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 ~

What's happening here in the Humble Bungalow...saying thank you to Jamie Cat Callan

Cold weather has been hanging around here in Victoria for the past few weeks with no signs of warming up. Our zero and minus 4 degree days make for a chilly outing if one is not adequately dressed. This morning, for example, Victorians living on the west shore awoke to a burst water main that closed the Trans Canada Highway into town! The traffic was snarled for hours and now only one lane is open.

Hat, gloves, scarf, warm down coat over top of layers of tops and socks have been necessary when venturing out of the house...
imagine the "Michelin Man" puffy coat
worn with a woolly hat that covers my ears,
a scarf
with just my eyes peeking out
and you get the picture...
BRRR
the usual 60 minute walks are just not happening.
(I may need to resort to mall walking!)

I finally broke down and purchased a heavier pair of tights so that I could wear my skirts and dresses with my Chelsea boots.
I have not worn heavy tights since I retired from the school district and I was surprised when I looked for some...the prices are much higher than I remember.
As part of my job I was required to do outdoor supervision at recess and lunch and because I feel the cold I dressed like I was going to the North Pole...
Comfort wins.

OOTD...

Grey Boiled wool skirt

wool, rayon and spandex tights

Chelsea boots

grey top

(not visible)

It is a wee bit of a risk posting a picture

 I am such rubbish at taking selfies.

 BTW

still patiently waiting for my hair to turn completely grey...

in the meantime I have embraced grey clothing with a pop of colour.

This is what I think of now as

 "Grammy Style"

plus

I love knitting, cooking and taking care of the wee ones...

officially and unabashedly grandmotherly!

Sitting in The Humble Bungalow Living Room

gazing into the twinkle lights

sipping a cafe creme

is where I start my day.

Currently reading The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman 

I loved her other novels.

Patricia is a very gifted writer..

 she has a new one coming out in January

"Runaway Midwife"

already reserved at the library.

I have read oodles and oodles of books over the years

and I have so much respect for writers 

and 

their discipline to their craft.

I regularly consider, and wonder, if I could ever write a book.

Recently on Facebook

Jamie Cat Callan 

hosted a writing contest 

the winner would receive

a copy of her

 "Writer's Tool Box" 

check this out!

Thank you Jamie

(I was fortunate in winning one of her Tool Kits)

After reading all of Jamie's books

I met her on her Ooh La La tour in Paris...

Jamie is energetic

enthusiastic

loves life

is fun to be around

she is

  a totally delightful woman

her 

"joie de vivre" is positively contagious.

Jamie is currently working on a new book...

which I am so looking forward to reading it when it comes out next year.

Chester demands my attention when I sit...

often he pushes my book away before settling into my lap for a cuddle.

OOTD

party version

Sitting in the peace and quiet

dreams are formed

hopes

wishes

destinations farther than my front garden

a leap of faith

who knows what the future will bring?

Thank you Jamie

You continue to inspire me everyday.

I will always remember my trip to Paris.

If it were not for Jamie

 I am not sure that I would have ever realized my dream.

So many thoughts bubble up 

so many of those feelings that lay dormant 

before I embarked on that amazing trans formative journey.

In gratitude...

Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings!

~ 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 ~

Faux tree and a recipe...

Have I mentioned how our cats dictate how we live our life here in our Humble Bungalow? They do.
How they are mischievous and how every year they climb our live Christmas tree and break our vintage baubles? They do.

We have resorted to closing the doors and keeping them out of the living room unless we are there ourselves to shoo them away but I have decided that this is far too stressful...
and so
we have purchased a faux tree to keep the peace and serenity
that we far prefer to savour.

Looks ok

BUT

 it has no fresh fir scent...

no needles to vacuum up...

and the cats...

WELL

they are not at ALL interested in it

So I can say for now, 

we can relax...

PHEW!

There are so many things to do during this festive season.

Baking

Shopping

Entertaining

Being Entertained

Dressing up

Decorating

Christmas events

Writing Letters

Sending Cards

If we opt out of some of these it is not the end of the world.

I like to pace myself and really enjoy the seasonal festivities.

We would be amiss if we did not acknowledge and 

recognize  the people who help and work for and with us over the past year.

MR. HB's  firm hosted a party...

I wore a simple black dress

mesh tights

Chelsea boots

 accessorized with a diamond necklace, studs and my diamond heart bracelet.

Festive ties are a favourite of MR. HB.

He is not a fan of the tacky Christmas Sweaters.

He wore the tie on the left...with a grey shirt and black dress pants.

Very smart indeed.

Here is my diamond heart bracelet.

I am collecting diamond hearts to create a modern day "family heirloom" to pass onto one of my grandchildren. 

We have three little ones so far and so I am planning ahead.

I want to leave them with something to remember me by...
besides my cookies, story reading and home cooked meals.

Blurry image but you get the sparkly idea...

Ojibwa duck decoys, a dome with an allium inside and some copper lights...

Chester says hello from under the tree...

I bought a big bag of tomatoes from the market on sale today.

Incredibly cheap and so fresh!

So I pulled out my Soup Sisters Cook book and looked up the Heirloom tomato soup recipe...

Roast halved tomatoes sprinkled with garlic cloves, diced onions and olive oil

400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pop into a pot and use the immersion blender to mix it into a pulp.

Add oregano, basil leaves, salt, pepper to taste.

Then add 2 cups of veggie stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl and enjoy!

Its been a busy weekend...

I have been up late two nights in a row.

Feeling a bit like I could benefit from an early night.

Will try and catch a few extra ZZZZ'S

Hope your weekend was fun.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~