on change and rest and things to come

"Rest and be thankful." - William Woodsworth

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop." - Ovid

while i've been absent from this space over the past two months, things have transitioned from a seeming state of upheaval to one of rest. without warning, andrew and i introduced some big and fast changes into our lives—although now that things have had time to settle, the changes don't feel so big. there have been so many things that i've wanted to share in the interim, so many images i've wanted to post, words i've wanted to write, and updates i've wanted to make, but i felt this strange responsibility to account for my absence and fully explain the changes before i could do so.

in one of those serendipitous sequence of events, where the decision almost seemed to make itself, we decided to leave Renfrew County and make our lives elsewhere, closer to the city but still outside of city limits. part of what precipitated this decision was our discovery of a hidden black mould problem in our country apartment, which had without a doubt been negatively affecting our health and mental states. but more than the immediacy of the mould problem, we also knew that we had to plan for the future, in advance and before it hit us hard. which meant andrew leaving the bush to take a new, better-paying (although still forestry-related) job that would allow me to focus on finishing my PhD while also having easier access to the city and its resources. and finally, we simply needed a larger, more appropriate and productive space, where i could more effectively work from home and where we weren't tripping over each other, the animals, and all of our stuff. we realized that we were expending far too much energy trying with everything we had to make things work, and it simply wasn't working. we needed more than anything to make a change, and so we did. but part of making that change also meant admitting a lot of hard truths to ourselves.

and so here we are, over a month later. we are still in limbo, living out of suitcases and boxes with our three animals in the attic of my in-laws' 180 year-old stone house overlooking the St. Lawrence River, as much as i am embarrassed to admit it. but i think it goes without saying that we've all been there in one way or another. you swallow your pride, take your alms with a thankful quietude, gather your resources and make your way. more than feeling ashamed, i am humbled and thankful that i have been allowed this rest. for the first time in all of our moving adventures, we have been able to take the time to find the right place to live, to steadily choose the place that we want to call home. and i think we found it—a charming two-storey apartment in an historic red brick house built in 1880 in Prescott, Ontario. like any place, it's not without its faults and quirks, but i think it is going to give us what we need. we don't move in until October, but for now the feeling of having found a place and having something tangible to look forward to is enough. the fruit of the decision we spontaneously made over two months ago awaits us, and once it is ours everything will have been worth it.


the first photo is a scene from my mother-in-law's effortless garden, which i am blessed to experience every day while we stay here, and the second is a view of the backyard at your new place. i love the installation of empty frames hanging from the arbour and even had a discussion with our new landlord about the institutional and discursive function of frames in art history—yes, i totally geeked out.

red skies

after yesterday's torrential storm, the skies opened up. ablaze with the most incredible, unfiltered light.

from August to Autumn

I had planned to post photos of the post-wedding holiday we spent at a rustic Northern Ontario camp in August immediately upon returning home to newly married life. I had planned to share our adventures, all the goodness that happened in our lives, all the new and wonderful things I had learned and discovered. But then life happened and we became so incredibly busy as summer winded down and autumn slowly crept in.

But I still want to share those photos and the moments and moods they capture. And I think today, the last day of summer, is the perfect day to do so. I suppose in a fitting way, this is my farewell to that favourite season as we welcome a new one: to long summer days and lazy afternoons; to sultry heat and sweaty, sunkissed skin; to casual evenings relaxing on the balcony and drinking beer; to driving down country roads with the windows down; to biking to pick up our fresh CSA baskets; to the month that contained all the love in the world as it saw our family and friends gather to witness Andrew and I share our vows; to the camp I love and know so intimately, having spent my childhood summers there, and that I am lucky enough to return to every year with my dad.

And yet, the week of our vacation up North was not at all characterisitc of summer. It was cold and rainy, with the strongest winds and biggest waves I have ever witnessed at this time of year, making for a particular kind of gloominess. But it was perfect. It was exactly what we needed to relax and recover from all the work and energy we put into making the wedding happen. We wrapped ourselves up in layers of clothing to bear the weather outside and nestled inside by the fire, warming our spirits with endless glasses of wine and long conversations. Andrew passed long hours fishing at the edge of the dock and I curled up reading and slipping in and out of afternoon naps.

All around us, something about the soft, grey light contrasted against the dark greens of the Boreal Forest and golden reds of the pine and cedar was perfectly seemless.

It was as if the seasons were already turning.  

a shop update: endless summer

one-of-a-kind necklaces featuring vintage Italian porcelain watercolour tie dye & metallic painted wood beads on silk cord.

because sometimes, you just don't want summer to end.


here and here.

at the river's edge

I grew up in the City of Lakes, but ever since I first left home for University almost ten years ago, I have moved again and again to river cities and towns. While I deeply miss being immediately surrounded by so many freshwater lakes, I have learned to embrace river communities & cultures, which have a charm of their own different from that of lakes. This weekend we explored the shores of the Ottawa River close to where we live in Laurentian Valley. Most of the waterfront within walking distance here is private property, but we found an easily accessible stretch of what seems to be Crown land. The water level is low this year, exposing enough of the muddy and rocky shores to walk along with Glasgow, who not surprisingly spent most of his time in the water. The breeze off the water was perfectly refreshing and as we gazed out at, listened to, and breathed in the sights, sounds, and scents of the river, I found my thoughts silenced and absorbed by its humbling currents and underwater mysteries. It was pretty close to perfect.

these days

I haven't had much of a presence here lately. So much going back and forth between the city & and the country, wedding planning (some details of which I plan to share here soon - August 4th is fast approaching!), and preparing for the final move to Laurentian Valley to be with Andrew full-time, which we accomplished last weekend and was nothing short of epic. I have come to accept that moving plans never go as planned and was surprisingly relaxed (almost) the whole time. I think I have been successfully taking all the wisdom and advice from Meg Keene's most wonderful and endearing book, A Pracitcal Wedding, and applying it to other areas of my life. I have been actively practicing my wedding Zen and it has truly helped me to let go of all the little things, wedding-related or otherwise. I feel the most amazing lightness and the least stress I have felt in a long time.

Amidst all the craziness, I have still found time to savour the small moments and delicacies, from summer skies, gin & tonics, and Quebec's culinary delights to gardens both old & new.

And this. 

wishing you & yours a wonderful weekend. 

xo, 

sara

a few good things no. 5: silk edition

Lately, I have been obsessed with silk fabrics: raw silk, crepe de chine, silk charmeuse, and silk chiffon. There is something so sumptuous and sensuous, but also softly subtle and timeless, about silk. I recently read Avery Ellis' The Last Nude (a review of which is forthcoming), set in 1927 Paris, in which silk played a subtle but richly seductive role in the relationship between Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka and her model-muse, Rafaela. As she is searching for the perfect silk fabric in Le Sentier district of Paris to hand sew a slip for her lover, Rafaela describes the pleasure she experiences when she strokes a lustrous charmeuse in a cool pink: "When I palmed the silk my body jumped inside with longing." Owing to Ellis' lyrical and sensual prose and imagery, I could feel the sensuousness of the silk and the sense of longing Rafaela viscerally describes, not only in this scene, but every time silk is evoked throughout the book, touching on something I had already been feeling. However unrealistic and marked by my own wishful desires, I long to dress myself in nothing but silk this summer. At the same time that I feel this almost bodily desire, it seems that there are so many gorgeous designs in silk everywhere I look. I must not be alone in my longing.

1, 2, & 3. Toronto-based Fieldguided released their much-anticipated collection of gorgeous silk scarves this week, Light as a Feather, featuring enlarged black-and-white photographs taken in the late 1800s and lovingly hand-rolled hems, which Anabela blogged about here. Photographed by Anya Verdugo with styling by Megan Hart, the collection is so romantic and magical, I think everyone in the blogging and independent art & design community is swooning over them, and with good reason. I keep wavering between two favourites, mountain and venus, and cannot decide between them, even though I know I am only dreaming.... Andrew and I are on a tight budget as we are preparing for our August wedding, so I cannot bring myself to spend any of my graduate student funding on anything other than goods and wares for the wedding. Still, Anabela's work has a way of enlivening you and inspiring the best kind of reverence even if purchasing one of her creations is not currently in the stars. I think longing is a good thing.

4. I have always loved this detachable silk shirt collar by Angie of Montreal's Norwegian Wood produced in collaboration with artist Jen Storey. The wheat imagery was inspired by the prairies where Angie grew up, which, combined with the silk, evokes the magic of endless prairie skies.

5. Vintage-inspired Garden of the night dress from Kelly Love's SS2012 collection, Pocket Full O' Posies.The 100% sand washed silk dress with vintage lace hem is the perfect combination of playful and romantic. Swoon.

6. Speaking of weddings, in my continuous search for the perfect veil or headpiece (how is a girl to decide on only one?), nothing compares to Twigs & Honey. Nothing. While I think my heart has set itself upon this mini tulle veil with pearls, everything from the new collection is simply gorgeous, including this sweet and subtle floral petal comb with hand pressed silk organza petals and genuine swarovski crystals. Part of me is thinking veil for the ceremony, and a simple floral headpiece for the reception.

7. Galileo's Moon hand dyed silk scarf by Bre of Toronto's Scout & Catalogue, featuring Galileo's sketches together with images of the moon and victorian roses. The design is light and breezy like the rest of Bre's work, but I particularly love this combination of imagery and it's subtle astrological/scientific undertones. Bre manages to evoke the geek and the romantic at once, while maintaining her characteristic lightness.

8. Classic wide leg, high waisted pants in a lovely silk/cotton blend from Three Little Ducks.

9. I think these vintage-inspired First Date scalloped silk blouses from girlwithaseriousdream in her Etsy shop stylemadehere are so sweet! I love the scalloped neckline. It's also available for pre-order in a pale mint green here.

10. I think almost any contemporary cat lady would covet this large Picasso cats silk chiffon scarf by illustrator Leah Goren. All of Leah's designs are like a breath of fresh air and she makes the loveliest subtle floral patterns.

11. Absolutely love this petal-pink and creme silk charmeuse blouse by Jessica Kertis. She hits it right on with the simple description: Blossoms, ballet, blush. I am hoping to order one in mint and creme, which would better suit my olive skin tone. I think the loose, slightly cropped fit would be perfect for summer.

12. Phillip Lim's Draped Neck Shell airy silk crepe de chine tank.

13. I adore collaborations among friends and creatives with a similar sense of aesthetics. Anabela & Geoff of Fieldguided recently teamed up with Bre of Scout & Catalogue to shoot her spring 2012 collection, and the results are, of course, gorgeous. I know this is old news, but whenever I browse through Bre's wares, I am captivated again and again by the photos. While Scout & Catalogue designs are on their own already so unmistakable and lovely, Fieldguided, and especially Anabela's touch, brings to them that added bit of magic that makes your heart skip. The mood is one of soft & sultry springs and endless summers, to which this hand dyed Cinta silk headband speaks perfectly. Visit Scout & Catalogue for the lookbook and view Fieldguided's behind-the-scenes photos here.

14. Sweet, sultry, and romantic, this one-piece Ivory Tower Romper made from a reclaimed vintage silk blend by Under the Root might just be the perfect lingerie for hot summer days and nights.

15. The wonderful Ilana Kohn released her SS12 collection, available for pre-order, and there's so much crepe de chine! The designs, prints, and loosely flowing cuts are, yup, the kind you want to live in. Sigh. My favourite is the crepe de chine Elliot Shirt in the foxtail print. Photograph by Dustin Fenstermacher.

16. Love this simple and unadorned Silk Husband Tank by Lauren Jones of mydearthing from last year's SS collection. There is something about those raw edges.

17. Hand painted silk crepe de chine Indigo Ikat Dot blouse by Dani K of xsilk.

18. Dace, one of my favourite Canadian designers, seems to offer silk crepe de chine garments with every collection, and the Spring 2012 collection is no exception. The Thomas Dress, a 100% washed silk crepe kimono dress in a lovely teal colour, looks especially luxurious.

emerson fry s/s 2012

Emerson Fry (formerly EmersonMade) launched their new sping/summer collection last week, and although I am somewhat disappointed by the name change, the look and quality of the designs have remained unmistakably the same. I have always loved Emerson's blend of sophistication and versatility, of modern city style and classic country living, but the new collection truly hits home. The rich fabrics are so dreamy but casual, the colours soft and down-to-earth, the fits both loose and feminine, perfect for summer days and nights, for both work and play. I think Emerson Fry is becoming something of a modern classic, offering women the perfect combination of femininity and practical, boyish charm.

View the entire collection here.

(Air Dots Blouse / White Mod Dress / Paulo Loafer in nude / Four Button Jacket in ivory and The Perfect Raglan Pullover / The Perfect Raglan T, Band Shorts in rose, and The Ankle Strap Heel in nude / U Dress in blue and Toe Patch Slingback in caramel and black calkskin / Light Indigo Ikat Tunic / White Sandwashed Tuxedo Shirt and Band Shorts in ivory)

36 - friday favourites: lazy lakeside summer days

fieldguided's new unbleached cotton 43rd parallel tote // linen shorts by Tsumori Chisato

MinxShop english lace shirt // circular loch ness photo by Marco Suarez

crochet necklace by kove // hand knit merino wool sweater from good night, day 

100% silk crepe de chine cedar dress from dace // day at camp original screen print by yellowlion

Scout & Catalogue cream lace and leather clutch // bows and braid lace tank from Dove Tree