My Creative Space

This is what is going on in this house at the moment...




Linking at Kootoyoo this evening for some creative inspiration. That's one of the things I love about blogland. I have pumpkins in the oven a la Cha Cha, a mum made dress on and inspiration to make one myself thanks to Green Apples and am trying to convince Husby to buy me an old quilt to frame it like Kellie. And don't even get me started on Teddy Bears Wednesday!

Get thee to an Orchard

Fall means so much to me. It has been my favourite time of year since I arrived in Maine ten years ago for what I thought would be a four month whirlwind of American excitement. After seven years of living here I still find that I have the same enthusiasm for that first chill day and that first burst of red in the trees. September is the month in which my husband and my son were born, it is the month I married in and it is the beginning of a season that for us culminates in giving thanks for so many things.

Last week may have been well into fall but I truly know it is fall when I go to the Cornish Apple Festival and visit Apple Acres for the first time. Craft stalls, baking competitions, the 5k race (that my Brother in Law ran on my wedding day). We share these things with our dear friends and every year for x years have taken a "family" portrait here. As both our families extend the Festival has become something completely different and wonderful in other ways. But every year we mark Fall with this picture...




Have a blessed fall everyone!

Scrapping Challenge # 2

It's been hard to find any time to scrapbook recently, Husby has promised me a whole day to myself on Columbus day weekend, a day in which I can scrap, hug Toby, crochet, hug Toby, bake, hug Toby and not worry about who's feeding who and who's napping where - ah bliss! Oh and I will not clean my kitchen or do laundry, just the fun stuff.

However I just bought a Martha Stewart Circle Cutter and so I had to find time to participate over at Sketches in Thyme this week.
Perfect for my new cutter! I rotated the sketch because of the orientation of my photograph.
Despite making myself bleed last night I love the Martha Stewart Cutter. When I decided to get one I couldn't find what I was looking for, I described it to Husby and then when we walked into Michael's there it was exactly as I had imagined it.

Anyway I'm not entirely happy with this. I love using the circle as a frame and having the title text skim the circle I just had a hard time selecting paper for this one, not in the least because Toby was asleep on the other side of a thin wall and I didn't want to shift too much stuff around. I love the little star stickers and I am addicted to the Journaling note stickers I found on sale at Michaels. But the paper choice, I just don't know. Ah well another page done and I do love the circles!

Sketches in Thyme - My First Challenge

7 years

Seven years today since "I Do"
Well, "I will" really but do not get me started on that today...
Finally getting to live in the same country
And eat cookies
Snoozing together
Trips back to England
Celebrating Anniversaries
Hiking tall mountains in many leaps
Birthday Ball Games
Watching other kids with fear in our eyes!
Starting new traditions
Witnessing our best friends get married
Sharing New Years
Going to family events,
Moving into our first home
Karaoke! I was pregnant here and we didn't know it yet
A wonderfully exhausting baby
And still very much in love...
We met in 2000 and were married in 2003. For three years we traveled 3000 miles to see each other. Now we travel three inches. This is so much better.

I love you Husby

My Love of Disney (part one addendum fifty seven)

Hello there. How are you today? Oh good, good. What was that? Did I take my son on a walk this fine fall afternoon? Well, no. Did I play with him in our rolling backyard? Well, no. Did I watch a Disney movie with him even though he isn't yet two years old and therefore well below the FDA recommended age for TV viewing? Why yes, yes I did.

My TV does not baby sit my child. My TV does not educate my child. I do not use my TV to read to, entertain or otherwise interact with my child so that I don't have to.

Toby didn't want to take his nap this afternoon, he was tired and a little cranky and there were tears in his eyes. So I did what he and I do when it's snuggle time for a squiggly child. I popped in 101 Dalmations, grabbed his stuffed Panda and snuggled with my one year old on the couch. Now he doesn't really care to watch the TV, it's been on in the background in the past and he has shown little to no interest in it (besides laughing at the reflected baby). But, occasionally, he enjoys a good twenty minutes of a Disney movie. And forgive me Dr Spock but I LOVE IT!!!!

Gone are the days in which my immobile but squirmy little guy used to fall asleep in my arms for hours on end. Gone are the days in which he would nurse and fall into a food coma. No, these days it's go go go! So when he is tired, or sick, or just plain angry at the world, we snuggle up on the couch. He rests his head on my chest, occasionally turning up to smile at me, and we snuggle to the stylings of Mr Walter Disney.

Mother of the year? Probably not?

Toby's favourite Mummy? Oh yeah!

Etsy Love

Once upon a time (last year) I set up an Etsy Shop (silverwhitewinters) but I could not bring myself to trust paypal so I was set up for cash only.

Yes an online shop with cash/check only as the option.

I don't know how people make these things succesful, well I guess I do but it involves more time and trust than I care to invest in the internet (she says while blogging!)

However my friend Christen set up her shop and is doing quite well at local craft shows and now online. So here is my shameless plug for a dear friend.

She uses vintage and recycled materials to come up with unique items. I love re-purposing and Christen is so experimental it blows my mind. At Treadsetter you will find all manner of things from Eggs

to jewelery
to Bottle Stoppers.
to the piece de resistance - the creme de la creme of gifts for the car mad husby in your life, the hubcap clock
Seriously I'm not into cars and I love this!! So swing by Treadsetter and take a peek at this Navy Wife/Car Babe/SAHM's imagination.

The best Pumpkin Pie in the World... Ever!

It's the last week of Fall Festival over at This Blessed Nest can we see if we can't convince Kelly to keep it going till Thanksgiving - I'm having way too much fun thinking about what Fall project to tackle next.

For my last post it had to be the mack daddy of fall fun - the pumpkin pie. I stumbled across the perfect recipe years ago and keep coming back to it, aren't I nice to share some secrets.

Secret number 1 is canned pumpkin. I love Cha Cha for showing me how easy it is to make my own pumpkin and I will be doing that this year to prepare for any pumpkin shortage that my happen, but... canned pumpkin rocks my world!

Secret number 2 (and don't judge me) frozen pie crust. This is my first time using pie plates (my mum got them for me this week) so next time I'll be trying roll out crust unless someone can send me a good and easy pastry recipe. Frozen pie crust is just what you need, never feel guilty about canned pumpkin or frozen pie crust - you still made the pie.Secret number 3 - dont' skimp on the spices
I love Watkins for the aesthetic appeal but they aren't the best for pouring, though they are excellent for sprinkling!And the recipe - so glad you asked - assuming you bought Libby's canned pumpkin turn the can around - oh look there's the perfect recipe :-)

Seriously if you have ever poo poohed canned pumpkin, frozen pastry and the recipe on the back of the can just give it one try and I promise you won't be disappointed.

I mean just look at that pie - heaven!
And they only had the large cans at the store so we had to have two pies this week!
Secret number 4 - Fat Free evaporated milk may be a little pricier but tastes better - it's a little sweeter and has no guilt so you can go ahead and dollop on the (fat free) Cool Whip to your hearts content!
The Recipe

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (This is pure Pinault!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• The How To:

MIX sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell. Generously sprinkle extra Nutmeg on the top - another Pinault addition!

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. 

Happy Fall everyone!

Kellie - week 5, 6,7,8 etc are just dying to join the party!

Sewing Month

September is National Sewing Month and guess what?

My mum is here.

Mum, the author of such dresses as and

She bought fabric with her this time. I cut out the pattern of a new dress last night...
And oh look - I cut out more than I should have done - this reminds me of the time I was sent to paint the basement after spackling the wall with three inches of putty. :-(
There's a dress on the go and then this one to come, I can't wait!!!

Loving Vera

Doesn't that sound like a really good girls night movie? Or a book? While instead it is a very expensive obsession that surfaces every fall but one I have yet to succumb to - which Husby is continually thankful for!

Oh temptation I have seen thee and thy name is Vera Bradley!

Something about the pattern, the texture, the variety and above all else the quality. I'm no snob. I have the ten dollar knock off from Christmas Tree Shops and I love it. But the touch of a real Vera is pure decadence, like having a chunk of Lindt Dark on your S'more instead of Hershey.

I have always had a purse obsession but Vera takes me to new levels of insanity.

The Vera Lunch bag - I spotted these in Seal Harbour this summer and it gave the craving momentum, the blue with a flap is my drug of choice...

I resisted but oh look at this in Carnaby...
And jet setter that I am, I truly need this readily identifiable luggage for the onslaught at Heathrow...
But then I have always been a sucker for over the shoulder and orange...


And oh the umbrella, not just any Vera Umbrella, but one with a handle no less!And these colours, I am in love with the pink and aqua combo of Hope Garden and oh it's on sale this week...
See... in love I tell you... This snap purse resembles one in Poppy that Husby forbade the purchase of in Freeport yesterday!
I believe this is an older pattern, I'm not usually one for black and pattern together but there's something about this one...
Oh and Hello Dahlia almost had me going full price online this week...
Then I found this, what self respecting Brit can live without this I ask you...
I live in Maine, there are a few stores that stock a partial representation of Vera - but nothing like this - I need to get to one of these heavenly places...
But did you know I have the best mum in the universe who purchased this Baby Bag in Carnaby for her Vera deprived daughter. Here in 5-10 days and on sale too.
Ah Vera. Good thing I have an obsession with Bradley and not Wang or my dad would still be paying off my wedding dress!!!!

Do you have a Vera? Do share, I love to see colour and fabric in everyday use.