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Marimekko madness

One of the big plans for when my friend Grace came to town for a visit, was a pilgrimage to a far far away store called the Finnish Place. I had never been there before and it took us ages to get there, from the last northern subway stop, more north by bus and then farther still by FOOT! We finally made it and I almost hyperventilated at all the gorgeous stuff. Of course it was all madly expensive and beautiful quality. There was even Moomin everything!! I treated myself to a very wonderful Marimekko umbrella, for my birthday. I decided an umbrella would be the least likely to get wrecked, like a purse or change pouch or be lost in my cupboards like a mug and it would be ever cheerful on rainy days. It has the famous floral pattern in red and pink! I will show it off at some point. I imagine the rent up there is what keeps them staying, but this store would clean up in downtown. PLUS I would be able to visit it more. Anyway, check out the madness!!!

Weep!

Sunday was a lovely day and I hung out the wash with these fantastic birdy clothes pegs mum got me at Christmas.
Mum was here for a day before going back to mexico, we had some breakfast.
Afterwards we went for a walk down to the trunk show at the workroom.
I got one of Dory's pennants, shown above. Mine says "LIVING ROOM" and I hung it in the living room, of course! I also got one of these adorable kittens from Lesley Ann Green. Cuteness! It was altogether so very inspiring! Looking at the most gorgeous fabric and checking out the selection of awesome books and patterns. I left feeling totally pumped. What a great space! YAY!

great days

It has been a couple of action packed fun days and I will start with Saturday. First we saw a snail, which was a great thing to start with because he was really cute. It was the day of the famous Estonian rummage sale. My friend Grace timed her vacation to be able to go to it! We met her and her friend Gaby there and then fanned out.

I found some fantastic bits and pieces as usual. Some great vintage linens, a Dick bruna book, a picture book about a mockingbird and cake pans. I was so exited about the cake pans as such things never registerd on my radar before now. The thoughts of future cakes filled my head...
I also scored a genuine Ookpik which is such a nostalgic piece of Canadiana, I could not leave it behind. Plus, I loved the page about Ookpiks in Douglas Coupland's book "A Souvenir of Canada". That is one of my favorite books.
Lastly, we visited Allen Gardens and took in the wonderful plants.
Later that day, My mum arrived by train and she and Paul took me out for an early birthday dinner at Langolino and I had ther most fantasic seafood pasta ever.

fruit basket

Here are my teensy fruit paintings I was working on last week. I listed them in my little etsy shop. There- I did something! It feels better to keep busy, but sometimes I slip into an apathetic TV induced coma, I don't deny it. In other news, it is May 1st! My favorite month. Some unexpected birthday gifts have even trickled in and I am such a lucky girl. I could not save them for my actual birthday though I tried, I really did!
Lookit, I found this great mug on Saturday at the Zen Buddist temple rummage sale! It is from Japan and is my new favorite.
Lo and behold, my local garden center opened up this week! It is at my grocery store and when I went on Monday for food, I almost hyperventilated seeing it had opened. I tired to figure out how to carry groceries and plants... In the end I talked myself off the ledge, but went back on my bike a few minutes early for work, loaded up the side baskets, and dropped the plants off home again before racing off. I had to get my mitts on the swiss chard before the eager grandpas did! So I got Swiss chard- LOTS of it ( girl cat has already chomped a bit of it- curses), baby tomatoes, basil and chives. Best $17 I ever spent. Now I dream about where and how to plant them. It is still just a bit too cold.
Also, latest pictue of the secret garden. The cillas are finished and now its all magnolias and forsythia! What will be next, I ask? The exitement never ends.

round-up!

This is a moment in our cake class last week- it illustrates the chaos that ensues once we get started. I have always associated baking with a relaxing Sunday, but this class becomes a whirlwind of madness! I think our teacher gets a bit overwhelmed with all the things he has to do. A table full of ladies giggling probably does not help! Look at that nice mixer though.

He showed us how to make these pretty chocolate wafery things to place on the mocha cake, we shaved chocolate, made creamy icings, dipped strawberries in chocolate for the strawberry shortcake. Lovely!




He assembled these cakes to show us how and I was happy to watch. I love taking a class just for fun!
Some students wished they got to do more of this part but I was happy either way. Look at those cakes! The most delicious cake was the strawberry shortcake because it had the least shortening- whip cream for icing! We got to eat them all! Well, I still have some inmy fridge but still!
My first daffodilly! I planted these for my dad last fall. It is not quite in focus- I am getting the hang of Paul's snazzy little camera because my old 3.2 mega pixel friend finally gave up the ghost.


A zoom in of my best friend. I LOVE robins and i watched this guy hopping around, pecking for worms and then burst into song between worms, for no reason. How cheerful! I think I need to be more like him.
My view is being chopped down by rail workers. They are cutting trees along the rail line whcih is my green view and I am so anxious about it. I need to sing for no reason. It will be ok- sigh.