What have I gotten myself into...

This is where things get a bit scary...

We often are approached by different craft shows around town that would like us to display our magnets. I have always been thankful for their offer but have graciously declined as we are so busy just keeping up with our Etsy shop. Of course doing the show circuit might be an amazing opportunity, but let's be real here, I have a full time job... this is not my main work. Things can get a bit crazy and we are so very thankful for the success we have had on Etsy. First with our frames (an old venture), a jewellery hobby (that one was more for fun and I think I spent more than earned..haha) and then now our animal magnets. Etsy has enabled us to make a bit of side income and I am grateful, but sometimes you just don't have the spare time to include shows in the mix.

So you are wondering where the scary part fits in right? Well I sorta.. kinda.. agreed to do a show this upcoming weekend. You ask "How hard can this be"? For starters, you need to make sure you have an amaze balls booth. This means signage, props, A LOT OF STOCK, and an ability to accept credit cards. Wish me luck that this can all get pulled together in the next few days :) And as for the show.. it is a collaboration with our local Whole Foods. They are pretty much awesome in my books. Apparently Etsy and Whole Foods are doing a joint venture across North America, where they offer a few Etsy sellers a chance to sell their products during one weekend day and there are no table fees. How nice is that? The only thing is that I was contacted only last week so this is why it is a bit scary..lol.

Since I have been begging my better half to do shows for the last couple years.. I think it will actually be quite fun. Mostly, I am excited about decorating the table!!! Here are some quick inspiration ideas....

... and don't worry - I will be sure to post a pic of our finished table next week!

I like the painted boards - I think I will try painting magnet boards with a farm background for my animals to live on.
{image via here}

And what about the triangle banner.. super cute right? {image via here}

They have a great booth display. Not too colorful but they understand scale and proportion.
{Image via here}

For this one, I am in love with the bright pop of color in the table cloth. It needs some refining.. but a great idea.
{Image via here}

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Local Eats & Local Treats: Nero Waffles

Nero Belgium Waffles {My Iphone}

 Yummmmm.
If you have ever tried an authentic Belgium Waffle then you know exactly what I mean.

These waffles are so good. Really they should be outlawed. Especially because I have been trying to eat super healthy lately. But how could I resist the above?? And at least I shared it with the husband :)

This is a tiny little storefront and they have super cute wood paneling throughout the store. The owners are an adorable couple (at least they seemed like a couple..lol) who have recently moved here from Antwerp, Belgium (see map below). Their decor is rustic and original ...to the point of even looking vintage. And I was so happy to see a shelf in the corner that featured one of my all-time favorite board games: SETTLERS OF CATAN. That is a whole 'nother subject and I will not digress today.

They serve two types: Liege and another type I didn't bother to try because the Liege looked AMAZING! ..and let me tell you it was.

Fluffy, and chewy, and sort of caramalized on top. So good!
And with the nutella served in the cute side bowl with banana and ice cream.

It is definitely worth trying... a bit pricey but worth it for homemade goodness served at Nero Waffles on Robson Street (near the McDonalds).  Actually, funny story about that. The husband wanted an ice cream cone from McD's and as I waited outside I was reading the Nero menu board. I actually went into McD's, grabbed him from the line-up, scolded him for wanting corporate junk and said he must eat waffles instead :)

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Happy New Year to All!

Stanley Park Seawell @ Third Beach. You can also see West Vancouver across the water.

January 1st is always a nice, calm day where you have no expectations and can go for a relaxing walk while contemplating your new resolutions. I actually am not a hardcore 'let's make crazy resolutions' type of person. But I do think it's always good to re-center your life occasionally and make sure you know what some of your goals are or the problem areas you need to fix.

ying-yang rock

Today we enjoyed a long, brisk walk down the Stanley Park Seawall from Second to Third Beach. Mark noticed an odd rock that looked like a ying yang sign. Half the rock (well almost half) was even darker then the other side...too funny!

While walking, I felt so invigorated and ready to take on some new challenges for 2012:

1. Running 5K by the end of February (I know for some this is easy...but not me!). I downloaded one of those Iphone apps called 'Couch to 5K'...lol.

2. Going to sleep earlier. This doesn't have to happen everynight, but I would atleast like it to be somewhat the norm.

3. Losing 25 lbs for health reasons (and looks..haha). This is going to be a tough one.. but I have planned my schedule out and it will include Xbox Kinetic dancing, Yoga, Cross fit, cycling at the gym, and the previously mentioned running goal. This way I won't get bored :)

4. Continuing to eat healthier and cleaner (ie. lots of veggies!/less restaurants)

5. Taking Piano lessons (and I guess buying a relatively cheap keyboard...lol).

6. Working on updating our Etsy alphabet letter photo shop and streamlining our processess.

7. Hosting a monthly craft & wine night with whoever wants to stop by. I already have a few fun ideas for this one.

8. Taking more pictures and honing my basic photography skills. Even just ordered a 85mm lens for Christmas and we are SO excited to get it. This lens will be great for portraits. PS-No judging off these photos because they are from my Iphone..hehe.

Wow! When you start making a list...it really adds up. I am also sure some of you have similar goals. Though..maybe not the piano lesson one as most people hated lessons as a kid. haha. Well, there they are..now somewhat set in stone...how scary ;)

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7 Foods Experts Won't Eat

Image via Haya Khan

Ok. So I am a true believer in 'everything in moderation', so I don't want to be causing any panic here :) But, if you DO eat any of the following foods and you happen to eat them A LOT...well maybe reconsider or atleast do a bit of research first.

According to this great article I found here, they mention the following foods and my favorite part of all is that they have SOLUTIONS. It's always way easier to make gradual changes when you are given some solutions:

• Canned Tomatoes: BPA can leach from the can into your food. Apparently this synthetic estrogen can cause obesity, diabetes and other issues.  Solution: Glass containers or tetra-paks

• Corn-fed Beef: Cattle are meant to be herbivores, but are fed grains/soybeans to fatten them up quicker. This results in less nutrients (vitamins, potassium, omega's, etc.) because it is cheaper and quicker for the farmers & grocers. Solution: Local farmer's markets/grocers and Whole Foods usually carry this. You can also ask your butcher.

• Microwave Popcorn: Oh no. I really like this one :( Chemicals in the lining of the bag are vaporized into your popcorn when it's heated. They can cause infertility and cancer in lab rats when ingested in higher amounts. Especially concerning is the that corporations are promising to remove these chemicals voluntarily before 2015. When they are removing them on their own... you know its not good for  you. Solution: Pop your corn in a skillet, add real butter and real seasonings.

• Conventionally grown Potatoes (not organic): These are like sponges of the Earth and soak up herbicides, pesticides fungicides. And the scary thing is, washing your potatoes doesn't remove what has already been soaked up. Solution: Buy organic potatoes

• Farmed Salmon: I hear a lot about this one having grown up in the Pacific Northwest. These fish are kept in tight quarters, fed things they wouldn't normally eat and get diseases. They are also pumped full of antibiotics (which we inveriably end up eating too) and apparently one major study said eating one of these once every 5 months increases your risk of cancer. Now that sounds extreme, but why bother when you can get something better. Solution: Wild caught Alaskan Salmon. (If its says Fresh Atlantic...you know it is not wild, but farmed).

--UPDATE-- Right after writing this article I heard (dimly in the background) a commercial about BC Farmed Salmon. How interesting and the timing...lol. Read here for the site, I felt that they were skipping over some of the major points and the 'facts' re-routed your thought process so you forgot the actual issue. I especially like the point "Farmed Salmon is the only way to get it fresh year round". That doesn't mean it's healthy...we shouldn't even be getting things year round if it does us no good. What do you think??

• Milk produced with Artificial Hormones: Milk producers treat cattle with hormones to gain more product. These hormones have been banned in most industrialized countries, but still continue to be used in North America. They have not been proven to cause cancer yet, but many people question there safety. Solution: Buy rBGH/rBST-Free Milk or Organic Milk

• Apples: Another one of my favorites. Pretty sure I have consumed 1-2 apples/day since I was five! Apples do not develop resistance to diseases so they are sprayed most often out of all fall fruits. Also, farm workers are known to have higher rates of certain cancers..which is a bit unusual, especially because they should be healthier being more active and in the sun all day. Solution: Buy organic apples, and if you cannot afford this, then wash & peel your apples.

Hopefully these little tidbits have shed some light and encouraged you to look a bit further into the whole story. I was really surprised by a few of these... like the popcorn and potatoes. We have decided (five minutes ago..haha) that we are going to try and buy apples organic. In our area they are approximately $1.59/lb and organic run anywhere between $1.50-2.50. That is not a huge difference so I might as well switch!

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Reel Rock Film Tour

I recently attended the (sixth annual) Reel Rock Film Tour.

I am not a climber, but I love all things adventure and really enjoyed all of the films shown. There was a bit of everything – ice climbing, big wall climbing, bouldering, speed climbing, slacklining/highlining, and even some base jumping.

One of the standout films was called “Origins: Obe and Ashima”, which is about a young climber (Ashima Shiraishi) and her coach (and former pro climber) Obe Carrion.

I was blown away by the skill and determination of Ashima Shiraishi, a nine year old girl from New York whose passion in life is climbing. At just nine years of age and barely 4’2” she is climbing difficulty levels (V11’s and V12’s!) that many pro adult climbers struggle with / cannot complete. Her lack of height and reach forces her to be creative and come up with different ways to get through these difficult climbs (because she simply cannot reach some of the holds).

    Hueco Tanks (Texas)                                                        Red River Gorge (Kentucky)

If you get a chance, check out “Origins: Obe and Ashima”. You certainly do not have to be a climber to appreciate this short film and be inspired by what Ashima is accomplishing at such a young age.

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Dear Photograph - Tell me a story of then and now.

I have recently come across a great blog called 'Dear Photograph'. It is such a simple blog...basically all white, but you are drawn even more so to the old school images. Upon closer look you realize a photo is being held in front of a modern day scene (indoor or outdoor). The photo held is from the past and feature grandparents, siblings and friends. It is actually quite amazing how well they have matched up the old photo with the new scenery and tried to stand in the original photographers position.

Even though these memories are not yours, I still find it heartwarming and kind of enchanting to reminisce along with the photo owner. I even find myself noticing the hands the hold the photos...and how much you can tell just from the nail polish or wrinkles! But last of all, there are quirky/cute little sayings under each photo (check out the site to see all the phrases). I am not really sure if the blog owner or photo submitter creates them, but they add a lot to the story.

Below are a few of my favorites, and trust me, I had to stop myself from adding about ten more:

The caption for this one photo says: "Over 25 years later, the house is still blue and my mother is still looking over me." - How beautiful and heartwarming....

 

I love how you know the girl in the photo is probably the same charismatic person holding the photo (with the striped nail polish) based on her demeanor and pink outfit complete with pink phone/back pack..lol.

Notice how well the photographer matched up the original photo to the current bridge lines...even with the slightly different perspective!



Notice the trees behind the fence are gone :(

As a side note, I even noticed last week that a car commercial featured this same idea. It was super cute, they showed an old car image over the new car driving and then at the end had a photo of the house with an old car parked in the driveway. Does anyone remember what car company this was so I can link to it here?? Apparently my memory is just really failing me today... too much to think about at work as I cover my bosses vacation ;)

**All photos used are taken from the Dear Photograph blog**

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