Creature of Habit

Knitted Speckle Cable Cardigan, Aubin & Wills Striped cotton tank, Khaki paperbag belted trousers, Leather & Canvas Brogue, Alexander Wang Rocco leather tote, Revolve Clothing - GORJANA Graham Brown Leather Wrap Bracelet/Gold..., Pyrite Necklace - 24" Chain, gold vivienne studs, Nars Nail Polish - Orgasm: Official Stockist HQhair.com,

I'm one of those people who will find a song or album that they like and listen to it over, and over, and over. I get the same way with food sometimes too, I mean why mess with a good thing? This doesn't necessarily mean I'm not adventurous, but when I like something I like something and tend to run with it. So after talking about those river rocks I'd found I had to smile (sigh?) when I looked back at this Polyvore set I'd made a few days ago, all in the same colours I'd been talking about. The funny thing is, and this is a lot of the reason I enjoy Polyvore, I mostly only wear black. Well, maybe that's not entirely true, but black is definitely my comfort colour. So while in my head I would wear this outfit, in reality I'd probably grab a black cardy (comfort clothing article, its a necessity) instead. Oh well, it's fun to dream! I'm really digging this casual kinda masculine, annie hall-ish vibe though (I almost included a hat, but it was getting a little too Diane Keaton) and I'm really hoping Dorothy Perkins brings those pants back in because they're basically my dream pants for Fall! I've been trying to thrift some, to no avail which is maybe partly due to me not having the patience to try on all the tapered slacks in the hope that one will look like this. Dorothy Perkins carries them in plus sizes too, which is a bonus, so fingers crossed!

We spent most of the weekend getting ready for a craft fair on Sunday, that unfortunately I was too sick to go to! So bummed, it's the first time I've actually been ready without pulling an almost all nighter beforehand, haha. We were hoping to do a preview of some of the new necklaces there, but I guess we'll just have to wait until we release them online. If you want a sneak peek you can see a little of what we're working on over here, where I'll be adding a few more photos soon.

A few things;
- A new mixtape, Working Weekend. We watched The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack over the weekend, and the track on there of his always makes me a little teary. Such a beautiful, melancholy voice.
- I absolutely love this chunky shawl fromYarnover Movement! Also, did you know she's having a sale? Best go take a look!
- An interesting discussion over on Sarah McNeil's blog about copyright and watermarks, worth a read both of the post and the comments. I need to go add my two cents!

Old vs. New

Sorry for the slow posting as of late, I've been busy working on a couple projects that I have in the works and which I hope to show you more of in the next few weeks! Both of them involve working with my hands (and sadly for this little apartment, making a fair amount of mess) and so there has been much lounging on the couch stitching or drawing. I'm also quite behind on responding to comments, but I promise to get to it this week! We finally got some much needed rain this weekend which made it much easier to want to do....anything really. Working on projects, walking to do errands wearing cardigans (!!) and heading over to North Vancouver for the final Under The Volcano festival. The entire city was cloaked in a fog over the weekend and watching it settling around the mountains from Cates Park was pretty magical. Sitting on the damp ground, everything smelled like forest and everywhere you looked was so lush and green. It was an inspiring place to be, not only physically beautiful, but to be surrounded by a gathering of people who were fighting so strongly for, and also celebrating the things they believe in. There was an amazing sense of community and passion that was really infectious. It felt good to be there, soaking it all in.

We're constantly doing things here and there to get ready for our move back home (which is approaching at a terrifying speed), and I'm thus constantly finding myself swinging back from being really excited to leave and really sad to leave. As I was sitting in the yellow school bus that shuttled us out to UTV on the weekend I was thinking a lot about the old me vs. the new me. It's a bit of a silly idea, I mostly don't think there's an old or new me as of course when you're living it growing up and changing is a fairly organic experience. In saying that, the me that lived in New Zealand a few years back would have driven over to North Van on the weekend whereas I haven't driven a car in years. When I first moved in with Richard, I could not believe that I was going to have to function without a microwave and now I can't even really imagine using one, plus I have gotten very good at making popcorn on the stove. The projects I'm working on both involve the use and practice of traditional hand crafts (one with a specific focus on exactly that) and while I've always enjoyed working with my hands, working on these I was struck by how much in the past few years I've moved towards a more minimalist lifestyle somewhat unintentionally and how right it feels. Due to Richard not being able to use loud machinery because of some hearing problems, all of our woodworking and making is done almost entirely by hand and while this obviously takes much longer, the smell of wood being sanded and the meditative act of hand stitching is something I don't think I'd trade for getting it done faster.

I'm fully aware of the irony of me claiming almost Luddite status while typing on a laptop with lilac coloured fingernails and using a wireless internet connection. Not quite back to the land just yet. But still, as much as I'd love a KitchenAid, mixing by hand with a wooden spoon and kneading bread dough on the counter top is something I'm going to hold on to. I guess this is where some of my nervousness about moving home comes from, this old me vs. new me. While I can see the changes in myself over the last few years, I still see them in the framework of who I've always been and things that have always been important to me. That, and that I'm nearing the end of my twenties so the last decade is a pretty natural time of change and growth in ones life. My worry is that I'm going to return home and seem like some crazy leftist hippy (which maybe I am, there are parts of me that feel pretty strongly connected to a earthy hippy lifestyle. And other parts of me, the parts that don't love fire poi and hula hoop, that do not...) and if I'm truly honest, that I won't know where I fit anymore. I am so happy and content with myself and my life in so many ways at the moment, that it is hard not to attach those feelings to this place instead of taking credit myself for developing and growing as person, and becoming more and more comfortable with who that person is.

Hmm, got a little deeper there than I was intending! Here's a mixtape I made you, in honor of my Luddite leanings, some of my favourite acoustic tunes for your Tuesday listening pleasure.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Film trials and tribulations.

Both Richard and I are pretty terrible about checking our phone messages, so over this weekend I found one reminding me to pick up a couple of films from May that I had completely forgotten about! One was from our Portland trip which I'll upload soon, and the other is full of shots from around our neighbourhood and walks I've taken. I'm still trying to figure this little camera out, next time I really need to take a notebook with me to note down what I'm doing on each shot because things are a little all over the place. The light meter only works sometimes (I think) and on both these films I got a number of prints that were entirely blue! I'm not sure if it is the camera or the film I used that caused this, but I actually like some of the 'bad' shots. Just have to keep trying, I guess!

I initially felt like this film was a bit of a dud, but I'm definitely starting to like some of the photos more and more. You can see the rest over here, if you like!

A couple of things;

- I made you a mixtape inspired by the lazy summer days we've been having.

- I love these little otchipotchi wall vases, found via Abby.

- This post over at All Buttoned Up has inspired me to make my own t-shirts. I have a hard time finding ones that fit me the way I like and are long enough (never long enough!) and I love the look of that last one!

Good stuff for Monday

Hello! Thank you all for your book recommendations on that last post, it looks like things may be slowing down a bit soon so I can wait to check them all out. After a lovely sleep in and lazy start to the morning I decided to jot down a bit of a to-do list and realised that it's about exactly the same length as it was a the beginning of last week, haha. Oh well, a lot of it is fun stuff and I really do count myself pretty lucky to be doing so much stuff that I love and find fulfilling.

We had lots of fun at the Blim Market yesterday, and I even remembered to take some photos! I'm terrible at remembering to do so whenever we sell at markets, but when I found myself taking photos of some little bugs that came to visit I figured I should probably actually take some of the table, too! Car Free day is always great, even with the abundance of utilikilts and witch hats, I love the community feel and that pedestrians get to take over 15 or so blocks with market stalls, food carts and roller derby demonstrations.

Alrighty, back to my list I go. But first, here's some links to get your week started off right!

- There are many reasons I take issue with American Apparel, and this post on My Unnacceptable Body about their refusal to carry plus sizes because it is 'not their demographic' provides an excellent take down of this maddening company.

-  Thanks to Rhiannon for pointing out that Modcloth also has some super cute swim suits in a variety of sizes!

- Kenzie has had me drooling over her blog lately with her mango popsicles and rhubarb soda. Rhubarb soda?? Basically my dream come true.

- Jezebel has a poll going on what is going to be the next 'it' sweet. V. important (also v. funny).

- A new mix! At last, I have a monday mixtape for you that is all about the cover. After listening to one of my all time favourite covers of the Neil Young song 'Birds' by Paul Weller (my secret boyfriend, despite the crazy hair and in my head he still looks like he did from when he was in The Jam. Seriously, that voice. Don't judge), I was inspired. Enjoy!

Working Weekend

This was a weekend of getting stuff done so there isn't too much exciting stuff to share. Although, we did find time to pop into the Blim Market for a cupcake (ridiculously good) and a chat with some lovely ladies. The rest of it was spent taking stock, preparing for craft fairs and working on some custom bunting orders. Oh, and I also managed to squeeze in some time to soak in the tub with this book, to watch a funny, funny Steve Buscemi movie and was lucky enough to have vegan strawberry cake delivered to my door (the perks of having a good friend who is also a food blogger and upstairs neighbour) to eat with ice cream on Sunday evening.

Sadly a working weekend doesn't make for very exciting photos or stories, it does mean cleaning music. And cleaning music means lots of sing-a-longs and chair dancing. Who doesn't love that? Basically cleaning music has become the catch all name for the music you listen to when you need to get stuff done. Ever since I was 17 it has meant this album in heavy rotation. I've made you a mixtape of some of the tracks that show up fairly often in my cleaning mixes, perhaps it will help your Monday get off to a good chair dancing start!

Also, a few links to check out..

Sue's (aka Giant Dwarf) new Stashette Satchel is amazing, such a talented lady!


Speaking of bags, I plan on ordering one of these Baggu backpacks later this week. I just have to decide between nutmeg and duffel.


I hope to make these treats this week, I am quite the fan of the sweet and salty combo. Found via for me-for you

Monday morning good-ness.

via bricolagelife

Sometimes, not always, Monday mornings can be a little tough. So I've decided that each Monday I would share a little list of things with you that are making me happy, to perhaps brighten up the start to the week.

~ Monday Morning Mix: I made you a mix tape, 'A little bit 'o Soul' with some of my favourite ladies and perhaps one of the best song (and now mix tape) openings ever, in my opinion. A sing a long with any of these gals always makes my day that little bit brighter

~ Pretty pyrite necklaces, found via Erin. I quickly snapped one of these up and can't wait to see which one I get!

~ Reading through the Married To The Sea archives and giggling (ok, sometimes guffawing) to myself.

~ The sweetest (and free!) printable Valentines candy bar wrappers from Nice Package, natch.

~ Hearing that $6000+ was raised for Haiti Relief at the Vancouver Vegan Bake Sale last week. Perhaps there is a bake sale in your area, or perhaps you'd like to organise one yourself! Take a look here for more info.

~ Thinking about whipping up a second batch of raspberry scones. Seriously, the combination of berries and coconut oil? To die for.

Hope your week is off to a lovely start!