Friday Five

Today was...well a Friday. I was sad because it was my last day working with my good friend Lance. :( Then I was cranky because I offered to help my supervisor with some really easy things while she was taking the day off today...and she took them home to do herself. Lack of trust much? I have given up on feeling bad about how stressed she is. And then at the end of the day a baby...well lets just say the swim diaper isn't a foolproof invention. Happy Friday.

On the plus side Chapters is having a buy three get one free sale on MMPB's...and Starbucks has a very yummy shaken blueberry white tea lemonade...and I had a lovely evening with Am. So all is okay in the end.

1)Nobody and Co. Look at these amusing bookcases. Luckily you can never have too many bookcases...I'm running out of room again :(. Also they have pudding molds shaped like Buddah. Um, I don't know what occasion calls for a Buddah pudding.



2)Flymo makes a hovering lawn mower. No joke.


3) Josephine Lamp, by Julih32 on Etsy.


4)It's a smoke alarm! Wonder if it chirps. If is sounds like the stupid magpies that keep fighting under my window at 4am it should wake you up no problem!


5)Vortex hand cranked blender. Perfect for camping they say. After all, how can you go camping without a blender?

my exciting life

So we've been working on sorting things out and purging. I've gotten pretty good at purging but I'm still not as good as Craig. Craig will pick something up. Smile. Say "ah good times". And then put it in the chucking pile.

Also, we have someone moving in downstairs. At least there are noises. We have seen no vehicle and no one has come to say hi. Our landlady told us that a Mike is moving in. Maybe Mike is a ghost? She also keeps calling to ask if we know when we are leaving yet. Yeah feel the love. So we are going to Castlegar next week to look for a place. So that she will stop nagging at us.

Also, we watched Shooter tonight. It's an excellent movie. The best I've seen in a while. I highly recommend it. But only if you don't mind some people getting shot.

Also, Karl and Am, tell Tia that Miss Hanna said to stop eating the condiments, it will all go to her hips.

hmmm

According to: The Politics Test

Your true political self:
You are a

Social Conservative
(33% permissive)

and an...

Economic Liberal
(26% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Totalitarian (26e/33s)


You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness.

Haha, I'm a totalitarian! Craig says I'm his hero.

Also:


So don't worry Tanya! I'm safe for all audiences.

Friday Five

Today was hot and tiring and cranky. Best not to think about it.
However we did have a lovely time playing mini-golf later with friends, everyone else had one or two mosquito bites....I got 10!

1)Scratch and Sniff Wallpaper. No I'm not kidding.


2)Ridable Vacuum Cleaner! Sadly only for kids.



3)La Bague Gazon. Seriously, it's a little grass garden that fits on your finger as a ring.



4)Dry Erase fridges!


5)Guy Micheal Davis. This weeks ceramics artist :). See the little birds on the twigs?

Friday Five

Today was hot and tiring and cranky. Best not to think about it.
However we did have a lovely time playing mini-golf later with friends, everyone else had one or two mosquito bites....I got 10!

1)Scratch and Sniff Wallpaper. No I'm not kidding.


2)Ridable Vacuum Cleaner! Sadly only for kids.



3)La Bague Gazon. Seriously, it's a little grass garden that fits on your finger as a ring.



4)Dry Erase fridges!


5)Guy Micheal Davis. This weeks ceramics artist :). See the little birds on the twigs?

Blog Tour: The Restorer by Sharon Hinck, Day 2

So the Restorer is about Susan Mitchell, a relatively average mom of four who's battling with depression and just a general feeling of uselessness. While getting some alone time up in the attic she is transported to a fantasyish parallel world. This world is similar to the time of the Judges in the Old Testament and Susan discovers that she is a Restorer, a hero come to save the chosen people of God ("The One").

What? Soccer mom goes to parallel world and fights with swords? A bit of a strange premise I know. But Sharon Hinck has done a fabulous job with this book. To start with, Susan is a very believable and sympathetic heroine, I found myself identifying with her even though her life is nothing like mine. She also wrote a world that was interesting and unique, with a blend of swords and technology and hints at a very interesting culture. Normally I hate (haaaaate) fantasy stories about normal people being whisked off to faraway lands, but it didn't even bother me in this book, which I guess is the power of good writing.

The best thing is that she managed to inspire me spiritually without being preachy. That is success in christian literature.

(And hooray, two more books still to come!)

Koi

Well I'm pretty sure she was trying to keep her kimono dry :P

Blog Tour: The Restorer by Sharon Hinck, Day 1

This book is fantastic, I love it. Seriously, I'll lend it to you if you want. I'll write a better review for you tomorrow, but I think this is quite possibly the best Christian Fantasy novel I've ever read.

For now, here's some fun links:

Sharon Hinck's Blog
Sharon Hinck's Website
The Restorer on Amazon

And of course, check out what everyone else on the tour thinks:
Trish Anderson . Brandon Barr . Jim Black . Justin Boyer . Grace Bridges . Amy Browning . Jackie Castle . Valerie Comer . Karri Compton . Frank Creed . Lisa Cromwell . CSFF Blog Tour . Gene Curtis . D. G. D. Davidson . Chris Deanne . Jeff Draper . April Erwin . Linda Gilmore . Beth Goddard . Marcus Goodyear . Andrea Graham . Russell Griffith . Jill Hart . Katie Hart . Sherrie Hibbs . Heather R. Hunt . Becca Johnson . Jason Joyner . Kait . Karen . Dawn King . Tina Kulesa . Lost Genre Guild . Rachel Marks . Rebecca LuElla Miller . Eve Nielsen . John W. Otte . John Ottinger . Robin Parrish . Rachelle . Cheryl Russel . Hanna Sandvig . Chawna Schroeder . Mirtika Schultz . Steve Trower . Speculative Faith . Jason Waguespac . Daniel I. Weaver .

Writing On Stone

Last weekend we went to Writing On Stone Provincial Park. Here's some shots I took. I was back to my Canon Rebel G (film) to play with manual settings a bit.

Friday Five

So I didn't post last night as I was too busy running about looking for new bathing suits. Just works suits, nothing too exciting. I did find two 100% polyester ones I liked at sportcheck and they were buy one get one half off, so success! To any of you who swim out there I can't stress enough the wonders of polyester swim suits. A spandex suit will last me...maybe a week before it starts to go (this is at 10 or so hours a week in the pool). A polyester one will last six months to a year. No joke, they're almost indestructible. I also dropped off my film from our adventure last week at Writing on Stone, I'll pick the pics up today and post them for you later!

Then we curled up on the couch and ate soup and bagels and watched The Fountain. Very cool movie, if you like the dreamy/philosophical kind, which I do. Excellent acting and the effects were kind of incredible. We found out why when we watched the "making of" feature. Almost no CG used. Even for all the weird space nebulas and whatnot. Apparently they took macro shots of chemical reactions in petri dishes and then overlayed them on each other. So beautiful.

Anyway, Friday Five:

1)As if...fantasy was reality by Malin Lundmark. I love the little flower hooks, and the lamp that's also a necklace holder!


2)Fun ceramics by Jonathon Alder Here's a turtle box and an elephant bank!


3)Anna Maria Horner. Her site is lovely, and I've also started stalking her blog in my blogroll. She is an illustrator and textile designer. Also there seems to be some plates!




4)Ball String Lights. They are a set of 20 lights in a row that look like balls of string. Hmmm...might be too much fun for kitties.


5)Beanock! The beanbag hammock. Mmmm, I would love to curl up and read in that, you'd never get me out!

A conversation with William

William is a regular at the pool, he's a bachelor in his 70s. This conversation takes place after a lengthly debate on the topic of "what was the name of your church's previous caretaker whom I met at Tim Hortons this morning?". It was a bit of a one sided debate as I don't even know who the current caretaker is!

William: I have a cousin who lives up in Calgary and you'll never believe what he told me!

Me: hmm?

William: It's just the craziest thing!

Me: hmm?

William takes a moment to shake his head in bemusement at the general craziness of the world.

Me: hmm?

William: So my cousin, he was shopping out at that Chinook Shopping Place. And he went to the bathroom.

William: And you'll never believe what they have in the bathrooms there!

Me: hmm?

William: They have TV screens! Right there in the bathroom! Right above the stalls!

Me: uh huh?

William takes a moment to shake his head again and chuckle to himself.

William: I have never in my life heard of such a ridiculous thing! Never in my life!

William: You know what's going to happen!

Me: hmm?

William: They're going to get smashed! Guys will just walk right up to them and...

William makes a punching motion accomponied with a "pow!"

Me: hmm?! (no really, I'm lost by this point)

William: And I won't blame em! No siree!

William: They could have cameras behind those things!

Me: That's illegal you know.

William: Ah! But if they'll go this far...

whiney

I am sick

I can only breath out of one nostril at a time

my throat hurts

I go through 10 kleenexes and hour

I am missing most of the skin off the bottom of my nose

bleeeeeeeeeh

Modern Mulan

Just for fun.

Moo in the garden

So this is my newest necklace, on a garden theme. I'm going to sell it on Etsy later on, once I get my paypal working. I fiiiinally figured out the problem with it: my bank thinks I'm Hanna Rose Sandvig and Paypal thinks I'm Hanna Sandvig. Thus I am two different people! Geeez.




And here are my new business cards! I posted Moo.com in a friday five a while ago and decided to give it a try. I love them. Highly recomended.

I had killed the flower already anyway, might as well get some use out of it. Craig says I have too much time on my hands.

Friday Five

Today is a delightful Friday. Because I'm not working :P. I took it off so me and Craig could have some quality time. We went shopping this morning and got Craig some new shirts for work. So I can fiiinally throw out the ratty shirt that I hate. And I got a couple used books and the new Deanne Gist book. yay!

Sorry Tanya, I couldn't find much for napkin holders, maybe they aren't in style?

1)Branch Table by Harry Allen & Associates:


2)Bong Bong Boxer, just suit the kids up and let them fight? Do they make adult sizes?


3)Tulip Lights by Solar Illuminations. They're solar powered outdoor lights, you just stick them in the ground!


4)HMSA, beautiful photography.


5)Kattbank! It's a bench that hids the kitty litter box. It's supposed to be fairly odor free and has a little ramp with grooves to shake the litter off kitty's feet.

hmmm

good news: I have lost 5 pounds
bad news: my cute new shorts no longer fit
good news: I get to go shopping

good news: It is sunny and nice
bad news: It is so hot at work that I sweat just standing around. Kill me now.
bad news: My bedroom is too hot to sleeeeep.

good news: I'm going camping this weekend
bad news: by then? rain is expected!

Spring Cleaning

Well I had a very productive weekend. Especially being as my average weekend mostly includes sitting about in my pajamas and drawing all day. I love that. Anyway, our house, which we rent, has been sold and the new owners want to rent out the detached garage separately. We have a bunch of stuff stored over there that now needs to actually fit in the house. So on Saturday I got started and cleaned out 3 of the 5 closets in the house and moved a bunch of stuff over, threw a bunch out and started my pile of "cool things that I no longer want". I also made a necklace and earrings I plan to sell on Etsy...as soon as I get my paypal working, painting an abstract oil painting, did half an illustration, made dinner, menu planned for the week and went grocery shopping.

While grocery shopping I decided that I had had enough of this toxic eco-bad smelly cleaning nonsense and bought a bunch of Method products. They are wonderful for four reasons.
1)They are completely biodegradable nontoxic ect ect. Seem to be made mostly with corn? Anyway, no harmful chemicals in my air or on my surfaces, and better for the environment.
2)They smell fantastic. Mmm, I have almond wood cleaner, pink grapefruit dish soap and my bathroom stuff is eucalyptus and mint. Delightful.
3)They work really well. Better than the other stuff I was using.
4)They are cute. Laugh if you want but hey, I'm an artist and I like nice things. I don't see how it costs any more to make a nice label than an ugly one. I wish more companies put that kind of effort into presentation.

I was so excited to try out my new products that I did the whole bathroom today. Including pulling everything out of all the cupboards and wiping them down. Threw out a garbage bag worth of stuff. And my bathroom smells so nice. Makes me happy.
Also I cleaned the kitchen, the tops of all the door frames, started another illustration and almost finished it (wasn't in the mood to work on Saturdays :P), made taco salad for dinner, and also made a pasta salad and chickpea salad for tomorrows dinner. Seriously, self high five.

Also, my house has been mostly clean for a week and a half. That's pretty much amazing for me. Almost miraculous really.

Also I have started spell checking my posts. That's for all you crazy writers out there. I make no apologies for my grammer.

Oh hey, PS, I'm making the afore mentioned pile of things I no longer want and it's got some nice stuff in it, just I don't like clutter. So when I finish my spring cleaning I thought I'd have an online garage sale. I'll post pictures of all my things and if you want them you can have them. Just you have to pay the postage if I never see you in real life. Because seriously, I'm not moving stuff I never use.

Ocean Necklace

A pretty necklace for Barbie's birthday. Sorry hun, it'll be in the mail on Monday!

Friday Five

Well today was a pretty good friday. Except that I'm getting a cold and my nose tickles all the time. ALL the time. Make it stop!

1)Sleeping Beauty, a pretty pretty icelandic rocking chair by Gudrun Lilja Gunnlaugsdottir. Say that three times fast.


2)Warping wallpaper by Surrealien. They actually make a grid of your room and warp the wallpaper pattern to match it.



3)A hotel in Austalia, made of concrete drainage pipes. Cozy? Found at Laissezfaire.





4) Tree Dollhouse!


5)This is my favourite today, wonderful flower teasets and dinnerware. Sooo pretty! By Mustardseed & Moonshine

Inappropriate

Here's three inappropriate things kids have done at the pool lately. From mildest to worst.

1)There were two kids in the tots pool, a two year old girl standing on the edge and a four year old boy in the water. The boy gets a big mouthful of water and spits in directly in the little girls left eye. I admit it was pretty funny.

2)A little three year old girl is my preschool lessons. She's this adorable little chubby chinese girl and I love her. She was sitting in the hot tub after lessons singing to herself quietly. I went closer to hear what she was saying and she was singing "gagina gagina". Noticing me sitting near her she said "I have a gagina". I said "um". She said cheerfully "wanna see?"

Oh honey.

3)We have a spray park with large sprinklers and whatnot outside the pool building in the park. I was watching the cute little kids run around when a girl of about six pulls down her bikini bottoms and just starts peeing on the cement. She wasn't near the sprinklers either, just on slightly damp cement. Damper now. She was finished peeing and had pulled her bottoms up when mom noticed. I couldn't hear through the window but there was much angry gestering and some yelling that I guess was along the lines of "You stupid child! Don't urinate in public!"

Ahahaha