*Warning: Lots of pictures* I really enjoy making things, sewing, creating collages, etc. My friend's dad says I have a knack for making random junk into cool junk. So I thought I would share some of the more recent, and not so recent, things I have made. Around Christmas time, I decided to do a "12 Days of Crafting" thing on Facebook, though I only made it up to 8. It was a good experience though. There are explanations with the photos. Hope you like them :) Links to some of the tutorials I used or my inspirations, are below.
Part of a calendar I had to make in my gr 11 World Religions class. We were supposed to draw, but since I can't I used magazines to create images depicting the religion. This one is Aboriginal Spirituality.
Hinduism
Shinto
Redecorated bangles
T-shirt Necklace
12 Days: A paper clip and bead necklace
12 Days: Collage clock. Made with magazines and googly eyes
12 Days: The Life Cycle of a Fish
From fish...
...to sushi! yumm (I'm working on a shark version)
12 Days: Glitter Shoes
I glued on a bunch of rhinestones to the heels
Then BAM! I glitterized!
12 Days: Funky Snowflake
12 Days: Some cushions
12 Days: Chocolate Mice
A failed attempt
They were a present for my friend's family. I used Almond slices for the ears, icing for the face, Hershey's kisses for the head and a Maraschino cherry for the bottom.
I hope to hop back on the crafting bandwagon, probably with some jewelry and clothes, once my last exam is over on wednesday. Also, there are about 5 April birthdays between me and my friends, and we plan on having a get together b-day bash, so I'll post the presents I made/possibly buy for them.
A few hours ago I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. It was my first surgery (and hopefully my last). I wasn't really scared until I was sitting in a room, with two nurses, an anesthesiologist and an oral surgeon. The lovely Hispanic nurse was making jokes trying to calm me down while the anesthesiologist was sticking a needle into my arm and the other nurse was arranging my bib. What fun that was. -_-
The possible ways they can grow in.
Before hand I had to read and sign a sheet explaining everything that could happen. I was a bit freaked out, because it reminded me of the drug commercials where they tell you every possible side effect before you even know if you qualify for the drug, which makes me wonder why you would take it in the first place.
Next thing I know, I'm in a different room, slowly gaining consciousness while sitting on a bench. I was weak, couldn't talk and everything was fuzzy. My mouth felt weird and sore and I couldn't stand up. But as I slowly come too, I realized that it felt like barely anytime has passed. It had been almost an hour, but felt like less than five minutes to me.
About 15 mins later, I was well enough to walk out and head home. My dad had to drive me because they could not realize me on my own. So now I am sitting on my bed, listening to the new Jessie J album and biting on four pieces of gauze, trying to stop the bleeding. It's not really working, considering there's still blood everywhere. I haven't eaten in over 12 hours, and can't until I stop bleeding. The whole bottom half of my mouth is numb and taking pills is a hassle. But it's all good. I'm just chilling while my dad is getting a blender and more gauze.
I've heard horror stories from my friends, classmates and dad about problems, complications, dry cavities, swelling and broken stitches. I'm still worried something might happen, but I grateful everything has gone well so far. I had to get my teeth out because they were crowding my other ones, pushing them together. There wasn't enough room for them and I have to get braces as well :( But now I'm going to sit back, dream of smoothies, and catch up on my Good Wife. :)
After lots of recent conversations about Barbados with my parents, I thought it might be interesting to write a bit about it. Not stuff you can easily read in tour guide, but something a little more Bajan. My whole family is from Barbados, living in different places and countries, but with one proud Caribbean heritage. It's a small island that people might not know a lot about so, courtesy of CIA World Factbook, the BBC and my general knowledge, here's Barbados in a nutshell:
Population:286, 705 (July 2010 est.)
Capital: Bridgetown
Area: 430 sq km (166 sq miles)
Language: English (a Bajan dialect)
Major Religion: Christianity
Government: Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from the UK)
Economy: tourism is the biggest source of revenue, an overtake from sugarcane exports
1. Bajans from Bim
For some reason unbeknownst to me, Bajans (pronounced Asian with a "b"), the colloquial term for Barbadians, call Barbados Bim. Bim?!?! This makes no sense to me what so ever.
2. Nicknames
A good majority of people have nicknames. When I say nickname, I mean an alternate name that everybody calls you. Your name could be Andrew, but for some reason, every single person calls you Hill. Or Pepsi. And at times, people don't even know your real name. I heard a story about a funeral and in Barbados, everyone listens to the obituary on the radio. So the family put out an announcement of the death, using the deceased's real name. People had no idea who that was and some never made it to the funeral because they didn't recognize the name. It's that intense. Sometimes your nickname is another real name, like Jack. So when people discover your real name, it's quite a shock. This name phenomenon seems to be more predominant with males than females. It's weird, but kind of endearing at the same time.
3. Free public transportation for students and seniors
This just seems logical to me and I wish it was implemented in more countries, but I assume it is the cost that is preventative. All schools wear uniforms and once a student is wearing their uniform, they can board the bus for free. Seniors have an I.D. card they carry and show when boarding. The cost of riding the bus is relatively cheap as well. Last time I was there about two years ago, it cost $1.50 Bajan every time I took the bus. One Bajan dollar is equal to approximately $0.50 U.S. (and now Canadian because we are more or less on par with the U.S.)
4. The meaning behind the flag
You might be able to find this information in a guide book, (actually probably), but I'm including it anyways. I like the meaning. The two bands of blue represent the sky and the sea, both the Caribbean sea and the Atlantic ocean. The gold symbolizes the sand and the sun. The broken trident in the middle represents the breaking of the colonial reign of the U.K. and independence from Great Britain. What gets me is that the trident makes it seem like there was some sort of revolution. Yet there wasn't. Barbados has always been very peaceful and ties with the U.K are very good. The revolutionary symbolism amuses me, and I like the fact that it is a unique looking flag. I also like that the meaning is simple. I have no idea what the colours of Canada's flag mean...
View from the top on a cloudy day
5. You can drive the perimeter of the island in 90 mins
The island is that small. My cousin drove myself and my brother around the island in about that time. We when to a look out point, saw the northern most region, ate in a tourist town, headed south and then back home. Now 90 mins is no way to experience the whole island, but it is an interesting experience. My dad says at night, you can get around in about 50 mins. The roads are a bit crazy, as are the drivers, so I don't doubt that.
Although February has long past, I've decided to share my thoughts on the month. Not on February itself, but more so on black history month and my thoughts surrounding it. I understand the reasoning behind the month but I think it is a bit outdated and perhaps irrelevant. I thought about this after a conversation with my dad. He was reading the newspaper and saw that a prominent Jamaican Canadian had died. He asked me if I had ever heard of him and I said no. What a shame that many people will not remember him or recognize the work he had done for the city, said my father.
His statement made me think about black history month; about how the focus is on history, and mainly American history at that. I think that it is extremely important to remember the past and those who sacrificed and fought for the lives we have now. Understanding the past helps us live in the present and plan for the future. But I also think that people seem to over look the present, not to mention the local. Not enough emphasis is being placed on people who are currently making a difference: the current black community. Those are the people who will serve as role models in the future, but are not getting the recognition they deserve now.
As a child, I always wondered why there was a black history month and not a Chinese, Filipino, Chilean or Irish one. I never understood, but I think I do now. I think it was created out of need for recognition of the black community's place in modern society, especially after the events of the civil rights movements and such. There must have been great force behind it. But that place has been established. If the history is so important that it warrants a whole month, maybe this is an indication that it should be placed somewhere more permanent. In a curriculum perhaps, which talks about civil rights movements, on both sides of the border. A curriculum that not only includes the black community, but one that is more inclusive of other nations.
Canada has a strong European past, mainly French and English, and the history we learn is centered around that. Although in my opinion, there is not enough emphasis on other cultures, considering how multicultural and diverse we claim to be. Not only that, but it would also be nice to learn a bit about the history of the city you live in, how it came to be, the different groups that shaped it into what it is today. I know some cultures played a greater role than others, but that doesn't mean they should be forgotten.
What I am trying to say is that black history month is not needed, but should rather be turned into an opportunity to learn about past contributions of various communities, as well as those who are still trying to improve the world today. All of this is unlikely to happen, because there is only so much you can teach and people are stubborn, but one can only dream.
♥ Turtles
P.S. Here's a little life lesson for ya: "If a man is coming at you with a sword, run. Kung Fu doesn't always work." - Bruce Lee
Last night, the awesome singer-songwriter Kina Grannis came to Toronto. I went with a friend (who shall be referred to as M) for her birthday - Happy Birthday!!! (It's today). Anyway, Kina was FANTASTIC!! Honestly, she is soooo good live. For those who don't know, Kina started singing covers and putting original material on YouTube in 2007, (although she has been singing for longer), and has been growing ever since. She is a brilliant singer with such an honest voice. She recently released her newest album, a remastered version of her 2010 album "Stairwells". We bought the deluxe edition which has covers and extra material as well as music videos.
Imaginary Friend (sorry for bad pic quality)
The show started about 40 mins late, probably because people took so long to get in. It was sold out and held at the Great Hall, in Toronto, the third stop on her tour. The late start was really only frustrating because M and I were terribly hungry due to the fact that we didn't have the sense to eat before we left. Her opening act, Imaginary Friend, was great. Just a man with a guitar and a soothing voice. You can see him on facebook, myspace or Twitter, with the name "imaginarytweets" (hehehe).
Then Kina came on, to a much adoring crowd. We Torontonians love her :) She opened with "The World in Front of Me", the name of her tour. Her set consisted of new songs, like "In Your Arms", old favourites, such as "Valentine" and "Message From Your Heart" and some requests shouted out by the crowd. She was very laid back and fun and awesome to see live. You can actually listen to the regular version of the CD on AOL New Releases. M had only heard Valentine before going to the concert and she loved it :)
*unrelated stuff ahead*
M and I didn't stay for the meet and greet with Kina because we were just so hungry and she had class all day the next day. So we headed back to my place but decided to stop for pizza up the street. We went to Pizza Pizza, and got a large pepperoni because there was a deal. It was almost midnight, there was a music video about zombie ninjas playing, so naturally our conversation shifted to a lovely discussion on whether or not ninjas could be zombies and zombies ninjas. While we were waiting for our gooey deliciousness to arrive, some guy, named Adam apparently, comes in and asks to sit down at our table. The restaurant was empty with lots of free space, but we said yes (cuz we're polite). Then he joined out conversation, explaining the origins of ninjas and samurais. He continued to talk about random stuff, got our pizza for us and talked while we ate and listened. He told some unrelated story about an 18 year old in a bar (19's the drinking age in Ontario) and was like 18!! Ohh those high schoolers. Then he asks us, so you're in university right? We answer yes (it's true) so he continues to talk for a bit. When he gets up to get us napkins, he asks, you guys are 21 right? Nope. 19 (one more month still for me). He says ohh, sort of finishes what he was talking about, gets his jacket and leaves, like he's about to be caught doing something wrong. Really? Honestly? I've had plenty of conversations with random strangers (of all ages - old people especially). I mean, he seemed like a perfectly normal guy who just liked talking to people at midnight on a Wednesday, but that 19 thing just threw us off. Did he expect something to happen? If he tried anything, we would have gone all zombie ninja on his ass.
Thoughts on Zombie Ninjas or got some Kina Love? Leave in the comments :)
♥ Turtles
p.s. Two music videos:
My fave Kina song that she did not sing unfortunately.
I don't know how many of you know, but in just over a month's time, Canada is having a federal election. AGAIN. This is the 4th one in 7 years. Ridiculous, I know. But what gets me is that I am relatively sure the whole country knows who is going to win. Just like in the last election. It will be Stephen Harper, our current prime minister. He and his Conservative party (like a more liberal version (a lot more) of the American's republicans and a bit more to the right than Obama's democrats), have been ruling this country with a minority government since 2006. And after the election on May 2nd, it will be the same. Some seats might have shifted here and there and it might be a larger minority, but still not a majority.
Why, you may ask, are we having another election? Because recently, a House of Commons committee has found the Harper Government (he actually changed the name on official documents from "Government of Canada" to "Harper Government") in contempt of parliament, because they had withheld documents on various subjects such budget spending and taxes. This is the first time that any one in the British Commonwealth (which we are apart of) has been found guilty of such a thing. And that triggered an election.
Liberal Leader Iggy
My frustration stems from the fact that I feel like we just went through the same old stuff. The Conservatives has been airing attack ads on television for months, before there was even any official talk of an election. Their target has been the Liberal party (see below) leader, Michael Ignatieff. Their amo? He spent the last 10 or so years in the States, being an academic and teaching at Harvard, apparently only coming back to be prime minister. It actually makes for execellent ads, with the tagline, "He didn't come back for you!" While Iggy was popular upon his return to Canada, he soon fell out of favour. Which really leaves Harper as the only one to run the country because he's done it before and he's the only one we can picture on a world scale.
This election is going to be the last for many. Iggy will probably get replaced, and Harper might not run next time. The leader of the NDP (more info below), is really sick and the Quebec leader has been head of his party since 1997 and will probably stay there for awhile. So while this election may bring issues such as healthcare and education to much needed debate and attention, we all know what the outcome will be because there really aren't that many options. Hopefully next time there will be some fresh new faces and ideas that will really get the country excited.
I know some of you may not be well versed in Canadian politics, so here's just a bit of basic info:
Ridings in Greater Toronto Area, for example
We are a constitutional monarchy, with the Queen (the British one), being our head of state.
The Prime Minister is our head of government and the Governor General is the Queen's representative
We are divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories
Our electoral system is nothing like in the States (I still don't understand it and I've read both constitutions). The country is divided into ridings, like little sectors, and within each riding there are parties with candidates running for office. The ridings are the same both provincially and federally.
The size of the riding is based upon population
The party with most seats is the "ruling" party, if you will, and their leader becomes the Prime Minister. The party with the second highest number becomes the opposition. A majority means they have the majority of seats. A minority means they have more seats than the other parties, but the combined seats of the opposition and other parties is greater than the ruling party.
On the federal level, we have five major parties (in order of current popularity nationally):
The Conservative Party,
The Liberal Party (like the Democrats, but more liberal),
The Bloc Quebecois (a Quebec nationalist/separatist party),
The New Democratic Party ( far left),
The Green Party (environmental party).
Now I know Canadian politics may not be your thing, but I hope you learned a little something something about it :)
♥ Turtles
P.S. Rick Mercer = the best political ranter in Canada. check it out! (his skits and show are awesome as well)
I wrote this poem as part of my poem challenge. That challenge, which was to write a poem every day for as long as I can, has ended. About 3 days ago. I admit, I had missed a few days, but that was mostly because a poem was unfinished and I was thinking it over. This poem is called "A longing to create". I really like to sew, cut and paste, make crafty things, and just generally create new stuff. But I've been kind of uninspired lately so that is where the inspiration came from. In my head, it is more like spoken word, so imagine someone reading it like that...
