Little Scotia is the Cat's Ass

All the Good stuff is happening on the Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/littlescotia/

This is basically telling you that I am too busy / lazy to update this blog at the moment.

L

Georgian Bay Renovations

Georgian Bay Renovations

I met a down to earth fellow last week, and he runs a local contracting company. He's the contractor that's been working on the office building where I have my office, and where Little Scotia will be in September. I was surprised to learn how well rounded his business is.

The renovations they do in Georgian Bay (and even further south) include kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, and office or work renovations. But they also do brick laying, and will build houses from the ground up. Small renovations to the whole house. I was impressed!

His website has some photos on it, showcasing his company's former jobs. There are some great pictures of the dream house exteriors, as well as some fantastic interior kitchen and bathroom renovations. 


http://georgianbayrenovations.ca/

The website is simple, but you can call and ask all the questions, get quotes, (with no obligation) and meet this Midland Ontario contractor who is also the project manager.

check it out!

L.

Georgian Bay Renovations
522 Elizabeth Street BOX 9, 
Midland , Ontario
L4R 2A1

(705) 243-0604 

Midland Ontario Reflexology, Massage, Waxing

It's been a busy summer. Already.
I'm sneaking in levity when I can! But, still there's work.
Wanted to share some of my Summer relaxation links in Midland Ontario.

Midland Ontario Reflexology

That's me, ofcourse. it's very relaxing to give Reflexology, believe it or not!

Midland Ontario Massage - This lady knows her stuff! And RMT in Midland that absolutely rocks.

And then, this.

Midland Ontario Waxing  - so... Midland Ontario Waxing helps me look nice and smooth all summer long. As relaxing as waxing can be... really, it's more about not shaving everyday. Now THAT'S relaxing. hehehe.

There you go!

L.

Seven Hour Gaps.

I do this thing. I've always done it. I'm feeling like I MUST catch the reigns on it soon.

So, this morning I had an appointment at 9:45am. That took me to 10:30. I was out of the office before 11am.

My NEXT appointment isn't until 6pm.

It's currently almost 4pm as I write this. Now. Ask me what I did all day.

To be fair, I did pop into the office to change my window display from Winter to Spring, took stock of what linens I needed there. I popped into the bank. I came home and put a load of laundry on.

Other than that, I've been sitting here, in my work clothes, surfing, listening to music... and watching the clock. Waiting till it's time to leave for my next appointment.

I have always done this thing. I feel like I can't get into anything at home, because I will miss my next appointment. Even though today, there was SEVEN HOURS between appointments. A seven hour gap with nothing in my dayplanner.

I could have sewn something up. This money, for example, took me 2 hours yesterday. I could have been sewing this whole time.

But no. I managed to make a tea. To peek in the cupboards. To do a few dishes.

I have an entire work space to move into my bedroom. (This is a long story for another time.) And I am sitting here. Waiting.

What is UP with that?

The answer could easily be that I put in my dayplanner: "Sew monkeys."

I wonder if it would make a difference?

L

Mail Order Bride.

My Mail Order Bride is on her way.

We connected online, and I was charmed by her.

She travelling through BC right now, and should arrive by the end of the week.
I'm completely thrilled.

She's not going to require too much space, which is good. She's going to sleep in my bed, anyway, and hopefully her clothing won't take up too much room.

I will post her photos as soon as she arrives.

Her name is Lillah.

Seedling Time!

It's seedling time at Little Scotia! 13 days ago I put tomatoes, peppers, and beets in to start. (I've never started beets indoors before, but it was suggested to me that I do, so we'll see.)

This is the first year I've used these Coco seed started pellets to start my seedlings. It's also making me a little nervous. The idea is that they hold water longer, so you are supposed to be able to water less. I'm watching them closely. 

a little container with some herbs.

coconut expanding seedling growing pellets.

The beets are in the square containers with coco filling seedling starter. The square (is it peat? I can't recall, they are from last year.) have started to develop mold. Ugh. so today I'll be spraying that with a peroxide mixture, and covering the whole thing with soil. I'm wondering if they have to go out earlier.

In OTHER news, Here's a BUNCH of free information to help your garden this year! Information for beginners and old pros! :) Enjoy! I'm watching a video or two a day, while doing other things around the house (or during the time I would normally be brainlessly playing facebook games.)

Home Grown Food Summit - Click Here

Technically, The Doll is On the LIST.

Today my Reflexology client cancelled. Which left me with a 'free' day. Free Days aren't REALLY free days. We know how this works. There's a list.  It looks like this:

The Big Tall Boy when he was still a little squishy cute boy, as well as the list.

Today, I ignored it.

And instead, finished THIS little beauty.

Technically, she's on the list under the category "Make all the things."

Also, the "Your Mom" at the end of my list MIGHT be an insult, scribbled there by one of my daughters. Their nanny may not be impressed. Except that I'm sure neither one of us will know exactly what it means.

L.

Little Ginger Babushkas

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she Wonderful?

the Irish Russian. Hanging out with the Native Russian, and the Old Sleeping Russian. Party Time.

My boss at the Thrift Store texted me just as I was putting the finishing touches on this little mama. She's a Ginger Mama, and I was thinking of her! It's an Irish Russian Doll. Oh yes I did.

She's just so flippin cute. It is going to be hard to see them go, but a pleasure that they'll bring someone else joy too!

I have a sale at the Native Friendship Centre on March 21st, and I'll bring these beauties. All the others you'll be able to find at the Tiny Art Shack in Tiny Ontario in May 2015. 

L.

Russian Dolls Have The Best Advice

I've been making a tonne of these ladies over the last week. They take an enormous amount of time for stuffed dolls, but I just ADORE the end results. And they SPEAK to me. In the times of quiet when I get to embroider little faces and aprons, I get the best ideas.

I have about 4 more cut up and in various stages of completion. However, it's slow going. My sewing machine is at the 'end' of the kitchen. And I have to completely dig out the machine and desk, spreading the crafting joy all over the dinner table. I also open up the ironing board to sit in front of the buffet and hutch that houses all the practical and impractical dishes. (I have a bit of a Pretty Tea Cup problem. And a vintage set of dishes, complete with tea pot, creamer, sugar, dishes... that I do not let children touch without supervision.)

Creating in Chaos. It's a thing.

Anyway, it feels like it's time to tidy up to make dinner. (if that's what you can call piling all-the-things back onto and around my sewing machine.)

Still, I adore the process of seeing them come together. These little beauties for the most part will be available for sale at the Tiny Art Shack in Tiny, Ontario, in May 2015. Unless I manage to get it together enough to attend a craft show myself sometime soon.

Little Scotia Lives!

Lori

Looky Looky what I just picked up!

Prims Handcrafted Dolls Winter 2015 magazine. Love!


I'm so very excited. It feels SO FLIPPIN GOOD to get back into the sewing, the creating. It makes me so happy.

So simply happy.

I'm good at this. Yes, I am good at a LOT of things, but this really feels like where I'm supposed to be.

Seed Cataloges Are IN

Seed Catalogues are in.

After going through my seed stash from last year, I really REALLY don't need to buy any new seeds. Except for some Zucchini (how did I save ZERO seeds last year?) and also green pepper. I have TONNES of lettuce seeds, mesclun mix, beets... I have about 10 seeds each from about 5 different types of tomatoes. Lots left.

Provided all of them are viable. Which you just know they won't ALL be.

So, I should TOTALLY place an order.

Totally.

The Seed List, part 1, 2014.

So, here we go again!
The seeds I've ordered for this years garden:


Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce (Looseleaf; Certified Organic) Pkt - 500 seeds
Black Tuscan Palm Tree Kale (Certified Organic) Pkt - 250 seeds
King of the North Sweet Pepper (Rare; Sustainably-Grown) Pkt - 30 seeds
Black Beauty Summer Squash (Certified Organic) Pkt - 20 seeds
Five-Colour Silverbeet Swiss Chard (Certified Organic) Pkt - 70 seeds
Druzba Tomato (Red; Certified Organic) Pkt - 30 seeds
Scotia Tomato (Rare; Certified Organic) Pkt - 30 seeds
Parris Island Cos Lettuce (Romaine; Certified Organic) Pkt - 500 seeds
Martino's Roma Tomato (Paste/Sauce; Red; Certified Organic) Pkt - 30 seeds
Chives, Common (Certified Organic) Pkt - 100 seeds
Golden Detroit Beet (Certified Organic) Trade Pack - 210 seeds
Bouquet Radish Mix (The Cottage Gardener's; Sustainably-Grown) Pkt - 300 seeds
Lavender, Old English (Lavandula angustifolia) Pkt - 50 seeds
Oregano, Greek (Origanum vulgare hirtum; Certified Organic) Pkt - 100 seeds
Parsley, Italian Dark Green (Petroselinum crispum; Certified Organic) Pkt - 100 seeds
Thyme, English (Thymus vulgaris; Certified Organic) Pkt - 70 seeds
Kitchen Garden Herb Collection (includes 30 packs each of Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Thyme.)

I have some seeds left over from last year, too. But they are WAY the shit across the kitchen, and I don't want to pick through them just now. 

I had considered beans, carrots, pumpkin, onion... but, for me, these things are so easily purchased locally for so CHEAP, that it doesn't really make sense for me to struggle with growing them. I have a limited amount of space, even though I'm pretty good at using it wisely. It's a bonus to live in an area with so many local farmers and growers.

Many of the greens and herbs are going to go into my tower garden inside, as soon as I get them. The Tower Garden is currently filled with growing lettuce and mesclun mix, plus a few tomato plants, and there's a basil plant in there too. But, soon it'll be time to eat what's there, and start new. Except for the tomato, ofcourse, which probably won't give me fruit until March.

I also want to get my hands on some flowers. Not necessarily for my garden space, as I tend to FAIL miserably with flowers here - but for my BOYFRAND. Or, my "Ol' Man"... hehehe. (Holy shit, I have an Ol' Man. You have no idea what a bizarre concept this is for me, after the last long year. I digress.) Anyway, my Ol' Man mentioned LAST spring that he wants a little garden in his wee little back patio area. So, I'm going to scrounge and beg flower seeds from my goodest friends. I do have quite a bit of seeds for morning glories, and I think some little purple things.. but I'm thinking Holly Hocks. All easy things to grow.

It's late. I have JOY tomorrow, and I'm not even close to ready for bed yet. I'm all high on seeds.

Little Scotia at Penelope PickleBottoms in Midland Ontario

Little Scotia has been invited to sell items at Penelope PickleBottoms new shop in Midland Ontario! So exciting!

Located at 231 King Street, across from Brunelle's Jewellery, inside a new mini mall where the pizza place used to be. (You know you're from a small town when you give directions like THAT!!)

The Little Scotia items that will be available at Penelope Picklebottoms will be small kid oriented stuff - Sock Monkeys, printed dolls, playable stuff! If you are interested more in the adult - art dolls, you should come to the Little Scotia Facebook page, until I find a home to carry those!!!

Squee!!!

Little Scotia Lori.

 

Finding a Job in Midland Ontario

Finding a Job in Midland Ontario using the Job Bank Canada can be a difficult thing. Even when you find a full time job, most likely you will get paid minimum wage to be away from your house, your kids, and your hobbies for the best part of the weekday – and for many, the weekend too. That's IF you can find a full time job.

Instead of looking for jobs in Midland Ontario with the job bank in Canada, I started a business, and have helped everyday people do the same thing. I teach them how to work their businesses all over Canada AND the US. So, you get to live where you want and still have work.

Working from home has been a blessing, and has paid! I’m down to working about 10 hours a week – not quite the 4 hour work week, but I’m pretty happy with it.

What my home businesses have done for me?

*I’m re-learning French. I live in a heavily French poulated area, and It’s something I’ve always wanted to make time to do.

*I’m taking a University Course – Sustainable Urban Agriculture. Why? I love making food in yards. And digging in the dirt.

*I got to stay home all summer with my girls. Granted, we spent a few days in jammies all day, Barbies or Polly Pockets all over the floor at my feet, but hey… jammy days aren’t a BAD thing.

*My sweetheart quit his job, and is going to school. Following HIS bliss, too!
*I have time to be CREATIVE! I have a studio/gallery space, thanks to my home business– All the crafty stuff needs to go live somewhere other than all over my house. I’ve always wanted a studio space

*I’ve found the time to write 2 poetry books, and I’m half way through another novel. This thing excites me! Being a published author was definately something on my “list.”

*During the school year, I get to go to school functions that happen half way through the day. Oh, and class trips!

*I get to follow my bliss! Sometimes that’s sleeping in. Sometimes that’s hanging laundry. Sometimes that’s gardening in the yard. Sometimes it’s reading in the library. Sometimes it’s writing in my favourite diner.
Sometimes it’s painting or making dolls!

When I first started, I went at it like crazy – I probably worked 4 hours a day – placing ads, writing blogs, following up, and spending time and money LEARNING the ropes! It seemed almost obsessive then.. but I’m NOW glad I put in that effort!

What would you do, if you could get paid full time but only have to work 10 hours a week? Think good and hard on it. This is happening for people who would otherwise use the job bank in Canada to find a job in Midland Ontario right now, this place where so many people feel there is no money to be made or live off of.
Contact me if you want to hear the rest of my story, and if you want more information on how to live YOUR bliss!

I'm REALLY doing this - and it's my passion to help you have this freedom too!!!

10 Beginning Gardener Mistakes to Avoid

There’s a lot to learn about gardening, but it’s a fun adventure and well worth the time and energy. Make the most of your gardening with these experienced gardeners’ tips to prevent and fix some common gardening mistakes. Check out this article by Hobby Farms.

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/10-beginner-gardening-mistakes-to-avoid.aspx

How to Garden Organically in your Home with Success

Using a seed starter tray in the house can be tricky business. You've got to keep the moisture just right, or you'll run into issues that can kill your seedlings. The Tower Garden that I've just made a home for, is pretty simple, but I really wanted to see how simple it was. 

With the Rock Wool starter cubes that come with a Garden Tower, many of the regular problems are eliminated with indoor starting. Also vermiculite is included with a Garden Tower, to help the seedlings stay just moist enough to germinate in the house, and grow successfully. These little guys were planted about 3 days ago, and are already germinating. what you are seeing is a row of Certified Organic Mesclun Mix from The Cottage Gardener popping up.

This mixed package contains Arugula, Russian Red Kale, Osaka Purple mustard green, Tatsoi mustard green, Black-Seeded Simpson lettuce, Red Salad Bowl lettuce and Persian Cress. Lots of FANTASTIC greens to add to our daily diet. And, although I know there will be some cold frames in my future for growing this stuff later and earlier in the season that I normally do - It's going to be excellent to have it earlier.

AND like I said... I want to see and show that this is really a viable option for people who can't garden, but still want to be in control of their food sources.

There's also some Kale getting a little jump up there.

I am feeling extremely confident about this experiment. It helps that I've seen it in action, and tasted the food off of one, in person. I'll be writing more as this experiement continues.

For more information on the Garden Tower, see http://LPetroff.TowerGarden.com

2 Week Juice Plus Complete 'Challenge'

Once upon a time I did a 90 day challenge for weight loss. The product turned out to have stuff in it that I wasn't fond of. (Sucralose!) I lost weight and inches. I was pretty happy with that. But I wasn't happy taking the shakes anymore. I took months to find a replacement. It had to be naturally sourced! And not be ridiculously expensive. I had a hard time finding both.

In that time, I've been sitting and driving more, and exercising WAY less. What I consumed changed - I've gone to a mostly vegetarian diet  - and was so happy to discover that cookies and muffins can be vegetarian. (ugh.)

So, now that I've found Juice Plus Complete, I'm going to start a 2 week Challenge. 2 weeks, because I really don't want to starve myself. I want to FEEL better, and take care of my body better. 2 weeks is a good start to some great habits.

Here's the plan:

• Tea in the morning to wake up  my system. I sometimes drink herbal, sometimes black tea. Sweeten with honey.
• 1 Juice Plus Complete shake/smoothie for breakfast
• A healthy snack mid morning
• 1 Juice Plus Complete shake/smoothie for lunch
• A health snack mid afternoon
• A regular healthy dinner
• I also take Juice Plus Garden Blend and Juice Plus Orchard Blend

This is Colin. He lost 33 lbs in 2 months using Juice Plus Complete.

I am also incorporating the quiet work outs I used to do regularly. Yoga and following along with a belly dance DVD that I adore. Both of these things I do at home. I'm personally not into going OUT to do my workouts. To me, it wastes hours of my day. I don't need to work out in a group. (but if you are going to follow along and do this with me, you work out anyway that you need to.)

Today, I will take my measurements. Measurements will be taken a week from now, and at the end of the 2 weeks to see what I've accomplished.

I will be journalling what I"ve consumed, and posting the Shake/smoothie recipes.

IF YOU would like to follow along with me on this journey, and see what great new habits you can develop for yourself, I'll be tagging these posts with "Juice Plus Challenge" and the day I'm at. Feel free to email me with any questions, or join us on our Juice Plus Facebook page.

Woots!

Lori.

10 Tips for Using a Food Dehydrator

My friend Jysline has a GORGEOUS and quite functional food dehydrator.
I have the jealouses over this.
My friend Monika has had a natural sun dehydrator built for her.
I also have the jealouses.
I am going to get one too. Soon. Right after the little one gets all of her teeth rearranged.

Anyway, found this article today, and thought it had some great things to consider. 

http://www.survivalandbeyond.net/10-tips-for-using-a-food-dehydrator/

Juice Plus Sweetener and Ingredient TRUTH Exposed

I have been looking for a NATURAL alternative to the shakes I had been taking. The one I had been taking were sweetened with the chemcial Sucralose. Not Impressed.

See this link to see what I found:

http://spiritfeet.blogspot.ca/2013/02/juice-plus-sweetener-and-ingredient.html

French Fry Casserole.

Because it sounds WAY more funny if you tack 'Casserole' on it.

So, this is how this happened in my house.

Took the girls to the Union Burger in Penetanguishene. After going ON some weeks ago about how I really don't like going there, taking care of my diet, etc. BUT.. but... a FLYER came in the mail saying kids eat free on weekends buy one adult meal, kid gets theirs free... so I gathered up the ex and off we went. (Yes, this feels sufficiently awkward to write. Yes. What ev's..)

None of us were able to get through our Fries. Those flipping burgers are SO huge. I had a veggie burger, which I hoped would save me some face if I got busted in a burger joint. But that sucker was STILL too much food. FOUR boxes of fries came  home with me. I figured, I PAID FOR 'EM! I'll use them somehow.

In the car, we joked about how to make them edible the day after. And the theory of FRENCH FRY CASSEROLE was born.

French Fry Casserole Recipe

 Grab the leftover bag from the fridge. Hunt around for the PAM spray that you never use, because you didn't buy it and forget that it's there all the time. Hunt for a casserole dish in the cupboards. Wash the pretzel salt out of the casserole dish.

 Spread leftover fries out in the casserole. Realize that you forgot to spray the casserole dish with the PAM even though it's sitting RIGHT THERE. Realize also that you clearly overestimated how many fries were left and you'll have to get a smaller casserole dish.

 Scoop the leftover fries out into the smaller casserole dish. A nice little Corningware dish, a gift for your wedding, long since ended. Think about your ex. Laugh a little because you got to keep the Corningware but didn't have to keep him. Think about marriage and how you should never do that again.

Again, forget to use the Pam spray on the casserole dish. Say "Screw it" to no one in particular. Put Pam back in the cupboard.

Fill a measuring cup to ONE cup of water, and scoop 4 tablespoons of Watkins Turkey gravy mix into it. Think about how you are indeed NOT a vegetarian, but most likely ARE a Hypocritarian, as you've consumed meat twice already this week, and are about to eat turkey gravy. Think about how you ALSO should probably cook the gravy first, but then realize the oven will do that dirty work for you, and it saves you from having to dirty an extra pot.

Pour that shite over your fries till they are about halfway covered. They are pretty dry and are gonna suck that stuff up.

Grate some cheese. We had cheddar in the house, so that's what went on. It was a fairly generous amount.

 Put that baby into Casserole Jail, uncovered.  I put my oven at 325 F. Which for NORMAL ovens, who are not asshats like MY oven, would be about 450. Bake for 20 minutes.  Throw a pot on to boil and fill with frozen broccoli and cauliflower because you're feeling inadequate as a mother.

 Timer goes off. Take another 5 minutes to tear children away from their ipods. Because "Mine Craft, Mom!" Grab your most gnarly-for-photo-shoots but most-favourite-evar oven mitts and rescue that mess from Casserole Jail.

Surprise. That looks SUSPICIOUSLY like POUTINE. Tastes SURPRISINGLY like poutine. 

Second-hand, day old, fast food fries SAVED. 

So, the final results: Both the girls ate it. The fries were revived from drying out a bit in the fridge with all that gravy. It was awesome. And, I'm sure I'll have a new zit tomorrow to prove it. Oh, and the last step was to put the cauliflower and broccoli BACK in the fridge because no one ate any. Put them in a casserole tomorrow.

L.