* HOPSCOTCH *

I Love Snail Mail :)

2012-02-21T22:47:00.002-05:00

This wonderful little card arrived the other week on Valentine's Day...

Many thanks to my sweet and talented friend - Melinda! :* She's the bestest!
xoxo

The Morran Book Project

2012-02-13T21:42:00.000-05:00

A beautiful book, by Camilla Engman, that includes artwork from illustrators all over globe celebrating one special little dog....

All proceeds of this book goes to WSPA - World Society for the Protection of Animals - Sweden (WSPA international).

Morran forever!!!

Ume Kayo

2012-02-08T23:42:00.001-05:00

While I was in Porto, Cristina introduced me to the wonderful work of Japanese photographer - Ume Kayo. Ofcourse, when I told my friend Miyako about my recent discovery, she said, "Ofcourse I've heard of her, she's famous!".
Well, there you have it my friends - clearly I've been living under a rock. ;)

So! Here are some of my favourite photos from 3 of her books...

Danshi:

Long Live Grandpa!:

Today's Happening:

Obrigado Cris! xoxo

Girl Brunch - L'Ouvrier

2012-02-05T10:54:00.000-05:00

Every time, after our "girl brunch", I always leave feeling lucky that I know such lovely, talented and inspiring ladies. Here's a big thank you to Melinda, Nikki, Anabela, Nikole and Celine!

A couple weeks ago, we went to L'Ouvrier on Dundas St. West.

Loved this storefront nearby:

The six of us spent time catching up, sharing scones, enjoying our meal and indulging in the most delicious desserts (s'mores pie, flourless chocolate cake with crème fraîche, and a banana split/peanut butter panna cotta garnished with butterscotch toffee *drool*)...

Ofcourse I couldn't help constantly peeking at Nikole's beautiful shoes throughout the afternoon (hahaa)...

At home, I marveled at the wonderful gifts - a Weck jar from Anabela, bracelet from Celine, and tape from Melinda.

Thank you so much sweet ladies for yet another memorable gathering! xoxo

Some Nice Things....

2012-01-31T13:10:00.000-05:00

Elisabeth Dunker's oven mitts and tea towels for Urban Outfitters:

A gift of embroidery - a souvenir from Laos:

Hot Pot Dinner - Hong Kong

2012-01-27T13:05:00.000-05:00

I must confess the food (and shopping) in HK was super.

On my last night there, we had a wonderful hot pot dinner....

First, you mix your own dipping sauce:

Then, you wait patiently for the soup to boil...

Once the soup is ready, we drop some goodies in...like dumplings, veggies, seafood and meat...

Then you feast, and all the while wondering when a hot pot dinner will ever taste this good again!

Farewell, HK!

Part 3: Tai O - Lantau Island, Hong Kong

2012-01-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

While we were there, we photog lovers explored what we thought might be abandoned, explored lush nature, made friends near a temple (*pic taken on my Olympus XA2), and marveled at the golden reflections on the water...

Farewell Tai O!

Part 2: Tai O - Lantau Island, Hong Kong

2012-01-22T17:58:00.000-05:00

Mmmmm...mmmm....snacks....

Curried fishballs...

An old-school treat - malt sugar syrup between (unsalted) crackers...

Part 1: Tai O - Lantau Island, Hong Kong

2012-01-20T11:31:00.000-05:00

This was one of the best places I've ever visited (thanks a million, Kit!)...it was slightly reminiscent of Miyajima Island in Japan, but without the deers! We took a quick speed boat ride to see if we could spot the pink dolphins, but unfortunately, we didn't see any that day.

New Year's Eve - Hong Kong

2012-01-17T22:25:00.000-05:00

For New Year's, my friend rented a "junk boat" and we sailed around the harbour and watched the fire works...

Countdown and then fireworks!

After the fireworks, "2012" were lit up on buildings on both the Kowloon side, and the Hong Kong side...

Happy 2012!

High Tea - The Penninsula Hotel, Kowloon

2012-01-15T22:38:00.000-05:00

Yum yum at the landmark - the Penninsula Hotel....

Hong Kong on Random

2012-01-12T21:53:00.000-05:00

Time spent....
on a night photo walk after a lovely dinner here,
being squished on a tram,
in search of baked sago pudding with lotus seed paste,

and so, so much more.....

There was also this colourful East Indian/Chinese store/café that we stumbled upon, and our cameras were instantly out clicking away.....

Thank you Anina + Sidney, Kathy, Mike + Yunnie, Kit and Joyce for so many fun, yummy, and unforgettable moments. xoxo

~ Kowloon By Night ~

2012-01-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

When the sun sets, the colours and textures of Kowloon are just as eye-catching...

~ Kowloon By Day ~

2012-01-09T22:39:00.000-05:00

Kowloon is a feast for the eyes and for the camera lens.

Here are some pics of Kowloon by day....

Australia Dairy Company - (Jordan) Kowloon, Hong Kong

2012-01-07T19:09:00.001-05:00

While I was in Hong Kong, I visited the Australia Dairy Company a couple of times.
Who would have thought that scrambled eggs and toast could be this good?! (I certainly didn't!) I also tried the steamed milk custard which was slightly too rich for one person to indulge, especially after a large lunch. However, be warned that you will get yelled at if you don't queue up properly outside, or be ignored if you don't order fast enough. I thought this was all pretty humorous as it's all part of the experience. :P

So, if you're ever visiting Hong Kong, I do recommend a visit here, as this place is an institution. ;)

Bird Market - Kowloon, Hong Kong

2012-01-06T18:37:00.000-05:00

Back from a whirlwind vacation from Hong Kong with the worst jetlag! :P
The last time I saw Hong Kong was 20 yrs ago, and I am pleased to see that the city has retained much of it's character, even though most parts have been taken over by modern high rises with blinking billboards and swanky shopping malls.

One of the places that feels untouched is the bird market on Yuen Po street in Kowloon...

I did not get a chance to see it, but was told that you can watch owners feed the birds crickets with chopsticks. Mmmmm...mmmm.... :P

See You Soon....

2011-12-25T15:44:00.001-05:00

It's always hard leaving you - for no matter how short, or long of a time....xoxo

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow morning - here's to a happy new year to you!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T10:39:00.002-05:00

Here's a little origami meat/Christmas "dinner" surprise left on my desk at work from a fellow co-worker....

And here is Melinda Josie's beautiful snowman (snowbird?) for Torontoland...

Colourful Weekend

2011-12-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

The weekend started with The Sound of Music sing-a-long at the TIFF Lightbox.....

and ended with sharing the tastiest macarons in the city with my bestest friend....

Norwegian Christmas Ball - Albany Club

2011-12-18T17:46:00.002-05:00

The other week, I got to attend the loveliest dinner and met even lovelier people.

I also got to bring home the following donated books as a souvenir:

Tusen takk, Norskeklubben! Jeg elsker "Så går vi rundt om en enebærbusk"! ;D

HK Bound

2011-12-13T21:46:00.000-05:00

I really need to finish planning what I'm going to be doing while I'm visiting Hong Kong, as I'm leaving in 2 weeks! :S
However, like every vacation, sooo many things have to happen before leaving.....

Please let me know if you have any recommendations for Hong Kong!
Many, many thanks in advance! ;)

Christmas Fair -- Distillery, Toronto

2011-12-12T22:25:00.000-05:00

The other week, I took a chilly bike ride over to the annual Christmas Fair at the Distillery...

I enjoyed a typical Canadian snack....

Also had cinnamon pecans that were still hot from the roaster...mmmm....

Then, before I left, I had to bid "adieu" to the reindeer(s)...

Busy Busy December!

2011-12-05T22:07:00.000-05:00

I suppose it's that time of year where the calendar gets filled up to the brim with Christmas parties, shopping for presents, work obligations, and catching up with friends before the holidays....which means less time for sleeping, painting, taking pictures, and for blogging, I'm afraid. :S

Anyhoo, here's one of my last analog shots from my trip uploaded onto Flickr.
Our flight was treated to a lovely view of Greenland en route home from London:

Hope you are having a nice December!

Swedish Christmas Fair - Harbourfront Centre, Toronto

2011-11-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again...

...to enjoy Swedish culture...

...find inspiration by artists and works of art...

...and sample some goodies...

So Long,

2011-11-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

farewell London!

It's now back to Toronto to enjoy some British wine gums,

and Fig Newton (ofcourse!)....

The Minotaur & Pret a Diner ~ Old Vic Tunnels - London, England

2011-11-20T10:45:00.000-05:00

A most interesting dining and art experience indeed......

Grant Museum of Zoology - London, England

2011-11-17T18:12:00.000-05:00

This was just around the corner from Pollock's Toy Museum....

If you click on the first picture for a larger view, you just might find a few human skeletons casually hanging out over the railing on the 2nd floor towards the back.;)

Tack Famapa!

2011-11-14T22:01:00.002-05:00

While I was in London, I was lucky enough to spend a few days hanging out with lovely lady F, who not only takes beautiful photos and keeps a wonderful blog, but also has a wicked sense of humour, and has great taste in food and shops. I had a great time exploring the Tate Modern, the Hunterian Museum and the V&A Museum with her, and also having fika at the Nordic Bakery and delicious tacos at Wahaca (I still dream of those steak tacos to this day....*drool*).

Here's a combination of digital and (some blurry) film shots captured.....

Tack så mycket igen for being so kind and gracious dearest F! :*** xoxo

Pollock's Toy Museum - London, England

2011-11-13T13:24:00.000-05:00

Was this heaven? Regardless, I was completely and utterly overstimulated....

Thank you dear S (my brother deer) for this most wonderful reco! xoxo

M, A, L & A's Apartment - London, England

2011-11-09T21:14:00.000-05:00

Oh how I do love the extra high ceilings and lovely architectural details. It often makes me wonder why flats in Toronto can't look more like this. :P

Many thanks to my cousin and his family for hosting me. Until next time, Hammersmith!

Souvenirs From Porto

2011-11-08T22:24:00.004-05:00

Before I start my London posts, I just want to conclude Porto with some lovely souvenirs.

Wonderful gift(s) from C...

Obrigado! xoxo

Antique matches from here...

Love the retro feel of (a lot of) the package design of Portugese goodies. Here's a little example that I brought back from this beautiful store...

Até logo, Porto! :*

Porto on Random

2011-11-07T18:41:00.000-05:00

Ready, set, go!

Farewell Porto!

Conservatory of Music - Porto, Portugal

2011-11-06T10:21:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, this was a school.....and as I walked through the grounds and empty rooms of this building, I imagined how it once was....and at times, I also fancied that this was my home......

S and L's Place - Porto, Portugal

2011-11-03T18:41:00.000-04:00

A few little kitties live here...

Porto Train Station

2011-11-01T22:06:00.000-04:00

Soooo beeeauutiful....

Rooftop Garden

2011-10-31T18:40:00.000-04:00

This garden is perched high up on the rooftop where you can see a lovely view of Porto. Walking through this garden, you can smell all the different herbs, marvel at all the fresh vegetables, watch the chickens cluck around a duck who's beautiful feathers make him look like royalty.

G's Apartment - Porto, Portugal

2011-10-30T09:36:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of visiting here...having a nice coffee, homemade cake, trying arbutus for the first time (wish they had it here in Canada...), and lovely Maidera wine. As you can see from some of the photos, a lot of Portugese packaged goods have wonderful retro illustrative designs on them.

Obrigado, G (annnd C ofcourse...heeheee)!!!! xoxo

Porto Scenes

2011-10-28T16:03:00.001-04:00

... exploring, exploring ...

My Portugese Breakfast

2011-10-26T20:24:00.000-04:00

My sweet tooth just couldn't resist...sometimes, when you're travelling, you just need to give in. I love that you get your own cinnamon shaker....mmmm....

Bom apetite!

Planeta Tangerina

2011-10-25T15:23:00.001-04:00

While in Porto, we checked out a wonderful exhibit by Planeta Tangerina at the Dama Aflita Gallery. Planet Tangerina consists of the following illustrators: Bernado Carvalho, Madalena Matoso and Yara Kono.

Have a look at their beautiful collection of children's books here.

C, J, M, and M's Apartment - Porto, Portugal

2011-10-24T15:03:00.000-04:00

In Porto, I was lucky enough to get to stay here....

...and have Super Bock beers and home cooked bacalhau (yum! yum!)....

Obrigado, C, J, M and M! :)
xoxoxoxo

Back!

2011-10-23T11:00:00.002-04:00

Jetlagged and back from 2 lovely weeks in Porto and London.

Here are some nice snail mail surprises that greeted me when I returned home....

Birthday card and candies from M from Germany....

Cambodian candies from J, who's traveling around South East Asia at the moment.....

Thank you both so much!

------------------

Annnnddd....

Here's a small glimpse into my trip.....will be documenting/blogging here, and also uploading pics on my Flickr very soon!

Many thanks to everybody for suggestions on where to go! xoxo

See You Later, Canada!

2011-10-09T00:13:00.001-04:00

I'm off to Porto and London for a few weeks!

I will leave you with this emotional tribute outside the Apple store today....

Steve Jobs - you are dearly missed.

Lovely Wrist Worms From Berlin :)

2011-10-07T12:52:00.000-04:00

TACK SÅ MYCKET SANDRA!!!!

More beautiful hand knitted wrist worms and other goodies here.

September -- October

2011-10-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

I think I've almost completely recovered from a most annoying cold....

However! Here are some things that definitely helped made me feel better....

Lovely souvenirs from Kyoto:

A sugary New Orleans souvenir:

A cozy quilt thrifted from the antiques market:

And a very special card:

Porto! London!

2011-09-25T10:40:00.001-04:00

I will be leaving for Porto and London in a couple of weeks!

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for favourite places to see, take photos, eat and/or shop for both cities.

Thank you! :D

This One is for the Animals

2011-09-22T21:44:00.011-04:00

Recently, some of you have requested for a posting on Fig Newton, but what better than to celebrate both cats and dogs together? Here's to all those animals that make us smile, laugh, and most importantly, love.

The cast of characters include (please pardon some of the fuzzy shots):
Fig Newton (yessss, I know she's got 5 pics here... ;P), Bean, Lomo Lomski, Khai, Lola, Iggy and Noah.....

Hope you have a happy furry weekend!

Nice, Nice, Special, Special

2011-09-19T22:25:00.001-04:00

is how I feel about the following:

The loveliest (surprise) snail mail from J, M and R which puts a permanent smile on my face (Tack and Vielen Dank! xoxo) ....

Favourite snacks from Amsterdam (thank you, M! :**)....

Discovering delicious Raspberry Ale from England...mmm....

Having porchetta sandwiches (with rapini and truffle sauce) for the first time at Porchetta and Co. ....

Finding a nice gesture initiated by someone in the city....

Spending time with friends and having a funny moment captured by another friend (Me looking at C, looking at P, with M laughing...)....

Hope your September has been filled with smiles and surprises too!

SJ and Steve's New Place

2011-09-14T22:07:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, my good friends SJ and Steve moved into a lovely rustic Victorian house.

They have quickly settled in and have plans to fix it up (like covering up the red backsplash for starters). I think Max loves the *new* home as it is already. ;)

Goodies From Finland

2011-09-12T20:26:00.006-04:00

My good friend Jen just came back from Helsinki, and naturally, I asked her for licorice and chocolate combo candies (my favourite!).

She knows me so well that she included lovely Moomin and Haribo gummies as well......yum!!

Many thanks to Jen, I'll be enjoying these sweets for quite a while.
One day, I would love to visit Finland, and ride a Jopo! (*Hello, Polly!*) ;)

~ Anticipation ~

2011-09-11T23:01:00.001-04:00

Anticipation is...waiting to yell "surprise!".

Anticipation is...waiting for maple bacon doughnuts with Nikole, Celine and Melinda. ;)

Thank you ladies, and many thanks to Melinda for her homemade Nutella! xoxo

Labour Day Long Weekend

2011-09-07T22:35:00.008-04:00

Long weekends are for:

Having brunch with my best friend...

Discovering nice details and art around the city...

Doing a bit of shopping...

Catching up on some painting...

And....meeting up with friends all over again!

Hope you had a nice (long) weekend too!

(We Were Never) Being Boring

2011-08-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

The package I had lost was found and re-sent with a happy ending. :)

Here's my original write-up for some of the contents in the package.....

============================

When someone inspires you, you should let them know. And sometimes, when that certain someone lives far, far, away, and you can't thank them in person, you can leave a nice comment on their blog or photostream, support their work by telling others, maybe buy their merch, perhaps give a "virtual tip", or even send a pleasant email/letter/package.

It can be anything. A small, simple gesture to show your appreciation and support.
After all, you can't take inspiration for granted, can you?

So! This post is my token of thanks to Sandra Juto - someone who has inspired me for a long time.

Through the years, she's introduced me to the wonderful world of her artwork, Wrist Worms, Buttcrack Softies, Adolf and his lovely house, Camilla (and Morran!), Elisabeth, Martin, Johan, and her favourite places to visit in various cities, but most of all in Berlin.

Here are some of Sandra's work at my apartment:

As part of a "thank you" package, I decided to paint a little doll for Sandra.

The process...

Rough sketch:

Base coat:

Painting in progress:

Completed (multiple views):

Insides (felt and Sculpey objects based on Sandra's artwork):

Home-made card:

Getting ready to travel:

All packed up. Har en säker resa!

Kram + Puss! xoxo

Nom Nom Nom!

2011-08-29T20:46:00.001-04:00

Recent fave indulgences include Smoked Esrom cheese (from Germany) and Rustique Camembert (from Normandy) on sunflower spelt bread.......oohh and pepperettes made by my friend's Dad (as part of their Italian family tradition they make lots of preserved meats each year)....

Mmmmm....!!

Good and Necessary

2011-08-25T19:13:00.000-04:00

In and Around Work

2011-08-17T22:00:00.000-04:00

Love this type of tree...makes me smile on my walks home...

Amusing photos from work (drawings by various co-workers, and the last 2 are from another co-worker's kids)...

NEW NEW!!

2011-08-11T21:09:00.000-04:00

Hooray xs 2!!
My Etsy store now has the following 2 **NEW** items.... :D

A Bioluminescent Jellyfish that glows in the dark and has a musical chime....

...and a large Beautiful Bacterium....

"This is Your Life" by Monty Winters

2011-08-07T12:41:00.005-04:00

A very good reminder....

p.s. This is for those of you who constantly inspire me, to those of you who I love to create with, and most importantly, to those of you who remind me that I still have feelings. ;** xoxo

(Photo orig posted via a friend on Facebook)

Sova Tote

2011-08-03T19:00:00.001-04:00

Hooray for SOVA hand dyed turquoise tote bags!

*Meow* is the time to get one!

Cool Treats

2011-07-31T11:03:00.000-04:00

I love ice cream, especially delicious Japanese ice cream treats...

Black sesame ice cream:

Vanilla mochi:

Oishii desu!

Spare Time

2011-07-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

...is for enjoying what's in season....

...and is for painting, painting, painting...

What do you like doing in your spare time?

_

2011-07-25T22:03:00.002-04:00

This cancels out on how I was feeling in my previous post.

That is all. I cannot find the words at this time.

Danke dearest R. xoxo

Gute nacht. Träum was schönes. :**

Canada Post Woes

2011-07-24T09:15:00.000-04:00

I sometimes question the universe (and perhaps myself included) when you have the best intentions for something good to happen but it ends up not happening.

A package I had sent overseas never arrived. It makes me wonder that once upon a time, this was the only method to communicate, so I trust that it should be a reliable service, no? :P Unfortunately, this package was not trackable because we have the 3 options of , "well, delivery by surface will take at least 2 months and it will cost $5, air will cost $20, and trackable by air with cost $80". Ummm....sooo yeaaah, I pick option 2 please.

It was important to me because it was a special package that had multiple surprises for the receiver and one extra surprise for someone who was visiting the receiver at that time.
Canada Post reimbursed me the money, but I don't care, because there are things in there that can't be duplicated, and the contents inside exceeds any monetary value. This was the 2nd time that this has happened, except the 1st time I could go out and re-purchase the gifts, but with this time, what might be gone will be gone forever.

I am still expecting some things in the mail from overseas but let's see when that actually arrives as the mail was sent here during a Canada Post strike.

I sincerely apologize for the rant and I suppose I should focus on all the other mail that has reached their intended destinations vs. the few that didn't.

Perhaps somehow this is yet another test in faith and patience for yours truly.
(-- time to meditate --)

Sweet Summer

2011-07-17T15:42:00.000-04:00

Hope you're having a lovely Summer so far!

Cake, tea and ice cream, pllllleeaaaaase! ;D

I'm Just a Person in This Roomy Verse

2011-07-13T18:20:00.000-04:00

You're going to make a splendid Mom, dear SJ. Congrats!
xoxoxo

Hej, Mr. Mustache!

2011-07-11T20:40:00.000-04:00

I've been a fan of Studio Violet's work for quite some time now.
Studio Violet is composed of 2 brilliant artists - Camilla Engman and Elisabeth Dunker. Here are some photos of the book, "Mr. Mustache". Just like Mr. Mustache, I long to travel!

Tack så mycket Elisabeth, for sending me the lovely book and postcards!
xoxo

Pola of the postcards:

Graffiti Sunday

2011-07-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

My 2 faves (especially the 2nd one with the quote from "Amélie").

And Now We Are Six

2011-07-06T20:35:00.000-04:00

How time flies, little baby kitten...

Today....

2011-07-04T11:44:00.003-04:00

...some time will be spent on...

Experimenting with these new paints:

Having a nice lunch:

Spending time with Fig Newton:

Hope you're having a wonderful Monday as well!

Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-01T14:06:00.001-04:00

Time for cake?

Retro Kelloggs Packaging

2011-06-28T21:32:00.000-04:00

I'm quite in love with the illustrations on these vintage boxes...

Snap, Crackle and Pop looking very plasticine-like (a little weird I think :P):

My favourites on Polaroid... :)

There's No Place Like Home

2011-06-24T23:19:00.006-04:00

*click*
*click*
*click*
~ I wish I owned ruby slippers ~

Kings Of Pastry

2011-06-23T19:37:00.000-04:00

The other week, I had a chance to catch the documentary, "Kings of Pastry" at the Revue.

If you have a sweet tooth, this movie is a must - it follows the journey of a couple of pastry chefs who have made it to the final round of the coveted MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Pastry competition that happens once every four years.

(** Please note that all the movie images are "borrowed" from other online sources... :P **)

After watching a French tradition, we followed with a Canadian one - however, this one had a "BBQ" twist from Barque Smokehouse - Smoked Brisket Poutine:

Les Misérables

2011-06-20T21:05:00.002-04:00

...that's how I'm feeling today....

David and Jason's Wedding

2011-06-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

A wonderful "retro airlines" themed celebration for a super lovely couple....

Signature drinks of the evening - "The Mile High Club" and "The Black Box":

Homemade fudge:

Vintage matches:

Last Week...

2011-06-14T22:17:00.000-04:00

was super busy, but it was splendid....

One, Two, Three, Four!

2011-06-12T18:36:00.000-04:00

Please go to my Etsy store!

Hip hip!

Suuuunday

2011-06-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was one of those wonderful Summer days.

Started out at The Drake General Store warehouse sale...

Then had a snack at Poutini's House of Poutine...

Followed by spending some time at the park later in the afternoon...

Afterwards, dinner in Korea town and karaoke! hahaaa

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Here are some of my lovely finds from yesterday.

Every "little girl" needs a wolf... :)

Lots of kitschy goodies...

May • June

2011-06-04T11:23:00.000-04:00

• 05 •

• 06 •

Hope you're having a lovely Summer so far. :)

Here are Some Things....

2011-05-31T15:44:00.001-04:00

...that are on my mind, as I'm still gearing up for an Etsy store....

#7. Makes my heart hurt.

That's all for now. Gotta go paint!

Girl Talk

2011-05-29T17:59:00.003-04:00

What can I say?
I am super lucky to get to have girlie brunches with the following lovely ladies: Anabela, Celine, Melinda and Nikki. I look so forward to each and every time we get together - it's like Chirstmas.

This time, we went to Delux...

We started with the conch fritters and donuts, then there was the cuban brunch, duck confit hash, and french toast with bananas in dulce de leche, chantilly and maple syrup, just to name a few.....mmmm......

Had to take some pics of Nikki's amazing "Galaxy" nails and the awesome E.T. on her bike....

Wonderful goodies from the ladies... carrot and cardamom jam from Melinda, "Girlie Brunch" CD from Nikki, and pouch and thimble souvenirs from Asia from Celine....

Thank you so much girls!

I love you all! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Gearing Up

2011-05-25T09:02:00.000-04:00

The process has been slow, but I will be opening an Etsy shop very soon (eeek! *fingers crossed*).

I know this is not a big deal to a lot of people, but it's a lot more work than I've realized...and as a creative person, I am sadly not much of a business person. Perhaps setting everything up and the planning aspect takes more time than anything, especially when I'm super impatient with myself. *sigh*

So here's to all you artists out there, who sell your art, crafts, and publications - I salute you.

Another Aberfoyle Antiques Sunday

2011-05-22T18:33:00.000-04:00

A treasure hunt in the rain...

and in the sunshine...

Hope your weekend was fun-filled. ;)

* Overwhelmed *

2011-05-19T11:24:00.001-04:00

How does one begin to thank someone else for the most beautiful collection of goods?

This is how I am currently feeling, as I received the following from Martin as part of our package exchange...

SOVA magazine - brilliant and flawless:

Artists featured include Jill Willcott...

Julea Dichte...

and Leo Tage-Hansen.

Polaroids of the goodies...

Tack så mycket igen, Martin!!!
Umm, somehow, I think I got the better part of the exchange! ;)

xoxo

Famous German Zoo Animals (Hall of Fame) -- Matryoshka Dolls ~ Set 5

2011-05-16T13:34:00.000-04:00

Here's my 5th set, a tribute to "famous" zoo animals in Germany. ;)

Rough sketches/guidelines:

Blank:

Base coat:

Rough outlines:

Painting in progress (outines and what not):

Varnished (multiple views):

Homemade card:

Personalized message:

Auf wiedersehen!

--|-- Transition --|--

2011-05-13T18:23:00.000-04:00

New projects are now underway...

...and this thing called change has been a long time coming. It's an exciting and scary time, with lots to do, new things to figure out, and to learn....

...and I hope Fig Newton is as happy and as excited as I am for what is to come.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. ;)

Spring is in the Air

2011-05-11T16:27:00.000-04:00

Finally, Spring has decided to stick around...

Contact feature show at the Distillery: Carlos Cazalis' amazing work on Mega Cities...

Tack Bror Varulv! Danke R!

2011-05-09T15:31:00.007-04:00

Snail mail from Mattias and Rio rulez. :D

En underbar överraskning // Eine wunderbare überraschung:

:*****
xoxoxo

To All the Mothers

2011-05-08T09:04:00.000-04:00

Wishing you a very happy Mother's Day.

Needless to say, this post is for my favourite person in the world....

She's the bestest (..and the coolest!).

Thank you Natasha!

2011-05-06T14:31:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, a lovely surprise can happen that can brighten up an entire month of gray.
That lovely surprise came today from Natasha (Candy Pop), who decided to feature me on her lovely blog. It is such an honour, and I must give a heartfelt thanks to Natasha for her super kind words.

Natasha and I also share a common love of vintage goods, Blythe dolls, and sweet things....but her amazing house is a sight to behold:

Laundry, a photo by Candy Pop on Flickr.

Vintage, a photo by Candy Pop on Flickr.

Boudoir, a photo by Candy Pop on Flickr.

Country kitchen, a photo by Candy Pop on Flickr.

You can see more of her cozy beautiful home here and peruse her colourful photostream here.

Happy Friday!!!! :D

Corners of a Home

2011-05-05T11:08:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I was at SJ (my silent blog partner) and Steve's house for dinner.

Here are some of the lovely things in their home...

Pretty pendant lamp in the kitchen:

Stuffed bear from SJ's childhood:

Max, their Abyssinian, who decided to be nice:

My favourite vintage bunny cookie jar:

More wonderful antique finds:

Lastly, Cloudy (Cloudfoot), the peg-legged polydactyl, made an appearance for our snuggle date (I love him!):

Currently...

2011-05-02T17:10:00.000-04:00

...I'm somewhat bored with my own photography.
I sure hope that I will find more interesting things to photograph sooooon. :S

Thanks for listening!

A Long Awaited Catch-Up

2011-04-29T14:57:00.000-04:00

Spent a (much needed) full day of catching up with my bestest friend Marisa at her house yesterday....I know, it's like we're 12 yrs old, but what can you do? ;P

I loooove the retro style of this light (it came with the house), but she hates it:

My favourite artwork:

A lovely gift from England for one of her daughters:

And who can resist taxidermy?

Rain Rain...

2011-04-28T09:23:00.001-04:00

..go away....
....please come back another day....(as in 2 months or sooo?)

A Few Days Ago....

2011-04-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

...we pretended it was Summer....

Hope your weekend was wonderful. :)

Happy Long Weekend!

2011-04-22T13:17:00.000-04:00

Some nice things arrived this week.... :)

Happy Easter to you!

Finally Feels Like Home

2011-04-20T13:45:00.000-04:00

When hanging things up in a typical apartment in this city, one has to have all the right drill bits, plugs and nails. It's always tricky to have to drill into concrete, and certain heavier items cannot go on dry wall if the studs are too far apart. I know I am stating the obvious, but I suppose this is all somewhat of a learning process.

It started with this mess:

But it was all worth it in the end....

"Beautiful Bacterium" ~ Kokeshi Doll #2

2011-04-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

The concept of this was inspired by Maren's comment on my (Cyclical) Food Chain Matroyshka dolls, as well as waking up one morning, and feeling the need to make DNA strands out of Sculpey (um, perhaps this was slightly over ambitious I'm afraid...).
Regardless, it made me think that perhaps bacterium//bacteria can be perceived as something beautiful....with their wispy flagellum//flagella as an accessory, or resembling some sort of regal Elizabethan collar (right, Michelle & Sheena?!)! Ahhaahahahaaaaaa ;P

Here's the process!

Rough sketch...

Blank...

Base coat...

Pencil sketch and more paint...

Painting in progress...

(...Was not entirely satisfied - needs a little something more...)

Added more paint all around...and then applied varnish...

Sculpey DNA and Ribosome baked...

Time to fit in the Sculpy DNA strands and Ribosome, and felt Cytoplasm...

Personalized message at the bottom...

Homemade card...

Tschüss, little one!

Sunday in the West End

2011-04-17T22:01:00.007-04:00

It was a blustery gray day of hail and wet snow, however here are a few things that made the day a bit brighter....

A tree adorned with Easter eggs:

Fresh baked goods:

A (poor) chick who lost it's beak (awww):

Catching up with a good friend with a cup of tea and an orange blondie with cream cheese icing:

A 2 faced rock made by my friend's nephew (ohhhh how I wish I made this!):

Hope you had a happy Sunday too!

Package Exchange - "The Private Life of a Cat" ~ Kokeshi Doll #1

2011-04-15T12:03:00.001-04:00

I was first introduced to Martin via Sandra, and immediately fell in love with his photographs. His photos are inspiring - each one of them beautiful, tranquil and soft but with a tiny hint of melancholy moodiness. Perhaps his photography resonates with me in how I perceive my own memories and my possible feelings towards Europe.

Please have a look at his recent self published magazine "Sova". He is an amazing photographer, and brilliant artist/designer and needless to say, when he asked to do a package exchange, I was delighted.

As part of the exchange, I decided to paint on a blank Japanese Kokeshi Doll. I personalized the doll to Martin's blog, "The Private Life of a Cat", and literally used his idea of 'him being a cat'.

Please bear with me the (lengthy) process.

Rough sketch:

Blank doll:

Pencil sketched after the base coat:

Outlines:

Sooo, I need to fill the inside with some things...

Started with some felt (organs) and yarn (spine):

I sewed the lungs, heart and kidney to the yarn and glued it to the inside of the head:

First time experimenting with Sculpey:

Sculpted and baked items that Martin fancies (Sverige flag, pizza, a slice of cheese and kanelbullar):

Adding the red thready yarn for the insides (veins):

Assembled:

Homemade card....where I got a little carried away with the watercolour :P :

Varnished (multiple views here **except I forgot to take a pic of the personalized message on the bottom of the doll.... :S **):

Have a safe journey!

*meow*