One. Seaside walks

I have always been a homebody, and never more so than since the pandemic. I love being at home, and for the most part I am content to “travel” places via my books. But I do miss the sea. I’ve been watching a lot of shows set in rural England, and it’s always the coastal regions that make me long to visit again. I hope that next year, we will be able to travel to Vancouver and at least see the Pacific again. I would love to visit the east coast (Nova Scotia, PEI) but it’s such a long trip from here, it seems a bit daunting these days.

Two. Turquoise

I am so obsessed with turquoise these days; both the colour and the stone. Both work very well with the summer style I have adopted. Turquoise was my paternal grandma’s favourite colour, so for a long time, I stayed away from it because it seemed like “her thing”. But I have been adopting more and more into my wardrobe lately, as well as rediscovering some of the pieces that she left behind. The image above is from a scrapbook I made back in 2008/2009 and, not gonna lie, I would love to find a necklace like that now. How fabulous!

Three. Long Dusters

This Ralph Lauren runway outfit lives rent free in my head at the moment. My biggest thrifting wish currently is to find a duster/robe/coat like the one in this photo. I don’t think I would wear anything else this summer if I had the choice. I’ve been getting creative, trying to recreate the same vibe/mood using pieces in my closet or things I am able to find at the thrift stores. I think I found a few options, but none quite as stunning as the original, alas.

Four. Vintage ad

Leafing through the stash of 80s fashion magazines I managed to score on FB Marketplace a few months ago is one of my favourite “treats”. I enjoy the glimpse into the past, the celebrity gossip (never mind that it’s old now, good gossip never ages), and the fashion inspo. Perfume ads are so fascinating — you can dissect the images and taglines, and they say so much about the culture of the time. This Fendi ad, however, is just visually stunning.

Five. Cabinet of curiosities

Speaking of coastal chic — this cabinet of curiosities (spotted in a design book I thrifted) has reignited by obsession with such items. I have a somewhat similar cabinet — with shallow shelves instead of cubby holes — that my husband built me years ago for my nail polish collection. Since I have mostly downsized in that category, I am now using it as a jewelry display for rings and bracelets. So, a cabinet of curiosities of sorts. But I would like to maybe have a separate, larger one for my (miniature) pottery and miscellaneous collections.

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 …