alive and kicking

I'm here!

Alive and kicking!

Did you miss me?

I know. I know. I have been truant from my blog.

After my head cold went away, I just decided to focus on getting the new house in better shape i.e. organized. I'm still plugging away at it - little by little each day. Thankfully, the living room and dining room are in better shape now:


The kitchen on the other hand, still needs work. I have a third less storage space in my new kitchen than I did in the previous place.


I don't have a lot of counter space. Many of my baking and cooking things are STILL in boxes. Which means less ambitious cooking for the holiday season on my part. Although, I did manage to make these tasty chocolate coconut snowballs the other day.

Jubilation! My final OCAD course is done and OVER with. I received a final grade - an A! I can now upgrade my existing design diploma to a Bachelors of Design degree. Hip hip hurray!

Christmas is quickly coming up. I have not really decorated the house aside from a few baubles hanging on some branches in the living room. We have decided to not get a tree this year. You know, in an attempt to keep the household expenses down.


I much rather put my money into one of these kitchen islands from Ikea:

And then there is my new-ish job. Did I mention that I found a part time job? Well, I did. It has also been keeping me occupied for a month now. I work for a kitchens and bathrooms retailer as a junior design associate. There is plenty to learn and a LOT of job training involved. I'm enjoying the novelty of the job, learning all about kitchen cabinetry, wood joinery, different surface finishes, faucets, plumbing, kitchen counter tops, bathubs, sinks, toilets, tiles...whew! That is a lot!

Also, in an attempt to get back to designing things in the new year, I have been eager to get my workshop space functional. It's still in disarray. Right now it looks like this:


Speaking of designing, I haven't decided yet if I will stop entirely with jewellery making and switch to designing another product. I was actually thinking of designing housewares and making accessories for the kitchen.

All that being said and done, I think we're ready to take the plunge and get a new pet come Spring. I had talked about it here on my blog. Starting this coming Monday and for the next 2 weeks, I will be cat-sitting for a friend of mine. She has an exotic breed of cat called a 'Cornish Rex' and I am going to be put to the test...having to clean up after another creature besides my husband. Yikes! I have a sensitive gag reflex so the mere sight of animal scat is enough to send me hurling LOL!

Before I sign off, I also need to mention a new addiction that I recently acquired.

It's called Mad Men.

I hope you know what I'm talking about. I wasn't too keen on this show when it first watched it on DVD but now I am finding that I like it more and more. Being a late comer to this show, I am now trying to catch up by viewing the episodes on-line at ctv.ca

I'm really looking forward to the new year. New beginnings. New inspirations. New projects.

A new season of Dexter.
A new season of Mad Men.
And a new season of Weeds!

Perhaps a new flat screen TV too? Right now I watch ALL my TV shows on-line on my 12-inch laptop.

What are you looking forward to in the new year?

I knew this would happen.

Woe is me :(



image source: www.flickr.com/.../in/set-72157600115550718/

staying afloat

I have been incredibly busy these past few days.

First, there was the move. What can I say other than I'm still swimming amidst boxes and all kinds of belongings that do not have a new place to call home yet. I guess organizing takes time. The painting had to come to a halt. Only 3 rooms were painted. The living-dining room and the bubble gum pink bedroom (the latter room took 3 coats of primer and 2 coats of latex paint to cover). The seafoam green kitchen with fruity tiles and the hockey-themed basement will have to wait until the summer to undergo changes. There's no way I want to be smelling paint fumes and chemicals while I sleep at night.

Then there is my night school course that is wrapping up and I am still plugging away at a ten page assignment. It's due on December 8th. The great thing is that my research topic is on the science of scent and I'm really enjoying the research part but not the essay writing part.

And lastly, there is the part-time job that I just recently got which involves computer-based training that I have to undergo before I can officially begin my position. The training has started but I am no where near completion. The training has to be completed by the end of December. I am hoping to complete the training sooner so I can start working.

Other than that I am doing okay. I still haven't found the time to get my flu shot. God help me if I get the flu now!!

The Christmas holidays are fast approaching and I have barely made a dent in my gifts list. I'm avoiding shopping malls at all costs. I did make a few purchases on-line which has helped me tremendously. Hurray for the internet and Etsy!

Well, I should get back to my research paper. I hope to return with better, more exciting and less hectic news in a week from now.

Have a warm and safe weekend.

Today, I'll have my cake and eat it.

I love eating birthday cake!!

There are so many great things about it:
Celebratory. Pretty. Fancy. Colourful. Decadent. Rich. Creamy. Sweet. Delicious. Tasty. Satisfying. Moist. Melt in your mouth. Euphoric.

And some not so great things:
Addictive. Fattening. Stores junk in the trunk. Sugary. Caloric. Cavity-causing. Coma-inducing.

Am I forgetting anything? Ah, yes...!

Birthday cakes also mark another year of getting OLDer!! Don't ask. I'm not telling.

Can I have my cake now?!

I need to drown my woes of getting older in a whopping slice of decadency.

Happy Birthday to me!




*Image taken from cupcakedivinity.blogspot.com

Dudes want a brasierre.

About a year ago I watched the movie Kinky Boots and found it an entertaining, enlightening and inspiring movie about a shoe designer catering to...cross-dressers, drag queens and any man who wants to dress like a woman. It is a fun British movie and I do recommend it to those who like a good laugh as well as a great marketing idea.

Today, I came across this article on-line and I was completely and udderly (pardon the play on words) baffled by the trend. At first anyway. It makes complete sense though.

Men who enjoy wearing women's clothing cannot do so comfortably because of their size. Their feet are bigger. Their rib cages and skeletal frames are bigger. Try as they might, men just can't fit into women's brassieres.


This is where I say: I wish I could have thought of that. Seriously!

Was it George Costanza or Kramer that came up with the idea of a man bra some 8 years ago? At the time we all laughed and thought it was a joke.

Designing lingerie for men. Brilliant!

Business 101. Tapping into a market that never existed. Addressing a market need. A niche that needed to be filled, just like a bra cup that needs to be filled. Ugh, okay BAD joke!

I'm not only curious to find out more about this market. For research purposes - of course. I'm intrigued and amused that this is happening in Japan. Don't get me wrong. Cross-dressing and drag queens are everywhere. I just never would have thought Japanese men would be buying into this.

Excerpt from on-line article:

Since launching two weeks ago on Rakuten, a major Japanese web shopping mall, the Wishroom shop has sold over 300 men's bras for 2,800 yen ($30) each...Wishroom Executive Director Akiko Okunomiya said she was surprised at the number of men who were looking for their inner woman..."I think more and more men are becoming interested in bras. Since we launched the men's bra, we've been getting feedback from customers saying 'wow, we'd been waiting for this for such a long time'," she said.

Watch Kinky Boots and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Just for Laughs: Kitty Segway

This is hilarious!! I almost want to get a Roomba AND a cat just so I can partake in the joy of watching this up close.

I wonder what the cat is thinking while riding its Roomba-Segway? LOL

Ch-ch-changes!

Surprise! I painted my kitchen.

Just kidding, this isn't my kitchen. It's a photo I found on Flickr.

I really like this shade of green. It has inspired me to paint my overly white kitchen this juicy, fresh shade of green.

I stopped by The Home Depot today and picked out a whole selection of paint swatches in greens, blues, beiges, browns, whites.


The photo above shows the entrance and partial living room space of the house. My husband really does not like the mocha-coloured walls (says it's too dark) and I'm not a huge fan either, so we have decided to paint the living room and adjoining dining area. I have not yet decided on the colour of choice but more than likely it will be a lighter shade of the existing colour.


Another thing that both my husband and I do not like is this peg-board box that is currently covering the radiators on the main floor. Not only does it decrease the heat efficiency in the house but it is also an eye-sore. There are three of them in the living room/dining area. And one in the kitchen. We are not sure if we should leave them there for now, or tear them out. Tearing them out would cause damage to the floors, walls and surround molding. If we leave them there until next summer we will have to paint them now with the new wall colour.

Can you say Pepto-Bismol? This pink colour has got to go! Two coats of primer are required to effectively rid the pink tinge off the walls before a new colour is applied. I'm leaning towards a deep blue-gray shade.


And for you Toronto Maple Leaf fans, how about a two-toned navy blue and white basement for your viewing pleasure? Seems the previous man of the house had installed his very own hockey shrine in the basement. We are not keeping the colour scheme. We will be painting the entire basement a solid white colour to brighten up the space.


Any thoughts? Ideas? Opinions?