My Smiles...

So this is my brain on sinus medication...I gotta say as disjointed as it is, it's filled with great stuff like this yummy Almond/Coconut Egyptian style cake I bought at the market this morning, really, so moist it was hard to pick up, it made me smile.
John Cusack always makes me smile, always.
My cat thinks he can fit in my bag of goodies from the market...homecoming trinkets (3 more sleeps, I'm all teary thinking about it)!!! He makes me smile.

But before I wonder at my cats intelligence or lack thereof I always remember my husbands cat, Ally, is very 'special'...she sat looking at that Q-tip for a very long time.  She makes me laugh.

I love my Earl, I am hugging him, it's just hard to tell because his eyes are closed and he's a black cat...

As excited as I am to see my friends and family for a brief time, explore the Big Smoke, hang upside down on roller coasters, stuff myself full of Injera b Wot and fill myself up with all sorts of hugs, love and girlfriend/dad time I know I'll be happy to return to my new home by the sea.  My husband and the laid back people of the East make my life very good....Oh yes, and a mini shout out to a Halifamous blogger I finally said hello to, Shelagh, she needs to write a tour guide for the area.  I know much of what a know about these parts thanks to her blog!

Here's To The Good Stuff

Life is still full of colour! Yes, even in January.  Flipping through this month's Oprah I found many nifty little things, bits of celebration in the world...so to all the cop killers, animal abusers (heck just plain abusers, and yes I'm pointing fingers here), negative, bitter, dull, jealous people out there I say screw you.  Yup, we all have temporary lapses.  I have my curl up in bed with a book, cuppa hot cocoa leave me be days. I have had and will have unspeakable horrors in life.  I am not Pollyanna but I refuse to live my life, my one kick at the can, frozen by the monsters others let out of the closet. xo

To my youngish readers, you know who I mean, close your eyes to the inappropriate words.
The good stuff in order as shown;
1.  Inside Out Hearts by Yedi houswares...mmm drinking hearts, how Alice.
2.  Diane-von-Furstenberg-Housewares-Collection here's to not matching!
3.  Gimbal's Honey Candies not only pretty but some of the monies goes to saving the Honey Bee
4.  Learning To Love You More and sample image was a phenomenally simple exercise...report on an via text, photo, video whatever an assignment such as 'take a flash photo under your bed'...one result...

Inspiration Board

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  I don't want to sign into and/or create a zillion new accounts, I don't want Photoshop nor do I want to re install Facebook or the zillion other social networking options...I do however want to create a basic online inspiration board periodically of my thoughts.  For example, I'm super excited that my wedding plans seem to be leading us down the east coast to Florida on a path that will hit several items on my Bucket List i.e. pizza in New York City, Salem and Savannah Ghost tours etc etc...sigh in the meantime, with my first and hopefully last sunburn of the season I'm dreaming of soft things today, courtesy of 'We Heart It'...

Travel Gems

* Two Chanel flicks! This image is from 'Coco Avant Chanel' but there is also 'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky'...

* ABC's Fall series premire Eastwick, not only from the movie 'The Witches of Eastwick' but include Paul Gross...please, oh please don't let them muck this up!

*Assouline has fabulous books of beauty, this 50th Anniversary Barbie one has me curious...

The rare luxury of being able to read, basically uninterrupted for many (many) hours. These are just some of the noteable pieces along the way traveling from Ontario to Nova Scotia; everything from fashion, travel and wisdom and of course 'Glam Lit'.

Music and Abundance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAjFnJuk1Aw

Things I've been thinking on...Abundance, riches in all forms...while economies are collapsing I feel an immense sense of wanting more...but than, I do appreciate what I have and we do only have one time 'round.

This music, this music that ties the world together speaks for itself.

i want, I want, I WANT!

Ask and ye shall receive, and today I feel like asking! I want to ask for a personalized fragrance by http://www.cbihateperfume.com/. I want to smell like old books, woodsmoke and maybe some sugar. In the midst of our Canadian winter I want to be in Africa again, I want to see the moon rise and wear something completely romantic...I want the romance to go hand and hand with the scene...I want it all.

SteamPunk

The tights, the tulle, the laptop courtesy of http://www.divinecaroline.com/ and quinnstephens.com/ as always Steampunk takes my breath away, and how am I just hearing about Abney Park now?! http://www.abneypark.com/ Exquisite.

Time found

Funny thing about coincidences is that they still stop my heart, this week it was handfasting and the concept that true history is sometimes more accurately portrayed in our scraps, our notes, journals, cookbooks and the written margins of our lives. Handfasting, marriage by mutual consent...it's not beholden to the church or the law, just the people involved http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handfasting ...I like it, a lot. Now the notes of our lives, while reading one of my favourite sites, PostSecrets.com I found http://www.foundmagazine.com/about they collect random notes, grocery lists, love letters, anything and everything counts, as it should.

2 outta 3

I expect to be gone for a few days so I thought I'd pin up a few of my most recent favourite finds before I turn myself, ever so briefly into academia girl...Two new to me magazines to hunt down Lula, the ultimate in girly girl with it's designer hailing from Canada seems to be a visually confectionery treat...whereas Vogue India, while just as much a feast for the eyes will definitely hold more staple items...sadly I can't seem to post a pic. of Shannon Hazell's headbands, art really but do check out her website at http://www.shannonhazell.com/src/gallery_05.html

Royaume

This has to be one of the best sites I've seen in a while, Royaumn by Atelier Daguerre (whose tagline is "a designer of highly civilized, fun porcelain and home accents." Royaumn, which is French for kingdom, is a line of 'conversational goodies...and indeed they are. This 'Say No' politely pillow is part of the Etiquette Pillows collection are perfect for my tongue in cheek sense of humour!

Bittersweet

(picture courtesy of Words Without Borders) This tickled my black humour funny bone and I wonder if it's something I should have filed under Wedding. How about a bite of sin along with your 'I do's'?

Sequel to the fabulous movie Book/Movie Chocolat and although I've been reading mixed reviews it will be something I snap up next time I'm out, the title alone is titillating...just read that in the U.S. (and so presumably Canada) the title will be 'The Girl With No Shadow).This gets the creative juices flowing, or at least the saliva. It's a candy replica of Minas Tirith during the Battle of Pelennor Fields, for more views check his work out here. http://missedmanners.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/battle-of-pelennor-fields/

What better day than Sunday to indulge in some confectionary goodness?

Other Peoples Art and Such

These are some of the things that I think are just amazing ~

http://www.ashesandsnow.org/ simply amazing the range of emotions this site conjures up.



http://endicottstudio.typepad.com/jomahome/ a collection of some of the most awe inspiring artists on the web, I get happily lost in here on a regular basis.



http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ After years of poisoning myself with todays synthetic potions and curing myself with synthetic medicines I started researching what I was putting on and in me...this site is an informative start to stopping what was for me, a vicious circle.



There is a wealth of knowledge and beauty out there and it is up to us to search it out and embrace it.

Other people's words

There are just so many amazing bits of writing out there, words I wish I had wrote. Desiderata is a classic by Max Ehrmann

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste,and remember what peace there may be in silence.As far as possible without surrenderbe on good terms with all persons.Speak your truth quietly and clearly;and listen to others,even the dull and the ignorant;they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,they are vexations to the spirit.If you compare yourself with others,you may become vain and bitter;for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.Exercise caution in your business affairs;for the world is full of trickery.But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;many persons strive for high ideals;and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.Especially, do not feign affection.Neither be cynical about love;for in the face of all aridity and disenchantmentit is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,gracefully surrendering the things of youth.Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.Beyond a wholesome discipline,be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,no less than the trees and the stars;you have a right to be here.And whether or not it is clear to you,no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,whatever you conceive Him to be,and whatever your labors and aspirations,in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,it is still a beautiful world.Be cheerful.Strive to be happy."
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.



Words to live by come in all shapes and sizes ~

Can You Imagine by Robert F Potts
A world with all people the same?Where the only known dragons are hiding in books,And children are terribly tame?A world without magic would be sad indeed.I cannot imagine the painOf having a world where there's no Santa Claus,Where wizards are searched for in vain.Can you imagine a world without spells,That science and businesses run?And think of the sadness a unicorn feelsWhen he no longer plays in the sunCan you imagine a world without witches,No elves, and no magical pools?And can you imagine how dull it would beIf all that we had were the schools?I cannot imagine a world without witches,A world with no magical wand.A world without beauty, or even a dream,Or a wood sprite of whom to be fondThey say I should grow up and be more mature,Like a normal adult ought to do.But I'd rather, at night, go to dance with a witch,And I'll bet that you feel that way, too.
by Robert F. Potts© 1996