10 Great Things

Hi there!
Sorry to have been so neglectful - again!
I really don't have a legitimate excuse, so there's no point in beating around the bush and pretending I have a good reason for being lazy...I'm sorry.
Anyway!
Here are 10 Great Things I want to share with you.

1. Hello! Lucky paper goods.
I don't know how to describe my obsession with these paper goods. Everything is just too amazing for words.

2. Cuppows.
What's a Cuppow? Just a genius invention that turns a mason jar into a travel mug!

3.  This YouTube video:



4. Peter Pan collar nails.

5. Ork Posters and their beautiful depictions of places we call home.

6. This 8tracks playlist - ignore JBiebs' face:

Indie covers pop. from jbear_4 on 8tracks.

 7. The Sketching Backpacker.

8. Christopher David Ryan's work.
I particularly love this gem:

9. Bake It In A Cake.
What's better than a cupcake? A cupcake with a surprise inside!

10. My dream bike!

I'm really going to try to keep up with this blogging business. I'm off on a mini-adventure this weekend. BUT, I will take lots of pictures and will write a witty recollection when I return!

10 Reasons Why Today Was Great

1. It was a gorgeous day.
2. I had a fairly productive day at work, which was extra good given the fact that I was feeling pretty overwhelmed on Monday and Tuesday.
3. I ventured to Tim Horton's during my lunch break and tried a jalapeno asiago mozzerella bagel - delicious.
4. I received a super cute thank you card :)
5. I went to Make It!, a super awesome craft fair full of beautiful handiwork, great live music, and delicious treats. I picked up a Mother's Day gift for my Ma, as well as a few things for myself.

My favourite purchase, hands down, was the envelope necklace.
And you know what's even better than an envelope necklace?
An envelope necklace with a surprise inside!

C'est la vie

I also picked up these treats for the famjam.

New goal: Learn how to make French macarons

6. I hung out by the Vancouver Sun building and enjoyed the view, tea, and awesome company.
7. I made a new friend.
8. I brought a smile to a far away friend when she checked her mailbox.
9. I had a glimpse into the life of a film production student. It seems like it involves numerous all-nighters, basically living at school (they have their own fridge and someone brought in a panini press), and spending copious amounts of time in a dark room in front of a computer screen.
10. It's FRIDAY!

My Love Affair with the Mailman

I love the Mailman.
He brings me postcards from across the World, handmade cards, letters on beautiful stationery, boxes of the best candy ever (Haribo Sour Strawbs), and birthday surprises.

The BEST birthday parcel EVER!

Birthday goodies from my lovely sister!

He also lets me send postcards, letters, and parcels to friends and family that are further away than I would like.
I think I like sending real letters because people only expect bills and junk mail in their mailbox, which means a proper, handwritten letter comes as a pleasant surprise.
And although Canada Post is sometimes a little unreliable (a handful of letters have gone undelivered and I'm still waiting on a birthday card or two), how can you not love something that enables you to wholeheartedly tell the ones you love that you care about them?

Enviro-chic envelopes made from old magazines

A little while ago I received a letter from a friend with this incredibly fitting quotation:

"the human art, which owes its origins

 in the love of friends"

- Virginia Woolf on letter writing

So take out your writing pad, grab an envelope, and pick up a stamp, and let a friend know that you're thinking about them.

Crafting at The Bowery

Today, I went to a bracelet making class at The Bowery.

The Bowery is located in Headingley, about a half hour walk from campus.
The top floor is studio space, for workshops and for local artists to rent out, plus an exhibition area. The ground floor is a cafe, as well as a shop for the work created upstairs.

I made two bracelets:

I had a lot of fun at The Bowery. I hadn't properly crafted in a while - cutting out pictures from magazines doesn't really count - so it was a really nice evening :)

Lovely Day + Adventure + Market + Crafting = Wonderful Weekend

It was a beautiful day on Saturday, so Paul and I went on an adventure!

We went to City Hall...

Paul being artsy

Leeds Town Hall

The Old Post Office

And the market... 

Leeds Kirkgate Market

Yay! Spring is on its way!

LOTS of olives

Om nom nom nom nom

And I got some flowers...

(And fruit, but that's a little less exciting)

Then, on Sunday, I got crafty and made some decorations for my room!
I've been meaning to do something to jazz up my walls and I've been noticing buntings everywhere, so I decided to make a cheater's bunting with magazine pages and 35p ribbon.

Meticulously setting out the magazine cut-outs

Ta-da!

It sort of looks like there's a birthday party going on, but I like it!
It adds some pizazz to my beige walls.
And, I cut out pages from a Cath Kidston catalogue, so it's doubly fun :)

Will You Be My Valentine?

After meticulously cutting out these letters by hand, I decided my new backup career is Greeting Card Designer.

Happy Valentine's Day!

London Calling!

My sister gave me the Big Ben and Double Decker Bus stamps for Christmas - aren't they cute?

I whipped out my stamps last night and got crafty.

It was an excellent form of procrastination.

Who wants to pack or figure out courses or do anything remotely productive...

It's not like I'm leaving in 4 days or anything...!

Winter Wonderland

Vancouver really is a Winter Wonderland.
Moving away to Ontario has really made me appreciate all the wonderfulness that is Vancouver.
Just look at those beautiful snow-topped mountains!

The view from my office balcony

The view from Highbury & 13th

Then, to get in the mood for the Holidays, I made Ginger Molasses Cookies.

Ginger Molasses Cookies - Martha Stewart

1/2 cup unsalted butter (I used margarine), room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup castor sugar for rolling
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice (I omitted this)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Beat butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix in eggs one at a time.
3. Mix in molasses and oil.
4. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in dry ingredients.
5. Cover dough and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
7. Form dough into balls, roll in castor sugar, place on prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are flat and centers are set, about 17 minutes.
9. Eat.

Om nom nom nom nom.

THEN, I got even more festive and made Christmas cards!

I cut out the mittens, ornaments, and fir trees from the various Christmas advertisements we've been getting with our newspaper.
Oh, and the first three types of cards have writing on the inside rather than the outside - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, etc.

Mmm...I love the Holidays :)

Crafty Time - AGAIN!

I admit I've been neglecting my blog. 

I wanted to try and post once a week, but that failed.

Sorry...

So, rather than blogging, I've been getting crafty (and perfecting my blanket stitch)!

Look at what I made! 

A pepper shaker shaped stuffie!

 

 And a mini pepper shaker shaped stuffie!

A Picture A Day

Last term I had this big artsy plan to take one picture every day for a year.

It only lasted for about a month.

It was probably a combination of laziness and a lack of activities worth photographing. 

Anyway, I ended up with some cool pictures.
Here are a few of my favourites.

 

 

 

  

  

1. Cute vintage kitchenware at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.

2. Bunny sugar cookies for Easter.

3. Delicious macaroons from Nadege in Toronto. 

Clockwise from the far left: Salted Caramel, Chocolate Raspberry, Mojito, Peach, Cassis, and Rose.

4. Floating books!

5. I like floral things.

6. "Help meee! I'm fallinggg!"

7. Peach blossoms.

8. Pear blossoms.

9. Brownie + Cookie = Brookie

10. Om nom nom nom nom.

Crafty Time

Look at what I made!

 

It's my rendition of an Ugly Doll.

His name is Darkie.

He is made of soft fleece. 

He is perfect for snuggling.