A New Website

Hello All!

I doubt that anyone reads this blog, but on the off chance you do, thank you.

I have some exciting news to share.

This will be my last post to this site as I have now fully transfered over to my very own website.

The Artisan Penguin.

I will continue with writing my occasional randomness, but on my new site there is also Arts & Crafts and Book Reviews.  There is also a section for Vader & Loki, the two feline beast the live with me.

Hope to see you over at the new site!

Creative Ink Festival

Three years ago, the amazing Sandra Wikham had an idea.  Sandra likely had the idea a lot longer then three years ago, but I found out about it three years ago so that is where I come in.  Sandra wanted to create an event where creative people (of all types) could work on their projects in an encouraging environment, with "enforced" quite time and built in breaks to chat with other people. Thus Creative Ink Club was created.

Penguins at Sunset

Being a non-writer myself, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Creative Ink.  I though it was an amazing idea, but if I didn't write what was I going to do?  However I like to encourage my friends in their endeavours whenever possible so attend Creative Ink Club I did.

It was amazing!  Everyone who attend was so encouraging, the "enforced" quite time really made you stop and think for a while and get to work and the mingle time breaks were just the right length.  I drew a picture of penguins.  I hadn't drawn anything in a long time and it was sure nice to be encouraged to do something creative.  Other people who attended worked on screenplays, writing stories, poems, blog posts and there were even a few people just doing homework or knitting/crocheting.

This event was my first exposure to the Creative Ink Festival.  I love the fact that the Festival is open to everyone, for writers, readers and artists.  I've seen other writing festivals in the past online and always felt that as only a reader that the cost of these festivals was not worth my time or money, nor would I get much out of them.  I can honestly say that The Creative Ink Festival is for everyone, writer or not, you will get something out of the festival.

Last year I helped Sandra with a bit a volunteering at the badge pick-up booth.  I hadn't purchased tickets to the event, but figured I could help Sandra out where I could.  I should have purchased tickets, everyone who picked up their badge was so nice, and very enthusiastic to be there, the energy was just amazing and I loved every moment that I was there.  All of the panels looked like they would be very informative, interesting and fun to attend, even for a non-writer like myself.  I also had a bunch of friends who attended the entire weekend of the festival, and the stories they came back to me with about how much fun they had made me really disappointed that I didn't just get tickets myself.

This year I'm not making the same mistake as last year.  I will be going to The Creative Ink Festival, for only $80 for three days of panels, I really feel that I will be getting my money's worth.  As for the my original exposure to Creative Ink (Ink Club), well Sandra has also included an Ink Club event at the Festival.  I encourage you to check it out if you can find the time.

As for myself I'm really excited to attend the Hands on Calligraphy with Barbara Gordon panel.  Sandra has been told I'm not available to volunteer during that time.

Links:
The Creative Ink Festival
2017 Programming: Descriptions of Presentations and Panels
Sandra Wickham

Musical Heart

It happened one day, a good friend sat me down and asked if I would be one of her bridesmaids for her upcoming wedding.  Of course I said yes.  Over the next few months we talked plenty of times about wedding details, mostly all the crafting the bride herself was doing.  Making soap, decorations, centrepieces.  The things she and her soon to be husband were creating for the wedding were beautiful and unique and just like the couple they are.  During all this talk the bride and I did discuss wedding gifts.  For her, just my being there and purchasing a bridesmaid dress for the wedding was enough, she didn't want any additional gift.  For a lot of months I didn't really think about gifts, figuring we had it all sorted, then one day inspiration struck.  

A little bit of background on the musical heart.  

(I completely forgot I was writing this blog originally starting it in 2015 and rediscovered it Jan 2017 while going to write a blog about the Creative Ink Festival - more on that later)...now back to the blog

When the bride and groom first moved in together, it was during a change in my life, as I was separating from my now ex-husband.  I needed a place to live.  Turns out the groom was leaving the perfect place and it was a nice and cozy and affordable place, and I was able to move into it.  On the door of the suite, was this musical heart.  The groom loved this heart and for both the bride and groom music has been a huge part of their lives.  Personally I was never a fan of this heart being on the door and I ended up covering it up with a Penguin wall hanging I had, but I always knew it was underneath and how much it mattered to the bride and groom.

A few months earlier, before I started making this musical heart, I just started to learn cross-stitch, having only completed one project so far (with tons of mistakes).  Undertaking this new project, including creating the pattern for it, was quite the challenge.  I was so pleased how it turned out in the end, and the bride and groom loved it.

Sew Geeky Crafts: Yet another blog

As my seldom blogging self will tell you, I am very proficient at procrastination.  In my latest (likely sort lived venture) I've started up a new blog, under a new crafty social media handle (Sew Geeky Crafts)  to write about my crafty creations.

You can find Sew Geeky Crafts on all the major social medias, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and for an extra crazy idea on my part, I even put up a shop on Etsy, which even has 1 thing for sale...for now.  Maybe eventually, someday I'll do more with it.  I have ideas percolating.

So without further adieu, here is the new blog:

Sew Geeky Crafts: Yet another blog: I need anther blog like I need a hole in my head.  No really, I already have two other blogs that I rarely contribute to so why am I making ...

Adult Colouring Books Contest

I love entering contests and I love colouring in the new adult colouring books.  The folks over at Magnetips.co have put both these loves together.  Check out their newest give-away for a chance to win a ton of adult colouring books.  CLICK FOR LINKhttp://magnetips.co/giveaway

Vancouver Crafty Geeks

I have some amazingly talented friends and they have started their own crafty blog.  I get to see some amazing creations made over time by these two lovely ladies and I'm super excited for them that other people will soon get to see the amazing talent they have.  Personally I'm looking forward to the patterns they will be posting shortly.  Please check out their new blog by clicking here: CLICK ME!!!

Fun with Cats

As I have previously mentioned in past blog posts, I love my cats.  They are always full of entertainment and continually make me laugh with their antics.  This past weekend they were even more entertaining than usual and I captured two cute and funny video of them.

I had a house guest staying the weekend and as I was making up the bed, Loki thought that he would make sure that the house guest would feel welcomed, and since he's a cat, he did that the only way he knows how, buy covering the freshly made bed in his fur.

Vader has always loved the water, playing with it even as a young kitten.  He would sometimes just hang out in his water dish.  When ever I use ice cubes he comes running to the freezer, hoping to get one to play with.  He is constantly jumping up on the kitchen counter to play with the running water as I'm washing dishes.  Well it was quite hot this weekend and I thought he could use a bit of a cooling down.  I put some water in the bathtub, and well...the rest is on the video.