loop.dee.loo

thank you Maria-Therese.....

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:29:00 +0000

... for sending me some of that gorgeous snow you have so much of. it's been blurry white outside all day today. whipping around in all directions, creating big drifts of chilly fluff. i thought it would be a good idea to go for a little walk to buy a bottle of sparkling pinot grigio i've been wanting to try. i thought it would be nice to celebrate my last day of vacation instead of moping around wishing it weren't over. i mean of course i wish it weren't over but, i have to think positive AND one should find time to celebrate every day!

celebrate life, celebrate a moment, celebrate love, celebrate happy, celebrate dreams, celebrate wishes, celebrate desire, celebrate chocolate, celebrate YOU!

and so, i ventured into the white. it was a lot colder than i thought minus 29 (with the wind chill) sounded. my cheeks burned with every tiny piece of iced snowflake that landed on them, my lungs begged me to turn around and breath warm air inside, my legs questioned my sanity as i trudged through un-shoveled sidewalks. i cracked on, enjoying the "pain".

i was pretty glad to get home though, i have to admit. i was also glad i didn't crumble and say "forget it".

the snow is wonderful, blissful, quiet, and still. it lies out there now sparkling under the street lights, perfect in its solitude. i find that wintertime is a great chance to connect to yourself, talk to yourself, make plans, dream elaborate dreams. in summer we tend to be too busy running around doing "things" but in winter we often have no choice but to hibernate. even though i like the cold it does get a bit much and there is nothing more to do than hunker down inside and keep warm. there, we are alone with ourselves. the world around us shrinks to the size of our house/apartment/flat/cottage. maybe this is why so many people "hate" winter? a forced alone time with yourself.

as the snow continues to pile up in the corners of my window panes this season, i will enjoy my time with me. when summer comes i will take that "me" out to explore and to fulfill those dreams i had while in hibernation.

i promise myself that i will take winter as a moment to be still. even amongst the busyness of day to day life that continues on without regard of season. i will be busy when i need to be, in those hours that need/require it, but when those hours end i will breath and take time to be in the company of amanda.

newly listed in a newly year

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:27:00 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!! this one will be good, it has to be. i have to keep my thoughts on track, my dreams and goals on track, make changes baby!

i've just listed these 2 original pieces in my shop. this year my shop will be more successful, i will be selling more originals (on larger scales) AND i will also finally be adding my photography. watch for it ;)

oh yeah, snazz new banner too! my mind is always a whirl of different ideas and images and thoughts and fantasies.... it's hard to keep up with it. *hence the blog name - "loop.dee.loo", it's like a carnival ride all up in here yo!* so things change... often. i like change, i don't have enough of it. that's why this year, i must create more. it can be scary, daunting, tedious, you name it, but in the end it opens you up to creativity. an artist needs newness, fresh perspectives, inspiration of every kind. universe, i open myself up to you. bring it on!

fire and ice

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:45:00 +0000

it's snowing brilliantly outside right now, i'm in heaven. we've lit candles and a fire to enhance the cozy.
i'm in love with this time off and have so many things i want to do. now that it's snowing heavily i'll have to add "playing outside" to the list. a bundled up hike through a forest would be perfect. wandering below iced pine trees, breathing in deep cold air, then warm tea/hot chocolate in a cozy cafe.

for g-ma

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:43:00 +0000

a piece i just finished as a Christmas present for my grandma. i haven't come up with a name for it yet but i still have a couple of days. at least the painting is done, i went through a big "rut", a "thinking too much" few days where i felt stuck and started to panic that i wouldn't have a gift for her, one that meant something anyways. i was scared that i'd have to run to the gas station at ten o'clock on christmas eve and buy her a Chippendale's air freshener for her rear view mirror.

luckily this will not be the case.

a powder room flood

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:48:00 +0000

there i was awaiting serenity in bubbles, i ran the water and put on the kettle. everything was looking magic and smelling heavenly when i dimmed the lights down to an amber glow. what was that reflection on the floor? what glimmered in the corner of my eye? why, it was water! a lot of water spilling out from the base of my soaker tub. relaxation dashed away as i raced to grab the nearest towel to create a dam.

what is the point of a soaker tub when you can only float in three quarters of a cup of water? who designed this modern atrocity made to look as if it were from another era? i want to be buried in warm suds, right up to my neck, no knees or boobs peeking out into the cool breeze that lurks so dangerously close above the comforting steam. the term "soaker", to me, means more than just your feet and bum get damp. it means everything up to the longest tendril of hair on your head gets watered.

this calls for inventive measures.

recent brush strokes

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Cove

Metropolis (not sure on this title yet)

Tempest

The Other Side of the Tracks

a few of my newest pieces ('flying whale' doesn't actually appear on the painting of course). they look way better in real life - especially 'Tempest'.

sunday night comes so fast and my yawns are coming faster. time for a bath with a side of tea.

.goodnite moon.

merry paint

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:26:00 +0000

working on christmas gifts. *click on image for larger view*

sometimes

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:01:00 +0000

sometimes we cry...

sometimes we stress...

sometimes we worry...

sometimes we hurt...

sometimes we panic...

sometimes we fear...

sometimes we hate...

sometimes we break.........

and sometimes we travel an inch above it all. that inch is so close between the negative and positive that it touches both at the same time. it takes a great deal of strength to make the touch stretch further upward, reach into the good and root itself. why is this such a difficult task? why is it easier to sink than float, to give in rather than give out?

in which music speaks

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:11:00 +0000

in which i make a confession to celebrity adoration

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:27:00 +0000

i think you know where this is going from the image above. yes, i'm 16 years old all over again but i could care less. the way i see it is you're never too old to crush.... even if he is 10 years younger than you. i try to get past the fact that my little brother is the same age as the above pictured chap and you know what? it's NOT my brother and nor does my brother know him.... do you Iain?

when 'Twilight' first came out i have to admit i was amongst those old farts that said "what's the deal with this crap?" i haven't read the books and i have no intent on reading them but a month or so ago i asked myself "just what IS this hype all about?"

i curled up on the couch with a glass (let's be honest, it was a bottle) of wine, turned down the lights to a cozy level and pressed play. i got into it. it was cheesy and high school but i was entertained (and smitten). it brought me back to when i was a teenager crushing on a beautiful boy in my class. unfortunately the boy was not a vampire but still, he was beautiful to me. i dreamed of him, i imagined him, i fantasized him, i romanticized him. it's what teenage girls do, or did do when i was there.

i had this whole political-esque thing written out but erased it. maybe i'm not in the right frame of mind to get my point across. it's friday night, i'm enjoying a much needed drink after the dreadful week i've had, and just want to gush. admittedly, i'm drinking and gushing, so be it. the end point is - i, as a 32 year old girl have a current crush on a 22 year old boy. call me a cougar if you will, he's cute as hell. thinking young keeps you young baby!

p.s. my main celebrity crush will always remain with James McAvoy. Mmmm, delicious!

in which the universe provides

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:14:00 +0000

i'm jumping for joy, or WAS jumping for joy... the day is almost out now but.... i had another day off today, another day in my studio! damian & i were dragging our sad, unenthusiastic bodies into the car when we heard on the traffic report that there was a fuel spill on the highway we take. at first we looked at each other with the familiar eye roll of "naturally, an accident on our highway" (they happen so often you'd think it were some sort of conspiracy). we took to the back roads which also, not surprisingly, were jammed up. we hit that point where our eye roll turned into "why are we paying for gas we can't afford to waste to just sit here behind a line?" so, we turned around. back home we came.

in a way it's not good, i get a taste for freedom and it's that much harder to return to the routine drudgery. still, i'm appreciative of the day so many thanks universe. i hear you loud and clear.

while i spent time in puddles of paint damian went through some boxes of odds & ends that have moved from house to house with us. you know those things you just can't seem to throw out for some reason? anyways, he found this old earring of mine and brought it up to me in a fit of laughter saying "i can't even imagine you wearing this". i used to wear this (along with it's partner, a female form) all the time when i was about 13/14 years old. i loved to dangle huge jewellery from my ears. it screams ABSOLUTE COOL! don't you think? ;)

maybe i should start wearing it again, even without the lady that goes with it. bring back the one earring only style. add some high wasted denim jeans or some rad leather, teased hair, and i'm ready to rock the streets with the look!

* how awesome was Roxette? seriously.

okay, in other news completely unrelated allow me to discuss my hair. in fact it's not news at all really it's just thoughts, banter, girly-ness. i've been trying to grow out my hair since i got back from Europe this summer (how chi-chi sounding... "oh yes i vacationed in Europe dahling, please pass the caviar and Dom Perignon"). i've never had long hair, the longest it's ever been (to my recollection) is to my shoulders. for some reason i've had this urge to grow it longer so i can toss it up in an innocent yet sexy Jane Austen sort of style. all pulled back yet with loose tendrils of curl hanging down.

i was doing fine until i saw the film 'Little Ashes'. just look at that hair up there, i'm madly in love with it! of course being as gorgeous as Marina Gatell wouldn't hurt. i've tried growing it out before but i always break down and chop it off. my cause for the chop is always my adoration and draw towards the 1920's. i think i've had a bob my entire life. actually one time i went crazy and did the whole pixie cut thing, BIG mistake. i looked like a boy with boobs. it looked fine when the hairdresser did it but when my locks were in my own hands it was a failure of mass proportions.

i must have had the best time in a past life during the 20's, how else can i explain my desire to go back there?

i can stand strong this time though, i shall not cut it. it will keep my ears warm during whatever winter may come our way and then come the first spring day that allows me to put away mittens & scarves i will hack it all off with abandon!

in which i yearn

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:04:00 +0000

i love being in my studio, it's where i want to be all day. time always goes by so quickly here though, maybe it's because i'm racing against it. i have this one day of "freedom" before i have to settle back into an office chair so i try to get as much out of it as possible.

i took today off from the 9-5 and spent the whole day painting. i looked at my clock at one point and it was already 2:30pm, i swear if i were at work at that very same moment the clock would have only read 10:00am. it's a shame that time goes by in such a whirl when you're enjoying yourself yet when you're in the midst of doing something you don't want to do it drags with an almost agonizing slowness.

well, eventually this WILL be where i spend all of my (fleeting) time. i will no longer have to chase it to the bedtime finish line with the knowing fact that i won't be able to do it the next day. it will BE my day. the more i believe it's true the more it will be true.

hey, i've watched 'The Secret', i know what i'm doing. ;)

in which i'm the only canadian who likes winter

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:33:00 +0000

this time last year we had snow (i know because a co-worker reminded me today that it was her 1 year anniversary of slipping on the ice and breaking both wrists). this time this year it's mild and raining.

in terms of winter weather: snow to me is like a giggle, a laugh, a slow motion sigh landing on your shoulder, tangling in your hair, melting on your tongue. rain* on the other hand seems more like a cold shoulder being turned, a cruel joke at your expense, tiny pins stabbing through your flesh down into your bones.

i picture snow cloud and rain cloud having a game of rock/paper/scissors to determine who gets to precipitate on a particular day. rain cloud seems to be winning every game so far and i'm pretty positive it's due to cheating. that's just the way rain cloud rolls, don't even think about playing a game of Monopoly with it. notice the $5 pile getting a little thin in the bank? yeah, rain cloud.

*this is just winter rain mind you, i quite enjoy a nice summer rain, it's less angry

~ video i made last year of Damian trudging through the flakes.

in which i invent a delicious recipe

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:48:00 +0000

i just invented a new dish. a dish of elegance. try this recipe out with a glass of champagne and a lover on the side, you won't regret its aphrodisiacal effects.

...........................................................

What you need:

2 slices of generic white bread

1 knife

margarine (optional)

peanut butter

blueberry jam

1 fabulous hand-me-down plate from your Mum

With the knife, spread the margarine onto one of the bread slices. On top of the margarine, spread a generous layer of peanut butter. On the second bread slice, spread a layer of the blueberry jam. Place the two slices together, jam side on top of peanut butter side. Cut from one corner to another creating a triangle shape. Crusts can be removed or left on. Place onto plate and serve.

...........................................................

I really think this recipe is going to be a hit. it's a time saver, it's delicious, and it's sexy. give it a try and thank me later.

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. ~ Victor Hugo

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:11:00 +0000

it's been too long. per my last post i should be writing about Johnny Depp but i can't find the photo which would lead into the words.

instead, this guy. i've felt so "down" lately, gloomy if you will, as if i were wasting my time that seems to go so swiftly by. how can it be November already? i can't remember the past year. it's frightening how fast you are one year more and even more frightening when you don't have much to show for it. yikes.

so sometimes you just need to laugh. and that guy up there.... he makes me laugh. every time i look at those tiny bucked fangs i melt a little. do you suppose he gets made fun of by his peers? poor guy, i will love you no matter what!

* photo not by me (unfortunately)

the winner of 'Tarot'

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

the fabulous winner of 'Tarot' is Maria-Therese! I'll be sending off your art shortly.

Thanks to everyone who entered, there were some great costumes in there (Sigmund Freud with a peach cigar? too wicked, love it!). i should be doing another giveaway soon so be sure to stop by and watch for it.

i'm also working on new pieces for my (currently sad and lacking) shop and will post when they are available. christmas is coming so i gotta stock up! *can't wait for snow*

next post = johnny depp. mmm, delish. ;)

terrain

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:16:00 +0000

every year in October we have a United Way week at my work. there are events and bake sales and a drinks cart that goes around every afternoon plying us all with alcohol. all of the money raised from these events goes to the United Way. tonight is the big night, the main event, an auction at our local pub. we get all sorts of item donations from clients etc. for people to bid on (while drinking yet MORE booze) and i was asked if i would like to donate a painting. this was very flattering and for a good cause so of course i said yes. the piece above, 'Terrain', is what i created.

it's sort of strange too because i don't normally paint landscapes, this just happened. i spent an entire day in my studio working on it, i just couldn't stop, like i was in a trance of sorts. by 9:00pm i was starving but i was also done.

so fingers crossed it sells ;)

it feels a bit strange to have my co-workers seeing my art, i can't explain why. it's a very personal thing, art, so to have a hundred or so people i see every day looking at it and seeing a piece of me they've never seen feels sort of like...nudity? oh my god i'm naked at work! it's like those nightmares you have where you go to school or work and realize to your ultimate horror that you've forgotten to put clothes on.

anyways, off i pop. before we all head out to the auction there's a Rock Band competition....and drinks. it's all about the drinks here!

p.s. the draw for FREE ART is tomorrow night! enter to win baby, after tonight's nakedness i could be famous! ;)

For Strange Women

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

i finally purchased something from a shop i've been admiring for a while (i was in need of a treat for me). it was hard to decide what i was going to spoil myself with but i finally decided on her Astral Projection perfume/meditation oil. i love the idea of reaching the astral plane through my dreams, the more vivid and real my dreams are the better.

it smells incredible! so earthy and natural, so spicy yet soft. damian said i smell like christmas (must be the cloves). i'm waiting until the weekend to meditate on it as i fall asleep, i don't want to be startled out of my unconscious travels by a pesky alarm clock jolting me back to reality. yuck, reality.

look at how beautifully it was packaged, definitely a sign that she loves and puts care into what she does. everything is natural and from the earth (even part of the packaging! look at that wonderful moss bed... i've since put the moss into a little glass jar to house faeries or whatever else chooses to hibernate there for the winter) and i adore that! no mystery junk that helps keep the product "alive" and on a shelf for ages, just bits and pieces of what occurs naturally.

if you're looking for a unique gift for someone or for yourself, you've got to check her out!

For Strange Women

p.s. don't forget about the art giveaway... i will be drawing a name this friday night! great way to start your christmas "shopping"!

art give!

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:34:00 +0000

aww, teeny canvas. imagine an entire wall decorated with little canvas? i might have to make that a project in my studio.

so here we go, it's giveaway time! this is an original mixed media piece entitled 'Tarot' and it measures an adorable 2 3/4" x 2 3/4". just in time for halloween with its witchy purples and magic stars.

the piece is signed on the front and titled, dated, numbered (1/1) on the back. sides are painted so it's all ready for hanging!

entering is super easy. all you have to do is:

* leave a comment in this post telling me what your favourite halloween costume is. be it a past costume from when you were a kid, a costume you'll be wearing this year (you're never too old, seriously, never), or your dream costume if you could be anything/anyone you wanted.

* make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. so if you don't have a website, blog, etsy shop, etc. please leave your email in the comment as well.

* one entry per person OR

* get your name entered twice by promoting the giveaway on YOUR blog! just leave a link to the post in your comment here.

i will draw a name next friday night, Oct. 23rd, and announce the winner here (as well as email you).

i'm making room in my shop for new pieces which are coming soon. this means the other pieces similar to this one, 'Caravan' and 'Ringmaster' might just be up for giveaway soon as well. we shall see and time will tell.

spread the word... art should be accessible to everyone and i like to do my part no matter how small (no pun intended) ;)

'ween

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:36:00 +0000

i madly adore halloween. this is a sneak peek at what i'll be wearing this year to my sister-in-law's party (click image for bigger view. excuse the pixels in the right side image, not sure what happened there but it drives me nuts). this costume is brilliant, hand made by my mum for me. she really should be making costumes for movies/theatre. she's genius.

i like going all out for halloween. i'm not one of those girls that uses the "holiday" as a reason to let my inner tart out. i like going crazy with make up and fabric, i like to use the day as a reason to let my inner magic out. for me it's about being an elaborate with cloth not a minimalist.

i'm so excited that i actually have a reason to play dress up this year. the past few years i haven't had a party to go to.

on that note it's about time for a giveaway. i haven't done one in ages and that's just horrible. free art is awesome and i intend to deliver! watch out for the next post for it will contain.....well.... free art!

p.s. super major kick ass awesome congratulations go out to the ever fabulous Maria-Therese for making her debut as a poet! it's a nerve wracking experience to get up and speak in front of a crowd of people but to be up there spilling out your inner most thoughts and feelings takes a lot of guts. you did it Maria-Therese and you are ever more magic for doing so! *hugs*

p.s. (part 2) believe it or not i feel yet another layout change coming. i can't help it. i like change.

celtic autumn

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:29:00 +0000

one of the things i adore about autumn is the stormy skies. how various shades of indigo and grey hang in cumulus clouds providing the perfect backdrop for the many colours on display. colours that cling to umber skeletons who sway graciously in the crisp winds.

there is no choreography more beautiful than that of natures falling leaves. they release their grip with an unselfish abandon, knowing it's their time. they fall to their death, their final resting place in a slow graceful motion. twisting on a breeze until they finally land softly on the ground where they will become a part of a whole new cycle of change, of life.

since i'm sort of on the topic of the beauty in death i just have to say that last night, last night i found the song i want played at my funeral. actually it's another song i want played, the other being 'The Trapeze Swinger' by Iron & Wine. this is morbid perhaps but it tends to happen to everyone unless you're a vampire. it's all about vampires these days so i had to get my reference in there.

damian, our friend rob, and i went into town (quite literally, we live in a village so 15 minutes away from us is "the big smoke", a town! cities are a whole other story) to see a celtic guitarist, tony mcmanus, damian just discovered. we were listening to a celtic radio station a few weeks ago and one of his songs came on. damian instantly got one of his albums. a few days later while driving through alliston (the aforementioned town) he saw a sign outside of a cafe declaring the performance of one tony mcmanus. how could we pass it up, it seemed serendipitous in a way.

so last night we made our way into town under the cover of a blackberry coloured sky and full moon. now usually we don't go out on weekends because there's nothing to do in a village of 1300 people. so last night felt really good to get out. upon arrival our night turned out to be pretty entertaining as we tried to find the oddly elusive door to get into the venue with tony mcmanus himself. a row of doors all looking the same yet with no discernible opening stood in front of the four of us. it's as if we were in a wonderland, i looked around for a potion of sorts that would shrink us into the secret entrance. eventually damian and tony (we're all bff's now so i can refer to him by first name only) found the right door and we were in.

there's something about celtic music that hits home with me and i would love to do a bit of genealogy on my families history to find out why. i just feel such a draw to roots when i hear it, it's not something that's forced it's something that churns in my gut and eventually travels upward towards my heart and quite often finds it's release trough my tear ducts. i can't explain it and find myself confused as to why i would be spilling little tears. they aren't tears of sadness, far from it, they're more like tears of happiness. maybe i sound crazy, i'm not sure if i can fully explain the feelings and that's probably the way it should be.

the song i mentioned earlier, my funeral song, was one that pulled tears. we were told the story behind it's beginning, written by a friend who had just won a piping contest and subsequently spent the winnings on whiskey (you've gotta love the Scots!). he awoke face down on the table of a pub with two things, a hangover and this song, as the story goes, written while unconscious. it's haunting, beautiful, and hopeful. if i were to hear this at a funeral i would lose it instantly and would chase every box of kleenex in the vicinity. my crying would be for loss but also for life, for the fact that there is so much overwhelming beauty around us. it would make me think that everything would be ok, that whomever left was leaving a message that they were in a better place, free from the strangleholds of life.

i know you may not get what i do from this piece of music and i have to admit i am one of those people that cry/get emotional at things i find beautiful. i remember being at the philadelphia museum of art and seeing my first original toulouse lautrec painting. my eyes welled up beyond my control. anyways, everything is relative and unfortunately the song, "the sleeping tune" has yet to be recorded by tony (he told me it would be on his next album). written for the pipes, he did it full justice on the guitar. i did however "film" his playing of it last night and by film i mean i kept the camera on my lap, focused on the darkness under my chair so not to disturb anyone with the glow of the screen. i will be posting a "weekly loop" video of it soon so you can hear it, along with photos of my trip to Scotland in July.

*sigh* how i wish i were back in Scotland.

re-jig that thought

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:16:00 +0000

that idea i had about making a video every day and then posting it....yeah, i think i was a little hasty. where did i think i was going to find the time to do that? the technical difficulties i was having earlier in the week (previous post) made me open my eyes. there's no way i can film, edit and upload on top of everything else i'm doing. so i have changed it up a bit, instead of every day i will do once a week. that should give me enough time to create a little somethin' somethin', edit it all up so it sparkles, and get it on here. that is the new, realistic, challenge!

it's fall now, officially, and i'm loving every minute of it. well, i would be if it actually felt like fall. summer has left it's crumbs lying about on autumns glory.
you had your chance summer and you rained, constantly. don't be thinking you can move in on pretty little fall now, it's short enough as it is. i predict the first snowfall will be next month (which is a crazy wonderful hats & mittens thought) so away with you summer, go hang out in Australia, it's their turn to have you. give me my crisp leaves and chilly tipped nose. i want to wear my cute scarves and not melt into their woolen threads while doing so.

loop dee daily #1

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:04:00 +0000

so i made a video tonight and yet again.... technical issues. dang it. i will press on, i will triumph. until then, here's a video i made a while ago.

thirty

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:17:00 +0000

my little sister turned 30 two weeks ago and i'm now just showing off some bits from the carnival themed soiree my mum and i tossed for her. blog neglect, it should be punishable by law.

we wanted to surprise her with a fun theme and yes, a little selfishly, i suggested a carnival! what can i say, i love the romantic idea of carnivals past. carnivals these days don't count, they just don't have the same magic. mum thought it was a great idea and we got to planning. i made some loot bags (above, in their opened state... it's not humane to withhold candy so we tore into them as soon as kate got there). we decided everyone should wear a little costume piece, nothing too crazy. mum was the ticket agent (she wrapped herself in miles of paper tickets), dad was the ringmaster (complete with top hat, tux jacket, white shirt, bow tie, fake mustache, and black bathing trunks *the party was held out back by the pool afterall*), damian was a "freak" (he made himself a freaky mask out of a burlap bag. this is creepshow no matter how you look at it, i mean did you see 'The Orphanage'?), kevin came as the little boy at the fair (dressed in cowboy shirt and little hat, a la little boys in the 50's), i was a gypsy fortune teller (natch), and kate (unbeknownst to her until she arrived) was the carnival princess.

i made her a special hat complete with flowing ribbons, glitter, flowers, and stars.

the best decoration of all though was born in my mum's kitchen, straight from her imagination and her new found skills with fondant. i posted a photo of one of her cookie creations before and now she's trying her hand at cakes. this is going to become a business for her once she retires (in December) and i'm so excited for her. she's so good at it, self taught too! i mean check this cake out, it was her first time attempting something like this and it turned out brilliant!

it tasted super fantastic as well. i could really go for a slice right now.

short and sweet that's what we did for kate's birthday. it was fun. later that night it got quite chilly and kate & i went for a swim. we lit a bunch of candles (and i had strung faery lights up earlier so those were sparkling too) and floated through twinkling blue as the heat from the water and the cool air battled it out creating a layer of mist above us.

* on a new note: i've had an idea to get me here more often as well as be a bit more challenged, personal, interesting? not sure what the best term would be for it but the idea is this - "Loop Dee Dailies", these would be videos of no prescribed length or subject, just a daily video filmed on the same day of posting. i can't promise it will happen EVERY day but that's what i'm going to aim for. i will also do written entries but i thought this might be a fun thing to do as an extra. i always like seeing the face behind a blog/journal so it's only fair that i put mine out there too. i hate my voice but whatever, i'll get over that. not that every video will be me staring into the camera waxing poetic but still. we'll just have to see together what comes of this.

here we go... first entry should be up later today!

*** edit - sept. 22***
first video attempt a failure. tech difficulties then the realization it was just too rushed/crap to put up. i shall try again tonight!

tumbling colour

amandadevuono@mac.com (Flying Whale) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:35:00 +0000

i crave sweaters. i can't wait for autumn to make its entrance with a gust of wind and a scattering of red leaves on my lawn. it's my favourite season, filled with spicy scents, crisp air, fires, mulled cider, mulled wine, and an abundance of colour. i am more than happy to trade tank tops and flip flops for sweaters and boots.

last year damian and i went apple picking at an organic orchard not too far from our house. it was so much fun to wander the rows of trees under a grey sky that somehow illuminated the colours to their brightest. we ended up with 2 bags of perfectly imperfect apples picked by our very own hands and inspected for critters with our very own eyes. they ended up in a few apple crumbles and crisps which i have the urge to make again.

it's so nice to come home from a day spent outside in the fall air, light a fire, put some music on and bake... or lounge in front of a movie.

here's to jumping in piles of leaves (watch out for dog poo).