Holiday dressing ~ Hostess Style

Today I want to chat about my thoughts on dressing for the holiday season.
Views are strictly my own and I am not professing to be an expert on fashion...

Hostess Style aka Grammy Style,
is an honest, comfortable, and affordable way of dressing.
I have new, vintage, and thrift shop finds in my closet.

Essentially, I dress to camouflage my figure flaws,
drawing focus on the better bits and minimizing the mid section!

My wardrobe is small, curated, and bordering on spartan,
and it leans decidedly toward conservative...
The colours tend to be mostly black and grey.

Black is so versatile that I keep getting drawn back to it time and again.
It looks dressy in daylight and elegant at night. You get a lot of mileage out of black clothes as they go with everything...that's the "practical" coming out in my personality!

Black is rather like a backdrop,
a black canvas perhaps, just waiting for accessories.

The iconic LBD is still as popular today
as it was when it was first introduced many decades ago...

I own several little black dresses and they are so easy and effortless to wear.

I recently purchased a simple black skirt that sits slightly above the knee.
It will get worn quite a bit over the holidays and can be dressed up or dressed down. I already own several pairs of black shoes; flats, kitten heels and pumps as well as Chelsea boots.
This budget friendly addition is a welcome garment for the festive season.

At this time of year I like to add a bit of sparkle...

St. John black knit top with beads...

great with my new skirt or pants.

Can you imagine this top worn with my boyfriend jeans

black leather "moto jacket" and Chelsea boots?

Vintage wool and sequin top from Woodwards,

It's party time!

Sparkly jewels

J Crew necklace and two vintage Sherman brooches.

Festive dressing can involve a few bling-y pieces and at this time of year I like to play at bit more with accessories when dressing up.

I also like to take some extra time with my skin care regime.

A morning spent quietly sipping tea and giving myself a facial 

is my idea of luxury.

Sleep has been hit and miss for me for the past few months 

I go to sleep but wake in the night and I do not fall back asleep easily.

Unfortunately this pattern of waking seems to show up on my face...

it is actually bugging me as I used to be such a great sleeper.

As a result 

I have been focusing more on healthy eating 

making sure that I stay hydrated

taking time to set aside a few minutes to meditate

and focus on my breathing

I also think that I need to get back to practising Yoga in the New Year.

Bone broth with turmeric

Nourish, just as its name suggests, serves healthy nutritious food. 

Many of the options are dairy and gluten free.

Poached eggs on a bed of kale, mushrooms and sweet potatoes 

topped with a cashew cream hollandaise.

Nom Nom!

So how do you like to dress for the holidays?

Are you drawn to bright colours or do you prefer neutrals?

What, if anything, are you planning to add to your wardrobe?

I like to add a splash of scent everyday

and two of my favourites are

Mitsouko by Guerlain and Jour d' Hermes

Hope your week is off to a great start...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snow Day...

We enjoyed a dinner out with friends this week,
on the drive home we marvelled at the large orange moon hanging low in the sky
it looked like it was suspended just above the houses
and the reflection on the ocean was just so beautiful...

Not quite the image that I was hoping for...

it was difficult to capture the detail with my IPhone.

I cannot believe it but we have more snow...
we awoke yesterday to a light dusting and it continued to fall all morning.

This was the view on my walk the other day and I thought for sure that we would be enjoying warmer temperatures.

I noticed that there were a few late forming rose buds...

they must be frozen and ready to drop by now.

A study in black and white

Black Mondo grass poking out of the snow.

I decided that some comfort food was needed so I made a chicken pot pie.

The Food network had Ina Gartens' recipe.

Fresh and hot from the oven.

Can you see the snow outside?

Mr. HB put up a string of white lights on the Climbing Royal Sunset rose.

They look so pretty at night

I can see them when I am working in the Humble Bungalow Kitchen.

reminds me of a string of lustrous pearls

We went to an open house and a birthday party last night,

held in a heritage home of a young family.

There was quite a crowd and I think that the children outnumbered the adults.

This black cat clock hangs in the kitchen and the eyes move from side to side.

The young children are quite taken with it...as are many of the adults who have memories of these vintage clocks.

I've woken up with a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat and I am hoping that it does not turn into a cold. Today I plan to lay low, drink lots of fluids and keep warm.

Fortunately 

I have a great book

The Midwife of Hope River

by Patricia Harman

I am halfway through and enjoying it immensely.

Have you had a good weekend?

What's new?

Are you busy with all the Christmas preparations?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Gifts and some festive ideas from the Humble Bungalow

I finished knitting the cozy scarf I was working on this past week.

 I delivered it this afternoon after the Christmas coffee with my knitting group.

Our group took up the challenge and opened up our wallets to donate to the local newspaper The Times-Colonist Christmas fund.

The scarf is a simple 4 row repeat.

I can visualize this enlarged as a cozy throw or made in to a lap blanket.

This week I made a delicious apple chutney with the apples that were left in the fruit bowl.

 Recipe is from The Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten

found on  The Food Network website here is the recipe.

It was easy and quick to assemble.

Simmered for about an hour and the whole house smelled wonderful!

As it turns out, I was out of raisins, so I substituted dried cranberries instead 

they add a nice sweet tang and pretty seasonal colour.

It keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks...

 I am planning to serve it with turkey, pork, ham and a strong cheddar cheese.

I melted some cheese on a whole wheat wrap and topped it with this chutney

and ate it for my lunch.

I could not wait to try it

and 

oh my it is good!

Traditional "Grannies" dish cloths are in production

using up cotton leftover yarn.

They make a useful Hostess gift paired with a luxury soap or fancy dish detergent.

Glazed Lemon Loaf with raspberries

I doubled the ingredients and made two loaves

recipe here

One off to family and the other shared with Mother and some for our house.

It freezes well so I may end up popping half into the freezer for future use.

It is a time of year where we give tokens of appreciation 

to those who work with and for us 

and

 give gifts to friends and family.

When considering "Hostess Gifts"

I prefer gifts that are consumables...

we have enough "stuff" 

so I give things that do not take up unwanted "space" 

 gifts that are (hopefully) useful.

~ HOSTESS GIFTS ~

Beeswax candles

linen tea towels

chocolate

wine

bath salts

soaps and a dish cloth

scented votive candles

emollient hand cream

baking

tea

candied nuts

jams and marmalade

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

napkins

aprons

~ PLANTS ~ 

Orchids

Amaryllis

African Violets

Forced Bulbs

Ferns

Succulents

~ PERSONAL GIFTS ~

These are gifts chosen specifically for the individual based on their tastes

and 

are considered much more intimate than a Hostess Gift.

scarves

socks

gift certificates

pajamas

books

journals

CD

stationary

spa vouchers

wallet 

tote bag 

restaurant or event gift certificate

perfume

bath robe

a collectible chosen specifically for the recipient

or

something specific from their "wish list"

There are so many wonderful things to see in town at this time of year.

We took Mother to the Festival of Trees last week and this week we went to the gingerbread displays at Laurel Point Inn.

Entry #10 Wanderlust

Gingerbread at its finest!

A cookie dough Pentax!

Chris Hadfield our Space Station, guitar playing Canadian astronaut. 

I recognize these landmarks...

now it is time to close...

It has been a busy day and with more to do on my list I will say goodnight.

Sweet Dreams

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Baby its cold outside...

Care to sit in The Humble Bungalow Garden?

The street view from inside at night...

after the hail we got a sprinkle of snow.

My old trusty Volvo Estate is sporting new tires and how timely...

it is a great vehicle for driving in the snow

it has a W feature for Winter driving

I think it basically is a low low gear but I am no mechanic

 so don't quote me on that!

Dare to join me for dinner on the deck?

How about a cup of tea sitting at the French Bistro table and chair?

This morning it is freezing outside and there is a big snow storm due to arrive sometime tomorrow.

Walking is treacherous so I have been knitting gifts.

These hats might come in handy!

This is a little headband that I am knitting for Mira, our youngest grandchild.

I found the pattern online at mamainastitch.com 

It is a great site with free patterns for knitters and those who crochet.

I hope you are keeping well and are enjoying the sights and sounds of the festive season...

it is so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of shopping and baking

and

 there's nothing like a few snowy days at home

the gift of time 

 to refocus on the simple joys.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Friday thoughts...

In response to a recent comment
I wrote this from the heart
and thought it might be a focus for Friday
as we approach the festive season...
which for many,
can be fraught with emotion.

Gate of Harmonious Interest in Victoria's Chinatown

"it is sad to think that people want to inflict their gloom on others who embrace the good things in life and seek out beauty and prefer to be joyful. We all experience dark days and there are many who suffer from depression and chronic pain which I can understand as I have been there and have come out of the bouts with an invigorated and focused approach to embrace the little things in life that make me happy. My wish is that we work at finding solutions and tools that make our way through life a richer and more rewarding journey."

Juan de Fuca Strait

as viewed from King George Terrace

"after the storm"

The skies reminded me of a Tony Onley watercolour.

I love looking at the holiday lights as they transport me back to my childhood.

Mother and Father would let us stay up late, 

bundle us up in our pajamas and robes 

drive us around town looking at many of the homes with the twinkling lights.

Some had lawn ornaments and several had mechanized reindeer with Santa guiding the sleigh.

Our family fell into what we might consider as the middle class.

We had a home in a nice neighbourhood but we did not have a lot of money.

Gifts at Christmas were often second hand...

Mother was an excellent seamstress and she made our velvet Xmas dresses.

She sewed one for herself and with the leftover fabric she made my sister and I matching dresses.

Our pictures every year show 3 of us in matching coloured velvet frocks!

Father was very handy and he could fix things.

I remember getting a pink radio!

It was a vintage (even by1960's standard) radio that he refurbished and painted pink just for me...

I'd say that was a labour of love.

One year I got a bike...

a Raleigh, that he completely rebuilt with new tires and a fresh coat of paint.

We also got things that we "needed" like socks and underwear.

Books and a couple of small toys.

My Father was in the Fraternal Order of the Elks and they had a Christmas Party for the families every Christmas and that is where we got a super duper gift!

I remember getting a Barbie, a Midge and Skipper dolls.

The gifts were a real treat.

My Father grew up during the Depression and I think it had a huge impact on how he viewed money.

He scrimped and saved to put money away in the bank.

His family struggled to put food on the table and I heard a story once that they sold their claw foot tub in order to pay for something!

Can you imagine?

My thoughts are rather discombobulated 

but what I am trying to say is that life is a tapestry of events 

sewn together rather haphazardly

what we choose to do with these events 

has a huge impact on who we are

how we are seen by others

and what we bring to the table.

Life has struggles and challenges

and

after all is said and done...

We all have choices...

we can wallow

feel sorry for ourselves

OR

take action

work hard to change things

adopt the attitude of gratitude

 I choose gratitude and when I do,

 happiness follows...

If you know of someone who could use a little cheer today

please take it upon yourself to lend a hand.

Carol Woodard the slow cooker cookbook is yours!

please email me your address at bungalowhostess@gmail.com

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~