On rainy days I find myself thinking about lovely outings at the park.  Funny how it is, when the weather is nice we hum and haw as to whether we feel like a walk in the park, as though the nice weather is here to stay forever.  Yet when it’s gone we wish we had taken many more walks in the park.  This first photo from last spring is of my daughter Amelia and her best neighbor hood friend dressed in their finest for a walk in the park.  I couldn’t resist photographing the two of them enjoying their stroll together, purses and all!

This gorgeous park is just 5 minutes from us on Greig Avenue called Gore Park.  It’s like a secret wonderland filled with sprawling meadows and woodland blanketed with wild flowers from Easter thru Fathers day. We most always spot wild life that we can marvel over.  My favourite day to see this park is Mother’s day–I  make it a tradition as this is when the Blue Camus is blooming with butter cups and pink wild flowers as photographed below.  Last night we strolled thru again and noticed the wild cobalt blue delphinium is beginning to bloom–stunning!

If you haven’t ventured to this pretty place in Brentwood Bay I encourage you to find your way there before the blooms are finished.  It’s so uplifting to wander thru this special place.  You can’t help emerging in a really great mood.  Bring your camera along as you will want to capture the beauty.  I’ve even done some portraits here that are just lovely.

Every year on Christmas Day it’s our family tradition to take a walk in the park and decorate a tree full of treats for the birds–our Christmas gift to our feathered friends.  This park is where we hang our nut butter slathered apples, orange rind seed filled cups and star shaped toast buttered with suet, dipped in seeds.  The kids love to make these special goodies for the birds and enjoy hanging them all over the tree.  We always check back to see if everything was nibbled up and all that is ever left are the jute string hangers!

When we first found this park after purchasing our building lot over 14 years ago we were awestruck with it’s beauty and we still are today.  These past years are filled with memories of numerous walks to the park with many neighborhood friends.  It’s been a real gift to live so close to such beautiful spot.  How wonderful that this piece of heaven was left just as nature intended it to be.  Have you visited this wonderful oasis before?  Or do you have a lovely spot near your home that brings you joy?

With the summer approaching there will be many perfect days for a walk in the park.  Be sure to get your fill before the rainy season is upon us again!  How can you tell I am a fair weather gal?!

Have a great week!

Julie

Hi everyone,

Here we are on yet another gloomy, rainy day nearing the end of May!  I’ve managed, in between showers, to get my garden cleaned up and planted.  How about you?  Do you have lots and lots of projects on the go right now like I do?  Oh my goodness, some days I don’t know where to start.  Sometimes, the rain is almost a blessing because it forces me to do the inside projects that need doing too.  If the weather were nice all the time, I’d be outside!  That would be my number one choice for sure!  Also, we have a wedding coming up in July and overseas visitors arriving shortly before that.  There is no better motivator than a wedding to get things spic and span, organised and ready for the big occasion.

Still, summer is on it’s way… or so I’m told!!  I believe it too because eventually we will have those lovely, lazy warm summer days.  Until then it’s time to get prepared so we can just relax and enjoy those days we so long for.

I look forward to barbeque season, entertaining our friends and family, relaxing in our garden and enjoying the fruits of all our labour!  I’m sure you are all feeling the same way.

With these dreary days, it’s been so very nice to get colourful, summery stock in the store.  Yesterday, we unpacked a whole shipment of wonderful new stock.  It’s like Christmas!!  (Almost as cold as it too! Blah).

We’ve had a lot of requests for table linens, so we have obliged and received a lovely shipment of bright new placemats, napkins, runners and tablecloths.  Even a couple of round one’s which are hard to find, but always in demand.

The new placemats and napkins go great with the Maxwell and Williams ‘Mix and Max’ collection of oranges, yellows, lime greens and blues.  You can mix the colours up with the placemats, napkins and dishes and get different looks each time.  Such fun!  Don’t you love playing with table settings?  I do.  Just use your creative juices and imagination!  Add lots of colour, some fresh flowers, candles, great food and bingo!  You’re the hostess with the mostess.

Also in this latest shipment were some gorgeous little ceramic turquoise birds that can be used as a tiny vase, and these vintage style bunnies in a shiny, chocolate glaze.  So sweet to pop onto a bookshelf, place at the base of an indoor or outdoor potted plant, or on a table as part of a little vignette.

We also got new bubble glass tumblers and wine glasses which are great for long, cool summer drinks.  There are acrylic tumblers and fancy wine glasses especially for outdoor entertaining too.  No worries about broken glass if there is a little mishap.

These painted metal planters are very contemporary and clean looking.  Great with fresh greens or bright coloured flowers.  White goes with everything.  You can even use the wider, more squat planters as coolers to put on your patio when you are entertaining guests.  Just fill with ice and pop the bottles in to keep them cool!

Of course, we got some great doormats in.  Lovely patterns and prints to brighten your front or back entrance.   What a lovely greeting for people when they come to your front door.

After all the projects and jobs you have to accomplish, it’s great to sit down with a good cup of tea!  We got a great shipment of new teas in last week from Tea Forte – a very popular line we carry.  If you’ve never tried them, they are a must.  Delicious and rejuvenating – a special treat for you or great as a gift for someone you care about.

I hope you’ll enjoy our wonderful, new assortment of accessories for your home as much as we’ve enjoyed choosing, unpacking and displaying them for you.

Until next time – let’s do a “sun-dance” to chase away the grey clouds and hope for some warmer days!

Best wishes,

Ingrid

Oh my word!  I am losing my mind I think some days.  I should have been drinking an almond milk latte from Fresh Cup Roastery when I wrote the last post  to perk up my brain a little!  I made an ooops on the date.  It should be Friday, May 28th for the Feed The Soul Cd Release Event at the Mary Winspear- see poster here. So, if you thought you couldn’t make it on the Saturday, now you can on the Friday!

While I have you here, I thought I might as well share something pretty with you–would you like that on this very windy day?  These are a few photos from the gorgeous tulips that Ingrid and I enjoyed at Butchart Gardens one evening last week.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.  There were still plenty that looked ready to open so they may be just right now for viewing if you thought you might venture there this long weekend.

I hope you have a lovely week.

Julie

I can’t believe that it has been a year since we launched our product line with Maxwell & Williams.  Time flies when you find a great dish line, hey!

Don’t you love Maxwell & Williams dishes?  We sure do!

The selection of items that they produce is mind boggling.  You haven’t seen the half of it if you haven’t peeked at the Maxwell & Williams website right here. We can order most any thing but if it is not something we stock we ask that you take the minimum quantity that we need to order.  This number is determined by the catalogue details that we have in the store so just give us a buzz and we can work it out for you.

To honour all of you Maxwell & Williams fans we have a special offer for 1 week only.

Get 15% of your purchase back

in Gift Cards when you buy Maxwell & Williams dishes.

Redeem your gift card with your next purchase on anything in our store or on more Maxwell & Williams dishes–your choice!

NOW  Thru  Thursday, May 27th

If you are not a fan yet you might want to check out these affordable lovely white dishes that are sold open stock in a myriad of designs to please and complement your daily recipes or your special entertaining menus.  I chose the coup below for it’s large plain surface and our family loves using these new fresh super white dishes.  Food looks even yummier on it too–bonus for the chef!

Thank you to all Maxwell & Williams fans for supporting us this past year.  Because of you we have grown–we offer you the largest Maxwell & Williams collection in Victoria!  If we don’t have your favourite items,  we’ll get them for you!

Last year when I wrote about these dishes I featured the coffee cups and at the same time I hinted at Jim from Fresh Cup to carry almond milk for dairy free Lattes.  He took the hint, brought in the product and he still serves it.  Yeh!  Thanx Jim!  I guess I buy enough of them to keep the almond milk on the shelf!!  They are honestly quite delicious–if you haven’t tasted one yet for a change, be sure to ask.  For some reason there isn’t an obvious sign (unless I missed it)  but he does have it hiding back there!

Jim and his gang are preparing madly and selling tickets for their up coming launch of the 2nd volume of Feed the Soul, a music CD called “Second Helping” that has stemmed from his successful Thursday night live music events featuring local talent.  The drive behind this project is the Sidney Lions Food Bank.  Jim is passionate about contributing and supporting the local food bank and has been very successful in doing so with the last CD.  At The House Dressing we too have focused on the needs of the local community and share a passion for contributing like we did with our Decorating Contest this past December.  We gladly support Jim in his efforts to make a difference by sharing this event with you.

If you are looking for some fantastic musical entertainment for a good cause this event at the Mary Winspear Centre on Saturday, May 29th Friday, May 28th is sure to deliver.  Tickets are $45 and include a CD ($15 value), an Appetizer Buffet and over 2.5 hours of Live Music!  With a variety of 20 Musicians performing there will be no shortage of energy.  Tickets are available at Fresh Cup on Beacon Ave or in Saanichton.

Get your tickets before this event sells out like it did last time!

Have a great week and we hope to see you in the dish department!

Julie

It’s that time of the year, when our thoughts and hearts turn to our mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, step-mothers, foster mothers, and even friends who give us motherly love and support throughout our lives.  Whether these special women are far or near, it’s a time to show them how much they mean to us and how much we appreciate all they have done for us and continue to do for us.

By sending a card, making a phone call, taking Mom out for afternoon tea or dinner, sending flowers or giving a special gift, we let her know how much we care.  There are many ways to make Mom’s day special.

We’ve come up with a few gift suggestions at the House Dressing Company, that may help you in choosing just the right thing for Mom.

The Thymes collection of fragrances are always a welcome and popular gift.  Lots of Moms love the Goldleaf range of products – everything from hand cream, soaps, perfumes and bath salts.  There are many other fragrances from Thymes – Lavender is another popular one, there’s Kimono Rose, The Essentials line, Moonflower and many more to choose from.

The specialty teas from Tea Forte are beautfully packaged and of high quality.  If your Mom drinks tea, she’ll love their range of herbal, exotic, organic and classic teas.

And, to go with those delicious teas, we have a fun mix of tea pots as well as sugar and creamers.

Candles and candle holders are a favourite gift too, and we have some lovely lanterns that are so pretty and perfect for warm summer evenings out on the patio.

We have lots of other gifty ideas for you and would be very happy to help you choose a special gift.

And here’s a gift from me to all the Mothers out there who take the time to read our blogs – a pretty bouquet of tulips along with a wish that you all have a wonderful Mothers’ Day with your loved ones.

Best wishes to all of you!

Ingrid