Details: Athleta tank (thrift), Denim & Supply jacket (thrift), H&M pants (thrift), Esprit belt (thrift), Tommy Hilfiger bag (thrift), J. Crew sandals (retail)

Thoughts: I felt great in this outfit. It’s totally my Summer 2022 aesthetic, and felt very comfortable. This jacket was something of an outlier, style-wise, for me when I bought it last year; but it turned out to have been simply anticipating my evolving tastes. I have picked up a few pieces like that over the years — prophetic clothing, if you will (hehe) — and I always feel lucky to have had the presence of mind to buy them when I find them (only later fully appreciating them) … but, at the same time, I’m also mad at myself for buying stuff that isn’t quite my style and never becomes my style. Sigh.

Details: Topshop dress (ebay), Farm Rio top (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Speaking of “prophetic clothing”, I would never have guessed the surging popularity of crochet when I (randomly) bought this top on Poshmark last year. At the time, it looked very novel (and I bought it for the colours, not the style); now, of course, crochet is everywhere. I will say that a top like this is great for summer, as it comes with built-in aeration. I usually wear just a (red) bralette with it, and since I’m not going to the office, it’s more than enough.

Details: AllSaints blouse (thrift), Talula shrug (gift), Rachel Comey skirt (Poshmark), Ferragamo shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: This shrug is almost vintage – my husband bought it for his sister almost 20 years ago. She recently found and since it’s not something she would still wear, she passed it along. It’s very teeny — I so remember when these were popular along with “going out” tops and low rise jeans — but I am intrigued by its layering possibilities. So I’m going to keep it and play around with it.

Details: Vince top (thrift), Susan Bristol skirt (Poshmark), Esprit belt (thrift), Golden jacket (thrift), J. Crew sandals (retail)

Thoughts: I’ve been wanting a quilt-inspired, patchwork skirt ever since I saw the Ralph Lauren versions from the 80s. Alas, I don’t think I’ll ever be lucky enough to find one of those, but this Susan Bristol number is a sweet alternative. I actually hemmed and hawed over it for many weeks, as I was worried it might be too twee. But I really like it. And it’s a lovely piece for summer.

Details: Twinset dress (Poshmark), Lena Bernard necklace (ebay), Patrons of Peace wrap (thrift)

Details: Wilfred top (thrift), Miss Sixty skirt (thrift), Golden jacket (thrift), BR belt (thrift)

Thoughts: I love voluminous skirts and dresses in lightweight cotton or linen for the summer — easy, breezy, and oh so dramatic.

It’s been a while since I last wrote about art stuff, and there is a good reason for that: I haven’t been making a lot of it lately. After spending the winter months engrossed in projects, I found myself completely out of steam in the spring. I simply didn’t feel called to create art. There was a part of me that felt guilty about it; dedicating a few hours to art on my days off from work had become a routine, which in turn gave it a feeling of being “productive work” which in turn created guilt around not engaging in it. I know, now, that this is an unhelpful and damaging way to approach creative endeavours, so I try to stop myself. Instead of beating myself up for not wanting to work on an art project, I try to give myself permission to enjoy the other things I feel called to do – whether that is reading a book, going for a walk, or (as lately has been the case) working on house projects.

What I have had to remind myself, again and again, is that I didn’t choose to reduce my (paid) work hours in order to take on a “side hustle” (aka turning my passion into paid work). I did it so I could have more time for myself and my family, away from the pressures to maximize (monetize) every waking hour. To stop and smell the roses, literally and figuratively.

So I’m making peace with the fact that, in this current moment, I am not expressing my creative energies by making art. Instead, my creativity is finding other outlets – fashion (of course), home design, gardening. I might not be creating beautiful things, but I am creating a beautiful life. Reminding myself of that helps me to live with intention and gratitude.

But all that being said, I did eke out a few bits and pieces this spring.

This necklace was inspired by cherry blossoms, one of my favourite things in springtime.

These earrings were a sort of companion piece to a necklace I made a few months ago, on an abstract water lilies theme. The design was organically inspired by the shape of the wire-and-fringe earrings I thrifted and upcycled for this.

I also dabbled a bit with painting again. I keep thinking about doing very large canvases slashed with bold colour, but when it comes down to it, I tend to chicken out. I did try to be a little more adventurous and loose with my use of colour for this one, but I still think I played it too safe.

As far as embroidery goes, I revisited an old design – my Klimt-inspired florals. I gave it a rainbow twist this time, just going wild with the colours.

I also finished a hoop commissioned by a friend last year. It was a special piece meant to celebrate her granddaughter’s Ukrainian heritage. This one meant a lot to me, for many reasons, and I was thrilled that she was pleased with the result (and hopefully her family will be as well).

As for the rest of the year, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I’m going to play it by ear. I have signed up for maker’s market this fall, but I am thinking I may bow out because I’m not mentally prepared for it and I don’t know whether I will be in time to properly prepare for it. To be continued …

Details: H&M top (Poshmark), Second Female sweater (thrifted), Isabel Marant belt (thrifted), COS pants (thrifted), Ash sneakers (thrifted)

Thoughts: I am loving crop tops right now. I think it’s because I’m very into high waisted bottoms (skirts and paperbag waist pants, especially) which are a perfect pairing for crops. What I most like about this combination, I think, is that it allows me to play with proportions and invert my long-torso/short-legs body shape. I enjoy looking leggier than I am, haha.

Details: Zara tee (Poshmark), Liz Claiborne dress (thrift), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I wore this to take my kids to the fairground (one of those mall parking lot affairs) and it seemed “on them”, so to speak. This remains my favourite dress, and I enjoy wearing it as a skirt too — especially since it allows me to wear a regular bra (something that would be difficult otherwise given the spaghetti strap situation of the dress). Plus, it’s extra versatile!

Details: Pink Tartan dress (thrifted), Gap shirt (thrifted), Stuart Weitzman shoes (thrifted), brutalist brooch (thrifted)

Thoughts: I wanted to switch things up a bit with this dress, so I decided to try layering it. It worked pretty well; I do like the extra drama which the sleeves bring here.

Details: Oak & Fort blouse (Poshmark), Twik skirt (thrift), vintage silver buckle belt (Poshmark), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I am obsessed with this belt I found on Poshmark — it’s just stunning. I’m super into turquoise stones at the moment, plus the vibe really suits my summer 2022 aesthetic. I think I may be leaning towards a southwestern vibe more than I originally anticipated. White and aqua are the perfect summer combo for me – they feel so fresh andbreezy.

Details: Wilfred dress (thrift), Obakki jacket (swap), Zara crop top (thrift), Napoleoni shoes (thrift), Anna Paola bag (consignment), Rafael Alfandary necklace (ebay)

Thoughts: I put this dress back into rotation for the summer, because the style is very suitable to my current Jo March-inspired aesthetic (especially as a layering dress) and the colour is a good neutral. I do wish it was slightly longer. Funnily enough, I had been using it in the past couple of years as the backdrop for all my jewelry photos; I didn’t think I would be wearing it as a dress again, but here we are. I’m definitely glad I kept it. Ditto for this crop top that’s a bit too cropped for regular wear — it makes for an interesting (layering) boob halter 🙂

Details: Wilfred top, Talbots skirt, Debew poncho (all thrifted); Manolo Blahnik shoes (ebay)

Thoughts: I love love love this skirt, and had to give it at least one try before putting it away till fall. It has such a 90s silhoutte and pattern, which is perfect for my fall 2022 plans (mostly, a continuation of my spring style, heavily influenced by vintage Ralph Lauren). Spoiler alert: I also think it will be a perfect match for the floral Talbots sweater I got not too long before. This Wilfred top on the other hand? Chalk it up as a loss; it’s too scratchy for me, so I will be passing it on.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt (Poshmark), Cartonnier pants (thrift), selfmade necklace, Chie Mihara shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I adore the patchwork pattern of this RL shirt, but I have to confess that I am struggling a bit with styling it. I think the sleeves are part of what’s throwing me off; I will roll them up a bit next time. And try again, of course. Still, I did not hate this outfit; in fact, I was quite pleased with how the stripe (pants) on stripe (shirt) action turned out.