Cultural Hot Spot

Last night we were happy to be invited to the 22nd Annual Mayor's Celebration of the Arts.

Edmonton has one the most live theatres and published writers per capita in Canada, and a ton of musical talent as well. This night focusses on some of the unknowns and the up-and-coming artists and it's a really good time.


We went last year as well, and the performances were amazing and all new to me. This year it did not disappoint either.


The evening opened with Jeremy Spurgeon on the pipe organ playing a piece that brought back memories of a church organist we used to have. I'm sure I've heard this particular organ played before, but I'm also sure that I must not have been able to see how beautiful it was before. We were in great seats, so I managed to sneak a picture of part of it. It's HUGE and has these old-looking fancy spirals at the top of each pipe. Then it has these other pipes that are horizontal and stick out. I really wasn't allowed to take pictures so I did this quickly without looking at the viewfinder, so I missed things. Impressive!


One day I want to hear the Phantom of the Opera played here.


We heard the Be Arthurs (a ukele cover band playing Queen), Ann Vriend (who also played Queen), watched a weird dance troop (KO Dance Project). At one point the Raving Poets came up. They read poetry while improvising music to match the mood of the poems, which were all quite silly. That's probably the poetry I understand best, so it was all good! One of the poets is the author that we'll be meeting at the book club next week, so that was a surprise for me.


Nights like this always emphasized how little I know about the arts scene in my own city.



The evening ended with a big conga line of audience members on stage. I snuck another picture because by this point the press weren't as busy and it had turned into a bit of a party. A very fun evening.


Throughout the evening, in the back of my head, I was thinking about my own bit of cultural arts at home. The babysitter arrived at the house with "my" fixed cello! Whoo hoo! I can't wait to have the time to play it again.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... the sun is shining and these are starting to be more prominent on the lilacs.


I am thinking... that I have work to do in order to appeal to my international audience.

I am thankful for... Sunday afternoon naps.

From the kitchen... I can see this. I definitely have to mop today and maybe every day this week. And put away the skates.


I am wearing... yoga pants. I need to go to the gym, but not until I've done 2 hours of work.

I am reading... Magyk to the girls.

I am hoping... that I can actually put these away now.



I am creating... lists and drawings. I'm trying to get all of the gardening ideas out of my head so that I can get some sleep at night. I'm very excited about the vegetable gardening plans for this year.

I am hearing... Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded, exactly as sung in church yesterday by our choir. One day I'd like to be the cellist. When I'm 96.

Around the house... I can hear dripping sounds outside as the last of the snow melts off our roof. (Note to self: Add to the to-do list - lift rain barrel to start catching those drips).


One of my favorite things... a quiet house after a week of noise.

A few plans for the rest of the week... to move the clothes line and start using it outside again, sing a Maundy Thursday service and attend a Good Friday service somewhere.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Snow mold, but also a few blades of green grass. Time to reintroduce the antihystamines into my world.

In the Land of the Little People

"Spring is coming! Spring is coming!" yelled the Little People.


All week the snow had been slowly receding from the home of the Little People. They still can't quite leave the house via the traditional means of the doors, but it is getting so much closer to happening. There is still an icy mountain to climb on the other side, but escape is now possible.




While they are very happy about the coming spring, the view is disheartening. The carnage left behind by the giants is terrible!




Bits of train track, traffic lights, pallets of bricks, cars and trucks - everything is laying as if thrown carelessly by giant hands. The cardboard box that had provided them with safe boundaries was also in ruins. The worst thing is this:


Little People themselves were still stuck in the surrounding ice and snow, unable to move. Are they okay? The avalanche patrol has been busy in the Rockies for months now and unavailable for help.




Luckily, a few emergency response personnel have been able to enter the house today. They gathered up a few of the town citizens and moved them into the house for some much needed rest and warmth.




In spite of the dirt on the sheets, this Little girl is happy to have a comfortable place to lay her head. Oblivious to the fact that others are still facedown in the ice, she sleeps with happy dreams for the first time in months.
The cook is still MIA, but Farmer Brown has some knowledge of food preparation and is now busily working in the kitchen. He has such a cheerful disposition and is an inspiration to all those who are still in various states of recovery. Way to go, Farmer Brown!




The Little Princess has chosen the cleanest section of the house to live in for now. Traditionally left for the maids and servants, she has bravely overlooked the norms of her world and is patiently and cheerfully waiting in the attic until further help is freed and able to clean the bathroom for her. Water is as yet unavailable.

Hope. Spring is always full of hope, and I am trying to look on these Little cheerful faces in order to face my own giant world.

Here's my hope: that underneath this snow is not a mess of carnage as well. It looks like a clean slate right now, but I know that the giant hands that worked on the world of the Little People have likely done damage elsewhere.

My extended family

Yvon is one of 10 children and I've got six siblings. You don't really want to hear me go on and on about them (and there's a good chance that you are one of them).

I have a smaller family right here in my house. It's a family of sewing machines. And it's much smaller than my actual extended family. Yvon seemed worried a few months ago about my growing sewing machine family, but it's not been deliberate and I have no intentions of having any more.

It's the same with babies, but I won't go into that. Just know that there will be no more. Babies, that is.

I started out with just one machine, a basic sewing machine that zigs and zags and sews nice straight lines.

Then I added a serger. It seemed very expensive at the time, but I've never regretted it. It's been in constant use for years. Someone told me it was really great for kids and knits, but I sew selfishly for myself for the most part. I do include them in some projects, but usually out of guilt for my selfishness.

Today those two machines have been pushed unceremoniously to the side as we've started to play with the older adopted models.

This was one of the reasons for moving Beth to the basement. I wanted a room for this family. Whenever I take a picture like this, I focus on the mess of cords. Don't get sidetracked. Focus on the machines themselves.

This is a lovely machine and there's a non-identical twin hiding in my bedside table. I bought the first one just because of its cabinet and I've yet to plug it in and try it. It's a Domestic, built by White for about 20 years. I always liked the industrial look of these and I hope they have industrial strength. My Janome definitely does not.

I bought the second one because I wanted to learn how to thread the first one. The second one came with a manual. I realize that I could have googled it and found the same information, but for $25 I now own a hardcopy of the manual and another machine. Beth and I played with it this week, but there seem to be some tension issues. That's a bit frustrating because Beth is just learning. I'll have to give up my bedside table one day in order to test its twin and do some more experimenting with the controls.

Today we powered up this baby.

This machine fell into my hands as a friend's mother downsized. I didn't know how lucky I was at the time. I thought I was just doing them a favour by taking it away.

I am in love. It may just become my straight stitch machine from now on. It's got power and strength, and it's quiet. Noise bothers me so that's a very good trait. I have no idea how old it is because Singer made this model for about 20 years. They were not always able to backstitch, but my model does.

However, my Janome is still assured a spot in the family because of the Singer's lack of zigzagging skills. There's no way I'm reverted to handstitching buttonholes.

The First Signs

Is this not a sign of promise? Spring is coming and it makes my heart sing.

What exactly is my heart singing? Actually, it sings a song I wrote in elementary school. It's probably the only song I've ever written, but my teacher praised it because it made sense musically and even had difficult syncopation. I remember it only because I loved the praise.

I like spring.
It makes me sing.
I love to hear
the birds that
cheer.

And here's another sign that I see along all of the edges of my sidewalk.

But this is what the rest of the yard still looks like. We've got a fair bit of snow to melt. And most of my tulips are in that area of the yard. Bummer.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... there is still way too much snow.

I am thinking... that I love breakfasts in bed, even soggy Life cereal.

I am thankful for... giggling girls.

From the kitchen... I am making Amish Friendship Bread and fluffy white bread.

I am wearing... my nightgown at 11:01 am. Yay! I love spring break!

I am reading... nothing right now. How strange.

I am hoping... that I finish more projects before the snow actually melts.

I am creating... a poodle skirt.

I am hearing... the birds going nuts in the tall spruce. They think it's spring.

Around the house... we're being pretty darn lazy.

One of my favorite things... white, fluffy and crusty bread with real butter.

A few plans for the rest of the week... visits, sewing, sleepovers and friends.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Lazying around in Beth's room...

...with little Ella jumping over the mountains in the blankets.

Have a great week!

- Ev

Projects so far

I buy fabric like I buy groceries - in bulk when it's on sale. And like groceries, fabric has a relatively short useful shelf life. If I don't use it while the inspiration is hot, it may never be used. And it'll get stale and moldy.

That part isn't quite true. But it won't look as good or the colors and the concept will go out of style.

And the ground will thaw, at which point I'll be sidetracked by the garden and not wanting to sew again until sometime in December after I've rested up from the gardening.

I had a very productive day today. I do want to try to write a tutorial for this project because it turned out to be as easy and good looking as I thought it might be.

Two placemats, a scrap of brown cloth and a zipper from the re-use centre. The whole purse cost $6.95 + tax. Not bad.

I'll quickly show you what else I made today.

Ever since I made my massive vinyl messenger bag, Laura has wanted one too. It has a few of the same features as mine (the loop for tamagochi, pockets, notebook holder and spots for pencil crayons), but it's a much smaller version and easier to make. I learned a bit about vinyl when making mine.

1. Don't topstitch more than you have to.

2. Don't curse out loud when your kids are nearby.

3. Don't assume that your thread won't break three times within the last ten stitches of any seam.

4. Minimize your layers when at all possible.

5. Don't curse out loud when your kids are nearby.

It's done and luckily I don't have any more scraps to make another project.

And this top actually looks worse on the hanger, so I had to be in the picture. Don't blame the top for the bad picture. It turned out great and was super easy. The deal with Rosa was that I won't wear it to any garden party of hers. It's embarassing to match the napkins at a party!