fieldguided

mayana geneviere

2017-08-04T12:33:00.000-04:00

For National Breastfeeding Week, I wanted to tell you about my favourite nursing bras (and currently my favourite all-around bras!). They’re by a local company, Mayana Genevière, and what makes them special is the patented ALUXTRA™ Clasp-Free Technology that allows for the cups to be pulled down without getting stretched out. No clips, no bulky cups, no wires, and they even fit me (at my last professional measuring I was a size H, cripes). You can slide the decorative indicator to the left or right as a reminder of where you left off. They are made of the softest, finest lace, and you don’t have to be nursing to appreciate them. I haven’t felt glamorous in a long time but these bras certainly go a long way towards making me feel a little fancier under my clothes.

I visited Mayana Genevière’s owner and founder, Nadine Woods, at her studio in the Junction a few months back and it was such a wonderful visit. Luca was a little cranky that day and she was so lovely with him. The seamstresses even took turns carrying him so we could chat!

Mayana Genevière lingerie is available online and at select specialist stockists.

a sparkling cherry beach morning

2017-06-04T10:27:00.000-04:00

Last weekend my little fam had a photoshoot with one of our favourite local photographers, Arden Wray (you may remember the Boots & Pine project she started five years ago!). I’ve been feeling a bit tender about having my photo taken lately, and I was nervous, but I knew that if the only photos I had with Luca were selfies, I would regret it. Luckily Arden is the sort of photographer that I trust implicitly: she knows how to take a flattering photo, and she won’t even show me photos that she knows I won’t like and that will make my self-esteem take a hit. She’s magical (she even turned these photos around in one day).

We also had the privilege of borrowing the Long Weekend’s VW bus for the shoot, the sweetest little restored pale blue bus in town. We went down to Cherry Beach and it turned out to be the most beautiful morning. I am thrilled with these photos!

I didn’t bother doing much with my messy hair or my makeup to keep it as natural as possible, but I wore my new Mildred Handmade dress for the occasion. I love this dress. Speaking of women that I trust implicitly: I went to Laine’s studio and tried on a few of her samples, and we settled on a few different elements from different pieces which she then made into something just for me. I also ended up with this sand-coloured linen, which was unexpected but which felt right. It’s not visible in these photos because of my hair or because of the baby, but she made it nursing-friendly with a line of buttons at the neck. I haven’t treated myself to any new clothes in a long time, so this felt really good. If I only had linen tunics and dresses in my closet, I would be pretty happy. They are great uniform pieces.

my updated baby essentials (and not-so-essentials)

2017-05-09T15:38:00.000-04:00

This post is sponsored by PlaytexBaby, as I explained in my post announcing the #PlaytexMoms partnership!

Back in November, I wrote about my baby essentials, and I am happy to say that most of it still holds true! We still adore our stroller, our carriers, and I have the white noise machine whirring away at this very moment. Now that Luca is nearly 10 months old, though (how!?), we’ve outgrown a few things. We no longer use the Solly Baby wrap or gripe water, for example, and Luca is more interested in board books than cloth books, but we’ve also added a few things. I thought I’d update the list. I’ve also decided to write about a few things that I personally found totally useless, because I am the queen of going overboard and I learned my lesson(s).

Skip Hop DUO Convertible High Chair: We love this high chair! It’s stylish and modern and actually matches our dining room chairs pretty nicely. It’s not too large, and it’s also not too complicated to use. Best of all, it converts into a toddler chair for later use! I love baby items that have a long life span because those are quite rare. I thought high chairs were just for mealtimes but it’s a great place to put the baby while you make your morning coffee, or make dinner. Luca likes to sit in his and play with toys or eat some snacks. This chair is so easy to keep clean.

Baggu Nylon Bags: These are perfect to use as wet bags! A good way to bring home wet or damp things without messing up everything else in your bag. Plus, so cute.

Playtex® Diaper Genie® Elite: A classic for a reason! We had an (expensive, I should say) enamel can when Luca was first born and even though those early exclusively breastfed poops (sorry, can’t talk about diaper disposal without bringing up poop) were almost sweet-smelling, sometimes his nursery had a not-so-sweet smell that lingered. Since we got the Diaper Genie®, we haven’t had to worry about odours. These days Luca is crawling and tries to get into everything, but there is no way for him to get into the Diaper Genie® (believe me, he has tried). I love the gentle pastel colours it comes in! It’s also so easy to use and change. Easily available, it can be purchased at Amazon or Walmart.

Bamboobino baby washcloths: A friend gave these to us as a baby shower gift, and they are the best! So soft. I tell friends who are putting their registry together to basically buy 100 soft tiny washcloths. They come in so handy for a variety of messes.

Loulou Lollipop pacifier clips: I bought a few of these and ended up making some as well, but they are so useful! Luca used a pacifier for only a hot minute but these are good for attaching all manner of small toys to your stroller or car seat.

Ikea Kladdig sleeved bib: Whoa, are mealtimes ever a disaster. A smock-like bib is the best kind of bib. These are inexpensive and easy to clean.

Skip Hop Explore & More Activity Center: Okay, I know people refer to these as the “Circle of Neglect,” but it was great when I needed a minute to prep dinner or use the washroom. This one has a lot of wonderful things going for it: it isn’t too huge, it isn’t ugly, and best of all, it turns into a table (once again, I love baby gear that you can use for a few years)! Luca was pretty self-regulating when it came to this piece of equipment and he didn’t want to be in it for more than a few minutes at a time, so I didn’t have to worry that I was neglecting him. The first time I put him in it he went right for the little trees and was so happy. Now he mostly cruises around the sides.

Special mention: books, books, books! I’ve been posting some of my favourite books on Instagram with the hashtag #fieldguidedreads. I don’t know how interested other people are but it’s fun for me!

As to the things I found we didn’t need:

-Fancy swings. We bought one that cost a small fortune and looks like it’s from the future, and it most definitely did not work miracles for us. He rarely fell asleep in it and once he hit about 4 months, he started trying to sit up in it, which was kind of scary! We got the best results from bouncing him in our arms while sitting on a yoga ball. We also probably could have gotten away with one of the inexpensive swings, if we really wanted one. Every baby is different, of course, but I regretted that purchase, especially since I had to buy the infant insert to go with it (silly since it’s only used for infants!).

-SOOOOOOOO MANY SWADDLES. I don’t know, we just didn’t swaddle him that much? We swaddled him when he was overtired in the first few months, and some babies really need to be swaddled, but I had been lead to believe that we needed so many swaddling blankets and we could have gotten away with owning maybe two swaddling blankets.

-Teething toys! Luca just isn’t much of a chewer. I have purchased so many cute things that he can chew on (a marbled heart, a wooden moon, frozen teethers, teething pads for the carriers, etc.), and he really only chews on his fingers, if anything at all. This one really surprised me, I thought it was mandatory to own a Sophie la Giraffe! Maybe it will change but he’s cutting his top teeth now and still no chewing. So maybe hold off on buying every cute teething toy until you know how much your baby likes to chew.

-Adorable and tiny baby sunglasses! He pretty much laughs at me when I try to put them on him and he pulls them off in an instant. Serves me right!

goodbye, oreo

2017-01-27T15:56:00.003-05:00

Since our cat Oreo was such a big part of my blog when I was updating it more regularly, I felt as though I should write something in honour of her. If you follow me on social media you will know that she passed away on Monday. She was really quite ill, although her illness came on quickly. We had a mobile vet come over and it was all very peaceful and respectful, with the (amazing) vet saying a little prayer as she injected the euthanizing agent. Oreo hadn’t been herself in a while, and she was about 14 or 15, so I thought it would be easier to say goodbye. It’s been wretched. She was a part of my life and Geoff’s life for 12 years, and there through so many of the most significant events of my life: moving in with one of my best friends, Annie, into the cutest and shabbiest apartment in the Annex; moving in with Geoff for the first time; getting married; having Luca. In the end she had lost a lot of weight, had a tumor in her mouth, and she was blind. Continued treatment might have bought her some time, but her quality of life would have suffered. Forever the food lover, she still managed to have a good-sized meal before she went.

Annie adopted Oreo from the Toronto Humane Society in 2004. Oreo had been there for almost two months, looked over. I found the document Annie was given that was filled out by her original owners; she was born in 2001 and was surrendered because they were moving. Oreo moved to new apartments once with Annie and twice with us. We were originally going to look after Oreo as Annie got settled in New York City, but she became our cat.

Before I met Oreo, I thought of myself as a dog person. She was my little shadow, following me from room to room. She was quiet in her affections, but always a comfort to have around in difficult times. When I was hospitalized in 2014, I wanted someone to sneak her in for a visit and morale-boost. I didn’t know how much I would miss her presence. I keep seeing her out of the corner of my eye, I still sleep with my knees bent to accommodate her at the foot of the bed, and I still reach out my foot to see if she’s there. I keep expecting to hear one of her sneezes or funny little sounds that we called trumpets. I still say (like a dork) “We’re going home to kittens!” until I remember that there is only one now. When Luca came home for the first time she kept her distance, but occasionally came over to lie next to him. I worried about this, but it was always fine. I wanted him to know her as he got older. I got her paw prints in the mail yesterday, sent by the vet, and while it was the most thoughtful gesture, I definitely sobbed when I saw them. She and Pony were never friends, but Pony has stepped up the leg-rub game.

I am a little rusty in the meditation department but I have tried a golden cord meditation to try to tell her how sorry I am. Goodbye, original dream cat. I love you.

this is my happy: the happy baby carrier

2017-01-25T10:49:00.001-05:00

I recently said that while Geoff has his thing that he spends money on (plants), I have mine, and that thing is baby carriers. I never thought I would get... addicted (?) to them, but I kind of am! I have already written about how I find them absolutely essential in the city (or otherwise!), but I also love having different styles on hand to suit my mood, or the situation.

Shortly around the holidays, Happy Baby released their linen soft structured carriers, and it was love at first sight for me. I was able to take advantage of an amazing Black Friday deal to try out the carrier in Charcoal, although I later couldn’t resist the carrier in Flax as well (a classic natural neutral). Linen is one of my absolute favourite fabrics ever, so this was very exciting.

What I love about this carrier is that it is so minimal in appearance but also in design; you can carry an infant in it without an insert, and there is a small hood that is tucked away in a pocket at the front. It’s incredibly lightweight, and because it’s made of linen, it will soften up with time. It is really unlike any other carrier I have tried! It can be used from newborn to 45 pounds. Luca is about 17 pounds at the moment and I carried him around the Royal Botanical Gardens for about an hour with no pain (and I am prone to back pain).

I feel like it is definitely one of the more stylish carriers around (when so many of them can look a little... granola), and it comes in so many amazing colours. I don’t need another but I have been admiring that marigold for ages! They’re also handmade in the USA, which is nice, and they have AMAZING customer service.

The images below are from Happy Baby. Ooh I just love that Charcoal!

des enfantillages

2016-11-28T12:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Geoff and I went to the One of a Kind Show and the very first booth we encountered was for Montreal’s Des Enfantillages. I was already familiar with their work because I had ordered their amazing balancing game from Garmentory a while ago, so it was fun to see all their products at once. Des Enfantillages makes cheeky products for kids out of wood, with sleek designs and punchy colours. Everything is handmade by the owners, Geneviève Lugaz and Christian Laforge.

We couldn’t resist picking up a puzzle for Luca even though he won’t be able to use it for a while. It’s nice enough to display in an adult’s room, I think!

repository pt. 14: my new baby essentials

2016-11-22T09:33:00.003-05:00

So I have only been at this motherhood thing for slightly over four months, but I’m finally starting to feel a little more confident. A little! There’s a new challenge every day, of course, but so far it’s been as magical and wondrous as I had hoped. It’s so amazing to watch this little person grow and to see his personality start to shine.

I thought I would round up a few of the products that I have found to be helpful: some are just plain pretty, but some have been revelations! Incidentally, nearly all of my money goes to baby things these days. Also, the fact that I spend hours trapped under a baby, unable to do much other than use my phone, means there have been a few too many late night online shopping sessions. And maybe a fair amount of emotional shopping (is that what you would call it?).

Incidentally this post took me just about forever.

Baby carriers: Carrying Luca has been one of the greatest joys of the past few months. I love having him snuggled up against me, and now that it’s gotten colder, we help keep each other warm! When he was a newborn he resisted being carried (at least until we got him outside into the fresh air, which seemed to calm him), but now that he can hold his head up and look around, he seems pretty content in there. We love different styles, from the Ergobaby (a soft structured carrier that has a lot of back support—Geoff loves this one too), to the Solly Baby Wrap (a stretchy wrap made of jersey), to the Wildbird linen or chambray ring sling (I find this one a little challenging to use because I have a so-called seat-popper of a baby!). Now that he is over 15 pounds we’ll probably use the Ergobaby carrier the most (we have the 360 because we have a baby who wants to look at the world rather than snuggle against my chest all the time), or try out a double linen ring sling, although I’m still trying to use the Solly as much as possible! In my experience having a carrier is essential in a city, because sometimes you can’t take a stroller on public transportation (no elevators in the subway, you don’t want to get dirty looks on a crowded bus even though that’s not your problem, or you live in a city like Toronto that weirdly uses streetcars that have stairs and are therefore impossible for strollers, the elderly, anyone with a disability...).

Marpac Dohm white noise machine: Luca kept falling asleep outside the doctor’s office, where one of these would be whirring. He is quite sleep-resistant but this seems to help. It has an actual fan inside; it’s not canned sound (sometimes the repetition of sounds can annoy some people!).

Nursing wear by Loyal Hana: I thought buying maternity clothes was bad enough, but nursing is even more challenging! So many of my button-downs no longer actually button down at the chest, and while at home I’m fine with just pulling up whatever I happen to be wearing, I’m not so easy breezy in public. These tops and dresses have zippers at each side which makes them so convenient and also discreet.

Booker Vest by B & Me: When carrying baby, I’ve been using this fleece vest under my coat and over the carrier or wrap, and it’s kept us nice and toasty. I was worried that I would have to stop wearing him in the cold but so far this has worked so well. It’s also one of the cuter options out there!

Bashful Bunny Grabber by Jellycat: Luca received this super soft rattle as a gift and I like it because it was one of the first toys he was able to grasp and hold and wave around. I didn’t even realize babies couldn’t grasp toys right from birth, ha!

Pom Pom Bin by Petit Pehr: I have a couple of these and they look so pretty in the nursery. I also have one that I keep a few board books and toys in so I can carry them easily from room to room. A little baby entertainment kit.

WaterWipes: I have been having a hard time finding wipes I like. At home we use washcloths with warm water, but when we go out, that isn’t so convenient. These wipes, which only contain water and a drop of grapeseed extract, aren’t perfect (the package is heavy, I’ve seen complaints about mould since they don’t contain preservatives, they’re relatively expensive), and they’re not biodegradable, but so far I haven’t had any issues and they have worked well! (I also like Aleva Bamboo Baby wipes, which are biodegradable.)

Nest by Native Wilds: This is a multi-purpose item that can be used as a car seat cover (especially handy on really sunny days), nursing cover, and shopping cart cover. It’s made of the softest fabric (from sustainably grown eucalyptus trees) and comes in a variety of prints. I keep one in my diaper bag always!

Clothing from Mini Mioche: I love everything from this local designer. No plastic tags that irritate baby’s sensitive skin, unisex, comfortable, and oh so cute!

Art Cards for Baby by Wee Gallery: We have a couple of sets of these high-contrast animal flash cards and Luca LOVES them. We keep him on his changing table and they make really good distractions. In fact he has tried to fish them out of their boxes on his own! I once strapped him in and ran to the kitchen to get something, and when I got back he was holding a full box of the cards. He just really loves looking at them and talking to them (although lately he’s more about shoving them in his mouth).

Bugaboo Cameleon³: I know it’s a fairly expensive one, but I adore this stroller. It handles so well, it’s beautifully designed, and now that we’ve taken the bassinet off and put on the regular seat, it’s become a nap machine (I didn’t think stroller naps were a thing for us, but it turns out that Luca just didn’t want to lie on his back). I honestly can’t say enough good things about it! When we have him in there with his wool seat liner or high performance footmuff on, I get kind of jealous and wish I could be wheeled around in it. So cozy.

Bandana bibs from Aden & Anais: These are great for soaking up all that baby drool. Yum.

Cloth books: Cloth books, especially ones that crinkle, can amuse Luca for quite a long time, which is so handy when I’m trying to make dinner. It is really the cutest thing. He has a few that he received as gifts from wise parents of older children, including I am a Bunny.

Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water: A really miraculous tip we received was to dip a pacifier in gripe water. I was skeptical, but this move has saved us from meltdowns many times. I don’t know what’s in it (I’ve heard it referred to as baby gingerale) but it calms him down immediately. I have to order this organic brand from the US but it’s our favourite. I carry a bottle of it with me whenever I leave the house, although I don’t seem to need it as much as I did when he was teeny tiny.

Skip Hop Grab & Go Stroller Organizer: I used to see these on strollers all the time and never saw the need, but then once I was out using a stroller regularly I saw how useful it is! It keeps all the tiny essential things handy, like my phone and some small toys.

you care too much

2016-11-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, my friend Erin Klassen (you may remember her from her book Portraits) asked if I would be willing to write a piece for a new book project she had started about self-care. I was quite flattered to be asked, and since I haven't done any “real” writing in years and years and years, it sounded like a good challenge. I know that the term “self care” has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but the way Erin presented her feelings on the subject was compelling in that she wanted us to examine what happens after trauma:

As women, I think we often learn about how to care for ourselves when we've been through trauma of some kind — whether emotional or physical, trauma can be big or small. Sometimes things need to get dramatic, or we need to feel our lowest before we truly understand our needs. Women give so much to others naturally. We are communicators, feelers, connectors, networkers, problem-solvers and caregivers. We are champions and counsellors for our friends, family, lovers. Read this amazing article for more about women + emotional labor. We want to have everything, often at the risk of ignoring our capacity to take more on... and then what happens? Burnout. Frustration. Disappointment. Depression. In those moments, if we're self-aware, we do the things we need to in order to recharge so we can get back to fulfilling our role as emotional laborer. That's called self care. From my perspective the interesting part of this topic is in the “trauma” that leads women to discover their needs and personal definition of self-care. That doesn't look like a list of stuff you do to feel better, like take a bath or drink more water, it looks much more complex and varied. It looks messy. This topic should address the vulnerability that leads us to finding inner strength.

She had read the post I had written here years ago about my first miscarriage, and knew a little more about my situation from our conversations, and asked if I would be willing to write about it. It had been something I had been meaning to address in writing, whether for myself or for a wider audience, so this seemed like a good chance. And so I have a piece in here about my year of recurrent miscarriages, what to do when your own therapist tells you you like to feel sorry for yourself, and how I managed to find a sense of safety and peace in the 12+ months of my life that felt frantic and lonely. It was incredibly painful to write; I recall an email to Erin in which I wrote WRITING IS HARD. I also finished writing it in the month or so after Luca was born, when my emotions could not have been more raw and when I burst into sobs at the slightest provocation.

The book, You Care Too Much, is here, and I am so proud to have been a part of it. Erin is a phenomenal editor and she has assembled quite an amazing team of writers and artists: Tallulah Fontaine, Winnie Truong, Brooke Manning, Angela Lewis, Jessika Hepburn, Leah Horlick, Vicky Lam, Jen Spinner, Christina Yan, Adina Tarralik Duffy, Kathryn Bondy, Erin Klassen herself, Sofia Mostaghimi, Nada Alic, Naomi Moyer, and Mo Handahu.

The book, which will be released on November 16, is available for pre-order here, and if you live in Toronto, there will be a launch party at The Steady on November 23. Information here.

bluboho

2016-10-13T11:26:00.000-04:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Cheryl of the local jewelry shop Bluboho and got a tour of their beautiful Queen Street West shop. bluboho was started by Cheryl and Maggie, two friends with passion for the stories that jewelry can tell. They have their own line of delicately wrought gold jewelry, and they also carry the work of other small studios. I personally love this quiet sort of jewelry, and was happy to hear they have started a bridal line. I thought I would share a few photos of the space and of the jewelry because I think you will also enjoy them.

The shop is on a bustling corner but inside it is so peaceful, and I loved the thoughtful decorative touches throughout, from fresh flowers to those stunning blue chairs. Cheryl and her staff were so kind and welcoming; often when I meet new people I can feel a little nervous but they were wonderful. They’re having an opening party on Saturday and you should go!

Our designers and pieces have stories that ignite a sense of connection and joy. The name is a deeply meaningful piece of who we are and represents the true intention of bluboho. blu represents the sea, the sky, a connection to each other and nature as well as unlimited possibility – encouraging us to continue moving and striving. boho is short for bohemian, and speaks to a free-spirited lifestyle with a lust for life, adventure and adventure.

At the end of my visit, Cheryl gave me the gift of this “mama” ring, and honestly the second I saw it I had tears in my eyes. I still feel a little strange thinking of myself as a mother, so it was validating and touching. I have been wearing it every day since! It would be the perfect gift for your mama!

The storefront is gorgeous! It can be found at the corner of Queen and Spadina. I had Geoff and Luca with me that day (on the right).

This “purr” ring is the most perfect cat lady ring ever.

Since the pieces are so understated and elegant, they are perfect for layering.

a nursery for baby luca

2016-08-25T10:57:00.001-04:00

On July 14, we welcomed our little baby Luca into the world. He’s the best guy ever and the past six weeks have flown by as we’ve been getting to know him. He’s currently sleeping in his bassinet next to me and I keep pausing to stare at his tiny body, with his arms up near his head and his legs curled like a frog’s. For weeks now I’ve been meaning to share photos of his nursery!

We didn’t have a specific plan for this room, as is usually the case for us when it comes to home decor; we just picked things we liked and hoped it all worked out. There is definitely a lot of white happening but it makes for such a calm, soothing room. It’s my favourite room in the apartment and even though it’s not currently being used (the baby sleeps in our room for now), I love taking him in there for diaper changes or spending a few moments in there organizing his tiny clothing. This room is one of the warmest in the apartment, but should be okay in the fall or winter (and who knows if we’ll still be here next summer). Oreo, that weird cat, loves it. She spends all her time in there no matter how high the temperature gets.

I found the round black decals on Etsy and applied them at random on one wall. At first I wasn’t sure if I loved the look, but I really like it now, and besides, they would be so easy to remove if I wanted to. The crib is from Babyletto.

I wanted to make my own star and moon mobile, but found this one on sale at Pottery Barn Kids.

A number of things in here are from Indigo: the Serenity Star (a thermometer/white noise machine), the bunny bookends, the pom pom storage basket, and a number of the books including the kitten-faced soft book on the shelf. I really love their selection of baby items!

These are little spice racks from Ikea! I got the idea from Erin.

This dresser was Geoff’s dad’s childhood dresser. He dug it up from the basement and repainted it a glossy white.

Hare silkscreened print by Melinda Josie.

Indigo pillow by Scout & Catalogue.

This is both a mobile and a working kite by Haptic Lab! I can’t wait to take it outside with our boy and fly it with him.

And here he is, our little Luca, on a Haptic Lab northern hemisphere quilt I spent many evenings working on. Each French knot (representing the Milky Way) and each stitch was a prayer that he would arrive healthy and happy.

introducing: wild hill botanicals

2016-06-07T15:45:00.000-04:00

Today I am so happy to introduce a natural skincare line that is new to me, and relatively new to the natural beauty market (six months old!), Wild Hill Botanicals. Wild Hill is a husband and wife team, Teague and Sarah, based on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia. They grow and harvest all the ingredients for the products themselves, which is such a wonderful labour of love and care. I’ve been testing out the products for a few weeks now, and I am totally in love. As I’ve mentioned over the past few years, I’ve made a tremendous effort to cut back on beauty, cleaning, and skin care products that contain ingredients I don’t feel good about. It took some effort to educate myself and to change my habits, and I am constantly learning, but I haven’t gone back. I am always thrilled to discover a new line that really gets it and that can help me in this journey! And look at that packaging: it is perfect.

I was particularly fascinated by the fact that Teague and Sarah are involved in every step of the production, so I decided to post a Q&A with Sarah. I almost wish I had asked more questions because this is so interesting to me! I hope you will also enjoy reading them.

My personal favourite of the Wild Hill products so far are the Nootka Rose Cleansing Clay, which is gently exfoliating, and the Rose Geranium Toner. You can read what Sarah has to say about hydrosols below, but I too love them, particularly in summer. We recently went through a bit of a heatwave, which was early for May/June, and carrying the toner in my bag and spritzing my face and neck was so refreshing. It smells incredible and if it has a tightening effect, all the better! Plus Geoff has been really into collecting scented geraniums lately, so it makes me think of him, which is nice.

“Begin to realize that beauty is a ritual of self-care, and that skincare is a form of self-love.”

What made you decide to start a natural skincare line?

I have always had a keen interest in herbalism, and after "retiring" from the world of baking and pastry, I worked in health food stores for several years, which furthered this interest. I was, and remain, fascinated by plant therapy vs pharmaceuticals, and what herbalists call the entourage effect. Plant therapy works differently from pharmaceuticals in that rather than isolating different molecules and compounds, plant medicine in herbalist traditions trusts nature putting all these tiny bits of compounds together, and tries to deliver the plant in the most whole form they can. A few years ago I took a workshop with Portland Apothecary in Washington State, and there the amongst the oil extracts and herb vinegars, I encountered my first botanical distillation. After that my husband Teague and I both knew what we wanted to do on our property, and we began building up the farm and studying natural skincare. I traveled to San Francisco and spent some time with an ethnobotanist who is well known for producing excellent hydrosols and advising natural skincare lines, and from this education the line developed into what it is. Locally I am very grateful to Dr. Ryan Drum for both his writings and personal advice on the use of local seaweeds and herbs for skincare and health.

Tell us about your farm.

Wild Hill Farm is 5 acres on hilly terrain set on the side of East Sooke Park, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. This 3000 acre park borders our farm on two sides, so things really do feel very wild here. We raise a small flock of heritage ducks and chickens for pastured eggs, have a small orchard of mostly apples and pears, and grow rose geranium, lemon verbena, thyme, sage, rosemary, comfrey and calendula for skincare. Most of the herbs thrive here with nothing more than compost, lama manure, fresh seaweed mulch, and a bit of lime in winter. We do have a 40 foot greenhouse for the verbena and geranium, heat lovers that they are. On a wet and cold spring day, the greenhouse is my favorite place to be. The smell of the herbs and earth in there is so enlivening. By growing our herbs organically and producing skincare with them, we hope to both bring people a relationship to these wonderful plant allies.

What do you feel sets Wild Hill Botanicals apart from other natural beauty brands (I find the natural beauty market to be quite supportive! I hope that's been your experience)?

Absolutely supported. There is currently lots of growth in this industry and room to move at the moment. Basically we are taking back an industry that has been polluted. We all know someone who has battled cancer, and it doesn't take much time on google to educate yourself on endocrine disruptors, bio-accumulation, and persistent contaminants. We all stand to benefit by simplifying our lives of these things. The Canadian government has a hot-list of banned ingredients in cosmetics, but sadly it does not match the standards of the EU, and many more ingredients should be banned than are at the moment. So small companies are bringing this needed change to Canada, and we are very excited to be a part of this group of entrepreneurs. Many large companies advertise the botanicals in their products. Yet I was surprised to learn that the majority of ingredients, especially herbal extracts that are available from suppliers being used for "natural" skincare are highly refined. Thus a brand might advertise their use of plant extracts, yet the reality is unless you have control over this step of production, whatever might have been a plant ingredient at the outset has been boiled, bleached, and clarified to the point of being unrecognizable. Here at Wild Hill, our goal is to deliver as whole a plant therapy as possible to people, and their skin. Whole means we grow and process almost all of the herbs we use ourselves, and make all our extracts ourselves. From wild rose glycerite to nettle tincture to hydrosols and double-infused oil infusions, we do it all because it's the best way we know to deliver potent herbal skincare, and also because we just love doing it.

What are your personal favourite products from your line?

They're all my favourites! The products I use most would be the Rose Geranium Toner and our Blackberry Serum and Wild Rose Neroli cream. Really, I'm a hydrosol nut. They uplift the spirit. They're plant medicine. They regulate skin pH, helping skin stay a little on the acidic side. They tone and tighten. Mist, and mist often, I like to say. I keep a bottle on me wherever I go, and when I need a little a pick-me up I close my eyes, mist, and breathe deeply. It feels amazing. When it comes to moisturizers, I go back and forth between the serum and the cream. It kind of depends on the day. Our serum absorbs very quickly, that was important to me. It also has a really interesting blend of oils that I fell in love with while formulating- they're all either healing, anti-microbial or anti-aging, and the arnica extract is a huge boost. I love our cream for the rose hydrosol and rosemary hydrosols, the cocktail of precious oils, the honey and wild rose extract, and of course rose and neroli essential oils which are so helpful to sensitive, drier skin. It feels so luxurious and also like a throwback—your mother's mother's cream, something like that.

What is your best piece of skin care advice?

Begin to realize that beauty is a ritual of self-care, and that skincare is a form of self-love. Be cautious of sunscreens, even the titanium/zinc ones. Minimize makeup. Hydrate yourself, buy the best food you can afford, be sparing with soap, eat lots of greens that are as fresh as possible, and if skin is overly dry or breaking out, use organic honey on the skin and do some gut healing/dietary adjustments to mend it up. Vitality and health are quickly and easily read by humans, no amount of makeup can fake it (sorry!). Your skin is your body's largest organ. It breathes and absorbs what is placed on it. In your skincare, look to support your skin's functions- namely breath-ability, detoxing, and retaining moisture. Yes, it comes down to more than looks, but the more we support the primary functions of our skin, the more beautiful it will look.

Check out Wild Hill Botanicals here. Stockists here.

debbie carlos: poster party + promo code

2016-05-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve been a big fan of the work of photographer Debbie Carlos for a long time (I got her giant ice cream poster five years ago!) and recently had the pleasure of meeting her and her husband in Toronto while they were visiting. And a lovely meeting it was!

She recently redesigned her shop website, and with it included a new lookbook. The lookbook was shot by the very cool photographic team Ola~Onda. Since we seem to be in the middle of a heat wave right now, I am feeling the waviness/meltiness of the styling.

Debbie has generously created a coupon code for those of you who want to check out her shop and pick up one of her amazing prints (or phone cases! Geoff has this one and loves it): THUNDERINOURHEARTS for 20% off your purchase of $40 or more! Good until June 25th. Happy summer!

a baby shower!

2016-05-19T16:04:00.001-04:00

This past weekend my sweet sister-in-law Rosalyn threw a baby shower for me. For us! I never had a bridal shower and I felt a little funny about having a baby shower, but thought it would be a wonderful way to see all my friends together and to celebrate this babe who is 6.5 weeks away with cake and prosecco (and, ahem, mineral water in some cases). So, not for me after all!

When we started planning it a few months ago, we thought mid-May would be the perfect time to have a casual park picnic. The park in our neighbourhood has fire pits that can be rented for free, which is a really lovely thing that makes the street smell so nice in the summer. Unfortunately, the weather on Sunday was shockingly horrible and unseasonal—cold with periods of hard rain and even hail, although luckily it was quite sunny. We ended up having the shower in our apartment, which made for a cozy atmosphere. It was perfect. I loved having so many dear friends in our home! Of course, it was also quite chaotic, and I didn’t get the chance to take any pictures. I did take some shortly before our guests started to arrive.

I got the paper puffballs above in 2012 for our wedding—I barely remember if we used them—and had saved them thinking they would be perfect for a baby shower. They ended up waiting a few years longer than anticipated, but I was glad I got to use them after all (there would have been no way to hang them in the park!). The room they’re in in this photo is the baby room, which is still in progress. It’s my favourite room in our whole apartment.

I made the invitations using a template from Vistaprint (I cannot resist a mailed invitation!). There are so many beautiful paper invitations out there, but these were the most affordable that I found, and I was able to customize the template quite a lot. I didn’t think there was a need to go overboard with invitations since an email invite would have been just fine! I was really happy with these and think they’re pretty adorable. I put a note on them that partners were welcome.

The beautiful flowers came from Lauren of Timberlost. These roses smelled like candy! I loved the chamomile.

I wore a beautiful dress from HATCH, the Lina caftan. I can’t remember the last time I got so many compliments on a dress! I haven’t been feeling too amazing about my weight gain (even though I know it is for the best reason), but I felt really good in this dress. It’s such a pretty colour, it has lovely details like the tassel cord, the fabric is light and airy, and I will be able to wear it for years to come. If only it were caftan season all year long. Yes, I did wear my Moroccan slippers at the party, ha. Oh and yes I feel very awkward putting my hands on my belly!

I’ve been admiring cookies by Lindsey Bakes for years, and while I’ve purchased her special edition holiday ones in a few local shops and coffee shops, I never had an excuse to order custom ones for myself... until now (I wasn’t hosting the shower but I went rogue). I gave her some suggestions, although I left it pretty open, and was thrilled when I saw these sleepy animals and sleepy cloud cookies. These are made with the cloud cookie cutter from Herriott Grace! They were a huge hit.

Delicious chocolate “bambino” cake and cupcakes by my friend Lynlea! I forgot to cut the cake until almost everyone had left, so ummm just lots of leftover cake for me.

Since the party had been planned as a picnic, I had purchased disposable paper plates, cups, etc. (although I of course do not own enough dinnerware for 35–40 people!). The last time Geoff and I were in the US we bought the cups and plates from the line designed by designlovefest for Target. I’m not a huge fan of disposables, but this is such a cute line! The Target we visited didn’t have the full range with all the black and white options, but it was fun to have colour on the table.

My brother barbecued a few different types of burgers (thanks, Victor!) and we had a variety of snacks such as cheese, olives, antipasto, and, of course, chip salad (ETA: a mix of 4 or 5 different chips, always a huge crowd pleaser!).

Thank you so much to everyone who came! I love you all.

packing a hospital bag

2016-05-12T13:24:00.000-04:00

Lately I think I have been feeling a bit of a calm before the storm. Things have been quiet. When I come home in the evenings, I usually settle in for some knitting or sewing, and funnily enough, baseball games. This is a new phenomenon! I have really loved watching baseball games since they started in April. I find the sounds of baseball comforting, which came as a surprise. I haven’t felt particularly creative or active, but my mind has been going non-stop. Now that I have eight weeks of pregnancy left (ahh!), and since I got a very helpful list from my prenatal class, I’ve started to think about what I will pack in my hospital bag. I’ve asked a few pros for their opinions and the first thing everyone says is that they didn’t use most of what they packed since hospital stays can be so short— which is funny to me because on the two visits I’ve made to the labour and delivery floor, I’ve seen women arriving with giant suitcases! I definitely understand the urge to feel (over-)prepared, and so here are some of my thoughts about some of what I will pack. I know things don’t always go according to plan but I know that having my bag packed will help me feel at ease in the last few weeks.

Fjällräven was kind enough to send me a Kånken No. 2, which I thought would make the perfect bag to bring. I know it doesn’t look very large, but it fits quite a lot! Plus it’s cute, and as I have seen with a Fjällräven bag I bought years ago, super durable. I’ll probably pack a few additional tote bags for the things the hospital gives you upon discharge.

Breastfeeding pillow (I sewed one), and a pillow from home, since those hospital pillows can be a little flat (and I imagine it would be nice to have something familiar). This pillow by Auggie is so sweet and the cover is machine washable. Perfect.

Massage oil. I love this Kahina argan oil: it absorbs so quickly, and the smell is delicate. We’ve been learning some massage techniques in our prenatal class, which has come in handy since the only issue I’ve had this pregnancy is back pain.

Comfortable clothing for the hospital stay. I spent about a week in the hospital a couple of years ago and my favourite things to have with me were slouchy socks. I padded around the whole floor in them. This kit from Hatch, the Hatch to Hospital box, contains so many soft items that would be perfect for the period after the delivery, including slouchy cashmere socks! What a treat. The airy Tulla top would make a wonderful piece to go home in, since it will be July.

Nursing bras, extra underwear, water shoes in case we get a tub room, toiletries. I think it will be important to bring my own hand soap (I really like the Live Clean brand) because I cannot stand the soap at the hospital, which is very harsh.

I like the idea of having a notebook with me. I often forget to write things down but this feels like an important time to jot things down so as not to forget.

For Geoff: a watch with a second hand (he can borrow my Cluse watch), and pyjamas for his night of very uncomfortable sleep in the chair next to the bed, if he can get any sleep! Plus phone chargers, cameras, snacks, etc.

For baby, star of the show: a cotton hat, some onesies, and a cute outfit for going home. I like this knit set even though it looks warm. We’ll be going from an air conditioned hospital to an air conditioned car, and I don’t know much about babies but I know they like to be warm! Plus a sweet cotton blanket.

Diapers. While I love the idea of cloth diapers, the reality is that it isn’t practical for us since we don’t have laundry at home. I’d like to use diapers that are as eco-friendly as possible, and luckily we live in a city that recycles them.

Of course, we can’t leave the hospital without a car seat. We recently purchased the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio and will install it soon.

I love lists, so if you have any that helped you or if you have any suggestions, please share!

wall tapestries with society 6

2016-05-03T15:06:00.003-04:00

I recently wrote about wall tapestries for Society 6. You can read the post on their blog here. I also created a collection with some of my favourites! There are so many incredible designs available that it was hard to narrow down my selections. I particularly love the Clouds print by Debbie Carlos. I’m looking forward to summertime visits to the park with these in tow!

Thanks to our pals Melinda Josie for letting us borrow her apartment for some photos, and Lynlea Combot for modelling again! You can see more photos from Melinda’s cute space on Apartment Therapy here.

moon + flower by lauren wilson

2016-04-07T15:37:00.000-04:00

I thought this would be an appropriate thing to post on a the day of a new moon!

From March 10 to April 1, Lauren Wilson of Timberlost Designs and Wild Altar had an exhibition of her watercolour moons up at Souvenir Studios (one of my favourite new shops in the city), along with a few of her floral arrangements. It was a beautiful show with one of the loveliest openings I have had the pleasure of attending. I am a huge fan of Lauren’s work (and also of Lauren!), as everything she touches is so stunning; her floral arrangements can be so wild and almost dark when she’s creating work to accompany her own projects. Unfortunately I don’t have an image of the arrangements from the opening, as these photos were taken a few days later.

About the show and paintings:

The universe takes what it wants, folds it back into its deep dark matter. Its clandestine face shines as brightly as its undisguised one. My two subjects in this show, Moons + Flowers, are part of this mysterious cycle. The beginning of the universe and the first time a plant species evolved into becoming a flower still baffles us.

And yet we keep searching. We are inherently fascinated by the unknown, the dark spaces between ourselves and the cosmos. My moons, my many moons originated from a period of looking to the universe for answers. As I painted them, as I let the whirlpools of light and tones collide, I felt closer to the matter that once consumed me, to the one I loved and lost.

My flowers are my living ghosts, clasped between my hands, transient beauty. With an emphasis on their individual structure and stems, my arrangements aim to reconcile the tension between nostalgia and the present, between life and death.

Both my Moons + Flowers are a result of my sacred wonderment. Mediums which, through interpretation, allowed me to accept the mystery, immortalize the past and make the future my own.

Dedicated to my beloved father, Alan Wilson, 1946–2015.

Some of the flowers used in her show were dyed with natural inks made by Jason Logan of The Toronto Ink Company. Inks derived from: black walnuts, turmeric, sumac, iris root, rust and shells.

Just a few photos from around Souvenir, because it is full of treasures.

repository pt. 13: oh baby!

2016-03-30T16:38:00.002-04:00

It sure has been a while since I blogged regularly, so I thought that why not try to get back into it by doing a feature I haven’t done in… two whole years (two whole years!). I’ve missed writing here regularly, and have a little redesign planned. Every once in a while I find myself composing blog posts in my head and wonder, does anyone still care? And I convince myself that writing little updates on Instagram is enough. Lately, however, I’ve been feeling a little Instagram fatigue: I don’t want everything to be visual all the time (I thought this was a great read, speaking of Instagram). Although the world of blogging is so radically different now that it was, and although I don’t have the time for the elaborate DIYs and projects I admire on other blogs that have entire teams behind them, I really do miss the old days of it. So here’s a throwback of a post!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I announced that Geoff and I are expecting a baby! A boy, due in early July. According to an app on my phone, I start the third trimester tomorrow, which is kind of crazy. The past few years have been challenging, and I never let myself get too carried away with looking at baby things, so it feels as though a whole new world has opened up in front of me. A world in which there is no shortage of cute things to buy, and in which things are really aggressively gendered! I’m trying to knit and sew some things while I have the time and energy now, and I like to collect things in a Pinterest board for inspiration. I’ve built a pile of far more books than I will ever be able to possibly read (thrift shops are such a great source of pregnancy and baby books), and I’ve started picking away at the list of things I need to get for the nursery (how exciting, to get to set up a nursery!). It seems a little daunting but I love it so much, and feel so lucky to have the chance to surround myself with adorably tiny things. Here are some things I think are just so sweet. Super into bunnies and sleepy face motifs, it turns out.

one: knitted romper / two: mini tent / three: baby pants / four: cloud mobile / five: wooden balancing game

six: baby gym / seven: bunny lamp designed by local designer elizabeth olwen / eight: page from Erika Knight’s Natural Nursery Knits, which, along with her Simple Knits for Cherished Babies are my two favourite knitting books (I love the emphasis on natural yarns and materials, and the knits are classic and beautiful) / nine: sleepy kitty pillow / ten: hard soled shoes

eleven: bookends / twelve: sleepy hat / thirteen: the Babyletto Hudson crib (this is actually the crib we have purchased; we liked the look of it and loved the fact that it’s Greenguard certified; we got it locally at West Coast Kids—since it’s a popular crib it was in stock, which was great since I learned that sometimes you have to order cribs far in advance! I had no idea) / fourteen: Stories for My Child by Samantha Hahn / fifteen: I wasn’t sure if I should get a wrap but when I saw this photo on the Solly Baby Wrap Instagram account I thought, sold! No better way to market directly to my brain than with this photo (I got the wrap in Baltic) / sixteen: Tinycotton’s botanical print line is so ridiculously adorable I had to get this onesie as one of my biggest clothing splurges (and yes, I got the peachy one as a small act of rebellion!)

valentine's day with garmentory

2016-02-12T13:08:00.002-05:00

Just a note to say that I have created a new moodboard over at Garmentory, this one devoted to all things heart-shaped and perhaps even slightly cheesy.

Sign up here to receive a $20 credit to Garmentory! It has become my favourite place to shop the collections of independent shops and designers across the US and Canada and I have picked up so many amazing things there, from a favourite dress from REIFhaus to Herbivore Botanical oils to a really great hat from Saint Cloud in Texas.

giftagram: gifts for the bookworm

2015-12-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

(This is a sponsored post)

Hi! Now that we all have gift-giving on our minds, I worked with Giftagram to create a list of gifts that any Bookwork would love. These are all items that are available through the app, which makes gift-giving so easy.

I see Christmas as an opportunity to combine two of my great loves: presenting someone I care about with a carefully chosen gift—I simply adore everything about the gift-giving process—and the chance to give books. There is something so special and thoughtful about books, which can contain entire beautiful worlds within them, as gifts.

I’m flattered when I receive a novel that a friend thought I would love, or that reminded the giver of me; I love that any time I look at or pick up the book, I will think of that friend. It infuses the act with a little extra sweetness, I think. I also appreciate a gift of a more instructional book, such as a cookbook or a collection of photographs and wisdom, which can inspire me to better myself, to learn something new, or to create something I wouldn’t have thought to on my own. Books are gorgeous as objects, they are always useful and practical, they last forever, and, to my mind, are never clutter! Books truly make the perfect gift as far as I’m concerned, and there is one for everyone via Giftagram. Here are some I would be pleased to find under my tree.

The House Gardener by Isabelle Palmer (available on Giftagram Canada)
While I personally do not have much of a green thumb, I love having plants in my home to create an air of serenity and warmth. This book contains tips on how to select, display, and care for houseplants, all useful tips for someone as hopeless with plants as I am.

Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi (available on Giftagram USA)
Ottolenghi’s first book, Plenty, is one of my all-time favourite cookbooks, inspiring robustly flavourful vegetarian dishes that I crave constantly (especially the eggplant ones, yum!).

Love x Style x Life by Garance Doré (Canada)
I’ve been reading Garance’s blog since the beginning and have always been charmed by her approach to life. This book collects many of her bon mots, elegant drawings, and beautiful photographs, and would look wonderful on any coffee table.

Lint and Honey Giant Heart Pillow (Canada)
This large heart pillow from Lint and Honey would make any reading nook cozy and comfortable.

Seven Spoons by Tara O’Brady (available on Giftagram Canada)
Written by a Canadian food blogger with Indian heritage, this lovely cookbook contains sumptuous photography and Tara’s trademark warm writing style. She draws from various cultures in a fresh way, and some of the recipes from her blog have become staples in my home. This would be a great book for inspiring a multi-course dinner party (which I have never thrown, but I can fantasize about!).

Toronto Cooks: 100 Signature Recipes from the City’s Best Restaurants by Amy Rosen (available on Giftagram Canada)
If you’re anything like me, you prefer to eat home-cooked meal, saving restaurant meals for the most special of occasions. Luckily this book exists to bring home some of the city’s best to eat at your own table. Splendido may be gone but their roasted mushroom salad recipe lives on.

Sloane Tea gift set (Canada)
This luxurious tea set from Sloane features a wonderful assortment of classic teas (Earl Grey, Signature Black, Blood Orange assam, and Marrakesh Mint) in Sloane’s beautiful keepsake tins. When you’re settling in for a lazy day of reading, a cup of tea is the perfect accompaniment.

Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari (available on Giftagram Canada)
Aziz delighted us on Parks and Recreation and again on Master of None, and this no-doubt hilarious book about dating would be a wonderful companion to a warm bubble bath after a long day.

Milk Bar Life Cookbook: Recipes and Stories by Christina Tosi (available on Giftagram Canada)
A few years ago, I made my husband a multi-layered, rather complicated birthday cake from the first Milk Bar cookbook. It took me three days but it was so delicious and impressive that it’s become legendary. This book contains savoury dishes, and my mouth waters thinking about how incredible they must be!

Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton (available on Giftagram Canada)
I have yet to visit Gabrielle Hamilton’s New York restaurant Prune, but having devoured (ha!) her memoir Blood, Bones and Butter, it’s been a goal of mine. For now, this book would do as it is a little more affordable than a plane ticket.

Kate Spade New York: All in Good Taste by Kate Spade New York (available on Giftagram USA) As someone who is forever clutzy and forever spilling drinks and food all over herself, but who loves to write thank you notes and who has collected several editions of Emily Post’s Etiquette, yearning to be a gracious hostess, this modern style guide could come in quite handy! As a bonus, it’s full of Kate Spade’s signature illustrations and clean design, and cloth is in my favourite colour: pink.

Food52 Baking: 60 Sensational Treats You Can Pull Off in a Snap by the Editors of Food52 (available on Giftagram USA)
Even though I have tried in vain to cut sugar out of my life time and time again, it truly is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I could spend a very happy hour flipping through this collection of cookies, cakes, and tarts, tummy grumbling!

good night, day: the pattern book

2015-11-03T14:08:00.003-05:00

Over the past few months I’ve been working with Tara-Lynn of Good Night, Day on a book of her patterns. She’s had booklets published in the past, but this will be much higher quality, with all new photos by Arden Wray and a full redesign by me. I took on this project happily because I love Tara-Lynn’s work—I’m sure I’ve mentioned it here many times, but the only reason why I took up knitting was to knit her patterns—and because I’ve always admired her fierce independence and integrity. We’ve created something that I am really proud to have my name on. The book will be perfectbound, full colour, and will feature 18 patterns.

Unfortunately, printing costs can be quite high for an ambitious, self-funded project such as this one, and so Tara-Lynn has set up an account through Go Fund Me through which you can pre-order the book, or simply send along a few dollars to help keep this project going, if you’re in the position to do so. Asking for help and allowing people to see your vulnerability can be one of the most difficult things to do, and I admire her for taking this step.

I really love her newest knits but the patterns have been so important for me as a knitter. They’re simple and elegant and really satisfying to knit. I hope you will like them too!

Photos by Arden Wray
Models: Brooke Manning, Airin McGuinty
Styling by Tara-Lynn Morrison

new: a cmyk peony print

2015-10-01T11:26:00.000-04:00

For the past little while Geoff has been experimenting with CMYK silkscreen prints of photographs. This process requires breaking a photo down to four colours, and printing four separate layers. The end result is this peony print that, at a distance, looks like a photo, but up close, is something else entirely.

This print is available in our shop now. We hope you like it!

giveaway: nettle's tale and dani press

2015-08-31T10:34:00.000-04:00

Today I’m pleased to host a giveaway from two wonderful Canadian companies, the Vancouver-based Nettle’s Tale, and the Toronto-based Dani Press. Nettle’s Tale creates swimsuits for every body, and Dani Press is a stationery company that stands by the power of the handwritten note. As a kiss to our steamy summer (there is still nearly a full month of it left!), we’ll be offering one swimsuit of the winner’s choice, 8 film notecards, and one art print.

It’s been a treat to work with these companies, who create their products with their whole heart, and who are committed to giving back. Both donate 10% of all profits to a charitable cause. You can read more about Nettle’s Tale here and Dani Press here.

This giveaway is open to everyone, and to enter, simply click over to Instagram, where I will outline the details. Good luck!

Dani and her friend Lisa Gilroy

ceramics by bolden and sojourn

2015-08-06T15:18:00.002-04:00

Over the past few months, Shayna of Sojourn and Jen of Bolden have been collaborating on a fun series of wild/domestic cat ceramics, and the results are so charming! They’ll be updating their shop tomorrow (Friday, August 7) at 1pm EST with all new pieces—the last run sold out in a few minutes.

Both of them have been posting progress shots on their Instagram accounts (Jen here and Shayna here). I love to see the two of them working together and creating such wondrous objects!

a perfume workshop!

2015-07-28T12:49:00.000-04:00

Last week I was lucky enough to take The Art of Perfuming workshop with Julie of Province Apothecary. I had missed out on this workshop in the past so was thrilled to finally be able to take it! I adore perfumes but haven’t ever tried to make my own, specifically because I was too intimidated by the vast world of scent. With Julie’s instruction and advice, though, it felt easy and came naturally.

I’ve been a fan of Province’s Parfum Botanique line, particularly No. 7 and No. 14, and still wish I hadn’t missed out on the perfume she created especially for Easy Tiger a while ago. That one was a blend of rose, jasmine, vetiver, bergamont, and cedar wood, and without realizing it, I ended up making one that was similar (more on my blend later).

In the workshop we learned about top, middle, and bottom notes, and how to blend to make accords. We sniffed and sniffed essential oils and narrowed down our choices. Julie said that if something really spoke to us, it probably meant that our body needed it (Julie has a background in aromatherapy). It was very relaxing!

It was fascinating to see how different everyone’s finished blends were! Some were floral, some were more citrus-based. No two were alike.

In the end we got to take home a 10ml bottle of our own custom blend. I really love patchouli and mine ended up being pretty heavy on the patchouli, although made a little more subtle as its also blended with rose otto, bergamot, vetiver, and black pepper. A very earthy blend. I have been carrying it in my purse and I love to pull it out and give it a sniff. I jokingly said mine was called 1997 because in that year I went through a phase in which I wore patchouli oil. It takes me right back, although it detours a little through a few other lovely scents along the way.

Thanks, Julie! If you're interested in taking a workshop with Province Apothecary, watch this page, or follow on Twitter and Instagram.

classpass pt 2

2015-07-13T11:01:00.000-04:00

I last wrote about ClassPass back in March, and I wanted to share a little more about my experience and to write a little about some of the amazing studios we have access to here in Toronto, since I have now taken over seventy classes. I try to test out a new spot once in a while (and always get the first-visit jitters!), but often find myself going back to my favourites. When I was in New York recently I wanted to take advantage of ClassPass Flex (that is, your ClassPass account entitles you to work out in any ClassPass studio in any city), but I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of studios (I ended up going for a run along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which of course was wonderful as well)! I thought maybe these posts with my faves could be helpful for anyone starting out in Toronto.

I had a few lazy weeks recently, and for a while I was running outside more thanks to a fun run club, but being a ClassPass member has helped keep me active in a way I have never been before. It’s gotten to the point where I feel off if I don’t do some form of exercise every day (even if that means squeezing in fifteen minutes of at-home yoga and some foam rolling). That’s not to say that I’m in the best physical shape of my life, because I’m not (yet!), but I am so happy to have renewed my love of exercise. I used to feel anxious and guilty when other people talked about exercising, but it’s become an essential part of my life. I never thought I would grow to love squats and lunges, but here we are!

THE EXTENSION ROOM

This was definitely one of my favourite discoveries via ClassPass. The studio is located in the east end and it is one of the most beautiful, light-filled spaces I’ve visited, and the workouts are challenging and, dare I say lovely? I particularly love the Allegro Ballet Bootcamp or the Allegro + Sculpt classes. The Allegro is a workout designed by owner and dancer Jenn Nichols that incorporates ballet movements to get the heart racing. It is a little challenging for the uncoordinated among us (in front of a mirror, no less), but I have found it addictive, and pick up more steps every time. I particularly like the Allegro + Sculpt because it incorporates hand weights in addition to the cardio movements and core exercises, making it a well-rounded workout. I haven’t been in a few weeks and I am itching to get back. Image via Fashion and Beauty Inc.

BARRE3

This is another workout that I find so pleasing that I’m almost surprised when the burn kicks in! This workout incorporates barre, pilates, and yoga (hence the “3”) and packs a good punch despite being low impact. Lots of modifications are given, making the classes accessible to any fitness level. The instructors are so friendly; the instructor who signed me in for my first class remembered my name every other time I came in, which I don’t think has ever happened before, especially as I am not one to chat and make myself known after a class. Image via Beauty Editor.

SURFSET

Surfset is a workout performed on a a type of surfboard that is balanced on three stability balls (to mimic ocean waves) for a very shaky 45 minutes. About ten minutes into my first Surfset workout, after being told to jump onto the board, squat, and jump back down, I laughed out loud and said “I can’t do this” seeing as I could barely walk up onto the board and hold myself steadily. But I did it, and I went back and saw improvements within three classes. Some classes are yoga-inspired, and some involve weights and circuit training. You have to approach it with a good sense of humour, because unless you have abs of steel already, you will feel like you’re going to fall off. And you probably will fall off, but the floor is padded so it’s all good. Embrace the wobble. Image via BlogTO.

UNION YOGA AND WELLNESS

I was familiar with this space because I attended classes there when it was a different studio, so I was happy to revisit this airy space on Bloor Street. Union offers a wide variety of yoga classes, some of them heated. I’ve enjoyed flow classes there, as well as flow + meditation. I took a 7am flow class there a few times with a teacher named Megan and she sang during savasana. It was utterly blissful. Image via BlogTO.

A few others:

HARMONY FITNESS: This facility is in a warehouse-like space by Wilson subway station. It’s got a bit of a harder feel than, say, a barre studio, but the workouts are amazing. I highly recommend the Treadsanity class, which combines running on a treadmill with high intensity training intervals. They also have a rowing class that is similar, which would be so amazing for the arms (I hope to try it soon!).

STUDIO LAGREE: A cult favourite, and the studio on King is usually fully booked way in advance. Another very intense workout, one that left me sore for three days after the first time I tried it. This one is performed on a machine similar to a Pilates Reformer or a Gravity training system, is low impact, and gets the heart racing. You go hard and non-stop for 50 minutes.

KULA YOGA: Kula offers a very wide variety of yoga classes, and I particularly LOVE their Reiki Restorative. It’s delicious.

SPYNGA: I’ve only tried the spin classes here, but they offer yoga as well. I usually find spinning kind of boring, but have found the teachers here to be really encouraging and motivating, and they tend to play good music, whieh makes all the difference in a spin class.

If you have any recommendations for me or questions, please let me know! I love to talk about this!