vendor feature :: Lions Gate Designs

For all you lovely brides looking for a way to incorporate family jewelry into your wedding or want an alternative to fresh flowers, check out these lovely vintage brooch bouquets by Lions Gate Designs. You can check out more of her work on etsy.

eat :: toad in the hole

found on A Cup of Jo via Grapevine Twine via Oh Joy

Toad in the hole is the process of breaking an egg into a slice of bread with a hole in it and frying up the result. Although, it's not the traditional definition of toad in the hole (dish made with sausage and baked in Yorkshire pudding), it's often mixed by those unfamiliar with British foods.

All I can say is eggs + toast + avocado? Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my face .... YUM.

Funny thing is that when I was little, my uncle from Peru gave me my first taste of avocado and I hated it. I actually went downstairs to the basement, spat it out and hid it behind the shelf. (Sorry to the person that found it!).

style me pretty

I have been a big fan of the Style Me Pretty blog. It's chock block full of wedding design, inspiration and pretty pictures! The wedding industry went into a bit of a buzz earlier last week when SMP launched the Style Me Pretty Magazine! If you already follow the blog, you may recognize some of the images as the first issue features the best of 2010.

Don't let that stop you though. Just keep turning those pages back and forth and ooh and aahh along with the rest of us.

events :: indie i do

An alternative to the cookie cutter wedding ....

Where one size does not fit all ...

Encouraging you to think outside the box ...

Join us for Vancouver's third annual alternative wedding show, Indie I Do, which pairs the traditional with the non-traditional. 

Here are the event details:

Date: Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street Vancouver

Tickets are $15.00 in advance which can be purchased here or $20.00 at the door. You can find more information about the show including a list of exhibitors at www.indieido.com.

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Want to attend as our guests? Email lotus events here and enter to win a pass for two! Limited free passes available. Contest ends Friday, January 14th at 5:00 p.m. (PST). 

♥ cat love ♥

I love my cat. Here's a few snapshots from our impromptu photo shoot a few days back when it was still sunny.

on the radar

found via the other side of the shelf by Paul Octavious

My brain still wants to be on holiday mode. MmmmmMmm.. how were your holidays?

Feeling better these days. Was hit with a fever half way through Got Craft back at the beginning of December which then progressed to strep throat due to stress and a virus that turned my eyes bloodshot. My eyes cleared up in a few days, but the throat persisted through Hawaii and left me with a cough that I am still experiencing. One more trip to the clinic today confirmed that something in my throat was still partying it up, so hopefully this more powerful and $$ antibiotics will clear it once and for all. Better to nip it in the bud here then overseas.

As for our move, the apartment is emptying out and we are starting to hear echos. Apartment viewings started earlier in the week... my mom came back and rummaged through a bunch of stuff that she wanted ... international shipping company picked up our 7 boxes and 2 pieces of furniture that are being shipped. Next on the list is photographing and listing everything for sale and tying up some loose ends.

A lot of mixed emotions coming from me. I have also been tossing and turning a lot these last couple of nights. Stress? Sadness? Fear? Excitement? All of the above? Time is just w-h-i-z-z-i-n-g by!

happy holidays!

photo credit: My Fine Garden by SLG Designs

As the year comes to an end, we are grateful to all of our readers, followers, friends and family. We wish all of you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a happy new year. 

We have a few new things in store for this coming year including a new blog and of course, a big adventure to the UK! Looking forward to a bigger, and even better 2011!

xo

Andrea and Robert

aloha

Guess where I am?

Back to regular programming soon... I promise.

xo

Got Craft this Sunday!

It's been q-u-i-e-t on the blog as I'm busy prepping, and restocking, for the craft fair season. It's a sweat shop made of love over here. Next up, Got Craft! See you Sunday, December 5th at the Royal Canadian Legion at 2205 Commercial Drive from 10-5pm.

We've been busy bees over at the Got Craft blog, so hop on over for crafty events, handmade news and local artists.

check out :: Gentle Hands Art Auction Fundraiser

A friend of mine is moving to the Philippines at the end of the year to continue her work with Gentle Hands. Located in Manila, Philippines, Gentle Hands is a welfare agency that help at-risk children and youth with their medical, social and educational needs. Caring for children all in various stages of rehabilitation from abuse, neglect and / or poverty, it is the only center in the Philippines that will take children with physical disabilities and the only registered facility that will take undocumented children.

Tracey is an amazing friend that always goes above and beyond. Being a photographer in the wedding industry, she was able to organize photographers and other creatives to help her raise funds to begin the building expansion project of Gentle Hands. The expansion will house many more children, have classrooms and nursery space, along with administrative rooms for the increasing size of the orphanage.

Only 5 more days to preview the fine art auction pieces, so take a look. Bid on your favourites. Support Gentle Hands and spread the word!