genuine mudpie

journey to the lower bay and paper mill

Published on June 17, 2013 in travels. 0 Comments

Oh my, these photos are from last month! Have been busy with many things lately and behind in my blog posts :S

It was Doors Open last month in Toronto, and it was particularly special because the Lower Bay subway station is open for viewing this year. It hasn’t been open for the past few years.

The Lower Bay is an abandoned subway platform underneath the Bay station, but it’s actually still used for training, rerouting trains and film shoots.

With hauntings and such stories floating around, I pictured the Lower Bay being much older-looking, Victorian, even. Although subways didn’t exist in the Victorian era, did it? My imagination often makes things more exciting than they actually are.

So we followed everyone through the secret doorway that I never noticed in Bay station, and down the stairs…

And here it is! The Lower Bay station is actually a lot like the other stations.

It has interesting floor tiles though.

Happy feet :D

This kind subway staff let us see the end of the platform and watched to make sure that people are safe.

View from the end of the platform. As I stood there Barbara Reid’s Subway Mouse comes to mind…

Lining up to see the conductor’s booth, and realizing that I usually don’t get to stand on the gap.

Meanwhile, film clips that were shot in the Lower Bay were played.

That concludes was our journey to the Lower Bay.

After Lower Bay we spontaneously decided to take advantage of Doors Open and visited Todmorden Mills.

It has a historic paper mill that was turned into a theater. It still has some of the original brick walls and beams.

We even got to see the backstage :D

Then we went on a tour of the wild flower preserve nearby, saw these amazing mushrooms! :D They were giant!

There were also a couple of historical houses on the property. Friendly staff were making ginger cookies on the hearth. They served rhubarb juice as well :D

We toured a house that had a basement. Very dungeon-like. The friendly tour guide told us that the ground is made of river rocks.

And before heading to our next stop (Dairy Queen :D), I found these precious multicolour flowers.

As I’m writing this photo-heavy post I realize that summer travel time is here! :D I love travelling around my own city like a tourist, finding interesting things that I had previously overlooked. And I hope that these Toronto travel posts would be helpful for you if you ever decide to visit the city :D I’m hoping to do more traveling before September (and the new school year) rolls around, so stay tuned for more travel posts!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

pocketed, lined, with waistband, whoa!

Published on June 12, 2013 in sewing. 12 Comments

I love to sew. But I don’t really use patterns, and I barely measure.

Most of what I sew are simple square tops and shapeless dresses (actually, they do have shapes, they are rectangles and, if I’m feeling adventurous, trapezoids).

Then one day, I suddenly thought that it would be a good idea to have a gathered skirt. It would be useful for semi-formal events and such. I took a trip to the local thrift store but couldn’t find anything that I liked. Then I went home, and saw this tutorial.

It was the perfect gathered skirt! A skirt I think I can make…

And here it is! A skirt! With a waist! :D

It’s the perfect tutorial partly because it doesn’t have a zipper. I don’t know how to install a zipper. I avoid tutorials with zippers. It looks nice and flat and dressy on the front, and has an elastic on the back :D

I bought this sweet lavender fabric a long time ago and never knew what to do with it. It’s now put to good use!

I used less fabric than what is used in the tutorial. Instead of 45″ across for each of the front and back pieces, I used 37″ and it’s quite pouffy. I also sewed on a skirt lining that has the same circumference as the waistband.

Pockets! :D

And as you might have noticed – a new hairdo! For the summer :D

It was fun to make, and not too difficult (except I messed up the part about sewing on the elastic and ended up spending nearly an hour trying to get an elastic into the waistband without a safety pin or anything to guide it). I think I might make another one with the vintage bed sheet I bought last summer :D

Have a sweet rest of the week!

this week’s awesome finds

Published on June 6, 2013 in favourite things. 4 Comments

Lots of wonderful things for the middle of spring!

Rain painting! Perfect for today, actually, a rainy day here in Toronto. I love the pattern it makes when paint reacts to water. By Views From My Window.

A knit octopus plush from the ever wonderful Purl Bee. Love the texture on the underside of the tentacles.

Ohmygoodness can anything be cuter than this? Pancake blanket with butter pat friend!!! *squeal* Pattern for sale by the always fabulous Twinkie Chan! (I’m a huge fan!!)

I don’t know where to buy the spray dye kit but love the way that awesome twist pattern is made! From I Love to Create.

Mike’s wonderful co-worker forwarded this to me (thank you, Anne!) – a neck kraken scarf! Pattern for sale on Knit Pick. Check out the rest of the Cryptozoology collection too! I downloaded the kraken wallpaper for my phone :D

Isn’t this so pretty? Pattern generously shared by Handy Kitty on Ravelry.

Fuzzy animals, by wrapping yarn around plastic animals. Isn’t that brilliant? And very cute! Look at the grey dog with the party confetti on him! From Homework.

Lovely leaf print pendant by Happy Hour Projects.

Simple and sweet! Watermelon coaster pattern by Make and Takes.

This has a Life After People kind of feel to it. Toy truck planter spotted on Junk Market Style.

And finally, have a look at Fiddle Oak’s photostream. Has many of my favourite things – flying, origami, acorns… It’s wonderfully imaginative and simply magical.

May your weekend be filled with wonders and crafty goodness!

hope

Published on May 31, 2013 in inspiration and paintings. 5 Comments

“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”
– Lin Yutang

(Acrylic on raw canvas with oil pastels)

In the past years I’ve been working / interning / volunteering in various community agencies, running groups that use expressive arts to support women in dealing with different challenges. Time and again I witness hope growing like wildflowers amongst and within people as they work together and share experiences, wisdom, joy, and pain; each person a light that brightens the path for others. I think this is true in many other communities and groups too.

And I’m grateful for you. I don’t think I say this enough, but I so appreciate the time that you take to visit, your interest in the things I make, your kind and encouraging comments. Whether we’ve spoken or written to each other or not, I cherish all of the connections that we’ve made through this space.

Thank you so much! And I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

monster pops

Published on May 29, 2013 in culinary adventure. 1 Comment

Was wondering what to do with leftover coconut milk that we bought to make curry with, then I came across this post on how to make fruity striped ice cubes!

We happened to have a can of frozen mango juice as well, it was perfect :D

Aren’t these monster pop molds just awesome? Mike bought them last summer :D It looks like the monsters have glowing brains under the kitchen light…

I added sugar to the coconut milk before pouring it into the mold, but I thought it tasted a bit bitter after it was frozen… does coconut milk taste bitter? Or did we leave it in the fridge for too long and it went bad…? Neither Mike and I felt unwell after eating two each, though. Hmm…

It’s going to hit 30℃ tomorrow – here comes summer!

Have a beautiful rest of the week!

this week’s levitations

Published on May 26, 2013 in point & shoot and random acts of happiness. 2 Comments

This was from earlier in the spring. My parents’ garden just started growing.

Blooming trees in the neighbourhood :D

A really warm weekend by Lake Huron.

This is one of my very favourite so far. At the Toronto Public Labyrinth, with a bit of history:

“As many labyrinths are found near the water, this labyrinth is located on the former course of Taddle Creek, a stream that has been buried for more than one hundred and fifty years. The granite blocks that have been set into the paving at the entrance to the labyrinth and the nearby water feature in the square serve as reminders of this buried creek.”

Have a great week, everyone!

happily crocheting along :D

Published on May 25, 2013 in crochet. 5 Comments

So grateful that my blogging friend Amy has invited to the crochet-along at the yarn shop she works at! :D I don’t think I’ve had that much fun for a long time, chatting about everything from bacon to sweet gum trees and the structure and weight of yarn… laughing and learning (I’ve never heard of sweet gum trees, and have been making sweaters that look odd never realizing that the oddness is caused by a mismatched fiber substitution!) while getting lots done on my project :D Such a wonderful, warm, friendly and funny group of people! And as someone whose main line of work at the moment is to run expressive arts groups, it’s just REALLY nice to be a participant once in a while rather than a facilitator.

And I even got a tour of the yarn shop, it’s really an AMAZING yarn shop! I wish I live right next to it. I’d just go and hang out there. Amongst the yarn. And feeling blissful. It’s not just the rows and rows of colour-coordinated yarn of all sorts of weight and fiber and brands, but there’s so much love poured into taking care of the yarn and making it a welcoming, creative place for visitors. The staff are so knowledgeable! They even have buttons! Buttons! SO! If you’re ever in St. Louis, be sure to check out Knitorious! :D And if you can’t get to St. Louis for a while, check out Amy’s blog instead, it’s hilarious with lots of crafty goodness, always makes me smile :D

Oh yes, this is what we’re working on…

The swing jacket from the 2013 issue of Vogue crochet! :D

I think I want to pair it with a green dress and wearing it to a wedding in August. Maybe I’ll have a sewing project coming up next…

Will keep you posted! :D Wishing you a wonderful weekend full of creative goodness!

remembering

Published on May 20, 2013 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Remembering Kathreen Ricketson, whose blog, Whipup, was one of the first blogs I followed, whose creative energy inspired and motivated me to create, whose generosity and desire to increase exposure for fellow crafters contributed so much to growth of individual artisans and the crafting community as a whole. I’ve had the privilege of exchanging a few emails with Kathreen, when I timidly sent her one of my first tutorials, and she agreed to share it on her widely popular blog. I was so excited, so encouraged by her kind words. My heart weeps over the tragic accident that took the lives of Kathreen and her partner, Rob. An account has been set up for their children, Otilija and Orlando. Details are posted here for those who’d like to contribute.

this week’s awesome finds

Published on May 13, 2013 in favourite things. 3 Comments

Sweet! Luscious chiffon cake tissue cozy free pattern by the awesome Twinkie Chan!

A very stylishly crocheted chevron sweater, on my to-make list :D From Make My Day Creative.

Treasure! A myriad of mushroom knitting patterns, generously shared on Kathryn Ivy.

The most lovely cake boxes, by Ravelry designer CGW Joanita Theron.

Sweet twine-wrapped washer necklaces, on Design Mom.

*squeal* A needle-felted Totoro! Video tutorial by fiber artist Jackie Huang on Make.

I was thinking maybe making a collar like this and sew it to a plain top – wouldn’t it be sweet? Pattern can be adjusted to fit child or adult. From Lulu Loves.