If I could, I would just set my bed right out on the upstairs deck.  In fact, we would all probably move out onto the deck, if space weren't an issue. 

Jon's method of achieving this is by trying to emulate houseplants.  Who would deny a houseplant the opportunity to live on a deck?

This deck is proudly sponsored by dollar stores everywhere.  Who needs expensive deck accessories when there's a dollar store down the street?

Stuffed with pasta salad and red wine, we all have an after dinner chat under the glow of the sparkly lights.

Twinkly star lights at night.

The last few months have gone by like a blur.  New job, new home, lots of changes...and sadly, I have not created a single thing in all that time.  I missed looking at everyone else's work, too.  So it's nice to be back!  Here are a couple of pics of our new hacienda.  My two best friends and partners in crime live in the apartment above, and Jon and I have the main floor of the house.  Check out the front porch!  I don't think I've ever had a front porch before! 

The handsome individual in the yellow t-shirt is my hubby and the badass in the red shirt is my best friend, Doug.

The next picture is completely unrelated to my new home, but I just had to share it, because I was so impressed with it.  We recently went to the nearby Native reserve for a visit, and we couldn't drive past this totem pole without taking a picture of it. Isn't it great?  Ever since I was really little, my mom would often take me to Native art galleries and pow wows.  I just love the colours and imagery represented in their art.

I'm going to go on a little bit of a rant here.  Recently it has occurred to me that television commercials irritate me more than ever.  Maybe I'm becoming less tolerant with age, or maybe advertising is getting just that much crappier, but I sincerely loathe several commercials I've seen on TV.  The effect of this loathing is that I'm actually committing myself to making a list of products I will NOT buy because of the commercial.  Yes, that's right, the advertising has had an adverse effect on me, and it's quite empowering to know that they're wasting money on trying to lure me in, only to annoy me enough to swear never to purchase that product ever.

Let's begin with what is currently my most hated of all products at the moment, Yop.  Ever heard of it?  It's a yogurt drink.  It's a yogurt drink with a calypso-style theme tune.  Don't ask me how the two go hand in hand.  When I think of tropical, I think rum and coke, not bacterial culture.  This product is so hated in our household, that I literally chased Jon down a grocery isle with a bottle of the stuff chanting, "Must put in carrrrrrt, must have Yoooooop!" and Jon threatened me with divorce.  So there you have it, Yop nearly ended my marriage, and that's why I'll never buy the stuff.

These are my cats playing in the bathtub.  They love the bathtub, for some reason.  I find most of my yarn in here, either under the tub or in it.  My husband claims no responsibility whatsoever, so I'm blaming the cats.

It had come to my attention that Northern Ontario winters drag on.  Drag on and on.  And on.  So, once again I'm left to make something spring-like to cheer me up.  This started out as just a giant flower, then I crocheted a couple of circles, and now it's the giant flower purse!! 

I'm not a big fan of speedy things.  I prefer slow and slower.  So, for Illustration Friday I created this little fellow, the antidote to "speed".

I can't seem to find the time to make anything these days!!!  This scarf has a bit of project spectrum in it...a bit of orange, anyway.  Hopefully I'll get back on the ball soon and start creating.

In honour of Project Spectrum, I give you....a banana, a mushroom and a soybean sprite.  He uh...lives in a soybean patch, making him a soybean sprite...I found him sealed in a package of tofu at the grocery store. 

Credits for the banana pattern go to www.amigurumicrochet.blogspot.com thanks so much for providing a free pattern of one of my all time favourite fruits.

A further thank you to Katrina Wogoman from www.katcrochet.com for the lovely mushroom pattern, a fungus never looked so good!

I generally try to keep this blog about crafting, but I'm going to diversify a bit today . I had the pleasure this weekend of attending my best friend's wedding.  I've known him since we were 16 years old and there were times during the proceedings where my mind would wander back in time, away from his handsome man in a tux to the young man I once knew.  Time changes us all so gradually, that we're not even aware of our own evolution, although it is evident to those around us.  Watching him singing, dancing, laughing heartily and seeing the love in his eyes not just for his partner, but for all the people surrounding him brought such joy to me, as I realized that he had finally found himself and because of this, his life could only get sweeter.  I hope that the spirit of that day lives on in both of them for years to come.