Scissor Quirk.

Bits by the open door.

Ah...just got back from a weekend of camping! We got rained out, and our not-so-fond-of-the-rain friends left us a day in (I guess we're hardcore? he he), but it was still full of warm campfire, the best hazelnut smores ever and naps in the warmest, cuddliest well-loved tent! It's always fun to load it all on the motorcycle and relax out there when it's warm - even if it's rainy. Aaah.

I feel like I spent so much time around the house the last few weeks in my spare moments that I did miss it around here this weekend! Our sort of sunny-for-a-basement-suite suite opens right out onto the backyard, so when it's nice out we just leave the door open and it fills the kitchen up with light. So lovely!

Last weekend it was nice to enjoy that light streaming in - I just puttered around, hung some new curtains, tidied the place up, planted my (very late!) garden with the mister, and filled all my thrifted pots with seeds.

Here's a lil peek at the sunny open door area:

1. My thrifted colorful herb pots outside the window 2. The typical view out to the yard (motorcycle!) 3. Favorite colorful tea mix 4. Corner of the kitchen & my adopted vintage painting 5. Pretty pink flowers 6. Corner of the yard (the chair was a school project last year) 7. Sprouting lentils on the table 8. Making cappucinos/breakfast 9. Our open closet in the kitchen hallway & handmade scarves 10. The old lady, outside 11. Vintage yellow wine racks for my shoes 12. My garden in the corner of the yard - see the markers?

Love this little spot in the house - it'll get a lot of use this summer!

Sensitive Factoid.

Just before you go thinking that motorcycle riding is uber cool.

My teeth have been bugging me, lately.

After years of not having any problems (except for, you know - braces), they got really sensitive after the first few fillings that I got back in January and are still bugging me.

I had a check-up a few weeks back and the dentist said that it's from my gums receeding a teensy bit (this is the boring part of the factoid), which he mentioned might be from clenching my teeth. Do I clench my teeth at night? No. Do I grind my teeth? No. I wracked my brain thinking about what the heck would be causing it.

And then I got on the motorcycle the next day and realized there's a constant teeth-clench going on while I ride.

Hah. Maybe it's mister husband's driving? The ability to see the idiots driving next to us & realizing there's nothing much between me, them, & the road? lol.

Anyhoo, funny little realization of mine.
It sure is awesome, but it subconciously stresses me out. Who knew?

It's not an entirely stress-free process for me, yet, especially in town.

Weekend Littles.

Little peeks of this past Sunday:

Motorcycle riding to Deep Cove. Lugging boots & changing out of jeans in bushes.
Scoping out the kayak-launch spot & my fave crackle nailpolish.
Shell sand stuck to us and mister husband building stick-things on the beach.
I wanted that orange boat like crazy.

You know, the little things.

Trying to make it a better habit, taking pictures on outings...
I'm one of those bring-camera-but-don't-use-it types - ack!

The Weekend: Camping in Squamish.

One of our goals this summer - well, okay, something I need to work on - is getting out more on the weekends. That sounds silly, doesn't it? - but in the past I've been stuck inside some summer weekends on extra work and things - ugh. Sometimes inevitable, but not ideal.

That said, it felt super awesome to get away this past weekend quickly and by-the-seat-of-our-pants. In the past, vehicle-less camping took a bit of work because we'd load up our backpacks, take transit + a ferry, hike to where we were going, and set up - which is a lot of work for just one night.

So, yay! The motorcycle is helping us get out & to places transit doesn't go:

A shot of our nice big ol campsite, overlooking Squamish river.

With the bike, when it's suddenly sunny, we can pack up a night's worth of stuff (our hammocks + sleeping bags) and just head out of town.

And so, we did. :)

We ended up an hour and a half out of Vancouver up in Squamish (mister husband stumbled on this really nice campsite last weekend on a ride). We stopped for a few groceries & rode the bike in mid-afternoon, then lounged in the sun for a few hours, set up camp, got some firewood, and enjoyed the quiet. Aaah. We found the perfect trees by the river and the view was amazing.

There were only two other couples there on the 250 acre lot. It was so nice & quiet, we felt like we had a super-long day even after we got there (thank you, long summer days). Mister husband got a fire going and when the sun went down we stayed warm and roasted hotdogs. We brought the perfect amount of sleeping bags to stay warm and food to nosh on (we're still working on the bring-enough-water-thing, though...lol). There wasn't a bug in sight, and we slept like babies in our hammocks side-by-side! Aaah.

I say this because our first hammock trip last year was in mosquito-central and we didn't sleep a wink. you may notice the newly acquired bug nets in place over our hammocks in some of the pictures.

Best. Ever.

I hope we can do this a lot, this year. It was heavenly and sooo relaxing!

Also, everybody is: A) so in love with our old bike and B) so happy to see a couple camping with it that we get help with our firewood and lots of sweet words/comments when we're out in the woods. So cute!

PS - I'm super-psyched that some of you are campers, too - or that you're getting inspired to camp! I think more girls need to fall in love with it. :)

Let me know if you have any questions about hammock-camping!

Oh, hello.

Ah! Thought I was still on vacation for a few day, there. lol. (we had a long weekend here in Canada, that apparently I'm still on, mentally - he he).

It's Thursday already??

We flew in late late Monday and then after work I didn't do anything Tuesday night after work but crochet-for-fun-while-I-should-be-unpacking (I'm making this for my couch - the yarn is so chunky and soft & it's coming together really fast). And last night was date night with hubby, cuz we didn't really get many moments alone over the lovely family-filled weekend in Calgary visiting. :)

We hopped on the motorcycle and grabbed some sushi + watched 'Toy Story 3' (It's amazing! I laughed so hard the whole time. You have to go see it!! And the Pixar short - 'Night & Day' - before it was my fave, yet. Seriously genius!).

And speaking of the motorcycle:

(the cutest lil drawing a cool dude at work drew of me & the hubby)
Thanks, May Wa! He has the coolest blog full of drawings & such- check em out!

I like to think, now, that every time we go out it looks like this. :) he he.
Rainbow smoke and sunsets? Yesss.

Anyhoo, still smiling over the weekend of visits and my nephew & reading to my lil brother & looking through momentos with mom and watching the boys build a pirate ship playhouse & eating so much homemade goodness. :) So awesome.

I have so much lovely artsy hopes & dreams & plans & on-the-horizon stuff on my mind right now, too, it's rad - I just want to stay up all night and make stuff!! I'm totally ready to get back at her, work-wise, tonight. Yay! I have some cute illustrations to do and a present for my mom (totally had to abandon it and admit it's late-ness last week - ugh) to finish, among other stuff - fun, fun! :)

Happy day for now, friends! :) Be back soon with more crafty stuff!