Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Years...

Back for New Years in Montreal... Looking forward to hosting a trunk sale and teaparty/potluck after New Years in the Plateau, please stay tuned for info my beautiful readers :) All pieces will also be available on Etsy as well, for those interested.

Happy New Years... It is time to shed our old skin and embrace the new, in the year of the Serpent! 

Fall is officially here in Montreal. My favourite season... These brisk autumn days with hot tea, cuddly scarves and the warm oranges and reds of the fallen leaves are what I love most. Nothing slow about the days though. Life is as busy as can be, between trying to be a student, working part time and finding pieces of time in between to do the things I love... knitting, working on new jewellery and just spending time in a cafe with a matcha latte and collaging in my journal... These simple moments are what I live for. I have also been recently blessed to find my way into the life of the sweetest guy. He makes me smile and laugh and I couldn't be happier right now... 

Its times like these at 4am when I am awake mentally preparing myself to get to my studio at school to work on assignments due in 24hrs that have not even been started! That finding the time for simple pleasures in life, whether it be a hot cup of tea in your favourite mug. A chance to do some knitting curled up in the sun or a walk at sunrise are really the moments that build our lives and make them worth living. I see theres no point in worrying (like I do often) about where I am going with my art, schooling and career. Or even fussing over killing myself to finish something on time with but a few hours of sleep! ...Its about the ride, and what you learn along the way. I'm starting to see that worrying about being an amazing student or creating groundbreaking pieces of art is silly because with that mentality greatness cant appear, only sickness and nauseous tummies. Its when we are present in the experience and worry free that true artistic brilliance will occur with little effort put forth, but a keen attitude and love for self.

A warm thank you to the beautiful Polly Davies from This Enchanted Pixie for hosting the fabulous give away draw for one of my Labradorite Boho Priestess Head Dresses!

Congratulations to Elisabeth!! Thank you for entering the give away on This Enchanted Pixie :)

A little bit of gypsy magic...

Manic Miss Inspired

Just finished my first week of Art School...

I had that incredible feeling throughout all my classes, of pure excitement. Pure joy of being in a new learning environment doing something I love with other individuals who cherish the same experience. I can recall waiting for this moment for almost six years now... I was 13 and just about to begin high school and was in Vancouver B.C. I was visiting the Emily Carr Campus and enviously watched all these wonderful "boho B.C Artist girls" bustling about to their summer courses on Granville Island. I admired their independence, and the extraordinary opportunity to be constantly- in such a beautiful, creative nurturing environment. And now, my time has finally come...

I am also very excited to welcome some new readers to my site. I am ecstatic to be connecting more and more with this beautiful online blogging community. There are so many incredible like minded spirited women, artists, mamas and sisters who share little pieces of their day to day on lives on their beautiful blogs allowing us to be all the much more creatively interconnected. So today I wish to thank you all these wonderful women. Thank you for inspiring.

Today I stayed at school extra late, preparing my studio to begin an encaustic wax piece. Being Friday night most other youngsters were out on the town so I had the echo inducing rooms, with bright halogens and get me messy sinks all to myself! And how lovely that there is a Pizzeria right next door ;) Talk about convenience!
It was an evening to treat me and to fully embrace my creativity! (which was also apparently homework!?! Gee wiz!)

I am all about Fibre right now- I am honestly overwhelmed by the Fibre Structures Studios at Concordia, its blowing my blissful? mind. Loom after loom, dozens of spinners, drum carders, endless silks, dyes and beautiful embroidery thread and Oh the Sergers! 

Tomorrow I am attending an opening Exhibit at Diagonale Les Centre Des Arts et Des Fibres Montreal to fuel this ever growing colourful and fibre infused inspiration of mine

And at the moment Abagail Doan, a blogger, mother and incredible Fibre Installation Artist is blowing my mind...

Abagail Doan

Another Artist I am loving...

Leisa Rich

"view of the garden, detail, wool, fabrics, vinyl, thread, recycled elements, plastic straws, plant stakes, packing materials, strapping tape, bubble wrap, carpet samples, quilts, cut up art pieces, 25x20 feet, liquid force, wool, 60x48x4, from the ground up, wool, thread, 36x36x108, lilliput's cloud, detail"

Leisa Rich

The end of sweet summer...

This summer has been the sweetest of times, settling into my new home, becoming my own best friend during these self satisfying lonely times... Bike rides, walks around Montreals old section, morning yoga, attending beautiful festivals and crafting...  The list goes on.. But now, its the beginning of a new journey... I am so very excited to embark on this new path at Art School this fall. I am so proud to be starting my BFA at Concordia University and am overwhelmed with excitement for my courses in Fibres and textile printing and dying.. My inspiration is bubbling and I cannot wait for the weeks ahead of me.. 

I have been especially inspired by one of the Profs Fibre and textile installation work; Emily Jan. 

It borders on the bizzarre with a richness in texture and understanding of the natural world. I am in awe and hope to explore this medium with just as much creativity as she has so successfully done. 

earth willow me now...

As beautiful hippie maidens and mamas we must adorn & celebrate our beautiful bodies! I'm so in LOVE with these brass gypsy body chains, hand adornments and priestess head chains I am creating! You can order all available pieces! Or e-mail me for a custom design! off my Etsy shop which is right now 25% OFF EVERYTHING!

Joie de Vivre

"the art of finding happiness in the moment"

Laundry day here in the lovely Plateau of Montreal for me today. I anticipate it- The day I can go around the block to the little bohemian garden cafe/laundromat! I joyfully sat in the early afternoon sun in the garden with a delicious soy iced coffee and Shirley MacLaines exquisite autobiography of spiritual enlightenment titled Out On A Limb. (ok so maybe the macbook came with me too ;)  I have been looking high and low for this book and conveniently just the other night on my bike ride home from work found a lovely heaping of gems on the sidewalk with a sign reading, "share my goodness, please give me a home" These little offerings the universe gives us from time to time are perfect examples of Joie de Vivre... 

As a young woman of not even 20 I feel I have the world at my fingertips, a new city to explore, a home all my own and an opportunity to grow and learn and blossom as an artist when I begin first year at university this fall. At times though, the complications of "me" being me.. my thoughts, criticisms and self doubts hold me back and dont grant me the credit I think, I do truly deserve... I think the little girl inside, me- still wild and free often feels pushed aside, ignored and today I was feeling her sadness surface at times. I experienced a whole wide range of emotions today from the time I awoke and read the newest blog entry of the ever so inspiring Denise Andrade with my tea before the Laundromat Boho Cafe, 

...Blog reading in the morning is definitely a centring tool for myself, It grounds me and brings me back to me, my creative spirit, whenever I stray from it...

I took the tears willingly today, tears of happiness, at times confusion, loneliness and at times pure excitement if you can believe it. 

I think truly, It all comes down to having trust and faith in myself. I know my strength is there, sometimes my flame just weakens and it just needs to be reawakened.

This week when things got tough it was my painting for me. I have had the incredible pleasure to begin painting custom wood longboards/skateboards for a local boarding company here in Montreal called "Zen It" 

...Ironically enough...

With working on that and playing Native flute during the week for Hatha and Restorative Flow Yoga practices and balancing the Barista gig at Second Cup, life feels very full. I guess I just need to find the fullness within me now

I started that by taking advantage of the massage discounts at the yoga studio, We must always make the time in the day to self nurture. 

We are human 'beings' after all- not human 'doings' ;)

The simple things, and remembering always your worth is never determined by "what you do" ..this is something i need to remember. 

Tomorrow I will be interviewed to be a daytime Nanny for a French family around the corner from where I live, they want their children to have art classes with me during the day which I am absolutely thrilled about, maybe they can even help me with my francais! 

Somehow after that I will pack up my flutes and get ready for work at 12am-9am and make it to my bus  for 10:30 to Toronto. I am assisting a friend by playing flute for her children's theatre workshop at an intimate forest folk Festival called Blue Skies ...One of the most amazing places on earth... 

Am I ready to go home and see all those familiar faces? Not sure yet

Can't believe it has already been a month here in this magical art infused city..

My inspiration is overflowing and its the most beautiful feeling

Until then,

Joie de vivre

Seasonal updating...

Im ok with some Rainy Summer Days

The days here in my new home seem to be passing by surprisingly quickly considering its just me here exploring this new magical city. The days are spent in cafes on my computer searching local artists and studying verb conjugation.. endless amounts of reading, painting, going for gloriously freeing runs at sunset through Parc Jeanne-Mance and investigating this marvelous language and culture through an infinite number of outlets. There is so much here in my neighbourhood I have yet to make down for a late night cobble stone stroll in the Old Section of Montreal.. Which undoubtedly steals my heart every time <3 

Soon I will have my bike up and ready to go and park picnics will be a daily occurrence with my french english dictionary whilst not steaming milk at Second Cup and pouring Organic Quebecois Barley beer at Lola Rosa in the McGill Village. Friends shall come with time, but for now I am enveloping myself in the beauty of enjoying the purity and loving energy of my own divine company.