Puppets, TIFF Kids, Etsy, giveaway and more!

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pennypeople.com/puppets5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://pennypeople.com/puppets5.jpg" /></a></div>This is a pretty cool collaboration - This past winter, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/?geo=global&utm_medium=partnerships_organic&utm_source=Little%20House%20Blog&utm_campaign=TIFF%20kids" target="_blank">Etsy </a>and <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival" target="_blank">tiff Kids</a> connected three <a href="https://www.etsy.com/?geo=global&utm_medium=partnerships_organic&utm_source=Little%20House%20Blog&utm_campaign=TIFF%20kids" target="_blank">Etsy </a>artisans with three bloggers and asked the asked the artisans and bloggers to collaborate on a fanciful puppet that would be sold at the Film Festival Gift Shop and, online in the artisans shop. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/?geo=global&utm_medium=partnerships_organic&utm_source=Little%20House%20Blog&utm_campaign=TIFF%20kids" target="_blank">Etsy </a><i>rocks</i> at collaboration (popup shops in the One of a Kind Show, The Bay, Indigo and West Elm)- I'm a huge fan of <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival" target="_blank">TIFF</a>, - and as you know, I'm a fan of imagination encouragement - so was totally something that I fully wanted to be a part of.<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br />I was paired with Josh from<a href="http://bit.ly/1ozn4V0" target="_blank"> Cate + Levi </a>- an artisan here in Toronto who creates one of a kind puppets, and other fanciful items out of his studio. Josh was kind enough to invite me down to see where it all happens, in his studio in the West end of Toronto. I've never really seen another artisans work space, so I was pretty excited to get a behind the scenes tour. I snapped some <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.871680126191114.1073741849.663023610390101&type=1" target="_blank">photos </a>and video during my visit last week which I think you will like! (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB_z1ye36xE" target="_blank">Also uploaded to YouTube</a>)<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="386" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91025945?title=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="690"></iframe><br /><br />Josh creates these <i>amazing </i>puppets and characters. All items are handmade using reclaimed wool or cotton which makes each piece truly one of a kind and, pretty environmentally friendly. He designs the puppets and employs graduates from the <a href="http://www.ocadu.ca/" target="_blank">Ontario College of Art and Design</a> to have creative freedom with selecting pieces of fabric that will compliment a puppet. It's a really cool look at how one creative employs more creatives and lets them do what they do best. I could gush about these guys and, the amazing products they make for a few paragraphs but here's the puppets of ours that will be sold at the festival, and, online at<a href="http://bit.ly/1ozn4V0" target="_blank"> Cate + Levi.</a> Aren't they cute!? You can win one too!! Wheee! (More on that at the bottom)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94M__n2WQfM7O8OdcK26ji43ie2Vvf_UVW4PaqTguZEtJYPiE84G5TYhsXae9JRo3N75M2QB5DZY8YihYeds0mLYJVV29UY_zQreS3BFW7UHWnec5g7XGsMBgw9-6ntE_KzIZmNy63Ss/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94M__n2WQfM7O8OdcK26ji43ie2Vvf_UVW4PaqTguZEtJYPiE84G5TYhsXae9JRo3N75M2QB5DZY8YihYeds0mLYJVV29UY_zQreS3BFW7UHWnec5g7XGsMBgw9-6ntE_KzIZmNy63Ss/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />So now that I've shown you our puppets - Have you been to the <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival" target="_blank">TIFF </a>before? I always hear about these things too late and miss out (ok, more like I'm always so disorganized) so hopefully if you're in Toronto or, close by you can take part in some of the fun - <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival" target="_blank">TIFF KIDS runs from April 8-21 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto -</a> during both weekends of the festival, Etsy is hosting a <b><a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival/filmschedule/etsy-creative-puppet-lab" target="_blank">Creative Puppet Making Station</a>  </b>where kids can come to create their own unique puppets to take home! Ps., This year's festival will feature the world premier of Rio 2 (which we are going to with Oscar! Another YAY!!)<br /><br />Now, for more fun stuff - Want to win one of these puppets and a 2 passes to the festival?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlstYLxfxRljVksp6qRJKod1bGR_-JrNS42N4hFJkTTIu6b77nGMPSdSto_3MMyaTpAjWx9HyJVet1f5TmWh9b4jMdAQWlfVdmxe8tDeSPNogaGeSwujxzKY7jxNZ2xT93B6G9jTbrDg8/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlstYLxfxRljVksp6qRJKod1bGR_-JrNS42N4hFJkTTIu6b77nGMPSdSto_3MMyaTpAjWx9HyJVet1f5TmWh9b4jMdAQWlfVdmxe8tDeSPNogaGeSwujxzKY7jxNZ2xT93B6G9jTbrDg8/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1o6qeLf31803F1EhqB2lbFzE9zo3xgrFfCNNUtW0cPX9MY0F6jSTqufhYapARVvjSsDlff959vQF2SvE-QCwOxWeYyt74Xc-qXAXd2pYJElvyfPEgcdfYHNYJOacqB1dFK1w8HfxgGAY/s1600/win.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1o6qeLf31803F1EhqB2lbFzE9zo3xgrFfCNNUtW0cPX9MY0F6jSTqufhYapARVvjSsDlff959vQF2SvE-QCwOxWeYyt74Xc-qXAXd2pYJElvyfPEgcdfYHNYJOacqB1dFK1w8HfxgGAY/s1600/win.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>Comment below and simply tell me what your favourite item in <a href="http://bit.ly/1ozn4V0" target="_blank">Cate + Levi's</a> shop is! (Ps., If you like something, enter FREESHIP00 to get free) Josh gave Oscar a puppet after my visit and it is the SOFTEST toy. CONTEST ENDS APRIL 11th. </b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3hKP0cxiLHrOCTG5HkiU3l9ZKwPv9L0wNrfzCk1fNKhRxh_il2LjslkLPYix67Sbg50OWzUOJfTOO4ilptLUO2TtQgEB-dwS0UDIXxmAlYUyyV9t64fzEOHc8wFPbREQGzlFGzGQ7_A/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3hKP0cxiLHrOCTG5HkiU3l9ZKwPv9L0wNrfzCk1fNKhRxh_il2LjslkLPYix67Sbg50OWzUOJfTOO4ilptLUO2TtQgEB-dwS0UDIXxmAlYUyyV9t64fzEOHc8wFPbREQGzlFGzGQ7_A/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>WHERE TO BUY THE PUPPETS: </b><br /><div>You can buy one of our puppets at the TIFF gift shop and online through the sellers' shops at a price of $25. The other blogger / puppet maker collaborations are <a href="http://www.poppytalk.com/" target="_blank">Poppytalk </a>and <a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:11l3pT/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fshop%2Fjimill">Jimill</a> and <a href="http://momstown.ca/" target="_blank">Momstown </a>and <a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:11l3pT/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fshop%2FQuidaCreations" target="_blank">Quida Creations</a><br /><br /><b>Shop Online:</b> <a href="http://bit.ly/1ozn4V0" target="_blank">Cate + Levi</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.871680126191114.1073741849.663023610390101&type=1" target="_blank">See more pictures from his studio here</a><br /><b>Websites</b>: <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival" target="_blank">TIFF KIDS</a>, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/?geo=global&utm_medium=partnerships_organic&utm_source=Little%20House%20Blog&utm_campaign=TIFF%20kids" target="_blank">Etsy</a><br /><b>Events</b>: <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival/filmschedule/etsy-creative-puppet-lab" target="_blank">Puppet Making Workshop</a>, <a href="http://tiff.net/festivals/tiffkidsfestival/sesame-street-at-tiff-bell-lightbox" target="_blank">Sesame Street is at the TIFF Lightbox!</a><br /><br /></div>

Puppets, TIFF Kids, Etsy, giveaway and more!

This is a pretty cool collaboration - This past winter, Etsy and tiff Kids connected three Etsy artisans with three bloggers and asked the ...

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how to make candied orange peels.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_GNGLv2_nfGcXHYvYHlYIWN_zejVDxIkyY-UFEQA2WFW-ZodSNUB3Ov1N2BLhvEQieNdnkCyaqozA8xTHIMjzbMJD5WBkSuBzS0Vq0rq_uquH9Uqmvvgx5qB9tfWCa8mAfO3Mtn1n6s/s1600/IMG_8618b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_GNGLv2_nfGcXHYvYHlYIWN_zejVDxIkyY-UFEQA2WFW-ZodSNUB3Ov1N2BLhvEQieNdnkCyaqozA8xTHIMjzbMJD5WBkSuBzS0Vq0rq_uquH9Uqmvvgx5qB9tfWCa8mAfO3Mtn1n6s/s1600/IMG_8618b.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My Mom made some candied orange peels last week for the holidays and I kid you not, they were <i>the best things I had ever tasted. </i>I was hooked. I decided to try my hand at making my own batch this past weekend. I think this will be a new tradition over here - It's a simple thing to make, not many ingredients and plus - oranges, and chocolate remind me of the holidays. (Perhaps because of the<a href="http://sweetworks.net/orange-ovation-sticks-3-5-oz/" target="_blank"> orange ovations</a> that my parents used to have scattered throughout the house, and that I used to eat ALL the time). So here is how I made them, including a video. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">  </div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="386" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Z7i7XMcgHak?rel=0" width="686"></iframe> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More photos after the jump as well as the text instructions. ;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name="more"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstwCu9o39pILv61reOXMk5a102zmTmiuarXTBeg-4BhNu1h2KLkh_ZDys1ZyAWZ932Vnxwev-9sqp2imwPczLHobaHF-u1VFCmAsoyK-v4AbjDwZimbFjhagwq0i2y4jqjz0VOGlbe00/s1600/IMG_8595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstwCu9o39pILv61reOXMk5a102zmTmiuarXTBeg-4BhNu1h2KLkh_ZDys1ZyAWZ932Vnxwev-9sqp2imwPczLHobaHF-u1VFCmAsoyK-v4AbjDwZimbFjhagwq0i2y4jqjz0VOGlbe00/s1600/IMG_8595.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf4vhA_2PT71bZKGROAK4tphj7RyPQYVLiVVi_ED0LEY3j4Ug1YfdfwN7Ifr-uhqRuvjDGjh_YM5TrdSpOAyJsn_9PkJI6PW7hJfEAw5DZRFWeR-Gp_0J817mRleSppPqDmWihl3FtFs/s1600/IMG_8605B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf4vhA_2PT71bZKGROAK4tphj7RyPQYVLiVVi_ED0LEY3j4Ug1YfdfwN7Ifr-uhqRuvjDGjh_YM5TrdSpOAyJsn_9PkJI6PW7hJfEAw5DZRFWeR-Gp_0J817mRleSppPqDmWihl3FtFs/s1600/IMG_8605B.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>YOU WILL NEED:</b><br /><ul><li>4 Navel Oranges </li><li>3 Cups of White Sugar </li><li>1 Cup of Water </li><li>1 Candy Thermometer (It needs to be specifically a candy one as regular baking ones don't go high enough) </li><li>Chocolate Chips to melt </li></ul><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWmKwvQ8dMjBz9yJUKTxgvjpQ2MpVCN3vABmJlo4T40cVOmTycfn__A4yA6XqScjZTT7-1W4hjn4EpsiwJz3c-3Iv1hiL5t8wz0T8k_9rxjjbWWGk13U_SamAhxisPAnYU-vzfyIKPCc/s1600/IMG_8450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWmKwvQ8dMjBz9yJUKTxgvjpQ2MpVCN3vABmJlo4T40cVOmTycfn__A4yA6XqScjZTT7-1W4hjn4EpsiwJz3c-3Iv1hiL5t8wz0T8k_9rxjjbWWGk13U_SamAhxisPAnYU-vzfyIKPCc/s1600/IMG_8450.jpg" /></a></div><b> INSTRUCTIONS</b><br /><br /><ul><li>Peel 4 Navel Oranges, slice the peels into thin slices. <br /><i>Note: I did thin, I did thick. It's a matter of personal preference. They tastes awesome no matter what you do. (But thinner slices go a longer way)</i></li><li>Put the Peels in a pot of water, bring to a boil. </li><li>Remove the pot of peels from the stove, strain and then repeat Step 1. again. You want to do this <i>three </i>times - this softens up the peels. </li><li>After you have done it the third time, set the peels to the side. </li><li>Put three cups of white sugar in a pot and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Be sure to continuously stir the mixture while it gets to the point of boiling. </li><li>Once it reaches the boiling point, stop stirring and add the candy thermometer - Bring the sugar mix up to 230 degrees. (No stirring) </li><li>Once at 230 degrees remove the thermometer and add the orange peels. Let them sit for 50 minutes. You can stir occasionally but don't do it too often. </li><li>After 50 minutes, remove the peels from the stove, drain and place the peels on parchment paper. Let them sit for an hour or two. They need to cool down, but still be sticky. </li><li>Once cool, but still sticky place them in a bowl of sugar and coat. </li><li>Set them aside overnight. This gets them to harden. </li><li>The next day, melt some chocolate (I used the double broiler method) and dip the slices into the chocolate. Place them back on the parchment paper. </li><li>Let them sit in room temperature. </li><li>Eat them all. </li></ul><div>That is it. I have to tell you that this was such a fun project for me to do. Not only were they delicious to eat but <i>creatively </i>it was such a fun outlet for me taking the photographs and doing the video. After a busy, crazy month work wise - This kind of thing is what I just love to do - figuring out new photographing techniques, styling, baking. I do it because I adore it and the blog is just canvas for me to put it all on. Anyhow, as much as I love the chocolate dipped orange peels - this was also as much about just creatively having fun. :) I hope it inspires! xo<br /><br />Lindsay</div><div><br /></div>

how to make candied orange peels.

My Mom made some candied orange peels last week for the holidays and I kid you not, they were the best things I had ever tasted.  I was hook...

Read more »