Friday, July 27, 2007
13 Streets Where I've Lived
2. Tanguay (Sainte-Rosalie)
3. Ducène (Aylmer)
4. Joliette (Montréal)
5. Mondor (Saint-Hyacinthe)
6. Sainte-Catherine (Montréal)
7. Saint-Urbain (Montréal)
8. Barclay (Montréal)
9. Bourdages (Saint-Hyacinthe)
10. Demers (Saint-Hyacinthe)
11. Principale (Saint-Dominique)
12. Robert (Saint-Hyacinthe)
13. Dieppe! (Saint-Hyacinthe)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
My Mess
When I go by this mess, I don't get sick because of it. Before, I couldn't let myself leave my stuff all over the place. Miss "everything-must-be-put-away" kind of person. Now I can tell myself that this mess is justified, that it is my work station, a place to create, a nook for little pleasures. So I live within this mess (non permanent though) and I don't feel guilty, I don't feel I'm a bad mother giving the wrong example to her teenage daughters, I don't have the impression that I'm lazy for not cleaning up. I'm learning to appreciate mess, to analyze it and to even find it beautiful. Hummm, is it really me talking? :-)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Summer Vacations
And this morning, an envelope that clearly wasn't a bill nor junk... A few weeks ago I sent Cathy a CD with "musique québécoise" and she answered back with a lovely thank you card and this great other card.
I felt so good while preparing my surprise to her, I wasn't looking for anything in exchange but I did make a connection with someone living far from Québec and that's what is so precious to me. Those who say that Internet isolates us are missing the point... Internet can be a way of connecting to others in a different and interesting way. It's my summer "coup de coeur". Being nice to people (even if you don't really know them) is so much fun!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
With a Little Umbrella
She's helping out too. Tonight as we were getting ready for dinner, she agreed to prepare Claude a drink. A drink, a real one, with al-co-hol! She carefully followed the recipe (ice, lemon, coke, rhum -a little more, ok, that's fine, stop, that's plenty!). You can admire her creation, decorated with a nice little umbrella!
Friday, July 20, 2007
13 Movies I've Seen Up to Now, This Summer
There's a little bug here, though. I can't (really, I can't) go to my hometown cinema anymore. People chit chat, explain the movies out loud, read out loud what's written on the screen, eat candies and make lots of noise with their bags. And it doesn't get any better. Sorry folks, but I'm ashamed of being a Maskoutaine (a person living in St-Hyacinthe) some days...
1. Once (Wow, wow, wow)
2. Paris, je t'aime (Stories around the same theme: a success)
3. Evening (Touching)
4. Harry Potter et l'ordre du Phénix (Magical?!)
5. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Not complicated)
6. Danny Ocean 13 (Ok)
7. Nitro (Lots of stuff going on...)
8. Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas (Wonderful theme song)
9. Je vous trouve très beau (Funny)
10. Ne le dis à personne (Thriller)
11. The Painted Veil (2 thumbs up)
12. Vis libre ou crève (Action, again and again)
13. and Hairspray (in less than an hour!)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Going Out Solo

Since I was downtown, I decided to make a quick stop at Urban Outfitters. Not for the clothes (not my style), but for the books. I always discover interesting stuff. I've finally found a Keri Smith book and I started reading it while eating my ceasar's salad at Guido and Angelina. And in the car, both ways, I had Rufus singing loudly, very loudly! It was the kind of day I love...
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Eau la la
So I woke up this morning with a desire to cover our other TV blanket, but instead of the traditional quilt so calculated, with the colors so organized, I've decided to go bananas... A little... Hmm, we'll see about that. I should consult my daughters to know their trick :-)
Friday, July 13, 2007
13 Things To Eat This Summer
2. raspberries
3. sandwiches made with Claude's garden tomatoes
4. corn on the cob (2 colors)
5. Dairy Queen's ice cream
6. birthday cake (Roxane, Alizée)
7. peaches
8. shrimp dip (with chili, sour cream, cream cheese, peppers, orange)
9. spicy steaks (or marinated pork fillets) cooked on the BBQ
10. whipped cream
11. bruschettas
12. vegetables cooked on the BBQ
13. radishes
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Fabrics
I love walking the aisles and discover different textures, varied colors, adorable patterns. I'm always looking for a treasure: forgotten fabrics, cheap ones, or those that are at the wrong place. You can see my latest acquisitions on the first picture, too cool, hey?
Friday, July 6, 2007
13 Reasons to Enjoy Summer
2. More time to sew, do arts and crafts, etc.
3. It's warm outside, no coats needed
4. Sleep with the windows open
5. Flowers everywhere
6. Vegetables and fruits taste better
7. Read for hours, outside
8. When it's too hot, we can get into the pool
9. Vacations
10. Going out solo, duo, trio or the whole family
11. My complexion has a healthier look, no need for make up
12. Cocktails
13. My skin is soft, no more dry skin...
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Colors
When I did the postcard swap organized by Andrea, I've played with my magazine multicolor scraps of paper (when I buy magazines, I tear them apart and recycle most of the parts for future arts & crafts). I made a few piles organizing them by colors: yellow, orange, red, green, blue, pink... One of those life little pleasures.
On Wikipedia, I discovered pages where they mention the different shades of colors (see at the bottom of the page). I know much more about colors now!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Mister Penguin
Friday, June 29, 2007
13 Silly But Fun Things To Do
2. Make noise with a straw when there's nothing left in my glass
3. Send "air" kisses
4. Make a wine glass sing
5. Make music with a glass bottle
6. Eat a long spaghetti without cutting it
7. Play with a cake and eat it weirdly (icing at the end, of course)
8. Make noise on babies bellies
9. Write with my fingers on a frosted window or a steamed mirror
10. Check if there has been any activity on my blog or flickr 25 times a day
11. Spend an incredible number of hours doings arts and crafts, just for the fun of it
12. Try shoes I would never buy, walk awkwardly with them and laugh
13. Point towards the sky for nothing and see people look up
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Look at this...
A Surprise!
Naturally, I can't tell you what it consists of, it has to stay a secret. Well, Tanja knows (we were doing arts 'n crafts together when I had the idea), but I have to keep it quiet until the right moment... Otherwise, the effect won't be as interesting if I write too much about it.
Because since I'm part of Hula's group, people read me more, my flickr photos are viewed more, so goodbye anonymity! It's kind of weird in a way, knowing that there might be more than 3 people reading these words. It has never been my intention, I'm getting used to it!
Got to go back to my surprise...
Friday, June 22, 2007
13 Things To Do This Summer
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Postcards
I've spent long hours imagining them, finding solutions to my tiny problems, playing with the colors (I adored this part), making touch-ups, writing a personalized note to perfect strangers who, I hope, will be happy to receive a little piece of me. I'm still afraid that they won't survive the long road. Those babies are quite fragile!
Think about it, it's unbelievable: a girl from Portland, Oregon invites people she doesn't know to take part in a postcard swap (home made) and almost 80 people respond. Thanks Andrea (also known as Hula) for this great initiative...
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Miranda, Author

Now she writes poetry. She looks for the right word, plays with rimes, uses a rich vocabulary. I am a lucky mother; I receive poetic love letters from my little teen. I love her so much!
Who knows what she'll write at 16, 20, 30 years old?
Friday, June 8, 2007
13 Books to Read
1. The Culture Code, Clotaire Rapaille
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
3. Wreck this Journal, Keri Smith
4. Visual Chronicles: The No-Fear Guide to Creating Art Journals, Creative Manifestos & Altered Books, Linda Woods and Karen Dinino
5. 401 Design Meditations: Wisdom, Insights, and Intriguing Thoughts from 244 Leading Designers, Catherine Fishel
6. Living Out Loud: Activities to Fuel a Creative Life, Keri Smith7. Zing! : Five Steps and 101 Tips for Creativity On Command, Sam Harrison
8. Nunuche magazine, Elise Gravel
9. The Secret Record of Me, Roland Harvey
10. Refuse To Choose! : How to Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies, Barbara Sher
11. Ideaspotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea, Sam Harrison
12. Creating a Life Worth Living, Carol Lloyd
13. Night, Elie Wiesel
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Musée D'Orsay
Paris... So many great things, it's difficult to choose so here's one of my good souvenirs. I'm talking about the Musée D'Orsay. Previously a train station from the early 1900's, it finally found a best vocation: an art museum showing paintings, drawings, sculptures from the late 19th to the early 20th century. The ceiling itself is a piece of art. So are the clock, the 2nd floor restaurant, the ballroom. So beautiful!
The place had a real effect on me, I felt dizzy from my arrival until I left the museum. And I'd rather think it was due to its beauty, its magic than thinking about bad air conditioning, lack of sleep or the impressive number of people present. No, no, no, I instantly thought of the Stendhal Syndrome, nothing less :-) Well, I was impressed (and not only by the impressionists), captivated. You don't see Van Gogh's, Monet's, Rodin's, Claudel's, Renoir's, Degas' and Manet's art work everyday...