Lately on the internet I have been randomly found here and here and here

Doing Blogilates with this cool chick


Visit her blog and Blogilates along with Cassey.


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And quite honestly, I spend a lot of time here (but who hasn't?):


Pinterest!



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A great blog to read (and lots of decorating eye candy) from Croatia (and heck I'm married to one - a Croatian. that is):


COPY PASTE




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I've been exposing my Viking side to my Croatian husband and he's become more and more intimidated thanks to the History Channel's Vikings.

Meet Ragnar Lothbrok



via  Vikings


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Speaking of Vikings, I love me a little Iceland and while I dream of my journey there soon (very soon!), here's where I drool



Wouldn't a marathon in Reykjavik be fun? Get ég fengið bolla af kaffi? 



signed, the willow

She needs MILK!!!!!

she also needs a lot of bran.

(Don't you love solving the mystery dinners of your neighbourhood?)

signed, the willow

Was there a ochre Ford Escape convention?

Suddenly she realized they were everywhere!  The ochre Ford Escapes had surrounded her.  This was it.  The end of the world as she knew it.  And it would all go down on Fairview by the Burlington Mall?  Huh?

signed, the willow

Willow Winds @ the RBG

On Good Friday, we went for a spin....to blow the stink off.  We landed our eager legs at the RBG in hope of feeding birdies.  However, the birds were being generously fed and we couldn't find a parking spot.  So we drove down to the Arboretum.  First, we had had to watch the monkey climb a tree.

Then the monkey fell into the shadows of the Willow Winds sculpture.  Amazing how someone decided to salvage these beauties and create anchored artwork out of them.  And what a great way to explore your shadow amongst these curvaceous pretties.

signed, the willow

Shrink-ly dink-ly

Remember making these?  We heated up the pan over and over during a sleepover one night and discovered something magical.  When the pan was hot, it caused the shrinky dinks to curl up.  *Mila* chose to make this one and coloured her edges with a nice blue Sharpie marker.  It looks like a melted, warped piece of glass.  I adore it.

What do you need?

Shrinky dink plastic (we picked up some at the dollar store) - be sure that it's shiny

Oven heated to 350F

Sharpie markers

A cool pan lined with tin foil  (or hot - for the warped effect)

Bake your plastic goodies for a few short minutes.  Watch carefully as they curl, shrink and don't let them burn.  P-U!

signed, the willow

Post Easter Egg post

*Mila* made some eggs.  I blew some eggs.  Boy, do I ever feel the pain of the Ukrainians.  

She loved NY. 

I  love our largest Canadian version:  T dot (while *Steve* says I should call it HogTown).

signed, the willow

I can't decide who I like better....

michael carson (via this gallery)



samantha french (via her etsy store)





beverley hawksley (via her website)




kelly grace (via her website here)


I'm reviewing each artist and trying to decide what it is that I identify with.  I thought at first it was the vintage quality.  There is evidence of that with Michael Carson, Beverley Hawksley, and Kelly Grace.  But I'm not too sure about Samantha French.  Then, I thought there was a watery aqua coloured themed.  But no.  Michael Carson doesn't push that colour, nor does Ms. Hawksley.  So, what is it?  Hawksley and Grace are Canadian through and through.  Having seen Ms. Hawksley many times as she would quietly wander through my former store in Muskoka, I like to think I entered her artistic genius.  I can't pick a favourite, so I pick all 4!

signed, the willow

Target (with a soft G)

Target has come to Canada.  And yes it's true, where there was once a Zellers store, there is now a Target store.

So, we happily went to check it out.  The parking lot was full.  But there were no fist fights over parking spots.  We walked in not knowing what to expect.  Then, we began to realize that where things once sat on Zellers shelves, they now sat on Target shelves...in the same spot.  The shelves were new, but looked the same.  The white walls now red.  The employees that wore red polo shirts, now wore red polo shirts.  Scrreeeeech!  Yup.  We found that Canadian Target was a lot like Zellers.  I'm not sure what we were all expecting in Canada.  It makes you wonder about hype.  Shoppers are complaining that the prices are higher.  To be honest, I thought the pricing was reasonable.  But, what do I know?  I don't make it across the border ever.

So, to sum it up:  *Mila* found a purse.  I found packing tape.  I'm happy to have the spot filled where we had Zellers.  I miss Zellers and Walmart makes my head explode, so I've lived out my Zellers shopping at the local grocery stores in the interim.  Thank goodness for Joe Fresh!

signed, the willow

While we wait for Spring....something cute for you to see

Photos courtesy of my sweetie neighbour, Maren.  She's a talent and inspiration.  What's with all the artsy neighbours of today and yesterday?  Neighbours with paintbrushes. Neighbours with cameras (and many songs written on her albums!).  Neighbours with oil paints.  Neighbours with watercolour ink.  Yes, you Jules!  I miss you.

I have to say that I see my face emerging in the photo above.  Maybe she does look a little like me?

signed, the willow

Social media and children

I'm encouraging my *mila* to learn how to use Instagram, Twitter, and the likes.  I'm also encouraging her to use these tools responsibly.  However, I'm noticing something (and this is new to all parents out there, as we have never grown up with these mobile tools):  bullying.  Kids get on these devices, toys, mobile phones, etc. and find ways to ostracize each other.  They ignore texts and they're berated.  They put their iPads down to, I don't know, use the bathroom; and the bullying begins.  The constant tethering and umbilical-like ties we teach them by example is causing their own demise.

*Mila* is nine and she wants to use her new iPad to text, facetime, take pics and post them to instagram. But the second someone gets the least bit upset with her, she's deleted from their following.  "Following"?  Yep, what they hell are we doing?

When I was her age, kids rarely phoned each other after school.  So, we came home put our troubles away and didn't lose sleep.  We had our stomach aches in the morning and there was no constant dingling of texts, facetime requests, or instagram deletions.  It's time to teach our children etiquette with the technology we created with such immediacy and need for the quick, small, and entertaining.  These tools are meant to make life safer, easier, and delightful.  They aren't meant to cause gut ache, worry, and drama.

If you have children on these tiny little tapping tools, teach them manners.  Set boundaries.  Set limits.  Our new rules today:  no texting after 7 pm.  No facetime while you eat your dinner.  No followers on instagram without your parents permission.  Oh, and another thing:  we watch everything you do!

signed, the willow