Happy New Year to all my blogging friends!
 

December 29, 2009

Happy Holidays everyone! I just wanted to say this
since time has gotten away with me. My husband and I have spent
the last week down in Vancouver BC. with family. The last few days
of our trip I caught a cold. Every muscle and joint aches so badly.
And my head is pounding not to mention my nose is getting red
from.... well....  I'm sure you understand.  I really am looking forward
to the New Year and starting afresh.  I hope to be more creative and
organized in the new year.

Thanks for stopping by...and...HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all....
have a wonderful festive season ...

 love,
Christina

Christmas Cookie Exchange

December 15, 2009

Fifteen years later and I'm still hosting a cookie exchange. I don't
think I'll ever retire from being host. So many wonderful cookies.
And so many wonderful friends.

Christmas Tags

December 14, 2009

Today I made some Christmas tags. There are some really lovely
tags that I could have picked up at Costco but decided to make
homemade ones instead. I really like them and have only a few
left to make. Falalalalalala

The First Day of December

I can hardly believe that December is here already!

I am all decorated inside for Christmas. And most of the outside is done.

I have some projects I would like to get done before Christmas. One
is to have my office/craft area straightened and organized and the
other is to make Christmas tags and cards. On the 10th of this month
I am hosting a Christmas Cookie Exchange. So... I am on the hunt for
a really good yummy cookie to bake. I have already tried one practice
cookie. Well, it's not really a cookie. They're called Pecan Toffee
Tassies. Recipe courtesy Paula Deen. You can find all of Paula Deen's
cookbooks here on Amazon

Don't let the true meaning of Christmas get away.... Love one another...

Happy first week of Christmas!

So much to say...
Such little time.....

November 30th 2009

I have been so out of the loop with blogging. I have had problems
with my web site hosting company. Finally after 2 weeks all is well.

With Halloween and Thanksgiving over it's hard to believe
Christmas is right around the corner! But I can hardly wait to
bring out all my Christmas decorations and start making the
house look all Christmasy cozy....

Snow!!

Yes snow.... It was a shocker, but it only lasted a couple
of days I asked my sweet DH if he would take some
pictures while the snow was coming down. Look close...
see the big flakes. This picture is taken from the back yard.
Crazy weather. It's not even Halloween yet!

Hutch Redo

Wednesday October 28th, 2009

I finally, yes finally finished my hutch. Way back in July
I found a two piece hutch at the thrift store. I told hubby I just
had to have it. So on the roof of my truck it was bound and
tied. It was going to a new home. And it's been in the garage
ever since....

I've been soooo busy working that I haven't had any time to
refinish it. Three weeks ago hubby said he would help me
work on it. Yeah! Well yesterday I finally finished it!!!!

So here's what the hutch looked like when I brought it
home from the thrift store. It was really in good shape
except for some scratches and yellow gooey stuff stuck
on it. Hubby fixed all that up though!

First, I needed to prep the hutch for painting by sanding it.
I used my B&D palm sander. Then I wiped off all the dust
with a tack cloth and the shop vac.

Now, my piece was ready for the first coat of paint, which
is primer. Primer is a special paint that is usually white. I
purchased a latex based primer, since it is easier to work
with than oil based paint.

Then I bought some paint. A litre each of brown, green
and glaze. The first coat was brown mixed with glaze. The
second coat was green mixed with glaze. I also put a bit of
gold metallic glaze in with the green.

My husband was going camera crazy!!! He must have taken 20 shots!!

So this is the first coat of brown.... Tomorrow we start with the green.

Almost done!!! Yipeeeeee

I kept the original handles. I soaked them in equal parts of salt
and vinegar for a couple of hours and then gave them a good
scrub.

I love all the detail!

Well that's it. I am so happy it's finished. It was going to go
in my craft room but it turned out alot nicer than I thought so
it's going in my dining room. We don't have dining room
furniture so it's a start. Now I'm on the hunt for a table and
chairs that I can refinish to complete the look.

Thanks for stopping by.

Apple Pie!!

Saturday October 10, 2009

I made this delish apple pie last week. Hubby and I
had this finished in about two days!! I kid you not.
I wanted to take a picture with a slice out of the pie!
But by the time I thought of it.... well you know the rest!

Here's the recipe: Apple Pie Recipe

Monday Morning This and That

Monday October 5, 2009

It was a crazy busy weekend here in the Betts household.
It all started Friday morning and ended sometime on Sunday
with fresh apple pie. While my husband was out of town I
decided to clean and organize the pantry, a few drawers and
cupboards in the kitchen and the laundry room cupboards.
Oh ya.... And I put away all my summer clothes for the winter.

I took some before and after shots. Take a look!

Now for the Laundry Room

On Sunday afternoon I made a delish Apple Pie which
I will post in the next couple of days. Happy October everyone!

Christina

Monday September 14, 2009

I wanted to share a great giveaway at Carol Anne's Boutique.
She has some wonderful goodies to give away to one lucky person!

She has put together a gathering of pretties...the 2009 issue
of Somerset "In Love", cardstock & paper, ribbon, Roses,
seam binding, lace, stickers, & collage sheets!

Tuesday August 31, 2009

Good Morning all my friends!
Vacation is over but unfortunately we have been living through
a forest fire here in our community. Although for myself the fires
are on the other side of the highway, which means we are not
on evacuee notice but over 200 residences have been evacuated.
The smoke and ash in the air is really taking a toll on many people.
So my first post back from vacation and working is to ask that
you keep our community in your prayers. I have provided a link
below to a slide show of what's been happening here.

God Bless
Christina

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/54310252.html

Monday July 6, 2009

Vacationing...

Probably around the end of August.  Have an awesome summer!

Christina

Monday June 29th, 2009

Good Morning! I hope everyone's weekend was a good one. My oldest son,
his girlfriend and a few of their friends came up from the Coast (Vancouver BC)
to spend the weekend with us. There were good times to be had by all.

Here is Courtenay and me.
They just arrived and she wanted to snap a
picture as soon as she walked in the door.

She's such a funny girl!

Can you guess what we're pointing at??

My oldest son Simon. The background was awesome we couldn't
stop snapping pictures. If you look closely you can see the moon,
top left of the pic.

We even roasted marshmallows... Mmmmmm

We found this little guy in the hot tub!

A perfect ending to a perfect weekend. Our children left around 10:30
Sunday morning. Hubby and I have the house back to ourselves. It's
quiet, we're sad, but... THE CLEAN UP STARTS NOW!!!!

I am working Monday and Tuesday and then Tuesday late afternoon more
visitors arrive. And it starts all over again.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fantastic week and I'll be back real soon.

Christina

Monday June 22, 2009

Good morning everyone. Hope you all had a great Father's Day
and a Happy first day of summer! We had a busy weekend here in
the Shuswap.

Let me start with the roses. My neighbour came by and dropped these
off for me. They smell HEAVENLY!! and so beautiful too! She grows
many varieties and I was thrilled that she shared some with me.

The picture below is the hot spot in Enderby BC. Lorenzo's Cafe
They have live music for every palette, the entertainment venue includes
jazz, blues, folk, country, rock and celtic musicians,
belly-dancing-plate-smashing Greek nights, and dinner theatre. It is
becoming the hub of local artistry and culture.

My husband and I were there Saturday night to see and hear
' The Cats and the Fiddle' perform. A five girl band. Truly
amazing. We had a fantastic time. I even bought myself one
of their new CD's called Crazy Creek.

Hungarian Beigli

I also had a chance to do some baking this weekend. My father is
Hungarian and I love to make recipes from his Hungarian cookbook.
The recipe I made is called Hungarian Beigli. The pastry is bread like
and the filling starts with ground walnuts.

Click here for the recipe and pictures

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy the rest of your week. Feel free to email
me... I would love to hear from you.
ca.betts@hotmail.com

Christina

June 17th, 2009

Yeah!! I'm happy to say I have won the Paper Craft Giveaway from
Kelli's House.

Thanks so much Kelli! I picked up my package yesterday and can
hardly wait to get started in making some cards. Kelli is taking a
break from Paper Craft Wednesday but will still share some projects
over the summer. Click on the image above to visit Kelli's blog.

I'm sooo excited..... lets see what's inside!

Note cards, envelopes, ribbon, decorative paper and some tags!

When I have a chance, I'm going to take my supplies and make
some cards with instructions and post them here on my blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Christina

Wednesday June 10th, 2009

Our Weekend at the Coast

Hubby and I drove down to Vancouver this past weekend. We
celebrated three Birthdays. My oldest son Simon turned 29,
my youngest son turned 24 and Simon's girlfriend turned 24.
We bought steaks, prawns, salad greens, snacks and had
ourselves a feast! The weather was fabulous!

Hey... thanks mom! Happy 29!!

Happy 24th Tyler!

Happy 24th Courtenay!

My Mom and Dad.

Smells sooo good!

I think this flower is called Bocopa. See the pot.... I painted it for
my momma. Cute huh!

Garden boy and cat

Kitties napping....

Last but not least "Lucky" half shitzu, bichon and poodle mix.
This little guy is so adorable.

I hope you had a great weekend, and are having a great week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Christina

Friday, May 08, 2009

Book Giveaway!!
Yes, Sharon from "The Good Woman" Blog
is having a book giveaway.

Sharon will be giving away this book, By Design...God's Distinctive Calling
for Women. From now until June 12th, leave a comment and some way for
her to contact you should you win - your email or blog link, etc. is fine.
Click on the book below for a full review that explains what this book is
all about:

March 23, 2009

Recipe For A Happy Day

A heart full of thankfulness, A thimble full of care;

A soul of simple happiness, An early morning prayer,

A smile to greet the morning, A kind word as a key

To open the door and greet the day, What ere it bring to thee,

A patient trust in providence, To sweet all the way

All these combined with cheerful will make a HAPPY DAY!

March, 16, 2009

Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil Recipe
 

You can eat these as is or use in recipes. These also make great gifts.
Make sure you do not pack them too tightly.

Makes 1 pint sun dried tomatoes

1. 20 sun-dried tomatoes
2. 3/4 cup olive oil
3. 3 small fresh rosemary sprigs
4. 2-4 cloves of garlic
5. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into pint jar.
6. Place one sprig of Rosemary on top of oil.
7. Place one clove of garlic in jar.
8. Place several tomatoes in jar.
9. Drizzle olive oil to cover.
10. Repeat several times.
11. Place another sprig of Rosemary in jar.
12. Repeat oil and tomato process until almost full.
13. Top with sprig of Rosemary, and olive oil to cover.
14. Store in cool area.
15. Let rest for a week or so.

Gather your ingredients!

Almost ready to use! Mmmm can't wait! I love using these in recipes.

Thanks for reading...

Christina

February 17, 2009

  My Companion 'Maddie'

This photo is when I first brought her home. She is 6 weeks old.

Here she is about 8 weeks old. So playful!

Playing peekaboo!

If there was a tap, she was at it, either drinking or swatting at the
stream with her paw!

And, this is Maddie now. Three years old. Very regal! She thinks she Royalty!

February 8, 2009

  Environmentally Friendly Homemade "Febreeze"

I try to keep on the "Green Cleaning Kick" in my home.
Here is what you'll need.

• Empty spray bottle (I used my empty Febreeze bottle)

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup All Natural Fabric Softener
  (No phosphates, carcinogens, perfumes, dyes or enzymes)
• 2 tbsp. baking soda
• Essential Oils of your choice

I used 2 drops of Lavender, and 3 drops of Lemongrass

Place ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well to mix.
Test a small unnoticeable area first before using to make
sure no discoloration or damage occurs. Use as needed,
shaking well each time before use.

If I get creative I may make a label for my bottle!

  January 21. 2009

Beauty tips for your lips

There are numerous helpful products that assist in making lips
look lovely and luscious! With options ranging from lip moisturizers
and plumpers to pencils, glosses, sticks, and stains, you are sure to
find something for smoother, softer lips.

1.) Find an excellent moisturizer and use consistently in order to protect,
 calm, and soothe lips, especially in the winter to avoid dry, irritated,
 cracking lips.

2.) For softer, smoother lips, after brushing your teeth, gently rub your
 tooth brush over your lips to remove any dead skin. You can also purchase
 lip treatments that will renew and exfoliate dry, flaky skin.

3.) In order to ensure lip color that does not easily wear off, define and
 fill in lips with liner; then add a similar shade of lipstick.

4.) For even more color, shine, or intensity, use lip gloss – avoiding
 glosses that feel sticky.

5.) To have longer-lasting lip color, apply lipstick and then place a small,
 thin piece of toilet paper or Kleenex over the lips; with the paper still on your
 lips, lightly brush powder over the paper and then remove the paper.

  January 13, 2009

Get ready for Valentine's Day

 e.l.f. Cosmetics has some great offers and gift ideas for that
special someone on Valentines day. Check out these deals!

Treat your special someone with a complete makeover kit. Starting now until 2/15/09 get 25% off any gift set purchase up to $50.

  January 6, 2009

Love Poem by Author: Phillip Varady Sr. (Excerpted from The Stonebearers)

Absence

  November 19, 2008

  Crockpot Applesauce Recipe

 November 2, 2008

  Makeup Review: Arbonne Cream Concealer

 Actually I think this product works quite well. I like a
 concealer that doesn't slip throughout the day. It comes
 in four shades. Fair, Light, Medium and Dark.

If you're dealing with puffiness and dark circles you
cannot improve the under eye puffiness by swiping
a light concealer under the eye area. Anything we
highlight on the face makes it stand out more. The
goal is to disguise the puffy area.

If you have dark circles as well as puffiness, first apply
your concealer with a fine-tipped brush just underneath
the puffy area. Lightly blend with your fingertip, using
a stippling motion. Next, apply your foundation to the
rest of your face. Then with a lighter shade concealer
highlight underneath the puffiness. This is the one time
that you will apply a lighter concealer after your foundation
and not completely blend it away. Be sure to use a stippling
motion to blend well.

As far as Arbonne concealers go I use 'Fair' first just underneath
the puffy area. ( 'Fair has more salmon coloring in it and covers
the blue/gray in my circles better ) Then I apply my foundation
and then apply 'Light' underneath the puffiness for highlighting.
It has a nice blend of antioxidants, A, C, and E. It is a bit costly.
Here in Canada is costs $27 for a 1.4 gr. pot.

Hope this was helpful!

October 21, 2008

Makeup Review: Clinique Moisture Surge

I love the soft gel texture. I apply this generously after
exfoliating. I don't use it as a daily moisturiser, but I like
to use this at times when my skin is feeling a bit dehydrated.
Although it is a bit pricey a jar will last me a least a couple
of months.

  March 30, 2008

Mark and I went for a drive on this beautiful Sunday. Only little
bits of snow left here and there. Came across this wee little church.
Must be at least 80 years old. I couldn't get a picture of the other
other side of the building but there are 2x12's holding the building up!

March 22, 2008

This Easter my husband and I decided to go for a drive and enjoy
the sunny but still cool Easter weekend. We drove to Sicamous
which is about 20 minutes east of Salmon Arm.

Sicamous, BC, is conveniently located on the shores of two
beautiful lakes; Mara Lake and Shuswap Lake and has earned
the title of Houseboating Capital of Canada.

February 29, 2008

Detox with Epsom Salt

You can do this at home…

You need about 45minutes for this so make sure you have
enough ”Me” time. Take about a cup of Epson salt and add it to
your bath water and soak for 15 or 20 minutes. Add 5 drops
Peppermint oil (helps regenerate your cells), Add 4 drops
Lavender and 4 drops Eucalyptus (to clear sinuses and assist
with the nervous system). You can add any other essential oils
that you wish as they truly are very helpful in all aspects.
Rosemary is good for your hair and Lemon brakes down dead skin.

A salt scrub draws toxins from the skin for up to 2 hours after
application. Make your own mix at home. Take a bowl, fill it with 1 cup
of salt, add olive oil until salt is covered and essential oil of your
choice. My favorite is lemon. I find its necessary for me to do this
3-4 times a week in the shower or tub as there is so much toxins
in the air, food, and water.

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Heart String Blogs;

Beehive Cottage
Carol Anne's Boutique
Clearly Vintage
Closet Cooking
Cupid's Charm
Cinnamom & Spice
Hazelruthes
Kelli's House
Kelly Rae Roberts
50's Housewife
Rustic Victorian
Shabby Cottage Studio
 Southern Lady Vintage
SharDon Exclusives
Sugar Pie Farmhouse
The Feathered Nest
The Good Woman
The Write Journey
The Simple Women


 

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Show and Tell Friday

Join us every Friday

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Maddie
May 2006 - May 2009
You will be missed.

...and then
some more
Maddie photos.

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