If in the last few weeks you’ve taken a stroll down the magazine aisle at the grocery store, you’ve noticed that nearly every cover is blitzed with gorgeous pictures of holiday cookies, decorated trees, and festive decor. The big holiday editions are out for all the major publications.

Although I LOVE to buy these magazines at this time of year, I do sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed at how many recipes, ideas, and photos they flash in front of me: It’s like Christmas on drugs. Everything is done to the nines and seems to be lit with a type of magic that can’t possibly live on earth anytime but at this time of year.

Perhaps this is in part what starts to stress people out about the holidays. The anticipation starts to turn into panic that every detail won’t be taken care of and that the moment will be lost forever (or at least for another year). Instead of baking 3 types of squares, we need to make 15. Instead of hanging the old faithful stockings we’ve had for years, we need to knit new ones that match our trendy decor. It’s hard to keep up and remain happy and joyful about what’s truly worth celebrating.

For me, I find that keeping it simple for holiday entertaining is key. I avoid elaborate recipes that will keep me in the kitchen for hours. What my uncle calls “simmering pots” of stews and soups are a perfect match to what I crave at this time of year; homey meals that taste good, warm your soul, and give you plenty of time to enjoy the company of others.

To kick off the season, I made a delicious chicken and sausage stew this weekend. Using simple ingredients, good quality meat, and serving it with a bakery brown bread, it warmed us up and felt well matched to the chill in the air.

Whether its Beef Bourguignon, a savoury Coq au Vin, a spicy chili, or a Moroccan vegetable stew, don’t forget to think about these easy and delicious comfort foods that you can prep a day in advance and that your guests will be sure to love. Serve them with a delicious wine and a tossed spinach salad, and you’ll be begging for the snow to fall!

Keep the stress off the food. Your tummy will thank you for it.

Find great one-pot recipes on line at Allrecipes.com

Wow, it’s November 14th. In another month the crunch will be on for getting that Christmas shopping done (or started) and all the holiday parties will be in full swing. In Toronto, they’re calling for flurries on Sunday so it must be true… Christmas is indeed around the corner.

But at the moment, the madness of the holiday season is far from my mind and I’m simply focused on all that’s joyful and exciting about the merry season. I’m flipping through cookbooks to eyeball recipes that I hope to try. I’m starting to make my shopping lists and I’m searching for holiday concerts to go see. I’m in full scale anticipation mode and it feels wonderful.

So to try and keep this positive energy flowing for the duration of the season (I’m choosing to blissfully ignore all the negative talk about the building mall parking lots), I’m going to post a few Christmas inspired articles over the next couple weeks as we ease into December. Some will be on great holiday traditions, and others will be on fantastic finds and festive fashion. And there just might be a post in there on some etiquette blunders that are common during the holidays too.

Check back soon and often!

PS - The fab tshirt shown here is available on Etsy. Isn’t it adorable? It would be the PERFECT gift if you and your girlfriends are into tea gatherings. In lieu of a pricey dinner out (because who needs another evening booked at this time of year) why not host your friends for an afternoon holiday tea party? Serve up some yummy sandwiches and a plate of those holiday treats we crave at this time of year, and keep all the gifts simple, low cost, and focused on tea things. How sweet!    

Collecting has always been a hobby that interests me but it’s never been something I’ve done much of. I guess you could say I have an informal (and very small) collection of shells from the beaches I’ve vacationed at, but they pretty much sit unused in a catchall craft tin.

I love to think that I’ll be a collector of vintage buttons, lace and fabric, or even Mason jars someday. I could go hunting for them at roadside stands and country antique stores, and I’d get to know the best places for lemonade and strawberry jam along the way. Now that would be neat.

But I always get stuck on where you store all this stuff?? Given that I’m an urban dweller who doesn’t even have enough room for a decent sized closet, how on earth could I realistically store bits of this and that even if they’re perfectly gorgeous things?

At some point collections can go from interesting and treasure-like to dusty old odds and sods that don’t have much purpose. How does one ensure that these items are showcased well enough to tell their story?

When doing a bit of research on how to keep collections displayed beautifully, I was surprised to find a stellar example on the site of my favourite cake-lady, Bakerella. Wouldn’t you know it, this talented diva not only aces cakes she’s got a fantastic idea for storing her collection item of choice, which happens to be sand.

This method could be used for showing off various things; from those buttons and swatches of fabric I love, to ribbon, stamps, bottle caps, beads, brooches and more.

Using inexpensive glass flip top jars (Storage Solutions and Kitchen Stuff Plus carry something similar), and a label maker to personalize where the item came from (remember, it’s as much about the journey!) you’ll be sure to keep your finds looking artsy and chic, no matter how much dust they’ve collected over the years.

Collect away, pearly readers.

A few weeks ago I had one of those bad, everything goes wrong, miserable nights.

It was terribly cold and rainy and I was late getting home from work to take the new pup out. By the time I finally got in she was ravenous, dying to run, and not able to show much patience as I changed out of my office gear and into something more appropriate for the weather.

In the absence of any time, I grabbed whatever was in reach (hubby’s over-sized rain coat), threw my keys and some doggy treats in the pocket, and out we went.

The next 20 minutes were perfectly normal. Doggy did her thing and we played at the park before happily trotting back home, wet, but content, and both eager for dinner. Up the stairs we went. And there we stood for a very long 5 minutes as I tried to figure out how the keys that WERE in my coat pocket could have gone missing between point A and B.

By this time the dog was really putting on a show with her soaking wet cries and I was beside myself at how I’d get into my house. Naturally, we retraced our steps - to no avail. Nothing showed up on either of my 3 attempts.

With no cell phone and none of the neighbours home, there we sat together, dripping from head to toe (actually, she was underneath my coat at that point so she was semi-warm), nearly in tears at how hungry we were.

We eventually got in - after almost an hour and a half. The really crummy thing was that my lost key ring had my house keys and my car key with the automatic entry feature on it. If someone had wanted to walk around and find my car, they could have easily made off with it.

So the next day a locksmith was called into the house. That was followed by an appointment at the car dealership to deprogram the automatic entry feature, reprogram it with another code, and order a new key to replace the missing one ($350 later). Needless to say the terrible night finished with an expensive next day.

Of course, the cost was worth it but I had a little pang of wanting to hold off just a couple days in the hopes that somehow my keys would be returned.

Well wouldn’t you know it, just last week a Purolator envelope showed up and there they were. Thanks to the War Amps key service, someone in the neighbourhood had a chance to return what they found. And although we had changed all the locks by then, my faith in my neighbourhood was reinforced.

But since I can’t thank that person (the service doesn’t identify who returns the keys), I would like to thank everyone who has taken it upon themselves to return something they’ve found. It’s the right thing to do - I’ve never believed in finder’s keepers. And it also works to instill trust and confidence in the people with whom you share a street and neighbourhood.

After that cold and rainy night, I needed that warm ray of light.

I love to pretend that I have European flair, but I really don’t. It was confirmed when I was in France last spring. While I may enjoy French wine and cheese, and I certainly admire the laid back lifestyle of being able to stop in to a cafe for a morning espresso and bit of baguette, I’m really a coffee-to-go kinda’ girl.

Yes, I know this somewhat conflicts with the whole Pair in Pearls stand on taking more time to do things. But it’s not to say that I don’t practice the philosophy for things I really love. One example of this is market shopping.

I adore market shopping. I have always had a hard time buying in bulk for the week and prefer to pick things up on the fly. It’s so much more enjoyable and rustic to buy a loaf of bread that’s been baked that day, or to buy tomatoes from the farmer who grew them. This approach is indeed more European, so perhaps there’s hope yet for my classic American style loving soul.

Lucky for us, there are many great markets here in Toronto. The big one in particular is celebrating it’s 205th birthday this Saturday. Happy Birthday to the St. Lawrence Market! Go for a visit on Saturday and support some of the local farmers who have been bringing their goods to the city for generations.

Another great market which I just discovered is the Brick Works Farmer’s Market. As part of the Evergreen Foundation project, the market runs on Saturdays on Bayview Avenue near Pottery Road, and features a fantastic assortment of foods and goodies from local and organic producers (plus the space is really neat). The last Saturday for this market season is November 8th, so check it out while you can.

There just might be a little Europe in Toronto (and me) after all.

Sometimes I love a rainy day. There’s just something about the coziness of it all. And while I hate what it does to my hair and that my commute nearly doubles, I love that I can sport a fantastic rain coat and hum my way along toward my morning coffee, feeling just as swell in the elements as Gene Kelly did in his 1952 classic.

But as a teenager, I avoided anything and everything to do with weather proof dressing. Didn’t you? Thank goodness that changed!! I now proudly sport hats, scarves, mitts, rain coats and umbrellas. Love ‘em.

Still, the one thing I need to complete my ill-weather attire are a pair of these fantastic Tretorn wellies.

Sure, there are some with a trendier appeal but I like the classics. I like that these would stay cute for more than one season. I like that they’re red so they’d stand out among a sea of black umbrellas. And they’re from Tretorn (hello…!!!!), the maker of the ultimate preppy running shoe from my youth.

Pick up a pair of these boots (sold at Capezio and Stoneridge if you want to shop the malls), and you’ll stay polished in the rain for years to come.

This past Friday night was all about me. A recent career change left me very much craving some time for reflection and a big glass of red wine.

So I planned on it. I got the doggy out for her 2 evening walks. I had an overdue chat with an old friend. I did some dishes and finished up some laundry. And then I settled into a fashion magazine, a lovely glass of Chilean Cabernet and some Pringles chips (they are FAR from polished but it’s an indulgence and I love wine and chips together).

It lasted like all of an hour, but it did my soul good. When was the last time you made it a point to give yourself an hour like that?

I know what you’re thinking: Life gets in the way. The kids need a bath, the pile of dishes in the sink can’t be left any longer, or the cable guy is showing up sometime between 4-8pm. We’re running on empty by the time 6pm rolls around. Time for ourselves seems like a waste when we’re lucky if we can get everything else done and land in bed before midnight.

But if you take a good old paper day planner and slot in everything you need to do in a week including 1 hour for you - not for a workout - not for grocery shopping - not for scrubbing the tub - for something indulgent that you like to do… you may be surprised that you can actually manage to find the time for it.

In order to have a bit more opportunity for these moments in my life, I have found that doing some food prep on Sundays helps. I make up a few easy and healthy meals for the week that can be popped in the oven as soon as I’m home. It frees up that hour of prep and cook time.

And I’ve also found that turning off the phone and computer is a necessity. Give yourself permission to disconnect for an hour. Voice mail is a wonderful thing.

Whatever your own hour looks like - take it this week. Do whatever you need to do in order to get it. Ask the neighbour to watch the kids. Ignore the pile of dishes or go to a coffee shop to put your feet up if there’s just too much distraction at home. Just take it. It might be work to get there, but it’s worth the effort.

There’s certainly a big part of this blog that strives to celebrate things that take some effort. Passed down recipes, thank you notes, handmade invitations, festive decorating, tacking your own throw pillows, that sort of thing. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to add knitting your own winter scarf or quilting a baby blanket to that list?

Well perhaps a seminar at this weekend’s Creativfestival would help!

Running from October 17th - 19th in Toronto, this event caught our eye purely because its rooted in things you can put your personal stamp on (therefore making them more special). Plus, for those of us who are creatively starved from 9-5, it’s a 3 day wonderland to let your mind explore.

Go to the website and click on the fall show link to discover workshops and vendors featured in whatever category you’re partial to. What looks to be a great line up of instructors is certainly incentive to go and learn from the best. But hurry: Many of the workshops are already sold out.

Something tells me the interactive Christmas card seminar has my name on it.

It’s hard to believe, but us Canadians are already on the cusp of our Thanksgiving weekend. To me, it seems as though the time between Labour Day and the Thanksgiving holiday only gets shorter and shorter each year! I know it’s not the case, but with how busy life is, it often feels as though these two holidays are only a weekend apart.

This year, my immediate family is opting for a quiet and intimate Thanksgiving celebration. Between the start of puppy class, a new job, a visiting boyfriend from Ireland, a lingering cold virus, and a week of hosting various out of town guests, we’re all in the mood to keep things casual and low key. No collars, ties or high heels required.

As such, I have accepted the offer of help to bring side dishes, wine, and even some manual labour. I usually decline such offers as I enjoy putting my personal touch on all holiday factors. But I’ve started to learn a big lesson about these celebrations: It’s more important to be together and to stay sane about the hosting part than it is to work myself into a frenzy trying to go over the top with every last detail.

Now, hold your horses. Don’t go thinking I’m about to wave the white flag in surrender to the polish police. All I’m saying is that I have the wherewithal to know my limits this year.

So I’ll pick a couple items and work them ‘big.’  I’ll put together a great table scape and put effort into a unique festive dessert. I’ll make my mom’s signature stuffing recipe but I won’t stay up until 2am the night before to make 3 kinds of pie or 4 types of appetizers.

I’ll save myself the hassle and serve a good quality store bought gravy. I’ll pick up some pretty recycled paper napkins and save the added time of ironing the linen ones. I’ll serve a basic cocktail with the appetizers but pick a really well matched wine for the main course.

The secret is knowing your limits and then working to maximize the things you’re choosing to do really well.

What am I thankful for this year? I’m thankful for learning the lesson that a holiday is supposed to be relaxing, fun, and fluid. It’s OK for it to change a bit each year. It’s OK if dinner doesn’t go out exactly at 7pm or if the corn isn’t quite hot enough.

And it’s even better if the hosts aren’t pulling their hair out because they’re tired and overwhelmed.

As long as you’re striving to celebrate what matters to you (be it family, love, friendship, a walk in the woods, food, or other) then even a very simple and basic thanksgiving meal can be truly polished.

For a gal who claims to be polished and poised, I certainly leave a lot to be desired in the area of sewing.  My lack of domestic mending abilities hit me when my husband asked me to teach him how to sew a button.  I had to look at him blankly and admit that even I, the woman of the house and co-creator of A Pair in Pearls, didn’t have a clue on the proper mending-technique for sewing on a button.

Thank goodness I have spotted The Sewing Studio, a hip establishment that aims to teach hopeless girls like me the lost art of sewing.  To be honest, I would feel quite proud if I could whip together a set of curtains or hem my new pair of jeans.  Okay - you’re right, I would never hem my own jeans…but still.  The time has come for me to learn a thing or two about sewing, especially since I own a sewing machine.  It was given to me at Christmas and I have yet to take it out of the box, how embarrassing!

I plan to take the Quick Start class.  Then I’ll go from there; aprons, napkins, buttons - here I come! 

For more information visit www.lovesewing.com!