As a household, we get excited for Christmas, we grab hold of events and traditions, we bake, we sing, we watch our favourite movies.

This year I’ve been trying extra hard to keep things simple and our schedule more open than past years.

I also want to try a few “retro” activities like simply driving around in pajamas to look at lights. Maybe build a classic gingerbread house. Some sledding. That kind of stuff.

I’m trying to avoid the bustle a bit.

{Read More}

As we try to move against the current of Christmas consumerism, we really try to focus on sharing with the underprivileged and keeping our eyes open for ways to help where we can.

Our daily Advent time is simple. A story and some calendars…

We use the Jesus Storybook Bible as our daily family advent reading. The first 24 stories of the book lead up to Christmas perfectly. The imagery, the language and the message of this book makes for one of the best children’s Bibles I’ve ever seen.

At the end of Son of Laughter (the story of Abraham and Sarah) it says;

“And one day, God would send another baby, a baby promised to a girl who didn’t even have a husband. But this baby would bring laughter to the whole world. This baby would be everyone’s dream come true.”

 

At the end of The Teeny, Weenie…True King (the story of King David’s anointing) it says;

“God chose David to be king because God was getting his people ready for an even greater King who was coming. Once again, God would say, ‘Go to Bethlehem. You’ll find the new King there.’ And there, one starry night in Bethlehem, in the town of David, three Wise Men would find him.”

(The website for the book has a lot of resources, including a printable Advent reading guide.)

After we read our story for the day, one kiddo gets to hang an ornament on my family’s heirloom Advent calendar Christmas tree (hand crafted by my parents in the early 90s…you know, that time in history when style was epic).

The other kiddo gets to do our second Advent calendar (no, not a chocolate one…tried that, not a great idea with little kids and early mornings…or sisters who eat them in one sitting). This one is called a “Reverse Advent Calendar” and it’s made of 2 old wine boxes (with a total of 24 individual spaces) that I wrapped in Christmas paper and each morning, after our story, we add a foodbank donation to one of the slot with the goal of donating 24 nonperishable food items on Christmas Eve.

I really want my children to gain an understanding that Advent is a season of generosity and love. And I want to teach them practical, age-appropriate ways to grow the habit of giving and taking care of others.

A few of the generosity-practices we attempt to partake in during the Advent season are:

• Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes (Sarah has done posts on this in the past). For the past 3 years, I’ve shopped with my children to pick out items that would go in a shoe box for a “child like them.” For my son, we shopped with an eye for things that a 6 year old boy, much like himself, would enjoy. Same for my 4 year old daughter. It helps us all connect a bit more with the child who will eventually receive the box and it definitely helps us pick out age-appropriate items.

• Make it Merry is an organization here in Calgary that delivers Christmas cards to the city’s homeless population. To participate you simply write a kind message in a Christmas card, sign it and send it to their postal box:
  MakeItMerry
  P.O. Box 96107 West Springs
  Calgary, AB
  T3H 0L3

• We keep our eyes open for opportunities to give and share and invite and include. Our YMCA has a tree with tags of need items for a family, we will claim one of those. I also like to have my kids donate an unwrapped toy (again, one that they would enjoy) for a child like them, to toy mountain or a similar organization.

I’d love to hear what everyone else does to participate in Advent and what some of your most meaningful traditions are.

I hope you are enjoying the season thus far!

Happy Canada Day!

150 years, still makes for a young country. And certainly we haven’t done everything right in the past, but I AM proud to be a Canadian and call this nation my birthplace & home. All my days.

So cheers to you, fellow Canadian makers, growers, movers, shakers, dreamers!

Ever heard of urban farming? What about the local food movement? There’s been a lot going on to increase awareness about eating local and supporting local producers & makers. Hubby and I are proud to a part of YYC Growers and Distributors through our small farm business, Happiness By The Acre. YYC Growers is a farmer/producer owned cooperative here in Calgary, with the vision for sustainable food that is delicious, healthy, fresh and supports community issues like environmental footprints, food security & food democracy.

{Read More}

It has been a pleasure to watch the local food movement grow over the last several years. It is in the spirit of celebration that the co-op is undertaking a project called 150 Faces of YYC Growers, to help commemorate Canada’s 150th Birthday & showcase the folks involved in today’s local food!

Even our little {big} Sam is getting to be involved in this project! He was featured as one of the 150 Faces recently. Each day, for 150 days, the project is showcasing someone involved in the food community. That might be a farmer/producer, volunteer, customer, or restaurant. It’s a great way to get to know your local farmers, see how the work gets done, learn more about what’s happening with local food in Calgary, and see how you can play a part too! Or maybe you already do…

Follow the project on Facebook or Instagram to see all 150 Faces! And if you’re already involved with YYC Growers, make sure to submit your photos & story to: [email protected]

Eat local. Support local. Love local.

THREE SLEEPS!!! That’s it until my last market of the year! And what a show to end 2016 on, the inaugural Curated. Holiday Market!! Formerly Vixens of Vintage, this market has undergone a huge facelift and brand update to meet the growing handmade scene. Still run by the same wonderful organizer and still full of amazing local vendors!

Curated is being held at the Red and White Club by the Stadium. There is a Market Eve shopping night on Friday Nov 18th from 5-9pm. Purchase your tickets NOW for that event, as only a limited number of tickets are being sold for it to ensure a relaxed shopping experience. Beat the crowds, grab a cocktail and start your Christmas shopping!

The market opens to the public on Saturday Nov 19th from 10am-4pm, with $4 admission at the door.

And again, this is my last market of the year, and last one for a while probably, so stop by and say “hi”.

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It’s on again!! Yep, the Etsy Made In Canada markets have been so well received across the country for the past two years, that they’re at it again! AND less than THREE weeks away! I’m so honored to be one of the chosen vendors in Calgary and thrilled to be apart of the community! {read more}

After taking much of the summer off from “serious” making, I’m back at it and stitching up a storm for the Etsy market. I’m hoping to have a pile of Mermaid Dreamcatchers, both large & small, in stock at the show, so if you’ve been waiting to score one, now is your chance! I’ll also have a handful of unicorn & Dino Dreamcatchers, along with a rainbow of Love Catchers. Fingers crossed I even find a teeny bit of time to make up a few surprises that I’ve been daydreaming about.

Besides the “making” that needs to happen over the next few weeks, I also need to sort out my display, make tags, and tackle all the hundred little things that go with being a vendor at a market. Thankfully, the pure excitement of this show far outweighs any stress over it. No matter what, it will be a most excellent time!!

So here are the deets:

Etsy Calgary: Made in Canada
The Genesis Centre – Festival Gymnasium {#10 7555 Falconridge Blvd. NE}
Friday, Sept. 23rd 6-9pm
SNEAK PEEK EVENT, $8 tics
{go buy your tickets now for this & thank me later}

Saturday, Sept. 24th 9am-5pm
General Public Market, $5 admission

**Pop over to Instagram and follow the @etsycalgary feed. Lots of chances to win tickets to the sneak peek night. I even have two tickets to give away later this month.**

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An update on the progress of our garden is long over due, I think. Earlier in the spring, I shared our garden plans with you. Now it’s time to take a peek at how things are growing.

Below is what our backyard veggie garden looked like after the first day of planting seeds, on May 4th.

Early spring offerings from our garden include chives, lilacs (which we don’t eat), and dandelions (which we do eat). These simple things are always so refreshing to see pop up and bloom, after months of winter. {May 10th}

Chive blossoms are another of my fave spring offerings. Often times, I just snip some off and stick them in a jar to bring some colour into the kitchen. This year, I also cooked them up in butter and added them to a chicken dish for supper. They go sweet & yummy! {May 25th}

Five to six weeks later, this is what things are looking like. Green things popping up all over! At this point, we are facing a drought in Alberta. The garden is coming along OK, with the help of the sprinkler every few days {the story on our farm near Carstairs is another matter… worst drought in 50 years & our pond almost dried up}. Thankful for the miracle of city water! {June 17th}

The salad greens are looking tasty and ready to eat in another week. If you ever thought growing salad sounded like a tricky thing, then you are missing out on one of the best gifts from an urban garden! {June 17th}

The rains finally start to fall on our very dry province and the garden seems to sing! {June 30th}

The rain makes the salad greens look truly joyful! Ready to cut and eat. You can read more about some of the homemade salad dressings I’ve been experimenting with this year {using essential oils for extra flavour} over here.

The first of the pea blossoms start to show up. Very early this year! These are not from seeds I planted, but from seeds that just fell from plants last year. So now we have a very productive, surprise patch of peas in the middle of the carrot rows. It’s shaping up to be the best year for peas! {June 30th}

Our herb garden {planted in containers on our front deck} is coming along and I’m starting to harvest herbs by the bowlful to dry. These help keep our spice drawer stocked with lovely things for the winter. Roman chamomile, sage, green onions, more chives, and parsley. {July 2nd}

The garden has officially reached the jungle stage, common in our yard in the summer, thanks to all the rain. Looks crazy and messy, but in there, is so much food! {July 15th}

 
The first batch of snow peas are harvested! It must be the earliest we’ve ever had peas. So thankful for plants, that well, plant themselves! {July 17th}

I’ll try to remember and post another progress report on the garden in a couple of weeks. So much goodness being harvested {and devoured} right now. If you want to keep more up-to-date, follow along the adventures on Instagram @happiness_by_the_acre or @bubblegumsassy .

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There’s plenty of things to be proud about the city of Calgary. No matter, how cheesy, loud or crazy it gets, the Calgary Stampede is one of those things! As a born & raised Calgarian, I still get excited every summer for the Stampede. I anxiously look for the booklet in the mail, mark out a day when we can go down {and hopefully catch the World Stock Dog Championship}, and daydream of mini donuts until the fateful day arrives. Are you this nuts about Stampede, or is it just me? It can’t be just me, not when attendance can crack 1.2 million people each year!! Anywho, I thought I’d just share some highlights from our adventure this year.

Our Stampede experience actually starts before we even set foot down on the grounds. Each year, we head to the Bowness Stampede Parade {with pancake breakfast beforehand}. It’s a childhood tradition, given that I grew up in Bowness & my dad still lives there. The parade ends right by his house, so it was never unusual to see horses, floats & marching bands out the front window on parade day. If you’re looking for a fun little parade for young kids, this is THE one! The official Calgary Stampede parade is amazing, and worth seeing {at least once}, but it’s quite a crazy, long event to tackle with young kids. The Bowness Parade gives you a taste of local fun, music, they toss candy to the kids, and it’s just long enough.

We’re not big on the midway {I get motion sick easily, and Sam is still kinda young for it}, so we spend most of our time down at Stampede watching the actual agriculture competitions. Our fave is the World Stock Dog Championship. Such a treat to watch! The interaction between shepherd, dog & sheep is fascinating. This year, Sam also asked if we could watch the Heavy Horse Show. It was my first time taking it in and it won’t be the last! Watching those giant horse breeds decked out in their finery, clomp around to live orchestral music, gave me goosebumps. Stampede offers lots of different things to different people. For some, it’s all about the concerts & music. For others, it’s all about the rides & midway games. Even as a kid, I loved wandering through the barns & seeing all the different livestock and now I really enjoy watching the AG competitions. Glad Sam & Marcus do too!

Of course, a BIG part of the Stampede experience is the FOOD!! Deep-fried everything, sweet, salty, saucy, delicious! None of it healthy. Pace yourself a bit, so you avoid the inevitable tummy ache until you head home. Better yet, grab a few treats to eat later or the next day {candy apples, fudge, nuts etc.}. Take it from me, mini donuts do not taste good the next day, so don’t bother. Eat three bags while they’re fresh & warm. Seriously. Wash them down with fresh lemonade! The $2 Milk & Cookies is the perfect deal for the kiddos {missed it this year, but it’s usually one of our stops}.

If you’re a tourist visiting the Stampede for the very first time, or a long time Calgarian, DO take in some of the details of the grounds. There’s beautiful public artworks & sculptures & murals. There’s little green space gems hidden throughout if you need a break. Absorb the colourful rainbows of flags, tipis, and costumes. People watching is AMAZING at Stampede!! DO find a spot with a cool drink or ice cream and just watch the crowds go by. Clean bathrooms without lines are also hidden about {try the new ones upstairs in the Agrium Western Events Centre or the ones in the Western Oasis tucked in the back of BMO Centre}.

Dressing Stampede head to toe is not required. Be yourself. Calgarians do not wear cowboy hats & boots year round. We just drag them out like a uniform during the 10 days of summer Stampeding. Plaid and denim will go a long way in your Stampede wardrobe. Also, be prepared for the late afternoon thunder & hail storms, typical of this time of year {in other words, avoid white shirts}.

Yahoo, ya’ll!!!

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Yes, we did indeed welcome a new fur baby into the family. Last weekend we adopted little GoGo from the Meow Foundation. She’s a an 11 week old tabby, who’s full of energy and some sass.

We weren’t sure about the name, but it seems to be sticking around. I call her Baby GG, so I don’t get it confused with our other cat Chloe {who I call ChloChlo}. GG is really Sammy’s kitten anyway. He is over the moon with her! She was his pick of the litter, and he ultimately gets to decide on the name.

GoGo has mostly been living in Sam’s room, with several hours a day out in the rest of the house, while our senior cat gets locked up. We’ve been keeping them separated and attempting a slow transition for their sake. Chloe, our 11 year old senior cat, only really likes one person in the world {me}, and as such, is considered to be a big grump. I’m just hoping that the two cats can learn to tolerate or ignore each other, unless the miracle happens, and they become best buds. They’ve come nose to nose across a baby gate, without too much aggression. In fact, it was little GG who hissed & growled, not my Chloe. As I write, we are in the process of fully introducing them to each other, letting them both freely roam the house for the first time. No cat fight so far. Fingers {and furry toes} crossed that no major fights break out.

GoGo’s favourite toys have been a green ribbon, Sam’s stuffed Ibex {which is perfect for her to attack in the middle of the night in bed, instead of Sam’s toes}, and a feather toy we bought for Chloe. Just goes to show that you really don’t have to spend a lot of money on kitty toys. You’re better off putting the money towards good quality food.

Sam has been really amazing with her so far. She sleeps on his bed {something she started the very fist afternoon we brought her home}. She lets him pick her up, hold her, and get right in her face. He’s gentle and caring. She’s slowly getting used to the volume and craziness of our house with an energetic 4 year old around. There’s plenty of kitten mischief, but GoGo is definitely settling into life with us. So glad we finally dove into life with two cats {something we have been considering for quite a while}!

THIS weekend!!! You can find me at my first market of the year!! Thrilled to be participating in the Vixens of Vintage Spring Fling market in Calgary Friday night and Saturday.

The Market Eve shopping event on Friday night is SOLD OUT! Yay, Calgary, for supporting local handmade goods! Saturday, the market will open to the general public, 10am-4pm. And I am also super stoked that the event is being held practically in my old backyard! I grew up in Bowness and my parent’s house is a stone’s throw from the community hall. There’s two appropriate sayings I’ll share: “Once a Bownesian, always a Bownesian” and “You can take the girl out of Bowness, but you can’t take the Bowness out of the girl”.

If you come down to the market this weekend, there are a number of prize packs you can enter to win! Prizes are being donated by the awesome vendors. Also, look for the fabulous gals from Pinups for a Cause, who will be volunteering at the event. A portion of all admission proceeds go to the Pinups, who then  donate to a cause of their choice. This year, they are donating to Dreams Come Alive Childrens Charity. Just another great reason to come down and support local, handmade businesses this weekend!

Hope to see you there! I’m bringing along a great selection of lace Love Catcher colours & new designs, and some awesome kids Dreamcatchers (including unicorns, mermaids, trucks/cars, terrariums, and Dinos)! Plus, my wonderful dad took time to help me build some new display pieces (or rather, I assisted him). They’re painted and looking great! Pop by my booth (yes, booth) and say hi!

Spring is in full swing, and that means it’s time to turn a bit of attention to the garden. Beyond the basic spring yard cleanup, we also undertake the planning & preparation of our veggie garden. Today I’m sharing a bit about how we plan out our garden, which produces an abundance of fresh veggies for us during the summer months & some stored food for the winter.

I really can’t take much of the credit for the “planning” portion of our garden. My husband, Marcus, is the brains behind it all. A couple years after we moved into our house, he started ripping out the lawn in our backyard & putting in raised beds to practice “square foot gardening”. Each year, more beds were added in the backyard, and along the side yard, while containers & pots started filling both the front & back decks. His urban farming business, Happiness By The Acre, was born from his desire to rip out other people’s lawns to grow even more veggies & provide local, happy, healthy food to his customers.

So, much of our home garden preparation gets lumped into the business. When he starts seeds for work, our household seeds get started too. Not everyone has a “seed room” in their basement with racks & grow lights. I’m pretty lucky that way. Each year, Marcus whips up a garden plan diagram for me to follow for the different areas of the garden:

The Backyard Garden

We grow the majority of our veggies in these three beds. A lot of it gets eaten fresh during the summer months, while some of it gets stored-up for the winter by pickling, freezing or dehydrating {like carrots & beets, some beans, peas, squash & broccoli}. We have moveable trellis (wood frames with chicken wire mesh) for climbing crops, like peas & pole beans. We also practice succession planting, which means some areas get planted twice during the growing season {R1/R2 on the diagram refer to this. The first crop to be planted will be R:1 and once that is harvested off, the second crop will be planted R:2}.

The big empty white space was a special request this year. Although it means less veggies coming out of the garden, we’re leaving one raised bed space unplanted, so that Sam has place to play in the dirt for the WHOLE summer. Each year, I watch him get so excited to dig & play out there during the very short window after the snow melts and before the seeds go in. This year, he will have his own space to play around in, something that has been missing in all our “plans”.

The Side Garden

Our side garden consists of three raised, narrow beds that actually run end to end {not side by side as pictured above}. Here we put in some smaller crops of spinach & garlic, and herbs like dill {which we eat fresh & harvest the dill seeds for pickling in the fall}. The chives & garlic chives are tasty additions and I have grown to really enjoy their flowers, which I snip off & bring inside. Such pretty, simple blossoms! One bed is dedicated to our tomato jungle, where we will plant some of our tomato seedlings. The rest go into pots on both the front & back deck.

Gardening Elsewhere

We have a variety of other spots we put in edible plants. As mentioned before, we put pots & containers on the front & back decks for tomatoes, and more herbs {thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano}. There are patches of mint in the front & side flower beds. Every year, we think the mint has died and every year, it makes a good comeback. We also have surprise nasturtiums that pop up in random veggie beds & flower pots. We planted some one year, they went to seed, and the seeds ended up in the compost bins, where they were redistributed throughout the garden. It makes for a very pretty surprise, when they start to bloom. Marcus loves their taste, but I’m not a huge fan. And of course, I can’t forget about one of our very early crops we enjoy… dandelions! Our yard is full of them, and the dandelion greens get tossed into many salads at our house. When I can spare the time, we make dandelion cookies & syrup {using the flower petals}. Yep, we became those hippy folks without really meaning to!

Happy spring prep & planning to you! Before you know it, seeds will be going into the ground & beautiful, tasty green things will start popping up!