loop.dee.loo (not active)

A new home!

2011-05-23T18:18:00.000-04:00

Initially I was going to move this journal over to my new home, Flying Whale, but then thought, "why not start fresh?" so, that's what I did. i have a brand new blog and i'm ready to fill it with brand new thoughts, ideas, musing, and la dee da bits. I would love for you to stop by and say hello. it's a little breezy over there right now since it is new but i just had a fabulous art journey to Prince Edward Island which is going to make for a delicious post!

Thank you to everyone who followed and read Loop.dee.loo. I wanted to be more concise with all of my online pieces and places and needed by blog to be an extension of my shop and facebook fanpage. I do hope that you will continue to follow and read me in my new location. I am working on contests and fun ideas and am excited for the freshness!

Come join me over at Flying Whale!

freshening up

2011-04-25T17:50:00.002-04:00

Topiary - 4x4 mixed media on wood panel

I've been busy doing clean ups and updates in my shop (removing all the older work to make way for new pieces!), and on my facebook page for Flying Whale. Not to mention painting, i've been madly and gloriously painting! The next step is in the works, a new blog.

Loop.Dee.Loo will soon be no longer, it's time to move to something that flows more with Flying Whale (I started this blog thinking i needed a separate outlet and wanted a cute name). I've been reading Kelly Rae Robert's amazing e-book, 'Flying Lessons', and she stresses the importance of continuity when it comes to spreading your social wings online with your business. So, despite the fact that Flying Whale has already been taken as blog name (what the? has somebody else had the same recurring dream as me since childhood? how dare they fly a whale) I will be transferring everything over to a new blog home soon - sometimes you just have to get creative when someone else has your name ;) Just working on design and all that fun stuff! Time to work the blog world proper!

it's really spring!

2011-04-11T20:28:00.001-04:00

in works

2011-03-25T22:27:00.001-04:00

i'm working on changing the look of this here blog... again. a blog is important when making one's own way and i'm (hopefully) on the road to doing just that. *wink* *smiley face*

pop rocks & gin

2011-03-14T19:50:00.002-04:00

New.

2011-01-22T21:43:00.002-05:00

i'm working on a new project. it's almost ready to be released into the universe.

i really hold belief that this year will be a year of "new" for me. i will push myself to try new things, do new things. i've already started with this new project of mine and there are a few more "firsts" on my horizon (just put a deposit down on something i've always dreamed of doing, SUPER excited about that).

the other day i had a first in my house. i've lived here for about 5 years and have never had an incident on my crazy steep 1800's stairs. the other day, i did. carrying a fresh cup of tea up to my studio i stumbled and crashed down on, simultaneously, my shin, knee, and thigh. hot rooibos dripped from the walls and downward like a slinky along the steps. as one of my cats chased the river a stinging pain coursed up my leg and left me immobile. Damian was out at the time and all i could think was "am i going to have to sit here until he comes back? i have things to do dammit!" luckily sensation returned and i hobbled down towards the kitchen to refill my mug. i now have some artistic bruising in 3 spots on my leg, lovely colours i must say.

i have twice opened up to how i'm feeling to others (not like me, i tend to keep it all inside) and it has helped to lighten my metaphorical steps. lesson learned there, definitely.

newness and change opens creativity and this year i long for that more than ever. it's time, i've waited long enough. let's do this!

sensory imagination

2011-01-12T21:17:00.004-05:00

A seashell sat beside me on the subway this evening. That is, a man who smelled of a seashell (an endearing scent on a shell but not so much on a human). He had a musty salted scent about him, like when you collect shells off a beach in a little plastic bag and seal it up until you get home. Upon re-opening it you are struck with a warm sea air mingled with plastic. the scent of an ocean home long ago abandoned by a little creature.

the seashell was picking his nose and reading my book over my shoulder. very un-seashell like if you ask me.

much like a little ocean creature, the seashell eventually relinquished his temporary home (the seat beside me). his exit made way for a summery clothes line of fresh linen with blonde hair. i enjoyed the remainder of my ride on an imaginary light breeze.

what say you, universe?

2011-01-09T09:43:00.003-05:00

i wrecked that painting. i spent all afternoon and night working on it and then something happened, some beast took the reins and overworked it into a blotchy mess.

i guess it wasn't meant to look the way i intended it to. It didn't want to follow the path i was creating. I wonder what it's supposed to look like? We shall see, for I will attack it once again. Damian said "well i guess that's why pencils have erasers!" i liked that, it made me smile. in this case my eraser is a big bucket of gesso.

Do you ever have a visual in your head and then work that vision to death until it becomes something entirely different, like a muddled blob? My problem is that i think too much. i have to reprogram my head and stop doing that, i have to just go with it and let whatever voice from the universe that's trying to say something flow out and say it! Generally, as i've found out, the mess tends to recreate itself into something better. It's still hard to say goodbye to the pretty hidden under the pile of yuck but oh well, moving on.

First i think i'll have a cuppa and float under some bubbles, maybe flip through a magazine and get some inspiration for a new project i'll be playing with later. i'm so excited about it, it requires the use of Damian's workshop and safety goggles! Fun fun fun!!!

p.s. i just discovered a tangle of black paint in my hair. luckily it's in the ends because it might require scissors to remove it.

something about stillness

2011-01-03T19:26:00.003-05:00

my sojourn into freedom is almost over. in a few hours i will have to go to bed in order to wake up at an hour which should be illegal to see (unless you're already awake and loving life as it approaches). It's been 2 weeks since i've had to wake up to 5:30am screaming an alarm of radio pop music at me, i'm not looking forward to doing it again.

this post is not (necessarily) a complaint, more of an observation.

yesterday as i sat cuddled into the corner of my couch with a fire burning and twinkling tree lights illuminating the room i realized just how much i love my house. i adore being home, i love the history my house holds (it's over 140 years old), i love the comfort of it's walls. I also realized how in these two weeks of unregimented time i was able to think again, come up with new ideas. My head was not the property of someone else's schedule, it was mine, all mine.

The ideas were flooding in at a feverish pace, i was getting excited to implement them. Now is the year (as everyone no doubt is saying) to change it all around. I can't spend another one as i did the last, full of monotony, commuting, and blah... for lack of a better word. I need some real LIFE this one around, life i can enjoy and be excited about. not that sitting behind a desk pushing papers and scheduling other people's meetings isn't full of adventure (i can't tell you how many times i had to climb glaciers to get a bag of chips to a meeting or outrun a bounty hunter when i didn't get my cab invoice in on time, phew). sarcasm at it's best baby.

Join me in the positivity, this is it! if 2012 really is the end of life as we know it then all we have is 1 year. Let's live it magical, colourful, wondrous, sexy, exuberant, daring, alive! Lets make 2011 our bitch!

au revoir '10

2010-12-31T21:31:00.003-05:00

My last masterpieces for the year, i'm pretty impressed with myself. both are highly original and painted-by-numbers. Santa left them for me in my stocking. that one on the left there, belongs in the Louvre i'd say.

This year is almost over and i'm looking forward to new things, hopeful for freshness, adventures, chances, change, and perhaps more regular blog updates.

so goodnight 2010, i'm off to open a rather sexy bottle of champagne and watch you turn into 11.

the Ma wisdom

2010-11-06T19:04:00.004-04:00

Today Damian & i had his mother over for lunch. She wanted to see my studio and what i was currently working on. I brought her up our treacherous 1865 staircase and into my paint splattered haven, she shifted left to right right, up to down with her eyes. Within those glances she had decided something, upon inviting reds and blues, and worn out papers into her minds eye she turned and said to me "quit your job and do this!"

we should always listen to our mother right? so should we not also always listen to our mothers-in-law? a mother is a mother and they always know best.

it was another boost to my dream within a span of 2 weeks. the first boost being that the piece i painted for auction at work ended up (after a starting bid of $30) going for $440!

bring it!

p.s. photo above is available as prints in my shop!

delinquent

2010-10-21T23:00:00.003-04:00

i didn't want or mean to be away from my blog for this long. sigh. there's been a major change/shift in my day job, the 9-5 that pays my bills. this shift has resulted in less "me time", resulted in no lunch breaks and a tired worn out moi at the end of the day. this worn out me has lost her motivation and energy, she has lost her inspiration. all she wants to do by the time she gets home is tumble into the bunched up sheets on her bed.

luckily last weekend this "she" got sick. odd? yes, odd. Friday last week saw a sore throat develop. By Saturday the sore throat had invited a runny nose on board and together they began to collect humiliating thoughts of tampons in each nostril to quell the drip. Dayquil and whisky were taken to minimize, nay, mask the symptoms.

However, i had a stupendously productive day in my studio that Saturday (thank you Jack Daniel's). Two paintings were completed, one for auction (pictured above) and one for sale at a later date in my shop. From now on i will lick subway hangy-on poles and socialize with small virus infested children (paddy cake paddy cake bakers man, bake me a flu as fast as you can). who needs inspiration when you can get sick? apparently i work best under this sort of infected pressure.

building

2010-09-25T20:13:00.002-04:00

current work in progress. i've been asked to donate a painting to a charitable cause, this might be the beginning of that piece, we'll see. i'll keep building and see what happens.

be. simply. wonder... always.

2010-09-23T20:38:00.007-04:00

i do believe my house is being haunted by a woman of days ago. a woman who adorned herself in the springtime air of lilac. my house is 145 years old and i wouldn't go lower than 90 years in age when real estating in the future. i adore history, i love living where so many lives before me have built memories. the floor in my family room is the original from 1865 and as much as it needs to be replaced/fixed up, i love feeling it with my bare-feet. Imagine who has walked on it before me for so many years, the stories that are attached to those faded footprints. the passage of time in transparent unknowingness.

there is no reason for my upstairs washroom to be adrift in a floral scent yet i just walked in to wash glue off of my hands and was hit by a rather strong lilac smell. our shower products are scented with a more earthy smell, hints of cedar and sandalwood, so this new ingredient to the air was quite noticeable. i wonder who she is, or rather, was.

i love the idea of ghosts, as long as they aren't ticked off Amityville style spirits who want us out at no cost. I love paranormal everything, bring on the beyond baby!

I've felt abnormal breezes of cool air, seen shadow movement from the corner of my eye, watched my cats stare with intent at the top of the staircase, etc. life would be rather boring if i were to pass it off as a trick of the eye so i choose to believe otherwise.

i like mystery. please don't tell me how a magician does his "trick", it's magic dammit, that's it. no other explanation. life would be utterly dull to me if i knew how and why everything worked. i need to wonder, i need to be in awe of supernatural "things". I like to believe that when i walk through a forest trees hold their breath and faeries stop in tip toe stride so not to be found out. these things make me happy and curious. i will forever grab the reins tight and head on with the imaginative.

seven

2010-09-01T20:17:00.002-04:00

i've been rewarded with the beautiful blogger award by the lovely Maria-Therese. it is my task, now, to reveal seven pieces of me and pass the award along to fellow bloggers to do the very same.

thank you so much for the award :)

the seven begin here:

1. my sister and i had a little business a few years ago, Sibling Rivalry. she made (fabulous) handbags and i made jewellery. we had an online shop (site no longer exists) as well as worked every saturday at the St. Lawrence Market downtown Toronto. we woke up early every weekend and set up our outdoor booth. we worked all summer right up until mid -to end- of November. it got pretty cold sitting out there with the wind whipping north off of the lake and straight onto our cheeks but it was still fun. we made friends with fellow vendors, had repeat customers who were absolutely fantastic and stayed around to chat and tell stories, spent a few bits of profit on the most delicious vegetarian egg-roles (located inside the market), and etcetera.

2. when i was ten years old i met Tom Cruise in Australia. i had the biggest crush on him and this moment was huge! i trembled and giggled in my gawky awkwardness, luckily a sweet man with a polaroid camera offered to take a photo for me....

....ok, this didn't really happen, Tom is a cutout but it IS in Australia and i DID have a major crush on him. i can't even tell you the number of times i watched Legend. believe this though, i'm over him and have been for many teenage and adult years. it's what happens when a dude does a movie about faeries & unicorns when you're in that impressionable stage.

3. i've been bitten by a rabbit and a dolphin. different years but exact same finger. i have the scars to prove it. docile creatures love the taste of my blood.

4. i wanted to be an actress. i took every drama class i possibly could in high-school and when i ran out i used my off time to sit in on another class and do their lighting. when i graduated i won the drama award (does that make me an award winning actress?). after school i studied at night with the Second City and finished my course with a performance where i had to sing an improvisation about doing the dishes in the style of opera.

5. i'm allergic to cats but have six of them. i already had two when i rescued a stray two years ago from the bitter January cold. that stray turned out to be pregnant. i'm sure you can take it from there. achoo.

6. i can pretty much guarantee that i will always make an ass of myself when meeting a celebrity. example of a past encounter; Colin Farrell. in an attempt to get his attention for my sister who was crushing on him at the time (and in town filming a movie) i (drunkenly) grabbed his shoulder as he was leaving a pub and questioned "what, are they kicking all the hot guys out?" i felt the sting of humiliation instantly, his little wink, grin, and comment of "oh stop" did very little to ease my blush. this was not the first time i said something i cringed at while meeting a "star".

7. apparently i'm a witch. i'm just waiting for my grandma to tell me more. i love this, i'm intrigued by this, i want this. she has told me stories of her own witchy dabblings and there are things in my life that lead me to believe she is not just being a cool eccentric grandma. when i was in high-school she gave me an actual pendant that was worn many centuries ago by a witch doctor. the hollowed out section was stuffed with herbs etc. and then used in rituals. sometimes i stare inside it and wonder at the past events it was a part of. 7 1/2. i love history and i love it even more when i can touch it.

And now to pass on the award. I tag thee:

within

2010-08-31T12:50:00.002-04:00

'Within' - newest mixed media work in my shop. piece is on wood panel and measures 8" x 8"
i've been using a lot of bird imagery in my work lately. definitely symbolic of how i'm feeling. i'm also loving the look of soft, washed shades of blue with the boldness of reds or oranges. delicious!

dance the yawns

2010-08-28T20:17:00.003-04:00

August Break #17

i hit a wall earlier this afternoon. all of a sudden i felt exhausted and could only imagine myself curling up for a nap. as i stood up straight and stretched out my neck i shook it off saying out loud to myself "you'll never get where you want to be by sleeping, wake up!" so, i put on a song and danced around my studio, conjuring energy.

for the past couple of weeks i've had a sliver of insomnia and the need to sleep seems to creep up on me when i can't shut my eyes or, when i'm relaxed, doing what i love to do. i won't have any of that. i refuse to be tired during "me time".

there's nothing quite like a solitary dance party to bring you back to life. i urge you to shake it, move wildly, sway back and forth, whip your body to the rhythm of tune. wake yourself up and spend time with you in a moment no one ever need be a part of. dance. fill a floor space with YOU!

save the pillows for later.

carnival

2010-08-28T13:15:00.002-04:00

August Break #14, 15, 16

tuesdays drive

2010-08-24T19:38:00.003-04:00

August Break #13

four long lines of metal creeping into the horizon, hoping to vanish home. dotting themselves with two fold cherry lights and sun bounced glass in a mask of illuminated pretty. the truth being that they were slowly (quicker than they new in actuality) killing the surface they drew lines on. the interiors of each metallic piece played music to drown by, music to flood out the monotony of days and the guilt of fumes expelled. silent swear words and arms thrown into the air declaring a state of anger towards the asphalts fellow patrons. it really is no one persons fault. these things happen, daily, we have to deal with it on a half inch of nerve. that half inch wears thin.

listen dammit

2010-08-23T10:09:00.006-04:00

August Break #12

on my way into work this morning i was stopped by a sign, a random poster telling me what to do. i have no idea if it's a teaser ad or if it's guerrilla art or whatever but, i took it as a sign (no pun intended).

for the past few weeks my mind as been a flurry of constant thought, it's driving me crazy. i can't sleep because of it. i could be watching a movie on the couch when my eyes start to feel heavy and i whisk myself off to bed. once there, laying in the dark stillness, my once heavy eyes begin to widen and adjust to the shadows while my head starts pumping all sorts of randomness out. i'm exhausted.

so when i saw this today i stopped in my tracks, it made my laugh, it was perfect!

art insomnia

2010-08-22T22:03:00.004-04:00

August Break #11

it's 10:10pm and i can't seem to shut things down to go to bed. it's a "school night" and i refuse to believe that as fact. i'm too productive right now to close up shop and prepare myself for the 5 day grind ahead of me. i know i'll suffer with yawns and a grumpy mood behind the desk that (just barely) pays my bills but who cares. i'm in it right now, and if you're in the same position as me (dreamy artist trying to work her way out of a poopy office day job) then you'll understand. when inspiration hits you have to grab it by the kite tails and ride the wind.

i've managed to finish the above piece tonight, prep a new panel, and play with/create something that has sparked an idea. i keep looking at the clock and begging it to slow down. it's not listening.

time is a cruel sonofabitch. it crawls while i'm at the bill job and races when i'm at the "truly me" job, what's your deal time? who tinkled on your french toast to make you such a mean ol' meanie? sucks to you clock-face, i'll show you.... just you wait and see.

p.s. see those rather gorgeous butterflies at the bottom of the first photo? they adorn a most delicious journal made by the super lovely Maria-Therese. you need one, trust me. ;)

circa 32

2010-08-22T19:11:00.002-04:00

August Break #10

our dryer broke. well, every time i attempt to run it it blows a fuse which knocks out the heat. not much point in drying clothes in a cold dryer. i have laundry hanging all over the house.

our washing machine is also on the fritz, makes a mad crazy loud (and scary as hell) banging noise when it hits the final spin. we're talking the kind of noise you hear in horror films that finds the family of a newly acquired, yet haunted, house running out into the midnight rain. standing in the driveway in their soaking wet pajamas staring at the house, the rhythmic thump thump thump still audible from where they stand shivering.

anyways, i've been thinking of ghosts lately too for some reason but that's a whole other post. so yeah, i'm sure we will soon be without a washing machine too and there is no way we can afford two new appliances (my fridge is ugly and dumb so i also want a new one of those, again, a whole other post. can you imagine how riveting an entire post about a refrigerator would be?). i suppose it's about time to invest in a washboard and hearty bar of soap, a nice tin tub basin would be lovely too, you know, to round out the whole image.

the image is me, circa 1932. a tattered dress under an apron, dusty black shoes one size too big with no laces, hair pulled underneath a handkerchief, raw hands.

you know what though? it builds character, it may take longer to do laundry but it doesn't really bother me. it's much lovelier to the environment and my hydro bill!

natural slip

2010-08-20T22:58:00.003-04:00

August Break #9

Oops, summer tripped today and autumn filled in the fallen steps. Shhh, don't tell mother nature... i want to leave my sweater on.

the cool breeze was a welcome change from the humid sap-like air.

the emerald forest

2010-08-18T17:46:00.002-04:00

August Break #8

do you believe in faeries?

signs

2010-08-17T19:27:00.002-04:00

August Break #7

positive affirmation on a Scottish road.

words & suds

2010-08-16T21:51:00.002-04:00

August Break #6

a lovely book, a lovely bath. i just came from a tub scented with lily of the valley bubbles. despite my longing for fall (an earthy scent such as vetiver or cedar might have been more appropriate) i went with the breezy spring scent of the little bell shaped flowers. actually, i didn't have anything woodsy on hand so, no choice really. i digress.

something about the smell reminded me of my dad and step-mom's house in england. it had me remembering rainy walks in the forest, coming home with muddy boots and sparkling drips clinging to our hair. putting the kettle on for a nice cup of tea to cozy up to. i could go for that again, rainy wanderings.

vision in motion blur

2010-08-15T19:08:00.002-04:00

August Break #5

It seems the hotter it gets, the louder the crickets sing. i didn't expect today to be so sweltering, i recall them calling for a rainy day (which would have been beautiful, collecting puddles at the end of my driveway).

this heat is making me melt away. it's making me see in double, things look hazy in the distance and i feel as though i were spinning. those waves of heat in the road are hypnotizing me, they're dancing to an ambient sound, pulling me in until i gaze in one spot and forget everything else. the only way to stop it is with pure strength of spirit. i shake my head to loosen its grip on me. i WILL see beyond the square footage in front of me, that box, the front & back, the side to side. i will see further into what i should and will be doing. i need a cool breeze to wake me up and stand me on my toes.

the fate of ice

2010-08-13T21:31:00.001-04:00

August Break #4

i won't though

2010-08-11T20:30:00.005-04:00

August Break #3

all i feel like doing tonight is going out to get one of those chemically delicious, total crap, sara lee cakes. i feel like coming home with that cake, grabbing a fork, and collapsing into the softness of my couch. i feel like eating the whole thing while watching a movie in the dark, in my baggiest, most comfortable pajamas. i feel like leaving that empty tinfoil pan of chocolate crumbs on the coffee table until the next day. i feel like falling asleep and letting the rest of the movie watch me.

sigh.

ascending the dark

2010-08-10T20:20:00.003-04:00

August Break #2

i've been thinking a lot about escape lately. i seem to be in a negative space right now, where bad things just seem to be happening more often than good. this happens, it's part of the cycle. i couldn't enjoy the good without bad having its turn in the spotlight.

i worked on a painting all day saturday that really speaks of my inner desire to escape, run away. you can see a hint of it above, beneath the bird cut out i held up in front of it. i'll show the painting here in a few days once it's complete. I'm really happy with it, a mixed media piece on wood that resonates peacefulness when i look at it. i might hang it at the foot of our bed so i can meditate on it as i try to fall asleep amongst the fluttering thoughts in my head.

handmade autumn

2010-08-09T20:27:00.001-04:00

August Break #1

i'm starting late, i just tripped and landed on lovely Susannah Conway's photo project today. i'm not TOO late though and besides, it's never too late.... right? so here it is my first piece ofAugust Break!

a truck fire on our highway journey into the 9-5 detoured us onto back roads (which is preferred anyway. i mean if you have to go into the city you might as well soak in some country to get there). on those back roads we found others who were doing the same thing, thus, a different traffic jam. we were stopped solid in a long, one lane line of various colours of metal . it was pretty though, when i looked to the right. i lowered my window and the scent of wet earth and green tiptoed in. despite the collection of cars it seemed still outside, the sound of crickets and a slight wind. i rested my head on the door and closed my eyes, i thought about how great it would be to just fly away.

it's come to that point in summer where i start to crave autumn. my favourite season. i crave the sweaters, that cozy feeling of wrapping up. i crave the smell of fallen leaves and the papery sound as i kick through them. i crave the chill in the air, an awakening coolness. i crave the colours. i crave the trips to a local farm for pumpkin donuts and the scented spice menagerie of homemade. i crave walks that collect blushed cheeks (a winter favourite as well).

i thought of autumn today in the traffic jam, imagined the trees abloom in colour. so i decided to create it. i took a perfectly fine photo of a summer green field and bibbity bobbity booed it into fall. now i just need some cinnamon to make it complete!

another two

2010-08-04T19:47:00.003-04:00

'No Particular Dream of Light' - mixed media abstract collage. stretched canvas measures 16" x 20"

'Flutter' - acrylic, mixed media abstract. gallery stretched canvas measures 18" x 24"

*** Two more originals available for sale in my shop! ***

after sun-shone

2010-08-02T18:29:00.005-04:00

after collecting freckles on my shoulders in the hot sun heat of the day, i find myself back in the happiness of my studio. i'm glaring at the blankness of a wood panel perched on the cliffs edge of my easel. i have an idea of what i want on it, i can see ideas floating from right to left, up and down across the surface. only when i courage up enough action with my paintbrush will something stay put.

a blank canvas is a funny thing, it holds so much possibility, anything can happen. that's both exciting and scary at the same time. so much responsibility lies in the palm of the hand that grips the brush. what if i make a mistake? what if it turns out ugly? what if the colours are all wrong, what if i hate it? what if what if what if.....

that's what gesso is for, to cover the what ifs. IF it turns out horrible i simply slather a few coats of gorgeous wet gesso over it and begin again. i wonder how many "what if" paintings rest beneath the final pieces i've come to adore? what ghosts hide under the final brush strokes of the works of Modigliani, Chagall, Wyeth, Twombly, Lautrec, Rauschenburg.......

"what if" can RSVP when the idea of something more life threatening enters my head (like skydiving) but for now, there is no room for it in my studio. here and now i turn the negative inclinations into positive. what if i make a mistake and it turns out brilliant? what if ugly is beauty buried underneath? what if the wrong colours turn more right than i could ever have planned? what if i love it? what if what if what if.....

new pieces and the last day of 4

2010-08-02T09:26:00.006-04:00

'Certain Nights' - original acrylic abstract painting - 24" x 30" on canvas

'The Village of Nuit' - original mixed media painting - 11" x 14" on wood panel

both of these pieces are now available in my shop! I have two more originals to put up as well... coming soon.

now it's off to enjoy the last day of my 4 day long weekend. a beautiful sunny morning beckons me outdoors. i'll follow the suns rays to the lake where artists and craftspeople are selling their wares.

p.s. it's that time again, time for a new layout/banner. also coming soon.

the room speaks

2010-07-28T20:58:00.004-04:00

a four day weekend is on my horizon, it begins tomorrow night. my studio whispered to me "i'll meet you there, when the gloaming falls in".

i can't wait to colourize the pile of white canvas leaning against my wall. no time limits, no holding back. it's time to make a giant mess!

yesterdays summer

2010-07-16T17:50:00.003-04:00

the newest addition to my shop, a photo print from Italy. more to come, see post below for an illustrated memory of my adventure last year. If you see an image you would like as a print please let me know.

hazy days of yesteryear - part 1

2010-07-10T21:09:00.006-04:00

this time last year i spoke Italian instead of English (to the best of my ability). my mornings started with a sweeping view of land, sea, and sky.

i became more familiar with the grape in it's liquid form, enjoying a glass of wine with every third breath.

i saw old sailing ships which stirred up stories of pirates and romance, plank walking and treasures buried in the blue depths....

... and castaways not too far behind the ship.

i swam in the glittering mediterranean under azure skies.

i conquered hilltops and rocks and wandered five beautiful villages. small breaks were taken each time we came through the wild into civility, breaks for fresh olive or rosemary focaccia and water refills. breaks to breath in the views and salt air, to admire the locals going about their day-to-day routine amongst us tourists with backpacks and hiking shoes.

i found whimsy and magic every second step i took. true images of life lived with carefree passion.

i danced barefoot with my cartwheeling brother in medieval streets. the moment we arrived in Lucca i felt as if we had stepped off the train and splashed down into the ink of Shakespeare's Verona.

i saw the tuscan sunflowers i had seen in so many paintings. i was living a history, mine and Italy's. I felt so alive there, i was out of my comfort zone mingling with language barriers and it was energizing. that barefoot night in Lucca found me arriving back to our hotel with blackened feet, it took about 3 showers to get it all off.

there is no better way to experience a place than by foot, feeling the ground beneath your feet, absorbing it through touch. every sense gets played with. as your heels rock to toe, your eyes shift left to right up to down, your nose drags in the scent of hot pavement, herbs, perfume, fresh baked breads and pastries. your ears pull the sound of honking horns and laughter off the air, seagulls and distant radios, clinking glasses from a cafe. your tongue wraps its taste-buds around fresh pasta and pesto, tomatoes and cheese, a soft hazelnut cookie, a glass of ruby wine or sparking prosecco.

i lost myself in Italy and find myself thinking back on it more often than not. it affected me in a way i can't explain, it's a place to feel honestly alive. i hope to get back there some day.

simply for the softness

2010-07-08T20:38:00.001-04:00

the next paper flip

2010-07-06T21:12:00.003-04:00

i just finished a book. it was a fabulous read but this is not a critique (though i do recommend it your your imagination). i don't think i could ever be a reviewer or critic, i would hate to have to analyze something i enjoyed or found beautiful.

after an extremely hot day i tucked myself into the subtle waves of a cool bath scented with blackberries. there i finished a novel i'd been enjoying for a while. living the lives of fictional characters that took me away from the day to day i live. it's amazing how a good book can blur the crowd on a subway into one mass of foggy sound, as if they were ghosts surrounding you as you scroll across perfectly chosen words on a page.

i love the feel of a book in my hands, the fine touch between my fingers as i quickly flip pages to find out what's happening around the paper corner.

now i wait. i can choose my next adventure but must wait until enough time passes until i have mourned past characters. i can't start into a new book immediately, i always have to give it a couple of days between books. this only goes for books i loved of course. if i feel nothing for the characters then it's no problem diving head first into the next bit of writing. If i feel a connection/love/admiration/etc. then i have to let them move on into their reserved section of my mind & memory before replacing them.

the new

2010-07-04T17:51:00.003-04:00

'Hot Air Balloons' - 4"x 4" acrylic abstract on gallery stretched canvas

available in my shop.

'Climbing Through Shadow' - 4"x 4" acrylic abstract on gallery stretched canvas

available in my shop.

jeweled balm

2010-06-25T20:10:00.002-04:00

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all is right with the world."

~ Ada Louise Huxtable

pitter patter

2010-06-23T19:00:00.003-04:00

we're in for a blow. there's a severe thunderstorm warning for tonight complete with rain, heavy winds, possible hail and tornadoes. leaving the tornadoes out of it it could make for a cozy night. i do love a good thunderstorm, i'm not a fan of heavy winds though, they can get scary.

the clouds out my window are moving at a pretty good pace. i've watched them change within minutes from wispy white smudges to great fluffy monsters covered in grey shadows. they're running across the sky as if they're being chased, growing bigger and bigger, darker and darker. little pockets of blue and light are peeking out shyly and the scent of rain is in the air.

i have ribs braising in the oven for damian's dinner, there's 5 more minutes on the timer and then i have to grill them. hopefully the rain holds off until i'm done that step and all will be well. then we can settle in for a stormy night of rain tapping our windows, movies, and cuddling.

i better get some candles ready just in case.

Ringmaster belongs to...

2010-06-12T20:18:00.003-04:00

Congratulations Michelle!!! I'll be sending your new piece of art off to you on Monday.

no sun on spring saturday

2010-06-11T20:05:00.000-04:00

it's supposed to be a rainy weekend. that's sad.

... and i did

2010-06-09T21:17:00.002-04:00

Residual Harmony. acrylic, charcoal, pastel, pencil on 30" x 30" wood panel.

Untitled. acrylic, pencil, pastel, charcoal, modeling paste, paper on 18" x 24" gallery stretched canvas.

don't forget about the art giveaway! it's not too late to enter.

wandering through then

2010-06-03T21:36:00.005-04:00

i've got wanderlust, for past eras. the 20's, 30's. i would really love to be spending these hot still days in a soft lazy manner and these breezy chirping nights in a whirling daze.

morning:

barefoot. tea & toast with jam while feeling the wind twist through the curtains of the kitchen window. catching sun rays with peripheral vision flickering on proximity glass.

afternoon:

barefoot. collecting wild flowers for an antique vase, laying in a field watching clouds change shape, bird songs, clinking ice cubes in iced tea, not a care in the world.

evening/night:

barefoot. a silk dress and champagne cocktails, wrapped around the hug of a handsome boy on a dance floor, swinging amongst wide open laughter, living aloud, a clock that doesn't know how to tell time.

.repeat.

i'd say it's about time for some free art.

i'm giving away the above piece, 'Ringmaster', a 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" original mini mixed media painting on stretched canvas.

the rules:

all you have to do is leave a comment on this post about what era you would time travel to if you could.

one entry per person. spread the word on your blog for a second entry. simply comment on this post with a link to your post. what the heck, spread the word however you'd like and just let me know here!

i will put all names into a proverbial hat and draw on Saturday June 11th at 8:00pm EST. please make sure you leave an email contact in your comment so i can get in touch with you if you win.

xoxo

la bonne nuit belle

a piece of a piece

2010-05-28T21:55:00.002-04:00

a little sneaky peek at another piece for the show (mentioned in post below), 'Mersey Thames'. A collaborative artwork between myself and Robin Luoma.

and you are?

2010-05-28T11:33:00.004-04:00

May has been a busy month, filled with bits of everything. I'm making my return to blogdom though, i need to get back to writing. Be they short, sweet, small posts for now, they will be there.

the news right now - a show! my friend, and fellow artist, asked me to collaborate on some paintings a few weeks back. she had gotten a show at a gallery downtown and asked me if i would "team up" to create something different. we have very different styles so it was a challenge and it was fun, it felt odd painting over someone else's work though i have to say. the theme of the show is Pop culture so we decided to base our works on our joint love for The Beatles.

we met in high school and while everybody else was listening to whatever it was they were listening to we were in the 60's. we listened to my dad's extensive record collection, we watched the Beatle movies over & over & over again (i can still quote along to them), we hung Beatle pics in our lockers, you name it. so this seemed a very fitting idea for us over 15 years later. our works aren't direct representations of the fab four, paintings of their images or anything. we've combined our styles to depict a vision of what their impact was on us. the above and below photo are sections of a piece we are (currently) calling 'Two of Us" (just like the song, no real stretch in title there, hahaha). Robin created the background with printed beetle images and i added the collage over top.

we're still working on a few last pieces, it's down to the wire now. the show is tomorrow, a night of art, music, food, and drink. i've been a painting nut for the past couple of weeks and it feels great!

a little snip of magic

2010-02-27T10:16:00.018-05:00

i've been spending a lot of time in fantasy lately. it's pretty cozy up here in my head. i'm so grateful for my imagination because otherwise, being stuck in traffic or on a rush-hour train would be cause for my institutionalization (i'm not a huge fan of tinned peas for lunch or shock therapy for dessert so, once again, phew).

wouldn't it be great to shrink down to the size of a field mouse and squeeze through a keyhole? who knows where that rounded morsel of light could take you?

******************************************

your imagination and desire for surprise lead the way as you're pulled up the door by a strand of dream towards the blurred beacon. upon reaching the top you hold your breath, close your eyes, and hope for the best. you step forward, a warm breath of air wraps itself around you and you're washed away in an ocean sound. bright lights in a spectrum of colour penetrate your eyelids yet calm you, you're on your way to bliss. you feel this.

when you land it's warm, there's stillness, you slowly open your eyes. you look around as the horizon comes into focus and after all those years of wondering what clouds taste like, a lilac-jasmine lands on your tongue. you knew it all along! you don't have much time on ground level to enjoy the sweet taste, a kite whisks you away on its ribbons and takes you to an old yellowed book page spelling out the definition of "wander";

–verb (used without object)

to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray: to wander over the earth.

it prickles your toes to walk on the words but you enjoy the sensation. a loud clang turns your head to the right, a footless man wearing a black and purple striped tie drops a teapot and tells you to run westward. you run in slow motion through molasses, swatting paper snowflakes out of your view. you end up at a halt gazing upon thirteen Russian dolls winking at you in Italian, a riddle you never expected to exist. They tell you to pick up three things; a page of white, a cherry branch, and a heart loved whole. Once you have collected the three you are to toss them into a shimmering northern lake and whisper "you have fallen from the things we never learned". a kiss will hit your lips.

Take whatever lessons you have gathered and put them in a glass jar in your pocket. Be it physical, emotional, dream, or thought, store it safely. Feelings are fragile if not kept properly... make sure to poke holes in the lid.

You will notice your pocket jar(s) are tied with an amber tether. The knots you tied yourself drip with a honey essence and cannot be undone without the belief in magic. To unleash a pinch of love whisper the words "simple me", to unleash a dash of truth speak softly "i will always".

Your being encounters doubt and reality at the same time, you now live in an environment of float and physical, pain and sensation. Be you at every waking minute, it's the only way to survive.

where art thou blue?

2010-02-20T18:32:00.001-05:00

“Oh! darkly, deeply, beautifully blue, as someone somewhere sings about the sky.”

~ Lord Byron ~

Following Dorothy

2010-02-07T19:11:00.003-05:00

Newest original art piece available in my shop. Measures 8" x 8" on wood panel.

The Other Side of the Tracks

2010-02-01T20:50:00.001-05:00

another new original painting for sale in my shop. Measures 16"x12" on wood panel.

Wonderland

2010-01-30T18:36:00.002-05:00

another little memory if Italy. i would love to walk through this door every day. imagine heading out for a sexy night on the town, wine and dancing, a pair of red high heels clicking across that floor. Italians know how to do it right!

prints available in my shop!

photographic, finally

2010-01-28T21:36:00.002-05:00

it's almost been a year since i adored Europe in the flesh. for two weeks i explored both Italy and Scotland and sadly, i have yet to post photos of the trip. so now, now i begin. these two are available in my shop and there are more to come.

top photo was taken in Riomaggiore and the bottom at Eilean Donan Castle. One sliver of Italy and one taste of Scotland.... for now.

a letter to green (and other colours)

2010-01-24T19:30:00.006-05:00

Dear Paint;

I love you, i truly do. I long to be with you, play with you, experiment with you. A smile crosses my face whenever i look down at my hands and find slivers of reminiscence of you under my finger nails. I know that you will always be there for me.

I'm saddened, however, by the fact that your lids keep breaking open on me. I simply wanted to take your top off yet you refused, fought back. I was forced to draft my teeth into war. My molars went to work, they bit down on your tiny cap while my hand twisted clockwise to unlock your colour. As i extracted your body from my mouth a carnage of green flooded the palm of my hand and lower lip. Your lid had not come unscrewed, it had broken at the top.

How am i to keep you fresh now? Why would you commit such a suicidal act? I suppose i can resort to cling wrap and tape but I'm not sure you are deserving of such measures. My darling, you are not the first colour/shade to do this to me, I am at a loss. Perhaps I should let you dry out to teach you a lesson? Who am i kidding, i can't do that. I can't AFFORD to do that. You are a series 4 colour, I need you! You have your talons deep in my flesh Mr. Sap Green Hue, I will let you live...... THIS time. I will use you in every single piece I create from now until your death, you're lucky i adore your hue.

Yours in anger,

Amanda

cove

2010-01-24T13:15:00.001-05:00

another new original piece in my shop! 10"x12" acrylic, mixed media, abstract on wood panel. free shipping within Canada!

my city in abstract

2010-01-21T22:48:00.003-05:00

just listed in my shop! 'Metropolis', an original abstract, mixed media painting. 10" x 10" on wood panel.

pig herder

2010-01-16T18:28:00.009-05:00

the date, Wednesday January 6th 2010, morning. a young 30 something girl is going about her extremely busy day at work when all of a sudden her legs begin to ache. she must have been sitting for too long. she climbs out from behind her desk for a little stretch, a lap around the office to get the blood flowing. she arrives back at her desk and sits back down, a chill flows through her entire body starting at the base of her neck trickling down to the tip of her baby toe. that damn HVAC system, why must it fluctuate from hot to cold so erratically? time travels on into the afternoon, the chills become more frequent and the aches more permanent. a headache begins to take up residence in the base of her skull. busy day indeed.

two thirty rears its head and our girl is ready to go home to die. the aches, chills, and headache have formed an alliance, this way they can gain strength and devour our hero at a faster pace. awaiting further information from two journalists, regarding travel the next day which our girl is booking, was keeping her from an early departure. at this point it was quite clear that something was not right. it was not due to extended periods of sitting nor was it the heating system in the office.

five o'clock finally appears and our girl drags herself to the subway in between flashes of hot and cold. time moves in slow motion.

fast forward to six thirty and a virus unleashed fully. our girl is immobilized, confined to the couch with a thermometer in her mouth. tiny beeping signifies the end of a reading, the device is removed from under her tongue to reveal the number 101.3. the final indication of REALLY sick.

yes it's true, i'm just getting over a lovely bout of Swine Flu. it was horrendous, i don't remember the last time i was so sick. the aches throughout my body were brutal, i couldn't sleep, couldn't find a comfortable way to curl up without pain. then there was the battle between hot and cold. at one moment i was freezing cold and the next boiling hot to the point of soaking wet bed-sheets (pretty, i know). i stayed home from work the next day, naturally, and my temperature stayed in the hundreds. when Damian got home from work i said "i think i need to see a doctor". he started the car up again and i struggled to get dressed. we drove into town to the nearest walk-in clinic. upon entering there was a notice posted on the door with a huge stop sign noting "if you have the following symptoms please ask the receptionist for a face mask right away". of course i had all of the symptoms so, i was entitled to sport the high fashion mask. on top of feeling sick i also felt embarrassed that i had to sit there amongst all of the other patients with this damn mask on. i was a straight up pariah, i should have been whisked off to an island of misfit sickies. Damian took care of my humiliation and made it a lighter situation, he took the pink sharpie out of my purse and began to draw a suave mustache and beard on my mask. i was no longer your average every day (possible) H1N1 victim, i was classy.

after a wait i was escorted into the doctors office where i was told, after noting all of my ailments, that i had just described swine flu to the T! a note was written to my work expressing my duration of quarantine, a prescription for Tamiflu jotted down, and i was on my way.

i was hoping the sickness would be done in a couple of days so i could enjoy my quarantine but no way. this thing was a nasty little bastard. a week after i was diagnosed i was just starting to get over it. i couldn't do anything except lay down. i couldn't eat, couldn't read, couldn't go online, couldn't even sleep (comfortably). it's now saturday and i'm feeling better, still coughing and short of breath but i have some energy back.

i had roses from Damian (along with pots of soup and loving care), calls from my dad and step-mom in Australia, flowers delivered from my Mum & Dad, calls from my little sister (who's baby shower i missed because of this pig bug) to get me through it. i highly recommend avoiding this beast if possible.... especially if you're a woman between 30-40 with asthma.... apparently i was in the highest risk group and was warned to "get thee to a hospital" at the slightest concern regarding breath. i'm thinking this is my fill of illness for the year, i've lost a week and a half of my life in this new year, this new decade, it's only fair i don't get sick again.

i'm not sure why the pigs are so ticked at me, i don't eat them and haven't done so for about 17 years. is it because i still like the smell of bacon when it's cooking? apologies little piggies, apologies all around.

thank you Maria-Therese.....

2010-01-03T17:29:00.003-05:00

... 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

2010-01-02T22:27:00.004-05:00

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

2009-12-28T20:45:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-21T21:43:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-15T22:48:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-13T21:00:00.005-05:00

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

2009-12-12T19:26:00.001-05:00

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

sometimes

2009-12-01T21:01:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-29T20:11:00.003-05:00

in which i make a confession to celebrity adoration

2009-11-27T20:27:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-24T17:14:00.006-05:00

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

2009-11-23T20:04:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-19T20:33:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-15T15:48:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-09T15:11:00.006-05:00

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'

2009-10-24T15:44:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-22T17:16:00.006-04:00

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

2009-10-20T13:05:00.006-04:00

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!

2009-10-15T12:34:00.013-04:00

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

2009-10-12T18:36:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-03T18:29:00.008-04:00

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

2009-09-24T13:16:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-22T23:04:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-21T15:17:00.005-04:00

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

2009-09-01T13:35:00.007-04:00

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).

night lights & sweet treats

2009-08-29T19:45:00.008-04:00

the end of summer is nigh. we Torontonians come to this realization when the CNE opens. personally i'm fine with the departure of summer, it's a been a wet one, and i'm ready for fall leaves and cozy sweaters. yum. so last night a group of us headed through the gates for an end of season tradition. i love carnivals, all the twinkling lights and mechanical sounds of rickety rides, the smell of popcorn and sugar coated everythings. it was a chilly-ish night and pretty windy, kind of perfect i thought.

damian and i got there before everyone else so we wandered the grounds and came across a creature dressed for the festivities lying on a quiet piece of alleyway. it was quite big, the biggest dragonfly i've seen. it looked like a carnival with wings with all of those colours adorning it. the poor thing was on it's back so we flipped it over but it still wouldn't fly away. damian picked it up and put it in a lush planter filled with the same shade of green that was on its little vest. we hoped there would be a happy union between insect and leaf and walked off.

we met up with everyone and travelled the midway for a bit admiring the glitter.

there's a real novelty with food at this place. most of it comes on a stick. there are your standards like corn dogs, candy apples, candy floss and whatnot. then there are you newer and in some cases, more challenging items like pickles, meat balls, and pizza. yes, pizza on a stick! the newest odd snack however did not reside on a stick, a plate was needed for this creation. i felt photographic proof was needed for whomever's brainchild this was. would you believe me without it?

can you imagine a pig walking by and seeing this poster? do you suppose he would shake his head and say "is this what we've been reduced to?" or do you think he would feel celebrated? i mean chocolate IS pretty delicious.

after the horror of the choco-pig heart attack snack wore off we headed into the buildings to see what sort of treasures we could find. i liked all the plants and Nick insisted on taking the standard "pretend you're stealing something right in front of the "no stealing" sign (with added illustration of handcuffs to really send the message home). we're so clever it hurts.

the first building was the "Useless Crap Nobody Needs And Will Most Likely Break After 2 1/2 Uses" building. or the "As Seen on TV" building if you prefer brevity. if you've ever doubted the Germans talent when it came to making shammies well, doubt no long for the proof is in the sign baby. right next to the Slap Chop! Vince wasn't there though which was an upset.

things were closing up so it was time to leave, but not without a bit of decadence first.

that's right, the Scottish known treat (which we never did find while we were in Scotland last month) of a previously naked and boring chocolate bar dipped into batter, fried, then dusted with icing sugar.... on a stick!

it was definitely time for drinks. we headed over to The Academy of Spherical Arts for a bit of atmosphere and cocktail loveliness. i love this place and have not been there in ages, this would be one thing i miss about living in the city. we used to live walking distance from it and although it is a bit on the pricey side, sometimes you just need to treat yourself to fancy. my favourite room was closed, the basement room called "La Belle Epoque". *click the link and take the virtual tour to get a, well, virtual idea of the ambience* i feel like i should be sipping absinthe with dearest Toulouse Lautrec when i'm in that room. the low light, the candles, the art nouveau scrolled onto the exposed stone walls. it's heaven in a cellar.

instead we headed upstairs into the Samuel May room. this is Damian's favourite room. it reminds him of an old fashioned gentlemen's club where you sip scotch and discuss politics.

after a few rounds we ran through the recently formed rain storm to Nick's apartment for a few more drinks. the evening ended with a tug-of-war match between a rope, a pug named Lucy, a miniature American Bulldog named Oakley, and me. the dogs won, i was outnumbered.

Damian and i stayed in the city last night, we got a sweet deal on a room at the Westin. this morning we decided to go back to the Ex for a second round. we weren't able to see everything last night so we thought "hey, we're in the city, why not?" today we came across a mini exhibit of the paranormal history of the CNE, right up my alley! they had old photos from the turn of the century, stories of ghostly encounters, bits of history that would have resulted in the unrest of the ghosts (for example, the midway was the site of one one the bloodiest battles during the war of 1812. people died there and now they're selling chocolate covered bacon to crowds of adventurous sweet toothed meat eaters. hmm.) there were photographs of gypsy fortune tellers in 1912 and this lovely lady. actually she's kind of creepy since she doesn't have a face. even still, i wanted her caravan.

look who else was there! those cute as a button Scottish designer boys, Colin & Justin. look at those Canadian kilt ensembles, Oo La La gents. i want them to heist my house, i wonder if they would travel north of the city to this little village? in fact maybe they could heist the whole village! you know, get those cars on people's lawns off the blocks etc. *apologies for the shameful quality of the photo, the lighting in that building is the pits*

so, a pretty fun time was had. trinkets and treasures were purchased (Damian spoiled me and bought me all sorts of bits & bobs) and sugary bad for you food was consumed. everything a trip to the carnival should be. i picked up the cutest strands of red flower lights from a Thailand booth to hang in my studio. photo to come once i hang them.

look what else i got, a fabulously glorious new hat. isn't it simply divine? i like to wear it on a slight angle to dress it up a bit more, to stand out from the crowd. i feel so feminine in it, like a classy woman staring at you from the pages of a fashion magazine. i blow kisses to you all from beyond my gauzy vignette.

Just A Boy

2009-08-26T10:10:00.001-04:00

I love Angus and Julia Stone. my brother introduced me to them a few years ago and sweetly brought me their album all the way from Australia (you can get it on itunes now so you can save on the airfare. though a trip to OZ can never be a bad idea.)

i want to live in this video. i want a mini elephant. i want to weave through night in a hot air balloon. it makes me want to build a little puppet theatre.

brightened

2009-08-22T23:06:00.002-04:00

here it is, a cleaner look! i'm sure the banner will change again because that's the way i am... always changing things (guess i get bored easy).

i've been doodling flowers lately, carnival-esque type flowers, they're so much fun to create. anyways, just a mini post to unveil the new look. now it's time to throw some paint down.

i love saturday night!

time to brighten

2009-08-22T12:47:00.005-04:00

Isle of Skye, Scotland

i'm working on a new layout, doodling out banner ideas and such. time to brighten this place up. i've been working more with ink and i love it, i've always loved it but for some reason i'm drawn to using it more lately. harder to get off the skin (my feet are currently stained with splashes of it) but who cares. sometimes i like to keep the messy bits on me to remind me of what i love. if i don't end up with paint, ink, glue, or whatnot on me somewhere then i feel like i didn't truly get into it. to dive into my art fully means i resurface multi-coloured.

so yes, a new look on it's way. right now though i have to go tidy our porch in readiness for a cozy idea i have. the screening really needs to be replaced but man, is it ever expensive to buy screen, sheesh. for now, to cover the holes the raccoons made, i will have to use my imagination.... and that's a much more fun place to shop than home depot.

a story of love

2009-08-13T21:05:00.005-04:00

along the white walled backdrop of my studio, to the soundtrack of Lykke Li singing 'Hanging High', the black spot fluttered. to & fro it drifted searching for everlasting love, dancing on dreams. it grew weary of being alone and craved the kind of companionship you only find in books. during a heavy sigh it looked downward upon a slight red shimmer caught in a light. it's heart started beating madly, uncontrollably, a beat four times faster than it was used to. was this the surge of love? was this the feeling songs and poetry were based on?

it dove down for a closer look. as it grew closer the red glow became richer, its heart thumping harder. it stopped an inch away and circled the edge, wondering how to make the first move. gazing into the red it realized the morphing in shades. at the immediate surface, closest to its feet, was a clear pinkish hue. slowly it graduated getting darker and darker downward until it rested in a beautiful ruby colouring. it tossed negatives and positives back and forth, could it work, could the ruby depths love it back with the same passion? it would do anything in return, it would lie, beg, steal, even die for just a sweet whisper of forever entwined.

it gathered up all of its courage and took the plunge, doing one more circle around the vessel containing it's Juliet. plunging down at fairy-tale speeds the tiny fruit fly touched down, gaussian wings first, into the delicate beaujolais. the glass captured it, the sea of cruel crimson grasped onto its tiny legs, holding it prisoner, drawing it under the pinkish hue. it gasped for air in panic as the shades of red became a hideous monster drowning him slowly. after seconds it relaxed its thoughts and fears and fell into the end. it wasn't a monster at all, it was his Juliet's embrace, its true love pulling closer to embrace. it died in her arms, floating on the surface, happy and at peace. loved at the last moment of flutter, a brief note in fairy tale history.

snow white & the seven dwarf bunnies

2009-08-13T15:43:00.007-04:00

we found bunnies! well, Damian did...while he was mowing the lawn *yikes*. two little guys were out for a wander in our long, summer rained on grass. their little movements caught the side of his eye, luckily. he stopped the mower and ran into the house yelling "i need you STAT!" of course i start to think "he's chopped a piece of himself off, oh no". i ran down the stairs and found him at the door, all in one piece.

we went outside and he said "follow me, quietly" we crossed our yard and he pointed at a tiny brown thing which i initially thought was a fallen leaf. to my happy surprise it was not. as we got closer one guy hopped off into the hedge which is where we wanted them to go, for safety. the other guy just sat there, we were able to crouch right down beside it and Damian even pet the wee beastie. it took a tiny shove but he finally hopped off as well. we thought it would be a good idea to scan the rest of the lawn just in case. not too far from where the first two bunnies were spotted was a patch of "different" grass, more thatchy looking. Damian crouched down and said "i found another one!" we slowly lifted the thatch up so we good give him a little nudge towards the hedge as well, he bolted. But.....

... there were 4 more underneath! a cozy little hole dug into our lawn for baby bunnies to nap in. i'm so glad two of them went for a stretch because if they hadn't, Damian wouldn't have known they were there. fear the thought. we managed to shoo them all hedge-ward and everything was fine.

for a good idea of scale, that's Damian's (gloved) hand in the top photo... how adorably small!

i'm starting to feel like Snow White with all these creatures taking up residence at our house. the cats, the bunnies, the skunk... i'm waiting for a bear! wouldn't that be fantastic? we'll start a little circus show!

on another note, i feel a blog makeover coming on. this one feels a tad heavy, time to lighten things up.

free, in progress.

2009-08-05T21:39:00.004-04:00

i finally did it, i ruined my Lulu "sweats". i knew it was time for a new pair for a while now, i mean i've had these ones for maybe 3 or 4 years. they're an expensive garment, comfy and bum magnificent, but still expensive. i didn't dare confirm to myself that they were in need of replacement. tonight though, tonight i brought them to a whole new level. in fact i brought myself to a whole new level. i now have no choice but to replace them if i want to wear such heaven on my next road trip.

you see, on a road trip comfort is key, right? who wants to sit in a car for hours on end in their cutest pair of skinny jeans? there's a bind in the legs (and secret no-no area) that's just the complete opposite of fun. Lulu sweats allow one to be comfortable behind that restrictive seatbelt and at the same time, look pretty stylish and "cute" when pulling into a rest stop for a stretch/coffee/tea/pee.

tonight i found myself tossing the old gals on in readiness for movie watching. alas, somewhere between my bedroom and the family room, an urge to make a mess hit me in the back of the imagination. i found myself in my studio picking up a canvas i had previously painted a pastel background onto. i threw the canvas to the ground, picked up a bottle of burgundy liquid acrylic paint and proceeded to squeeze it onto the aforementioned softness. from there i grabbed the nearest colour and spilled uncontrollably.

there's paint everywhere. on my hands, stomach, hair, floor, walls, and Lulu's. i now have the most expensive and comfortable painting pants and i love it. i can still wear them on road trips, covered in paint splash, and if people don't like it...well they can enjoy their secret no-no discomfort. tonight felt great, amazing, to just make a mess and not care what came out of it. i have to learn to trust that more, the not caring. most of the things that make me feel great come from not caring, just doing and BE-ing.

Seabear - I Sing I Swim

2009-08-04T15:29:00.001-04:00

a little bit of magic, inspiration, spill, happy, remember, play, music, escape on this grey rainy day. sometimes you have to make your own sunshine.

the weight of happiness

2009-07-21T15:52:00.012-04:00

i'm back, with much reluctance. i was tempted to throw a fit at security in order to stay in Europe. maybe say i had hand lotion in my carry-on bag and get tossed into some room to be interrogated as to why i would even think about bringing such a dangerous substance on board.

i will have to write a more in depth post about my travels when i'm not at work, minimizing the screen any time i hear footsteps. i just wanted to post a little something to say i was alive & well, not in some cider coma in a pub somewhere. also, it's a way to not stop thinking about what a fabulous time i had. i can't get back into the groove of reality, all i want to do is go back. i felt lighter in spirit than i normally do (hard to explain, not sure if it was the altitude or the weight of happiness).

i could keep writing, my whirling head is dying to spit everything out in grandiose detail. alas, it's almost time to go home, well, to dinner with my in-laws. i'll have to attempt impression with my Italian father-in-law with some of my newly acquired vocabulary. i also need to upload some photos, of which there are many (i went mad with that shutter release). the photo above was taken by my sister on the top of a hill on Skye. we hiked up it and it was like another world at the top. you can't tell from the angle but there was a huge drop below me, just where the brown grass line in the foreground meets the green. a cliff, straight down to the sea. sigh, i will try to describe the feeling of it in my next post but there's nothing like being there in the flesh.

ok, off i float. a glass of wine awaits me.

perthshire

2009-07-14T19:56:00.007-04:00

there is no photo above except for that which is in my mind (and the one which i would love to post if only i had a more "free" connection).

i'm adoring Scotland and am, in fact, tipsy (if not drunk) while typing this. i love pubs, real pubs, not the Disney World pubs we have at home but the actual pubs they're based on. pubs that harbour drunken little old men in their 70's whose legs dangle from stools set above red carpeting. red carpeting that matches the stain of years of drink in their noses and cheeks. the scent of long ago smoke fills the air and a million fingerprints dot the brass rail around the bar. local dogs are allowed in and curl up behind rickety stools and lick nearby patrons. i covet the history here, the feel of jovial ghosts hic-upping bubbles of ale.

tomorrow we are headed to the Isle of Skye. i hope for some time to climb a hill with my pocket paint set to idealise the scenery in my view.

the laughter coming from my temporay bedroom beckons me. my husband and brother are watching tv on my computer and i have to join them. i dare not say this trip is almost over. goodnight for now, perhaps the next post will be from reality. *i fear the thiought*.

i don't want to think of coming home, though i miss my kitties (crazy cat lady if i must be honest). i don't want "real" life to take over from this. i've grown quite accustomed to waking at my own pace and starting the day with a hike. a bottle of wine and fresh pasta or a wee pub meal have become my idea of lunch before another wander through history.

~ apologies for any spelling mistakes. spellcheck isn't working and i like wine ~

il dolce far niente

2009-07-11T02:23:00.010-04:00

i've been missing for a while but i have a good excuse. i'm in Italy! i've been here for a week now and actually, leaving today. just arrived in Lucca yesterday and it's the first place with internet.

i came here with Damian, my sister Kate, and her hubby Kevin to surprise my dad for his 60th birthday. our brother also came all the way from Australia. i couldn't say anything here about our plans or my major excitement in case he read it. we've had this planned with our step-mum since last year.

for the past week we've all been in Santa Margherita lapping up sunshine, the most amazing food, and copious amounts of wine. the above photo is of Vernazza, one of the towns in the Cinque Terre. i conquered all five in one day but that's a story for another post.

today we fly off to Scotland for a week! two places i have always wanted to visit and i'm doing them both in one trip. i wish i had longer in each place but north american vacation policies at work are poo compared to Europe. see, i've already gotten used to the way of life here, the passion for living, not sure how i will adapt back to rush rush rush back home. for now i will drink this up and continue exploring, photographing, and loving. perhaps another post from Scotland, if i'm not hiking a lush green hillside or in the pub that is.

ciao bellas.

prism

2009-06-21T20:38:00.005-04:00

i woke up feeling blue today, my head a whirl with all sorts of shades of it. Damian and i headed out for brunch with his dad for father's day and it was gorgeous outside, the first day of summer. i could smell the green stretched out before me on the passenger side of the road, the fields both overgrown and freshly cut. purple and yellow dots of petals softly harboured the line between the dusty brown road and the verdant pastures. i love dropping the window in summertime and turning my head into the breeze, if you close your eyes you open your nose to the menagerie of scents floating around. even the sky lends a particular sweetness.

after brunch we headed to a mall (yuck) in the hopes of finding some new summer clothes. no luck in that area, we immediately felt the pull downwards that a mall can create. tangled in the crowds of people we both started feeling the mean reds come on so decided to find the nearest exit out. just before our exit we came across an art shop. this mall is a huge new-ish mall and all the stores are outlets, i hate outlets. they always seem to have the most drab clothing and an over abundance in the irregular sizes. the prices may be low(er) but i'm not all over buying something i'm "settling for". on the other hand an outlet art store? now THAT is something i can have a little taste of. the price of canvas got me all excited, my new place for stocking up. i adore gallery wrapped canvas but it's more expensive than the standard. not here, here it's affordable. i couldn't decide what size to get, Damian stood there watching me with a smile on his face. he was aware of my interior blue shades and i think he liked seeing me in a place that made me happy. i had three different sizes lined up, studying them, eenie meeny miny moeing them, so hard to choose. in the end i chose the biggest one with a triumphant "i deserve it!", a sexy 36" x 48" gallery wrapped canvas joined me on my walk to the front of the store. before i had a chance Damian whipped out his wallet and slid his debit card across the counter. i protested but he said "it makes me feel good to buy this for you". i love him.

now i have a large space of white watching me from across my studio. it sits there stretched on a wooden frame awaiting life. it's incredible how intimidating it is, all of that open space, all of the possibilities, all of that white! i'll have to wait for a brave day to put that first spill of colour onto it. i tend to think way too much and it's obnoxious. just go for it, more often than not the best pieces come out of the mistakes. i have to trust this more.

next stop, Julia Roberts' closet

2009-06-17T13:38:00.021-04:00

in my last post i said i'd be back to write about a few things. one of those things was house sitting for Julia Roberts. before i get into that i just want to do a little shout out to the wondrous and delicious baking skills of my loverly Mum.

she's recently taken up a new hobby, that of cookie decorating. fabulous, gorgeous, splendiferous, iced biscuits that haunt my sweet tooth. so far i have only seen two of her creations, the above "etoile de mer" and the 2 dozen wedding cakes she made for my cousins shower last weekend. it was hard but i saved my cookies so i could photograph them, i think i rushed through the "shoot" due to the tempting looks they were giving me. they have found a new home now, on my hips. i set up a flickr site for my Mum so she could share her creations (and hopefully get a little biz later on). the wedding cake cookie is there too, check it out (and don't be afraid to comment, she'll love it!)

ok, Julia time. i toyed with making it sound completely legit then doing the old "it was all just a dream" thing but you know what? that's way overdone. so, my DREAM about being Julia Robert's house sitter.

It's bizarre really because i'm not a huge fan, i haven't seen a movie of hers in ages, yet she popped into my subconscious and asked me to watch her house for a while (the nerve of some people). the odd thing was, she was still there, wasn't on vacation or anything. anyways, one day i met a reporter whom Julia told me to avoid but rather than ignore him, i fell in love with him. i would invite him over to her house when she was out and we would wander the vast corridors of her mansion. he clearly knew the house well and told me of a secret room that only Julia and he knew of. for days i begged him to show me this room and he finally gave in. he took me to this narrow door at the back of her house and opened it slowly to reveal nothing but black, solid darkness. we walked inside yet he turned no lights on, he told me to be patient. it felt like we stood there in blindness for hours until all of a sudden a flickering haze of red light bled out of a corner. the haze grew bigger and brighter and changed from red to white. within seconds a full sized double decker bus appeared full of jovial people of all sorts, waving ribbons and throwing confetti. people were cheering and singing, dancing and twirling. there were bright bold skirts made of crinoline, top hats and red velvet waistcoats. rosy cheeks and feathers in hair, accordions and fiddles. colourful people on an otherworldly adventure. and all of this was tucked away in Julia Roberts' house. celebrities get everything.

i love when my dreams do that, go completely wild and unexplainable. what goes on in my head when i'm comatose blows me away. so much cheaper than going to see a movie.

where for art thou?

2009-06-10T22:27:00.003-04:00

i've been neglecting my blog, i should be ashamed. i've had thoughts and bits to write about even but have just not had the time. busy at work (le sigh) then coming home to do an intensive exercise routine with Damian. doesn't leave us with much time to do other things besides eat then go to bed. sad yes, but i am developing some biceps which are a new phenomenon on this bod.

i have however created 3 new pieces which are now for sale in my shop! I'm also still having a sale so swing on over and check it out.

i WILL be back soon to post about the kitties growing up (photos included), housesitting Julia Robert's house, and the enduring love of the handwritten letter. for now i must sleep. I can hear 'The Music Man" coming from the wall behind me, 76 trombones are leaking through the drywall. Damian loves that movie and is currently taking a trip down memory lane via the bed. sort of like "Bedknobs & Broomsticks", if you don't know what I'm talking about watch the movie. After you see it you'll question every bed knob you come across with an arched brow of "I wonder" curiosity.

to slumber i go. goodnight goodnight. here's to hoping for dreams of tall grass, wrap around porches, and flying kites.

out with the old...

2009-05-18T12:50:00.002-04:00

i'm having a HUGE sale in my shop, selling some of my pieces for crazy prices. Making room for new works. Check out the sale section, a couple of originals are even 50% off! Help a girl in her goal to escape the realm of 9-5. :)

saturday rambling

2009-05-16T20:26:00.006-04:00

i've been loving lemon lately, a fresh squeezed wedge of juice in boiled water, a "hot lemon" as my dad calls it. that tart burst of a piece of pulp that finds it's way between my teeth, it makes my eyes squint into a Renee Zellweger sort of face. i love it, keeps me on my toes. it's very good for you too, helps clean out that ol' liver.

speaking of Zellweger, Rob Marshall (who directed 'Chicago') has a new movie coming out soon that looks like a lavish feast of delicious for the eyes. the shots, the lighting, the costumes, the song, the sets, they all make my want to take up residence and settle down on a cozy piece of fantasy. not to mention Marion Cotillard is in it, yum! watch the preview and may your dreams be filled with shadows, sparkle, dancing, and maybe a bit of naughty afterwards.

i've been trying to upload a video to my blog but youtube isn't letting it work for some reason. it tells me the video will appear shortly but then... nothing. i will march on, keep trying.

~sometimes a post of randomness is good, good to write the way my brain thinks sometimes. so many topics rambling through at one time~

i'm about to enjoy a Spanish wine that i bought purely because of the label. i like to try new wines and i tend to let the label do a lot of the work in helping to choose a bottle. hey, if the liquor store isn't gonna give out samples i have to decide somehow. besides, how beautiful does this sound (from the back label), "... where sidewalk cafes fill to watch a vibrant world pass over the rim of a wine glass". that's where i would like to be every day.

back to the theme of movies, i'd like to someday write a screenplay. i took a night school course a few years ago and is it ever harder than you'd think. there's more technical aspects then i would have thought. it was fascinating to learn the back end of a craft that has captured my imagination and heart for so many years. Within the first 3 classes we were to come up with an idea, our film, and pitch it to the class. Hard work. of course the idea i came up with was one of the toughest types of screenplay to write, so said my teacher. i have a tendency to think large, and complex. my piece was an ensemble piece, the story of a man who finds out he has a year to live and who's wife and friends help him to live out every last one of his dreams. totally done before but hey, what hasn't been done before? at least i wasn't writing the script for the re-make of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (starring Mylie Cryrus & Zac Effron... *shudder* i fear the day). are there no more struggling writers out there with original ideas? what's with all the re-makes?

anyways, off i've gone on a babble. i'll be putting some pieces up for sale in my shop shortly, have to make room for new work!

goodnight moon.

wayward flight

2009-04-29T22:53:00.005-04:00

another new print in my shop. i get the sense my subconscious is focusing on a certain topic. running away seems so dramatic but FLYING away, now that has a more ethereal romantic quality. don't you think?

imagine flying away from all that is stale in your life, all that holds you down. closing your eyes and picturing a neverland of sorts in the near reachable distance. all you need to do is stand on your toes and blow a kiss to the sky with arms outstretched and you're off. wandering the clouds heading to an imagined somewhere. when you land no one will know you, you can start fresh and be who you were meant to be. no judgements, no worries, no time limits. everything flows to a natural breeze, nothing is forced or contrived. your smile tastes like raspberries and your deepest breath feels like a warm hug made out of love.

this is where the bird is soaring, that place in the imagination that can only be true if you believe it.