weekend getaway

holy crap.

i can't believe it's friday already. where did the week go? it's been packed with orientation-related website updates at work done at the speed of light, trying to minimize my carb intake -which is going well, except for the unfortunate handful cheerios that made their way into my digestive system... {how did you manage to jump into my mouth, little buddies?} and prepare my clothes and art stuff for going to visit my dad this weekend. i've never been a light packer, but i seriously think the trunk of my little car is ready to burst.

this weekend: i'll be rejuvenating, reading my book (almost done enough, will be starting deep economy as soon as i've put my other one down). i'll be doing creative things - who knows what, specifically. i've left my polymer clay and jewelry stuff at home, and have instead brought my paints, brushes, and an old old old hardcover copy of pride & prejudice that i bought in a used bookstore for $1 for me to be creative all over. i'm pretty excited. i'll also be sleeping and sitting in the sunshine on the deck. going for walks, going to the mariposa market to shop and take pictures. it's gonna be great. so long as it doesnt rain. (hell, if it does, i'll just do it all inside. minus sitting on the deck.)

OH! plus, check out these homegrown tomato pincushions sent to me via email by my good friend martha stewart. these are so stinkin cute, i wanna make some even though i'd have no use for them. lovely!

note: the link i've included for enough is from the UK amazon site because it's actually got reviews... and i like reviews.

image courtesy of londoncanada

shopping when i should be sleeping

so. stinkin. cute.

i need this stamp. seriously.

thank you, papersource.

serene

busy weekend. whoa.

went to our annual family reunion (which was quite possibly the smallest since it's inception in 1994), visited my dad for fathers day. saw the most gorgeous sky on the drive home. the road wound over and around the hills, and the clouds were a panorama of colour - to my left, deepest dark clouds, threatening an incredible lightning storm. further right, the colours melted into hues of deep purple and the most vibrant magenta i've ever seen in a sky in my life. further still, the clouds broke with rays of pink light, backlight by distant lightning. straight ahead down the road, there was the most vibrant rainbow i've ever seen - we could almost reach out and touch it. to our right, the clouds broke and it was entirely blue skies and sunshine. i would've stopped to take a picture of it all if i'd thought it would do it justice... but the light was growing dim and my camera doesn't have manual settings for dusk - nor does it have a tripod. add one more reason why i should buy that digital SLR i've been eyeing...

{the weather's been so weird lately}

today's one of those days where it's threatening rain - the sky is dark and the wind is cold... but i like something about it. something about it is comforting, like nothing else to do but sip a cup of tea and curl up with a book on a gloomy day. one of those days that you spend inside, wearing a warm sweater. quiet. reflective - almost brooding.

i like when days like this when they reflect my mood.

sweet deals

our weather in toronto seems to have a personality disorder. we've gone from sticky hot to windy and cold (and somewhat overcast).

a few happy things that rocked my earl grey tea today:

such innovative and pretty little things from andree wejsmann of soft dog studio

make gorgeous designs on your boring white ikea plates with skinny laminx' ceramics transfer tutorial.

brighten up your kitchen with this how-to for making mason jar chandeliers

the best happy thing: shelli (who's the artist behind the picture above) from studio mela is having her etsy shop's one-year birthday today, and to celebrate, is having a BOGO sale until june 14th -- what better way to wish her shop happy birthday than buying something from it? i need this one and this one and most likely the one i have featured as well.

{did i mention that i found a near-mint ikea desk while garage sale-ing last weekend, have officially set it up and it'll now be my new workspace? i need gorgeous art to inspire me and decorate the area!}

and furthermore..

enoughist philosophies seem to be following me everywhere.

in the same vein as yesterday's post, here's another gem that i ran into on martawrites, with the image sourced from heartdew. check out her serene muted images at her etsy shop.

i've been making a concerted effort to slow down and notice certain things in my day, taking a minute - however brief - to stand, ankle-deep in that moment, refreshed and reflective. pollyanna as it sounds, it been getting easier and more natural as the days fly by.

today, walking back to my office from a morning meeting, i could smell the same faintly rich pungent smell that the lake at my cottage has, and it reminded me of my childhood spending those everlasting summers paddling in the water, having campfires and smacking mosquitos as we roasted marshmallows.

what are some little things that you might notice in your day that momentarily might take you away for a brief escape?