My move to Canada has been such a wonderful experience and part of that is due to the wonderful people that I have been fortunate enough to meet. So with that in mind I would like to dedicate and occasional blog post to one of my many talented friends with amazing skills. 

 PART ONE

CHIEKO

My dear friend Chieko and her family have called Toronto, Canada home for the last three years. They have seen almost everything in Canada and embraced enjoyed a Canadian existence while they where here. A lot of wonderful things have happened in her life since arriving in Toronto, it is here that she and her husband welcomed the gorgeous baby girl Nagisa. Chieko and her family are soon leaving Canada to return to Japan. Although she has thoroughly enjoyed her Canadian life and is sad to leave her Canadian life and friends behind, she is looking forward to have family close by, especially with a toddler. 

Chieko has spent a lot of time in North America, Studying English in Hawaii. While in Hawaii she also studied the art creating Lei's. A Lei is a traditional floral wreath used in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture as a symbol of friendship and celebration. 

Chieko has talked about her process with me during our many walks along the Toronto Waterfront. She is always aware of what flowers are in season and often searches the flower markets looking for the right kind of flower. Timing is important as the flowers often will wilt when handled too much and she also takes great care in selecting the color pallet always keeping in mind who she is making the crown for and what colors would suit them.

I'm sure that anyone can tell from looking at my website http://www.motherandcub.co that I am a little obsessed with the floral crowns, so of course I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to collaborate together and document the artist herself with her beautiful crowns and the gorgeous daughter Nagisa who likes to blow me a kiss every time I see her. Farewell my beautiful friends, I will miss my kisses xo.

If you would like to see anymore of Chieko work you can see it on instagram @leimaking_toronto  

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Happy 150th Birthday Canada! I consider myself lucky that I was able to celebrate this milestone with you. In 1988 Australia had its Bicentennial celebrating 200 years and although I was only a child it felt as if Australia spent the entire year celebrating. I remember that the celebrations started with a replica fleet of ships that sailed around Australia, re-enacting the First Fleet in 1788, countless free concerts, endless fireworks and my home town of Brisbane was the host to the World Expo 88. 

 I have always been connected to Canada even though I wasn't aware of it at the time, I actual grew up watching a lot of Canadian actors and television productions. You Can't Do that On Television and Degrassi Junior High were after school staples growing up in Australia. A lot of my fashion choices at the time were highly influenced by Degrassi Junior High, which now that I think about it probably wasn't the best fashion choice as our Degrassi broadcast was a few years behind Canada's.  I think my unhealthy relationship with hairspray at the time was prolonged purely because of that show. I am enjoying the Canadian made productions and I am delighted to come across the occasional productions being shot in and around Toronto (If only I could work on them as Film Stills Photographer/Director /Screenwritter). 

 Looking around the stores around Canada Day I came across some special candy made for the occasion , so I thought I would take the opportunity and have a little fun and perhaps even some candy. Say what you want about the duck. It makes me smile

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I love a good cooking program, relish them even, especially when there is an element of travel involved. I love to travel and I have found that my experience was always enhanced when I sampled the local food.  I was never really interested in cooking until I discovered that trough food can almost be transported to new places as well as reminisce about somewhere you have already been.   So whether its in kitchen with Jamie Oliver, snacking with Nigella Lawson, buying groceries at the Marché with Racheal Khoo, or planning to eat like local Rick Stein in India, there is always something new to learn. 

Although I know my way around the kitchen I do prepare food out of necessity I can honestly say that "I am no cook !"  I plot, I plan, I have the best intentions but alas the meal never looks our tastes like you want and as a result I'm reluctant to spend time and energy into trying something new.  I'm on a new health kick at the moment, so I'm not supposed to be eating any sugar, so off course when I sat down and scrolled through Pinterest for appropriate recipes, naturally my focus went in another direction entirely. And as in order to justify using up all the things that I cant eat I stumbled upon a recipe for a Cinnamon and Coffee Streusel Cake. It untimely reminded me of a trip to Germany and walking past a bakery and looking at all the tasty treats.  

I have never been a keen baker, I often take shortcuts and it was only after watching Rachel Khoo's Little Paris Kitchen is discovered the magic of butter. Yes sometimes butter really does make everything better.  After about two or so hours I had my own streusel, it looked glorious. After carefully removing from the tin and drizzling the coffee icing on top I transported the masterpiece carefully into my set so I could photograph it in all its glory.  Although the cake looked amazing, it did not taste that way.... it turns out that I forgot one of the eggs and only half the about of butter. Oh well at least I have some beautiful shots for my blog.

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