Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for May 29th!

Oh my gosh! I had so much fun with this grid, and I must have needed a jolt of pink (ya think?)

Who could resist roses hanging from above? and I wonder what’s behind Door #8 and what would it be like to live in a home with a pink door? Wouldn’t it be exciting to open a yellow envelope and have a pink peony burst forth? and then to have it land on your table with some reading material and a rich black cup of coffee?! Fabulous Fuschia Fantasies people!

Let’s celebrate these talented photographers! If you get a minute, please visit their galleries and leave some love! ♥ and then pop on over to #sunday_sundries to see more beautiful images.

So what am I celebrating this week?

• Having had a full week at home to tackle my chores … I’m nowhere near caught up but I’d say I’m about halfway there … maybe by the end of this coming week I’ll be able to relax a bit.
• I managed to publish one blog post and 4 insta shots (yep. I’m grateful for that.)
• Getting my hair cut. I could hardly see through my bangs … .
• Running into friends at the mall and having an impromptu lunch.
• Gardening. Having the hubs rototill the along the edges of my flower beds.
• My gorgeous purple clematis made it through the winter, and already has buds!
• The peonies have buds too and are very close to popping (a month early!)
• The frost warning was a false alarm.
• Rain, and even more to come. We’ll take all we can.
• I think my funk is lifting.

So that’s it for me this lovely Sunday evening, but I have one more thing I’m celebrating … I’m taking over the Bella Grace Instagram account on June 1st and 2nd! I do hope you’ll pop by and join in the conversation.

xo

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for May 22nd. I’m a bit late publishing SS tonight … and that would be one of the things I’m celebrating this week!

We have family visiting for our May long weekend and an afternoon card game with the grandkids turned into a giggle-fest, which meant dinner was a tad late, and I’m totally off-kilter! ;)

But, I’m really thrilled with my four features today. I found such amazing photos in the gallery (which btw has over 10,000 images) and I had a terribly hard time choosing. If I had a couple more hours in the day I’d feature at least one more grid … sigh … .

If you get a chance, pop on over to Instagram and leave some love for these artists!

So, what else am I celebrating this week?

• Having our daughter and grandsons visit us in Arizona. Oh my … what a busy few days! Memorable, full, lovely, love-filled, fun days! Bursting.
• Arriving home from Arizona in time to find my lilacs still blooming, and to see a hummingbird moth hovering around them. I would have been crushed to have missed this once-a-year event.
• Rain.
• Rain, rain, and more rain. We’ve been in dire need of moisture for a very long time and since Thursday evening we’ve received 121mm!! yes, you read that right, and there’s more to come. We are doing a jig around here!
• My rain barrels are full to overflowing … and since my flower pots and hanging baskets love rainwater, that makes me very, very happy.
• Sleeping in until 8:44 am! It’s unheard of for me since I’m usually up by 5:00 am. It was a result of a busy week, and a bit of yard work.
• Listening to the rain whilst sleeping in.
• Shopping for groceries and having endless choices … so grateful for that.
• Being with family for the May long weekend ♥
• My son-in-law for helping the hubs put in our dock. It was an incredibly hard task.
• All my family.
• Finding peonies at the grocery store … they were the most glorious shade of coral.
• Garden flowers and backyard bouquets.

So that’s it for me today. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening and thank you for stopping by!

xo

Hello, welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for May 8th, and Happy Mother’s Day!

Please help me celebrate the work of these 3 talented artists who tagged their amazing images to #sunday_sundries.

Today I took the liberty of choosing two images by wezyrnezycie … I hope you don’t mind ;)

I have so much to be grateful for, but because it’s Mother’s Day, and I’m looking forward to spending this evening with family I’ll combine this week’s “celebrations” with next week’s.

Thank you all for stopping by and for your continued support … I really appreciate having you here!

Hello, welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for May 1st, and Happy May Day everyone!

So what is May Day? After a quick Google search I found this on CNN …

Depending on where you are, it’s either a seasonal celebration or a day to celebrate workers’ rights, or maybe a little bit of both.

Think of the latter use as a Labor Day, if you will, for the rest of the world.

(CNN)

For me it’s simply a celebration of spring and all it has to offer. It’s a time when I start dreaming in earnest about my garden, flowers, greenhouses, light-filled days, and getting ready for a summer of fun at the lake. Simple pleasures. Celebrations.

But today I was drawn to these four dark and moody images … they’re all so stunningly gorgeous, is it any wonder?

Please help me celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their amazing images to #sunday_sundries.

I ask you, what are the chances of finding two apple pies in the gallery as beautiful as these two? Seriously, I’m about to dive in!

Oh, but first, I’m suddenly feeling the urge for something garlicky for dinner, and then perhaps I’ll type out a recipe or two (like my Dad used to), and of which I have very fond memories :) …

Thank you, dear ladies, for sharing your beautiful moments with Sunday Sundries!

What else am I celebrating this week?

First of all it’s been a busy one … whew! Last Sunday we flew back home to Canada, and now, less than a week later, we’re back here in Arizona. Can you say blur?

It’s all good though, and here’s what I’m celebrating:

• I’m so grateful for those few days at home. It was a gift, really—I was spurred into action, cleaning my garden, turning the soil (by hand!) splitting my rhubarb plant into three and moving the pieces to a sunnier, more fertile area. I accomplished more in those four days that I normally would have in a week … I guess I do work better under deadlines ;)
• Early mornings at the lake. Listening to geese, gulls, loons, red winged blackbirds, crows, ravens, woodpeckers … it was a regular cacophony!
• Spider webs glistening with dew.
• An early morning walk with friends.
• Setting up photography vignettes on my potting benches, once again using the deck as my studio.
• The light … oh my … the light.
• Then suddenly, a quick flight back to Arizona and all the goodness that it has to offer.
• My gardenia shrub has at least a dozen flowers … tiny, but oh goodness … the scent is intoxicating. So happy I didn’t miss them!

So that’s it for me today.

I’m planning on a quiet evening watching The Sopranos with the hubs. We never really got into the series when it was on TV, so when we found the (almost) complete set at a garage sale for $5.00 we snapped it up … it’s missing Part II of the last season, but we’ll worry about that in a year or so ;)

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I so appreciate your support for Sunday Sundries!

PS … I have an exciting new give-away on my blog for tomorrow! Hope to see you then!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for April 24! (on Monday)

Please help me celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their amazing images to #sunday_sundries.

I’m loving the spring flowers; pink ranunculus forever, coffee swimming in a sea of pink, purple hyacinth and tulips gracing vintage postcards, and bluebells scattered on a vintage botanical book all make my heart happy.

Thank you everyone for playing along, I am so truly grateful for every image shared in the #sunday_sundries gallery.

Long story, but we’re back in Canada for a few days … and I’m so happy! I was missing spring at home … the sound of geese, watching the leaves coming out on the trees, and inspecting and dreaming about my garden.

What else am I celebrating?

• Early mornings in the desert; the cool air, the sound of birds waking up, the sun rising over the Four Peaks.
• Finding an amazing antique chair at a garage sale for $15.00 … the detail and character are beyond!
• Reading a good book. I must be the last person to have read “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak. I simply couldn’t put it down. I feel like I’ll want to reread it immediately.
• I’m so grateful for my passion for still life photography. I truly don’t know what I’d do without it.
• A safe journey home.
• Freshly roasted, grocery store chickens … such a quick and handy meal when you’re just getting home after a long absence.
• Seeing my first robin of the year!
• A rental car … just for me … so I can go out. What more could a girl want!

Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!

xo

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for April 17!

Please help me celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their amazing images to #sunday_sundries. Thank you everyone for playing along!

So what am I celebrating this week?

• Discovering a great, easy hike on the Fountain Hills Lake Overlook Trail.
• Beautiful blue skies with amazing cloud formations.
• Seeing an Argentine Giant in full bloom (stunning!)
• Happy Hour on the patio at Roaring Fork; a glass of red wine and the best fish tacos in Arizona (in my opinion.)
• The abundance of flowers here: wild chamomile, Desert Marigolds, ranunculus at Costco, roses outside my window, and gardenias that are almost ready to burst.
• Our cozy condo that shelters us from varied weather conditions, whether it’s intense sun, cold nights, fierce winds, or rain (betcha didn’t know that about the desert!)
• A lovely lunch at The All American Sports Grill in Fountain Hills – excellent service and excellent food (again.)

OK, that’s it for me today … thank you so much for dropping by and have a wonderful week!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for April 10th!

Today we have delicate ranunculus, textured string bags in a crate, rumpled hydrangeas, and weathered clay pots. Once again I’m fascinated at how a grid comes together … oh I love my job :)

Please help me celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their amazing images to #sunday_sundries.

Today in Arizona we are enjoying a cool, rainy Sunday. Last week the temps hit 36°C, or 96.8°F, which was quite lovely but a cool-down is always welcome (and I know the desert flora and fauna love it.) I’ll be happily out looking for wildflowers next week.

What else am I celebrating?

• Finding flowering spring branches at Costco (because I won’t be out clipping anyones trees.)
• Ranunculus. Oh … ranunculus … .
• Seeing one of my photos in “Mingle” magazine (taken at the Finding Stillness|2015 retreat last September.)
• I’ll be heading back to Manitoba this coming autumn for Finding Stillness|2016! Squee!

So that’s it for me today. I hope your weekend has been a good one and that you have a peaceful, relaxing evening.

xo

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for April 3rd!

I know I say it all the time but … arghh … the beautiful images in that gallery make for a terribly hard time choosing only four to feature, and adding to the dilemma is that I took last Sunday off. Where to even start? Well, that hair stopped me in my tracks and all I could think of was how exquisite! And then I saw the dress, and the flowers, and the vintage photo, and the pussywillows, and the tag, and I kept thinking how.very.very.very.exquisite!

So please help me celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their exquisite images to #sunday_sundries.

Thank you to everyone who tagged their images to the gallery, it’s such an honour to have you.

So, now, what am I celebrating?

• That we headed south for a few weeks. It’s a long drive, but one we look forward to since it’s packed full of some pretty spectacular scenery.
• Sunday we drove from Central Alberta through most of Montana, stopping for the night in Helena (6 1/2 hours.) There was a lot of snow most of the way, but thankfully, not on the roads. It was just plain beautiful: pure white sparkling fields against brilliant clear blue skies. I’ll share some photos of our trip in a post later this week.
• Monday we carried on through most of Utah, stopping for the night in Cedar City (11 hours.) The wind was blowing, and it was bone-chilling cold when we arrived, but we were grateful for a delicious meat at Chili’s, and a warm bed at a local hotel. I must add here that the beans, rice, chicken, and lettuce bowl at Chili’s was incredibly delicious! mmmm … must go back again sometime.
• Tuesday we arrived at our little AZ getaway, safe and sound after another long day (8 hours.)
• I celebrate the fact that we have a place to escape to when our winter/spring gets “draggy” … although this year the weather was pretty gorgeous.
• Picking wildflowers in April – sweet little Desert Marigolds (a fav.)
• Finding a few treasures at local garage sales.
• Enjoying some quiet time with the hubs; reading, or watching some of our favourite TV series. Last night we finished Season 3 of “House of Cards” and are dying for more … however we don’t have Netflix :/ boo … what to do?! Wait, I guess … Frank will have to wait ;)

So that’s it for me. The sun is shining, it’s hotter than a firecracker outside, and the pool awaits!

I hope you are having (or had) a great weekend!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for March 20th and the first day of spring!

It’s almost surreal … are we really, truly, heading into this most exciting and exhilarating season?! Yes! Yes we are!!

So let’s celebrate the “springy” work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries.

Today we have buttery hot cross buns, creamy tea/coffee, silky pussywillows, flowering branches, and crispy salads. Seriously, I want to dive into these photos!

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• Picking pussywillows on a brisk, sunny, spring day.
• Making wreaths.
• Spending a day at a specialty greenhouse with a friend. Having lunch. Finding treasures.
• Wishing a grandson a happy birthday. Listening to him talk about his life and hearing his joy ♥
• Contractors who get the work done. Just like they said they would. And who do it right.
• Sunday evenings.

I was thrilled to take part in the Grace Notes blog hop this week.  I wrote about A Different Kind of Power and I’m loving the conversation around it! If you haven’t done so, check it out and perhaps leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Bella Grace Issue 7. Contest closes March 31st.

So that’s it for me for tonight.

Thank you for dropping by!

xo

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for March 13th!

Let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries … we have a bouquet of peachy-orange tulips, a cup of coffee (or tea) with cream please, a basket of delicate pastel eggs and one spectacular wall of autumn-kissed ivy!  All stunning images, and certainly something to celebrate!

Thank you to all who share their work!

So what am I celebrating?

How about another simple, uneventful, ordinary week, for which I am extremely grateful.

• A week of quiet, peaceful moments. Moments spent soaking up early spring sunshine on the deck, listening to chickadees, and watching squirrels chasing each other around the yard ;)
• Picking pussywillows.
• Arranging flowers.
• Crafting paper flowers and remembering how much I love creating with my hands.
• Windows open. Bright sunlight streaming in. The sound of geese honking. The sweet smell of woodsmoke.
• Potluck breakfasts with friends. The delicious food, limitless coffee, and honest and easy camaraderie.

I have lots more to celebrate but I’m not quite ready to share … maybe next week!

Thank you so much for dropping by today!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for March 6th! Let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries … we have teacups, coffee cups, pink flowers, purple flowers, moody shots, airy shots, shadows, light, swishy paint and grey granite. Swoon-worthy images!

I have such a hard time choosing just four to feature, but I have to tell you, it’s one of the things I truly look forward to on Sundays and when a grid starts to take shape, I’m positively giddy …

Thank you everyone for tagging your incredible images!

So what else am I celebrating this week?

1. It’s March! Hooray! Winter still has us in its grips, but will have to give in, there’s just no way around it.
2. Pink Tulips. Yellow Tulips. Pink and green ruffly tulips. Muscari. Daffodils. African Violets.
3. Talking to a friend on the phone and having a good laugh. Finding myself still smiling hours later.
4. The pussy willows are beginning to burst and I can’t wait to start gathering them. It’s a bit of a spring celebration for me. I love a sunny and bright, yet chilly March day, when I’m standing in a ditch clipping branches. The buds against the blue sky are so full of promise.
5. Dinner with friends.
6. Having a life partner who understands me. One who can talk me down when I’m upset, but lift me up at the same time.
7. Having a couple exciting projects underway … eek! now I gotta get to work!

I’d love to hear what you’re celebrating … leave a comment and share what moved you this past week.

Thank you for stopping by!

xo

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for February 28th!

Whoa, I had a busy week (a self-induced busy week) but it’s all good. As soon as I finish this up, I’m heading to the sofa to vegetate (and maybe catch a bit of the Oscars.)

Thanks to all those who tag their images to the gallery – it’s a veritable feast for the eyes.

OK, let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries on Instagram … are they not simply gorgeous!!??

So what am I celebrating this week?

• Reaching (over) 10K followers on IG … a heartfelt thank you to all my followers (long-time and brand-new)  xoxo. I’ve been working toward this for a year and a half and it nearly did me in ;)
• An ordinary week. I’ll take ordinary and quiet any day. So grateful for ordinary and quiet.
• My family.
• Fabulously warm weather.
• Walks with friends.
• A good book.
• My photography. My blog. My blog friends.
• Boxes full of dried treasures from the summer (peonies and dragonflies.)
• Pots of pretty pink tulips.

So that is it for this week folks! Good night, and have a wonderful evening!

I’m about to unplug.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for February 21st!

Let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries on Instagram.

Thank you so much to all those who participate – I have one heck of a time trying to choose only four to feature … how beautiful are these images?!

As Sunday draws to a close, once again I’m sitting and thinking about everything I have to celebrate:

• Bright sunlight and longer days (this could be on my list for a couple months!)
• The mild winter we’ve had, and the fact that March is just around the corner.
• Re-discovering my love of vintage books. Finding a few more beauties to add to my collection at a very low price ($1.00/ea.)
• Walking with friends. Joining these same friends for a late winter bonfire complete with hot dogs, wine, and s’mores.
• A day in the city shopping at a big, bright, beautiful mall.
• Getting a great haircut.
• Lunch with a friend.
• Walking with hubby, and a lazy Sunday.

I’m also going to celebrate having posted todays’ Sunday Sundries, and the fact that I’m now going to get into my fleece PJ’s and read my book!

Thank you for stopping by!

xo

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for February 14th! Let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries on Instagram.

Again, I’m amazed at the beautiful and varied images in the gallery, and it’s a thrill and an honour to have you play along! Thank you!

If you get a moment, and want some more eye candy, please visit their galleries and leave some love!

Today is Family Day in Alberta. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities. It’s a joy to witness families out and about: skating, tobogganing, skiing, or simply taking a walk.

So today I’m celebrating:

• My family. Even though we are not together today … I love you, and I celebrate you.
• Arriving home safely from our holiday in Arizona.
• The beautiful spring-like weather that we’ve come home to … wowzers … zippity-do-da!
• My Birthday. Hubby took me out for a lovely dinner at Quiessence, a very unique restaurant at the Farm at South Mountain.
• Phone calls from both daughters. Hearing “Happy Birthday” sung by grandchildren. Beautiful presents wrapped with love.

I have so many things to be grateful for.

Have a lovely Monday, and thank you so much for stopping by ♥

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for February 6th! Let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries on Instagram.

If you get a moment and want some eye candy, please visit their galleries and leave some love! I’m blown away by the beautiful and varied styles in the gallery, and when four different images come together to make a cohesive grid, well, it is such a thrill! Thank you to all who play along!

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• The arrival of the lovely month of February! Did you get my free word art? if not, check it out here.
• Roses, hyacinths, hydrangeas, tulips … in abundance! We don’t get flowers like this in Alberta at this time of year.
• Re-discovering a beautiful old table. When we first bought our condo, we furnished it with an eclectic mix of furniture and I’d sorta, kinda forgot how completely gorgeous this table is. I’ve been using it all week on my Instagram shots.
• Using my Christmas gift certificate at Anthropologie. I bought a very spring”y” vase … I think I’m going to be in a bit of shock when I get back home to Alberta to find it’s still winter … argh … .
• Trader Joes for those aforementioned flowers. I love going there. You walk in the door, the sun is shining, and there are flowers everywhere.
• Receiving my “Living Artfully” book from Amazon.

So that’s it for me … thank you for stopping by and I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

Day 6 of blogging every day in February.

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries and the last four features for January.

As busy and wonderful as January has been, I’m really looking forward to February. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve challenged myself to blog every day. Right now I feel pumped … but, umm … yeah … I’m certain as time goes by, I will have a few moments where I’m struggling.

But for now, let’s celebrate the work of these four talented artists who tagged their images to #sunday_sundries on Instagram. If you get a moment and want some eye candy, please visit their galleries and leave some love!

What else am I celebrating this week for Sunday Sundries?

• Our vacation home in Arizona. It’s so nice to have your own place to go to … it’s a home away from home.
• The abundance of fresh flowers here in Arizona … I know I can find flowers in Alberta, but they are mucho expensive, and somehow not as interesting (at the moment, in the dead of winter).
• Being outside, going for walks, sitting on our sunny deck.
• Having coffee at our favourite coffee shop.
• Searching for treasures at garage sales.

Well, that’s it for today. I’m looking forward to a delicious roast chicken dinner and a quiet evening to recharge my batteries. I’ll be back tomorrow.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries once again. I’m happy you stopped by.

Oh my gosh, it’s January 24th and it’s above zero.

Snow is melting off the roof and running out the downspouts. Well, it’s just a drip, but I’ll take it. Yes, I know it’s not going to last, but I don’t let that get me down.

I have a window open in my office, and I can hear skidoos tearing around on the lake. Everyone is soaking it up. My apologies to those of you experiencing bad weather … but we must celebrate and appreciate our little pleasures up north here.

So, now I’m pleased to be able to share these four beautiful images with you today. They were all tagged to #sunday_sundries or #sundaysundries on Instagram.

I love the vintage handwriting theme, the simple and clean shape of the pottery and wire basket, the humble yet elegant table setting, and the soft pink of the flowers and grey scissors placed so carefully on scripted paper. I am so grateful to all who play along, and if you get a chance, please check out the galleries of these amazing artists … seriously, my heart skips a beat when I see a beautiful image …

So what am I celebrating this week?

• Well, I came home from our travels with a case of the flu (not good), but I’m celebrating the fact that I have a big, soft, safe, warm bed to go to each night. I slept about 12 hrs/day, each day, since we’ve been home.
• I’m better now :)
• Vicks vapo-rup (yes, I still use that stuff.) Sinutab. Kleenex :)
• Did I mention that I’m better now?
• Receiving a lovely gift from Katherine Dorrington who lives in Australia. I was featured in her #fridayfaffingcompetition on IG.
• It’s still light here at 5:00pm … not bright, but light … it’s very encouraging. I think more than anything it’s the darkness of winter that gets to me. The snow is still a good thing at the moment, however that changes come March.

So that’s it for my Sunday Sundries. I have a Blogging Bits and Bytes newsletter in the works and am looking forward to carrying that forward into 2016. I hope you continue to participate.

xo

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

Today I have four features from the gallery. I am loving the drama today! If you get a moment, pop by and leave some love for these talented artists!

What else am I celebrating?

• Dried peonies to appreciate and play with during the cold winter month of January when affordable, fresh flowers are less than inspiring.
• Travelling with hubby on business trips.
• Staying at the Banff Springs Hotel, in a room with an astonishing view.
• Dinner with hubby at Castello Ristorante.
• Afternoon (High) Tea at the Banff Springs Hotel.
• A relaxing evening at home before taking off on our next trip!
• Safe travels to Quebec.
• Staying in the beautiful Manoir Rouville-Campbell in Mont-Saint-Hilaire with a view of the Richelieu River.
• A beautiful Christmas party with wonderful people. Incredible food. Incredible music. Dancing (yes, me dancing … it was fun … wait … did I really point my finger to the ceiling? no … not … I must have dreamt that …).
• Now we’re downtown Montreal and getting ready to go out for another dinner.

I’ll be looking forward to falling into bed tonight.

I hope you had a wonderful week as well! Thank you so much for stopping by!

 

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

I’m reluctant to let go of my word for 2015, which was/is celebrate. Hmmm… I wonder if a person can have two words? Well, I think a person can do whatever they want don’t you? and I may just keep my word and add another one … or maybe even more! and perhaps even another quote #whythehecknot?

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started Sunday Sundries (January 11, 2015.) At first it was a link-up here on my blog, but it gradually migrated to Instagram. You can visit the gallery here #sunday_sundries.

So, here are my (8) features this week. Please help me celebrate the work of these talented artists:

Gah! so much gorgeousness in the gallery … I can’t stand it! If you’d like to play along on Instagram, simply tag your own images (old and new) to #sunday_sundries @keepingwiththetimes, I’d love to see you there!

This week I’m also celebrating:

• The Paperwhites I planted back in December. They are truly a wonderful thing to see on a cold, snowy, foggy day in January.
• Arriving home safely before the aforementioned snow and fog set in.
• Candles.
• Evening light. Morning Light.
• The few plants that have survived since I brought them in last fall.
• Finding the perfect rug at Pottery Barn … a rug was on my wish list, and happened to be super sale priced as well.
• Turning the television off and reading by a roaring fire. Bliss. Speaking of good books, have you read You Before Me by JoJo Moyes? Truly a great read (but remember to have the tissues handy.)
• Soft fluffy snow. Hoar frost.
• Finding the perfect outfit to wear to the hub’s Christmas party (yes it’s in January.)
• Date night at the movies. We went and saw Joy with Jennifer Lawrence. It’s not earth-shattering but was fun, and has an amazing and notable cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, and Isabella Rosselini.

OK! I think I’ve rambled on enough. Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Feature for January 3rd!

#sunday_sundries is back after a scheduled break during the holidays … with so much on the go I gave myself the gift of simply enjoying the images in the gallery. Many mornings I sat by the light of the Christmas tree, hot coffee in hand, just browsing and enjoying.

Today I have two grids for a couple of reasons, first I want to catch up, and secondly I accidentally discovered that some people use the hashtag without the underscore … so technically there are two galleries #sunday_sundries and #sundaysundries.

In the beginning I chose to use the underscore because someone had already used the hashtag without the underscore … argh … so last week I went in and executed a takeover … tagging past features to the new hashtag, as well as some of my images. I feel like a boss now ;).

So, please help me celebrate the work of these talented artists:

 

… and now, from the takeover gallery ;)

Thanks to all who play along with Sunday Sundries! I appreciate it so much!

So what am I celebrating this week? Well, almost too much to mention …

• An amazing Christmas spent with our whole family.
• Our warm and cozy home, and that it holds all of us so comfortably and safely.
• Winter fun and games: skating, tobogganing, hockey, walks, cards, and sitting by a roaring fire.
• We had lots of snow, but no severe weather (which makes for safer travels.)
• Food. Delicious, homemade food. Some made by me, the rest by my daughters (with help from their loves.)
• My hubby who helps keeps the kitchen in tip top shape, day after day, even as I sometimes vanish to the bedroom to shower and clean up.
• Watching our grandchildren on Christmas morning. Watching them play. Watching them making memories with their cousins. They are all so innocent … it makes our hearts burst.
• Getting back to normal ;) cleaning, organizing, purging.
• A quiet New Years Eve, just the hubs and I.
• A brand new year to look forward to.

Thank you for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries Features for December 20!  Thank you to all who tag their images to #sunday_sundries @keepingwiththetimes. I so appreciate you sharing your beautiful images.

So, here are my four features for #sunday_sundries December 20 … so many amazing images in the gallery … please congratulate the following artists:

So what am I celebrating this week?

• YOU. My loyal readers xoxo.
• Instagram for the inspiration and the beautiful community, as well as the fact that by posting there every day I’m documenting the moments of my life.
• Getting my Christmas shopping all finished up! Yay!
• Talking to our grandson on his birthday.
• Dinner with friends.

This will be the last Sunday Sundries until January 3rd, 2016, but please keep tagging your images on Instagram throughout the holidays (thank you!)

The winner of the Bella Grace magazine giveaway is the lovely Ann Davis. You can find her on Instagram at @annld60 and you should also check out her amazing Steller account @annld60! Congratulations Ann! and thank you Stampington & Company and Bella Grace magazine for sponsoring the giveaway.

PS: If you use Lightroom, you may be interested in the free template download I posted yesterday.

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here once again to ramble on about my week … a busy one as usual … .

But first, here are my four features for #sunday_sundries … so much beauty in the gallery again! Golden stars, delicious (and strong-looking) coffee, delicate wildflowers, and silvery-green packages all made my heart sing!  Many congratulations to these four artists and thank you all for tagging to the gallery.

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• Getting dozens of perogies made and in the freezer (ready for Christmas Eve.)
• Making a trip to town for groceries before the snow arrived.
• The beautiful, white wonderland we’ve been living in for over a week. It’s amazing.
• Rediscovering old, but loved Christmas ornaments.
• My new dining room blinds and the hubby who installed them so perfectly.
• Being published in Bella Grace, and Stampington & Company sponsoring a giveaway of one copy! Have you entered yet? Check it out here (contest closes soon).
• Safe travels late at night … arriving home safely.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

But first, here are my four features for #sunday_sundries … so much beauty in the gallery again! It’s really hard to choose four images … argh … but here goes!

Please help me celebrate the amazing work of these four talented artists:

What else am I celebrating this week?

• Making Pyrizhky, and getting it in the freezer, ready for Christmas Eve dinner.
• Taking a chance on a new stylist and ending up with the best haircut I’ve had in years!
• Taking another chance and having “low-lights” put in my hair … which I love.
• Getting some Christmas shopping done.
• Lattes. Italian lattes.
• Walking … with friends, or alone. There’s nothing better for clearing the head.
• Charlie Brown Christmas trees … .
• Naked cakes … I made one for a friend and what a hit it was! I’ll be sharing that later … .
• Dinner with friends.
• Quiet evenings at home with hubby.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday. Thank you for stopping by.

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

Another week has disappeared and we’re heading straight into December … it’s a beautiful month full of moments to celebrate and I plan to fill it with preparations for our family Christmas at the lake.

I’m very excited the hubs and I are hosting this year so I’m going all out! A full-on Ukrainian dinner for Christmas Eve is in the works. I’m starting Monday by making Pyrizhky … oh, my … uh oh, I better set up a schedule for walking every day next month :)

But for now, here are my four features for #sunday_sundries … so much beauty in the gallery again! It’s really hard to choose four images … argh … but here goes!

Please help me celebrate the amazing work of these four talented artists:

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• I have to say the #1 thing I’m celebrating is the fact I’ve (almost) made it through National Blog Posting Month. After tomorrow I will have posted every day for the month of November. Big Giant “Whew”!!
• Snow! Yes, I love snow this time of year. It makes everything look so fresh and clean … plus it really puts a person in the mood for decorating and baking.
• Stepping outside for a walk and hearing coyotes yipping back and forth. Looking up and seeing a bald eagle. Hearing the twitter of cedar waxwings.
• Packages in the mail! I won a little gift from Somerset Studios. When you subscribe to their newsletter and then open that newsletter, you are automatically entered in a draw … which I won. How fun! You can check out their newsletter here.
• Cute new curtains in the dining room.
• A husband who comes home and helps finish the curtains task by a) removing old brackets, and b) helping me order new blinds. I’m hoping they arrive before Christmas … but they may not.
• Fresh (affordable) evergreen bunches available in stores right now.
• Instagram inspiration.

Thank you so much for dropping by Sunday Sundries today!

Tomorrow is the last day for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) on BlogHer.com where bloggers committed to post every single day this month! Woo Hoo! I’ll have a recap and a few tips on how I survived … .

Day 29 #nablopomo

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

But first, here are my four features for #sunday_sundries … I love all the wonderful fruits, foraged pine cones, cups of tea, old baking tins and splattered cookbooks! Absolutely delightful! Thank you to all who tagged your images! Please remember to visit these galleries and leave some love! and don’t forget you can tag to #sunday_sundries @keepingwiththetimes all week!

So what else am I celebrating? So many wonderful things!

• A weekend spent with our entire family. I’ve missed them all so much … we aren’t so far apart that this couldn’t happen more often, but everyone seems to be going in different directions at all times. Next up: Christmas together! Yay!
• Good food. Homemade food. Amazing food.
• Christmas craft markets. Finding fresh greens and cute ornaments.
• A walk through a most amazing forest right in the middle of a major city.
• Driving on good roads and arriving home safely (ahead of a nasty winter storm that’s predicted).
• A carload of supplies for baking, crafting, and decorating.
• Friends that call and wonder where you are!

My Sunday Sundries was a bit scattered this week – but I made it and I thank you for stopping by!

xo

My Word for 2015 is “celebrate” and that’s how Sunday Sundries came about. I wanted this year to be a celebration.

However, at first I had a little trouble with the word “celebrate” because quite frankly there are some things about this world that just do not deserve to be celebrated. So I wondered, how could I make this work?

I thought maybe a quote would help, so I started searching for something that I could relate to, something that would give me “permission” to celebrate, and I found this by Tom Peters:

celebrate what you want to see more of
~Tom Peters~

I’m thinking I may carry this word on into 2016 … .

I started a linkup here on my blog for people to share their celebrations, but as things changed (they always do), it migrated to Instagram at #sunday_sundries. So once again, please help me celebrate the work of these talented artists:

 

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• Small, quiet moments, sipping tea, and playing with leaves.
• Safe travels.
• Falling into a big soft bed at 2:30 am after a looong day.
• Twinkly lights.
• A skiff of snow, signalling it’s time to stay indoors, drink tea, and sit by the fire.

Here’s to a quiet and peaceful Sunday.

Day 15 #nablopomo

 

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

But first, here are my four features from #sunday_sundries on Instagram.

I’m continually blown away by the talent in that gallery! Today we have grey pumpkins, yummy golden pancakes, bright autumn leaves, and stunning corrugated metal siding … I swoon, I tell ya! oh, and the light in all of these images … oh my … .

So please help me celebrate the art of these amazing artists, and talented IG’rs!

A huge thank you to everyone who tags their beautiful images to #sunday_sundries! There are lots of hashtags out there and I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate your art!

So what else am I celebrating this week?

• Our little holiday home in Arizona that helps us get away from the harshest parts of winter up north (right now we’re on a bit of a vacation even though the weather at home has been gorgeous.)
• I wasn’t ready to leave autumn as we left Alberta, so we took a trip to Mount Lemmon near Tucson, and found autumn right here. Let me tell you, it’s stunning and I have a post coming on that later.
• Having coffee with the hubs in our favourite coffee shop, Mountain View Coffee in Fountain Hills … after 4 years we’re considered regulars, and it’s a very cool feeling to be welcomed there! Oh, and they make the best latte’s!
• Dinner at Marcellino Ristorante in Old Town Scottsdale. Oh.my.good.heavens. the pasta was seriously to-die-for. It’s made fresh every day. I wanted the espresso infused fettuccine but I felt it would keep me up all night … I wonder if they serve breakfast? hmmm …
• Shopping and browsing (nothing serious) at Kierland Commons on a warm, sunny November day in Arizona. It’s a dream. I spent a ton of time in The Pottery Barn, oohhing and ahhing and dreaming … oh I wanted the white marble table but no … I came out with “the worlds’ best potato masher” a few place card holders, a lot of inspiration, and I was happy.

I’m also grateful that Xanthe and Kim alerted me to #nablopomo (blogging every day in November). It’s not easy to keep up, but some amazing things have already come of it. I started a series on my trip to Rivers, Manitoba for Finding Stillness 2015, and you can check it out here and here. I hadn’t blogged about that at all yet … I don’t know why … but perhaps #nablopomo has opened some floodgates!

So, before I sign off I want to remind you enter the draw (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win a copy of Artful Blogging! Draw to be made November 10th and everyone is welcome!

Thank you so much for dropping by and have a wonderful day!

Barb

xo

Day 8 #nablopomo

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

But first, here are my four features from #sunday_sundries on Instagram.  I see a recurring theme … autumn of course, and a little bit of Halloween, but also seeds! which didn’t register until I saw this grid – how fun! Please help me celebrate the art of these talented IG’rs!

It’s been a busy week once again. I spent a lot of time cleaning and organizing my house. I brought the remainder of my plants indoors for the winter. I roasted and froze pumpkin and squash, as well as apple crisps and sauces to bring out on the up-coming dark winter days. Totally satisfying.

The time change is upon us where I live. The sun sets at 5:01 pm and there’s no use grouching about it. It just means I have to be more organized when it comes to photography. I start shooting earlier in the day or else … .

So what more could I be celebrating? well …

• Having my photo featured by @anthropologie. I tell you I was am flabbergasted … and I keep going back to their feed to see if it really happened … it did. Big Magic (Elizabeth Gilbert).
• Having my photo featured by @teavanatea … seriously … wha???
• Having the opportunity to co-host a new hashtag on Instagram with Kim Klassen #stillswithstories … another gift
• Warm autumn days, homemade soup, tea, photography … life …

And then … having my blog featured in Artful Blogging. I could hardly believe it to be true until yesterday when I held a copy of it in my hands. Yes, my story is there. My photographs are there. I.can’t.even. So to celebrate this happy moment, I’m going to be giving away one copy to one lovely reader. Watch the blog for details … .

Thank you so much for stopping by! Happy Sunday! I appreciate each and every one of you.

Barb

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

Another week has come and gone, and each and every day was sunny and warm with no frost. It’s a bit unusual for October … I was having a bath with the windows open … tmi? oh well, I thought it was something to celebrate! I believe next week we are about to get some frost, and maybe even wet snow … so grateful it held off this long.

As I was going through the #sunday_sundries gallery I was actually talking out loud. Oh wow! Oh my! Gah! so many stunning images … how to choose … but I had to, and here they are. Please help me celebrate the work of these talented artists:

What else am I celebrating this week?

• Crossing items off my “to-do” list.
• Walking with friends.
• A solitary walk along a country road on a warm October afternoon.
• A day spent with friends shopping and having lunch.
• Pretty cups, bowls, linens, and pillows … as well as huge end-of-season sales where everything is 1/3 the original price.
• Autumn leaves. I found some real beauties in the parking lot at Costco … they were fluttering down right in front of me.
• The abundance of squash, pumpkin, and root vegetables at this time of year.
• A bowl of hot soup on a crisp October day.
• Apps that get updated regularly and keep my blog running smoothly.
• Autosave in WordPress. Whew! I would have lost an entire post if not for that feature.

So that’s it for me, I’ve had a whirlwind of a day and it’s time to relax.

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday, and thank you for dropping by!

Mosaic Monday at Lavender Cottage

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Sundries! I’m here to ramble on about my week, it helps me be grateful and to “celebrate” all the small (and large) extraordinary moments in my life.

It’s Sunday evening and we just cleaned up some leftovers from our (final) dinner party which hubby and I threw last night. I have to tell you, the single most bestest thing I’m celebrating today is the fact that our dinner party obligation is over.

You see, we’ve been participating in a themed dinner with 3 – 4 other couples for 24 years … with a total of 76 dinners. Is that not amazing!? There’s a lot of history between us and it was hard to be the first couple to leave the group, but for me especially, it was time … and we ended on a wonderful note.  And I feel so.so.good. And I’m exhausted, so if this post doesn’t make sense, that would be why.

So, before I fall off my chair, on to the task at hand: #sunday_sundries. If you’re on IG, please tag your images to play along – I’d love to have you!

The gallery is bursting with beauty this week and these four muted and warm images kept calling to me. Tea, white pumpkins, worn books, old photos, dinnerware and yarn … if that’s not warm and fuzzy, I don’t know what is!

So please help me celebrate the beauty created by these four talented artists:

Again, I’m humbled and grateful that you share your images with me, thank you so much!

So what else am I celebrating?

• Slow Sundays where all a person has to do is get out of bed, eat breakfast, then wander around outside soaking up a perfect autumn day.
• Tea and a light lunch on the deck.
• Two hour naps.
• Not having to cook. Leftovers for dinner. Turning the lights off in the kitchen at 6:30pm.
• The absolute quietness and peace surrounding me as evening turns into night.
• Peonies in October … but more on that later in the week … .

I am now about to lay down on the sofa, and from there, my bed … .

Good night, and thank you for stopping by!