Creative Opportunities. Creating Social Media Images.

I love to style things. I always have. Pair this tiny vase with that feather, add an assortment of foraged bits and before you know it you've created a pretty vignette.

This skill has been handy in countless ways. Decorating a corner of the living room is an obvious one. I've also used it to enhance meals I've catered, bring a little extra 'something' to floral arrangements for weddings, create atmosphere for large events and even just to pretty up an empty spot in the garden.

As time went on, and photography became more and more important to me, I discovered it was just the skill needed for still life photography. This resulted in an ever expanding collection of props in my style cupboards.

My dear husband Henry would look at me and smile, shaking his head when another trip to the thrift store resulted in 'just one more thing . . .'

Creating marketing and social media images was just a natural extension of all that and over the last few years I've had the chance to work with some beautiful products.

Trinkets Metalcraft

Trinkets Metalcraft

Mada Boutique

Mada Boutique

Mada Boutique (Audrey's) Instagram

Mada Boutique (Audrey's) Instagram

Copper Kettle Soap Co.

Trinkets Metalcraft

Trinkets Metalcraft

 Not long ago I was able to style fall belgian mums, for Milner Gardens' Facebook page, and decided to spread the styling love around. (actually, my friends shared the love with me . . . I have great friends!)

I gathered up the mums and an assortment of fall decor then set off to visit a few like minded friends who allowed me borrow their beautiful homes and  gardens. I was even able to incorporate some of their lovely decor.

It made for the best day. I mean, how often do you get to play with all the things you like best and spend time with your friends while you do it?


Life is good. 

Apple Cupcakes . . . The way to a teacher's heart.

You all know the phrase 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach . . .' ?

That actually applies to all of us doesn't it? I mean, is there anything better than something delicious and homemade, that's been cooked or baked for us by someone else??? I don't think there is. Or at least, very few things are.

Kim and I wanted to do something fun and tasty that kids could bring to school for their teachers or that moms or dads could make for their kids, to brighten up the long school day.

Kim found some cute ideas on Pinterest which we adapted to our liking and made some really fun, yummy cupcakes.

I used the 'Classic White Cake Recipe' from Rosie Dyakin's 'Butter Baked Goods' cookbook as well as her 'Butter's Famous Butter Cream' icing recipe.

Click to go to Butter's website

I hate to say it (because I love Rosie's recipes) but I think I still like Martha Stewart's 'Italian Cream Wedding Cake' recipe better. (But I love Martha too, so it's all good!)

Click to find cookbook

I love my cake to be soft and moist and Martha's has buttermilk in it so the flavour's a little more complex as well. But, that's all about personal taste.

So, without further ado, I give you my 'Apple cupcakes' . . . video tutorial.

Enjoy! And if you make them, I would love it if you would head over to my Facebook page and post a picture or two or your creations!

Decorating the Front Porch for Fall

Looking at the snow on the ground, I'm thinking winter is here to stay.

I've decided to show you how I decorated my front 'porch' for fall anyways.

I tend to be pretty traditional, using hay bales, gourds, dried cornstalks and scarecrows to beautify my front porch.

This year I decided to try something a little different and I love how it turned out!

I used my concrete leaves, left over live moss, plants marked down to next to nothing at the end of the season, birch bark from Audrey, the awesome cedar boxes Henry and Morgan made me, mums from Tamara and my favorite little gargoyle. I've had him since the kids were small.

And of course I used my moss wreath as well.

How about you? Do you decorate outdoors for the seasons??

A Fall Moss Wreath

After my sale and classes at the Pics' Ladies Aid, 'Ladies Night Out', I was left with nearly half a bag of live moss.

I didn't want to waste it, but gardening season was over and Christmas was still a ways away.

What to do, what to do???

While we were at the wholesale florist getting the moss, Holly and I also happened to see wire wreath forms for an amazing price and grabbed a few.If we had a little extra time before the sale we would make a couple wreaths to sell.

As usual, I barely had enough time to get the needed  stuff done and no wreaths were made.

Hmmmm. . .

Moss, wreath form . . . what else did I have on hand?

There were feathers left from the terrarium class, acorns from my walk with Jada, pretty little pine cones from my visit with Audrey and, some of my rose bushes had  developed the most glorious orange rose hips . . .

A fall wreath! I had never made a wreath for fall but I was eager to try it out.

Here's the result:

I love how it turned out!

Do you ever decorate with wreaths?

A Fall Treat. Homemade Ham and Cheese Bread

The delectable scent of baking bread wafts on a cool autumn breeze. . .

Wild Life

I had just gotten  on to a quiet street in St Albert this morning when, without warning, a moose trotted across the street! She (no horns) wandered around for a bit and then headed back into the bush towards the river which would take her back out of town. (I hope!)
My first reactions were both delight and gratitude.
I mean how often do you get to see a moose up close like that?
Henry never does when he's out hunting, that's for sure!
I sent up a heartfelt prayer of thanks for such a lovely gift and hard on that, came the thought. . .
"Where's my camera? What kind of a blogger doesn't carry a camera 24/7 ?!!"
The fact that it was pitch black at the time was irrelevant.
After all a picture of a moose in the dark would be better than no picture of any kind of moose at all, don't you think?

Jesse's 'Go To' Outfit When Talking On The Phone With A Pretty Girl. . .

A Walk In The Woods

I met my friend Evelyn's mom and dad this morning while out walking Jada.

They are very nice people and Ev's mom told me that she knows me very well.

Because, of course, she reads my blog regularly!

I though that was kind of neat and felt it was high time I began blogging again.

While going through my pictures looking for something to post about, I realized that I have plenty of material and so haven't got any excuses at all not to post!

A while back I had to go to the north end of the city to Done Rite Floors. Morgan was cleaning out the warehouse and he thought there might be some leftover tile that we could use in the kitchen.

I decided to make the outing a bit of an adventure and brought along Jada and some homemade cinnamon bread for a snack.

After picking out some awesome tile, Jada and I headed out to Ada Boulevard, a beautiful historic neighbourhood that runs along the river valley.

When we lived on that end of town I would walk along that road and drool over the old, huge houses and soak in the gorgeous view of the ravine.

I obviously must be in much better shape than I used to be because I soon found myself at the end of the road and nowhere near ready to stop walking.

Imagine my surprise when I realized that there was a path running parallel to the the road down into the ravine.

Jada and I couldn't resist!

We so thoroughly enjoyed feeling as though we were the only two people for miles. (Ahem. . . One people and one dog of course. I do know she is a dog!)

When we got to the end of the path I discovered we had come out on the Highlands golf course, so we beat a hasty retreat before either one of us got hit in the head with a golf ball. (Hey, it happens. Just ask Henry!)

All in all, it was a lovely adventure.

A Glorious Morning

I am so sorry that I didn't have my camera with me on my walk with Jada this morning!

It was a glorious morning and desperately needed after yesterday.

Bundled up for our walk yesterday, we (okay I!) struggled against 30-50km (18-31 miles) per hour winds and a - 9C (15.8F) temperature.

Ugh! That was a very short walk.

This morning was a total flip. The air was still and the temperature hovered around 0C.

It snowed overnight, blanketing the ground and it lay glittering in the pale winter sun.

Oh to be a photographer!

We had such a long, peaceful walk this morning, Jada and I. . .

Mind you the huge moose we saw in some one's back yard kind of threw me. . .

Especially when we got closer and saw that it wasn't real!

Of course peaceful doesn't really cut it with Jada, so we had a rousing game of Frisbee before we went in for breakfast.

What a lovely way to start the weekend.

Change Of Plans

As you can see, it snowed last night.

Somehow the sight of snow has rekindled my desire to get the big Christmas Clean done.

So. . .no shopping for Operation Christmas Child today.

Today will be all about scrubbing , sorting, organizing and laundry. Lots and lots of laundry!

Now, I'm off to finish my tea and toast.Don't forget. . . today is Remembrance Day, if you can't visit your local cenotaph, observe the two minute silence at 11:00 am.

It's the least we can do.