22 - farewell may

1. antler drawing and flower fine art photograph from Kari Herer /

2. nova lily aria necklace (recycled leather, embroidered lace trim, and antiqued brass chain)

i can't believe May is coming to an end already! i have not exactly achieved my goal of launching nova lily this month, although to be fair, i have spent more time out of Montreal visiting andrew than i have at home, which also explains my hiatus this past week. my "gone fishing" weekend getaway spontaneously turned into an extended week-long stay with andrew in Pembroke, where i read during the day while he forayed into the bush for work (p.s., he is going to be an amazing forester!). it was absolutely perfect! he drove me back to Montreal on Saturday, and after spending a couple AMAZING days with him in the city, the dust is settling and i can return to work and my ongoing projects.

it's been a wonderful and delightful spring (and also strange, with the unusual amount of rain), but i am ready for summer! now that it's sunny, i can finally take more photos for nova lily in the natural light. but while i have enough goods to open shop and am just about ready to take the leap, i am hesitant to do so with the imminent Canada Post strike. i think it might be better to wait it out... and focus on reading for my comps for now. outside, in the sun. 

21 - happy friday / gone fishing

i'm off to spend the long weekend with andrew at his parents' beautiful old stone house in a small Ontario town along the St. Lawrence river, where we'll be happily sitting on the veranda overlooking the river, drinking beer and breathing in the fresh air... (oh, and i'll also be reading for my comps). given that it's opening weekend for a variety of fish in Ontario and andrew has been working hard with excitement to build my tackle box, we also plan to go fishing. i'm excited to get my line wet!  

have a lovely weekend!

(image found via  pinterest. original source unknown.)

20 - let it rain...

it's been raining in Montréal, and most parts of eastern Canada, for days. and it's forecasted to continue raining through the weekend (although with sunny breaks). while my body aches for the sun, the rain is calming, replenishing, and surprisingly inspiring.... after finishing my day's work, i spent part of the afternoon making jewellery, drinking tea, and listening to a wonderful folk/bluegrass playlist -- and, of course, the gentle, rhythmic sound of the rain drumming on my skylight windows.

so today, i celebrate the rain.

(rainfall image credit belongs to Malika Pannek of klunkerfunkeln, taken in Montréal in fall, 2010)

 Rainfall, hand-stitched print of original illustration by Leah Duncan.

April Showers by Amy Blackwell (available to purchase in her Etsy shop).

Rainy Day in a Nearby Forest by Anna Emilia
(print of original painting available to purchase here).

rain clouds by Golly Bard (visit her gorgeous Etsy shop).

feather earrings inspired by the popular rhyme, "March winds and April shower bring forth May flowers," from the wonderful Montréal designer, Noémiah. images produced in collaboration with illustrator Paule T.B. 

It’s Raining

It’s raining women’s voices as if they had died even in memory
And it’s raining you as well marvellous encounters of my life O little
drops
Those rearing clouds begin to neigh a whole universe of auricular cities
Listen if it rains while regret and disdain weep to an ancient music
Listen to the bonds fall off which hold you above and below

poem by Guillaume Apollinaire, figured to create the sensation of rain falling, or running downward across a surface.

for an animated, digital version, click here.

19 - wearable porcelain

having recently purchased a pair of these sweet little "How about Circles" porcleain earrings from Montreal designer Maboue (jeweler Soleil Flemming is truly a delight and even hand-delivered my package, adding brightness to another gloomy and rainy Montreal day - how wonderful is that?!), i was inspired to search for other wearable porcelain, an artform i have long admired. here's a round-up of a few of my favourite finds:

fossil porcelain ring by Suite One Studio

porcelain pendants by Klei

crystal visions & hand cut jewels from dani m 

a collaboration between Lisa Frier Ceramics and Lynn & Jane Eppel (Silver Eppels)

lila ruby king

Yasha Butler

woodland collection from Terhi Tolvanen

poodlebreath

Evert Nijland 

cold porcelain lace necklace by sofia barao

more wearable porcelain from maboue

for more porcelain curiosities, look here.

18 - mon nouveau vélo vintage!

andrew and i picked up this wonderful vintage Bianchi cruiser from a small-town guy who fixes and sells bikes out of his yard in Pembroke, ON. i feel like we stole it, it was such a great deal! all she needs is a little bit of lovin'. i already splurged on a new vintage-inspired saddle seat and market basket! we still need to tune her up some, but i am hoping she'll be ready for the weekend. i now totally understand the appeal of vintage cruisers... i feel like a country bumpkin riding her, it's so relaxed and fun! can't wait to take her to the market... i think she is going to be absolutely perfect for cruising around Montreal this summer.

my sister insists that i call her Gertrude, but i am just not feeling it. what do you think?

(photo taken using Instagram on my iPhone)

17 - weekday getaway: wee trout lake & barron river, ontario

i spent the past week visiting Andrew, and we went camping at a gorgeous spot outside the northern boundaries of Algonquin Park, accessible only by 4x4. it was quiet, relaxing, and perfect in every way. there were absolutely no people around and we had the best two days of sunny, warm weather so far this spring. oh, and the bugs weren't out yet either! 

the above photos look out onto wee trout lake from our campsite in a shelterwood, where people have probably been camping for hundreds of years. even though logging has gone on in the area, with sustainable and responsible forest practices it seems relatively untouched. the eco-system in and around the small lake is so healthy and thriving, it's incredible! the sound of frogs feeding and birds calling at night was almost deafening, but also deeply therapeutic. we sat around the campire for hours, simply listening....

i should also introduce our trusty, fully-restored 1995 pathfinder, the best and most reliable bush vehicle ever,without whom we could not have accessed and enjoyed this wonderful piece of the world. she too enjoyed the sun and fresh air!

our modest tent, which i like to call the bear den! we slept with the fly off, watching the stars as we fell asleep. it's amazing to feel so exposed....

i was one happy camper!

some delightful spots along the barron river, including the most beautiful moss-covered trees:

we went on a walk through the most enchanting moss-covered forest stand i have ever seen. the ground was so soft and inviting i could have stayed forever! but instead, i happily collected a variety of pieces of moss and lichen, both for my natural history collection and art-making:

coral lichen (above)

finally, i want to share photographs of what happens to a tree when you lazily leave rope or cord (from hanging up a tarp or clothesline) tied around it:

because trees grow outwards, the rope basically strangles them as they continue to grow, slowing killing them. here, the rope is so embedded in the tree that it is now impossible to remove. unable to grow freely, this juvenile red maple will likely die within the next ten years. so please, always collect your cords before you break camp!

16 - my life as a (neverending) 'to do' list

when i saw these 'to do' lists on Mrs. Easton the other day, i thought they were the perfect illustration of my life recently, although i still can't decide whether this is inspiring or depressing. sometimes i think i am utterly insane to actually believe that i can succesfully manage and balance ALL these parts of my life and my many loves and interests. for anyone in academia, you know how consuming and demanding--mentally and bodily--it is, especially for grad students constantly struggling to make their way. YES, i build my own schedules and the waves come and go, but when they come, they REALLY come and the stress is enough to sink you. i love what i do, what i study and research and write. i (think) i love the future i am attempting to build for myself, and by extension for my partner and our family. but i also love and NEED more - the simple and delightful things, art-making, design, inspiration, wedding-planning, the everyday. art and life, art in life, art as life. i wonder: can i really do and accomplish and truly enjoy all these things? is my stubborn, insistent belief that i can misguided?

i am entering what is possibly the worst and most challenging part of my entire academic career, although possibly also one of the best: my comprehensive exams. my supervisor kindly reminded me this week to enjoy my time reading, because it is likely the last time in my career that i will be able to do nothing but read (40 books in 4 summer months, i might add. insane, anyone?). and yet i stubbornly insist on attempting to blog regularly in addition to making art, jewellery, and other handcrafted goods, preparing to open up and maintain my Etsy shops (i am almost there!), collecting daily inspiration, eating well, staying healthy, and putting time and energy into a long-distance relationship with the love my life. yup, i feel pretty overwhelmed at times. but don't we all?

and i must admit, when i finally scratch all the 'to dos' off my list(s), it is an incredibly satisfying and fulfilling feeling....