Girls Say Yes

This was sent by a good friend of mine, and whoever did the photo - GOOD JOB! gObama!

Not That I'm Biased At All....

In honor of the debates, here is an interesting comparison.
Also, a red / blue breakdown. Enjoy!

Sew.... Long Time, No Talk

Okay, so Thia's website isn't the only thing I have been doing. Last week our internet was down, and I set up my sewing machine. It is kind of a pain to get the machine out and set up, and then take it all down when you are done, and I would love to be able to just leave it up, so I could do small projects on it, without getting annoyed. Once I get it set up, though, I love to do little projects on it. I finished our bedroom curtains, and we are very happy with them. They are linen, and the light that comes through them is so nice, although I couldn't capture that in the pictures.

I have also been getting more and more excited about some gorgeous fabric I got from Marie-Helene (Sebastien's mother) when she and Tim (his dad) were in Vancouver. I was super excited about the fabric when I first got it, but then it just sat in the corner, in a bag, making sad eyes at me. The summer was really busy for me, and there wasn't much sewing going on..... So, the fabric sat and sat for much longer than a month, calling to me when I came into the room, "Hey you! I'm still here, in this bag! Take me out and use me!" So last week I did. --Or at least I started.

I finished our curtains before anything else, and then moved into hemming some of our tableclothes, and then I finally took the fabric out of the bag, and (gulp) made something. And it felt good. And what I made was a tiny little bird.

I thank my wonderfully crafty friend, Jenn, for getting me going again (she gave me the pattern). I am going to try (please, please don't quote me here) to make enough to make something for our room, and sell some at a Christmas church bazaar.

I sewed for a large portion of the weekend, and once, when I got up to get some air by the window, I even had a little friend in our parsley! He was so cute that I had to take a picture.

Shameless Advert

I have been beyond busy lately. Lots to do at work, and lots at home. I am working on a website for Thia, my first boss in architecture. I am really trying to get that finished and ready for her to run with. Right now, there are quite a few images of her projects online, but I am working on incorporating verbiage with the images, so the website is cohesive, informative, and fun. If you want to check out the website, please do. Send it to any of your friends who are wanting to build a custom, sustainable house. Her work is beautiful and personal, and she has a lot of fun with design. Anyway, check it out. This is my top priority right now.

In Sebastien's Words

I am pretty positive you have all heard that Sebastien and I got engaged about a month ago. I have had some questions about how we got engaged, and I thought that instead of writing it out, I would let you know, from Sebastien's perspective. This is what he wrote to family and some of his friends. SO, here goes:


"Hope and I are engaged!

This past Tuesday, Hope and I went to see Radiohead in concert. The show was incredible. The music, the lights, and the rain all made for a very inspiring and emotional night. Hope and I were unfortunately separated during most of the show. During the first encore, Hope became overcome with emotion. While the crowd was shouting for a second encore, I found Hope. --And during the last song, as the band played the opening rifts of Paranoid Android, Hope turned to me to ask, "will you marry me?" I was pretty shocked. It was the end of an amazing show, and here, Hope just asked me to marry her. Not finding any words, I kissed her, with 10,000 people pressing around us. Of course I told her yes, and the last five minutes of the show were surreal. Smiles were plastered on our faces.

The last few days have we have been telling our parents, our friends here in Vancouver, and been discussing the next step. We have no definite plans made yet, only a few ideas, which we will share with everybody in the coming weeks and months.

We thank each and every one of you for your blessings and support.
Love to all,
Sebastien & Hope"

That is how it happened! We'll keep you posted about specifics, but we are going to get married next July! It was THAT easy! Hehe. All I had to do was ask....

Also, on a (sort of) related topic, if you were enticed by the links at all, listen to this concert, recorded by NPR's All Songs Considered at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The show was fairly similar to what we saw, in terms of songs, etc., but the sound quality is AMAZING. Please, if you like Radiohead, take a listen!

Prior Engagement

Well, now it is more official than ever. Sebastien and I got engaged about a month ago. We are super excited about it (of course). I proposed to him at a Radiohead concert (and it was COMPLETELY spontaneous). Sebastien still wanted to be able to get me the ring we designed together, and he surprised me with it yesterday morning, amidst much tickling. It is a beautiful ring, and even more so because we designed it together. Even though it is just a "thing," it is nice to look down and think of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful person in my life!

"It doesn't rain here in the summer."

Lots has been going on with me lately. Mainly the things that are going on are only peripherally to do with me (Christine and Chip having a "bun," newly out of the oven, for one. Colette ALSO having a baby the same WEEK, for another). The things I have been up to are really REALLY minor, in the scheme of things. I started sewing. I am trying to get back into doing artwork. I want to volunteer at the University of British Columbia, helping out with architecture reviews. I am planning on going back east to see my family, and I am planning a trip to see Sarah and some girl friends. I am a pretty lucky lady right now. I got a new bike, and I need to make a habit of riding, now that I am equipped. It is raining in the middle of the summer, and I love it. I am tired of the humidity, and want to get a little wet. Bring on the new air. I think my blog is going to be a series of new starts. A series of rains in the summer. Some people can keep this kind of thing up; I can't. I will be continually re-starting to blog (and re-starting to do a lot of things), and I am trying to be okay with that. Here is to fresh air tomorrow.

In the Dead of Winter - Grand Central Freezes

What I wouldn't do to be part of this group.....
"And FREEZE!"

(I got this link from T's blog actually - thanks T!)

He's done it again....

Chip's friend Adam is an awesome picker (banjo, that is), and he has another of Chip's songs up and running. It sounds great.

SO: Monkey Man (Not Fully Robot; Yet Not Fully Man)

Watch it. Again, it is really good.

"My Bro is the BOMB (diggety)" or "He's a Lyrical Gangsta"

So, all I am going to say in this posting is that Chip is SO rocking.

He writes songs, and they are now starting to get the air play (or You Tube play) that they deserve.
Please listen.
He is so Rad.



This is a picture of him (Chip is in front - our friend Bill is behind him), and here are some of his songs (two sung by him; two by others - thank you to Old Dirty Banjo and Adam):
They Didn't Know That They Were Robots
Monkey Man
Cool as a Pool
A Song of Hope

Anyway, take a listen.... tell your friends too.