There will...

... be jam!
This year the strawberries are small and easily bruised but are very sweet and very juicy.
Every year I put up at least one batch of jam from strawberries we pick just down the road.
My go-to recipe is from a Donna Hay magazine--- Issue 7.
Enjoy!

Strawberry Vanilla Jam
6 or so cups

3 lbs strawberries cleaned, hulled and halved
2 lbs sugar
3/4 c lime juice-- freshly squeezed
1 vanilla bean halved and scraped (I subsitute 1 tbs of a good quality Mexican vanilla extract when beans are not in my cupboard)

Combine strawberries, sugar, lime juice and vanilla bean and seeds in large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
NOTE: if using vanilla extract do not add until jam has thickened.
Skim foam as needed.
Let bubble away until jam has thickened--- 25 to 35 minutes.
If using vanilla, stir it in now.
Ladle into jars and process as you would your favourite jam.

Pink...

... and orange.
Today I marveled-- as usual-- at the combination....


Enjoy all the colours of your weekend!

Web Wandering Wednesday....

... has a little something for all the dog lovers out there!
Click on the picture... kick back... and enjoy!

A hint..

... a soupçon.
I have always loved that word.... soupçon.... a very small amount; a trace; a hint.
My first trip to Paris--- when I was 20--- included a must visit to Chanel on Place Vendôme. I wondered, fondled and sniffed e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g in the luscious shop for what seemed like hours. At the very end of my swooning I settled on the purchase of one single item--- a blush. The iconic black box with softened corners and silvered linking 'C's' would be my proof it was not all a dream. The name of the shade.... soupçon!
But, I do digress...

Today's soupçon pertains to what is now known as "Book 2010". I know I have said it before, but it is very hard not to share knitterly things that I am excited about without breaking the rule of not sharing knitterly things that I am excited about that have not been published!!!
This is all I dare to share.... at least you might get a smidge of the colours and snippet of the textures...

Happy...

... Summer!!!

Well? Didn't spring just get away from me?!? Absolutely no excuse for my poor little blog to be neglected!! Time management... priorities... life "busys"... needed a break...
Anyway... I'm back now and will work hard at not falling off the blogging edge.
Over the next few weeks I'll get you up to wabi-sabi speed on my goings ons.
Until then, I must share one little event that had taken up some of the past 3 months...

My partner-- Terry Shewchuk-- and I have opened a gallery! We transformed the old summer kitchen of our big, ole' country home into a fabulous combination of "fibre + foto"!





You can keep up with this latest adventure at our Makers of Stuff blog.
More and more will be added to the gallery's collection as we continue exploring our respective craft and ready ourselves for the Prince Edward County Studio Tour in September.
More to come...