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?