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Saturday morning headed out to Michael’s early because they were having an extra 25% off sale in the morning. We got big canvases for super cheap. I thought they were $9.99 for each pack of two, so we got two packs, but then they rang up as only $4.99, and then 25% off of that, so I made the cashier wait while I grabbed another pack! Immediately after we left the store I realized I should have gotten the bigger size, since they were so cheap. I really wish there was such thing as rewind of life.

Anyway, 6 canvases for $11 is pretty good. Now we can do tons of masterpieces. Scott has another video game-y one in mind, and I have a geometric series idea and also a melted crayon thing I saw on Pinterest that looks super cool. It needs a hair dryer though and I don’t have one. Rosemarie???

After Michael’s we went by the old house to pick up our mail and then to the farmers market. We spent too much money a coffee, a korean short rib taco, homemade ginger ale, strawberries, tiny peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. I wanted to get some plants too, but we need to do a bit of research about what can grow indoors, in the dark.

We came home, and started the squares project. Then I decided we REALLY needed a level to do it so we hoofed it over to Metrotown to pick one up. We also got some Coldstone ice cream with a 50% off coupon. I had a cup with cookie dough, choc chips, caramel and fudge, and Scott had a mint one with brownie, choc chips and fudge. They were both very good, but too large, and neither of us really liked the chocolate chips. If we go back we will definitely share. On the way home we stopped by a girl’s apartment to pick up a desk chair I saw on Craigslist. It’s green and funky. She lived right around the corner so it was super convenient!

Scott made a pizza for dinner with sweet potato and lentils and some other things. He’s gotten quite good at making the crust, but the toppings were too carbolicious.

I just realized I never actually took any pictures of the other paintings I did, at the old apartment. I will, I promise! I only have one more week left of work (WOOHOOOOOOO) and then I will have lots of free time.

Sunday was mostly spent bumming around. We watched some Masterchef, the movie Paul, played Agricola, talked with Rosemarie, and now Scott is out at The Keg with some of his friends. I don’t know what he will get to eat there!

I also did some online shopping. We ordered this antenna thing to pick up free HD channels (bet you didn’t know about that!). Apparently there are 6 free HD channels floating around in Vancouver and all you need is an antenna to pick them up. You can get CBC, Global, CTV and three others that I forget right now. That’s all we need! We also ordered some new jeans for Scott and more of my favourite t-shirts for me. Yay!

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So there is this thing floating around the blog world right now called the Pinterest Challenge. A few girls, including them on Young House Love (a blog I read) decided to set a challenge where they actually had to make something that they had pinned on Pinterest. Stop-pinning-start-doing type of idea.

Scott and I just finished a project that I originally saw on Pinterest so it fits the brief! We are thrilled with the way it came out.

This was my inspiration:

Unfortunately there weren’t any instructions, so we struggled a bit at first with getting ours to work but still managed to finish in one day, so that’s pretty good. Here is my tutorial:

Things you need:

  • 12″x12″ scrapbook paper (I needed 66 papers)
  • masking tape
  • some kind of level
  • scissors
  • something to make the gaps uniform (ruler, cardboard strip, etc.)

First thing I did was rip open the pack of paper and lay out the squares in the order I wanted (random) on the ground. I wanted it to be somewhat balanced and definitely not two of the same colour touching each other.

The part I was most concerned about was getting the squares level, because i thought you would be able to tell if it was crooked in real life. We didn’t have a level so I started off just measuring it off the floor and ceiling. Unfortunately it seems nothing in our apartment if square, flat or level, so that was annoying.

A laser level would most definitely be the best tool, but those were too expensive so we just bought a regular long level. Made of plastic… total garbage… will return this week.

I originally planned to have the gaps in between the papers be 1″, but the level itself was 1.25″ and it was a lot easier to just go with that, so we could hold the level against the ceiling/bottom of the papers, make it level, and then trace a line on the bottom edge of the level. Scott held the level and then I squeezed in and drew the line.

Then Scott attached four loops of masking tape on the back.

And then I lined the top edge up with the pencil line, and the right sized gap on the sides. At first I used a ruler that was also 1.25″ wide as a guide, but after the first row I just eyeballed it. And it looks even to me! I erased the pencil as I went along.

I had to cut around the light switch and plugs, which was pretty annoying. Please don’t look too close at them, haha.

All done. I love it! I can’t help but keep seeing that optical illusion with the black blobs in between the corners of the paper. Definitely livens up our otherwise beige apartment!

Add me on Pinterest if you want: http://pinterest.com/jornakat/

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Check out my nails!! I am v. proud of myself, hehe.

I used a technique called water marbling. First you do a quick coat of white nail polish, then you mask off as much of your fingertip skin as possible with masking tape. Then you drip drops of nail polish on the surface of the water in a little tub and swirl it around with a toothpick until you see patterns that you like. Then you dunk a few fingers in and the nail polish sticks to your nails like magic. I could only do two at the same time. Then you pick up all the extra nail polish on the water with another toothpick before you take your fingers out. A quick youtube search for water marbling should bring up something useful. I finished off each nail with Seche Vite, which is also magic. Totally totally dry in 5 minutes.

They look even brighter and awesome in real life!

Edited to add: I have done up a water marbling tutorial. Check it out here!!

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Last weekend I went over to an internet friends’ house for a ‘Space Shirt Crafternoon’. It was fun and I got to meet a bunch of new people who were all nice so that was really good. It’s funny, my shirt wasn’t working properly while we were making them… it didn’t bleach or absorb dye very well and it was making me quietly angry, but actually when it was all done, I ended up pretty pleased. It’s more subtle and I don’t mind that! Here is a picture I stole from Tanie, I hope she doesn’t mind.

I got another Groupon last week- for a restaurant that makes grilled cheese hamburgers! Haha.

And I’m keeping an eye out for a 10-pass yoga one so I can start that. They come out pretty frequently so hopefully I don’t have to wait too much longer.

I have not been sleeping well all week. It takes me SO long to fall asleep and I’ve been waking up at 3 am and 5 am almost every night. It’s weird because I think I’ve been doing everything right…. eating well with smaller portions, and actually exercising (I’ve started running(!!!)). Too much stress in my life, I think.

JUST TELL ME WHERE WE’RE GOING TO BE LIVING NEXT YEAR. LET ME INTO SCHOOL!!!!

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What an excellent weekend.

FRIDAY Rosemarie came over and we played two games of Agricola and made moo shu pork (and tofu), including homemade flour wraps, and dairy free peppermint brownies. We stuffed ourselves and Scott drank homeless man beer, haha.

SATURDAY MEP and Paul picked us up in their fancy town car and we took the ferry across to Langdale and then went for lunch at a restaurant with an amazing ocean view in what I thought was Sechelt but according to Google Maps there are TWO Sechelts in BC and neither of them are even close to the restaurant, yet the restaurant address says Sechelt. WHAT?
Anyway it was on the Sunshine coast and it really was sunny. Not a cloud in the sky the whole day.
We checked out a few beaches and piers and skipped rocks and froze our ears off.
Then we checked out Gibsons’ houseboats and sea otters and soaked in more amazing water + mountain views.

We ferried back and then detoured through We$$$T Van and admired the mansions and the sunset views, then did a super fast hike at dusk down to a lighthouse.
After that we came back in to the city and had dinner at…. SUSHI BANG! The waitress actually teased Scott for ordering something different. Yes, she knows us.

We got dropped off and Scott and I watched a movie.
What a big day!!!

SUNDAY I stayed in bed all morning. Finished up the last of my university paperwork, and painted another Settlers painting (only three more to go!). Now I am editing pictures (panorama time!) and soon I will make some notes for my interview on Wednesday.