Mixed Minded

This weekend we headed up (down?) the highway to Kitchener to the Mixed Minded Even that Karen Ellis from The Art House Studio put on. It was FANTASTIC! .
I am terrible at taking pictures -- so I don't really have many of the event (even though I brought 2 cameras with me)

Below is the placemat that I worked on top of while in Sandra Spagnuolo's class....... House of Cards. (I took 3 of Sandra's classes, so what I did in each of them is a bit of a blur). If you have a chance to take a class from Sandra -- don't miss it. She's a great teacher and her background techniques are fabulous! She holds an open studio in the Milton/Guelph area if you live near there. Check out her blog here to see times/dates/ content.

(I did a bit of stamp carving -- this is my practice sheet of the heart stamp that I made)

I made this technique sample in one of Sandra's classes.

It was great fun seeing lots of my friends -- and also seeing some friends who I only know from online -- like Pam Barnes and Karen Oullette! Heather Robinson was supposed to come, but couldn't make it, and we really missed her. Hopefully, we can all get together and have an art weekend in the fall!

(more pictures of the event will be posted tomorrow as soon as I unearth my other camera :)

So today Mr. B and I went on a tree tour. In the pouring rain. Oh, the things you do for love....

( The Lovely Miss L talking about the Serviceberries -- or Saskatoon Berries)

My daughter, the Lovely Miss L was giving an Edible Tree Tour in Trinity Bellwoods Park. She was representing LEAF at Park Day -- The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park sponsored the event. Despite the rain -- there was great attendance -- between 15-20 people! L is a great speaker. Very knowledgeable -- I learned a lot!

(redbud)

Did you know that you can eat acorns? The ones from the White Oak tree are the best. You can roast them. Like chestnuts. The buds from the Redbud tree are delicious in salads. And you can use Spruce tips to make Spruce Tip Shortbread.

(spruce tips)

(latte to warm up my poor soggy body)

If you live near Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto and you are able to volunteer a bit of your time this summer, The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park need some people to "adopt" some young trees. This involves watering the trees once a week if it is a week with no rain. Water, buckets and a wagon are available in the park -- they just need the people power to do it!

zombie apocalypse

So, on my left is.... my printer..... perhaps I'll be swinging it around from its cord?
On that note, off to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After.

finally -- beautiful weather

We've been walking on the beaches the last few days... picking up driftwood for our dogproof fence, picking up beach glass, watching the sailboats and watching all of the busy life at the marinas, sailing clubs and rowing clubs.

(the dogproof fence)

I found lots of glass treasures!


Lauren and her friend Christina have a new rowing blog: Rowing is Awesome. It's modeled after the 1000 Awesome Things blog (which I read daily). Check it out if you row, have rowed or like rowing.

A Wee bit of me Wednesdays on Saturday :)

I'm a bit behind on everything this week


{one} when was the last time you used a pay phone (if ever)?
I called Maija from the airport in Phoenix last summer.

{two} did you ever fail a subject in school?umm.... do I have to admit it? okay, statistics in first year University.

{three} where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?.... do I have to admit it? McDonalds. Yes, really.

{four} have you ever served jury duty?Nope.

{five} how old were you when you moved out of your parents’ house?19

{six} what is your favorite color to wear?

Black

{seven} do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?I love my Keens Mary Janes. I have 4 pair! In the winter, my Blundstones.

{eight} do you enjoy talk radio?

I listen sometimes online... the arts ones.

{nine} if you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?potato chips, hands down.

{ten} who is the best speaker you’ve ever heard in person?hmmmm.... myself? hahaha (so not true)

Woo Hoo -- Junkhouse!

I am so lucky!
I won the coolest thing off of one of my favourite blogs! (that's a little chalkboard to the right of the mugshot). this couldn't have come at a better time for me -- It was a great moral booster during these grey spring days......


The blog is junkgarden -- I read it daily for a look at some fab clothes, great home decor ideas and some very cool finds! She has lots of great links -- you should definitely follow her blog! Junkgardengirl also showcases her own mixed media work that she sells in her etsy shop -- I've purchased some of Angie's house necklaces in the past!

(aren't these adorable?)

-- and now she had some super cute jailhouse charms!

Royal Weekend

Yes, I was up at 5am on Friday. We had lots of festivities at school too :)

My favourite Royal memorabilia:

Harry is my favourite royal. He keeps it interesting :). Buy the poster here.

I found these tea bags creepy yet amusing!
I can't believe that 2 billion people watched the wedding. Astounding. At school I let the kids watch the wedding highlights on You Tube. Who watched it? THE BOYS. Interesting..... I think that the boys liked the cars, the horses, the carriages, the uniforms, the soldiers, the planes doing the fly by. The girls were only interested in the princess, but they said that she didn't look like a "real" princess, so they lost interest. All were floored, however, when I told them that the woman they called "granny" was the queen. I don't think that I ever convinced them that she was the queen (no crown= no queen).