News from the Home Front

Hello! It's been a while since the last post because I was in Victoria at the Furniture Society Conference. It was so great! And for those of you in Victoria that I wasn't able to see - I"m sorry! It was such a short trip! Hopefully next time we'll both be able to come, and we'll have time to do some actual visiting!
Anyway, I thought I should put some pics up here, just to give you an idea about what I was up to!

I did get some visiting in:


I took way too many bunny pictures:


And I went to some really amazing workshops, talks and demos: (this is Kim Kelzer talking about making wood "Anything But Brown.")


All in all, it was a great trip, and a very inspiring conference.
But, of course, it's good to be home, too! The garden really took off while I was gone - the tomatoe plants are HUGE now! And they're starting to blossom, so yay, we should have tomatoes this summer. The potatoe plants are even HUGER than they were before, and the corn that we planted right before I left is coming up in cute little rows, so maybe we'll even get some corn out of them. Nothing died (way to go Jai!)
It's been really hot and humid here for the last couple of days, and we had a spectacular thunder and lightening storm here two nights ago. Tomorrow we're back to the market, and then on Sunday, we are having some friends over for Canada Day. The fireworks in Bridgetown are legendary for the valley, and they happen right in the park behind our house, so we should have prime seats. No pie-eating contest this year though - apparently no one enjoyed seeing the fire chief rolf all over the stage last year. Oh well.
I'll keep you updated on how it goes! Oh, and Connor, I got your note, the business card holder is up on Etsy now, and there are two more on the way...some day! Let me know if you're interested!
That's about all our news, but there's sure to be more any day now!

The flowers are coming...

Hello! jai's off working at the theatre tonight, so I thought I would take a second and update our news. First off, the pics of the lupins I promised in the last post:

They are SO gorgeous! All along all the highways, there are just mounds and mounds of them. We pulled over and picked some the other day, and they look fabulous in a vase.
Also, the garden is doing well. Our potatoes are the happiest potatoes on the block.

Even the pumpkins are growing merrily.
We haven't eaten anything out of it yet (although we probably will be able to soon) but I have had a couple of cups of mint tea - YUM!!!!! Fresh tea should be a delicacy!
I got a commission today to make this for a lady:

She gave me the deposit, and it's all official, now I just have to figure out how I'm going to make it!
Other stuff in the shop:
Business card holders:

Bird panels completed:

Bird box:

That picture really doesn't do it justice (it's the only one I had that was facing the right way!) but you can see it better if you want - just click on the Etsy link for our store on the left side of the page. I think it turned out pretty good.
Jai turned a whole bunch more tops to bring to the market, and he made me a garden dibbler to use when I (finally) plant my corn.
And here are some pictures of the peonies which are just starting to open up. They are the most beautiful deep red colour. They look a little less like aliens now!

East Coast Update

Hey! I seem to only be able to find time for writing once a week nowadays! We have had another event-filled week here on the East Coast!

On the work front: Jai and I are now being represented at the Under One Roof gallery in Upper Clements. I have picked up a commission on a book, and probably one on an entertainment unit as well (two different people.) And also it looks like I will be working in another shop one or two days a week. You can check out the types of things they make at: www.cottagewoodworkers.ca
I think it will be really good experience, and also will help to still bring some money in when we are renovating our shop! All the local woodworkers here have been really great and supportive (kind of like Victoria that way!)
The market this week was a little better than last week, but all of the above has been happening because of people seeing us there, so we have definitely benefitted from going. The lady beside us also gave us some great tips on different shows to attend, and on where to buy the best local beef! Now all we need is a deep freeze.
Our garden is coming along really well - so far the only thing that I've killed is my little cucumber seedlings that I was so proud of! I'm going to try again, though, just direct seeding them into the ground. Whatever was eating my lettuce seems to have slowed down on the munching - Jai was out there squishing bugs with his fingers for a while two days ago. Yuck!
I just got confirmation that the loan people will pay for my attendance at the conference (one of the bonuses of the particular loan that I qualified for is that it comes with up to $2000 for training.) So now I am officially registered in the Studio Furniture Conference in Victoria from June 20-23. It will be a whirlwind of a trip, as I have a long list of things that I want to get done while I'm there!
Jai's work with the driving company is finally slowing down this week, so he is getting a little more time in the shop. The little tops that he makes have been our best seller so far at the market - kids come running from all directions. He says he feels like the store that puts the candy machine right at the cash register (aka Yo Video) so parents constantly have to buy them to get their kids to shut up. Whatever works, I say! Spinning tops are fun for the whole family!
I got some work done on the companion panel to the last bird panel. I've decided to put them into the doors of a pair of bedside tables.

And we sold our trusty trailer. We towed it out for the last time to the local auctioneers house, where I'm sure it will be put to good use. They have a gorgeous hobby farm with horses and cattle, and two geese who are best friends with one of the barn cats. They were so cute - they actually took turns grooming one another!

We lost a lot of privacy when we sold the trailer, though, as we have a neighbour across the street and two houses down who sits on his front porch drinking beer with his buddies at all hours of the day and night. Whenever we go out, he shouts at us to come over and have a beer. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, except that we would like to be able to enjoy our yard without having to refuse an invitation to come over, and then being watched. So on the way home from dropping off the trailer, we stopped at Canadian Tire and bought some cedar trees. They help a little already, and one day will give us a lot more privacy!

I bought some more flowers for the yard, too, as we mostly have vegetables and herbs right now. The lupins are coming out all along the highways now - it's so pretty! I got some pics, but I haven't had a chance to download them yet - I'll post them when I do.

Spring Sprang!

Hello Again! We have been so busy, the time has just been flying by! Mostly I have been working in the shop and the garden, and Jai has just been working. It will be nice when school is out, and his schedule is a little less hectic! Things are humming right along, though.
I finished the marquetry panel:

made up a portfolio of our work

and a couple other books. We didn't get a lot of business at the market, but I picked up a custom job that made up the difference, so that was good.

And we are really enjoying having a garden for the first time! I think we could do with a little less grass to mow, so the garden will probably get substantially larger in the next couple of years! For now, though, it's a nice manageable size.

Spring has really sprung here. It's totally different than what I'm used to from living in Victoria. I never really noticed a sharp difference in the seasons like this before. It seems like it went from being cold and bare to hot and flowering in an instant!
The lilacs are out everywhere!

It seems like almost every yard has at least one lilac bush, so you can't walk around anywhere in town without smelling it in the air.
And the lupins are on their way! I can't wait to see them!

To market, to market...

Hello Again! Well, it's been another eventful week in the lives of The Soloys!

Yesterday was our first market day. It went well! We sold some things to some people we knew. Hopefully next week we can sell to some people we don't know, too! Here's some pics of our awesome booth:


We were pretty far away from the main part of the market, but we were expecting that to happen. Hopefully it won't matter when the tourist season really hits. And here's a pic of our awesome tent when the sides are up:

Mostly I have been getting ready for the market, although last week I started on a marquetry panel to go in a "showpiece" piece of furniture (haven't totally decided what yet, although I have some ideas.) Here's a work in progress shot:

Jai, when he's not working, has really taken to rock climbing. Our friend Dereck built a climbing wall at the high school where he teaches, so we were all up there trying it out. Jai is a total natural, climbing all over the place and making all sorts of crazy moves. I'm not surprised at all. He's a big monkey!

Other events this week:
I got a giant load of topsoil delivered to the house. Yay! I'm going to have an awesome herb and tea garden. And I guess I'll grow some vegetables too.

Last night, while Jai was working, I went to a beach party for our friend Andre who turned 30 last night. It was a perfect summer day yesterday, and a perfect night to be on the beach. It was 29 degrees yesterday in Bridgetown, but the beach was a little cooler, and had a nice warm breeze. Here's a pic of Erin (Andre's wife) and their little one, Sophie.

And the sunset over the water:

News for You

A lot has happened in the last little while, and I have fallen behind on the updating! So...brief news update:

Jai got a job as Front of House Manager at the King's Theatre. It's a local theatre that shows movies a couple of times a week and also has live shows pretty regularly. If you're interested, you can check out their schedule at: www.kingstheatre.ca. He's really enjoying that so far, although it is keeping his schedule very busy! The driving job will slow down in the summer, when school is out, so it is good timing, just means a busy couple of weeks when everything is going full-bore.

I managed to get placed on the Self Employment program, which is like EI, but for starting your own business. So for the last two weeks, I have been working at Sleeping Forest Studios full-time (and then some!) I did up a business plan and applied for a loan, and we have just been approved on that. Hooray! It's a lot of money, and a lot of scary, but exciting at the same time.

We've been gearing up for the market, but didn't end up getting there this Saturday. I ordered a tent off of Ebay, and it was supposed to get here on Friday - right up until 8 p.m. the UPS guys were sure it would arrive on time, but of course it didn't. Saturday dawned rainy and grey, so no market for us. We did go down to check it out, but apparently only about a thrid of the vendors showed. It was still neat, I bought some beautiful basil, and I can tell it's going to be a really neat experience. Still, judging by the dismal turnout in the rain, we probably made more money off the refund on our shipping costs!

I had a lovely afternoon yesterday as I attended a new art gallery opening with my neighbour Rachel. It's a really nice gallery, put together by a local furniture-maker, a painter, and a metalworker. They had some nice stuff, actual art at actual art prices, which was encouraging to see.

We've been trying to make time to do a little work in the garden as well. I got some potatoes, garlic, and lettuce in the ground, but I'm worried about my poor little seeds, because we've had so much rain in the last week, my garden is a giant swamp. I also tried to start some stuff inside, but the only thing that seems to be all right is my cucumber plants. We're going to be eating a lot of cucumber this summer! I'd like to make pickles, but may not end up being that ambitious.


Also (quick plug) I have put a ton more stuff up on Etsy. It's been really neat being on there, we have sold things to people in New York, and one to a girl in Germany! Now we're international! Anyway, as always, we would love to hear your feedback on the stuff, the prices, the look of the pics, whatever! Check it out on the link at left!

Beaver Tales

Forsythias in bloom! They're so pretty!

Ok, so I maybe have an auction problem. I admit it. But there is no other way we could afford a chair like this one. I almost think the auction is more fun when you're on a really tight budget, because you have to be much more strategic. If there's more than one thing you want (and there always is!) you have to be really careful about what you bid on, and how high you bid, but if you're too careful and you save all your money for one item, that item could easily go way above what you can afford. It's fun.

We also went to Derek's 30th birthday party this weekend. It was super fun, we're really enjoying getting to know all our new neighbours. I just can't get over how totally friendly everyone is. I'm sure it's partly a small town thing, but I'm also sure that can't account for all of it! Oh well, we'll just count our blessings. Near the end of the party, everyone decided to go for a walk to the park. Our house is right beside, so we had twenty people or so tramping through our house, as most of them had never seen it. Talk about surprise guests! It was a little messy, so I'm hoping next time we have people in, we can impress them with how much it is improved! We need to post before and after shots in all the room, as all the really nasty ones have disappeared. It was fun walking around the neighbourhood in a big group like that, though, as we all felt comfortable peering in the windows of the empty houses! The house beside us has been empty for longer than we have owned our house, and I've never had the nerve to look into the windows. A man in town bought it and has been fixing it up (although he hasn't touched it since we moved in!) It's really nice inside, with huge beams in some ceilings, and beautiful tin in others.
Then we discovered the beavers! They are in the river at the mouth of our little creek. They've cut down several trees from the abandoned property, but I don't know where they are taking them, as there is no evidence of a dam. Still...whales in the fall, and beavers in the spring, it's like a nature sanctuary around here!

Speaking of which, our property has really been coming alive over the last week. Things are blooming, and little plants are springing up all over the place. It's so much fun to move a pile of brush and discover some plants.

Pearl told me these are peonies. They look like aliens right now!

And the blackberries are coming back!

And the garden's not the only one who has been busy - Jai and I have been busy producing things to sell in the Farmer's Market. It's been like a miniature toy factory around here! Jai's tops look beautiful in the big new bowl he turned, sitting on the new sidetable we bought at the auction.

I sat outside all afternoon, sanding pull toys. It was so hot and gorgeous today - 25 degrees. It was a beautiful summer day.

Riding Queen

It's Free Junk Month here in Nova Scotia! All month different towns and counties have a day where the citizens can put out 20 different items for pickup. Anything you want. Then people (like us) drive around and root through garbage piles picking up whatever they want/need. It's like a giant garbage swap. Above is a picture of my new bicycle! Jai got it for me today. It just needs a good cleaning, and some air in the tires, and then I will be a riding queen.
I rescued some dinosaurs from the junk we pulled out of the attic and set up a dinosaur park in our garden, too. As you can see, they are ferociously guarding my lilac implant.

Three cheers for junk!
Junk! Junk! Junk!

Red Tape Rant

Just a quick update for today. We've been working away making little treasures in the shop, and I just listed a whole bunch of new items in our Etsy store. Let us know what you think if you get a chance to check them out! (There is a link on the left side of the page.) It's always good to get feedback, so don't be shy! Are we asking too much? Too little? We're trying to do as much research as we can before the market begins on the May long weekend. This is a sample of one of the bookmarks I made today:

Phil came over this morning to go over what we plan to do with the addition on the shop. It will be an extra 180 sq/ft, so would be a HUGE difference. Phil and Jai in another shop built by Phil:

Now we just need to qualify for the loan, and then magically make our budget stretch to unforeseen dimensions. FYI everyone coming out this summer - be prepared to be put to work!
And I finally made a business card design that we're both totally happy with, but we have to wait to have them printed until after I've gotten on the Self-Employment Program, because the guy in charge said there is a chance we will have to change our name because we picked it out so long ago, and this is meant to be for brand new businesses only. Can you imagine!???! That's government for you. I'm hoping to find out tomorrow that it will all be ok, but then we still need to get approved by the Nova Scotia Joint Registry of Stocks. We know there is no one else out there with a similar name from a quick check on their database, but apparently they can be pretty picky. AHHHHH! Cross your fingers and toes for us!

Mrs. Claws Gets a Collar

Emma and I are enjoying sitting in the afternoon sun. I have a yoga class this afternoon so I have been busy getting ready for that. This morning I met with the fellow in charge of getting me onto the Self Employment Program. I really hope it works, it would be so helpful! We sat down and went through the business plan together, question by question. That was a huge help, as a lot of the questions don't pertain to my business as well as they would to someone opening, say, a convenience store, or a balloon factory.
We have been working on cleaning up and organizing the garden some more. We went to the beach yesterday and picked up some driftwood to lay around some of the beds. That was a little backbreaking, because it's not like the beaches in Victoria, where there is driftwood aplenty, and easy access to the beach from the road. BUT, in a couple of days, when our backs stop being sore, it will have been well worth it! Our daffodils are starting to bloom, and I put in our seed order from Vesey's yesterday.
In the shop, I have started a big run of simple cedar boxes, and Jai has been busy turning lots of little tops. They look really great, and it's so much fun to have a bowl of them sitting on the table!

The market is coming up pretty soon, and we have a lot to do to get ready for it. It's all the little things you don't think about that are so much work. On top of having enough stock to sell, we need bags and boxes and business cards and display racks and a shelter in case it rains and money, money, money. Yikes, and everything has to be shipped in, as there is obviously no place in town to get stuff like that, so it all needs to be planned in advance. We're getting there, though. Or, at least, we're making a list.
Yesterday I took time out to make some cookies. I tried for lemon sugar cookies, but the recipe called for lemon extract and we only had lemon juice. Not very lemony, but pretty tasty all the same. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, which is just delightful. I think it's because of the corn syrup?????
And the other thing that happened yesterday is that Emma got a little red collar. She has been driving us crazy with wanting to go outside. We've been opening the windows, and she just sits in them and meows. So far she's not a big fan of the collar, but there are so many cats in the neighbourhood that if she gets outside, we're not sure we'd be able to recognize her! It has a little bell so we can hear her coming, and I think she looks very pretty!