Preface to Autumn

 

Photos were taken via my iPhone using the free Instagram App. 

Click here to view more photos using Instagram.

Are you as sad as I am that summer has unofficially come to an end? These beautiful September days pass by much too fast don't they? There was a chill in the air as early morning greeted me, but it quickly warmed up as soon as the sun appeared above the horizon.  Another September day had begun and we will be treated to another beautiful day.

Driving along the coast Saturday, the warmth of the sun was cooled by the breezes drifting off the ocean .  We discovered a new favourite beach and will be returning some day soon, perhaps in the next few weeks. 

Last night there was a distinct scent of Autumn in the air.  While walking the pup there were a few cicadas who were treating us to a song - we have hardly heard them all summer. I know moments like these are fleeting, as the warm days get shorter, and the cool nights become longer and longer.  I like to think that each and every season will bring new hopes, happiness and new adventures.

Happy Monday all!

Ps. You can still add a shot to the Sunday morning project. Click here to do so.

Beauty at dusk

This evening I sat on the front steps and stared out into the dimming light letting my eyes adjust to the darkening sky. The coolness of a light breeze brushes over my skin, it feels a little like Fall and the hair on my bare arms rise as a shiver works its way up my back. I watch the bats swoop above my head and catch a glimpse of a couple of doves flying over the treetops.

The utter beauty of this evening enwraps me. I stand there quietly absorbing the beauty of the night that surrounds me, I somehow feel a big part of it, as if its been kind enough to let me in on some of its secrets, and I feel humbled as I stand there in the midsts of it all.

I walk back into my house and hubby smiles at me from the doorway, and I smile back.

Hope your enjoying your weekend,

Hello Thursday

The mild(ish) temperatures and lack of snow and ice on the ground have put me in a great mood. Actually, I have had quite a few surprises that have changed my mood. Tuesday I saw my first robin in the back yard, Monday baby Girl had a great meeting with a new therapist and left her office with a huge smile on her face --smiles from baby Girl have been few and far between in the past several months, things just seem to be clicking along nicely the past couple weeks.

So, today I was itching to create something Spring-like and happy to reflect my mood.  It's a new blank note card currently unnamed, I am open to suggestions if you have any.

Hope your all having a wonderful Thursday,

Photoshop brushes by moiEnjoy!

As promised, I am adding some of my Photoshop Brushes for you to download for your own personal use. Some of the brush sets are just spin-offs from the digital collage work I have shown on here before and some are new.

If you use any of them, I would like you to send me a link so I can admire your work and post it on the blog.
Enjoy!

Find Your Wings {Download}	In Life {Download}
These Days {Coming Soon!}	In Your Eyes{Download}

More To Life{Download , Download II}

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Saturday Night Etsy Finds

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Technology & Miracles

{Screen shot I took from SIL session}

Last night I got to log on to view my SIL's ultrasound session for baby #2.  It blows my mind how advanced technology has gotten since I had my kids.  I wasn't even allowed to have hubby in the room with me when I had an ultrasound for my first two kids.

Last night we were able to watch and listen to everything going on, and if we wanted, we could interact via web cam or chat with the other people logged on as guests.  Too cool!

SIL's last baby was born three years ago and hubby and myself with the aid of my dad, made baby Ella a cradle.  We dressed it with the cutest bedding and the cuddliest blankets - it looked amazing!

 {see post:  The Cradle Will Rock 2}

I am looking for something equally nice to give to SIL and baby #2, but I am having a hard time coming up with ideas.  Maybe you have some?  If you have any ideas for a gift for my new Niece, leave a message with your idea.  We have until mid February to come up with something; who knows, there may be a little surprise gift for the person with the best suggestion.

Scent Recall

---

a light breeze 

came in through my bedroom window

a scent

an aroma

of wood smoke 

and wet leaves

took me back to when I was in my youth-- 8-12 years old. Me, my sister and our friends in a clearing in the forest near the pond where we would play for hours on end. Building tree forts, catching frogs, or just lazing about listening to our transistor radio, eating a picnic lunch on a wool blanket.

But this particular scent memory was of late afternoon, mid October. The sun was just starting to set and rays were streaming through the fall foliage lighting the leaves up like jewels -- red, gold, rust... It was my favorite time of the day. We were up in our tree camp, ignoring my parents' shouts to come home, recounting summer gone and making serious plans for winter that was just around the corner. Lounging with our legs dangling over the side of the platform, inhaling the deep aroma of wood-burning stoves and dampening piles of leaves.

It is amazing how a scent can trigger memories so powerfully vivid from decades gone by.

Have you had a recent scent recall? I'd like to hear about it sometime!

---

Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween weekend ♥

Tuesday Ten Etsy Picks

{Click on each image to view seller's store}

This weeks "Tuesday 10" is inspired by Andrea from Third Street Handcrafters, who wrote the nicest things about me and Slightly Off-Center and who also featured an ETSY page --"Gifts for the photographer", which kept me busy surfing ETSY all weekend.
Thank you Andrea ♥

PS: Andrea and Sonia's Etsy listing is posted above in my list. Don't forget to stop by the shop and their blog; their dolls are truly the sweetest creations.

October 1st? Really???

The calendar says it is the first of October
although Mother Nature seems to have other plans for us.

This week our weather has been foggy and cloudy
but also unseasonably warm.

Today the temperature was 23°C.

I've been feeling very inspired,
going on little photo shoots here and there. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a lovely weekend
 so I can go hunting for little Autumn gems.

Give me a shout and let me know what you have been up to lately.
I'd love to hear all about it!

Signs from the Universe & Friday Fill-Ins

The Universe sends me little reminders to my inbox daily.  The timing of today's message was incredible. These thoughts hit way close to home.

"Changing what you have, Jack, comes from changing who you are.
And changing who you are comes from changing what you think.
Which is why I made the latter so easy.

Hey, I think it's Friday...
The Universe

Want to receive notes from the Universe in your inbox?
Click the link below.

---

Now how about some Friday Fill-Ins?
Click the link below to play along.

And...here we go!

1. I just had an epiphany!
2. Wondering what it is?
3. The third sentence on the 7th page of the book I'm reading: "Everybody gets a shit kicking".
4. Spring flowers all in bloom tickles my fancy.
5. I was walking around the yard yesterday with the hubby talking about some landscape ideas.
6. My silly kitten makes me laugh!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging around with David, tomorrow my plans include trying to keep my head about me and Sunday, I want to be in a better state of mind!

Happy weekend all! Enjoy :)

Tuesday Ten Quiet Contemplation

10 of my favourite tunes for some quiet contemplation.

What are some of your favourate "mellow out" tunes?

Treat yourself to some fun this weekend

I'm just sitting here this morning filling in the Friday Fill-Ins, thinking of what I have planned for my weekend. Weather girl says it's going to be sunny and around 10°C. The ground has finally thawed and the ice on the lakes and rivers is almost all gone. Time to shake all the doom and gloom that winter sometimes leaves behind and get outside, kick up my heals and simply enjoy life.

A dear friend once told me... "You get out of life what you put into it". And he is so right! Life is not a rehearsal, so get out there and enjoy!

Re-connect with your inner child: Go for a hike, hug a tree. Skip stones in a pond, lake, ocean. Grab your camera and be a tourist in your own city/town/suburb. Dig in the dirt. Ride a bike... whatever it takes to brighten your spirit and turn on the laughter.

Meet you at the shore!!!

What are some fun things you have planned for the weekend?


Now on to the Fill-Ins...
Friday Fill-Ins #168

My answers are in bold.  And...here we go!

1. Today I will be at the office 'till about 3ish.
2. Flat tire on my way home last night....grrrr, and I say why not?
3. What do you think of me sitting here writing in my blog when I have work to do?
4. At Starbucks it's free Pastry Day til 1030 Friday! (In Canada it's on Tuesday March 23)
5. People say that what we're all seeking is acceptance.
6. The image I cherish most is of my three children together.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Alice in Wonderland(maybe), tomorrow my plans include an early morning market trip, lingerie store, book store and Sunday, I want to go for a walk, tidy the house, bake a chocolaty sinful dessert (any suggestion?)!

Wakes old chords in the memory:

Thus fair earth in the Spring leads her performances
~  Robert Louis Stevenson, Flower God, God of the Spring

Finally Friday and another beautiful day outside; I feel like my mind is finally clearing from the winter fog that has take up so much space in this old bean of mine. There are many reason to be happy today:

• It is good to be alive.
• The sun streaming through my bedroom window.
• I heard birds singing.
• It's Friday!
• Little purple flowers.
• Baby sister's birthday party is tonight.
• The start of March Break for my baby girl.
• Time change.
• And last but not least... "Young Artists For Haiti - Wavin' Flag" was released today. Look what a group of very talented Canadian musicians & artists can do when they gather their talents together. This left me smiling, I like to smile. So I have decided I am going to keep playing this song and continue smiling the entire day  =)

"And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back ..."

 Canadian hip-hop artist K'NAAN signature hit "Wavin' Flag" was reworked and recorded by a cross-section of 57 of today's biggest Canadian music stars. They call themselves "Young Artists for Haiti", they include Emily Haines, Avril Lavigne and rap artist Drake. The group gathered on Feb. 18 in a Vancouver studio to record the song in an effort to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

This new version of Wavin' Flag, which includes new lyrics specific to Haiti and is produced by Bob Ezrin, was to be released today, Friday March 12th, 2010.

"I think there's a difference between media coverage of an incident and a song. I think a song does something a little more lasting, I hope. I hope we register into people's feelings," K'NAAN said. "Since Haiti is going to be struggling for a long time now to fix this thing, I think we need a song that stays with people a little bit more than the newspapers are willing to commit to the subject."

 Please visit Young Artist for Haiti to download this song.
Lyrics for the new version.  View the original song here.

I Believe! + Friday Fill-Ins #163

(I'm a bit early with my Friday post this week.  I wanted to post this video before the start of the Olympic Games tomorrow.)

16-year-old Nikki Yanofsky sings the official song of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Colombia.  "I Believe," has hit No. 1 on the iTunes Canada Top Songs chart this week.  The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin on February 12th...

I Believe!

Do You Believe?

Now on the the Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. Pickles and Fritos are a great side for a deli flatbread sandwich.
2. Welcome!  Please have a seat and make yourself  at home.
3. The snow is going to melt eventually and I will be so happy when it's finally Spring.
4. I'm already making plans for Spring.  I have plans for some adventures in nature.
5. It's 5:16 PM; that means I'm sitting down for a nice dinner with my family (chicken Kiev, corn on the cob and smashed potatoes).
6. A good tasting peach in the winter is hard to find.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing after work with a magazine and glass of wine, tomorrow my plans include shopping and a gathering with the hens and Sunday, I want to spend the day with the family then out for dinner with my Valentine!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, make your peace today.

The rising sun casts long golden rays

that shone through the billows of the morning clouds. 

I had to shield my eyes from the glare off the freshly fallen snow.

A sunrise like this one is rarity around these parts in mid January. 

January thaw perhaps? 

I put on a sweater, grab my camera
and head outside for some quick shots of the indigo sky

right before the sun rose above the horizon.

I wonder what the afternoon will hold?

When You Wish Upon A Jar

“I believe in wishes and in a person's ability to make a wish come true, I really do. And a wish is more than a wish... it's a goal that your conscience and sub conscience can help make reality.” ~ Michael Jackson

{click photo for full view}

I had two of my nieces with me for the day on Friday, so I decided a craft would be a great distraction on such a dreary day. I had just purchased a bunch of glitter, tags, ribbon and other craft supplies earlier in the week so I had everything that we needed to make our Wish/Dream Jars. I think they both did an exceptional job.

The youngest wanted her jar to be a "Dream Jar" and her sister wanted to keep all her special wishes inside hers. We were all covered in glue and glitter by the end of the afternoon and I had a huge mess to clean up, but it was all so worth it seeing their finished project and seeing the joy on both their faces.

I got the idea after reading an interview with Artist and author Keri Smith who also writes the blog The Wish Jar.

Make your own Wish/Dream/Inspiration Jar:

Mason Jar, clear glass canister, coffee can...
Double sided tape
Craft glue
Glue gun (glitter glue sticks)
Glitter
Ribbon
Dried/Silk flowers
Butterflies
Labels
Glass beads
Wire
Shells
Sand
Feathers
Found objects
*Dreams, Wishes and/or Desires
Have fun!

Inspirational links - Achieve your goals with a Wish Jar , Everyone needs a Wish Jar , Secret Wish Jar

(Not) Wordless #38 - Life Goes On

“in three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.”~Robert Frost

The fire zone behind my house

The path that leads back to the house

Walking though the forest behind my house and seeing all the destruction from the fire was a little overwhelming at first, standing there in all that soot and darkness... I couldn't help but shed a tear. Just as David and I were starting to walk back to the house, a little Chickadee whizzed past me, then another and another. I stopped, closed my eyes and just listened and what I heard was not the silence I had expected, but the sound of a forest full of life. There were Chickadees and Wrens singing, and off in the distance I could hear a pair of Mourning Doves cooing, there were flies buzzing by and squirrels chattering. Amidst all the ghostly remains of the forest -- life goes on.

Visit Wordless Wednesday

Ps. I think it would fun to take weekly walks to the burn zone with my camera so I can document all the re-growth.