Midge's Blog

why are people such dumbasses?

yeah, check the time. 6:24am. i've been awake for an hour already. why? cause people are dumbasses. it's really the root of the whole problem. all other circumstances could be dealt with if people just weren't so stupid.

November photos

Alright, firstly, did I call snow, or did I call snow?! What we woke up to this morning:

(I wish the pond could be like this all year...quiet.)

And here are a bunch from the photoshoot Scott and I went and did when it was really foggy except above the top traffic lights at SFU:

(I really like this one, and the other two with the trees in fog)

And here's one from a couple weeks ago, just thought the clouds were cool:

plan for pressies

So...this year for Christmas, I am going to attempt not to buy anything from big stores. Only from craft fairs, small businesses, local shops, etc. And I'll probably make some stuff too if I have time. Therefore, I've been doing a lot of window shopping lately...

Some faves:

This, I actually bought cause it was so wicked, it's the "Lorraine" lunch bag by Dos Chicas, and it's made of oilcloth (pink on the inside, pattern on the out). I got it through Buy Olympia, which is an amazing online store that you should totally check out!

This next one, I have to preface by saying that I am generally against clothing on pets, especially if the pet doesn't need the clothing for warmth, but this is so friggin cute. Check the holes for the ears. It's from Doxie Art:

Sewdorky donuts...what can I say? I can't eat donuts, so this is really the next best thing! From Sewdorky:

Anything from Small Things Designs, GORGEOUS jewelry that I am going to buy myself a present of when I save up some $$$.

And finally for today, Lunapads. This is for the ladies. If you are thinking 'ewwww, non-disposable menstrual products???' here's a virtual *SLAP-IN-THE-FACE*! There's nothing wrong with it! And in fact, once you switch, you better be prepared not to want to go back. Save a little dough, make a lot less garbage, support a rad business, and rid yourself of chafing carcinogenic expensive 'feminine hygiene products' forevah. (if pads aren't your thing, they sell divacups too). They almost always have promotions and free gifts with larger purchases too. Check it at Lunapads:

More list to come if/when I feel inspired.

Ps. thanks to everyone who made it to my b-day brunch. It was deliciously good!

The Sampler! and painting...

So, now to reveal the secret of why I was making all those little hairclips...I got accepted to contribute to the Sampler! What is the Sampler? It's neato...small craft businesses, zine makers, etc. all send in anywhere from 25 to over 300 samples of their products, which are then distributed to people who subscribe to the Sampler. The subscribers get a package of goodies for each month they subscribe. It's sort of a promotional distro, but also a monthly package of cool stuff for the subscribers, a win-win for sure.

So, I sent my contribution out today, 25 samples, since it was my first one. It contained 23 hairclips with little felt flowers or butterflies:

one wristcuff with felt flower:

and one organic cotton canvas pouch:

As an added bonus of being a contributor, I automatically get sent a Sampler package, which is also incredibly exciting after seeing some of the amazing stuff that goes into them.

Another bit of exciting news, the owner of a cafe near our place is going to look at some of my paintings to put up for sale in the cafe. I have a couple weeks to get them ready, cause she's going to be away next week. How exciting is that?!

What to do with felt

I got a bunch of felt, and it's been chilly, so....

Felt striped scarf! With organic cotton sherpa lining, of course...

animal adventures

Well, the weekend in Sask was good, and we even got snow yesterday! Today, when I checked the mail, I was pleasantly surprised to find my package from MYMY had finally arrived! I had ordered Issues One and Two of Andrea's Real Life Animal Adventures a few weeks ago, and they took a while to come from the States, which is funny since the author, Andrea who is a friend of a friend, only lives on the Island.

Anyway, I was really busy today, but finally got to sit down and read them. They were so great that I finished them all at once!

Not only were they totally charming, but they brought up so many animal memories... as a tribute to Andrea's zines, here are a few worth sharing:

Canadian Geese: When I was four, my mom and I were in Gananoque, ON, and got some fish and chips and sat at a park bench to eat them. We thought the geese were cute and tossed them a couple fries. Then they started coming closer and closer, and all of a sudden we were under a full-on attack. They started nipping at us, and we had to ditch our lunch and make a run for our lives!

Raccoons: I lived in a house with a couple of other girls a few years ago, and a woman and her daughter lived downstairs (she co-owned the place). We couldn't figure out why the raccoons were always hanging around until one day we caught her feeding them watermelon.

Seagull: When I was 12 and my dad was on sabbatical at UBC, my mom and I used to go to Granville Island. I would always get a small greek salad and a cheese bun for lunch. I would eat half the cheese bun, and feed the rest to the seagulls, especially this one legged guy who was always there, begging.

Bees: When I was three, I tried to pat a bumblebee because it was fuzzy, and it stung me.

Butterflies: When I was little, whenever I found a cool caterpillar, my dad would bring it inside and put it in the old fish tank with a bunch of food, and we would keep it and watch as it made its cocoon and emerged. Then we would let the butterfly go.

Beetles: There were always tons of those big black beetles in my yard, and I liked finding them and catching them. There were always lots of dead ones around for some reason, and at one point, I started collecting them. My dad would help me mount them on trays, and I had a bug collection. (Is that gross?)

Crows: Not really a story, but crows always seem to turn up at the strangest times...sometimes, I think they are watching over me somehow, but not in a creepy way.

A few more things before the weekend

Just wanted to post the few last things I've finished before the weekend...

The first two are on organic cotton canvas, like the bags:

A cafe apron (also good for a craft apron)

A pouch (big enough to fit pens)

And a zillion little hairclips with felt flowers and things on them:

Why a zillion hairclips? Well, for now that is a secret...but it's exciting, so stay tuned!

Have a good Remembrance Day!

Stencil bag v.2

Design #2: the tea cup

New bag

Started a new line of cheaper canvas bags (cheaper $$ not quality, cause they're not lined, and don't have a lot of frills) with stencilled prints on the front. Here is the first one:

Trim it.

Just thought i'd show off my new coif (that I actually paid for) before I go wash all the goo out of my hair...

Business cards!

I got my business cards made today! See...

I know it's a shitty photo, so here is the actual card:

Whaddaya think?

Can you sew too much?

I am glad I will be forced to take a break next weekend, I think I have been overdoing it a bit! I have been really busy the past few days making new stuff to put in the shop...

Flower wrist cuff:

The City Girl Tote (reversable):

T-shirt travel quilt (fyi-this is in the custom section on my webpage):

Knitting needle/paintbrush roll:

Anyway, there are lots more photos of the stuff if you look in the shop. Let me know what you think!

By the way, I'm thinking of a City Boy line...any boys have any ideas of stuff they'd use? Shoulder bag? Apron? I dunno, I'm not really tapped into the boy-mind.

Whew.

Sewing like a maniac!

Online shopping for City Girl Designs is up and running! Thanks to Scott for all his help getting it set up! I've made a bunch of new products and put them in the shop, so here are some teasers... feedback welcome!

Toasty Ears and Toasy Fingers: Sherpa lined organic cotton winter accessories!

City Girl Pouch with matching removable belt: a hip, and still practical update on fanny packs of days gone by in organic cotton!