so much for waiting until November...happy Halloween!

 i popped onto 

Dash & Albert  

this morning, and saw this...

... i just had to share.

 this doggie looks like our Chocolat' Gousse!

~ * ~

on Friday, very bright young man at my office will be addressing my computer issues.

 he's going to remove my hard drive to retrieve my missing pictures, and
search for a drive that will accept my camera memory card in my new/barely used laptop.
hopefully, i'll be up and running by the weekend!

withLove

thoughts of you...just a few words...

i didn't intend on posting again until the first of November.

however...

 ...so many of you are in my thoughts and prayers 

as you prepare for the storm. 

i wish you the warmth and comfort of a safe place.

i hope that all of your homes stand strong and sturdy in the days ahead.

BACK OFF, SANDY!

withLove.

~ since i am still unable to upload my own images at this time, i borrowed

a few photographs from Pinterest...i just entered hurricane ~

the Saturday morning post!

good morning, beautiful(s)!

this will be my last post for October!

i  am experiencing some issues with the
computer that i am retiring. there is some corrupt action going on.
 (i hope that i haven't lost all my photographs.)

i am enjoying the Creatively Made Home e-Course .

we have a weekend sans commitments, so...

 ...today i'm pumping up the volume on the radio!

i am ready to clean, purge, and organize and wrap those 
parcels that have been waiting in the wings to post!

since i cannot upload any of my personal photographs from my old
computer right now, i have grabbed this fun little image from the past!

  remember Picnik?  

they had the cutest little "skellies" that haunted our chandie last year!

{i'll be buy to visit and comment while i take this break from posting!}

this morning, the farm table holds what i did last night!

a couple weeks ago, i received my copy of

Small Plates and Sweet Treats!

i have followed Cannelle et Vanille for about 2 years.

 i was keeping an eye on the blog for an announcement of a book tour. 

much to my surprise, Seattle was Aran's second stop! 

little did i know that i would stumble upon the most charming 

cookbook store! Book Larder celebrated it's one year anniversary 

this month. if you love cook books this is cook book heaven!

Aran spoke, and answered questions for about an hour. 

as we finished the discussion,  each attendee was given a 

small plate that held a sweet treat!

her apple, yogurt & olive oil upside-cake was divine!

Aran's book is a true life labor of  love. 

she was so open and cordial as she greeted her guests and

blog followers. i watched and listened as she sought common

ground with each person that approached her. 

while i was in line, i met and visited with some wonderful woman.

at one point i felt that i recognized one of the woman in the room.

i mustered up some courage, and walked up to her...

are you Kimberly?

yes! 

let me preface this by saying before tonight, i had never met anyone

from bloggy land. Kimberly was a delight! she gave me a big hug.

we talked about the Creatively Made Home e-course and 

shared interesting places to visit in our locale. 

Kim noticed my camera...

she said, "Lynne, did you get a picture with Aran?"

i said, "no."  she said, " you will regret it!" 

"let me take a picture!"

withLove.

one year later...the monthly pink post...

how can we lose when we have sweet faces

like Lindsay and Callaway out running for the cure?

~ sweetly captured very early Sunday morning, 10-21-12 ~

{xoxoxoxoxo...love you guys!}

it's been a year since i started the monthly pink post reminder.

i try to take a subtle approach by featuring pretty images

from my pink ribbon Pinterest board.

since it's October, and breast cancer awareness month,
i chose to go with a "pretty & sweet"... in your face!

don't forget to check on the girls!

ask your doctor when you should have your first baseline 

mammogram.  (the radiologist had been watching a lateral

scar on my left side for nine years. they saw a tiny change, way

before i could ever have detected it!)  saved my life!


it's why i am here, lovin' on everybody that i love three years later!


while i pin onto my pink board, i dream of a cure and i dream

of lives saved every day.  i pin pink for all of us!

withLove!

random takes on the old block!

i remember my "old school" block prints ...

and printing at school with my children. find the basics here.

 traditional hand carved teak blocks from India have inspired trends.

 Muny

Apartment Therapy

via

Ballard Designs

i love Miss Mustard Seed's logo.  wouldn't it make a pretty
repetitive print? maybe Marion will jump into textiles one day.

you can make your own scrapbook sheets
on Picmonkey using a fabric image background
and their floral feature. i was inspired by this
cute little spice filled canning jar.

via

William Sonoma


i found this simple tutorial from Centsational Girl,
no carving involved.

withLove

yesterday, on the smurf turf...

thanks to Facebook and an awesome pho-tog at KTVB, 

 i have some new pics of my son, Jay at work.

he's the one with the cool shoes.
 sometimes,when he's shoe shopping, i'll receive a random photo with text...
"hey Ma, what do you think of these?"

i miss him every day.

if he was home right this minute...(it's 7:47 am PST), i will have made him biscuits and gravy or cinnamon rolls and we would be sitting side by side,

on the couch, drinking Sunday coffee, watching ESPN, and talking sports.

he calls me Mama Bear, and i love it! 

...sometimes Ma for short...and i love that too.

here stands a piece of my heart on the sidelines.
he brings the Bronco's home to Boise
and to our little place here 34th street, where we

 work hard
 and 
  your dreams 
 come true

withLove.

Mums and Mom!

firstly...

i wish to thank all of you for your encouraging words

after i shared the news of my mother's fall back in September.

when i saw this pretty image of Autumn mums by Heather, 

it inspired me to pin Friday a bouquet for you!

i must say that i have never appreciated the beauty,

the fragrance, and the sturdy nature of  a mum

more than i have this past few weeks.

Mom received so many beautiful flowers after her accident.

i have given by best  effort to keep her cut bouquet's fresh.

 after four plus weeks, i was amazed that the mums are still alive.

i have good news to share!

MOM IS GOING HOME TODAY!

Dad has kept their home so nicely and has some little surprises for her

 homecoming. while she was mending, he discovered Home Goods.

( don't you love that my 83 year old Dad digs Home Goods?)

he bought Mom a small Florentine style tree drawer accent 

chest to go next to her chair. he filled the drawers with her favorite necessities.  

we so appreciate the support and care that she has received 

that the Avalon Care Center. 

it's the weekend!

it's time to celebrate!

one more little bump in the road has been conquered

withLove.

~ the images can be found by visiting my "fleur" board here.

when art gives you a hug, and...a box of eye candy.

yesterday, i never made  it to bread making.

my little Toyota took a boo boo from an uninsured driver.

nothing major. just a boo boo. Mr D. put a band aid on the owie

 so i can driver her to work today.

Chrislyn was able to attend the class and will share what she learned.

we spoke briefly after class.

she said it was pretty intense. each loaf that you make is your

own. it's like your signature. pretty cool.

i found this image here,

where my friend Joy has a pretty amazing display of vintage wares here.

 a box of eye candy!

i wish you safe travels and a wonderful day!

withLove.

French bread on Tuesday... no debate.

for those who know me, you will be very surprised

that i will not be positioning myself in front of the flat screen tonight.

this is huge, because i worry about America and our world, every day.

so as i wake to the day... here's my mantra...

after work, my dear Chrislyn and i will be traveling to Seattle 

to take an artisan bread making class at Cook's World.

Chrislyn found a great deal at Groupon.

the class will be given by George de Pasquale, head baker and

owner of the ESSENTIAL BAKING CO. 

the stress of tonight's element of this crazy election will be replaced by
a little flour, water, fire and
a very special night out sculpting bread with my daughter.

when it comes to the BIG PICTURE it's about
 fundamental food (life) and family.

{French bread and family sounds a little more chic! }

withLove

~ the images of bread are from my French bread Pinterest board here! ~

showered with love...

today Chrislyn , Holland and i traveled to

the home of my niece Kelsey and her family, where she hosted a 

lovely baby shower for the newest member to be

of our growing family.

Kelsey attended culinary school. when she invites you to eat, you 

know that you are in for a treat!

the room was lit with pretty lace covered mason jars.

i have to apologize...i did not have my camera setting correct, so 

this is the only image of the beautiful buffet.  salute!

there was lot's of  family fun and catching up going on in Kelsey and Matt's newly remodeled home.

 the baby cousins had a grand time!

they played so well together! 

Brogan wore the UGGS that  great uncle Mr D and i gave her for her

first birthday...( she is almost two.) 

Ryan and Holland were into the unwrappings!

(and...YES! the Seahawks are beating  New England!)

we managed to pin the four little monkeys down for a picture with their mommies.

it was a day filled...

withLove.

thank you, dear Kelsey!