Sunday Diary ~ May 20, 2018

This week was full! 
Yet, I feel I just sort of glided through it without noticing the passing of time. Do you ever experience that? Weeks that you reflect on and suddenly don't remember what you did, who you saw, how you felt....

I only had work two days of the week, which likely has something to do with it. I always lose track of time if I don't have a structured schedule. I worked a day with my seniors and a day with the wedding photographer I work for. I also spent a day working on my research assistant work with a colleague, and I took a day on Monday to unwind and force myself to do a bit of "nothing", after the turbulent Mother's day weekend feels.

Tidbits:
~ Went to my brother's high school art program graduation this week! It's the same specialized program I graduated from, and I am so proud of him and excited for his upcoming university adventures. Here's a fun compare and contrast image for you from my graduation to his.....

~ Spent an afternoon running errands with my step mom and got my new place WAY more settled feeling. Some face cloths, some throw pillows for our couch, a little adorable cabinet/cart that will soon be my art supply storage, but for now homes the record player and our modem so that they aren't just sitting on the floor in the corner! I found it at a thrift store in dire need of a hardcore scrub, but it was cheap and fully functional and worth it!

~ Cucumber Kombucha is my latest favourite flavour - this week I'm brewing up a cucumber and cilantro batch, I can't wait to see if it's as good as the cucumber alone! It's been really fun brewing kombucha these last few weeks - though I admit I'm one of those scaredy cats who constantly thinks I've managed to make mine mouldy. I never have, not yet. It's hard to do but the scoby always looks SO WEIRD that I worry anyway! Ha! Do any of you brew your own kombucha?

~ I bought a camera! And sold my old one. My aforementioned photography boss works with Canon and I've been stubbornly holding onto my Nikon for 4 years. He finally convinced me to buy his extra Canon off of him, and I found someone online who bought my Nikon for his fiancé who wants to get into blogging! I'm SO glad it's going to good creative use and staying in the blogging world ;) Haha. Be on the look out for new and excited photography adventures....


Today, I am off to the farm in the middle of the city - Riverdale Farm. I'm excited to see the baby animals that come with spring and the blooms in the ravine. Last year the entire side of the hill was covered in a carpet of tulips and it was remarkable!

Hope you are also having a great weekend - and a lovely long weekend if you get tomorrow off in your part of the world, too!

xo

The Latest: Reflecting on Past Summers

Yesterday I had what my twelve year old self would have called a "real summer day". I played some video games, I watched Game of Thrones simultaneously with my friend in Scotland (we had first begun watching it together when we both lived in Paris!), watched some CSI, watered the plants, had a nice long shower, cooked a hearty dinner with a glass of wine in hand.... and honestly not much more than that. It was glorious.

I also felt a bit guilty, though. I have a lot of things on my plate and the idea of not doing work towards ANY of it made me feel as though I wasted an opportunity for focused work. But I think I've been focusing for a long time, so a day to myself to turn my brain off was probably exactly what I needed. Today, I woke up feeling invigorated and made a collage first thing in the morning before work. Then I painted at work. And now, I have plans to dive into some reading for my thesis work. And later, dinner with my fella!

It's strange to think back to my younger self who would play Sims and watch TV all day, almost all summer, and never get bored of it. How was that possible!?! I honestly can't imagine. Instead my summers are filled with seeing friends, being outdoors, drinking and eating delicious things, painting drawing and making, going on adventures around the city (and out!), and of course, as an adult - there is still work! It's been like that for years, of course, but for some reason this week I have been reflecting on what it was like as a young teenager. I probably also did some social outdoors things, but for the most part I was a real proponent of doing NOTHING AT ALL, ALWAYS. Except play Sims. I loved the Sims. I used to make cheesy little movies from video captured in the game.... I was a bit of a nerd, ok?

Anyway, I thought I'd also just share this photo of me and my friend's pug Susan. She was such a darling, and ow great of a name is Susan for a pug? Also, she actually wasn't as terrified of me as she seems here - I don't think! My friend Krista (Susan's human mama) is moving to New York soon, so I'm trying to soak up as much Krista and Susan time as I can before that.

What's up with you lately? Let me know in the comments!

Fun fact: I still like the Sims, just a little less obsessively I suppose.... ;)

LIFE/ALIVE

Life has been so wild and busy lately!

Recently, I started a contract job with an organization that does a yearly installation/exhibition for children involving lots of cool technology. It's a ton of fun - but also, keeps me super busy given that I haven't given up any of my other jobs and my freelance work has been picking up. 7 work days a week, woo!

I am excited to get to blogging again - it has been a while since I have had time to sit, and relax, and string some sentences together for this blog post. 

I am hopeful that when this contract job ends I will be able to focus a little more on my personal projects, this blog included! House of Ell is dear to my heart and I want it to grow and blossom.

Here are a few tidbits about what I've been up to lately:

- I've been selling my Nudie products at shows, and they will be selling in a retail store at the end of the month!
- At the end of the month I am also doing an exciting mural that I can't wait to get started on
- I went to Chicago for a few days and saw all sorts of beautiful things and ate so many delicious meals. What a cool city!
- Doing some sweet stuff for some bands in Toronto lately, which I will share later!
- Looking forward to summer! I am so sick of this cold - we have freezing rain today, yuck


So, that's me right now. What's up with you? Catch me up!

Year of Thrift Start of Summer Update (Half a Year!)

It has officially been half a year of only thrift shopping! Time flies, even when you're not letting yourself shop at big stores! Ha!

This year of thrift challenge has become even easier now that it is summer and I have already gone to Europe - I was seriously budgeting to be able to go on that trip, and now, in some ways good in some ways bad, I am free to spend a little more. In terms of buying clothes - I have been able to grab a couple of fun summer items at nicer thrift shops - consignment shops, more curated ones, and have thus found some much nicer things than usual!

Thrifting while traveling was also, totally do-able. The ONLY time I bought a clothing item that wasn't handmade or second hand was upon arriving to Edinburgh and realizing I forgot to bring a scarf, and feeling VERY cold, so I bought a typical, wooly tartan scarf. I think this is a fair exception though - I was not in a position to buy a second hand scarf and wash it for immediate use! ;)

My neighbourhood also had a huge garage sale at the beginning of the month, so I snagged a couple of fantastic items there, including a really sweet black jacket that my neighbour brought out and asked me if I wanted before putting it out to sell. Garage sales have the best deals - ever! It's actually my favourite time of year, and I am eager to scout out more this summer!

I admit, it has been really difficult to resist all the summer patterns popping up in H&M and Forever 21 and the like. Im such a sucker for pattern. But I've done it! And to be honest, I think I will keep resisting, always. The more I discover how achievable this challenge is, the more I dislike the idea of going back to my old shopping habits.


Have you had any fun thrifty finds recently?

xo

Year Of Thrift Update: First Month

I'm a little bit late in posting this, let's call it my first month and a week of my thrifty year, ha!

I don't have all that much to report on this. So far so good - I bought a sweater and a shirt from Value Village with incredible patterns, but that's been it this past month in terms of clothing.

I did come up with a new 'exception' for my list: art supplies! I know that, as art students, we don't have to spend (much) money on textbooks, but oh the art supplies. Expensive, necessary, and admittedly so sooo fun! Whenever I walk into an art supply shop I feel giddy like a little kid in a toy store! Those walls full of every colour of paint and all the variety in paint brushes. Ah it is one of my favourite things. And it is something that can't really be bought secondhand.

I have been wondering however, if there are some better, more sustainable art practices that I can adopt: what palette works best, one that isn't disposable? How do I better take care of my paintbrushes to make them last longer? Etc. Etc. Etc. and I think I'm going to begin looking into it!

Anyway, just a little update! Glad that my challenge is going well so far. :)
How has your new year been so far? Any successes in your resolutions or plans?!