My Blog = My Life: art

The chemical aerosol fresheners you can purchase in the store may send off a pleasant odor, but they wreak havoc on our health! The highly condensed level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and artificial fragrances can cause headaches, earaches, diarrhea, vomiting - even wheezing in young children!

However, sometimes it take more than just an opened window to clear out an unpleasant odor from a room. This Herbal Mist Air Freshener is completely natural and the scent is as lovely as you choose to make it! Mist in the kitchen after frying onions and bacon, spray inside the diaper pail, and store a bottle in the bathroom.

To make your own herbal spray air freshener, all you need is a clean spritz bottle and 2 basic ingredients:

1. Distilled water
2. Essential oil (I've provided some blend suggestions below)

• Country Spice | cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, bay

• Spring Morning | lavender, rose, geranium, rosemary, sweet orange

• In the Woods | sage, thyme, cedar, patchouli, frankincense

• Lover's Lane | vanilla, sandalwood, ylang ylang, jasmine, neroli, rose

• Far East | patchouli, cedar, sandalwood, lime, coriander

• Energizing | basil, lavender, orange, nutmeg, mint

• Calm, Cool, & Collected | bergamot, geranium, clary sage, chamomile, yarrow

• Garden Glimpse | lemon, orange, basil, thyme

Linking to: Natural Living, The Prairie Homestead, Mind Body Sole

It's time again for Flea Market Finds!! Whoopee Ding Dong!! Shee Blam!! Whoohoo!!
Can you think of ANYTHING more exciting???!!
"Watching the grass grow you say?" Or perhaps "chatting up a used car salesman?"
Mais noooooo ma cheries! This post will be even better than those! *winks*... OK maybe only slightly lol!... But I'm gonna try real hard!
It's been hard times on the thriftin' trail for me. The fabulous finds have been elusive... But... I did manage a few nifty treats. Well... I'll let you be the judge... so I'll start with my absolute fave (it's kind of a close three way tie this week)
This charming little antique french miss is actually an inkwell. $86.50 at a local antique store. I love the sweet little cobalt well! It even came with a matching blue quill.

Update: My friend Richard from My Old Historic House and antiquer extraordinaire told me this inkwell is old paris porcelain and early 1820-1840! YIPPEE!! I done good!

Isn't she sweet?

Then I stumbled on this reproduction antique barometer at a local antique mall. The owner of the space was there and he told me his father had worked at La Barge in the 70's and he brought this home from there. It was $75 and if you know anything about La Barge? it was a VERY good price *winks*

I found this large antique charcoal portrait of a young 18th century man on craigslist for $20. He's a keeper! Sorry about the bad picture, the glass was very reflective. This shot doesn't do him any justice.

This huge mirrored tray was $20 and has cherubs with little birds on each end. It will be living on my coffee table *winks*

Isn't he a cutie?

Then while I was at the Goodwill I found this wacky crazy cool vintage Japanese lady lamp from the 50's. It's also a music box and plays "Some Enchanted Evening" (The Japanese lady spins) The color of the globe is bright blue until you turn the lamp on and then it changes color! There's also a small pagoda that can be seen in the crystal spire with a small deer sitting beside it. I'll be adding it to my etsy goodies.

Unique and kooky!! Lol!

The top reads "MERRY LAMP" It's in pristine condition.

Can you see the outline of the little deer under the pagoda in the spire?

I found this pretty hand painted rose bowl at the Value Village.

Aren't the soft pink roses luscious?!

This darling planter with barbola rose swags was $5.99 at the Goodwill. It originally had a black rose arrangement in it! Eeeeeewwww! Can you imagine a worse choice?!! What were they thinkin'? Anyhoo out they went... Needless to say I'm ready for Halloween with my black bouquet *winks*

And some more vintage alabaster grapes from the Goodwill for $3.99.

Another addition to my Odd Fellows collection. This antique collar was $5 on ebay.

I love the little metal tassels!

I tried my hand at a little gesso transformation via Rosemary at Villa Barnes on this frame/plateau from the Goodwill for 99 cents. It started out a bright tacky gold with some pressed dried flowers. I'm not sure it's much of an improvement lol! *winks* but I can always slap on some more gesso!

Sorry I didn't get a better shot of the before, it somehow got deleted, but you get the idea.

And finally a set of sheer white lawn curtains with the prettiest tucked detail at the top from the Value Village.

That's it for this week. I hope you'll come back next week for more flea market finds. Please leave me a comment, I'd LOVE to hear from you! And I'll do the same *winks* Vanna
I'm joining Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:

And The Charm Bracelet Diva for:

Courtney at French Country Cottage for:

Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

When you start any Blogger blog, it automatically installs a navigation bar or banner running across the top of the screen with the links: "Follow," "Share," "Report Abuse," and "Next Blog." This is called the "navbar" and is a real eye sore to most visitors. The good news is, removing the navigation bar in Blogger is easy.

"But, wait? Don't I want those links?" you may ask... Not generally. The only two links that are really useful to you are first the "Follow" link, but you took care of that in a much sexier way when you installed your classy and sexy follow buttons, right? And the "Share" link, but there are much better ways to setup sharing on your blog (which I'll discuss soon).

The "Next Blog" link takes visitors away from your blog. The "Report Abuse" button let's people report your blog to Google which could lead to Google taking action against you (and, subsequently also leaves internet trolls the easy opportunity to try and sabotage you, though this isn't generally a problem).


But more than anything, it's amateurish and ugly. It screams "I have an out-of-the-box Blogger blog!" So, my advice is to ditch it. Here's how you do it (please note that this doesn't work in the old version of blogger, but you can still do it. Check out this page for more info on that. Be sure to scroll down to the section about Classic Blogger templates).
Read & Comment >>

It's in the garden, amid the blooms and thistles, the soil and the stony ground, the dead seeds and lush vegetation where the story of sin and forgiveness, the Fall and Redemption, and life as one who has been engrafted into Christ can be told with real-life illustrations like no other. How fascinating it is that the place our children love to play is the same ground that can be used for discipling their eternal souls!

"Do you see that clematis? That's such a pretty vine! Jesus said that He was the True Vine. Everyone who loves Jesus has to bear fruit just like those purple flowers. Otherwise the Lord will cut off the dead branches like Mommy does so the rest can grow better."

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:1-2

"These flowers are called a peonies. Sometimes flowers like to grow in fields of grass where the horses are, even though they'll get cut down when the farmer makes hay. If God even cares about clothing a field of grass with pretty flowers, then we certainly don't have to worry about where we will get our clothes because He cares for us even more!"
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:30

"This pot is made out of clay. The person who made it is called a potter. The Bible says that God is the Potter and we are His clay. He made us and can do with us whatever He wants to do. That should make us very happy because God's plan for His people is perfect - much better than any sort of plan we could think of."

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8

"These pumpkin seeds are dead. They won't grow if we leave them on the driveway. But if we put them in the garden where the soil is really healthy, they will begin to grow and produce beautiful orange pumpkins! Our hearts have to be like the soil in the garden, ready to receive God's Word with joy and produce fruit. If are hearts are stony like the driveway, than we will fall away from the Lord when temptation comes."

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13: 20, 21, 23

"What kind of plant is this? That's right, a tomato plant! How did you know? Because it has tomatoes! Jesus says of His people that by their fruits we will know them. The best way to tell if someone loves the Lord is if they want to do the things that please Him."

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Matthew 7:16, 17

"When we're sick, we don't need to buy our medicine from the store. God tells us that the fruit from the plants He made are for food and the leaves are for medicine!"

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine Ezekiel 47:12

The parallels here only scratch the surface. So much more could be said about Creation, the sin that enter the world by disobedience in Paradise, and what it means to be engrafted into Christ. Next time you're out pulling weeds, pause for a second and whisper these truths in to the eternal souls of your dirt-covered, sun kissed, wee ones.

With the official start of summer, comes the official start of soaking up the sun on restaurant patios.

Here are a few of my recommendations in Regina:

Cafe Orange: At the moment, Orange is doing coffee and sweets, but they tell me that a full menu is coming soon. Hopefully by Canada Day. In just two years, this place has gone from a coffee house/kitchenware store; to an all-out coffee house; and now a restaurant. The latest transformation looks to be the best. And the deck out front on Robinson Street (by the 13th Ave. Safeway) is so new you can still smell the sweet scent of new wood. (306) 779-0779 (no website)

Sweet Bakery and Coffee House: An ever-expanding list of baked goods, combined with comfortable surrounds in a heritage building (and a very nice, if small, patio outside) are turning this new Broad Street place near College Avenue into a favourite of many. Recommend an Americano with a Lemon Tart, if you're at a loss. (306) 352-9338 (no website)

La Bodega: the treetop patio at this Cathedral Village favourite is... tops, no pun intended. Sip a few drinks or have lunch high above the Albert Street traffic. You won't even notice the cars going by. www.labodegaregina.com / (306) 546-3660

Fireside Bistro: while opinions on Fireside often vary, their patio on the corner of Smith Street and 15th Avenue is second to none. Definitely worth a drink or two and an appetizer on a hot day. (306) 761-2305 (no website)

Beer Bros.: Watch the people go by on downtown's pedestrianized portion of Scarth Street. Beer Bros newly refinished patio is small but full of sunshine. Stop by and sample an exotic beer whose name you can't even pronounce (and that's before you start drinking). www.beerbros.ca / (306) 586-2337

Atlantis: This downtown coffee spot isn't licensed for liquor, but that doesn't keep the crowds away. Open from the early morning until late, and offers free wireless. Oh, and the artwork on the walls is all by local artists. www.atlantiscoffee.com / (306) 565-2213

More to come! Please follow the blog for updates to this list, and new reviews.
Follow me on Twitter: @The_FoodDude

Hi peeps!! Just a few things to share this week because of my shopping extravaganza last week *winks*
I'll start as usual with my favorite find. It's a vintage HUGE rose covered fully lined curtain that I found at a local antique mall for $60! This one curtain is 8' tall and 15' long! I couldn't get the entire thing in a shot because it was just too big for my poor camera. It could easily be cut apart to make several individual curtains, which is what I'm hoping to do. Love the green color and all the roses!! Isn't it gorgy??*sighs*

Close up.

Then I found this Italian shadow box jewelry display case on craigslist for $15. Inside I have one new/old treasure and the other three are older finds but I haven't shared them here so I thought I'd take the opportunity now *winks*

The newest find is this cigarette case with a portrait of a woman. $12 at a local antique store. I will definitely be looking to collect more of these.

My next find is from a few years back. I paid $125 (which was actually half price) It's a micro petit point purse featuring a courting couple adorned with some stones and enamel flowers.

The back features a castle and swags with pink roses.

Lined with the palest pink ruched silk that is starting to tear and fray.

Next is this little silver mesh purse/compact that I purchased from an elderly neighbor for $15.

I would love it if these little blue stones were sapphires! *winks* But most likely pretty glass.

And finally this little beaded purse/compact was $10.

I found a new addition to my silver collection at the Goodwill. This silver glass caddy was on one isle for $1.99 and the dessert wine glasses were 50 cents each on another. So all told $4.99... Not bad I think!

And then I did discover something NEW to me... Maybe new to you also?
Let me start by saying I've been in love with antiques for most of my life and in all that time I've never known about this...
The Odd Fellows!
Who and what are they? Weeellll... here's a little vid about them

The Odd Fellows (it turns out) are the Father of all fraternal organizations. Formed in England in the 18th century. I discovered them when I was trying to find information about these antique red velvet collars that I'd found on craigslist. A set of four of them for $12. Sooo ornate and beautiful with their silver appliques, fringe and tassels. I thought originally they might have been priests vestments of some sort? But was quickly made aware that they were something else. I took a look on ebay and couldn't believe how cheaply these items were selling! Some at 99 cents plus shipping, and some of the beautiful velvet ceremonial robes were little more than $20. Also some beautiful ornate medals for a song! I couldn't help but think of all the custom bag/purse and pillow makers who could use these old pieces in their designs. Am I the last one to know about these? Let me know! I feel I've discovered textile nirvana! Lol! *winks*

Each less than the cost of a latte!

And last (and definitely least) some vintage aqua lace trim from the Value Village for $1.99 and an egg vase for my etsy.

That's it for the flea market finds this week. I hope you'll come back next week for more thrifting fun! And please leave me a comment and I'll do the same for you *winks* I'd LOVE to hear from you! Vanna

I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

And Jill at The French Cupboard for:

Cream puffs aren't nearly as intimidating as they seem. The trick to getting them nice and puffy is how you add your flour and the heat at which they bake. The cool thing about these delightful pastries as that you can make them any size, and fill them with whatever you please. Yesterday I posted about Strawberry sauce. Can Cream Puffs taste good without it? I'm really not sure. I don't think I've ever tried. They're awfully messy, but that just adds to the experience. :-)
You'll need: 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 4 eggs In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once. This is very important. Stir together until you get a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until you get a smooth, shiny mixture that looks something like above.

Drop by round tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack.
Immediately slit puffs open. Remove tops and set aside. Discard any soft dough inside. Cool completely.
Now the fun part! Fill them with whatever you please-from classic whip cream, strawberries and chocolate, to funky flavored lemon pudding, or mocha mousse. Either way, you've got the perfect shell to compliment your choice of filling!

A few years ago I joined the site Rate My Space. There I shared many of the rooms in my home and met so many wonderful people! The other day I decided to take a trip down memory lane and read some of the lovely comments that had been left over the years, only to find that all my spaces had been deleted! I had the various spaces linked on my sidebar. Alas never to be found again. *sighs*
Soooo I'll be sharing my rooms here on my blog starting with my Shabby guestroom. It's encountered quite a few changes since the RMS days. Hopefully for the better?
This could take a wee while so you might want to get yourself a nice cup of tea or coffee... or even better wine *winks* and settle in for LOTS of pictures!
I'll be moving clockwise around the room so come on and follow me and I'll show ya around! *winks*
This is the room overview...

Large white antique mirror for pretty primping...

This is the newest addition to my shabby room, a chippy old wicker bed corona (found last week at a yard sale for $10) I wanted to use this as a shelf for displaying some rose paintings. However it just wasn't strong enough so I had to make do for this photo-op *winks* Whatcha think? fine or flop?

Close up.

This french floral sconce sits at the top of the mirror. I love its delicate beauty.

My lovely Marie dress form. One of my favorite things in the room!

French armoire...

Filled with all kinds of linens and treasures...

Come a little closer and take a peeky poo...

A favorite little french lamp.

The lady in green is the newest addition to my boudoir lady lamp collection.

Isn't she sweet?!

In the corner lies a victorian tete a tete chaise that I won at an auction. Fell in LOVE! Had to have it! Despite its shabby condition *winks*

A little pause for a spot of tea...

Italian stacking tables in cream with dreamy florals...

And above is a shelf filled with my small Norah Wellings doll collection.

The little brown pixie is one of my favorites!

Who can resist a smile like this???! Their little faces make me happy each and every time I see them!

A shabby chippy garden goddess adorned with rosaries and rhinestones...

A vanity found at the local Goodwill.

This little celluloid box featuring a courting couple still has its original interior brush set on a bed of blue silk.

Above hangs a bronze cherub lamp...

Frenchy bedside table.

Bed corona.

Darling ballet pointe shoes... One pair signed... Against a background of vintage roses... I want more!!

Can you tell I LOVE roses?! *winks* Naw... to subtle for ya? LOL!

I wish I could've gotten a better shot of this 19th century Vinea hand colored aquatint, but the glass was too reflective so hopefully you'll get the gist?

It has lots of cavorting cherubs which I adore!!

A little shelf filled with some more of my boudoir ladies.

And we've come all the way around. I hope you enjoyed the tour of my shabby bedroom. It's my one room for over the top femininity! Have to consider the poor hubby in the rest of the house! *winks* So if you're a girl who loves things French foofy and poofy? You're welcome to come stay for a visit. I'd love to have you! Sorry boys I just couldn't do this to you! *winks* You might come away with tassels on your ears! LOL!

And as you leave the room this pretty french couple is waving goodbye! And wishing you a wonderful day! Please leave me a comment and I'll do the same. And come back for a visit anytime! Vanna

I'm joining over at French Country Cottage for:

And Sherry at The Charm Of Home for:

I know I said I wasn't going to write on WW4F until I got back from England, but I had a few extra minutes so I thought I'd discuss an interesting phenomenon that I've seen take place since the end of May/beginning of June. It seems that summer has changed my best time to post on Single Dad Laughing in a big way.

One way that I have gauged what time is best for posting is how many of my friends are currently available on Facebook chat. Since I started using this as one of my measurements, 8 AM MST has been just as good a time as any other, and often better than any other time.

The last few weeks though, I haven't been watching it too closely and my traffic has been dropping even though I've been posting at the same time I usually do. I was surprised when I realized this, and so I started looking at different traffic influencers to see where things might be causing the dropping. What was the first thing I noticed?
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I came up with this recipe shortly after we started eating the Trim, Healthy Mama way. It combines a few of our favorite flavors into one mouth-watering, plan-approved, protein-packed, tender piece of chicken.

Servings: 4 Baking Time: 25 minutes. Gluten-free, sugar-free, nut free, soy-free
*For anyone else who's a THMer, this staple falls under the Satisfying category.
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Truiva (or plan approved sweetener)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved length-wise
• 2 cups sliced, fresh mushrooms
• 8 bacon strips
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• fresh chives, snipped

Fry bacon. Set aside on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Discard all but 1 Tbsp of bacon fat. Saute mushrooms and cook chicken until lightly golden in bacon fat.

Arrange chicken in 8x8" baking pan. Wrap each breast with two strips of bacon to from an "X". Pour mushrooms over top and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Garnish with chives.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Linked up at: Trim Healthy Tuesdays.

The Round-up:

• Food - 3.5 out of 5
• Service - 3.5 out of 5
• Atmosphere - 3 out of 5
• Overall - 10 out of 15

It's slightly gutsy to open a restaurant on a semi-abandoned block in downtown Regina that has seen its share of restaurants come and go over the years.

But entrepreneur Astrid Baecker did exactly that two years ago when renovations at 1822 Broad Street got underway. After sitting empty for a few years, the building was looking in pretty rough shape when things got started. Within a few months Baecker and her team added plenty of shine.

What's now known as Bitten used to be home to Gingerz. Before that it was a satellite location of India House for a matter of months. And wayyy before that it was New Orleans. And that's all the history I know of the place.

The room itself, long and narrow with a balcony looking over the main floor, is an awkward shape for a restaurant. That being said, Bitten has made things work by modernizing the colour scheme and placing high-top tables with bar stools on the main floor that can be easily moved around to accommodate groups of all sizes.

The second floor balcony is cozy and closer to the bar. If drinking is your main reason for visiting Bitten, sit upstairs.

The menu has grown over the last two years. It's now several pages long and covers a surprisingly wide range of cuisines. If you want Asian, Bitten does that. If you want Italian, Bitten does that. If you want Cajun, they do that too. While the variety is nice, the menu lacks focus overall. Some of the appetizers, like the stuffed mushroom caps, seem like a throwback to the '80s.

On the other hand, appetizers come in very generous portions. Some might even find them large enough to be a meal. They definitely make for good sharing in a group.

As for the rest of the food, it's generally good. Some entrees, like a Surf and Turf I had around Valentine's Day in 2009, lacked flavour. However, the pizzas and salads are filling, tasty, and priced just right.

I've been to Bitten five or six times in the last two years and the service has always been good, no matter the server. Service isn't always lighting fast, but it's attentive. And Bitten isn't really the type of place you go for a speedy meal.

I can't finish this review without talking about dessert. Bitten's motto, after all, is "Life is Short... Have Dessert First."

The menu features a whole page of desserts to choose from, all of them made in-house. Bitten does a good job of classics like the Creme Brulee and Creme Caramel. The Mascarpone Toffee Parcels were delish when I tried them a few months back. I haven't had Bitten's version of Sticky Toffee Pudding just yet, but that's next on my list.

My advice: check Bitten out if you haven't been, or if it's been awhile. It's worth supporting a local eatery that's breathing life into our downtown core.