Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Deborah

Hubby says these are NOT cookies. Cookies are super sweet and bad for you.

I beg to differ.

I found this recipe in a magazine and as usual, tweaked it to add things to my liking. These are a great option for when you have zero time in the morning for breakfast before you run out the door. Just grab and go.

I also sub them for a quick lunch and/or snack when I am on the road for several hours of the day. Quick, healthy and good for you, regardless of hubby’s opinion.

Super easy to make, start to … Read more...

Beach Buddy Bag

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Deborah

Everyone needs a beach buddy.

Meet my Beach Buddy.

Pretty much 95% of the time I am lugging my humongous purse around town on various errands. I love my large purse as it has oodles of space for all of my needs as well as space for my ever present sock knitting projects. But sometimes you just need to run out on a quick errand and don’t need to take the large suitcase over the shoulder, OR, you are planning a beach or cruise vacation and only need a small satchel to house your room key, small bills and a … Read more...

Cake Dyeing Experiment

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Deborah

Sounds yummy doesn’t it? Cake Dyeing…. Unfortunately no yummy cakes were baked, dyed or consumed for this project.

Cake dyeing is taking a skein of yarn and winding it into a “cake” with a ball winder and then dyeing it. The word “cake” came about due to the resemblance of the wound yarn to a stacked layer cake. This creates a centre-pull “ball” of yarn to knit from.

Ok, enough of word origins, on to the experiment! I found 3 balls of sad looking yarn in the “free bin” in our condo craft room. 2 were an ugly golden-yellow colour, … Read more...

Meet Alexandr McIntosh

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Deborah

He is a handsome fellow, showing very few wrinkles for his age, considering he was born in 1867. He is of slight build and heavy for his actual size, which would be the dense hardwood that makes up the bulk of his body. Although he may be heavy, he is delicate at the same time. Lovingly carved spokes on his drive wheel, curvacious turnings on the maidens and legs, remind me of Marilyn Monroe…perhaps “He” is a “She” after all. Ah…there you go, I have found her new name. Marilyn.

I discovered Marilyn when I was least expecting her. I … Read more...

Condo Kitchen Facelift

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Deborah

I am thrilled. I am absolutely REALLY Thrilled. No, wait, I think I am over-the-moon ECSTATIC that my horrid kitchen has been banished for good, maybe only haunting me in my dreams, but, I can finally say MY KITCHEN IS DONE!!! I want to run up to the 17th floor of the building and holler from someone’s balcony on the Penthouse level (cause it’s higher than mine) that MY KITCHEN IS DONE!

Ok, maybe not, but you get the idea at least. All it took was 6 working days to go from this….

to this….

I adore it. Everything. From … Read more...

I’m Not A Deer Hat & Scarf

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Deborah

I thought I made a post last Fall about the hat that I knit for deer hunting season….but upon close inspection of past articles, nope, found nothing.

To back track a wee smidgeon, last Fall I went for a walk, around the first week of November, or whenever deer hunting season (with guns) starts in Ontario. As I am walking down the road (my daily ritual), hunters in full gear on ATV’s whizzed by me with their guns strapped to the backracks.

Hmmm I thought, not a good place to be out walking with all these hunters around with nothing … Read more...

Atomic Sunrise & Goosebumps

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Deborah

I tried something new on the weekend and ended up with an Atomic Sunrise and Goosebumps. No, those are not new cocktail ideas…although they could be, I will have to think on those a spell.

Anyway, back to my new adventures. I have oodles of Wilton’s Food colouring gels in the kitchen not being used up since I don’t bake as much as I used to (lots of reasons, and hubby being one of them). With closing the Northern Homestead for the winter, all my natural dye supplies are up there waiting for Spring to arrive and me with it. … Read more...

Almost there…

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Deborah

9 months has passed since we moved and I can say that finally, F-I-N-A-L-L-Y, the painting has come to an end in the Colourful House of Frightenstein. Yes, we did the major painting prior to moving in, but there was still the kitchen, baths and all interior doors and door frames to be done.

They can now be crossed of the to-do list save for a few touch-ups after my kitchen is renovated in a few weeks. Woo!

With the bulk of the updates/fixes now done, I can settle into some serious loom time before the Northern Homestead gets opened … Read more...

Huevos Rancheros

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Deborah

If you love eggs (like I do), and if you love Mexican food (like I do), then you will love this breakfast staple. How can it be better? If you use my leftover Charro Beans as the base, that’s how.

Making huevos rancheros can be time consuming due to all the chopping/sauteing of veggies/beans, but utilizing the leftover charro beans has made for a breakfast that is ready in under 30 minutes instead of almost an hour.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a small baking dish (spray with cooking spray first), press a warmed 6″ flour (or corn) tortilla … Read more...

My New Planting Table

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Deborah

I love my hubby.
He is resourceful.
He is creative.
He is a very good problem solver.
and he can build just about anything.

Now that we have downsized to condo life, planning and planting my seeds for this years garden came with a bit of a dilemma. I had an enormous window sill in the living room at the house that pretty much handled all the plant pots and trays. The condo…not so much. I could use the floor I guess, but with the sectional couch in front of the window, it would be a pain to gain access … Read more...