small graces: part 39

It's been a while since I did one of these, eh? Let's pretend like everything's normal.

1. Having an "exceptionally high" iron level after being rejected from donating last time

2. Homemade Greek pizza

3. An actual, interesting and marketable idea for a novel

4. Enjoying a gliding bench on the balcony despite the rain

5. The deep khaki of rain drenched sand

foreign fixes

I love when Dave's parents go to Ireland, because they always come back with our favourite treats.

See those chips? They are the best. In Dublin they serve cheese and onion crisps instead of french fries with meals, which I much prefer because you end up not feeling so greasy and heavy afterward. I doubt the jumbo bag I received last night will last the week. Do you have any favourite sweet or salty snacks you can't get at home?

colour palette

On Friday night a few friends came round and we happily ate some salty snacks, downed a few Coronas, and listened to lounge-y acid jazz (my favourite background music for get-togethers). At one point in the evening I caught a look through the window and then slipped out to the balcony with my camera, because oh my goodness I'd found my colour palette for the fireworks parties we'll be having this summer:

A gentle sky blue, an in between blue-green wash, warm cream and a bolt of orange. In fact, I may tap this colour scheme as we jazz up the apartment and replace old furniture, piece by piece. It almost has a vintage feel to it, doesn't it?

turns out

I was feeling restless this morning, so I thought I'd try out some lemon and rosemary cupcakes. I realized I was out of sugar mid-way through, and had to make a mad dash to the corner store.


They're cute and all, but it turns out,

I don't like rosemary in my cupcakes.

July 1

Happy Canada Day!

sneak peak

Hello everyone! I know I've been quieter than usual lately, and really all I can say about that is: nothin' doin'. Like, nothing. Except! Except for this little project D and I have been working on. It should be all finished by the end of the week, and oh, am I excited! It's going to be the proudest addition to our household yet, and I can't wait to share it with you. Also, Canada Day arrives tomorrow in all its red and white glory, and I plan on spending some time on Granville Island and snapping lotsa pics to share. In the meantime, here's a teaser:

Any guesses?

a mid-summer night's play

Last night I went to see Dave's play at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sun Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown. The play is a sequel to last summer's, and was a whole lotta fun. I couldn't take photos during the play, but I sneaked in a few before and after the performance.



If you're in Vancouver or will be some time this summer and looking for something to do, check out The China Tea Deal, which runs all summer long. And let me know - I might see you there.

ta da!

Mad props to Missy at Coup salon for giving me the best haircut ever! Maybe next time I'll be more bold, but for now this'll do just fine.

late to bed, early to rise

Someone around here gets an awful sweet tooth around ten o'clock every night. Which means there tends to be some late-night baking.


I don't eat that late at night, but it does mean that I get some pretty wicked breakfasts.

cinnamon bun with cream cheese shmear

first 15

There's this thing going around Facebook - 15 Books, have you heard of it? A friend tagged me for it, but since I only use Facebook to play Scrabble and chat with a handful of out-of-town friends, I thought I'd share my books here. I won't tag anyone else, but feel free to chime in in the comments, or leave a link to your 15 Books post!

Rulez:

Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

Just as Long as We're Together - Judy Blume
The Prophet - Khalil Gibran
Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger
Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood
A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
Helen of Troy - Margaret George
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
Not Wanted on the Voyage - Timothy Findley
The Odyssey - Homer
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Weight - Jeanette Winterson
Incest - Anais Nin
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Rose of Martinique - Andrea Stuart
Candide - Voltaire

Holy, mish-mash! Most of these books I've read a minimum of two times each, and all of them hold a dear place in my heart, for many different reasons. Could be because I read them at a certain time in my life, or someone special recommended it, or I simply found many wonderful passages within its pages. I can't wait to read your lists!

honesty policy

Last night Dave and I donned a couple pairs of 3D glasses - which were totally slick and looked just like my favourite pair of Blues Brothers-esque sunglasses, nothing like the flimsy cardboard, red lens blue lens ones of yore - and saw Up. Like everyone else, I thought it was a true delight. I wasn't moved to tears in the first ten minutes like so many people said they were, but then I did also shed a single lonely tear the first time I saw Marley & Me, and not a one the second time. But forget to call when you say you will? Open sesame on the flood gates.

Anyway, despite forcing myself to stay up after the movie so that I wouldn't wake up before 7 this morning, I woke up before 7. But it's ok, because things are shaping up around here already. For one, I have batch two of these in the oven right now:

Strawberry Marscapone Scones from goodLife {eats}

AND

I've been awarded this:


By lovely Bri of the craft begins! Thanks Bri!


For the fine print of the award, I must:

• give thanks to the person who awarded it to me with a link to their blog

• list 10 honest things about myself

• add the Honest Scrap badge to my blog

• select 7 worthy bloggers to pass the award onto, and link to and notify them

So ten honest things. Here goes.

1 ~ I find it difficult to say I'm sorry. I can say, You're right and I'm wrong, but sorry is a tough one for some reason

2 ~ I throw things away with abandon. I am the opposite of a pack rat; if it's not bolted down, I'll probably chuck it out and then at some point wish I hadn't

3 ~ I am bad with money

4 ~ I find it difficult to make new friends in 'real life.' I think it's because I'm really picky about who I let into my life, and I'm really quite content to be alone most of the time

5 ~ I despise the phone. How much do I despise it? I had a cell phone a few years ago, got rid of it, and haven't looked back since

6 ~ I wish desperately that I could have a pet. The thing is, life is a bit up in the air right now, with possible work opportunities and possible travel plans and possibly living abroad (solid plans, eh?), and bringing an animal temporarily into the picture just wouldn't be fair

7 ~ I don't suffer fools gladly

8 ~ I enjoy the sun too much. My hands are getting a bit creased and my face is a freckle farm, but I still lie for hours in the sun

9 ~ I download music for free, and watch TV shows and movies for free. Apparently, I am personally revoking the wages of the guy who pushes a broom around and stealing food from his children's mouths

10 ~ I am loyal. Like, canine-loyal

And now 7 blogs I'm passing the award onto! I hope you enjoy these bloggers and their work as much as I do.

wunderbug

The Red Otter Shop

la porte rouge

Simply Grove

reading my tea leaves

please sir

My Shoestring Life

It was really, REALLY difficult to only choose 7. My Google Reader kept calling out, What about this one? And this one? Oh, you forgot this one! So these blogs are merely a handful of the many wonderful blogs I read on a daily basis. For the full list, check out my blog roll to the right.

Happy Saturday!

golf hazards

Thank you all for your kind, clever and commiserating comments (can you guess what today's letter is?) on yesterday's post. I've been inspired to take this slump in stride and enjoy the little things instead of getting caught up in drastic, life-changing ones and to basically just chill out. Thank you so much.

To lighten things up around here I thought I'd post a picture my mom sent me. She took it when we were mini-golfing at the trailer last weekend.

Her subject line: "Notice the great photo shoot of the pole!" I'm surprised she restrained herself from any hole-in-one jokes. I, clearly, cannot.

hide the karaoke machine

Just last month, I turned 29. And since I am a goal-setter, I set a bunch of goals for myself when I turned 28 to obtain when I turned 30. You follow? I am afraid of being disappointed in myself when that birthday rolls around. I am also afraid of feeling ... something other than joyful on that fateful day. I don't think I want to be here at home for it, but rather somewhere exciting, like Paris or Barcelona or Athens. My goals for turning 30 include getting my body back into the shape it was when I was 25 (I only have 3 more pounds to go! and some toning), being a full-time freelance writer (done!) and either living abroad or with a mortgage on something here in Vancouver (not even close). So far, I'd say things are moving at a pleasant pace. A lot can happen within a year.

What does this have to do with anything? I guess it leads into the fact that I am feeling somewhat disconcerted with - even a bit surprised at - myself. Because of all the things I've accomplished that I wanted to and followed the paths I always wanted to follow and now that things are firming up, I kind of feel disillusioned. Now, I never thought copywriting would be glamourous, or even very stimulating. Lately, though, I've been finding it really difficult to dig up the right amount of motivation. At first I thought maybe it's the glorious weather we've been having that was sapping my motivation to hunch over a keyboard and tap away on random topics. But even then I would get my work done by early afternoon so that I could spend the rest of the day lounging poolside (I get up early). Now that it's been overcast for the past few days, that well of entreprenurial energy is feeling even more spent. Yesterday I completely wasted the day, to be honest. Like, if someone had given me the task to find ways to waste the entire day and get nothing done, I would have excelled. Last night I dreamed I was packing to go away on some exciting trip. Then I woke up. And it took a few minutes for reality to set in and the objects in my bedroom to become familiar again. Even for a moment I thought, Where's my passport? For the first time in my life I wish a giant, friendly finger would appear and show me which way to go.

Anyway, to make a rambling post even more rambling, I guess I'm feeling 'meh.' You know, like my brain is the equivalent of an overcast sky, or a barren fair ground, or a wadded up piece of blank paper. Do you ever feel this way? Have you ever set big goals for yourself only to feel deflated once you got there? Please, someone commiserate before I break out a dramatic rendition of Is That All There Is?

great blue calm

When I sat down to share with you my weekend, I realized ... I didn't do a whole lot. That's not to say it wasn't a great weekend. In fact on Friday, when one of my regular clients asked me what my plans were for the weekend, I said "Absolutely nothing." As in, I have nothing planned, and that's exactly how I want it. I did get up early and walk the seawall both mornings (I even have the blisters and stiff muscles to prove it), and Dave and I enjoyed a couple of dinners at our favourite restaurants (Pepitas on West 4th and Marmalade on the seawall, if you're in Vancouver), and we stopped by a friend's birthday party on the beach and played some serious bocce ball. But other than that I lounged by the pool, took a few refreshing dips, and read. SunBun came out to join me in some R&R, and it was just the thing.

On my walks, I saw many of these guys. The Great Blue Heron is probably my favourite bird. They look almost prehistoric, and when they decide to take off their wing span is amazing, about four feet across.


What did you get up to this weekend?

shiny shops: gillian bates

Going through my shiny shops folder this morning, looking for a shop that jives with my mood perfectly, I only had to open two links before Gillian Bates' Etsy shop opened up and exclaimed Ah-ha! With such light and airy drawings of subject matter that both takes me back in time and reflects where I'm at now, the girl has read my mind.

Eastbourne Pier postcard

From the shop:

I'm a professional designer-maker living in the UK specialising in contemporary embroidered textiles. All my canvases are one-off designs, so be sure to check back soon to see new unique art canvases!

Eastbourne Pier - 7x5 embroidered art on canvas

I love this type of line drawing, it has so much movement and delicacy. Even on the dreariest of days, having this hanging in my kitchen or a little nook somewhere would transport to me a place of beach chairs and beachy breezes. And that shade of blue is so calming.

The Flower Stall - 18x14 embroidered textile art canvas

Freehand Machine embroidery on white cotton canvas fabric using an ecelectic mix of reclaimed, recycled & new fabrics.

I can almost hear the hustle and bustle. And with the sparing dabs of colour, what's not to love?

Four 99s Please - postcard

This postcard is created using a digital image of the original, textile canvas entitled ‘Four 99s Please!’ Printed on cotton canvas and backed with white, 260 gsm card.

I just love the mix of textures that are born through Gillian's process: un-uniform lines from the hand embroidery, the grainy canvas surface, and the digital colour that acts as a translucent wash. And the replication of a single image? Tres Warhol-esque.

Fab Lollies - postcard

Check out Gillian's flickr stream for many more fantastic images.

old voices, new faces

You may not have known this, but I used to write poetry. I didn't up and quit, but somehow in between work and life I let the muse slip from my grasp. I'd been thinking about digging up my old notebooks lately and having a crack at a few ongoing projects I let fizzle since there really is no excuse not to. Also, I find writing poetry to be liberating. Coming across that perfect line or image and knowing to just leave it alone, it's freeing and satisfying. I even used to do readings around town!

Anyway, I came across a set of newly released collectible books of poetry via Design*Sponge that I just couldn't sit on: books of poetry, some of my favourites at that, with gorgeously designed covers.

I've always felt an affinity with Ted Hughes' Crow series, and even wrote a (shoddy) play with Crow as the lead many years back.

The limited editions are to celebrate Faber & Faber's 80th anniversary, no small feat in today's print climate. These gorgeous hardcovers were designed by Miriam Rosenbloom.

I also love the chaotic yet beautiful cover for Sylvia Plath's collection:

All images via FaceOut Books

Which is your favourite? Do you read poetry, have a favourite poet or collection?

photo walk: beach avenue

Since moving down to the beach I've become an explorer of sorts. I walk the seawall at least twice a week (10 km!) and my eyes scan every nook and cranny of the neighbourhood - for what, I don't know. I just seem to walk around like a sponge, taking in all the sights and sounds and wonderfully beachy smells. It occurred to me to start chronicling these adventures on foot with a series of photo walks and, as it seems fitting, I'm going to start with my street and the strip of beach that lies directly outside my front door. Enjoy!

{I told this little bug the photo was going to be on the internet, and he made me re-take it three times}

{the inookshook is the official Vancouver Olympic Winter Games logo, but it's been around for a lot longer}

{an outdoor shower to rinse off salty feets}

{Vancouver is rife with Art Deco influences in its architecture, mixed with a '70s feel}

nice to be missed

Sheer sorrow, or jubilation? I like to think the former.

into the green

A weekend of shaded woods, farm animals, meadows, crossword puzzles, and mini golf was just what I needed.



















What did you get up to this weekend?

pit stop

On our way into the woods this weekend we stopped at gramma's. Despite a tiny yard, gramma always has the most beautiful flora.