Fall Goals

This fall I am feeling a sense of nostalgia mixed with urgency and denial. Nostalgia for the days of after work bike rides, sitting on my sunny porch, and getting my fingers dirty in the garden. An urgency to make the most of the last days with temperatures above freezing and sunlight past 5pm. Denial that another fall has come to pass and I feel none the wiser, like I have not grown since last year. 

Via Hiking Photography

As I watch the sun slowly cast an enchanting glow over the city as it falls behind the horizon, I can't help be feel a pang of sadness. An ache in my heart even the best ski videos cannot remedy. I envy those who love this season for all of its golden glory without a sense of foreshadowing.

This fall is definitely better than the August Angst I felt last year. In part because I got out and did a lot this summer. My summer goals focused my attention and allowed me to experience so many wonderful things! But also because I am trying to own it. Own these feelings of nostalgia and sadness and sit in them. Understand a bit of where they are coming from and try to be ok. Recognizing what works for me, what are healthy responses to these feelings. 

But it's easy to allow these feelings to pass without much thought. Soon it will be holiday season, and these feelings that swirl around will be swept away with the fall leaves. So I have decided to try three things to help me focus and try and catch some leaves while they are still in the air. 

1. Reflect - This means slowing down, allowing myself to just be, be alone, be with my feelings, be in the moment. Be alone without being lonely, feel without dwelling, be in the moment without planning for the next moment. To have faith that spending alone with my feelings will not result in a negative spiral out of control. That it will bring me closer to the person I want to be. 
2. Conquer Long-Standing To-Dos - This may seem like a simple task that doesn't deserve a spot on this list, but most of my to-dos remain undone because of my fear of failure. They are difficult tasks with no obvious solution, or method to execute. Thinking about them creates a sense of disappointment and pulls at the strings that are keeping my self-confidence blanket together. Before I unravel, I want to face them head on, and try my hardest to solve them. To look the fear of failure in the eye and at least try. To really believe that the only failure is to not try. The top three that nag at me are:
1. Complete my night side tables - One is half built, the other one remains under my couch, in pieces. Where it has been for 1.5 years. I ran into a problem that the copper pipes did not withstand the weight of my side table top. I've found a solution. I am just not sure it will work, or I will implement it correctly.



Ideal final product

2. Install my wood stove - I have owned the wood stove for over 6 months. It is clearly the season to install it (impending winter). I want to cozy up in front of a fire more than anything. But playing with fire is scary. Installation requires a lot of decisions. The method on how to install is ambiguous and likely very time consuming. I struggle with ambiguity and I don't have all the time in the world. 
3. Fix my sink and drawer - They work, but poorly. They bother me. Every time I think about them, I cringe. I worry about them, I am embarrassed. They aren't hard fixes, but they are wreaking havoc on my mind.  
3. Clean Out my House – This includes the basement, my computers, my mind and my soul. A clean house = a clean mind? Not only is this task something that I have been putting off, but it is also something that bothers me every.single.day. I discussed how organizing makes me happy almost a year ago! Having unaddressed clutter conflicts with my wholehearted desire to live streamlined. I have a theory that a streamlined life is a free life - one that allows me to do the things I love without the distractions or time consumption of stuff. Right now, my life is not even close. I pack it all away in the basement, hoping that out of sight equals out of mind. But that is never the case. The cobwebs that are collecting on my piles in my basement are also collecting in the baggage in my mind and soul. I need to physically and mentally / emotionally clear out and find what works for me.

Not a bad time to lay back and relax.

How do you do it?

Browsing my regular blogs I am constantly inspired by the continual creative posting and writing displayed. I always want to ask - how do you post everyday? How do you find inspiration? Despite every single one of the authors having active, lively and busy lives, they constantly coming up with new ideas, writing such beautiful verses, producing posts which I am certain takes a significant amount of time to compose. So I am looking for advice as to how you go about posting. Is it the first thing you do in the morning? Do you write several posts at once and then time them to come up every morning? Are you a night owl that ends their day with a bit of writing and self reflection before heading to bed? More importantly, do you ever sleep!?

As I am sure it is noticed, I am not a very consistent blogger, and I would like to improve on my less than sporadic posting tendencies. So I am looking for advice.

All of these images are from the series "Where we blog from" on Jane Flanagan's Blog I'll Seen, I'll Said. Jane, I must say, your words and images day after day are truly an inspiration. I am always blown away by how many splendid ideas you so eloquently discuss on your blog on a weekly basis.

November - To Do and Positive Mantra

Lately I have found myself to be quite negative. When someone asks me how my weekend was I am always "Good, BUT..." I am not sure why this is, possibly because I am feeling unsettled, and without purpose, or I feel slightly overwhelmed, not grounded and out of my element... Whatever the reason is, I am going to have to kick this mentality, because I'm no Debbie Downer!

I have been trying to figure out how I would kick this negativity and stick to it, and this weekend I finally had a light bulb moment! I don't know how to fully explain it, but I just have to remind myself that I am free to choose what to do. I don't have to do anything, I want to do it! For example, this weekend I was bummed because I had to go the mall to return some items. But really I want the money back, so I want to do this item. I also am really bummed about studying, but I want to do well in my courses, so I want to study.

I can see her positive mantra glowing! Cleo Sullivan

So let's see if I did everything I wanted to do for October...

1. Sew some of the Roman Blinds - purchase doweling, top piece of wood and lining material. Cut and measure out all material - The lining material is sitting right in front of me!
2. Move bedroom wall art
3. Clean out room - documents, clothes and (gasp!) shoes - this was so hard, 3 bags later, my room looks a lot less cramped!
4. Move winter clothes up, store summer clothes
5. Keep up with course homework - it was a squeeze, but I managed.
6. Post 1 time a week - not quite once a week but I did post more than 4 times this month!

Can you believe it? I finally got a whole list done, I am currently in shock. Now that I have some momentum, here is my want to-dos for Movember:

1. Post once a week. Post some personal projects.
2. Buy a winter bike. I officially can't ride my summer bike anymore.




I hope this will be my new winter bike! Kona



3. Finish decorating Kevin's room. (and post pictures)
4. Make a complete set of study notes. Book exam.
5. Be on the ball with work. Make deadlines. (this one is going to be hard!)
6. Yoga twice a week - a class or a video.
7. Book vacation. (Yes that's right I'm going on a fun vacation in 2010! More details later!)

I might be getting ahead of myself because this list looks long! Note - the roman blinds are not on here. I might have given up on them.

Even though I am not attempting to make my roman blinds this month, I still have quite a bit of sewing to do... I'm nervous, I have never done a project this large! Lucyina Moodie via Automatism

I'm an escapest

Yes, it's Friday night.  Yes, I'm at home.  I decided to stay at home tonight to get a bit of my very long list of things done... Instead, I have found myself browsing blogs!  My bags are still lying at the door, my shoes are a couple of feet beyond that and I am on the couch engrossed in reading blogs.  I have escaped real life again.  Do you ever need time to escape?  How do you escape after a long day?  Here is what I have found to help me forget that I have a list a mile long to complete this weekend!...

My parents were just in Portland, and from their tales, I am just dying to go!  This blog won't help either! (via cup of jo)

What a beautiful spring bed cover?

By Vera Neumann  via Design Sponge

This place took my breath away, everything else just seems so bland compared to this... 

This place even displays the bike beautifully! (I have been trying to find a place to store my bike where it would look good... so difficult!)

Well maybe not these shoes. 

Okay, those shoes did it.  I am motivated to attack my to do list!  Have a great weekend!

Over a Year

So the one year anniversary of my blog came and went and I totally forgot! I guess that is one of the pitfalls of only occasionally blogging. I wish I had something profound to say about the last year of blogging, but it's Monday morning and well, I haven't been blogging lately. One thing I will say is that this experience in expressing myself and the connections I have made with fellow bloggers has opened up a whole new world, and awaken part of my persona which I had neglected for a very long time.

Via Sfgirlbybay

While the blog posts have dropped off, my love, admiration and inspiration for design, art and lovely things has not. I look forward to a day where my posts will pick up again and I can once again share all the thoughts and ideas streaming through my head!

Looking forward to another year of inspiration. xo

The End of Regular Posting

I love blogging. I also love the blogging community, the inspiration, positive comments and open and honest sharing of ideas and thoughts. I love reading other people's posts and being inspired. I'm always so excited to post something and see if anyone will comment. The interaction through comments is so fulfilling. I spend a lot of joyous hours thinking of new ways to convey ideas and articulate my opinions. The act of blogging has helped me figure out a lot about myself and how I want to express myself in this world.



Right now however, I need to concentrate on my local community, finding and sharing inspiration with people around me. I am at a bit of a cross-roads where I need to concentrate on my current state, and figure out what I am going to do.... I need take the time to research and MAKE my next step. I have been avoiding making decisions and taking action in my real life by diving into the blogging world. It is much easier for me to take a risk in my blog content then in my career or personal life. I wish I could juggle both and put the thought and time into both, but I am not that good of a multi-tasker.

Honeybee Design on Etsy

So I say good bye to regular posting. I hope this will be more of a see you later, rather than a farewell. I will still be posting at random and of course reading all your lovely posts from time to time. I will miss your daily inspiration so much....

Until the next time..... xo

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!)

Keep It positive....

Doesn't this time of year just make you feel like this?

Photography by Cleo Sullivan

I know I should be upbeat, positive and just plain happy. I have just spent all this time with family and friends, the indulgences of my taste buds are still lingering on my lips , and Santa's gifts are still gleaming new... but with new years resolutions on the brink of breaking, holiday decorations coming down, bills coming in, and cold winter temperatures, it is hard to be Ms. Optimistic! Luckily, I have been though a January before and know that its brighter from here on out! (and I am not just talking about the hours of sunlight each day!)

Keep it cozy....

I hope everyone stays warm this weekend! I can't help but think of those who can't cuddle up inside with a warm blanket and candles, or don't have a cozy hat and scarf.... My hopes and thoughts are with them.

Chris Everard

Chris Blott

Less we forget

Some natural images of the Poppy... Some beauty to remind us to care.

Mary Edwards

Georgetown Galleries

J. Grabenstein

Why don't I...

Carry out one act of kindness....? ...a day?

Terry Fox Never Gives Up

Today, myself and several of my co-workers participated in the Terry Fox Run, even way up here in the cold arctic! The poster on site says we will be going outside of an hour to participate in the run. Initially I was scoffed at the thought of putting an all this warm clothing just to go outside in the cold for an hour. But then I remembered Terry Fox. He was only 18 when he was diagnosed with cancer and had to have his leg amputated just above the knee… Instead of giving up, getting a wheelchair, or using the amputation as a crutch and he decided to do one of the toughest things to do with only one full leg… run…. And run harder and longer than I ever have – with my two perfectly fine legs. What I don’t ever want to forget is that Terry Fox ran a marathon everyday for 143 days, and in the end with cancer. I can’t even bring myself to suffer through one half marathon, let alone a marathon day after day.
And while I am not sure that marathon running is in my future, it is the mentality of Terry Fox that I want to embody. The ability to see beyond suffering is something I long for, to be able to persevere though anything for an idea, to be able to dream lofty dreams and then be able to put in the effort to realize that dream. It can be as simple as getting out of bed on those dark cold mornings, putting in a few extra hours of work on a Friday night, or spending the weekend fixing something around the house. The ability see that in the end the work, perseverance, and struggle will will be well worth the effort is a very important skill, one that Terry Fox had even at the age of 20. Some days I question - what is life if you are not working hard, striving, struggling for a I believe? Terry Fox's mentality is the difference between success and mediocrity. So today, on Terry Fox Run Day, I want inspire myself to suffer. To give it all I have everyday and to never give up.

Living Space IT Factor

Wow! I can't believe it is already Wednesday. I feel like it is still the weekend! What did everyone get up to this weekend? Any fun trips out of town?

I stayed in town over this last long weekend - the second time this summer too (I was in town for the July Long Weekend as well). I have always made an effort to go away over the long weekend - that extra day just calls me to travel a bit farther. This year things just seem to pop up around the long weekend that end up keeping me in town. Last weekend it was moving that kept me here. I moved into my new place - remember that one I incessantly talked about last week? This weekend also marked the beginning of my bf's big tournament: The World Ultimate Championships (Ultimate Frisbee that is) right here in Vancouver!

Leading up to this weekend, I wasn't too keen to spend my long weekend just unpacking boxes. So I made a plan to take one day off and take a trip out of town - just to escape. But I didn't take that day. It wasn't because packing/unpacking took too long, it was because once I moved into my new apartment I just didn't want to leave. I don't know what that IT factor is when it comes to an apartment - but this one has it! Could it be the south facing windows, the open spacious living area, or even the weird feeling you get by having neighbours across the alley in units just like yours? I really don't know. So really what makes a great apartment? Does anyone have their own personal IT factors when it comes to your apartment/home/living space?

Added Note: Sitting in my apartment last night pondering the IT factor, I confirmed my suspicion that IT has nothing to do with amenities. As seen from the example image below, granite counter tops are not the it factor for my apartment. Actually, in moving into this new place I have down graded in terms of space, kitchen appliances, outside area, and size of my bedroom. What I guess I am trying to say is I think this IT factor goes beyond the physical items.... which is wonderfully liberating.

Via flickr - Jeanhclee

My apartment - not unlike this one, is old and has not had any major updates since inception, but for some reason it has that it factor, despite the wood cabinets, pink toilet and metal window frames!

Quality vs Quantity

So I was biking with some friends to Deep Cove the other weekend and I had a very bull headed moment. I had biked around there before so I kind of knew were I was going so when my friends turned off my theoretical route, I questioned it quite vigorously (trending towards venomously) the route decision. But then my fellow biker said something that almost literally stopped me in my tracks. “Quality over Quantity, Ashley, we are going for Quality over Quantity.” That was it, that was what this blog is about. It is to remove my deeply ingrained sense of faster, bigger, better into more enjoyable, happier, fulfilled. Now I am no where near getting there but the rest of that bike ride I spent the time really taking in the ride, and enjoying it. Not trying to get there faster. And what a beautiful ride it was. I saw an area I had never seen before and some spectacular views that I didn’t even know existed. If I ever do ride out to Deep Cove again, I will take that route…. As I will also try to always choose Quality of Quantity!

Balancing Act

So I have been neglectful and not posting anything for a very long time. Last week was a blur of work, new people and getting ready for the weekend (we went on a surfing trip). This week I am on vacation from work, taking an art course for fun - who knew that I would use up vacation time to go to school?!? I guess this whole beauty/design/art thing is really getting under my skin!

Today we had a basic lesson on Balance - the negative and the positive space. It was amazing to see how a lack of balance between these two things can really put off an image. I am now see why many images that I see and think that I shouldn't like (due to colour or texture, or a displeasing theme) can still look good, even great!

Below are some images that I like because of the balance, not because of the content.
I have never really liked these advertisements - When I was a little kid I really liked things like this, with the old coke-cola signs and rusted tins but it seems like I have outgrown it, until I see something like this - Love the green and pink combo.
I'm not usually one for formal French design, but this is one I like, a lot. I love the repetition of squares, and the balance between the blue and white - its just perfect especially with that splash of darkness. This makes me reconsider my dislike for Formal French.

Despite being an image of a cage - I just like looking at it, all of the detail in both the negative and positive forms is memorizing.