Meet Atticus!!

Lloyd brought me home this cute little guy on Monday....he's a charity bear sold in aid of our local children's hospital.  Isn't he cute?  I DID buy myself a white miniature rocking chair and the point of it was to keep my teddy bears in it - the ones Lloyd had bought me - but Sam took possession of the rocking chair and so my bears have homes here and there instead.....this little guy is small enough to stay in my craft room.

Other finds....

I picked up these two wall plaques above - not sure where they will go or what I will do with them - we think we are going to paint them.  Maybe do something to the raised edges....I'll check out that thrifting blog in my blog roll for ideas.....but they were too good to pass up.

I loved the quilted look of this little pot.  I just thought it was really pretty.  

The birdhouse...

As requested, here is the little birdhouse I picked up at the thrift store yesterday!

I was planning to repaint it, but for now I'm actually liking how it looks sat on the window sill.  

Shimelle's new class!!!! Yay!!!

Shimelle has a FAB new class beginning in March!!  Her classes are always WONDERFUL!!  

Come and join me as I take this online class :)  

Learn to use up your stash in creative ways - no need to buy any new supplies for this class because it is all about using up the supplies you already have!!  You can also work in any size you prefer, so I think I will probably go small again :)  

Tuesday ramblings....

I had coffee with Lloyd again this morning at a ridiculously early time - he says I seemed a little more awake this morning.  I was able to keep my eyelids open more....it wasn't quite such a struggle.  Because of this Lloyd feels it might be a good idea for us to make this a regular thing.  6:15am coffee appointments together.  Hhmmm  maybe not tomorrow.  I'm thinking tomorrow I'd like to sleep in.  Sorry Baby.

It was so foggy AGAIN this morning that I almost decided to forget my plans and stay in bed!  The fog cleared though and we were able to head out for our day.

We left earlier than normal today because we called round to a car place in town and picked Val up - her car was having something done to it - the windscreen or something maybe????  Anyway...we picked her up and she spent much of the day with us, experiencing our Tuesday!!!

We headed to Abigails art class, dropped her off - she spent the morning making collaged art journals.  This weeks class didn't cover one specific artist - but various different artists - including several who made art out of garbage and recycled items.

While Abigail was at art, we headed to McD's for breakfast, where we were able to enjoy the highlights of last nights ice dance finals again (Go Canada) and Sam was able to get another Olympics toy with his breakfast meal.

After breakfast we headed to the thrift store and had great fun looking for bargains - I love looking for items I can alter and also containers that will look good in my craft room.  I also found the sweetest bird house that looks wonderful on my kitchen window at the moment.

Back to pick Abigail up from art...headed to the mall....Val ran off to get me some migraine meds (thank you) and I got the children some lunch.  Then Chapters....then Safeway.....but all of this done slowly with a LOT of chat......so it took much of the day.  Then Vals car was ready so we dropped her back there and said goodbye and we headed home.

By this time my migraine was bad so I took migraine meds (that I didn't have with me despite Lloyd reminding me constantly to check I have them in my bag - I just had empty packets).  I managed to run the vacuum round and tidy the kitchen etc and then I collapsed in my chair.

Susannah and Laurence came home and looked after me - they looked after Abigail and Sam too - Susannah baked and they just take over and make sure everything runs smoothly!!

Lloyd and Chris aren't home until late tonight - Lloyd's friend/ colleague is getting married so Lloyd is out at the bachelor party/ night out tonight.  Chris is downtown with friends until Lloyd picks him up.

My migraine is fine now - just have the side effects of the medication....which leaves me exhausted and I hurt all over.....but it's still much better than a migraine.

I'm thinking the migraine is related to the weather system thats coming in with this Westerly flow or whatever thats bringing the warmer weather.  It's been a bad Winter for migraines.  It's been a GREAT Winter....BUT - it's been a bad Winter for migraines......

I love that this chair is in my craft room and I can do things from here - I have my laptop, I have my table here....I can paint or knit, read, write.......sleep ;)

Sooooo looking forward to tomorrow.  A nothing day.  A DO NOT DISTURB day :)

New project.....

Today Val and I headed to the thrift store and one of my 'finds' was this big pillar candle holder.  It was a nasty red and gold colour though that doesn't go with my home at ALL.  I don't want it for a candle holder - I want it to display a mini album or to keep little bits and bobs in....

So far I have primed it with a simple white primer that I keep.  Last year I did a LOT of projects like this, and so I always have this around.  I'll now leave it 24 hours and then tomorrow I can do another coat of paint and then lacquer it.  

I haven't decided what colour to do it - white or the same colour as my craft room - I THINK I am going to do it white....I may use some crackle glaze on it.  

I was really pleased with my finds today!!  I got a few things to alter - and I forgot to mention - anyone who has read my blog for a while will remember that last year I altered a big tin tub and painted 'Fleurs' on the side.  I had it out on my porch with pansies in it all Summer long.  Last week I found ANOTHER one!!!  It also needs to be sprayed but I am sooo happy to have another one - I am going to spray it the same and put it beside the other one out on the porch this Summer - it is one size down from the other one so it will look perfect :)  

My afternoon.....

For today.....

Outside my window...it's foggy - again!!!  it's been foggy about 30 days since January 1st!!!  What is WITH this weather???  Thankfully it normally clears and leaves a gorgeous day - or a beautiful frost.  Today it is supposed to be the last of the frost and  it is supposed to be above freezing all week long!!  Woohoo :)


I am thinking...that I just can't WAIT until tomorrow - no plans at all - at least until the evening!  I am soooo looking forward to a quiet day at home :)  I am looking forward to going out for a walk and enjoying the peace and privacy of home after the chaos of yesterday and our busy Tuesday.

I am thankful for...my family.  For my wonderful husband and my great kids - been reading some things this morning that make me just UTTERLY grateful.

From the learning rooms...various projects, crafts, etc going on.  We're reading two books. (Abigail is reading one to herself and we're reading one together).  Art classes continues and we go to collect Abigails pottery pieces from the kiln this Friday.  Playing plenty of games to help Sam with his reading/ numbers...

From the kitchen...far too much baking going on...sigh...but luckily it disappears fast with so many in the house :)  I am loving my kitchen this Winter and how easy it makes baking and cooking.

I am wearing...just my nightwear as I'm in bed....

I am remembering...how lucky I am.....after reading a blog this morning that makes me want to hold my little ones close today!

I am creating...knitting projects, my junque journals, a few mini albums, some digital pages....

I am currently reading...Wicked ( kind of the prequel to The Wizard of Oz)

I am hoping...the fog isn't too bad on the way in to town....or that at least it clears before I have to leave.....or I won't want to go!!!  Right now I can barely see the end of my driveway!!


I am hearing...the children laughing downstairs - Laurence and Susannah are getting ready for school, Sam and Abby are getting ready for their day of homeschool.  Mike Sobel is doing the weather on tv.....

Around the house...not much - although - as mentioned - decluttering still ranks right up there.

One of my favorite things...having coffee with Lloyd in the mornings before he leaves for work.

Gold!!!! Go Canada!!

The youngest Olympic Ice Dance Champions  EVER, and the first from North America!!!!

GO CANADA!!!!

Go  Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir

Gold in figure skating ice dance :)  

Woohoo!!!!!!

x

My long Monday....

It's been a long day...eventful...busy...

For some CRAZY reason I suggested that Lloyd wake me up and have coffee with me before work - at 6:15am.  This is like the middle of the night to me.  I don't DO mornings!!  I struggled to keep my eyes open but it was lovely to sit with him for a while before he left for the day.

I was soon up and at it - got all my chores done, the children got busy with board games at the table...we fed the birds, brought the easel down tot he kitchen...pottered about, did laundry....

The water guy arrived just after 8am and seemed shocked to find me awake - he's quite used to arriving early morning and coming on in - going down tot he basement to add the chlorine and deliver the new chlorine and supplies and leaving the invoice on the island.....he's such a nice guy - he just wasn't expecting to see me up and about so early!!

Anyway, I chatted with him and then soon after I think Denis and Mike were the next to arrive....and with them the porch railings guy.....and Jorke the site Manager guy....(who is a Woodworking Engineer???  Of course Denis and Mike think this is funny and we were all saying isn't that the same as a carpenter??  lol....kind of like a hair architect is the same is a hair dresser lol)

Anyway....then next to arrive was Val!!!  So yes - we had quite the house full all day today!  Except the porch railing guy disappeared!!!  He isn't coming back until the weekend - or maybe next Monday and then Jorke left, but Denis and Mike stayed, and it was like old times, with the guys here working all day.

So we have a new fireplace in the kitchen/ sunroom and new panels in the kitchen.  They did a great job and I repaid them with freshly bakes scones with fresh cream and jam.  Val and I decided we deserved some too - so Val supplied the coffee creamer - white chocolate and macadamia flavour!!!  Oh my!!!  And we had scones.  Yum!

Sam 'helped' Denis and Mike all day and I'm sure they were very grateful for all his 'help'.....lol!  Lloyd finished work at 1:30pm and headed home so he could chat with Denis.  I spent my afternoon crafting in my room - I ended up using up some cardboard toilet tissue tubes that I had pointed out to Val this morning - I made a toilet tissue tube mini album.  It's basically made from flattened toilet tissue tubes covered with papers and you can slide tags etc inside each one - and they are bound together.  I still need to embellish them but the project is going well.

The guys were here working until 6pm when we had to head into town to pick Chris up from school.  We ended up with a very late supper.  Denis and Mike are such great guys and I couldn't have wished for nicer workmen to have here for almost a year - BUT I am soooo used to NOT having workmen here again, that I don't like having workmen here all day.....it's quite stressful.  I dread next year when it all starts again.  This afternoon we were walking around with Denis talking about support beams and which walls can come down and all the 'what if's'....and I'm already thinking  "WAAAAAAAAHHHH"!!!

Ok, it's 9pm and I'm soooo tired - going to bed early and switching off - another busy day tomorrow.

Sweeney Todd

Yesterday we took Chris to see the musical 'Sweeney Todd' at the Citadel theatre.  It was excellent!!  It wasn't as gruesome as I was expecting it to be, but the language surprised me.  I know the story of Sweeney Todd, because we studied it at school, but I have not seen the movie.  I now want to though, because this production was so good!  

I know this story isn't based on fact - but more of an urban legend, but wow - what a sad tale.  I felt sooooo sorry for Sweeney Todd!  What an unfortunate series of events :(  

The play did remind me of the movie 'Jersey Girl'...it was the same set and had the same song that appears in the movie.....

I won :)

I was lucky enough to be one of two winners chosen to win one of  Kara Haupt's WONDERFUL  Life Story Classes  on Michelle Clement's fabulous blog!!!  I am just so happy - I can't quite believe it!  I sooo enjoyed both Kara's classes that I took part in last year - I learned soooo much from them!!  I am sooo in love with composition art journals now - just today Sam sat on Vals lap and showed her his art journal and I was so proud to see how much he loved his creation - at just 5 years old!!!

And my Daughters both LOVE art journaling!!!  I KNOW that if I had bought them expensive art journals or tried in a different way, they would have felt pressure to create 'perfect' pages....but Kara taught us to glue and mod podge the pages and make them lovely and wrinkly...and gesso them - and so the girls have these gorgeous wrinkled pages that are already NOT perfect, so they feel FREE to create.  Susannah has a music art journal and a friendship art journal, and various other journals.....Abigail has soooo many - and just has fun making new ones and decorating the covers.  Susannah even made journals for her friends as Christmas gifts!!  And it's something we do when they have friends over - almost all their friends go home with a new art journal and a few extra supplies so they can continue at home!!!

I took Kara's 'Fall In Love' class and my little album is on a shelf in my craft room - I love it :)  I even copied my technique and used that as the style for my Christmas album because it's such a simple style.  I think thats what Kara taught me most of all - to let go of trying to be perfect - it doesn't HAVE to be perfect - pages can be wrinkled.....writing can be messy.....paper can be torn.....pictures can be lopsided....you can try styles and techniques that are NOT your usual type.

I don't think I would have finished my Christmas album if I had not taken the Fall class - because I would have still been in that 'perfection' mindset....and yet now I have two mini albums that I LOVE - probably my favourite albums of all - and the most fun to make - because they were a joy to make - so simple and FUN!!!

So yes, I'm pretty excited about being able to do this other class of Kara's and if you have some free time and feel like getting a little creative then I wholeheartedly recommend checking out Kara's brilliant classes.

Theory of a Deadman....

You can read more about this Vancouver trio HERE

For Libby....Australia's Gold!!!

Torah Bright won Gold for Australia in the Ladies Snowboarding Half pipe.  Hannah Teter won Silver and Kelly Clark won Bronze, both representing the USA.  

The medal ceremony begins.....

The raising of the Olympic flag...