Office Supply Roundup!

If you like office supplies as much as I do, check out this compilation - but don't blame me if your credit card bill goes through the roof this month!!!

And, if you get some of these beautifully designed items, will you be more inclined to sit at your desk and get your taxes done?

So - what will it be?

A new stapler? Pencil holder? Labels? Notebook?

All of the above?

What's your weakness?

More Hats! More Hats!!

Two more hats finished - one adult sized and one baby sized.

This one is for my mom- she sent me the yarn and so I knitted this beanie*: 

And this is another newborn hat (crocheted) that is to be a photography prop: 

I don't know what I like more - the little ear flap hat, or the photo I took of it!
I can't wait to see a little baby wearing it.
I hope the photographerlikes it and uses it soon. 

If you're on Ravelry, my username is 'wayoutwear'  - all the pattern and yarn details are there. 

*  Every time I look at this styrofoam head I kinda chuckle because one day it fell and banged it's nose and it's almost identical to where my scar is from cracking my nose about 4 years ago. Isn't that kind of odd? 

My Favourite Computer Accessory

I know it doesn't look like much. It isn't. It's a keyboard. But it's not any keyboard, it's Apple's Bluetooth keyboard and it makes typing on my iPhone or iPad so much easier and faster. I used to get frustrated with the iPhone because I'd get words typed wrong and it's hard to hold that slippery little thing and type fast all at the same time, and I guess my fingers are bigger than most people and blah, blah, blah.

But with the keyboard - I just start typing and the device reacts and it's fast and efficient and makes it so much easier to reply or send messages. Consider this my product review and endorsement! It's my favourite computer accessory. What's yours?

U.S. patent No. 6,360,693

Did you know...... that today is Stick Invention Day? In 2002, a person received U.S. patent 6,360,693 . What was his amazing invention? An animal toy that includes an apparatus with a "main section with at least one protrusion ... that resembles a branch in appearance." In other words, a stick. ;-)

This is most curious to me. Doesn't it cost a lot of money to obtain a patent? What would be the motivation to do so? So many questions, so many sticks....

More info here. 

Something to ponder

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That

myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more

powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over

experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I

believe that love is stronger than death."

-- Robert Fulghum

A friend of mine told me a story about how she was sitting in the bathroom thinking her husband was asleep and her son was asleep when she heard a sound. And then the door opened and there was a stranger looking back at her. She quickly reassembled herself and found a young man standing in her kitchen, very apologetic about the bathroom intrusion. It turned out to be one of her son's friends that she hadn't met yet.

She complained that her son always having people over and she never knows who's in the house. I listened as supportively as I could and lightly encouraged her to talk to her son about it since it bothered her.

But you know, I would really, really not like that! I didn't think I had 'control issues' but it would not make me happy to find out someone drank all my soda or ate all my food or that people were in my house that I didn't even know! Heck, I don't even like people (like repair/service guys)  in my house at the best of times!

How about you? How would you feel about that?

I won! I won!

I was very pleased to hear that I just won this adorable knitted rabbit! Check out the details here. The adorable Teasel is to come my way all the way from Devon, England! Isn't that exciting! What a lovely treasure!

(photo from her Flickr post*)

I am a big fan of Bustle and Sew and so this makes it an  extra special prize. If you like sewing and embroidering and knitting then consider subscribing to her month magazine with plenty of inspiration and patterns in every issue.

Mail from England usually doesn't take that long - so I could have him in time for Easter - wouldn't that be something!?

(*the image is so little because any larger and it's pixelated, I took it from her flickr page.If you need to see a better photo of him, please go to the links)

Finished Projects

It was a busy week and there wasn't much time for crafting but I did manage to finish two projects.

First up, a knit pair of socks for my mom : 

I know it's hard to tell in the photo, but this yarn reminded me of cookies and cream ice cream.

And next was a prototype for the baby photographer's prop box, sized for a newborn:

A little crocheted zebra hat! 

I think it's so cute, I just HAD to make it!! 

Today it's "patch day"  - that means I get to sew patches on The Kid's clothes today.  My mom used to always tell me it was bad luck to sew on a Sunday - but it's the only day I can do it , so wish me luck!

Friday Funday

Yesterday we had a fun day, it was the end of the first week of Spring Break and so JP and I took the day off work and visited a friend of ours who works on a TV show and had invited us to the studio for a set tour. It was absolutely fascinating! Of course there are confidentiality agreements and all that so I couldn't take photos or tell you more about it but it was so wonderful to see the sets with all the intricate details and the drafted plans and the mock-ups. I wish my eyes and brains could have taken taken in all that I saw like a movie camera so I could replay it again and again.

And after the TV studios we went and toured a sound studio with our brother-in-law. Fascinating as well. They had amazing big rooms away from the rest of the world, with big speakers and big screens - just incredible. I particularly liked the foley room, although several people there expressed that it's really not that fun of a job. I guess it could be physically demanding and frustrating when things just don't go the way you want them to.

Working from home the last several years, I thought they had great places to work at and their co-workers seemed nice. Like most people, they think that working from home is better than their situation. The grass is always greener, isn't it?

Oh and speaking of green  - HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!! 

Happy Birthday Eco

Eco is three years old today! My goodness time flies. Once they get to three, the years just seem to wiz on by, don't you think?

From this:

To this:

It is frequently said that dogs mature around the age of two, but labrador retrievers mature at the age of three and she definitely is a more mature dog these days, even thought she is often still very puppy-like and people often guess her to only be around 1 or 2 years old.

She's a very good little girl who can do around 80 tricks! She's very eager to please and just loves people  (typical lab) and we all just love her to pieces!

More Props for the Shop

I've been busy knitting and crocheting this weekend making some more baby photo props, here are two elfin hats :

I'm not entirely happy with these. I think I need to go back and practice changing colours in the round in crochet, so I consider them prototypes for now. ( see my last post, I did much better with the knitted one didn't I?) Also, I'm not sure if the stronger colours or the softer colours will look better in a baby photograph. The lavender one was made with a white sparkly yarn but it seems to look grey in the photo which I don't really like.  More research to be done!

I also made this bunny hat, which I'd also like to remake, perhaps with longer, better shaped ears:

I hate to a be Debby Downer, but I think they need to be near perfect if they are  going to be showcased next to someone's precious little newborn. I have lots more ideas of things to try - the only things slowing me down is my day job and my carpal tunnel, both a wee bit hard to ignore.

*********

It's been quiet around here since Jp had laser eye surgery earlier last week - this time he's not healing as fast and has also experienced some pain. Basically I just leave him alone because he's a wee bit grump (typical sick male, right ladies?). I did learn something though, this morning I asked him if he wanted breakfast and he said he didn't so I made myself some toast and eggs and then returned to the bedroom where I put my plate on my side of the bed, I then returned to the kitchen to put some things away and then went back to the bedroom to eat my breakfast in the comfort of the bed. But when I returned, the plate was empty and guess who was licking his lips? Gee it's not the dog I have to worry about, it's the husband!!!

I forgot to tell you, when we were in Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, I found a shop that was selling Japanese books and found several terrific craft books, at a very good price! Look what I got!

Usually when I've been in Richmond, they want around $25 for the littlest craft books and so usually I just don't buy them, but this place had very reasonable prices $7 - 15 is much better than $25 - $45!

The nice thing about the Japanese craft books is they do include a fair amount of english in them and have very good illustrations. (It would be nice to know someone who could translate them to me though.)

Now to find time to make what is in them!

********

Speaking  of making things, I was asked by a photographer to make some props as she specializes in newborn photos, first up on the list - elf-type hat with a long tail! Stay tuned for other fun adorable little items:

This one is pea green and cream, I can't wait to see in on a little one's head - can't you? 

Say "cheese"

For all you foodies out there, you've heard time and again about how important good ingredients are so let me tell you about a very special place called the Golden Ears CheeseWorks in Maple Ridge  - oh my goodness!!!

So very delicious. Beautiful and scrumptious cultured butter, smooth flavour Quark, mild Gouda. We picked up a baguette (if we had time, I would have made the bread) and had butter and cheese and bread for dinner. Yum-my!!!

Besides the beautiful store and property and the terrific products on their shelves is the staff - family members helping to run the business. Sadly it's been a long time since I've met a passionate business person but boy does it make a difference. It's enjoyable (and lucrative for them) to be in the presence of people passionate about what they do and it shows in the quality of their products.

Another delicious destination to add to our regular shopping circuit!