tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52290483801062423102023-11-16T11:40:23.286-07:00Tired of Smilingtired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-73432912048202403392009-08-20T13:03:00.001-06:002009-08-20T13:04:48.996-06:00Please see my new blog:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.silversistersstudio.blogspot.com/">www.silversistersstudio.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />Cheers!<br /><br />giseletired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-57199854980635377552009-08-20T12:56:00.004-06:002009-08-20T13:03:15.953-06:00Peridot Peas are back!<span style="font-size:130%;"> Remember this:</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdJ6sr4WLBt745KTU1Lg1FV-epjGybMY5kqWmPi0NBQ-bCCchZs7nZFFU2Gebgz6YlQWa89063cfXtEXFJSMUCXa49STUh_-b-xYJf5e9ZfI4QDuGVLuw96YnwRxqmhx9w-mJtL-HxTn7/s1600-h/DSC_3804b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372122729472408258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 355px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdJ6sr4WLBt745KTU1Lg1FV-epjGybMY5kqWmPi0NBQ-bCCchZs7nZFFU2Gebgz6YlQWa89063cfXtEXFJSMUCXa49STUh_-b-xYJf5e9ZfI4QDuGVLuw96YnwRxqmhx9w-mJtL-HxTn7/s400/DSC_3804b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1AAr1y7OttthP-qI2cWtOPj2gEGDIauN9ARrkIU-oQeAfHBIlrEd_epL_-j4EWrZF_81wiQrS96BNhESTSkZqudPuwENERqcPBIwGa6IvH546mSuqCqNTlH2-09CSB4M8rIdYsiwHovA/s1600-h/DSC_3795b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372122718014733842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1AAr1y7OttthP-qI2cWtOPj2gEGDIauN9ARrkIU-oQeAfHBIlrEd_epL_-j4EWrZF_81wiQrS96BNhESTSkZqudPuwENERqcPBIwGa6IvH546mSuqCqNTlH2-09CSB4M8rIdYsiwHovA/s400/DSC_3795b.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Well, now it's this:<br /></span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM3TxqwBwJkDVwM5KemCMvoLn2hRsNVJCMqRwTauzGNomra4sOuQqcQI9QpJaLlJ6-tmXOyyexvJV8iSx6xRARaITCgq6Qkne7eQt_nhgI-zzYKF_GWUxvMylTMkXCUSUqaLOK3UwI6BM/s1600-h/DSC_3915b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372122710846319442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 337px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM3TxqwBwJkDVwM5KemCMvoLn2hRsNVJCMqRwTauzGNomra4sOuQqcQI9QpJaLlJ6-tmXOyyexvJV8iSx6xRARaITCgq6Qkne7eQt_nhgI-zzYKF_GWUxvMylTMkXCUSUqaLOK3UwI6BM/s400/DSC_3915b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372123143693679266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 363px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJ8xVreIKYJ3bF6xTNXo25eIbG9LLaxkX3HjNkGqmS5p7Q6rKwz2iu8RqMpysA4ZMCJE2DI6NjSUuHANgvFBiVv4b0YOxafW-5GhqVRy6dgNWOoawhy7KwoMu0aXPODZnu59DqyltBJiO/s400/DSC_3919b.jpg" border="0" /> <div><div><br /><div>Thanks to Roxanne for suggesting it be made into a necklace. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29608949">Just listed in my store</a>. Get 'em while they're fresh!</div></div></div></div></div></div>tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-15282140204161460192009-06-24T15:41:00.002-06:002009-06-24T16:06:25.956-06:00more todo<span style="color:#3333ff;">note: I have a new blog at </span><a href="http://www.silversistersstudio@blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">www.silversistersstudio@blogspot.com</span></a><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">This one is closing down soon.</span><br /><br />TO DO<br /><br />Set Up<br /><br />Shop banner and avatar. Done!<br />Write a bio, shop announcement. Announcement done. will redirect to blog for bio.<br />Figure out cards (packaging – to display the barrettes on.) Done, and printed.<br />Figure out shipping packaging. done. need to buy plastic bags.<br />shipping charges. done.<br />Set up blog done.<br />Make blog banner. done.<br /><br />Upkeep - ongoing<br /><br />Shop:<br />Taking photos (weekend)<br />Uploading photos (hubby)<br />Listing items<br />Shipping orders (!)<br />Etsy forums?<br />Promotion?<br /><br />Blog:Take photos (weekend)<br />Upload photos (hubby)<br />Write posts (on a regular schedule – once a week??)<br /><br />Other thank actually listing items everything is set up and ready to go! Feels good to see all those dones on the list. I have some time off next week so will probably list the first items then. I'm also trying to get ready for the farmer's market. Sent in my application form last night and am hoping to get in this weekend. It may not be enough time, but it's worth a try.<br /><br />Here's the todo list for the farmer's market:<br /><br />figure out table. done.<br />send in application form. done.<br />make signage.<br />put barrettes on cards.<br />design and print out business cards. (opt. for this weekend if I run out of time.)<br />figure out which items will be listed on etsy and leave them at home!<br /><br />I have friday off so guess what I'll be doing!tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-15626389592703029742009-06-22T15:08:00.001-06:002009-06-22T15:09:49.674-06:00I just can’t do it. Can’t shut this blog down! It’s a good friend that never expected anything of me, and I can’t give it up just yet.<br /><br />I’ve started my new blog at:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.silversistersstudio.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">http://www.silversistersstudio.blogspot.com</span></strong></a><br /><br />and will be weaning myself off of this one soon. Please join me at my new blog.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-75678376256941779462009-06-19T14:50:00.004-06:002009-06-19T16:18:56.727-06:00A Hard Days Work...TO DO<br /><br />Set Up<br /><br />Shop banner and avatar. Done!<br /><br />Write a bio. not done.<br /><br />shop announcement. done!<br /><br />Figure out cards (packaging – to display the barrettes on.) Done!<br /><br />Figure out shipping packaging - figured out - still need to purchase bags and envelopes.<br /><br />shipping charges Done!<br /><br />Set up blog. Done...mostly.<br /><br />Make blog banner - Not Done.<br /><br />Next: <br />buy envelopes and plastic bags.<br />buy printer ink.<br />print off cards<br />take pictures.<br />list items!<br /><br />blog. on new blog. (yay)tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-1820013747237095172009-06-18T07:34:00.002-06:002009-06-18T07:45:44.082-06:00Aquarius<br />JAN 21-FEB 18<br />Your plans will be bigger and<br />bolder than ever, but in your<br />haste to get started you could<br />overlook an important detail. <br />Take your time and get it right.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-1706690647623896482009-06-16T14:23:00.001-06:002009-06-16T14:25:23.861-06:00It was possibly the most ackward situation of my life.In the elevator with one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">VPs</span> from work and he asks me why I’m not coming to yoga anymore. “It’s not in the budget” I said (I’d <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">rehearsed</span> that – I knew this might happen). He looked surprised. “It’s just not in the cards right now.” He said your health should be your number 1 priority, and I said I agreed. I said I have a nanny to pay for and “Life is expensive”. I said I’d be back. I was sure glad when the elevator reached the bottom, and I hope he realizes how <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">awkward</span> that conversation was. Especially after <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">receiving</span> pay cuts last month. Actually it went fairly well – I held my own - but I’d rather not talk to the VP of our company about my financial situation.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-40188322186302172812009-06-12T21:39:00.000-06:002009-06-12T21:41:50.444-06:00<a href="http://s677.photobucket.com/albums/vv139/ghardock/?action=view&current=DSC_3159.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv139/ghardock/th_DSC_3159.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-72697703640061877032009-06-11T10:17:00.001-06:002009-06-11T10:19:07.279-06:00Setting up an etsy shop.I’ve been considering setting up an etsy shop. It just seems like a good way to sell the barrettes I’m making. I had dismissed the idea before as it’s a big job and I don’t have a lot of extra time to devote to another project. Then I got thinking - the parts I’m really worried about I just need to ask for help on. Pictures. You can see my blog hardly has any pictures on it. Here’s the situation: I work in an office full time and spend 2 hours each day commuting. When I’m at home my time is 100% kids and family and making sure our lives don’t completely fall apart. I have 2 young kids, one of which doesn’t sleep through the night, and a busy life. I don’t get to the computer most days. I check my email over the internet, check out blogs etc. and write the occasional blog post here all from work. The one thing I can’t do from work is download pictures. Hubby, on the other hand, doesn’t have to go to bed as early as me and gets lots on computer time – you can see where I’m going with this – he’s agreed to download pictures for me and upload them to the internet somewhere so I can post them from work. (updated: I tried this and can’t seem to get them to upload to blogger correctly..... something to figure out.)<br />The other thing I need help with is making a shop banner and avatar. I’m hoping to find a smart friend to help out with this (have a few in mind). This may not be as difficult as I thought – there are all sorts of “easy” guides out there.....but I don’t have photoshop, and I suck at figuring new technology stuff out.<br /><br />I wrote most of the above yesterday when I was all excited about the idea. And then I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, got up late, stepped on a tack, realized that I hadn’t made lunch the night before, got into a (minor) scuff with the hubby about bathroom time and coughed up a lung all before 6am. Do I really have the time and energy to deal with an etsy shop?? Why am I doing this again? Right now I’m about 50/50 again. I think it’ll be fine once I get things set up and then you put in as much effort as you decide to put in. It’s just all overwhelming in the start, and I don’t really know what to expect in terms of time and energy commitment. I keep reading stories about people’s successful shops, but they’re all full-timers, so they HAVE to spend all that time promoting their shops to generate enough business to keep a full-timer going.<br /><br />I forgot to mention the blog. One of the best ways to promote your etsy shop is through a good blog. Etsy is getting big, and you can’t think that all you have to do is set up your shop and the orders will start pouring in. You have to spend some time promoting your shop. A good blog has lots of nice pictures. Works in progress, ideas, it shows people what you’re working on, what you’re thinking about. People who make a point of shopping handmade are interested in getting to know the person who made the product.<br />This blog isn’t that. This blog is personal. It’s for me. I’ll have to make a new one. A prettier one with a little less complaining (only a little), and a whole lot more pictures. Even if I just update once a week, that’d be ok, I think.<br /><br />Back to scheduled programming, here’s the list of things I’d have to do to set up an etsy shop. Everything I’ve thought of so far anyway. This is what I started with for this mammoth post. A simple list.<br /><br /><br />TO DO<br /><br />Set Up<br /><br />Shop banner and avatar. (Help!)<br />Write a bio, shop announcement<br />Figure out cards (packaging – to display the barrettes on.) (in progress, with help from sister J)<br />Figure out shipping packaging and shipping charges<br /><br />Set up blog<br />Make blog banner<br /><br /><br />Upkeep - ongoing<br /><br />Shop:<br />Taking photos (weekend)<br />Uploading photos (hubby)<br />Listing items<br />Shipping orders (!)<br />Etsy forums?<br />Promotion?<br /><br />Blog:<br />Take photos (weekend)<br />Upload photos (hubby)<br />Write posts (on a regular schedule – once a week??)<br /><br />All Right! I'd better hit publish on this before I think of more to write! Please, please, please feel free to comment if you have any thoughts or experience on any of the above. I'd really appreciate the advice.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-52347555542771786262009-06-04T13:01:00.004-06:002009-06-04T13:14:46.790-06:00Cherry Blossoms in Calgary!Finally! After reading about spring on everyone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">else's</span> blog it's here - Cherry Blossoms are out full-force now! Also in the forecast, snow, but let's focus on the cherry blossoms, shall we?<br /><br />I don't even know where to start, there's so much been going on.<br /><br />First of all, we managed to survive <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">relatively</span> unscathed the birthday/recital week. A busy week flanked by 2 weekends of mayhem - running this way and that getting people places they needed to be. Survived it even with kids being miserably ill. Last weekend, in particular was the worst - the baby screamed for two days and two nights while I held her. She screamed harder if I put her down, like to go to the bathroom, heaven forbid. Dearest husband is still <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">sooo</span> sick - I keep phoning him from work just to make him run up the stairs - I'm that mean, yes.<br /><br />I always have to keep myself from laughing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TOo</span> hard at little kids' dance recitals. It's not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">graceful</span> or coordinated at all. But cute - at least they have that going for them.<br /><br />For the big kid's 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> birthday we went to a honey farm. Good fun. Bees are so interesting. Everyone got A. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">lego</span>. It seems we should have communicated with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">eachother</span> a little... But the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">lego</span> is getting plenty of use, so who's to complain? I forgot how much fun <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">lego</span> is.<br /><br />No news on the business front. I haven't had any time to craft anything lately as ferrying people all over and dealing with sick people has all but eaten up all my time. I have tomorrow off and am planning to spend the whole day sewing new barrettes. crossing fingers!<br /><br />And now back to work which is mayhem, too!tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-91552195666442333452009-05-29T09:20:00.000-06:002009-05-29T09:21:59.627-06:00Don’t Chew Gum Outside, People!Serious Consequences Could Ensue!<br /><br />My 5 yr old and I were having a chat last night. She wanted to warn me about chewing gum outside.<br /><br />“You should never chew gum outside.”<br /><br />“Oh, why?”<br /><br />“Because a big animal will come up and hit you in the stomach and knock you over.”<br /><br />“Really? Did you see that happen?”<br /><br />“It was on TV” She was serious.<br /><br />Apparently there’s a pretty dramatic commercial on TV where a guy gets hit in the groin by a ram and spits out his gum. All the guys I tell this to know exactly what I am talking about. We don’t watch much TV, and she’s only 5 so she really thought this might happen. She was worried about big animals lurking behind the bushes, apparently, watching for gum chewers. <br /><br />I told her that sometimes what you see on TV isn’t real – it’s just a joke. I said I had never seen that happen and didn’t expect to see that kind of thing. I think gum chewing in the out of doors is pretty safe. We both agreed that it would be pretty weird. I wonder what other things she believes that she got from unreliable sources.<br /><br />We had a conversation last year about commercials – she thought they were shows, too. So we had to have a chat about how they are trying to get you to buy something. Of course, it all looks like great stuff, and she wants it all. She even said that one day: “I see lots of cool stuff they are trying to sell me on TV and I want to buy it all!” I think that was before Christmas. So, we’ve had some beginning conversations about things not always being as great as they make them seem on TV, and how Stuff won’t necessarily make you happier (she doesn’t quite believe me), and about we can’t buy EVERYTHING we want. Phewph. What must it be like to not know this stuff yet – to take the world at face value?tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-83696460993264418452009-05-13T16:19:00.001-06:002009-05-13T16:21:17.061-06:00First Sale and firm Direction...Oh, man, I am blown away!<br />I sold 4 barrettes this morning to a coworker. 2 leaves and 2 silly monsters. What a confirmation that I am going in the right direction!<br /><br />I met with my friend who’s shop I was thinking I’d sell these in last night. In the end I decided not to put them in there just yet. Here’s the thing – I can not make large volumes yet (hello – full time job), and I think I can sell everything I can make myself – between showing friends and people I meet to maybe even setting up a table at the farmer’s market (a great way to enjoy the farmer’s market without spending a bundle, by the way! Ingenious, I know.). Since I can make more money off of each sale if I do it myself that’s what I am going to do for now. And, as of this morning, I have almost paid for the supplies I bought. Almost. OK, maybe halfway, but still…<br /><br />So here’s what my friend had to say:<br />-There’s nothing like this available locally – and from the sweater felt (which she loved and thought it was a good angle) nothing available at all.<br />-Pink outsells every other color. The people who buy this type of thing are dressing their girls up in cute and princess. That’s the market. She suggested crowns. I don’t think I can do that (moral issues – princess=gag), but I get the pink thing.<br /><br /><br /> P.S. I promise promise promise pictures soon… They’re even taken already I just have to get onto the computer at home… I don’t know why that is so difficulttired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-14883410688382561442009-05-12T09:18:00.001-06:002009-05-12T09:18:46.015-06:00All right, we’re in full-on development mode now. <br />The first order of felt arrived last week and I couldn’t have been happier. It was recycled sweater felt (take a wool sweater, wash it till it shrinks, make something with it and sell me the scraps). I bought a bag of small scraps which are the perfect size for my mini-projects. This way I was able to get so many more colors and textures – each piece is so very different. I just love the depth and variation of color in this felt... it really is lovely to work with.<br />I spent the weekend making barrettes and am finally going to show them to my friend with the store to see if she wants to carry them. I’ve been very encouraged by the response I’ve gotten from everyone I’ve showed so far – I think I’d have lots of buyers even if it doesn’t work out to put them in the store. And I get more for them if I sell them myself, too.<br />The second batch of felt that I had ordered came in last night. I was sadly disappointed. I mean, its nice stuff (100% wool in nice bright colors) but it just pales in comparison to the sweater felt I have been working with. I think the sweater felt is just more “me” if you know what I mean. Thankfully, it’s exceedingly less expensive to buy the sweater felt, so I’m glad I didn’t fall in love with the expensive stuff.<br />My mom came over last night with some wool that my grandma had carded. One piece had been the stuffing for a quilt that mom took apart and it’s probably been washed so it’s partially felted already. The other stuff is lovely fluffy wool that I’ll need to felt. Now I need to figure out how to dye wool and then I’m set for life on supplies. I’m pretty nostalgic about grama – she was a pretty special person to us, so it’ll be good to be able to use her felt. I’ll be pretty careful with it, to be darn sure.<br />The bird design that looked so cute on paper was a complete flop in real life. I couldn’t figure out how to embroider the beak and the whole thing turned out pretty shapeless. I’ve given up on the bird for now. I’ll think on it some more. The monster design has to be my favourite. I can be as goofy and colorful as I want. I’ve got 2 of those already, and a third one in the works. The hearts work well – I figure little girls will like those, and I finally figured out a flower design I like. The leaves also worked out really well – especially after the first one and I realized I need to space the stitches out farther. These appeal more to adults (to buy) to be worn by any age. There are a couple of funny ones – like the heart that is just plain red (ok, in a lovely soft wool) but when you look at it up close you see that it is a broken heart, and also there’s a bone – like Pebbles used to wear in her hair. I don’t know if anyone will “get” those two, but they make me smile. I am for sure making a bone for my baby. My goal was to have a dozen completed by the end of the weekend and I think I at least did that.<br />I wasn’t originally thinking of selling on etsy but might consider it now, since what it turns out I am making (you never know what it is going to look like until you start) is significantly different from what is already available. We’ll see. I’m not at that stage yet. Next step, sell some stuff and make more inventory. In no particular order.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-86569191111949435382009-05-02T07:59:00.003-06:002009-05-03T14:12:21.174-06:00<div> </div>Hopefully you're not sick of embroidery yet!<br />OK, this is so silly! This is the pillow that started it all off - I made it for my dad from a picture that my daughter drew. I only really knew one stitch, and only had 3 colors of embroidery thread. I was so proud of it at the time!<br /><br />First, the picture that I worked from:<br /><div> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkuK0ZfFyKUWeSwp5fA_6WgFYhfZTsAc-sBfIZZRv8wKpV6dwzvWZOIdQD_mIkbyyh7hY-q7yHFAfiATeNpdqtVSxjS9nQbC-Jle-veFaLFsiqo3ZvN7Ni_EqtoCX8lW03yN8T6UvraPf/s1600-h/DSC_2643.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331226573244571682" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 265px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkuK0ZfFyKUWeSwp5fA_6WgFYhfZTsAc-sBfIZZRv8wKpV6dwzvWZOIdQD_mIkbyyh7hY-q7yHFAfiATeNpdqtVSxjS9nQbC-Jle-veFaLFsiqo3ZvN7Ni_EqtoCX8lW03yN8T6UvraPf/s400/DSC_2643.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And the finished piece:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuZ4kOd9M1bT6R-M7EGEWIxVUvP6UYaCJsr9uOOIzUOt1F1JhOj1o2G-zQqoekcQLRrp49g4zGgwptRuDMggIOfeG6pujmF_04wUBqCoVjPoBWk09OVsI13THL_pu6ZcPrXZNbcqPumcF/s1600-h/DSC_2638.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331226568189538178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 265px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuZ4kOd9M1bT6R-M7EGEWIxVUvP6UYaCJsr9uOOIzUOt1F1JhOj1o2G-zQqoekcQLRrp49g4zGgwptRuDMggIOfeG6pujmF_04wUBqCoVjPoBWk09OVsI13THL_pu6ZcPrXZNbcqPumcF/s400/DSC_2638.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Now I have my water soluable pen and that would make something like this SO much easier.<br />I still like it in a nostalgic kind of way.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-52661369428555977332009-05-01T07:34:00.004-06:002009-05-01T07:51:11.842-06:00waiting on supplies....This is the tough part. The calm before the storm. I'm waiting on supplies. I've been using the down time to work up some designs. I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">figure</span> I really only need 4 or 5 good designs to start - each piece will be different because of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">hand stitching</span> anyway. I've got a heart, a leaf, a funky little bird, and a silly monster. I'm also working on a flower but am having trouble making a shape I like. Sounds silly, I know, how can you not figure out something as simple as a flower shape? Well, I just haven't been inspired yet. I've ordered some felted reclaimed wool scraps off of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">etsy</span> and am trying to order some 100% wool felt also off of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">etsy</span>. I wish I had a local supplier for that. I'm also spreading the word that I'm looking for old wool sweaters that I can felt up and use. Keep your eyes out at the garage sales and thrift store bins.<br />My sister has generously offered to design some cards for the barrettes to go on. She's so good at that kind of stuff, I am lucky to have the help.<br />And since I know I'll be busy once the supplies arrive I am trying to finish off some of the projects I started earlier. A cute tank top for elder daughter - I am embroidering a flower garden on it (pink of course!). Also embroidering some club decals for the family (bought a nifty water <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">soluble</span> pen for this) and I still need to get back to the dragonfly I started a while back. I've since figured out the secret to using silver thread - double it and knot the end - then it doesn't fray and fall apart as you use it. I think the dragonfly will become something for me - I never keep any of my stuff for me.<br />Ah, sigh, to be an artist.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-92073311475398672672009-04-23T15:41:00.002-06:002009-04-23T15:46:10.667-06:00Oh What Fun!So, I got into a conversation with a friend who owns a consignment store the other day. <br /><br />“<strong>If I could find a local supplier for these, I would love to get them locally</strong>”. They were cute little embroidered <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">barrettes</span>.<br /> “<strong>Hey, I can do that!</strong>” I thought to myself as I walked out determined to find the one piece of felt in the fabric bag and start a cutting and sewing frenzy.<br />I feel like I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> just been waiting for an opportunity to come along, and this may just be it. It’s funny because I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ve</span> been doing a bunch of embroidery lately, just goofing around. I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> always done some sort of art, I just can’t help it.<br /><br />I have a couple of samples made up and spent the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">lunchhour</span> today making designs for more. I want them to be a little modern, not just cutesy. It’s hard designing something that you’re going to sell. I can make something for me, no problem, and I can make something for someone I know because I think of them and then create something they would like but making something to please someone I don’t even know is tougher. And they have to like it enough to spend money on it so there’s a little pressure. I started out with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cutesey</span> designs but found them uninspiring. I realized that if I don’t like the designs it’s unlikely anyone else will either. Even if they follow a set formula (flowers and hearts). <br /><br />So, I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ve</span> taken a new approach – I’m making stuff that <strong>I</strong> like – I’m pretending I’m the customer. Finally I have some designs I’m excited about!<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Other Details:</span><br /><br />I’m trying to figure out how much felt to buy when I don’t even know if I these will sell yet. I haven’t got a big budget for extra art supplies. But, really, it’s inexpensive compared to just about every other hobby.<br />The other thing is the name I came up with Is taken – Silver Sisters. I was quite attached to that name – it is in honour of my 2 daughters who have silver hair. I really like the sisters theme, there’s something in that that really resonates, but I have to go back to the drawing board. I don’t know anything about the business side, so will have to learn it all at some point. My plan right now is to make some samples, get some good designs, talk to my friend who will sell them and then eventually put some in her store on a trial basis. If they sell then I’ll figure out the business stuff. Develop a great product first and then worry about the rest. <br /><br />Oh what fun!tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-48154922525280151902009-04-17T10:08:00.002-06:002009-04-17T10:33:31.726-06:00Being a grown-up sucksUsually if I haven’t posted to my blog in a while it’s because I’m thinking big about something and am figuring out how to post about it. This post has had a lot of titles in my mind – Being a grown-up sucks, Taking off the Blinders, Budgeting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">isn</span>’t for sissies, The Next Obsession…. Ya, so I’m not good at naming stuff, but also, <strong>this post is about a lot of things</strong>.<br /><br />This post is about budgeting. I know, I know, the topic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">du</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">jour</span>. I was thinking about the going back to school thing and the main reason I can’t see it happening is because of money, and I can’t help thinking that if we had less debt or better control of our finances or something we could figure out a way to make it work. And I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> been wanting a good budget for a while now (years…) but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">didn</span>’t know how to actually do it. We made several full-hearted attempts and were pretty good at figuring out just where all that money went but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">didn</span>’t have the tools to stop it from happening again the next month. <strong>I even used spreadsheets.</strong> I had graphs showing how quickly the money went out and how slowly it came in. So, I was telling a friend at work about my silly becoming-a-midwife dream and she showed me how to do it – budget that is. I started with the spreadsheet from <a href="http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/use.htm">this site</a> and went from there (I know, it’s totally corny – I haven’t even really watched the show, but you have to start somewhere.). <strong>The key to this spreadsheet is the number at the very bottom.</strong> You fill in your fixed expenses and income and the difference has to pay for everything else. Kid’s classes, house and car repairs, gifts, clothes, food, coffees, gum, everything. And you take it out in Cash (I know, does anyone even use that anymore? (<a href="http://tiredofsmiling.blogspot.com/2007/12/whataweek.html">see here</a>)) and <strong>when it’s gone it’s gone</strong> (i.e. you stop spending. I guess that’s the important part.).<br /><br />And now this is the part where I thank my friend for all that bad budgeting advice because now I have a budget and I have to stick to it and <strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;">being a grown-up sucks</span></strong>! It’s a very tight budget because we have debts and a nanny to pay for but I can’t ignore it because it’s reality. I don’t have more money than I have. It’s like when you’re <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">decluttering</span> and you can only keep as many books as you have bookshelves for. Physically. And now that we know what the number is we can’t go back to blindly, naively, innocently spending away.<br /><br />So, I’m having weird internal debates like how many times are we planning on going swimming this summer because I REALLY need a new bathing suit (ahem to avoid unfortunate pool incidents…) but is it really worth spending money on it?<br /><br />Now, I feel like <strong>a total dweeb</strong> even talking about this because everyone budgets, right? How have I not figured this out before now? Honestly, I have no idea.<br /><br />OH, by the way, here are a couple of helpful websites I found in my mad driven web search:<br /><br /><a href="http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/">http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/</a><br /><a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/">http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/</a><br /><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/index.cfm?intContentID=4055">http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/index.cfm?intContentID=4055</a><br /><br />and finally, what to eat when you figure out you have no money:<br /><a href="http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food-entertaining/articles/drinks-desserts/cp/home_family-to_economize_your_eating_work_beans_and_rice_into_menu_plans">rice and beans</a>, please<br />and what to do with all the time you'll save not shopping for things you don't need:<br /><a href="http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42089/how-to-restyle-a-t-shirt-with-pin-tucks"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">upcycle</span> this</a><br /><br />And because I feel I need to lighten this post up a little, here's a couple of places to look when you start to get depressed and to take your mind off things:<br /><a href="http://craftfail.com/">http://craftfail.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=cat1_gallery_20&listing_id=22851141">I wish I was this creative</a>tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-7019213643538923522009-04-08T11:41:00.002-06:002009-04-08T11:45:03.835-06:00idea paint!idea paint!<br /><br />ok, this is just too cool!<br />dry erase board paint.....<br /><br />and you can order a free sample <a href="http://www.ideapaint.com/sample-thank-you.html">(here)</a><br /><br />I just ordered one, I'll let you know if it actually comes. I can think of so many uses for this stuff, I might need more than one can... painting a wall (or two) in the new trailer, painting a big rectangle on the kids' bedroom wall, a big rectangle in the kitchen....tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-50355320542837481852009-04-02T15:39:00.002-06:002009-04-02T15:50:47.652-06:00What's an Old Sould To Do?Someone said I had an old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">soul</span> today. What a lovely compliment. Really.<br />Truth is I just feel old. OK, let me begin again. Have you ever met someone who is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">doing</span> what they are meant to do? I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ve</span> always been envious of these people. My husband is one of them. He’s been fixing vehicles before he could even drive, swapped out 9 engines before I let him buy an engine hoist. Mechanics is just in his blood. Well, when I went to university I had the hardest time figuring out what to do. The world opened up before a vast chasm of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">possibilities</span>. So, I did the only sensible thing to do – faked it. I went to school and took a bunch of courses that sounded interesting and then took more of the interesting ones until I had a double major in linguistics and sociology. Not the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">useful</span> thing but what a fun degree. After that I temped and got an admin job and eventually worked my way up to the job I have now. I went where the current took me. And it’s a good job, don’t get me wrong, and I always think it’s funny I ended up working with engineers.<br />But something strange happened this week. Well, it was the catalyst, really, as there have been many signs that have been building up and up and up until now I can’t ignore it. The thing that happened this week is that a local college <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/03/30/cgy-midwives-alberta-college.html">announced</a> that it will be starting up a midwifery program. Even as I type this my heart jumps – midwifery, oh, how I want to do this! I think I could be really good at this, I am passionate about it. I remember when my friend had her baby <a href="http://tiredofsmiling.blogspot.com/2009/02/birth.html">last month</a> and I rushed out to her house to deliver herbs and it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">wasn</span>’t the usual cooing about the cute little baby, the empathy for the mother rose and I had to help her.<br />And then reality hits – if only I’d figured this out 10 years ago – oh, it was so easy to go to school then. It’s the money that’s getting me, and not even tuition, but my family needs my income every month. It’s impossible. I have a family, responsibilities, debts (student loans from last time, even!). But nothing is really impossible, I know, I just can’t figure out how to be able to do this. How do people manage to go back to school when they’re older? If only I knew. And so I feel old today. Not an old soul, but old and out of options.<br /><br />I'd love some input here, <strong>anyone</strong>. Any thoughts?tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-2392228563207439372009-03-22T12:44:00.005-06:002009-03-24T08:03:25.715-06:00This is the one with all the picturesThis was supposed to be the post with all the pictures of all the fun stuff we've done lately but not blogged about because it needed pictures. Well, I finally got to sit down at the computer this weekend for a couple of minutes and downloaded these couple of pictures. Meanwhile youngest angel daughter unrolled a whole roll of cherry flavoured dental floss and elder angel daughter got into the bottom drawer of her dresser and toppled the whole thing over on top of herself. But at least I got my pictures. See what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lenghts</span> I go through? The rest of the pictures will have to wait until I get more dental floss.<br /><br />These first ones are the dolls I made for Christmas for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DD's</span> dollhouse. She was suitably impressed. I made them all on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lunchhours</span> at work from stuff I already had (or scammed off of other people).<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag-Lr4vVbE7CGeV3z1DFpCsZNJSmHYmornxeAv_snjFD0DVItaWmga9wnQT-rksRd8v809UuqgrkyKp8uh3DpBJg4qg4gic1n7vq8X9n3cUvXjbnfNMmq6EmZCP2ltUYlYnt3ROnfGSg6/s1600-h/DSC_2136.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316085941246037602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag-Lr4vVbE7CGeV3z1DFpCsZNJSmHYmornxeAv_snjFD0DVItaWmga9wnQT-rksRd8v809UuqgrkyKp8uh3DpBJg4qg4gic1n7vq8X9n3cUvXjbnfNMmq6EmZCP2ltUYlYnt3ROnfGSg6/s400/DSC_2136.JPG" border="0" /></a> This one is the princess. DD was all into princesses this year (yes, she's 4 and a girl and her favourite color is pink. surprised?)<br /><br /><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNoeQS-5p7mF7LUE3LIwz5Onpg1det4hXaL_0D9UjwSFKiD956LMmQt6c5uQMOjYBNHKgo5J1ZGrwINoEG-7etmuoMTPuEONFaWta8ogH26oe3xJ2YRs5JID9aKz0iquvQpJQXaWzQG0a/s1600-h/princess.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316085935191838418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 339px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNoeQS-5p7mF7LUE3LIwz5Onpg1det4hXaL_0D9UjwSFKiD956LMmQt6c5uQMOjYBNHKgo5J1ZGrwINoEG-7etmuoMTPuEONFaWta8ogH26oe3xJ2YRs5JID9aKz0iquvQpJQXaWzQG0a/s400/princess.jpg" border="0" /></a>This one is the baby. It might be hard to tell, but they all have streaks of white hair just like my girls and their dad. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">proud</span> of the brown hair on the baby- I found that piece on the floor in my office. I know not everyone would think that is cool. </div><div>I decided I want to be the redhead.</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316085949294075170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 148px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRUS8GNUQaVZ4dOrUziyw4z8gP3CRlKE91WUuayI1DstXowFAa9MB252xwmtxhXi4mH_Qv0mjB9bW4Rfe5SvvEnDQaPQq01uVooR9fHC8WddryOjRfVqgbwg-Bf6RoAJwV34xhA2dW5Xg/s400/baby+doll.jpg" border="0" /><br />This is a shirt that I painted for my brother in law for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Christmas</span>. He's a computer guy. I hope he actually wears it someday...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzBcibbcTQRSWHpYpNOXxKyLhZywHwUOwcNWIeMPUVNS9TsRDPCjDa_jnZR4zgWNYu8kqwI29CFOOGCr8OvnuQZz6NxhOlQnK7Kwie2xcTawoc0WoqDlBUBOxiR-2sIjbcIhvsstezKRG/s1600-h/DSC_2300.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316085932323230002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzBcibbcTQRSWHpYpNOXxKyLhZywHwUOwcNWIeMPUVNS9TsRDPCjDa_jnZR4zgWNYu8kqwI29CFOOGCr8OvnuQZz6NxhOlQnK7Kwie2xcTawoc0WoqDlBUBOxiR-2sIjbcIhvsstezKRG/s400/DSC_2300.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And this is the shirt that I painted for another brother in law. He's a comic collector. As an aside, I learned a valuable lesson with this project - stain resistant means paint resistant also.</div><div>There's a third shirt in the series that I don't think I got a picture of. It is for the third brother in law. It is a windshield with a bug <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">smooshed</span> on it (sewed on wool bits), and the tag says one one side: "sometimes you're the windshield" on the other side: "sometimes you're the bug"<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TKUXpBLWShz-0YEl01ojD8ifSHNOy8OLCn-YJh7kTMZQnYFIT7xO3lGM2carkL1oU5MuoYL7nJy-Zwd7tmx3XqyGdMulFeT8VdGLirm6Z4Q-oRJRfdFDs4KuwgTJ8Tq0sr4-DzIHoyyF/s1600-h/DSC_2305.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316085929011258850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TKUXpBLWShz-0YEl01ojD8ifSHNOy8OLCn-YJh7kTMZQnYFIT7xO3lGM2carkL1oU5MuoYL7nJy-Zwd7tmx3XqyGdMulFeT8VdGLirm6Z4Q-oRJRfdFDs4KuwgTJ8Tq0sr4-DzIHoyyF/s400/DSC_2305.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />My thumb was sore yesterday from embroidering, so it can't have been that bad of a weekend, right? Sometimes I get caught up in the disappointment of all the stuff I'd like to do but can't. This post is to remind me that we have done an awful lot of cool things lately. There are several times more pictures back home on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">harddrive</span> that didn't make it into this post. Like the morning we had stewed blueberries for breakfast, the birdhouses, several more shirt paintings. We're just not as well documented as some people, but it doesn't mean the richness isn't there. Sometimes I have to remind myself.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-68994770413981273292009-03-18T08:22:00.005-06:002009-03-18T08:30:29.073-06:00Is it too early to think about summer road trips??I found <a href="http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2009/03/magic-of-mary-poppins-bag.html">this Mary Poppins bag</a> idea while blog surfing this am. We do a lot of road trips, so I'm filing the idea for later. Our baby (now 15 months, is she still really a baby?) doesn't have a lot of patience for travelling. She's always on the move, so sitting still in a car seat isn't her idea of a good time. Hopefully we can think of some ideas to keep her amused while we travel. Ideas anyone??<br /><br />And, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hooray</span>, my first post with "no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">misspellings</span> found". That deserves a cake or something.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-26723618446091900762009-03-17T07:56:00.004-06:002009-03-18T08:46:05.955-06:00Error: Universe not found. Contact your system administrator.I have this dream life where everything is modern and beautiful. I drive a small fuel-efficient car that is silver. Groceries are still carried to your car in paper bags with baguettes sticking out the top which can then be made into princess dresses for precious little children in glorious afternoons filled with crafting and reading books in the sun. Life is filled with simple and homemade and family (<a href="http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/">like this</a>), and I'm cool enough to buy stuff off of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">etsy</span></a>. Oh, ya, and I have <a href="http://www.remodelista.com/2009/03/16/architect-visit-messana-ororke-kitchen-addition/">this kitchen</a>. Yes, this kitchen is my alternate reality. Look how clean and calming it is. A universe that doesn't require paperwork, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">balancing</span> priorities or too too much effort.<br /><br />sigh. one can have dreams, right?tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-79509084866812382182009-03-10T08:23:00.003-06:002009-03-10T08:27:35.399-06:00Mmmmmm...1 cup milk<br />1/4 cup brown rice uncooked<br />1/2 tsp vanilla<br />1 tsp. (or more) honey<br /><br />Put in little dipper crockpot before bed. Top with chopped pumpkin seeds, raisins and milk and savour individual serving of steaming hot rice pudding for breakfast in the morning.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-10132281043974014112009-02-26T12:57:00.003-07:002009-02-26T13:03:15.476-07:00Lunch Today and Thoughts on Slow FoodToday’s lunch was super quick to make. In fact, I had already gone to bed, too tired to think about packing a lunch, resigned to the fact that I would have to forage at the buffet in my office building. Finding myself up with a grumpy 1 year old at 3am I decided to “make lemonade from lemons” as it were, wandering around with a baby strapped to my back and pack a lunch. I just realized that it’s all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">premade</span> so it was a super-quick and nutritious lunch to make. <br />Today’s <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bento</span> has cut up chicken sausage – <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mmm</span>… a favourite for sure – we had extra after supper one night so I cut it up an stuck it in the freezer. Actually, I cooked it and then held it back in the kitchen because <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">whatever</span> gets put on the table tends to get eaten. I also have 2 mini-banana muffins which were also frozen. The baggie said “sweet” so that’s promising. I probably <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">actually</span> put sugar in them. There was also homemade berry jello with blood oranges in it. For veggies I have cut up cucumber – <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">precut</span> in a container in the fridge – and baby carrots. So, all homemade and good for you, and all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">premade</span>.<br />I was on a roll (and baby still not asleep) so continued to make a breakfast <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">bento</span> and a snack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">bento</span>. Oh, ya! I may be tired today, but I am well fed. The snack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">bento</span> was very similar to the lunch with a couple of pieces of sausage and cut up cauliflower and cucumber. The breakfast was superb – frozen strawberries dated “August 2008” and a frozen mini-quiche, again from the freezer, made from my friend’s “happy chickens”. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Mmmm</span>... summer strawberries and happy chickens - does it get any better than that??<br /><br />I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ve</span> been thinking a lot about the food we choose lately. I haven’t bought strawberries in the winter in a couple of years – they just taste like cardboard – but it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">wasn</span>’t until this year that I really started to pay attention to what <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">vegetables</span> and fruits are in season. I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ve</span> recently read <a href="http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679314837">“The 100 mile Diet”</a> and have realized that to eat locally here means finding food in the summer and freezing it for the winter. Hence the August strawberries. Man, were they good. And hit the spot in the middle of winter when it seems like we’re in the middle of another 100 year ice age. Of course, I think I could plan to hoard away enough food to get one person through the winter, but I’m shopping for 2 kids and a nanny (who cooks, too) and a husband who <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">hasn</span>’t changed his lunch since junior high school. So it’s an uphill battle, to be sure. We all have our challenges.<br />I’m not thinking this way to change the world or anything big like that, it just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">doesn</span>’t make sense to me that we insist on eating produce from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Chile</span> and China when, with some attention and planning, we could be eating far better quality stuff from actual farmers around here. It just makes more sense. I just found the <a href="http://www.slowfoodcalgary.ca/"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Calgary</span> slow food site </a>which has a fantastic directory for sourcing local foods. I think some field trips will be in order this summer!tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229048380106242310.post-70914543894158116812009-02-23T11:55:00.002-07:002009-02-23T12:02:48.310-07:00Thinking about Celebrating.Seriously – it’s the end of February already!<br />I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> been doing a lot of thinking and planning and scheming as of late about celebrating with our family. It’s almost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ayyam</span>-i-ha time which is a 4 day long <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Baha</span>’i celebration. The great thing about being a <a href="http://www.bahai.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Baha</span>’i</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ok</span>, not the only great thing) is that we don’t have so many traditions. Sometimes this is a pain in the butt because we don’t have a way already figured out to celebrate things, but this leaves us the freedom to make the celebration what we want. I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ve</span> been trying to figure out how to do this for a while now. I grew up in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Baha</span>’i family and we were pretty <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">haphazard</span> about celebrating. We tried various things from decorating mom’s jade tree to odd stealing gift exchanges.<br />Now that I’m the matriarch of my own little family (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">haha</span>) I’m yearning to create some great memories for my family. Here is the product of my brainstorm this year:<br /><br />4 types of things we’ll do:<br />Decorate<br />Celebrate<br />Community<br />Family<br /><br />goals:<br />anticipate<br />flexible<br />fun<br />creative/ thoughtful<br />tradition<br />fresh<br /><br />not:<br />consumerism<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Christmas</span> (my pet peeve – this is not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Baha</span>’i Christmas. Plus we also celebrate Christmas with other family, so it’s a big deal for me that this is distinct from Christmas.)<br />fussy<br />difficult<br />burden/obligation<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ayyam</span>-i-ha is 4 days – why not take advantage of that?<br />4 Things:<br />1. fun activity<br />2. gift<br />3. service project<br />4. ?<br /><br />I found 4 sturdy boxes with lids to decorate - they’ll contain something special for each day – a gift, a clue for a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">scavenger</span> hunt or where to find something that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">wouldn</span>’t fit in the boxes, materials to do some activity etc.<br /><br />So, this year our 4 things are:<br />1. for A. – craft materials.<br />2. for A. - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Alphabet-Stamp/dp/B000NV7L0I">letters stamps</a>.<br />3. community party at our house. this is our service project this year.<br />4. family trip to a nearby provincial park.<br /><br />I don’t know why but the gifts are just for the kids so far. This only seems unfair when I think about it too much. I don’t have any gifts for the baby yet because I can’t figure out what to get her – another toy? I wanted to make some new booties for her but I ran out of time.tired of smilinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17682019585871220635noreply@blogger.com0