Tuesday 12 February 2013

The Simple Woman's Day Book


FOR TODAY, February 12th, 2013... (PANCAKE Day!!)

Outside My Window...

It's dark, it's cold, but it's not raining and the wind isn't blowing.  Makes a change.

I am thinking...
I was very surprised yesterday to learn of the present Pope's plan to quite/retire on the 28th of February.  Interesting to say the least, especially where it ties in with Biblical Prophecy.  I believe this next pope is to be the last pope.

I am thankful for...

You may tire of me saying this, but I truly am grateful for the Gospel in my life.  It helps to keep me grounded and gives me balance and strength and hope.

From the kitchen... 
No cake or cookies or anything of the like.  Time to bake.   Someone needs to write a cookbook that has only small quantities of things to bake for just two people.  Half of what I bake gets given or thrown away as we just can't use it up before it goes off and I either don't have enough room for it in the freezer or it's not freezable.  Sigh . . . that was never a problem with the kids were growing up.   Back then I couldn't keep home baked goodies in the house for very long.   They used to just disappear into nothingness overnight!

I am wearing...  

A turquoise M and S nightie, my robe and slippers.  I bet you would be shocked were I to say anything else!   You are so used to me writing these posts in my night clothes!

I am creating...  

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I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon turning a matchbox into a sweet little valentine for my Todd.   I hope he likes it.   I really had a lot of fun making it.   I covered it in white polka dotted red paper and then I cut a picture from a magazine for inside so that it would look like the people were standing on a street.   I drew and coloured the little people and on their heart it says meant to be.   Then I pasted them into the box and laid out some grass under their feet.   I cut out words and letters from magazines to paste all over the front, sides and back.   On front it says, "Valentine, We are the Perfect Match," and on both sides it says "Thinking of you always makes me Smile," and "Live is Beautiful." and on the back it says, "Stitched together with goodness for time and all eternity."   I hope that he likes it.



I just love these red work embroidered pillow slips.   I may do something like that while I am at my mom's.  I will have to wait and see.   Embroidery is a very portable craft, especially if you are working in just one colour.


I am adoring this sweet pretty little pink button heart hanger.   Perfect for Valentines day!


Sweet little bookmarks, which look very easy to make!  You can never have too many bookmarks I don't think!

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

I absolutely love these embroidered and be-buttoned white felt hearts.  So sweet.

Also finishing up my illustrations for the children's book and doing some more paper dolls.  I haven't been able to get to it the past couple of days due to other commitments, but today's the day!

I am going... 
I haven't been making too many plans lately as I am still in limbo pretty much as far as my trip to Canada goes.   Hoping that after today some concrete plans can be made.

I am reading...


Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman.   This, too, is on my Kindle.   It's a historical autobiography.  I did see the film with Kiera Knightly a few years back, which was quite good.   Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire was what you might call the first "IT" girl and lived over 200 years ago.   She was born into the Spencer family at the family seat of Althorp, which means she was an ancestor of Princess Diana.   There were a lot of parallels in their lives which I find absolutely fascinating.  It's a long book, but I am looking forward to reading it.




Salem Falls, by Jodi Picoult.  A handsome stranger comes to the sleepy New England town of Salem Falls in hopes of burying his past: Once a teacher at a girls' prep school, Jack St. Bride was destroyed when a student's crush sparked a powder keg of accusation. Now, washing dishes for Addie Peabody at the Do-Or-Diner, he slips quietly into his new routine, and Addie finds this unassuming man fitting easily inside her heart. But amid the rustic calm of Salem Falls, a quartet of teenage girls harbor dark secrets -- and they maliciously target Jack with a shattering allegation. Now, at the center of a modern-day witch hunt, Jack is forced once again to proclaim his innocence: to a town searching for answers, to a justice system where truth becomes a slippery concept written in shades of gray, and to the woman who has come to love him.

I am quite fond of Jodi Picoult novels.    I have been ever since I read one of her early ones, The Plain Truth.  So far I am enjoying this one as well.


Beauty by Susan Wilson.   A retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story from a modern perspective.  Susan Wilson brings the beloved tale of the Beauty and the Beast wonderfully and credibly to life in the modern world... Alix Miller is commissioned to paint the portrait of Leland Crompton, a writer of popular mystery stories. Leland, however, is hideously deformed by a rare genetic disorder and tells Alix the portrait will never be hung. But, as they spend long hours together, with Alix working on the portrait and Leland exposing his inner self as he'd never before been able, Leland learns to love himself as a human being and to love Alix with the true passion of one man for only one woman.  This is about the third time I have read this book.  It is one of my old favourites that I return to every once in a while.  

Doesn't everyone do that?   Reread old favourites??   I could never read just one book at a time, and I have several books that I never tire of reading.   I revisit them often.  Each visit is like returning to an old and well loved friend.

Still reading the same books as last week.

 I am hoping...
I am hoping I can get my illustrations finished before our meeting tomorrow night!   It's now crunch time!   I am such a procrastinator.   I always seem to leave things to the last minute, but then again . . . some of my best work is done under pressure.

I am hearing... 
Ordinary morning sounds.   My play list, Mitzie snoring . . . the clock ticking.  My fingers clicking on the keys. Same old . . . same old.

Around the house...


Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

Loving this.  What a cheerful welcome to have on your front door!


I love this look and am thinking it would be nice in our spare bedroom.  It's fresh and welcoming.  When I get back from Canada we are going to work at making our spare bedroom a welcome space for a student.  We are hoping next year we will be able to take a student into the home as a boarder.   We could use the extra income.


How handy is this????   I am definitely in need of some organization where this is concerned.   I am loving it!


One of my favourite things . . .  

Vintage Art from old books, especially children's books.   I never tire of looking at it.

Something new about me ...
I love sun showers.   There is something very magical about a sky that opens up when the sun is shining brightly don't you think?? 

One of my guilty pleasures ..
Toast spread with Peanut Butter and topped with a couple rashers of cooked streaky bacon.  When I was a girl my mom cooked bacon and eggs every Sunday for us for breakfast.  I never wanted the egg . . . I just wanted peanut butter on my toast and the bacon.  So good together.   Yum!!

Pet Peeves... 
   




Chinese Lanterns.  They cause a lot of harm to wild life and the environment.   What goes up, must come down.   Lots of animals are maimed or killed every year from Chinese lanterns which come down.   The metal doesn't burn and is very hazardous to animals.  Ones which haven't burnt out and have come down have also been known to start fires. 

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

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The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter. ~Paulo Coelho

WE are such impatient creatures. We want our prayers answered NOW.   Sometimes the answers don't come right away, and sometimes the answer is no.  We need to just learn to be still and let God do what His will is in our lives, and trust that it is always for our own good.  For years and years I prayed to have a husband who loved the Lord in the same way that I did.   My prayers were eventually answered but in a most unexpected way and there was much pain and a lot of change involved, but here I am . . . with a husband who loves the Lord in the same way as I do myself.   God does indeed work in mysterious ways, his promises to unfold.

 As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:
 Never drop out of the race before the course is run.  Don't admit failure or defeat to anyone.
And if a thing looks difficult . . .  Don't say it can't be done, before you've tried. 

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!  

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Cooking in The English Kitchen today, in honor of Pancake Day . . . Polenta & Bacon Pancakes!
Served up hot and with plenty of maple syrup!  Scrummo!

Have a great day!!

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