Springing forth with colour...OOTD and a health report.

Spring is showing off in the yellow daffodils, purple crocus, red tulips and the blue hyacinths...
everywhere I look I see VIBRANT BRILLIANT COLOUR.
It is so startling after the grey skies of winter that my head turns to notice every bud and bloom.

This store's display

 caught my attention

and I stopped to look closer

to examine the details of each piece.

How cheerful and energetic it makes me feel.

As seen on the street in Seattle

mette might recognize some of the Marimekko prints.

Color or "Colour"

 is getting lots of press this season.

~ ~ ~

(Colour is how well spell it here in Canada)

Who knew there were blue trees in Seattle?

I'd call this cobalt blue...

it certainly makes a statement.

~ ~ ~

 Silly I know...

"Walking outfit"

I have two of these hoodies one in Glacier Blue and this Chartreuse Green

and I have been living in these "performance" active wear pants from Lands End!

They are so comfy...

I have been side lined with Vertigo all weekend and it continues 

my doctor thinks is Benign Postural Vertigo...

 I am taking some medicine, the same one that astronauts take for their trips to outer space!

So for now it's slow mo days in The Humble Bungalow

no walks allowed until it passes.

"Too risky"

 the hazards of falling are not worth it.

(I reluctantly have to agree)

I have lots of new magazines to browse

 a funny book to start

this really does sound entertaining!

What colours are you wearing this season and are you feeling bold in your choice of colour?

The Hostess gets a makeover at Bobbi Brown...

Bobbi Brown is well known and respected when it comes to making the best of make up.
Not over doing it, but using a lighter hand to accent and emphasize your best features.

When Mr. HB and I were in Seattle on holiday I did something completely out of my comfort zone.
I sat at the Bobbi Brown counter at Nordstrom's and had a make over!
It was very early so thankfully the store was not too crowded.
"No unnecessary attention please and thank you!"

After watching the Lisa Eldridge videos I realized that I could use some help.
Choosing the shades that are complimentary to my skin tone is something that I have always struggled a bit with
also I knew that I needed a base colour on my face to cover my ruddiness from rosacea and yet I still wanted to add a healthy glow. The cosmetician was helpful and was able to achieve what I was looking for in a very short time.

My morning routine has got to be easy...

A trio of products and a foundation brush.

Porcelain Luminous Moisturizing Foundation

Fresh Melon Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks 

Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder

I am happy with the products how easy they are to work with and how the end result looks natural.

If you have never had a makeover do try one

they are free and you can take home samples

having someone impartial give you advice is much easier than you might think!

If you like the products after trying them then go back to the cosmetic counter and buy them.

I wore the foundation for a day before I decided it was right for me.

Thanks for stopping by and spending a little time out of your busy day.

Have you tried anything new lately?

I've got my nose buried in a new book by an author that I have just discovered...

she has penned a dozen books!

Santa Montefiore

Thanks to Julian Fellowes 

writer of Downton Abbey and Gosford Park...

His comment on the front cover made the sale and I am enjoying it

 it feels a bit like I just stepped inside a home like the one in Downton Abbey but with different characters.

What are you reading?

Seattle and Vancouver Loot Shoot...

I bought very little on our recent trip as we focused on seeing the sights and walking ~ walking ~ walking!

I needed a new case for my IPhone 4 and the selection was quite thin on the ground.

Seems like the IPhone 5 is the new kid in town so I hunted high and low for a case for mine and was fortunate enough to find one of two Kate Spade dotty ones left at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver.

Kate Spade does do some fun designs...

I browsed her shop in Seattle and could have gotten into a LOT of trouble had I not been focused on what I need and not what tempts!

An Eileen Fisher top

found at Nordstrom's Rack

the main store's clearance centre.

metal beading makes this simple style more interesting

Leather Ballet flats to replace my worn ones

Mee Too 

comfy ~ like walking on pillows!

New walking shoes in a brushed gold shade

Born ~ comfort and a little dazzle.

Classic striped French inspired top from Banana Republic.

H and M 

tank tops white and one black and white in a very discreet pattern

perfect for layering with all my other pieces.

 I think H and M is for the young and young at heart.

Good value on these basics that's why I scooped them up...

I actually bought two white ones.

Stains happen, 

well they do to me 

and sadly often I cannot remove them.

I have one more post on my loot and that will follow shortly as I am having a bit of fun with it.

Be back soon...

enjoy your weekend!

Seattle snapshots...Chihuly, Tom Douglas and Pike Place Market.

Whew what a busy getaway!
Mr. HB and I walked for hours every day that we were away and enjoyed seeing the sights.
Oh and yes there was some shopping!
I am up to my neck buried in laundry right now I'll get that done and then post a "loot shoot."
Thank goodness for the large capacity LG machines.

The Space Needle reflected in the blue sphere.

Chihuly Gardens and Glasshouse

I highly recommend taking the time to visit this amazing place.

You'll never think of glass in the same way again!

You can get an idea of how vast this glass sculpture is when you look at the figures at the bottom left.

It's quite staggering to stand beside this and gaze up.

This glass scene fills an entire room.

Vibrant colour and interesting textures and shapes...

The Glass House

Outside in the Chihuly Gardens

The plantings accent the colours and textures of the glassworks.

The greyed wood and the blues and mauves compliment each other

and the chartreuse blooms add even more depth and interest.

Red stands out against the black Mondo grass at the base.

A perfect to time your visit would be around dusk 

so that the lights inside placed inside the glass sculptures would be enchanting.

We rode the 50 year old monorail which has stood the test of time

it is the easiset and fastest way to get to the Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens and The EMI Music Experience.

The Music Experience is inside an interesting building by architect Frank Gehry.

view from the monorail platform

it's a huge space and so artfully designed

We decided against riding the wheel on the waterfront 

the weather was grey and rainy, the winds were gusting

neither of us felt like swaying in the breeze or looking at the skyline through a wet rainy glass dome.

The Savour Seattle food tour was fabulous and rated one of the top 10 tours in the US

now I understand why...

The knowledgable, friendly and entertaining guides 

a behind the scenes look at the Market

 tasty samples 

personally greeting vendors on the 2 hour walking tour of Pike Place Market.

We dined at some amazing restaurants 

we researched them on Trip Advisor and booked ahead through Open Table.

 Dahlia Lounge was one great spot!

Top Chef Tom Douglas owns many great places to eat in Seattle.

Amuse bouche

a wee bite to wake up the taste buds.

Tom is famous for his signature crab cakes 

I make a tasty crab cake so I wanted to see just how good they were.

Delicious! 

they were served on a bed of wilted mustard greens which were sauteed in garlic!

Mr. HB had oysters in mignonette sauce, pot stickers and steamed clams.

he had to try their famous coconut cream pie

I had one teensy taste...

Tom and his wife were sitting in the booth next to us enjoying dinner...

he must be a very busy chef and to see him relaxing in one of his own restaurants was a bonus

check out all Tom's amazing venues.

We had a fabulous time in Seattle

stay tuned for some shopping highlights in the next post...

Hope that your week is off to a great start!

Simply White, a Wednesday in March...

White Wednesdays have all but disappeared, have you noticed?
Bloggers seems to have moved on to other themes.

I do so love white stoneware, plates and the soft glow of all white rooms.

Filtered light cast shadows on this simple jug.

Atlanta Bartlett's lovely book

At Home With White has some seriously beautiful images

I keep opening this book and dreaming in white.

I never tire of white rooms

they ooze with elegance

 a breath of calm relaxation.

I love when whites are massed together

the effect is amplified

especially when there are variations of shapes and texture.

Oh be still my beating heart,

 look at this all white kitchen!

Simple, elegant and stunning in it's beauty.

Our heritage Bungalow has dark Douglas Fir wood panelling and wainscoting and beams.

We would not dream of changing this element as that would be tampering with the original architects' design.

Milo S. Farwell worked in Victoria, Seattle and San Francisco.

I wonder how many of his homes still exist.

We are stewards of this home and do our best to keep it as original as possible.

Loving white as I do

 I add it where I can...

~ dishes and crockery ~

~ towels ~

The Meissen platter is a favourite of mine.

I love the grand scale of it and the gentle scalloped edge.

Maxwell Williams china is widely available and is quite reasonably priced.

Open stock makes it easy to pick up more pieces.

When you choose white china it is easy to mix and match different styles and designs 

it all works

trust me!

Say you are hosting a dinner party or a buffet for 20 and you own a set of 12 

you can borrow white china from your friends

and put it all together so it looks fabulous.

Apples even look prettier against the white bowl

this bowl was found at a local thrift shop

I think it was originally a wash basin.

For some inspiration pop on over to Country Living and have a browse...

I'll be back in a few days with some highlights from our Seattle and Vancouver trip.

There was lots of sightseeing and shopping...

and yes there were shoes!