Winter Fun

Why is it that the more things you tie to your feet in the winter, the better it is?

Winter is only 3 more months!  I need more time to do everything!

Here's my speedy speed skates

Here's our skis, view from chair lift on our ski day last week:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday To ME!!!!

YAY for cake!

Holidays

I haven't posted in so long.  I feel like I have neglected my blog a bit.  I needed a little break from being tied to the computer.   So now for a catch-up post and then I'll get back in the swing of things.

Is is awfult to admit not being a really big fan of Christmas?  It is so ingrained in our culture that is a happy time of year and celebrating and gift giving.  I just not into it.  Its great to get together with friends and family and have that connection, but Christmas has become such a commercial monstrosity of consumerism, its pretty gross.  Do we really need more Stuff???  And then if I admit to not liking Christmas, then I must be a 'scrooge'.  This time of year if hard on a lot of people, financially, emotionally, stress, etc...  It actually makes me kind of depressed.  I'm happy when its over and things get back to normal.  And its not say I haven't had a lovely time, which I have, its just that Christmas doesn't have to be this picture perfect family with all the trimmings.  Its ok to feel a little off. 

Jason's mom out-did herself with a super dinner on Christmas Eve.

Then in the wee hours of Christmas morning, there was a horrible fire a block away from my apt.  No one was injured.  They don't know how it started.  I have never seen a house fire before.  It was scary/beautiful.

In the morning:

And later that day:

Its hard to extatic about Christmas if you're been through a few dodgy ones.  Its also hard to be totally happy when you know that other people don't have a home to live in anymore.

More Christmas eating.  These are Czech cookies/baking. 

Then there's also been a lot of sleeping: this is Mynch when we went to visit Mike and Emily

My Pandora on the bed: (she does this every morning)

Buckely in a box:

I have also caught up on my movie watching:  Lemony Snickets, Team America, Supersize Me, The Stepford Wives, Kinsey. 

Today the canal opened and Jason and I went skating!  These are my mom's old figure skates.   But later this afternoon I picked up my new (to me) speed skates from the sharpener and I had a go on these 2mm blades.  Wow!  It was tricky, but going to be fun!

Then there's been this destructive tsunami a world away.  I can't stop thinking about all those displaced people and all the deaths.  I feel so removed.  Its strange how I can go on happily skating on this frozen water, when the same substance, in a liquid form, can have such a devastating impact on so many lives.

Our world is such a fragile place. 

Everything is always in flux. 

Change is constant. Nothing is permanent.

Love the moments.

Love your friends and family.

Share what you can.

Peace.

Baking

Jason and I went to visit his mom on the weekend.  She had done some holiday baking.  Being inspired by this tradition (apparently many women engage in a pre-Christmas baking-day), I decided to have a baking frenzy myself.  I hauled out the old Chaletelaine cook book and came up with these yummy treats (that look so cute when they are fresh out of the oven in their tiny rows!)

 

At the top are some shortbread 'wreaths', to the right, Mae's Mollases cookies (I got the recipy when I visited the Museum of Industry in Nova Scotia this summer), some Apricot and Nut squares (very tasty), and Jason couldn't help but get involved and made some Cocoa-clusters.  It was all-in-all a good day in the tiny kitchen.  Now lots of treats to eat and share!

Links

I added some new links and made some re-arrangements on this site.Something to look at over the weekend and get lost in internet fun. More to come soon! Enjoy!

snow...More SNOW!!!

In the past week, it has snowed a few times here in Ottawa. It is sooooo nice!  Even just tonight there is a light snow fall with the flakes taking their sweet time getting to the ground.  Is there anything prettier than that?   This is a picture of a bicycle (not mine) in the snow.  I have still been biking a bit this week, but after getting a flat tire on the way back from Hull on Monday, I think I am going to be a bit more selective about the days I bike.   Ahh, winter fun!

Festive

I was feeling slightly festive on the weekend and 'put up the tree'.  This entails hauling it out of the drawer and plugging it in.  Lucky the tiny stockings were in the same drawer.  I made these a few years ago.   The one ornament I have for the tree is one that Tania made.  So sweet.  Ah, holiday cheer!

Desk Day

Tania inspried me to get to back to my blog after a week of taking some time for me(after my big show).  So this is my desk.  Well, part of it.  This is the part that has business cards I picked up at the show, colour samples, other postcards, snacks and general mess.  I still have lots of apres-show stuff to go through and organize and then re-organize.  But I'vemade some good progress.

The Week

Now that I finally have some time on my hands after returning from the One of a Kind, I can update my blog and show pictures of my journey.  This will probably be the longest post ever, but there's so much to catch up on.

At first, I was nervous about driving the van, but I was an old pro by the time I was heading home to Ottawa. 

I was excited to see the 'exhibitors entrance'.  It made me feel like I had really accomplished something big.

This is my booth before the set up.  It was a bit of setting-up frenzy on Tuesday morning, but it worked out in the end.  I also changed things around on Wednesday morning.  More big sculptures and less clutter.  It worked much better.

This is my Soup Bowl that I had in the Campbell Soup Bowl Competition.  I signed an agreement with them that Campbell's can use my bowl for 2-6 months.  I wonder what they are going to do with it.  Several people were interested in buying it, but they will have to wait...or I could make new ones...Hmmm...

I have the best friends!  Thanks for coming to see me and hang out with me!!!

Nadine and me

Charity with the crazy hat I made her a few years ago.  One of the few things I am going to do in December is make her a new one.  Fun!

 

Tania and James playing with ColourForms on their heads.

Sarah, lounging on the fun-fur bench:

Thanks also to Yvette and Jen!  I don't know why, but I never took any pictures of you when my booth was up!  Thanks Tiffany, for driving all the way from Ottawa to see the show! Thank you to all for all you help and fun.  It sure made those 11 hour show days pass by with lots of laughs.

I was also lucky to be beside Paul Boddum for 6 days.  It was great to meet him and hang out with him.  At shows like this, its important to get along with booth neighbours and share stories and snacks! (like the spice cake his wife Krissy made, yummy!)

   

Here's a picture of the coolest glass blowers at the show:  Tsunami Glass Works by Kris and Eva.  They make the most gorgeous glass and are opening a glass studio in Windsor, ON.   This is Kris at the booth.  I think Eva is hiding.  Ha ha.

Here's a picture of how one of the exhibitors spends her time at her booth.  Watching TV!!!  Apparently, she was a big hit on Survivor  and Apprentice night.  Some people just need their TV!

Then there was the clean-up.  It really made me realize what a huge and crazy show this is.  So much organization!  I always find it interesting to see the 'aftermath' of a show.  Everything had been so tidy and presentable and then everything get taken apart.  This is the storage area.   

Me with the dolly for the last load!  Jen, thanks so much for helping!!!

Enroute to a custom order appointment in Monday, traffic was bit backed up due to Toronto's first snowfall.  I also got a bit of a push from some nice men at Seneca College who were helping people get their cars up the slippery hill.  It if wasn't for them, I'd still be spinning my tires on Finch!   It took me 7 hours to drive back to Ottawa (usually takes 5hrs)

 

And now I am HOME!!

What a huge acheivement it was to do this show!  I think I need to week off to do nothing and then another week to recuperate from doing nothing and then a week analyze this show.  I have been on a non-stop art-making frenzy since September and its important to take a step back and mull things over before taking the next step forward.   Yay for getting tackling a huge show and I'm excited to see where all this is will take me next.

One of A Kind

I made it!!! This is a picture of my booth set-up today.  There's a bit of everything, small pieces, mid-sized pieces, and then the nice big ones.   I made a whole bunch of work and I have enough to change things around for tomorow, just to mix it up a bit. The show is a big crafty-monstrosity, but great for christmas gifties and amazing eye-candy.  If you are in the Toronto area, come to the National Trade building and see me at booth J50 until Sunday, Dec 5.   

Off I GO!

Well, this is it!  Tomorow I pack the van with the all the stuff (art art art!) and the boyfriend and I are off on my grand adventure of the One of a Kind.  We will stop in Stirling ON to see my friend Lori's Christmas play and make our way to Toronto on Sunday.  I set up and start the show on Tuesday.  Yikes!  There are still many things to do: pick up the printing, fetch the van, and things to buy (like a ladder).  I think once's all the stuff is packed in the van, I'll feel much more relaxed.

Here's a picture of Buckley on the fun fur bench, with the colour samples.  Maybe if I brought him to the show, it would be good for sales: so CUTE!

Also I was just on my way back from Home Hardware for last minute purchase of assorted screws and there was a beautiful moon rise at the end of the street.  This is the view from my roof.  It makes me feel like winter is on the way. 

Working

I don't have any picture today.  I've been too busy packing, organizing, buying last minute supplies (like lights) and doing administrative things like making sure I know how to use my new cute visa machine (they gave me instructions in french, so its a bit slow to get through).  I had a packaging miracle:  I bought a huge roll of bubble wrap to wrap my paintings and sculptures and I had JUST ENOUGH bubble wrap.  Not a centimetre too much.  I thought I was going to have to go out to buy more.  Things are coming along.  Still have to finish the fun fur furniture/booth decor.  I'm off...maybe a picture tomorow.

Disco Ball

My booth display wouldn't be complete without a groovy disco ball, which was delivered today.  I could have gotten the whole kit with the lights and coloured gels for the lights and a rotating motor, the whole everything, but I went with just the ball.  It will all tie all the fun and funk of my art.  There will also be fun fur.  Ooooh, I'm getting excited!  This is going to be FUUUUNNNNNN!!!!!

Church and Football?

I live just steps away from where the Grey Cup played last night.  I like how one of the churches in my neighbourhood tried to attract football fans.

I'm in the final stretch of preperations for the One Of a Kind.  Things are coming together.  I should have just enough to do all the extra little things this week and then throw it all in the van and head to Toronto.  Exciting!

Cards and Scraps

I got my business cards in today!  I ordered them from the internet from a company in the states, so I nervous about not receiving them.  They look so nice, all glossy and such.  I also put up a picture of the scraps I cut, as I was inspired from tania's blog a few weeks ago.  Scraps are pretty too!

Colour Samples

This is the fun part of preparing for a show.  I made a bunch of Colour Samples of all the colours I have been using for my paintings and sculptures.  This will make it easier for custom ordering.  I am going to cut them out into organic shapes and hang them from something.  So many colours!  So pretty!

I am slightly relieved today because I was able to book a van to cart all my art to Toronto next weekend.  It was one of the last big things I had to make arrangements for.  Things are falling into place.

National Gallery

This is kind of neat.  My art in the National Gallery.  Cool.  The Ottawa Chamber Music Society launched their auction web site in the Foyer of the gallery.  They had all the art pieces that were donated on display and mine was among them.  There were tasty treats and wine to drink.  The auction continues until December 15, and the art work will be on view at the Rideau Centre window at Daly and Besserer. 

Montreal

I had much fun and diversions in Montreal.  Here is Emily with her new scarf, she is posing with her mannequin friend.  I was impressed with her instant purchace. 

We also met up with my friend Stephanie who moved there in August.  She's a funny gal, posing here with a 'hat' that an artist friend of hers made. 

Taking a cab.

Good thing Ontario has a smoking ban in bars.  It was very smoky there.  Those Montrealers love to chain smoke.  Nasty habit.

The evening ended with the requisit pizza-attack.

New Hat

I know its a bit goofy, but I really want to be warm this winter.  I love that this hat has bonus mini ear flaps for those extra chilly days.  Its also made with the warmth of bunny (sad) fur to keep me warm.  I'm off to Montreal tomorow with my friend Emily.  We're taking the bus.  I haven't taken the bus in years.  It will be very relaxing.  We are going to soak up some Montreal culture and I'm going to get my hair cut.  We may go dancing.  We'll stay at a B&B and have a nice bus ride home on Sunday.
Yay for weekends!