Prairie Wild Rose

The Band Student

2011-03-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

My 13 year old plays baritone in his school band. When he learns to play pieces I am familiar with, I like to find examples on YouTube so he can hear the way it is supposed to sound.

His latest is "My Hat, It Has Three Corners" -- based on The Carnival of Venice folk tune. We found these fun videos:

Violin (I love the hair on the pianist on this one!)

Accordion - this guy makes an old fogey instrument look cool!

Who knew a simple children's song could have such classy variations!

The Books Have It!

2011-03-04T19:21:00.001-08:00

In the last few days, my vintage A.A. Milne (creator of Winnie-the-Pooh) books have made it to the big screen -- in Etsy treasuries, that is. Right now I have three of these lovely books in my OldenDaysBooks etsy shop.

Everybody hates a ban!

2011-03-01T12:11:00.001-08:00

Marcus, at the time of the ban

When my third son Marcus, who is now almost 21, was about 3 or 4, he learned a new word: BANNED. He was a mischievous little tyke and one day his antics with the craft supplies had resulted in a proscription.

He was not impressed. He went around the house, sulking and complaining, making sure we all knew what a burden his ban was. We still laugh about that day!

Upon reading recently that Colonel Gadhafi's funds have been frozen and that he has been banned from travel, I was reminded of Marcus's punishment 16 years ago.

How little life changes as we get older!

Marcus, aged 3 1/2: "I'm banned from glue; I can't use tape. What am I supposed to do?"

Colonel Gadhafi, aged 69: "I'm banned from travel; I can't use my money. What am I supposed to do?"

How to build character, by Miss D

2011-02-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

Miss D, my son's grade 7 homeroom and science teacher, has a recipe for building character: build a bridge using only pasta and glue. Said bridge must be able to support 10x its weight.

Step 1: Buy Pasta. Lots of it. 2.2 kg of spaghetti.

Step 2: Buy Glue. Lots of it.

Step 3: Look for ideas on the internet. Seems like every engineering student at every university in Canada gets this assignment. And we all know about engineering students, right? If they can do it, why can't we?

Step 4: Try various designs. Find out that they don't work. Remember the old adage: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

Step 5: Look on your works (or lack thereof) and despair. Wonder how those engineering students do it. Wonder how other students in the class do it. Wonder if you will ever succeed. Decide that perhaps engineering students are smarter than their ~~immature~~ feckless and carefree behaviour would lead you to believe.

Step 6: In desperation, and at the 11th hour, try a new design. Fall over in surprise when you find out it works. Take a picture, just in case it falls down overnight and you have to prove that you actually built a bridge. Go to bed.

Step 7: Be thankful it survived the night. Spray paint the bridge. Take it to school.

The morning after! Look at all the empties!

Garden Party Dresses

2011-02-20T14:26:00.001-08:00

New in my Etsy shop -- two spring dresses made from vintage, but brand-new, 1970s pansy-print cotton pillowcases. Sizes 2T and 4T.

Made from this thrift shop find:

Inspired by this Anthro dress:

2011-02-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

I started the day right – with a trip to the dentist! Yet another way to build character. I mean, does anyone like going to the dentist? Even though today’s appointment was just a cleaning and I saw only the hygienist, I’m certain it added at least a few grey hairs.

Because we’ve moved numerous times over the years, I’ve patronized quite a few different dentists, some of whom were most definitely "characters."

There was the nice “old” lady in Toronto. She was the first female dentist I’d encountered, and I call her “old” because I was 23 and she had white hair, so to me she was old. I don’t know, maybe she was not really old. Maybe 45 or 50 and just prematurely white? Whatever her age, she was most certainly a lady: elegant, gentle and sweet. She entertained me by telling me that she had recently learned that in spite of its hefty earning potential, dentistry is #1 on the list of stressful professions. In light of this, she had decided to take up a hobby. But do you think I can remember now what that hobby was? She was so dainty and sweet that I picture her doing needlepoint or tending her perennial beds, but it seems to me her chosen stress-buster was something incongruous, perhaps BMX racing or mud wrestling. This dentist is the one who convinced me to start flossing. Thank you, Dr. L.

Then there was our family dentist in St. Catharines, Ontario. A friendly, cheerful thirty-something guy, he was happy to provide good dental care for me and my 2 sons. But he wanted something in exchange. My 3rd and 4th sons arrived during this time, while he somewhat reluctantly welcomed his 3rd daughter. Each time I entered his premises, he had the same questions: “How do you do it? How do you manage to get a boy every time?” I swear he was fishing for information about positions, timing, frequency, etc. – details I was not willing to share. (As if we were trying for all boys anyway!) I switched dentists. Sorry about that, Dr. C.

Our dentist in Istanbul, Turkey, was a young woman who had visited the U.S. when she was in high school. She was thrilled to have a Canadian family on her patient list. Since her spoken English was very limited, most of our conversation was in Turkish, but my 2nd son still remembers the time she used the blower in his mouth, reassuring him, “It’s just hair.” Cute, Dr. B.

When we moved to Richmond, B.C., I needed some major dental work. Although I was over 30, I still had a baby tooth, with no adult tooth in the gum below. Referred to euphemistically as a “retained primary,” that baby tooth was home to the largest of my 4 fillings, and a chunk of the tooth had broken off. “It really should be pulled,” the dentist told me, “but I can fill it again and you can wait for a year or so, see how it goes.” Yes, please. I let him at it. His first step was to put a sort of framework around the tooth, a task made difficult by the proximity of the adjacent tooth. I didn’t actually watch the clock, but I’m pretty sure it took him about 15 minutes to get that thing in place. He was sweating profusely and swearing internally (I could see “#@$^&*%” in large font in the cartoon bubble above his head!) At one point during the proceedings, he burst out with, “Your teeth are phenomenally close together!” Mission accomplished at last, he filled the tooth, seemingly a job well done. Imagine my dismay when a week later the adjacent tooth, which also had a filling, broke. I returned to his office and told him what had happened. He refused to take any responsibility. “Your teeth aren’t that close together,” he said, as he filled the broken tooth. All was well for maybe another 6 weeks. But then the porcelain filling he used for the baby tooth broke. A week later, the porcelain filling in the adjacent tooth broke. Time for a new dentist. Sorry about that, Dr. N.

Enter Dr. Z. He was up for the challenge and replaced the faulty fillings with ugly but serviceable amalgam fillings that lasted another 5 years. That repair job came at a price, however: Dr. Z. was a talker. From the moment I reclined in the chair till I got back on my feet, I had to listen to him ramble on about his wife, his desire for children, his favourite music, his hobbies, and his girlfriend from university who looked just like me. And because my mouth was propped open, yawning was not an option. Shortly after this we moved again. His skill with the drill notwithstanding, I wasn’t altogether sorry to say good-bye to Dr. Z.

Since moving here 10 years ago, I’ve had the same dentist. I’ve given him a bit of business – had the baby tooth pulled and replaced with an implant (a bit of a nightmare) and had a couple of ancient fillings supplanted by porcelain crowns. But the last few years I’ve seen him only once every 12 months, just long enough for him to study the X-rays, peer into my mouth, and say “Everything’s fine. See you next year.” That’s the way I like it!

Good-bye to Brian Jacques

2011-02-16T10:38:00.000-08:00

My 12 year old son and I were sad to hear of the death of Brian Jacques, creator of the Redwall series and its varied and fascinating characters. He left a rich and wonderful literary heritage in his 21 Redwall novels.

Rabbits and their ways

2011-02-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

It may be winter here in Northern Alberta, and the temperatures may dive to -30 Celsius, but the rabbits in our back yard don't care.

Last summer my 18 year old son acquired three rabbits -- sex and type unknown. One was from a friend; the other two were "free to good home" from Kijiji. I don't know whether the nice people who gave him the rabbits would have thought they were going to a good home if they had known the plan: leave them outside, even in the winter. But not only have those rabbits survived, they've actually increased in number. About a month ago, three babies appeared out of nowhere! Now, I do know about rabbits and their proclivity for reproduction. What I didn't know is that they would reproduce even when there is 4 feet of snow on the ground and the temp is -25 C. But ours did. The babies are now almost as big as their parents and happily join them hopping around on the snowdrifts in the back yard.

Character - pass it on!

2011-02-12T19:51:00.001-08:00

February's blogging theme is "Character" (see sidebar button) and I can't think of character without thinking of my mom. She passed away in January 2010, at age 85. The pictures above show one of the things I have to remind me of her: a medal she won in 1942, for excellence in Grade 12 Latin. She had to work hard to succeed in school, so this medal symbolizes her determination and ... well, her character.

My mom was tiny -- no more than 4'10" and less than 100 lbs -- but she was the kind of person who stood out. The best thing about her was the way she made people feel special. She always told us to be kind to others. Well, all parents say that, don't they? But what made my mom unique is that she practiced what she preached. I saw her reach out to people who were lonely or awkward or on the sidelines, so when she told me to do the same, I knew how. Not only that, but I saw firsthand how effective such kindness could be. Over the years I saw people blossom and become less awkward, more lovely, as she gave them attention and made them feel important. After she died I received letters from many people, telling me about how she had touched their lives by her caring and kindness at a time when they needed it most.

I admit that I haven't always followed her example, but I try. And what is really wonderful is that I see my sons trying, too. I got kind of teary-eyed when I read a comment from my 12 year old's gym teacher about how Victor (named after my mom) has made the effort to reach out to a boy who is a bit of an outcast. His grandma Vicki would be proud!

2011-02-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, there's not a lot of green in your closet. I always have to think ahead about what I'll wear on March 17th!

Here's the answer for your little girls if they wear size 5 or size 2T -- pinafore dresses. Repurposed from a vintage tablecloth, these floral print dresses have lots of green without being over-the-top St. Patrick's Day-ish. No shamrocks, no leprechauns, no pots of gold. These dresses can be worn all spring and summer, not just on that one day.

Available in my Etsy shop.

An interesting character

2011-02-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

Love books? Me, too! But apparently not quite as much as the title character of this book: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, by Alison Hoover Bartlett.

This book is the story of book-love gone bad, of a man named John Charles Gilkey who steals books simply because he loves them, craves them, is obsessed with them, and wants to be surrounded by them. The book thief's nemesis, referred to as a "bibliodick," is Ken Sanders, book dealer-cum-detective, who (I am told) becomes as obsessed with catching Gilkey as Gilkey is with stealing books.

I'm only on page 65 (about 200 pages to go) but already I am captivated.

This book first made itself known to me in the Minneapolis airport, while I was en route to Cairo. I was tempted to buy it then, but being a person of disciplined character, I resisted, telling myself I could get it from the library when I returned home. Turns out I should have bought it. I ended up exhausting my book supply early on and spending a small fortune on books at the only English bookstore I could find anywhere in Cairo, Luxor, and Alexandria. The kindly book dealer saw his opportunity and charged me the cover price in American dollars for four USED paperbacks. I would have argued, but there were other customers in the shop, and I am loath to draw attention to myself. Besides, he threw in two fake-parchment bookmarks as a bonus.

Everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood

2011-02-09T07:30:00.001-08:00

Just one of the many, many Little Red Riding Hood capes I have made for little girls who want to dress up as their favourite storybook character.

Not just for Halloween, but also suitable for everyday wear, as affirmed by little girls across the continent!

Available in my Etsy shop .

In praise of wool pants

2011-02-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

I'm sort of becoming addicted to the wool trousers from Banana Republic.

They fit like they were made for me, they keep my legs warm, and (according to Hubby) they make my butt look good. What more can I ask?

And I haven't paid more than $7.00 a pair!

I have these:

... for which I paid $5.00.

And then I have these:

They were $6.99.

And I have these, also $6.99:

Bargain-priced pants, courtesy of our local thrift shops.

These warm and cozy woolen pants help to make our Alberta winters* a little less about building character and a little more about being comfy.

*Today it's relatively warm: -11 C (12F) with wind chill of -16 C (3F) -- there is hope!

Need to build some character?

2011-02-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Interested in building character? Move to northern Alberta, where the very weather conspires to assist you in that task. This photo was taken BEFORE we had the really big snowfall!

A character selling character

2011-02-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

When I hear the word "character" the first thing that comes to my mind is something that happened to me about 24 years ago, when my oldest son was about a year old.

We lived in a high rise apartment building in the heart of Toronto. This building, now notorious for gang activity, murders, and other delights, was at that time home to immigrants from thirty different countries. India, Pakistan, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Trinidad, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh were just a few of the places the building's residents hailed from. We chose that building because we were planning to go overseas to teach English, and we thought living there would be good preparation.

And it was. Not only did we make friends with people from the aforementioned countries, we also experienced water cuts, cockroaches and mice, peeling paint, unusual cooking smells, and the sound of multiple foreign languages. Stepping through the front doors, we left Canada behind and entered another world.

Most of my memories of those days centre around people: sharing meals with neighbours, hosting an after school kids' club, drinking tea with neighbour ladies, talking to people in the elevators.

The word "character," however, evokes a memory of a different sort of person: a door-to-door salesman who knocked on the door one day when I was home alone with my little son.

For some inexplicable reason I answered the door, Toddler Son at my heels.

Standing before me was a young man, and after one of those interminable introductory speeches, he asked whether he could come in to show me his product.

"It's designed to help you build character..." -- he pronounced it "char-AC-ter" (emphasis on the second syllable) -- "in your children..."

By this time I was wondering why I had answered the door. "No, thank you," I said, but that was not what he wanted to hear.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "This is very important. Are you saying you don't want to build char-AC-ter in your children?" This earnest question was accompanied by a pitying look at my little son. You poor boy, he was clearly thinking. What kind of mother do you have? She obviously doesn't care about you.

I smiled graciously at the man and told him politely but firmly that I was not interested in his product.

Eventually, after a few more disparaging remarks, he cast his final blow: "Okay, but you're the loser. YOU'RE A BORN LOSER."

Somehow, I don't think that last line was part of the training program.

2011-02-04T13:22:00.001-08:00

I know, I know... the idea is to blog for 28 days in a row, IN FEBRUARY. But I figure I’m better late than never, it’s never too late to start, and fashionably late is a good thing.

So I missed the first two days of the month. Big deal. The real question is: can I keep it going?

After a serious post yesterday, I thought that today I would try for something light-hearted.

As of the middle of January, there is a new character in my life. A character straight out of a children’s book, The Moffats, by Eleanor Estes.

May I present… Madame.

In The Moffats, "Madame the Bust" dresses up as a ghost on Halloween night to scare Peter Frost, the neighbourhood pest. My dress form's life will probably not be quite that exciting. But hopefully she will derive satisfaction from the knowledge that she is my dream-come-true.

A customizable dress form is every seamstress’s dream. And since she was found at Value Village, this particular Madame is every thrifty seamstress’s dream. The price tag read $14.99, but I had a coupon for 30% off, so she became mine for the hefty sum of $10.50 + GST. A quick Google search revealed that dress forms of Madame’s caliber sell for $295.00. So, my purchase was, as Paddington would say, “very good value indeed.”

At first I wasn’t sure how to make Madame truly mine. This is accomplished by adjusting the dials to the correct measurements. Although I tried it in the store, I couldn’t make it work. But surely, I thought, someone in my house will be able to do it, and I was right. My 18 year old son showed me how. Even the height is adjustable. Now Madame looks like a headless, legless version of yours truly!

Here she is again, modeling the dressing gown I made while channelling Cath Kidston:

I used a thrifted pattern (unused) and thrifted fabric (unused yardage) so the cost was a wee bit less than if I’d ordered from here.

Unfortunately, since Madame entered my life, I have been occupied with my Advanced Financial Accounting course to such an extent that I have barely looked past the door of my sewing room. But I wrote the midterm on February 2^nd, and with that out of the way, I plan to take a few days’ holiday from the books and put Madame to work.

** You can read about the adventures of Madame the Bust. Guaranteed to make you laugh.

Character of a Nation - Egypt

2011-02-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Feeling small at Karnak Temple

What’s wrong with this country, anyway? Don’t the people have any pride, any self-respect? Why is everything so run-down? Don’t people care enough to clean up the garbage?

These were some of the sentiments my son Marcus and I expressed as we walked the streets of Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Port Said back in November, 2010. We had come to Egypt not sure what to expect, but with open minds, ready to explore and learn.

At the halfway point of our trip, when I wrote my postcards, I began by saying, “Three words to describe Egypt: Crowded. Dirty. Noisy.”

Crowded: Our first impression of Cairo was how very crowded it was. At almost any time of day its streets teemed with people: many going to work or shopping, but seemingly the same number just hanging out. Groups of men, standing around in front of shops. Groups of men, sitting on kitchen chairs in front of apartment doorways. This in itself was somewhat intimidating, but what made it worse was the fact that as Westerners, we could not take more than a few steps without being accosted.

“My friend, are you looking for Egyptian Museum? I will show you.”

“Come into my shop. No buy. Just look. Very good things.”

“Where you from?” “Canada.” “Canada Dry! You want to go Egyptian Museum?”

An hour of this was enough to teach us to look straight ahead as we ploughed through the crowds and to ignore any ostensibly friendly overtures. Sometimes, however, even when we rebuffed our would-be guides, they insisted on walking with us, following in our wake, offering advice, directions, or suggestions, and then when they decided they were finished, they’d ask for tips. How to win friends and influence people? I don’t think so!

English is not widely spoken in Egypt, even in the tourist areas, but anyone who is anyone knows the word “Tips.” The young man who led our camels as we rode to the Pyramids spoke reasonably good English, but when the tour was over and we were on the way back, he too he said the magic word – no, not “Please,” but “Tips”. I gave him 100 Egyptian pounds. (We had paid dearly for the camels, and 100 pounds seemed more than adequate.) This was, you might think, his cue to say “Thank you,” but you would be wrong. He saw it as his cue to complain: “This small money,” he whined. And the whining and complaining continued as we rode back to the stable, as we met up with our taxi driver, and even as we waved goodbye. Do modern Egyptians have so little dignity, we puzzled, thinking of the tomb paintings of proud scribes and priests. Doesn’t this young man realize how pathetic his attitude makes him look?

Dirty: I remember once, years ago, reading about what I thought was an unspeakably sad situation: families in Egypt who lived in a garbage dump. Of course I still think this is sad, but after seeing garbage scattered and mounded on the streets of several Egyptian cities, it no longer seems quite so dramatic. Once again, a short time on the streets provided all the incentive we needed to cast our eyes downward regularly to ensure we did not step on discarded tea bags, potato chip wrappers, empty kosheri containers, rotten tomatoes, or worse. By worse, I mean hoofs or even entrails, the leftovers of animal sacrifices. Our visit took place during the post-Haj holiday commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. At this time, Muslims around the world celebrate by sacrificing animals. I witnessed this when I lived in Istanbul in the early 1990s, but guess what? Immediately afterwards, people cleaned up the mess. Not so in Cairo, Port Said, or Alexandria. To be fair, I’m sure some of the people cleaned up, but those who didn’t bother made life mighty unpleasant for the rest of us. How can they stand this, we wondered, as we watched the endless crowds of people strolling along, oblivious to the mess beneath their feet. Just another day on the Corniche (waterfront street.)

Speaking of the Corniche, the one along the Nile in Cairo sounded tempting, so we ventured out one day to take a look. Our disappointment upon seeing the river cluttered with water bottles and other garbage was rivalled only by our disgust as we picked our way through the garbage on the sidewalk. Do Egyptians have no pride, we asked each other. Don’t they realize that people from all over the world are coming here and looking at this famed river? Don’t they care?

Noisy: Grown men standing around on the streets till four in the morning, talking and shouting. Horns honking, not because someone is in the way, not because another driver failed to move when the light turned green, but Just Because. And I am convinced that car alarms are installed not to deter thieves, but as a form of entertainment. Policemen stand at intersections, shouting and issuing blasts of their whistles, ignored by drivers and pedestrians alike.

On Fridays the streets echo with the sound of voices broadcast from the minarets of mosques. Within a city block, there might be two or three mosques, and from each issues an imam’s voice. Kind of like having three TVs, each tuned to a different channel, in the same room. With the volume turned up All The Way! Mingled with the everyday sounds of shouting, honking horns, car alarms and sirens, the resulting din perfectly illustrates the term “cacophony.”

Now, wait a minute! Before you feel sorry for me because I spent a couple thousand dollars traveling to such a terrible place, let me assure you that there is another side to the story. Most obvious is that in November the temperature was consistently in the high twenties or low thirties (Celsius, that is.) For a resident of northern Alberta, this alone makes the trip worthwhile. Add on the privilege of seeing Hatshepsut’s temple, the Pyramids, the Sphinx, King Tut’s treasures, the Valley of the Kings, the Suez Canal, six-hundred year old mosques and churches, and the value-for-dollar increases dramatically. Swimming for hours in the Mediterranean is almost enough to make up for any other deficiencies.

And the people. True, we had some negative encounters, but we also met some wonderfully friendly, cheerful, pleasant Egyptians who took pride in their work and their country. On our first morning at the hostel, two burka-clad young women and their male cousin surprised us by inviting us to join them at their breakfast table, and in a combination of broken English and sign language, we talked about Canada, about their home on the Mediterranean, and about the fertility treatment one of the young women was undergoing. The young man even asked Marcus to friend him on Facebook.

I was sorry I couldn’t speak Arabic and actually engage in conversation with people, but I made do with the next best thing: People Watching. Truth be told, I kind of like crowds, and there was plenty of scope for the imagination, as Anne of Green Gables would say, in every Egyptian crowd. I was fascinated -- in a Muslim country -- to see hoards of young couples, walking hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm, talking amiably. The female half of these couples almost always wore the Hijab, the Muslim head covering, but I was impressed with the individuality displayed. In Turkey the “covered ladies” wore drab colours: browns and greys and dark blues, but Egyptian women seem to favour bright colours: hot pink was popular, along with yellow, sky blue, and red. Even the women who wore the black “abaya” glammed it up with sequins and metallic embroidery, making an otherwise all black garment festive and pretty.

But back to that first day in Cairo. We did eventually make it to the Egyptian Museum, even without accepting directions from the man on the street; and its collections are every bit as impressive as one would expect. Yet even there, a world-renowned museum visited every year by thousands of tourists, decay and decrepitude were evident. Renovations were underway, so presumably improvements were anticipated, but in the meantime, neglect and indifference seemed to dominate. Many of the exhibits were not labelled, and of the existing labels, not a few were peeling or illegible. In the Sarcophagus room, a thick layer of dust covered everything. But really, how could we complain? We were seeing In Real Life items that had been handled by the ancient Egyptians, treasures three and four thousand years old. A little dust or a few faded labels – who cares?

What we didn't realize at the time is that we were seeing not only ancient artefacts, but also a foreshadowing of future events. The dissatisfaction, the lack of pride and dignity, the dirt and noise and restlessness -- all were early warning signs of a disease that is now full-blown.

When I first heard about the crisis in Egypt, I had an eerie sense of having visited the country at a pivotal time in history.

Back in November, we could tell something was wrong, but we didn’t know what it was. It seems evident now that until Tunisia started the ball rolling, not even the Egyptians themselves knew the cause of their malaise. We knew we were looking at a puzzle, but we could not even begin to assemble it. But as I listened to this report (partially transcribed below) from the BBC‘s Jon Leyne, the puzzle pieces suddenly fell into place and I look back on my time in Egypt, the things I saw and the people I met, with new eyes. Now I read the news about Egypt every day, hopeful that from the ashes of these disastrous events, a Phoenix of new hope and vitality will emerge, an Egypt ready to offer freedom and opportunity to its citizens, in the place of oppression and despair.

“[The feeling is that] Egypt has not progressed under Hosni Mubarak’s rule, that he’s brought stability, but people believe Egypt has lost influence… it’s really in quite a bad state of decay in many ways, with the infrastructure, and the economic situation… education, even though it’s improved, it’s still very poor by world standards. And also people tell you that Egypt doesn’t have a dream. Egypt in the past has always had a dream… as far back as the Pharaohs … and now it’s very humdrum, and they don’t really have any vision for the future of this country. And above all, people here, they can’t express themselves anymore, not so much for lack of freedom of the press, but the lack of openness of the political system, so there’s no way to vent that frustration.” (Jon Leyne, BBC, Jan 25, 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12272836)

And for those who don't believe I really rode a camel:

New in my Etsy shop...

2009-11-29T15:09:00.000-08:00

Some winter dresses:

Jack and the Beanstalk A-line Jumper:

Square-neck Plaid Flannel Jumper Dress:

Dick and Jane fabric peasant dress:

Grosgrain: Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-11-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Grosgrain: Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Another great giveaway for clothes from Aunty Ollie. Cute, cute stuff!

Poppies for remembrance - giveaway

2009-11-10T07:49:00.001-08:00

Aren't these poppies just perfect? They are being offered in a giveaway on the Grosgrain blog:

Grosgrain: Becky Mae Poppy Fields Necklace and Earring Set GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood

2009-10-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

I've been busy stitching up red capes with the requisite hoods so that little girls everywhere can pretend to be Little Red Riding Hood. Each cape has unique features: different linings, trims, etc.

They are sold out right now, but more are on the way. Look for them tomorrow in my Etsy shop.

tutorial: lined jumper/pinafore dress

2009-10-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to an email from a complete stranger, thanking me for my Lined Jumper/Pinafore Tutorial.

What tutorial? I thought. Oh yeah, the one I wrote about a year ago. I'd forgotten all about it. It outlines the system I used to make these and many other pinafore dresses.

I was pretty tickled to know it was helpful to someone. Find the tutorial here.

French for Fall

2009-10-03T08:30:00.001-07:00

What's not to love about the fall fashions from Makié?

Charcoal tunic sweater:

Gathered skirt; grey stripe:Long-sleeve striped T-shirt in a soft grey:

OK, so the price is a bit hefty, but a girl can dream!

The Big Four

2009-10-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Four places I go over and over:

the woods behind our house
my ESL class
Superstore (love their fresh-baked baguettes!)
church

Four places I would rather be:

Vancouver/B.C. coast
Istanbul
Toronto
New York City

Four things I have for breakfast (not all at once):

Shredded Wheat & Bran cereal
bagel
fresh fruit, usually an apple or orange
coffee

More wind

2009-09-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Wind, wind, wind. That's the story this autumn.

When I took Maggie for a walk today, I saw evidence of Wind at Work...

a tree hanging over the path:
a tree in the middle of the path:
a cracked tree, ready to topple over. Fortunately, away from the path.

...and the famous Leaning Tree. It has been like this for a couple of months. When do you think it will fall?

Photos taken with my cell phone (not a Blackberry) -- not bad snaps, eh?

Woo-hoo ~ A give-away

2009-09-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today PrairieWildRose is featured on the great Canadian shopping blog, Glimpse. Check it out!

Sign up for the give-away and hope to win!

Freecycle

2009-09-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

We're spending Labour Day doing a little labour. About a year ago we moved my mom (who used to live with us) into an assisted living centre and we still had a lot of her stuff around. We were not sure what she would need once she was settled, so we hung on to almost everything and didn't really do much to rearrange her part of the house. But it is finally time to clean up and get the extra stuff out.

Freecycle to the rescue! If you've never freecycled something, why not check it out? There are groups all over Canada and the US, and probably other areas as well. Click on the logo to find out more.

Autumn in Alberta

2009-09-04T14:53:00.001-07:00

I think it's official: after a week of 30 degree Celsius weather, today is blustery and cold, and yes, there are red leaves on one of the trees. These photos were taken of the trees in our yard and the neighbours' yard. Can you see the wind?

The Joy of Thrifting

2009-09-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

My brother is coming for a visit! Arriving Friday at about midnight. He lives in Ontario, so he doesn't get out this way very often.

Now this brother (my only one) is a pretty sophisticated dude. He has a PhD in Forensic Psychology and sometimes has to testify in court -- you know, like that chick on Law & Order who says whether someone is crazy or not. So as I was getting the spare room ready for Dr. Brother I realized that our twin bed sheets are looking like they've been used by four or five boys. Well, they have been used by four or five boys, so it's no wonder. I decided new sheets were in order.

On my way into the city, I have to pass a Goodwill store, so I decided to stop there first, just to see if they might happen to have some tasteful, like-new sheets on the rack. Yes, they did. Only these sheets were not like new, they were brand new. 100% cotton, high thread count and even sort of classy. You can see them in the picture - cream colour with a navy stripe. But that's not all. I also found 2 pillow cases to match my Ikea Rosali paisley duvet cover (which I found on an earlier visit to this thrift shop!)

But that's still not all. I also found these groovy, brand new vintage 1970s floral 100% cotton pillowcases. Won't they be just perfect next summer for a little girl's pinafore style dress? Or I can always use them as pillowcases. There were actually four of these beauties on the rack, but I bought only two of them. Sometimes I am like that at thrift stores, and I always live to regret it. This time I hesitated because I thought maybe once they were washed the cotton would not feel as nice. But it does. So maybe I will have to go back.

Even if I don't go back, though, it was a good day at the thrift store!

Whooo likes Owls?

2009-09-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

I love owls, and I especially love this owl print fabric from Robert Kaufman. I've combined it with pink polka dots to make some cute little peasant tops, perfect for fall. Available in sizes 2T and 4T, in my Etsy shop.

Iraqi Bundles of Love

2009-09-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

These might look like ordinary parcels. I'm sure the postal workers will think they are ordinary parcels. But they are not ordinary parcels. No, they don't contain anthrax spores or explosives or even toxic liquids! Quite the opposite, in fact. These humble parcels are bundles of love -- Iraqi Bundles o f Love, to be specific. And guess what they do contain? Fabric, from my stash. Ribbon, rickrack, buttons and thread, again from my stash. On their way to Iraq to share a little love with a sister seamstress who doesn't have access to the amazing fabric stores we have here, and who certainly doesn't have the money to order from one of the online fabric shops we take for granted.

Please click on the link above to find out more and to learn how you can participate in this project.

Where's the Pied Piper when you need him?

2009-08-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

"Hello? Pied Piper? My home town is under attack!"

I grew up in a small prairie city called Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It's a quiet, pretty town, with a creek winding through and lots of parks. The scene in this picture is just a block from my old home, and is where I used to walk my dogs:

There are a couple of major league hockey players from Swift. The premier of Saskatchewan hails from there. But Swift Current has never been really newsworthy until a few weeks ago, when the story of the rat invasion hit the press. This is scary stuff. I had never even seen a rat until I was 20 and went to Chicago to live. Gophers, yes, on the prairie surrounding the city (see above.) Grasshoppers, yes, even in town. But rats? No way!

I'm glad they decided to hold a meeting to decide what to do about the problem. I heard that while the meeting was in progress and during the time taken by city council to review the motions, suggestions, complaints, ideas, and proposals tendered at the meeting, 500 baby rats were added to the fold.

They'd better do something -- quick!

Here's the skinny

2009-08-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

For only $2.7 million U.S. you could purchase the narrowest house in New York! Three floors -- a total of 990 square feet -- plus a finished basement that is accessed by a trapdoor in the kitchen. How cool is that? And if all this isn't enough, the house has been home to anthropologist Margaret Mead, poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, and children's author Ann McGovern.

Giveaway - lots of goodies

2009-08-08T12:56:00.001-07:00

I received a link to a great giveaway at An Exaltation of Larks. What a delightful name for a blog -- and what a delightful blog! Check it out!

A few new shop items

2009-08-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I finished up a few of the UFOs that were hanging around my sewing room, so they are now listed in my Etsy shop.

This sundress is made from one of my favourite contemporary fabrics: Alexander Henry's bird seed print. Accented with polka dots for a simple, swingy little dress that will keep her cool on the hottest summer days (which, incidentally, we do not have many of around here.)

I just love this blue vintage seersucker fabric, printed with white Japanese-style birds. I used the last of it to make this dress, and the photo simply does not do it justice.

I taught ESL this morning, this time working with the Literacy Group -- students who don't read and write in their native languages. I had one student from Afghanistan, one from Somalia, and another from Ethiopia. What a wonderful group of people! They are all over 40 and they try so hard to practice what they are learning, but obviously the hurdles are immense. One lady, a 45 year old widow with 11 children (yes, eleven!), was especially diligent, and her 15 year old son even came along to help her.

This afternoon, I have to hit the books, studying accounting for leases and accounting errors, as I prepare for my final exam. I will be so glad to have this class behind me... August 13, here I come! There will be plenty of study time in between, but a nice hot cup of tea and a bowl of Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop helps the medicine go down.

Shopping List Saturday - vintage linens

2009-08-01T11:03:00.001-07:00

I recently saw a gorgeous quilt made with patches cut from vintage sheets, and that is the inspiration for this shopping list. Click on the photos to go to the listings.

Vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Set - Mixed Florals by twinfiber

Vintage Linen Bundle by weetreasures1

The Ultimate 70's Sheet Set by inthewardrobevintage

La La Lovely Linens by JaneSaysVintage

Shopping list Saturday highlights listing from various Etsy sellers. Visit fancypicnic's blog to see more lists.

Attempts at Quilting

2009-07-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

Looking at some of the many quilting blogs out there got me in the mood to try it for myself. That's right, I have never made a quilt. Well, I did a long time ago, when I was in university -- it was an appliqued baby quilt, which I made as a gift for a friend who was having her first baby, and I shudder now to think how bad it must have been. It was most definitely a case of "it's the thought that counts."

I had a few rules for myself about quilting: 1) I want to use scraps only -- somehow, going out and buying fabric yardage to make a quilt just doesn't sit right with me. Especially when I have so many scraps sitting around just begging to be made into a pretty new quilt. 2) I don't want to use batting. I don't like the feel of thick quilts, and I also want to be sure the finished product will be completely machine washable. So, I finally read somewhere that you can back the quilt with fabric -- flannel or canvas, depending on the weight and coziness you want, and then quilt the two layers.

I started with my Hannah Bella fabric scraps (above.) Because the rose prints are quite large scale, I didn't want to cut the scraps into tiny pieces. So, I made several long strips of various widths, depending on the size scraps. I sewed the smaller scraps together to make patches the right size, and then sewed the long strips together. I think it turned out OK, but I am not sure I would do it this way again. This quilt is backed with white flannel and is the right size to work as a large crib or pram quilt. I still have to hand-stitch the binding.

Now I am starting a nine-patch quilt. It is a little bit humiliating to think that Laura and Mary (of The Little House books) made nine-patch squares as a beginner project when they were about 9 years old! Oh well, I know how to do some stuff that they would never dream of -- so there!

Here are my first two nine-patch squares. I want to try to make two of these each day and then eventually I will have enough to sew them together to make a twin-size quilt. These fabrics are also scraps -- some are even thrifted fabrics, so that really appeals to my frugal tendencies. I was quite pleased that the two finished squares are exactly the same size -- I think that means I did something right!

Canoeing on the River Part II

2009-07-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing," he went on dreamily: "messing -- about -- in -- boats -- messing --"

"Look ahead, Rat!" cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.

"-- about in boats -- or with boats," the Rat went on composedly.... "In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter."

(from The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame)

After our almost disastrous day canoeing down the North Saskatchewan River -- the day we almost didn't make it back to civilization -- we decided we had to try again. The forecast this time: clear skies and a high of 33 degrees Celsius. Ooohh, it was gorgeous. We don't get many such days in these here parts. Four hours on the river, messing about in boats, is the only appropriate way to spend a day like today.

Victor and I kept cool by swimming alongside the canoe (helped by the racing current) for a nice long stretch. However. It is not easy to get back into the canoe when the water is up past your neck, the current is so strong you can barely stand, and the rocks are slippery. Don't ask me how I know that.

This is the sight that greeted us at the end of our trip, just before the boat launch. Yes, those are cars and trucks and things that go, lining the river bank. We much prefer the quiet stretches further upstream!

My favourite people

2009-07-23T07:44:00.001-07:00

In the last couple of weeks my list of favourite people has grown by seven: the consistent attendees of my ESL class. They've come to Canada from Somalia, Mexico, Korea, and Guatemala, and they are just beginning their English-learning journey. Why do I like them so much? Well, individually they are lovely and interesting people, and I enjoy talking with each of them, but put them together as a group and something occurs that lifts them beyond merely "interesting and nice" to new levels. Spectacular. Inspiring. Amazing, even. To watch them -- Muslim women wearing the hijab, a young Latina wearing a skimpy tank top and tight jeans, a shy thirty-something Korean mom, a plump older Mexican woman, a couple of young, earnest Mexican guys, talking and joking and asking each other questions about their lives, accepting their differences and sharing the common challenges and joys of being newcomers to Canada -- does much for my faith in mankind. And people who can do that deserve to be on a favourites list, no?

From the sewing room

2009-07-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Preparing for my Financial Accounting III final and teaching ESL have left me very little time lately for my sewing room.

I did manage to stitch up a few little items. Simple things. But simple is good, right? Now available in my Etsy shop:

Classic peasant dress made from sweet vintage cotton:

Cool and comfy swing top made from a super soft navy blue linen:

And a twirly gingham skirt -- made from soft cotton gingham, not that cheap poly-cotton stuff:

Giveaway - Cornflower Dress

2009-07-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

This is not my giveaway, but someone sent me a link to a chance to win this fab cornflower print dress, from Amoretti. Click on the photo to enter the giveaway.

what the well-dressed Montessori schoolgirl is wearing

2009-07-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

A sweet repeat customer sends her 5 year old daughter to a Montessori school. Instead of a uniform, students are allowed to wear regular clothes, as long as they are navy blue and white. So here is what Mrs. G & I came up with. A white-on-white cotton peasant top, shirred and trimmed with lace. Navy blue twill pants with two rows of ruffles. A white peasant top made from embroidered gauze, with lots of elastic shirring. And a dark denim skirt with vintage ribbon and rickrack for trim. I think this little girl will look pretty darn cute when she starts kindergarten this fall.

The Teacher is a Student

2009-07-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

... or The Student is a Teacher, whichever you prefer. That student/teacher would be me, in the Community EAL (English as Additional Language) Class. Every Monday and Wednesday, I leave the small town behind and drive into the heart of the big city, where students from all over the world meet to learn English. They come from Mexico, Guatemala, Somalia, Ethiopia, Congo, Hungary, Afghanistan...

As part of my postgraduate TESOL college program, I help the lead teacher and even teach on my own from time to time. Today they were reviewing the present progressive tense -- easy, right? Except that one must always remember to use the verb "to be" along with the "ing" form of the main verb. Not so easy, obviously! I don't envy these students their task of learning English, but I do admire their unwavering perseverance. And I hope I can assure them it will not go unrewarded.

The flowers? Nothing to do with English lessons. We finally had some rain here, after weeks of dry weather and panic on the part of the local farmers. The woods behind our home are in bloom, with wild roses, bunchberries (above) and these "pink things" whose name I know not.

The Badlands

2009-07-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness! Has it really been a month and a half since I last posted? So much has happened, and life has been so busy...

One weekend of the time between my last post and today was spent camping in the Red Deer River Valley, at the Bleriot Ferry Provincial Recreation Area. This is a no-frills campground, with only pit toilets, so a 3-night stay there was long enough. But it is beautiful; we saw lots of wildlife, including antelope, deer, coyotes, partridges, eastern kingbirds, sapsuckers, meadowlarks, cottontail rabbits, and chipmunks. A short path led from our campsite through the bush to a sandy little beach on the river, and the ferry was just a short walk away. Victor spent hours swimming and snorkeling in the river, a safe and fun swimming pool, where the water reaches no more than 3 feet deep.

We took a ride across on the ferry: one minivan with us inside and the ferryman standing on the deck. Free. Fun. Slow. The ferry is named after Andre Bleriot, brother of the famous French aviator, Louis Bleriot, hero of The Glorious Flight, one of our favourite kids' books. Andre began homesteading in this area in 1902, and established the ferry in 1913.

After crossing the river, we drove to Drumheller, where we visited our old friend, the largest dinosaur in the world. That's Victor, sitting on his foot.

We also did some climbing at the Hoodoos and other spots along the way.

Of course, Drumheller is also home to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, but since we have been there already many times, we decided to skip that this time around.

a welcome guest

2009-05-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

Look who has made her home in our big spruce tree! From our living room windows we can just see the tip of her tail, but last night I managed to stand on tiptoe and reach way up and get this picture. Under her warm body are five perfect pale blue eggs, which should be hatching in about 3 weeks. Since it is (sigh) snowing today and more snow is expected, it is extra special to know that this little lady believes in the advent of warm weather and new life.

Shopping List Saturday - rest your pretty head

2009-05-16T15:50:00.001-07:00

Anticipating the arrival of our new furniture has me thinking about some new accessories, namely some throw cushions. Why I even bother having cushions on my couch is beyond me. In our house, home to 5 boys, the emphasis is definitely on "throw"! They always seem to spend most of their time on the floor. But, I still like the way they look when they are on the couch, and keep picking them up, so I guess you could say I sort of dig my own grave.

When I searched for some great throw cushions on Etsy, two sellers' wares consistently caught my eye. So here are some beautiful and original cushions from:

1) Sassypillows:

Silky copper striped pillow:

Burgundy, rose and bronze striped pillow cover -- I especially love this one!

Monet's Garden pillow:

2) Olive:

Your Grandma's Floral Bedsheets pillow. I love poppies!

So many birds, so many cages. We are a bird-lovin' household.

And last, but most definitely not least, the Antique Shop on 7th Avenue Pillow. Olive has several of this type of pillow in her shop, and they are works of art!

To view more Saturday shopping lists, take a look at fancypicnic's blog, where you will find the full list of participants.

Furniture Shopping

2009-05-16T15:38:00.001-07:00

Well, we did a little shopping today... long overdue living room furniture shopping. For weeks now, I have been wrestling with the decision about exactly what I want, how much I want to spend, whether to buy something new or hope to be frugal and find something used in great condition on Kijiji or Craigslist. I tried to do the latter, but after coming in too late with my request for yet another pre-owned set, we finally decided to bite the bullet and buy new.

We ended up with this sofa and matching love seat in dark burgundy -- the perfect colour to go with our Turkish carpets.

And I didn't buy it yet, but I have my eye on this super comfy chair, in a fabric to coordinate with the leather pieces. They claim to have a choice of 400 different fabrics, so I should be able to find something I can live with! The chair is named Daisy; how can you not love a chair with a name like that?

Shopping List Saturday -- something's fishy

2009-05-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

My 11 year old, Victor, is really into fish. He has a 50-gallon aquarium with guppies, a rope fish, cichlids and some others with whom I am not yet acquainted. But he wanted a small fish tank to house one or two select, elite fish who could live on his dresser top. So when we were garage saling and spotted a little aquarium, complete with filter and light, for only $5.00, we knew it had Victor's name on it. It is on his dresser now, waiting to welcome its new occupants.

This Saturday's shopping list is devoted to fish of all shapes and sizes.

Here is a classy looking guy, a hand carved wooden trout. Find him, along with other works of art, in casualcarver's Etsy shop.

If your taste runs more to jewelry and starfish, these earrings might be just the thing. Made by WhirlingRainbow.

On the whimsical side, and perfect for embellishing a child's T-shirt or beach tote, this goldfish applique is adorable and a great deal. From april0115

Another stunning piece of jewelry. This Koi pendant by homespuncity is fine silver and so elegant looking!

More koi, on this lovely Japanese canvas tote bag, by tagodesign.

To see more Saturday shopping lists, please visit fancypicnic's blog, where you will find a list of all the participants. Happy shopping!

New in Etsy Shop

2009-05-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

A few new items listed in my Etsy shop:

Handy linen tote bag with floral lining, straps and outside pocket.

Jumbo gingham in bright pink -- a peasant top with vintage trims.

And, a simple A-line jumper in the sweet pink sparrows fabric.

The Coke Bottle

2009-05-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

They were walking home from Safeway, the mom and her teenage son. He was maybe 13 or 14 and as big as or bigger than his mom, but she was carrying three of the grocery bags, while he carried only one. But it wasn’t as if his other hand was empty. No, in it was a half-full bottle of Coke.

We met at the crosswalk and exchanged brief nods. I was crossing from north to south, going towards the mailbox; they were headed the other way. After I mailed my parcels I crossed back over to the north side of the street, and being a brisk walker I soon caught up to them. I was just in time to see Helpful Son toss his Coke bottle to the ground. Mom and Son then turned onto a path, presumably in the direction of home.

Always eager to be helpful and thinking of course that he probably hadn’t noticed that he was minus his Coke bottle, I called out in a cheerful voice, “You dropped your Coke bottle.” Turning, he looked back at me and took a couple of steps in my direction, but then apparently decided it wasn’t worth it and started off again after his mother.

As I continued on my way, I looked around me at the discarded drink cups, paper bags, chocolate bar wrappers, and cigarette packages littering the grass along the sidewalk, and I wondered who is to blame… parents or children?

Signs of Spring - Pussy Willows

2009-04-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

There is no better sight after a long harsh Alberta winter than a sprig of pussy willow. And what better to hold them than this vintage vase, from my mom's collection? This combination, adorning my kitchen windowsill, makes me smile.

Turkish Cooking

2009-04-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

When we lived in Istanbul, Turkey (1993 - 1996) one of the things we loved was the food! Since returning to Canada I have made a few Turkish dishes. Some have turned out fine, but it seems like others just don't taste the same when I use locally available ingredients. A Google search led me to this site: Binnur's Turkish Cookbook. I could just tell the recipes were written especially for the North American cook using North American ingredients, and I have been waiting for a chance to try some of them.

Well, our small group from church decided to have a Turkish dinner this evening, so Dave and I have been busy preparing some of our Turkish faves: Spinach Borek, Inegol Kofte (meatballs), and Chicken Kebabs.

The finished borek:

Signs of Spring -- Crows?

2009-04-09T15:11:00.001-07:00

We are still waiting for the robins to come back from the south, but the crows are here. Yes, we live so far north that even big tough crows need to go south for the winter. I looked out today to see these big bad guys sitting in our tree. I prefer to see chickadees and nuthatches, or even blue jays, but at least I can be glad that a crow sighting means spring is here.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-04-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just made a batch of these irresistible muffins and thought I'd share the recipe. The original recipe is from a little spiral-bound book called simply Muffins: A Cookbook, but I made so many changes that I had to write the recipe over. The muffins from my version have more fibre, less fat, and less sugar than the original, and they are every bit as tasty.

Here it is:
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups natural bran
1 cup oatmeal
3 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt
2 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla

In large mixing bowl combine bran, oatmeal, beaten eggs, yogurt, milk, oil and applesauce. Mix well. Add sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Mix. Add baking powder and mix until dissolved (I hate lumps of baking powder in my muffins!) Add flour and stir just until moistened.

Spoon into muffin pans. I use the silicone pans, which make clean-up so much easier.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Makes 24 muffins.

Good reading for 10 year olds

2009-04-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

My 10 year old was jonesin' for something good to read. I made several suggestions, but none of them appealed to him until I remembered a book series we had read aloud to his older brothers many moons ago. By Canadian author, the late John White, The Archives of Anthropos is a fantasy series similar to the Narnia books. Of course we all know that no one does it quite like C.S. Lewis, but these books come close. Victor started The Sword Bearer, the first book in the series, and couldn't put it down. We are sharing the reading, so I get to revive some old memories at the same time as he discovers new treasure.

Just for laughs

2009-04-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I signed up for the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) to post on my blog every day throughout the month of April. Today is a busy day and I don't have a lot of time, so I thought I'd just post a couple of things that make me laugh.

This is not only funny, but all-too-true:

And this is a Help Wanted ad that appeared in our local paper. For real.

My four teen sons have spent many hours working at this McDonalds (one still works there) and they would confirm that after this ad appeared, the owner could be said to have Egg (McMuffin) on his face!

Shopping List Saturday -- ladybug love

2009-04-04T11:35:00.001-07:00

One of my favourite childhood memories is a trip we made to my dad's homeland, Holland. I was only 8 so I don't remember a lot about that trip, but one thing I do remember is picking out a little ladybug ring at a street market.

Even now, many years later, ladybugs still fill me with a sense of awe -- their perfection, their goodness, their whimsical charm. They are the inspiration for today's shopping list.

I think these Ladybug Earrings are just the cutest! From JenniShea.

Little ladybird top, by LittleBlueWren. If I had a little girl, she would be wearing this!

Ladybird Drawstring bag to hold all her necessities, from elissahill.

I love this 8" x 10" print: Ladybug on rosebush. This is by a fellow Albertan Etsy seller, GenuineArt.

Don't you think your tea or coffee would taste better in this Ladybird Mug? By agatka. There's even a matching bowl, and you can custom order a plate to complete the set.

Penny the Ladybug leather keychain, perfectly adorable! By leatherprince. This shop has dozens of fun leather items.

To see more Saturday shopping lists, please take a look at the full list of participants on fancypicnic's blog.

Like an army defeated

2009-04-04T07:50:00.001-07:00

Like an army defeated
The snow hath retreated,
And now doth fare ill
On the top of the bare hill

... from Written in March, by William Wordsworth

Every time I see the snow inching away from the edge of the sidewalk or creeping back from the bare grass on the hill, I think of these lines. Of course, it is April, not March, and the snow hath not exactly made its full retreat yet, but this is northern Alberta after all, and at least it's a start. Once we start to see those bare patches, brown and dismal looking though they are, we know that spring is really truly on its way.

This winter we really did feel as if the snow was an army to be defeated. Each time we cleared the sidewalk or driveway, we heaved the proverbial sigh of relief, only to be faced with yet another battle a day or two later. What a feeling of victory it gives us now to see the sun doing the work in our place, and to see the snow meekly giving way!

New in my Etsy shop

2009-04-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

Once again I've been busy filling orders for white ruffled pantaloons. Just finished a pair last night and took the dogs along to the mailbox with the parcel this evening. To break up the monotony of all that white fabric and all those ruffles, I did some work on shares and retained earnings, contributed surplus and dividend distribution, and all that good stuff (for my distance learning accounting class.)

I also took the scissors to another vintage tablecloth -- this one printed with beautiful blue poppies -- and stitched up a couple of eye-catching little pinafore dresses. In size 2T and 3T, these are now listed in my Etsy shop. Tomorrow I start on a new pair of pantaloons!

Does size matter?

2009-04-01T17:55:00.001-07:00

Shame, shame, all you dirty minded people!

I am talking about dogs. Big dogs vs small dogs. We have a small dog. Maggie. She is a Shih-Poo (Shih Tzu/Poodle cross) and weighs only about 14 pounds.

This week we are dog-sitting for some friends. They have a big dog. Bebe. She is a German Shepherd/Whippet cross and although she is slim, weighing in at 40 pounds, she is tall and takes up a lot more room than Maggie.

Bebe is well-behaved, and Victor and his friends are having a blast with her, but we all agree... size matters. We'll take a small dog any day.

Once arrived at our place, Bebe lost no time in establishing herself as Alpha, first by grabbing Maggie with her forepaws and playing with her as if she was a stuffed toy, and later by eating the food in Maggie's dish and then growling at Maggie when she dared to approach her own dish. Maggie now eats only when Bebe is safely out of the room. It's a good thing Bebe will be here only a few more days!

Today Victor and I, along with two of his friends, took the dogs to the off-leash dog park, which is about a 15 minute walk from our place.

The boys found a place to roll down the hill. There is still lots of snow, but it was warm and sunny.

A good time was had by all, dogs and boys alike.

Shopping List Saturday -- seeing red!

2009-03-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

No, this red wall is not on my shopping list! It is the wall in our dining room, and as you can see, it is in need of some TLC. I have been a bit obsessed with red, lately, in my quest to match up the colour so that I can repaint later this spring. I finally found the right paint, now all I need is some really warm weather... We're getting there!

My Etsy shopping list this week consists of lots of red -- something for every member of the family!

For my pilot son, or for one of his brothers, a red airplane wall decal from BadassCustomDecals.

For my hat-lovin' husband, Painted Red Seed Stitch Hat from Iglas. To tell you the truth, I don't think he would wear the red one, but they have other colours as well.

For all the boys, 1/2 pound pomegranate caramels (don't they look and sound yummy?) from CaramelJubilee. If pomegranate doesn't appeal to you, check out their other flavours.

For my 16 year old who just got his driver's permit, this secret compartment key ring in paduak wood, from WoodcraftsAndCandles

For my ten year old, for the thank you notes he will be writing after his 11th birthday next month, these Old Red Truck notecards from BrittanyBellows:

And now, some stuff for me!

Love this handpainted matryoshka box from handpaintedloveboxes:

And this Carved Red and Black Bird necklace from sharmadesigns:

To see the full list of participants in Shopping List Saturday, please visit fancypicnic's blog.

The winner is...

2009-03-16T07:33:00.001-07:00

#11

Jody, who said: "There are so many great items to choose from...I'm crossing my fingers so my daughter can win a beautiful handmade item made by you!! Thanks for the opportunity."

Congratulations, Jody, and thanks to everyone who entered.

Shopping List Saturday

2009-03-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

This week I am featuring some artwork that caught my fancy.

Venice -- fine art print by marywibis.

Miss Kitty Departs on a Voyage from vivstrauss. This is a limited edition print of her original embroidery work. Too cute!

Great Blue Heron by linzyarnott.
I really like this one, appropriately called Time, from alooman. It is sold, but she has a great selection in her shop. Another of my favourites is called around.

A Long Munch giclee print by bethjt

Shopping list Saturday was started by Etsy seller fancypicnic, as a way to promote the wares of fellow Etsians. Visit her blog to see the list of all participants.

Spring Fever Give-away

2009-03-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've been sewing like mad on lots of white stuff -- white ruffles, to be exact. On dresses and pantaloons.

In between the ruffles, I've been doing some home-schooling and studying accounting and TESOL. Since I haven't had much time lately for more creative sewing, I am feeling a bit restless. Or maybe it's Spring Fever.

Whatever it is... it's time for a give-away.

:: The rules ::

To enter, leave a comment on this (or any) post.
One entry per person, please... unless you post about the give-away on your blog. Then you'll get two entries.
Last chance to enter is midnight on Sunday, March 15.
Winner will be drawn randomly and announced on Monday, March 16.
You are welcome to enter, no matter where you live!

:: The prize ::

The winner will receive their choice of a handmade clothing item from the "24 dollars or less" section of my Etsy shop.
To see the selection, please visit my Etsy shop and click on the "24 dollars or less" link at the top right.

Please also note that I am having a Welcome Spring Sale. Purchase two ready-made items from my Etsy shop and receive a 10% discount.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

Winter joys

2009-03-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

March -- the month of daffodils and crocuses, right? Well, maybe in some parts of the world. But here in Wild Rose Country, it is the month of snow, more snow, wind chill warnings, and more snow. You get my drift (pun intended.)

Here is today's weather report (later in the day, once the wind chill warning had been lifted.) Minus 17 Celsius is about 1 degree F. The wind chill is now only -24 Celsius, or -11 F, up from -40. At least the sun is shining!

But we do have some compensations. Today I heard a lot of bird noise outside and looked out to see this:

and this:

This is one of those times I wish I had sprung for a top-quality digital SLR camera instead of my little Canon Elph.

Bohemian Waxwing:

to dye for

2009-03-10T17:30:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I received a catalogue from a certain mail-order store and their kids' tie-dyed T-shirts caught my eye. I could just see my 10 year old sporting one of these shirts, but the $25 price tag put me off. Not only that, but for some reason all the T-shirts I have ordered (for myself and for my boys) from this particular company end up getting tiny holes in the knit fabric. Very annoying.

So, I got the bright idea to make our own. I even went so far as to check out a library book on tie-dying. But, talk about expensive! Special dyes, special chemicals to make the dyes work, blank T's, gloves, goggles ... and then who knows whether the shirts would even turn out the way we want them?

I stuffed my DIY tendencies and searched eBay and here is what I found in my mailbox:

Of course, being a normal healthy 10 year old, he had to make an obnoxious face!

Click here to check out this highly recommended seller.

Shopping List Saturday

2009-03-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

I am a total sucker for little boxes. Not being a collector-type person, I don't really own many, but I love to look at them.

Here are a few of my favourites from Etsy shops:

Simple and classy little Queen Elizabeth stamp trinket box from henandchick. OK, I confess, I am also a great admirer of Her Majesty.

The Pastel Box from TheNaturalHand. This shop is Little Boxes Heaven!

Lidded Vessel made from a cherry burl. What gorgeous woodgrain! From Richlynne

Handmade Paisley Origami Boxes from IGotSquares. These are so pretty and would be great gift boxes for jewelry and other small items.

To see other shopping lists, please visit fancypicnic's blog.

Dream vacation?

2009-03-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I am shipping out an order I dream about maybe, just maybe, hand delivering it. After all, what better excuse for a holiday trip to New Zealand or Barton-on-Sea ... or even Fresno, California, or New York City? After all, when you live in northern Alberta, where it is cold and snowy or cool and rainy much of the year, pretty much any place looks good.

But, as sweet as the customer who ordered this white ruffled dress and pantaloons set is, I have no desire to hand deliver this order to Utah. No offense to any Utah dwellers, but I have been to Utah in the winter once, and that was enough.

We decided to drive down to Arizona one cold and snowy February, and had great driving weather all the way down -- until we hit Utah. No sooner had we crossed the state line than a snow storm started, and it continued all the way to the Arizona border. I mean, really... we left Alberta to get away from the snow, and what happens? Not only that, but we stayed one night in Cedar City (stopping early because of the snow) and I needed to send an email. I went to the library at Southern Utah University and tried to park the van. I say tried because as I pulled up to the curb, I suddenly discovered that there was a ditch about a foot wide and six inches deep between the road and the curb, and that is where the van tires ended up. I tried to pull out of the ~~trap~~ parking spot, but to no avail. By this time the snow had changed to rain. I got out of the van to see what was going on, stepped into about 2 feet of slush, and got soaked from the downpour.

Luckily I was stopped right in front of the home of some super-friendly university students who saw my predicament and offered me shelter and a phone to use to call AAA. No, not AAA -- in Utah if you want a tow truck, you have to call the police first and get approval from them to call the tow truck. So, I had the privilege of meeting a few Cedar City residents -- the helpful students, the obliging, if amused, police officer, and the cheerful, efficient tow truck driver. Very nice people, all of them. But I feel like I have spent enough time in Utah, at least in the winter.

If you look closely at the top photo, you can just barely see the pantaloons peeking out from under the dress. The bodice of the dress is trimmed with vintage lace around the neckline and the waist.

Phone call from the Queen?

2009-03-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

There's no arguing with Caller ID.

Hee hee... Queen Elizabeth High School is a school near here where my son and his friend volunteer as tutors for the after-school homework club. This is for refugee kids who otherwise would have a very hard time with their schoolwork -- many of the parents do not speak English well and certainly do not have the ability to help with high school math and English. So, I am glad that Marcus and Micah are able to help out.

And, of course, it's nice to get phone calls from such an important lady.

Shopping List Saturday - better late than never

2009-02-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Today was a busy day, but I just had to take a few minutes to share some great Etsy shop finds for little kiddos. These are all made from recycled materials, which makes them green as well as beautiful. Take a look!

Tiptoe Toddler Handmade Wool sweater from Hopen21Designs

The original upcycled shirt skirt from lillipopsdesigns

Pretty Kitty Vintage Linen Calendar Towel Baby Bib from VintageHotCakes

Striped Sweater Pants from peasandloveshop

To see more Shopping Lists, please check out fancypicnic's blog.

Another treasury feature!

2009-02-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Etsy seller baharcollection chose to include my Polka-Dot Pant Set in her charming and fun treasury, "Mother and Daughter." I love baharcollection's Etsy shop, not only because she has such gorgeous items -- luxurious hand-knit and hand-crocheted scarves, beautifully embellished towels, adorable hats for little ones, and more -- but also because she is originally from Turkey. We lived in Istanbul for 2 1/2 years and absolutely loved it, so Turkey and Turkish people have a special place in my heart. "Bahar" means spring, by the way. Click on the picture above to enlarge it.

Shopping List Saturday - Let's Pretend!

2009-02-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

Some handmade goodies for play time:

Dollhouse play set by henandchick

Royal Puppet Set by Mahalo

Fairy Play Set by beckarahn

Higgins - Flamboyant Sheep Softie by maiseyhandmade

To see other Shopping Lists, please visit fancypicnic's blog.

Treasury

2009-02-21T15:51:00.000-08:00

Etsy seller ninkey kindly featured my Poppies Pinafore Dress in her Treasury, "All About Spring." Click on the photo above to enlarge.

I love the cheerful bright colours of her selections. Her shop features the sweetest clothing for little girls and their moms, and some stuff for boys and men as well!

Horsing around with gift bags

2009-02-20T13:06:00.000-08:00

So, we had a birthday gift to wrap. A very B -I -G birthday gift. A huge and bulky Nerf gun, to be exact. For Victor's friend Brennan, who just turned 10. We like Brennan well enough, but being the thrifty, greenish person that I am, I couldn't see wasting a whole roll of wrapping paper on this kid. And of course the gift bags you can buy at the dollar store are not large enough to hide a gift this size.

The solution? Handmade, of course.

Now, my sewing room is replete with girly fabrics -- pink and purple, flowers, polka dots, prints with dolls and bunnies and cherries. I don't have much fabric suitable for guys, especially those who have hit the Double-Digits. I usually have some camo fabric around, and in the past I have used that to make gift bags and goody bags, but right now there isn't much left -- certainly not enough to make a bag large enough to hold this enormous box. So, I scrounged around a bit and found some denim. I had bought it quite awhile ago, and after buying it decided that it was too heavy for the skirts I wanted to make, so it has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years, collecting dust. Then I also found a scrap of horse-print decorator weight fabric. Brennan's family are horse lovers, so I knew I had to use this fabric somehow. There wasn't enough for the entire bag, but there were some choice pieces, allowing me to add patches to the denim of the main bag.

And, voila! Twenty minutes later, here is what we had. I don't want to show guns on my blog, so you will have to imagine what the contents look like, but we are pretty pleased with the package.

PrairieWildRose on ebay

2009-02-20T12:29:00.001-08:00

A little sneak peek of a PrairieWildRose boutique resell up for auction on eBay. This cherry set in blue and red is perfect for spring and summer -- in size 5-6. Don't you love these little red shoes?

Shopping List Saturday

2009-02-14T07:56:00.001-08:00

Time to think about my spring wardrobe, which is sadly lacking. I love these dresses and tops from Etsy shops.

Daria Bamboo Organic Cotton Top in crimson, by Salts. This shop has great looking clothes for every member of the family.

Lady Breezy with Liberty, by bellabluboutique. If you have a little girl, you really MUST take a look at this shop!

Italian olive seersucker dress by Mholland. Another must-see shop!

Black Linen Dress with red stitching by pamelatang.

Shopping List Saturday... a chance to shine the spotlight on fellow Etsy sellers' shops. Look for the full list of participants here.

New in Etsy Shop

2009-02-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

A few new things for spring. Find them here.

Entertainment for ten year olds

2009-02-03T11:37:00.001-08:00

Victor, my 10 year old, has always been one for what you might call unconventional play. The most famous example of this is the time he spent a couple of hours happily playing with two pieces of paper he had gleaned from the scraps left over by one of his brother's projects. One scrap became an alligator and the other some other animal.

Victor's latest discovery? Writing words with his calculator. When we moved my mom into assisted living, we found among her treasures a vintage 1970's calculator in a sweet vinyl case.

Victor claimed this for his own, and I showed him how he could write "Hello" on the display. One thing leads to another, and yesterday, after a few unsuccessful efforts, he begged me to tell him what other words he might be able to write. A Google search and quick print job later, he was happily writing words from the list and trying out his own combinations.

Here are a couple of the websites we found. (Warning: some of the words are a little vulgar; I deleted those before printing the list. Also, the spot on the front of Victor's shirt is just water!)

How to Write Words With a Calculator
How to Write the Words

Shopping List Saturday - A Little Romance

2009-01-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day only 2 weeks away, all thoughts are on romance, right? And what could be more romantic than a dainty locket?

Vintage Rose Locket from mantisvintage:

Yellow Rose Locket by botanicalbird:

Le petit lapin locket by Lycheekiss:

Vintage Brass Ball Locket from roundabout:

Wildflower Locket by birdzNbeez:

Filigree Heart Locket by MStevensonDesigns:

For a list of all Shopping List Saturday participants, check out fancypicnic's blog.

Flash from the past

2009-01-29T20:05:00.000-08:00

I just spotted a resale auction on eBay for a one-of-a-kind PrairieWildRose dress set. This set was made from some wonderful vintage fabrics -- a Japanese floral cotton, two different vintage sheeting florals -- and coordinating seersucker and gingham, so it is truly unique. You can find it here.

New in my Etsy Shop

2009-01-24T12:48:00.001-08:00

I haven't really felt very creative lately, but when I found this gorgeous vintage tablecloth printed with big fat pink cabbage roses, I knew I had to make something with it. So, here it is, a new listing in my Etsy shop. This one-of-a-kind jacket and hat are size 4T and will be perfect for spring. The jacket fastens with a big pink vintage button from my stash.

Shopping List Saturday

2009-01-23T22:14:00.001-08:00

This week's list is inspired by the blue skies here in Wild Rose Country. It is still cold and still snowy, but the sky is so gorgeous, I can almost overlook the other atrocities winter has foisted upon us. Above is the view from the window above my desk.

And now for the list!

I love the sweet simplicity of this Sweet Dreams Birdie picture, by happyart4u.

And what's not to like about these Primitive Blues Pantry Stackable Boxes by thebrokenhouse? I've always loved boxes, and a set of seven would be just perfect! I wouldn't say no to the shabby blue chair, either!

I am a total sucker for beautiful linen items, especially when they are hand-appliqued and embroidered, and especially when birds are part of the design. This Linen Bird Clutch from brezomayo meets all my requirements. I could probably be quite happy with one of each of the items in her Etsy shop.

One last item... Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale pendant by JenniferRydinDesigns. She has several other Shakespeare-inspired designs, perfect gifts for the Bardophile.

Shopping List Saturday participants put the spotlight on items by fellow Etsy shop owners. To see all the Lists, or to join in the fun, please visit FancyPicnic's blog.

Knitting...

2009-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

I decided to knit this scarf, which is made in “a lovely and very old traditional lace stitch called Faggot Stitch.” I will not comment on the name. What I will comment on is the sad fact that I don’t really like the look of Faggot Stitch. Faggot Stitch, I think to myself, screams Easy Stitch, a stitch that the clumsiest of tyros could manage, a stitch that is called “lace” only because that sounds better than calling it “holey” or “rope-like” and because it makes beginner knitters feel good.

But, I finished the scarf. I’ve even worn it a few times. It’s warm. No doubt this has something to do with the way holes trap air and work to insulate. This is an exceptionally cold winter, so I’ll probably wear it again. But I don't think I'll make another thing using Faggot Stitch.

Here is my new project, a sweet Aran sweater from this book:

The vintage yarn is Munrospun Evening Dusk 3 ply 100% virgin wool. Another thrift shop find, and simply divine for a toddler sweater. It is finely spun and super soft and not the least bit scratchy. And at about $1 per skein, the price was right! This is not really a “knit while I read” pattern. With its somewhat intricate cable pattern, it is just barely a “knit while I watch a movie” pattern. So, here’s hoping it will be one of my projects that makes it to completion!

Sermons I Wish I Would Have Preached

2009-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

Do you ever go to church, listen to the sermon and think, "I wish I would have preached that"? Well, that is how I have felt the last few Sundays at our church. The sermon series is called God in the Movies and the sermons are derived from hit movies fof 2008. The first one was on Into the Wild, then Wall-E, and last week was Juno. Our pastor has come up with amazingly challenging and thought-provoking messages, based on themes that arise in these films.

This Sunday's movie is The Dark Knight, which I have not yet seen. My 10 year old watched it with his older brothers and warned me that it might be kind of scary for me. Good thing I will be watching it with a group of people -- our home group has been watching the movies together and then discussing them. I'll be sure to bring my knitting, and then if a really scary scene comes up I will suddenly need to concentrate extra hard so that I won't make a mistake in the cable or lattice pattern taking shape on my needles.

Mahvelous Muffins

2009-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

These bran muffins are simply mahvelous. I made them today and decided to share the recipe. So many recipes for bran muffins call for the cereal type bran (e.g., All-Bran or bran flakes) but this recipe uses natural wheat bran. In fact I gleaned the original recipe from my package of Rogers Wheat Bran.

Here is my version of this classic recipe. The only problem with it is that the muffins it makes are so good, they get eaten within a few hours!

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large mixing bowl, mix:
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup buttermilk (I use powdered skim milk and add about 1 Tbsp. vinegar to the mix)
Stir, and then allow to stand for a few minutes.

Add:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg

Mix well.

Add:
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup of fresh or frozen berries (I used a mix of frozen raspberries and blueberries)

Mix well, then add:
1 cup of whole wheat flour.

Stir just until blended. Spoon into large muffin pans. I use the silicone muffin pans, which make clean-up so easy! Bake for 15-22 minutes.

Shopping List Saturday

2009-01-17T10:06:00.000-08:00

I've missed a couple of Saturdays. Last Saturday I was working on my list and was almost ready to post when my computer suddenly shut down and everything was lost. I didn't have time to do it all over again, so I just gave up. Turns out it was saved, but this week my mood is a little different, so I made a new list.

Today I am thinking about Spring. We have had so much snow lately here in Wild Rose Country that Spring is looking mighty good ... and of course, with Spring come the robins.

Starting at the top left and working clockwise:

Little Robin - Giclee print by yumiyumi

Primitive Shabby Paper Mache Eggs by thebrokenhouse

Handmade Felt Brooch by lupin -- so cute!

Victorian Bird postcards by piddix

Reversible Glass Art Necklace by tzaddishop -- just gorgeous!

Wool birds' nest with wooden robin eggs by naturalkidsandtoys

Robin with nest by cbunnybinx

After I finished the above list, I came across this super sweet Robin Pillow by ravenwren, so I had to add it to my post.

Shopping List Saturday highlights the work of fellow Etsy shop owners. To see more lists or to join in, please visit fancypicnic.

Fabric give-away

2009-01-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

You need more fabric, right? Of course, we all do!

I just discovered a delightful online fabric shop called LanieJane. Jane, the owner, carries a hand-picked selection of gorgeous designer fabrics, such as the Andalucia line pictured above. Click on the photo to see all the prints in this line. I especially love the Petal Floral and the Petal Mod Blooms prints.

LanieJane Fabrics is also hosting a give-away right now. The stack of fat quarters shown in the photo, along with a sweet little charm, is the prize. So, why not visit Jane's blog to enter the draw? You just might have this generous and lovely package arrive in the mail as a result!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-15T15:55:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile. No excuses, just the usual busyness -- several custom-made clothing orders to complete; an accounting final to study for, write and then agonize over; a new class in my TESOL program; getting back into homeschooling after Christmas break; cleaning the storage room so I could put away the Christmas stuff in a more orderly fashion. And so on...

Now that life is sorta-kinda back to normal, what better first post of the new year than one about some good books?

I finally ordered this one, and it arrived today:I had to order a grammar textbook for my Teaching Grammar class, and it alone didn't qualify for free shipping from Amazon, so sadly (hee hee) I had to add another book to my order. The good news is that the two books together from Amazon were less expensive than the grammar book would have been from the college bookshop. So, now I am eager to peruse this book and try some of the projects.

This one is from the library:

If you've ever read any British novels written shortly after World War II, you might have heard about Land Girls. I didn't really know what they were, but when I saw this book, I decided to read about the Land Army. I highly recommend this if you enjoy history from an everyday person's perspective.

I learned three things today

2008-12-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

I like to read a certain blog, Knitters-Knitters by name, for its author, Jen, is original, witty, talented, and creative, and she knows how to write!

Her post on December 28 had an added benefit: it was educational.

In just a few short lines, Jen managed to introduce me to three things I had never encountered before.

Number 1: Steeking. Come on, I thought, that can't be a word. It must be a typo. But I googled it anyway, and as I read the Wikipedia explanation, I could literally feel my eyes growing wider as I pictured going through all the trouble of knitting a tube-like structure and then taking scissors and cutting out armholes. Who would dare? Obviously, the knitters of the Shetland archipelago who are credited with developing this technique were feeling restless that winter, in need of some excitement in their lives. Some people who feel this way engage in extreme sports; the Shetland archipelago knitters, being slightly more placid in nature, settle for extreme knitting. I am glad steeking has enriched the lives of many individuals, but for me, no thanks. I have never been one to live dangerously.

(I did look at some photos of this process after reading the Wikipedia article, and I must admit that it does not look nearly as bad as it sounds. I might even try it -- some day.)

Number 2: A short story called Bernice Bobs Her Hair, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Jen claims it is her third favourite short story. Anyone who is organized enough to have a third favourite short story is probably worth listening to, and I enjoyed reading and rereading The Great Gatsby, so after reading the article about steeking, I googled Bernice and read the story. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but kept reading, and was richly rewarded. I am not a huge fan of short stories, and the ones I like tend to be by French or Turkish or German or Norwegian authors. Over the years I have read many a classic fairy tale -– as in most of the stories from Andrew Lang’s series of “colour” fairy books -- to my 5 sons. When studying French I was required to read, and found myself thoroughly enjoying, several short stories by Guy de Maupassant. And when I lived in Istanbul, I was introduced to the charming Nasreddin Hoja stories. But I have never been keen on short stories by American or Canadian authors. Bernice is an exception, however, and she joins Anne Shirley, Mr. Micawber and Jeeves on my list of Well-loved Literary Figures.

Number 3: (this is perhaps a bit embarrassing) Kathy Griffin. Somehow I had arrived at this point in my life without having heard of her. Unlike Larry King, I’m afraid I don’t think I would ever be able to say that she is “one of my favourite guests,” but since she is unlikely ever to be my guest, that is probably all right. At least I now know who she is and when I am in a room full of people who are discussing her latest escapade, I can hold my head high.

So thanks, Jen, for broadening my horizons!

Oh no, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention one of my favourite Jen posts: Please pass the effin' raisinettes. A true must-read!

Are YOU dreaming of a white Christmas?

2008-12-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Complaining that where you live is too warm, too brown or too green? Wishing you could look out onto a Christmas card landscape of white-tipped evergreens?

If so, you are welcome to join us here in northern Alberta! As you can see from these photos taken on the trail behind our house, "white" is the mot juste right now. What you can't see is that even though the sky is blue and clouds are few, the temperature is about -25 degrees Celsius, wind chill -30. ( For those who prefer to hear the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, that is -13, wind chill -22.) It has warmed up a little since yesterday, when we had a wind chill warning, because it was down to -44.

Something else you can see from the long shadows in these photos is that the sun is beginning to set. What you can't see is that it is not even 3:00 p.m. By 4:30 or so, dusk will be settling in. Fortunately, the shortest day is behind us and in only six months we will have almost endless daylight.

I don't like winter and I don't like the snow and cold, but I do derive a sort of perverse satisfaction from taking Maggie out for a walk, on even the coldest days. The walks are short, don't get me wrong, but somehow getting out there and conquering the elements makes me feel like I am doing The Right Thing. Upon entering the house afterwards, with pink cheeks and burning forehead, I delight in gloating to the rest of my family (no one else is ~~stupid~~ brave enough to come with us) about how cold it was and how grateful Maggie is that someone will take her out.

Normally when I walk, I am the only person in sight, but last night I met another Brave Soul, also walking his dog. Muffled in our disguises of toques and hoods, we exchanged brief greetings, allowed our dogs to exchange slightly longer greetings, and then proceeded on our separate ways, united in our secret, smug knowledge that we have what it takes to be true northern Canadians!

Shopping List Saturday

2008-12-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Shopping List Saturday is a chance to highlight items from fellow Etsy shop owners. Keeping to my theme of "I don't like winter, but I'm lovin' some other stuff", I thought I would point the way to some cozy, cuddly, and nice to look at, blankets and quilts.

This beautiful vintage style Lap Quilt is from bitsnthreads. I love the rich, deep colours contrasting with the white octagons.

This more somber Organic Wool Patchwork Throw is from ravenwren. Made from organic wool felt, vintage linen, and cotton.

What about this Denim Blue Knitted Afghan? Creator WackyWenches says, "Yarns include Hand Dyes in cotton and worsted, mohair, feather, fun furs and acrylics..." Looking at this picture makes me want to reach out and touch it; I'm sure it feels simply divine!

Next,we have a couple of blankets for the baby girls:

I love the fluffy look of this Fairy's Nest Pink and White Blanket by whynot. This is another one that looks oh-so-touchable!

And this charming Patchwork Baby Blanket from planetlovealot makes me smile!

For the sports-minded young man, what could be better than a Basketball Quilt from BethMarie10?

And here is an amazing bargain: the colourful Farmer's Market Quilt, a big 50" x 60", by maggielouise. I think this one should come with a guarantee to drive away the winter blues!

If you'd like to take part in Shopping List Saturday, or see the full list of participants, you can visit Fancy Picnic.

Winter... and lovin' it (or trying to)...

2008-12-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

I don't like winter and I don't like snow. There. I said it. Technically, it is not even winter yet -- we still have one more day remaining of autumn. But, here in Wild Rose Country, the ground is blanketed with 10 cm of snow, and the temperature has been around -25 Celsius for about ten days now. We were lucky this year, as the snow and cold did not start until early December; often winter hits full-force in late October. Now that it has begun, however, we can almost certainly look forward to continuing this way until mid-April.

So, even though I can't find much to like about the current weather conditions, I thought it would be a good idea to do a series of posts about some things I am lovin'.

Top of the list right now: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book series. Winter is the perfect time to get in some good reading.

I just finished this book and am going to start In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. I know I am reading them in the wrong order, but this happens sometimes when you borrow books from the library. This series has got to be one of the best reads ever. The "traditionally built" detective, Mma Ramotswe, is such a captivating heroine, her associates are a varied and fascinating lot, and I love the way the author skillfully and subtly sneaks in lessons about life as he tells of their adventures.

Polka Dot Pinafores - Reversible, too!

2008-12-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

Reversible Pinafores - new in my Etsy Shop

These little pinny style dresses/jumpers/smocks/tops, or whatever you please, Sir, are such handy pieces of clothing. First of all, they are pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Secondly, they fit sizes 2T-4T: on the 2T girls they are dress length (17"/ 43 cm) and on the bigger girls they work as a smock top. Thirdly, they are perfect all year round. In the winter, wear them over a long-sleeved T or turtleneck with leggings or jeans; in the summer, they are perfect as suntops, with shorts or bloomers underneath. And finally, they are reversible -- if one side gets soiled, or if she is simply in the mood for a change, just flip to the reverse side, and you'll have a whole new look.

I have three new pinafores listed, in fun animal and flower prints and polka dots, with more to come. $24.00 each, and the multiple purchase discount applies.

Verdeen and Vyonne... and Sour Cream Cookies

2008-12-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

My two best friends in high school were named, believe it or not, Verdeen and Vyonne. I had other friends, of course, but the two V’s were my real soul mates. We even had a name for our little gang of three: “J-V squared”. As that name might indicate, I was in a sense the pivotal member of the group. Not that I was the leader or anything (we didn’t have a leader) but Vyonne and Verdeen were the proverbial chalk and cheese, and although they shared the ambiguous privilege of having been christened with unusual names, had the same cultural background, attended the same church, and had been nagged from early days by their well-meaning parents to be friends, they never really had much in common with each other, until I came along. Somehow, I had enough in common with each of them to serve as the glue that brought them together.

The three of us spent as much time together as we possibly could, and when we were not together, we could usually be found talking to each other on the phone. This was before the days of cell phones, of course, so this meant that our home phone lines were busy more often than not, something that seemed to annoy our dear dads just a little. Of course, they had to be thankful their daughters were not doing anything worse than giggling and sighing into the telephone receiver, so they did their best to be tolerant. You might say that their motto was, “This, too, shall pass.”

This post is not really about Verdeen and Vyonne, however. It is, in truth, about Sour Cream Sugar Cookies. My favourite Christmas cookies. I can never think about Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, however, without thinking about Vyonne. One of the perks of friendship with Vyonne was partaking of her mom’s baking. Her mom, Bertha, was one of the best bakers around. Her cinnamon buns and dinner rolls were second to none, but in my opinion, the jewels in her baker’s crown were the Sour Cream Sugar Cookies. Recently, I had the urge to make some of my own, so I did a google search for a recipe, and found this one.

Well, the cookies themselves remind me of Vyonne. But the recipe I turned up reminds me of Verdeen. Because even though Vyonne’s mom was the baker extraordinaire, Verdeen was the one who liked to join me in the kitchen. I am sure Verdeen’s mom must have baked on occasion, but I don’t remember eating anything special at her house. Yet, even though Vyonne, daughter of Bertha the Baker, missed out on the baking gene, Verdeen had it in just the right quantity to be my partner in crime when it came to kitchen experiments. Although she knew more of the rules and regs than I did, she was still open to trying funky new variations on the recipes we found in my mom’s ancient, falling-apart Betty Crocker cookbook. We loved that cookbook! We liked the recipes, to be sure, but what really appealed to us were the personal anecdotes about the housewives who used the recipes. Attempting the personal touch, Betty Crocker prefaced most of her recipes with a little introductory paragraph, revealing the origin of the baked good, or explaining an unusual ingredient or technique. And many of these paragraphs included quotes from women all over the USA, quotes like these:

Margaret Marconi of New Castle, Pennsylvania says, ‘My children love these White Mountain cupcakes and ask me to make them for every birthday party”

“Red Devil’s Food Cake is my husband’s favourite dessert. He eats it in the evenings, along with a fresh cup of coffee,” says Lucille Mann of Omaha, Nebraska

“I serve these Cheddar Cheese biscuits with my roast chicken dinner. My family adores them,” says Marcia Stewart from San Bernadino, California.

Verdeen and I were pretty sure these women didn’t really exist, and moreover, had never made inane remarks like these. But, being the creative girls we were, as we baked, we made up our own little stories, giving our housewives names like Phyllis, Edna, or Shirley, and placing them in towns and cities on the Canadian prairies:

Edith Franklin, of Turtleford, Saskatchewan, says, “My husband Tom has eaten so much of this Silver Layer Cake that he can no longer fit into any of his dress pants.”
OR
“When they come home from school, my children grab handfuls of these Thumbprint Cookies and stuff them in their mouths so fast that crumbs fly everywhere,” says Hilda Karpinski of Flin Flon, Manitoba.
OR
Mabel Foster of Medicine Hat, Alberta, says, “I always make this Boston Crème Pie for my ladies bridge club. You should see them wolf it down!”

So, when I found this recipe for Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, complete with its quote from the no doubt non-existent Phyllis K., of Ovid, New York, I was instantly taken back to the days of Vyonne and Verdeen, and the friendship we shared. When I bake, I’m not just making cookies, I’m making memories.

(By the way, in case you are wondering, Vyonne is pronounced to rhyme with “my own”)

ETSY shop sale

2008-12-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

Until December 21st, everything in my Etsy shop is available at a reduced price -- nothing over $24.00! Better still, if you buy two items, you will receive 10% off. Buy three or more items, get 15% off!

Why not hop on over and take a look?

Holiday time... time to break the rules!

2008-12-06T20:23:00.001-08:00

A collector I am not. I like to look at pretty things on display, as long as they belong to someone else. I am one of those freaks that likes her own living space bare and spare. In a house already full of five kids and two parents, birds, lizards, fish, and a dog, not to mention all the accompanying necessities of life, Less is More is usually my rule.

But at Christmastime, I feel a bit more extravagant. Compared to many homes, our holiday decor is still quite minimal, but I do have a pretty decent start on a collection of nativity sets. Each December first we delve into the storage boxes, take out the nativities and put them on display. This year my 10 year old son had the fun of arranging them however and wherever he wanted, and what follows is a tour of his finished work.

My collection began when my mom and dad went to St. Augustine, Florida. They were the typical Canadian snowbirds, retirees who spent their winters traveling through the southern United States, and one year my mom brought me a sweet little nativity set from St. Augustine. I think these are called Spanish Mud People. It was a larger set than this at the beginning, as we’ve had a few casualties (including an earthquake) over the years, but these six stalwart characters have survived to take a proud place on our mantle.

As our boys grew older, we decided we would like a larger nativity set. Being somewhat frugal, we decided to go shopping after Christmas, to see what we could find at a deep discount. Lo and behold, we found this wonder, a twofer. After the Christmas rush, the store had found itself saddled with two incomplete nativity sets of a similar size and style, so they combined them and offered the result at a bargain price that we couldn’t pass up. So, we have an abundance of wise men, shepherds, and animals, and even an extra Mary and Baby Jesus, just in case. This Mismatched Nativity Set graces our dining room hutch.

In the living room, on our antique Turkish wedding chest, we have the Olive Wood Nativity Set, given to us one year by my mother-in-law. My husband says we need to be sure to call it "the Olive Wood Nativity Set", not merely the "wooden nativity", because his mom was inordinately proud of its provenance – olive wood from the Holy Land. This is a rather large set, with many animals and people, and was our favourite for obvious reasons when the boys were little. These little wooden figures have been clutched, tossed, played with and then abandoned more times than I can count.

The One-piece Olive Wood Nativity is in our family room, on a low table next to the rocker. This handmade set was purchased to support the Mennonite Central Committee, as part of their wonderful Ten Thousand Villages program. I see that this nativity has also sustained some damage, as the star is broken. Victor, our ten year old, is convinced it is his own set, which is fine with me, but I am not sure how he got that idea!

Back to the dining room. On top of a large cabinet, I have my Twirlers, for lack of a better word. I am not sure what they are called (maybe Nativity Carousels?), but they are from Germany and each features hand-carved wooden nativity figures. Thrifted finds, one and all, they do have their little flaws, but I still love ‘em. Unfortunately, for a few years now we have not been able to find the right size candles, so we can’t make them twirl, but they look pretty just sitting there.

Sharing the space with the Twirlers is what we call the Taco Shell Nativity. This was another thrift store find, and you can see how it got its name. It bears a definite resemblance to a taco shell, and indubitably it has a certain Mexican je ne sais quoi.

Also on the mantle is the Substitute Nativity Set. I bought this set on eBay after suffering the Thrifter’s Nightmare in a Salvation Army store in New Westminster, B.C. My experience there left me with some scars, which are now healed, thanks to eBay. That thrift shop was a favourite, and one day a few weeks before Christmas, I spotted a real treasure: a cobalt blue Mexican style nativity set with about 20 pieces. If anything ever had my name written all over it, this nativity set did, so I grabbed as many pieces as I could hold and headed for the till. I set the pieces down and told the cashier I was going back for the rest, but when I returned to the display shelf, the remaining pieces were gone! I went back to the till and told the cashier, so she called out to the other shoppers to ask whether anyone had the pieces in question, but no one stepped forth. Since the pieces I had brought to the till consisted of some animals, shepherds, and Mary, I decided to forego the purchase, and walked out of the store empty handed. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realized I could buy a similar set from a seller on eBay. I like this set, but it doesn’t deliver quite the punch the cobalt blue one did.

Last, but not least, we have the Dollar Store Nativity. I don’t call it that, except in my mind, because it was a gift from one of my older sons, when he was just a little tyke. He ~~didn’t know~~ knew even then that dollar store stuff is ~~junk~~ precious when given from the heart! As the Mastercard commercials would have it: Dollar Store Nativity, gift from an 8 year old boy to his mom: Priceless.

What could be a more fitting symbol of God's gift of love?

2008-12-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

SHOPPING LIST SATURDAY:

Since I have all boys, I know what it's like to look at all the cute stuff for little girls, and to wish there was as much available for the little guys. So, my list today consists of items that would be perfect for that wee chap on your holiday gift list.

Willy the Weenie Dog T-shirt, artistically appliqued by Knotty Baby Wear -- $15

Blue Snow Angel slippers -- handknit by carolineguenther -- $10.00

The Owl and the Pussycat Activity Pillow, by homecraftedgifts -- $32.50

Custom Made Superhero Cape, by Lulubirdboutique -- $27.99. Lulubird has lots of other delightful boyish items!

Shopping List Saturday is an opportunity to promote the wares of fellow Etsy shop-owners. Holiday time is a great time to join in! If you'd like to take part, you can sign up at Fancy Picnic.

Invitation to the Ball & a Tutorial

2008-12-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

An invitation to the Ball? Well, not quite. More like a Christmas party at a Greek restaurant. This is my favourite type of Christmas party because there is going to be a White Elephant Gift Exchange. The people who invited us are calling it one of those other, less P.C., names, but I prefer something a little more neutral. I don't think any white elephants will get offended.

This is a White Elephant with a twist. The ones I usually go to have a limit of $10-20, and the guests pay for the gifts. But for this party the hosts gave each guest $50 to spend, the only catch being that we have to turn in our receipts. I love birds and the outdoors, so I purchased a handmade cedar bird feeder and an electronic weather station, and sewed up a drawstring bag to fill with birdseed. I like my gift, and I kind of wouldn't mind taking it home with me!

My husband Dave, on the other hand, decided to be nice to one of his clients and buy his gift from them. This is what they gave him in exchange for his $50.00 bill:

This is a bag of pumpkin-flavoured or scented or something-ed cosmetics -- suitable, we are told, for either a man or a woman. Right. This is one gift I hope I don't end up taking home with me!

In an effort to be eco-conscious, I made fabric gift bags for the gifts. My gift is pretty big and bulky and awkward in shape, so I had to make a rather huge, bulky, awkwardly shaped gift bag, which I am not going to show you. I am not proud of this bag, but in this case, it is truly the contents that matter, not the packaging.

For Dave's gift, however, I made a much more luxe bag, lined and everything. Here it is, all ready to head out the door and trick some unsuspecting guest into choosing it.

Now, just in case you like this bag and would like to make a similar one for one of your holiday gifts, I have written a tutorial that you can use. These bags are easy to make, and can be made any size and out of a multitude of different fabrics, so have fun creating.

It's never over till it's over -- but it's now over!

2008-12-04T17:08:00.000-08:00

Well, it is after 6 p.m., so I call that evening. Not to mention that it has already been dark here for almost two hours! So, the contest is closed. Thanks so much for participating. (I don't know how to shut off the comments option for the give-away post.)

Well, you just never know! When I signed up for the Sew Mama Sew Give-Away Day, I had no idea how many wannabe winners would visit my blog. And, when I saw the Sew Mama Sew Give-Away Day post, I had to wonder. The list of participating bloggers seemed endless, and my blog’s name was sandwiched somewhere in the middle of that overwhelmingly large number. Would anyone even notice it? Why would anyone want to check out a blog with the boring name of Prairie Wild Rose, when there were so many more interesting and intriguing names to choose from?

So, I was pretty tickled, when I checked my email at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, to find five or six comments already posted. As sun rose higher, so did the number of comments. By late afternoon, the comments numbered more than 150. This was fun! I decided to extend the deadline and announce the winners on Thursday evening instead of Thursday morning, and voila! More than 300 people have entered the draw!

Thanks again for stopping by, for all your sweet remarks about the items in my Etsy shop, and for entering the draw.

I assigned each comment a number and used the Random Sequence Generator to choose the winners, and they are:

Prize #1: Whimsical Creations, who said: "I would love to win one of your etsy creations. I absolutely love this! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13762422"

AND

Prize #2: Nichole, who said, "I'd love to be entered for both prizes. Love your clothes, and love fabric of any sort. Thanks for your generosity!"

I've sent an email to each winner. I hope you will enjoy your prizes!

Give-Away Day ~~ TODAY!!!

2008-12-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

For awhile now, I’ve been a fan of the Sew Mama Sew website, but I have never really had time to participate in any of the fun stuff they sponsor, or if I do have time, I stumble on it too late to take part.

Lately I’ve been checking the site more regularly, and I was pleased to see that I am just in time to participate in their Give-Away Day. That’s today!

To enter the Give-Away, just leave a comment here and let me know which gift you would like to win. I am happy to ship internationally, but please be aware that if you live outside the U.S. and Canada, your gift will probably not reach you before Christmas. If you're cool with that, so am I!

If you want your name entered into both draws, that's fine with me, but one prize per person is the rule.

And here are the prizes:

1) Your choice of any ready-made item(s) from my Etsy Shop, up to a value of $40.00. This means you may choose one $40.00 item or two items that add up to $40.00 or less. Please note that custom-made items are excluded from this special offer.

2) Fabric and trim from my stash, one kilogram (that's 2.2 pounds) worth. The winner will tell me their colour and fabric type preferences, and I will choose fabric(s) and coordinating trimming(s). I have lots of designer fabrics, vintage fabrics, woolens, corduroys, velveteens, seasonal fabrics, etc., as well as tons of lace, jacquard ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, rickrack, buttons, and other goodies. You will receive a surprise one-kilogram package tailored to your tastes. (This parcel will be sent via surface mail, and delivery time might be about 2-4 weeks.)

So, leave a comment below, and hope it's your lucky day. The winners will be chosen randomly, so everyone has a fair chance! (UPDATE -- I am extending the draw time until tomorrow [Thursday, Nov. 4] evening instead of tomorrow morning)

Have fun and good luck!

Another Update: Thanks to everyone for entering the contest and for so many kind remarks!

A few people have commented on the photo in my header. I know, it is a gorgeous photo, but I can't take the credit! If you scroll down, you will see a post about Smitten Blog Designs; this is where I found the blog template, including this winter trees photo.

I just want to remind everyone that only ready-made items from my Etsy shop are included in this give-away. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to do custom orders this time around.

And one more thing -- please be sure to specify whether you want to enter for Prize #1, Prize #2 or both! Thanks again, and so long until tomorrow evening when I will announce the winners.