updates galore

whoa. whooooooa. so much to say and update! i still havent managed to find a fix for the spontaneously-small text in my old posts. to be honest, i havent been searching that hard... i did a poor excuse for a look-around in a few blogger forums, then called it a day and moved on. the way i see it, is that it's fate. it's gotta be. oh well.

i'd mentioned in one of my previous posts that when i was in waterloo, i drove past an old amish graveyard and just *had* to stop and take some pictures of it - despite the creepy factor. i'd driven by it serendipitously when i got lost trying to look for the thai restaurant i was supposed to meet my colleague at for dinner.. and the way the setting sun fell on the all-white gravestones was absolutely gorgeous, so i made a mental note to go back the next day when i had more time (and my camera!). i returned the following morning after the conference's morning session, and before i was set to head home, to take some pictures of it. the effect wasn't quite the same as what i'd seen the evening before (as they dont call that time of day the 'magic hour' for nothing!) but i was intrigued nonetheless.

and here's a studio full of salvaged architectural pieces that i lovelove called artefacts. every single time i visit st jacobs, this studio has been closed... but i'm going again and i've kept in mind that the hours are shortened so i'll make a point to get in there and actually see it from the inside. if it looks anything as awesome as it does from outside, i'll be thrilled to bits.

i'd love to have a studio like this one day - just something huge and spacious that's right near my house, so i can pop over and make a mess without having to clean it up right away. i think my mom thinks that i have some sort of horizontal disorder -- i need to see things in front of me in order to know what i have and what i want to use next... which generally results in me spreading my supplies and ideas all over the table/floor/chairs/anything else that sits still and keeping it there til i feel i'm done. which can sometimes take weeks. ok, months. regardless. i'd kill for my own space to make a mess... plus it means i can decorate it all i like, however i like. i always see other etsy artists spaces and get super jealous that they've got something awesome and i've got... well... a dining room table. (for evidence, see moop's workspace here. warning: viewing this space is not for the faint of heart. be prepared to turn a shade of green.)

and now for some etsy lovin' : over the course of the past few weeks, i've been constantly finding new awesome sellers who are so incredibly talented and innovative, it just blows my mind.

this is a pendant from Gazzu, who makes super cool bamboo pendants that are actually pretty similar to an idea i had a few months ago ... but haven't listed yet. what's unique and individual about hers is the patterns she's used on them - i love the varying textures and colours!

this is a pendant from 2ReVert, an artist who makes kickin' jewelry from recycled skateboard decks. how incredibly awesome is that!?

last but certainly not least, couragemylove is quite possibly one of my most favourite new photographers that i've found on etsy. not only do her photos have a quiet awe-inspiring serenity, but they also have a sense of hopefulness that really fits with her name. not to mention the fact that it's echoed in everything she seems to write. seriously, check out her etsy profile or even her blog, persisting stars. man, this girl can write! plus she's canadian, *plus* (and oh yes, there are a lot of pluses!) she includes quotes in every single etsy listing that i've looked through thus far. which makes this particular quote junkie a newly devoted fan. i have a feeling that stumbling across her shop is the beginning of a very good new favourite thing.