UK Photos Part 2

The second day of travelling through the UK found us first in Stratford-Upon-Avon- the birthplace of William Shakespeare.  We had toured his home the last time we visited the UK so we didn't go in this time.  Instead we chose to walk the town, seeking lovely views and images.  

Shakespeare's Birthplace 

A view of the River Avon

The biggest scones we had ever seen!

Some lovely British Pottery - I brought some home with me!

Shakespeare's Memorial

This made me laugh - it reads, " Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association." 

Oh! The flowers of Stratford!  I could have spent days touring the streets gazing at the cottage gardens, hanging baskets and cut flower displays!

My first experience with Pimms.  

We explored York Minster from every angle, too.  

Day three brought us to the Lake District.  Those pictures in my next post!

Back From the UK - Day 1 Photos... and a Coffee Table Makeover!!

I'm back!  And what a whirlwind.  Kevin and I looped around the UK - London to Edinburgh, Glasgow to Belfast, Dublin to Cardiff and back to London again.  I absolutely love everything about the UK (this is my 4th visit there!) and it was wonderful to visit again. 

I took over 500 photos.  I am quite a tourist that way. But this time I really tried to capture the mood of every place we visited instead of plain little pictures taken at a wide angle. I'll share my pics a little bit at a time so that you don't get overwhelmed (and bored!!)

DAY 1 - Toronto to London

Self- portrait- Hubby and I at the airport.

Our arrival at Victoria Station.  Everything was strewn with Jacks for the Jubilee Celebrations and the Olympics

Our London hotel was across the street from Earl's Court - the venue for Olympic volleyball.  It was so awesome to be near the "Action"

Our first "tourist stop" - the Imperial War Museum - planes, tanks, bombs, air raid shelters - my hubby felt like a kid in a candy store!

Next stop: Southwark Cathedral. I make a point each time I am in London to see a different church "gem."  This cathedral was begun in 1220 contains gorgeous wood and stone carvings.  The statues commemorating England's earliest kings are particularly detailed.    

A view across the River Thames. I thought this was particularly "British" shot. 

Kevin and I travelled to this spot just so I could see the Olympic rings on Tower Bridge.   I've never been in a city as it is hosting the Games.  It was quite exciting to be in the midst of it all!

I'll show you Day 2 the next time I post - Stratford and York!

Now onto the coffee table makeover.  Unfortunately I forgot to take "before" pictures of the aged coffee table that has occupied our family room for the last 4 years. I bought it back then for $30, secondhand because we had 2 toddler children and a third on the way.  I wanted a table without any corners on the tabletop and this one fit the bill perfectly.  

Here are the lovely knobs "before."  Gold burnished metal.  Pretty. No : (  So they got a sanding and a couple of coats of hammered silver spray paint.

And here is the table AFTER:

It all used to be the colour of the tabletop.  However I found that this wood tone blended too much with our wood floors. To make a separation,  I painted the lower part of the table a creamy white.  

It looks so refreshed and crisp with its new coating!  

I've wanted to do this job for months.  Had I know it was going to turn out so well I would have done it earlier!!

This little corner of the family room has become a cozy place for me.  Since we finished the basement into a playroom for the kids (lots of posts about this ASAP!) all of the toys have gone down there.  Now this comfy couch and table have become the perfect place for me to sip my tea and read my favourite magazines without the threat of attack from Beyblade spinners and naked Ken dolls.  :)

And the roses?

Present from my sweet hubby.  I am such a lucky lady!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane (Again!)

Yipee!!  Hubby and I are off on a well-deserved vacation. We've been working our butts off trying to finish our basement, while at the same time, having  a full, fun summer with our three little people. 

Hubby's parents will arrive in about 2 hours and then we are off to the airport. We are spending 10 days exploring England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.  It will be a whirlwind I'm sure, but it will be wonderful having some time together, reconnecting as a couple.

I am sure  we will miss our 3 Little People a TON, but I know they will have a wonderful time with Grandma, Grandpa, Nana and Aunt Stephanie.   

We arrive home again on August 12th.  Can't wait to share some pics and some travel stories with you all.  

Easy Creamy Cookie Stack

Summertime and the living is easy!

The first month of summer vacation is coming to an end but I dare say we have packed a lot into it!! And to think -we have 5 more weeks before we all return to school - hubby and I to teach and ALL THREE kids become students again (even my baby who starts JK in September!).

The other day we popped by the Mill Pond here in our little town.  The kids love it here. Ducks, fish, bridges, rocks, bugs and converted railway trestles - all ready for a few hours of play! 

And the weather was perfect! We have been experiencing wicked-hot weather here in Ontario - 35 degrees ++ Celsius with horrible humidity.  On this particular day there was a cool breeze, light wispy clouds and a temperature of 24 degrees. A flawless day for a walk around the pond.  

Now for the recipe I promised in my title:

And it really couldn't be any easier!!

1.) Bake (or buy like I did!) 25 cookies.  

2.) Whip 500ml of whipping cream into fluffy peaks.  Stir in 1/2 cup icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.

3.) Begin stacking the cookies on top of cakestand  or plate.  The bottom tier is a  circle of 5 cookies with one in the middle.  

4.) Dollop  3/4 cup of whipped cream on top of the cookies, spreading it so that oozes between the cookies. 

5.) Continue stacking the cookies, overlapping them on the spaces in the previous tier.  Add more cream between the layers.  

6.) After all of the cookies have been placed, add more cream and then pile sliced strawberries on top.

7.) For extra decadence, drizzle the stack with chocolate sauce.

Mmmmmm.....

And what did my dinner guests think?  I think these photos speak for themselves!

Ethan gives it the "finger-lickin" thumbs up!

Pregnant Tamara couldn't wait  to jump in!

And my oldest son was willing to put down his LEGO Hero long enough
 to eat two servings!

I am sure you'll find this recipe well worth all the time it takes to make (which is approximately 15 minutes at the most!!)

To speed the process up even more you could substitute a tub of Cool Whip in place of the whipping cream.  

Enjoy!!

A "Farm Fresh" Baby Quilt

October Afternoon is a scrapbooking paper company that I have loved for years.  I usually buy all of their products whenever I can get my hands on them!  So when I saw that October Afternoon had partnered with

Riley Blake Designs to turn their gorgeous paper patterns into cotton quilting fabric, I was over the moon!!

As soon as it was available I bought a charm pack of  "Farm Fresh."

Aren't these the cutest prints?

What goes best with sheep, horses, cows and fresh vegetables?  

RED  and WHITE  GINGHAM of course!!

I turned my charm pack squares into a checkerboard quilt top. This one turned out baby-sized - perfect for the crib, the pack'n'play or as a play mat on the floor or grass.  

Here is my first baby (who is already 7 and a half!!) modelling my latest creation.  He doesn't often volunteer to be part of my crafty photo shoots, so when he stepped up, I shot as many pics as I could!!

Looks cozy, doesn't it??

TA-DA!!

Here she is in all her  glory:

I bought some additional yardage in a matching print to add a  border around the checkerboard to  make the quilt slightly larger.  

Some white ric-rac adds a row of interest between the squares and the border, too.  

And here is the lucky  mommy-to-be, Andrea.  Baby Eastman is scheduled to arrive in less than 2 weeks.  

If I was wagering a guess, I am predicting a boy for this dear friend.  I guess time will tell......

Freshening Up the Porch

Okay.  I'll be honest.  My front porch was looking mighty rough.  The spring pansies had seen their day, there were leaves gathering in piles in all of the nooks and crannies and there was a dusty film on everything.  Ugh.  Talk about un-loved and under-used!!

(Even my youngest son looks unhappy there!)

I knew the porch needed a makeover but I didn't want to spend ANY $$$$ - and I wanted it done fast! That meant shopping the house for decor and using fabrics that I already had.  

And the colour scheme? Taken directly from our front door colour.  I had painted it this lovely Midnight Blue colour at the end of last summer and I knew I had lots of items that could go easily with it.  

First, the doormat got a sweeping and rinsing.  Clean and fresh again.  

I pulled this blue, green and turquoise fabric out of my stash and whipped-up a couple of pillows in no time.  

Ah yes! The colour-story grows...

 One pillow went on the Muskoka chair, along with a lime green-patterned one I had lying around....

.....and the other landed on the cute little rocker I bought last summer at a yard sale for  next-to-nothing.

To add a bit more colourful zing to each chair I used some turquoise napkins as seat covers.  A little stick-tack holds them in place!!

Now on the tray table in the middle?  A blue serving tray and a divided wooden box that has been in every room in our home but makes its first appearance on the porch!

In it went a tall glass jar full of daisies. 

Well -FAKE daisies, but they are just as pretty and last MUCH longer!

In the other corner of the box went a large canning jar full of my daughter's sidewalk chalk.  It has to be close at hand at all times.  You never know when inspiration may hit and "Craftin' Afton" will be on  the pavement and creating a masterpiece!!

I debated a long time about using white votives or these pink  ones.  The white would have blended in more but I decided these pink ones reflected the colour of all of the flowers in the hanging baskets that flank the front of the porch.  

TA-DA!

I am so pleased with how this turned out.  Even the electrician that came to work on our house the other day commented on how lovely it looked.  Hubby has spent a ton of time out here reading and playing his guitar.  I guess it was well worth the time and effort!

It's the perfect place for  a icy chai latte and my favourite magazine.  In fact I think I'll head out there now......