Introducing My New Puppy...

I haven't been here for weeks because I've been busy wrestling my demons. The grief monster swallowed me whole and I've been fighting depression demons as well.

I needed some time to think dark thoughts, cry painful tears and to just absorb the still I found myself surrounded with after my dog's sudden death on my son's birthday, only days before the anniversary of my other's son's unexpected death on yet another's son's birthday.

I was taking care of my mental health while trying to be present for my children and something had to give. My blog was the first thing to go. In return, my sanity stayed.

With the new year, I've got goals, and hopes and big plans for this space. I've words I need to spill, truths I want to tell, and laughs I want to share.

But all of that can wait for another day. Today I have something else I want to share with you.

A new family member I would like you to meet.







He's twenty odd pounds of eight-week-old puppy adorable English Mastiff goodness.

He's going to grow up to be an awful lot of dog, if his parents are any indication.

I wasn't sure a new dog was the right avenue to take, what with my love of Nixon being so fierce and true, but it's funny how the heart works. New love just sort of seeps into the cracks of your heart and swells it with joy.

Jumby and Shale taught me that.

So I have a new dog beside me and we're both sniffing each other out (puppy breath! I die!) and learning whom the other is as we go along. Love will find it's way as will piddles and poop and all things puppy related.

In the meantime, say hello to my newest family member.

His name is Abbott.

(Click the link if you want to know why. I'm sure Nixon would approve of my choice.)

Happy New Year everyone. I hope it treats you well.

 

My Annual Etsy Gift Guide

There is one word, one teeny tiny four lettered word that has been known to cause my husband to break out in a cold sweat and start to twitch.

Etsy.

My love for all things Etsy is unparalleled. Where else can I find pickled baby pig heads and intricately crocheted doilies, all in one place?

My love for Etsy grows stronger every year, as does the collection of oddities in my house.

Not only do I get to support crafty small business people, but also I get to do it from the sanctity of my ugly leather sofa, pant-less, while eating pickles and listening to Nicki and Victor from the Young and Restless get back together on the television. All of this while avoiding holiday madness and mildly insane Christmas shoppers.

It's an Etsy win I tell you!

Because I love Etsy so much I've decided to put together my third Etsy Holiday gift guide to highlight some of the awesomeness that is found in the hallowed cyber halls of the Etsy mall. (You can find the very first gift guide here and last year's guide here. Check them out and watch your brain explode from all the fabulous uniqueness contained within. I double dog dare you.)

This? This is my gift to you. Just remember, if you find a jackalope, I've got dibs.

Disclaimer: The following items are a reflection of my personal taste and are very likely the reason my husband decided to punish me with the Zeppelin Hangar. All opinions are my own and have not been bought, bribed or solicited.

JEWELLERY

You know when you see something and you simply must have it? That's what I felt (haha, get it?) when I saw the Hare Brooch. I neeeeeed this brooch. And then I need the white rat hatpin. They will go fabulous with my dead bird necklaces and my gopher feet earrings. Pay attention husband. This is at the top of my wish list.

Lizzieneedles

I love birds. But I hate peacocks. Don't get me wrong; they are beautiful creatures. So majestic. So pretty. SO FREAKING OBNOXIOUS. Our neighbour had a peacock and it liked to come to my yard, sit in the tree just outside our bedroom window and HONK like it was dying. Yes. Peacocks HONK. If I could have plucked that bird bald and made jewellery with it, I would have. Instead, I will have to settle for these lovely Iridescent Peacock Earrings, which are way better than real feather earrings. They are just as beautiful but more unique. I'd wear these and then HONK into my husband's ear. It would be a total turn on, I know it.

Woojoo

 Here's a bit of Tanis trivia for you, since I know you are all dying to learn more about me. I am, and always have been, slightly obsessed with the culture of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. Which is why I love these Bear Dangle earrings. In fact, I love everything in this shop.

ArtFromAbove

I have a soft spot for oversized rings. Because I have giant oversized fingers. My hands are larger than most of my men friends. You know what they say about girls with big hands right? We wear big rings. Which is why I love this Labradorite Trellis cocktail ring. It's the perfect ring to make my mitts look feminine.

DeliasStudioLimited

Sometimes a geek girl needs to get her geek on, jewellery style. This shop? This is the place where that geek girl goes. If only I had seen this shop when my husband and I were picking out wedding bands. I'd have totally made him get us the Gate Keeper & Key Master rings for our nuptials. Nothing says true love like some awesome hand stamped jewellery with a twist of pop culture.

 Spiffing Jewelery

ART

It's no secret I love skulls or that I love decorating with them, much to my husband's delight. Or lack of it. There is just something about skulls that ding my inner bell. When I saw this filigree skull sculpture, I knew I had to have it and I know exactly where I am going to put it. And I will smile every time I walk past it because it is pure awesome.

 sshark

Sometimes, when wandering in the bowels of Etsy, you stumble across a shop so filled with awesome, you immediately want to empty out your bank account and buy every item that store has listed. This is that store for me. If I could, I'd buy it all. And then I'd buy it all again, because you can never have too much of a good thing. Like these Curly Clouds. LOVE.

 karoArt

I will admit, I squealed like the girl I am when I found this shop. I have no shame. Between my love of all things Dia de los Muertos and my fan girl appreciation of all things Star Wars, it was like I was in nerd heaven. Not only that, but I'm fairly certain my husband will lose his mind over the Imperial 3-pack. I'm picturing the walls of his man cave up in the Zeppelin Hangar lined with these. Between these and a gold bikini, my husband could possibly have the best Christmas ever.

 CaptainMagnificent. Oh yes he is.

There is something about hoop art that I just love. I see it and I immediately want to strap on an apron, bake and get really domestic. I can't explain it. I find it so appealing. I love these Orange Poppies so much. I love poppies, I love hoop art, and I love everything about this. It makes me happy.

Sidereal 

I totally own this moose head. It's hanging over my television. I plan on hanging Christmas decorations from its antlers in a week or so. Just to watch my husband, the great-white-wannabe-hunter twitch. Hands down, this is one of my favourite, EVER, Etsy stores. I want a head for every wall in every room I own. And you know what? That Zeppelin hangar my husband built is going to have a lot of walls. Yeehaw.

White Faux Taxidermy 

KIDS

The best part of Christmas is the part that involves kids. Now that my kids are getting older and creeping towards adulthood, I'm realizing how fast their childhood really does go. Which, luckily for them, makes me want to spoil them rotten while I still can. And nothing says love like a wall mounted unicorn head, at least in my world. I love this shop. It makes me want to have more babies so I can justify buying everything they sell.

Sheep Creek Needlecraft

My grandmother used to make us stuffed toys. Stuffed bears, stuffed elephants, stuffed dogs. I've got every single one she ever gave me and I cherish them all. My grandma was the best darn grandmother to ever grace the face of the earth. The only way she could have been any better was if she had made these Zombie Teddy Bears. Every kid deserves a hand made stuffed bear. Especially if it is zombified.

Bijoukitty

I am always on the look out for new toys for the Jumbster to play with and I know he will absolutely love this whirligig hand kite. It's the exact right combination of colour, scarves and fun for him to appreciate. I love this store.

Indie Bambinos

Okay, so this shop may be a little pricey and not for the younger children in the world, but oh my goodness, the colours! The textures! The pure awesomeness! How cool would this felted dragon look in a kid's room? Or in my room? 37 is still young enough to be considered a child in some cultures, right? Plus there is a Labyrinth inspired dragon! My favourite movie! I clearly need more children. And more money.

 Tanglewood Thicket

"When you look at the dark side, careful you must be ... for the dark side looks back." - Yoda.

"When your child looks in the mirror wearing this hat, pure awesomeness looks back". - Tanis.

Okay, so I'm not as awesome as Yoda, but oh my goodness, I soon could be, because this hat also comes in ADULT SIZES. Picture the look on my teenagers faces when I WALK INTO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL WEARING THIS. The Death Star would explode from the sheer awesomeness of that thought.

 KrazyHats1

My brother and I used to build forts in our basement when we were little. We'd steal the sheets off our sister's bed and then use the piggy banks my mother so lovingly HAND CRAFTED for us to secure the sheets with. Then we would accidentally yank on the sheets and the ceramic piggy banks my Mom made for us would come crashing down onto the cement floor, shattering everywhere. Sorry about that Mom. Maybe if we had something like this Fort Kit my brother's Kermit the Frog piggy bank would still be alive.

Megan's Shop 

HOME

One of the things my husband loves the very best about me is my penchant for pillows. One can never have too many pillows. Not on the bed, not on the couch, not even in the armchair. Pillows make life better. Stop rolling your eyes Boo. You know you love my pillows. And I know he'd love this pillow. It would look perfect on our couch. Plus, both of our kids are in chemistry next semester so they could lounge on this pillow and LEARN something. It's a win win!

 Yellow Bug Boutique

 I love, love, looooove pottery. I collect it. And I love nesting bowls. I can never have enough bowls, mostly because my darling kids keep breaking the darn things as fast as I buy them. But if I had these bowls, I'd never let my kids touch them. Because I'd be too busy stroking them and whispering, "My precioousssssssss." Darn I love these bowls.

BlueSkyPotteryCo

I may also have a weakness for pie plates. Not because my kids break them, no, because PIE. I love pie. Both the baking and the eating. And everyone knows a pie always tastes better when it comes from a pretty pie plate.

 Art et Manufacture

Gorgeous coffee mugs will eventually be the death of my bank account and the reason I'm one day homeless. The upside to this is I'll at least have pretty mugs to panhandle with. Pretty, pretty mugs like this robins egg blue ceramic mug.

 Juliaedean

One of my life list items is to eventually get a family plaque to hang in our home. I don't know why I haven't gotten on that yet. Maybe I was just waiting to find a family plaque as pretty as this one.

Paloma's Nest 

PETS

I can't tell you how much I wish I had saw this bowtie before Nixon died. That dog would have walked around with a bowtie on every day of his not-long-enough life if I had known this shop existed before his death. I'm totally getting these for my brother's dogs though. I'll be the coolest doggie aunt around.

Little Blue Feathers 

Before I was ever a dog lover, I loved cats. Then I married my grumpy gus husband who believes the only good cat is a cat that never comes inside. If I hadn't already invested 21 years of my life and four kids with the man, I'd consider trading him in for a man who loves cats. A man who would totally want to buy a cat cave for his kitty. It's too late for me, but cat lovers out there, rejoice.

Vaivanat 

 There are some things I must have. This dog treat jar is one of them. Right this second, my neighbour's dog is sitting on my deck, with his nose pressed against the garden doors, looking at me with his doggie eyes and whining. Dude wants a cookie. I love this entire shop. It's filled with pottery goodness, and not just of the doggy variety.

 Symmetrical Pottery

This kitty coat is totally a better idea than trying to stuff my cats into old Cabbage Patch doll clothing. Which I used to do when I was younger and loved band-aids. Why play with dolls when you can dress up your cats? Every cat (and dog) needs an awesome coat. Look no further for awesome.

RockinDogs 

I. WANT. It's just as simple as that. This is the diamond of all dog collars, but without the diamonds. This dog collar is reason enough for me to get another dog. And a job, which I'll need, to pay for the collar. But IT IS WORTH IT.

 Olicollars

PAPER

Every year I send out Christmas cards to our family, to members of the community and to all our friends, both on and off the internets. And every year, after I post all the envelopes, I end up finding the card I WISH I had sent out. Like this card. Because Christmas doesn't always need to be classy. Please don't tell my mom I said that.

 FunGirlsCards

Have you started to notice a theme here? I can't help myself. I have a thing for all things Yoda. And I have a thing for letterpress. This shop is the best of both worlds. Geeks everywhere will squeal in delight.

Dingbat Press 

I try not to do repeats on my annual gift guide, but I had to make an exception for this shop.  Robin has mastered the art of irreverence and sass and she does it so sweetly too. Her shop is one of my forever favourites and it's my happy place on Etsy.

 Robin Plemmons Lemons With a Pea

For as long as I can remember I have always had a journal. I've stacks of them saved in a rubbermaid container, waiting to be burned or read, or both. I've always used a journal to help sort out my feelings and immortalize my stupidity. Pretty journals like this one are my kryptonite and I can't help but buy them. I have dozens of journals waiting to be filled because I buy them faster than I fill them. It's a sickness really. Like shoe collecting.

inblue 

ZOMBIES

I couldn't help myself. I love zombies. Zombies are better than sparkly vampires and lovesick werewolves. I dig a good zombie. I dig a family of great zombies. Which is why, if I ever decide to get a car decal, this would be the one I would get. It would be worth it just to see if my husband rolled his eyes so hard he'd hurt himself.

 Trendesigns

Skip the fuzzy dice and go for the head. The head of a zombie gnome. I'm totally getting this for my kids when they finally get their own vehicles. And then I'm getting one for me. And one for my husband. And I'm pretty sure my siblings needs this too. Zombie gnome heads for everyone!

ChrisandJanesPlace

Okay, I'm going to tell you something and you are all going to read it and then judge me for it. I'm prepared. I totally want this statue. Not for my garden though. I want this for my son's grave. Because you know what? Going to see him at the cemetery is hard and seeing this would crack my shit up. Guaranteed. Grief is hard. Irreverence makes it easier.

 RevenantFX

What's the point of a zombie love affair if you don't have anything to feed your zombie? Enter: the brain beanie. The perfect accessory for the zombie lover in everyone. With the added benefit of keeping you warm in winter. It's a win-win for everyone. Even the zombies who don't really exist yet I'm talking about them like they do. Whatever.

Anabananna

 Now, go forth and get your Etsy on.

A Flying Mouse Saved My Day

You know those stories you hear about mothers lifting cars off their children during accidents?

Or how when you hear someone talk about an accident and how no one can really be sure how they'll react during an emergency until they're in one?

Well, enough emergencies and crises have happened in my lifetime that I know exactly how I'll react during one.

If it involves my children's blood, I'm gonna vomit, then yell then vomit some more.

If it involves anyone else's blood, I'm gonna get all, 'let's sew this muthatrucker up using dental floss and my nose ring. Pass me a tampon to soak up some blood.'

If it involves lifting a car off of anyone, I'm gonna hold my lower back and call a tow truck while whispering apologies to the crushed.

If it involves someone or some dog I love dying unexpectedly, I'm going to shut down, go numb, impersonate a robot, wait a few weeks to cry a whole lot, get incredibly ill and buy a bunch of stuff off the internets in the meantime.

As my husband likes to say, I am a creature of habit and I like to stay true to form.

The upside is, you always know what kind of crazy you are going to get with me. Makes living in this looney bin a little easier.

For almost three weeks now, I've been fighting off a zombie virus, and I'll be honest, I'm not much better than I was when I first contracted this plague. The difference between now and three weeks ago though is my husband is entirely sick of my whining and he's leaving to go back to work tomorrow.

I'm trying not to pout too much about him leaving me to die alone and miserable with only his children to witness my decline since you know, he's been off work for over a month now and we've got bills to pay, mouths to feed, internet shopping sprees to account for. And really, if I have to hear the soft clomping of his crutches across our floor for even one more day I may lose my mind and beat him to death with them.

The zombie virus has a charming side affect of making me more irritable than usual. It should also be noted my husband is a damn saint.

Because I've been too ill to eat my feelings, I've channeled all my sorrow and dog loneliness into finding awesomeness on the internet.

Translated: Every time I miss my dog I buy something I don't need on the internet. That plan worked out really well until my husband started noticing the high number of parcels he had to pick up from the post office.

He didn't mind the cute winter boots I bought, or the presents I bought for all the grandparents online. He didn't even mind the pink flannel sheets with cartoon dogs I bought for our bed.

No. He drew the line at having to go pick up a dead mouse at the post office.

In my defense, it was a really epic dead mouse.

Super Mouse

Nixon would have approved.

Big thanks to Heather from Mortuary Report who is not only responsible for Super Mouse's awesomeness but for also making me smile with her general awesomeness.

Boo has threatened to confiscated my credit card and made me swear, upon penalty of divorce, that I will only use it for emergencies.

Apparently taxidermied awesomeness does not constitute an emergency either. He was very sure to clarify.

Drat.

I totally had my eye on Jackalope.

Anyways, thanks to everyone who emailed, messaged, texted and called to make sure I hadn't expired offline. Your concern means a lot, and I'm not just saying that because of my zombie induced delirium.

I'm back. I may be slightly contagious and talking to a dead stuffed mouse, but I'm totally back.

I should be good as long as there are no cars that need to be lifted off anyone anytime soon.