Feed the Fire: Advice on keeping it hot.

It’s Valentine’s Day week, and while we here at the NEST don’t believe in a commercialized day of romance, I did think it might be a good time to give you a brief spot of advice. February is a dismal time of year, where spring taunts you with smatterings of rain or above-average temperatures, but generally it’s still dark and miserable outside. The only difference indoors is that you can control the heat and the majority of sitcoms have new episodes. But if you have a special someone in your life, you can remake February into Cuddle Month. Here are some tips for keeping the home fires burning.

flickr.com

STRESS KILLS ROMANCE.

I heard a study done long ago that showed how women and men responded to times of stress. The study—a little too simplistically divided along the genderline, but interesting nonetheless—stated that women will have a reduced sex drive in times of stress, because they biologically recognize this isn’t a good time to be reproducing. For men, the study said, the stress response is the opposite. Apparently on a biological level, men are spurred on to create more babies in a time of stress, to prevent the decimation of the human race. My experience has been that these rules do apply to people, but may not apply to the appropriate gender. You may find yourself, a male, who has no sexual mojo at all, or you may find yourself a gal with a burning desire to grab your mate. Worse yet (and this is my world), both you and your partner may both be the stress-cancels-sex types.

Be aware of your own stress reactions. If you know what’s happening you can consciously take steps to reduce the stress, or at least be able to talk about the romantic lull with your partner. In the meantime, find other things to do with each other that feels like intimate time.

source: Life as a New Wife

LITTLE THINGS COUNT.

Remember high school? Remember French kissing at the movie theatre and how awesome that was? As adults, we get very focused on the…ins and outs…of sexual encounters. What a waste of all the wonderful ways we can be close to each other. Try getting really close to your sweetie and not kissing…just feel the electricity. When s/he starts to smile a devious little grin, I guarantee your toes will curl and you’ll feel seventeen again.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE.

What are we supposed to give to a woman to say “I love you” this month? Chocolate and flowers, right? While I am never opposed to gifts of chocolate, this may not be every girl’s deepest desire. Likewise with men: not every guy really gets the big deal with lingerie. This Cuddle Month, try doing something you actually both enjoy. It’s okay if that means going to bed at 9pm after watching old Matlock episodes—it’s your time together, whenever you make it happen throughout the year. Be adaptable, and learn new favourite things to do with each other. The right activity, even one as everyday as going to a museum, can become a special, intimate ritual for the two of you. A trip to the Nature museum with a box of Jr Mints, two headphones in one Ipod, and a secret kissing game everytime an animal has a silly name…now, that’s a hot date.  

source: homorazzi

REACH OUT. 

Touch is crucial in a relationship. Your partner may not be a fan of constant contact, PDA’s, or kissing in the middle of go-go-go days, but a caress on the arm or back can send a wonderful message of love and support. As a task-oriented person, I’m still learning how to do this. I’m putting a lot of effort into reaching out and squeezing Bri’s leg when we’re driving, or ruffling his hair when we’re sitting on the couch. A cautionary note, however: not everyone likes having their hair touched. My rule: no mussing up my hair til 10pm or we’re settled in for the night. Otherwise my 20 minutes of hairspray and hot iron were for naught.

GIVING IS AN ART FORM.

At Christmas, we did a post about the art of gift giving as a guest post on the UsedEverywhere blog. I suggest you reread it. There are many times in a year when we may find ourselves in a position to offer a token of affection to our sweetie; work hard to learn how to do a good job of it. And receivers: learn to show your appreciation. We’re not all the jump-up-and-down-squealing type, but a few extra hugs that day or even an email at work the next morning may be a great way to say thank you and ensure the gifting continues.

photo by Adam Pap

RELAX.

Last piece of advice: stop worrying so much. Some people thrive on a date night schedule or gift-giving schedule, or even a ‘cuddle’ schedule. Some people have  the natural ability to consistently make time for tender moments. Usually, we fall in love with someone opposite of ourselves. We all need to stop judging and condemning ourselves for not living up to a cultural image of red hearts, satin sheets, and teddy bears. Communication is key, and kindness is crucial. Forgive yourself for sucking if you suck, and forgive your partner too. Then get to work; if you’re like me and Brian, you’ve got nothing but time to practice getting it right.

Fashion Survivor: 6 pitfalls in spring fashion 2012.

I feel so passionately about this topic today that I'm reprinting this post here, as well as where it will originally 'air', on the UsedEverywhere blog. For the wellbeing of women everywhere, I beseech thee: stop torturing yourself with clothes.

I don’t usually talk much about fashion in my writing, but this upcoming season of clothing has me worried. I feel like, as a classically educated image consultant, it’s my moral obligation to stop a lot of women from making themselves look terrible in an effort to conform to the fashion world’s newest obsessions. Let’s see if I can help you avoid some pitfalls this spring.

Ralph Lauren 2012...or Dorothy, Rose,
and Blanche
from The Golden Girls.

PASTELS ARE THE DEVIL’S PLAYTHING.

Everything in the stores lately seems to be a shade of beige with some pink or taupe mixed in. More recently, looks like we may be seeing some minty greens and yellows, too. Pastels are uber feminine—and remember, there are lots of ways to be feminine, but pastels are the fashion equivalent of a giant mammary gland. They also tend to be less slimming than their rich-pigmented colour cousins. If you choose to play with pastels, be cautious. Throw in a pinch of it with some other crisp tones: a soft pink top with a bright white cardigan and blue jeans.

THE ‘IN’ COLOUR IS A LOT OF COLOURS.

source: chicinspector.com. Like a maxi pad commercial.

Usually every season, there is one or two popular colours. Last year, Kelly green was in—not for long enough, in my opinion. But if you didn’t like green, there were still other colours around to choose from. What’s dangerous this season is that the fashion industry has fallen in love with an entire pallet—faded pastels, as mentioned above—and this means it’s hard to get away from the trendy clothes, and find yourself something that flatters you. A couple seasons back when chartreuse was in, I managed to creep around the periphery of the stores and find some other colours choices…but I worry that this spring won’t allow for that. We’ll have to see. A good trick: if you try on the current colour trends and (like me) hate them on you, spend this season shopping second-hand. Last year’s spring clothes will be out at the consignment stores and you can find some items in the right colours for you.

BATWING IS DRIVING ME BATTY.

Smart Set. Like a big tarp.

Everywhere I look, shirts seems to be batwing or simply square-cut. Even sweaters! These styles of tops immediately add ten unintended pounds to most women...not in any specific helpful area, but just in an ambiguous mass around your torso. I’m sorry, you may like these shirts, but you must be very careful and very critical when you try these on. I have bought one wide-sleeved shirt this spring for myself, and it was because the body was still completely fitted—meaning that you could still see my small waist and well-bra’d bust. If you really want to try this style out, look for the same thing: shape somewhere in the garment to help the eye recognize your curves. Or, if you just can’t resist, compensate for the bagginess with very fitted pants.

JEANS.

source: nibblypig.

I think we’ve all learned by now that leggings are only pants if you’ve covered your bum with a top or tunic. Good. But skinny jeans continue to be worn around by girls with luscious backsides. If you’ve got meat on your butt or thighs—this is most of us, girls—skinny jeans should be worn cautiously. You can end up making yourself look like Miss Piggy, with all your mass at the top of your pants, and little piggy hoofs…especially if you’re wearing a slender shoe. If you really want the skinny jeans but are a normal woman who isn’t ‘H’ framed with perfect thighs, throw a long shirt or tunic over. Think of the jeans as leggings.

WASTED WAISTS.

Suzy Shier. It's even akward
in this marketing shot.

Suzy Sheir. Elastic hell.

Elastic waists and belted waists are in. I’m sad for anyone who isn’t a stick insect, including myself. I am an hourglass-shaped gal myself, leaning towards an ‘H’ frame, and when I try to wear these waistlines, I often end up looking like I have a bun in my oven because of where the waistline visually divides my body. If you’re anywhere over 108lbs, you will likely have this trouble, too. I know it seems like a tiny belt or elastic at your waist, around your belly button, is going to show off your waist, but it doesn’t. Your clothes should visually lengthen your torso (where most of us feel the most square or round), not divide it in two awkward pieces. If you insist on wearing these little belts, wear them low on the low part of your hips; they will at least draw the eye past your belly. If you insist on wearing the elastic waistlines, I don’t think I can help you.

This is who those clothes are for: photoshopped
carb-free 17 year-olds with twig legs.

GENERAL ADVICE.

Put on the clothes you’re consider, then back up. Look at yourself from a distance in the mirror, and squint or unfocus your eyes. Do you look square/wide/round/shortened? If so, it may not be the right outfit for you. Don’t feel pressured to buy styles that are thrust upon you by the fashionnati; they’re typically designing for scrawny 16 year-olds—the models they spend their time with and think are ‘real’ women. If you happen to be a human giraffe, more power to you…enjoy all the clothes the rest of us can’t wear. But for the rest of us: hold your breath and pray for better selections next season.

Author's note: Listen, gals; if you have a deep love for one of these fashion items, more power to you. Rock your 'en vogue' clothing and love yourself...that love with shine through and we'll all think you're hot! The only person who has to love your style is you. But if you're cramming yourself into petal pink and jeggings because you think you have to, let this post be a battle cry: no more uncomfortable, disproportionate, skin-tone-ruining clothing!

Month of Me: a weekend of tea and craft

I know it’s midweek now, but I’m still glowing from my weekend. It was a 48 hour period of Month of Me activities (my birthday month of self-indulgence), and I can’t stop talking about it. The highlights: High Tea with my mom, and a killer felting workshop with Annie Bananie.

TEA FOR TWO: THE TEA PARTY ON YORK STREET

In preparation for my birthday month, I purchased a social coupon (you know, off a site that does group coupons, if you will), for The Tea Party on York Street in the Byward Market. I’d been in there only once before, just to peek around while on a stroll with Brian, so I didn’t remember much about it except that it was located in an ancient house on the edge of the market. Anything Alice in Wonderland themed is guaranteed to catch my eye, so I bought the coupon--$20 for a High Tea for two—and invited my mom along.

We headed down to the market, parked, and walked down to the little house. As we stepped inside, the place was rockin’ busy. A dozen charmingly mismatched tables were crowded with cheerful diners enjoying all sorts of (unexpectedly) Indian lunch foods. I have made a note to come back and try the tandoori tofu because it looked delicious. We were led to our tiny reserved table in a corner by the front window, and while we waited for our server to come see us, we perused the shelves of tea cups, teapots, and china all available for sale. A two-tier Alice in Wonderland themed tea tray caught my eye and I may have to go back for it.

The server brought us our teas in big pots, chosen by us from the wall of labelled glass jars. The tea was lovely, and I was pleased to see the wide array of non-caffeinated options they had. Settling on a concoction called Jamaican Chai, I was delighted with the spicy aroma mixed with tropical undertones. Mom chose an anise-based tea called Angel Wings which she enjoyed very much, being a fan of strong flavours. A few sips into our tea, our tray of squares, scones, and sandwiches arrived. We were surprised to find none of the ‘usual’ tea sandwiches—no tuna, egg salad, or ham here—but a wide variety of unique flavours instead. My favourites included a roasted red pepper with hummus, and a tomato with some type of baba ghannouj.  The scones were superb, served with a pot of jam, and the squares were all made on-site…no pre-packaged date squares here.

We munched away happily, lingering long after our sandwiches were done, pouring more tea from our big pots and gossiping. When it was finally time to go, we went to the cash to buy a tea cup for Mom, and received the last part of our social coupon deal: two little bags of tea to take home. I grabbed a bag called Yoga Spice, and Mom grabbed a green tea. We headed out, satiated and promising to return for a full lunch.

FELTING WITH ANNIE BANANIE

Happy crafting Jordan.

Sunday found us at the workshop of Annie Bananie, local crafter extraordinaire. Annie Bananie is no stranger to us: she helped us out with the wedding project by offering a workshop for our wedding party to make felt rosettes, which we used as decorations in our centrepieces. Annie and I have kept in touch, as I adore her felt creations. This incredibly talented yoga teacher, Singing Tree daycare owner, and arts instructor is one of those wonderful people you feel blessed to have met. To my utter joy, she feels the same about us. So when Annie invited us to come to her felting workshop, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.

Another woman's work.

You can see the whole tutorial on Annie’s blog, including photos of Brian and I working our butts off; but in a nutshell, let me say this: the seven hours you spend in this workshop will simultaneously be the most exhausting and the most rewarding thing you do all week. The morning started off with a brief Kundalini yoga-based meditation. This is something outside my comfort zone, as Kundalini involves chanting and singing, and I’m not really a public singer. I rock out in my car, but to sit in a circle and chant ancient Sanskrit is something outside my box. I did it, though, and Brian was a trooper too, only once disturbing the group when he got carried away with his yogic spine rotations and hit his elbow off a shelf. I held it together and managed not to burst into giggles…sometimes Brian is just like a Great Dane puppy, all feet and tail.

We started out felting project, laying out the white felt that would become the back of our hanging. I had planned to make something about 2’ by 3’, but Brian kept quietly laying out more wool, and before I knew it we had a piece about 4’ by 5’. Annie encouraged everyone to work as large as they liked, and I shrugged, figuring it would be a centrepiece in our house somewhere. We argued back and forth over the image we’d create and finally amalgamated our two ideas: toadstools and owls.

The other workshoppers remarked on how brave we were to be doing a project like this as a team. I have to admit, there was a few times where I had to deep breathe and not snatch the wool away from Brian, rearranging things until they looked ‘right’. But as the image started to come together, I had that wonderful moment where I can see how much cooler the product is going to be because it was a collaborative effort. We finished laying out our image, ate a homemade lunch of pea soup and ArtIsIn bread (provided as part of the workshop), then began the process of felting the wool into one big mat.

Rolling the snake with our feet. UGH.

When Annie encouraged us to work on a big piece, the one thing she failed to tell us was that it would mean more work at the felting stage. Another woman who had created a smaller piece finished felting her mat and left around lunchtime, while we were still layering colours of wool. The process of felting the wool involves soaking the project with soapy water, stepping all over it, and then rolling it into a tube and rolling that tube back and forth along the floor. Because our piece was so big, the usual technique—laying your hands on it and rolling it like a big Play-doh snake—was proving ineffective. Every time we unrolled it to peek, fibres were still lose and easy to pluck. So after about an hour of using our hands and arms, we switched to using our feet.

One hour of rolling the mat with our hands, then two hours of rolling our mat with our feet, and finally we were done…or at least, I didn’t want to roll it anymore. We took our piece home, rinsed it in the shower to get rid of the soap, and tumbled it in the dryer for a bit to finish the felting process. It was still wet, so we layed it out on some garbage bags and left it to dry.

Other workers' creations.

Ready for water.

My legs ached for two days after this project. I got a better workout from rolling that damned wall hanging than I have ever gotten from roller derby. It was exhausting, but the final product is something pretty extraordinary. There is nothing pretty about our owl and mushroom scene, especially because the owl’s eyes sort of felted in different ways and he looks a bit drunk. But it is a collaborative expression of our nest: Brian as the owl, brightly coloured and a bit wobbly; then me as the hedgehog (a last minute addition to the piece), because as much as I call Brian a Great Dane, Brian calls me a hedgehog: cute, but rolls into a spiky ball when provoked. So there is Brian the owl, with Jordan the hedgehog, hanging out in a field of mushrooms. It probably sounds silly when you read it, but this hanging is truly a visual representation of our little world.

I fell in love with felting at Annie’s workshop. I find myself plotting new designs, examining our piece to see how colours blended so that I can plan my layers out better next time. I don’t think I’ll make such a large piece again because the rolling sucked so badly; but guaranteed, I’m going to be felting again soon. As an artist who typically works in paint and pen, the less precise, more expressive motions of felting was again outside my ‘box’, but as these things so often are, it was wonderfully rewarding. We can’t thank Annie enough for having us along, and we heartily recommend you all sign up for the next one. Annie is planning another wet felting workshop in the warmer weather, to potentially be held in Wakefield out on a beautiful piece of land…but if you can’t wait that long to get your hands on Annie’s workshops, other ones will be coming along soon and can be found on her blog.

IN SUMMARY: A JORDANESQUE WEEKEND, INDEED.

Tea and shopping with mom…tiny triangle sandwiches…time with my sweetheart…and a new art medium. It doesn’t get much better than that. I would say this was a highly successful Month of Me weekend. Let the games continue!

Celebrate HER: Ottawa business gets a chance to support!

We love supporting local business, and we love it even more when those local businesses support local happenings! So I’m sending a plea, far and wide, on behalf of a wonderful organization: CelebrateHer is looking for sponsorship by local businesses of their awards packages for outstanding women. If you have a business, or know a business owner, read on! Crafters, restaurateurs, masseuses, hair dressers…you name it, we want you to get involved!

You may recall that Brian and I are the official bloggers of the CelebrateHer 2012 events, but in case you missed our post about nominations (which are still open!), here’s the project in a nutshell: Celebrate HER is a non-profit organization developed to make spaces where women can be recognized and celebrated for their achievements. The team is planning a week-long arts-based fete that will span several neighbourhoods of Ottawa Central, while communicating nationally with women (and supporters of all genders) via social media channels.

Amanda Cottreau, fearless leadress of the CelebrateHer org (and a fantastic musician, by the by) is challenging local companies to show their support of outstanding women by providing goodies to put into the nominees’ gift bags. Sponsors like Lilac Lingerie have donated gift certificates, while artisans like Dmitry Kulakov has donated a guitar (for a fundraising raffle), and UsedOttawa.com (yes, I helped with this one) donated yoga mats, gym bags, and other great swag to go into the gift bags. CheeCha Puffs has just gotten on board, donating their healthy puff snacks as well as water bottles and golf shirts. There are various categories of women being recognized, and sponsors can choose to donate enough for a few women, or all 21 nominees (and counting--nominations close Feb 10th.)

It’s a great way to get your business name out there, and a great cause to support. The week of art performances, concluded with a soiree on the last night, will round out the festivities taking place between March 3^rd-10^th, 2012.

UsedOttawa yoga mats...namaste.

You can follow CelebrateHer on Twitter or Facebook, and check out their site—created by the talent at Sweet Chili, and also donated.

Fridays with Bri: KoKo meets Wine!

THE VALENTINE'S DAY KOKO - NEST PAIRING MENU

Koko Chocolates is a local Ottawa chocolate company, owned and operated by the warm and lovely Jen Winter, ‘a self-proclaimed chocolate snob’ [as stated on the Koko website]. Koko has been in business since 2008, taking the city by storm and becoming a household name synonymous with decadence. We met Jen and her truffles during our wedding project, and Jordan hasn’t let Jen out of her sight since. With Valentine’s Day rolling around, I know that Jordan doesn’t like to receive gifts or tokens on that day…however, she would never turn down Koko truffles. From that knowledge sprung the idea: I would create a wine pairing menu to go with Koko’s fantastic flavours. With Jen on board, and Jordan happy to help with the tasting, we’ve done our homework, and now present you with the Valentine’s Day Koko-Nest pairing menu.

I chose to pair a series of truffles with one white, one red, and one rosé wine, allowing you to choose your chocolates based on your wine colour preference…or vice versa. Showing up at your sweetie’s door with one perfect bottle of wine and the accompanying truffles will impress him/her to no end.

Note: each wine has a VIN number. VIN is specific to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario—this number isn’t relevant for people outside of the province.

WHITE WINE PAIRINGS:

Wine: Toasted Head Chardonnay, 2009. $17.95 VIN: 594341

photo from LCBO.ca

An oak-aged chardonnay, aged in barrels for 8 months~giving the wine flavours like vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. It has a sweet, fruity flavour, and hints of toasted graham crackers. This wine is a bright straw colour, beautiful in a fine glass. The flavour lingers in your mouth for about 30 seconds (aka ‘a medium finish’), and there’s a weight to the wine…like the difference between water and 2% milk. It pairs well with the chocolates because, for a white wine, it’s got enough flavour to hold its own in the presence of chocolate, and due to the oak aging process, it won’t be overpowered by the rich treats.

If this wine is unavailable: ask your local wine store for an oak-aged white wine with medium body and hints of vanilla and caramel, and subtle fruit notes. (You’ll sound super savvy, too.)

Chocolates to pair with the white:

White Vanilla Rum: Rich white vanilla chocolate ganache, flavoured with dark Jamaican rum, dipped in dark chocolate. Brian’s bonus notes: This truffle is rich—but not overpowering—with coconut and rum flavours. It has a medium length, meaning that it lingers in your mouth for about half-a-minute. Use the white wine to accent this chocolate and bring out the almond flavours.

Triple Chocolate: Layers of rich white chocolate and milk chocolate ganache, enrobed in dark chocolate. Brian’s bonus notes: This truffle starts off with a splash of the creamy white chocolate insides, then the dark chocolate coating takes over. It finishes with the milk chocolate and some caramel notes. Slightly buttery hints of hazelnut play around your mouth before the flavour fades away, about thirty seconds after the first nibble. This truffle won’t so much complement the wine as pair with it, so literally eat this truffle in small bites while you sip your wine.

Milk Caramel: Milk chocolate ganache flavoured with caramel and a splash of brandy, dipped in milk chocolate. A friendly truffle for the less adventurous.

ROSÉ WINE PAIRINGS

Wine: Barefoot White Zinfandel Rosé, $9.95, VIN: 79384

photo from LCBO.ca

This is a smooth, sweet wine with flavours of peach, strawberries, and pears. It has a short finish, meaning that it doesn’t linger very long on the tongue. Its high acidity means you’ll taste the wine on the tip of your tongue like a lemon. The pear flavours will hit you near the back of the tongue. It’s a good wine for novices, and a great crowd pleaser. If you bring this, everyone is going to enjoy it whether they like red or white. (Except, of course, your uncle the scotch drinker.)

The only downside to this wine is that it’s only around during the winter, so if you can’t find it, ask your vintner for a wine that has sweet pear notes with a low-to-medium body and a short finish. Again, you’ll look pretty cool.

Chocolates to pair with the Rosé:

Margarita: Dark chocolate ganache infused with lime and tequila, garnished with a sprinkle of sea salt. Brian’s bonus notes: This is Jordan’s FAVOURITE truffle. The smooth chocolate flavours are twisted together with the whammo punch of lime, and a sweet orchid undertone. It’s a sun-shiney bright flavour palette, with the saltiness amplifying the tastes. This truffle is to be eaten along with the wine; the rosé will bring out more of the citrus flavours in the ganache.

Raspberry: Raspberry and dark chocolate ganache with a touch of Chambord Liqueur. Brian’s bonus notes: This truffle has tart, sour cherry notes, and a genuine raspberry taste—nothing ‘Swedish Berries’ about this treat. It has a short finish, leaving the mouth promptly. This is really going to play off the sweet flavours of the rosé, to be eaten before or after the wine…but you may lose some of the wine’s notes with this one.

Cinammon Love: A seasonal offering for Koko. White chocolate ganache turned a romantic pink, infused with cinnamon tea and fresh ground cinnamon. Brian’s bonus notes: a sweet, rich bite with a tart beginning, with warm heat from the cinnamon, wrapping around your throat. This is a very different chocolate than Koko’s usual style, not quite as smooth but offering up a sweet punchy cinnamon heart flavour. The wine will complement this one very nicely because of the astringency (bubbliness) of the wine.

 

Passionfruit: Dark chocolate ganache flavoured with real passionfruit. A neat twist for the chocolate-meets-fruit lovers.

RED WINE PAIRINGS:

Wine: Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz, $11.95, VIN: 145367

photo from wine-searcher.com

This was the first wine I ever suggested to Jordan, and it remains her favourite. I suspect she’ll get the VIN number tattooed on herself someday. This wine is a ruby-purple colour, with floral and blackberry notes. It has hints of eucalyptus and sweet spice, hitting the middle of the tongue with the fruit flavours. This whole wine is centered around its fruit flavours. This wine won’t dry out your mouth, and doesn’t burn on the way down; yet, it still leaves your palette draped in a velvet coating. It literally tastes ruby, with a full-bodied, long finish that lingers for up to a full minute. Everyone that I’ve recommended this wine to has loved it, including Jordan’s mom who usually drinks very dry malbecs. In general, Shiraz (aka ‘Syrah’ is a perfect pairing with chocolate.

If you can’t find this wine, ask your vintner for a fruity, smooth Shiraz or another red wine with hints of blackberries and subtle spiciness.

Chocolates to pair with the red:

Grand Marnier: A classic orange-flavoured dark chocolate ganache in a dark chocolate mold. Brian’s bonus notes: This one is extremely smooth for such a dark chocolate. It has sweet orange flavours with smooth cherry and coffee notes that linger for a very long time. It is reminiscent of chocolate pudding in your mouth: thick, rich, sweet, and comforting. This one will accent the red wine, bringing the spices to the forefront and smoothing out the sweetness of the fruity notes.

Thai Chili: Spicy Thai chili peppers infused into a rich dark chocolate ganache. Brian’s bonus notes: This is a full mouth experience. Clean and simple, with a cardamom start and a pepper finish. It doesn’t linger overly long, and tastes like a bittersweet chocolate in the back of the throat. This chocolate will pair well with the wine due to the juiciness of the wine balancing the low sweetness of the truffle. This is my favourite pairing in the list. 

 

Italian Lover: Dark chocolate ganache, flavoured with amaretto and cognac. A sinfully rich treat; it manages, like all of Koko’s truffles, to impart the flavours of the spirits without making you worry about passing a breathalyzer, like some chocolates on the market.

BRIAN’S CLOSING THOUGHTS

Chocolate has always gone well with wine. If you haven’t had a chance to try them together, buy a couple bottles of wine and some premium chocolates (we obviously recommend Koko) and experiment. Don’t feel embarrassed to read the back of the bottle: usually there are some key, simple tasting notes there for you. Look for wines that have a strong flavour but aren’t overly sweet—don’t hide the flavours of the chocolate behind, say, an ice wine. Because really in the end, the chocolate is the star of the show.

Koko Chocolates are available at Thyme & Again, Viva Loca, The Red Apron, and The Candy Store, all in Ottawa…or they can be ordered online. If you’re in Ottawa this weekend, Jen will be at the Urban Craft show this Saturday—perfect timing for Valentine’s Day, or Anti-Valentine’s Day, as we like to celebrate. Hell, just buy them because it’s any day; they’re the kind of thing I keep hidden in the closet for my next marital faux-pas. 

You can keep in touch with Koko Chocolates:

-at their website

-on twitter

-on facebook

Chocolate photo's from kokochocolates.ca

World, meet Sweetstitch: interview and giveaway!

SPOTLIGHT ON AN INDIE ARTISAN: SWEETSTICH

If you don’t already know somehow, we’re indie business-obsessed here at Project: Priceless. With our love of all things handmade and DIY, we seek out the coolest local (and national/international) artisans to support. Recently, we discovered Sweetstitch, and wanted to feature the brand. We connected with owner Sue Redekop, and asked her a few questions about her business…and at the end of this post, we have our first-ever giveaway!

What is your name? : 

Sue Redekop

What is your business’s name? :

Sweetstitch

How can people find you? :

www.sweetstitchshop.com

How did you hear about Project: Priceless--the NEST? :

Via twitter and the blog!

What do you make/do?:

I sew accessories with gorgeous fabrics, sourced locally and as far away as Japan…my focus is on handy dandy cute zipper pouches.

How do you fit in with the DIY/handmade world?

I love the handmade community and am so impressed by what is created from local crafters. It's a welcoming, supportive environment for the creative side of my personality.

We covet Sue's wreaths!

How do you fit in with the Eco-Economy concept? (Eco-economy=green but sensibly priced):

I try to use upcycled fabric as much as possible; I hate to see waste, so I’ll use anything from curtains to duvet covers, skirts, pants etc., and transform them into new creations.

How long have you been in business? :

Sweetstitch has been around for a year and a bit.

What is your favourite thing about what you do? :

I love the whole process of sewing, from picking out the fabrics to hunting fabrics down in second hand shops, and repurposing them into practical cute items.

What’s was your most unusual gig/project/product you’ve created? :

I was requested to make custom fabric boxes; that was quite a learning curve, sewing with really stiff fabric! I broke a few needles during the process.

How did your business get started? :

I started with a small holiday home show and received a great response, then opened an Etsy shop. Now Sweetstitch is currently in 8 shops: locally, you can find us at Flock Boutique, Workshop, and Adorit. 

What warms your heart? :

I love seeing my daughter now create and craft and continue the tradition...she is so eager to learn! It's quite heartwarming and makes me smile.

If you're married/in a long term relationship: what's your tip for a happy romance?:

Have a sense of humour and don't sweat the small stuff…life is too short!

THE NEST’S FIRST GIVEAWAY:

Sweetstitch has been wonderful enough to donate one of her fabulous zipper pouches (with owls, to honor our pursuit of retro forest animal housewares) and two pin cushions so that we can run a giveaway this month. This beautiful pouch and pincushions can be yours…just follow these simple steps and we’ll draw randomly from the entries:

One entry—Facebook: Simply ‘like’ our Facebook page, then write on our wall (all the red writing): I want the sweetstitch pouch! (If you already 'like' us, just post the message on our wall!)

Bonus entry—Twitter: ‘Follow’us on twitter, if you haven’t already, and then post the following tweet (all the red writing): I follow @projectpricelss and you should follow them, too: http://ow.ly/8O3Jx ! (If you already follow us, just post the tweet!)

Good Karma points: To keep in touch with Sweetstitch, we invite you to ‘Like’ them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter!

The draw will take place on February 28, 2012, and the winner will be notified hopefully the same day. If the winner doesn't claim their prize within 24 hrs, we will re-draw.

Thanks for introducing yourself, Sue of Sweetstitch! It's a pleasure to meet you and your craft!