Noticing things about my own hometown

So I have lived in Victoria since I was 11.
Tuesday night before dance class (hells yeah I take a dance class) I noticed, probably for the first time, the architecture of the Bay Center building.  I can't even count how many times I have been in that building, in all my teenage shopping years.  But I really SAW that top corner and it is really beautiful.

The light that night was particularly nice and I just sat and Noticed it for a while before I got out of the car.
I bet that there were A LOT of people who had a hand in building it, and it is worth looking at.

I am trying to do that more.  Notice things.  With a capital N.

Toddler Tuesdays :: Choosing his own snacks

He can open the fridge by himself now.

I in no way influenced this decision.

A glimpse into my (work) brain

The other night I pulled all of my bits and pieces together to start drawing up the poster for Ursa.
This is not a styled photo.  I literally just pulled everything out of my purse, where it usually lives, and laid it out to start sketching.

I did however take a moment to enjoy how tidy it was before I pulled everything out of the folder on the right and spread out across the WHOLE table for a couple of hours after Sonny went to sleep.

And my bench does look pretty tidy in this photo too, but in real life, it's usually WAY messier.
There is a method to the madness, I usually know where every tool is and don't even really have to look for it when I'm in the swing of things.  But I know that to the outsider it probably looks like a terrifying fire hazard.  In my bedroom.

The computer table is technically Geoff's work space, so I try to keep my stuff over there as organized and as small as possible.  Right now it's my yellow Ursa Folder, my Molskine dayplanner and my phone.

Although I can probably retire my molskine as I have been really trying to keep everything in my iphone since I got it.  So far it's working!  I really like that it beeps at me to remind me.
(it always makes me think of the Dis-Organizer, which makes me very happy)

That molskine doesn't say a thing.

Poppet Bleach Class

This past weekend I prepared some tiny star stamps to try out some bleach ideas that I have for a class that I am teaching this coming weekend with Poppet.https://poppetartstudio.wordpress.com/

I have a black dress that I found at a clothing swap a little while ago that is getting a smattering of stars in bleach!

I have this before photo (but it's not very good unfortunately) that I took just before I stamped the bleachy stars, at night.  So you can see that it's a black dress, but that's kind of it!

And this is the dress now with fresh stars on it!

 INCREDIBLY bad picture, Oh I know, but I have a toddler running around me at all times, and it was all I could do to keep him from leaping into the frame while I snapped this!

Also pretend I ironed it.

Ursa Handmade Market

Do you remember when I was telling you about a big project that I've been working on?
Well let me tell you  little bit about it right now!

The First Annual Ursa Handmade Market is a one day maker's fair showcasing some of the incredible talent on and around Vancouver Island. 

And I am not kidding when I say incredible.

I have been doing markets and craft fairs for some years now (I think the first one I participated in was in school, back in 2004... and I even organized a couple at school too, one of which was the most successful one they'd had in years!  I can't take all the credit for that one, my dear friend Sandra played a big roll there)

A couple of craft fairs ago, probably at Christmas time I started playing with the idea of hosting one of my own now.  Why not I thought?  I LOVE being a vendor at these markets, and the other vendors that participate with me are so amazing, I wanted to offer another chance for us all to work together again.

So I just did it!

It's been a lot of hard work, forcing me to overcome my INTENSE procrastinator style, that I am really good at by the way.   But I have organized all the vendors, put together an event page on Facebook (here!), set up and organized the space, I'm getting insurance next week, I've drawn up the poster BY HAND like a lunatic, and I even approached NATIONAL NEWS to interview me about the event.

Yeah.  I did.

I haven't heard back yet, but I DID post the event to every community calendar I could think of and I am sent the info to radio and TV too.

I am taking this seriously because I want this to be great.
GREAT I TELL YOU!!

So please, share the information to everyone you know, share the Facebook page and invite your friends!  There is going to be great music, great vendors, great food (Taco Justice and Terrible Truffles... seriously) and I am working on what I think could be the cutest nearly free garlands you have ever seen.
Just need to pick up some silver and gold spray paint (oh and make all of my inventory for my own booth!)

Ursa is going to be wonderful and I hope that you can come!
xox

Oh How Pinteresting :: Flying my Nerd Flag

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I'm not even flying it particularly high right now.  Because let's be honest.  Han Solo is in No Way Nerdy.  This guy is all hotness.

(and I just want that Death Star Ice cube maker)

And I could have gone overboard, because I've got some great pins in my Dude board. (yes I do)

How's that for relevant?

Short on tIme and Long on responsibilities

I am sure that it is this way for most people, but I wish I could stretch out time a little bit.
My plate is full to bursting and I just want to tell you that I may be a tad light on the posting for a few weeks.

Keep coming by, as I will still be here, but in my efforts to Keep It Realistic I need to tell you that I am trying to stay AWAY from the computer in order to be more productive in Real Life.

You know, that place where we work and raise families and eat food.

And I am also trying to keep my posts relevant (and fun) but mostly relevant.

So.

Here is a picture that I drew for Sonny, on demand I might add, of some of our friends.

Pretty relevant stuff!

xox

(I am working on a BIG PROJECT that is taking up my free time, that I will share with you very soon.  I am working on the poster for it this afternoon!)

Where I Go Out for a Date with Myself

I may have mentioned before that I am a bit of a book nerd.
I met my HUSBAND when we both worked together at a bookstore.

And I know that I have shared Fionavar with you in the past, when I managed to coerce my book club into reading it last summer.

(I only just found out that one of the lovely ladies wasn't into it and now I question everything about her....mostly joking)

This book is in my Top 5.

And I got to go and see the Author OF MY VERY NEARLY FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME in real life.

It was similar to when I got to meet Terry Pratchett, only this time I wasn't working at the bookstore and couldn't manage to HUG HIM.  Because I sure as hell hugged Terry Pratchett.

No Joke.
(I have a picture of it inside my signed copy of Good Omens)

Anyway, bit of a digression there.

I went to see Guy Gavriel Kay when he came to speak in town and I am very happy to have gone.
I wasn't going to go, because our copy of Fionavar was up at the lake and I didn't get a chance to get up there for it before the event.  Our OTHER copy, because we had TWO, is still packed up under my parent's house.

But my dear and incredibly sweet husband surprised me with a fresh copy so that I could get it signed!

So I had it signed for Sonny.

And now we have THREE copies.

this makes me so weirdly happy.

(just look at those old timey chairs!  So Uncomfortable!)

Oh How Pinteresting :: Seriously Kitten Pillow??

Give me a break already.

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Toddler Tuesday :: He does his own Accessorizing

Here he is, in his jams, a hoody and my Amma's scarf (that he picked out my scarf drawer, that he opened up entirely on his own)

unrelated, tissue paper is apparently THE BEST THING if you are two.
Who knew?

Work In Progress

This little ring is a variation on some rings that I made a few years ago.  (I just searched the archives and I KNOW that I have posted about the original A Cute rings, but alas, I only have so much time to look at my own archives good grief)

I took all the sharp edges off is essentially what I am getting at.
And added some lovely AMMAS texture by fuzing... so satisfying!

(this picture isn't the greatest, but you get the idea)

So now I have to decide if I am going to set stones in there or leave it just silver, or maybe fuze some gold on top?

Not sure yet.
This week is all prep for All Sprung Out, which should be pretty fun!
check out the FB page here

I'll get back to this little beauty soon!

Raw Lemon Bars (Where We Eat An Entire Tray of Lemon Bars Before They Are Set)

I made this recipe from one I found on pinterest here from This Rawsome Vegan Life
(this should be an Oh How Pinteresting!)

And Oh Goodness it's good.
I made a couple of changes to the original recipe, but in essence it's the same.
(I swapped out the oats for ground almonds, and put my coconut for the topping inot my spice grinder to whiz it up really fine to smooth out the texture)

And I've made it twice in two weeks!
 I feel no shame, it's all raw and healthy!

And yes, we DID eat the first tray entirely before the Lemon Topping had set up.
But you would too, so I suggest you give it a try.

Work in Progress

My sister is getting married this summer and I get to make their rings!

That gorgeous grey diamond is going to look AMAZING in this simple setting once it's all done!


(that little ring in the background is my wedding band... that I made a few changes to and was polishing up at the time!  I really wanted it to match Geoff's so I added white gold to the outside)