just a dollop

homemade pizza

2011-10-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

Almost no homemade meal is easier, or tastier, than pizza. Make a batch of pizza dough at the beginning of the week and you've got the base for pizza for the rest of the week. As long as your kitchen has the holy trinity of pizza in stock (dough, sauce, mozzarella), then you can whip up a pizza with whatever toppings you have in the fridge. I've had cherry tomatoes from my balcony garden all summer, those combined with onion, garlic cloves, and sausage just makes my mouth water. Sausage and asparagus is a good combination too! I've added my recipe for homemade pizza to the freebies page for download.

And hey! I'm on Twitter too: @ristimegan

buy local eat natural - caprese salad

2011-10-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Cherry tomatoes from the balcony garden

In the summer, caprese salad is my go-to recipe. With local tomatoes from the farmers market combined with fresh mozzarella and drizzled with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Here's the recipe:

1 tomato sliced or 15-20 cherry tomatoes halved

1 ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella

fresh basil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

salt and pepper

Arrange the tomato slices or halves on a plate. Break the mozzarella into pieces and scatter over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a jar or a container with a lid, put the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Put the lid on securely and shake vigoroulsy to combine well. Drizzle this dressing over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Garnish with basil leaves.

I've added this recipe to the freebies page for download. I also entered this recipe in the Buy Local Eat Natural contest (@eatlocalnatural).

If viewing on a mobile device, don't forget to check out these pages: about and archive

museums & mustaches

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Photo: Photography West

There's a reason why mustaches have become such a trend: they're really a lot of fun! We recently attended a fundraiser for the Kelowna Museums Society and we were happy to find out they had a photo booth set up. That, combined with lots of wine, cupcakes, and a fashion show and it was a great evening. Awesome Okanagan posted photos from the evening, and Photography West has all of the photo booth photos on their site.

the perfect dress

2011-10-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

photo source

Does anyone know where to find the dress that Mindy Kaling is wearing in the latest issue of Bust Magazine? The photo credits say the dress is from Parker and when I google Parker I find a dress that is similar to the one above but not the exact dress. True, the dress is probably out of my price range but it is the perfect dress- one you could wear to work then dress up for the evening, and also throw on with a pair of leggings for the weekend. I have a closet full of dresses that I thought were the perfect dress but then turned out not to be. The search continues.

diy beaded necklace

2011-09-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

photo from ecab

I looove this necklace. If you love it too, then make your own like I did with this easy-to-follow tutorial from ECAB. Tip: keep your eye out for inexpensive beaded necklaces and then take apart the necklaces and use the beads and other parts to create your own designs.

the necklace that I made- I wore it so much that one of the bead tips broke

a new necklace that needs to be re-worked

For those reading the site on a mobile device, don't forget to check out these sections: freebies, archive, and about. The mobile version doesn't show these menu options yet. Oh, and I'm on twitter: @ristimegan.

hello again

2011-09-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

this photo was taken during a recent vacation to Cuba, where most of the stray dogs wore t-shirts

Like this little doggy, Dollop has been astray for a while (since the end of 2010 to be exact). But I'm back in the saddle again and with a new design. There's a new freebies section which I'll be adding to regularly and I've archived all posts dating back to the beginning of this site in 2009. I started this site in August 2009 when I was planing my wedding. I was inspired by many sites and blogs when I was looking for wedding ideas and thus was inspired to start my own blog and Dollop was born. Over the last two years my purpose for this site has remained virtually the same- to catalogue and share design, recipes, travel, and writing. Thanks for checking back!!

In re-designing the site I took every effort to check old posts to make sure that old links are still working; if a link no longer worked then I changed the link and made a note of it in the post. If you notice a post that links to a site that no longer exists or if you notice a broken link within this site then please contact me.

jamie's family christmas

2010-12-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

I can't get enough of Jamie's Family Christmas. The recipes, the cameos from his family, including Gran and baby Petal, the whole thing is so much fun. But I think my favorite part is the decorations- lots of big, colorful paper garlands and paper snowflakes. Lovely! Catch an episode or two if you can.

merry christmas

2010-12-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

Don't you love how happy this dog is to jump and play in the snow? Can you believe how deep that snow is?

monday crush - you are my fave

2010-11-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

You Are My Fave Events recently launched. I've been a big fan of Melanie's since I first started blogging and her blog is one of my all time faves. Now she's branched out into event planning, a field that she clearly has a real talent and passion for. The events she creates are going to be magical!

pie crust 101 - free download

2010-11-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. And hello my next perfect pie crust. I don't want to brag, but I think that I make a mean apple pie. I cheat a bit and use a mix for my pie crust, but the results are always tasty. After stumbling on this absolute genius pie crust printable, though, maybe my next apple pie will be genuine from scratch.

The talented designers at Rethink Canada came up with the above printable for a pastry training school. They printed it out on parchment paper. Genius. Visit their site and download your own pie crust 101 printable.

diy basket pendant

2010-10-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'd seen this DIY wire basket pendant light fixture when it first came out on Under the Sycamore and I re-found it yesterday when I was doing a search for wire baskets. I'm big into wire baskets right now.

monday crush - olive & elle

2010-10-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite stores in Kelowna has long been Olive & Elle, a great source of fine bed linens, fantastic light fixtures, French-inspired kitchenware, and much more. Right now they're carrying a beautiful collection of wire baskets and rustic wooden trays. It's one of those stores I stay away from when I'm trying to save money because I always come away with a new purchase or two (or three!).

first crush

2010-09-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

The new wines and labels from Arrowleaf Cellars are delicious! First Crush is so pretty- I bought the wine just for the label. Their 2009 Pinot Gris is my favourite wine of the moment, because it's a great tasting wine and because I love the turquoise accents on the bottle.

thursday's pretty package - beau skirt

2010-09-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Loving this hot pencil skirt and sweetheart top from Sarah Seven. (Note: the link to this skirt on Etsy no longer works, so I linked to the Sarah Seven blog instead.)

bloggin' okanagan

2010-09-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Lori-Anne over at The Pear Tree had the genius idea of founding a local blogger conference for those of us who can't make it to the big city for some of the bigger conferences. On September 26, Bloggin' Okanagan will showcase some great local talent, and it'll also be a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with like minded people. I'm excited to attend!

one year anniversary

2010-09-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I'm back from a busy summer: I started a new job, we had out of town guests, and we got out and enjoyed the summer weather as much as possible. Now it's September, cooler weather is around the corner, and I find myself back at the keyboard. Recently, I celebrated two anniversaries- my husband and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary last weekend, and I started this blog just over a year ago. I posted some photos from our wedding last September and from our anniversary celebration this past weekend- it's been such a great year!

jelloware

2010-07-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

You've heard of Jello shots, but how about Jello glasses? Designers at The Way We See the World have created Jelloware- edible glasses cast in different flavors and made entirely out of agar agar. No word yet on where or how to get some for your next backyard soiree.

test tube terrarium

2010-07-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

The most teeniest, tiniest terrarium over at the Bottomless Paddling Pool. I also like his miniature clipboard.

on the road again

2010-07-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share this lovely photo found on Darling Dexter; it pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now. I'd like to just leave all my worries behind and hit the open road. Last night I proposed to my husband that we take a month off in summer 2012 and tour Europe- stopping over in London to see my brother and the Summer Olympics, of course. Funny thing is, now that's all I can think about!

Photo by Hilary Walker.

monday crush - gary + elaine

2010-07-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

"Last year at the 4th of July party, Karen shattered Gary’s ship-in-a-bottle.

This year Gary felt it appropriate to remind her."

I'm really enjoying the fictional exploits of Gary and Elaine, and the exciting life they lead inside our favorite catalog photos. For some pretty funny stuff, head over to Catalog Living.

wedding dress loveliness

2010-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

image from Once Wed

I absolutely love this wedding dress, seen on Once Wed earlier this week. I'm always looking for the perfect dress, not a wedding dress necessarily because I'm already married, but just the epitome of the girly, pretty, versatile, comfortable, perfectly flattering dress. This one comes really close!

Confession: sometimes I browse through the used wedding dress section on Once Wed and fantasize about which dress I would choose if I had to do it all over again. This one is gorgeous and seems like a steal at only $175!!

summer floral gift tags

2010-06-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

My love affair with free downloads continues. My latest craze is with the above labels from Eat Drink Chic (found via Two Brunettes). Needless to say, every party and get together this summer is going to have these tags!

Favorite freebie and diy sources:

Eat Drink Chic

Ruffled

NonPareil Magazine

fave necklace

2010-06-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

My favorite new necklace reminds me of a clever tutorial I saw on Evie S. There's just something about baubles and pom poms- I can't say no. Don't you love the color?

good things growing

2010-06-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my herb garden. The rosemary is coming along fine, but the basil is struggling. I don't know if it's going to make it. Fingers crossed. The last picture is of our pepper plant. With any luck, it'll give us some hot spicy peppers in a little while.

sunburns and surprises

2010-06-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

I was nursing a sunburn yesterday so I took the opportunity to hunker down inside and assemble the invitations for my dad's surprise birthday party. They go out in the mail today! I made the bunting invitations using a template I found on NonPareil Magazine (have I ever told you how much I love free printables?).

little green thumb

2010-05-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I started a herb garden: garlic chives, rosemary, oregano, basil, and some hot peppers for fun. They're all planted in their little pots on my little balcony. These photos from visivo, via Mustard & Sage, are giving me some great ideas for my little garden.

suddenly it's summer

2010-05-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Blackberry lime spritzer from Craftzine. Add a splash of white wine and I'm there.

Only a bikini will do. From Anthropologie.

Vacation cottage in France, La Maisonnette by Steph Modo. Oui.

Why don't adults get summer vacation?

monday crush - sweet paul magazine

2010-05-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

I was so thrilled to find out Sweet Paul had launched a new online magazine- Sweet Paul Magazine. So many awesome recipes and party ideas that I don't even know where to start.

Thanks Mustard and Sage for pointing the way!

piece of cake

2010-05-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

Family get togethers are always a good time to try out new things- like a new dessert!! Inspired by last week's post on Forty-Sixth at Grace, I baked a simple cake. I was pretty happy with the way it turned out, although next time I think I'll try putting some cream cheese in the icing!

Cake toppers from Nice Package.

forty-sixth at grace

2010-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am in love with Forty-Sixth at Grace. So much in love that I spent part of the day googling pastry and baking classes in my area. Fellow Canadian Nikole Herriott seems to be living my dream life- so how do I tell my husband that I need to quit my job and learn to be a master baker?

And please check out her shop here- handcrafted wooden cake pedestals and tiny wooden salt bowls!! And her shortbread buttons are looking pretty sweet for Mother's Day.

joy road

2010-04-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

In my inbox this morning was the summer schedule for Okanagan Alfresco Vineyard Dining, put on every summer by Cam and Dana at Joy Road Catering. I've worked with Cam and Dana a few times and they catered my wedding last fall (there was no one else I wanted to do it). Their food is amazing- fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farmers and producers. The Alfresco Vineyard Dining series is in the same vein as Outstanding in the Field (Cam and Dana have actually done an Outstanding in the Field event!), and I feel very lucky that this kind of yummy food & wine is right in my backyard.

weekly blog obsession - the bedlam of beefy

2010-04-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

miniature paintbrush doodling- i can't resist

my absolute favorite instance of chalk art from Style at Home- good taste!

a love for beautiful photography and lush desserts- heavenly

Just some of the reasons why I love The Bedlam of Beefy this week. Written by Uncle Beefy, the posts just make me feel good, and I can't help but feel happy when he wishes us all happy weekending!

elephant in the room

2010-04-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Westervin

Happy Monday! The weather is so nice right now and I'm inspired to do so many things. It's going to be a great week!

Head over to Westervin and start your week off with their vintage elephant pencil holder giveaway. And P.S. you're going to love their blog!

ban.do

2010-04-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

all images from ban.do

Or in my case, ban- don't! I just can't pull off a headband no matter how hard I try. If you're lucky enough to have a head that will hold one of these beauties, please wear one for me!

big red purse

2010-04-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

The essentials: blotting paper, pressed powder, chap stick, keys, cell phone, and camera. The incidentals: loose change, comb, lip gloss, iPod, business cards, and assorted ephemera.

Thank you to Micaela for putting me through this exercise because I've learned that perhaps it's time to downsize my purse: it's big and red yet shockingly empty.

monday crush - joseph gordon-levitt

2010-04-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

life in technicolor

500 days of summer

Forget Zooey Deschanel; the movie should be called (500) Days of That Guy from 3rd Rock from the Sun Who's All Grown-up Now and Really Cute. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is adorable in this movie- his dance sequence is by far the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time. I can't believe that she couldn't fall in love with him- what the heck?

lonny

2010-04-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

The new issue of Lonny is out, and it is awesome.

slow readers book club big news

2010-04-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Natalia Vodianova as Alice Liddell from Musie

Thanks to our fearless leaders over at the Slow Readers Book Club, Melanie Benjamin, the author of our latest book Alice I Have Been, is collaborating with us. It's never too late to join and become a slow reader!

monday crush - the nun's story

2010-04-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Forget that this is a great movie and just look at it- all its muted colors, crisp white habits, exotic locales, and Audrey Hepburn goodness. No one looks as good as her in a nun's habit (except maybe Whoopi Goldberg).

diy headboard round-up

2010-04-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Three Men and a Lady

the diy headboard from Design*Sponge

impossibly embroidered headboard, also from Design*Sponge

Style Files

Apartment Therapy

I have to admit, the chalkboard is my fave. Where will you be resting your lovely head tonight?

first shot life

2010-04-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Missy & Ally (in 2007 and again in 2008). Best friends rock.

Thank you to Ally and Missy of First Shot Life for answering some of my questions and sharing a bit about yourselves. I think you'll agree, their joint venture is unique and exciting, as is the news that Ally may possibly be relocating from New York to LA this summer - then these two lifelong friends will be living and working out of the same city. I've been following First Shot Life for some time and now I'm looking forward to the launch of their online shop. So without further ado...

Who are Ally and Missy? Do either of you have any side ventures we should know about?
Best friends since we were 2 years old, we're 25, living in New York and Los Angeles respectively (though that may change this summer!). Together we've won soccer championships, made it through breakups, traveled the world (Australia and Europe!), and stayed relatively sane through our first few years as young professionals. Now we're starting a company together, and a blog dedicated to growing up.

Aside from this venture, we're both managing full time careers - Ally is in planning and merchandising for a major retail company and Missy works in development for television and branded entertainment.

What's First Shot Gift Shop?
First Shot Gift Shop will exist as an online shop featuring great gifts for major life transitions - a college graduation, a new apartment, a new baby, a breakup-induced decision to grow and nurture a vegetable garden. We'll launch in 2010 with two pre-created baskets; First Kitchen and First Cocktail Soiree, and as we grow we'll become more of a la carte online shopping destination. We aspire to collaborate with other small businesses and artists to make hip, fun gift baskets available at affordable prices. We are not your mama's gift basket.

You're both 25 and share a blog. Where do you see yourself (or yourselves) 5 years from now?
Ally wants babies and Missy wants pitbull puppies. Seriously, we both aspire to be successful, grounded and make our own rules. Possibilities? A business consultant in the fashion industry (Ally), a travel and lifestyle writer (Missy), entrepreneurs (the boths of us). We have a lot of love to give and look forward to starting families (and secretly, planning weddings. We have an inappropriate wedding blog addiction and nary a ring on our fingers), traveling the world, and just generally living the lives we dream of.

Do you think we ever really grow up?
With every day that passes, we get to explore and learn a little more. We also find new questions. I think that's what growing up will always be about for us - a pursuit of our authentic selves; always evolving, always changing. Trying to find balance and things to laugh about.

Thank you again Ally and Missy. And you can mark me down for a First Cocktail Soiree gift basket. Don't forget to visit First Shot Life and read all about their firsts.

links for a long weekend

2010-04-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

the charming photography of Eliott et Cerise

hand sewn invitations from Anna Bond of Rifle Design

I never get tired of statement necklaces. this one is from Pretty Mommy

rainy day tea towel. thanks Micaela from Dolce Vita for pointing this one out

Today is Friday for me, then I'm off for a nice long weekend. I'll be back next week!

diy rope necklace

2010-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love this easy tutorial for a DIY rope necklace and wanted to share. Find instructions at Love Maegan.

cut - people making clothes

2010-03-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

All images from Cut

When I was in my early twenties, I moved to Germany for half a year to be an au pair. At the time I thought I was so sophisticated, but looking back on it now I cringe at how ungracious and ghastly I was. Turns out I was probably too young to really appreciate the experience, but at the same time Germany was just what I needed at that point in my life. I like to think that if I went back to Germany now, I'd have the sense to make friendly with some hip girls and actually just chill out for a change.

The girls at Cut- Leute machen Kleider (people making clothes) look pretty cool, ja.

a dollop of spring for your week

2010-03-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

I snapped this photo during our bike ride on Saturday. It was all sunshine and warm breezes. Finally, spring!

weekend dream wardrobe - haiiku

2010-03-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

I love love these natural and feminine looks from Haiiku. I'm so ready for summer, barefeet, and sandy beaches. Aren't you?

monday crush - maemae paperie

2010-03-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

All photos from MaeMae Paperie

If I ever throw another big party in my lifetime, I want it to look like a MaeMae party. MaeMae Paperie unveiled her new blog this morning so click through and check it out!

100,000 paper airplanes - rob bliss 2009 artprize entry

2010-03-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

This video sums up how I feel today, on this sun-shiny blue-skied Friday. Long live weekends!

blog it forward - what inspires me

2010-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to sfgirlbybay for putting together Blog it Forward. I'm very excited to be participating and to share what inspires me. June Craft has passed the torch on to me, so let's mash it up!

Traveling and vacations. Admittedly, I don't travel as much as I'd like but whenever I have the chance to get away somewhere I come back with a camera full of pictures and a head full of plans for future adventures. My photo from Montreal

DIY. One of the major topics in a lot of blogs, of course, is DIY or anything handcrafted and homemade. It's what keeps me coming back to blogs again and again. The creativity of others inspires me to be more confident and creative in my own life. Mustard & Sage's hand printed canvas is probably the post that has inspired me the most, that and this bird cage light fixture- both of which I am determined I am going to interpret into my own home soon. Photo from Mustard & Sage

New recipes. In the last couple of years I've really been inspired to cook & bake more and to try new things. I definitely trust my instincts a lot more and I'm surprised by some of the good things I cook up- who would've thought? Cannelle et Vanille has been a big help both visually and recipe-wise. Seriously, her food photography is just amazing. Photo from Cannelle et Vanille

Great writing. I've always been an avid reader and I'm drawn more and more to blogs that are well written, in addition to blogs with great photography. Photo from Booklover

Just Travelin' Through is next up, so make sure to visit her site tomorrow to read what inspires her (the lucky girl lives in the UK so I bet she'll have a lot of neat stuff to share). Thanks for mashing!

weekly blog obsession - di fabulous

2010-03-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Feathers, fashion, and Johnny Depp. Montreal blogger Di Fabulous is, well, fabulous. She's one of those talented people who seems to find the best and most interesting photos and then shares them with her lucky readers. Where does she find photos like this and this or this? I don't have a clue, but then all I have to do is check out Di Fabulous and it's all good.

outstanding in the field

2010-03-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

all photos from the Outstanding in the Field blog

One of my dreams is to attend an Outstanding in the Field dinner. This team of people travels all over the world, bringing their slow food style of farm dinners to communities big and small. The dinners take place out in the open right in the fields and farms where the food was born, with long tables and simple white linens. Keep your eye on their web site- the 2010 schedule is released on March 15 and tickets go an sale March 20. These are always a sell-out.

thursday's pretty package - fairy tail card

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Fairy Tail card via Upon a Fold

Last fall I bought the Midsummer light from Studio Tord Boontje (50% off!) and it's one of those things that you either love or hate. I love it but my husband sort of hates it. Some of my friends like it, but others think it looks kind of weird. Either way it's always a conversation piece. Anyway, since buying the light I always notice other Tord Boonjte work right away, like the nifty little card/ garland above, found on Once Upon a Fold.

lemon tarts + the color yellow

2010-03-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

yellow dress

citrus in the sky

audrey hepburn complex

yummy lemon tarts

Last night I baked lemon tarts, using this recipe from Design*Sponge by Marjorie Taylor. The recipe calls for fresh squeezed lemon juice, so as a result the tarts taste very lemony and a bit sour and sweet at the same time. And the best part- the lemon curd made the apartment smell bright and citrusy.

half broke horses - slow readers book review

2010-03-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Things

The first thought to cross my mind as I read the first pages of Half Broke Horses was how much the main character's father reminded me of the father in The Glass Castle- Jeannette Walls' excellent memoir about growing up poor with her alcoholic and nomadic parents. Half Broke Horses is Walls' tale of Lily, her maternal grandmother; a ranch woman who lived larger than life in Texas and Arizona. At first I was disappointed because it seemed that Walls was going to write with the same tone she used in The Glass Castle, but a few chapters in it was obvious that Lily's voice was going to be unique

This was the first book we read for The Slow Readers Book Club. I have to admit though, I didn't read it slowly. It was a fairly quick read; just shy of 300 pages, Half Broke Horses takes us through Lily's life a at pretty brisk pace. Whole episodes of her life are condensed down into just 2 or 3 pages. For instance, when at 15 years old Lily sets off alone on horseback from Texas to take up a teaching position in Arizona, I settled in for an adventure; instead, two pages and four years later Lily was back in Texas with her family, her teaching position completed. I was left wondering what exactly had happened to Lily in Arizona- those four years alone could have filled up an entire novel if Walls had gone into more detail. The same goes for her years spent in Chicago- she married a real scoundrel of a guy who turned out to already have a wife and kids!- but we're only given a quick summary of the Chicago years, then it's back to the ranch.

The ranch is maybe the centre of the book, then. No matter where Lily's life takes her, she always ends up back at the ranch and is always happiest there. Of course, Lily is a half broke horse herself. Half wild, half tame, and at all times her own person. By the end of the book I found that I was craving the open ranchlands, the dry heat, and the fullness of Lily's life.

Walls has pieced together a series of anecdotes about her grandmother; her family's oral history that she's made into a story. It's a novel, based on real people and real events, but told with the larger than life embellishments and fondness that we all adopt when telling stories about our own families.

Follw along on Twitter, @theslowreaders.

thursday's pretty package

2010-03-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

All images from Rachel's Cabinet

One-of-a-kind cut paper miniature artist book from Rachel's Cabinet. She's a talented printmaker and artist in Melbourne. Check out her blog, too. Some of the coolest things are coming out of Australia right now, don't you think?

cabane à sucre chic

2010-03-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

(Source)

Lavender Days

She Loves Nerds

This weekend we'll be enjoying the cabane à sucre, or sugar shack- the annual sugaring off celebration. They bring in buckets of maple syrup, boil and reduce it, then pour the hot sugary syrup over snow, then you quickly roll the syrup onto a wooden stick and eat. And repeat! The maple taffy, or la tire, is the best. thing. ever. No exaggeration. More on la tire here. Naturally, we'll have to bundle up for the occasion.

monday crush - carey mulligan

2010-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Photo via Pigeon Toed

Carey Mulligan and her pixie cut are killllling me. Please someone talk me out of cutting my hair right now because I know it'll never look as good as this.

minute impression of vancouver

2010-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

Love Vancouver and love this video today. How did they do it? Magic. My answer is always magic. Thank you to Minute Impressions for making it, and 2 Days in the Rain for pointing the way.

eureka! paper craft

2010-02-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

I can't stop looking at Agence Eureka's paper craft photostream on Flickr. So many of them are my favorites. It would be fun to have a party with some of these printed out and ready to assemble.

mon petit oiseau

2010-02-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

Mon Petit Oiseau

While we're on the topic of birds, I just found out that the clothing line Mon Petit Oiseau no longer exists... as of 2008! I guess I've been a little oiseau with my head in the sand. So sad! Now I'll really have to treasure my one and only Mon Petit Oiseau dress.

la petite volière - the small birdcage

2010-02-24T07:07:00.000-08:00

Matthieu Challières

Hmmm, I think I stumbled on the designer lamp that inspired the one I saw in Style at Home. What do you think? It's from- where else- Paris! Can I just say that I love this very much?

a blog girl and the sea

2010-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

photos from our Mexican vacation

I'd forgotten how much I love the ocean. One of my favorite memories from our vacation was getting up early to explore the tide pools. And at night the moon would shine over the water and we would follow the tracks of hermit crab on the beach. Magical.

look up, waaay up

2010-02-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Style at Home

The thing I'd like to point out is at the top of this photo, that barely-in-the-photograph birdcage light fixture. According to the article in Style at Home, the homeowner, inspired by an expensive designer version, made the light fixture herself using a lamp shade and some dollar store birds. Click on the photo to see a larger image. It's lovely.

weekend dream wardrobe - wild wild west edition

2010-02-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Tassel chain necklace from Thief & Bandit

Snake corset tee also from Thief & Bandit

The Vamoose

Suzy Jack arrow clips

Lady Amherts Necklace from Anthropologie

Trussardi 1911

Free People Fringe Jogger

Free People Fringe and Stud Vest

I know that tribal inspired and naive motif clothes aren't new, but I'm really enjoying the low key and subtle ways this theme is working its way into clothes and accessories: suede and leather; tassels; feathers; fringe; embroidery. Just one of the above items would make me happy!

birthday booty

2010-02-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

Alas, it's over for another year. I'll be enjoying residual birthday benefits for the next few days, and that maple syrup is going to last us a while- a bittersweet treat until I'm the birthday girl again next year.

thursday's pretty package

2010-02-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

Thursday's pretty package is you, all dolled up in outfits from ModCloth's new look book! I think the middle one is my favorite. I'm really digging the comeback of florals and headbands.

surprise weddings

2010-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Central Park secret wedding from 100 Layer Cake

Marisa & John surprise wedding from Studio 7

Inviting all your wedding guests over six months before the wedding date, then announcing "surprise! we're getting married right now!" There's just something so sweet and romantic about this idea- it captures what a wedding is all about in the first place.

I wonder- is it possible to throw yourself a surprise birthday party?

tale of a thirty first birthday

2010-02-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday. Is it wrong to say that my birthday is probably my favorite day of the year? It always makes me feel like a kid again- being taken out to dinner, opening presents, ordering dessert. So much fun. Can't wait for the rest of today!

weekly blog obsession - color me katie

2010-02-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Katie Balloons

Raindrops

Hearts

This one is a no-brainer. I look at Katie's photos and ask myself, "why didn't I think of that?". Because I'm not a crazy talented photographer, that's why. Sometimes the most genius ideas are the simplest ideas.

Color Me Katie blog. Color Me Katie flickr.

with glowing hearts

2010-02-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

Floor seats at the opening ceremonies via @kat_trains

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Cauldron via @viawesome

Bryan Adams via @Miss604

Opening Ceremonies via @allisonmmarkin

On Friday night we had the great pleasure of watching the Vancouver 2010 opening ceremonies. Words can't even describe how excited we were. I mean, k.d. lang singing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah? Just brilliant and very Canadian. We live a mere four hours away from Vancouver and were just there in January to take in some of the Cultural Olympiad; we won't be going to the city during the Olympics, but I can keep up with what's going on through Twitter buddies who are lucky enough to be on the front lines (with their iPhones and Blackberries!).

You can create and submit your very own light show as part of an Olympic public art project called Vectorial Elevation. I just submitted mine and it's in the queue- they'll do my light show in seven hours.

monday crush - teal & gold

2010-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Bent Walnut Picnic Wine Tote

Clutches

Lucky for me, Tyler and Kelly of Teal & Gold live in the same town as I do; lucky for you they have an Etsy shop. I bought their Sunshine and Showers mobile this winter and have loved their work ever since, especially their walnut picnic wine tote; I already have a bottle of wine picked out. And I desperately want to commission a clutch. They custom made the clutches for a fashion show, but Kelly tells me that they hope to add them to their shop in the coming months.

puppy love

2010-02-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was going through some old files on my computer and I came across a Valentine I made last year. I got the idea from a girl who was offering to do custom photo Valentines on her blog (sorry, I can't for the life of me remember the name of the blog). Determined I could do something like that myself, I rounded up some (sort of) willing puppy dogs and started taking pictures.

First, some of the outtakes. The dogs started to eat the paper hearts.

This dog was easy. She slept through the whole thing.

Um, please don't eat the props.

Nom nom nom.

Not again. Please just hold still.

For the finished product, I layed out the photos in Illustrator, printed out on glossy card stock, trimmed to size, and then wrote a mushy message on the back for my Valentine. Happy Valentine's Day! ❤

a breakfast tablescape for two

2010-02-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Abby Goes Design Scouting

Canelle et Vanille

Lobster and Swan

Cox & Cox

This Sunday will be a slow, indulgent breakfast to celebrate Valentine's Day. I'm thinking of a simple table set for two, brioche with creton, soft boiled eggs, bacon, and hot chocolate. Lazy Sunday morning breakfasts are always the best and I'm really looking forward to it.

two brunettes valentines freebie

2010-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

I heart you.

And I heart free printables.

Free printable download from Two Brunettes via Ruffled

Two Brunettes hearts you, too. Booyah!

loving milk paint

2010-02-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Apartment Therapy

I'm in the mood to spruce up our apartment, and I keep coming back to pictures of milk paint. My style leans more towards modern and minimalist, but I think that milk paint in small doses would look very fresh. The texture of milk paint is fantastic; the finish looks so creamy and matte, quite similar to the texture of a chalkboard. Bonus, milk paint is environmentally friendly.

much love fest

2010-02-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Tekla & Nick

Yesterday I guest posted for Much Love, Anna. I didn't want to steal the spotlight from Dolce Vita, my featured blog yesterday, so I waited until today to share. Thank you to Anna for asking me to guest post. There's a lot of love floating around the internets right now.

nothing says "I love you" like spreadable meat

2010-02-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

Ramekins from Kitschen Pink (because a photo of creton would be less than attractive).

My sweetie dearest husband is from Quebec and he's always asking me to make French Canadian dishes such as bonbon au patat*, tortierre, and poutine. A lot of these foods are things his mom made him when he was growing up so I always try my hand at making them because I know it will make him feel good.

For the last two years he's been asking me to make creton and this year for Valentine's Day I'm going to make it for him. Creton is a bit like paté I suppose but with more texture. It's made from ground meat and spices, and you spread it over toast for breakfast. It's really yummy. I found a recipe that looks simple enough, and you put the meat mixture in ramekins to set. Meat for him, ramekins for me- everybody wins!

*If you're curious, like I was, bonbon au patat is a type of dessert. You peel and boil one potato, then mash it up with a lot of icing sugar, and I mean a lot. The mashed up potato and the icing sugar will form a dough. You roll out the dough, spread a layer of peanut butter over it, roll it up like a jelly roll, then put in the freezer to set for a few hours. Once it's ready, you cut slices off and eat. Sounds weird, I know. I tried making it but failed miserably and haven't gotten back on the horse yet.

weekly blog obsession

2010-02-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

All images from Dolce Vita

Life is sweet, and no sweeter, it seems, than in Virginia where Micaela happens to be. Let me introduce you to Micaela of Dolce Vita. Her blog is one of my daily reads. Her adventures in her new city; her sweet little dog; and her love for wearing summer dresses with tights keep me coming back for more.

Recommended reading: Seven + Me (dresses + tights), Oh You Beautiful People (I totally agree with her about Marion Cotillard), and The Diaries of Adam and Eve (don't you just love that Mark Twain quote? I do).

This week I'm totally obsessed with Dolce Vita, and you should be too.

open for business

2010-02-08T01:31:00.000-08:00

Dollop on Etsy

My Etsy shop is officially open for business. After months of putting it off, I finally did it! I put it off for so long because I wanted everything to be perfect and just so, but this past weekend I decided to take the leap and just do it already. So I humbly present to thee, Dollop's Etsy shop.

I have a good week of fresh posts coming up, including some Valentine's posts, and a new blog obsession that I'm excited to share!

monday crush + redesign

2010-02-08T01:21:00.000-08:00

Source

I'm loving Romola Garai as Emma in the new BBC Emma mini-series. I've had a crush on her ever since I first saw her in I Capture the Castle, and frankly I don't think we see enough of her in films. Plus, Jane Austen + the BBC is always a winning combination. Case in point: Pride & Prejudice circa 1995.

I apologize if the blog was down for a bit yesterday. I was making some design changes at a time when blog traffic is a bit slower, but I know some of you tried to visit and couldn't. Thanks for hanging in there! And a big thank you to Kaleigha from Kramey Martin Designs for designing my lovely new header. She was a darling to work with and I love the header she made for me. She does custom blog designs as well.

P.S. There is still some fine-tuning to be done, but all in good time. I still haven't decided if I like the floating toolbar at the bottom. Too gimmicky? Your thoughts?

end of the week warrior

2010-02-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

From Doodlers Anonymous

Today is a bit hectic so I don't have time to do a proper post. But I do want to point you towards the FormSpring account that Grace from Design*Sponge has set-up. Go ahead, ask her anything! Things I've learned about her so far: she can touch her nose with her tongue and she pierced her tongue in college (two tongue related facts!).

Have a good weekend!

Ed note: Whitney from Darling Dexter just set up a FormSpring account as well. I dunno- I think it's fun!

jane austen as wallpaper

2010-02-04T06:59:00.000-08:00

In a Dream from Ruche

Pride & Prejudice book pages as wallpaper from Shanna Murray

I was browsing Ruche this morning, checking out all the new clothes to covet, and also admiring the backdrop in their spring lookboook. Their wallpaper backdrop reminded me of something I saw last year; a girl who had used pages from Pride & Prejudice as wallpaper. I'm not going to start ripping out the pages from my books, but it's such a beautiful idea. And I love the expression on that dog's face!

weekly blog obsession

2010-02-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

This week's obsession is special, different, and somewhat... askew (to use her own term). I usually go for blogs that are heavy on the photos and a bit light on the text, but I can't stop reading Susannah's posts on Petunia Face. Her writing is funny, hilarious, honest, and addictive.

Some of my favorite posts at the moment are First (bittersweet), and the genius RIP Ziggy Stardust (my favorite line, It's funny how insurance companies find religion at times like this, the tide an uncoverable act of God when everybody knows there is no God to be found in a commuter parking lot).

And 3, which I re-read just now sitting in my office and it made me cry.

Totally obsessed with Petunia Face

And her daughter, Zoey, aka Petunia Face, is out of this world cute.

blog it forward

2010-02-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

Blogger Mash-up

It's an old-fashioned blogger mash-up, being organized by Victoria of sfgirlbybay.

monday crush - norwegian wood

2010-02-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Elastic harness

Maximum fringe necklace

This is just a quick post for a Monday morning. I've been crushing on Angie from Norwegian Wood for a long time. Her fringe necklaces and elastic harnesses are crazy sexy (and quickly, how awesome is her hair?).

Okay... back to Monday morning.

weekend dream wardrobe

2010-01-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

I think we're just going to take it easy this weekend. Maybe go out to dinner with some friends and catch a movie. And I'm loving this dress for my weekend.

Meeting my sister and her fiance for drinks and dinner in this little number.

Cozying up with some popcorn for a good movie via My Vintage Love.

Sleep in on Saturday via We Heart It.

Get up and go for an afternoon walk via Edona.

And the next day, Sunday breakfast in bed via Brinja.

thursday's pretty package

2010-01-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

This week I have an actual package to share, as in, something that actually came in the mail! Not a lot of exciting things come in the mail anymore (there are a few exceptions), so I was really happy when I opened the mailbox and found this from Much Love, Anna:

Thank you Anna for the postcard! I'm still surprised at the connections I'm making through this blog, this time from all the way down under.

P.S. I love the postcard!

shake it like a polaroid

2010-01-28T08:06:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share some fun I had last summer with Poladroid making a photo banner for the wedding. It was a quick and easy way to give all the different photos a uniform size and shape, plus it was super fun.

This photo cracks me up every time.

I printed the Poladroids onto glossy card stock and cut to size. Then I handed them over to my family with a ball of twine and some mini clothes pins and they took care of the rest.

emma music giveaway

2010-01-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

Emma recently passed the 100 follower mark and is celebrating with a custom giveaway- she will do a cover of a song of your choice. If you've ever listened to one of Emma's song sketches then you already know that she has an amazingly beautiful voice. If you haven't heard her sing yet, then head over to her blog now, take a listen, and enter the giveaway.

Emma singing a song just for you- that's pretty sweet. I've already entered and hope I win.

I Am Emma Music

valentine gift guide

2010-01-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

I feel that Valentine's Day is close enough that I can do a post about it. Besides, we all need a little time to get our gift-giving act together. These are gifts to give or get.

Forget me Knot Ring from I Heart Luxe.

French Valentine's card from Two Brunettes.

Romantic ruffle scarf from Stewart & Brown.

Round ticket carousel from Rian Rae.

Live What You Love letterpress from Hijirik.

Carve your own postcard, from Suck UK.

Or, if you're having trouble finding the perfect gift for your Valentine, try the services of Stories of Gen.

They'll track down a gift for you! Try their free special occasion reminder.

what i really want is to be living in paris in the 1960s

2010-01-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

Once you find a good hairdresser, you really have to hang on to him or her. Luckily, my sister is a talented hairdresser and make-up artist and she moved back to our hometown last year (not so sure she's happy about the move, but hey, I have my hairdresser back).

This is the look I'm going for; I'm almost there as far as the hair is concerned (still working on the whole Paris thing).

Photo by Tim Palumbo, Paris 1962. Via Rifle.

French style a la Anthropologie. Via A Cup of Joe.

vacation memories

2010-01-25T07:25:00.000-08:00

We're back from our mini vacation and the concert was amazing! Those boys know how to put on a show.

Getting ready to go into the Orph(eum) to see the concert.

Yeah Phoenix!

So cute.

During the encore the audience rushed the stage.

And the band kept on playing. Awesome.

Olympic fever.

Falafel feast at Sophie's.

I love weekend getaways. And now it's back to some cold hard reality. But, we continue to plan future getaways. Have a wonderful week!

Update: Kelsey from The Anthology was there, too!
Another update: More photos from Vancouver is Awesome.

mini vacation

2010-01-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

I love the way British people say weekend as though it were two separate words, as in "We're going away at the week end". Well, it's the week end and we're going on a mini vacay to Vancouver to see Phoenix. They're playing as part of the Cultural Olympiad for the 2010 Olympics.

As you read this, the car is packed and we're headed to the coast.

This is actually one of my photos from last summer, stuck in traffic on the

highway on our way to Osoyoos where I almost stepped on a rattlesnake!

We're staying two nights at our favourite B&B which is just steps away from Fourth Avenue and some of the best shopping and restaurants in the city. My dear husband is even looking forward to walking along the avenue and shopping!

This trip will be better than our last trip to Vancouver, when his team lost.

I hope to post some photos from our trip on Monday. Have a happy week end dear readers!

(Lisa Bettany)

thursday's pretty package

2010-01-21T07:09:00.000-08:00

Finding ways to re-use gorgeous wooden crates. Love it.

Because they're more than just sturdy boxes (though nothing beats a good wooden crate for schlepping your stuff around). Visit your local orchard or winery- they're full of old wooden crates that they'd probably be happy to get off their hands.

stop the presses

2010-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

How gorgeous is this ring from Kristen Nicole Jewelry? (Update: the ring is long gone but this will link to the rest of her shop) Love it! It's a tad out of my dollar range, but it reminds me of costume jewelry and vintage pieces that you can pick up for a fraction of the price.

Ed. note: Check out this tutorial on turning old clip on earrings into a necklace, from Doe-C-Doe.

seven things about me

2010-01-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

The lovely lovely Micaela from Dolce Vita tagged me, inviting me to share seven random things about myself. It's fun because these are seven things that would probably never come up in normal conversation. And it was kind of therapeutic to think of seven things about myself.

1 My dream is to open my own bakery so that I can bake cookies for people all day.

2 When I was seven to nine years old I had permed bangs. Wowza.

3 I like to take pictures of my dog, Rafni, when she's sleeping.

4 For years and years my favorite musician was Bjork, and a few years

ago I finally got the chance to go see her in concert with my sister.

5 I've always been super tidy and organized, even when I was a kid.
I kept all my earrings sorted in a Jelly Belly box.

6 I wish I spoke better French. I get intimidated by my (French Canadian) husband and his
friends when they're talking away and I wish I could join in.

7 When I was three years old I seriously burned the palms

of my hands on a barbeque. I still have the scars.

And now I tag Celeste at A Letter a Day. Because she has an awesome blog. And if any of you feel like it, leave a random factoid about yourself in the comments.

weekend dream wardrobe

2010-01-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Daydreaming about the weekend and then it hits me... a pantsuit!

This is what a pantsuit kind of weekend would look like:

Faithful Pantsuit by She-Bible

Reading in the home library from Lavender Days

Downtown & coffee, from Carol Hannah

Taking Polaroid photos with your friends via We Heart It

Just chillin' from Dave Gillespie via ffffound

Stellas at The Cavalier with Micaela from Dolce Vita

look what came in the mail

2010-01-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

there should be a party this year

2010-01-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

With my birthday a little over a month away I'm starting to think that maybe I should do something this year- I haven't had an actual birthday party since I was ten years old. Last year for the big three-oh I bought thirty mini cupcakes to share with my friends and made pizza for my family for dinner. I'm an advocate of throwing parties for yourself, and I can't stop thinking how much fun it would be to plan a birthday party.

Rebecca throws herself a film festival birthday, from Oh Happy Day

Amazing invitations from Cynthia Warren Design via P is for Party

Gelato for all the guests, from My Phoneography

It wouldn't be a birthday party without balloons, from You Are my Fave

The perfect birthday girl dress from Sarah Seven

When you know your party was a success, from Motley Photos

love this

2010-01-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

Another reason why I want to paint all my furniture with chalkboard paint.

From Everything is Fab via Just be Splendid