a little sojourn

a little wander

2012-02-23T14:41:00.001-05:00

It is no secret that I am a cold weather coward, so I shouldn't have been so surprised on Monday when I picked up my SLR camera and saw that the last time I took photos with it was when I was planting garlic in the fall. So, I took a look out my kitchen window and decided that I should go for a walk. It took some convincing to get Matt to come with me, but once we stepped out into the sunshine it was impossible to deny that it was a perfect day for a long stroll.

Although there were no flowers in bloom to admire, there was still a lot to see. We looked at overgrown gardens in peoples' yards, collected some sticks in the park for a small project of mine (and got our boots good and muddy in the process) and found a great little chair that I'm excited to fix up.

It's funny how new interests and hobbies can change even small things, like what you look at when you walk around your neighbourhood. By the time we got back home my hands were full and Matt was carrying a chair over his head. I'm sure it looked like we were on our way back from a bizarre shopping trip, but I would call this a real stroll success story if I've ever heard one (which I haven't, but still!).

summer goals

2012-02-21T10:22:00.001-05:00

last week, i stumbled upon this blog dedicated to summer goals by Anne Parker and Christie Maclean. after ooh-ing and ah-ing over the beautiful photos that so perfectly capture my nostalgia for summers gone by and my current daydreams for the summer ahead, i realized the site had been turned into a book by the same name. so, of course, i ordered it. it has yet to arrive, but until then i hope these photos from their site make you as excited for summer as they made me. i plan to share photos of my own summer on here this year, including a little road trip to the painted hills (seen in the first photo below) and many happy, quiet moments in the sunshine.

what are your summer goals?

paper loves

2012-02-08T10:26:00.000-05:00

by Caitlin Keegan and found at Reform School

a battle cry for Reform School, and maybe for me, too.

by Andrew Lyons

lunar calendar from Shop Anaise

le petit prince moleskine

inspiration nation: Nadinoo and Herriott Grace

2012-02-02T12:13:00.002-05:00

i'm finding myself in the process of working on several projects right now, which can be the toughest part of getting stuff done. the initial excitement of starting something has faded a bit, but that satisfying feeling of accomplishment when a project is completed is nowhere to be found either. this is when it's easy to give up, call it a day, and walk away from the whole thing, right? at a time like this, only the beautiful work of others can help, so here are a couple of my recent favourites. please feel free to swoon with me.

Nadinoo: ever since a friend introduced me to this clothing line a couple years ago, i haven't been able to get enough. i have saved up to buy a few of my favourite items, but it is so tough to choose because i basically want them all. please check out Nadinoo's gorgeous video "Sounds of the Woods" to enjoy some of her most recent collection. you're going to be hooked, don't say i didn't warn you.

Herriott Grace: not only does Herriott Grace make items out of wood and ceramics that will knock your socks off, but she has the prettiest blog, too. i mean, check out this post about ice cream clouds! i love the idea, now, and child me would've definitely flipped her lid over this one.

it is surely no coincidence that both of the blogs linked in this post have serene and beautiful pictures of their respective countrysides. i feel like i can smell the grass and mud in them! i think that means that i'll have to make my way to my own nearby countryside as soon as the ground begins to thaw, and maybe take pictures of my own.

looking for the sun

2012-01-27T12:34:00.006-05:00

it's been a while since i've seen the sun, so i went looking for it.

still from video for undertow by Warpaint

prints from satsuki shibuya

photos from Tec Petaja's beautiful blog

trees in Croatia, taken by me

getting cozy

2012-01-26T15:03:00.000-05:00

a couple of months ago, myself and a few friends sort of accidentally started a learning annex of sorts. we called it CLA, which stood for Cabbagetown, Corrina, Cote de Nord, and Concord, respectively. each of these names represent the houses of CLA members, which is where we get together to teach each other skills or try new things together. it involves a lot of snacks, trying a new art or craft, and sometimes a recipe for something that we can't resist trying to make. to catch you up, at our first meeting we made this pretty insane crème brûlée french toast from Smitten Kitchen, and received a knitting lesson from our ever patient resident expert, Tallulah. this past Sunday we got together again, and made these equally insane (but DELICIOUS) cookies. marshmallows and chocolate have special powers over me and i live with a real life cookie monster, so i may have taken to hiding my share of our creation when i brought them home. no judgement, please.

aside from hoarding cookies and learning new stitches for knitting this weekend, i also made the best of these sunny winter afternoons by going for walks in the sun, cozying up with the latest beautiful issue of Kinfolk Magazine, and baking Chocolate Fondant and Mexican Wedding Cookies. i also started to work on the very beginnings of my fist woodworking project, which will be a toolbox, and this simple and amazing bench only has me dreaming of future projects.

starting at the beginning

2012-01-17T12:36:00.003-05:00

my usual approach to dealing with the winter blues is to head indoors, re-watch my favourite tv shows, eat comfort food and wait for it to pass me by while cursing myself for yet again failing to plan a hot destination escape in February. i get a little lazier, a little less productive, but a little better at baking. in fact, my most recent attempt was at these chocolate macarons for a friend's wedding.

this year i'm doing things a little differently, and i'm keeping myself active while trying some new things. i've started taking a woodworking course, a ceramics class, and this last weekend i was even lucky enough to help out with falconwright's new online shop, that just so happened to open this week(!), by being in photos for their lookbook. Sandi, Danielle and Tim did such a great job at making everything look so warm and pretty. i love taking photos, so the idea of being in front of a camera was a little nerve wracking, but it really was a fun afternoon with some great friends and i got to wear other peoples' lovely clothes. who could complain?

the quiet after the end of the year storm: my winter holidays in snapshots

2012-01-04T12:22:00.001-05:00

visiting peterborough.

somewhere between Chatham and Toronto.

my new meow tote, from the kind folks at fieldguided .

finally working on my first knitting project.

this guy was so tough.

2011 was very good to me. i went to a few places in Europe and saw things like this, this and this with some of my most favourite people, including my partner in adventure and relaxation, Matt. i joined a softball team and conquered my fear of getting hit in the face with a high flying ball. i went back to school for Linguistics and to finally get crackin' on that elusive university degree. i signed up for weaving, woodworking and ceramics classes. i got a new bicycle, which i proudly named Pepsi. and i only got one (!) haircut. 2012 has some big shoes to fill.

2011-12-21T16:19:00.002-05:00

happy winter solstice! how will you celebrate this, the darkest day of the year? perhaps with feasting, gambling, or a libation? i will be working for most of the day, so my celebration will include eating gingerbread men (head first, obviously) and listening to Anna Calvi on repeat. i discovered her through my friend Tim and was lucky enough to see her play in town a couple weeks ago. if she is touring where you live i highly recommend checking her out. i also can't get enough of this video by Erato, covering Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend. if you haven't seen it, you definitely should.

a couple of weeks ago, i told my mom that i needed to learn how to make a few of her most delicious recipes and that she would have to show me first hand because her written or verbal directions often include things like"oh, and add a heaping teaspoon of this, but not too heaping" and "add this item, but not too much because then it will be too much, but if you add too little it won't be very good". this is not an exaggeration. so, i drove out to the 'burbs with so many scotch peppers in hand that the lady working the cash at the grocery store had to ask me if i really needed that many, and together my mom and i made some pretty serious homemade pepper sauce.

i'm really happy with how it turned out, but it is very, verrry spicy! a glass of water nearby is a requirement.

the next week or so will be hectic, but i'm looking forward to dropping off presents to friends (maybe even some of the homemade goods above), visiting family and friends, the endless eating ahead, and the driving in between. aside from all of those things, i think the things i like most about this season are the lights, dressing up, and the generosity going around.

from the top left going clockwise: 1. Nathan Phillips Square, 2. the lights at my work holiday party, 3. all dressed up for the party with a dress from Bicyclette and a belt from The Future of Frances Watson, 4. two records that were given to me by the lovely and talented folks at Bakerbots.

i hope your holidays include lots of food, laughs, and naps. xo.

2011-12-14T16:33:00.000-05:00

hello mid-december! how did you get here so quickly? last month i was full out bragging about how ahead of the gift getting curve i was, and now i'm here realizing that i totally rested on my laurels and will be running around like every other chump this weekend to get stuff done. november me would be SO disappointed.

i picked up some pretty wonderful things from city of craft this weekend, but just in case the recipients see these internet ramblings i better keep it hush hush for now. i did, however, get a knitted ascot for myself from the very talented and previously mentioned tara-lynn at good night, day. in short, it is perfect.

this and other impressive things people i know have knitted recently have led me to believe that knitting is really cool and useful and i should learn how to do it (i know, where have i been?). so, i got together with a few friends and our resident knitting expert (hi Tallulah!) showed us the basics for getting started on a scarf. i was very enthusiastic, but also very busy, so this is my progress so far:

that's right, i mostly rolled a ball of yarn by myself. are you impressed? now that i've posted this i'll definitely be forced to knit something, right?

to redeem myself a little bit, i got together with a friend last night and made this little artichoke ornament. i'm really happy with it and plan to make more later this week. moms will go crazy for it! haha. in the name of full disclosure, i found there was a real learning curve with making it so if you want to make one of your own don't get disheartened if it looks like something only a mother could love. you'll get the hang of it and feel so accomplished when you do. a little hot apple cider and spiced whisky won't hurt either.

the only other christmas decoration i've got in my house is a poinsettia plant; it is this year's version of a charlie brown christmas tree. aww.

2011-12-07T12:15:00.004-05:00

oh my my, the days are getting very short and christmas lights are out in full effect. this means that there are craft events aplenty in toronto right now, and this weekend i will be attending city of craft. this city is filled with very talented designers and makers of things, and it is impossible to let a december go by without perusing their wares and purchasing a little something for you... and a little something for me. in case you are living in the city and are curious but need a little more coaxing, here are a few of my current favourites that will be at the sale:

by Falconwright - an amazing collaboration of leather goods from Deadweight and Caboto

by julie moon - i was the lucky enough to receive this as a gift last year

beautiful tea towels by Bespoke Uprising

these events make it so easy for people to buy things that are sustainable, local, and beautifully handmade. i also find myself so curious about peoples' work spaces. the idea of a studio with natural light is very romantic, but i also find the idea of people making space in their basements, bedrooms or maybe even a study romantic, too. i recently saw a photo of good night, day's makeshift studio space for all her wool and loved it. check it out here.

i've also been making small items (mostly of the kitchen variety) for small gifts or wrapping decorations, but there will be more on that a little later.

2011-12-01T15:59:00.000-05:00

it has been a busy few months, but here we are near the end of the school semester and the winter holidays are jussst around the corner. i'll still be working full-time for the next little while, but free evenings and weekends seems like a dream come true at this point. that's not to say i haven't been having fun or slacking at times, either, but soon it will be guilt free. that's right, couches and movies and napping, i'm coming for you!

this week was my last weaving class of the semester, and i finally finished my first sampler project. i was late for my first class due to work, so i chose my colours in a big hurry and let me tell you, lesson learned! weaving projects are not short ventures and one should choose their colours wisely because you'll be spending a lot of time with them. (it needs to be said, i suspect i am of the slowpoke variety, so maybe some of you would spend less time on a project than me.)

aside from my colour woes, i really enjoyed the class and already find myself daydreaming about my next project; it will not be pink. it also seems that i've been bitten extra hard by the arts and crafts bug because i've already signed up for a ceramics class next semester with my friend sandi. i hope to make something great, and a mess.

2011-11-24T17:10:00.002-05:00

hello. i've hesitated to start a blog in the past because i was a little worried about looking back on it one day and feeling horrified in the same way that i do when i've looked back at my teenage diary entries. you know what i'm talking about.

i'm into travelling, pretty things, food, and i want to learn everything. i live in toronto, canada and i wish i had a nicer camera. it is getting cold in the city, now, but autumn was long and beautiful, and although it tends to rain a lot...

... that can be pretty, too.