cabin + cub

master jasper

2012-01-30T12:51:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we celebrated the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year with family, so I thought I would share a pic of Jasper in his little outfit (yes, any excuse to play dress-up with my little one, while I still can). He kept slipping and sliding around on everything he tried to sit on... darn silky fabric... here he is pre-slip on the couch.

crying over spilled milk

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Meow meow meow... a new collage to share with you today! I never had a cat growing up, but we did have a dog for a little while – well, until it nipped me and we had to give it to another family. Anyways, no point in crying over spilt milk... well, unless you are the wee one in this collage. Bad kitty!

roar of the dragon

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of Year of the Dragon! We're celebrating Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet this coming weekend, but I thought I would post now, this being the official first day. Got a little lucky bamboo arrangement – my amateur attempt at feng shui-ing our home... have to try and figure out where the best place for it will be. Anyhoo, Happy New Year and Gung Hay Fat Choy!

calendar sale!

2012-01-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Every January, I like to get organized and set out my resolutions, although I like to refer to them as "personal goals", since calling them resolutions seems a term destined for failure. Anyways, to kick off the "get organized" train the Cabin + Cub calendar is now on sale for 25% off! Already have the wooden easel from last year?... the refills are on sale too. Check them out in my etsy shop here.

high in the sky

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Spotted on one of our walks a little while ago... two eagles high in the tree tops. They were really loud, so perhaps they were talking to each other? (in which case, I imagine that they were an old grumpy married couple having a little spat, since it sounded like a whole lot of screeching).

happy new year!

2012-01-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

Woooohooo... Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful time bringing in 2012! We made a nice dinner at home and then celebrated with some pink bubbly. Jasper even woke up (although not intentionally) to celebrate with us. I am still lounging around in my pyjamas since it is still a public holiday here, since the new year fell on a Sunday... hooray! So off to enjoy my one more day of laziness and lounging before jump starting 2012. :)

early in the morning

2011-12-29T07:28:00.001-08:00

As promised, some recap pictures of our Christmas morning with Jasper. Here he is playing with his paper yo-yo (a little treat in his stocking from Santa). Almost one week later and it still hasn't got old... well, not to him anyways... I have been watching that paper thing whip back and forth for days now. Second photo is demonstrating some intense concentration with his new wooden toy rocket ship. This week has been a bit of a lazy holiday week for us, so will be back posting more often in the new year. Hope everyone has a great New Years weekend!!! :)

holiday grazing

2011-12-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas over the weekend! My mind is still in holiday mode... there has been a lot of grazing on treats and leftovers these past couple of days... throw in a lot of social eating too, and I am quite surprised my pants aren't tight... yet. Here are some treats we made over the weekend -chocolate covered cake balls and Snoopy holiday cookies. Mmmmm... sugar.....

happy holidays!

2011-12-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday weekend! I am super excited about seeing little Jasper open his gifts... although, I'm sure he will probably be more interested in the ripped paper and boxes than the actual contents. Off to finish some last minute holiday baking and gift wrapping now... oh where does the time go! Merry Christmas! ;)

if the shoe fits

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have a huuuuge thing for shoes... oh and boots too. I saw these cute boots last year in a store and had been regretting not getting them all year long... so when I saw them again recently, there was no hesitation. Anyways, I thought I would share my cute and comfy finds. :)

my gingerbread men

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

My hubby Roger brought home two cute little gingerbread cookies made by his co-worker the other day... how cute are these? They are of Roger and little Jasper. And if you are wondering, no, I am not married to a pirate... long story short... there was a bit of a play date mishap when one of Jasper's toys made it into Roger's eye. Good news is that his eye is all fine now, and the eye patch is now only on the cookie.

pine fresh

2011-12-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

The house is smelling pine fresh... or should I say, fir fresh? We went and got our Christmas tree this week... a little 6' noble fir. And as you can see we have thrown on every decoration we inherited from our parents and grandparents on to this thing... my anti-Martha tree, as I like to refer to it. I think the 70's tinsel garlands are my favourite touch.

far away snow day

2011-12-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

There is no snow here in Vancouver yet, but I thought I would share a snow day photo we had a few weeks ago up in our friend's cabin, near 100 Mile House (about 500km north of Vancouver). This was Jasper's first time playing in snow... which consisted mostly of walking tentatively from point A to point B, and a few bum drops here and there.

get your toque* on

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

It is finally here... my last holiday show! Okay, so if you missed the last two, here is another chance to swing by and do a little crafty holiday shopping. Opening tonight from 6-10pm, as well as tomorrow from 11-4pm, this show will feature over 20 vendors. Click here for more info on the event! Hope to see you there!
*for those of you who don't know what's a Toque (pronounced "took"), it is a knitted hat/cap you wear in the winter... very popular up here in Canada. I think Americans call this a "Beanie"... but using that word up here would result in a lot of blank stares.

book worm

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, my hubby Roger and I went back to his mother's house to dig out some of his old childhood books. I kind of assumed there were going to be maybe just a few, but lo and behold, Roger dug out over three dozen titles. Most of them date from the 70s... and quite a few of them, I'm sure never have been rereleased. Looks like little Jasper has a good start to his library... and we'll be very busy with story time for the next little while!

stringing along

2011-12-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

A little follow up today on the ornaments I made for my holiday shows (two shows down, one more to go). I decided to use some bakers twine (that I love, love, love) to string them one by one. Oh if I had the funds, I would get the whole set of Divine Twine... their colors are fantastic! So back to reality and practicality, I settled on the color Oyster. Now if I can just think of a craft project that warrants using miles and miles of twine... maybe I can get one or two more colors...

this weekend - got craft?

2011-12-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

Another holiday show is just around the corner... this coming Sunday to be exact! Come and visit me and over 50 other handmade designers... there will be fresh food, a DJ, A DIY table and a chance to nab a coveted swag bag if you are one of the first 45 people through the door. And seriously, these things are in demand... I have seen the line up out the door when I have got there at 8:30AM to set up! Hope to see you there!

Details

Sunday, December 4th

10am - 5pm

Royal Canadian Legion

2205 Commercial Drive

(@ East 6th Ave)

Vancouver

Admission $3 (kids under 10 free)

www.gotcraft.com/vancouver

sew happy

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

My sewing machine usually doesn't see much action unless I am hemming pants... but alas, I am running low on kraft notebooks for the upcoming holiday shows, so time to fire it up again! A bit of a twist to the book design this time... a zig-zag stitch. Being the sewing amateur that I am, things like zig-zag stitches are very exciting. And after some trial and error, I think the zig-zagging looks really cute on these notebooks. Yes, I get excited over the lamest crafty things...

i made it!

2011-11-28T22:23:00.000-08:00

Finally getting a chance to post today... I am recovering from the fabulous four days at the Make It! holiday show. Thanks to everyone who came by to visit our booth and thanks to everyone who made a little purchase as well! Here is a pic of some of my wares... as you can see the table was a bit on the overflow side. Thankfully, I came home with less inventory... hooray! One show down, two more to go... will post the announcements for them soon!

first show of the season!

2011-11-23T20:53:00.001-08:00

It's finally here... my first holiday show of the season! If you happen to be in Vancouver, swing on by to check out Make It! at the Croatian Cultural Centre... there will be over 100 vendors, as well as live music and a bar. Yes, you read right... a bar. Nothing like sipping a little vino whilst shopping for crafty wares.

Here are the details... hope to see you there!
(I'll be in booth 18 as part of the Hob Snobs Craft Collective)
Thursday, November 24: 4pm to 9pm

Friday, November 25: 11am to 9pm

Saturday, November 26: 11am to 6pm

Sunday, November 27: 11am to 5pm

The Croatian Cultural Centre

3250 Commercial DrivePay once, Shop 4 days! $5 at the door

click here for $2 off!

Kids 12 & under are free

winter birch

2011-11-21T14:42:00.000-08:00

Now that winter is just around the corner, I figured it would be a good time to introduce a new cork coaster design just in time for the holidays. Here it is... winter birch! Perfect for a nice warm cup of tea, cocoa or glass of red wine. Hmmm... can you tell I am in need of a cozy drink by the fire today... it is so cold out!

holiday peek

2011-11-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

A little sneak peek at some ornaments I am making for my upcoming holiday shows. I decided to use a lot of the vintage book images I had been amassing and combining them with these cute little wooden pieces. Just finished drilling all the little holes... so now they just need a little string for the final touch. Will post the completed photos soon!

2011-11-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite things about the autumn are the leaves changing colour all around our neighbourhood... although sometimes they can tend to be on the soggier side here in rainy Vancouver. Makes for a pretty snapshot, nevertheless. Happy Monday!

nice package

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, I decided to change up a lot of the packaging design of my products, with the main goal of having consistent branding for all my crafty wares. I found the set-up at my craft sales was beginning to look a bit mish-mashy... with all my labels and packaging all over the map, so I am hoping this will help a bit. Here is a sneak peek at one of the new labels (this one for my wooden gift tag sets). Hooray for label paper... makes it all so much easier! Now on to incorporating this design onto the other things...

cute and mushy

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Encountered these on one of our little autumn walks the other day. They looked so perfect, I thought they were fake... yes, yes... that is my urban naiveness showing. (In all fairness, they were near a house that was elaborately decorated for Halloween, so, um yah, that's why I assumed they weren't real). As I walked away, I couldn't help thinking of the Smurfs... falalalalalala...

a night of treats

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, a pic of Jasper trick-or-treating in his costume. This year, he was Godzilla. I bought the dinosaur costume from a store, but then added the angry eyebrows, as well as the burning buildings and cars around the legs. Thankfully, he didn't try to pull off all the flames and skyscrapers I sewed near his knees and his behind. All in all, it went well... went to a little over a dozen houses until one lady dressed as a witch who answered one of the doors freaked him out a bit. Overall though, he was pretty brave for a 17 month old.

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday and Happy Halloween! Here is a little snapshot of our little pumpkin family! I am crossing my fingers that tonight will be nice and rain-free... we'll be taking little Jasper out trick-or-treating, and there is nothing worse than a soggy costume. Will take pictures and share soon!

home sweet home

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Now that the colder (and often times wetter) weather is here, I am finding that we are spending a lot more cosy days indoors. With that as an inspiration, I thought I would create a colorful illustration for our little abode. Check out the new Home Sweet Home 8.5 x 11 print here in my Tiny Cub etsy shop.

pumpkin patch kid

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

A few pumpkin picking pictures to share today... and yes, I had to dress Jasper accordingly for the occasion. I have been waiting for the day that his noggin could fit this hat I got him last year, and that day finally came... it was perfect for his first wheelbarrow ride on the pumpkin farm. I swear he is smizing in the last photo... or maybe that is just me watching too much Top Model.

this takes the cake

2011-10-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

As soon as I took a bite of this the other night at L'Abattoir, I knew I had to blog about it... it was sooooooo good! Excuse the photo, I had to use my phone and it was very dim mood lighting in the restaurant... so this was the best I could do with no flash. Ok, ok... so what is this best dessert ever? Apple and olive oil cake with honey ginger ice cream and green apple granita. I literally had to refrain myself from licking the plate afterwards (I shake my fist at you "social etiquette" and "manners").

new calendar is here!

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hooray, hooray! So it is finally here... the Cabin + Cub 2012 Desk Calendar is being unveiled today! For the upcoming year, I thought I would shake things up a little bit and make the calendar quite a bit taller in size... which means larger images to enjoy each month (which, in turn, means more cuteness for your desk, and yes, perhaps more envy from your fellow co-workes coveting said calendar... heehee). And no fret, the calendar still comes with a cute little wooden easel stand. Check out the calendar in my etsy shop here.

turkey coma

2011-10-10T09:08:00.001-07:00

A little late in posting today, since it is the Thanksgiving holiday here in Canada.... well, that and I am suffering from a major case of turkey coma and slept in a bit. We had the family over for a big feast yesterday, so it was a long day of chopping, basting, mashing, baking and eating, of course. I will probably recover from this coma by tonight, when we'll be chipping away at the mountain of leftovers. Happy Thanksgiving!

tarts and celebrities

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

A tasty treat the other night to celebrate the 'ol birthday... nothing like a cute lemon tart topped with a little chocolate ladybug. While on the topic of birthdays, I thought I would do a google search to see what famous celebrities I share my b-day with (yes, I am procrastinating a bit right now). Here are 10 (in random order):

1. Ashlee Simpson (hmmm, not off to a good start here)

2. Seann William Scott (aka Stifler from American Pie... dude!)

3. Neve Campbell (from Party of 5... I never really got into this show, who's next...)

4. Kevin Richardson (aka, the guy with the eyebrows from Backstreet Boys)

5. Gwen Stefani (ok, my list is improving...)

6. Clive Owen (...getting better...)

7. Tommy Lee (hmmm... darn, my list is sliding again)

8. Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac is a bit before my time, but my mom liked them)

9. Roy Horn (aka Roy of Siegfried & Roy, aka the one that was attacked by the tiger... eek!)

10. Chubby Checker (had to end with this one to give the list a nice "twist")

my little pumpkin

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

We went to the local farm on the weekend to pick up some fresh local veggies and were pleasantly reminded that pumpkin season has started! I refrained from getting one this early, since there is nothing grosser than possible rotting gourds sitting on our balcony, not to mention the added task of having to keep it away from one very curious toddler. So it was decided that pumpkin picking will have to wait a couple more weeks in this household. Jasper did get to have a practice run though... the whole time we were there, he insisted on trying to sit on every single one... perhaps he was playing musical pumpkins in his head.

calendar girl

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have been working on the new 2012 desk calendar, and thought I would show-and-tell some related news. My 2010 desk calendar was featured in the book Creative Calendar Collection by Basheer Graphic Books... the book just arrived on my door step a few weeks ago. Hooray for unexpected happy mail deliveries! It's arrival, though, reminded me that I have to hustle it up and finish up the new one for 2012... eek! Stay tuned for its reveal next week... I have revamped the format a bit, so it will be even better!

treat bag

2011-09-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to get a laptop bag from my friend Sasha's Etsy shop Track and Field, but never had the laptop to put it in. Well, hooray for me... I finally got one (yes, the laptop AND the cute little bag too). I had to get the matryoshka patterned one... it makes me smile every time I open it... and the smile keeps going once I start typing and working on my new silver friend too! It's like a back-to-school gift for myself... uh, despite the fact of being out of school for some years now... heehee.

chocolate sweet, less the wheat

2011-09-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

I am totally not a baker... love to cook, but still haven't really gotten into the baking. So when my sister's birthday dinner came up, and a wheat free desert option was a must, I volunteered to make the cake?! My memory of a store bought wheat free cake at a work function years ago left me with memories of a dry and inedible cake that everyone politely moved around their plates or smuggled into their napkins, so I figured I would spare my sis the same culinary torture. Anyhoo, rather than start from scratch (since, yes, it has already been established, I don't really bake), I thought I would try a store bought wheat-free cake mix.... and lo and behold, it was really good! And yes, please don't make fun of my amateur cake decor... that unfortunately, I had to do from scratch!

underwater adventure

2011-09-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

So have you ever had one of those weeks where work deadlines seem to not just trickle in, but pour in all at the same time? Yes, that was my past three weeks, actually, hence the lack of blog updating... very bad, I know. But now things are a bit calmer, so I am back to posting again! Ok, enough blah, blah, blah about work.... some cute pics to share today of our recent trip to the Vancouver Aquarium. Jasper loooooooved it.... although I am pretty sure he would have been happy as a clam (sorry, I had to go there) sitting in front of just one tank for the whole time.

dining in shangri-la

2011-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Warning - looking at these food pics may cause you to lick your computer screen or drool in hunger! Yesterday, I was treated by the hubby for an awesome lunch at Market at the the Shangri-La Hotel (the tallest building in Vancouver, FYI)... and it was oooooh soooo gooood. A little salmon sashimi with tomato and basil dressing to start, a brie topped truffle burger (sorry, my pic of it didn't turn out), and a summer berry sangria sorbet to finish.... oh yes, and all accompanied with an apricot mint mojito (hey it was our wedding anniversary weekend, so a little indulgence was called for). I am getting hungry just looking at these pics again and reminiscing after only one day... sigh.

ferry go round

2011-08-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we ventured on the ferry over to Mayne Island for a friend's wedding (congrats Heather and Stefan!). I love taking the ferry on a sunny summer day... there is something very serene about the open air and calm waters. Even though it was only a 2 hour ride, for a few brief moments it felt like we were on a mini cruise (well, minus the buffets, entertainment, spas and shuffle board). Hmmm... I think the warm sea air really got to my head there.

mmmmmmm.... mmmufffins

2011-08-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, so many great recipe ideas everyone has posted! Thanks! So, as you can see from the pictures, I decided to make classic blueberry muffins.... hmmm and it seemed to have not made much of a dent to the blueberry stockpile we picked on the weekend (I even put in more than the recipe called for). I think, I will have to make something else.... don't worry, this won't be turning into a blueberry cooking blog anytime soon.

true blue

2011-08-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

Got back to some childhood roots this weekend and went blueberry picking. Although I must admit, as a child my harvesting wasn't very efficient (there was more eating going on than actual picking). Now that I have to crouch down to get to the berries, believe me, the harvesting went by a whole lot faster. Now I just have to figure out what to make with all these blue goodies... ideas?

good wood, bad tv

2011-08-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

And so production for fall/winter merchandise begins. Yes, I know it is only August, but with the wee one running around now, I figure an early start this year is a must. I'm aiming to do three holiday shows this year, so to keep my sanity, I think an early start is key. Here is some progress so far, cutting out veneer for my wood gift tag sets. Hey, but it's not all just work and no play... I must admit I cut them while watching awful TV (multitasking makes me feel less guilty, especially when watching the Jersey Shore or MTV's Teen Mom... really bad, I know!).

in to the woods we go

2011-08-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we headed into the Cariboo region to stay with some friends at their cabin at Deka Lake. A wee bit of a drive... (ie. if baby Jasper could talk, I am sure he would be asking "Are we there yet?" over and over again). It was a scenic drive nevertheless, with lots of winding rapids and wildflowers along the highway. We even saw deer and wolves along our journey... but alas, being on a highway going 100 km/hr, my trigger finger for snapping wildlife photos is not that fast. Now it's back to city life and the daily routine and daydreaming of our next little road adventure!

and we have a winner!

2011-08-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, a little late posting today... sorry! But it let a few of you get your entries in the last minute...yay! There were so many great entries and so many reasons everyone is celebrating... fantastic! My little helper Jasper helped me with the random draw today. Apologies for the blurry photo, but he is getting to be a quick little guy. Ok, so cutting to the chase now.... the winner of the July giveaway - the set of Tiny Cub greeting cards is.... (drumroll please)... Suzanne aka Kiddo! And what is she celebrating?

"I'm celebrating because I just lost 15 pounds through Weight Watchers! I've still got a long way to go, but it's a start!"

Congrats on the win... and congrats on the 15 lbs too! Yipee!

Didn’t win this time? No worries... there will always be another giveaway around the corner soon... Happy Weekend!

july giveaway- win a tiny cub card set!

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, today is giveaway day... hooray! The loot this time will be a set of four cards from Tiny Cub... yes, you read correctly, you will get all four (as seen in the pic above). How sweet it would be to send your thoughts and affections with these babies.

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me one reason you are celebrating... perhaps you just landed that corner office job and get to wear a power suit (shoulder pads are back right? heehee), or maybe you took the stairs today instead of the elevator and know you are working those skinny jeans, or maybe that special someone from across the room looked your way and smiled (like, full on smiled, and it was totally directed to Y-O-U!). Anyways, I am sure you all have lots of reasons to celebrate, so post your comment and you could be the winner!

A random draw will be made next Friday (August 5th), so check back to see if you win. 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!

montreal and back

2011-07-26T11:11:00.001-07:00

Hello!.. long time, no post, I know... very bad of me. Where have we been?... we just got back from a short trip to Montreal where we went to a lovely family wedding. A week leading up to the trip, I kept having nightmares of baby meltdowns on the plane and passengers giving us stink eye, but alas, all for naught... the 5 hour flights went surprisingly well. Amazing how an airline plastic cup and swizzle stick can provide hours of entertainment.... they even outshone the TV on the headrest!? Anyways, looking back at all our pictures... I realize there are very little of Montreal, and tons of wedding stuff and family events (which I don't really want to bore you with)... so please excuse my lack of travel photos!

Oh yes, I should mention... a fun giveaway this month is still happening! Will be posting it up this Thursday!

when animals attack

2011-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Recently we went for a nice summer stroll at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island. Upon our stroll we started to see warning signs letting us know that there were cranes in the area... well lucky us, we got a close encounter. Here is the crane family with their little (well, pretty big, if you ask me) baby. All I could think as I snapped the pics were random clips of that darn tv show "When Animals Attack" (I think that was what it was called?). I was quite a distance away (hooray for zoom lenses), so there was no threat of losing an eye... nevertheless, they still kind of freaked me out.

cake attack

2011-07-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

Lesson learned over the weekend... never try to eat a scrumptious little cheesecake in front of a wee one wielding a fork. I have never seen Jasper look so ravenous! BTW, the petite cheesecake was scrumptious... and it was so pretty decorated with little candy pearls (we devoured this at Trafiq Cafe & Bakery on Main Street). I am now wishing I got a box to take away...

berry delicious

2011-06-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

Phew... I have been trying to upload this darn photo forever.. and it has finally worked! Sometimes, Blogger just hates me. Anyways, I just wanted to remind everyone that strawberry season is here! We went strawberry picking on the weekend and picked about 10 lbs worth. Seriously, you have never seen someone pick as fast as yours truly wearing the baby in the harness... after what felt like 1000 squat lunges, I filled my bucket in 20 minutes. Anyways, it was well worth it... check out our bounty!

mini peek-a-boos

2011-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

So as a continuation of my last post about my new etsy endeavour, I thought I would post up some more pictures of some of the new card designs... these ones are mini slide cards. Each card comes in a peek-a-boo slide envelope... so as you pull the card out, the full message and image are revealed (as shown in the second photo). These are the four designs I have so far... working on some more... so hopefully there will be more mini peek-a-boos to share with you soon. :)

new tiny venture

2011-06-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Not sure what possessed me to do it (temporary insanity?)... but I had been thinking of it for awhile. Ta-da! I am launching my new etsy shop called Tiny Cub! For awhile now I have been itching to do more illustration work and create a line of stationary that was separate from Cabin + Cub. No worries... my original store still exists and will keep on going... I just felt the need to have a separate storefront to focus on paper-y things. Here are a set of cards in the shop right now (yes, you will notice that tote bag design from the last post has been resurrected into card form). I will post more of my new mini cards later this week!

it's in the bag

2011-06-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

Some exciting press/show-and-tell news today. My orange bird tote bag design has been featured in the new book The Tote Bag! UK author and designer Jitesh Patel showcases a selection of works from artists and designers from around the world. I have been proudly displaying it on our coffee table these last few weeks... (ummm, no matter that my biggest fan is baby Jasper). Anyhoo, the coolest thing about the book?... it comes wrapped in a tote bag! Take a look at some of the pages or order a copy of the book here!

cliff hanger

2011-06-15T13:10:00.001-07:00

Love the thrill of heights? Roger and I took the baby for a visit recently to the Capilano Suspension Bridge to check out their new attraction Cliffwalk, a series of suspended walkaways jutting out from the granite cliff face. It actually wasn't as scary as it sounds... there were several families with children doing it, I swear. The views were gorgeous too... although, I think the only view little Jasper got was of his daddy's back since he was in the carrier. You can see them both on the walkway in the top photo.

hooray for hairspray

2011-06-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

My sister and I recently caught the Artsclub Theatre production of Hairspray. I loved the movie (the original Ricky Lake version... haven't seen the newer one), so it was really fun to see it live. I have my own weird rule(s) about musicals though:

1. I can only seem to enjoy them if they are set in a different time period (specifically the past): the idea of a current day musical, actually makes me cringe. Weird? Yes. I tried to explain to my sister how I didn't like Glee (yes, I must be the only one on earth) or High School Musical (again, cringe)... even Rent is too current for me. I think it is an inner fear that I will be walking down the street and people will spontaneously break out in song and dance, and I won't know the number.

2. Why is there no talking?: Ok, another weird rule... I like when there is dialogue interspersed with song and dance... does everything have to be sung... really? everything?

3. No singing animals: You know who you are feline friends.

Ok, so I will admit there are some exceptions to the rule... I did see Mama Mia years back and it was very cute, but come on, hard to not enjoy cheesy Abba songs (which I will argue harken back to the 70s, so different time period).

*images: Arts Club Theatre

cutie cake

2011-06-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

Oh what is this chocolatey and yummy delight you see here? This was Jasper's birthday cake! (You can see him eating it here). We had Lyndsay of Coco Cake make a custom Cheburashka cake for Jasper, who subsequently is one of his favourite stuffy dolls (see bottom pic). His face is a round 7" cake and his ears are made up of mini cupcakes. He was quite a hit with both the kiddies and adults at the party... and devoured quite quickly too! Check out the Coco Cake blog to see all her yummy creations.

pin win!

2011-06-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

OK, so my little helper is down for his nap... so I am proceeding to draw the June giveaway winner myself and end the suspense! Drawing it out of the cereal bowl this morning, since the ugly trophy cup I usually use is in the napping one’s room (forgetful me). Anyhoo... who, you might ask, is the lucky winner of the wooden flower brooch?

Heartfelt Yarn Wreaths! Congratulations! Hooray! And this is her response to where she would wear the new little pin: “I would wear this on my dove grey summer coat!.”

Didn’t win this time? No worries... there will always be another giveaway around the corner soon... Happy Wednesday!

happy 1st birthday jasper!

2011-06-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our little Jasper who turned the big numero uno today! I can't believe it has already been a year since we brought him home from the hospital... oh, yes, I am getting all wishy-washy now... sorry, can't help it. Oh, he is growing up so fast - so fun to see him toddling around the house and flashing his big toothy smile. Will post a picture of his birthday cake soon.... have to go through all the photos still. :)

june giveaway - win a wooden flower brooch!

2011-06-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's the first day of June today, which means time for a much needed giveaway! This was actually meant to be the May giveaway, but somehow time just flew on by (where does the time go?)... so better late than never. This month's winner will win this cute wooden brooch featuring a hand done pink and brown floral design!

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me where you would wear this little number... perhaps pinned on your summer dress as you picnic in the park with your beau?... pinned to your messenger bag as you road warrior it on your bicycle through the city streets whilst shaking fists at all the cars?... or maybe pinned to your summer hat as you walk along the sunset beach sipping a tall glass of tropical drink? (hmmm.. can you tell I am longing for summer to start) Anyways, post your comment and you could be the winner!

A random draw will be made next Wednesday (June 8th), so check back to see if you win. 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!

still blossoming

2011-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

A few pretty petals spotted at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden recently. This spring has been really cold and wet, so a lot of things are just starting to bloom now. Normally around this time of year, I would be starting our balcony garden... but sad to say, this year it is still really barren. I am too embarrassed to post pics of all the dead plants and empty pots on our balcony right now... so give me a few more weeks to work on it!

ps. better late than never, but my May giveaway will start on Wednesday, so check back to see the details!

a whale of a time

2011-05-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, we ventured to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at the University of British Columbia to check out the blue whale exhibit - one of only 20 exhibits in the world. At 26 metres (over 85 ft) long, the adult female blue whale was very grand and impressive indeed... she's massive! And since the skeleton is suspended, viewers can walk underneath it as well.... very cool. As you can see, it was a bit tricky for us to capture her hefty-ness in just one photo.

so stoked

2011-05-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

A show announcement today! If you happen to be in the LA area and are in the mood for some art, check out Stoked Sessions 2011! My hubby Roger has donated a piece that will be up for auction to benefit Stoked Mentoring (a group that provides action sports programs to under-served communities). There are several other great artists that have donated their works that are up for auction as well. Check it out if you can.. Happy Friday!

pin me

2011-05-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have started listing a few of the hand drawn wood brooches that I posted about earlier this month. You may notice from the picture, that in addition to raincloud pins, I also started making a series of floral designs, as well as feather designs. And after much deliberation, I decided to package them all onto different coloured card stock. Check them out in my etsy shop here... they'll be popping up in the shop all week.

right to the point

2011-05-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

I snapped this photo with little Jasper's help... his new thing now is pointing, so whenever we go out he is pointing to everything up, down, left, right and centre. He spotted this little guy and went nuts. If he wasn't in the stroller, I am sure he would have happily crawled after it, pointing merrily away.

trading fun

2011-05-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share a little cuteness that I got from the Got Craft craft fair this past weekend. Isn't she cute? One of the funnest things about doing shows, I find, is being able to trade items with fellow vendors... it always makes me a little less guilty, since I feel like I'm not really spending any money made that day. I got this cute little wooden doll and brooch from Kellie of The Ricebabies. Check out her cute etsy shop here. Hmmm... too bad I couldn't barter more often in day to day situations... I don't think the grocery clerk or gas station attendant will see eye to eye though.

craft recovery

2011-05-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the late post, but had to take a few days there to recover from the Got Craft event on the weekend... it was a great event, but I must admit, I was really tired afterwards! Throw into the mix, Jasper's sudden night waking now that his two top teeth have decided to make their appearance, and it will be a miracle if this post is not riddled with typos and bad grammar. Anyways, just wanted to thank everyone who came by for a visit! This is my last show until the fall, so it will give me some time to focus on the online shop and work on some new products! Yay!

crafts on mother's day

2011-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

This Sunday will be my first mother's day!... and I'll be working the Got Craft show! Honestly, I thought Mother's Day was next weekend and didn't realize it fell on the same day until I was informed by the hubby... oops! (How is it I got the date wrong... argh!) Thank goodness that this is one of the best shows of the year and is always lots of fun to do. So if you happen to be in Vancouver, swing on by for a visit... there are over 55 vendors and the first 45 people through the door get a much coveted swag bag full of goodies. Perhaps even pick up that last minute gift for the mom? Hope to see you there!

Sunday, May 8th

10am - 5pm

Royal Canadian Legion

2205 Commercial Drive

Vancouver

Admission $3 (kids under 10 free)

www.gotcraft.com

little rain clouds

2011-05-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

Living in Vancouver, I am used to all the spring rain... lots and lots of rain. Using that as an inspiration, I am experimenting with some new crafty items... little cloud brooches. The little plaid clouds and rain drops are hand drawn onto 1.5 inch pieces of wood... these are some that I have finished so far. Next step is to coat them with a protective seal and then glue on some pin backs. Nothing like a happy plaid cloud to brighten an otherwise grey day.

niddle noddle

2011-05-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

What a royal weekend it was... hard to not watch any of the royal wedding footage that kept replaying on every single channel these past couple of days. So with the UK on my mind, what better time to share the news that a new cute shop from North London has picked up some Cabin + Cub things... hooray! Check out Niddle Noddle (I know.. could the name be any cuter?)... there are lots of sweet and vintage-inspired items for big kids and small. Hmmm... to top off this UK-inspired day, I am going to make myself a nice cup of tea now. Happy Monday!

chocolate filled weekend

2011-04-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend filled with family events, so I'm finally updating tonight! Hope everyone had a great long weekend... ours was quite chocolate filled. I still have quite a few delights left over, so I am going to try my crack at will power and make them last this whole week... at least. I'm crossing my fingres I don't wake up one morning this week with little foil wrappers all around my head.

we made it!

2011-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for visiting us (the Hob Snobs table) over the weekend at the Make It craft fair. It was nice to see some familiar faces as well as meet new ones. Check out some of the photos of our booth. My next fair isn't until next month... so I am gong to take a bit of a craft breather... well, for a few days anyways, until I start getting the itch to craft again (which seems to always come sooner than I anticipate!)

make it!

2011-04-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

I am finally posting!! After a computer incident last week which left me at a standstill, I am back online! Had a bit of a scare... thought I lost a few months worth of work and baby photos on the 'ol hard drive as the computer was acting funny, but all things are back on track now. Phew!

Some event news to announce today. I'll be at the Make It! Vancouver event happening this weekend. So if you happen to be in town and are in a crafty or shopping mood, come and check it out... there will be over 80 vendors! I will be at booth #43 as part of the Hob Snobs Craft Collective and will
have some new items (coasters and prints) as well as some sale items as well! Hope to see you there! Now back to finishing up some more inventory in time for the show....

DETAILS:
Friday, April 15:
4pm to 9pm ·
Saturday, April 16:
11am to 6pm ·
Sunday, April 17:
11am to 5pm

The Croatian Cultural Centre,
3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Pay once, Shop 3 days! $5 at the door –click here for $2 off!

Kids 12 & under are free

tickled pink

2011-04-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Some more spring goodness to share today. Passed by these on one of our stroller walks and had to stop and take a picture as baby was trying to grab one of the buds and put it in his mouth. I am really snap happy lately with all these flowers blooming everywhere... so bear with me! It rains here a lot, so I am living up every dry moment we get this spring!

spring refreshment

2011-04-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

I have signed up to do two craft shows this spring, so have been working on some new products. Ta-da!... this is one of them... new spring-influenced cork coaster sets. These sets include four coasters each made with 100% 1/4-inch cork featuring a new floral design burned onto them. I can't wait until the weather warms up a little more and I can set out a nice icy glass of ice tea... hmmm, on second thought, set out an umbrella drink on one of these. Check them out on my etsy shop here. Happy Monday!

cheery cherry

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hooray for Friday! A bit of a cheery post today... well, technically a cheery cherry post... wow, try and say that five times fast... sigh, I've always been horrible with tongue twisters. Happy Weekend!

hooray for the giveaway winner!

2011-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing like brightening up the midweek blahs by picking out the giveaway winner! Today is the draw for my March giveaway... thanks to everyone who entered! With the help from the hubby, a random draw was done this morning... and the winner of a small woodburning is:

Laura of Betula'Loo! Hooray! And what was Laura's panel choice?:

"I'm thinking the olive green little bird. Or maybe the brown one. So hard to choose! If I did win I would put my little bird near my workspace to remind me spring is here (despite the huge snow today)."

Didn't win this time? Well, March is almost over, which means the April giveaway will be fast approaching... so stay tuned! Happy Wednesday!

new illustration: sewing drawer 1

2011-03-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

A new illustration and addition to my etsy shop to share with you today. I decided to start a new series based on items and collections I have in my drawers... albeit a more stylized, clean and organized illustrative interpretation of what is actually there. This one is the first of the series so far, called Sewing Drawer 1. I'm working on another based on my knitting and crochet items, so will update on that one soon! Check out the new print in my etsy shop here. Happy Monday!

ps. if you haven't already, come and enter my monthly giveaway!

march giveaway - win a small woodburned panel of your choice!

2011-03-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

To kick off the spring season, I thought I would have a prize choice for this month's giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will get to choose a small woodburned panel from my etsy shop! Check out the selection to choose from here.

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me which one you would choose and where its new little home will be... will you hang it in your baby's nursery?... or maybe it will sit on top of your computer to brighten up your office cubicle?... hood ornament for your car? maybe it will add a little whimsy to your own boudoir? Post your comment and you could be the winner!

A random draw will be made next Wednesday (March 30th), so check back to see if you win. 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!

hello spring

2011-03-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hello spring! Hooray for finally being here... it seemed like a really long wait this year! I have been noticing some blossoming trees and plants scattered around the neighbourhood here and there... a pleasant colourful surprise during this very grey and rainy month. Hopefully the sun will come and make its appearance soon too. I am in need of some Vitamin D.

ps. new giveaway this month starts Wednesday!

collage: buried treasure

2011-03-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

As a kid, I always thought it would be exciting to find buried treasure. I think it was more of the idea of actually finding it, rather than its contents that was the thrilling part... I mean, what is a little kid going to do with a chest full of gold coins?... (unless they were the chocolate kind, of course). Hmmmm... now I think it is quite the opposite... I have quite a few ideas (no shortage of them, actually) lined up in case I find buried treasure... a gal can dream, right?

last week of winter

2011-03-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, so tired from springing forward... zzzzzzzz ... I don't think I was ready to give up that one hour yet! This week is the last week of winter, so I thought I would share some last few winter wonderland shots Roger took while he was up at Cypress Mountain this weekend. Enjoy the snowy pics! Happy Monday!

peanut butter married chocolate

2011-03-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

Weird wacky weather this week, so today is totally deserving of a treat... (yes, again). This time peanut butter and chocolate married into this wonderful entity of a giant cookie. I am going to try and make this last all day... to feel less guilty of eating the whole thing in one sitting... but something tells me that might not happen!

stamp of approval

2011-03-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago I posted about organizing and framing some of my stamp collection. Well, I am glad to say a little progress has been made! I have completed two of the series so far... a red collection and a green collection, both framed in square birch frames. The series will eventually also include a blue, a yellow/orange, and possibly a purple collection... although that leaves me with an uneven number... so maybe a grey/black collection maybe needed as well to round the entire series out. Am working on the next one now... and it's a bit slow going since each stamp is mounted one by one... will keep tracking the progress as it goes!

in the books

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Some exciting, and a bit of overdue press news to share today. Just wanted to showcase two books that have featured some Cabin + Cub products, specifically my recycled recipe cards, kraft notebooks and wooden bird cards. Check them out in these two books: 1,000 More Greetings and 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse. I had submitted these to the publisher quite awhile ago (so long ago, in fact, I don't even make the recipe cards anymore...eep), and now have finally gotten around to featuring them on the 'ol blog. Better late than never!

monday treat

2011-02-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

Monday blahs today... am a bit tired and feeling sleepy, so need a bit of a pick me up. Hmmm... perhaps some warm mini croissants this cold morning would be a good way to start the day. Mmmmmmmm.... the only thing that could make this better is either a cup of tea or hot chocolate.... okay, that is a good out-loud thought... off to go put the kettle on!

three time's a charm

2011-02-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

What is better than having one giveaway winner?... um, try three! With my little helper Jasper doing the random draw this morning, the three winners of this month's giveaway (and their answers to what their favourite craft tool/material) are:

1. Kristi McMurray (www.kristimcmurry.blogspot.com): I love my scale miniature deer. I photograph other miniatures for my shop, but my deer are my favourites.

2. Stacey Winters (www.staceywinters.blogspot.com): My favorite craft tool is my exacto knife, couldn't do a lot of things without it!

3. Tsuki aka LittleGrayFox (www.littlegrayfox.blogspot.com): My favorite tool is probably my embroidery thread. I have practically every color, it's really quite ridiculous!!!

Congrats to all the winners! Each of you is getting the Sublime Stitching Embroidery Pattern and two lovely pin brooches in the mail soon... happy stitching! Thanks again to everyone who entered... and stay tuned for the giveaway next month!

little buds

2011-02-21T08:29:00.001-08:00

I noticed yesterday that some spring blooms have suddenly appeared in front of our building... hooray! That means spring is on its way! Every time I see these types of flowers, I have an urge to go buy some Easter chocolate... yah, I know... waaaaay too early, huh?.... I must resist... don't think of chocolate, don't think of chocolate, don't think of chocolate...

ps. don't forget to enter the giveaway here... the draw is this Wednesday!

february giveaway - win an embroidery pattern and two pin brooches!

2011-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

It is that time of month again... as in giveaway time! A bit of a twist to this month's giveaway too... there are three opportunities to win, since all good things do happen in threes right? I am such a fan of Sublime Stitching, that I decided to offer three of their awesome iron-on craftopia patterns as a thanks to all my readers and followers. And to add a Cabin + Cub touch to the prizes, each pattern will also come with two cute 1" patterned button brooches made by yours truly.

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me what your favourite craft tool or material is... maybe it is your trusty glue gun (or perhaps you are really hardcore and also have a glue gun with matching holster), or do you cherish your knitting needles, or perhaps you are a little too addicted to your bedazzler... let me know! Post your comment and you could be one of three winners!

A random draw will be made next Wednesday (February 23rd), so check back to see if you win! 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!

paper and snot

2011-02-14T08:48:00.001-08:00

I am finally posting again... had to take a break last week since both baby an I were down with a cold. I have now learned that snot is one of baby's worst enemies...(how can such a tiny thing make so much of it!!!). Anyways, whilst not cleaning snot off the wee one, I started clipping out images for a new collage series... so thought I would share some of the process so far. And don't worry I did wash my hands very thoroughly, haha. I'm still working on the collages, so hopefully will post those pics real soon! Oh yes, and also wanted to let everyone know there will be a giveaway starting this Wednesday.. so stay tuned!

chirp chirp

2011-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

The sun was out yesterday, so baby Jasper and I went for a nice stroll... and we actually saw some flowers blooming and heard some birds chirping!... we didn't actually see the little chirpers though. I am thinking maybe that little groundhog (Punxsutawney Phil) might be on to something... maybe Spring will come early!

slippery new year

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Technically, Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tết aren't until February 3rd, but our family decided to have our little celebration this past weekend. And since Jasper is 1/4 Chinese and 1/4 Vietnamese, we figured it appropriate if he dressed up for the occasion... here he is in his Chinese outfit (top) and his Vietnamese outfit (bottom). Silky outfits, I have learned, are very tricky for having a baby pose in for photos, especailly when grandma's couch and cushions are equally satiny! Happy New Year!

hot chocolate day

2011-01-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Oh, it is one of those grey-ish days today... actually, it has felt like one of those grey-ish weeks this whole week. (I need some sunshine!) My solution? Hot chocolate... and in a very large mug. I'm sure there is an official "Hot Chocolate Day" already on the calendar somewhere out there, and if there is, I would like to propose it be changed to Hot Chocolate Week! Ok, now back to sipping my chocolate-y goodness.

collage: in tangles

2011-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

A new collage to share today... this one is called In Tangles. Thank goodness none of our lamps at home have a cord this long. I think our home is pretty tangle free... oh wait... there is still the hairdryer from time to time, oh yes and the seasonal Christmas lights, oh and then there is the rice cooker... uh, ok... I take the "tangle free" claim back.

winter stop

2011-01-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

It snowed here yesterday morning, but as fast as it was here, it was all gone by the afternoon. So instead of the standard snowscape to share with you today... I thought I would share some public art blanketed in light snow (this installation is part of the Vancouver Biennale). It reminds me that we should all just stop and enjoy the fleeting moments of the snowfall.

seeing red

2011-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sorting all my stamps (see my previous blog post about them here, if you missed it) has taken a bit longer than anticipated, but, alas... the sorting is finally done! Now it is time to arrange them and mount them onto some white archival paper... hmmm... which I anticipate might take even longer. Here is a snap of some of the red series so far... these are ones waiting to be mounted on the paper... tedious? Yes. But, hopefully the framed end result is going to look really good.

sale! sale! sale!

2011-01-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

I am a sucker for sales, so I decided this would be a great time to have one. Come and check it out... I am having a big sale in the etsy shop! 25 - 50% off on all 2011 calendars, notebooks and select art panels. Sale will be on until Valentine's Day... so act fast, since there are limited quantities of some items. Happy Monday!

and we have a winner!

2011-01-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

Today is the draw for my January giveaway! Thanks to everyone who entered... there were over 90 entries! With my little helper Jasper doing the random draw today (I quickly picked the winning one out of his mouth after he chose a bunch) the winner of the desk calendar is:

Lisa of lisaroyhandbags (blog: http://lisaroyblog.blogspot.com/)! Congratulations! And what was her New Year's resolution?:

"Last year I made a resolution to quit my day job and focus on what I love most and since I did quit last January, I've never looked back. I'm less stressed, more present in the moment and happier (which makes my guy happier too)"

Since that giveaway was so much fun, I will definitely be having one again next month... so don't worry if you didn't win this time. Hooray for giveaways!

night owl

2011-01-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

A bit of show-and-tell today... I got this little guy from my sister... isn't he cute? His little eyes light up and glow when you put a candle in it... they are almost hypnotizing.... oh dear, now I am getting very sleepy... zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

ps. don't forget to enter my giveaway... today is the last day!

stampin around

2011-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Quite awhile ago (almost two years to be exact), I blogged about my stamp collection (which mainly comprises of an album my mom found in the garbage in a house she was moving into back in 1975). I am finally taking the initiative to do something with them!! Since many of the stamps are quite pretty and quite old (most of them are from 1930s - 60s), I have decided to frame them. So to be a bit more ambitious, I decided to to group them by color... so for now, I will be sorting, sorting and... well... sorting... there is a lot of them... I might be sorting for awhile. I'll update you with more photos, once I get to the layout stage (which, fingers crossed, will be within the month, and not another two years).

ps. don't forget to enter my January giveaway here!

january giveaway - win a 2011 desk calendar!

2011-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since the last giveaway... so to kick off this new year, one of my desk calendars is up for grabs (I am waving my Vanna White hands around the calendar now, just to make it that much more enticing).

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me one of your New Year's resolutions, or even better yet, one of your past resolutions that was a success, or perhaps one that was totally broken. Are you promising to build a larger craft empire (mwahahaha), did you promise to watch less TV and never looked back (in which case, you didn't get that Vanna White reference I made earlier), or did you vow to lose 10 lbs and find yourself downing some fried chicken (uh, i've done that one... but it was a small piece). Post your comment and you could be the winner!

A random draw will be made next Wednesday (January 12th), so check back to see if you win! 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!