San Francisco Part IV- Lunch at Taylor's

Looking up at the Ferry Plaza clock tower, from the marketplace outdoors.

Inside of the Ferry Building ~ It's so old and classy!

And of course we had to have lunch at Taylor's! It's all in a name! They use fresh veggies from the local farmer's market. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend eating here! They have one in St. Helena and San Francisco. We ate outside in the warm sunshine and listened to bagpipers, drummers and seagulls calling in the distance.

Next post I'll show you some more fun pillows I've been working on.....and my Chocolate Lollipop quilt top is just about done!

San Francisco - Part III

Here's a little postcard I made up from our fun day by the Bay! I compiled some photos into a collage since there are too many to post!

Here is the fantastic bow and arrow that is in Rincon Park.
In the heart of Rincon park you can see the two stories high fiberglass sculpture of a bow and and arrow. It is titled: "Cupid's Span". The sculpture is a gift to the city of San Francisco, from Don & Doris Fisher of Gap, Inc. This sculpture was created by artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.

Cupid’s Span adds to Oldenburg and van Bruggen’s long list of famous large-scale civic sculptures, which include "Spoonbridge and Cherry" in Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, "Saw, Sawing" in Tokyo, Japan, and "Needlethread" in Milan.

And here is some vibrant yellow sheetrock! Just because!

San Francisco Part II

As promised, here is part deux in my Ferry Plaza Marketplace series. I truly had an invigorating experience on the waterfront of the Bay, with the water sparkling on one side, and colors flooding my vision on every side!

Some pretty flowers outside of Sur La Table.........lured me in!

Almost too pretty to eat!

Color, color, everywhere!

More to come, tomorrow!

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Here is a little dialog of my adventures in San Francisco! You see, we live where it is VERY warm all summer long, clear into late October! Luckily we live close by my favorite city by the bay. (so we sneak over for a cool off every now and again) Like the song goes "I left my heart in San Francisco". I am fortunate to have grown up in the Bay Area, and have lived there for most of my life. Back to my weekend adventure....... we headed over to the City on Saturday, and our destination was the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Talk about colorful!!! Visiting the Ferry Plaza, is a very sensory experience. You can smell the fresh fruits and vegetables, and the aromas of fresh cut lavender and basil waft through the air. Savory foods and restaurants are all along the walkway. Tea & Coffee shops, bakeries, cheese shops, kitchen ware shops, and much, much more!

The sign says it all! EAT WELL!


Fresh Figs & Sunny flowers

Fun packing crates ~ The name says it all!!!!
Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE CALIFORNIA!!!!! Now I don't mean to squelch my Canadian friends and family, but there is simply no place like home! (having lived in another country for two years, makes you truly appreciate you home)

If you are ever in the area and haven't been to the Ferry Plaza Marketplace, be sure to stop by for a worth the trip experience! If anything, you can get a breath of fresh air and walk away feeling refreshed, invigorated and ready to go home and cook up something good!

Next post will have more photos in this series..........stay tuned folks!

Simple Summer Delights

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon;

to me those have always
been the two most beautiful words in the English language.

- Henry James

Pretty gifts in the mail

Look what pretties I got in the mail last week!
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my name had been drawn from the delightful Amy, over at "My Zoe Bug"! You have to go and check out her fun cards, bookmarks, and my absolute favorite are the hand embroidered hair clips! They are the sweetest little things you have ever seen! Thank you Amy!





Thanks so much, Amy! You do such beautiful work!


















(and you are more than generous!!!!!)

Farmers Market + Peaches = Jam

Oh yes, I've been stirring up a batch of fresh peach jam! Don't want to miss the last chance for the summer season. Gotta catch the local grown peaches while they're ripe and FRESH! Nothing beats fruit or veggies when they are in season and at their prime! So juicy that the farmers at the market are giving them away for free. (you know how they add a few extras to your bag after you've already paid) By the time you get them home and out of your hot sweaty car, they are oozing with wet juice and you have to do something with them right away! You just have to! You can't waste even one!

Doesn't it look good enough to plaster on a piece of toast!!!!?!!!

High Summer

With a hint of Fall in the air, I got inspired to make
these little skirts for the girls. I added a bit of lace and woven braid for a fun vintage effect.

Of course we had to try them on and model them over the weekend.












I just love this time of the year when the grasses all around are golden, and the hills look like they are glowing like gold straw.

Summer nights

Upon arrival at my uncle and aunt's, these summery flower pots greeted us on the front porch! Aren't they pretty!

Apple picking.....grab a bag and start picking! Gravenstein apples!!! Delish!
Homemade apple crisp with homemade vanilla ice cream....coming right up.

Starry, summer nights! Talk about good food and family time! We ate, and we ate and we stuffed our tummies like little piggies Saturday night. Out under the stars. The menu was something like this: BBQ pork marinated in apples, BBQ steak, BBQ Mahi Mahi fish, potato salad (Greek style), corn on the cob, artichokes, baguettes and fresh homemade salsa, just to name a few......and for dessert: homemade apple crisp (fresh apples picked off the tree) and of course S'mores~

Firepit that kept the bugs away, and kept us cozy...........

S'mores

Feeling Like Fall

Why is that come August, some of us are getting a little worn out from the heat? I always get that craving for Fall around this time of the year. Looking forward to apple pies, cider, hot tea, cinnamon, and baking! I'm not over and done with summer just yet, just sort of thinking about Fall.


Just perusing the pages of the August "Freepeople" clothing catalog...........I just love Fall! Everything from the colors, the smells, harvest time, colorful leaves, warmer clothes, and COOLER WEATHER! Looking forward to Fall, folks!


PS. Thanks for all your summer love on the last post! Those little eyelet dresses were so much fun to make! The girls love wearing them, too. There's still lots of summer weather yet!!

A little breath of fresh air

Take me to the coast, let me breathe some salty, fresh air! That is just what we did this weekend! Ahhhhhh, how refreshing and rejuvenating.

Sisters holding hands...............running through the forest.

Wearing homemade summer dresses made by mommy. We didn't even care that the fog was in and it was a bit chilly. Just to breathe the soft, salty, fresh air and feel refreshed from the hot summer heat. How refreshing.

There it is.....the California coast. One of our favorite tide pool beaches, you can see below the rocky cliffs.

Here is our family tree photo! Peek-aboo..........littlest sissy is tugging at her dress, saying: "Lets get this photo mess over and done with mom!" "I want to go play on the beach!"

Cheese!!! ~ We love our pretty new dresses, mommy!

Spiffing Up

Just spiffing the place up a little. I added another pillow to the pile. This fun floral appliqué, (the chocolate fabric is corduroy) and then the piano seat I had great intentions of recovering......well, um......I had to call on the backups.......dear husband of mine stapled it into the hard wood. IT WAS HARD wood, and I pulled the fabric while he stapled and hammered. Got it done late last night. Whewee, one more thing checked off the list.

Happy Friday, friends!

How Exciting!

Wow, was I ever shocked to open my email yesterday morning and find that I had won third place in the Handbag category of the Big, Big Bag Month Contest! There were so many gorgeous bags, I don't know how the judges could easily decide. I'm glad there were a few categories so that several of us had a chance of winning! It was so much fun to make something to enter in a contest. Something I have rarely done. Thanks to all who participated in this fun event, and to all those that put so much effort and time into the contest. Take a moment to head on over to the Sew Mama Sew site, if you haven't visited there before! ~ I am happy to announce that this bag now lives happily in the hands of a dear girlfriend of mine, who just had a late July birthday. Happy Birthday, Leah, dear!

Oldies but Goodies

Aren't these just the cutest stove top salt and pepper shakers you ever seen?! I just love the color and shape! I treated myself to them this week, along with this new Amy Butler fabric! I'm going to cover our piano bench with this gorgeous Nigella fabric.

Look at all these pretty braided ribbons. Stumbled upon a heap of them this summer. They will come in handy for cute aprons, girlie dresses, and the like! Aren't they vintage-y and cute!!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!!! ~ Keep cool ~