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)

Inspired

white mother of pearl beads and sterling silver

Lately, I've been feeling more inspired than I have in a LONG time . These designs are for a friend of mine. I hope she likes them.

I will also be working on a ring for another client. We picked out the bead on Friday. It's a large, round, pink, natural stone bead. I will be wire-wrapping it with square Argentium silver wire. It will be similar in style to this ring:

14K gold-filled wire and jade bead

I'm not sure that I will be opening up another Etsy shop, but if you happen to be interested in having something custom made for you for a special occasion or for a friend or family member, let me know and I'd be happy to create something for you.

You can still contact me by message on Etsy, as I have not closed down my account. Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=9468

You Gotta Go to the AGO

Recently, I went to the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) with some friends and was pleasantly surprised.

As a designer and a graduate of OCAD, I had spent most of my student years visiting the AGO over and over again and ultimately, I grew tired of it. However, I was eager to see the new renovations and so when our friends suggested that we plan a visit to check out the AGO, we woke up early on Sunday morning and made it there for 10:30 am. For those of you that don't know me well, I am NOT an early riser on weekends!

Well, what can I say about the new AGO! What great changes have taken place! There is something there for everyone. It is not just the art work on display that is impressive. There are definitely some newer, post-modernist pieces of art on display, although a lot of the classical pieces are from their existing collection. But what REALLY amazed me was the architecture and the design (staircases and support beams) inside the building. Breathtaking! The things that the designers did with the wood, it just blew my mind!

The furniture throughout the AGO was very comfortable. I was pleasantly surprised. It's not very often that you find comfortable seating in public places. I took my time sitting on the various postmodern playful, foam chairs and cube stools, which were more mostly sized for children. Likewise the chunky leather and curved wood seating and tables (see below), which from a distance appeared rigid, were incredibly comfy and ergonomic beyond belief.


What also appealed to me was the lookout points with large glass windows which allow you to view the cityscape from an elevation. And the natural lighting streaming inside the AGO was so warm and wonderful (perfect for us sun-starved Torontonians) and very sleep-inducing. If I were a cat, I would curl up in the sun by the window and sleep for hours.



The gift shop had some interesting pottery, houseware decor and jewellery. (Can't forget the bling!) And there were plenty of items to appeal to the younger crowd as well...educational toys, children's books about artists, and fun stationary. The AGO also offers plenty of art classes for adults and children.

And being a foodie, I just have to mention the food at the basement cafe (one of many spots at the AGO to grab some food and drink). The orzo salad with grilled portobello mushroom that I had was tasty and plentiful. My husband's smoked turkey sandwich was warm and the bun was fresh. For dessert, the lemon macaron was tangy and gooey. It tasted good but - I have to say - it was a bit on the dry side. Not the best I've had - but I ate it anyway!

So, if you want something fun and different to do on a weekend with your family and have not yet seen the AGO renovations, I suggest you go. There is so much to see and do, two hours alone will not allow you enough time to cover everything.

I would also suggest a subsequent visit in a few months time with perhaps a sit down meal at the fancy pants "FRANK" restaurant (named after the architect Frank Gehry). I hear the food is very good but the minimalist decor is not very appreciated.

Go and see for yourself and then come back to my blog and let me know what you thought!