AND so it goes …

My intention was always to come back to this Blog!
But alas, life intervenes…

New blogging about to happen on all things design in Home Decor over at: Studio West Designs (aka “the DAY job”) – stay tuned this year for tips on re-decorating your home as I take on our own cluttered mess this year. I’m also working on multiple Interior Design projects (including 3 Penthouses) coming up, so all I learn and see, as well as shops visited in town and on travels (San Fransisco, Vancouver, Paris, Seattle, Portland this year) will be passed on!

New business! My partner, Cindy, and I are into our second year of Joue Design, a Home Decor company based on a combination of our own artwork and textiles. It’s looking like a crazy year ahead already and we’re SO excited to be finalizing our SP/SU line in the next few weeks!! Don’t forget to sign on with your email to receive early sneak peeks of our new line, as well as VIP-only Sale Codes. Our blog can be found on our website, or at Joue Design Blog, and touches on all things design-related. We’re constantly being influenced by everything we see and do.

New – and old – businesses have brought us to journal all the ups and downs of being a startup over at our Shoestring Moguls blog. It’s a light-hearted commentary about starting a new business where we fess up on all the good, bad and ugly. And we also fess up to how much wine may be being consumed in the process…

With grown girls and new homeschool reporting for the boys, The Kent Chronicles and Tt’s (Boo’s) Adventures are no longer running. In their place, Tt (now almost 11) has started his own blog, the Junior Food Dude. He seriously loves his food, and this was a great tool for getting a lazy boy to actually write stuff! He’ll even be posting from Greece this Spring on what new foods he finds, and will definitely document the big Truffle Dinner we’re doing for his #11 Birthday.

AND, being the crazy person I am, a few more things are also in the works for this year, so stay tuned!
Great to still see so many followers here on Kent Chronicles, even after all these absent years 🙂

XO Alison

P.S. While you’re browsing, don’t miss my Joue-partner Cindy’s new blogs, the Vancouverite Blog about all things local and her online vintage shop Handsome + the Duck!

 

Adieu

A day I knew all along must come, is here.

I bid the bloggy world GOODBYE! I’m pleased with myself to be writing my 198th post! And, although I still have 30 or 40 “post ideas” written in my little journal, the time has come to put my energy into other things. Like sleep ;).

I’ll miss all you bloggy friends out there! I’ve enjoyed watching more and more people come by to visit in my “stats” log. I’m happy to have gotten to know some new people through this blog with continued email chats, and I hope to continue those relationships.

I’d end it all with a photo, but I can’t even muster the energy for that today – sorry! lol.

Anyhow, I’m off to water my tomatoes, wish my daughters well on exams, feed the boys breakfast and get outside, dig into some great devotionals, meet with friends and – gasp – perhaps even start a book!

Peace!
Alison Kent, aka Momma.

p.s. For the heck’of’it, I posted the rest of my poems below ;).

The latest

Check here (or scroll below – they appear there first) for the latest ponderings from my brain.
Grab a cup of tea, enjoy the read, and feel free to leave some comments to let me know you stopped by!

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tuesdays for tea
June 9, 2009

Happy belated Tuesday…
Does it count if it’s still Tuesday in my head?!
<more here>

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Just Pics…
June 7, 2009

Nothing new to say today, so I’m posting some random pics.
Grabbed my Dad’s camera back, so it’s fun pointing and shooting!
<more here>

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Lovin’ Vancouver! Our favorite places : The Secret Garden
June 5, 2009

It’s a restaurant, it’s a shop, it’s a destination, it’s an event – the Secret Garden! Every year for the past…
<more here>

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the Poetry of Life #009
June 4, 2009

Tall and graceful now you stand
Where once you barely…
<more here>

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Crafting Time – Part 5
June 3, 2009
<more here>

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tuesdays for tea 09.06.02
June 2, 2009

Another tuesday, another chat over tea!I had THE MOST incredible experience last night – I just have to share. It was amazing! It was…
<more here>

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Thrifty Finds : SHOES!
June 2, 2009

I’m sorry to blog about one little photo (then again, why not??), but are these not THE MOST ADORABLE SHOES EVER????
<more here>

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April showers brought…
June 1, 2009

… Yes, May FLOWERS!
Generally I’m not crazy about anything growing that I can’t eat, but 90% of the flowers in our yard… <more here>

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Ahhhh, BBQ Season!
May 31, 2009

May has been a gorgeous month for Vancouver, and we’ve been taking FULL advantage of it!
We have to… <more here>

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Saving More Sharks!
May 30, 2009

Well, after this post about Saving the Sharks, we have a few updates!
I was working on our…
<more here>

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These past posts might also interest you:

Revisiting Your Home : Let There be LIGHT!
Thrifty Finds : Crystal Glasses
Vintage Aprons
Blogging, and What I SHOULD be Doing…
Travelling with Kids – Extra Advice

Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments! It’s always nice to hear from you.

tuesdays for tea 09.06.09

Happy belated Tuesday…
Does it count if it’s still Tuesday in my head?!

We’ve been on HOLIDAY! Again! After 2 days of fun-in-the-sun watching the girls each play their first beach volleyball tournament of the season, the boys + I left for Victoria to visit my sister + their cousins. Good times were had by all. Sleep was had by all but me.

Whilst on the isle, we went to the BUG ZOO. Who knew such a thing could exist. It was tiny (well, they ARE just bugs), only 2 rooms, but the kids loved it. We hit a “tour”, so the bug guide let the kids hold all kinds of creepy crawlies. Ick.

While we were gone, Hubby got A TON of things done around the house! I don’t know whether to pack up the boys more often so he can get all our odds + ends done, or send them all away so I can finally get some things done around the house… Tough call, that one…

Before I left I attended my first Homeschool Conference! It was … ok. I attended one chat, which was … ok. Then walked around and picked up some science kits and a King Tut game for Tt, none of which was on our list of things to consider by our new teacher. I’m not sure I’m liking the list we received, and our teacher hasn’t met Tt yet, so we’ll see what happens ;).

Well, back into the swing of things means I need to get ready to head out for a meeting. *Sigh*. But, alas, we still have Maui to pay for…

Enjoy the sunshine!

Just Pics…

Nothing new to say today, so I’m posting some random pics.
Grabbed my Dad’s camera back, so it’s fun pointing and shooting!

Ain’t they just too cute??
And too in need of haircuts???

Lovin’ Vancouver! Our favorite places : the Secret Garden

It’s a restaurant, it’s a shop, it’s a destination, it’s an event – the Secret Garden!

Every year for the past 5 or so years, I have taken the girls to the Secret Garden for “start of summer” lunch. Well, ok, I’ll admit we go a lot more often than that… But we love it! It’s quaint, it’s pretty, it’s YUMMY. What more do we gals need??

They do serve “high tea”, which you MUST rsvp for. It’s a real treat, but don’t let those tiny little sandwhiches deceive you – it’s filling. We have never – ever – finished the entire thing. We generally order breakfast : french toasted croissants or apple pancakes; lunch : shrimp salad on croissant with roasted tomato soup; or demi-high tea : a smaller sampling, also very filling, of the yummy tiny creations.

Yum.

The tea is a pleasure, too. Lots of great flavors, although I must say I always order the same thing. I’m a real creature of habit – either vanilla or strawberry rooibos. Hmmmmm. It comes in your own individual little pot and they refill your hot water frequently.

Their wall of teas – you can go sniff ’em out before you order your flavor. Or take some to go, like I did – Buckingham Palace and Secret Garden teas. Hmmm.

My favorite part?? THE SHOPPING, of course! Throughout the middle of the store and the cash area (of course) are alllll kinds of cute little things TO BUY! Especially handy if you know or have any wee girls, but I always seem to find something pour moi. Oui!

We were stuffed and had to take our desserts to go. The puffy thing w the gooseberry on top is TO DIE FOR YUMMY! Well, maybe not, but it’s super super yummy.

Definately one of our absolute favorite places in Vancouver.
To get in on a weekend, you almost have to make a reservation or JUST happen to hit it between high tea sittings. They only take rsvp’s for high tea, so you  may as well just make one and have high tea ;-). Oh, the sacrifices.

Enjoy!

Crafting Time – Part 5

Yes, seriously – Part 5 and still counting!

We once bought packages of this metal “sheet” that came in rolls and made these reliefs with it. They adorned everything from birthday cards to tags for gifts, and were real pretty to boot!

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This goes down as the weirdest craft ever conceived. B and her BFF sat on our porch one day after school and made these guys out of sticks – and chewed gum… ya. They do look kinda cute, though.

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Often our party invitations became craft times as well. This one is for one of A’s bday parties when she was younger. We had a stock of funky fonts (thanks to Gramma!) and pics back then to use. It was always a fun part of planning a party.

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Don’t let these plain old popsicle holders (from the dollar store, because we needed so many) fool you – these are works of art. We used to spend one day after school was out and go down to Granville Island and pick out all kinds of fresh fruit and make our own popsicle combo’s. The flavors got more and more interesting as time got on.

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Sometimes crafts are done “to” us. This is one of my Hubby’s brothers’ crafty gift at Christmas one year. He made these cards, inserting family faces into actual game shots, for the girls (soccer and baseball) and Hubby. There were even all kinds of made-up stats on the backs! They were a real hit, and a great Photoshop craft.

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Another “done to us” craft. Hubby’s bro (again) photoshopped each of the girls (and their friends – this was from B’s grad) into a published shot – Miss Universe, and I think A’s was a professional baseball game. Crazy fun! I really gotta learn photoshop…

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More, again, to follow, one day. Including crafts given to us by others! Stay tuned. Again.