Saturday, November 29, 2008

scheDUEL

*Thanks to the incredibly generous

Here are my answers!

Still feeling totally inspired by the handmade issue of mankind mag from my favourite
design blog.
Q What is the blog author's first name? ANSWER: Erin
use the first letter - LETTER: E

We like to keep lunch casual, I've found some fabulous BBQ recipes for the big day.
Q What type of meat is pictured on the rotisserie? ANSWER: Lamb
use the first letter - LETTER: L

Getting some great ideas for upcycling (my favourite craft) & enjoying the revamp over at this fabulous craft website.
Q They list everyone's favourite mama as one of their inspirational sites. Which mama is she? ANSWER: SouleMama
use the second letter - LETTER: O

Looking forward to being able to buy handmade at the shopping shindig with the craft book Queen.
Q What type of car is pictured? ANSWER: Volkswagen
use the first letter - LETTER: V

All these letters unscramble to reveal:
LOVE is all you need.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What You Wearing Wednesday

With the both On My Desk and This Is coming to an end there was a void in my blogging life I desperately needed to fill. Thankfully along came Fi at Dearfii with the idea for a What You Wearing Wednesday!

Sorry for the dark and shoddy webcam pic. I still am cameraless after mine died an untimely death on Halloween.

Today I am wearing a cute yellow cardigan from Bluenotes and an organic cotton halter from H&M (as well as some jeans from I am not sure where and my awesome new winter boots which I will speak of on a later date).

I actually got a lot of compliments today. I have been trying to get away from the plain old tee and jeans I usually go to class wearing and it seems to be paying off!
Also, my friend Martin noted "You are wearing eye makeup!"
Yes, world. It seems Erin is growing up.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Crafty Update

It's been hard lately to find time to sit down and do anything crafty what with school, trying to find an internship and working on three different short films at once. However, I got some me-time last night and put together my first card in a while for a special someone's birthday.

I can't show it to you yet, in case she is reading this blog, but I'll put up some pictures as soon as I get word that she received it in the mail.

I CAN tell you that everything I used was brand new. I took them all out of their packaging as I was putting the card together. Most excitingly I used Glossy Accents and Stickles for the first time! And I think I am in love!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Music Monday: The Kinks

Since I mentioned the tune in my Lush Review please enjoy a live version of The Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks with a special bonus song Waterloo Sunset.



Starting next Monday - December 1st - Music Mondays will be featuring CHRISTMAS MUSIC every week leading up to the big day!

Shop Spotlight: Bake it Pretty

I love baking, but the Amanda at Bake it Pretty takes it to the next level.
They make baking art.

They have something sweet for every stage of the process, from baking to decorating to packaging.

Best of all they have WORLD WIDE SHIPPING.

And just look at their new Vintage Cupcake Kits!



Speaking of which, there is a giveaway happening over at Amanda's blog where you could win a $30 gift certificate to the shop to pick up some adorable baking goodies for yourself!

Whether you need a present for the baker in your life or want to make your holiday treats extra special, there's something sweet there for you.
You'll be the talk of every holiday party!

Friday, November 21, 2008

LUSH Review

I have just stepped out of a wonderful LUSH bath concoction which I am now dubbing :

A Walk in the Sunny Countryside



Sunny Side Bubble Bar + English Countryside Bath Bomb + B Electro Soap + Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo = AWESOME.

After a full day shooting outside yesterday in the not so sunny winter weather I was feeling rather sick today. What better way to feel better than soaking in an amazing bath that gives the feeling of laying outside in the grass on a warm and sunny day.

The Sunny Side bubble bar gave loads of golden iridescent bubbles and an orangey citrus scent. When the bubbles began to fade I tossed in the English Countryside bomb. What a treat! A fresh flowery scent with sandalwood and it releases the most gorgeous green colour to the bath water.

However, if you do not like having 'things' floating around in your tub with you, stay away from this bomb (Or put it in a nylon before popping it in!) This bomb also releases a ton of dried flowers, little silver confetti bells and fabric butterflies.

When the bubbles were completely dissipated I was left with amazing green water with the most beautiful shimmering gold swirling throughout. It was really something to see. I didn't want to get out of the tub!

To complete my bath I washed with B Electro soap, a bright neon yellow on the bar as well as in the lather! (Much brighter than the picture appears) With it's fun colour and uplifting grapefruit & fennel scent, it never fails to put me in a sunny mood. I finished my springy bathtime journey with my favourite solid shampoo, Squeaky Green.

I felt so good once I got out of the tub!

The only downside to this bath cocktail is what you're left with once it's over. A tub covered in gold glitter and full of dried flower bits!

For added effect use this cocktail while listening to "The Village Green Preservation Society" by The Kinks.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Music Monday: The Dresden Dolls

This weekend I was on set working on an experimental short film. We were shooting a ridiculous drunken party where all the characters were dressed garishly and had incredibly pale faces with darker lips and eye makeup.
The sound guy unwittingly became an extra in the film and came out looking like Brian Viglione from the Dresden Dolls.
As a result, my favourite Dresden Dolls song was running through my head the entire night.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

This is... my favourite thing from nature

Bleeding Hearts
Bleeding hearts. My favourite flower.

Broken and Beautiful
The broken and beautiful.

Nowhere Fast
When it reclaims urban areas.

My Own Calm
Spending time in the quiet of a forest with a good friend.

Me and My Shadow
The moments that take your breath away.


All images copyright Erin Kys (All rights reserved)
To check out more "This is..."s and get in on the fun check out three buttons.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Music Monday: Jason Mraz

Ahh Jason Mraz. Number 1 on my lists of artists I NEED to see live.
He's been in my top artists for over 6 years and I still haven't seen him in concert yet.

This has to be my favourite live performance video ever. Jason Mraz walking though the streets in France while playing one of his newer songs, 'Live High'.

Just awesome.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

This is... my favourite quote

My favourite quotes are constantly changing. I literally have pages and pages of quotes scrawled in notebooks, saved as .txt files, scribbled on scraps of paper.
There was no way I could narrow it down to one (seems to be a recurring theme..)
I will however leave you with four very different quotes from very different sources.

Gerbera

Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
-Plato

*****

Low-fat food makes you very depressed, I think it's bad for the skin, and I actually quite seriously think it's bad for women reproductively. I once read a book by an endocrinologist saying that fat is one of the things that regulate fertility.
Quite apart from all that, I think it's very difficult to create balance in flavor if you're [cooking] rigidly low fat. It's surprising how just a teaspoon of olive oil dribbled on a minestrone at the end, for example, can lift it into another dimension. Fat doesn't just give [food] taste. It gives it depth and tone.
In a way, to be afraid of fat is to be afraid of food. And to be afraid of food is to be afraid of life. I sort of feel: Everything in moderation and occasional excess
-Nigella Lawson

*****

Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.
-Yoda

*****

It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness of the universe. Everything beautiful in the world is within you. No-one really feels self-confident deep down becuase it's an artifical idea. Really, people aren't that worried about what you're doing or what you're saying, so you can drift around the world relatively anonymously: you must not feel persucted and examined. Liberate yourself from that idea that people are watching you.
-Russell Brand



To check out more "This is..."s and get in on the fun check out three buttons.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Dear NBC.com,

Hey, how's it going NBC.com?
I hope this letter finds you well, but we need to have a little chat.
Are you mad at me NBC.com?
Why then have you changed your video players to no longer allow me to watch your videos since I am in Canada?
It hurts my feelings.

I just want to understand why, NBC.com.
Don't push me away!
I don't want to have to start seeing other people.
I can't even reminesce over the good times, since all my past blog posts regarding you now say "We're sorry, but the clip you selected isn't available from your location."

Just tell me what I did wrong NBC.com.
If I can change, and you can change, maybe the whole damn world can change.

I miss you.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Yes we can? Yes you did!

Two days later and I am still taking it all in.
Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States.
Well done America, well done!

Even as a Canadian I can feel the power of the moment and what this means for change not only in America but the entire world.



On the other hand... California? We need to have a little talk...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

A Quick Reminder....

To all my American friends:

PLEASE VOTE!!

We're all counting on you to change the world!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Hallowired.

Another Halloween has come and gone. So sad. I wish Halloween was a week long event. Or, ya know, every day. I love everything about it. Carving pumpkins, making a sweet costume (you gotta DIY it! It's way more fun than store bought! And way more original!), seeing everyone else's sweet getups, some of the best parties of the year...

This year I went the nerdy route with my pumpkin
Get it?

I also went an equally geeky route with my costumeIf you are not familiar, I went as Ash from the Evil Dead series (and MUSICAL!), complete with homemade paper mache/juice jug chainsaw hand. I'd like to think it was a big hit.

It's sad to think I need to wait another whole year to do it all again.

On an upnote, I can now start listening to my Christmas playlist and get down to organizing the annual Secret Santa event!

I love the holidays!