The Artsy Nerd Blog
49 Things I’m Grateful For as I Turn 49
Earlier this month, I entered my final year of being in my 40’s and it has me thinking about my life and the adventures I’ve had. As I contemplated, the one word that came to mind over and over was the word “grateful’, I have been so fortunate and I’ve learned so much from the…
Three Little Words
Last night I put a post on Facebook asking friends the following question: “In three words, how would you describe me/my personality superpowers?” The responses to this request were unexpected, both in number and in content.
My Favourite Job Title Is “Mom”
I seem to have developed a bad habit of doing things after the fact lately and I’ve sent four belated birthday greetings this month alone. Since my arrival into the role of motherhood arrived a few days later than my due date, I guess it’s fitting that my blog about Mother’s Day happens a bit…
May We Raise Them All Equally Well
Earlier this month, we celebrated International Women’s Day and because I don’t always look at my personal social media accounts often, this week I’ve been looking at some older posts from earlier in the month. I saw one particular post to celebrate International Women’s Day that stood out for me. The verse was ” Here’s…
20 Things I Learned in 2020
As we pass the one year anniversary of the first recorded cases of Covid-19 here in Nova Scotia, I’m sure that most would agree that we were all ready to wash our hands of 2020. Looking back on last year, I decided to make a list of 20 things that I learned during 2020 and…
On Deconstructing Life-An Anniversary of Change
A year ago today, I shook things up in a huge way! May 17, 2019 was my last day working at the career I had been building for twelve years. It was incredibly hard to walk away from my work family and the years I had spent learning and growing in my field. It was…
Candlelight Walk to Honor Women
On January 30th, 2020, I had the privilege of attending the 4th annual Candlelight Walk to Honor Women in Bear River. The weather was perfect, the moon hanging high amid the trees on this crisp and cold evening. With tea light lanterns made from mason jars, we set out for a candlelight walk around the…
The Artsy Nerd in 2020
One of the best things about the past year has been experimenting with my new business. I’ve enjoyed seeing what worked and I’ve learned so much from the things that didn’t. When I started on this path last May, I had a dream, a rather loose plan, a lot of determination and some pretty specific…
A New Perspective For 2020
What an exciting beginning!!! It’s the start of a new year and a new decade. As each year closes and another draws near, I have always taken to making an assortment of lists to begin preparations for the coming year. I list goals and then break them down into sub-goals. I journal about the holidays…
Being a Tourist At Home
I recently had an unexpectedly free afternoon. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the appointment I had booked was rescheduled so I had no where to be! Oh, the possibilities!! I started driving home, and took the back way since I had time and decided to play tourist where I live! First, I went…
Flavours of Fall
Late this Summer, I had the chance to do something that I haven’t taken time to do in years!! I made homemade pickles! I have had the pleasure of hanging out at lots of amazing farmers’ markets this year so I’ve had the chance to pick up lots of fresh berries and produce all Summer.…
A Walk On The Bottom Of The Bay
This Natal Day long weekend, I did something amazing! I participated in the Not Since Moses race, where you walk (or run) 5 kilometers along the bottom of the Bay of Fundy when the tide is out. There is a 10k option too, but you have to run that one in order to avoid the…
A Day At The Office
Last week, I spent a day working at The Schoolhouse Cafe in Sandy Cove. I spread my assorted paperwork, notebooks (can’t have just one notebook 🙂 ) and laptop on a table off to the side, with a gorgeous sunny day view in front of me, and the hum of conversation and community beside me.…
The Nitty Gritty About Nerdy Bits
Refined sugar free, vegan options, Celiac/gluten free Bites and no wheat products added are just a few reasons Nerdy Bits have been so popular! I’ve been making and selling Nerdy Bits Protein Bars and Bites for a few months now and I am still amazed by the success that I’ve had with this line of…
Hanging It All On The Line
There is nothing I enjoy quite as much as crawling into our bed when it’s been made with a set of sheets which have been dried outside in the fresh air. In fact, I love hanging out the laundry. I spent the early years of my adulthood with no dryer and it’s become a part…
Confessions of a Nerdy Canadian
My name is Tanya and I am a Canadian. I don’t use the word “eh” and although I enjoy maple cream and maple flavoured foods, I am not a big fan of maple syrup. I like Canadian Bacon but seldom ever buy it and I have never eaten a “Beaver Tail” or drank coffee from…
Things I Realized On A Hike Through The Woods
. This weekend we went for a hike to Cape Split and while we were walking through the woods, I realized several amazing things. We had been on the trail for about an hour, talking as we went and as it does, conversation slowed. I found myself listening to the sounds around me, truly looking…
10 Easy Ways to Fit Self-Care Into Your Day So You Feel More Relaxed, Refreshed and Less Stressed
We all spend so much time “doing” that we often forget to spend some time just “being. I spent some time this week making this list of “10 Easy Ways to Fit Self Care Into Your Day”. I’m challenging myself to use these ideas to make more time every day to “be”, in between the…
A Song in My Heart
I was incredibly fortunate to grow up in a very musical family. There was always singing and music involved whether it was just working away together, driving on a road trip on, or on a Saturday night when musician friends came to visit. My parents both play guitar and I have some very talented siblings…
The Race For Me (June 3, 2019)
In February of this year, I finally admitted to myself that I needed to make some changes with a few things in my life. One of them was to be more active. I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post about the Sole Sisters Race Weekend in Dartmouth. On impulse, I signed up for…
Change Is Bad!!! (Wait… Why?) (May 31, 2019)
Sometimes change sneaks up on you and you ease into it a little at a time, barely noticing that anything is different. Other changes are like getting hit by lightning at the same time that you’ve fallen into a giant hole, leaving you wondering which one to deal with first. Even when it is for…
Learning to Say Yes (May 20, 2019)
Agreeing to do things has never really been something that I struggled with throughout my life. Need help? Sure! Want something done or fixed? Absolutely! Fun plans? Oh, yes! Chance to make a little extra money doing something creative? Why not. Then “BOOM”! Just like that, I would have “yes”-ed myself into too many things…
On Motherhood- The Best Job Ever (May 12, 2019)
It was 5:56 am, on a chilly Spring morning when I first met my son. The moment I laid eyes on my squirmy little guy as he was placed on my belly, I was a complete goner! That moment was the beginning of what has been the most incredible journey of my life. Being a…
