Monday, February 15, 2010

Keeping It Real

Hey everybody! How are you all doing? So, $200 (Canadian) later I have my laptop back! I didn't lose any of my data, which is awesome, and I'm now catching up on schoolwork that I couldn't do before. This last thing is kind of upsetting, because this week is reading week (i.e. I don't have classes) and I was hoping that, other than working, I could just relax and be with myself and get some sewing done, but alas I will be finishing up one last paper that I have to get to my professor by Friday.

So, a couple of weeks ago the lovely Heather wrote a "Keeping It Real" post on her blog; I thought it was a fantastic idea and meant to write one myself, but then promptly forgot about it with everything else that has been going on. Then on Saturday one of my bloggy-besties Jennifer (you know her, I talk about her all the time) wrote one too and challenged me to do the same. Of course, I can not say no to Jennifer, and so I bring you me "keeping it real" with some fun, random facts you may not have known about yours truly...

I have super-long eyelashes, and get asked by strangers (almost everyday) if there are "all mine", here's the best proof I could find...as you can see I also have a lot of freckles and, even though they look green in this picture, my eyes are actually blue (like a slate blue)...


Like Jennifer, I am not that into chocolate. I actually prefer salty snacks like chips and pretzels; although if you offered me chocolate I probably wouldn't say no...and I like cookies too (giant cookie made by my friend Mo for Christmas). I am also, apparently, not above putting silly looking pictures of myself on my blog...


I really, really love Ralph by Ralph Lauren perfume and wear it everyday (except on special occasions when I wear Chanel #5). I actually own more than what is in this picture, but I thought the three bottle sizes looked cute together.


I read...a lot...I love books! My first "real" job was at a bookstore, where I worked from ages 15 to 17, and (as many of you know already) I'm currently getting my Masters so that I can be a librarian. I actually sell or give away books that I don't like or think I won't read again, but here are most (but definitely not all) of my books. As you can see, my bookshelves are a disaster...


Oh, and look, you can see my quilting frame behind the chair!

I love Lucy Maud Montgomery (this should come as no surprise if you've been reading my blog for awhile or know me well). There are three shelves dedicated to books by her or about her; all of the books do not fit on these three shelves properly, so there are more on top of the books and in other places in our apartment.

By "our" I mean Alex's and mine. Alex is my wonderful partner who I love very much. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he is also my best friend. Here's a picture of us last March at Alex's birthday, isn't he handsome?


You all know that I sew and quilt and that I have taken up crochet, but I don't think any of you know that I paint too. I only do watercolours and I only paint little girls in cute outfits (teehee)!



I am almost completely deaf in my left ear from bursting my eardrum when I was four years old. Please, to all of my friends who have children out there, if your child is tugging at their ears but doesn't tell you they are in pain, take them to a doctor right away. Sometimes children just do not complain, and I was like that, I didn't tell my Mum that my ear hurt and it burst in my sleep because I had an infection. This is really advice from my Mum, who now tells the parent of every child she sees who are playing with their ears, whether she knows them or not. Because of this, I focus on people's mouths while they are talking to me, because it helps me to make out what they're saying. I generally don't let people know that I am partially deaf because I don't want them to treat me any differently.

I love camels.


And yes, I also like to keep the little notes and cards that I get from people out on display for awhile. They make me feel special. You can see notes from Jennifer, Eileen, Kate, Eloise, and Genevieve (no, my Janome did not write me a note), and cards from Trish and Bonnie.

I have two tattoos, but people rarely see them and are generally shocked when they find out about them. Do I come off as the kind of girl who would never get a tattoo? I dunno.

Sometimes people don't like me when they first meet me because they think I'm proud, intimidating, or stuck up, but really I'm just very anxious, and painfully shy and quiet until I know someone better. It's really kind of upsetting because I want people to like me and I don't like people to think bad things about me before they know me.

I can't think of anything else interesting or fun that you might like to know, but if you can think of something, I'll definitely answer it!

Now, I will leave you with some granny squares! You'd like to see my progress, right? There are 67 or 68 in these two stacks; I wanted to put them all together as one towering skyscraper for you, but it just kept falling over, so here we are with two, divided by colour...

17 comments:

  1. That was great! And you are just too gorgeous for words, missy! Hugs!

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  2. Your watercolors are precious! I love Little Red Riding Hood. So talented.

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  3. what a great way to get to know you better....this was so fun to read.

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  4. Aw, I think you're easy to meet. We bonded over crafts and blogs. :) I will also talk into your right ear, and stare in awe at your pretty lashes.

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  5. Love it all! I too have a tattoo and that surprises people. :-) you and Alex are adorable. Well, you're adorable all by yourself too.

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  6. Ok first of all...for real? Those are YOUR eyelashes?! Those are beautiful - that's what stole Alex's heart first, right? Wow Kaye!

    2nd, granny squares - my goodness you've been busy. Can't wait to see where they all go.

    3rd, oh crap. One of the peas had a horrible ear ache last month and her eardrum burst. But they said nothing else about it except to treat the infection. Now I'm gonna call and get it checked again for hearing loss. She kept complaining that her jaw hurt - not her ear until it was too late. poop.

    And last, a tattoo? Does your mother know? Just kidding!

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  7. Oh duh! I'm an idiot, I didn't read the last part about not wanting people to treat you differently. That actually happened to my Dad as a child, as well. Most of the time I completely forget that I should talk into his right ear. That is, until he reminds me.

    In general, tattoos that are suddenly revealed are shocking. Someday I will get one, and shock people, too.

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  8. How great are you??!!! My ear drum burst too in the 5th grade and that was after having tubes in them!! Awful it was… for sure ;) you sound like an eclectic personality that I'm super glad I know more about!!! What a blast!!

    XO, Heather

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  9. I would not have guessed that you have tattoos, but I'm not sure I would say it shocks me. And for the record, I did not find you stand-offish or stuck-up.

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  10. It does certainly surprise me that you have a tatoo, I really don't know why.
    Your book wall looks just like mine used to look; I had to pack it away for moving in with my boyfriend (because there wasn't enough space).
    And funny thing, people think of me as proud and sometimes even arrogante but I am also just nervous and I would like to get to know others before I tell anything about me. Most people are fine with it though and then there are those that are like me, but we normally recognize each other and it just takes longer to get to know each other. I guess it is okay to be careful, after all, the world would be very boring if everyone was alike....

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  11. you are everything i think you are and then some. super cute, honest, a lover of reading (BIG points) and all things crafty. HUGE hugs sweet girl.

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  12. Oh wow, I didn't know that about your ear! And what are your tattoos of? SO cool to learn this new stuff about you!

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  13. Did you know Brian Wilson on the Beach Boys (and in my opinion the greatest composer of the last century) is 90% deaf in one ear? Maybe it is a sign of genius ;)

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  14. Kaye! ~ This is such a beautiful post!
    And, I've spent a fortune trying to have your eyelashes! :) Oh my goodness, I'm not jealous, just wishing...heading to the drugstore...now! I loooove the granny squares! Love the books! Love that you have tattoos! I have hearing loss, too...wonderful message from you and your mom. :) xo
    ~ will your cute little paintings be in your shop? :)

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  15. I love this post! I may steal this idea to write one when I have writers block! And same - I have permanent hearing damage from working on so many shows - people think I'm ignoring them, or not paying attention, but I really just didn't hear! Same with my tattoo - anytime someone sees it they ask when I've gotten it! I tell them 6 years ago, and they don't believe me!

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  16. Great to get to know you better Kaye. Good advice on the ear drums. And your eyelashes are amazing, actually you're gorgeous inside and out.

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  17. I love this post too Kaye! I think I think we should spread this around and start a movement! It was fun and personal and honest. I just really like this a lot. I read your friends too and they were just as good.

    Monday HUGS!

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