Windy Warm

It's unusually warm in Connecticut.
It's only unusual because I'm stuck in pre-global warmed 1996, anticipating snow and coldness by this time of the year.

I've been terrible at keeping up with the little things. Perhaps I'm moving on to bigger things. Perhaps my imagination is more wrapped around people and ideas and landscapes and long stretches of highways...

But I still stay true to the little things, if I had a band, that would be our name.

For you today, some of my inspirators (i wish that were a real word, let's pretend):











open the gate cause you're already late,
at the end of the lane, is a glass of
lemonade, keep or the path when
you hear the laugh, in the white of her
Palm is your heart! -Beach House

It's Like Smooth Jazz

I am so deeply in love with the Bon Iver album.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...
I will spend it with a photo critique, and an 8-9 hour bus ride
but it's not all that bad, I'm anticipating a turkey sandwich on the ride home from Boston (where I'll be deposited)
I haven't been home in three months, I'm so excited to see ma maison et ma famille et mon chien!
I'll bring my camera, I still have a roll of portra to finish in there... documentation of delicious foods & delightful family members will be necessary.
I'm feeling really light-hearted and free this evening, I suppose I'm already full... full of good thoughts! This is the way it should be all the time.


Alright, here's a few things that tickle my fancy:


#1) Cocoa & Pomegranate... quintessential emily.



#2) the most beautiful headband I've ever owned. note to self: own more feather things



#3) I heart this combination of colors/fabrics :]



Remember we ran through lovely streets
We made our rules and then we broke them first
It felt like we were running all the time
-Voxtrot

Frosty Fangdangling

So it's end of the semester crazy time... and I've got the end of the semester crazies- respectively.
November came and went like the sighting of a unicorn.
I'm excited for December:
for road trips
for family time
for holiday brightness, and lasagna.


Only a couple little things today, I haven't got the energy for more than that.


#1) These little critters are quite little in size, but boy do I have some big, big love for them...

Look at that little climber! -endurance at its finest.



#2) Classic Yum.



I'm mr. amateur
on the freeway
with a cupcake

and I couldn't fly
and I couldn't make where to go
so I stood alone with dirty face
from cupcakes in the air.

and at that time I wish i'd known you
with laserbeams and wearing birdsuit
you'd throw an extra sword
I'd catch it
I'm amateur
you're wonderful.
-Midlake

Playlist

Mixtape #1, little things later


"D.A.R.L.I.N.G." by Beach House
"Thursday" by Asobi Seksu
"tbtf" by Kevin Drew
"The Golden Age" by Beck
"Winter Wooksie" by Belle and Sebastian
"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver
"Halving the Compass" by Helios
"Razzle Dazzle Rose" by Camera Obscura
"Anne Elephant" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Phantom Other" by Department of Eagles
"Lovesong to a Ballerina" by George Winston
"A Sun a Sound" by Great Northern
"Down Towards the Healing" By Lovedrug
"Politik Kills" by Manu Chao
"I Guess I'll Take Care" by Midlake
"Dogs of Ba" by Mirah -(the remix)
"Brainy" by The National
"The Rip" by Portishead
"Heart of Chambers" by Beach House
"Heavy Metal Drummer" by Wilco
"I Am the Highway" by Audioslave
"Snowballs and Icicles" by Brendan Canning





Yes, yes I believe it is.

Oh to be a Machine, Oh to be Wanted...

To begin, here is a brief list of some of my favorite words:
1) Snacks
2) Crispy
3) Autumnal
4) Quelquefois
5) Pamplemousse


This is a great post because it includes F-O-U-R new V(alue)V(illage) purchases!!
Ready, Set.... Gooooo.

#1) There's nothing like a worn, vintage pair of chucks... that fit! (VV)



#2) While we're on the topic of footwear, check out these premium Tretorns!! I was given permission to splurge a little, and I mean, come on, I do live in Montreal, good (waterproof) boots are a necessity. Lined with fleece I may add.



#3) My new little jupe, it's for my halloween homage to Enid Coleslaw, but I'm sure i'll be wearing it casually after tomorrow as well. (VV)



#4) WHOA! is what I said when I saw these in wal-mart (yeah sam w. had to expand to canada)... who doesn't remember sniffing these in elementary school?? I'm obsessed and in love all over again.



#5) Makes me want to watch some Crocodile Dundeeeee. (VV)



#6) A lovely bag needs a lovely wallet, so voilà. (VV)



Of course I wish all a happy hallow's eve... I'm unfortunately feeling a bit under the weather right now, but I'll collect the strength and energy to enjoy Broken Social Scene tomorrow at Metropolis.


Go listen to some Bon Iver and cuddle under the blankets to welcome November!

Miniature Versions are Just Better

And the river got frozen
And the home got snowed in
And the yellow moon glowed bright
- fleet foxes

Hello Hello. The autumnal weather pleases me very much so, but I still can't wait for the first few snowfalls. It's a magical thing, snow. I guess it's fitting that I live in Montreal... snow loves us. Oh those tiny snow flakes... Annnyway, I've gathered some simple treasures to show, enjoy:


#1) MORE TASSELS! This is just a little rope that floats aimlessly around our living room... I forgot about its lovely tassels until today, so here it is, voila, olive tassels :]



#2) Miniature tripod! It's just cute, really.



#3) I found these at Pharmaprix... can't help but indulge in little girl accessories every so often... ponies?! rainbows?! ballet slippers?! This is what dreams are made of.



#4) So this is one of my favorites for this post... mini brown paper bag. I think it needs a mini lunch inside of it. Yes, a small sandwich, small bag of celery sticks and a small coke. Hmm, potential art project? I could sculpt the lunch out of sculpey... mmm, memories.



#5) I love finding scribbled notes inside used books. I love finding anything inside of used books, actually. So much character.



#6) Last but not least, one of my all time favorite things. This little box was given to me by my grandma ages ago... I can't remember where she got it, but I think somewhere in Europe. I love the chipped paint. I love the kitty. I want a real kitty.



To conclude, here's what I've been listening to nonstop lately
1. "Boxer" by The National
2. Fleet Foxes self titled album
3. "In Ear Park" by Department of Eagles

Octobre Octopus

Oh my, it's been almost a fortnight. The cool northern air is here, forcing me to buy (extremely stylish) gloves so my hands cease to freeze when I'm riding my bicycle to and fro. I wish I had more little things to post since i've had a couple weeks, but the weeks have challenged me with copious amounts of studio work and left me little time to appreciate the little things. But no worries, here are some fine finds...


#1) TASSELS! I feel it necessary that I post each and every tassel I come across, because this IS the first superlative tassel anyways. I bought these shoes yesterday, they're amazing.



#2) So Colin and I had a hankering for gummies during my trip to Burlington, and we purchased a bunch of 'em... but these were the most notable because they're letters! you can make words... and eat them!! I have a love for alphabet foods... that reminds me, my alpha-bits are gone :[



#3) This hat is so convenient. It cozily contains my long locks (alliteration, I know) and it's adorable. I also bought that yesterday. I bought some things yesterday. I needed shoes, but I was also a little blue, so I got some fun things to cheer me up (like this hat!!!)



Okay these are just random... my face in the first one makes me laugh, thought I'd share. The second one, well, duh, you can see my mint chapstick glistening.... little things. always always.




P.S.- I'm reading a collection of poems by Robert Frost and The Wasteland by T.S Eliot. Both retrieved from "Cheap Thrills" used book/cd/album store mania. Good stuff.

Jedi Braid Love

First of all, I have to say that I saw Sigur Ros perform last night... Jón Þór Birgisson had TASSELS on his jacket, and was sporting the JEDI BRAID. Wow wow and a whole lot of more wow for their performance, a musical mind blow quite honestly... so there's a rather big thing that made me happy. Too bad I don't have pictures, you'll have to just visualize the tassels.

OKAY, now for some actual "little things," let's begin:

#1) Small Golden Hair Rose, pleasantly fairy-tale, a cute trinket of sorts


#2) KASHI makes FROZEN PIZZA?! As a firm supporter of frozen pizza, I couldn't be happier... frozen pizza is so horribly processed and bad for one's health, but if Kashi makes it, it HAS to be sort of healthy...


#3) This bamboo brush holder I bought the other day establishes a great feng-shui to all my painting supplies. I feel like my brushes are happy, therefore I am happy (at least when i paint).


#4) The best "little thing" of this post.... Keith Straw. I came across this royal photo while skimming through the October issue of Runner's World (I would). He runs marathons and ultra-marathons in this tutu, pink shirt and carries a wand. I myself am a "fun runner" so people like this really make me smile.



That's all for now... It's going to be a very busy week for me, so I may not get to post within the next few days, I'm heading off to Burlington for the weekend as well, but fear not, I'll be back with something snazzy.

Value Village Goodies

To begin, I must cite the title of my blog. You will find its significance on page 138 of Maira Kalman's "The Principles of Uncertainty." This book is basically my bible. So so many little things. Go buy it if you're a lover of the mundane.


It's been a melancholy week, at one point I didn't even care about post-it notes, which is pretty much awful because they're one of my most favorite things in all the world. Slowly but surely, however, I'm coming back to life... so here are a couple things that are helping to bring me out of my deep, dark cave. (both rescued from Value Village)


#1: Brand-Newused Jello Mold in ACTION. So euphoric I found one. 



#2: Retro Fabulous Studs, so pointy, I need a nylon jacket to wear with them.



Note: I have finished Fahrenheit 451 by the lovely Ray Bradbury, and read the short story The Playground which followed. There was a good quote on the last page, but I returned the book already and can't remember it, I'll get back to it sometime. For now I'll leave you with "Those who don't build, burn."