Jennifer Michie

Month: July 2011 (page 1 of 3)

July 30, 2011 / 0 Comments

Tranquility

Tranquility itself cannot be scheduled, but empty, quiet spaces can be reserved in ink. Such spaces ought to be defended, prioritized and guarded as vehemently as any commitment and obligation. Lest they be guarded, they will be lost; swallowed by the tyrannical magic of urgency. For the sum of the matter is this: there is not a place on the planet where stress finds cessation, but only the discovery that tranquility comes in the midst of chaos, not merely as the consequence of its demise. For indeed chaos, beautiful chaos, is the order of life itself. So chisel, carve, etch — make ritualistic bulwarks, high towers from which you can view the chaotic world from an Adirondack chair, sip on a piña colada, and revel in the enlightened awareness that tranquility runs concurrent to chaos, not linearly after it.

Found via Mr. Michie via:Ideas, Footnotes & Revelations by James Shelley on 7/26/11

(image by: Sandra Dieckmann)

July 29, 2011 / 0 Comments

Painted Piggies

This morning I had a little girl time all to myself and got my toes painted! I was in the mood for a coral or a nice peachy tone, but then this color from the OPI “Pirates of the Caribbean” collection, jumped out at me. I would not normally choose this, but I was in a quirky mood and it just fit, I love it:

Color:  Planks A Lot by OPI (Please excuse the chubby piggies)

I am also off to visit this tomorrow, with Mr. Michie. It was just going to be the two of us, but GiGi & Foxy asked if they could come along, so it looks like a double date:

I can’t wait, I plan to bore you with all my pictures next week! Have a wonderful weekend my friends.

July 27, 2011 / 2 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven!

Our house takes on a different pace in the Summertime. The last day of school brings about a new found freedom, each year. We take the days as they come, dictating a slower pace. A pace that allows us to do whatever strikes our fancy.

Sprinkles Bakes is often a source of sugary inspiration and when I saw her post on Friday, I knew that this would be on the menu sometime soon.  I love peanut butter and surprisingly, so does Mr. Michie. The majority of British people I know wouldn’t touch a jar of peanut butter with a ten foot pole. But, Mr. Michie loves it! He even eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

After a long day at work on Monday (we each went in to clean and reorganize our spaces), we came home famished and ready for something delicious. Mr. Michie made a quick Beef Stroganof for dinner while I whipped up this:

I didn’t think we could be patient enough to wait the 3 hours for it to set up, but we made it, just! It was heavenly! I made a few changes, in that I was out of cocoa powder, so when I added the roasted peanuts on top, I also added a few chocolate chips. It taste like a Reece’s Cup on crack. If you like peanut butter this is a recipe for you! Pure bliss!

(click here for the recipe)

July 25, 2011 / 0 Comments

Sugar & Meringue

I missed it! I have been so busy with School these past few weeks, somehow in my GoogleReader, I missed this post from Sugar & Meringue! Her annual “National Sugar Cookie Day” publication. Last year’s was adorably presented, as was this year’s.

It is full of sweet recipes, how-to images and ideas. She has also posted an adorable tutorial on how to make “granny-square” decorated cookies. And, since making granny-squares for a blanket is on my to-do list this Summer, I am smitten with this idea. Enjoy!

(All images and publications copyright Sugar & Meringue)

July 22, 2011 / 0 Comments

Class of 2011

GG and Foxy Class of 2011

Well, school is out for Summer! Today is our very last day and we have so many things on our To-Do list for the Summer Holidays.

We plan to have lots of bike rides and picnics, see an Art exhibition or two, do a little travelling, a little reading. Hopefully, I will be able to pull out my needles and do a little knitting with Jennifer, I have the most wonderful scarf pattern, I want to try my hand at for Foxy. I also plan to go berry picking, making ruby coloured strawberry jam that we can have on toast with lashings of butter is definitely on the menu!

I do hope we have some lovely summery days and the rain we have had this week passes us by for a little while, because I am ready for some fun in the sun!

Love, GiGi

July 21, 2011 / 0 Comments

Christmas in July

I know, I have written about this before on my blog, but in the States, it is a big thing to have “Christmas in July” sales and events. This is not the case in England, where people look at you, as if you are half mad to even mention such a thing. As school is shortly coming to a close for us (tomorrow is our last day, Yipee!), I thought this would be a good time to use a bit of the Summer break to begin working on a few Christmas/winter-y projects.

One, being my crocheted granny blanket, which I have yet to have the chance to begin, with all the craziness of school going on around us. But, also to possibly start a few Christmas projects early. Here were a few things I came across and I might just try to make some of these, or at the very least be inspired by them, especially the sock monkey coffee cup wrap, he has personality!

Do you begin your Christmas making projects early, or are you a last minute kinda gal (or guy)? Enjoy!

Now is a good time to start collecting vintage cookie cutters at thrift stores and yard sales. These “frames” would be gorgeous to have up all year round!

These mice would make perfect teacher’s presents or classroom gifts. If you changed the colors they would even be cute for an Alice in Wonderland Themed Birthday Tea Party.

Want to make your own granny square blanket to stay cozy with when the weather turns frosty, go to Meet me at Mike’s for a granny square tutorial.

This sock monkey coffee cup wrap is too cute. Perfect for your coffee lovers, any time of year.

(All images copyright their respective blogs)

July 20, 2011 / 1 Comment

The Color Of..

Via the Swiss Miss blog, I found this fantastic site: The Color Of… type in anything that takes your fancy and it generates a beautifully minimal artistic palette of “the color of” it.

I love how this challenges our preconceptions about color. I typed in some words expecting it to generate particular colors but the results were not always what I expected. Go over and check this site out, it is just FUN!

Here are a few of my Color Palettes:

July 17, 2011 / 0 Comments

Lazy Sunday

Today we have had a quiet lazy Sunday in and around the house. I have caught up on laundry, read a little and listened to music. While, Mr. Michie has done a little reading himself, worked on writing a paper and a new blog post. What could be better than a quiet day to just be?

We made tomato salad for lunch on grilled bread:

We played in the garden and made sure everything was happy:

We made ice-cream sundaes and watched the afternoon thunderstorm from our couch:

Happy Sunday!

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