countdown to new year!

I hope everyone has a great countdown tonight! I am still in awe that the decade is almost over... yikes! I figure this is one last day (ok, maybe weekend) to indulge in the last of the holiday treats... sorry, Mr. Gingerbread Man, but your time has come. Healthy eating will commence on Monday, I promise. Have a great holiday weekend! Happy New Year! :)

holiday bloom

A pretty pic to share with you today. My parents (orchid fanatics) brought us over this lovely guy last week when we had them over for a lunch... isn't' he pretty? Ohhhh... the responsibility... things are going well so far, he is well fed and watered and seems to be adjusting to his new home quite well. I haven't named him yet... any suggestions?... Mr. Yellow Orchid, doesn't seem to cut it.

sleeping wolves and broken trams

Yesterday, Roger and I decided to head to Grouse Mountain to enjoy the skyride and take in the views of the city. The plan was well intended, except when we got there, we were told that the main tram had broken down and there was at least a two hour line-up to get on once it was fixed... the second tram was only shuttling visitors down the mountain and not up.....Argh! Ok... Plan B. There is a wolf sanctuary area there that houses three wolves... so we naturally thought, let's go there. Alas, when we got there, the furry guys had just been fed, so now were all taking their naps.... we had some wonderful view of lumps of white fur off in the distance.... sigh. We'll have to reschedule this trip when everything will be more eventful.

still on holiday mode

Perhaps it is all the Christmas yummy treats and dinners we have been having and family get togethers this past week and weekend, but I am still in holiday mode today.... hmm.... more like holiday recovery. I think I have enough sugar in me to sustain my calorie count for this entire week (writing this as I am nibbling on a left-over gingerbread cookie, yum). I hope everyone had a great holiday too! Will post new photos soon... I have been a bit lazy and distracted about getting them off the camera... ooh, is that another cookie?

merry christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone... hope everyone has a great day and weekend too! Found this illustration in an old children's book awhile ago and thought it sort of looked like me and Roger... we will try to have the same reactions at Christmas dinner tonight. Ho Ho Ho!

shaking boxes

So exciting.... only one more sleep until Christmas! All the gifts are finally wrapped and tucked under the tree. We got these awesome papers at Ikea... they even came with matching gift tags too (the ribbon came from Ikea as well, but was sold separately)... anyhoo... loved the pretty patterns, so couldn't pass them up. Off to shake the boxes labeled with my name now and then wait for Santa!!

christmas time is here...

One of our favorite holiday TV specials is the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. We love it so much that we have the cd soundtrack, as well as the figurine set (*note: they are "figurines" and not "dolls"... husbands don't like it when you mix these words up). They are displayed in our living room, bringing a little festive cheer. I couldn't fit them all into the frame (poor Sally and Schroeder are off to the side).. and we still need to get Snoopy and Woodstock. Hope they bring you some holiday cheer too!

c is for cookie

Every year, Roger and I like to make at least one set of handmade items to give to our families to go along with the store bought gifts. And what to make becomes a bit of a dilemma when they are all too familiar with our etsy shops. So this year, inspired once again by Bakerella, we decided to make cookie mix jars (the original post was for Cowgirl Cookies... our interpretation has more of a holiday theme). As a non-baker, this was really exciting since it makes me feel like I am sort of doing some "holiday baking"... well minus the yummy baking cookie smell. Last thing to add to them are some pretty fabric and ribbon for the jar tops. I hope one of our recipients invites us over for a cookie.

make way for the winner... miss april!

The random draw from the gaudy trophy cup was this morning!... I woke up a wee bit late, so Roger was unable to make the draw since he had to get to work, so I have a stand in for today... a little Santa's helper! Isn't he cute? Yes, it is a bit cheesy, but it is the holidays... so some cheese is allowed. Ok, I will stop rambling now. And who is the winner of the December giveaway?

Congratulations Chrisy of artdecadence! You have won a Cabin + Cub desk calendar! And what was her response to the giveaway question (Q: which month you would be and what you would wear if you had to pose for a calendar?): "Oooh I'd be April...for Easter...dressed as a chicky bird...sitting in a nest placed on one of the rungs of the Eiffel Tower."

I must say, with over 90 entries... all of them were really fun and creative! How fun it would be to make a calendar with all of your suggestions... granted it would be almost an 8 year calendar, if everyone got their own page. Thanks again to everyone who entered... and don't fret if you weren't lucky this time around, there will be another giveaway in the new year!

daily applaud's 40 best etsy shops for gifts

Some exciting press news today to kick off the weekend (thanks to Miranda from hudsonny for letting me know this morning!)... Cabin + Cub has made Daily Applaud's list of 40 Best Etsy Shops for Gift Giving!.. (I am doing my embarrassing happy dance now, so be happy there isn't a video... it does involve the running man and the sprinkler). Check out the list and article here... lots of etsy shops to explore! Happy weekend everyone!

ps. don't forget to enter my December giveaway here to win a calendar... last day to enter is Sunday and draw is on Monday! :)

white christmas

Just to clarify, this is not how I would dress up during the holiday season. Roger and I went to see Arts Club Theatre's White Christmas at the Stanley quite a few weeks ago... it was a bit too early to blog about it (I think it may have been November?!) so I am bringing it up now. I have never seen the original movie before, let alone the theatrical version, but it was very cute, entertaining and did get me into the holiday cheer a whole month ahead. I must admit though, classic Christmas songs are all good and everything, but I kind of like the duet of Bing Crosby and David Bowie à la Little Drummer Boy and Boney M's Christmas a bit better, but I guess that would be a very weird musical if they all came together.

cake pops

I had a chance to do some holiday baking on the weekend, since we were heading to a holiday potluck. So what to bake, when one is not really a baker?... cake pops! I saw the recipe on Bakerella awhile ago, and have always wanted to try to make them. And once I read that it uses cake mix, it sealed the deal. They turned out pretty good too... I decided to go with the pink, since it went so well with the chocolate cake centers. I think most of the guests sustained a sugar high for a few hours after eating these. Check out the recipe here.

ps. don't forget to enter my December giveaway hereto win a calendar! :)

naked no more

Hooray... our tree is naked no more! Here he is in all his glory. Every year we go against the color-coordinated Martha-inspired designer-looking trees and opt for the old school, mismatched, "let's try to fit every ornament and bauble we have onto one tree" methodology. After inheriting so many of them from our parents and grandparents... the odd ornament combo (some from the 60s/70s/80s), mixed in with some handmade ones thrown into the mix seem to work. Ok... so some of the ornaments are worse for wear.. the glitter is slowly coming off, or I have had to redraw some on some of the eyes for some of the characters, but we love it, and I think the tree really loves it too.

ps. don't forget to enter my December giveaway here to win a calendar! :)

december giveaway! - win a 2010 desk calendar!

The year is coming to an end (already????)... so time for one last giveaway for 2009! Woop Woop! One lucky winner this month will win a 2010 Cabin + Cub Desk Calendar! Perfect for bringing in the coming new year, making your office mates have calendar envy at the office, and just counting your calendar days with some crafty flair.

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me which month you would be and what you would wear if you had to pose for a calendar... got to make this contest fun and interesting, right? (Would you wear a turkey costume as Ms. November? A leprechaun costume as Mr. March? Maybe an 80s Body Glove neon bathing suit as Miss. August?)... oh the possibilities are endless! Please remember, this is just a contest question.. you don't actually have to dress up and send a photo or anything.

I'll make a random draw from the golden trophy cup on Monday, December 21st... so check back to see if you won! Please remember to include some sort of contact info (etsy shop, blog, website, or e.mail address) and please only one entry per person. Good luck!

the snow is coming

The sky is grey today and all the forecasts on TV are warning of snow, snow and more snow. All this build up and anticipation is killing me. My parents must be even more anxious and excited, since I noticed that they bought a small snow blower the last time I was over at their place. (*Note: it never really snows that much here to warrant a snow blower, but my dad likes his gadgets, so I am not going to argue). I am going to remember the gorgeous skies of this past week, since it has been sunny, crisp and bright out almost every day... well, up until today. Will be posting pics of our tree next week when it is all decorated and not naked! Have a happy weekend!

ps. My December giveaway (the last giveaway of the year) starts this coming Monday, so don't miss it!

he is still naked

Last night, we went and picked out our green holiday friend... a 6' Noble Fir. It was a bit late getting back, and by the time we got him into the stand, our hunger won over the desire to decorate. So now he stands in our living room a little naked (but not self conscious, of course), looking more like a giant indoor air freshener than a holiday tree. But not to worry, we are breaking out the decorations today, so we'll have some nice "after" shots to share with you soon!

canyon lights

Last night we visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge to see their holiday Canyon Lights display. Usually a scary walk for me across the lengthy hanging bridge, it wasn't too bad this time since it was dark out when we got there.... it makes a huge difference when you can't see the 230 ft drop below. The top two photos are ours... but I have also included the bottom photo (credit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge website) since it actually shows the bridge relative to the canyon. After enjoying the lights, we warmed up with some yummy dark hot chocolate... mmmm... a bit of a reward for me making it across and back without freaking out.

orange you glad i posted these?

One of my fave things to snack on near the holidays are mandarins... so when I was in the store yesterday night and saw that they now carry lil' mini-mandarins, I had to pick up two boxes. Can you make a mandarin any cuter... I guess so!... just shrink them down 50%. They are all so teeny tiny, I feel like a giant eating them (and I am only 5' 1"). Already down to 1.5 boxes... so not sure these will last through the week.

just coasting

I am bringing back an old classic! I haven't made these in a couple of years, but I managed to source down a small supply of extra thick cork and have made some sets of coasters for this holiday season. Each set comes with 4 coasters, each burned with an image of branches and blossoms. Makes a great housewarming gift, hostess gift, or festive touch to you home! I only had enough cork to make a limited supply... and quite a few of them flew off the tables at the last craft fair, so check them out here, before they are sold out!

Also wanted to thank everyone who came and visited the table at Got Craft yesterday, my last craft fair for this season. The event was a huge success! Many thanks!

press threesome

Some exciting press news today... this time a triple whammy! These past couple of days, I was lucky enough to be featured on three blogs! It's blog fever! I was feeling so lucky and happy, I actually went out and bought a lottery ticket (I know, I know... you are shaking your head... and odds are really teeny tiny and miniscule, but a girl can dream, right?).

First up, the little Cabin + Cub calendar was featured on Design Sponge, one of my fave all time blogs (thanks Grace!). I'm so flattered to see it up there with so many of her other beautiful posts. See the original posting here.

Second up, the Cabin + Cub calendar was also featured on the lovely Apartment Therapy (thanks Tammy!). Check out the post about it here.

And last but not least, I was asked to do an interview with The Studio Chronicle, an exploration of visual arts in contemporary society (thanks David!). Again... super excited to be included. He features so many cool artists, so a great site to check out if you haven't already. Read the full interview here.

I hope everyone has a great weekend... I am going to start slowly decorating our place for the holidays (and will take some pics). Oh, and don't forget to visit me at Got Craft? this Sunday if you happen to be in Vancouver! Happy Weekend!

can you spot him?

On my way to the post office the other day, I spotted this little fella. At first he scampered up the tree, but then when I got my camera out, he stood on the branch and turned around as if getting ready to pose! Sorry it's a wee bit blurry, but he was really quick... and I,well, I'm not as quick. Isn't he cute!?

got craft?

My last craft fair of the year is approaching, and I am giddy with excitement! Hooray! I love doing fairs, but it is always a wee bit exhausting near the year end. Got Craft, Vancouver's largest indie craft fair, is happening this Sunday... come and visit me and over 55 local and handmade vendors ranging from clothing to jewelry to art and stationary. Oh, and did I mention that the first 30 people through the door receive a FREE (is there any better word during this time of year?) handmade swag bag stuffed full of goodies from all of the vendors. Make sure you arrive early!

Support Vancouver's handmade revolution, pledge handmade and shop local. Hope to see you there!

Got Craft Details

Sunday, December 6th

11:00am - 5:00pm

Royal Canadian Legion

2205 Commercial Drive (@ E. 6th Avenue / across from JJ Bean)

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Admission is $2 (kids 10 and under are free)

(no wheelchair access)

www.gotcraft.com

toque recap

This past Friday and Saturday, Roger and I (along with Track and Field Designs) shared a table at the Toque Craft Fair at the Western Front Gallery. Just wanted to thank everyone who made it out to support the gallery... especially those who braved the torrential rainfall on Saturday! Here are a couple of snaps from our table... a wee bit cozy, but we made everything fit. One craft fair down... one more to go!! I will post event details for the next upcoming craft fair tomorrow!

bagged + tagged

A little update today on the mini wooden tags that I was busy cutting a couple of weeks ago... I thought I wouldn't see the light... there was that much wood! Took me awhile to figure out how to package them all, but I decided to bundle them into packages of 12 in clear little cello sleeves... that way, you can still see the different wood grains and assorted colors... ooooh... ahhhhh. Also made some green and blue stickers to dress up the packaging a little too. Sets are now available in my etsy shop for only $5! Made from scrap and off-cuts of veneer, it's a perfect way to go green when packaging your holiday gifts!

ps. last day today for my big anniversary sale!!! Check out the deals here.

too early to start decorating?

So I am tempted to start decorating our place for the holidays, but part of me thinks it's still a wee bit early. One of the things I want to get soon are those branches with the little red berries one them (the inedible poisonous ones... I think they call them sparkle berries??)... I keep passing them by when I walk by the florist, and they look too good to pass up. Hmmmm.. maybe I can phase in the decorating slowly over the month... keep the tree at bay for a few more weeks. Anyone start decorating yet?

ps. don't forget to come and visit me at the Toque Art + Craft Fair tonight and Saturday! See details here.

extra, extra, read all about it

First off... a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US! Gobble Gobble!

Ok, so some press news today.... even though it is on the very bottom right hand corner of the entire article... and you do have to scroll down a whole lot to get to it... alas, one of my items has made it into an Etsy Storque article... woohoo! This is my first time in Storque! Check out the article here.

The way I found about it was through Heart·o·matic (I'm sure most of you have heard of it and use it already)... but if you haven't check it out. With Heart·o·matic, you can type in your etsy store's name and the site will bring up all these stats on your shop, including whether any of your items have recently been featured on different areas of etsy (like the front page). It's a bit addicting like google analytics, but perhaps only if your are into geeky stats like me! :)

Also, some additional exciting press news... the Cabin + Cub Desk Calendar has been featured in Australia's Style Collective (loving the site, btw) in their feature of Etsy 2010 calendars.... check out the article here.

ps. don't forget to come and visit me at Toque this Friday and Saturday! See details here.

to toronto and back

Last Thursday, we flew half way across the country to Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario... my sister was getting her masters degree in physiotherapy, so we made the trek to watch her take her walk during the ceremonies. Anyhoo, some pics to share... although not many, since sadly our little camera experienced a bit of a tumble off of the tripod on our first night there. Managed to get a similar camera, once in Toronto, so there are a few pics...

Here is the shot of the CN Tower... we didn't get a chance to make it up this time, so that will have to wait until another trip.
We stayed in the Queen Street West neighborhood, which is the art and design area of the city... lots of cool little shops, restaurants and bars. While I was in the hotel room one night, Roger went to the corner store down the street to grab a snack. He came back to tell me saw George Stroumboulopoulos (from CBC's The Hour... one of my fave shows) standing in line in front of a bar.. and by the time he passed by on the way back, George was gone. Argh! I missed him! (I will meet you one day, George!)
This is a shot of downtown near the corner of Yonge and Dundas... lots of people, hustle and bustle, and bright lights. Oooooh... Ahhhhh....
Again, same corner, but thought I would throw this in to add some holiday spirit.
We stayed at the Gladstone Hotel, which was super cute... each room has a different artist-designed room. Ours was called E-Le-Men-Tal... these pics are from their website, since they are better than the ones we took. Wish out trip wasn't so short, and I wish I had some more pics to share... but perhaps all the good reason to visit again!

what is a toque?

If you happen to be in Vancouver this Friday and Saturday, come and visit me at Toque, Western Front Society's annual fund-raising craft fair! Both the husband (Crooked Walker) and I, with fellow Hob Snobs Craft Collective ladies (Track and Field Designs and The Beautiful Project) will be there with 18 other artists and designers! Come by Friday if you like sipping wine and snacking whilst shopping.... er, and come back Saturday to do more sober shopping that you may have forgotten to do while sipping and socializing from the night before!

Also, if you happen not to be Canadian, and are wondering, "what the heck does Toque mean anyway?"... well, I am here to enlighten you. Pronounced like the number "2" with an added hard "k" or "c" sound at the end (two-k), it's a common name we use up here for a knitted winter hat. Since we wear them quite a bit up here in the winter days, it gets a bit wordy trying to always say "knitted winter hat" all the time. So next time you are about to say, "knitted stocking cap" or "ski hat" or "winter hat"... throw in a little Canadiana and call it a Toque.

Details:

Friday, November 27, 6-9pm

Saturday, November 28, 11am -5pm

Western Front

East 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

www.front.bc.ca

and the award goes to...

Today is the day! The random draw was made this morning out of the tacky golden trophy cup, by my hubby, for this month's giveaway winner. Ah-hem, ah-hem... and the winner of the $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate is... drum roll please..... and the award goes to.... ah-hem, ah-hem.... just unfolding the name now (the suspense is killing you right?... ok, the winner is...

... secret cake! Secret Cake's fave item from the shop is the Girl With Balloons limited edition print! Congrats to you! Hooray!

Thanks again to everyone who entered the November giveaway... it was really exciting... over 80 entries! Yay! But, don't worry if you didn't win... there will be yet another giveaway in December... so stay tuned!

collage: captain, there is something wrong with this map

Whenever Roger and I travel, I usually am, by default, the "map" person. Whether it be on a road trip in the US, or getting around winding back streets in Saigon... for some reason the map and I seem to get along a wee bit better. And yes, I guess I am a bit old school... I love paper maps... but perhaps, I will eventually have to upgrade to becoming a GPS handler soon. We'll be heading on a short trip this weekend (location to be unveiled next week!)... so my next post will be the giveaway draw this Monday!

ps. don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate... last day to enter is Sunday!

sleeping with socks

It is official... we have turned on the heat in our apartment and are flicking on the gas fireplace almost every night and morning. I am now sleeping with socks on. Just when I was getting used to the mild autumn days... it's time to break out the scarves and mittens. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on your opinion of the white stuff) it has yet to snow here... only crazy deluges of rain and high winds (this is Vancouver for you). There was a short glimmer of sun and sliver of blue sky this morning... it's now gone. Rain, rain, go away.

ps. don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate... last day to enter is Sunday!

stick me number 4 - collaborative sticker book

The other week, I was delightfully asked to contribute to Yael Frankel's Stick Me Number 4 - a collaborative sticker book of illustrations and photos from a handful of artists... how exciting! You can see my contribution in the middle of the bottom photo (they are stickers of some of my wooden collages). The sticker book also features work from Art and Ghosts, Erin Ellis, earthdogOz, Things by bubbo-tubbo, milkylane, elloh, and Knitalatte. The book is now for sale in her cute etsy shop yaelfran... so do check it out... it would make the perfect stocking stuffer!

Also, thanks to Belinda for including my desk calendar on her saturday shopping post on gretchenmist, and thanks to ImagineMDD for including my collage on her Squidoo article.

ps. don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate!!!