Those Stir Crazy Days

If I keep telling myself that I love winter I think it may very well

come true. It's taking everything I've got to forget those carefree

barefoot summer days. I just want the sun!  I mean come on,

look how pale my face has become - it's beyond the help of

simple bronzer at this point. I need and want the warmth of

the sun so bad I'm ready to make like Rapunzel's mother and

hand over my first born. Too bad there's no witch to make this

bet with. Notice: Calling all witches, I will trade my unborn

first child for summer again. And this is the boiling point of

sanity. I have now ventured into the land of raving lunatics....

It's a shame the only 'wild' places left in the world have such

extreme weather. Stay warm, my friends!

Outfit:

Gifted // Wool Hat

 Jacob // Wool Sweater

Thrifted // Silk Skirt 

Thrifted // Bolo tie 

Thrifted // Belt 

Vintage // Leather Boots 

The Art of Flora Forager

When I joined Instagram just a couple of months ago - I know,

only a wee bit late to jump on that wagon - one of the first people

I began to follow was @flora.forager.  Her cheerful creations

transport me to sunny days spent walking through fields with

the tall grass tickling my legs, which is much welcomed during

this bone-chilling month. What I love most is her use of the

natural world around her to depict the beauty of nature. And

her ability to maintain originality day after day never ceases

to amaze me either; from animals and birds, to landscapes,

to messages, to abstract art.  Her work simply makes me happy. 

For more of Flora Forager's work visit floraforager.com or

follow her on Instagram - you'll be glad you did! 

To the top of a Mountain

I climbed my first mountain this past weekend! Not some crazy high

mountain or some overly dangerous rocky mountain, but just a regular

mountain with trees and a steep incline. At 26, this is the first time. 

You see, I was a child of the city. I grew up without much money

surrounded by concrete and cultivated gardens. 

When I lived in British Columbia and Alberta, home to the rockies,

I could see the massive mountains off in the distance. I would close

my eyes and be transported to a world of dense forests, woodland

creatures, and fresh air. Like a country girl who dreams of the big city

and all its opportunity, I was a city girl who longed for the wild and free.

Having never lived by the ocean before, with the salty air and crashing

waves, this summer was all about beaches and coastal walks. We've 

become forest dwellers as of late, as the trees protect against the cold

wind that blows so ferociously. With a thick sheet of slick ice coating

the ground, January is probably not the best time to hike up a mountain,

but there's something beautiful about being up there all alone.

It feels wonderful to accomplish something I've wanted to do for

so long. I think I'm more proud of myself for living the life I want

to lead than I am for the fact that I graduated from university! 

I find also that it now gives me the strength to work on the next

 set of goals - I can already hear the peep peep peep of baby chicks.

I suppose one could say I climbed both a mountain

literally and metaphorically. And you? What's your mountain? 

Outfit: 

Gifted Boathouse // Hat 

Thrifted // Sweater

Thrifted // Jeans

Vintage // Camera Bag

Vintage // Boots

DIY Satchel

Am I ever excited to share the latest DIY project: a satchel! My

major goal for 2015 - and the rest of my life - is to become more

self-sufficient. I'm not going to lie, at times it can seem overwhelming

and as if I'm not getting anywhere. But like the tortoise won the race,

slow and steady is the way to go! I had this thick wool fabric from an

old poncho I never wore and I've been trying to think of ways to use

it. The colours of the fabric remind me of Peruvian bags, so I went

in that direction. The satchel is pretty basic, but I love the fact that

my hands made it. Never doubt yourself! 

- Silly me, I forgot to picture the thread! I used white thread for

everything except the flap, for which I used a light purple. Colours

were chosen based on the colour of my fabric. I also used a thicker

thread, I like to do this when working with wool, which is heavier. 

- Cut fabric into a long rectangle. The length and width depends

on the size you would your satchel to be. 

- Along the length of fabric fold the sides inwards. How wide you

would like your satchel is up to you. Mine is 8 inches wide. Try to

make this as straight as possible. Tip: ironing the sides keeps them

in place and makes it much easier to work with. 

- Bring the bottom of your fabric up almost to the top. Leave fabric

at the top for your flap. Again, the length (or depth) of the satchel

is up to you. Mine is 11 inches. 

- Outside view of satchel-to-be. Sew back and front together, this 

is done by pulling the satchel inside out and sewing along the

outer sides. 

- The striped fabric made sewing in straight lines easy, this might

be more difficult to accomplish without stripes. 

- For the strap I used a wool fabric belt that came with a sweater.

Anything that is long and strong enough will work though - be

creative! I folded the belt in half and sewed that to each side of

the satchel. 

And that's it! 

Like a Wolf

As each day passes Paul and I entertain the idea of moving north

more and more. With endless woods, non-bridged waters, and an

unforgiving terrain, its wildness calls to me. But one cannot fathom

living in the north, a land of snow and ice, without being friends

with the merciless winter. Where once I thought it was a season of

sleep and death, I have been proven wrong. My backyard displays

the nighttime dance between the rabbit, fox, and quail. There is

beauty to be found in the sparkling diamond effect of the snow.

Comfort is found in the familiar smell of burning wood and the

warmth of our homes. As long as I don warm fabrics and many

layers I can walk or play for hours in the snowy world. It may

not be an easy, carefree season, but I want to embrace winter

like a wolf rather than shy away from it like a bear. 

Outfit:

Gift // Hat 

Jacob // Shirt

Thrifted // Belt

Vintage // Skirt

Thrifted // Boots 

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