The Giggles...

... This gives me. Anyone with a cat will appreciate this. This is my wordless post of the day, although it's not exactly wordless at all... oh well. Thanks for sharing Wendy!

Mom and Me Expo 2008 - Grimsby, On

... I lurve me some mum2mum sales. Like, a lot. This year I get to be a part of Grimsby's 2008 Mom and Me Expo. It's taking place November 22nd from 10am - 2pm at the Peach King Center on Livingston.

The expo this year has things like this going on:

Featuring children's programming information, fantastic mompreneurs, creative ideas, green ideas, beautiful items to purchase, and an ever popular mom 2 mom sale!

Great event for those that are expecting, have young or school ages children, and anyone who needs to get Christmas gifts. Don't miss this exciting event!

Location: Peach King Centre, 162 Livingston Ave, Grimsby
Cost: Free Entrance

Table cost: $20-$40 Vendors needed (mom 2 mom vendors, mompreneurs and businesses welcome)
Contact: Sarah Sweeney, 905-945-1288
Other: strollers welcome, fully accessible site, giveaways.

Also, on the same day, directly across the street Kiddie Kastle

is having a mom2mom sale and more! Woohoo, a mom-sale-athon, my absolute fav! So those moms who feel like having a mom-a-thon will be all set! It's from 8-10am and the expo is 10-2 so I'm totally stoked that I can shop both! Yay me! Kiddie Kastle's sale benefits OEY (Ontario Early Years Centers) which benefits the kids (LLP lurves her some Kiddie Kastle) so it's for a great cause. They have goings on such as:

We are also hosting a bake sale, penny sale, silent auction, and book sale

Date: November 22, 2008
Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Blessed Trinity High School, 145 Livingston Ave., Grimsby
More Info: we would like to invite families to become vendors for tables ($25 for one or two for $40). If anyone is interested in donating items for the bake sale, penny sale, silent auction or book sale this would be appreciated.

Please contact us at 905-309-7641

Like I said, I love things like this, they are way too much fun. Except for the part where I spend 16 hours a day with my clippie making paraphernalia stuck in my hand surrounded by mounds of clippies. So far I have completed 150 of them, I plan to get up to 600, plus I'm going to break out the big guns and do some recycled crayons (not really recycled, they're brand new...)

and glass magnets.

I have have so much fun doing things like this it's probably totally unhealthy! I'll post the link for those who read the blog and are local, they should have it up shortly once they know for sure what vendors they've secured.

In addition I've gotten myself involved in the CatMobile (I do love my pet projects, in both senses of the word!)

I love their concept that no cat should be put to sleep due to lack of a home for it. I practically made that one up myself, but just didn't get it out there. Just saying... So they're having a fundraising bazaar (I'll post the date when I know, or they know, or something...) and I'm donating some handmade catnip knotties

felted bell balls

and catnip crinkle bags.

Somewhere during all this I'll also feed three kids and seven cats... clearly that'll take a backseat though, we all have to have priorities... kidding.

So, if you're going to be in the Grimsby area on November 22nd from 10am - 2pm please stop by and say hi! Just try not to stare at my pants checking to see if I've split these ones (I split a second pair last week, I'll post pictures soon, of me not wearing them, ofcourse) okay? Thanks. The entrance is free and it sounds like it's going to be fab. Plus, if you love pretties, it's almost guaranteed I wont be the only one selling them so the selection will be fantastic!

EtsyKids Snags A Treasury...

Treasuries are a fabulous tool that Etsy uses to allow shops to promote either a certain group, a certain theme, or certain colours or items that're currently for sale by Etsians. EtsyKids snagged a treasury (This is no easy feat!) If you pop over to take a look please leave these folks some comments as it 'bumps' their treasury for more people to see the cuteness, and it helps support handmade and mommy businesses :)

It's A Pig's Nose...

...This is the current conversation taking place between Mr. Pretties and the BLP.


BLP: Daddy, you have animals in you tummy! I hear dem!
Me: What noise are they making?
BLP: Moo, and, umm, I don't know what more sounds dey make, but dey want to come out!
Me: Uh huh...
BLP: I'll hear dem wit my ear again... Yup dey still in der!
Mr. Pretties: Animals?! (he catches on slow...)


Followed by:


BLP: Daddy what's dis? *lifting up her shirt*
Mr.Pretties: Umm.. well... a nipple.
BLP: A nibble?
Mr. Pretties: No, I a niPPle.
BLP: Oh. It wook wike a pig's nose.
Mr. Pretties: Well, it's not. It's a nipple.
BLP: Hmmm... Does Efin hab dem?
Mr. Pretties: Yes he does
BLP: What about Dort Buth? *The cat*
Mr. Pretties: Yep, he does too.
Me: Short Bus has like 8 of them!
BLP: Dey wook dest wike pig noses...
Mr. Pretties: Fine. They're pig noses...


For some reason this conversation struck me as funny. That might be a just me thing... But c'mon, a pig's nose?! Who says that?! I have heard many comparisons, but a pigs nose was not ever one of them...

Lastnight I Had A Dream...

... Those are scary words according to Mr. Pretties. I have some pretty bazaar dreams, but we can talk about them another time. They require their own post.


So I had a dream lastnight that because Garfield and Cheddar are Polydactyl Cats they could open dresser drawers with their 'hands' and had all the drawers opened in my dresser. Silly, eh? Then I woke up a few hours later, looked at my dresser and what do you know? Garfield and Cheddar are opening them with their 'hands'. I am dead serious. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Apparently with their extra digits their able to do things an average cat can't, such as opening doors/drawers/and catching things with one paw. This makes them super intelligent (trust me when I say the last thing we need around here is super intelligent cats) and excellent mousers.


I wanted to take pictures of their 'hands' or 'mitts' but they're not going for that just now, so I'll post this one instead:

Rest assured and they've both been vet checked and their extra digits, or thumbs, cause them no pain, they are just extra mischievous. Seriously, this would only happen to me.

Holy Cutialicious...

...You've heard the saying 'Things that make you go Hmm...' well, this post will be classified as 'Things that make you go OMG-That-Hurts-Me-It's-So-Adorable'.

You all know once every few weeks I try to post about Etsians that both I think are totally fab and that I think you'll probably enjoy, say, alot. So today I'm going to post about Blossom Toys. Blossom Toys makes adorable children's toys that are enjoyed because the colours, patterns, and materials she uses are intriguing to the wee ones. No batteries required, just an imagination and a love for all things adorable. One of my current favorites, that I really think LLP requires is this, the chocolate pink teething jingle elephant:

Can you even stand how cute that is? LOVE it. Here's the shops description:

This little zoo creature is sure to become one of your baby's favorite snugglies. The legs will make great teething surfaces and a small bell in the middle will reward baby with a pleasant jingle when he gives a shake to his new friend.Each animal is individually handcut and sewn giving each creature unique personality. Pattern placement will vary slightly. Please allow 7-10 days for production.Approximately 6" x 4"

Next up from Blossom Toys is the Wise Owl Doodle Cady. Seriously, this is so genius I still haven't figured out how I didn't think of this. Get tired of the crayon box getting ripped and then having to cart around tupperware/baggies/boxes of crayons? Need something for the little guys to do in the car/restaurant/dr's office? Then this is definitely the way to go!

Great idea, clearly. As if the idea weren't great enough, I lurve me some of those funky owls, they're my fav! Here's the shop description:

Keep those wiggly, busy fingers busy doodling when you are on-the-go with this compact crayon and notepad caddy. Fun designer fabric is paired with a solid chocolate colored liner to keep 8 crayons and a 3x5 notebook (both included) neatly contained. Perfect for restaurants, doctor's offices, trains, planes and automobiles.Secured with a coordinating grosgrain ribbon, this caddy rolls into a easily portable 4" x 6" and unrolls to approximately 6" x 11.5".

Lastly, I love this ball. It's the Jingle Bell Cloth Ball. It's an adorable, jingle, colourful ball of sweetness! If my girls were younger I'd be all over this, the colours a splendid, great for the really tinies who can can only recognize bold patterns and it requires a little bit of imagination. I love imaginative toys, they're the best to get those little minds going!

Those are my absolute favorite colours. Honestly, if I bought some I'd buy three in coordinating patterns and put them in a ball for some serious girlie decor. But that's how I roll... Here's the shop description:

Beautiful, modern fabric come together to become a great ball perfect for baby.Toys do not need to be made of plastic and run on batteries to be fun. This ball is made from three coordinating, 100% cotton fabric from Moda's Flirtation collection and stuffed with polyester fill. A bell is carefully placed in the center of each ball producing a very pleasant jingle and rattle when it is shaken, rolled or thrown. At 17 inches around, it is the perfect size for a game of toss and catch. You will have years of fun - my little guy loves to toss the balls across the room and go running after them, and my older son is learning how to catch. Who doesn’t like playing ball?

So that's where I'm at today. I try not to 'plug' too much, but I do think these are items some, if not all, of you can enjoy and now you know about them! What if I hadn't posted this and you were in dire need of a crayon caddy? Let's not even think about it, I've saved you from that fate! Whew!

Keep in mind this is only one of many, many wonderful children's shops that make up EtsyKids, a fab street team who create wonderful handmade, children geared treasures!

I AM A Sucker...

.. Probably the biggest one. Ever.

Remember my recent post about that dastardly (that's right, dastard, we're going to brush up on some good old english) lady and her kijiji ad about her cats? How they'd end up at the SPCA? Good.

Allow me to introduce our new house mates.

Cheddar:

Garfield

*These photos were neither taken at my house nor labelled by me. Just so you know.

So after much debate (mostly on Mr. Pretties part... go figure...) and a week long arguement Cheddar and Garfield arrived at our house a mere hour and a half before they would have been taken to animal control to take their eternal nap (The SPCA was full).

I woke up lastnight to Garfield sleeping on my head. Hey, I'm cool with that, and Cheddar laying on my feet. As long as they're comfortable. The rest of the gang has taken to them as well.

BLP's first thoughts were
'Ralphie?!'
*Turns to next cat*
'Ralphie?! Mom, TWO Ralphies?!'

While LLP was like
'Moomie (Wilma)?!
*Turns Head*
'Moomie?! '
*Turns and looks at Wilma*
'Moomie?!?!'

The look of total confusion on her face was priceless. I love messing with their heads like that. Well, not really, but it was still plenty funny.

For those wondering, we didn't make it in time for the dinner bunnies :( The man phoned and let us know as we were heading out the door, a man bought them for a restaurant. Nice. So if you're dining on rabbit out in Bradford, you just might be munching on one of those sweeties. How sad. Aren't there enough animals to eat without having to add things like bunnies, calfs, sheep, cows.... okay I mostly think everyone should just eat chicken, but that's me.

In addition we almost hit a deer not once, but THREE times lastnight. It was like the twilight zone! We've driven the same road in the evening for the past four years. We do it atleast twice a week. We have NEVER seen A deer. We've seen the signs.

It is rural, there is a 'forest' of sorts, but never a deer to be seen. The lighting on this road is not great, to say the least. So as we're driving along lastnight we notice a car up ahead flash his lights at us. Mr. Pretties automatically assumes it's police doing speed checks, so he slows down. Literally two seconds later I see a ginormous bloody deer RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE WINDSHIELD. It had been looking the other way and blending in with the night and suddenly turned to look at us. Seriously, if I hadn't stopped to go potty before we left the house 10 minutes before, our leather seats would have been paying the price, and because my heated seat was on my rear end would likely be fried too.

O.M.G.

Luckily Mr.Pretties stopped in time and the deer ran, had it not ran we may not even be here today. So that scared the bejeezus out of me. It made me realize I need to cut out the butter because my hardened arteries were not responding kindly to this event.

So we carry on driving, but keeping an eye out. Three minutes later I see another one! So I'm screaming and yelling at Mr. Pretties to stop, this deer is probably 30 feet away but I am so flipping out. This one takes off. We arrive where we're going safe and sound.

Now because we're clearly stupid and needed to stop at Tim Horton's on the way home we took the same way. Yeah. Idiots.

*Nomintation for the dumbest people ever award goes here*

So we're driving, I'm all over deer watch, like what're the odds? But I'm still all over it. About the same spot we were before I see ANOTHER one about 20 feet away staring at us! It took off in plenty of time too, but Mr. Pretties and I are way shook up. We've vowed never to drive that way, never to take drives in rural areas, and possibly to stop driving all together. We're also starting a habitat group to catch deer, cover them in reflective tape, and release them into the wild. I think this is brilliant...