Darcy Jackson Painting: Tumbler Ridge Town Hall

A while back when I was visiting my parents in Tumbler Ridge I had the opportunity to go to an artists get together on a Friday afternoon. There I met many talented artists, seasoned professionals and those just starting out. I was able to purchase a painting by one of these amazing artists, Darcy Jackson, and I am ecstatic about it! The colours are so vibrant, the pictures I am posting here don't even begin to do it justice.

This is a painting that needs to be seen in real life to be truly appreciated.

I still can't believe that I own this masterpiece and that it is hanging in my living room! There is nothing like a brilliant painting to liven up a room and cheer up your heart. I hope you all enjoyed these pictures and if you ever have the chance to purchase an original piece of artwork - do it! Seriously there is nothing so wonderful as the feeling a beautiful painting gives you when you look at it.

Conceptual Dress Featured in Edmonton Fashion Week

This is a dress I made while I was still attending school in Edmonton. Although I can't quite remember the assignment name, it had to do with creating an outfit from the unexpected or a least using unconventional materials to create an outfit. The dress was made from yards and yards of purple fabric and then I made a woven metal "frame" if you will, for the dress. All of the material used was repurposed in some way. It was featured during Edmonton Fashion Week in Spring of 2008. Some of the pictures were taken in one of the classroom while I was presenting at school, the others with the lovely Ivana Spadafora modelling.

The bows and tulle at the back were meant to be a spoof on a train and how normally a lot of this material will be found underneath of the dress and not on top. I added some bits of lace and used ribbon to do it up on the back. I was really happy with how it all turned out in the end. I have included a picture of the sketch I made of the dress as well. Enjoy!

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Tomato Zucchini Tart - One of My Favourite Veggie Dishes

This Tomato Zucchini Tart is one of my favourite veggie side dishes. I thought I would change things up today and rather than simply share what I cooked, I am actually telling you HOW to do it too. A kind of recipe post I guess.

This is a really easy dish to make and delicious!

What you need:

Some type of baking ware or pan (mine is clear Pyrex), doesn't matter the size, that depends on how many people you are feeding! :) This one is 9X12

As with the pan, the amount of ingredients needed depends on the size of your tart. I use what is known as "The Doreen Method" (see my mother's blog for info) of cooking, which means use what you have, or more, or less and above all improvise!

So for this particular tart I used:

1/2 of a large Onion

4 cloves of Garlic

4 Roma Tomatos (you can use other types but I love their flavour)

1/2 of a large Zucchini (I think it was like a foot long)

Parmesan Cheese

Oil/Butter

With a bit of butter (or oil) in the pan begin carmelizing the onions. While this is happening you can dice the garlic and slice up the tomato and zucchini.

Fresh garlic is best! Aren and I love garlic so I always put lots in.

On this particular night we also had potatoes, corn and Aren had marinated steak. Seems like one of the four tomatos ran away....at least it made it to the tart! Once the onions start to soften you can add the garlic. Cook these untl they are a nice golden brown. Your pan needs to be oiled and then the onion/garlic mixture spread inside.

Now layer the Zucchini and Tomato onto the onion/garlic mixture.

Lastly pour as much, or as little, parmesan cheese onto the veggies.

Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

I am sorry I don't have a finished product photo, but it seems that everyone was famished and couldn't wait any longer to eat supper.

Enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Colourful and Fun With Knee Socks

Hello! The internet is still acting up, so I am sorry that I haven't been posting the last couple of days. We had some snow today - still winter up here! The outfit in this post is not something suitable for this kind of weather. Hopefully when I get out in June it will be. : )
It seems that every summer the stores fill up with brightly coloured clothes. Of course being that I love anything bright or shiny I am immediately drawn to them. You will notice, I am sure, that this particular shirt appears in quite a few outfits this summer. I am in love with the colour! Also the knee sock trend. I don't quite know how or why, but I am now obsessed with knee socks. I bought ten or so pairs as soon as I got out of camp and have been wearing them every chance I get. I ma not, however, wearing them in camp. Not really suitable attire....

These are all set in my lovely closet, haha. I actually wore the white socks out not the grey. Originally I couldn't decide so I took pictures for comparison. Also these are new shoe/sandal/boots from Le Chateau. I bought them while out shopping with my sister.

Opinions on the Knee Sock Trend? The shoe/sandal/boots?

Oh yesssss..... this is also right after I got my hair done. I am really happy with it, Dawn did an amazing job!

Neuschwanstein in 2000

Hello everyone! Another beautiful day here at Ekati.
Happily it wasn't too crazy here at work even though Wednesdays tend to be our busiest what with it being the main turnaround day and all. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing photos of some of the artwork that is hanging on my walls. I hope you will enjoy it and would love to hear your thoughts.
This is a painting I did when I was 15 (back in 2000) and still in school. Even before I had gone to Bavaria (or Neuschwanstein for that matter) I was absolutely in love with it. The scenery is simply breathtaking.

This was during the time when everything I did was blue. Paintings, clothing, even the walls of my room! I still like blue a lot but I have branched out to include other colours in my work. This particular painting is currently hanging in our entryway.

A birdseye view of the castle. I wish I had some of the photos from when Aren and I visited the actual castle in 2006 with me here at camp, perhaps another day. To get this spectacular view in real life you would need to be on a mountain, in a helicopter or a bird. There is a bridge (which in relation to the painting would be located on the left side) from which you can view the castle but it affords a side view - absolutely spectacular nonetheless.
Cheers!

Peace River Coal Curling Funspiel in Tumbler Ridge

Hello all! My plane was delayed by an hour but I finally made it to camp. Unfortunately the internet is on the fritz (again) out here - satelite is so unreliable these days. It was a bit of a shock to my system when I stepped off the plane this morning as I had gone from a balmy +30 (celsius) to -8. Yes that is correct, and there is snow on the ground to boot. The ice on the lake will probably be melting sometime in July, if we are lucky. But enough about the weather. I did miss a bit of fun out here at camp though as a few caribou made their way through with a grizzly hot on their trail. Ah - life on the tundra.
I have decided to share some pictures from a couple turnarounds ago when I went up to Tumbler to visit my parents and curl.
These pictures are LONG overdue, considering that this Funspiel took place the end of March. Mum, Dad, Myself and a Gentleman who works with my Dad at the mine were all on a team togther. We didn't win first, but we certainly had a good time! PRC gave prizes to everybody anyways so it really didn't matter how well you did.

I won a duffel bag with a thermos and two toques. We also all received commemorative mugs, although I gave mine to my parents. Aren got the other prizes since I don't really take a lunch anywhere. Maybe we can wear the matching toques next winter. I take that back - I should have brought a toque with me since I could still be wearing it. I digress. The weather is suppossed to be a little nicer coming up this week though and I am planning on taking the shuttle around and snapping a few shots for those of you who are curious to know what it really looks like out on the tundra in May. Until then, I bid you adieu.

Mongolian Baby Booties

Yesterday I told you I found the cutest boots while at the thrift store. They weren't actually boots for me but baby boots! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them as they reminded me of these traditional Mongolian boots that I had found online while doing a project on Mongolian Fashion a couple of years ago. Here are a few pictures found online of the traditonal boots in both adult and childrens sizes. Mine are made of fabric although it seems that normally (the winter ones anyway) are made of leather.

The small ones I bought don't have an outside sole (the sole is made of fabric)  but I think that they would still be cute for indoors. I may also just place them on display somewhere since they are so darling.

My mum was in Goodwill with me when I saw them and of course she convinced me (very easily) that I HAD to have them even though the price was quite high by thrift shop standards. So without further ado:

Aren't they the sweetest things you ever did see?

All in all Saturday was a great day for everyone and I can't wait until I get back so I can check out more garage sales! I am going to try and post regularly while I am out at camp (I have been saving up photos from some of my projects) so don't go away.

Time for me to make sure I have everything packed and ready to go. Wish me a safe flight all!

Of Garage Sales, Thrift Stores and Packing Up

Hey all! So this weekend flew by, although I knew that would happen what with it being my last weekend in town and all. Yesterday my parents were here and we checked out this huge garage sale for charity that was happening at the tourism centre in town. Well, even though we weren't the first people to show up we still managed to make some great purchases. I am so excited about this fur coat that I found - $5!

It may end up being made into something else, or it may be a costume.. I am undecided at the moment.

This old rotary phone for $2 needs some TLC but it will be fun to repaint it. I am not sure as to whether or not I will leave it as a phone (it still works) or turn it into something else.

An awesome helmet for an upcoming costume (it may take me a while to make this one) for $3!

New pans for dirt cheap. I always like getting bakeware/pyrex cheap. I never buy anything plastic for food at a garage sale though. I am paranoid that bacteria may have settled into it. I got a large cake pan as well, all 8 pans cost only $10. I also bought an enourmous wrnch for Aren for $5 (they cost upwards of $60 normally) and two pairs of safety glasses from the 70's (I am serious) for 25 cents each. These will be for my mum's drama class for sure!

A whole box of useable oil and acrylic paints for only $2. It also came with a couple palette knives and a paint brush organizer. Awesome deal! In addition to these things I bought three more jackets (blazers) which need a small bit of tailoring for $1 each, a length of wired ribbon (at least a couple metres long) for 50 cents (I use wired ribbon to wrap all of my presents. It looks classier), and two black night tables for $7 each. Aren and I have plans to paint these and then put them in the bedroom. They are in mint condition, the only problem is that the black and gold colour combo makes them look VERY 80's. Oh well. 

We arrived later in the day at one garage sale and a man called out (to no one in particular) "Fill a box for $5!". I couldn't believe it was true and asked him to verify his statement. He promptly gave me a box and I filled it with a hockey helmet and face guards (for my mum's drama class) shin guards (for my costume) a floppy organizer box from IKEA , about 10 metres of lace and a childrens knee and elbow pad set (also for my costume). I love garage sales!

We also visited Goodwill and I found this really cute belt and a fun vintage purse. The colour is abit odd but I think it is fun anyways. I also found THE CUTEST boots ever, but I am posting those pictures tomorrow.

Can't wait to wear these. I am pretty happy with my finds but sad that I am leaving for work. I just hope I don't miss too many of the good garage sales in the next few weeks. Certainly there will be more as the summer goes on, but the first ones always tend to be the best. I hope you all fnd some amazing things at the sales this summer too!

Now I must get on with packing my things to get ready for the trip back up north. A co-worker told me that it snowed last week. I am crying inside.

White Strapless Top From a Longsleeve

I have been feeling a little guilty for not posting any of the projects that I have been working on lately so today I have decided that I need to do a refashion post.

I started with a long sleeve shirt and transformed it into a stylish strapless summer top. Hope you like it!

Here you can see the original long sleeve. Be sure that the shirt fits you well - it should be TIGHTER (but not too tight) otherwise it won't stay up once you refashion it.

The first thing you will want to do is turn the shirt inside out. Once you have done this you will need to turn the sleeves back right side out. This is so you can close the sleeve seam.

Here you can see that I sewed along the sleeve openings. After I sewed it the first time, I realized my line wasn't straight when it came to the whole shirt so I had to resew it. So don't follow the armhole exactly- there will be a bit in the armpit that needs to be trimmed out so the seam is straight.

Now chop off the collar/shoulder area.  It can be straight or dip a little in the middle.

Turn the shirt right side out. Fold over the raw edge at the top opening and sew down. Be sure that you use a ZigZag stitch if you don't have a twin needle function on your machine. If you don't your seams will rip out (break) when the fabric stretches.

Now it's time for the folding! The next three pictures will show you how to do this. Basically you bring the sleeves across the shirt diagonally, twist, bring back to the side the sleeve is on and pin down.

When you pin the sleeves there may be some excess fabric. Simply trim this off. You will need to open up the seams in the sides of the shirt now.

Only open the seam in the area of the side where the sleeve is going to be sewn. Tuck the sleeve end inside and turn the shirt inside out.

As I said, you may need to trim off the ends as this would make a very uncomfortable shirt!

Once it is all trimmed and sewn down - turn it right side out again.

TADA!

A beautiful summer top!!

I hope you all have fun making this shirt, show me your results!

Ciao!