No Photo??

Yeah, no photo. 'Cause I'm up at the lake and haven't uploaded any today.
But it's SCORCHING HOT and it's apparently going to be hotter tomorrow.

Today I picked up a hat, perhaps if you check back here tomorrow you can see it.
I went into town with my Mom and had a lovely time. Much gallivanting about.
Good times.

Oh and I might have picked up THESE on SALE!

Now I must eat some fruit and drink some cool refreshing water.

Happy long weekend all!

I need this

Saw it here.
Luckily for me we have one in Vancouver!

Ooooh! Finished bag!

(long strap)


(short strap)

I am going to be taking this bag out today for the first time, getting a sense that it really is as awesome as I think it is.
Fingers are crossed people!
But really, how can it not be totally rad?

I've spent too much time thinking about it and working on it for it not to be super sweet.

So I am just going to roll with it.
Already I realize that the outside pocket could use some work (just sewing up the sides a little bit to make it a bit more functional.
I'll do that this weekend when we are up at the lake.

Yep, that's right, we're going to the lake for the long weekend.
And I couldn't be more excited! I am REALLY looking forward to a weekend with NO STRESS.

It's been a bit of a couple of weeks over here. But I am taking this WHOLE long weekend do do nothing but lay in the sun and drink Strongbows.
And get a sunburn.

That's just what happens when we lay in the sun with leisurely beverages.

mmmm, leisurely beverages.
Would it be wrong to start now?

El Dude-arino Tote

If the Big Lebowski was a Lady, she would carry this bag.


Remember how I mentioned a little while ago that I was making myself a bag?
Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it.

I still have to get hardware for the Adjustable Strap (I KNOW!! Adjustable!)
But it's almost ready to tote around in all it's glory.
There will also be snaps!
And a buttonhole for that AMAZING antler button I found.

Here, let me show you some more of it.





It's got so many pockets.
Oh gorgeous, practical pockets!
It's made of cotton twill and lined with blue and white striped shirting, so I can throw it in the wash.

I know, it's keeps getting better!

And I am pretty darned sure that ALL of my lunch will fit in it.
Because seriously, if we're being honest here, that's all my bags really are.
Glorified lunch bags.

But this one, OH! This one! My very own frankenstein creation! (minus the bolts and coming alive part. But if it did, and would carry my stuff around for me? Awesome.)

I am probably going to make a mad dash into town tomorrow morning for the hardware so I can start using it right away.

After getting some work done in the studio, of course!

And here, just so everyone will see first (second? third? what is the blog hand anyway?) hand, evidence of summer weather on the West coast.


I'm not getting too excited though, I've been spurned by summer before.

Cranberry Orange Rice Pudding

As sad and depressing as posting about warm comfort food in JUNE is, I can't seem to help myself.
It's has been a gray, damp and chilly spring and today is the first day of Summer. It's still gray, damp and chilly.
So I'm popping a little bit of sunshine into my morning with this recipe.
The zest is what's doing it for me right now.

Cranberry Orange Rice Pudding
-1 cup white rice (I've used jasmine today, but you could use an arborio or basmati or a short grain brown rice even-although the brown rice will change the cooking time. Probably double it.)
-2 1/2 cups milk or alternative (we use Vanilla Silk)
-Zest from one orange
-1/2 cup dried cranberries (or fresh if you've got them. Even defrosted frozen cranberries would probably be amazing. Definitely zippier than the dried version)
[Ooh I might have to try that next time!]
-2 or 3 tablespoons of real maple syrup. (Or sugar, whatever you've got that you like.)

1. rinse your rice in a medium sized pot.
2. add the milk and stir.
3. bring to a boil while you zest your orange.
4. add your orange zest and maple syrup.
5. once the rice and milk are boiling, stir it up again so your rice doesn't stick to the pot and burn (not tasty), cover and reduce heat to low.
6. cook for 2o minutes.

I am a bit torn on when to add the cranberries, if you want them to swell up and really cook up you can add them at the same time as the zest and maple syrup. Or you can wait until the timer goes, add the dried cranberries, throw in a bit more milk and cook for another 5 minutes or so. -I think that if I were using fresh or frozen cranberries I would add them in at the beginning to really get the flavour dancing.

This recipe is really forgiving.
I have also made this without the zest and cranberries, substituting them with candied ginger WHICH IS AMAZING.

But we had no candied ginger around. There you go.

This recipe makes enough for 4 hungry people or 2 giants.
You can also refrigerate the leftovers and reheat them with a little more milk the next day. Good as new!

Girls night out

I have to tell you, I have just had an awesome date night with my sweet friend Julie.
We went to dinner (with drinks AND dessert! Hello luxurious) and a movie and I had a great time.
It felt like Halifax to me, when we used to go the the Fireside and get Kuchen and drinks and generally be fabulous (and ridiculous) feeling like the Glamorous Art students we were.
(I think that because we were jewellery and graphic design students we felt that we were able to shed the crunchy art student image. There were days though my friends when the silver I was wearing was mostly gross dust all over my face and don't even get me started on my hands! FYI, an occupation that involves a lot of sanding and filing does not a good manicure make.)
Anyway.
Last night took me back, and it didn't hurt that we saw Sex and the City, very glamorous and pretty wonderful.

I will admit to being swept up into the excitement of this movie. I didn't even watch the show that religiously, I would catch it every once and a while already started and just follow along. But I must have gleaned enough from my haphazard viewings because the movie was very fun and I was able to follow the whole thing with zero confusion. (No "who is THAT?? "What's going on here?", none of that.)
Oh sigh.

And now I want to go shoe shopping in the WORST way!
Although my wants in the shoe department are drastically more practical than Miss Bradshaw's.


(I actually tried on the Keds that I was looking at before and the heel on them made my ankle twist. Can't run for the bus in THOSE! -very glamorous yes? Uh yeah.)
But these guys are ADORABLE and flat. I haven't tried them on yet, but Julie and I are going to shoe shop sometime soon so I definitely will!

Now off to work I go! This weekend I have to catch up on studio work because I've been pulling some extra shifts at the clinic. I am really looking forward to finishing a couple of things so I can get to production on my own line.

Yikes! I sound so PROFESSIONAL.
My own line.


(can you hear the nervous, slightly manic laughter? No? Well I sure can.)

When life gives you lemons that won't solder...

Work on something else until you can get to the supply store for new solder.

Like THESE!!




Mini Tags! Oh my god these are so CUTE!!
These are all going to Nelson tomorrow along with THESE!!!


Leather Feather Earrings!
Recycled AND printed leather Feathers on handmade sterling silver posts!

Awesome.

I have also got a sample of a new bracelet going and new bangles.
Wee!

Oh lordy!

I know I have already posted something today, but holy crap check this out!





This is what happens when I procrastinate, I discover the most incredible things on Etsy. These teeny guys were all hand embroidered in Calgary by the artist Twinklehooves..
Please check them out here!
(that last little bear is wearing a DRESS!!)

Jana May Says...

My good friends over at Floating Gold Iceberg have asked me to contribute a monthly post to their blog.
The first one is up on the blog RIGHT NOW!!
Check it out here.

Now I am heading into the studio to finish something ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I'll post pictures once it's totally done, but I will say this.
New materials plus deadline make for a very stressed out metalsmith.
Oi.

And in between working on that and gradually cleaning the house (it's Sunday, that's what happens) I'll be finishing up a package for Global Underground in Nelson.

So there.


And Happy Father's Day!!

mini make over

Got my hair cut yesterday.

Got some bangs.

Last time I got bangs I wasn't super keen. Actually left the salon asking myself "Was that really what we needed to do today?"

But so far I haven't had any major flip outs, which for me is pretty good.

Before:


After:


And I took a bit of a risk, getting it done somewhere I had NEVER been to before.
But I think that it turned out alright.
I left the salon feeling pretty darn awesome, my hair was so soft that it felt like a cloud all around my head.
Very nice.
Got it here
I would recommend him, he was totally chill and cool to chat with and was honest about what he thought would work for me.
And he used HARDLY ANY PRODUCT.
He just let the haircut speak for itself.


I'm taking Norman into the vet today for an ultrasound. His pancreatitis keeps coming back and we are going to hopefully rule out anything major.
We're hoping for healthy.
You know how it is.

Just like I promised

I don't know if you know this about me, but I love things based on how hilarious they are.
This is something that I am going to have to get when I have kids.
Because seriously! How awesome is this??


Yeah, pretty awesome.
In fact, all my girlfriends had better watch out, one of these might make their way into YOUR diaper bags if I ever babysit.

Geography of Hope

I have been reading this book for my Dad lately. I was meant to read it and send him a review, probably a month ago now (sorry Dad!) but have been so swamped with work that I haven't had the gray matter to really do much of anything.
But last night after work (I was too tired to work in the studio, the results of which are HORRENDOUS and upsetting, so I've learned to listen to my body) Anyway, last night after work I picked it up again.
I am constantly amazed and heartened by what I read in it. Chris Turner is mapping out all over the world where sustainability is becoming a commonplace idea. Wind Turbines in Denmark and Sweden, amazing super thin solar panels being produced that are as thin as credit cards and can be built into the foundation of buildings.
Pretty amazing.
It gives me hope that we're all (maybe) not going to die in a blazing apocolyptic future world. ("I am Legend" anyone?? "Terminator" anyone? Anyone??)

Did you know that Canada actually has legislation that won't allow us to have electric cars? How stupid is that? We actually make them here, but we have to export them.
I haven't read this in the book, a friend of mine who knows EVERYTHING told me this one.

There is definitely a long way to go, but this book allows me to hope that maybe having kids isn't a terrible idea, because there there might be a life for them after all.
Depressing I know, but have you listened to the news lately?

It's one of the reasons that I don't listen to the news any more.
I just live in blissful ignorance.

I am probably only halfway through the book now, but already I feel better about where we're headed.


I promise to post something completely ridiculous and frivolous tomorrow.

covet covet!

I am jonesing hard for this pouch.


I have been looking at it and thinking about it for AGES.
So as soon as I make a little extra cash I am going to order it from here
She makes a lot of other really great bags too.
So nice!

just a couple things

It's only just after 9 am and I have already done a lot
-finished my new bedside table
-hung up said bedside table
-hung up new rails in the kitchen for hanging our pots (trying to organize some space in there!)
-had tea and breakfast
-sorted out some random crap laying around the studio
-laundry out of the dryer

And I've only been awake since 8!

On the list for today...
-picking up fabric for my NEW BAG! Yes I am going to start working on that, probably next weekend.
-Fab Fair and tea with Julie
-work on big project.

Said project is my sole task for this weekend. I am really excited about it and I am really focused.
I've got some other little things to do if my brain starts to melt out of my ears however.

I am prepared.


In other news, Geoff made us some toothpaste.
Yeah, from scratch!

He used this recipe that we found in this book
No more jelly beans.

Here's the new bedside table


It started out as this little guy here
He got painted a couple coats of Eco safe paint, and then had Mr. Spindley Weed varnished onto the shelves.
CUTE!

That bedside table has been in pieces all over my work table for the last week so I am feeling really good that it's on the wall and out of my hair.

And I think that Geoff has taken the most hilarious picture of Norman yet.

my pen! my pen!

I've lost my pen.
I had it today at 2:30.

But it was gone at 3.


sigh.




harrumph.

Good ideas

Man, I am so glad to have Cara and Angie on my side.
They came totally prepared with ideas and encouragement and all around good vibes.
Thanks guys!
I've got some great new ideas for marketing and packaging that I probably wouldn't have come up with on my own.
And all of them are totally doable and really interesting. So watch out world!

I've already put in an order for more stock for a couple of new designs I've been working on, and I've got some really great, solid ideas for getting myself out there.
I'm going to develop a schedule for working at home (the one I have now is: work at home)
This new one will clarify some tasks and focus my energy a bit more.
Plus I sometimes work better with a deadline. So now I have some.

Good times.

Here are a couple of pictures of Cara's finished bracelet. It was her Mom's (I think) and one side had broken, so I made the two moonstone settings and cleaned it all up.
The turquoise was there already.


Happy Tuesday everybody!

bracelets and prints

That's what I am going to do today.
I spent most of the day yesterday working on Cara's bracelet, she's coming over today so I need to have it finished asap! But it's just clean up and settings.
I'll take some pictures of it before I hand it over.
And I messed around with some scrap leather and made myself a makeshift wallet from a pattern that I guessed at from ANOTHER wallet that my friend Kathryn gave me.

And sold my bike!

Just like that. A lovely art student named Rachel came by last night and she was so sweet and so excited about it that I couldn't say no.
So now it's her bike.

I've just finished scanning some plants from the garden as well, these guys will become the next prints I come up with.