Omiyage

I've been meaning to post about one of my new favorite online shops called Omiyage. Have you heard of it?

"Omiyage is the love child of Marisa Edghill and Elias de Souza. Having moved from Japan to Canada in 2007 (after a combined 12 years in the land of the rising sun), they found themselves missing Japanese stuff an awful lot! After a couple of years feeling sad every time they walked into a fabric store, or a craft store or, well, pretty much any store, they decided to do something about it!"

[How awesome are they?!]

The shop is really lovely with all of its special goodies (think: washi tapes, rubber stamps, stationery...) and the best part of all is that it's right here in Ontario! AND (as if it wasn't already amazing!) the flat shipping rate for Canada is a mere $5! (It's true!) You really must check it out, my friends.

P.S. For those of you who love surprises and grab bags, they're offering lucky bags (or Fukubukuro) until January 7th or you could enter to win one on the Lil Magoolie website! What a great way to start the New Year!

Powdered sugar

What a pretty morning! The snow was falling gently like powdered sugar being sifted in the air. It reminded me of the backdrop for a Christmas story.

As I was walking home this evening, the snow began to fall again. I tried to capture it with my camera but this is what appeared:

[It looks more like a rainstorm of hot metal, non?]

Write more letters

I'm not one for making New Year's Resolutions but I have been thinking about personal goals and things I'd like to do in the New Year. Here is my list so far:

Write more letters - I've really been slipping with this. It's such a shame because an empty mailbox is definitely a lonely one.

Take a class - I'm not sure what this class will be in yet but I know that it'll be something creative and not necessarily work-related. Some things that crossed my mind were jewelry-making and writing.

Tone up - I've been saying this for years now but I think this is the year I'll actually do something about it! My metabolism isn't what it used to be (that's for sure!).

Take more pictures - I used to carry my camera with me everywhere in the past but somewhere along the way, I found it too cumbersome. As a result, I've missed some really interesting shots. This year I plan to take more photos and improve my photography.

Journal regularly - As I mentioned in my previous post, I started a new journal and I hope to continue writing in it regularly. Along with my camera, I'll make sure to bring it with me wherever I go.

Create more - This kind of goes hand-in-hand with my thoughts of writing more and taking a class. I just feel like I've been amassing things like craft supplies and paper but haven't been doing anything with them. It's like I keep waiting for something to happen or for the perfect time. I just need to do it and not feel the pressure of having to create something perfect. Maybe I'll start with collages or a simple art journal. This is something I could even do with H on a regular basis.

Read more poetry - There are so many beautiful poems out there that can really capture special moments and touch the soul. I need to tap into this.

Continue to expand my boundaries - Taking the improv class last year and performing in front of a small audience was really thrilling! I find when I force myself to go out there and take risks, it really allows me to expand my boundaries and access the parts of my personality that need to be nurtured. Taking classes, going to Meetups and performing in front of people is a great way to challenge myself and I plan to do more of it!

Have fun and enjoy life (!) - I don't often have any trouble doing this but there are days that I feel down or uninspired. I need to always remember to make the most of things, appreciate my family and my life, and above all, just have fun! (Why so serious?)

I like this year

We started the New Year off by sleeping in late and having a lazy day. By late afternoon, however, the three of us were completely restless so we did two things: purge some of my shoes and walk down to Starbucks for some tea and hot chocolate.

H brought along a book, J had his Alpha Smart to type on and I started a brand new journal. It felt good to get out my pens and write on the fresh, new paper (tabula rasa).

I wrote down a list of highlights of the year that just passed and there were so many wonderful things to reflect on. Here are some of the most memorable:

- Ringing in 2010 in London with D+L
- Taking the Eurostar through the English Channel to Paris and visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Marche aux Puces and the Catacombs
- Completing my program in Career & Work Counselling and having the opportunity to work for three really different and amazing programs
- Reading H's articles published in a magazine and admiring her work

And probably the most exciting:
- Celebrating J's dream of writing and directing his first feature film (!!!)

Of course, being healthy, happy and in love have also been constant themes throughout the year that I know will continue into the next (and hopefully into infinity). I'm really excited to see what 2011 will bring and have a feeling it's going to be just as exciting and full as the last year so I say, bring it! I'm ready.

Wishing you a wonderful year filled with adventures, happiness and lots of love. Take care, friends. Talk soon. xo

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2011! (Bring it on!)

Lovely holiday season

My parents and sister flew in from Winnipeg on the 24th and we drove down to Kingston to celebrate with J's family (minus two key people). It was a really lovely time with lots of food, conversation and very little drama (except for the dreaded sliver incident...heh heh).

I feel really lucky to have such warm and welcoming in-laws. They made our stay very special and we had a really wonderful time with them! One of the highlights was seeing J's niece and all of the new things she had learned recently. (So sweet! ♥)

I'm also really grateful that my parents and sister took the time to fly down to be with us over the holidays. We really appreciate it, especially H. They always do so much for us in the little time that they're here. Thank you!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and a happy celebration! Talk soon. xo

Merry Christmas

Wishing lots of love to all those near and far...and in our hearts. 

Merry Christmas! xo

Happy Winter Solstice!

Wishing you all things happy this season!

A little taste of Japan

Have you been to Sanko yet?  As you know, it's one of my favorite places to pick up munchies and groceries in Toronto.  They have the best selection of chocolates and sweets from Japan, not to mention sauces, noodles, tea, cold beverages, fresh produce, earthenware, biscuits, nori, specialty foods and seasonings (like furikake).

I love how colorful and cute the packaging can be!  This is just a sneak peek of what you might see at a combini (Japanese convenience store) or grocery if (when?) you visit Japan:

The Mother of all craft events

I love going to City of Craft.  It's always really inspiring and I love meeting the artists.  This year H and I bought some really lovely goodies including a cute pin of a monster named Janice by Denture Thief, a mini chalkboard necklace by Killside Krafts, really awesome ceramic pins of people's faces by Julie Moon (I loved her display which encouraged visitors to "find your doppleganger") and a beautiful card by Genevieve Jodouin.  I was also excited to see Bunners Bake Shop there - a new vegan and gluten-free bakery - which had the most delicious creamies (similar to whoopie cakes but filled with luscious vanilla bean frosting).  I swear each creamie weighed a good pound or two each so you can imagine how decadent and scrumptious each one was!

Another event that I went to recently was the Annual OCAD Book Arts Fair which showcases the work of book artists, printmakers, small publishing companies, zinesters, letterpress printers, cooperative print shops, paper and printmaking suppliers, and (of course) the students of OCAD. It's also very inspiring and filled with all kinds of beautiful works of art to purchase and behold.

One of my favorite artists on hand was Eunice Luk of Fantasy Camp.  She was so sweet and cute - just like her art! - and she even gave me some sheets of her lovely handprinted papers for free!  H and I bought some of her hot foil hand stamped pins and several packages of her stickers.  We also picked up some really cool prints, a few fun zines and some copper stamped pendants.

I really enjoy attending events like these for inspiration but I especially love the opportunity to share them with H.  It's great exposure for her to see the range of amazing artists and their work.  It's also a way to show our support for the community and pick up some treasures along the way!

Hope you're feeling inspired this season!  Talk soon.  xo

What I was up to

Just in case you were wondering what I was up to during those long silences this fall...

[I swear I did more than just eat.]

Ole Christmas Tea

I went to a Christmas Tea at Toronto's First Post Office yesterday (put on by a tea group that I belong to).  It was quite intimate with just two tables and very cozy as we nibbled our treats by the fire.  The host of the tea had a nice spread set out of homemade scones with butter and strawberry jam, gingerbread cookies, butter tarts, shortbread and mini sandwiches.  There was a lovely selection of loose teas including Coco Chai Rooibos, Organic Silk Dragon Jasmine and Margaret's Hope Darjeeling.  I opted for the Coco Chai which was really delicious.

In addition to tea time, there was also an informal program in which the host led us through some Victorian Christmas traditions.  Here are a couple of interesting tidbits:

Sir Henry Cole invented the Christmas card in 1843 by printing a thousand cards and selling them in his print shop in London at a cost of one shilling each.

The Christmas cracker was invented in 1848 by Tom Smith, a London candy maker.

[Ah, London...]

It was a really lovely little gathering and a nice experience.  Tea at the post office...what a perfect combination!

Don't worry

They sang this song at H's recent Christmas concert:



I really love the sentiment and the message behind this song.  It's so simple and yet so powerful.  I think they should sing this every morning instead of the National Anthem at school.

Millionaire

I love this quote (though, secretly, I don't know why one couldn't have both):

"It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire."

(Robert Louis Stevenson)

Sketchy

Last night I performed in my first sketch comedy show and I even did a little stand-up routine!  The venue was at a teeny cafe in the neighborhood that has a makeshift stage in the back.  We were joined by a group of young adults that my teacher recently instructed through a film and television acting program.  One of our "troupe" members is a professional musician so there was also live music during the show and funny sound effects added to the acts. 

I was nervous at first but the intimate and cozy crowd was very generous with their applause and laughter which was very encouraging.  It felt good to be up in front of people telling silly stories and acting goofy, though I really do need to develop my characters a bit more next time.  Still, it was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next show (yes, that's right...I'm planning to do another!) which will likely be in the New Year.

In the meantime, I've started another class - this time through a school - where I can learn more about the craft.  There won't be a show when the course ends but it'll be fun just meeting new people and stretching my boundaries even more.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Today J begins shooting the low-budget crime film that he wrote!  (Isn't that exciting?!)  I can't even imagine how amazing it must feel for him to be on set and in his element.  I'm so very happy for him and of course (cheesy as it is to say, albeit true), proud!  He truly deserves this!  I've never met anyone so passionate and dedicated to his craft.  His work ethic is really inspiring (as well as exhausting...heh heh).

I can't wait to hear all about his experience later this evening.  Hope all is going well!  :)

Going postal

Lately, I've been operating in a world within about a four-mile radius.  This wouldn't be much of a problem if the radius included even a block of downtown (e.g. the area near St. Lawrence Market or Queen & Spadina) but it doesn't.  As a result, I've felt very restless these days and thought this would be my day to venture out into the "real world".

In hindsight, my plan was flawed from the beginning.  Let's just say that having any sort of expectations that a stamp show would "deliver" the kind of excitement I was longing for was so very wrong...on many levels.  For starters, this isn't exactly the venue that attracts really dynamic or energetic types (not to generalize but I call it as I see it).   Furthermore, if you're hoping to see any sort of diversity that Toronto is famous for, you would have to do so by fingering through the stamp collections because the crowd certainly did not provide this.

I was excited to see the children's corner - it had some really fun activities and goodies - but I was told that it was reserved strictly for children.  And no...showing i.d. to prove that I had a child would do no good here to obtain any of the materials.  (Sigh)

The highlight of my adventure was looking through covers (used envelopes) - some of which had handwritten letters and old documents tucked inside.  Oh yes, and picking up paraphernalia related to mail and stamps that I plan to share with my fellow swappers and penpals.

I left feeling even more lethargic and restless but happy that I might have more material to use during my sketch and improv class.

(Or not...)

Like a support group

Tonight I attended a drop-in session for improv and sketch comedy. It's something that I've always been secretly curious about but too shy to try so it seemed like the perfect chance to see what it was all about. Also, I've been feeling pretty restless lately and in need of something new that might expand my boundaries so I was excited to see what the session would bring.

It was a small gathering, a handful of people (a tiny hand), and I felt like a sore thumb sticking out. As I walked in, the teacher was in the middle of sharing an anecdote and I suddenly felt like someone who had just crashed an intimate party. As it turned out, the other participants had already been to several sessions with the same teacher so everyone knew each other.

The mood changed quickly, however, as the group welcomed me and personal stories were exchanged. We then jumped right in by doing two improv exercises which left me feeling absolutely exhilarated! Seriously, it was such a very liberating experience, not to mention so much fun! Finally, a forum to tap into all of my nonsensical thoughts and a place to share my insane scenarios and ideas!  (Why on earth hadn't I tried this sooner?!)  It almost felt like a support group - very therapeutic, I must say.

On a practical level, this session offered me both professional and personal applications. There were ideas discussed that could be helpful for clients I work with, for example those preparing for interviews who struggle with answering questions or presenting their personal stories or narratives in ways that are both relevant and entertaining to prospective audiences or in this case, employers. For me, it was all about getting a glimpse at being able to manage the spontaneity of conversation and formulate responses to either sustain or engage dialogue. (Imagine?!) I loved it all and was sad when the session ended.

I can't wait to go again next week and see what we'll do next! (I'm actually giddy thinking about it! Heh heh.)

Happy Thanksgiving