Tavi, aka Style Rookie, the 13 year old fashion blog sensation. She should play Thebes.  I realized after seeing a picture of her in the [...]]]> The movie that should be made based on Miriam Toews’ book The Flying Troutmans- well I just realized who should play Thebes, the 11 year old prodigous crafter.

Tavi, aka Style Rookie, the 13 year old fashion blog sensation. She should play Thebes.  I realized after seeing a picture of her in the latest issue of FASHION that Tavi is who I’ve been imagining Thebes to look like as I’ve been reading (and rereading) the book. Pretty, quirky, dainty.  Imagine purple hair and a blue terry cloth jumpsuit, faux holster.  SHE’S PERFECT!!!!!! 

Thebes-like randomness xo

I just finished reading Winnipeg writer Miriam Toews’ book The Flying Troutmans.  Actually, I finished it, stood up in the middle of my bedroom and walked backwards in a figure eight 3 times (uh… rewind?) and now I am reading it again for the second [...]]]>

I just finished reading Winnipeg writer Miriam Toews’ book The Flying Troutmans.  Actually, I finished it, stood up in the middle of my bedroom and walked backwards in a figure eight 3 times (uh… rewind?) and now I am reading it again for the second time in a week.

It’s about an aunt and a mom and a son and a daughter, a van,  and eventually, a father, all concerned with a common goal which is saving the mom from herself. The characters and story are depressingly sweet, sad, and funny. The book is short, with an ending that is satisfying. I felt it in my bones and it appealed to my heart, my achey breaky romantic heart.  

Miriam Toews is such a great writer, on point with her cultural references, twisted banter, and compelling humans. The Flying Troutmans came out in 2008 so perhaps this is old news. But anyway, I loved it.  I remember being equally as spellbound by her book A Complicated Kindness (2004), which I think I need to reread. 

Someone should mail a copy to Diablo Cody who should turn it into a screenplay, a la Diablo Cody. It would make a great movie, dare I say, film.

That’s all I’m going to say about that.

What should I read next?

So today was a so-so day. Loenne was off her regular nap schedule and was kind of cranky and out of sorts all day because of it,  so I didn’t get anything done that I’d hoped to, because she wasn’t [...]]]> You may not believe me, and that’s fine, but I swear that the following is true.

So today was a so-so day. Loenne was off her regular nap schedule and was kind of cranky and out of sorts all day because of it,  so I didn’t get anything done that I’d hoped to, because she wasn’t napping. Amazing how a baby loves a schedule! We were in limbo all day, very blaaahhh. I’m sure we’ve all been there.  I never expected that the day would turn into such an unusual one.

On a day to day basis, I spend a lot of time breastfeeding. Accumulatively over the past six months I can’t imagine the number of hours. I don’t mind at all, really. It’s very calming for her and I. But needless to say- it can be a little boring. It’s a lot of time to think, or watch tv, or whatever. Usually just think. Today for some reason- my random thinking topic was ice skating. My train of thought went something like this. . . When does a child learn how to skate?  3? 4? (insert visual of the 3 year old Gosselin sextuplets skating with chairs. I know, I can’t believe I just admitted that but that’s what I thought of. So kill me.) I haven’t skated in years. (insert memories of 6 years of figure skating, one year of hockey, remember that time I fell on my tailbone and hurt my ass so bad I still can’t sit for longer than an hour. Damn.) I wonder how bad I’d be now. I need to get some skates.  .  . I’d love to go skating this winter.  .  . Do I get hockey skates or figure skates? . . . I’m probably not very steady anymore so the blades on figure skates would probably be better for me.  And daintier.  . . Then I can push off from my little pick toes if I’m really terrible now. . . Yeah, I’ll get some figure skates.  .  .Maybe I can find them used somewhere. .  . Yawn.

A few hours later I went for a walk with Loenne and my neighbour and her baby boy. Not a block from our houses did we stumble upon a pair of figure skates hanging by their blades on a chain link fence. What the fun? Flashback to this morning thinking about skating, that was almost coincidence enough for me. 

We stopped and laughed at the randomness. (I don’t know if other cities and towns are like this, but in Toronto if people don’t want something and they are too lazy to take it to goodwill they just leave things on the sidewalk. Boxes of books, furniture, toys, small appliances, dishes, furniture. . . and no, it’s not just garbage, it’s for the taking.) So I examined them a little further and they looked like they might be my size so I decided to try them on there on the sidewalk. And guess what? THEY FIT PERFECTLY. And I have size 10 feet. They look like they’ve never even been worn. I tucked those beauties right into the stroller basket.  Suddenly, I was a person who owned skates.

Crazy, right? Crazy awesome.It’s just so wild that I was just thinking about how I wanted to get some, then they just show up, for free. These kinds of things don’t really happen to me. What does this mean?  Doesn’t matter. I felt really special, completely tickled, still do! 

I can’t wait to go skating this winter!!!!!!

aren't they gorgeous?

What is a girl to do with her time?
When she usually stays up past eleven?

Baking, enjoying a glass of wine.
Scheming, thinking of now.
This life is so brand, it’s you that is new
[...]]]> It’s saturday night,
and my husband went out!
My baby goes to bed at 7.

What is a girl to do with her time?
When she usually stays up past eleven?

Baking, enjoying a glass of wine.
Scheming, thinking of now.
This life is so brand, it’s you that is new
I’ve been always this way forever.

Hey there! I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately- once or twice a week I will make something. I’ve been loving allrecipes.com, a tip from a facebook friend. There are helpful comments and feedback on every recipe, much better than my usual cooks.com. I’ve tried and loved these-

zucchini blueberry bread- I up the baking powder to about 3 tablespoons to make muffins instead- amazing! I did half blueberries/rasberries once, that was fun.

pumpkin loaf- I added a cup of chocolate chips, which was of course delicious. I made this earlier this week and froze one loaf to bring to a family brunch date at a friends tomorrow morning. When did I get so mature?

cranberry orange oat cookies- I made these tonight after buying fresh cranberries on a whim. They have a really nice moist texture and tangy flavour.

For all these recipes, I’ve been substituting half the oil for applesauce and splitting the flour quantities between all purpose and whole wheat. Everything works just fine, and is healthier I suppose. Not like I care- I was joking with a prairie friend last weekend about our mutual love affair with cooking with butter. She scandalously added that she loves to cook with cream, too.  Bold.  Everything I make is home made, and from fresh whole ingredients, so healthy is relative.

We officially bought a house this week, and also sold my old studio on the weekend. We’ve been busy getting our house ready for sale and our agent is coming to take photos tomorrow, finally.  I’ve watched enough home renovation and real estate television over the past few years to know what to do. We’ve stripped it of clutter, and personality, and it’s near immaculate. It looks great!  He is anticipating it being on the market for a week, only time will tell. The Toronto market is hot right now- everyone is buying and no one is selling, so there is competition for the good stuff. Real estate is so emotional. Wah! Yay! Eeek!

Loenne doesn’t love the vacuum, we’ve discovered in the past few days when we’ve been using it so much. She gets scared and starts crying. The solution? Yell “Vacuuuuuum” in a really loud, fun voice every time you start it up. Works like a charm.

I am busy dreaming and scheming about our new house in Maple. It was built in ’81 and the bathrooms and kitchen are original, so we will be doing a complete renovation on those. We are going to move a misplaced main floor powder room to a more discreet location too- which opens up a somewhat small kitchen into a pretty large, potentially dream kitchen. We renovated the house we live in now top to bottom, and we’ve learned many lessons along the way. One of our mottos has been- ‘when in doubt, tile it’ and we’ve become pretty adept tilers. I am ready to take on a complicated idea for my kitchen back splash, maybe similar to the pattern on this mug.

 It’s a little bit Ukranian, a little bit rock and roll- no? I’m not Ukranian, and neither is Dom, but we’ve got a modern-vintage-homey-nature-Canadiana kind of style to our decorating and this fits. I think it would look radical, especially when everything else will be ultra clean and simple.

I could also do something in a bargello pattern- which I also love. Bargello is a really old (centuries old) embroidery style that has a pixelated look that would be easily accomplished with tile.

Scheming design, as usual. Ideas abound. Tood a loo!

Guess what? We’re moving!! I chant that ever [...]]]> Hey friends, it’s me! Former fashion designer, current stay at home mom, back in action.  Just kidding about the former fashion designer thing. Although it’s beginning to feel that way. Sigh. I’ve had a few emails about viewing my spring 2010 collection. Choke! Sob! There isn’t one!  Oh well.

Guess what? We’re moving!! I chant that ever so often and do the running man to the beat. It was a quick decision, and we have been on a mad tear trying to get our house in top form for selling. I am taking a break right now from scrubbing grout with a toothbrush. This is serious business.  Anyhoo, we’ve had enough with this city thing and we’re moving to the suburbs- Maple, Ontario. Home of Canada’s Wonderland and Vaughan Mills Mall. Partay. We need a bigger house for the baby and I need a studio at home. We looked in the city, but the difference between 400K in the burbs vs the city is about 1000 square feet. At first I was against it and thought it would be super uncool to live in the suburbs. Don’t people look down on those simpletons out their in their cookie cutter houses? Hell, no!  I realized I didn’t care and that our quality of life would improve. So Eff you, Toronto! I’m outta here. This ship has sailed. It’s amazing how quickly things can change.

I really miss not having a real space to work. I think I am a space pig. I love it, I need it. OMG, I’m so excited!!!  Who knows what will happen when I have it. I haven’t even made any baby clothes yet!  She’s been breathing oxygen for over four months already. I don’t know where I am going to get all this time all of a sudden. Bigger house = more cleaning, too. Ach! I anticipate the time moving slower in the suburbs, though.  It just will.   .   . it just does.

you'll find me in the brown one

Happy Anniversary to us!

I just finished reading Dolly Parton’s autobiography written in 1994- My Life and Other Unfinished Business. Whoa! It was definitely written by her- as soon as you read the first sentence it’s like hearing her voice in your head. She’s so weird.  She says the three most important things in her life are God, [...]]]>

I just finished reading Dolly Parton’s autobiography written in 1994- My Life and Other Unfinished Business. Whoa! It was definitely written by her- as soon as you read the first sentence it’s like hearing her voice in your head. She’s so weird.  She says the three most important things in her life are God, Music and Sex, and she touches on all of them on almost every page. She isn’t explicit with the sex stuff- but talks about it in a more hardy har har-elbow nudging-you know what I mean kind of way. Okay Dolly, we get it, you’re kind of slutty. Or not. I don’t know! I’m so confused.

I’d always known who Dolly was, who doesn’t I guess, right?  It was in college that I was really bitten by the Dolly bug. I was listening to campus radio late one night while cleaning and they played  ’Jolene’, and it was the best damn shit I’d ever heard in my whole life. I went and bought an old Dolly Parton album like the next day and was immediately hooked!!! It had all sort of goodies on it like Coat of Many Colours, My Tennesee Mountain Home, The Bargain Store, Love is Like a Butterfly, Touch Your Woman, and of course Jolene. My poor roommates. I can sing that album front to back, I used to blast it and tap dance around in my powder pink heels with the hand drawn o.k. on the  toes, best shoes ever, btw.

I was lucky to see her in concert at the Molson Amphitheatre about 5 years ago. With one of my college roommates,  cause she was hooked too!  It was amaaaazing. Best concert I’ve ever been to! Everything was bedazzled with pink crystals. Everything. Of course, she was wearing a skin tight sparkly gown. Her little anecdotes and rambles between songs were the funniest, cutest little blips ever. This one time, a fly got stuck to her lip gloss, and then she had to pick it off, and she said something really funny. Oh my god, love her! I think she’s from a different planet. Her other worldliness peaked during a song where she lipsynched/fake played a weird sparkly little flute.  I think we smiled and giggled the whole concert.

It just so happened that Dolly was featured on ’18 Kids and Counting’ on TLC last night. What a random coincidence. I actually secretly like that show and the Dugger family. They’re just so. . . nice. Dolly and the Duggers- that’s enough niceness to make a person trip out. I have a habit of smiling at the t.v when I am tickled by something I’m watching, and I usually don’t realize it. Dom always catches me and teases me for it.  He was sleeping, so I got to dork out all I wanted.  The Duggers were visiting Dollywood. Really, it was a big promotional thing for the Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge. It worked, I must go there. I need to ride the spinning glasses of lemonade in Dollywood.

So if you like Dolly Parton then you should read this book.  If it had been written by anyone else I probably wouldn’t have finished it.  But if you’re like me and you get happy anytime you see her, or hear about her, or think about her then you will probably be equally as happy reading it.   She never really says anything remotely juicy or detailed about anything. She is pretty defensive and high roaded about any negative aspects of her story, and overly appreciative and gushy about everything else.  She always refers to herself, in seriousness, as a star. I thought that being called a star was like being described as couture, you aren’t supposed to put the label on yourself. Not Dolly. She’s from a different time. Her humour is the folksy-old man-Rachel Ray kind of thing that would make me feel uncomfortable if it wasn’t coming from her.  But it was, so I accepted it, even laughed and shook my head a few times, “Oh, that Dolly.” Gotta love her!

Okay?

still got em

There isn’t much new in my world. Maybe that’s not entirely true. . . I went to Manitoba with Loenne and my Mom about 10 days ago. It was my [...]]]> Helloooo! Where does the time go? Seriously? Motherhood really is a full time job. Who knew! Loenne is napping, I should be cleaning. Oh, well.

There isn’t much new in my world. Maybe that’s not entirely true. . . I went to Manitoba with Loenne and my Mom about 10 days ago. It was my Grandma’s 88th birthday, a good reason to go visit her and see family. Loenne got to meet a good majority of her Manitoba relatives, and her awesome Winnipeg “Aunties”. I was nervous about flying with her for the first time, but she did great! I nursed during take off and landing, and she pretty much slept the rest of the time.  My Dad is a pilot for Air Canada, so I’ve flown stand-by my whole life,which is amazing, but can also be trying at times. Since I was flying with my Mom who taps into my Dad’s seniority- we were put in business class on the way there!  Luckily, I had dressed Loenne in a 3 piece suit just in case, so she fit right in. Here is the little sweetie sleeping on the plane.

Loenne and I with Grandma

My Grandma lives in a Senior’s Complex where she has her own apartment. There is usually a puzzle on the go in the lobby on her floor. My brother Marc and I killed it one night. OOPS! Puzzles are fun. I have fond memories of doing complicated puzzles with Grandma as a kid. Marc was telling me about his “puzzle club” that used to happen back in the day. It involved a friday night, a case of beer,  a brand new puzzle, and a few friends- and no going out until the puzzle was done. Now that’s my kind of party. I am not sure if it’s the tiny bits of satisfaction when you place each nagging piece, or the easy, idle conversations that happen around the puzzle that I love. Regardless,  maybe I will pick up a puzzle and let it take over my dining room table for a week, for old times sake.

We stopped on the highway so that Loenne Prairie and I could take a picture on the prairie- something for her baby book. Maybe we will have to do that every time we go back.

We’ve been home for a week, and have eased back into our cozy routine. I’ve been reading The Baby Whisperer books, and trying to follow some of her advice. Mainly- adding structure to the order of a baby’s life. Basically- Eat, Play, Sleep, repeat. The eating lasts about 20 minutes, the playing about 40, and the napping is up to her. I don’t think I was making her nap as much as she needed before.  Now during playtime, as soon as she starts getting fussy it’s time to quiet down and ease into a nap. She seems happier.

We had a BBQ with friends this past weekend, which was a hilarious fun time as usual. Everyone brings some meat to grill, and I make a few salads. I made four this time around, all from the Canadian Living website. I made a Cucumber Herb Salad, a Sweet Pickle Potato Salad, a Mediterranean Pasta Salad, and Green Bean Barley Salad. The Potato and Bean/Barley were the biggest hits with the crowd out of the four, but over all I think the group was complimentary and a good variety. It probably took me about 4 or 5 hours in total to make all of them.

Loenne wore her BBQ shirt- we bought it a few months ago and have been impatiently waiting for the big day when she would get to show it off! It’s covered in hamburgers and hot dogs, of course.

The biggest hit for me at the BBQ- and something that I can’t stop thinking about, was the double dutch! My friend Katy brought a couple skipping ropes and the ladies double dutched in the street. I couldn’t get the hang of it! I tried to jump in about 20 times but had to accept the fact that it wasn’t for me.  I think I would basically stop breathing and pretend I was hiding whenever I tried so maybe that’s why I sucked. Here is a picture of one of my attempts. Can you see the fear? Dom thinks these pictures are hilarious.

Hopefully this works- here is a video of the masters in action. I’m so jealous! I wish I could secretly practise, but you need rope turners.

That’s all for now. I really should be cooking and cleaning. If I’m going to be a stay at home Mom, I should still try to be the best I can be! On that front- I MISSED RHUBARB SEASON. So disappointed in myself. I had plans. Pickling season better not pass me by.

It’s a pink Ouija board, for ages 8 and up! The Mystifying Oracle comes with ‘question cards’ with ’72 fun things to ask’.  So [...]]]> Dom,Loenne, and I hit up the mall this morning for a few baby supplies. We discovered this in Toy’s R Us. Is it just us, or is this totally wrong?

It’s a pink Ouija board, for ages 8 and up! The Mystifying Oracle comes with ‘question cards’ with ’72 fun things to ask’.  So if you want your little girl to invoke evil spirits into your home in girly style. . . 

Funnily enough, when I was about 9 or 10 I asked for a Ouija board for Christmas, which my brother got for me. I don’t even know how I knew what a Ouija board was, in my sheltered-two tv channel-rural prairie upbringing. It was probably those bitches in the Baby Sitters Club books that got me into the idea. We used it for the first time in my Nana’s basement, which was a little scary on a good day. Me, my brother, and cousins asked various innocent questions like, “When am I going to die?”. I think Ouija said my life was going to end at 26. Guess what? I’m 29. Take that, Ouija.  Case in point, I am not sure a Ouija board is a good toy for a child! Pink or not.

Dom got a little too close to the Mystifying Oracle and I almost had to perform an exorcism.

Mua ha ha ha.

I can have a baby now, I worked my last day of work today! In my secret double life, I also work as the stylist for E! News Weekend on the E! Network.  The show is hosted by Arisa Cox and Jason Ruta, and airs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. [...]]]>

I can have a baby now, I worked my last day of work today! In my secret double life, I also work as the stylist for E! News Weekend on the E! Network.  The show is hosted by Arisa Cox and Jason Ruta, and airs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Arisa and Jason are amazing, funny people both on camera and off.  I recommend you watch it!  As far as Canadian entertainment news show hosts go, bias or not, I think Arisa and Jason are the best in the nation. 

I’ve had the job for the past year, and it’s been a fantastic compliment to my life as a fashion designer. I started right after my collection was finished for the New Labels Competition and the job has essentially paid for my line since the moment I really needed funding for production. Life was occasionally insane designing a collection and also styling three days a week, but them’s the breaks!

I’d say one of the top five tasks in the job description for a stylist is “schlepping stuff”, and it hasn’t been getting any easier. I was starting to feel a little crazy for still doing the job at 38 weeks pregnant. The whole Canwest possible bankruptsy, and potential sale of the E! network has held me back from training anyone new. But alas, I couldn’t wait anymore, it was time for me to go! Luckily for Nadia Pizzimenti  , who happened to be in the right place at the right time. She borrowed some Butikofer for a creative she was styling a few months ago, and I was like, “Heyyy, do you want a job?” and she was like “Surrrre”.  She’s going to be great, she is far more driven to have a career as a stylist than I ever was or ever will be. Unemployed stylist no more! 

Insert sad emoticon here.

: (

I am really going to miss my job. Arisa, Jason and everyone else on the crew have been a great group of people to work with.  I loved the job, too.  Styling is fun! I’ve hopefully evolved a little from the timid/awkward self I was when I started. Realistically, I will always be a little awkward, but it was definitely good for me to get out of the solitary confinement of a fashion designer’s life a few times a week. The job has changed me, and expanded my interest and experience in the fashion industry in a great way.

Insert  mad (?) emoticon here.

: I

Stephen Harper should really make good on his promises. I was somewhat excited when I heard about his election platform of maternity leave for the self-employed, unfortunately the follow through has been a little lacking. Boo.

Ah, well. Good-bye E News! I love you, and shall miss you and your funny, sarcastic self. I’ll be watching. In my pajamas.