just percolating...
We have a new piece of art for our home! Actually, it's not really new. It's been waiting for framing for almost four years now. Since it is so large, the estimate we received to frame it ranged from $800 to $900. So Hubby recently got inspired to try some framing on his own. The matting can be purchased at a local art store (approximately $10-20 for one large coloured sheet), and the glass is ordered custom to fit the wood frame. All up, … [Read more...]
Winter makes us crave comfort food, doesn't it? For me, I think about mac & cheese, warm bread and butter, and yes, cauliflower. You know what kind of cauliflower I mean, right? The kind with all sorts of cream and cheese and 10,000 calories. Mmmm ... So, with a craving desperate enough (it's gotta be desperate if I'm going to cook!), I sought out a recipe for cauliflower. And yes, all sorts of yummy, delicious ones popped up. But also … [Read more...]
This is a sponsored post. Thank you so much for supporting Coffee with Julie! Before my eldest started school, I remember that my doctor recommended an eye exam. Not because she thought there was any problem with Stella's vision, but because it was a standard health test that she recommended. Well, Stella is 12 years old now. I still haven't taken her for that eye exam. I assumed that if there was a problem with one of my kids' sight, I'd be … [Read more...]
I don't think it will come as any surprise to hear that our family has been on a tight budget for a long time. Why? Well, that's the only way we could manage to take the family to Australia for six weeks this past summer. Like most people, I find the constant monitoring of pennies to be tedious. Enough to make you want to buy a lotto ticket, even. Sometimes, even though you know it not to be true, it feels like you are being deprived. I mean, … [Read more...]
Fall has always been my favourite season. I love Fall colours. I love Fall fashion. I love the fresh Fall air. And as a kid, I looked forward to going back to school and to my upcoming October birthday. But Fall is also other things. It is reminders that I don't want to hear. Like the Canada geese constantly honking their departure, reminding me that it was in a September many years ago that a baby brother was born still. Or the fresh air … [Read more...]
As a kid, I loved back-to-school shopping sooo much. (Okay, I loved shopping with my Mom in general, but back-to-school meant I was guaranteed to get some goodies!) Picking out new outfits, cute shoes, and getting excited for the year ahead. Yep, I loved it all! I tried to indoctrinate Stella into this consumerism blitz, but to no avail. She really can't stand shopping and has zero interest in fashion. But, alas, fear not ... this mother … [Read more...]
Okay, so it’s not a huge secret. Everyone who knows me, knows that I like a good deal. My mama taught me how to shop! I simply cannot buy anything at full price; it goes against every fiber of my being. It needs to be on sale. And 10% off is *not* a sale! I like a good 40-60% off, thank you very much. Better yet, how about 80% off? Yes, it’s possible. If you’re willing to hunt. And everyone knows the hunt is the fun part! Where to Find the … [Read more...]
Before taking off on our trip, I stopped into one of my favourite stores -- terra20 -- to see what cosmetics they would recommend for my travel makeup bag. (I started on a cosmetics quest a little while back to use products that do not contain any harmful ingredients and this was another milestone on this journey.) It was a real treat to receive these products all at once. And over the past month, I've had a good chance to give them a work-out … [Read more...]
Psst! This is a heads-up that if you wanted to give your kids' teachers a gift, time is kinda running out! Join my club and check out these ideas that I've hand-picked because they are (a) not a coffee mug, (b) can be created quickly, (c) are very low-cost. Notes of Appreciation for that Special Teacher Here's a great idea from Cyn at Creative Cyncronicity: a sweetly decorated glass jar that holds paper apple cut-outs. On each cut-out is a … [Read more...]
A = I like shopping local. It feels good to me. Same for eating locally grown food. B = I don't enjoy cooking. Hubby does; but he knows first-hand that it gets tedious to feed a family every night. A + B = Chefx Here's how it works, according to the Chefx website: "Each week, local chefs plan creative, seasonally-inspired recipes our partner farmers and producers supply the finest locally available ingredients; our kitchen team … [Read more...]
To catch up and find out why I had $1,000 to donate to a charity, click here. How to Choose a Charity? As I was driving back from the #CardelCaresOtt event, I was chatting with my friend Andrea: which charity should I select ... one I already support or a different one? should it be local or international? helping animals or humans? a large charity with great needs and name recognition or a smaller charity that finds it hard to secure … [Read more...]
Uh huh, you read that right! I won $1,000! Pretty awesome, right? Oh, it gets better ... Okay, let me back up. A week or so ago, I was invited to a luncheon that was taking place at the Cardel Homes model homes in Blackstone (Kanata South area of Ottawa). The objective of the event was to gather the local media and blogging community as well as charitable organizations, and share how Cardel Homes actively contributes to the communities … [Read more...]
Bra straps have been on a lot of people's minds these days. One wouldn't think that most of us would have much to say about bra straps. But apparently, we do. As the weather has heated up, and high school kids have switched from their winter wear to summer gear, bra straps are all the rage. Showing them, that is. It's a style. You wear coloured bras, with coloured straps, and ensure that they show. Whether or not the high schools should … [Read more...]
Dear Women of the World, I know, you've been told: your body is not ready for the beach. How do I know you've been told? Oh, perhaps simply by scanning the article titles of virtually every single women's magazine cover in the past month. But have you ever tried to read those articles and follow their advice? I have. Those "3 easy steps" usually involve radically changing my eating habits, my exercise habits, and a variety of painful … [Read more...]
Oops, they did it again! The WordCamp Ottawa organizers pulled off an amazing conference this past weekend. For the price of $30, attendees drank in a full day and a half of informative sessions AND were fed lunch and snacks as well. It's by far the best value for dollar of any conference I've ever been to. All up, 320 people registered for the 2014 edition of WordCamp Ottawa. As mentioned in my earlier post, I was going to be speaking. My … [Read more...]
This weekend, I'll be sharing "The 10 Best Writing Tips in the Universe!" Uh, huh. Yep, me and my friend Priscilla the Unicorn. However, I do hope to share at least *some* helpful tips to anyone in my session this Saturday at Ottawa's WordCamp conference. My session's topic? "Writing Tips for Non-Writers (No Grammar Police Allowed!)" Why no Grammar Police? Because I hate them. At their worse, they are peddling … [Read more...]
This blog has brought so many people into my life. Jessica Keats is a great example of this. After reading this article in Capital Parent, she emailed me and asked if I would be interested in learning about--and trying--therapeutic yoga. I don't currently see a massage- or physio-therapist on a regular basis, but I've certainly had my fair share of visits over the years. Despite finding these forms of therapy extremely helpful, I've never … [Read more...]
Hi everybody! It's me, Stella! I know that I have no published anything on the blog for a while ... umm ... because I have homework to be done, books to be read, dragons to be drawn, legos to build, trees to be climbed, and other important business. I promise that I will try and write for the blog more often. Anyways, the real post is about We Day. We Day is an event created by Free the Children to celebrate youth who are working for … [Read more...]
Need a little time away with some girlfriends? I've got tickets to this weekend's National Women's Show in Ottawa and I want some of you to have them! Whatever you're interest, it looks like the Show has got it covered. There are six different zones, so take your pick: Fashion & Style District: check out new trends for work and play Beauty & Wellness: from alternative health to cosmetic procedures Travel & Adventure: dream … [Read more...]
In my last "Winter Resolution" post, I shared that I had bought myself ski gear for the first time. Yep, at age 42, I am now the newbie owner of downhill ski gear! It's my way of committing to this "love like the winter" kick I've been on since I first posted about my struggles with winter back in December of 2009. Downhill ski gear is the most recent in a list of commitments I've made since 2009. The others include: A warm down-filled … [Read more...]
Thanks to all of you for reading my last post "The Winter Resolution: Fighting the Winter Blahs" and sharing your own tips for how to survive this never-ending season. It helped me feel a little less like this woman in this video. (But just a little. In fact, I wonder if this is a secret filming of me in my driveway?) Winter Blah-Blahs! Shortly after I published it, my son spiked a fever. Then a sore throat. Then a rash. My neighbour … [Read more...]
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