February 28, 2015

Jamie

One of the beautiful celebratory moments of yesterday's winter squirrel beta gathering! I was filled up with the love and sense of community. I'm letting my heart noodle on what's next.

Shannon
It's so exciting that Season 8 of The Voice has started. I feel so much in tune with music when watching the show, and I really love the judges. Well...most of them ;) It's amazing to hear people's stories and their choices of who they want to be their coach and why. It really shows the journey of an artist, and that is a powerful thing.

Suzie

After our wonderful chat I went back to bed. For hours! I woke up and Reg and I went for lunch at Subway. I felt much better but still was not super motivated to DO stuff so I watched some more of my jewellery-making class. I'm so surprised at how much I already know.

February 27, 2015

Jamie

It was an incredibly busy day, including a trip to the dental hygienist (and you know how that is), so what a treat to stop by David & Sylvia's and visit with their little furry family, including their adorable dog Ella. She's a treat.

Shannon
Had an appointment at the eye doctor and they dilated my eyes and they got SO BIG! It was fun having the world be fuzzy for a while. She also explained that my eyes are blue, but because how light and colour work they may appear grey depending on how bright the light is around me. Wild, eh?

Suzie

I thought it was going to be a good day. I was wrong. Lost one of my commissioned earrings (totally disappeared right before my eyes) and dinner was meh. I tried to do that animal card reading Jamie but got overwhelmed from losing the earring. I could only read the four directions which was helpful. I keep getting signs from the Universe to be a teacher but I never know what that means. Then, right before bed I found the earrings hiding in my Hulk lunch box and now I can't sleep.

February 26, 2015

Jamie

I thought that I hadn't taken a picture yesterday at all, which was so surprising because I co-worked at Tanya's and got out to choir! But the one picture I did take was this moment I captured with my hummingbird key chain. I felt this big delight when this moment caught my eye.

Shannon
Another day of not taking many pictures, but I have this delightfully goofy one. I filmed an unboxing vid, and I'm not even sure I will post it. Second time this week I've recorded something but unsure if I'll post. I know I'm looking at Rest as a theme this month, but I've only actually done 1 vlog. That's making my brain boggle.

Suzie

I hope Alma is OK with me posting this. These are the first "draft" of earrings I have made for her. She wanted turquoise, silver and a coffee theme so I have coffee-ish colours in the beads. I decided to make them three-tier too and can add "sugar" or "coffee beans" to the spoons. I thought mixing metals also gave it a boho feeling which I hope she likes.

This is sort of how I am feeling like jewellery is poetry. These earrings represent music and magic at a coffee house to me.

February 25, 2015

Jamie

It was great to film stART with you both - though I know we're still in a bit of a bumpy development stage. We'll get there! Justin and I each went through a real bumpy stage at guitar but this week it feels like we're through the other side - until the next one, LOL. Ah... learning :)

Shannon
The day was so crazy, this was almost the only picture I took! What a day!

Suzie

Yes! Very busy day. I managed to squeeze in a little baking for a lovely woman Reg goes to class with who picked me up some bonito flake dashi which is how people in Japan make miso. I made her Lemon Burst Cookies.

February 24, 2015

Jamie 

Yesterday I showed you the pretty side of the "new computer" shift around. This is the side that shows you all the things that got shifted and need a home.  

Shannon
I finished my February book for the Book to Film Challenge... In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. It was a challenging read on so many fronts, the whole non-fiction narrative element, the very challenging survivalist theme and the whole whaling thing. I am happy that I read it, but it was a rocky road and it was helpful to shift my thinking partway through and embrace that I was reading it purposely as a challenge (hence...it being a challenge). I am still mulling a lot of it over, but it's good to process it.

Suzie

Yesterday was just mostly grocery shopping but I did get a chance to work on the mini hamburgers I am making for my friend Miranda's daughter. This is the cheeseburger, LOL. They were fun to make and it was a nice change of pace.

February 23, 2015

Jamie

A big day yesterday - we moved my new computer in and got me set up!! It's the first time I've had a desktop in eons! One thing I already love is it is very quiet! This side of the studio is looking and feeling so beautiful - but with making that so, the other side is currently chaos!! I hope to get a bit of time for that today.

Shannon
Art Day drawings! Had a lot of fun playing with the exercise from Year of the Spark this week. I've also been obsessed with playing with patterns. One thing sparks and then it just keeps sparking!

Suzie

We had quite the weekend, driving down to Jericho Beach and yesterday went to Richmond for Reg's Kung Fu's School's Lion Dance.

February 22, 2015: Random

Shannon
Just as the day says: random! I believe this is paint-turned-plastic moment.

Suzie

FYI: mini crockpots heat along the sides and not the base! Oh this craft project inspired by CreativeBug was a complete and utter failure. Oh well!

February 21, 2015

. Jamie 

Shannon and I hit the world stage for Just Dance yesterday and were surprised to see one of our favourite songs. I was beyond excited to see myself featured up there as third in the world! Thanks, Shannon for being such a great dance buddy and for snapping the picture!

Shannon
I realized it's been waaaaaay to long since I shared a cat pic, so here we go!

Suzie

It was so much fun to go out to dinner in what Reg and I are calling "our old hood" (where we stayed in the hotel for 3 weeks) with our previous landlords from Coquitlam. We had such a good time talking and talking I totally forgot to take photos in the restaurant and of them. Doh! So here is Cambie Street heading down towards the bridge to downtown.

February 20, 2015

Jamie

It was a crazy day and definitely spending time with Tanya, Beta & Circe's Circle was a highlight! Such an interesting topic, such a dynamic discussion! 

Shannon
It was so great to spend time today listening to the wisdom of Jamie and Tanya. I feel filled with insight, actions and ideas. And a cheering section if I ever make it on Jeopardy!

Suzie

From left to right:

1. Made with my hands and some tools
2. Made with tools
3. Made with a special shaping tool and embellished because it was so much prettier. 

A lot of wire-workers can just shape stuff with their fingers but no way, not for me. I just don't have the dexterity. Tools for the win! I'm getting there… Still feels very amateurish but I'm learning.

February 19, 2015

Jamie 

Another night out at choir. My friend wasn't able to go and it was absolutely freezing but I braved it and had a great time singing You're So Vain! I did learn though that it's much easier to sing, especially doing harmonies, when you are much closer up!

Shannon
I made it out to the movies! Marina & I have been talking about the film Fifty Shades of Grey quite extensively over the past few months, especially as it's roots are in Twilight fan fiction. I was impressed at how faithful an adaptation it is, although that does mean the inclusion of some of the big issues I had with the book. But the chemistry was good, and the characters felt true but fuller which was a nice surprize.

Suzie

I had a foodie adventure day with a new friend! I started at this burger joint but didn't eat there. We ended up at several cafes and adventured through the neighbourhood. Although but the last croissant (we shared three pastries!) the uphill walk back to her bike was kind of painful, LOL. It was quite hysterical actually. It worked out great. All buses arrived when they should and getting there and home was a snap. I am very tired though and just had a salad for dinner. Stuffed!!!

February 18, 2015

Jamie 

Welcome inside my new computer! It has a small profile but big power! Justin's getting it all ready for me and it may be a few days before I move in. I'm a bit nervous about it because it's a big change to go back to a desktop. I know there will be lots of adjustments and I hope they're good ones! Wish us luck on this new adventure!

Shannon
I finished my 9th book for the Those Books Exploration! The book was Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the first in The African Trilogy (although it reads easily as stand alone). This one was a challenge from a content perspective, as well as feeling like it was so outside the realm of what I would normally read. When I reminded myself that that was like...the point.. then I eased into it more and really could appreciate it. And it wiggled its way into my heart, even though some things I thought were really not okay. Very odd combination of reading experiences throughout, that's for sure!

 

Suzie

I took a risk and went to Value Village to pick up a grab bag. I have always loved grab bags. I think they are the most exciting things because you just never know what will be inside and that is so amazing. I bought this one which wasn't cheap ($10) and had this fun idea that if I could make a piece from here and sell it for $10 then I would have paid for the materials. And then I got all freaked out and deleted the post on Facebook. Still, some of the items inside were amazing and definitely worth $10 just for the chains alone which are not cheap. I am still struggling with the kind of jewellery I want to make but I'm going to try and just let it happen.

February 17, 2015

Jamie

Wow, it is still really cold but I am so appreciating the blue skies and sunshine! Yesterday I kept getting distracted though thinking something was going by my window - it was! The smoke from our chimney! Here's to staying toasty.

Shannon
Although I couldn't make it to Art Day this week, I still continued to work on some of my projects from earlier in the month. I was very hesitant to add to them from the collage stage, but I ended up not only enjoying working on them but also the end result. I'm glad I dove in!

Suzie

I have been really struggling with the whole jewellery-making thing like I'm fighting a fever but I backed away from clay which was a trigger and got back to the wire wrapping class. I decided I didn't have to do all the exercises, that I could just watch and not stress. But when I saw her use a drill to make a chain, I had to try it! I got out my Dremel and voila! It was too tight but I didn't care. I found that very exciting.

February 16, 2015

Jamie 

With the brutal cold yesterday, it was a treat to simply stay in and hang out at the kitchen table creating! Shannon had other commitments so it was a quiet art day on my own but it feels good to stick with this weekly ritual. I'm sticking with the process of developing this "found flowers" work. It's a bit scary to make changes to a piece I already like but I look forward to finding my way.

Shannon
SO. It was cold. THIS COLD. The weather people were right. And I stayed inside! Barely even looked out a window.

 

Suzie

It felt like Reg and I went to Paris for Valentine's Day. I discovered a Parisienne-style café that was participating in the Hot Chocolate Festival and just knew I wanted to go there for a special treat out. It was amazing and made me realize just how much I do want to really go to Paris one day.

February 15, 2015: Random

Jamie 

No, I didn't see the interloper. I haven't seen him for over a year now but I still think of him. I think he'll always be in my heart. On another February 15th, he was there at my door waiting for a spot of breakfast.

Shannon
I thought this would be perfect for Random. I turned my phone off and on one day and this was what it looked like when I turned it on. I hope it's okay.

 

Suzie

Signs of Chinese New Year are everyone! Apparently the year of the goat/ram/sheep is one that is quite artistic and more gentle than other years which sound great to me.

February 14, 2015

Jamie 

I'm sharing this a bit late and a bit early! This Valentine's was freezing and Justin's still sick so I thought a nice sweet treat for us all would be to have fresh coffee and hot cookies straight out of the oven. Yum!! That felt like a lovely and just-right treat for this Valentine's - plus I shared the recipe! (PS the salt is the essential "je ne sais quoi" to this recipe!)

Shannon
I picked up some Harlequins with it being Valentine's and all and being really chatty in the Harlequin group on GoodReads, and read this one this weekend: The Rogue Wedding Guest. Some of he titles are crazy, I wonder if they need to avoid repetition, but anyway I really enjoyed this one and it's mostly set in Tasmania! Woohoo.

 

Suzie

I was so excited to hear Tori Amos had written an autobiography, I ordered it from the library. As well as Gregg Levoy's new book. Again, Tori eludes me. The book is so non-linear and it's impossible to tell if it's her or the additional writer writing. I just can't go there. Looking forward to the other book though!

February 13, 2015

Shannon
I picked up some tree books from VV and realized I didn't have any bookmarks...so... I made some! It was pretty fun. It's interesting to work with a different size and scale (tall & skinny), I had to look differently for images. It was fun though.

Suzie

I finally got some rest today and then had part of the afternoon for wire-wrapping. As you can see from this photo, we get zero light at this time of year but on the left in a chandelier setting made with the RIGHT tool (see how round the big loop is?). On the right the big look is all wonky because I did not have the right kind of wrapper. Also I can see that on the left the other loops look better because I am getting used to making them. Progress and crafting time!!!

February 12, 2015

Jamie

Last night it was such a treat to get out for a catch-up over drinks with my dear friend Sabine. We usually go to this crazy big sports bar with games, LOL, which is so wrong for us but it was easy and always had a booth available. Luckily, we've found a new spot that still has lots of seating but a cozier vibe and microbrewery beers. I think we'll be back!

Shannon
I've been trying to take more Selfie's recently, and although I don't often like pictures where I'm wearing my glasses I loved that the reflection of them with this picture allowed for a bit of an optical illusion of a repeating image. Fun!

Suzie

Shannon, you inspired me to try and experiment with freezing whipping cream! You had mentioned you can freeze milk and so I tried it with whipping cream a while ago, since it was going to go bad. It worked in my rosé pasta sauce perfectly!

February 11, 2015

Shannon
I think this picture describes a lot of yesterday succinctly. I am so glad we got to an awesome place with stART but the tech woes were BIG until we got there. I think we are going in the right direction and I think we shall no longer see the image above!

Suzie

Someone was having some doodling fun yesterday during our first stART Google Hangout podcast!