Happy Birthday To ME!

Ya I know your saying," but Brod your birthday was a month ago."

Well I got these lovelies from a Wonderful woman called alwaysinmyroom from over on Craftster. She picked to craft for my birthday on the last day of October and I didn't even know.

After one rotten day I got to come home to this soft felted purse that is totally superstar lined and did you see that cute tissue holder? It is made out of Kimono fabric.

Yay for pretties!

Artist Trading Card

I just resently entered my very first ATC (Artist Trading Card) Swap over on Craftster . I had never really done anything like this as I'm not much of a paper crafter but I was told that they can be rather addicitve.

Um... that is a way of putting it.

I love these little guys. For those of us who are into the instant gratification of certain project and I think this fills a crafting void.

The little beauty here is the one that I recieved today from Psyche. I find it to be very insistant and I kinda makes me want to break out my scissors.

Christmas socks!

This baggy shapeless knitting is my very FIRST sock! I have to say that I am rather proud of it. I did have to seek professional help on the heel. (who hasn't on their first?) But I did dye the wool myself and it only took me 3 days to complete.

Now if you are reading this and you are a member of my family then you can stop reading right now...

You heard me Git!





K so this was actually supposed to be part of my brother Carley's Christmas present. But I have fallen in love with its loose, soft comfort. I happen to adore the stripy goodness of it and think that you should keep your first.

Don't get me wrong I still intend on making another pair for him and the many other people in my family but this one has a special place in my heart.

Oh! I just got a really good idea... I'll expand more on it in the future....

Crackster

Craftster has been going through some growing pains at the moment and it should be bigger and better. I'm excited about it but these down times are a little upsetting.

I need my fix! Crakster as it is commonly known on the boards is probably the most addictive site I have ever been to. Everyone is so inspiring and positive! I get a million ideas everytime I log on, which is every 2 mins. It is also really fun to show your own stuff and have people compliment you or give you ideas on how to improve on it. Also watching good ideas get better as the thread grows. Oh and then there are the swaps!

Swaps are when you get a theme and a partner that you craft for. Usually it is one large item and a couple of small ones. The fun is that there is a purpose for you to craft. So often you want to make something but really what do you need it for or who are you going to give it to? Unless you are in the market of doing the craft show circuit there really isn't a need to craft, but when some one acutally asks you for a dress or a hook roll why wouldn't you make it? Also on the other end of it there are packages from different places coming to you chock a block full of goodies all hand made just for you!

So when this wonderful site isn't up an running the withdrawl symptoms start to kick in and you become way more productive!

Excitment

Excitment
Originally uploaded by peariso.

I have to say that this is one of my favourite pictures right now. I took it for The Emotional Photo Swap over at Craftster.

On the last day of the Calgary Stampede Hubby and I decided that we should actually go. I needed to find some emotions and what better place than one that has thousands of people all crammed in to one spot?

We definitly had fun and no matter how much we protest I can guaranty that we will go again. I still need to get me a Sweepa!

This is the fridge that I totally want! I found it over at design*sponge .

These are part of Elctrolux's "war on white". They are cool and contemporary and I could see this one really working in my kitchen or on the next episode of Pimp my Ride

Happy Birthday!!

Henry camping
Originally uploaded by peariso.

Our little man Henry has turned one year old today. We got a hold of his breeder and sent them pictures. It was nice to hear that his Mom is doing well and that they are going to try to have another litter this fall.

Henry is going to be having a birthday party this weekend with all of his friends. We are going to be having Pup Cakes and liver treats.
I can't wait!

What a spoiled Pup!

Doll maker

So i found this site that is now totally addictive.

Check out the pixel Brodie!

Camping for the long weekend

We hadn't been proper camping in years so when Chris said, " Let's go camping on the long weekend." I jumped at the chance. It was exactly what I wanted to be doing on my 4 day weekend. (I took a half day on Friday)

We got out to Peter Lauheed Provincial Park, after getting lost, and lucked out and got the last camp site in the park. Not the prettiest one but at least we didn't have to go home.

Yeah! Camping!

We got everything set up and went exploring while we waited until our friends could come out and meet up with us. Chris and I had never been out that way and we were surprized at how nice it was.

There are lots of campsites as long as you get there early and most are pretty and sucluded. The two large lakes are very accessable, with many different trails that you can explore. We noticed that there were a lot of biking trails that we will have to explore on our next trip.

We had a blast spending time in the sun with our good friends, cooking on the open fire, hanging out in the hamock, and drinking a many a beers. It was a perfect way to celebrate our wonderful country. We will certainly have to do it again.

red, yellow and orange

red, yellow and orange
Originally uploaded by peariso.

I can be a quick crocheter (is that even a word) but this baby blanket took me FOREVER. It is only 16 squares but it was my first attempt to do squares of any kind. I wasn't working off of a pattern but I never do.

I kinda like the organic look of this colour pattern. No two squares are alike but they are all very similar. It was all done in a double crochet with rounded edges on all the rectangles.

The yarn was Bernat satins and is incredibly warm. So it will be perfect for those cold winter days in Calgary. It is also a very soft yarn without having to be nessarily a baby yarn. I liked the fact that it could actually be washed and dried.

But thank Gawd that it is done!

I'm still here

Whoa! I just realized that I hadn't posted for a while. Sorry.

I have a couple of projects that when they are finished I'll give you the low down.

Promise.

Thought for the day....

Thought for the day....
Originally uploaded by cattycamehome.

We need to keep things in perspective.
No matter who's perspective that might be.

Poor Justin

Beef bones
Originally uploaded by Fahara.

"So how was your weekend Brod? " Honestly kinda crappy. After spending most of my Saturday cleaning up the yard and heading to the dump Chris and I we're looking forward to some BBQ. I sent Chris down to the deep freeze to get some steaks only to have him shout up the stairs," Honey I need your help!" in a frantic voice.

Our stand up freezer full of our prized half a steer Justin, bought back at Christmas, was thawing FAST! Panic set in and two large bins were soon full of various stages of defrosted beef. The freezer was full of melting frost and beef blood that had started to ooze all over the floor of the basement. I kept thinking,"Man I watch too much CSI, cuz that is never going to be clean no matter how much bleach I pour on it."

One of the said bins was quickly set over to the most wonderful friends a girl could ever ask for. What could go straight into the freezer went and anything that was fully thawed got cooked up into many delicious meals. The other was sent over to my mother-in-laws to be salvaged in their freezer.

While this was happening I was left with a defrosting freezer that needed to be cleaned and two full bags of beef bones that needed to be made into broth. Here is where the marathon broth session started. Eight rosters full of bones, three stock pots in different stages and one frantic woman trying to save as much as possible.

In the end it worked out for the best. We now have a clean defrosted, fully organized freezer, many pre-made meals from one of the best cooks I know, 14 bags of beautiful beef broth just calling to be used in the next succulant gravy, and enough dog bones to last Henry years. But from now on that freezer will require a firm push to be closed. (the message left on the freezer door by the preivous owner

at the track

at the track
Originally uploaded by peariso.

Hubby and I hadn't been on a date for a really long time so I thought why not surprize him with an evening out?

I probbed some of my friends around work for things to do that where new and fun. The one that won out was a trip to the race track.

Neither of us had been to the horses. We were a little unsure about this adventure but we stumbled through it. At first we were seated in the lounge because our reservation wasn't really a reservation until the first race was over. But when we got seated in our actual seats we were right up by the window and on the finish line.

We had a blast trying to pick out the horses that we wanted and we had some old pros sitting next to us to show us the ropes. I was more of a name girl ( pretty name = fast horse). Chris however was a stats guy (higher numbers = faster horse). Well my way worked more often then his. I actually won money! I won $9.75. I had to spend $40 to get that but I won it!

Over all I would reccommend a date at the races. You can have a nice meal, a bit of entertainment and you can actually talk. It is a good way to get to know a person and you don't have to be a expert to have a good time.

Getting into the swing of things

henry at the lake
Originally uploaded by peariso.

So today was a bust at work. I think I might have accomplished one thing and that was a really minor one thing. I'm really just not in the mood to be here.

As you can probably tell I'm whinney today. I have my annual cold and my head feels like it is full of cotton.

I did however get my swap package together and it is just waiting to be mailed. I want to double check with my partner to make sure that her address is correct. It looks a little fishy to me.

I hope she likes it. I had a blast putting it together.

Swap Angel!

Downtown Calgary
Originally uploaded by lccarriere.

So I have been watching the Crafster swap angel board for a while now, looking for a way to wet my feet, and I finally jumped at one.

The swap is for pictures of your town!

I am super excited about this. I get to decorate a picture frame and then go around town taking cool picture to send to some one else.

I have a few picked out already and a few more that I have to take. I really want to get some from Nose Hill and from 17th ave as well.
I have a trip out to the Mountains tomorrow that I have a feeling will be inspiring.

Boy! I can run fast

Boy I can run fast
Originally uploaded by peariso.

On our way out to Saskatchewan we couldn't pass up the opportunity to take this action shot. Henry was obsessed with sticking his nose out to smell. I also think that it was because we have a "Midnight Purple" car and no air conditioning.

Going Home

It is the start of the Victoria Day long weeked and we start the exodus! The city of Calgary will empty for the next 3 days and Chris and I are among them.

We decided to head the opposite way from most. We are going East. Back to the flat praires of my youth. Yes on the weekend that starts the camping season in Canada we are not going to be trying to find a campsite at 9:00 at night after being told at a dozen other places were full. We will be at my loving parents home in a warm bed, with my father making breakfast in the morning. Yes I'm going home.

There is nothing better than spending time in my home town. The atmosphere of everyone knowing you and making you feel like you never left is comforting. I know many people hate living in a small town for that very reason but I find it to be a warm blanket that I will always crave.

New Place to explore

I have just found out, via my constant entertainment CBC, that there is an enviromental building store here in Calgary. I have discovered through their website that they do carry products like Marmoleum. Yeah! This is very exciting to me because I did think that Calgary was falling behind in enviromental friendly choices out there.

Ben's

Ben's
Originally uploaded by peariso.

So this was one of those places that you are told," Oh you MUST go here!" Well I went there and I can say that it was good. There is no way to fake the atmosphere of millions of people all enjoying a timeless meal like Montreal Smoked Meat.

I know that there is much competition when it comes to who has the best sandwich in the city but I will say that it is hard to find a place with as much history as Ben's. Nothing has changed in ninety years and why should it?

Montreal!

Wow! I think I'm in love. So I have only been here for 2 nights and one day but I love this city. It is so pretty (will post pictures when I get a chance) and the people here are lovely. I could just keep exploring for days and days.

The little Hostel that I'm staying at has been superb. It is called Le Gite du Plateau Mont Royal and it is at 185- Sherbrooke est. I would recommend it to any one who would like to have a safe and clean place to hang their hat for the night. The staff have been very friendly and helpful and the other guests are all here to explore as well. It is quite the mix.

I feel like I have been on a whirl-wind trip and I can't believe that I'm going home tomorrow! I have so much more that I want to do.

Sunshine and sugar

cookies
Originally uploaded by peariso.

I had been craving sugar cookies for the longest time so I finally made these.

This was my first time using royal icing and I think I may be hooked. I'll just have to get a bigger pipeing bag. It was a lot of work but they turned out great!

Amount of time

I figure that the amount of time I spend on other people's Bloggs, hoping that they have updated in the past hour, could be better spent updating my own.

What a day...

First it I slept in. Got stuck in traffic. Had to really wait for the train to come. Got stuck on the train. Was 30 minutes late for work. Found little "To Do" notes all over my desk, meaning boss knows about being late. Got a desperate call from a friend needing help. Whipped stuff off on the printer that didn't want to print. Had to run to her office building to drop it off on my way to the CORE (the most evil and boring waist of time in the world). Cabbie toodled on his way over there and cost me $5.00 extra on his trip. GRRRR. Got to the CORE and the girls were on lunch. Had to wait over an hour to get three things photo copied. Got back to my desk there was a message and an email saying that I need to call home. There was a death in the family and my cousins 17 year old cousin, on her Mom's side, was was killed in a roll over on her way to school this morning.

i think i need to go home...

dounuts

You Are a Caramel Crunch Donut

You're a complex creature, and you're guilty of complicating things for fun. You've been known to sit around pondering the meaning of life... Or at times, pondering the meaning of your doughnut. To frost or not to frost? To fill or not to fill? These are your eternal questions.

What Donut Are You?

Wanna go for a walk?

Wanna go for a walk?
Originally uploaded by peariso.

I whipped these up a while ago for all the lovely bitches that Henry has acquired for Valentines day.

They were really easy to make and so far they are standing up to some heavy use. I just have to get around to making Henry one.

I love the stripes! And the D ring is for your poop bags. You can attach clean ones there for quick use or it is perfect for a water bottle.

Yup my little man needs a new leash.

How do you sleep?

Find your own pose!

It took a bit but I found out that I was a Bubble Blower. Who knew?

It took a bit but I found out that I was a Bubble Blower. Who knew?

Puppy Love

Well the other week while doing my regular trip to the farmer's market Chris dragged me away from the tomato stand saying," Come quick! I have something to show you."
Here I am thinking this has got to be good, and I wasn't disappointed. He brought me over to a very small booth that was completely covered in everything that you would ever need for your dog or kitty.

There were toys, beds, sofas, dozens of different kinds of chews and even the odd clothing piece. But the reason for Chris' excitement were the homemade puppy cookies that had the ingredient list printed on the packaging. You see I have been tossing around the idea of making my own treats for Henry for a long time but didn't really know were to start. Yes there were loads of websites with treat recipes but I didn't really feel comfortable trying them. So we bought a package of Cheddar and Garlic cookies that I thought I could backward engineer to get the recipe. I also knew that Henry LOVES garlic.

Off I went to the kitchen with our new found motivation and this is what I came up with.

Henry's Puppy Love Cookies

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Oats
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Skim Milk powder
1 Cup Finely grated old Cheddar Cheese
1 clove Minced Garlic
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup Butter

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Beat butter and eggs together until frothy
Add Skim Milk Powder, cheese and garlic
In a separate bowl combine flour and oats and make a well
Slowly add egg mixture to flour mixture and blend together, add water to thin if necessary.
When it forms a nice tight ball, divide and roll on a lightly floured board until 1/4 inch thick
With a Small cookie cutter cut out shapes and place on a ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 -10 mins pull them out and flip the cookies to bake the other side for an additional 5 mins or until lightly browned.
Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

And Puppy Dog Tales...

My shaggy baby is usually one of those wonderful little guys that would let his Mom sleep in to at least 7:00 am. But lately he has decided that 5:30 is a great time to bounce off of Mom while I'm sleeping.

It seems like I'm the one that he accociates his mornings with. Mom is the one that will let him out in the morning, give him breakfast and has a quick play before heading out the door to work, where he gets to spend the day with Dad.

Usually I really enjoy this routine. It is a nice quite time to be with my little man and to give him all my love and attention. I guess it is Henry's way of saying," Mom, I need more time with you."

I won't complain (much).

This could become the time that is missing in the day when I can get all those things done before Bear gets up and we have to rush out the door. That load of laundry, the living room picked up, the kitchen cleaned or just some extra cuddle time with my little Henry.

Joining the trend

So I have recently gone through the different Bloggs that I frequent and I have noticed a trend. Everyone seems be spring cleaning and changing the look of their bloggs.

I love it! I'm always one to change the furniture around and see how things would look over there. So why not spruce up the place and change the look of things? Really I'm just trying to justify why I should change too.

I WANT MY MUSIC BACK

Alright that is a bigger hissy fit than I really need but I have gone literally months without getting any new music for my ipod. This is because my beloved iBook bit the dust. The screen went caput. I don't blame it. It really doesn't owe me anything, but I am going through music withdrawal. I have lists upon lists of different songs that I need to get and no way of getting them.

I actually found myself in a Music store the other day buying a CD!! I haven't bought a full CD since the itunes music store hit Canada. I realized why I stopped buying my music this way. I like one song. We have all been there. One bloody song on a $20 CD. What a rip. Don't get me wrong I still purchase my music. I just don't need every song that that particular band chooses to release together.

I guess I will have to just save up and replace the iBook so that I can feed my music habit. Until then I will make it a goal to have very detailed lists of all the songs that I absolutely need.

What the hell?

Who knew that trying to be the best puppy Mommy would be so hard? All I want to do is give my 7month old shnauzer Henry the best. Here is the story...

A few weeks ago I noticed that Henry wasn't really eating. He wouldn't dive right in when it came to breakfast time or anytime. I didn't want this to happen because he was only 6months old and was starting to look skinny, skinny isn't what you want your puppy to look like. So I decided that I would suplement his dry kibble with some home made gravy left over from dinner. Now what dog wouldn't love that on his meal? Apparently my dog. Switched it up again to just beef broth. That time he actually spit the beef soaked food out. You are probably wondering why i haven't just changed his food? Simple question gains you a simple answer my wonderful father brought his new puppy grandson a 30 pound bag of it for Christmas. I can't get rid of the stuff. The shelters don't want opened bags of food and everyone i know is on different adult food and don't need it. So Henry must indure.

I have had enough of his picky behaviour and I have desided that I'm going to switch. Most recommend that there be at least the frist indgredint be an animal protein when it comes to a good qualitly pet food. Well good luck trying to find one. I spent over and hour reading the sides of dog food bags looking at the ingredients list. Corn, sugar and animal digestion. Yeah that sounds like something that I would feed my dog. Finally I found one but it would have cost me $50 canadian for a 13lb bag. That is way too much but if it makes him eat I guess I'll have to try it.

Why aren't there more options than going to a B.A.R.F diet?