My long weekend was spent with friends hanging out on patios & in backyards, bbqing, drinking way too much sangria, getting my tan on and enjoying some down time. I did have to squeeze in a little work but it seems maybe just maybe I’m getting the hang of this whole balance thing!
Hope you had a good one!
{my name search via Gizoogle}
Obsessed with the new A Beautiful Mess App!
Because everyone needs a sunroom just like this via 79 Ideas.
Search your name on Gizoogle and get ready for some giggles.
DIY boutonnieres and corsages via Creature Comforts.
Loving these outdoor ideas via A Cup of Jo (hello oversized Scrabble).
It’s a long weekend here and I couldn’t be more excited! Time to kick up my feet and have one too many glasses of sangria! xo
This past weekend we threw a surprise party for one of my besties who turned 30! She had no clue about the party so pats on the back to all of us involved. I offered to put together the dessert table and went with a pink, orange and yellow theme. Details included yarn art of the birthday girl’s initial, washi tape frame wall from the last 30 years, lots of candy (birthday girls fave), donuts, chocolate pretzels and a chevron cake.
Big thanks to my aunt of Cupcakes Under Cover for making the amazing 2-tiered carrot cake and to my friend Andria for helping me with chocolate dipped pretzels & donuts!
(I apologize for the picture quality – I didn’t have my big fancy camera on hand)
Like I mentioned yesterday, I am a huge fan of barbecuing. I mean I typically don’t do it myself (shhhh) but I’ll prepare everything and of course eat it! Apparently almost 25% of Canadian women are responsible for the barbecuing in their household so maybe I should get behind the grill once and for all!
When these recipes by Kary Osmond for Bic FlameDisk appeared in my inbox I knew I had to share them. I love how this isn’t your typical BBQ grub. I picture making these for a group of my girlfriends over a pitcher of sangria. Oh summer how I love you!
Grilled Bread with Ricotta and Honey:
Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta
2 tsp honey
2 tsp olive oil, plus extra for grilling bread
salt
cracked black pepper
4 slices rustic Italian bread, cut in half
Instructions:
1. Whisk together ricotta, honey and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl. Place in a decorative jar and drizzle with remaining olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Brush bread with olive oil and place on grill grate over BICTM FlameDisk®; grill bread, turning once, until bread is toasted on both sides. Serve with sweetened ricotta.
Kary’s Helpful Hints:
Leave the lid open when grilling with the BICTM FlameDisk® or the flame will extinguish.
You can substitute Italian bread for a sliced baguette
Thai Beef Salad
To ensure even cooking, allow your steak to stand at room temperature for 15 – 30 minutes before grilling.
Ingredients:
1 flank steak (1 lb/454 g)
salt
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 Thai red chili pepper, seeded and minced
1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (about 1 shallot)
1 bag coleslaw mix (397 g)
Instructions:
1. Season flank steak with salt. Place onto oiled grill grate over BICTM FlameDisk®; cook until medium-rare (130°F), about 7 to 9 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer to plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger and chili in a large bowl. Add cucumber, red pepper, cilantro, mint, shallot and coleslaw and toss well.
Thinly slice steak against the grain and add to salad.
Serves four
Kary’s Helpful Hints:
Substitute sliced red onion for shallot
Substitute 1⁄4 teaspoon red chili flakes for Thai red chili pepper
Leave the lid open when grilling with the BICTM FlameDisk® or the flame will extinguish
Recipe courtesy of Celebrity Chef Kary Osmond, BICTM FlameDisk® spokesperson Spring 2013
…BBQ season! There’s nothing I love more in the summer time than hanging out on a patio with some bbq’d grub, yummy cocktails and a group of amazing friends. With the long weekend approaching it’s all I can think about.
I’m loving all the bright colours now available for outdoor furniture and accessories. I got a little spring sneak preview a couple of months ago from Home Depot and PC Home and I mentally made my wish list. And don’t even get me started on those outdoor Korhani rugs! I spotted them at the Beautiful Heat event earlier this month and was drooling.
I’ve been busy crafting away for Treehouse! Here are a few of my latest projects for them:
{watercolour coffee filter flower}
I have a confession to make. I suck at doing my hair. Ninety-five percent of my hair routine consists of using a flat iron and the other five percent is made up of sock buns and half ass loose waves. With summer just around the corner I’m vowing to learn some new hair tricks since keeping my hair looking cute in the humidity usually poses to be quite the challenge. I’m pretty sure braids are the solution which means I need to learn all of these hair dids quickly!
Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mom! She’s taught me to be strong, fearless and confident. She’s shown me how to multi-task, to love unconditionally, to be a fighter and that patience really is a virtue. Mom, I love you. xo
Business Babe: Michelle Germain
{photography by Sophimage}
Michelle Germain is the owner of Shopgirls Boutique in Toronto’s Parkdale, a boutique that carries exclusively Canadian designers. Not only does she run a successful business, but she is the mother of two little girls and is someone who really supports Canadian fashion. She’s one busy lady!
Shopgirls recently celebrated their five year anniversary which is a major accomplishment for any small business especially one in the retail industry. They also launched an online shop just over a year ago and it is growing significantly each month. What impressed me most though with Shopgirls was the campaign Michelle launched a few months ago called Shop Your Shape. It’s all about promoting beauty in every single woman out there no matter what size you are. It teaches women how to dress for their body shape rather than focusing on the numbers and sizes. They took real woman in their undies and shot one killer campaign (Michelle is representing the circle shape below). I absolutely love this concept!
Kick ass shop owner, amazing mother & wife, a great friend…serious business babe!