The strike is over!

Thank goodness the strike is over. I was seriously thinking of getting one of these snazzy little chairs as a mode of transportation...


This is my favorite shot. I call it, "Camouflage" or "Incognito".


What a beautiful holder!!! Perfect for Moleskines and pens and such!



'The Bookinist' is part of the Sitzmöbel collection by Nils Holger Moorman. The Bookinist is a portable chair that comes with all of the bells and whistles to make your reading experience more enjoyable (and if affixed with the proper motor, could make a very interesting ride). Giddyup, mein Freund.

(www.moormann.de/moebel/sitzmoebel/bookinist).

It's on

'A hopeful transit user waits for the Queen streetcar at 12:01 am, April 26, 2008'. (Courtesy Tony Bok/Toronto Star)

Lastnight, J& I were were surprised to discover that there would be a TTC strike in the morning. It seemed to come out of nowhere since the last strike vote had been averted, recently. The TTC is really powerful and they know it. Without them, the city would be paralyzed.

[Sorry this is so short but I have to run and make a survival pack right now. Later.]

Happy Earth Day!

[Photo courtesy of www.recovergirl.wordpress.com]

Carry a survival pack

A strike deadline has been set for Sunday afternoon at 4pm. If a deal has not been reached by that time, TTC workers will be told to stay home. (Yes, a dreaded strike). It is estimated that 1.5 million people rely on the TTC every day (including, yours truly). I know from previous experience, even when a subway line has been disrupted for just a few hours, it gets pretty crazy. I can just imagine how insane it will be on Monday if the deal doesn't go through.

In the meantime, I received an email with the following contents:

Transit Strike Travel Tips for Commuters
Below are a few tips to help individuals and families manage day-to-day activities and routines, during a disruption in transit service:

Have a family meeting. Identify what activities must be completed and make plans to postpone non-urgent activities that can wait. Make sure everyone understands the changes that are taking place and the new schedule. Post the new day-to-day activities on a calendar and place it in an open area where everyone can easily refer to it.

Have back up plans in place. Negotiate a back up plan in the event that you are delayed arriving to, or from, a particular daily activity. For example, ask a friend or family member to be ‘on call’ in the event that you are delayed picking up the children after school or daycare. Having these extra resources available will help ensure routines are disrupted as little as possible, and keep anxiety and stress levels at a minimum for you and your family.

Cook meals ahead of time. Prepare meals in advance as much as possible. You can pre-make complete meals or just main dishes. Having these readily available for you and your family will help reduce stress during mealtime preparation and keep daily routines on track. You can also plan quick and easy, but nutritious, snacks that are easily accessible to family members of all ages.

Allow for extra time. Start your morning routines earlier and allow for extra travel time home. This will help avoid feelings of being ‘rushed’ and keep stress levels at a minimum for you and your family.

Create a travel action plan. How can you get to work if you use the TTC presently? Are friends, co–workers, or family members able to support your commute? Reach out and talk to individuals who may be able to help. And, if possible, consider this an opportunity to improve your fitness routine, through walking, or reconnect with family and friends during a shared car drive home.

Plan for the walk. Wear sensible shoes: good walking shoes will make the commute much more pleasant and blister free! Travel light by avoiding heavy bags that can strain your neck or shoulders. But remember to carry an umbrella, rainwear or extra light clothing to accommodate changes in weather. You can also make the trip more interesting by choosing scenic routes to travel.

Plan for the drive. If you are driving to and from work, recognize that traffic will be challenging. Listening to local news stations that provide up-to-the minute traffic reports will help you plan your route better and prevent any last-minute traffic delays. As well, check out parking options before you drive: some streets may be designated as ‘no parking zones’ to accommodate the strike. Most of all remember to keep your cool while driving: Traffic delays can be a stressful experience for both you and your fellow commuters.

Plan for the cycle. To enjoy a safe ride to and from work, remember to follow the traffic signs and flow of the traffic. Appropriate lights and reflectors will also ensure that you’re as visible as possible to other commuters. If you are commuting with a group, keep your bicycles in a single file. You may also want to scope out bicycle paths that are available in your community to avoid heavy traffic.

Carry a survival pack. Whether you are walking or driving, there are various things you can do to keep the commute as pleasant as possible for everyone. Calming music, extra bottled water or juice, and nutritious snacks, can help nourish and relax the body and mind.

[I am definitely going to carry a survival pack]

I called my husband to book an Autoshare vehicle for Monday morning...just in case.

Can you please pass the...tortoise?

I came across a crazy article the other day that was published on February 25th, 2008 for the Daily Mail. Apparently, there is a woman (Shirley Neely) who runs a Jersey-based tortoise sanctuary in the UK. Her tortoises hibernate for three months (December - March) and require a steady temperature between 3 - 8 degrees. Fridges were set up for the tortoises because of the particularly mild weather that was being experienced.

'The 75 tortoises were given three weeks without food, allowed to complete their toilet needs (tortoises must empty their digestive system before hibernating), then bathed, weighed, wrapped and put to bed - with the odd bottle-of wine or jar of mayonnaise for company. '

If you're wondering if there is any confusion with regards to people going into the wrong fridge, it does happen. Recently, a guest was shocked to find the hibernating tortoises when asked to fetch a bottle of wine. Neely claims that she occasionally keeps a bottle in the fridge to regulate the temperature within.

Last month, Neely began waking the tortoises out of their slumber. Below, a photograph captures the reunion of Neely and one of her borders.

Lastnight, J & I went to the Rue Morgue screening of L'interieur - a French horror flick that has been described as a 'mini maniacal masterpiece' by Scott Weinberg (a reviewer for the TIFF premiere of the film).

First of all, the event itself was quite a show. Before the movie began, there was a performance which reminded me of a traveling circus side-show. One man was screaming out into the audience while another was hovering around a large gong. In between them stood an actor playing a young pregnant girl. I won't go into too much detail about what happened next but suffice it to say, the scene involved a large bowl and some gross red gooey stuff. There were also prizes given away to those who answered movie trivia questions (of course, the film nerds annihilated us regular movie-going folk).

L'interieur is a disturbing film and definitely, not for the weak of heart (or those with strong gag reflexes). The gore was over-the-top and he bloodletting would make a phlebotomist proud. It was an intense, 85 minute rollercoaster ride which had me clinging to J and covering my face, simultaneously. While I know very little about cinematography, the film 'looks' really great. The scenes are quite dense - each shot dimly-lit, with shadows and haze that seem to make it ever more forebooding. Props to Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury who are first time directors. (Alexandre is also the writer of the screenplay.) Beatrice Dalle and Alysson Paradis are the amazing lead actresses. My favorite part about the movie was its score. It was both industrial and beautiful. I especially loved the static-like effects. François Eudes is the composer of the score and has worked on films such as Haute Tension, Qui a tué Bambi? and the Hills Have Eyes.

If you love gore and horror flicks, then this is a must-see. However, if you are squeamish, have a photographic memory and are prone to nightmares, I don't recommend it.

[Case in point - I dreamt that J kept showing me a dead rat in a bucket last night and I was constantly running away]

Sketchbook series

I stumbled upon the above blog (www.book-by-its-cover.com) and wanted to share it with everyone. It's such a wonderful place to find inspiration, as well as provide insight into the amazing artists who are behind all of the beautiful imagery. Thanks so much, Julia Rothman, for creating this source of inspiration!

The sketchbook series is my favorite. Here is a preview:




[Each profile includes a short Q&A and a sneak peak at the artist's lovely illustrations!]

This is dedicated to someone special (you know who you are!).

Gee, something else to purchase in Japan...

This article appeared online at CNN.com/asia this morning:

Japan's 'geisha guys' the latest accessory

By Kyung Lah
CNN

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- At first glance, the man and woman at the nightclub look like any other couple on a date. He flirts and pours champagne. She looks at him and laughs.

This isn't a date, though. It's business.

The woman, a successful executive, has joined a growing number of professional women in Japan in forking out from $1,000 to $50,000 a night for male companionship.

They meet their "hosts" in hundreds of clubs that have sprung up around Tokyo - the industry says only compliments are exchanged. The women pay for a man to lavish them with undivided attention.

"There's nothing wrong with a woman paying to be entertained by a man," one female client says. "It's just another step in equality."

It's a dizzying reversal of traditional gender roles in a country long known for geishas pampering male clients with conversation, singing and dancing. Now a new breed of entertainer has cropped up -- think of them as male geishas.

"I give women things that men normally don't do, like complimenting their appearance," says one host, 24-year-old Yunosuke, who only goes by his single host name. "I make women happy."

And they make him happy: Yunosuke says he earned more than $200,000 last year, enough to let him visit a salon once a day to have his hair dyed and blow-dried.

"Women see us as one of their accessories," he says. "They like to wear nice things, so I try to look prettier for them all the time."

What drives the business boom is an increase in the earning power of Japanese women, according to Air Group, a company that owns a chain of "host" clubs.

"Japanese women are now working hard and making more money," says Yuko Takeyama, a woman in her early 30s who manages Air Group. "They see this as a way to de-stress."

Women love being treated well without the pressures that come with dating, she says.

Yunosuke's customer from the nightclub agrees.

"This is a gift for myself," she says. "It's the same as spending money on a trip or buying something."


Businesswomen in Japan pay up to $50,000 a night for male companionship from "hosts" like Yunosuke.

[My only question is: Do you have to pay extra for that coy-pouty look that Yunosuke is sporting?]

Junior?

This article appeared online for The Toronto Star:

Pregnant man tells Oprah about 'miracle'
Wife used donor sperm to inseminate husband, who was born female

Apr 04, 2008 04:30 AM
Michael Conlon
Reuters News Agency

CHICAGO–A transgendered man who is six months pregnant said in an interview aired by Oprah Winfrey yesterday he always wanted to have a child and considers it a miracle.

"It's not a male or female desire to have a child. It's a human desire," a thinly bearded Thomas Beatie said. "I have a very stable male identity," he added, saying that pregnancy neither defines him nor makes him feel feminine.

Beatie, 34, who lives in Oregon, was born a woman but decided to become a man 10 years ago. He began taking testosterone treatments and had breast surgery to remove glands and flatten his chest.

"I opted not to do anything with my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day," he told the talk show host.

Beatie's wife Nancy said she inseminated him with a syringe using sperm purchased from a bank.

Now, he said, his size 32 jeans are a bit tight and his shirts are stretched.

Nancy, to whom he has been married for five years and who has two grown daughters by a previous marriage, also appeared on the show, saying the couple's roles will not change once the baby is born.

"He's going to be the father and I'm going to be the mother," she said. Their marriage is legal and he is recognized under state law as a man.

The couple was shown on video provided by People magazine, which collaborated with Winfrey on the show.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe she's inside me," Beatie said while having an ultrasound that was filmed. "We see her as our little miracle."

Beatie stopped taking testosterone two years ago and his levels of the hormone are normal, said his obstetrician, Dr. Kimberly James.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar once gave a stunning performance in a movie very reminiscent of the story above. Perhaps, you'll remember his poignant performance in the following:

Vegan Rice Krispie squares

As I was heading out for lunch, a co-worker told me about a fundraiser that was happening in the next building - $1 for a box of cereal! (Sweet!)

Three boxes later... I began googling for vegan Rice Krispie recipes and found the following:

1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter (can omit if you want)
7 cups Rice Krispies

Combine brown sugar and corn syrup in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, and mix almost starts to boil. Stir frequently. Remove from heat, stir in PB and mix well. Stir in cereal, mixing until evenly coated. Press evenly and firmly into greased 13x9 pan. Let cool, then cut into squares.

(Courtesy of Tigerlily at Veganforum.com)

I'm excited to give this a try! Now, I won't have to exclude my husband and/or sister-in-law from the Rice Krispie square gluttony that may ensue. (I'll let you know how it fares on the delicious scale in a following post!)

7:04 p.m.

...and it's still bright out. Helllloooo Springtime!

P.S. Does anyone know how to change the time on here?

The countdown begins!

We leave for Japan in 99 days. I cannot wait!



Wow, is this really Osaka? It looks like the setting of some futuristic world!

Sometimes, this is how I feel...

San Zhi

I am definitely going to mark this as one of the places I need to see before I die. San Zhi is an abandoned housing complex located just outside of Taipei, Taiwan. It's rumored that several fatal accidents occurred during construction which caused the development company, as well as the locals, to believe the site was haunted. Another speculation was that the developer simply ran out of money and halted all construction. The pods were built in the 1980s and were targeted as a holiday location for the rich of Taipei, however, there is very little conclusive information about San Zhi.

The Flickr site below provides some stunning shots of the complex along with a little blurb about it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yusheng/sets/72157594518737058

Happy Easter - wherever you are!

Creativity

While J was away on business in January, I tried to think of interesting and fun things that the little person and I could do together when I stumbled upon private knitting instruction through the Toronto Craft Alert site. Little did I know what a treasure I had found! The instruction went very well (unlike my ability to catch on to knitting!) and we discovered that K taught other classes such as felting, crocheting, watercolor painting and needlecrafts (to name a few).

Since then, my husband and I have taken the little person to see this wonderful artist every Saturday morning. It is really amazing is to see what the little person creates and be witness to her exploration of creativity. K is such a talented and lovely person, as is her husband. We feel so fortunate to have met them and find it such a treat be in their presence.

Ah, the Norwegians sure know how to celebrate!

Tonight, the little one had some challenging questions about Easter such as:

- Why is it an Easter bunny and not an Easter bird? (After all, bunnies don't lay eggs, right?)
- How did Easter start?
- Does the Easter bunny only give presents to children?

Of course, you're going to have to look up the answers yourselves but I wanted to share an interesting finding with you about traditions in my favorite country, Norway.

In Norway, in addition to cross-country skiing in the mountains and painting eggs for decorating, a contemporary tradition is to solve murder mysteries at Easter. All the major television channels show crime and detective stories (such as Agatha Christie's Poirot), magazines print stories where the readers can try to figure out who did it, and many new books are published. Even the milk cartons change to have murder stories on their sides. Another tradition is Yahtzee games.

(Courtesy Wikipedia)

It's hot in here

We stayed up until 4 am yesterday watching Hell's Kitchen. (Gee, I hope it isn't sacrilegious to admit that today...) We just couldn't break away from the profanity and torture. This show is not for the weak of heart - the humiliation the hopefuls endure is an ego-crushing boot camp designed to annihilate a person's spirit, psyche and any semblance of passion they may have had coming into the show. Tempers flare, tears flow, cat-fights ensure, dreams are shattered, people smoke incessantly and food gets spit on, yet...it's wildly entertaining.

Gordon Ramsay is a celebrated chef, author and successful restauranteur, as well as the most vicious and degrading man to grace the scene. His style is harsh and one may wonder if the contestants aren't somewhat masochistic to put themselves through it all but I suppose the idea of heading up a brand new five-star restaurant with a guaranteed six figure income is quite an incentive for some. Oh yes, not to mention the satisfaction of proving to the viewers (and perhaps, their families and themselves) that they're worthy of it all has some obvious appeal as witnessed through hard work of the participants.

Of course, not all people are cut out for that kind of pressure. In the very first episode, Aaron, the 48 year-old retirement home cook, loses it even before they are given their first assignment. He's blubbering like the man-child that he is in the first episode, right up until Chef Ramsay calls him at the hospital and kicks him off the show for good. (Did I mention that he faints in that particular episode?) Anyway, he was beginning to annoy me with his total incompetence, extreme insecurity, profuse sweating and his childlike persona. (Gosh, that was heartless, wasn't it??)


[Giddy up]

Anyway, if you're looking for something fun to watch in reality television programming, I highly recommend it.

Garage sale at work!

Today was 'Clean Up Day' at work, followed by goodies and a GARAGE SALE! (Sweet!) As I've mentioned in previous posts, I live strongly by the motto, One person's trash is another person's treasure (much to the chagrin of my husband!). This garage sale was special, though, in that most of the 'trash' happened to be brand new promotional items from sponsors of our organization. I did very well and spent practically nothing (well, less than $8) and came away with some really awesome treats. For starters, I purchased three fishing rods for my posse at home since the little person has mentioned many times how she'd like to go fishing some day. I think this would be a great little adventure for us this summer and now, we've got some sporty pink rods to use! In addition to this, I got a ball cap for the little one to use whilst baiting hooks that says, 'Fisher Girl'. Ohhhh... ("It's all the rage", I was told!)

Unfortunately, I missed out on a Twinkie costume. Boo. I thought it was some kind of tacky yellow blanket or tablecloth. (Sigh).

In any case, I'm discovering that this place has a really strong social committee and the atmosphere appears to be quite congenial. Yesterday, the social committee went around and gave everyone a basket of goodies. We even had a little Easter celebration in the boardroom complete with fancy cupcakes, chocolate and gummies! There was also a very heated game of 'pin the tail on the bunny'. A representative from each department had to wear a bunny eye-mask, spin around and throw a jelly which they hoped would land in the vicinity of the tail. (Side note: Poor bunny was humiliated as his naughty bits seemed to get the most attention!) Winners? Why, our department, of course! Yay! We get a month of sponsored treats (one per week!).

It was great to see such a positive turn-out for both events. Already, this place is a million times better than the art college I was working at. The people are friendly, smile a lot and appear to enjoy working here. Plus, there seems to be incentive for upward mobility which certainly never hurt (in light of all my doomsday drudgery and boohoo-ing about finding fulfilling work). If I have to be in this particular kind of work, it may as well be here. (Coincidentally, this is what one might call a 'pink ghetto' job. For those of you who know where I'm employed, you'll understand what I mean!).

Imbibing on the green

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone (especially to MGDC - xo)!
"Erin go bragh!" or "Pogue mahone!", as an old friend used to say!

What a creepy looking character (he kind of reminds me of Charlie McCarthy meets Planet of the Apes).


I don't know what to make of this one...


Or this one...

Red Letter Day(s)

Last week, I was in postal heaven! I received so many wonderful letters and treats in the mail that left me ohhhing and ahhhing. Our new neighbors even asked if it was my birthday because of all of the packages that were delivered one day.

Among the packages that arrived were two envelopes filled with vintage goodness. They were part of an ephemera swap that I had joined through Swap-Bot. There were vintage photographs and papers, old advertisements and ticket stubs, postcards and other miscellany. I don't know what it is about ephemera that I love so much but I think it's a combination of nostalgia and inspiration. I try to imagine what was going on in the pictures, how people related to each other and what stories they would share. I especially love looking at old advertisements as they are indicative of the gender roles and division of labour that existed during the time they were being circulated. Of course, I also love the beautiful artwork and the rich styles of clothing that accompany them. Another aspect of ephemera that I love is its tactile nature - touching the weathered pages of a book, feeling the typeset or letterpressed print on the pages, holding the tattered black and white photographs, feeling the superb craftmanship of a book spine or photo album - it's all very pleasing to me.

And what do I do with all this stuff? I often make little goodie packages for my friends who share a love for ephemera or I slip in bits of paper into envelopes of letters that I've written. Sometimes, I'll use the pieces to make cards, adorn packages or paste them into my journal. I consider them to be little treasures and often search for them wherever I go.

One of my favorite blogs is http://ephemera.typepad.com/ by Marty Weil, a freelance writer and ephemera researcher. It's a wonderful read for ephemera-enthusiasts or anyone who is feeling nostalgic.

Beware the Ides of March

I can't believe that three months have already passed since the beginning of the New Year! Where has the time gone? What have I done? Where have I been?

These past three months saw the beginning of a New Year and marked the end of one that was just amazing (the highlights of which were traveling, getting engaged and tying the knot). I've experienced the usual ups-and-downs that accompany the February blahs but have also gone through a range of emotions regarding finding out my 'identity' and my place in life. There have also been the slew of interviews I've been on, the starting-and-stopping of jobs, the removal of a tooth, several snowstorms, another birthday (sigh), meeting new people and watching the snow melt (sort of). The highlights, thus far, have been celebrating the videos that my husband directed, watching my little person learn and grow through her lessons with an artist and meeting a kindred spirit through an unlikely place of work. Oh yes, and then there are the tickets to Japan that were just purchased... now, THAT, is definitely exciting!

In finding my place in this life, I've struggled with what I'm supposed to 'do' (career-wise). People say that what you do for a living shouldn't define who you are but on some level, I believe that it does. To me, what a person does for a living does represent some extension of that person. For some, it signifies what that person is interested in and in some cases, what they're passionate about. It may indicate that what they are doing or where they are working is considered worthy of the eight hours (or more) spent each day. It may also provide clues to what that individual sees as important outside of work (ie how they choose to live) by the amount of money they are being compensated. Or... it may signify nothing.

If a job gives you no sense of accomplishment or pride, or is simply a means to an end, then how can it provide some insight as to who you are or what you value (including one's self)?

I wish that what I did for eight hours a day represented the me that I see as creative, passionate, happy, alive, proud and not embarrassed, sad, and unfulfilled. Often times, I ask myself what exactly it is that I think I should be doing or what I see myself doing. I've researched so many different vocations and have even taken courses towards them but without much luck. It always seems that I'm on the cusp of finding which path I should take but then find myself on some other tangent. Practicality has often dictated what kind of jobs I've ended up with. Inevitably, due to financial reasons and the need to secure a position with benefits, I end up in the same sort of job lamenting about the same ennui. It's really quite a vicious cycle.

I keep hoping for some kind of epiphany to happen or that "a-ha!" moment that you hear so much about. I am even in the process of meeting with a Life/Career Coach to sort myself out, though, I am finding that much of what we've talked about are things that I have already processed through my own self-discovery. (Still, it can't hurt, can it?).

I guess I'm afraid of being one of those people who never realizes their dream or fails to use those talents that are bestowed upon them and finds themselves at age x having spent a large part of their working life being unfulfilled or wasting time. I hope this incubation period ends soon so that I can finally do what I'm 'supposed' to.

On a more positive note, I'm happy to report that the other aspects of my life are quite satisfying and fulfilling. I'm with a partner who supports & loves me, makes me laugh, cooks (particularly important for those of us who are resistant to it!), takes great care of my little person & I, is passionate about life, shares the same values & hopes for the future as I and who is also my best friend. Similarly, I get to spend my days with an amazing little (medium-sized?) person who is healthy, creative, intelligent, kind, a little precocious, incredibly humorous and continues to teach me about love, life and more importantly, myself. I am always grateful for what I have and the fact that I still have the desire to expect more out of myself and the initiative to do so.

Can you think of anything more permanently elating than to know that you are on the right road at last?
(Vernon Howard)

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

You're my best friend. I love you. xoxoxo

Warm wishes to everyone this holiday season...

For those of you that are celebrating today, Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones (near, far and in your hearts). xo

Q: What do you call a cow with no legs?

A: Ground beef.

This is dedicated to all of the favorite aunts out there from your respective fan club, cohort and cult following.

Thank you so much for all that you do!!! xo

[Joke courtesy of tonight's dinner guest]

A community for people who have a passion for the postal system

Sweet.

I keep hearing about Postal Pop. Time to investigate.

OCAD Book Arts Fair

Every year in December, book artists, printmakers, papermakers, and private press printers gather at OCAD to show their work and demonstrate their skills in OCAD's Central Hall and Printmaking studios. The university community and general public are welcome to come and watch artists at work making paper, printing from litho stones, screen printing, hand typesetting, book binding, wood engraving, etching and much more. Many items are available for sale, providing unique ideas for holiday gift giving. Admission is pay-what-you-can.

I took the little person with me and we had a wonderful time. We visited each and every table to admire the beautiful craftmanship and even purchased a few little items. We were fortunate enough to be treated to our own private little demo of a lithograph being printed in the Printmaking studio. It was a great experience for us both!

[I think in another life, I was meant to be a printmaker]

The talented and lovely Akemi of Kozo Studio was there peddling her wares - pins, magnets, gorgeous prints & handmade books, Christmas cards and printing blocks. Also on display was a copy of, "The Anthology of Printmakers Coloring Book" which is a fundraising project she organized in support of OCAD's printmaking dept., as well as a health cooperative for artists which I mentioned in a previous post. Very nice...

City of Craft

I went to City of Craft yesterday. WOW! What a great event! It was so much more than a regular craft fair as it featured craft-based installations, demos, and free workshops, alongside a curated craft fair filled with contemporary, stylish, and offbeat handmade goodies. It was an excellent opportunity to learn about great local classes, studios, resources, and craft based projects and at the same time, provide inspiration.

Everyone was incredibly friendly and dare I say, stylish. It was a great venue for people-watching and meeting the people behind all of those lovely Etsy stores I'd been admiring! The Toronto Zine Library was there with a little tent set up where you could peruse all of the zine goodness they house. They also had little zine mystery packages for sale which had a number of zines enclosed. There was a screen printing demo set up in one corner of the event and an amazing house made entirely of donated hand-knit items was on display courtesy of StreetKnit (an inventive endeavor to bring awareness to issues of homelessness in the city).

This was City of Craft's first event and what a success! I can't wait until they host another venue...