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I am an efficiency fiend

This is to say that I am always looking for better ways to juggle a variety of unrelated projects, from creative to mundane, while handling incoming client requests, daily family responsibilities, and hourly new baby demands. And I strive to do this without losing my sanity, while keeping my children happy, leaving some time for myself, and smiling occasionally.

To give you an idea, I have completed grades 11 and 12 in one year after coming to Canada, earning a Governor General’s medal for the highest marks in the school, while learning English and holding a part-time dishwasher job at … Read more

Puzzle: Glimmer


Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 67.95 cm x 48.1 cm
Producer: Mega Puzzles, Vibrant series, 2013, No. 51420AAN, A 29073LP
Artist: Adrian Klein
Original: photo

Puzzle: This puzzle takes a little time, but reflections are easy to do, and the vibrant colours and well-fitting pieces make this puzzle a pleasure to assemble. The easiest regions to start are the top of the mountain and its border with the sky, and the mountain’s reflection and its border with the river water. The blue of the sky and the river … Read more

Beading: Seven Chakras, Rainbow pendant – Dragonfly – Swarovski crystals

Available for purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180596888/seven-chakras-rainbow-pendant-dragonfly

This handmade pendant features seven bright Swarovski crystals with one for each colour of the rainbow, representing the seven chakras, crowned by the dragonfly charm. Beautiful pendant to keep you connected with the energy flow within your body.

Beading: Seven Chakras, Rainbow pendant – Frog – Swarovski crystals

Available for purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180596704/seven-chakras-rainbow-pendant-frog

This handmade pendant features seven bright Swarovski crystals with one for each colour of the rainbow, representing the seven chakras, crowned by the bejeweled frog charm. Beautiful pendant to keep you connected with the energy flow within your body.

Beading: Seven Chakras, Rainbow necklace, brass – Swarovski crystals

Available for purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180595654/seven-chakras-rainbow-necklace-brass

This handmade necklace features seven bright Swarovski crystals with one for each colour of the rainbow, representing the seven chakras, framed by a brass chain. Beautiful necklace to keep you connected with the energy flow within your body.

 

 

Beading: Seven Chakras, Rainbow pendant – Golden Tree of Life – Swarovski crystals

Available for purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180596346/seven-chakras-rainbow-pendant-golden

This handmade pendant features seven bright Swarovski crystals with one for each colour of the rainbow, representing the seven chakras, crowned by the gold-plated pewter tree of life charm. Beautiful pendant to keep you connected with the energy flow within your body.

Puzzle: Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: A small, not very complicated, puzzle. The best place to start is the building roof/sky border, the distinct towers and building elements, white roof segments, and the sky itself. The bottom white region is also easy to complete, leaving the bushes for the last. Overall quick and pleasant puzzle to do, the Sure-Lox pieces fitting together well.

Notes: Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England. It is known locally as … Read more

Beading: Seven Chakras, Rainbow pendant – Spiral Goddess – Swarovski crystals

Available for purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180608587/seven-chakras-rainbow-pendant-spiral

This handmade pendant features seven bright Swarovski crystals with one for each colour of the rainbow, representing the seven chakras, crowned by the pewter spiral goddess charm. Beautiful pendant to keep you connected with the energy flow within your body.

Puzzle: Dürnstein, Austria

Size: 1000 pieces, 1 missing
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: Not a completely trivial puzzle to complete, due to the snow and trees on the mountains forming a somewhat-uniform pattern. It is simple to start from the more prominent regions, such as the bright buildings, the river/snow border, the snow on the roofs, and the steps going up into the mountains. Once that is done, the top mountain range is separated into mostly blue and mostly black regions, and the central blue tower serves as a vertical … Read more

Puzzle: Winter

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 43 cm x 27.5 cm
Producer: I no longer have the box for this puzzle, so I would much appreciate any information on its name and maker.

Puzzle: Not a hard puzzle to do, since even with its similar colours it’s rather small and the pieces are distinct. Good places to start are the mountain/sky border, the houses, and the brighter patches of the sky and the snow. The rest takes a bit more time, but is quite pleasant to assemble as the pieces fit together well.

Puzzle: Forces of Time


Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 67.95 cm x 48.1 cm
Producer: Mega Puzzles, Vibrant series, 2013, No. 51420AAN, A29073LP
Artist: Sean Bagshaw
Original: photo

Puzzle: Not a completely trivial puzzle, but due to its vibrant colours and the pieces fitting together well, it makes for an extended pleasure to assemble. The easiest region to start is the border between the rock and the sky. Sky can be completed next. The uniform areas of orange, red, and dark red can be done next. The white/blue diagonal ridges … Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Sunlit Meadow – red carnelian, labradorite, unakite, garnet

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179992940/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with red carnelian, labradorite, and unakite is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with garnets is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on how to use it.

When … Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Wild Flowers – amethyst, labradorite, unakite

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/180005037/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with amethyst, labradorite, and unakite is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with amethyst is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on how to … Read more

Puzzle: Josephine Wall – Fantasy Wedding

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 67 cm x 48 cm
Producer: RoseArt, Masterworks series
Artist: Josephine Wall

Puzzle: A simple puzzle to do, due to its many distinct elements. One can start really anywhere – good places are the rainbow-coloured flowers in the bottom right, the white of the bride and her horse, the balloons and the sky, palm trees, waterfall, and river. The building and various animals can follow, and the rest is trivial.

Notes: “At a fantasy wedding there is no need of a limousine when the bride … Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Snow Lace – rainbow moonstone, rose quartz, snow quartz, amethyst

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179993954/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with rainbow moonstone, rose quartz, and snow quartz is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with amethyst is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on how to use it.

When ordering, please … Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Lush Meadow – red carnelian, labradorite, unakite, garnet

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179992946/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with red carnelian, labradorite, and unakite is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with garnets is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on how … Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Sea Foam – turquoise, rainbow moonstone, snow quartz

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179993314/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with turquoise, rainbow moonstone, and snow quartz is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with turquoise is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on … Read more

Puzzle: Parliament Buildings [Canada] in 3D

Size:  87 pieces
Dimensions: 28.4 cm x 28.4 cm x 18 cm
Producer: CubicFun, 3D Puzzle series MC, #MC081h, complexity 4/5
Original packaging: unable to find on the CubicFun site

Puzzle: Following the St. Basil’s Cathedral  and the Taj Mahal 3D puzzles, I am now perpetually on the lookout for other higher-complexity puzzles made by CubicFun, and found a Canadian one in a nearby toy store (Mrs. Tiggy Winkles), sold as a special before Christmas.

… Read more

Beading: Pregnancy Trimester Tracking Necklace – Pick your charm – Green Forest – Aventurine, labradorite, unakite, malachite

Available for custom order on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179992526/pregnancy-trimester-tracking-necklace

Beautiful pregnancy tracker and a keepsake, this necklace made with aventurine, labradorite, and unakite is a wonderful gift to an expectant mama. A movable charm with malachite is used to indicate the current week of pregnancy. This necklace can be worn or kept on a bedside table, on a desk, or in a purse. The necklace arrives in a gift bag ready for giving, with an instruction card on how to … Read more