My one sale is the Harvest Hills Alliance Church Craft Sale and Tea, November 24 and 25th.
Showing posts with label calgary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calgary. Show all posts
Friday, November 17, 2023
Christmas Craft Show Schedule--Not Much!
Unfortunately this past year I've had some health challenges, as one does when they hit their 40s. I'm only appearing at one Christmas craft sale--however, I'm still faithfully updating CalgaryCraftSales.com, so you can find a sale near you!
My one sale is the Harvest Hills Alliance Church Craft Sale and Tea, November 24 and 25th.
My one sale is the Harvest Hills Alliance Church Craft Sale and Tea, November 24 and 25th.
Thursday, July 15, 2021
TBT--Festival of Quilts
TBT! I really miss seeing all the lovely quilts and hangings on display at Heritage Park--fingers crossed I can go back in 2022. While many arts organizations have found new audience by going virtual, and it's great, nothing beats seeing quilts wafting in the wind and being able to see them up close.
Friday, March 23, 2018
Winter Birdwatching, Weaselhead Park
Is it spring? One can never be too sure in Canadaland! It's hard to believe that a few weeks ago my friend Pam and I joined a few other birdwatchers at Weaselhead Park in Calgary on the snowiest day of the month. It figured that the weather would turn so severely after some lovely, melty, blue sky days just when I planned to go birdwatching with my friend. She's been enjoying weekend birdwatching trips and I have been so envious of her photographs! With a winter storm warning covering the Southern half of Alberta, it would be too easy to bail, but I felt determined. I spent my youth living farther North than here. Somehow I managed to live, work and play for many years without calling in a snow day or hiding beneath the covers. Adventure doesn't come knocking on your front door, hoping that you will answer, after all. Click on the birdie to see all the photos.
Sometimes, adventure requires you to get up at crazy o'clock. I sprang out of bed at 5 on the dot after having a dream that it was 8 and I missed my ride. After grimly shovelling the sidewalk, I layered up - underneath my older, longer winter coat I wore wool socks, leggings, yoga pants, jeans, two toques, two scarves and double mitts. I borrowed a 200-700mm zoom lens and doubler from work, but ultimately left the doubler at home. I took an extra, less powerful zoom lens, but it could have stayed home as well since it impossible to switch them out with all the snow. Once my camera bag was on my back, I could barely get it off.
We carpooled to the Weaselhead Park in Southwest Calgary after a slightly hairy car ride on the Deerfoot. It was dark and the roads were mushy. It was make your own lane after the snow plows took a crack at it. The sky was purple by the time we reached the parking lot and we were soon joined by a few others birders. The purpose of the trip was to watch hundreds of magpies leave their roosts at sunrise. Unfortunately, sunrise was a little overcast, and by the time the sky changed colour again, only a few dozen had flown over the bluff where we were standing. Some even flew back!
We followed our very knowledgeable and friendly guide from the bluff, down a hill, into a valley, across a bridge until we came to a smaller wood bridge. My phone recorded 6km of walking, although Google Maps seems to think it was 2. The snow was a blessing as it covered all the ice on the pathway and my new Yaktrax crampons made it easy to avoid a fall. It didn't take us long at all to see birds once we went away from the much windier bluff. It was noticeably warmer. We saw black capped chickadees, a boreal chickadee, blue jays, magpies, red polls, grosbeaks, ravens, Northern flickers, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and a nuthatch. There was a red squirrel scooting about in the trees, but he didn't come close.
Winter photography was...challenging to say the least. It was physically demanding even though I was up to the task. I only had a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and somehow didn't go all hangry :-D Operating the zoom lens with my gloves on was difficult (took them off for a few minutes...big mistake!). The auto focus on my camera was working hard. I nudged the wrong setting on the wheel too and I'm not sure how many photos were affected. All in all I took about 300 photos and marked 52 as total duds due to blurriness. I had to correct for luminance and colour noise. On the upside, the flat lighting made it possible to be artistic with the photographs.
We saw some human wildlife including joggers and cross-country skiers who weren't about to let the weather control their lives. I'm so glad I went - easily the best part was spending two hours talking with other birders in a Timmy's! I was physically exhausted but emotionally ecstatic after such a great outing - maybe it was the lack of sleep - but the downside was a huge surge of energy in the afternoon and a hunger for calories. I really could have used a steak or something :-)
Sometimes, adventure requires you to get up at crazy o'clock. I sprang out of bed at 5 on the dot after having a dream that it was 8 and I missed my ride. After grimly shovelling the sidewalk, I layered up - underneath my older, longer winter coat I wore wool socks, leggings, yoga pants, jeans, two toques, two scarves and double mitts. I borrowed a 200-700mm zoom lens and doubler from work, but ultimately left the doubler at home. I took an extra, less powerful zoom lens, but it could have stayed home as well since it impossible to switch them out with all the snow. Once my camera bag was on my back, I could barely get it off.
We carpooled to the Weaselhead Park in Southwest Calgary after a slightly hairy car ride on the Deerfoot. It was dark and the roads were mushy. It was make your own lane after the snow plows took a crack at it. The sky was purple by the time we reached the parking lot and we were soon joined by a few others birders. The purpose of the trip was to watch hundreds of magpies leave their roosts at sunrise. Unfortunately, sunrise was a little overcast, and by the time the sky changed colour again, only a few dozen had flown over the bluff where we were standing. Some even flew back!
We followed our very knowledgeable and friendly guide from the bluff, down a hill, into a valley, across a bridge until we came to a smaller wood bridge. My phone recorded 6km of walking, although Google Maps seems to think it was 2. The snow was a blessing as it covered all the ice on the pathway and my new Yaktrax crampons made it easy to avoid a fall. It didn't take us long at all to see birds once we went away from the much windier bluff. It was noticeably warmer. We saw black capped chickadees, a boreal chickadee, blue jays, magpies, red polls, grosbeaks, ravens, Northern flickers, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and a nuthatch. There was a red squirrel scooting about in the trees, but he didn't come close.
Winter photography was...challenging to say the least. It was physically demanding even though I was up to the task. I only had a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and somehow didn't go all hangry :-D Operating the zoom lens with my gloves on was difficult (took them off for a few minutes...big mistake!). The auto focus on my camera was working hard. I nudged the wrong setting on the wheel too and I'm not sure how many photos were affected. All in all I took about 300 photos and marked 52 as total duds due to blurriness. I had to correct for luminance and colour noise. On the upside, the flat lighting made it possible to be artistic with the photographs.
We saw some human wildlife including joggers and cross-country skiers who weren't about to let the weather control their lives. I'm so glad I went - easily the best part was spending two hours talking with other birders in a Timmy's! I was physically exhausted but emotionally ecstatic after such a great outing - maybe it was the lack of sleep - but the downside was a huge surge of energy in the afternoon and a hunger for calories. I really could have used a steak or something :-)
Sunday, October 16, 2016
2016 Christmas Craft Fairs
I'm feeling pretty proud of myself because I'm finally ahead of things, not behind. Here's where you can find me this Christmas craft sales season in Calgary. Along with MasterCard and Visa payments, I can now take Interac payments too. Come out and say hi and shop local!
If I'm not in your area, check out CalgaryCraftSales.com to find a sale near you!
|
October 22, 10-4pm St. Brigid Fall Craft Fair 730 Citadel Way NW, Calgary, Alberta T3G 5S6 Facebook for more info |
November 11, 11-5pm Fort Calgary Annual Artisans' Fair 750 9 Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta T2G 5E1 Facebook for more info |
|
November 18 and 19 Thorncliffe Greenview Craft Fair 5600 Centre Street North, Calgary, Alberta T2K 0T3 Facebook for more info |
December 2 and 3 HHAC Christmas Craft Sale and Tea 10099 Harvest Hills Blvd NW, Calgary, Alberta T3K 4W9 Facebook for more info |
If I'm not in your area, check out CalgaryCraftSales.com to find a sale near you!
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Calgary Mini Maker Faire 2016
I jumped at the chance to be part Of the Calgary Mini Maker Faire when I saw the ad on Facebook. I had previously attended Maker Faire but had never thought I would have something to show off. Then I remembered the presentation that I did for my fibre class about knitting machines. I have three of them! With this realization, an idea was born and I applied.
When the acceptance email came through, I was super jazzed. Time to prep! As the big weekend approached, I became kind of nervous. What if people thought that knitting machines were no fun? What if no one wanted to talk to me? I would be sitting there all day Facebooking or something.
I had no reason to worry - the table was immensely popular. It was just me manning the table and I had lots of people of all ages who wanted to take a try at the knitting machines. I had brought a dozen balls of yarn and it wasn't enough. Despite all my planning, I didn't guess that some would like to make and take something on the knitting machine.
By the second day I was starting to lose my voice and I had to change the table up so that only I was using the knitting machine :D As they say, you don't know what you don't know and if I return next year I will bring Mom or a friend so I can look at the other exhibits.Fortunately the volunteers and organizers made the whole event run so smoothly that it was a great experience all around. Maybe I will even have a different idea too!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Scenes from Spruce Meadows
Today I am going to share with you a magical place in Alberta. Now, Alberta is full of magical places, but if you love horses, Spruce Meadows is a wonderous land where sport and family meet!
When I was a little girl living in Edmonton, I used to dutifully collect the free admission passes that came with the gas bill in hopes that some day my family would make the three hour trek to Calgary. That never happened - it was only until I moved here that I was able to indulge in Spruce Meadows and I loved every minute of it. Every visit, decades later, reminds me of my youthful enthusiasm for horses.
It's easy to forget that houses are right across the road from it now - but it still maintains its country charm. And here's the best part - there really is something for everyone at Spruce Meadows, from live music, delicious food, usually a car show or dog agility.
Spruce Meadows celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and this lasting gift from the Southern family always fills my heart with pride. Red Arrow kindly provides a free shuttle service so that the park is accessible to everyone and admission is free, although some day I am going to splurge on the paid seats :)
I couldn't have asked for a more picture perfect day when I went for the Continental on June 11th. It was sunny and cool and I marvelled at all the recent upgrades. It's been a couple of years since my last visit. The old bleacher seating at the Chinook Ring has been replaced with a fancy new Founder's Plaza with tables and chairs.
I was super excited this day because I borrowed a 200 mm zoom lens. For those of you who have never held one, it's about as long as your forearm and weighs about a pound or two. It was really hefty! I found a primo space for the event going on and tested it out. I was so nervous because of the borrowed lens that I forgot to make the most of the zoom! I had all sorts of dumb fears that it would fall off my camera or that I would drop it :D
Fortunately by the time we found seating in the International Ring I had a handle on it and I was thrilled with the results, as you can see in this sample on Flickr. I can't wait to go again!
When I was a little girl living in Edmonton, I used to dutifully collect the free admission passes that came with the gas bill in hopes that some day my family would make the three hour trek to Calgary. That never happened - it was only until I moved here that I was able to indulge in Spruce Meadows and I loved every minute of it. Every visit, decades later, reminds me of my youthful enthusiasm for horses.
It's easy to forget that houses are right across the road from it now - but it still maintains its country charm. And here's the best part - there really is something for everyone at Spruce Meadows, from live music, delicious food, usually a car show or dog agility.
Spruce Meadows celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and this lasting gift from the Southern family always fills my heart with pride. Red Arrow kindly provides a free shuttle service so that the park is accessible to everyone and admission is free, although some day I am going to splurge on the paid seats :)
I couldn't have asked for a more picture perfect day when I went for the Continental on June 11th. It was sunny and cool and I marvelled at all the recent upgrades. It's been a couple of years since my last visit. The old bleacher seating at the Chinook Ring has been replaced with a fancy new Founder's Plaza with tables and chairs.
I was super excited this day because I borrowed a 200 mm zoom lens. For those of you who have never held one, it's about as long as your forearm and weighs about a pound or two. It was really hefty! I found a primo space for the event going on and tested it out. I was so nervous because of the borrowed lens that I forgot to make the most of the zoom! I had all sorts of dumb fears that it would fall off my camera or that I would drop it :D
Fortunately by the time we found seating in the International Ring I had a handle on it and I was thrilled with the results, as you can see in this sample on Flickr. I can't wait to go again!
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Come learn with me!
I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching a class on February 28 at Loft 112. Come and learn the magic of scherenschnitte or papercutting! If you can pronounce it, you can do it :-D All materials are provided.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Fancy Fashion at Lougheed House
My most recent visit to Lougheed House was a reminder that I don't visit enough. The last time I visited there was an art association in the basement and it has been a few years since they left! Lougheed House is really a local treasure. It's hard to imagine that it marked the edge of Calgary when it was built in 1891. It's actually remarkable that the grounds and house are still preserved. Locals know how Calgary is always in a constant state of construction.
Mom and I visited recently to catch the 1920s "Daring Deco" fashion show. I really enjoyed it because the dresses were once owned by Alberta women and it represented my great-grandmother and grandmother's era. I only have a few pictures of my great-grandmother, so to imagine that she may have once worn such fancy clothes was pretty cool. The 1920s don't really get a lot of appreciation - anything beyond 1950 is thought of as dull and bland sometimes. There were all sorts of exciting things happening such as new textiles, new music and new freedoms for women.
Textiles and clothing tell a silent, but ever present version of history. We wear clothes every day and special clothes for special occasions. Clothing conveys social status and wealth or personal history. Memories are stored in them. Studying clothes is more than meets the eye!
It took me a few moments to realize that the dresses were about 100 years old. That in itself is an amazing fact. Textiles aren't very good at surviving the ages. Pests, disaster, climate and poor storage all count against fabric. Natural fibres naturally degrade and wear and synthetic materials have an end of life too.
As a fibre major, I was thrilled to see a sample book of fabric to
touch. Fabric is so very tactile and taken for granted. Some of the
fabrics felt scratchy, but other ones were very plush and smooth.
Back to the house however - unlike some historic houses where the building and belongings pass from family to trust, Lougheed House had many lives as a women's military barracks and blood donor clinic, so the museum is in the process of repatriation. This isn't a disadvantage at all though - one can still enjoy admiring the architecture and decorations in the house like the stained glass windows and ornate ceilings. It's a lovely place to have a wedding or event, and yes, the staff can help you out with that :-)
The gardens are lovely to visit starting after the May long weekend, but there was much and even during autumn there was much to admire such as ornamental cabbages, rudbeckia and sweet Williams. Our main reason for visiting was to catch the 1920s fashion show - I will be sure to keep abreast of the events at Lougheed House in the future though. And I must return next summer and get some more iris photos.
The conservatory has been turned into a restaurant that is open for lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. It was delightful to have a cup of tea from a vintage tea cup :)
Mom and I finished our visit with brunch in the restaurant that used to
be the conservatory. It was so dainty to have tea from a vintage tea cup
and the staff were kind to let Mom and I split a bacon and waffle
breakfast (otherwise it would have been too much food for her). The brunch has a good variety of meals along with a feature dish. The restaurant staff
were fabulous and friendly. It's a good place to take small groups or friends. If you visit Lougheed House, check out some reviews on TripAdvisor and remember to show your AMA card and save on admission.
Mom and I visited recently to catch the 1920s "Daring Deco" fashion show. I really enjoyed it because the dresses were once owned by Alberta women and it represented my great-grandmother and grandmother's era. I only have a few pictures of my great-grandmother, so to imagine that she may have once worn such fancy clothes was pretty cool. The 1920s don't really get a lot of appreciation - anything beyond 1950 is thought of as dull and bland sometimes. There were all sorts of exciting things happening such as new textiles, new music and new freedoms for women.
Textiles and clothing tell a silent, but ever present version of history. We wear clothes every day and special clothes for special occasions. Clothing conveys social status and wealth or personal history. Memories are stored in them. Studying clothes is more than meets the eye!
It took me a few moments to realize that the dresses were about 100 years old. That in itself is an amazing fact. Textiles aren't very good at surviving the ages. Pests, disaster, climate and poor storage all count against fabric. Natural fibres naturally degrade and wear and synthetic materials have an end of life too.
As a fibre major, I was thrilled to see a sample book of fabric to
touch. Fabric is so very tactile and taken for granted. Some of the
fabrics felt scratchy, but other ones were very plush and smooth.
Back to the house however - unlike some historic houses where the building and belongings pass from family to trust, Lougheed House had many lives as a women's military barracks and blood donor clinic, so the museum is in the process of repatriation. This isn't a disadvantage at all though - one can still enjoy admiring the architecture and decorations in the house like the stained glass windows and ornate ceilings. It's a lovely place to have a wedding or event, and yes, the staff can help you out with that :-)
The gardens are lovely to visit starting after the May long weekend, but there was much and even during autumn there was much to admire such as ornamental cabbages, rudbeckia and sweet Williams. Our main reason for visiting was to catch the 1920s fashion show - I will be sure to keep abreast of the events at Lougheed House in the future though. And I must return next summer and get some more iris photos.
The conservatory has been turned into a restaurant that is open for lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. It was delightful to have a cup of tea from a vintage tea cup :)
Mom and I finished our visit with brunch in the restaurant that used to
be the conservatory. It was so dainty to have tea from a vintage tea cup
and the staff were kind to let Mom and I split a bacon and waffle
breakfast (otherwise it would have been too much food for her). The brunch has a good variety of meals along with a feature dish. The restaurant staff
were fabulous and friendly. It's a good place to take small groups or friends. If you visit Lougheed House, check out some reviews on TripAdvisor and remember to show your AMA card and save on admission.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
At the Mopar Show
Sadly it feels like we didn't do much this summer, mostly due to some mystery health problems that I was having, and I hope to have solved soon. There's nothing worse than being a high energy person with no energy, and the waiting is a little long. I feel like I could be a patient on House ;-)
One thing we did finally get out to was the Mopar Show back in August. I have been wanting to go for a few years but the timing was always wrong. It was a little overcast, but still a good turnout, even if the exhibitors occasionally looked upwards for signs of rain and hail. I took a lot of photographs that I haven't processed yet, but naturally did get a few snaps with my cell phone. There were lots of beauties, old and news, from the 1920s to the 1990s. My favourites were all the 60s and 70s muscle cars though!
How fabulous is this Barracuda? It's totally my style! At first I thought it was a Challenger, but my husband knew all the small details that made the difference.
One thing we did finally get out to was the Mopar Show back in August. I have been wanting to go for a few years but the timing was always wrong. It was a little overcast, but still a good turnout, even if the exhibitors occasionally looked upwards for signs of rain and hail. I took a lot of photographs that I haven't processed yet, but naturally did get a few snaps with my cell phone. There were lots of beauties, old and news, from the 1920s to the 1990s. My favourites were all the 60s and 70s muscle cars though!
How fabulous is this Barracuda? It's totally my style! At first I thought it was a Challenger, but my husband knew all the small details that made the difference.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Canada Day at Fort Calgary
Canada celebrated it's 147th birthday on Tuesday, and the family and I went down to Fort Calgary to celebrate. I didn't grow up in Calgary, but I am celebrating my 20th year here, so it's a little embarrassing to admit that there are tons of places I haven't visited or things that I haven't done yet. It's easy to take a lot of things for granted when you live in a place. Canada Day activities are a little tricky as Calgary is now a city of over 1 million people! That means it seems like half of Calgary is everywhere in one place, and Fort Calgary was no exception.
Along with a show and shine featuring over 100 classic cars, there were food trucks, Lord Strathcona's Horse Mounted Troop, a free pancake breakfast and half price admission to the museum. I will have to go to the museum again. It's small, but there's still so much to read. It's better than Heritage Park in some ways, as it is far more informative and historical, instead of just being a great place to stroll around with an ice cream cone :-) It's hard to believe that the Fort Calgary site used to have warehouses on it, until a new roadway threatened the site and steps were taken to save the site and recreate the barracks. Archeological digs took place too! Calgary loves to reinvent itself, and it's fortunately that forty, fifty years ago, someone could see the need to save it for the future.
Sadly, the only photos I took of the celebrations were with my cell phone. I had packed up my camera kit, remembering an SD card, but completely forgetting the battery on the charger. Ah well! Pam of Always Artistic gave me a great simple tip - buy a second battery :-D Here are a few snaps - the yellow shaggin' wagon was my favourite - it reminded me so much of our family van from the 80s :-)
Friday, June 27, 2014
A Brewer's Blackbird
Is it really the end of June? It amazes me how time just seems to accelerate the older I get. I must be having too much fun along the way. We're fortunate to live in a pocket neighbourhood with lots of bike paths, a creek and a parkway, and so are the feathered residents.
Around my house we see ducks, Canada geese, American robins, crows, sparrows (so, so many sparrows!), the occasional chickadee, house finches, sometimes an owl or two. The other week I swear I saw a Cedar Waxwing who might have been lost. It's easy for people to forget that birds are the most accessible form of wildlife for anyone, anywhere! Having lived with birds for thirty some years, I can attest that they are not that much different from people!
Last year I bought a new camera, a Canon T3i. It is so much camera - I did have a film SLR years ago, but mostly I have been using a high end Canon PowerShot, which is a great inbetween model for those that want something better than a pocket camera but can't afford an dSLR. You can get some surprisingly good photos with a point and shoot these days, although nothing beats having the lenses to take distance shots. The kit lens is just an 18-55mm lens, but, as it happened, there was a special sale on Canon lenses when I bought my camera. The salesman (who happened to be a friend) recommended a 75-300mm zoom lens since that fit my budget. He also has a Canon camera, so I can borrow his lenses too.
The best way to learn a new camera is to take lots of pictures, and unfortunately last year's flood in Calgary put the kibosh on visiting many natural places like the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and Bowness Park. It was thrilling to be able to pack up my camera and head on down to the creek. Unfortunately for distance shots, my zoom lens was woefully inadequate. Way up high on the hill was a hawk (either a redtail or Cooper's) nonchalantly watching from a chain-link fence. The red-winged blackbirds cheerfully called from deep within some reeds. I didn't feel adventurous enough to wade in to get closer to some ducks. Oh well!
On my way back home, I spied a robin. I have been trying to get a good pic of a robin for years now. Either they don't stay still for very long, there are too many branches in the way, and the big one, I don't have a camera! This guy was happy twilling away in a pine tree. Unfortunately, he was backlit. Some day Mr. Robin, some day.
The only successful picture I had was below. I've been seeing these birds for years and always assumed they were starlings. Not so! It is a Brewer's Blackbird. He (or she) posed long enough for me to fiddle with the settings. It's not the greatest, but that just means I need to go out again with my camera :-)
Around my house we see ducks, Canada geese, American robins, crows, sparrows (so, so many sparrows!), the occasional chickadee, house finches, sometimes an owl or two. The other week I swear I saw a Cedar Waxwing who might have been lost. It's easy for people to forget that birds are the most accessible form of wildlife for anyone, anywhere! Having lived with birds for thirty some years, I can attest that they are not that much different from people!
Last year I bought a new camera, a Canon T3i. It is so much camera - I did have a film SLR years ago, but mostly I have been using a high end Canon PowerShot, which is a great inbetween model for those that want something better than a pocket camera but can't afford an dSLR. You can get some surprisingly good photos with a point and shoot these days, although nothing beats having the lenses to take distance shots. The kit lens is just an 18-55mm lens, but, as it happened, there was a special sale on Canon lenses when I bought my camera. The salesman (who happened to be a friend) recommended a 75-300mm zoom lens since that fit my budget. He also has a Canon camera, so I can borrow his lenses too.
The best way to learn a new camera is to take lots of pictures, and unfortunately last year's flood in Calgary put the kibosh on visiting many natural places like the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and Bowness Park. It was thrilling to be able to pack up my camera and head on down to the creek. Unfortunately for distance shots, my zoom lens was woefully inadequate. Way up high on the hill was a hawk (either a redtail or Cooper's) nonchalantly watching from a chain-link fence. The red-winged blackbirds cheerfully called from deep within some reeds. I didn't feel adventurous enough to wade in to get closer to some ducks. Oh well!
On my way back home, I spied a robin. I have been trying to get a good pic of a robin for years now. Either they don't stay still for very long, there are too many branches in the way, and the big one, I don't have a camera! This guy was happy twilling away in a pine tree. Unfortunately, he was backlit. Some day Mr. Robin, some day.
The only successful picture I had was below. I've been seeing these birds for years and always assumed they were starlings. Not so! It is a Brewer's Blackbird. He (or she) posed long enough for me to fiddle with the settings. It's not the greatest, but that just means I need to go out again with my camera :-)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Calgary Mini Maker Faire
We did something extra special on Saturday - attend the Calgary Mini Maker Faire! It seems like a Maker Faire was something I could only dream about and wistfully sigh about when mentioned on Twitter. The Faire had everything going right for it from the admission price ($10 student yay!) to the location at the Alberta College of Art + Design. It was the perfect setting with displays on the main mall and some of the painting classrooms used for fun stuff like a kids activity centre, zombie make up workshop, and Protospace member projects. One room was labelled Blinky Stuff and it did not disappoint.
Not only were there homebrew projects and 3D printers on display, but also old timey crafts and artisans. There were steampunk sculptures and clothing, and a fibre arts booth. I was able to sit down and test out the Cricket loom. It's one thing to see it on the web, and another to get a feel for it in real life. The other
The coolest thing about the Maker Faire was that it was very kid friendly. There were lots of little girls running around and I'm so happy the parents took them there. It's often bemoaned that there aren't enough women in STEM careers, but what a great way to give them an introduction to the world of tinkering and technology. My husband also loved it too. He was really excited talking to makers about their 3D printers or circuit boards. He's the biggest nerd I know, but doesn't get out and network a lot. Somehow I get the feeling that the next Maker Faire won't be so mini! Here are some Instagram snaps I took (in case you're wondering, the photo on the left is a 3D appetizer printer that uses cream cheese!)
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Suddenly September
I go back to ACAD on Tuesday...we've spent August trying to cram as much summer as possible into one month. June and July were such downers, but I did a lot, and the proof is in Instagram :-)
We went for a lot of country drives! This graffiti barn is out near Linden, Alberta. It never looks the same. Linden has a great little restaurant called Country Cousins, although it's not quite the same as what it used to be. It used to have a buffet loaded up with Mennonite home cooking, now it's just OK. The farmer's sausage is still wonder as are the homemade pies.
I volunteered for the Calgary Folk Music Festival again! They really treat their volunteers wonderfully and it is such a good time. It takes 1500 volunteers to make the festival tick, and is a lot of hard work! But there's a free t-shirt, snacks, gelato, two meals a day, program and free music to sweeten the deal :-) The hot band this year seemed to be The Mexican Institute of Sound.
The festival takes place on Prince's Island Park, which was overcome by the flood back in June. 250 volunteers made it possible for the festival to happen. The whole island was underwater, the River Cafe was temporarily closed and it's amazing they were able to get it done in time. Some of the stage areas were closed, and Stage 2 was moved to nearby Eau Claire market. There was a fine sand everywhere due to the silt...but the river ran blue again by this time at the end of July.
We tried to go to the Royal Tyrell Museum on the August long weekend, but had to bail! This was the line up of cars just to make the turn off into the road to the parking lot. We had arrived there around 3pm, and thought that would be a good time to miss the crowds. Apparently not! Ah well...it was still a nice drive. We'll have to go again when all the kids are in school. One of the problems with Calgary is that you have so many people fleeing the city for long weekends - can't be helped, really. We were looking forward to it as the last time we were there was 2007.
Saw these groovy clouds around Red Deer! They were originally grey, but I love how Instagram turned them into waves. I really like Instagram as a creative medium...it's like this random result that I can use for drawings and paintings. In the 30 years or so that we have been travelling Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton I have never seen clouds like this.
Here's a view from the 10th Street Bridge last week. The water is still high. There's an island near the bridge where geese nested, but it's still underwater. It's hard to imagine just how devastating the flood was. It will be a long time before everything is "normal". The rusty looking structure is called Poppy Plaza and was intentionally made to look that way. It's next to Memorial Drive.
Lastly, a new farmer's market opened up near us. Most of the farmer's markets in Calgary are far south, so it's always a chore to get to. This one is located at Symon's Valley Ranch, which used to be a restaurant and dance hall. It's been fixed up some with outdoor seating and lots of shops inside and out. It has only been open for a couple of months, so it will be cool to see how it grows as more people and vendors know about it :-) There were live geese and ducks there to see, and lots of seating, so it should be good. It's also literally out in the country too!
We went for a lot of country drives! This graffiti barn is out near Linden, Alberta. It never looks the same. Linden has a great little restaurant called Country Cousins, although it's not quite the same as what it used to be. It used to have a buffet loaded up with Mennonite home cooking, now it's just OK. The farmer's sausage is still wonder as are the homemade pies.
I volunteered for the Calgary Folk Music Festival again! They really treat their volunteers wonderfully and it is such a good time. It takes 1500 volunteers to make the festival tick, and is a lot of hard work! But there's a free t-shirt, snacks, gelato, two meals a day, program and free music to sweeten the deal :-) The hot band this year seemed to be The Mexican Institute of Sound.
The festival takes place on Prince's Island Park, which was overcome by the flood back in June. 250 volunteers made it possible for the festival to happen. The whole island was underwater, the River Cafe was temporarily closed and it's amazing they were able to get it done in time. Some of the stage areas were closed, and Stage 2 was moved to nearby Eau Claire market. There was a fine sand everywhere due to the silt...but the river ran blue again by this time at the end of July.
We tried to go to the Royal Tyrell Museum on the August long weekend, but had to bail! This was the line up of cars just to make the turn off into the road to the parking lot. We had arrived there around 3pm, and thought that would be a good time to miss the crowds. Apparently not! Ah well...it was still a nice drive. We'll have to go again when all the kids are in school. One of the problems with Calgary is that you have so many people fleeing the city for long weekends - can't be helped, really. We were looking forward to it as the last time we were there was 2007.
Saw these groovy clouds around Red Deer! They were originally grey, but I love how Instagram turned them into waves. I really like Instagram as a creative medium...it's like this random result that I can use for drawings and paintings. In the 30 years or so that we have been travelling Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton I have never seen clouds like this.
Here's a view from the 10th Street Bridge last week. The water is still high. There's an island near the bridge where geese nested, but it's still underwater. It's hard to imagine just how devastating the flood was. It will be a long time before everything is "normal". The rusty looking structure is called Poppy Plaza and was intentionally made to look that way. It's next to Memorial Drive.
Lastly, a new farmer's market opened up near us. Most of the farmer's markets in Calgary are far south, so it's always a chore to get to. This one is located at Symon's Valley Ranch, which used to be a restaurant and dance hall. It's been fixed up some with outdoor seating and lots of shops inside and out. It has only been open for a couple of months, so it will be cool to see how it grows as more people and vendors know about it :-) There were live geese and ducks there to see, and lots of seating, so it should be good. It's also literally out in the country too!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Stampede 101
I think my fifteen year old self would be horrified to learn that twenty years into the future, I would be getting impatient with my future husband because we were not Stampeding as fast as possible last Friday. I say that because twenty years ago I lived in Edmonton! We were able to hit downtown on the train just as the parade was finishing on Friday. The grounds are a mere four blocks from city hall, but we ended up waiting forty five minutes, then eventually walking, because it was impossible to get on a south bound train.
| The recent flooding could not stop the Stampede, and they did an amazing job of throwing resources at the grounds to get it all ship shape. This is a picture I took downtown on June 26th, while dropping off my items for the Western Arts and Crafts Showcase. Most of downtown was closed that week, and it was weirdly still! Calgary is an energetic, busy city, so the new slogan "Be Part of the Energy" is really true. Although I signed up for volunteering, often there were already enough volunteers. Ah well! |
 Click on any of the pics for a closer look! |
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Our first objective was to find lunch! There were hardly any crowds or line ups despite it being the first day. I thought there would be more curiosity seekers. I had a big London Broil sandwich and my husband tried a deep fried Philly cheesesteak. The weather did look threatening after a sunny morning! |
| The Stampede show band was everywhere to entertain! There is so much to do at the Stampede - it's not just the rodeo or chuckwagons. There's the marketplace, Dream Home, Nashville North...we don't do rides any more, but there are lots of thrills. |
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We moseyed over to the Indian Village to get bannock or fry bread - oh, so, so good! The Indian Village is a great place to see traditional dance and music as well as tipis. |
| The YYC Food Trucks were also there! I had a Murgh Madness from the Naaco truck. They serve up "Indian tacos" literally - Indian food meets convenience food! Unfortunately I didn't care for the Murgh Madness for $8 - the raisins were icy cold and there wasn't enough chutney, so it was just a big blob of chicken on a mini naan. |
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Of course, the thing I wanted to see MOST at Stampede was my entries! My card took second place in card making. It's such a thrill! I have been trying for years to place in the top three, and it was definitely my year! |
Monday, June 24, 2013
Alberta and Calgary Floods
I just wanted to pop in and say that we have not been affected at all by the flooding in Alberta. My husband and I feel so, so fortunate and grateful, and have made a contribution to the Red Cross and are hoping we can volunteer through YYC Helps when we are able. It is so Normal compared to the Not Normal that others are experiencing, and I feel a little guilty about this. On the upside, the roofers did a good job on the new roof back in February and we didn't have any leaks.
The creek near our house is very high though - this is Nose Creek, which meanders through the northwest today. Usually there's a couple feet of clearance on either side:
A couple of days of hard rain turned into major flooding throughout Southern Alberta - the official explanation is that a trapped weather system caused a "firehose of moisture" that didn't quit. It happened very fast - one day it was Banff and Canmore, the next Calgary, High River and the Siksika Nation, and then the day after that, the water was on its way to Medicine Hat. The Bow is a big river and it goes where it wants!
The cloudless, blue skies on the weekend contrasted with the oppressive grey cloud cover that hung over the city all last week. Weather in this area can change quickly, astonishingly quickly, so it was surprising to have days of poor weather beforehand.
But Calgarians tend to be natural optimists and most people have been able to return to their homes and many services are already back on their feet as I write this - the CBC studio, the C-train will run downtown tomorrow, and even the Stampede will go on. We didn't let the weather stop us from going to the Greek Festival either on Saturday. Since downtown was closed, we had to take the most roundabout way possible. There were a lot of empty roads. Calgary is a busy, energetic city, and to see such stillness is unusual! The festival turned into admission by donation and we enjoyed the chance to eat good food and think about something else for a brief time.
The creek near our house is very high though - this is Nose Creek, which meanders through the northwest today. Usually there's a couple feet of clearance on either side:
A couple of days of hard rain turned into major flooding throughout Southern Alberta - the official explanation is that a trapped weather system caused a "firehose of moisture" that didn't quit. It happened very fast - one day it was Banff and Canmore, the next Calgary, High River and the Siksika Nation, and then the day after that, the water was on its way to Medicine Hat. The Bow is a big river and it goes where it wants!
The cloudless, blue skies on the weekend contrasted with the oppressive grey cloud cover that hung over the city all last week. Weather in this area can change quickly, astonishingly quickly, so it was surprising to have days of poor weather beforehand.
But Calgarians tend to be natural optimists and most people have been able to return to their homes and many services are already back on their feet as I write this - the CBC studio, the C-train will run downtown tomorrow, and even the Stampede will go on. We didn't let the weather stop us from going to the Greek Festival either on Saturday. Since downtown was closed, we had to take the most roundabout way possible. There were a lot of empty roads. Calgary is a busy, energetic city, and to see such stillness is unusual! The festival turned into admission by donation and we enjoyed the chance to eat good food and think about something else for a brief time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Sketch Art Supplies - A Calgary Gem!
As the deadline to register for the Stampede arts and crafts show looms (and I have one entry not yet finished) I was really feeling the pressure to get one of the entries framed. I buckled down and finished it up - yup - the tapestry I started on just less than a year ago. When my fibre teacher, Jane Kidd said that it was not uncommon for a person to make a tapestry a year, she was not kidding!
I can't wait to show it off, all framed. For now, though, I'll show you the place where it's being framed. When you spend a whole year on something, you just don't take it to Michaels (well, that and my new year's resolution!!). I washed it up and toted it over to Sketch Art Supplies, owned by my friend Ljubica, who graduated from ACAD in 2006. Ljubica is immensely knowledgeable and really takes the time to build one on one relationships. I trust her and her opinion absolutely!
Choosing the framing, especially when framing can make all the difference in winning, is no easy task. We spent an hour comparing different frames and suede mats, mostly because I couldn't decide between purple and two kinds of brown! There are so many colours in the tapestry that I had to try all the colours she had too. I splurged on museum glass and a suede mat. Not only do I want it to look its best, I want to preserve it well. It wasn't cheap either...but this is something I can put a price on :-)
I can't wait to show it off, all framed. For now, though, I'll show you the place where it's being framed. When you spend a whole year on something, you just don't take it to Michaels (well, that and my new year's resolution!!). I washed it up and toted it over to Sketch Art Supplies, owned by my friend Ljubica, who graduated from ACAD in 2006. Ljubica is immensely knowledgeable and really takes the time to build one on one relationships. I trust her and her opinion absolutely!
Choosing the framing, especially when framing can make all the difference in winning, is no easy task. We spent an hour comparing different frames and suede mats, mostly because I couldn't decide between purple and two kinds of brown! There are so many colours in the tapestry that I had to try all the colours she had too. I splurged on museum glass and a suede mat. Not only do I want it to look its best, I want to preserve it well. It wasn't cheap either...but this is something I can put a price on :-)
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Calgary Festival of Quilts
Have we ever been having a time with the weather here! This morning it is bright and sunny, but yesterday it was pretty cold and rainy. Calgary weather is unpredictable most of the time, so Mom and I bundled up with layers, boots, scarves and gloves. We were determined not to let the weather ruin our weekend! We went down to Heritage Park, a historical village, for the annual Festival of Quilts. 700+ quilts awaited us, placed all over the park. It's such a great idea for a venue, as there are plenty of things to do for the non-quilters in the family, and it's not just shuffling around a convention hall. We even ran into Bubblegum Sass and her mom.
Volunteers stood by the quilts to talk about them or hold them up for people to get a closer look, and in the case of the weather, hurry them indoors. Here are some waving in the wind near the Burnside Ranch House:
The Wainright Hotel was the perfect setting and place to stop and have a break. Upstairs a small session on types of quilting motifs was going on. The sheer variety of quilts was mind boggling! Textiles have endless potential.
Quilts were not out of place at all in and about the Thorpe House. This is one of my favourite houses at Heritage Park, next to the adorable Sandstone House.
When it began to spit, we retreated into the old Gasoline Alley barn. The lighting wasn't the greatest and it was full of people trying to also get out of the rain. This was my most favourite quilt, naturally, but I wish I could have gotten a better shot. There were lots of people happily clicking away!
By around 1:30pm, the rain began to fall in earnest again, and between the bundling and unbundling, we decided to call it a day. I had also bought some fabric in the marketplace tent and didn't want to be tempted any more :-) Looking forward to next year!
Volunteers stood by the quilts to talk about them or hold them up for people to get a closer look, and in the case of the weather, hurry them indoors. Here are some waving in the wind near the Burnside Ranch House:
The Wainright Hotel was the perfect setting and place to stop and have a break. Upstairs a small session on types of quilting motifs was going on. The sheer variety of quilts was mind boggling! Textiles have endless potential.
Quilts were not out of place at all in and about the Thorpe House. This is one of my favourite houses at Heritage Park, next to the adorable Sandstone House.
When it began to spit, we retreated into the old Gasoline Alley barn. The lighting wasn't the greatest and it was full of people trying to also get out of the rain. This was my most favourite quilt, naturally, but I wish I could have gotten a better shot. There were lots of people happily clicking away!
By around 1:30pm, the rain began to fall in earnest again, and between the bundling and unbundling, we decided to call it a day. I had also bought some fabric in the marketplace tent and didn't want to be tempted any more :-) Looking forward to next year!
Monday, April 1, 2013
A Different Kind of March Madness
It seems appropriate that my dad had a minor stroke during Heart and Stroke Month. The crazy thing is that he didn't know he even had one until about a week later. The five signs of stroke, as illustrated below are:
Guess which one my dad had? Dizziness, which proved to be the least useful symptom for someone that often feels dizzy. He even drove himself to the walk in doctor a couple of days after and it went undetected then. A couple of days after that, he went to the emergency room and a CAT scan showed the stroke. Dad was up and chatting and acting very normal except for feeling a little tired.
It took just about a whole month, but dad came home last week. It was so exhausting to go from devastated to optimistic in the span of five days, and it was a long trip to see him in the hospital. He needed a couple of weeks of therapy and the excellent staff at the Foothills hospital did a great job of looking after a grumpy old man :-) A side benefit is that dad couldn't smoke in the hospital, so fingers crossed that he can give up smoking for good!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Oh, December!
December has really been a weird and wacky month. It's like 2012 saved up the best (and worst) for last.
Calgary finally got a chinook yesterday - a warm wind that changes the temperature drastically. It went from -23C to -1 in the course of a day. Snowy streets turned to slush *like that*.
It has been plain cold here for most of the month. I really wanted to check out the opening celebrations of the West LRT leg, but it was very cold that day! A ten minute walk to the bus stop froze my legs and I just couldn't go on. It was a real bummer, as that day was also $1.43 admission to the zoo! Brrr!
And speaking of brrr, the flame sensor wasn't working right in our furnace. The repairmen from Fagnan's Furnace noticed that the igniter had also bubbled and was on its way out. Thank goodness we got this fixed! I had to throw comforters over the bird cages while the furnace was off. I really like Fagnan's - we get them to clean our furnace and they're always great.
Then it looked like we weren't going to have a white Christmas - but Old Man Winter didn't forget. The trouble was that the temperature dropped again to a bone chilling -25-27C. With the extra wind, it felt even colder - just running to the super mailbox seemed like an ordeal.
I had lots of good times visiting with old co-workers, friends and family too. I would show you some of these good times, but my smartphone died on December 24th! I was so bummed - I suspect the battery died - and the solutions I found online just didn't work. Poor little smartphone! I had some serious anxiety without it.
"What's the temperature?" my husband asked as we waited for the car to warm up.
"I don't know, I don't have a smartphone!" I wailed.
"What time is it?" he asked another time.
"I don't know, I don't have a smartphone!" I wailed.
And so forth. It's hard to believe how much one can depend on these little devices. Fortunately the Bell store was open on Boxing Day and now I have a sweet Samsung Galaxy 3. It's so big and fast! And everything is at my fingertips again :-)
Calgary finally got a chinook yesterday - a warm wind that changes the temperature drastically. It went from -23C to -1 in the course of a day. Snowy streets turned to slush *like that*.
It has been plain cold here for most of the month. I really wanted to check out the opening celebrations of the West LRT leg, but it was very cold that day! A ten minute walk to the bus stop froze my legs and I just couldn't go on. It was a real bummer, as that day was also $1.43 admission to the zoo! Brrr!
And speaking of brrr, the flame sensor wasn't working right in our furnace. The repairmen from Fagnan's Furnace noticed that the igniter had also bubbled and was on its way out. Thank goodness we got this fixed! I had to throw comforters over the bird cages while the furnace was off. I really like Fagnan's - we get them to clean our furnace and they're always great.
Then it looked like we weren't going to have a white Christmas - but Old Man Winter didn't forget. The trouble was that the temperature dropped again to a bone chilling -25-27C. With the extra wind, it felt even colder - just running to the super mailbox seemed like an ordeal.
I had lots of good times visiting with old co-workers, friends and family too. I would show you some of these good times, but my smartphone died on December 24th! I was so bummed - I suspect the battery died - and the solutions I found online just didn't work. Poor little smartphone! I had some serious anxiety without it.
"What's the temperature?" my husband asked as we waited for the car to warm up.
"I don't know, I don't have a smartphone!" I wailed.
"What time is it?" he asked another time.
"I don't know, I don't have a smartphone!" I wailed.
And so forth. It's hard to believe how much one can depend on these little devices. Fortunately the Bell store was open on Boxing Day and now I have a sweet Samsung Galaxy 3. It's so big and fast! And everything is at my fingertips again :-)
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Spotted at ACAD...
Birds? Butterflies? Paper airplanes? Whatever they are, I spotted them on Monday at ACAD. You never know what will turn up sometimes. Sculpture can be simple to be cool!
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