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a little about my week – and a pic of my cat.

tut_near_window

i’m learning how to take pictures.  better.

there is life after the auto focus button.

tut posing ever so still for me as i try to figure out all the manual settings on my camera.  ahem – my brothers camera.

mom_holiday_tea

went home to visit family we weren’t able to see during the holidays.  we’re only in the first week of january!  it still felt like christmas.  and look at that ring!  christmas bling!

Josh and i were able to find a home for our old sofa bed.  it had taken up a good portion of space in our second bedroom and well – i need a craft room vs. having a guest bedroom.  we have blow up mattresses for that.  or the living room couch.  whatever you prefer.  all i know is – i now have a room to do stuff!  organize my tax info!  take photos!  somewhere to hide when Josh is annoying me.  ahem – what? i mean, scrapbook! read! you name it!

tut_cute

…and… one more of tut.  because – why not.

happy sunday, at least, still to me.  happy monday, for most of you – wherever you are.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios 2012-2013.

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a little reflecting on past thistle theatre parties.

i enjoy people watching.  i especially enjoy when my people watching consists of similar things that i have experienced in my life.

i attended a F.A.P.P.P. – Friday After Play Practice Party.  a long-standing tradition of the thistle theatre group i grew up acting with.

now in my mid-twenties, no longer living at home and many years have passed from the last play i was in – i was invited to a F.A.P.P.P.  it helped that my mother was the one producing the play.

i am now of the age where if i wanted to bring alcohol and drink it, i could.  the reflective younger me would think i’m so cool right now.

the children at this party were around the same age i would have been when i attended these parties.

listening to the younger “me’s” in the room, i found myself giggling at how cute, small, and naïve they all seemed.  i must have really thought i was some big shit back then.  not thinking of the future and what’s next.  will i have enough money for rent – all those things that just pop out of thin air when you become an adult and mommy and daddy are no longer there to hold your hand.

hearing the kids giggle about a teacher who still teaches at the same public school i went to.  hearing them complain about the same things i once used to complain about.

so tiny our lives.  yet so full.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios 2012.

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chewy coconut lime cookies. a recipe. in a little kitchen.

with the holiday season in our faces, and food in our mouths, enjoy my latest creation from in my little kitchen.

chewy coconut lime cookies.

it was a night where the kitchen was completely spotless for once – that see every bit of the counter clean.

so what did i do?  messed it up of course.  i had a sweet tooth and no matter how long i’d spend in the kitchen, i was going to have myself some cookies when it was all said and done.

since Josh and i do a lot of travelling to see our families over Christmas, we have a routine we follow and the most important one in my mind – don’t forget about the food in your fridge.

1-2 weeks before travelling – no buying/bringing new food into the house, we must use up what we have.  this way nothing goes bad while we’re away.  so after 10 minutes of rummaging around, i found some flaked coconut,  honey, a vanilla bean and two limes.  daydream moment – coconut – hawaii – honeymoon.  sigh of love.  and the following is the recipe i came up with based on those main ingredients i found.

lime_cutting_board_knife

zest of 2 limes – seeds of one vanilla bean (or not) – 1 cup of butter – 1/2 cup of white sugar.

mix until sugar is well blended with butter.  fluffy butter stage.

1/2 cup of honey.  local honey that is.

local_honey_oxford_woodstock_market

pour and mix in with your fluffy butter.  making it sticky fluffy butter stage.

i don’t care what method you use to combine your ingredients.  use what you have.  bowl, spoon and strong-arm will work just fine.  or a hand mixer, or a stand mixer.  the point is to mix.

juice of half a lime – 2 tsp of vanilla extract or coconut if you have it – or both!

baking_cookies_lime

blend in with sticky fluffy butter. juiced up butter stage.

in a separate bowl – 3 cups of flour – 1 cup of flaked coconut.

pour in the juiced up butter and mix.  with your mixer, your hands, your spoon, whatever.  separate your big mess of dough into two even chunks and form each chunk into whatever shape you desire.  refrigerate for at least a half hour, but ideally overnight.  i like to roll my dough into a log for ease of cutting, throw it in the fridge and be ready for baking when i want.

oven – between 325 degrees to 350 degrees – 8 minutes – rotate pan – 8 minutes – remove from oven – transfer to wire rack.  i find that all ovens tend to be a little different so watch your cookies the first time, and adjust accordingly.

eat warm or cold.  depends on your willpower.

happy holidays – wherever you are.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios 2012.

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at home in hawaii.

maybe it’s because i’m on vacation…

maybe it’s because i went snorkelling with honu, the green sea turtle…

maybe it’s because i’m not working…

maybe it’s because i can’t stop eating the most delicious avocados i’ve ever had…

no matter what the maybe is…

i feel at home here in hawaii.

aloha.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios 2012.

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a scary movie. a birthday. and a pic of my cat.

the paper place on queen st west in toronto was hosting a letter-writing night.  being a lover of all things crafty, especially paper, i had to go.  it was a huge turn out!  they had lemonade and macaroons (the way to my heart) as refreshments.  i wrote a letter to each of my grandmas while i was there and popped them in the mail on my way home.

– josh is a lover of scary movies.  me?  not so much.  we started what we call “Obscure Movie Night” – this can be held on any particular night of the week, but tend to be mondays.  we flip-flop who gets to pick the movie.  this time it was his turn.

paranormal activity 3.  great.  i thought i was in the clear after the first two.  nope.  and the fourth one is out this october – which i’m sure i’ll also be coaxed into watching.  little does he know i’ve planned a fantastic feeler chick flick for us next week.

okay, i’m lying.  i don’t have one planned.  suggestions?

– OH!  and i guess i should tell you!  the actual physical mohawk got put into hibernation again.  i have to say, it’s a little freaky waking up to what you think is a stranger next to you – you know that jolt out of your skin feeling.

then realize, no, wait – josh has just shaved his mohawk off.
that and, oh right becky – this is the reason you need corrective lenses.

– more macaroons!!!  the perfect ending to my perfect birthday weekend of camping.  i LOVE camping.  we enjoyed delicious food cooked over the fire all weekend.  i had a wonderful surprise show up straight to my campsite.  two friends that i didn’t think were coming!  what a lovely birthday present!  i even got to blow out candles on some fantastic double chocolate white chocolate chunk brownies with ganache that my dear friend andy made.

– and for tut – he had his first veterinary visit this week.  he’s not the happiest with me right now.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios 2012.

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a little bbq – and a pic of my cat.

– i’m becoming a little obsessed with the fact that i have access to a barbecue.  it’s wonderful.  Josh and i made a feast… for just the two of us.  it was delicious.  not 20 min before we went to the rooftop it was pouring rain.  we were lucky enough to have the rain stop for just the right amount of time to bbq, no umbrella required.

– aside from barbecuing, i’ve been itching to bake something in my new-to-me kitchen.  specifically, this delectable looking strawberry rhubarb pie from smitten kitchen.  but after carefully reading through the recipe, i think i’ll take Deb’s advice and try the improved version – one of the many reasons to love smitten kitchen.  go check it out.  you’ll fall in love too.

– had women (special awesome ones) over for refreshing cocktails and grilled veggies on the bbq.  YUM!  again, with the barbecue – i know.

– tut had friends over this weekend!  two little munchkins, or rather, two tea-cup pomeranians – weezer and carmen are their names.  can you guess who is who?  Josh’s mother came down to visit and brought them with her.  it was a relaxing weekend for me.  for tut – not so much.  the little ones kept him on his toes until they left.  at which point he crashed and had a long needed nap.

happy sunday – wherever you are.

© Becky Siddall and littlesiddallstudios July 15th, 2012.