Black Pearl Life Style

This is a fun craft for the kids that requires a couple of stages. Search for 'crayon etching' or 'scratch art' and you find similar examples. First, go to town with crayons on a regular piece of paper. he more colourful, the better..  Then paint over the crayons with black paint.  Wait to dry, then use a coin to scratch away different shapes and patterns to reveal the colours below. It actually takes a bit of strength and dexterity to scratch away the paint and my two kids (especially Magnus) are possibly a little young, but they still enjoyed it.  Here's a link! http://earlylearning.momtrusted.com/2013/08/diy-scratch-art/

We are a very active family and it's really important for me to get outside and get plenty of physical exercise, likewise instilling these important principles in our kids. This is an interesting tip I read recently, and should obviously be taken according to each individual's condition as sometimes, fatigue can be a sign of illness or something more serious. However, I like how they recommend exercise, even a short walk, after work, in order to revitalize senses,  mentally and physically. Particularly, if you have a sedentary job. "Everything we do uses oxygen, so when you exercise it helps you work more efficiently and you don't tire as easily," FYI - I'm heavily sleep deprived in this photo ;) Here's the link with the quote! http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20857218,00.html#exercise-when-you-re-tired

Who isn't bewitched and bewildered by these two beautiful creatures? Masters of their craft, their sport and displaying a bond so powerful, it won them Gold at the Olympics and the heart of the general population. Having skated together since before they were 10 years old, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are at the top of their game, however it's been suggested they may now retire. Like Torvill and Dean dancing to Bolero back in the 80's, the Moulin Rouge soundtrack will now be synonymous with Moir and Virtue's showstopping, gold winning, record breaking performance.  Here's a great link! https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/26/tessa-virute-scott-moir-among-canadian-olympians-returning-home-today.html

Neutral colours that are light, bright and inviting will go a long way to help selling your home. The blog ( link below) I was reading recently, describes these neutral colours as being anything but white, which actually has the adverse affect, seeming 'sterile and uninviting' (think doctor's office or dentist). The blog also describes beige as 'boring', although noted that it is, in fact, a little dated and better to try 'cooler' shades. This is the artist's term of describing colours with a bluer feel ( as opposed to warmer reds). All very confusing, but makes sense and may make the difference when selling your property. Here's a great link! http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/best-paint-colors-selling-house/

Today we joined a worthy cause, The Coldest Night of the Year, walk, raising money for the homeless in our community. Ella did herself proud as we walked 2 kms for charity, Magnus cheering us on from the back pack.  The event was well organized and everyone was treated to a delicious meal prepared by Market Made and Collingwood Bread Company on arrival back at base. Here's the link! https://cnoy.org/location/collingwood

Pinterest has infinity kids craft ideas. This is our attempt at an egg carton bumble bee. Pretty good I thought and Ella played with bees all afternoon, a great barometer of success. There's nothing like a Pinterest pic vs real life Pinterest attempt pic... But we enjoyed the journey!  Here'e the link and ref for the Pinterest image! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWSdGC2BCg https://buggyandbuddy.com/egg-carton-bee/

The Spring melt is here.. everywhere you turn, the sound of running water is prevalent. The melt can soon present serious concerns and dangers as rivers run high, with banks bursting and fields become waterlogged. We are also experiencing a freeze overnight, which explains why we have a sheet of ice off our back deck.. not for the faint-hearted. Stay safe outside folks!    Here's a link with more info https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/spring_melt

Wood print printing is a 'relief' printing technique whereby you continue to carve away at an image, in the meantime, printing different colours on top of each other (after each layer dries) using this wooden block. This print is one I worked on during art school, my only dalliance into wood block printing. It is my favorite print making disciple and I love this print. Currency one left in store!  Here's a link to more of my artwork although i'm not painting much anymore www.libbymourant.com And more on screen printing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing

Collingwood has three sister cities - Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerro, Mexico; Katano, Osaka, Japan; and Boone, North Carolina. The goal with these programs is to enhance cultural awareness and encourage partnerships. A very worthy and beneficial commitment; we are privileged to be partnered with such diverse communities Here's a great link for more info! http://www.collingwood.ca/sistercities

These surveys may take our five minutes of your day, and the incentive of potential financial reward is enticing.  I like the surveys hoping that the feedback is useful, ultimately, improving the shopping experience for our community. An interesting example: I asked for the return of doggie 'poop' bags on one survey and low and behold... they returned. Poo bags for the win! Check out the website at the bottom of your store receipt for the link to the respective surveys.  Here's a link as an example! https://media.ipsosinteractive.com/projects/LOBLAW/survey.htm?d=storeopinion_ca

This is a great tip for those with inboxes bursting at the seems. Make an 'archive' folder, date it 'today' and put all your inbox emails directly inside. Odds are that 95% are not useful/important anyway and if you need to find something specific, you can always use a search. I like it!  Here's the link! http://www.lifeclever.com/30-seconds-to-an-empty-email-inbox/

We had fun today watching the figure skating at the Wasaga Beach Oakville outdoor rink, just next to the Wasaga YMCA. Sk8 Georgian Bay were doing a wonderful display and after having realized the pool was closed, we ended up watching the skaters. Ella was very impressed and inspired!  Here's the link! https://www.wasagabeach.com/smm

Posting x 2 today is the result of yesterday being 'sans phone'. In the classic case of phone vs stairs, the stairs won. Thus, after cranking up my old, retired s5, I was back online, but not before purchasing an Otterbox to ensure I can make it at least one more year before an upgrade. This piece of protective hardware is grandiose and not the cheapest on the market, but with my somewhat chaotic life style, an obligatory purchase.  Here's the link! https://www.otterbox.com/en-us/source?scid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAn5rUBRA3EiwAUCWb20eQqdn99tshKfCvwf9Hjyb_gvkUKitfeDQNqXmwAjsLyPuIrMqCvxoCPJ0QAvD_BwE

We've started a podcast! Bitcoin Round Table. We've had to learn the ropes quickly and we're loving it! Here's the link! Let us know what you think! https://www.blubrry.com/bitcoinroundtable/

On of our favorite films of the year is the epic, Blade Runner 2045. Cinematically glorious, the movie follows on from the original. Starring Ryan Gosling alongside Harrison Ford who reprises his role as Deckard. The visuals are astonishing. The plot is compelling although those new to the franchise may find some aspects confusing. Sc-Fi fans will delight in the intricacies of the story. Well worth the watch.  Here's the link! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856101/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

We love this idea that aims to keep hallways clear. This would particularly help in cities where people often have smaller hallways and uses bikes as their primary mode of transport. They suggest uses baskets, even bicycle baskets to hold mail, keys, mitts etc. A great way to keep that (often) cluttered area a little clearer. We don't have any handy bicycle baskets in store, but we have this lovely wicker chest that would also work in the hallway. Here's the link! http://www.chatelaine.com/home-decor/hallway-decorating-ideas/image/11/

Headaches are awful. We are always looking for great tips to get rid of these nasty nuisances. I love this link below. They recommend letting your hair down and dimming the lights. It's a simple start. It may not work but it's worth a try.  Here's the link! https://experthometips.com/how-to-get-rid-of-a-headache-natural-remedies-cures https://www.davidwolfe.com/7-types-headaches-causes/

We've had a terrible year of colds. I've been chatting to friends who recommended supplementing with Vitamin C during these challenging months. There is certainly evidence to be found for and against (suggesting it has more of a placebo effect). There is no real harm in it, only the extra cost of the supplements (we picked up Emergen-C powder sachets from Wall-Mart). We'll keep you all posted on the results! Here's a great link! http://www.activebeat.com/diet-nutrition/10-essential-vitamins-for-winter-survival/

This is a great way to start talking about emotions with kids - using Napkin Man form the CBC kids app! We spent time painting the printable flashcards which were a great intro to some tricky emotions and how to work through them.  Here's the link! http://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/printable-napkin-man-emotion-flash-cards

How exciting! The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang has started! We don't have cable so watched the Mogels and some curling today using the CBC app. 'Reddit' claims the CBC app is the best, avoiding lengthy commercials. I would agree, the stream is excellent, like watching live TV. Here's to two weeks of thrilling winter sports!  Here's the link to the CBC app https://cbchelp.cbc.ca/hc/en-ca/articles/360000733333-Where-can-I-get-the-CBC-Olympic-apps-

We love this vintage pinball game. Use a marble and drop from the top! A game many kids would have enjoyed as all you'd need to assemble the piece was a piece of wood and nail. This lovely piece is new in store! Here's a great link with more examples https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/333547916130166344/

The snowplows are working day and night at the moment, keeping the roads maintained with the huge volume of snow we are getting. In Simcoe County, the main roads are the priority, with approximately 22000 tonnes of salt spread throughout the season. We have 29 county plows with 34 different routes. As you can see here, some rural roads are not maintained - snow shoe access only! We are grateful for all the hardworking folks that allow us safe passage during our commute in the morning.  Here's a great link about local maintenance: https://www.simcoe.ca/dpt/trs/operations

We love running and love some of these tips! I particularly like the tip about counting steps. I recall doing this during races - it's a great way to mentally challenge yourself and dig deep during tougher moments.  Apparently, the most efficient runners have a cadence of 180 steps per minute. It is recommended to check your stride turnover and monitor your form, running with your feet close to the ground.  Here's a great link! https://greatist.com/fitness/25-ways-run-faster-now

This is a great way to start teaching kids about money. We are planning to give Ella $1 every week. She will then decide whether to spend, donate, invest or save it. Albeit, these are fairly mature concepts to grasp, but it's a nice way to start talking about money and hopefully instill good habits and life skills moving into adulthood. The other challenge..how to compartmentalize the four ( in a toddler friendly way). Here is how we did it... Here's another website with some great ideas! https://www.moneycrashers.com/teaching-kids-save-money/

 This is a such an easy recipe and makes eating brownies (somewhat) healthy! Magnus decided to help me out with the baking today. After a good rinse of the beans, blend all ingredients and bake. It's that simple! We used agave syrup and a small amount of brown sugar as well as cocoa nibs for sweetness. They taste amazingly like flour-based brownies. A great sweet treat for the kids! Here's the link! https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/

Wasaga Beach is currently a frozen, winter wonderland. We were able to view the stunning ice formations from the very back of the shore line. It's worth mentioning, it's important to stay at the back of the beach to avoid running into trouble on the ice (which may be unstable and therefore dangerous).   Here's a great link about what to do in the local area during the winter months: http://wasagabeachtourism.com/things-to-do/winterwonders

This stunning piece is an original Fire King ashtray. Fire King started making glassware in the 1940's. The line is very popular with collectors and it comes in a variety of colours include a popular 'Jade-ite' range that had a resurgence recently having being featured by Martha Stewart.  With fewer people smoking, I suspect this lovely ashtray may find itself as a treasured vintage accent piece instead.  Here's more info! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-King

For something light and engaging, Death in Paradis e on Netflix is a great choice. A murder mystery set on an idyllic Caribbean island, the show follows one murder per episode, sticking to a strict formula,  revealing the murderer at the end of the show. For those feeling the pinch of winter and wishing for some summer sun.  Here's the link  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1888075/?ref_=ttmi_tt