Peanuts Snoopy Halloween and an Upcoming Kitchen Renovation

by Helen Kain | Oct 13, 2023 | Black, Grey and Pewter, Halloween, Orange, Organization, Recent, Storage

Back in the Stone Age, when I was a child, we waited with delicious anticipation for the annual screening of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, on TV. Hard as it is to fathom today, it was shown once; if you wanted to watch it, you had to show up in front of...

Home Again

by Helen Kain | Sep 13, 2020 | Clementine, Dundee, Organization, Pets, Storage

We are back in Canada, safe and sound. Three cats, three dogs and a carload of baking/cooking equipment accompanied us on our nine-hour journey. Much to our relief, Clementine seems to have outgrown her car-sickness. We used to begin the journey with her on my lap,...

Ideas for a Spring Refresh

by Helen Kain | Feb 9, 2020 | Organization, Spring Tablescapes, Storage

As I mentioned in my recent post Taika by Iittala, I often turn to a rich, deep palette for the early months of winter.  This year I went in a slightly different direction, inspired by photos in the January/February issues of Victoria Magazine and Southern...

Paprika App for Recipe Organization, Grocery List and Meal Planning

by Helen Kain | Aug 24, 2019 | Organization, Recipes By Season

It’s so easy to find recipes on line. A sunny afternoon, a little web browsing through food porn, the discovery of a new recipe, comparing it to others, hummming and hawing (do I have the ingredients in the house? how complicated is this one? maybe this one...

Before and Not-Yet-After: Ensuite & Closet Reno

by Helen Kain | Oct 8, 2018 | Organization, Storage

So near, and yet so far… Has there ever been a renovation project that didn’t involve frustration, tears and near homicide? Here we are on the Monday of Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, October 8 to be precise, still in a state of turmoil. The project...

Flowers & Cupcakes – Behind the Scenes at a Fall Wedding

by Helen Kain | Sep 10, 2018 | Cakes, Desserts, Gardens and Flowers, Organization

A floral and pastry extravaganza. Twelve centrepieces, ninety-six cupcakes and one Naked Carrot Cake Wedding Topper. It all started a year ago when my very close friend and former neighbour, Yvonne, asked me if I would do the flowers for her daughter’s wedding....