It’s hot.
There’s a cat on that crazy roof. Ok there’s a cat on the windowsill.
Hope everyone is managing in all this heat and hotness. This cat seems to be doing a good job.
One of my favourite buildings on King William.
My mother for most of my life has worked in the garment and fashion industry. So when I told her that I was sick of buying maternity clothes and struggling to find things to wear, she was quick on the industrial Singer to start stitching up a line of comfy maternity clothes for me. In total she made me three things with still more to come.
I love this top. But it also makes me laugh because growing-up we had cushions made out of this material and since the pattern of the fabric is square and so is the shape of the shirt, it really reminds me and my sister of our 1970′s couch outfitted with these cushions. Great reuse of fabric I say.
The real beauty of this shirt is that it is airy, made from cotton, and has lots and lots of room for my growing belly! Post baby it wouldn’t take much to cinch it in and wear without a baby bump.
Things have been pretty busy around here the past few months. My apologies for the less frequent blog posts as of late. I’ve got a pretty good excuse. We’ve been busy doing a lot of organizing and preparing BECAUSE… in 3 months we’re having a baby! It’s our first so we’ve been having to dive into the world of crib, stroller and baby-goods purchasing -there’s so many products and things out there these days it’s overwhelming! We’ve also been rearranging, finishing up minor renos around the house and getting a nursery ready on top of day to day work and life. I know, I know, things are only going to get busier.
I wondered a little if I would be someone who would post a baby announcement on their blog. I know having a baby will occupy so much of my time as it already has. I was already finding it hard to omit from the day to day goings on and posts here. So here it is my first baby post and pictures. Who knows maybe I’ll start another blog focused more on life as a newby parent.
This is me at the start of May. At 5 months I felt huge, and was long into wearing maternity clothes. But I guess really my clothes don’t look any different from what I would normally wear, so to everyone else I’m pretty much exactly as I’ve always been sans bébé in utero. I could already feel cute little fluttery kicks and summersaults just for me in my belly.
I’ve been told I’ve got a wee bump. I’m anticipating in the next 3 months in the heat of summer that I might just start to expand exponentially. Bring on the flipflops, muumuus, and kiddie pools for feet soaking! I’m all yours for a free wheeling summer of day-trips, swimming pools and ice-cream.
Over the weekend we had some friends over for brunch. I love the brunch get together: it’s casual, involves my favourite type of meal, and it’s not an all day affair (leaving ample time for late Sunday afternoon lounging).
I was pleased as punch that we actually had a set of matching dishes that could seat 8 people! Our glasses set is only at 6, but the rest of the dishes and cutlery made it all around. I inherited this dish set from one of my parent’s friends. My parent’s are at the age where all of their friends are downsizing and moving to condos. So I’ve been encouraging my mother to send me over for visits as people sift through and purge. From this little tactic we’ve managed to score some great finds.
The table was set and the sun was shining through and everything looked so nice. I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures.
No doubt spring is in the air! What better way to celebrate the romantic nature of spring than with these vintage postcards. A few years back when I travelled through Belgium I picked up some cheesy love postcards in the small and picturesque town of Bruges.
I love corny old postcards and that crazy artificial sky-blue.
And my favourite: the head tilt chin lift. “Look into my eyes”.
I came across this storefront some time ago, and just thought it was so amazing to see such a little neighbourhood bakery tucked in just north of Barton. I imagine it looking just the same as it did 30+ years ago. When I was a kid I remember going to bakeries just like this to get fresh kaisers, onion buns and loaves. When I walked into the store a little old school bell dingled, and I could smell the sweetness of fresh bread and baked goods. They had egg-buns, rolls, rye breads, pies and other baked confectionery. It really felt like walking into a 1970′s time warp. I savoured every minute of this soaking in all its bready aromas. Really Baltic Bread and Bakery has been around for much longer than the 70′s. The rumour is that they’ve been around for more than a 1/2 century traditionally baking the finest of European bread.
I took the photo for nostalgic reasons, and then realized that Baltic Bread is sold everywhere! Since noting this bakery I’ve seen their bread sold in grocery stores and at their stall in the Hamilton Farmer’s Market -yeah I know it took me a little while to make this connection! It was the super vintage lettering that has the “I” dotted with a star that gave away the fact that they were all one in the same -Baltic Bread.
If you can’t make your way to visit their home location on Gibson Ave. you most definitely will be able to pick up some of their bread at the Farmer’s Market. They do make a tasty rye. I ate some of their delicious dark rye with my eggs at breakfast this morning.
*Baltic Bread, 200 Gibson Ave. Hamilton, 905.549.5929
If you don’t know what an AGA is… it is truly a wonderful thing. It is a cast iron, gas running, super heavy (1052 lbs!), radiant heating, 2 burner beast of a beauty of an oven. It is definitely a different kind of cooking and living experience. Eggs get fried here on the hot plate, or in the oven, biscuits get baked and stews get simmered, AND one of my favs bedsheets, and laundry get toasty warm and dry in minutes next to the AGA. It is a super nice wintery treat to have one of these in your home.
We visited some friends in Guelph, who inherited and AGA from their parents. They made us the best eggs ever served on a pita with yoghurt, fresh orange juice, and some really good coffee. Mmmm.
An AGA is so heavy that if you had one in your home you’d have to reinforce the supports in the floor or basement. Our friends added a couple floor jacks in their basement.
After breakfast we all got down to business and helped build an intricate train track system, which sprawled across the living room floor (the way a train track should). We passed some easy hours of train tracking, train derailments and constant bridge reconstruction.
Sometimes you gotta do what you need to do to say warm. November is finally behaving like November.
I love these small and vibrant folded paper packages. Each one is like a little tiny present. Thanks to Fumiko-san for this special ornamental gift.
My first DIY Hallowe’en costume was a success! I feel pretty proud for putting it all together. It wasn’t as hard or tricky as I had thought, and I actually enjoyed the whole process.
In preparing for going out for the Hallowe’en festivities and parties I contemplated making a bird mask, but ran out of time and energy. So I opted instead for makeup and Hallowe’en facepaint but I feel like it might have been too much. A plain old masquerade mask would’ve probably done the trick. Lis was La Calavera Catrina of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the dead. Her costume was pretty much a traditional scary costume. It was easy to throw together and yet still awesome.
