Wearable art....Debra Chambers and Linda Lundstrom Canadian designers.

Debra Chambers necklace

Each piece that Debra designs is one of a kind, you'll have the pleasure of wearing something that no one else will be wearing.

The pieces are beautifully crafted to add texture, colour and interest.

They speak to me and I feel arty and bohemian wearing them!

Her more delicate creations are very sophisticated and feminine.

I have a great jacket that I am planning to wear with this necklace.

Another well known Canadian designer.

Deconstruction zone!

A riot of textural detail.

Back detail.

Front accents.

Same tonal palette, shredded accents, texture and whimsy...I do love this Chanel!

Don't you just love wearing artistically designed items?

Maybe you design your own?

Do you have a favourite designer?

Blues, Tea, and a yard full of cedar...

Grape Hyacinths from the Bungalow garden.

I am bringing beauty inside as the outside is a disaster!

The garden is a mess right now...it is a construction zone...we are getting a new fence.

The old fence is grey and rotting...

This is where Mr. HB usually parks his Beamer.

This is the front yard, my small patch of lawn is dwarfed by the cedar panels.

The crew are great, they are working 9-4 and making great progress.

When the fence has been erected I will go out and tidy up anything that might be amiss.

I am ever so grateful that they are working now before all my plants grow huge and bloom.

The crew has departed and it's tea time for the Hostess.

I find a cup of tea incredibly restorative. Just the simple act of boiling the kettle, warming the pot, steeping the tea leaves and then the best part...sitting for a few minutes, reflecting on the events of the day, a time for a quiet moment, giving thanks in appreciation and gratitude.

Classic Lady Grey Tea, I am sipping some as I blog this afternoon.

Look there are bits of blue in the tea!

They are cornflowers.

The ingredients are black tea, orange peel, lemon peel citrus flavour and cornflowers.

You really cannot go wrong with tea from Twinings, they are a British institution, and they have the honour of being appointed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11.

A good English brew needs a proper cup and saucer...the bone china holds the heat longer and the tea does taste better.

Some prefer a squeeze of lemon, some like honey, some like milk, and others it's simply black.

I do MIF...for those of you not familiar with that expression....it translates to milk in first.

Builder's tea is also popular, see for yourself...Builder's Tea

When you need some quiet or restoration what do you do?

Where do you find solace?

I find that rituals, offer comfort.

A hot bath, a sweet chocolate, a phone call from a good friend.

Just as donning certain "comfy garments" like cashmere, silk, or a soft worn tee...it's a gift indeed.

Not an Hermes for the Hostess this time....or a Chanel for that matter!

Long scarves are on display in shops everywhere.

Have you seen them too?

Fan of scarves that I am, I see them before I see the clothing that they adorn.

The fabrics are light, loose and floaty.

Colours, patterns, prints.

They call to me....."Yoo-hoo hostess, over here!"

I only need one, but it has to tick ALL THE BOXES...it has to be versatile, long enough to knot and tie without feeling shortchanged, and work with my wardrobe, and not cost the earth...my wallet has been opening up far too regularly of late.

My Hermes scarf collection are all square silks.

For spring and summer, I found this one at the Hudson's Bay for $35.

It will brighten up my black trench and go with ALL my BLACK!

Fringed edges

Jungle print

Black and white is my camo

I can already tell I'll be wearing this one a lot.

I threw it around my neck when I darted out for a quick stop at the Market...I took these photos just before I ran out the door!

I was wearing my wide legged striped Gap trousers, Dolce and Gabbana grey leather belt, blush pink tank and off white Tribal sweater and Miz Mooz red flats...my new Tory Burch was dangling from my many bangled hand...

I picked up the latest Bazaar uk, Thinking Fashion...read it with a cup of tea in hand and it is one of the better issues I have seen.

Lots of beautiful images and ideas for spring and summer.

I need to go and shop my closet.

Get creative, reinvent, switch it up.

Just take a peek at this dreamy Chanel!

April 2010 Harpers Bazaar and Chanel

Sumptuous, neutral and the texture!

I would add

Layers of pearls...lusterous and warm, oh yes, I think so!

and maybe Chanel nail varnish in #505 Particuliere..you either love it or "not love it"!

( I do not like to use very strong or offensive terminology here in the Bungalow)

I am in the "I do not love it" camp.

My skin tone needs more colour.

How about yours??

Farewell to the flame...Vancouver the Host, and the Hostess is Home.

Sunday we stopped by to view the Olympic flame before it was extinguished.

We did park the Volvo here...no signs of any traffic wardens so we took our cameras and ran!

The Olympic party is over now and Vancouver is ready for more visitors.

Hotels are plentiful and affordable, there is something for everyone's budget....the YMCA rents rooms!

City of great scenery, fresh air, fabulous places to dine, shopping and the arts.

Coffee shops and cafes pepper the streets.

The Art Gallery on Robson is conveniently located downtown and they have great displays and a gift shop. Their cafeteria is surprisingly good too.

These scenes are in the vicinity of the new Vancouver Convention Centre.

The area is located at the waterfront and is very picturesque.

There were clouds in the sky and the threat of rain when we were walking around. On a sunny day the views to the north shore are spectacular.

Vancouver is a very green city, set amid snow capped mountains beside the Pacific Ocean. People have commented that it is very like Hong Kong in it's setting.

Vancouver has lots to offer the tourist.

Downtown is accessable by foot, there are trolleys that tour and cabs are easy to hail.

In the centre of this image the floating barge with the Olympic rings is visible.
The rings were lit in the traditional Olympic colours, and when Canada won a medal they would be  GOLD!

My favorite things to do are walk and shop Robson Street, South Granville, Granville Island, Holt Renfrew, Hermes, Tiffany's and Meinharts.

Sitting at Starbucks on Robson, or any outdoor cafe is a wonderful place to people watch...it is fashion on parade.

Places I like to explore;

Stanley Park

Kitsilano

Kerrisdale

Dunderave

Shaughnessy

UBC Endownment Lands

Restaurants on my fave list;

Vij's

Cioppino's

Cin Cin

Dunderave Fish Market

I am planning to be a tourist in my own hometown for a while and reconnect with our local merchants and explore our beautiful parks. 

I'll be cooking at home more, "the party" is over for awhile here in the Humble Bungalow and it's back to reality for the Hostess.

Routine and work are what I need for now, and that's a "Good Thing" as Martha Stewart would say, because it is what is on my agenda for the foreseeable future!

..and the winner is...

The giveaway day is here!
I need to catch up on domestics as I have been away so my post today is short and to the point...plus I am off to the dentist.

I put all the entries into the Tiffany's bag and I have shaken the bag and the winner is...

Thank you for participating.

There will be more giveaways here at the Humble Bungalow, stay tuned.

Materfamilias Congratulations!

Please email me your address and I will pop the scarf in the post asap!