Smugness in March

If you have been outside in the past couple of days, you know that the weather in Ottawa is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.

The sidewalks are a slushy mess, with floating ice chunks in ankle deep puddles which stretch the entire street. We had a massive snow dump followed immediately by rain, and it is basically a death defying walk outside.

BUT! Saturday I bought rainboots, and I am pleased as punch at how useful they have been. I went out and bought the most adorable Hunter rainboots I could find (they are available in Townshoes for us).

They have been keeping my toes lovely and dry (the wool socks have been keeping me warm). As a testament to this ability, I would like to submit Exhibit A:

While standing in one of the smaller puddles, my feet are STILL DRY. These boots ROCK. Although note, on particularly snowy days, you may end up with snow inside your boot if you aren't VERY careful. Fortunately, this is not a problem with water.

If this ice continues, I may have to go out and buy crampons when out near the Mountain Equipment Coop.

Upcoming Events: Vernissage One Night Stand at Le Petit Mort

Art is Neat

The internet is filled with amazing artists. And so, it turns out, is Ottawa.

Popped into the Ottawa Arts Court on my way to Dr. Sketchy's (my sketches turned out really well, and we got there early enough to get better seats! Actually thinking about getting a scanner at some point so that I can share).

I was there for the gallery show of Stefan Thompson, whose work I fell in love with many Art in the Parks ago. He's an artist with a serious environmental conscience who produces some gorgeous work: joyful and sinister.

I have some of his work up on my cabinets and it makes my kitchen so very happy.

Now, as much as I have been enjoying the plethora of local artists, my favourite artist is currently still Kelly Vivanco from California.

I have been following Kelly Vivanco since I first stumbled upon Patches (the webcomic of my soul):

and then I went off and bought this print:

I still need to get it framed, but it is on the list!

So in conclusion: Art is Neat.

The Ottawa Small Press Book Fair

Walked the all of two blocks to the Ottawa Small Press Book fair on Saturday, and it was... well, small. 

But I found neat stuff! The Grunge Papers a papermaker who has four presses in his apartment and let me muck about in the moveable type. (I am linking you to the etsy page, but there is a real website too. I love my little handmade paper calling card). 

I picked up a nicely printed copy of A Modest Proposal (which will always have a satire-rich spot in my heart), a small chapbook by Helen Hajnicksky called A History of Button Collecting after seeing her talk at the pre-fair reading.

I also signed up for xraymagazine.ca, a emagazine about canadian politics and goingsons.

Altogether, a fairly successful morning, and then I made pinwheels, which turned out fantastic! Huzzah for arbitrarily adding allspice!

Upcoming Events: Mayfair Theater SILENT HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

"The ultimate act of expressionist filmmaking, Caligari tells its tale – of a hypnotist who uses a somnambulist to commit murder – on the underside of a tightrope stretched between dreams and reality. Featuring a suitably dreamy live score by HILOTRONS."

YES, do you know who I love? HILOTRONS! whooo! And drinks and food at Irene's Pub beforehand!

 

Long Weekends

Since becoming single again I have found long weekends to be particularly challenging. Suddenly there is time that weighs heavily in my hands, and no matter how many games nights (yahtzee!), outings (Vintage Urban Cabaret - a belly dancing show with steampunk leanings) or breakfasts at Elgin Street Diner I plan, I always end up with just a little bit too much time in my apartment. This is of course compounded by the fact that on the holiday, things aren't exactly open, which makes running errands slightly less likely to happen.

But, this long weekend involved a couple of exciting developments. One: I discovered I can make raspberry pie as good as my dad's (this is unfortunately also coupled with the discovery that I am fully capable of eating most of a pie all on my own) and Two: I have missed crochet.

I have just finished a hat, and started a new one. I tend to like very simple projects, often ones that I can work on while watching something with subtitles (Today's korean drama is Sunkyunkwan Scandal which is ACTUALLY a school drama set in historic times and involves a young lady disguised as her brother so she can go to the all boy academy and get stuck in a room with a honourable lord and a guy described as "a crazy horse" [oh god, I love it so much])

So honestly, the hat is totally not worth showing you. BUT, I recently finished a project with a friend for an other more different friend's baby. We made a baby blanket. And because this friend is part of The Who Council (I may have been out at a show, slightly intoxicated, and decided to inform my friends that we were all Wise Owls and as such were on The Who Council. I may also demand they fistbump me and say Who! The Who Council is totally awesome), and is in fact one of the founding members, we made him a baby blanket with crochet owls. Guys, these owls are ADORABLE. The blue one is the tiny owl once I'd worked him into a granny square.

 and this one is the one that lives on my office wall. I call him Puppy. (The Poppy is for Remembrance Day! Remember! It is coming up!)

You can find the pattern here. Umm.. the eyes aren't supposed to come out mismatched, but be warned, that happens a lot.