I’m getting really excited (nervous) about the quickly approaching launch of the Midsummer Collection. I’m very attached to the new pieces, and sharing something that close to you is intimidating. I really hope you’ll all love the new friends I’m about to introduce you to.

But as I gear up for Midsummer celebrations, the 2012 show season has already started. With 2 shows already under my belt momentum is growing. It’s nice to get the chance to get out and chat with people who may have heard the thunderpeep name and are getting their first chance to see it all in person, and then there’s the peeps just discovering all the FUN. I got to meet an incredibly excited cookie gal at the Made by Hand show, who probably made my whole year with her enthusiasm over the Midsummer Dreams piece. I love that piece of work, and I will never grow tired of seeing all the ways other people react to the piece.

the OOAK application is a tough process, but that’s what makes the show so awesome. best of the best. fingers crossed they like me enough to let me into that group. if that does happen, i’ll be sure to share the whole process of booth planning/plotting/building with you. i’ve already enlisted two monsters to help out!

the process has me all excited for all the new things coming this year with thunderpeep. kicking it up a notch. it all starts with this years Midsummer collection, set to launch on June 14th. it’s going to be HUGE. there will be some sneak peaks at the spring Made by Hand show (April 27th 21st) but the big reveal is going to be a kick ass party down at The Arts Market in Leslieville. you’re all invited, details will follow in the next few weeks and you may also get a little peak into the wonderful world of the midsummer right here on the blog, if you’re lucky! i’m really excited for you to see it.

now, back for some sunshine before the real world comes crashing in tomorrow morning – daylight savings is not a friend of mine!!

I meant to write about this awesomeness back in December, but you know how that works. Forget, forgetful me. But today I needed to look up Amy’s Place and it reminded me that I really should share more.

So… Amy’s Place is a soy candle company in Toronto. I met Amy at the Movies and Makers show, she was 2 booths down from me and I had scoped her out beforehand, knowing that her candles would make an awesome gift for the Monsters. Chatting with her I learned her fantastic background was not dissimilar to my own, in fact she had even spent time in my old hometown, even went to my old high school (she is a few years older so we weren’t there at the same time… that would have just been too much for me) Talk about small world, she had spent time in Vancouver as well. What a FUN way to end the Holiday Craft season!

As I was going through her candles to see which scents would make the best gifts she unleashed the awesome on me. Amy had a candle that smelled like butterscotch. Drool worthy smell. OMG. Sold! Her candles come in either mason jars or vintage tea cups. I stocked up on the mason jar candles, for myself and for gifts and it wasn’t until last night that I burned the last of my butterscotch goodness (hence reminding me to blog about them ) which means that these candles not only smell yummy, they last forever.

So, next time your in the mood, for some mood lighting and sweet, sweet smells check out Amy’s Place. You can find her through her facebook page and if I’m not mistaken she may do home shows (although I can’t confirm that, it just sticks out in my mind)

i miss those ladies.

a year later, i kind of realize it was like going through a breakup. I didn’t just leave my job, i moved cities, left my old life behind. and it hasn’t been an easy journey. it’s not like moving cities, moving across the country is probably a lot like moving out of the country when it comes to Canada. friends in my new (insert background filler: I grew up just outside of Toronto – moved to Vancouver – lived there for 15 years – and moved back to Toronto) city don’t get it. my friends in my old city, well we don’t see each other everyday and it changes the relationship. i admit i’m feeling lost and not myself.

you can’t really go home after being away so long.

but life is all about change, more importantly it’s about how you deal with and what you take from change. I’m still learning this. I don’t have access to the restless mind quieting mountain forests. This has been the hardest adjustment. Sometimes a girl just needs to just be left alone and get lost in the woods.

So I’ll be celebrating on March 24th with bellini’s to finally close the door on my BC adventures – thanks to ingredients lovingly mailed from one of those thoughtful BC friends when I first moved back (yeah I KNOW but I was saving them for a super special occassion . And the day after I’ll be laying plans to get the hell out of Toronto for some Scandinavian living. One day I’ll find the city that feels like home to me (Iceland has just been added to the growing list of potential areas). For now I’ll just hope that 2013 brings more snow and focus on channeling all those restless thoughts into awesome art for you to enjoy!

North American audiences apparently haven’t caught on to the Norwegian sense of humour, but I have. Have you seen Dead Snow? Watch it. One of my fav zombie movies. Anyhow… on to this new discovery… The Troll Hunter is a documentary style movie about 3 University students who go looking for a bear poacher and end up tagging along with a secret state Troll Hunter on a wild ride into the fairy tales of their childhood. It’s funny, it’s tense (yes I may have jumped slightly of the sofa at one point) and the imagery is far beyond any animation coming out of Hollywood these days – with the exception of Lord of the Rings of coarse!

I forgot to post over the weekend. Seems the end of the january blahs caught up with me. I spent a lot of time doing nothing. Reading, watching movies and sleeping. This has inspired me to blog more than once a week. Hope your weekend was great and YOU got lot’s done!

How about I catch you up on my FiftyFifty Challenge today and then some fun and pretty stuff later this week?

I’m pretty proud of myself. I’ve read 2 books this month. Well, read one, listened to the second one while cleaning and working. And the fact that I sit down to read the Weekend Globe every Sunday should count towards something… I mean I only know one other person who actually sits down to enjoy the newspaper (yes, it’s one of those nerdy traits we  have in common, we met while working at the same paper for goodness sake!)

I finally finished Christopher Moore’s A Dirty Job. Not as funny as Biff but definitely a good evening read! Oh yeah, and I already told you about that glow in the dark cover… AwEsOmeNeSs! I also took in Jim Collins’ Good to Great. Now if any of you are small business owners, or looking to start your own business I’d highly recommend it. Some of it can be dry, there are no witty tales, but it gives you something to think about when growing a business and not just how to be a successful business but how to be truly GREAT at what you are doing. I guess even if you aren’t running your own business, it’s motivation to just be great in your life. But thunderpeep will benefit from the read (or listen) most definitely!

Now… for the easy part. I’ve already watched 7 movies. Wait… 7.5 I fell asleep during the last one. I will watch that last bit most likely. It was Moneyball and late at night. I don’t see what all the hype is about. This guy did great things, but I can’t compare Brad Pitt to the real dude, he was just Brad Pitt in a movie. I didn’t even find Johah Hill that entertaining.

With the release of a new Underworld I decided to watch Evolution, as I think Kate Beckinsale is fantastic and really only saw the first movie. The sequel was equally good (shocking!) Plus I heard a story of a prank Miss Kate pulled on her mother… and well let’s just say it was so bad/funny that I have a new appreciation for this lady prankster!

Another movie I saw was North Country. Charlize Theron blew me away. The movie is based on actual events of the first women to work in the mines in the US and the first ever successful sexual harassment case in the US. As uncomfortable as the movie was to watch at times, I have nothing but respect for these women who wouldn’t be pushed around. I think Theron was nominated for this role. It breaks my heart that there are still parts of both Canada and US that buy into this mentality of women being second class citizens, but there’s definitely hope that one day there won’t EVER be a need for the courts to see any more sexual harassment cases. EVER. Oh yeah, and Frances McDormand is back with the Fargo accent

Back to the books… I spent a good 30 minutes in Book City yesterday awaiting my coffee date and picked up 2 books to work on next. A book on Lenin’s time in exile from mother Russia and a novel about baking cakes (mmm). The Lenin book reminded me that I should probably share some of my {written} journal notes from my trip to Finland. I actually got to visit the Lenin museum in Tampere while I was there. It was fascinating stuff. And I have yet to put that journal into the blogoverse so why not!

So, what have i been working on? Lovey dovey stuff. I’m not really a girly girl, I don’t watch chick flicks, well maybe every once in awhile, I don’t get all mushy over flowers… so working on valentines, or just love themed cards is always interesting. You all know my first stab at romance….

I have a couple of new designs coming up in the shop this week… Do you think I’ve been able to catch the Love?

yeah, we all secretly love cheezy pick up lines. I mean I would fall for a cute boy who pulled this one one me. Then again I have a think for letters….

This last one I am quite excited about. For starters I LOVE once piece snowsuits. Yes, even as an adult. Secondly, it was inspired by one of my favourite songs. And lastly it’s just plain funny. There was lot’s of giggling in the making of this card I’ll update the post once it’s available in the shop