Thursday, March 29, 2012

Creative BUSINESS CARD list

This is the biggest one yet that I have seen. Takes a bit of time to go thru - seriously - its a BIG list - Heres the link:

http://stocklogos.com/topic/ultimate-creative-business-cards-collection

CODY THE DOG HOWLING

OMG, this dogs howling is the weirdest that I have ever heard. Our little Shia Tzu has a really kewl howl but this one is rather disturbing albeit I did laugh!

86 YEAR OLD GYMNAST - JOHANNA QUAAS

86-year-old gymnast Johanna Quaas competed in Germany's Cottbus Challenger Cup and dominated on the parallel bars and with her floor routine.

WOW, pretty awesome for a woman that age.

URINE EGGS or Virgin Boy Eggs

Street vendors in Dongyang, China, are once again cooking up an unusual springtime snack that’s been popular among locals for centuries: “virgin boy eggs,” made with the urine of local primary school boys, preferably under the age of 10.Many Dongyang residents believe that the eggs — which are boiled in urine and then soaked in the stuff for up to a day –have remarkable health properties, including increased energy and resistance to heat stroke.A virgin boy egg fetches around 24 cents at market, more than twice the price of a urine-free egg.The not-so-secret ingredient in the traditional snack is collected in basins and buckets from primary school toilets after school hours. It’s not just vendors clamoring for the stuff, either — some residents gather it themselves so they can prepare the delicacy at home.Although the eggs have been listed as an “intangible cultural heritage” by the local government, Chinese medical experts have mixed opinions about their health benefits, with some warning about the sanitary issues surrounding cooking with urine.

TDOT says, "YUCK!!!, BUY CANADIAN!!!"

UPDATE ON VINTAGE COOKIE JARS

Just got back from the auction and got the cookie jar (see yesterdays post about Vintage Cookie Jars).

It is an American Bisque cookie jar called "THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON" from the 1940's. It's the most sought after of their popular "Flasher" jars. Flasher cookie jars have faces on them whereby the eyes and sometimes the mouth moves. In Warmans Cookie Jar book they have it listed at 2,000.00. Listed in the Cookie Jar Book by Mark and Ellen Supnick at $1500.00.

The other American Bisque Flasher Cookie Jars are:

1) A Clown with either a blue or black curtain. Its eerie but then I find clowns spooky.
2) A Bear with a honey pot. Very cute as the bears eyes open and close.
3) A couple of kids watching a TV. Seen one with a Sandman or a Dog on the T.V.
4) A tortoise (on the lid) and a Hare whose eyes move
AND
5) The one that I like - 2 Cheerleaders (see pic below)






And now for the GOOD NEWs, I got it for $15.00.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

DIY DOLL CHANDELIER for your Princess Kiddo

Its garage sale time in TDOT and one of the things that you usually see alot of are Barbie Dolls. Here is something that one person thought to craft with all those dolls. The comments are mostly THUMBS DOWN - see here - http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/look-doll-chandelier-63820

DIYJEWELRY

I think these earrings are neat. They are made out of bobby pins. Here's how ya do it - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhValzTWGYvxACo8VmzKcbNsP8eaB6hZWMGPXj6kJZkTbtECdsMTVS9rH3I5NGijUk2BVFlebdDMMRorfJyrC9sdYd92ZYkMYeiHCGp27gvMZAgQVUz01FawUoF3PZZLlgM5Snjios5rapA/s1600/DIY-Project-Bobby-Pin-Earrings-Steps-2.jpg

The 2 MONA LISA's

Mona Lisa 1 (Lisa Gherardini???) painted by Leonardo

AND

Mona Lisa 2, (is it really Salai, Leonardo's lover) painted by an assistant (SALAI)of Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci, at the Louvre Museum in Paris, Tuesday, March 27, 2012. The painting is owned by the Prado museum of Madrid and was painted around 1503.

Mona 1

Vintage COOKIE JARS and TOMORROW

Before we had our son in 1989, we bought a vintage American Bisque Sweet Pea cookie jar (see pic below) to represent the coming of our son in 1989. We moved to a new home and hubby built some shelves in the kitchen where Sweet Pea sat. Unfortunately hubby did not put the shelves up properly and one night in bed sound asleep all the stuff that was on them came crashing down and the only thing left of Sweet Pea was his lid with the bumble bee on top. The only pics we have of him is a DVD that my friend took down at THE RIVER when she visited with her little son. Yesterday, I saw that someone just sold one for $1,000.00. &:^(-3-<

Anyway, a couple of years later I picked up an Enesco Prayer Lady Cookie Jar (see pic below) for a toonie. Yesterday, I saw that someone has sold one for $160.00. ;^)-3-<

CROSSING FINGERS FOR TOMORROW because I just found another cookie jar and will go tomorrow just before the auction book is closed and hopefully will post my most recent acquisition. STAY TUNED!

CRAP vs. FOOD

The WORLDS Tallest DOG

Giant George is, well, taaaaalllllll - weighing in at over 245 pounds and standing 43 inches tall, the Guinness World Record Holder for Tallest Living Dog & Tallest Dog Ever.?

You can follow George on Facebook (find him by entering Giant George into FIND) - I just added him to my Facebook and he posts stuff, he really does!

Calling all PHOTOGRAPHERS OF KIDDOS - YOU NEED THIS!

How kewl is that? I think my buddy up north should have one - just for fun!


Torontocerus and other STUFF

We have not been their yet, but hope to go this summer - to the new addition of the Royal Ontario Museum.

The Torontocerus.... an extinct species of deer, of which only one example exists was found excavating a TTC Subway line in the West End. About the size of a cariboo, his antlers do not resemble any other known deer.

For 100 years, Casa Loma has sat just a short, steep ridge away from the intersection of Spadina and Davenport roads, and gazed out over downtown Toronto. But, at one time, the view looking south from what is now the castle grounds would have been all water as far as the eye could see; in the very late Pleistocene epoch, Davenport was the beach above vast Lake Iroquois.

Where we live would have been Lake Iroquois and our back yard garden needs soil as the sand is really showing thru.


Saturday, March 24, 2012

NARNIA

A couple building their new home, found they had some extra space adjacent to their daughter’s bedroom, and decided to transform it into a real-life Narnia. If I was little, I would want this!!!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Artist Matthew Cox...

... embroiders on X-RAYS - I would like to know how he came up with this idea? Here's an idea, someone could embroider an ultrasound baby pic with them holding flowers, or a puppy or ......a sign that says - "I AM A HUMAN" - cause Canada's Criminal Code states that a child in the womb is not human : ^ ( - who the heck decides this stuff - shame on them!!!)

Weird post of the day - BEFORE AND NOW - Twins (movie THE SHINING)

Remember the movie THE SHINING. I still cannot watch a re-run. Anyway, the little boy was riding his bike around the hotel and all of a sudden two identical ghost twins were standing in front of him. Here is a then and now pic. (from a website making pics of movie stars in their twilight years)

Mayor Rob Ford PIC OF THE DAY

No SUBWAY for you Mayor Ford. Light rail transit won in a 24-19 vote.
And here are a few close to home tidbits about our mayor. My cousin used to babysit him and he is a graduate of my high school - Scarlett Heights.

Mike Stilkey

Love this Art by Mike Stilkey using books. Impressive, Mr. Stilkey! http://www.mikestilkey.com/#home

HOW TO REUSE SILICA GEL



Put packs in your ammo cans and gun cases/safes to keep dry.
Protect personal papers and important documents by putting some gel in a baggie wherever these are stored.
Keep with photos to spare them from humidity. Tuck a small envelope in the back of frames to protect even the ones hanging on your walls.
Store in camera bags and with film. After snapping photos in cold or wet conditions, silica gel will absorb moisture to keep your lens from fogging or streaking.
Leave a couple packs in your tool box to prevent rusting.
Use the material to dry flowers.
Place with seeds in storage to thwart molding.
Stash some in window sills to banish condensation.
Dry out electronic items such as cell phones and iPods. Remember after the device has gotten wet, do not turn it back on! Pull out the battery and memory card and put the device in a container filled with several packs. Leave it in there at least overnight.
Slow silver tarnishing by using the gel in jewelry boxes and with your silverware.
For items in storage, such as cars or anything prone to mildew. Popular Mechanics offers a good suggestion for use in engines of sitting vehicles.
Tired of buying big bags of pet food only to have it get soggy? Store your kibble in a bin and tape some silica packs to the bottom of the lid.
Cut open the packs and saturate the beads with essential oils to create potpourri.
Use in luggage while traveling.
Tuck some in your pockets. Hide them in your closet in leather goods such as coats and shoes, and even handbags, to help them survive life in storage.
Gather your razor blades and keep in a container with several silica packs to stave off oxidation.
Video tape collections will last much longer with these to help keep them dry.
Litter is now made with silica. With its fantastic absorption qualities, this litter requires fewer changes and sends less mess to the landfill.

And my personal favorite:
Squirrel some away in your car, especially on your dashboard. This will help maintain a clear windshield and leave it less foggy during times of high humidity.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

SHARK GIVES A HIGH FIVE

This is so neat - Eli Martinez, editor of Shark Diver Magazine, was diving in the Caribbean See, off the Bahamas coast, when a laid-back lemon shark swam straight towards him before turning at the last second with her fin outstretched, connecting with his hand. “At first she was swimming straight towards me, but I didn't expect her to turn at the last moment," said Martinez.
“She tapped my palm with her fin like we were high-fiving. Luckily my friend who owns an underwater camera captured it all on film for me to show the grand kids."

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Happy SPRING and Happy MACARON Day - March 20, 2012

Today is Macaron Day in Toronto, Paris and New York. Toronto has 7 participating patisseries. You get one free Macaron and then 25% of any other Macarons that you buy go to the Red Door Family Shelter. - I missed it and good thing cause I am on a diet. I hope they did well.

Bridgestone TIRE Art

When I was in my teens peoples cars were colourful. Today, cars are mostly white, black and grey. BUT, if you added these ART tires from Bridgestone (Firestone) to those dull colours I think it would look awesome! Next year we are getting a Ford Escape - BLACK - with added chrome and a set of these is now on my list.



Friday, March 16, 2012

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!

This is the actual turn-off From Banff, Alberta, Canada to the #1 highway to Calgary.
(ahhhhhh Calgary - love Calgary)

UPCOMING TDOT WEATHER

WOW, I will be gardening - well, not really gardening but getting everything cleaned up to soon garden early this year. I think this is unusual.

Sat. 16 Sun. 19 Mon. 21 Tues. 20 Wed. 21 Thurs. 22 Fri. 22

""Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips says four new records could be set in the Toronto area in the next six days. The temperatures so far in March in Toronto are more typical of June, he said. While the winter of 2002 was warmer overall, there was more snow. Toronto has had 40 centimetres of snow this year, compared to a more typical snowfall of 100 centimetres by this time. “We’ve never seen a winter like this in Toronto,” said Phillips. In 2011, there were 29.4 centimetres of snow in March.""

Our Pussywillow is loaded with blooms.

WHEELBLADING

Vintage Rollerblading - Paris 1923 [VIDEO]

AND THIS OTHER WHEEL:

The Dynosphere - Psychotic 1930s vehicle [VIDEO]

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

YES, YOU CAN TEACH YOUR DOGS TO PLAY THE PIANO

Quote - We started with a few push-button bells about 3 yrs ago. They picked up on that really fast, so I got that keyboard about 2 yrs ago. They made the transfer immediately. But it is an on-going learning process. I'd say it took them a few months to learn the names of the keys. They pick up new tunes quickly but it takes more practice to play them without errors. UnQuote

By the way, that is an Ocarina that she is using. I have one of those and can play the tune to THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

When you were in school did you ever use Encyclopaedia Britannica?

The mother of all alphabetized knowledge, will be putting its 244-year-old print business out to pasture effective immediately. Wiki really gives them a run for their money too. I remember researching something or other in the early 90's at the library but since then I have been online, at home, and by the way a full set is now a cool $1,395.00. Memories.

YARN BOMBING - What is it?

Yarnbomb – verb. To gently fasten knitted and crocheted works to public surfaces as cozy, impermanent graffiti: The kindergarten teacher yarnbombed a pole in the park with a stocking stitch in shades of blue and green.

Another name is KNIT GRAFFITI! Now to find it where I live.


Monday, March 12, 2012

NO WAY TO A CASINO IN TORONTO!

Torontos EAST END may be getting revitalized.

I think this is a great idea for the artists in Toronto and - indeed as Jane Jacobs said "OLD BUILDINGS NEED NEW IDEAS!"

Landlords lease their property for 30 days without charge to artists who have applied for space. The occupants’ licenses are rolling, which means they can stay in the property until someone signs as a rent-paying occupant—which sometimes turns out to be the artists themselves, sometimes not.

This was started in Australia where once a place their was a field day for doing movies on armagghedon (the day after) now has become a haven for people to come and see art. I think this is a great idea for all cities where there needs to be renewal.

Here is Mark Westbury (Aussie) chatting about this:

DIY transforming a dying city from Marcus Westbury on Vimeo.

WHAT ARE QR CODES


A QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) first designed for the automotive industry. More recently, the system has become popular outside of industry due to its fast readability and comparatively large storage capacity. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be made up of any kind of data (e.g. binary, alphanumeric, or Kanji symbols)

Created by Toyota subsidiary Denso Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. The QR code was designed to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.
The technology has seen frequent use in Japan and South Korea; the United Kingdom is the seventh-largest national consumer of QR codes.
QR codes are practically everywhere in Japan nowadays, but here’s a unique take on the technology: the gravestone makers recently announced plans to begin selling gravestones with the two-dimensional bar codes embedded into them.
By simply snapping a shot of the tag with their cellphones, visitors will be able to view photos, videos and other information about the deceased. The device would also keep a log of each time the code was scanned so family members can keep up to date with when other relatives last visited the site.
A QR code on the headstone acts as a link which enables users of smart phones and mobile tablets to scan and automatically connect to a personalized website. It can be viewed on the phone or mobile tablet as visitors wander through the cemetery or by simply typing in a unique web address into your computer internet browser.

Friday, March 9, 2012

CANADA DOES NOT PUT PINK SLIME INTO HAMBURGER

but it has been exposed that 70% of supermarkets in the U.S. do. Pretty sure the exposure of this will change soon for our neighbours to the south.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

100 YEAR OLD HERITAGE TREE ON RONCESVALLES

On one of my daily sites that I peruse, I saw that: On the east side of Roncesvalles is a hundred-year-old, four-storey-tall maple tree. Some local residents have nominated it for designation under the Ontario Heritage Tree Program, and they’ve made this fun little video to explain why.

Roncesvalles Ave Heritage Tree from Claude Barnes on Vimeo.



On my way to take mom home this morning we drove down there and I took some shots:


























I took this pic as there is a really old pic of this area on the Vimeo
















Mom told me a story about how as little kids would walk all the way down Roncesvalles to Sunnyside amusement park (long gone) and then all the way back up Roncesvalles home.






















I used to live in High Park with a friend and here is a vintage 70's shot of the streetcar that she used to take to work - thought you would enjoy CLR















And here is a vintage shot of CLR helping me get my mukluk's on in High Park - snicker!