Wednesday, December 28, 2011

I Am A Pisces

My birthday is March 15th - quick, write it on your calendar so you don't forget to say happy birthday when the time comes.

Okay, so that was not the point of my post.  My point was that water is comfortable to me and I strongly believe it is because I am born under the sign of the fish.  We do not have a dishwasher (gasp - we also only have one bathroom!) and I must admit, I actually LIKE doing the dishes.  Yep, I like it.  No one bugs me while I am doing them for fear that they may be enlisted to help. As a result I get lots of time to think - uninterrupted which almost never happens otherwise.  Even now, I am trying to write a blog post and all three of them are bugging me.
My friend Jen posted this on FB about me.

So while I was going the dishes this evening after dinner I was thinking about how I will find a way to drag my fat butt out of the rut it has been in for months.  I keep feeling like I am going further in rather than coming out. I want to be happy.  I want to do something that makes me happy and I think that means I need to have less responsibility.  I need to make a plan, I need to find a way to make it all work.

I never thought that I would have no choice.  I always thought: I am a woman, the wife, the mother.  My husband will take care of most of what needs to be taken care of so that I can take care of us.  That, unfortunately, is not my reality.  I need to find something that makes money and makes us all happy.  I know the lottery would do the trick - anyone else have any ideas?

For the record I also LOVE the ocean and any other body of water - I love to swim and to walk in the water, be in a boat, or sit on the beach.  I also LOVE to have a shower or a bath - I shower almost everyday until the hot water runs out.
I think I can. I know I can.  I will.

:o) Tina

Wordless Wednesday

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Seriously.  Who the heck would eat this?

Source: uni-watch.com via Tina on Pinterest

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

For the Love of Pinterest! Aprons, Aprons and More Aprons.

Last week(ish) I went to a thrift store that I did not not even know existed in a neighboring town with my brother-in-law and PITA.  B-I-L is a major deal hound and knows where all the thrift stores are in the province - and I do not mean this in a negative way, at all.  Anyway, I bought a really great vintage sheet while I was there.  Just beacuse, not that I had a plan.

Well, thank Goodness for Pinterest.  Just came across this image.  Which linked to 191 FREE apron tutorials. WOOT!!




Friday, December 23, 2011

Fill in the Blank Friday



1. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by letting all of the bad go, relaxing, and being happy.  What have you got to lose?  Christmas is for happy not for being blue (or angry, red!)!

2. The thing I love most about Christmas is getting to spend some extra quality time with family - mainly the shorties.  The shop is closed for the week between (although I go sew with my girl friends) and so that means lots of time to spend with my precious kids (who are right at this minute fighting and driving me crazy!). Once the big day arrives, it is so relaxed and everyone is so happy and festive.  This year I am especially excited for my kids to get their gifts from Santa so I am counting down the minutes!

3. The holiday season is a time for putting hard or negative feelings aside and enjoying the company of family and friends. It is a good time to let go grudges and to embrace the cheer and love that is so abundant at Christmas time. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are feuding and they need to put it aside so that we can have a happy new year when he gets back from Calgary. And for the record, I know it her perpetuating it but maybe an apology could mend the fence even if it is just for the holidays and he doesn't really mean it. The only ones who really suffer are the rest of us... mostly Grandpa. The thing is that the brother-in-law can never admit to being wrong even for the sake of peace and the evil sister-in-law would gloat and use it against him the future... not that she won't anyway...

4. My favorite thing to eat at the holidays is my Mum's stuffing. Sadly, we are going to my sister-in-law's for dinner so I will miss out on it but there is always my birthday when my Mum will cook whatever I want - and I always request turkey, for the stuffing and gravy, not for the bird.

5. I will be spending Christmas with my short people and CH, and my sister-in-law and her kids, and my brother and his people, and dear sweet Grandpa and my parents. PITA has taken her baby away from me to Calgary for Christmas. :( I think our plan is breakfast at Grandpa's, a visit at my parents, home for a while and then sister-in-law's for dinner.  Should be hectic, but in a good way.

6. Tis better to give or receive? Hands down to GIVE!  This year I am most excited about the Little Man's gift from Santa. I almost wish he did not believe in so I could show him baby pictures. I love gift giving and every year try to have one or two people who I am giving something extra special to.

7. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.We have snow, but it needs some freshening up!

So, Merry Christmas everyone - and thanks for reading!  Have a wonderful day!

:o)  Tina

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Fill in the Blank Friday

When I was sitting down thinking about what this week's blanks maybe I was thinking about last weeks blanks and suddenly wondered how many people think marriage through before they propose - or before they say yes.  Do they think about the fact that they are agreeing to be loyal, faithful,commited to the same person for the rest of their lives?  I think not, or the divorce rate would not be what it is.  Having been married twice, I can certainly say that I did not think about it at all the first time - although I am sure that Dave did.  The second time, I thought about it and nothing else for months.  Even with all of that thought it seemed like a good idea at the time - and it still does.  :o)

I have had a hectic week.  I have not been feeling very well - really tired and run down - and have had a raging head ache for several of these days.  I feel okay today but really really freaking tired....

So on with the blanks.


1. My most favorite "little thing" is in the morning when CH is up with the kids getting them ready for school and I am awake listening to them interact. Although CH usually sounds kind of ticked off I love the sound of my family. I get a up a little later than they do and make sure they are pretty and drive them to school. Best part of my day is when Penelope hugs me and kisses me and hugs me again when I walk her to her classroom - the Little Man ditches me right at the car.  We have a deal - no PDA outside of our home or the homes of family members.

2. I would give anything to be able to make money blogging and crafting. Good Lord knows, I am not the only one!

3. I can't believe how tired I have been this week. I have even been having trouble with the idea of that I might actually need more sleep than I have been...

4. The one thing I'd like to achieve today is to tidy up the HUGE mess I made rearranging the furniture in our family room. I know I won't get it done today but I will get it done tomorrow!

5. The last thing I want to do today is leave home. I wanted to stay home and cook and clean and sew and be Suzy Home Maker - I don't want to have a job outside of home anymore.  I did go to work though and it wasn't that bad.

6. If I were writing my own blank today, it would say: ...I can't answer this, I am too tired to come up with anything good! :p

7. My favorite candle scent is gardenia, vanilla or fresh linen. Gardenia is my favorite favorite smell in the universe but is often the smell of the candle rather than the smell of the burning candle whereas Vanilla is faithfully effective as a candle sent.

:o) Tina

Friday, December 9, 2011

Fill in the Blank Friday


1. Love is a wonderful and amazing thing. My good friend Jen's daughter is "in love" for the first time and I am thoroughly enjoying watch it all take place. They are so cute. I remember my first boyfriend so well - I also remember the broken heart and am sad that she will eventually go through that as well. So exciting and so scary all at once!

2. Being in love feels like taking a ride on a roller coaster or swinging on a swing so high your feet touch the sky but it can also feel like the safety and security of a warm toasty blanket and a nice big cup of tea. Depends on the day. When I have a bad day, absolutely nothing in the world makes me feel better than snuggling with CH. Nothing.

3. My favorite quote about love is "It's not always rainbows and butterflies, it's compromise that moves us along. My heart is full and my door's always open, you can come anytime you want." It is actually not so much a quote as a line from She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5. I love song lyrics. Love. The other one I really love is from Zoo Station by U2, not really about love or relationships so much but "Time is a train. Makes the future the past. She's standing in the station her face pressed up against the glass."


4. The most important thing in a relationship is loyalty and communication. I know that's two things, but I think both are super important. Loyalty allows you to implicitly trust someone and communication allows you to fix all the little issues that arise on a daily basis before they turn into big issues. I think fighting is so important in a relationship - the tough part though it to fight quickly and fairly. It is not always an easy thing to avoid mud slinging but it is a necessary thing in order to avoid hurt feelings over things that are not the issue. CH and I are pretty good at this. :o)

5. A "deal breaker" for me in a relationship is someone unwilling to put in effort.  No matter the challenges you may face putting in the effort you CAN work through them if you BOTH want to.  This is something I took away from my first marriage - I wanted to do the work, he wanted to sit and sulk in the corner until the bad feelings went away.  I have often wondered if I had continued to wait for him to snap out of it, if I would still be waiting. My deal breaker for the beginning of a relationship the deal breaker would be not wanting children and/or pet allergies and/or not reading.

6. The way I show love in my relationships is by spending time doing little things - like watching becoming a hockey fan (sigh, yes it is true) or making him his favorite dinner. It's all the little things that add up to a big deposit in the relationship bank for when you need it!

7. I love my life and all of the amazing friends and family that I am so blessed to have.

:o) Tina


Source: weheartit.com via Tina on Pinterest

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Half Rectangle Triangles...

54-40 or FightSo I teach a beginner class for people who aspire to become quilters.  I love it as it provides me the opportunity to watch new quilters blossom and it also makes me feel like I actually know something which is fabulous!

Tonight we are doing 54-40 or fight which is the block that has always been a thorn in my side with those long triangles, perfect for beginners to stretch and distort - I am determined that these ladies will be given an easier way so tonight I am going to introduce them to half rectangle triangles...  I will let you know if it worked out the way I am hoping it will.  Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

:o) Tina

Monday, December 5, 2011

Who New?



Who knew? This stuff rocks I never new about half of these uses this has.  I will be putting some on my eyelashes tonight!

From Pinterest: It makes your eyelashes grow: Lather Vaseline all over your eyelashes overnight and watch them thicken, even without a prescription! To Soften dry and cracked elbows. Dry cuticles: Store a mini-Vaseline container in your purse and utilize for emergency dry cuticle moments. It is a misconception that Vaseline clogs pores, so smear it all over your face, neck and arms for softer skin. It eases eyebrow plucking: Tame your eyebrows and lube up the under-skin so you can pluck with ease. To make your accessories look brand spankin’ new: New job interview? Scuff the crap-ol-la out of your patent leather heals thanks to pitcher night? Put a small dab on your shoes and shine away! It’s your new exfoliating body wash: Mix with sea salt and come out of the shower feeling soft and sexy. Can be used to smooth and soothe skin after shaving. Once you carve your Halloween pumpkin, rub Vaseline on the exposed edges, it keeps it from rotting or going dry.

:o)

It's Great to be in the West Kootenay!

The radio station here you to have the title to this blog post as their little slogan.  I miss the old days of Trail   and Trading Post and Mac's Low Cost Meats and the smell of sausages roasting wafting through the streets of downtown.  Anyway, SO off topic.  I wanted to post a video that has gone viral of a guy skiing through the streets of this little city (and Nelson and Rossland).  Very cool - and I do not even ski - take a minute and watch.


All.I.Can’s Kootenay Street Segment Goes Viral


JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.

:o) Tina

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Coolest Website!

I followed a link from Facebook and stumbled upon this really cool site with all of these really neat photos of people posing the same as when they were children.  Some of them look so much like their childhood photo it is amazing - there are some boobs, so if you or someone around you might be offended by said boobs, don't go there. I personally have a thing for boobs. :o)

Irina Werning, Photographer
There are quite a few.  I like this one - I like the idea of the mirrored image being in the photos and it seemed a little haunting which is also appealing to me.

See yah later -

:o)  Tina

Friday, December 2, 2011

Thank Goodness... Fill in the Blank FRIDAY! Woot! Woot!

I am rarely this happy about Friday but there is a Smokies double header this weekend and it is CH's birthday on Saturday and I think we might go the Ainsworth Hot Springs on Sunday - so it is going to be a great weekend! I am also very excited to sleep in!!  :o)



1. The holiday season is the best time of the year! Everyone is a great mood (except for my crabby-ass baby brother) and my kids are excited and happy. And hopefully there is snow and we have a whole week of sewing at the shop and and and... it is the best time of the year!

My Crabby-Ass Baby Brother.  :o)
2. Snow makes me feel calm and happy. I LOVE the snow and am sad that we do not have any (when we are supposed to) - we had some but the frickety frackin rain washed it all away! I strongly dislike the rain in winter - especially here in south eastern BC where it is cold and it rains hard, unlike the West Coast (i.e. Vancouver) where it rains for like 4 months straight but it is a soft rain and it is notably warmer.

3. The best comfort food to eat when it's cold out is stew - beef or chicken - I make really good stew and dumplings. Yumm. I also really enjoy a glass of Bailey's and milk or a Cinnanog (eggnog, rum, and cinnamon liqueur) in the winter months, especially around Christmas.

4. Winter is the best time for getting my house organized... although with the shorties' busy schedules combined with my own I don't have all that much time to do anything in the organizing/cleaning family and find I have to do it here and there.

5. I can hardly wait for my new job to start. HA! I don't actually have one, I just want one... sort of... regardless I am looking forward to a new chapter in 2012 - can't wait to see what it beings me (I hope it is a little financial stability to add to my otherwise close to perfect life)!

6. When it comes to holiday gifts I prefer to give them than receive them. It is so, to fun to watch as someone opens a gift I know they will love.  It is so wonderful to see how excited the shorties are and to feel all that excitement with them.  Best (and most exhausting) day of the year.  Hands down.

7. If I were to rate my excitement about the holiday season on a scale from 1-10, I would say I am at about a, meh, I am not so good this year. Probably about a 3. I need to get some decorations up to get the Christmas sprit alive in our house!  I am hoping to squeeze that in on the weekend, wish me luck!

I am going to bed - it is 2 am and I need to be up at 7:30!

:o) Tina