Fun with Cardboard

I have the great fortune of being able to hang around with a fun and imaginative kid on occasion. I really enjoy the excuse to do things that adults don't normally get to do unless they're entertaining kids. Our latest crafty project was inpsired by a website - its a Great Cardboard Castle.

Yes, it's a castle built entirely from cardboard and other household remnants and refuse. And I have to confess that since I found the plans online, the plans for this castle's construction have been all-consuming.

The basic structure is pretty simple, but the potential for creativity is limitless. And once it's built, there's the decorating (painting the interior and exterior), the furnishing (all made from cardboard and scraps of fabric etc. of course), the populating of the castle (I've got a collection of Kinder surprise toys, some of which are knights, that will do the trick) and the moat (there's talk of the need for an alligator).... and then there's the play. How fun is it to play with a castle you built yourselves!

So here's what been done on the castle this far:

• the drawbridge cut out from the front of the "keep"(a copy paper case/box), and a pull attached so the drawbridge can be shut from inside the castle
• two holes cut out of the top castle's keep for secret passage ways
• a secret passage way and a chute created from paper towel rolls - the ends cut on a diagonal so the tube is slanted from ceiling to floor inside the keep
  
• the turrets cut out (a Kleenex box halved) and attached to the top of the castle, with doors cut out of the sides
  
• a second floor created from a box top, using a alum. foil core (they're firmer than papertowel rolls) as pillars to support the floor
• cut out windows on 2nd floor, front of keep
• cut out balcony door on left side of keep, from 2nd floor
• cut out strips of cardboard to make the turrets look like turrets [_]--[_]--[_]--[_]

Most of these pieces haven't been glued or taped in yet because we need to paint the inside and the various pieces first. These are the things that don't require scissors or cutting but involve creativity and a little mess - perfect for school-aged child!

I haven't taken any photos yet, but will be sure to add some when I do. If it's another rainy day tomorrow, I may do a bit more and then put it up until my next visit with the kid.

21 Skeins of Wool in one go!

As promised, here's the haul from the weekend: 21 skeins of wool in a variety of colours! Oh so beautiful. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it all. 4 Skeins of Pure Shetland Wool for $5.00

Alice Starmore "Scottish Heather"
Colour 1250, Lot #150

Wool & Wine trip

Today I bought wool. Lots and lots of wool. It was Gaspereau Valley Fibres' Yarn Yardsale, and I went with a couple friends from work to check it out. I had no idea what to expect -but a trip to the Valley is always worth it, and I just love wandering around this particular wool shop because every nook and cranny is filled with fibre of some kind.

As it turned out, the yard sale was incredible!! Skeins of yarn marked down ridicously low, and bags of wool of every kind and colour going for $1, $2, $8.... I was like a kid in a candy-store, and showed no self-control. I'll post more later about my haul of wool, but I filled 2 bags and was starting on a 3rd before I pulled myself away from the tables.
Here is the complete haul. All three of us did the best we could to make the yarn yardsale a success. I think, in the end, we were glad to get there just a few minutes after the yardsale opened, because once the crowds arrived, it got very busy and things starting disappearing fast! We stayed long enough for most of the initial stock to be cleaned out, and new stock brought out.
Afterwards, to escape the madness, we visited with the farmyard creatures.


Then went to Gaspereau Valley Winery to taste some wine for an up-coming reception. Being a designated driver and a tea-totaller meant that I didn't participate in any tasting, though I did enjoy looking around. So many lovely things to buy, had I not just spent all my money in one place!

From the Winery, we headed up and over the South Mountain to Wolfville to check out the Wolfville Farmer's Market, Eos Fine Foods, and the OddBook. I found a fantastic menu planner book that hopefully will inspire me out of the cooking slump I seem to be in these days.

We ended our day with a delicious lunch at the Tempest. This was my first time at The Tempest and it certainly didn't disappoint. Here's what I had:

Caesar Salad
Our citrus-zesty Caesar salad with romaine hearts,

pumpernickel croutons,
crispy proscuitto and parmesan frico

with Grilled Martock Glen Chicken Breast

Heavenly Tiramisu

The classic Italian trifle with sweet mascarpone,
espresso and kahlua soaked lady fingers

The salad was delicious and a was more than a meal - there was so much lettuce, I couldn't eat it all. And the tiramisu made me very happy - not because it tasted good (though it did!), but because it tasted exactly like the one I had made a few months ago. *Yay for me!*

A sign of spring!

I was home for the weekend and was treated to the sounds of Spring - Peepers! It's so wonderful to be close enough to home that I can pop by for a weekend and enjoy a weekend away from the city sounds.

If you look carefully, you'll also see bats flitting through the video.

Peas, please!

Hooray! I have pea sprouts! And in a week I hope to have zucchini sprouts.
Growing things makes me happy.

Like a kid in a candy-shop!

That's what I was like in the Bulk Barn tonight.

Quinoa and Couscous are on sale this week.

Quinoa = $0.88/100 g
Couscous = $0.35/100g

Such a great deal!! A box of 500 g. costs about $10 in stores!

Go buy some!

And then go here for recipes. (Use the "search" box)
You won't be disappointed!