Monday, January 25, 2010

One World One Heart

It's that time again! Get on your magic carpet and meander through blogland -- discover some new favourite blogs, some new bloggy friends and maybe even win a prize or two!Photo

(click on the above image to find the links to all of the other bloggers who are participating. Last year there were over 900 participants -- and I visited every one!!!)(and a special thanks to Lisa Swifka for organizing this -- it's a huge job for her!!!

My giveaway is open to active bloggers (any platform). All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, and you have a chance at winning this purse.
(the above photo shows the most accurate colours)

It is approximately 10"x10" and has a 50" strap -- made for slinging across your body. It is made from a mix of vintage and new fabrics and trims.
I will take entries until 6pm Toronto time (Eastern Standard Time) on February 15-- and then I'll pick the winner!! Good Luck!
Please come back and visit me again, thanks for dropping by!

Monday, January 18, 2010

We have a winner!

Lauren picked
out of the bucket
That comment was from Lennie! Congrats, my friend!!! you have a special valentines treat coming your way!!! (I can't show a picture of it until valentines day :)

Isn't this the cutest wrapping ever? This doily stamp is THE BEST stamp!!!(sorry for the dreadful photos, but it's night time)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

500 posts!!! WooHoo!

Who knew that I had so much to say!!! My post about spending someone else's money was post 500. In honour of the Post #500 -- I'm going to have a little giveaway. I'll draw on Sunday night (January 17 at 9pm my time). It will be a little Valentine's Day surprise! Just leave a comment on this post.

spending someone elses money :)

Don't you just love giftcards???
Some of my students gave me giftcards for Christmas. It always surprises me when they give me gifts -- especially when they are so excited and tell me things like "It's not a book, but you can turn it into a book" or my very favourite " Someone gave this to my mommy, but she didn't like it, so she gave it to you :)" But they are telling me this with love -- and their eyes light up with happiness. I get to see this everyday when someone gives me a beautiful picture that they have made for me. I am so lucky!

I had a giftcard from Bizzy Bs and I bought the PPA glue that I have been coveting ever since using it for paper dolls with my mom last year. And I got this wonderfully cool tape and this SUPER FABULOUS doily rubber stamp. You'll see this a lot this year!
I also bought an assortment of books:

The Hundred Dresses (I needed a lending copy),
3 books about literacy and numeracy games,

Scrapbooking Digitally
Crochet Adorned

A Card a DayOriginals: Handcrafted Cards made easy (I'm very determined to make more cards)Encaustic Workshop (I'm taking classes from the author in the summer)I also spent my own money on some DVDs -- The whole series of Six Feet Under and the whole series of Mulberry! (well, season 1 and 2 -- it was canceled before it concluded in season 3)(does anyone remember Mulberry???)(BBC)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Oh, Andy

(tag by Scrappy Cat on etsy)
I made Andy a new stuffy for Christmas. I was a bit reluctant, because he just destroys them in a few minutes. But lo and behold, this year he just plays with it! He carries it around and throws it up into the air!
Good boy Andy!!!

I commissioned Sharon to make this fabulous coat for Andy (if you want a doggy sweater, Sharon is the one to make it for you!!). He has decided this year that he will wear boots (no fuss at all, he just lifts up his foot for me to put it on!), so I thought I'd see how a sweater would go over. He loves it! He pushes his head right through while I hold it!! Wait a minute. Who's dog is this, and what did you do with my Andy? Is he just growing up????

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

One Hundred Dresses

Have you read the book, The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes? I have a very well worn copy that was my mother's when she was young. This Newbery Honor award winning book had a profound effect upon me, and I think that it helped me become a better person in so many ways.

From Amazon.com

Wanda Petronski lives way up in shabby Boggins Heights, and she doesn't have any friends. Every day she wears a faded blue dress, which wouldn't be too much of a problem if she didn't tell her schoolmates that she had a hundred dresses at home--all silk, all colors, and velvet, too. This lie--albeit understandable in light of her dress-obsessed circle--precipitates peals of laughter from her peers, and she never hears the end of it. One day, after Wanda has been absent from school for a few days, the teacher receives a note from Wanda's father, a Polish immigrant: "Dear teacher: My Wanda will not come to your school any more. Jake also. Now we move away to big city. No more holler Polack. No more ask why funny name. Plenty of funny names in the big city. Yours truly, Jan Petronski."

Maddie, a girl who had stood by while Wanda was taunted about her dresses, feels sick inside: "True, she had not enjoyed listening to Peggy ask Wanda how many dresses she had in her closet, but she had said nothing.... She was a coward.... She had helped to make someone so unhappy that she had had to move away from town." Repentant, Maddie and her friend Peggy head up to Boggins Heights to see if the Petronskis are still there. When they discover the house is empty, Maddie despairs: "Nothing would ever seem good to her again, because just when she was about to enjoy something--like going for a hike with Peggy to look for bayberries or sliding down Barley Hill--she'd bump right smack into the thought that she had made Wanda Petronski move away." Ouch. This gentle Newbery Honor Book convincingly captures the deeply felt moral dilemmas of childhood, equally poignant for the teased or the tormentor. Louis Slobodkin, illustrator of the 1944 Caldecott Medalist Many Moons, brings his wispy, evocative, color-washed sketches to Eleanor Estes's time-proven classic about kindness, compassion, and standing up for what's right. (Ages 6 and older)This year I embark on my One Hundred Dresses project. It will have two very different sides to it. I am going to create 100 dresses ( you'll see -- not as decadent as it sounds) and number each one. I am also going to work with my kindergarten class to embrace friendship, acceptance, empathy and to understand the effects of peer pressure, prejudice, bullying, and the consequences of standing by and doing nothing (the class is actually a bit young for the book -- it may be too long-- but we will be reading many other books dealing with the same subjects. Part One you'll see on this blog, if you want to read about part Two, you'll have to visit my other blog -- Ms. Brown's Classroom.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Gifts

(fabric from my stash)
I'm a bit behind :) For Christmas I made Ray and Lauren knitting needle rolls. And now I understand why they are $30 in the stores! Actually , I don't understand how people can sell them so cheaply. They take a lot of fabric and a lot of time to make. But, I will do just about anything to make my knitters happy!
(fabric from the workroom)

And my happy knitters made me so much for Christmas! Ray made me a sweater (a bit hard to fit, so it is in modification mode right now) But he made me these wonderful socks too! I love handknit socks and would like a pair every Christmas and birthday, please. And you say that I'm hard to shop for!!!

Lauren knit me some burgundy legwarmers (not shown) and she made these fabulous mittens. I know how to knit, but I can't get my tiny brain around how to make these. She says it's like doing a little tiny cable with a contrasting colour. I'll just take her word for that :)
My happy knitters have put in an order for some small needle rolls to hold the small double pointed needles (for socks and mittens) so I'll be working on those soon.

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Two very different Canadian movies

This week I have watched two very different Canadian movies -- Pontypool and One Week. If you want to see a quirky film about where I live (that is almost a tear jerker -- not quite) see One Week.

One Week
is about Ben Tyler, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Instead of starting treatment immediately, he decided to take a motorcycle trip across from Toronto heading west to Vancouver Island. Along the way, he meets several people who lead him to reevaluate his life -- his relationship with his fiancee, his job, and his dream of becoming a writer. It shows a wonderful scenic view of Canada -- and has a BRILLIANT all-Canadian soundtrack.

If you like odd zombie movies, see Pontypool :)

Friday, January 01, 2010

It really is remarkable!

I worked in my studio today!!! Now, that doesn't sound very remarkable -- but today is the first day that I have really painted at the big table in my basement studio (backgrounds for 30 fatbook pages) and I sat and made valentine ornaments. Why is this remarkable? -- The basement is COLD (I got a little space heater) and kind of dark (my mom gave me an OTT light for Christmas! And I've almost finished painting and putting up the shelves. Soon I'll be able to sit down there with a book and a tea and have a quiet/ alone time read!!! Woo Hoo! Remarkable!

remarkable

I've chosen a word to live by this year. It is remarkable. Here's to everyone having a truly remarkable year :)
Happy New Year to all of my bloggy friends!