DIY Hanging Stick Wall Art

I've been seeing a lot stick wall art lately (see here, here, and here)

and decided to give it a go myself. I love the simplicity and how

dainty they are. I did mine a bit different from my inspirations,

with a sea-side themed bedroom and bathroom this was the

perfect opportunity for me to use my collected beach objects. 

The more I make our house a home the more I think about where

things come from and what they're made of. When my life ends I

don't want there to be a pile of my stuff left behind, a stain on an

otherwise beautiful blank canvass. This project was made up of

natural materials and leftover bits. The sticks, one shell, and sea

urchin were all found at the beach (See craft collecting post from

the summer, good thing I thought ahead!). The puka shells are from

a broken necklace (remember those things?!), while the jute and

feathers are from Michael's. Now, I've been looking into the origin

of craft feathers. I must say, there is a lot to read. I think I am going

to try to find local bird-friendly feathers. If there's anyone in the

Cape Breton area, or even the whole of Canada, that has information

on this, please do share! 

The instructions are fairly simple for this: just tie everything to the

stick with the jute! I added the beads so that the knot would be

hidden and to tuck the feathers tips in. Thanks for stopping by!

The Woes of a Bleeding Heart

With a heavy heart and tearful eye I make my way through life.

I feel for the chopped down tree; I feel for it as if it were my own

skin being sliced open by the sharp blade of an ax.

I feel for the hunted animal; I feel for them as if it were my own

brothers and sisters being gunned down. 

I feel for the weakened soil; I feel for it as if it were my own

nutrients being unceremoniously taken from my body.

I feel for the bird and fish; I feel for them and know their pain

for it is our air and water that is being polluted. 

Some call it silly, some call it weak, others call it a Buddhist trait.

I call it an understanding of the interconnected world. 

Outfit:

Thrifted // Hat

Garage Sale // Scarf

Thrifted // Shirt

Vintage // Skirt

Thrifted // Belt

Vintage // Boots

Looking back and other mushy things

And just when you thought you'd heard the last of holiday salutations,

Happy New Year! I hope that the past few weeks have been good to you. 

At first I wasn't going to review the past year, but so many life-changing

things have happened in the last twelve months I thought it might be nice

to be reflective for a change. It's crazy that I can have a glimpse into the

past with all these photos - there's no escaping that anymore!

Things that have changed:

>> Location. Ah yes, our trek across the country. From city to sea. Would

it be an over-exaggeration if I said I can finally breath now? I'm a bit of a

shy person, so taking pictures among crowds in the city was a challenge. 

An uninvited challenge. I can't get enough of the wide open spaces and

quiet areas. It's also a huge improvement from the wall backdrop! 

(see post here) 

>> Our little fam lost a cat and acquired a cat. We were all very sad to

lose Marley, but have welcomed our new rambunctious kitten, Kiyoko,

into our home with arms wide open (see post here). 

>>  I got a position as a newspaper columnist. I may or may not have cried...

more than once. Dreams really do come true! (see post here)

>> In regards to my fashion: I have been gravitating towards longer hemlines

and have even started wearing pants (much to the surprise of my family).

I'm not sure if this has to with my new rural landscape or growing up...

either way I'm going with the flow like poured molasses. 

>> I started to make more things. Partly this stemmed from the lack

of domestic products, but I've also been testing my ability to create

with my own hands. If I see something I like, instead of purchasing it

I ask myself, can I make this? It started with jewelry, but it's grown

to shelving, clothing, potpourri (much better than store-bought), and

ornamental things like dream catchers and Christmas decorations. 

Here's to the new year and all that it brings! Thanks for sticking around

as I tackle enjoy this crazy thing called life.