ArtUnraveled

Once again, it's summer and I'm in Phoenix! Today was Day 1 of ArtUnraveled. my class was Jane LaFazio's " 10 Objects, 10 Ways" . This was a great class -- Jane never disappoints!
This class was drawing and watercolour, using a variety of pencils, black ink (pens), coloured ink and watercolours.
















this feather was my favourite of the day:




















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Location:ArtUnraveled

Our Royal Week

This year, at the cottage, our theme is "Queens"

I chose to be Queen Elizabeth II  -- the queen who I have actually seen in real life. Don't I look like her?

 I took this photo before I left -- you will have to wait for more until I return -- because there is no cell phone and internet at this cottage (what's with that??? Mr. B said that I sounded like a teenager when I found out, lol). So it's Pinterest detox for a week.

I'll leave you with some of my favourite Royal pins.

I wish that I had time to decorate like this:

Source: justbaustralia.com.au via Martha on Pinterest

How to make crowns from lace (my friend Meep tried this -- I'll let you know how it worked)

Source: thisismeinspired.blogspot.com via Martha on Pinterest

Then I'm off to Phoenix for ArtUnraveled. WooHoo! (more on that soon)

Aaahhhh, summer....

I'm finally doing that cottage thing. Relaxing with friends.

Cross your fingers that we have great weather, okay? Although, it has never happened before, so if you live in the North-of-Toronto area, be prepared for a week of cool weather and rain :)

Mixed Minded

I'm a bit behind on the postings :)
In May I traveled to Kitchener to attend a Donna Downey class at Mixed Minded. I love Donna -- she is so funny! The class was called 40 by 40. Forty background techniques. Yikes! I didn't actually finish them all. My favourite technique was using pan pastels -- but I likely won't be using that again because of the fixatives involved (and, really, do I need a new obsession?). I love using stencils though.....

 

 

Full disclosure! While I was there, I had to BUY some things at Karen's onsite store.
I bought:
Some stamps --  2 suzi blu, a decorative Christy Tomlinson and a bla bla bla stampotique stamp....

So I've totally cheated on my frugal year, but I'm still doing well, I think!

Sadly, some of my stamps that I brought with me got mixed up with someone else's materials and they didn't make it home (my favourite paisley foam stamp!) I hope that they make it home some day!

Summer of Salad

I've decided that I will eat salad every day for lunch all summer. Which is a big thing for me. I normally say that salad isn't a meal. Salad is something that you eat WITH a meal. But my body is kind of looking like some soft, ripe brie lately, so I'm trying to be proactive about the situation. Eating less carbs.  Salads and Zuzana Light's workouts should do the trick.... I'm already down almost 10 pounds!

Today I'm having some quinoa salad with lime, cilantro and curry.. and dried cranberries.
I forgot to take a photo of mine. Click on this one to link to my pin and then go to the recipe :)

Source: allrecipes.com via Martha on Pinterest

I'll also be having some salads with some fantastic gourmet tofu that I picked up at Dufferin Grove Farmers Market yesterday.

Thank you

I'd like to thank everyone for helping me to have such an awesome school year. I left Kindergarten kicking and screaming (literally), but Grade 1/2 was fine. So fine that I'm doing it again next year!

I took some time last weekend to make some simple thank you cards to thank my students for the year end gifts that they gave me. And to thank my amazing 2nd floor caretaker, Helen, who keeps my classroom in tip top shape. She happily leaves my teacher-cave (that would be my desk area) alone. Today is my first official day of summer vacation. I finished cleaning up my classroom and putting everything away yesterday. I'm still in school mode though. I'm psyched about next year and I want to start planning right away! I'm forcing myself to take a break. Well, for today, anyway.....

Here's today's Pinterest pick. Isn't it pretty?

Source: toryburch.tumblr.com via Martha on Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest has been sucking up all of my time. My school year is almost over, so I'm sure that I'll have a lot more brilliant and scintillating diatribes here soon.

Source: someecards.com via Martha on Pinterest

Garden Flags

I have been so busy getting ready for the end of school! It is taking up almost every waking minute! Even when I watch tv (True Blood) I'm still doing school work (cutting out laminating).
I finally made some time for some art. Barb hosted a Garden Flag swap, so I thought I'd join in (I'll join any swap that involves stitching -- even if I have no time :) The few stipulations included durability for outdoor use, size ( 8x6 inches to 8x8 inches) and colour (brights). I don't usually enjoy working in brights, but I thought I'd have a go....
Here's what I came up with . Hope you all like them!

(click on the photos to see them a bit bigger)

I'm having extreme difficulty with this new blogger set up.It just seems to fight each and every photo I add.

This is such a cute book!


I can't wait until it comes to my library (or should I spend one of my coveted gift cards on it.... hmmmmm.....

In the spirit of full disclosure, I actually spent some money last weekend! (if you haven't read my blog lately -- I'm living a year of frugal. No purchases unless absolutely necessary)I was visiting my mom on Mothers Day (and my dad too) and my mom and I went to Hygglit -- a super fabulous fabric store in London, Ontario. It is THE source for Liberty Fabrics in Southwestern Ontario. Well, perhaps all of Ontario. Maybe even all of Canada. ANYWAY, I didn't buy any fabric, but I bought 3 patterns because I REALLY NEED to use up my fabric scraps. That's the new goal. Use up the scraps. And the hundreds of beeeeaauuuutiful fat quarters that I have. Sigh....

summer

This weekend is the unofficial start to the summer season. Mr. B and I spent the day on the Toronto Islands.


We went to the Centreville Zoo:





Now I'm tired and very likely a little bit sunburned while we're waiting for the ferry ride back to the city...
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Location:Bayview Ave,Centre Island,Canada

Macaron for Moms

Mmmmmm






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What will lift your wolfish mood?

I posted this on my teaching blog, but I think that there are a lot of people here who would enjoy this trailer (yes! a trailer for a book! they make these now....)

This makes me happy :)



This book, Virginia Wolf, is a children's picture book loosely based on the relationship between writer Virginia Woolf and her sister, painter Vanessa Bell. When someone else is in a wolfish mood, what do you do to make them happy?

What I'm coveting today :)

Have you seen Mimi Kirchner's dolls?

Source: mimikirchner.com via Martha on Pinterest

Fabulousness!

Uppercase 13

The new Uppercase is out! You can see a preview here! Order one here, or if you are in the west end of Toronto, pick one up at The Workroom ( on Queen and Brock) or at Type (across from Trinity Bellwoods Park on Queen) (please visit Type's wonderful website to see the very cool video on the home page!)
(you might want to call first to make sure that Uppercase is in stock)

I have a gift card for The Workroom, so I'll be getting this issue :) I love art that shows clouds, and this issue is full of them. Funny, though, because I strongly dislike rain.... very strongly....

A Year of Frugal

Many people have emailed to ask how my year of frugal is going. It's going very well!!! Other than the ikea indiscretion (I didn't actually buy anything, but Mr. B did)..... This week I had to buy 5 small containers at the Dollar Store for my classroom and I felt terribly guilty. But we made counters that involved small black beans, and the beans keep falling through the holes in the baskets that I have. So, to avoid having the caretaker actually kill me, I invested a few dollars in containers. But that was for school.... not for me. I bought a sweater and a bunch of silk ties at a thrift shop a few weeks ago too. I have performed surgery on the sweater (I love it, I should show it to you! , and the silk ties were a gift for my dear friend Meep.

This is what I'm coveting today! Last night for Earth Hour we lit candles. I had an unopened Yankee Candle votive so I put it in the bathroom. Oh, heavenly! Pineapple Cilantro. Yum! There is some coconut in there too. Reminds me of summer..... Aaaaahhhhh, summer......

Earth Hour

Hanging out with friends, roasting mini marshmallows over tea lights .:.


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Where I Relax

March Photo a Day -- Where You Relax


My favourite place to relax is near the water. Beach, pool, river, pond, bathtub..... Today Mr B and I had a little nap on the beach ( in our winter coats! ). This was my view.... Nice. I am so lucky to live within walking distance of the beach!

Today is also the last day of March. I've enjoyed this challenge, and I'm not as tired of the look of hipstamatic as I thought I'd be. My mom is, though! I posted it all from my iphone. That wasn't so hard either. Next month maybe I'll have more time for art. This month has been all about sickness, recovery and school. ......and Pinterest :)


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Toy

March Photo a Day -- Toy


I LOVE Fisher Price Little People. I have a small collection, but I would like a crowd.... Cowboy isn't my favourite, I prefer Pothead. But I don't have a Pothead. You know, that guy... I think that he's wearing blue and has a yellow pot on his head...

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Feet

March Photo a Day -- Feet
While I love taking photos of my feet, I prefer to do it with my nice summer shoes... So once again, Andy is my model.


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Trash

March Photo a Day -- Trash
I didn't intend to photograph actual trash, but this is my view while I'm waiting for the bus. I could have made it look beautiful, but it just looked sad and made me sad. Why do people litter?


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Location:Coxwell Ave,Toronto,Canada