as the crow flies east

all photos via fuszion

i hope the lack of posts in the last week hasn't driven everyone away. i've been frantically searching for a new home, and that can drive anyone crazy. so on with the good news, we finally found a place, and lucky for us it's close to home. only 5 blocks east and, hello new house! yes we're leaving our beautiful loft which i've fallen so deeply in love with, and trading up(?) to a cozy little house on the corner of memory lane (for reals!).

leaving the loft means we absolutely need to get rid of the vast amount of growing nick-nacks that one can only accumulate by living beside a value village. over the next few weeks i may be posting some vintage finds on the site for your purchasing pleasure. so feel free to send me a message if you see anything that strikes your fancy.

can you spot the secret message?

it almost sings to you...

is this in bad taste? any winehouse

jason mecier has crafted this portrait of the late, great amy out of various pills. too soon?

like crazy

i'm not usually one for sappy love stories, but this one caught my attention. it vaguely reminds me of the feeling i get while watching nick and norah's infinite playlist (one of my favourites). two lovers from different sides of the world try to beat the odds by facing expired visas and what feels like an eternity of time between each visit.

true romance

is anyone else obsessed with collecting movies from the criterion collection? if you haven't heard of it , you need to check it out, you'd be surprised how many of your favourite flicks are included. they select only the most important classics and contemporary films ever created. i just saw the new cover of true romance, and it sparked my need to collect more movies. i think i have about 15 so far.

august 26, be there

rsvp HERE

melancholia

tiff just recently announced the first 50 movies playing at the festival this year and it was hard to choose just one to talk about. but the second i clicked on the website for meloncholia, i know i had to see it. plus it stars alexander skarsgard, just sayin'. the basic plot of the film revolves around two sisters in dispute while the life of the planet is threatened as a large foreign body approaches, portending a deadly collision. trier's main idea for the film was to dramatise how a depressive person reacts more calmly than others in a situation of disaster. what i love is how romantic everything looks. if you check out the website you'll know what i mean.

value village find: eaton's deluxe typewriter ($7)

last night i braved the heat and scoped out my local value village yet again. and lucky me because i found the typewriter of my dreams. a sleek, charcoal, eaton's deluxe portable, manual typewriter. she's fully operational and even came with the original carrying case and all for a cool $7. i checked it out online and found that this brand, in good condition, can sell for around $150 so i think i got a good deal.

a stroll through the bouquinistes

one of the most memorable spot in paris for me was the bouquinistes stalls along the seine river. this is where you can find over 200 vendors, selling rare, new and used books / sheet music and other small collectibles while walking along the seine river. everything is contained in these large green, metal boxes (which you can see above) and around lunch time they open them all and expose all their little treasures. we picked up lots of sheet music, old postcards, and a couple prints. what you see above framed is just some of what we picked up and now have on display.

life drawing at ben navaee gallery

last night callum and i attended a free life drawing class at ben navaee gallery in leslieville. they offer an array of classes, ranging from yoga, guitar, sculpture, photography all the way to holistic exercises. each tuesday they offer a free life drawing class from 7 - 9pm, so grab your sketchbook, load up on pencils (+ eraser) and pop in next time you're in the neighbourhood.

portrait in stages: callum

the portrait i did of callum this past winter. he absolutely loves it and hangs it above the bed (NOT). it's currently hidden behind another painting of mine, and if not there, tucked behind the organ. 

p.s. sorry for the lame photography, as well as inconsistent use of photoshop filters on each photo. i need to pick one and stick to it for this very reason.  

cemetery at sunrise

i just finished this painting a few weeks ago, not sure what i'm going to do with it yet. it's currently covering the "infamous" portrait i did of callum, that he absolutely refuses to display in our loft.

i actually don't think i've posted it yet. i will find it and post for all to see. (sorry callum!)

/ UPDATE / painting of callum is here

yeah, i made it: sailor knot bracelet

i was incredibly bored and hot last night after i got home from work. i wanted to do more then just sit on my butt and vegetate in front of the fan. i moved to the computer to find a craft that could be completed while sitting on my butt, vegetating in front of the fan. i found this fantastic etsy shop that sells nautical inspired bracelets, complete with DIY instructions for cheap people like me. it was pretty easy and has room for mistakes, perfect for all those people out there who make many.

all you need is 9 feet of twine, and your favourite 14oz can of food that's been hiding away in your cupboard (my weapon of choice was creamy corn). then visit this SITE to see the step by step instructions and voila, your free, super cheap, sailor knot bracelet.

easy peasy lemon squeezy

franz cline - chief (1950)

jackson pollock - number 1a (1948)

willem de kooning - woman I (1950-52)

i just came across a new exhibit featured at the ago and have added it to the bucket list for this summer. for the first time ever (EVER!) a collection of abstract masterpieces are leaving their cozy little home in new york city, from the museum of modern art, and making their way to the great city of toronto. it features all those fantastic artists, like jackson pollock and willem de kooning to name a few, that are famous for creating paintings that most people think that, well a 5 year old could pull off (wrong!). to quote the ago because they say it so well, this show features artist who dripped, splattered, and painted in fields of incredible colour. they placed their massive canvasses on the floors and walls, creating artwork that exploded into life. if you get a chance you should check it out. tickets are $25 for non-members (you can buy here) and the exhibit runs until september 4, 2011.

don't think about making art, just get it done. (goal one - get a sewing machine)

photos via pinterest

lately i've felt like i have too many ideas floating around in my head, yet nothing ever gets done. everything was at a stand still. last night, taking the advice of an extremely wise beyond his years boyfriend of mine, i jotted down twenty goals i would like to complete within a one year period. having those aspirations and desires written down in front of me made them feel real and more achievable. we then went through the list and determined which ones i could cross off quickly... and i am happy to say that i've just checked my first one off the list. when i moved away from home i had no choice but to leave my sewing machine behind (as it is my moms and i don't think she would have been fond of me nicking it) and i've been nagging myself ever since to pick up my own. i used to love repurposing pieces from vintage clothing and creating new bags from discarded fabrics. so let's see what disasters i am bound to create, i'll be sure to post any pictures along the way.

one down, nineteen to go.

i love every bone in your body

i thought i would start uploading some old designs onto this page.

as i'm sure you can tell, this is a birthday card i designed a while ago.