A walk in the woods

On Sunday afternoon we went up to Gatineau Park to go for a walk in the woods. It was lovely, the undergrowth still low to the ground, making a lovely carpet for the towering trees above. The hoards and hoards of mosquitos on the other hand... 

So when we crossed one of the secondary roads in the park, we decided to take it on the way back instead. And on this short stretch of road we saw more wildlife than we did in the forest! A stunning swallowtail butterfly, a deer, a beaver, and a turtle laying eggs!

It's hard to see here, but she had dug a hole and was filling it with so many soft-shelled white, glistening eggs.
I sure hope she goes back into the forest after, away from the road!

“We need the tonic of wildness... At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us... We can never have enough of nature.” 

                                                         ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

Save the date for June 28: Urban Craft Market

I'll be a vendor at the summer edition of the Urban Craft Market on Saturday, June 28, from 10 am to 3pm, at the Glebe Community Centre in Ottawa. It was a great show at Christmas, and judging by the list of talented vendors, you won't want to miss this one either!

I've got some new designs that I'm excited to premiere: a Gnome Home, complete with Gnome stuffie, a Barn that comes with farm animal finger puppets, and three new hand puppets to introduce you to: Raccoon, Bear, and Fox! And, rumour has it that the puppets will now also be available as kits, so you can make your own!

Babymoon in Beantown!

This past weekend Mark and I were in Devens, near Boston for an ultimate tournament. Since we were so close to the city, we made it an extra long weekend so we could get into the city and explore. I can't believe I haven't been there before — it's not really that far from Ottawa, about a 7-hour drive. And what a great city! Such history, beautiful architecture, great eats, very walkable, and right on the ocean! We walked and walked and walked, exploring some of the sights on the Freedom Trail, eating at Quincy Hall, and relaxing on the grass in Boston Commons. Our B&B was across the Charles River in Somerville, so we were also within walking distance of Cambridge and Harvard's beautiful campus.

We had a near hiccup with our accommodation: our B&B owner accidentally double-booked our room... so he offered us a smaller, less-nice room in his house for free. And after so many unpleasant accommodation experiences in Asia, of course this room was perfectly fine (albeit quite hot without AC, and the bed was a bit too short for Mark, and we both hit our heads numerous times on the low-angle ceilings), but we didn't argue him refunding our money! More money for chowder!

I think after this short trip and the one we took to the Berkshires a couple of years ago, that I love Massachussetts; in fact, all of New England — such beautiful states, and I'm so glad they're so close!

Wandering around Harvard.

So many of the grave stones at Copp's hill had this amazing Tim Burtonesque quality.

The Greenway Carousel. The most amazing carousel I've ever seen!

Ceiling of Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

The Old State House.

We stopped in Montpelier, VT on the way back and had lunch at this great little vegan café called the Tulsi Tea Room.
(We also stopped at the Ben & Jerry's factory on the way down, because, you know. I scream.)

Gnome stuffie

Whether you want an extra Gnome to live in your Gnome Home, or a new little pocket friend to accompany you on your travels (and photobomb your selfies!), this wee little Gnome is the perfect companion. But be sure to keep an eye on him, because he has a tendency to wander!

This double-sided stuffie features my own hand-drawn illustration printed onto a linen-cotton blend, and is now available in the shop!

Shop update: Gnome Home

My Spoonflower fabric order arrived, and I've busily building Wee Fabric Houses and puppets, and will reveal my new designs over the coming weeks. First up: the Gnome Home, now in the shop! I'm really excited about this one — I had a lot of fun illustrating all the travel-themed details inside, and all the flora on the outside.

The permanent home of the traveling Gnome! When he's not off galavanting the globe, Gnome calls this forest dwelling Home. Surrounded by flowers, mushrooms, and sheltered by a thick moss roof — Gnome curls up by his fireplace, reading travel books, and getting inspired for his next adventure (suitcase always at the ready)!

Each Gnome Home comes with a wee Gnome stuffie.

Even though he travels light, Gnome still needs to get caught up on laundry when he gets home.

Dandylions, tiger lilies, mushrooms, acorns, and clover.

Mementos and souvenirs of his travels — including, of course, a selfie in front of the Taj Mahal!

His front yard offers a peaceful respite from all the business of traveling.

Globe and travel books for planning the next adventure!

Festival of tulips

This year marks the 61st annual Tulip Festival in Ottawa. A festival that was established in 1953, after Canada granted safe haven to the Dutch Royal Family during the German Occupation of the Netherlands during the second World War. In thanks, tulips have been given to Canada every year since.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) plants lush, dense gardens of tulips all over the city, but the largest display is in Commissioner's Park, beside Dow's Lake, where nearly 300,000 tulips are in bloom! It is a stunning effect, and people visit from all over the world to come and see them.

Unfurling

After seeming like it wasn't going to arrive at all, spring has fully sprung here, and it is glorious. The daffodils are trumpeting, the tulips are exploding, the trees are budding, and everything else is unfurling in infinite shades of green.

Over the last week, the rhubarb has gone from just a tiny shoot to flowering!
Me thinks some rhubarb crisp is in my immediate future :)

Not sure what this plant is, but the leaves hold diamond-like beads of morning dew (or rain) all day.

We somehow completely missed harvesting our fiddleheads this year!
We blinked, and we missed it.

Forget-me-nots in the front lawn.

Hydrangea.

I love how the grape vine tendrils look like rusted metal.