Fill in the Blank Friday

1. My favorite place I've ever traveled to is Italy. I haven't traveled (far) a lot but it was a magical place that I adored. It took me about a year to not want to go back there forever.  The only reason I didn't go back forever was my family - my parents, and my Aunts Uncles and cousins.  I cannot not now, nor could I then, imagine being far away from them.

2. England is somewhere I'd love to go someday. I have always wanted to go there but now my dear friend Surely lives there and I would like to go even more.


3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus, or car ride or train) by reading and working on somekind of needlework... and sometimes blogging on my iphone... and sometimes just enjoying the ride.  I really love traveling by car with my family.  I know it is somewhat 1950 of me but nothing beats a road trip and being able to stop at every little spot that piques your interest.  Over the summer we took the long way home (to Trail) from Vancouver and made lots of stops.  The long way turned out to be rustic and charming rather than new and done.  I often wish for things to be simpler and enjoyed that everything was not remodeled along the way.  The idea of keeping up with the Jones' always makes me feel a little queezy - too much pressure and not enough real for this girl.

4. My three must-haves when I travel are CH, the Little Man, and Penelope.  :o)

5. My favorite travel companion is CH.  It is all about taking the comforts of home with you wherever you go.  Although he is a huge pain in my derrier half the time, I hate being away from him.

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is getting a hole in the gas tank of our car at 2 am in Beaverdell on our way to Kelowna at the height of hunting season.  Beaverdell is a teeny tiny little town an hour from anywhere with one hotel which was packed with hunters (they were sleeping on the floor in the lobby).  We couldn't sleep in the car because of the gas fumes and ended up renting a trailer with a couple of beds for the night - for $130, and that was in about 1990.  The car was fixed and we finished our journey to Kelowna where more crazy things happened.  The whole trip was a bit of a gong show.  I was 17, with my 19 year old boyfriend and another couple of similar age.  Gong show, I tell you.  One of the weekends that makes me want to lock Penelope in a closet until she is 30... or 35, cause isn't that when you brain starts to function properly...

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is nothing.  I am way too fussy to try anything weird, although when I was in Italy I visited a beautiful little town called Castellammare di Stabia in Southern Italy and ordered Calamari and it was a little different than what I am used to... While we were there I also saw the largest (by a lot) Wisteria that I have ever seen.  The base of the (tree) plant was about 18" and soared up to the second floor balcony.  It was unforgettable.

Castellammare di Stabia (which translates to Castle of Stabia by the Sea, so much better in Italian) with Mount Vesuvius in the distance and the Meditterean to the left.

8. If I could live anywhere else, I'd live in ... I don't want to live anywhere else!  I love it here.  The furthest I can imagine going is back to Vancouver and even that would break my heart - I would be so sad to leave PITA and her family, and my parents and GP, and my friends.  I am not vagrant in any way shape or form.

9. I have been to seven (without double checking with my parents) states in the U.S. but only two provinces - and I am Canadian. :o)

Well, that is it for now.  I must go organize and pack!

:o) Tina

Things...

First of all, THANK YOU Jen and PITA.  You are single (double) handedly making this SO much easier for me.  It has been a really hard decision to scale things down - I am not saying bad, only hard, and both have you have made it significantly easier.

Second, do you think that $108 is too much to spend on whiteboards to make a wall into a calender in my newly painted beautiful office? I am not so sure I do.  I am also going to buy a new chair, it is pink, for $250.  I am going to wait and see how the week goes, but I really want to.  Jen is the most amazing sales person ever (maybe because she practically gives stuff away) so my chances are good. Did I mention, the white boards are also magnetic...

Third, I am so excited for a new(ish) start.  Please God, let my new plan work better than the old one did. Please.  I will be so sad if I have to give up the dream altogether and this one seems so much more comfortable and feels so much more right - and the best part is that I don't have to beg, borrow or go into debt to create it - it will rise from the ashes of the old dream.

Fourth, I am excited but I am also nervous.  I do not want to be forced to sacrifice time with my kids to make money in a rigid, scheduled environment.  The thought of having an employer TERRIFIES me and I am not exaggeration.  Scares the beans out of me.  For real.

Fifth, I want this (and the yummy looking cold coffee drink inside of it) but I am SO not paying $7.99. If you have ever seen it anywhere for less, please let me know.

Source: fastcodesign.com via Jane on Pinterest

Sixth, PITA and I have been working hard at painting and creating an inviting and functional new space and have found a lot of really good ideas on Pinterest.  PITA LOVES to organize things so I am going to get her going on a few more projects such as these...

Source: organizingmadefun.blogspot.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: unplggd.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: re-nest.com via Tina on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Tina on Pinterest

I will post some pictures of the new space when I ahve found my camera - I packed it and my trusty side kick, iPhone, doesn't do it justice.

Talk to you soon,  :o)  Tina

Stumbled Upon... on Pinterest of Course

This week. Two pictures. One of the old and one of the young.

Source: poorlydressed.failblog.org via Carrie on Pinterest

Source: poorlydressed.failblog.org via Susan on Pinterest

And this very funny blog, great for anyone - especially a parent of a small child. Check it out!

Have a wonderful day. :o) Tina

Yummy.

Is it wrong that at very close to 39 years of age a big bowl of Lucky Charms before bed makes me very happy?

So Busy!

PITA and I have been beavering away getting the new shop painted so that it is done for Thursday when the carpet guys come.  The office is done - and it is so PINK!  I love it.  I have never had a pink room before and I am very happy with its extreme girliness.

I took a couple of pictures with my phone but they turned out dark and icky.  I will bring my camera over. Maybe...

I saw something cool on Pinterest this evening (if you can imagine that), and am totally doing it.  31 Days of Pinterest - what that means, is I am actually going to create, cook, whatever 31 things I pinned.  I am excited to start and am planning to on March 1 - you know, cause it is too late for January, March has 31 days and February is going to be a GONG SHOW!  Stay tuned!

Talk to you soon,  I need some sleep.

:o)  Tina

Fill in the Blank Friday

the little things we do

1. The last thing I ate was red licorice at the hockey game I just arrived home from.

2. The last song I listened to was "Kind and Generous" by Natalie Merchant. It is SO a song from my 20s and the good times in Vancouver's West End with my old besties.

3. Using the letters in my name I can spell {Tina}...it, a, I, in, at... kind of limited, I have a total of 8 letters in my first and last name. Pretty lame for such an interesting person as myself! ;o)

4. If I had to dress in one color for the rest of my life I would pick red (any shade from pink to orange). I love colour - it makes me happy to dress brightly. Beware of the day I show up in black...

5. If you were to look in my bag right now you'd find ...AH HA! Trick question! I am currently using the 4 million pockets in my winter parka as my bag while I design (mentally) a new bag.

6. When I finish filling in the blanks I'm going to go putter at my sewing machine and have a cup of Tetley (currently cooling next to the keyboard).

7. My all time favorite song to dance to is "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison or pretty much anything every played at the Time N' Place Pub in Christina Lake in the summers 1991 through 1999 or at Mon(man)tana's in North Vancouver from 1993 to 1999. I LOVE to dance. During the 90's, I loved to dance with my friends and these two places were where we spent our "down time".

Well, off to sew for me.  I am going to be pretty busy over the next week or so, so don't worry when I am not around.  I will have some photos of the new space for you to admire soon. Promise.

:o) Tina

Wordless Wednesday

This is Violet.  At my house everyone watches hockey.  We are, after all, Canadian!

:o) Tina

It's Offical! We Are Moving!!

By we, I mean me, PITA, CH, and Jen (poor Jen needs a nickname) - and the shop.  It has been a long hard road and a BIG decision but we are taking the plung and going to be directing our efforts toward becoming a crafting studio more than just the Mom & Pop sewing shop we are now.  I am VERY excited about these changes and invite everyone to stop by our new location at 1338A Cedar Avenue over the next few weeks to see what we are up to!

Many, many pictures to follow!

On another note, as perviously mentioned, Penelope received a Barbie Dream Townhouse for Christmas. Yesterday, I saw this:

It is Architect Barbie!  She comes with her own teeny weeny little dream house model!  Love it!

:o)  Tina

Time Waster (No It's Not Pinterest)

I am a self proclaimed Pinterest junkie.  I freakin' love it.  While there I found another time wasting website - although not of the same magnitude, it is worth a read through.  I Waste So Much Time. Funny thing is, I totally do.

:o)  Tina

Fill in the Blank Friday (Late Night Edition)

the little things we do

1. One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is ....  hmmm it has been so long I cannot remember!!!  But really, I guess I have a few minutes here and there and spend them on Pinterest or blogging or reading - anything!  I don't count time I am sewing as time for myself unless it is not work related - but I guess I probably should.

2. When I have free time I tend to be more motivated than lazy.  I want to get as much done in as little time as possible.  I have a hard time relaxing or doing any of the things above (see blank #1) unless my surroundings are tidy - and they rarely are - so I usually end up doing house work for 80% of the time I have to relax and then the remaining 20% trying to settle into whatever it is I really want to be doing.  Having said that, in the morning between taking the shorties to school and going to the shop, I have about an hour where I have a cup of tea, some breakfast and read.

3. If I had an entire day completely to myself I would go crazy from boredom and loneliness.  I do not like spending a whole day to myself - at all. CH could spend the whole day sleeping in his Lazy Boy, but I last about an hour and then I am gong bonkers.  I need people!

4. I would prefer to spend my free time (alone or with others...) with others!  I did not get voted best party person in high school for nothing.  I love to be social.  I strongly dislike being home alone.

5. Most of my free time happens on the weekends but it gets gobbled up with family things and chores.  Family time really is my free time.  I love spending time with them.  Love it.  Today Penelope and I went for lunch at Boston Pizza and then went to Alvin & The Chipmunks, Chipwrecked, just the two of us - it was fabulous. We came home and watched Lady & the Tramp and now we are on to Beauty & the Beast. :o)

6. The best thing about free time is that it is rare which makes it oh so sweet.

7. The next time I have free time I should probably finish reorganizing my sewing area but instead, I will probably work on the bookkeeping for the shop - as I am months (yep, I said months) behind.

:o)

Sometimes You Just Gotta Wonder

Okay so, sometimes it takes me a while to get things done, but if you let me do it at my own pace, I promise you that you will not be disappointed.  I do need a deadline, and I will work through the night to get it done but I never, ever, do things half way.  All the way or not at all.  In for a penny in for a pound.  So my reason for telling you this about me?  Well...

Sometime ago, I honestly am not sure when but I think I was wearing sandals (although I did that until October), an elderly customer that I am quite fond of had me come to her home, make a template of her coffee table and requested that I make a runner for it that would cover the whole thing.  I took one of her sofa cushions with me to have a reference to choose appropriate fabrics and got to work - mentally that is - with a plan. I finally came up with a good design idea in November and then worked on - mentally -  how I was going to make what I could see in my mind come to life.  (During this process, I happily learned that although I cannot draw worth beans, I can make what I see in my mind's eye with my sewing machine instead of a pencil.  My brother can draw amazingly well and I have always been jealous of that so this is very exciting to me!!).

As the story goes, she comes in a few times and asks about it and then I tell her to come back in a week - trying to give myself a deadline.  She doesn't show - thank Goodness because I have not even started although I just need to do some sketches to figure out the roses as I have it all worked out in my head and am ready to start.  Then, I give notice at the shop, the kids are sick then healthy then sick again, Christmas prep is in full swing, etc. etc. and I still have not done the freakin' thing.  I call her and tell her I will drop it off on New Year's Eve and then I set aside some time to do it.  I got it done too but then the Little Man got Hand Foot and Mouth Disease and I got distracted again and did not go - and did not call.  Honestly, I forgot.  It just wasn't at the top of my list and the runner was done.

This morning she calls the shop and tells me to forget it and I tell her I will drop it off today, that I had it with me because I wanted to sew a label on it.  I tell her that I am very proud of it - it looks really good and it is all out of my head!  She says fine.  At 4 when I am done at the shop, CH, Penelope and I head over there.  She lets me in, I apologize for the huge delay and tell her that I am not going to charge her - she says "You aren't going to charge me because it took so long." and I said, "No, I am not going to charge you because I like you."  She disagrees.  Then she does not seem to me to be thankful at all, she puts it on the table and I am bursting because I thought she would love it and she says "Too bad...." and then stops talking.  THEN she tells me that the next time she is down she will bring some cookies in for my kids - not me because I don't need any cookies.  THEN she tells me that I am a very nice girl but I am not very good a keeping my word!!!

Not once did she say thank you for working so hard to make me a beautiful custom table runner at no charge.  Thank you for spending months thinking about it and two and half days of your Christmas break doing nothing but sewing it.  Only nasty and hurtful comments.  Broke my heart.  I almost want to go and take it back!

I suppose it was really good experience for me...  the cost of education, right?  Although the runner is not really my style, I am going to publish the pattern so after I sell about 25 copies I will have made what I should have charged her!

Anyway, other than that this year has been fabulous!!  The shop has a new home - confirmed today.  I am very excited about it and will keep you all posted as we go.

:o)  Tina

Meet Jerry!

I first met Jerry when he was about eight weeks old and Santa and I met to make sure that I would be okay with having a Guinea Pig come live with us (actually it was my idea but Santa agreed).  He was so stinkin' cute, how could anyone not say yes!!

After only a few days, he is very comfortable with us and already yells at us when he wants attention or treats (I never thought I would see anyone love a carrot more than Penelope).  He is very snugly and friendly and calm - the perfect pet for a nine year old boy with a gentle heart.  :o)

I didn't really know anything about Guinea Pigs until after my meeting with Santa.  I did a lot of reading online and now have a couple weeks experience and so far, he is a little more work than the fish but he is way more low maintenance than the dogs and the cats.... unless of course you do not like to snuggle warm little creatures who love to snuggle with you.  If you were a person who needed to feel loved but did not want a dog, I would highly recommend these little creatures.

Apparently they prefer to live with other Guinea Pigs so we are going to create a bigger cage and get him a friend - a boy friend NOT a girl friend!

This is Jerry sewing PITA's Christmas gift with me.  We made her an owl bag from some old guy's suit jacket that I thrifted from the Sally for $4.  Pretty stoked about that...


:o)  Tina

Wordless Wednesday

Again, thank you Pinterest.

Bahahahahahaha.  It didn't have to be Ann Hathaway, it could have been anyone.

Source: imgfave.com via Tina on Pinterest

:o) Tina

Oops. Totally Forgot to Fill in the Blanks on Friday!

I totally forgot it was Friday when it was...  now here it is Wednesday already.  I wish I could say I was busy but the truth is I wasn't.  I spent the vast majority of the holiday season moping around my house trying to make a plan for my future.  Good news is - I think I have!  :o)

So happy New Year everybody - it is going to be great!

the little things we do

1. New Years is a super fabulous time for a fresh start. It is like opening up a notebook and writing on the first, clean, fresh new page. Love it.

2. One of my New Year's resolutions will be(is) ... well I don't like to make resolutions I make goals instead. This year I want to buy a new set of dishes that I love. I want to turn my financial and business life around. I want to create a new success for myself. And most importantly, I want to keep up the amazing personal life I that I cherish each and everyday.

3. A New Year's resolution I've made in the past was to lose weight, but I never really do.  I am not getting any younger and I know I should add this to my goals list but I eat when I am stressed, so if my goal of financial and business success works out I will lose weight as an added bonus.

4. The most time consuming resolution I ever made was ....I have no idea.

5. This year I will be spending (spent) New Year's Evewatching movies and eating popcorn with CH and the shorties. :o)

6. If I could wish one thing for my new year it would be that everyone remains healthy and happy and that everything at home stays as wonderfully amazing as it is (for the most part).

7. 2012 is going to be a super fabulous new beginning for the shop and a super fabulous happiness fest at home.

:o) Tina

Something Worth Checking Out

I was recently told about this website, Post Secret.  If you have not been there - go.  It is updated every Sunday.  Don't forget your Kleenex.

:o)  Tina