Long overdue shoe talk

When it comes to shoes, I often put quality and style first. Don't get me wrong, I love bargain shopping just as much as the next person but sometimes you get what you pay for. When it comes to the comfort of my feet, I'm willing to fork over a bit more cash if it means no limping and no blisters.

The Josef Seibel "Nadine" bootie satisfied my needs and my wants recently. I bought these incredibly comfortable boots (pictured above) and have not looked back. They are worth ever penny I spent.

Here is an on-line source with plenty of shoe eye candy from the Josef Seibel collection. If you reside in Ontario, you can find Joseph Seibel shoes at Walking on a Cloud and at The Blue Shoebox.

I'm also looking at these cute winter boots called "Puffin Frost" from Canadian company Merrell for the snowy season...hmmm, I have a birthday coming up!

Retail Therapy

Okay, so now that we are all caught up I just wanted to emphasize how important retail therapy is when you need a pick-me-up!

Etsy, as we all know, is a GREAT place to shop and despite my current unemployment status, I can still find some wonderful and unique items that won't break the bank.

Pretty Raccoon, a Toronto-based, on-line store sells a vast assortment of woman's clothing in a variety of colours and styles. They also sell some funky vintage clothes, but what I had been ogling for quite some time was their line of screen printed tops and scarves. So pretty!

Another bonus is that the Canadian dollar is almost on par with the U.S. dollar, so I did what any savvy shopper would do, I seized this opportunity. I purchased a black boat neck top with a white chandelier print and a raspberry scarf with silver seagulls printed on it.


My order arrived 3 days after I made it...how's that for expedited service when you shop local. I just can't wait to try out my new purchases. I feel better already.

Expectatations

Hello?

Is anyone out there?

Anybody?

It's me...Bijoux.

Remember me?

Did you miss me? I missed you.

I know I've been gone for a while.

I have been really busy...working...two jobs.

I recently quit one of them. Now I have one part-time job which I love!

I also had a cold this past week. I tried all kinds of remedies (Cold FX, Vitamin C, Zinc, garlic pills) to keep the cold away but it just reared it's ugly head as soon as I thought I was in the clear.
I'm much better now and I have also rested a lot.

Let's see...what else have I been up to?

I started digging in my backyard garden a few days ago to try and get it ready for some plants. I want to plant some vegetables and also a raspberry bush. I'm not a natural gardener so it should be exciting to see what becomes of the seeds and seedlings I plant.


I'm getting rid of the grass in the front lawn because I dislike grassy lawns. I just don't think they serve a purpose so I will be replacing the grass with rocks, wood chips and some black-eyed Susan's, wild flowers and other perennials. Rock gardens rock!

Painting the kitchen is next on the agenda. I will be priming it this week. The previous owners used oil paint so I need to prime the walls first before I apply the latex green colour I've chosen. I haven't painted anything in over 5 years so it should be interesting to see the results.

I also picked up some great leather boots on sale - a cropped version of the boots in the photo. They have a leather sole and a tiny little rhinestone strategically placed under the sole...such attention to detail and made in Brazil by an Italian shoe company, Corso Como.

I also picked up a few items from Etsy recently like this great print from an Etsy seller called "Black-eyed Suzie." Isn't is pretty? I love Gothic artwork.


About two months ago, in the bleakness on winter and also from Etsy, I bought this hat, which I love! The colour, the style, the fit...it's all good! And just the other day I bought this t-shirt and this wrap skirt, in preparation for the warmer weather.

Oh, and I picked up a great, (inexpensive due to haggling) Schwinn exercise bike from CraigsList which I have been using to try get back into some sort of an exercise regime.

Well, that's my update. I'm looking forward to catching up with you all.

I will try to post on here more often but as the weather is getting warmer outside and we are expecting it to reach 22 degrees Celsius by this Friday, I am compelled to spend more time outdoors. But I will update you all on the kitchen painting results and the garden landscaping projects as they unfold.

They say it's spring...

Blossom Dearie is a jazz musician from the 1960s that I have been fond of for several years now. I first heard one of her songs from watching the movie, The Squid and the Whale and was enamoured with her child-like voice and lyrics.

Today, as I was walking around my neighbourhood and enjoying the spring-like weather, Blossom's song "They say it's Spring" unexpectedly popped into my head. When I got home, I went onto YouTube and tried to find that particular song so that I may listen to it. I stumbled on someone's tribute to Blossom Dearie and quickly came to the realization that she passed away recently.

I leave you with a random YouTube clip featuring Blossom Dearie's song: "They Say it's Spring."

R.I.P. Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 - February 7, 2009)

Kitchen update

I finally managed to add a little something to the kitchen wall in order to make my life easier and more organized when cooking. As you can see the walls are still that seafoam green shade that I wanted so desperately to change. We didn't get around to painting the kitchen walls before winter set in so we plan to definitely paint them this summer.

Ikea is so great for providing a wide selection of inexpensive, decorative accessories to jazz up your living space. And make it functional too! These kitchen wall organizers have been extremely helpful in freeing up some drawer space. The knife magnet is especially fun as it makes me feel one step closer to becoming a better chef. Yeah, wishful thinking! I think Jamie Oliver has one too in his kitchen.

On my next trip to Ikea I plan to pick up one of these shelves to store some often used cookbooks, hang some additional kitchen utensils, a cluster of dry chili peppers, a strand of garlic bulbs, and perhaps a pot of fresh herbs.

It's a painfully slow process of making a kitchen become functional when you can't afford to totally gut it and start from scratch. And don't get me started on the existing, unimpressive kitchen appliances that came with the house and the lack of modern ones like a microwave and a dishwasher.

LEGO: Decades later, I'm still a fan

How cool is this? I want one!!

LEGO Business Card, Feb 2009

Do we really require all this packaging?

What do you think about excessive packaging? I often shop at bulk stores just to avoid it.

I recently purchased a new cell phone and it came in this monstrous plastic spaceship. I am so annoyed by this unnecessary packaging, that I have been compelled to write to the CEO of Virgin Mobile and share my concerns with him.

What are your thoughts about too much packaging? Would you avoid purchasing this product because of the use of too much plastic?

I did see a recycling 'triangle' symbol on this package. Chances are I can probably throw it into the recycling bin and not have to worry about it any more, but I'm still bothered by it.

Below are the specs from an on-line source which lists the various commercial products that can be manufactured from recycling this particular plastic packaging:



Statistic: In 1999 PET accounted for 48% of plastic bottle resin sales, making it the most widely used resin in plastic bottles.

Packaging applications: Soft drink bottles, water bottles, beer bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter containers, salad dressing containers, juice bottles, vegetable oil bottles.

Recycled products: Fiber, tote bags, new PETE containers for both food and non-food products, fabric for clothing, athletic shoes, luggage, upholstery, furniture, carpet, fiberfill for sleeping bags and winter coats, industrial strapping, sheet, and film, and automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners, fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles and door panels. (taken from http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html)