The Final

I watched game 2 of the Stanley Cup final last night with some friends. It was a pretty uneventful game for the most part - the only goal came late in the third period. We had a good discussion on who we were cheering for though - Ottawa's the Canadian team so most of us thought our loyalty should lie there, but Anaheim is closer, and has more Canadian players, so we had a good arguement going on who should gain our loyalty.

It was a great night last night - one of those spectacular summer evenings that are best enjoyed on a patio and enjoying a beverage, so I guess we all won, no matter who won the hockey game.

Ball, Traffic and everything else.

I was going to indicate that this post had something to do with "Tuesday" in the title, until I realized that the last two Tuesday posts had the word "Tuesday" in the title, and I figured I'd shake it up a bit.

First of all - thanks for all of your lovely comments on the beads and on the chain mail! I loved both, and it's so nice to hear that there's lots of you out there that like the same thing. I haven't stitched in ages, so it's nice to hear that the things I do besides stitch are appreciated. I'll have to get back to stitching soon - I've got at least 3 exchanges on the go this summer, and I know I'll need some prep time for each one.

Tonight was ball, and I'm really enjoying this year's team. I've played rec ball for the last couple of years, but I'm still terrible. It's a bit of a different format than in past years, so I'm still adjusting to the new style. Traffic was a beast getting to the ball diamond tonight. It was fairly close to an area of the city that I used to live in, and they've completely changed the traffic flow in the area. Not just a little bit - completely! It was terrifying to try and figure out.

I think that's it for the update - the rest of the week is completely uneventful in my calendar, so I'm hoping that there's some stitching (and beading) time in there somewhere.

Finally - New Beads!

I haven't been on the torch in *ages*, and even then I didn't really like much of what I did, so I haven't had new beads to share in ages. I finally have some this weekend! I got new frit in last week (small bits of coloured glass), so these beads are a brown base with Heirloom frit on the top. I liked the way they turned out, and am off to make more to get a full necklace together. The crystals used as spacers are Swarovski copper, and I just found out they make the crystals in a ring shape! How cool is that! I'll have to try and get my hands on some for a necklace.

The winner and Bead Show

I closed off the stitch marker drawing, and the winner is Faith Ann! Once I get Faith Ann's info, I'll send them off to her.

This weekend is the annual bead show here in Calgary. It's a pretty small bead show, and so there aren't as many vendors as some of the bigger shows, but it's not a bad one. I picked up a number of seed beads to make tassles or something with, as well as a chain mail bracelet kit. I finished the kit last night, and am pretty happy with how it turned out. I've posted two pictures - one of the whole bracelet and one of me wearing the bracelet. I think the one of the whole bracelet looks tiny, but it actually does fit me quite well. I love making my own chain mail, as then everything is just the right length. I also picked up some glass and a chain for my neck, so I'm well stocked (and just a little poorer) at the moment.

The Tuesday Files

I'm recovering from a holiday weekend - nothing too exciting, but I did get a new matress, which has left the house in shambles while I re-arrange furniture to accomodate it. The old mattress, which was in the main bedroom is going into the spare room, which doesn't have a matress. The desk that was in the spare room is going into the main bedroom until I can find something smaller to replace it with. I've not yet moved the desk, so there's furniture everywhere.

I did finish one of the Pay-It-Forward gifts this weekend, which I think is looking fantastic. I'm almost done the other one, although the finishing wasn't co-operating with me, so I may have to try a different approach. I like both of them, so I hope the recipients do too!

Oh - and the monochromatic exchange is open at the Robin's Nest - if you feel like a small summer exchange, be sure and stop by.

Knitting Blog Candy - Blog Candy #4

You might have seen that I've shut the Etsy store down. I've been busy with commissions for a while, and don't really have the time to stock both a store and keep up with the rest of my life.

That being said, there's a few things from the store that I will be offering out as blog candy to clear them out. The first one is two sets of knitting stitch markers - one with larger loops, and one with smaller loops for socks or lace.

To enter the blog candy, please leave me a comment at the bottom of this post, and I'll draw from all of the entries on Friday, May 25. As with earlier draws, there aren't any other rules - just leave me a comment, and I'll put your name into the drawing.

The reveal - of being stressed out and too busy......

I've been blogging for a while about "something" that I was busy being stressed out and too busy doing, and I thought it was finally time to share, especially as the whole thing is wrapped up and finished.

I was looking at a job overseas, in the UK. A posting came up at work that was too junior, but it got me thinking. It was in a department I'd consider working for, and a city I'd consider living in. And then a posting came up in that department that was at the right level, but only short term. And then a posting came up that was in the same department, but permanent. So I applied.

Moving from here to somewhere not here involves a lot of work. I did this in the late 90's to move to the Caribbean, and it took a lot of work then, and it would still take a lot of work now. Plus there's the added fact that the real-estate market here is one of the hottest anywhere - prices went up 60% last year, and it looks like they'll be up more this year. I'd have to somehow balance a place here with a place there, and it all seemed very complicated.

I'm also keenly aware of the fact that living somewhere is different from being on vacation somewhere. Being on vacation means you get to see the sights, hang out with whomever your with and pay all of the bills when you get home. Living somewhere means that you spend more time at the office, on your commute and at the grocery store, the drycleaners and the drugstore than at some fabulous tourist attraction. I lived in the Caribbean for several years, and made it to the beach about once a month, and it was only 10 minutes away.

It would have been nice to go though - weekends away to different countries, a change of life and a chance to live in a truly big city.

It turns out that everyone came to the right decision in the end - I'd decided to not go at the same time they decided that they'd prefer a local candidate, so I think everyone came to the same decision in the end.

Trip to the farmer's market

I went to the farmer's market here in town for some flowers on the weekend for my mom - I think they did an awesome job considering this started life as 4 random bunches of tulips. I loved the arrangement they did with them. I also picked up some veggies and fruit, none of which I've had time to use yet, but at least the thought was there.

Progress Updates

I created my first beaded tassle this week from Robin Atkin's book. I took the colour scheme off of a skein of Wildflower's thread, and I'm pretty pleased about how it turmed out. I liked being able to "practice" with a tassle, as there were a couple of things I will do differently next go round, but overall, I'm pretty pleased with the result.

I also made a good stab at Alhambra. I'd really like to purchase (and start!) Chatelaine's Egptian Garden, but have made myself promise that there will be no Egyptian Garden until Alhambra is done.

It's so hard to be little......

I've been tagged.....

I've been tagged a couple of times to participate in a meme, so the results are below.

I was also asked by Stitchingranny what a "Pay-It-Forward" is. A Pay-It-Forward is something nice you do for someone else, in the expectation that they pay the favour forward to another person. The "Pay-It-Forward" offer that many people had on their blogs earlier in the year involved making something hand-made for 5 people. If someone wanted to receive one of the hand-made gifts, they would volunteer, but had to make an offer of 5 hand-made things to other people. I have sent 3 of my 5 items out, but haven't yet completed the other two items. They are spoken for, and I have picked the item and the colour scheme for each of the two remaining items.

On to the meme - I've been tagged by at least 4 people - Suz, Susan, Missy Ann and Sara

1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My random 8 things:

1) I just discoved that Haagen-Daas makes a Sticky Toffee Pudding flavour ice-cream, and have inhaled a carton this week. Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of my favorite deserts.
2) I hate carnations - they look like something has been shredded to me.
3) My favorite colour is blue, although I wear more black.
4) I am exceptionally picky about stationery supplies - if the office doesn't have what I like, I'll buy my own.
5) I love the smell of fabric softener, especially Bounce
6) I used to work at a bead store, which may explain how I got so many.
7) I haven't had breakfast yet, but I'm craving perogies, which appear to be a uniquely Western Canadian breakfast food.
8)I have 2 packages in the mail to me, and two to send out.

I'm going to skip tagging people, as I think everyone out there has been tagged already.

Blog Candy Part 3 Winner is.....

Congrats go to Erica, who's name I drew out of the blog candy box. Congrats - just send me your email and I'll ship out the threads to you.

I'll try and do another Blog Candy soon - I have two Pay-it-Forwards to finish up first.

I've also contacted Robin about setting up a single colour (monochromatic) exchange on the Robin's Nest BB. If you're a member there, make sure you watch out for it, as I'll try and offer up a goodie draw for those who participate.

Happy Dance

The Robin Atkins book arrived today, so now I can use my new threads! The book looks fantastic, so I'll be glad to use it.

I'm heading out for dinner, but will wrap up Blog Candy when I get back. And Shannon - I stole the idea for blog candy from someone, so you're more than welcome to use it in your own blog.

From the Tuesday Files...

** Just a reminder that Blog Candy is open until tomorrow night - see the post below for details **


I don't know who's worse - us Canadians, who feel the need to discuss hockey in the Parliament,(see my weekend rant) or the US Secret Service, who decided that a special Canadian quarter was some secret attempt at Canadian espionage.

The quarter has a red poppy on the front, in commemoration of veterans, and was Canada's first coin with colour on it. The "red" in the poppy was sealed in with a compound to keep the colour on. Apparently the Secret Service decided that the sealant was "nano-technology" and filed reports on what it might be used for.

I'm a little frustrated today - I ordered a new beadweaving book by Robin Atkins, and some thread that came highly recommended for the weaving. The thread showed up today, but the book (which is coming from Canada) has yet to appear. Hopefully soon! I still have two more pay-it-forwards to make, and I was thinking of incorporating some of the techniques from this book into one or both of them.

Blog Candy - Part 3

This is actually part blog candy and part de-cluttering, but I have a selection of threads from "The Dye Shop" that I haven't used, and though I would offer up. The threads haven't been used, but the shop is out of business, so there's a slim chance of being able to obtain more. On the positive side, there's a wide selection of colours, and they're all hand dyed.

If you'd like to participate in the Blog Candy, leave me a comment below. I'll draw a name from all of the comments received on Wednesday night. It doesn't matter if you're a regular reader or if this is your first read of the blog, just leave me a comment, and I'll put it in the drawing. (If you're Blogger profile isn't attached to a Blog, it would really help if you left some way of contacting you - either through a blog name or something else- Thanks and Good Luck!)

Progress Pic - Alhambra

I've been slowly working at this - not much progress, but I was hoping that if I posted I would feel more motivated to work on it.

I feel like I haven't blogged in forever.

I know it's only been a couple of days, but they've seemed long, so I thought I'd try and get a post together this afternoon. Part of the problem with putting together a blog post is that there isn't that much going on - I went to work, I went to the gym, I went to dance class and to the grocery store - all pretty mundane routine things, and nothing that interesting happened.

I have lots of things to be cranky about, but I suspect that everyone would stop reading my blog if it was all about cranky and nothing else. The city is trying to turn an interchange near me into a seven metre (21 foot) overpass. This, of course, isn't sitting well with anyone in the community. They held a community open house this week, and I popped in to see what's going on. The good thing is that there's no funding at the moment, and that a large number of people from my community were there and none of them seemed to like the idea. The thought behind this overpass is that it will alleviate people cutting through another community in town, but far more people from my community showed up than the other one, so we'll se where this ends up.

Far too Canadian...

I'm really curious what the rest of the world must think of Canada right now - tomorrow, the head of Hockey Canada and hockey officials are being summoned to parliament to defend the choice they made for captian of Canada's hockey team. Apparently the current captian made some remarks about French officials a few years back, which got some politicians upset, and so now the whole thing is being taken to parliament.

Mind you, in the last Olympics we let a guy play who'd killed a team-mate in a car accident, and allowed another player who'd just about ended an opponent's career with an illegal punch. But apparently we've run out of things to discuss in parliament, and so we're terribly worried about who's going to be in charge of the hockey team. And so tomorrow, Canada will discuss hockey in parliament.

Sigh....