i want these spoons...

How lovely are these bone china spoons and bowls made by Caroline Swift. They are exquisite! {via Oh Joy!}

Have a wonderful weekend!

everything i know about life, i learned from drawing

I'm not sure where I found this little poem, but I've kept it for years! It inspires me to not take art quite so seriously and to just 'dig in' and create.

Everything I Know About Life, I Learned From Drawing:
Always carry a pen.
The best way is to be still.
Everyone can do it, except those people
who say they can't.
Forget your eraser. There are no
mistakes. Only lessons.
Don't do it for fame. Do it for you.
Don't seek beauty. See it.
Everyone's perfect pen is different.
Learn from others. But don't be an
imitation.
No books, no teachers, no system, can
teach you as much as practice.
If you don't like a drawing, turn the
page and do another.
Study how kids do it.
A forest is just a lot of trees. A tree is
just a lot of leaves. And you
know how to draw a leaf.
Value everything you make.
Give your drawings away.
If you can do it perfectly, it's boring.
It's all about the Now. That's why it's
called a drawing, not a drawn.
Know when to stop.
-Danny Gregory

{the cutest and quirkiest little birdie doodles by Kate Wilson}

inBloom studio stationery

Sometimes I have the need to write a little note to a client - in a mailing, if I'm sending samples, or even just a simple thank you. Recently I printed my logo on these little scalloped recycled notecards...perfect for sending just a quick little jot! {click the photo for a closer view}

i heart homesense

HomeSense is such an exciting place to shop...it's like a treasure hunt! There is usually only one of each item, and you really have to hunt to find something good, but when you do, it is usually a pretty great deal. My sisters and I have been looking for some large art for my dad's empty walls to go with our proposed yellow and gray colour scheme. I spotted this the other day at HomeSense...wow! I'm not sure if the sheer size {4 feet by 4 feet} and amazing colour of this piece are accurately portrayed in this photo, but as it sits in my living room, I can't stop looking at it. And the best part? It was only $99! I am quite sure that a blank canvas of this size alone would cost close to $100, not to mention the price of its frame. Score! Except now I'm not sure I can part with it. Sorry dad...

save the dates + Flickr link

I'm a blogging machine today! Just wanted to share this Save the Date{s} emailer I created for my sister and her fiance who are getting married twice this summer - once in Uxbridge, Ontario and again in Haifa, Israel.

Also I recently created a Flickr account with samples of all of my design work - print, web, logo design, wedding invites, etc. - just until I have my website up and running {I am working on it, I swear!}. Check out my Flickr account here!

adorable website

What an adorable little website! So pretty and cute without going overboard on the cartoony.

tonic living

Some fabrics I am coveting from Tonic Living, a wonderful online fabric store based in Toronto. Their prices are amazing and they have a great selection. I've ordered samples to see if they will work for some projects I am thinking of. Stay tuned!

The fabrics are:
1. Garden Trellis, Black
{this apparently a knock-off of Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis which is usually $180/yard! Thanks to the Little Green Notebook for this key piece of information!}
2. Garden Trellis, Lime
3. Chelsea, Maize
4. Norma, Orangina

favorite things project

I'm loving the beautiful photos by friends Susannah Conway and Alicia Bock on their blog, A Few of Our Favorite Things. Every Monday they fuse together a photo they have each taken separately using their Polaroid cameras, and display them on their blog. I love collaborative projects like this, and each photo and pairing are gorgeous! I wish I could frame and hang a different set on my wall each day of the week. Their blog has also inspired me to try some more photography, but maybe using a more artsy camera than my digital SLR...a Polaroid, Diana or Holga perhaps? I can't decide!
{found via Decor8}

the caper of the taper

Is anyone else a tad worried about the 'boyfriend jean' style that seems to be coming back in? I saw some pants at H+M in this style too, and it is reminding me a bit of my grade seven year when safety-pinning pant cuffs to achieve the tightest taper possible was a very 'in' - but not too pretty - fashion trend.

I remember one day in grade seven when I decided I would go one step further than safety pins - I was actually going to taper my green corduroy pants with needle and thread. So the night before school, I sewed my pants tight around my calves while I was wearing them, to make sure the taper was nice and snug. And it was! Because when I tried to change into my pj's, the pants were sewn so tight that I couldn't slide them over my feet! I was distraught, but my mom understood the importance of fashion {no matter how ridiculous I suppose} and suggested that I sleep in my pants so that I could still wear them the next day - which I did {please, please remember I was 12}. But just before I caught the school bus the next day, sporting my slept-in cords, I remembered I had gym class and wouldn't be able to change into my gym clothes! So my dear mom wrote me a note saying I wasn't feeling well and would have to sit out of gym. The lengths we go for fashion! Fingers crossed that the taper is not here to stay...

wallpapered closet

I think I would like to open the doors to a wallpapered closet....a weekend project perhaps? {via Martha}

fun with paint

Last night Céleste and I met for our Creative Thursday session, and since I have been feeling pear-y lately, she suggested that I do some pear studies in different mediums that I've wanted to try - a great idea! So last night I painted a little pear study with the water mixable oils she recommended {love them} and I added in a textured background using a palette knife and a heavy gel medium. It's a simple little painting but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

The next medium we are going to try is lino-cut printing which is something I haven't done since university when I stabbed myself with a cutting tool. But onward and upward...I'm excited to make a pear-y print!

project: winter love

As mentioned, I am trying to make the most of winter instead of wallowing in SAD and counting the days until t-shirt weather arrives! I do live in Canada afterall, and since meeting with Sophie yesterday {a brand new Toronto-ite fresh from Australia} I could see her enthusiasm for the snow as it was all so new and fun for her. Hence Project: Winter Love.

I drove to Uxbridge this morning and on the way took some pics. Surprisingly, these monochromatic photos are not black and white photos at all - they are in full colour! But despite the lack of colour in the landscape, I could see how lovely it really is - how the sky almost blends with the snow, and how the tree branches are so beautifully coated. I am actually excited to take some more winter photos with my new eyes, and participate in some more Project: Winter Love activities. Are you in?

channelling spring

I know, it is still only January and I am trying very hard to enjoy winter. I am attempting to view the snow with fresh eyes - it really is beautiful! And I'm trying hard to appreciate the -18 degree Celsius temperatures as cozy {especially when you are all bundled up or sipping a hot chocolate}. But I couldn't help sneak a peek at these beautiful and springy images from Artfool. Just look at those cherry blossoms and the soft, gorgeous colours of this wedding! A girl can dream...

the new hope

Lots of tears and chills today...what a speech! Remarkable. A warm congratulations for our neighbours to the south...

{These Obama posters are downloadable - and free - from Hyperakt}.

industrial schoolhouse

Maybe it's because my dad is a scientist, or because I studied biology in university, but I love this 'Industrial Schoolhouse' look featured in January's Style at Home magazine which calls back to old science labs and retro office furniture. The gears and cloche are so sculptural, and reminds me of how we decorated my dad's bedroom with old Erlenmeyer flasks as vases. I love the natural materials used here too - the metal and glass that would go great with my house's organic vibe {lots of wood and twigs!}.

library link love

A quick thank you to Elizabeth Anne Designs for adding inBloom Studio and inBloom Event Design as a link in their library...I'm not sure who recommended us, but it is greatly appreciated and flattering! Thanks for the shout-out.

the painted door

I loved Little Green Notebook's post the other day about painting interior doors a colour other than white. I too, am not sure of all-white walls, although it is a design trend right now. I like the 'blank slate' concept of it, but would be afraid that my house would appear too sterile and plain. I could definitely get used to it, though, if my doors were painted a funky colour. And how much easier is it to paint a door, than an entire room?!

I've had Nate Berkus' glossy navy doors clipped for a while {looove Nate even though he didn't end up coming to my dad's house afterall}, but these other non-white door images are beautiful too!

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

how cute...

...is this lil handmade birdie from Miaow? Sooo cute!

and speaking of websites...

...I am so pleased to announce that one of the websites I created with my old company has just won an award! The Jennifer Hayman Design Group was a Website Program Winner at Landscape Ontario last week. Take a peek! It is one of my favourite websites, and Jennifer's landscapes are absolutely breathtaking.

web-o-phile

I have a confession to make - I'm a web-o-phile. I could look on the internet all day for great designs, new trends, the latest ideas...and sometimes I do! I love the layered, textured look of this website. So organic!

It's funny how the 'green' or 'eco' trend of late can be applied to website designs too.

jill ballinger photography

Last night I met with an old high school friend for coffee, and we ended up blabbing for over three hours straight! She is just starting her photography business and today I took a peek at her recently-launched website. I am so impressed with her sense of composition and colour! See www.jillballinger.com for more beautiful pics.

'warm and modern' living rooms...

from Domino magazine...I really have to start My Deco File!

feeling a bit pear-y

Lately I've been drawn to pears...I'm not sure what it is. Their green colour? Or maybe it's the shape my body is aspiring to, if I don't start working out pronto! Here are some of my latest pear finds.

beautiful porcelain pears by Sweet Bella


marimekko pear fabric wall art {this kit can be purchased here}

letterpress pear stationery from Paper Source

pear prints on canvas from IKEA

a cute pear fabric notebook cover from Chikabird