tania howells

nice things today

-A sudden desire to sew again! It's been ages and I am having fun. Will show you when its finished.
-Shiny heart garlands from the dollar store - because hearts make me happy.
-Coming across a really nice crafty book at the library that I had never even heard of before -Craftivity.
-A new lipbalm that smells like vacations and summer.
-Planning a haircut and maybe a pedicure for a special treat.

tea of the day - fake coffee

I got a jar of that grain drink that is a coffee substitute and it's so good! I was surprised. Look at that yummy brownie - my knitting neighbor made them for Monday knitting and insisted we take some home. You don't have t ask me twice!
After my post lunch "coffee" break I decided to go for a skate before my shift at work, which was not untill 4:00. I had been itching for a skate and had not gone once this year yet! It was a good day to go because it was warm but not melty.
These guys were so cute! They were helping the girl in the middle learn to skate, holding her hands the whole time. That's friendship.
After my skate, I still had about half and hour so I stopped into the National Film Board to watch the The Danish Poet for the second time. This is one of the sweetest little films I have ever seen, it's just so lovely on so many levels. I like to go and watch it when I need to feel all happy again. It won an Oscar as well! So that is what yesterday was about- doing little happy things, which I seem to have less and less time for these days. I have decided that is a crime and I must MAKE time for this stuff, otherwise I will evaporate. Something nice, everyday.

doodles for a monday

Tying up the loose ends around here today. Gathering up the receipts for 2007, invoicing, reminding and a bit of puttering. I am awaiting an unexpected avalanche of magazines though! We got a really cheap offer through the door, so I took the bait and am awaiting Canadian Home and Country because it is pretty, as well as Canadian Living because I love the tips and recipes. The new year can be so bleak, I wanted some cheerful things in the post. Then My brother and sister in law gave me a subscription to Craft for xmas- Woo! thanks guys!! AND THEN, my friend got me a subscription for Real Simple as a thank-you for throwing her a baby shower two weeks ago. Wow! I am going to have alot to read and the already abundant piles are going to become mountains around the house! What a great way to spruce a up a dull winter. Pretty pictures.

Speaking of owls, look what my neighbor brought me back from Mexico for babysitting her cat!! Talk about cuteness, I love this guy. (sorry, he is a tad blurry)
I wanted to show you some stuff I have been coveting lately!
I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of this awesome calendar from Happymeat. She still has a couple left, so grab 'em while you can!
I think This is so cool. Penguin has released a pile of new book titles with the old vintage covers! Brilliant!
I finally got my mitts on a copy of Apples for Jam at the book store the other day before work. It was $50 so I left it behind, but not without much oohing and ahhing. It is a gorgeous book!!! I see it is much cheaper online, so I will have to investigate my cookie jar and see what I can scrape up.

And how about this great print from the geniuses over at Keep-Calm.com. So true. I love me some tea.

Also, a great big thank-you for all the sweet comments about my book!! I love reading them so much, it makes the whole thing seem REAL!

Introducing Berkeley!!

I am so proud to show you the cover of the forth coming picture book! It will be released in September in Canada and October in the states, but don't worry, I will remind you! It is published by the nicest people I have ever worked with, Kids Can Press. This is something that I have been working on for the last eight months, from the very first thumbnails, to a number of roughs, re-workings or finals and now this! The final images are set up with the great story written by Tera and I am thrilled. Phew! For the most part, the working soundtrack consisted of Stephane Grapelli and Django Reinhardt because they play such happy music. It helped me draw pictures of a happy owl who loves to dance!

Here is Berkeley standing with Bo and Bree, but you will have to read the book to find out about them! I send out a big huge thank-you to Yvette, my editor, for being so nice and on the ball and for picking me in the first place, to Karen, our designer for doing such a beautiful job with it all and to Tera for writing such a cute story! Did I say, I am thrilled? woot hoot!

baby bear

I have been working on this fella for a while now! He is, ofcourse, based on a wonderful Jess Hutch Pattern, Henry the Bear, who I altered a bit to make him sleepier. I finished him this morning and again was re- remineded how happy I am making stuff. I have been letting that lapse for sometime with all the real life going on around here. Here he is, as yet nameless, having a little lie down on the bed. With my blankie I might add. We might have to have alittle talk about that as he cannot take my blankie with him when he goes to his new home to live with Stella Henrietta. I only wish I could make him animatronic and be able to change diapers, clean up the "burps" and get them all into snowsuits and out the door.

rambling rose

What shall I tell you about today? It turns out that 2008 has brought more of a silence on my end, I don't have much to say. I am liking your posts of flickr mosaics of all the crafts completed in 2007, those are nice. I am totally going nuts for Feist's album , Reminder. It's funny, but before I heard this album I was next to her at a restaurant and thought nothing of it. Now I would be all silly and shy and embarrased because, well, she rocks.

Here is a funny dog I saw on Monday. Monday also brought the final print out of the picture book I have illustrated, which was exiting indeed. I will ask my editor (my editor!) if I am allowed to show any of it yet. Tuesday brought a much needed long life saving chat on the phone with my very good friend in Ottawa and today will bring a cozy dinner with my two work friends over yummy Ethiopian food.
Also, some geese and a swan on Lake Ontario, my favorite lake, on Monday as well. We took a day off and went for a walk. I am always amazed at the flotsam and jetsam washed up on the lakeshore. I really just wanted to say flotsam and jetsam, but it is a lot of plastic and a surprising number of balls plus lots of wood. Tommorow is pay day and then comes friday which I always like. Oh, and also on Monday we went to watch "Lars and the Real Girl" which was really sweet and I was pleased. There. I suppose I had a few things to tell you.

oot and aboot

Here is a little tote bag I made last week, on an evening we turned off the tv and I was looking through Lotta's simple sewing. I used leftovers from a chair I recovered, that would be in my flickr except I have to renew my pro account so right now it is taken out I guess...It is also made of the leftovers of a favorite jean skirt that got too small.

I saw this today- looks like something I would do. I am a kid, I re-paint a chest pf drawers and, high with the power of paint and a brush, I want to paint everything in sight but I know I would get in trouble if I did. Instead, I paint a heart on the back that no one will see. Until NOW...

supplies for hibernation

If you are going to hibernate, you will need some books.
Here is what I have been enjoying lately.

The new Moomin comic. I have not actually read this yet as I am saving it for a time when I truely need it. Paul picked this up for me while braving the boxing day sales. Mad, he is! (please excuse my blatently swiped pics with the annoying "search inside!" arrows!)





The latest Isabel Dalhouse book which I was so surprised to see at the store that I grabbed it and bought it immediately despite being a hardback which I never buy. I had to find out what was going to happen next! I saved it till Christmas though and addressed it: "to Tania, love from Santa".






Once I got back to work, I finally treated myself to this book in the sales. It is just so pretty and nice to look at. I even made a tote bag the other night after looking through this which felt good. I will take a picture and show you.


Also, some library visiting turned up Tease which is a cute little book with some potentially do-able things in it and also this little book- Linen Crafts which was just plain pretty and so I took it home. I looked through The Family Home while I was there and I really liked that too. Lots of cozy friendly rooms, but it was far too heavy to take home.

blink blink- what time is it?

People, I have been drifting. I don't have much to show for it. Christmas was nice, finished up the book (yay!), watched some tv, read some books, went to bed. What's for dinner? I blame the lack of coffee. I treated myself to a cup today and I was like the energiser bunny for a few hours but that has sadly worn off and I am back to the zombie campground. You can toss me some peanuts, that might rouse the beast. Otherwise, I think I will go and hibernate a bit longer.....zzzzzzz