here we come!

our lives have been kind of crazy and very exhausting...

hard to live in an 'up-in-the-air' lifestyle with full on unknowns.

my creativity pretty much doesn't exist when things are chaotic like this,

and I get unmotivated and a bit depressed.

I know that it takes sometime to make a transition from one life/place to next,

and it doesn't always happen in the way and timing that you want.

but, it's been a quit challenge for my patience, that is for sure!

well, I hope it is ending soon, and I just can't wait to get on with my life soon...!

anyhow, we're going down to Portland, Oregon!!

and then to Ashland in a few days.

I have been to Portland a few times on a quick trip, but never explored much around the city.

do you have any suggestions on where to go, eat, and shop(maybe?)??

and that actually is the place we're thinking of moving!

we'll be checking out different neighborhoods around the city as well.

I'd love to hear your recommendations on safe good inspiring (and somewhat family oriented) neighborhood that might suite for our family!

(image)

ah I can't wait!!

what we've been up to...

so, I guess I can sort of tell you what we've been up to.

we have been trying to make a move to somewhere inspiring that we'd love to live!

I won't tell you where we're thinking of moving just yet,

just because it may not work out...

currently we're in a transitional phase.

I and my little girl are staying at my husband's sister's place while my husband keeps working out of town.

his sister and her family had been gone for a couple weeks to Japan to visit family.

(yes, his sis is married to a Japanese guy. two Japanese people in the family! interesting, eh?)

while they were gone, I had an animal care taking job at their place.

they have a cat and a bunch of chickens.

I feed them, collect the eggs twice a day and tuck them in at night.

sure chickens taste good and I certainly love eggs, but oh man, I can't stand them...

they kind of creep me out - how them move is very weired and I can't figure out what they're thinking(if not at all)...

I even chopped some wood yesterday! it was a lot of work!!!

I don't think I've ever used an ax before.

what a way of life!

it is very inspiring to be living off grid and be self-sustainable,

but I think I'm going to wait another ten fifteen ears before I get into a country living!

changes are happening...

sorry for not blogging often lately...
some changes are coming upon us,
well, maybe they are happening as I speak.
I can't quite tell you what the changes are...
well, I, myself, can't even keep up with them, nor am I entirely sure how they will play out.
so, I will post about that later when things are more clear and sure.


anyhow, I finally watched this movie, called New York, I love You.
I had been wanting to watch this for a long time.

it is constructed from a bunch of different short stories, which are also interwoven together somehow.
each short story is written and directed by different play writer and director.

the main reason why I wanted to watch it was because I like the similar movie called, Paris je t'aime.
I guess, it is the same production...

here are the little youtube trailers.

I loved them both movies, but I think it would be much more fun watching it if you know(have visited or lived)those cities.
recognizing so many places and land marks in the movies would have made it much more real.

anyhow they are both good :)


I am trying to keep up with reading everyone else's blog even though I may not leave a comment.
I promise, I will write about what's going on as soon as it becomes more clear!

hoop earrings for my sis

I got a custom order from my little sister(for free, of course...!).

she wanted a pair of hoop earrings like these ones with some green or/and purple semi-precious stones.

I made these a bit bigger(4cm in diameter) as she requested,

and the stones removable so that she can wear the earrings with/without the dangling agate and amethyst.

she is going to UK in the spring on working holiday for eight months, and I am green with envy!

I don't regret whatever the path I took and am really grateful for what I have right now.

but being young and free(meaning lots of me-time) is so precious!

enjoy, sis!!

tomorrow, we are going to Vancouver to get our daughter Americanized!

when the application is accepted, then she'll become a citizen of THREE countries - Canada, Japan, and US!

what a lucky girl!!

well, up until she is nineteen,
then she has to chose Japanese or the other two because Japan doesn't allow you to have more than one citizenship...

it would be really awesome if that changes by the time she has to make that decision.

it's going to be a quick (whole)day trip...

get up early(4am), drive to the ferry, ferry, then public transit in Van. then, the same thing in reverse on the way back...

loooong day...

but it will be nice to get the city fix(right after the Olympics), and get out of the town for even one day!

hope you'll have a fun exciting weekend!
xo

more knitting

oh, it's so gorgeous out!
but here I am sitting inside knitting in our shady home(our suite has lots of big windows, but gets no sun)...

after leaning how to knit, all I want do recently is to knit.

yes, yes, I know the spring is just around the corner and we've been having nice sunny warmer days.

but a few days of the coldness left is a good enough reason for me to knit.

I am sure it will fade away once the sunny beautiful spring really hits here.

here are what I've been working on :)

●my toque(that's what we call knitted hat here in Canada) #2●

based on this pattern.

but I didn't repeat the cable pattern all the way around, instead broke them up with some knit stitches in between.

currently on hold because I ran out of yarn, and the store I got it was out of stock and put it in order...

●fingerless gloves for my hubby●

it took me a few re-do's to get a pair of gloves done for him.

originally I was going with this pattern,

but my husband is pretty picky(with pretty much everything!),

and he said it was too long, too baggy around the wrist, etc,,,

and finally turned out how he wanted(well, sort of,,, close enough... :I)

he didn't really like the yarn either because it was too 'sweater-like'.

ha! oh well, that's all I had!!

●my toque #3●

based on this pattern.

I liked how Novita did hers, so I decided to integrate the cables(braids) into it.

it is a bit too big and loose, but may shrink a little after washing it(although the yarn itself came pre-washed).

but I still like it :)

although I don't really like cold winter weather,

now I get excited just for the perfect opportunities to wear my knitted things :) :) :)

need help - Portuguese-English translation / sewing input

do you remember this pattern I was going to try out?

I finally got around to buy fabric, and cut all the pieces.

then went to a couple different online free translating sites to translate the instruction for the pants.

although it is all in a weired grammar and wording, I managed to figure out the most part.

however I am stuck with this following part of the instruction:

•Una os fundos da frente e das costas do bolso com uma costura pelas laterais.
•Una os fundos externo e interno do bolso, direito sobre direito, com uma costura pelas bordas externas.
•Prenda a frente nas laterais das costas, coincidindo os números 5 e 6 de montagem. Deixe livres as aberturas inferiores.
•Costure as palas nas bordas superiores das costas. Pesponte, pelo direito, rente às bordas inferiores das palas, prendendo as folgas no avesso.

there is a cool pocket detail on these pants.

and if you look at the diagram of the pants, it looks like there isn't any overstitch on the bottom part of the back pocket.

(sorry for the dark photo!)

from the wacky Internet translation, and translation my sis(who studied Portuguese in University) did for me,

it seems like the bottom of the pocket is left open.

but then, the pockets are not functional... which doesn't make sense to me...

maybe it's just for the look??

so here I am, still lost in translation, desperately needing a help...

if any of you know Portuguese and could tell me how the back pockets are done, I'll most appreciate your help!

or if any seamstresses out there have any input for me, yes yes enlighten me please!!