rethink

spring film

2011-05-08T19:42:00.000-03:00

Happy Mother's Day to those of you who are moms. Hopefully you enjoyed your breakfasts in bed, Sunday dinners, back rubs, kids' coupons for 10 minutes of quiet, etc. My mother and I shared a lovely brunch and did some gardening in the few hours of sunshine we had.

The film is from March; my favourite tree on Coburg Road, an amethyst from across the Atlantic, and a bowl of collected things - rocks, sea glass, bones found on the beaches of Newfoundland. Finally freed from university reading lists, I've had the time to devour some novels, notably Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Room by Emma Donoghue, and Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth May. I love May for her beautiful prose; I found myself reading much of it aloud. Some sentences just need to be spoken to be fully appreciated.

In other news: we Canadians have just made it through the strangest election in history. A week later and I am still dumbfounded.

breakfast & bunnies

2011-04-24T19:33:00.000-03:00

I hope your Easter breakfast was as yummy as my waffles and strawberries (which, since this is film, are actually from a couple of weeks ago). I have been munching on chocolate eggs all day.

Despite my little spiel about sugary breakfasts, Easter is actually one of the saddest times of the year for me and that's because I know that thousands of rabbits will be bought as gifts for children and, get this, 90% of them will be euthanized within a year. Many are released into the wild where they die within a few days. More still die within a few weeks of being brought home, from unintentional neglect, improper diet, mishandling, stress, etc. You should go here to read more about the harm and injustice rabbits because of human ignorance and carelessness. And spread the word! People need to know this is happening.

earth day

2011-04-22T20:51:00.000-03:00

In honour of Earth Day and pumping air into my bicycle tires after a long winter, I give you The Bicycle City. Trailer from Greg Sucharew. It's the long weekend, go ride a bike! Go biking on a trail, in the countryside, to the ocean, or alongside the droves of SUVs (which you can give guilt-inducing glares to). Teach a kid to ride. Better yet, teach an adult to ride! Have fun coasting down hills and feeling the wind in your hair. Happy Earth Day!

kitchen party

2011-04-19T22:02:00.000-03:00

1 2 3 4 5 6

Yes my friends, that is a chalkboard fridge. I'm in love.

The arrival of actual spring-like temperatures has me gutting out the apartment and dreaming of kitchens like these. I love all the open shelving (perfect for all the ceramic dishes I have been making) and big windows (unfortunately I don't have even a small window in the kitchen). I've been reorganizing the storage room/pantry, which I can barely squeeze into, despite it being big enough for a small child's bedroom. I wonder how well my landlord would take to me redoing the kitchen walls with chalkboard paint! Haha. One can always dream. Hope you are having a lovely week!

folded

2011-04-15T12:28:00.000-03:00

These little guys make my cranes and pigeons look like crumpled napkins. From here.

Only one paper left to write and this strenuous year will be finished! Feeding myself on a steady diet of cereal, nutella, and the sweet sound of Jenn Grant. Happy weekend!

jane

2011-04-05T19:38:00.000-03:00

Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right.

- Jane Goodall

A little spontaneous post. This brilliant lady will be in my little city tonight.

cold film

2011-03-18T22:34:00.000-03:00

Some of the very few shots that survived my most recent roll of film. Out of thirty-six exposures I got - drum roll please - seven. It is the saddest thing going to pick up your prints after all that anticipation and noticing that the envelope is unusually thin. My poor elderly Pentax probably didn't appreciate being taken to a student protest in the middle of an enormous blizzard and got revenge by eating up all the would-be fantastic shots taken that day. And yes, that is snow and yes, it is mid-March.

In other news, I got Invisalign three days ago. Let me tell you this: ooooouch!!!! It was excruciating for the first two days and my new eating schedule is driving me nuts. On the bright side, my teeth are already whiter from the crazy excessive brushing and in ten short months, I will be able to smile with my teeth.

My thoughts are with those in Japan and Libya - that Japan will soon be able to cool down their reactor so the people can stop living in fear and that Gadhafi will not last the coming week. What a crazy year it has been so far. I am so thankful to be living comfortably in Canada.

little ink

2011-03-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

all via

A lovely girl that sits next to me in my German class has a tiny tattoo of a book on the inside of her wrist. A young man I met at an orchestra rehearsal has miniature cello f-holes in the same place. What is it about such tiny ink near the wrist that is so beautiful? And so graceful? I am not so brave as to offer up my skin for permanent inking - I do henna instead, reveling in its sweet smell and fleeting beauty. Still, a henna cone has its limitations design wise. Is that origami crane not absolutely wonderful? Perhaps a paper stencil and a particularily dark batch of henna would give me the same effect, if only for a few weeks.

christopher and pooh

2011-03-03T16:12:00.000-04:00

Is it really March? Have I really neglected my poor blog for a whole month? Only six more weeks until life begins again - university is taxing my friends. So to help you get through the day, watch this beautiful clip of a lively, pre-feathers Natalie Portman and a spot on Winnie the Pooh reference.

on joy & felines

2011-02-05T23:27:00.000-04:00

My sweet girl giving me her contemplative face on expired film. No doubt I have already passed on this link but for something to smile at see the Catorialist.

My heart is the size of whale - I received a very unexpected letter yesterday that delivered extraordinary joy and wonder. I'm going to leave it at that for now, but I hope my delight over-saturates this post and comes out of your screen and right into your soul.

paper crane love

2011-01-29T19:18:00.001-04:00

I am unfortunately spending the weekend glued to my desk writing a paper but I thought I should do a very quick post to say hello and share with you this beautiful gem from David Altobelli. It will put a smile on your face and perhaps give you a sudden urge to make paper cranes. Don't fight the urge.

best novels of 2010

2011-01-25T14:35:00.000-04:00

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I was skeptical going into this one, having heard very mixed reviews but immediately fell in love once I began. A group of terrorists breaks into a party held at the home of the vice president of an unidentified poor Latin American country and keeps many of the guests hostage. The novel follows their lives inside the house for the weeks that follow, illustrating the strange and beautiful bonds that form between them. On the downside, the plot lacked believability and I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, as epilogues often are. I doubt that realism was the aim, but rather a rich character study filled with enchanting prose.

2. God of Small Things by Arudhati Roy

This novel is a work of art. I read the majority of it aloud to myself because Roy's complex and delicate style was too beautiful not to hear with the ears. Any summary of mine would never do it justice, so I suggest you run, yes RUN, to your local library right this minute and pick it up.

3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I suggest reading this in the summer so that you may, at your leisure, put it down and walk out into the sunshine to breathe a little. Based on Plath's own experiences, it follows aspiring writer Esther Greenwood's descent into depression and eventual suicide attempt. About a month after The Bell Jar was published, Plath committed suicide. It is both graceful and melancholy, frightening and magnetic.

4. A Student of Weather by Elizabeth Hay

Oh what a glorious novel! It is painful, so be warned, but so incredibly rewarding. Beginning in the unforgiving Canadian prairies, it chronicles the life of Norma Joyce, who is perplexing and tenacious and wonderfully human. It is a vivid, haunting narrative of the mistakes we make that never truly vanish. Reviewer Isabel Huggan says it best: "You won't be able to set this seductive book down until you've finished - sadder, wiser, and gladder to be alive."

What were your favourites from 2010? I didn't include any books I've read for class, but if you're at all interested in the history of modern thought and philosophy I highly recommend picking up Montaigne's Essais. Montaigne was such a cool guy that he even got his portrait done with his tabby cat.

when she jumped, she probably thought she'd fly.

2011-01-22T22:38:00.000-04:00

1&2. do you know? 3. via 4. via 5. via

"I like to sit in the bath tub and pretend I'm in a Sofia Coppola film."

If you're anything like me (that is, madly in love with Sofia) then you have either seen Somewhere already and are completely smitten or you are waiting to see it with intense anticipation. I unfortunately am in the latter category because the film is on limited release in Canada, boo! So instead I watch Lost in Translation on repeat and daydream to the Marie Antoinette soundtrack during the long bus ride home.

Hope you're having a relaxing weekend.

experiments in film

2011-01-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

I opened up the back of a lovely old Pentax a few weeks ago with the intention of loading film and, to my great surprise, there was already some in it! After some speculation, my mother and I concluded that the film was at least a decade old. None of it had been used so I excitedly set off shooting. I didn't expect any shots to turn out - on top of it's age, that roll of film has been stuffed in boxes, exposed to the super cold, and been shipped across the Atlantic since it first was put in the camera. Miraculously, I escaped with only some funny pastel hues, a ghost cat photo, and that multiple exposure beauty at the top. If you look closely, you can spot my Christmas tree, the pillars of my university, the neck of a guitar, a cat, two trees, and a wine glass.

sound advice

2011-01-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

via

Sometimes we suffer great losses and experience great joys in too small a time frame. It is times like these that make me long for sound advice. Forgive me for my scant appearances, these days have been days of beginning, and bravery, and kindness.

daily dose of july

2011-01-02T10:01:00.000-04:00

Miranda July's project "The Hallway".

Enjoy.

happy christmas!

2010-12-24T20:01:00.000-04:00

source

Have an absolutely lovely Christmas!

the ballerina project

2010-12-19T23:58:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already visited the ballerina project you have been missing out on something beautiful. The shots are just the right mixture of grace, intimacy, and spontaneity.

hope your weekend was lovely.

homecoming

2010-12-16T23:30:00.000-04:00

late late summers end moments.

(quiet evenings give birth to quiet photographs)

please excuse me for my unannounced unintended hiatus.

reno time

2010-08-28T23:10:00.000-03:00

here

I'm renovating - don't mind the mess.

oh braid

2010-08-26T21:47:00.000-03:00

1 2 3 4

Yes, yes, everyone in the blogging world has read or written a post on braids. But just look at how lovely they are. Can I help it that I'm obsessed? I keep dreaming of the day that my hair is long enough for some experimenting. Milkmaid braids are just too cute, no? And braiding with a ribbon - could anything be sweeter?

Happy almost weekend.

about art

2010-08-20T19:15:00.000-03:00

The way she talks, her message, and her art are all equally beautiful. Listening to an artist speak about their work and the creative process is always so inspiring. I encourage you to watch it until the very end - she had me captivated the whole time.Via here.

in the water I am beautiful

2010-08-14T21:30:00.000-03:00

from here

I am uninspired. I have fallen into a rut.

Spending my time staring at ridiculously beautiful people and doing my own henna in the middle of the night. And somehow (rather embarrassingly) found myself on page seven of this place, which dubs itself as: A look into the exciting lives of the people who live in your catalogs. Please save me from my lonely, soul-sucking existance and share something happy with me.

...please?

happy sunday!

2010-08-08T22:07:00.000-03:00

click here for joyous music

public gardens

2010-08-07T23:22:00.000-03:00

Note to self: this is not a flower blog. Take pictures of things that don't have leaves.

Also, bees seriously don't appreciate having their picture taken.

sneak peak + a mixed tape

2010-08-03T11:05:00.002-03:00

I took advantage of the (very light, borderline nonexistent) breeze this morning and spent some time bonding with the Canon in Halifax's Public Gardens. In between avoiding the park patrol (I was blatantly ignoring the Stay Off The Grass signs to get closer to the flowers) and being chased by angry bees I managed to get some good shots. Read: image-heavy post coming soon.

In the meantime, having rekindled my love of mixed tapes, I put together a little play list for you.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Number 3 if you wish to be transported to a French café.

Number 5 if you preferred the 90s.

Number 9 because you need a good laugh today.

not without colour

2010-07-29T20:41:00.000-03:00

one two three

I was so caught up in my bright summer that I almost forgot how beautiful greyscale is. I used to stick to greyscale like glue - it seemed to give photos more depth, more meaning, more story. Now I can't seem to resist lush trees, deep blue oceans, rosey cheeks... Goal for the weekend: work in black and white. Although it is high time I visited the farmers' market for yums and pretty shots and I'm not sure if I could do those lovely veggies justice without a bit of colour.

p.s. Allie is doing a Proust Questionnaire feature (à la Vanity Fair) on her blog and she so sweetly asked me to share my answers. You can check them out here. Thanks Allie!

weekend love

2010-07-24T22:50:00.007-03:00

"The heart is forever inexperienced."
- Henry David Thoreau

More shots from my brief excursion to Prince Edward Island. After quite a few long nights at work, I'm missing the sound of the ocean and relaxed pace. On a different note, if you haven't already tried Google Analytics, it's worth taking a look at. After analyzing your blog, it can tell you almost everything about your blog's daily traffic. Sure I'm slightly depressed at my crazy bounce rate and downright dismal "average time on site" but it's kind of cool to know that I have readers in Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia. Neat right?

A flickr photostream with messages for the media @: Hey Mainstream Media.

Cute cute song!

Some blogging tips @: fat mum slim.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

new baby

2010-07-22T22:35:00.000-03:00

I swear I will post some REAL photos soon but I just had to show you my (long awaited) new baby! Here's to many lovely years together.

In the meantime, listen to something truly beautiful.

summer colours

2010-07-19T23:48:00.010-03:00

Oh hot days filled with thrift shopping and colourful breezes. I have lots of thoughts & things to share but the heat is making me sleepy so they will have to wait. Good night readers, we will meet tomorrow!

p.s. I just wanted to say thanks from the very bottom of my heart for all the beautiful comments you've all been leaving. It's been seven months since Rethink was born and I couldn't feel any happier or more welcome! And, of course, thank you for tending to the blogs that continue to inspire me daily :)

things I love part #4

2010-07-15T22:26:00.001-03:00

Some things I really really love: my cats. I'm a cat lady. I admit it.

But a blog is not a blog until it has photos of furry, four-legged creatures, correct? My green-eyed beauties posed for some shots on the balcony in the heat. The days are far too hot but the evenings are perfect - makes me dream of summer nights by a lake, watching the sun go down. Speaking of felines, I've always loved the way the cats look in the shots over at Les Petites Choses de Piou (who has just recently opened up shop).

Some recently saved links, just for you:

a perfect room

my new favourite soup

the proust questionnaire

the appalling leaked AA dress code

quick hello

2010-07-14T00:14:00.000-03:00

"In music the passions enjoy themselves."

- Friedrich Nietzsche

The church in the farm field. Although I am not religious, beautiful churches always feel peaceful. And on occasion, if the sun is casting perfect shadows through the glass, they inspire awe - or music.

I have only a moment today but a couple of days off means a more substantial post soon. Bon nuit!

a trip to the isle

2010-07-06T19:56:00.000-03:00

Mosquito bites, dark skin, fresh lobster, fields of cows, chilly swims, and a cottage by the ocean.

I spent my weekend on Prince Edward Island; drove up to see Songs for a New World at the Indian River Festival. After passing farm after farm we finally found it - the most beautiful church in the middle of nowhere, down a long winding road. It was incredible to watch the show as the sun slowly set and the inside of the church grew warm and dark, with the stain glass sending orange and red rays across the stage. I will post photos of the church soon - I am sifting through them now.

I am buying a new Canon this week and can hardly contain my excitement!

I hope your weekend was full of sun and warmth :)

quiet evenings

2010-07-01T17:45:00.000-03:00

The Queen visited; it rained. Not small, humble drops either. A miniature hurricane perhaps. And yet, when she stepped out of the car it magically stopped. What coincidences.

Canada is having its birthday. Taxes increased, I swam, ate too much, said goodbye to people I may never see again. And got burnt on one shoulder from driving with the window open.

And fell in love with Youngna Park.

return to the ocean

2010-06-21T15:53:00.000-03:00

1. via souvenirs 2. sensing owls

It's been a while dear blog, but here I am. Goodbye exams and papers, hello bright sunshine and trips to the lake. In fact, my poor point-and-shoot already has had to have sand knocked out of it.

I have to tell you that I'm beyond excited to be going to the Osheaga music festival at the end of July! I have to admit, I'm going there mostly because I'm madly in love with Stars and their new album comes out tomorrow. But the whole lineup is amazing - anyone else out there taking the trip to Montréal?

Oh, it is nice to be back! I have one final question for you: Nikon or Canon? I'm preparing myself to make the big decision.

Happy first day of summer :)

brief hiatus

2010-05-22T12:25:00.008-03:00

White Towels

I have been studying the difference

between solitude and loneliness,
telling the story of my life
to the clean white towels taken warm from the dryer.
I carry them through the house
as though they were my children
asleep in my arms.
- Richard Jones

Due to a ridiculous work and rehearsal schedule, I am taking a brief hiatus (as you may have noticed). I should be back to posting regularly after next weekend. Shot taken a couple of weeks ago in the April fog - I'm still happily experimenting with a borrowed Pentax.

Have a lovely week and I'll be back soon :)

happy mother's day

2010-05-09T21:20:00.002-03:00

"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity." - Eleanor Roosevelt

To my mother: Thank you for cultivating my curiosity and letting my imagination grow wild - I think we both know that you've always been a child at heart.

Isn't she cute with her curly mop and sweater? Oh the days of colouring books and story time. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures out there in the blogsphere. What is one gift your mother gave you that has helped shape who you are?

in bloom

2010-05-04T23:10:00.001-03:00

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night." - Rainer Maria Rilke

It's the first time in a long time that Halifax has seen nice weather and I jumped at the chance to grab some fog-free shots. Welcome sunshine! Please stay!

Lately I've been...

Reading - Jane Erye

Listening - Imogen Heap and old Tori Amos albums

Watching - Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain

Wanting - This top

Wishing - a little more downtime

It's almost midweek...

spring date

2010-04-30T22:05:00.000-03:00

Kate Moss dress. A Scent by Issey Miyake. Earrings at F21. Aviatrix Shades from Modcloth. ASOS quilted bag. Gladiators from F21. Nail polish here.

Not that I have any special outings planned, but if I did (and I had money to spare), I might go for something like this. I'm a big fan of cross-body bags because I can't stand constantly adjusting a regular shoulder bag. I also like that they are usually small - who needs to carry around a tonne of stuff anyhow?

How are you today? Any relaxing weekend plans?

Happy Friday!

bicycle love

2010-04-25T19:31:00.002-03:00

Note to self: Get a bicycle. Seriously.

photo here

For those who don't know, one of my New Year's Resolutions was to learn how to ride a bicycle (seems like that childhood rite of passage skipped me). What's holding me back? I don't have a bike! Time to get on the ball and find one.

Also, finding an affordable apartment downtown may prove to be impossible. There must be some gems in between the deals that fall through, grimy student buildings (I'm a student too, I'm just very anti-grime), and sweet places that happen to be in the scariest areas. I'm trying to be optimistic but I swear I'm going to be sprouting premature grey hairs and developing a permanent eye twitch soon. Send me your good thoughts before I go crazy!

go places:

(not) common people - showcases photographers and tells their stories

Style Rookie - my favourite 14 year old

1000 awesome things - self explanatory

happy earth day

2010-04-22T20:19:00.002-03:00

It Is Simple

Strength is mute (the trees tell me)

As is profundity (the roots tell me)

As is purity (the flour tells me).

No tree ever said to me:

"I am the tallest of all."

No root ever said to me:

"I come from the very depths."

And never has the bread said:

"There is nothing like bread."

- Pablo Neruda

The world is blooming just for you. Take care of it. I can't get enough of this spring air; I took a few shots with a borrowed Pentax on my way home. It seems as if this week has stretched on forever, doesn't it? I'm planning on taking a long, relaxing walk on Saturday morning to celebrate the weekend's arrival. Any plans on your end?

tree roots

2010-04-18T21:41:00.009-03:00

"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet." - Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

I just finished reading The Bell Jar. I bought Jane Eyre at an indoor sidewalk sale (is that an oxymoron?) which will hopefully brighten me up after my somber journey. Photo taken a couple weeks ago, when the ground was snow free. Large wet flakes have been drifting down to earth all day, covering the newly sprouted April flowers with chilly white coats.

morning trip

2010-04-14T19:23:00.006-03:00

Clockwise from shoe:

Brogues from Aldo. Topshop sweater. Grocery tote from here. AE white jeans. Burt's Bees lip balm. Cruiser from here. Watch from Moxsie. F21 earrings. Sufjan Stevens CD.

After a bout of warm weather Halifax has retreated back into a dreary cold drizzle that matches my mood. In an effort to be cheery I've done a little spring window shopping for the perfect early morning trip to the farmers market. Also, I'm looking for a new scent for the change of seasons. Usually I wear a vanilla scent from The Body Shop because it's so yummy and it's not tested on animals. The only problem is that it is too heavy to wear in the warmer weather. Do you have any nice-smelling, cruelty free suggestions?

what's your secret?

2010-04-08T18:16:00.003-03:00

p.s. finally figured out how to make the blog wider! don't laugh...

things I love part #3

2010-04-05T20:46:00.012-03:00

1 2 3 4

All the fashionable people are shedding their winter coats and coming out from hibernation. I think the last shot may be a carry-over from this post. I'm heading back out into the world tomorrow, no more long weekend laziness (but I wouldn't say no to another week off). Happy Monday!

something I could do without...

2010-04-04T11:15:00.003-03:00

via: lelove

How holidays make people you miss seem even farther away.

things I love part #2

2010-03-31T21:29:00.009-03:00

from here

I love the mood Ibán Ramón's series called 'meeting points'. After the initial wave of melancholy passes, they feel awake and fresh. While waiting for a friend this morning I listened to the rain and watched the drops slide along tree branches, felt the damp chill in the air and heard the birds' songs - the series gives me that same feeling.

I want to direct you to Jane's post because I think it's important and have often felt the same.

things I love

2010-03-29T21:26:00.011-03:00

1 2 3 4 5

Coming back from an unplanned week-long hiatus, my folders are full of inspiration. To sift through it I'm going to do a little series of "things I love" posts, starting today with a long time favourite, red hair.

As a child I never dreamt of having Barbie blue eyes and long blond hair. Instead I longed for reckless red tresses, rosy cheeks and pale, speckled arms. Why? From the time I was born until my early teenage years my mother faithfully dyed her curls red every couple of months. In the summer her face would be covered in freckles and she looked like a beautiful, grown up Annie. As for me, I was stuck with impossibly straight, dark hair (it didn't begin to curl until my teens) and a bowl cut that seemed to last for a lifetime. Every time I got the big half of a wishbone or spotted a shooting star or looked up at the clock to read 11:11 the wish was the same: please, whoever is listening, give me some red hair.

Nowadays I don't spend much time wishing on chicken bones or stars but every once in a while I come across a Flickr gem or a magazine spread that makes me want to march to the drugstore and buy some dye. Friends don't seem to understand this fascination but I think it's perfectly normal - different is always appealing. How about you? Have you always dreamt of being a redhead? Or maybe you are one?

p.s. happy Monday!

i'm a girl

2010-03-22T21:44:00.012-03:00

1. Ruche 2. H&M 3. F21 4. F21 5. Steven Alan

I'm always reminded of this in the spring, when I am inherently (embarrassingly) drawn to all things feminine. Pastels, flowers, lace, you name it. Oh if money grew on trees...

Happy Monday!

beach break

2010-03-20T23:46:00.013-03:00

I've been slacking a little online (but I'm on holiday, don't be to hard on me!). We've had exceptionally nice weather all week and I went out with a friend and their husky pup to Pennant Point to enjoy the sunshine. It's back to a regular routine next week so I'll be spending lots of time blogging as a method of procrastination (I can't be the only one out there who does this).

Some interesting finds for you:

This blog where people share stories of love and of loss.

A haunting piece of work based on poetry by Sarah Slean.

This beautiful print on Etsy.

Feel good photography.

Yummy looking recipe for the chickpea-addicted.

st. pats

2010-03-18T00:11:00.008-03:00

1. unknown 2. here 3. here

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I know I'm a little late and none of these really pass as 'green' photos, but try to forgive me. I've never had much invested in the holiday to begin with.

Some favourites of the week:

1 2 3 4 5

I have an interview on Friday. Send me your good vibes!

spring ahead...

2010-03-14T23:41:00.005-03:00

...and into this dress:

Despite a looming feeling that it would be terribly unflattering on me, I love it. Totokaelo is one of my favourite places to browse - everything feels so fresh and I love all the different ways-to-wear shots.

I have the week off and I couldn't be happier about it. I've got a bit of spring cleaning to do and quite a bit of paper work...but in general, I think it's time to kick back and enjoy the (cold) sunshine for a while.

breathing room(s)

2010-03-12T22:00:00.008-04:00

(all photos from here)

"That day I carried the dream around like a full glass of water, moving gracefully so I would not lose any of it." - Miranda July

no doubt you've already seen this...

2010-03-10T17:17:00.008-04:00

...but I couldn't resist posting it.

Sometimes I question being behind this dear old computer. Yet sometimes I am forced to marvel at the wonders of this body of wires. Isn't it amazing that I can be inspired and enchanted by things and share those things with you, wherever you are? Isn't it incredible that we may find little commonalities between us - a love of art, music, design, food, whatever - and talk about it from perspectives that span the globe? And isn't it incredible that we can stumble across a person or two that share the intimate, sometimes hidden experiences we have had, things we forget others may relate to?

I follow a number of bloggers who live in Australia and New Zealand; it is so remarkable to read about the excitement for autumn there when we in North America are getting antsy for spring. I'm having one of those days where everything is remarkable.

The birds are chirping in the mornings and everyday I watch for buds to sprout on the trees.

"Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems." - Rainer Maria Rilke

the perfect sunday morning

2010-03-07T17:38:00.007-04:00

A perfect Sunday morning:

1 sunlit room

1 newspaper to share
2 cups of coffee
1 special someone

Mix all ingredients together. Add love and enjoy :)

Pardon the mess on the blog, I'm trying to figure out what to do with the layout. Hope your weekend has been relaxing! What would be your perfect Sunday morning?

(photo via Tea & Toast)

friday

2010-03-05T21:29:00.005-04:00

Some airy spaces for you. I'm in love with the second photo - I can feel the breeze coming in just by looking at it. Can you imagine waking up there on a Sunday morning, hearing the birds chirping outside? I always feel that spring is the time to declutter and refresh, although I have the feeling it'll be almost summer before I find some spare moments to do that.

1 2 3 4

I am working a terrifying 18-hour shift tomorrow at work. I'm not usually awake for that many hours a day! What are you up to this weekend? Happy Friday :)

on being thankful

2010-03-02T22:25:00.010-04:00

I have to say, today was rough. It was tiring and emotional and when I thought I was coming home for a rest I received some pretty upsetting news. But after I wound down considerably, I thought there is never more bad than good...it is just that sometimes we don't think about the good. So here is a list of all the things I am thankful for today:

1. My health and the well-being of those I love.

2. My better half ♥

3. How the purring of my cat is so comforting.

4. Friends who know exactly how to make me smile.

5. That class starts at 11:20 tomorrow.

6. My unbelievably squishy bed and the roof over my head.

7. All the beauty I see everyday on your blogs.

8. The rain - it means spring is around the corner.

9. That even though I'm broke, I still have money on my Body Shop gift card.

10. Someone else is cooking dinner tomorrow.

11. The seagulls that serenaded me on the way home.

See, things feel brighter already :)

images: here and here

oh canada!

2010-02-28T22:53:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to say: I've never been so proud.

It's a happy day to be a Canadian :)

pia ulin

2010-02-26T22:00:00.009-04:00

As promised, one of my new favourite interior photographers:

Balloons, paper lanterns, stacked magazines, oversized bottles, stripped walls, blossoming twigs...

There are more beautiful things than I can count.

Ah the weekend! Happy Friday :)

sartorialist faves

2010-02-25T15:58:00.012-04:00

It's been a hectic week and I'm lacking inspiration so I thought I'd give you a little peek into my stash of Sartorialist favourites.

1. The jacket, the shoes, the quirky smile - let's face it, this is perfection.

2. Although I don't think I'll be replicating this any time soon, I have to ask: why do we neglect orange so much?

3. It's the hair.

4. I don't save a lot of mens' photos but this one always makes me smile.

5. Ah summer shorts! Simple and well put together. Remind me to find a watch.

It's almost Friday! I've been going a little cookoo lately. I always forget that February is a short month and all these little things to do sneak up on me. How has your week been so far?

rise & shine

2010-02-21T20:09:00.006-04:00

This is how I feel:

Except I look considerably worse.

In between being busy, I'm trying to catch some of the Olympics (difficult when you don't own a television). I still don't feel as if my country is hosting them, perhaps because Vancouver is farther from Halifax than London, England. I'm not terribly interested in sports but I have to admit watching figure skating is one of my guilty pleasures. I mean, whos isn't?

Has anyone picked up a copy of Vanity Fair lately? A little Oscars, a little Satorialist, a lot Annie Leibovitz.

1. unknown 2. here 3. here
Have a lovely week!

norwegian wood

2010-02-19T22:43:00.014-04:00

There has to be some kind of mistake. I don't know who those people are sitting on the porch but this is my house. The weathered wood siding, the stark yet breathtaking Nordic scenery, the bucket shower, the perfect red accents - only in my dreams.

Source: Dwell

Photographer: Pia Ulin (more on her later)

Did I mention the bucket shower?

Happy Friday!

spring things

2010-02-17T22:32:00.006-04:00

Despite the snowstorm that quietly covered Halifax last night, I am still dreaming of spring. I'm anxious for the birds and buds and that unmistakable change in the air. If that change in the air were to bring a windfall of funds, here are some of the lovely things that would be on my list:

1. Dear, Deer Bloom print from here

2. Sammy Seagull tote from here.

3. Brown brogues from Aldo.

4. Rosy shirt from H&M.

All the evergreen trees are weighed down with snow, sagging towards the earth. When I was a child I thought they looked like towering ladies all dressed up in sparkling white coats.

little note before tomorrow

2010-02-16T07:46:00.002-04:00

from here

"Poetry may make us from time to time a little more aware of the deeper, unnamed feelings which form the substratum of our being, to which we rarely penetrate; for our lives are mostly a constant evasion of ourselves"

- T.S. Eliot

3 happy things

2010-02-12T21:52:00.009-04:00

(source: here)

1. Slate gray walls. I know the colour has a bad rep but I couldn't love it more. Paired with that industrial metal table and splashes of orange, it's perfect.

(source unknown)

2. Floor to ceiling windows. What I wouldn't give to have all that natural light flooding in every day! Can't complain about the furniture in this one either - that gray couch was made for me, I swear.

(source: here)

3. Enormous art. The colours! The size! That light fixture! Okay, so the light fixture isn't the point here, but I like it too. Artwork breathes life into a room and large-scale piece makes itself the focal point of the space.

Finally it's Friday. I have been job hunting for the past few days and dropped off a few resumes today - hopefully there will be phone calls and interviews to follow. Right now I work the box office and occasionally usher at a local arts centre; although it pays well and is ranked one of the best student jobs (I lucked out, what can I say?) it doesn't provide me with enough hours to save any substantial amount of money.

Right now I'm reading a copy of Urban Eco Chic I got from the library. Let me just say that I really don't want to give it back! The interiors are lovely, the tips are actually useful, and the thrift store finds are to die for! Read it, you'll love it.

In other news: I'm also reading Sense & Sensibility and Willoughby just left Marianne! Oh no!

How are you?

signs of spring

2010-02-09T21:06:00.018-04:00

I completely forgot to mention this last week - for the first time in a long time our local groundhog saw his shadow! I'm not really into superstition but I like the idea of spring coming sooner than expected. I spend my spare moments dreaming of bright blossoms and walks in the rain (this is truly a fantasy - the rain is so terribly cold here). Unfortunately there are still layers upon layers of snow on the ground. I wanted to share with you some of my favourite photo finds from the weekend:

Your task for the remainder of the week: Don't just smile at strangers when they pass you in the street. Grin wildly, without reserve! I promise that you will feel happier, lighter, free - and so will they.

1. here 2. here 3. here

one week

2010-02-07T22:29:00.005-04:00

I'm just going to say it: Valentine's Day is a scam. Sure, it's about celebrating love - but shouldn't we be celebrating love in our lives everyday? Protest all you want but I'm certain that there are marketing executives somewhere out there sitting in ergo-dynamic chairs and sipping brandy in their office, having a great laugh.

Before you call me cynical and heartless, I'll admit that I'm a huge romantic. I love candlelit dinners, bubble baths, the smell of flowers, dark chocolate, you name it! What bothers me the most is how wasteful the buying is! Now, while the most earth-conscious way to celebrate this Hallmark Holiday would be to skip the gifts altogether and opt for hugs and kisses instead, if you're set on buying something, buy carefully. I know that roses, in this part of the world at least, are not in season. Instead why not try your hand at making paper flowers from recycled tissue paper or check out your local farmers' market to see was is in season? If you have a sweet tooth, buy only organic, fair trade chocolate (see here or here). And buy local! You can support your community and green practices just by giving money to a local establishment as oppose to those wealthy executives. Sound good?

Happy Monday :)

(photo from here)

bedtime

2010-02-05T22:38:00.007-04:00

1. here 2. here

I barely sleep. It's the curse of insomnia - I toss and turn and toss and turn, taking hours to finally fall into dreamland. I've tried medication, endless mugs of sleepy-time tea, counting sheep... However, ask me on a Monday morning (or Friday night for that matter - the week tires me out!) where the best place to be is and I will answer: in bed. I've loved the first photo from the moment Dwell published it, despite the unhappy couple and the his-and-her telephones. As for photo number two: I've never been a big fan of bed frames (dust bunnies, head injuries, height issues, the possibility of scary monsters, etc.) and I love how casual and cozy it appears.

Your task for today: watch this video.

(you must do this)

Where do you want to wake up tomorrow?

seeing colour

2010-02-03T21:23:00.004-04:00

Last night I went to see City and Colour live (yes, that's colour with a U for all of you Americans). The opening band was so-so...and by that I mean they were horribly inconsistent. One minute felt like a country hoedown and the next was reminiscent of a Smiths revival concert. Needless to say I was pretty happy when Dallas Green walked on stage. And just for the record, I've never seen more plaid shirts in an audience before in my life!

In other news: I just discovered Notebook Doodles. What took me so long? I have no idea. What I do know is I'm absolutely smitten.

"Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers." - Rainer Maria Rilke

sunday morning

2010-01-31T11:23:00.006-04:00

Yes, yes, yes, I'm a little off schedule but things will be back to normal this week. It's month #2 for this little baby blog and I'm pretty excited. The days are going quickly. I'm getting anxious for spring, even though it will be late March before all this snow begins to melt. Some flickr favourites from the week for you:

1. here 2. here 3. here

Over the weekend I watched 500 Days of Summer, a quirky romantic comedy with an interesting end (not to mention great clothes). Smart and funny - I love it when those two shack up.

How was your weekend?

random 7

2010-01-28T17:12:00.011-04:00

Whoops! Guess the post time didn't exactly go according to plan. My excuse: after long hours studying and sat down and promptly fell asleep. But, as promised, my Random 7:

1. I still own the plush hippo in this photo. I also seemed to have just as much difficulty staying awake then as I do now.

2. I love Jane Austen novels. There is no better cure for gloominess than curling up with a cup of tea and Pride & Prejudice.

3. I visit Newfoundland every year; it seems to grow more beautiful each time I return. I feel a huge connection to the ocean and I can't imagine living away from it.

4. When I was a child I wanted to grow up to be the person who names paint colours. I couldn't imagine anyone could be sad while coming up with names like Sea Foam, Mocha Latte, and Burnt Orange.

5. This store is heaven in downtown Halifax. Books upon books upon books stacked precariously from floor to ceiling...

6. I am addicted to shrimp. Seriously, it's becoming a problem. Although I'm having a hard time finding any Shrimp-Eaters Anonymous groups in my area...

7. My grandfather is my hero - I've yet to meet a stronger or more compassionate person. Here's a little snapshot from the 60s:

I'm going to pass on the Random 7 to Alexandria, Elisabelle, Marion, Melissa, and Denise.

Much thanks :)

oh dread.

2010-01-25T21:11:00.003-04:00

This is just a quick note to say hello and happy Monday. I have some exams this week so things are a little bit crazy - oh woe is me. Thankfully, they finish up on Wednesday afternoon, which is when I'll be doing a Random 7 (much love & thanks to Kelley Anne for tagging me)!

In the meantime, take a look at 1, 2, and 3.

(Wish me luck!)

redesign

2010-01-22T20:52:00.007-04:00

Clean lines, perfect light, amazing interiors (not to mention that light fixture in the third photo that I'd like to be able to pluck off the screen and into my living room) brought to you by Ngoc Minh Ngo. I can't begin to tell you how smitten I am right now with her work.

Pardon me while I get a feel for how the week works, haha. From now on I'm going to be dedicating Friday's post to home design & anything related to that. I felt it needed a special place of its own. Hope you don't mind terribly! Ahhhh finally the weekend. Did that week seem agonizingly long to anyone else?

happy friday :)

summer lust

2010-01-21T21:00:00.005-04:00

I actually hadn't planned on posting today, but when I found these images I was overcome with a longing for warm sunshine, bare legs, and brilliant sunsets that I needed to share. Enjoy!

Do you feel the sun on your face yet? 1. here 2. here

I want to thank you for all your sweet and encouraging compliments. I began this blog as a New Year's resolution after months of being continually inspired by all the beautiful photography/design/fashion/lifestyle blogs out there. I'm almost through the exciting month #1 and I couldn't have made it without all the warmth and support you've given me. Thank you :)

a travelling notebook

2010-01-19T21:26:00.006-04:00

My friend C moved about 4000 kilometres across the country (Canada is pretty big eh?) a couple of months ago. Along with another close friend, we have been trying to figure out a creative way to communicate that will last forever - or long enough that when we're old and gray we can look at it and share some laughs. The "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" idea was definitely out of the question - no magic pair of jeans is going to fit each of our very different body shapes. So instead, we're going to use a travelling notebook! Each person gets the notebook for exactly 3 weeks, during which time they can fills pages full with thoughts, photos, drawings, whatever...after those weeks they must mail it to the next person and so on and so forth. I'll show you some photos of it once it gets back to me again :)

Some pretty things I've added to my If I Had An Abundance of Money list:

1. bird pendant here 2. pink flats here 3. whimsical necklace here

confession

2010-01-17T15:24:00.004-04:00

image from here

I have a confession to make. Are you ready? Here it comes: I can't ride a bicycle...but I love them! So, as a part of my living with gumption pledge, I am going to finally learn how to ride this spring!

In my defence for taking so long:

- Halifax doesn't really have bike lanes.

- Drivers here think they earn points for hitting bikers.

- I don't have a bike (easily remedied)

If you haven't watched this already...

Hope you've had a lovely weekend :)

helloooo friday!

2010-01-15T18:36:00.007-04:00

Oh dear, the week has gone by so slowly. The temperature keeps dipping, pushing me further under the covers. Here we go, five things friday...

1. beautiful winter portrait by a sixteen year old wonder here

2. pastel landscape and startling cow here

3. sweet dining space here

4. lazy day with my cat of questionable intelligence

5. delicate and absolutely beautiful lamp here

p.s. my heart goes out to all those in Haiti - let's keep the compassion and care flowing.

smile, it makes you beautiful.

2010-01-14T17:48:00.007-04:00

Sorry guys, I've been sick lately...just catching up on things. I'm hoping the sniffles stop and the temperature gets above -15 (Celsius that is) long enough for me to snap some shots of the snowy world outside. In the meantime, have a little Polaroid love.

all images from here.

me & you & everyone we know

2010-01-10T16:13:00.003-04:00

"Do you have doubts about life? Are you unsure if it is really worth the trouble? Look at the sky: that is for you. Look at each person's face as you pass them on the street: those faces are for you. And the street itself, and the ground under the street, and the ball of fire underneath the ground: all these things are for you. They are as much for you as they are for other people. Remember this when you wake up in the morning and think you have nothing. Stand up and face the east. Now praise the sky and praise the light within each person under the sky. It's okay to be unsure. But praise, praise, praise."
- Miranda July

happy friday!

2010-01-08T17:54:00.007-04:00

5 things Friday...

1. Whimsical balloons found here.
2. Wilson Bentley, snowflake photographer here.
3. Incredible photography by Jonathan Levitt here.

4. Yes yes yes yes yes. Finding this made my day.

5. Everything about this girl, but especially her coat via here.

Hope your week was splendid!

in 2009, I...

2010-01-05T21:08:00.016-04:00

Fumbled around in the dark. Then someone turned on the light.

Experienced New York City with the two most inspiring, beautiful, passionate individuals I know.

Witnessed the curious and beautiful musical prowess of Sarah Slean once again, this time in a cozy, candlelit studio/attic with only a handful of people.

Had many difficult conversations with myself that worked out alright in the end.

Took a refreshing trip to Stephenville, Newfoundland.

Ate yummy lunches at Paperchase.

Explored the forest at its finest.

Did a little too much thrifting and knickknack collecting.

Experienced hot jello in the dead of winter.

(In case you're wondering, NEVER again)

white walls & other things

2010-01-04T17:05:00.007-04:00

Ahh the apartment dweller's dilemma. What do you do when you've got a home full of white walls and you

can't drill any big holes in them for fear of losing your damage deposit?

A clean, modernist look is always an option. But what about the hoarders out there (I'm definitely in this category), constantly filling their homes with books, art, etc?

Perfect, whimsical, romantic clutter? Yes, I think so.

Happy Monday!

(click photos for source)

the edge of love

2010-01-02T20:45:00.012-04:00

Has anyone seen The Edge of Love? It's about two headstrong, feisty women that are both romantically involved with poet Dylan Thomas. But life is complicated - instead of hating each other, as you might expect, they become intimate friends. The landscape is breathtaking and the costumes are gorgeous. It makes me want to wear old wellies, floral dresses, and knit cardigans every day. I know, I know, it's old news...but I can't get it in Canada and really want to see it. It didn't get the best reviews, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for Keira Knightley.

(source)

Oh Halifax: winter is only getting started. I spent the day digging myself out of two and a half feet of snow and that's how I'll be spending the next four months...and snow in May isn't that unusual.

welcome 2010

2009-12-31T15:48:00.010-04:00

We're almost there! I'm eight hours away from the big countdown and to be honest, this might just be the first time I've ever been excited about it. Aside from starting a blog, I've resolved to live life with gumption - something I've never been very good at.

I'm going to be moving into the heart of the city in the spring/summer; hurray for escaping the 'burbs! But moving downtown means a smaller place, so I've been hunting for desk inspiration and storage solutions for my ever-growing library.

(click photos for source)

happy new year :)

winter magic

2009-12-29T15:02:00.010-04:00

things that make winter magical...

kane longden's work

sp_clarke's vancouver winter collection

festive streamers and winter berries from abbytryagain

Last night I watched Love Actually for the first time. What a cute and quirky film! If you haven't already seen it, I suggest you put down whatever you're doing, run (don't walk) to the nearest video rental place and get it, hurry back home, plunk yourself on the couch and prepare to watch the loveliest holiday movie around.

I have a friend that has watched it with her family EVERY Christmas Eve for the past 11 years. It's just that good. Do you have any quirky holiday traditions with your family?

brave new world

2009-12-27T23:34:00.000-04:00

New Year's resolution this year: start blogging. And so I begin, gallivanting into the blogosphere. Wish me luck, I'm going in.