Once again we are staying home! I do not like driving on New years... I think it is possibly the most dangerous day of the year to be out on the highways! Especially this year with all the storms everyone is getting! There is snow forecast for here but so far it hasn't hit.. I would not be upset at all if it doesn't snow tonight!
So to everyone I hope you have a Safe New Years in the company of friends and family!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I decided to stay home and celebrate Christmas on Deer Island this year rather than fly out west... I am so happy not to be spending my holidays sleeping on airport benches!
I'm actually cooking a Turkey for Christmas this year... this may be a first!
It really looks like Christmas outside here this year! Piles of snow everywhere ... unfortunately it is snowing once again.... Actually it's closer to freezing rain today than snow YUCK
But where ever you are I hope your holidays are happy and you're spending them with friends and family!
I'm actually cooking a Turkey for Christmas this year... this may be a first!
It really looks like Christmas outside here this year! Piles of snow everywhere ... unfortunately it is snowing once again.... Actually it's closer to freezing rain today than snow YUCK
But where ever you are I hope your holidays are happy and you're spending them with friends and family!
Merry Christmas
Monday, December 22, 2008
More on "My Brilliant Life"
My "title" is borrowed from the Miles Franklin Book My Brilliant Career .... How does an annual Christmas Dine around dinner become a 19 hour event... simple you live on an island... and the weather man is actually right for once! They forecast the blizzard to hit at 4 pm the snow started at 5 just as we drove off the ferry on the mainland... the winds were impressive way before 5! Not sure why they quit running the ferry at 8:30 last night but they did.... which left us on the wrong side of the water!
Diner was good G didn't think it was as good as previous years as his haddock almondine wasn't available.. but we did get the table in front of the fire at the Rossmount Inn for our hors-d'overes course... diner was at Europa Inn and desert was at the garden Cafe at Kingsbrae... they have the garden full of Christmas lights ... we did not walk around and admire the lights this year... we ran to the cafe past the 10 foot blow up Santa that was lyeing down on the job... fully inflated but flat on his back!
We spent the night in St George and got home at 11 am... G is still shovelling our driveway... This is looking like it may be a very long winter!
Diner was good G didn't think it was as good as previous years as his haddock almondine wasn't available.. but we did get the table in front of the fire at the Rossmount Inn for our hors-d'overes course... diner was at Europa Inn and desert was at the garden Cafe at Kingsbrae... they have the garden full of Christmas lights ... we did not walk around and admire the lights this year... we ran to the cafe past the 10 foot blow up Santa that was lyeing down on the job... fully inflated but flat on his back!
We spent the night in St George and got home at 11 am... G is still shovelling our driveway... This is looking like it may be a very long winter!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Christmas Cards
Well you might have noticed that I was strangely silent on Dec 9th which was Christmas card day... No I did not have any cards written by then! I did write some last Saturday though... they might make it by Christmas even in Canada!
I only got about 1/3 of the cards done that I was going to write.. I realized I didn't have enough cards for everyone that I wanted to send one too...so rather than have to pick who would get the last 5 cards I just quit writing them much fairer! (I did buy some more so maybe today I will write the rest!)
I was listening to the radio yesterday I actually listen to a Maine station as they play better music than the local Canadian stations and heard that you can mail a Christmas card in the US on Dec 23 and it will arrive by Christmas... think it was the equivalent of Express post... but I'm not even sure that Canada post delivers mail on the 24th... fliers and things that don't have to be sorted might end up in our mailbox but real mail.....
Here's a link to my favorite 'history of' link.... the first Christmas card was sent in 1843 you can find out anything else you would like to know about Christams cards on Wikpedia.
I will continue to write Chistmas cards as long as I can buy them... I like receiving real mail... there is something about opening the first Christmas Card ... somehow it makes the Christmas season seem real! I don't mind getting cards in January... so if there is anyone out there that would like to send me a card I'll send you my address!
I only got about 1/3 of the cards done that I was going to write.. I realized I didn't have enough cards for everyone that I wanted to send one too...so rather than have to pick who would get the last 5 cards I just quit writing them much fairer! (I did buy some more so maybe today I will write the rest!)
I was listening to the radio yesterday I actually listen to a Maine station as they play better music than the local Canadian stations and heard that you can mail a Christmas card in the US on Dec 23 and it will arrive by Christmas... think it was the equivalent of Express post... but I'm not even sure that Canada post delivers mail on the 24th... fliers and things that don't have to be sorted might end up in our mailbox but real mail.....
Here's a link to my favorite 'history of' link.... the first Christmas card was sent in 1843 you can find out anything else you would like to know about Christams cards on Wikpedia.
I will continue to write Chistmas cards as long as I can buy them... I like receiving real mail... there is something about opening the first Christmas Card ... somehow it makes the Christmas season seem real! I don't mind getting cards in January... so if there is anyone out there that would like to send me a card I'll send you my address!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Beads
Friday I was suppose to do a demo on making beads at the local high School "Fundy High". But there was freezing rain over night and even though it was in the mid 50's (+13 C) by 9am, they canceled school because of the possibility that the roads were slippery. I think they just wanted a 3 day weekend!
After I was asked I had to learn how to use a hot head…. My first bead took about 30 minutes as I was holding the glass where I would hold it in the flame on my minor… On a hot head the glass needs to be about an inch from the torch… I still have to catch myself as the bead drifts back into the flame. I also offered to give each of the kids a free bead… there was only suppose to be 12 kids… final count was 30, so I spent all my torch time last week making free beads! Now I have 35 unloved handformed disc beads....
Not sure when the demo will be rescheduled as Friday is the last day of school before the Christmas break and hardly any of the high school kids bother to go to school … I made my son go every day that the school was open (evil mother!)… and he was absolutely mortified when he got an attendance award at the grade 12 awards night!
After I was asked I had to learn how to use a hot head…. My first bead took about 30 minutes as I was holding the glass where I would hold it in the flame on my minor… On a hot head the glass needs to be about an inch from the torch… I still have to catch myself as the bead drifts back into the flame. I also offered to give each of the kids a free bead… there was only suppose to be 12 kids… final count was 30, so I spent all my torch time last week making free beads! Now I have 35 unloved handformed disc beads....
Not sure when the demo will be rescheduled as Friday is the last day of school before the Christmas break and hardly any of the high school kids bother to go to school … I made my son go every day that the school was open (evil mother!)… and he was absolutely mortified when he got an attendance award at the grade 12 awards night!
Guess it’s time to move my bead making thoughts onto hearts as Valentines is just around the corner!
Friday, December 12, 2008
More on Curling
Today you could curl on the mainland roads... and last night you certainly could have curled anywhere on Deer Island... We don't salt our roads so any ice sport was certainly an option on Island roads! Driving was ........... interesting?
When I first started curling I assumed (wrongly) that one swept behind the rock to create a draft to push the rock along actually what you are doing is sweeping in front of the rock to melt the ice to try and keep the rock moving in the direction that the skip (the person in charge of the 4 person team who thinks he knows whats going on) wants the rock to go. The skip stands in the house and holds his broom... so that the person throwing the rock has something to aim at. The skips flunkies sweep like mad while the skip stands there and screams at you to sweep harder..... If you are on the broom you threw it where you were suppose to.... however, to me this is what on the broom means...
Once again I will direct you to Wikpedia if you really want to know everything there is to know about the history and origins of the game
I am suppose to be doing a bead making demo at the mainland high school today... but since the roads are more suitable for curling than driving I have been postponed ... so much for the 30 beads I spent all week making to hand out...
When I first started curling I assumed (wrongly) that one swept behind the rock to create a draft to push the rock along actually what you are doing is sweeping in front of the rock to melt the ice to try and keep the rock moving in the direction that the skip (the person in charge of the 4 person team who thinks he knows whats going on) wants the rock to go. The skip stands in the house and holds his broom... so that the person throwing the rock has something to aim at. The skips flunkies sweep like mad while the skip stands there and screams at you to sweep harder..... If you are on the broom you threw it where you were suppose to.... however, to me this is what on the broom means...
Once again I will direct you to Wikpedia if you really want to know everything there is to know about the history and origins of the gameI am suppose to be doing a bead making demo at the mainland high school today... but since the roads are more suitable for curling than driving I have been postponed ... so much for the 30 beads I spent all week making to hand out...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Curling....
It's that time of year again, indoor winter sports on ice... My husband has been curling forever... I curled for one year in high school... and then became a funspiel curler... That means really short games... often stupid costumes
This was a Hawaiian flavored spiel last winter... Note to would-be curlers ankle length dresses are not appropriate for sliding out of the hack! However shorter fuller 'skirts' are traditional curling attire for the Scottish male!
It also appears as if he may be praying to the god of curling..... This was a Bonspiel... difference between a funspiel and a bonspiel People take Bonspiels seriously and there may be good prizes for the winners...
Somehow last winter I got talked into playing in a mixed curling league... I do not like being cold... I would happily spend all winter curled up in front a fire place or hunched over my torch ... so why do I spent 90 minutes a week sliding up and down an ice surface... playing shuffle board on ice... Who knows, however the season has started again... tonight is our third week ... After winning the big prize last year (a plastic tool kit!) so far this year we are win-less.. and yes that has a lot to do with the fact that I can't hit the broom and have no clue how hard to fling the 'rock' (a round chunk of highly polished granite) to get it to stop where the skip wants me to have it stop!
This was a Hawaiian flavored spiel last winter... Note to would-be curlers ankle length dresses are not appropriate for sliding out of the hack! However shorter fuller 'skirts' are traditional curling attire for the Scottish male!
It also appears as if he may be praying to the god of curling..... This was a Bonspiel... difference between a funspiel and a bonspiel People take Bonspiels seriously and there may be good prizes for the winners...Somehow last winter I got talked into playing in a mixed curling league... I do not like being cold... I would happily spend all winter curled up in front a fire place or hunched over my torch ... so why do I spent 90 minutes a week sliding up and down an ice surface... playing shuffle board on ice... Who knows, however the season has started again... tonight is our third week ... After winning the big prize last year (a plastic tool kit!) so far this year we are win-less.. and yes that has a lot to do with the fact that I can't hit the broom and have no clue how hard to fling the 'rock' (a round chunk of highly polished granite) to get it to stop where the skip wants me to have it stop!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
It's my 20th Anniversary
Actually it will be my 20th Wedding Anniversary in February but this 20th anniversary is of the first Cheque $$$, that I received from a gallery sale... My first Gallery sale was in November of 1988 . The cheque was for a small fused dish! The gallery was The Hand Wave . The Handwave Gallery celebrated it's 25 year in operation in 2007. Like a lot of Saskatchewan Galleries it's in an old house in a small rural village. (Meacham SK)
June dedicates one room of the gallery to changing exhibits. At least one Exhibition per year is a group theme show... I think I've missed one group show in 21 years (and that was since I moved here... shipping costs in Canada are pretty high!) You can check out works from shows since 2005 on-line at the above link.
In the 20 years since I got that first cheque my work has changed quite dramatically... but I'm still working with glass! Go here to see some of the bigger pieces (more interesting?) that I've done! The picture below is of a fused shoe that I did for the Bata Shoe Museums Glass slipper exhibition (2003)... the heel is stacked Beads... and yes that is my foot...
June dedicates one room of the gallery to changing exhibits. At least one Exhibition per year is a group theme show... I think I've missed one group show in 21 years (and that was since I moved here... shipping costs in Canada are pretty high!) You can check out works from shows since 2005 on-line at the above link.
In the 20 years since I got that first cheque my work has changed quite dramatically... but I'm still working with glass! Go here to see some of the bigger pieces (more interesting?) that I've done! The picture below is of a fused shoe that I did for the Bata Shoe Museums Glass slipper exhibition (2003)... the heel is stacked Beads... and yes that is my foot...
Monday, December 8, 2008
I hate Snow... at least when I have to Drive in it!
I spent the weekend demonstrating Chain Maille at a small Hotel in St Andrew's NB. They have a town wide Christmas festival the first weekend in December every year. There is a small Craft sale at the high school and all the galleries and studios open up with goodies and demos. I've always been a shopper other years. This year I just made chain...
OK I shopped, I bought a hand turned Black Locust Salad Bowl... the tree came from the Loyalist Grave yard in St Andrews... The bowl has gorgeous grain! This is what Wikipedia has to say about Black Locust . I guess it is a very appropriately named tree as it spreads like locusts! The wood-turner was sitting across the dining room from me... I spent all day staring at the bowls.. listening to people oooing and awing over them. The business is Mascarene Woodworks but alas there is no website!
Coming home yesterday was way more fun than I had anticipated! I left 50 minutes before the 'event' was officially over as I noticed that the golf ball sized snow flakes were starting to stick to the road ... Lizzy my 1995 Mustang doesn't like snow! The road from St Andrews to the highway is a secondary road that winds up and down along the coast very scenic in the summer... Sucks big time in a blizzard! I had only been driving for 5 minutes when the guy in front of me went into the ditch... since he had just passed me 60 seconds earlier I left him there... everyone has a cell phone these years anyway and there was a driveway 20 feet from him.... It took me 70 minutes to get to the ferry landing normal time is 32 minutes.... Here's a link to a blog on Snow Goddesses don't see anywhere in the article on who we are suppose to pray to, to avoid snow!
OK I shopped, I bought a hand turned Black Locust Salad Bowl... the tree came from the Loyalist Grave yard in St Andrews... The bowl has gorgeous grain! This is what Wikipedia has to say about Black Locust . I guess it is a very appropriately named tree as it spreads like locusts! The wood-turner was sitting across the dining room from me... I spent all day staring at the bowls.. listening to people oooing and awing over them. The business is Mascarene Woodworks but alas there is no website!
Coming home yesterday was way more fun than I had anticipated! I left 50 minutes before the 'event' was officially over as I noticed that the golf ball sized snow flakes were starting to stick to the road ... Lizzy my 1995 Mustang doesn't like snow! The road from St Andrews to the highway is a secondary road that winds up and down along the coast very scenic in the summer... Sucks big time in a blizzard! I had only been driving for 5 minutes when the guy in front of me went into the ditch... since he had just passed me 60 seconds earlier I left him there... everyone has a cell phone these years anyway and there was a driveway 20 feet from him.... It took me 70 minutes to get to the ferry landing normal time is 32 minutes.... Here's a link to a blog on Snow Goddesses don't see anywhere in the article on who we are suppose to pray to, to avoid snow!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Mitten Trees
Well today is December 6th which makes it Mitten Tree Day.... I'd never heard of a Mitten tree until I moved here in 2001. The local church has had a Mitten tree for ever... The woman that organizes it is in her 80's and started it when she moved here. (married here!)
She is like me from AWAY... it doesn't matter how long you live here you will always be from AWAY... even if you have children who marry locals... their "mother" will still be from AWAY...
Our Mitten Tree is a tree that is decorated in 'hand' knit mittens that are collected and donated to a local charity just before Christmas so that everyone has mittens for Christmas. 50 years ago I'm sure all of the mittens actually were hand-knit... now I'm sure some aren't as it's now cheaper to buy mitts than it is to buy the wool/yarn to make the mitts!
This isn't our mitten tree but check this link for a Mitten Tree in Ottawa ON
So knit some mitts from scrap or buy a pair of mitts and add them to your local mitten tree... I'm sure there is some little pair of hands out there somewhere that is cold!
I knit but, most of my knitting now is down with wool which I then felt on the driveway (that's another BLOG!) ... This is a hat pre felting.... My husband would say this is one of my better angles and yes the picture is sideways................... But you get the idea!
I think most everyday knitting these years is done from love, or boredom... there is no way with the cost of modern day yarns that knitting is an economical way to put sweaters into your closet!
She is like me from AWAY... it doesn't matter how long you live here you will always be from AWAY... even if you have children who marry locals... their "mother" will still be from AWAY...
Our Mitten Tree is a tree that is decorated in 'hand' knit mittens that are collected and donated to a local charity just before Christmas so that everyone has mittens for Christmas. 50 years ago I'm sure all of the mittens actually were hand-knit... now I'm sure some aren't as it's now cheaper to buy mitts than it is to buy the wool/yarn to make the mitts!
This isn't our mitten tree but check this link for a Mitten Tree in Ottawa ON
So knit some mitts from scrap or buy a pair of mitts and add them to your local mitten tree... I'm sure there is some little pair of hands out there somewhere that is cold!
I knit but, most of my knitting now is down with wool which I then felt on the driveway (that's another BLOG!) ... This is a hat pre felting.... My husband would say this is one of my better angles and yes the picture is sideways................... But you get the idea!
(Darth Vader in Red?)
I think most everyday knitting these years is done from love, or boredom... there is no way with the cost of modern day yarns that knitting is an economical way to put sweaters into your closet!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Ooops I blew it!
Today is wear brown shoes day & I walked to the mail box in Cobalt Blue Holy Soles.... (oops!) Actually in spite of owning a pair of shoes for almost every day of the year... I don't have very many pairs of brown ones.... I do have brown boots... wonder if that would have satisfied the brown shoe faeries that are checking to make sure we get onto Saint Nicks "Nice List" ?
Actually I should be remaking my Biscotti for this weekend! I made a batch on Monday night... it tastes great but I think I would give it a -2 out of 10 on presentation! I'm demonstrating Chain Maille in a restaurant in St Andrews all weekend, and we were all asked to bring nibblies... the woman's husband is a European trained Chef... soI think I need to get my presentation mark up above ZERO!
Here's the Wikpedia definition of Biscotti ... mine actually has chocolate chips, dried cranberries, dried apricots, slivered almonds, orange zest and instant coffee... I bought a zester yesterday too as all I managed to do to the orange peal on Monday night was mutilate it!
Actually I should be remaking my Biscotti for this weekend! I made a batch on Monday night... it tastes great but I think I would give it a -2 out of 10 on presentation! I'm demonstrating Chain Maille in a restaurant in St Andrews all weekend, and we were all asked to bring nibblies... the woman's husband is a European trained Chef... soI think I need to get my presentation mark up above ZERO!
Here's the Wikpedia definition of Biscotti ... mine actually has chocolate chips, dried cranberries, dried apricots, slivered almonds, orange zest and instant coffee... I bought a zester yesterday too as all I managed to do to the orange peal on Monday night was mutilate it!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Google rejected ME!
I went to log on this morning and Google has reformated and my old password was to short so I just kept getting kicked out.... but I figured it out.. so I'm BACK!
Today you are getting a link to a Sacher Torte recipe ... nope I'm not typing it here. We have one but it's way to long for me to type so I hope this one is good. If you start cooking today you might have in done in time to eat at your bathtub party on Friday! I met my first Sacher Torte at a small Hotel in a ski resort in Austria when I was 12... Not sure how close it was to the famous original recipe (sounds like KFC!) but it was definitely a memorable cake!
I lived in Switzerland when I was 12 this was sort of a spring break... however if you didn't go skiing someplace you were expected to go to school!
The history of the cake can be found here (You can actually order one from there too!) Thought about borrowing a picture from their site too.. but you can go look for yourself!
Enjoy! Let me know if anyone makes this.. I tried to make biscotti last night but discvoered half way through that the only flour we had in the house was Whole Wheat... doesn't work quite the same as pastry flour! I will be making a secohnd batch tomorrow!
Today you are getting a link to a Sacher Torte recipe ... nope I'm not typing it here. We have one but it's way to long for me to type so I hope this one is good. If you start cooking today you might have in done in time to eat at your bathtub party on Friday! I met my first Sacher Torte at a small Hotel in a ski resort in Austria when I was 12... Not sure how close it was to the famous original recipe (sounds like KFC!) but it was definitely a memorable cake!
I lived in Switzerland when I was 12 this was sort of a spring break... however if you didn't go skiing someplace you were expected to go to school!
The history of the cake can be found here (You can actually order one from there too!) Thought about borrowing a picture from their site too.. but you can go look for yourself!
Enjoy! Let me know if anyone makes this.. I tried to make biscotti last night but discvoered half way through that the only flour we had in the house was Whole Wheat... doesn't work quite the same as pastry flour! I will be making a secohnd batch tomorrow!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Bizarre December Holidays
December 1 is National Pie Day and Eat A Red Apple Day & World Aids Awareness Day
December 2 is National Fritters Day
December 3 is National Roof-Over-Your-Head Day
December 4 Santas' List Day - we hope you are on the "Nice" list OR Wear Brown Shoes Day
December 5 is Bathtub Party Day ( am I invited?.. Please?) OR National Sacher Torte Day (Can I have my piece in the bathtub?) AND Repeal Day - The 21st Amendment ends Prohibition. (I'll drink to that!)
December 6 is National Gazpacho Day and Mitten Tree Day OR St. Nicholas Day
December 7 is National Cotton Candy Day OR International Civil Aviation Day OR Pearl Harbor Day OR Letter Writing Day (I better take note of that or no-one will get Christmas cards this year!)
December 8 is Take It In The Ear Day OR National Brownie Day OR Eid-Ul-Adha - date varies ?
December 9 is National Pastry Day OR Christmas Card Day (Guess I have until the 9th to write my cards!)
December 10 is Festival For The Souls Of Dead Whales AND Human Rights Day
11 National Noodle Ring Day (what is a Noodle Ring?)
12 National Ding-a-Ling Day OR Poinsettia Day
13 Ice Cream Day OR Violin Day (Not sure what those have in common!)
14 International Children's Day - Second Sunday in December AND National Bouillabaisse Day
15 Bill of Rights Day OR National Lemon Cupcake Day
16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
17 National Maple Syrup Day
18 Bake Cookies Day OR National Roast Suckling Pig Day
19 Look for an Evergreen Day (Mine will be up as soon as they are for sale here!)
19 Oatmeal Muffin Day
20 Go Caroling Day
21 Forefather's Day OR Humbug Day OR National Flashlight Day OR Look on the Bright Side Day (somehow look on the bright side doesn’t seem to go with humbbug….)
22 National Date Nut Bread Day - or September 8!?
23 Roots Day
24 National Egg Nog Day OR National Chocolate Day (thought we already had a chocolate day….)
25 Christmas Day OR National Pumpkin Pie Day (Nope this is plum pudding day not pumpkin pie day!)
26 Boxing Day
27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day OR National Fruitcake Day
28 Card Playing Day (isn’t this the day you take everything back to the store and exchange it?)
29 Pepper Pot Day
30 National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
31 Make Up Your Mind Day AND New Year's Eve AND Unlucky Day (not sure why!)
This list of bizarre December 'holidays' was assembled using a number of different websites... I'm just glad that I now know that I have until Dec 9 to get my Christmas cards written and mailed! I will report on the 10th as to how successful I was ! And don't expect an update on the 5th I'll be too busy drinking and eating my Sacher Torte in the bath tub that day to update!
December 2 is National Fritters Day
December 3 is National Roof-Over-Your-Head Day
December 4 Santas' List Day - we hope you are on the "Nice" list OR Wear Brown Shoes Day
December 5 is Bathtub Party Day ( am I invited?.. Please?) OR National Sacher Torte Day (Can I have my piece in the bathtub?) AND Repeal Day - The 21st Amendment ends Prohibition. (I'll drink to that!)
December 6 is National Gazpacho Day and Mitten Tree Day OR St. Nicholas Day
December 7 is National Cotton Candy Day OR International Civil Aviation Day OR Pearl Harbor Day OR Letter Writing Day (I better take note of that or no-one will get Christmas cards this year!)
December 8 is Take It In The Ear Day OR National Brownie Day OR Eid-Ul-Adha - date varies ?
December 9 is National Pastry Day OR Christmas Card Day (Guess I have until the 9th to write my cards!)
December 10 is Festival For The Souls Of Dead Whales AND Human Rights Day
11 National Noodle Ring Day (what is a Noodle Ring?)
12 National Ding-a-Ling Day OR Poinsettia Day
13 Ice Cream Day OR Violin Day (Not sure what those have in common!)
14 International Children's Day - Second Sunday in December AND National Bouillabaisse Day
15 Bill of Rights Day OR National Lemon Cupcake Day
16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
17 National Maple Syrup Day
18 Bake Cookies Day OR National Roast Suckling Pig Day
19 Look for an Evergreen Day (Mine will be up as soon as they are for sale here!)
19 Oatmeal Muffin Day
20 Go Caroling Day
21 Forefather's Day OR Humbug Day OR National Flashlight Day OR Look on the Bright Side Day (somehow look on the bright side doesn’t seem to go with humbbug….)
22 National Date Nut Bread Day - or September 8!?
23 Roots Day
24 National Egg Nog Day OR National Chocolate Day (thought we already had a chocolate day….)
25 Christmas Day OR National Pumpkin Pie Day (Nope this is plum pudding day not pumpkin pie day!)
26 Boxing Day
27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day OR National Fruitcake Day
28 Card Playing Day (isn’t this the day you take everything back to the store and exchange it?)
29 Pepper Pot Day
30 National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
31 Make Up Your Mind Day AND New Year's Eve AND Unlucky Day (not sure why!)
This list of bizarre December 'holidays' was assembled using a number of different websites... I'm just glad that I now know that I have until Dec 9 to get my Christmas cards written and mailed! I will report on the 10th as to how successful I was ! And don't expect an update on the 5th I'll be too busy drinking and eating my Sacher Torte in the bath tub that day to update!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
black friday & cyber monday
Black Friday doesn't portend the gloom and doom that the name conjures up... It's actually a good day... It's suppose to mean the day that retailers in the US go into the black... after operating in the red all year up to that point.... I can not fathom being in the red for 92% of the year ... I better be in the green in my seasonal gallery after 60% of the summer is gone (ie by the August long weekend) or I'll be standing out in the middle of the road flagging down cars!
Now onto Cyber Monday... I guess I've heard this term before but I really didn't know what it meant... according to wikipedia Cyber Monday is the day that everyone has returned to work after eating too much on Thursday and shopping too much on Friday and Saturday! Monday everyone switches from mobing retailers to mobing online stores! (In my dreams!)
Yes here is my etsy link for all of you people who want to spend money online on Monday Islandgirl... I promise no mobs of people you can shop from your desk at work, your blackberry... your laptop... I will custom make you anything you want, and remember every purchase from me until Dec 21 puts another can of food into our local foodbank! So shop shop shop, help the economy, no point leaving money in the bank give it to me!
Or go browse through other stores on etsy; there really are a lot of very nice gifts that can be found at etsy!
Now onto Cyber Monday... I guess I've heard this term before but I really didn't know what it meant... according to wikipedia Cyber Monday is the day that everyone has returned to work after eating too much on Thursday and shopping too much on Friday and Saturday! Monday everyone switches from mobing retailers to mobing online stores! (In my dreams!)
Yes here is my etsy link for all of you people who want to spend money online on Monday Islandgirl... I promise no mobs of people you can shop from your desk at work, your blackberry... your laptop... I will custom make you anything you want, and remember every purchase from me until Dec 21 puts another can of food into our local foodbank! So shop shop shop, help the economy, no point leaving money in the bank give it to me!
Or go browse through other stores on etsy; there really are a lot of very nice gifts that can be found at etsy!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is primarily a North American holiday which has generally become a national secular holiday with religious origins.
Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members.
Canadian Thanksgiving occurs on the second Monday in October and Canadians give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although some people thank God for this bounty, the holiday is mainly considered secular.
Thanksging in the US, most people celebrate by gathering at home with family or friends for a holiday feast. Though the holiday's origins can be traced to harvest festivals which have been celebrated in many cultures since ancient times, the American holiday has religious undertones related to the deliverance of the English settlers by Native Americans after the brutal winter at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The period from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day often is called the holiday season.
Silly thanksgiving quiz !
We will be having lobster for super tonight as it is lobster season here in New Brunswick... and in my search for information on Thanksgiving and Turkeys... I discovered the lobster was likely on the menu in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
(the above info came from a variety of sources on the www including wikpedia, 'that explains it' & "Aristotle's thanksgiving")
Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members.
Canadian Thanksgiving occurs on the second Monday in October and Canadians give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although some people thank God for this bounty, the holiday is mainly considered secular.
Thanksging in the US, most people celebrate by gathering at home with family or friends for a holiday feast. Though the holiday's origins can be traced to harvest festivals which have been celebrated in many cultures since ancient times, the American holiday has religious undertones related to the deliverance of the English settlers by Native Americans after the brutal winter at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The period from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day often is called the holiday season.
Silly thanksgiving quiz !
We will be having lobster for super tonight as it is lobster season here in New Brunswick... and in my search for information on Thanksgiving and Turkeys... I discovered the lobster was likely on the menu in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
(the above info came from a variety of sources on the www including wikpedia, 'that explains it' & "Aristotle's thanksgiving")
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Endless Possibilities
This is a really interesting shop that G and I tripped over in Manteo NC.... To quote their brochure they are
an inovative recycling project that utilizes castoff fabric from the hotline thrift stores to weave fabric that is then transformed into unique rugs, handbags , totes and clogs....
an inovative recycling project that utilizes castoff fabric from the hotline thrift stores to weave fabric that is then transformed into unique rugs, handbags , totes and clogs....
We actually parked in front of this store... you walk into a huge room full of looms... all warped to make rag 'rugs'
100% of the sales go to the outer banks hotline. I not only came home with one rug (probably would have got more than one as at $25 I thought they were a deal... but by mid October the selection was pretty lean!) but I also have a lime green and navy pair of clogs! There were only 3 pairs of clogs left but two of them fit me.... so how could I not get a pair!
If you're in the area stop in and check out their goodies... if you live in the area or are visiting they offer classes for beginning weavers, or if you have sheets or other potential rags contact them ... their Hotline Philosophy:
is that everything and everyone deserves a second chance.
Endless Possibilities
100% of the sales go to the outer banks hotline. I not only came home with one rug (probably would have got more than one as at $25 I thought they were a deal... but by mid October the selection was pretty lean!) but I also have a lime green and navy pair of clogs! There were only 3 pairs of clogs left but two of them fit me.... so how could I not get a pair!
If you're in the area stop in and check out their goodies... if you live in the area or are visiting they offer classes for beginning weavers, or if you have sheets or other potential rags contact them ... their Hotline Philosophy:
is that everything and everyone deserves a second chance.
Endless Possibilities
Monday, November 24, 2008
Brakes...
Well the weather gods listened... I was praying for the sun god.... and he showed up! The roads were almost all clear by 1:30.... I was wrong about the stop sign at the bottom of the hill it was merely a yield sign so not stopping wasn't an issue.... G went first the deal was he wouldn't go round the corner....until there was enough room (time) for me to come sailing down the hill, go across the intersection, and around the corner without hitting someone who thought they had the right of way! The next 8 miles were driven at a very sedate 40 - 45 mph I did have a tailgater but since I wasn't setting the pace the guy couldn't blame me.... I was just trying to keep far enough behind G to avoid rear ending him! .... (we forgot to check and see if my brake lights still worked... even though the brakes didn't do anything... indicating that I was slowing down might have been useful... I drive a standard you can actually get quite slow downshifting into first)
Now we get to town and the 3 way stop.... this one is more or less level .. we are going straight through here so that I don't have to try and stop at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill getting onto main street! G goes through and I drift slowly through after him.... About this time I decide that I don't want to drive the 4 miles on the highway that I want to go through town on the road that parallels the highway... so I phone him... (I made I big point of finding my cell phone before we left) He doesn't have his cell phone on! So the highway it is the shoulder is still covered in snow.... I'm not really sure where I'm, going as I've never used this mechanic before.... all I know is it's just past the western entrance to St. George and it's on my side of the highway... found the road I'm going slow enough to turn in.. instructions were to leave it with the key near the big building out behind the house... Car gets abandoned in the middle of the yard because all the parking spots point down hill....
Everyone keeps telling me that there are front and rear brakes in cars and you can't loose them both at the same time.... well they are WRONG I went from good brakes to no brakes!
And my cell phone is still somewhere in the car... not sure where it landed when I threw it away in disgust when I realized that G didn't have his on!
The good news is it's still sunny today and tomorrow is suppose to be way above freezing so the snow should be gone by tomorrow afternoon! Who knows when I'll get my car back!
Now we get to town and the 3 way stop.... this one is more or less level .. we are going straight through here so that I don't have to try and stop at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill getting onto main street! G goes through and I drift slowly through after him.... About this time I decide that I don't want to drive the 4 miles on the highway that I want to go through town on the road that parallels the highway... so I phone him... (I made I big point of finding my cell phone before we left) He doesn't have his cell phone on! So the highway it is the shoulder is still covered in snow.... I'm not really sure where I'm, going as I've never used this mechanic before.... all I know is it's just past the western entrance to St. George and it's on my side of the highway... found the road I'm going slow enough to turn in.. instructions were to leave it with the key near the big building out behind the house... Car gets abandoned in the middle of the yard because all the parking spots point down hill....
Everyone keeps telling me that there are front and rear brakes in cars and you can't loose them both at the same time.... well they are WRONG I went from good brakes to no brakes!
And my cell phone is still somewhere in the car... not sure where it landed when I threw it away in disgust when I realized that G didn't have his on!
The good news is it's still sunny today and tomorrow is suppose to be way above freezing so the snow should be gone by tomorrow afternoon! Who knows when I'll get my car back!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Snow
I escaped to the Mainland yesterday... coming home in the ferry lineup my car brakes quit... It's a very disconcerting feeling when you are parked nose down on a hill.... I started the car with my foot on the brake... that foot sort of caught then went straight to the floor fortunately I drive a standard and was well behind the car in front... Poor Lizzy (my '95 Mustang) got parked on the other side of the ferry and I went running down the ferry ramp. Should be an interesting 15 minute drive (normal rural highway speeds) to the car repair place tomorrow if it's quit snowing and the snow is cleared no brakes and ice could be way too exciting for me! And yes there are hills including one with a stop sign at the bottom!
*BBC info on weather gods... I noticed that there are no weather gods for snow.. I wonder why?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Well I have Hives.... & CIM Cirrus....
I have similar thoughts on both of those.....
Fortunately the hives aren't terribly itchy, and they aren't on my face, but I really have no clue where they came from... this is what web MD has to say about hives...
"Urticaria, also known as hives, is an outbreak of swollen, pale red bumps or plaques (wheals) on the skin that appear suddenly -- either as a result of the body's adverse reaction to certain allergens, or for unknown reasons.
Fortunately the hives aren't terribly itchy, and they aren't on my face, but I really have no clue where they came from... this is what web MD has to say about hives...
"Urticaria, also known as hives, is an outbreak of swollen, pale red bumps or plaques (wheals) on the skin that appear suddenly -- either as a result of the body's adverse reaction to certain allergens, or for unknown reasons.
Hives usually cause itching, but may also burn or sting. They can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, lips, tongue, throat, or ears. Hives vary in size (from a pencil eraser to a dinner plate), and may join together to form larger areas known as plaques. They can last for hours, or up to one day before fading." (if you read farther they mention 6 weeks..... but since this isn't bikini season I don't really care!)
This was what happened when I encased with CIM Unique Cirrus glass... I thought that glass stayed transparent.. (I'm sure I've encased with it before???) Anyway ..I spent for ever encasing some copper ribbon only to pull this out of the kiln. The second bead was encase using lite aqua... much closer to what I was expecting!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What computers do ..... (or don't do!)
This was not the intended topic for my one week anniversary however as I was playing on google this morning trying to see if my etsy site came up at all if you typed in Islandgirl... short answer is NO it doesn't...
However if you type in Islandgirl.etsy you do get a hit.... I just about fell over I was laughing so hard when I read what the search engines coughed up for the featured item on that hit!
Actually there was a bit about my shipping policies to Canada first and then this !
... If I only had a bra... islandgirl, $48.00 ...*
That hit is reminiscent of the 'false advertising' on my point of sales terminal in the gallery when someone purchases something and pays using a 'card' the top of the sales slips read
"Fireball Gallery & Stud"...
I'm still waiting for the stud to show up!
(That was entered by a human... there is no excuse there!)
Whereas when your dealing with search engines it's all done by computers or some form of bot trolling through cyber space andthe little bots just take a snapshot of what they see, which only uses so many characters... but you think there would be some way of making sure that the chopped off words don't have a totally different meaning from what was intended!
Actually there was a bit about my shipping policies to Canada first and then this !
... If I only had a bra... islandgirl, $48.00 ...*
That hit is reminiscent of the 'false advertising' on my point of sales terminal in the gallery when someone purchases something and pays using a 'card' the top of the sales slips read
"Fireball Gallery & Stud"...
I'm still waiting for the stud to show up!
(That was entered by a human... there is no excuse there!)
Whereas when your dealing with search engines it's all done by computers or some form of bot trolling through cyber space andthe little bots just take a snapshot of what they see, which only uses so many characters... but you think there would be some way of making sure that the chopped off words don't have a totally different meaning from what was intended!
Actual title "If I Only had a BRAIN!"
*note: (I really do have one or more of those!)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Hudson Oddities - Audrey Hudson
Audrey is one of the women who's work I carry in my gallery... Hudson Oddities unfortunately all you get with that link is a title page, promising that the site will be here soon....
Audrey makes beach glass jewellery or to quote her “Beach Glass Creations”out of REAL beach glass not out of tumbled art glass. When I first started carrying her work in 2002 in SK all she did was paint on beach glass...
Back in 2002 when you got your first order it came with a light house display stand… Since then she's come out with a line of one of a kind wire wrap sterling and gold fill jewellery.
According to rumour Audrey has always collected Beach glass, the story goes that sometime around 1998 she was told to do something with her 1000's of pieces of glass or throw it all away…. so she started painting the glass, then her father built her a 4 story light house to work in which looks a lot like her original light house displays! This fall her business became a economusee.
If you go visit her in her you will see a wonderful display of glass when you tour the upper floors of her lighthouse, you can browse through her boutique on the main floor or you can even create your own piece of beach glass art in one of her 1 hour workshops.
Audrey makes beach glass jewellery or to quote her “Beach Glass Creations”out of REAL beach glass not out of tumbled art glass. When I first started carrying her work in 2002 in SK all she did was paint on beach glass...
Back in 2002 when you got your first order it came with a light house display stand… Since then she's come out with a line of one of a kind wire wrap sterling and gold fill jewellery.
If you go visit her in her you will see a wonderful display of glass when you tour the upper floors of her lighthouse, you can browse through her boutique on the main floor or you can even create your own piece of beach glass art in one of her 1 hour workshops.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
The Evolution of a Gallery
The cute little building in the first picture was the first gallery it was actually on a beach at a small salt water resort Manitou Beach in the middle of Saskatchewan. I bought the building in Feb of 2000 and we spent hours turning a pink and lime green ice cream parlor into what you see in the picture. The Beach Hut or Beach Nut as it was so often erroneously called, was open for 5 summers... if it was cold I froze and if it was hot the temp was often over 40 C (104 F) as there was no insulation... but it was fun spending summers at the beach... my cabin was a 15 minute walk and on nice days I'd stop at the beach on the way home and go swimming.... However in 2001 we moved from SK to NB, so for the next three summers I commuted to work 3000 miles in June and home again in Sept... I sold the building in Sept of 2004 and moved my stock to Deer Island into an addition on our Deer Island home, and renamed it Fireball gallery & studio (If you look closely at the second picture you can see the awning rolled up over the window).
I actually preferred the gallery at arms length.... when I locked the door at 5:30 at Manitou Beach I walked away from everything... here people show up during supper, they show up in the morning before I'm dressed....., if I'm home I'm open....
What do I sell... work by Canadian women, including myself. Fireball Gallery
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Happy Birthday Zoom Zoom
Zoomies is ONE today! He came from the Charlotte county SPCA like all my cats! He was one of 7 kittens & was officially named Jonathon!
More on the CCSPCA.....The Charlotte County SPCA officially opened its very own shelter last weekend after renting space from a St Stephen vet clinic for 10 years.
It is a small volunteer non-profit, that runs solely on fundraising and donations... (no government funding!) The fundraising for the animal shelter began in 2003, construction of the shelter began in the spring of 2008 on donated land, and with the help of volunteers it was opened last weekend underbudget!
(During August I donated 50% of my etsy sales to the CCSPCA....)
Thursday we went to the CCSPCA annual fundraising auction.. I bought a big basket of coffee... (my family will tell you that I live on coffee... I leave cups scattered all over the house... You wouldn't believe the places that we find coffee cups!) The kittties will get the basket as a kitty bed.... (will they actually use it????)
It is a small volunteer non-profit, that runs solely on fundraising and donations... (no government funding!) The fundraising for the animal shelter began in 2003, construction of the shelter began in the spring of 2008 on donated land, and with the help of volunteers it was opened last weekend underbudget!
(During August I donated 50% of my etsy sales to the CCSPCA....)
Thursday we went to the CCSPCA annual fundraising auction.. I bought a big basket of coffee... (my family will tell you that I live on coffee... I leave cups scattered all over the house... You wouldn't believe the places that we find coffee cups!) The kittties will get the basket as a kitty bed.... (will they actually use it????)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Beads for Food
Beads for Food... I am a member of a street team* (LEST Team) on Etsy**. For the month of November all participating artists will be donating one can of food or equivalent $ to a local food bank for every sale. So if you want to help us help the unfortunate this Christmas season type 'Beads for Food" into the search box when you log onto Etsy.( my etsy ) Then read the artists info to find out if all of their beads are included or just the ones tagged.... &... to find out what they are donating and where the donation is going... I only tagged about half of my beads because I know I'm probably going to have to untag them in December . I have already bought two cans of food... Make me buy more! Buy some of my beads!!
Vana Cat is helping me by showing off my donation.... (Actually he's quite pissed off because I'm invading his photo cube with a can of soup that isn't even open!)
defn: Street Team*: A group of people with a similar values/products that have banded together to help promote sales on etsy.
Etsy**: a internet selling venue that was started to help promote sales of handmade items... they now also sell supplies and vintage..... ( etsy)
LEST : stands for Lampwork etc. Street Team
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Beads & More Beads
I started making beads in 1994 when I tripped over a hot head in my Wholesale flat glass catalogue… In ’94 in the middle of nowhere Canada no-one was making beads… there were no books no Internet no nothing… I credit the fact that my beads even vaguely looked like beads in those days to Kate Fowle… as she did have a video which I bought after about 7 months of wonky window glass beads…. I was a full time stained glass artist then, so had lots of glass available but most ‘art glass’ smoked horribly on a hot head and looked blechy! I can’t say that my beads become wonderful over night, after I got the video… but at least I had a vague idea what a glass bead was suppose to look like! Moving rapidly ahead 6 months I bought a Nortel Minor torch (I am still using this torch 13 years later and it works just fine!)… I had to buy it from a Neon supplier in the US as Nortel wasn’t selling them in Canada other than through Scientific supply houses. My torch arrived got all set up and I broke my left hand…. How do you make beads with a broken hand… stuff the glass rods down inside the cast… I’m sure they were awful but I still work left handed.
Tried to stick an image in here... didn't work....
Much later... not the image I had in mind... but it's progress! That bracelet is circa 2003 that was my first bead press and I called those beads finger paint tabs.....
Tried to stick an image in here... didn't work....
Much later... not the image I had in mind... but it's progress! That bracelet is circa 2003 that was my first bead press and I called those beads finger paint tabs.....
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Rants vs Insights
I'm coming up on the 4th anniversary of my website fireballbeeds ... My web site has a daily (it used to be close to daily) BLOG or in my case a RANT... For some reason it is no longer politically correct to Rant/Blog on a 'personal' website so Islandgirl's Insights is being born! Some of my Insights that I feel fit into my "rant' format will be copied over there.
Why Fireballbeeds? , because I'm a glass bead artists and some of the early photographs that we took for promo material looked like little balls of fire... Why Islandgirl? 8 years ago we packed our bags and moved from a small prairie village in Saskatchewan to an Island (Deer Island) in the middle of the Bay of Fundy in NB (NB stands for New Brunswick, Not Nebraska).
For anyone who hasn't followed my 'rant' I'm a full time glass artist, that also runs a small seasonal gallery featuring Canadian Women.... Over the next weeks I will feature my artists, picked randomly!
Why Fireballbeeds? , because I'm a glass bead artists and some of the early photographs that we took for promo material looked like little balls of fire... Why Islandgirl? 8 years ago we packed our bags and moved from a small prairie village in Saskatchewan to an Island (Deer Island) in the middle of the Bay of Fundy in NB (NB stands for New Brunswick, Not Nebraska).
For anyone who hasn't followed my 'rant' I'm a full time glass artist, that also runs a small seasonal gallery featuring Canadian Women.... Over the next weeks I will feature my artists, picked randomly!
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