Great ways to give 1

Right now, we are all aware Christmas is coming and we know that there will be HUGE demands on our wallets. Charities hit us hard at this time of the year ... and it is right that we should think of those less fortunate. When I saw this fundraising idea, it seemed a fab way to raise money and have fun - rightly or wrongly, we give more when we have fun. This particular bit of fun is for the charity that every female I know holds close, The Breast Cancer Foundation. IF you happened to be near Collingwood, Ontario on 21st January, why not register and have a great day out for a great cause?

Don't know if London Bride has any of her cute little pink hearts left for sale but check out her page anyway - she did a good job for UK Breast Cancer earlier this year.

Heard on the radio earlier this month that Evelyn Lauder of Estee Lauder had died of ovarian cancer. She was instrumental in the whole 'pink ribbon' campaign - and I'm quoting Wikipedia  here ...

The first known use of a pink ribbon in connection with breast cancer awareness was in the fall of 1991, when the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors.^[1]

The pink ribbon was adopted as the official symbol of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month the next year, in 1992.^[2] The pink ribbon was derived from the popular red ribbon for AIDS awareness. Alexandra Penney, the editor-in-chief of the women's health magazine Self, and breast cancer survivor Evelyn Lauder,^[3] the senior corporate vice president at the cosmetics company Estée Lauder created a ribbon for the cosmetics giant to distribute in stores in New York City.

A pink and blue ribbon is sometimes used to symbolize breast cancer in men, which is relatively rare. The pink and blue ribbon was designed in 1996 by Nancy Nick, President and Founder of the John W. Nick Foundation to bring awareness that "Men Get Breast Cancer Too!"^[4]

There are some great wedding locations in and around this area - check out the Collingwood website pages

First it was Helen, now it's Amy

In October, I did a post called North American Wedding Magazines and Helen. It was about a wedding feature I has seen some time ago that just seemed to suit Hannah's friend, Helen. Helen is getting married next  year and I can't wait to see how close [or far away!] I was.

Now I've seen another wedding and this time it's Amy, another of Hannah's friends, who as far as I'm aware has no intention of getting married. But Amy, when the time comes ...

These are the images.

Again, I can't tell you what it  is - I just see Amy. Wonder what she thinks?

The credits:

photography: Green Ginger Photography

venue: Saar Bank Farms, Abbotsford, BC, Canada

dress: Treat Bridal

custom alterations+design: And Sew On

groom’s outfit: pieced together from his own closet

stationery: Landen (groom)

boutonnieres: Mallory (bride)

WOW !!!

And again - WOW !!!

The credits ...

Photographer:  Heather Armstrong Photography

Flowers: Cambray Rose Florist

Taken from:  Inspired by This

Day out in London

Was up early on Sunday and down to London for two treats -  Columbia Road flower market and  the Country Living Christmas Fair.

The flower market never fails to live up to expectation - came away with armfuls of flowers. So love it there. Always wonder if the young guy whose regular shout out 'Got to feed the baby!' really does have a baby. But it doesn't matter, it just adds to the atmosphere.

Can see they are beginning to gear up for Christmas - lots of greenery, berries and bunches of beautiful dried hydrangeas appearing. Brought home some bunches that I know will hold and have put the Sunday before Christmas in the diary to go down for more supplies!

Then, on to the Country Living Fair. It's been quite a few years since I've been so was excited to see what would be there. Some of the old faithfuls - thank heavens - and some interesting new exhibitors, so I came out with several bags of Christmas decorations and a special 'treat' for the Canada house!

Treats for here included a set of mini tree hangings - The Twelve Days of Christmas

I've had a 'tree' from Birchcraft Designs for years, in fact I have 2, and usually use their nativity and angels but like the idea of the 12 days. I'm sure I'll find somewhwere else for the angels! Maybe a tiny tree in the room the 'babies' will be sleeping in. [I KNOW they're no longer babies but ... Gramma rules OK!]

Couldn't leave this behind ... wonder why? It was on the Ella James stand. Only got the one as they all face the same way although if I put on facing walls, but then I'd still want one reversed so both were looking out of the same window. Hey ho!

And didn't see these but would have got them if I had - now will order them from the website as I think they'll look cool near a Santa and sleigh [for guidance - the sleigh version of a sat.nav!]



And can you believe, I also bought some paper bells and christmas trees just like we had when I was a kid. Yes, the sort I VOWED I would never, never, never, let be seen in any house of mine !!! Can't find any images of brown ones but these will give you the idea. Still can't believe it!

I got them from Hunter Gatherer's stand and they had almost sold out so it's not just me. They have some other neat stuff including these little trees - again from my childhood but maybe a little more tasteful so take a look at their website.

But, in my defence, they are a beautiful brown which will go perfectly with my newly decorted sitting room and the Caroline Zoob pink baubles I bought.

and, one day, I will treat myself to one of these from her hand-embroidered collection made from antique fabrics. Maybe next year.

The Canada house treat was just what I had been looking for [although I didn't know] for our basement family room. It's painted in stone colour, with black stained stairs and wood, denim furniture and red accessories.  What d'you think? Will it suit?

Thanks, Jan Constantine - I just knew that at some point in time I'd find exactly the right thing. Have um'ed and arh'ed about some of your British collection before but so glad I waited for this!

It's beginning to feel like Christmas is comming !!!

Happy Halloween

This is my house today ...

All done outside except for lighting the candles, all done inside with treats in two bowls - 1 with peanuts and 1 without, just waiting for the kids now! Who will be first? Three little pigs won the dress competition at the ice hockey on Friday ...

 and my little granddaughter home in England was a purple owl!!

Charities - Action Medical Research, for children, for life

We all have our own favourites. If you were asked to name 10, my guess is that the one I am passionate about wouldn't be on the list at all. And it really should be because I can almost guarantee that it has touched your life. It's Action Medical Research. If you had polio drops on a sugar cube - that was down to research funded by Action. If you took, or know anyone who took, folic acid whilst pregnant - that was down to research funded by Action. A rubella jab? That, too, was down to Action.

It is COMMITTED to raising money to find ways of making sick children's lives better. I could go on for pages but really the best thing I can do is direct you to their website.

http://www.action.org.uk/about_us

and their strap line, again

Action Medical Research, for children, for life

A couple of years ago, one of our local transport company owners, who is a fantastic guy, let us use one of his trucks to advertise the message.

Photo courtesy of Renault Trucks & Tom Cunningham

If you see the truck out and about, please remember this post.

Babies become children who become adults - they ARE our future and we owe to them to do all we can to make their lives the best we can.

North American Wedding Magazines and Helen

As you may have realised, I am very lucky. I love this job and because of it, I get to spend a lot of time in Canada. This is good because if I make enough trips with Air Canada in a year I acquire a status - this gets me into their airport lounges, to the front of the queue when boarding, sometimes eligible for an upgrade to business class if economy is full. But the BIG plus is ...

it comes with an extra bagagge allowance!

Yup - that simple, 3 cases each allowed to weigh a max of 32kg. So what do I use this 'extra' allowance for? Magazines, wedding magazines to be precise [and stuff for the babies as well, I admit] but it's the magazines that I really need the weight for. They are glossy, thick and heavy and I can't get enough of them!!!

I LOVE Wedluxe which is Canadian and Real Simple Weddings and Martha Stewart Weddings. The real weddings are so amazing.

Some time ago now, Martha [bless her] featured the wedding of Laura and Ben in Brooklyn. Now despite this wedding being a little orange [which you'll rememeber from earlier in the month, I didn't really like at that time!], it took my eye. It was quirky, cute and individual. But it went further, the bride reminded me of Hannah's friend Helen. She doesn't look like her and I can never remember Helen having her hair as short but there's something... Maybe the way she holds her head, maybe the way she smiles, maybe the way she looks as if she would have fitted into the 50's/60's ... really couldn't and still can't tell you what it is. Told Hannah and she did the Hmmmm, maaaaybe bit. Obviously with all the excitement of Helen's upcoming wedding, it came back to me. Does anyone else who knows Helen see it? I don't know what it is but here are the images.



Style note:  Love the fabric covered cufflinks matching to the tie
and pocket handkerchief.



Wonder what she's thinking?

Know a place in Toronto where they make fab paper cranes, butterflies,
flowers etc. Note to me: Do a post

Can you write beautifully? Wish I could

Nice to have a favour that will grow



So there you have it - quirky, cute and individual. And Helen? D'you know, it could be the shoes or the bicycle! There's just something that shouts Helen. I do hope she doesn't mind or I could be in trouble!