Do you have a craft room?

If you do, I'm not sure that we can be friends. I'd be too envious that you had that much space that you could devote an entire room to crafts and gift wrapping.

I'm in the middle of ripping apart my our office so I can actually work in it, and I have nowhere to put anything let alone a little row of porcelain holders for my pencil crayons and scissors. Mise, do you have this? Heather, what about you? I think "our" office is mine, but my husband keeps adding stuff to it. Nerve. Oh well...it'll get sorted out, and I will share the before and after with you.

In the meantime, this happy yellow room (that is not my office, unfortunately) is just simply for creating magical little crafts and wrapping the perfect present. What the what? I just use the dining table, as that's the only space available. I shot this house for House and Home with Kate Keeler and Kelly Deck , who designed this room. It is quite cute, I'll give it that. Kelly, can you come and help me?

Ok. There are way worse troubles at sea , but it's hot and my office is a disaster. ;)

I hope you all have a lovely, organized, clutter free day!

Baked on Monday - Plum Cakes

Hi all! To my American  blog friends, I hope you had a perfect and fireworks filled 4th of July!

I can smell the plum cakes baking....mmm. These are so easy to make. You just dump all the ingredients together in a bowl, mix, pour into cupcake tin, and top with the plums. Done. I guess I should give you the actual recipe now...

Plum Cakes - makes 12

3/4 cup all-purpose/plain flour
2 cups icing sugar
150g (5 1/4 oz) almond meal (finely ground almonds)
180g (6 1/3  oz) melted butter
6 egg whites
6 plums, halved

Preheat oven to 320f/160c. Place flour, sugar, almond meal, butter and egg whites in a bowl and mix until well combined. Spoon the batter into a well greased 12 hole, 1/2 cup, muffin tin. Top with halved plums, cut side up, and bake for 30-40 minutes or test with a skewer.  Cool on a wire rack.

These go well with a little real iced tea! Enjoy.

Is the World Cup Almost Over?

Are you watching the games? I've been really enjoying it, and getting up ultra early to watch games with cheering fans, but I think it needs to wrap up soon. I'm sleepy. This is going to be a (almost) silent Saturday for me. The sun popped out for an hour, so I took a few pics.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Conquer Clutter

I was asked to answer a few questions, for a contributers page, about small spaces and "conquering clutter". As I plunked down my thoughts, I scanned my office. Ugh. I have definitely not conquered clutter. After answering the questions, I started to go through the cupboards and shelves in my work space. Let's just say, a garage sale will be happening in the next month, and my office will go through a few changes. I will share the results of my purging and mini reno. If any of you lovely bloggers have some decluttering advice, please fill me in!

To celebrate Canada Day (we're 143 years old!), I thought I'd leave you with this image. I do not know why I have this (probably scanning ebay whilst drinking wine, and thought "oh, a mountie"), but I can promise you, it will be part of the garage sale. You may have to get here early if you want this little guy ;)

Happy Canada Day! Hope the sun is shining where you are!

Baked on Monday - Oatmeal Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

By the sound of some of your comments regarding Friday Fantasies, you all had lovely weekends. Happy to hear it!

This week I've baked a batch of oatmeal raspberry chocolate muffins. They seem a bit more sensible and slightly less sugary and fatty than past recipes! Having said that, they are pretty bloody delicious.

Oatmeal Raspberry Chocolate Muffins - makes 12

1 cup milk at room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
1 cup rolled oats (do not use 'quick' oats)
1 large egg at room temperature
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter (allow to cool a little before adding)
1 cup plus 2 tblsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
1/2 tsp cinnamon, freshly ground
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 dark chocolate chips or chunks

Combine milk, vinegar and oats in a bowl and let stand for one hour.
Preheat oven to 375f. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and line with papers.
Crack egg into the oat mixture then sugar and stir to combine. Stir in melted butter. Sift remaining ingredients into the bowl  (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, spices). Fold in to batter, gently, taking care not to over mix. Add raspberries and chocolate and fold in gently.

Scoop batter with a 1/3 cup and place in each cup. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, until light brown on top. When ready, tops should spring back when touched. Allow to cool in tins....if you can wait that long.

Eat up!

Friday Fantasies

Do any of you have "Friday fantasties", but you know they will remain just that - fantasties? This coming weekend is one of those for me. I would love to be frolicking in the water, or just lounging by the water, but the reality is I'll be doing some post production and assisting a sister with her move (I'm happy to do it, Wendy. Really.).

Ahhh.

What would you like to do, or are doing, this lovely weekend? Feel free to make me envious. Have a good one!

PS. I goofed. I accidentally "rejected" a comment, that I meant to "publish". It was a really sweet comment too. I'm sorry about that!

Sweet Comfort....and a little give-away

I seem to get quite excited when I find something that is just, well, comfortable. Like the pillows at Ace Hotel in NY. Nighty night.

I recently picked up a pair of Urbanears, from Walrus, and they're making my hours of post production work sail right on by. The sound is great, and they feel perfect sitting on my ears. Have any of you tried them out yet? I can't wait to use them on the next looooong flight to Australia.

Next bit of comfort are these Toms. I know they've been around awhile, but I only just jumped on the bandwagon. Holy comfort. I never want to take them off. I love their company policy as well: You buy a pair of their shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Enough said.

Now, about that "give-away". Check out Flourish Design + Style. She's got an 11 day give-away going on. Lots of great stuff. Up for grabs today is one of my prints. You get to choose which one.

Back to my day of post production, with happy ears. Ahhh.

Have a lovely day everyone!