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To say we've been through A LOT in the past year is an understatement. Mad finished her Masters degree, moved across the continent to California, and has racked up the miles meeting with NHL superstars and attending every fabulous NHL event across North America. Teal travelled Australia, Japan, and South Korea, moved to Windsor to follow her passion of Sport Management, and then moved back to Montreal for an internship with the Canadian Olympic Committee. During the craziness of the last 12 months, we felt so much support from each other that we thought we'd write on the importance of a truly supportive best friend. Not a friend who's just supportive in the standard #NationalBestFriendDay or annual birthday Instagram posts but a friend who sincerely wants you to succeed. Because really… a best friend should be like a good bra.
But first, we wondered, when does one move from acquaintance to friend and then from friend to best friend? Teal was a grade above Mad in high school. Our very first words exchanged were ones of support and admiration on Mad's second day of highschool, Teal complimenting Mad on her hair. A sign from the bronze&gold gods that this friendship was meant to last. From there our friendship blossomed into one of encouragement along the dreaded cross country practice routes. Next, we bonded over our status as Sid fans, insisting we'd be happy for the other if somehow, someway one of us married him. When Teal left for university, Mad's Grade 12 year was struggle city but we managed to keep in touch and grow our friendship through travels and visits. We became the perfect travel mates and the most qualified co-pilots.
We've found ourselves in a friendship that spans many miles and time zones yet we always squeeze in time for a multi-hour phone call at least once a month. Sometimes Mad takes the mic to talk about her feelings, sometimes it's Teal to talk about a tough school decision. Sometimes we both share exciting news or an awesome opportunity that has come along. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, but something we value about our friendship and our support of one another is knowing we have a positive light for any situation. Someone who can help us to look at both sides and then help us to make a decision that is truly in our best interest. A huge part of us starting a forum for people to reflect on their 20s was us wanting to share different things that we are going through and have gone through as best friends in the 20s.
"Supporting another person's success will never dampen yours" is a top 5 favourite quote of ours. Because it's totally true! We love to listen to each other's big ideas and then brainstorm ways to make them bigger and better. We wholeheartedly believe that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with and that's why our friendship has lasted. Our individual drives are so intense that they can't help but extend into a passion for seeing the other succeed. And in turn it helps us realize our own potential and when we say goodbye, we leave each other feeling more motivated than ever.
It's very rare to find a friend you can fully trust with your best interest in mind and when you find one, like a good bra with the perfect measure of support, you must hold onto it and treat it with care.
Teal, you are perfect balance of a well fitted band and straps that don't dig in. Mad, you are the perkiest shaped cups and just the right thickness of padding.
You're the peanut to my butter. The milk to my cookies. The best to my friend.
Thank you for being you <3
I can smell small engine fumes as I lay in my bed. My butt muscles are aching in spots I didn't know existed. When I close my eyes I can feel the throttle as I give it a little too much. The night after Day 1 of my motorcycle lessons I'm riding on cloud 9. "A little give and a little go" is ringing through my mind.
Teal and I both consider ourselves lifelong learners. She always says if she won the lottery she'd stay in school forever. I always say if I marry rich or win the lottery I'd spend my time getting my license to drive a transport, going to beauty school, and taking a coding course. We both just want to soak up everything we can.
While I await the lottery pulling through, though, I'm admittedly focused on knocking off a couple goals that are less time consuming and more of an immediate thrill. Most recently, it is the successful completion of the Harley Davidson Riding Academy.
I can't pin point the moment I knew I wanted my motorcycle license. Growing up we drove the ol Arctic Cat Panterra snowmobile around a trail in the forest and I always liked that. Maybe that was my first taste of control and freedom.
This year on Easter weekend, while everybody else was waiting for Jesus to be risen I was straddling a Harley, inhaling fumes, and revving the throttle. My rebel spirit was alive and well.
Biking is very Californian. When I first moved here I looked at my goals and knew it was time to check one off. I googled "motorcycle learn to ride" and Harley-Davidson's New Rider Training popped up. This course would provide me with the classroom learning, motorcycle and gear, and successful completion would exempt me from having to do the driven test with the DMV. I was immediately stoked.
My class was a real mix of people. There was another young girl like me - new to San Diego and embracing her good girl/rebel soul persona. There were a handful of middle aged couples, coming to learn so they could join their couple friends on weekend cruises down the coast. There was a fella with tattoos up the back of his neck and all over his bald head… very similar swagger to Happy for all fellow Sons of Anarchy enthusiasts. There were a pile of Marines and military guys. There were guys who had been riding for years without a license and thought they better finally get registered (God Bless America). There was a artsy young college fella taking the course only because it would give him a break on his recent moped violation. A real mixed bag of us. Coolest part about it, though, was how we were all there to learn and all very supportive of one another.
From the start I worried I would walk into the classroom and be eyed up as the dippy young girl who had never driven a standard and now thinks she's tough. When I texted Slate the morning of we were both laughing in disbelief that I was actually going through with it. His advice came from the marvel that is How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days… "Just remember Mad it's a little give and a little go with the clutch and the throttle". Why do the chick flicks always come in so handy? The instructors and my classmates were all equally as excited as I was to be learning new things and freeing their hearts and souls.
On the 2nd day of our 3 day course we were invited to join in on the dealership's free BBQ. There was the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, a country band, burgers on the grill, MC's wearing cuts (again, for the Sons enthusiasts that's 'motorcycle clubs' wearing leather vests). Harley people really don't care what you do or don't have in common because the love of riding is all they need to unite them. It was a super cool community to experience.
Academic nerd alert: I can proudly say that I got a 94% on the written test. Tough bad ass Mad alert: I was then the only girl in my class to pass the driven test. Having never touched a standard vehicle in my life that was my biggest worry and quickly became one of my favourite parts. Inner control freak? You best believe it. I love switching gears as the bike gains speed or comes to a stop. I know my instructors recognized my confidence and that in an of itself made me feel strong. The people in my class who failed the driving portion flunked because they were hesitant or timid. They took the weave or the hard corners too cautiously which proved dangerous. Despite having only ridden on the back of a Harley, and just one time, I went through the pylons with confidence, knowing I was in control of the 450 pound machine beneath me.
Not to get too deep but isn't that the same with life? If you take it too cautiously you are going to miss the rewards that can only come from taking risks. If you take risks with confidence in yourself and your abilities you are more apt to succeed. Always a lesson in life experiences!
Motorcycling is dangerous and the overprotective men in my life are still not sold on me ever actually having one (however they know Mad and they know they really don't have a ton of say and can either join me or wind up looking really cute holding onto the back of my bike). It's certainly a risk to ride one. Having now taken the course, I'm happy to have a better understanding of what the roads are like for bikers. I know I will be a safer car driver who is more considerate of motorcyclists, especially in California where they are allowed to lane split in traffic. And maybe someday I'll wrap my ginger braid in leather, throw my leg over the saddle, and tear up the open road.
The Great Olympic Journey
Coming back to school for me was a HUGE decision. However, my choice to do a second Masters degree has been life changing for me. I chose the University of Windsor Master of Human Kinetics for a few different reasons. Their Sport Management program is currently ranked ninth in the world and top in Canada. The option to choose between an internship or a thesis was ideal because I wanted the networking and practical experience that an internship would provide. What I didn't realize was the numerous out of classroom learning experiences that I would get through my Sport Management program. Less than a month into school, back in September, my Strategic Management in the Sport Industry class headed to Toronto for two days to meet with executives from Maple Leafs Sport and Entertainment, the Toronto Blue Jays, CBC Sports, and the Wasserman Media Group. The trip also featured an alumni networking event at Real Sports Bar & Grill and concluded with the Canada vs. Slovakia World Cup of Hockey game at the Air Canada Centre. Needless to say I was in heaven and knew I had made the right decision to come back to school.
Flash forward 6 months and I'm almost done my first year of the program! It's been better than I expected and I most recently had the opportunity to participate in the 'Great Olympic Journey' as part of my Politics, Crises, and Commercialism in the Modern Olympic Movement class. My professor, Dr. Scott Martyn, has been taking his class on this trip since 2004 and it has become a staple of the Sport Management program at the University. As part of the course requirements, we each had to select a way to journal the trip. Of course, bronze & gold was the obvious choice for me!
The trip was incredible and featured far too many highlights and moments to cover everything but here's a quick glimpse of our week!
We met at the Human Kinetics building early on Monday morning and somehow managed to cram 12 people and their week's worth of luggage into two vehicles. After the quintessential first stop of any true road trip- Tim Hortons, we were on our way to Toronto. Our first meeting of the week was with the Toronto Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) office that focuses on marketing and digital content. The COC Foundation is also housed here. We were then surprised by our professor with tickets to Medieval Times where it was then our turn to surprise him with a knighting ceremony.
Tuesday was a full day of driving. In typical Montreal fashion, we arrived in the midst of a 40cm snowstorm. Our original plan was to watch the Habs game but after some unfortunate ticket issues (don't ask), we were escorted out of the Bell Centre. But nothing could get us down! We were on the Great Olympic Journey after all!! We headed straight to Peel Pub and I think we had more fun watching the game there… especially once the karaoke station was set up.
Thursday marked the halfway point of the Great Olympic Journey and it was a busy one. We started off with an all-access tour of the Montreal Sport Institute followed by a guided tour of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Park facilities. We then crossed the border and made the quick drive to Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games. We were welcomed to Lake Placid by Jim Rogers, Chairman of the Protocol Division and Chief of Protocol for the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. He gave us a tour of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Herb Brooks Arena before we headed to the U.S Olympic Training Centre where we would be staying for the next 2 days. With an unlimited, 24/7 food service, we really got to live like Olympians, or at least eat like them!
Our final full day started with a meeting with Jared Steenberge, Manager of Operations of the United States Olympic Committee. Jared gave us even more insights into the day to day life of an American Olympian training at the U.S Olympic Training Centre. We then received a tour of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and the 1932 and 1980 Olympic venues by our good friend, Jim Rogers. We finished off the day and our final night of the trip with the second ECAC Men's Hockey Championship Semi-Final game at the Herb Brooks Arena.
Our Great Olympic Journey concluded on Saturday morning with a gondola ride to the top of Whiteface Mountain. Our week was filled with educational experiences that really emphasized to me that you can only learn so much in the classroom. Having the opportunity to see all aspects of the Modern Olympic Movement, from the COC Marketing team to WADA to living with the U.S Olympians, was just another reminder that not only is sport management the career for me but I truly made the right decision in choosing the University of Windsor.
If you're like me you sometimes look at Facebook memories when they pop up in your notifications. Other times, your social media ego snuffs their allure. Today a handful of amazing friends with whom Facebook claimed I had memories peaked my interest. So I clicked.
Lo and behold, one of the memories was a link to my blog from 5 years ago. This was blogger Mad 2-point-0 - a page I called Simply Rad (one of my closest pals in highschool called me Rad Mad, it stuck). It followed my Norwegian exchange blog success as a blog for all of my thoughts. Anything and everything that came to mind and could help me procrastinate from my school work.
This day in particular featured a post I had written after one of the many conferences I attended at Queen's. My blog had just about reached 10,000 hits and I was inspired. Note the one 'like' and the sole comment from my loving aunt:
March 10, 2012 - This is me: pursuing it.
When I first started blogging (crazy it was nearly 3 years ago now!), I never could have imagined it would turn into what it did. I was never a writer in school, and always had way better ideas than I could ever formulate onto paper. I didn't think I was the "artsy type".
Originally I started For the Love of Norway as a means of keeping in touch with everybody back home. I don't know if it was the mass of carbs I was consuming or the huge quantities of spare time I had in my Norwegian classes, but what began as a simple recount of my day quickly turned into a witty narration of every single thing that happened to me. The feedback was amazing; Mom would tell me that if I didn't write for a few days she had people asking her if I was okay. She was also my first publicist, printing off copies and leaving them lying around for people to pick up and read. For the Love of Norway became such a significant part of my exchange experience that two of my greatest friends added "Published Author" to my repertoire by making a hardcover book of it.
Simply Rad has become the next chapter, or perhaps even next book in the series. Though time doesn't permit me the same consistency in writing, the fact that it's nearing 10,000 hits has me blown away. In all, taking up the hobby of blogging has resulted in many people telling me I should pursue journalism. This has been flattering, stressful (pressure to create wonderful masterpieces every single time) and seriously considered, which is what landed me at the Queen's Media & Journalism Conference this weekend (so eagerly geeky of me, as per usj). As delegates, we were graced with "animated wisdom on matters such as how to land a sought-after internship, how to create an effective blog, and how to get [our] start in the rapidly changing world of journalism." We had speakers and workshops and delicious hors d'oeuvres. We learned to carve out our own niche and to not be afraid to take a stand on something. We learned that writing is something that only gets better with practice; and if you take a break, things might get rusty. We were presented with many of the ins and outs of the media industry and where it's headed.
In all, I think we learned that reflection is valuable (reflecting on your work and reflecting on what's been successful), and networking is the way to get in. We were encouraged that a degree in journalism isn't necessary nor will it give you any advantage per se, rather it's about your drive and your skills. Having been my second conference of the year, and being the influential sponge that I am, I naturally came out of the weekend inspired. Inspired to pursue not necessarily cut-throat journalism, but to pursue the things I am good at and the things I am passionate about.
Be prepared to do a lot more reading, friends. This is me pursuing it (and yes, I might just follow-up with James Duthie afterall).
Sophmore Mad was feeling inspired. And I was coincidentally reminded of this on a 2017 day when inspiration festered again.
Living in Southern California there are constant glimmering reminders to live out your inner dreamer. Got a tech idea? You're just one lunch time conversation in the In-And-Out line up away from selling it to a potential gazillionaire investor (NDA in hand, of course). Wanna be a star? Hollywood is a hop skip and a jump away and maybe you'll be discovered walking down Hollywood Blvd. Always dreamed of being a sportscaster? You might just make friends with a Senior Writer for ESPN at an awkward dinner in Las Vegas where a pro gambler says you look like a professor and makes you cry. (I dare ya, which one of those scenarios screams Mad?)
Inner dreamer and a job that makes me feel oh-so-close to realizing my dream is right there if only I reach, reach, reach for it…….And so I've begun a journey of taking my own advice circa 2012. I always lamented that the structure of University writing let my voice slip away from me. I always worried that my knack for personable writing would dry up as my studies in politics took precedent. But through this endeavour that Teal and I took on a year and a half ago we've been expressing ourselves and honing in on our own respective crafts. And it's been pretty darn cool.
I've written about poverty, period panties, and my inner frugality. I've edited pieces by guest writers that we've featured. I've built upon my P&CC era photoshop skills to create our visual identity standards and various graphics. I know that a downfall I need to overcome is worrying a piece of writing has to be perfect and the ultimate combination of wit and charm before posting. Sometimes, it's more about throwing the idea out there and letting people formulate their own interpretation. As the overprotective, control freak, older sister that I am it is clear letting go isn't my strong suit and this extends into my writing. I also know I have to work on gaining experience in various aspects of the industry, having not taken anything in the related field in school. This is why I've recently taken a couple leaps on the sportscasting side of things, gone out on a limb and worked towards building upon the drive, skills, and networking I blogged about 5 years ago (wracking up tons of material for a future blog post, if nothing else).
With James Duthie and Jay Onrait's books stacked on my nightstand how can I go to sleep at night and not brainstorm ways to make my dream a reality? When I watch my favourite sports channels and see a total lack of redhead representation on the sports desks how can I not go chasing it? When I watch interviews or read articles and immediately think of things I would have asked the players, how can I not give myself the opportunity?
And so, for the second time in a blog format I declare - This is me: pursuing it.
Stay tuned for updates if you want to read about the many lessons along the way. 'Cause you know me... they'll be awkward and funny and cringe worthy. And maybe my lessons will encourage you to take on a YOLO mentality. (That may be the title of my future biography - Take a YOLO Mentality. 5 years from now when this post is a Facebook memory let's just see!)
Love always,
Turning Thirty
2017 marks a year of milestones for me.
Our family business JED Express marks 25 years of success in business as I finish my first full year working with my Dad and a great group of colleagues.
I turn the big 3-0 in November.
I celebrate over a decade in public life.
And it will be my last full year as Mayor of the Township of North Dundas: a job that I have loved, that I have grown in, and has opened many doors for me.
The past year for me, however, has already been one of transition.
I made, to many, a surprising move to step away from my role in federal politics to reflect on my future and to help my father and our family business.
It has given me more time to think about my future, professionally and personally.
Recently, I concluded that I need to publicly address a key part of my life to allow myself to live my life happy and balanced going forward.
I want to acknowledge today the simple fact that I am gay.
I am one of many men and women who have struggled to balance this with my work and other aspects of my life.
I have struggled and debated about making this statement on a large scale. Do I need to say anything? Will it affect my career? Would I lose friends and people who have supported me for years?
I am not making this announcement for attention. Ironically, for the exact opposite reason.
I want people to know that I have been private about being gay not because I am ashamed or embarrassed. I have always believed that anyone's private life should be exactly that: private. Rarely, it has any bearing on our abilities to do our jobs and make a difference.
Until now, I have not discussed my sexual orientation because I have always believed it is not relevant to assessing my successes and failures.
Being gay has never impacted my job performance. It has not impacted my skills to run a meeting, to put together a budget, or make a hiring decision.
I have waited this long to show people that sexual orientation shouldn't impact a person's ability to do their job effectively.
I have been very proud of what I have been able to achieve in my life to date. I have wanted to be judged solely on my leadership traits and my record as Mayor, and nothing else.
By sharing my story, I am not 100% sure what the reaction will be. I am at the point in my life where that is not my priority. Rather, I want to live freely and proud of who I am, and achieve happiness in my personal and professional life, whatever that direction may be.
Some people will react with surprise, and unfortunately, some with disappointment or anger.
But I suspect that for most people, like I have experienced in coming out to close family and friends, there will be support, or in many cases, just plain indifference to this news.
Social norms have undoubtedly become more tolerant and compassionate in recent years. I could never have gathered the courage to write this a generation ago.
I am fully aware that there is still a ways to go. In the meantime, it is my hope that this news changes nothing.
Tomorrow morning, I'll go to work like every other day and be treated no different. Someone will call or email me to complain about a pothole or local issue. I'll run a meeting or two.
And, like I have my entire life, I'll try and do something to make my community a better place. I plan to make my last 17 months in municipal politics meaningful.
When I step out of the Mayor's office for the last time next November, I can't help but begin to reflect about what my legacy will be.
I hope that residents feel I have done a good job and made a difference.
I hope that young people see a 20-something Mayor holding his own alongside colleagues twice or three times his age, to become inspired enough to get involved in public life and their community themselves at a young age.
And after today, I hope a gay teenage boy or girl who is scared about their future, and who wonder if they can ever come out, reads this note to know that it will all be OK in the long run.
Sure, there will be roadblocks and some intolerance. But you will be more surprised at the love, the support, and the indifference from those that matter.
Everyone faces barriers and roadblocks in life. Some taller or deeper than others. But I hope they will know that they can work hard, be passionate, and reach for their dreams.
I'm grateful to have been given a chance to do just that, and to now have a burden off my shoulders.
Stronger and more proud than ever, I look forward to entering my next decade of life and finish my term in public office.
To any person out there who needs hope, please consider my story: if I can do it, you can too.
Editor's note: Eric Duncan currently serves as Mayor for the Township of North Dundas and served two terms as Warden of the United Counties of SD&G. He was elected Councillor at age 18 and Mayor in 2010 at the age of 22. Eric is the epitome of bronze&gold. His drive goes completely unmatched - spending his twenties in public service as the MAYOR of North Dundas. He rolls around town in a slick Chrysler 300, used to sport his Blackberry in a holster, all while having his trendy facial hair become the whole town's concern. Madison will never forget Eric teaching her how to play card games in the back of Tommy's bus through elementary school. We are truly honoured to have him as a guest writer.
Best Case Ontario
We're excited to introduce you (especially those of you in Ontario) to a new brand that we can't get enough of- Best Case Ontario! We got all the scoop from Co-Founders, Mallory Martin and Shelby Johnston, two 20-something best friends who decided to take the risk and follow their passion- something we're all about!
Tell us a little bit about yourselves. Who are you? Where are you from?
Hey there! Our names are Mallory Martin and Shelby Johnston. We are the Co-Founders of Best Case Ontario! We are both from small towns located in Chatham-Kent (Shelby is from Ridgetown, Mallory is from Dresden) where we had the privilege of growing up in a rural community surrounded by outdoor beauty. We are just a short drive away from fresh water Great Lakes, surrounded by evergreens, and fields as far as the eye can see. We are currently third year students at the University of Windsor both studying Human Kinetics.
How did you meet?
We were formally introduced and became friends in 2014 when we both arrived at residence for our first year of University! We have been roommates ever since and our friendship has grown immensely.
Can you tell us your vision for deciding to start Best Case Ontario?
Shelb and myself have always had the creativity bug. Throughout second and third year we had constantly been throwing ideas back and forth from each other. Ideas from "self-stirring coffee mugs" to "the chill pill" – a pillow that can be cooled to a certain temperature for the perfect sleeping experience. HAHA. But then it occurred to us that we are very passionate about where we come from and where we grew up! We began to brainstorm ideas to bring people that are just like us together to celebrate this awesome province! A few drafts and names came about during this brainstorming process and then we finally came to Best Case Ontario… safe to say we quickly fell in love with the brand. We are so proud of the brand and what it represents. BCO represents the natural and rural lifestyle us Ontarian's live in. Each wave hidden within the tree line represents each one of the Great Lakes.
Where are BCO Headquarters?
We currently just have a basement full of boxes with our inventory! I have some in my car as well. LOL it seems to have taken up much of my room here at university but as we slowly get the name and brand out there I'm sure the number of boxes will decrease. We don't have any set in stone plans regarding where else to sell from so for now we are just keeping the inventory on hand in our basement! My mom has been our helper while I'm at school and Shelby is away in Europe. My mom has made several trips to our supplier to place/ finalize orders for us and pick up products as well! My boyfriend Neil has also helped out a great deal by doing some deliveries at home while I was away at school. My Mom and Neil are both amazing assets that we have right now and probably couldn't do it without their help and of course without the support of both of our parents!
What's the best feedback you've heard (either positive or negative) from friends, family, or customers?
We have had nothing but positive feedback! Everyone who has purchased items have said they love the logo, sizes fit great and the sweaters are very comfy! Family is obviously very supportive, they have helped us to pursue this dream by assisting us with the ordering process, reaching out to their friends for more support and awareness and of course buying lots of products! We love the positive feedback we are receiving and we hope to continue this as we introduce more products and reach out to more customers!
What are your goals for BCO for the remainder of 2017?
Right now we are focusing on short-term goals like getting our name out there and letting people know who we are and what we are about. We have talked about working with several charities in the near future. We feel that this province has given us so much we are thankful for that we would love to give back in any way we can. We hope to inspire others to be creative and proud of where we come from! Just focusing on expanding and reaching as many as possible would be something we are looking forward to pursing.
Also, we are currently working on easier ways/more user friendly ways to access our brand and purchase products by creating a formal website and a mobile app (to be launched soon). We are also interested in adding more apparel to our product line that we currently have.
What's your favourite product?
Mallory: Personally my favourite product is the Toque. I like how it fits, and is very casual and fitting for cooler winters/weather we experience here in Ontario.
Shelby: I like the sweaters. They are very laidback and country style. They fit great and are very cozy for nights by the fire, or walking beside the lake on a cool night!
Where can we get some BCO?
Currently you can get access to all our awesome gear by connecting with us on Facebook. Here you will find all our items we are currently selling. To purchase items, simply like our page, follow us, and then message us with what it is you'd like to purchase.
More questions than answers
Kayla is a lifelong friend of Teal's from their Cornwall Typhoon hockey days. She is the most caring individual I know and someone you can count on to be there for you no matter what. She is the kind of friend you can go months without seeing but when you get together it's like nothing has changed, a true friendship. Kayla epitomizes bronze & gold in her determination to live life to the fullest, make a difference in the lives of others and see the world. We couldn't be happier to feature her!
My passion growing up was hockey. I had the amazing opportunity to play NCAA hockey for Norwich University. Those four amazing years flew by, and ended. My passion, my lifestyle, everything I knew had come to an end. Returning home the summer of 2014 was hard for me, I found myself a little depressed. I found comfort working for my parents at the Ontario Hockey Academy. My life-long passion continued, in a new form.
Right after graduation, May 2014, before I began working, my sister and I had the opportunity to travel around Europe on the Contiki European Experience. The same Contiki that Mad and Teal did the year prior. I had fallen in love with Europe in every single way. Next thing I knew I had bought a one-way ticket to Brussels, Belgium in April, 2015. This time I was going alone and without a tour company. I spent two and a half amazing months backpacking Europe, and it was the most liberating experience. I remember sitting in the Dublin, Ireland airport with tears in my eyes wishing I was catching the next flight to Warsaw, Poland.
From that trip, a new passion was born - Travelling. Going back to work for another hockey season was tough. I thought day in and day out about where to travel next. I found myself on days sitting at my desk researching places to go, and things to do, rather then doing my work. Now, it has come to the point where I question where my interests lie, what is it I truly want out of life? I am still without an answer and, in fact, am left with more questions, than answers.
I am the type of person that wants to be successful in life. Not needing to make it big, but to a point to just live life comfortably, with not having to worry. The thought of leaving what I know, and taking a risk is the most terrifying thing. I work in the family business so the security of a job is here, but is it what I really want in life? I get asked, or have comments made daily about how one day I will take it over, every time I hear that I wonder, is it really for me?
I am scared; I am terrified to walk away from what I know. I'm scared to walk away from a job, the incoming paycheques, leaving for something I have no answers too. Taking a RISK scares the shit out of me. I don't want others to see me fail, I want to prove to my family, my friends, myself that I can conquer life. I don't know what I want out of life, I don't know my purpose, yet. The only things I do know is that I love traveling and I am scared to take a risk.
I have failed many times in my life, but only with little things, I have never been to the point of rock bottom, and the thought of that ever happening is petrifying. There are many things I have said I want to do, or ideas of what I wanted but I can never come to the point of a conclusion. In the past two years I have thought about pursuing my MBA, maybe becoming an engineer, taking night classes to be a make up artist to do on the side. But why can't I ever decide which is right for me? When I think about going back to school, why would I put myself in debt? What if I start and don't like it? When I think about leaving the job I have, I don't want to burden my parents with more work. These are things I say to myself. Some might call them excuses but they are the reasons I'm scared.
The one statement that always comes to mind when I have these ideas is, I wont be able to travel during that time. With all these don't knows, I have come to one conclusion that what I do know is I want to travel. It may not bring me answers, it might confuse me so much more, but right now that is what I truly want. Hopefully, sooner then later, I can get over my fear, and set off with no plan, no return date and see what it is really like to not have something to come back to. I know it will fall into place, I just need to take that step.
Is anything real anymore? Is anybody being their authentic self? Hellllloooo-ooo-ooooo?
It's been on my mind so much lately. Maybe because I'm living in an upscale California community where designer lips are the norm. Maybe because our world is oversaturated with Instagram "models" and people selling their souls to the devil. Maybe because I'm tired of going to bed at night with blood shot eyes from staring at a screen all day. I'm negative, I'm jaded, I'm angry.
This kind of thing was in the media awhile back with Instagram "stars" coming forward and admitting that their perfectly filtered lives were unrealistic, untrue, and in fact undesirable. I thought maybe, just maybe, we were at a turning point. But it seems inauthenticity is what we're all supposed to strive for. It still reigns in the virtual world that screws with the way we exist in the real world. Candid photos have gone from a roll of film that snapped at the wrong time to falsely looking down or away as your friends takes 16 photos. Enjoying a moment has turned into scouring the landscape for a photo backdrop, posing, then flying through the options and barely responding to those you're with instead of soaking up the rest of the view. Hey I'm just as guilty.
I like to think our age group, the 20-somethings who are nostalgic of a time when we weren't slaves to our devices, knows better. We got our handy dandy flip phones with a 45 text message limit (per MONTH!) in the 9th grade. Our social brains had largely developed before screens had a true shot at ruining our eyesight forever. We remember a time when you had to look up your crush's house in the phone book and nervously dial the number, knowing full well their parents would answer. We know that being interested in someone is more than "sliding into their DMs". Yet I admit, we get sucked into this behaviour… for the thrill, the convenience, the curiosity...name your vice.
Mentally our devices, and the applications we spend so much time on, give us information OVERLOAD… so much so that we think we need to be constantly activated, constantly stimulated and forget that we possess the ability to pass a minute more organically. Our brains need a friggin break. Remember as a kid how you'd stand at the bus stop and kick rocks or talk to the person beside you? Time would pass without playing a game on your tiny screen, without looking at news, and without constantly refreshing the page. I always talk about how lucky we were to have grown up without these "luxuries". Even TV offered more of a social experience… we watched Young & the Restless every night in my house but in doing so we shared a common bonding experience. Something we talked about, something we shared… one plot line with a couple commercials thrown in. I didn't have headphones in watching a show on my laptop while Mom played a game on her iPad, Slate sat there texting, and Dad checked emails on his Blackberry. It's that crazy paradox of being more connected than ever before yet also so. damn. isolated.
I don't want to leave you thinking I'm old fashioned and can't embrace change. I got an Apple Watch* for my birthday for heavens sakes! As a consumer of social media, though, I can't help but think that it all seems to have gotten out of control. We've become so obsessed with making our lives come across a certain way we've forgotten to live. So obsessed with letting our technology dictate our real life I truly fear we're one step closer to being robots. This obsession is only exacerbated by platforms that make us compare our lowest moments to everybody else's highlights. It's enough to make ya go crazy.
And so my challenge to you: go outside, walk the dog, sit on a park bench, go a day without checking your social media. It's freeing and you'd be amazed the things you can get accomplished. If it helps, delete the apps off your phone. I'm not challenging you to full on delete your accounts (though I've come close I do like to look back on my memories and post from time to time), just remove the apps. You'll be shocked at the number of times you reach for your phone out of bordom, curiosity or just plain habit.
Because really, what are you going to miss out on? #ootd , #mcm , #baesic #onfleek #kuwtk #instaworthy .. take a seat lame-o hashtags. Be yourselves people, and focus on living authentically. Because we aren't going to thrive in a world where we're all clones (aka shitty versions of eachother) who pay no attention to one another and live within the confines of our screens.
Love always,
*I'm most excited about having my Apple Watch so I no longer have to check my phone and get sucked into the never ending vortex of emails, articles, and 'grams. Now I only look when my wrist vibrates and tells me to.
If Trump can run, so can you
Disclaimer: I wrote this post in my head earlier today while running my first marathon! I'm proud to share that I completed the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon under 4 hours!
I haven't written a post in a while. I've been busy, busier than I've ever been before. I won't bore you with the details of my crazy hours and never ending work load because the truth is that I'm loving every minute of it. I know part of the reason is because I'm finally pursuing a career I'm passionate about but at the same time I'm convinced running is to thank.
As a lifelong athlete, I've always enjoyed running but during my sophomore year of college that hobby turned into a full on passion when I signed up for my first half marathon. The race took place about 6 weeks after the end of our hockey season so it was a refreshing change to have something new to train for. For a type A organization crazy girl like me, I loved the feeling of following a set plan to accomplish a final goal, race day. As my runs got longer, I was able to explore and find different parts of Plattsburgh and what I quickly realized was how much mental clarity running gave me. I've tried yoga, I've tried meditation, but nothing helps me clear my head, organize my thoughts, and beat stress like running.
I'm competitive. It's the first word I (and most people who know me) would use to describe me. I struggle with the concept of just doing things for fun because to me everything is a chance to win which is why races have always appealed to me. When I retired from competitive hockey, training for a race gave me a purpose to work-out and a chance to beat my favourite person....myself. Unless you're an elite runner, most people don't actually focus on winning a race because of the high number of entrants, different starting places, and the mix of genders and ages. For these reasons, my focus is not on actually winning the race but achieving a specific time to beat my personal record.
I didn't realize the significance of running in my life until I couldn't run. In 2013, I was training for my first full marathon when I injured myself 2 weeks out from race. What I thought was a strained hip flexor ended up being a torn hip labrum. I needed hip surgery and I couldn't run for an entire year. The timing of my injury couldn't have been worse. It came at a very difficult time in my life when for the first time I wasn't playing hockey, I was living in a new city, and I had just started my first Masters program. Needless to say I was lost. And I felt even more lost without my long runs to organize my thoughts. Finally, after a year I was back running and everything started to come together.
Today, three years after my injury, I ran my first full marathon and crossing the finish line was the proudest moment of my life. My training for this race has kept me sane during the first six weeks of my Master of Sport Management degree. During my long runs I was able to plan out my to-do list, think about work issues, and just beat stress. From my personal experience, I believe that running and exercise in general are great ways to improve mental health and that's why I'm encouraging all of our bronze & gold readers to sign up for a race. Elle Woods may have said it best, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy..." Training for and completing a race, regardless of the distance, is an incredible accomplishment and an amazing feel good moment. For our Ottawa followers, Run for Women is being held on May 7th and consists of both 5k and 10k run/walk events. All pledges and donations will be supporting women's mental health programs at The Royal. I really think that training for this non-competitive fun run/walk will be a great way to beat the winter blues! I really hope you will all consider participating :)
I'm always here to help with training plans so please don't hesitate to ask.
But as for right now, I'm ready to enjoy a glass of wine and hot bubble bath!
Lots of love,
Sharing my perspective on poverty
Now 23, I've lived the charmed life and for that I thank my lucky stars every single day. I'm one of those people who spreads positivity and zest for life...from my shiny, untarnished perspective. This I recognize. For the past couple years, though, my academic life has been immersed in a subject that flipped me on my head. And for that I will be eternally grateful.
For my Masters thesis I conducted focus groups with low-income people and gathered a wealth of information on the barriers they face in having enough food from day to day. But what does that mean? I used a small town food bank and Salvation Army branch to recruit people who have trouble making ends meet from month to month. A few brave and resilient souls agreed to meet with me to share their stories of struggle, humiliation, and survival. In a country like Canada it's so easy to think this doesn't exist. It's easy to think that we all live our kushy middle class lifestyles and everything is great.
The research process has taken quite an emotional toll, I'll admit. I find myself in constant confrontation with socialized norms and having to check myself over and over again: Why as a society do we take one instance of someone who abuses the social welfare system and generalize it to everybody else? The people I consulted spoke only of wanting to be honest, of wanting to help others, of wanting to be healthy, and wanting to be happy. These are not luxuries. Basic humanity doesn't teach us to trample everybody else while we find our way. When did this stuff happen? When did we decide it was easier to turn a blind eye to people who were suffering and came by it honestly? Why is it so easy for everyday Canadians to get stuck in the rut of social welfare and face an impossible battle to claw their way out?
As a working girl I understand the feeling of seeing half of your paycheque taken away. I get the feeling of waking up in the morning and wishing you could stay in bed but knowing your life depends on that daily grind so getting up anyway. I get the feelings of anger when you drive through your small town and see the "porch dwellers" sitting on the front step dragging on cigarettes, waiting to collect a cheque that comes from your hard earned tax dollars. I don't think for one minute those are unjustified emotions. I think this is why my education has been so emotionally taxing on me - the constant pull of understanding both sides of the coin. Which is why I share this with everyone today.
We all love a good heart wrenching story as it shares its way around social media. We can all see the great in giving a homeless man a haircut or a hot meal or paying for the person's coffee in the line behind us. But what is it that makes us so adamant that certain people are and certain people aren't deserving of the same quality of life? Or atleast an equal shot at it? And that might just be the key.
Our grandparents came here with nothing and worked their way to the top, you hear that over and over again. But what was different at that time was a sense of community which is largely lost today. At that time people came together, be it through the church or otherwise, to help one another. A new family immigrated from the Netherlands? Someone offered them a job on their farm, someone stepped up to teach them English, someone was always around the corner if they were short a cup of sugar or needed a dime to mail a letter. In today's world we have no idea who our neighbour is, we lock ourselves inside our air conditioned, technology equipped homes to entertain ourselves in isolation. We sit behind screens and feel a false sense of social cohesion.
But what if tomorrow comes and you lose your job, you get diagnosed with a chronic and debilitating disease, your partner leaves you, or your house burns down? Life is fragile. What if you find yourself on the other side of the fence, because the majority of the people living in poverty today will tell you, it can happen with the flick of a switch. They had "normal" lives before they found themselves using the food bank or going without. Have a little faith in people and know that people don't want to be lazy. People are inherently good. But more importantly, know how lucky you are each and every morning to wake up with a purpose and the health, ability, and opportunity to go out and earn a proud living.
Just something to think about as we ignore the homeless man, sitting cross legged on the street. What was his life before he wound up there asking you for spare change? Did he simply make poor choices (as we've been taught to assume and can sometimes be true) or did he face incredible challenges in his childhood? Maybe he served our country and has now returned with unbearable mental health issues and a lack of support? The problems are so much deeper than the grips of a drug addiction. We are all given a different shot at this game of life - all equipped with different social supports, coping mechanisms, and emotional capacities.
Though I cursed the graduate student life more often than not - putting my own privilege on display - I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I had to learn from people who were at their most vulnerable. I truly learned the value of a dollar, what it can represent, the value of food so many of us take for granted, and the value of life. It gave me perspective that I will forever carry with me. Compassion. Perspective. Appreciation. And most of all 20-something drive - to spread a message and spark conversation...To ameliorate the lives of not just struggling Canadians but ultimately, all of us.
Love always,


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Because the Quad-Cities is considered "inland," there are only a handful of U.S. Coast Guard members on duty at Arsenal Island.
They have a lot of rivers to cover and a variety of responsibilities. So when it comes to boating safety, the Coast Guard relies on dozens of helpers in its auxiliary.
Groups of these volunteers - called "flotillas" - will hit the water in May.
First, they'll inspect your boat for safety with your permission.
"We make sure they have enough good life vests, check for leaks (gas in the bilge), is the battery box covered, do they have functioning fire extinguishers," flotilla Commander George "Mac" McNeal listed off the checkpoints.
The safety check takes about 20 minutes, longer for bigger boats.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary patrols the Mississippi River, and even the Rock River sometimes.
The group is under the guidance of the regular Coast Guard headquarters in St. Louis. Because these volunteers are the Coast Guard's extra eyes, the military pays for the boat fuel and provides insurance while the auxiliary is on patrol.
"We don't carry firearms, we don't arrest people or give out tickets," Tom Jacobson explained. "We're there to help boaters, but we can't tow anyone in distress unless it's an absolute emergency. Then it's to the closest safety point."
Auxiliary members say they don't stop boats or even point their fingers at any boaters; they're just there for safety assistance.
"We also do search and rescue," McNeal added. "We check for proper lighting on the bridges and pier lights along shore, as well as make sure the buoys are in the right spots. These are aids to navigation."
When you're out having fun at the Tug Fest or enjoying fireworks at Modern Woodmen Park or entering the harbor for River Action Inc.'s Floatzilla, you might see the Coast Guard Auxiliary helping protect both boaters and the channel from harm.
This is important, highly regulated work and auxiliary members have to re-qualify every year.
From November to May, the flotillas train and test themselves, preparing for the next boating season.
They also offer a "basic seamanship and safety" course for civilian boaters and have had a class going on every Tuesday night in March, with a final exam at the end.
The Rock Island and Davenport flotillas will offer another set of classes beginning at the end of April.
Six flotillas are active in the region: one each in Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, Arsenal Island and in Dubuque, Iowa. About 90 people serve in these six units.
You don't have to have been in the military to join. Annual dues are $30. The auxiliary has been around the Quad-Cities since 1958.
Jacobson became involved after years of teaching sailing at the Lake Davenport Sailing Club. He likes the training and safety aspects of the auxiliary.
McNeal had a professional mentor who was also a boater and auxiliary member. He noticed how well trained his mentor was when there was a problem on the water, so the man encouraged McNeal to get the same training. That was 30 years ago.


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Speed: 97 bpm
The DJ's Take: This is hiphop-flavored R&B the way it's supposed to be. The beat is laidback with that shuffling drum and lazy guitar, the vocals are silky smooth, but still emotive, and the rapping is solid. All in all, a very good choice for a classy and relaxed lounge atmosphere.
Download the MP3: All I Want Is You (Clean Version), All I Want Is You (Main Version) [Explicit]


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July 3, 2012
2-in-1 Sewalong: Wrap Dress Neckline
OK you guys, I decided to go out on a limb and try something new here. I was going to show you how to put elastic in the neckline area of the wrap dress version of Simplicity 1880 to keep it from gaping, but in all actuality I started working on it and it just never quite meshed. So that's a technique that I need to work on a little more - hey I never said I was perfect. Right....? Anyway, then I started rethinking the neckline and decided on a bias binding technique that I had yet to try. I decided to give it a whirl on my wrap dress. End result? Ummmm GORGEOUS! I don't know about you, but I have such a problem with bias binding. It always ends up looking like garbage. Seriously. The thing with bias binding on drapey fabric is that it gets all warped and starts looking thin in one area and fat in another. It's the nature of the beast. So we're going to work on counteracting that today. Let's get started.
Step 1 ~ First you need to trim the seam allowance off of the neckline for the wrap dress. By the way, it's only 3/8".
Step 2 ~ Now you need to figure out how wide you want your bias binding to be. I picked 3/8", which is .375 in decimals. Take that number and times it by 8 and you have the width of the bias strips you need to cut. My bias strips are 3". Cut 3 of those.
Step 3 ~ Measure the back section of the neckline, from shoulder seamline to shoulder seamline. Mine measured 6 1/2". From there take 1" away from that, which would leave me with 5 1/2". I know we're doing a bit of math here, but really it all has a purpose. Promise.
This 5 1/2 inches I'm left with is what I'm going to cut one of the strips of bias to be - meaning that it would then be 3" wide by 5 1/2 long. Now you should have 3 bias strips - one that is short and two that are long and at least as long as the front neckline, so its good to measure that section too. Alright?
Step 4 ~ Now it's time to sew the bias strips together. With right sides together, match up one end of the short bias strip with another end of one of the longer bias strips and give it a 1/2" seam allowance straight down the edge. And just so you know, I sew my bias strips together like this because I think sewing them with a seam that's on the diagonal is a bunch of malarkey. I really do - and you know what I'm talking about if you've done this with drapey fabric - quelle nightmare! So forget that and just stitch the bias strips together down the straight edge and it works out just as well (if not better in my opinion).
Now returning to stitching the bias strips together - stitch each right sides together until you end up with one giant strip that has the small strip in the middle. Make sense? Now press the seams open in your bias strip and let's move onto attaching it to the neckline.
Step 5 ~ Fold the bias strip in half, but don't press it in half - we'll do that later. Just fold it in half, wrong sides together, for now. Now we're going to take our folded bias strip and with the small strip in center, we're going to line it up with the back of the neckline so that the bias strip seamlines are about 1" off of the shoulder seamline with the right side of the bias strip to the wrong side of your neckline. Why, you might be asking? This is to avert having the seam of the bias tape directly over the top of the shoulder seamline which will reduce bulk in the end and no one needs extra bulk anywhere do they?
Pin in place and then continue to pin the folded bias strip in place down the rest of the neckline. Again, right side of bias strip to wrong side of neckline edge, raw edges all together now. Now stitch in place with whatever amount of seamline you picked in step 2 - mine was 3/8".
Step 6 ~ Press the bias strip away from the neckline edge, making sure that you don't yet press the fold in the bias strip yet. Seriously, don't press the bias strip fold yet because we're going to turn it in the next step and we need to allow for turn of the cloth.
Step 7 ~ Fold the bias tape to the front and pin into your ironing board. Then take your steamy hot iron and steam it in place. Pretty neat trick huh?
Step 8 ~ From here, you can hand baste down the front of the garment to keep the bias binding in place or you can even use a little steam-a-seam to tack the seam down and then edgestitch along the fold of the bias binding.
Not bad, no?
So, now you just need to baste the fronts together, matching the notches. Then stitch the skirt to the bodice. I know. Now you can try on the full dress. My version is looking rather gorgeous if I do say so myself. I nearly fainted from the luxury of the silk when I tried it on today. Sigh. Ok, Ok enough! You've seen this version of Simplicity 1880 quite a bit lately, so its time we took a break and let you see a little of my white linen shirt dress version.
Meet me back here tomorrow!
29 comments
Great tips! Is that 4ply silk from Gorgeous Fabrics? Nevertheless, it's beautiful!ReplyDelete
Yes it is! It's lush to work with and when I tried on the dress today, oh man. I'm really loving my fabric choice for this dress - match made in heaven!ReplyDelete
Your tutorials are super helpful for a newbie like me. I will use your tip on a wrap bodice that I will be working on. I am confused though about the fusible stay tape that you applied on the neckline in your previous post. Did you cut 3/8" off it?ReplyDelete
Your timing is perfect! I am working on a V-neck dress made out of a silky fabric and I'm having a heck of time with the bias binding. I'll have to give this a try!ReplyDelete
Yes. The stay tape itself is 1/2" in width, so I had about 1/8" left after I trimmed around the neckline. No biggie. Its super helpful to keep that seam from stretching as I'm sewing.ReplyDelete
Thanks Sunni for your clarification.ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for this sewalong. I really have to try this pattern soon. I am also a huge admirer of your blog. Thanks for being awesome!ReplyDelete
I'm really learning a lot of great construction tips from this sewalong. I just wish I was actually sewing along so I could try them out! The wonderful thing is I can tell the tips are going to be helpful in a lot of different projects. So thanks!ReplyDelete
- Tatiana Di MaioJuly 3, 2012 at 11:44 PM
Hi Sunni,ReplyDelete
I never sew my bias strips on the diagonal as well, I really don't see the point in doing this...
Just a question, I didn't understand that, why did you include a short strip between the two long ones? Why not get two long strips, or better yet, if you have enough fabric, a single really long strip?
Thanks for your help,
Tatiana Di Maio
Sunni, thank you so much for the time and TIME you put into these tutorials and the sew-along. They are so helpful. My dress is coming along....bodice done, ready for the sleeves!ReplyDelete
I also meant to add that this technique looks like genius. I always do my binding by sewing a single thickness of the bias strip right sides together then folding over, tucking the last edge in, then edgestitching (does that make sense?). Of course, inevitably, the tucking in part always makes the binding somewhat imprecise. Your method looks like it'll solve all those issues.ReplyDelete
You can do that too, but yes, you are totally right about the "fold over." I can never get it to look quite as nice, so this eliminates that! Yay!ReplyDelete
You can do that 2 long strips instead, yes, but I find that I don't like to have the seam of the bias binding right off the center back either. It's a little nit-picky, but I prefer to conceal them right off the shoulder seamline. And you can do that with just two strips but my pieces weren't long enough so I just showed this way instead. No biggie though if you only do two strips instead of three! Or even one really really long strip too!ReplyDelete
What a lovely, clean edge you have achieved! My mother always complains when I bind edges on garments. "You can see a line. You need to do a facing so there is no line at the edge." But: I like the line at the edge; I am a grown woman, fully capable of making my own decisions; and she cannot see the edge from her house.ReplyDelete
- HoosiermamaJuly 4, 2012 at 1:53 AM
I've always thought there were 2 very good reasons to sew bias strips together diagonally. First, since the strips are bias, a diagonal seamline is on the straight grain. A 90 degree seamline is on the bias and stretches, making a wide place in your bias strip. Secondly, when the bias strip is applied and folded over, diagonal joins are staggered, whereas 90 degree joins pile up on top of each other, creating a lump. Do you have a way to avoid these problems? Or am I misinterpreting your meaning?ReplyDelete
I agree with what you've said about the 90 degree seamline and that it stretches and when applied the diagonal joins are staggered, but I've always found this way to be a hot mess whenever I'm working with anything but woven cotton. When the diagonal is applied, it stretches too much and warps in the seamline area. If you trim and grade the seam right, it won't matter too much that the seamline of the bias tape is on top of each other rather than staggered and really I've found that the diagonal seamline creates two lumps instead of one anyway. Personally I just feel that I've had a much better finish when I've sewn the bias tape at 90 degrees than on the diagonal. In the end though, its up to you. If you feel you get a better result with sewing the bias tape on the diagonal, go right ahead! Nothing wrong with that!ReplyDelete
Well my shiert dres veraion turned out great! I posted pics on flicker! I'm going to make the wrap version next!ReplyDelete
Works for me.ReplyDelete
[...] Turn everything to the right side and press. Then finish the facings – a nice contrasting bias binding might look pretty [...]ReplyDelete
Just lovely! I want to try this sometime. :)ReplyDelete
- CrystalJuly 7, 2012 at 1:35 AM
My neckline is so neat! Thank you for this. I learned at least 3 things at this step of construction.ReplyDelete
1. If I need it, my town probably doesn't carry it. Stores have rows and rows of stitch witchery and steam a seam but no stay tape. When I finally found some, it wasn't fusible. 2. Stay tape is probably the most itchy substance in the sewing world. Had to trim that 1/8 inch that was exposed.
3. This binding technique left me with 7 layers of fabric all tucked into that tidy little roll. Makes for a very thick and slightly stiff neckline. My fabric is a cotton sateen (95% cotton, 5% spandex or lycra or something stretchy). Wonderful to work with, fabulously comfy to wear...but on the medium weight side.
Can I clip out some of the encased rough edges inside that binding to reduce bulk, or will that leave a line you can see?
Hi Crystal! I think that would be perfectly alright. Also, you can do this technique with one strip of bias tape instead of folding it in half like I showed here. In that case you would take the size width you want to end up with and multiple that by 4. From there, you'll go through the same exact steps except that in the end, you'll have a raw edge that you'll need to fold in on itself rather than the fold of the bias strip. Does that make sense? You end up with 2 less layers in that instance and that definitely creates less bulk. I'll admit that this was my first time giving this bias binding trick a whirl so my dress neckline was a little bulky too, but that's alright. Sorry you couldn't find fusible stay tape at your local fabric store! You can also use strips of tricot interfacing that you've cut your self (found both at Joann and Hancock) and that will work too - though its definitely nice to have the stay tape on hand.ReplyDelete
I highly recommend the wrap version too! I think I might just have to whip out one more dress from this pattern. It's SOOOOOO flattering!ReplyDelete
Great tutorial, thanks! This is the way I learned from Louise Cutting, she has a video that walks you through these steps too, but your photos are really clear! Have you seen her on Threads? I highly recommend all her finishing techniques.ReplyDelete
Offsetting the seams at the shoulder and trimming the seam allowances allow my bindings to lie really flat.
I just completed a dress today and had no idea how to do a neck binding. I looked at YouTube video after video. I was able to just wing it and it doesn't look too bad. I stumbled upon your blog by coincidence. Unfortunately I'm still confused on how to do a neck binding with reading this tutorial. Do you ever do any video tutorials?ReplyDelete
I don't, only because I don't have a video camera - one day I hope! What are you confused about? Maybe I can help by explaining a bit more.ReplyDelete
[...] the cap sleeves this time and will use french seams as much as possible. I'll also be using self bias binding as Sunni suggested rather than the facings (but go my own way as Sunni's tutorial creates a lot of layers! [...]ReplyDelete
- Betty McKinnonAugust 21, 2012 at 6:20 AM
Great description and pictures. Thanks so much. I want to put a collar on my wrap dress AND do the bias binding. Is there a way you know of incorporating the collar into the binding?ReplyDelete
Hi Betty! Gosh, with the way that this bias binding is applied, there just isn't a way to do that - at least not that I can think of! The bias binding is such that is wraps around the raw edge and is shown on the outside of the garment and that just won't work with a collar. However, if you were to do a bias binding that folds to the inside - doesn't show on the outside of the garment - and add your collar to the neckline before you attach the binding, that would work. Topstitching the binding in place would give you a similar effect to having it wrap around to the garments right side. What do you think?ReplyDelete


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What is JotForm?
JotForm is a free online form builder which helps you create online forms without writing a single line of code. No sign-up required.
At JotForm, we want to make sure that you're getting the online form builder help that you need. Our friendly customer support team is available 24/7.
We believe that if one user has a question, there could be more users who may have the same question. This is why many of our support forum threads are public and available to be searched and viewed. If you'd like help immediately, feel free to search for a similar question, or submit your question or concern.
Is our current questionnaire secure?Asked by mytaxsolutions on February 06, 2014 at 11:44 AM
Hey we need to know if this form is secure because we are dealing with sensitive data from our clients..
And a few have stated that since it doesnt say httml: at the beginning of the web adddress that it is not secure..
WE MUST HAVE IT BE secured.
Yes for the form to be secure the beginning of the url must be https://
You can achieve this by going to "Setup & Embed" > "Embed Form":
And then select the "Secure Form" box in the Form Embed Wizard:
Afterwards you just need to embed the form again. You can check more details on secure ssl submissions in our guide.
Kindly let us know if you need more assistance.


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Not Accepting Guests
- Last login about 4 years ago
Join Couchsurfing to see Christopher's full profile. It's free!
About Me
Traveller & soon to be host
I am back in Australia now, living in Melbourne. I'm working again and enjoying my city. I came back from some time traveling recently when I used couch surfing a lot. I have spare room that will be available soon for surfers.
I enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences. I very much enjoy being on the road with my bike, and coming to a new place. I like to laugh, and try to get the most out of life.
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
I almost have a couch/spare room available, I will be offering it ASAP.
I Couchsurfed for the first time on my trip to St Petersburg and Moscow. It was a great experience, and has left me with a positive outlook to the idea. I made great friends, and want to continue to do so. When I return to Australia, I look forward to offering my couch to other travelers.
I have many interests, and am always seeking new experiences. I enjoy being outdoors, and in nature.
- technology
- traveling
- outdoor activities
- cycling
- surfing
One Amazing Thing I've Done
This trip has been an amazing experience for me... Ive just loaded some more pictures, and had fond memories of recent travels.
Teach, Learn, Share
In Russia I tired English teaching. I enjoyed this very much, and might do it when I travels again. I enjoy helping people to learn the English language.
My trade is in technology, specifically computers and networks.


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SyrupDirect To Products
Enjoy an exceptionally delicious and incredibly refreshing drink that's utterly brimming with vitamins, with a thirst quenching syrup from Roosvicee, Karvan Cevitam or Ekoland. Available from Holland at Home, all our syrups are highly concentrated, meaning a little really does go a long way - indeed, one bottle of syrup can prepare up to 20 glasses of fresh lemonade. And each of the syrups in our Roosvicee, Karvan Cevitam and Ekoland syrup range are available in a variety of tempting flavours, such as peach, fruit mix and forest fruits. Holland at Home also stocks a Roosvicee ferro and a Roosvicee laxo syrup, which have been specially formulated for those with an iron deficiency or irregular bowel movement.
There are no products matching the selection.


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Dixon's, Walker Farm, Maullers atop standings
BRATTLEBORO >> In men's league action on Sunday, Chadwick Law flattened Al's Towing 75-63, Green Mountain Creamery outscored Vermont Pressure Wash Painting 66-63, and Dixon's Painters defeated Brattleboro Ford/Subaru 90-81.
Keith Lyman sank nine free throws and finished with 29 points to lead the lawyers. The high scorers for the other five teams were: Al's Towing's Robert Rea (27 points), Green Mountain Creamery's Owen Blake (23), VPWP's Mike Dixon (20), Brattleboro Ford/Subaru's Corey Bauer (22), and Ryan Boyle (32) of Dixon's Painters.
In Friday's games, Cota & Cota denied Brattleboro Ford/Subaru 92-84 and GS Coating edged Rice Appraisal 63-61. Cota & Cota's Winston Sailsman (24 points), Brattleboro Ford/Subaru's Shane Spivey, Rice's Steve Kapral (16), and the GS Coating duo of Tim Fellows/Casey Slate (15 each) were the top guns.
Division 1
Dixon's Painters 6-1
Cota & Cota 5-2
Pancake Design 4-3
Ford/Subaru 3-5
Division 2
Walker Farm 6-2
Chadwick Law 5-2
Green Mountain Creamery 5-2
Al's Towing 2-6
VT Pressure Wash 1-7
Division 3
Maullers 6-2
Pro-Cut Lawn Care 5-2
GS Coating 4-2
Chroma 4-2
Rice Appraisal 3-4
GS Precision 2-5
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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P rivacy
We respect the privacy of our visitors and riders. Any information gathered from you is used only to make your experience as efficient and reliable as possible.
While visiting itm.org, Google Analytics is utilized to track consumer behavior. All visitors remain anonymous during their visit with the exception of basic demographic information. All information collected pertains to behavior solely on itm.org with the exception of search engine searches that link a visitor directly to the site. Information is also collected regarding the visitor's city or town in which they are visiting the site as well as gender and age. This information is utilized for marketing purposes, and is obtained through cookies utilized by Google Analytics.
If you reserve seats on one of our trains the following items should be considered:
• Credit card information is not stored within our systems. Numbers are sent to a processing company contracted by the museum and are processed by the card issuers on a daily basis. We retain only receipts with the last four digits of card numbers.
• Telephone numbers are kept so that we may contact patrons in the rare event that we need more information or a train has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Email addresses are taken so that a reservation confirmation can be sent. This confirmation message is required for a patron to claim tickets to ride a train. This address will also be added to an email notification list. We send occasional messages informing patrons of upcoming events in which they may be interested. We sometimes send emails inviting passengers to participate in surveys providing us with feedback on how well we are doing. All such messages offer the opportunity to unsubscribe from future mailings.
• When making online reservations, you will be asked for a home address. Your zip code is needed to help confirm your identity to your credit card issuer. We do not mail print materials.
• All information gathered to make a reservation is stored securely with a corporation contracted by the museum. That company also stores the information concerning subscribers to our email list. When using their system, you will be able to view their privacy and security policies.


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Subscribe to GoodReturns
Gold and jewellery retailer Tara Jewels was up 2.27 per cent, PC Jeweller was up 1.50 per cent and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Limited was up 0.50 per cent, while Thangamayil Jewellery was trading flat.
Gold finance companies has a smart rally with Manappuram gaining 5 per cent and trading at the upper ends of the circuit filter. Muthoot Finance on the other hand jumped 0.50 per cent.
Gold meanwhile slid marginally by 2 per cent in international trade. India gold prices are linked to international prices. International prices were last trading at $1350 an ounce.


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Sarah must have read my post this morning in which I lamented the fact that I didn't get any blizzard pictures from Columbia readers of Tales of Two Cities.
She sent along a few shots from her new home in the Village of Owen Brown and had some nice things to say about the Columbia Association.
"Surprisingly, and wonderfully, the Columbia Association had plowed the trailways mid-storm, so we walked to Giant around 3:30 pm on Saturday. Our street hadn't even been plowed at this point in time (oh, okay, they did plow it Friday night sometime, but you couldn't tell), but the trails were-- glad to pay my CPRA fees!"
Like all of us, Sarah spent part of her Sunday digging out. Since she is new to this neighborhood the Blizzard of Aught Nine had a hidden benefit.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Columbia Blizzard Pix
Posted by wordbones at 12:30 PM
Labels: Blizzard of 09
2 comments:
- Dave W said...
I had put a few up of our neighborhood in Columbia yesterday as well.
- December 21, 2009 3:38 PM
- Suzanne said...
Beautiful pictures. Thank you!
Maid For You Home Cleaning Service
- December 22, 2009 12:50 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text: Stars behind bars Back to Article Comments Need to Register? X Remember Me Forgot your password? Latest local news Here's why your child might not have watched the eclipse at school PAISD trustees will discuss campus name changes Thursday Remnants of Tropical Storm Harvey could slam SE Texas later this week Were you 'Seen' at Beaumont's eclipse party? Former Beaumont prison guard sentenced


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Each month, Rated People connects over 50,000 homeowners with quality tradesmen - simply enter your job details in the form above to get started.
We'll match your job to the relevant tradesmen in your area - those interested will pay to see your contact details and call you to quote.
As each tradesman expresses interest in quoting on your job, we'll send you their profile and ratings to help you choose the right one for you.
After the work is complete, return to the site and rate your tradesman based on their quality of work, reliability and value for money.
Added 15/07/2016
we need a plumber to fix the bathroom basin tap and seal the shower tray
Painter / Decorator
Added 09/02/2016
Services required: painting, removing wallpaper, wallpapering - patterned, Some fitted shelves/wardrobes...
Added 03/11/2013
Install 6 x light fittings Additional information: Wall lights to be fitted also some old...
Heating Engineer
Added 06/08/2013
Replace an existing gas fire can get rid of old brick fireplace myself if required Customer...
Gardener / Garden Designer
Added 22/07/2013
Removal of existing fence panels, posts etc. Supply and erection of new fencing and gate -...
Specialist Tradesman
Added 27/06/2013
Having a kitchen fitted in 200 year old property end of July. Having taken back off exsisting...
Managing your job is easier with the Rated People Homes App, download it today.


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Find Internet in Sunnyside
High speed Internet in Sunnyside has generated much more avenues for the Sunnyside people to enjoy and appreciate living in their vibrant city. Those living in eligible areas can finally enjoy time to see and experience all that the latest generation of entertainment and communication has to offer. Choose your postal code below to learn more about Internet availability in your town.
The next generation of fiber-optics could make you forget all about old cable or ADSL
Fiber optic Internet providers in Sunnyside brings to this city something that cable companies just can't do. Their decades old copper wire technology has reached its boundaries and creates range of troubling issues like capacity sharing and bottlenecks.
Sunnyside fiber optic Internet comes to the rescue. It allows for the most recent as well as the best of what fiber-optic offers making a stable network using a power to concurrently deliver a true HD picture, super-fast upload and download speeds as well as a noise-free calls.
Fiber optics: how broadband internet is meant to be experienced in Sunnyside
Fiber optic Internet in Sunnyside can open countless new ways for you to work on or enjoy Internet. It's easy to:
- Upload effortlessly your home-made video and let your whole network of relatives and buddies appreciate it within seconds
- Stream videos and entertainment shows from different places like Netflix as you watch consistently updating the Sunnyside weather map on weather.com
- Play online the most recent generation of games and let an incredible speed supply you with an advantage over your opponents
Most impressively, with fiber optic Internet, it is possible all simultaneously. And you will never again have to ask each of your kids to get off the internet when you want the bandwidth.
So call now to check on Internet availability in Sunnyside and discover if your residence is covered. Probably, the next generation of entertainment and communication is closer to you than you believe.
Don't reside in Sunnyside?
Choose where you live from the table below to get more information on high speed Internet coverage.
|College Point
|East Elmhurst
|Forest Hills
|Jackson Heights
|Kew Gardens
|Long Island City
|Middle Village
|New York
|Rego Park
|Richmond Hill


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The Bard Owls East Lansing, Michigan
Founded in 2011, The Bard Owls are a folk band based out of East Lansing, Michigan. We play a blend of old time, folk, gospel, original songs, and some pop/alternative covers. We love jamming with old guys, playing in the sunshine, and Civil War song medleys. ... more
Streaming and Download help


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The health and life advice site for LGBT people.About FS | Donate
In this issue we want to look at the relationship between alcohol and the gay community. Do gay men drink too much? Too often? Do we as a gay community celebrate alcohol? How about the decisions we make while drunk? It's time we take a step back and check to see if our relationship with alcohol needs some care.
Download it: iOS / Apple | Other | PDF (coming soon)
Scroll down to read all the articles indivdually
The NHS estimates that around 9% of men in the UK show signs of alcohol dependence. Our recent 'Alcohol and the gay community' survey found 11% of gay men admitted to having a problem with alcohol - higher than the national average.Read more
It's not easy to sit down and plan out an issue to do with alcohol and gay men. Why? Well, who wants to be told they are drinking too much or too often? Not me. I like a drink just as much as the next person.Read more
The number of gay men who use and abuse alcohol is far greater than those who take chems. Yet, perhaps because of the legal status, alcohol risks being the forgotten problem.Read more
Breaking news! Some gay men don't drink alcohol. Shocking, eh?Read more
For this issue of FS we asked 1,200 gay men about their drinking habits. One reader got in touch and asked if he could share his story about drinking his way into becoming HIV-positive after he was raped by his boyfriend. This is Dave's story...Read more
I bet you think there's a limited amount of information about condoms, don't you? Well you're wrong.Read more
Just as education has helped and is helping the stigma around being gay, the same is as important and necessary around HIV.Read more
Why we must encourage young students to join the fight in promoting safe sex at university.Read more
Mark Reed is currently working abroad as an English teacher in Cali, Colombia. He is originally from Ireland but lives in North London. While in Colombia, Mark reflects on moving to another country with limited knowledge of the language and looks at how gay men from other countries, with limited English, may feel when they move to the UK.Read more
And yet on a Saturday night, the gay scene is crammed full of 'mean girls' derisively appraising each others' pants, pompadours and packages.Read more


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Turn your favourite Oxballs cock ring or ass lock into an electro sex pleasure device with the all new Oxballs Volt! Simply hook this aluminium electrode onto your cock ring and plug it into your electro sex power box. Put on your cock ring or anal lock and crank up the amps! You can even use this innovative electrode with bondage rope. Your Oxballs Volt will send pleasing electrifying current through your cock and balls for a powerful good time!
Simply connect the Oxballs Volt to your electro sex power box with either 2mm banana jack plugs or 4mm banana jack plugs.
Delivery & Returns
Additional Information
|SKU / Product Code


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About the Book
Features & Details
- Category Wedding
Standard Landscape, 10×8 in, 25×20 cm
124 Pages
- Publish Date Mar 03, 2009
See More
About the Creator
Kate Peters Photography
Raleigh, NC
Modern, Simple, Classic. Kate Peters Photography provides full-day wedding photography based in modern techniques, creative shots, and photo-journalistic styling. We strive to be non-intrusive, efficient, honest, and fun on your wedding day.


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Reward Consultant, Yorkshire, Media, £50K - £60K
Reward Consultant, £50-60K, Flexible location
I have a great opportunity for a Reward consultant with one of our leading clients. I am looking for someone who has previous Reward experience, who is ambitious and is looking to work for an exciting, innovative organisation.
This role will be responsible for the end to end delivery of the annual cyclical processes, contributing to the design and development of incentives and act as the Reward lead on several immediate projects. This role will also be working with senior stakeholders and external vendors.
This role will provide an opportunity to explore all areas of Reward, including getting involved in Remco.
Flexible working and work from home is also a fantastic benefit of this role.
I am looking for someone who has excellent numerical and analytical skills as well as being a great communicator.
Reward Consultant, £50-60K, Flexible location
Interested?? Please call Luke on 02030312468 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Annapurna HR is acting as an employment agency with regards to this vacancy.
The cycle to Annapurna mountain range has started, with @JamesAnnapurna taking on the first 6 miles of the 5,707 mi… https://t.co/EuxZFD3LkNFollow @Annapurna_Rctmt


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Low Fat Chicken, Corn, and Green Chile Chowder
Recipe by smellyvegetarian
A lightened-up version of a comfort food favorite! I haven't made it yet, but will soon! From the Hamilton, OH Journal News, recipe by Jeanne Jones.
Top Review by KateL
4.5 stars. I had 3 bowls (breakfast and lunch), and DH declared that this was a fine creamy soup (he generally avoids creamy soups) that just needed some Old Bay to add the final spicy kick. I tried that, and agree. By the way, I used 2 Tbsp. canola oil; my cookware needs the oil to saute well. I saved the rest for lunches this week; I don't think this will freeze well. Made for The Wild Bunch in ZWT8 for its trip to Mexico.
See Discussion:7 Reviews
Ingredients Nutrition
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced (I'll use more!)
- 473.18-709.77 ml fat free chicken broth
- 473.18 ml frozen corn, thawed
- 473.18 ml cooked chicken breasts, diced
- 113.39 g can green chilies
- 2.46 ml black pepper
- 14.79 ml cornstarch
- 354.88 ml fat-free half-and-half
Directions See How It's Made
- Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray, then add onions through garlic and saute over mediun-high heat. Add a little chicken broth to prevent burning and cook 8-10 minutes.
- Add corn, chicken, chiles, pepper, and remaining broth. Bring to a boil 2-3 minutes.
- Dissolve cornstarch in the half and half, then stir into soup.
- Bring to a boil, then serve.