Your questions answered!

Happy Friday!!  I am back from Scotland and getting things back in order while trying to ignore my jetlag.  I had a great time visiting lots of relatives and I will be blogging about my trip soon!  A while ago I had a milestone post and opened the floor to questions from all of you awesome readers...here are the questions I was asked!

 JMW asked.... What's been your favorite topic so far?

Hm that's a tough one.  I have written about so many things over the last few years...perhaps my most important post is the one I wrote about women without friends.  It struck a chord with so many of my readers and blog friends and got a lot of comments....some agreed, some didn't...but it got the conversation rolling!  Also my Advice For My 14 Year Old Self series is very important to me.  It made me look at my life with fresh eyes and see I have accomplished a lot and have a lot to contribute...and it gave me the opportunity to meet one of my life's dreams head on...publishing a book.

I also especially love the conversations with The Little Prince.  I know years from now I will cherish those posts - some day I will print my entire blog as a book for him.

 How I Met Your Father asked...What was your wedding like? Would you care to share pictures? You have mentioned it was in Scotland and was in a castle... it sounds beautiful!  And...how did you meet your Suburban Prince?

My wedding was very Scottish...I did a lot of research on ancient wedding traditions so we incorporated a traditional hand-fasting, lots of tartan, a piper, and we jumped the broom (a tradition brought to the islands and southern US by the Scots in the 18th century).

We were married in Toronto at a Masonic temple in 2003 and as many of you know, I keep identifying photos/names off of my blog.  If you are friends with me on Facebook you will be able to find a few wedding photos on there.

I met the Suburban Prince on an online dating site.  It was 2002, around my birthday and we chatted for a couple of days, decided to meet and have been together ever since.

 KatiePerk asked...If you could choose a husband from television show characters, which husband would you choose?

Wow!  What a great question!  I think I would have to say Harry Goldenblatt - he is smart, charming, successful, well dressed, kind, and adores his wife.  He is also great with his children and loves his wife's friends.  What more could a woman want?  

LPC asked... Pray tell, although you may already told this story, how did you get into the ribbon business?

Years ago...back when I was a single working girl in the big city someone in the office told me her father left her his ribbon business.  I guess that stuck with me because a year ago when I was looking for something to do that would allow me to stay home and be something the Little Prince could work on as well...I kept thinking about the ribbon.  I did a lot of research and found the equipment online, ordered it and got to work on marketing, website, business cards etc.   Within a few months Royal Ribbons was in the black and growing bigger than I ever could've imagined!  Now I am working on plans to expand the business and add more personalized items...hopefully there will be an announcement soon!

Glitterista asked... I'd love to hear about your wedding, too and anything about your "normal" weekly routine. ;)

Normal?  Routine?  I don't know if I have anything resembling either of those!   Because the Suburban Prince works swing shift we are always all over the place - one of us is always coming or going!  I do try really hard to keep Wednesday as pajama day.  The Little Prince and I stay home in our jammies, watch cartoons, cook, clean, do laundry and just enjoy a day not having to run around anywhere.  I have Rotary on Monday nights, the Little Prince is starting soccer on Mondays as well so that will require some shuffling.  I tend to tread water a lot and do what I can when I can. I have meetings for committees on all different days at different times so no two weeks are the same!  Well, except for my shows - they tell me what day it is!




Have a fabulous day!
 

If you can, please leave your comment here instead of on Twitter. Thanks!

The Question Game

While reading The Enchanted Home I was so impressed with her answers to a series of questions, as well as, the questions she asked...I decided to take part!   These are such great questions, I have been quite enjoying myself answering them!  Please do the same, copy the questions and answer them on your blog.  Come back and share your link so we can all learn a bit more about each other!

 If there could only be one season year round which would you choose?

Autumn.  I love the crisp air, beautiful colours, sweaters, the hustle and bustle of back to school, Thanksgiving then Halloween.  It's a busy couple of months but my hair always looks great!

You get to spend a month in Europe, and can only go to one place..is it Italy or France?

France.  I  love the food and speak the language fluently enough to get by without calling anyone's mother a bad name.  I am pretty handy with a scarf so I am sure I could blend right in.  A month in Italy worries me...all that gelato and pasta, I'd come back 50lbs heavier!

Red wine, white wine or champagne?

Champagne.  Or Prosecco.  I'm not much of a wine drinker at all...perhaps drank too much of it over the years and now just can't get excited about it.  I do love bubbles tho! 

Dogs or cats?

Dogs.  I like my pets to look happy to see me when I walk in the door.

One word that best describes your life right now.

Chaos.  I have definitely tried to pack way more into my life than would fit but I just keep taking it on, hour by hour.  I have reached capacity tho and will not be taking on any new committees or projects for the moment.  Royal Ribbons is busy which is amazing!  I love creating ribbon for my customers.  I am working on getting back to regular blogging...which means less time spent on other things, like Twitter.  I have two awards nights coming up that I need to work on, a mountain of laundry, fundraising, magazines to read, and the last time I was out alone with my husband was March 25th 2011.  But, it's fun and keeps me out of mischief!  I wouldn't trade it for anything...cept maybe a week lying by a pool in the sun. 

One job you haven't had that would be a dream job.

I think I already have my dream job!   Maybe restaurant reviewer...or concierge.  I like being well connected so it would have to be something I would wheel and deal and make magic happen.

 One famous person you would love to meet.

Kate Middleton.  I so know we would be besties!   I bet we would go shopping together and she would totally confide in me, I'm a great secret keeper.  The only problem is how short and stubby I would look standing next to her in the photos.  Hmmm must bring an apple crate with me.

One movie that you could watch again and again.

Just one movie?  The English Patient.  It's such a complex story and has so many layers...I have read the book a number of times and am riveted anytime it's on.  I cry every single time.  The rest of my list would include Casablanca, Magnolia, and Legally Blonde.

You are given a plane ticket to fly anywhere in the world this weekend, where are you going?

I am sure this answer would change every single day.  Lately I have been craving some sun and warmth so perhaps somewhere with a pool, a beach, and a butler.  The Suburban and Little Prince can splash in the pool while I soak up the sun and sip a fruity drink.   There would be a strong chance of my getting caught up on my magazine reading too.  

Ask me tomorrow and the answer might be Paris, Morocco, LA, New York...it all depends on my mood at that moment!

One decade you wish you could have lived in (including this one).

I always thought I would be quite good at the 40s.  My gran went to work in a munitions factory during the war - I suspect I could do the same thing.  War is horrible but it's also romantic and I am sure I would've been great at keeping the home fires burning, rolling bandages, baking cookies, writing letters.  I'd give a soldier a reason to come home alive, and in one piece ;o)

If you had to change your name, what would you name yourself?

Oh that's easy...I've wanted to be Trixie since I was 9 years old.  In fact recently I told people they should start calling me Trixie to save me the bother of legally changing my name.  No one took me seriously.  The Suburban Prince plays along when he remembers...I also get called Pippa at home from time to time.

Now it's your turn!  Please let me know when you have posted your answers!

If you can, please leave your comments here instead of twitter.  Thanks!

Have a fabulous day!

Questions Answered!

Thank you for all of the beautiful comments on my 400th post!  I had so much fun going back through all of my posts to see how much I have done in the last couple of years.  I found posts I had forgotten I wrote!   It's one of the things I love about blogging...looking back and seeing how much I have changed, grown and evolved from 2009 when I started this blog.

I love the questions you asked!

Cheryl asked....Do you plan ahead for things you are going to write about, or do you fly by the seat of your pants, as the saying goes. Just how much planning goes into each blog... estimated of course.

Great question!  I will often start posts and save them in my drafts so I have lots of ideas saved and ready to blog.  Sometimes a post takes months to write, like my Girls Without Friends post from a few months ago.  I have another one I started writing last year that I just don't feel is finished yet.  The tough topics take longer.   Usually when I cook or visit a new place or take photos of interesting things I start a draft for each one then when I have some free time I get them all written and ready to post! 

WholeHeartedlyHannah asked...My question for you is what tips do you have for new bloggers? I've only been at this about two months, and I'd love to hear any advice you have!

Blog what you love!  Dont try to make your blog be something....that's too much work!  Also, be wary of pigeonholing yourself as it might be hard to maintain the momentum on one single topic.  Once you present yourself as a cooking/fashion/decorating/parenting blog it might be hard to write about anything off topic.  Blog what inspires you, makes you happy, makes you sad, what you are doing, watching, wearing and everything else.  Limiting your topics will limit your audience.  That is if you are writing for an audience.  Interact with your readers, comment on their blogs too...time permitting.  If someone comes every day to comment, return the favour and comment on their blog.  There's nothing worse than feeling like someone is a taker and isnt willing to give a little black to make the blog world go around.

Look at your blog as a magazine publication.  You know when you invest 8.00 on a magazine and have to wade through the first 80 pages of ads to get to any real content?  Blogs are the same way!  A reader has invested their time and energy to click through to your blog, give them some real content and not just a bunch of product ads.  If you are going to blog about companies and products as least contact the company first to give them the opportunity to give you product to review and give away.  Doing free advertising for big companies and then telling your readers the company did not pay you one single cent to do it has companies sitting back laughing all the way to the bank and tells your readers you dont have any thing else to blog about.  People want to hear about your life and this is a great chance to write it the way you want it to be seen.  

JulesTX asked...My question for you is related to your Scottish heritage. I am a fellow Scot, born in Glasgow and now living in Texas. What part of Scotland is your family from ? Do you ever make it back there ?

I come from a place very close to Glasgow called Bishopbriggs.  The Suburban Prince comes from Paisley which is wayyyy on the other side of the city.  I always say this song by Craig Armstrong is our theme song...





My dad is from Stirling which is where I go when I visit Scotland.  My uncle has a big house very close to the center of town and it's nice to be able to walk to everything.  My dad's family is all still in that area and my granda's cousin lives in Edinburgh as well as a set of the Suburban Prince's cousins so I will often take the train down to spend a day or two with them.  I come from a line of only children so I dont have many relatives - tho I did spend a lot of time on Ancestry.ca and found all kinds of things about my great grandparents and their families!

I havnt been in Scotland since 2004 so I am due a visit.  I will be scouring the blogs looking for tips on how to survive a transatlantic flight with a 3 year old!

Hines-Sight asked...Do you set aside certain times of the day to interact on twitter, FB, and blogging?

Yes and no.  In the morning before everyone is awake and up I will spend time catching up with everyone then during the day I check in.  The Little Prince is quite independent so he will often toddle off to read a book or do a puzzle and I will check in with all of my people to see how the day is going.  Pretty much any time I have to myself I will check in and see what's happening in the world.




Thank you to everyone who reads and comments!  I love hearing what you have to say and look forward to writing a few thousand more posts!


Have a fabulous day!

My Brownie Uniform

After reading about Madras&Pearls' post on her Brownie uniform which raised the question...is a Brownie uniform preppy?  I started thinking about my childhood pastime...earning badges.  Yes, I was a keener and set out to have more than anyone else in the history of Brownies and I was convinced Baroness Baden-Powell would come and give me a new badge she made just for me.  I had a rich fantasy life as a child!

The Brownie Law

1. A Brownie obeys and respects her elders.
2. A Brownie thinks of others before herself.
3. A Brownie tells the truth.
4. A Brownie is neat and tidy.
5. A Brownie is thrifty.
6. A Brownie plays and works cheerfully.

We should all live by these rules!

This is what my uniform looked like.  It is important to note I have a closet full of shirt dresses that look almost identical in every colour imaginable, for summer and winter.  I have to say I think my Brownie uniform was preppy!  My arms had two orange stripes as I was a Sixer and had two gold bars.  I cant remember if my six was named the Pixies or the Sprites but apparently I made a good leader as girls I don't even remember will send me messages on Facebook saying they remember I was their Sixer.

No, this isnt me but this is exactly what my uniform looked like!  It is from a blog about the death of Guiding in Canada.  We learned how to tie the perfect scarf knot in Brownies, left over right and under, right over left and under.  It's a reef/square knot, very handy in lots of circumstances.

I remember when I first joined I was so excited - we were not allowed to be Brownies until we passed a test, I googled and found we were called Tweenies but that name doesnt ring a bell for me, I will have to ask my mom if we were called something else.  We had to learn the basics and then we had a lovely little ceremony around the toadstool and we were called up in front of our families to be Brownies.  I remember the lights were dimmed and we had a little fake fire we sat around for the ceremony.  At the end of the ceremony we were taken by a Sixer to join our new group.  I get warm fuzzies just thinking about it!

Oh...and the cookies.  You know I was hell bent on selling more cookies than anyone else and I would march up and down my street in my Brownie uniform going door too door selling those cookies like nobody's business!  No,  I didnt care that I might've been infringing on another Brownie's 'turf'.  Maybe they should've been up and at 'em at 9am on Saturday morning to get the job done!

When my years as a Brownie were done I made my wings out of wire hangers, a pair of nylons and some glitter and had my 'flying up' ceremony and moved on to Guides.  I had no interest in going to Guides but I put in a couple of years before I couldn't stand to do it anymore.  If I could've stayed in Brownies I might still be there!  The uniform might be a bit short but just think of the hundreds of badges I would have by now!  The Broken Heart badge, The Driving badge, The Mixing Martinis (casually called the Vermouth badge) badge, The Marriage badge, The Mortgage badge, The Childbirth badge...and so many more!  I would need more arms!


Have a fabulous day!

My new mug

I was walking through town the other day when I saw this in the drug store window! 

No it isn't pink...or green...or pink and green...or even navy and green, or pink.

But...this has been my 'saying' for as long as I can remember!  Every time someone has to stop at one cocktail over lunch or leave the spa early to get back to the office I always sigh and say 'Work is the curse of the drinking class!' and feel bad for my working girl friends.

There was no way I was leaving this on the shelf...in fact...it came in a set of two!  Double the snoot!

Have a fabulous day!

PS...It was first said by Oscar Wilde

Questions Answered!

Thank you for all of the wonderful messages and congratulations on my 300 posts!  It feels like such a huge accomplishment and I am very fortunate to have such amazing bloggy friends!

I was asked so many great questions it has taken me a while to get them all answered so here they are, more than a week later!  It doesn't help that blogger isn't letting me upload photos without a struggle so something that should take 30 minutes to complete it taking a couple of hours.  I hear I am not the only one with this problem but I can't find where to contact blogger customer support.

Knitwit asked...Road Trip or Cruise?

I think cruise even tho I have never been on one.  I love the idea of having so much to do and never being bored.  I am not very good at lying by the pool or on the beach so when I vaycay I like to have lots of activities and entertainment.  A road trip is fun to as I can control the vehicle and stop when I want and take detours any time I see something that looks interesting!

BroncoMom asked...What has been your favorite thing to post thus far?

Well, I do love an awesome giveaway!  But as for everyday topics...anything that gets a big response from my blog friends.  I am like Tinkerbell, I need applause to live!  The Suburban Prince always says, 'Some flowers wilt at the periphery of attention'.

Do you know there is such a thing as the TinkerBell Syndrome?

Pretty Pink Tulips asked...What did you do professionally before you started blogging?

I have been a housewife since 2002 so I lunched, took care of the Suburban Prince, played golf, hosted parties, crafted, cooked, shopped etc etc.  Now I do all that, blog AND take care of the Little Prince!

Town and Country Mom asked...What inspired you to begin blogging?

I had never really thought of blogging for myself.  I always thought it was for people in therapy or who hated their lives and needed somewhere to whine because everyone in their real lives was sick of listening to them...mostly because every whiner I know has a blog!  Then...I stumbled upon Melissa C. Morris' blog May December and realised there is a whole society of bloggers who love their lives and enjoy themselves and are happy people!  I was hooked...reading dozens of blogs every day!  Then I thought, heyyyyy, wait a minute...I have a good life...I have fun...I have things to say...and The Life of a Suburban Princess was born!  I think it is pretty cool that someone I have never met inspired me to accomplish so much in just over a year and she has no idea until now!  You know, if she ever reads my blog.

CanadianPrep asked...What is your favorite thing to do in Toronto?

I love so much in Toronto!  Theatre is number one!  I also love the Eaton Centre and Yorkville at Christmas...bubbly at Remy's, high tea at the Windsor Arms, the windows on Queen street at The Bay, boozy coffee in the lounge bar at the Intercontinental hotel...so many wonderful ways to spend a day in December in the big city!

KatiePerk asked...If you could live anywhere where would you live?

This is an easy one!  NYC!  It is my favourite city!  I think I was born to live there...the lights, the sounds, the hustle and the bustle...I love it all!

Hostess of the Humble Bungalow asked...What item(s) in your home or wardrobe are your favourite(s) and why....other than pets and people!

Oooh this is a tough on!  My laptop for sure...TV...ereader...accessories (I cant pick just one!)...all because I love communicating, seeing what's going on in the world, reading and looking good!

High Heeled Life asked...What is your favourite time of day and why?

If I am lucky I can get up before the Little Prince and get an hour of alone time downstairs with breakfast, coffee and the blogs.  I love that hour of the day as it keeps me sane!

Janine asked...How many purses do you own?

Oh dear...You know when you go shopping and try on everything and nothing fits right or it makes you look 20lbs heavier?  I hate leaving empty handed and the shoes and purses always fit!  I have purses for every outfit, every occassion...it's a bit embarassing really.  I was thinking the other day I need to go through them and get rid of the ones I will most likely never use again and hopefully gain some real estate in my closet!  The LV bags are staying.

Carole asked...champagne or proseco?

Champers when I am drinking it and Prosecco when I am mixing it. 

The Preppy Princess asked...If you had fulltime help at home, how would you spend the newly-found time?

I would do a lot of charity work involving lots of parties!  Mostly tho, I would spend time with the Little Prince and the Suburban Prince...and the Furry Prince!  Oh and a little lipo just for good measure!

Semi-Slacker Mom asked...If you were on a deserted island, what 3 material items would you want with you and why?

My full ereader, my full ipod and my laptop (let's hope there is wifi on this deserted island!).  It actually sounds heavenly...maybe just a few days on this deserted island with no one looking to me for meals, laundry and I could actually go to the ladies room without having to lock the door!

 
North of 25A asked...what is your favorite fragrance?
 
I love, adore L'air du Temps, 4711 and a few other classics but normally I wear Heavenly Angels or Amazing Grace.  Life with a little one in small town Canada doesnt exactly call for 200.00 bottles of perfume.  The nice thing is both Heavenly Angels and Amazing grace are unheard of here in Prince Matchabelli country so everyone is duly impressed when they smell me!

Thanks again for all the happy messages and super questions!

Have a fabulous day!