lost in the forest

whiteapple

2011-12-09T12:28:00.000-08:00

alright, kiddies! i'm back with a little teaser for my etsy re-launch! i'm hoping to have everything up and running really, really soon! AND i'll be having a little sale to celebrate!

in the two years since i got busy with other things and gave up my entrepreneurial dreams, i've forgotten how much work it is to actually own an etsy shop. i'm working full time right now (and extra christmas hours to boot) and for some reason i decided it best to add another project into my life! it just felt like the right time to me. in every spare moment i have i am either thinking about the shop or actually working on photos, and editing, and describing, and preparing listings! i want to get a big batch ready for the launch and then i will be adding things regularly from then on out!i am a woman obsessed! i am exhausted! but i am certain that it will all be worth the wait.

this time around, in addition to vintage clothing and handmade jewelry, accessories and clothing, i plan on offering some of my artwork on a regular basis as well as photos and possibly art prints [(if i can figure out those logistics!) any tips would be highly appreciated!] so keep an eye out for updates here or in the shop or if you have twitter, you can find me here too!

into the trees

2011-08-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

we're saying goodbye to the spectacular forests of british columbia.

we've decided that moving straight into winter in ontario would be just too painful and scary, so we're now aiming for autumn to ease ourselves into the cold. it's going to be beautiful! the leaves will be all of the fiery shades of red and orange against the crisp blue sky.
i can't wait to experience seasons again!

out west there are essentially two seasons: "rain" and "not rain". so far, this year, there hasn't been much of the latter.
bummer-summer.
boo hoo hoo.

moving on up

2011-07-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

okay. last whinging about the ghost of apartments past, i swear! i think that in order to move on, i have to let go of the past! now, off to finally unpack the last few boxes and start arranging the new place!

sweet dreams are made of this

2011-07-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

i tried to document the magic of what i felt was the most perfect bedroom that i have ever had.

i will miss you perfectly pthalo blue walls, and perfectly diminutive size- just big enough for a bed and a dresser... yet we managed to squeeze three perfectly distressed antique dressers in you anyway, and then topped them all off with little bits of ephemera and odds and sods, then crammed a mini garden onto the windowsill for good measure. i will miss you forest canopy of midsummer lights above the bed most of all, and how you gently swayed in the breeze from the open window, and how you were the perfect electric-coral contrast against the deep blue walls.

until we meet again, in a new perfect-in-a-different-way bedroom.

adieu.

sorry, dudes. i went away for, like, five months and i've gone all pretentious prose on you! don't worry. i was just kidding. i'm as sarcastic as ever. no earnestness over here... well, maybe a little. i do miss my old apartment. that much is true.

but seriously, folks; these are introspective times. we were evicted from our little apartment when the new owners took over and we've moved upstairs, signed a six month lease, and are preparing for a big move! it's making it a little difficult to get motivated to unpack, but it must be done! if only to take inventory for what we really need and what we only think we need.

there are lots of loose ends to tie up in the next six months and none the least of which will be liquidating our hoardings! that means a virtual vintage yard sale! i'm going to open up that etsy shop of mine as soon as i can find my camera again... i seem to have packed it in an box that remains unopened somewhere.

365 week NINE

2011-04-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

i had a weird, sort of introspective week. is it possible that i am having a mid life crisis?
check out my flickr 365-2011 set for more vague references to stuff i don't care to discuss!

pastoral

2011-04-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

one day, last week i decided it best to throw on all of the patterns. everything. head-to-toe. from top-to-bottom. patternsssssss! i blame spring. mother nature is all tarted-out in florals upon florals of all types of colours and shapes and sizes and it's making me drunk with excitement! sunshine! flowers! boys!

sigh.

floral blouse: thrift store
leopard cardigan: urban planet
plaid skirt: thrift store
polka dot socks: winners
tooled leather shoes: fluevog

(please excuse my shoddy photoshop pillow-removal job... that pillow was bright red and so distracting! *note to self: next time, remove the red pillow before photographing because you don't know how to fix it afterwards!)

365 week EIGHT

2011-04-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

i was on a roll with not caring about stuff and forgot to take a photo... first day of the week too. typical. things got easier (and saucier) as the week progressed. risky business; holding your phone above the bath tub!
you know the drill: 365-2011 set on flickr.

365 week SEVEN

2011-04-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

oh! the drama! (just kidding) this was the week that i decided to quit the 365 project... but then i decided to start again two days later!
as always, you may view the whole set in my 365-2011 set on flickr.

365 week SIX

2011-04-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

remember you can view the whole set of red and green photos in my 365-2011 set on flickr.

365 week FIVE

2011-03-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

another week of 365 photos.

zakka

2011-03-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

i just keep thinking about japan.
even subconsciously, it is always on my mind.
it's all so overwhelming and it makes my heart hurt.

this is my humble homage to japanese zakka style.

flannel shirt: thrift store
wool plaid skirt: thrift store
plaid belt: thrift store
solid grey tights: old stuff
lacy grey tights: ethel's
knee socks: they are old
miu miu wood wedges: thrift store
brooch: allyson mellberg
japanese house lantern: daiso

firstly, let us acknowledge the extreme awesomeness that is allyson mellberg. i have long been an admirer of her amazingly weird imagination. her drawings always have that sort of sweet/sort of sinister edge that i love. so when i saw that she was offering something that i could wear in her etsy shop i jumped at the opportunity! honestly, after i bought this brooch, she added a bunch of hand painted tagua nut brooches that i fell hard for too... i may treat myself to some more soon!

allyson is such a sweetheart. she and her husband are having a little bit of a hard time right now, which caused a minor (and i mean tiny, really) delay in her sending out my package, and she sent along an amazing original drawing to apologize for the wait! can you believe it? i was floored! it's so perfect! we were talking about good, old fashioned, hippie vibes and there it is all drawn up in allyson mellberg goodness.

hippie vibes are all i've got these days.
thanks allyson!

i was inspired by allyson's creature to revive some old makeup techniques that i used to use back when i was a jr. vampire. my pale complexion is the perfect blank canvas for creating a slightly sickly look. when i was a gothic teen, i'd do myself up to the nines with hot pink eyeliner and blend my lips into the rest of my face leaving only a slight smudge of burgundy lipstick where my mouth should have been. it looked horrifying... in the best possible way.

i didn't want to scare anyone in this case, so i brightened and lightened it up a bit, but the elements are all there. nude lipstick blended into pink in the middle and my eyes are naturally doing the purply eyeliner due to lack of sleep.

365 week FOUR

2011-03-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

ahhh! week four already! i can hardly believe it. time is flying by so quickly lately, and all i do is work and sleep and walk to those destinations in between.

i'm really boring these days, but at least the photos are colourful... ?
that makes up for the lack of interesting content, right?

i know, nice try.

as always, you can check out my 365 set on flickr to get the whole story (but to be honest, the last few days have left me with little to yammer on about).

eleven herbs and spices

2011-03-05T19:49:00.000-08:00

cardigan: thrift store
gingham shirt: thrift store
silk bow: made by me
plaid pants: etsy
shoes: thrift store

japanese ceramic owl s+p shakers: gift from shane's mum

i was looking back on some old wardrobe remix photos and realized that the only time i had worn these pants was documented in my tribute to harpo marx. i thought i'd drag them out of the depths of my closet for another appearance. apparently in this incarnation, they make people crave chicken... i blame the gingham shirt and bow-tie combination, though. i suppose it could be that the whole ensemble elicits a craving for some golden-roasted bird. it's a dangerous combination of plaids and golden browns.

365 week FOUR

2011-03-05T18:42:00.000-08:00

okay, for real this time, nothing happened this week.
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy.
... and repeat.

you can read all about it in my 365 set on flickr... if you are so inclined.

365 week THREE

2011-03-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

all in all, a pretty uneventful week... except for that day that i almost died.
read about it in my 365 set on flickr.

365 week TWO

2011-02-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

another week of iphone photos! i'm only on week two and already, some days, it's hard to remember to take a photo of something! it'll probably get easier with time, right? practice makes perfect, and all that jazz. it's all about creating new habits. new creative habits.

check out the whole set and read what i had to say over at flickr in my 365 set.

february 15

2011-02-17T20:18:00.000-08:00

another day, another dollar. another drawing of me in my work grubs.
i can already see my drawings improving, and that is a very good thing.

emotional landscapes

2011-02-16T15:53:00.000-08:00

i find myself dressing in a lot of greys and browns in the winter. i guess it's part of my urban camouflage. i found that when i moved to vancouver (almost nine years ago, now!) i began to gravitate away from bright colours and toward a more muted palate. it encompassed everything from clothing, to decor, to my painting palate. it took me a while to understand that my new environment was indeed informing my choices.

80s pleat front slacks (yeah, i said slacks!): thrift store
linen blouse: thrift store
marc jacobs snap-front cardigan: thrift store
tie (worn as wonky ascot): thrift store
woven leather belt: thrift store
bass boots: etsy

february 13

2011-02-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

i really love how a boring work outfit can be brought to new heights through the use of pen and paper, as opposed to my usual photographic self portraits (i'll save those for days where i'm wearing something fancier). plus you can't tell that my jeans are filthy-dirty or that i haven't washed my hair in five days!

although i have still drawn myself as a total schlub, so i suppose that the dirt is implied...

rainy days and mondays

2011-02-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

i think i've got a little residual "lars von trier effect" going on today. i'm feeling rather angsty today, and i can't explain why. i tried to counter my gloomy mood with some cozy dress-up... but i fear that it just did not work. i just look like a sad girl in a winter dress. i suppose that the gloomy weather outside is not helping my case much. sigh. oh winter, i am so over you.

old danish ski sweater: thrift store
tweed dress: thrift store
linen blouse: thrift store
tights: e.g. smith
shoes: fluevog

february 12

2011-02-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

after i uploaded this drawing, i realized that i did not have this shirt or this sweater in high school. i've had them since university... which kind of just felt like high school.

this was kind of a crappy day. here's a tip: never start your day with a lars von trier film. it will set the tone for the rest of the day and you will not be able to do anything but mope.

365 week ONE

2011-02-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

i finished my first week of the 365 project.

i got an iphone back in december and i have downloaded a bunch of kooky photography apps for it. i thought it would be fun to do the 365 project only using my iphone. no fancy cameras for this gal. no sir! just me and my iphone... and my imagination.

every day i will be posting a new photo of questionable quality to my flickr 365-2011 set, complete with entertaining story! the stories make it all worthwhile, folks.

go check it out!

february 11

2011-02-11T23:12:00.000-08:00

about a year ago i stumbled across the what i wore today drawing pool on flickr, and thought: what a great idea! i am so going to do that!

well, better late than never, right? i'm really making a conscious effort to be a little more creative this year. let's face it. last year was the worst year for me in terms of creative output. i just sat around not making things all year long. just wasting away. twiddling my thumbs. doing nothing.

i literally haven't drawn anything in a year! i certainly haven't drawn a person in much, much longer than that. i know that this drawing looks nothing like me, and i'm okay with that. it's a start. i'm looking forward to drawing becoming easier and easier for me again. i'd like to get back some of the precision that i once had. i hope this isn't a long and frustrating road.

but, you know what they say: practice makes perfect.

somebody told me

2010-12-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

vest: thrift store
vera feather blouse: etsy
leather cord as a bow tie: leather crafts store
jeans: cheap monday
bass oxfords: etsy

i accidentally dressed like brandon flowers today. kind of. maybe i'm the only one who sees it... i almost thought about changing. almost. let me break it down for you. it's like i combined two of his characters: the colonel sanders and the captain of the ss pheasant feathers. see? totes obvious, right?

when the killers weren't as famous as they are today, i went to a meagerly attended show where nobody cared about brandon flowers and his jewel encrusted keyboard, or that weird guy with the puffy hair that wears too much eyeliner. they tried to get the audience to like them... but it seemed that noone did. i ended up at the "official killers after party!" later that night and it was so funny because it was also meagerly attended, and although there were plenty of hot girls there, most of them were lesbians. the poor killers were just moping in a corner waiting for the straight girls to hit on them. sad times. eventually one of them (the weird guy with the puffy hair) was beckoned with a "hey, killer!" from one of the straight girls in attendance and all the killers, lead by puffy-hair, floated over to her. the killers got their girls after all!

the deer hunter

2010-11-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

yesterday's winter wonderland is all but a memory. it's positively pleasant out today, and all the snow has melted into little slushy puddles. while yesterday i needed to take cover with a big coat, hat, scarf and mittens; today i just added a scarf and an extra cardigan underneath and that was enough. oh, west coast winters... you baffle me, so.

welsh woven wool cape: thrift store
gingham shirt: urban outfitters
wool sweater: thrift store
40s novelty tie: thrift store
jeans: cheap monday (permanently adopted from shane)
doc martin oxfords: etsy

this tie is so perfectly cheezy! i found it years ago when we visited shane's parents in wetaskiwin alberta. that little thrift store (it might have been the only one... or at least the only one open that day) was like a crazy time capsule! there were a lot of treasures unearthed that day by everyone in the family! i love that shane's family are really avid supporters of thrift shopping. my family hates it!

i have two of these welsh capes (in different colours and styles of course) and i've only managed to wear them a whopping total of three times combined in all the years i've owned them. i should probably send them back out into circulation, but i just can't bring myself to part with them! the fabric is so divine! so textural! so vivid! i actually almost added another to my collection a few months ago (it was a coat actually, and it was too big for me) the only thing that kept me from buying it is that it was pink. if it were any other colour i would have bought it and fixed it up... i still think about that coat. i don't know if i made the right decision leaving it behind. that is how powerful this fabric is!

the queen mum

2010-11-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

we accidentally left our bedroom radiator on full blast with the door shut in the hours between dinner and bedtime last night, so when we opened the door to retire for the night a blast of hot air hit us in the face. we turned off the radiator and opened the window wide to let the snow fly in instead! after a few minutes it was positively chilly and ready for a good night's sleep under three fluffy layers of blanketing. it felt like camping... or like sleeping in a drafty old castle; a country castle, where layers of wool are necessary. i awoke with a fresh perspective and a fresh layer of snow covering my window ledge.

gingham shirt: urban outfitters (i made shane buy me one after i saw his)
leather lacing used as bow tie: leather crafts store
knit vest: thrift store (many, many moons ago)
houndstooth skirt: thrift store
wool sweater: thrift store (i use a kilt pin to keep it done up)
wool tights: calze scanzi
tweed wellingtons: joe

i took a walk around the neighborhood in the snow and was really getting that christmassy feeling! i came home convinced that i was ready to put up my tree... in november?!!! but i was saved by a very, very long phone call with my mum and sister. it's too early for christmas trees! but snowy trees are right on time!

wool and water and beautiful surprises

2010-11-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

the other day i opened my mailbox to a sweet little envelope with familiar looking pair of ghosties stamped in the return address. a happy surprise from one of my most favourite artists, amy earles! amy is so generous with her artwork (this is not the first time i've received a surprise package from her) and i am so grateful to be on her list of recipients!

not one, but two gorgeous paper dolls, a mini print, a postcard and a hand written note complete with a wee pencil drawing in the corner. a humble thank you note turned into a work of art!

i've been collecting amy's work for years, and have her dolls and prints scattered throughout my home. i have a few dolls that i have yet to put together, but that's okay by me because it is such a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon and we get plenty of those out here on the west coast! i've got my winter activities planned!

a while ago, i purchased the wool and water/mon petit fantome paper doll set called voices in the woods, and earlier in the week, i found this little cauldron at daiso that just suits them perfectly! i have plans of sewing fabric versions of their little paper hats next, and then constructing some sort of diorama to house them in, using one (or more - i'm getting crafty!) of chad's prints used as a background!

i highly recommend you check out amy's etsy shop right now because she's having a sale!

take advantage of this package deal and collect as many as you can! amy's work is exquisite and never fails to impress.

i think i just talked myself into collecting some more!

kinda cozy

2010-11-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

for some reason, when the temperatures drop i get the overwhelming urge to wear shorts. i'm rarely seen in them in the summer, you know, when its actually warm out. i've got all the elements for a cozy outfit here... if only i were wearing pants! i wore this outside to walk one and a half blocks to the store and froze my bum off! it snowed last night for crying out loud! why i thought shorts were a good idea is a mystery to even myself.

fair isle wool vest: etsy (ll bean)
plaid shirt: thrift store
wool business sweater/blazer: thrift store
shorts: urban planet
striped tights: bleu foret
tweed wellingtons: joe
peacock/tartan fascinator: made by me

this cardigan has some really great trompe l'oeil detailing. is it a suit jacket or is it a sweater? it's a business sweater/blazer! comfy enough for feeling cozy all day, yet smart enough for the office! i love sweaters and blazers together, but for lazing around the house, i've got to say that this sweater/blazer really did serve me well. you want to have comfort when you're puttering around doing nothing!

it's great to have a day off with nothing on the old agenda every once in a while.

this outfit is dedicated to mon petit fantome. fair isle twins unite!

lady lumberjack

2010-11-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

so, in my day to day work life i have found myself dressing in the style i like to refer to as "hipster lumberjack". you know, paul bunyan style: cheap mondays, a plaid shirt, leather shoes a nice wooly combination of chunky cardigan and scarf... if i'm really lucky, i get to add a tuque to the equation! i look the same nearly every day and sometimes i find it hard to break out of the cycle. like today for example: i wore these shoes, this shirt and cardigan to work yesterday, but in a completely different context. lumberjack styles for work, lady lumberjack styles for play.

skirt: thrift store (years ago)
cardigan: thrift store
plaid shirt: urban planet
leather belt: thrift store
wool tights: calze scanzi
bass oxfords: etsy
moose brooch: i got it at fireweed in thunder bay last christmas (its made by a local artisan)

i wish i could remember the name of the artist that made this brooch! i did an online search for the artist's name when i purchased this, but came up empty. i own several pieces from them though, and i love them all!

this outfit kept me cozy whilst out on a wild goose chase for some highly illusive japanese cookies today. i was feeling the zakka and fell victim to many cute items at the japanese two dollar store... but the cookies i wanted were never found.

witchy woman

2010-11-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

as i was getting dressed this morning, i was singing "wa-wa witchae woman" in my head; and now that eagles song is stuck in my head. great.

cotton dress: thriftstore
long sleeved t-shirt: american apparel
pixie tights: hansel from basel
granny boots: thriftstore
harness: norwegian wood
victorian mourning brooch: ebay

this is essentially the same outfit as my last post, only the colours are changed and i'm channeling a whole other era. this is total old west victorian mourning garb. i finally watched there will be blood in its entirety. i had attempted to watch it several times before, but sometimes i'm just not in the mood for paul thomas anderson; his movies tend to elicit a little too much emotional investment on the part of the viewer so you must prepare yourself before diving in. i've got to say though, there will be blood had one of the most satisfying endings i have ever seen... maybe even in cinematic history!

watching that movie was a revelation. i feel like there will be blood has influenced the world more than i could have realised (having not watched it until now). pioneer style is on the rise again! does anyone remember 1988? young guns anyone? bon jovi? wanted dead or alive? ha ha! i'm old. i digress. it seems we're being influenced by dusty leather and shabby, rumpled cottons and wool once again, and i'm okay with that. i like all those things. this time around, things are a little more refined, with less emphasis on cowboy-rock!

this brooch is so perfectly aged. a little dinged and tarnished.

i just love the hardware on this thing! angie of norwegian wood makes the best accessories! i wish i would have snapped up a navy honeycomb harness when i had the chance because i think she's retired that style now, but her new stuff is just as fantastic! i've got my eye on more than one item in her shop.

the zig-zag is so cartoon perfect! i would have bought these hansel from basel tights in every colour-way if they weren't already sold out of the green/charcoal ones. i think this version is the ultimate, though; the contrast is just strong enough to really pop but they still look classy.

how witchy woman ties in with homesteader style, i'll never know.

hello nurse!

2010-11-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

shane had surgery on monday and i've been playing nurse to him since. he's in a lot of pain and has been so sleep deprived for the last few days that he's been getting quite irrationally irritated at things. case in point; last night i was wearing a "kickin' it at home" outfit consisting of a quite fetching combination of shorts with tights, a t-shirt and cardigan (not at all offensive in any way - i was kickin' it at home) and shane was not having it! he couldn't even look at me! it was hilarious (which was also unfortunate because it hurts shane to laugh), poor kid! he told me that he really wanted me to wear a dress today, so i obliged. he did say that i was the only pretty thing he had to look at since he was trapped at home. how could i say no?

shaner looks like his face was in a war, so i ran with the war-wife inspiration.

polka dot dress: thrift store - h&m
sweater: thrift store - ralph lauren
purple slip: thrift store (i've got to hem it shorter!)
pixie tights: hansel from basel (i copied anja)
oxfords: etsy - bass (i recently had them resoled because i wore right through!)
leather belt: thrift store
hair bow: tie belt that came with the dress
bee brooch: gift with an etsy purchase

hellooo nurse! i love that the dress came with the perfect hair accessory.

this bee brooch was tucked into a package that i got from an etsy seller as a free gift with purchase. it was really shiny and new looking when i got it; not something that i would ever purchase myself, but i didn't want to let it go to waste, so i set it on fire! it blackened the enamel and dulled the metal just enough, and now its something that i actually would wear. it was the perfect little addition to this dress, whose buttons unfortunately end at a scandalously low point. i like my buttons to go aaalllll the way up! i'm going to have to add about a half dozen more buttons to make this dress perfectly prim and proper.

can we take a moment to appreciate this nail polish? its opi jade is the new black and it is the perfect shade of divine decadence! surprisingly wearable. very, very deco green. i feel like it goes with everything... even though it probably doesn't.

buena vista

2010-09-07T21:25:00.000-07:00

buena vista park! what a lovely little fairy-tale-forest-island! smack dab in the middle of the city; just a little uphill walk from haight and ashbury. i was so in love with this little park. there were amazing trees and wild fennel and i'm sure there must have been some parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme in there somewhere...

a lovely little oasis in the city and a nice escape from the intense sunshine! we had pretty unpredictable weather while we were in san francisco, but coming from vancouver, we were prepared: four seasons in one day! it was rainy and overcast most of the time, but when the sun came out it was insane! white hot intensity! hello california! !!!

i didn't take many photos this day, we just wandered around and did a bit of shopping (i left empty handed) and basically just bummed around all day. i mean, we were in california, right? we thought we'd just chill for a bit. that night we watched the epic james spader film; tuff turf! shane didn't like it at allllll! alice and i swooned over james spader and the general awesomeness that is tuff turf. it's not a good movie per se, but it is AMAZING. just watch it and you will understand.

the classics

2010-08-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

we walked from the mission to the castro, and got some epic sandwiches at ike's place along the way. we stumbled on a large (and growing) line up of people outside this little hole in the wall and figured there must be good food inside. no joke, people. ike's is where it's at!

just days before our arrival in san francisco, it was harvey milk day. we stopped by the old storefront of castro camera, where harvey once lived and worked. a little piece of history. it was nice to see this little set up in the window.

waiting for a bus to fisherman's wharf outside of twin peaks. such a great spot for people watching.

old timey busses remind me of taking the bus in highschool... even though this bus was a refurbished 1940s bus. i guess the ones from my youth were too, only i don't think they were being used for nostalgia's sake!

this big guy woke up, and then all the other sea lions scattered! such a commotion! it was hilarious!

old submarine outside of the musee mecanique. we didn't take the submarine tour. meh. we just really wanted to see the mechanical museum. i honestly had the best time here! the magic of these little machines is so hard to convey through a photograph, but trust it is worth a visit. a perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon and five bucks worth of quarters!

wizards!

tin man on a tin horse!

barbershop quartet!

this machine was amazing! by far the coolest jukebox ever! i want one for my house really, really badly!

check out the cail-o-scope! such ornate design on what is essentially a view master! they really knew how to make 'em back in the olden days.

there were a lot of what i like to refer to as "classic hobos" in these little mechanical dioramas. this one had the best cemetery-at-night mood lighting! the devil popped up from behind that tombstone!

like a kid in a candy store...

classic drunk!

i had to arm wrestle this guy to win custody of my son.

the clouds were doing marvelous things as the sun came out near the end of the day. a classic bay bridge scene.

classic san francisco pier!

home again home again

2010-08-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

sorry about the disappearing act... again! shane and i took an impromptu train trip up to hinton alberta to visit shane's sister and brother in law at their mountain-top cabin in the woods!

i've still got a couple of posts worth of photos from our trip to san francisco left, so i'll finish those up before i get to posting our canadian adventure.

also, i started up a white apple design blog a few weeks ago, but then had second thoughts about the content that i was posting there, so... i've imported all of those posts to this old blog. i think they fit better over here. i'm so indecisive and impulsive sometimes! oh well. if i wasn't being a total flake... i wouldn't be me! haha!

shane shane shane

2010-08-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

shane turner overdrive has a feature in the georgia straight this week!

golden day golden gate

2010-08-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

alice had a meeting in the morning, so we met up in the afternoon to explore golden gate park. this park is HUGE! also, it smells ridiculously good; all those towering eucalyptus trees are intoxicating. so relaxing. i wish i could just wander around this park every day... or at least once a week.

alice and i are eternally taking photos of plants. we're total plant nerds.

the biggest ferns i have ever seen! totally jurassic!

shane was totally into the grateful dead while we were in san francisco. he turned into a flower child!

we stopped for tea at the japanese tea garden. i loved it there so much!

everything was so beautiful. i wanted to have a picnic under this japanese maple so badly! it reminded me of being a kid and having tea parties under my grandma's plum tree in the summer.

this water was ridiculous! it was so green it made me giddy! i just couldn't get over how surreal and beautiful it was. i would also come here everyday if i could. too amazing!

we walked for so long to find the buffalo paddock, and when we got there we couldn't see anything but a brownish blur hiding in the bushes! shane climbed a fence to get some photos for us. they were all total sasquatch-sighting style photos: all blurry and zoomed in beyond all recognition. oh well.

we checked out the dutch windmill and then went down to the beach. the sun in california is so intensely bright! even though it was kind of chilly with the wind, you could still feel the sun through it all.

surf's up!

rainy days and mondays

2010-08-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

we woke up to pouring rain and cold, so we decide we best have a good old fashioned greasy breakfast before alice headed off to volunteer at creativity explored, and shane and i headed downtown.

chinatown: home of overwhelming choice of beads. i couldn't decide what to get and ended up leaving with nothing! i'll be back for you my pretties!

from chinatown, we wandered up past the italian neighborhood and had coffees and pastries.

a homeless man told us that marilyn monroe married frank sinatra here. he was misinformed. that never happened.

bottle brush tree!

we walked up to coit tower to check out the views. which were less than stellar because of all the low lying clouds... but still pretty, none the less.

lombard street! the steepest, curvy-est street in america. we watched the cars for a while, it was starting to get dark and the lights were twinkling on the hill.

alcatraz.

so much walking! we were gone all day and it was so cold! eventually the sun set; we wandered back home to mission and got tacos at twice on the way home.

volcanoes and taquerias

2010-08-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

bye bye vancouver! hello san francisco!

we flew over mount saint helens on the way. so amazing! it's not everyday that you get to look into a frozen volcano crater! even more amazing that the peak is just poking out of the blanket of clouds!

looking fat and sassy... and tired upon landing. we needed to take a nap. so we did.

our first (of many) burritos in the mission!

mexican beer in delores park with alice and shane.

exploring our new neighborhood at night, and past mission delores.

desire

2010-08-05T23:15:00.000-07:00

while searching for that ikea josefin fabric on the internet, i came across a few things of note. things that were kind of love at first sight. that's the thing about the internet... it can take you down these magical rabbit holes, to things you can't afford but that you suddenly cannot live without.

sigh.

item number one: this chair! i don't understand anything on that site, except PRETTY RUFFLESSSSSS!

next up is the work of canadian wallpaper and textile designer, judit gueth. her koi and peacock wallpapers were definitely love at first sight for me. just the right amount of art nouveau meets animal illustration. very reminiscent of c.f.a. voysey, who is my absolute favourite! i wish i could find a book of his wallpaper and textile designs (at a reasonable price) to flip through. it would be an endless source of inspiration!

i mean, just look at this stuff:

sea horses and owls, and there's so much more!

desperately seeking

2010-08-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

this is a long-shot, considering my readership is back down to one (hi tamera!), but i am in desperate need of this fabric! ikea produced a line called josefin back about a year ago. it never made it to canada (i'm not sure if ikea usa ever got this line). i guess ikea thought that north america wouldn't appreciate art nouveau? wrong!

they aren't producing this line anymore, unfortunately, but i just know there's got to be someone else like me (hoarder) who has a little bit (or a lot) of this yardage leftover from a project. someone with a big heart who likes to share?

if anyone has some of this stored away and is willing to part with it, i'll pay for the fabric and shipping!
let's make a deal!
pretty please! with sugar on top!

hunt and gather

2010-08-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

tamera of verhext has an ongoing segment on her fantastic blog called magpie palette where she shows us little magically harmonious collections of things she's found on thrift excursions. i often find that i collect things that are all in the same colour palette when i'm out thrifting (which is too often by the way). this week, however, has been all about glass and ceramic. we all know my love for glass objects, although they mostly come in the form of lamps, i cannot resist the stuff! i'm always on the look-out for blue mountain pottery to add to my collection, and little handmade ceramic vases.

i used to dabble in pottery in university. i was a painting/ceramics major, but my ceramic work was almost entirely sculptural. i couldn't get the hang of the wheel (and in the iconic words of homer simpson [i'm paraphrasing] when something's hard to do... is it really worth doing?) i filed down my most fingernails to the point of PAIN on that darn wheel, so i really like taking in abandoned pieces of hand thrown ceramic. i know how hard it is to make a vase that doesn't look super wonky or that doesn't weigh a ton!

check it out! more plants for my indoor garden. i planted some nasturtiums from seed. i know it's kind of late in the summer to be planting seeds, but look how big they are already! i only planted them three weeks ago. there's a pot of regular orange nasturtium and a pot of red dwarf nasturtium. i hope they flower before it gets too cold. i wonder how they will do inside through the winter? my oxalis does okay, so maybe these guys will too.

i'm collecting things and working on some new packaging for white apple too. i've been letting the shop die a lingering, painful death for months, but i've been cooking up some ideas and i plan to rescue white apple from the clutches of limbo.

day tripper

2010-08-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

start off at the ocean shore. go through the forest and past some old hollow and burnt trees. continue on along the babbling brook until you find yourself in the middle of a field. then head over a marsh and back into the woods to a lake that's dotted with lilly pads. watch the fish swim and dragonflies hover for a while and then go back into the trees once more until you find yourself back at the shore to await the ferry back home again.

i did a little foraging along the shore for some jewelry supplies in the form of silvery-smooth and sun bleached driftwood. i've been thinking a lot about the sea. oh she is a fickle temptress. how many men has she lured into an early watery grave? my great grandfather was a fisherman. he went out one morning on the glassy waters of lake superior, never to return again. whenever i'm in a boat, i always think of that story. the mystery. the cold unknown of the water.

red sky at night

2010-08-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

red sky at night, sailor's delight.
a cloudy sunset is always so spectacular. a promise of a new day on the other side of the night. watching as stars pop out between moving clouds in the moonlit sky and being alone with my thoughts.
i think it's time to return to the land of the living.

taped on walls

2010-06-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Shane Turner Overdrive "Taped On Walls" from sven justin on Vimeo.

2010-04-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

yesterday afternoon, just in time for record store day, we received five huge boxes of shane's new album!
it looks and sounds glorious!
you can buy it here if you feel so inclined.

2010-03-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

♥

♥

i've got spring cleaning on the brain.
fresh starts and new/old colour schemes.

2010-02-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

He belongs to the ages, now.

2010-02-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

I found this romper on etsy this morning, which reminded me of the Miu Miu spring 2010 collection; which got me thinking about building an outfit homage to Miu Miu using only etsy finds.

Start with a bold print and a contrasting butterfly collar from modeparesseuse.

Layer it up with this printed romper, buttoned all the way up for a prim and proper look, from putonthatdress.

Grab this amazing 1980s python and leather clutch from theperiwinkleegg.

With a little DIY, vinyl swallow silhouette cut out applique, your handbag will look pretty close to the real thing.
(I couldn't find any faux snakeskin on etsy, but there's plenty of the real stuff)

In my opinion, Miucia Prada consistently makes the most covetable shoes and handbags. Just look at these things!

But! Look at what I found at fashionrerun! So close!

Again, with a little DIY, textile ink and a wee flying bird stamp found at jflairgoods, we're coming pretty close to fooling everyone!

Pattern overload!
Don't try this at home people!!!
I'm not too sure that ANYONE could pull off this outfit that I just put together. It's FAR too literal.
I think we should all just appreciate these elements separately, and NOT cram all of those patterns into one outfit!
Okay?
Okay.

2010-02-08T00:06:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's an update on the series progress. I hoped to have the grizzly portrait done this evening, but I got a bit of a late start and I just could not get his little face to look right! I can't tell you how many times I repainted his nose. It just kept turning out looking like a pig snout. It still doesn't look quite right, but I know why. I drew his muzzle too long and it's throwing the proportions off. I think it's time for another scraping!

Just look at that kissy face! I've just got to do this majestic creature justice! I am determined!

2010-02-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

I started a new series of paintings this weekend. I decided to give myself a little challenge and see if I can create a half dozen paintings by next weekend. I feel I work pretty well under pressure, and honestly, I haven't done any real body of work in years! I feel pretty good about getting back into the swing of things. I pretty much completed one (I'll probably have to do some touch-ups in the light of day, and I still have to seal the board) this afternoon. I know it doesn't look that complicated, but it's a slow and careful process.

This little guy wasn't working out according to plan. I ended up scraping his eyes off because they were placed too high on his head. It just looked wrong. I guess an afternoon of breathing in paint fumes sometimes results in poor judgement when painting in details. My eyes were just feeling too tired to continue on; and so this grizzly bear's eyes must also suffer!

We'll see how I feel with "fresh" eyes tomorrow... after a long day at work.

2010-01-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

design*sponge did a great post on the history of tartan yesterday. i read it before rushing off late to work (again!), and wished i could have been wearing something a little more fancy than a dirty jeans and sweater combo, but such is the glamorous life of a retail char!

later on, that evening, i came across this magnificent bit of ruffly-lacy-tweedy goodness on magic is as magic does. that did it. i must concoct a tartan outfit of my own. the inspiration was too much.

i've always owned a lot of tartan. my mum is scottish, so she dressed my sister and myself in a lot of tartan skirts and dresses as kids. i loved it! i remember a few gems that i wish i still owned and could fit into. i was a teen in the nineties, so obviously there were many a plaid flannel in my wardrobe. i don't own any flannel these days, but it's all been replaced with wool skirts and trousers, with the occasional dress and button down shirt thrown in for good measure.

dress: i made it for shane's sister's wedding a few years back
sweater: ralph lauren, thrifted
t shirt dress: crummy dress store
tights: fan tan alley
moccasins: laurentian chief, christmas gift from mum
jack rabbit brooch: made by me

2010-01-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing a lot of early mornings lately.
Sometimes the sunrises are just really pretty.
Too pretty not to share.

2010-01-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

A little outfit post to show everyone that I haven't given up on life!
I only own ambient lighting, which makes it impossible to take a decent outfit shot after sundown. I'm wearing this dress with grey layered tights and brown oxfords.

dress: industry
tights (layer 1): store in fan tan alley
tights (layer 2): ethels (they're a lacy knit!)
oxfords: etsy
fur collar: thrifted

I slept in foam rollers last night and then I upped the ante on the grandma look by wearing my best matte coral lipstick! So granny chic.

2010-01-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

casualties of neglect.
i'm nursing my plants back to health after nearly four weeks of "boy care" which pretty much always equates to one or two deaths. i think i'll have to give up on at least one of my patients... that jade is just not going to make it.

in happy news, i added two new (old) pieces of pottery planters to my collection while i was away.

2010-01-12T11:32:00.001-08:00

a new year
happy nostalgia and new beginnings
more photos

mercury lounge

2009-12-11T12:22:00.001-08:00

During my lurkings a few weeks back, I came across this photo of a bathroom in Apartamento magazine on Neon Relish's tumblr and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since! I'm obsessed! I don't think I've ever been as drawn to a room image as much as I have with this one. It just speaks to me.

For some reason, I'm literally jazzing up every room in my house. If it has some sort of vague nod to the jazz age and it sparkles, then I want it! Maybe it's because its nearly Christmas and there is a vast array of mercury glass available.

Yeah. That's probably it, actually. See?

I bought these little guys in hearts for the bathroom and stars for the bedroom. I think they'll make sweet little clusters hung from silky ribbons.

I went on a mad internet search for beaded curtains and found the mother load! I've had the same grass print shower curtain for seven years. I still love it, but I'm thinking of replacing it with a frosted liner and a beaded curtain!

I dug out my old medicine cabinets to use for displaying plants and candles. Remember when hospital-chic was de rigueur? I want to bring it back, but with more of a dirty/creepy victorian vibe.

I'm going to add even more plants to the collection. I'd love to instal some narrow glass shelves in the window to house a wee conservatory of plant specimens, but I'm not sure that'd be kosher with the building manager, so I'll just have to make due with these little medical crosses for now. I'm going to start buying up every old, dirty bit of mirror and mercury glass thingamabob that I can find to fill out the space.

Just what I need. Another collection!

ps- thanks for being super sweet and encouraging guys.

rebel yell

2009-12-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Ummmm, hey guys!
So, remember way back to my last post? When was that? Like a year ago? No. Not quite, but it was a loooong time ago.
Anyway, I had set myself up with some guidelines and "loose rules" for posting, in hopes that I would actually start blogging more!

Hahahaha!
Right guys?

I think I must be in the adolescence of my blogging-life, because as soon as I set those rules for myself I ended up avoiding the blog with every fiber of my being! I've still been lurking on the internets, and have been lapping up every awesome little tidbit of info and goodness out there, but I've been sorely neglecting my own little corner of the web.

I'll try and be around here more. okay? okay.

oh great

2009-11-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

I attract weirdos. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes a strange man follows you home and tells you that you're wasting your life, and that you pretty much suck at life.

Yup.

Thanks strange man, that somehow has the ability to suss out my entire existence over the duration of a measly ten minute walk, I needed that.

Well, it's not exactly puking marshmallow hearts... but it is nice:
zubrowka vodka

Cheers!

love lost and fleeting

2009-11-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

I'll be your mirror embroidery by Amelia aka double-speak, who also has an amazing style blog called vintage vivant

pretty pretty pom poms from Kathryn Blackmore, who is building up stock for her Monday debut on Etsy!
(found via ringo have a banana)

Francesca's closet!

the perfect little brown dress from Kennedy Holmes' Etsy shop. I missed out on this dress, but this gorgeous photography will remain on my desktop forever! Isn't this the most perfect photo?

mein herr

2009-11-11T20:37:00.000-08:00

natural inclination

2009-11-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

I'm planning an art supply trip to Ikea soon, so I thought I'd check to see if a few other things I need are in stock at the nearest location. Then I got to browsing what's new, and the rest is... well, a blog post!

ikea ps hand embroidered wall hanging pelle

ikea ps shelving unit nybygge

ikea ps coffee table bruse

ikea ps cabinet of drawers sinka

ikea ps pendant lamp vava

ikea ps dining chair spika

I love this year's additions to the Ikea PS line! I have the PS eden dining table, and the ekekull stool from a few years back, and I'd love to add these to my collection. I love that mix of organic, raw wood and modern-classic design. Now, if only I had the room...

Let's take a moment to revel in the awesomeness that is the annamoa fabric collection!

All of these prints are so amazing! They look like story book illustrations, in all the best colours! I can't wait to see them in the store. I find that sometimes the ikea fabrics are a bit too overscale for my liking, so I'm interested to see how these translate in real life. I hope that they're juuuuust right.

who is the fairest of them all

2009-11-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

This inspiration runs deep. I've been a Snow White girl all of my life. I used to dress myself up in my mum's old navy and white floral peasant maxi dress and tie my little mop of hair up with a red ribbon just to frolic in the clover. I've even gone as far as to sing to birds in an attempt to lure them to perch on my finger! Ah, youth! Such innocence.

Snow White meets the woodsman by:George Soper 1915

However, this tale is not as innocent as Disney would make it seem. The original Grimms tale includes murder, torture and even a little cannibalism thrown in for good measure! A good old-fashioned retelling of a host of horrifying medieval tales all mashed into one. It's that dark edge that makes interpreting Snow White's style so appealing to me.

She was a peasant and a princess. All the animals loved her. She was the fairest in all the land. I must admit, that when I think of Snow White I always envision the Disney colour palate of all the primaries: red and blue and yellow. I've put together a few Snow White inspired costumes using etsy vintage, because who doesn't want to look like Snow White every once in a while?

velvet dress available from cositasseriasvintage

fox fur collar available from zaama

glass apple brooch available from waalaa

suede lace up boots available from glamtownvintage

Snow White hiding in the forest by: Franz Juttner 1905

celluloid hair comb available from gottawannitvintage

navy dress with suede accents available from nanapatproject

brown bunny shawl available from primitivepincushion

medieval stick pin available from quiterightslick

red suede gogo boots available from myfavoritevintage

Snow White is comforted by the forest creatures by: Walt Disney Studios 1937

red polkadot dirndl available from madvintage

yellow smocked blouse available from theninestories

60s uniform coat available from rococovintage

zigzag boots available from jamesrowlandshop

apple ornaments available from loliecraft

Beware of poisoned apples, everyone!

eight days a week

2009-11-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

Monday's Child by Ray Caesar

Monday's child is fair of face
Tuesday's child is full of grace
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay

Monday's child is a personal style icon. Be they fictional or real-life, flesh and blood, they have inspired me and my own personal style.

Tuesday's child is the hostess with the mostess! I'll be sharing my own favourites from inspiring interiors and new design that catches my fancy.

Wednesday's child is nostalgic. I'll be giving little sneak peeks into ephemera and whatnot that I find inspiring.

Thursday's child is just trying to get stuff done! If I'm working on something, I'll show you! Unless I'm being a lazy bum... in that case I might just show you what's been distracting me!

Friday's child loves what you're doing! I'm quite the lurker... if you've posted something awesome I'm gonna pass it on!

Saturday's child is basically a shopaholic. I'm going to show you how I wasted my money over the course of the week!

Sunday's child takes time to enjoy the little things in life, like candy and sparkles and little furry animals. I'm going to make you puke marshmallow hearts!

Here's where the "eight days a week" comes in. I'll be posting daily outfits whenever the fancy strikes! You may even get two posts in one day! Unheard of!

can't see the forest for the trees

2009-11-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hi guys.
Yeah. So, it's been nearly a month with absolutely no activity here on the old blogstead, and over several months with just a smattering of random posts here and there. I feel as if I owe someone an explanation for the absence. But then again, I don't, all at the same time. I'm not going to lie to you. I've been bummed. For reals. And for no good reason, either, other than it seems that for every step forward, I'm taking one step back. I'm stuck! So now I'm just finding it hard to get excited about anything, but I'm trying. I think it's working. Maybe I just need to take baby steps?

The bunny grahams are helping.

First things first. The blog! I've been thinking about it, and I know that I function better when I have some sort of routine or structure; and I've been allowed to roam free for far too long! I need to whip myself into shape again. I'm going to implement a loose structure for the blog based on this little fortune-telling ditty. I've worked it out in my head, and I think it will get me blogging a wee bit more (I'll explain further later). I'm not promising every day here people... I'm rusty! Hopefully I can get this old blog going again because it reminds me of what's good in my little world.

Speaking of good things:

I ordered mini business cards from moo and they are just amazing! I thought I was being totally narcissistic by using photos of myself, so I tried to even out the pack with some jewelry and landscape photos, but everyone that sees them wants the ones with the photos of me. I guess the next order will be all photos of me. ;P

I also ordered woven clothing labels from namemaker. These turned out just so great! Unfortunately, they ended up costing me a fortune due to some customs charges, but I doubt I'll need to order these again in the near future, so I'm okay with that.

Here they are all sewn in and ready to go! I'm working on getting together a nice big shop update that will include some new reconstructed sweaters and a ton of vintage. I have stock piled so many wool skirts you guys!

I also have a new employee. I found her hanging out in the alley behind my work-job a few weeks ago and I asked her if she wanted to come home with me. She agreed, but she is not quite fit for her public debut just yet. She's a little rough around the edges, but after a new muslin is constructed, she will be as good as new and ready to work!

Okay. Baby steps.
I've missed you guys!

i would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable

2009-10-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

So I've been battling this lingering head cold for two weeks now. I was sick for the entire cruise, but I think that just made me get used to dressing up while feeling blah. There's no time for bed-sick when you're supposed to be having a good time... so I faked it. I've been faking it since I got home. Well, I guess I'm technically not that sick anymore...

These are a couple of cozy, layered, autumny outfits from this week (when I was still faking it):

brown velvet blazer: I procured it from my auntie's closet way back in the early 90s
faux ivory horse brooch: dress sew
brown silk slouchy kimono jacket: thrifted
grey and gold tent dress: bedo
black full slip: thrifted
camel tights: sockdreams
granny oxfords: etsy

fur collar: thrifted (tied with grosgrain ribbon)
navy blue velvet blazer: thrifted
navy windowpane plaid shirt: thrifted
jeans: cheap monday (borrowed from shane)
granny oxfords: etsy

yo ho ho hum

2009-10-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

sail away

2009-09-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Shane and I are going away on a week-long cruise... to nowhere, this week! We'll be cruising around just off shore with Shane's mum and a gaggle of aunties.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I've left the shop open, but I won't be able to ship until I get back on October 5th.

* Amy Earles' articulated paper dolls (pictured above on my velvet ship painting) are available at Amy's Etsy shop, wool and water

feeling frisky

2009-09-27T10:49:00.001-07:00

Etsy's blog The Storque teemed up with The Frisky to compile some sexy Halloween costumes from Etsy listings, and my tea for two cocktail hat made the cut for the pinnacle of sexy Halloween costumes: the french maid!

They also did a line up of selections for one of my personal favourites; the bad kitty! Meow! Maybe it's because I'm a leo, but I love the sexy kitty costume! Cliche, yes, but you really can't beat that look! The bad kitty that The Frisky created is pure classic 1950s pin-up! If I had an extra $60 just lying around, I would totally snap that body suit up! It's purrrrfect!

sudden death academic probation

2009-09-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am eternally in love with Max Fischer. He's so badass and adorably misguided. How can you not love him? Or better yet, how could you not want to be him?

I've collected a few listings from Etsy* to create a more girl friendly version of Max Fischer... we'll call her Maxine Fischer.

This is the official Rushmore Academy school uniform.

This 1940s school uniform jacket is insanely perfect. She's got the dress listed in another listing if you want the whole experience!
Available from allencompanyinc

Simple wool herringbone skirt, with a little kick pleat in front and back. Perfect for running around and getting into trouble.
Available from penelopepupsvintage

Not one to shy away from a little sneaky rebellion, our Maxine ditches the uniform shirt in favor of this little red pin tucked number.
Available from HighHatVintage

It's a classic.
Available from regansbrain

Signature tortoise shell glasses are a must.
Available from BlueRoseRetro

Red suede sneakers in lieu of a beret.
Available from learntoread

Choir pins to replace the punctuality and perfect attendance awards.
Available from prettysaro

Because we're such good friends.
Available from thingsrevisited

Because sometimes you need a little help figuring things out.
Available from craftydill

This is my favourite Max Fischer outfit. The green velvet suit just kills me! The ochre shirt and matching bow tie make me swoon, and top it off with that jaunty little beret and you have the recipe for love at first sight!

This hat is amazing! The photos in the listing are not the best, but trust me... this is THE hat for any Maxine Fischer wannabe.
Available from curiousgoods53

Max wears some pretty basic tortoise shell glasses, but our Maxine likes a little more flash. These glasses have a nice little gold detail to mirror her accessories.
Available from VintageDove

The yellow ascot tie blouse. Perfection.
Available from TennysonVintage

Instead of a two piece suit, our Maxine prefers a velvet dress with amazing pocket details!
Available from PaintedSoulDesign

Our Maxine is a little bit more refined than Max. She prefers not to wear sneakers with her formal wear. These shoes are perfect!
Available from posiesforlulu

How about a little high school charm bracelet to show some school spirit!
Available from Aquanetta

*ps- I want you to know that posting these listings gives me a big old knot in my throat, because I want to buy them all!!! I'm not good at sharing.

let the ridiculousness begin

2009-08-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday. The day we were to get a casual start and mosey on home.

We woke up and did our lounge around on the deck with tea and coffee routine and at some point someone noticed the flat tire. Completely flat. No air whatsoever. Nada. Zip. That car's going nowhere. So the boys, being boys, decided that they should change the flat. They prop the car up, get out the spare, and attempt to remove the flat. Well, this car has special anti-theft bolts... and the rental company has failed to supply us with the tool needed to remove said bolts. The car is searched and searched again, but no tools are discovered. Jason has an inspired idea! He has this sort of spray that will fix a leak from the inside of the tire, and a portable air compressor! So they inflate the tire and spray in the goop. Voila, one fixed tire! We decide that it's best to go into town to have it looked at, and maybe change the tire anyway. Tanya decides that it's best to feed us first, so she cooks up another gourmet meal. After lunch, she and the boys decide to have another game of disc golf while I go mope around by myself taking artsy photos of trees with my film camera.

It's getting late.

So at around 4:00-4:30 Tanya exclaims that her mechanic will be closed by 5:00 and it's about a half hour drive into town. Ummm. Yeah. So off we go! We made our way into town and got to the mechanics in time. They checked the tire for the leak and it was gone. That spray stuff worked. We still wanted to get the spare on, but they didn't have the tool to remove the tire there. Apparently each tool is unique to that specific year's model, and the chances of us finding one in small town Alberta at 5:00 on a Saturday are pretty much astronomical. We're out of luck. We'll have to just pray that that goop holds our tire together.

Here's Shane pretending to eat a burger that he made out of the rocks on the curb at the mechanics'. He also juggled. We were bored.

So, by the time we get out of there it's around 5:30, and it's apparent that we're not going to get home that night. We decide that we'll camp the night in Jasper with Kyle, and then get an early start on Sunday. Oh how naive!

Shane and I went ahead of Kyle so that he could drop Tanya back at her car. We decided to meet up in Jasper and make a plan from there. We went to the information centre and found out that all of the campsites were full for the weekend, but there was a few sites left at the overflow campground, back towards Hinton and the hotsprings. We thought that would be great! We could camp and get a nice soak in before bed. We decided that we needed to go swimming again, and we stopped off at one of the small lakes on the way to the campsite. We got changed into our swimsuits and were making our way to the water when Shane got stung by an unholy hornet! This thing was huge! And black! And ominous! Poor Shane was in so much pain! His leg was swelling up and then the palms of his hands started to look all red and he said that he felt itchy and weird. Kyle's ladyfriend America is allergic to bee stings, so we both looked at eachother and knew the urgency of the situation. We had to get Shane to the hospital.

Here's Kyle in the waiting room of the hospital. Cinderella Man was on the TV. "You're the champion of my heart!"

Kyle was the champion of my heart that day! Seriously. If he wasn't there, I don't know what would have happened. I don't know how to drive and we were not exactly in the middle of nowhere, but we were at least twenty minutes outside of downtown Jasper. Thanks for taking charge Kyle, and saving my little Shaner!

Here's Shane post benadryl shot, with the nurse. She told us not to let him drive because the shot would kick in and knock him out in about ten minutes. Shane was skeptical.

So we drove back to the lake and were planing on taking that swim... but at the other lake (next door to the incident). It was a way nicer beach! We should have gone there in the first place! Unfortunately, by the time we got back there the wind had picked up and it was pretty cold!

Here's Kyle braving the elements. He was out of there pretty quickly.

Well, our plans for swimming were foiled by the arctic winds, so we decided to just go set up camp and then maybe try out those hot springs before bed. We got Shane to drive the three minute drive to the hotel near the lake so that we could park Kyle's car for the night. Shane was pretty groggy by this point, but we made it! Kyle and I went to ask if it was okay to park the car there and they were super nice about it. Five star hotel service!

We walked back to the cars and started loading Kyle's gear into our car while Shane napped in the back seat. We were just about to pull out of the parking lot when I noticed that the air pressure warning light was back on. We checked the tire, and it was completely flat again! So we parked the car and started loading everything into Kyles car. As we were doing that, a storm rolled in. There was crazy flashes of lightning and the rain was pouring down sideways. We didn't want to camp anymore. All the hotels in Jasper were booked for the weekend, so we drove back to Hinton! We stayed at the Twin Pines. I saw the sign for that hotel when we were driving in and I thought it said Twin Peaks. I wanted to stay there, and we did!

Here's little drugged up Shane in his cocoon in our hotel room. He was wearing his sweatband halo and was wrapped in a sleeping bag when we brought him into the room. Poor little guy, but so funny all at the same time!

Kyle promised that he'd stay up and have a pizza party with me, but he fell asleep. Party pooper!

The next morning Kyle said he felt ripped off because he paid for a hotel room but he slept in his clothes on top of the bed! Haha! That's what you get party pooper! We went downstairs for our complimentary pancake breakfasts and tried to figure out who to call about our car situation. The girls at the front desk were not super helpful so we decided to deal with it when we got back to the car and the five star hotel.

Along the way we stopped to dip our feet in this river. It was about six inches deep all the way across, but as you got further out towards the centre of the river, the water became unbearably cold. It was pure ice water! It was so amazing, and super clean and clear. Gotta love those glacier fed rivers!

Here's Kyle and Shane demonstrating near and far, and just how shallow this river is.

Here's some people off in the distance, still only ankle deep in the river.

We got back to the car and waited around in the parking lot for at least an hour and a half for the tow truck to come and take our car away. A great way to spend my birthday!

Here I am celebrating.

We were driven into Jasper to the car rental outlet so that we could trade our car for the last available car in town! The outlet was to close at 2:00, but they stayed open for us. It still took until 4:30 until we had our new car, and then the lady forgot to give us the keys! haha! Luckily she was just packing up her stuff to leave, and hadn't actually left yet, when we noticed. We decided to just drive to Kamloops to stay with Shane's aunt and uncle, miss a day of work, and head out on Monday morning.

Here's some more mountains that we saw on the way.

The sun was setting as we drove into Kamloops and we finally had cell phone reception again. We had been trying to call Shane's aunt and uncle the whole time, but we couldn't get a signal anywhere. I blame those effing majestic mountains; blocking our phone signals with their looming majestic scenery. Anyhow, we finally get through, and find out from their house sitter, that they are on vacation in Newfoundland! (Seriously? Could this really be happening?) Luckily, Shane had met her about a month prior at Fleetwood Mac, and she said right away that we could come over. She was already in bed, but she'd leave the door unlocked for us. Thank goodness!

Shane bought me a birthday chicken dinner and we made our way to the house. We got in at around 10:30, had our chickens and I fell asleep watching Beetlejuice. Do I know how to party or what?

The next day, we woke up early so we could get home by lunchtime. We said our hellos goodbyes and were on the road by 9:00! Unfortunately, we drove two hours in the wrong direction! We got turned around somewhere, but Shane didn't realize until we were in Salmonarm. We ate some lunch and went to a super crazy big thrift store (that happened to be closed that day, but a nice lady let us in to do some quick shopping! I want to go back so bad!) and headed back to Kamloops. I didn't take any pictures.

We found the right exit, the one with the "overdrive" building... stopped in for a quick Shane Turner Overdrive photo shoot, and hit the road.

Here's the Overdrive at the overdrive.

I hate the Coquihalla highway. It's scary, and not super scenic... although I could have just been freaking out too much to look at the sights... that's probably it. It's a long way down, yo! I'm nervous in cars at the best of times, let alone on the edge of a highway on the top of a mountain... throw in those freaking wind gusts and I'm a goner. After a few hours of Coquihalla racing we ended up back at Lake of the Woods, only this time it was pouring rain! Shane went swimming anyway. I watched from the shore. I wanted to go home. Who's the party pooper now, April?

We made it back from our epic journey only two days late, and all in one piece.

The End.

good day sunshine

2009-08-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

The weather reports called for horrible weather for everyday we were meant to be in Alberta. The forecast called for rain and cold and perhaps a thunderstorm or two. We woke up to another gorgeous and sunny day! Hallelujah!

Here's the miles and miles of blue skies and sun drenched landscape.

We all got a bit of a lazy start to the day, sipping our teas and coffees on the deck. We eventually showered in the outdoor pump shower (we had to boil water on the stove!) and got ready for the day. We skipped breakfast and went straight to lunch.

Here we are about to enjoy a Thai feast that Tanya whipped up for lunch. Tanya is an amazing cook! She can turn a hand full of lint and nuts and some leaves into a gourmet meal! There was no lint in this meal, however. Just deliciousness!

Here we are climbing up to Jason's fire watchtower.

Here we are looking for fires. There were no fires today; just gorgeous views.

Later on we played a nice long game of disc golf and then we were off to more hot springs! On the way there, we stopped at a small waterfall and did a photo shoot!

Here's the waterfall, trickling away. The real attraction was just behind the waterfall.

Here's the amazing woods! There was at least six inches of cushiony soft fresh green moss on the ground and all the trees were bare and turning silvery grey. It was an amazing sight.

Here's our photographer, Tanya, getting artsy to great effect! I never think to use that "colour accent" setting!

Here we are doing another couples portrait. We took quite a few until we couldn't take it anymore. There were so many hungry mosquitoes here!!!

Here's another effing majestic mountain on the way to the hot springs.

Here's another couples portrait.

Here I am sneaking up on a mule deer. That is sheer joy you are seeing on my face, people. I really wanted to touch it, but I didn't because I know that would be bad.

Here's the mule deer ignoring me.

Here's the river along the path that we followed to get up to the source of the hot springs.

Here's Shane warming himself on the boiling hot water of the spring. These were manicured with concrete blockades and the water had been redirected and piped in to the blockade. Not as impressive as the natural spring, but still pretty nice.

Here's the ruins of the original hot springs resort that was built in the early 1930s. It's only been abandoned since 1984. The white cracks and streaks on the walls are mineral deposits from the spring water.

I didn't bring my camera into the pools. It was your average swimming pool type resort. Turquoise pools and concrete, the smell of chlorine and sulphur, lots of people, etc. It was nestled into some pretty spectacular mountainous scenery though. We hung out there for a bit and raced back home to catch the final bit of sunset, and to have a bonfire!

Here we are posing for yet another couples portrait. This time with sunset and windswept faces.

Here we are getting our wiener roast on! Marshmallows too! I'd been waiting for this moment for the entire trip! A perfect end to a perfect day!

she'll be comin' 'round the mountain

2009-08-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

After a surprisingly restful in-the-car-on-the-side-of-the-highway sleep, we drive the remaining hour to Hinton, Alberta. Our final destination! As soon as we got to Tanya and Jason's we began exploring!

Here's our little Hobbit hole in the cabin.

Here's Tanya and Jason's back yard!

Here's the woods behind Tanya and Jason's cabin.

Here's the field where we picked wild strawberries. They were everywhere!

Here we are doing a variation of "the happy couple portrait" on a hang gliding launch pad.

Here's Shane's cousin, Kyle, in front of the cabin. He dropped by for the festivities!

We went to the visitor centre that Tanya works at. She runs a little gift shop at Kelly's Bathtub. Apparently this lake is named after this dirty old miner from the 1800s that fell in while fishing. They started referring to the lake as "Kelly's bathtub", the name stuck and the rest is history!

Here's Shane comparing dental work with his new friend the grizzly bear.

Here I am holding hands with a fellow cougar.

Here's Kelly's Bathtub!

That water was pretty irresistible. We made like Kelly, and had a bath. The water was pretty cold, so our swimming session didn't last too long before our limbs started to go numb!

After our quick dip, we dried off and headed for a bigger lake to do some canoeing!

Here we are racing. It was pretty much three against one the whole time. Shane let Jason do all the work and he beat us by a mile... or two. Seriously. That man can paddle!

Here's the bounty of our fishing attempts. Shane caught the biggest one. Catch and release!

Here we are making our way through a twisting maze of reeds. This river was carved out by some busy beavers. We had to portage (and I use that in the loosest way possible, as the dam was all of ten inches wide) over a beaver dam at one point.

Here's Jason and Shane gaining on us. They totally just pushed past us! It was crazy! These paths were pretty narrow... I don't know how they managed to push us aside!

After canoeing across the lake and down the beaver river and back again, we were pretty pooped. We headed back to the cabin and had ourselves some barbecue steak (mmmmeat) and potatoes, and the most delicious salad with home grown greens from the garden and those wild strawberries that we picked in the afternoon.

We did a little star gazing through some crazy high powered binoculars after dinner. What a treat! Light pollution is the pits! I miss seeing stars in the sky at night.

Here's the full moon in all its glory!

Here's Jupiter. Through the binoculars we could see its five moons! My camera could not capture them though. You'll just have to believe me. It was nerdtastic! We stayed up chatting for a bit before crawling up to our Hobbit hole for the best sleep ever!

the smell of cinders and rain

2009-08-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

I missed a day... make that two days of vacation posts because I had to go see the magnificent Bat for Lashes last night! This show totally blew me away. The showmanship was incredible! Natasha and her band are fantastic! I was particularly smitten with her lady drummer who was beating the crap out of those kettle drums and singing sweetly simultaneously!

It was a weird vibe in the audience though... the venue (~ironically that's also the name of the venue~) was packed and there were some fan issues. People were actually arguing over who was a bigger fan. It was kind of ridiculous. I just wanted to watch the show. I didn't need the bad vibes from the corner.

Anyhow, I just don't have time to post another vacation photo tonight. Regularly scheduled programming will ensue tomorrow... or the next day... only time will tell.

twenty dollars gets you all this and more

2009-08-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

After a good nights sleep, we were ready to get on with our trip and finally get to Shane's sister and brother in law's place.
It didn't happen.
We got a late start out of Cranbrook (surprise surprise) and didn't get as far as we thought we would.

Our first stop was at Lucier natural hot springs.

Here's the glacier fed river that runs right next to the hot springs. The difference in water temperature was insane!

Here's Shane taking a natural hot shower at the hot springs.

Here he is meditating on the healing powers of sulphur.

Here we are spanning time. Apparently Shane was doing his best Vincent Gallo in Buffalo 66 routine, but I didn't catch on. We took a lot of photos like this.

Here's some crazy corroding mountains.

At this point the highway turns into a string of Canadian National Parks. It'll cost you twenty bucks to do the drive, but it is so worth it! We, of course, only got to see half of the attractions before its pitch black night.

Here's where the mountains divide to let the cars through.

Here's the first picture perfect rest stop on our journey through the parks.

Here's Shane taking advantage of the rest stop by taking a nap on the wall. Shortly after these photos were taken a torrential downpour and a bus load of tourists chased Shane away.

Here's a real forest with a real mountain in the background. I know it looks too good to be true!

Here's a really straight stretch of highway. It went on for a long time like this. It was pretty neat.

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Here's the sun coming out... just in time to set.

Here's a storm moving in.

Here's a crazy mf'n mountain complete with glacier (not shown). Look at the colour of that water!

Here are some picturesque glacial lakes with land and sky reflected in the water. Sigh.

These are the last photos from day three. After this it was too dark to take any photos. We kept driving to get to Tanya and Jason's when we really should have stayed put and waited until morning to take in the rest of the sights. There were several times during the rest of our nighttime drive when I caught a glimpse of scenery in the moonlight that I thought would be pretty breathtaking during daylight hours (including a huge herd of elk). We will definitely have to do the tour again. It was effing majestic, people! My photos do not do this country justice!

We drove to Jasper, which is about an hour away from our final destination, but were stopped because the highway had been blocked off due to a six car pile-up that occurred hours before. Jasper was packed with people waiting for the highway to open up again. We slept in our car in a line up of other cars on the side of the highway.

the lost day

2009-08-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Have you aver had one of those days where you wake up early hoping to get lots done and then end up getting absolutely nothing done? It sucks when that happens when you're traveling and you actually have to get somewhere.

Welcome to the lost day.

Here's me, first thing in the morning (puffy eyes and skeptical smirk) following our five and an half hours of camping.

Here's the bridge to Nelson. Shane used to live near Nelson as a kid and he was pointing out all the hot-spots as we drove in.

Here's Shane realising that he's getting sick waiting for breakfast in Nelson. No amount of nostalgia will cure him.

Here's the park at the lookout. It reminded me of a perfectly manicured 1940s park with little flower beds surrounded with stones and the little wooden benches. It just looked like a postcard.

Here's the view of almost the entire city of Nelson.

Here's Shane looking ill at the beach.

Here we are dipping our feet into the cold water of the Kootenay Lake. No swimming for us today.

We bummed around town for a few hours and then we were back on the road.

Here are more effing majestic mountains.

Here's the glacier fed river that we stopped at so that Shane could have a snooze and I could get my Indiana Jones on. I hit the jackpot in fools' gold! Pyrite for all!

The water was moving so fast and it was so insanely cold.

These are the last of my photos for this day. We drove through a couple of small towns, got some local fruit and watched the weather change from a scorching 30 degrees centigrade to a mere 13 degrees centigrade the further we got away from Nelson. We ended the day shopping for wool socks and cheap sweaters at a discount store called GIANT TIGER! That place saved our lives! Shane was feeling pretty rough by this time and there was a crazy electrical storm happening complete with the biggest downpour I've seen in a long time.

I decided that we should get a hotel.
BUT Shane's cousin lives in Cranbrook.
BUT she was miles away in Oliver.
BUT her husband was home.
We decided to impose.

Trevor was our hero that night! He came to meet us so that we could follow him back to his place, and we talked movies and music and video games and puppies. I'm not going to lie to you... I fell asleep on the couch mid conversation!
I was exhausted!

no sleep 'till kokanee creek

2009-08-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Lake of the Woods is only a few hours drive away from Vancouver, and we had a long way left to travel, so after an hour or so we packed up and were on the road again. We watched the landscape dry out as we went along. It was so hot! I got a sunburn just sitting in the car!

Here's some lovely green trees in a valley. Sigh.

Here's some brown dried out trees. There were many more, but my "from the car" photography skillz are not that great. You get the idea.

Here's a tiny house in a tiny mining town. There were mines carved into the mountain, but I couldn't get a good photograph of them. You'll have to take my word for it.

Here's a crazy electrical station that was in the middle of nowhere.

Here's some effing majestic mountains.

Here's an effing majestic sunset.

Here we are enjoying the sunset and one of the finest beverages Canada has to offer.

Following the sunset my photos pretty much turn into blurry masses of grainy colour, so I'll spare you. We were a few hours outside of Nelson by the time the sun went down and we wanted to get there to set up camp early. We are not that good at time management. We drove and drove and all the campsites we encountered were full to capacity. We kept going. We finally stopped at one of the sites along Kokanee Creek at around 12:45am, and since there was already a tent set up in the parking lot, we decided to follow their lead. We were too tired to set up camp so we slept in the car... for an hour. We both woke up feeling disgusting because it was HOT and there was no air flow in the car. Opening the windows to let the giant mosquitoes in was not an option. We got up and set up the tent at 2:00am! We both slipped into the best sleep ever, only to be awoken by the park ranger at 7:30am telling us to pack up and move on. This was the one and only night of actual camping that occurred on our "camping trip".

That's a total of five and a half hours!
YES!

lake of the woods

2009-08-21T21:34:00.001-07:00

Here I am in my swim attire, looking as if I'm using some "F"riendly expletives to deter Shane from taking unflattering photos.
Apparently Shane's mum and I have the same bathing suit! I got it in the old lady section of Sears seven years ago.

Timeless styles, ladies. Timeless!

I got the hat at the dollar store specifically for the trip, to shield my nose from the sun. It worked like a charm!

Here I am showing off my mad vampire skillz.

Here's Shane showing off his mad modeling skillz!
This pose is called "The Explorer".

Here he is showing off his mad rock diving skillz.

Here's Canada showing off its mad scenic skillz.

Here's a rad rock.

wilderness style

2009-08-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

Emerald Lake and Van Horn Range, British Columbia (LOC), originally uploaded by The Library of Congress.

Shane and I are headed to Alberta to visit his sister for a few days.
I've closed up the shop and will reopen on August 10th, the day after my birthday! I will be older and wiser and hopefully will come bearing awesome small town thrift goodies!
See you in a week!

shuffleboard anyone

2009-07-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

In September, Shane's mum is taking us on a cruise... to nowhere. Yeah. That's right. Nowhere. It's a comedy cruise too.
Yup.

Anyhow, we were planning on wearing Hawaiian costumes the whole time, you know, to be ironic (we're not leaving the coast people). I photographed this dress a while ago thinking that I was going to sell it, but I decided to keep it for the cruise, but now I'm changing my mind again! I'm not a huge fan of white, so I thought I'd pass this little number on to you guys while there's still sun in the sky and beach barbecues to be had! It's so perfect for summer parties! It's in my etsy shop right now!

soft shoe

2009-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

I guess I've fallen victim to all that 1930s tap dance chorus imagery that's floating around the internets these days, because all I could think of was that I needed to do a little soft shoe routine set to some swingin' variation of tea for two in this little get-up. I think it was the ribbon necktie that threw me over the deep end into tap territory. It just added that little bit of nautical jazz to a dress that usually looks far more ballet than anything. I can't help but feel like Degas' Little Dancer Aged Fourteen when I'm wearing this soft and drapey peach thing. I was once serenaded with a drunken frat-boy rendition of tiny dancer when I was out in this outfit. Classic!

Yesterday I came across these heart shaped sunglasses for cheap, so I bought two pairs to relive my youth! I had a red pair when I was ten that were my pride and joy... until I lost them. Now I can be as stylish as I was at ten years old! All I need now is a pair of roller skates!

dress: industry (I added a navy satin ribbon)
linen shorts: bedo
lacy socks: I've had them since the 1990s (I think they're either DKNY or CK)
shoes: thrifted
heart shaped glasses: urban planet
original intent earings #81: sulu designs on etsy

(these are both Susan's photos)
I don't think I've ever raved about Susan's Original Intent series here before (but she knows how much I love her creations). I just think that it is the most brilliant idea ever! Susan takes gorgeous photos of ordinary things and turns them into the most extraordinary earrings! All earrings in the Original Intent series are based on a photograph of some colour combination or texture that has inspired her. I wish she included a copy of the photograph that inspired the earrings! I've been trying to convince her, but she remains skeptical! It's art! Of course people would appreciate seeing what inspired their new jewels. I think that in the context of art the photograph elevates an already gorgeous pair of earrings to a whole other level! She has a few Original Intent earrings in her shop right now, amongst some other beauties! Susan has such a talent for beautiful, modern jewelry and I am constantly talking myself out of buying her entire stock!

skirting the issue

2009-07-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

After what seems like an eternity, I am finally starting to update my etsy shop again! I spent all afternoon photographing and listing, and the three skirts pictured above are now available for sale right here! I was going to list the skirt and top pictured below, but when I saw how gosh-darn cute I looked in the photos, I decided that I couldn't part with it just yet! tee hee!

en pointe

2009-07-20T17:21:00.001-07:00

I'm a part-time lady and a part-time tomboy. On my work days I'm in grubby jeans and some sort of top that I don't care about getting dirty, but is still somehow work-appropriate for retail. The glamourous life of a cleaning lady... er, um... I mean, retail merchandiser. Well, whatever you want to call it; stacking housewares is a dirty job!

On my days off, you can often find me dressed up in some girly costume or some nerdtastic ensemble. Today I decided to merge the tomboy with the lady, and this is what I came up with.

ballerina print skirt: anna sui
men's suit vest: thrifted and altered
kids' undershirt: thrifted
40s hat with bow: etsy
cutout oxfords: made by elves

on the boardwalk

2009-07-18T11:55:00.001-07:00

I am completely afraid of the sun! I do my best to avoid it at all costs. I have a few awesome sunbrellas that I picked up in Chinatown, and this little paper number is one of them. Shane found his long lost sunglasses collection the other day and these little blue tinted cat eye frames are one of the pairs! So cute! I wish I knew Shane when we were younger. He was even cuter as a skinny little indie rocker teen!

dress: thrifted
mini boater: etsy
sandals: ebay
sunglasses: stolen from Shane!
paper parasol: chinatown

vanilla ice cream

2009-07-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

I've been away from the wardrobe remix pool for months now! For some reason, today of all days (the hottest of days, when I'm wearing what could be classified as pajamas by some), I felt inspired to take some outfit photos and post them on the internets. Go figure!

Thank god for SPF 60! It protects my milky-white complexion as I scurry about on the shady side of the street running errands and treating myself to some pralines and caramel-toffee swirl ice cream (because it matched my outfit best, of course). Where does the skin end and the fabric begin? It's a subtle difference in texture... the colour is the same!

ivory cotton camisole: I've had it since the 1990s! it's a summer staple
chambray shorts with weird scratchy metallic thread in the weave: thrifted
polka dot socks: the bay
amazing oxfords: etsy
pocket watch necklace: triggerhappy on etsy REMIXED

snip snip

2009-07-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

I got mah hurr did!

Two weeks ago I went in to see Eric with a few ideas about how I either wanted to bleach my hair to look like my fake kid sister, or cut it into something that hinted at the 90s with a bit of an undercut (Eric and I had matching undercuts in high school- how cute!) but I wanted to keep one side really full and long so I could still join the circus. There was some trepidation about whether or not the bleach would make my hair orange, so we went for the cut and foils instead. It went white-blonde, but we had also put black foils in some spots so my plans of being a suicide blonde were in fact... foiled! At the half way mark we discussed layering the long side and before I could argue: chop, chop, off it came.

(bad photobooth photos with mess cropped out: taken the day of the haircut)

Eric is a master of the razor cut, but I wasn't exactly thrilled with how it turned out because I was wanting to keep it full and long so I could still play around with girly pin curls and stuff. The layers sort of hinder that kind of thing. I tried doing pin curls and I looked like I had a porcupine stuck to the side of my head. Srsly. Not pretty.

So after a few days I hacked another three inches or so off the long side. It was still an awkward length for me, but I lived with it for a few more days...

(bad photobooth photos with mess cropped out: taken mere moments ago)

This morning, I cut some more length off, and it looks so much better. It was kind of difficult cutting the back, but I'm PRO, so, it turned out pretty alright, if I do say so myself. I imagine I'll probably keep cutting it shorter and shorter until I have a pixie cut just in time for fall. I may get Eric to help me out with that one though... I'm not sure I'm that pro.

classic dames

2009-07-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

I was up late last night browsing the internets and I came across the future classics fall/winter line. I'm loving the military WWII thing that they have going on for fall. Drab tweeds and big structured shoulders. Lots of buttons and brass hardware. Draped silk dresses that invoke an image of a billowing parachute. All masculine and feminine all at the same time. Even the hair is a ladies' version of a pompadour.

The button detail on these pants is killing me! So many buttons!

As much as I am loving this collection, I am wary of the fact that there is A LOT of WWII stuff going on in pop culture recently. I find it worrisome. Should I be gearing up for WWIII?

a wee gothic bairn

2009-06-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Oh this nursery makes me want to have a little goth baby! Or maybe I'll just make myself a mobile instead... yeah... that's probably better.

via Design*Sponge

appreciation post 101

2009-06-16T00:40:00.000-07:00

Um, hello, neon table. Do you want to come live in my house? You can come too, bookcase wallpaper.

Seriously. This place is gorgeous! So many spray painted things! Plus, they've got a giant Magritte-like pear in the kitchen!

via (you guessed it) Design*Sponge

gypsy heart

2009-06-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have a soft spot for just about anything to do with Chicago. I think that Chicago has done a marvelous job of balancing the old with the new. There are SO many beautiful late Victorian and early Deco skyscrapers in that city! Don't get me started on the Baroque revival! Huge modern outdoor sculptures dot the landscape, and Chicago boasts more than one iconic example of modern architecture as well. It's just an architecture lovers dream.

In my first year of university, I went on a group weekend trip to Chicago to explore the city and look at art. Three days was definitely not enough time! We stayed in the Blackstone Hotel (before it was condemned), which was the most perfectly haunted Victorian building I've ever slept in. Not that I slept there much; it was more like napping- there was just too much to do in too little time! I've wanted to revisit since. One day I'll make it back there, and when I do I'm definitely going to Asrai Garden.

I was catching up on reading Brooklyn Rehab's blog, and there was a few magical photos of this amazing store. I love the loamy green walls and lots of plants and piles of treasures! There's just something about that combination that is so comforting on a summer day!

like a moth to a flame

2009-06-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Okay. I lied. I only ever read Design*Sponge. I'm thinking about turning this blog into a Design*Sponge appreciation blog!

So, today Grace lead me to the work of mischer'traxler. There is some gorgeous stuff on this web-portfolio, and I do suggest that you check it out! They have a series called RealLimited which features hand numbered representations of objects found in nature. Like the limited moths lamp above, or the limited fungi shelf below. These are based on endangered species, and each tin or copper representation is numbered to correlate with one live moth or mushroom in nature!

The moth lamp would be a pretty easy DIY for any of you crafty peeps out there! All you need is a little copper sheeting, some tin snips and a whole lot of patience (okay, maybe "easy" was not quite the right choice of words). You could also do it up with a little Tyvek sheeting a la Tord Boontje!

via Design*Sponge

survey says

2009-06-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yippie! I was tagged by both Chad and Anabela to do this little getting to know you questionnaire! I love surveys! It's the only thing I miss about myspace! So without further ado, I give you the answers:

What is your current obsession?
I suppose that my current obsession is my creative block that I seem to currently be experiencing! It's driving me nuts! I'm obsessing over the stupidest little things... things that haven't even happened. I'm turning into a psychic-hypochondriac (my mental state is suffering)!
Also, marzipan! I love that stuff! I'm eating some right now!

What is your weirdest obsession?
I assume that this question has something to do with OCD behavioral traits. So, in that case; if I get on a nearly empty bus I have to sit on the side that has less people sitting on it. If I feel that the patrons of public transit are setting the bus off balance I get really uncomfortable and imagine the bus flipping over!
See? Weird.

What do you see outside your window?
The old Bank of Montreal building that has since been turned into a bath store with giant posters of bathtubs covering the windows, two abandoned shop fronts covered in gig posters, a smoke shop, a hair salon/watch repair shop (I don't get it either), a record/home decor shop, an Italian/Greek restaurant (it seems I live across the street from many businesses suffering from identity issues), a bus stop, a bus, a bunch of cars and trucks and vans, some nearly dead trees and some scruffy looking grass hanging on for dear life... it's an ugly scene people!

What is your favourite colour?
This question is so hard for me! I love all colours... except purple, but even I can't say no to purple if it's just the right purple. Right now I'm really into neon red. I think about it every day. I'm debating painting my dresser a nice glossy neon red! I need to mull it over a bit longer and then try and find out if they even make such a paint.

What is your weakness?
I have many vices, and apparently I'm pretty weak: cupcakes! afternoon cocktails! boys in tight pants and a bow tie! ice cream (pretty much any flavour)! sour candy! fancy dresses (although I never wear the really fancy ones)! fancy shoes! I'm sure there's more... I should spare you the details, lest you build a trap of an afternoon candy/cocktail party where there's lots of boys in tight pants and fancy dress running around! I'd be a goner for sure!

What animal would you be?
If we're talking manifestation of personal traits; I would most likely be a squirrel or chipmunk. I get nervous around people and scurry off to my hole where I store my nuts!
If we're talking what animal I would like to be; it would be a house cat. That is the life!

What would you like to learn how to do?
Play the piano.

What do you want to never happen in life?
The apocalypse.

What is on your bedside table?
The lamp that I got from Anabela, The old clock/radio that I stole from my ex (I put a kitten sticker on it, therefore making it mine), a half drank glass of water, and Burt's bees lip balm.

What's the last thing you bought?
Yesterday evening I bought a bottle of apple juice, a bottle of sparkling water and a chocolate covered marzipan bar. Party time!

What do you think about the person that tagged you?
Obviously I love them both! Anabela is the best internets friend a girl could have (For reals! Can I come live in your spare room Anabela? We can sew all day and have fancy dress tea parties!) and Chad is just the bees knees! I love how all encompassing his creativity is; he does it all, from drawing and sewing to making music! I would love to get together with these two and gossip about boys in tight pants and bow ties whilst feasting on cupcakes and afternoon cocktails! Also, they're both librarians! Sexy!

What was your favourite children's book?
This is a really hard question! I was an avid reader as a child (now not so much... I don't know why) I remember reading Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, and Heidi, and The Wind in the Willows over and over again! I still own several copies of each.
There were two other smaller books that I still think of to this day, and I should track them down. One was called Mouse Tales and was a collection of short stories, but I can only really remember one. It was about a mouse that had to walk a very long distance and he had to get new boots, and new shoes, and new socks, and finally, new feet! I loved that story! The other was called Hope for the Flowers. I was really into those fuzzy yellow and black caterpillars when I was a kid, and the illustrations in this book were so great!

Who do you want to meet in person?
The Easter Bunny!

What did you want to be as a child?
I wanted to be a mom, a veterinarian, a fire fighter, a fashion designer, a private investigator, a majorette, a fisherman, an archeologist, a zoo keeper, an actress, and a traffic cop, but mostly I wanted to be a princess!

What did you dream about last night?
I haven't been dreaming lately. I wake up tired every morning and I think it's because I'm just not hitting those quality REM moments. This also explains my general malaise. I've got to make a super powered sun blocking curtain for my bedroom! I miss my crazy dreams with celebrity guest stars!

Which do you prefer, day or night?
I like both for different reasons. It really depends on my mood. If I'm feeling productive, it's usually during the day when the light is good... I'm no good making things in my grandma lighting situation, although that happens from time to time and it's not all that bad. The night has another feeling all together, it's time for the night moves... or sleeping, whatevs. It depends.

What's your favourite piece of clothing in your closet?
This is another hard question! I have so much stuff you guys! I really don't know!!! I have a few things that I keep around but rarely wear because I'm afraid of ruining them: one is my mum's old 1960s pig-skin jacket with possum fur trim (it sounds disgusting, but it's so nice!), one of the others is my grandma's old cocktail dress from the 1940s, and the other favourite is my 2002 Miu Miu red patent boots (I visited them in the store twice a week for four months before I bought them)! If I wore them all together I would look like a cheap hooker, but separately they are pretty special.

What would you like to get your hands on right now?
One of these little guys!

What is your must have of the moment?
Bobby pins for keeping my hair out of my eyes!

What's your favourite tea flavour?
I generally only like teas of the black variety. I like a good ceylon in the morning, and earl grey in the afternoon or evening. Sometimes I'll mix in a little raspberry infused white tea with my earl grey, but I do like vanilla tea, and almond tea, and some sencha is really nice and chai! I love tea... and coffee. If it's caffeinated, generally I like it.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
London, with my sister (because she really wants to go on vay cay with me right now), to visit Alice and to work on my accent (which according to Alice sounds crazy and too posh... which is exactly what I was going for).

What's your favourite quote (for now)?
Yesterday I passed a magazine stand, and I saw this issue of GQ and I just kept walking giggling to myself over the caption: "Don't mess with Christian Bale. He has moods and he will crush you!" I can relate Christian! We're so alike, you and I. We should hang out.
Just so you know, this favourite quote will likely change by the end of the day. I just have a crush on Mr. Bale.

One question has been removed and this is what I'm replacing it with:

Do you have any secrets for unblocking a creative block?
So I've been in a slump lately, and last night I found my long lost mini sketchbook and flipped trough it. (Does anyone else have trouble deciphering old notes that you've penned yourself?) I found some great ideas that were jotted down and forgotten... and some cryptic notes to go along with them! I'm a weird girl... but I've got that spark back! I'm going to tackle a few ideas today!
I also find that looking through books or watching movies sometimes helps get the creativity going... watching episodes of 30 Rock on repeat does not, although it does turn me into a witty, sarcastic asshole.

Now I've got to tag eight bloggers! EIGHT people, it's the rules!
You're it:
Teagan, Megan, Ambika, Andrea, Francesca, Sunshine, Pony, and Dawn

weird death

2009-05-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Shane Turner Overdrive played his live radio debut last night on CITR Thunderbird Radio Hell. There's a wee interview and he plays a few songs. He was really nervous and it was really cute!

(fake album artwork by me)

inspirational clutter

2009-05-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's time for another repost! From Design*Sponge, yet again. Grace has set up sneak peaks to run all week while she's away, and I LOVE a good sneak peak (I do read other blogs... I swear)!

This particular sneaky peak belongs to artist, Ann Wood. Her place is overrun with stacks upon stacks of creativity and inspiration! It's like a fairytale exploded: lace bits pinned to linen curtains, flying papier machee ships in windows, and even a couple of paper horses trotting through a paper blizzard! This is the most magical dreamscape... and it's REAL! Grace has uploaded the full home tour on her flickr, and I highly recommend checking it out!

via Design*Sponge

sexy times

2009-05-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

I saw Grizzly Bear last night, and they were as magical as ever! I saw them two years ago in a venue with a crappy sound system and bad sight lines, and I was still mesmerized! This time they played a decidedly more professional venue and it was a thousand times better. I love these boys! They sing like angels and they back that up with chunky bass and drums and chorusy jangly guitars... it's like they're from another time. Just really beautiful.

Their new album Veckatimest came out yesterday too, and I'm telling everyone that you MUST purchase this album... right now! Go get it, and listen to it on repeat. Over and over again. Forever.

P.S.-The opener was Foreign Born, and we were joking that they should really change their name to Foreign Boring. Har har har!

picnics for shut ins

2009-05-25T09:42:00.001-07:00

I'm a little late picking this up, it was featured last week, including DIY instructions, on the Design*Sponge guest blog, and was created by Paige Russell. I just think that it's the sweetest thing ever! I'm a huge fan of fake nature, and this blurs the lines with some real grass! Perfection!

always and for never

2009-05-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

So with the last post out of the way, let's get on with the task at hand. I'm feeling pretty rusty, so I'm going to kick things off with a meme... one that I was almost tagged by Anabela to do. Almost. The always & nevers meme that was created by Lauren of Dear Golden Vintage.

I think that this is a very difficult meme to start with! I'm not really sure that I have too many "always's" and "never say never", right? I was once described as being "consistently inconsistent", so I guess I'll have to generalize a bit. Maybe expand on some unspoken rules? Let's see what happens!

always x five:

Everyone seems to be starting with hair for this section. I'm not too precious about my hair. I hack at it constantly. I've had every hair colour imaginable (including blue). It's been curly and straight. It's been as long as mid-back and as short as one inch. I've been keeping it pretty natural for a while and just growing it out. I am completely sick of it! Don't be surprised if the next time you see me, I'm a blond!

1. SO, that said, let's talk other hair. Eyebrow hair! I always have skinny, drawn on eyebrows! 1920s flapper style. It started back in highschool most likely after watching some mobster movie... Mobsters maybe? hahaha

2. Vintage. Obviously. I've been a huge fan of anachronistic dressing since dress-up time in grandma's closet! I love old clothes, but I'm not a purist. I could never just stick to one era of dressing. I love playing with fashion!

3. Chuck Taylor + April 4ever! Me and Chuck have been together since 1987! I currently have four pairs in my closet and only one pair has not been worn right through the sole... and that's just because they're two months old. Give them time. They will be destroyed!

4. Giant sunglasses that cover half my face! I have a huge collection of sunglasses, but I really only ever wear one pair. I got them when I was 16 and I wear them almost every day.

5. Cardigans. I love 'em! I have many. I even have one that's been in rotation since 1993! My mum HATES it!

nevers x five

There's not too much out there that I just will never do. There's a time and a place for everything, but there are a few things that I just cannot embrace...

1. Sweatshirts, hoodies, yoga pants, and sweatpants. Basically anything that you would wear to work out. I am NOT sporty. I think that these items are pajamas. Socially acceptable pajamas: Just add Uggs. Damn you, society and your lacksidasical dress codes! I don't want to look at your muffin tops!

2. Midriff bearing tops! Yuck! Nobody wants to see my muffin tops! My white, fleshy, muffin tops...

3. Chaps. No sir, I don't like them.

4. Stiletto heels. I would also need a wheelchair for this fashion item. I can't stand in those things.

5. Flip flops. At the other end of the footwear spectrum, I can't do these either... they hurt my tender tootsies just thinking about them!