Busy week!

Spring is definitely in the air.  The sun is shining, the snow banks are receding fairly quickly now, although for the locals who are used to it, probably not fast enough!  Lovely Man has found work to keep him busy until he takes his exam on 1st June, or he's granted temporary registration allowing him to nurse until that date, whichever comes quicker.  Life at last looks like things are beginning to settle and we can start to enjoy our new life without the overhanging shadow of uncertainty of whether or not we could stay.  

So this week we have both been 'doing bizzies' as Lovely Man likes to call it!  For my part I have been keeping house, writing for the paper, working at the library and making purses and bags for the upcoming craft fair in Wawa at the end of the month.  With the help of my friend, Jeanette, I now have two very professional looking, and pretty, blogs.  I even managed to make a nice banner for myself - given that I struggle to understand/remember how photoshop works this is especially gratifying!

Today we have friends for supper - hop over to the recipe page for scrummy dessert - I am going to work at the ski club for a couple of hours and then maybe later when all the washing up is done I'll get another purse cut out (if I don't then it's going to float around in my head all night!).

O the five bags this week, I think this is my favorite...and I have plans for a matching ring cushion!

New Listing on Etsy!

Check out my new listing on Etsy.  So L.O.V.E. this fabric!  Was tempted to keep this one but I really have no need for a purse in the bush so here it is!

New Etsy Shop Now Open!

Just a quick post tonight!  My new Etsy shop is now open and currently has three listings.  Three more to be added tomorrow!  Please drop in to take a look around MistieBlue and let me know what you think!

Well it's been another day of x country skiing!  Tomorrow Lovely Man and I are looking after the clubhouse for two hours before heading off for another scoot around the trail!  Mind you there is going to be a wind chill factor of -30 apparently so I may change my mind!  Then it's back to catch up with my loved ones via Skype and then maybe a spot of baking...oh and home-made chicken Korma tomorrow, Mmmm!

First online sale!

I have just three of these little bags ready to go!  They are made from soft cream fleece fabric, the tree design is felt applique. The tree is home to a little removable toy,  a handmade robin (cotton & felt) or a tree sprite keyring.  I usually make the whole thing but these two sprites were the last in the shop and so cute I just had to have them!  The bag is lined with cotton fabric and has a MistieBlue Logo  (That's my Etsy shop name)  label sewn into the side seam.  At $30 plus shipping they make an ideal gift for a child.  If you would like to purchase one (or more) please contact me via e-mail so that I can advise shipping costs  (I would need your post code to give you an accurate quote and delivery time).  Please note the cute Teddy in the red jumper is not included.

I also make these cute custom made silk books.  The photo's (which you would supply via e-mail) are printed on to habotai silk and made into pages for the book.  I will edge them with lace and embellish with beads and embroidery.  The cover can be made from various fabrics according to your requirements.  These make ideal gifts for all sorts of occasions: anniversary, new baby, christening, birthday or friendship.  These will retail at $50 plus shipping.  Again please e-mail for full details

Sold out!

Well almost!  Yesterday I did my first ever craft fair.  I sold 8 of my twelve bags and had four enquiries for my silk keepsake books!  For some reason my red velvet xmas stockings and gift bags didn't tempt anyone at all.  I made these last minute to make things look a bit christmassy as it was a christmas craft fair, perhaps people are not so keen on this sort of stuff anymore?  Never mind! 

Earlier in the week we did Thunder Bay one last time before the winter really set in.  The road was really pretty this time! Last time we passed through Schreiber I was intrigued by a number of trees bent over, almost in a perfect arc, at the side of the road.  Our friends, who have lived here for years, explained that there was an ice storm a few years ago and this was the result!  Fascinating! The frozen 'waterfalls' on the rocks at the side of the road are pretty impressive too!

So this week really saw the arrival of winter with our first real snow of the season, although I guess by local standards this still isn't anything to get too excited about!  It dropped to about -18 yesterday then rose back up to about -10!  After the craft fair Lovely Man and I decided to take a walk in the snow.  Having been shut indoors for two days sewing I was eager to get out there.  So eager I did the usual 'grab your boots and coat and out the door' thing.  Note to self - choose something you think will be warm enough and add another layer underneath!  Although I am told we will acclimatize eventually.  It was a strange experience.  Wearing only thin brushed cotton jeans my thighs got real cold even though I was walking quite quickly.  Within minutes of being back indoors they were suddenly on fire!  At one point they were SO hot I considered taking a cold shower!  I did, however, manage to get some nice shots of the beach and lake - all frozen of course!

 

So today is lazy Sunday.  Cooked breakfast, a little tidying up and then a whole day just painting and maybe another little walk in the bush!  Have a great week all!

Nearly There!

Ok, so today has been VERY productive after all!  Not only did I manage to get next week's column written I also managed to get two childrens bags, one evening purse and a christmas stocking finished!  Off to bed now!!!

First Snow

Woke up this morning to our first real snow.  Umm actually I'm not really sure that statement is correct!  You see, so far, we've had four separate days this month where it has snowed ALL day...but it didn't settle.  Therefore it wasn't, in my book anyhow, real snow.  Last night it snowed whilst I was asleep and it settled just to show me when I woke up this morning that it had done it's best.  So I declare it to be 'real' snow although I guess the locals here won't even notice it!  If it doesn't come up to the windows around here it doesn't count! Apparently it's only a lot if you can walk from roof top to roof top.

So. How has my week been?  For the most part I have been working like a girl possessed on my two sewing machines having decided, at the eleventh hour, to have a table at the craft fair next Saturday.  Notice i said two sewing machines?  I bought one, when I arrived, in Walmart.  The other one I purchased from a lovely guy,  Ron, when he moved out of town.  It is a Singer Denim Deluxe machine which will sew denim and even leather.  I tried it out for the first time when I was trying to stitch some thick handles on one of my bags.  What a dream, it sews beautifully, and it's the first sewing machine I've ever had that simple hums along instead of making that awful clattering!  So far ten bags complete and ready for sale, one silk keepsake book, one red velvet Christmas gift bag, one red velvet Christmas stocking ready as examples for custom orders.  So today I aim to get two evening bags ready for sale and a childs novelty bag.

Thursday night I did take some time out to pursue a new sport.  Lovely Man wanted to try curling.  Stick curling to be precise.  So at 7pm we arrived at the curling club.  I should point out at this point I have NEVER been anywhere near an ice-skating rink, nor have I ever had any inclination to.  In-fact I absolutely hate that feeling of sliding along.  I tried roller skating, skateboarding and even snow boarding and I'm sorry to say I hated it!  So it didn't do anything to inspire me when we arrived to watch the first games from the viewing gallery only to witness two people slip up on the ice, one of them having to be taken to the local hospital to have stitches in the back of her head!  By the time it was our turn to have a go I was unable to speak to anyone, and feeling somewhat sick!  At the last minute every inch of me wanted to turn and run, however with the help of a lovely local lady, Priscilla, I actually managed not only to walk on the ice but to push a few rocks down the lane!  AND, excuse me, I got two of them in the target zone, very close to the centre!  So we joined!  Watch this space!

Where, oh where....

has this week gone?  We have been blessed for the last eight or more days with glorious sunshine and blue skies!  For that reason I have achieved very little in the grand scheme of things!  After all who can bear to stay inside when the universe is being so kind to us?  Actually, to be fair, we have not been resting on our laurels.  No indeed, the garden is tidy ready for winter.  The clothes post now stands erect in a place where I can actually reach it without hurting my back or falling headfirst down into next door's garden!  The decking has been repaired and we have a trailer full of rubbish to take to the landfill!  No.  when I say I haven't achieved much, I actually mean I haven't made a single bag, keepsake book or painted a single canvas!  

In the evenings I have sketched.  A new pastime for me, sketching people,  namely Kelly who is a lovely blogger I 'met' recently and she does this weekly sketching challenge.  I have also been writing my column pieces and saving them, just in case I get writers block one week! I think this week though I am especially proud of my first attempt at drawing a caricature, so much so that I couldn't resist popping it in here (just in-case your not familiar with my arty blog!!!).  So I suppose, upon reflection, I have achieved quite a lot, in the grand scheme of things, just not the things on my list!!  Have a great week guys!