My Everything Corner

Here is a new bracelet that has become one of my favourite pieces. Non-tarnish silver jump rings with a black freshwater pearl set over top of the joint on each link created a flawless and elegant design that I'm sure to create variations of. I had a difficult time photographing this item. After trying several different props, I tried a teacup. I had seen earrings dangling from a teacup and thought the result was quite charming. Not only did the cup allow the bracelet to drape nicely it also helped add a bit of texture and depth to the photo. In short, it made it more interesting, a goal we all share when trying to photograph our items for our shops on Etsy. Half the fun in browsing Etsy is seeing all the creative ways people photograph their goods. The best images not only show off the item for sale, but they also create a mood. When we are shopping for items for our homes or for ourselves we are drawn to whatever best suits our mood at the time. Or, if you are like me, yo...

On July the third, my beautiful little sister married the love of her life in their yard in rural Manitoba. My husband and I were in charge of the photography, and regardless of both of us being amateurs, we were able to capture some beautiful photos throughout the day. This is my favourite by far. We took photos of everyone and everything that took place from morning until well into the next morning. But, we made one collosal mistake. I was so busy helping my husband organize everyone for photos, that we forgot to take photos of the bride and myself, her matron of honour. How horrible is that? We decided not to try and fake our way out of it, and instead the lack of those photos will tell the true story of that day and just how truly chaotic it was. Chaos often has way of turning out beautifully.

These colourful flowers are the highlight of my yard this year. Celosia are everywhere. Thanks to a close friend ordering way too many plants for her little greenhouse, my tiny greenhouse got to catch the overflow of well over 200 little seedlings. They transplanted like a dream without any hindrance to their growth at all, and they had no trouble hardening off. They are in my front built-in planter, in my front flower bed, in nearly 50 planters, and there are even some left in the greenhouse. Surprisingly the ones that have been left in the greenhouse are not doing nearly as well as the ones that have been transplanted outdoors. Quite a lot of people don't know what these little beauties are and find them quite fascinating. They grow in a variety of vibrant colours, including, red, pink, yellow, orange and my favourite, fuschia. You might think that the flowers would be prickly, but they are quite soft, and when wet, almost silky. By accident, these little annuals have br...

Here is a cake that I stressed over for nearly 6 months. I didn't how I was I going to make it, where I was going to make it or how I was going to get it to Manitoba, (a 10 hour) drive from where I live. In the end, it all came together quite nicely and with relatively little fuss. Six months of stress for nothing. I baked and decorated the cake at my in-laws, which shortened the end drive with the cake in tow to only 2 hours. Of course I was still concerned about the heat wave we were experiencing. The bottom cake is chocolate with chocolate buttercream, while the middle tier is vanilla. The top is styrofoam, and the my sister's keepsake. Believe it or not, it was the little styrofoam 'cake' that gave me the most grief. In order to adhere the fondant to the foam, I coated it in a thin layer of corn syrup. So when it started to heat up and melt, it had no where to go but down, and that created the dark spot you see on the ribbon. I fixed it before the receptio...