summer

photo credit / source: unknown (please comment if you know where this is from)

Summer has finally arrived and with it, brings change. Two blogs (lotus + got craft), plus my feature on Granville Online, Facebook and Twitter (@lotusevents), can take up a lot of one's time. So to streamline things, I have been going back and forth deciding to whether or not whip this one into shape or just to move the two blogs into one.

Not to mention that Robert reminded me the other day that I only have 4 mere months before the holiday craft fairs start up and I just received a rather large wholesale order that I need to start making.

With weddings in full force, blogging, summer events and making, this picture represents the hundreds of different ideas and items on our to do list that are escaping. Not necessarily out of control, but we are working hard to rein them in and grow each thought before they fly away and disappear.

So yes, I will be taking a short hiatus while I gather my thoughts and will return when I have something to say.

things to do :: swap-o-rama-rama

Swap-O-Rama-Rama Vancouver is back!

Date: Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver

Admission: $6.00 at the door or $5.00 in advance via Paypal on the website plus a bag of clean clothes and / or a bag of craft supplies to swap.

Leave with all the clothes and supplies that you can carry!

All remainders will be donated to a local charity.

What is Swap-O-Rama-Rama?

Swap-O-Rama-Rama is a clothing and craft supply swap in which a community explores reuse and creativity through the recycling of used clothing.

What do we do at Swap-O-Rama-Rama?
The core of the swap is the gigantic pile of free clothing and craft supplies sorted into categories such as pants, skirts, shirts, fabric, notions, etc. These piles are the collective total of each guest’s contribution of any size bag of unwanted clothes, so start cleaning your closets!

A series of DIY stations will be on-hand to unleash your creativity through the recycling of used clothing including screen printing by Blim and sewing stations by Plush On Main.

Check out the Swap-O-Rama-Rama website for full details, ticket information and what to / what not to bring.

Licensed under Creative Commons: visit www.swaporamarama.org

Etsy Finds Friday

Etsy Finds Friday is a speckle of random things that have caught my eye on etsy.com. Great ideas and lots of inspiration for your upcoming wedding or to add a little handmade love to your life.

photo credit go to the respective shops listed below

(From left to right)
Top: An Original Jewelry, KC Soaps & More, Ouma Clothing

Middle: Ouma Clothing, Package in Style, Bethany Lorelle

Bottom: Package in Style, Post, UNA Shop

wedding :: lisa + jon

We met Lisa and Jon through this couple and eventhough they were working and going to school in Florida for the entire wedding planning process, we had such a fantastic time. I came to the conclusion last night that weddings were sort of like break ups between the wedding couple and the coordinator. We spend all this time emailing back and forth and having coffee dates then the big day comes and although you remain friends, it's never the same.



A big thank you and congratulations to the new couple! You two were absolutely gorgeous and we wish you all the best in your new journeys.


Sakura Photography was on-hand to capture the entire wedding day, but thought it would be fine to take a few snapshots using the polarize application on the iphone.




Lisa and Jon had one of the most beautiful chuppah's I have ever seen. It was locally handmade and includes images of places that hold significant moments in their lives including Vancouver, Miami, Mexico, Guatemala and Israel.

i'm the baker

I'm the baker and Robert is the cook in the family. Lately, he has been very interested in making his own dairy and pasta. We haven't tracked down a good pasta maker at the local thrift store yet, but I will share with you his recent adventures in making his own yogurt.

Homemade yogurt means cutting out extra sugar and artificial additives. Check out our blog post over on Granville Online to see how easy it is to create your own yogurt as well as options to make it vegan friendly.

Did you know that Robert and I contribute to a DIY Vancouver blog on Granville Online? Check it out here.

Etsy Finds Friday

Etsy Finds Friday is a speckle of random things that have caught my eye on etsy.com. Great ideas and lots of inspiration for your upcoming wedding or to add a little handmade love to your life.

photo credit go to the respective shops listed below

(From left to right)
Top: Tied Up Memories, Beth Cyr Weddings, Blues and Branches

Middle: Tree & Kimball, Bliss in a Teacup, Maisy and Alice

Bottom: Maisy and Alice, Super Studio, SR design

... and then there is Cleo ...

Beginning in 2002, the UK launched a scheme where pet owners could avoid a 6 month quarantine for cats and dogs. We did a bit of research and found a vet at Cats Only that has gone through the process before. This hopefully will make it a lot smoother for us.

The company that her original microchip is from is no longer in business and does not meet ISO standards for microchips. So Cleo has her first appointment at the Vet tomorrow to have a new microchip embedded. Afterwards, Cleo will need a rabies shot and a blood test a few weeks later to make sure that she has the required amount of the rabies vaccine in her blood. She wil then be required to complete a Veterinary Certificate which is a document that shows her microchip number, the rabies vaccine and blood test information and confirms that she has met all of the requirements to travel. It's not over yet. 24 to 48 hours prior to the date we leave, she has to go back to the Vet for a tick and tape worm treatment. Poor kitty!

Currently, the only airline that allows cats to travel in the cabin with the owner is Air Canada and you must fly into the Heathrow airport. There has been some discussion amongst people about a possible human rights tribunal put forth by people who are allergic to cats. They feel that their human rights have been violated by allowing cats in the cabin. This is still up for discussion. Fingers crossed that our little 'muk muk' can travel in the cabin with us.

here we go ...

illustration credit: Blanca Gomez

Although we have no official date set, our big move is planned for February 2011. Yup. Scary and exciting... scary and exciting.. scary and exciting...

As part of our Ancestry Visa application, we needed to obtain copies of marriage certificates from Robert's grandparents (Father's side), parents and for the both of us. Of course, when we got married six years ago, we noticed an error on our marriage license and never did anything about it. My birth date that was printed on the certificate had the wrong year. Oops! So, we figured that before we got denied somewhere along the process, to get it fixed. Apparently, if it is their error (which it was), they will issue you a new one at no cost. Score!

In addition to the marriage license, we also had to apply for copies of the birth certificates for Robert's grandfather, father and himself. Holy paperwork Batman! Now having all that sorted out, we wait to file our Visa application in October which is three months from our departure date.

The ball has started rolling ....

portland -> vancouver

We returned home late yesterday afternoon. Portland, as usual, was fantastic. I love that City and can't wait to get back there. Thinking we need to find a nice vacation rental and stay for a week or so.


Croissants from Grand Central rival those from France. I pinky swear. I can't find one in Vancouver that even comes close! Flaky on the outside and soft in the inside with a side of Stumptown coffee.


Knittn Kitten is a craft instutition in Portland. It's a thrift store, so stock is constantly changing.


Some random dolphin love found on Mississippi Avenue.


Thanks to Twitter, we had the opportunity to meet TinyMeat (last December) and Robyn (this recent trip) which are two of the sweetest people ever! You can check out TinyMeat's Etsy store here or if you are in Portland, you can check out my goods (Roxypop) over at his shop!

vancouver -> portland

photo credit: geishaboy500

My bags are packed and we are heading to Portland for a mini break. In the meantime, visit the Got Craft blog for some crafty news. See you all next week!