Gayley's Cafe

photo above from TORONTO SLOP

Out for breakfast again! This time I took pictures :) Gayley's Cafe is one of my favourite breakfast/lunch places in toronto. AND it's just a few minutes walk from home. It's a family owned business and the staff is super friendly. Don't sit around waiting for the bill though -- it's won't come. Just get up and pay :) The sandwiches at lunch are great!

After my tea (Earl Grey)

I had a basic breakfast (just basic and yummy):

I bullied Mr. B into having French Toast with his big breakfast (sorry -- I didn't know that you don't like French Toast -- why didn't I know that?). I LOVE French Toast and this didn't disappoint :). The bacon was floppy -- just the way I like it. (Mr. B -- if you don't like floppy bacon you have to tell them when you order :)

Two thumbs up (but give yourself lots of time -- the service is very laid back :)

Crochet class

I've mastered crochet in the round. I made this very cute cloche hat. It just needs a little crocheted flower. Maybe Edie will teach me in the next class? Wednesday at the Knit Cafe. I have really been enjoying my nights there knitting and crocheting. I see why Mr. B likes going to Stitch and Bitch so much (Tuesday nights at the Knit Cafe). See the blog here!

Pinterest

Pinterest is my new favourite online thing. It's still in the beta stage, but if you apply for membership, you will eventually get it :)

It is great for making online "bulletin boards" of thigs that inspire you. I have bulletin boards called "i love hearts" , "i love scrappy layers", " i love garlands", "favourite rooms" -- and I just 'pin' photos to it.

yarn yarn yarn

My first sock is coming along nicely:


And so is my dishcloth:

This is a pricey dishcloth though... the yarn was $12? I wonder how many I can get out of 1 ball? (skein, whatever). The colour doesn't look right on my monitor -- it is a more orangey pink. Not quite salmon.....

I like crocheting and knitting. People have asked what I like more, but I can't really answer that. I'm better at knitting (faster) .

And I won some gifts too!

I am so lucky! I am taking a sock knitting class -- I just started last Monday -- and in One World One Heart I won some Malabrigo sock yarn from Paula at Yarn Yarns! How great is that! The perfect gift! I was looking at this exact yarn in this exact colourway at my class! (Which, by the way, is at the Knit Cafe in Toronto!)(See the Knit Cafe blog here)


AND I won a crocheted hat from Debbi (it's a baby's hat) -- and I just started a Learn to Crochet class. There are some new babies in the family and more coming , so this hat will mean I won't have to make as many, lol!


AND I won a plant stake (for indoor plants) from Nic at Indigo Star Fairy! (and some custom note cards!!!!)

AND I won the coolest paper doll from Sabine in Germany -- her blog is Stempeltanz


Am I the luckiest person ever?

Darn iPad :)

So I have been commenting on some blogs and I just noticed as i pressed submit, that my default blog address said "bloodspot.com" instead of "blogspot.com"

I'm not even sure when it started, so I've likely been leaving my wrong blog addy everywhere.

Bloodspot.... Hehehe.....

Darn that autocorrect, lol.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Nice people gave me gifts :)

Lauren gave me this card/tag (can you see her influences?, lol) And she made me this heart. On the back she says that I'm the coolest mom ever. But she is very clear to point out that I'm not really cool -- I'm a cool mom. Apparently there is a HUGE difference :P


Ray gave me gifts already -- my sock knitting class (have finished the ribbing on one -- that's about 2 inches, lol). And he bought me a tiny Tamar Mogendorff bird in a cage. And he bought this pin for me at the Love and Rummage sale at the Workroom. It's by bookhou -- I think that it's cut out of plexi? It's funny -- I have 3 different bird pins (spanning about 6 years) made by her!

One Word One Heart! The Winners!

Drumroll please......


The winners of my 'love" pouch and my heart banner are:
Linda from Italy (who has the cutest little westie in the whole world!)
Kim from the Yukon Territory (check her art out. Really, click on her name and go right now)

Well, I didn't make it through the whole list -- I did last year and the year before, but life came up and I stalled out. I made it through all of the Canadians though :) Rah rah Canada and all that....

Lisa -- A whimsical Bohemian who hosts OWOH has said that this is the last year for One World One Heart. BUT she is planning something different for next year. YAY!

I actually have already been notified that I won some fabulous things with OWOH. More on that tomorrow!!!!

14 Valentines in 14 Days -- the next day :)

I couldn't show this one because it was for a swap -- I sent it to Dawn in the Canadian Chickies Valentine Door Hanger Swap! Hope that you like it, Dawn!

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 14

This one's for Mr. B!


I thought that I'd have a sing-a-long to go with it :)



Sonny was so cute before he grew that mustache......

Tonight I'll be at a sock knitting class (compliments of Mr. B). The rest of February will be busy -- for the next 3 Mondays I'll be knitting socks. For the next 4 Wednesdays I'll be learning to crochet.

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 13

This one is for my baby!

I love you forever
I like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be

Do you know this book?
I give it to every new mommy.It's more of a book for the parent than for the child :) Try to read it with a dry eye :)

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 12

I used the same medallion as yesterday to make this jar wrap. It looks way better in person. These are my favourite long skinny jars. They held some kind of spicy pickle. I don't like it, but my friend Meep does! (thanks Meep, and keep eating the pickles :)

I used Divine Twine to tie it on. You can get most colours of Divine twine (bakers twine) here in Toronto at The Paper Place (check out the image transfer class coming up). Online, you can buy it from the maker herself at Whisker Graphics!. Her blog is wonderful too! I really like how she shows how people are using the twine. Someone stores all of her twine in sugar shakers.....

Here is what my kitchen table is looking like today -- I've been having a card extravaganza.
I'm thinking of posting a card a day for the next month.... the theme will be spring and easter..... and it might not be all cards..... lol...... But first... 2 more Valentines. One will be for Mr. B.

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 11

Another day, another doily :)

The red polka dotted medallion is a cupcake liner -- I cut the circle out of the centre and then eased it flat. These look really great on a garland......
The love ticket is a stamp. I punched the corners out with a too-small hole punch, but it was good enough. Some times "good enough" is just fine.....
Someone asked how I attach my paper to my cards. I find that glue stick eventually loses its grip. If I'm not sewing something on I use Aleene's Tacky Glue or double sided tape (Nasco). I used tacky glue for this one :)

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 10

Not my original idea :)
I think that I saw it last year on Dani's blog -- Oh Hello Friend....
I just love those doilies, so I couldn't resist....You can find lots more doily valentines (and free printables) at the daily suze

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 9

Well, Love kind of sums it all up, doesn't it?


And I have a new rubber stamp for my business cards......


(don't you just love all of that great texture on my windowsills? It's great for photography! I'll miss it when they repaint!(hahahaha, repaint.... that's a good one... hahahaha....)

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 8

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I love doilies!

(I just love photographing my art in my classroom. This was taken after 5pm -- but there is still so much beautiful light. My windows face west -- I have 6 sets of windows -- they are about 4 feet wide and at least 7 feet long!)(I hope that I can stay in this classroom forever :)

Another Day 7 photo

I like this one better :)

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 7

I really like this card! The simplicity of it accentuates the beauty of this line from the e.e. cummings poem -- i carry your heart with me


here's the full poem (it's one of my favourite poems):

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

The Rustic Cosmo Cafe

I've decided to do a little restaurant review every time I go out to eat (you'll see how infrequently I go out :).

(photo above via blog TO)

This morning we braved the slush to head our neighbourhood breakfast and lunch cafe. The Rustic Cosmo Cafe is at 1278 Queen Street West -- just west of Dufferin in Parkdale. We come here every few months for brunch and sometimes for lunch (the sandwiches are wonderful!)
Today we went for brunch.

I had scrambled eggs, sausages, toast and homefries. Just the basics :). It was all fine. And hot. That's how I like my breakfast food. Fine. No surprises. The peach-strawberry jam is made on site and is definitely worth the extra $1. (there is strawberry banana jam available too)

Mr B had the "Cowboy Breakfast" which was like mine but included some bake beans and a pancake. The pancakes are usually great, but today it wasn't quite cooked all the way through :). He's going to try the Eggs Benny next time -- he likes variety. I usually stick with the same old comfort food. Maybe this makes me a crappy restaurant reviewer, lol.

We both had Earl Grey tea. Twinings.

Our server was friendly and attentive. What really impressed me was how well she served another couple who came in. Keep in mind that this cafe is in Parkdale and I choose to live in Parkdale. Parkdale has a huge amount of high density and low rent housing. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is just down the street. There are many homeless people on the streets and a soup kitchen is just a few doors away. Anyway, a couple came in and they smelled really smokey and not so great and they looked really cold and the woman had no coat on. They asked how much a coffee was. They agreed to have one and then proceeded to drink all of the creamers at their table one by one, and then some off another table. I was impressed by the fact that the staff served them with respect because they were customers just like me. I've been in lots of other restaurants in the neighbourhood who aren't as tolerant. Maybe that's why the Rustic Cosmo has been there for so long....

Cost -- It came to approx $28 for 2 (including tax and tip).

Plus there is also interesting art on the walls and there is free wifi. There's a patio too.
And they have live music sometimes.... I wish that they had a website (please leave me a comment with a link if they do -- I couldn't find one)

Two thumbs up!

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 6

Well -- I'm starting to make cards! I made 10 today. Not sure what I'll be doing with 10 cards. I only have 2 "Valentines" (Mr B and Lauren). Well, the kids at school too, but they get spiderman and fairy princess cards.


The main heart images are foam stamps by Alisa Burke (but I'm not sure if she still sells them) and the scalloped edge stamp is a clear stamp by Jenny Doh. I stamped them with red acrylic paint. The words are stamped with Memories ink (my favourite ink). Be true is my favourite card!

I'm not sure who I would give this one to (Mr. B does find it funny though). It's for someone in a relationship, but they're not quite sure if their partner is a keeper or not. So you get the card with both options and then on Valentines Day you cross of the option that you don't want to say. Yes, it's a bit rude.

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 5

oops, this didn't post on Day 5 -- not sure why....
It's a little heart pin. It could be an ornament..... it's stuffed.

Can you see all of that snow in the background? Well, I shouldn't complain. It's only a few inches. The groundhog here didn't see his shadow on Wednesday. You're supposed to get 6 more weeks of winter if the groundhog sees his shadow. I'm not sure what you get if he doesn't. Is 6 more weeks of winter a good thing or a bad thing?

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 4

I made some needle felted hearts. They're pretty easy to make. They just look hard.

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 3

A fabric tag! I did some small scrap collage and some free motion stitching.This would look so pretty on a gift....

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 2

I still can't get a decent picture :) I need to get into my classroom which has great light!

While I like the garlands plain, I played with some today!


They look so pretty hanging. They look so pretty when someone holds them. Wouldn't it be fun to be standing and holding this when someone special comes home?

Click on the picture to see it better. The hearts are about 2" across -- the garland is about 3 feet .

14 Valentines in 14 Days - Day 1

Okay -- the problem with 14 Valentines in 14 days is that I started today -- Feb 1. What's the problem? I can't photograph them! It's too dark! Tonight I made a few garlands using some french text. I punched out a pile of hearts and then I stitched them together. I made one horizontal garland and a 3d vertical one. Here are some dark photos. Consider them "photographs with ambience".
My favourite is the garland at the top which is in my kitchen window with my pinecone garland.


If tomorrow is a "snow day" I'll be able to make my valentines and photograph them in the (semi) light. There hasn't been a snow day in Toronto since I've been a teacher, so it's not likely to happen :).

14 Valentines in 14 Days!

I saw that a few other people out in blogland were doing similar challenges. Well, I love hearts, so how hard could this be? We'll see......
Starting tomorrow I will make a Valentine each day until Valentines day. I'd make them to give to the kids at school, but they would rather have a card with a Disney princess on it or a Transformer.... hmmmm....... I have an idea......

One World One Heart 2011

(you can click on the above image to learn more about One World One Heart)

A warm welcome to my blog to all of the One World One Heart visitors! I am a kindergarten teacher and an artist by day and night! I work in "narrative mixed media collage" which really means that I use many different media to create my art -- and I like it to tell a story. I use a lot of fabric in my work -- and usually some text. I love vintage papers, fabrics and trims! My work has been published in many Stampington/Somerset Publications (see the sidebar) and also in some books. This year I have challenged myself to make 14 Valentines in 14 days (starting February 1) -- so please check back to see my Valentines over the next few weeks and let me know what you think of them!

I love visiting people around blogland -- I have over 200 blogs on my daily read list. Many of these I have discovered through One World, One Heart. I do try to visit all of the One World One Heart participants -- whether you are on the list or whether you leave a comment.

To thank you for visiting my blog, I am having a giveaway! I will be drawing names for two of my recent fabric creations.

First -- a collaged fabric pouch. It's a linen base with scraps of various fabrics on it. It's fully lined and is about 5" square and does up with a snap.


Secondly I am giving away a heart banner. I know that it's too late for Valentines day this year, but I have mine up all year round.... It's made of tea dyed cotton muslin and felt hearts.
Please leave a comment in the Comment Section of this post. This giveaway is open to all active bloggers worldwide! I will pick the winner on February 17th.

Thanks for visiting! See you soon!

Work in progress......

I've been making a lot of collages lately -- but most are for publication so I can't show them :)
This one has a lot of handwork in it -- I've developed a liking for hand sewing lately.....

cute little pouch

I was taking a little break from report cards and I thought that I'd make a new cover for my ipad. It's exactly the same as the old cover, but a bit bigger. I had to buy a holder for the ipad to made it less slippery (I needed a little lip so I bought this), but it wouldn't fit in my beautiful cover. Darn. So while I was at it, I whipped up a little pouch. I think it is SO CUTE. I'll be making more of these..... with some collages or trims on them too..... hmmmm... the possibilities..... I put a snap on this one, but I can do velcro, buttons or snaps. I can even see it a bit larger with a strap to be a purse! (this one is about 5"x5").
I get really creative around report card time. Procrastination.

Oops! The giveaway!

I have been so busy!
And , since I have 9 extra technique pages -- I'm going to give one to each person who left a comment (before January 10). I'll be contacting you all shortly :) Congratulations!

Photoshop

For the next few months (and beyond if I'm still motivated), I'm dedicating Tuesday nights to Photoshop. Right now I'm taking Marie Otero's Digital Magic 3. I'm (re)learning the basics. I keep "learning" over the years but I keep forgetting (so, obviously I haven't learned well).

One of my favourite things to do is to make a photo b&w and then bring parts of the colour back. Here are Lauren and I at her graduation.


(oh, and by the way, I'm growing my hair back out into a little bob again. I'm feeling too manly lately.....)

Mixed Minded

There is a local art Art event happening near Toronto in May. It's called "Mixed Minded" and it is being held in Kitchener from May 27-29.


The teachers are:
Claudine Hellmuth
Carmi Cimicata
Nancy Donaldson
Sandra Spagnuolo
Donna Funnell
Deb Kopeschny
Lois Sander

Care to join me?

Art Unraveled 2011 -- and a little giveaway

Art Unraveled is the best possible retreat for me. It happens in the summer when I am off work, and I get to visit my wonderful friend Maija in Phoenix!

Registration for AU begins January 10. The event is August 1-9, 2011. My registration will be in the mail on Tuesday! (you have to register early to get the classes that you want)
I am so torn when choosing classes because, inevitably, there are two classes that I want to take at the same time. Here is what I am hoping to take this year:

Tues:Briar Rose Shrine Pendant (Diana Frey) or Bottle Cap Beads (Melissa Manley) (I want the pendant, but I want to learn how to make the beads....)
Tues Evening : Dremel Applications - Thomas Ashman
Wed: Non Trad. Forms (Susan Lenart Kazmer) or Wood collage Totems (Karen Michel)(so torn between these two)
Thurs: Monoprinting on Fabric (Jane Lafazio)
Thurs Night: Addicted to Tape (Kelly Kilmer)
Fri: Sketching and Watercolour for Journals - Pinecones and Pods (Jane Lafazio)
Friday Night : Creativity Exposed (Ruth Rae)
Sat: Podheads (Lisa Renner)
Mon: A Day to Dye For (Lorri Scott)
Mon Night: Party Animal (Olivia Thomas)
This will give me a bit of jewelry, a bit of fabric and a few extra fun classes.

Here is the giveaway part :)
Every year at this time I participate in the "Art Unraveled Techniques Fatbook". I had to make lots of 4x4 pages showing a technique that I learned last year at AU. I chose Ruth's class "The Journey" and the technique that I learned was "fabric and transparency manipulation and alteration" -- I love Ruth's classes!

Anyway, I made a few extra 4x4s and would like to give some away..... So answer this question in the comments. (okay there are two questions). Do you go to art retreats? Why or why not? I go because I love taking classes, and I love seeing my bloggy friends. I see it as my vacation (mental and physical) and I save up all year to be able to afford it. Some years I can't afford it. Then I stay home :). I'll choose a few winners on January 10th!


Want to create your own mini - retreat? Seven of us have a little one in Niagara every year. We worked together with Sandy Camarda to create this book:

You can buy one on her blog! Right now there is free shipping!

My New Years Eve

We hung out with friends at my house. We listened to my fave music of 2010 - Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine, Phoenix.... It was a wonderful, relaxing evening. Do you like my fire?

Happy 2011 all!

Happy New Year!

For the past few years I have joined many blogger in choosing a "word" for the year. In 2009 I chose "meander" .... and I did meander through the year :). Last year I chose "remarkable".... although 2010 wasn't particularly remarkable...... well, I made it through the year anyway...

For 2011 I have been thinking of so many words...... but I think that my word this year will be "content" To be content with what I have and what I am :) . To "grow where I'm planted" . Well.. maybe that isn't such a good example because I will be posting tomorrow about the fabulous art retreats that I will be attending this year).

I am content in my world. That sounds wonderful doesn't it?