she's crafty

This afternoon was my second session teaching bookbinding at Atira Women's Resource Society down on Hastings. Today had quite a different vibe- 3 of the young ladies I spent the majority of time with are temporarily (for the last month) living in the downtown East side as volunteers with their university youth ministry. They have been living as a group in one of the shelters and spending time immersing and participating in the community. This is their summer break from the University of Manitoba. Pretty inspiring gals. Because we spent so much time together today I was able to give them some info I called the "advanced" lesson after they mastered the basics (just some ideas for zines and page layout and format changes). They were so excited about their results. 

Lana Del Rey

Or, Phase 1 of my musical mavens. 

Tonight I went to see Lana Del Rey at the PNE Amptheatre. The show was pretty darn good and the people watching was spectacular. We appear to be only the few who read the event was OUTDOORS- cause let me tell you people were pretty scantily dressed for a dark rain cloud, raining night. I was there at least 2 hours before I saw someone else in rain boots. At least we were wearing pants. I don't kid. 

She was beautiful and sang everything I wanted, great lighting, and the crowd was great. 

Michaels Crafts must have a shortage on silk flowers after tonight- flower crowns a plenty, (think Born to Die) but mine were from a collection over the years. 

Great show. So satisfying. 

ring of fire

Oh camping. How I love thee? It raining the most we've ever had, but we found ways to keep warm and cozy including a portable propane heater and a raging fire.  God, it's just the best time going. 

It cleared up Sunday morning and we got some sunshine. At that point the long underwear was a bit of over kill. 

Dessert hack

I love love love Vij's Rice Pudding. Have you ever had it? I could eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner. And I do. 

I saw this recipe on line for chia pudding and it sounded interesting and easy so I made it- I tried making rice pudding once and I can hardly make good rice when it's only a side dish (read: not for breakfast lunch and dinner). The Internet says chia is a super food so if it's steeped in coconut all the better!

All you do is take

1/4 cups chia seeds

400 oz (1 can) coconut milk

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

Put it all in an air tight container and leave it in the fridge. The next day you magically have tapioca like pudding. 

My 'hack' instead was a small can coconut milk, and almond milk to the 400 oz level, 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds and vanilla. I threw some almond slices on there which are slightly more crunchy than the innards of the chia seeds (if that helps with the texture for those of you who don't like the bubbles in a bubble tea)

Yum!

enterprising women

Right place right time- a couple months ago I popped into their space while waiting for the shop next door to open: 

Enterprising Women Making Art (EWMA) run through Atira Women's Resource Society in downtown Vancouver. They have a little store front where women from the downtown east side can make and sell their crafts and art. They also have a workshop studio space as well, and after going in there and chatting, I volunteered to teach a book binding class for them. Today was the first time in 4 or 5 years I collected my supplies, went shopping and made a lesson plan to teach a class. Over 2 1/2 hours I made books with 7 different women. Some people were in and out after whipping up a single book.  Some stayed and decorated in detail. One was quite wary of what we were up to but in the end stayed and made a second book, just the 2 of us. It was a really great afternoon.  They asked me back to teach again in May. 

I love making things by hand and the experience working around a table with others. This simple book is satisfying to make as the end result is quick, and impressive even for the novice. And the fact is, it is something that I have made myself and sold to help fund things in my own life. I hope the ladies enjoyed the day as much as I did. 

With one it's all the things that remained unsaid. The other, it seems it's all the things that were

darling

Two words. These two words.

my darling

These two words. They wreck me. Send me into emotional disarray. I am at the utmost blissfully feeling loved. Or I am reduced to tears by the love. Or the love I long for.
These two words. The only time I have the experience myself, they are spoken to me almost exclusively by my parents. They've always done it. Not every conversation but it is an endearing notation both in letters and in person. I made the request only once that an ex use this as a pet name for me, but it sounded wrong and he only ever indulged me one time. I did however date, over the years, a couple of English blokes and man- if the English don't know how to do it well. If I even just think of them calling on me I still smile.  It just rolls off their tongue and sounds like the most natural most endearing thing ever.

These words are currently foremost in my mind because I've been watching Downton Abbey.  What is it about an English accent saying my darling that just gets me and makes my heart ache?