Craft Room Update

Last fall, Dave and I started working on a craft room. With the kids moved out this left space for us to spread out and more importantly ORGANIZE. It hasn't moved as quickly as Dave would like but we have done a few projects over the last few months and while the room is far from finished, I wanted to share a little preview of some of my projects.

Gift Wrapping Corner

One of the things I wanted was a central place to wrap gifts and store gift wrap, ribbon, bows, etc. I saw this fabulous project on Pinterest by Shanty Insanity and Dave was able to make it happen (that's his super power -- making things happen).

Dave built the frame for me. It needed the crossbar at the back to give it some stability. We used doweling for the rods and hooks to hold on the doweling. I painted the frame and the doweling white.

Here's a good picture of the structure. It really was a very simple project but helped us pull together the gift wrapping supplies. Here's the final project complete with wrapping and ribbon. We added a hook on the wall for scissors and some clear file folder holders (in-boxes) for gift bag storage.

Fabric Storage

I'm not a quilter or seamstress in the true sense of the word but I do have bits of fabric that I bought with a small project in mind or that is leftover -- the trouble is they are scattered everywhere. Seeing the pattern, yet? When I was searching for ideas for designing the craft room, I came across this lovely idea of using a filing cabinet and hanging file folder to store and organize fabric. Dave really was the hero of this project because he was able to work his carpentry magic on this great cabinet we bought from the Clinton Emporium and Flea Market in Clinton, BC. It wasn't set up to hang file folders but Dave was able to add some doweling and it works perfectly.

Originally, I thought I would paint it but in the end the wood was just too perfect the way it was for me to play around with it.

One of the storage struggles for me is that I am a visual person and so once I tuck something away, in my mind it often ceases to exist. This is perfect because by simply opening the I can still see all my fabric.

Thread Storage

The two cornerstone pieces of my craft room are my grandmother's hand-me-down sewing machines. I don't use either for sewing anymore but I do use them as stands for my old Singer sewing machine and my serger. The one cabinet has lovely drawers, one of which Dave helped me transform to a great way to keep my thread and bobbins organized. I didn't want to do anything that would alter the actual cabinet, so Dave cut a piece of wood that would sit on the bottom and used that to add nails that would act as pegs for the spools and bobbins.

Here was my original thread mess - the picture doesn't do justice to how tangled those threads were ...

Now I have this ... 

And Dave and I are both happy. Cleanliness and organization make Dave happy and being able to open a drawer and find the thread I need makes me happy.

Small steps but working towards the bigger goal of an organized space to craft in.

March Music Challenge - Day 14

As Billy Ocean told us in 1986, There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry), which leads us to the challenge song for Day 14 to name a song that makes you cry.

We all have songs that make us cry - there are youtube and Spotify playlists for just that reason. The song that makes me cry isn't about a boy but it is about a lost love -- my mom. Shortly after she died, a friend introduced me to this song by Jann Arden and told me that it reminded her of my mom and I -- All the Days. And to this day it is truly hard for me to hear that song without tearing up a little. It's the lyrics that get me every time especially the line about how "all of me, is inside of you / Though I’m gone, I’m like a song that sings and sighs and coos". 

There's only one youtube video with the song -- I've actually thought about making my own video of my mom set to the music. 

All the Days

When I am old, I’ll think of all the hearts I broke to be here, with you

When I am grey and somewhat vague and too confused, I know I’ll still remember you the very most

And all the days will wrap around our fingers

They’ll hang around our hearts like bits of stars

And all the tears we counted all the memories that we thought would linger disappear, they disappear

When I lay down, and close my eyes to see if Jesus died for me

And that there is a God

I’ll wait for you beyond the lights where darkness fights to keep the sun from coming up

And all the days will wrap around our fingers

They’ll hang around our hearts like bits of stars

And all the tears we counted all the memories that we thought would linger disappear, oh they disappear

Can’t you see, that all of me, is inside of you

Though I’m gone, I’m like a song that sings and sighs and coos

When I’m old, I’ll sift through all the words I spoke, and picture all our happy times

I’ll kiss your face and think about the life we made with all our might, with all that love

And all the days will wrap around our fingers

They’ll hang around our hearts like bits of stars

And all the tears we counted all the memories that we thought would linger disappear

Oh, they disappear

March Music Challenge - Day 13

The challenge for Day 13 is the best road trip song, which is very apt as I am preparing for a road trip with 5 young women. I asked them all to forward me at least 10 songs to add to a playlist that would be the soundtrack of our weekend. Some of their suggestions were:

• Shut Up and Dance with Me by Walk the Moon
• Sugar by Maroon 5
• Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Wannabe by the Spice Girls
• Don't by Ed sheeran 
• Fix You by Coldplay 
• Bohemian Rhapsodyby Queen
• Kiss by Prince
• Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts 
• Love Yourself by Justin Bieber 
• Albatroaz by Aaron Shupa
• Shake it Off by Taylor Swift
• Everybody Talks by Neon Trees
• Fight Song by Rachel Platten
• Bad Blood by Taylor Swift
• Happy by Pharrell Williams

Some pretty good tunes there but I would have to say my favourite road trip song would be Jack and Diane by John Cougar Mellencamp

Temperature Blanket - Update 4

I had this scrap of yarn in my stash that reminded me so much of the Northern lights which we are often fortunate enough to see in this area. The scraps were from a mermaid tail I crocheted for my cousin's daughter last fall.

Row 32: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row. (Greenish blue)

Row 33: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row. (Greenish blue)

Row 34: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row. (Greenish blue)

I love the ideas of incorporating a variety of textures into the blanket. I have always wanted to try Patons Silk Bamboo. It feels so nice to the touch and has such a rich beautiful sheen to it. The navy is the perfect match for the northern night sky. The yarn is a bit lighter weight than what I had been using so I felt I should double it -- crocheting with two strands gave me two rows of hdc.

Row 35: Chain 2 (counts as first hdc), turn and hdc in each stitch across row. (Navy blue)

Row 36: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row. (Cream)

Row 37: Chain 2 (counts as first hdc), turn and hdc in each stitch across row. (Navy blue)

The temperature has started to touch above zero so I have started to work in green -- the colour I have chosen to use for temperatures between zero and 10 degrees Celsius. This constitutes a very early spring for us or maybe just a patch of warm weather. 

Row 38: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row. (Light green)

Row 39: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row to attach the granny squares (Dark green)

I will be away in Hawaii for the 2nd half of February and so I wondered if I should stick with the weather and temperatures in Prince George while I am away or whether I should use the Hawaiian temperatures. And how to I continue to work on what is becoming a large project and still have some space to pack some clothes. Solution: I will maintain the colours consistent with the temperatures at home and I will add a row of granny squares. This way I can still work on the project AND leave the project at home. Although it might not be accurate, I decided that one square would count as one row (one square = one row).

I just used a basic granny square pattern but it was a bit tricky to figure out how many stitches I would need the finished granny square to be and how many granny squares I would need to go the length of the project.

Row 40-54 - Granny square pattern

Row 55 - Chain 3 (counts as first dc), turn and dc in each stitch across row to attach the granny squares (Medium green)

When Life Gives You Lemons - The Benefits of Lemon Water

When Life Gives You Lemons - The Benefits of Lemon Water

Online blogs, news articles, and medical posts make a number of claims about the benefits of lemon water, while I don't profess to have any medical evidence to support these claims but I can tell you about my personal experience with lemon water.

In August, I felt like I was struggling a bit with life -- my kids were moving out (this is a good thing but it is definitely a change), my dad had died in July, I was suffering with my sciatic nerve, and had to complete my graduate thesis by the end of December. I sought the help of one of my yoga instructors who is a doctor of medical heilkunst and homeopathy, Carla Wainwright. Carla offered me a few suggestions that she thought would help me.

One of her suggestions was lemon water. Carla thought that drinking a glass of warm water with half of a lemon squeezed into it would help me for a couple of different reasons. One of the issues with my back was that my sciatic nerve was pinched and the area surrounding the pinched nerve was inflamed. I was taking some prescription medication to address this but Carla suggested that the lemon water would no only help with the inflammation but also work to clean my liver. As she explained to me, whenever we take medication, even though the medication is beneficial for us, it leaves some residue behind in the liver -- the lemon water would help flush this residue out of the body. 

Carla also believed that a diet with processed foods especially refined sugar was contributing to the inflammation and she suggested reducing or ultimately removing process sugar and flour from my diet -- the lemon water would help with this as it works to reduce cravings. She also suggested cutting down on caffeine as it probably wasn't helping with my stress levels -- again the lemon water in the morning should help with removing that morning cup of coffee. 

What lemon water is supposed to do: 

1. Reduce inflammation - the theory behind this is that lemon water decreases the acidity in your body. For this reason it also helps with gout as it dilutes the uric acid. 

2. Help fight cravings - reduces the desire for sweets and caffeine. This can be beneficial in making a dietary change, as I was, but also for losing weight. A side benefit is that by replacing your morning glass of orange or cup of coffee/tea with warm lemon water, you simply save calories. For example, an average cup of home brewed coffee with cream has approximately 110 calories, a Latte from your local coffee bar has over 200 calories, and an 8 oz. glass of orange juice has approximately 110 calories compared to the juice of half a lemon which is 6 calories. By calorie savings alone, you could save over 700 calories a week. 

3. Clean the body of toxins - lemon water stimulates the liver which helps the body remove toxins such as the drug residue that Carla spoke of.

4. Helps with digestion - this is linked to the claim of cleansing the body, lemon water helps loosen the toxins in the body which leads to better digestion and helps the body process food slower therefore increasing the nutritional value of food. Claims suggest it helps with ailments such as heartburn, burping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Research suggests this works best if the water is warm. Also the pectin found in the fibre of the lemon is linked to colon health.

5. Stimulates the production of insulin and helps to naturally balance blood sugar levels which also helps to reduce cravings especially for sugary foods. 

6. Contains Citrus Bioflavonoids - bioflavonoids help to modify the body's reaction to things such as allergens, viruses, and carcinogens, are powerful antioxidants and help increase the antioxidant effects of some vitamins, including C. Citrus bioflavonoids have anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties and are beneficial for "capillary permeability and blood flow". Capillary permeability is defined as a condition of the wall structure that allows blood elements and waste products to pass through the capillary wall to tissue spaces".

7. Excellent source of Vitamin C - not only is natural, it's a fairly economical and easy to find source of Vitamin C. The juice of half a lemon contains 30% of your daily need for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for a number of reasons:

• It stimulates the production of white blood cells which help the immune system function properly;
• It helps the body produce collagen which is an essential element for smoother skin and can help reduce skin blemishes such as wrinkles, scars, and age spots;
• It has been shown to help reduce cardiovascular disease;
• It cures scurvy - now I know you're thinking, yeah 'cuz that's a big problem in today's society. Wasn't that the disease that pirates got. Well, here's the thing, scurvy is still a thing. It's still occurs in the elderly, alcoholics, and young children who are on special diets or lack proper nutrition for either economic or social reasons.

8. Boosts the immune system - see above.

9. Helps with viral infections - likely due to the Vitamin C which is also an antioxidant and citrus bioflavonoids.

10. Excellent source of potassium - the juice of half a lemon contains 50mg of potassium, which is only 1% of your daily need, much lower than Vitamin C but still considered a good source. Potassium helps with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Potassium is said to be good for the brain but what exactly does that mean, well, a decrease in levels of potassium can interrupt the "electrical signals that drive the brain" creating what is commonly referred to as brain fog or confusion and slower thinking.

11. Boosts energy and mood - And it does this without the help of our friend, caffeine. The claim as an energy, mood booster likely is linked to the potassium and aid that it gives the brain (see above).

12. Freshens breath - this is linked to the cleansing of the liver. People suffering from liver disease develop bad breath, known as fetor hepaticus. This can often be one of the most overlooked initial signs of liver disease.

13. Assists your adrenals - anyone experiencing long-term stress will often find their adrenal system goes on the blitz and they develop Adrenal Stress Fatigue or Disorder which essentially means that your body has lived in the fight or flight mode for too long. This causes your hormones to go out of sync and leads to a number of digestive related issues but the biggest part of this disorder is the fatigue or a general overwhelming feeling of unwellness and exhaustion. It's common that people turn to caffeine to fight the fatigue but this actually exacerbates the problem as caffeine, a stimulant, often adds to the hormone and digestive problems. Lemon water assists your adrenals and therefore helps to fight the effects of stress.

And last but not least ...

14. Re-hydrates the body - this is especially important first thing in the morning, when your body hasn't taken in any fluid for 8 or so hours and yes, this can be done with plain water but think about everything you are adding with the juice of half a lemon.

And the lemon does this with no wasteful packaging, in an all-natural, low-fat way ...

Now, I said I had no medical proof but I can tell you -- if not quantitatively, qualitatively-- that after a month of lemon water in the morning, I had given up my morning cup of coffee, drastically reduced my cravings for sweets, and felt better. But most importantly, my back which was diagnosed as a chronic back condition and no been responding to drugs, massage treatments, physiotherapy treatments, acupuncture treatments, and exercises finally got better. Do I think it was completely the lemon juice -- no but I do believe that the lemon water was what took everything over the top.

The one drawback to lemon water that I could find is that it is purported to be hard on the enamel of your teeth, so research advises not to brush your teeth right before or right after drinking lemon water.

A couple of points to consider:

• Buy organic when possible
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best
• Drink it first thing in the morning and then wait approximately 30 minutes before eating or drinking
• The best tools for the job of squeezing the lemon are your own clean hands - you don't need any fancy tools or gadgets just cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice out into a glass

What about all those seeds ... It felt wasteful to me to simply throw out the seeds. So I started collecting them in a little dish by the sink and when I got enough I planted them. Now I have beautiful plants to help clean the air and brighten up the place.

March Music Challenge - Day 17 - Irish Tribute

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone! 

Thinking of this beautiful isle, its welcoming people, and dreaming of the day I will return.

Day 17 March Music Challenge: 

What is your favourite Irish song?

For me, it would have to be Bing Crosby's "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" written and popular long before my time but it reminds me of my grandparents ... "when Irish eyes are smiling sure they steal your heart away."

Here are a few of my photographs from the Emerald Isle from 2011.

Ring of Kerry

Cliffs of Moher - County Claire

Us at Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey

Moon over Sligo

Celtic Cross - Kilkenny

March Music Challenge - Day 12

I have fallen so far behind in this challenge so now my challenge is to catch up.

The challenge for today, Day 12, is a guilty pleasure.

Wikipedia (oh, no, not Wikipedia!), defines a guilty pleasure as something, such a movie, a television program, or a piece of music, that one enjoys despite feeling that it is not generally held in high regard. In other words, low brow rather than high brow.

BUT that's the whole point of this challenge! The whole point of this blog! This whole music challenge is one guilty pleasure after another -- but you know what if you love a song -- just love it! Loving my perfect imperfect life means that I have finally learned to just be myself and that includes owning the fact that I love music from the Disco days to the pop hits of the 80's to Top 40 hits of today, I love jazz, an alternative, and country music. Oldies, newbies, boy bands, duos.

When I googled guilty pleasure songs I found this article by Complex Magazine, "50 Awesome Guilty Pleasure Songs We're Ashamed to Like (But Not Really)" and a number of the songs that they list are some of my favourites such as "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies, "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips, "I Melt with You" by Modern English, and "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals.

So here is "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies and to make it even more guilty I chose the video from the Bathroom Sessions.

So what's your guilty pleasure?