Baby, the snow must fall!

i took these pictures on Nov. 22 of the first snow!

Steve is not happy about scraping the car, he says it's too early for snow! The car doors were a bit stuck this morning, as the car was coated in ice!

Yes, the first snow has fallen and I AM not quite ready, need to dig out the snow boots pronto!

dog day afternoon

Our Miss Lulu Belle has been with us for nearly 2 months now!

She is doing well with us and we love her to bits!!

Lulu loves to steal shoes and chew them.....

and she loves to smell Steve's stinky sneakers.

I love when she has her head down but her eyes look up at you inquiringly while alternatively moving the left and then the right eyebrow....so sweet!

LB loves napping on the sofa with her favorite toy.

Lulu has such soulful eyes...



and such long long ears!!!! This is my brother Tom with LB.

After nearly two months with Lulu, Steve and I just adore her and feel like real parents, since we're either snuggling or disciplining her! She is having training lessons, or rather we are being trained to deal with her, as the trainer says! We have a very spoiled beagle who is taking over the household and as a result we have some new house rules, which our trainer insists on. Now she is not allowed on the sofa because she has to learn that she can only go on the furniture when invited. Also, she is no longer allowed to roam freely, she must be on leash at all times so as not to get into mischief. Our trainer says that dog owners tend to treat their dogs and puppies like humans. As a result the dog can be difficult to train and keep in line. So training is challenging but i hope in the long run we will have a well-behaved dog who doesn't jump all over our guests or chases the cats away. Actually my older cat Eddie has become less fearful lately, and even stood up to Lulu the other day. He stood his ground and batted at Lulu with his paw. YAH FOR EDDIE!!

celebrations and treats

So another birthday has flown by, and i am not saying how old i am (add 2 + 2 (x 11) and it was also the same week that i have been on Etsy a whole year!! But i really did'nt participate in the forums and promotions until January which is when i started getting sales. I now have 2 shops - kookyhandbags and talkofthetown.....and i'm concentrating on getting more stuff in soon. The new shop talkofthetown is mainly about jewelery, since i have always had a passion for fashion and jewels and i have been making jewelery for myself for a few years now. It's simple jewelry, and i love experimenting with it, and making things that i would want to wear myself (of course!!) and i get a lot of inspiration from magazines and books.

Also for my birthday Steve took me out to the Beer Bistro in Toronto for a lovely dinner with Steak frites and mussels, and the most amazing flourless chocolate cake make with stout, so rich and dense!!! Then we went to see The Police!!!! Wow, what an amazing performance, i can't believe i got to see them!!! I used to have a huge crush on Stewart Copeland back in the early 80's and i am so blown away by his percussion skills....just amazing to watch. Sting looks good and Steve was very impressed with his performance, saying he did'nt realize how good he actually was! They also finished up with a 4 song encore...quite impressive and wonderful! I had a great birthday this year and thanks to those who sent me cards!

roses from Steven


birthday cards

This is actually soap!!! Kellarama soaps are very fun and smell amazing! This soap actually smells like a hostess cupcakes.....i used to eat a lot of these!!! I smell this soap often and keep it on a pretty blue willow plate and try to fool my guests....Steve's brother tried to take a bite out of it!!!

a birthday petit four from the Scottish bakery.....it looked better than it tasted...

but these cakes which are alot like those chocolate covered marshmallow cookies were so decandant and fluffy!!

I got these potato 'crisps' also from the Scottish bakery....as you may already know, the brits call potato chips 'crisps' and their fries are chips!

we got this old gumball machine and just recently filled it with the gumballs......we tried to purchase one with a nickel but it did'nt work!!!

i made pumpkin nut cranberry bread...

i love having it warmed with butter! so delish!

creature comforts

Lulu Belle and Archie do the stare down....

"THIS IS A NO DOG ZONE!!!! GET IT!!!!"

If my cats could speak i'm sure this is what they'd say!!!

They are not happy about being stuck upstairs since Lulu Belle came into our lives but i'm trying to get them to come downstairs for a bit at a time.....especially when LB is crashing on the sofa. They will come down occasionally on their own but she will still chase them, cos they run when she sees them...oh boy! I guess we need to really learn 'Stay'!!

Poor Archie and Eddie!

I'm enjoying my orange themed diningroom vinette, the gourd, pie pumpkin, flowers and placemats, i do enjoy my orange diningroom wall too.

I just got these cookie cutters and plan to make ginger molasses cookies soon...i just love all the shapes of an acorn, leaves and apple! I need cookies every day to stay happy!

We got these old books recently and they look quite nice on the mantel...i'm going to treat myself to a fire tonight with my latest book.

I loooooove these boots i saw in a window the other day although i was scared to go in and try them on in case i fell in love and couldn't afford them! They are from Germany, yah yah!

I recently got out my luggage from the closet, because i store my winter sweaters there and i unpacked them all for the season. Of course Eddie and Archie are convinced i'm going away and are sitting there as a protest!!!

Eddie's stare is saying 'Don't even think about leaving me'!

LB is not supposed to be on the chair but when Steve is gone i let her. The dog trainer suggested that she not sit on our furniture since she will think she is a human...oh brother! I don't really care about that! It just seems silly to me but Steve insists we must...if he only knew!!! (i hope he does'nt read this post or i'm in trouble..hee!)

Archie with his new toy, a catnip pineapple...he is more interested in admiring himself though!

How i wish i could join Archie for an afternoon snooze fest, but alas, there are too many things i need to accomplish every day! I love naps though...

more Halloween photos!

While walking lulu we came upon a discarded trick or treating bag....alas, there was no candy inside!


this witchie poo made a crash landing on somebody's lawn....

as did this poor Witch!

this is the porch of one of my fave houses...i love the corrugated steel pumpkin!


this jack o lantern is unusal!

this is our ghost in front of our house on Halloween night in front of the bloody grave...i love the blue sky!


someone was trying to steal our mail so i chopped off their arm!! haha!

our neighbour across the street...


i love this campy shot!

i made carmel apples....Steve took a bite and spit in out in the sink....he hates stuff stuck to his teeth. I cut mine up to eat, so much easier to eat it!

i always roast all my jack o lanterns seeds! i add sea salt, olive oil and a bit of cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch! BAM!

the silhouettes in the second floor windows were a nice touch!

Steve doing an impression with my wig....he says he was doing some musician from Deep Purple.

Lulu Belle didn't like wearing her witch hat with orange wig...she wanted to play with it...i was lucky to get a picture though!


i loved the green fake eyelashes...it was quite fun dressing as Morticia...or Mor-tricia!
i think i will dress up as Cher next year...so i can still wear the wig. (boy was it ever hot to wear though!)