Home made stuff and a birthday

We have started making supplies for ourselves. Geoff makes our toothpaste, I make a lot of our food from scratch now, and this weekend I made some exfoliating facial cleanser from stuff in the cupboard.
I really love Lush. Like REALLY love it. But getting to a Lush store is sometimes a little tricky, what with all the no shopping I do. (the best way to save money? DON'T GO TO THE MALL)
Ahem.
Anyway.
I was all out of my face stuff that I love and the bar soap wasn't doing the trick for me. SO I checked out the ingredients, and minus one (and some variations), we had everything in the kitchen.
So I made this.

It's pretty nice, my skin is happy and relaxed (from the lavender and chamomile) and I feel really good knowing exactly what is going on my skin.

Here's what you need:
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin (we also use this for the tooth paste)
1 teaspoon rosewater/witch hazel/lavender water whatever
10 drops lavender oil
1 chamomile teabag (try to find just straight up chamomile flowers if you can)

-Remove the chamomile from the bag,mix it all up in a small bowl, add a little more glycerin or rosewater to make a paste like consistancy and throw it all into a air tight container.
When you want to use it all you need to do is pinch a little into your fingers and rub it onto your wet face. Then rinse it off with warm water.
Done.

Easy peasy.

The only thing that this recipe is missing is a clay, I think it's kaolin. I am going to look for it the next time we're at the health food store and try it in the next batch I whip up.


Last night we made awesome Pizza for the first time at home (that I can remember. We may have tried this before)
Gluten free of course.
And totally delicious.
We picked up a french bread/pizza mix from the East West market on Main street (a little grocer that is amazing and stocks a variety of gluten free options)
and whipped up these bad boys.


THe mix made enough for two full sized pizzas, so we each made our own.
Geoff's was panchetta, mushroom, sundried tomato, feta and green pepper.
Mine was olive oil, spinach, mushroom, chicken and artichoke.
Yum!!
We ate our fill yesterday and we've got lunch plus snacks for today!

We'll definitely be making those again.

I made myself a cardigan this weekend too.
Took the pattern from my current favorite and ran with it.
There are a couple of things I would do differently (ie: properly) next time, but all in all I'm pretty happy with it.



And last thing for today, but certainly not the least,
Norman is 10 years old today!
Happy birthday Stink!

Things I am loving on Etsy right now.

I spent a little time on the internet today, and I always pop onto Etsy real quick just to have a peek.
Here is a little selection of stuff that I came across today.


Ben Floeter
Hilarious AND awesome!


Katie Burley


Yokoo
Hello Neckwarmer!

And of course... Floating Gold Iceberg.
(Gotta give my gals mad props you know.)

Indecent proposals and shocking novels!

I am a huge fan of Jane Austen.
Particularly Pride and Prejudice. I am sure that I have read it at least 7 times now.
The other day Geoff and I wandered into Chapters and lo and behold!
They have reprinted all of Austen's Novels with slick black covers with ELASTIC!

I am already poring through it pretty quick (as is my style with books, I actually read the last Laurell K I picked up in less than 24 hours.)
And now I am feeling the need to experience the 6 hour BBC mini series with a pot of tea and possibly some scones. Maybe a roast chicken.
I haven't decided yet.

(do you ever crave food when you are ensconced in a theme? I am sure I've mentioned this before, but I really do.)

Oh Darcy.

Colin Firth was my first introduction/mad crush on Mr. Darcy. And I think that he'll always be my favorite.
Although this Mr. Darcy is also pretty amazing.


Who am I kidding, I wouldn't push either of them away if I ran into them in a dark alley.
In fact, I wonder if I can somehow maneuver them both into a quiet corner?

Don't act shocked my dears! You know that YOU wouldn't either.
"I love.. I Love.... I love you"

Gets me every time.

for the last half hour (AT LEAST) I have been trying to attach the video clip of the end scene from the Keira Knightly P&P but you tube is being stupid.
Trust me, it's awesome and I cry EVERY TIME.

You should watch it.

Having a day?

I am.
And the thing that has pulled me out of my hormone + lack of sleep + acupuncture fit of tears was this.

I found it here.

Good day to you.

I said Good Day.

Reversible Dress and studio clean up

I was just about the fall asleep the other night when the design for This Dress woke me up.
Yeah, it's REVERSIBLE.





The fabric is a drapey knit that Geoff got for me on our anniversary (6 years!) so he basically gave me 4 dresses that day. (I've got two other fabrics that will become reversible dresses in the next couple of weekends!) Pretty luxurious!
The belt that I've got on in these photos is reversible too, I am going Crazy over here!

I really wanted a blue obi, and I really wanted a striped one.
So I made one.

I sometimes wonder if my mom knew what a monster she was creating when she gave me my sewing machine for my birthday last year.

Today I am working at home. I have been covering morning shifts at the office this past couple of weeks and I am LOVING (did my enthusiasm register there with those capitols?) that I didn't have to get up at 5am today. I got out of bed at 8 and I am still in my robe and I am just finishing breakfast while I mess around on the computer.
I've got a big list of stuff I want to get done, but it's all my stuff, so it's totally doable.


The List:
-clean up and organize studio (it's always a bit of a disaster after finishing a big project and I still haven't sorted it out since I finished The Ring.)



-Big Project number 2 gets started today. I am making wedding bands for my friends and I want to get the main bands done up so they can come over and confirm sizes before I finished them.
-update etsy! (it's been AGES since I've updated the shop and I am doing it today. Going to re-energize that baby!)
-prep and mail out a package for Global Underground. They are getting some rings today!
-work on bangles.
-order stamps for packaging.
-got to the Market! Get some local veggies and sunshine!

I am sure that I am forgetting something here, but I think that the list should keep me busy enough!

Happy Wednesday!

Stellar Bracelet

Ooooh, Aaaah.

Some new jewellery to look at! I swear that I haven't only been sewing up dresses lately!
And here's some proof.




I tried this design after I repaired my friend Cara's bracelet, which was so lovely that it got my brain cogs turning.
This one is a little heftier, hammered and has got my signature silver and gold beads in it.
I've been wearing it for the last couple of days to get a feel for it and so far I like it. I wear it with the action on the inside so it looks like a plain bangle from a distance, which is a nice little sneaky surprise. I really like the idea of personal attachment to things, so having it worn on the inside so it's more for me (or the wearer, whomever they may be) is a sweet feature.

Have you ever googled yourself?

Today a coworker googled me and guess what!

I am an Adult Film Star.
Check this out!

Oh yeah, and I also starred in Countess Dracula's Orgy of Blood.


Now I need to rent this and check out my moves!
HA!

The Chopping Block

You may remember, not too long ago I mentioned that I got my haircut.
I posted a picture and everything.

Today I went in and had my bangs trimmed. For Free.
He wouldn't let me tip him!

So I am blogging about him to garner him some much deserved business.
Because people, my haircut is AMAZING.



I literally have to do PRACTICALLY NOTHING and it's cute as hell all day.
(all I do is gently blow dry my bangs. for like, 30 seconds.)
That's It.

I have rocked some awesome hair in my time, my short hair, for example, is a highlight.
(amazing short hair when I worked at Bolen Books.)

But this haircut feels like where I am right now. Low key, sophisticated (I'm working on it) and Cute As Hell.

So if you are in the Vancouver area, and want to get a rad haircut?
Go see Alan at the Chopping Block.

$10 + 2 hours = NEW DRESS

Yesterday I picked up this lovely LINEN (Yeah folks, I took it there) at the fabric store by my house. I also happened to pick up thread and bias tape that matched.

And then I drafted a paper pattern of the Air Canada dress that I made up the previous day.

So I didn't really have a choice after that. I HAD to find out if the pattern was going to work.

Is there an Anonymous group for crafters?
I think I might need to find one.



Now I know you are wondering, "Is she actually this ridiculous in real life?"





The answer is, Yes.
Yes I am.

The Air Canada Dress

Last night I made up this dress. I had been thinking about it for a while, and I had some sweet Swiss Dot fabric that I had picked up the last time I was at the fabric store.

This thing is SO Comfortable.
So much so that I am going to have to make several variations so I can have one for every day of the week.
(look at the SHOES!! Half price! Wee!)




I know the pictures are a little dark, but I am always finishing projects at night and I am usually too excited and have to take pictures!
Plus it's a black dress.
So there.

I made the pattern by laying out a tshirt that I liked and tracing the outline of the front and back, and I just extended it to dress length. The collar I sort of copied from a sweater that FGI makes and the sleeves are from a Built by Wendy pattern that I like.
The back of the skirt, which you can't see -sorry!- has an extra panel of fabric to make walking up stairs a little easier since the Swiss Dot doesn't have a lot of stretch. Plus is a little extra flounce which is cute cute cute!

Oh and the little bird! The collar was a little too Star Trek at first and I wanted something that I could layer a cardigan over, so I pinned down one side (which also happens to have a mini pleat (ACK! The Cuteness!) and sewed on the little shell bird bead.

I still have to hem the bottom of the skirt, and I am thinking that I'll hit it with some bias tape.

Then I will wear it every day!

Cabin fever and engagement rings

We're back from our AMAZING weekend on the island. It was scorching hot and fabulous the whole time.
It was hard to get off the ferry and head back into the big city, but we did it.

We are very strong.

All weekend we got up with the sun and went to sleep when it got dark, which is such a good feeling. No groggy mornings, just "Oh! I'm awake now! Let's go eat breakfast on the deck and go for a swim."

Real tough.

On Sunday morning I got up at 6:30. AM!! And I was totally cool with it.
Norman was a little unsure, but he's a trooper so he was all good after a little while.

(He's all "Wha?? Can't you see I am trying to cozy with my bear here?")


(The lake at 6:30 in the morning.)


(The new hat. I am channeling JT here)


The Ferry ride over was so perfect too. It reminded me very much of the first ferry ride that I can remember, when my family took a trip to Victoria from Winnipeg as a kid.
So I took a lot of pictures to recapture the moment!

I am considering having one of these ferry photos blown up big and framing it.
I was really feeling that boat ride!


Weekend + Lake = Awesome.

And just in case you are all flipping out from the post title here, the engagement ring is not mine. It's actually The Big Project that I have been working on for the last while. I finished it last week and they are officially engaged!
So now I can share the finished product.


It's a style that I don't usually work in, and in a totally new material for me (18k white gold) which posed a few more problems that I had anticipated. But it came out all right in the end.
And next weekend I am starting wedding bands for some other lovely friends of mine.
Busy busy!

Now I will leave you with this (And Sandra, this is really for you.)

This loveseat is the one piece of furniture that I couldn't leave in Halifax. It started off as Sandra's loveseat. And Geoff actually completely unloaded the Uhaul and reloaded it in torrential rain (by himself I should add) so that we could take it with us when we realized that it wouldn't fit. Because he is so amazing.
So now that loveseat is living large at the cabin, which is perfect, perfect, perfect.