I'll be selling my wares this coming weekend!
Happy Cat has gone a little lovey-dovey for the occasion!
Well, I've been pretty sloth-like with my resolution to be blogging regulary - and we're only into week 4 of the new year. Sheesh, must be a record, even for me.
I haven't been a total sloth though, since our taiko group, Arashi Daiko, is crazy busy preparing for our 25th anniversary concert on March 13, 14 and 15. I've been working on our flyers that you can see below - these are the designs on postcard ads/flyers that we'll be leaving around the city, one side in French, one in English. If you live in Montreal, and would like some to hand out to friends and family or to leave at your favourite café, please leave me a comment here; we'll also have posters ready very soon :) Please click on it to see it more clearly!
Here's the French:
And here's the English:
One of our group members, Yukari, did the beautiful kanji character of "Zenshin" that you see on the poster. She painted many versions, all of which I though were equally beautiful, but it proved to be quite a challenge for the Japanese members to choose the final version that would appear on our advertising.
We chose the title Zenshin for this show, to represent the journey and evolution the group has undergone over its 25 year existence - we continue to enjoy the process and are grateful to all that have made the group what it is today. Zenshin can also mean one's whole heart, gradual progress, and it can also refer to "ancestors." It just seemed like the ideal word to encapsulate Arashi Daiko, although I'm sure I lose much of the subtlety and nuance to the word since I don't speak the language.
I might be blogging a lot about this show in the next while, since it's taking up a big chunk of my waking hours...
I work from home, so my cats are used to having me around. I think they really noticed it during the holidays when we were out pretty much all the time since we didn't do any hosting this year. I haven't been taking many photos of them lately, and they so hated the little Santa jacket we put on them last year that I didn't have the heart to do it to them again this year. So here is the photo greeting we sent out last year (it's clickable):
Cats seem to hate having anything covering them - they do that funky get-it-off-me walk when something that is not normally there is touching their legs or body. Both Chibi and Ebi really hated it - lifted their legs high to take a step and then paused before taking another uncomfortable step. And yes, I admit to laughing at them. I'm a meanie, I know.
Dogs, on the other hand, seem to like wearing jackets and sweaters. I don't quite get it. Sierra, my niece's Boston terrier, is the sweetest little thing, and look how she loves the two new additions to her wardrobe - umm, actually the only pieces in her wardrobe.
Posing, and looking pretty spiffy in a sweater that my sister-in-law, Karen, knit for her.
And in her seriously-cold-outside coat, with faux-fur collar, and booties.
I spent my holidays with these two cuties - lucky me!
Preparing a fish might not be too exciting for you all, but this one is really a beaut! This post is for Nancy, Mike and Ron, my siblings who live out in western Canada, and do not get to see our New Year's feast... 
We got an absolutely gorgeous red snapper this year from our favourite (and only) place to buy all our New Year's fish and seafood, United Seafood .
My brother, Doug, got to work on it when we got home, propping up the tail and head to give it a nice arch; he also holds the fins and mouth open with toothpicks.
Below, it's ready for the oven.
And here he is on our New Year's Day table! Happy New Year everyone!
On this table: sushi platters (maki, inari, nigiri, ones with caviar - don't know what you call those), peel and eat shrimp, kazunoko (more fish eggs), chashu (BBQ pork), kinpira gobo, red snapper (check out that curved body! That'll be another blog post on its own), tako. 
Here: nishime, maguro, won tons, bean salad, fruit salad. The cows (ushi) standing ready for the year ahead...
The newest and least helpful member of the family, Sierra. Points for cuteness though.
Doug, slicing salmon for nigiri sushi. 
The octopus, or tako, was actually cooked the night before. We had to get two this year, since they were so small (one three-pounder, one 4 pounder). Slow-cooked to perfection, Doug's tako is never rubbery - thanks to Uncle Yosh's recipe!
The inarizushi (seasoned fried tofu pouches stuffed with sushi rice) crew this year included, JF, Yukari (my friend who is a potter) and Yumi, a visitor from Japan. Yumi was a staff member with Kodo, the taiko drummers on Sado Island, where she is from.
Here I am rolling maki - I'd be fired if I was working in a restaurant for slowness and poor technique. I might get points for good ingredients. A huge thanks to all those who came out last week-end to the Hotcakes show, supporting local artisans and giving a wee boost to the local economy. Great to see you all!
For those Montrealers who didn't make it to Hotcakes, and who still need to do some last-minute shopping, fear NOT!
The RUSTY PLUM Craft Sale is back in Montreal's Mile-End, and I'll be there, along with lots of other amazing crafters!!! Please bring along a non-perishable food donation for Herstreet/La Rue des Femmes, an organization helping homeless women with housing and autonomy.
◘ Saturday December 20, 10am to 7pm
◘ Sunday December 21, 10am to 5pm
At the Ukrainian Federation, 405 Fairmont W., corner Hutchison
Come and have a peek - I'm sure you'll find some perfect gifts! *** AND... a wee little gift for you - mention you saw this message on my blog and I'll give you $5 off any purchase of $20 or more!
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I must apologize to my readers for being a bad blogger again.
As I'm sure you understand, craft show season is a little crazy, and I put up and took down my display at 7 different events, one more than last year - I seem to add one on every year! And it doesn't seem to matter how many times I set up my display, it always takes me waaay too long!
Christmas is next week and I've done diddly-squat. I'm going to cram my baking in next Tuesday. Our family does the big New Year's celebration, so there's stuff to prepare for that too (here's last year's for an idea). And I've done... zippity. Yikes.
Will be back to good blogging habits again in January!
Come and get your holiday shopping done this week-end!
Friday, Saturday and Sunday December 12th, 13th and 14th, from noon to 7pm, I'll be at the 3rd annual Hotcakes Craft Sale / Petits Pains Show, at Eglise St-Enfant Jésus, 5035 St-Dominique, between Laurier and St-Joseph, a 10 minute walk from métro Laurier.
You'll find original, handmade gifts for everyone on your list, while supporting local artisans and crafters! Hope to see you there (^_^)
