Monday, April 30, 2007

This Is What I have Figured Out About Two In On Socks!
(this could be a knitters' nightmare, yet alas, so far I have shed no tears)

Incidentally.....I filmed this with my newest invention.....The Cleavage Cam

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Today's Theme: Rare
All today's photos are rare. Even a rare video


PSHunt
Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Busy Week Is Winding Down

On Tuesday we had a Birthday Dinner at "Jonathan's" to celebrate Margaret's 50th Birthday.
We had a blast! All us knitter gals took over the private dining room.
I made this stick pin for Margaret. It is a floating Hercamer Diamond being played with by a silver kitty.
I made it all. This is called precious or semiprecious wire work.
I use gold or silver wire to create these pieces of jewelry.
I get to use my metallurgical skills in this craft.

Bunny, the little white hamster passed away on Monday.
She never suffered.
I believe that the tumor made her paralyzed from the waist down so she was in no pain.
Kiki is lost, but is now eating again, after 4 days of not eating, while in mourning.
A very bright Cardinal was listening for bugs and worms on my back garden lawn.



This is a sneak peek on what I have to show on Green Thumb Sunday

As Promised this is an AUDIO video so you can hear drumming in my home.
I think this video pans over my work area where I have been busy making Swirl Locks. It has the bright light over the work table.
This is taken from my back garden level of my home. Cam is warming up for a jam with some friends two floors below me. I dare not go lower for the sound would distort in the mic on my camera. Turn Up Your Speakers!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Cam's Birthday Celebrations Lasted Until Monday!


Well I am late posting because after this amazingly active weekend I was pooped.

It all started on Thursday. April 19th, the official Birthday day for Cam.
We drove to Peterborough to spend the evening with Alex and Amber.
Here is Alex who FINALLY got the sweater I promised him.
It fits exactly how it should. It is designed so the Metro-Sexual Male can wear his shirt-tails out, under the sweater. The bottom band is looser for a business casual look. It has wider sleeves too for the effect, yet is fits body-formed at the neck and shoulders. This is made of Ella Rae Wool. It is soft soft soft. The writing is not oversewn. It is actually colourchanged into the pattern. Similar to the way one would add pattern to a fare isle sweater. This sweater looks as good inside-out as it does right side out. I am very proud of the work I have done on this. I learned a lot about modern patterns with this piece.
Alex made Cam a fancy shot drink. This is called a "Brain Hemorage".
A nice photo of Alex and Candy. Our grand-baby kitty is getting big!
Alex made reservations at the Olde Stonehouse Brewery, which is a microbrewery in the old downtown of Peterborough, located on George Street. He got the Special Booth which is a self-contained nook. This table is amazing. It has a tiny window to see the front door, and this amazing mural of all of the historical monuments of Peterborough: the lift lock, the clock tower, the Indian Petrolyphs.

Our Birthday toast to Cam.
Finally....a photo where you can actually see Cam in his 19yr old splendor. He is in the black ball cap. Cam, Amber, Alex, Carl (Carl isn't asleep. He is reading his menu)
We are now at the St. Verona's Belgian Beer Temple for dessert.

Ahh More Beer Toasts to Cam's Birthday!
Carl tasting Al's "Delerium", with his "Stella Artois" in the foreground.
The Belgium Beer Temple is one of the certified pourers of Stella in Ontario, Canada.
Cam's super chocolate cake
My Creme Brulee.
Amber and Al shared Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.
Amber has Fruli Beer which is a thick strawberry beer. I had Trois Pistoles, which is a "live" beer. I cannot drink anymore since I started Menopause. Any alchohol causes an auto-immune response and I go red from my chest right up my face. But, by accident I stumbled upon live beer when we were at the Belgian Beer Temple, last time. Live beer, which has an active yeast put in the bottle just before bottling does not perpetuate this response. One could compair it to the way yogurt is live. So if you too have this "womens" problem, ask for a "live" beer.
Delerium is a high alchohol beer. Cute pink Elephants.....huh?
Self Explanitory
Maudite is a Quebec beer. The label has a flying canoe and a devil on it!
I like how each beer has its own glass. Ambers, being the thicker beer is served in a fluted glass, and Mine being the live beer requires a wide rim.
I had great coffee at the Belgian Beer Temple. If you want your food to match your beer, they know how to do it! Even my coffe matched my beer!

I suggest you seek out these restaurants in Peterborough. If you like Convivia, atmosphere, cuisine and wonderful aparatif.....You will find all that at St. Verona's Belgian Beer Temple, and at the Olde Stonehouse MicroBrewery.
Friday saw Cam's friends he has know since grade two, come for an all night party.
It started with a trip to Sgnt Splatter's Paintball arena.
Pizza and Ice Cream cake for dessert.
And partying all night playing video games.
Brandon brings out the cake.
Chris with Cam as he blows out his candles.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

At the Moment I am taking a break from Memes.
I will be back.
Today is Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt.
In my sidebar you can find the Link so you can find photo hunters for today.

I will still be browsing the players cuz I like them alot.
I just am a bit overwhelmed these days and I need a temporary break from the commitment to the memes.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

(we are going to hit 15,000 visitors (this weekend) since June 13th, 2006)










Happy Birthday To Cam!

Cam is 19 today at 12:20PM. Yep, at 12:08 PM I realized the baby was coming and the Dr hadn't come back from surgery yet. The midwife and I worked on stopping the labour for 12 min while I waited for the Dr. to arrive.
When the Dr arrived and got his gloves on I said, "Ready?"
The Dr. said, "Lets make it happen!"
I pushed once and Cam shot out like an 8lb 6 oz rocket!
The room was packed with nursing students and med students and my Dr.'s secretary....ohh and me and Carl!
And Cam has been an "attention whore" ever since!

He is My creative, drummer, writer, stand-up comedian, bike rider Son.

Carl and I, and Alex and Amber pooled our funds together and got Cam some drum equipment to expand his kit.
A new crash cymbal, two new cymbal stands, and to extenders for extra cymbals.
Today we will drive to Peterborough and have dinner with Alex and Amber.
Tomorrow, Cam and his peeps go to Sgnt Splatter paintball arena for 4 hrs of mayhem.
Saturday the band folks will party with Cam to celebrate him coming of drinking age.



Cam

The black stain on the ceiling is a silly string smudge from a party long ago.


Drum kit
Pearl Export Series.
This is his second kit.
His first he litterally wore it out!
This kit has a double kick for the bass drum.
We get at least half hour of SWEET,SWEET SOUND every day!







This kit is made for heavy duty, heavy metal playing.
It takes alot of abuse.
Fast fast rolls and rifs outta this kit.
Next time he practices I will record the drumming.
It is so amazingly awesome!
I won't be able to record in the same room as he plays, cuz it would be too loud for the video mic.
I will sit in the stairwell.


I finally got the Leet Haxors' sweater finished for Al. So today Al gets a present too!



Crusty Still isn't out of his shell. The Saga continues...



These were calling my name at Just Drums when we went to get Cam's stuff
Tibetan Singing Bowls:


My Swirl-Locks and Swirl Tips are featured in On Old Green Bus Blog
Sue was challenged by a Venture Capitalist to find the newest invention on the web.
I feel very humble for this plug.
I so appreciate it.
Click on the thumbnail to see the post
Thanks Sue and Matt!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Countdown to Cam's 19th Birthday!

Cam turns 19 on Thursday.
That's it. Officially he will be all grown up on Thursday.
Legal in Canada to do aaaaanythiiiinng.

I wonder if his warantee comes due then too?

The 19th festivities begin on Thursday and end on Monday.
Yeah he is stretching it out.

Friday he is spending with his buddies from elementary school. It has been his birthday tradition to hang with the guys who have been his friends since grade 2.
Sgnt Splatter Paintball Palace is where they are going to enjoy Birthday agression. ;-)

I am sure the weekend will be a beer free for all, or something like that.


Sunday, April 15, 2007

(I am going to opt out of Green Thumb Sunday for a couple of weeks. That way I hopefully will have some garden stuff to show. Crappy cold April weather!)

I Get Creative While Crusty Goes Shell Shopping!

Remember a few weeks back I announced "We Got Crabs". Well things have been going pretty well in the ole crabby habitat.
I did not name them Beany and Seacil.
I named them Crusty, and Crabby Jack.
Unfortunately when I got the hermit crabs it was looking like they would need larger shells soon.
It took me a couple of weeks to find suitable shells. The first ones were too big.
As soon as I put the shells in the habit, Crabby Jack made a bee line for the shells and flipity-flop Crabby Jack had a new house.

Crabby Jack's old house was really small. An almost spherical dark brown shell with a white spot.
For some reason, Crusty spied Jack's shell and decided to grab it for himself. Always wants what he can't have. But Crusty had a larger oblong shell for his house, and the dumb dumb flipped his house for a smaller model. Thus, Crusty got stuck!

For three days he tried and tried to get his body out of his new, too small shell house.
Sunday is the third day I have watched Crusty try to get out of his shell. He took little sticks and pushed with them to get leverage, he wedged his shell in a branch and pulled with all his might to get out.
I was worried.
I went on the net and googled hermit crab stuck in shell. I got some links. One was explaining how you can cut the shell off.
So I got my jewelery wire shears and decided to snip some off.

I was scared for sure. I didn't want to hurt Crusty. But I figured after three days at this, Crusty could die on me if he didn't get a more suitable house.
(On Friday I found lots of suitable shells. I washed them all in boiling salt water and put a bunch in the habitat. This is when I realized Crusty was in trouble.)

Crusty's cracked off bit of shell

I moistened some paper towel and sat it in the bottom of a plastic container. I put a bunch of cool shells in there for Crusty to go Shell Shopping.
Crusty stretched out of his shell and pulled all his big legs out. There behind the big ones were these smaller ones, 1/8th the length of the other legs. I guess those are the holder legs. It was the first time I could see them. I also noticed Crusty's body is quite large!
Crusty wandered around the shell pile turning shells and crawling around measuring each opening with his feelers and his big shovel claw.
He was really lively! More lively than I have seen him since I got him.
He was mulling around there for hours just playing.
So while I was waiting I was inspired to create a piece of jewelery to celebrate Crusty's freedom.

Crusty Shell Shopping (he's camera shy) and the beginning of my Crusty Shell
Crusty's legs are sticking out of the dark round shell on the left




While Crusty was still shell shopping I finished the Crusty Shell Pendant.
I added a seed Amethyst to it.
You can see the pendant here with my wire wrap rings.

On the left is a sterling and Goldstone ring size 7.
The Crusty Shell Pendant is sterling silver spring wrapped wire with a seed Amethyst stone.
On the right is a sterling (name coming) in size 5.
This jewellery will be available to purchase soon.
All the wire-wrapped jewellery I make is of sterling silver or gold wire.
I use different guages of wire depending on what I make.