[i] LoveLife

October Bulletin Board.

 

Thursday. October. Awesome. Yesterday was a pretty good painting day. I spent the day working on a Mourning Dove (not pictured here) and pretending I couldn't hear the girls crying and coughing and barfing over the whirl of the dryer and the bang bang bang of the washing machine. Oh goodness. C'est la vie, I guess. This Bulletin Board surprised me a little because the big difference between THIS MONTH and every other month of my entire life is that there are actually more pictures of ME than of the rest of the people/pets in this house. SUPER WEIRD. I learned a lot of things doing a GLAM shoot with the very talented (as you can see from the photos) Maile Wilson: first, false eyelashes don't actually look like your eyes are being attacked by spiders and second - I MAKE A CRAPPY GLAMOUR MODEL. (Except I was fairly high maintenance like I imagine a good model should be). Maile was so good about it - she would say 'I picture you outside of your comfort zone wearing a ballgown while you paint' and then I would say 'or how about jeans?'. And then she would say 'you need hot pink lipstick' and then I would say 'is noon too early to chase this white wine spritzer with nine shots of tequila?' and then she would say 'look at me and be sexy' and I would say 'I THOUGHT I WAS!'. Oh, man. It makes me laugh just thinking about it.I totally sucked so bad. But, whatever. I like the bottom left photo because I look like a country singer and to tell the truth I've always wanted to be a crooning cowgirl (ask Dan). You can find our more about our shoot right here. And I think she is posting our family session soon, too.

Anyhoooo - sick girls make long nights LONGER and I don't know how to remedy that. I think it's the cold + cough season so I guess I'd better just shut and keep going. More coffee! I've been writing pages and pages and pages in my sketchbooks so my new paintings are guaranteed to be filled with all kinds of mumbo-jumbos and oddness. 'Tis the season!

Today: Play. Stay sane. Pilot is having a hard time adjusting to me being in the house when the nanny is here so our Tuesdays and Thursdays have become mostly about staying close. She doesn't let me get too far without checking in and holding my hand. I hate seeing her struggle with this arrangement because it seems pretty perfect and our nanny is awesome. Any suggestions? We'll figure it out sooner or later. This afternoon we are going to make bison lasagna for dinner and chocolate pudding and help Penn perfect her crawl (SHE'S FINALLY DOING IT!!). 

Coffee, please. GO!

September Bulletin Board.

I ALMOST forgot about the Bulletin Board this month. I can hardly believe that September is nearing the end. Wow. I am equally surprised by how little shopping there is on this month's bulletin board. EXCEPT FOR THE VERY COOL NEW CAMERA BAGS THAT MAILE IS ABOUT TO RELEASE. Yeah. I have a camera bag THAT I DO NOT USE because it makes me feel like I should be some kind of old, touristy-type man. (Dan says the word I am looking for is bush-league.) Yes, I know I should be protecting my camera - but, I just need something cooler. VOILA MAILE! Check out her announcement post today. Sweet.

Our weekend was awesome and hilarious. Pilot fell in a creek. I went to a Keith Urban concert with the Martini Mommas. It was just a barrel of giggles all weekend long. I laughed a lot and that's the way it should be so I think that's why I'm feeling SO MUCH BETTER THIS MORNING. Thanks for the get-well-soon wishes.

Today: I'm painting! I'm also doing errands and trying to get a really big piece of art conceptualized and complete by Thursday morning. I feel like before I jump into a run of paintings for the show - I need one really whacky fill-up-my-soul piece. I'm on it today. WITH COFFEE IN HAND. Today is shaping up to be a perfect Monday....

GO!

August Bulletin Board.

Yay. I love August.

Today: We're heading out to the country to a farm auction to watch Dan's grandpa and grandma's farm stuff get sold to the highest bidder. It's a little bit sad because life on the farm will end right in front of our eyes today. It's also a little bit comforting because Kaz (Dan's wonderful Grandpa) loved to visit auctions and buy up the treasures of others... he's up there enjoying this one today.

Happy weekending! GO!

July Bulletin Board

Hi Monday. Good times here today because DAN HAS THE DAY OFF. That means I am going to try to zip away and paint. Maybe I will exercise AND PAINT at the same time to maximize the pure wonderfulness of this situation. Maybe I will exercise, paint AND SLEEP tandemly because if I don't do them all at the same time - I'm gonna have to pick just one. Eeeeek. Terrific weekend around here. Good friends and bbq's and all kinds of goodness like that. This Bulletin Board is definitely reflective of the pace of summer. Drinking great wine (Yali is delicious!), enjoying berries and buying books that I will never finish reading because WHO HAS TIME FOR READING when you are entertaining two small people all day long and trying to keep two dogs from eating up the backyard? Oh well, my intentions are good.

Today: I want to paint. AND I have emails to catch up on. I have two print projects to hammer out. I should probably exercise. I'm also going to take the dogs for a walk SANS children so that they know that they are important members of this establishment, too. SWEET DEAL.

First, we drink coffee. GO!

June Bulletin Board

June! Oh, my goodness. 2009 has passed at the speed of light. Seriously. We had an awesome weekend. Dan took over and I gotto hideout in my studio and catch up with my art supplies for a while. It was so nice. Big thanks to Dan.

I am having a love affair. Couple of things to mention about June's Bulletin Board:

1. LEATHER CUFF. It's from Lisa Leonard and she is wonderful and I think this is awesome. I just need to choose the perfect words...
2. MINT CHOCOLATE. Actually, to be incredibly specific RUSSIAN MINTS from Morden's of Winnipeg (I don't think they have a website which is bizarre to me, but obviously they focus all of their energy on making the best chocolate I have ever tasted and that's probably better than tinkering around with HTML anyways). I did not even KNOW I liked mint chocolate so much. 
3. LOVELY PACKAGE. Awwww. Sigh. Swoon. Maybe I am the last person on earth to hear of them. A wonderful website that showcases package design. I feel like I found my new BEST FRIEND.
4. SEPHORA. Now open in my town. Sweet.
5. BLACK DRESS. I'm happily searching for the perfect black dress to wear in a wedding party in September. I think I found a good one and I just might order it because ordering a fancy dress that seems to good to be true on the internet is probably the recipe for a disaster, but WHAT THE HECK!
6. ALTERNATIVE APPAREL. I used to be an American Apparel fan, but they went all FlashDance on me and I'm a little more normal than that. I said goodbye to the 80's in 1992 and I am happy to be able to find some basics that are comfy and cool at Alternative Apparel. I also found a store that sells t-shirts for cheap (but they won't ship to Canada).
7. TINY ART. There are some new pieces popping up in the K.Barteski gallery today so check back often. I know - I had to read that line twice, too. It's legit. THERE HAS BEEN SOME PAINTING GOING ON AROUND HERE.

Today: We have things to do and people to see and hopefully a nice long walk tucked in there, too. A ZILLION Father's Day prints have gone out in the mail so me and my girl tribe are gonna find a way to celebrate. Personally, I would like to celebrate by eating more Russian Mints, but maybe I should do some SHREDDING instead.

Alright already. Triple Arm Pump for June. GO!

March Bulletin Board.

Hi Monday. MARCH ALREADY? Get serious. We had a long, busy and exhausting weekend. SO. TIRING. I worked my butt off on the YOU-ARE-AWESOME posters. My eyes are going buggy. Dan finished all the wall painting I started while he was away. It took him less than half the time to do three times as much painting... He is a mysterious and wonderful man. He's also got a nasty cold. Pilot was more than a handful as she's deep in the middle of another cough/sickness. And teething. We keep saying "she's just not herself" but, what if herself is actually just a miserable, whiny, tantrum-throwing kid? OH MY GOODNESS, help me. Penn - well, she was peaceful and content to just snooze and feed and snooze and feed while the rest of us carted her around to the mall, the river walk, Costco and back again. That sweet baby is oblivious to the chaos and noise that is US. WE. Her family.

Custom YOU-ARE-AWESOME posters. These posters are back by popular demand. Go here to ORDER and find out more.

This month's bulletin board is full of things that I'm finding inspiration in lately. Top left is the amazing Binth baby book. Wow. The Honda Pilot. The Tiny Art line drawings I did were made into canvas wall-hangings. Cool. Who doesn't love Marimekko fabrics? The BellyBandit is making my back feel a little better. March 3 is my self imposed start date to GETTING STRONG and fit. It's been a long two years of my body being eaten up by pregnancies. I feel weak and fat. It's time to start putting energy into growing myself healthy + happy instead of just growing PEOPLE INSIDE ME. The people are out and I think exercise is a good example to set for them. [Every single time I post a bulletin board people email me asking how I made this image. It's not a photo of a real bulletin board. It's not imaginary. It's not a dream. It's just a simple graphic done in Photoshop using simple layers, layer masks and that's about it.]

Today: Still trying to find our routine + rhythm. Pilot needs her cough/cold looked at by a doctor. It sounds really bad. I need to pick up poster prints and groceries and COFFEE. And a mini broom and dustpan so I can put Pilot to work. I'm going to push two kids in my killer stroller at the mall. I'm also going to drink 3 litres of water. And eat a whack of celery. And do butt clenching exercises in the car. All of that might be a pipe dream as I am still figuring out the best way to keep Pilot from melting down in public and not forgetting Penn in the car. Oh, I'm gonna need A LOT MORE practice.

Be gentle Monday. Go!

February Bulletin Board.

The February Bulletin Board! Unlike a few of the other bulletin boards - this one is less shopping related. (GASP!) I KNOW - I was confused by that AS WELL since I love shopping. But, I've been busy MAKING a lot of things and keeping my wandering shopping-eye busy. Well, pretty busy anyways...

In the mix... We eat A LOT of organic pears (which happen to be my favourites right along with honeycrisp apples). Sweet Shoes (love them!) are too cute. KB Tiny Art is definitely NOT forgotten about and will see some new work soon. Penguins are alive and very, very loved in this house. Who doesn't love Hershey's Kisses? I am in the market for a small black French Bulldog puppy (any breeders out there?)... I am not joking about this and it is not a whim. Crash needs a buddy, another boxer might be pushing it with our lack of wrestling space and I am particularly fond of FLAT-FACED dogs (but, strangely not flat-faced men). Cool new IKEA chairs look rad in our dining room. [P.] My current favourite shot of Dan & Pilot. This INCREDIBLE quote makes sense on so many levels. Great skull onesie. A fabric pattern line I am working on. HELLO FEBRUARY.

I've been having some really mixed feelings the last couple of days... I'm SO READY to meet Baby2. I really am. I'm excited to give the baby stage another try with a wee bit of experience under my belt (READ: HOPEFULLY I will do less freaking out!). I'm ready to surrender and descend into the pain and fog that comes with the whole weird birth experience. I get it now. BUT. I'm also REALLY, REALLY loving Pilot at the moment, too. She's awesome. I don't want to miss a moment and I'm scared I will... She's funny and she's ridiculous and she's busy and she's just the coolest little person I've ever met. IN MY WHOLE LIFE. I wasn't prepared for that. I certainly don't feel like a 'mom'. I CERTAINLY don't feel like a person WHO HAS A DAUGHTER... I simply feel like my regular-self harbouring the BEST LITTLE SECRET IN THE WORLD. And a little worried that if anyone else finds out she'll disappear. It's so weird. My heart hurts a little.

[For the record: Baby2 is due on February 14. Valentine's Day. My favourite day. (Best gift EVER!) BUT - due to the way Pilot arrived (emergency c-section), a previously fractured pelvis - they have scheduled me a c-section on February 12 - which kind of makes a Baby2 babypool a little ridiculous.]

Today: We're gonna eat the delicious banana muffins we made yesterday. APPARENTLY - it Elmo's birthday (so says the Sesame Street website) and we are going to LA-LA-LA-LA ourselves silly in honour of the little red dude. I was all GUNG HO about getting the baby rooms together and my intense momentum kind of dwindled because I am waiting for Dan to get some shelves up and walls painted - I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO TAKE MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS. Or just lay down and be patient. And eat sour jumubes. It's a toss up and I'll decide after a Berry Chai and a little blog reading I guess. ;) Woot.

PS. HEY! The Custom YOU-ARE-AWESOME posters ARE NOT JUST FOR BABIES! Oh my goodness. I got about 15 emails from people who said "Nice posters, but I don't have babies so I guess I'm OUT OF LUCK." WHAT? ARE YOU NOT AWESOME? Is your significant other or sister or cousin or BFF NOT AWESOME, TOO? Or beautiful? Or OUTSTANDING?  These little poster/prints are not just for babies. BELIEVE ME.

THEY ARE FOR US ALL.

I'm off to enjoy what February has brought me. GO!

January Bulletin Board.

Hi Monday. Seemed like as good a day as any to get January's Bulletin Board up. Real life starts today and we will see how that pans out. Dan was struck unreasonably hard by this stomach bug so I hope he decides to stay home from work and recuperate. (Oh my goodness boys are big sucks when they are sick, aren't they!) Poor guy. Pilot is back to her routine couple of nightly barfs and I can't blame it on milk, formula or soy because she didn't want any of it. Poor thing. Baby2 was clawing at my seams to get out and it's just been a lot to manage lately. ZERO left. We are all feeling the effects of a month long battle with germs...

BUT. 'Keep calm and carry on.' I'm sure things will turn around. They always seem to do that.

Thanks for all the well wishes. We need them and we are using them as best we know how - and that is mostly just scooping up barf with them.

Today: More laundry. Less VOMIT. More rest. Less crying.

Go!

December Bulletin Board.

Hi Wednesday. We meet again. Nothing much to report - just another day trying to GET BETTER. I think it might be working. A little anyways. Pilot and I are not really good at relaxing. Dan can't even PRONOUNCE the word RELAX. It's Grand Central Station around here all the time. EVERY DAY. Even when we are trying to lay low - there are always all kinds of visitors and deliveries. Last week we came home to find a bus of Chinese Tourists parked in front of the house taking photos with our wolf! It's all adventure - all the time over here. ;)

We ventured to the mall in search of a a change of scenery, a few gifts and a Christmas party outfit for me. I'm boycotting maternity clothes because I'm not going to get a whole lot of use out of them in a couple of months and it just seems like a WASTE OF CASH. So. I scoped out some ideas and came up with a plan. SEQUINS!

I get a lot of emails asking me what program I use to create my Bulletin Boards. Photoshop. Don't try this in Microsoft Word because you will blow an artery or something.

Today: As Pilot starts to feel a little better - I am starting to feel a worse. Dan is definitely sick - poor guy. Even Crash has a bug. BUT - only one more day of SLOW because tomorrow we have things to do because Friday is Pilot's first birthday. I'm not going to think too much about what that means because I will start to cry and it would wreck my coffee to get it full of tears. We are going to make our lists and charge camera batteries and find ourselves some pretty balloons. One is the LOVELIEST NUMBER.

[Addition in response to the comments: The bedding in the top right corner is Pilot's new set as we get ready to transition her into a bed after Christmas. It's from IKEA. She's an animal lover so it's perfect for her black + white room and designer mom. The sweater on the right is BENCH - I finally found the one I wanted and it's coming this way in a few days SPECIAL DELIVERY from the UK. Gotta love our global village. Sweet.]

(Happy Birthday Grandpa Kaz!) GO!

November Bulletin Board.

Hi Wednesday. Helloooo Bulletin Board. Lots going on now that November is in full swing. LOTS. Purples and gifts and a full serving of gratitude with every passing day... It's been unbelievably beautiful around here lately but Mother Nature is about to change that on us in a hurry. Snow will fall by the end of the week and the frost will stay... that's something that makes me crave hot chocolates and warm wraps and new white t-shirts to wear underneath it all. Peppermint. Apple cider. Warm fires. This is what I wait for all year. THIS is what I love. (I hope my winter shoes get here soon because I will NOT love trekking through snow in my flip flops...)

I had a short, but sweet break yesterday while I was waiting for an important visit with my friend (and doula) Dana. I like to arrive 10 minutes early for my appointments and "meetings" so that I have a few moments to catch my breath and chill out. It certainly worked yesterday. I got to dig into a few magazines and get my November groove on. (And some Christmas shopping done.)

Today: Pilot is off to the nanny and I have serious work to do. Really cool stuff so I'm itching to get settled and fire up some creative new ways to look at things. IN A HURRY. Because 3pm comes fast and although every single day I looked more and more forward to picking up that little turd - I know I will not have this quiet and wonderful moment to feed my SELF with creative juice when Pilot is back.

And coffee. Let's GO!