Letter in Yorkville caught my eye. The store was closed when I was there or else I would have been in trouble. This is my type of store with a lot of cute stationary and gifts. The pinks, sparkle and cupcakes made me want to enter the store.

With the fact we have yet to have a snowfall, stores, malls and shopping areas need to make the extra effort to make things festive, to get us in the shopping mood. I loved the decorations in Old York lane in Yorkville. I wish the city was decorated like this.

Cute products also get me into a store. This is Auggie in Yorkville, the new store part of Augustina Boutique. It was closed as well (I was wandering waiting for stores to open) but I bet that those dolls don't come cheap.

With Teatre Verde's new building, they don't have many windows to do a big display, but as soon as you walk in you are greeted with a Christmas Wonderland! Colourful trees and traditional trees every where you look. I love this store (which was now open) and I could have bought so much!! I reigned myself in and only spent $10. But with stores now open, I was ready to shop!!

I was a little disappointed in Anthropologie's windows. This window display could be for any time of year. I thought a store like Anthropologie, display marketing wizards, would have better windows. This is the first Christmas Anthropologie is in Toronto, it is the biggest store in Yorkville, I thought I would see something stunning. With that being said, it didn't stop me from buying a fabulous necklace!!

William Sonoma is the essence of marketing with smell!! The window displays are festive, but as soon as you walk in and smell that Apple Cider, you ask yourself, "What over priced item can I buy today? $42 for Apple Cider is reasonable, it is Christmas. My Mother deserves it!" Crazy thoughts like that enter your mind while the smells comfort you, not your pocketbook. Luckily, I had enough in my hands and walked out with my money in check. (But if that Hot Chocolate Maker worked on a stove, I would be sipping Hot Chocolate while I type this).

Next door we find Pottery Barn. Comfort and Joy. Yes, I would love my house to have the comforts of Pottery Barn. I just looked from the outside. I don't dare enter through those doors. This year I am not decorating my house for the Holidays, since we are gone for most of the month of December, so I am restraining from any Holiday Home Decor. Plus, my little townhouse can't handle the scale of Pottery Barn. But I can dream.

Louis Vuitton. I wouldn't enter this store normally, but I think this window would look great at night.

Chanel - very creative. I love the bottle of Chanel No 5. Reminds me when I was young my Dad used to buy that perfume for my Mom. Chanel isn't a store I would frequent, but the windows make you stop.

I have a love affair with Coach. Their windows are happy, bright and colourful, all of which attracts me. But it wouldn't matter what is in the windows, I always go in!! I love the Poppy Collection, which is what the windows are fashioned after.

Hermes with their stack of Orange Boxes!! The Orange Box is as well known as the Tiffany Blue Box!! And add in some cute stuffed horses, the store is saying, please come in. You might not be able to afford our fabulous silk scarves, but that cute stuffed horse may be your ticket to owning a piece of Hermes. Don't get me wrong, it is still expensive for a stuffed horse, but maybe you can afford it. (I didn't go in to see).

My last stop is Sephora. Every woman wants to glitter during the Holidays! Their window is compelling because that picture is a Holograph. As you walk down the street, the lady blows glitter into the sky (well, on the picture). Sephora always calls my name, "Please, make me look beautiful!!" I love Sephora because it is filled with affordable luxuries. An item may be expensive, but you are still able to buy it!! Unlike the Hermes scarves.

I hope you enjoyed my walking tour of Bloor St. and Yorkville. I wish more stores took an effort to entice us with fabulous window displays. Shopping is all about a feeling, and at Christmas you want that feeling to be festive. Play some Christmas music, brew some cider and welcome customers into your store!!

A Good Laugh

2009-11-25T17:51:00.000-08:00

We all need to have a good laugh in our life. What set this in motion? Gemma looking at a wonky picture of herself. She has changed from the "No Pictures!!!" girl, to the "Take another, Take another" girl. So the more pictures you take, the more chance of getting some crazy pictures. And she just thinks this is Hilarious!! But it is nice to have a child in the house to remind you that we all can use a good laugh!!

The Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wings

2009-11-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

Chicken Wings is one of my favorite foods, but lately I haven't been able to find one made the "perfect way". I love crispy chicken wings. Not saucy. I'm not really a fan of any saucy food. SO I was excited that a new restaurant, "The Wing Co." opened near my house. I thought, "Great! They are all about the wings! They must be good!". Yesterday, Gemma and I went to get some wings. They have over 40 flavors, but they didn't have Plum Sauce. They even sell Chicken Fingers, but didn't have Plum sauce. So Gemma had plain wings and we brought them home, got the plum sauce out of the fridge, so she could dip them in the sauce. But I was willing to give her plain wings in search of a good Chicken Wing. I ordered Buffalo Medium. To me, Buffalo wings means sauce cooked in, versus BBQ wings means saucy. SO we get home, I open my wings, to find very saucy, non-crispy wings in front of me. Hmmmm... I ate some but wasn't overly fond of their sauce. Luckily, the onion rings were really good and I mostly ate those.

When I look back over the years, I try to think of some of my favorite wings. My first great wing was from a restaurant in Virgil called Silks. It was okay to be seen with my parents in high school, if it meant getting wings from Silks. They were delicious. Once I moved to Toronto I enjoyed the Chicken wings (and nachos) from Sneeky Dees. However, was it because we were drunk? I don't think I could go back there now at my age. Also, I would get some good wings from Paupers on Bloor St. I think the restaurant actually is still there. Maybe it's a place worth checking out again. And recently I had good wings from the Scotland Yard on the Esplanade.

So what makes a good wing? Is it the deep frying? Or is it the oven baking? I think both. I think my ideal wing would be deep fried to make it crispy,coated in sauce, then put in to the oven for the yummy flavor to be baked in. Yummy!! So, if you find these wings, let me know!!

Swarovski Make-A-Wish Christmas Tree

2009-11-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

Today Gemma and I went to the Eaton Centre to watch the unveiling of the Swarovski Make-A-Wish Christmas Tree. This is a 35' tree, that has over 20,000 crystal snowflake ornaments on it! It is absolutely stunning. The Canadian Tenors performed, and as the tree was being revealed, they were singing O Holy Night. Listening to their voices, watching this magical tree, thinking of the Kids out there that truly benefit from this Organization, while holding Gemma's hand brought tears to my eyes! Christmas is for the Kids and this is one organization I am happy to help!!

You can find out more at the Make-a-Wish website!

Hot Chocolate Maker

2009-11-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

While I was at the Mall today this Hot Chocolate Maker from William Sonoma caught my interest. Every year we get packets of Hot Chocolate from someone at Christmas and every year they get put into the cupboard and never made. If we want Hot Chocolate we go across the street to Starbucks. Quicker and less of a mess. But this Hot Chocolate Maker got me thinking. You can put it on the stove to warm up your milk, then you add the William Sonoma Chocolate shavings, and that thing on top is an electric whipper to make your milk all frothy!! It's $44, but would it be a good investment? Would I actually make Hot Chocolate for my family? Would we save the $4 a cup for the Starbucks Hot Chocolate, which I find too rich and really don't like? Would this make a good Christmas present for our family? Hmmm...let me ponder a little while longer.

The Art of Knitting

2009-11-17T20:48:00.001-08:00

Gemma wants to learn to knit. Mainly because her friend Helen is taking lessons, so she wants to learn as well. Lucky for Gemma, and my pocketbook, I know some basic knitting techniques and can teach her myself. So we went to our Local Yarn Store, The Knit Cafe, and bought some Cotton yarn and wooden needles. We decided to make a scarf. I got the project started and knit a few rows, mainly so I could remind myself how to do it. Then Gemma got involved. I was able to teach her some hints in holding her needles. She caught on fairly quick. She has knit about 3 rows of 24 stitches. I am going to knit some as well, or else it will take her weeks to finish the scarf and probably lose interest. I will post a picture of Gemma modeling her scarf once we are done!

Need Cards?

2009-11-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

I decided that today I needed to start making Christmas Cards to sell at the store! I sell them at the Fresh Collective on Queen W. and Scrapbooks by Design in the Beaches. I got 16 done, which is a start. I used Cosmo Cricket, My Minds Eye and Doodlebug papers and supplies. I tried using inspiration from magazines, but it didn't take long before I threw away that idea and just made cards that popped into my head. Today I was using Chipboard embellishments to inspire me. The focus was on all the cute shapes. If you are interested in buying any let me know! I sell them direct for $5 each to friends and they retail for $6 in the stores!!

A Good Thing

2009-11-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Around the Christmas Holidays I love to pick up a bunch of festive magazines I may not regularly read. This past week I bought a Martha Stewart magazine. I was barely through the first 1/4 of the magazine when I was inspired by using decorative masking tapes instead of ribbon to decorate gifts. I have chosen to wrap all my gifts in the brown kraft paper from the post office this year. And although I have miles of ribbon ready to go I wanted to experiment with tapes. So I headed over to the Paper Place, which I conveniently live very close to, and bought 3 rolls of packing tape and 2 rolls of masking tape. I then stopped at Polka Dot Kids and found 3 more rolls of masking tape. So I am set and ready to start experimenting! I have already wrapped some gifts, (mainly to hide the contents from Gemma) and hopefully this evening I can get them decorated!

I still haven't finished the magazine. I will let you know what other articles inspire me!

Stella Mc Cartney for Gap Kids

2009-11-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

I was so excited when I received the email announcing that Gap Kids was carrying a line of clothing designed by Stella Mc Cartney. I jumped in my car and headed over to Sherway Gardens. I was able to score a purple silk dress and a cool shirt with an iron on depicting multiple strands of jewels.

The next day Gemma wore the dress to school. I taught her how to say, "It's a Stella Mc Cartney", but no one cared. They just thought it was a pretty dress.

I kept stalking Gap Kids looking for more pieces. Yesterday I went in to find out more had been added! And I got this great light green tulle skirt with matching shirt and tights! (as worn in the picture above). I was so excited and Gemma loved it! She wore it today for her picture with Santa. People may not know who Stella Mc Cartney is, but they do know that Gemma looks fantastic!!

A Meeting with Santa

2009-11-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

A yearly tradition we have is that after the Santa Claus Parade, we head on up to the Bay to meet with Santa. We always have our escape plan: Gemma and I make a run for the Bay, while Mark, the hero dad, cleans up the chairs and blankets and brings them back to the car. In past years, trying to get to the 5th floor was always a madhouse. But this year we got on the escalators with ease. And when we made it to Santa, we were about 10th in line and only had 2 minutes to wait for Santa to arrive.

But, this year the Bay has changed Santa's. Gemma didn't notice but we missed our favorite Santa and Mrs. Claus. I have 7 years of pictures on Gemma with THE Santa. Seeing this will be the last year of photos with Santa (at least I hope so) we were wishing for our favorite Santa.

Anyway, to Gemma, this was THE Santa. He told her that he has 2 sisters? Really? Two Sisters? That was news to me. And she told him that she wanted a Science Kit. (I am so happy I was able to convince her to drop the Rescue Dog toy from Santa). They had a pleasant talk and now she is set! And it took less than 30 minutes. Our fastest trip to Santa to date! (Well, except last year when she was first in line, but that was an ordeal in itself).

Santa Claus Parade 2009

2009-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today was the Santa Claus Parade in Toronto! We have gone 5 times in the last 6 years. We missed last year since I now refuse to sit outside when it is very cold. But today was a great day, at around 13C.

Mark, the hero Dad he is, got to Yonge St. at 10am. And you may think he is crazy, but he got us the last curb side seat in front of the Bay. By the time Gemma and I got there at noon, they were already 3 deep.

Now the Toronto crowd is very territorial of their space. We are used to living in small spaces and are proud of the space we do have. So when we set up 3 chairs, that space now belongs to us. That means, you don't push them out of the way. You don't sit in them. And, most importantly, you don't sit in front of them!! We don't go 4 hours early, so when you show up at the last minute you can plunk your kid in front of me!

But even still, there still are blockers. A family decided to sit in front of the post on the ground, which was fine. I could still see over their heads. Until of course, they decided that their kid needs to be in every shot with a float! So every time I tired to take a photo, they would stand up in front of me. I ended up having to zoom in and take pictures of the floats before they stood up.

And we can't forget about the police officers that like to stand in front of you. We were lucky this year, he decided to stand to the right of me and block the other family.

Overall, we were able to see most of the parade and the weather was great! Will we go next year? Depends on how cold it is.