the blog has moved!

Introducing a new blog! It's actually a more grown up and continuation of this blog as this was the year I was supposed to have retired this site. But the kiddo wanted me to continue and so.. there we go! Please bookmark and continue to visit us when you can. We love having you here.
www.kikimandco.blogspot.com

"hope to see you  there!" - kiki m.

apple picking one fine saturday

A few weeks ago, we went apple picking with my sister and her family at one of the many apple orchards nearby. The day itself was beautiful! Warm & sunny. There are not enough bags in this world to hold the many apples the kids picked off the trees. The apples were crisp, sweet and super crunchy. I think I ate an apple or two everyday for about 2 weeks. I also picked up the orchard's home-made apple/blueberry jelly and a huge apple pie. Mmm...

pink roses and a mosaic

It's a rainy Saturday and I've finally taken some time to settle in front of my computer and post something. Once again at work, it's the rush and madness of preparing for the next season. And when that happens, I have nothing left over for anything afterwards.




A few weeks ago, I ordered a print created from my Instagram images from Printstagr.am. You choose the images from your Instagram account and it creates a mosaic with it. Keira chose her frame from Ikea and we hung it up in her bedroom. Little instant memory squares of our summer vacation, her friends, family and places. We love it. The quality of the poster print is pretty awesome too, printed on photography stock. Check Printstagr.am here: http://printstagr.am/



While we were at Ikea, Keira also chose a new duvet cover. Her choice surprised me. She wanted something that was 'nature' themed. And voilà! Pink roses. I kinda like it but uh.. is it too pink??

Soft toys: 
Sophie & Lili
KLT Works
EBK robots

happy thanksgiving!

It's Thanksgiving weekend! What am I grateful for? My little family, good health (besides a cold that won't go away) and great friends. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Keira received this super soft graphic owly cardigan from our friends on the West Coast at KLTWorks as a back to school present. Thanks so much Kristin! It looks terrific with everything. We ♡ you guys!

throw a penny in the wishing well - jennifer gasoi

Last weekend, I went to a CD launch concert at the famed Rialto Theatre on avenue du Parc here in Montreal. Actually, the story doesn't start here. It started way back before summer began this year. I was contacted by someone who had seen my last design project and asked to meet with me for her project. Her name... Jennifer Gasoi.

After having met Jennifer for the first time to discuss her design needs I came away with this impression of her: incredible, highly intuitive, creative and a damn amazing singer songwriter! I was incredibly excited to start designing her new CD. She was in the midst of sending out an outline of what she wanted for the face cover illustration from the wonderfully talented illustrator Adolie Day and I was happy to help out with colour suggestions and placement. Please check out Adolie's blog; it showcases her talent and whimsical artwork.

I spent the entire summer designing this CD with Jennifer and I can honestly say, it came out beautifully. There are always design challenges and I think we met all of them.




Last Sunday was Jennifer's concert launch of her new CD, Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well and it was a toe-tapping, hand-clapping great time! The Rialto is such a beautiful theatre and it was the perfect backdrop to Jennifer's energetic spirit. I was sitting with a reporter from the CBC and her young son, and at one point, her turned to his mom and said, "mom, my whole body is loving this song!". What a cute kiddo!

You can listen & enjoy some of the songs here: www.jennifergasoi.com and pre-order her new CD here.

It was such an honour and pleasure to work with Jennifer, I love her high spirits and beautiful personality. You will fall in love with her music! If not Jennifer herself (just like I did).

Here's hoping to success and the road to the Juno's for Jennifer!

For more information on where to pre-order your copy of the new cd, please click here.
You can connect with Jennifer and stay up to date on concerts and info on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferGasoiMusic

summer into fall

Wow, that last post is hard to beat. I look back on my vacation posts and feel a pang of sadness that summer is really over. As much as I try to deny it, fall is really just around the corner. No more waking up early to summer sunshine. It's getting darker and darker out there! I've even (gasp!) taken out the winter coats and buying fall/winter skirts. This fall & winter, I am determined to wear more skirts and dresses. I ordered this and this so far. What do you think? I intend to wear them with leggings rather than stockings just like these sleek suckers. I just need platform booties to go with them.

It's becoming crunch time at work now with everyone gearing up for sales season coming up. And with all the activities and homework during the week, it's getting harder and harder to post anything. But I'm trying...

I've been loving everyone's Instagram images and posts of 'outfit of the day' their kids are wearing. Sadly, everyday is Groundhog's Day for Keira since she wears the same uniform to school. Well, it alternates between regulation gym clothes and tunics (you've seen Richie Rich's closet with the same clothes hanging all in a row? mmhm).

Anyways, for a while now, I have had nothing to do with Keira's outfits. She chooses everything on her own. I just say, 'get dressed little lady!'.. and pouf! A gazillion years later, she decides to get dressed. lol. Today she chose her Crewcuts dress (I love this colour!) and her neon Crewcuts necklace with her sweet mushroom Fournier necklace too. She just looks yummy! With this on, she was ready to take on her swimming lesson, shopping for food and supper at a restaurant tonight. Whew. That's enough!

vacation happiness, part 4: nyc

Playing on the Touch while I spent a few minutes trying to choose a fabric print



Getting goofy in Anthropologie


This year, we chilled and walked around our hotel in Chelsea and the Flatiron districts, just wandering, people watching and yep, eating. As much as I wanted to try all the hip, cool and now eateries, after a day of non-stop walking we weren't too keen on taking a taxi to go to those places. So we relied on apps like Yelp & Lunchbox to find us some decent places to eat close to our hotel. One of those places I ended up liking is the Hill Country Chicken joint in Chelsea. I enjoyed their chicken tenders (sometimes I just like to eat some ho-down simple food) and home-made pies. They also had an awesome soda fountain (only for the mister and I, Keira does not drink soda, she finds them too 'spicy') with stuff like Diet Crème, root beer and... black cherry! Mmmm...






We also stumbled upon the Marimekko store where I had a hard time choosing some fabric and Restoration Hardware (where we loved pretty much everything).. Keira just loved sitting on the sofas and parking her butt. There was Eataly.. and a Starbucks at almost every corner.


"Look Mommy! Just like you, my own cappuccino!".. not really, just a kid's size hot cocoa







Whenever we go to New York, we always end up at Times Square for one reason or another. Mostly though, we're there for Tickets of the Day. That's where you can line up and get tickets to Broadway and off Broadway shows at discount. You can also check out Playbill.com to read about new and old shows. My husband got me hooked on Broadway shows/musicals the first time we came to the city together (he brought me to see Rent!) and now, we want to pass along our love of Broadway to Keira. So far so good! This year, we checked out our Tkts app and made sure we were at the Tickets of the Day Times Square location about an hour before opening. The Mister bravely waited in line while Keira and I did some souvenir shopping and looking around.




A well deserved rest after scoring our tickets.

Where's Waldo? Where's Keira?

We ended up watching Nice Work If You Can Get It with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara. What a show! From start to finish, it was hysterical, fun and the songs by the Gershwins are still a treat to listen to today. We caught Keira laughing out loud a few times and she sings & hums a few tunes now. Mostly, 'potato, potahtoh, tomato, tomahto, let's call the whole thing off'. lol.

If we had been there a few more days, we would have gone to see another show. I would have loved to have brought Keira to see Newsies or even Spiderman!


I'm a big Law & Order fan and when I saw this, I flipped. The Jerry Orbach Theatre!

Didn't buy much in NYC but I did drop a few in here... Love Superdry!

Keira trying out her new heels, doing a little song & dance


It's always a magical time in NYC, even with the noise, the twice daily garbage pickups, the smells, the people, the buzz. But even that must come to an end. We left feeling pretty darn good & happy. We also ended up at the Outlet shops just an hour outside of New York and did all our shopping there. How could we not?


This is Keira taking care of Jessie on the road trip back home.

This was, I think, the best road trip in the 4 years we've been doing this. Just amazing to be back at the beach with the best of friends, watching Keira have the time of her life happy with Miss S. Then meeting up with Anabel and her beautiful family in Washington, and then the high buzz of NYC.

It makes us grateful for having had the experience...