My dear, dear friend Jerrica came by last night as one of her first visits on her cross Canadian adventure. Planning to walk and hitch hike the whole way, she and Gregory are already a few days behind and they've only made it from the valley to Halifax. That's ok though... that's where all the fun is... just going with the flow!

I met Jerrica last fall during a Yest!+ course. She had gone to high school with Joanna, the Halifax Coordinator for YES!+, and needed a place to stay while in the city attending the week long course. I had no idea what I was getting into at all when Jo called me... all I knew was that I had to say YES!

...and I have to say I'm so glad I did - by doing so I met a beautiful, kind and friendly soul that I know I will know forever. Jerrica is just so full of sunshine and I'm so proud of her for having the balls to go spread it right across this big ol'country! Let's just hope the psychic isn't right and that Gregory doesn't get you stuck on this side of Ontario!

During the course Jerrica let me paint her newly buzzed head - she had it shaved to help raise funds to support kids in the third world - told ya she was awesome!

This time round she kindly modeled my new hair pins for my etsy shop and the craft fair...

Only four more days left until the craft fair!

So exciting!

...speaking of, I should really get back to work

Earth Day

Well I hope everyone had a productive Earth Day!

I started the day by planting a great deal of flowers and herbs for my gardens and then spent the afternoon with a very green project of converting sticks, beads, nuts and thread into mobiles.

A very nice way to hide from the rain indeed.

Love and Energy

I first fell in love with Ani Difranco when I was sixteen and my step-mom brought me back a cassette of Puddle Dive from a folk festival in Vancouver.

I was kinda pissed I had missed the concerts, but Dad and I were off on our Seatte adventure... we lurked outside Kurt Cobain's windows, assessed the contents of the Apollo capsule - which included Parisian Barbie, and went to the middle of nowhere and camped in a 50's motel on a beach while I blew through Flaming Iguanas and pictured my own adventures with Tomato.

Oh to be sixteen and opening the world...

I always felt I was meant to hear Ani's words though... it was like she was validating my emotions for me. I've always felt like we've been on the same page as we've gone through life.

So you can imagine my delight when I heard some of her new work on Daytrotter (another of my FAVORITE sites!) check out "The Atom"

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/ani-difranco-a-woman-without-a-country-still-living-love-concert/20030315-341.html

Ani's been dealing with her anger towards the world the last few years, but with the birth of her daughter and the rediscovery of unconditional love - something we all enter into the world with but can easily loose track of - she's bringing it back to the basics and reminding everyone what it really comes down to...

I can't get enough of The Decemberists these days. Even though I have the new album I keep playing the live version they did last month at South by South West available on NPR.

It's truly amazing... it has a bit of a slow start, so sometime I skip 32 mintutes into it so I can hear my favorites. As you might guess they do "I was meant for the stage" as their last encore. That song is one of my anthems. You gotta love the Decemberists!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101397853

Tanja and I have been trying to come up with something witty for the name of our production company. Now that we have so many projects on the go we really need to get the ball moving so we can apply for some funding. After working under the umbrella of other production companies for so long it's been really nice to have a say in creating the foundation of what we hope to be a very successful business. Our combined years of experience have really taught us what to do and WHAT NOT TO DO.

...starting with a good name, it's gotta be catchy, but also really represent us some how. That was my thinking process for the ladybug/butterfly mock-up. When we were teenagers Tanja always called me the ladybug princess, and each time I see an orange butterfly I think of her. She's also the one who sold me on the beauty of the colour orange, which grew to be one of my most favorite of colours. She's so great when it comes to bringing up alternate perspectives... oh so many ideas, who knows where we'll end up... till then I'm going to keep playing!

my current motto

Zazzle Updates

Well I was really sad when Zazzle took off the majority of my cut-ups that I had for sale due to the fact that they featured celebrity portraits. Most upsetting because just a week before I had sold 4 of my Hoff "It's OK to suck it in" shirts. BUT, I understand the rules now and am setting up shop again.

So I've slowly started rooting through the files and finding some more personal pieces to post for sale. After my friend Chuck's request for an "It Is What IT Is" shirt I really started digging back and have manged to come up with a nice little selection of images - available in a wide variety of products...

t-shirts, ball caps, aprons, bags, stickers, cards, magnets... even skate boards - how cool is that?

everything is set so you can customize it... change your t-shirt style or colour. I love this feature, especially since it took me a wee while to get the full hang of it... so a few of the products might be better if the image was resized... things you notice along the way...

think I'm going to design some sneakers now, god I love Zazzle!


make custom gifts at Zazzle

I'm going to continue digging... the first five years of my work was all created by hand on the photocopier, so no digital files even exist. I'm going to put aside some time and archive those babies and soon enough they'll be up on Zazzle for all to enjoy... and buy!

Shop Local, Buy Original!

Halifax Crafters Spring Sale, May 2^nd& 3^rd at the North St Church (5657 North St at Fuller Terrace) from 11-5pm, Admission is free!

At this much anticipated 4th annual spring show you'll find the always popular recycled tops, jackets and vests of Orphanage Clothing, screen printed shirts by Sherry Lyn Jollymore, dreamy smelling soaps and botanicals from the garden of Osha Mae Soaps, calorie free baked goods sewn and printed by Chantal Doak, hand printed glassware with local street scapes by Kyla Francis, digital watches and other technology felted by Blythe Church, recycled porcelain jewelry by Amy Belanger, wheel-thrown mugs and bowls from members of Turnstile Pottery, and the exquisitely colourful baby clothes of Roisin Fagan to name a few.

Unusual finds and uncommon handmade delights will include:

sweet and savoury food craft, needle felted animals and sculptures, mixed tapes, homemade croissants, feather headpieces, recycled and embroidered clothing, bags and hats, cloth diapers and baby accessories, comics and zines, cards and bookbinding, posters, paintings, silver and gold jewelry, knitting, ceramics, toys, weaving, woodworking, leatherwork, and lots more from over 40 juried vendors who obsess about making things by hand that you are going to want to wear, use and show off every day.

Check out the Halifax Crafters blog at (http://halifaxcrafters.blogspot.com/) for photos of work from participating crafters and of past shows!

spring thaw

choose love not fear

This last year has had to have been the best/worse year I had in a very long time. I turned 30, I lost my dream job when the local company I worked for closed, ended up on EI, I met and fell for a stranger who presented me with my dream life.... something my parents didn't really buy into... which in turn led to a year of me trying to live my dream of being true to myself while some of the parental units squirmed and judged my choices. Luckily half of my family was able to accept my choices early on and could see how the pieces all fit together. Thank God! When someone you've know your whole life doesn't trust your decisions it make you question yourself - which can stir up many a silly insecurity, certainly not healthy at all.

Now if I could remove that small bundle of negative energy from my tally, I'd be left with the best year of my life. Bryan understands me like he's known me forever, and me him. Without him I would have never been able to make it through this crazy time and discover that there's no reason to be afraid, that I can have whatever I want - I am the one in control. I've always been so full of ideas and this last year gave me the opportunity to act on as many as possible. Each time I take a step in the right direction I've been rewarded. I feel blessed in a lot of ways...

...but at the same time I'm incredibly saddened by the idea that someone I love so much can be so caught up in an illusion and truly believe that the falsehood they've created is true and think that it is I who am living in a dream and can't possibly be happy. I have to assume it comes from a life long of disappointment and general lack of hope or faith. Your whole world starts in your head, and you need a happy heart and head to make the best of this place. These days my head and heart are happiest when I'm at home with Bryan, living our life together as a team, I couldn't ask for a better partner in this game.

This last period has made me realize just how freaking strong I really am... and that I've got a monsterously huge bundle of emotion in there so ready to bust - and I want it to flow out nothing but love. Now wouldn't that be nice?

the 101 is a wee bit wet

last night I had the strangest dream...

last night I had the most fantastic dream... I was trying to dig a hole to plant a tree and in turn unveiled an underground river that started pouring water over our lawn. I took a step back and when I looked up the entire sky was full of flying saucers. Each one looked like a magical rainbow version of Saturn, they hovered all around and then an army of human like beings surrounded our house. At first I was scared but as they grew closer I was filled with love like I've never felt before. After I had soaked up all that I could they continued on, spreading their love across the world. As they did plants started growing like mad and overtaking all the structures.... every stone wall was now green and lush. I followed the being that had converted me and watched as many of my friends became blissful. I caught up to my new ally and asked...

"wouldn't it just make more sense if we as humans could just all love each other like this?"

April fools - now you're a Temp... no really, you are

So yesterday was April fools, and my first day as a Temp. I was so desperate for moula waiting for the rebirth of the Maritime animation industry I hit up sweet Bridgie and now I'm a Temp! At least for two days.

I was so efficient my first day that I ran out of work to do by lunch time... which in a way was great because it was gorgeous out! I went home to find my income tax return had finally arrived which sweetened the deal even more. Next I went for a little postering walk and finally bought groceries... it's been awhile.

Today I stuck it out though... and called the same 6 people repeatedly every hour or so until I'd called everyone 8 times. In between I read the first half of Flaming Iguanas - thank god that was in my purse! I made it to the Canadian John's part, one scene that has always stuck in my mind.

I can recall the first time I read that passage - wide awake from jet lag, laying on a cot at my Dad's in Vancouver when I was sixteen. I think can relate a bit more now... just maybe... I read almost half of the book that night too. That's the thing with Erika, her language is addictive.

I just got a note from Mo - and she wants me to Temp too - fun! I actually love all that secretary stuff. It's kinda nice to not be in charge and have mindless things to do that make others happy because they were really dreading doing them themselves... yep been there! It's nice to be back on the other side again, makes you appreciate just how fabulous assistants are - at least good ones. And me? I wouldn't dream of being anything but.