Keeping up the hard work

This afternoon these little cuddlers showed up.


I had the idea for them pop into my head last weekend when I was starting to think about getting ready for christmas. So I buckled down this afternoon and here they are.
Geoff's stepsister has adorable twin daughters, and these guys are for them.
I even embroidered their names on the back of each one, so there won't be any infighting. Hopefully.
The Cuddlers are whippets. Everyone loves Norman, so now the girls can snuggle their own.

They look like windsocks, but trust me, they're whippets.

Cozy weekend in, oh yes

On Saturday this weekend, I started my christmas crafting. This is the first year that gifts from me have not been predominantly jewellery.
It feels kind of good.
It starts with this...





Oh the cuteness! It's the same itchy (for me, everyone else is probably fine, I'm just lucky) gorgeous green tweed of the Top. The Cuteness as I will call it.
And I tried my hand at embroidery, which I think might be my new favorite thing right now. It's like drawing with thread, and I REALLY like that right now.

So I might have to embroider everything I own.
You know how it is.

On top of that fun project I've been preparing gifts for christmas as well.
(I can't post pictures though, I don't want to ruin the surprises!)


Today has been about food.

These cookies are amazing.
I haven't made them since we lived in Halifax, and a friend who couldn't eat gluten used to come over for tea. I had used a straight quinoa flour and it was pretty darn good, a little nuttier tasting than the originals, but still delicious.
Today I made them with the GF mix that I make here at home (Bette Hagman's four flour mix) and they were much closer to the original flavour.
So wonderful!

Fudgies:
(makes three dozen accordingly to the recipe, but about 2 when I made them today)
3/4 C butter
3/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 t salt
2 C flour (and I substitute my flour 1:1, it's such a good mix)
1 C chopped walnuts (but I've never used them)

Cream the butter until light.
Gradually beat in the white and brown sugar until creamy and light
Beat in the egg and vanilla
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over LOW heat.
Stir the chocolate into the butter mixture.
Slowly stir in the salt and flour, combine thoroughly (but don't overbeat, it will make the cookies drier.)
Shape into walnut sized balls, and make an imprint with your thumb.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until JUST done.
Cool on a rack.

Although I will be perfectly honest and admit that they rarely reach the rack they are so good.


And I am currently waiting for Gnocci to dry out so I can cook up some Sweet Potato gnocci.
This is the first time I've tried this recipe, so we'll see how it goes!

(I apologize for the super dark picture! I always bake the stuff I want to take pictures of at night!)
I'm thinking that I will sprinkle the top of my gnocci with some shredded goat's milk, gouda cheese.

Should be good.

in which she waxes poetic about hoods

Those of you who read this blog (Hi Mom) may remember the black cozy sweater that I made a couple of weekends ago. I was so stoked about it that I made another one in green the next day. It was itchy? Remember that?
Well I have since made ANOTHER one in green, not itchy, but somehow I managed to make it strangely large and unflattering. I think that I may need to learn more about sewing with stretch knits.
And will likely try it again.
I went back to the cozy black sweater, the harbinger of all the others.
And added the hood you know see. It's a little odd, not quite "right" but man, I had not realized how great hood living really was. It really is like living in your own little world. Sweaters made for girls always have tiny decorative hoods that don't really cover your head. What, pray tell, is the point of that? I am not a girl who dresses just for cuteness. The cuteness simply oozes out of me. I actually dress for the good sense that my mother gave me, which is good and practical. I don't want to wear something if it doesn't do what it is meant to do.
So I had never realized that a hood was really as great as Geoff has been soap boxing to me all these years.
I may wear it every day.

At least until it gets too hot. Then I'll obsess about something else.


Rad right??

Man, I love it when it comes together.

Voila, new layout! And all it took was all afternoon and a helping hand now and then from Geoff.
As soon as I get some white posterboard I will try out the makeshift lightbox and get some of my own work on my mini etsy and in the shop!

Some photos to peruse...



We went for a stroll on Sunday after the snow had all melted and the light was so beautiful.
And an amazing Alf skateboard just hanging out by the tennis courts.

Bear with me

I am making some changes to the template here at Janamade This, and I am learning as I go.

I followed the instructions, but alas, it appears that I missed something!
I'm trying to make that extra column on the right scoot over to the left, so the posts are in the center.

I'll sort it out.
Eventually.

And then watch out! My etsy shop will be here and I am hoping to set up a gallery spot of new work as well.

Just bear with me!

grrr

The mice are back.
I'm not super excited about this.
I can hear them chewing behind the stove right now.

As soon as Geoff gets home I will ask if we can pull the stove out.
I don't think I can do it by myself! Isn't that ridiculous!

But I am still waiting.

I just can't sit still apparently

I spent Saturday afternoon making this cozy black sweater. Please note the extra long sleeves.
Please don't remark on the disgusting state of that mirror! EUGH! I will deal with that presently!


I also finished a slightly trashy novel (it was WONDERFUL!)
and baked the greasiest flattest shortbread known to man.
Delicious, but eaten with a fork.

Who eats shortbread with a fork?


I blame the lack of xantham gum for the grease cake. Baking Gluten free has it's ups and downs!

And because I loved the cozy black sweater so much, on Sunday I made this one.


Oh the cuteness!
Get a load of that button!
But I can't wear it because I failed to notice when I bought the fabric that it apparently has wool in it.
Itch city for girls allergic to wool.

Oh sigh.

It's alright, I'll make it again non itchy.

As promised, pictures from the show (aka the longest post ever)

I know it's has taken me too long to post these, but better late than never right??
Setting up was probably the only time it felt strange to be going in the BACK doors to the craft fair. I thought that I would feel weird and out of place since I have been a shopper at that show since I was 14, but it felt good. And it felt so bizarre when we packed everything up and left, like we should be coming back the next day.
Oh Out of Hand!






We were so well received! One girl walked in and told everyone that she wished our booth was her room! How sweet is that!






Angie and I had a bag of snack that we brought to keep us going, lots of trail mixes, fruit and chocolate covered almonds. Oh the chocolate covered almonds! They were a godsend! But we did get a little silly.



We had amazing neighbors at the show too, right across from us was Douglas Walker who made amazing birdfeeders out of old instruments and copper.

He and his wife Jann would dance (the cha cha cha and waltz's!) when it was slow.

And Don who made lamps and soap dispensers and bookends out of ocean rocks.






We had such a good time! We got to hang out for 4 days, meet amazing new people and sell our wares. Not too shabby if you ask me.

I'll leave you with the last couple of shots as we were taking it all down.
Thank you to everyone who came to share and support us!
Wee!

we're done, and it was awesome

Oh jeez it was so fun! I have a load of photos to pop on here as soon as I get back to Vancouver and onto my own computer.
I don't want to explain my random pictures on Angie's laptop!
4 days of craft and people and selling our wares, everything went well and everyone looked like they were having a great time.
I will post the pictures in the next couple of days (I am heading back home tomorrow)
And I just want to throw out a big Thank You to everyone who helped out at the booth and was so supportive while we were leading up to this and during and after!
You are all so great!

Seriously getting ready.

I don't think that I will post again until after the show.
I just know that once I get over to the island, there is going to be NOTHING going on besides show prep and the occasional meal.
Possibly a melt down, but we're holding it together.
For the moment.

Tonight I plan to whip up some sort of dinner. And then chill out with the dog for a while.
I was so good this morning, picked up chains and tumbler shot. And so much fabric!
Then went to work at the clinic and caught up a bit over there.
I might get into the studio before I eat, I really should.
At least clean up something.

The banner is mostly done, just waiting for the last font. Got to paint an antler or two. But mostly it's quiet time for my wee noggin.

getting ready

I'm trying to get my act together to get my ass over to the island to get ready for the show.

I was hoping to get right into the studio after work tonight, but he's already working in there and I don't want to interupt in case he's found the flow.

But I am getting in there tonight at some point. Before 9pm. I hate working late in there.

No new photos at the moment since all time is being taken up by clean up. 18 rings on the go right now.

Oooh he's just come out! My turn!!

Etsy is up!

I am feeling so good about this right now that I HAD to share.
I have finally set up my Etsy shop so I am officially online.
There isn't technically anything IN it yet, but steps have been taken and I am FEELING IT!
Very excited.

In other news, I started feeling like I was getting sick yesterday before I left work and was DEFINITELY feeling sick last night and this morning. But I took it fairly easy today (worked on the computer and on our banner for the show, instead of hours of spinning abrasives) and am feeling much better.
So tomorrow I am going to stop in at Habson's before work and pick up more of above mentioned abrasives and hustle the heck out of the rest of the week!

Good steps were taken today.

weekend business!

A brief shot at what I look at all day. My bench is a MESS right now. Covered in filings, charcoal dust and crap. But it's all for a good cause and I am on track at the moment.
And a peek at my new studio fan! (that room is NOT that yellow in real life, I'm not sure what's going on there) We're very excited about this. Up until now I've been covering Geoff's half of the studio with curtains to keep my dust off his stuff.
Now I can just turn on the fan and go! So nice!
Thanks Brock!

I'm off to get my etsy home page going today. I now face the d r e a d e d photoshop!

Fun times await!

It's flipping cold right now!

I think that the weather is turning overnight this year.
We had barely any summer, that's true. We had Spring, a couple weeks of sunshine and then straight into Autumn. And it's 3 days into November and it's flipping FREEZING in our apartment. Just like that.
Oi.
I am thinking of investing in Ugg boots as slippers.
I KNOW! That's how cold my tootsies are right now!
Maybe not actual Uggs, since they are hundreds of dollars, but some cheap, warm alternative. Maybe I'll make Norman into cozy slippers.

Geoff would get jealous though.


I am currently taking a procrastination break. I soldered a bunch of pendants already and I've got earrings set up to solder, but I really just want to curl up under the covers with tea and a book and hunker down for a while.
I'll solder the stupid earrings first. And probably clean up some more antler rings too.

I am feeling a little bummed right now because I've got the cutest little pendants going (seriously cute people) and I've got one that is JAMMED full of tumbler shot.
So crammed in there that they are not even moving. So I think that I have to scrap it and cut it open. This is what started the procrastination break in the first place.
GRRRR.

But I did sort out what I am going to do for my Dad for Christmas, so it all works out in the end!


I've got to put on more socks now!
BRRRRR!!

Are you kidding??

So hilarious and fantastic.
To see more silliness like this, please check out cuteoverload.com
Good lord!

Finished the neck tube. It's a little big, but now I know for next time!

Halloween fireworks in the neighborhood

Ha ha! Just kidding folks, I'm pretty sure the neighbor kids (and I say KIDS rather lightly, I am imagining goofs in their late 20s and early thirties popping off bottle rockets 4 blocks over)

But these sure are pretty yes?

I digress.
Just got back from the basketball game, pretty fun. The crowd sure loves Steve Nash.

How could they not, just look at that face. (plus Victoria is his hometown and he wanted to play for the Grizzlies. But they blew it.)
Oh Grizzlies. Come on back to Vancouver.

Anyways.

Geoff's at the Aesop Rock show and I am planning to emery some antler rings I picked up this afternoon for a bit. Then knit (you should SEE the neck tube, it's getting huge. So awesome)
Then sleep.

It was so WARM today! Completely unexpected, was totally overdressed.
But I am not complaining.
I deviated from my usual Tuesday schedule today and hung out with my friend Nicole and her lovely man Wyeth. They are in town for a couple of days from Winnipeg, so I HAD to.
Can't have longtime friends in town and not see them. I'm sure it's in the constitution. Don't get at me for not living in America people, that's a thing that is Just Not Done.
So we hung out and it was lovely to see them.
Now I am home and preparing to work in the studio for a while tonight.
It's late yes, but I need to make up for lost time, no matter how much fun it was to wander around in the sunshine.
Off I go, wish me luck!

I actually came in to find this,

This was not a set up.

Just got home from work, ate a sandwich.
Going to sit with the dog for a bit.
Then I am going to work in the studio for an hour before bed.

Gotta stay productive!

lazy night appys

Take one apple
Slice into sections
take cheese
Lay on top

Eat

Delicious

idle hands... are not mine.

These are the new rings for the show.
Oh my god I love them so much!
I've got 20 going, some finished, like these babies, and others in various stages of production.
Plus I've got 24 pendants going, tons of earrings to get started and antler rings being cast this week. I am hoping to drop off some more waxes when I pick up the finished ones and just keep the process rolling.
I was looking at my day planner yesterday and I realized that I've only got one more paycheck until the show.
!!!!
Panic has officially set in, but I am focusing now.
Once I eat lunch.

I whipped up this little number this morning. I know I know! I should be working on jewellery! And I am, but I've had this tugging away at my thoughts for about a week now (since I unpacked the fabric from a bag of stuff left untouched since we got back from Halifax) and it only took me a couple of hours all told and now I can stop thinking about it. (this isn't the best picture of it, but you can see the button in this pic, which is how I plan to tell which side is the front.)
I have finally accepted how my brain works, I am going to work WITH myself.

This teapot was a gift from the Lovely Kathryn for my birthday. Which was in August yes, but I have wanted to post this picture for ages because it's just so sweet! I love love love this teapot. It's perfect with my teeny mug, I get 2 and a HALF(!) cups of tea out of it and it's always properly steeped.
Bless you Kathryn!

Oh yeah! And I am knitting again. To relax after working in the studio.
The humble beginnings of a cozy neck tube/scarf.

Enough blogging for now. Must eat and work!
Ciao dahlings.