November ~ New Haircut...lipstick, thrift shop finds, shoes, and a new bag.

 

New backpack bag...

Woven leather bag made by Vilenca Holland.

I love a hands free bag for shopping and my beach walks.

This one is such a beautiful shade of brown...

it has really sturdy adjustable straps.

Think it will hold up much better that my Margot Backpack.

The Margot backpack bag from last year 

is made of fine glove leather and the straps are thinner

so

with the constant wear 

some of the seams are looking stressed.

I've been out and about looking at clothes these past few weeks...

on the hunt for a dressy rayon velvet top.

I love velvet for the festive season.

I spied a gorgeous Cut Loose shirt available in several different colours 

at a rather high price point (higher than my usual budget allows) so I didn't buy it.

After chatting with our darling daughter at brunch

she convinced me to go to the thrift shops and have a browse.

Well thankfully I took her advice...

I found a lovely rayon velvet top in a bright jewel tone

and I think it might be an Eileen Fisher piece :-))

It is in perfect condition and was VERY affordable.

I need to shorten the sleeves but that will be a quick fix.

While shopping at WIN...

I found a vintage Ann Klein leather make-up bag and coin purse.

Will come in handy in the backpack bag 

as it doesn't have commodious pockets inside the bag.

After much waffling...I decided to change my hair style.

I went to an Aveda salon and had the stylist cut it into a short bob with a fringe.

It is super simple too...

Just a bit of Aveda gel and a wee bit of scrunching and then I let it air dry.

~ Saint Germain Red ~

I like a pop of colour and lipstick is a quick and easy way to add that brightness.

New Shoes...

Vessi 

Slip ons that are waterproof for the Win :-))

Walking on wet sidewalks is what I do Fall through to the end of Winter.

These will be a game changer!

Bought the black because they will go with everything in my closet!!

I am a sensible gal and keep the colour palette pretty classic.

Black and white bowl in the downstairs loo...

Soaps are at the ready for dirty hands and the walk in shower!

I buy the Goats Milk soap with shea butter added as it is so moisturizing.

You might think all I have been doing is shopping but that's not true.

I've been attending aqua fit classes at the Rec centre, reading loads of books, 

baking a weekly sourdough boule, drinking lots of green tea, making a batch of soup every week for our lunches and continuing on the drawer by drawer, closet by closet cull of unwanted, unused and old stuff!

Maybe being busier is why I have stopped my weekly blogging habit?

I am very focused and "present" when I am writing the blog.

It seems to take me longer to get to the computer too...

so many other distractions :-))

My husband and I are always watching a british crime drama or mystery on Acorn.

We like the ease of entertainment without leaving the house.

 

What's new with you?

Have you read any good books? Seen any great films?

Well I must close for now as I have a book to finish and dinner to prepare...

Am using Pappardelle instead of the Fusilli...

meatless sauce using anchovies, capers, garlic, black olives, spices and San Marzano tomatoes with Grana Padano cheese.

Are you watching The Pasta Queen on TV?
She's amazing and makes me want to cook pasta 24/7

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Beautiful pops of colour on my radar...

 

~ Camas ~

My husband and I ventured out to Playfair Park 

to have a peek at the gorgeous Native Plants that are in full bloom.

Fawn lilies, Shooting Stars and Camas

absolutely stunning!

A meadow of blue Camas under the canopy of The Garry Oaks.

My ankle injury is slowly improving...

I think it is what Google says is a grade 2 sprain.

Torn ligaments on the outer side of the ankle.

Estimated Recovery Time 

3-6 weeks

Wearing the compression brace which really helps and not going for long walks.

Having said that...I am slowly increasing the number of steps that I do in a day.

Yesterday it was almost 6,000.

Met with friends for Tea at the Union Club.

We spent a few blissful hours sipping bubbly, tea and treats.

Such a beautiful spot, views over the Inner Harbour...

great food and superb service.

In other news... I have been replacing lipsticks...

nothing like a fresh pop of colour to lift the spirit.

~ Rouge de Germain ~

Red is my go to colour for lipstick...

when I was in Paris the first time in 2015 I stayed in the Saint Germain area.

The chic Parisian women walking in the neighbourhood all wore red lipstick.

Not wasting any time, despite being jet lagged, I high tailed it to

the nearest Monoprix!

There I discovered a fabulous selection of red lipsticks...

 so dear reader I bought one!

Paris holds a very special place in my heart.

I went back again in 2019 and who knows...perhaps I will return :-))

My make-up bag was falling apart so I purchased a new one...

instead of a vinyl one, like my old bag, I chose fabric which I much prefer.

While at the Pharmasave in Oak Bay I bought 2 new lipsticks.

I am test driving a pink shade...

Softsilver Rose

These Revlon lippies are very creamy and go on easily and last!

They were also on sale, which was rather fortunate timing.

I finished knitting The Easy Goes It scarf...

worn here with my old red lipstick...

will be much better with the new rose pink shade.

New fragrance...Honey Tobacco

locally made here in Victoria.

I am enjoying this new scent very much...

body wash, cologne and other honey tobacco are available on their website.

I took a bag of clothes to the Salvation Army and then had a quick browse.

Oh my goodness...I couldn't believe my luck!

I have a Burberry scarf that my husband gave me, maybe 15 years ago. that I love.

It is the traditional beige and wine plaid colourway...

it goes with my quilted Burberry jacket.

The new to me scarf will pair well with my black coats!

New silk skirt from House Of Savoy on Oak Bay Avenue.

Made by San Tropez

This will be a fun skirt for summertime.

Love the texture...

I am thinking of outfits based on the skirt...

 a simple white top, my distressed vintage jean jacket and white sneakers

Dressy black tank top, white shawl and my white bow toed Bueno sandals.

Oh and my BIG pearls!

I love a versatile garment!

Do you like thrift shopping?

Consignment?

What is new with you?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday August 27...where did the week go?

 

~ Jude The Obscure Rose ~

I don't know where the week went?

Lots going on here, 

among them...

I've been busy in the kitchen roasting the tomato harvest.

I pop the chopped tomatoes in a roasting pan 

(whole cherry tomatoes in a glass dish)

sprinkle with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil

liberally top with crushed garlic.

400 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Cool them then pop into freezer bags.

I add them to tomato sauce in the fall and winter for an extra pop of flavour.

We purchased a Nespresso machine!

I loved the Nespresso coffee in Paris at The Hotel Belloy.

That was in 2015 on my first trip.

I loved their sweet treats and coffee in the lobby after a long day exploring Paris.

Many other guests gathered and we'd chat about what we had seen and done.

There was such an air of excitement in that lobby 

as ideas and insights were exchanged.

I recently enjoyed the coffee in the Ocean Promenade Hotel in White Rock.

My husband wasn't sure it was to his taste but we visited the store in our local mall.

The clerk made us a coffee and he liked it so much that we purchased a machine.

We've got 3 different varieties of coffee and both of us like the Stormio.

It is smooth and strong, just the way I like it!

I have been reading this fabulous book.

I borrowed it from a friend and WOW it is wonderful!

I have read most of Jennifer Robson's books and loved them and this one is a treat.

Her latest book The Coronation Year will be on my radar next.

Dinner party dessert offering...

(dessert plate a gift from darling daughter!)

One piece left... a few crumbs

I added skinny slices of fresh lemon

 made a batch of whipped cream to top the pieces.

Not sure where I found this recipe?

I have made it before and love the moist texture of the cake.

It is simple to make and easy to transport.

We took it to our friends home as we were invited for dinner.

We had appies on their private back patio

they

 served us a delicious middle eastern themed main course.

I didn't take pictures and probably should have as it was so beautifully presented...

served in rustic earthenware pots and serving dishes.

Yesterday I went to the garden centre to check out the stock.

I was looking for some more hostas for our shady front bed.

Alas there were not many hostas left...

I did buy one.

I decided on a black planter 

for the front walk just by the stairs.

Added a few perennials and voila!

I recently posted this picture on my Instagram and since then I have several enquiries on the shade of the Miss Pupa from Milan lipgloss.

It is number 305

My local Pharmasave used to carry the Miss Pupa line but have discontinued it.

Miss Pupa have a website and you can order all their items easily.

I am going to go and finish reading The Gown so I will close for now.

Thank you for taking the time to pop by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Wardrobe ~ Classic and Funky

Last weekend I accompanied our son and the grandchildren on a getaway.

We stayed at The Ocean Promenade Hotel in White Rock across from the beach.

Our suite was large with panoramic views

and

 had a kitchen which was handy for our morning coffee and breakfasts.

There were train tracks along the seafront and the trains passed by several times to the delight of our youngest granddaughter...

We took the kids to the Splash Water Park in Tsawwassen.

It was fun filled hours of water play, slipping and sliding, screams and splashes.

I hung out with our youngest who was too short to go on the really scary slides.

We had fun in the pools and she ran up and down to the junior slides...

I cannot believe how MUCH energy these kiddos had!

By the time almost 3 hours in the pool had passed I was knackered...

we went off to Milestones for dinner and then headed back to White Rock to get in our PJ's and get cozy.

I was in bed asleep by 10:00!

We did some back to school shopping at Tsawwassen Mills Mall.

On Sunday, we drove to the shopping mecca on South Granville. 

At Indigo, the girls perused The American Girl Doll collections...

Grammy shopped at Eileen Fisher...

(pure bliss)

I haven't been since Covid.

What a treat!

I found a LBD for Fall and winter.

LBD

Nice weight jersey, pockets, zipper detail.

Zip can be adjusted to your taste...

I added the classic Hermes scarf.

I could wear the big pearl necklace for a bigger WOW impact.

I also have a white top with 3/4 sleeves which will be great underneath.

The black lined walking coat was on sale but my size wasn't in stock at the shop 

so the clerk found one in a Toronto Eileen Fisher Store.

The service at this location is unbeatable!

I recently found a funky Tee...

at Marshalls in Hillside Mall.

Karl Lagerfeld

I wore this with some Eileen Fisher jeans.

I have red ballet flats and a fabulous red lipstick from Milan...

when I am feeling a wee bit daring I will wear them together!

William Shakespeare Rose 

a David Austin stalwart in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

In other news...

Blogger no longer sends alerts to readers 

when a new post is published...

I will mention new posts on my Instagram page.

Please bookmark the link to my blog and check back every week.

I usually write a post each week.

It is frustrating that the service from Blogger is disappearing...

I suppose there is no monetary incentive for them to maintain the service.

Blogging may be going the way of the dodo bird!

Instagram You Tube and Tik Tok definitely are the current faves.

Thank you for popping by...

I appreciate your comments and newsy emails.

Please stay in touch.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

April Showers ~ flowers and an OOTD

 

Star Magnolia Blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Sprinkled with raindrops

The daffodils are nodding their heads weighed down by the raindrops.

We ventured out to Butchart Gardens on a sunny morning...

the flowers were exquisite...

Masses of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths.

The grandchildren rode the carousel which was a highlight!

Summer Snowflake Snowdrops

these are much taller than the usual varieties and they bloom later.

I want to buy a bunch more of these as they are so precious.

I am definitely a greedy gardener.

Yesterday I walked to the Cook Street Village on a mission 

to buy some veggies at the Root Cellar.

These daffs caught my eye and I just had to stop and take a picture.

When I walk, I look around...and the gardens always offer up something beautiful.

I make it a priority to stop and smell the flowers!

My current book...

just started this one yesterday and already I am eager to read more.

Love it when a book hooks you and holds your interest right from the start!

Readers have emailed me to say that my book suggestions are inspiring you to read.

It is a pleasure to share the love of reading, when I worked in the school libraries I tried very hard to get students matched up with great books.

What are you reading?

Today

My OOTD is a very casual one today...

~ OOTD ~ 

Rough Linen black linen apron 

Old Navy Denim shirt 

(an oldie but a goodie ~ it is a workhorse in my minimal wardrobe)

pearls

what you cannot see are my black Yoga pants.

I told you it was casual :-))

I am cooking a big roast beef Sunday dinner...

Yorkshire Puddings

Roast Beef

Mashed turnips

Roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes with cherry tomatoes

a potato casserole 

from "The Best of The Best of Bridge" cookbook

(page 176)

~ Schwarties Hash Browns ~

carrots

peas

Dessert 

strawberries and ice cream

I've had two IPL laser treatments in the past few months to help with my rosacea.

Another is scheduled for the end of the month.

The broken capillaries were quite noticeable and my cheeks red.

 I had not been for a treatment since early 2019

Covid kept me away from the clinic.

The only red I like on my face is this Italian lipstick!

Do you wear red lipstick?

Since I keep my make-up very subtle I like the pop of colour it provides.

Windowsill Orchids are in bloom.

Phalaenopsis

We have several orchids on the sill above the farmhouse sink...

they love the humidity and the north exposure.

These gems bloom several times a year and their flowers last for months.

Great value for the price...

this one was purchased at Home Depot.

Well I must get back to my cooking...

take care and thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~