My Everything Corner

Celebrate Your Love!

2012-01-26T19:09:00.000-08:00

When my day seems dreary, with rain soon to follow.
When the pit of my stomach feels lonely and hollow.
When the plans I have made, seem to turn against me.
Your strong loving arms are a safe place to be.
You let me snuggle, all toasty and warm.
You build me a haven away from life's storm.

Author Unknown

I put together this little collection in honour of a relationship I could not live without.

Do you have someone wonderful in your life? Someone you thank your lucky stars for everyday? I am one of those fortunate people.

For all the cards, the letters, the dates we've been on, the kisses, the flowers, the hugs, the gifts, the road trips, our home, our family, and for all the promises of a future we have yet to share - Thank-you.

Our Ginger

2012-01-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Our beautiful German Shepard, Husky cross passed away just before New Year's. Ginger was 14 years old, and was, everyone agreed, the best dog anyone could ask for.

While living in Rainbow Lake, before we had children, we had two cats when this adorable little pup came onto our radar. Neither of could refuse, and for the next year or so, I spent a great deal of my time learning how to train, and training my dog. It paid off. She was extremely well behaved, and while remaining instinctive about people, treated everyone with due respect. She travelled with us, camped with us, slept under our feet during movies, went for long walks, and generally impressed anyone we met. I especially loved combing her fur, playing frisbee with her, and kissing the wee black spots on her white muzzle.

A few years after we adopted Ginger, we moved to a very busy corner in the city of Lloydminster, and decided it would be best if she went to live on the family farm in Theodore. She quickly took to everyone there and became the farm dog. The only time she caused any difficulty was during thunder storms. She would scratch at the doors, and left a many a reminder on the paint of my in-laws home, to let everyone know that a storm was coming and she needed to be tied to her dog house. If not, she was known to bolt in the opposite direction, and last year, even went missing for a good 2 weeks. We thought that was the last we had seen of her, because her health was not great, with arthritis taking it's toll on her hind quarters. But my in-laws, loving her as much as they did, called everyone, and used every resource available to them. This included long drives in the country, many phone calls, and when a local pilot heard about the search for our beloved Ginger, he took to the sky and did his part. Eventually, she turned up on a farm of a single, elderly lady, and was very happy to be returned home.

She was a very loyal dog, and although the farm and it's people were her home, my father-in-law remarked on more than one occasion, that he never saw that dog happier than when Todd, I and the kids pulled into the yard. As each child was born, she instinctively took to being protective over them. At one point, even growling at our Uncle Mike, who lives on the yard with her when he reached into the car seat to take a peek at the newborn. Being trained well, it only took a simple, "It's OK Ginger." to calm her completely. Once the kids started walking and exploring the large yard, she stuck by there side and kept a close eye on them.

This last year was very hard on poor Old Ging, and everyone who had to watch her decline. It got to the point where standing and walking took all her effort and drained her of energy. I choose to remember her as the frisbee catching champ that she was, and her memory will carry on in our hearts and in the next dog that we adopt. She has set a precedent, and I know what to look for in our next pup. Hopefully, I will be introducing you to yet another family member early this Spring.

Thank-you to everyone who loved and took care of our dog. Fred and Diana for accepting her easily and treating her like one of the family. Auntie Vera for always having a treat ready for her. Uncle Mike for his constant kind words whenever he passed her in the yard. And Loretta for all the time you spent grooming her. Ginger, you will be sorely missed by all.

Knives For Christmas

2011-12-29T09:27:00.000-08:00

My Husband knows me. He knows me very well. He not only bought me the best knives I've ever had the pleasure of using, he bought me jewelry for the kitchen. Have you ever seen more beautiful knives!?

They are made by Shun which is owned by the Japanese company Kai. I won't bore you with all the wonderfully, interesting details of how these are manufactured. I will tell you that they are sharp!!! Sharp far past the point of being dangerous.

I had barely cleaned up the mess in the living room after unwrapping our gifts, when I headed to the kitchen to see what I could chop up. Celery, lemons and potatoes all met a useless end so that I could see what these knives were capable of. To make a long story short, I now understand how they can do what they do with knives on TV.

My old Victorinox knives from cooking school will still be upkept and used to train my kidlets in the kitchen, and I won't lie, I will have a hard time letting anyone else use the Shun knives. So I had better keep the old ones around for the rare occasion that someone else uses my kitchen. That, and I have many memories attached to those knives.

I currently find myself planning our meals to included foods that require a lot of chopping and slicing. That is not to say that I am particularly talented with a knife, I'm really not. But I do enjoy being in the kitchen and especially when that kitchen has plenty of beauty and quality to offer. Like life in general should be, full of beauty and quality. Why settle for anything less?

A Beautiful, Frosty Morning

2011-11-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

Waking up to snow on Sunday morning was nice, but waking up to a thick hoar frost this morning was wonderful.

Before Halloween was over the leaves had already lost their colour for some time, and all that was left for cheeriness out there was the bright orange of the jack o' lanterns. But with the freezing nights and the warm days, they quickly rot and I had to haul the seventy or so personalities to the compost pile. A sad moment indeed, and I already find myself looking forward to next year and searching out seeds for different varieties to grow.

Anyway, back to the snow, and the overnight change in seasons which put me in a very surreal and calm place. With the yardwork done for the next five months, (minus the snow removal), I feel like I can really get back into my hobbies.

Cooking and baking bring a new satisfaction and eating those preserves I worked so hard on through late summer is now paying off. Throughout the spring, summer and early fall, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find the time to make jewelry again, and already I have created several new pieces and have been able to put some much needed energy into my wee Etsy shop. Even reading a book is far more enjoyable for me, when I can curl up on the couch with a blanket. Going out for a short walk and the simple act of coming into the warmth of my beautiful home creates a feeling of peace and security.

I cannot imagine a place without the vastly different seasons. Each one brings it's own sense of wonder and change that is necessary to the health of my mind.

Update On The Newest Addition

2011-10-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

The little kitten we rescued from the wild has taken to her new home so well, you would never know she was brought up wild. She loves to play with Junior, my 18 year black male, and he has accepted her into the family without question. Here he is giving her a bath, and she only complains when he pays too much attention to her nether regions.

It took quite a bit of debating on a name for our new, little kitty, but we finally settled on 'Georgia Winifred', and we've been calling her Georgie for short. No one escapes a nickname in this house, and I'm sure, with her strong character, she will earn many.

JuJu (Junior-the black one), has been having to put up with being chased continuously. Anytime he decides to go for a walk, she is relentlessly at his heals, playfully nipping at his paws and backside and jumping for his tail. If JJ gets tired of it, he jumps on a windowsill, and she looks up at him with eyes that say, "Now, that's just not fair!". But the old fellow is a snuggler, and he has been enjoying having a companion once again for his catnaps. I know he'll enjoy her even more when she's got more weight and therefore more warmth to give off.

There is some good and bads news where Mama Cat is concerned. The good news is that she has happily moved into the new heated cat house we put on the deck last week. The bad news is that she has not brought anymore kittens, so it looks like the other two did not survive, (sniffle).

Meet The Newest Family Member

2011-10-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

On September 1st, while doing some yard clean-up, we came across a Mama kitty and here litter of 3. We promptly set up a proper shelter for them and brought Mama some food and water. By the next morning she had moved herself and the week or so old kittens to a place we couldn't find.

We just kept taking food out, and it kept disappearing. Curious as to who I was feeding, I put the food on the deck, and sure enough, Mama showed up. Twice a day, everyday, she enjoys her meals on the deck under the picture window in my dining room. But, we can not get close to her. She will sit about 5 feet away, and if you take one step nearer, she bolts. Hopefully, in time, this will change.

After about a month, I really started looking for the place she was hiding her litter. For feral cats, 6 to 7 weeks is not too early to intervene. But I had no luck.

Then, yesterday morning, while blogging actually, I heard a terrible cry from outside. I quickly threw on a coat and started searching. It was coming from under the deck. It took me awhile, but after a bit of tag playing, she settled down under a board right beneath the front door and refused to move. I got a drill, removed that board and plucked the kitten out before she new what was going on. She instantly clung to me, and stayed close for several hours.

We recognized her from that litter of 3 right away. She is a very unique colour mixture of black and orange. Whether the other 2 are still alive, I don't know. But, Mama is still coming for her meals, and hopefully one day we will be able to befriend her also.

We haven't settled on a name yet, but 'Tiger Tiger' and 'TT' has been tossed around. She is bonding and settling in very nicely. She has even received her first bath from my 18 year old male, Junior, and has used the litter box on her own. We've already visited the vet and will again in a couple of weeks for her first set of shots.

Everyone is so glad to have another kitty in the house, especially after recently having to say goodbye to our sweet Sarah, who we loved for 14 years. Life can only be described as bittersweet.

Autumn on The Front Porch

2011-10-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

There have been so many pictures online of beautiful, inspiring front porches decorated for the season that I thought I ought to share mine. I have this gorgeous set of iron planters that I always have something going on in. This fall it is chrysanthemums in the perfect autumn colours, homegrown pumpkins, gourds, and corn. There is a wreath made from Engelmens Ivy and a few handmade brooms I threw together with caragana branches, twigs and grass.

On the other side are my set of black, basket weave planters. They contain another chrysanthemum, poplar brances, corn stalks, cattail grass and a couple of super cute gifts from my sister. She gave me that little ghost solar lantern and, look closely, there is a crow she created from corn husks. I have no idea how she did this, but I plan on going out for a lesson. I also had a couple of pumpkins that lost their stems, and so they have been stacked and topped with a gourd, that apparently is trying to blend in with his cousins. That is the only one I have out of 21 gourds that has turned orange

My Autumn Montage

2011-10-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a scattering of things going on in my house right now.

Any pumpkins that were ripe, (and a few that were not) have found their way to various locations inside the house. They are in piles on the floor near cabinets and the front door. They are lining the staircase and the half wall, and a few have found their way onto pedestals and window sills. Yay, I actually have deep window sills in my new house! There are still about 80 greenish turning orangish ones on pallets in the garage.

There are several clusters of grapevine pumpkins, (not all shown) and there are the ones I have crocheted while watching many a movie. There are also metal pumpkins and mini pumpkins on vines (putka pods), and pumpkins in paintings on the wall, (also not shown).

The wooden signs that say 'Trick or Treat' and "Happy Halloween' along with the countdown to Halloween blocks, I created this past week.

There is an antique, glass jug which my sister gave me last week, and it contains jelly eyeballs.

There are ravens galore! No, I do not just keep moving around the same one so that I have one in a bunch of photos. There are 3 large ones and a dozen or so smaller ones scattered here and there. I even have a gorgeous metal statue of one up on my buffet. I think I'll have to do another montage.

There are fall leaves, some real (preserved with glycerin) and some fake. They add colour wherever a dose is needed.

I have also done up the front porch. I'll save that one for the week-end's entry.

Happy Fall Everyone!

My Front Hall

2011-10-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Open the front door to my house, and you are greeted by a large landing with 13 foot ceilings. There is a mudroom/laundry room at the end, across from the entry, directly to your right is a large, 4 step up, curved set of stairs up into the kitchen/dining area, and to your left is a double set of closets. Mainly, there is a lot of room for decorating.

This is just one of the pieces I have down there now. It is an antique (circa 1940) wash stand that my sister picked up for me at an auction. It will always be decorated for the season.

Here is what I did for Halloween. The little sign hangs from what would have been used for towels, and I have a garland strung across and hanging down the side. The bowls currently contain black licorice, black and orange gummy worms, and the big bowl is holding a mixture of autumn coloured candy. I've had to refill these twice in 2 weeks, and I've been able to keep my freezer stash of goodies just a bit longer than usual. The raven and the crow finish off a look that I feel is rather effective.

We've just got started our decorating for Halloween, and we have all sorts of plans for this year's display. I'll keep posting as we keep doing. I hope you enjoy the process. Happy October everyone!

Mothers of Boys work from Son up until Son down...

2011-10-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Meet Jared, my 6 year old boy, a tumbling ball of energy. I've yet to meet a Mother of a little boy who cannot relate to me.

His most frequent question is,"Mommy, can I climb this?". His second favourite is, "Mommy, can I hit this with that?". His third, and this is what makes up for all the rest, is, "Mommy, can I have a kiss and a hug?". Well, at least I don't have to say no all the time.

Creative, imaginative, energetic, and my favourite, snuggly, are all words that perfectly describe my little guy. My daughter was the poster girl for independence, never wanting to be held, let alone snuggled, so since this wee creature entered my life 6 years ago, well, let's just say, I've yet to have a snuggle-free day. Works for me, as I've always been a snuggler and it drove me crazy when I learnt that my first baby (girl) just needed to be put down to stop crying.

I miss the days of having a tiny baby in my arms, and even though my kids are getting too big and too heavy to be carried around, as long as I can lift them, I will pick them up for their hugs and kisses, carry them to the nearest bed, plunk them down and tickle them. I truly dread the time when those days will be over.

View From My Swing

2011-09-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Serveral years ago, I received a garden swing for Mother's Day. It has been one of my favourite features in the yard ever since.

In our Cold Lake yard, it moved around constantly, but out here, I put it under a maple in the northeast corner, and it must be the perfect spot, for it hasn't moved in 3 months.

The canopy, weakened by the sun and damaged by the wind, is better left off anyway. It is very natural to just lay back and look upward into the branches of this beautiful, old maple.

My kids, especially my son, love the swing. He loves to lay it out flat and lie down on his tummy with his nose aimed toward the ground. He then swings himself while watching the ground move back and forth, back and forth, for what seems an impossible amount of time. It must be very hypnotizing, because he is always in a very relaxed state after he has treated himself with a bit of motion from the swing.

I might move myself back and forth a little, the equivalent of being on a rocking chair. But to be honest, I get motion sickness easily, so doing what he does would just make me feel ill.

Usually there is an argument as to who gets to sit beside Mama on the swing. So I will move from my favourite corner to the middle so that each child has a side to lean on. This is an absolutely awesome way to pass an hour.

View From The Front Yard

2011-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

The majority of our yard spans in front of the house, south, and to the west. We have a lot of trees, most of which are very young. The ones you are seeing in the foreground are Giant Leaf Poplar, (whose leaves sound like rain), and Lilac. I'm not sure what the variety is, but they bloom a light pink. There are also Green Ash, Willow, Larch and some little Spruce trees, all planted in neat rows to eventually shelter the yard from the main grid. In the background, the trees are mature and with exception of the large spruce to the east of the house, are growing in the wild. There are mostly maples, poplar, and warrior caragana. But there are some wild roses, chokecherry and saskatoon bushes as well. So far, it looks as though everyone has yellow folliage for the season. I would really like to see more reds, so I'm going to find a way to work in some different specimens to break it up a bit. There are cherry trees in the garden, but I have yet to find out what colour they will turn. Their leaves are still a deep, shiny green.

So far, we are having a lot of fun planning and dreaming up ideas for our newfound space. We are currently working on a garden shed, which well be completed when my Husband gets home next week. I love outbuildings and the character they add to a yard. This particular building is just the start of a large garden plan/idea/dream I have going in my head. It is a lot of fun seeing it come to reality!

Mommy - I Can Fly!

2011-09-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

"I can fly!', are not words any Mother wants to hear from her young child. But when they've spent 3 days working on a flight suit that they hope will make them airborne, one hopes that they will achieve at least a slight lift off.

My 8, almost 9 year old daughter, Kaitlynn has always had a strong, vivid imagination and a drive to create. She is constantly coming up with new ideas, and actually, a lot of them have worked. So when she came to me with her paper feather suit and asked me, "Mommy, tell me honestly. Do you think I'll be able to fly with this suit?" I have to admit, I was a bit stumped as to what my answer should be. Should I be honest and tell her exactly what was going to happen? Or should I falsely encourage her and tell her to jump off the roof? I decided to walk the middle ground and said something to the effect of, "I think you might need a few more feathers and a stronger support for those feathers, but go play it safe and give it a try."

So off she went on a good, windy day and turning herself full into the breeze, started running as fast as she could down the driveway, arms outstretched so her feathers could catch the air. Before she left she said, "Mommy, in twenty minutes, come outside and look to the sky."

My heart was breaking for her knowing the visions she was having for her invention would not come to pass that day. After about 10 minutes, she came in and said, "Well, that didn't work, but at least I have an awesome, handmade costume for Halloween".

Kaitlynn constantly surprises me with her elegance in dealing with life's dissappointments. What wonderful lessons we can take from simply observing our children.

First Day Of School

2011-09-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

After a very rainy couple of days, on September 1, the kids were very excited to start school.

My sister, Auntie Lynn, is their bus driver, as well as the school cook. Two of her children are on the bus, and the kids just think this is a fabulous connection to have.

There are only 30 plus children in the entire grades K-8 school, and only 3 classrooms. Grades K, 1 and 2 are together, grades 3, 4, and 5 are mixed and then the grade 6, 7 and 8's make up the last class.

Their old school had about 70 kids in one grade alone and they were separated into 3 classrooms. So this is a huge change. But they are adjusting very well, and have even told me that they really prefer this school to their last.

Nearly 3 weeks has passed since their first day, and they are feeling right at home. Their bus ride is even shorter out here than it was in Cold Lake. A total of 35 minutes a day was shaved off their daily riding time. So much for city living being more convenient.

The only thing we truly miss about the city are the friends we left behind, and the fact that they lived right next door. Oh, and don't forget, they did not have children of their own, so they were extremely flexible, and could bend to our schedule on a whim.

Rainwater Runoff

2011-09-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

It was fun to watch how our yard handled a half inch of rain in a little under a half hour. When planning our landscaping, it is essential we know what rainwater does. In our case, we're lucky. The water all flows a nice distance away from the shop and the house, through a nice little ravine in the grass across the driveway and into the ditch. The only thing that needs attention is the driveway. We cannot change where the water goes, but we can change how fast it drains. We don't need a massive mud puddle in our driveway for days after a rain, although my kids would disagree.

As for that natural ravine in the grass, I can easily envision a dry river bed running from the driveway, all the way down to the ditch. How many years will that take me to do? A few I think. I've already started eyeing up a few rock piles from which to start my harvest.

We are currently working on building our garden shed. A much needed building in order to get organized before winter. After that, well, we'll see how the weather treats us. There are a few more projects we would love to get done before the snowfall.

An Early Frost

2011-09-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

The threat of an early frost had us fleeing to the pumpkin patch to save our crop. We came home after enjoying a supper with relatives and after being given some serious advice, we were out there with flashlights unil about 8pm (yes, it is getting dark that early already), saving all that we could find.

There were only about 6 plants all together, but the patch grew massive, bearing nearly 100 fruit. We took off about 75, and left the small ones to weather the storm.

We did not get a frost that night and that was over a week ago. Upon closer inspection in the daylight, we have found at least another 25 pumpkins and squash. We will let them grow until the threat of the next frost and then in they will come.

The morning after picking was spent washing each individual with a bleach solution, and then placing them in their own space (not touching their neighbors) on wooden pallets. Now, hopefully, they will last to be carved for Halloween.

To date, the most pumpkins we've decorated for the occasion was 120. That was when we lived in the city. Out here we have a lot more room to spread out the little devils, so next year's patch is going to have to be a lot larger. We carve them in the traditional ways, and we also paint a bunch. Some of the tiniest ones end up scattered in amongst the larger.

This was our first summer in this yard, and the garden was not well planned at all. Actually, it's a miracle we planted anything at all. We came down during the last week-end in May and it was raining and cold, even threatening to snow. But we were determined to get something in, and now we are glad we did.

We've already picked the place where next year's fall friends will grow, and it is a lot larger then this year's space. Our hope is to line the driveway with them one year. The weather would have to be kind to us for that to happen.

Learning To Ride

2011-09-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a wide open space to encourage kids to play outside. My kids have always loved the outdoors, but since we've moved out here, they've at least tripled their time outdoors. Between the snake nest, the salamander crossing and the froggy patch, they are always on some sort of adventure, exploring and collecting. Not long after we moved in, we added bicycling to our repertoire of things to do outdoors. Within minutes Jared was off his training wheels, and my daughter wasn't far behind. Now we all ride together. Our favourite road runs just east of our place. It is quiet and there is a large water feature about a mile down where we love to watch the ducks swim and flap around. It is still very green here, but soon will be my favourite time of year to be outdoors. Once the colours start to change and the leaves start to cover the road and once I need a sweater to be comfortable outside and it gets dark early enough to enjoy the stars again. That is my favourite time of year, and I hope it lasts the next 2 months with no snow until the middle of November. Until then we'll keep riding, a little further each time, exploring a bit further, getting those little legs strong enough so that one day we can ride all the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house, a good 6 miles away. Well, that might not be for a couple of years yet, but for now, we'll enjoy all the little roads around here.

Moving To Saskatchewan

2011-06-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

After nearly 14 years of living in town, (our entire marriage) we are moving to a 10 acre parcel in the country. Currently in Cold Lake, Alberta, the move will take us over 700 kilometers Southeast to near a little town along Highway 16 called Theodore. The nearest center is Yorkton, Saskatchewan with a population of just over 16,000, not that much different from where we are now at just over 13,000.

So what would take us there? Family. We were both born and raised on farms, within 8 miles of each other. My Husband intends to continue working his current camp job,(week in and week out) and help out his Father and brother on their large, 17 quarter section grain farm. The ultimate goal is to retire into the farm.

The photo is of my two little ones, now 5 and 8 years old, exploring what will be their new yard by the end of this month. Most of that water has dried up already, but we know what we have to look forward to in the Spring. Not only are they excited about the new open yard, but also being just an eight minute drive from Grandma and Grandpa. Their new school is grades K-8, and has a total of 32 children, with a very unique and positive environment. Their Aunt, my sister, will be the new busdriver, and they have several cousins attending school.

The house is new and needs little more than paint, so we will be focusing our attention on the wonderful new yard and be teaching ourselves about landscaping. I look forward to sharing our projects here.

A Few Of My Favourite Quotes

2011-04-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

This one, I first read this morning on a blog I follow, "Artful Living on the Bluff ".
Out of the entire, lovely collection, this one stood out the most. I am definitely guilty of not staying focused. I find it very easy to jump around from idea to idea, constantly trying new things, with very little, or no focus on any one thing.

"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully."

- Steve Jobs

Another favourite...

"And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

- Anais Nin

This one came to me at a time when I had to make certain decisions and changes in the way I dealt with loved ones. When you believe that a choice could hurt someone, even it seems best for everyone involved, it is very difficult to get past blaming yourself for the possible outcomes. What I learned is that these said possible outcomes, are just lousy stories we tell ourselves to keep from making the necessary changes. I also learned that our loved ones have a way of pushing us to a point where concerns for how they are feeling become far less important than our own pain. Subconsciously, I believe there is a very loving thing happening. Consciously, however, it often looks very ugly.

And the last one for today...

"No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it." - Albert Einstein

This one always reminds me to call up a friend for a different perspective. It always works.

The Prettiest Bouquet

2011-04-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

All winter I dream of flowers, and with my birthday being in March, when my daydreams are at their brightest, I receive the most beautiful bouquets. This one has iris, gerbera daisy, spider mums, alstroemeria and all kinds of unique filler, my favourite being that grass. I'm not sure what it is called, but it brings an exotic, romantic look to the bouquet that received a lot of compliments from my visitors.

Now, with Spring just around the corner, my daydreams of flowers can evolve slowly to a reality as all my perennials start to poke their heads out of the ground. Just yesterday, I noticed the first bloom in the garden. Only an inch from the ground, and in the palest of lavenders, was the first viola. In another month, being from the bravest of seeds, she will be the largest viola in the garden, with the most blooms, and if I'm diligent about deadheading, she will continue to bloom well through July.

Spring is long overdue in my books, and on chilly, cloudy mornings like this one, I feel like my world will never be green again. When it finally does come, it will be that much sweeter.

Meet Sarah...

2011-03-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

A calico with multiple personalities and a criticizing stare, Sarah is my cat, or she was up until fairly recently, when she suddenly turned into an animal I barely recognized.

She has never been an easy animal to take care of, or even to love for that matter. She's always had her own set of problems and attitudes, and she has never been too shy to let us know about them.

It all started when my Husband and I had to stop in at the local pet shop for a few supplies. Here was this very large cage with this very small kitten huddled up in a corner, and she watched our every move. She was the last of her litter that was brought in only a few days before. Sensing her dejection, we decided to take her home and give our only cat a sister.

At the time, I had been missing a quirky friend of mine from college, and decided very easily that this would be my new, little friend's name. Once home, it took Sarah a bit of effort to work her way into the heart of my other cat, Junior, (an entirely different and worthwhile story). It proved to be a difficult task, but it seemed there was nothing more important to her. She tried to cuddle with him and got kicked away. She tried to eat with him and was swatted. She tried interrupting up his bath to steel some of those licks for herself and received a gentle nip, getting her to back off. But she never went far, and her persistence paid off. Junior gave up, and suddenly decided that she was to be adopted and fiercely loved. They were now inseparable and until this day, and everyday, can be found curled up like yin and yang on their favourite chair.

But Junior is the only one in the household she would snuggle with. If you tried to pick her up, she would quickly squirm her way down. For the longest time, she would not even jump up and sit on your lap . If company came over, there was no sight of her. Close friends didn't even know we had a second cat. After a few years, we moved, and Sarah became manic depressive. One minute she was uncharacteristically sitting and purring on your lap, and the next she was licking herself until she bled. We had her on kitty prozac for a time and once she settled down, we weaned her off, and all seemed well. She even became very friendly, but only on her terms. Under no circumstance were we allowed to pick her up and put her on our lap. If she decided to snuggle with you though, there was no choice. She persisted no matter how bad her timing was, until we relented.

This past Christmas, as with all holidays, we kenneled the cats while we travelled to visit our families. When we picked them up shortly before New Years, we were troubled at the amount of weight Sarah had lost. It looked like she had simply refused to eat the entire time we were away. After awhile of trying to get her to put the weight back on, we decided to take her to the vet to make sure there was nothing more sinister than a bad attitude going on. After some tests, the doctor said she seemed fine. Really, other than her being so thin, she seemed normal to us as well. But then she decided to start playing a new game with us . Her eating habits suddenly changed completely. When there is a ham or chicken in the oven, she refuses to eat at all. She will just sit in the kitchen and look at me. If I leave the kitchen, she follows, all the while staring me down until I make eye contact with her, and then she meows at me. Well, it's less of a meow and more like the sound a magpie makes, not at all pleasant. When I head back to the kitchen, she follows. If I open the fridge, she sticks her head in, and when I offer her the can of cat food, she shows interest, only to turn her nose up at it once I have it in the bowl. The next day, when there are no savoury aromas filling the air, she will happily finish an entire can in a day. At least, this is the pattern I've noticed recently. I'm sure she will change her mind tomorrow.

I suppose, given her 12 year history with us, I shouldn't be all that suprised by these sudden changes. If anything, I should learn to expect them. We are moving again this summer, and are planning to have some of that kittly prozac on hand. Maybe she'll surprise us yet again, and handle it all with grace and ease. So far, something this cat has not displayed is grace and ease. We can only hope.

I Love Drama...

2011-03-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a collection I put together for a team I support on Etsy. A lovely collection that got more attention than most of my other ones. Although I am quite happy with the number of views and comments, I thought I should elaborate on just the type of drama I'm talking about.

I have a true distaste for the drama that so many people unconciously create in their lives. That is, that soap opera type stuff. Not that I'm an innocent in this category, far from it. I've done my fair share of wave making for no apparent reason.

Having now spent quite a few years on working it out of my system, I have been leading quite a calm, some would say dull life.

Not to say that I don't have a long way to go, but I have managed to transform a portion of the energy that I used to spend upsetting myself, and so many others around me, into creativity.

You'll still find plenty of drama surrounding me in the form of art, paintings, music, pottery, jewelry, really just about anything. Even the people I tend to surround myself with have a predominant creative side, and are quite passionate (a form of drama) about their work and hobbies.

Etsy is a fabulous community for that. There are so many wonderfully talented people using this outlet, not just to sell their work, but to find support with like minded people, and therefore keep the inspiration that is behind creation a constant flow.

The Trouble With Collecting

2011-03-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

The main problem with collecting is that it is way too much fun. The second issue is finding a place for said collection, or in my case collections. There are probably a half dozen other reasons why collecting is a con, but oh well, there it is, I'm a collector.

The brooch in the photo was slated for my shop on Etsy. But I wanted to price it very high, too high, a very good sign that one does not truly want to sell something. So, of course, it ended up finding a special place in my ever growing collection of jewelry.

As a matter if fact, I picked up a small apothecary chest last week to start organizing it all. Much better than a traditional jewelry box, the chest consists of many little drawers that I can further organize with little boxes. It is working out wonderfully. The only problem is, I think I need another chest, or I will soon. So, there is another problem, one collection inevitably leads to anther. In this case, a jewelry collection is leading into a furniture collection.

I've met collectors of all ages. Some of them are just getting started, and figuring out what it is they want to collect. Some of them are in their prime, and have impressive collections, and some are much older and are selling their prized items or dividing it up amongst loved ones.

I'm afraid I'm just getting started. But, if for some reason I decide tomorrow that I am done with jewelry, I have a wonderful outlet to sell it, and offer it up to the other collectors of the world.

How Lucky Am I?

2011-02-21T14:19:00.001-08:00

This absolutely fabulous piece of art was done by Ester Orloff of E Makes Art, and I was lucky enough to win it.
During the One World One Heart blogging event, organized by Lisa Swifka, hundreds of bloggers chose something, usually their own creations, to giveaway. Then all we had to do was spend a bit of time blog hopping around the world, leaving comments for all the wonderful bloggers and artists out there. At the end, we just chose a random number out of our hundreds of comments, and Voila!, a winner!
Anyway, more about Esther - she is a stay at home Mom, and a talented artist who loves mixed media, photography, and even making the occasional piece of jewelry. All of her work is beautiful, and if I had to chose one word to describe her pieces, it would be 'calming'.
Here are some samples of her jewelry. Truly unique and wonderful pieces. Click here to see one of my other favourite pieces, besides the one I won, of course.
Take a bit of time, maybe with some tea, and pay Esther a visit. For me, it felt like a little vacation, and as with all good vacations, there is inspiration in the end.

OWOH Is Over

2011-02-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

The One World One Heart blog tour is over. What a ton of fun that was. I met so many wonderful people and their art, and have added several more blogs to my reading list.

A huge Thank-you goes to Lisa Swifka for organizing this huge event. The amount of work she put into it is so much appreciated by all of us in blog land.

The winner of my stone necklace is Vicki from 2 Bags Full, a beautiful blog about her travels and her adventures in knitting and in life. I hope you enjoy your new necklace Vicki.

I have not, as yet, been contacted from any of the blogs I visited during the event, but if I am lucky enough to win something, you'll read about it here.

Thank-you to everyone who participated and to everyone that visited my blog. Although this event is over, I am definitely not finished with bloghopping. I look forward to meeting many more bloggers and their many forms of art.

My Own Jewelry Collection

2011-02-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

This collection has only been recently started. Last year, I came across a necklace on Ebay, and I just had to have it. It turned out to be, for the price, of exceptional quality and detail. I was hooked, and suddenly found myself researching vintage and older costume jewelry. I found out that there are a lot of people with the same fascination, as there was plenty of material out there to read, and I am still reading. I've purchased entire lots, just for one single piece. The others, though beautiful in their own right, ended up in my Etsy shop. Although, I have to admit, there have been a few that ended up back in my drawer, and there have been a couple that I regret selling. I only hope I come across them again.

The brooch in the photo is by Trifari, and that seems to be my favourite brand. I am definitely not a 'brand' person. But time and time again, I am drawn to the designs that Trifari put out. This molded glass brooch is one of several pieces I have now, and most of the pieces I have decided to keep are either unsigned or Trifari.

These pieces are not just for collecting. I wear my jewelry. I wear all of my jewelry. The vintage pieces, handmade items either by myself or others, fine jewelry my Husband has given to me, and pieces I've inherited from my Mother. I will often pick out jewelry first, and then the clothing that compliments it, and when I shop, I always think about my jewelry and whether or not that top will wear well with it. Or if the material will hold up to the heavy brooches made from the 20's to the 60's.

As any collector of anything knows, it is the thrill of the hunt. The best finds being where you least expect them, and for a phenomenal deal. I cannot wait to see what those summer yard sales will bring. Probably another collection, that will take me in a whole different direction.

Have A Delicious Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

This is what we spent a good portion of our day doing yesterday. In the morning we baked, and after lunch we decorated. A large portion of cookies went undecorated and will go to my Son's Kindergarten class tomorrow.

Using pink, purple, red, white and a few sprinkles, we put together a beautiful assortment of cookies to celebrate each other. Several days ago, we also created little boxes so that we could create Valentines for each other and have somewhere to keep them until we open them on Tuesday. We will be celebrating a day late because that's when Daddy gets home from camp.

The kids picked an assortment of different shapes. These are Kaitlynn's cookies and included here are hearts, flowers, birds and kitties. Also, being the super-duper kid that she is, she handmade all of her Valentines. She did 25 for her class, and several for her family as well. I can't wait to see what she put together.

These are Jared's cookies. There are birds, hearts, kitties, frogs, fish, lions and even a baseball bat. They didn't all make it into the photo. One 'broke', so it had be eaten immediately. Another one fell onto the chair, had to be eaten. And this other one wasn't looking quite right, so down the hatch. But enough made it to the freezer to be able to pack a treat each day this week in his lunchbox.

Jared also worked hard on his Valentine's. My little 5 year old signed his name perfectly on nearly 30 cards.

Both the kids are very excited for their parties tomorrow, and even more excited that Daddy will be home in only 2 more sleeps.

My First Zentangle

2011-02-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

Here is my first real attempt at a zentangle. I say 'real' because my actual first attempt was a bit of a cheat. First of all, I used pencil, and therefore was too tempted to use an eraser. This is a big no-no when working this particular form of art. The idea is to 'go-with-the-flow', use a pen, and see where that mistake leads you.

This art of doodling is a sort of meditation. It is not only very calming, but in the end, surprisingly rewarding.
In this one, I borrowed my son's hand and traced it, then continued from there. In about 2 hours, (divided), I had completed not only a piece of art, but a keepsake of the size of my little guy's hand at the age of 5.

Are there mistakes in there? Yes. Would I do things differently next time? Yes, but that's the whole point, they are all different. There are no two alike.

I came across this idea when blog hopping around the world during the 'One World One Heart' bloggers event, and new instantly that I had to try it. I'm glad I did, and would recommend it to anyone who needs a little down time. Maybe you're just a bit tired, or are experiencing a creative block. This could be a great way to relax and free your mind.

A Blog Event That Caught My Eye

2011-01-31T19:17:00.000-08:00

This looked like a ton of fun, so why not?

I started a blog as a way of introducing myself to those who wanted to get to know me better than what my little Etsy shop offered.

I had absolutely no idea where it would go, how long it would last, or if I would get any response. As it turns out, none of that matters. I just love to do it. And I love reading the blogs of others as well. It's far better than TV.

Click on the picture for all the details, and to register your blog.

Here is what I'm offering up as my giveaway. A stone necklace with various findings. All findings are silver plated and it has no clasp because it measures a long 33 inches.

I can not wait to see what everyone else is doing.

Grandpa Cookies

2011-01-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

My Grandfather always had a bag of 'Dad's' cookies on hand. Out of all the choices, the chocolate chip ones remain my favorite. I love to bake, and I rarely buy cookies, but about once a year, I come across a bag of these, and there in no resisting, (and yes, this is the big bag). One bite, and I'm transported back to a young girl on a warm autumn day, waiting for Grandpa to come back into the yard, turn off the tractor, and invite me to share his lunch with him. He always brought extra, and he even let me have some of his coffee, just a sip. It was the perfect afternoon moment. Later on, when Grandpa could no longer farm, we visited him in town. There was always a bag of cookies sitting by his refridgerator. He must have spent more money on cookies than any other grocery, because there were 5 of us Grandaughters, and we were constantly there, eating his cookies. When we got old enough, he sent us uptown with the money and a list, and I would always, without fail, pick these cookies.

My Grandpa passed away more than 15 years ago. It is so hard to believe that so much time has passed since sharing this special treat with him. But I'll always have my memories, and seeing as how they have been making these cookies since 1929, why would they stop now?

I Say 'Because'...A Lot.

2011-01-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

I always said that I wouldn't be the parent who answered 'because' to my children's questions. But sometimes, there really is not a better answer. There are just certain things I do not want to explain yet. Like this recent question that truly caught me off guard, "Mommy, why do boys and girls have to be together to make a baby?". My answer, "Because, they just do." She's 8 years old, does she really need that answered honestly yet?

My son often resorts to this word to answer my many questions for him. "Sweetie, why do you need to take apart your sandwiches before eating them?" My son calmly replies, "Because, I just do." There are many times I will dignify my children's questions with long, drawn out reasons that satisfy them. "Mommy, why do I have to clean up my room?" My answer, "Because, if you don't, Mommy can't clean the floors in your room, and then all sorts of little nasties will want to move in. You wouldn't want that, would you?" But after the hundredth time of answering the same question, with many creative answers, I sometimes just can not help myself, and it ends up being a lazy, "Because I said so." No sooner is it out of my mouth, that I regret it. I hated being told that as a child. That answer always made me feel very unimportant. It wasn't intended to do that, but it took me 30 years to figure out that sometimes, the adults in my life, just got tired of answering my many questions. And, I had a lot of questions. I still do, but now I just 'Google' it, because I can.

For the Love of Vintage

2011-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

I recently reached the 50 sales mark in my Etsy shop, and that has been (mostly) due to the vintage jewelry. It's funny though, no sooner did I type that, I received an email, saying that I received payment for one of my handmade necklaces.

But it remains true, that the majority of interest has been in the vintage jewelry. There are so many beautiful, reusable pieces out there. I have even noticed that the quality of these older pieces is often superior to a similar item you would currently purchase in a department store for about the same price, and often less. Some people are collectors and have bought pieces to add to their own special vintage collection. Others have purchased a particular piece because it looked just like something their Grandmother had. And some people have bought pieces because they want to do their small part for the Earth and reuse as much as they can. Now, I have never been interested in history, but it has been a lot of fun to have all these wonderful items move through my hands, to learn about their makers and the history of jewelry. I've only just scratched the surface of this topic though, and I intend to get a lot more involved. I can't wait to see what comes up next.

Our Beautiful Ginger

2011-01-13T08:53:00.000-08:00

A little into our second year of marriage, 12 years ago, we came across this beautiful Husky - German Shepherd cross pup. We both instantly fell in love and without hesitation adopted our Ginger. We lived up North in a small and quiet oil town with a large yard. We also did a lot of hiking and camping, and we knew she would make the perfect companion on our journeys. We already had two cats at home, but that wasn't a problem for any of them. They took well to each other quickly, and you could often find all 3 of them napping together on the doggie bed.

Ginger loved to be constantly by our side, and if I didn't kennel her during the day, she would soon find her way to where I worked and sit outside the window. In a thunder storm, she would come into the house, press her head against my leg, and go wherever I went until it ended. She is terrified of storms until this day, and will do things out of character when one in approaching. She even went missing for nearly 2 weeks last year, after she decided she could outrun the storm, and got lost. We were all fairly certain that was the end, but she was found, and was very happy to be returned home.

In the summer of 2000, after many camping and hiking trips, we moved to a small but busy city. Seeing that it would be too much for her, we took Ginger to my Husband's family farm. His farm had already housed a couple of German Shepherd pets and the family has a natural affinity toward this breed of dog. We missed her a lot, and she was always excited to see us, but the farm was a great home, and we could she was happy there.

Today our Ginger is 12 years old, and age has not been kind. Her arthritis is obviously painful, and she has an immune disorder called pannus, that has affected her eyesight dramatically. Regardless of these facts, she still greets all of us with excitement, and she constantly keeps an eye on the kids when they are outside.

It is very hard to say how much longer we have with her, but the entire family will miss her greatly when she does decide to pass on. Hopefully, she can hold on through this winter and into the summer of next year, because we are moving back to the area in July and will have a lot more time to spend with her.

An Unexpected Gift

2010-12-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

When I decided to take part of the Secret Santa exchange with the Etsy Alberta Team, I set no boundaries and laid no hints as to what I might like to receive. I enjoy a surprise. When I saw the envelope was from Glass Circus, a shop I'm quite familiar with, I was very excited. Not without the haste of a child on Christmas morning, I opened the package, and found myself delighted with the contents. Three fused glass ornaments quickly found their way to my tree, but I will not be packing them away with the decorations after the holidays. I think they would make great dangles for a bookmark. The green one would look great on one of my purses, that just happens to need a larger zipper pull to grip. They would make really wonderful gift tag adornments for someone special, but I'm afraid I like them a bit too much to be giving them away so soon. Thank-you so much for the lovely gift Martina, and as always, you do wonderful work.

A Cold Weather Indulgence

2010-11-27T15:34:00.001-08:00

I love a scented candle, and the only thing more important than the scent is the jar that it comes in. I won't even pick up a candle to see what it smells like unless it is in a very attractive jar, one that I will eventually repurpose.

I use the jars to store and organize all sorts of things. Bath products, beads, findings, beach finds, and even candy have all found pretty little homes in what was once a candle jar.

The candle in the photo is unique in that it burns a wooden wick. It actually makes a small crackling sound, similar to that of a real fire.

I'm very sensitive to the smells that surround me, and so I always feel more calm when there is a soothing scent in the air. Whether it be from a nice candle or a pot of soup on the stove, the house just feels more like a home when it smells great. But there is something extra soothing about being in the company of a flame. Of course, nothing can beat a campfire or a real fireplace, but since I have access to neither this winter, a simple candle will accompany me nearly everywhere I go in the house - down to the basement to craft or do laundry, upstairs to have a bath, or to the living room to read.

My Favourite Part of Winter

2010-11-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

I cannot honestly say that I look forward to the cold months in Canada. Unless you can count curling up on the couch with a good book. Cold weather does not mean ice skating, skiing and sledding for me. The cold weather drives me to do much less torcherous sports, like reading, and baking, and now this year, blogging.

But when the frost settles just right, as it does once in a blue moon. You will find me out and about (in my car) with my camera in tow, capturing all the beauty that a heavy hoar frost brings.

For this photo, all I had to do was step outside my front door. Everything was covered, but this ninebark shrub was the only thing that had all her leaves, and she looked amazing. So amazing, in fact, I felt inspired. Inspired to quickly take a picture, run back in, put the coffee on and sit in front of my picture window with my book, looking up from time to time to enjoy the view the hoar frost had created.

But what took hours for the frost to create, took only minutes for the wind to destroy, and so with coffee in hand, book in other, it was down to the basement for the occasional view of Old Paris above my loveseat.

A Favourite Fall Bouquet

2010-11-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

I've been doing this bouquet every October for several years now. I simply carve out a pumpkin, slip in some floral foam, and start arranging.

I tidy it up every couple of days, adding fresh water and removing the faded blooms, and once it no longer looks that great, it is very easy to clean up...just toss the whole works into the compost. Just be sure to remove your foam...it definitely is not biodegradable, unless of course, you have discovered the relatively new foam that is. Hopefully this healthier for us and our Earth foam will be become readily available soon. It also doesn't hurt to find out whether or not your florist is into the composting habit. There is a ton of waste in the fresh flower industry, and every little bit helps. My florist even encourages her clients to bring in their own, reusable container for a discount on their next arrangement. Reduce, reuse, recycle and create beautiful dirt whenever possible....

Halloween Treats

2010-11-05T10:59:00.001-07:00

These lovely little cupcakes happened largely because of the Wilton company. The bat and spider candies - Wilton, the sprinkles - Wilton, the cupcake wrappers - Wilton, and even the recipe for the buttercream is courtesy of Wilton.

These were a huge hit and a huge mess by the time the kids had eaten an average of about 4 each.

These little ghost were a huge hit with the kids. At first I thought it was because they were so cute, but I was wrong. I overheard one of the kids say he wanted another because they had the most icing on them.

We always adapt our sugar cookies to all the different holidays and seasons. We do Christmas, and Easter and Spring and Fall cookies. We do the 'just because we can' cookies and create various shapes. For me it is a tradition that started when I was very young with my Grandma. Every Christmas she had several buckets of iced sugar cookies to give out during the holidays. I always think of her when working on them, and I hope she can feel the new found appreciation I have for all her hard work.

An October Treat

2010-11-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have a Sister who is obsessed with Autumn and even more so with Halloween. Her birthday is on the 11th of her favourite month of the year, and for some reason, I never have any doubt as to what to get her. This year I designed her a necklace and 3 pairs of earrings to go with it. All done in copper, semi-precious stones and glass, these pieces look great for fall. The dragon's vein agate pendant puts it over the top for Halloween, and is removable for a more subtle look. But since my Sister thinks it should be Halloween year round, I doubt she'll ever take it off.

Now Lynn has a busy lifestyle, working at least 2 jobs, raising 3 kids and taking care of her rather substantial home. But this year, she took the time to come visit me in Cold Lake, only a week before Halloween. She came because she wanted to share in one of my favourite times of the year, and help decorate the house for the occasion. It was a crazy, fun week-end. We indulged in a bit of wine, creme brulee, roast chicken dinner, and of course, crafting. Even when it was time to sit down for a bit, we were crocheting ghosts, bats, spiders, and pumpkins. My kids joined in on the fun too, making all kinds of cut outs for me to hang on my cabinets, and stretching cob webs from one end of the house to the other. By the end of Saturday, my house was officially haunted, and to be honest, even I was a little nervous with the surroundings, when I turned out the lights at night. We went shopping on Sunday, and came home with even more ideas, and crafting supplies.

Monday came too quickly, and my Little Sister had to head back to her own life. And while I know she was sad to leave, she was very excited to get back, and put a lot of those ideas into her own home.

Next year, in July, we are moving back to my Husband's family farm, and the town in which we both grew up, and my Sister and I will be neighbors. What fun it will be to get together much more often, to inspire each other, and share our creations. She will even be my children's bus driver...how perfect is that?

A Favourite Pastime

2010-10-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Combing the beaches of Cold Lake near our home is one of our favourite things to do. The first nice day after a bit of a wind storm is always the best time go. A fresh supply of beach glass and new, polished stones are there for us to chose from, and to add to our, getting rather large, collections.

People often associate beach glass with ocean beaches, and I've met quite a few people who are very surprised when I tell them that I have a large supply of glass from the tiny little beach right beside the Marina.

The collection looks fantastic diplayed in a nice jar, but the plan is to eventually create some jewelry from the various pieces. It is good to have a wide variety of shapes and sizes to chose from when creating a piece.

For the longest time, my little ones scoured the beaches with me and gave me their finds to add to my collection. But they have recently asked for their own jars and have started up their own little collections, and I will have to be replacing their jars for larger ones very soon.

We'll be taking a large break from our favourite pastime soon, as the beach will be covered in snow for months. That will give us some time to create some art with some of the wonderful finds.

After School Project

2010-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

Question: What would be a good idea for an art project this afternoon Munchkins?

Answer: Feet painting!!!

Question: Feet what?

Answer: You know, 'From Bill Nye the Science Guy'.

Question: OK, should I go find the supplies?

Answer: Yes, right now Mommy!!!

Question: (In my mind) Why did I agree to this?

Well, it wasn't anything to worry about. I just brought out some warm, soapy water in a bowl when the kids were done, and left the paintings to dry in the sun. Now we have some updated art for their rooms, and some great keepsakes of their little 7 and 5 year old feet.

Autumn Cookies

2010-09-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

We finally had some sunshine here yesterday, and not a moment too soon. Everyone has been feeling a bit low with all the unseasonably cold weather and rain.

Along with the sun, the familiar colours of Fall finally came out of hiding and inspired us to make these delectable little morsels. Sugar cookies cut into oak leaves and acorns and decorated with the colours of the season became the highlight of the day. The kids also wanted to decorated some sort of animal, so they chose cats, and along with acorns and leaves, we also had some very interesting looking kitties.

After enjoying a few of our homemade goodies, we headed outside to start cleaning up all the plants that the early frost had put to an end. The kids mostly spent their time saving the slugs from ending up as compost, and thank goodness, because what is a garden without those wonderful, little, slimy critters?

Our next job well be to download the collection of spider pictures my Daughter collected from the backyard and turn them into a slideshow and mini scrapbook. Never ending fun with my nature loving children.

A Couple Of Cakes

2010-09-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

This cake features an antique John Deere tractor. It is
a 1953 Model 40 to be exact. It was a fun one to do, and
I hope my customer's Father is happy about it.

This is a Zhu Zhu Pet cake. Actually, it is a replica of the

one I purchased for my 5 year old at the end of August. He

loved it, especially when he was allowed to decapitate and

devour it.

Another Shop

2010-08-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

This is officially the third shop I am running on Etsy. I know at least a few people will consider me to have completely 'lost it'. To those people I say, 'Oh well, I do what I do to keep me sane in an otherwise insane world."

Of course there is the first shop and the most serious of the three, 'Blue Jeans Jewelry', and then there is my daughter's shop, 'The Crafty Gecko', and since she refused to share her little space on Etsy, (and I can understand why), I opened up 'The Crafty Bug'. This new little shop will be for all the little extra things I like to do. I tried paper quilling sometime ago, and decided to start with these cards.

Etsy is far more than a place to try and sell your wares, it is a creative community, that shares ideas, opinions, and life in general. It is fun and inspiring to see what everyone is busy creating, and to share the things that I am doing as well. Of course, getting the sale is rewarding too. After all, the ultimate compliment is when someone is willing to spend their hard earned money on something you've created.

Better in a Sweater

2010-08-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Canada is getting ready for Fall. Whether we like it or not, (and I love it), we are at the end of our short summer. I will take a short summer any day, as long as you give me a nice, long Autumn.

What is so great about this time of year? Well, the list is long, so have a seat, (if you haven't already).

I doubt anyone can argue me that Nature's colours are at her grandest during this season. Not only do we still have flowers blooming, but the leaves against the much more crisp blue of the sky is breathtaking. Our lake has taken on a beautiful, hazy green hue. If you have a vegetable garden, there is nothing quite like filling a bowl with fresh carrots, red potatoes, green beans and my favourite, red-off-the-vine tomatoes.

OK, so what, the colours are amazing, well, how about those clothes? Beautiful, chunky knit scarves, hats, and sweaters are everywhere. I don't care what size you are, we all look better in a sweater. And I've never seen a gal that didn't look great in the right scarf. Even jewelry is more comfortable in the fall when it isn't sticking to your damp skin. Yes, Autumn is definitely the best time for accessorizing.

A hot shower feels good again, the air is better for you, the food is better for you, even the sun is better for you this time of year. And all of those great artists on Etsy are in the spirit of the season. Just look at the wonderful new items from Canadians in the collection above. Visit Etsy, and search 'ohcanadateam' to browse all these wonderful listings and more. Bring a coffee, it also tastes better this time of year.

My Little Etsy Shop

2010-08-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I was browsing Ebay and came across the Vintage Jewelry Section. In it was a remarkable necklace, that I just had to have. A new obsession was born. I started to look for other pieces as unique and beautiful. Some were part of a collection being sold, and so I ended up purchasing several of these collections just for one or two specific items. Most of the items were in good condition, but some had seen their last days as is, and needed to be upcycled into something new. So started the idea to start designing my own pieces. While researching techniques, I came across the world of wire jewelry, and the possibilites were endless.

Both of my young children will be in school this fall, and finding a job that allows me to come and go as I please seemed very unlikely, and so 'Blue Jeans Jewelry' was born. A small business to focus my energy on while my kids are busy cutting the apron strings. Things started off slow, but are now gaining momentum, and just in time for fall. Things have evolved quickly since I decided to open up a shop on Etsy this past Spring, and it will be very interesting to see where they go in the future.

My Daughter the Entrepreneur

2010-08-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

As I was working on the computer this morning, updating my jewelry shop on Etsy, my daughter, now 7, announced that she definitely needed her own shop. She said she new exactly what she wanted to make, and then begged me to create a shop for her. I was quite uncertain, at first, that this was a good idea. After doing a bit of light reading in the Etsy 'Do's and Don'ts' section, I was convinced that my daughter had a great plan. Running a shop under a parent's supervision could become a great learning experience. Little did I know that while I was teaching her about the cost of shipping and materials, she would be teaching me just how much she understands about people and their lives.
The first card she came out with said, 'Who put stickers on the wall?' . She then explained that this card would be for the person who knew a child that was forever getting into trouble, and this could be their way of showing them that they loved that child...no matter what. I thought that was sweet, until I saw the next card she came up with. This one says, 'Love Hurts Sometimes', and has a picture of a rather lonely looking frog. I asked her who she thought this card would be for and she replied, "For the person who's lost someone they loved...", and then she added, "Of course....Mom". She then went back downstairs to the craft room to continue her work. Deeply moved by my daughter's sensitivity, I happily continued posting and sharing her wonderful creations. I cannot wait to see what else she comes up with, and am truly hoping she continues her interest in "The Crafty Gecko", aptly named for her love of reptiles and in particular her pet crested gecko, Chocolate.

Simply Elegant

2010-07-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a new bracelet that has become one of my favourite pieces. Non-tarnish silver jump rings with a black freshwater pearl set over top of the joint on each link created a flawless and elegant design that I'm sure to create variations of.
I had a difficult time photographing this item. After trying several different props, I tried a teacup. I had seen earrings dangling from a teacup and thought the result was quite charming. Not only did the cup allow the bracelet to drape nicely it also helped add a bit of texture and depth to the photo. In short, it made it more interesting, a goal we all share when trying to photograph our items for our shops on Etsy.
Half the fun in browsing Etsy is seeing all the creative ways people photograph their goods. The best images not only show off the item for sale, but they also create a mood. When we are shopping for items for our homes or for ourselves we are drawn to whatever best suits our mood at the time. Or, if you are like me, you are shopping for something to help alleviate your current mood. Colourful and bright, soft and calm, cool and elegant, are some of my favourite photos to look at and create treasuries with.
When photographing my jewelry, I ask myself what feeling the piece gives me and then try to emulate that feeling in the photo. My photography is a work in progress, a challenge that I'm enjoying.

The Perfect Picture

2010-07-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

On July the third, my beautiful little sister married the love of her life in their yard in rural Manitoba. My husband and I were in charge of the photography, and regardless of both of us being amateurs, we were able to capture some beautiful photos throughout the day. This is my favourite by far.
We took photos of everyone and everything that took place from morning until well into the next morning. But, we made one collosal mistake. I was so busy helping my husband organize everyone for photos, that we forgot to take photos of the bride and myself, her matron of honour. How horrible is that? We decided not to try and fake our way out of it, and instead the lack of those photos will tell the true story of that day and just how truly chaotic it was. Chaos often has way of turning out beautifully.

Those Colourful Fuzzy Things

2010-07-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

These colourful flowers are the highlight of my yard this year. Celosia are everywhere. Thanks to a close friend ordering way too many plants for her little greenhouse, my tiny greenhouse got to catch the overflow of well over 200 little seedlings. They transplanted like a dream without any hindrance to their growth at all, and they had no trouble hardening off. They are in my front built-in planter, in my front flower bed, in nearly 50 planters, and there are even some left in the greenhouse. Surprisingly the ones that have been left in the greenhouse are not doing nearly as well as the ones that have been transplanted outdoors. Quite a lot of people don't know what these little beauties are and find them quite fascinating. They grow in a variety of vibrant colours, including, red, pink, yellow, orange and my favourite, fuschia. You might think that the flowers would be prickly, but they are quite soft, and when wet, almost silky. By accident, these little annuals have brought a lot joy to my garden, and well now be purposely sown in future Springs.

My Sister's Wedding Cake

2010-07-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a cake that I stressed over for nearly 6 months. I didn't how I was I going to make it, where I was going to make it or how I was going to get it to Manitoba, (a 10 hour) drive from where I live. In the end, it all came together quite nicely and with relatively little fuss. Six months of stress for nothing.
I baked and decorated the cake at my in-laws, which shortened the end drive with the cake in tow to only 2 hours. Of course I was still concerned about the heat wave we were experiencing. The bottom cake is chocolate with chocolate buttercream, while the middle tier is vanilla. The top is styrofoam, and the my sister's keepsake. Believe it or not, it was the little styrofoam 'cake' that gave me the most grief. In order to adhere the fondant to the foam, I coated it in a thin layer of corn syrup. So when it started to heat up and melt, it had no where to go but down, and that created the dark spot you see on the ribbon. I fixed it before the reception, but it just kept melting, and I seemed to be the only person to notice, so it was fine.
My sister was brought to tears upon seeing her cake, and even though it was nowhere near what she had pictured, she loved it, and I got the hug of a lifetime. Not one of those "Oh, that's nice" hugs, but one of those, "I think my left lung just deflated, but boy I feel loved" hugs. So, it was all entirely worth it - 6 months of stress, hours of baking, decorating and setting up, for that 2 second look of astonishment, 10 second look of admiration, and the hug that I still haven't completely recovered from.
Congratulations, Little Sister, and thank-you for letting me play such a large part in one of the most monumental days of your life.

Summertime With the Alberta Street Team

2010-06-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

All the items in this shop have one thing
in common, they are all handmade in Alberta. A wide variety of items from very creative and talented people that have formed a team to support each other and promote the work that goes into running a shop on Etsy.

BarefootClips always delights with her fresh and bright photos. If you're looking for a wonderful hair accessory or an adorable pair of baby leg warmers, look no further.

SimplyTempted is a delicious shop that is overflowing with bath bombs, body creams and parfaits, handmade soaps and many other sinfully indulgent items that would make fantastic gifts for anyone, especially yourself.

Annakozi features wonderful, elegant earrings and these fantastic and versatile leather flower accessories, that could be worn as a brooch, hairclip or attached to any bag to change things up a bit.

Then we have DollfaceDeville, our very own Etsy model, whose face and items have made the front page more times than I can count. Her shop is filled with wonderful crocheted items as well as beautiful jewelry.

The very cleverly named LittleBowTeek carries wonderful hair accessories and pacifier clips in her shop. With over 100 items in the store, you're bound to find that perfect something.

Cindylouwho2 runs a magnificent shop filled with jewelry created with paua abalone sea shell, semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls and sea glass. A stunning assortment of choices, with photos that always make it easy to include in a treasury.

Do yourself a favour and visit Bluefuze. This shop is filled with some of the most stunning fine art, including drawings, paintings, digital paintings and mixed media works. I promise you, you'll be impressed, especially if you have ever tried any of these mediums.

TheMegShop offers a wonderful selection of jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets and bangles all come in a wonderful, unique assortment of styles.

Asecondtime specializes in steampunk and hanforged silver jewelry. Nearly 300 beautiful and unique pieces fill this wonderful shop. Pour yourself a drink and enjoy the detail that goes into each of these one-of-a-kind items.

Help out a critter and do some shopping at TwoStrayCats. This generous shop owner donates a portion of every sale to help out our animal friends. I can personally vouch for the quality coming out of this shop.

FPwear combines whimsy and comfort to create unique items. Baby booties, quilts, notecards and more are all here for you to chose from.

Looking for a unique decoration for you home? Look no further than Kidsloveletters. Fabric-covered wooden letters are available in a huge variety, and are actually only limited by your own imagination, as custom orders are more than welcome here.

Unique rings, bracelets and necklaces are a few of the unique handmade pieces you'll find in Frogprincessdesigns ' shop. From everyday to bridal, you're sure to find something you'll love.

You'll find only stunning, heartfelt jewelry creations in a little shop called Tinged. Today jewelry, tomorrow...who knows? Keep your eye on this shop, the owner is very likely to surprise you.

FarrenSquare runs a unique and diverse shop specializing in wonderful handmade journals and notebooks. Take a peek, there a few fun surprises here too.

I love the clever names this team has come up with and here is yet another - OffTheHooks is a wonderful shop centered around fiber. The handspun and handpainted yarns are beautiful as are the accessories created from them. Enjoy this wonderful shop and get some of your Christmas shopping out of the way early.

There are many, many other beautiful shops on this team, all with wonderful people behind them. Keep an eye on this blog, as I feature more wonderful creations from not only Alberta, but from across Canada and who else knows where. For a complete list of Etsians from Alberta visit the Etsy Alberta Street Team Blog.

Something Different

2010-06-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

This blue and white cabochon reminds me of a perfect summer's day, bright blue with just a few wisps of clouds. I don't enjoy a cloudless sky. Clouds give the sky form, texture and interest. Without at least a few clouds, I would describe the sky as lifeless.
I originally thought I would wrap this piece in silver, but decided on copper for its earthiness. Green, being the other dominant colour of our planet, seemed to be the logical choice for accent beads. I actually did try several other colours and bead styles, but I kept coming back to these Swarovski emerald beauties.
As a beginner at the art of wire wrapping, I am, so far, quite pleased with what I have created. I am still in awe of how many wire artists do what they do. So I will continue to read and try out new ideas, hopefully finding my own style with this wonderful medium.

A Fascination

2010-06-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

I've always been drawn to pottery. Anytime I go to a farmer's market or craft show, I look for the pottery stands. I almost always walk away with another blue piece for my collection. Over the past 13 years, I've collected mugs, bowls, vases, planters, platters, casseroles, and I even have a gorgeous bundt pan. Recently, I took a pottery class, and gained a very healthy respect for the art. I can now really appreciate just how much time and practice it took to be able to create that beautiful tea pot, or carve those perfect celtic knots. My goal was to create a large vase, like the one in this collection. I didn't come anywhere close. I did manage to come out of the class with with several usable and enjoyable pieces however, most of them blue. I was encouraged to try experiment with other colours, and I did, but those pieces have become gifts for friends.
Pottery is limited only by ones imagination, and while I favoured the wheel, others in the class created stunning hand molded plates, platters, bowls, beads, and little statues. I didn't think to create a pendant or a brooch, but what a wonderful idea. I'll definitely be looking for another class to take in the future, and taking all of these wonderful ideas along for inspiration. In the meantime, I'll continue to browse through Etsy until I come across the piece(s) that I just simply cannot live without, and continue to build my collection. That shouldn't be difficult.

A Summer Picnic

2010-06-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

As Canadians, we seem to wait forever for our summers. We imagine ourselves doing all sorts of wonderful things when that beautiful weather finally arrives. When it does, however, we often find ourselves busy, too busy to enjoy any of that rare 25 degree weather.
We're off to our regular jobs, hauling our kids to their summer activities, taking advantage of good driving conditions to visit distant family and numerous other duties, that seem to swallow our summers whole leaving us wondering where the time went. In the past, this has left me wondering if I really had a summer at all.

This year, I truly intend to slow things down a bit. We have already started to eat outdoors more, and I am planning meals that don't leave me cleaning the kitchen for hours afterward. I am simplifying, and storing my hobbies away until the winter inevitably comes again. If it cannot be enjoyed on the deck, or taken in the camper, then it is being lovingly stored away for now. Picnic supplies are at the ready, just add a few bites to eat, a couple of drinks, and off we go. "Meet us at the park Honey, the kids are on the beach, and we'll eat when you get here." That is something I'll be saying a lot this summer. I encourage everyone to slow down, really soak up these next couple of months and store up some extra 'Vitamin Happy' to get you through that long Canadian winter that makes us appreciate our summers so much.
Need a few supplies to make the summer more enjoyable? Take a few minutes to browse through Etsy, and trust to the wonderful shops, and the mail to get it to you. Why not just go down to the local Wal-Mart? Simple, because this shopping can be done on the deck with an iced-tea, and you'll find far more selection and tons of unique and wonderful items. Just look at all the fantastic items I found and put together in this treasury, and it only took me a few minutes.

Grandma's Bread

2010-06-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

It does not matter how many times I do the simple task of baking bread, it is always a very satisfying experience. From the time the ingredients come together to form the perfect dough, to the moment I'm buttering up that wonderful crust, I find myself very pleased with the entire process. Every time I knead the dough, I remember my Grandma in her kitchen. I would sit and watch her work that dough until it was perfect and when she was shaping the buns, she would always give me a playful smack on the cheek with the dough. And then I waited, and waited until it had baked and cooled enough to cut into. That slightly warm, freshly buttered crust, pleased like nothing else could, and still does today. I miss the company though, and I can never seem to get my bread the same as Grandma's. Have you ever noticed that wine tastes better with a good friend? Well, perhaps it's the same with bread.

Sage and Ivory

2010-06-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today I am recovering from a sunburn accomplished while gardening the entire day away yesterday. Today is a bit chilly and so I have been mostly indoors and thinking a lot about my little sister and her wedding that will be happening in just under 3 weeks. So with the washer and dryer running and the bread rising in the oven, I had some time to create this lovely treasury in honour of the event. Her colours, as you can well guess, are sage and ivory, and in my opinion, a stunning choice. Timeless, elegant and romantic are words that come to mind when I see this colour combination. Of course, as is our nature, we are doing everything ourselves for the occasion. My baby sister is doing the majority of the flowers, and I'll finish them. I did the invitations, and will also do the thank-yous. We are doing all the decorations, including the cake, which I will be creating. My sister has done much of the food already, and is leaving just a few important details to the caterer. We really did try to figure out a way to get around supper without a caterer, but then the most important people in her life would be too busy to enjoy themselves at the wedding, so this is the one splurge we allowed ourselves. Regardless of all the crazy goings on at these large family gatherings, I am truly looking forward to this event. The laughter, the tears, the chaos, all add up to one big roller coaster ride for the senses, and something for my sister and I to talk about on the phone every morning for a long time to come. Not that we really need anything to talk about, that phone line will be busy regardless.

Copper Wrapped Turquoise

2010-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

I've attempted this several times, attempted and failed to create something I liked. Finally I have something worth listing in my Etsy shop. I really like to try and figure out things on my own, but sometimes it is definitely worth taking some advice from an expert. For myself, wire wrapping was one of those things that I couldn't just look at and figure out on my own. I really had to do some serious studying. I borrowed several books, by several different authors, and I just wasn't 'getting it. And then it came to me, the right book, an author that spoke in a way I understood. So, I grabbed a nice stone, and my favorite wire, copper, and began the process. I'm not usually one to create a project out of a book. I take the basic principles and apply them to what I have on hand. No where in this book was there a free form piece of turquoise wrapped in copper wire. As a matter of fact, the process I used to create this pendant was used to create a ring in the book. So, now that I have a new basic skill, I have a million ideas to use it with. Realistically, many of my ideas are still way beyond my skill level, but I'll get there. Either by finding my own way, or by finding a suitable teacher to set me in the right direction.

Copper and Emerald Bib Necklace

2010-06-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Here is something a little different from me. I am still playing with wire, just trying to branch out a little bit. Oddly enough, the design for this bib necklace came to me while I was folding the laundry. I guess doing such a mundane task has the benefit of clearing the mind well enough to let some inspiration through. I've always loved the colour combination of copper and emerald. For me, this necklace feels romantic, yet classic. It is quite a formal piece, and did look quite out of place when I put it on with my t-shirt. I've also wrapped a stone in copper wire to create a pendant, and I created a cuff bracelet that has pearls set into it. These were just practice pieces and didn't turn out quite well enough to add to my shop, but, I definitely learned a lot from doing them. I'm still trying to find my style with this medium, and will have to play around quite a bit more to find it.

Pottery Class

2010-06-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

To get out of the house, meet new people, and of course to learn something new, a couple of friends and I decided to join a pottery club. I came out with a lot of different pieces, some hand molded, but mostly I worked on the wheel. Out of all the pieces, these are my favorite, not necessarily for what they are, but because of how the glaze turned out. I never put much thought into the glazing. This part of the pottery process was very random and experimental for me. These little bowls were dipped entirely in a clear glaze, and then 'rimmed' in a blue. The blue glaze ran down the inside and out, creating this wonderful, organic look. Now seeing as how I don't usually use dipping bowls in my kitchen, I think I well move these to my crafting space where they will become bead organizing bowls instead. This way, I will get a lot more enjoyment out of them.

Pendants for the Kids

2010-05-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

I took a fun little break this afternoon while both my kids were at school. While sipping coffee and listening to Susan Boyle, I created these little pendants. My daughter adores anything reptilian, especially lizards, and my son cannot get enough of frogs. I hand shaped them out of polymer clay and will set them on leather cord for the kids, although they will probably come off and be used as toys.
I've been trying to find my way with this new medium lately, and so far have been unable to come up with anything elegant enough for a piece of adult jewelry, so I decided to have some fun with it.
Now I'll get to present my kids with cute, little presents after school and I get to enjoy the benefits of having had a fun, creative, and really quite relaxing afternoon.

Sterling and Agate

2010-05-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

There really is not too much I can say about this piece. The agate pendant is an incredibly stunning piece that speaks for itself. It was really quite by accident that this necklace came to be. Sometime ago, I picked up the little agate beads, and wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with them, but they were too beautiful to leave alone. Then, a week or so ago, while visiting Edmonton for a dentist appointment, my husband surprised me with a little side trip to Bead World. I've never seen so many beads and pendants in my whole life. I could have spent hours in there, browsing and designing, but I didn't have hours, I had about 15 minutes. Feeling completely overwhelmed, I wasn't going to buy anything, and then this blue agate caught my eye. Like the small beads before it, I really didn't know what I would do with it, but I had to have it.
Now I had forgotten about the little blue agate beads, so when I went looking for something to compliment the large pendant, I was very surprised to find them. I have never worked with sterling silver wire before, but felt that such fine stones required the precious metal, and although a bit nervous, I set to work. I decided to keep the chain relatively simple, with cute little tri-loop links and the small agate bead links to join them. The result is a stunning necklace that could be worn with everything from blue jeans to a gown.
I considered just finding a permanent home for it in my own jewelry box, and not listing this piece, but that piece of agate came on a strand of six. There are 5 more gorgeous slices to eventually work with, each stunning in its own unique way.

A Cha-Cha

2010-05-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

There was little to no thought put into this bracelet. I picked up some lovely glass beads, grabbed some wire, and a few tools, and went to sit on my deck with an espresso and the sunshine for motivation. I got started by creating all the links for the base chain, and then I went to work on the 'charms'. I just turned and twisted and played with beads and wire until I ended up with something I liked. I worked like this until it was time to make supper, and realized that I wasn't even 1/4 of the way finished. I put everything together into a bowl, and kept the project nearby, where I could pick it up at any time I had a few moments. So over the next 3 or 4 days, with the time adding up to several hours, I had a finished bracelet. I love this piece because it is unique and has a lot of character. It is fun to wear because it is heavy, and makes a wonderful sound with the slightest movement. It is fun to look at because of the variety of beads, the depth in some of the beads, and all the interesting curves of the wire. So without any direction, I created one of my favorite pieces.
This afternoon, I sat down with a great idea for what I wanted to create. After hours of trying to put it together, I had nothing to show for it. The creative process remains a mystery to me, the only thing I can honestly say about it is, you cannot force it.

Chocolate and Lavender

2010-05-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

When I'm looking for a little comfort, a bit of indulgence, I turn to chocolate or lavender, and sometimes both. Chocolate in the form of 85 to 90 percent cocoa, and lavender in the form of essential oil, added to a bath or spritzed on a blanket before I sit down to read. This sounds simple, but for me it is like having had a vacation. All I need is a few minutes, and I can completely clear my head and get to a calm place, where I am once again centered and ready to go on with the day. Even the colours are effective in setting the tone for my mood. My bedding was completely inspired by these two comforts. The sheets are a bamboo and cotton blend in an earthy, lavender, and my duvet is a dark, chocolate brown. I find the combination both soothing and beautiful. I've grown lavender in my garden and this year I have started it from seed in my greenhouse and intend to harvest it to make little sachets for my drawers and closets. It is barely an inch high, and it already gives off a heavenly scent. If I could grow chocolate, I would, but as it is, I always have 85 to 90 percent in my pantry, and almost always visit a Bernard Callebaut shop when I visit the city. I haven't found another since, but when I visited Ucluelet on Vancouver island a couple of years ago, I experienced a dark chocolate flavoured with lavender. It was absolutely divine.
My 'Oh Canada' teammates and their wide variety of shops have provided all the items in the above collection. The talent and creativity we have access to on Etsy never ceases to amaze me. With over 400,000 active sellers worldwide, you're sure to find something wonderfully unique for yourself or someone dear.

The Greenhouse

2010-05-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh...the greenhouse. This is my first year with a greenhouse, just a little 'shack' my husband built for me this Spring. I love it. I've started 4 varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins. There are nasturtiums, zinnias, black-eyed susan vine, morning glories, sunflowers, rain daisies, four o'clocks, nemophila, coleus, pampas grass, hyacinth bean, sweat peas, lavatera, lavender, and parsely. A friend who has maxed out her greenhouse space brought me over 200 plants, a mix of celosia, bacopa and euphorbia. I always loved going to the big greenhouses in the Spring, and would visit several days a week, as soon as they opened. Inevitably, I would end up spending hundreds of dollars on plants. This year, I have yet to set foot in one. I never would have imagined feeling this much satisfaction from starting and tending to my own plants. My husband said that it cost just a little over $120 to build. Little does he know how much money it will save. Not just from buying plants at a commercial greenhouse, but in upcoming years of therapy.

Meet an Indie Designer

2010-05-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

Who is the creator behind these two very different, and completely wonderful works of art? Hollie, but who in the world is Hollie? In a world where we are constantly bombarded with violent and negative images, Hollie has taken her place amongst the positive, the free spirited, the dreamers, the people who are going to turn this world into a better place. I 'ran' into Hollie when a teammate on Etsy told us about a blog and the mission to raise money and awareness for SOS - Save Our Seabirds. I was intrigued and went off to discover Mermaids Closet, a fun, uplifting and informative blog about saving ourselves and saving the world. I joined my teammate and Hollie in their mission to do their part for the wonderful seabirds by choosing 3 of my favorite items and offering 25% of their sales to the SOS foundation. Each time an item sells, I will replace it with a new choice. Hollie however, has offered 25% of any of her sales in either of her shops. To visit 'I'm From The Woods', click on the wonderful 'Knitter' illustration, and enjoy unique, beautiful art and decor from this talented young woman. The wonderful, big, black bow is just one of the unique items you'll find in Blueberryshoes, Hollie's second shop. Both shops are sure to raise your spirits, and put a smile on your face...Enjoy!!!

Kreativ Blogger Award

2010-05-12T15:13:00.001-07:00

The Kreativ Blogger Award has been passed to me by Little Bear's Mom, a wonderful Etsy teamate on the 'Oh Canada' team and a fantastically, supportive blogger. She goes absolutely out of her way to support not only her teammates but the whole of the Etsy community. She actively participates in the forums, helps with any questions she can, checks out all of our new listings, and takes the time to read many blogs. With all the time spent on the computer, it is a wonder that she has any time at all to create beautiful jewelry for her shop. The bracelet on the left is just one of her gorgeous creations. Clicking on the photo will take you directly to her shop, and you can see for yourself all the wonderful jewelry she has created. Once you have been thoroughly impressed with her creations, get to know her a little better by visiting her blog.

Now I have a few duties as recipient of this fun award, and they are:

1. Post the award on my blogspot.
2. Thank the person who gave it to me.
3. Link to the person who gave this to me. See above!
4. Share a list of 7 things that you probably don't know about me...
5. Choose 7 great bloggers to give the award to.
6. Share a link to their blogs.
7. Leave a comment on their blog.

Seven things you may not know about me:
1. I love chocolate!!! Not any chocolate, but the real chocolate, the 90% cocoa stuff, and not a day goes by that I don't enjoy some.
2. I have intense salt cravings, that can only be satiated by eating directly out of the salt shaker.
3. I am a Star Trek fan.
4. I can listen to Josh Groban and Metallica back to back.
5. Like my music, I also enjoy an eclectic selection of reading material.
6. I am an avid beachcomber. I once spent five days in the Queen Charlotte Islands doing almost nothing but that.
7. I secretly save bugs that enter my house, because I get a strong guilty feeling if I kill them.

Now for the seven bloggers I think deserve to get the award:
1. Mermaids Closet
2. The Eye Fine Art Photography
3. Sixbabygirls
4. Horncat Creations
5. Liz-Anna's Lakeside Studio
6. Farren Square
7. ...From Sleepy Hollow Road

If you haven't already, be sure to check out these wonderful blogs. Create a wonderful community for yourself!

The Year of the Tiger

2010-05-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

I decided last night that the name of my blog needed to be changed. 'Blue Jeans Jewelry' just is not going to work for all that I would like to write about. The jewelry hobby/business that I have started is only a small part of what I enjoy doing and what I find interesting.
Nearly 13 years have gone by since I developed an interest in cakes. Thanks to my Mother-in-Law, her talent, and her interest in my work, I've done countless cakes over the years for my friends and family. The Chinese New Year cake you see here was done this past February as a celebration of The Year of the Tiger, the sign my husband was born under. Each sign was painstakingly hand-painted in edible ink on fondant. The cake is iced in buttercream, and the tiger is also done in buttercream, but on a separate piece of fondant to give it some height. This July, I will be doing my little sister's wedding cake, and a scrabble cake for a dear friend of mine whose Mother-in-Law will be turning 90. I've often been asked if I had considered going into business with my cakes. The answer is yes, several times, but the commitment needed to do that is huge, and would take all the fun out of my hobby. With the jewelry, I can remain flexible. I can make as many pieces as I want, I have an outlet to sell pieces that requires next to no investment, and I can stop at any time. I have learned that in order to remain creative, I have to remain flexible, open to whatever piques my interest next. If I tie myself down, I get in a rut, I feel cornered and the fun disappears. Once the fun is gone, what is left?

On Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

It eventually happens to everyone... all of us, at some point in our life, lose someone we love. And then, sooner or later, that special day comes along, a birthday, a special holiday, Mother's day. For myself, Mother's day has become a day full of mixed emotion. Nostalgia, sadness, and joy mix to create a rich experience. On one hand my little boy is greeting me at the head of my bed at 5:30am, with an envelope that he has waited to give for 5 days, (an eternity to a 4 year old), and I am filled with pride and joy. On the other hand, I catch a quick glimpse of the dream I just woke from, having coffee with both my Mother and Grandmother, and I am filled with a longing and a sadness, as this is not possible. My 7 year old girl tells me to close my eyes, and fills my countertop with all sorts of cut-outs and paintings that she just spent the last hour working on, and I feel loved and adored. I wonder how my Mom felt when I gave her my little girl scribbles on a crumpled piece of paper. Then I remember her smiling and putting it up on the fridge, and I know that she was feeling much the way I do now.
When I think of my Mother, jewelry, also comes to mind. The two went hand in hand, and every time I put on a bracelet, a necklace, or a brooch, I think of her. The wonderful, antique and vintage pieces take me all the way back to getting ready for church with my Grandmother. All of my interest in jewelry, the creating of the new, and the collecting of the old, stems from these 2 women. The beautiful set above is available in my Etsy shop as a result of my refining my collection down to my favorites. My favorites are the pieces I choose to wear time and time again over the others. While I may create new pieces with my Mother's and Grandmother's jewelry for inspiration, you will not see any of their jewelry in my shop. Those memories and the spirit those pieces hold is far too valuable to put a price on.
To all the wonderful Mothers who are and have been in my life, I wish you a Mother's day rich with emotion and fulfillment.

For Your Garden

2010-05-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

It is finally that time of year again, my favourite time of year. The snow is gone, delphiniums, irises, and lilies are up, and the greenhouses are open!!! I love to plant all kinds of flowers, vegetables and herbs, but I also love to decorate with wonderful little finds like the ones in this treasury I created from several different Etsy shops. I love to take little knick-knacks like the ones you see here, and tuck them away, in a tree, under a plant, in between stones, hide them, if you will. So, unless you're really looking, you will not find them, but if you are, you will get a little surprise. I've even surprised myself in this way several times, especially in the Spring when I first go out to take a good look at the yard and realize who I missed during the Fall clean-up. Often the things I buy for the garden, really 'blend in' with their surroundings, almost like they could have been there naturally, so they are easy to miss. Have fun browsing through the shops on Etsy, perhaps you'll find something you just can't live without, or maybe you'll find some inspiration there to get creative on your own. Either way, go out and enjoy your Spring!!!

Meet Ellie

2010-05-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

When you decide to order something online, there is always that little bit of apprehension . Is it going be as good as I thought it would be? Were the pictures true to the product? Just who am I dealing with here? Well, meet Ellie, a wonderfully soft, cuter than cute, little elephant, who just happens to be all she promised to be and more. Extremely well made, from the choice of fabrics, to the hand embroidery, you just know quality when you hold it. Two Stray Cats is the name of the shop on Etsy where I found sweet, little Ellie, and it is obvious she was made with love. And, the love carries on, because 10% of the purchase goes to the charity, 'Etsy for Animals', a group more than 500 strong, all helping to provide relief to animals through various organizations. There is even a section in the Two Stray Cats shop that donates all profits to EFA. So wonderful, a lovely gift for my niece, a donation to an important cause, and a new way to shop on Etsy. Click on the photo to browse through Two Stray Cats, and visit the link below to learn more about what the EFA Artists Helping Animals organization is doing, and to search for shops on Etsy that support them.

http://www.efaartistshelpinganimals.org/

Murano Bracelet

2010-05-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest addition to my little shop on Etsy. These are all hand linked glass beads with the cute little murano glass cabochons 'floating' between each link. I had purchased a vintage lot of jewelry making supplies with a real mix of cabochons, stampings, findings, crystals, and beads. While digging through and organizing this treasure, I found these sweet, little cabochons. But, what to do with them? I formed a pretty little loop-de-loop link and used epoxy to attach the cabochon. I waited a day, tested it for sturdiness, it passed with flying colors, so off I went to find more beads to co-ordinate with the murano glass. Because a lot of my beads and things are from recycled pieces, I sometimes find myself in a bind for materials that will work together. This piece was no exception. I was sure I didn't have enough of the blue beads alone, so I tried oranges and reds, blacks and browns, but nothing was working for me. then I came across the green beads, and I thought maybe, just maybe there would be enough. I used every bead I had in those colours, and was extremely relieved when I tried it on. When I stepped back, and realized just how perfectly the materials had come together, and how there was not even one left out to end up in the odds and ends bowl, I had a strong thought..."Well, that was meant to be...". And, here it is, a very cute, serene little bracelet.

Handmade Soap

2010-05-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

You may have thought that by the title of the blog and by the previous entries, that this entire site would be strictly about jewelry. Really, it is about the appreciation of anything handmade, and there is currently no better website than Etsy for that. A few weeks ago, shortly after I opened a shop on Etsy, I joined the Alberta team and met Krysta of Carvel Country Soapworks, in the team's forum. A stay-at-home Mom, with an appreciation of all things handmade, she creates a wonderful array of bath and body products, but what really attracted me was the frog-shaped soap. I have a 4 year old little boy whose life currently revolves around frogs, and a little girl who can not stop acting like a lizard. So, naturally I asked Krysta if she could create something that would pertain to my daughter's interest. I couldn't order one child frog soaps without indulging the other with something in the shape of a lizard. Without delay, less than a week, I had in the mail, 2 frog soaps, 2 frog bath bombs, 2 lizard soaps, and 2 lizard bath bombs. Now, usually when I use regular soap on my kids, they cry out, and tell me that it is burning their 'sensitive' parts. Well, not with this soap, and we all loved the scent too. The bath bombs were very entertaining as they fizzed away in their little hands, and somehow, adding character soaps, just makes the world a friendlier place to be. Fantastic!...Two content children, and both birthday and Christmas gifts lined up for this year. What could be better? Well, I'll tell you...I also picked up some lip balm and soap for myself. I have very sensitive skin, constantly dry and itchy, and I generally stay away from anything that lathers, even though I love bath products. I decided to give Krysta's soap a fair trial, and this evening, with no extra moisturizing lotion, my skin feels great. The lip balm is wonderful too, with a fantastic scent, neutral flavour, and a long-lasting, moisturizing effect. I cannot think of anything in this entire transaction that would be even slightly negative. Custom order?...No problem. Fast shipping?...Wow, and how. Fantastic product?...Nothing short of wonderful. Customer appreciation?...There is no doubt. Going back for seconds?...Is the sky blue? Click on the photo, and browse Krysta's shop. Indulge yourself in a product that is not only good for you and your family, but for our environment and local economy as well.

A Cloisonne Delicacy

2010-05-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Cloisonne is both a product and a process, an ancient technique used for decorating metalwork objects. Closed sections are created by either gluing or soldering fine wire to the piece. These sections are then filled with enamel and need to be fired in a kiln. The fine wire remains visible in the piece and becomes part of an often very intricate design. Cloisonne was first developed in jewelry, smaller pieces such as rings and bracelets. This technique, like so many others, is limited only by imagination, and is used for decorating bowls, vases, statues, really just about anything. The beads you see in this little bracelet are small, five by eight millimeters, and are beautifully detailed. Imagine what time it must have taken to individually create each bead. When creating this bracelet, I wanted to compliment the intricacies of the beads, and so I made the link work fine, and a bit complicated. Each beautiful bead is showcased between the links so that it may be appreciated on its own. The next time you come across this beautiful, time consuming art form, take a moment to appreciate what the artist went through in creating something beautiful for us all to enjoy.

The Groovy Garden

2010-05-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Look at this wonderful bracelet...no, look at the beads that make up this wonderful bracelet. Now tell me, could you ever get bored wearing this? The creator of these wonderful beads is Melissa, a fellow Albertan, mother of six girls, and a graduate of the Emily Carr College of Art. Although, the lampwork glass beads you see here are the basis for her shop on Etsy, Melissa enjoys art of all kinds and enjoys working with many mediums. I was attracted to this bracelet for several reasons. First of all, it has a lot of my favorite color, blue, in it. The intricate designs, and the uniqueness of each bead, intrigued me. The fact that each bead was handmade and done locally was enough to make me pull out the credit card. Yes, sorry, this particular bracelet is no longer available, but there are many more items in her shop, each unique and beautiful in their own right. As an added bonus, our team, The Alberta Street Team, is having a sale this week on Etsy, and with at least 70 participants, you are bound to find something you adore, and not have to worry about how long it will take to ship. Melissa is offering 20% off everything in her shop, including wonderful jewelry, bookmarks and key chains. Just click on the photo and take a look around, and while you're there, be sure to search 'alberta team', to see all the other wonderful deals from our very creative locals.

A Vintage Delight

2010-04-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

This adorable necklace was created as a result of several lucky finds. The first, of course, is that beautiful butterfly brooch. It is a 'Crown Trifari' piece , circa 1960, and a collector's item. Again, I decided to give it new life as a pendant. The necklace was created from beads that my Husband and his siblings played with 30 years ago. When my Mother-in-law heard that I was creating jewelry, and that I was looking to recycle older pieces, she went to the back of her closet and came back with an old, tin treasure chest. Over the next hour or so, we went through it and the family reminisced over the pieces they remembered. In the mix was a broken necklace with these delicious, green beads. The white milk glass beads are from another broken piece. Everything came together with lovely brass links, and the first person I showed it to, a dear friend of mine, bought it, and without hesitation. If it wasn't someone I held in such high esteem, I would not have sold it. Even now, I am having some regrets, being a bit of a vintage collector myself, with Trifari as my favorite pieces. So, now I am on the hunt to replace this beautiful brooch with a similar piece, even though my friend promised to return it to me when she tires of it, and that may take several years.

A Wonderful Surprise

2010-04-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

This beautiful leaf brooch came to me after a very lucky bid on Ebay. It was listed simply as 'Silver Leaf Brooch'. Once received, I closely inspected my new treasure, and what a treasure it turned out to be! It is signed Corocraft, and as with all items with that signature, it is beautifully made. The photos of this item do it no justice, it really must be held to be appreciated. I do not wear brooches very often, and if I do, they are small ones. I find that the clothes I wear are made out of materials that simply won't hold up to a brooch of this weight. So, I decided the brooch would become a pendant, and because it was in such beautiful condition, I could not alter it. Instead, I came up with a small, wire mechanism that just slips over the pin of the brooch...and Voila!...pendant. The necklace to showcase this piece had to be special. I had these beautiful vintage crystals that were on a very corroded chain, and when removed and relinked onto non-tarnish silver, they regained all their former beauty and then some. I made it long enough to create a double strand when worn, so that the leaf is completed framed with the crystals. This is one of those pieces that if it does not sell, a part of me will be quite relieved, and if it does, well, then I guess I'll have to go on the hunt again, for another beautiful treasure from our jewelry history.

The Butterfly Garden

2010-04-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

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I have a pile of jewelry, and when I say a pile, I mean, I could fill a small dresser. Most of it is quite old...30 years or more. A lot of it is broken, but still has some very nice, reusable parts. Some of it is in great condition, but has lost its sense of style. I have bought quite a bit of it from second-hand stores, garage sales, and such. But recently, friends and family have just been giving me their old jewelry, glad to not have to just throw it away. So, when I decide to create a piece from all the old stuff, I have my work cut out for me. I drag out a whole bunch of different pieces, see what compliments what...and then I start taking things apart and refashioning.

This lovely butterfly, was on a once gold-plated chain, a very plain, and small chain. I found her in a thrift shop in Regina, SK. She was in much better condition than the chain, and needed something new to showcase her loveliness. The silver ball with swirl links matched in their whimsy to the butterfly, and they also came out of an old chain. The 3 gold balls dangling beneath the butterfly, were also off a small chain that had seen better days, and they complimented the gold-tone on the butterfly just perfectly.
There you have it, a new piece fashioned out of 3 old ones, and all it took were some generous friends, a bit of thought, and some fine pliers.

A Whimsical Wire Bracelet

2010-04-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

I've only just started this new craft, and already it has led me to places I never intended. What began as just a bit of fun, has, in just a few short weeks, turned into a small business. With an online shop at Etsy, several pieces in a boutique here in town, and another request for my jewelry in a nearby town, I'm almost overwhelmed, very excited, but definitely feeling some pressure.
I'm starting this blog with the intention to tell people a bit more about where this jewelry is coming from. Not just what it is made from and its dimensions, but also the inspiration behind the pieces and the journey that some of these beads and stones have had.
This bracelet for instance, started with me sitting down with a pair of pliers and some wire, not having any end result in mind. I just started twisting and turning the wire, and when I had a design that I liked, I created more and made enough links to create a bracelet. Then I searched through my stash of beads and broken jewelry to see if I had anything on hand that would add to the piece. I came up with these little green, glass beauties. These are vintage beads that were found among other treasures in an old warehouse, supplies that were intended for jewelry, but instead ended up packed up and stacked in a corner to collect dust.
It will be fun to see where this new hobby will lead, and how this blog will develop, evolve and change. In my experience, my original ideas rarely end up where I imagined them to go in the first place.