Metal Arts Guild MAGazine!

Its been a busy month for my CV bibliography!

A few days ago i got my copy of the Fall issue of Metal Arts Guild's MAGazine in the mail, the issue that my article on Stephen Fox Clarinets is in! So exciting!!!!

A few days later i was asked to contribute another (more technical) article on Lily Yung which was a lot of fun to do because not only did i get to do more writing for a professional-type organization of my peers, but i learned lots of stuff as well... particularly about 'rapid prototype technology'.  Look out for that one in the winter issue of MAGazine. 

P.S. I couldn't have done it without my LOVELY and mildly threatening editor and best friend Maegan. :) Thanks babe!

Anyhoo, i'm proud of my little article, its on newsstands now!

Halloween Haggle

This time of year is often made easier for me by my friend Shilo's tendency to have a themed halloween/birthday party, thus narrowing down my options for costume choices each year and taming my unruly thought process. 

This year, alas... I'm going it alone, despite trying to enlist new friends here in renton to agree on a group of costumes I was once again stranded on an island of uncertainty.

UNTIL!:

I found the best website for halloween costume ideas at

http://costumeideazone.com

Its awesome.

There are so many clever and classy ideas for costumes that all i need to do now is narrow down my favourites.  I have T-minus one week to make this happen and i'm very excited to go to the city with the girls and check out the Fremont parade and go samba dancing by the Troll. :)  

Happy haunting everyone! (I'll add pictures of our first seattle halloween after the big day!).

POST HALLOWEEN UPDATE!:

For my costume I wore:  GRAPES and Wrathy type things like devil horns and a mask made of purple glitter and had a 'wrath stick' with grape leaves all over it. :) Duh, i was GRAPES OF WRATH!

We had an AWESOME time and ROBOT (Marie) stole the show.. litterally!  She jumped on stage at one point during the narrative performance at the Troll Birthday Party and cut in on the two main characters dancing together after the crowd chanted 'robot' 'robot' 'robot'. What a hit!

It was FUN WITH ROBOT night, and we even scored a free organic pumpkin from a guy at the supermarket who thought we were hilarious!

Mary Poppin's went looking for two children among the crowd with the help of a british tommy and his friend 'guy from the amazing race'. 

ALSO:  I SAW TRON!

IT WAS AWESOME!

Sorry, i didn't get a picture but i did get a really limp high five. That guy probably worked for Microsoft.  I love living in a town full of geeks!

After the parade and aerobic's (hen we wandered the festive streets of Fremont and found among other things, my counterpart of the night 'Deviled Eggs' and Mary Poppin's got some facetime with Sarah Palin on the way back to the car!

So Much Fun!

My secret is purple!

In the last year i have started to seriously accumulate a life full of the colour PURPLE.

It has become VERY apparent recently when without realizing it I ordered 3 things from Zappos.com in the very same colour. 

Things that are purple:

Eyeglasses

Sneakers

Striped cardigan

toque 

polka dot pj pants

watch

binder

Sparkle Eyeshadow

ball point pens

shoulderbag

So whats is it about colour that attracts? Perhaps in this case it was a subconscious shift.  Purple traditionally signifies power and royalty, maybe its a nod to my ineffable confidence of late?  Wiki also says that Hendrix favourite colour was Psychadelic purple... maybe the fact that i go to school across the street form his gravesite is having an effect: or more possibly, that i'm drinking beer with musicians that we aquire from the Chevron across the street from Hendrix's grave! :)

Anyway.

I'm proud to tell ya: I LOVE PURPLE.  Its my new power colour. 

Green didn't even see it coming.

P.S. I'm listening to Gogol's 'Start Wearing Purple' right now!

MAGAZINE HEAVEN!!!!

I love living in the u.s. right at this moment. 

I just spent 40.00 and am now subscribed to: 

GQ,

(Yup, that's the pic of Judd Apatow (and crew) for GQ man of the year)

 

 Marie Claire

 AND Domino

(DELICIOUS DELICIOUS HOME DEC!)

... Ahh... Thats 34 Magazines at just 1.25/magazine!!!!

I feel all powerful right now. 

Magazines are my eye candy, my inspiration and my FAVOURITE distraction from reality, and right now, the reality is that i'm BROKE.  Instead of taking the plunge and going 'window shopping' because it always ends up hurting my wallet, i will have to stay home on my free days just to be able to get through the stack of magazine articles that await me. 

I am so excited to live vicariously through the glossy images of other peoples fantastic lives/homes/boyfriends.  Okay, that sounds lame, but its true. 

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  

Yay Yay Yay!!!

Repair s'COOL!!!

BIRT stands for Band Instrument Repair Technician, and that is what i am going to be!

I have been putting this off for a few years to make sure that its what i want to do. 

I came out here to Renton, WA (15 minutes south of Seattle) last june to check out the area and meet Darryl Hickman the instructor of Renton Technical College's program. 

Now that i'm finally here, and it feels so RIGHT.

This week has been primarily introductory, lots about the syllabus, safety and info about the industry. We are the number 1 program right now (out of four in north america) and Darryl is the president of the NAPBIRT association which is pretty helpful come december when we start looking for jobs. 

The other day Darryl was explaining some of the components of the tuba and then fully hauled off and THREW IT INTO THE FLOOR!!!!  He was like: 'It used to be hard for me to wreck instruments so that you guys could fix them... now its kind of FUN!!!'

Dude.

I'm pumped for some dent removal, and some serious brazing and re-padding challenges. The one thing that i'm sort of wary of is of re-learning to play. We have play-tests on 5 instruments: Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Alto Sax and Flute. 

I went and got all my mouthpieces/reeds yesterday and have started to re-learn on the Clarinet that i dis and re-assembled in fridays class.

One thing that is an unofficial part of the curricula is to go out and get involved in the music community.  I'd like to build some competency and play with the community band in Ballard if i can, but a bunch of the guys are already starting up plans for gig's and that. 

We went out friday night and hung out at a jazz show as a group... its cool how diverse our backgrounds all are (musicians/anthropologists/metalsmiths/music teachers/tinkerers) and its good to know that we have people who play the playtesting instruments as their primary instruments because i'll know who to ask for help!

Monday my half of the class is starting with brasswind and chem-cleaning.  

We have a whole new instructor named Dan and our classes will rotate back and forth to do woodwind with him after 3 weeks. 

I just ordered a stopwatch so that i can time myself, speed is a big advantage in this industry and I'm going to do my best. In nine months, I hope to be on top of the pile!

Can't wait for monday!

Wrapperoo!!!

A multi-amazing dress...

Always one for the mutli-functional solution, i decided that i could use a new addition to the wardrobe that is comfy and doubles/triples the practical space it takes up in my suitcase.

This is it!

Its the wrapperoo... 

Can be worn in oh, so many ways!

Or as a long fall skirt!

Or as a suspender top dress with a t-shirt!

I'm so happy with how this turned out, i think the next one i make will be reversable:)

DOGS?: Bully me why don't you?

I tried the whole 'pet thing' with Squishy Ristimaki my late and terminally depressed beta fish and despite this particular 'flop', i'm not discouraged. 

I think i would like to be a dog person. Again.

I would like some responsibility in my life and 'dog responsibility' suits me fine. I miss it in fact.  Used to have both an Irish Setter and a Golden Retriever in my younger days.  

I know that right now, i'm excited for the new and different in my upcoming move and the school that is taking me there... but i also know 'me'. 

I am going to put this down in writing:

When i'm done school, and can move to a job that will hopefully hold the promise of a few years consistent work to pay off student loans which i'm about to accumulate, i would VERY MUCH like to have a real companion to keep my company through the whole 'working for a living' process until i can start thinking about having time for a creative career again, or working towards being a business owner, or towards getting an MFA or other Post Grad Degree.

I have always fancied a Pot-Bellied Pig, 

but i am also seriously considering dogs, and some of the breeds i'm thinking are:

Great Dane

English Bulldog

French Bulldog

or a mutt of some kind, i'm most likely to adopt a dog but in the meantime, i'll dream shall I!?!

Is it true that the dogs people choose reflect somewhat their 'look'?  If so, um, I look forward to a lazy, emotionally demanding, shorthaired, and sleepy eyed lifestyle!

Sounds kind of good really.

They came, They Cuccumbed, They went!

I had such a great time last night.

I had been planning to have a 'come have a drink on me, and leave with something that i don't then need to throw out/donate' cocktail party, and last night was the night.

It was wonderful to be surrounded by great people, and to munch on good foods and drink up, in my OWN HOME! 

Here's the recepie of the spotlight cocktail of the evening; The CUCCUMBER FIZZ

Infuse Gin, preferably Hendricks in a jar with a whole peeled Cuke, cut into peices and leave to muddle for at least 3 hours.

Strain back into the bottle.

Fill a glass with ice.

Add juice of one half of a lime.

2 squeezed/chopped mint leaves

One part Cuccumber Gin

One part Tonic

Garnish with a Cuccumber spear

Mmm... My new favourite summer drink!

Like a duck

Michael Caine once said:

Be like a duck. Calm on the Surface but always paddling like the dickens underneath.

What I have NOT been able to do lately is to stay calm. 

I had an interesting discussion last night with a friend and it lead me to the realization that the pattern of switching tasks often is something that i have inherited from my job. 

Luckily i will be leaving that job soon, but in the meantime, i am tired of feeling 'panic-y' and 'anxious' and 'scattered' all the time.  I'm the kind of person who moves through the world oblivious to immediate realities because i'm often thinking on two tracks. I get around on auto pilot and think myself to distraction. 

Key loser

Push door puller

muffin burner

I have a new trick to help stay focused and retrain my brain to focus more clearly on the present.

Its called 'NOTEPAD'

It goes like this:

-Do stuff (a task)

-When you inevitably get distracted, stop yourself

-Don't change course, just write down the thought that came to mind on a NOTEPAD and let the idea drift away

-When you've completed the task at hand look to NOTEPAD to find your next task

-Now begin resolving the most important task first. 

-Repeat as symptoms of distraction arise

I'm seriously considering the hipster pda as my format for NOTEPAD. 

I especially like that the binder clip that holds the assembly together will also be helpful in clipping the thing to my pocket so that it doesn't slide out when i'm riding my bicycle. 

Oh, how hipster i have become. 

Ahh.... Its a difficult job, but someone has to reprogram me, and it might as well be me.

Also, when i wrote 'like a duck' i sang it to the chevy truck 'like a rock' jingle. 

Toronto Vs. Nagoya Artfight at the Nagoya Arts festival

So about a month ago, i was on the phone with the poison control peeps looking for confirmation that i hadn't absorbed an unhealthy amount of wintergreen oil (which i had to sign for at the pharmacy) by doing the photo transfers for this call for entry.

It was a very hair-raising learning curve but mostly it was fun. 

I watched the first two Rambo movies whilst embroidering explosions on pictures of a 'dream home' and 'fantasy castle' in this 'FAIRY TALE ENDINGS' series. 

It was one of those opportunities that comes up to challenge yourself to make something spontaneous and capturing where you are at that one particular moment. 

I'm glad that i did it, but it isn't my proudest achievement. 

Also, i named my stapler 'RAMBO' as a result of this weekend.

Weight Control

This is the scene of my wednesday night reality check. 

I've been 'thinking light' for the past well... i won't say how many months but i can tell you this; i've got wardrobe compaction, down to a science!!!!

Tonight i tried to squeeze all my sweet and wonderful favourites/staples into the suitcase i plan to take with me to seattle.

I will be flying internationally and therefore i can bring with me two bags each weighing under 50 lbs.

It turns out that that won't be as difficult as i expected. 

All of my careful and perhaps neurotic planning is going to good use and i will arrive, well dressed, and comfortably within the 'average weight for my economy class flying self.  I'm going to make a master manifest tonite of what i am bringing.  It will make the non-test run of packing a breeze.

I'm just going to say it, I'm very proud of my ingenuity. 

This truly feels like a TRIUMPH!

Also... I'm going to be the one woman force bringing back SHOE CLIPS!!!

You heard it here first.

How else will one pair of grey shoes go with silver/gold/navy AND black!!!!

Journals

Journaling is so much more than recording details, or keeping track of the order of events.  (I have Ical for that!)  

While waiting for the shipment of my favourite journals (GALISON, Write On! style) I have just had a week of 'GASP' not journalling.  Yesterday I even considered NOT journalling anymore at all because it wasn't really that difficult, but why would I DO such a thing!

Never have I been more aware of how important that process has been in my life. 

I guess, looking back, that i have always kept a journal of some kind.  I think it started when i was a preteen, just after my parents divorce and just in time to start recording my outlandish first dealings with boyfriends and the women they drive crazy!

I've gone through some phases to be sure, college years were less journal, more 'little black book of to do lists'. I actually managed to keep it all in one journal for my thesis year of university, and since graduation, i've been using the Galison's to keep in touch with myself. To spur myself forward and really think out my wants/needs/goals.

I love journaling, I love that element of twenty/twenty hindsight that comes with being blatantly honest with yourself, and putting it in writing. 

These are more than JUST journals, these are love letters to myself. 

Instead of calling an end to this love affair, we're going to some couples therapy, me and my journal are going to be adventurous, try new things: Mindmapping, ToDoList Inclusions, Sketches, Poetry, wherever my mind and body lead me!

new CALLING CARDS

Tomorow is the gallery opening for a show i'm involved in.

Every time i put work into a show i think to myself... you should have a business/contact card like all the other professionals here so people ca

n contact you if they would like to... or so they can see what a great artist you are in other media.

So, 

I've been hulling and cutting 'header cards' from work for a week or two in preparation becasue i don't beleive in buying something you can reclaim.  They're cute and have a hole in them already in case i need to hang them from a cup hook or tie them onto a gift box.  Then, last week i took my expert artist freind to get a three line self inking stamp from business depot, and tonite while 

watching the top model finale, (YAY WHITNEY!) i cut out the stamp for the back side of my new cards.

Tonite, i printed them, so that they will be dry and beautiful for tomorow's opening and i'm very impressed... Things like this don't usually work the FIRST time, but i guess after years of buggering up and putting a word/all the letters in reverse i've somehow LEARNED to do a good job.  Who knew!

What i've been up to lately:

Come check out the 'BEND/FOLD/MANIPULATE' exhibition online, or to the opening next thursday evening between 6:30 and 9:30.  The work will be on display at A.C.A. Gallery at 183 Queen Street East Wednesdays through Saturdays from May 14th to May 28th, 2008.

My work in this show is entitled 'Inhale';

The concepts of 'nature' and 'humanity' are perhaps nowhere more closely intertwined than in medical technologies. We use machines and drug that seem so far removed from the natural world, yet these are often made from natural substances. 'Inhale' begins with oxygen masks, parts of machines used for breathing and administering anesthesia.  In this way they preserve the most natural, animal parts of us: beating hearts and breathing lungs.  The local wildflowers that adorn this series (Purple Cone Flower, New England Aster and Butterfly Milkweed) each contribute to the health of the environment here in Ontario.  They provide shelter and nourishment to insect pollinators necessary for maintenance of biodiversity in the broader environmental context.

With each breath, as with each of our decisions we contribute change to our surroundings.  As we re-think the cultural logic of our place in the world let us consider what it is we are exhaling. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm really proud to be a part of this show, and to be on my way to becoming a 'for real' artist.  It feels good because i'll just make stuff anyway.

http://www.bendfoldmanipulate_for_peace.cachelan.com

100 things that make me happy Spring 2008

1. Bouffantes

2. Listening to people speaking Finn (and not understanding)

3. Falling asleep peacefully

4. Under dressing for the Ballet/Symphony

5. Over dressing for a house party.

6. A clean, Gin and Tonic with lime.

7. Sneakers, No socks.

8. Getting my eyebrows waxed.

9. Pepe's from the Scandinavian Bakery, Sudbury ON.

10. The colour 'French Ivory'.

11. Bee's and Beekeeping.

12. Family Get-togethers.

13. Long frank talks with mom.

14. Coffee; Dark Roast, Black, Body Temperature.

15. Street Vendor Okonomiyaki

16. A night of dancing like a fool.

17. Earpops...

18. Tupperware collapseables.

19. Pineapple.

20. The Drew Carrey Show.

21. Vanilla, YUM!

22. Ronnie Burkett

23. Neices and Nephews, freeze tag and vaccum kisses.

24. Short stories 

25. Remembering only the best parts of high school.

26. Mass Transit.

27. Growing up a small town girl.

28. Juggling. (even though i'm mediocre)

29. Thrift Shopping.

30. Multi-functional Design.

31. Soup

32. Toddlers that aren't mine.

33. Permaculture

34. Chatting with my best girl friends.

35. Designing and making stuff.

36. Being GOOD at what i do.

37. Kitchen dancin'

38. Pundits (esp. McLaugchlin Group Sundays)

39. Mindless Video Games ie: tetris/poppit

40. Traveling Alone.

41. Journalling.

42. The luxury of staying in.

43. Waking up in friendly arms.

44. Singing

45. Riding my bicycle... Wheezie!!!

46. Learning ALWAYS

47. Taking Compliments Gracefully

48. The excitement of meeting new people.

49. Cutting to the chase.

50. Curly Hair

51. Toronto Island Summers

52. Science Fiction (enders game, Baxter, Mary Doria-Russel!, Ronald Moore)

53. Driving with dad, while he tells me stories 

54. Flying solo at the movies.

55. Non-fiction interest writers

56. Uniforms, and systemization 

57. Being Early.

58. Going on adventures whilst 'waiting' for people/events.

59. Alchemy

60. Brit-pubs and football...(soccer), liverpool, arsenal, tfc, france (international league).

61. Rob Brezney's Horoscopes.

62. John Steinbeck

63. The guy who plays guitar downstairs

64. Long walks, to a distant destination with no time pressure.

65. Re-visiting old poems of mine... old selves.

66. My home.

67. Warm bath + Cool glass of water.

68. Funny Laughers

69.Spicy Dark Chocolate

70. *HUGS*

71. Japan, i love it there... i would/might move there, it just feels good.

72. Crushing/Flirting

73. Snowboarding

74. Folk Festivals

75.TRUMPET

76. Silversmithing

77. Sing alongs

78. Swimming in a lake/river.

79. St. Johnsbury Vermont in Early March.

80. Radial Imagery

81. Quinoa (SPIRALS!!!!)

82. My Kenmore Sewing Machine.

83. Symmetry.

84. Alexander Calder and tinker's at large.

85. Tea in bed.

86. Danish Modern Furniture

87. Michael Caine Movies

88. Cedar Trees

89. Sauna

90. Sound Art.

91. Fine Art that means it

92. Rich Nutty Amber Beers

93. Singer Songwriters

94. Being a student and appealing to experts in my search for breadth and knowledge.

95. The Zissou

96. Being a mentor and setting positive examples by living my ideal life

97. Bookstores on sundays

98. Cooking for people i love.

99. Waking up to crisp bright mornings while on trail or canoe trips

100. Me.  I'm my own best friend/enemy/critic/lover.

 

ahh... i love BOBBINS!

Ok..

So i've been having issues with my sewing machine and i realized its probably because i've never ONCE cleaned it in all the seven years i've used it, and its well used!

So today i hoped to clean it and have that fix my crappy tension problem. 

no dice.

The tension wasn't fixed so i fuddled and muddled and surfed for information on the webbernet. 

Turns out that there is a little tiny screw on the bobbin case to set the bobbin tension!

Note to self:

1. Clean your machine more often, and show it you care!

2. If this ever happens again, check the bobbin case tension screw!

now i'm gonna go and sew my brains out!

Le Tarte Tatin

Mmm....  I think this is more of a fall dish, but someone i know is dying to make the perfect one, and on the implication that his recette is  a bit salle, here goes:

Pastry: 

In a bowl:

-1 cup of flour

-1/3 cup of chilled, chopped, unsalted butter.

Rub together with your fingers until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs..

 (think: 'tuppin's tuppin's' , i like to sing that song while i do it which i think helps)

Now add:

-1 1/2 Tbsp of Sugar

Mix

Using a round blade cut the mixture while adding in:

-2 Lg. Egg Yolks (or one whole egg if you just don't give a yolk)

When the ingredients come together into a ball, knead on a floured surface until its all well blended. 

Then wrap it up in some plastic  and put it in the frigo to chill for a half hour while you chop apples.

Filling: 

-5 reasonable apples 

Core, peel and quarter the apples. (or sixth them, i like sixthing)

(these will bake down quite a bit so if it looks like too much for your skillet, don't fret.)

Make the glaze:

Use a skillet you can bake in (i like cast iron) but enamel works too, or at worst do this in a frying pan and transfer it to a pie pan after...

-3 TBSP of unsalted butter

-1/2 cup of sugar 

Mingle over medium heat until it gets to be syrup-ish, just swish it, no stirring. and if it starts to smoke remove from the heat and start again.

Combine:

Arrange the apples in the skillet and turn off the burner. 

Fire up the oven to 400 degrees (farenheit) 

When the dough is g'done chilling, roll it out a bit bigger than the pan/skillet you're baking in and lay the dough over the apples tucking in the edges gingerly.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, 

Reudce heat  to 250 degrees 

Bake some more for another 20 minutes.

Removed when slightly browned

Turn out of skillet on to heat resistant plate and cool before eating.

After removing it from the oven, loosen the pastry from the edges of the pan by skimming arround it with a tool of your choice, then overturn the tarte onto a heat resistant plate  and remove the skillet.

Voila!

I like to add ginger to this, because i like to add ginger to most things... but secret surprise option, try adding in finely chopped candied ginger pieces to the tarte crust... its unexpected and cuts down the sting of the ginger. 

I'll have to make an other one soon so i can post up a pikture!

 

Lappi-slug!!!!

YAY!

I'm loving my new home-made laptop tote/sleeve.  

I used some iron-on vinyl to protect the wicked vintage fabric from the elements.

I lined it with hi-dense foam shipping leaves punked from work.

Its got a pocket on the side that holds either my notebook or the power block. 

Next, i'm gonna make the 'KIRSI CASE'

The ultimate multifunctional briefcase/purse/fold-over shoulderbag.... now, WHAT COLOUR SHOULD A BAG THAT DOES EVERYTHING BE????

Mmmm.... LUNCH!

My Soup Library

03/14/2008

There is nothing like a freezer stocked full of frozen soup ready to defrost en-route to lunch. :)

some of the soups pictured:

Smokey Split Pea

Beet Torrent

Leek+Potato=Love

Carrot-ginger stew

Coconut Chili

Squash that Apple

Garlic/Ginger/Feel better soba

My log has something to say to you....

It says.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRSI!!!! YOU'RE 25!!!

(now don't screw it up!)

"Footed Pot" ....my ass!

ART/CRAFT

THE subject of contention for a bunch of my friends who are craft.. lovers and makers.

Last week i found a book called: 'Crafts Canada The useful arts' (1974).

Its full of local hero's like Lois Betbridge-Etherington (silversmithing queen) and even Andrew goss (i love his NEW work in concrete).

Using a few of the most interesting pictures from my find,  i intend to demonstrate how I see as the phases in what many view as contradictory terms and why i feel like they are all components of a healthy career as a 'craftsperson'. To me classification is made easy if you view it all from the p.o.v. of "intention".

Footed pot  by Bailey Leslie, Toronto. (NICE well made bong... no?)

A. Craft to me is about the end user. Craft is something that is made to be functional by a skilled craftsperson who has thoroughly considered all aspects of the design before beginning work.  To me this could include industrially produced objects where the designer really cared about the object, its use, storage, durability, aesthetics, and life span.  Something that is well crafted is essentially a pleasure to use. 

Tie-Dye, Eric Nyros. I love this work, i've never seen tie-dye executed like this, its beautiful no?!  Reminds me of being in the back country, if you look closely its all tree's and marshlands!

B. Art is about the concept or impulse of an artist. Art is the implementation of an artists skills in successfully conveying their personal vision. 

'Fibre Sculpture' by Hilde Shreier, Ottawa. This is interesting because it attempts to re-interpret textile techniques into a new form, but who wants that in thier house, really? I sometimes wish we could just write off craft from the seventies as what it was, experimental.

C. Production is anything else, continuing work in a series after the inspiration fades, making things because you know they sell, experimenting with new techniques unsuccessfully etc. This is essential to a makers process too, because well... sometimes its good to make some cash doing what you love, and sometimes you just need to burn out before you can start again, all the while improving on skills.

To me all of these elements are viable and important aspects of the career of a craftsperson.  I consider myself an artist and a maker and i'm getting better at moving through the phases of this cycle without questioning my own motives and goals all the time.

If you can find answers to the 'why' of material arts, it is easy to characterize where it sits on the horizon of the 'Art vs. Craft' debate.

Booyah.

HOODWINK

Hoodwink is a new hat i JUST finished but have been thinking about for a while.  Its sort of a maiden hat, but reminds me of Finnish Christmas elves.  It has earflaps to keep lobes warm and an elastic back strap so that you can wear it with your hair tied back. I am really excited about finally making this pattern and putting it together as it is something i've been thinking about for a while... a little nervous about the reception it will get the next few days though... maybe its over the top 'pointy'.  

This hat kind of has a story too... i designed it because i cut a fringe of bangs in front which was supposed to help me stop tying my hair back all the time but i still do... I like the fringe and i think i look cute and chipmunky with it... but when i wear a regular toque i look like a roadkill chipmunk.

So yeah, when I become a style icon in the future (accidentally of course, who.. moi??)

this may be one of the objects that led to my greatness... all credit due to vanity!

Look for it on the Oscar's red carpet this weekend... 

Hope everyone likes it as much as i do.  

If you want to protect it, WRAP IT UP!!!

That was my grade eight teacher's favourite saying... i wonder how she really meant it back then, but nevertheless it bears relevance!

I love these Furoshiki wraps.... the traditional japanese way to carry parcels... usually in a square of cotton/silk.  YEAH!   i wish i could get my groceries wrapped up like this, but alas...  i'll just have to save these instructions (from the japanese ministry of the environment) for wrapping presents.  

One more way to get rid of left over fabrics!

So for a while now i've been wanting to make something for myself...  and i NEEDED an apron, so i got on a kick last night.

This one is for the kitchen!

Its modeled on the apron i scrounged from my grandmothers house, an apron my mom thinks she made back in finland in the early sixties for a school project!

This one is for Metalwork and other messy non-food things..

Its got a big pocket on the front, its flowery and sort of country which is a nice contrast to using hardcore rotary tools.... its also got a square neck sort of a fifties touch.  I love this one, and i love that i can now get to some of my grinding projects and stay crud-free!

Oh, and i put grommets in the bottom corners to allow me to hook it onto cup hooks under my table and catch all the metalbits for recasting. 

BIG SMILE!

Toronto sings to me!

For years, 6 to be precise... the chimes of the toronto transit system have lulled me into a happy little song that i have happily hummed as i exit into the cool breezes of the city.

Only this week did i give it anymore thought... I read someone elses musing on the little three tone chime (apparently they use the same one in chicago on the people mover) and it got me thinking... WHAT IS THAT SONG>????

(dude, this 'sax shaped trumpet is awesome don't you think!)

So, i scanned and scanned through trumpet voluntaries, sonatas, the whole lot knowing that trumpets must be key (this is my brain after all!!!)

Finally i found it:

Vivaldi, Concerto for two trumpets, C Major, R537.

The three 'chime' notes are the falling A minor Chord. 

 That's the central chord in the concerto and my adorable little mind just extrapolates from there.

Cool eh?

P.s. When i do stuff its usually for some strange mini-reason... maybe this means i'm destined for chicago!?!?

Mixed emmotions

My mummu passed away last week (wednesday) and i went up there to be with family over the weekend.

Being in the sault, (st. Marie) was refreshing in a lot of ways i hadn't expected.  I helped to sort through some of mummu's things in her apartment in the retirement residence and found out how many quirky little 'likes' we have in common.  

I brought back  some momento's of her life, she loved bright colours and bold patterns. Here's a picture: 

One of the things i found was a book of knitting patterns for mittens... they are so detailed that i'm thinking of translating them into 'blackwork' patterns and maybe using them to embroider a new piece.

Oh, and theres a rosebowl that i'm going to use to house a new pet golfish.  its about time i had some company in my little apartment.  I think i'll name it 'Ristimakki' her maiden name. 

To Mummu, who was always pleasent and slyly funny, who stashed EVERYTHING sentimental away, who knew exactly what she liked and went with it, who always had her hands busy (usually knitting but also crocheting lace), who was my mothers mother. 

Everyone told me how 'un-finnish' i looked when i was up there.  

Now i have to go to finland... to unravel this mysterious part of my family history.  To know what it means to be 5o% Finn. 

Apple Pie Muffins!

OH YEAH!

I made two pans of these tonight and could've made one whole pie, but i love the convenience factor of these awesome treats.

I'm gonna freeze them.  Its a good week when my biggest problem is that i'm running out of room in the fridge.

Here's the recipie

Preheat the oven to 350' f

Mix in a bowl: 

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/3 cup butter (melted)

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup of orange juice or water

cinnamon to taste (I like 1/2 tsp)

2 cups of diced apples (you could substitute pears, strawberries, plums or other dense fruit)

later you'll need

1/2 cup of rolled oats 

-Pour the mixture into greased muffin tins or into a pie pan for a 'crustless pie'

-shake on rolled oats for crispy topping

-bake for approximately 45 minutes or until browned

Let these little sucka's cool. and then dig ins! 

They're a succulent mix of chewy and crisp with tender fruity insides.

Hope you like them!

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

This magical top hat (as modeled by my freindly 'vasehead') made one five year old boy pretty darn happy! 

I'm so pleased to have 'gotten' him.  He wore it to the grocery store and all through the performance of 'dirty dancing live' that we went to after our christmas lunch.  :) 

I'm exhausted now, and my studio is a MESS.... but i think there's something to this toys thing.  I think i'm going to do some more prototyping and see if i can get it together to apply for the 'toronto outdoor art exhibition'.. i've got things up my sleeve.

Also, i think the reception that my very generic and maybe overly simple 'fleurs' was good enought to encourage some real design r&d.  I'd like to get a batch of them out into a store someplace for a valentines day gift launch.... and then continue producing them into the spring season.

Ok... for now, i take a bath and stay away from the studio for at least a week!