Archives for posts with tag: Christmas
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Happy New Year!

January 5, 2019 //
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A quiet and gentle Yuletide Season has come and gone. The gift of a head cold on Christmas Day forced me to rest for a week, which I needed. We ate great food,  completed a puzzle, watched our favourite festive films, and took some naps.

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Victoria was, as usual, decorated and filled with festive cheer. There was no snow this year, but the winter rain made way for many bright clear days.

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We enjoyed two amazing Holiday performances: the Victoria Symphony‘s Christmas Pops concert, and local jazz heroes The Tom Vickery Trio playing the Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas Suite at a private party in Chinatown.

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And now a new year ahead, filled with possibilities! I will be completing the stories from my autumn trip to the UK, and continuing to work on the art projects which that trip inspired.

Wishing you all the best year ahead!

xx

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Categories Food, Taxicab, Travel, Uncategorized

2017 in Review: Autumn and Winter

March 3, 2018 //
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I took a long walk today and noticed that the temperatures on the Canadian west coast are just beginning to turn towards spring, which is lovely. I look forward to the blossoms, but autumn and winter are my most favourite seasons.

Autumn in 2017 had many highlights. A dear cousin was visiting Victoria with family and friends and we all went to Pagliacci’s for great food and live music.

Pagiacci's with live music.

There was fun with an international flare to be had right in our beloved neighbourhood of Chinatown.

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All Hallow’s Eve was spooky and filled with scary surprises around the city. We had a blast with tricks and treats visiting friends in Oak Bay.

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In late November we spent two days in Vancouver for a tiny vacation and rendezvous with my sister and Randy. Day one we enjoyed the festive lights of the big city, ate at the always-delicious Bao Bei, and were mesmerized under the Grand Chapiteau for Cirque du Soleil’s show Kurios.

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Day two, more wandering before a delicious dinner at Vij’s, then off to the last ferry home.

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Victoria, so pretty with festive lights, window displays, and a very impressive “Whoville” gingerbread village at The Empress Hotel.

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I catered dessert for a private Holiday party, and saw an impressive Santa and Mrs Claus at a local diner!

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Christmas arrived with lots of treats (including Glerup slippers), and tissue paper and gift bag fun for the cats.

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And the best gift of all, snow for Christmas Eve and Day!

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Categories Food, Taxicab, Travel, Uncategorized

Festive Table

January 2, 2017 //
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For the last few years, we have hosted a group of friends for Christmas dinner. My favourite part of preparing for these events has been designing a display for the dinner table. We rarely use our large table for dining, as it is also GJ’s workspace, so it takes a special event to clear it off. This year, I chose a snowy woodland theme. I made five little trees with Sculpy low-fire clay, painted them white, and sprinkled the wet paint liberally with fine glitter. These were placed over battery-powered tea lights, and arranged with other candles and various curios we have collected. I cut some holly leaves from wool felt, and needle felted the berries, then combined these with sprigs of cedar to create napkin rings. I also decorated a trunk in the living room with cut glass dishes to hold pre-dinner snacks. The dinner was delicious, as was the table, if I do say so myself!

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Categories Art, Food, Uncategorized

Christmas Day with friends

December 27, 2014 //
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I was too busy cooking and enjoying our friends and cats – and eating of course – to take very many pics on Christmas Day. We did a beautiful turkey and so many delicious dishes. One friend brought rum, another fresh home-made eggnog and another pickled carrots and beets, plus wine galore. We totally cleared off GJ’s workspace and transformed it into a dining table, with his beautiful candle sticks and wine glasses, mismatched vintage plates and fragrant beeswax candles, orange pomanders and branches of bay. A perfect, peaceful and joyous day! The only thing missing was snow!

A gift of a green centrepiece, my baking, juicy oranges and English candies sent by my sister from her recent trip to London!

A gift of a green centrepiece, my baking, juicy oranges and English candies sent by my sister from her recent trip to London!

Our lovely table!

Our lovely table!

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Categories Food, Uncategorized

Festive decor, at home and in the city

December 20, 2014 //
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Here’s a few shots of some of our Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho around the studio, plus a nice shot of the Inner Harbour in Victoria BC.

Little deer pokes out from the part of the spider plant the cats chewed away.

Little deer pokes out from the part of the spider plant the cats chewed away.

All our little glass animals with red and silver balls.

All our little glass animals with red and silver balls.

Birdie and brick.

Birdie and brick.

Little felted wool balls strung to make colourful garlands, along with camels from India and my favourite glass fox.

Little felted wool balls strung to make colourful garlands, along with camels from India and my favourite glass fox.

That's No Man, by GJ Pearson, all lit up for the Holidays.

That’s No Man, by GJ Pearson, all lit up for the Holidays.

Taken yesterday in front of The Fairmont Empress, looking towards the Legislature. The sky was amazing.

Taken yesterday in front of The Fairmont Empress, looking towards the Legislature. The sky was amazing.

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Categories Art, Travel, Uncategorized

Busy, busy, busy…

November 19, 2014 //
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Oh my! I’ve been designing and making many things! I am participating in a two-day Artisan Market at the University of Victoria next week. I will be representing our online store, so as well as my own work, I will have art from GJ and our guest artists. Today was all about adding hang tags; so much still to do! But it’s been fun. Here are some pics of new work, plus the flyer for the event, in case you’re in the Victoria BC area.

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New felted items, flower pins and little acorns. © Firehorse Designs, 2014.

New felted items, flower pins and little acorns. © Firehorse Designs, 2014.

New festive greeting cards. © Firehorse Designs 2014.

New festive greeting cards. © Firehorse Designs 2014.

Four new necklaces. © Firehorse Designs, 2014.

Four new necklaces. © Firehorse Designs, 2014.

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Categories Art, Travel, Uncategorized

Merry Kootenay Christmas!

December 25, 2013 //
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It took a couple extra days to get here, but we are enjoying a snowy and lovely Christmastime with family in Nelson BC. When we couldn’t fly as planned to Castlegar on Friday, we chose a different route to Spokane Washington via Seattle for Saturday. As we arrived quite late, my sister (who, with her partner, had driven down to meet us at the airport) booked us into the Hotel Lusso which is right across the street from the historic Davenport Hotel and is one of its family of properties. After we checked in, we popped across the street to view the magnificence of The Davenport, all extra beautiful for the Season. Lusso is also delightful. Our room was clean, bright and spacious. On Sunday morning we had an amazing breakfast at Italia Tratorria, then hit the road for the three hour drive back to Nelson. We look forward to spending more time in Spokane on another trip.

Little birds greeted me just outside the hotel.

Little birds greeted me just outside the hotel.

Hotel Lusso in Spokane Washington.

Hotel Lusso in Spokane Washington.

Holiday cheer and colour in the lobby at Hotel Lusso.

Holiday cheer and colour in the lobby at Hotel Lusso.

More cheery decorations at Lusso.

More cheery decorations at Lusso.

The Davenport Hotel.

The Davenport Hotel.

Davenport Hotel, architectural detail.

Davenport Hotel, architectural detail.

Davenport Hotel, architectural detail.

Davenport Hotel, architectural detail.

I knowI say this often, but one of the best bennies I've ever had. The Farmer's Breakfast was also amazing!

I knowI say this often, but one of the best bennies I’ve ever had. The Farmer’s Breakfast was also amazing!

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Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized

On our way to the Kootenays for Christmas Cheer

December 21, 2013 //
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Snow said “NO!” today for flying to Castlegar, so a new plan in place and we try again tomorrow! Has given me the opportunity for one more seasonal post about our lovely Victoria. A random sampling:

All the downtown streets have jolly decorations of delight.

All the downtown streets have jolly decorations of delight.

Dozens of decorated trees illuminate the lobby at The Fairmont Empress Hotel. Money raised from the public paying to vote for their favourites goes to BC Children's Hospital.

Dozens of decorated trees illuminate the lobby at The Fairmont Empress Hotel. Money raised by the public paying to vote for their favourites goes to BC Children’s Hospital.

A lovely little gingerbread village mixed in with the festive trees at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. A large display of gingerbread houses is also viewable at the Inn at Laurel Point.

A lovely little gingerbread village mixed in with the festive trees at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. A large display of gingerbread houses is also viewable at the Inn at Laurel Point.

A ferris wheel has been erected in Centennial Square again this year; festive fun for all ages!

A ferris wheel has been erected in Centennial Square again this year; festive fun for all ages!

 

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Categories Travel, Uncategorized

Festive Feasting

December 12, 2013 //
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Let the feasting begin! The foods of the winter festivals – what could be more glorious. Yesterday launched us fully into the Holiday spirit with two events. Our annual Brandied Eggnog Happy Hour(s) with our friend D was delightful. Nothing fancy, just warm eggnog with brandy and a few sweet nibbles, fireplace roaring, candles lit, and great conversation. Then a short stroll to A’s place for grand dinner nibbles done as only A can: gloriously! Her beautiful home was decorated magically which was wonderful. While reorganizing our storage space in the summer, I buried the Christmas decorations box and can’t even see it much less dig it out. So one sad dry eucalyptus wreath for us, but at A’s wondrous bows of evergreen, lights, eclectic baubles and happy animal ornaments hanging here and there, plus many candles and a lovely fire in the fireplace. To top it all off, a frosty walk home – moon visible but shrouded in mist and bright twinkling colours to light the silent night.

The warm glow of great friends and delicious food; the Spirit of the Season!

The warm glow of great friends and delicious food; the Spirit of the Season!

Twinkling light from candles...

Twinkling light from candles…

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Categories Food, Travel, Uncategorized

Adventures in fruitcake

December 2, 2013 //
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I think this is at least the tenth year I’ve made fruitcake on or near December 1. I know there are detractors, but I love fruitcake. My version is based on a recipe my Grandmother had torn out of magazine. I don’t know if she had actually ever made it (she lived in another country, and we never spent Christmas with her), but she gave it to me on one of my trips to visit her about 25 years ago. I use the basic measurements from the recipe, but with all organic fruit (well soaked in boozy booze) and homemade organic peel. It’s all brushed down with rum and wrapped up for a couple weeks to mature. Our studio smells amazing!

Raisons, currants and dried cherries soaked in rum for about five weeks; organic sugar, flour, spice, butter, eggs, almonds, and homemade candied lemon and orange peel.

Raisons, currants, and dried cherries soaked in rum for about five weeks; organic sugar, flour, spice, butter, eggs, almonds, and homemade candied lemon and orange peel.

In the pans by about 10 am, then in the oven for four hours.

In the pans by about 10 am, then in the oven for four hours.

They look like they will be good this year! We'll find out around the 15th.

They look like they will be good this year! We’ll find out around the 15th.

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Categories Food, Uncategorized
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