Shopping Diet

About a month ago, my blogger friend Christielli stated she was going on a shopping diet. I thought this was a great challenge. I'm always up for a challenge especially if it doesn't involve me giving up coffee, sugar or gluten.

So the rules were that we could only buy necessities - food, music and in my case - an iPhone*. No books, no Etsy, no new clothing or accessories.....sounded daunting.

However, I actually found this challenge surprisingly easy! There were a couple times I almost bought e-books but that was it. I also didn't include visits to pubs or restaurants as cheating since I figure that fell under the 'food' part of the diet.

Now that it's over, I bought my first item:



It's a little case for my ipod - it's getting pretty scratchy inside my bag. And it matches my red nano! Can you take it?

I figure it's good karma from the shopping diet, because immediately after I bought this, someone bought three bags at once from my shop! And anyway, I haven't bought anything off Etsy since July.

*Which I decided not to get. I know. I'm waiting for the iPhone 5.o. Yes, I'm serious.

Kurt Cobain Sweater II

Lots of progress on the sweater for my nephew...

This photo is weird - the sweater is dark brown....I should take a photography course.

Anyway, after realizing there was a slight error in the pattern and ripping out twice, now it's super smooth sailing until the end. It's so cute and will look amazing on my cute little blonde nephew.

Blocking it is my next hurdle, but how hard can that be?

It's the least I can do...

Remembrance Day means a lot to me. My Grandpa, who I was incredibly close with was a vet. Since I moved to BC in 1996, I have only missed two ceremonies.

So today we got up and went out, but this time we tried a different one. A much smaller ceremony in Esquimalt. We actually showed up super early, which is not like us. So we stood on the sidewalk with a clear view of the cenotaph.

This is not good.

See, I have been to so many of these ceremonies but I have never actually watched one of them. The ceremonies in Vancouver and Victoria draw huge crowds - there is just no way. And anyway, my usual routine with it is to simply stand in the rain and cry.

So this year we had a clear view because we were half an hour early. As I stood there and watched the veterans file in to their seats I was already a hot mess. Nothing had started yet!

Thank goodness the parade filed in and stood between us and the seating, then all the people around us moved forward. Phew - cause watching the veterans is just too much.

I hope everyone got out to participate in a ceremony or at the very least took a moment today and thought about all the people who have given their lives in war. It's so important.

Heebies Forever

Holy hell.

I just got home from seeing the scariest movie EVER.


I love scary movies - which can be confused with gory movies. I like creep, not gore. Before tonight, the scariest movies I knew were The Shining or The Changeling from the 70's. Tonight there is a new king.

Paranormal Activity 3 was so creepy, I almost hated it halfway through - it was just too much! I think I spent half the movie wide eyed with my hands over mouth.

Spoiler Alert:
I won't be able to open doors, go to sleep or walk into a kitchen the same way after tonight.

And so refreshing that none of the actors are the Julia Roberts/Brad Pitt type. Spare me. In other words - totally real people which makes the movie so much more relative and hence - more creepy.

Poor Brad, it will be a few nights of me leeching on to his arm before I shake the heebies.

I must admit this is cool...

Well, Brad has entered the 21st century.

I'm posting this from his new Android phone which sounds pretty cool but it's ridiculous because I'm sitting on the couch with the laptop right in front of me.

At least Halloween candy is still old fashioned.

Vic High

Remember this post?

That project that I was working on is finally finished. Victoria High School - it's a super old building where we did some interior renovations. We also tacked on a new extension. I was lucky enough to work on both buildings.

So remember - this project was done in Revit - not AutoCAD. This means instead of lame 2D Etch-A-Sketch lines that represent walls - the entire thing is in 3D. Here is a snap shot from the Revit 3D model.


See those ramps and stairs? I shuddered the first time I saw the floor plan. I think that shudder was my intuition letting me know that eventually that crap was coming my way.

Yup - I ended up doing all the ramps and stairs in the building. There is another nightmare ramp on the outside that you can't see here.

It was the first time I drew ramps or stairs in Revit.....and this is what I get to start with!? And because I'm working with an architect: he would tell me how he wanted it designed, I drew it up and he would change his mind.

Seriously - this was such a great experience. It's definitely my favourite project I've ever worked on, and I'm so proud to have been a part of it.

Here is another shot from the model.


And...this is super cool...check out the photograph from the building.


The "pencil columns" on the left were the best part of the project - what a mind that comes up with that design for a high school!

And how cool is this? Walking up the ramp I spent hours and hours drawing...

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Today I achieved greatness.

My new favourite blog: Joy the Baker. Here is the recipe.

If you have been reading my little blog for a while, you know that I'm not the greatest baker. Remember the cookies that looked like bums? Or the other cookies that ended up with me digging through the garbage? This is not one of those memories.

So, cookies are obviously my arch nemesis but one thing I can do is make a mean loaf of bread. This recipe - so right up my alley.

The stickiness of the dough scared me at first, but after kneading in the little bit of extra flour it was a perfect consistency. It looked like a brain at one point but I was brave and went on with the recipe.

You use one cup of sugar and it totally seems like overkill but it really isn't. And the bread isn't sickly sweet either. I'm not sure where all the sugar ends up....other than on my hips...

The crust is crusty and golden - seriously. I can't take it.

I thought for sure we would polish the whole thing off but we didn't.

There are still a few hours until bed time.

What's on my iPod VI

Do you guys go through phases with music? Man, I do. Lately I've been listening to more rustic stuff and I'm digging it unlike ever before. I grew up listening to Bowie, Zepplin and the Stones so these artists are more in line with what I love the best.

I've found an interesting source for good music too. You'll never believe it - the show House.....ahem. I know.

I have this afternoon off work. It's amazing how much giddiness 4 hours of freedom brings. I'm spending the day hanging out with Ziggy, listening to music and just relaxing - what bliss.

Eric Bibb
Man, this guy is so smooth, so raw and bluesy in a soft way. I love the lyrics (ie: 'I'm gonna make you some money you can fold') and get a such a warm fuzzy feeling listening to him. I'm surprised my Mom doesn't know about him cause he is right up her alley. My favourite - Shine On. Check him out.

Keb Mo'
I love classy men, don't you? He is very similar to Eric Bibb, between the two of them I'm in heaven. I'll take all I can from these guys. He is a little more on the blues side. I love his song 'Shave Yo Legs'. I can only hope Brad feels this way about me. Ahem....

Amos Lee
This is a guy I first heard on House. Seriously? How come I've never heard him before?! He is like a more classy version of John Mayer. Colours is the best song. I'm definitely loading up on his stuff.

Adele
Definitely a much more classy and tolerable version of Amy Winehouse. Her voice is awesome and I love the song Chasing Pavements - it reminds me of Vancouver. I think she has a new album out.....I should do my research before I do these posts.

Feist
How long did we all count down until this album came out? Yeah....I've listened twice and I'm not ready to make any solid judgements quite yet. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of songs without structure....that's the only way I can put it. I'll leaving this alone for now.

I hope everyone has had a great short week. I have three more hours of freedom until the regular weekend starts. I see IT Crowd, cofee and possibly some knitting coming my way.

Ripping Out

It was going well, it really was. Although I had to ask Brad not to talk to me when I started a row. I told myself...."it's my first sweater - it's supposed to be this hard."

I didn't really think about what the stitches were and why.....I trusted the pattern. Until I got this far.

(That's the collar at the top....)

I suddenly thought - why am I increasing and decreasing stitches like mad near the edges where the button holes are? It's actually making holes in my knitting....where there shouldn't be holes.


It was then that I re-read the pattern.

I was making the WRONG sweater.

Seriously...

Well, at least when I re-do it, it will be an easier sweater to make...

(Don't you think it's cool that I'm writing this post on the ferry?)

Kurt Cobain Sweater

Remember the Jellyfish quilt I made for my nephew?

I'm starting another big project for him today - he's so cute I can't resist making him stuff. Plus it's football season again so Brad is glued to our new tv these days.

He is already laughing about how I'll be up late the night before I want to give it to him panicking and scrambling to get it done. I don't even bother to deny it anymore.

This time I'm attempting my first sweater and it's going to be off the hook cute: a little Kurt Cobain sweater!

Here's the picture from the pattern.

I went to my favourite yarn shop yesterday and had one of the ladies help me out. I couldn't even figure out which needle size to use. Turns out it's super small. I had to buy new needles - I usually knit on 4.5mm needles. These are 3.25mm. It will take forever.

I'm stoked.