suzette roberts

// One Minute Math: Grade 4 (Let's Mix it Up)

Grade 4 competencies (unless otherwise stated) 1. Numbers and Operations | 2. Algebra | 3. Data Analysis | 4. Measurement

>> See more One Minute Math posts here...

Answers will be posted tomorrow!

This week's One Minute Math post is sponsored by Skintimate Shave Gel.

This is our last regular One Minute Math post for the 2012 - 2013 school year. I'll post a couple over the next two months for my good friend in India (thanks Sandeep!) who emails me pronto when I decide to give some reprieve from time to time...

Look how far we've come since the beginning of the school year, with this post. Grade 3 remains as one of most dynamic grades I've taught and created curriculum material for with the major gains to be made, within just a few months. It's exciting and the growth spurts blow me away each and every time... Needless to say, it's my absolute favorite!

 Thank you so much to all my Sponsors, participating Schools, Educators and Parents who have supported us throughout the year! One Minute Math will resume during the last week of August, once I'm still in one piece so to speak... 

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// Viktor & Rolf - Dolls (An Installation)

Doll lovers are in for a real treat! Dutch fashion design duo Viktor & Rolf (Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren) are showcasing 31 of their 70, yes 70 couture porcelain dolls during June as part of Toronto's 2013 Luminato Festival. The installation features a unique playfully poetic catwalk created in collaboration with Studio Job, a Netherland based design studio. Known for their dramatic sense of style, from models wearing their own scaffolding, padded undergarments and lighting, the dynamic duo is quoted as saying, "When we do something new, it's really the excitement of trying new things and moving forward. But funnily enough, there's obviously a signature—and the collections we make will fit automatically in the total of the rest."

And take a peek inside Viktor & Rolf's Dollhouse in Amsterdam below...

See more event details... » here. 

Admission is FREE! ;)

(Photos via the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and Luminato Festival)

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// Color Me: Poolside Playmates

Najee - Day by Day

Pretty poolside pieces for our sunny and just-right temps in the city...

1. Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera

2. Long Crossover Dress from Zara

3. Braided Flat Sandals

4. Strawberry Fields Cross Body Bag from Nine West

5. Jane Iredale Pink Smoothie Lip Gloss

6. C Wonder's Signature Dots Beach Ball

7. Essie's Sunday Funday coral shimmer nail color (new for summer) and

8. Poppy Flower Fragrance from Coach

(Music Track: 'Day by Day' by Najee courtesy of Amazon)

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// Have a Lovely Father's Day Weekend!~

It's always such a delight to see our Canadian dads out and about with their kids each and every week, whether it's to sports practice, a game, a learning centre, brunch, or just doing the grocery shopping and mundane everyday necessities. Growing up, this was usually the mom's role as dads were often in business meetings or traveling out of the city or country with work related matters. So I wanted to show a photo or two of a Canadian dad 'caught off guard' so to speak and one of our family friends, Tina with the approval of her very hands on hubby David agreed to share a few casual, caught-in-the-act photos. David (Dave) Goulet writes a weekly column for Barry's Bay This Week ,and is also  the author of the book: Looney Tombs: Confessions of A Small Funeral Director's Son, which shares snippets of his life growing up in rural Canada.

Happy Father's Day to my dad who was quite the diaper changer himself, especially at 2 and 4 a.m. before he had to head out of town for work, and throughout many years thereafter... from school academia to extracurricular events and beyond... and to all our Dads out there who are doing their best to raise happy and healthy well-rounded children.

Thank you so much Tina and David for sharing your beautiful family photos with daughter Leah and son Justin with us!  

Love, Suzette

(Photos by Tina Solofa)

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// Snack-Attack: Have you tried the Mac-Patty?

Hands down, the best beef patty we have ever had is from Tastee Jamaica! Their all natural ingredients and timely cooking methods make their patties well sought after all over the world. Many have tried their hands at conjuring a similar and popular, tasteful and nutrient-rich lunch or snack treat, without much success. I think Tastee's continuous gains comes from securing its use of natural whole ingredients that are not fed hormones nor under the influence of artificial techniques to speed growth on the farm: from the wheat used in making the crust, to the actual lean ground beef for the meat-filled center. Well a few weeks ago, my niece Xena decided to combine two of her favorite foods for an after school snack by opening the sealed side of a Tastee patty, and adding some freshly cooked Knorr's Homestyle Cheddar Pasta to make this 'Mac-Patty' treat. And she ate it all in one sitting too! ;)

(Photo by Suzette)  

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// One Minute Math: Answers {for} Wed., June 12th

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// Ikebana Bowls & Soe Cups

Ikebana is well known for bringing nature and humanity together through the artistic arrangement of stems, stalks and leaves among minimal blooms. With a preference towards solid colored white or off-white plates and bowls, I love being able to place a single bloom or small bunch of wild flowers in a bowl half filled with water while working, during dinner time or even while quietly reading at home. Designer Hanna Kruse has created these simple grid-topped Toko & Noma Ikebana bowls, and a series of smaller Soe Cups for us to play around with more horizontal arrangements in the spaces of the geometric wire grid pattern. Ceramics and steel or copper wire, these are delightful.

And below is the Soe Cup series, where the cups can be opened by turing the wire frame which is securely anchored to a single point within the wall thickness. A beautiful way to store jewelley or present decorative items (roses included).

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// One Minute Math: Hello to Grade 4

Grade 4 competencies (unless otherwise stated): 1. Numbers and Operations | 2. Measurement | 3. Data Analysis | and 4. Algebra 

* Answers will be posted tomorrow!

Next week will be our last One Minute Math post until the end of August as we wrap up the 2012 -2013 school year in Toronto, Canada.

»This week's One Minute Math post is sponsored by Milanoo.

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// Message under a Bottle Cap

Every now and again I run into little nuggets that make me smile or better yet, laugh-out-loud with the wit behind the shared words. While enjoying a Grace Pineapple Island Soda last week, I came across this message written in Patois (pronounced 'Patwa') which is simply broken English, a Jamaican Creole, on the inside of the bottle cap: "Puss and dwag no ha de same luck." In standard English, this simply means: Two different people will have different outcomes in emotions. This is so true as two individuals can attempt the same task, and one may seem luckier than the other for various reasons outside the bounds of physical reality. Just saying it in my head gave me a good laugh. And then I wanted to hear my niece read it aloud for even greater amusement, since she has had very little experience around our native folks. Here are a few of my favorites below with their meanings in red. Dive in and enjoy...

And if you're in the mood to try more Patois ... hop on over to this funky spot... 

>> This week's One Minute Math post will be up in a few... 

(Message under a Bottle Cap images via Grace Foods)

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// The Grilling Gourmand

It's been a pretty dreary day here with the bleaky rainy weather, but it keeps us in the cool outdoors and that's a huge plus! 'Can't help thinking of our soon to come around-the-corner grilled eats. Given the chance I'd probably cook everything on an outdoor charcoal grill. Some fun finds for the summer and all year round griller... Father's Day included.

1. Weber's Way to Grill Cookbook - for the beginner and seasoned chef!

2. Indoor and Outdoor Wireless Speaker and FM Radio 

3. An all year favorite: Bull's Eye Memphis Style Barbeque Sauce

4. Corkcicle's Chillsner: an in-bottle beer or soda or iced tea chiller

5. Set of Two Cedar Grilling Planks

6. Professional-Grade Stainless Steel 3-Piece Barbeque Tool Set

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// Kim Lovell Photography

 Luther Vandross & Change - The Glow of Love

When it comes to capturing and celebrating the moment, my friend Kim of Kim Lovell Photography in Toronto, Canada, effortlessly engages the heart of every couple with her playful personality and super sharp lens to create these stunning and moving glimpses of love-in-motion... I'm already feeling the love. ;)

So of course I had to ask Kim my 'famous' five questions and with the busy wedding season upon us, I'm even more thrilled that she made some time to indulge me below...

What inspired you to step into the world of photography?

My mum. Growing up my mum was always taking photos of us as young kids and arranging them in scrapbooks. She bought me my first Brownie (camera) in my teens and taking the lead from example, I became the family photographer documenting all the family get-togethers and vacations.

What keeps you motivated and engaged with your gift? I love the way you are able to truly capture a relaxed mood and a couple's personality in a 'snap'... bridal party included!

I simply love photography, weddings and interacting with people... the entire experience is positive, from newborns and babies to siblings, families, friendships, dealing with relationships and all the transitions as we grow and evolve as individuals and together.

Share something quirky that most people would perhaps not know about you?

I love creating my own movie festival... seeing two or three movies in a row or back-to-back at the theatre. It's so much fun! I will take five days off and enjoy the thrill of for example the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), all genres included... I love it all!

Where do you see your talents taking you in the next five years?

I want to continue to grow more as an artist, keep up with the trends in photography, travel more and teach! I think it would be wonderful to teach new moms how to photograph their children better, and to encourage my clients to use these one-of-a-kind captures for their own unique home wall art pieces, over generic scenery. We are currently living in such a JPEG world, with cell phone photography and instagram... I'd love for us to get back to the days of more personalized, life-lived and 'artful' moments.

What's your favourite charity or organization that you support or would like to create more awareness of?

That's easy... Because I Am A Girl ... I am all for women empowerment.

 

Thank you so much Kim for sharing your beautiful gift with us!

» To see more of Kim Lovell's amazing work, visit her on Facebook and also on Twitter.

(All Photographs are by Kim Lovell; Music Track: The Glow of Love by Luther Vandross and Change courtesy of Amazon) 

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// Diary Sketches

Fun, quirky and what our weekends are all about. These colorful illustrations by Laura Kay of Diary Sketches remind us of this even more so... Inspired by fashion, pretty things and the beautiful mix of cultures, Laura decided to make Israel her home during what was supposed to be just a one year adventure. From dawn to the wee hours of the next day, Laura is immersed in her craft: from custom portraits to fashion illustrations, logos, and branding design. My favorite of all is this on point illustration below...

Thanks everyone and have a super weekend. For my special people wrapping it up this week (hello Miami), have a fun and safe summer, and hurricane season! Thank you for such an awesome 2012 - 2013 school year too!

Love, ~ Suzette

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