Forward

The last photo taken at my old home in January before the big change.

A very long time since my last post, yikes! I have been moving from my old home to the new home for a few weeks, ok a little over a month, but as of today we are officially settled. As we closed the door for the last time it hit hard letting go of something that has been a part of my life for so long, but simultaneously the excitement of turning the page was needed and as I type this I can assure you that the past month of staying under our new roof has been nothing short of wonderful.


{ old, top, vs new living room space }

Change is the only constant, and with change comes fresh ideas and new inspirations. I will start again to bring the space of my blog that I love and miss back to life and cannot wait to share with you as I get back into that rhythm, will share the rooms as they come together along with new art, photography and many other topics that are in my pool of interests.
Thank you in the meantime for following along with me on Instagram while all was going on, it has kept my creative needs in check.

See you tomorrow for #MusicMonday

xo

A Question on Meditation

Bertha Pfirsich


Margaret Durow

Love these photos as it portrays exactly what I love to do when needing to find time for myself during a busy day. I tend to just lay on my office floor for a few minutes in an almost forced fashion knowing I need to just stop between my many to do's and refocus. It is also a wonderful way for me to listen to where I want to take my creativity for the day. I also am never without reading material, I bounce between rooms reading the NY Times, a magazine and two books, which at the moment are, New York by Edward Rutherfurd and American Lady the biography of The Life of Susan Mary Alsop, both are very engaging and highly recommended.

Ok to my point, I have been telling myself for a good few years now that I would like to get back the 20 minutes a day sit in a quiet room and empty my thoughts meditation that I feel is so important in my head, but obviously not taking the time anymore to do it. I am not saying that I will not add it back ever to my days, but realizing while coming across these photos that I kinda already have been all along, in a different way sure, but with reading and stretching I am finding those deeper breaths and quiet thoughts that come with meditation. As a matter of fact, while painting, cleaning the house, listening to music, watching a movie, a glass of wine with friends, (ok fooling myself on that one), but all and all I am having an aha moment here and want to ask you,

Do you consider meditation to be a learned form to follow or any activity, moments in a day that you enjoy that lower stress and takes your mind off of those racing thoughts?

La La Lipsticks

8 years old, locking myself in the bathroom with my Mom's makeup and trying to emulate the beauty pages of what was inside her magazines. The beginnings of my fascination with makeup and well Vogue, Bazaar, Elle really, you get the idea.

Fast forward to when I was 16 spending most of my hard earned money browsing the makeup aisle and buying every color of lipstick I could possibly afford that week. You would think I was stockpiling for some unknown makeup crisis. Honestly it was always the lipsticks over anything else.

Then came my chance to make a living doing just that into my 20's when I worked as a Makeup Artist and Esthetician, oh yes I can now collect makeup, skin care products and millions of tubes of lipstick and they are all tax deductable, hello, felt like I hit the jackpot.

I absolutely loved and enjoyed being a Makeup Artist, and did so for almost 8 years part time but something was still missing, all of that obsession with color and makeup was a stepping stone for my career as a illustrator and artist. I think back now and realize that must have been what I was really looking for when browsing those aisles over and over again as a young girl. I really am grateful for that stage in my life working as a freelance Makeup Artist as not only did I meet some amazing friends, but it helped shape how I work with the face now as an artist on paper.

Here and now though I still have quite the collection of lipsticks to choose from, do not get me wrong, I carry at least 5 at all times in my bag. I also still go crazy at the makeup counters wanting to continue that collective process, but I remind myself now to only grab the shades that work best for me and what I will wear on a continual basis. The rest of my collection from my past career are play colors for my 9 year old daughter, which just yesterday I watched her getting ready for school, pulling out her hello kitty makeup that I got her last Christmas and smiled watching her put on light eyeshadow and colored lip gloss for the day proudly.

What about you, what are some of your earliest memories with makeup as a young girl?

Summer, Summer, Summer Time..

My daughters last day of school on Friday and a tradition of ice cream shortly after the bell rings. <3

Hope your having a wonderful weekend! My head is filled with even more DIY ideas (like a refurbish of a 4ft tall Jewelry cabinet) soon, soon) and finally pulling out my brushes again, after the lovely voyages in Europe, it is time to put my inspirations back on paper and canvas again.. Cannot wait!!

Fogged

Henryk

Times in our lives we can feel like we can do anything, fear takes a back seat, you are on top of the world.. But those insecurities that we bury, push aside and even overcome at times without facing can crawl right up and fog who we really are, an inconvenience I say. It drives us to act irrationally, confused.

Going through that many of times, maybe from circumstances in my life, I wanted to jot the ways that always put me right back into my fabulous shoes so to speak ;) Oh and the most important lesson I have learned in my life, never look to others to make you happy, confident and at peace. You are the only one that can ever fill those shoes.

-First and my top priority, keep going, keep going through any obstacle, any moments of fear, any moments of doubt. Here is a quote that always works for me, "If you're going through hell, keep going." ~ Winston Churchill.

-Taking care of yourself from the inside out. Finding your balance.

-Making time for yourself... As a single mom that works full time that can be a challenge. But when I do, even if they are those little simplicities, like a glass of wine out on a weeknight, a long bath etc they are my refuel.

-Music, when I am having a bad day it always helps me kick butt better on the long list of things I just want to avoid.

As simple as all of that seems, sometimes schedules get busy, things get pushed aside and life as we know it can never be the perfect picture we create in our minds, accepting that and letting it will be will also keep us on the right track. Most days anyway.. I cannot promise a day of PMS is avoidable. (if you have advise for that pass that along) ;)


Tweet

Winter Fatigue

Photo © Leigh Viner 2011

"Indulge in big-time mourning. Take off from work, stay in bed, and do nothing but cry till you're dry—and bored. Then go out and embrace life" ~ Annie Gottlieb

Feeling extra tired, a bit sad for no apparent reason, motivation lacking a bit, even for the stuff that I usually enjoy.. I know it is here.. The Winter Blues!! A bit early too, yikes!! So I told myself this morning, enough is enough!

Each simple task that I do during the day seemingly is more like walking through 5 inches of snow with lead boots, I then have to admit that the winter blues are creeping back into my life like they do each and every year. Time to take action to rid of it before it really gets to me in a serious way.

Here are my ways of beating the winter blues and of course would love to hear yours.

1. Exercise - I tend to take a break and fall out of my habits during the colder months, (really need to figure out staying on track 12 out of 12 months) but until then, this is when I am forcing myself back to the gym and yoga mat. Also the idea that in only a few months the warmer weather will return and with that smaller clothes that I want to feel more confident in.

2. Diet - Ok ok those many holiday treats that keep sneaking into the house.. Goodbye! Back to healthier choices and feeling the wonderful energy that comes with it.

3. Sun. I really need my sun! Today as a matter of fact it was warm and a cloudless sun filled day so honestly all of my deadlines will have to sit for a few why I take a book, or nothing outside and soak in it (with spf 30 ) of course. If it's a little to chilly out for me to bask in I then take a few minutes against the window which is also a saviour.

4. A night out with a glass of wine, gossiping, laughing and not worrying about what needs to get done. I will admit it has been awhile since I have taking the time to get out and am feeling the effects of that for sure. So this week sushi and wine I will be there!

5. Once a day, 1 tiny little thing to look forward to that is all mine, fifteen minute of uninterrupted time reading, watching a movie or just sitting still. Going for a walk with my ipod, soaking in a bath. All of those littile things can easiely be neglected I have to remember not to make them a last priority and then finding no time left in the day to even try.

6. Last but not least, planning holidays, events and fun things for the warmer months ahead, but not to forget to to that for now as well.

So how about you, what helps you beat or pull out of the blues in the winter months?

Tweet

2012

Happy 2012 everyone!

The adventures, life, work and memories for 2012 now begin. I hope you all enjoyed your Holidays and celebrations with your loved ones. I unfortualtely lost a dear friend who lost his battle with diabeties on New Years Eve and only at the young age of 38. It really took my focus on things to a new angle and had me look my goals a lot differently, (of course). And from that I found this wonderful Manifesto for 2012 from Fat Mum Slim and a new challange for the year of taking a photo a day, that I will be sharing with my instagram beginning with these two photos that will help mark the little things this New Year, which I find are the bigger things when you look back.
Thank you to Bec Winnel for intoducing me to Fat Mum Slim's blog and this fun challage. Photography marks memories in such a distinctive way and in Memory of Dustin Crain who was a photographer himself, I am ready to take on this challenge each of this 365 days to follow. RIP my dear old friend.

*****Thank you for all making 2011 amazing and for your continued support, I appreciate you more then words can express****** With love xo


Tweet

Venting

Hello my friends, today I came across this photo and could not help but feel strongly connected to it. Also lately I've had this enormous cloud that has been hovering over me lately. A combination of things overwhelming me I suppose, or the fact that usually my sunny positive outlook while getting through life's up and downs doesn't seem to be working as of late. There is also some life changing things happening to those around me (which naturally kind of changes my life in ways). Not that it is all bad, but I tend to be the person that carries the weight of others so strongly on my own shoulders I feel as though it is also happing to me. Another factor is working for yourself and not taking the time to take good breaks to socialize can get very lonely as well.

In all honesty, I need a mini break of sorts. (A must, we all do ) and to not let the wants of where I want to be with my life in the future take away from the today.. But even knowing all of that, ( it is what I try my best to live by) it is hard sometimes. Hoping it is natural to feel broken down hopeless at times.. ( Yea I know it is normal) lol.. but in the moment, it sucks ;)

So for the rest of today I am going to go on a run, yoga it out and get to sleep early.. xo (always helps). Thank you for listening to my rant, I feel a bit better just to get it out somewhere.

Photo source Prestigium

Buddy

A bit slow on the posts this week, I had to make a hard choice and put my dog Buddy that I have had for 16 years to sleep which was today. :( Somber and sad but so glad that he lived such a long life, he will be missed.