Fun New Tool

Eesh, if I had my background black, things might look more different but, the absolute fun news is for Vintage lovers... You have to try this out: poladroid

Here's the real one:

A Spicy Bunch

One of these days I'll learn to say no but for now, in these slow online sale and fast highway get home times I felt that I could get just a little bit busy and help out 1000 Markets with their PR ramp up campaign. I sure had a hard time parting with these little cuties...

Top 10 Fridayliciousness

While I wasn't "theoretically" supposed to be not at work today, I did it, I took the day off and will claim it as yes, a sick day (oh the shame). I'm too new here to worry about someone from work finding this out and I had no intention of updating my Facebook status or even dare utter a tweet about it. I just went dark while the sun shone like crazy.

#10 - no one else home
#9 - a frozen meal for lunch ain't so bad
#8 - HGTV and the Food Network rock!
#7 - accountable for nothing, not even the dishes
#6 - slept
#5 - slept some more
#4 - got my creative mojo back, even if only for an hour
#3 - IKEA
#2 - Hot Herb Jars
#1 - lovely red wine & Pizza

Ahhh Fridays off.

French Herb Butter

We love love love our baguettes around here and while they are a bit more expensive then our favorites back home in Quebec, our work around solution has been quite delicious...
go direct, right before they close when they are half priced and buy as many as you can fit in your freezer, break them in half if you need to and store them in Freezer Bags.

What's also the best is grilling or broiling the bread soaked in herbs and butter and here is one super easy recipe that gives this delicious bread in hands down time!

French Herb Butter
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons French Herb Blend

Combine ingredients in a bowl and blend until well distributed
be sure not to whip.

To save for later: spoon Herb Butter onto a small sheet of wax paper, roll, twist ends and store in the fridge for later use.

My Love and Hate Relationships

I am loving all of the new Treasuries on Etsy being built featuring the ol' Red White and Blue theme this week... This one is my favorite, duh... Freedom Rings

Another Super Fave Etsy Shop is: Bomobob can we talk about variety of photography or what??? I bought these a couple of weeks ago and have them posted in my cube at work: For the Birds

I found this in my email a couple of days ago and I had to recoil... Look, I treasure those old relics and if you think I'm going to toss dirt and water into one of them and then, of all things, leave them in direct sunlight for hours on end well, you are sadly mistaken.
How to turn an old or broken camera into a flower pot

And, to top off this post, my new favorite purchase and, if somebody tells me that it's one of those "reseller items" on Etsy, I'll probably sink (I chose the black buttons for this beauty): The Black Long Shirt Dress I hope it's not too Bea Arthurish YIKES! rip

Canada Day is just Days Away

I am so excited! Canada Day is in a couple of days and here I am in Minnesota planning the meal to BBQ, what I will wear (nothing weird or too matchy matchy, don't worry), what to drink (meh, not a huge fan of beer) and wondering who I will meet this year.

Bloomington, MN which is where I have been living since 2003 after leaving my sweet city of Montreal, Qc to live with the love of my life is celebrating it's 10th Annual Canada Day Picnic! Weeeee! It's not city run but a Canadian run one which makes it (thankfully) way more fun.

Bonjour et Bonne Fetes mes amis!!!!

Testing out the new Camera

Anybody else have a second shop on Etsy? Well, if you don't and are considering it, beware... It's tough! Unless you have the ability to love love love two ideas at the same time and, actually have the time to do so, then you should be ok.

My whole Etsy experience began with Photography here: Costellos and then moved into my other passion, Food. Yet there are times when I want to escape from food and get back to nature photography and actually devote special time to it. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that we all need a mini moment to stop and stand back from our shops that consume us and honestly, just get back to what we love, every so often. That's me right now oh, and I just bought a used Nikon D100 so perhaps that's my excuse, too.
Testing, Exploring, Having fun!

Just another avenue?

While I'm still awaiting approval of acceptance into that "other" online hand made website I look at it as inspiration to a more streamlined, blog like experience.

As I understand it, it's for US shipping addresses only and the criteria of acceptance runs from excellent photography to the number of articles that one would sell in their shop and while I'm still going through the exercise of reading all of their dos and don'ts, fees and whatnot, I am in love with their layout.

Many of my Etsy mates have shops on Artfire which I sincerely find intriguing but can any online seller of handmade goods really get over the exclusivity of the gem of 1000 Markets? I have been swooned.

Wish me luck on being accepted 'cause I want to hang out with WhimsyandSpice!

I love when this happens

Etsy Front Page

Ode to the basics and damn to Crock Pots

Imagine
CROCK POT PICTURE HERE

i never knew you existed before moving here
your absence from my life went unnoticed for years
parties meant planning, cooking, buying wine and beer
not filling, stuffing, plugging it in and to simply disappear

Little smokies, meatballs, chicken nuggets and more
Calories, fat and sugar galore
If that's what it means to host a party in this town
Let me out now before I explode through my once sexy nightgown

Ok Ok, I get the ease of the Crock family dinner
though it is only slightly better then a McDonald's sinner
So give up the crock and head to your wok
Fresh Veggies and Meat go so perfectly with pop