I'm being . . .

. . . enveloped in the most magical, all natural, scents of the season.

It never fails to amaze me just how much I still love the scent of fresh cut greens.  That first clip of the branch sends me into seasonally creative overdrive.  The workshop has been awash with their fragrance for a few weeks now.  But, this season, the all natural, engaging fragrance of our simmering spice blend is running a very close second.  Mmmm!

WINTER 2014

For all of the lovely details click on

 WINTER 2014 . . .

'Tis the Season . . .

. . . to catch up and get ready.

I always feel like I'm saying "where has time gone".  Is it just me or is time really just flying by, all the time! 

Summer came and went, autumn has been well, interesting, and here we are in the final throws of October.  Hmm, how does that happen?

I have most definitely been neglectful of my blog, posting instead to Facebook.  A time thing really - not enough of it.  

It's been a jam packed busy time and I have much to share but for now, let's just say I have been making soap, sorting out creative ideas, working on photo shoots, managing the bee yard, rebuilding fences, gardens, sanding floors in the house, finishing a headboard and other projects for the master bedroom, getting mucky with cement for a garden project, weddings and flowers for weddings, filling the cold room and pantry with the summers harvest, enjoying every possible moment with our new great niece, and so on and so forth!! 

But now, as that most glorious of seasons begins to creep up on me, I have begun harvesting greens, planning and fine-tuning seasonal ideas and finishing outside projects before the you-know-what arrives.  So, for now, just know there is much to come as the season approaches.  I hope you will be excited by the additions to the line up and again, thank you for being patient with me and checking in from time to time.  

WINTER 2014 will be well worth waiting for.

Blueberries and Figs

I like waking up to the sound of a nice rain on my roof.  It calms my soul.  The perfect day to spend in the kitchen making Blueberry Jam, Blueberry Syrup and Fig Jam.

I discovered the Fig Jam recipe over here at Missing Goat Farm.  

I made this condiment for my nieces bridal shower - paired it with brie cheese and an assortment of crackers.  Yum. 

The recipe is super easy, you will find it over on Heather's blog in the link above.

Nope, I didn't grow the figs.  Can't grow the figs here, it is way outta the growing zone for Northwestern Ontario.  But, my local grocery store brings them in and if you get there early enough you can manage to pick up flats that aren't picked over and squished.  

The recipe calls for Port.  Luckily my husband loves Port so there is always a bottle in the house. 

Fig with Port Jam, Blueberry Jam, Blueberry Syrup (with the lumpy bits of blueberry).  A great way to spend an otherwise rainy day.  

Happy Labour Day!  

A quick evening stroll . . .

. . . around the gardens tonight.  Something I don't think I've taken time to do in forever.  The light was perfect and some of my very favourite things are coming along ~ better late than never?

Grasses ~ I go gaga over Wheat and Setaria every year.

This Agastache 'Indigo', survived I'm sure as a result of all of that fantastic 

s-n-o-w cover last winter.  It's a zone 5 and a stunning, dark tone unlike any of the others I have grown

The bees adore Agastache.

I have discovered a seed company that offers an incredible selection of grasses.  I can hardly wait to tuck these into a market bouquet.

Almost!

And this precious little gem . . .  ADENOPHORA triphylla.

A charming Ladybell bearing flared open blue bells in whorls around the stem.  

She is much more beautiful in person.  I started these from seed last spring and am not disappointed by their petite nodding heads in just the perfect shade of purple blue.   A limited number of 2nd year perennial plants will be for sale at the market in September ~ a perfect planting time. 

Here's to evening strolls around the garden.  Rain or shine, enjoy a really lovely weekend.  

Wedding decorating hangover

Our niece was married this past weekend in Atikokan, Ontario.

The perfectly lovely outdoor wedding took place upon the bridge at Little Falls on what has to have been the hottest day of summer this year.  I'm pretty sure I heard 40 degrees celsius with the humidity.  Yowza.  It was brutally hot.  But, surrounded by the love of family and good friends, it was a joy to be part of.  

I will post about it in its entirety shortly but heres just a sneak of some of the things I used to decorate.

The un-packin' about to begin.

A few of the hand painted signs made especially for this wedding but which will now be available as part of our vintage prop collection.

We didn't actually use the bike in this wedding but it would be a great addition to any wedding.  

Indeed!

{Images:  theurbanfarmchick.blogspot.com}

It's been so long . . .

. . . since I saw you last.  It's amazing how quickly time passes.  There just are not enough hours in a day.  I'll spend some time catching you up on what's been happening around here, in my world - and it's been a whole lot.  In the meantime, let me just say this . . .

We have been in new baby lala land since March 

She was a miracle baby and our new great niece has just brought us all so much joy, it's unbelievable and lovely. 

She's a poser and I'll be sharing more photos, you bet I will! 

And, we've been preparing for a wedding.  I'm the aunt of the bride and primary decorator.  So much goodness going on - just a few ideas we've been kicking around.

It is an outdoor wedding and we will be decorating up one of these.  

It's a Moss Cottage style wedding and we'll be sharing DIY how-to's and lots of great pics after the wedding.  Stay tuned, I'll be back. 

I do hope you are enjoying a restful but busy summer.  The time is so fleeting. 

See you soon.  Thanks for sticking with me. 

SPRING blessings

Saturday, April 19

 1 - 4pm

Moss Cottage 

is OPEN

for those of you who have asked about the Easter long weekend . . .

{image:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=619396864804642&set=a.275140332563632.62962.119442194800114&type=3&theater}

I know . . .

it's now becoming very hard to see the beauty in this ~

when all you can imagine is this ~

If you can hang in there until next weekend, even if spring hasn't truly arrived in our neck of the woods, the studio will be bursting into bloom, sure to put spring in your step.

Join us for a blast of everything spring ~ a lovely collection of handmade tossed together with a little bit of this and that.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

noon - four

In the studio @ Moss Cottage

700 Hazelwood Drive

Thunder Bay, ON  

{images:  http://www.pinterest.com/ufmc/}

Creative Accomplished

Just 3 of the lovely creations that left the workshop on Sunday.  Sorry Tracy, Fran and Denette, I forgot to pull the camera out until after you were gone.  

Each one beautiful in it's own way.  The scent that enveloped the workshop was amazing!  A relaxing, creative afternoon with great company.  Thanks everyone for allowing Blue (the dog) to join in.

A tea towel image transfer class will be scheduled for April.  Hopefully then spring will really be showing herself and we can move on to the garden as inspiration.

Let's get . . .

c-r-e-a-t-i-v-e!

If all this white stuff and cold have you craving warmer sunny summer days then hopefully this is just what you need. 

Lavender not only smells incredible and calms the spirit but the colour, especially at this time of year,  just perks me up. 

Lavender Wreath Class

Sunday, March 23rd, 12-4

Using a 6" grapevine wreath and the loveliest dried lavender, you'll be creating your own lovely lavender wreath.

Chances are you will also be heading home with a lovely sachet filled with all of those lavender buds that drop while you are creating.  

Cost:  $45 + hst

To register go here

A lovely break

Oh my, what a lovely break.  

The winter here has been cold, windy, relentless.

Following a whirlwind Christmas season in the shop, my hubby and I had the lovely good fortune of joining our good friends in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for the wedding of their daughter Chelsey and her guy Matt.   It was a beautiful thing.

It was warm, sunny, the beach stunning.  There's nothing like poking your toes in the sand on a cold winter's day.

Somewhere along the way between then and now, my get up and go got up and went and I've been having difficulty finding her.  While I haven't exactly been doing nothing, that which has been accomplished has evolved at a much slower pace.

The continuing master bedroom makeover is coming along nicely.  With some alterations, additions, deletions from the original plan, I'm almost ready to share.  

I've always loved vintage/rustic spaces and my absolute addiction to gray and white continues to grow but while spending down time on "snow days" surfing Pinterest, it's become clear that I ADORE Scandinavian Rustic Design and I'll begin to share inspiring blogs happily discovered.  

My focus on living an alkaline lifestyle and eating clean became more focused upon my return from Punta Cana (I became ill with Salmonella poisoning, yup, fun times) and I've discovered a few great blogs that have inspired me to stick with it.  

I've added a side bar to the blog with links to  just a few of the blogs that inspire me.  

In the midst of this crazy cold winter season I've begun to crave pink.  

in all it's shades and dream of Spring.

I've plans in the works to revamp my handmade soap line and I'm excited to share that with you.  Over the coming weeks and months I'll be sharing my love of scandinavian rustic design, blogs that inspire me, stories about what I call "Plan B brides and grooms", weddings flower plans, inspiration and other wedding "stuff", garden planning, favourite flower varieties and my thoughts on "pinning", classes planned for March and tease you just a little about Spring at Moss Cottage.  

Thanks for hanging in there, snow days are over!

{Images:  http://www.pinterest.com/ufmc/}

Hello twenty-fourteen

Stay warm.

Be well.

Happy New Year.