Balloons

After seeing the engagement photos of some random couple with a giant pink balloon floating around the blogosphere, I found myself wishing I had a big bunch of balloons, too. But in warmer weather. And maybe as a blouse???

Glitter Stamping

I made a Boxing Week stop at a couple suburban Michael's craft stores, as there are none in the downtown Toronto region. I always go straight to the Martha Stewart section, because she comes up with some pretty awesome stuff. I found this to add to my arsenal of stamping supplies- a glitter stamping starter kit! Here is the gyst:

You have a clear block upon which you put your "stamp", a rubber image that clings to the block. Then you put some glue on the glue pad, press the stamp into the pad, and "stamp" your chosen surface. Then you sprinkle it with glitter, tap it off, and you have a bedazzled whatever. The glue pad gets crusty pretty fast, so I tried just putting a little glue on the stamp with my finger, which works for the less-detailed stamps. There are sparkles all over my living room, though. Have to find a way to not make my house into a Bob Mackie dress.

Christmas Cards, Finished

So happy with the results. The 1D-ness of rubber stamped images can sometimes look a little blah, so I added globs of kids school glue over a few of the snowflakes and then sprinkled some of the classiest sparkles I had. Gave the cards much more character.

I love the idea of embossing as technique to give rubber stamped images a second dimension, something I learned a little about in New York last year at the amazing store The Ink Pad, but it feels like that sort of stuff is a slippery slope to old lady scrapbook country, a place I refuse to visit.

Harbourfront Swedish Christmas Bazaar

For any Christmas-o-phile, any Scandinavian Christmas festival is going to be chock-full of delights. This year's Swedish Christmas bazaar at Harbourfront was my first, and it was everything I hoped for. 3$ cups of the best glogg (mulled wine) I have ever had (maybe some of the strongest, too!) ginger snaps to DIE for, 4 10ft tables lined-up, filled with homemade gnome and elf ornaments, a huge food and candy table, a cafeteria with open-faced sandwiches and meatballs with lingonberries. Yup, that's what I'm into.

The place was packed, I mean packed, and LQ, Stoobes, Reva, Justy and I were there for 3 hours somehow. We were just about to leave, after a second look at the marketplace room, when the lights started to dim and a procession of little girls in white were led in by their choirmaster to perform songs for the St. Lucia pageant. Adorable. Made me pine for my choral days as a kid...

Rubber Stamp Heaven

I have always loved rubber stamping since I was a kid. I guess I love the permanence of them; that you can reproduce an image over and over, however you like, whatever colour you like. I saw this set by Yellow Owl Workshop on a couple design blogs, and had to have it to make this year's Christmas cards. A little pricey, so I used my Paypal dollars from Ebay sales. Just got them yesterday- so excited. They also have for sale a gorrrrgeous nautical set to die for. If you like stamps, that is.

NEW NEKO DEETS!

The title of the new Neko Case record (Middle Cyclone), slated to be released by Anti March 3rd, already has its cover, and the recording finished recently here in Toronto. Pitchfork claims that there are 15 new songs. As always, I am so very excited. Not sure what to make of the cover; typical, if not a little bit sillier imagery. Wonder if the fame from Fox Confessor will have changed much of her songwriting. Can't wait!

Vintage Christmas Glassware

Found these gorgeous numbers, depicting the 12 days of Christmas, at the Sally Ann in Parkdale. Sadly, only 6 of the 12 days could be found. The maids-a-milking is a very pretty one... Love old glassware like this. Heavy duty glass, and images that are beautifully detailed, coloured and quite permanent.