On an Odyssey for Good Gifts?

So, your quest for something enchanting continues this Cyber Monday? Are you caught between the Scylla and Charybdis of too little time and too little money? Might I suggest a journey to a shop full of fun and imaginative and wonderfully affordable treats? And I promise, this trip won't take you twenty years. Enough with the Ulysses jokes - now take a trip to the Etsy shop of Ulixis. Owned by Northern Ontario native Amanda, currently a fifth year Honors Biology and Pharmacology co-op student at McMaster University and working in the Janssen lab on her thesis. (Cool
thing - she does real-time videomicroscopy of smooth muscle cell migration: a woman after my own heart!)


Amanda claims to have been crafty her whole life, and enjoys making a variety of things. I am a firm believer that this is a common attribute of scientists (see my previous post on the astronomer/jewelry artist of Silver Dragon). When Amanda was younger, it was drawing, then wreathes, dolls and beading. Now, her focus has switched to notebooks and jewelry. She also enjoys cooking, reading, writing and problem solving - see, the perfect blend of talents and interests for a creative scientist.

My personal favorites of hers are her button creations - so fun!


Please check out her blog, too, where she'll be posting regularly on personal tid-bits, inspirations and featuring other Canadian / Etsy sellers!!

On with your quest to Ulixis!