I have now sent 3 text messages.

I have a new phone. It's pink. Really, that says it all. It couldn't be more perfect.

Anyone who has ever tried to call me knows that my old phone did not ring. Still, I loved this phone. It was the LG Chocolate and when it came out years ago I hinted and hinted until the Hubs bought it for me for Christmas. I loved it so much, but right from the start there were problems.

It wouldn't ring when people called. Days later I'd go to use it and I'd get a random notification that I had a missed call. Or, I'd be walking with phone in hand and get a beep that I had a new voicemail even though again, it never rang. On the few times it did ring and I actually heard it, because the ring was so quiet you basically had to be in a library or church to hear it, and I actually picked it up and tried to talk, my (apparently) pointy cheek or hair would set off the touch screen and hang up on the person. When I tried to dial in to check my messages, the keys would stick and inevitably the system would tell me I was entering the wrong password and it would hang up on me.

Needless to say, I haven't talked on my cellphone very much in the last 2 years. I'm not sure why I waited this long to upgrade. I guess it's like a favourite sweater. Even if it's pilly and out of sorts you still wear it because you love it. That's what I did. Until today when I found the shiny pink phone!

And the best part? It rings! So loud that there's a warning telling me not to put the phone near my head while it's ringing because I may experience hearing loss. I bet I could wear earplugs and still hear it ring. I could definitely wear the PINK headphones that come with it. But the even better part? When it DOES ring, all the buttons light up in PINK!

Also, I can send 2,500 text messages a month. TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED! This is crazy, isn't it? Or is it just me? Is this how many texts teens are sending nowadays? Would my 15-year-old cousin look at this plan and say, "Hmmm.... 2500. That seems okaaaaayyyyy...., but I'll probably need to monitor how many texts I'm sending around the last week of the month just to be sure I don't go over the limit."?

Also, I can send 1,000 picture texts. I don't even know what this means. Like, if I wanted to take a picture and send it as a text message? Anyway, whatever it is, I can send 1,000 of them.

So far I have sent 3 text messages.

Text Messages Left To Date (TMLTD): 2,497
Picture Messages Left To Date (PMLTD): 1,000

P.S. An update: There is a Mr. Baz Halloween costume glitch. The item I need is nowhere to be found in Toronto except I did find it hanging on a wall in a restaurant but I don't think the owners would appreciate if I stole the item and ran home with it because then I would end up in jail and do they have sewing machines in jail?? I doubt it, so THEN how would I make the costume in time? So I didn't steal the item. Then today I had a brainwave to buy the item I need to make the item I need for Mr. Baz's costume off eBay. Except, it was going to cost $24 to ship the $6 item and wasn't guaranteed by Halloween. My last resort is New York. I'm headed there Thursday. In one of the biggest cities in the world, surely I can find what I'm looking for?

Happy Halloween and other Festive Fall Endeavours

Yesterday morning, I had every intention to go to the driving range. Because this is the summer that I will not suck at golf. I have cute new shoes...









A cute new putter boot'e...




And of course, my trusty golf bag.









But the wind was whistling in the trees...
(or um, at least the one tree on our balcony).

And the weather network said it was very, very cold. Even though the driving range was open, and the heaters were on, I knew I'd still have to wear my winter coat and earmuffs and mitts and drink hot chocolate and that really didn't seem like something fun to do (except for the hot chocolate part).




So instead I stayed inside and celebrated the fall day by by making Pumpkin Halloween Cookies! Ta da!

Doesn't it just make you want to eat Halloween candy? Me too. Only I'm not that crazy -- I was really making the cookies for a photo shoot. Because this is what happens when you work in magazines -- you work months in advance. When it's the heat of summer, you eat Christmas cookies. At Thanksgiving you decorate Easter Eggs. When it snows you drink lemonade. And when it's just at the tip of spring, you make Halloween cookies.

Then, because a batch of pumpkin halloween cookies calls for like 1/2 a cup of pumpkin puree, and because I bought the largest tin of pumpkin puree I could find because I didn't actually read the amounts on the recipe before I went to the store, I decided to continue on the Fall Pumpkin Theme by making Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble on Top. If you want to make these muffins, I found the recipe here.

I offered Hubs one. He took a bite. Then he ate two muffins. That's always a good sign because when my baking is not good, he only eats one, or says that he's getting fat, or is very, very full from the glass of juice he just drank and couldn't possible eat another bite at the moment. But he didn't do that. So I was very happy.

Then I made myself that mug of hot chocolate and enjoyed the rest of my Blustery Fall Day.

The Sewing Studio Open House - in 2 days!

When I was a young girl, I could not sew. Oh, I could sew by hand, but put me in front of a machine and all I'd do is get the thread all jumbled up and jammed, and then I'd become incredibly frustrated and resort to completing my
Banana Split Pillow by hand.




Until a few years ago when Sew-Cute Sewy Seamstress taught me how to sew. And now, she's having an open house tomorrow night to show off her brand new fabulous sewing studio where she'll be offering all classes all the time! (It's like Rogers On Demand only you sew instead of watching movies you sew and go home feeling accomplished and crafty, and who doesn't want to feel crafty?). Still not convinced? I've crafted a Top 10 List of reasons why you should come to The Sewing Studio's open house this Wednesday (you know, if you live in Toronto):

1. You can sew a super cute TOP SECRET project only to be announced when you get to the studio!
2. Don't know how to use a sewing machine? You don't need one to make the free, fabulous TOP SECRET project!
3. Chocolate, cupcakes, candy. If I know Sew-Cute Sewy Seamstress, she'll have the goods.
4. Don't know how to sew? Sign up for one of the new classes so you can learn how to sew!
5. See cool projects by former students (and think, hey, if they can do that, maybe I can do that, too!)
6. Meet cool girls who like to sew (or pretend they like to sew even if they're not very good at it).
7. Gift bags!!! With lots of presents inside! Free!
8. A chance to win fabulous trips and prizes. Okay, maybe just prizes. It's not the Price Is Right after all.
9. A chance to win a yoga mat bag (made by me!) and a copy of Stuck in Downward Dog.
10. Don't live in Toronto? Then re-read incentives #1-9 for all the reasons you should COME to Toronto tomorrow night!


Here are the details! Hope you can come!

Yoga Bag giveaway and the super duper Sewing Studio Spectacular!

So my friend, Sew-Cute Sewy Seamstress had a dream. She loved to sew and one day she decided to teach her friends how to sew (since they were very very bad seamstresses and didn't know a selvage from a serger but thought that Stitching in the Ditch sounded way cool). So she started to teach classes in her apartment. She set up tables and sewing machines...





and a big bowl of candy....



Mmmm...... candy.

Everyone loved the classes and learned how to make skirts and shirts and even curtains and pillows! (Unfortunately the candy bowl proved too distracting for one girl, who will remain nameless, and she didn't master the art of measuring, or um, patience, so most of her items were rather lopsided. But she always left the class happy, because she'd had fun -- and candy!). As more and more students learned to sew, they spread the word until one day Sew-Cute Sewy Seamstress had so many students she had to hire another instructor. And another. And another, until there were so many students and instructors in her little apartment but there were still girls lined up with their sewing machines, waiting to get in. Because they wanted to learn how to Stitch in the Ditch, too!

So Sew-Cute Sewing Seamstress decided it was time to move. Fast forward to this Wednesday, April 11. The new Sewing Studio is having a party to celebrate its grand opening, with more space, more sewing machines, more instructors, and most of all... more candy! (But take it from me, you should try to avoid the candy if you really want to learn how to sew).

There's going to be cupcakes, cocktails and lots of free stuff including...



this brand new yoga bag that I made especially for the event, which is going to packaged up all pretty with an advance reader copy of Stuck in Downward Dog. And you could win it!

I promise, this one has no loose threads on the inside, and is fully functioning. So if you win it, you can actually put your yoga bag in it and head off to a class, you dedicated yogi, you. Or, you can just fill it with candy at the event, and then sneak home and eat candy on the couch all evening. I won't tell. Really.

Measuring up

I hate measuring. In fact, I think it's safe to say that I like to wing it in all crafty projects. Which is odd, considering I'm such a planner in life and don't really like last-minute plans.

So this past weekend I decided I was going to make a yoga mat bag.

I found this excellent tutorial at Pink of Perfection. Looks simple, right? Huh.

I went to the fabric store.
I bought waaaaay more material than I needed. Just to be safe, because when you're a non-measurer, you can never have too much material.
I cut it waaaaaay bigger than I needed it to be. Again, just to be safe. I even sewed under the hems before sewing them together, just so it would look extra pretty.

Then, I forgot to attach the strap before I sewed up the seams. So then I had to redo the seams.

Then, as I was cutting the ribbon, I cut through the yoga bag because I was cutting the ribbon with the yoga bag on top. Why would I do that? Why, yoga gods, why?

So then I had to make the bag shorter (to cut off the cut part). But then it was too short. The top of the yoga bag was sticking out the top of the bag. So then I had to add a piece to the top. The result...



It's still cute, right? RIGHT? But well, this is the good side. The inside is full of threads and strings and so...this ISN'T the yoga mat bag that I'm going to be giving away with an advanced reader copy of Stuck in Downward Dog very, very soon at a special event that you won't want to miss...

Instead, I'm going to use this yoga mat bag for my own yoga mat. You know, for the next time I actually make it to a yoga class.

Stay tuned for the new and improved yoga mat bag and contest details...coming soon!

PS - Have YOU made a yoga mat bag? If so, email me the picture and I'll post them here.

Target is Stuck in Downward Dog!

I love Target, so today, while I was doing a little pre-spring Tarj shopping trip preview shopping online, looking at the things I may not be able to live without... such as ...



this Making Memories Craft Tote! Because really, sometimes a crafty girl's got to feel like she can craft on the go! or this...



super cute laptop bag, which perhaps might be more important, so that I can write on the go! or this...



Thermos, because all that writing can make a girl thirsty...

Anyway, while looking at all these things, I came across
this!

My book...available at Target?!?!!!

I need a minute.

I'm not sure if this means that the book will actually be available in actual Target stores, but I can't even imagine what I'm going to do if it is. I mean, Target?! The store that has a category under Dresses called "Ladylike Polish"?

In related news, Daria Snadowsky's super fun book Anatomy of a Boyfriend just became a Breakout Book! You can see a picture of her at Tarj with her book here (Scroll down to the March 6 entry). Congratulations, Daria!

Mr. Baz, also, is quite excited about the possiblity of Downward Dog being available at Target, since he too, shares my love of the Tarj, ever since I bought him his Isaac Mizrahi golf shirt last fall...

Have laminator, will travel

I just got The Laminator. Can I tell you how long I have wanted The Laminator? Some people dream about a new pair of shoes, a new handbag, Patrick Dempsey. Me, I have long longed for a laminator.

One of my best girlfriends just came through. She has the coolest job in the world, and just one of the perks is that she gets amazing products. And because she is so generous, she gives them to me. Items such as stamps, stickers, books and pens with fairies. And three days ago, she gave me. The. Laminator.

My obsession with crafting supplies started about 30 years ago, I'm guessing. But like any responsible teenager, I denied it a bit, otherwise I would never have gotten a prom date. And of course in university I was very busy pretending to be studying.

And then I graduated and got a job. And I stopped down my love of crafting. I bought some stickers. Then some pretty pens. Some nice notecards. Stationary. Paper. And then I got the labelmaker.

But now, with The Laminator, things have gone to a new level.

I can't stop laminating. I laminated my horoscope for the year. Then a picture of my cat. Then a postcard, a sticker, a card, and the cover of my book, which I'd printed out. You never know what could happen in the next 129 days, so at least I have a laminated paper printout of the cover. I also laminated some cat fur (by accident).

It's not that The Laminator is that expensive. I'm sure I could afford it without having to eat weiners and beans for a week. But there's something far too indulgent about purchasing a laminator for oneself. Just to laminate things. For no real reason except that it makes me happy. Which is why getting it as a gift was so fantastic. I ran out of paper the first day, and had to buy refills. It's out of control.