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So this is Mei, she's my first workable doll prototype. She's got a few little things I'll change for the next prototype...but she's still pretty cute and therefore worth sharing. I made her by designing her in photoshop, then printing off onto cotton treated with Bubble Jet Set 2000. She's machine washable! More dolliness to come, I promise you :) 
It's so hot
I might die
of the hot
1) Look at these cute Wallflowers by Urban Outfitters. Pretty Pretty. (via ohdeedoh)
2)Beautiful tableware by Lisa Neimeth . I like to think that if I bought these my birder husband would think it money well spent...(via Bloesem)
3)Grouchy Pot by Jennifer Nesbitt. 
4)Doileez by Modern Twist. Cool doilies? Never say never! (via Design*Sponge)
5)Run quick and buy a dollypop from Loopsies, they're going fast!
I'm doing research on Urban Forest Management Plans at work and came across a couple of tree quotes I want to share.
Tree density may be a better indication of the health and livability of our cities than population density ~ Henry Arnold
It is difficult to realize how great a part of all that is cheerful and delightful in the recollections of our own life is associated with trees. - Wilson Flagg
Other people love trees too! Check them out!
Amazing work of sexy art! Bird Tree Corset via here
Pretty Tree Earrings by Jorgensen Studio on Etsy
This Tree Lamp can come live at my house anytime!
Delightful print by Amy Rice
This list wouldn't be complete without inspiration from The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, one of my favourite books as a child (and still now!)
Last night was one of those nights...you know, the one when you look at the clock and realize it's 10pm already. And all I'd ate all day was some toast and leftovers for lunch. Plus my cupboards are looking pretty bare. That is where a fabulous cook book called Everyone Can Cook Midweek Meals by Eric Akis comes in. Eric is a local author..well, local to me - here in Victoria.
This is his delicious Quick Tomato Soup with Pesto and Feta, I made up a grilled cheese sandwich (two for my other half) and some cucumber. Presto! (or Pesto! haha!)
Am I allowed to tell you what's in it? Is there copyright against stuff like this? Well, I'll tell you anyways because it's so darn good & easy.
::1:: Saute a medium chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic in olive oil until tender
::1.b.:: If you're making grilled cheese sandwiches start cutting cheese, buttering bread and gettin them in a frying pan here.
::2:: Stir in 2T tomato paste & 2T flour, cook for 1-2 minutes over med heat. While stirring that mixture add 2 cups chicken stock (I looove this Not-Bullion stuff I have, I mix it with water and it's MSG free)
::3:: Add 28oz can of diced tomatoes, 1/2t sugar, and 3T pesto. Bring to a simmer and it go for 10 mins
Then the recipe says to puree the soup...but I was (a) lazy and didn't feel like food processing it and (b) like chunky soups. So go ahead and puree it...I loved it chunky. If you puree it then put it back on the stove and bring it to a simmer again.
::4:: Done! Serve in bowls, crumble some feta on top. I didn't have feta, so I stirred in a spoonful of Ricotta cheese. Yum!
My days of Campbells tomato soup are over. Plus the soup takes basically just as long as making grilled cheese sandwiches.
Love it.
Okay so this is my bookshelves not my desk, but this is what I'm working on right now...second prototype of my doll. The first prototype never made it to completion but it wasn't a total loss because George (the fluffy Persian/Siamese cross that rules our house) looooves little doll limbs. He pulls legs off the table and scampers around the house with them. It's pretty funny.
Hmm, so the pieces have been tweaked, reprinted, and I'm off to Nelson today for family/shopping time where I will wash these puppies up in my aunt's machine (ours is a front loader...not enough water). So hopefully I'll be able to show you some progress by Friday!
Hope you have a warm sunny summer day in your part of the world!
Did you know that 90% of energy required for washing laundry is just heating the water? [see fact here]
Simple solution: Wash your clothes in cold water! I haven't been washing my clothes in warm water for years...and they're all still doing okay. Although, I use a natural laundry detergent that dissolves best in warm water, so I dissolve the detergent in some warm water first and toss it in.
Dryers require a butt load of energy too... and aren't necessary on sunny and windy days. So save yourself some money, save the planet energy and get outside and enjoy the sun!
What? Don't have a yard or a clothesline? Check out Clothes Drying Sans Energy for some brilliant ideas... like this... [via here]
To make you happy today:
Rain by Lorena Alvarez Gómez
boceto Lectura by Carlos Vélez 
Teaparty by Anne Pätzke
New logo for my webpages and to watermark photos:
And spent some time making my signature look nicer than it really was for my art:
Mmmm, spent all day working on a new doll. Very exciting stuff. Here's some of my inspiration:
1) Kissing Dolls by Imperfections {are beautiful} (via Bloesem
2)Sophie by Black Apple.
3) Every single doll Hillary Lang has ever made.
4) Pippa and Posie by One Red Robin
5) Lolly Dolly Lottie by Little Dear
An easy, cheap, fun, bright decorating idea!
Hanna, Val and I were on Salt Spring Island at the begining of May and came across a quilting store...we walked in and there was a wall of Amy Butler. I walked out spending $45 in fat quarters. Happy Jen.
So Hanna came up with the brilliant idea of covering them with canvas. I love it.
[See tutorial here]
I used some of my other fabric on this project.
This makes a dingy basement suite a little better... bit by bit...
So this is a stuffed beaver I made for my cousin's beautiful new baby boy. I love him. The baby too.
Mmm, I made the yummiest, easiest, awesomest dinner Tuesday night. I worked from home Tuesday afternoon (I love my job) so I made a lamb roast (thanks Jim & Val!) and paired it with Couscous Grilled Vegatables and Lodsa Herb Salad from Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef Takes Off. On the roast I poured some Chilean red wine (brought back from Chile - *sigh*) and chopped up a bunch of fresh herbs (thyme, basil, rosemary, savory...) rubbed them on the lamb leg. Then I roasted it for an hour and half.
Simple.
Bliss.
While in South America I dreamed about crafting. Constantly. My hands were so itching to do something - anything. Making an apron was high on my priority list. For no other reason than wanting a pretty splash of colour and something practical in my kitchen.
I wanted to pass along the apron love and show you delightful ones from crafters on Etsy. (I don't have a picture of mine yet. Sheesh, Jen!)
The BELLA Vintage Inspired Blue Owl Full Apron by Boojiboo. $28.75
The aptly named Singing Squirrel apron by snappyshop. $38. Please go read her descriptions and check out her other aprons... such a witty woman!
For you moms-to-be and newly-momma's *ahem* Barb there is the adorable (and of course in Amy Butler fabric) Lady Madonna Maternity Apron by momomadeit. $36.50
This just made my heart melt. Not only does pinksugarclothing have an adorable daughter, but she's dressed in the cutest apron dress! $25
Don't want to buy one already made? Eager to make your own? Try Sewbettie for a basic apron pattern. $5
Heart. Jen.
Well I'm still off in Oregon, but here's a quick little Illo I did up before I left.
1) Hedgehog Spring Gocco Print by Sepia Lepus
2) Bird and Bloom Necklace by Joanna Rutter
3)Cute Button Magnets by Skin and Tonic Too
4)Beautiful Crochet Hoop Earrings by Tania Nova Chrochet
5)Adorable Yetiness by Plants and Animals
I found this off a site from a young man I met at Gaining Ground Summit.
Also off that site I found this: amazing projects happening in Portland Oregon - I hope Hanna and Craig see some cool stuff!!
I (Hanna) am off to Portland for a week to hang out with my husband's family. Many of whom I have never met. Yeees. I have some posts scheduled to amuse you in my absence...but I won't actually be around.
Have a nice week!
I'm making jewelery for my best friend Sam's wedding on July 5th. So that's me. In my dress and necklace.
Next I have to make 6 pairs of earrings.
Plus 5 more necklaces. Oh, and three bracelets.
I'm stoked - I mean, what an honour! Thanks Sam! 
I'm working on a bag made out of an old pillowcase. The pocket is tragically a bit small to tuck the bag into...but I embroidered it pretty, that must count for something?
Ugh. I'm embarrassed to have this picture of me up...twice. But the before & after needs to be shown.
So a big thanks to Hanna for making my cupboards pretty and for inspiring the green & orange theme (not that I need much prodding to have more green and orange in my life). Basically the trick with a hideous kitchen is to embrace it.
Ugly. Sad. Uninspiring to cook in. Blahhhh.
TaDa! I bought some cute orange pot holders (The Bay $6 each), made a colourful apron (more to come later on that project), new tea towels (thanks Val), and green cream and sugar container (Value Village $6). I sewed a valance that matches my apron and took some of my glass jars out of the pantry and onto the shelf. Oh, and I painted some clothes pins and stuck magnets onto them to hold recipe cards. 
Just finished this commission for Mirtika. It was a bit of a long haul (more detailed than I usually do) but I'm happy with the result and so is she :) She's a writer, in case it's not obvious.
