Miss Andrée: facts & fiction

DIY Christmas Gifts Revisited

2012-01-29T11:30:00.002-05:00

This Christmas I got my Husband a steak brand with his initial, and wanted to package it in a special way. I headed to our local Dollarama and found a wooden gift box designed for wine bottles. I stained it, and stencilled letters on it -- Grill MASTER -- using this great little tutorial on how to transfer laser printed images to wood using glue and Mod Podge.

Another one of my seasonal, DIY Mod Podge projects involved using rice paper and dishes acquired in Chinatown to create votive candle holders. I used small, cut and/or torn pieces of paper as well as glitter and copious amounts of Mod Podge for this one, and added scented candles to complete the zen look and feel.

Again, I'm quite pleased with how these DIY holiday gifts turned out: one weathered, manly -- very John Wayne-ish -- and the other delicate, earthy and zen... which is what I was trying to achieve.

DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments Revisited

2012-01-29T11:17:00.000-05:00

I've wanted to post these images for a while, and kept forgetting.

Every year I try to make at least some Christmas gifts myself, especially for Husband, friends and family.

Often, I set up a bit of a chain production station, and a few people get variations on a theme.

This year was no different.

I made star, heart, and pine tree shaped Christmas ornaments using white, pearl, translucent and golden FIMO clay "stamped" with prints of cedar branches trimmed from our hedge (!)

I was quite pleased with how they turned out -- although I understand that those who like bright, colourful Christmas tree ornaments may have been less than impressed by my attempts at an ethereal elegance...

Recipe of The Week: Mango Salsa

2012-01-27T10:54:00.001-05:00

While I've neglected to blog about them (mea culpa, mea maxima culpa) I have been trying out new recipes. This week I made Mango Salsa and served it first with jerk chicken, then again with beef tacos. I love how this turned out: it was delicious!

MANGO SALSA:

2 oranges, peeled and diced
2 yellow mangos, peeled and diced
1/2 cup crushed, canned pineapple
1 small red pepper, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1 pinch salt

Mix it all together, and let chill for at least an hour before serving.

(Click here for the original recipe, from TastyKitchen.com)

Tips and Ideas: Storing Bobby Pins

2012-01-27T10:44:00.000-05:00

My funky Bobby Pin storage system and the original, below.

A little while ago I saw this on Pinterest: someone had used a Tic Tac box to store Bobby Pins. Don't get me wrong: I wasn't desperate for a Bobby Pin storage solution. However, I am anal, always trying to arrange and organize my environment, and I love a good, clever idea. So I grabbed a funky orange Tic Tac box I had lying around, and implemented my Pinterest find. I think it'll be good for travel...

Source: Uploaded by user via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Zombie Survival Crew Anthology II

2012-01-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Source: amctv.com via Jeffrey on Pinterest

Attention, Walking Dead-heads, bizarro writers and zombie afficonados, run for your lives:The Zombie Survival Crew Anthology II is Coming!

Read all about it...

I Should Sing This Every Day

2012-01-15T17:24:00.001-05:00

Source: dailydreamdecor.com via Alison on Pinterest

"No, nothing, no, I don't regret anything, not the good that was done to me, not the bad, all of it is of no consequence to me, no, nothing, no, I don't regret anything, because my life, because my joy, begins today, with you."

Time for a New Yoga Mat

2012-01-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

Do you do yoga?
What mat do you use?
Is it awesome?
Would you recommend it?

Source: sickathanaverage.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

I've had my mat for over ten years and it has been the most amazing mat, thick and long-lasting and comfy and really sticky, but is now showing serious signs of wear around the edges (I think I'm actually going to trim off the grungy stuff to extend its life.)

I would love to get the same kind but I have no clue where this one came from -- it was a gift. It's just purple and boring-looking, but the best yoga mat I've ever tried.

Any recommendations?

There's a pink one from Gaiam that I like but it's getting mixed reviews... and even the ones from Lululemon sound like they're not all that.

I would appreciate feedback and/or suggestions.

Namaste

Wedding Anniversary Painting

2012-01-12T12:13:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was our fourth wedding anniversary, and I wanted to create something that would be a unique, personal celebration of "us."

I loved the look of the infamous Pottery Barn numbers painting seen all over the web.

Source: everythingmom.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

The Pottery Barn print that inspired thousands of crafters.

Using this great step-by-step tutorial as a starting point, I changed things around to add digits and parts of the alphabet, and incorporated meaningful numbers and letters into the big mess.

Initial sketch.

Blank 12" x 16" canvases from the dollar store.

Outlines in blue, burnt sienna and purple.

Black and white and antique white paint added.

Final version of my painting, after varnish and "distressing" using a sanding block.

I left gaps and added scratches, because I like gaps and scratches!

Looking at my final painting, I decided to accept my limitations and let go of perfect. After all, the goal was not to replicate the Pottery Barn piece: it was to create something for us. Plus, this project was a last minute idea (I did the sketch the day before our anniversary) so I was limited in terms of canvas availability. I was also limited in terms of letter and number size, because of our printer's maximum settings.

Things I would change: I would like the whole thing to be tighter, with less space between all the elements.

Things I like: everything else.

So I will listen to what I have been told over and over in the days leading up to this: I will give myself a break, let go of perfection, lower the bar on myself, look at the positive, and call this a successful project.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Quote of the Day: miserable

2012-01-12T09:27:00.000-05:00

I need to remind myself of this more often.

Source: Uploaded by user via Tiffany on Pinterest

New Recipe: Spinach Smoothie

2012-01-10T08:44:00.000-05:00

Source: greensmoothiespower.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(Note: this is not a photo of my spinach smoothie. I don't know if they used food colouring, but mine are always a dull pea soup colour, not an appetizing, cheerful green!)

Today's Smoothie: a Spinach Experiment

1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach
1 frozen banana
1 medium-sized carrot (about 5 inches long)
3 ice cubes
3/4 cup citrus juice (actually, Five Alive - probably not the best for me but this is what I had, so this is what I used)

Drop it all into your blender (in this case, my 40-year-old Oster) and Liquefy until it is, well, liquified. Put it on Whip for a few minutes -- it'll take a while to "smooth out."

Now sit back, and enjoy the delicious healthiness.

Quote of the Day: Suffer Now

2012-01-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

Source: flickr.com via Miss on Pinterest

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" (Muhammad Ali)

I saw this Muhammad Ali quote on Twitter today and it spoke to me.

I used to be fit. Very fit. I also spent some time in my life being not so fit... Right now, I am somewhere in the middle.

But I'm working on bettering myself.

Things life has taught me:

When I put my mind to it, it really doesn't take much to get back in shape (OCD really helps!)
I am at my happiest when I am fit.
Physical activity is a fantastic stress-buster.
A fit body improves my self-confidence which, in turns, helps my creative life, my love life, my sex life -- yeah, you got it: being fit improves life!

This week-end I started taking yoga classes again...

Husband recently got me a package of ten classes at a nearby studio and I went to a fantastic class: Yin Yoga. This type of yoga is performed in a reduced heat setting -- not as hot as for classic bikram yoga, but warmer than "normal" yoga studios. The class ran an hour and a half and consisted of a series of static yoga poses held for three to five minutes. It was amazing for the body and the mind: at first I focused too hard but after a while I just ran with it, letting my body do the work as I relaxed more and more into the poses. My mind stopped wandering. I was in the moment.

When I left, I felt amazingly relaxed and well -- both physically and mentally -- for the first time in a long time.

I know working out is mandatory for me to feel good physically.
I know yoga is necessary for me to feel good mentally.
I know that when I push myself (without judging myself!) I feel good on all levels.

This year's mandate? Feel good.

Squash Day

2012-01-05T07:54:00.000-05:00

Source: squashtalk.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Yay: today is Thursday or, as I like to call it, "Squash Day." Will I be able to walk tomorrow, or will the squash court make me its bitch? Only time will tell.

I am a complete beginner, when it comes to squash, but I love it. Not only do I enjoy the game, but I like that it's become "Couples Time," an activity that Husband and I share, outside the house.

I am very much a loner, and spend much of my time at home. It's nice, once a week, to brave the elements and head up north to meet Husband for our new weekly ritual...

Needless to say, sooner or later I'm going to need a cute, sexy little squash outfit (like that seen on professional squash player Shelley Kitchen, above.)

As for the game itself: I can only get better, right?

(I still think my game would improve if I had a pink racket, too -- but that's another story, for another time.)

Santa Sunday: Seasonal Smoothie

2011-12-18T09:36:00.011-05:00

Here's a nice little lo-fat Christmas-y treat... Strawberries, candy canes and yogourt, oh my!

Source: flickr.com via Kitschy on Pinterest

Housekeeping? Housekeeping!!

2011-12-14T07:44:00.000-05:00

Source: gossiprocks.com via Jillian on Pinterest

I need order and routine in order to function properly.

In our old place I had managed to come up with a cleaning schedule that actually worked for me; it was turning it into a regular habit but then we moved... and things fell apart.

A new house called for a new system. I have been streamlining my weekly cleaning schedule, using this Cleaning Agenda from FunCheaporFree.com as well as handy dandy tips from FlyLady.com -- adapted to suit my schedule and our particular requirements. This is my first week on this new housekeeping schedule, but I can already see an improvement in terms of cleanliness and time management. I'm pretty pleased with this one. Let's hope it sticks!

Here's what I've got:

HOUSEKEEPING – cleaning sked

Daily, morning:

Clean toilet and wipe bathroom surfaces
5 minute Room Rescue (make bed, straighten up couch cushions & throws, etc.)
Clean kitchen counters, surfaces and sinks; fill sink with soapy water for assorted chores

Nightly, before bed:

Take 2 minutes to tidy up the house
Clear foyer/chair

MONDAY:

All laundry, ironing, dry cleaning
Sweep/vacuum main floor

TUESDAY:

Bathrooms from top to bottom
Clean & mop foyer/entrances

WEDNESDAY:

All surfaces – ten minutes per task: dust, wipe clean, sweep, vacuum, fridge, stove, oven, shelves, couches, desks, dressers, tables, windows, mirrors, microwave, bannisters, ceiling fans, blinds, light switches, doors, etc. – in all rooms

THURSDAY:

Thoroughly clean and organize one area – any area (crafts cupboard, linen closet, fridge, etc.)
Empty all trash/recycling/organics/kitty litter

FRIDAY:

Tidy the whole house (15 minutes cleaning blitz per room)
Change sheets
Vacuum/sweep/mop all floors, everywhere

Recipe of The Week: The Palmier Cookie

2011-12-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

This Christmasy treat has proven quite popular with Mr. Husband: Palmier Cookies from The Great Christmas Cookie Swap Cookbook from Good Housekeeping.

I won't lie to you: these are easy to make, but they are a fair bit of work. Refrigeration is necessary at every step of the way and getting all the palmiers to a uniform golden colour is a bit tricky. But the cookies are delicious so it's all worth it, in the end.

(This recipe is also available on the Good Housekeeping website.)

Love Bites Best Bizarro Short Story of The Year!?

2011-12-13T05:39:00.000-05:00

Bizarro Central is hosting a little contest for the best bizarro short story of the year!

There's no prize -- except for fame and glory.

It would be wonderful if you could please vote for my zombie erotica, "Love Bites," published in The Big Book of Bizarro.

All you need to do is email your vote to bizarrocentralstoryoftheyear@gmail.com

Best Bizarro Short Story of The Year:

"Love Bites," by Andrée Lachapelle

From "The Big Book of Bizarro"

See how easy it is?!

Word of the Day: Fitspo

2011-12-12T08:12:00.000-05:00

Source: fuckyeahyoga.tumblr.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Silly me: when I recently came across this word for the first time, I had no idea what it meant... even though I'd been looking at Fitspo for some time.

According to the urban dictionary, Fitspo is short for "fitsporation."

In essence, Fitspo provides inspiration to become (and stay!) fit via positive affirmations and collections of images of active women and healthy foods. Think of it as a vision board for your butt!

(For more Fitspo, follow my Heavenly Bodies board on Pinterest.)

Book Review: The Lowdown on Going Down

2011-12-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

When I received "The Lowdown on Going Down: How to Give Her Mind-Blowing Oral Sex," by Mary Michaels, my initial response was disappointment. At first glance (a brief glance, from a sleepy woman) I thought I had been sent a copy of "Blow Him Away," a wonderful book, for sure, but one I already owned.

My sigh turned into a "SQUEE" of pleasure when I realized this book dealt with going down on her.

This was promising: I was already pleased as Punch and tickled pink, and we (note the "we") hadn't even opened the book yet!

My husband extended an open hand and without hesitation, I passed the book over to him. This was a good move on my part.

Don't get me wrong: I have wonderful toys (and this book even discusses some of them) but Pocket rockets and Hitachi magic wands cannot compare to a man's touch... or his tongue!

"The Lowdown on Going Down: How to Give Her Mind-Blowing Oral Sex" takes an almost scientific approach to pleasing a woman. Readers are bound to pick up new mad skills – or get a refresher course in Cunnilingus – in exciting chapters such as:

Even Tiger Woods Has to Practice: Sexual skill comes with practice and the first step to becoming an expert is to familiarize yourself with the territory – the look, smell and taste of genitals. "A little foreplay and hand action can change the menu entirely."
Initial Tonguework for Lingual Love: Learn to identify your weaknesses and find solutions to your problems. Do you have lockjaw? Is tension preventing your tongue from wandering freely? Are you sure you’re breathing properly?
The Oral Sex Fitness Test: “Can you groove your tongue?” “Can you put your finger to the back of your mouth without gagging?” Answer a few questions and find out if you need more practice, or if your tongue is ready to move to the next phase of oral exploration.

"The Lowdown on Going Down: How to Give Her Mind-Blowing Oral Sex" is illustrated with diagrams that will help you get the lay of the land as you discover The Boston Crab (not as scary as it sounds!) and learn to overcome tastes and odors that may interfere with your performance… all with the help of inspiring quotes from public figures such as Woody Allen:

“Is sex dirty? Only if it’s done right.”

Truer words were never spoken.

"The Lowdown on Going Down: How to Give Her Mind-Blowing Oral Sex" is available at EdenFantasys.com

This product was supplied to me free of charge for review purposes.
FULL DISCLOSURE

Santa Sunday: Dreaming of a White Christmas

2011-12-11T08:29:00.001-05:00

Source: fromthetortoiseandthehare.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

I hope to see snow surrounding our new home this year at Christmas time: I think our lovely house would look even lovelier covered in sparkly white flakes of joy!

Belladonna & Art (NSFW: contains nudity)

2011-12-09T18:11:00.003-05:00

Innocent, in a way. from alexis wanneroy on Vimeo.

An oddly touching, short documentary about painter Alberto Mielgo and his work with model and adult film star Belladonna.

Christmas Decor wip

2011-12-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

Work in Progress

We are starting to decorate our new home for Christmas. Since we won't be painting before Christmas, I have to work with the mismatched colours of our (open concept) dining and living-room.

I'd like a woodland motif, this year.
And jars filled with fake snow (I'm using Epsom Salt) and stuff.
A few turtles to please my collector mother.
Deers for me.
Manly trappings for Husband.

This is a work in progress, but I'm liking my direction. I think I'll change the candles for gold ones, though...

Today's Mantra

2011-12-06T08:44:00.002-05:00

Source: shadows-in-paradise.tumblr.com via Katie on Pinterest

Santa Sunday: Hello Kitty Christmas Tree

2011-12-04T11:07:00.002-05:00

Trim your tree with Hello Kitty, fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa.....

Source: modcloth.com via silk on Pinterest

Quote of The Day: Positive Affirmation

2011-11-30T07:58:00.000-05:00

Source: Uploaded by user via 801 on Pinterest

Star Wars: Early Christmas in The Old Republic

2011-11-29T21:32:00.000-05:00

Let's talk geek, for a moment...

This week-end I had the privilege of beta testing the new Star Wars game, which will give World of Warcraft a run for its money! Simply put: I love it. It's made of win!

I was ecstatic when Husband came home tonight and handed me an early Christmas present: a pre-order Code for Star Wars, The Old Republic. Squee!

Basically, my game is pre-paid and I get to play it a bit before it hits the stores...

Intrigued? Make your way to http://www.swtor.com/ and sign up for beta testing or pre-order your own copy (you'll get a month-long subscription and a virtual "color stone" allowing you to change your weapon effect. Whoo-hoo!!)

Merry Christmas to me!

Recipe of The Week: Candy Cane Kisses

2011-11-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

My Candy Cane Kisses, made for a recent cookie swap

Recipe adapted from Hershey's.

INGREDIENTS

1 bag Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 cup chopped up Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp 2% milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup coarse white sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove wrappers from candies.
Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, peppermint, and egg in a large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, alternating with milk and beating until well blended. Stir in chopped Kisses.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in coarse white sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press a Kiss into the center of each cookie.
Put the cookie sheet in the fridge immediately, before Kisses start to melt. Leave in fridge for about 1/2 hour. Enjoy!

Yields approximately three dozen cookies.

Santa Sunday: Christmas Stockings

2011-11-27T10:54:00.005-05:00

Only one month to go 'til ho, ho , ho: it's time to hang those stockings by the chimney with flair!

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Laura on Pinterest

Black Friday

2011-11-25T11:42:00.000-05:00

Source: kristinkickass.tumblr.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Create a perfect smokey eye...

Source: Uploaded by user via Adriana on Pinterest

Play with black nail polish...

Source: citified.blogspot.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Throw on a whimsical LBD...

Source: shoeslure.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Feed your Louboutin dreams...

Get out of the darkness, march into the light, hold your head high, and be happy... It's Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T08:18:00.000-05:00

CBC.ca | On The Go | The Super 8 Motel's Act of Kindness

Source: etsy.com via amberly | the swoon on Pinterest

It's Thanksgiving for my American friends but I, too, would like to take this opportunity to give thanks. I know some wonderful people, who do wonderful things. And for that -- for everyone who has been part of my social circle over the years -- I am ever so thankful.

Today's Mantra

2011-11-23T15:42:00.001-05:00

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Claire on Pinterest

I've been trying to stay positive but I'm having a hard time, these days. I guess I have the winter blues, and nesting is a bit of a challenge, in the new house: we're far from settled in!

So I do yoga, I read my positive affirmations daily, and I try to keep busy.

But mostly, I focus on just breathing.

Santa Sunday: Christmas Pudding Cookies

2011-11-20T08:11:00.000-05:00

Today is Christmas Cookie Swap Day! I won't tell you what cookies are being swapped today, but I will share this lovely recipe courtesy cherrapeño. Aren't these gorgeous?

Source: cherrapeno.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Quote of The Day: From Tina Fey

2011-11-16T07:46:00.000-05:00

Source: 9gag.com via Carol on Pinterest

Quote of The Day: Inspiration

2011-11-14T06:49:00.002-05:00

Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via Joy on Pinterest

Santa Sunday: Kitschy Retro Christmas Wreath

2011-11-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

Put a little retro spin on your holiday décor with this baby!

Source: cdiannezweig.blogspot.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Quote of the Day: Shakespeare in Love

2011-11-12T08:37:00.000-05:00

Source: icanread.tumblr.com via Mindy on Pinterest

(Oh, Shakespeare, have no fear: I will not support those who wish to rob you of your glory.)

Have a Peaceful Remembrance Day 11/11/11

2011-11-11T07:03:00.001-05:00

Source: infobarrel.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae (1872 – 1918)

(Source)

Quote of The Day: Truth and Consequences

2011-11-10T14:59:00.000-05:00

Source: lolyland.net via Jeremy on Pinterest

Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow?

2011-11-10T09:17:00.000-05:00

My usual classic bob. Via: Sedu Hairstyles

Stop me if you've heard this one before...

Yesterday I flat-ironed my hair and for a second there, it looked two inches longer. And I thought to myself, why not let it grow?

I've thought that before (and hell, I rocked a long Bettie Page 'do for decades) but in recent years I've always given up at that awkward, chin-length phase that looks like crap on me, the phase where my hair stops looking stylish and starts looking helmet-ish.

But here's a confession: I've never, at that stage, attempted to tame the wilderness by flat-ironing the helmet into obedient sleekness.

So I'm going to give this long hair thing a shot, once again. Keeping in mind that as it grows, my hair will no longer be wash N wear.

I have an appointment for a cut and style with the wonderful Alex at Paul Pecorella at the end of the month. I'll share my thoughts with him and see if he can help me out: trim my bangs, take out some of the volume, and infuse me with beauty and patience.

And come next summer, I can get re-bobbed and feel stylish and cool, secure in the knowledge that for the first time in years I was finally able to have good hair during the long, cold winter months, too.

Anyway, that's my plan as I sit here today. Wish me luck!

Lovely, long version of my favourite cut. Via: Sedu Hairstyles

Versace for H&M Hits Stores November 17

2011-11-09T17:33:00.000-05:00

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PIECES FROM THE VERY BEST OF VERSACE FOR H&M COLLECTION.

The Open Road Inspires me

2011-11-08T09:03:00.000-05:00

Source: shelterrific.com via Melinda on Pinterest

It's raining.

The sound of the rain on our skylight reminds me of the sound rain makes when it hits the roof of an RV, which inspires me to write tales of pure, horrific smut.

Make of it what you will.

Projects I am working on, these days:

Superhero erotica for Ravenous Romance, deadline 12/31/2011
Lesbian BDSM for Storm Moon Press, deadline 12/31/2011
Valentine's Day erotica (needs a market)
An erotic fairy tale (needs a market)
Various tidbits for Hustler
And of course, Christmas crafts.

Idle hands do the work of the devil...

Quote of the Day: go out and LIVE

2011-11-07T07:24:00.000-05:00

Source: 364quotes.blogspot.com via JoDi on Pinterest

Fall Back

2011-11-05T20:57:00.000-04:00

Source: fancyhouseroad.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Don't forget to change your clocks!

Quote of The Day: Seen!

2011-11-05T08:29:00.000-04:00

Source: 364quotes.blogspot.com via JoDi on Pinterest

New to my Reading List: Hot Porn Star Confessions

2011-11-03T17:58:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I just found out about this! My fellow pr0n aficionados will want to check out this interview Penthouse publicist and columnist Lainie Speiser, in which she discusses her latest hot as fuck book:

Confessions of the Hundred Hottest Porn Stars: Intimate, Funny, Outrageous, Sexy, Instructional, and Shocking Tell-Alls from the Biggest Names in the Biz.

Even though Belladonna is sadly absent from the list (a fact deplored by Ms Speiser in the aforementioned interview,) this book sounds right up my alley, and I'll definitely have to pick it up!

The Christmas Spirits

2011-11-03T06:44:00.000-04:00

Source: hk.lifestyleasia.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

It's beginning to feel a little bit like Christmas... Are you like me, hard at work planning your holiday get-togethers? Then look no further!

When it comes to Christmas I like to get ready bright and early, so I recently searched the Internets for libations that look pretty, and sound pretty tasty.

As it stands, Delish is my top choice for adult beverages bound to make you merry and fill you with the spirit of the holidays.

The following two Champagne-based cocktails sound particularly lovely to me:

Tinsel Bellini -- an icy blue blend of HPNOTIQ, Limoncello, and Champagne...
Belvedere Sparkle -- a cheerful Champagne, cranberry juice and vodka concoction...

For more info and mixology details on these and many more delightful drinks, be sure to visit Delish.

!~* HaPpY hALL0wEeN *~!

2011-10-31T09:23:00.000-04:00

May your day be spooky, and all your candies tasty!

Inspiring Quote of the Day

2011-10-30T20:48:00.000-04:00

Source: myhotcomments.com via Jennie on Pinterest

New Recipe: Easy Mango Smoothie

2011-10-26T09:34:00.000-04:00

I've become a bit of a smoothie fiend (again!) and while my all-time favourite is Banana-Peanut-Butter, today I tried something a little bit different: I made myself a Mango Smoothie.

This sucker is low-fat, and packed with yummy tasty taste!

You'll need:

3 ice cubes
3/4 cup low-fat mango yogourt (I use Astro)
1 tbsp low-fat peanut butter
1 banana

Throw everything in the blender and put it on Chop or Grind for a little bit, then Liquefy to desired thickness and finally, Whip it. Whip it good. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your breakfast treat.

(For my non-mango version, I use vanilla yogourt instead of mango.)

Quote of The Day: Confucius Says...

2011-10-25T09:11:00.001-04:00

Source: None via Stephanie on Pinterest

New Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-10-23T08:57:00.000-04:00

Source: None via MissAndrée on Pinterest

My ongoing mission is to try a new recipe each week and for a while, I was quite diligent about posting my findings online. Then we moved into our new house, and a lot of stuff got put on the back burner. Including cooking. (Bah! I kill me!)

Nonetheless I have been trying new things, and a few recipes were keepers. Nothing over the top -- there were no great culinary discoveries -- but there are recipes that have been moved to my own little "Permanent" file... because I will be making them again.

A while ago I made a carrot cake. Don't get too excited: it was from a mix. However, I added raisins and walnuts to the mix, and substituted half the required water with pineapple juice. The result was a tasty, moist cake that was a lot better than a simple, out-of-the-box treat.

But what sealed the deal was the frosting.

I used this recipe from LaaLoosh. Apparently this is a Weight Watchers recipe. It was awesome... and easy!

Marshmallow Fluff & Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz fat free cream cheese
3 tbsp hot water
1 x 7.5 oz jar of Marshmallow Fluff
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients until smooth, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

Spread on a cake... or on your favourite spoon!
Enjoy.

The Creativ Festival is Coming to Town

2011-10-09T15:59:00.001-04:00

I am pretty excited: I'll be going to this year's Creativ Festival when it hits Toronto later this month. I've wanted to attend this event for quite some time!

I'll be getting a one-day pass and while I won't be signing up for any of the numerous classes (maybe next year!) I will be able to visit the vendor booths and I'll have plenty of time to enjoy various floor shows, product demonstrations and crafts workshops.

I'm hoping to pick up tips for sexy crafts and Xmas gift ideas

The ones that interest me most?

Holiday Gift Tags with Sparkle
Quick & Easy Christmas Gifts
Top 10 Secrets of Printing on Fabric
Crystal Clay Two Part Epoxy Demo
Accessorize Your Home
Model Home Makeovers
Hair Fascinators
and Anatomy of a Corset

You can tell a lot about my personality from this list alone!

But can you tell how excited I am???!!!!!!

Delightful Dahlias and Winter Roses

2011-10-09T10:27:00.000-04:00

I recently learned that the beautiful flowers growing in front of our house are dahlia and that, like our rose bush, this plant will require special care if it is to survive the Canadian winter.

But what to do, what to do?
Here's what I found out:

Our Gorgeous Dahlia

1- Wait a week after the first freeze and dig up the tubers (dahlias are grown from tubers -- not bulbs.) Brush off all the soil, and allow them to dry for 3-5 days.
2- Put a layer of peat moss in a cardboard, wood or plastic box. Add your dahlia tubers. Cover with another layer of peat moss (it should be damp enough so as not to require watering.) Store in a basement or shed where the temperature will remain between 5-10C (40-50F) throughout winter.

Our Climbing Roses

1- Bundle the canes together and wrap them in insulating material such as burlap, and cover the base with about a foot of mulch.
OR
2- Lay the canes on the ground, tie them together and secure them to the ground with landscape pins. Protect with insulating burlap or a layer of mulch about 12 inches deep.

Great stuff. But now... What do we do with our trees?

Sources:
DahliaBarn.com
Gardening.About.com
Rose-Gardening-Made-Easy.com

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

2011-10-04T10:42:00.001-04:00

Christmas comes early in our family. I start preparations shortly after New Year's and every summer, I rein myself in so as not to start my Christmas shopping in July, at the expense of other tasks, chores and responsibilities.

This year I really had no choice: our summer was spent house hunting, house buying, packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking, and so on, and so on...

However, October has come and this is traditionally the month in which train and plane tickets must be bought, if Christmas travel is to take place. Otherwise, prices skyrocket and it's slim pickins' when it comes to travel dates and times.

So earlier this week, I spoke with my mother to invite her over for Christmas: it's been years since we've spent the holidays together.

She'll be loaded down with food when she comes (when she comes...)

And while visiting, she will teach me how to make cretons, a traditional Quebec meat spread. I can't wait!

Meanwhile, I am putting together my list of needed craft supplies and foodstuffs in order to earnestly start my holiday making and baking.

There's only 81 days left 'til Christmas.
I better hop to it!

Ellora's Cave Romanticon

2011-09-29T11:47:00.001-04:00

Another addition to my sexy Bucket List:

Ellora's Cave Romanticon is happening this week-end, September 29 - October 2 at the Ramada Plaza Akron City Centre Hotel in beautiful Akron, Ohio. This naughty get-together catering to erotic romance writers and fans of the genre will feature an outdoor barbecue, a Best Costume contest, and a bingo party, as well as non-stop partying with Ellora's Cavemen.

For those who still find the time (and the energy!) to read and write after the extreme dancing, the event will also feature a book fair, writing tips and seminars, and a pitch session with romance and erotica editors.

For more info, visit the Ellora's Cave Romanticon website.

Quote of The Day: For Book Lovers

2011-09-25T09:25:00.000-04:00

Source: tumblr.com via annie on Pinterest

"Book lovers will understand me, and they will know too that part of the pleasure of a library lies in its very existence."

– Jan Morris

(Source: McClelland & Stewart)

Save Toronto's Museums!

2011-09-23T09:25:00.000-04:00

Toronto's Spadina Museum

First, it was the Toronto Public Library, and now our city's museums and historical sites are being threatened by budget cuts.

Proposed closures could affect heritage sites such as Fort York, Gibson House and the Spadina Museum, and cultural venues such as the Toronto Centre for the Arts, the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.

Please sign this petition to help preserve Toronto's cultural heritage. Our history is not for sale: stop the cuts to City of Toronto museums!

My Number One

2011-09-21T16:33:00.003-04:00

Shiny new brushed nickel house number

We've been in the new house for a little over three weeks, and are slowly but surely settling in. The first couple of weeks were very hard for me. I felt the fun part of getting a new house (anticipating, planning, decorating, painting) had been robbed from me by the previous owners: every minute of my time was spent cleaning.

Every. Waking. Minute.

Fly Lady had not prepared me for this.
I was angry at the world.

Quality time spent with my Loving Husband and friends made me get back to reality. I now see light at the end of the tunnel. It is caked in grease and shines dimly, but it is light.

Old light-bulb from the kitchen

We've picked house numbers to replace the country kitchen numbers that have been eating away at my soul.

The mid-mod inspired numbers I had coveted seemed too pale and small for our needs, in the end, and all the 1s in our address called for more substance. We ended up buying something nice and well-designed, but with a bit more flourish and bulk than a traditional (?!) mid-century modern font.

Now we have to find the perfect mailbox: big and strong enough for Him. Shiny and modern enough for her. (Ehr, me.)

Husband is working on the floor in the Manly Man Den. We've discussed paint colours. And I have been unplugging when things get too stressful... But our beautiful house is finally in good enough shape for me to be able to sleep at night.

And sometimes, when no one is looking, I sit back and let myself think of it as home.

Book Review: XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits

2011-09-20T09:38:00.001-04:00

XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders brings us a unique view of the men and women of adult entertainment, from old-school performers such as Ron Jeremy and Jenna Jameson to famed porn star cum sex educators like Nina Hartley (Nina Hartley's Advanced Guide to Sex Toys) and Dr. Sharon Mitchell of AIM.

Photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders does not portray the legendary adult film stars as perfect, larger than life studs and divas: they are shown as ordinary people. For each performer featured, Greenfield-Sanders shows one photograph of his subject in every day clothes – jeans and UGGs for Belladonna, a pink turtleneck for Tera Patrick – accompanied by an artistic nude shot. Artistic because the photos are obviously posed, but the artifice ends there. Bodies may have been enhanced but small wrinkles and discolorations have not been airbrushed here, and what we see are strong yet vulnerable people who have the courage to express who they are through raw sexuality.

The anti-porn brigades will not find fodder for their hatred here: nothing in these images suggests an unrealistic, perfectly inflated view of the nude human form. These are real men and women, not idols… Or perhaps they are idols, after all – but not because of their flawless beauty: because of their larger-than-life personalities.

In XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits, sexually-charged people who rarely get a voice finally have a chance to talk about their start in adult entertainment, publicly express their views of life and the porn industry, and share their favourites of the movies in which they appear.

The book also features film legends such as John Waters and John Malkovich as well as famed writers Nancy Friday (My Secret Garden,) Whitley Strieber and A.M. Homes, who discuss sexuality, their own life experiences, and the A to Z of porn.

After spending so many hours naked in the public eye, in XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the stars get to reveal their true nature. And what we see, while not overtly sexual, is very beautiful indeed.

If your disdain of pornography goes so far as to make you unwilling to see adult performers as real human beings with souls and hearts and minds, feel free to keep living in a fantasy world. But if you want to see your favourite adult film stars exposed as real, living, breathing men and women, this is the book for you.

Title: XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits
Author: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Bulfinch
Publication Year: 2005
ISBN: 0821257455

Visit Eden Fantasys to find adult DVDs featuring these and other great performers.

This product was supplied to me free of charge by Eden Fantasys, for review purposes.
FULL DISCLOSURE

Geocaching 101

2011-09-16T08:53:00.000-04:00

The contents of my first geocache

Yesterday some friends and I went geocaching. It was my first time. Husband and I had just signed up for membership the previous day and while one friend was also a newbie, our other friend had been out numerous times, in various areas.

It was fun!

Our more experienced friend had coached the rest of us about the different difficulty levels and I had been arguing that surely it couldn't be too difficult in an urban setting but the geocache -- apparently an easy one -- proved to be challenging. It took the three of us a fair bit of time to find our treasure, which was buried... well... "near" a tree.

The location of our buried treasure

The contents were an assortment of knick-knacks, children's figurines and odds and ends to which we added a little envelope of sewing notions.

I took home a TimCard... Blank, but seeing as Husband and I had been discussing how I needed a TimCard (I never have any cash on me to get coffees on the road) this proved to be a fun discovery.

Now I can carry a TimCard that has meaning for me: my first geocache, and a fun day spent with good, dear friends.

Swimwear Wednesday: Entourage Season Finale SPOILERS

2011-09-14T07:58:00.000-04:00

Source: possessionista.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

The weather is getting chilly (yippee!) and I suspect Swimwear Wednesdays will soon turn into Winter Wonderland Wednesdays. To honour the end of the season, I've decided to focus on the series finale of Entourage.

Entourage is one of the funniest shows on tv and as sailor-mouth Type A agent Ari Gold, the sexy Jeremy Piven steals the show.

Source: ohhayitskkblog.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

I love Ari's character (the most fleshed out of the bunch, in my opinion) and rooted for him all along, hoping for a tender reunion with his estranged wife "Mrs. Ari."

Last night I watched the finale and was delighted to see the two of them run off to a tropical island paradise where the slender, stylish Melissa rocked a lovely coral-red "bandage" swimsuit by Hervé Léger.

(Note: Hervé Léger swimsuits such as the one-piece cutout worn by actress Perrey Reeves in the series finale of Entourage are available at Neiman Marcus.)

I cried during the operatic reunion scene. But I am a sucker for displays of passion and Ari and Melissa are nothing if not intense.

If you have yet to watch the show, be sure to stick around through the end credits.

And if you've already watched the series finale and were heartbroken at seeing it all end, cheer up: there's already talk of an Entourage movie and with a team like this one, how could it not be made of pure Awesome Hotness?

Sexy Product Review: Good Head Oral Delight Gel

2011-09-12T07:22:00.001-04:00

Doc Johnson's Good Head Oral Delight Gel comes with an informative little pamphlet packed with fun factoids and amusing anecdotes chronicling the history of the blow job, and is offered in five tantalizing flavours available as a sensual kit: Mystical Mint, Wild Cherry, Sweet Strawberry, Sexy Cinnamon, and Juicy Passion Fruit -- the flavour I took out for a test drive.

In fact, the Juicy Passion Fruit gel tastes a little cinnamon-y, too, and although I had heard that Good Head's taste wasn't all that good, I didn't think the flavour was all that bad: it's not as tasty as, say, a scoop of Cherry Garcia on a hot summer day, but it's not nasty as some flavoured lubes can be.

Overall, the flavour of Good Head Oral Delight Gel is very much like one of those cheap lollipops you get from the doctor's office...

Which brings me to my next point: the feel of it. Or lack thereof.

Good Head is numbing. Like novocaine is numbing.

In fact, after I finished my, oh-hum, research, my gums were numb and I felt this might be a good time to schedule that pesky molar removal I'd been putting off. All of a sudden, my head filled with visions of Steve Martin as the sadistic dentist in "Little Shop of Horrors." (Dental dam, anyone?)

Good Head's numbing factor combined with its sweet sucker flavour yield the following results:

The mouth waters, creating the right amount of lubrication required by the task at hand.
The gag reflex is suppressed, allowing for deeper throat action.
The initial sweetness obliterates whatever body odors might be present.
The numbing of the taste buds masks natural bodily fluids flavours.

For some people, these might all qualify as pros. Being able to take more, longer, deeper while performing fellatio is always a plus, and those repelled by the smell of male genitalia and the taste of sperm will be pleased.

However, those who find the scent of the male anatomy intoxicating and those for whom the taste of sex is an integral part of the experience may feel a little bit cheated.

In the end, Good Head Gel does what it claims to do. But whether or not it actually qualifies as an "oral delight" is a question of personal taste.

This product was supplied to me free of charge by Eden Fantasys, for review purposes.
FULL DISCLOSURE

Quote of The Day: For the Love of God...

2011-09-11T08:30:00.001-04:00

Source: focusontofilm.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.

- John Lennon

(Source: BrainyQuote.com)

Today put hatred and fear aside and take a moment to ponder, not just the horrors imposed on people's lives, but the things you can do to be more loving and tolerant of other people's way of life.

Ice Cream Sunday: Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream

2011-09-11T07:20:00.000-04:00

Source: clockworklemon.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Doesn't today's featured treat look intriguing, elegant and delicious?

You can get complete, gorgeously illustrated instructions for this Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream recipe from Clockwork Lemon, adapted from Almost Bourdain. (Note: "Her Ice Cream" vintage silver spoon is from The Wooden Hive on Etsy.)

Click here to see other delights on my Scream For Ice Cream board on Pinterest!

Sex in Sin City

2011-09-08T16:02:00.001-04:00

The Erotic Authors Association’s Inaugural Conference takes place this week-end at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Publishers, editors, and erotica authors will gather under one roof to discuss the tricks of their trade. The event is open to the public.

Don't miss it!

Click here to find out more.

Quote of The Day: From the Mouths of Strangers...

2011-09-03T14:38:00.000-04:00

Source: lottaagaton.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

My mind cannot find rest, these days...

"What kind of people live like this?" I have been wondering for a week now, thinking that it actually mattered, that other people's lives could negatively affect mine.

We moved into our new house a week ago. We knew there would be lots to do, but the place was left quite dirty. I felt somewhat ripped off: the old owners had told us they would hire a cleaning lady and rent a dumpster but in the end, it's clear they did none of that. I should not have believed them.

"It's ours," Husband told me today, when I deplored the piles of garbage we had inherited. "The good and the bad." It doesn't matter who did or didn't do what they promised to do, he explained, what we have here, in front of us -- good and bad -- is for us to deal with. So we must move forward.

So we scrub and clean, and sweep and mop, and try to make our new nest a better place.

Because this isn't just a place we moved into: this is a home. Our home. And every bit of work we do here not only improves our environment -- it improves our lives.

Our garden is but one part of the silver lining.

A Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Home

2011-08-25T08:48:00.000-04:00

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Source: artinstituteshop.org via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Top: jewelry based on Frank Lloyd Wright’s design for the leaded glass windows at the Darwin Martin House in Buffalo.

Bottom: Old milk bottle cubby door at our new house, badly in need of a revamp.

So I ask you again: are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Hump Day Treat: Review of Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio

2011-08-24T08:45:00.000-04:00

Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio

A little while ago, I grabbed Mr Husband and asked for his help with a very important mission: a review of Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio – an instructional dvd aimed at couples wanting to explore oral sex... and who doesn't?

Sadly, it seems that quite a few people feel a little bit apprehensive, when it comes to orally pleasuring their partner. This dvd aims to encourage dialogue between men and women and facilitate experimentation by offering topics of discussion, tips on technique, and a little bit of Anatomy 101 thrown in for good measure.

The Team

Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio, stars host/director Jessica Drake and features adult performers Eric Masterson; Danny Mountain; Allie Haze; Jordan Kingsley; Chris Johnson; and the unbelievably cute Bobbi Starr, who steals the show.

While these are attractive, charming people who excel at non-verbal communication, it is refreshing to see porn stars like this, a little bit out of their element: wearing clothes and letting their personalities shine through as they speak candidly about their likes and dislikes of oral sex – but what's not to like?

The Taste

The taste of cum is often at the top of the list of turn-offs, for women who are hesitant about oral sex.

While luckily, times have changed since the hairy 70s and 80s and most males are more than willing to do a little manscaping and keep the family jewels in top notch condition, things like nutrition and medication can affect the taste of their sperm. There’s very little that can be done about it but something can be done to enhance everyone’s enjoyment of oral sex, and Jessica and her crew share ideas on how to sweeten the pill, so to speak, as they give you "The Lowdown on Going Down".

Tips and Techniques

This dvd is not earth-shattering and full of new, mind-blowing revelations (I’m sorry!) What it is, is a prelude to communication – verbal or non-verbal – about sex, and an opportunity to open the door to sexual exploration and self-discovery.

So grab your partner and a tall glass of pineapple juice or cinnamon flavoured, cooling Good Head lotion – again, to sweeten the deal! – and cuddle up, relax, and allow yourself to be entertained and titillated.

And when you’re ready (and the sex scenes in the second half of the film ensure that you will soon both be ready!) try out the techniques demonstrated by the pros.

Remember to let yourself go. This is not a structured course: there won't be a quiz later, so you can skip some steps to get to the good parts! The goal is to have fun, and enjoy the process.

Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio
Format: DVD
Length: 38 minutes
Rating: XXX
Release Date: 03/15/2011
Studio: Wicked Pictures

This product was supplied to me free of charge by Eden Fantasys, for review purposes.
FULL DISCLOSURE

There's Right and There's Wrong. This is Very Wrong.

2011-08-23T10:45:00.001-04:00

It sickens me to read about how bride-to-be Alix Genter was recently denied the wedding dress of her dreams, a gown spotted at New Jersey's Here Comes The Bride.

It seems like every day, I read about another couple being discriminated against because their union displeases somebody, somewhere. It astonishes me how many people are willing to side with hatred, simply because they cannot understand another person's concept of love.

Please do everything you can to help Alix Genter and other men and women (and men and men, and women and women!) get the wedding of their dreams!

Say NO to discrimination. Say YES to love!

Quote of The Day: A Last Letter from Jack Layton

2011-08-22T18:19:00.000-04:00

Photograph by Thorfinn Stainforth hotlinked via Wikimedia Commons

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

Jack Layton (July 18, 1950 – August 22, 2011)

Source: CBC News

Birthday Bling

2011-08-21T15:58:00.000-04:00

My birthday is coming up and I got a little bit of birthday cash... I had pretty much decided to spend it at Lululemon when Husband and I went into Umbra, and I changed my mind.

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

I've wanted a jewelry stand for a while, but hadn't found anything I truly liked: they all have the potential to look too busy and messy, once they're filled with jewelry... (I think the little fox jewelry stand from Urban Outfitters would look best without jewelry!)

However, Umbra had a simple orchid design I liked a lot. A lot. The only things stopping me? I am not quite sure what our new bedroom decor will be, and the jewelry stand has a little built-in ring tray, and I really like the ring tray I currently have.

Source: umbra.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

So I did a bit of research online and looked at dozens of options. It is through Pinterest (how else?) that I found another great jewelry stand, this one from Pier One.

No ring tray, and this stand, too, has a woodland motif.

Source: pier1.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

I'll have to make up my mind over the next little while... but unless I spot something else in my new neighbourhood, one of these will soon sit on top of my dresser.

Which reminds me: I have to get a dresser!

As for the rest of my birthday cash, I will spend it wisely: at Sephora!

Sexy Saturday: O Lingerie for Free

2011-08-20T06:24:00.006-04:00

Source: lingerieplease.co.uk via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Who doesn't like to look and feel sexy, and a little bit naughty?
Here's your chance to get sexy, for free:

Lingerie Please has teamed up with Trishie Koh of Under Lock and Key to bring you the chance to win a beautiful Myrtle Camisole and Brief set from O Lingerie.

Source: lingerieplease.co.uk via MissAndrée on Pinterest

To enter, simply visit Lingerie Please before August 31, 2011, and sign up for their newsletter. There's no entry fee, and the draw is open to international customers.

For more details, check out the Under Lock and Key blog... and get ready to get sexy!

Quote of The Day: Sailing Takes me Away

2011-08-18T15:27:00.000-04:00

Source: sailingprep.tumblr.com via Susie on Pinterest

(From Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, by Jeanette Winterson)

Swimsuit Wednesday: Retro Beauties at Land's End

2011-08-17T08:07:00.000-04:00

I love the styling on Land's End swimsuits: they always remind me of Swingtown, one of my favourite (OK: my all-time favourite!) pro-bikini, pro-sex tv shows.

Now you can enjoy this retro look at a fraction of normal costs by taking advantage of the Land's End Stock Room Sale.

Source: tv.ign.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Trina (Lana Parrilla, left) and Susan (Molly Parker, right) at the Swingtown season finale clambake.

Source: canvas.landsend.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Lands' End White Underwire Bikini, perfect for Trina.

Source: canvas.landsend.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Land's End Cabana Tile Dot Double Ring Halter Tank Swimsuit - a great choice for Susan and women who want a little more coverage with their sexy.

I find Land's End swimsuits extremely well cut and quite flattering but if you need to do some alterations, check out Adventures in Dressmaking: savvy seamstress Suzannah shows you how to easily alter one of their tops to better fit your figure, if needed!

More Gold From Pinterest

2011-08-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

Source: 27.media.tumblr.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(I am SO making a sign like this for us!!!)

Find me on GoodReads

2011-08-16T13:16:00.001-04:00

I am trying to be more active on GoodReads, so if you have an account there, look me up! And if you don't have an account there, why not join? You'll be able to discuss the books you love (or don't love so much) with other readers and writers, as well as get recommendations for books that could be of interest to you!
Check it out!

Andree's currently-reading book montage

Andree Lachapelle's favorite books »

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I Needed This!

2011-08-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

Source: insearchoflittlesadie.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

God bless Pinterest!

Quote of The Day: Hopes & Dreams

2011-08-15T16:52:00.001-04:00

Source: google.com via Claire on Pinterest

Ride it Out

2011-08-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

We get our new house on Monday, and we're almost done with our packing. All that's left are the clothes and personal items we will need until Move Day, food and a few dishes, and things that Husband wants to sort through and pack himself.

For the first time in weeks, it seems, I have been able to put packing aside for a few moments to focus on other things.

I managed to finish a story I had planned on submitting to an erotic romance Cowboy anthology; watched Rabbit Hole (what a tear-jerker!); updated all my social networks with announcements and links to my erotic fiction on Amazon (go me!); and booked a haircut at the Paul Pecorella salon (I'm getting re-bobbed!)

Alright. Enough dillydallying: back to packing!!

(Photograph: By Nika Vee (Originally posted to Flickr as Cowboy Hats) [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Quote of The Day: Hi There, Beautiful!

2011-08-10T08:05:00.000-04:00

Source: etsy.com via Jody on Pinterest

Tick tick tick... we get the keys to our new house in FOUR DAYS!

The Milk Fairie

2011-08-09T07:49:00.002-04:00

On the exterior wall of our new house, near our kitchen, sits an old-fashioned cubby. It used to serve as a milk compartment, I am told. One side would open up to the kitchen while the other opened onto the great outdoors. Housewives of yore could open the door from the safety of their own home, and leave empty bottles in the milk box for the milkman to pick up and exchange for full ones.

Abandoned milk box

The inside door has long been closed off while the outside cubby sat abandoned, unused, unloved.

Until now.

After a brief chat with Husband, it was agreed that the old milk cubby could be used for art. What I will do with it, I'm not sure. Should I use it as a fairy house, as many people do, in the hopes that a winged mythical being will make her home near ours? Do I even want fairies in our house? (Not talking about you, M, don't be so touchy!)

Unused knobs looking for the right project

My tentative plan right now is to sand and stain the crap out of the cubby, change the hinge for something nicer, and add a pretty knob. And then, figure out what to do with the inside.

A secret garden?
A time capsule? In old-fashioned milk bottles?
A terrarium? In an old-fashioned milk bottle?
A treasure chest?
A pigeon-hole message box, complete with pigeon?
A shrine to wilderness gods, that they may watch over us?
A tribute to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright?
All of the above..?

We have five days til we get the keys to our house... and an eternity to make it our home.

An Orgy of Mass Consumerism

2011-08-08T08:59:00.005-04:00

What a great week-end!

Husband and I visited Lowe's for the first time

Passing on social events, Husband and I ordered sushi and made a big push toward getting organized and ordering some of the things we need to get settled into our new house and enjoy the last weeks of summer, in style.

These past few days we packed and packed some more -- this place now looks like something from Storage Wars! -- and arranged cable, Internet, power and gas hook-up for the new house.

Yesterday we rented a ZipCar and went shopping in assorted "big box" stores to acquire some backyard essentials and arrange for delivery -- starting with a dream BBQ from Home Depot and a lovely patio set from Lowe's.

We got dark coppery brown chairs and a round table, as well as a pretty striped umbrella and cushions in green, brown and shades of blue. I love it: I'd been hoping to stay away from taupe and beige, popular colours though they may be.

Our cheerful patio colour scheme

This was an extremely productive week-end: it was fun to drive around in a car and it felt great to nail down a few things. With one week to go before we get the keys to the new house this needed to be done, now, if we wanted to be sure everything was delivered and installed on time -- and on Husband's days off.

There's no question about it: I am at my happiest when I feel productive and organized, so right now I am immensely pleased!

Sexy Saturday: When the Lights Go Out

2011-08-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

Kiss me: it's Lips o'clock!

As it turns out, blackouts are great for your love life: a recent power outage led our alarm clock to start leaving subliminal messages for us!

Book-Signing and Launch of The Big Book of Bizarro

2011-08-05T11:11:00.002-04:00

If you happen to be in Pittsburgh, PA, check it out!

I have a story in The Big Book of Bizarro, but unfortunately won't be able to attend this event...

Book-Signing and Introduction of The Big Book of Bizarro

Where:
Eljay's Books
3233 West Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
412-344-7444
eljaysbks@yahoo.com

When:
Saturday, August 13 at 3 p.m.

Recipe of The Week: No Bake Orange Bars

2011-08-05T08:35:00.001-04:00

This week's new recipe comes courtesy of Domesblissity -- a wonderful blog full of tasty-looking delights.

This recipe combines oranges, shredded coconut, white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and "biscuits" (I used Graham Crackers) to form dessert "slices" -- basically a dessert bar not unlike granola bars.

They turned out quite tasty!

I'll definitely make them again but next time I will use regular, big juicy Navel oranges: this time around I used Cara oranges and not only do they taste more like grapefruit than oranges (the bars don't have that orange POW! factor,) but it was quite difficult to get the rind, which is an essential ingredient of this recipe.

Husband and I are in the middle of a move right now and my days are spent decluttering, sorting and packing. While I have continued to try a new recipe each week, I haven't really had the time to take pics and blog about my culinary experiments. I'll try to be more consistent, from now on...

... Although maybe I should simply add a "B.W.O." (Blogging Without Obligation) badge to my site: I have been told that meals for the next couple of weeks should consist mostly of sandwiches so that I can pack up all our kitchen stuff. And once we've moved to the new house, well, I suspect my own cooking adventures will be put on the back burner (bwaa-haaa, I kill me!) while Husband focuses on his brand-spanking new barbecue!

Swimwear Wednesday: The Swimsuit Issue

2011-08-03T10:28:00.000-04:00

The Swimsuit Issue is a venerable tradition in the publishing industry, with Sports Illustrated setting the standard by which all other swimsuit issues will be judged.

But while Sports Illustrated is the granddaddy of swimsuit aficionados, many newer publications have brought us swimsuit pictures equally worthy of mention... and salivation!

Here are a few noteworthy pics from special editions...

Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(Sue Patterson photographed by Jay Maisel for a 1965 issue of Sports Illustrated)

Source: stylefrizz.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(Naomi Campbell photographed by Mario Testino for the June 2009 Swimsuit Issue of V Magazine)

Source: shoppingandinfo.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(Jennifer Aniston wears a Narcisco Rodriguez bikini in a photograph by Craig McDean in the December 2008 issue of Vogue)

Source: marvel.wikia.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

(The Marvel Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, 1991, featuring an illustration by Brian Stelfreeze)

Click here to see more swimwear on Pinterest...

NBC's Playboy Club

2011-08-02T12:01:00.002-04:00

NBC's new drama about life as a bunny, The Playboy Club, premieres Monday September 19. Directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Big Love, Nurse Jackie, Boardwalk Empire, The West Wing, Sex and The City, The Sopranos) the show is bound to be a hit... if it ever airs!

Watchdog group The Parents Television Council is doing its best to make sure The Playboy Club show is canned before it even premieres.

In a recent letter to KNBC, filled with numerous statistics for which they offer no source, the PTC called the show "a betrayal of the trust (...) built over the years with America's families" and appealed to NBC to stop airing promos for the show before 10 p.m., while promising to "urge its members to file complaints with the Federal Communications Commission about any content that may be in violation of broadcast decency laws."

My own fictitious sources assure me that sex (unprotected, no less!) has taken place in 100% of all American families, regardless of the television programs to which they've been exposed.

Compared to the trashy, tacky reality shows currently on the air, The Playboy Club is bound to come across as classy and elegant, and I for one am determined to see the series... whether or not it ever airs on NBC!

AlterNet's 10 Kinkiest Cities In America

2011-08-02T10:22:00.000-04:00

New York in Vegas

At a loss as to where to go on your next vacation?
Here are a few "sexcation" suggestions:
10 Kinkiest Cities In America | Sex & Relationships | AlterNet

Ice Cream Sunday: Strawberry Shortcake

2011-08-01T11:25:00.000-04:00

President's Choice Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

While I really like strawberries, I don't normally enjoy strawberry-flavoured foods: that fake strawberry flavour always tastes like baby Aspirin to me, and reminds me of being sick as a child. So I was quite surprised when I found myself enjoying yesterday's ice cream treat: Strawberry Shortcake ice cream, selected by my Husband.

It was creamy, fruity, delicious and not too cakey. A pure delight!

We had the President's Choice version; I'm sure there must be recipes out there that show you how to make it from scratch but if you can't find one, just fake it with this recipe...

I'm sure it will all work out and in the end, you too will be able to enjoy strawberry cream goodness!

Inspiration!

2011-07-31T10:31:00.000-04:00

Source: itstheskinny.tumblr.com via Devin on Pinterest

Cinderella Story

2011-07-30T08:48:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been suffering from cabin fever, spending most of my time indoors, sorting and de-cluttering and packing in anticipation of our upcoming move into a new house.

The isolation has been taking its toll on me and I've started to suffer from an old ailment that pops up when I'm under stress: self-pity.

Since the beginning of summer I've needed shoes and everyday clothes and while Husband has been urging me to go out and get the things I need, I haven't really gotten around to it.

I've been staying in and focusing on house stuff, all the while feeling sorry for myself for needing lipstick, mascara, shoes and and and...

Last night Husband ordered me to get new shoes.
How can a girl say no?

It was love at first sight when I spotted these Nine West beauties on the B Jones Style blog a while back but I never would have guessed they'd become a reality for me: I thought they were from an older collection -- I hadn't seen them in stores -- and that they would be way out of my price range. (When it comes to buying things for myself I have a tendency to buy crap, just to save Husband money.)

When I saw them again on Pinterest I pinned them to my Cinderella Complex board, with this caption:

"Nine West is the shiznit. End of story"

Because ever since I first saw Nine West shoes years and years ago, they have been my favourite line of footwear -- not counting the Manolos and Louboutins, of course, but sometimes even if you can't talk to God himself, you still gotta worship!

And when life (or your Husband) hands you a thing of great beauty, you have to step back and stop feeling sorry for yourself and be grateful for the wonders that surround you... Whether it's lovely shoes, or the love of a fantastic Man.

Enter The Darkness

2011-07-29T08:54:00.001-04:00

I love everything about my life and even though there are things that sometimes cause me grief, they are part and parcel of other things I love. A tiny little cloud in a sky blue life.

Occasionally, I venture forth into The Darkness.

I have a big mouth.
I use it.

Jumping on a high horse, stepping on my soapbox, I rant and rave and cry woe is me!

Please give me a hug, and hold me til the storm passes. It will pass, eventually. And I will be left tired, and happy.

It always happens this way.

Source: etsy.com via Trailer on Pinterest

(Print available from LetterHappy on Etsy.com)

Quote of The Day: What The World Needs Now

2011-07-29T08:51:00.002-04:00

Source: 364quotes.blogspot.com via Leigh Anne on Pinterest

Swimwear Wednesday: Retro Cool by The Pool

2011-07-27T07:46:00.000-04:00

A collection of gorgeous swimsuit shots from bygone years... all of it featuring excellent photography and delightful beach accessories.

Source: google.com via Valerie on Pinterest

Under Parasols at the Beach. Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Vogue, 1963.

Source: 42ndblackwatch1881.wordpress.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Palm Beach ladies. Slim Aarons.

Source: flickr.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Fiona Campbell-Walter and Ivy Nicholson. Henry Clarke, 1955.

Into vintage swimwear? Check out this fine collection of vintage Jantzen ads on Twirl Vintage Co.

Keep Our City Green

2011-07-25T09:26:00.002-04:00

Mystery sapling and Weeping Mulberry, up close and personal

Our new backyard is home to a few large, wonderful trees the name of which I have yet to learn. Those trees, the tall hedges and the raspberry bushes that divide our yard from our neighbour's bring us shade, beauty, and privacy and I love our new yard, even though it needs TLC: our current heat wave is destroying the grass -- both in the backyard and on our front lawn... which I love, too!

We have a gorgeous tree on our front lawn, and extreme Googling taught me that it is a Weeping Mulberry Tree.

There is also a young sapling in front of the house, on city property. I have no clue what it is, but I suspect it might be an ash tree -- and because of an Emerald Ash Borer invasion, those are scheduled for removal by the city.

Luckily, Toronto offers home owners free trees as part of one of our city's "green" initiatives. Home owners can choose from a selection of 34 trees that the city's Urban Forestry department will deliver and plant free of charge.

I had originally wanted a Ginkgo tree, but the general consensus is that they are a foul-smelling tree, so I reconsidered.

Our first choice is the Tuliptree (apparently another favourite at Frank Lloyd Wright's White Oak residence) and for a second choice, we picked a Yellow-wood tree.

Tuliptree

Source: netstate.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Yellow-wood Tree

Source: discoverlife.org via MissAndrée on Pinterest

Home owners are required to submit a request form, and the city then assesses the property and decides whether or not they wish to make it a little greener.

I have nothing against the mystery sapling bordering our street but if we could get a nice, "Frank Lloyd Wright approved" flowering tree, I would be tickled pink!

Ice Cream Sunday: Shake It Exotic

2011-07-24T09:27:00.000-04:00

Desperate times call for desperate measures and intense heat waves often result in over-consumption of ice cream and frozen treats.

While it can take quite some time for a person to get bored with cones, cups and sundaes, chocolate and vanilla can get old, quickly.

Here are a few flavours guaranteed to break the monotony.

Avocado

Source: phamfatale.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

This Vietnamese-style Avocado Shake combines avocado, honey, lemon and soy milk to form a cool, creamy beverage. (Check out this Avocado Shake recipe from PhamFatale.)

Taro
One of my favourite "exotic" flavours is Taro. You can find taro in most Vietnamese restaurants in shake form and many Japanese tea shops serve Taro Bubble Tea, often called a Violet Storm due to its purple colour and cloudy consistency. Can't find Taro Shakes and Bubble Teas near you? Order the powder online and try Adeline Ang's Taro Bubble Tea recipe.

Mango

Source: ifood.tv via MissAndrée on Pinterest

This Mango Lassi, which combines mango, yogurt and milk, is a popular Indian dessert drink. Can't find an Indian restaurant nearby? Make it at home with this Mango Lassi recipe from iFood.tv.

Lychee, Durian and Jackfruit
Lychee, Durian and Jackfruit Shakes are Chinatown favourites.

The Durian fruit puts off a lot of people (myself included!) because of its pungent scent, but it's apparently very tasty... particularly in shake form.

The more appealing Jackfruit Shake, which combines jackfruit, banana and mango, is another popular drink I have yet to try.

Source: en.petitchef.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

As for the Lychee, it is flavourful, sweet and refreshing in all of its incarnations. Buy the fruit fresh at your local market or grab a can at the supermarket, and combine it with low-fat milk, honey and crushed ice to create a sensational alternative to ice cream.

Toronto Public Library: Project Rescue

2011-07-22T15:51:00.000-04:00

Please keep feeding our young people's imagination, and free their minds from the constraints of Facebook and Twitter: so many wonderful stories require more than 140 characters, to be told properly.

Please don't close our libraries.

Sign the Toronto Public Library Project Rescue petition today!

Image by Ragesoss (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Swimwear Wednesday: True Beach Bunny

2011-07-20T09:58:00.000-04:00

I was delighted a few days ago when I came across this amazing photo on the Selvedge Yard blog, of a Playboy logo adorned bunny.

Source: theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

This image captures a lot of my personality: my appreciation of traditional gender roles, my fascination with Playboy, my love of 1950s, 60s and 70s style... and my ongoing obsession with swimwear.

To me, this is the epitome of sensuality: the freedom to express one's sexuality on one's own terms, without being weighed down by society's notions of what is and isn't politically correct.

Ice Cream Sunday: Ice Cream Month

2011-07-18T22:16:00.001-04:00

As everyone knows, Ronald Reagan declared July "National Ice Cream Month," back in 1984. Of course I am not of the same nationality, but I like to show my support for my American friends any way I can.

Yesterday I spent most of the day in bed, lying in the air conditionned coolness and trying to recuperate from the heat exhaustion suffered the previous day. Although I did celebrate in private, with a nice dish of Banana Split Ice Cream, I missed my weekly Ice Cream post.

And it was Ice Cream Day, too!!!

I will try to make up for my oversight by posting pics of some of my all-time favourite flavours... From the 80s to the present.

1980's

Source: grocerycouponnetwork.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

In the 80s, the ultimate shiznit for me was Pistachio ice cream. I had tried it on a trip abroad but unfortunately couldn't find it anywhere where I lived, so Heavenly Hash became my more easily obtainable fave. (The slightly naughty name may have had something to do with it!) I think back then Heavenly Hash was made by Sealtest, but nowadays other brands offer it. Or you could make your own using this recipe... I don't remember the original Heavenly Hash being this fruity, but this sure looks tasty!

1990s

Source: camemberu.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

In the 90s I discovered Haagen Dazs (I was a late bloomer!) The company offers tons of tasty delights and I have tried most of the flavours. Pineapple-Coconut ice cream has always been a favourite of mine -- no matter who makes it! -- and I love Dulce De Leche, but my Haagen Dazs fave at the time was their very boozy-tasting Rum Raisin. Want to make your own? Try this mouth-watering No Churn Rum and Raisin ice cream recipe.

2000s

Source: kissmyspatula.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

In the 00s my fave was Cherry Garcia, Ben & Jerry's treat tribute to The Grateful Dead. You don't have to be a fan of their music to love the ice cream, full of chocolaty-cherry goodness. What helped make this a personal favourite is that it was also available as a frozen yogourt. Try making your own with this recipe adapted from "Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book."

2011

Source: greenteatoday.com via MissAndrée on Pinterest

These days my favourite ice cream flavour is Green Tea, the kind of treat you squeeze in after a tasty sushi meal when you know you're stuffed, and really you shouldn't, but it is just. so. good. You can't help yourself.

And on a day like today, when the temperature hits the 100F in my legendary cold country, why should I even try to help myself?

This is a belated Ice Cream Day post, but I'm sure President Reagan wouldn't mind: my celebrations come a few days late... but they will last all summer!

(Try this Matcha Green Tea recipe!)

Yesterday, McDonald's Saved my Life

2011-07-17T08:57:00.001-04:00

Actually, it was my Husband who unwittingly saved my life.

But let's start at the beginning...

Yesterday we went to The Stockyards to attend a Curb Appeal workshop presented by Home Depot.

The class was short and sweet and informative. It was also quite informal, which made for a comfortable atmosphere, however I had no prior knowledge of the topic and would have liked a class that was a bit more structured. But these Home Depot workshops are free, so really there's nothing to lose: you can ask questions about what interests you, and come out a little bit more knowledgeable than when you went in.

That old Stockyards area is home to not only Home Depot but Rona as well. After a quick bite to eat, Husband and I wandered around Home Depot, grabbed samples of countertop and flooring to take to our home visit next week, and then headed out to Rona to do more of the same.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable way for new home owners to spend an afternoon, and we managed to stay out of the sun for most of that very hot, stifling day.

Or did we?

We wore sunscreen, sunglasses (plus a hat, for me) and both brought bottled water, and our sun exposure was limited to the walk across the ultra-large parking lots separating the streetcar stop from Home Depot, and Home Depot from Rona.

However, on the short walk back to the streetcar I felt faint, nauseous, boiling hot. It was heat exhaustion. We waited a little bit for the streetcars to leave but when it became clear they were having some sort of issue, Husband took me to a nearby McDonald's and we sat in the AC with cold beverages.

I started to feel a teensy bit better.

When we left and got on the streetcar to head home, my sickness returned. By the time we got to the TTC station, I had started to get muscle cramps. Luckily our house is literally around the corner from the station so minutes later we were inside in the AC, drinking cold water, with clothes removed and a life saved.

The reason I am writing about this is because I learned today that the muscle cramp part is the part where you need to go to a hospital, pronto. That is the moment when your body is starting to go into shock, moving from heat exhaustion -- when you feel unbearably hot -- to heatstroke -- when your core temperature rises to potentially fatal levels.

Weakness, flushed skin, and nausea are symptoms of heat exhaustion, and a few minutes in an air conditioned environment such as McDonald's, and a cool beverage such as a nice Diet Coke with lots of ice, can ward off heatstroke and save your life.

Most of our walk from the station to our home was done in the TTC's underground passageways. Had we been outside in the heat when my muscles started cramping, I probably would have passed out, and needed to be hospitalized.

So, I urge you to stay indoors as much as possible today, when beautiful downtown Toronto is supposed to hit 34C. If you do go out, wear at least SPF 60, wear a hat, wear sunglasses and bring a lot of water with you.

Heat stroke creeps up on you, and it's hard to know that your system is shutting down, when your system is in the process of shutting down.

Miss Andrée: facts & fiction

DIY Christmas Gifts Revisited

DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments Revisited

Recipe of The Week: Mango Salsa

Tips and Ideas: Storing Bobby Pins

Zombie Survival Crew Anthology II

I Should Sing This Every Day

Time for a New Yoga Mat

Wedding Anniversary Painting

Quote of the Day: miserable

New Recipe: Spinach Smoothie

Quote of the Day: Suffer Now

Squash Day

Santa Sunday: Seasonal Smoothie

Housekeeping? Housekeeping!!

Recipe of The Week: The Palmier Cookie

Love Bites Best Bizarro Short Story of The Year!?

Word of the Day: Fitspo

Book Review: The Lowdown on Going Down

Santa Sunday: Dreaming of a White Christmas

Belladonna & Art (NSFW: contains nudity)

Christmas Decor wip

Today's Mantra

Santa Sunday: Hello Kitty Christmas Tree

Quote of The Day: Positive Affirmation

Star Wars: Early Christmas in The Old Republic

Recipe of The Week: Candy Cane Kisses

Santa Sunday: Christmas Stockings

Black Friday

Happy Thanksgiving

Today's Mantra

Santa Sunday: Christmas Pudding Cookies

Quote of The Day: From Tina Fey

Quote of The Day: Inspiration

Santa Sunday: Kitschy Retro Christmas Wreath

Quote of the Day: Shakespeare in Love

Have a Peaceful Remembrance Day 11/11/11

Quote of The Day: Truth and Consequences

Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow?

Versace for H&M Hits Stores November 17

The Open Road Inspires me

Quote of the Day: go out and LIVE

Fall Back

Quote of The Day: Seen!

Recommended Reading of a Sexual Nature

New to my Reading List: Hot Porn Star Confessions

The Christmas Spirits

!~* HaPpY hALL0wEeN *~!

Inspiring Quote of the Day

New Recipe: Easy Mango Smoothie

Quote of The Day: Confucius Says...

New Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting

The Creativ Festival is Coming to Town

Delightful Dahlias and Winter Roses

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

Ellora's Cave Romanticon

Quote of The Day: For Book Lovers

Save Toronto's Museums!

My Number One

Book Review: XXX 30 Porn-Star Portraits

Geocaching 101

Swimwear Wednesday: Entourage Season Finale SPOILERS

Sexy Product Review: Good Head Oral Delight Gel

Quote of The Day: For the Love of God...

Ice Cream Sunday: Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream

Sex in Sin City

Quote of The Day: From the Mouths of Strangers...

A Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Home

Hump Day Treat: Review of Jessica Drake's Guide To Wicked Sex: Fellatio

There's Right and There's Wrong. This is Very Wrong.

Quote of The Day: A Last Letter from Jack Layton

Birthday Bling

Sexy Saturday: O Lingerie for Free

Quote of The Day: Sailing Takes me Away

Swimsuit Wednesday: Retro Beauties at Land's End

More Gold From Pinterest

Find me on GoodReads

Andree's currently-reading book montage

I Needed This!

Quote of The Day: Hopes & Dreams