Cruelty-free goodness

This coming Tuesday evening, from 7 pm, I will be participating in the Funky Fashion Fair put on by the Cruelty-free Collective. The fashion and music show is at the Smiling Buddha Bar at 691 College Street, at Dovercourt, and proceeds will be going to ARK II.

The flyer is below, and make sure to visit CFC's myspace page!


This will be my first jewellery show on my own, and I'm very, very excited. And nervous. Please come to the event and stop by my threaded glass table and give me some reassurance so the butterflies go away!

What-I'm-reading goodness

I've only just begun reading this book, but I am already completely confidant in recommending it. I've only read one other book by Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist - but I am in love with his writing. His words have such a beautiful quality that I could describe more eloquently if only I had the skill. As trivial and superficial as it sounds, the actual book enhances his writing - the matte laminated cover, the font choice, the typesetting - that is, if you are reading the same publication. It is the sort of book I wish I could spend all day in a coffee shop with.

More outdoorsy goodness

This weekend, the boy and I will be heading over to Pinery Provincial Park for a long weekend of camping with Claire, Jamie and Greg, and maybe a couple of others. I can’t wait. We haven’t been camping since last year and the last time I was at Pinery was about 3 or 4 years ago. That's where I took this photo of a flying squirrel - during the day! They are popular in that area, but are nocturnal. We were very lucky to catch a glimpse of this little guy.

And, this morning I realised...

Countdown to full G license: 8 days. *insert ominous music here*

See more progress on: identify one good thing each day

Plugging my wares.

I just posted an update with photos on my threaded glass blog. Go see! G'won now - scoot!

Ego-boosting goodness

I just found out that 5 of the earrings I have in a shop have sold! I'm not so interested in how many sell, or how much money I'll get, but I'm happy that people are interested enough to buy! And the shop owner has asked for more... wheeeee!!

I believe one of the pairs that sold was this one. I love this pair because of 1) the colours and 2) the gorgeous bali earring wires...

Beady goodness

After a couple of weeks of not crafting, I pulled out my beads last night and made a pendant, a pair of earrings to sell, and a necklace and a pair of earrings for me. It felt good to bead again, but my set-up is so not ideal – on the couch, hunched over boxes upon boxes of beads which are strewn every which way, working on a TV table.

But, this post is supposed to be about good things, so I’ll just instead dream of my future craft room in my future home that exists somewhere out there. In this room, there will be a desk and cupboards and drawers where my beads will have a real home of their own.

The post photo, by the way, is a photo I took for my threaded glass blog banner (try saying that out loud 5 times fast.) They are a selection of beads I picked up on Queen Street in Toronto and I love them so much that I'm afraid to make anything with them.

See more progress on: identify one good thing each day

Good news goodness

Thanks to Sarah of The Rage for pointing me in the direction of ThingsAreGood.com. The directive of the site:

"...we exist merely to bring your attention to news that benefits people. Negative news is always easy to find, so we aim to make positive news easy to find. Don’t stop reading those other news sources, just remember not to get bogged down by them."

I like that. It makes my One Good Thing a Day list.

A pattern to add to the pile

I just purchased this Stefanie Japel pattern from StitchDiva.com. Someone must take away my credit card. But, damn, isn't it a cute sweater??

By the way, I hate large knitting projects and vowed to do only small, quick items after the hell and boredom of knitting mod-Asana. But I just couldn't pass it up! Look how cute!

Possibility goodness

Today, I feel full of anticipation and hope for my future. I think this next year will bring about many awesome, yet unexpected, changes :)

Napping goodness

After work.
After running a few errands.
Half of my outfit removed so I won't get cat hair on my black clothes.
Turn on the fan.
Lay down on the couch with a magazine.
Wake up a little while later to find a purring cat pushed up against the side of my body and the magazine carelessly dropped to my lap.
Knowing that I can allow myself to drift off again for another hour.

Soyatoo!

Me and my Soyatoo, originally uploaded by .mishka..

My good friend Tara and her husband Jean-Paul recently took a trip to Seattle and Portland, and they picked me up a can of Soyatoo Whipped Soy Topping at Food Fight. Tara said she pondered the whipped cream, not remembering if I liked that sort of thing in my pre-vegan days. I loved it. And I'd been pining for it, which she did not know. Now, I have some awesome, fluffy, tasty soy goodness in my grubby hands*

Tara and JP had us over for dinner tonight, and we had tasty tapenade crostini, dragon rice bowls and a yummy dessert of grilled peaches topped with Soma Mayan hot chocolate. I could resist trying out the Soyatoo on dessert. Oh, and Tara made mojitos. probably the best dinner I've had in a long time.

*Well, not really *in* my hands. More like, in a can which I can then spray/blow/propel onto desserts, fruits and straight into my mouth. I've already done the mouth thing. Oh yeah.

Addicted

I read way too many blogs....

Fresh, early morning goodness

This morning, I got up at 6:00 a.m. and dragged myself outside for a morning run. Just before I left, I grabbed the light jacket I bought last week as a “just in case”. Glad I did. The air was crisp and cool and fresh and made running just that much easier. As fall approaches, I anticipate a less sluggish me, rejuvinated by the fresher air and reduced smog. I also anticipate a craving for fresh Macintosh apples :)

Knitting content:
I wear my hair in 2 ponytails when I run or exercise. Basically, my hair is too thin and my head too round for 1 single ponytail. It's okay. I've dealt with it. Since the air is going to keep getting chilly, I'm thinking of knitting myself a Nippertails hat for those chilly runs!

See more progress on: identify one good thing each day

Raw, organic goodness

I promise I will limit how many of my “good things” relate to food. But today, I must profess my love for SunRidge Farms Organic Raw Cashews. I bought the nuts for use in a Vegan Cook-a-long recipe and I soon became addicted.

Okay, 1/3 of a cup contains 19 grams of fat, so the love really is bittersweet and the affair will most likely end the moment my clothing starts to feel a bit tighter. But until then, I am going to savour our time together.

See more progress on: identify one good thing each day

Chips, but not the yummy kind

I have a chip in each of my Le Creuset pots. I know that one got there when metal utensils were used, but I don't know how the other got chipped.

Anyone know how to fix these? In Toronto?

Outdoorsy goodness

When I first started my blog, I tried to maintain a habit of identifying one good thing each day (thanks for the reminder, Michelle). Somewhere along the way, I fell back into negativity and I think it’s high time I get back to the good stuff. It won’t be every day, but I hope to make an entry each weekday.

Outdoorsy goodness.

This weekend is my uncle’s yearly McIlwrick and Friends family get-together at his home in Wiarton. I didn’t go last year, and apparently it was a really good time. Everyone was on their (read: HIS) best behaviour and there were no “incidents” as there had been in years past.

We haven’t been camping yet this year and I’m looking forward to sleeping outdoors again. My uncle’s property is huge and we all pitch tents on his front yard. It’s only overnight – up on Saturday and home again on Sunday – but the fresh air that is calling my name is going to be so welcomed.

And, I promise, if I see Wiarton Willie, I will free him from his Groundhog Day slavery.

See more progress on: identify one good thing each day

Who wants to take me out? Anyone? Anyone...?

I just booked my G2 Exit exam* for the day before my driver's license expires. I can't believe it's already been 5 years. What is frustrating is that I had my full class G license when I was 20, but had it revoked because of those pesky seizures. Trying to get my license back was annoying enough, but then I found out that I had to go through the newly instated graduated licensing system. Grr. Anyhoo, they give you 5 years to complete the various stages and I just have one more test to do. I haven't really driven in the past year and a half, so I am relying on the kindness of Claire to take me out a few times and lend me her car for the test.

Any good vibes sent my way would be repayed with more good vibes!


Countdown to full driver's license: 26 days

*Taken from the Young Drivers of Canada website

During your G road test, you will be tested on your defensive driving skills with a government examiner for 30 minutes behind the wheel. You will be tested on:

• Proper lane use
• Proper observation skills
• Mirror use
• Blind spot checks
• Appropriate space management
• S-approach when left-turning at large intersections
• Road side stop
• Freeway driving
• Parallel parking
• Proper lane change procedure
• Defensive driving throughout the test on public streets, roads, and possible highways

I blame the computer...

... for my deminished eyesight.



Really, a part of me wants to wear my reading glasses all the time, cuz they makes me look smrat.

That is all. Thank you for your indulgence.

I gots the Etsy!

Well, I finally got my Etsy Shop up and running. On the weekend, I listed 9 items, mostly earrings like these...




and these...




And I made 2 sales!

This one sold to one very lovely person...




and this one sold to another lovely person.

The humidex warning is more of a guideline...

I think I'm crazy. In all fairness, it was okay yesterday in the shade at 7:30 p.m. And it's not like we were running hard. But the warnings were to stay indoors and don't do strenuous exercise.

I had already planned to meet up with 2 of the girls from my now-completed running group on Monday night (last night) to run the familiar course our instructor took us on. Yeah, I suppose I'm not as socially stunted as I thought I am, and I managed to make friends with Michelle and Krista. Maybe part of it was that we ran into each other (no pun... yada yada) at the Broken Social Scene show in June and it solidified that we have stuff in common, other then trying to learn to run. And Michelle and I bonded over working at design companies. It's funny the things you pick up on and hold on to when making friends. Oh, they also swear a lot. Sometimes that can be a comfortable plus.

Anyway, we ended up running almost 5 k (approx 3 miles for the imperial ones) and I ran about 90% of the course, discovering that when I say that I can walk as fast as I run that it really is true. When I felt I needed a short break, I power walked at the same pace that they were running.

Usually, I run in the mornings to avoid the grossness and exhaustion of the late afternoon. And lately I have been really easy on myself. Too easy, as discovered by how spent I was last night. Running with others really does make you push yourself more and I think I will try to run with them at least once a week. Plus, I need to get used to running after work as the sunrise gets later and later. Not too comfy with running in the dark morning all by myself.

That awesome feeling in my lungs? It's back today. With a vengeance.

(eta: Of course, what I've neglected to mention was that I spent the rest of the night on the couch in a stupor, barely able to yell my excitement during the elimination round of Hell's Kitchen. For those of you wondering, I dragged myself to check my email during the crab scene.)