Seven Things

A very big thank you to these lovely bloggers for passing along the "Stylish Blogger" award to me.
These women have beautiful blogs, so be sure to check them out.
White Cabana
Nesting the Journal
A Home in the Making

In order to accept this award, I must do the following:

• Link back to the blogger that awarded you. Check
• Share 7 things about myself, kind of scary, but done.
• Award a few more bloggers out there, and let them know. Done and done.

Seven things about me (I'll try to make this painless!):

1. My husband calls me the "eccentric queen of impracticality". This is not a good thing.
2. I can't seem to stop watching Young and the Restless. A deeply guilty pleasure. Damn that Victor!
3. I'm a bird nerd. I love seeing a variety of birds hanging out in our back yard.
4. Writing about myself makes me a little uncomfortable, to tell you the truth.
5. I make almost all my own house cleaning products. It's cheap, easy, non-toxic and smells great.
6. I have a new sponsor child through Plancanada. Her name is Nadjiba and she's 10 years old.
7. I love a good refund policy. It's crucial for someone like me. See #1.

I'm passing the Stylish Blogger award to the following pretty blogs:
Nest
The Diversion Project
The Southern Hostess
Eat Live Shop
Flourish Design + Style

I hope you all have a lovely rest of the weekend! Back soon.

janis

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