Fashion, try it.

Some things I have had people say to me about my "look":

-"Why? Jenny you used to be so pretty."
-"It's just that your such an attractive woman, that hair makes you so unattractive."
-"That's umm (pause), Interesting…"
-"I Hate it when people do that thing" (while perfectly and accurately describing me, to my face)

Also of note: the hushed comments that float over my ears as I stroll through the mall or the distorted cringed face of a shopper who clearly disapproves of my fashion choices. I would also like to point out that the above comments are none of those hushed voices but friends and relatives who very badly need me to know what they think about my flair. (For the sake of self preservation, I won't even begin to tell you about the Worst things that have been so eloquently shouted at me in regards to my attire, or for that matter the attire itself.) Of course I can never reveal the guilty.

   I just want you to know that I think it would look good on you. If fact other people think it looks good on me too!  You should give it a go! You may be surprised. Maybe you have gone your whole life, never wearing a hat. Maybe you think your just not a hat person but maybe you just haven't found the right hat yet. Maybe you have never even tried one on. Is today the day you do something scary, take a chance? Wear something shiny? Be bold!

This is my new skirt, I made it myself! (With the help of a pattern.) I started it a little while ago and I'm pretty happy with it. The shoes are a recent purchase ! I love them so. 

They have a 'ball and claw' heel (so fancy). 

My favourite shoe  place,  Fluevog. 

Also online at Fluevog.com

And they are Canadian!

   How much maple syrup is too much maple syrup?
Some say any at all is too much, but I no longer speak to those people. I think sixteen litres might just about do it…. Is it wrong to spend the equivalent of one months worth of groceries on sweet sweet golden sap? If I told you it was dark amber No.2 syrup, would you change your mind? Maybe I should be asking a more pertinent question like: "will you fund our syrup dependency?". I swear we eat it all, no syrup wrestling or anything. Maybe if I video syrup wrestling and get paying subscribers to my channel…

   I'm pretty sure I'm addicted.
I do it almost every time Francis leaves the house now. I think sometime I secretly hope he leaves the room just so I can do it. I tried to get him hooked too but… it just didn't work out, ok? It's starting to interfere with my work, I'm losing sleep, it's affecting my health and I'm going through a ton of paper.

   I'm talking (of course) about the original Spirograph!
As soon as my multicoloured pen nestles itself in that tiny hole on any number of those little wheels the anticipation is too much. Will it turn out perfect, the minuscule teeth never daring to slip-up, the pen staying the course in it's nest, producing the most mesmerizing amalgamation of repeating circles.





All I hear is Queen's "Don't stop me now" playing in my head as the cogs go round and round.





The question now becomes what to do with pages upon pages of bright spellbinding loops layered among hypnotizing rings.







Make some greeting cards!
I think I may need to move into some gift tags…

New Lego minifigures!

   Who doesn't love Lego? (Please just keep it to yourself if you don't.) Before we begin this conversation let's just clear up any misconceptions. We love Lego so much that snub any other brand of construction blocks because they do not fit together properly with Lego.  It's not because we prefer to pay more for toys or because Lego brand has a following that makes it only slightly more acceptable as an collector item for adults. We love it so much, Lego has multiplied to a point that it fills a room in our home. So you can imagine how excited I was when the new Minifigures arrived!


    A note to all the parents that pass us by with an icy stare in Toys-R-us as we squish and feel the tiny plastic bags with the severity and precision of a toy surgeon; I know you are just jealous.  
  
   Perhaps it's not so much that I have the expendable income to purchase toys for myself as it is the disposable time that you so desperately crave. Oh what you would do with an afternoon to yourself, you can only dream.

The rest of the day was quite productive as I created an ultimate version of myself!  There would be more accessories but I only have so many limbs… I think it turned out quite nicely, almost majestic!

As many of you know, I am a Canadian, raised by Canadians, who do not hunt. I have neither touched, nor smelt a real gun, never mind fired one. And then yesterday, it happened.
   I would like to point out that I had not had any interest in shooting guns until recently my curiosity into hunting has been stirred, and well, I live in the right province to know a hunter or two. (I can almost  feel my parents cringe halfway around the world but I'm pretty sure they always had an idea this was a likelihood.)
   Two things I learnt about myself; I'm a pretty good shot, and I like the bigger gun the best. (That statement could loosely apply to many facets of my character!) I'm pretty sure I am on a certain path toward becoming a real red-neck. Did I mention I also enjoy burning things? I don't think you need to worry though, this quest is mostly fuelled by the desire to expand my foodie pallet and consume exotic and wild game. So, does anyone have a family rifle the want to pass down? I could be the perfect candidate!






See that one really close to the bullseye on the left? That's mine!

So exciting! Thanks Eric for taking us out (and being safe about it). We both had such fun!

Preparing for hooking…rugs.

   I'm pretty sure the only reason I became a member of The Edmonton Traditional Rug Hookers Guild was the hooker jokes. I ended up staying because it's the only place I truly feel welcome, maybe because the great people there get to know me based on my artsy-fartsy quotient rather than my awkward social skills. I do so little hooking sometimes I wonder if they can call me a hooker at all!

Speaking of my terrible social skills, a have the perfect example that sums it all up! Went to a friend of a friends house who happened to have a hilarious mustache shaped welcome matt outside. So as she opens the door, I say "I really like your mustache!" and all I received was a blank, slightly offended stare. I was confused as I thought I was being friendly, and she thought I was just a bitch. I was pointing outside!

   So if you want to come and see me in me natural habitat or possibly you too are high scoring on the artsy-fartsy scale, come on down! I will be at the Pleasantview community hall 10860-57 ave from 10am-3pm, every first Thursday of the month (5$ to drop in), selling some wares and making some friends. Also of note, the only place I have found that sells 100% wool fabric. We have all colours but here's a new and exciting one!


Rainbow plaid wool! What!

And some new hooks, which can also be used for crochet.  Oh and did I mention, I made these? Yet another great lacquer project. Come buy a hook from me!

I also make these sweet thread bowls which our store will now be carrying! They are great for trinkets or keys as well.

   I sit here and type as little puffs of drywall dust hover over each finger before floating up and over the screen. Tiny bits of tile and assorted debris sift their way out of my hair, I feel like my Shih-tzu after the dog park with leaves and twigs trailing from all bits of fur. Bathroom demolition is not as fun as it used to be.
   We have been so busy and diligently annihilating our old bathroom on schedule like responsible adults. The new tool belt I have purchased (and promptly spray painted pink) is proof of my dedication on the journey of being an adult, not just for the fact that I bought a tool belt but also because I did not choose the already pink one for sale on account of it being flimsy. Do they think that girls use tiny hammers and dull nails? Perhaps those tool belts were designed solely to store snacks and glitter (in which case I should have got one for exercise day).

  After a very long and productive weekend, we have removed all tile, insulation, drywall and junk. We had even cleaned our workspace to prepare for the next step! And then it happened. Francis gave a drain pipe a sultry look and it just crumbled. At first with just a drip, then later with a  flood of dirty dish water from the kitchen sink into the wall cavity behind our bathtub. (After some tightening to repair the drip, a hole opened up in the bottom of the old rusty pipe)
 
   I guess I just felt like we should have gotten a prize for being so responsible on our project, like maybe a pizza party! I'm learning that adult prizes look more like: not having to rip out your newly tiled shower while dirty dish water has been draining into your walls for who knows how long? A wiser me would tell myself that the sense of satisfaction that goes along with doing something new and scary should be prize enough. If that's not enough, the firm steps taken farther into adulthood by not calling on a parent as well as developing a resilient marriage, surely are. A special bonus: no dishes will be washed today unless they fit into the bathroom sink!