It's official, I have a problem.
    Below you will find a picture of a wooden spoon with my face burnt onto it. Oh yeah. This is something that I feel everyone should own, with their personal visage.

   The question begs to be asked, is the problem stemming from the fact that I like to place my mug on all manner of random articles, or the part where all wooden objects in my home are now under intense study, fearing for their safety.
   It is a good thing I don't live in a wood house, or maybe it's a bad thing…
   Maybe that's where it starts to get interesting, when crazy risks are taken, when you get such a fantastic yet ridiculous idea and you just go for it.
   Speaking of crazy ideas, I'm going to need one for the tile in my shower, it's almost time.


 
 
 

   So this year I'm going for it, I'm going to have two Christmas trees. (Who doesn't have two trees lying sound?)This has been a life goal of mine for quite some time. I mean, if one is good, two will be great! Perhaps I will add one more each year until there is one in each room! I always have too many decorations anyways and now I can have themes. Where to put two trees in a small house? Why on a table of course.
   I can already hear the naysayers telling me how silly of an idea this is because it will cause my tree to fall over. Well I have news for you, it falls over every year. My mischievous cat enjoys nothing more than leading the chase around and around the tree, three over zealous dogs careening behind in perfect order, from smallest to largest. At least this table arrangement minimizes the pet's enthusiastic display, as well as ensures the sparkly wrapped gifts are decorated in tinsel instead of pet hair. (No guarantees I guess.)
   Now just waiting for the special day, the perfect moment when I make hot chocolate and cookies, maybe a little rum, and put the decorations on the trees!

   New life question; is it possible to make refillable glitter cannon? I'm sure I would use it for every holiday, and I have needed it for every holiday that has already passed. Of course I need to make the chamber large enough to hold an entire Martha Stewart giant glitter container. Just give me time… and some compressed air… I will have to get back to you on that.
 
   Recently I discovered that there is a term for my 'affliction', it's called Pyrography- the art of decorating wood and other materials with burn marks. Turns out there are museums and magazines dedicated to it! Also interested to find out that my fancy designs are rudimentary in comparison to the amazing level of art that is out there. Some talented people have burned leather boots, rocking chairs, and guitars with fine strokes of a burning tool creating works that look practically painted.

I was inspired by the weather to create this simple snowflake motif, which may find it's way on to other random items in my house, rudimentary or not. 

Can't stop, won't stop, Pyrography is for me!

   Be Happy, seems like a simple enough concept, and I am on a quest. I have been on this quest for four years which, basically consists of consciously choosing the people, feelings, thoughts, and activities that make me happy. The opposite is also true, anything that makes me feel bad is also banished, so beware all of you Grumpsters out there.

   Feel like painting the house orange and yellow, go for it! Always wanted to try purple hair? Do you feel like you would be happier if only you could spend the day making a Lego dream house? Think drinking wine in bed on Sunday morning while playing video games will make you happy? You are now required to find out.
   I have to say that I am really liking this lifestyle, and I feel like I am happier.
   Here is the catch: it takes work. It doesn't just come to me, I don't just wake up happy, as Francis can attest. Much like people say that a happy marriage takes work, which I find to also be true. So the big question of the day, what's happening today to make myself happy?

   For starters, stay indoors... Maybe change that to stay warm, on account of the fact that it is so sparkly outside. Taking pictures does make me happy. Also Francis registered us for the upcoming YEG Giant Snow Fight and that makes me really happy. Possibly I need to bake some cookies, make some hot chocolate, and decorate? Happy Monday!
   The real truth, I can't seem to banish the dishes, laundry, or mopping of the floor. Sometimes it still happens when a sneaky pet pees on my clean socks, and I put them on. Today my front door was frozen shut and I had to pry it open to get out. However, when I take the time to make myself happy, those things i cannot banish don't seem to bother me so much.

 

   New holiday tradition! Advent calendars! Who's to say that as an adult I have to stop enjoying the excitement of one of the best holiday traditions? As a child, I always loved the anticipation of chocolate each morning, and enjoying be sugary treat in front of my sister, who ate all hers on the second day. (I think she still has a problem.) I am a believer that now that I am all grown up, the quality of treats should really be top notch.
   Also, I live with a trustworthy person, who would never steal my candy, so there's no fear of that, (Rachel…)
   Of course we will paint them, and glitter them. Oh yeah, and fill them. I'm pretty sure I can fit Lego Minifigures in there. I will post a picture post glitter.

   Okee dokee, I bought the 3Doodler pen. Judge me if you want, I needed it. If there ever was a person who required such a tool, it's this girl. So let me review!
   Any of you who watched the commercial, as I did, was expecting to pick up this fancy pen and create  any number of magical creations. This was not the case. After an hour of frustratingly slow progress, all I had to show for it was a table full of misshapen plastic bits. I was starting to feel like maybe I'm not as artsy fartsy as I thought! I had to show this pen who's boss.
   I was also very optimistic that this pen is for more than just doodling, figuring that melted plastic must stick to all sorts of other materials. In my quest to prove this to be true, as well as become the master of 3Doodler, I pressed on.  After some doing, I came up with these. The card was fun and easy, but the plastic became unstuck quickly. I used my favourite spray glue and some glitter to save it, and it worked out great! The eye started just as a doodle, to see what the pen is really made for.

Now here is where the whole game changed, I got out the iron. Stroke of genius I tell you. I used some waxy type paper that came with my iron-on transfers, to keep the plastic from sticking to the iron. Then I used a lot of pressure and no steam to get the plastic to adhere to a tight weave, no stretch fabric.

 But No, it does not end here.
   See these little spaces in between the green lines of the eye? Well I'm about to cut those into little holes. Yeah I am.

And here it is on top of my computer screen to emphasize the holes. This makes me happy. This is also only the beginning… Just imagine, the clothes, the layers, the glitter, infinite design possibilities. All of this leaves me with another question, what else can I melt it to?

   One of my new favourite things, Port! Thank you Tania. If this is something you have never tried, I highly recommend that you do! Not only is it delicious and full bodied, it is made with grapes, it is fortified at 20% alcohol, and is made in Portugal.
    I am a person who seems to disagree with grain alcohol, or rather it seems to disagree with me. Sometimes I feel like this makes the selection very limited, so I was extra enthusiastic when I discovered this delectable thirst quencher.
   Somehow this beverage seems fancy to me, like it deserves to be served with expensive chocolate, or a lavish Julia Child calibre meal. Pretty sure this needs to happen.
   This fits perfectly with my Campaign to Enjoy Winter! I think that the very low temperature today (-27 C with windchill, according to the radio) deserves an extra effort to appreciate this crazy weather, and I know it will get colder…
   Last year I thought my fridge was broken (it has a history), but really it had been so cold outside for so long, the fridge no longer felt cold to my hands. Also, I'm pretty sure I got a touch of frostbite on my legs last year while I was waiting in line for 50 minutes at -21C, to get into a bar at 5am to watch the Gold medal Hockey game, in which Canada won. Go Canada!

Stay Warm.