Enjoy the pictures of the cutest puppy in the world.  Thanks to a ridiculously hectic summer season at work and countless hours spent playing Lego Harry Potter, there’s really nothing else to share from around the homestead.

Right before finally getting his first haircut, Charlie could have been mistaken for a mop.

Charlie’s first haircut provided -3 to overheating and +7 to cuteness.

He has oodles of energy and excitement, making decent photos next-to-impossible.

He does manage to slow down for food and naps.

Charlie loves meeting people and one of his first visitors brought him what has quickly become his favourite toy, a stuffed yellow hippo with a tugging rope attached to the rear end.

Charlie especially enjoys hippo tail.

Squeee!!

I set up my small tripod and took photos as I worked.  During the process, I pondered how useful a foot trigger for my camera would be.  Then I realized I’d probably never have need for one again.

To write the design on the pysanka, I’m using a tool called a kistka.  A kistka is basically a small metal funnel on the end of a heat-resistant plastic handle.  I use a candle to heat the funnel which holds melted wax.  The wax flows onto the egg through the small point in the funnel.

Pysanky are made using a wax resist dying technique.  Wax is applied to the egg to protect from further applications of dye.  At this stage, the wax I am applying will keep the covered parts of the egg white.

The egg progresses through the dyes from lightest colour (yellow in this case) to darkest (black here).

Now the lines that I am applying in wax will remain yellow in the final design.

After the red dye.  You can see the white and yellow showing through the lines of wax.

Heating the kistka.  You can see my chunk of beeswax in the background.  Such a pleasant smell!  After I’ve applied all the wax, I dye the egg black.  The black (or any dark colour) serves as a background to all the other brilliant colours used in the design.

The wax must then be melted off to reveal the design below.

And the finished pysanka.  This is a star design which is quite popular in many different shapes and sizes in various pysanky designs.  It’s a relatively simple and straightforward to complete, which is why I usually choose this design for the first pysanka of the year (which this one is).

I’ll be making pysanky all week in preparation for Easter at Baba’s this weekend.  I’d better get cracking.

It’s okay to be jealous if you’re a city mouse who looks at concrete buildings all day.

Earlier this morning there were some deer running through the park outside my window.  I expect to see a team of horses pulling a sleigh go by sometime soon.

Here are the answers I used to create my mosaic:

1. What is your first name? Pamela
2. What is your favorite food? Bananas
3. What high school did you attend? LCHS
4. What is your favorite color? Blue
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Jamie Oliver
6. Favorite drink? Coffee
7. Dream vacation? Europe
8. Favorite dessert? Cheesecake
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? Queen
10. What do you love most in life? Sleep
11. One word to describe you? Imaginative
12. Your Flickr name? Pam I Am

Want to play too?  Answer the questions, then type your answer to each question into Flickr’s search.  Choose your favourite from the images on the front page of each result and copy and paste each image’s URL into Big Huge Labs Mosaic Maker.  Have fun!

I was happy with everything that I purchased, but two of the things in particular really blew me away in terms of product quality and the seller’s customer service.

First up, a new journal for Curtis from Julie Boyles Books.

Handmade and leather, with a heavy metal closure, this journal definitely fit my shopping criteria of “masculine” and “classic”.

I even think the binding stitches are lovely.

I believe that unlined pages are always better for all-purpose journals.  Why should you worry about staying in line when you’re expressing yourself?

I’m confident that this journal will serve Curtis well and that it will soon be filled all sorts of wonderful thoughts.

Curtis was also the lucky recipient of some personalized stationery cards from Silhouette Blue.

For those who don’t know him, Curtis has a bit of a thing for cycling and bicycles.  I’ve also been working on imposing my love for all things vintage on him.  This continues that process.

The cards came with matching envelopes.  When ordering, you’re able to select from a variety of print and envelope colours.

The cards came beautifully boxed and wrapped.  This box was wrapped in blue paper and tied with a cream ribbon.  The cards and envelopes inside were tied in bundles with thin cream ribbon.  I was able to unpack the shipping box, attach a gift tag and put the package right under the tree.  Actually, I couldn’t resist sneaking the package open for a peek at the cards but I was able to re-wrap without any problem.

These two items are beautiful, high-quality handmade products.  Do yourself a favour and check out what the sellers of etsy have to offer.  If you haven’t browsed or haven’t been by lately, you might be surprised at the variety and quality of items that some sellers are producing.  I mean, just look at how enthused Curtis is about his new stationery cards.

I thought about trying to take a photo each day, but that seemed like too daunting a task.  It also seemed like the type of project that could turn stressful (ZOMG it’s 9 pm and I haven’t taken a photo yet today!).  So instead, I’ll be carrying my camera more regularly in the normal course of daily life.  No more moments of “Wow, what a great sunset.  Too bad I don’t have my camera.”

As I was packing up to leave for work this morning, I saw my camera and remembered my idea to carry it more often.  I threw it in my bag on the way out the door.

On my way through Elk Island Park, I noticed that the trees looked like they had some heavy hoarfrost.  Closer to work, the sun was getting closer to rising and I could see that there was, in fact, a very heavy coating of hoarfrost on all the trees and fences.  Later in the day, I ducked out of the office to take some photos.

I’m so glad that I saw my camera and thought to pack it this morning!  These were some of the biggest, clearest hoarfrost crystals that I’ve ever seen.  I’m also very glad that I got to look out of my office window at a frosty, sparkly winter wonderland all day.

Cookies!!

Presents!!

Pretty lights!!

Fireplace!!

Cinnamon buns for breakfast!!

It’s Christmas and I’m lovin’ it.  Hope everyone else is having an enjoyable, relaxing, festive time.