carpe vinum!

So, my girlfriend Annie & I
both enjoy a glass of wine (or two) in the evenings.

We share conversation, relax, smoke a cigarette or two,
& just generally unwind ~ vent ~ from the days events.
We realized that we consume vast amounts of the stuff
through-out the period of a month
(which doesn't take long having only a glass or two each evening).

Needless to say, we decided to take the 'u-brew' plunge!
We have made two types now.
Both are deeeeelicious ~ I might add!

We made a 'California White Zinfandel' &
a 'Wildberry White Zinfandel'.

The whole process was ridiculously easy.
& cheap too!

$225 for 2 batches = 60 bottles.
(including bottles, corks, labeling, & shrink wrap)
That is approximately $3.75 per bottle
which, if compared to the $15+ per bottle we were spending is quite the savings!

We cleansed bottles, filled & corked 60 bottles in approx. 1/2hr!
Then came the shrink wrap tops (we chose colours)
& designed our custom bottle labels.
"Annie's Ally"

We wondered why we hadn't done this earlier!
& we will be doing it again ~ soon!

♥♥♥ g.m.

Eeeeks!!!

What a great freakin' way to start my day!
I walked into (through actually) a humongous spider web as I let the dog out this morning!

(& btw, "what the crap" is with all the spiders & earwigs this year???)
Probably the lack of sunshine & warmth this 'summer' has caused a perfect breeding ground for these disgusting creatures!

Anyway, I took it right *smack* in the bloody face!!!
Giving me the total body creepy-crawlies!
I am still trying to 'shake' it off!

Few things in this life gross me out & make my skin crawl.
Simply put, here is the list:
Spiders, centipedes, slugs, leeches, beetles/roaches, silverfish, earwigs.

I can handle most things with ease, but, these bring me to my knees!

♥♥♥ g.m

purrfect nails?

Being a stay at home mum (SAHM), I don't get the opportunity to dress up, wear make-up, & do my hair very often. Sooo many other things come first.

And, well to be perfectly honest, functioning in my day-to-day life while chasing around children wearing heels & worrying about my appearance just doesn't work!
I'm usually barefaced & natural with my hair pulled back in a messy bun or ponytail.

One thing that I do enjoy very much is a nice manicure. It makes me feel feminine & pretty ~ even sexy depending on the colour.
I take the time in the evenings to do my nails quite often.
Purrrfect relaxation & pampering.

I kinda have a very large collection of polish in every colour you can think of!
I love all reds for my toes, & black based purples and blues are usually the colour of choice for my hands. I feel sleek & 'polished' even when I'm - well, not!
I have tried them all ~ brands that is.
Cheap ($3) to Expensive ($15+)!!!
What ticks me off about this is that not one brand can stand up to my everyday abuse!
In a mere few days, it is completely chipped, peeling and looks like shyte!



I go through the whole routine.
Moisturizing, cuticles, filing, buffing, base coat, polish (X2), top coat.
It still doesn't stay put!
I guess I am looking for the perfect top coat.
Closest thing I have found is 'European Secrets Rock Top Coat'.
It gives me at least 3-4 days of nice nails before I have to do it again.
Suggestions are welcome if you know of something better than 'the rock'!
I have yet to find one.
♥♥♥ g.m.

Just a trim...

I have to ask 'why?'.

Why do they do it?
It seems to me that at some point in most every child's life, comes the infamous haircut done by themselves or another child.

And who did it this 'thing' to their hair you might ask them?

The child's answer is almost always one of three - in my experience.

#1'I don't know!' or,
#2'Not me!' or,
#3'So-and-so did it!' which is usually a child too young to even hold the scissors properly.

Afraid mostly, that because of the reaction that they have already seen from the parent(s) that they will be in trouble.

This has happened to a friend of mine very recently.
Her 4yr old daughter decided that she needed a 'trim' out of boredom while at her fathers house. They had been working on growing out her hair all one length & now this has been set back due to the new bangs that she gave herself.
Initially, the blame was placed on my 3yr old. Whom, I might add, is just learning how to hold the scissors properly enough to cut paper. She is quite aways from mastering the skill let alone able to cut a straight line in someone else's hair.

It seems that this is a right of passage for children at exactly this age. I have known of many in my life doing this.
Thank god, so far, it hasn't happened to me directly.

♥♥♥ g.m.

Simple, Sexy

Beauty comes in all shapes & sizes.

I love the vintage pin-up's!

When women could be women,
& every man noticed
they were just what women should be ~ themselves.

♥♥♥ g.m.

Family, Fun & Fireworks

Once a year, the sleepy little town in which we live awakens in the light of it's own 'Heritage Festival'! This year, there were fireworks (as always), annual street dance, live music, tours, vendors, fire-eaters & aerial acrobats by the 'Aerial Angels'!
Free family fun for the whole weekend!

OOOhh, Aahhhh, Ooooos

The whole family goes down to the river for a picnic & to watch the fireworks display over the falls at dusk on Saturday nite!
Beautiful fireworks displays that delight everyone with colour & loud bangs n' pops!!!!

These are a few of the photos I took that nite.

The Aerial Angels: namely
'Spike' & 'Luna'
demonstrated acrobatics on the aerial silk & aerial hula hoop earlier that afternoon in the center of our downtown streets!
It was kind of a 'cirque de soliel' performance.

They also demonstrated the fine art of fire-eating & fire-passing from tongue to tongue!!!

'Spike' on the aerial silk.

Hubby was one of two men pulled by the two girls out from the audience to assist them with their tripod (which was blowing around due to the wind that day). This was a hard job for him. Heh. Yea right!
He described it as watching the strippers do their thang with their clothes on!
They definitely were flexable that is for damn sure!!!

Our children had front row seats for the performances.
They loved the show!

'Luna' on the aerial hula hoop -- with hubby watching on -- or, is it up? teehee.
After the show, the family had their photo taken with 'The Aerial Angels'!

'Luna' on the left in pink n' black stripes & 'Spike' on the right in red.

Family time well spent, together!!
♥♥♥ g.m.

Waldorf Dolls

I have been pointed in the direction of the "Waldorf Method" by a few friends.
My girlfriend Kerri (who was my babysitter as a young girl) is a 'waldorfian'.
*I'm not sure that that is the correct term...
She does all the clothing 'remodels', & natural herbal organic cleaners (which she makes herself), breastfeeding, babywearing, you name it! One down to earth (literally) kinda girl! Many props & mucho respect!

I myself am not a home-schooler, re-cycler of clothing, & an all natural cleaner kinda girl.
I enjoy sewing & creating, but, I also have a strong passion for shopping, instant gratification & want my children to be taught by patient, well educated teachers.
I am not (in my mind) capable of meeting all the requirements of a home-schooled education keeping up with the requirements needed to eventually excel in highschool & college etc.

I was a babywearer though.
And I still am, on ocassion when my 3yr old allows me too!
Anyway, a few friends pointed me in the direction of a special lady (Tanja MacKenzie) that creates baby slings, carriers, clothing for adults & children, & yes, waldorf dolls.
I was checking the dolls out when from behind me I heard a gasp of excitement & an "ohhh mummy! I love that one! The blue mermaid one!! She is so pretty! I love her!"
We have spent much time (over 2 months) saving money in a special jar for her very own special doll. It will look similar to her. Brown eyes, pale skin, dark auburn/brown hair & all!!
She even choose the fabrics for the dresses herself!
We are very excited to see what arrives in the mail over the upcoming weeks.
Photos to follow when 'she' does arrive!
♥♥♥ g.m.

*The photos shown in my blog were the two faves that my miss mina fell in love with.
*Photos are from sewfunky.ca
*Facebook group - sewfunky baby slings

Beauty is in the Details

I believe this to be one of the most beautiful pieces of fabric that I have ever seen.
The colours are amazing! Vibrant, gorgeous strength of dye.
Look closely & discover the beauty for yourself.

It is called 'Zen Charmer' by Alexander Henry Fabrics.
♥♥♥

I want it.
But what to do with it?
(It is about $15 yd.)
Ideas???

'Fabrics' of my life!

I have recently stumbled upon a fabulous line of gorgeous fabrics by 'Alexander Henry Fabric Designs'.
♥I AM IN LOVE!♥
I have big plans for some of these fabrics!

Children's fabrics with wee faeries, mushrooms, & nature....
Adorable 'lil people' will make sweet dresses, curtains, comforters..... ohhhmy the possibilities!

Vintage rockabilly/psychobilly inspired patterns & prints!
Skulls, roses, mermaids, daggers...
Unique bedding will come designed just for my man!

Yummy, bright colours.

I will be doing just a wee bit of shopping on Saturday to begin a rockabilly, pin-up girl quilt for my hubby for our (quickly approaching) anniversary!

Ahhh, the ideas swimming around in my head!
Little rockabilly dresses for my daughter with matching dresses for her babies....

Stay tuned because just as soon as I get my hands on them -- well, these are about to become the new 'fabrics' of my life!!!
♥♥♥ g.m.

ohhhdeargod!!!

It has been a month since I have 'blogged'!!!
Wow, I really am a terrible blogger!!!
But, god only knows if anyone is reading this anyway.

Summer is here!
(Well kind-of ~ It is really way to cool to be summer on a heat scale technicality!)
I digress....
Summer is here!

My wonderful kiddies are outta school & my s/d, Raveykat, is with us for the next couple of weeks of July.
& I have already heard those dreaded words about a gazillion times... you know the ones....
"Mum, I'm bored! There is nothing to do."
*sigh*

Swimming lessons are now on, Raveykat is doing the 'Red Cross baby-sitting course' as well as her regular summer activities, birthdays, parties, work, family, camping, my gardens, photography.... I gotta say ~ it has been (& is gonna continue to be) a very busy summer!!!

I will blog though.
Boy-o-boy, will I be blogging!
Pics, quotes, videos, words, rants...

I'll be 'blogging' your eyes off very soon.
♥♥♥ g.m