tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36199899107598156502024-03-05T23:07:20.321-04:00Blossom HillHandmade wedding cake topper love birds and baby nursery mobiles.
Using natural 100% cotton fabric and merino wool blend felt.
Now located in Wiltshire, UK, products shipped world wideHazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-75513080193169131962014-01-29T15:41:00.000-04:002014-02-20T22:46:13.063-04:002014 Happy New Year !!!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Sneaking in a quick post before the end of the month, so I can wish you all a Happy New Year before February!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right now I feel like I am in a scene from the book, The lion, the witch and the wardrobe, as yet another lot of snow has decided to fall, encasing our home in a winter wonderland rather reminiscent of Narnia. This winter has been particularly brutal with </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">wind chill temperatures dropping to minus 26 degrees at times. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We are grateful to be living in a warmer home, although, we have to laugh thinking back to the summertime when Craig quite confidently announced on moving in that we were not likely to get more than a few cm's of snow being tucked away in the forest and so close to the sea and the city. He even went as far as to say</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> that we would probably only use the old wood stove in the basement a hand full of times. I quickly advertised and sold the pile of wood in our back yard in October to make space for the anticipated veggie garden in the spring. Not, as I should have done anticipating the first heavy snowfall in November!!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Happily there are plenty of people out there planning their Spring and Summer weddings in the US and Europe and of course it is wedding time of year in Australia which is where several cake topper birds are heading these days. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I found a lovely supplier for my felt last year. Laura at <a href="http://www.fiddlestixdesigns.com/store/Default.asp">Fiddlestix Designs</a> in the US has been providing all the felt for my cake toppers and mobiles. Sadly she has decided to stop selling felt so I shall be looking elsewhere for a new supplier of the lovely soft merino wool blend felt. For some reason it can't be found here in Canada. I will miss Laura's friendly and professional help, especially when replying to my endless questions while I procrastinated over which colours to order! Something only a designer</span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">would understand.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Some of my customers have been kind enough to send me photos from their wedding day, with the little birds perched on their beautiful cakes! Here are a few for you to see....</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>From classic white </b></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5-TsSjzXK8/UulB0xuqKlI/AAAAAAAAQ-4/dhYAoxcSzK8/s1600/CATHERINE+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5-TsSjzXK8/UulB0xuqKlI/AAAAAAAAQ-4/dhYAoxcSzK8/s1600/CATHERINE+1.jpg" height="400" width="337" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>To vintage or shabby chic weddings...</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><b>Rustic country weddings and even woodland weddings. Such a variety of wedding styles and all so pretty.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><b>I hope you like them :)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCGAP0H4gZRmXilTl0sgQ_arjzs_lG1021iO5aCvfnHgKeYXguf-qUYKXHbF0OMx94dC9ywwZhwiVkE7B5zym0LjBL8IFIe5IfxEUiPGFEQzIjPzPhzPsZ3IWAKXNTMedZTi_gcmjBMo/s1600/New+Blossomhill+LOGO.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCGAP0H4gZRmXilTl0sgQ_arjzs_lG1021iO5aCvfnHgKeYXguf-qUYKXHbF0OMx94dC9ywwZhwiVkE7B5zym0LjBL8IFIe5IfxEUiPGFEQzIjPzPhzPsZ3IWAKXNTMedZTi_gcmjBMo/s1600/New+Blossomhill+LOGO.png" height="182" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9joYnueQI5674m0Er-lBQL7a2HQ_yMZuAwMuE87X7R97-3SZeORGv2AaMccxv7cH8sEEv1lCSEClEj5dANg-VjGBOjBHKiLYclUdEHjOIK726z1KgJylF7aQ1rBeBDUFBS8TfAiVcsc/s1600/BLOG+SIGNATURE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9joYnueQI5674m0Er-lBQL7a2HQ_yMZuAwMuE87X7R97-3SZeORGv2AaMccxv7cH8sEEv1lCSEClEj5dANg-VjGBOjBHKiLYclUdEHjOIK726z1KgJylF7aQ1rBeBDUFBS8TfAiVcsc/s1600/BLOG+SIGNATURE.png" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43kz9MADWweJ2yC4piVi82j0cArgvbxMdzz9ujUd_MeYI-ZLiuU53raesW-7wMN5XL_EJ4Vry40zR5-Yjw9pcYZ-ddvSkBosKCaSWw7r8qdH4N1_ExO_MAChH_9HGexDzXGa6L1pIIWs/s1600/CHRISTMAS+TREE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43kz9MADWweJ2yC4piVi82j0cArgvbxMdzz9ujUd_MeYI-ZLiuU53raesW-7wMN5XL_EJ4Vry40zR5-Yjw9pcYZ-ddvSkBosKCaSWw7r8qdH4N1_ExO_MAChH_9HGexDzXGa6L1pIIWs/s320/CHRISTMAS+TREE.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A whole two seasons later means my blog news update is well overdue to say the least.</b><br />
<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I last wrote during the summertime as we were settling into our new home, reunited as a family of four. We explored the local area and made the most of all the sunny days living close to the sea. </b><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The cooler days came along and quite quickly turned into white winter ones, with early snowfalls in November and temperatures way below zero into the double digits.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Jemma had to return to South Korea by the end of August and I do miss her so much. We got used having her around for many months enjoying her company. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Amber is just 25 minutes away by car which is nice. She has been immersed in studying, working and socialising, so we have had an empty nest again - which is how it should be when you have raised two independent daughters who are quite capable of living their own lives.</b></span><br />
<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My Etsy shop kept me busy throughout August, September and October with continued orders for wedding cake topper birds regularly coming in. I introduced mobiles back into my shop and started taking care of two primary school children for a few hours a week, giving some structure to my days.</b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomHill"> Cloud and bird mobile - Custom made for a nursery or playroom</a></b></span></div>
<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Although my new home does not give me the inspiration that our old Victorian farm house did with its quirky character, I always look out for DIY projects and ideas to work on when I get a break from sewing. </b><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>I had been looking out for a large old picture frame for some time, checking in thrift stores and the sale ads in the local newspaper but couldn't find one large enough for what I had in mind. I wanted to make a statement chalk board for my kitchen and had seen a few on</b></span><b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/hazel333/">Pinterest</a>. </b><b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One suggestion was to use door trim to construct a frame, which I decided was a good alternative to try. </b><br />
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First </b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>I bought two lengths of door trim from the local hardware store and a large enough piece of lightweight backing board measuring 50" by 25". </b></span><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Craig used a manual saw to cut the door trim for me, using a saw frame to get all cuts at a perfect 90 degree angle to form the frame, which was then glued to the board and clamped together to dry. The board had been painted prior to this with chalkboard paint in black found at the local craft store, it went on easily and needed three coats for a nice smooth finish. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am pleased with the end result and it cost under $20 in total!</span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now all I need is for Jemma to come home and write a fancy menu for me in her perfect handwriting to make a simple but effective piece of art in my kitchen. In the meantime I shall have some fun scribbling on it! </b><br />
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </b><b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week we have Amber home for the holidays, which is lovely. I get to stock the pantry again with plenty of delicious food, decorate the Christmas tree, sip a little red wine, dabble in some baking and smile sweetly as she tries her very hardest to convince me that we really do need a small dog in our lives!! This would, apparently make her want to come home so much more often.</b><br />
<b style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let's just say, I am still very much on the fence on that subject. </b><br />
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<br />Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-53029883031368501542013-07-20T19:56:00.000-03:002013-07-20T19:58:14.873-03:00Summer days in Tantallon, Nova Scotia<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hello dear friends,</b></span><br />
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just love summertime, we have been living in our new home for a few weeks now and once the initial unpacking was out of the way we set to work to improve it. The first place that needed tackling was the back garden. A nasty gravel and weed ridden yard was crying out for some proper grass. Not willing to wait for seed to grow we opted for the more expensive delivery of turf or sod as the locals here in Canada call it. </b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It was all hands on deck as we spread out a huge pile of good quality soil that then had to be moved into place and leveled out before the rectangles of grass could be laid on top. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Between the four of us we lifted, carried, laid, patch worked, flattened and watered the sod until we were all exhausted and bitten silly by the relentless mosquitoes. (the down side to living in the midst of a forest area)</b></span></div>
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some scorching weather followed which meant Craig was out early morning and late evening watering and fighting a losing battle with the Mosies for several days! </b></div>
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems to have paid off now and we have some rather lush grass behind the house to walk on, making hanging my washing a pleasure and not a pain. </b></div>
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inside with all our bits and bobs around from the old house it feels like home again. </b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Once the gardening was under control we decided to take a well deserved weekend break and headed by car and ferry to Prince Edward Island, commonly referred to as<a href="http://www.tourismpei.com/index.php3"> P.E.I. </a> for a couple of days.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We loved Charlottetown with it's bohemian atmosphere, well kept homes and gardens and beautiful beaches. With almost Mediterranean temperatures the water was a welcome place to be and the balmy evenings were spent down on the harbour board walk listening to music, while tourists meandered around, the ladies in their summer dresses and the guys in shorts and deck shoes. </b></span><br />
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we are back home again we have been visiting local beaches and lakes to cool off in the higher than usual temperatures for July, armed with a picnic lunch, brolly and blanket we are all set. I am not complaining at all as I know how quickly the summers end here and it is lovely to be making the most of having my two daughters home for the summer before they go back to University again.</b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hazel x</b></span><br />
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Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-24198314966769714232013-06-28T10:49:00.001-03:002013-06-28T10:50:25.779-03:00We moved house!<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hard to believe that it is over 2 months since my last post, but so much has transpired since then. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having spent the three coldest months of the year Jan, Feb and March, renting a small, warm apartment in the center of Halifax. As the crocuses and daffodils started to open up we packed up our personal belongings and headed back to our own home in the Annapolis Valley. Jemma had stayed with us the whole time and Amber was finishing her first year at University.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The house was put back on the market at a much lower price and within a few weeks we had serious buyers, a young family who wanted to move in asap.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was all systems go as we started the task of packing eight years of collecting stuff to fill our big old Victorian home. Kijiji became a life saver as I photographed many of the pieces of furniture that would be surplus to our needs in the unknown smaller new home we would subsequently move into.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Furnishing an older home is such fun, neglected vintage finds became useful and pretty with a little TLC and a coat of white paint!! </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As each lovingly restored piece found a new home I also made some new friends along the way, which was an added bonus! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We attempted to hold a yard sale which was not so successful, being in a remote village we didn't have many drive by customers, so we donated things by the bagful to the red cross, local library and other charity organisations, very little got thrown away as I am a great believer of recycling and after all one persons junk is another persons treasure!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On June 3rd we said goodbye with mixed feelings to the home we had named Blossom Hill, with it's surrounding apple orchards and happy fun filled changing seasons that were the inspiration for starting this blog back in 2006! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So begins the next chapter of our life here in Canada.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hazel xx</span></div>
Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-55879655257224453722013-04-04T09:56:00.000-03:002013-04-04T09:59:16.374-03:00Happy Easter and Hello April :)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love the month of April. Even though Spring is always late in arriving here in Nova Scotia especially down in the valley, there are promising signs that it is thinking about it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A few little snowdrops and crocuses have bravely dared to make an appearance, struggling through the remnants of snow clinging to the ground and it is lovely to see a little colour here and there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">With Spring approaching my wedding cake topper orders have been flooding in at such a rate that some days I have been struggling to keep up. Most buyers plan well ahead with weddings scheduled in July and August but I have had a couple of rush jobs for those early Spring dates that need to be made up and sent out, to arrive in under two weeks!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I think adding little legs was a good call, even though the birds were popular standing on their little felt heart shaped ones the new design is more versatile and means they can stand on top of softer icing as well as the fondant iced cakes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I was recently sent a few photos of the creative way my customers have displayed their little birds; in nests, on top of archways and underneath tiny bunting flags, which I am considering offering as an addition to the birds. I have made the fabric bunting flag cake toppers before but only sold them on their own.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These little blue and silver grey birds are so shabby chic and pretty in pastel shades of blue and pink.</span></div>
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The traditional dark grey and white birds.</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">Our home is back on the market too this spring and with a very much reduced selling price we are hopeful that this will be the year of downsizing to a home with no barn and a garden instead of some fields. The property would be much better suited now to a family with young children and perhaps a couple of horses or alpacas.</span><br />
Whether we are going to be spending summer in the valley or moving closer to the city it is a time of year I really look forward to.<br />
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Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-33415039508756255222013-03-09T11:47:00.000-04:002013-03-18T13:56:07.271-03:00A Chocolate Treat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>When it comes to cooking, I am not really in my comfort zone. I do have the occasional moments of genius or luck, but generally I tend to stick with what I know best when it comes to meal preparation, always a little scared to experiment as many recipes seem to have a long list of ingredients, more often than not missing from my pantry or fridge at any given time.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>However, two, or rather three things have wet my culinary appetite recently and inspired me to be more creative in the kitchen!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The first was being presented with a mini birthday cake last weekend made from scratch by my youngest daughter Amber. This was a surprise in itself, given the fact that she not only took time out of her busy University schedule but she also got together with her friend who is studying food nutrition and they concocted a sugar free recipe for a chocolate cake with a soft walnut topping!</b></span></div>
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<b style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a health condition called <a href="http://www.gsdlife.org/about-glycogen-storage-disease/glycogen-storage-disease-type-3/">GSD3</a>, which means my liver can't process refined sugar, so I have to really limit how much I can have. I don't like to use artificial sweeteners but do use stevia which a natural sweetener. Amber made this cute 3inch cake using a little natural maple syrup. </b></div>
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<b style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The second source inspiration came from the vivacious and talented chef Jess Pike, a Scottish lass who runs cooking demonstration classes at my local superstore. She also has a website called <a href="http://www.apearoftarts.com/">A Pear of Tarts</a>. I</b><b style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> have been going to Jess's what's for dinner classes held on a Monday lunchtime for a few weeks now. While watching her expertly cooking she also entertains us with some hilarious stories thrown in. At the end of the class the students or viewers get a little plate of her creation to try out and a copy of the recipe and a gift card to spend in the store too. I really look forward to these classes and am gathering a few recipes to try out at home.</b></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Jess Pike </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Last, but not least was coming across a great blog called '<a href="http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/">can you stay for dinner' </a>written by Andie Mitchell. Her story intrigued me and I enjoyed reading it. She writes well and has some great food ideas and a healthy outlook on life which I really admire, there are so many recipes on her blog that I am going to have a go at making.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPV5j_-bIXhLWh1BKVx1BZkwoISP_tkjx_AYEfIf4BR1igJmFXJf0PGjzPqVPFEWObRdr9dAqLbn4xuixmY-jHzjXaq1PvKGv5KRdF86pp_6LTU2rqbhFa8-BgnDWDZHtpfZAjPXNDzU/s1600/SIGNATURE+FOR+BLOG+-+HAZEL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPV5j_-bIXhLWh1BKVx1BZkwoISP_tkjx_AYEfIf4BR1igJmFXJf0PGjzPqVPFEWObRdr9dAqLbn4xuixmY-jHzjXaq1PvKGv5KRdF86pp_6LTU2rqbhFa8-BgnDWDZHtpfZAjPXNDzU/s1600/SIGNATURE+FOR+BLOG+-+HAZEL.png" /></a></div>
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Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-25181629240941260102011-12-15T11:47:00.000-04:002013-03-21T18:48:04.319-03:00Christmas is coming ....<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">The month of December is well under way, it seems to come around faster every year - how does that happen?? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>November was not the best month for me in terms of physical activity. I took a bit of a tumble on some black ice in my driveway at the end of October! The heavy rain had frozen on the edge of the deck and as I headed out with the good intention of going for a brisk early morning walk around the walking track in town, my feet just disappeared from under me and I wacked both shins on the edge of the wooden deck and skinned my knees, hands and chin!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Craig came rushing out to rescue me when he heard the loud shriek expelled from my lungs and almost slipped himself but managed to regain his balance and help me to my feet. I had deep bone bruising on my shins as it turned out but luckily no fracture or breakage. Maybe the calcium supplements do work! </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>The recovery time however I have discovered does take longer the older you get and it was almost 6 weeks before the swelling went down and my shins ankles and knees had gone through various colours of the rainbow. It was nice to finally be able to walk properly again without feeling pain. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>November was on the other hand quite eventful in my shop and I was very excited to receive another lot of beautiful soft merino wool blend felt in the mail from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BenzieBazaar">BenzieBazaar</a>. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>I had chosen colours for my most popular animals in earthy tones suitable for deer, squirrels, bears, hedgehogs, puppies and kittens. Also some ivory white and dark grey for the wedding topper birds. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9B5mD3lE7cI9zcR-0a_dSWgaxUhRWuKYc2tktmHnOBjfuNgFY5ZAMBbscxqtvHm7jMDDXtpd4gSp6pELeQLMUaz2YYHAZ7U8fQRVT8N90OwFQsM2UdgjARI7ydGQ1EaqIu5CjBjOp0U/s1600/FELT+FOR+BLOG+CLOSER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9B5mD3lE7cI9zcR-0a_dSWgaxUhRWuKYc2tktmHnOBjfuNgFY5ZAMBbscxqtvHm7jMDDXtpd4gSp6pELeQLMUaz2YYHAZ7U8fQRVT8N90OwFQsM2UdgjARI7ydGQ1EaqIu5CjBjOp0U/s400/FELT+FOR+BLOG+CLOSER.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>The first order I made up in the new felt was a set of Alpaca's to be used as a wedding cake topper. I designed the pattern to be slightly larger than my usual 2" size which is what the bride to be wanted. Then I had a request for some birds in mustard yellow and golden brown, rainstorm blue and cream, with contrast stitching in silver grey.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGhLtourxCJDNt3sQhRAT7lw5fkA_7EXDa1vJTNMjV-PB-T4WD4pAURkRmY-5K9MI_k-WpIyzC3I4oqcryoeGJezVaIni2WWK0ltsqlqbkK5cG_qHHuxMg9qrkDbfkMbCzioq8YrruLg/s1600/TAN+AND+CREAM+MUSTARD+AQUA+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGhLtourxCJDNt3sQhRAT7lw5fkA_7EXDa1vJTNMjV-PB-T4WD4pAURkRmY-5K9MI_k-WpIyzC3I4oqcryoeGJezVaIni2WWK0ltsqlqbkK5cG_qHHuxMg9qrkDbfkMbCzioq8YrruLg/s400/TAN+AND+CREAM+MUSTARD+AQUA+1.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>I do enjoy making up these personal custom orders for weddings and am particularly happy to be taking on a project for three sets of mice and squirrels for a wedding planner soon. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>When I mention to people that I make up cake toppers in the form of animals they often look a little perplexed. When you are in love and planning a wedding it is often the little details that make all the difference and to have a cute keepsake, especially if it has a special meaning (Craig and I have referred to each other as bunnies since we got engaged over 20 years ago!) </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBVRkFdjIyZ7ztCZYTZvk5g0NvsWxixwx2oTagE_DA8TBwdvrmley3Tt2NKmtZipcXrMO4S0bQVBkSDkYBa_n1MlJO4tU782nvMxRXtGP5cOcjNZKHjBdsLF4XKElAWvqkup0hSxVG7A/s1600/WEDDING+DEER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBVRkFdjIyZ7ztCZYTZvk5g0NvsWxixwx2oTagE_DA8TBwdvrmley3Tt2NKmtZipcXrMO4S0bQVBkSDkYBa_n1MlJO4tU782nvMxRXtGP5cOcjNZKHjBdsLF4XKElAWvqkup0hSxVG7A/s400/WEDDING+DEER.jpg" width="266" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>The feedback photos are always lovely to get, you may remember this pair of deer I made a few months ago? </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Well, it's back to the land of felt and stitchery for me this morning, interrupted only by the need to put another log on the wood stove to keep my fingers nimble and the occasional mug of hot tea to warm my toes!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>I hope you are all enjoying the run up to the Christmas holidays :)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Hazel x</span></b></span><br />
<a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b></b></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-54539938977941461352011-11-15T09:47:00.001-04:002011-11-15T10:01:43.932-04:00Etsy Pre-Christmas Sales<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hello to all my followers :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have had a little blogging break while keeping busy sewing quite a few orders for my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomHill">Blossom Hill Etsy Shop </a>over the past few weeks. It can get a bit hectic in the run up to Christmas. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are just a small selection of the little felt animals I have been designing and sewing.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEKheT8vSgHb8O4jb53dgLcjjbH4tQon-UzZRh6Shq8d_hud1xuVirsyTBv7Nbo4q1_dIgINAhX8_mk9sqY6wOk4og1cZ59WaiD-50nANPAI31NwZ4iGVqtMJfrUKQetGMgmqfvTYJmI/s1600/BLUEBIRDS+TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEKheT8vSgHb8O4jb53dgLcjjbH4tQon-UzZRh6Shq8d_hud1xuVirsyTBv7Nbo4q1_dIgINAhX8_mk9sqY6wOk4og1cZ59WaiD-50nANPAI31NwZ4iGVqtMJfrUKQetGMgmqfvTYJmI/s320/BLUEBIRDS+TOP.jpg" width="306" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A collection of these assorted <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/71318259/little-sky-blue-felt-and-fabric-bird">birds</a> to a boutique in Halifax. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8RPYKhymPH8N6FZnoxqCTcglwrfc3RTX1IMTvfv6DjiZNC1DrLIWY0nnK8ADY7JqroS6h-9XzOx02llDsI9NjsAc0D7vRjqQDOTvnGAUknYx0BBdXh40-3UyjmO2_eCU7r_JeuxAfeU/s1600/3+DEER+FRONT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8RPYKhymPH8N6FZnoxqCTcglwrfc3RTX1IMTvfv6DjiZNC1DrLIWY0nnK8ADY7JqroS6h-9XzOx02llDsI9NjsAc0D7vRjqQDOTvnGAUknYx0BBdXh40-3UyjmO2_eCU7r_JeuxAfeU/s320/3+DEER+FRONT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3 <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61264765/tiny-light-brown-felt-standing-deer">tiny deer</a> for a baby's nursery in the US </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpnWUErKGllB3TRZ1OUOJj8Z6lbfbA4MFYU7pnzL76k2KUcwDP71YuFda2BYeejaVK-Vj2qfZv2yJq1DnKb5Ii-IniaV-AEow00CWg1ySDqMR3qdIK8XmGw7ka0yeokednB4Ro_ZQzAI/s1600/five+hearts+list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpnWUErKGllB3TRZ1OUOJj8Z6lbfbA4MFYU7pnzL76k2KUcwDP71YuFda2BYeejaVK-Vj2qfZv2yJq1DnKb5Ii-IniaV-AEow00CWg1ySDqMR3qdIK8XmGw7ka0yeokednB4Ro_ZQzAI/s320/five+hearts+list.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Scandinavian Christmas felted wool<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/68661161/single-scandinavian-christmas-heart-home"> red berry heart </a>decorations </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiTrufREgZBTJSKVZgd-p1ZzU4IjgY8ScN0eqLyaXLY0PvJZqUggFz0fEKgkj833kSnyVpAv7sZ7LywWsdS2pCyOfNQZ3IoI_4bdrsfGliD8x2TtZqGU62pxDFm-m2TMTvMpBi7p1wZ0/s1600/TOTORO+FAMILY+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiTrufREgZBTJSKVZgd-p1ZzU4IjgY8ScN0eqLyaXLY0PvJZqUggFz0fEKgkj833kSnyVpAv7sZ7LywWsdS2pCyOfNQZ3IoI_4bdrsfGliD8x2TtZqGU62pxDFm-m2TMTvMpBi7p1wZ0/s320/TOTORO+FAMILY+1.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some little Japanese <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomHill">Totoro </a>wood spirits !</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwmxk5uv6bLS5A22y3HJx2jNy0CclLyejeExiYoiViBJXvgWp6hCjuUUdQ9uPGI0hic941x1NYvrbNuH9Po4x_qdy8apu5N6RNU49zgL_yGU61a_6LcJOHeaYNAWOCY-UfJyU0oIKyKE/s1600/best+unicorn+photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwmxk5uv6bLS5A22y3HJx2jNy0CclLyejeExiYoiViBJXvgWp6hCjuUUdQ9uPGI0hic941x1NYvrbNuH9Po4x_qdy8apu5N6RNU49zgL_yGU61a_6LcJOHeaYNAWOCY-UfJyU0oIKyKE/s320/best+unicorn+photo.png" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Unicorns and <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/68906646/little-white-felt-pony-with-wings">winged horses</a> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tk22JZX_NzY/TsJqJ-6RlPI/AAAAAAAADT4/vK2gAeu2PHM/s1600/PEACHES+LIST.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tk22JZX_NzY/TsJqJ-6RlPI/AAAAAAAADT4/vK2gAeu2PHM/s320/PEACHES+LIST.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A little<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62454083/tiny-peach-felt-rabbit"> peach bunny </a>made from a new colour merino wool felt ordered from the US from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BenzieBazaar?ref=pr_shop_more">Benzie Bazaar</a>. I am patiently waiting for another delivery soon with more of the popular brown shades that are running low in my sewing room.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4IG9RA2nIA/TsJqXDzbqsI/AAAAAAAADUA/X2LS-ELo8nY/s1600/CLOSE+UP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4IG9RA2nIA/TsJqXDzbqsI/AAAAAAAADUA/X2LS-ELo8nY/s320/CLOSE+UP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This cute Pitbull puppy was a custom order for a lady who wanted a miniature version of her own little dog.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Plus of course the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/73307445/wedding-cake-topper-keepsake-traditional">little bird wedding cake toppers</a> :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPL3th6_2S1vEq-AOim0w8cT3sDxrZqlDjvziCv1WIiXjY39bD8eAAp5ZjcBppAhTokl2bUKE7efp3KXt5o-EB52DksFhdU8eQvsdXsdGu2VJpNo4EO1X2ZV-5BzPNwEDyK-lGDtvVOc/s1600/BLUE+AND+GREY+BIRDS+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPL3th6_2S1vEq-AOim0w8cT3sDxrZqlDjvziCv1WIiXjY39bD8eAAp5ZjcBppAhTokl2bUKE7efp3KXt5o-EB52DksFhdU8eQvsdXsdGu2VJpNo4EO1X2ZV-5BzPNwEDyK-lGDtvVOc/s320/BLUE+AND+GREY+BIRDS+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This particular pair are flying off to the UK!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-31111925661604818362011-10-14T17:47:00.001-03:002011-10-14T19:40:44.652-03:00Well Hello Autumn!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNCPfdmvs4GnuEX13QiD8A3PMfE_5PGRssHzi8P4mvtWq7foVlkZsJ1bvd8lXBCn2P5AFSBkjzuF6XLZ05KI4ZpG1tW3U-v7dVk9k5otUp3El53HJCXLewRxQ1cTOVszz985dKjK6_0Ck/s1600/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNCPfdmvs4GnuEX13QiD8A3PMfE_5PGRssHzi8P4mvtWq7foVlkZsJ1bvd8lXBCn2P5AFSBkjzuF6XLZ05KI4ZpG1tW3U-v7dVk9k5otUp3El53HJCXLewRxQ1cTOVszz985dKjK6_0Ck/s400/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Autumn is here, which is quite evident in the beautiful spectrum of colours of the leaves on our trees. Craig couldn't resist getting out the camera one sunny morning this week and taking a few snaps.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's amazing how quickly it all happens from a tree full of green to varying shades of red and gold, before a few windy days come along and send them all falling to the ground. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Don't you just love the feeling of stepping and jumping on crunchy autumn leaves? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's so satisfying :D </span></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXP8dfIWF2G_v8MUhfV8MQkSm_qyU3dHu3lGJqOl-rQzeCxIdYkc82MWTkXYYtmHKbMzs2Hm4GhV4D_bInXinEpDA61LHAeTVlE6ZMTwOrTZ8hD3GHz-IzCp-rkkF5gYbvqi5RamBMb486/s1600/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXP8dfIWF2G_v8MUhfV8MQkSm_qyU3dHu3lGJqOl-rQzeCxIdYkc82MWTkXYYtmHKbMzs2Hm4GhV4D_bInXinEpDA61LHAeTVlE6ZMTwOrTZ8hD3GHz-IzCp-rkkF5gYbvqi5RamBMb486/s400/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjoSKLH09zwAaAr59WlIYNpiyvijkt-qc2S_aGn5cVzew-lg2wDWbua-pclP_iMnc-epzbjebBweQBECaRq-YwDgeMc4oyWn_4_QzV6U1LoXoQ2UCHHxhiTZ6QT98tPCHQnhjFr-1dBSj/s1600/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjoSKLH09zwAaAr59WlIYNpiyvijkt-qc2S_aGn5cVzew-lg2wDWbua-pclP_iMnc-epzbjebBweQBECaRq-YwDgeMc4oyWn_4_QzV6U1LoXoQ2UCHHxhiTZ6QT98tPCHQnhjFr-1dBSj/s400/SMALLER+FOR+BLOG+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hazel x</span></span>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-72022551686063605022011-10-01T11:26:00.001-03:002013-01-27T13:26:35.115-04:00Family Friday - Princess Amber<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7ejuhOxw_p7NJy4EiS932RQGKhQZmOZqJajLErPTE7LPqb118IhW5oYhT-jI_5KPPrsndvgRLV7uQuaTIA1m5Qpegx9OQhcWwPNOW83cfXDUEJate1N6rHdl62bIpA-7bYswqBC2r7A/s1600/cropped+for+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7ejuhOxw_p7NJy4EiS932RQGKhQZmOZqJajLErPTE7LPqb118IhW5oYhT-jI_5KPPrsndvgRLV7uQuaTIA1m5Qpegx9OQhcWwPNOW83cfXDUEJate1N6rHdl62bIpA-7bYswqBC2r7A/s400/cropped+for+blog+1.jpg" width="336" /></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">GETTING READY</span> </b></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>August came and went and the school holidays ended, which was a bit sad but all good things have to come to an end and although the sun didn't shine as much as previous summers, all the veggies and fruit still grow well. We harvested spinach, lettuce, onions, carrots, beets, peppers and courgettes. The tomatoes were late but bountiful none the less by the end of the month and I managed to make a few batches of sun dried tomatoes and delicious chunky sweet tomato soup to store in the freezer for winter. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Sometime in July Amber was asked (as she and Jemma have been every year we have lived here) if she would be willing to take part in the Morristown Princess Tea, where they choose a epresentative aged between 15 and 18 to take part in the Berwick Gala Days celebration. Both my daughters have declined in the past due to the stigma attached to pageants generally. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>However this year Amber got more information and discovering that a Princess in the Gala Days festivities is more of an all round representative rather than a beauty queen, with emphasis being on public speaking, good morals, manners and work ethic. Having thought about it she decided to enter the event.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The local ladies in our community were delighted and she attended a special Princess tea where she got her crown and sash. Some of the duties once she was chosen were to be in the gala days parade on a fund raising float. This was decorated and prepared in our barn. All 15 candidates from various villages in the valley got together daily and had a busy week visiting the elderly in a hospice, patients at a rehabilitation home, judging a local desert contest and meeting and greeting young and old at various other events. The main function was a princess tea where Amber had to stand up in front of a room full of spectators, local politicians included and deliver a prepared speech on her chosen subject of being a good role model. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The week was very busy and Amber was chosen as second lady in waiting, a title that she was more than happy with. She found her experience to be a positive one, having fun with the other girls that took part and was happy to end the summer holidays with some great memories before starting her final year of high school. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I am very proud of her naturally and since then she has started grade 12 and now has a part time job in the evenings and weekends so will have a busy year ahead while deciding on her future university plans.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UnCSVd1OyT0/TocaEGWI2AI/AAAAAAAADSs/ypgk0lMWWN0/s1600/cropped+for+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UnCSVd1OyT0/TocaEGWI2AI/AAAAAAAADSs/ypgk0lMWWN0/s400/cropped+for+blog+2.jpg" width="400" /></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>IN THE PARADE ON THE MORRISTOWN COMMUNITY FLOAT</b></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DsZZT4HmvsaYSdzycPkDH-wz6S5UI_cEUuWvRhJqeLmksOCBbYx2jCaMET48PZIeHZFP5PEc_vx-wLQhVTdraly38j83knHKLu1pv2sGQbjkc9lelBXZ_sgssnRfRL5Ls_ZPBp5jMmY/s1600/GALA+DAYS+2011+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DsZZT4HmvsaYSdzycPkDH-wz6S5UI_cEUuWvRhJqeLmksOCBbYx2jCaMET48PZIeHZFP5PEc_vx-wLQhVTdraly38j83knHKLu1pv2sGQbjkc9lelBXZ_sgssnRfRL5Ls_ZPBp5jMmY/s400/GALA+DAYS+2011+011.JPG" width="400" /></b></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-jsIwsWbEY/TocfJHoS0BI/AAAAAAAADS4/iptcAasHBqM/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-jsIwsWbEY/TocfJHoS0BI/AAAAAAAADS4/iptcAasHBqM/s400/IMG_0728.JPG" width="400" /></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>NINE OF THE 15 CANDIDATES TAKING PART</b></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></b></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-73778334568234072422011-09-23T21:52:00.001-03:002011-09-23T22:03:29.479-03:00Family Friday - July in Montreal and a bright red car!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is a small post for my extended family and friends, especially the ones who aren't familiar with facebook where I tend to write things on a more regular basis. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Each Friday I am going to keep you updated on what we have been up to starting from the month of July after Jem left for Korea and there were just the three of us; Craig, Amber and myself for the summer holidays.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With Craig's new job we soon realised that we really needed another set of wheels as sharing one car was not going to work with his new job being over an hours drive away. After looking tirelessly in the local classifieds etc. Craig came to the conclusion that a trip a little further afield was required and before I could say 'are you sure?' we were boarding an overnight train to Montreal!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Armed with some felt, thread, stuffing and a few selected patterns I was prepared to make a few tiny animals en-route to list in my Blossom Hill shop when I returned in a few days time. I began sewing them together unaware that I was being closely watched by the gentleman in the seat behind me. After I had finished a couple of them curiosity got the better of him and he asked me what I was doing. I told him about my online business and he wanted the two little bears I had made. When I had finished the fourth and final one he bought those too, so my train journey turned out to be quite a productive one!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Montreal is a lovely City and we managed to find a little car to get us back home again via Quebec City. The drive home took about 15 hours, which worked out well with the three of us taking turns at the wheel. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj3Ac4pnWKY3wiauXGL7gUPIn_Gb7R_wRTnX55HgOSO0q_7-xw4jw4LXMfRmkidnJQ_YMZ45ZyjOykuAr-TpURdHPwkRngWJkRTDb69mlsmG4BMsrHMvlkwXNqcRyjoA0Rg6cxmzL9_s/s1600/MONTREAL+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj3Ac4pnWKY3wiauXGL7gUPIn_Gb7R_wRTnX55HgOSO0q_7-xw4jw4LXMfRmkidnJQ_YMZ45ZyjOykuAr-TpURdHPwkRngWJkRTDb69mlsmG4BMsrHMvlkwXNqcRyjoA0Rg6cxmzL9_s/s400/MONTREAL+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Above the City of Montreal</b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvg7W_BfpFvtgGaWNMcjbLxo8j73H7aU9aOyP6dhcrqLtfpikiELp79OGo3IwdFBbrno6wUmlvCovk_CWn68Js0ljQwhKZa4jUmHe-4Z8uNc2FTG5t73pU6FMtwhFM7bqRKVr3MQu8pQ/s1600/QUEBEC+CASTLE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvg7W_BfpFvtgGaWNMcjbLxo8j73H7aU9aOyP6dhcrqLtfpikiELp79OGo3IwdFBbrno6wUmlvCovk_CWn68Js0ljQwhKZa4jUmHe-4Z8uNc2FTG5t73pU6FMtwhFM7bqRKVr3MQu8pQ/s400/QUEBEC+CASTLE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Amber in Old Quebec City</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WJyzRJ-1XNA/Tn0rnU0VS6I/AAAAAAAADSk/__IjWzJ_ha4/s1600/cropped+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WJyzRJ-1XNA/Tn0rnU0VS6I/AAAAAAAADSk/__IjWzJ_ha4/s400/cropped+for+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> The shiny red Honda Fit from Montreal</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our friend Dave came to visit us in July from New Zealand, in fact he gave the car a wonderful clean and polish, which was very kind of him!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Next Friday I will tell you about Amber's involvement in the Gala Days celebration when she represented our village Morristown as their Princess.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-75500163131597156212011-09-15T19:41:00.063-03:002011-09-17T12:00:51.372-03:00Window Inspiration<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A few weeks have gone by since I wrote this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://blossomhillcottons.blogspot.com/2011/03/spring-is-almost-here-yay.html">Blog Post</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">introducing</span> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilkSecret">Silk Secret</a>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">Whilst my new venture hasn't broken any records it has been ticking along steadily and with the Blossom Hill shop of little hand sewn animals in tandem it keeps me busy creating, sourcing new materials and vintage finds, photographing, listing and getting things wrapped up and in the mail to various destinations around the world. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">I admire other regular bloggers such as my friend Katherine who's blog <a href="http://secretsofabutterfly.typepad.com/secrets_of_a_butterfly/">Secret's of a Butterfly</a> never ceases to amaze me with her endless stream of diverse and beautiful images and words, so skillfully put together in such a creative way. My biggest downfall with blogging is that I tend to go off on a tangent aka 'surfing'. Trying to concentrate on the reason I came on the computer in the first place seems to be something I rarely achieve and then I end up feeling terribly guilty and non-productive. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;">I will be putting more interior decorating inspiration in my posts. This week I have decided to focus on Windows. I love unusual and beautiful windows, they can really change a room and are such a focal point, the ones below appealed to me the most in my search among so many images on flickr today. All quite different but equally impressive.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/livingwithlindsay/3824572243/" title="Living Room with Arched Windows and Tall Ceilings by Living With Lindsay, on Flickr"><img alt="Living Room with Arched Windows and Tall Ceilings" height="460" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3824572243_5a15c324ed.jpg" width="360" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/misskittykat/3616109819/" title="mom and dads house by PinkFriday, on Flickr"><img alt="mom and dads house" height="333" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2470/3616109819_a111b11395.jpg" width="500" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/moline/483346604/" title="Pauline looking out of round window by moline, on Flickr"><img alt="Pauline looking out of round window" height="500" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/483346604_21470390bf.jpg" width="334" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just wanted to share these with you.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-11570400572998453102011-09-04T17:33:00.000-03:002013-01-27T13:27:38.586-04:00Interior Decorating Diploma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQImQLcgqB-xKWf3ypIxk7-QM17aYkD9GiCZNsgKohyphenhyphenn2saSUUcDyW4SGT9a4FHNGV6wM6dv1H5UuqgDcS9Xihedf_AszgG1ARNn0gPaRdsQxtXVoOYfJGzSd2srmTxF0TZeOm9aq-bGM/s1600/DIPLOMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQImQLcgqB-xKWf3ypIxk7-QM17aYkD9GiCZNsgKohyphenhyphenn2saSUUcDyW4SGT9a4FHNGV6wM6dv1H5UuqgDcS9Xihedf_AszgG1ARNn0gPaRdsQxtXVoOYfJGzSd2srmTxF0TZeOm9aq-bGM/s400/DIPLOMA.jpg" width="300" /></b></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>It finally arrived!! My Diploma for the Interior Decorating course I completed this year through the International Career School (ICS) </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>It may not be a job, but it will give me the confidence to keep tackling those paint renovating projects I love to do and with the knowledge gained on the course I can put it to good use in our next home. Of course this is all a bit premature as we still have to sell our current house and seeing as I have decorated every room here already I shall have to be patient. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I am going to post some photos that appeal to my sense of style over the coming few weeks. I was originally going to start a Tumblr blog as both my daughters have those, but instead decided it would make more sense to carry on with this blog and just make sure I include the links to my photograph sources.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Hazel x</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b></b></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-37975057229077277882011-08-18T09:49:00.001-03:002011-08-26T08:30:29.796-03:00My daughter in Seoul<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I do miss my daughter Jemma so much now she is living so far away in Seoul. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She is having a wonderful time and we are in contact on skype , telephone, facebook and email, so I can't complain too much :) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She recently started blogging about her life there, which is of course so different to Halifax and the first two years she spent in University after leaving home. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Even though I lived in London myself and come from Manchester originally, It is quite different to the huge City of Seoul with it's culture and people.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://jemmasseoul.tumblr.com/">http://jemmasseoul.tumblr.com/</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think of her often and am so happy she is living her dream.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-70215483846060033792011-07-21T19:42:00.000-03:002011-07-21T19:42:37.825-03:00Midsummer Madness<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>A busy few weeks has meant that my blog has been somewhat neglected so I shall try my best to get back into the swing of things. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>First of all our family became official Canadian citizens on June 2nd, it has been a long and complicated process as anyone who has ever immigrated to another country will know. We attended the swearing in ceremony just a couple of weeks after completing our knowledge of Canada test and were presented with our certificates and Citizenship cards along with 47 other new citizens from 20 different countries. </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf5xA6gmuK0J1RtizEAJr6bgOhZLk5yn_1MIjCtElmp27z-tQYpsIB1LZ2Kv2D2uvwPgVV_TCqczAaqVFXZ3CzM96YEMvPHUKLkLgzZ8p5ilH0vxLiO1KUuIzB7VYmuWiPIIpzzRAdBY/s1600/IMG_8495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf5xA6gmuK0J1RtizEAJr6bgOhZLk5yn_1MIjCtElmp27z-tQYpsIB1LZ2Kv2D2uvwPgVV_TCqczAaqVFXZ3CzM96YEMvPHUKLkLgzZ8p5ilH0vxLiO1KUuIzB7VYmuWiPIIpzzRAdBY/s400/IMG_8495.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIA3dQ5LO5c/Tiin2YMcUiI/AAAAAAAADSM/Qqk1KQjHIYw/s1600/IMG_8498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIA3dQ5LO5c/Tiin2YMcUiI/AAAAAAAADSM/Qqk1KQjHIYw/s400/IMG_8498.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Cunard Centre where the ceremony was held in Halifax</b> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJk49YL7Cig/TiioFsBD1mI/AAAAAAAADSQ/wuwiye_S_3I/s1600/IMG_8552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJk49YL7Cig/TiioFsBD1mI/AAAAAAAADSQ/wuwiye_S_3I/s400/IMG_8552.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>A few days following the ceremony we bid an emotional farewell to Jemma at Halifax airport, seeing her off on her year long student exchange venture to Korea!! </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UR65sYhc7ps/TiinoYSpwZI/AAAAAAAADSI/K3bylI7cBf4/s1600/IMG_8614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UR65sYhc7ps/TiinoYSpwZI/AAAAAAAADSI/K3bylI7cBf4/s400/IMG_8614.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Hugs from Daddy at the airport.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Our little girl is all grown up and independent now and is loving the many wonderful new experiences that the huge city of Seoul has to offer, certainly an exciting place to be spending her 20th birthday in just a few days. She is making lots of new friends, adapting to the local culture and customs living with a sweet host family about an hour away from the University. In September she will move into the campus dormitories which will cut out the travelling time and be more convenient during her study months. Yesterday she found out that she has been awarded another scholarship by the University of Seoul. We are all delighted and very proud of her. I am loving Skype these days when we can actually see her in her little bedroom as she gives us a weekly update. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Our house is now on the market with Property Guys, we have decided to have a go at marketing it ourselves. We have full control of the live site which is a much more accepted way of selling these days. We don't anticipate a quick sale, but you never know. With Amber still in high school for another year we can't move too far away until she goes to University. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The garden is looking lush and green, the humming birds are back of course in huge numbers now that the fledglings have hatched, it's hard to keep up with filling the two feeders outside the window. The hydrangeas are enormous as are the hosta's and we have salad ingredients coming out of our ears in the veggie patch!! Wonderful and definitely my favorite time of year.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Here is a link to our listing if you would like to take a peek :)</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://propertyguys.com/property/index/id/59634">http://propertyguys.com/property/index/id/59634</a> </b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-75414096974245641802011-06-04T11:02:00.003-03:002013-01-27T13:24:54.478-04:00Sipping some of David's Tea !!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>To remember my last visit to Halifax, staying with my daughter Jemma we took a little afternoon walk up the road to a delightful tea shop called <a href="http://www.davidstea.com/about-us">David's Tea</a>. I had passed this venue by on many occasion mistakenly thinking it was just a shop selling ceramic tea pots and cups and didn't realise there were a few seats inside!! </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>What a lovely surprise when we entered and discovered a wonderful choice of delicious sounding teas to choose from. The shop was laid out so neatly with a large array of items to purchase all The menu was quite mind boggling, with names like 'Three Wishes', La la Lemon', Butterfly Jasmine' and 'Jumpy Monkey' !! The lady behind the counter was so friendly and we finally came to a decision.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Jemma chose the organic 'Creme Brulee, while I opted for the 'Mint Chocolate Rooibos'. Both proved to be good choices and were delicious. We sat and chatted whilst sipping and watching the shoppers on Spring Garden road go by. Before leaving I bought a bottle of <a href="http://www.davidstea.com/sweeteners/organic-agave-nectar">Organic agave nectar</a>, a natural liquid sweetener that looks similar to honey. I am unable to have real sugar with GSD, so it will be a nice alternative to Stevia in my drinks. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDJlNTJRGgb4pTAB5LcyR7OHXkCDO4IqZRgzwsrI41nQRQ-nKimwnNLSwcCpr2SOgbol4A4Gg9mm6fAxKbqYrpGnsVc4XwpFHFyv08oOHXYdD4O1vMdVudAZqhS2cGgva-id9f7likUs/s1600/DAVIDS+TEA+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDJlNTJRGgb4pTAB5LcyR7OHXkCDO4IqZRgzwsrI41nQRQ-nKimwnNLSwcCpr2SOgbol4A4Gg9mm6fAxKbqYrpGnsVc4XwpFHFyv08oOHXYdD4O1vMdVudAZqhS2cGgva-id9f7likUs/s200/DAVIDS+TEA+3.jpg" width="200" /></b></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8DfF8NAJA3-rA0V6EaSE7PQd6NL5oN68y-qlSruhtvskymTYm7RLEyc6pG1-hEjk7ko2RPAqHx8Wz7SiZH9llyDrOGxTPtk_dBMgsWQHkS4zVQTrjEsadCOL1ncmsK4e3nndj548HLE/s1600/DAVIDS+TEA+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8DfF8NAJA3-rA0V6EaSE7PQd6NL5oN68y-qlSruhtvskymTYm7RLEyc6pG1-hEjk7ko2RPAqHx8Wz7SiZH9llyDrOGxTPtk_dBMgsWQHkS4zVQTrjEsadCOL1ncmsK4e3nndj548HLE/s200/DAVIDS+TEA+4.jpg" width="200" /></b></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>In keeping with the tea theme I would like to share some related finds on Etsy:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZqC4RJgMDMsxo-h9QCeclgylmvtLWaDWYl6zkPNkDCniKEDyO3cdw58DuZA9QW11G_liLrZkP2gTbTuOaj2ES8YJ8S37_1LzfR2m4bd5F5p07_VKscealMEZYVrj_TB9xmbJ6vo-Iyg/s1600/TEA+CUP+RING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZqC4RJgMDMsxo-h9QCeclgylmvtLWaDWYl6zkPNkDCniKEDyO3cdw58DuZA9QW11G_liLrZkP2gTbTuOaj2ES8YJ8S37_1LzfR2m4bd5F5p07_VKscealMEZYVrj_TB9xmbJ6vo-Iyg/s320/TEA+CUP+RING.jpg" width="320" /></b></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>This sweet teacup ring is from Jennifer's shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/bellehibou">Bellehibou</a> </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I added this print to my favourite items a while ago by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/joojoo?ref=pr_shop_more">Joojoo</a></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZYAVmMsKxKcqHR6wMNaTsTUT_FOJn9DSz8oC7zaV_awcWwOp8KR_XgKAJiW8m6U_JHPbx27vpDys7DumA_uFfU7vQpgUXrUH2tCDBpjJIoJNJPwMHoQT8bcc5fTu6tCJnMuFb_dGk7o/s1600/Joojoo+illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZYAVmMsKxKcqHR6wMNaTsTUT_FOJn9DSz8oC7zaV_awcWwOp8KR_XgKAJiW8m6U_JHPbx27vpDys7DumA_uFfU7vQpgUXrUH2tCDBpjJIoJNJPwMHoQT8bcc5fTu6tCJnMuFb_dGk7o/s320/Joojoo+illustration.jpg" width="235" /></b></span></a></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #7f6000;"><b><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></b></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-82218952071096421892011-05-07T17:18:00.000-03:002013-01-27T14:38:42.740-04:00Happy Mother's Day 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely Mum's out there!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My own mum lives so far away in South Africa and I do wish I were spending the day with her of course. However, being a mum myself with two very sweet daughters I shall no doubt be enjoying a special day at home tomorrow. Jemma is coming home on the bus this evening and has taken Monday off work to spend some extra time with me. Craig will be running her back into the City in the afternoon, where he also has a job interview lined up (fingers and toes crossed). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Before I show you my own latest Etsy listing here are a couple of shout outs for some recently added items in my 'favourites' </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thanks to my recent involvement in 'circles' I get to spot some different and new items that other etsy sellers and buyers add to their favourites and I look forward to seeing what new activity each day brings. I am even getting added to other peoples circles so it's all good.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This shop </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/homesteadtreasures">Homestead Treasures</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> sells beautiful hand stamped cotton trim in shabby chic and Parisian styles, I am thinking or ordering some to use as tie backs for my curtains. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB8TheGXJZuMNqK-FBa98uiSBpPyZlWuEBSv7MEH8TEj2oAFzr6QLgSPHTlcHRA9KpwPe68zrToeM2vVqBytgZ1VzX2plXaXhc3soiK-cUyw7SpvLPna9YNnb6QO0aXfWT-BS9aHrgxs/s1600/COTTON+HAND+STAMPED+TRIM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB8TheGXJZuMNqK-FBa98uiSBpPyZlWuEBSv7MEH8TEj2oAFzr6QLgSPHTlcHRA9KpwPe68zrToeM2vVqBytgZ1VzX2plXaXhc3soiK-cUyw7SpvLPna9YNnb6QO0aXfWT-BS9aHrgxs/s320/COTTON+HAND+STAMPED+TRIM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are my own little Mother's day gifts and sweet home made cards from Jemma and Amber - thank you girls xx</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33jd212bcYhwEzY7ndboZ4VW3L9OMBPt7Wl6G2K53kbZXJw5dT0oKiF1gByvPKnA9BHEzwByGkmNzZTaCV_5cxeqWCQ04dNFlH6P5NhJnUkv09-Oy4LZGHxlhvZEQoaDG4eoc7-GLAT8/s1600/CARDS+FOR+BLOG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33jd212bcYhwEzY7ndboZ4VW3L9OMBPt7Wl6G2K53kbZXJw5dT0oKiF1gByvPKnA9BHEzwByGkmNzZTaCV_5cxeqWCQ04dNFlH6P5NhJnUkv09-Oy4LZGHxlhvZEQoaDG4eoc7-GLAT8/s320/CARDS+FOR+BLOG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJHS2rrXiyk/UQVzs4uL1YI/AAAAAAAADf8/Ygdj7mPN9EE/s1600/MOTHERS+DAY+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJHS2rrXiyk/UQVzs4uL1YI/AAAAAAAADf8/Ygdj7mPN9EE/s320/MOTHERS+DAY+2011+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="border-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-92049229930753932022011-04-17T16:08:00.001-03:002011-04-17T16:18:12.102-03:00Fellow Etsy sellers...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Spending so much time recently concentrating on being creative with special request orders for Etsy buyers I have been doing a bit of browsing. This week I found a couple of fellow sellers here in Canada and wanted to show you some of their lovely work.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found this shop Pin Wheel Designs </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">located in Bear River and run by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/pinwheeldesigns?ref=pr_shop_more">Amy</a>. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwhCPTQ1fP2oM6zqQiPJHJnBnKsyqxl-4WBr16KRM1bqByhgGEj8zbhypfn1hSVCoILPVMrLgnkfMz2dzh6l6jNQFclbaN4XDWM5B0zU8R25ZuJhbytH3bu-p6hfrOgWwyL9nOL39uc4/s1600/il_fullxfull.118390817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwhCPTQ1fP2oM6zqQiPJHJnBnKsyqxl-4WBr16KRM1bqByhgGEj8zbhypfn1hSVCoILPVMrLgnkfMz2dzh6l6jNQFclbaN4XDWM5B0zU8R25ZuJhbytH3bu-p6hfrOgWwyL9nOL39uc4/s320/il_fullxfull.118390817.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love her words and illustrations and wanted to share a couple of them on here.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With so many to choose from it was hard to pick my personal favourite.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then I came across </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/Jackierueda?ref=ls_profile">Jackie</a> in Montreal, who takes such delightful photographs that would look perfect in my kitchen.</span><br />
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</span>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-2812752708244084502011-04-06T17:31:00.000-03:002011-04-06T17:31:18.936-03:00April is Sew busy :)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Too busy to write anything at the moment so here are some links to a few new items already in my shop or about to be listed :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrjqOKamsGDowBKF7GiKwmVmyzszshX3MdIQaoZPdrpEymlsfHDxZ79gMEXBJJqLgjUnXFumhoKZ580iZ58uAcyudBeDahHAKTKLz1AYNnsY6nggI4AdHdFQti9B2LIujfILEgh3Vg3Q/s1600/CREAM+HEART+POPS+LIST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrjqOKamsGDowBKF7GiKwmVmyzszshX3MdIQaoZPdrpEymlsfHDxZ79gMEXBJJqLgjUnXFumhoKZ580iZ58uAcyudBeDahHAKTKLz1AYNnsY6nggI4AdHdFQti9B2LIujfILEgh3Vg3Q/s320/CREAM+HEART+POPS+LIST.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/71614373/upcycled-felt-heart-pops">Four felted wool heart pops!</a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_av0_ID3M7cddWiLe7dGOMkFZfOpbaaq02-OTHe7f9lmc-M6KpGib30KJTj3eE2esTqgxASTnYyPoi_Qo86aDYfE95VCBMnCmRUOooepZoL9PgJ1ErLF0fjon3_GSL8TLiiTbaGkCos/s1600/WINGED+KITTEN+LIST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_av0_ID3M7cddWiLe7dGOMkFZfOpbaaq02-OTHe7f9lmc-M6KpGib30KJTj3eE2esTqgxASTnYyPoi_Qo86aDYfE95VCBMnCmRUOooepZoL9PgJ1ErLF0fjon3_GSL8TLiiTbaGkCos/s320/WINGED+KITTEN+LIST.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tiny kitten with wings (still to list)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvE9o1BbThUa8P8sX402sdV4q0WlMZK0VvzheJ3ykQXYrSgyf6N1A9w7ZBBtOzPeHnxz4vfZ5Hg6L-tK5MCkzK7RR5_nohoZgEU4NpbJiRsHb7eE-VwAyksPQw4XQs64hz91wDZ7M2Zg/s1600/best+unicorn+photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvE9o1BbThUa8P8sX402sdV4q0WlMZK0VvzheJ3ykQXYrSgyf6N1A9w7ZBBtOzPeHnxz4vfZ5Hg6L-tK5MCkzK7RR5_nohoZgEU4NpbJiRsHb7eE-VwAyksPQw4XQs64hz91wDZ7M2Zg/s320/best+unicorn+photo.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/47248593">Tiny Unicorn </a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZRwatlMEPCEHDYU4S4E0ih_zkljezOX_heCChF_NOd6_bxl_f3nZ3mnuQgdv6NRkoYpTIEHomVX8JbrH3mvmdiPeetOPbUc4caZ5MDn6KVEZNExfX20iz9wry_6W6P9SrX-ERYuYFiM/s1600/CHUBBY+BIRDS+KISSING.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZRwatlMEPCEHDYU4S4E0ih_zkljezOX_heCChF_NOd6_bxl_f3nZ3mnuQgdv6NRkoYpTIEHomVX8JbrH3mvmdiPeetOPbUc4caZ5MDn6KVEZNExfX20iz9wry_6W6P9SrX-ERYuYFiM/s320/CHUBBY+BIRDS+KISSING.png" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/71318259/love-birds-wedding-cake-topper">Little lovebirds - Wedding Cake Topper</a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpISeeLDbTF9RoXbMFctxcyWI4wvpM-OwOx8ALTQrNUvNsWarKVJk6Tlz4EfpoULx5Z6L7eK4ck8wNX8-UKtJTTdMLYf3T8M52R21oHYp_39vj0ELAfUhbC0y6gbeOlrjBP60CbIt6Ws4/s1600/GIRAFFE+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpISeeLDbTF9RoXbMFctxcyWI4wvpM-OwOx8ALTQrNUvNsWarKVJk6Tlz4EfpoULx5Z6L7eK4ck8wNX8-UKtJTTdMLYf3T8M52R21oHYp_39vj0ELAfUhbC0y6gbeOlrjBP60CbIt6Ws4/s320/GIRAFFE+2.png" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/47045996"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tiny Giraffe </span> </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S9nRtKWMGu2au6jDLeiSMXE8KV2Fg1ZXMqcopxE9mJfm_nzjKIzbfUuDmse5pVZ_8o9K34Jit3oxQ0KiiN6lCE8oWziEiY5CalRZ_T-FL4kPktcF7PanoKgRo18ck5Wm1MyuQNs2ePg/s1600/MINK+DRESS+SIDE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S9nRtKWMGu2au6jDLeiSMXE8KV2Fg1ZXMqcopxE9mJfm_nzjKIzbfUuDmse5pVZ_8o9K34Jit3oxQ0KiiN6lCE8oWziEiY5CalRZ_T-FL4kPktcF7PanoKgRo18ck5Wm1MyuQNs2ePg/s320/MINK+DRESS+SIDE.png" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/71267576/silky-light-brown-two-layer-baby-doll">Cute little silky mini dress</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/402f70b9c10a10feb5988a82d48cf6de.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-685848537231029592011-02-14T16:06:00.006-04:002013-09-19T16:17:51.772-03:00Valentine's Day 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>For all you romantics out there in blog land</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">"Happy Valentine's Day" </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Not a big day really in our house to be honest, although I did get a little hand made card from Craig and a cup of tea in bed. I am usually the one up and about at 6am putting on the kettle and stoking up the wood stove, so it was a pleasant start to the day. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Another couple of weeks have passed by since my last posting. Nothing very eventful this past week except visiting Jemma in Halifax, which I do enjoy. We did our usual which consists of chatting on her daybed, watching a movie <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ySyvfzKUE">(Tamara Drewe)</a>, a hilarious British comedy, cooking a meal together, topping up her pantry and having a little hunt around the local thrift stores. This time we popped into a fascinating Asian grocery store. I found some delicious super crunchy sprouts that tasted delicious in my salad, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to stir fry them, I expect they would taste good that way too. I also bought some coconut milk to add to the next Korma curry I shall concoct sometime in the near future. Jem bought her favourite bubble tea and some extra spicy noodles for her lunch.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Coconut milk was actually one of the ingredients in the cocktail Craig and I made up last weekend when we were once again invited to Bridget and Kirk's annual cocktail competition/party. The ingredients were to serve about 12 people and this was our recipe:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6jobDAJ3MAFXcuEJFozzKayQz6dxRVSkwvgW2HvZidimI0-XQD2ELg00f3ZYZgMNei160HJKOCzJ5-xg0sI4wozUpp7GnDnnkm583s5ZGd0ZwzUYakEt7mkTZ70hs5YPSJVt37geakg/s1600/oriental+express.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6jobDAJ3MAFXcuEJFozzKayQz6dxRVSkwvgW2HvZidimI0-XQD2ELg00f3ZYZgMNei160HJKOCzJ5-xg0sI4wozUpp7GnDnnkm583s5ZGd0ZwzUYakEt7mkTZ70hs5YPSJVt37geakg/s400/oriental+express.jpg" width="356" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>On our original trial run making up just enough for 1 drink we had some banana in the mix but it ended up looking like a brown murky sludge, so we swapped the banana for the coconut milk and crossed our fingers that it would be ok on the night. Happily it was. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We named our cocktail Oriental Express and everyone seemed to enjoy it, even though we didn't win first prize, we did get a pretty good score all round and Craig even amused the guests with an impromptu silly speech giving a story behind the name. </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>You might remember the James Bond themed one I blogged about last year? This year the theme was 1920's gangster, think flapper or Bonnie and Clyde. I do enjoy dressing up and with a few items I already had in my dressing up box it didn't take much to complete our outfits for the night. I hunted down a long cigarette holder and Amber even helped by making a fake cigarette to fit in the end! </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The satin gloves and feather boa that came in very handy.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OH3Ow74-DKs/TVqlPpDgLoI/AAAAAAAADMw/YOGhXFQfnu8/s1600/for+blog+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cocktail making in progress....</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Once again I shall give my shop a little necessary advertising. Another custom order came my way for a couple of micro sized Toucans for a wedding cake (a significant special meaning between the bride and groom) </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I was also inspired by the Toucans to design a new tiny bird to add to the ever growing menagerie. This is Charles, the rather distinguished looking Peacock. I priced him a wee bit higher as he did take longer to make and I used more felt because of his flamboyant tail! </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I also received a delivery of wool felt in some natural shades of brown and beige, so I shall be making a few more wool animals soon. The majority of my animals are made from Eco friendly felt at the moment, which is made from recycled plastic bottles.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jQkT0n3BEglK73UqfpHd3-ZQta58NaWmBqMDAfOAUFDGgkQtQkimf9byvAOKgVmfxMBIuinOKHX17schYU7-xGXWIhpiNu218uzWCJuiVomP-HH6NcRHCeSwx8SC4zPSRRglykXh4-Y/s1600/peacock+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jQkT0n3BEglK73UqfpHd3-ZQta58NaWmBqMDAfOAUFDGgkQtQkimf9byvAOKgVmfxMBIuinOKHX17schYU7-xGXWIhpiNu218uzWCJuiVomP-HH6NcRHCeSwx8SC4zPSRRglykXh4-Y/s320/peacock+3.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Charles the Peacock!!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>With love,</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/45a20dc0ca1b1f5956c9b2dea8e01f89.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-31678395139551748162011-02-02T11:00:00.012-04:002011-03-27T16:36:15.659-03:00Romance for some in February....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ahhh the month of February with the promise of romance, hearts and love...... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Seems like a few people are making plans for Spring weddings according to a couple of special request orders recently in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomHill">Blossom Hill Cottons Etsy shop</a>.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWTN3ssVUgUO0QRlTbpVCrJZjBY-sgSuW2tUgwUSgdSizklM3ETeyoNntPNYw4RZitRgLlcRCXeQXPMHHa0Fw4dM4nnC-P9SCCE4s2W1HPe8MivhvR6_L7hu2KmJTvXJnftT1gL4LJRM/s1600/FABRIC+PHOTO+ETSY.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWTN3ssVUgUO0QRlTbpVCrJZjBY-sgSuW2tUgwUSgdSizklM3ETeyoNntPNYw4RZitRgLlcRCXeQXPMHHa0Fw4dM4nnC-P9SCCE4s2W1HPe8MivhvR6_L7hu2KmJTvXJnftT1gL4LJRM/s320/FABRIC+PHOTO+ETSY.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This wedding cake bunting was fun to make using bright tropical colours in fuchsia pink, mandarin orange, lime green and lemon. Two sets of fruity flags to adorn a cake or two in New York sometime soon. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5Lx1755Jxccvme9qEy3BWAuiatTWe-u1j9tyxKylHnumUMk8nFNAPOo1TlIyIMkXJ_cs_lfNWCYopCxDlYGG0GSUhlIurR74VOFkHKnr4mW6tu0EMAucXZ2IegDDJ0-iNmKwIWH15lM/s1600/Wedding+Cake+Bunting+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5Lx1755Jxccvme9qEy3BWAuiatTWe-u1j9tyxKylHnumUMk8nFNAPOo1TlIyIMkXJ_cs_lfNWCYopCxDlYGG0GSUhlIurR74VOFkHKnr4mW6tu0EMAucXZ2IegDDJ0-iNmKwIWH15lM/s320/Wedding+Cake+Bunting+2.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The second wedding request was to make up a couple of deer as cake toppers. My client wanted a Stag and Doe that would stand proudly and convey a sentimental special personal meaning. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was fun to firstly use my tiny fawn original 2" scale paper pattern as a guide, adapting it so the she would have legs (normally my fawns are sitting) and then enlarging to the required size before making the two forest friends up in different shades of brown felt with antlers on the Stag of course. They were carefully packaged and shipped to New Jersey.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYuV2MdZ1lqOlepYyyJME81bF8k6yvH1_f6QupzaJxbhu8TVh5IpdsOzZWshTF-OrHOPIYg9aQRfaGoDyfq4fxMvoLaZEC7lqIt32mOupNiPsN0OlLl357kUYkrHEiaYde3XdpJ_Kqtg/s1600/Wedding+deer+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYuV2MdZ1lqOlepYyyJME81bF8k6yvH1_f6QupzaJxbhu8TVh5IpdsOzZWshTF-OrHOPIYg9aQRfaGoDyfq4fxMvoLaZEC7lqIt32mOupNiPsN0OlLl357kUYkrHEiaYde3XdpJ_Kqtg/s320/Wedding+deer+1.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I do enjoy the little stories that go along with my creations, it makes every little snip and stitch all the more special :)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmuVjgoWM6vwZJ96J-MoE41s6-y5g-8QG13ZwL2c6ZyV8dZybn1TX4xywntVxL4Hk3Jd9gguMbMbYIun5BYqkcYmnn6G7Kx6MB7ehaWamYzAZjFmuN11IP13YHnDzcifAlZWUijYrOVg/s1600/SMALL+WEDDING+DEER+NOSE+TO+NOSE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmuVjgoWM6vwZJ96J-MoE41s6-y5g-8QG13ZwL2c6ZyV8dZybn1TX4xywntVxL4Hk3Jd9gguMbMbYIun5BYqkcYmnn6G7Kx6MB7ehaWamYzAZjFmuN11IP13YHnDzcifAlZWUijYrOVg/s320/SMALL+WEDDING+DEER+NOSE+TO+NOSE.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With love</span><br />
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</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/45a20dc0ca1b1f5956c9b2dea8e01f89.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-51518514675142767872011-01-23T14:05:00.002-04:002011-03-27T16:37:21.316-03:00January and I am loving my new Calendar<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQNbMgFSWeTkJWHXt1gh_QewcNW20iTrhznZQx_xFtI80Fzams_XoYWQ9H_VsZhr7Yhfk5Q1ppP1MC62GgIdXzN1cfQe89xEZo4vd2NGOHhU_5k9javizc6NgmBcOpeEgJa2sjwMSqR0/s1600/enlarged+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQNbMgFSWeTkJWHXt1gh_QewcNW20iTrhznZQx_xFtI80Fzams_XoYWQ9H_VsZhr7Yhfk5Q1ppP1MC62GgIdXzN1cfQe89xEZo4vd2NGOHhU_5k9javizc6NgmBcOpeEgJa2sjwMSqR0/s320/enlarged+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Firstly, a rather belated Happy New Year to you all!!!</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Not long left of this month, as we have been catapulted into the snowy season. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I always look forward to opening up a nice crisp new calendar on January 1st and hanging it up in my kitchen. This year I was rather slow off the mark as I was determined to find a calendar by <a href="http://www.judithglover.com/">Judith Glover</a>. I had to hunt high and low to find one and it turned out to be quite a challenge. I have had one of Judith's calendars up in my kitchen for the past 4 years. Her pretty illustrations are so uplifting and in keeping with my country farmhouse kitchen style. The very first Note Nook calendar I had was invaluable for keeping little notes and cards as well as a few odds and ends in a handy place. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>When the end of the year came I neatly cut off the little envelopes at the bottom and continued to use them as a sort of filing system in my sewing room (a little bit of creative recycling). </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Last year I had a calendar in a different design in the form of a family organiser which also worked out well with each of us having our own column for various activities and appointments. With Jemma away from home I was still able to keep a record of what she would be doing on various days of the week while she was studying and working in the city. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Anyway, this year after searching in all the local book shops and calendar stalls at the malls I couldn't find a single one. The websites weren't much help either with many in the US unwilling to ship to Canada (go figure?) Sometimes I feel like we are living in the attic above the house where the party is going on, but without an invite (an analogy I heard recently on the radio) often very fitting with regards to the relationship between the US and Canada. (not trying to offend any lovely Americans here) It is just a generalisation you understand.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Finally I did manage to track down a copy of Judith's Chelsea Market Note Nook calendar on Amazon.ca. The postage cost ended up being more than the actual calendar, due to the unnecessary enormous box with padding that it arrived in! </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I am really pleased with it, so it was worth the wait and it now hangs in it's rightful place by the window in my kitchen.</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/3cc2d1a828e35784b1999c14d445fac2.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-85210740157694987352010-12-24T17:46:00.001-04:002011-03-27T16:36:24.331-03:00Christmas Eve with my family - it makes me so happy :)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Finally I have my family together for a nice length of time over the festive season, Jemma worked up until the 18th and Craig and I drove in to collect her on Sunday morning. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>With Christmas orders for my Etsy shop winding down I have not been as busy sewing for past few days. I do enjoy running my shop, especially creating new things and seeing them off to new</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> homes all over the world. The micro pets and the bookmarks and even one of the cake bunting toppers sold. Trying to come up with new things to list can be quite hit and miss, but I decided that as quite of few of my animals end up on the top of birthday cakes I should do something a little more special with a combination of the flags and an animal of choice. </b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLHlAFpPaes1eOZI0q6Y6Lrr7ifbsIagKZ1_GXw9T_Gi8BzywbpAVgr4DC9ZkcCv7L35BlqcbCwxlfPnhz1bn8z77lNX4RoXdL5Ep0ffDAQ18t9uxm2z21oOXTIE3zHS_pncB7E2NeJM/s1600/RED+CAKE+BUNTING+ETSY+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLHlAFpPaes1eOZI0q6Y6Lrr7ifbsIagKZ1_GXw9T_Gi8BzywbpAVgr4DC9ZkcCv7L35BlqcbCwxlfPnhz1bn8z77lNX4RoXdL5Ep0ffDAQ18t9uxm2z21oOXTIE3zHS_pncB7E2NeJM/s320/RED+CAKE+BUNTING+ETSY+2.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>As you can see above, the cake wasn't exactly the best style for display purposes, but it was the cake Amber chose for her Birthday - just a simple Angel food cake from the bakery. I am going to source some fabric for a special request order for some wedding cake bunting this week in bright fruity colours, that will be fun to work on. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>A new animal in my shop is this tiny wool felt lion.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ntW-_ulIfcn1MWXT3MlLHn-ZFenEMnvbiikDPI1oDcqIe83ThOJEFHPnPcpavIIVviW3gttx9Y5nt25nm3TDiBlGeIlJJKjbkFXx8Q2WhRZEeOKQCi3zxSwk8HSG6VfgYfBrR7OBXFs/s1600/TINY+LION+LIST+PIC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ntW-_ulIfcn1MWXT3MlLHn-ZFenEMnvbiikDPI1oDcqIe83ThOJEFHPnPcpavIIVviW3gttx9Y5nt25nm3TDiBlGeIlJJKjbkFXx8Q2WhRZEeOKQCi3zxSwk8HSG6VfgYfBrR7OBXFs/s320/TINY+LION+LIST+PIC.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Amber turned 17 on Dec 1st and celebrated a few days later with four of her best friends staying for a sleepover. Her gift from us was a 50mm camera lens for her Canon T1I 500D, which is exactly what she wanted, although it didn't look much to us, she was thrilled. She took a vast amount of fun pics of her friends and they all had a great time.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>A fierce hurricane blew in a couple of weeks ago and left us, along with many others without power, telephone or internet for a almost two days. Some families were out for 4 days! The loud destructive winds blew down hundreds of trees in the valley and caused extensive damage to buildings in the area. Our neighbours barn is now a heap of rubble. Craig and I had to 'babysit' the sump pump in the basement to prevent flooding, keeping the generator going every hour. It reminded me of the many sleepless nights when Jemma was a baby!! </b></span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOENGlebKe1ID5RihPVqBEvWQt5FD2o8suIebPa6WyHznlIYo3rXSVEcAF9JzO10htWCVzoEYplQMJqr0HAUms9yddHJE4Oj1gE3gUHVb04NE03pzqK9HNK0M0RevCCCk6r0Gev7EeND4/s1600/cropped+tree+in+the+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOENGlebKe1ID5RihPVqBEvWQt5FD2o8suIebPa6WyHznlIYo3rXSVEcAF9JzO10htWCVzoEYplQMJqr0HAUms9yddHJE4Oj1gE3gUHVb04NE03pzqK9HNK0M0RevCCCk6r0Gev7EeND4/s320/cropped+tree+in+the+road.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b></b></span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><div style="display: inline !important; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b></b></span></b></b></span></div><div style="display: inline !important; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>This tree fell right across our own road just a few yards away! </b></span></b></b></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Well I shall bid you all a goodnight now as it gets dark and I have just turned on the Christmas tree lights. Wishing you all a wonderfully happy and healthy Christmas.</b></span></b></b></b></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/3cc2d1a828e35784b1999c14d445fac2.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-51533031211636102922010-12-12T19:55:00.001-04:002011-03-27T16:37:31.920-03:00Christmas Preparations<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Christmas is getting so close and this week I have started to feel that warm fuzzy pre-Christmas feeling. Jem came home for the weekend having finished all her exams. We had decided to hold off any decorating or tree finding until she was home, because it just wouldn't be right without her! </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdR4pETUR8fW9aBAUqHzJwAlfl9g26Cd5o0EIVQ5Jwp9LcT2dnl0VPzpcH_FDZgfIa1tdXBx5J2bRjVLoWe6EhkUrdy0kdYQFNFCBfCPLH8RoP_Bz5-6O4KgIIPPXED_MXGX87tF-82Ps/s1600/christmas+tree+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdR4pETUR8fW9aBAUqHzJwAlfl9g26Cd5o0EIVQ5Jwp9LcT2dnl0VPzpcH_FDZgfIa1tdXBx5J2bRjVLoWe6EhkUrdy0kdYQFNFCBfCPLH8RoP_Bz5-6O4KgIIPPXED_MXGX87tF-82Ps/s320/christmas+tree+blog+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Amber had heard from a friend of a nice family who own a special Christmas tree farm not too far from us, so we bundled up and headed up the mountain on Saturday morning. </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-3ZYbiopCMFN8h_58L0iF-ut-8SNd4e5672quIOFSjDZKwAnV-LRD9KxAhjU6o3X3pAexG5v2ggbdVPKoB-_fQYnGWJbkDUZdabpic1tJFYWOYPmUYtPDhq1xrC_HLYpYicFDczOTE/s1600/christmas+tree+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-3ZYbiopCMFN8h_58L0iF-ut-8SNd4e5672quIOFSjDZKwAnV-LRD9KxAhjU6o3X3pAexG5v2ggbdVPKoB-_fQYnGWJbkDUZdabpic1tJFYWOYPmUYtPDhq1xrC_HLYpYicFDczOTE/s320/christmas+tree+blog+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The snow was falling and there was quite a chilly wind blowing as we drove through the trees. The girls jumped out of the car and after some rough measuring, chose 'the perfect tree' Out came the man with the chain saw and chopped 'Towering Tim' down, leaving behind 'Stumpy Stan' in his place :( </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>"Not to worry" said the man with the chain saw. "The trees re-seed quite quickly and a new one will start to grow in its place". </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>He then took us down to the barn where we stood and chatted with other tree purchasers while his wife made hot chocolate and we ate home made cookies specially baked with the help of their 3 young daughters. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>After a little manoeuvring in the back seat of Craig's car with J & A cramped up very close we took our tree home and spent the afternoon going through all our decorations collected over the years and hung them up, remembering when and where they were either made or bought. Quite a challenge in itself now the girls are 17 and 19!!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>We tried egg nog for the first time ever, played festive music and took a few photos of course.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy48JohqShK1DIeMRj59JcHYmPz1aM3pSv_Mmxz2twoGPdtKF9kASMG8f51inQ3527M8ZGfpnqBIm8JF71tTEHOZyxViIwebM7w9G9kYnH2ALx1Ur6wAWHrnEXGPAw4TittE-0-d9Z5A/s1600/amber+for+christmas+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy48JohqShK1DIeMRj59JcHYmPz1aM3pSv_Mmxz2twoGPdtKF9kASMG8f51inQ3527M8ZGfpnqBIm8JF71tTEHOZyxViIwebM7w9G9kYnH2ALx1Ur6wAWHrnEXGPAw4TittE-0-d9Z5A/s320/amber+for+christmas+blog.jpg" width="248" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Happy pre-Christmas Greetings to you all!!</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4XUrBmecOQg363oK0PXaQtXyCrXQqBzkWRj6t_7RrGw4afqINkh30LHq1Yjkc1wmm0r5-VYgA1Bu7TjUGh85debZ6izg8-S0cHEpRLcgEqXsg7uQKDr_7sC4Fxxmjebajas-u6c_SJw/s1600/cropped+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4XUrBmecOQg363oK0PXaQtXyCrXQqBzkWRj6t_7RrGw4afqINkh30LHq1Yjkc1wmm0r5-VYgA1Bu7TjUGh85debZ6izg8-S0cHEpRLcgEqXsg7uQKDr_7sC4Fxxmjebajas-u6c_SJw/s320/cropped+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/3cc2d1a828e35784b1999c14d445fac2.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3619989910759815650.post-26768208825331684402010-11-21T19:59:00.002-04:002011-03-27T16:37:39.338-03:00Sitting Pretty<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Craig was so clever to spot this rather neglected piece of furniture tossed out by the side of the road awaiting the fall clean up truck back in early October. I admit I turned my nose up when I first saw it. However, upon closer examination we discovered that there was really nothing wrong with it at all and I knew it was a perfect candidate for a make over. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Our own kitchen table at that time, although lovely it was barely large enough for four adults to sit around comfortably without banging elbows and no room for condiments or napkins. During the winter time we seldom use the big dining table and tend to eat most meals in the kitchen.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDU5B5MIjPBOBRLGgwYf30MxFK-hTdXYWBEFnGW_cMHDrIMGGYL0uRlgUGG4ISoeawEHIOBE3fiiHcx-pzpEh7s9wPep81ecKNK2dirRYBii20_2NJdRS4zvPFn4Jb5vxC9snXDA_aKKk/s1600/cropped+round+table+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDU5B5MIjPBOBRLGgwYf30MxFK-hTdXYWBEFnGW_cMHDrIMGGYL0uRlgUGG4ISoeawEHIOBE3fiiHcx-pzpEh7s9wPep81ecKNK2dirRYBii20_2NJdRS4zvPFn4Jb5vxC9snXDA_aKKk/s400/cropped+round+table+for+blog.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>I have always fancied a round table in my kitchen, but it wasn't high on our list of requirements for the house. Still, </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>always keen for a paint project challenge we sanded it down and I gave it a couple of coats of oil based gloss paint. </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Once the paint was dry, a hunt around the house for four white chairs to go with it and voila! My new kitchen dining area is complete.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9E0Uy0-fJ3E2O-Ztkr1vh_4VVrdlButnTYFnQ-Ql8Sj7rmJlJKjnrC0jbpSaQ22KEJvLvi1b0Bsr0uDOL2Qsxq5w1QXPIc2QOt36lUH0a_lpr1kNi_PE5C3g-q523TQ9otggPT7X2e4/s1600/NEW+ROUND+TABLE+PICTURE+CROPPED+FOR+BLOG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9E0Uy0-fJ3E2O-Ztkr1vh_4VVrdlButnTYFnQ-Ql8Sj7rmJlJKjnrC0jbpSaQ22KEJvLvi1b0Bsr0uDOL2Qsxq5w1QXPIc2QOt36lUH0a_lpr1kNi_PE5C3g-q523TQ9otggPT7X2e4/s400/NEW+ROUND+TABLE+PICTURE+CROPPED+FOR+BLOG.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #783f04;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85796/hazel33/3cc2d1a828e35784b1999c14d445fac2.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></span></a>Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14396168821037128575noreply@blogger.com2