Upside of apartments...

In this snow-globe weather we're having, all I can think about is how can I take control of the mess that is my home. I'm a pack rat. Love-hate relationship with clutter. I know i'll never be a minimalist, I'm far to frivolous for that. And of course, hellooo, I run a vintage shop so I'm always, always on the hunt for the good stuff. But it's true collections become clutter so easily and I just can't function under all that junk.

We recently, my man and I, moved into a new apartment back in December. I find the hardest part about moving is trying to fit all the furniture from the last place in the new place without making it look too much like the last place. And there's always the issue of storage space. This new apartment doesn't have as much cupboard space and no built-in shelving like the last one. Ultimately I don't really like the idea of hiding all your stuff away, but there are things that aren't so aesthetically designed and hence don't need to be in plain view. The food processor to be exact. But the biggest problem so far has been the books/movies/music that has little or no where to live. So the hunt for shelving has begun, and where I can't find it, I'm trying to rejig or attempt DIY projects. Ultimately I want pieces that I can take with me, preferably modular so that when the space changes the pieces will still fit. Is that too much to ask for?

So to solve the shelving problem I've been internet/magazine prowling. For the office we picked up a bunch of old apple crates that are currently stacked and do the job for now, holding books and mags, but I'm not super happy with them. Some ideas are a brewing though. I spent the night obsessively reading every post on The Brick House blog, and found this project she did amazing.

I love the sleek, airy look. I don't want to copy it exactly but I think I'll incorporate it into something.

I also decided I really wanted a Tomado Holland shelf or a vintage copycat. So after much ebay watching, I decided to check out some other online shops and I ended up with a beaut from DesignLover. It's not a real Tomado, but I love the quirky simple colours and since this shelf is going in the washroom, I think it will blend well with a mix of colours.

And of course I'm also pretty sure I need to purge. My tastes are often scattered, which I like, but there are things that aren't getting no lovin' sitting around aimlessly and maybe need to find a new home. I always kinda liked the idea of starting fresh when you move into a new place, but alas my pocket book doesn't reflect that mindset. And maybe that's the silly consumerist inside me talking. There are definitely pieces of furniture that I own that I adore, so I'll make do indeed.

I leave you with a photo of the Eames Case Study House. I draw so much inspiration from these two, it's really unbelievable what they could come up with. The ability to really define oneself through their living/work space with such a positive outlook is just so beautiful. Trying my best not to be jealous. That doesn't get me anywhere now does it.

mike.

We all get a lil' heart break.

This Valentine's Day you're gonna throw it to the ground.

Oh and be sure to wear your ruby reds, with the stiletto heels.

Upside of ...Love?

Ang and I were dreaming up these windows for a few weeks now, but 'cause the busy/lazy bug can bite real bad sometimes, we didn't get them in till this Wednesday. But here they are! Not as lavish as we originally wanted, but I think they look swell. A hint of Valentines Day, amidst the choas. The decor side with the title of Love Potion No. 9 tells a vague story of a mad scientist trying his best to decipher the female species and attempting to create his own. The attire side, titled Mad Love, is possibly a Stepford Wife who has gone bonkers over the pressures of being house bound and so she releases the Bride of Frankenstein within. And did you notice the new blue hue on the side walls? Yeah we thought it was about time to switch out from the acid yellow into something much more spring. Come by the shop and take a peek, there's lots of lil' bits to play eye spy with.

Upside of ...Collaborating

Something clicked late last year. Possibly from the ends of my fingertips. A throbbing need to make something with my hands was pulsing from deep within. Unannounced a project came up. My friend Grant Heaps was looking for someone to help with a big, big, big sewing project. I accepted with a jump. I've taken a basic sewing class and my mother has always had a machine, which I stealthily moved to my lodging. And for the last nine-ish years the machine has lived with me. But only on occasion would I play around with her. A small messy project here, some quickly hemmed pants there. And yet I jumped. I told Grant I'd love to help out and so we began. Now to clarify: I only really did maybe 5% of the entire piece, but I really, really enjoyed it. It lit some dead spark. I think a lot of it is because of Grant and his encouragement, but I'm itching for more. The photo included is of Grant's Garden Chairs from the Radiant Dark show put on by Made. They are truly beautiful and need to be seen in person to appreciate the detail and care and passion put into this band of six.

A couple of weeks back I also attended an artist talk by Tobias Wong and Cynthia Hathaway at Harbourfront Centre. The talked of their collaborative work and how strength and clarity come from more than one viewpoint. Cynthia spoke of her works with Platform 21, especially the Repair Manifesto; an amazing project she worked on helping folks mend the broken bits of loved things. Tobias only does collaborative work now, and it's inspiring to see an artist/designer embrace a real sense of community in his or her work. His ideas wouldn't develop into much without the help of many other hands. And how humble is that, an artist that can admit his own flaws, that can move forward and seek out the right people to get the job done, and done perfectly.

And so I can't help get the fever. I want to make things, beautiful things, and I want others to make it with me. I think it would be great to start a creative community that people could help connect and complete creative projects, kinda like a craigslist for skilled people and interested apprentices (maybe this exists already?). So I will be writing some posts on the projects I’m working on. I figure it's also a good thing to talk about on the blog, bringing light to the people I'm so grateful to work with. I don't have it all figured out just yet, but Project 1 will tie in to men's accessories and an interesting way of producing them. Confused? S'okay, so am I.

mike.

Bright like neon love.

Some shots of the shop from the past few weeks. Love a lil' pop of colour once and a while. Put in Cut Copy, press play.