Starting something new…

Homemade Meals

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Sometimes convenience is the deciding factor when it comes to eating. However, when you are willing to try and make a meal from scratch, you can be very pleased with yourself.

The other day, my 18 year old and I made ravioli from scratch. They made the pasta dough, I prepared the meat filling. Then we made large raviolis and boiled them for dinner. We even had some leftover dough so my wife made some with cheese filling and we made some linguine. Sure, we could have bought a can of Chef Boyardee, but these tasted far superior.

For the second week in a row, my wife has made us fresh pizza dough for our Saturday night dinner. She doubled the recipe this time around. So I made three pizzas and some cheesy bread. It was delicious again! By far the best pizza we have made to date. Using leftover pulled pork and barbecue sauce was a good way to go.

Even though we could have order a pizza and get it delivered- it is far more satisfying to make it ourselves. Taking out the convenience factors and laziness changes how we enjoy our meals. Working together, talking, singing and joking creates a cooperative experience.

Do you make meals at home with the help of family? Any “easy” meals that you’d rather make instead of choosing conveniently packaged or delivered food?

Let me know in the comments. I love getting inspiration from others!

Grizzly House

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Before we left for Calgary, a coworker of mine recommended a restaurant in Banff to eat at- should we decide to venture out. Naturally it piqued my curiosity, so I looked it up. Turns out that The Grizzly House serves exotic meats and fondue. Heck yes I was going to go there! This was my early birthday dinner and celebration of our son’s successful weekend.

Upon entering the restaurant you feel like it was trapped in the early seventies. The soundtrack of 70’s and disco music being played throughout added to the atmosphere. Besides unique decor, the history of the restaurant was a social gathering where you could connect with strangers by calling their table number. A swingers restaurant that serves fondue and exotic meat? Let’s see what’s up with the food…

We chose to go with a four course meal. Our meal began with a soup or salad. My wife had the chicken tortellini soup while I went with the salad and house dressing. Excellent way to get the tastebuds excited. Then a cheese fondue. The hostess recommended tossing in the roasted garlic inside the cheese and it was next level.

Next came out the hot stone for us to cook our meats and a variety of dipping sauces. We sampled kangaroo, yak, yellowfin tuna, frog leg, alligator, buffalo and venison. Each unique in texture and flavor. The sauces equally as tasty. To end the meal we had a chocolate fondue with fresh fruit to dip.

The tastes were incredible throughout the meal. The place is a bit more pricey than I’m normally comfortable with, but for the experience to try new meat, well worth it.

And we never called any other tables. Experimenting with food was enough for this trip to the restaurant.

Sprouting Up

Posted on by Josef Havelka

As spring quickly approaches, nature is already giving glimpses of things to come.

Outside in our front garden you can see the start of the daffodils coming up through the earth. In a short time they will blossom and bloom a vibrant yellow. Their showcase will only last a short time, but I view it as the start of spring and a precursor to the future flowers that shall grow. Their beauty always makes me smile.

Inside of our home, my wife has begun her yearly planting. Beans, peppers, lettuce, etc have been germinating in small trays under grow lights at our window sill.

This year, my wife has chosen to keep them in our bedroom so she can watch their growth. Because I close our blinds for my sleep after a night shift, her grow light remains on during this time. This set of plants will soon be moved to another pot and the next set shall be planted. This will allow for a various growth of vegetables throughout the summer, keeping us well fed with freshness at our fingertips.

Spring is welcome to show up at any time now. Let the longer sunshiny days commence and a garden to grow!

Jetpack

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Recently I had to change apps that I was using to write my blogs. I was prompted by the WordPress app to do so before March 8th. So I did it the other day to be ahead of the game.

I was a bit leery at first to delete my WordPress app. But I did. And just like the notification stated- Everything is right where I left it. That was a relief. In fact the app was almost identical to the previous one. With one exception- it runs smoother.

That in itself is great. Things were a little buggy over the last while. My guess is that is why they created an all new application to launch. I had just gotten used to the issues and worked through it all. But for now, I won’t have to.

I’m going to take some time to explore Jetpack and see what is different about it. But most likely the way I use the app, not much will change. Maybe I’ll update my pages to something different.

Change can be good. It keeps life fresh.

Wrist Rugs

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Recently I wanted to make some of my own designs when it came to rugs. One of my favorite inspirations has come from other tufters. The idea of rugs going on your desk below the keyboard sounded interesting. So I made a few of my own “Wrist Rugs.”

I first created matching Wall-E and Eve rugs. I liked the idea of their eyes and the simplicity of the design. The rugs are recognizable and I love the fandom art behind it. Perfect for a His and Hers style!

I also made a wrist rig for me to use at work. I made the CN logo and the basic red and white stripe of the locomotives. The black background will also be good for hiding any dirt and grime that my office space has.

These rugs are soft and wonderful for underneath your wrists as you type. If you want one let me know! Perhaps I could even design a custom one for you!

New Rug Designs

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This week I tufted more rugs. I have not made any of the same designs yet. I like that each rug I have made at this is a “One Off” and unique.

I enjoyed designing a couple of the rugs this time around. I did a sakura flower and a pot leaf. Both very different designs, and both fun to make.

I also made a couple of “wrist rugs” that can be placed on a desk in front of a keyboard. I designed matching Wall-E and Eve inspired rugs. The colour scheme and simplicity of just they eyes really works.

I also have a couple of other rugs that I made, but don’t want to show them off yet as they are gifts for a few friends. Once they are given away- I plan to share the images.

This hobby is a lot of fun. I am enjoying creating recognizable images in rug form. I hope that everyone else is enjoying seeing what I make. Remember to follow on my Instagram Tuftleupagus to see progress of what I make.

New Rug Designs

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This week I tufted more rugs. I have not made any of the same designs yet. I like that each rug I have made at this is a “One Off” and unique.

I enjoyed designing a couple of the rugs this time around. I did a sakura flower and a pot leaf. Both very different designs, and both fun to make.

I also made a couple of “wrist rugs” that can be placed on a desk in front of a keyboard. I designed matching Wall-E and Eve inspired rugs. The colour scheme and simplicity of just they eyes really works.

I also have a couple of other rugs that I made, but don’t want to show them off yet as they are gifts for a few friends. Once they are given away- I plan to share the images.

This hobby is a lot of fun. I am enjoying creating recognizable images in rug form. I hope that everyone else is enjoying seeing what I make. Remember to follow on my Instagram Tuftleupagus to see progress of what I make.

Dandruff

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Since I became a teenager I always had a touch of dandruff. As a teen- it sucked. Getting older I kind of dealt with it by using Head and Shoulders shampoo periodically m. Which was fine as I also used other regular shampoos when not needing it.

In June 2021, we moved to our new home-away from well water into using city water. Suddenly I found my scalp itchy and flaky far more often. I originally associated it with the pool and thought maybe the chemicals were causing it. But in these winter months, it seems like my dandruff is worse and the itch of my scalp is far more frequent.

I figured it was time to start using something stronger and almost medicated in order to alleviate the itch and flakes. So I am trying out Nizoral for the next while. From reviews of the product, I think this will be a good choice in trying to clean up my condition. I will follow the directions and see what happens over the next couple of months. I don’t like having dandruff.

If any of you have had issues with dandruff or similar skin issues, let me know if you have tried this product or possibly have a different remedy. I will post a follow up in a couple of months with my opinion on how well this works. Stay tuned.

Keep on Spending

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I am really enjoying my hobby. So much so that I am spending more money than I am bringing in. But that’s okay, right? I mean it is just a hobby after all.

I keep buying monks cloth and yarn. Loads of yarn!!! I am stock piling a variety of colours just in case someone wants something different than what I have made this mid far. I have also purchased some new trimming scissors and am waiting for a second razor as I want one for the edging and one for making the rugs smooth.

I am even at a point where I want a second tufting gun. Mostly as a backup, but also to be able to teach others how to make rugs. Like family and friends. I think it would be a neat activity to do in a group environment.

So if I do get a second gun, my door and knowledge will be open for those who want to learn this fun hobby! Maybe I’ll teach classes at the local Maker Space.

Training A Future Coworker

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Over the last couple of days, and continuing for the next few weeks, I am training a new supervisor. He has already had a few weeks with another coworker of mine. Now it’s time for him to learn more of what I know.

Tooting my own horn- I have always been a good trainer. In fact- at most jobs I have worked in my lifetime I had numerous people request to be trained by me. I am very calm and do my best to teach by allowing others to search the answers for themselves. I’ll provide the tools and advice, and then they are on their own.

One day soon my trainee will be set free into our workplace. He will be on his own to make decisions, create plans, even make mistakes that he can learn from. I will be letting him grow over the next while and shall be proud when that time comes.

Welcome to the team.

Series of Dates

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My wife and I had a series of dates this week. It was nice to hang out and talk. We really needed some time together that wasn’t doing some regular monotonous routine. We even decided to have another date today just so the good times wouldn’t end.

We went for a quick brunch date at “The Henry” in our neighborhood. Granted it was a cheap breakfast, but still- it got us out of the house again. Right got after our meal, we headed to the car and got caught in a fierce rain storm. It’s been a while since we laughed and ran in the rain.

I’ve really enjoyed the time spent with my wife this week. Our lives seem so busy otherwise. Like most folks, our free time ends up being exhausted on the couch with the television on and our cellphones in our hands- zoning out. Reconnecting with each other has been a great feeling. Hopefully we can keep on dating. I kind of like this lady.

Making More?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have enjoyed tufting- obviously since I can’t stop talking about it… But I was only able to make one rug at a time with my set up. So on Thursday I decided to make a larger frame.

This one is six feet wide and four and a half feet tall. This allows for my entire monks cloth sheet to fit without much waste.

On my previous frame, I made removable and adjustable legs. I moved them to my new frame. I also added a hook to hold my tufting gun when not in use. I also added a couple of dowels on the side for my yarn in hopes to make it easier to work with.

I was able to draw five large rugs and a couple of small pieces. Over the past few weeks I was able to complete one to two rugs every week. I hadn’t realized that working on a layout for the images was going to be so time consuming. I spent most of my day just getting this ready that the only colour of yarn I was able to finish with was the black yarn.

Tomorrow I will be spending more time rug making. Hopefully by Monday night, my rugs will be ready for the finishing touches and by next weekend they will be completed. I can’t wait to show off these designs.

Couple Of Date Nights

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Last night my wife and I went out for a quiet dinner date. The pub was in the neighborhood where we first owned a home. So naturally we drove past our first house. That was neat to look back at where we started.

We ate some tasty pub food and talked about life. It was a nice break. Afterwards we drove to Michael’s and checked out crafts and yarn before heading home.

Tonight we dropped our son off at his speed skating practice and headed out to a place called “Industry Arcade”. There we paid for an hour of free play and got our fill of pinball games! We also did a bit of competitive game play on a few classic arcade games. I’m still pretty good at Frogger while my wife was better at Donkey Kong.

To finish our evening off, we grabbed a couple of lattes and watched the end of our son’s practice. I have enjoyed our rekindled fun times over the last couple of days. I think we may go to play more arcade games again in the future as it made us feel youthful again. Perhaps we were longing for the years past when arcades were a thing. Both of us have different memories of arcades, but similar in many aspects.

It doesn’t matter how old we get- my wife and I enjoy being juvenile.

Hobby For Work

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’ve been doing tufting now for a little over a month. During this time I have gotten visibly better at it. My coworkers are genuinely surprised at my skills. Which is totally understandable- I usually keep work at work and my life outside of there is where the fun is.

But after seeing my work, two of my coworkers asked me to make rugs for them. Both very different designs. Both are something I wouldn’t have done on my own either. I looked up ideas online and got feedback prior to creating the rugs.

The first “commission rug” was requested to be a mushroom. The colours just POP in my opinion. This is going to be a gift for his wife since she loves mushrooms. Before doing the rug, we discussed what style to do and went with a cartoonish style- reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. This one was fun to make because I was able to create it in a more whimsical style. When I finished it, I wasn’t sure what rug to make next. So I contacted another coworker who asked about a rug the other day.

This next rug was from Naruto. It was a Mangekyō Sharingan symbol. He asked for this specific design with black and red. As simple as this image looks, it was far more difficult to make than anticipated. I decided to draw a circle on the fabric and lined up the image to fit perfectly. The hardest part was sewing the curves. The monks cloth is set up horizontal and vertical. Making the turns takes longer and is slow going.

In the end, these two rugs are the most perfect ones I have made to date. I’m really happy that they are going to new homes. My house is getting full…

More Yarn!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I was running low on black yarn, so I did a quick drive across the border to the USA to buy some more. Of course, I couldn’t just buy a few black skeins- I needed to get some other colours as well.

50 more skeins came home with me. I got home and organized all my yarn once more. I also did a quick tidy up of my work station and tools. It’s amazing how much dust and debris comes off the yarn when it’s worked. I need to keep my equipment in good working order.

So messy.

My days off from work have been filled with this new hobby. I have also spent a small fortune on it as well. But I am enjoying the process and the therapeutic nature of making rugs. I can’t stop coming up with designs and rugs. There are so many I want to make.

Of course, I’ve already completed another rug. This time it was for a coworker. He wants to give it to his wife for Valentine’s Day. Before I share the pictures of the progress, I don’t want to spoil the surprise in case his wife follows my instagram account as well. But tomorrow I will start a different set of rugs and share those.

I can’t believe how much I am enjoying this hobby. Sorry for inundating my blog with it. But it’s only a couple of days a week.

100!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It excites me that my new Instagram account reach 100 followers in three weeks! No boys either. Real accounts, real people interacting with me there. Many of them fellow tufters. I have given them a follow back in order to learn from them and keep getting inspired.

Instagram is my go-to social media platform, so I enjoy the interactions I have there. From pictures to videos- that social media meets my requirements exactly. Quick stories, amazing artwork, and a kind community of support.

I have even received my first commission request that will be completed this weekend. However, I won’t be able to share the images or process until after Valentine’s Day, for obvious reasons. But I will be working on another piece to share this weekend.

So please, follow along to see my process and my advancement in my skills as an artist. Tuftleupagus

Social Media and Me

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My social media usage has changed over the years. The main one I post on is Instagram. The only reason it seems like I am on Facebook is because the two are connected. I have ignored Twitter for so long that my app has gone back into the cloud. This doesn’t mean I don’t use the social media services. It means I am not as active as I once was when posting.

My social media postings were once creative and silly. My friends and I would have banter back and forth- posting jabs and jokes at one another. For an entire year I shared Star Wars memes. Facebook was a place for me to have fun and share my fun times.

It all changed a few years ago. I believe it was a culmination of a few factors. I began to write a daily blog. This allowed me to share more in-depth stories about my life and adventures (when I have them). I also changed my career path. That meant folks I was “friends with” left because they feared I would change. Surprise- that didn’t happen. And lastly, Facebook constantly makes changes to how you view their platform. I began to miss “recent stories” from my friends who I followed and they missed mine.

About three years ago, I “unfriended” nearly everyone on Facebook. A year and a half ago I was at a funeral service and people convinced me to get back on Facebook to be able to connect again. So I did. But hardly anyone shares anything anymore. I get videos and webpage “suggestions” now. I don’t post unless it’s a “memory” from when Facebook was fun.

Because of the changes in how social media is used by nearly everyone, I really don’t know why I open Facebook. It’s just kind of there now as a thing I can’t get rid of because of nostalgia reasons. I’m also getting older and feel that when I want to interact with friends, I’ll call or message them. Hey we may even meet up in person from time to time.

Anyways, don’t forget to FOLLOW AND LIKE. Share with your friends.

Namaste.

Pit Stick

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Growing up as a teenager, I would use deodorant everyday. I kind of liked the smell of that better then the teen boy musk I would exhume. Pretty sure my classmates also appreciated it.

Once I met my wife, she suggested I change to antiperspirants, so I did. I have been using those for over twenty years now. I bought the same product every time I needed more. I had a certain fragrance about me that just seemed to be me.

However, in the last year or so I think my body has fought back against antiperspirants. Maybe I’m going through a “second puberty” entering my next section of the aging process. Or the perhaps the product I use may have changed. I’m not feeling as clean smelling as I once did. So I’m going to go back to using a deodorant instead.

I shower daily, sometimes just a quick rinse, other times a scrub clean with various products. Those days I use a face wash, a body wash, one of a variety of shampoos (depending what smell I want my hair to have). But after every shower- I apply pit stick.

To be honest, I am enjoying the smell of my deodorant more than my antidepressant ever had. Perhaps in a few days/weeks this smell will become my new normal. A fresh scented Joe.

Which do you use and why? Deodorant or Antiperspirant? Perhaps a bit of both depending on how active you are? Let me know in the comments.

Amazon Delivered!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I was excited about getting home today after work. I had been waiting for an order from Amazon to show up. I have been eagerly awaiting since I ordered the items a couple of days ago. Today’s delivery was arriving just as I got home. I saw the truck up the street and knew it was going to head my way. And it did!

Most folks would not be excited to get what I got. But with my latest hobby- I am thrilled at what arrived for me. More tufting cloth is most important. I also got an equal amount of backing fabric with anti-slip. I got a roller to help flatten and smooth out the glue between the fabric pieces. My favorite item though is the yarn winder.

When I unboxed it, even my 16 year old son asked if it was from the 70’s. It truly looks like it is. Honestly, it’s one of those things that works exactly as it was meant to- it doesn’t need to be changed. I swear it looks like the one my mother had from… the 70’s! I remember playing with it as a kid. Or was I winding yarn for my mother? Either way- this thing looks like I could’ve dug it out of grandma’s attic.

This weekend I plan on winding some of my “pound of yarn” skeins into more manageable sized skeins. It will also allow me to not need double skeins of yarn in colours I don’t use as often.

Getting excited over mundane items feels wrong and right at the same time. I’m glad the items showed up and cannot wait to play some more with my yarn and rug making.

Beauty Made

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The FAILURE I wrote about yesterday led me to try exponentially harder on my next rug. So much so that I put in around 12 hours labor to get it right. That’s a long time for a twenty eight inch round rug. But I wanted it to be perfect. And it almost is.

I traced out the image as I normally do. This time I labeled each and every color spot and worked tediously to fill them in; leaving enough space to do the black outline in the end. After each colour, I trimmed the yarn. It was easier to do it this way so that the final touches would be minimal and easier to complete.

I have wanted to do this specific image years ago, but in an different medium. I was originally going to paint it, then I was going to paint it on a window, I even thought about doing it in stained glass; but now I created it in rug form. Beauty and The Beast is my favorite Disney Princess Classic. I’ve always loved this film. Great music, good story, very vibrantly executed. A masterpiece in animation.

I’m very happy with how this rug turned out. As usual though, I can see every flaw and just want to continue trimming and cutting. But if I do that, nothing will remain of my rug. The beauty will be gone and only a beast would remain.

This Beauty is adorning our master bedroom in front of the doors to our Juliet deck. It adds a splash of color and I am totally in love with this piece and the placement.

Now I don’t know what to make. This was the pinnacle of my desires. Maybe I’ll take a week off and get back to basic images. Unless you all have a suggestion! I love this hobby!

Learning From My Mistake

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I attempted something new with my rug making. And it did not turn out. In fact it was such a failure that I lost part of my rug.

I wanted to do an abstract design. That part was fine. I enjoyed designing it and mixing colours to try and fit our home. The problem I ran into was I tried using burlap instead of monks cloth. Not easy to use.

I struggled a bit at the start since the burlap had no give. I thought I had gotten past that difficulty, even with some struggles. Just as I was finishing the rug, my gun went straight through the burlap. The tear was so bad that my circular rug was a failure with no chance of repair. So I glued the rug like I normally do and let it dry.

This afternoon, I cut the lower part off and finished trimming the pattern. I still like the design and may do some more like this in the future. However, burlap is a no-go ever again. That was the biggest headache I have had to deal with in my tufting hobby.

I only tried the burlap because I wanted to see if it would work. I wouldn’t even recommend burlap for those starting in tufting. Had I used burlap the first time around, I would have given up on tufting. But even with my big mishap- I’m still wanting to make more rugs.

Lesson learned- don’t use the wrong stuff.

Carpet Kirby

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I made what I consider my best rug yet. I made it for our oldest kid. They requested the video game character Kirby holding a star. I found some images online and created my own design in the end.

I learned some more techniques from following other tufters on Instagram. I have been growing my abilities each week and with every rug. After each colour, I went to the other side and trimmed the edges. It was a bit more time consuming, but the results are superior to anything I have made yet.

This rug was challenging in its own ways. The pink was a different size of yarn and caused me to re-thread it repeatedly. A few curse words may have been said over and over again. But look how cute this rug turned out!

I’ll finish this rug later in the week. There’s just a bit more trimming to complete once I glue the backing on. Hopefully our 20 year old likes this one as much as I do. If not- I have an amazing pink rug!

Cleaning The Garage Workbench

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I spent hours cleaning the garage. I went through a bunch of cupboards which contained boxes and tubs filled with stuff. Stuff that I thought I may need one day- so I kept it around. That is until today. Today was a cleanse.

Besides the cupboards and shelves getting cleaned out and organized, I tidied up my workbench. I even took the time to finish gluing a couple of models that I 3d printed in our old house. Originally I was holding off because I wanted to add lights to them. But I realized as I was cleaning that even if I did add lights- I’d probably never turn them on and they’d be stationary anyways. Soon I’ll paint them and put them on display.

I also realized that I am not using my 3d printer, and haven’t for over two years. Since it was given to me, I paid it forward to a coworker of mine. Removing the printer from my workbench cleared off a lot of space. It doesn’t mean I won’t be printing anymore. In fact quite the opposite.

My wife got herself a resin printer from her work as a Christmas gift. The space it takes is far less on the workbench. Bonus- I get to learn a new toy over the coming weeks! This printer is one I have wanted for a couple years, but now my wife is excited about it, so that’s different.

As you may know, I love being crafty and creative. The hardest part about the creative process is keeping everything clean and organized. Hopefully with this start of a clean space will help. I’m still doing my best to keep my rug making area clean.

Anyways, the garage looks better and more open now. The clutter is gone. That makes me happy.

Pumped

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Today I took apart our pool pump to check the seals inside. It had been leaking recently and I was a bit concerned that it may be something bad.

After watching some YouTube clips, I realized that taking apart this pump isn’t that difficult. I also learned that the seals are pretty much the parts that fail the most on these. That was a relief. It only took about an hour to take apart and reassemble.

After putting it together, I filled it back up with water and fired it up. There was a bit of a leak along one edge, so I tightened a couple bolts just a quarter turn more and it seemed to stop. Now only time will tell.

I do like doing my own repairs, but plumbing is not one of my favorites. Hopefully this will be resolved for a few more years now. I guess we shall see.

Son Of Tuftleupagus

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Like father like son I guess.

I mentioned yesterday that I may start to have a battle over who gets to tuft next. It seems my son wanted to try his hand at it. So I walked him through everything- from setting up the cloth to threading the gun, as well as how to draw the image and pretty much everything that goes along with the art of rug making.

I helped him choose his first image. He wanted to try something a bit bigger and a different shape. So he made an 8 Ball. Honestly- that would’ve been something I would have made when I was his age. I was obsessed with billiards as a teenager. I may have to steal his rug one day.

He was very meticulous and cautious in sewing the rug. It looked far superior to my first rug. I think he has a natural talent in make these rugs. He was very careful in making sure it was lined up and straight each and every time he started the tufting gun.

After he finished stitching the rug, he added the glue to the back and let it dry overnight. The next day, he cut it off the cloth and we added a backing to it. He then trimmed it to his liking.

All-in-all he did a great job. I did help a bit with some of the finishing touches around the white part- he wanted it to be perfect and was afraid to ruin it. I’m looking forward to seeing his next project. I think he can do it from start to finish without me. I’m a very proud father.