artdeme

Coldest Day of the Year

2011-01-31T18:23:00.004-07:00

Since it's already 2011, I guess calling today the "coldest day of the year" is rather premature. I should say it's the coldest day of the winter of 2010-11. I'm surprised it didn't break a record, but that may go to the winter of 1994...when Josh was a newborn.
It was -50 with windchill the day we took him home from the hospital....in a car with no heat. We only lived a few blocks from the hospital, and he was well protected in a brand new little snow suit from his Grandma Jeanette, and lots of blankets.
Still...it makes me wonder what we were thinking. We did have friends who lived close and would have driven us.
I think I was channeling my pioneer roots. I grew up with stories of my Mom and Dad racing my brother, who had asthma, to the hospital in a wagon in the middle of winter. It was the late fifties. They were farmers on a homestead. They lived at least 30 country miles from the hospital too.
Josh had it easy.

It was -39 here this morning, and I had to go in to the city to get a filling.
I.
Hate.
Drills.

I hate cold. I forgot to plug my van in last night. It was a slow start this morning, and the trani and power steering pump did protest as I pulled s-l-o-w-l-y out of the driveway.

I also had a message from a friend that her son, just in his twenties, passed away yesterday afternoon. He was first diagnosed with cancer years ago, as a teen. He battled leukemia a few times, with chemo, radiation and in the spring of last year, at the same time as my brother Michael, he had a bone marrow transplant.
He's battled GVHD (graft vs host disease), common in transplant patients, since. He had another round of chemo and radiation. You'd think, through all that, a young man might get bitter and feel sorry for himself and give up. Not this young man. Not at all. I have never witnessed a more determined and positive attitude, and I have had close contact with a few cancer patients. Michael (yes, his name was the same as my brother) would walk the halls of the transplant unit, despite the pain and side effects. He was unstoppable. He was an inspiration to the other patients, and to the staff. He walked off the unit, discharged, on time, after the treatment. He had a smile on his face and a hope in his heart. He had a deep faith and a joy.

No, he was not perfectly cheerful at all times. No human could be. But he thought about his life and his mortality, and he wanted to live every moment, and it showed. My family, watching and helping my brother through his own illness, were in awe. Along with young Michael's mom, we laughed, prayed, cried and held each other as the two Michaels fought bravely.

We were heartbroken when, exhausted of strength and will, my brother passed away in his sleep at the Tom Baker Cancer Center on May 29th, 2010. Almost exactly two years after my father had passed away, also from cancer.

We cheered young Michael on though. We transferred all our hope and prayers to him. We prayed and waited and my sister made him a quilt to keep him warm. He was left very thin and was cold all the time, so we tried to send him a bit of warmth from our family.

Yesterday I heard from his mom, my friend, Terri. Michael passed away peacefully with his family there with him. I know his family. They have great faith. They know that their son, their brother, is now in a better place. But my heart goes out to them. I think of them watching the world go on, and I remember thinking, when my brother passed away, and when I lost my Dad, "How? How can you live and laugh and carry on?" But we do, we all do. We put one foot in front of the other and we walk, and we nod, and we accept the love and we make plans and we finalize things. We give thanks that the pain is over, and we weep in our own pain, and we wonder if we will ever fully fill our lungs again.

I send out a prayer to the Maker of the Universe, to hold on tight to both these brave Michaels and those we have lost, those gone ahead. I pray for peace for those left behind.

Macy Gray - Beauty In The World

2011-01-24T18:23:00.001-07:00

Kim, you made my day with your loving post going out to those strong, positive women who inspire you. You do that for me too. I had to share this wonderful song. We're dancing at my house!

Blue Star

2011-01-23T18:27:00.004-07:00

I love my Blue Star! Look at that beautiful colour. Cooking supper isn't even a chore.

A Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-01-18T14:13:00.004-07:00

Winter.

We have not had this much snow since the year Josh was born in 1994. I don't think we had close to this much even that winter. The snow piles in the yard, where the boys are shoveling, are over my head! It is beautiful to look at but we have been stuck at home for a couple of weeks. The roads are treacherous.

I saw a link here to A Simple Woman's Daybook and thought I would play along.

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... the snow is piled higher than my head, there are deep shadows of blue and grey against the beautiful white drifts, and the trees are covered and drooping under the weight of the endless snow.

I am thinking... ~how much I wish Daniel would enjoy life and take that vacation with his Dad and brothers for his Dad's 80th birthday.

I am thankful for...the simplicity of my new living room decor.

I am wearing...new soft grey sweatpants, grey hoodie with purple trim, felted slippers made by Nessa. In a word...cozy.

I am remembering... doing projects in January. Pulling out the old journals and seeing what inspired me in years past.

I am going...to try to get out of the house this week and go to Edmonton.

I am currently reading... "The Golden Thread-A Reader's journey Through the Great Books" by Bruce Meyer

I am hoping... to get lots of studying in with the boys over the next few months.

On my mind...how good it feels as I de-clutter and let go of all the stuff that has been weighing me down.

Noticing that... it's easier to keep the house clean with less "stuff" in it.

Pondering these words..."Home is not just where the heart is...."..."it is also the center of perception, the force that shapes the soul of an individual and dictates the rules of how one should behave in the world." Bruce Meyer - from book I am reading (see above)

In the kitchen... Enjoying trying new recipes and planning ahead of time what I want to make for suppers.

Around the house... Still amazed at my new kitchen. I LOVE cooking on the gas stove!

One of my favorite things...getting a parcel delivered to my door. (today it's my New Directions essential oils).

From my picture journal...Zoot. He was digging at some styrofoam packaging and a piece stuck to his nose. He tried to ignore it as we all laughed hysterically.

End of a Decade

2010-12-31T14:44:00.003-07:00

Tomorrow, when I wake up it will be the beginning of a new day, the beginning of a New Year, and the beginning of a new decade. How better to start it than with a dream of lovely days, lived one at a time, intentionally and with joy.

I always find the new year is a good time to take stock, and though I'm not great at keeping a list of resolutions, rather I like to look at the things I know, deep inside, that make a difference and make life sweeter.

This is what I am pondering.

How to Have a Lovely Day (Year, Life)

Smile when you see someone (even yourself in the mirror).
Slow down.
Say please and thank you.
Give lots of sincere compliments.
Dress nicely.
Wear your favorite perfume.
Really listen.
Pay attention to your surroundings.
Laugh.
Say "I love you".
Deeply wish others a lovely day, even if you don't get to say it out loud.

So Happy New Year to you. May you intentionally seek, and find, that Lovely Day that is within our grasp, everyday.

Do you make New Years Resolutions?

Re-Make Project

2010-10-02T17:40:00.004-06:00

Josh and I went to the local Salvation Army last Saturday and I found a couple gems. A 99 cent globe, and a great little chandelier in a box in the very back of the store. It was garish brass, but for $5 and a little TLC, it was worth it.
This is what it looked like out of the box. I thought the crystals were worth the $5 if nothing else. I like a little bling!

We stripped the crystals, covered the cut glass globe in the center with masking tape, and gave it a couple coats of white spray paint.
I use the term "we" loosely, Josh did the work. I tend to be a little too impatient with the spray paint. I put too much on too fast. Josh has a light touch on the trigger, and does a much better job.
Do you like his paint booth?

I thought I might put it in my half-bath, but the position of the ceiling fixture, door and cabinets make that grand idea impossible. It will likely end up in my studio. I love it now that the brassiness was covered with white paint and the crystals were soaked in OxiClean.
It looks great. I love the sparkle, and it looked great in my mountain ash in the front yard today, with the sun shining and the beautiful leaves.

The really amazing part of this project is that it was completed the same day as we brought it home! I hope this wonderful weather holds...we worked on a couple more projects today. Maybe we will finish them and post here...stranger things have happened.

For Karyn...and only because she's so faithful at blogging her life.

2010-09-20T18:20:00.003-06:00

Karyn tagged me in a Q and answer thing. I think I can do it! I have supper on the go, all my laundry is done, I have finished canning my relish and don't have to drive anyone anywhere for 15 minutes!

1. What was your most embarrassing moment? I always have trouble with this question. I guess it's fun to know other people's most embarrassing moments so we can feel better about our own moments when we wished the earth would open up and swallow us. There have been many of these moments in my life. I guess the one that comes to mind now was when I went to the wrong funeral.
Yes, yes I did.
I was attending as the official presence of the church I belonged to, and for whom I was temporarily acting as secretary. I am NOT good with addresses, and I did not know my way around the part of the city (I thought) the church was in. I may have reversed the avenues and streets.
The deceased was an apparently sweet old lady who had no family, but friends who attended the church I went to had adopted her and were the only people really close to her.
The church thought I should attend, take a card, and offer condolences on behalf of the congregation. I agreed, I felt a lot of compassion in the circumstances. I have a huge family and the thought of someone having a funeral in an empty church made me sad, even though I had never met this lady.
I arrived early, as I always do for any function, and was surprised to see quite a few people in the pews of the old church. I didn't know anyone there, so I took a seat in the back and waited for the service to begin. More and more people started to fill the church, some in obvious distress, and as they did I remember thinking, "Wow, for someone with no family, there are a lot of REALLY upset people here". Strange.
Finally, a few moments before the service started, to a full house I might add, I went back to the funeral director and asked if Mrs. Whatzitts (I mean no disrespect, I have forgotten her name) had a family that had been in hiding when she was alive.
He took me aside and informed me that I was at a funeral for a completely different deceased person, and then he looked up the obit for the one I was supposed to be honoring and sent me on my way, with Godspeed.
He was quite unruffled, unlike myself, who found I was on the opposite side of the river from where I was expected.
I wonder if that happens a lot?
I comfort myself with the belief that it could happen to anyone.
Right?
Right?

2. Do you recycle? Why or why not? I certainly do. I hope it makes some difference, because I feel a deep sense of responsibility to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as I can.

3. What is the most dangerous thing you've ever done? Probably driving down the trans-peninsular highway in the Baja, Mexico. It may not have been so bad if we a) had more time b) had a clear idea of where we were going (I had booked a house I found on the internet and send money to a bank account in the U.S. After doing so I had this funny little thought, "What if there is no house?"
Too late! I booked flights for 11 of my family members and we flew to L.A., drove like maniacs down to San Diego that afternoon(further than it looks on a map!) to get to the van rental place before it closed. (THAT was one wild ride! Our Motto: "To Brake is to Admit Defeat.")
Then we picked up a huge, 15 passenger van and headed across the border at 5 am the next morning. None of us had been to Mexico before. None of us spoke Spanish. We had 4 kids with us and none of us thought to stop at the border for the required Visa needed to travel more than a few miles inside the country. We were there illegally. Not a big thing going in, but at the armed military check-points every few miles on the way out it would have been a bigger deal. It's a long story , but we managed to bribe an official to sell us Visas in Ensenada. THEN we set out on the scariest road trip of my life, and I've driven on the back roads of BC, the winter highways of northern Alberta, the Trans Canada north of Lake Superior.
The Baja is something else, and we drove like mad to not end up on the road at night. There are not many places to stop, and it's hundreds of miles of just desert, rock, steep drop-off's and cactus. Throw in a few buzzards circling and it's very scenic.
Two 9 hour days and 800 MILES of that, with Levi (then about 11), announcing every few minutes as we squealed around another hair-pin turn on a cliff edge with no guard rail "Oh look! Another burned out car at the bottom of that gorge!"
We did end up where we were going; the house rental was legit and was so much more than we expected, the holiday was grand, and then...the drive back...duh duh duh!
Crazy. Loco. Dangerous.

Oh. And then there was this. Same trip.

4. what is your favorite movie and why? The Blues Brothers, for reasons I cannot articulate. I LOVE the music, Aretha slays me every single time; Jake and Elwood's dance numbers, menu picks, and that hilarious scene with the Penguin when Jake is stuck in the desk?? ROFLMHO!!! There are SO many great one liners in that movie that we all quote frequently...
"The use of unnecessary violence in the aprehension of the Blues brothers...has been approved"
" It's 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, a half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it!"
"Are you the Police? No Mam, we're musicians"
"Where's my Cheeze Whiz, Boy?"
"Elwood: Four fried chickens and a coke. Jake: And some plain white toast"
"Reverend: Do you see The Light??? Jake: Yes!! Jesus H. Tap-dancing Christ! I have seen the light!"
"Me and the Lord, we have an understanding ..."
And of course the amazing tag line, "We're on a mission from God".

*warning. Apparently there are 26 incidents of the F-bomb in this movie. I don't really hear them, except when watching the movie with people who have never seen it.
Yes!
I know!!!
Can you believe there are actually people who have never seen this movie??
We actually made up Blues Brothers Bingo cards and played them at our recent screening of this movie.

5. Do you follow a sport on TV? Does cooking count? I have occasionally had to admit I've been "Eatin' for sport".

6. If you could live at any time in history for 1 year, when would it be? I'm pretty sure I am living in the best time possible. I don't have romantic illusions about historical periods. I like the fact that antibiotics and insulin are readily available should they become necessary.

7. What was/is your favorite school subject? If you asked any of my teachers, it was definitely "socialization".
amen.
Now I love math and science and am enjoying studying with my two boys as they start their serious scholar days.

8. What game do you most enjoy playing with a group? Every time we have a family gathering with my family, mom, sisters, nieces and nephews we play Scattegories.
It's a riot.
Literally.
The police have been called. (I kid).

Dawn, can I tag you on this... Kim?

Here is your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Tag some friends, make up some questions, comment back here if you accept and have fun!

1) What is the nicest thing someone has done for you in the past week?
2) Have you ever made a "mix tape" for a boy who broke your heart?
3) Where is your favorite place on the planet, where you feel most at rest?
4) Do you get up and dance at weddings, or sit out the congo line?
5) Did you write your own wedding vows?
6) How did you meet the love of your life?
7) Which would you choose, a road trip or to fly away to an exotic land?
8) What local business do you like to support?

Have fun!

Kitchen Floors!

2010-09-20T17:25:00.004-06:00

Oh My! I love this. Dawn was doing some *ahem* Research and Development today and sent a link which led me to another blog and then to yet another blog and before I knew it I found this blog and this idea linked and I am loving it. I've seen it done a bit differently where you paint the lines on for the planks, but this looks so authentic and with not quite so much crawling around and trying to get the lines straight I'm thinking.
We are in the midst of considering a kitchen reno, and this is on the top of my list for things I want to do. I love it! I'd put on a few coats of poly-urethane because I am messy in the kitchen, and I think I'd be good to go.
As the Mr. makes plywood for a living, I'd say the chance of actually convincing him to do this is better than average!

Anyone up for a sew date?

2010-08-30T13:35:00.011-06:00

So the lovely Dawn and I have recently been talking about altered clothing, and Rice's yahoo group is planning a group submission to Altered Couture, and Judi and I were commiserating this morning about the piles of clothing we are saving to alter and recreate and get creative and productive with.
Some day.
Dawn also sent me a link today to a blog which has a tutorial on making an Anthroemptymypurse (my favorite store..to visit) inspired top. They do sell really unique clothes. Completely coincidentally, this weekend I discovered a series of videos about a designer in the UK who uses repurposed clothing. Even the dad of my boys friends shared that he wants to learn to sew because it is impossible to find stylish, artistic men's clothing off the rack.
I hear ya Ted.
Though it has improved in the last few years, there is such a limited choice in colour and style available to women too, especially if, like me, you're over a size 14. I had never thought of it from a guys point of view, as the Mr is a jeans and T kind of guy, but I'll bet it's even worse for men.
I feel your pain.

It's all coming together like this...all of us love new clothes. All of us are trying to tread lighter upon the planet. All of us desire a more creative existence. All of us are unafraid to try something new. And while we may fail to produce what we have in that perfect place we visit in our minds, where we imagine wearing our new hand-crafted dresses and re-made sweaters, and funky fabulous clothes that
a) don't break the budget, and
b) satisfy that need deep within, to express ourselves in an authentic way through what we wear, we cannot fail to have a good time, learn from the process, and enjoy each others company. (whew! Longestsentenceever)
And I believe we will succeed in coming away with unique wardrobe items. New-to-us clothes! Free and unique outfits! Freedom from conformity! Stickin' it to the man!!! *ahem* My inner hippy does burst out now and again.

I went to Swaporamrama in San Mateo CA two years ago during Maker Faire. It was amazing. The energy and creativity were through the roof. We found a shirt for Levi (darn! Not enough time to *shop* for me!), and had it silk screened by an artist who volunteered his time. I have had a dream of facilitating a similar event here at home ever since. I think I need to start small, and this is the time of the perfect storm, as they say. Here are a bunch of photos we took that day.

How it works:
Bring a bag of clothing, embellishments, buttons, fabric scraps, etc.

Swap with everyone there who has done the same. (It is sometimes sorted by type of clothing, size, colour...The event I went to was HUGE. I envision a much smaller one).

Decide what you want to do and find a sewing machine and/or a designer to help you accomplish this. At Swaporamarama events, local designers volunteer their time and talents. The machines are donated by Bernina for use at the event.

Cut, add, subtract, combine, paint, embellish...make it yours!

Have a fashion show at the end of the day.
There is a photo of me with a bag made by someone at the swap. It was made from fabric samples sewn together. Way cool! ( My post was completely reformatted by blogger grinches, so please do the best you can to make sense of it all. )

If you are interested in playing, the Lyceum is free this Saturday. If you are around Edmonton this long weekend, contact me (assuming you live close) and we will plan a great time.

Bring:

a sewing machine
bobbins and thread for your machine
scissors (mark them with your name)
embroidery floss and needles, felting needles, etc
buttons, zippers, elastic, snaps,
a bag of clothes to alter and use as raw material, for yourself and some to share
extra fabric scraps and pieces
T shirts! Lots and lots! (if you have them)
iron on stuff for doing appliques (if you sew you know what I mean, if you don't, go to the fabric store and ask someone)
Anything else you can think of that you believe can be remade into something new for yourself or someone else.
A friend who sews, who is creative, or who wants to have a great time! Artwork you have printed out (in reverse...read the directions) onto iron on transfer stuff.
bring magazines, books, drawings, pictures of stuff you think you can attempt to duplicate or that might just inspire someone else.

Josh is heat setting the shirt we did for Levi. And the half naked guy? He really needs a new shirt...he's come to the right place!

Just getting it off my Chest

2010-07-17T11:29:00.009-06:00

I thought that coming back to this blog would be a strange thing to do, as it's been sitting abandoned and idle for so long, but I needed to get something off my chest. Not something deep and dark, just a little something I have been noticing more often lately. Something Daniel has even begun to comment on. Something obvious that still needs noting.

Fast food is not that fast. Paying someone else to do something for you does not really save you time. Quality is also a huge issue here, but most people seem to cave in and order takeout because it supposedly saves so much time. I just don't see it.

So many people seem to be in such a time squeeze that they feel they have no time to actually cook. They think it is much faster to order out, or go out to eat, than to make food themselves. I disagree.
In our house, we've been paying attention to what we put in our mouths, what we are using as the building blocks of cells in our body, what we eat when we celebrate, and what we eat when we need comfort, because yes, that is a function of food in our lives. And we are conscious of something that seems counter intuitive to our culture...good food is not hard to prepare.

Last night at 7 pm Daniel pointed out that it was dinner time...did I have plans or should he run out for burgers? We had had a lazy day, caught a movie in the middle of the afternoon and lots of popcorn.
We don't order out when we are home. I looked at him like he was crazy. If we are away from home and shopping we will stop for something, but generally we eat at home. It makes no sense to us to spend $30 on mediocre (at best) fast food because we were too lazy to make a sandwich for ourselves before leaving home.

I gave this a little thought as I got busy in the kitchen. Pizza seems to be the most popular fast food for home consumption. But pizza from most take-out places is not that great...lots of crust, a few greasy toppings and a sprinkle of stringy mozzarella. Not my idea of pizza. Why would you not make it at home? It's so simple. A good pizza dough takes minutes to throw together, and a half hour of resting, raising time is all you need in a pinch. I don't even feel the need for a recipe...yeast doughs are not rocket science.

Here is my method:
In a large bowl, pour in about 2 cups of hot tap water. Add to this two or three good glugs of olive oil, a spoonful of sugar or honey and a teaspoon or so of salt and mix it a bit. Add a heaping cup of flour and stir it with a wooden spoon. Add about a tablespoon of quick yeast...I measure it in the palm of my hand, and mix it all up really well. Then start mixing in more flour, a cup at a time. It takes about 6 cups total, but it's not exact, and if you add a little less you will know if your dough is really sticky. Mix with the spoon until it gets too stiff, then get in with your hands and punch the flour into the dough. It should be soft, but not too sticky. It shouldn't be like a sludge from the black lagoon, hanging between your fingers, but it shouldn't be so hard you have to punch with all your might to knead it either.
All the recipes say you have to take it out of the bowl at this point and knead it for 5 or 10 minutes. I say "bah!" I do it in the bowl...less mess...and this is fast food! I just keep pushing and folding the dough, as the bowl sits in my kitchen sink, neatly containing any mess. Maybe 2 minutes is all I give it on a normal day. When it's smooth and soft and feels like pizza dough it's done.
I give it a little rest and start pulling stuff from my fridge to top it with. I grate some cheese, whatever I have, or grab the soft goat cheese and don't even have to grate it. Same with Feta...crumbling it is fine, and fast. I see if there is any ham, chicken, spinach, onions (I like to saute them quickly in a little olive oil till they are translucent), sliced peppers, pineapple...you know the stuff you like on top...just wing it. My fridge/pantry staples for pizza preparedness are like this:

Extra lean ham (sandwich meat)
left over roast chicken
cheddar or mozza
goat cheese
Feta
olives
peppers; fresh or canned
sauces: canned tomato sauce, jars of pesto, BBQ sauce, Ajvar (say Eye-var...it's a Yugoslav sweet red pepper sauce in a jar...it's like their ketchup...mild and delicious. It can be found in the condiment isle at Superstore, an Italian market or sometimes Sobeys)
fresh spinach
canned pineapple
real bacon bits
canned artichokes
anything else I spy that seems fair game

I gather my loot while the pizza dough sits there resting and as I heat the oven up to 450 or 500. Then I glug a bit of olive oil on a pizza sheet, a cookie sheet or a stone, and sprinkle some cornmeal over that to give it some crunch (or not...depends on how fast we want it...it would only add maybe 60 seconds to my prep time, so I usually go for it).
I then take half the dough and stretch it out right on the pan. It doesn't have to be pretty, or perfectly shaped...it's handmade and rustic...much better than mass produced, so of course it should look different too. Do the same on pan number two, (or else make one big pizza on your largest cookie sheet.)
Add a sauce of your choice. Add toppings. I put the cheese on last but some people like to get crazy and do it first.

Put it in the oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
I have a little trick to really kick the pizza up a notch or three. I had a wonderful goat cheese and fresh vegie pizza at Brewsters that was finished with a Balsamic reduction. It was unbelievable! If you want to impress someone (or yourself) try this:
While the pizza is cooking, get out a small frying pan and pour in about a 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar and turn the heat on high. Get it boiling really well, and add some honey (or maple syrup maybe? About 2 tablespoons worth) Cook it down till it's syrupy. I then take it off the heat and add a couple cloves of minced garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, and stir it up. This is liquid gold, and likely to bring about confessions of undying love from anyone you serve it to, so use it wisely!
In 20 minutes look at your pizza. Does it look golden and toasty and melty? Peek at the bottom crust by carefully lifting a corner. Is it done? Take it out or leave it in for another few minutes. Then remove it and gloat. Smirk. Smile. Drool, along with everyone else in your immediate vicinity.
Cut that pizza anyway you like it...pie shaped? Rectangles? It's your baby!
Drizzle with the Balsamic reduction, grate a little Parmesan over it or pass it on the table, and enjoy gloating. You can do 100% better than the pizza place down the street. The total time invested is about 45 minutes, from inspiration to ingestion. I kid you not.

Now, if you had decided to order in, it would likely take that long, at least to have a soggy crust, half naked, mass produced pizza arrive at your door. Would there be love in it? Not likely. It would be OK, I'm sure, as even bad pizza is still pizza, and who turns down pizza? But if you could have a real, lovingly crafted, one of a kind delicious custom made, gourmet pizza in the same time why would you settle? You also have to take into account your sense of immense satisfaction that you...YOU, made this incredibly delectable delight, and fed it to your adoring family. That is, to cop a cliche, priceless.

Also, if you had to earn that money to buy that pizza, you spent a good hour of so working just to pay it off, right? At minimum wage, someone would have to work at least a couple hours. So figure some of that time in. You do have to buy the ingredients, it's true, but a bag or flour, water, salt and yeast and a small bottle of oil will make a lot of pizzas, and the toppings are so much cheaper to buy in the grocery store. There are also savings on taxes. If you buy the ingredients at a grocery store, you don't pay GST, but restaurants charge you tax on that take
out. And a tip...and delivery. See what I mean? You burn gas making a special trip to pick up a single pizza for a single meal, but chances are when you buy the ingredients, it was a trip that will feed you many pizzas of superior yumminess. I LOVE homemade pizza. I do it on my BBQ when it's too hot to use the over. (That's another post.)

If you don't feel like pizza, make a quick and easy tomato sauce like the one from Jamie, while you're boiling up some pasta. Spice it up! Add fresh garlic, some red wine, grate some cheese on top and you are done in 20 minutes! This is what I actually did last night when we realized it was dinner time and we had no plan. I opened a large can of diced tomato, whirred them in the blender, added yummy stuff from the fridge (another great use for Ajvar is to add body and flavour to a plain tomato sauce)
We sat down and gave thanks for a beautiful, delicious, fast meal and also for the prospects of left-overs for a couple of days. That's always a reason to rejoice in a house with teenage boys!

Fast food in our house isn't just pizza or pasta. It can mean throwing a burger on the BBQ, putting a piece of salmon in the oven and cooking some rice and having a salad on the side (under half an hour on the table), or a hundred other scratch meals. With a stocked freezer and pantry, you can have more delicious, nutritious, quick and inexpensive food on the table and more time with your family. It's just a different way of thinking. Don't be intimidated into thinking good food is too difficult. Try the pizza...see what your family thinks. See how great you feel!

OOPS

2010-05-09T23:36:00.003-06:00

OK, I'm really embarrassed here. That last post, which I have removed, was meant for a (very poorly written) blog I am keeping private just for myself about my getting fit journey, of which a lot is concerned with weight loss and my relationship with food. I am so sorry to subject those of you who happened to check this sadly neglected blog with my navel gazing. *blushes furiously*. Please erase it from your memory. Thank you.

Move along now.

There is nothing to see here.

*shuffles off*

Attitude of Graditude

2010-04-03T00:36:00.002-06:00

My list of things to be grateful for is too long to recount, but I can mindfully focus on a few.

Good Friday, all it's symbols and new beginnings and growth.

Being a grandma to two, (soon to be three) beautiful, happy children. Today as Ada got out of the car when the family arrived for dinner, she ran straight to me with her arms out and wrapped them tight around me, and shouted "Hi Grandma!" It was the warmest feeling in the world.
Watching her constant surprise at finding chocolate eggs scattered (not too hidden) around our yard was priceless. Liam ran circles around her, but kept gathering chocolate and delivering it to his sister with a happy "Here Ada!" instead of hoarding it. She decided quite soon it was time for a snack and carefully arranged a spot on the sidewalk to "sitdown" and peel the foil off a little egg and eat it. When she'd had a nibble she got up and continued with Grandpa's finger in her little hand, tip-toeing around the yard until she spotted a bright egg, then yelling "Mine!" as she hurried over to add it to her bag. Such simple things can bring so much joy (to me)!

A good workout this morning, all by myself at the gym. Kicked it up several notches on the leg press after a good 5 mile bike warm up. Did bench press on my own for the first time and did great. It feels so good to enjoy the effort.

Having Liam, with a little tummy ache, ask me to just rub it for him. He settled onto my knee and just relaxed into me for a little massage and cuddle and some sympathy. It was a moment when I knew I was trusted to know what to do. Sweet little Liam.

Having my neighbours not freak out tonight. They started partying early in the day, and here at midnight it was getting out of control, yelling and screaming (though thankfully no fighting tonight). I finally decided I was going to be proactive instead of sitting and seething so I went to the back door and shouted over "Hey guys, can you keep it down?" Immediately two of them shouted back politely, "Sorry" and "Yes, sorry about that" and it's been quiet the last 40 minutes. Silent. Nothing at all. Amazing!

Road trip planning. My favorite thing to do when about to go on a trip is to find out everything I can on the internet, and in books, about the area we are going to visit. I knew there must be a thousand things to do in Vegas for families who are not into gambling or partying, and it has been fun searching them out. We are determined to see a few shows, and not pay full price for any. There are lots of amazing canyons to explore, and great architecture to oogle. Not to mention the food...(OK, I'll go ahead and mention it. Buffet's and hundreds of restaurants and Trader Joe's!) There are date farms in the area, and lots of Native American history. And shopping. Can't wait to leave!

Challenges. I'm glad I have a challenge that I am engaged in. I haven't taken my health seriously for so very long, and now, with some questions there, I have finally realized the world will not stop if I take time for me, and there is really nothing more important. Also, if I wait till things are perfect to focus on this, I'll be too far gone to get healthy. Little steps are a great start to a long journey, as corny and cliche' as that is.

And the biggest thing I am grateful for this week is that my family is close enough to one another to put aside their own busy lives and sacrifice for one another. Matthew, and Cheryl, Holly, my Mom, my nieces, my sister in law., even my family of friends who don't know him...everyone has gone out of their way to reach out and help Michael as he faces this disease with everything he can gather within himself. He is surrounded and loved and cared for and watched over. Cheryl's bone marrow has been harvested to provide him with the strength he needs to recover. I am so proud, and so grateful, and so thankful.
Faith, hope and love are working in his life, but the greatest of these is love. Seeing him recognize this happening is beautiful.

2010-03-31T09:55:00.004-06:00

Invitation by Shel Silverstien

If you are a dreamer, come in
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire,
Cause I have some flax golden tales to spin,
Come in!
Come in!

Go here if you are all or any of these things.

Vegetarian and Delicious

2010-03-14T20:45:00.004-06:00

I love the book (sadly out of print) "The Clueless Vegetarian". It's loaded with classic, easy recipes and ideas. I made this today, and served it with a spicy dal, and with Vanessa's Apple and Green Tomatoe Chutney. It was the perfect combination, everyne loved it, and I do believe it is a new favorite.

Indian Vegetable Pilau

5 TBsp butter (I use olive oil)
2 onions
1 " stick cinnamon
1 TBsp chopped fresh ginger
4 cups mixed, diced fresh vegetables, whatever combination, depending on what is in your fridge--potaoes, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, green or red peppers, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, cooked chick peas. It's a great way to use of the dribs and drabs before you do a grocery run.
(I used cauliflower, carrots and cooked spaghetti squash).
2 1/2 cups basmati, or long grain rice, raw
1 tsp turmeric
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins

Heat the oil in large pot and cook onions till golden. Add cinnamon and ginger, stir then add all the vegetables, the rice and the turmeric. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Turn heat down very low, cover pot and cook 20 - 25 minutes, till water is absorbed.
Fluff pilau with a fork, and add raisins. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

It is such a beautiful golden colour, with an incredible flavour that goes with any other Indian dish, or is great as a side dish. Wonderful the next day, heated up. It is so healthy (I know...I should say healthful) loaded with vegetables, and with a nice dal it is a complete protein.

If you can get any of the "Clueless..." books I highly recommend them. I have Clueless in the Kitchen, and The Clueless Baker too. They are a great introduction to basic cookery that explains how to begin cooking real food from scratch. The aim of the books is to show that cooking is something everyone can do. It assumes little prior knowledge, but all the recipes are fantastic, and not intimidating.

Jamie would be proud!

Marrow for Mike Fund Raiser

2010-03-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the prizes for the fundraiser for my brother.

These are baskets I made up with the beautiful products made by the Creations From Eden swap group. They looked so gorgeous in the baskets, and the bidding was fierce.

This basket was mostly baby products from Autumn and Sage. I did it in a mini suitcase, and all the future grandmas at the sale were in a bidding war for it.

A friend of a friend ended up with both of these. I am still jealous!

I'm so thrilled with the enthusiasm of the community, and with the generosity of people who donated prizes, bid on items, and supported my brother. We're counting the days till the transplant. It's happening on April 1st. The secret fund raiser project has been revealed to him, and I honestly don't know which means more..the $40,000 raised, or the outpouring of love and support from so many wonderful people.

Story Time with Liam

2010-02-21T22:09:00.002-07:00

One of the really great perks of being a Grandma is that I now have stories read to me. Liam and Ada were here this week and story time was so much fun. We were sitting on the couch and Liam picked up a book (it was a program from the Citadel...Josh went to see Sweeny Tod) and said "Oh, this is my favorite book. I've had it for five years!" He cracks me up.
The video is really bad on this, but the audio is so sweet. Liam didn't know we were recording and as a result he was much less self-conscious.
Notice Liam's new hair cut. It wasn't exactly supposed to look like this, but things happen...haha. He was too shy to show Partner his haircut and hid in the bathroom because he thought Partner would laugh. (You know what? I think he looks adorable. His eyes look so big and expressive!)

I also have projects to show but they are for a certain birthday girl who's party I missed, so I can't post them yet.

Hand Made Something

2010-01-16T15:54:00.005-07:00

I've been wanting to get lots of stuff made and it just hasn't been happening. I joined the gym a few weeks ago, and that is one great thing that is taking my time and energy that I will not cmplain about.
At Christmas time I did get a few gifts made. Then my sewing machine stopped working. My sister got it fixed up right when she was here visiting. It seems the bobbin thread was too loose. Who knew?

Anyway, I did make some bags as gifts before it quit. I wanted to make a bunch more. My "crap" room, as Liam has innocently and hilariously dubbed my craft/computer/studio room is clean and it is calling me. What is stopping me?

This is a bag I made for a sweet friend...little Maya, the youngest member (mascot?) of The Tempest crew. She was at every rehearsal and was front and center at all of the performances. When everyone in her family ordered silk screened T's from Josh of his original Tempest design. we really wanted to make one for her too. However it proved impossible to find her size in a plain, white cotton T. This was my solution. I sewed a smallish denim bag from thrifted fabric I got at the Re Use center, and lined with a pretty multi colour stripe from my stash.
Josh had done a test run of the screen on some plain cotton muslin, and I used the resulting print as a big pocket on the outside of the bag. Reports came back that Maya adored her one-off, and used to to carry stuffy pals Kanga and Roo with her.

I made three other really nice bags too. My seesters Holly and Cheryl got bags, as did my Aunt. For hers I made a sturdy denim with another of Josh's silkscreened designs. It was of a photo of the mission in Loretto Mexico from our family road trip down the Baja we did for Cheryl's 50th a couple years ago. Great memories, and my Aunt loved it. She was in Hawaii for Christmas and was thrilled to have a new tote to haul all her stuff to the beach.

No photos of the other bags. Ooops.

December 6th

2009-12-08T23:45:00.004-07:00

What a wonderful day we had on Sunday.

The sixth of December is always special because a) it's Daniel's birthday and b) it's St Nicholas
Day, and the official start of our holiday season.

There was gingerbread house building.

It felt especially festive this year because of the cold temperatures outside, the blanket of fresh snow, and the wonderful glow of family inside.

Ada showing off her new (Grandma's old) boots.

We do have some video of a spectacular rum cake on fire (well, the candles for Daniel were quite a blaze!) but Josh has them on his camera.
I'm sure you can imagine it.
Yup.
Delicious.

You Know What is Sweet?

2009-11-15T09:50:00.004-07:00

Tiramiso, also known as "nectar of the gods" around here. I interpret the recipe loosely. How can these ingredients go wrong?

I start whipping. This mixer is my best friend in the kitchen...I tell my hubby it's my version of a mid-life crisis red convertible. I like to live on the wild side!

Dip these...not lady fingers, but chocolate wafer cookie things...in really strong black coffee, with a little or a lot of coffee liquor thrown in.

Layer stuff in a pretty bowl.

Don't be stingy!

More whipped cream in there is never a bad decision.

Sift cocoa over the top.

Serve it up and watch them swoon and promise you anything.

This is a v-e-r-y sweet way to create a happy mood! (And regret. But that comes later.)

Remebrance

2009-11-11T13:05:00.002-07:00

Remembrance Day is such a peaceful day. That is kind of ironic since the point of the day is to honour those who die in conflict.

Maybe I'm wrong there.

The purpose is to honour those who have given their one, precious life so that all may have peace, all the time.

We went to the cenotaph at the Civic Center for the ceremony this morning. It always chokes me up. I see a crowd of people who gather there to pay respect. There is no big payoff for going to a Remembrance Day ceremony. There are no balloons or cake or clowns. It is a somber gathering, to stand with those who share the love of freedom and acknowledge that it came, that it still comes, at a cost.

I didn't take pictures. I can describe it though, if you have a moment to picture it for yourself.

There were about two hundred people who quietly and without fanfare gathered around the modest cenotaph in the center of the turnabout at the civic center. The sky was even a quiet, modest grey, no rain fell, no snow underfoot. It was all understated.

A schoolbus with cadets in uniform, and one of veterans, pulled up. The RCMP, in their brilliant scarlet dress and high boots, assembled and stood visiting in the minutes before the formal gathering. Some of the officers had children, who ran up to their dads, and then quietly went back to stand beside the young mothers who found a place on the curb where the children could watch.

A group of four young air cadets, the honour guard, with rifles on shoulder, did a slow, hesitating march to the cenotaph and stood at the four corners, rifle butts down, heads lowered, still.

The uniformed service men and women, RCMP and firefighters, with the cadets in formation, marched in and formed a half circle behind the cenotaph. They stood at attention.

The Captain at Arms of the local Legion was called to march the colours. He led as the flags were carried proudly forward, and they too stood at attention in front of the monument.

Taps was played, to a silent audience. The flags were slowly lowered till they were resting pointing downward. The crowd joined in singing Oh Canada, and I stood with my boys and Daniel, singing, and looking at our flag against the calm grey sky.

There was a moment of silence, unannounced but expected. We, my family, community and I, stood quietly and thoughtfully remembering and contemplating the real cost of our freedom. How the wars being fought now seem politically motivated and unpopular, but to the soldiers who are in the hot zones, it is a daily reality to fight for peace.

The bagpipes played. Is their a sadder instrument?

The Silver Cross Mother was called to lay the wreath, and as she was helped to the front of the monument, others were invited to line up behind her to place a poppy of their own. The first to move was a little girl of four or five, who went forward all alone, walking bravely up to the front of the crowd. A dozen or so little children followed, some alone, many with grandparents, and quietly added their spot of red to the stone below the cross.

"A little child shall lead them".

Then my son moved away from me and walked alone up to the cross. Daniel followed, and Josh as well. I blinked, and took the poppy off my lapel and humbly followed them.

The ceremony ended, and the crowd applauded as the flags were raised high and marched off for another year.

I always feel touched by the quietness and ceremony of the day. It's always the same. I am proud of the crowd that turned out, my community, who take a little time out of their day off and show up to support those few remaining vetrans who still make it out.

Respect is a beautiful thing to observe, and though Canadians are generally not as enthusiastic about showing their patriotism in loud and public venues, it is still special to stand shoulder to shoulder on a chilly autumn day and sing out loud for no other reason than that we appreciate those who give their lives in the service of their country.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

A Shadow of a Thing

2009-11-09T00:34:00.005-07:00

I love the way the low angle of the sun at this time of year extends shadows. I love how objects stretch and grow and reach.
Shadows are mysterious things, just think of Peter, and Wendy, trying to stitch his shadow back on.

On our holiday in September we spent a few glorious days with my cousin and her family in Vancouver, and traveling up the Sunshine Coast in their boat. We stayed at Secret Cove and I took this picture on the dock, against a neighbouring boat. It is of Josh and Levi's shadows, and it's all in good fun...no sibling rivalry going down.

Then I found this link tonight and all these amazing photos and I started thinking of how I can take more shadow pics.

Watch for them in the future.

Do you have any shadow pics? Would you leave a link in the comments to share?

Sunday Funnies

2009-11-07T11:32:00.001-07:00

Mr Wonderful's taste in reading is usualy...how do I put this...*snore*
But he follows the Grandich Blog and lately he's had a few funnies to share with me.
I am reposting this here, and please note THIS IS ENTIRELY WRITTEN BY PETER GRANDICH. Not Me.

Please enjoy, and hop over to his blog post if you want to leave him a comment. He's hilarious and smart.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

1. Vancouver : 1.5 million people and two bridges. You do the math.

2. Your $400,000 Vancouver home is just 5 hours from downtown.

3. You can throw a rock and hit three Starbucks locations.

4. There’s always some sort of deforestation protest going on.

5. Weed.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ALBERTA

1. Big rock between you and B.C.

2. Ottawa who?

3. Tax is 5% instead of the approximately 200% it is for the rest of the country.

4. You can exploit almost any natural resource you can think of.

5. You live in the only province that could actually afford to be its own country.

6. The Americans below you are all in anti-government militia groups.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN SASKATCHEWAN

1. You never run out of wheat.

2. Your province is really easy to draw.

3. You can watch the dog run away from home for hours.

4. People will assume you live on a farm.

5. Daylight savings time? Who the hell needs that!

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN MANITOBA

1. You wake up one morning to find that you suddenly have a beachfront property.

2. Hundreds of huge, horribly frigid lakes.

3. Nothing compares to a wicked Winnipeg winter.

4. You can be an Easterner or a Westerner depending on your mood.

5. You can pass the time watching trucks and barns float by.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ONTARIO

1. You live in the centre of the universe.

2. Your $400,000 Toronto home is actually a dump.

3. You and you alone decide who will win the federal election.

4. The only province with hard-core American-style crime.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN QUEBEC

1. Racism is socially acceptable.

2. You can take bets with your friends on which English neighbour will move out next.

3. Other provinces basically bribe you to stay in Canada .

4. You can blame all your problems on the “Anglo A*#!%!”

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEW BRUNSWICK

1. One way or another, the government gets 98% of your income.

2. You’re poor, but not as poor as the Newfies.

3. No one ever blames anything on New Brunswick .

4. Everybody has a grandfather who runs a lighthouse.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NOVA SCOTIA

1. Everyone can play the fiddle. The ones who can’t, think they can.

2. You can pretend to have Scottish heritage as an excuse to get drunk and wear a kilt.

3. You are the only reason Anne Murray makes money.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

1. Even though more people live on Vancouver Island , you still got the big, new bridge.

2. You can walk across the province in half an hour.

3. You can drive across the province in two minutes.

4. Everyone has been an extra on “Road to Avonlea.”

5. This is where all those tiny, red potatoes come from.

6. You can confuse ships by turning your porch lights on and off at night.

TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEWFOUNDLAND

1. If Quebec separates, you will float off to sea.

2. If you do something stupid, you have a built-in excuse.

3. The workday is about two hours long.

4. It is socially acceptable to wear your hip waders to your wedding.

Nothing Gold...

2009-11-06T12:00:00.003-07:00

Nothing Gold Can Stay

by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Our Ace of Pumpkins and Guy Fawkes.

2009-11-05T17:49:00.009-07:00

A few days ago we were doing this...

Guy Fawks (Or V) has a very pretty companion here.

Here's a very strange creature carrying off a baby who looks a little familiar.......

Then November came.

Josh loves projects.

It was a gorgeous day today (almost 20!) and he spend the day in the garage working on his Pumpkin Art.

Not a Jack-O-Lantern.

Art.

Do you recognize these hands?

Here she is!

Here's one from last year.

I'd wear it!

2009-11-02T09:46:00.002-07:00

As seen on a T-shirt that I would actually wear:

"God said it.
I interpreted it as best I could in light of all the filters imposed by my upbringing and culture, which I try to control but you can never do a perfect job.
That doesn't exactly settle it,
but it does give me enough of a platform to build my values and decisions on."

What a great idea!

2009-10-27T13:59:00.004-06:00

Please forgive the lack of an arty post. I have been having a great time at Dawn's ART at the Lyceum classes, just not a lot of time to post about it.
I have my sweet Ada and Liam here today. I called Ness and asked if I could borrow them because I missed them. Nialle dropeed them off early this morning, in the dark. Nessa had a day planned where she would get lots and lots accomplished, home all alone.

Well, that didn't work out. She got a call as soon as the kids left this morning for a subbing job at the High School. Which turned out to be a good thing as she didn't have to scramble for someone to take the kids (Pick Me!!) and she made some contacts there for future jobs. Good stuff. The students are nice to her there! Not like the nasty school we don't talk about where they scream and treat her hideously.

So here is something wonderful and interesting to consider while you go about your day. Carbon Info on Consumer Product? What a great idea! Check it out and let me know if you think it's as good an idea as I do. Thanks to The Thrifty Chicks for this!

Art at the Lyceum

2009-10-20T10:00:00.006-06:00

The lovely Dawn of Art of Humungous Proportions started teaching a new class at the Lyceum yesterday, which Josh and I signed up for. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, full of light, colour, laughter and friends.

The subject was Van Gogh, and we talked abut his life, his struggles and his unwavering passion to create the beauty that he saw in the world.
We chose a painting and proceeded to try to recreate it. Recreating masterpieces is a time honoured tradition among artists. It really gave me a window into Vincent, and a chance to see the world through his eyes. His vision was vibrant.

I was thrilled with the medium of choice for the class. I had made a set of chalk pastels a couple of years ago at a class in Wetaskiwin. I haven't used them nearly enough, and it was amazing to see that saturated colour transferred to my page.

Everyone chose briliant colours, and each picture was so incredible! Sunflowers and Starry Nights are perfect subjects for playing on paper.

It is so satisfying to get dirty doing something so inspiring!

We were all happy to share our thoughts on what the process (and that was what it was about) taught us about colour or perspective or light.

The best thing? We get to do it again next week!

Thankful

2009-10-19T17:58:00.008-06:00

I may be behind in posting, but since I started posting again it doesn't worry me. No one will care that my pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner are so late. Or at least they won't say anything if they do. (will you?)

Thanksgiving weekend is usually a very laid back affair centered around turkey and gravy. And cranberries. Sometimes we go to Slave Lake and then it includes a big adventure on the Quads up into the hills through the autumn leaves. This year we had that adventure early, for my mom's birthday in September, and decided to stay home and celebrate with Nialle and Nessa and the kids. Since they had just returned from their first holiday without the kids, we opted to do a communal dinner at their house and skip the turkey altogether. (Scandalous, I know!)

It was a succulent feast with actual courses, each served independently and leisurely. So unlike the usual loud and rowdy buffet we do when the whole family is together with all my siblings and nieces and nephews. That is every man for himself, and is completely charming and exhilarating. Sometimes dangerous, but always fun!

We packed up our contributions to the meal and headed out to our kids house. We found some pretty flowers for our hostess.

Our first course was baked brie with fresh cranberry topping, roasted garlic and bread.
Gooey and yummy!

At our second course, Ada made sure her Mommy didn't go hungry. She fed Mommy the green salad with pears, caramelized walnuts and balsamic maple dressing.

The table was beautifully set, and with the low October light it was magical.

We all had big smiles!

Next up was a brilliant creamy carrot soup and fresh, hot bisquits with fresh herb butter and homemade raspberry jam. Be still my heart!

Oh Ada! You make me laugh, even if you won't hold still for a perfect photo op! You're such a happy girl, though you just cut your first two teeth!

Between courses, we had time for stories. Grandma read Curious George to Liam (with a lot of help), and we were both shocked to note that that silly little monkey has no tail! How can this be? I ought to complain to the proper authorities! I read these books to Nialle when he was little, but I had never noticed this until Liam asked me about it. Three year olds are so smart.

Liam checks to see if he has a tail.

Uncle Josh and Liam had time for a game of Rush Hour. It wasn't even rushed. Aaaah. I love slow, stress free holidays.

Miss Ada is always on the move. She is a blur passing by, and my shutter speed is no match for her. Darling girl!

The last courses, Walnut crusted pork loin with apple stuffing, homemade crab-apple sauce on the side (made by my mom...it was a four generation meal!), autumn veggies roasted in balsamic vinegar...(mmmm...like candy), and sweet garden peas with bacon, didn't get photographed. We were beginning to moan. By the time Vanessa served her homemade pumpkin pie we were almost comatose. Considering our meal took two hours to eat, I think we did pretty well.

I give thanks and thanks and thanks again for my wonderful family. I am blessed.

Change the World

2009-10-18T10:59:00.001-06:00

Go ahead.... I know you can do it!

Check here to see how easy it really is.

2009-10-17T18:04:00.003-06:00

Under the tree.

Grandma must want a close up!

The tomatoes are a huge draw.

Joy!

More to share

2009-10-17T18:03:00.002-06:00

Giant, happy faces in Mom's garden.

A view of what a burned out forest looks like 5 years later.

September sky.

He likes to help with the projects.

Some of my favorite photos from this fall...

2009-10-17T18:02:00.006-06:00

The beach at Slave Lake at the end of September. Deserted and peaceful.

Miles and miles of it...

The water was still warm and inviting to bare feet.

Mine weren't the only bear feet on the beach that day.

Colour of Friendship

2009-10-10T02:41:00.001-06:00

This is my amazing journal! It's custom made and prepped for me by an amazing artist friend who lives a very long way from me.

This is a small hand trying my wonderful art journal on for size.

The journal, a work of art and a labour of LOvE, was created by Kim, The Queen of Arts, for our Canadian Chicks Journal Swap.

There are pockets full of treasure...

beautiful pages prepped and ready for me to journal...

And colour sweet colour! I love my journal, and can't wait to play in it. Kim, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and the joy of life that comes through loud and clear in this treasure. It has the reflection of it's creator in every single page!

On Being

2009-10-05T22:54:00.003-06:00

It's almost as great to witness something really exciting as it is to do something really exciting. And I don't mean witness as in seeing a lady get mugged in the Walmart parking lot, because that happened this summer and it wasn't great at all. I mean seeing a transforming life process that happens before your eyes.

Let me explain.

Over the last year, in my home, I've seen two amazing young men spill over with gifts and talents and joy. I've always believed that childhood is special because a child IS important; IS a real person who contributes and has value. I don't buy into the "children are important because they are our future" idea. No. Children are important because they are human beings, created and gifted and important because they are whole human beings.

So seeing my boys BE-ing has always been a very sweet gift. I feel blessed to be a witness to their life and growth. They are so much fun to be around! They are so interesting and thoughtful and full of life. Spending time with them is energizing. I love it!

The young adult (known in some circles as "teenage") years are when all the time you've spent with them, building memories and trust and values and love begins to come back in abundance. It is a time when they just seem to get it. Life is what you put into it. They become responsible around the house and grasp the fact that they are here to contribute, not consume. They see, and understand this connection. I think these years are some of the best for parents. We've sown, and now we reap.

My baby is a natural athlete who is loving his sport, and is just as comfortable with a guitar in his hand or reciting Shakespeare in front of a crowd.
My eldest is a very gifted musician who loves what he does, loves people, does useful work in his job and is a wonderful husband and father to two of the most beautiful babes in the world. He has many, many creative gifts that serve him well in making the world a much more beautiful and interesting place.
My middle child (who has never suffered from the stigma of that label) is a designer who creates and makes things as naturally as he breathes. He is always looking at the beauty of the world, at the possibility of a material, at the way that we use and manipulate the physical to become...more.
He is not "going to be" a designer.
He IS a designer, and always has been.
He makes things, and music, for himself, and with complete generosity for others.

They all have deep interest in the world, curiosity and contentment, and a wicked sense of humour. They are all good, good people who bring joy to their families and strength to their communities. They are all intelligent and capable and brave. They had these gifts from birth, I've no doubt about that. I take credit only in allowing these gifts to germinate, and providing what I could to the mix, and staying out of their way.

I look out the window and see the season changing. I look at my garden that produced a lovely harvest. It's good to recognize that potential in all creation for such abundance. It's so sweet to recognize this in our own lives. We don't manufacture the seeds. We just plant, water and get out of the way till the day the harvest comes in. And may I say...the fruit is very sweet.

How did that happen??

2009-09-23T23:08:00.002-06:00

So I had a big day today. It started out especially well, as I could actually breath. I think that cold is gone. My home grown tomatoes have magical powers!

We had tickets for the Citadel to see The Drowsy Chaperone. We had to leave fairly early, by 10:30 am for the 12:00 matinee. But first I had something I wanted to check out. I had seen a sign for a job fair a few days ago, and I knew today was the last day, so I got up early enough to mozy over there before heading into the city. Who doesn't like a fair, right? I thought I'd wander in, mingle, get some mini- donuts, pick up an application form to peruse, and scoot out so I could think things through in the privacy of my own home. Alone. At my leisure.

You know these people called it a "fair" when really, that's false advertising. What kind of fair has no clowns, no cotton candy (or for that matter no food on a stick of any description), and no balloons. Also, no livestock or ferris wheels in the vicinity; I would bet in the entire county!

I was so disappointed that by the time I realized I was the only person there, (Duh! Hello...deep fryers.... you'd get a lot more people out!) I had a pen in my hand and was handing in a job application and being interviewed by a lady who claimed her name was "Arlene". Oh really?! Hmpff!

So I may have just accidentally got myself a job. A job that sounds kind of fun, (don't they all?) with a new company that is opening in Leduc, but seriously, do I really have time for this? On the other hand, I could start a holiday fund or get a new sewing machine. Hmmmm. My plan that backfired may actually turn into something useful.

In other news, today we also saw the play (awesome!), shopped for fabric from the seesters list (stressful...so much responsibility picking thread colours for someone else!), went to the bookstore, picked up Fran and saw a so-so movie.
Oh, plus I got hit by a car in a marked crosswalk. I was crossing 104th (monster intersection) with the light, and a car decided to turn right...into me. He bumped me and I fell into his car catching my balance, then he continued to drive, knocking me again. What? I banged on the hood with my hand as I tried to get my feet under me, and the guy looked through me, kept talking on his phone and barely waited for me to clear the front of his car before he burned off. I was shaken up but not hurt, and my heart was pounding as I tried to get across before the light changed, and I didn't even think to get his plate number. Sheesh.
First no Merry-Go Round, now this.

What a day. I tell ya', they are just packed. I seriously don't know how I'd fit a job into my schedule!

Good Medicine

2009-09-20T22:23:00.006-06:00

The last time I was sick was I can't even remember ago. I don't mean feeling sore and tired and blah and in a Fibro fog...I mean so sick I can't leave the house for fear of spreading my plague throughout the land. But the donkey of denial was kicked out from under me this week. (is that a mixed metaphor or are my delusions twisted in my weakened state? Whatever.)
After coming home from holidays the boys had little achy sore throats for a couple of days, and I blithely ignored it, failing to foresee my impending doom. I was blind, floating along in a fog of contentment and post-holiday bliss, but then I too started to feel the scratch in my voice and a tickle in my nasal cavities. It developed into a full blown boar of a cold. H1N1? I would not be surprised. My Brother in Law just recovered from it.

I've been sticking to home and couch for days on end. No grocery shopping, no parties, all activities canceled. I've had boxes of kleenex and my homemade Bacteria Buster spray at hand at all times. I've sneezed so hard and so often my eyes actually fell out of my head several times and rolled around on the floor. almost.

This morning I woke at 4:11 am as the Mr climbed out of bed to begin his day. I could not go back to sleep. My sinuses hurt and my addled flu-brain raced with the thought that I had to de-clutter if I wanted to feel better. This. Does. Not. Happen. Plus, I was suddenly obsessed with the thought that if I didn't recover and my mom had to come and clean out my craft room, she would discover just what a pack rat* I've become!! That on top of loosing me! ( Not that she doesn't know this as well as she knows my middle name, which is the same as her first name, and she named me, but still!)

I'd hate her to have to leave my funeral early and go directly to my house in her state of grief and sort that whole container of thread that I accidentally dumped out on the floor at Christmas time and didn't have the heart to sort so I just stuffed it all in a bin, tangled mess that it was, and said when my time came someone else could worry about it. I also said some other stuff. **
Well. Apparently that someone else is the alien that has taken over my fevered mind and forced me to worry about cleaning and thread and clutter in the middle of the night.

I cleaned from 4:30 am till 10:am...without the benefit of caffeine I might add, Lord knows what I could accomplish if I was on the junk.
I cleaned bins and containers and sorted sewing pins by colour for goodness sake! I organized bobbins and needles and notions and then, THEN, I started in on the homeschool paperwork I have moved from place to place and filed and shelved and never, ever looked at since 1995!!! That was in the LAST CENTURY!! I actually threw most of it out, but only after I had read every, last page. (I know, I'm sicker than you thought I was. But on the other hand, if this is H1N1, you know the one that is causing all the fear of lost work time and lost productivity? Maybe they don't have to worry so much about that last part?)

So please pray for my swift and speedy recovery. Or not. Because when I staggered up the stairs muttering, and collapsed, drooling, face down on the couch at 10am, frightening my children, I had accomplished more in the way of home organization while they slept that I had in the previous decade. Or thereabouts.

I slept the sleep of the truly exhausted, uncaring of my plugged nose and sore throat and dry mouth. I woke at 12pm when the phone rang, and carried on an almost intelligible conversation with my seester, whom, when I filled her in on the details of my binge-like behavior offered to call 911. It hurt her how the illness had taken from her the sister that she knew and loved.

An afternoon of reading and resting, with almost no sneezing, and I felt ready to go outside and see to my tomatoes. I picked a huge box and a pail besides, and I knew they were just just what the Dr ordered.
And I made supper! No minor miracle in my state.
I made a meal that, should you also happen to come down with the bubonic plague or swine flu or any other nasty virus that leaves you in a weakened mental and physical state, will surely set you right.

This is what to do about it.

Gather plenty of these...I have a bunch of heirloom varieties. They are not perfect and uniform looking as the tasteless ones from the store. They are purple and green and yellow striped and luscious and juicy and sweet beyond imagining.

They are full of vitamins and flavonoids and phytochemicals, but all you can taste is the sunshine and the love!

Wash hands. Pour a generous amount of your very best olive oil into a roasting pan, chop the tomatoes roughly and toss them in. Add some chopped onion and sea salt. Put them into an oven at 450. Cook till they start to caramelize, stirring once or twice.

While they are cooking, take three or four HEADS of garlic, whole, and slice the very top off. Trust me, it's not too much. Place them on a sheet of foil and drizzle with that lovely, fruity olive oil. Wrap loosely and place in oven till, soft, squishy, sweet and golden. Set aside.

When the tomatoes are done (oh, you'll know!) place them in a bowl and give them a whiz with the immersion blender. Then open up the package of garlic (the best medicine ever) and break the head apart. Squeeze the cloves, which are now a golden, gooey lovely paste of mild sweet heaven, into the bowl, yes ALL of it, and give it another quick whiz. You know what? You won't even need more salt. The flavour of this sauce will now make a grown man cry with happiness. And the coulour?? Where do I begin? I am already feeling better.

Take some zucchini and red pepper, and chop them up pretty.

Take a big, big pot and fill it with water. Throw in some sea salt, a little more than you think you need. Bring it to a boil.

When the water boils, throw in some good hearty pasta. I like this organic stuff, with all natural beets, tomatoe and spinach colour. It's big, tasty, and really soaks up the sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, saute the veggies in a little olive oil and while you're at it throw in some garlic and seasoning salt. Don't overdo it on the heat...you want them to still have a crunch.
Chop a couple handfuls of fresh basil from the pot at your back door.

Drain the pasta, layer it all in a huge pasta tray, top with feta or goat cheese and the basil. Pass the freshly grated Parmesan at the table.
This is better than you can even imagine. It will cure whatever ails you. It represents all that is wonderful in the world of health and nourishment. You will thank me for it, your men will not complain, or even notice, that there is no meat, and hopefully it will help you sleep at night. I'll keep you posted on that one.

*AKA "slob"
**%^&*#@!

Frustration and how to beat it.

2009-09-13T00:26:00.006-06:00

I had a wonderful day with my dear friend Linda today, just the two of us, celebrating her birthday. We had lunch at New Asian Village and the food was worth every calorie. I love Indian food!
It was such an inspiring and energizing meal that we decided we could overcome our dread and go on a field trip to THE MALL. (Duh Duh Duuuuh!)
Yes, eating all that delicious food must have diverted the blood flow away from my brain. After all, it is Saturday, and back-to-school shopping frenzy is still at high alert, which means a million and two teenagers looking for the perfect pair of $200 on sale jeans, not to mention the shoes to go with them.

I detest that place at the best of times, but the sun was shining, my defences were down due to my carb buzz, and Linda was SO looking forward to being Anthropologied for the very first time. It was inevitable, and we pulled into the parking lot just in time to snag the very last spot on the whole lot. Honest.

Anthropologie is an amazing place to visit,

and though it's very, very spendy, (I saw a box of 8 wax children's crayons for 8 dollars!)

it's a great place to get ideas.

The displays are fun and fresh, with lots of little things you could copy at home.

I think it's worth the trip to Place That Shall Not Again Be Named.

It's right next door to Winners (my kind of shopping) so after Linda scored a really great pair of pants (on serious mark-down to clear out at Antropologie...what a miracle...Well, it was her birthday!) we went there to look around for something to match at Winners. The lineups were even long for the change rooms. Sheesh. But Linda can wear anything and look fabulous, and she found what she was looking for.

Me...not so much.

I shopped at a bunch of stores, looking for some tops. I had only two criteria.
1) Not butt ugly
2) Not black

I am so sick of black clothes! Everything in my closet is either
1) butt ugly
2) black
3) butt ugly and black.

("Why, Why?" she cried, gnashing her teeth, which embarrassed Linda somewhat, but good friend that she is, she didn't drive away and leave me there. Also, I had the key to The Club).

Alas, everything I found was red, black, gross muddy teal or gross muddy purple.
Where have all the clear colours gone?
I do not heart muddy colours!

The bottom line is, I came home determined to make some clothes of my own. I have a couple of patterns I picked up on holidays. I LOVE Marcy Tilton! Her collection of patterns are unique and her designer notes are clear and concise. I am determined to work on a few basic patterns till I get the right fit (she has tons of tips). Then I can have anything my little heart desires...clear colours, blues to my hearts content, whatever strikes my fancy!

I don't have to suffer through the horrid mistakes of the fashion industry! (I can make my own horrid mistakes, thank you very much!) It pushes my buttons to know there is an evil plan to brainwash us all into believing we need to buy new "in-style" clothes for every season. I am never going to look or feel good in the colours that are the in colours this season. Why should I buy into that? Why can't I go DIY in this area of my life?

I'd rather learn by my own hand-made mistakes than accept the status quo.

Because you know what?

"The Status is NOT quo!!"

*photos here are of the Anthropologie on or near 5th ave in Seattle, WA, taken on our recent holiday. (I asked if I could take photos and was given permission to shoot). No photos taken in West Edmonton Mall Anthropologie.

Remember to stop and smell the Lavender.

2009-09-09T18:03:00.001-06:00

Lavender from Purple Haze Lavender Farm, drying on my table.

I am so blessed by all the bounty in my life.

Some of the ripe Heirloom tomatoes from my garden.

Today, this minute, my cup overflows...

Sea glass and treasures picked up at Fort Worden at Port Townsend, Washington.

Here we are in September...Happy New Year!

2009-09-08T23:29:00.006-06:00

This is a picture of a book about ironing. I did not buy it.

I have always felt that September is the beginning of the year. January always just feels like something to be endured, (even though we have Josh's birthday in there, and usually manage something fun on the 5th). But September! There is canning to be done, preserving all those luscious fruits and vegetables that are so beautiful and delicious. There are new books to be ordered, new schedules to make, plans and beginnings and clubs! I love September, except for the fact that it means summer is over, it's my favorite time of year.

This is me, in Heaven, or at least on a lavender farm in Sequim (pronounced "Skwim") in Washington. I was told that I could pick all the lavender I wanted...for free.
I don't know why I was so blessed.
Sometimes you just have to accept that God really does love you.

Heaven smells really good.

I have decided to try to refocus my blog, (or not) and try to decide what I want from it. Is it a place to share what I am learning? Is it a family journal? Is it a place to share my creative side? Is it a place to brag and show off my wonderful grandchildren? (Absolutely! LOL) Once I figure it out I'll let you know. In the meantime, I will do what seems right at the time.

This is me and my cousin Kathryn on a yellow thing being dragged behind a boat in the Pacific Ocean near a place called Smugglers Cove. It was not as cold as it might have been, though I screamed a lot.

No apologies seem necessary, and you're invited along for the ride, but I can't promise you I know where I'm going!

These are some rocks I left on the beach. Because Liam told me I was only allowed to bring ONE (!!) rock home. I cheated, but I did leave some for next time.

I can't visit a beach without missing my seester, who loves rock picking as much as me. I wished really hard that she could join me and I wrote her name in the sand so that next time I go, we'll be there together.

This....well this is gum. On a wall. Lots, and lots of gum on a very big wall in Post Alley at Pike Place in Seattle.
No, I don't know why.
Yes, you can go have a shower now.
I know I wanted to when I saw it.

Tagged....

2009-03-16T23:00:00.002-06:00

...by Karyn, so I guess I'll be nice and play, mostly because I can do it from my laptop and I don't have to fight with my camera and computer who don't always speak to each other.

Here are the rules:

The tag is this.....list 7 things I love....I'm supposed to tag 7 other bloggers too, but I'm way out of the loop.

Here's my list of 7 things I love:

Learning, (even though it's often preceded and accompanied by much pain).
Evenings at the lake with my family, watching the fire and listening to the loons.
Listening to my grandkids laugh and make me laugh.
Creating something with my own hands, instead of buying or consuming something.
Lavender.
Stories of my parent's youth.
Road trips, planning road trips and looking at pictures and remembering our road trips.

Kiva

2009-03-05T20:37:00.004-07:00

I just added a link to Kiva. We just made a new loan to a single mom in Peru. My niece and her fiance are in Peru right now. They are heading to Pico, Peru to help rebuild after an earthquake destroyed half of the community. My Mom is talking about going down with my sister to meet up with Robin and Jun and work at the project.
If you are like me and can't hop on a plane, fly to Lima and ride a bus for a day or so to Pico so you can spend your time and money volunteering on your holiday, Kiva is a great alternative.

Cold Days Call for Desperate Measures.

2009-02-27T16:12:00.005-07:00

I've been hoping the weather would get warmer and spring would surprise us, but the -39 C with wind chills has been keeping me inside, looking for ways to stay warm.

One way to keep winter at bay is with a nice home-made soup. This one is such a winner. It warms from the inside out, it's very budget friendly, and it is delicious! It's from a magazine...I'm not sure which. The page just says "fit to eat". Is it Martha Stewart? I can't remember, but it is a keeper.
If you haven't yet tried lentils you should give this a go. Everyone in my family liked it, including the supremely picky 13 year old. It's spicy and thick and delicious. Be generous with the ginger. It gives it that touch of the extraordinary!

Spiced Red Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 diced plum tomatoes (or my substitute-1/2 cup salsa)
2 cups red lentils (I'm sure any lentil would work: we don't care what colour you are: we love you)
4 cups stock; chicken or vegetable
4 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon, or to taste, red pepper flakes or fresh ground pepper (I use X-tra spicy Mrs Dash)
Plain yogurt (optional)

In large pot, heat oil on medium high heat. Add first 6 ingredients and cook till onions are soft and golden, stirring often and scrapping browned bits, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes and cook about 5 minutes (If using salse, just add and stir well.)
Stir remaining ingredients into pan, raise heat to medium high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally untill lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Let stand about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.
Using an immersion (or regular) blender, process soup till thick and as smooth as you like. I happen to like a little texture, but I do like it thick and "creamy".

Makes six servings. You can top with 1 tablespoon plain yogurt if you like. I didn't find it needed anything. I have served it with caramelized onions, and that was a delicious addition!

Enjoy! The only thing wrong with this recipe is that it only makes 6 servings!

Apronology

2009-02-22T22:54:00.005-07:00

I picked up a new Somerset publication on Thursday night after seeing a movie with the Mr. I didn't know the level of inspiration I would aspire too after flipping through it. It's so wonderful I actually had butterflies in my tummy thinking of all the possibilities! Apronology could become my new favorite topic of study!

I immediately decided to repurpose a few items in my stash. One was a shirt dress in linen with a blue flower pattern, one was a blue linen shirt, and one was a denim jacket with a gorgeous, wide, blue lace trim around the hem. I loved them all individually but never wore them, and together...serendipity! I worked on it from midnight to 2:30 am, thanks to the diet Coke I ingested at the movie. (Why don't they have a sugar-free, non-caffeinated beverage?? Hello!)

I am so very happy with the way the apron turned out. It has two large pockets on the front with another blue pocket that I removed intact from the blue shirt, on top of that. I trimmed the hem with lace and added some to the blue pocket as well.

This is just prep for the Mother-Of-All-Aprons Swap that I will be creating for come Mother's Day. I won't know what kind of apron will be appropriate till I find out my swap partner. (If you like swaps, love aprons, are Canadian, and want to play, contact Dawn at Art of Humungous Proportions.)

Whew! This is the first time I've blogged in what seems like months! I've been busy with many good things, which must use more of the left side of my brain. Blogging seems to use more of the right I guess...I've been involved in some great discussions and classes and reading that have been stretching me in other directions. This creative side is still here, waiting to take over again, but for now I'm studying, searching and questioning. It's a good thing, because I have two boys who are coming up to serious study time and they are enjoying keeping me on my toes! Homeschooling like we do, following our passions and not a curriculum, is rewarding and has it's own rhythms, and I plan on dancing to that beat as long as it takes.
So if I seem to have fallen off the face of the earth, don't worry. I'm still making my rounds in blog-land and filling up my creative tank by reading and enjoying all your beautiful posts!

Need a Laugh?

2009-01-30T15:44:00.005-07:00

Blogging has not been tops on my list lately. Reading blogs gives me a lot of pleasure, but not so much posting. Maybe I just lost my focus...art?...family?...writing? I'm not sure. I'll sort it out soon.

But this is too good not to post. Nialle sent me the link with this note:

" Hey mom, you're gonna like this. Wild gesticulations, unintelligible screaming… I thought hardcore punk was crazy!"

hehehe Check this out. I can listen to it with my eyes closed and I LOVE it, but watch the video at your own risk. Don't do so with while sipping coffee, tea or any sticky beverage. Sans full mouth. Don't say I didn't warn you.

It's better than the Laughter Yoga class I did this week.

Very Neglectful in the New Year

2009-01-02T11:24:00.004-07:00

I know, I know. I got more great gifts I haven't posted, and fun stuff from Christmas. But there was a Champagne and OJ incident on Christmas day involving my camera and a 2 year old hyped up on Kinder Surprises and candy.
Oops.

Nothing TOO serious at all...his parents made sure to jump in and safe the day and the electronics. Just a little sticky stuff in the lens that I want to make sure is completely dry. Then I'm sure I can wipe it with some alcohol (no, not more champagne!) and clean it up.
I have the batteries out and if I were more motivated and less slothful (does that happen to you after the frenzy of Christmas and New Years?) I'd get on that right now.

But I think I need to lie down and have a bon-bon. Did I mention it is -41 here today!!!!? (That is not factoring in the wind chill either, which is said to bring it down to -51. )
I cannot even comment on that. At least not in plain English. I'd have to resort to my second language, which I have not had too much practice in of late. (Yes, that would be profanity)

So stay warn, where ever you are, and for those in my 12 Days swap that I haven't yet showcased, please know that your gifts are so, so appreciated and loved, and much shown off, and I will post more about them in the near future.

Happy New Year everyone!

Nine is Mine!

2008-12-21T13:47:00.006-07:00

Only 4 more days till Christmas! Wow! This is kind of like Hanukkah though, only better. Instead of 8 nights of gifts, we get 12!!

Today's surprise came from Lisa Ryder in New Zealand. Look at the ATC's. It's a full hand, 12 cards, each with personality, humour and style!

But that's not all. I LOVE this little canvas with a grid of circles! Click on it to see better. I'm still noticing new things in each of the elements...so much detail!

Thank you Lisa!

8th Day is so fine

2008-12-21T13:12:00.005-07:00

It's icy cold, -27, but bright and sunny and beautiful. There is a frosting of pure sugar over the whole landscape, and the sky is a brilliant baby blue that only happens this time of year when the air is full of ice crystals. It's breath taking! Quite literally. Stepping outside is a shock to the lungs and the senses.

But the day brought more surprises, and more Christmas! Fiona started my day out with fun and festivity!

Look at the little linen heart goodness,

and the fabric (Amy Butler? Vintage?) book mark.

I love them both! One is hanging on the door knob of my pantry cupboard, giving me a little kick of colour and charm each time I reach for a can of tomatoes or a jar of fruit.
The other is holding my place in my Tasha Tudor's Christmas book, where I see it often and appreciate it's usefulness and beauty whenever I sit down to read a bit, between projects.

Thank you Fiona! I heart them!

If you're stuck for ideas for Christmas Gifts...

2008-12-20T14:31:00.003-07:00

Please take the time to check out Kiva-Loans That Change Lives. It's so simple to buy a gift certificate in someones name. They recipient gets the joy of picking an entrepreneur to help, and it's a gift that keeps on giving. A loan is made, and when it's re-paid, it can be re-invested, over and over. One small gift can do so much and help so many. I LOVE this! It's fast, simple and secure...and no malls are involved!

Day 7 and a New Look

2008-12-19T16:39:00.002-07:00

I didn't forget to post about the 12 Days swap. I just don't have my 7th gift. It was here...now it's gone...so much for "Lucky 7"! I will post it when I get it.

I played with my blog background and header today and I like the new colours. Not so much Christmasy, but happy.

Day 6!

2008-12-18T10:22:00.003-07:00

One week till Christmas. Ruth's gift marks the half way point of the swap. Look at the polka dot paper. I have been enjoying the creative wrapping (almost) as much as the wonderful gifts!

Ruth made crocheted cuffs! Perfect for me. My girl Vanessa knits, so I can always count on her to make me gorgeous knitted things like felted slippers and tea cozies and mitts. But she doesn't crochet, and I while I can grasp the concept and understand the pattern, I have never been able to follow through on the amount of attention to detail and tension and time involved in this beautiful art.

Thank you Ruth, for gifting me this gorgeous aqua beauty with the mother of pearl button (!) and tiny seed pearl beads. Isn't it perfect?

No one can prove I haven't been a good girl this year...I have proof to the contrary. Surely I would not be the recipient of all these wonderful gifts made with such love and care had I not deserved it.
And yes. That's my story. I'm sticking to it.

On the 5th Day of Christmas

2008-12-17T11:27:00.004-07:00

Lelainia's lucky #13 is mine! This is day 5 of the swap, and that's my day, so I can now open the gift made for each of us by Lelainia. I can't show you, because that would ruin the surprise for the other artists who have to open her gift later in the exchange. ( But you're going to love it!)
Instead I'll show you the gifts I made. They are darn hard to capture on camera!

I made each artist a wallet with my favorite medium...a little of everything. Fabric, papers, ephemera, and bits and bobs...keys, buttons, old stamps and glitter and...stuff! Of course each one is different. I couldn't make them all the same if I tried. It was so much fun hunting down the scraps and material and assembling each one. It was always a surprise to see how they would come out.

I wrapped them in red paper, tucked them in envelopes and sent them out into the world. They mostly arrived on time, but I need to make a new one for Barbara. Hers still hasn't shown up. So sad! Barbara, I hope you do something nice for yourself today. Even though you don't have a surprise from me, make sure it's a special day as we count down to Christmas!
(You'll be getting another one in the mail!)

Fourth Day of Christmas

2008-12-16T09:30:00.004-07:00

...another gift for me!

Ooh La La! What's in the pretty package?

Jeannine Peregrine made me a little blue house. It's tall and thin and has texture and is divine. I could move right in. It's blue! (Did I mention that?) I love that it has words on it. In a perfect world, I could collage all over the outside of my house and write, like Jeannine did.."The sky is a blue, blue sea". Isn't that perfect?

I LOVE it Jeannine! Thank you so much!

There's another one here.

Twas the 3rd Day of Christmas...

2008-12-15T13:16:00.002-07:00

and the little bird was at it again.

It's a wee bit warmer here today. It's only -27.

Yes.

That's my world folks.

One where -27 actually gets mentioned because it's warmer!

But I digress. The bird is fast becomming my new BFF. He flew in this morning with a little silver box from Texas! Amy sent this pretty package, tied up with pink string.

What makes it worthwhile to crawl out of bed when it's this cold? Dominos! A perfect silver soldered Domino and the letter "A"! ("Today's programming is brought to you by the letter "A" and the number "3")

Amy did it! Isn't she wonderful? I'm wearing it now, and I am not taking it off! Thank you Amy. I may not be a ten, but I'm a 9!!

On the 2nd Day of Christmas...

2008-12-14T16:53:00.006-07:00

I woke up very early this morning. Liam was here. Last night we snuggled on the couch and watched the full moon through the icy front window. While we were sleeping, it circled all the way around to the back of our house, and Liam noticed it when I was making him breakfast. There it was, stuck in the frosted branches of our big tree in the back yard!

It's cold. - 36 Celsius. But this morning brought more than frigid temperatures. Look! This brave little bird brought me a mysteriously wrapped little gift from Penelope.

It's a perfectly adorable little hand bound book! It's cover is richly textured and hints of the secrets inside...

It does indeed hold magic! Each page has a pocket, with an inscribed card tucked inside. The cards reveal the secrets of that greatest of all scientific mysteries; Alchemy!

Alchemy is the lost art of turning ordinary materials into gold. Penelope achieved that objective very well. The little book is much more than the sum of it's parts. It's beauty and charms surpass the expectations of mere paper, a bit of string, a bit of heavy fabric and a pair of beads.

It's a precious gift I'll treasure forever Penelope. Thank you!!!
See more here...

On the First Day of Christmas....

2008-12-13T10:16:00.003-07:00

Kathy gave to me....

I've been so patient! In early November I sent off 12 parcels to the most wonderful group of artists you could imagine. I waited as one by one, and two by two, 12 gifts mailed by the group have trickled into my mailbox.

This little bear is snuggled up to Gift #1, with it's pretty black and white paper and perfect little red heart tag...

Look what I got! It's an amazing and beautiful pendant.
Kathy Strittmater, of Denver Colorado created the first gift from a used shell casing (*funny story about that to follow), silver wire, brass washers, a cool gear off something, a strip of old text, a shiny crystal faceted bead, and a lot of care and attention. It hangs from a ball chain at the perfect length.
I love it Kathy! Thank you so much!

Here is Kathy's post from the Dozen Days group. Thanks Kathy, for being willing to "take a bullet" for the group!

"The Long Lost Bullet:

Here's my story!!! A long time ago a friend of mine gave me a bag
of tarnished used bullet casings in various sizes and he said "I know
you'll figure out something to do with these". I've had them for
years and recently thought about making a pendant out of them for our
exchange. Since there were several sizes, and I'm not the least bit
knowledgeable about guns and bullets, I took the bag to work to ask
some of the men that hunt if they could tell me about the different
sizes. I started with my boss, and that was the wrong person to
ask. He promptly told me that I had violated our company policy on
bringing firearms and contraband into the workplace and he could
immediately terminate my employment. I stood there stunned and
said "are you serious – they are empty bullet casings" and he said it
didn't matter, it was a violation of our policy and I needed to get
them off property immediately. And I was not allowed to go put them
in my car as we have a vehicle search policy at any time and now that
he knows that I have them, I cannot put them in my car or they could
search it. I am still in shock and disbelief at this point because
to me it was so innocent. So, I took the plastic bag of casings
across the street from our building and put it in a ditch. I wrote
myself a note and taped it on my steering wheel so I would remember
and pick them up after work that night. I figured I was now good to
go. Well………lo and behold, I leave work at the end of the day to come
out to the parking lot and I see a street resurfacing crew tearing up
the street and they are right by the ditch where I left the bullets.
There were several pieces of heavy machinery right there moving dirt
and I knew for sure the idea of getting my bag of bullets was long
gone. They have to be buried in dirt and asphalt by this point. I
was so distraught – I was about ready to cry. I was bound and
determined to get more casings, so I looked up in the phone book to
see if there was a gun shop in this small town where I work, and I
went on my lunch hour the next day, found what I wanted, purchased
the casings, left them there to come back and pick up after work
(explained to the old man why I couldn't take them with me at that
time) and I made what you have today. The original ones were all
tarnished and I was in love with them, but hopefully the new ones
will get tarnished sometime. So, something so simple could have cost
me my job, but never my spirit. I hope you enjoy wearing the "Long
Lost Bullet".

Kathy"

Counting Down to the 13th

2008-12-09T15:25:00.006-07:00

It's really starting to feel like Christmas, what with the snow and the -20 C temperatures. Brrrrr..... It's all I can do to stay warm. Just looking out my window makes me shiver! I can't wait for this! Look at all the goodies that arrived in my mailbox over the last few weeks. The anticipation is half the fun!

On Saturday Mr. Wonderful had a birthday. It was pretty special because we had a lot to celebrate. We saw the specialist on Friday and learned for certain that the "thing" on Daniel's back was not something to worry about. We had been told a couple weeks ago that it was all OK, then we had a call from the surgeons office that Daniel was to come in so they could discuss the"next step", but they couldn't tell us what that meant over the phone.
We didn't want to worry, but that sounded a little ominous. It was all good, and we are very happy, and we had a little celebration with family and a few friends!

Look who got all dressed up!

Yesterday Liam came to visit, and managed to convince both his uncles to have a nap with him. There was a lot of snoring going on, but I don't know if anyone got too much rest.

Today is my sweet sister's birthday! She's been getting into the holiday spirit with parties, and skating on the canal in Ottawa, and visits to see this guy. I know for a fact that she's been a really good girl, so I hope all her wishes come true this year. She deserves it!

I love you sis!

Ada Grace

2008-12-03T14:52:00.003-07:00

I guess she's not afraid of spiders!

Cheerful Heart = Good Medicine

2008-12-03T14:25:00.003-07:00

Despite all the outlandish politics in Canada this week, (and believe me, it's bad), I have many reasons to smile.

Ada is a ray of sunshine. I got to babysit her today while Liam went out with Mommy. It's the first time she's been away from her Mommy. I don't think she was too traumatized.

Zoot was the object of her attention, making her squeal and positively vibrate every time he walked by...just out of reach. She is really trying to crawl. Apparently she doesn't have enough cat hair in her diet.

The reason Ada was here was because this goof went to get his first haircut at the salon. He sat much better than he did for his mom, as evidenced by the fact that he has hair left. Last hair cut, (home made) he wiggled and fussed so much that Nessa ended up just shaving it all off because he wouldn't sit still for her to cut it straight.
He's quite pleased with himself this time, and he pointed proudly at his mouth to show me where he put his chocolate (bribe) from the salon. So, here is his new Funky Fro!

Zoot Helps Decorate

2008-12-02T17:33:00.005-07:00

Each December Josh always gets excited early to decorate for Christmas. He's good at getting out the old suitcases filled with the early decorations.

There's Santa, making his annual trip around the world...he goes up with the globes.

There is the little paper village that Josh made many years ago
that is carefully placed on a mirror.

There is the nativity we found at a global market before the boys were born. For some reason Zoot feels he must welcome baby Jesus back by licking him, and his stable, every time we unpack it! Is that weird or what?

Every year, Zoot is as excited at Josh to see the old friends we unpack. And every year, when there is room in the suitcase, Zoot must crawl in and curl up for a nap.

This little guy comes from Port Townsend. Daniel and I bought him on our honeymoon. He's pretty special.

This time of year is the time for memories.

Dozen Days of Christmas

2008-12-01T15:20:00.003-07:00

For the last couple of years I have been part of a gift swap with 13 artists, hosted by Lelainia Lloyd. I make 12 little gifts, all of a kind, and mail them out to 12 other artists scattered far and wide around the globe. We all do the same, and on December 12th, we will each begin opening one gift per day till Christmas Eve. It's a magical experience!
Each of us have an assigned day...mine is #5. On Day 5 (December 17th) all the other participants will open my gift, and so that I am not left out, I will open the #13 gift...the extra gift. I can't wait! This is the picture of my wrapped gifts before I packed them up to mail.

Here is my contribution to last year's exchange. And here.

Dawn and I are excited to be in the same group this year. She is #8.

You can check out the Blog for Dozen Days of Christmas here.

I'll be posting pictures of the gifts as I open them. Do you think this might just inspire me to actually blog?

Good News and "P*rn"

2008-11-15T22:42:00.004-07:00

So much had happened since I last posted. Life is like that. I don't not post because nothing is happening. The opposite is true. Life is busy, fast and furious, and sometimes just plain messy.
We spent the last two or three months in concern about Daniel's health, which, as it turns out, is just fine. I can't even tell you how happy we are to learn that it turned out to be nothing more than scar tissue around his spine. Tests and tests and still more tests were done. Specialists were consulted. Nails were bitten, and prayers offered. And we can relax and be thankful.

There were a lot of other wonderful things happening at the same time, and it was all just too much to share, because how can you say "I'm really worried and at times I am terrified but I am carrying on like everything is perfectly fine" without alarming others.

Thank you to everyone who did know, and offered encouragement and love.

By the time we got the good news we just wanted to carry on without the weight of it, and have fun.
This past Friday was a very fun day. Liam came to spend the day with us. Nialle dropped him off in the morning and we had the best time just chatting and playing with him. There is nothing like conversing with a two year old to cheer you up! Daniel and I laughed till we cried. How can Liam be so funny? He is quite a conversationalist already. He is very observant, and constantly comments on the things that effect his world. And about every 20 minutes or so he says "I'm hungry".
He didn't like the idea of using the washroom here, until I pulled out the big guns. Then he thought it was a fine idea. (Sorry Nessa, we finally just skipped the stickers and went right for the chocolate chips. Desperate times call for desperate measures.)

Then, in the evening "Grandpa Partner" (Liam's name for Daniel, who has always called Liam his partner) pulled out the popcorn maker and the popcorn. We thought the sight of it would excite Liam, as most anything edible does. He didn't blink an eye. He didn't get excited when I put the pot on the burner and added the oil, or when I dumped in the popcorn and started turning the handle. Daniel and I were astounded! (This is enough to start a feeding frenzy at our house. Our teenagers still start circling like sharks when they even hear the sound of popcorn being shaken in the jar!)
Were his parents that seriously neglecting his culinary education? (How could they?)
When it started popping I opened the lid once or twice as Grandpa held him up so he could see the popcorn zinging out of the popper into the nether regions of the kitchen. His eyes got bigger, and soon he was catching on. (Hmmm...I suspect popcorn falls into the category of sneaky snacks* at his house. Is this true?)

Well, the Travnik clan are infamous for their lack of etiquette when it comes to eating popcorn. Handfuls are semi-consumed as bits reign down on the floor. I believe it's why God invented vacuum cleaners...so we don't need to show restraint in eating this ambrosia. We may have encouraged Liam to indulge in like manner. He certainly liked sharing handfuls with Grandma and Partner. He's so generous! Hilarious too, as with a full mouth he kind of morphed the words pop corn into one word, dropping the second two syllables of the first word and the first syllable of the second word and coming out with a one syllable word. Which given the complete lack of self control, was kind of fitting, but made our eyebrows jerk up when we considered what his parents might think if he went home and used that word. So we spent some time working on enunciation.

Tomorrow we'll have four generations here for lunch. My mom is coming in, so Nialle and Nessa are coming for lunch with Liam and Ada. I can't wait to see what brilliant new things Ada learned since I last saw her two weeks ago. She's probably crawling!

*Sneaky snacks: food consumed by parents after the children are put to bed at night to preclude sharing.

Turning a New Leaf

2008-10-05T23:44:00.005-06:00

Fall.
Things are falling...temperatures...expectations of warm weather...and LEAVES. It is happening all around us.
Liam and Ada came for a visit with their Mama. It was a busy day.

Liam had his work cut out moving all those leaves. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of hard miles on that Tonka. All those leaves were in the wrong place! He had to rearrange everything!

Some went here.....

In fact a LOT went on Uncle Josh.

He also had the big job of introducing Ada to all this fun. She was such a good sport. Even when he tipped over and dumped her face down in all those crackly, scratchy leaves. Her lip came way out, but she didn't cry at the indignity of it all. What a trooper!

It was a welcome break for me. I've been buried in paperwork for the past week. I think I have the first giamungous pile ready to go to the accountant tomorrow. Then I start on the next job...even bigger. I am trying to shed my habits of procrastinating on things I don't like to do. (It's a long hard road. I'd much rather continue in my fantasy world that Procrastinators are the leaders of tomorrow!)

Out of the paper piles into the fun. This Grandma is enjoying following their lead!

Great Ending

2008-09-28T09:44:00.008-06:00

We're home!! We left Whistler on Thursday morning . it was a last minute decision to leave rainy Whistler early and spend a couple days in rainy Vancouver.

We called Hotwire and scored a room at the Hilton...in Richmond. It was a little out of the way as we were planning on visiting fun cousins Kath and Court, and their wonderful family, who live in Coquitlam. We didn't really know if they'd be free, but as it turned out, they adjusted their schedule as soon as we called so we could get together. So after a beautiful walk through Stanley Park on Thursday afternoon, Daniel and I trusted our fate in Martha's hands and set off to find their new (to us) house.

What a great family. We don't often get to spend time one on one, and the kids hardly know us, because whenever they visit Alberta there are usually a hundred other relatives around. Kendra and Nolan are younger than Josh and Levi. The last time we visited their house was so long ago we have a picture of little Kendra, happily lying in her Daddy's guitar case! Now she is a confident and beautiful young lady with the most amazing smile. Nolan is helpful, warm and has the most delightful sense of humour. He made us laugh out loud many times with his fun personality. Forest is the eldest, about the same age as Levi. Forest and I have a lot in common. Food is a sure way to make us both happy! (Especially carbs and sweets. *sigh*) It was great to see them all!
We ended up ditching our hotel reservation on Thursday and staying overnight at Kath and Courts. They have a guest suite and assured us we were most welcome to it. It was a lot easier than trying to navigate through Vancouver in the dark, going somewhere totally unfamiliar to find a hotel room, especially as we stayed on into the evening.
Friday morning we had coffee and a nice visit with Kath after the kids were off to school, then Daniel and I went off for a day of exploring Granville Island. We had a lot of fun, and too many desserts! We looked at all the shops in the market, and all the booths and all the galleries. What a feast for the senses! We hadn't been there since about 1997, so it was all fresh and exciting, though I love it so much I think I could happily visit every week!

I picked up a fun book for myself. Keri Smith's Guerrilla Art. I found it in a little shop called Paper-Ya. I seriously could have stayed in that shop all day and spend a lot of money! I showed such restraint. Aren't you proud of me?

Friday evening we met Kath and Court at the Coal Harbour Marina, where their boat is moored, and we all took a cruise around the point, along Stanley Park and into False Creek and Granville Island.

The city looks totally different from the water.

It was beautiful, seeing the city lights come on as the sun went down. Court then cooked us a fantastic Italian dinner in his fully stocked galley kitchen there on the boat, which is not what I know as a boat. It's 50 feet long, and beautiful! It was such a fun evening!

Though they invited us to stay overnight with them there (Yes, there is a guest room on the boat) we headed to our hotel. It was a short night, as we were out of the room by 5 am and on the road. We stopped for lunch in Jasper and made it home in time to take the boys out to dinner. There was very little traffic, and the time flew by as Daniel and I listened to CD's on Thomas Jefferson Education all the way home, discussing the upcoming year and all the things we will be learning.

I'm glad to be home. I missed all my kids, (big and little), a lot.
Today the sun is shining and the day is absolutely splendid! I had a lovely time in BC, but I really missed the Alberta sunshine!

Journaling

2008-09-24T20:58:00.004-06:00

So Dawn hasn't posted another Joy Journal page yet, and my supplies I brought along couldn't be left to languish in their bag. I did a spread on the week here at Whistler. I used maps and stuff from around town, a tea bag of my favorite herbal tea, and a little photo of the town in full autumn colour.

We're off to Vancouver tomorrow. We hope the weather is a bit better than it has been here in Whistler as we plan to do Granville Island and Stanley Park. Even in the rain, I know it will be a fun experience.
I am having so much fun hanging out with my best friend. We love to spend time together, and it hasn't been easy making a way to do that.

Two more days, and we head home. I am looking forward to that too. I miss the other men in my life!

A Fine Day Out

2008-09-23T19:03:00.004-06:00

All we need is some cheese Gromit!

We woke up this morning, and instead of the drizzle we were expecting, we saw the sun shining, lighting up the mountain in the most delightful way.

After a walk about the town, we headed out to Squamish for fish and chips. Fresh snapper and chips, delicious and piping hot, and a look around town.

We almost decided to head into Vancouver, but thought we'd save that for a full day. Besides, the sun was still shining so we turned around and headed back to Whistler and the Gondola.
What a view! We saw a bear below us at the 13th support. He was fat and unconcerned with all the mountain bikers swarming the mountain. There was snow at the summit; 7 1/2 inches of fresh powder overnight. The air was unbelievable crisp and fresh, and it was a chilly 1 degree C up there at 6000 feet .

Gorgeous! I want so badly to come back and ski this mountain with the boys! A year ago I didn't think I'd ever ski again, but as I feel better and better, it gives me hope that it can happen. I can do this!

I told you this was an inspiring place!

Possibility and Abundance

2008-09-22T16:20:00.005-06:00

I got up this morning and looked out the window in awe. How inspiring is that?
The mountains are classics. They are a metaphor for life in so many ways. They are challenging, beautiful and unmovable, profound in their intensity, rugged and HUGE.

Daniel and I had a light breakfast and headed out the door. We decided to walk over to the base of the mountain where the gondolas take off. From there, we could see the base of Blackcomb, and the chairlifts there, and walked along the river to that area of town, which we had not yet explored.

There are two mountains here at the resort, and they are of an unbelievable scale. They are currently connecting the peaks of these mountains with a new gondola, with the longest unsupported span in the world, traversing the distance over 500 meters above the ground. Two of the cars will have glass bottom. We had to have a look. From the ground.

We headed out for a stroll in the general direction of Lost Lake. There are miles and miles of trails that cover the valley and the town.

We chose an easy route, about 3 or four miles in all, that takes a loop around a small green lake just out of town. It was a perfect distance, and we worked up a good appetite by the time we got back to civilization.

We had Greek food for lunch, and then came back to our room. I had a sauna, Daniel had a soak in the Jacuzzi and now he's having a little catnap before we head out and do it all over again.

I'm reading Diane Jeppson's A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion, taking copious notes, and scribbling like crazy all through the book. It is a classic, and very practical. I'll be full of inspiration by the time I get home. I love the fall. It feels like a brand new year is starting, and that anything is possible! The colours and the crisp scents in the air just seem to confirm this.

I hope your days are full of abundance too. Remember to enjoy the beautiful colours in your life, no matter where you are.

Who does this??

2008-09-21T12:00:00.006-06:00

We made it!

The drive up to Whistler from Kamloops was crazy! It was just like driving the Baja, except there isn't desert to die of thirst in (excuse me...in which to die of thirst...my grammer goes out the window in times of extreme stress) if the plunge off the side of the steep cliffs doesn't kill you.
It's just raging water in the bottom of the chasms! People who go off the road here aren't burned out shells at the bottom of the cliffs like in Baja...here I'm sure they are just never found!

Perhaps I exaggerate a bit, but not much. Highway (and I use that term loosely) 99 is narrow, twisty, steep, and punctuated with one lane, (yield to oncoming traffic) WOODEN bridges with switchbacks (top speed 20 km/hr) and 15% grades!!!

White knuckle praying all the way people. Daniel thinks Prozac would be a good idea. For me of course. He was fine.

If you plan on driving to Whistler and have a tough constitution and no control issues, then perhaps the scenic route is your cup of tea. (I should never trust that word...scenic. It should be spelled t-e-r-r-i-f-y-i-n-g!)
If that doesn't appeal to you, take the Coquihalla. It's fast and furious, but much tamer.

Misto and Mountains

2008-09-21T11:26:00.005-06:00

Whistler is even more beautiful than I expected. It's location is perfect...mountains, wilderness and development...the perfect balance. The tourist area is all pedestrian friendly, cobbled streets with no motor traffic, shops and restaurants, not too many people at this time of the year. I love it.
Our rooms are right in the heart of it all. We look out over the mountains, facing west. Our entrance is on the Village Stroll, a ped only street with great little shops.
Our unit is huge, three levels for the two of us. We arrived and looked around with a bit of dismay...so much room! We could have brought everyone...Josh, Levi, Nialle, Ness, Liam and Ada, and we could have split up and each had our own level and lots of privacy. Next time. This time the name of the game is R-E-L-A-X. We have two balconies, and the lower level balcony has a private outdoor room with a 6 person hot tub. The master suite has a 6 person shower...well, two shower heads, but it's HUGE, and is also a sauna, with seating and everything. That's where I've been hanging out for rehab. Aaaaah. Heat!

It's very cool and misty here, it rained all day yesterday. We dug out an umbrealla and saw the town. And the Starbucks. We've found four so far. We also went to a time share presentation at a beautiful resort. Why? They gave us a choice of $150.00 cash or $50.00 cash and an official Olymic jacket. The presentation was an hour and a half and it WAS pouring out, so we did it. The timeshare is RCI, one we are members of already, and we told them up-front we are owners, and they still thought we "might be interested". We are..in booking at that resort next time! Heated sidewalks in the pool and water slide area which is outdoor and open year round.
In Whistler.
I know!
How cool is that?

So ya, I got a great jacket. It will come in handy this week. People here are expecting snow.

I am curled up by the fireplace doing journaling and reading, Daniel is in the jacuzi, I have a potof Earl Grey by my side and hot milk and vanilla on the side.

My favorite hot drink from Starbucks is the Misto...or London Fog. It is Earl Grey-double strong, steamed milk and a shot of vanilla. Perfect for this weather.

We are enjoying ourselves heartily. The boys are doing wonderfully at home keeping Pat company and getting their studies done. We are not stressing about the weather, and what we can or can't "DO". We are just being together, reading, planning, recharging.

And looking out the window at the invisible mountains. They are out there somewhere. Just like our future. Big and mysterious and exciting. And once in a while we get a peek.

Joy Journaling

2008-09-18T12:27:00.005-06:00

Dawn from Art of Humungous Proportions is hosting a Joy Journal, with different prompts offered up occasionally. She posted the first prompt well over a week ago...maybe even two weeks. I finally got the pages done. It was a fun exercise! If you want to join us, drop Dawn a line.

You must check out Dawn's newest Faux Gogh. If you've been reading my blog you've seen the amazing chair she did for me. Now she's working on one for herself. It's just stunning!!

Now I'm off to the mountains for a romantic holiday with my sweetie. Hopefully they have high speed at our hotel. If so, you can expect some updates from the wilds of British Columbia.

Sunshine

2008-09-17T10:07:00.004-06:00

The weather here has been fabulous the last week or so. I wake up to sunlight streaming in my east facing windows in the living room. No one enjoys it as much as Zoot. He melts into a puddle of goo till the sun moves around the south side of the house, out of his reach. Then he goes out in the yard in search of a sunbeam. Oh, to be a cat.

Afternoons, after Math, reading and housework are done, I make my way out to my "barn" studio to play. At this time of the year, the sun pours in through the south window late in the afternoon. The sun is much lower on the horizon now. I love the way it warms the room, turning everything to gold. With the doors thrown open and Zoot wandering in and out and the leaves floating gently down off the trees, it seems there's nowhere I'd rather be. Peace reigns in the early autumn light, no matter what else is going on in my life.

My Littlest Sweetie Pie

2008-09-15T23:26:00.005-06:00

Isn't she adorable? Red hair! And the sweetest smile!
Ada Grace turned two months old on September 9th. Her mommy has her hands full. If you want a laugh, especially if you've ever been a mom to a two year old, read Nessa's blog post here.
Liam NEVER pulls that stuff with me...he's a perfect little angel! (Have I mentioned how much I love being a Grandma?) Love 'em, wear 'em out, send 'em home!

Fun with Liam: Nutrional Nightmare

2008-09-05T23:20:00.007-06:00

Monday was a holiday, and as the boys were gone to the lake in Saskatchewan, Daniel and I had the day to ourselves. We had no huge plans, so when Nialle called to see if we wanted a boy for the afternoon we jumped at the chance. It's not every day we get Liam all to ourselves with no uncles around to distract him!

Liam loves to play with trucks and diggers..in the "dirty dirt".
Except when he says it, it sounds like "dooor-dy doort". He loves to have Grandpa play with him. There are lots of sound effects! Loud, doorty sound effects. And holes in the lawn, such as it is. Fortunately he also likes to drive them on the garage pad. I don't think he'll be doing any damage there!

Well, doing demolition, or construction, or whatever...works up an appetite, so we went off (in "Grandma's car"...the van, which Liam LOVES!) to Wendy's for chicken.
Grandpa had the Baconater. Ya.
He hasn't got the results back from last weeks cholesterol test. So of course it follows that the bacon grease doesn't count, right?
We also ordered french fries, because as Liam well knows, they are not really bad for you, being just a vehicle for ketchup consumption. A very efficient vehicle. So the french fries don't count either. We won't talk about the ketchup.

We were too full for ice cream, and we had bigger and better plans. Grandpa went to Timmy's and bought me the biggest Ice Cap. But it was just the old original at a mere 500 calories, not that bad new Supreme at 640 calories. So I feel very virtuous. And pure. And I didn't drink it all! I only had a few sips. I couldn't pry it out of...uh...(Nessa? Are you reading this? Because if you are you might like to remain in a state of ignorant bliss about who exactly is the Ice Cap fiend in the family. But I threw it away when it was still over 1/2 full, OK? See. I am a responsible adult. You can trust me with your first born.)

Now we wanted to surprise Uncle Josh with a new bed while he was off in Saskatchewan, because I happened to go into his room the other day and his 5' almost 10 " frame was crammed into his bed and his neck was like this...."7". I swear, it was like a number seven! Kinked over because he's just too big for his old bed. Sleep Country was calling us.
Grandpa and Liam tried out every mattress in Sleep Country...and we were still out of there in about a half hour tops! We were a lean, mean, bed buying machine! They gave us a deal! They threw in free delivery and a new pair of pajamas and Mr Bean's Teddie! (Well, they would have if we hadn't accepted their surrender and left the store immediately, toddler in tow.)

Were we hungry yet? Did we need more sustenance? Of course not! So we went to the Marble Slab ice cream place. Have you ever seen a two year old get brain freeze from eating strawberry ice cream at Mach 1? It's really funny. Because they don't know what hit them, and they just pucker up and push away the rest of the ice cream and say "no, fank you", over and over while making a funny face...it's great!

In fact being a Grandma is great. I love everything about it. Don't let any one tell you it's depressing, or that it makes you feel old. It keeps me young!

Although a sensible diet helps too.

*Note to self: Exercise common sense when dining with grand-babies...and grandpa's.

This is Liam on the drive home. He was what my Mom would call..."all in but his shoe laces."

Exactly!

A Post with no Pictures...Because I was Locked in a Barn

2008-09-02T11:15:00.005-06:00

What a weekend! Have you ever been locked in a barn? I have. Sort of.
But there was a silver lining...I was in THE Art Barn, (not a smelly barn full of cows), and I had at my disposal all of my supplies to create and play, a comfy chair, and books and magazines to read for inspiration and entertainment.
I did OK.

It all began when my seester was here visiting and practicing the art of living the creative life. Last week was all about getting to spend time together and do what we both love to do, what our whole family has always loved to do...be creative. One afternoon however, duty called and I had to go off to volunteer for Friends of the Library, like I do every week. Holly went to visit her sister-in-law, and when she arrived back at the Art Barn before me, she let herself in with the key hidden in the secret fairy spot in the tree. (I feel confident telling you this...don't misuse this information). We arrived home just minutes after her, and off we went on a visit to see the grand babies, leaving the key on my kitchen table. Do you see where this is going? Uh-huh.

Holly went home Thursday evening, the boys left Saturday for a weekend with friends at the lake, Mr Wonderful went to work on Sunday and I had the day to myself. Oh, the plans I had! Visits and fun that involved doing some Art, then going places with people. I was in my work clothes, covered in paint and looking pretty ...uh...productive. I walked out my back door, hands full of supplies, headed to the Barn. I pulled the door closed behind me with my toe. As it swung shut I had that moment of illumination, that maybe this wasn't a wise thing to do, because, you know, was the door locked?
But I shrugged off the feeling, after all I always had the key in the tree, right? *ahem*

A while later I needed something in the house and as I turned the doorknob my suspicion was confirmed. It was locked. With foolish confidence I skipped out to the secret spot, which will always and forever remain a secret, (except to all of us here on the internets...but I trust you) and Lo! With great surprise and indignation realized...the key! The key is not here! The key is in fact sitting on the kitchen table where we left it!
And no one is around, and I have no car keys and no phone and no food (!!!) and it is approximately twelve noon and the Mr will not be home for another seven and a half hours.

I did what any calm, rational person would do. I jumped up and down cursing and performing a maneuver I like to call "The Modified Stationary Panic" after the brilliant and hilarious writing of my late Dad's favorite author, Patrick McManus. But I wasn't feeling brilliant and it was anything but hilarious. At that point. But I digress.

I spent an afternoon wishing I had given a set of keys to a neighbour. Not the pot smoking, wild party neighbours, but the kind family next door. Except it wouldn't have helped, it was the long weekend and everyone in my neighbourhood was gone. Except for the pot smokers. And truth be told, they were looking pretty appealing.
But not as appealing as the realization that I could get a LOT of Art done in 7 1/2 hours with no distractions. (Like food).
It was like I was all alone in the world just like Will Smith in that Zombie movie that my kids say isn't really a zombie movie. They also say it didn't even really scare them except as soon as they finished watching it with their Uncle, they all had to immediately watch Mr Bean's Holiday through twice just to get those images out of their heads so they could finally go to sleep, still with all the lights on.
Ya.
I haven't even seen that movie, but it was just like that. Except without the crazed zombie people trying to eat me, and without a dog for companionship.
Man, I wish I could be friends with the wild-party-pot-smoking neighbours.
Except I don't think it's just pot.
They're way too not mellow enough.

So...when was the last time you had no contact with the outside world for 7 1/2 hours? No one with you, no land line, no cell phone, no internet, no vehicle, no TV, no CLOCK for heavens sake!? And no camera!!!!

Which explains the lack of photos. Blah.

I did OK.
I finished a lot of projects.
I started a lot of projects.
I read about projects I thought I might like to do and then I did them.

That was cool. It was sensory deprivation in a totally inspiring space, if that makes any sense. So, though I could go take pics of the space, and the projects I did, and the spot I curled up in to read, and the books I bound, I think I'll leave it like this. And if you actually read this whole, long, boring post I believe you deserve a cookie or something. (Which I had to do without that whole afternoon!)

It made me think...how many of us have a place we can go where it is even possible to be without technology, and people, and the distractions of the outside world? I think I'll try it again soon. It cleared my mind a little. And that's always a good thing.

2008-08-27T10:50:00.005-06:00

Doesn't this book look inspiring?? It's "A Charming Exchange" by Ruth Rae and Kelly Snelling. And my dear friend and art buddy the famous Dawn Supina is featured in the book!! I am so pumped! I borrowed Dawn's copy so my sister Holly and I could get ideas for our day of playing with beads yesterday, and it did the trick! We took EVERYTHING out and spread it all over my dining room table and ooohed and awed over it all for hours. Holly makes the most beautiful jewelery from her huge collection of precious gem stones, silver and gold wire and chain, and crystals. She has all the tools, all the findings, and a lot of experience. It's not very often she gets to come and play, so we made the most of our time together and I at least mostly completed one piece yesterday afternoon.
She was kind of busy...doing other things...like helping her seester. She's so wonderful like that!

I had so many ideas I hardly knew where to start! I did finally manage to make a necklace for myself, and I love it. It's chunky and asymmetrical and has rocks and stones and metal. I am going to add a little dangly, possibly an old silver charm from my friend Pat, to the point of the rock on the bottom of the necklace. Here it is...almost finished!

Holly ran off to meet here nieces and their new babies this morning, and this afternoon we are going to visit Nessa and Liam and little Ada. Tomorrow...who knows what we'll get up to!

* Edit: The stone with the three holes on the bottom of the necklace is drilled...this isn't one of the stones I found with holes already in them.

Ten Tiny Things

2008-08-19T17:35:00.006-06:00

Don't you love a challenge? Especially when it involves taking photos of some of your favorite things? Me too!
When I read Kim's blog today, while I was waiting for the paint on my laundry room floor to dry (No, really, I meant to do that!), I checked out her blog. She had a link here to this challenge, and she also had a great photo already posted. The keener. Well, I can see why she was so prompt...it's a super easy-peasy challenge, and it only takes a few minutes to do.

These are all little things found by the water. The cool shaped stones were found on the beach at Lincoln City, OR, on our vacation in 2007. They are very unique, and they all have really amazing holes in them. The one on the bottom right is heart shaped, and also has a heart shaped hole right through it! How cool is that?! It is one of my favorites. Well, that and the Birthday heart. (see below).

Here is a list (left to right...just like reading...)

Lincoln City, OR beach stone-great shape...cool hole (2007)
Smooth shell from beach at Port Townsend, WA (1992-my Honeymoon)
Sea glass from Port Townsend (1992)
Black stone with white cross-from beach at Slave Lake, AB (circa 1979)
Buffalo Tooth picked from edge of Old Man River and given to me by my friend Tyson as we were walking there. Who knows how old it is??? (Lethbridge, AB; February 2008)
Sea Glass. (San Fransisco, 2008)
Heart Stone-Gift from my son Levi's friend)
Heart Stone -from walk up Wolf Creek, Canmore, AB, (2007)
Heart Stone -Lincoln City, OR (2007)
See above.

I collect heart shaped little stones whenever I see them...sometimes BIG heart shapes too. I have a huge heart shaped rock in my garden that I found once when we were out at Brazeau Dam.

It was my birthday, and we were out poking around in the rocks...it was paradise for a rock collector like me! We were down near the water, the boys were tossing rocks and finding all sorts of great skipping stones, and I spotted a beautiful, big heart!

It was a long, steep climb up to the car...over loose rocks. Daniel carried this rock up that hill for me, and placed it in exactly the right spot in my garden when I got home.

Best gift ever! I confess, I'd rather have that rock to prove my husbands love than have him buy me a diamond.

Reuse it

2008-08-19T10:31:00.003-06:00

Recycling is probably the easiest thing to do for the environment. I always look for ways to reuse things I have that have outlived their usefulness in my home. I often donate items to the local not-for-profit thrift store where my boys and I volunteer, or to the Re-Use Center in Edmonton where I love to "shop" for art supplies.
But what to do with a big, flat, purple exercise ball? Levi had a suggestion: "Land fill."
Nah. That just goes against my grain.
The ball was very heavy vinyl. Surely there was some useful reincarnation for it?

First I cut the ball along the concentric rings (it was a big oval ball, not a round one). I thought it would make super stretchy, giant rubber bands (for perhaps a slingshot? I know, I know, what was I thinking?) Unfortunately they are not very stretchy, but I think they will make great ties for hanging my garden hose in the garage this winter. I got a lot of these, about 2" wide and up to 18" in length. They are great!

That still left a big center section that was completely smooth. As I cut it and laid it out flat, it looked like great stamp material.

I found a design I thought might work and printed it off. I used a glue stick to adhere this print to the vinyl, then got to work with a safety knife, cutting away the negative design. It was a zen kind of job, best done while listening to a book on tape or some great tunes. It wasn't as difficult, or as tedious, as I had anticipated.

I only did part of the design, ending up with a 6" x 6" stamp that I will use in backgrounds on pages in my journal. I have a lot of the vinyl left for the next time inspiration strikes, or a design presents itself.
Or I may take the rest to the Re-Use Center to become some one else's treasure.

Summer

2008-08-11T12:03:00.007-06:00

It was an absolutely beautiful weekend. We finally got in a trip to the beach. There were a couple of kayaks, two sailboats and a motor boat further down, but we had a half mile of sand all to ourselves.

The water was so clear, and sun was sinking in the west, over the lake, as we went in for a little swim.

My gorgeous sister's baby graduated from high school, so we all got together to celebrate the next day.

My brother's eldest also graduated.

My nieces are all so gorgeous, and sweet!

I hope your weekend was just as fun and special.

New Backgrounds and a Photo Op

2008-08-09T09:28:00.005-06:00

I'm off to the beach this weekend. Just a quick trip to celebrate with family. My brothers eldest and my sisters youngest are both graduating from high school this weekend. Very exciting!

I want to go to the beach so badly. It's SO beautiful up North, and the white sand is perfect! I can't wait to get my feet in the water. I'll take lots of photos

I found some great books to use as backgrounds, ala' Sarah, in place of dictionary pages. One is an old Grimm's Fairy Tales with no cover. The pages are so soft and worn, and the font and illustrations are really lovely. The other is an old cookbook. It's beat up and battered and the cover is trashed. It will work well too.

Must go finish packing. It's a three hour drive!

ReMix

2008-08-07T15:08:00.007-06:00

I'll be away all day, and leaving early tomorrow for the graduation of my two beautiful nieces. Till I can get to my journal again, I'll show you a little something else I've been inspired to do.

This is my guest room.

My guest room has been a sorry site for the last couple of years. It has seen a lot of traffic, friends and family in and out...I live very close to the airport, and I often felt that I only had time to change the sheets between guests.
The room was stacked with extra blankets, blow up beds, books and "stuff". Grandson Liam's fold up bed is also stored there for his sleep overs.

Last week I was out thrifting with the lovely Dawn, and we stopped in to Home Sense. I found some yummy gourmet sea salts, and then checked out the final clearance rack in the corner.
As soon as I laid eyes on this beautiful quilt, part of a "Bed-in-a-Bag" ensemble, I had a clear vision of re-doing my guest room. I'm pretty sure I heard music playing in the background too. Swelling violins and strings. Or maybe not.

I was captivated by it, and with a little encouragement from my trusty companion, (No, not Lassie, Dawn!) I brought the set home. I didn't say a word to my hubby. He wouldn't have believed I had an actual vision, like Joan of Arc or something, and would have strongly suspected I'd been 'bibing. Bibbing? Whatever.

So there I was, the next day, ripping apart my guest room and bossing around my big, strong boys, while my hubby was at work. It was exciting for them. They love it when I get these urges. HAHAHA

I didn't take before pictures. Don't you hate that?! You look at the mess and the last thing you want is evidence. A reminder of your procrastination. That and having to run up a flight of stairs and get the camera.

But I love the results, and the boys were hardly tired after moving furniture, vacuuming rugs, banging nails, hanging pictures, fetching mini lights, moving furniture again....("no, on second thought it does look better over there") etc, so I made them run up the stairs, search the living room and the barn, and finally tear apart the car to find the camera. They didn't mind that either. Sweet boys.

It was worth it. And when they got to lead their blindfolded Dad down the stairs to see the results, they were very proud. And their Dad was terrified!

But not for long.

I think he heard music.

Journaling Phat!

2008-08-07T11:53:00.005-06:00

I love looking through altered books, common place books and journals, especially art journals that are fat and bulging with colour and texture.
It gives me quite a buzz to handle them, and gets my mind racing with possibilities.

That book shown in the Jamie At Home show makes me drool! (You all know I am slightly obsessed with Jamie)
I WANT THAT BOOK! It's a combination journal/cookbook/sketch book and it's beautiful. It makes me break the commandment about coveting. I don't want your ass, but I DO want that book.
Unless I make my own (and I am thinking about it) it's just one of those dreams that I will never fulfill...holding it in my hands and flipping through the pages covered in little sketches and photos and probably oily drips.

*sigh*

I don't even know if it really exists. It may be a digital construction.
That would be terrible.
If you know for a fact that it's not a paper and paste, non-acid-free construction of real molecules, please don't tell me.
I don't want to know.
I prefer to live in my fantasy world. It's pretty here.
The birds are singing.
Thank you.

In the real world, I am on my way to having a phat (in the style of the Pointy Hat Art Posse) journal of my own. Sarah's Soul Journaling continues to inspire me, and with her away soaking up loads of inspiration herself, which I'm sure her generous self will share with all her loyal fans, I've been coming up with my own prompts and creating more pages of heft and hue.

The weight of this journal is starting to be very pleasing in my hand. It doesn't close (that's a good thing) and each page stirs up a maternal, or at least contemplative, feeling as I look through it's pages.

Do you Soul Journal? What are your books looking like? I've been looking at LOTS of examples, and seeing your progress, but mostly of individual pages. If you would leave me a comment with a link to the outside of your book, with it's fat, phat pages, I'd love to have a peek.
It will keep me from wallowing in despair over Jamie's. Thanks!

Dad would be Proud!

2008-08-06T13:03:00.007-06:00

Woman: 1 Washing machine: 0! W00T!

I have always been a big fan of DIY. I hate paying someone else to do what I can do myself. That applies to fixing stuff too. Usually in my case fixing it was D.I.D ("Do It Dad" rather than Do It Yourself)
As my son put it so eloquently in my Dad's eulogy in April, "There were some members of the family that had active To Do lists for Grandad at the time of his passing".

*ahem* Guilty as charged.

Once my horrified middle son looked at our calendar and saw the following scribbled under the next day's date "Grandad coming: Change locks". I had to reassure him by pulling the new lock set for the back entry and holding it up.
Duh!

Sharpening my kitchen knives was another task that fell to my Dad. My dull knives drove him crazy, so each visit he would hone each blade carefully till they had a perfect edge. I would walk around with band-aids on half my fingers for the entire week.

Dad felt up to most of his usual tasks for the year and a half after he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He built an amazing hot rod in his little workshop in between bouts of chemo. He visited his Dr in the city, staying with us and taking care of my little jobs in the evenings. The list, posted on my calender, beside his Cancer clinic schedule gave us both a welcome sense of normalcy during that time. He was still Dad, my hero, who could, and did, fix, build and repair anything. We needed that. It's who he was...always there for his family, all six of his kids and my Mom, not to mention dozens of friends and relatives.

His passing left a huge hole in the fabric of out days. But now, when something breaks or needs a little fixing, Daniel and I ask, "What Would Oliver Do?" And when the washer gorged itself on a rag rug and refused to spit it up, no matter how hard I pounded it on the back, (don't tell me that's not your first response too!) I set to figuring out how I could do Dad proud.

I found what I thought was the problem, took the panels off, disassembled the hose from the pump, flushed, and dug out the gunk, and put it all back together. It works. Of course. I had the very best teacher, and all those years of watching Dad, and handing him tools and driving to the hardware store...again....have paid off.

Thanks Dad.

And Dad? I bet you're especially proud of me...not ONE bad word.

Happy Birthday Liam!

2008-08-05T17:52:00.007-06:00

It's Liam's 2nd Birthday today, and we all got together yesterday to celebrate.

It was a holiday here in Canada...because, well, it sucks not to have enough reasons to have a long weekend and a party,* so we arbitrarily decided we needed another one! Yaaaaay Canada! Yaaaay Liam!

We ate. A lot.

The Grandma's got a lot of Ada snuggle time in! She's so adorable! (And ticklish!)

There was a lot of food to eat. So we did.

There were big trucks to drive.

We had presents. Even the live one survived. Liam named his new pet fish all by himself! He called him "Fishy". Actually, "Fisssy."

The biggest hit with Liam was his brand new John Deer tractor and wagon from Unlcles Joel and Josiah. With a trailer load of farm animals. And a Mr Potato Head from BFF Jael.

He also got a cool ride-on car from Grandma and Grandpa Town. Which Grandpa Farm and Uncles Josh and Levi put together so they could all take it for a spin in the neighbouring JW parking lot. Josiah was King of the Road!

And look! Hand knit backpack-goodie bags for the little ones, with a little knit finger puppet in the pocket!! And they're full of treats!! (Which we ate. Yes, even the ones that spilled in the grass. It added roughage.)

I can't believe my sweet baby Grandson Liam is two. His Grandma Farm and I were both there two years ago to welcome him into the world, to cry and laugh and congratulate each other, (and his beautiful parents!) It was one of the happiest days of my life, and I will never forget that feeling of joy and fullness and rightness in the world.

Each time I spend time with them as a family, I have that same feeling.

Happy Birthday Liam. I love you!!

*The author of this blog actually has no idea why the 1st weekend in August is a holiday. But she's not going to be looking a gift fish in the mouth or sniffing a dead horse. She will take it and shut up about it!

More Soul

2008-08-04T15:06:00.001-06:00

I played more in my Soul Journal today. It's so beautiful sitting out in the sun with the birds singing as I work. It inspired this page, which was prompted by Sarah's Day 18 instructions in her Soul Journal project.
The instructions were to do a page and journal words. Words about what the process of the Soul Journey is all about. I normally don't like to look at my handwriting on a page, but I'm happy to report I'm gettin' over that.

I journaled something to that effect here. I think it's going to add a whole new feel to my journals. Thank you Sarah! You continue to inspire!

I am enjoying all the comments and visitors too. I'll be checking out all your journal pages, and seeing the amazing lives shared here. You're all so generous and inspiring! Thank you!

This was a page that was giving me grief. No other way to put it. I didn't enjoy doing it, and I didn't like the result. One of the prompts was to go back and add to it. When I looked at it again, the grid pattern reminded me of windows.

Ah! Windows let in light! I added some light, and some words that remind me of how to get over all the junk and the dark stuff. It's simple Truth. Now I'm happy again.

Another page that I went back to. It was page 1 and 2 from Day 17 (I think).
Dawn gave me a challenge, and though I think she had a collage in mind, I loved the grid exercise so much from Day 9 that I did a similar thing over top of my background. I then gave it a wash of burnt umber to tome it down. F-U-N indeed.

I had a busy day yesterday reinventing my guest room. I'll post some pics later. It looks totally different, and pretty.

I tell ya', the inspiration from this Soul Journaling is carrying over.

Now if it would just inspire me to get at that washing machine thing.

Are you hungry?

2008-08-03T14:26:00.005-06:00

There's something yummy on the menu...check out Creative Sandwich for a taste of what's to come on this brand new blog...it may leave you wanting more.

And there are no calories!

More Random Journal Fun and stuff

2008-08-02T10:15:00.005-06:00

I know I keep saying it, but I love these random order prompts...I would never get tired of them. These are page 3, 4, 5 and 6 from the day 16 prompts. Sarah is still off having a great time. Yay for her!!

I've been playing out in my garage, with the big doors open and the sun streaming in and some music on and my laptop nearby. I can make as much mess as I want and I don't have to worry, I have lots of room.

I cleaned my garage out this summer...it was so full of stuff we couldn't walk in it, let alone park the van there. My motivation for cleaning it was NOT to get my vehicles out of the elements, it was to have a space for projects..for the boys and myself. Daniel has his gym set up out there with a cage and his Olympic weights, and he's more motivated than ever to work out.
Josh has been taking apart stuff, and working on more of his amazing styro-foam models and planning on working on Steampunking something. We saw so much cool Steampunk at Maker Faire in San Fransisco this spring that it is inevitable that he will want to try it out.
Levi has been putting my toes in peril by zooming as close as possible to catastrophe on his scooter.

I won't have time to play today. My washing machine swallowed half a rug (the pig!) and refuses to drain.
Instead of calling a repairman I deciced to ask, "WWOD". (What Would Oliver Do?)
Oliver was my Dad, and he has always been just a phone call away. Since he's gone now, I decided that all those years of being the handyman helper has surely caused some ability to rub off on me. I got on the computer last night and figured out where the problem likely is (a plugged drain hose/pump) and got photos and diagrams. I took the front and back panels off to see if I can have a go at fixing it. I think it's definitely in the realm of the possible!

So beween that and the trip to the city to meet up with Dawn for some garage sale therapy today, and dropping the middle child off for his Wierd Al concert, I'll be away from my paint brushes.

We'll see if I will be able to report a victory that Dad would be proud of, or a tearful disasterous when I come back...which do you put your money on?

A House is just a House....

2008-08-01T19:53:00.008-06:00

till you add a cut out paper family of wonky proportions and stick them in a pocket. Then it's a Soul Journal page.

Wanna' see my messy work area?

Of course you do! It will help you justify your own mess.

This is the first spread of the Day 16 challenge. I loved doing this! Random steps are so much fun! No pressure to come up with the perfect idea, just throw all the prompts in a hat and pick one out and go to town. And end up with something like this.
Don't like it?
Well, it's not my fault, I was at the mercy of the luck of the draw. See, that's what I like!

I hope you're having fun playing, and if you're wanting another challenge while Sarah's away, see the previous post.

While Sarah's Away...

2008-08-01T11:19:00.005-06:00

You can't have too much of a good thing....

Dawn, that crazy friend of mine who's always on the Gogh, is working on the Soul Journaling along with the rest of us. Well in typical over-achiever fashion, she completed all the prompts in record time and now does not want to sit idly by twiddling her thumbs or (picking her toes ala' Pioneer Woman) till Sarah is back from her wonderful anniversary trip. So she proposed a challenge. Her favorite page was the inchie scavanger hunt, and she bugged me till I promised to make her another list so she can work on another spread. 20 things...she is making a list for me. (she's so bossy)

Want to play? Here is my list for Dawn, if you want to use it and do a spread, let me know in the comments so I can check out your creative interpretation.
So Dawn, this is for you:

Ready, Set, Gogh!

Something that gives you joy
something that grows
something with wings
something to relax you
something you remember fondly from childhood
something that reminds you of a favorite character (book, movie)
favorite colour
something that reminds you of your childhood home
a tool you use often
one thing for each letter of your first name
something you crave
something from a dream
main word from a favorite quote
a tree
a ftuit
sky
water
something from your best vacation ever
something you love about summer
something you are looking forward to

Friday Plans

2008-08-01T09:18:00.003-06:00

Levi doing a little gardening,

and doing a little snuggle time with Zoot.

My tomatoes are massive! It's amazing what a little Miracle Gro will do. This is the spot that the tomatoes like, one of the few spots in my yard that is not in the shade.

Well, I have a whole day to journal. And do laundry. And eat tomato sandwiches!

Soul Journal: What is hidden

2008-07-31T23:12:00.007-06:00

Today I did a little playing with the family for the home page in the journal. Dang...it's nice but I'm still not done. Pictures at a later date, but it made me happy seeing us all crowded together in my little paper house, with sweet Ada cuddled in among (amongst?) us!

I prepped my next 6 pages, in between driving boys to the pool and fetching them home, shopping and spending time with my Mom, making dinner for my brother Mike who's in town working on his rig.

Here's my blank page in the composition journal.

I glued in old ripped file folders and some dictionary pages...

and some Canadiana ephemera. (I told you those pressed maple leafs made me feel patriotic!)

Then I brushed a light coat of paint over it all. I would have liked to play more, but other duties called. Daniel is picking up a shift tomorrow, so I will have something to keep myself amused.
Now I guess I'll show you the pages from Day 7 and 8. Without joy. Or excitement. Just sayin'.

This is the page after prepping, journaling and taping over the words.

Then I sanded it down...

and painted over it all.

I didn't like this exercise at all! I am not the type of person to want to hold on to past hurts and go over them, or examine them to death or to confront my old demons.
Of course I have things that make me sad; things I wish I could change, but hey, they're in the past and there is nothing I can do about them. I have no desire to hurt people who have hurt me in the past. I know I've caused hurts too, and I can't do anything about that except learn and grow, so I prefer to let bygones be sleeping dogs.... or whatever. So though I did this exercise I felt yucky doing it. And slightly pissed off, because up till that point I was having a great time and feeling all happy and shiney and the birds were singing and life was pretty.
Then the bad memories and the tape and the feeling of covering it up and blah, blah, blah.
Not so nice.

So now I'm thinking...is that a good thing to know about myself? And is that what this whole journey is about?

Knowing?

Or playing?

Hmmmm....I guess I'll move on and find out. ( Today I prefer the happy).

I'll be back tomorrow. No more griping.

More Soul Journaling

2008-07-30T22:23:00.008-06:00

I'm having a great time playing with this. I liked the next page a lot. I started with a background spread prepared in much the same way as the others...ephemera glued down and then dry brushed over with white. I aged the pages with a watered down burnt umber, and then wiped it when it was still damp. I loved the look! I'm kind of sad I covered it up, and I forgot to take a photo! Oh well, I will be using this technique again. Thanks Sarah!

I then dug in my bin of magazines that lives behind my couch. I needed to make room in there to store Liam's toys anyway. The pile is growing and the toys need a home. All those trucks and barnyard animals have been wandering the house at will between visits. (He was here today, along with his Mommy and little sister, who had a Dr check up in town. He was most taken with his Uncles, and his Uncles fish....don't tell but they're buying him a fish for his birthday!)

So..where was I? Oh yes, magazines....

Look what else I found in the pile! My seester Cheryl brought these to me last Thanksgiving when she visited from Ottawa. They make me feel very patriotic.

So...magazines...scissors....and a list. I loved this part! I snipped the 1" squares and arranged them on my beautiful background and used gel medium to stick everything down. I don't really like gel medium. It makes everything rough and a bit sticky, but I decided I wanted a bit more texture this time.

I later went back to this page (after completing the next spread) and dry brushed a pretty blue around and a bit over the squares.

I then added some words, scribbles, lines and dots in black ink over the blue. I like the way it looks.

That's all for today. Thanks for taking the time to peek. Now I'm off to check out some other Journals from Sarah's list. I'll be sure to say hi!

Soul Journaling

2008-07-29T22:10:00.009-06:00

Get ready for some colour!

Isn't this pretty? It's my palette with paint on it from many projects, including "The Chair". I'm going to be using it a lot today as I jump in with both feet!

So, Sarah Whitmire has a beautiful blog called Caspiana, and she invited artists everywhere to join her in her Soul Journaling. She is on day 17 or so, and I began this morning at Day 1, thinking I'd do as much as felt right.

I am using a journal I began a couple years ago, because that's what I had and that made it easier for me to jump in.

This is the cover of my compsosition book journal I'll be using. I'd covered it with pictures ripped from a magazine.

I had a block of free pages in my journal. I've worked in it so far in a non-linear way, not front-to-back, so jumping into this work in progress made perfect sense to me. Step one was a prep.

First I glued some old dictionary pages in the book,

and then I wrote a bit with the prompt "Today I feel...". I wrote it in black marker directly over the glued down dictionary pages. This is not something I normally use as a background. Left to my own devices I would have painted the pages first.

After journaling, I painted over what I'd just written with off-white paint. Some of the letters show through, and some of the dictionary pages. I really like that, but again, it's something I wouldn't have thought to do on my own. Fun!

Next, on top of it all, I wrote my name in different inks , and stamps, all over the page. Instead of following the prompt and writing "This journal belongs to...", I instead wrote "My Journey" on the top of the page with stamps. It seemed right. I like that there are words and bits peeking through the paint.

I then prepped another spread in much the same way, with torn papers and ephemera on the bottom, and white paint dry-brushed over that. This time I added a little turquoise blue.

Next, Sarah's instructions, or prompts, said to find an image of a suit of armor, something that would protect us from the critics in our lives, critics that prevent us from being free and authentic in our art. She explains this very well. Check out her blog.
But I decided I wanted to use something symbolic to my own life and journey, right where I am today, so I chose a bridge.
I altered an image that I took in San Fransisco in May, of the Golden Gate Bridge , and I printed it off. It has a lot of personal significance, which I journaled about on the page. I felt it fit my journal much better. I like the way it looks in negative tones.

I show the bridge spanning the chaos that I feel has been such a part of my experience over the past year or two. There have been many bright moments too, but the chaos has really been hard for me to deal with.

That's all I'm going to show you tonight. I actually did a few more spreads. I was playing with it all day, and the time just flew! I'd like to know if anyone else is inspired by Sarah's blog. If you are, and if you decide to play along, please leave me a comment and let me know. I'd love to see what you do.

New Project

2008-07-28T23:51:00.004-06:00

Tonight I went to our PHAP meeting, and as always was very inspired. I haven't gone for one reason or another for many months, and Josh and I really enjoyed ourselves. (We have even forgiven the CEO for forgetting about the meeting entirely till she got a call from phapboy.)

Yesterday I found an amazing blog that has prompts for something called "Soul Journaling". I was looking at Lisa and Bev's journals tonight at PHAP, and they just returned from a week long Creative Journaling camp in BC (who wants to bother to try to spell Shuschwap??) and their journals were so exciting and inspirational.

I want to continue with the kind of journaling I started in my composition book. I haven't looked at it in a while and I took it with me tonight and remembered how much I enjoy playing in it.

I want to start arting right away. Sarah Whitmire has a journal prompt for each day and plans on sharing about a months worth of daily exercises. She started on July 13th, so I'm behind the group but I am right on time for my schedule!

Anyone want to join me? Follow the link above, and let me know if you decide to play along. I'll try to post updates here.

In other news, Nialle and Nessa came over so my Mom could meet Ada this afternoon. It's always so nice to have them over; Liam is so much fun!!
Ada is such a little doll. I know that sounds cliche', but it's so true! Liam is all boy, and Ada is all girl! I had such a peaceful, full heart as I sat and held her as she slept. I am so blessed to have them living so close!

The princess.

My mom and her little great-grand daughter.

Liam and his big, goofy, heart melting grin!

Phap Farm 2008

2008-07-26T23:38:00.011-06:00

Hmmmmm......

Why is this suspiciously cheerful looking fellow hiding in the trees in front of my house?

He's announcing the long awaited, much anticipated 1st Annual PHAP Farm!

(It's a wonder the neighbours didn't call the cops! Oh wait, they were too hung over form their big LOUD party last night.)

Have you ever wanted to just get away from the real world and get into shape? Get rid of your phlab and tighten up your muscles, (which you just know are hiding under that layer of lethargy and fear)? That same fear that holds you back from being your most creative, from being that best made-in-the-image-of-your-Creator creative that you could possibly be?

We have, and as such we came up with this idea:

Please Join us on
Saturday, July 26th 2008
Noon ~ until the cows come home or the lights go out
at the
PHAP Farm 2008
In LA (Leduc, Alberta)
At Arlene's house ~ backyard to be exact
(we will have shelter if it rains)

Lose some Phlab! Stretch your Imagination! Discover Artistic Muscles you didn't
even know you had!

Some of the activities will include:
Finding your Inner Doodler with Vincent Van Gogh
Think like Leonardo DaVinci and more!

~ PHAPulous prizes ~ What to Bring: Acrylics & Brushes Clothes to Alter &/or Swap Pointy Hat Chunky Stamps Lawn Chairs Picnic Potlucky-type grub

A friend, if you wish
Come dressed in your best ART wear Please RSVP to Arlene

Yes, today was the day! (Well technically yesterday was the day).

And the day turned out sublime, and we had a wonderful turn out at our PHAP Farm. There was no shortage of fun, and everyone was courageously creative, outrageously generous, and absolutely involved!

Who wouldn't love sitting in the sun, crating a one-of-a-kind painted T while these bubbles floated around you in a gentle breeze?

It felts SO GOOD to break out the scissors, pens and glue and make some ATC's!

No one else in the world will have a shirt like Sam's! Brilliant! He's off to a birthday party, proudly wearing his own brand. I'm so proud!

This little person with the huge heart (represented on this hand printed T) was perhaps the most prolific artiste of the day...she set her hand to journal binding, T shirt painting, ATC creation and a lot more. She is inspiration personified. Whew!

One of the highlights of the day was the unveiling of the "Faux Gogh" chair that Dawn "Gogh" Supina has spent the last several months working on.

The chair exceeded all my wildest expectations, and Dawn's gift of time and talent is truly a wonder to me! How can I ever thank her?

Here is the last, never-before-revealed panel. It's a portrait of the artist who inspired it all. I like to think he would approve!

Could you ever be unhappy with this chair in your home?

What a great group of fearless freinds and wonderful co-conspirators!

It's a Masterpiece!

2008-07-24T19:35:00.004-06:00

Dawn completed the 5th panel of "The Chair" today, working diligently in my garage while I cracked the whip and did *ahem*, "research and development" on my laptop nearby.

It is stupendous! It's beautiful and gorgeous and I cannot tell you how much I LOVE it!! This is one talented lady folks, and the chair is a testament to her gifts.

I can't wait to show you!

But I will....the "Official" unveiling is on Saturday at the Phabulous PHAP Farm...a day long play date with our wonderful Arty friends of the Pointy Hat Art Posse. And maybe some members of the local press?

It's front page worthy folks! Check back on Saturday, and I promise more pictures!

Here's a little teaser....

The artist signs her name.