April 6, 2011

Strength by Numbers

What’s this? Another fundraiser?

Yup. ‘tis the season, I suppose. Everywhere you turn there are rapidly shrinking snowbanks and charity events. It must be spring!

When I heard that one of my favourite galleries in town would be throwing themselves a fundraising bash, I immediately contacted them to see if I could contribute a piece of art to their silent auction. The timing was perfect, really; I had just completed three new collages and only two were earmarked for the MAWA auction. I offered up number three to Jordan and was thrilled when she accepted.

True to the name of the event “Strength by Numbers”, there is an impressive list of artists who have donated their artworks to help strengthen the coffers at the Cre8ery. I have seen just a few pieces from the show and I can honestly say that this will be a not-to-be-missed event.

Bidding for the silent auction items will start on April 12th and close on the 15th, during a big party at the gallery. Like any good bash, the Strength by Numbers party will include music, theatre, storytelling (storytelling?) and a 50/50 draw. And, I’ll be there, too! (As if you needed any more reason to go!) Silent auction bids start at $50, so this is a great opportunity to pick up some new wall-candy and support a great cause!

Visit the Cre8ery website or the event Facebook page for more info!

April 5, 2011

Feeling Bookish

I laughed out loud and clapped my hands with glee (well, almost) when I read this week’s Winnipeg Girl Geek Blog Challenge topic. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to write about possible book titles for our book, should we ever find ourselves inclined to write one. I don’t know that I would ever actually write a whole book, but it is something that I have given some thought to...especially when it comes to coming up with attention-grabbing titles and sizzling (ha!) plot lines.

“Always the Bride”
A cautionary tale of a girl who got married one too many times.
Chapter 1: “I do!”
Chapter 2: "I did..."
Chapter 3: “I do?”
Chapter 4: “I really don’t.”
Epilogue: "Mulligan?"

“Designated Parent”
A thinly-veiled work of fiction; based on my years living in a townhouse complex in Port Coquitlam, BC. The story would center on a core-group of neighbours who would meet regularly for after-work cocktails and weekend BBQs in the driveway, while their children ran amok throughout the aptly-titled “common areas”. The name comes from our policy that at least one parent had to stay alcohol-free, should one of the kids require emergency medical care or, as was more often the case, we needed someone to do a beer-run. Usually the job of “designated parent” fell to one of the pregnant gals in the group; there was always at least one of those.

“The Secret Ingredient”
My cookbook; named by the Mascot, who insists that the secret ingredient in all of my cooking is love. (It’s not. It’s salt.) Of all of my book ideas, this one is the most feasible, because at some point, I suppose I could just get the recipes on my food-blog “Relish” published. I’m sure that there has to be a market for 30-minute vegetarian/flexitarian recipes that feed 2 to 3 people and use an inordinate number of pots and pans. I would have to come up with a better title, though. No offense, Mascot.

“This Will All Make Perfect Sense Someday”
My apologies to John Mayer for appropriating one of his song-titles. (At least it’s not “Your Body is a Wonderland”!) My dad always wanted to dole out advice, and, in his honour, this’ll be my chance to spread my wisdom to the world. TWAMPSS will cover a wide range of topics and will contain such gems as:
- “Never leave your child anywhere that you wouldn’t leave your purse.” (parenting)
- “Don’t feed your baby in a place that you wouldn’t eat a sandwich.” (breastfeeding)
- “If you figure out what’s causing it, stop immediately.” (pregnancy)
- “Nobody ever got an upgrade in sweatpants.” (air travel)

Of course, these are all hypothetical at best. These days, I can barely finish writing a grocery list, never mind a self-help/how-to,/how-not-to girl’s-guide-to-life. When I do, though, you can bet that it’ll be spell-checked and edited to within an inch of its life and, of course, have a *fabulous* author’s picture on the cover. I’m thinking something along the lines of a Jackie Collins style shot, but with softer focus and bigger shoulder pads...