Stamp Cups

Isn't this an awesome idea?
And why didn't I think of that? Instead of round rings, you can have

nice shapes left behind on your desk blotter

or other surfaces - especially at work!
Brilliant!

Yay, I got tagged.

I got tagged to be part of the the Rockin' Girl Blogger as started by Roberta Ferguson (story here). I was tagged by the awesome Big Girl Feet, and it feels good! And in turn, I'm going to name a few RGBs myself, including:
Very Pink for her strength at such a tough time, her awesome haircut; her beautiful knitting, her ability to NOT have a stash and her incredible Basenjis
M. Patrizio for her fabulous creations, and her cute posts and
Strange Little Mama - who also needs lots of support right now in her tough time, for her beautiful family, her knitting and her awesome photographs. Of course I'd name Big Girl Feet because she's super incredibly talented and was able to break free and create the ultimate - her own career and business; but she's already been named and named me! Thank you BGF!! I'm honoured.

On Saturday, the kid comes up to me and asks me if I want to go to the bar. The bar! An 8 1/2 year old doesn't ask that question! Well, there's a place called Lou's Grill in Abbotsford that allows kids inside during the day ( I hope I don't get them in trouble)... so we take the kid there on a Saturday afternoon for the best dang blue chip nachos in the lower mainland! YUM! We also discourage the kid from telling people that daddy takes him to the bar.... on Sunday, we went for lunch at Kyoto Sushi in Newton (which is a part of Surrey) for really yummy Japanese food. We met up with JPs sister and his niece for lunch and for my birthday present and to get a wedding present. Nice! The food was excellent as well! It's so cute to see a 5 year old pour her own soy sauce and to mix the wasabi with her chop sticks. And both days, the lunches were so big (and we ate well) that we didn't have dinner. Yes, I know I'm a little piggy and I'll have to step up the workouts this week to make up for it.

I picked up a book from the library called A Passion for Punchneedle and I even dreamt about it on Saturday morning - I can take that as a "sign" right? Since I dreamt about it, I should do it, right? Although I have several crafts already going, I would still like to try this one....hmmm. It's a type of embroidery, where you punch from the back of the work and make loops - like a miniature rug. So many things to do isn't there?

So I mailed the swap package to my partner in Belgium. $7 for ground (how can it go ground with the Atlantic in the middle?) $15 for airmail. If I want tracking - $48! Just to add a barcode? Yikes! That's a very big difference.

One person has already posted their photos and what they sent is gorgeous. Now I feel really embarrassed. I'm a little nervous to see the packages sent and received.

Also, I posted the "portable house phone case" on the craft forum too and many people have responded that it was a good idea - I'm really surprised it hasn't been done before. I bet I'll see lots now! Especially in the summer when people bring the phone out to their decks and stuff.

After work I did some errands, cooked dinner and sat outside. Came inside, listened to Sirius, updated my iPod and now I'm ready for beddie bye. No plans for tomorrow - gardening I guess. Or maybe I'll clean out a shed. Unless JP surprises us with a mystery trip.

Where there's a need...

When I garden after work, I often want the portable unit of the house phone with me. But the phone was falling out of my pocket, or being left somewhere in the garden or getting random buttons punched, so last night I whipped up a holder. JP was amazed that I made it within an hour - from getting the idea, to finding the yarn to crocheting and completing it. The belt loop was crocheted on the piece and then I crocheted the loose end to the body of the pouch. I just sewed up the bottom and voila problem solved - a custom made holder:

Back to work. I took Monday and Tuesday off as a bit of a summer break and for my birthday. Unfortunately, it wasn't the greatest weather. That's what happens when you have to book your vacation days in January!

Anyway, over the weekend, I embroidered this hanky for JP, from the "Stitch-it Kit" by Jenny Hart. He already had the hanky, I already had the embroidery floss, I just used the iron transfer and the embroidery hoop from the kit:

Here's a close up:

I crocheted and knitted this grasshopper for my swap partner (I sure hope she doesn't read my blog) making the pattern up as I went along. It's okay isn't it? Also, I finished an inherited ball of yarn to make this scarf (with only about 1 meter to spare!) I adopted the pattern from the Getting Dizzy Scarf in Not your Mama's Crochet by Amy Swensen. It starts out looking like this: ...and then you pick it up and it stretches to this: ...and then when you wear it, it's like an ascot. Actually, see Vicki Howell's picture to the left - it almost looks like what she's wearing! That's interesting. I never even thought of that until I previewed my post!

....the colours are dark turquoise and green, I know my camera didn't show it off very well - sorry.

What we did yesterday

For my birthday, JP gave me a HUGE present - Sirius Satellite Radio! A portable unit, a car unit and a docking station for my desk. WOW! Now I have 4 stations with nothing but Jazz music! Yay! Plus Comedy channels and NPR! Cool. Now I'll never want to leave the house!

We went out for lunch at the local sushi restaurant and then JP wanted to surprise me by taking me to a LYS, the first one was closed on Mondays, the second was out of business and the third was closed on Mondays. Poor guy - I had no idea they weren't open on Monday either. Then we went to pick up his son, stopped at a few stores, had some bubble tea, found some great stuff at Winners (I found an almost full length linen skirt for $29.99!), dropped off his son, he tried one more yarn store but it too was closed on Mondays and then we came home. By the time we were home, the radio was charged and we drank mimosas while he set it up.

It's my turn

Today is my birthday. It's never rained on my birthday (seriously) but it's raining today. Also, I couldn't sleep last night and I was sick. So now I feel tired and look tired.

I had booked the day off work, but due to co-worker's schedules and the rain, I will have to be answering my phone today - which can be busy on rainy days.

Not off to a good start, but JP always comes through for me, so I'll let you know how it improved.

Happy monday.

Dogaversary

Somewhere in July 1996 Maxx became my dog. I thought it would be easy to find the date because my mom went to the Delta Animal Shelter to adopt him for me and just barely made it home before the road was closed due to the big Burns Bog fire that burned for 3 days. Unforturnately since there was another big fire in 2005 and perhaps because of the earlier stages of the internet and blogging 11 years ago, there is mention of that fire, but not the exact date.

I had just rented a house in Maple Ridge and the owner had enticed me to rent because she said I could have a dog. I had seen Blue Heelers at dog shows and I liked them. I had put the word out to friends and family that I was looking for a dog and my mum went straight down to the shetler and phoned me at work to tell me there was this dog called Maxx who had been at the Surrey SPCA shelter for 3 weeks and the Delta one for two. I immediately said "get him" without even meeting him. So my mum adopted Maxx and I went to her house with a friend after work that day to pick him up.

Our first few days together were very unusual. I had grown up with dogs, but he was different. Other Cattle Dogs owners since have reminded me that they are a bit crazy. On the August long weekend I took him up to a friends cabin where we were camping. I told everyone that I had just adopted him and to feel free to train and or discipline him as needed. I had him on a leash as were were on the Okanagan lake near the highway and I was afraid he'd run away or get hurt. But after a few hours one of my friends convinced me to let him loose. He spent the rest of the day running with another dog. The next day he slept on a lawn chair almost the whole day. I guess after 5 weeks in prison I don't blame him for sleeping. After that initiation we were fine together.

Unfortunately, about 8 months later, Maxx experienced a seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy. I believe I've blogged about the rest of his story before, so I'll fast forward to today - Maxx is 13 and despite multiple predictions that he wasn't going to make it, or that old age would hit him hard and fast, here's my boy and we're still together.

(I tried to remove the reflection in his eyes, but the red-eye feature on the camera didn't do anything and the photo editing program will not change it either - maybe because it's reflecting green/yellow instead of red? That's the dingo in him! )

I managed to get a dog walk in yesterday morning before the rain resumed for the day. Sure it's nice that the rain is watering my garden, but I can't even enjoy my garden because it's been raining so many days. Plants need a mix of rain and sun, not excessive amounts of both. I haven't even been out in the garden for about 3 or 4 days, I bet there may even be some raspberries to pick - soggy ones.

So far we've not had a good summer - we either had excessively hot days, days filled with mosquitoes or rainy days; the days that may have been acceptable were ruined by neighbour's horrible choice in music.

Yesterday we watched Lords of War and then did some errands. By the time we got home, I wondered what to do with the rest of my afternoon and then realized it was 5:00! We had had some yummy sandwiches at 3:00 so we weren't hungry. So I put on my iPod to listen to a couple of podcasts and started to knit. Now I'm halfway finished a 'stole' in Bernat Boa

Also, I am ready to mail my package to my swap partner in Belgium, I was just waiting for the weather to improve so I could take good photos. I may have to give up waiting for the weather, although the forecast is teasing me with hope of sunshine by maybe Monday, most likely Tuesday.

I found this little angel during our last thrifting expedition. I liked her because her face, to me, looks a bit angry, and not angelic like most angels are and I thought that was cute. That plus I liked her black hair and short bangs.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas....

Only a hippopotamus will do

No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses

I only like hippopotamuses

And hippopotamuses like me too

Found. At the thrift store for $2, to add to my hippopotamus collection. Isn't he cute?

Big roar, from a little mouth.






(here's the rest of the song)

Ant Addicts

This is the current status of my hummingbird feeder. No more hummingbirds but I'm feeding all the neighbourhood's red ants. It's like a soup kitchen for them, then just march single file to the bottom and gather some sugar water from the flower decorations and then return. Except, some never return. Some hang on the bottom lined up like a car park. Others either become drunk or sugar junkies or they are greedy but they have made their way inside where they die, clinging together like ant stalagmites. And I am their enabler.
The sad part is that humans can act the same way as ants. Some can handle the "good stuff", take a swig and leave, but many more become hooked and won't leave the source, or worse yet, drown in their paradise.

I'm glad I'm not an ant.

Another website to check out , this one from JustGotEm - "the world's only supplier of breast augmentation recovery gift boxes"

Dang. Why didn't I think of that! I guess because I don't know anyone (or anyone well enough) who's had a breast augmentation..... I didn't realize you needed all those things to recover!

I heart this website

Check out this really cool website I Heart Luxe - especially the design section.

Even though I don't have a cat, I love the Alessi Tigrito Cat Bowl, or the Enzo Mari Perpetual Calendar

Good news for me. A yucky neighbour who lived at the top of the cul-de-sac (so you had to walk/drive by their house) has moved... to Alberta! Yay! The street will be quiet for a while as their bratty kid and delinquent father are gone, gone, gone! Yes.

However, I am hesitant to celebrate as we don't know what will move into that house... I'm trying to stay optimistic.

On the crafty side of things, I'm between crafts right now and don't know what to do. I need to complete a couple of projects for my swap partner so I haven't started any of my own, and that's how it goes.

It's a cloudy muggy day today so I'm inside working on cleaning up my desk. So much organizing to do. The hardest part is not just the organizing but the maintaining of files. Not only do you have to deal with what is coming in, but you still have to go through what you have to purge. That's the hardest part of all isn't it?

Hope you're having a great Sunday.

JP told his son yesterday that he had gotten married, the kid looked at him and said "it doesn't change anything, does it?" And he's right. Other than a legal and binding agreement, a name change and some jewellery it doesn't change things much, does it? Or am I wrong? I know there are legal changes and income tax changes but am I wrong to think otherwise?

This morning we were abruptly awoken by the kid who said "Dad, I had a bit of a nose bleed last night". We're snapped awake to find practically the kid's whole face covered in blood. Yikes! Then he suggests we should take a photo to show his mum. I don't think so! She'd freak for sure!

And I was having such a good dream too! Anyway, JP cleaned up the kid while I cleaned up the bed and bedding. And so far, that's how Saturday morning started.

Bracelets at Tiffany's

On Sunday, JP said we had to go downtown. I didn't want to go because I was tired and we had gotten home so late the night before. I whined and complained and slept in the car, and then whined that I needed a drink so he pulled into the nearest drive-thru to get me some fries and a drink. I did quiet down after that and felt bad for being so bratty. He put the car in a parkade and told me to go to Chapters until he phoned me. He took off in another direction. So I browsed and found a couple of books and a couple of magazines and then he phoned me and told me to meet him at the lounge in the Fairmont Hotel. I had no idea why. So I paid for my books and hurried down the street to the hotel.

In the lounge he was sitting in at a corner table, with a G & T for each of us. I sat down, not knowing what this was all about. After a few minutes, the hostess pulled a Tiffany & Co bag from behind her station and delivered it to us. He gave it to me, his wedding present, and I opened it to find this gorgeous sterling silver bracelet.

There is a heart charm on it that says "Return to Tiffany's" and he promised that every year on our anniversary he will add a hatch mark to it.

Poor guy. If that had been the other way around, I would have turned the car around and not given him the present, if he was as whiny as I was. Extra bonus points for him. And I love my new bracelet!

FOs

I forgot to mention - the night before we left, after my bags were packed, I knit like a mad woman to finish the second sock for my mom (see previous photos) and did complete it before I went to bed.

Also, I had a cross stitch to finish. I worked on this (false nails and all) the morning after our wedding and the day we were leaving.

Why the rush? Only because I wanted to give it to my mum while we were there.

I'm currently crocheting a hat for my swap partner while outside, but a stupid neighbour is working on his garage roof and has to have C-Fox 99.3 (rock radio station) on super loud which is trying to ruin my enjoyment of our super heat! I couldn't enjoy the sun in my lounge chair or in my lovely pergola, no I'm hiding around the side of the house in a not so pretty area just so I could be outside but not have to hear crappy music.

Right. Another gin and tonic for me then.

Hottest day of the year

The forecasters say today will be the hottest day of the year. By 8:30 this morning the temperature was in the 30's. The house is staying fairly cool and I can't wait to be outside although you can't do too much out there in that heat. Yesterday I crocheted this dishcloth...

pretty lame but the cotton was nice to work with and didn't add weight or heat. When I was in high school, I had created a twin sized quilt for a sewing class and had entered it into the Pacific National Exhibition. In those days there were still the old fashioned competitions for baking, canning, textiles, etc. I had to submit my entry by the end of July so they could judge it before the fair opened on the 3rd Saturday of August. There I was in the hot July hand quilting the thick flannelet while my friends were spending the day at the beach or at each other's pool parties. Do you know how hard it is for a social 15 year old to say no to fun and sit by herself and sew? And no iPods back then either. Tough I tell you.

I'm still having a struggle with the Favourite Animals Swap - I just can't seem to find anything for grasshoppers or dragonflies. Oh yes! - Thank you EndakoJo for the link - I think I will do that one. Everything else so far needs to be sewn or beaded. Plus I've never heard from my swap partner (sent 3 messages) so I don't even know if I'm doing this all for nothing. I found some fabric for a tote bag which I'll applique a grasshopper and I'll go to the craft store on Friday night to see if I can find anything to make. I've only got 2 weeks left and have nothing. If they hadn't changed partners on me, I would've had a couple of penguins and kitties done already. That I know for sure. And I will never do a swap again.

I'm a married woman!

Hello. I am back. Married now. Everything went pretty smoothly and flowed pretty good - I guess that's the upside of a small event. The weather was 40 degrees and the guys were in black suits - that was probably the only downside of the day. The flower shop got by bouquet right and the flowers were good. The Cypress Club staff and food were excellent. We had a chance to tour around the city on Friday and found some cool things - I'll post photos a bit later.

We pulled in the driveway last night and found decorations and balloons and confetti all over the place put up by my neighbours - I so loved it. I've got photos of that as well!

Right now I'm still unpacking and cleaning up and catching up -- so we'll have to talk later. What did I miss?

Phew! Let me catch my breath. We fly out tomorrow for our wedding and so today, besides work, I am getting my dogs and birdie ready to be borded (thankfully my neighbour has volunteered) and I've got a multi-day feeder block for my fish. Even though JP and I have been together for years, we've never gone away together - it's always him or me! (Other than for day trips and the very rare over-nighter).

Anyway, I think I am ready. I had hoped to finish a cross-stitch and a pair of socks for my mom before I left and don't think I'll get either done - however, I should be able to finish at least one of them on the 3 hour drive from the airport to my mums.

I haven't started on my swap partner's "grasshopper/cricket/locust" craft yet. I don't have anything on hand or that can travel easily. So when I get back I will have to hustle, hustle, hustle.

On the weekend, we cruised through Fort Langley and found is purse from Cranberries Naturally

...and this necklace from Paper Moon (*edited, website found)

...and these - the one on the left holds contact solutions and contact lense cases and the one on the right is a mirror

Happy Canada Day!

Yay! And for once it's a beautiful sunny morning! The weather doesn't always co-operate for holidays. So, that's going to make it an even better day!


Oh and for my Craftster swap news (see post below) - my partner just got changed - I'm no longer doing penguins or cats or turtles. Now I'm to do grasshopper locust or crickets. This will be a challenge - so now I really need your help!
I'm not sure I can knit or crochet any of those insects so I may have to go to images - painted or sewn maybe.

Oh, I'm also exchanging with a partner from Belgium - which is VERY interesting!

Any help/ideas you can give would be great!