If It's Not On The List, It Doesn't Exist

The list is long and getting longer. Do your lists do that too? No matter how many things I manage to check off in a day, they just lead to other tasks to complete.

Can not believe it is 9 days until Handmade Harvest! Annie, Samia and I took a mini road trio out to Almonte yesterday to drop off our swag. The dropoff was at Blackbird which is owned by one of the organizer's. We were in and out in a jiffy as Annie's daughter was in a protest on Parliament Hill (Zoe, age 9, activist extraordinaire), and Sam had kindy, but I have to tell you - that's a shop I need to get back to. Front to back, floor to ceiling gorgeousity. (I'm getting on that making-up-my-own-words bandwagon..my favourite is requenching. That totally should be a word.)

Both Annie and I forgot to take our cameras with us so no photos of the road trip, Blackbird or Colleen (a sweetheart and the other half of the hardworking Handmade Harvest twosome). I had some photos on my phone but do you think I can get them to send to my email? No I can not.

So my list is definitely not getting any shorter by blogging. I leave you with a few snaps of what's brewing in the rehash product line for Handmade Harvest, Saturday May 7th. You don't want to miss this show if you are in the Ottawa area - awesome artisans, great swag and raffle prizes. A great opener to the spring/summer craftshow season. Love.

Felted bags awaiting embellishment...

Hoops for my Stitch Bytes line...

One of the many buntings awaiting assembly...

Slow Down. You Move Too Fast.

My son. He is 8 and he makes me so proud. He is growing up so fast and I am enjoying this big boy he is becoming but I want it all to slow down. Alot. This haircut does not help matters.

BEFORE

AFTER

I have never seen him with hair this short. He basically went from a bald baby, to a fuzzy headed two year old, to a kid with a mound of long blonde curls. Doesn't he look so much older? Slow down Jack. I need a little more time to savour all these fleeting moments that are whizzing by. I guess that's life - you spend half of it in anticipation of what is coming next and the other half applying the brakes, willing time to slowwww down and take it easy.

We're off to a good start!

Mondays aren't usually one of my favourites but this one is doing alright! Checking lots of boxes on my to-do list, got some business happening in my etsy store, my floors are clean, my homework is done, business cards at the printer, and I just got the news that I was awarded a busary for school! Life is good!

Had a wonderful birthday week with my kiddos, lots of cake, and lots of small and precious moments. Friday night I was out with my girls and had a great time - slept in until 11am on Saturday. Oh yeah.

Here are a few pics of my birthday cake baked by me, decorated by my monkeys.

The masterpiece. Jackson was distraught over Samia's toothpick accents.

They each had a very different vision suffice to say.

Oh. I almost forgot... did a little thrifting on the way to my cousin's birthday on Sunday, (I am 33 years older than her). Here's my haul...

I love those shoes, the need a bit of polish and they'll be right as rain. I'm even thinking of painting them cornflower blue. And I guess stripes are catching my eye these days. The striped fabric in the back is a man's shirt and I will be making Sam an Easter dress out of it in the next few days. I will post the finished product.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

On the Cusp of 40

The last photo of me as a woman in her 30s

An introspection: I've really struggled with this 40 business, thought about staying 39 for a few more years. I know it is just a number but it's a big one for me. For whatever reason however, in the past few months I have begun to change my thinking. I scan my body and it is fit, healthy, and strong. I look in the mirror and I see a woman who is growing and accepting, sometimes struggling but always learning.

So 30s. I look back at you and I see all these blessings. I turned 30 in Kathmandu on the Nepalese New Year - a huge celebration. My 30s brought me motherhood, and a marriage. It brought me great adventures overseas - a dream come true. It gave me beautiful friendships and taught me who I am and how to honour that person. When I think back on the past 10 years it gives me goosebumps to think of how very fortunate I am. So goodbye 30s, you were fantastic and you taught me so much. You will always hold memories of the sweetest kind, bring a smile to my face and the occasional shake of my head. But I'm ready, I release you and embrace all that is ahead. Love.

I Heart Weekends

What a great weekend. Had Whit and Annie and their kids over Friday night. Summer is in the air! Kids were outside until dark running around playing games, getting dirty, laughing and soaking up some long-awaited Spring. Homemade pizzas, lemonade, ice cream and smiles all around - especially on us moms!

Now it's back to the books. I'm madly trying to catch up on the week that I lost with no text. This course is intense. Heavy reading, lots of really brand new concepts and jargon. I'm finding it difficult but at the same time I'm loving it too.

The kids and I decided that this week (starting Monday) is birthday week!!! I am turning the big 4-0 on Thursday and I'm going back to old school celebrating. So far Monday is scones at Wild Oat (love this place), Tuesday is movie night ($2 Tuesdays at St. Laurent), Wednesday is making cake day, Thursday is out for pho and eating birthday cake, Friday is the girls out on the town (can't wait), Saturday is "whatever I want to do day" (I know after Friday a large part of it will be spent in my bed which is just perrrfect), Sunday we are going over to my Aunt and Uncle's for my cousin's birthday who is turning 7 (it's part of my birthday week because I won't have to cook and that, my friend, is reason enough). Jack and Sam are already planning their Birthday week. Love it.

Elevated to Tier Two

That's me. I have been "elevated to Tier Two." Meaning, I finally got my textbook for my class today that started last week. The texts didn't arrive until today in the bookstore. I have to register on-line for the on-line learning component of the text. I spent my afternoon trying to register - ie. filling out the same 40 fill-in boxes over and over again to be told each time that one of them (not a specific one),was not filled out correctly. Let's just say, I'm glad I was home alone. Called the support centre and she couldn't solve the problem either. And now, I have just received an email that my issue has gone to, you got it, tier two. Can I just tell you how much I dislike being behind in anything but especially something like school? Thank you. I feel better now.

Did a little mending yesterday. Samia was given a really sweet purple jacket from my friend Whit last fall. Both her girls wore it and Sam's not exactly easy on her clothes. Suffice to say when I pulled it out for Spring, it was looking a little worn. And torn too - Bodhi jumped on her and tore a chunk out of the material last October. Here are more pictures than you could ever want from the before and after of mending and stain-minimizing I performed.

Before

After

Before

After

I have to say I was quite proud of myself. Not for the results so much, they did the trick, but for being resourceful - not running to the store to buy another jacket but fixing what was otherwise a perfectly fine one. It's nice to start thinking like that.

I will try and write my next blog entry with a bit more of a heartbeat. I think I just needed to have a little convo with myself!

Pinch of This and a Squeeze of That

I'm finding it so much easier taking photos with this strong Spring sun. Instead of having a 20 minute window of ok lighting, it's now the better part of the day. This morning I was out taking some photos of some things I had made and actually had to come in as the sun was too intense. The sun was too intense - that just gives me goosebumps of joy.

Got to hang with Annie a few days back and she brought me a wonderful and thoughtful gift from Thailand - some beautiful cotton sarong material. It's gorgeous. I don't know if I'll be able to cut into it. I think I have to add it to my pile of material that I can't bear to use (not just yet anyways).

I have been exploring various techniques of needlecraft over the past few months. The pieces make up a series which I call Stitch Bytes. They are experiments in old school needlecraft with what I consider to be, new spins. I just completed a project that I started on a whim last week. I grabbed some material from my pillow case stash and I needlefelted some details on it. The flowers were pre-existing (printed on the fabric) and the butterfly I added. It was fun to do and I'm anxious to find some more fabric to explore this technique further. Here she is...

And a close up...

And this evening I completed my application for the Prince Edward County Women's Institute Craft Sale that is in July. I will mail it off in the morning. Yes, as in, post it. With three hard copies of photos. Country charm. Wish me luck - it's a fantastic show.

That's what's going on around here. Oh! And perhaps I haven't mentioned - I'm a student. Just started my first class (Accounting) on Friday. I love its uncreative nature strangely. It really feeds my numbers and structure needs and doesn't take from my creative headspace. I'm telling you everything is just so finely balanced in my pumpkin.

Looking forward to this Wednesday's workermade meeting. I don't know if I have mentioned it before but Annie and I started a handmaker's collective back in January. We meet the first Wednesday each month. It's an opportunity for local makers who are selling their wares to get together to support one another, promote the handmade industry and each other, share ideas and resources, and have a night out. If you know of anyone who would be interested please let them know about us!