Delightful!

Bring on the Blue

2009-03-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

I love the colour in this room by Pheobe Howard! So fresh! It's making me want Summer to come even faster.

You may have noticed my absence for the past week, with out warning too! I've been thinking a lot about this blog and I'm not certain I should be devoting anymore time to it. You see, my life is going to change soon with me going back to my regular seasonal job in the very near future. This cuts down a lot of my blogging time. As a person who seeks to put my family and friends first, I feel the need to back out of this blog so as to devote time to the proper things. I will leave the blog public and you may find a new post occaisionally if I'm feeling inspired by something.

I have so appreciated all the wonderful comments I have received! Thank you! I will not be gone from the internet all together. (I could never do that!) You can still catch me on Twitter and at my other blog Simply Frugal in Canada. (I'm choosing to keep going at this blog at this time in my life as it's easier to maintain.)

Again, thank you so much and I will see you around!

Colourful Kitchen Cabinets!

2009-03-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Who says kitchen cabinets have to be white or in a wood tone? I say break out some colourful cabinets! Maybe it's the yearning for spring that has me so into colour, but it may also be the desire to see something unique.

Which one is your favourite? Or do you really only like the classics, white and stained wood?

atticmag

Canadian Home & Country

bhg.com

atticmag

bhg.com

Etsy Edition # 10

2009-03-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week I'd like to introduce you to Down Home Amy. She's got some super cute napkins, aprons, change purses, and lunch bags!

You can also visit her website: http://www.downhomeamy.com/

If you have an Etsy shop you would like to see featured on Tuesday's shoot me an email at: purelydelightful@gmail.com

Pretty Outdoor Living

2009-03-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well, in anticipation of the warmer months ahead, I've been hooked on beautiful outdoor spaces! The only thing is, I wish we had a space for outdoor living at our condo. One day, we'll have space although I don't think we'll go as extravagant as some of the following photos!

Southern Living

bhg.com

To see what others are hooked on visit Hooked on Houses!

Simply Lasagna

2009-03-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! It was quite similar to my Mom's recipe, maybe that's why I liked it!

Simply Lasagna

1 lb. (450 g) lean ground beef
2-1/2 cups Part Skim Mozzarella Shredded Cheese, divided
2 cups light ricotta cheese (I substituted cottage cheese)
1/2 cup 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 jar (700 mL) pasta sauce
1-1/2 cups water
12 lasagne noodles, uncooked

HEAT oven to 350°F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1-1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and egg until well blended; set aside.

DRAIN meat; return to skillet. Stir in pasta sauce. Pour water into empty sauce jar; cover and shake well. Add to skillet; stir until well blended.

SPREAD 1 cup of the meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1-1/4 cups mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased foil.

BAKE 1 hour. Remove foil; continue baking 15 min. or until heated through. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.

Tree Houses!

2009-03-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

As a child I used to dream of living in a tree house. Not simple and rustic, the ones in my dreams would be fairly elaborate, including elevators going up the trunk of the tree complete with wrap around porches. The pictures below make me very happy! Although I do enjoy any tree house now.

The TreeHouse Workshop is a Seattle-based company that takes the art of constructing tree houses very seriously. They build an average of one tree house per month and hire extremely able builders and carpenters to construct their projects. Their finished works vary in luxury but some even include fireplaces!

Designed by Lukasz Kos. Posing as a Japanese lantern on stilts, Kos’ creation floats within the fir trees on Lake Muskoka, Ontario, an elegant slatted structure that scales the trees and lets light radiate down it’s core.

Found in Alnwick Gardens is this tree house. At 6,000 square feet, it’s one of the largest wooden tree houses in the world.

designed by Takashi Kobayashi - this tree house is in Japan and was designed for a Nescafe commercial that is shown in Japan.

Etsy Edition #9

2009-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

This week's Etsy Edition is all about labokoff! A woman in France has taken prints of an original photograph then digitally mixed them with painting, to create stunningly beautiful images!

Sous la Pluie
Une Fleur Attend

Meteo Postcards

Beautiful Rooms

2009-03-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Hello! Sorry for the late post today, my computer is finally up and running again after I had to reformat it! I thought I would show you these beautiful rooms by Phoebe Howard:

Dangerous Chocolate Cake in a Mug

2009-02-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Your every dream come true. Homemade chocolate cake only 5 minutes away any time of the day! (I'm a poet and I never knew it!)

1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Small splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips, optional

Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork. Add egg, mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and vanilla, mix well. Add chocolate chips, if using. Put mug in microwave, and cook for three minutes on 1000 watts. Cake will rise over top of mug--do not be alarmed! Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired. Eat and enjoy!

Black is Nice

2009-02-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Kate Hume

source unknown

Benjamin Moore

Etsy Edition #8

2009-02-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week's feature is the You Stink Soap shop on Etsy. She features her handmade soaps, body butters and polishes, perfumes and lip gloss! She's got many tempting scents to choose from!

Words of the Day

2009-02-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Better Homes and Gardens

Sara's Art House

Run Alice Run

Vinyl Vineyard

Vinyl Vinyard

2009-02-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Why not spend time laughing this weekend? :)

I will be away next week, but don't worry, I have some great posts lined up while I'm gone!

Pretty Organization

2009-02-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

I'm hooked on pretty organization! I've got the Spring cleaning bug!

See Jane Work storage boxes

See Jane Work

Orla Kiely address book

Target

To see what others are hooked on go visit Hooked on Houses!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2009-02-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

These are so tasty and go very well over rice.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

For the meatballs

1 lb ground beef
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
oregano, to taste
1 egg, slightly beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soya sauce

1. For meatballs: Mix all ingredients (minus oil) together. Form into balls. Fry in oil until golden then place on paper towel to drain. Set aside
2. For Sauce: In medium saucepan, fry onion in oil until tender. Add all other sauce ingredients and simmer 20 minutes. Add meatballs and cook 1 hour on medium. Serve and Enjoy!
3. *You can also place browned meatballs and sauce mix into crock pot.

An Inspiring Space

2009-02-18T15:58:00.000-08:00

I'm loving the horizontal lines that are painted on the walls as well as the touches of deep pink!

All photos are from Design Inc.

Etsy Edition #7

2009-02-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

It's so hard to just choose one Etsy shop every week. There are just so many neat and creative shops! Nevertheless, I chose Nella Designs for her beautiful prints and stationary. (Look at them!) She designs everything from invitations to the wonderful prints I have featured below. (I'm really drooling over the sunshine one! It would go great in a nursery, don't you think?)

From her profile:

"I am a graphic designer from SC who has always had the dream of designing my very own line of cards and other paper items. So I am very excited to get this show up and running!"

Drool Worthy Craft Rooms

2009-02-16T04:03:00.000-08:00

How was your Valentine's weekend? Ours was great and relaxing! Hubby was playing in a soccer tournament all day on Saturday so I had the opportunity to have a special tea with my Grandma and my Mom. So fun! In the evening we watched Fireproof (finally) and I really enjoyed that.

Lately I've been wishing I had more than just buckets to hold all my crafting supplies so I've been admiring a lot of great craft rooms.

Nest Decorating

Country Home

The following photos are from Two Peas in a Bucket

May I Have Your Attention

2009-02-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

After the encouragement of my husband, I've decided to start an Etsy shop selling my purses! I've been having so much fun! It's not much right now, but I have plans to add other items to the shop in the future. So, here you have it, Purely Delightful on Etsy!

Purely Delightful!

Also, I've been busy working on another project. A new blog! But this one is directed at Canadians and features deals, freebies, coupons and money saving tips. I felt there was a need to show Canadians how fun and easy it is to save your hard earned dollars. It's not 100% done, but I'm anxious to reveal it. If you could, would you mind letting all the Canadians in your life know about my new venture? I would be forever grateful! I would also appreciate Stumbles on Stumble Upon. Here it is:

Simply Frugal

Have a happy Valentine's Day!

Celebrating Valentines Day all Year

2009-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Who wants to celebrate their love only once a year? (okay, twice with an anniversary.) Not me, and I'm not even a romantic! Here are some ideas to keep the romance alive all year.

Pray together for your relationship.
Prepare your significant other's favorite meal.
E-mail an unexpected love note.
Leave love notes around the house.
Clean yourself up: put some makeup on and get out of those sweats!
Share in each others interests and hobbies. It's amazing how a little interest can build a relationship!
Bake heart shaped cookies or cakes throughout the year.
Always be polite to each other. (a tough one sometimes!)
Go on dates as frequently as you can.
Remember to apologize.
Put the happiness of your significant other ahead of your own happiness.
Kiss lots!

What are your ideas to keep Valentines day a year round occasion?

I'm adding this to Hooked on Fridays because I'm hooked on romance right now!

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

2009-02-12T04:03:00.000-08:00

My mother in law sent this recipe to me awhile ago and we've had the chance to enjoy it several times! So easy too!

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

1 1/2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 1/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken
2/3 cups chopped onion (I omitted for personal preference)
1 1/3 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup Bisquick mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie plate or square pan. Mix broccoli, cheese, cooked chicken and onion in pie plate or pan. Beat milk, eggs, Bisquick, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour on top of chicken mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Enjoy!

I'm Loving...

2009-02-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

Selina Lake

Pineblossoms

Prairieblossoms

Boojiboo

What are you loving today?

Etsy Edition #6

2009-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

This weeks featured Etsy shop is Love Art Works! All of her clay pieces are handmade and hand painted. She's got the cutest little bird bowls. (see below)

Taken from her profile:

"My name is Kristin Love and I am an artist and designer residing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My father was in the Marines so I spent my childhood moving quite a bit, and when I flew the coop at 18, I ended up in Boston at the Massachusetts College of ART. I majored in Illustration and Photography and over the past 25 years I have traveled extensively throughout the United States and a dozen foreign countries capturing the diverse traditions of arts and images through my photos, sketches, and journals to use as inspiration in my own designs. I consider my work a celebration of the eclectic, colorful, and passionate world we all live in, and a joyful salutation to the artist in all of us."

Valentine Links

2009-02-09T04:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some links that I enjoyed over the past week. They all feature a neat valentine idea. Enjoy!

Try out this tasty looking recipe for Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies from Bakerella.

How about some free printable Valentine cards from Oliebollen?

Looking for a cute iron on pillow transfer? This will totally complete your Valentine dreams. From Creature Comforts.

I found this great homemade greeting card at Taylored Expessions. Love it!

Need a Valentine cupcake recipe? Here's one at Cupcakes and Crinoline.

Have you seen anymore great Valentine ideas? I'd love to know in the comments!

Twenty and Under - Valentines Edition

2009-02-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

The cutest poster from RollandTumblePress' Etsy shop. $20.00

$10.00 at SmileMoon's etsy shop

A colourful heart shower curtain! Target. $10.39

A fun towel for a child's bathroom! Target. $6.39

$16.95 at Hodepodgeia's Etsy shop

Some Bloggy Info

2009-02-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

First things first, the winner of the handmade purse is:

Amanda of Faith, Food and Family! Congratulations!

I will be getting in touch with you through email right away.

Next, I would like to draw your attention to a couple of things on my side bar that you may be wondering about. If you've heard of Twitter you'll know that it's the neatest thing for staying in touch with bloggers. I have a button on the side where you can follow me and see what I'm doing each day. I'm Tayabit on Twitter.

Near the bottom of the side bar you'll see a colourful Swagbucks button. It's also the coolest thing. Swagbucks is an online search engine that rewards you for searching online! Something you most likely do everyday! Why not earn points to redeem for giftcards? Swagbucks has all sorts of neat stuff in their store. It's very easy to sign up for. There are no fees, no credit cards required, and no phone number or address requested. Only takes a minute!

These things make my life so much more Delightful! :)

A Valentine Treat

2009-02-05T04:33:00.000-08:00

Today's recipe is so simple you hardly need a recipe! Kids will love this!

Jello hearts! My Mom use to make these for us when we were younger and they were always a hit.

To make these, all you need is some strawberry jello, a heart shaped cookie cutter and a 9"x13" pan. Prepare the jello according to the package then let set in the pan. After it's set, use the cookie cutter to cut the shapes. Carefully remove them with a spatula. Enjoy!

PS: In my browsing tonight I found this fabulous idea for chocolate dipped pretzels at Make & Takes. Go check it out!

Decorating with Red

2009-02-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

msummerchick

Since Valentine's Day is only a week and a half away, I thought it would be fitting to feature the color red. Especially, how we can use it in decorating.

Red is actually my favorite color so I'm loving all the photos I found! I'll have to post some of my wedding pictures one day as red was my main color! (Along with ivory and chocolate brown)

My favorite way to use the color red is in accessories around my house. Since having an entire room painted in red can be a bit overwhelming, I appreciate smaller amounts of the color for a bit of drama. The following photos show a few ways to use accessories. In my home, I love to change the accessories for the seasons, a much less expensive alternative to replacing furniture or textiles!

How about pulling out all your red colored books to place on display?

*Cinnamon

Or create an edible centerpiece using strawberries or red apples.
Chennette

Pillows, pillows, pillows!

Better Homes & Gardens

Or, if you can, how about a red accent chair?

Better Homes & Gardens

Some other ideas I use are: candles, cloth napkins or dish towels as a table runner, or red flowers.

Here's a really neat child's bedroom. Love the wallpaper!

Better Homes & Gardens

The following photos are ones that I really liked using paint and accessories.

Better Homes & Gardens

What are your ideas for decorating for Valentine's day?

Come back tomorrow to see a great Valentine's day treat for kids!

Go here to enter for a chance to win a handmade purse!

Etsy Edition #5

2009-02-03T04:23:00.000-08:00

This weeks Etsy shop I'd like to feature is Elly Nelly, a mother daughter team that creates really neat wall decals.

Taken from their profile:

We, 'elly nelly', are a mother & daughter team, Elaine
& Nell Oliver. Both experienced textile designers with an intense
interest in pattern. With our own unique creative approach to design we were inspired to set up our own studio. Our aim is to produce a creative range of designs using different mediums. Wall decals are the first of many products we hope to develop. A fusion of hand illustration & stylized modern graphics bring the 'elly nelly' series alive. From simple organic & nature inspired designs to delicate prints & pattern of all kinds, elly nelly hope you enjoy our designs as much as we love creating them!

Here are some of their designs which are each available in 17 different colours:

**Go here to enter for a chance to win one of my handmade purses!**

It's the Little Things

2009-02-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the purse giveaway!*

Welcome to my first ever It's the Little Things list! The pictures below are all my simple pleasures that I find delightful in each day. You know, the little things that make my day more pleasant! I like to reflect on those little things especially when my day isn't going how I imagined it would. We all get days like that, right?

First off, I like to start my day off with a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee. I like to switch it up depending on my mood.

(decor8)

Although, I don't use it everyday, my red Kitchenaid mixer makes me happy every time I look at it. I've wanted a red one for as long as I can remember and I finally received one as a wedding gift!

My little ivy plant brings me great joy. I love flowers in the summer (well, all year) but this plant does me good all year round. I've even managed to keep it alive!

I love candles. There's rarely a time I'm not burning one!

This here is my all time favorite fabric softener. Downy Vanilla & Lavender. There are no words to describe how good this smells. I especially love it on our sheets!

I can not go a day without spending some quality time with my dear hubby. Although some days we may only be able to see each other at dinner time.

Here's the fun part, my first giveaway! Since I've been having so much fun lately sewing purses, I've made one for one lucky commenter. Here it is:

I'll leave the giveaway open until Friday night (February 6) and announce the winner on Monday. I'm sorry but I can only make this available to Canadians or those in the US. Now go ahead and comment away! If you tweet, stumble or subscribe to my blog you'll get an extra chance to win. Just comment a second time letting me know what you did to promote this! Thanks so much!

Now here's your chance to play along with your own list of It's the Little Things. Please link up with Mr. Linky and show me all the delightful things in your everyday life!

Hooked on a Fabulous Desk

2009-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

I love this desk/bookcase combination from Crate & Barrel! It would be perfect in our condo since we're a bit starved for space. Mind you it would only work for my laptop as I'm pretty sure that hubby's computer is too big. And I'd want it for his computer since his exsisting desk is a bit of an eye sore. But since I'm also thrifty (as my friends would say) I'll settle with the current desk! Oooh, but I love the Crate & Barrel desk so much!

Of course, I'd have to get all the great storage pieces that are displayed on the shelves. I'm a bit of an organizer.

Head on over to Hooked on Houses to see what others are Hooked on!

**Come back on Monday to see what's on my "It's the Little Things" list. I love knowing what makes others happy so, while you're here, why not link up your own "It's the Little Things" list. You can use photos, words, whatever you like, just show me the little things in your life that delight you! Mr. Linky will be waiting! Oh, and my first giveaway! You won't want to miss it!**

Super Easy Samosas

2009-01-29T04:29:00.000-08:00

I made these for dinner last night and we love them! My husband claims he doesn't like curry but really likes these. He's strange...but lovable!

Easy Cresent Samosas

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked diced potatoes
1 cup cooked diced carrot
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
5 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried cilantro
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1 dash red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp water
2 (8 ounce) packages crescent rolls (I used Pilsbury)

Saute onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes until onion is soft.
Add all other ingredients except crescent rolls.
Stir gently over medium heat for several minutes until well blended.
Set aside.
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Open cans of crescent rolls and unroll the dough.
Separate into 4 rectangles and pinch the triangular perforations to seal
Cut each rectangle in half to make squares (you'll have 8 squares per can of crescents rolls)
You may have to coax the dough gently with your hands to make it square and to close up the perforations.
Spoon a heaping spoonful of filling in the center of each square and fold over to make a triangle. (I made rectangles)
Pinch the edges to seal.
Bake on a greased cookie sheets for 12-15 minutes until golden.
Cool slightly on rack.
Serve warm with honey dipping sauce (recipe below)
Makes 16 samosas

Honey Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Mix sauce well in a small bowl. Enjoy!

Paper Toy Aeroplane

2009-01-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

I found the perfect activity for kids to do in the cold winter months! A really neat hand painted paper airplane! It's even free! This bi-plane is hand painted by artist, Marilyn Scott-Waters.

If you go to The Toymaker site, you can find many more free paper toys by Marilyn. So neat!

Etsy Edition # 4

2009-01-27T04:07:00.000-08:00

You know, I want to be a Mom. And there's no hiding the fact that I love to browse all the neat tools and cute things that are out there for kids. So today's Etsy shop is Loveyduds. A shop dedicated to making adorable baby wraps, nursing covers and belts out of the scraps. Cute fabrics!

Some Flowers For You!

2009-01-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

Here are some flowers to brighten up your Monday! Enjoy!

Flickr - yoshiko314

Flickr - moonchild41

Flickr - sara+h

Flickr - alvidk

DIY Tea Bag Wrappers

2009-01-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this DIY project, so cute! Great for all your girlfriends!

Hooked on Bedding

2009-01-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

I'm bored with our bedding. I'm a simple gal when it comes to decorating but I think our bedroom needs a bit extra. I think I'm dreaming if I think my husband will go for a new set since we did get new stuff for our wedding about a year and a half ago. But, my husband has never stopped me from dreaming!

I quite like this one. Not too ornate. (See, I like simple.)

Home Outfitters

Isn't this one neat? I love the rushing! It's by Marie Claire

Home Outfitters

Boring. But I do like the red sheets! I could always do that quite easily with our exsiting duvet...hmmm.
Macy's

I think this is one my husband would like. Manly.

Home Outfitters

This one might be too boring again. Although it is calming!

Gluckstein Home

Go visit Julia at Hooked on Houses to see what everyone else is hooked on!

Delicious Cheddar Biscuits

2009-01-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Oh my...we're they ever good! I made these for dinner on Monday which I served with a creamy vegetable soup. They are supposed to be like Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits. They're so easy to make too!

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1-1 1/2 grated cheddar cheese

2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400*. Stir all these ingredients together in a mixer. (or by hand) Drop by spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Place in oven for 10 minutes.

While the biscuits are baking, melt 2 Tablespoons butter, add 2 tsp oregano and one tsp garlic salt to a little dish.

After the 10 minutes are up, remove the biscuits from the oven and brush the butter mixture overtop each biscuit.

Pop back into the oven for another 5-6 minutes.

Enjoy!

Twenty and Under

2009-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

These could come in very handy for organizing.

$9.00 at See Jane Work

Here's another bag I could add to my collection

$5.99 at Aeropostale

Sooo cute - Chrysanthemum earrings

$9.00 at dangsworld's Etsy shop

Casual chic

$14.50 at Body Central

Etsy Edition #3

2009-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

This week's feature is Fruitflypie. She makes the cutest ceramics! They are vintage inspired. She has everything from vases, cookie jars, hand towels, to spoon rests!

Gosh, I want so many things! Starting with one of the owl vases. Like the blue one at the top.

Besides Etsy, here's where you can find Wendy:

Website: http://www.fruitflypie.com/

Blog: www.fruitflypie.com/blog

Blog: http://www.makeitcute.com/

The Lamp Search is Over

2009-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

I've been on the hunt for a lamp to go beside my husband's side of the bed for a very long time. The searching finally came to an end this weekend. I actually bought two, so we match. The searching was hard for me because I'm, shall we say, thrifty. Okay I'm cheap but I want good quality stuff! Not easy to fulfill my wants.

My Mom and I were browsing this weekend at our local mall when I spotted these real crystal base lamps. I was only going to get one, when Mom convinced me to go all out. 59.99 each. Canadian dollars. I thought that was a good price to pay. I'm setting them up today. And I'm going to love them forever...

What's one item you've been finding hard to find?

I've Fallen in Love...

2009-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

...with red and yellow. Together. As accents around the house. Bursts of colour when things are still brown outside.

(click on image to see it larger)

Top row left to right: necklace from Etsy seller Dryan327, bamboo vase from Target, red mail door from CraigPJ.

Middle row left to right: lemons from Martha Stewart, bouquet of daffodils from Martha Stewart, yellow wall from mialman.

Bottom row left to right: red flowers and cupcakes source unknown, yellow pitcher from iprole, cherries from Martha Stewart

What do you think of the colour combination?

Hooked on Fridays - My First Handbag

2009-01-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

Today I overcame a fear of mine: I sewed my very first handbag! I'm not quite sure why, but I've always found them sort of intimidating. Maybe it's the fact that they have linings, or pleats, or handles? I'm not too sure! I mean, I've done quite a bit of sewing in my lifetime and some projects were way more complicated than this one! I enjoyed doing this so much I'm hooked! I have grand plans to sew many more. I'll probably even venture over to a different pattern!

Here's the one I made today. (It only took me a day!)

The fabric is a neat blue and brown cotton. (I'll be taking another photo in the proper lighting by the way, that shows the correct colours!)

ETA: A picture showing the correct colours!

Okay, that's all for me, I've gotta get started on my next one!
Now, go see what everyone else is hooked on over at Hooked On Houses.

Ginger Crinkles

2009-01-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

(photo by shannon2406)

These cookies are the best! My favourite part about them, besides the taste, is that they stay soft after baking! Go on give them a try!

Ginger Crinkles

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 molasses
1 ¾ cup flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon (or more!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)

In large bowl, whisk oil with 1 cup sugar. Whisk in egg until smooth. Whisk in molasses. In separate bowl, mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, and salt. Stir into molasses mixture to form moist dough. Shape into balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees until flat, cracked and browned all over - about 12 minutes.

***I use my kitchenaid mixer as this dough becomes quite hard to mix.

Etsy Edition #2

2009-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

For today's edition I'd love to feature one of my favorite sellers. Cozy Moments. I Love their products! They are in the business of pampering and feature a wide variety of body products. Ranging from bar soap, facial products and my favorite, the whipped body moisturizers. They have sooo many different scents to choose from. They even have a bunch of copy cat scents from Bath and Body Works, Philosophy, and Aquolina.

Check out a few of their products:

Vanilla Bean Noel (Bath and Body Works Type)

Lime Sugar lip balm (I love this stuff!)

Whipped body butter (I love the sweet smelling Pink Sugar scent)

Who is your favorite body product seller on Etsy?

Winter Calm

2009-01-12T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure about you, but as soon as the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, I can't wait to put all the decorations away. Create a clean slate. No clutter, just space. I do keep a few accessories around but they're mostly candles or white/cream objects. Cozy throws are still a must because after all, it is still winter!

For me I find the inspiration in the snow covered views. Everything blanketed in white. The following photos are the definition of the winter calm, in my eyes.

(source unknown)

(Delightful Home)

(Design Inc)

(clockwise from top: restoration hardware, Martha Stewart, Inside Avenue, Restoration Hardware, Restoration Hardware)

How do you like to decorate in the winter after the holidays are over?

All You Wanted to Know About Vinegar

2009-01-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

I love plain old white vinegar. It's delightful! :) I like to use vinegar for all sorts of things. Cleaning, since it's a natural disinfectant. Cooking, because some recipes call for it. Gardening, so it kills all those pesky aphids on my roses.

My favorite ways to use it right now are as a floor cleaner and a drain unclogger!

For the floor cleaner I fill a bucket with hot water, add some vinegar and my secret ingedient...a few drops of essential oil! You can't smell the vinegar once it's dry and the essential oils act as a bit of aromatherapy while you're cleaning!

My drain cleaner method works really well. I thought I would try to get one of our sinks to drain a bit faster by pouring a bunch of baking soda, then by adding an equal part of vinegar. This would be fun for kids! After the vinegar and baking soda calm down, pour a bunch of boiling hot water down the drain. I was so pleased with the results! This is also a great way to freshen the drain.

Since vinegar is a disinfectant and natual cleaner, I like to use it to clean the tiles in the washroom. (I don't do this very often because well, I don't like cleaning that much!)

You know that expensive Jet Dry shine stuff you throw in your dishwasher? Well vinegar works great as a cheap replacement! Trust me, that's what I do.

According to this neat website I found in my searching, you can use vinegar on your hands to take away onion smell. I wonder if it would work for garlic too? I'll have to try!

So tell me, what do you like to do with vinegar?

Hooked on Faucets

2009-01-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

I thought I would join in on Julia's Hooked on Friday post. The idea of the party is to post about something that we're hooked on. Sounds fun!

For me, I'm totally hooked on kitchen faucets. My husband and I are going to be doing a few minor upgrades in our kitchen in the near future. Top priority is to replace our rotting orange counter top. And yes, it's just as lovely as it sounds, (sense the sarcasm!) Second priority is the leaky, wobbly faucet. I've got everything decided, except the faucet. My problem is, the fact that I'm "thrifty". Decent faucets are not cheap. I went the cheap route last time and now it's leaky and wobbly. One other factor is, we own a town home, not a forever home.

Enough chit chat. Lets get on to delightful pictures of my obsession!

This one's pretty! Pretty hefty price tag too!

This one is neat too, but a bit too modern for my taste.
I quite like this but I'm not a fan of two levers

I absolutely love this restaurant style! Too pricey though.

So far, I think I'm leaning towards something like this. Single lever, plain, pull out sprayer and chrome. Boring, but will appeal to more buyers when it comes time to sell our condo.

So tell me, what do you think?

Winter is Beautiful

2009-01-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

(Photo by zurirolf)
(photo from stock.xchng)

(photo from stock.xchng)

(photo from stock.xchng)

World's Best Cheesecake

2009-01-07T10:52:00.001-08:00

(originally uploaded by Sabotrax)

I foundthis recipe typing in 'World's best cheesecake' in Google, and I must admit, it is fabulous! Apparently, it's a version of the original Lindy's cheesecake which goes all the way back to 1921!

World's Best Cheesecake:

Cake:
6 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
2 lbs. (four 8 ounce packages) cream cheese, preferably Kraft's Philadelphia brand
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 pint heavy cream
juice of one lemon
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 heaping Tablespoons flour

Crust:
1 1/2 C crushed vanilla wafers (you can also use crushed graham crackers, or digestive biscuits) 6 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 C sugar

Preheat oven to to 425°.

Add eggs, sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour to mixer. Beat thoroughly, until completely smooth.

While cake mixture is beating, make the crust.

Mix crust ingredients together in small mixing bowl. Pour into 9" spring form pan, pressing into place with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

When crust is cool, and cake is thoroughly mixed, pour batter into the pan over the back of a big spoon, so the batter does not disturb the crust. Let it rest for 5 or 10 minutes.

Bake in 425° oven for 15 minutes. Then turn oven down to 275° and bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven. Do not open the oven door for 2 hours! After the 2 hours are up, remove cake and refrigerate.

My tips:

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
A big mixer is very useful since it's pretty thick
Firstly, I beat the cream cheese then I beat after adding each additional ingredient
Do not open the oven at all during the cooking and cooling process

Fresh

2009-01-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

( Trevor Dixon)

(Trevor Dixon )

(Source unknown)

(Source Unknown)

(Source unknown)

The Etsy Edition

2009-01-06T05:54:00.000-08:00

I thought I would like to feature a different Etsy shop each Tuesday and call it the Etsy Edition. Who doesn't love Etsy? I think it's fabulous and a great way for crafters to sell their wares!

Moving onwards, this week I'd like to feature Sarah & Abraham, a site full of her personalized invites, calling cards and prints.

Super cute, huh? Go check it out for yourself!

Remember The Milk

2009-01-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad I discovered this site. Since I previously told you that I like to be organized, Remember The Milk has been great! It's delightful in fact! I've been using it for about a week now and I can't get enough of it!

Remember the Milk is a tool that lets you input all your to-do tasks then reminds you when they're due. Today I had it remind me to request some books from my local library branch. Some things I like to do once a week, like vacuuming, so I have that set up to tell me every Thursday that the vacuuming needs to be done. Also, I have it set to remind me to flip our matress every three months because that is something I never remember!

The great thing about this site is you can totally personalize it to your liking. You may chose to put in your work or school tasks. Whatever works for you at this time of your life! It's even free! I love free!

Pinks and Aquas

2009-01-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

I just love the colours in this quilt I found on Marie Madeline Studio! I'm really into reds (hot pinks) and aquas together. Our local fabric store has a good sale on now so I might stop in to see if I can find similar colours for a great Spring time quilt!

Welcome to Delightful!

2009-01-02T16:23:00.000-08:00

I love pretty things. I love neat, ingenious things. This blog is a place where I will feature all things that delight me and perhaps, you! One day you might find a recipe that I liked or a photo that inspires me or even a tip that I can't do without! Whatever is delightful! Why not focus on delighting ourselves and treat each day as a gift!

Give me a shout if you find something that is Delightful in your eyes and I will feature it!

Beginning of 2009

2009-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the beginning of 2009! Already! Since this is the time of year that I tend to want to have all things organized, I thought I would start out by featuring a delightful day planner. I must admit, the cover isn't too inspiring but the inside pages is where it's at!

This planner is perfect for me. I do a weekly menu plan so having the column on the side where I can write my menu and grocery list is fantastic! I'm also a die hard list maker, making the to-do section wonderful. There are even inspiring quotes for every two page section. Here's one I like:

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echos are truly endless."

-Mother Teresa

If you would like more information or would like to order this planner visit Amy Knapp's Family Organizer!