1200 beads

For Black Friday weekend, our neighbour had a sale at her fabric and fur store (in her garage), and I picked up some beads to try my hand at beading. I've been oogling over some of the beautiful beaded moccasins since I got here 6 months ago, and decided that after successfully making my own kamiks, it was time to make some!

This upper took about 1200 beads (individually stitched) and around 12 hours to make. One more to go before I can start cutting the pattern for the rest of the moccasin.

Last night we celebrated Winter Solstice (the darkest and shortest day of the year) by lighting up some sparklers to brighten the night's sky. 

We didn't all have it quite figured out...

This morning was a community pancake breakfast. For $2 a plate, we couldn't pass it up! 

And I thought it was about time I showed off my awesome sealskin and beaver mitts that I got at the Christmas Bazaar in November, made by a woman named Suzie! My family and friends here are calling me a "lifer" now that I have office Nunavut mitts and plan on staying here for who knows how long! (they would say for life)

frozen dirt road

I was walking to work this morning on the frozen dirt road, cozy warm with my long johns, parka, knitted scarf, headband and mittens, wondering what I'm doing here. As someone who is constantly cold, how did I end up in a place where the ground is already frozen, snow has been falling, and the temperature is below zero from now until spring next year? How did I end up as the girl with a parka, beaver and rabbit fur mitts and seal skin mukluks?
It's going to be an interesting winter, and I'm already looking forward to my southern vacation come Christmas - Toronto is going to feel so warm!
I'm hoping the clouds clear soon so that I can actually see the Northern Lights.