Beachy Bag

I'm heading to the beach the long weekend.... I am hoping for warm weather, sun and lots of relaxing! If I was stylish, this is how I would carry my surf board....

Via Elements of Style (check Erin's beach style - she has some great posts!)

And wouldn't it be lovely to carry your beach wears in this?

From India Rose (love!) via Simple Song

Lux for the day

Do you have those days where you want to throw all your frugal thoughts and sensible money management out the window and just be extravagant? Today is one of those days. To make sure I don't break the bank, I have securely locked my credit card away, and I am not approaching any stores, not even the grocery store (its very possible that I would come out of there with a 40 dollar cheese!).

But a girl must treat herself once in a while, right? I'll image indulge today....

Today I am going to take the day off work and stay in this hotel room. I'll take the time to read near the fireplace, write some thank you notes on my custom stationary, order room service, have a team of professionals turn my room into a private spa... if I am not too worn out I'll get all dressed up for some cocktails down in the lobby bar, before retiring to my plush bed....

Images via La Dolce Vita of the Lancaster Suite at Blueberry Farms

If the day did wear me out too much then I will opt for this lovely bath, watching a wonderfully overindulgent movie and sipping on Champagne by candle light...

Image via Living Etc...

Ah, so lovely and restful. Thanks for coming along on my dream Luxury day!

The Domino Effect

So the news is out, Domino Mag is done. 6 Feet Under. Finito.

I have a different view of the whole situation however... I'm not shocked, saddened, depressed or wondering what this world is coming to. I am optimistic. Why? Because this is a new era of media. Just how the radio was eclipsed by the television, the Internet blogs and magazines just might be taking over the world of paper...

I will miss simple rooms like this

This isn't the only magazine to bite the dust in recent past and I am not sure if we can solely blame these closures on the recession. Could it be that this is the re-invention of the shelter magazine business? I am not sure how relevant receiving our monthly pounds of glossy paper is to us anymore, especially since we can now find inspiration online everyday (and paper free!) through websites and blogs. I think it's sad for employment in the creative sector, however I am optimistic that in the future it might be possible that Internet magazines will have budgets to hire stylists, designers, professional photographers, editors, writers (I'm sure I'm missing a lot of people) and the support staff...

And funky ones like this....

I don't doubt that us bloggers had a role to play in the demise of Domino. I find myself drawing inspiration from other blogs and Internet articles more than I find myself rushing out to buy a magazine, scanning the images and posting them. We all know from Apartment Therapy, Design*Sponge, InHabitat and TreeHugger that blogs can create employment, and be a viable business, (note I don't know for sure that they pay their employees, but I assume that they would have to) so that makes me wonder is the closing of Domino a sign of where design communication is headed? And if so, is it such a bad thing?


What to blog? I wonder if many of the other shelter magazines follow the same fate as Domino, where will us bloggers go to get our beautifully styled images from? I better sneak over the Domino and grab as many photos as I can!! (I'm just joking, I don't even usually post domino sets! I hope this gets people out there looking at non-professional work, and maybe even discovering a diamond in the rough!)

For Every Guy on your list....

Yesterday I posted gifts for all the girls you know, well now I have a list from etsy for the guys in your life... Best of luck if you have to venture to the shops this last weekend before Christmas!

For your cousin who looks very unhappy at family gatherings unless he is listening to his Ipod, but comes from the forgetful side of the family...

Minty Boost Portable iPod/USB charger from Moses410

For your boyfriend who always gets more comments about his t-shirts are parties than you do your outfits!

T-Shirt by PasteTshirts

For your brother who always gets marks taken off from his assignments for doodling in the margins, and comes home late at night with spray paint on his index finger.

Moleskine Cahier by shoofly

For your crazy uncle who shows up everywhere with his front tire and helmet in hand, has been in several bike accidents yet still rides when the temperatures drop below zero and there is a foot of snow on the ground...Or for the grandad married to the grandmother who got the queen clock!

Recycled Bike Clock by 1byliz

For your tight guy friend who just moved back to town and into a new apartment after traveling the world for 2 years...

Custom Tree Triptych by EarthArt

For your dad, who exclusively makes meals on the BBQ, and wants all the guys to come out and watch him grill when your parents entertain...

Howling Wolf Original BBQ Sauce by HowlingWolfSauces

For your boyfriend who loves new gadgets, but also throws his backpack down like there isn't a new $2000 laptop in it every time he comes home from work...

Laptop Sleeve Customized by Dorydesigns

For your [other] boyfriend, who just recently admitted to making mixed tapes for the girls he liked in elementary school... and who still has a great taste in music!

Mixtape Wall Art in Moss green by teaforbini

For your geeky structural engineer friend who will calculate if this truss structure is actually viable.

Truss Bridge Shirt by Slowshirts

For your over the top gay friend who can contort his body into more elaborate yoga poses then you can!

(just joking!! - this was an April fools joke from LuLu Lemon!)

For Every Girl on Your List.....

Since I can't shop up here at work, and I still have a few presents yet to purchase I have been browsing etsy for some ideas, so that when I return to town, I can make one quick and effective shopping trip and put my present woes to an end!

Here are some of my favorite etsy finds for all the wonderful women in your life....

For your nature lover friend who is calm and serene and always has candles burning, especially while doing downward dog every morning.

Billie Candleholders by jeanpelle

For your mom who can never find anything in her purse and ends up taking all the contents out just to find the right lipstick.

Purse Organizer by emidesigns

For your said mother who doesn't want a big purse because she can never find anything (see above solution) but walks out the door with a purse so full she can't close it and an old shopping bag full of 'other stuff'.


Sunset Leafy Tote by Mareri


For your hipster cousin, who claims that she can't pull off the plaid or the scarf look....


Cotton Scarf by cipolla

For your best friend who always rallies and comes out with you on Friday nights, even though it is pouring out and she has worked a 60 hour week. And she still manages to look fabulous!

Aliexis Clutch By ao3designs

For your grandmother who has a great sense of humor...

Wall clock from nakeddecor

For your cousin's wife who always shows up at family events, with fresh baking, hand made gifts, and a beautiful handbag that she 'just stitched' together the night before!
Amy Butler Fabrics from fabriccloset

For your best friend, who has a few too many nicknacks, and who wants to travel the world to evoke change...

Recycled Map Treasure Box by HocusFocus

For your sister who landed her first great job, and has rapidly made the transition from university bum to stylish professional.

Bubble Earings by visionquest

For your friend who stops you mid sentence to write down that 'oh so neat' thing you just said on the back of a receipt that also has her grocery list and the phone number of a guy from the gym. Or for your brother who keeps on getting marks taken off his assignments because of the doodles in the margins.

Moleskin Cahier by shoofly

For the confidant who always orders tea and constantly asks if you feel that chilly draft...

Pemproke Cowl by Yokoo

For your crazy friend, who meets you to go shopping wearing 1970s sweatpants (stylishly rolled up), 2-3 different coloured layers, an 80s purse....she makes comments about how expensive buying new is, and how much better fabricated items from 'back in the day' are, but still encourages you to buy those flats, because they look so good on you!

Vintage Leggings by stephaniebracciano

Easy Eco Mondays - Grocery Bags

If you are like me, you always buy too many groceries for the week and end up throwing out food because fresh items have gone bad…. I have been trying to curve my shopping in order to avoid this unnecessary waste. Here are the three ways I have found help – Please send me any ideas you have!

• Bike to the grocery store. I always think twice about buying too much when I know that I have to carry it back home with me. If I bring the right backpack, I can use it as a basket while I wander around the store. That way I know that I won’t buy more than I can fit into my backpack. I have also seen baskets on the front or back of bikes which are detachable so you can take those in with you.

• Remember that shopping baskets are deceptively large. I think I usually need 2-3 cloth bags when I show up at the counter with a full basket. Sometimes I just use the cloth bag as my basket (like above with the backpack).



• Buy in Bulk: If you are cooking/baking for a specific meal then try to buy all the out of the ordinary items in bulk. I read somewhere that a lady took her measuring cup to the store and would use it to make sure she didn’t buy more than her recipe called for! Save-on-Foods has a pretty great bulk section.
  
• If you want to save money too - check out one of my first blogs... I couldn't by anything for more than a dollar a pound - it also made it difficult to buy too much!
  
• Lastly if you do buy too much, try to freeze some of the perishables. Berries and fruit are great to freeze and then use in a smoothy, but even cooking the slightly off looking spinach and then freezing it works. If you have the time that is….

Here's to less wilted lettuce!

On lookers

So we had new observers today at beach volleyball. These were not the normal observers you would expect (friends, family, lovers) - they were two (assumed) homeless guys. They had a system down. Each had a shopping cart, but not the normal kind, they had ones that specifically met their needs. On the back of the carts they had made little holders to hold bottles and other necessities. They then proceeded to produce makeshift stools and a table in which they laid their night meal. The food was plentiful and varied and they sat together quite satisfied. They watched our games with only a chain link fence in their way of perfect sight lines.

They sat eating and watching the teams bump, set, spike before they capped off the night with a joint. Really quite an enjoyable night, if you ask myself. I am so impressed with their resourcefulness and their they way they engineered a way to satisfy all of their needs. It really made me realize that you don't need a cent to be satisfied. Not one.

This might just be the inspiration to try a real fiscal fast sometime.... until then I will be taking notes from our spectators.

Days Five Six and Seven - the end

Day Five Spent = $25.00

So the day started off well, no cravings for a latte, well planned meals and then an invite to a pot luck that night!! I would have planned a large extravagent item to prepare - but this time I had to use my imagination to think up something out of what I had in my fridge. The only thing I could make was salad, and offer some of my hamburger patties, if someone else could bring some buns. It turned out perfect, a friend of mine and I went in on a large delicious salad. We had more than enough very tasty food to eat (there were only 6 of us) and it was a really fun time - we even had a great discussion about my fiscal fast and if it was a valid fast! (more on that later)

That is when things started to go down hill. Everyone was in a pretty good mood and I was really enjoying myself. Everyone was heading out to the bar and I really wanted to join everyone. It has been a long time since we had all been out and we were meeting some more people at the bar. Luckily they picked a bar with no cover so I thought it was a safe enough bet! Well I forgot about a few things like - cabs, and joint tabs. We cabbed it down there and while I didn't pay I felt really bad for allowing my housemate to pay for me. In order to help me from spending any money at the bar my great friend took my cash for the night so that I wouldn't be spending the cash. But I can't lie and did end up giving her 25 dollars which was my contribution to the tab. I did x-nay the club (with cover) because I felt like that would just be breaking the fast too much! haha A positive is I walked home - only a 30 minute walk- and a blister long! (I must admit going out on Friday was worth every penny. I had some great times, saw some people I hadn't seen in awhile, and just generally had a blast!)

Day Six - Spent = $21.53

Saturday I went hiking to Buntzen Lake. A city bus even goes up there. Hiking was a great trip that day - it was challenging, beautiful, rewarding and cheap! I packed the left overs from the pot luck the night before and headed up. A great free day! (Minus dinner)

Day Seven - Spent = $10.50

Weekends are hard! Getting together with friends is a difficult thing to do without spending money especially if you don't want to be a downer and make your friends do out of their way just to hang out. I went for breakfast with some girl friends(Paul's Place) and then went back to one of the girls places and had a great long chat. I calculated it and it cost me 2 dollars an hour for that activity - well worth it!

Phew it is over. I know it wasn't a real fiscal fast, and I did cheat a LOT, but it did make me think about all the small purchases I make on a weekly basis and don't even think about it. I also realized that stress and tiredness makes me more susceptible to purchasing - and believing that I NEED it!

Day four

Day 4 - Spent $3.95

9:00 am This morning was a rush of activity, with me trying to get into work early, my boyfriend forgetting his cell phone at my house, and I forgot my lunch.  Luckily I had those oatmeal backups. 

2:00pm  Another lunch provided by my company.  I might have arranged this meeting and ordered food for it, but I did it before I knew I was doing this fiscal fast.  I am still thanking my lucky stars that I picked this week to do the fiscal fast. 

5:00pm All this free food is great, but it isn't very healthy.  I think I should think twice before just taking because it is free. Ugh. I don't feel so good. 

9:00pm I went to volleyball tonight, and then went to the community center to work out.  I know that earlier I said I wasn't going to go because it did cost me money, but I over-ruled it with the importance of feeling good, and making healthy decisions. Although I did record the cost in my daily spending. The workout was worth every penny!

Day Three - Breaking the Fast

Money Spent - $75.00

10:00am - So I had to break the fast. I had a physio appointment and was in dire need since hurt my back last week. I do have one consolation though, most of it is covered by my health care plan. However I am still putting down the plastic and consuming.

2:00pm - I love free lunches, I was a part of a meeting today where lunch was provided. I did, however, have to present at this meeting, so it wasn't all pleasantries, but none the less I got some free food. I am however at a loss tonight on what to do. I don't just want to sit about being a bum because I can't spend a sent, however not a cent does limit things when the weather isn't stellar.

9:00pm - I almost had a breakdown on the way home from work, I wanted to buy anythying - sushi, coffee, i probably would have bought an elephant riding a bicycle if I could have. And then I went by a bus stop with ING's ad - There is no such thing as saver's remorse. (There website has more) I have always loved that billboard, and now it seems to resonate even more! I now love ING!

I found a movie I rented a couple weeks ago but never watched, great night for movie watching too since it's grey outside. I have been getting a lot of invites for the weekend so it should be interesting to see if I will be able to keep it up - it might have to be a weekday fast!

Day Two

Dollars spent - 0.00

5:00 pm Everything so far today has gone well. I didn't even bother to hover around the meeting room doors at 1:00pm when the lunches from the meetings are being released. I've come across a dilemma however- I bought this 10 times pass to the community center, so technically if I use that pass I will not be spending money the moment I go in, but every time I use the pass it costs me money. So can I use it this week? I don't know. I have been craving to go for a swim for about a week now, so I really want to say that it doesn't count, but I think I would be wrong, and so I can't swim tonight... or for the rest of the week.

9:00pm Alternate swim - So I really really wanted to go swimming, and well, since there is an ocean 3 blocks away, I thought I would try it. Donning my housemate’s wetsuit I headed for Jericho beach. To my surprise there was a lifeguard there. The water was not as cold as I thought, but it was littered with garbage and opaque with silt. I was afraid that when I put my head under the water I would be able to see the bottom with my goggles on, but nope, I just saw brown milkiness. The swim was cut short since I freaked myself out thinking a big gross fish was going to come nibble at my toes. I was only in the water for 15 minutes! So much for a workout! I will have to find a different type of activity for the rest of the week!