APB!! Missing Art Doll!

Please help Tricia Anders get the word out (it's good kharma!) and let's hope that the guilty party returns this piece. It means alot to Tricia as it was on the cover of a recent publication and really stinks that someone did this, especially to someone as kind and generous as Tricia.

Celebrating

Can you guess what we're celebrating today?!?

Congratulations to our son,

member of the graduating class of 2009.

We are *so* proud of you kiddo!

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

~e.e. cummings

xox Mum & Dad (& Indy too!)

For the Love of Dog

So on Sunday, I went with my best friends to take them to meet their new puppy at the breeders out in the valley. Indy's mum had puppies about 3 weeks ago, by the same dad as Indy, so this litter of six are his siblings.

This yellow lab pup is the one they chose. His name (I think!) is going to be Dexter. Isn't he precious? I love his tiny little ears. His tail is about half the length of my pinkie finger. He reminds me of a polar bear cub. I think he's going to be on the whiter side of yellow.

This little black puppy is also a boy. I got to hold him and his sister who is a chocolate. It's hard to believe my dog was ever this tiny. I never got to see him this small, but his brothers and sister sure are adorable.

My best friends will be taking Dexter home in about a month. They are going away for a week overseas, so we get to puppy sit while they are gone. We're so excited to be able to enjoy another puppy without all the work. I am Dexter's faerie dogmother. *laughs* Lisa is Indy's.

There's nothing better than puppies and I hope Lisa will enjoy hers as much as I do mine. I can't wait for our fur kids to meet. Puppypolooza!

Ocean Life

On Saturday, our family had the opportunity to go to the aquarium in Stanley Park. (If you check out the link, you can watch the belugas and otters on a live feed!) I took a ton of pictures and figured the easiest way to share them was to make a slide show.

My favourite things in the aquarium are the jelly fish, which I can stand and watch for hours-they are so soothing to watch and the sea horses which are just so oddly charming. My husband thinks they are one of the weirdest creatures on earth, but he loves them too.

I also really love the giant sea turtle. It's amazing to stand underneath it (the way the tank it lives in is situated) and watch something so big glide by effortlessly. Sea turtles are beautiful.

We also got to see a small group of baby fur seal which are on loan to our aquarium from Alaska so they can be studied. They were on the other side of their tank, but when we came to look at them and they saw us, they came right over to check us out. They played directly in front of where we were standing for quite some time.

After the aquarium, I went off to another area of Vancouver to the Beehive Hair Lounge & Spa where I got a fabulous sassy 'do from Jen, who is the best stylist EVER!! My hair is now 1000 times better than it was (chemo has taken all the curl out of it and it looked fried.) and I am so pleased.

When my husband came to meet me at the skytrain station afterwards, he parked because he didn't recognize me walking towards him. My hair is the shortest it's ever been in the 19 years we've been married. I thought that was pretty funny. He was so sweet, when I got to the car he said "Wow Honey, that looks great!" I love it-wash it, towel it and then ruffle some hair putty through it and I'm good to go! Perfect summer hair!THANKS JEN!!

The day kind of ended on a bit of a sour note though. When I got home, I slammed my next to baby toe into the foot post of our bed. I am pretty sure it's broken. It's purple and hurts like h*ll!! When I have a headache like I did on Saturday (having my hair done triggers a major headache, which is part of my MS) I get clumsy and stuff like that happens. So in exchange for great hair, I get a broken toe. *sigh* Well it was worth it. Now the trick is to keep Indy from stepping on it!

Because Janice Asked...

(My shadow and sweet boy, Indiana Jones, who is one of the things I love best in this world.)

So my friend Janice asked her readers what they like. I thought it was an interesting question. It's fun to read this kind of post and see what you share in common with others. Feel free to share with me what you like-don't be shy-I'd like to know!

Here's my list:

I like poppies and beachcombing, poetry and music with banjos in it. I like chai lattes and going to the movies (often horror movies with my son) and devouring buttery popcorn. I like Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, The Be Good Tanyas, Jann Arden and Wailin' Jennys. (If it's a girl band and/or Canadian, I am listening to them!)

I like lobster and kalamari, red and aqua, bracelets, shopping for books, dark chocolate and New York City. I like travelling off the beaten path and seeing how people live. I like good architecture and clean lines. I like horses and dogs. I like messenger bags. I like gifts that come by mail.

I like little 1 inch buttons (the pin kind). I like long distance driving. I like spools and buttons and old textiles. I like measuring sticks and rulers. I like Rescue Me, Breaking Bad and Deadliest Catch. I like holding hands with my husband. I like cooking for friends. I like making people laugh. I like working with my hands.

I like that my friends are prolific and talented and good human beings. I like speaking Spanish. I like singing in foreign languages. I like Buddhas. I like a challenge. I like words. I like old wooden handled rubber stamps. I like chicken and rice. I like snow and being surrounded by mountains. I like the smell of the ocean.

I like being organized. I like breakfast cooked by my husband. I like learning. I like to be barefoot. I like storms. I like sleeping under a duvet. I like my iPod. I like fresh baked bread and the smell of a campfire. I like Maple and Arbutus trees. I like journals and office supply stores. I like working in my jammies. I like hugs and kindness and social awareness. I like meeting new people and making new friends.

I like alphabet and numbers. I like gelato and sorbets. I like wearing rings. I like BBQing. I like anything and everything a bout mountaineering. I like the Dalai Lama. I like shopping online. I like that my birthday always lasts about a month long. I like autumn and pumpkins and the changing colour of the leaves. I like going to the dog park with Indy.

...and I like blogging. :)

Weekend Update

So, I am sure you know by now, from my past posts on the subject, that I am a huge proponent of the library. Here in BC we have a wonderful library system. I can browse the books in my library's catalogue and place a hold on them right from the comfort of my own home, in my jammies, if I want. I can also search a BC wide database for books my branch doesn't have on the shelves and have it delivered there for FREE so I can read whatever I want.

Another fabulous thing about our system, is that I can request that they purchase books that I think would be interesting to read to add to their collection. I've been really lucky because over the years, I have never been turned down for anything I've asked for. In fact, I just had THREE books come in that I specifically asked them to buy.

You'll remember that I have confessed before that I am quietly building up the mixed media section in my branch. Since I did the workshops and exhibits over the last two years at my branch, I've gained a fan base *giggles* amongst the librarians. Now when I get them to purchase books, they are hot on my heels to borrow them right after I get first shot at reading them!

In any case, two of the new purchases I asked for are these, show here. Studio 36, by Susan Tuttle is the one I am reading right now. It's chock full of information about specific artists and how they work, which I find interesting. I can't say much more than that, as I have barely scratched the surface, but it looks really inviting and informative.

This book, Rejuvenated Jewels by Amy Hanna caught my eye. I wanted to see what was inside. While it's not big on technique (there is some basic wire wrapping and aging info) her book is largely eye candy, but it's inspiring, just the same. Obviously, any pieces that she might inspire the reader to create will be 100% different, as she is using bits and bobs gleaned from thrift stores, antique sales and the like, so you'll never find exactly what she's used. That's not a problem though-it just means her book is to be used more as a jumping off point for your work, which I think is great.

Her pieces are very Victorian in nature and quite high end looking, but it's the combination of broken bits of old jewellery combined with one another than makes it so appealing.

The library has let me know they have another jewellery book waiting for me and I will be picking it up this afternoon. I am excited to see what's in that one!

I haven't had much time or energy to work in the studio this last week. I had another round of chemo on Wednesday and I am trying to recover now. My son has his grad dinner/dance and after grad party this weekend and I want to have enough energy to take part in the festivities, so I've been trying to rest up. (Thus the pile of art books, along with the first season of Rescue Me on dvd that he gave me for Mother's Day to make lying on the couch, resting do-able. I am *so* not a lie around, do nothing person-it's hard for me!)

We just went out this morning to purchase his graduation gift and also a birthday gift as his 18th birthday is the following week. He's going to be so surprised and pleased with what we chose, I think. (It's a secret!)

The most exciting bit of news I have is that my best friend Lisa is getting a yellow Lab puppy from the same breeder that we got Indy from. Indy's mum Trixie gave birth to a litter of 6 pups on Tuesday and Lisa's puppy is going to be a boy, who is on the white side of the yellow Lab colour. There was just one in that colour-Indy's mum is a black (like Indy) and the dad is a chocolate. (Same dad as Indy's.)

We are thrilled to be able to enjoy another Lab puppy without having to do all the work! *laughs* Lisa fell so in love with Indy she had to have one of her own and we are so glad she's getting Indy's little brother. I can't wait to see them play together. It's going to be a few months till their little guy will be ready to come home with them, but I saw pics and he's adorable. He looks like a polar bear cub-teeny tiny and a little pink nose.

Well, that's all I've got for now! Have a safe long weekend, fellow Canadians. (Doesn't it seem odd that it's a week earlier this year? It caught me off guard-usually it falls around the 24th.)

Mother's Day 2009

So my perfect Mother's Day began with bacon and eggs for brekki, followed by presents. My son gave me the 1st season of "Rescue Me" on dvd, which I love and also a card from Indy (my fur baby) with a Starbucks gift card inside. The cards cracked me up-my son knows I like funny cards (not mushy ones) and the one from Indy was a surprise.



After breakfast, we packed a picnic lunch and drove into Vancouver to go to my beloved Stanley Park. The tide was out today, so we were able to take the steep steps down the side of the seawall and wander the beach. One thing we all love to do is beachcomb. I think we'd be happy doing that on any given day, more than anything else in the world.

Here's a section of the seawall where we were walking. When the tide's out, the entire thing is totally encrusted with mussels and seaweed. It's really quite something to look as far down as you can see and millions of mussels are clinging to the wall.

See what I mean? It's like this for miles and miles!

Carver and I always take our cameras and poke around seeing what's worth shooting. It's something we enjoy doing together and Mother Nature never disappoints us.

I like the colour in this one. It was a random log on the tideline that had rusted out steel mesh attached to it.



The scuba diver, as I've mentioned in post about Stanley Park before. Today the rock is sitting right out of the water. You can see by the tide marks how high the water usually is.

The horse drawn tours of the park going by. Indy was taken with the horses. I think he thinks they are just big dogs.



Downtown Vancouver. The sails in the background is the convention center. We get lots of cruise ships docking in the inner harbour. There's a seaplane dead centre getting ready for take off.





We stopped and had our picnic lunch at the Totem Poles. These are new totem sections that have recently been added. There are much bigger totems in the center of this area that have been there for years. I really like the colours and the moon faces.




Another new totem section. I think these new pieces are so beautiful. The totem area is where most of the tour busses pull in for photo ops for the tourists. You can just stand in this area of the park and quite literally watch the world go by.

This is the aquarium area of the park where you can get a free sneak peek at some of what's inside. We took Indy down to see the seals and the belugas. He's got his nose pressed right up against the glass. Just a little higher up is the waterline and he was trying to stand up on his hind legs so he could see above the water. (He's a water dog through and through.) This is the first time he's seen seals. I bet he'd have jumped right in if he'd been able to.

Oh and if you're wondering what's on his back, it's his backpack, though it's askew. He carries his water bowl and treats when we go for hikes or long walks. (Everyone carries their own weight in this family!)

The weather was beautiful today-warm without being too hot and there was a breeze along the water. We're home now, briefly and then the guys are taking me out for dinner to our favourite restaurant. Then all our favourite shows are on tonight so that will be a nice way to wrap up the day.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mums out there!

WHOOPS!!

Copyright Tattered Edge 2009

Sorry folks-I didn't mean to post such serious life stuff and then disappear! I had to step away from the internet for a few days, but I am back now and all is reasonable well. (Or as well as it ever was....)

THANK YOU for all the thoughtful and kind comments and emails about my last post. It was a bit nerve wracking to "out" myself about my diagnosis, but I *think* I am glad I did it. Keeping that kind of a secret felt incongruant with who I really am, even though at the time it was necessary. It feels freeing to not have to worry about people knowing or not knowing anymore.

In any case, there will be new posts, post haste!