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I immediately began scouring the internet for a protector/holder/case for it because I didn’t feel cool about throwing it in my purse with my keys and pens and that geometry set compass from sixth grade. A case for the Kindle (or any e-book reader) will run you $30-$60, depending on if you want it to cook you dinner or not. I looked on etsy, hoping there was something cheaper, and there was not, but there were indeed more creative options. Then I thought that, while I figured this out, I would want something to protect the device in the meantime.

So I, naturally, looked around the house for something I could take and turn into a Kindle cover. For free. And I found an Urban Outfitters bag in the back of our car that would work perfectly.

If you want more protection, I suggest using a bag with a bit more structure, but this works really well for now!

First I had to decide if  I wanted some of the text on the bag to be part of the sleeve or if I wanted the sleeve to have handles.

I chose the handles, traced around the Kindle,  leaving a centimetre of space between the Kindle and the trace mark, and sewed along the line with my dinosaur of a sewing machine, making sure to do it all inside-out.

I left a bit too much room, I discovered when I put the Kindle in and it went for a swim, so I sewed it again a bit smaller, and then cut beyond the sew line.

I turned it inside out and voila, my free Kindle cover! The bag was black on one side and white on the other, which explains the final picture.

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11. Planning a 2-day retreat to allow staff at our organization “room to breathe.” Creating space for 150 people to connect with each other and rejuvenate is a great feeling.

10. June 21. Finally watching the office building come down to make room for this.

9. May 31. Taking a sledgehammer to our old office walls before the building was demolished. And filming it.

8. November 23. Seeing my fundraising apparel line go from an initial idea to fully complete, and then seeing other people wearing it.

7. August 30. Being picked up from work by Graham, after he packed up and moved home from Ontario. The end of our long distance relationship!

6. August 20. Paying for $5 of an elderly lady’s $8.80 grocery bill because she was unable to cover the cost herself. She was buying milk and toilet paper. Read the story here.

5. The moment when Graham handed in his thesis and was done his defense, and now officially holds a Master of Arts degree.

4. January 24. Flying to Hamilton, ON (4 hours away) and surprising Graham at his door at midnight in the middle of a snowstorm. He thought he was dreaming and just kept saying ‘no’ and shaking his head.

3. October 3-10. Spending a week in Mexico with my new husband – relaxing, laughing and getting tanned. And playing ping pong.

2. February 23. Having Graham get down on one knee, in front of the Bow river, in -20C and ask me to be his wife. A moment I’ll never forget.

1. October 1. Marrying the love of my life  in front of (almost) all of our friends and family.

Leave a comment with your #1 moment from 2011!

I truly believe that almost the entire history of a family can be told through the story of their Christmas ornaments. Newly married couples usually have a smaller tree, or a number of ornaments that are store bought and generic, as their story together is still in the infant stage. I just finished decorating my parents’ tree with my mom, and with every ornament placed on the branches, a new memory is brought forward about how it was acquired, or what monumental occasions occurred during the year etched on the front. No matter how many times the ornament has been displayed, and how many times the story told, they never lose their importance. The little angel, with the pink crinoline skirt and the wooden face, was purchased by a young girl 46 years ago. In the deep cold of Winnipeg, Manitoba, the doorbell rang on one December night in 1962. Behind the door stood a woman selling small handmade ornaments for 50 cents. The young girl fell in love with the pink skirted angel and my Grandmother purchased it for her, as a gift, so my mother could have something of her own to hang on the Christmas tree. That wonderfully crafted moment of delight is still hanging on the Christmas tree so many years later.

Another cold December, my brother (then 3) wanted to buy ‘his’ new baby (unborn) a hockey stick for Christmas. My mother was in the hospital having the baby from December 19 until the 23, and so left little time for Christmas shopping for the new addition. Once I had arrived home in a bundle of blankets and weather protective gear, my brother quickly realized that the new baby sister was, well, useless, and would not make much use out of a hockey stick. In the cold Canadian night on December 23, four days after giving birth, my mom took my older brother to the pharmacy to pick out a gift. Almost immediately, he spotted it. He spotted the gift that would be absolutely perfect for his new baby sister: a blue bird ornament. He knew then that the hockey stick could wait, because nothing could be more perfect a gift as this. This, as my first Christmas gift ever, is, by far, my favourite ornament on the Christmas tree, this year and every year.

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you take the moments necessary to look at your Christmas tree and truly realize the memories behind the ornaments.

“Honey, let’s buy a mantle.” “A mantle? How do you BUY a mantle?” “Well, you just buy a mantle.” So, we looked on Kijiji, and voila, there was an old, slightly worn, not very nice mantle. And it was big. So G ventures over and buys this mantle for $10.

It needed to be a bit narrower, as well as shorter to not make the little heater look comical.  So G and his dad took the top off.

Cut it in half and took out about a foot.

Pushed the sides together, and flipped the removed piece around and used it to stabilize the top of the mantle.

Glued the sides back together and clamped it. Then took the same amount off of the top piece (not pictured)

Took 6 inches off each leg. The legs of the mantle. Not of each other.

Sanded the entire thing and applied 3 coats of white spray-paint.

Flanked it with bookcases, put the fireplace in the opening and our TV on top.

And finally, I will cover the back (which also covers the cords from the TV and the fireplace) with outdoor patio fabric.

Mantle: $10
Paint: $10
Fabric: $10

Someone, I don’t know who, was informed of this (in his rider, I assume), and wondered where to get the steak sandwich, with so many restaurants in Calgary to choose from. And thus, a competition to expose the best steak sandwich maker (or ssm) was born, titled YYC Steak Off. Hosted (and participated in) by Melrose Cafe and Bar (apparently where I spend nearly half my time these days), the other three “best ssm” contenders were Alloy, Avocado and Firewater, who hosted Calgary’s Twestival.

I don’t really like food that much, I eat my steak well done, and I’ve never even seen a steak sandwich in my life. I’m also about 10 lbs soaking wet and couldn’t eat a whole SS if I had to. I was the perfect candidate to be a judge. Or the worst one. Coincidentally, Melrose thought “Hey, Sarah does everything, and she’s here all the time anyway, maybe we should ask her to judge the steak sandwiches,” and so I got a tweet from them first asking if I was a vegetarian, and second asking if I wouldn’t mind chowing down on some steak and rating it. The event was also a fundraiser for Make a Wish, and whenever I hear ‘fundraiser’, I’m immediately on board.

The sammies were served to the 5 judges, we each cut a piece and passed it down the line. They were also paired with a certain Molson beer that had to be incorporated into their meal somehow. Melrose served up a delicious concoction topped with a delicious mushroom gravy. It was delicious. Mister YYC referenced it in a sentence ending with “I’ve had tougher ice cream.”

Avocado served up a towering, shaved steak sandwich topped with crispy onions and was forced to pair with Molson Canadian, which apparently “doesn’t pair well with anything. Well, maybe with day-old chips…” It was delicious.

Alloy served up a round (in shape) steak sam, cooked in a mouth watering sauce with peppery hints. It was delicious.  Firewater, who forgot part of their meal at the restaurant, was moved from third to last. Wait, I meant to say they forgot THEIR STEAK at their restaurant. Oops. “Ok, keys, check, wallet, check, phone, check, I’m sure someone else has the steak.”

Where's my steak?!

They  served up their onion featuring steak, aside a halved coconut holding a great fruit medley, and paired with Rickards White in a steak spice-rimmed sampler cup. Instead of a plate, they served it on a wooden Star Trek triangle insignia. It was delicious, and it was also very clear that they wanted to win this competition. Top marks for creativity for sure.

The sams were rated out of 5 on creativity, taste, presentation and pairing, and then we turned our votes in to be tabulated. The attendees of the event were also able to vote for their favorites, as they had small samples of each included with the price of their ticket.

In the end, it was Avocado who won both the judges’ vote and the audience’s vote. I guess that leaves no room for challenging the results, despite the fact that the meat on Avocado’s wasn’t a whole steak, which was a challenge I did hear. All in all, a great way to bring people together, raise some funds, and promote different restaurants in the city. I was honoured to be a part of it.

2. It’s bulky. It is.

3. You have goals. This isn’t to say that you’re not working on your goals because you have a TV, but what if you didn’t? Would you spend more time taking a class, reading, getting in shape? Probably.

4. You have relationships. Spend the time building them. Turn off the TV and talk to each other.

5. It doesn’t matter. That sounds pretty bleak, but I have a television that isn’t hooked up to a cable network. When people ask me if I’ve seen that new show about 15 people vying for one cocky jerk, the one where10 brides-to-be fighting over plastic surgery so they can look “perfect” for their wedding, or the one that follows a bunch of socialite housewives as they spend their husband’s money, I’m relieved to say I haven’t. Sure, it’s entertainment, but if it wasn’t there, would you do more things that matterd?