Introducing Mei

So this is Mei, she's my first workable doll prototype. She's got a few little things I'll change for the next prototype...but she's still pretty cute and therefore worth sharing. I made her by designing her in photoshop, then printing off onto cotton treated with Bubble Jet Set 2000. She's machine washable! More dolliness to come, I promise you :)

Baby Animals

Barb and I saw these on the way to Nelson on Wednesday. So little and cute!


And my cousin's dog had the littlest cutest puppies ever. It's hard to remember that I'm not a dog person :P

Friday Five

It's so hot

I might die

of the hot

1) Look at these cute Wallflowers by Urban Outfitters. Pretty Pretty. (via ohdeedoh)



2)Beautiful tableware by Lisa Neimeth . I like to think that if I bought these my birder husband would think it money well spent...(via Bloesem)



3)Grouchy Pot by Jennifer Nesbitt.



4)Doileez by Modern Twist. Cool doilies? Never say never! (via Design*Sponge)



5)Run quick and buy a dollypop from Loopsies, they're going fast!

First Fruits

Here's a garden update for you all:

Strawberries have arrived! Hooray! We don't have many but what we have are sooooo good. Mmmm...why do I buy strawberries in the winter?

Mixed salad greens and Russian kale are also up and being eaten. Very yummy. Both are heritage seed packs we got on Saltspring. The kale is smaller and leafier than the kale you buy at stores. Kind of close to arugula.

Tomatoes and squashes are coming along nicely, seeing little fruits growing.

Potatoes, corn, beans, carrots and Swiss chard are all sprouted and growing nicely.

Peppers are still little but seem happy.

Basil is sad, there was too much rain and cold weather. I'm hoping they bounce back as I had big plans for pesto this year. Ah well we shall see.

Well I'm off to Nelson today with Barb and Micah And hopefully she picks up some yummy strawberries on the way to get me. Mmmm, nothing beats living in fruit country for the summer!

If you want a sneak peek at my doll project, head over to Divine Inspiration.

Photolicious

View photos of the Portland Japanese Garden & Rose Garden[HERE]

Re-Brand

New logo for my webpages and to watermark photos:


And spent some time making my signature look nicer than it really was for my art:

A Dolly Friday Five

Mmmm, spent all day working on a new doll. Very exciting stuff. Here's some of my inspiration:

1) Kissing Dolls by Imperfections {are beautiful} (via Bloesem



2)Sophie by Black Apple.



3) Every single doll Hillary Lang has ever made.



4) Pippa and Posie by One Red Robin



5) Lolly Dolly Lottie by Little Dear

Home Again

Mmmm, so nice to sleep in my own bed last night. I had a great vacation though, here's what went on at Craig's Family Reunion:

Thursday: Mom drove us to Spokane, did some quick shopping (new jeans! and a couple tops) and we flew out 5ish. Arrived in Portland an hour later, enjoyed the overall green ivyness and nice warm air and had supper.


Friday: First we went to Powell's Books which was incredible, we spent about $90 on books...but I could have spent sooo much more it was crazy. The store is a city block and three stories high. All new and used books. I could just pitch a tent and live in there. I also bought a cute action figure cause my desk can always use more. Then we went to Anthropologie because it was across the street, very exciting as I always read about it in blogs. Bought a marble owl winestopper, and one for Dad. Theen we visited the Chinese Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Photos to follow. Big family BBQ for supper and some volleyball action.

Saturday: Saturday morning the whole family (meaning grandparents on down) went and played Pigeon Putt which is somewhere in between real golf and minigolf. They're a three par hole and you use a driver and a putter, pretty fun actually. Then Kari and Craig's parents and I went to the Saturday Market and I had a lot of fun chatting up the artists there. I bought a cuuute set of screen printed napkins by Erin Albin. More family dinnerness.

Sunday: Went to the church Craig went to when he lived in Portland for a year as a kid. Then we all went hiking up the Gorge for the afternoon. Very pretty, I took photos, you'll see them later. A bunch of us rented Shooter (which I've seen before but really like). Oh and I bought a digital camera (hooray! because ours was broken)

Monday: Craig's parents, sister (Kari) and us were able to stay in a cabin down in Oceanside and little resorty town on the coast. We left that morning and did some hiking that day. Pictures again to follow.

Tuesday: We drove to Cannon Beach which is a very fun little artsy/touristy/resorty town. I bought a print by this wonderful artist who is webpageless and just enjoyed the atmosphere. It's a pretty beach, lots of sand with these huge dramatic rocks in the ocean. We took everyone out for some yummy seafood as a late Father's Day thingy.

Wednesday: We woke up early and went tide pooling. I have many photos of starfish :P Tide pooling is one of my faaavourite things. Then we had lunch, drove back to Portland and flew home again.

Phew, Whataweek!

Here's my first set of photos, taken at the Chinese Garden (you can view the rest HERE on facebook)

Leave it to Beaver

The Bluebird of Happiness is Sitting on my Head

Well I'm still off in Oregon, but here's a quick little Illo I did up before I left.

A Very Etsy Friday Five

1) Hedgehog Spring Gocco Print by Sepia Lepus



2) Bird and Bloom Necklace by Joanna Rutter



3)Cute Button Magnets by Skin and Tonic Too



4)Beautiful Crochet Hoop Earrings by Tania Nova Chrochet



5)Adorable Yetiness by Plants and Animals

Onwards and Portlandwards

I'm off to Portland for a week to hang out with Craig's family. Many of whom I have never met. Yeees. I have some posts scheduled to amuse you in my absence...but I won't actually be around.

Have a nice week!

On my desk....

I'm working on a bag made out of an old pillowcase. The pocket is tragically a bit small to tuck the bag into...but I embroidered it pretty, that must count for something?

Life this week

Breaking News: Tragedy Strikes!

My jeans have just got a hole and a) I am poor and don't want to buy new ones and b) You cannot buy jeans in this town. Unless I went to SAANS. And I'm not.

You all cared, I know you do.

In other news:

- I am leaving for Portland on Thursday for a week. I's my husbands family get together. I will get to meet a bunch of people I've never seen before including his Grandfather. Aaaand I will get to hang out with Kari (are you excited, Kari?).

I suppose I could also buy jeans there...

- The lady who is running the pool here called me up and said she heard I was looking for a job. I said...."um, not reaaally". Long story short I'm going to teach Aquafit twice a week which should be good times all round.

- It's a good thing I start tonight because I don't feel like running in the torrential downpour that is today. However I have been enjoying my running...finally...and it no longer hurts.

Here's what I like about running:
- My ipod
- The way the clouds roll over the mountain in the morning like a cresting wave
- Watching muskrats play in the canal when I stop to stretch
- Stretching (mmm)
- Stretching afterwords with my bare feet in the grass and farm kitty cats playing with me.
- Feeling stronger and faster every day.

Commissioness

Just finished this commission for Mirtika. It was a bit of a long haul (more detailed than I usually do) but I'm happy with the result and so is she :) She's a writer, in case it's not obvious.

Meet Micah

Here he is, only one day old! Being a baby is very tiring work. Actually I didn't see his eyes once.


And with mommy.


And with the beaver. More on that later.

Sketchy Sunday

Hooray!

So my lurvely cousin Barb just had her baby! His name is Micah, he was born about 2 hours ago (8:08 pm) and was 6 lbs something (11?). I am very excited to meet him, hopefully tomorrow or the next day. Anyway she is well and he is well so all is well.

Here's a few pics I took of her on Wednesday:

Friiiiiday fiiiiive

So I hurt slightly less today than yesterday. It's tragic that I didn't work out for a month and this my lungs have shrunk to the size of peanuts. Traaagic.

On the plus side I finished some art and sewed a cute toy today. Can't show you the toy until Barb gets around to pushing that baby out though. Wouldn't want to ruin the.. er...baby's surprise.

1)Turtle shower timer. They're for kids, but I'd take one. I'm all for short showers but sometimes when I'm sleepy I forget that...(via re-nest)



2)Family Pillow. I guess you pick the characters that most resemble your family and they make you a pillow. I don't know who in my family has bunny ears... (via Black*Eiffel)




3)PURE furniture design by Ami McKay. I love these, her furniture has lovely lines, custom embroidery and is eco-friendly. When I'm rich I'm getting me one of her chairs. (via d*sponge)



4)Pretty Jasmine Pattern Clutch by Moxie & Oliver (via Rare Bird Finds)



5)Gâteau Dish Set. The idea is that you can just stack it up and store it on your counter. It's very pretty. I would probably bump into it and break all my dishes though... (via The Kitchn)

Baby Me

Look it's me...at two...tragically I look older than two but what can you do. This is an example for the kids commissions I'll be offering through my Etsy shop (coming soon to a..er...computer near you).

Baby Update!

No not Barb's baby. She's been in early labour for 24 hours and I believe is having long talks with her belly about it.

Moose babies! Remember the moose that I told you about that we saw giving birth? She had twins and I have not been lucky enough to see them, but Craig and one of his coworkers were watching them yesterday and she took some photos with her telephoto. Look how cute! I might have to stalk the wildlife centre until I see them.






Also? This running thing is painful. Especially with me slamming my finger in the door while leaving the house to go running.