It's happening again.

   I started up again and may not be able to stop this time. I just can't stop burning spoons. (Who can really?) There is something about the smell of the burning wood and paying the price of the craft with burnt fingers. Recently I discovered that it's possible to burn cork in a similar way. Hot matts here I come! Don't even get me started on the possibilities for cutting boards. Holy Frijoles, I just considered salad bowls. Oh no.

Gardeners do know all the dirt. And no, that's not a 'dig' at any gardeners I know. 

By the way, is this a spoon?  Flat spoon?  

Scrapey spoon?

Scroon?

Spatula spoon?

Spatoon?

I need to know.

As I get older, it's the little things that excite me. Like a new shiny bin to put my slippers in. Imagine the excitement level as nine fresh and shiny bins found their way to my house and onto my walls yesterday! Life changing.

   I should have taken a before picture.
   Any of you who has seen the pile of shoes at the back entrance of our home has maybe thought to themselves: "Was I invited to a house party? there are A lot of shoes here! I should have brought wine."
   We both have a shoe and slipper problem. They were stacked. They were lounging about, leaning up against each other as if they were the drunks themselves, having their own house party, some falling down the stairs.
No more! Holy Jesus just look at it. So pretty. So tidy.

As added bonus, there is a handy spot for keys, glasses and junk. Which poses a new question, what will I do with all my free time? All the time I used to spend looking for all that junk.

   There is also a very old and ugly electrical panel  that needed covering. But how? I added tiny and strong magnets (from Princess Auto) to a picture frame (Ikea) and Bam!

You can see my magnetic picture frame here, above the shiny bins, also purchased at Ikea. (Don't judge me, I like Ikea.) Remember Ikea in West Edmonton Mall, when there where peacocks? I sure do.

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!