bones under the tree
December 30, 2011
And the ubiquitous Olympics mittens.
Posted by jodi on December 30, 2011 at 10.15am
incentive
December 27, 2011
This kitty showed up at my dad’s farmhouse a few days ago, looking for a sucker to take him in. (It’s well known in the cat community in the area that my dad is that sucker, and I’m convinced that homeless cats on the move have left hobo markings all around the property to let others know, suckers live here. warm fireplace ahoy. plenty of kibble.) BUT the other cats don’t like him so he needs a new home. He’s very chill, incredibly loving and cuddly, likes to be picked up, likes belly rubs. . . basically he likes all the things that I like. We are very compatible, I think.
We have a home repair job we need to do in our house before we can invite any new cats to live with us. It’s a job I could do in a few days if I put my mind to it, but it will be a lot of work. Now the pressure is on.
There is still one more farm neighbour my dad hasn’t spoken to, who might own this cat. If she doesn’t, and if I can get the work done in the basement in time and if Dad and Sherry don’t find him another home before I’m ready, and if, and if, and if. . . then this kitty could be mine.
Posted by jodi on December 27, 2011 at 10.01am
mustard 2: the giftening
December 25, 2011
Thirty six jars of the stuff, and still there are leftovers from five of the six batches.
Posted by jodi on December 25, 2011 at 7.09am
new bandannas in the shop. and some of them say bingo!
December 24, 2011
Here are a few of my favourites.
Woodcut on new (vintage) fabric:
Woodcut and letterpress on new (vintage) fabric:
Woodcut and letterpress on new (vintage) fabric:
Woodcut on upcycled fabric:
Lots more, right here!
Posted by jodi on December 24, 2011 at 8.43pm
mustard: the tastening, episode one
December 22, 2011
When last we talked about mustard (I KNOW YOU GUYS LOVE TALKING ABOUT MUSTARD), the first four had gone to Milwaukee to be tasted around the AmericanThanksgiving holiday table at the home of my dear friend Merouda Pendray. Because I am Merouda’s apprentice, she took the mustards to a Kingdom of Northshield event and entered them into the arts and sciences competition there, where they tied for populace favourite, with the Lombard Mustard being the most well liked (which it was at Merouda’s table as well). So that was super gratifying and now there will be no shutting me up about making mustard SO THERE. Just wait until you see just how much I can talk about mustard. Maybe next I’ll start making my own pretzels and after that you know there’s going to be no sense in even coming here any more.
Two weeks later the mustards, along with three new variations on the Lombard, were put out for tasting at my birthday party. Surprisingly, the Strong #2, which was the only Strong Mustard deemed not yet ready for eating at AmericanThanksgiving, was the clear favourite of this type*, while Lombard #2 received the most praise for its type. It was universally agreed that Lombard #4, the one with the bourbon in it, was pretty much awful. Because I’m a nice person I did not force Shane Potvin** to eat all of it, as I’d been threatening to do all week. Instead, since it’s quite thick, I’m planning to put it back into the blender and thin it out with more cider vinegar to see if it can be altered enough to save it. Peter has suggested I cut my losses and throw it out but there’s no stopping the crazy mustard lady once she gets started (WATCH OUT). In the meantime, only the first 6 mustards will be potted up into smaller jars for Crimbo giving. Because I am a nice person.
*The only difference between Strong #1 and Strong #2 is that with Strong #2 I actually read the recipe before starting and thus didn’t accidentally use twice as much vinegar as needed. Not that it turned out to be a bad thing.
**I feel he would have deserved it because, knowing I was getting kind of antsy about so many events conflicting with my birthday party, he told me that he was going to this other party instead where they were “going to have like six kinds of mustard” to which I replied because I can’t help myself I AM GOING TO HAVE SEVEN. Really you can’t blame the guy when it’s SO EASY.
Posted by jodi on December 22, 2011 at 5.23pm
photo
December 20, 2011
In the dust on the outside of Peter’s office window, somebody drew the logo from the Thums Up cola bottle, and little flowers sticking up out of all the other bottles.
Posted by jodi on December 20, 2011 at 8.20am
what 40 looks like
December 19, 2011
Part slutty, part frumpy, part art student, part rock star. (Also apparently apprehensive about something and unable to coordinate colours).
That’s me on my 40th birthday, on which I had at least 4 discussions in which I was told “oh, you don’t look 40″ and in which I replied that I am indeed 40 and this is what I look like and that perhaps those people need to readjust their perception of what 40 looks like. People don’t seem to like to hear that. But seriously, if I don’t look 40, and the other people I know who are 40 don’t look 40, then who does look 40? 50 year olds? 60 year olds? I have a sneaking suspicion that this is just another way in which the Baby Boomers’ self absorption and fear of death is trickling down and infecting the rest of us. (speaking of self absorbed: ahem. THIS WHOLE BLOG POST).
Guess what? 40 looks like this.
And like this.
I’d like to gently suggest that everybody just be a grownup and stop clinging to what they believed when they were 20. 40 is awesome because it is 40, not because of the convincing way in which it pretends to be 30. The 40 year old me could easily kick the 30 year old me’s ass into next Sunday. I wouldn’t be 30 again for anything.
Posted by jodi on December 19, 2011 at 2.18pm
new printing
December 14, 2011
This new batch of bandannas in progress has printing from some familiar old woodblocks and a fun letterpress block, recently acquired, that says BINGO on it. Everybody loves to shout BINGO!, right?
They’re now all edged and washed and only need to be ironed and photographed before they make their way into the shop. If this grey rainy weather can offer up enough light to get some pictures. . .
Posted by jodi on December 14, 2011 at 9.40am
i have something awesome to show you
December 10, 2011
I missed this in my weblog feeds while I was away on vacation and when it finally came to my attention, it blew me away! I’ve been following Sandra’s weblog for a while, from back when I used to troll the Wardrobe Remix group on flickr looking for people with fun and quirky style. Last month she bought a couple of my woodblock printed bandannas from Ye Olde Etsy Shoppe The Second, and look what she did with them!
This is totally adorable and an idea I’m thinking about stealing. How cute would it be to sew four of these panels together instead of two, throw a belt over it and presto, instant dress? It’s a casual, easy style I’ve long loved, reminiscent of the clothing designs of Russian avant-garde artists Varvara Stepanova and Liubov Popova, which are constructed to make the most of whole, uncut cloth. These designers also influenced Andrea Zittel’s Personal Panel Uniforms series, and all in turn influenced my masters thesis, The Wardrobe Project (I mentioned them all in my thesis report, which you can download and read here, if you like). Now I need to crank up bandanna production so I can try out some dresses!
Posted by jodi on December 10, 2011 at 3.41pm
roller derby world cup: first jam
December 2, 2011
Canada vs. France: first jam of the first bout of the first ever World Cup of Roller Derby. Two grand slams for Canada!
Jammer for Team Canada: Iron Wench, #516
Jammer for Team France: Francey Pants, #24
Shot with the Harinezumi digital, December 1 2011.
Posted by jodi on December 2, 2011 at 7.20am
