Beach balls and Kokeshi

Ahh, Merry Christmas. I've been shooting a Christmas story for the last couple of days, and was it ever hot. Nothing like shooting a roaring fire on a 29 degree day! I'll try to post a bit of a sneak peek later ;)

I've just posted some new images on etsy. I've actually just sold a set of the kokeshi for a girl's bedroom (they were 10"x10" each) and one of the beach balls prints, so I thought I should finally put them up on etsy. I'm kind of slow on these things.  I'll get it together one of these days!

I took this shot while camping at Monck Park. This image is just a sample of my hazy memories of camping there as a child. 

I have a small collection of Kokeshi and decided to shoot a few of them. They look especially happy in a bedroom or a powder room. 

Now that Christmas is wrapped up, I hope to be able to take a couple of hours to check out some of your fab blogs today. Have a lovely day!

Happy Camper

 I hope all had a great week! Just got back from a little camping trip to Monck Park in beautiful British Columbia. I went with 3 of my sisters, Mom and a couple of nephews. Hot, feral and heaps of fun....even without a campfire. Lots of forest fires here in B.C. so there is a ban on campfires for a bit. I bring you bits of B.C.....

 

 Liam, pine cones, the perfect camping breakfast, and a little washing up.

Various views of our campsite at Monck Park, one of B.C.'s many provincial parks.

Beautiful Nicola Lake.

A lonely looking little red house, in Merritt.

Merritt, B.C.

Allison Lake, B.C. This lake is stunning! The colour of the water was beautiful.

I leave you with a very happy pink house located in Princeton, BC.

Have a good weekend! Back on Monday for a little baking.

Happy Thoughts

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day. My husband gave me a thoughtful present. We were having a drink at the Hotel Vancouver, when in walked Cindy Crawford (stun-ning), and my husband didn't over react. In fact he didn't react at all. I think that's a very good present. Wasn't that nice of him?

The mysterious, and intriguing, Pink Pantheress has passed on the Happy 101 Award to me. Thank you! I'm supposed to tell everyone 10 things that make me "happy". All about getting to know bloggers, I guess. Now.... I'm not usually an overly happy-go-lucky person, but I will give this a shot. Here we go.

1) Seeing the sunrise from Crab Park in Vancouver. Colours are beautiful, and there is no one around. Peaceful.

2) Cherry blossoms at Vancouver City Hall. Isn't it supposed to be winter?

3) Wall of art by all my favourite kids - nieces, nephews and a couple of good pals.

4) This screen print, made by my husband as an anniversary gift. My legs look almost exactly like that.

5) This cake. It's the easiest recipe, and the texture is more like a brownie. I have to go and get a piece now. UPDATE: Duta said it was a pity that I didn't include the recipe...and she's right! I've added it now...easy and yum.

350 oven
grease and line bottom of round cake tin

125 g (1/2 cup) butter - melt in small sauce pan
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Sift together flour and cocoa. Add sugar, vanilla, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), and milk. Mix together with whisk. Add melted butter and blend with hand mixer until smooth and colour changes to a lighter brown. Pour batter into cake tin and bake for 30-35 mins. To test, use toothpick or bamboo skewer. Should come out clean when completely baked. When cool (if you can let it cool I can't) jazz up with icing sugar. Enjoy.

6) Airports. Love them all, from Castlegar to Heathrow.

7) Monck Park in Merritt, B.C. It smells of pine trees and Nicola Lake is beautiful.

8) Receiving letters from Rigoberto. Our sponsor child from Honduras, with Plan Canada.

9) The huge amount of donations, by Canadians, to assist Haiti.

10) My friends and family, of course!

Well, that wasn't too difficult. Thanks again Ms. Pink Pantheress! I believe I have to pass this one to a few other bloggers, so I choose...

Robert Edmonds (this should be a good one;)
The Vintage Laundress
Chic Geek Designs

Welcome to Pinecone Camp

Where did that name come from, you wonder?  Growing up in beautiful British Columbia my family would go camping, every summer, at Monck Park in Merritt BC. Happy memories.

Bone dry park, a smattering of pine trees, sub-zero Nicola Lake and a carpet of huge pine cones.  Oh and, of course, chipmunks.  The smell of pine is very comforting, and pine cones have to be one of the most perfect designs ever created.  

I work as a photographer, shooting mostly lifestyle and interiors for various magazines.  Love great design and, sometimes, not so great design!  In future posts, I hope to bring you bits of B.C. and beyond, fantastic people doing fantastic things, my own projects and, hopefully, some inspiration.  

Until next time, here is my dream road trip vehicle - an Airstream. It's been parked at a shut down car lot, looking sad and lonely. Am I being too much of a menace to earth by wanting to pull this around the country?   I recycle and and make my own cleaning products.Does that help?