Every other Thursday I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the awesome Lizzie Renaud…

Photo credit: Vanessa Hines

Lizzie Renaud is a 27 year old Toronto-based tattoo artist and owner of Speakeasy Tattoo. After an on/off apprenticeship, she has now been tattooing for more than 6 years and has worked in various countries including England, Belgium, Canada, USA, Netherlands, and France.

After opening Speakeasy Tattoo, her custom art studio, in July of 2009 to great initial success and participating in dozens of art shows around the city, her future plans are to travel to as many conventions as her “little hands can handle, find the time to paint every day, learn the fine art of scotch and bourbon appreciation, study crochet, and finally pick up where I left off at with my piano studies” and she’s this week’s Shameless Woman.

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Candy Bags! (So You Think You’re Crafty?)

Recently my partner and I relocated to Vancouver Island from the wintery north to take a new-ish life: long growing seasons for gardening, future island hopping, and new jobs! Little did I know that by relocating from an amazing job where I felt I was actually making a difference in my community to a smaller island community meant that jobs are actually few and far between. In desperation to ensure I could pay my bills I’ve taken a job working in a call centre for an American cell phone company.

While I do refer to this time in my life as “just another chapter in a forthcoming memoir” or “all great Canadian authors have worked a rather strange job once upon a time!” I still can’t get over the fact I’m not allowed to have food at my desk: except for hard candy. Then along came this tutorial! I have purchased pouches for dry snacks at craft fairs and have a pile of pouches I made before the holidays and use them often to house York Bites, Yoghurt Raisins, and Nibs (or even almonds if I didn’t work in a nut-free environment). This Candy Bag Tutorial by “So You Think You’re Crafty” is great and easy to follow (so many pictures, step by step instructions). It includes how-tos for both fabric lined pouches (for pre-wrapped candies) and vinyl-lined pouches for every other candy or dry snack you’d want to put in there. The fabric lined ones can usually be thrown in the washer and the vinyl just wiped out with a damp cloth.

So if you do find yourself “working for the man” and really want to get your hands on some wildberry twizzlers at your desk, or even while studying Death of a Salesman in High School English, these pouches can hide your goodies and reduce plastic consumption!

A conversation I had with a friend this week sparked a few questions around bisexuality – concerning the label itself, people’s acceptance of bisexuality, and more.

Here are a few bi-curiosities we pondered…
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I used to be a hardcore New Year’s resolver, and my resolutions always centred around weight loss (with occasional token other resolutions thrown in: “stop biting nails” was a classic). When I was 17, my entire resolution, written on a piece of paper and sealed in an envelope was simply a three-digit number: my goal weight.

For the past two years, I have refused to make any resolutions at all, but I think I’m now far enough removed from my dieting mentality to make a few. I challenge anyone who is the resolution-making type to make a few of your own that focus on what you can do for yourself and others, not what you see in the mirror or on the scale.

Mine?
1. Train to run 10km.
2. Continue to improve my relationship with food and eat joyfully.
3. Re-connect with at least three friends I’ve lost touch with.
4. Read up on a few new social issues.
5. Be gentle with and kind to myself.

Happy New Years, everyone!

I’ll never forget seeing the punk legend play at the annual New Year’s 24-hour poetry/performance marathon at a church on the Lower East Side, after taking her acoustic guitar out of the black garbage bag she was carrying it in.

Nothing says partytime to me like The Raincoats. Enjoy, everyone!

(Hi, everyone! Cate has kindly asked me to stay on as a permanent blogger after my guest-blogging stint in November. Pleased to be on board!)

This is an actual question asked by an Pennsylvania medical association in this article, which goes on to calculate Santa’s yearly caloric intake for cookies consumed in the state.

“Thanks to the magic of Christmas, [Santa] can avoid putting on that much weight,” said medical society spokesman Chuck Moran. But most people aren’t so fortunate, and will put on one pound for every 3,500 calories consumed but not burned.

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I asked if you were interested in a Lilith Fair 2010.
I asked if you were happy with the initial line up that was announced.

I’ve got one more question for you… Do you want to play Lilith Fair 2010?

“This year Lilith will give aspiring female artists the opportunity to perform a set at each of the 2010 tour stops in North America.

Upload your best original song into the “Lilith Local Talent Search” Channel for your chance to perform at Lilith and become a part of its music legacy.”

Any Shameless readers out there interested in playing Lilith Fair? Click here for more info and make sure to leave a comment below to let us know so we can vote for you…and maybe even see you there!

There are only 21 women’s bookstores worldwide, just three in Canada, and now, one is at risk of closing its doors for good. The Toronto Women’s Bookstore announced yesterday that it is so cash strapped, it may join the list of Toronto independent bookstores like Pages, that have been forced to close because of low sales and high rent. It’s not the first time the 36-year old Harbord Street landmark has had to overcome financial hurdles — among other challenges in the store’s rich past.

TWB started as a cooperative in 1973, and was accidentally destroyed by being in the crossfires of an anti-abortion terrorist firebomb that was meant for Henry Morgentaler’s abortion clinic formerly located beneath the non-profit store. TWB relocated,but was unable to balance its financial books, facing a possible closure on its twentieth birthday. Volunteer efforts made it possible to stay open.

The feminist institution is hoping the same thing will happen this time around. They are asking for donations and hope to raise $40,000 by January.

Donations can be made via their website, and a Facebook group has been created to support the cause.