love affairs & a giveaway: with tanis alexis

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read on to see how you can WIN a tanis alexis laird $75 gift certificate! woohoo!

but first... it's my great pleasure to welcome the lovely + talented tanis alexis laird to the rikrak studio. one of the first artists i came to admire + have had the pleasure of getting-to-know thru etsy, tanis is an amazing leader, teacher + mentor in the handmade art world.  i've long been inspired by her wonderwoman-esque commitment to *making*, and things eco-forward. and perhaps best of all... she's a dear and thoughtful friend. doesn't get much better than that, does it!? it's a delight to have tanis join us in her new guest blogger series: love affairs. let's get to know her a bit better by starting off with some of her current loves!

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hello there,
and welcome to my little corner..it's really great to be here.
can I share something with you?

Often there are moments in my life when I become completely smitten by one particular thing or another.

In these moments, I create my own little love-world around this 'thing' and it lasts until I have maintained some degree of obsession with it;learning how it's made, or it's history so I may even further appreciate and love it.

Sometimes the love lasts a decade or more, other times my 'thing' love-affair is fufilled in a few weeks, to the extent that I am good with an amicable departure (sort of like a healthy break-up.)
perhaps we'll meet up again, somewhere down the road, and we'll share some feel-good nostalgia.
ah, those were good times.

Perhaps you can relate to this, you've had moments of love and obsession over a certain material object and it fueled some inspiration & some happiness in your world....that is, until the next thing comes around...;) 

so let me stop here and share with you, a few of my current happy love affairs with some great things.

please,
follow me...

brwoodland

sugar cane soda pop- Let me confess now that I am the owner of a sweet tooth!

Now, don't get me wrong, I try my hardest to tame my sweet tooth inclinations by eating as healthy as I can, keeping our family meals well-rounded and eating as much local farm fresh goodies when the chance arises, but, BUT!!! I still have a big weakness for the sugary goodness that comes at dessert time.

I am more conscious of the types of sugars I consume now, and know that the health factors associated with such "franken-foods" as fructose glucose corn syrups is scary. so when I do head for sweets, I check the ingredients for sweeteners that are more natural.

Molasses, honey and barley malts are all good choices, and because I do love a good refreshing beverage, there's cane sugar which is more natural than the other mass-produced options. Plus all the pretty colours in glass bottles, and super neat flavours like pineapple, strawberry or passion fruit! Look for some in your local market.

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graygoosie

painted enamelware dishes- Oh what's not to love about the fun colours and designs of painted enamelware? they're not only a great way to add a splash of fun colour to your table, but unbreakable! which for me is a bonus when feeding my sweet little girl who sometimes prefers her dinner on the floor rather than in her mouth! just remember that these beauties cannot go into the dishwasher and will have a happier & longer life if they're washed by hand and non-metalic utensils are used with them. They can be found at our local thrift shop, flea market or favourite vintage shop. Check out this flickr group called I Love Enamelware! 

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itsverilyvintage

vintage wooden toys- Wooden toys! Being a mama to an almost 1 year old girl, I get to have fun and play like a big kid too! Some of my fave finds and picks for my little one are wooden toys, which are non-toxic if she decides to give them a chew. What's better than that? Vintage wooden toys! SO many neat designs, games, colours and fun playthings for a little one. Be sure to keep painted toys away from little ones who still chew. So much fun, and so much variety out there.

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pancakejess

pupusas- a salvadorean dish that, to me, is oh so yummy. Handmade with masa harina (corn flour) and stuffed with such things like, cheese, beans, meat, or even a special type of flower vine (locarno), these yummy treats are hard to find here in Vancouver. There are restaurants that are famous for their pupusas, but since most stick to the tradition of making them to order, expect a line-up and a wait for them, but oh boy! to me, it's so worth the wait. There is even a National Pupusa Day in El Salvador on Novermber 13th! Yay! let's all go!!
Traditionally served with hot sauce and pickled coleslaw they are one of my fave yummy treats. If you are brave, and ready for a bit of mess, try making them at home. here's a recipe: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Pupusa

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originauxmoose

watercolours- Since becoming a mama, my first creative love of wet-felting has had to take a bit of a back burner. Not only does it take up heaps of space we don't have, but it takes a big lot of time, and not the sort of project you can just roll up and put away when the baby wakes up from her nap. I plan on so much more wet felting in the near future though, but in the meantime, I had to satisfy my creative urges somehow. and that is when I re-discovered watercolours! I can paint little paintings and they are dry in time to put away or to run off and rescue my daughter from her latest escapade of getting caught under some furniture or stuck in a cupboard. lol! I know I can leave the painting I've done without worrying, when I get a chance I can pick it back up, re-wet my brush and continue the flow. The other great part is that watercolour paints are fantastic for travel! And once my wee lady is grown enough not to eat the paints, we can paint together. Hip, hip hooray!!

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bioproduct

avocados- This is my wee lady's vote. One of my all-time favourite fruits, and loaded with good nutrition. I was that kid in High School who would show up with an avocado, a packet of salt, half a lemon and a portuguese bun for lunch. At the time, people thought I was strange, but it's still my favourite thing to eat. Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that can help to lower cholesterol. They have loads of potassium and over 20 other vitamins and minerals including a good dose of Vitamin K, potassium, B6, folate, Vitamin C and carotenoid lutein, which helps to maintain healthy eyes. So grab yourself an avocado for yourself and your sweet babe, mash it up with some sea salt and lemon or lime juice and enjoy! they would pair nicely with a plate of pupusas wouldn't they?

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vintagegoodness

vintage ceramic deer- what can I say? I have a weakness for vintage & a weakness for deer imagery, put the two together and you have the beginning of a new collection being built. I like to tell myself I am collecting them for my daughters room, but really, who am I kidding?

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terradctl

tillandsias (air plants)- these gorgeous plants have had quite a spotlight on the internet and in style magazines and for good reason! you can plant airplants just about anywhere, which gives so many fun options for decorating. they're so tropical and exotic looking with so many varieties available, plus!! my favourite part? they're fabulously EASY to care for! oh yes!!

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scottroberts

farmers markets - we're coming to the end of summertime and that means harvest season is upon us. delicious, local produce grown by farmers can be some of the most satisfying eats I know of. I don't have the space this year to do too much canning or preserving but if you do, please try! you'll be thankful for those tasty treats when it's the dead of winter and all the local grocery store can offer is tomatoes that taste like cardboard. nothing compared to a freshly grown peach, tomato, or squash. please enjoy this bounty while we can. plus supporting local farmers means they can grow more veggies and fruits for all to enjoy, and isn't that a beautiful thing?

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jroldenette

wild weedsnot for the faint hearted and certainly not for someone with an untrained eye, but with practice and some good knowledge under your belt you can successfully find wholesome plants that grow in the wild for your belly. Not only is this a fun thing to do with your family, but it's also a superb addition to the diet (not to mention the fresh air and excercise you can get while foraging outdoors!) A lot of foraged weeds and plants that we so often ignore (or worse! pull out of our veggie gardens!) actually contain more nutrients than their store-bought counterparts. it's incredible how much Mother Nature offers us if we just look in the right places. Check out Wildman Steve Brill out on the East Coast for his excellent take on foraging for edibles. http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

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about tanis: Raised and educated in creative environments, Tanis Alexis Laird is an inspirational artist, teacher and collaborator.  Finding no interesting distinction between "art" and "craft," she embraces the term "artisan" - meaning a person who is vested in the creative realm. Tanis’ work has been shown locally in Vancouver, Canada and has been sold to patrons throughout the U.S, Europe and Asia. 

wonderful, thanks so much dear tanis!

be sure to visit tanis around the web for lots of gorgeous eco-friendly art!

tanis alexis laird

etsy  |  blog  |  twitter  |  flickr

and now... 

one lucky LUCKY rikrak studio reader will 

::::::win an amazing $75 shopping spree :::::: 

in the tanis alexis laird shop! 

 

1. visit the lovely tanis alexis laird shop.

...  tell us about your favourite goodie & why you love it!

=   1 entry

2.  follow/subscribe to tanis' blog

... & tell us.

=   1 entry

3. follow BOTH tanis (she's http://twitter.com/tanisalexis ) & the rikrak shop (that's me! twitter.com/therikrakshop)  on twitter

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

4.  follow or subscribe to the rikrak studio blog

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

5. tweet on twitter

... about this giveaway and come back here and tell us! be sure to include @therikrakshop so i can find you! 

= 1 entry

6. tell us about something fun you're having a love affair with today!

= 1 entry

7. blog about this giveaway

... come back and tell us.

= 1 entry

8. friend tanis on facebook
... come back and tell us.
= 1 entry

9. grab one of my NEW rikrak studio buttons,
like this one from the left hand sidebar, for YOUR BLOG!

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above  onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

10. :: PLEASE NOTE: 

each entry must be it's own comment.

thanks! ::

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:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have a maximum of 9 entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of the tanis alexis giveaway will be chosen on friday september 24th @ 11pm EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.
 

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