Dining Room Envy

We live in just under 700 square feet. Our living room/dining room space is about 12' x 20'. When we first moved in we created an actual living area with sofa, tv etc and a dining area.

This meant we had to put the computer/office area in our bedroom. I hated it. I really want our bedroom to be an oasis. A place of quiet and rest.

So, the office had to move. Now we have an office space where our dining room area used to be and the dining room table has become one big, long desk covered in stuff (how do we end up with so much paper when we get all of our bills online? Paper in the house is like a bunch of bunnies left unsupervised...it just multiplies and multiplies!)

Most of the time I am okay with it. We have only had a dining room once in our last 10 houses. We are used to eating at the coffee table. But, I have to admit, that I do miss the idea of a dining room every once in awhile.

While cruising some of my favourite sites tonight, I found these and could not help but wish (just for a teensy, weensy moment) that I might have something like this in my life one day.

from House Beautiful

from desire to inspire

from Apartment Therapy

from desire to inspire
 

from House of Turquoise

We have our names on the co-op list to move internally to a three bedroom suite if one should come available. That would give us a room for an office and let us have our dining room space again. It could be years though so, for now, I will have to content myself with dining room design from a far. Sigh....

 

 

I won something!!!!!

I enter blog giveaways ALL the time.

I mean who doesn't like the chance to win something?

Only, I never win.

But...

never say never because I actually won!!!!!

Barbara over at hodge podge had a giveaway of a Hamlet poster from beautiful words.

Me and Shakespeare? Not so much.

But...my sister loves Shakespeare! So, without further ado (get the reference?!) I entered the contest.

Lo and behold...I won!!!!!



One Christmas present done and I didn't even have to get out of my chair!!!! Now that is my kind of shopping!!!!!

If my sister happens to stumble upon this post she'll just have to pretend ignorance come December 25th!!!!

Happy BC Day!

In honour of B.C. Day I thought I would share some photos of my favourite places in this great province of ours!

Vancouver at night from here

Shopping on South Granville from here

Van Dusen garden during the Festival of Lights from this site





Drumbeg Park on Gabriola Island from here



Malaspina Galleries on Gabriola Island from here









One of my favourite stores EVER!!! Stepback on Broadway from this site here

There is nothing like floating around Green Lake on a sunny day! This pic from here

Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC from this site here

Stuffed Eggplant

I don't normally do food posts but there is always a first time, huh?

I am determined to try new foods and recipes in my new gluten-free life. Who knows? Maybe I might even discover that I like cooking? Weirder things have happened!!!!

Yesterday, I saw these lovely eggplants on sale at the IGA for $1.29 each. Yes, you read that correctly. $1.29!!!!!

So, I bought one, got home and then thought, "Now what do I do with it?!?!"

All I can say is thank goodness for the internet and google searches!

My crow had just made a big pot of quinoa in our rice cooker so I decided to look for eggplant recipes that would also use up the leftover quinoa. And I found one (well, actually, I found 1,800,000!) that grabbed my eye. You can find it right here.

This recipe sounded tasty and had the added benefit of not calling for anything I didn't already have in my cupboard. Seemed like kizmet to me! 

The recipe was simple and didn't call for any fancy cooking skills. Sounded like something I could handle! Basically, I hulled out the eggplant, rubbed it with olive oil, seasoned it with salt and pepper and then popped it in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes.

Then I sauteed the onion, added the diced eggplant I had removed, added the garlic, tomato, and corn (I cheated and used a can of corn kernels). Then came the seasonings. I used dry as I didn't have fresh. And I didn't have any basil so I substituted a mixed spice meant for potatoes which had basil in it (didn't change the outcome...it still tasted yummy!) Lastly, I took the pan off the heat, added the feta and quinoa and mixed it all up well.

By then the eggplant halves had cooked part way through. I pulled them out of the oven, scooped the cooked filling into the empty eggplant halves and popped the whole thing back in the oven for 25 minutes. And then, yum!

If you are looking for an easy, delicious, gluten-free recipe that you can whip up in about 30 minutes, then this is the one for you! Just click on the picture above and it will take you right to it!

another summer challenge project completed!

So, as you know I got tired of just pinning away like mad on pinterest without trying to do some of the fabulous ideas for myself. I created my Summer Challenge pinterest board so that I could choose my favourite projects and (hopefully) do them all before the summer ends and my vacation time is over.

Well, my summer holidays are half over and I am sad to say that I have not finished half of the pins. Sigh... I have done 5 completely so far. And I have a couple in process. Still that is better than none, right?

Yesterday I went over to my friend Carol's house to sew. And I started and finished (go me!) this bag. The bag came from a dollar store and the fabric was left over from a donation from one of my class parents this year.

The bag is based on this pin here.

from sew.craft.create

Cute, huh?  I am thinking about adding one more ruffle at the bottom so that the bottom of the bag is completely covered like the inspiration bag but have not yet made up my mind. Either way, I am liking it!

and more from the farm...

I just discovered that my crow snuck out with my camera phone on the farm the other day and took some more awesome photos of the rusty odds and sods. Enjoy! I know I did when I found them!

And a couple floral photos from my daily walks this week.

On the farm...

I had the delightful opportunity to go to a party in farm country the other night. A friend of mine turns 50 this year and his parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year as well so they threw a 50/50 party.

There was a western theme which was very fitting as he grew up on a hobby farm. While they no longer have a plethora of animals on the farm, it is still a very bucolic and peaceful place to be.

And it was filled with all things old. I went photo crazy!!!

The farm next door does still have farm animals. A lot of cows!!!!

And, look at all the shades of green. Oh my!!!

Love the table decorations. there were vases tied with bandanas, horseshoes and barbed wire. It was really cool!

You know what I liked about this one, don't you? All the rust!!!! Bring on the rust, baby!

Boy, I sure do wish that my cowboy boots still fit me! Darn daughter! Being pregnant made my feet go up one size. What a drag, huh?

Can't you just see the checkered table cloth on the ground with a picnic basket and a good bottle of vino?

This old, weathered building was one of my favourite things at the party. Tucked away near the field where we parked our cars (yes, we parked in the field beside the cows!) it has seen better days. Which, of course, is why I love it so!

The dinner was held in what is actually the carport. Not that you could tell with all the tables set up and the carport decorated. Charming!

Living on the farm would never work for me (I am way, way too city for that to ever happen!) but it sure was a lovely place to visit. Good company, good food, good times!