Archive for the 'i heart' Category

PARIS : MERCI

Published
by
Karyn
on June 17, 2009
in gardening, i heart and traveling
. 4 Comments

Thank goodness for twitter! Without it, I never would have found out about Merci, a very new & amazing concept boutique that was just down the street from our apartment in Paris. Thanks Martina for the fantastic tip.

This was definitely one of my favourite shops of the whole trip. It is set in a beautiful three floor space that was previously a factory. Merci is a flower shop, used book store and cafe. They also sell home furnishings, clothing (men’s, women’s and children’s), fabric and perfume. If I lived in Paris, I would shop here all the time. (or I would try to move in) I loved everything they had. The shop is owned by the couple who started Bonpoint which happens to be my favourite children’s clothing shop. (mostly because I wish I could wear the lovely clothing it sells) Merci is also a not-for-profit operation, all the proceeds go towards children’s charities. Yes, this shop is incredible in every way.

My photos are not that great, I was too busy oohing and ahhing over everything. I just found this set on flickr that really shows you how drool-worthy the shop is. Her blog is also a treasure for things about Paris. Yes, I am making notes for my next trip back.

One of the things I saw at a few places in Paris were these Bac Sacs for plants. Essentially they are fabric buckets made with 100% recyclable materials. They have handles on them, so you can hang them on your balcony or wall. I think it’s such a fantastic idea and I’m going to try to make some myself.

If you go to Paris (or if you live in Paris, Elise!) you MUST go to Merci. You will see lots of pretty things (and buy some of them) and thank me.

MERCI – 111 boulevard Beaumarchais, 3rd Arrondissement, Paris

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PARIS : SPACE INVADER

Published
by
Karyn
on June 15, 2009
in art, found, i heart and traveling
. 3 Comments

Did you have a great weekend? I did. I love coming home after a trip, settling back in and feeling freshly inspired. This week should be action packed here at make something. I’m continuing my Paris posts, introducing you to some awesome designers (for the upcoming Garden Party Trunk Show) and announcing a fun giveaway (later today)!

I’ve been collecting snapshots of Space Invader’s mosaic pixel installations for many years now. (from New York and my first trip to Paris many years ago) He’s one of my favourite street artists and I knew I’d be able to add more to my collection while in Paris, since that is where he’s from. I was pretty thrilled that I spotted eleven ‘invasions’ during our trip but I just found out that in Paris alone, there are over 763 invasions. Whoa. That means, I only collected 1.45% of them. That’s not a very high score. I hope to do better on my next trip.

Awesome video of an Invader installation here and an interview here. I have a really big weakness for mysterious street artists.

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INTRODUCING : MAISY

Published
by
Karyn
on June 10, 2009
in i heart and introducing
. 27 Comments

We just got back from Paris and amidst doing tons of laundry and trying to get back on track I wanted to post quickly about my favourite dog in the world. Monday was Maisy’s fourth birthday!

I thought I’d share some puppy photos. The top photo is the first photo I ever saw of her, in the background you can see her brothers and her mother’s tail.

I asked Maisy a few questions and here’s what she had to say…

What’s your background?

Maisy : I was born up near Ottawa in a pound near Almonte. My mom was part Collie and part Walker Hound. I never met my dad, so part of me is a mystery. It’s fun to hear what people think I am though. I was the only girl with about four brothers. I wish I knew where they went. I’d love to see them again.

What are some of your favourite things?

Maisy : I really like sandwiches, resting my head on the front window ledge of the shop, raspberries, all my friends at the workroom, running in the park, stuffed animals (especially my new beaver!), sleeping on the couch, lying in the sun, going to Home Hardware, finding something good to eat in the garbage and having a bone in the backyard.

What don’t you like?

Maisy : I really don’t like dogs that wear clothes, strangers who lurk in the doorway, baths, medicine of any kind and all the cats in our neighborhood.

Do you have any favourite tricks that you do?

Maisy : The usual. I’ll shake a paw (left & right), sit and lie down, especially if there are treats involved. I can also high five you with my nose and I know how to close the door when I come in from the backyard. I’m trying to learn to cut fabric, but it’s not that easy!

Now that you’re four years old, what’s next?

Maisy : Things are pretty great. I work customer service and security full time at the workroom, but I’m hoping to cut back on my hours for the summer and spend more time running around the park.

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5 REASONS THAT I LOVE FRANKIE

Published
by
Karyn
on May 15, 2009
in i heart and reading
. 10 Comments

I had been searching hi and lo for a copy of the elusive Australian Frankie magazine for a while and FINALLY found a copy a couple weeks ago. I was excited, but little did I know just how perfect this magazine is for me.

These are a mere 5 reasons that I love Frankie – issue 28:

1. Even just a small blurb about Audrey Kawasaki gets me excited.
2. Seeing a fun article and photo of my friend, Ben Kweller, who is a seriously crazy talented musician and all-around amazing guy.
3. I LOVE owls too!
4. Flowy, gathery smock tops.
5. There is a Sarah McNeil (maker of two bunny works that I now own) article and pull-out poster.

This is not to mention the perfect cover with sweet pintuck blouse, the article on Audrey Hepburn’s movies (Must see – Paris When It Sizzles), or the recipe for Chorizo Potato Salad (I really like potato salad).

I’m excited for issue #29. And the long weekend. the workroom will be closed on Sunday for the holiday, so I will have two days off in a row. All day gardening is on the agenda!

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NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO EXPLORE

Published
by
Karyn
on January 26, 2009
in hello and i heart
. 7 Comments

Did you have a good weekend? We had take-out Chinese food friday night for dinner and my fortune cookie told me that, “Now is a good time to explore”. Sooo…. I let myself overindulge in some serious blog surfing over the last couple days. I’ve also finally gotten myself on Google Reader to organize all my blog reading. What a delight! Now I can read even more blogs every day, make notes, add tags and file away the things I want to remember. I feel like an efficient secretary with a well labeled filing cabinet.

I discovered some amazing new blogs that are already quick favourites – Ill Seen, Ill Said and Lobster & Swan top that list. You must visit, they will make your Monday. (or any day)

I also updated my blogroll, so now is good time for YOU to explore too!

My Saturday night was spent peering out my bedroom window watching over a dozen police and SWAT team point their firearms at my neighbours’ houses while they tracked down a robbery suspect who was hiding in one of the backyards across the street!

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COME HOME!

Published
by
Karyn
on January 16, 2009
in etsy and i heart
. 4 Comments

A lot of my internet surfing and blog reading has to do with coveting. Coveting and inspiration. I came across this photo by Something’s Hiding in Here. Since I already covet everything that Something’s Hiding in Here makes, I knew these magazines must be amazing. Coincidentally, I had just discovered Leslie’s blog the day before and Leslie is a source for all good things Japanese. I quickly emailed her and she promptly ordered me four issues and shipped them out to me last week before she left for a holiday to Hawaii. (lucky duck) They arrived within days. The postal system still amazes me.

My lovely brown box arrived packaged so sweetly with a few extra treats. It included a piece of Junko Onishi’s Bloom fabric & a piece of Lotta Jansdotter fabric, both of which I have been coveting for a long long time. This was way more than a ‘little’ goodness, Leslie!!

The magazines are delicious and I’m looking forward to really pouring through them over the weekend. Look at all the boxes and cupboards and just plain gorgeousness of every simple detail. Tiny little swing on a miniature plant?! Sigh. I love it all.

Have a lovely lovely weekend!

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ANTHROPOLOGIE

Published
by
Karyn
on October 23, 2008
in i heart and textiles
. 4 Comments

I bought my Chie Mahara shoes from Anthropologie last year and since then, I’ve been receiving their catalog each month. Each issue is a keeper filled with tons of great ideas and things to covet. My favourite top right now is the one above with the cascading ruffle down the side. I can’t decide if I want them to come to Canada, it might be too dangerous for me.

{NOTE: after talking to Amy, I did some research and they’re definitely coming next year to Yorkville. On a positive note, I will no longer fear the exorbitant shipping costs. On a negative note, I will likely spend ten times as much money there because I no longer fear the exorbitant shipping costs.}

p.s. I should also mention that west elm just opened on King Street West at 109 Atlantic Avenue. It’s a huge store and I love the location. I’m putting their grey organic cotton sheets on my christmas list.

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GUILTY GOSSIP

Published
by
Karyn
on September 9, 2008
in i heart
. 14 Comments


Gossip Girl, originally uploaded by Rachel_2007.

There have been many teen dramas in my life – Party of Five, Roswell, Dawson’s Creek, Gilmore Girls and Felicity, to name a handful.

I tried really hard to resist watching Gossip Girl when it came out. I hardly have time to make that kind of a regular commitment to television anymore. But curiosity won out partway through the first season and now I’m hooked.

Last night I watched the season premiere for Season Two on my laptop. (I downloaded a copy since I missed the day that that it aired) I greedily enjoyed every minute of it and simultaneously scarfed down three freshly baked Pilsbury Cinnamon Buns. (If I’m confessing, then I might as well be completely honest).

If you don’t already watch, maybe you’ll be intrigued by the following:
1. bitchy rich girls (that you love to hate, but secretly love)
2. wicked fashion and styling (where can i find that cute green jacket?)
3. it’s shot on location in New York City (love love love)
4. it’s trashy and girly and completely fluffy
5. little ‘J’ (Jenny) is an aspiring fashion designer, so there is some minor crafty content

The best thing about this kind of guilty pleasure is the guilty gossip afterwards. Totally dissecting ‘who wore what’ and ‘kissed who’ and ‘what do you think will happen next week’. The problem is that I don’t know anyone else who watches it, or do I? I’m looking for at least one person out there who will admit to watching the show, so that we can indulge in some necessary gossip girl talk.

Did you see Blair’s white rick rack dress in the season premiere? I love this idea, maxing out on the rick rack. I see a future skirt/dress idea there for sure.

One last thing – headbands? I like the look, but I don’t think I can pull it off. Is anyone out there rocking the headband these days?

xoxo

p.s. please don’t hold this against me.

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I HEART NYC & THE PASSPORT OFFICE

Published
by
Karyn
on August 30, 2008
in i heart
. 5 Comments

NYC polaroids circa 1999

I lived in New York for five years. I’ve flown back and forth between here and there dozens of times. For a six month period I even flew with an expired passport without even knowing it. Yesterday when I peeked at my passport and realized that it had expired a month ago, I knew it was a huge problem… because I’m flying to New York City this afternoon and things have changed.

As of January 2008, if you’re flying to the US, you MUST have a valid passport. Expiration dates on passports are not like expiration dates on yogurt. Yogurt is still good just after the date on the container. Porter Airlines confirmed that passports are not valid if they are expired, even if they just expired. Even if you have your birth certificate, driver’s license, health card and sing a sad song.

If you know how I feel about New York, you’ll know that not going on this trip was not an option. Especially when this is my first holiday in two years.

I decided to attempt to get my passport done in less than one day. My brother went through the same horror before a trip to Cuba a few months ago. (does this run in the family?) He got his processed in eight hours. I had less than five. By the time I got all my signatures, photos and forms filled out, I arrived at the passport office at 2pm, leaving 3 hours for processing. The Urgent passport service requires 24 hours for processing. I expected the pre-screener to laugh at me, but she just listened to my apologetic story and put me in the front of the line. No questions asked. The processing agent also listened to my tale of woe and seemed skeptical, but went to confirm if it could be done. As long as my references answered their phones, then I could get my passport in one hour. At 3:30pm, I went to pick up my passport and it was ready!

Impossible is possible.

I’ll be in NYC until Tuesday afternoon. Next week I’ll be back with too many stories and photos and you’ll probably have to tell me to shut about it and get back to making stuff.

{i owe a huge huge debt of gratitude to every single person who made the passport renewal possible. xox}

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SUPER KID

Published
by
Karyn
on August 11, 2008
in delicious, i heart, local and the workroom
. 1 Comment


super kid ice cream, originally uploaded by the workroom.

You going to detect an ongoing theme this week. This Sunday August 17th is the Kids Trunk Show at the workroom. Plus, there are other crafty activities in Parkdale that day, like the Good Catch Double Dutch Craft Show.

I’m going to be doing a couple profiles this week of some of the participants, so there will be lots of posts to keep you entertained!

It’s my day off today and while I was running some errands in Bloor West Village, I stopped into the Laura Secord to get a cone of Super Kid. I’m not sure exactly what the flavour is meant to be, but I totally love it.

I might as well confess, my favourite Baskin Robbins flavour is Bubble Gum and my favourite popsicle is the Rocket Pop. I guess I’m about 12 years old.

Check out this darling popsicle creation. Too cute!

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