MoonRox | the journal

Amazing!

2012-01-26T12:39:00.001-05:00

Here is a little delightfulness for you on this Thursday afternoon. Loving this trailer for an upcoming documentary. These women are not afraid to accessorize -- in colour! They remind me of a few of my favourite customers that always bring some big personalities and cheer with them. I'm sort of drooling over all of the Bakelite jewels!

Mode Accessories Show, Spring/Summer 2012

2012-01-24T10:05:00.000-05:00

To all the lovely retailers,

Please come view the MoonRox Collection for Spring/Summer 2012.

Hope to see you at the Mode Show!

xo Monique

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Lunar New Year!

Plugging away!

2012-01-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

It's been super busy lately! Trying to get lots of work done. I have a bad habit of letting too much pile up... I think I need the pressure to force me into full gear. Made sure to not work all the time and throw in some play too... I've got to say, I like being busy so much better than being idle! Here are some pictures taken lately. (You may have already seen them on my Instagram.)

This week I've enjoyed making some one off pieces... otherwise known as "showstoppers." It's one of the most enjoyable parts of doing what I do... Love being creative and coming up with something unique. This is a photo of a necklace in progress. It's made of vintage green Bakelite bits with the prettiest vintage cross-hatched brass beads. I'm pretty pleased with the final result.

Dropped in at Made You Look. Here's a bit of their splay of MoonRox! You can see a bunch of my most recent favourite pieces.

We finally got a bit of fluffy snow that didn't melt virtually as it landed. Most of it is gone now, but I enjoyed a couple strolls through the white stuff over the past few days.

Even in quiet, dark alleyways...

Had a nice weekend where I caught up with the three people I used to spend most of my time with about a decade ago. All three have lived abroad for stretches over the past 10 years and it's nice to have everyone home and nearby again. So cliché, but great that we can pick up like no time has passed.

Also got to gather with another group of my favoutite people to celebrate S's birthday. She's due to give birth any day now! So excited to meet the little pea! Check out the amazing nail bling she gave me for Christmas! Didn't seem right receiving gifts on someone else's birthday, but I'm pretty darn excited about these!

Back to work... Couple more things to do before I retire for the night.

New goods at Frock!

2012-01-20T12:25:00.000-05:00

Lots of new things have arrived at Frock! Visit the shop in Roncesvalles Village! Pictured above are a Trinket Necklace and a shiny pair of Faceted Dome Stud Earrings. You'll find these and plenty more lovely gems!

Frock

97 Roncesvalles Ave.

Toronto, ON

416.516.1333

Blue Monday

2012-01-16T12:31:00.002-05:00

What could be depressing on a day like this when you have bright and cheerful baubles around?! Here's some blue for you on Blue Monday! Pictured above are Peacock Blue Gem Necklace, Tiny Anchor Necklace in Blue Agate, and Entwined Bracelet in Cobalt Blue and Turquoise. Hope you are having a happy day!

Hello! Hey!

2012-01-16T01:07:00.001-05:00

Here are some recent photos from my phone. I must opt for the phone less often and stop neglecting my real camera. Have I said that before? Probably! Here's some Instagram fun...

Little corner in the apartment.

Huge bag of spinach... will resemble Popeye soon.

Cutest little car.

Crazy vibrant sky.

Fun with polish. Can't get enough of the gold with the precision tipped brush.

Ginger for tea!

City at sunset.

Coffee shop meeting for Mode Show plans.

Going through some of the goods in the studio.

Freezing cold Winter day in the city.

Sister's make-up artist for a pre-wedding test run no-showed. We were not impressed but had fun playing with her colours.

Amazing pickled goodness at Gilead Café.

Delicious weekend lunch.

This weekend went by too quickly! Was feeling subpar the past couple weeks -- spent too much time indoors and got a little bit stir crazy. So I didn't mind not being home much this weekend, but I am paying the price for too much eating and drinking. Completely exhausted! Busy weeks ahead... Will have to get super-organized (never my forté) and try to get on top of things... Need to pay special attention to all the details that need to be refined in preparation for the Mode Accessories Show. Okay... bye for now. Goodnight!

In the shop

2012-01-13T21:13:00.000-05:00

Recently added a few things to the SHOP! Have a gander here, if you please...

Indulging

2012-01-13T15:57:00.001-05:00

During the holidays I spoiled myself, with the help of a gift card, and picked up some new makeup at NARS. Pictured are shadows Abyssinia, duo Brumes and Night Clubbing. All are awesome but the best thing I took home, and my reason for writing this post, is the "smudge proof eyeshadow base" Pro-Prime. Angela at the NARS counter at Holt's was super helpful and enthusiastic (plus patient) and told Sister and I that it would prevent shadow from budging. She was not exaggerating. You can roll around, have a nap, stroll about in the rain, squish your contacts around.... and it goes nowhere. I was impressed. Just thought I'd share!

On SALE

2012-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Zodiac Necklaces are now on super SALE! They were $45 and are now on sale for only $25! Check 'em out HERE.

2012-01-06T14:41:00.001-05:00

Using the blogger app, so I will be brief! Happy Friday! Here are some work-related pics from the week...

Eye wear

2012-01-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

I recently broke my glasses. It's a big bummer even though they were super cheap online numbers and I didn't even love them, but they were my first pair of glasses in over 20 years of wearing contacts and more importantly my first pair ever that didn't make my dizzy. Oh well! The fun part now, is looking for a new pair! My Sis and W gave me a gift certificate to my fave glasses spot down the street. I tend to buy sunnies there. On my latest visit, I spotted these from Oliver Goldsmith. Perfect! Beautiful frames in a neutral colour that fit my apparently over-sized head! Now I just need to decide if I am willing to splurge. I'll be a responsible consumer and see what else is out there, I suppose! If I don't order these glasses, I'll get these lovely Paul Smith shades with the gift cert! Either in the Onyx with Mahogany or the Nude. Don't know which I like better! Thanks to Sister and the future Brother-in law!

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-02T23:53:00.001-05:00

Hoping for a wonderful year... Lots of hopes and plans for MoonRox this year! Going to do my best to make them happen! Happy New Year, dear reader!

Holidayin'

2011-12-31T17:50:00.000-05:00

This past week was lovely, relaxing, totally stress-free and Christmassy... not much family was in town, but that meant more time for dear friends.

Doodled a few random cards... went for chicken wings and beers with some of my favourite peeps.

Had a small family dinner a few days before Christmas prior to Sister and W. heading off to see his family. My prime rib turned out reasonably well. I know what to do to improve it next time.

Did some leisurely gift shopping and enjoyed the process of wrapping...

I missed my family, especially since this is the first Christmas without Grandma, but I've got to say that it was nice to not have to worry about much over the holiday... wandered the city, did anything I wanted on a whim, and since the 24th have done a minute amount of work... maaaaybe a couple hours a day. Feeling refreshed and excited, work-wise, for next year.

On Christmas Eve, Aunt L. and I went out for dinner and then went a catch a movie.

On Christmas Day I joined my friends, the L-O family. Got lots of invitations from nice friends, as I was a bit of an orphan this year, and I so appreciate the kind offers. It was a lovely day. It was great to be a part of someone else's Christmas. We gobbled good eats, hung out with their little girls, chatted about this and that and reminisced about the good old times when we were young and ridiculous!

Spotted a vintage MoonRox star ornament on their tree! Still remember the feeling of making those, though it was a good decade ago...

On the 28th, my two friends J. Mo and Anita had guest roles in the Nutcracker! The ballet was beautiful. The set was stunning and the costumes intricate and amazing. I loved it! And I was so impressed with my two pals!

The Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts is a wonderful place... must go more often. Odd to think you can get a last minute or standing room ticket for an opera or ballet for less than the price of a flick.

This was J. Mo's post-show dinner. Photo worthy...

Got mail from abroad...

Sipped hot tea... I made this cup in 2002...

Did some boxing day shopping... Bit of a mistake. The crowds were overwhelming.

Meant to spend more time reading my book and not doing much at all, but somehow the days flew by quickly. Did get to see some friends that come home rarely, so I think my book can wait!

Few hours remaining of 2011. Hope you have some fun plans to ring in the new year... wherever you are! Excited to see what 2012 will bring... Happy New Year!!

Gifted

2011-12-31T12:55:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics of just some items that were gifted by customers this Christmas... Shown here are The Twinkle Pearl Creme Bracelet in Mint, The Constellation Brooch, Stud Earrings and Bakelite Earrings. Hope they were well received!

2011-12-29T08:35:00.000-05:00

Love this space, a nook in the home of Bu Lago Millàn... found via Anthology Magazine.

Boxing day SALE!

2011-12-26T00:07:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a merry and bright Christmas!

Now for BOXING DAY! We are having a very rare SALE!

All items are 20% off from now until December 28th, 2011.

Enter coupon code SALE20 to receive your discount.

Discount applies to regular priced items, sale items as well as gift certificates!

Visit the MoonRox website or shop to buy!

Happy shopping!

Happy Holidays!!

2011-12-22T13:23:00.001-05:00

MoonRox in Plaid Magazine!

2011-12-19T16:46:00.001-05:00

I was thrilled to see the cover of this Winter's issue of Plaid Magazine. The Twinkle Gem Necklace looks amazing in this icy, ethereal image. Special thanks to Plaid Magazine and and their team for including my work.

My week in photos

2011-12-19T00:27:00.000-05:00

I am fully addicted to photography apps. My recent fave has been Instagr.am. Follow MoonRox on Instagr.am under the username MoonRoxJewellery. Here is some of the last week in images.

Made cupcakes.

Vintage beater = hard work, but I like the manual power!

Hosted a dinner party. Love my good friends.

Admired my colourful FireKing, Pyrex & Rosti kitchenware in the drying rack.

Visited the Monster Factory studio.

Hung out with these guys... and Rhya too.

Stopped in at Made You Look.

Ate lots of fresh food.

Enjoyed some holiday shopping...

and may or may not have brought some truffles home.

Brought out the lollipop tree.

Did my nails holiday-style and popped up the insta-tree.

(Was more domestic this week than the whole year combined!)

Almost ready for the Holidays!

Hope you had a nice weekend!

Gift certificates!

2011-12-14T18:42:00.001-05:00

Now with 11 days remaining until Christmas, we are running out of shopping time! Just a reminder that MoonRox Gift Certificates are available in $25 and $50 denominations. If you need a different amount, just send a note to info (at) moonrox (dot) ca and it can be set up. Go here to buy. Easy peasy and stress-free!

Gingerbread!

2011-12-13T00:24:00.000-05:00

S. and S. had a few of us over the other night for an evening of gingerbread house making and merriment! The boys were having no part of it, but K., S. and I enjoyed it. I have never made a gingerbread house, not even as a kid, so I loved making them. Well, S. did the tough part in making the actual gingerbread ahead of time and we did the fun part of constructing and decorating.

Took lots of pictures 'cause I loved all the colours and how different each house turned out to be. I was told I was working at warp speed and I think it is because I spend a lot of my days assembling jewellery in the most efficient way possible, so fast is the only way I know. I think I even chop my veggies in a methodical and quick way. These hands are used to working!

How cute are our houses? Almost too cute to eat! Guess which one I decorated?

Thanks to S. and S. for a lovely evening!

Hello!

2011-12-12T11:35:00.000-05:00

Feel a bit like I am emerging from a cave after the past couple months! I am so ready to relax over the Holidays...

I have spent the past week running around trying to get all the custom orders out and tending to store orders. Have also been trying to re-immerse myself into the real world after spending so many days without any daylight and little food in a huge exhibition hall. I'm trying to calorie load and gain some weight back! Very good excuse to gorge on food and drink with good friends.

Also been fighting off what seems like a bi-annual cold that I come down with the second I relax. So far so good. Only got about 15% sick and kicked it. Popping vitamins... Crossing fingers... Though I think I have a pinched nerve somewhere as both arms and both legs have been numb for the past 2 days. I have no doubt my whole body is misaligned from hunching over working with my hands all of the time.

Had not a single pair of Foliage Earrings around... Earrings in general were super low after the Show. Made sure to make more.

Was so happy to get my desk cleared (so to speak, 'cause it sure ain't clear) and sneak out on Friday afternoon for a nice lunch and shopping outing with KK.

We made a huge attempt to buy, but all that came home with us it this weird little guy. His head and scarfed body lift up to reveal a candle. He was too awesome and odd to pass up!

Now I have to get myself sorted for my own holiday celebrations and gift giving...

Went to City of Craft yesterday after brunch with the Sis. So many great and random things there. Got a couple things that will be gifted.

Made gingerbread houses on the weekend with friends. Good way to get in the Holiday mood! Pics to come.

Pass the syrup...

2011-12-10T19:07:00.001-05:00

Ok. Is this not the most awesome bedding you have ever seen? I cannot even get over how real those blueberries look!? I've been staring at this for 10 mins. Imagine crawling into a giant waffle to sleep every night? This was part of the BFA thesis show of Brook of B Fiber and Craft Emporium. You should see the Baked Potato bean bag chair. It is too good. If I had a bigger more minimal home, I'd get one of each!

New stock at Made You Look!

2011-12-09T11:40:00.001-05:00

A huge megaload of MoonRox jewellery is in at Made You Look! Their stock has been completely refreshed with all new pieces along with some of our most popular classics! There are tons of sparkly earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets! Many of the new pieces that debuted at the One of a Kind are available... check 'em out!

Recently I have been most excited about the pieces from the Entwined Series. Pictured above is the Entwined Chain Necklace and below is the Entwined Rope Bracelet with Charm. We got a very good response to the Entwined pieces at the One of a Kind, plus I really enjoy making them, and so I am already excited about adding to the group for the Spring/Summer line.

In the meantime, pop into Made You Look if you are in Parkdale, here is Toronto. It's a palace of beautiful gems and a great spot to visit during this gift-giving season.

Made You Look (South-side location)

1273 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON

416.516.9595

New jewels at Citrus Boutique!

2011-12-07T15:29:00.001-05:00

New goodies are in store at Citrus Boutique! I met some lovely customers that recognized my work from Citrus and told me that Citrus is the best boutique in St. Catharines! I'm going to have to head out that way and make an in person visit sooner than later! If you are in the area, pop in and find the Festive Bauble Bracelet, the Speckled Twinkle Gem Necklace and more pretty things!

Citrus Boutique

111 Fourth Ave., Unit 16

St. Catharines, Ontario

905.682.2222

Season's greetings!

2011-12-06T19:40:00.001-05:00

Thank you to everyone who came to support MoonRox at the One of a Kind Show! We have the best customers! It was a great show and I'm already excited and filled with ideas for the next one... I am especially thankful to the friends and family that offered up their time and energy to help! Definitely could not get through the Show without all the help!

Now that the show's over, I am suffering from the worst post-show hangover than I can remember. I guess it's the come down after the go-go-go frenzy of the past few months. Also being indoors with no daylight and standing up and talking all day has caught up with me. Hoping to catch up on my sleep tonight and feel brand new tomorrow!

Once I get some outstanding orders out it'll be time to get ready for the holidays! Need to think of some good gifts to craft!

These are a couple pics from T. and P.'s party the other night!

Last day at One of a Kind

2011-12-04T08:53:00.001-05:00

Last day at the One a Kind Kind Show for this Christmas! It's been a great show! Had a nice time visiting with people I don't see often... or maybe twice a year at these shows! Above are some of the amazing detail filled glass beads by Dreamglass by Lezlie...

Here is clothing designer Rita Di Cesare and cohort in front of her booth filled with her line Nude...

and lastly chatted with Heidi van Veen . Love these dolls. I have a cushion on my couch that I got from Heidi at one of our first One of a Kind Shows... must have been close to a decade ago.

Looking forward to a fun last day!

Come see us!

Some pics from the booth

2011-12-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

KK took this of me in the booth...

Some citrusy neon studs...

Two friends loving the Bakelite Bracelets...

Lunch break...

And here are some shots of the booth as it was on Day 1...

4 more days at the Show! It's been lots of fun! Today we are open until 11pm. It's a special evening of late night shopping! And this is my 11th Christmas One of a Kind Show... so, I'm planning some special perks for the evening! Check in on the Facebook page or check us out on Twitter to see what the dealio is! The Show organizers also have lots of fun stuff planned, so come visit us! MoonRox is in Booth Y-16.

Some finds at the One of a Kind Show

2011-12-01T00:58:00.001-05:00

I've only managed to walk down a few aisles so far as it has been a busy show. Haven't had much time to eat let alone stroll! I did spot a few nice things and got some quick photos. Here are some awesome paint chip place mats and table runners by Avril Loreti. Thinking I need the place mats... now what colours to pick...

Here are some of her other fantastic wares.

Grabbed a pair of these cozy wool socks for my wellies. It's a constant quest for the perfect socks to warm them up for winter walks through the slush.

Got some of these beer bottles turned glasses from Artech Glass last year, but perhaps I will pick up the Czechvar ones this year, as lately that has been my beer of choice.

Also visited SLO and checked out her latest mittens and fuzzy delights. Got a perfect pair that even the designer deemed the perfect mittens and now have to decide who to gift them to!

Hope to see some more tomorrow!

Quick mid-show note!

2011-11-28T01:21:00.001-05:00

It's late in the night and I should have been fast asleep a couple hours ago, but just wanted to write a quick note. It's been a very busy four days so far at the One of a Kind. As always, it's great to see the familiar faces of our amazing and loyal customers. Even if I only see these smiling folks a few times a year, it still feels like I know many of them (or you!) and that makes me happy! Here are a couple photos from the booth. Some items are running low, but not to worry, I have lots of other fabulous things to show you over the next week! Come see us at the booth! MoonRox is in Booth Y-16.

One of a Kind Christmas Show & Sale, 2011

2011-11-22T15:00:00.001-05:00

Working on last minute things today... tomorrow we'll set up the booth!

Come see us at the Show!
Booth Y-16!

Contest winners are...

2011-11-21T12:10:00.001-05:00

...

IrismooninTheCity and Kiera!

First prize is awarded to IrismoonInTheCity! IrismoonInTheCity has won two free tickets to the One of a Kind Show and a $25 MoonRox Gift Certificate!

2nd prize goes to Kiera! Kiera has won a pair of free tickets to the show too!

Thanks to everyone for entering and for the nice comments! I'll be in touch with the winners!

Shower time

2011-11-21T11:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend! Did a load of work, caught a couple nice but quick dinners and stepped out for S. and S.'s baby shower. Was so nice to see everyone that I had not seen in months!

The contest for free tickets to the One of a Kind closes in a half hour!

Contest extended

2011-11-16T14:06:00.001-05:00

(pile o bracelets)

The deadline to enter the CONTEST for FREE One of a Kind Show tickets and a GIFT CERTIFICATE has ben extended to November 21, 2011 at noon/12:00 pm EST. Enter away... Good luck!

Things I like...

2011-11-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

Here's a group of recent things that I have favourited on Etsy. Haven't done this in a while so thought it would be fun (and an excellent procrastination method) to go through my faves... The common thread here is that each item is textile based and/or some stitching has been involved in the making...

Leather doctor bag by Artemis Leatherware

Oreo-inspired screen printed cushion by whatnikkimade

Knit stool by Hogenbirk Knitwear

hand painted silk mini dress by xsilk

Letter pillow case by shopdirtsa

Organic naturally dyed scarf by Grace Design
(Yay Toronto design!)

Rucksack by infusion

Ursa major pillow by regansbrain

Blueberry basket flour sack dish towel by tinaproduce

Hand woven towel by turkishtowel

Multi-colour rainbow felt disc pillow by dedeetsyshop

Classic vintage style bicycle bag by snootsie

Somebody stole the saddle bag off my bike last fall. The nerve of the thief to take the time to unbuckle the vintage gem in broad daylight in the middle of a busy street. Grr. Now This one would look swell on my bike. Next saddle bag will be heavily zip-tied to the bike.

That's it for now! Have a nice day!

xo

Note: All photos in this post grabbed from individual seller's Etsy shops.

Hello Monday

2011-11-14T08:46:00.000-05:00

I had such a productive weekend. A huge big fat thank you to J.S. for helping me tag, bag, box, count and organize thousands of items. Now I have a very good idea of what still needs to be made in this last week before the One of a Kind Show. Getting excited! Hope you are too! Don't forget to enter the contest to win free tickets and a gift certificate too!

Hi!

2011-11-10T17:31:00.001-05:00

Sorry I have been a bad blogger of late! Have been keeping late hours and trying to make as many fabulous things as possible for the One of a Kind. Still lots to do... every time I hear a Christmas carol on tv or the radio, I feel a pang of anxiety... makes me think of how much I have to accomplish in the next couple weeks. It'll all come together though! Somehow it always does!

Hope you are keeping well!!

PS. Nail polish is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine.

Contest to win tickets and a gift certificate to the 2011 One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale

2011-11-01T13:18:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! It's November already! I can hardy believe it... The One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale is coming up fast! I've been busy making lots of jewels and getting ready for the show... I'm excited to let you know about a contest! There are two awesome prizes up for grabs...

1st PRIZE - The winner will receive a pair of tickets for admittance to the One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale. They will also receive a $25 MoonRox Gift Certificate that can be spent on anything at the MoonRox booth (Y-16) during this year's show!

2nd PRIZE - The winner of this prize will also receive a pair of tickets to this year's show!

Here is the important info... there are three ways you can enter:
- Post a comment here on this post. Easy peasy!
- 'Like' MoonRox on Facebook, or if you already have, let us know by commenting about it on this post.
- Follow MoonRox on Twitter (@Moon_Rox) and let us know by commenting on this post with your twitter handle.

Each person can enter up to three times by using one entry for each method. Each entry must be a separate comment.

~~Contest will close on November 17, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST.~~ Winners will be drawn using a random number generator and announced on this blog on November 18th. Please leave your contact info in your comment/entry or check back to see if you have won on the draw date! Should the winner(s) be unable to be reached by November 21st at 11:59pm, new winner(s) will be drawn.

Update posted on November 16, 2011:
Contest now extended until Monday November 21, 2011 at noon/12:00 pm EST. Winners will be drawn using a random number generator and announced on this blog on November 18th. Please leave your contact info in your comment/entry or check back to see if you have won on the draw date! Should the winner(s) be unable to be reached by November 22nd at 11:59pm, new winner(s) will be drawn.

Good luck!!

Update posted November 21, 2011:
The contest in now closed. Here are the results.

New stock at Workshop Studio & Boutique and Flock Boutique

2011-10-31T22:57:00.000-04:00

Both sister stores Workshop Studio & Boutique and Flock have been re-stocked! You'll find the usual selection of our popular hair pins and stud earrings (lots of new ones) as well as a selection of pieces from the Fall/Winter 2011 Collection. Pictured above, clockwise from top left, are the Direction Earrings, Pointed Earrings, Sprinkles Loop Earrings and Links Earrings.

Visit these two Ottawa gems to check 'em out!

Workshop Studio & Boutique

242 1/2 Dalhousie Street

Ottawa, ON

613.789.5534

Flock Boutique

1275 Wellington Street West

Ottawa, ON

613.695.0834

Happy Hallowe'en!

2011-10-31T22:27:00.001-04:00

Hope you are having a spooky evening... Here are some quick snaps from the celebrations on the weekend. On Saturday, A. and I drove a big cube van up north to move some of her stuff to her mom's and rolled back into town in time to meet up with S. and S. for the evening.

We all had a really busy week, so time was too short to craft extravagant costumes, thus the dollar store was our best pal. Bit sad considering we are usually creative folk... We still had fun with it. Everyone likes a funny hat! Entertained ourselves laughing at both the comments on the backs of our speech bubbles and our low-to-no effort to dress-up.

Had a good time at W.'s party. Saw some excellent get-ups. Check out those robot costumes. Both were equipped with lights. The 'bot on the left even has a drink holder with extend-a-straw. Pretty impressive.

Tonight I am making necklaces and earrings...

I'll let you know about a contest for the One of a Kind Show tomorrow! Night!

Coupon Code for One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale, November 24 - December 4, 2011

2011-10-28T13:03:00.000-04:00

Just a few more weeks until this year's

One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale!

This year the show is on from November 24 - December 4
and you'll find MoonRox in booth Y-16!

To start planning your visit, here is a coupon to save $3 off the cost of admission compared to prices at the door when you order your tickets online.

Pop over HERE and use coupon code AD7uj to pay only $11 each.

For more on the One of a Kind Show, visit their website HERE.

Lately

2011-10-28T09:41:00.000-04:00

Here are some pics of life lately...

A birthday celebration...

with delicious bites galore.

Inherited fabric stash.

Earrings ready to be tagged.

El Trompo lunch with good company.

Fun with polish. Shoddy photo!

A.'s stencil art.

Fabulous local hardware joint, Jacob's.

Artful sweet treats at Nadège.

My Supers. One of them.

Googley eyed ghost gourd.

Crazy week of work and trying to catch up with a few friends. Sad that one of my best friends will be leaving for a year if not longer in a few days! I'm so happy for A. and the opportunity she's been given! But, we'll have to make sure we make the most of these next few days before she departs! Hallowe'en weekend... better whip up a costume!

New arrivals at Twisted Sister's Boutik

2011-10-25T17:52:00.002-04:00

It's another rainy day here is Toronto. Not sure if I am still recovering from last weekend that seemed to begin on Thursday and never end... or if it's just the weather making me want to hibernate. I'm pleased as punch to be sitting inside cozy and dry, working on an order, on pieces for One of a Kind and blogging! The travel posts are done with! Let's talk about jewellery!

Here are some of the new arrivals in at Twisted Sister's Boutik!

Tiny Umbrella Necklace

Faceted Stud Earrings

Stunning Bow Double Chain Necklace

Tiny Bow Earrings

Tiny Horseshoe Necklace

Faceted Hair Pins.

Visit them to see more! Plus the siblings behind Twisted Sister's recently expanded and opened a division called the Bridal Suite, focusing on accessories for the modern bride.

Twisted Sister's Boutik

175 Water Street

St. John's, Newfoundland

709.722.6004

twistedsistersboutik (at) yahoo (dot) com

Homeward bound

2011-10-24T23:14:00.000-04:00

On our way home, we flew out of Copenhagen via Reykjavik again. Here are lots of amazing overhead views from the plane.

Leaving Iceland...

Halfway through the flight and one Ashton Kutcher movie down, I opened up the window just in time to see the icy caps, bergs and floes of the southern tip of Greenland. It was breathtaking and these blurry window pictures don't do it any justice. I was all googley-eyed staring out the window at a terrain that I sure do not see too often...

Endless sheets of ice...

And then the familiar landscape of home...

I think this is a quarry. But what do I know?! Looked interesting and the colours reminded me of the Blue Lagoon.

Yonge Street buildings and the Toronto skyline ahead. Home again.

There ended our trip. Nice to travel with my Sis and see such beautiful places.

Copenhagen -- Day 3

2011-10-24T11:20:00.002-04:00

Bear with me! The travel blogging is almost over and we'll be back to our regular programming here! These are snapshots of our last day of travel. We visited the Dansk Design Centre which walked us through a few rooms of iconic Danish pieces.

Grabbed a nice big pot of tea and browsed the gift shop before walking over to Vesterbro.

Passed Central Station on our way.

We felt so relieved to be in an area that was not swarming with tourists. Vesterbro was a great neighbourhood with so many excellent independent retailers housed in pretty old buildings. I much prefer these areas.

We loved our afternoon in Vesterbro. In the eve we walked back to near our hotel to grab some dinner and to get ready for our return home the next day. In hindsight, our itinerary should have been flipped. We wished we had gone to Denmark before Iceland as it was a small let down to be in an urban centre of any kind after the high of seeing such amazing natural wonders. We still had a great time in Copenhagen. We only had a short time and had no real plan and it was kind of nice. Mostly we walked and poked around shops, I know... and skipped the tourist requirements like visiting the mermaid and such. Is that bad? Felt like this was a good way to get a quick feel of the city and the design excellence the country is famous for. We'll have to return one day to see some more!

Copenhagen -- Day 2

2011-10-24T00:13:00.002-04:00

Our second day in Copenhagen was much like the first. Spent wandering the city! Here's a quick view of our day in pictures.

Saw more pretty things. Loved this juicy looking acrylic barrettes.

Rosenborg Garden (the King's garden)...

and Rosenborg Castle.

A most charming shop called Holly Golightly. Loved the warm design of the shop and the view of the glassed in stockroom.

City Hall... really close to our hotel.

My new fave beer is a Carlsberg brew aptly named Copenhagen. It says crisp and refreshing on the label and that it was. Especially after a day of walking. I was trying to sample a couple of the different offerings from Carlsberg that we don't have here, or not yet.

Copenhagen -- Day 1

2011-10-20T19:43:00.001-04:00

After a day of travel we woke up in Copenhagen! The Sister had a list of must-see places and the best of the best, was the design mecca -- Illum Bollighus. Our eyes were darting everywhere, not knowing where to focus... what beautiful thing to look at first.

We were charmed by these Hoptimists. The Hoptimist was designed by furniture designer Hans Gustav Ehrenreich in 1968. We had a couple originals in our house growing up. One big, one small. Today, I still have the larger one on display in my home. Not sure if it was the nostalgia or the Hoptimists doing their job and spreading a smile. The wooden ones are especially nice.

The store was filled with several floors of colourful, new and classic Danish clothing and design for the home. Drool....

Even carpet samples looked fabulous there.

Loved this multi-coloured knobby rug.

Tactile floor cushions.

Oodles of lighting options.

The perfect coat rack for me!

View from the top floor.

Very Danish window.

We loved that store!

Found another shop sharing my name! I look exhausted here... but hopefully not as ramshackle as that awning!

Busy shopping area... Lots of tourists like us!

Nuts and dried fruit.

Lovely pedestrian areas.

Made me happy to see bikes galore! Made me miss my bike.

Walked over to Illum next. This was more like the department stores we have seen in any city, but still a very nice place.

Later in the afternoon we strolled over to Nyhavn to check out the pretty canal scene and to grab a hot dog. Can't say that we ate that well in Copenhagen. Partly because we were always on the go and partly 'cause we didn't see much that tickled the taste buds. I'm sure it was completely our own fault!

Sisters!

This beautiful old building houses another large department store, Magasin.

Some stylish store fronts...

and beautiful old buildings.

Tried to visit the famed Tivoli Gardens, but it turns out they were closed Sunday to Tuesday, the exact days we were there. We did see it all lit up and not darkened and deserted like this when we got off the train from the airport the night before. It had a dreamy glow to it. Some other time, I guess...

Last day in Reykjavik

2011-10-20T12:42:00.000-04:00

It was unfortunate that we got so much rain while we were in Iceland. There were some other things we would have done had the weather been better, but we opted to spend our last day wandering in Reykjavik. We were starting to get very familiar with the streets!

For lunch we dined at Fish Market. It can be pricey at night so we opted for lunch. The food was excellent. They have a lovely menu using all local ingredients purchased from local growers and farmers. We had the most delicious cod served with Jerusalem artichoke, cranberries and celery and a nice selection of sushi and sashimi. Mmm!

We toddled around and poked into lots of shops before stopping into B5 (a bistro bar that is more loungey café in the daytime) for a hot drink. It can be exhausting to shop while fighting the elements all day!

MoMo and MOMO! This gear seemed to work for the weather -- two sweaters and a down vest and then a shell. Also had a hat, scarf and gloves on. Halfway through our visit, we followed the lead of the locals and abandoned the attempt to use umbrellas. It's too gusty!

Last stop before dinner was GK Reykjavik. The shop is filled with wares from Icelandic and select international designers. A lot of niiice things in there...

We had a great time in Iceland. We have both already said we would definitely go back. The people are kind and the land is stunningly gorgeous. Loved it!

Golden Circle: Thingvellir

2011-10-18T10:07:00.000-04:00

The last place we visited on our tour was Thingvellir (Þingvellir) or Parliament Plains. It's now a national park and is where the first parliament was established in 930AD. It's a magnificent rift valley where two tectonic plates (North American and Eurasian) meet.

(Real camo)

On the left you can see the white flagpole that marks the spot of the Law Rock (Lögberg) where the legislative body met and passed all laws until 1798.

Here is the view from the Law Rock.

We arrived back in Reykjavik feeling invigorated from the nice fresh air and inspired by the beauty of all these natural wonders. Now that I am home, I'm glad we took a gazillion photos. We booked our trip on such a whim that little research was done to prepare. I had just been itching to go to Iceland and my Sister to Copenhagen so we decided why not take trip together. I had never imagined seeing such things, even if I had seen published photos here and there over the years. We warmed up back at the apartment before heading out for some ridiculously tasty fish -- local ling, yummy sides all battered in spelt and barley and cooked with olive oil.

It was an unforgettable day.

Iceland -- Horses

2011-10-17T23:45:00.001-04:00

Got to visit with these Icelandic farm horses near the side of the road.

Golden Circle: Gullfoss

2011-10-17T23:21:00.001-04:00

Have you had enough of my Iceland posts yet? Just a few more to go! This was the never-ending day of beauty... next we arrived at Gullfoss, the Golden Falls. The glacial water contains sediments that apparently look golden on a sunny day, hence the name. It was massive and powerful and the area mostly untouched by man. Only noted a small rocky path leading down to a protruding rocky area to get a better vantage point. It was so refreshing to see a sight like this waterfall without all the signs, safety rails and gaudiness that we are accustomed to seeing at Niagara Falls. At Gullfoss they have a low rope at about shin level where you should not venture. I'm sure it is more hazardous, but everyone is very careful. It it was so nice as a visitor to enjoy a clear view. And it makes you feel like you are seeing pretty much the same thing as the first person that happened upon this place many years ago...

This is the view from the protruding rock I mentioned.

Here's the Sister checking things out.

Breathtaking view from way above...

Volcanic rocks! Or potential jewellery components?

Me, in my Dollarama rain poncho over my coat, running to catch our bus to the next amazing spot. This photo kills me!

Golden Circle: Geysir

2011-10-17T00:06:00.003-04:00

It was not even noon on this day and we'd already seen a beautiful waterfall and unbelievable crater. Now we arrived at Geysir, the Geysir that all geysers are named after.

Above is Litli-Geysir, one of the surrounding geysirs and hot pools. I'd estimate it was 2 or 3 feet wide? It was wild experience to see, feel and smell all the steam all around us. So bizarre to be standing on the warm ground on a cold, damp (and of course rainy) day.

The water in this cavernous pool was so still and so clear. Speaking of water, the tap water in Iceland is noticeably delicious, if is is possible to say something like that about water. It is supposed to be some of the purest water in the world. Wish I could have brought gallons home with me.

With hot-hot-hot geothermal heat all around, they had areas fenced off for your safety.

I still can't get over the colours and textures that exist in the land there. Quite a sight for a concrete city dweller like me.

This is Strokkur, the geyser located metres away from Geysir. Geysir rarely erupts anymore. Our guide told us that years ago, to impress visitors to Geysir, dirt and bars of soap would be thrown in to agitate it. Now it rarely goes off -- nature's way of telling us not to mess with it. We did meet a couple at the Blue Lagoon that said they saw it go off earlier in the week and it went on for about 10 minutes. Must have been amazing. We saw Strokkur erupt numerous times as it goes off every 5-10 minutes, each time for seconds at a time. This smaller geyser was already plenty awe-inspiring. You can see the water moving in the pit and then push upwards in a bulge before blasting the boiling water up to 100 feet into the air. The first time blew us away -- literally, then we were mesmerized and watched it again and again and again...

And I took lots of pictures of Strokkur erupting again and again!

See? I mean lots!

It was pretty darn awesome.

Golden Circle: Faxi

2011-10-14T19:29:00.001-04:00

Next on the big tour was the waterfall Faxi. So pretty and complete with a ladder to help the salmon swim upstream.

Ok... it's Friday night. Time to break from the computer. See yas! Have a fabulous weekend!

Golden Circle: The Bowl -- Kerið

2011-10-14T18:42:00.004-04:00

Our next day in Iceland was the craziest and most spectacular! Crazy, because in hindsight, we could not believe that we saw so many amazing and unusual sights all in one day. Think I will break up our Golden Circle Tour into a bunch of posts so I don't overwhelm you (and myself) with photos. I'm trying to sort through them without having my memory of the real thing be replaced with images.

In the morning we were scooped up by our bus driver/tour guide and whisked away on a day that we won't forget.

First stop was at Kerið, a volcanic crater. Mind-blowing to think the Bowl and the surrounding fields are about 6000 years old. Unbelievable to see so many vivid colours exist naturally in one little spot.

The area all around was equally stunning and seemed endless.

Here are a couple shots using Hipstamatic on my phone.

and one of My Friend. He was there too.

Reykjavik days...

2011-10-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

Back to the travel pics! We spent our next day and a half in Iceland checking out the offerings in town in Reykjavik. Took more photos of Hallsgrimskirja... this time of the exterior at sundown. I found my iPhone pics often turned out better than the camera ones, so as usual, there are many phone snapshots mixed in here.

We wandered the main shopping and eating areas, which were all really close to where we stayed.

Shops and life in general, seemed to be a nicely edited version of life elsewhere, or at least mine! There is no crap, no cheapy things that are almost instantly disposable, just a carefully curated selection of things. Yes, there were multiple souvenir shops, but those are obvious. As more visitors have been going to Iceland over the past few years, tourism has expanded but it seems to me to be a fairly new business. You never felt like you were being ripped off and sucked into a tourist trap, which was really nice. We got the feeling we were visiting the same haunts as the locals.

Checked out the mountain view from the harbour. Unfortunately, this was one of the clearest moments we got, weather-wise. Just a light drizzle! Too bad, as a lot of the sights would have probably been nicer if the weather had been better. Plus we may have had a chance to see the northern lights if rain clouds were not hanging at all times. Will just have to go back one day! Funny how the mind works though... Last night it poured here in Toronto, and I was nostalgic for our rainy walks in Iceland already!

Above is the 6 room guest house where we rented an apartment for our stay. It was in a great location and was clean and nicely decorated modern classic Scandi-style and the owners and staff were super nice. Check out Grettisborg Apartments if you go to Reykjavik!

This is the street we stayed on -- Grettisgata.

One morning we grabbed brunch at Grai Kotturinn or the Grey Cat.

I enjoyed my pancakes -- they were perfectly cooked and the coffee was excellent. Pancakes and bacon on the menu is perfect for this non-egg eater.

Popped into this info centre and hostel to book our spots for the famed Golden Circle Tour for the next day!

Then we wandered over to the National Museum of Iceland. Learned of the settlement history of the country before returning for a bit more perusing of the shops...

and a nice dinner including a traditional meat soup.

Then we scampered home in the lashing rain for the night. We had to make sure to be rested for the long tour the next day!

Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T23:51:00.000-04:00

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend! The weather here was amazing! Wasn't expecting these 26 degree days in the Fall. Was out too late on Friday and was also feeling run down from the my trip, so had a pretty relaxed Saturday and Sunday biking, checking out the waterfront and a farmer's market too and generally hanging in the sun. My Sister and W. had us over for a nice Thanksgiving meal on Sunday. Our family rarely does Thanksgiving as we are usually scattered about on this weekend and believe it or not this may have the first turkey in our family... ever. (Usually it's roast beef, or worse -- rotisserie chicken at a restaurant!)

Today I strolled through the mall and saw the sticky note tribute to Steve Jobs. Amazing to think of how much one man can accomplish. I like the notes that read "Heaven just needed a new CEO."

Goodnight!

Iceland - Blue Lagoon

2011-10-09T11:09:00.001-04:00

These are some pictures from our visit to the Blue Lagoon, Iceland's famous geothermal spa. In the middle of a lava field, the waters are naturally heated to 37-39 degrees. On this day it was raining sideways and wind was whipping at our exposed heads, so we hunted down the warmest spots in the water and found a rock to shelter us from the winds. You'd find yourself floating easily in some areas and not as much in others. The water, rich in sulphur and silica, had this odd weight to it and of course this amazing blue colour. We stayed in the water for a couple hours, met some other nice visitors and sampled the buckets of silica mud mask. Didn't venture to the steam baths or sauna as is was unbearable to walk in the cold rain even for a few metres. I brought a waterproof camera, but have yet to finish the roll of film, so I'll have a surprise one day when I finally get those photos developed.

(On the right side of this photo, you can see people clustered around the in the pool beverage bar.)

Heating and hot water in Iceland is almost completely generated by geothermal power. You can see the one of the country's plants in action adjacent to the baths of the Blue Lagoon. I dozed off on the way there, so it really seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere when I woke up. Loved the rolling hills in the distance and the texture of the green and black volcanic landscape.

I'm sure it would be an even more beautiful sight on a clear day under blue skies, but we still enjoyed our visit! In the afternoon we caught our bus back to Reykjavik, all relaxed from our spa day.

Reykjavik wandering

2011-10-07T15:02:00.000-04:00

Iceland was cold and rainy during our stay, but it didn't dampen our mood. We eased ourselves in on our first day by checking out the town of Reykjavik by foot. Our guest house was very conveniently located and we were able to walk to everything we wanted to see in the city. We poked around some shops and saw some sights. Stopped often for warm drinks in cute independent cafés as our sleep deprived selves were in need of breaks and shelter from the incessant rain! Every place we went to seemed to be simply and charmingly decorated with new or vintage Scandinavian design. Seemed to be no fuss everywhere. Shops were filled with carefully curated beautiful things... People were kind and helpful yet nobody bothered us.

Above is the oldest house in Reykjavik. It's two storeys now house Kraum, a shop filled with up-and-coming Icelandic designers.

Here's our cosy spot at Stofan Café

roaming the city sites...

antique shopping...

walking up to Hallgrimskirkja, the beautiful church and landmark a few streets up for our place.

Here are some photos from the sculptural ribbed interior of Hallgrimskirkja...

and some of the colourful overhead view complete with a rainbow! The rain cleared up for a moment as soon as we emerged from the elevator to the viewing area.

Sorry for all the pictures -- posting all the views as I couldn't pick just one. I had fun playing with the camera apps on my phone.

At the end of the afternoon, we caught a bite to eat and there went a day in Reykjavik.

2011-10-06T11:53:00.000-04:00

The Sister and I took off to Iceland and Denmark for a little vacation! We jetted out of Toronto in the darkness of night and landed in Reykjavik on the red eye. Took this photo from the plane (one of many plane pics taken over the trip) as we took off. Traded the glow of busy Toronto and for the peaceful calm of Iceland and the charm and style of Copenhagen.

I'm exhausted as it is now close to 6:00 am Copenhagen time. Off to sleep, but will post some pics from our trip tomorrow! Get ready for an onslaught of photos in the days to come as I took many... as in hundreds.

Doodles!

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Had fun doodling on paper lanterns for a home decor project for KK. Dug out the old gouache set! I can't wait to see them lit up in her gorgeous home! Hope you had a nice weekend!

Nuit Blanche at Made You Look

2011-10-01T18:26:00.000-04:00

Can't believe the annual all night art event, Nuit Blanche has rolled around again! Here's a massive necklace I put together for the installation at Made You Look. It's over 2 feet long and made for a larger than life being. I enjoyed crafting with glitter! You should see some of the other amazing pieces that some of the other designers made! Check 'em out if you are in Parkdale. Enjoy this night!

New goods at Miss Pia Jane

2011-09-30T09:56:00.000-04:00

Lots of new MoonRox have arrived at Miss Pia Jane. You'll find rings galore! Pictured clockwise are the Galaxy Ring, Rox Ring, Orbit Ring and Round Shimmer Ring. Miss Pia Jane did not grab the Galaxy and Orbit in these colours, but they picked up some other nice ones!

Pop in! You'll find plenty of other gems including the Twinkle Pin!

Miss Pia Jane

7602 Ransford St.

Port Franks, ON

519.243.3576

Custom Necklace

2011-09-28T11:17:00.000-04:00

Last week I met with a lovely customer and passed along her custom made Treasure Necklace and Bracelet. She chose a blue/teal/aqua combo.

(Hello L.! Hope you enjoy them!)

Finding a Fall shoe

2011-09-27T19:32:00.000-04:00

... or boot is always on my list! I need something I can walk around endlessly in that is not a runner. Not that I wear runners!? Would be great if I could bike in them too, but I suppose I can always add a rubber sole!

Here's a little list of a few that I am contemplating

J. Shoes Sidesaddle in Stone Grey

These are super cute and would go with anything, but may not be comfortable enough for tons of walking. Might still buy 'em! Love the metal combined with the tassel on the laces.

Rachel Comey Mars Heel Short Boot

These would be so easy to slip on and go! I even love the navy though they look almost black to me. I think I am getting over my navy blue phobia. It has only taken 16.5 years.

Emu Merrijg Hi

These look so odd but I somehow like them. I'd switch out the laces for something less "running shoe" and wear them with dresses. I know -- bit weird, but they look like pillows for your feet!

No. 6 Five Inch Shearling Boot

Think I may have blogged a similar pair before. Shearling plus clog sounds ideal to me!

A Détacher

Some lovelies from Toronto shoe haven Chasse Gardée. These with a pair of socks qualify as walking shoes, no?

Dolce Vita Quince Stacked Heel Boot

A. and I tried these on the other day. The leather is so buttery! And they are comfortable!

Dolce Vita Daphne Wedge Heel Boot

These look much like the Lanvin boots my sis and I coveted last year, and as much as you don't want to support a knock off, these are much more affordable.

Jil Sander Piped Oxford

This pair is for you, Miss S. These are some good-looking nude oxfords! And they are on sale!

That's it for now! And the search continues!

Matchy matchy!

2011-09-23T12:10:00.000-04:00

Met up with C.N. yesterday and had a nice little catch-up! She did some shopping around the city and also picked up an Entwined Bracelet! We customized the colour combo of the bracelet just for her and then it turned out to match her new Orla Kiely bag perfectly!

Yesterday was a beautiful day... today, not so much. Hope the rain goes away! Have a happy weekend!

New arrivals at Citrus Boutique

2011-09-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

New arrivals are in at Citrus Boutique! It was great catching up with the Citrus team! They selected a lovely grouping for Fall Winter. Pictured above are the Entwined Bracelet, Twinkle Pearl Bracelet, Floating Crystal Bauble Necklace and the From the Sea Bracelet! You'll find lots more in the store!

Citrus Boutique

111 Fourth Ave.

Unit 16

St. Catharines, ON

905.682.2222

Pretty teas

2011-09-21T11:04:00.000-04:00

I have an addiction to liquids... more specifically, beverages. Give me some tea, coffee, water and beer (not necessarily in that order) and I'm a happy gal! Other beverages are also appreciated!

I've been enjoying my assortment of teas that I got from Marks & Spencer when I was in Bermuda. Admittedly, I picked these up 'cause I thought the packaging was cute. But, they are excellent! My favourite is the Pure Peppermint. Wish we still had Marks & Sparks in Toronto!

Front & Company is re-stocked!

2011-09-19T16:14:00.001-04:00

Loads of new things have arrived at Front & Company! This season they picked up tonnes of jewels with a special focus on pieces made with delicious vintage bits and bobs. Check out the huge variety of hair pins, studs and more!

And for a fun read, have a look at their blog!

Front & Company

3772 Main Street

Vancouver, BC

604.879.8431

Want

2011-09-19T00:03:00.000-04:00

This throw from the Missoni for Target collection is so fab! Love the retro colour palette and the cozy texture and fuzziness of it. I do enjoy the classic Missoni print. Plus I have way overexerted myself lately and all I can think of right now is curling up and going to sleep. Plan on taking it easy in the week ahead and catching up on rest.

Oh! I'm pretty into this bike too! Alas, both of these items are out of stock... of course.

Dining around

2011-09-17T09:35:00.000-04:00

Seem to be gorging non-stop lately. Here are some photos from only a few of the food-stops along my way of eating ridiculous amounts over the past few weeks. Not sure why I feel compelled to take pics of my food... Last night we had a multi-course feast before Aunt E. leaves town today. The resto owner was barking at us to take photos of the meal but I refrained.

Coffee and donuts at Little Nicky's.

Remember Chiclets? I liked the fruity ones best.

I didn't eat this odd tomato, but the Big Fat Burrito was mighty tasty!

Pork and rapini at Porchetta & Co.

Big family BBQ at Aunt I.'s place.

(My Friend's presence was requested and so he came too.)

It was a fun and busy week! Caught up with a bunch of different friends over some of the food above... saw Pearl Jam at the ACC... actually hung out with my neighbours after living on two sides of the same wall for 9 years... finished a crafty side-project... and got lots of work done! And now for the weekend. Hope you have a good one! There is so much going on in the city. Hope to pack a whole lot in...

MoonRox now at Resonance!

2011-09-16T17:29:00.000-04:00

Another new store to join the roster of MoonRox stockists is Resonance. It's located in the picturesque town of Stratford on Downie Street. They now carry many delightful hair pins...

necklaces and pins...

and more!

Pictured above are the Blossom Hair Pins, the Twinkle Pin with Bird, and Feathered Leaf Hair Pins.

Resonance

23 Downie Street

Stratford, Ontario

519.273.6617

A visit at Kid Culture!

2011-09-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

Our friend Clare has opened up an adorable children's store called Kid Culture! She's filled the shop with wares from local design stars including Candi Factory, Blushing Maple and Cathy Peng and more.

Yesterday I popped by for a lunch visit and to check out the new digs. Congrats to Clare and her family on all the hard work! It's looking great! The shop's in the heart of the Junction at 2986 Dundas Street West (right next door to Narwahl.) Poke in if you are in the 'hood!

New arrivals in at Out of the Blue!

2011-09-14T11:00:00.000-04:00

This season's crop of MoonRox has arrived at Out of the Blue! They picked up loads of great pieces including my personal faves for the season, the Entwined series. Below are some pics of a few of the goodies that you'll find at the store!

Earrings galore including Target, Foliage, Sprinkles and Pod Earrings,

Lovely bold necklaces such as the Twinkle Speckled Gem Necklace

and the Entwined Necklace.

Also check out the Great Friendship Bracelets!

There is plenty more in the shop!

Out of the Blue

102 Osborne Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba

204.477.6489

MoonRox now at Mocha Violet!

2011-09-13T18:35:00.001-04:00

A fantastic flower shop called Mocha Violet in Ridgetown, Ontario is now carrying a very nice selection of MoonRox! Here are some of the gems that they picked up:

Tiny Umbrella Necklace

Rose Hair Pins

Feather Earrings

Twinkle Gem Earrings

Disc Earrings

Visit the shop to see more... or perhaps to pick up a little something! Mocha Violet is so much more than a flower shop, carrying jewellery (obviously!) and a great selection of home wares.

Mocha Violet

14 Main Street East

Ridgetown, Ontario

519.674.2255

karla (at) mochaviolet (dot) com

New arrivals at Pretty Chic Boutique

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

A new crop of MoonRox has arrived at Pretty Chic Boutique. Pop in the store to see the Floating Crystal Bauble Necklace and more!

Pretty Chic Boutique

34 Quebec Street

Guelph, Ontario

519.780.2800

prettychic (at) rogers (dot) com

Lately

2011-09-12T00:07:00.000-04:00

These are some random photos that I've snapped lately on my phone.

Piles of fruit...

Sunset in the city...

Dress shopping with the Sister

Mint manicure with chocolate and sprinkles too...

Patio dinner with S.

Leafiness...

Sun-dappled afternoon tea.

With most of my of work load cleared, for now, I took the weekend off and didn't think much of jewellery and such. Really, I think I spent the entire weekend eating and drinking. Too many late nights in a row for this lady! But I feel like I need to take advantage of life and do as much as a can. Sometimes it's nice to pack the schedule with way too much! Might need a few days to recover.

Over the past few weeks our extended family has been able to spend some quality time together since the passing of my Grandmother. Terrible circumstances, but it's definitely nice to see my Dad and his three sisters all together! It's a fairly rare occurrence.

In the next little while, I hope to re-organize my work space so that I am in good form for the busy season ahead. Plus I need to compile a mental check list of things I want to do. I want to plan a trip... I want to dig out the brushes and push the paints around a bit. Have a few other creative endeavours and home improvements planned as well. And I need to do more cooking... and go apple picking!

I really have to check myself and stop and appreciate that we have all these little pleasures, especially on days like September 11th. Life is so fleeting.

Hope you had a nice weekend too.

Not forgotten

2011-09-11T11:25:00.002-04:00

Along with the world, I am remembering the lost and thinking of all those affected by the events of 9/11 ten years ago.
Photo taken in April 1999 from the top of the Empire State Building.

New goods at Charlie Boutique!

2011-09-08T20:36:00.000-04:00

New MoonRox have arrived at Charlie Boutique on Queen West. Spotted some pieces nicely displayed around the shop and had a nice visit with the lovely owner Erin. Above are the Entwined Bracelet in Golden and the Drop Earrings.

Here is the Entwined Bracelet in Cobalt/Teal. I've been loving mine! It's one of my fave pieces from this season. Also on display are the Ribbon Earrings and Pod Earrings...

and a pile of yummy Hair Pins!

Visit the shop to check out all these goodies, and more, in person! They have lots of great clothing in right now. And at a very reasonable price range! I picked up a cute dress that I know I will get a lot of wear out of. The danger of delivering goods in person...

Charlie Boutique

809 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON

647.436.8452

info (at) iluvcharlie (dot) com

Hat weather

2011-09-06T15:15:00.002-04:00

It's definitely unseasonably chilly today! I layered up in a sweater, jacket and scarf too. It sure seems odd that a few days ago we had an extreme heat alert. Extreme indeed! Soon it will be cool enough to break out my new hat from Lilliput Hats! Here I am (on a much warmer day) in the shop at College and Bathurst with the milliner extraordinaire, Karyn Gingras. Cant wait to wear this goody! Thanks Karyn!

Cottage weekend

2011-09-06T00:38:00.008-04:00

Got a chance to join S. and S. and crew at the Sharbot Lake cottage on this Labour Day long weekend. The weather folk called for severe thunderstorms and we got 'em, but we still managed to squeeze in plenty!

We got out on a calming boat ride,

sat by the fire, ate too many s'mores, and chatted and relaxed...

On Sunday, we luckily managed to play a huge horseshoe tournament with only two small rain delays. It's the twelfth year of the tourney with dozens of neighbouring cottagers and friends participating.

I learned that horseshoe throwing may not be one of my fortés but it was still lots of fun!

Especially when batches of fresh cut "Reggie" fries are being served up.

Following the tournament, we gorged ourselves on a crock-pot potluck of delights galore! (And then followed the feast with some more late night s'mores...)
I had a lovely time! Thanks to S. and S. and especially Mr. and Mrs. G. for being such fantastic hosts!

Sad to see the last long weekend of Summer go by... it was a rude awakening to be hit with the temps in the low teens today! Tried to fool the weather with J. and T. at another one of their amazing long weekend barbecues. This one was the best I've been to yet! So much deliciousness and good company!

I was glad to have packed the weekend with so much. Hope you enjoyed your weekend too!

Have a great long weekend!

2011-09-02T11:01:00.004-04:00

I heard the air show planes zoom by this morning... it's now officially the Labour Day long weekend! August was a stressful month and to be honest I am happy to see it end. I could hang on to the August temps though!

Some orders are traveling across the country now. I'm feeling a small amount of relief and accomplishment having got some of them shipped out. Now I am looking forward to a relaxing long weekend... might do a tiny amount of work!

Here are some random phone pics taken over the past couple months...

Lunching with J. above Nathan Phillips Square

Great spot above the busy streets.

Passing through the resto to a patio lunch with Aunt E. and fam.

Sunny day at the Distillery.

Chair for a pit stop while shopping.

Roy Thompson Hall glimmering in the light.

Happy Labour Day weekend!

Mmm mandarin

2011-09-02T00:55:00.004-04:00

Love these Caldrea products in the Mandarin Vetiver scent. They smell amazing... they make me actually want to clean! I'm normally not a fan of any part of cleaning... And a candle is always a nice treat. Picked up a couple of these products with my afternoon americano at La Merceria.

Orders

2011-08-29T10:48:00.002-04:00

I am a bit behind after the past couple weeks, but orders are in the works and hopefully, if I stay on track, several will be ready to ship in the next few days!

These are the new Marbled Hair Pins, ready to be sorted and packed.

The Ex!

2011-08-28T17:05:00.007-04:00

Here are some pics from this year's visit to the Ex! Didn't bring my actual camera as it was a rainy day, but phone pics are fun too! We only had an hour to run around frantically eating, riding and playing. And that we did!

(I am looking a bit crazed as I was exhausted!)

I happily flew around this ride like Superman then got off and was smacked with a raging headache... so I didn't venture on to any other rides. Plus, all I could think of was food...

Felt nauseous just watching my friends stumble out of the pods on the Zipper...

Our friend F. won me a Smurf! And is apparently excellent at the basketball toss!

Here I am, pleased as punch in my rain poncho. My new blue friend and I are checking out his pals. Some of them are ginormous!

Had a great time! Hope to head back for another visit this week. I just love all the colours and the gaudiness of the whole affair!

(Late August)

2011-08-28T12:11:00.006-04:00

Ordinarily on a Sunday at this time, I would have been settling in at the lunch table with Grandma. We'd go for dim sum, or Swiss Chalet, or even a big rack of ribs. She loved ribs! It definitely feels odd to be sitting at my desk at this hour. It has been our routine to fill our Sundays with family meals with both my Mom's and my Dad's sides of the family. It has been a tough couple of weeks, but slowly things are soaking in and we are keeping busy with work and making sure to keep up with friends. Seems everyone wants to catch up at this time of year, with Summer nearing end and Labour Day approaching. I've got to say, it has been a nice distraction to see everyone.

Crafted some headbands with some little girls...

was told by a five year old that he did not know how he has survived without me -- made my day...

caught a concert...

went to the Ex (pics to come)...

went wedding dress shopping with the Sister...

ate gelato...

comforted a heartbroken friend...

went for bike rides...

watched with sadness as the country mourns a school friend's father...

celebrated some birthdays...

and spent quality time with family.

Peace

2011-08-22T12:15:00.001-04:00

Last week we lost our Grandmother...

My cousin sent us this photo of her 1934 certificate from the Midwives Board of Hong Kong. She was just 20 years old. It's amazing to go through all of her photos and re-live the memories of years gone by. Sad to think of how much history and how many untold stories have left with her. She lived a long and full life and she will be deeply missed by our entire family. We'll always remember and cherish the times spent together.

May you rest in peace, dear Mah Mah.