Winter beach walks

 Something about visiting the beach in winter is so magical. 

The crisp air mixed with that ever familiar summer scent of salty waters, the porcelain ocean waters going on for miles in seamless beauty, the bright skies dotted with sparse clouds. 

And that light. 

Oh, that light. 

Much love, Vivi

Friday night lists

Lately...

craving:
avocado sliced on a bed of greens with pumpkin seeds, flax, cashews, balsamic and strawberries
Mushroom spinach omelet with sliced avocado and balsamic on side
Peppers, carrots and string beans in a stir fry 

reading: 
around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne
The Tongue by Charles Capps 
Genesis & Matthew
Kristen Roger's photography blog
Andria Lindquist's photography blog  

listening to:
far too much country- Shania Twain and Braid Paisley have stolen my heart
favorites include: Don't be Stupid, Remind me, That don't impress me much. Listen now, thank me later.
The Bahamas
Hill song United

why I love winter:
foggy skies 
the sound of boots walking over crunchy ice-covered grass   
steaming tea on cosy evenings
stunning sunsets
a time to knit & crochet and wear the results
snuggling under quilts 
bundling up under five layers and braving the cold for a rejuvenating walk 
Winter soups: especially cream of celery & black bean soup with leek

Much love, Vivi 

Cupcakes galore

Remember how I talked about eating cupcakes for breakfast in my last post? These would be the victims. I used a chocolate cake box mix for the cake, and a classic butter cream for the icing. If you have never used butter cream for your icing before, I encourage you to try it out! Trust me, you'll never use pre-made frosting again. A homemade icing takes an average cupcake and transforms it into something spectacular. I blogged about my all time favourite butter cream here. 
These easy cupcakes are perfect to make when you have a free afternoon and your sweet-tooth won't back down.. ;) Happy baking!


Much love, Vivi 
 

Misty mornings

With the winter frost and icy breezes, every morning greets us with a thick layer of fog resting on the ground. Eerie, mysterious, and so beautiful. Winter views really make rolling out of bed at six am not as difficult. That, and steaming green tea. And remembering the tub of last night's cupcake creations in the kitchen... :)

Much love, Vivi

 

P is for peppers

Don't you just love mixing together a multitude of delicious ingredients and putting them all together in a happy little pepper? These were a lot of fun to make. I wish I could share a recipe, however, my family usually goes by ear when it comes to dinner creations. No recipes, just what tastes good! And surprisingly enough, that rule usually works. Key word here, usually. I won't share the story of one particular chili. Some things are better left in the past... But hey! You'll never know until you try! ;)

Much love, Vivi

Now this, this is Winter

Evergreen branches laden with snow, steaming tea with fresh baking, knit cardigans with denim shirts, plants singing loudly in the moments after a rain storm, and lattes; sitting together after a long week and just being. This is what I love about Winter. I love being able to bundle up so warm that the only part of you showing are two little eyes. I love venturing out on misty mornings; just me, my trusty camera, and the world as inspiration. I love making my way under a quilt, reading the heartfelt words of a novel, a story, a glimpse into someone else's world. Now this, this is Winter.

What to do when the sky feels particularly kind

At the very end of our Winter photo shoot, Shelby and I saw it. Beautiful, vibrant skies streaked with fiery colours. Exactly what we had been waiting for. We hopped into her car as fast as possible and drove up to the highest point we knew, all in hopes to capture its beauty to the fullest. I can honestly say we both let out a few squeals when we saw this stunning sunset! ;)

Much love, Vivi

City Walls

This is my friend Shelby. Her face definitely is a regular here on the blog! ;) Last night we ventured deep into the downtown parts of the city in hopes that we might catch the beautiful evening light. And what did we find? Industrial city walls just begging to be captured.

You can see our Summer shoot here and our Autumn shoot here. Only one season left to complete a full year of photo shooting... :) We're ready for you, Spring!

Much love, Vivi