Your Yoko Ono

leaving las vegas... but not entirely

2012-01-27T17:51:00.000-08:00

I popped my Vegas cherry this month.

And this wasn't a deflowering of the goin'-steady-promise-ring-back-of-your-Dad's-station-wagon variety. This was a hardcore-group-orgy-girl-on-girl-on-pizza-guy-porn de-virgination (not literally, mom, not literally). In my mind, I'm a jump-in-the-deep-end kinda girl. But, truthfully, these days, age and bruise-memory typically steer me towards wading in gradually. There was no room for wading. We went all-the-way Vegas (it was consensual).

Sure, yes, it was a work trip. CES, in fact. And we worked hard. Full days on our feet, smiling through the hangovers, shaking hands with shaky hands.

Proof.

I lost weight from replacing sleep and food with Red Bull (who AM I!?). Something I couldn't manage to accomplish by eating salads and practicing yoga FOR A WHOLE YEAR. Is being healthy overrated?

(Full disclosure: my yoga/salad routine was intermittent and littered with burrito break-downs and way too much curry. Plus, I don't even like Red Bull.)

And... I gained back every pound in Utah a week later (next blog, peoples!). Back on salads.

So, well, here's the problem: this other facet of me was born (or better yet, re-born, born-again) in this strange, sleepless city. The dormant can't-stop-dancing party girl of my early 20s came alive again. Was I happy to see her? I'm still not sure. She's complicating my life back in the real world. She saw a poster on Pinterest this week that said "DO EPIC SHIT". She liked it. She adopted it as her mantra for 2012. Hubby reacted with a Marge Simpson-esque grunt. He is not amused. He prefers the adult me better, maybe. But will he ever understand unless he experiences it for himself? It's not really his bag. Yet, i didn't think it was mine either.

My overactive imagination has me wondering: was that the REAL me? Is the rest of this just pretending? Panic attack! It's true that I feel like an overgrown child most days. That I'm playing dress-up. I shared these concerns with Alex and he said, exasperatingly, that I'm having a quarter-life crisis. That perked me up 'cause it means I'm living FOREVER!!! (Or, until I'm 132, to be precise.)

OK, so, it's like this dude I saw on Dr. Phil last week (I was at the gym, OK? Don't judge.). He had infantilism or a "baby fetish", as in he liked to wear diapers and be spoon fed and sleep in an over-sized crib (all "non-sexual" of course. riiiight...). But when the good Doctor asked him if it was hard to keep up the baby act, he said that sitting there in adult clothes sans diaper was the acting part. That the real him was the baby. OK, a severe comparison, maybe. But what if Vegas-me IS me??? Or at least a tiny part of me?

Melodrama. Obvi.

Really, maybe I just need more dancing in my life. And maybe "DO EPIC SHIT" doesn't have to mean base-jumping or quitting my job to pursue a career as an R&B back-up dancer (I WANT TO SOOOO BAD) or moving to Morocco or getting Nicki Minaj bum implants. Maybe it just means being that jump-in-the-deep-end girl that I imagine myself to be. Maybe it's just going out-out more. And wearing my purple sequined hat or my "fashion turban" no matter how many new nicknames I might acquire at work. And drinking extra dirty martinis past midnight on a Thursday. Check, check and check. "Epic 2012" is off to a good start. Getting the Mister on board is my next feat.

I'm committing a big Vegas no-no. I'm not leaving it all behind. What happens in Vegas... follows you home and moves into your house and stays a while? Epic.

Clearly my experience can't quite be explained in words or photos, but I'll give it the good Vegas try. Enjoy.

[ Gah. I need to go home. ]

a fairy tale.

2011-12-12T17:54:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time (oh, about two weeks ago) one girl sewed and cut and bled her heart out to get ready for an Etsy holiday sale. Now, that sale has sailed. It wasn't quite the success she had hoped, but she shared good cheer with friends and fellow crafty folk. So, what of the oodles of crafted wonders leftover from the show, hauled lovingly by her Prince back to their shared castle in the kingdom of the Annex? Well, a good fairy swooped in and bought the whole lot for her little shop in wee Roncesvalles Village. Need I mention that they all lived happily ever after?

---

Yeah, that was my Etsy/West Elm sale experience. Maybe a little sour but mostly sweet. I am SUPER happy to have been included, and am overwhelmed by the love and support from friends, even if I didn't have a heap of sales.

[ my little nook ]

[ dudley & bea - squeaky bones and jingle mice! ]

My fairy is Nadia, the lovely owner of Fetch, a cute little pet boutique in the west end. It's my first foray into the wholesale world (at least since I became Dudley & Bea) and it's just the right fit for a girl who's also holding down a full-time job. Who knows, maybe I'll branch out in the springtime. But for now, I'm pretty happy to have a little brick-n'-mortar action, especially in the 'hood which may soon become our new home. OK, that's premature, but my sights are set westward! It's all a part of my master plan: Project Babymaker. In good time, my pets.

[ 367 Roncesvalles Ave in Toronto ]

In other craft news, I lament my tardiness in getting my City of Craft application done in time.

It was darn good this year, at least traffic-wise. As a customer, elbowing my way through the shopping process was less than pleasant. But those crafty sellers had dolla-dolla-billz-y'all in place of pupils. Darn, I could have used some of that action. Ah, well. I did OK, though: I sold Lindsay two of my squishy pet bowls bootleg-style in the middle of the aisle. Illegal soliciting. One step away from a meth lab, right? Also, I snagged some stocking stuffables for Alex and some yummers cinnamon lip-balm.

Other highlights were Bespoke Uprising (burlesque tea-towels!), Julie Moon (ceramic poppy earrings!) and homemade curries.

I'm still a far cry from Christmas completeness, but mom passed down her superior shopping gene so I'll be allllright.

[ happily ever after image by type posters on Etsy ]

holiday etsy picks!

2011-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I won't be doing any more Etsy shopping this year, even though the plan was to buy 100% handmade. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT! But, I missed the shipping window. Lovely handcrafted wonders will just never get here in time no matter how hard they try. Even the "I think I can" mantra is useless at this point, mere DAYS until xmas.

(And I'm surely too cheap to pay for expedited shipping.)

I've added many Etsy gems - both vintage and handmade - to my favourites recently. Why? Well, mostly I live in a daydream cloud. Reality shmeality. My feet might be tripping over the slightest deviation in the actual ground, but in my wonderful bubble, I'm floating gracefully over mountains of Pink Berry yogurt (vanilla, of course).

I've referred Alex and my mom to my Etsy collections for gift ideas, but they'll be plum outta luck on the shipping front, too. No wonder Santa doesn't use Canada Post. Smart dude. Miracles aside, these won't end up under my tree. But a girl can always dream, can't she?

Holiday Etsy picks inspired by:

candy canes • fireside romance • fancy-grown-up-lady parties • rosy cheeks

Vegan Shoes that are WAY too cute to be vegan shoes. (SOLD during the writing of this post. Frownsy face.) Roni Kantor Vintage

A little Princess Di, no? Green Satin Clutch $15, unavesmas2

I'm going skiing in Utah in a month. And, well, this just feels right. Buffalo Check Scarf $18, Simple Vintage

Too adorbs for eating! Much to hubby's chagrin, I've recently started mounting plates on the walls. Finch Plate $24, Tree House Club

I'm too old for this, right? Heart Headband $40, Giant Dwarf

Stamped Spreaders $24, Simply Sweet Studio

Oh! wouldn't this look lovely on our new art-wall? Montreal Pennant $18, Tree House Club

Oh the things I could make! Chevron Fabric, $11/yard

Very happy feet. Snakeskin Socks $28, Strathcona Stockings

Red Vintage Clutch (SOLD during the writing of this post. Boo.) Steel City Vintage

Won't you drop by my lovely winterized cottage in the mountains for some delish crudités on my chic vintage nordic dinnerware? (You'll see, I'll mean it one day.) $62, The Fancy Lamb

Saddest Etsy dog ever. Sled $100, The Fancy Lamb

Best for wrapping! Washi Tape Dispenser $27, Sugar B. Supplies

If you manage to secure the services of a reindeer, you're welcome to buy me anything on this list!

Merry shopping! • Buy handmade!

a handmade holiday!

2011-11-27T18:26:00.001-08:00

This is happening. Today.

And I'm only blogging about it now at the very, very last minute because, well, I've been busy sewing my face off to get ready for it. Oops. But if you know and love me, I've already told you and you're already coming. The rest of you: go. Spontaneity is good for you.

While I had planned to write a proper post, this will have to do. Short, sweet and riddled with typos.

So yes, stop by your local West Elm store for snacks, DIY workshops and shopping local Etsy sellers. But most importantly, visit the Liberty Village location in Toronto. That's where I'll be. Bleary-eyed from all-night sewing and baking. I'll be selling my Dudley & Bea goodies, including new products that you'll just have to see in person!

Oh, and BRING CASH. I'll accept PayPal via the iPhone app, too. Many small vendors are unable to accept debit and credit cards.

I'll be sharing the spotlight with these lovely folks - my fellow T-dot-Oh Etsy-ers:

The Penny Paper Co.

Better Stay Together

Tiny Poppies

Setsuko Studio

Every Bear Jewel

Get there: 109 Atlantic Ave., Toronto

Whimsy.

2011-11-11T11:22:00.001-08:00

I wore a hat to work on Friday.

While it drew confusion ("What is that?") and tons of ribbing from my all-male office-mates (nothing new, really), it actually means I must be in a good mood. And I stayed that way, even after they drew this comparison:

I'm prone to flights of whimsy, and I might be in the midst of one of those. There's something about hats.

(cue nostalgia, switch to italics.)

I feel like watching The Wizard of Oz with my sister in footed onesie-pajamas and fast-forwarding (y'know, 'cause we're watching it on VHS) to all of the singing parts. LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS!

I want to play with My Little Ponies and Puffalumps. Eat Kraft Dinner with cut-up hot dogs (veggie, of course). Make greeting cards with glitter-glue. Giggle incessantly.

I want to collect Jem & The Holograms stickers and trade them for Jelly Bellys and Lip Smackers.

But I'll just rely on my imagination. I suspect that such behaviour would be very unbecoming in a girl of 30-ish, yeah? In some ways, I never managed to grow up. Playing adult, though, can get exhausting (I've never considered myself a full-fledged grown up. When do you know? Is there an initiation? A sign?).

So, while I'm stuck (mostly) abiding by societal guidelines for my almost-adult age bracket, I'll never stop secretly playing make-believe. Like my never-shed baby-fat, I think I just haven't yet shaken that last little bit of my childhood sense of wonder. Sure I'm cynical and crotchety like 90% of the time, but there's still some frolic left in this girl.

In an homage to my fits-of-giggles mood this week, I've plucked a little whimsy from my favourites on Etsy.

Great finds inspired by: dollhouses, dress-up, fairy tales, birthday wishes, sing-a-long, innocence + lime popsicles.

What IS this magical little place? (Terrarium, Sea & Asters $25)

Big, bigger, biggest! (Jye big hair bow $35)

Trade'ya for your skipping rope. (Lemon Citrus lip balm set $22)

I need this. I have NO place to put it. No place at all. But I need this. (oversized 'W' by Hinsvik $125)

Oh, hello yourself. (necklace by Piano Bench Designs $47)

Dapper. P.S. These lovely folks also make pillows that look like cherry pies! And PB&J sammies! (Diffration Fiber $26)

All-time favorite scent: grapefruit. Do they still make scratch n' sniff stickers? Confession: I really clicked on this listing for the miniature dog. Lovely attention-to-detail on the product styling! (Prunella Soap $6.75)

Wee pony! Of my very, very own! Oh, my sister would have DIED for this. I would have made her sooo jealous. (Royal Mint $75)

Washi tape forever and ever. (Pretty Tape $4.50)

Mom had a tin just like this, but maybe without the knob. Often it held cookies. (The Magic Attic
$20)

Matcha marshmallows. Mmmmmmmmm! (Fusion Sweets $10)

Wha? Rings made from SKATEBOARDS? Man I could have snagged a real stud in middle school with this baby. (Seven Ply $22)

Well, OK, off to do big girl things. Like making dinner for my husband and paying bills. Not quite as fun, I'm sure.

l'halloween!

2011-11-10T20:24:00.001-08:00

We can't disappoint. Not now. Not after 6 years of blood-sweat-and-hot-glue costume-making.

My mother says she knew Alex was "the one" when he agreed to be hauled half way across town to a costume party. In May. Several months yet until Halloween. After only 2 months of dating. Surely a boy with this much enthusiasm for playing dress-up was meant for me. Match! Made! In! Heaven!

We even discovered that we had both painstakingly (and separately) recreated separate characters from The Royal Tenenbaums on the same Halloween BEFORE WE EVEN MET (ahem, the second/adult time). That year I cut seven whole inches off my (then blonde) hair mere minutes before a party and smoked half a pack of cigarettes (I was a non-smoker) so as to be unfailingly Margot.

He already had the hair. And the sad eyes. A perfect Richie. Or so I'm led to believe. Without proper photographic evidence, I can only speculate.

Knowing his dedication to Halloween (he's a purist), I'd betcha he was spot on.

Maybe we'd have (re)met this way, instead of via a fated newspaper photo:

Perfect.

But ever since we did meet (against not quite as heartbreaking a soundtrack) we planned out our costumes each summer, scouring thrift shops, trimming wigs, sewing faux fur, and hot-gluing 1000s of sequins late into the fall. We earned ourselves a nice little reputation for our costumes. A retrospective:

2006: Black & White (yep, this is a full-colour un-touched photo!)

2007 Pan + Hook

2008 Mr. Tumnus + The White Witch

2009 - Fisherman + Lunch

2010 Katy + Russell

This year, however, we somehow lost our spirit. It was just days before the big day when I decided: NO, we can't skip Halloween. What? Us? No. So we decided on a costume that would be simple, require no sewing, gluing, or epic shopping trips. Our costumes cost $15 each and only required a little planning and painting. Cheap, yes. Simple, sure.

But yeah, 2 days of straight painting due to the unexpected transparency of the cheap craft acrylic. Sigh.

We have a penchant for self-torture. How very appropriate. I think, in the end, we were glad we didn't snub best-day-of-the-year. The result was pretty cool:

Maybe next year we'll just buy big gorilla masks.

Yeah... no. I may or may not have a few ideas up my sleeve for next year. Easy this time. Really.

handmade heaven

2011-11-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm all a-flutter.

I was handpicked by Etsy to be one of five Toronto designers to showcase wares at a holiday sale at West Elm next month. Wow. I wasn't actually ready to do any shows this year, but for this, I can make miracles happen. My definition of "miracles": all-nighters, bribing hubby to pull crafting duty and sustaining stress-related injuries/ulcers while I bite off more than I can chew. This ain't 34th Street. Magical, yeah? Depending on my success at the show, I may end up with heaps of stock... which could actually mean that I might (just barely) squeeze in a wholesale deal before Christmas. See? Deadlines are good for me (aside from the ulcer part).

Yet still, here I am: blogging instead of sewing.

In the spirit of handmade (a spirit I'm summoning a lot these days), I'm sharing some of my recent Etsy faves - handmade and vintage wonders from little vendors (like me!) all over the globe.

While my last picks revolved around mustard hues and cozy textiles, I'm getting a little darker this time: It must be the weather. And the early-setting sun. I'm nestling in for hibernation (ahhh, if only!) and this is my gear.

• rust, wool, capes, dreams, woodlands, photographic memories •

just for show. too hipster or what? (brando's funky finds $30)

i believe in fancy panties. (hopeless $65)

travel itch. (hunt and found $58)

dog obsession. always. (photo by Lucy Snowe $20)

oh beautiful tweed camera bag, where WERE you when I needed you. see what you've put me through? (Mari Forssell/Stash $189)

dreamy, nostalgic fear. (protostar prints $11)

mmmm, man-smell. (Roots Soap Co. $25)

i could live in the woods forever. if only i had this uniform. (Cape, Stray Cat Studio - $65)

whimsy. (silk purse, sow's ear $15)

baby-fever seeps into blog-land again. my kids will obviously wear orange plaid hooded capes. they will be peculiar. inevitably. (by April Scott - $55)

My future. (Photo by Amanda Keaton $30)

stomp. (Ann Marino booties - Mountain Meadow Vintage $65)

---

Oh, and come see me, won't you? At my show in December, remember? West Elm, Liberty Village, Toronto - December 1st, 6pm.

an apple a day

2011-10-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

I don't think Buy Nothing Month is supposed to be over, but it did last a good two (maybe three) weeks at least. At least. Sigh, we lack self-discipline.

Despite spending money when we shouldn't, today was amazing.

Alex and I and a rented Toyota hit the road for some adventurin' on this perfect October day. We picked apples. We breathed in farm smells. We scavenged through antique treasures. We pretended to scope out real estate. We sipped lattes. We almost never came back.

Oh, and it was the most amazing opportunity to put my new toy to the test! My iPhone 4s came in the mail Friday and it did not disappoint. My DSLR barely left the car the entire trip. Here are a few snaps from our day-trip, shot entirely on a phone. A phone!

Apples, by Apple:

etsy-love!

2011-10-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

[ photos via Le Animalé, Happiknits & Shutterography on Etsy ]

I sold 5 items on Etsy this week - it's a good week that way! My only issue with Etsy, as Regretsy has amply demonstrated, no curation means that the floodgates are wide open to bad, bad art. So, finding great things on Etsy tends to require a little digging.

Listen: it's worth it.

Not only am I a seller on Etsy, but I also do a fair bit of shopping on it too. Ususally my shop earnings just get rolled back into Etsy in some way, whether I'm buying fabric yardage and supplies, an amazing vintage necklace, or a cute illustrated print. I love supporting fellow small biz owners.

Yesterday, I was perusing my "Favorites" on Etsy - just a collection of things that I've hearted over the past couple of months, and page no. 1 looked almost intentionally curated. It could almost be a treasury of it's own... mmm, making Etsy treasuries - one of my favourite time-wasters.

Themes were definitely emerging: I'm obviously loving mustard this season. Anything in that rich earthy yellow has been catching my eye these days. Also, season-appropriate chunky knits, of course. Cozy-times.

OK, these hearts are too good not to share:

natural wool hand-crocheted leg warmers ($30) by donkey & lemon

royal tenenbaums poster by adam juresko

fine art photo print ($20) by karin A photography

le animale fox earrings $30

OMG pennants by rank & file $18.50

pom-pom flowers ($12.50) by steph loves ben

kelsey genna 'beatrice' dress $190

umbu sewing pattern chandelier $200

chunky cowl scarf ($80) by happiknits

french bulldog print by shutterography $18

dandyrions fox sweater $55

Staycation (Craft Week!)

2011-10-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

(from The Repurposed Library)

I booked the week off. For no reason whatsoever.

It's great. It's really just the greatest.

Except that I'm sick. I spent Day #1 pouting and eating soup and watching back-to-back episodes of so-bad-it's-good TV (err, Drop Dead Diva. Any fans?). But yesterday, Day #2, I said eff you bubonic-devil-cold, eff you. I DID sleep in a little, but was far more productive.

The purpose of this week was inteneded to be productivity + relaxation. I can't quite manage the latter. Unless it's forced upon me by, say, being sick. Well, there you have it. Success?

Anyway, I'm trying to prep for the holidays, Etsy-wise and just maybe get my Dudley & Bea goods into at least one retail shop before Christimas. It's not that the interest isn't there. Really, I've has wholesale requests from shops in Toronto, Florida, Austin, and even Australia. It's my readiness. I'm not ready. During my previous crafty venture, I rushed things. I didn't nail down my methods or patterns or even a cohesive style. This time, I'm doing it right, dammit! So that's what this week is about: getting closer to "right".

Also, this week is about: hot yoga, brunches with mat-leave moms & night-shift friends, finally getting my passport updated, blogging like crazy, cleaning out the basement, painting the washroom, painting (as in canvases! as in art! as in omigosh I'm using my big expensive art school education for once!), finishing the art wall in our bedroom, and crafting while devouring season 3 of The United States of Tara. All while Alex is at work. I might also book a facial or a massage or a pedi. There should be something a little lavish in this mix, yeah?

Since much of my Staycay (or as I've been calling it: Craft Week) will be spent DIY-ing, here are some images that have inspired me:

So we bought some old maps at a flea market in Kingston this summer (that's Alex thumbing through the box)...

I've framed a vintage Pacific Ocean Floor map and I'm contemplating these for the rest:

On the same antique adventure, we snagged some burlap coffee bags and they'd be pretty awesome as a makeshift bulletin board:

All of this is part of one big masterpiece: the yet-untouched accent wall in our bedroom. It's been sadly empty for so long, but I've been working on Alex to recreate something like the below. He's in.

I'm also painting. "Starving Artist" is one of my many alter-egos. I put enough money and time and blood and sleep loss into becoming the illustrator that I never actually became. It's nice to get a little pay-off occasionally. Even though I was never really cut out for starvation.

I'm painting jellyfish. Too much Blue Planet, I guess. Or Saturday-morning Spongebob. Too much TV.

I'm still fussing with the water. I'm no longer fully confident wielding a brush.

This inspired me:

My equally craft-loving friend Cathie bought me this book (The Repurposed Library) for my birthday. A book-cum-lampshade project is calling my name. If painting in the living room has taught me one thing, it's this: the place is a bloody cave. DIY lamp to the rescue! How does once craft project always spawn six more!?

I'd like to say that's it, but I've managed to fill my to-do list with an impossible number of projects for just one short week. During half of which I've been sick.

Stay tuned for the craftermath....

Raindrops on roses, yo.

2011-09-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

( print by Tender Beasts on Etsy )

I'm good, I'm good.

See: I've cycled through my woman-time and the six (seven?) levels of grief regarding the bad news (still a secret, though I've told like 18 people now) and I've perked up like my partially-dehydrated houseplants when I remember to water them. Which, by the way, is rarely. But, now my metaphor doesn't work. I'm usually perky. Much UNlike my houseplants. Gah. (Trying not to delete and rewrite. Must. Keep. Writing.)

This sole houseplant is surviving/thriving (somehow). Much like me. (Stop)

I'm bouncing around like myself in new shoes today. These:

But if you were aware of my "Buy Nothing Month" pact with Alex (well, now you are), don't worry: they were purchased last week and just arrived in the mail. Segue: We bought a couch. I could say that we needed one, but not in the way you need, say, water. Or air. But in the same way I need a new winter scarf: the old one is tattered and sorta embarrassing. It was the black spot/sheep in our decor transformation (4 years of on-a-dime DIY blood-n'-sweat). We didn't have the money but it was 70% off and we couldn't wait. Alas, to justify it, we are currently suffering through self-imposed "Buy Nothing Month". Toilet paper and TTC tokens and groceries are exempt. We're even allowing movie rentals, in the event that we watch everything worth watching on Netflix (we have).

Inhale.

I hold my breath while typing.

So, I can't shop, but it's not preventing me from looking. And maybe filling my virtual shopping cart. And maybe hovering a shaky hand over my wallet. But no. We need to pull up our socks. I have baby fever and I told Alex that I want to be preggers in less than 2 years (my mother is, at this very moment, jumping around and popping corks and buying a crib). Whoa.

My sister says that the best part of my blog is that I can never stay on topic. Happy, Jill-mu?

OK, back on track. Yes. I started a "3 Things" theme a while back and planned weekly posts of my top three loves of the week. Flaked out. Then I figured I'd re-brand it as a "Favourite Things" (Sound of Music-themed) weekly post, because being bound to finding exactly 3 things was stifling. I bailed on that too. But maybe a loosely bi-weekly/when-I-feel-like-it schedule will work for me.

Today, I feel like it.

Here are a few of my brand-new very favourite things!

1. DIY Muppets!

Whaaaaaaat? THIS IS THE BEST THING. EVER. OF ALL TIME. Alex is grumpy about it because he can't get a beard AND hair on the same Muppet. But he should suck it up because THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. Also, he loves Muppets as much as I do. Which is a lot.

2. Dog Print Leggings (and pretty much everything in the Qoo Qoo Etsy shop)

I obviously need these. I am obviously not crazy enough about my dogs. Your dogs. Any dogs, really. I bought a locket last week. It has two slots for photos. Alex didn't make the cut. DOGS IN BOTH SIDES! Everything by Qoo Qoo is so bloody cute. "Buy Nothing Month", you are my arch nemesis.

3. Ryan Gosling/Polygamy

We saw Drive last night. (Another exemption: it was our anniversary. GET OFF MY BACK!). While the film wasn't totally my thing (Art House meets Slasher. Meh.), it was beautifully shot and is TWO HOURS OF DREAMY! Oh, Ryan Gosling. Stop being so damn melt-y. I'll even give up Jason Schwartzman AND Adrian Brody AND James McEvoy for you.

Not since my chest-pain inducing crush on every member of NKOTB (except Danny) some 20 years ago have I felt so utterly heart-smashed over a perfect stranger. And I'm married. Inappropriate, what!? But somehow, as every hetero woman in the world can attest: it's unavoidable. Disclaimer: this is clearly Wonderland and has no impact on my real-life man-crush/house-husband. Though, I have contemplated polygamy-friendly states for our next move.

I fear for the safety of his next GF. Selena Gomez, much? Ravenous 30-somethings are perhaps more dangerous that their pre-teen counterparts.

4. Dogs jumping rope!

No. I stand corrected. THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. Maybe I can buy the Qoo Qoo leggings and teach my dogs to jump rope with me and we jump rope together (avec leggings)? Maybe Qoo Qoo will make me custom leggings with the head of "Mayonnaise", the world-record rope-jumping dog (complete with pink/blue ears) as a repeating pattern? Maybe they can make matching leggings for my jump-roping dogs? Maybe Alex will leave me and I will become the dog equivalent to the crazy cat lady. (Don't leave me)

[ Photos via: Pinterest, FAO Schwartz, Guinness World Records, Etsy, Qoo Qoo, Aldo, Tender Beasts, Urban Home, Me ]

One of those moods.

2011-09-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

I couldn't muster the interest/energy/enthusiasm for writing a complete blog at any point in the past week, so I'm amalgamating multiple drafts:

Friday:

I usually refrain from "language" on this blog due to the heavy mom-content in my readership. But this is surely an exception.

Phone call: there is news.

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

Just ugly-sobbed on the phone with my Dad. Manic-daughter stuff is usually Mom's territory but she was in the hot tub.

Saturday:

Speechless.

Sunday:

Blurry.

Monday:

I shouldn't listen to sad music when I'm bummed. It's Monday. It's raining. The current state of things in the outer world are mimicking my inner world. Prophetic fallacy.

I should resume my short-lived stint as a (hobby) poet. Teenage angst flashbacks.

OK, taking things into perspective: I have my health. No one is dying. Love is blooming (still). I adore my job. I'm being social. Life is beautiful.

But still. I have news. The worst part is that the way I deal with crappy things is to blab about them incessantly. Oversharing is super-cathartic. And I CAN'T. Arrrgh. I will be able to share very, very soon, but for now: zippity-do-dah.

Tuesday:

Feeling better today. Flights booked for my work/personal trip in January (and Alex is joining me for part of it!) so I have something fun to anticipate. Yay!

You know I'm a glass-half-full kind of girl and I always bounce back. Turning anger and frustration into positive productivity right now. OK, you want to kill me. Dawn thinks I'm preggers. Or moving. And my secrecy (my RARE secrecy) is killing her. These are not my guts to spill, though. They are the guts of another, and I have vowed to carefully guard them until the appropriate time. Hurry up!!!

Look: Tuesday = much better than Monday. Plus it's sunny. And NOT Monday. Already things are looking up-up-up!

Wednesday:

I think I have a cold from biking for half an hour in the pouring rain. I know that this is not actually possible: you get sick from germs, not inclement weather. But again, maybe I'm just having a psychic connection to the weather.

Heard that the stupid secret is spreading around more than it should be. But it won't be traced back to me. Nope. Unless my Dad takes a notion and decides to open a Twitter account and take on the gossip-mill as a hobby. Nah, I get my big mouth from my Mom.

Still kind of hoping this has been a week-long dream.

Nope.

Thursday:

Realized that my mood/lethargy can be mostly blamed on PMS. Although I'm pretty gutted about the incident-that-will-not-be-named, I think girl-problems are really the culprit for my sourness. Meaning: next week should look up! And maybe next week I can talk this thing to death, too. Waiting for the green flag.

Mom: You'll be fine.

Me: I always am

Mom: You always are.

This funk I'm in doesn't fit. It feels sticky. And wrong. Off to sweat out bad vibes in hot yoga. Promise: more divulging and less pouting next time!

(images: art prints by Pocket Carnival and Kathy Panton on Etsy)

Crunchy leaves & cardis... it's Fall!

2011-09-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

My must-haves for fall? Sadly, basics. It's not super exciting, of course, that my wish list is stacked with practical staples and classic/basic silhouettes. It's all about stretching my very limited wardrobe budget, though. My real wish list in the true sense of the term (read: unattainable/only- in-dreams) would be far more daring, bold and fun. And yes dispensable and expensive. But to even dream about it would be torture. So let's pretend we didn't even go there.

It's kind of fun to have style with no money - you work harder, but the pay off is awesome ("Guess... just GUESS how much I paid for this!"). Reverse snobbery.

I just want to recreate these. With no budget.

[ Am I too old? Can I pull this off? I'll surely try. ]

It's no secret that half my outfits are composed (artfully) with a mish-mash of vintage, hand-me-downs, clothing swap gleans, rejigged last-season pieces, Etsy finds, and a good dash of scores from the sale racks at Zara and FCUK. Eclectic is a bloody cliché term, but I guess it's appropriate in my case.

Anywaaayyyy, I'm stuck with seriously little to spend as the weather cools and I gear up for my favourite fashion season. But Dayna, don't you have a real job now? Yep. But I also have a real musician for a husband. I also have real debt from a year of being between jobs (or as I put it at the time: "freelance"). So yeah, I have to be smart these days. Remember when 100% of your income went to fun stuff? Man, those were the days. The effin DAYS, man.

I'm determined to still have fun with this exercise: stretching my bucks and making practical purchases doesn't have to be as ho-hum as it sounds.

Here's the plan.

My Top Picks for Fall:

1. I'm super set in the leggings department. I happen to own the rainbow. THE rainbow. But I'm kind of dying to make the above-the-knee socks thing work. OK, I don't have the legs for it (anymore) but if I can take just ONE fashion tip from the Hooters gals: double-up on the nylons. I might, just might, be able to pull this off with some serious nylon action to help with the danger zone between the top of the socks and the bottom of the shorts. We'll see.

asos.com

2. Winter shorts. Cuffed, high-waisted, woolly. An alternative to skirts and dresses and part of my plan to rock the school-girl socks (tastefully).

asos.com

phillip lim $445

top shop $75

3. Easy dresses. Shirt dresses, tent dresses, sweater dresses. Short-ish and perfect for pairing with leggings and boots OR tights and flats.

stella mccartney $935

michael kors $135

river island $70

4. Cardis that pop. Fun prints to break up the neutrals and solids. Ahhh, layering! It's just the loveliest part of dressing. I could go for wide strips or pin dots. Or just wow-colours!

J.Crew $49

Madewell $85

5. Chunky knit/wool accessories. Again, practical.

asos.com

6. Sensible shoes. In my world that just means "NOT lime green animal print". Simple, neutral (and ideally comfy) leather wedge pumps. Grey, maybe? Also, Simple black ballet flats. But wait. Easier said than done. This style is of the dime-a-dozen variety, but do you know how HARD it is to find the perfect pair?! Hard, OK. Hard. I have slim feet, so I need 'em narrow. I like the vamp to be shallow (i.e. toe cleavage is awesome) and the toe to be that perfect shape between round and almond. Also, structured - not slipper-y. A little bow would be OK. Loving these, but not the price. Then again, it could be an investment, right?

Locale $135

french sole $155

7. Leg warmers. I'm a TTC-er come November (bye, bye sweet bike) and my above plan to pretty much never wear pants has flaws: I live in Canada. So, leg warmers are on my list. But, yeah, super hard to track down lws that are non-bulky and non-tacky. My personal shopping guru (who last week lamented "Ugh, there's nothing out there!" for the third season in a row) suggested dance wear stores. Maybe I just wanna be a ballerina.

8. Pendant necklaces. I wanna double and triple them up! Scouring the antique markets for some vintage to mix with cheap-o Forever 21 versions. (Just bought these two lockets on Etsy!)

etsy.com

I have already made a couple tidy little online purchases and will post outfit pics once my packages arrive (Yay, snail mail). Today calls for some actual mall shopping, too (egads! malls!).

In the end, I need big impact for small bucks. Here I go!

Photos via: asos.com, polyvore.com, etsy.com, French Sole, Locale, Madewell, J.Crew.com

Instagram'd.

2011-09-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

I was the last person on earth (or at least at work) to get an iPhone. And at that, it was a hand-me-down. (No wait, Alex still has a Motorola Razr, so at least I'm the tech-savviest person in my house.)

So please just let me be excited about Instagram. Still. Yawnsville, right? But no, have you really tried to take a cool photo on your Blackberry? At least one that is immediately post-worthy? Not possible. So, in June, I retired my perfectly decent Curve (which I am in turn handing down to Miss. Oliveah), and became an iPhone-r for life. I was an easy convert, already being an Apple girl.

I just didn't know how much I would love it.

So I'm anxiously awaiting the new model and hanging onto this still-better-than-Blackberry iPhone 3G (with fully disintegrated mute button and barely-working home button) in the meantime. Super excited to explore more photo apps once I have a phone with more guts!

I used Instagram a lot this summer - just you WAIT until I have front AND rear facing cameras - and realized that the result captured a nice little snapshot of my summer. Gotta say, I'm hauling my DSLR around a lot less these days...

Just wanted to share the highlights:

mojitos • puppies • music • friends near/far • sewing • antique scavenging •

brunch • new shoes • poolside lounging • babies • cottages • coffee • travel • hubby dates •

beers • reading • stopping to smell the roses... err, tiger lilies

Get outta my head!

2011-09-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

I don't profess to be very ahead of the curve, musically. I married into music, but it hasn't rubbed off (yet). I still listen to songs I loved in high school and I "discover" new bands after the entire world already has.

So I found a couple of awesome songs this summer on the internetz (and via some of my more musically-cool friends), and for no good reason I'm compelled to create a playlist of great summer-y songs that are sticking in my head these days. Nostalgia for the days when Vicky and I used to tape Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots off the radio while tanning on my roof, maybe? The early 90s. Simpler times.

So, yeah. My (hypothetical/just-in-time-for-fall) summer 2011 mix-tape. A little old. A little new(-ish). A lot of nepotism:

Morgan Cameron Ross, Let it Go - This dude is my dog walker. Only in movies, right? No really, he is. Even though he hangs with my pups every day, I wouldn't include him on this list if I didn't love his songs. And I do.
Foster The People, Houdini - Yup, officially my favourite band of the moment. (Yes I know that they've been around like forevs. And they're everyone's fave. What did I tell you? I'm behind.)
Brett Dennen - Comeback Kid (That's My Dog) - Found this baby all by myself (for once) and I'm in love. It's no secret that I love my red-heads, but this boy has serious talent, too.
Marina and the Diamonds, Oh No! - Sadly, we missed the opener when we went to see Katy (my lady) Perry this summer. Tragically, the opener was Marina. I was a late-bloomer, but I seriously love this song. New single has addiction-potential too... Radioactive.
Sweet Thing, Permanent Honeymoon - If you thought I was above including my husband in this list, you were wrong. This number isn't officially a Sweet Thing song since it hasn't yet been recorded, but I betcha this live-show fave will make it on album #2.
Arkells, On Paper - More nepotism. But totally earned, though. I've practically watched these guys grow up (*exaggeration). Ahhh, Silver Dollar days. Love at first listen.
Architecture in Helsinki, Escapee - I've been smitten with this song all summer thanks to my boss/former personal DJ. Thanks, Jamie! p.s. I miss you as my DJ.
Hooded Fang, Laughing - Caught Hooded Fang at Hillside, one of this summer's highlights. Totally catchy and lovely.
Oh No! Yoko, 90s Kids - I probably could have birthed these dudes. Found them via meddling on Twitter/Googling myself (err, Yoko) and think this song is totally fun even if I can't relate to the lyrics (I was born in the 70s).
Eliza Doolittle, Skinny Genes - Scored a pre-released promo copy of Eliza's album in 2010 thanks to vicarious music connections. I've been humming this non-stop since last December.
Phoenix, If I Ever Feel Better - Can I just say that I was a Phoenix fan long before the whole planet fell in love with Phoenix? I even introduced them to Alex. It's all I've got. Let me have this one. This is one of the great Phoenix oldies and I'm still not sick of it, summer after summer.
Lisa Mitchell, Coin Laundry - Serious girl-crushing.
Rural Alberta Advantage, In The Summertime - Maybe it's because I think Amy is super-duper cute. Or maybe it's because these kids have serious talent. Or maybe because I'm a prairies' kid, too. OK, it's all three. Either way, this might be a way older RAA song, but I'm still loving it.
Brooke Fraser, Something in the Water - Very sweet.
Maroon 5, Moves like Jagger - Guilty pleasure. Don't hate.

Hmmm, so I miss making mix-tapes. Miss Christmas has a mix-tape club. I might copy her. Who wants in? Secret handshakes!

Cougar Pillow Boots!

2011-09-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

OMG.

They're back, babies!

Oh how I coveted my mother's lovely pair from the 80s. Just TRY to find a vintage pair. I dare you. C'est impossible. But those smart dudes over at Cougar decided to bring them back, with a modern twist, obvs.

I was fortunate enough to try them as soon as they launched, thanks to my new friends at Matchstick.

And, since Labour Day is a perfect time to retire my whites, I dug out some of my best fall pieces and set to work building outfits around my new footwear. Plus it actually FEELS like fall today, so I guess the wheels are in motion: winter is imminent. Luckily, I'm prepared.

I dug into my immaculately-packaged new Pillow Boots with fervor this morn, and plodded around the house in them, clad otherwise only in underwear and an over-sized tee. Not my best look. (But they feel like slippers, so why not?)

For a pretty serious pair of winter boots, these lovelies are actually still pretty sweet with skirts. It's the challenge I faced when, after avoiding proper cold-weather footwear since high school, I finally caved about 3 years ago. But finding boots that are warm AND still look pretty? Not easy, friends. I sprung for a pair of Pajars but I'm sure after three seasons of salt and dog-walking, they could use some back-up.

Am I actually excited for winter? No. But maybe I'm not as sad to say goodbye to summer and hello to the rapid decline into iciness.

What's your favourite look?

1. Cougar Pillow Boots with... Cropped jacket from Anthropologie, Dress by Leanimal, Leggings by J.Crew, Hat by H&M, Cardigan from Winners, Kaleidoscope necklace by Biko, Leg Warmers made by me!

2. Cougar Pillow Boots with... Skirt from Club Monaco, Coat by J.Crew, tights by FCUK, Sweater by Forever 21, Vintage Wayfarers by Ray Ban, Vintage Necklace.

Oh, and just in case you haven't had your fill of photos of yours truly...

Keep Calm.

2011-08-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

So you know I love playing dress-up, hey?

But I also like being prepared. Like, planning Halloween costumes in the Spring (OMG, IT'S AUGUST AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M BEING!!!!! AHHH!).

Ahem. So yeah, my commitment to attend Fake Prom Goes To War went forgotten for a few weeks, until I realized this Monday that I need a costume for this Friday! Uh-oh. I take costumes very seriously. With only 3 days to spare (and a pretty packed week), I'm scrambling to find awesomeness in my tickle trunk (um, Rubbermaid costume bin) and my fruitful, high-yielding closet.

My pops was in the air force for 30 years + and I'm sure he'd have some awesome artifacts hanging about. But he's in Ottawa. I didn't plan this right.

It's in my blood on both sides, actually:

Grandma (Dad's side)

Popsy. (Mom's side)

So, I should have this in the bag.... But what version of wartime-chic should I emulate? Pin-up babe? Sexy fighter pilot? Wizard of Oz Soldier Monkey? War nurse? Mourning war widow?

If money and time were no object (which they are) these are some awesome options:

army-green corset, elizabeth and james $255

Think Sgt. Pepper. Alexander McQueen $1335 (*gulp*)

Ammo. Biko $69

Plane-jumpin' pants. marlene birger $100

Waiting for the baby boom. ModCloth.com

Serious hardware. ash $170

Recognition. ModCloth $17

Sea Legs. Biko $75

Alas, I am (nearly) penniless and just about out of closet room anyway. So I'll make do with what I have...

Ophelie military inspired chapeau. A must.

J.Crew cargo pants. OK, obvious?

Or, Club Monaco Fleur de Lis skirt. A Stretch?

Distressed Wilfred bustier top. Good, solid wartime underthings.

Vintage chain brooch ("war decoration"):

Biko Kaleidoscope (spyglass!) necklace. Not as perfect at Corrine's anchor or bullet necklaces, but it'll do.

OK, I can do this, right? It'll be a bit of a hodge-podge hybrid, but totally doable with just my closet. Just need to top it all off with some good temp tattoos (I heart mom!), maybe a dash of camo and a good dose of discipline.

I can't be trusted.

2011-08-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

So I own my first pair of legit sunglasses in my history of forever. That is: a pair that costs more than $20 and was not a swag hand-me-down from a coworker (like my last pair).

I can't really be trusted with expensive things. Or white things. Or anything made of silk. Mainly due to clumsiness and absentmindedness. I've managed to sit on/drop/lose/scratch almost every pair I've ever owned. (Can you believe this girl?!)

Don't ask me about the circumstances under which I ended up becoming the accidental owner of an awesome pair of vintage tortoise shell Ray Ban Wayfarers. The story is a bit embarrassing. Nonetheless, these beauties are now in my charge. Of course, my usual sunglass-care routine (err, throwing them in the bottom of my purse and/or storing them in a scratchy antique can) simply won't do.

It's time to invest in (or make!) a proper vessel for my new shades.

I'm currently loving these...

1. By now, if you've been a longtime fan of this blog (basically, you're my mom), you know that I have a lady-boner for anything touched by Jonathan Adler. These needlepoint cases are just divine. ($42)

2. I also love the coin-purse style cases by The Zakka on Etsy ($24-30)

3. ...and these budget-friendly beauties from Topshop ($12):

4. The soft-sided nature of the last three worries me slightly, although I do love the low-bulk feature. Extreme klutz-risk deserves extra protection, though. I might opt for a hard case. Something blingy, maybe, like this one by River Island?

5. Or, if I had myself a pretty little money tree, this one by Smythson ($160 on sale for $95):

Either way, I'm as obsessed with these babies as I would be with a small injured bird, or my first born. Gah. It's the reason my never-over-$20 rule existed in the first place. I'm a nervous wreck. I need some serious padding between my new shades and my destructiveness. I may try my hand at making a decent case. I'm back on the sewing wagon after a summer of neglect.

It's a race against time. In the meantime, I'm so super smitten with them that I'm even wearing them indoors. Not really. But it's not a bad idea: at least they're safer on my face.

Survival Style - Summer Music Fests

2011-08-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

[ Not all fests are created equal. Outdoor music-style two ways: Hillside (lft) and Osheaga (rt) ]

My wardrobe is pathetic based on my current lifestyle. I have plenty of pretty, work-appropriate duds, sure. But they don't come in too handy when it's 30+ degrees outside, and my coworkers (men, predominantly) are most fond of unwashed shorts and flip-flops. It's the uniform.

I've also come to realize that the majority of my closet is more fitting of a girl who picnics in parks and flits about farmers markets and lunches with ladies and shops-shops-shops and spends weekends in resort towns. That sounds like a lovely, lovely life. Siiiigh. But in reality, I am usually biking through urban centers, walking dogs, taking road trips, sleeping on the ground and parking myself in front of a sewing machine or a laptop in the backyard. And it's not one of those English Garden-type backyards either.

I also lack appropriate outfits for summer music-fest hopping. I've just survived number three of three fests on my schedule this summer (currently writing this thanks to wifi on the train en route back to TO). It was only after Bluesfest (stop #1) in Ottawa last month that I realized I should rethink my gear. Esthetically, I loved the outfit - high-waist ode-to-70s wide-leg denim, boat-neck navy and white striped tee, jute and leather wedge sandals, red leather tote - but it was logistically not smart.

[ with mum @ Bluesfest ]

Let's dissect:

Ditto's Denim - too heavy, too hot
Jute wedges - although the most comfortable of all elevated shoes I own, still not ideal for being on your feet all day
H&M Striped tee - light and not too hot, but too much fabric under the arms
Leather tote (Winners) - I will never again wear anything but a hands-free crossbody bag to a festival
Half-up hair - even minimal dancing (OK and standing still) produced sweat, and hair loves to stick to sweat

So I got smart. S-M-R-T. Our next stop was Hillside: a fest I'd never attended despite the pushing of my 9-year veteran volunteer friend. I will be going back every year! Much fun! It's a waste-free fest with a peace-love-and-music vibe. No jock rock. No duuuuudes. Very chill.

My experience was made even better by careful outfit selection. I went with minimal, flowy, airy:

Everly maxi jersey tank dress in an appropriately psychadelic print (via Skirt)
My trusty Birks
Jessica Simpson crossbody fringe purse
Vintage belt (via Common Sort)
Handmade leaf earrings (via Etsy)
Up-do!

Aaaaannnd number three: This weekend I parked myself on friends' couches to check out Day 1 of Osheaga in Montreal. Learning even more from fest #2, I went with a bit more sun cover - an Everly kimono-sleeve top that I could easily pop on and off. I paired it with a cotton Wilfred bustier tank and a bias jersey American Apparel dress (in my fave peach-y summer shade) which I wore as a skirt. I only regretted my shoe choice: sandals (flat or otherwise) are not Osheaga-friendly. The fest is pretty trash-strewn and the mainstage groundcover is gravel. I longed for my chucks or a pair of Toms.

[ fest-date Philam outfitted wisely too: oversized cotton tee and high-waist cuffed shorts looked adorbs and were super comfy for chilling on the grassy knoll ]

Despite my shoe-fail, I certainly had a leg up on the chicks in stilettos and Eminem tees. No, really: stilettos. At an outdoor music fest. OK, this was Montreal after all. And Eminem.

We contemplated hitting some of Day 2 and 3 of Osheaga this weekend, but opted for low-key bumming around the city and lounging poolside instead.

Yes, some of my very favourite artists were in the Day 2/3 lineup: Death Cab, Sia, Mother Mother... but I'd had my fill. But next year (next year!) I'll be really equipped. I'm a pro now, obvs.

And, since I'm just so nice like that, I'll share some other learned-the-hard-way tips:

Get cash in advance - the ATM lines are longer than the toilet and beer lines put together
Bring kleenex and hand sanitizer - the porta-facilities tend to run out of TP and water by the third act
Wear a hat - scalp burn is the WORST
Check the fest website prior to attending. Some are prison-like, where food, water, cameras and other perfectly innocent items are forbidden and confiscated
Don't pick fights with your musician husband - he's "working" and your bandwife primadonna routine is wearing thin (OK, that's just for me ;)

More easy music-fest style:

sam & lavi $155

toms $45

anthropologie $375

urban outfitters pipette dress $139

top shop sandals $47

tylie malibu bag $185

anthropologie summer ballad dress $198

toms $55

[ images via: polyvore.com, anthropologie, toms, urban outfitters, American Apparel, Aritzia, Top Shop, Dorothy perkins, Ray Ban, shopnastygal, my iPhone, Dad ]

Pizza face.

2011-07-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

[ This is me in grade 9, baby. This is me in grade 9! (left) 1993... pre-Photoshop ]

I had good skin in high school.

Go on. Hate me. But I dealt with other ugly-duckling qualities, like a height I just couldn't embrace until my 20s. And flat-chest insecurities I harboured until I realized the fashion advantages of meager boobage. And a giant gap between my two front teeth. And general awkwardness that still haunts me. High school wasn't easy for anyone. But I can't imagine what it would have been like to deal with severe acne on top of it.

I can't relate. BUT, after a freak heart-attack-like episode on Day 1 of my honeymoon last year (I know, stellar timing, right?), my GP advised that I go off The Pill for a while until they rule out a pulmonary embolism. Yikes. So I did. And no, I didn't have a PE, but instead a much less scary lung infection. Since I was already off The Pill, though, I thought it might be a good idea to just stay off for a while. I had been popping hormones since I was 15 (uhhh...for purely period-regulating purposes, of course!) and without any actual medical advice to prove it, I decided that giving your body a break was a good idea.

Since the advent of the internet, I think I'm a doctor.

Bad idea.

Apparently, I was always meant to battle acne. The Pill, in one of its other-than-baby-preventing uses, actually improves skin conditions like acne, as it reduces oil production. Huh. So, since last year, I began experiencing painful cyst-like acne on my face and body. As a pretty self-assured 30ish-year-old woman, it was seriously affecting my self-esteem. I can't even IMAGINE what it would have done to my angst-y tortured teenage self. The agony!

So I tried everything. Prescribed creams. Over the counter washes, gels and toners. Natural remedies. Supplements. Heat therapy. Diet changes. Picking, squeezing, prodding.

Nothing.

Do NOT waste your money on this. Wasteful (you throw it out after 80 individual uses - and some zits need a triple-zap), only useful for "perfect" zits - so no whiteheads, blackheads or ginat throbbing under-the-skins types (um, what else IS there?!). Shoppers $49

Should be called "Better Skin" - marginal improvements but not a standalone cure. I still take it every day. But I'm a hopeless optimist. Heath food stores, $30 for 60 gelcaps.

Overall, a great scrub for everyday, but not really powerful enough. I prefer a scrub with a good grit. Shoppers $16

My go-to heal-all. I can't live without the stuff. While it's great for killing bacteria after too much skin-meddling, it can't do much for a serious break-out. The Body Shop, $9

Now I have permanent scarring on my face and back. 2/3 of my summer wardrobe has gone untouched.

The result - I went back on The Pill. Do I like this fact? No.

My doctor and the general medical community agree that while there are risks, it's perfectly safe to be on the pill, err, forever. (???) Strangely enough, the potential side-effects are super scary (yet, fully disclosed):

Larger breasts (wait... this is a side-effect? Nobody told me.)
Weight gain or loss
Reduced or increased acne
Slight nausea
Emotional sensitivity right before your period
Mood swings throughout your cycle
Irregular bleeding or spotting
Breast tenderness
Decreased libido
Increased risk of cervical and breast cancers
Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Migraines
Higher blood pressure
Gall bladder disease
Infertility
Benign liver tumors
Decreased bone density
Yeast overgrowth and infection
Increased risk of blood clotting

No surprise, right?

Do we really agree to this!? About 30% of North American women use oral contaceptives regularily, despite the laundry list of side-effects. Are unwanted pregnancies worse than...gulp...cancer?! Natural health advocates have been warning of the other potential risks of long-term use of The Pill (like vitamin depletion) although the information is so vast and contradictory that I'm really not sure what to think. Yay, internet. Although, am I vain enough to play ignorant if it means having better skin? Sigh. Probably.

So I won't accidentaly produce grandchildren anytime soon (sorry, Mom). But at least I will be a fabulously blemish-free non-mom, right? Am I destined to go through this again when we DO have kids?

While I'm usually anti-antibiotics and shun most prescribed symptom-based bandaid-solutions, and would rather heal via teas and vitamins and herb-based potions, imma gonna stay on the estrogen train for the time being. Still keeping my eyes peeled for a magic zit-cure without carcinogenic side-effects, though...

Any suggestions? Willing to be a guinea pig if y'all wanna send me products to try. The side-effects can't possibly be any worse, right?

[ photos via: chatelaine.com, Marie Claire mag, Zeno, The Body Shop, Burt's Bees ]

Pleather & Lace?

2011-07-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

*swoon*

Beauty or cruelty? [ Christopher Kane dress ]

This is weird. I've been acting as somewhat of an unlikely mentor to a friend who has gone vegetarian in the past year. Unlikely? Yeah, well, I'm a pretty terrible vegetarian. I've learned to adapt in an omnivores' world by flying under the radar: picking things off of pizza, not being fussy about non-meat/meat fraternizing in the pan, playing dumb in the face of poutine (gravy, what?) and taking care of myself food-wise (quietly). I've also been a part-time fish eater, more to make life easier with my fully supportive, yet fully meat-eating husband. Role model material I am NOT.

Then, the question.

My newbie-veg friend asked: "What's your stance on leather?"

Jekyll, meet Hyde. My animal-loving, eco-conscious, (mostly)-vegetarian self does not always agree with my style-crazed, clothes-loving, shop-happy self. They are contradictory. They clash in a resulting ulcer-inducing turmoil. The ever-present inner-struggle: what IS my stance on leather?? I grappled with this for a while, and here is my (wavering) conclusion:

The challenge wasn't in replacing leather with other materials - there are enough options out there. My concern was environmental. I'm as much an advocate of animal rights as I am a steadfast environmentalist (OK, I'm not the best example of either, but I care about both very much). My issue with the alternatives (PVC, pleather, etc.) is that in a lot of cases, they are an environmental nightmare to produce and they never break down in landfills. And, leather substitutes crack and peel easily, forcing me to buy more. I hate waste.

My new-ish shopping philosophy is to "buy less, buy better" so that items last and I am not contributing as much by-product. I try to buy ethically as much as possible - supporting local/handmade, choosing natural/orga materials, snapping up secondhands. Problem: it can be expensive and the options are limited. And I'm prone to last-minute panic shopping.

My veg-dyed green Roots purse is still amazing and I've had it for 4 years. Same with my Canadian-made Jeanne Lottie purse. Also leather. I buy a lot of rubber/canvas shoes in the summer, but nothing beats the real deal for boots & bags. I went the matt+nat route for a while but the peeling and cracking led to too many replacements. That said, it's probably one of the best vegan accessories companies (and Canadian to boot) if you can live with the negative aspects of faux-leather.

The PVC graveyard:

[ RIP old girls...and Nataraj, too :( ]

(Ahhhh. I forget to breathe when I'm rambling defensively.)

Does it make me a very good vegetarian? No. But it's a compromise that I can live with. I can sleep at night (mostly). Do I REALLY need to sacrifice my beliefs in the name of fashion, though. Even if my solution IS (somewhat) eco-conscious?

Well, no.

I admit that I can be smarter about my choices. Here are three no-compromise-necessary style picks that appease both of my starkly different selves. Peace is restored in the galaxy!

1. OlsenHaus Faux leather, in my mind, has become unfairly synonymous with poor quality. This is not at all the case with vegan brand OlsenHaus. I've loved their quirky styles in the past, and I am equally smitten with this season's line-up:

2. Ashley Watson 'Flicker' bag. An even better compromise: recycled leather! Smart design-types are hooking up with manufacturers to turn industrial scrap from say, furniture making, into accessories, etc. Win-win. (In my old bag-making days, I'd do the same with leather from thrift-store skirts.)

3. Etsy, of course. The handmade aspect has a feel-good-ness about it that kinda overrides guilt about pesticide-heavy cotton and animal hides. But there's also a ton of great eco-fashion here too. And totally non-granola. I love this skirt by Toronto-based Simone's Rose (yay, local) - it's organic and super adorbs.

Accesorized!

2011-06-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

(I'm not much for matchy-matchy, but I was just a little delighted that my Pim's cocktail coordinated so well with my outfit!)

Would you believe: I lugged my monster camera around all day for no reason? Yeah, it seems that without the battery, it's pretty useless. Yup, just another one of those typically-me things. Ugh. And I thought i was being so smart by charging it before we left...

So, wedding #1 of the season happened yetserday, and while it was so incredibly gorgeous, I can't prove it. Their photographer (and every other person in attendance, no doubt) will have photos for me to steal on Facebook later. But for now, crappy iPhone photos will have to do.

(Congrats to Tahiti-bound Mark & Elena!)

I had a wardrobe meltdown mere hours before the event. As of yesterday at noon, I was still without shoes. I had even started to look for a back-up dress when my panic shoe shopping trip proved completely disappointing. Ridiculous, considering the trouble it took to get the dress (yes, I bought the grey J.Crew number on eBay! Yes, it arrived despite the mail strike!).

I was on the hunt for these sandals, but it turns out that the entire city was out of size 9 in this style. Desperation almost led me to buy the size 8 pair, hoping noone would notice. This, however, is the reason our pantry (turned shoe closet) is full of footwear that I never wear. Size is no object! Must. Have. Shoes. *drooooool*

Michael Kors $119

But common sense prevailed and I managed to find these beauties when I had almost lost hope:

Zara $39

(My mother is currently rolling her eyes smugly. "Typical," she is thinking. We bought my prom shoes the day of my prom. I work best under pressure? Eh, well, I have to.)

I also picked up an inexpensive woven clutch, and a bottle of coral nail polish.

Aldo $39

Already in my wardrobe repertoire, my vintage lace jacket and J.Crew crystal necklace finished the job.

J.Crew $85

Vintage $35

Accesorizing this dress last-minute was cheaper that I expected. Sometimes shopping under pressure means spending more than you need to. And even though I KNEW this day was coming, I still put myself in this situation. Sigh. I'm happy with the final product, but not necessarily the resulting ulcers.

I used to live for this kind of stress. It's wearing thin.

(Crop fail. Alex isn't really a pro with the iPhone camera yet.)

Two more weddings to go this summer, and I think I already have #2 in the bag. No more same-day shopping for this girl. Luckily, the dress will get me through all three (provided I manage to dodge stains - this is a difficult task) and one handsome accessory will never change:

Arm-candy!

Manners, please.

2011-06-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

Emily Post is rolling in her grave.

If she saw the state of bike/car relations in this city, well, she'd just (politely) freak out.

On my way to work the other day, I had an epiphany and, to save time, wrote a whole blog about it in my head while biking. I planned to put my head-blog to paper (err...) once I arrived at work. Coincidentally, someone else had the very same idea and beat me to the punch.

No matter. It saves me a lot of angry/passionate typing AND I'm sure grateful to have someone on my side. Miss Emma Woolley wrote this open letter to fellow cyclists and I recommend reading it.

So my epiphany was this: my bike rage has increased to fire-y levels since cycling became my preferred mode of city transport 5 years ago. Every year I became angrier. And my rage was always directed at motorists. A natural enemy, right? Occasionally it was shot at the wishy-washy attempts of City Councilor Adam Vaughan (and City Hall in general) to improve bike-ability through our neighbourhood and the rest of city. But not until this revelation of a ride, did I discover how really misplaced my frustration had become.

The cyclists vs. motorists vs. pedestrians war was one I fought naturally on the side of fellow cyclists (rights for bikes!) but I am defecting. I'm AWOL from this war. I realized three things:

1. This is not a clear cut "us vs. them" scenario - there are good people on all sides. And there are assholes. (This is similar to my thoughts about the G20... and, frankly, most wars.)

2. While I am mostly a cyclist (if I'm forced to be defined by my chosen mode of transport) I am also sometimes a pedestrian and occasionally a motorist. I'm not picking sides anymore.

...and lastly and most shockingly...

3. The worst culprits of all are cyclists.

There, I said it. My fellow cyclists are the most entitled and least accommodating in the dicey traffic dance. I am ashamed. More bike-goers than not assume 100% right of way, won't even so much as slow down at stop signs, and are generally non-courteous and unsafe. They give a bad name to the rest of us (just like a handful of jerk-offs do to all drivers). Thanks guys.

This isn't about laws or by-laws though. I'm a rule bender, but I believe in respect and kindness and etiquette. Ms. Post, I'm fighting the good fight!

I was engaged in a 2-day Twitter debate with @bikeTO about the issue of courtesy and how it could go a long way to improve our streets. @bikeTO vehemently disagreed with me arguing that the only way to make streets bike-friendly is via an elaborate overhaul of the cycling infrastructure (the addition of separated bike lanes, etc). Well, wouldn't that be nice! I like dreaming too. Sometimes I'm a triple-threat Broadway diva. While Denzil Minnan-Wong is fighting for this issue (and is seemingly getting the right support for it) realistically, the plan is only a fraction of what needs to be done. Angrily pointing fingers at City Hall just isn't solving anything.

In the meantime, until roads are completely road friendly, we can be a little more friendly ourselves. My M.O. for this summer is paying forward courtesy and set a better example for my fellow cyclists.

(In a later fully-validating moment, Joe from the unaffiliated @bikingtoronto tweeted wildly about the merits of bike courtesy.)

So, to my biking-class brethren, please hear the following: Making full stops at every stop sign is ridiculous, but slowing down, checking and giving the right-of-way where it's deserved is just common sense. Also, I get that sometimes you just gotta hop up onto the sidewalk for a block, or ride the wrong way on a one-way just to connect two safe routes. Really, I get it. But stop acting like you deserve to be there. You don't. You're borrowing that space from pedestrians and cars going the right way. I don't care if you wear a helmet or not, just stop doing things that might get your head smashed in. Or mine. Be aware, be patient, be accommodating. Oh, and read Emma's letter because I'm just gonna be redundant here.

@bikeTO sent me this video to "prove" that well-designed streets make for safer roads. While watching this video, though, I couldn't help but notice that caution and courtesy really made the design work:

Maybe the Dutch are just nicer people? Do you think this could really work in Toronto?

This video, shot at an intersection in NYC really hit home for me - while general lack of care or concern for others is happening all over the place, the dangerous entitlement of cyclists is a huge problem. It's very frustrating to watch:

3-Way Street from ronconcocacola on Vimeo.

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart. -Iris Murdoch

(Oh Iris, I wish.)

[ that's my girl. she gets me around. ]

Three weddings. One dress.

2011-05-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

It's wedding season, and I am, for the second summer, missing nuptial planning. Siiiigh. I love weddings, but they're really not the same anymore, now that I'm not dreaming about my own. We have three this year. Manageable. Especially since we're not in any wedding parties (whew).

Since there is no overlap guest-wise between the three, I am contemplating wearing the same dress. A NEW same dress, of course.

Our first wedding happens in three weeks, and it's fancy-schmancy. The other two are a mystery - they're on Alex's side, and boys can't be expected to know any of the important details. Like: will a floor length chiffon gown be too much?

Since I can be sure to never get a decent answer to this question in time, I'm going for the maxi length anyway. It's all about accessorizing it the right way.

I'm (likely) buying J.Crew's Taryn gown in grey. I found it on eBay in my size, and I can save a good hundred bucks if I get it that way.

Pretty dressy, but it's simple enough to handle being blinged out or dressed down. I'm going with flats for all three occasions, because, well, it's literally floor-length on my 5'10" frame. No give.

Here's how I'm thinking about accessorizing for weddings 1, 2 and 3. Of course, many of the actual items below may need to be subbed for things in my own closet or H&M-budget alternatives, but you get the idea.

Wedding #1 - June (black-tie-ish)

Simple gold accessories, grecian sandals, coral accents.

Hair: sleek updo

Dune $98

J.Crew $125

Nancy Gonzalez clutch

Basile pashmina

H&M bolero

Wedding #2 - (presumably) more casual/party

Boho accessories - brights, natural woven fibres

Hair: loose waves

Alexander Wang denim jacket

Juicy Couture earrings $58

J.Crew bucket bag

Aldo clutch

Stella McCartney woven sandals

Sigerson Morrison woven sandals

Wedding #3 (probably) somewhere in between

Soft mint, gold & cream; pearls & lace; dainty & pretty

Hair: loose low chignon

Top Shop flower sandals

J.Crew earrings

Top Shop clutch

Dorothy Perkins clutch

J.Crew necklace

p.s. Two blog posts in one DAY! I was clearly less than productive otherwise. Laundry times.

[ Photos via: jcrew.com, polyvore.com, nordstroms.com, hm.com, topshop.com, anthropologie.com, aldo.com, Alexander Wang, Sigerson Morrison, Juicy Couture, Stella McCartney, shopruche.com, dorothyperkins.com, Dune ]

Summertimes.

2011-05-29T15:45:00.000-07:00

I must be in a good mood.

Either that, or I've broken the seal.

Whatever. Two blogs in one week? I'm making up for my silent treatment, maybe.

The blooms are blooming and our basement is flooding every second day. Must be spring (or dare I say... summer?)! Finally. Wet basements aside, I'm punch-drunk on sunshine and am happy-happy to have bike-season back.

I decided I've had enough with winter. Forever. But without winters, there wouldn't be springs, and I'd be awfully sad about that. Catch 22.

So, now that chirping birds and emerging freckles and cotton maxi dresses are here to stay (for 4 or 5 months at least) I'm getting out in the world again. While last summer, my social life and exploration was forced upon me by my blogTO gig, this year I'm making a conscious effort to get outside.

My ice-cream and sweat-pants phase is over. The "break up" with the band is now at the "let's be friends" stage, and I like it. It's a good place. I've fallen out of love with this bandwife thing. I wish I could be a normal fan. Because I still would be, you know. The biggest.

Maybe the warm weather is getting to my head. While I had resolved to attend fewer shows to keep more of an arm's length with this whole band business, I couldn't turn down music in the sunshine. I attended their latest gig - an outdoor show celebrating the Parks Canada Centennial - but as a support to Alex and to mess around with my camera some more. Right. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I did mange to get some decent shots out of the day (to further corroborate my motives):

Also, I'm regaining my drinking legs (much like sea legs but boozier). This may or may not be a good thing, but it appears to be a necessity in my line of work: I roll with the boys and I need to be one of them. They like social functions that pretend to be work.

The summer is looking good for my social health. That is: if I can actually swing tag-along trips to many of the band's shows (they're hitting the summer festival circuit), plan a few girl-only weekends, and man-up for work socials. I've been relying on the safety of my little cocoon for too long. Alex likes to keep me there, but it's distracting for both of us to spend so much time closed off together from the world. As much as we like it.

So, hi. I'm available. Ready. Willing. Invite me out again, because I'm saying yes-yes-yes these days. And I won't even be close to being the first to dive into a cab.

He's just not that into you(r hair).

2011-05-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

So, who's interested in talking about my hair again? Anyone? No?

Certainly not Alex. As soon as I get that wild frustration in my eyes while clutching at my uncooperative locks or examining my 10X magnified pores in the extenda-mirror, the poor boy practically winces. A serious rant is coming on, and he's bracing for it. Eyes glaze over. Head fills with music.

I don't blame him. My hair meltdown is about 17 years running, and he's been around for a good 5 of those.

The lovely Jenny Lee shot me in her home on a pretty Parkdale street last month and the only resulting photo that I actually liked was this one (mostly because it's an outward representation of my inward hair-mania):

Don't misunderstand me: my distaste for the photos as a whole had nothing to do with the photographic genius of Miss Jenny, and everything to do with my hyper-self-critical nature. And my hate-affair with my tresses.

So look at how RED it is. WTF? My natural colour doesn't have a stitch of red, even though my own mother is a purebred Ginger. But I guess when you mess with it for too long, anything can happen. This is the result of repeatedly box-dying it black then having it stripped and pro-dyed on top. The idea was to return to my natural shade, but it appears that this is not doable overnight.

Now that I have a real job, though, I can spring for a pro appointment and attempt to get a little closer to that goal. I don't know why I bother, really. I'll just hate it again in 3 months. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Can I please just have hair like this? No, no I can't.

It's the colour and length I want, but my own head will not produce such gloriousness and no amount of salon-love will get me there. (That's technically my natural shade, though, I just can't seem to get back to it.)

I have an appointment on Saturday with my usual stylist at Civello. I was cheating on her for a while with Daina and Kat from The Saloon. I figured I'd throw some love back to Lynzee, since I had no reason to break up with her in the first place. Is it OK to have three stylists? Is that a no-no in the hair world?

It's just gonna be a "trim" and colour-correction (with a pathetically unattainable eventual goal of the above). If I wasn't so much of a dreamer, I'd strive for more realistic goals. But I am. I should just go for something like this:

or this:

OK, the sun is making me wanna go blonde again. Remember when I was?

I have to remind myself that the upkeep is a nightmare.

So, after all of this fuss, I'll probably look pretty much the same by the end of Saturday, with subtle changes that only I'll notice. Hopefully it will mean far less complaining, though (for the sake of Alex and anyone else within earshot).

I could emerge with an edgy platimum bob. But I probably wont. I'll keep gunning for Bond-girl hair because I can't have it. Greener grass.

(photos by Jenny Lee, Miss Laing, and random internet sources... ack, I was too lazy to remember credits. If these are your pics, lemme know. I'll credit you.)

GelaMe

2011-04-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

I've left this thing in a terrible state of suspense, haven't I?

Lots of changes since my last post, and while I couldn't spill at the time, I can finally return to my over-sharing self.

So, this is how it all went down:

I accepted a job with Upper Canada Soap sometime in mid-March. It wasn't an entirely perfect fit as the role was pretty admin-heavy with not much room for creative expression. But, I liked the people and there was definite moving-up potential. I started at the beginning of this month, and joined the commuting masses for a 1.5 hour trek (each way!) to and from Mississauga every day. The journey involved: a subway trip to the end of the line, a bus trip to the outer edges of the TTC service area, and a rapist's-dream walk through a desolate industrial/wooded area. Not ideal, but by the end of my 2-week stint at the job, i was beginning to enjoy the me-time. I devoured 2 books and incorporated some Starbucks motivation by getting off of the bus one stop earlier.

However, the job itself wasn't exactly doing it for me. By the end of day 2, I was feeling a bit bummed about the whole thing. Was I not meant for greater things? But, as Alex loves to say, "the Universe provides" and a very unexpected opportunity/rescue mission came my way. At 6pm, I was summoned to a meeting with the heads of GelaSkins and by 8:30, I had accepted an offer.

(Kinda fitting after being an unofficial face of the company for the last year!)

I'm a nice girl, though. I honoured the 2-week-notice clause in my contract at Upper Canada. It was an unbearable thing to start and quit a job within the span of two days. It's not exactly a friend-making move. Did I come to work with a highly contagious rash? Did I engage in a scandalous office affair? Well, no. But I might as well have.

Whew. Done. Now I'm free to blab.

So, I've shaved 2 hours off of my commute, the office coffee is plentiful and awesome (thanks Dark City), and the new job rocks. Officially my title is Communications Manager, but the group isn't big on labels. It's a team effort, and I'm still trying to figure out exactly where I fit. I'm a little piece of jigsaw-puzzle sky. Regardless of what my role really shapes up to be, I am loving it. It's creative and challenging and I'm surrounded by passionate, motivated and funny-ha-ha people. Ahhhhh.

Yes, I knew I was meant for bigger things. I am among peers. I am sufficiently caffeinated. I am thriving.

9-to-5-ish

2011-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Fashion Week has come and gone. Really? Did I blink? Such fun. OK, I'm kind of lying. Well, perhaps it would have been fun, had I not been clenching my teeth together (a reaction to anxiety) the entire time. I feared botching blogTO's coverage. But I'm over it. I'm not even going to read the comments. And a few of my quasi-journalist peers were at least complimentary. (Oh, and p.s. my OR by Angela Chen review is up!)

[ photo by blogTO partner-in-swag-crimes, Dennis Marciniak ]

But if LGFW was a triple-layer buttercream-iced gateau with spun-sugar bows (yum-yum-yum!), this week is a Kellogg's Pop Tart in comparison (ho-hum). OK, melodrama is one of my (non-resume-worthy) skills but if I was really exaggerating, I would have said Wonder Bread. At least I'm tossing in a little strawberry(ish) filling.

[ ummm, too early to renew my vows? ]

I am waking up at six. I am commuting over an hour in each direction. I have a physical in-box. The office coffee isn't free. It's not all bad, though, and I have some seriously exciting career-news to share shortly (yes, more changes), so I'll survive.

In the meantime, I'm going to need to find time in the non-working-hours for me-me-ME. It's all about balance.

Oh, and planning!

And follow-through!

Oh my. I need to rediscover my organized self after a year of making my own schedule and keeping late hours. I need to be that super meticulous and "together" person that I am in my head. Putting it to practice is challenging, but in the works:

[photo via: Things Organized Neatly ]

I have:

Organized closet into "work" and "play", and by type (skirts, blouses...); purged fugliness = easier coordination of outfits while half-asleep
Committed to night showers = shaving a good 20 mins off of my morning routine (and not waking Alex with the blowdryer)
Bought new tupperware = making healthy lunches in advance, reducing risk of meals built around expired desk-pudding
Sorted out commuting activities (my NY Times Crossword book, that Vonnegut novel that Alex recommended, that small biz book that I still haven't read) = productivity during new-found idle time
Bought new work bag (well, mum did) = room for #3 and #4
Broke news gently to affected parties = Alex is aware of his new housewife role, and is adapting nicely (his Tuesday involved dog-poo management and laundry)
Google mapped every possible route to work = saved myself $5 per day (and several calories) by adding a 20-minute walk (albeit through a woodsy/industrial area, frequented, I can only assume, by search parties, rapists and various victim-types)
Bought actual alarm clock radio that is not my phone, despite overwhelming ugliness = lowered sleep-in potential and increased waking-up-to-Shakira potential

Excellent.

I'll stop now before I "accidentally" spill the beans. Oh, and because it's 8pm and I need to be in bed soon.

Good Gets at the OOAK Spring Show

2011-04-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

I popped into the Spring One of a Kind Show Friday after Fashion Week stuff. Eh, I was in the neighbourhood. Thought I'd check out possible future competition (in pet goods, there wasn't much), say hi to some friends in the handmade world, and do a little window shopping.

So maybe the OOAK Christmas show is a bit ambitious for me this year, but I think I might be able to handle the low(er) key vibe of the Spring show. OK, setting goals. Good. Dudley & Bea OOAK launch - Spring 2012. Eeek!

In the meantime, I think I can swing some smaller Christmas shows in 2011 (City of Craft, etc.). Gotta see how this full-time job thing is going to cut into production time. I suspect a lot. That's why I have a marginally-employed husband to do my bidding, though, right? He's an excellent tracer and cutter.

Anyway, while I haven't entirely loved the OOAK line-up in years past, there are always a few gems. And just inhaling the entrepreneurial fumes is inspiring and energizing for me.

Today (Sunday) is the last day of the show, and I highly recommend hitting these 12 booths while you're there:

La creme de la creme of OOAK Spring '11:

Comme Ca - felt laptop cases and dossiers - Booth K40
Lover Fighter by Joanna Baxter - vintage chain and leather necklaces - Booth O45 (A fellow bandwife, of sorts - we both share our husbands with music. Oh, and she makes pretty things, too!)
Urban Tree Salvage - reclaimed wood serving platters - Booth K22
Girl Can Create - original vintage-inspired mixed-media art and prints - Booth J09
Hugo Didier pottery - "not made in china" mugs and "p'tite poutine" bowls - Booth I45 (clever and oh-so cute!)
Jenna Rose - "Anatomy of a bike" scroll fabric wall hanging - Booth H04
Hoi Bo - waxed cotton satchel - Booth H24 (My next serious splurge!)
Atelier LAF - chicken foot pendant necklace - Booth G23
Cha Cha - violet mini leather bucket bag $115 - Booth E54
Shuyu Lu - Embroidered textile art - Booth E29
Matter - natural baby suncream $18 - Booth (My only purchase of the day - "physical block" sunscreen that isn't goopy AND smells amazing? sold.) E04
Biko - Adoria Necklace $175 - (*swoon* I love this piece! And, I love this girl! Corrine is so bloody nice - buy her stuff!) J12

[ images, from top via: Biko, ChaCha, Hoi Bo, Hugo Didier, Joanna Baxter, Shuyu Lu & Comme Ca ]

LG Fashion Week

2011-04-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

So, Alex is away yet again ("1st Wife" business), and I've been busy-busy with Fashion Week stuff - I'm co-covering it this year for blogTO. Gotta say, I felt like a bit of a phony getting front row seats at almost every show. Sitting among real journalists. Scribbling madly. I haven't mastered the art of just watching and absorbing, taking the odd note. Nope, I need to record EVERYTHING. I suppose it's helpful for my first real run (my LGFW experience is limited to volunteer work and guest tickets). I only took on six shows this time, and my reviews are posted on the blog:

Chloe Comme Parris

Pink Tartan

Bustle

Comrags

David Dixon

OR by Angela Chen - coming soon!

I'd share highlights, but really? Do I have to double my work? Read! (The Chloe Comme Parris piece is probably my best of the bunch)

(Diva moment coming on)

Beefs: The media "lounge": would it kill to have slightly more of a barrier from the chaos? Oh, and I will never consume another Special K product again! OK, maybe I will. I did score 3 free boxes of cereal this week. I just might need a break. Show times: get it TOGETHER, people. Waiting over an hour past the scheduled time for a show to start? Not fashionable.

Woo.

Seriously loved it though. Good commotion, awesome people-watching, great design. Also, these people are so the-bomb for keeping me company this week, too: Mona (the best thing to happen to street style since, uhh, streets?), Dennis (moral supporter and teacher in the art of getting good free stuff), and Karolyne (Toronto Life intern, fellow front-row gossiper, and streetcar sidekick). Big love.

I was lucky to be able to negotiate a later start-date for my new day job, so that I could cover the shows. It's funny that I still don't feel very legit, even though I've been a regular contributor to blogTO for a whole year. I'm hoping I can keep it up while I'm finally employed. Balance, baby.

p.s. I was caught by street style photogs today in my WORST outfit of the week. Really? Really? You couldn't have snapped me Wednesday in my adorable green pants and my very favourite shoes and my polished top-knot? Nope - H&M dress and bad hair. Ugh. Kinda hoping I get cut.

Photos by Istoica, via blogTO.

It's not you. It's me.

2011-03-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Sweet Thing,

It's been swell, but I think we've outgrown each other. I'm moving on. Can we still be friends?

Forever Your Yoko Ono,

Dayna

This blog wasn't initially created as a promotion tool for the band (well, not primarily, anyway). And frankly, at this point, they don't really need it. They have legit marketing people in their entourage, as well as their own social networking outlets. No, this blog is about me. M-E. And because my life is so tightly woven with the happenings of the band, they tend to have a pretty strong supporting role in my posts. It's inevitable.

Let me be clear: I may have married 1/5 of the band, but I in no way represent them, nor do any of my opinions reflect theirs (necessarily). I do just genuinely believe in them, and for selfish reasons I know that their success = Alex's success = my success. That's just the way marriage works. It's a "we" thing. But maybe I overstep my boundaries because I'm privy to more information than the average fan or music-media outlet? I don't mean to. I'm just sharing everything about my life, which happens to include my relationship with a music-man. Is it OK to be truly-madly!-DEEPLY! in love with Alex but to fall (a little) out of love with the rest of it?

I get the Yoko rap, unfairly. The choice of name for this blog was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but Yoko: I feel you, dog. This is a way, way, WAY awkward position. Especially being the only legit wife (so far). But I've been really supportive, insanely understanding, and non-meddling. Really, i have. I used to think of it this way: I am in first wife position and Sweet Thing is Alex's concubine - this other woman with whom I had to share and play nicely. Now, I know that the band is actually the first wife, and I've been demoted. Not because Alex loves me any less. It just has to be that way. She gets first dibs and I'm OK with that.

I reiterated to him yesterday that I am fully in favour of him spending more and more waking hours on band stuff. He already works so hard. Big, big things are imminent. The more he works now, the better chances they/he/we have for a comfortable future. And remember, eventually it'll be my turn.

I can't really talk about my reasons (it's oversharing that gets me in trouble), but I'm steering this blog back to its original intent, with a focus on what it's like being me. The bandwife condition. I'm distancing myself from Sweet Thing, because, well, I am. It's like a really clean break-up. We'll still be friends, of course. After I'm done licking my wounds. I will continue to tweet great band news, post photos when I snap them, and share videos and links on Facebook. But, this break-up is for the best. I'm reclaiming this blog as mine; the disassociation gives me more freedom.

It's not my job to act as a marketing arm of the band, and I've never been asked to do it. And because I'm just so bloody awkward, my helpful intentions are frequently misinterpreted. It IS my job, however, to be a rock for my husband and support him in whatever he does. It's also my job to think about myself and to not count on Alex's success. Not rocket science, right? Maybe it's not my time to pursue my own big dream in a real/all-encompassing way just yet, but it doesn't mean that my own pursuits (as tadpole as they may be so far) are meaningless.

Monday, I start a new "real" job as the EA to the President of a big Canadian bath & beauty company. I'm getting more wholesale interest in Dudley & Bea. I'm staying on as a freelance writer with blogTO. I'm considering a one-hour bike commute to work. I'm practicing hot yoga again. While Alex will be spending a lot of time on the road with Wife #1 (and no room for stowaways), I need to divert focus away from feeling left out and lonely.

It's energy better spent on me.

Images: pages from If We Ever Break Up, This is My Book by Jason Logan.

Snooze.

2011-03-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Similar to my quest for a non-ugly camera bag, I am now on the hunt for another non-ugly version of a typically-hideous item: an alarm clock. Why do most of them look like a 1980s interpretation of the future? We put a lot of work into the design of our bedroom. A cheap plastic alarm clock resembling a model-sized Starship Enterprise would just be an eyesore in the middle of our romantic/baroque/boudoir vision. Are all clock radios designed by middle-aged Trekkies?

(Really? Really?! Come on!)

So, I slept through an important appointment this morning.

*Sigh*

My "sleeping in" is usually intentional. Calculated snooze-button hits - as many as I can possibly get away with to still be able to make it on time. I rarely sleep in by mistake. However, I am relying on my Blackberry alarm clock to get me up-and-at-'em - a function only secondary to its main purpose as a means of communication. The trackpad is dangerous. If I move my finger slightly while attempting to select "snooze", it's very easy to hit "dismiss" instead. This level of coordination shouldn't be expected of someone who is barely awake/alive. And I am NOT a morning person.

This mishap is likely what happened this morning, although I actually don't even recall hearing it at all or attempting to "snooze". The margin for error here is too great. If I 'm going to be starting a real job again soon, I need a better solution, but the options are seriously ugly.

As with my camera bag dilemma, I realized quickly that there are decent options if I'm willing to fork out some serious cash. I'm not.

So, if you've ever met my parents, or have visited their house, the following statement will seem completely reasonable: I have 1950s nostalgia. I never lived through the decade. In fact, I wouldn't be born for another 20-something years, but I grew up with the music and the "stuff". Oh, the stuff. Dad turned our basement into a 50s diner, and the aesthetic spread like an infection to the rest of the house. Kitsch soda pop ads take up every possible square inch of wall space. I'm not kidding:

My time-capsule existence (that used to be my bedroom). Life was like 1999's film-flop Blast From the Past, but with actual access to the rest of the (normal) world.

Dad also had a collection of great old radios, like this Crosley version:

Crosley, luckily, is still in the radio-making business, and while the models have morphed into more modern shapes, elements of the original design still exist. I decided that a 50s-inspired alarm clock would be a perfect addition to our sleep-space. Other criteria: iPod compatible (so yeah, the real thing is out of the question).

I love these two, as seen (and coveted) at Urban Outfitters once, but they're no longer available:

Moving on. Unfortunately, Crosley's online store doesn't ship to Canada, and this one at $69 isn't attainable. (Found on a Canadian site, it was twice the price.)

The following model, is also available via a Canadian online retailer, and I love it! Still... $150 for an alarm clock? Oh, oh. Ohhhh.

I have always been partial to this one by Vers ($199), but it's also out of my price range. When I worked for Pistachio, we were looking at bringing in the line for the store. Had I still worked there, I could have scored a great discount. Oh, the perks of employment (that I will hopefully soon enjoy again)!

Ditto for this Tivoli beauty ($299). Siiiiigh.

In the affordable range, I'm eying these two. The first (Memorex, $59) isn't EXACTLY what I was going for, design-wise, but it's not ugly. The second ($40) is super cute, but seems to only run on batteries and I can't determine if it's iPod-compatible.

Sangean makes a sleek version that's maybe a bit more modern than I'd like, but it's in the same vein as the Crosley updates. A little closer to affordable but still over $100.

I'm no better off that before I started this post. Drat. I'm leaning heavily towards the Crosley CR30005, though, and maybe I'll just keep sniffing around for a better deal. Dropping a serious wad of cash on a clock is not exactly the most exciting use for my limited funds, but I do need a reliable wake-up call. And I'm not willing to settle for a timepiece that resembles a Lego spaceship.

(Images c/o: Future Shop, High Fashion Home, Amazon.com, The Source, electronicsforless.ca, J&R, crosleyradio.com, Technabob.com, decorradiosales.com, Vers, Tivoli, The Rocketeer on Flickr, Mom)

Sa-weet!

2011-03-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

[ happy, happy! ]

So, I guess all of my fretting over interview attire and cutting my Ottawa vacay short were not in vain! I landed the job! OK, it's not official yet - still waiting on the offer letter and am in the middle of negotiating a post-Fashion Week start date ('cause I'm covering it for blogTO!!), but it's probably safe to break the news. And, really, I've been unemployed/freelance/self-employed for a whole YEAR, so obviously it's big news that I'm dying to share (and I'm bad at secrets).

So, back to the 9-to-5. I wasn't entirely convinced, at first, that I wanted to work a full time office job, but it sunk in as a necessity over the holidays, and now? Now, I'm excited about it. Pencil skirts! Office coffee! Co-worker chatter! A sense of purpose? Yeah, I've had some lows lately, and I think that the working-from-home thing, combined with being pretty broke was getting to me. I'm the designated breadwinner for the next couple of years, while Sweet Thing makes their steady climb to music fame (*fingers crossed*) and the Mister starts bringing in some dough.

[ Alex soundchecks somewhere far from here. He'll be back. Photo c/o Sweet Thing ]

The challenge - and I'm ready for it - will be balance. I want to ride the momentum of Dudley & Bea and keep working at it in my spare time. I'd love to keep writing, too (Alex is somewhere out in the world frowning right now). It's ambitious, but I'm pretty adept at multi-tasking. Idle hands are not my friends.

This good news opened another door: since I'm no longer bogged down with job hunting, and I don't start work right away, I can spare a few days to hit the road with the boys on their mini tour south! First stop? New York! I'm hitching a ride and then staying for a bit to visit one of my bestest girls (a one-time Canadian transplant high-ranking in my favourite-people-ever list).

[ getting in trouble in NYC is the most fun with Tabor ]

The guys will continue on to play some Austin, TX shows during SXSW. This little jaunt comes on the heels of their latest cross-country tour with Down With Webster. They play their final show tonight at Massey Hall in TO! So, Alex is back in the city after being away from me for 3 weeks, but I can't see him yet. I've been trumped by soundcheck. The truth: I took too long to get ready and missed a little window. He'll be on his way home very, very soon, though. FINALLY!

I have a feeling that this will be a good year for the band (and maybe bad for me, if that includes a lot of touring). It will all pay off, though. Right? Right? They just played Much Music AND Breakfast Television. Leah just heard Change of Seasons on a Disney program. We also heard it landed a spot on 18 to Life although I've yet to hear it. The little song that could.

2011 is looking up. My mom was right. "You'll be fine."