Why do I love Halloween so much? Is it taking free candy from strangers? Probably.
   Maybe it's more about the unspoken pact between friends, neighbours and strangers that everyone has a 'free pass'. It's alright to act a little weird and crazy, It's ok to parade around town dressed as a gnome, looking more than a little bizarre with chocolate smeared all over your face and the rush that comes along with getting something for free and arising sugar fuelled frenzy. Perhaps for others it's more about fuelling this aforementioned frenzy.
   I suppose there are others still, who feel they do not participate yet cannot withstand the urge to point out the outrageousness of the holiday, stating that they are way above all things funny and/or silly. To them I say: good for you, and good day. We already know you are a stick in the mud, no need to point it out.
 
   Big question: what to wear! Most years I get really enthusiastic in July I decide on an elaborate hand sewn costume (for two, of course) made of lavish fabrics, feathers, foam and furs. Around August I realize I can't afford this, and around September I run out of time. Today is the day I realize it's only two weeks away and no costumes have been made. I guess I could always throw on an old costume…

   It hasn't always been this way. I have made Queen of hearts- King of spades (with matching dog costumes), a pair of honey bees, a pair of penguins, a chicken and The Colonel KFC, some last minute gnomes.

 The trouble with Halloween is that I'm always having so much fun, I forget to take a picture of my costume! It's either at the end of the party when I'm really hot and I have hiked my penguin costume up to my knees, or the day after the party, getting ready to hand out candy to the little kids and heckle the big ones. These photos were all I could rustle up, the pickings were slim… and fuzzy.

   An even better reason to get goin' and get sewing; so I can actually take a good photo this year. I hope this inspires you, you still have two weeks, lots of time to rekindle your spirit, your inner youth and get together the best costume yet! Don't worry, a party will find you, Halloween knows.

   Who doesn't have a stamp of their own face?
   I know for a fact that there are others out there who do indeed have a stamp of their shining faces. So what if I'm the one who made it and gave it as a gift? The point is, I am now a proud owner of my very own face as well!

Below is a stamp of my sister Rachel and her mister.

How did Rachel get her face on two stamps?

Here she is again, this time with me!

Here is me and Francis on the tandem!

Oh, and here is Jade, picking her nose.

   All in all I feel pretty good about the way they all turned out. Who knows why it took me so long to make one of myself! Of course I would love to make a stamp for everyone I know,  gifting the world with strange and useless items. I need you to know that each stamp takes four to five hours. That in mind, I could be swayed to make one for you, if the right item for barter is offered…

   When your partner or child opens the mail and sees this aforementioned stamp and exclaims "What did she Carve a stamp of her Own Face!?", you may reply: "Why yes, she did!"

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…