Ottawa!

So Pat and I, along with his parents, are heading to our nation's capital, Ottawa, this weekend. His dad's Christmas gift was 2 tickets to see an NHL game, so Pat's going to see it with him. We'll be driving there tonight with his parents (who happen to be in the area because they just got back from a trip to the Dominican Republic, the lucky bums!) and taking the bus back Sunday at 7AM. A short trip, but it should be fun.

I've only been to Ottawa once before. It was also for an NHL game my dad was going to watch with one of my brothers. I didn't see any of the city then. Hopefully, this time will be different. I plan on bringing my camera, but I don't know when I'll get to post the pictures (whenever I get my new memory card reader).

Have a great weekend everyone!

New Banner!

As you can probably see, I got a new banner for my blog! I meant to make one myself, but I didn't have the time really, and it would never have turned out as awesome as this!

I asked the wonderful Renee of Thompsondesigns to custom make me one similar to her cut & paste banners. I really like the design ~ I think the collage aspect of it reflects my art, and the bright florals & pretty patterns speak to my cheery nature. Of course, I wanted mine to match my blog and be a bit wider than the Etsy banners ~ I really think Renee did a great job. I would highly recommend her work ~ she was a pleasure to do business with and was super speedy!

Thanks Renee!

Item of the day: Peacock Top

I bought this gorgeous peacock shirt from rainbowswirlz and I just love it. In fact, I'm wearing it right now. I went for the awesome gold colour:I would show you a picture of it on me, but the usb adaptor for my camera died. Yes, this is the second one in less than 4 months... ugh. Thankfully I have a stockpile of pictures of new items yet to be posted, but no new pictures for a couple weeks. I feel so disconnected without that adaptor...

Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras. Also known as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and Pancake Day.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the commencement of Lent (40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays). Shrove is an old English word meaning to confess and do penance, which is common to do before the season of Lent. Lent was a time of prayer and fasting, and still is in varying degrees of stringency.

The day became known as a day to endulge in all the foods that would be restricted during Lent. Most notably fat, butter and eggs, which are most abundant in pancakes. So pancakes were eaten as a way of filling up on the good stuff, and using it up before Lent. Honestly, I had never heard of Pancake Day before this year. Mardi Gras isn't a huge celebration here in Canada (well, at least in the parts of Ontario that I've lived). I only vaguely remember having to "give something up" for Lent while in school (I went to a French Catholic elementary) - and then promptly forgetting about it when I got home.

Fat Tuesday is a direct translation of the French Mardi Gras (Mardi = Tuesday; Gras = fat, grease). Again, a reference to the gorging that takes place before the fast.

Do you celebrate Mardi Gras or Pancake Day? Have you given something up for Lent?

My labmate and her family are fairly religious, so she's giving up coffee - she warned me in case she was a little irritable. Personally, I'm not religious at all and don't really see the point in fasting for nothing - so I'll be eating whatever I want.

Oh darn.. I forgot about the wisdom teeth. I won't be eating whatever I want - I'll be eating soup.

Dentist (v.2)

So I went back to the dentist yesterday, this time to take care of cavities on the left side of my mouth. They were smaller than the one last time, so I was much less nervous and it didn't take as long. He really froze my bottom jaw this time (last time it was the top) and it felt so strange! I couldn't feel my chin, lip or under my tongue, and it was all pins & needles as it started to thaw. My jaw is a little achy today, but not too bad. I'll live.

Unfortunately, I had to ask about my wisdom teeth. He had previously said he'd be able to take out the bottom ones, so he said he'd do them. I'm scheduled for March 5 at 4pm.

That's next week.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My dentist said that he could just pull the bottom ones in his clinic, so I don't think they'll be putting me out. Just some freezing. And it sounded like it would be both at once.

Panic.

I've never had a tooth pulled. I think I'm going to pass out. Now. Just from thinking about it. Can you imagine next Thursday? I'm going to be puking I'll be so nervous.

Sorry, that was a gross visual. I'm just terrified right now. OH! And to top it all off, Pat might be in Montreal for work next week, so I'll be all alone.

Please, just shoot me now!

Treasury!

Vicki Diane has a regular treasury feature called Artists of Etsy Exposed. In these treasuries, she exposes the wonderful artists of Etsy, so you can put a face to the shop! Usually, these treasuries help to promote an Etsy team. Well, it's our turn. The Mad Scientists group that I'm a part of was lucky enough to be exposed by Vicki Diane (thanks to team member Arctida)!

Here are the Mad Scientists of Etsy EXPOSED:Aren't we a smart, sexy bunch?

Item of the day: Blue Boardwalk Mousepad

I was using a pad of paper as a mousepad at work, because this black benchtop (in the lab) just does not work. And of course the hospital is too cheap to supply any. So when I saw that HowAboutOrange was having a sale (mentioned on her awesome blog actually), I just had to snatch this one up:It looks really pretty against the black lab bench! The pattern is fun and bright and makes me smile during the day!

Item of the day: Sewn Ring

Oooh, I love the design on this simple silver ring by allthosethrees: Perfect for all you crafty seamstresses! I also really love her zipped ring, if you prefer something a little funkier.

FUNGUS!

Normally, I dislike fungus. There's just something about the whole thriving on decomposing matter that grosses me out. But I decided to rise to the challenge issued by the Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE) team for the month of February: mycology. And I'm so glad I did!

I'd been tossing around ideas for a mushroom collage, and I thought the page of Japanese text was a great starting place. It needed a little oomph though, so I stamped some squares lightly in yellow and red. I wanted a semi-regular pattern or grid, but I didn't have a square stamp ~ so I cut out a couple from a carrot! Worked really well and gave the effect I was looking for: I decided I wanted to go with fairly realistic colours, so I chose a brick-coloured textured cardstock for the cap, and soft yellow for the gills. These I drew in by hand with pencil crayon and inked the cap with black, yellow and red for interest.Since the mushroom cap was red, I wanted the rest of the piece to be fairly neutral. I found a perfect piece of pattern paper for the stem ~ there are some lines and script on it. I inked the edges of the stem in black ink. Now to me a mushroom just isn't a mushroom without that cute little ring or cape around it's shoulders ~ and I just had to make it 3D (with a soft yellow piece of paper, folded, crumpled and inked): I just wasn't sure how to finish it. My breakthrough came today: I'll mount the collage onto a painted canvas board! I chose 2 shades of brown and a sparkly gold acrylic paint to cover the board. To bring everything together, I mounted the page of Japanese text on cherry red "handmade" (but store-bought) paper with gold fibers in it.Of course, I had to finish off the back of the piece too. So I covered it with a sheet of patterned paper ~ looks like orange canvas with a ribbon on the side:You can find it listed on Etsy HERE!

Recurring Dreams

A Dream, by Eddi 07

Does anyone know the meaning of recurring dreams?

I have recurring dreams. Not in the typical sense though, I don't think. I don't have the same dream every night, or even on any sort of regular basis. But every so often, I'll wake up to a feeling of such familiarity, I just know it wasn't the first time I'd had an adventure in that particular dreamworld.

Just the other night I dreamed of my undergrad. Some of my classmates were there, and we were in the hospital on campus. Of course, the location and buildings weren't at all the same as they are in real life, but I'd been *there* before. I knew the building & hallways, and I knew the shortcut through the back room & theatre (not sure what that was doing in a hospital, I just remember it being very dark, with lots of crawlspaces above the stage)..... The dream or adventure itself was different from the first time I'd dreamed of that location, but it was the same place! Last time, the theatre was key to the adventure, this time, I just had to get to a classroom quickly and took the shortcut I'd discovered in the first dream.

How strange is that? Well, admittedly not as odd as some of my mom's dreams (not only does she have very bizarre dreams, she also has realistic snake dreams since she's terrified of them. If she sees or hears about snakes during the day, she'll dream that there are thousands in her bed or room, and my dad has a tough time waking her).

Do you have recurring dreams? Are they like mine, or is it the same dream all the time? What do you think they mean?

Happy Family Day!

Today is Family Day in Canada. A relatively new holiday (couple of years old) ~ but hey, no one is complaining about another long weekend! Unfortunately, I'm in the lab, running an experiment. Timing is everything, and the cells were ready to go for today..... but I should be out of here in another hour or so. Not too bad.

Otherwise, all I've been doing is playing LEGO Indiana Jones for PS3. I think I'm obsessed!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I made some cupcakes in celebration... There aren't any left. They were delicious though!
And even though I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this....... I love you Pat!Take a moment right now to seek out someone you love and give them a big hug (or tell them how much you miss them over the phone)!

New Tags & Mini Notebooks

As I mentioned earlier, I've been working on a whole bunch of new tags and mini notebooks. In total, I made 51 tags and 35 mini notebooks! That's them all laid out before the photoshoot, and here they are after being semi-packaged up:And the mini notebooks:I've put a twist on my typical mini notebooks this time. Some of them have paper in pastel colours!As soon as I sort through all these photos, I'll start posting the sets in my shop!

Etsy Feature: jorgensenstudio

I came across jorgensenstudio through another blog, called Then & Now. I was immediately captured by the clean, simple designs, and the interplay between bright and oxidized silver. I was also completely taken by the artists use of bright splashes of colour. Here, take a look at some of my favourites!

Vintage Crystal Blue Bling Ring - love the colour and the crown bezel!
Tutu Ruffle Peridot Earrings - peridot is my birthstone. I used to hate the colour, but have come to love it. The bright silver really makes them sparkle!

99 Luftballons - these sweet little rings are so unique!
Lemon Trinket Box - she's also a potter! I love the sweet saying inside this terracotta lemon!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Happy Friday the 13th! We get 2 in a row this year!! Spooky!

Making Life Easier

I went into a paper crafting frenzy last night, and it carried over to today. I made up a bunch of mini notebooks and tags and I have to tell you about a few recent purchases (or Christmas gifts) that have made my life so much easier!

1. Paper cutter (Westcott Titanium) - sooooooooooo much easier on my hands! And so much straighter than my hands!
2. Spray adhesive - wow! I can't believe how quick and easy this stuff is to use!

That's it. But they are both huge time savers!

I also have to mention an Etsy purchase I just received: some stamps and ink from norajane. The stamps I picked up are too cute ~ and I love the tags I made with them! Keep an eye on my shop for these tags and some mini notebooks, coming soon!

Item of the day: Book Shelf

I saw one of these book shelves by LittleFishFurniture in an Etsy Feature email, and immediately fell in love. I love reading and collect books ~ I think a couple of these shelves would look superb in my apartment!

Good Cause

I'm sure by now that everyone has heard of the bush fires that have devastated the state of Victoria in Australia. If you want to help out in some small way, head on over to the Etsy shop OzBushfireAppeal. Many sellers have donated items, with all proceeds from the sales going to helping the families left stranded by the fires. With such a great selection, and FREE shipping, how can you not help out???

As for myself, I just couldn't resist this little clutch. It was donated by DesignsbyDanna and was on for a great price!
I also snapped up this lovely spotted dove Gocco screen print. He's going to look great with my wall of bird prints (half of which still need to be framed... I'm working on it!):

Sore Mouth

Well, my dentist appointment went just fine. I have a filling. Dentist said that it will be sensitive for up to 4 weeks because the cavity was so close to the gum line. Right now, it's pretty tender, and difficult to chew and smile.

I'm hungry...

Treasury!

I was lucky enough to snag a treasury west today! Here's my Teal Dreams:
I also found myself in a couple of treasury. The first one, The Clouds are Gathering..., is compiled by an Etsy friend, jvdarcy.The second one is particularly exciting because I don't know the curator, OceanIsle. Here's Walking a Fine Line, featuring one of my doodled notecards:

Dentist....

I have a dentist's appointment at 3:15 today. It's to take care of a couple of cavities...

I was never afraid of the dentist as a child, probably because I never had a cavity. Cleanings are nothing to worry about! My first cavity (and only one until now) was during my senior year of high school, and I don't really remember much of what happened. Now, the thought of getting more extensive work done is a little scary.

I'm really, really dreading getting my wisdom teeth pulled. The bottom ones are completely "out" except you only see a small corner of them because they're buried in the back of my mouth. And one of the top ones is nestled in the edge of my skull. Just wonderful really!

What about you? Any deep-seated fear of the dentist? What was the worst procedure you never want to live through again?

Etsy Feature: Sunday!

It's Sunday today. Since yesterday was a very, very lazy day for us, today is our day of cleaning and errands. What are you up to today? Some shopping perhaps? Here are a few items that came up when I searched Etsy for Sunday ~ enjoy you day!

Sunday MiniZ Extended Wristlet by florspace - I love the sweet fabric patterns, inside and out.

Sunday Wash Soap by adorationsoap - this looks so clean!

Sunday Comics Envelopes by Refresh - how fun! And you can't go wrong with recycling!
Sunday and Sigmund by creativethursday - so sweet! These little owls are so cute!

Sunday's Blouse by DevonRose - isn't this adorable? And the photo is superb!

Happy Sunday!

Oops...

I bought myself a Valentine's Day gift. It's just so gorgeous, I couldn't resist:This beautiful porcelain medallion is handcrafted by sofiamasri. I'm so ready for spring, and when I saw this cheery mix of yellows and oranges, I just had to snatch it up. I also love the pendant in blues and greens, but I have lots of jewelry in those hues already.

Recommended: The Glass Castle

Since I read a lot, and my apartment is filled with books, I'm going to start regularly featuring some of my favourites. They may be old friends that I've read again and again, or ones that I've just finished and couldn't put down. Today's book, the very first one that impelled me to write this post, is called The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and it falls into the latter category. It is a memoir - not something I generally read, but I always end up loving them. There's just something about a true story that makes the narrated events seem like you'd experienced them yourself.

The Glass Castle left me feeling relieved I hadn't experienced a childhood like Ms. Walls' - which is the opposite of how most fictional tales leave me. Her story is gripping, and in some instances, completely unbelievable. Most of the decisions her parents make are simply incomprehensible to me... and they teach you a lot about selfishness. How can a parent spend money on chocolate and alcohol for themselves, and leave their children with no food for days and weeks? But in the end, the author gives her sister something in an act so selfless, it's incredible she could have learned that quality via the upbringing she had. Truly a heart-lifting story.

The book also reminded me of a conversation I had with a few fellow TAs. We were talking about expiry dates - one of the girls was saying that condiments are only good 3 months after they've been open, regardless of the date. We were debating this, but everyone else seemed pretty strict about throwing things out when they're past the date. I told them I take it more as a recommendation. I'll use my judgment to make the final call - sniff and taste outdated milk before throwing out the rest of the carton... this book just reinforced that belief.