Something about myself

Music – I can’t get enough of anything by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – they are my new fav.
Movie I can't wait to see – The Life of Pi [I loved the book]
Hairstyle Craze – Big Bun on top of my head, so cuuuute.
Guilty Pleasure – online shopping. I. just. can’t. stop.
Something I want to try – making my own granola and healthy [crunchy] snacks. 
Latest Accomplishment – making a memory book for my Grams 90th birthday out of letters from various people she’s known in her life. I learned a lot and she couldn’t stop smiling.
Style at work – Gah, I wish I could wear heels and not be looked at sill-ily. I need to move to Toronto, or New York… a girl can dream.
Favourite Christmas Song – “Baby, it’s cold outside.”
What I want – A piece of jewellery. Something that I can call my own and wear every day; antique rings are my new obsession.
Problem - I don't know what I want for breakfast. Every morning this happens... its terrible.
Someone I miss - My boyfriend [only a few more days till I get to see him]

...I can't shake - my travel bug. I am feeling very antsy lately, more so then normal. I need to work and travel or go on vacation or something...

Something I miss – People being polite, accepting and happy, whatever happened to the world?

I'm slacking at – focusing. Lately I have been brutal.

Food I'm craving – Hummus, all the time.

Can't get enough of – lip chap. The winter is making my skin so dry.

Upcoming Events – Sheepdogs Concert with Ally!

In love with – the snow. Winter is such a gorgeous time of year <3

Quote “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” - Marilyn Monroe [my constant obsession]

Christmas Decoration

1. Get a unique piece of barn board and cut to the length you want - make sure it has a straight bottom edge [so it sits on the ground without leaning funnily]. Rough, jagged pieces make for a more interesting piece.

2. Use a fire/blow torch to 'burn' the barn board. I don't literally mean throw it in the fire, but you want to roast the piece of wood as you would a marshmellow - this takes away the greyish colour and gives it that antique feel.
3. Once you are happy with your boards colour, take a wire brush and lightly brush the burnt side following the grains of the wood. This helps to even out the 'burnt effect', and rid the ashes that could flake off on their own.

5. Grab your supplies that you want to decorate it with. We used pine (both floppy and stiff) from a tree outside (fake works too!), some twine, and dollar store red berries, ribbon, bells and pine cones. Lay it however you wish; this is where you can get creative. I used the twine to tie it all in place, but a glue gun works fine as well. I found that incorporating some of the dollar store fake garland (with the wire) helped to hold it all in place.

6. Wah-la! You now have something that is very unique, antique-like and can sit proudly in your house, outside the front door (which is where mine is) or hang on the wall.

sunday night realization

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”

―John Lennon 

Me, to date.

Favourite Song - Little Black Submarine- The Black Keys & Flapper Girl - The Lumineers
Movie I can't wait to see - Argo + Frankenweenie
Most worn thing in my closet - Dark Grey Leather Jacket
Guilty Pleasure - Fifty Shades Books [currently on Fifty Shades Freed]
Something I have been meaning to get done/complete - my laundry [rips hair out]
I like arguing about - which ever side I believe in most, or just for the sake of having a heated debate.
Style I am too chicken to try - Red Lips [doesn't fit in with my lifestyle, unfortunately]
Halloween Costume - Sexy Sailor
Birthday Plans - Dunno. I'm hoping my boyfriend will take that over...
Someone I miss - My sister <3 
Something I miss - Summer and it's carefree happiness
Vacation plans - Talking about Mont. Tremblant during Spring Break, but maybe St. Thomas to visit my sister [?]
I'm slacking at - working out.  gah
Food I'm craving - Sushi
Can't get enough of - pumpkin flavoured things; tea, muffins, pie, crumble...mmm
Upcoming Celebrations - My One year with Lucas <3 && turning 22.
Advice? Stop trying to be someone you're not and just be yourself - it never fails.

Spike

I changed my Facebook banner of something other then you last week...
It was the one of you walking ever so gracefully on the rock at the cottage. The water was like glass in the background. Your ever-changing coat illuminated in the sunshine and you seemed generally concerned about something at a paws-depth in the water. The ripples from your anxiety to get the rock shift the trees that mirrored on the surface. I remember the moment like it was yesterday. The crisp spring air chilled my fingers as I pressed hurriedly on the camera shutter. I'm so glad I captured that moment.

I changed my Blackberry Wallpaper today...
The one of us in the blistering cold on the same lake. It was February and we were going for our daily snowshoe walk - you were four months old then. It took six + shots in order to capture this very one. The ones leading up to this moment included a nose bite (on your behave), a glove steal and a collar grab (on my behave). You have snow on your nose because you were just digging in the ground, like you were looking for something. You were always curious to find something. I had rosey cheeks because I was chasing you not because I wanted my glove, but mostly because it was getting you wild as you ran around like a big-pawed goof ball. I love this picture so much because your ears are tucked back, eyes looking where I wanted them and the snow sprinkles on your nose. It almost looks as if you were in trouble when I took it and that look on your face is priceless.
I have looked at this picture everyday for the last four months since you've died. It's the first thing I see, like when we use to stretch on the floor in the morning, and the last thing I see at night like when I use to get a bedtime visit.

I want you to know that I hovered my finger over the "Save Changes" button for a long time on both of these changes. I wasn't ready to pick up my phone every day and not see you there, but I had to find a picture that made me happy and not boiling with anger that you're gone. Please don't hate me for that.
I miss you everyday <3

A Summer Highlight

I’ve always wanted to dedicate an entire summer to festivals. The lights, the air, the people, the music and of course the feeling; there really is nothing like it, minus Italy (always minus Italy and Vancouver, I love those places more then life).

I’m sorry to report that this year my festival quest isn’t going to come true, but I was very glad to make it out to the Toronto 2012 Burlesque Festival at the Gladstone Hotel. I have been obsessed with Burlesque for just over a year now? I dunno. Time flies if you ask me. But regardless, this place was a dream come true. Everyone was dressed in old fashion corsets, top hats and it was marvelous. I tried to get decked out as much as I could (hello red lips and bigger than life hair) but to be honest, we felt under dressed. That never happens, well, rarely. We attended the International Strip Competition and after party… all I can say is wow. Those girls could gladly teach me any day of the week. In fact, is that possible? I’m willing to work for it… promise.

xx

[hair did, makeup did, lips on...time to go]

[stuck in traffic, so we naturally entertain ourselves]

[Banana Boy, damn he was good]

[Settling down after a steamy night at the Bier Market]

[bad&wild for life]

7. High Angle

In light of the summer, and not to mention my busy schedule, I found myself waist deep in 2+ weeks of laundry (yes, I have that many clothes!). I used all the clothes pins, and only had a meter let of line at the end of it. But that is besides the point, here are a collection of some of the best stain removers for laundry I have come across - and working as a stewardess on a yacht, I think I know a thing or two about removing stains from expensive fabric ! 

Oily/Waxy Stains – Try one of the following: “Scrubbing Bubble” bathroom cleaners; Rub white chalk into the stain before laundering; Rub with damp cloth dipped in Borax; Apply a paste of cornstarch and water, let dry and brush off.

Blood Stains:
Fresh – use cold water.
Dried – Use Hydrogen Peroxide. Pour over stain as soon as possible.

Red Stains  

Kool-aid, Popsicle, Berry Juice – Rubbing Alcohol. Pour over stain before washing.

Wine, Coffee, and Fruit Stains – Club Soda or moist salt. Pour over stain, or soak in milk before washing.

Grass Stains– Combine a few drops of household ammonia with 1 teaspoon peroxide. Rub stain with this mixture. Rinse with water as soon as stain disappears.

Rust Stains– Scrub with crumbled aluminum foil.

Lipstick Stains– Rub with shortening and wash with washing soda.

Ink Stains– Use hairspray on stain (with absorbent towel underneath) and launder as usual. Or wet stain with cold water, apply paste of cream of tartar/lemon juice, let sit one hour and wash as usual. Or mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup warm water and apply a small amount to the stain. Blot until no more stain can be removed.

6: Something Pink

It's a scorcher outside this week - and instead of showing you all my pink skin I thought I would take a different approach.

Not to mention I just can’t get enough of the ‘bright’ season fashion trend, especially the peachy, mints and pinks. I never use to care much about fashion, but now I look back and think “OMG, please tell me you did not wear that by choice!” – this is usually followed by a smacking of a hand against my forehead, which is now red p.s. I got this shirt from a store in the States for $20 and (finally!) found my white belt at a vintage store on Queen St in Toronto. I matched it with some mint coloured nails, the sight of these in the picture all depends on how good your eye sight is, and have my yellow new strappy Aldo sandels with “Snappy Sorbet” nail polish covering my toes. The only thing that I could think of to be better then this outfit, would be if I was in it near a beach and not in my magazine/writing/torcher-chamber-on-a-sunny-day of a desk job! One day I will be combining those two and will be writing whilst on the beach – a girl can dream right? xx

5. Low angle

This week I am hanging out in Sturbridge, Mass - right around the corner from Boston. For work, also known as Snowmobiler TV and Snow Goer Canada Magazine, we got to come down here and cover the International Snowmobile Congress. And I have to say, I am inspired again. The town we are in is rather old and tonight we went to a 1700's Publick House. This is a shot I took amidst the 400 people that were wandering in and out of this place - I think what makes this so special is that this photograph was taken amongst chaos and city sounds, when (if you didn't know any better) you would think this is way out in a field near a restored barn somewhere. It was a gorgeous place, and even though we only drove 10+ hours to get here, it has already made me really miss traveling/exploring/meeting new people and all the fun that goes along with discovering a new untouched territory on your own.

4. Something Blue

Well how much more blue can it get. My toes, plus the blue from our pool makes for a perfect summary of how this Holiday Monday went - minus the rose wine but that's an exception. Had such a great long weekend that I am going to be sad to get up tomorrow to go to work... the only good news, it's a short week. Hooray! xx

3. Clouds

Sorry to burst your imaginary bubble, but there were no clouds today. Go figure, the day I start to do my photo challenge again and this is what I get. So, in attempts to make the photo look like I did take it outside [and not just of a blue piece of paper] I added some trees into it. Can you believe it was 7:30p.m when I took this? Summer solace is a beautiful thing isn't it. Unfortunately this is a day that just a week ago I would have rushed home to take my puppy for a walk... where is the reverse button on life anyways? xx

2. What you wore today

Remember how I said my life has been a little crazy lately? I take it back. It's crumbling at the seams. I don't feel like doing this stupid photo of the day anymore because it is not something that is making me happy, all it is doing is keeping my mind preoccupied. How is that suppose to make me feel creative? You want to see what I wore yesterday and today (because, oh yeah, this is counting for two days)? Fine.I was wearing sweat pants, okay! Not the cute outfit I had in my mind when I first started this. Just a plain old boring pair of sweat pants. The one that my puppy Spike and I curled up with on the floor the morning of Thursday, May the 3rd. The ones he sniffed and rubbed his face in because he was in one of those anxious 'I just woke up and have been waiting forever for you' moods. These are the same sweat pants I put on hours after he was hit and killed by a car. The same ones I curled up with on the floor, crying my eyes out a mere 45mins after the fact, looking at a picture of him... thinking how, if I had never even got up from this floor with him, I wouldn't be lying here alone right now. That's what I wore yesterday, today, tomorrow and I will still be in them come Sunday night. You happy... you stupid stupid stupid photo challenge.

1. Self Portrait

This is probably the worst self portrait I have ever seen, but hey, I was at work and realized I either need to start doing this challenge now or it would never start. Period. So here it is. Me and all my glory at work. You will notice my Starbucks coffee cup, which I brought from home, and you will also notice my new watch that I just bought off Beyond the Rack. Don't know why my hair always does that alfalfa hair thing at the front, but I have learned to live with it. If you could see my computer screen you would also notice that at this time I was not working (go figure, I was taking a photo of myself!) and the Toronto Star was up. A fun little fact of the day for you, that I just learned - the Star started on my birthday, November 3rd. Think its a sign? Although, I was definitely not born in 1892 - just sayin. xx

Month of May-hem Photo Challenge

My life has been a little crazy lately.
Now, I'm not one for complaining - and unless you're my boyfriend you wouldn't beg to differ - but I decided I better do something to take my mind off things. Sitting on the couch in your sweats is nice in the winter, but now that the sun is shinning (and no word of a lie, I have already been sun burnt twice!) I've decided to do something creative in my spare time. Hence this photo challenge. For the next thirty days I will be posting a photo a day, somewhat following these guide lines. But before you go thinking I'm all genius, I want to point out that this sparked after my best friend decided to do a little challenge for the month of May herself. I don't want to steal her thunder, but its something along the line of a Facebook Diet - yeah, you heard right, go check it out asap!

How I started today off...

“Your philosophy of life comes to you naturally, Alana . Others need to study, listen to experts, or sign on to various allegiances. You, on the other hand, already have a profound outlook on life which surely you inherited from your past experiences. It would be interesting for you to expand upon your philosophy a bit, and try to turn it into something concrete.”

Another one bites the dust

With summer just around the corner, and several years of pleading, we are preparing our aging selves for a good old fashion family canoe trip. I was only six-years-old when we first decided to canoe from Pukaskwa National Park down Lake Superior to Wawa, but it is something I have been longing to do since. Back then I would just like to point out my dad had a full on stash/beard combo, my mom wore pants up to the true definition of ‘waist’ and my sisters were still considered kids. It has been nearly 10 years since we have tried to plan something of this magnitude and it is very comical. My parents at this age are neglecting their age, my sisters are full-on adults (although at times it is questionable) and I am ready to go on this adventure and capture this disaster one photograph (and funny caption) at a time.

If you have ever seen an athlete documentary on what they did to train for the Olympics, you are nowhere near what The Britten household is going through. Way off, in fact. We have since dusted off old-red (aka. The canoe) and pulled the paddles out of the wood pile and tossed them in the lake. In case you are unaware of what aging does to your parents, try watching your dad, who may or may not be balance-inclined climb into a canoe over frigid waters. Having fallen out of the tent he wanted to practise building earlier this was like the cherry on the cake!

On top of training ourselves how to be camping/canoeing enthusiasts once again, we are also training our 6-month old puppy as well. Much like I was when I was six-years-old on this trip, he is not willing to stay put in the canoe (a watercraft which most of you know doesn’t have a high tipping limit) and is constantly awaiting the arrival of around a so-called puddle, compared to Superior of course.

Yes, this is just the beginning. I think that if we stick to it, we will make it through this two-week trip with only a few bumps and bruises. At least that was what I was thinking... until my dad mentioned a trial canoe dumping before we leave with poor Spike in the canoe. Dear God. 

xx

Country girls, gone heels.

Last night out of the blue
Drifting off to the evening news
She said, "honey what would you do
If you'd of never met me"
I just laughed, said I don't know
I can take a couple guesses though
Then tried to dig real deep
Said darling honestly,..

I'd do a lot more offshore fishing,
Probably eat more drive thru chicken.
Take a few strokes off my golf game
If I'd of never known your name.
I'd still be driving that old green Nova,
I probably never would of heard of yoga.
I'd be a better football fan
But if I was a single man,
Alone and out there on the loose
Well I'd be looking for a woman like you

Well I could tell I got her attention
So I said "oh yeah I forgot to mention,
I wouldn't trade a single day
For a hundred years the other way"
She just smiled and rolled her eyes
Cause she's heard all of my lines
I said come on girl seriously,
If I hadn't been so lucky...

I'd be shooting pool in my bachelor pad,
Playing base in my cover band.
Be stocking up cold Bud Light
For poker every Tuesday night yeah.
I'd have a dirt bike in the shed,
Not one throw pillow on the bed,
I'd keep my cash in a coffee can
But if I was a single man
Alone and out there on the loose
Well, I'd be looking for a woman like you

She knows what a mess I'd be
If I didn't have her here
But to be sure,
I whispered in her ear

You know I get sick deep sea fishing,
You make the best fried chicken.
I got a hopeless golf game,
I love the sound of your name.
I might miss that old green Nova,
But I love watching you do yoga.
I'd take a gold band on my hand
Over being a single man,
Cause honestly I don’t know what I'd do
If I never met a woman like you

It's been one of those weeks...

 

I'm a simple girl. 

I appreciate being appreciated. I love being considered, and would prefer a face-to-face conversation then a text message any day of the week. I'm sweat pants in the evening and heels on the weekend. I die at the sight of red lips and dream for the confidence to pull it off. My iPod is a disastrous mix, but only country music really gets who I am. I would rather you take the time to write me a letter, then accept a gift. It shocks me when people remember my name and I would never tell you whats bothering me even if you asked a 101 times. I'm a Marilyn girl, have a crush on Phil Kessel and absolutely can't get enough of dirty novels. I've never received flowers from a boy and can count on one hand the number of times I've truly felt safe in ones arms. I will keep a secret to the grave and even make a wish for you on a fallen eye lash. I love the thought of living in New York's city life, or sipping wine in my back country Italian villa (one day!). Something about falling snow at night is magical, but summertime sunsets are hard to beat. I'm obsessed with brushing my teeth, but your eyes are the first thing I notice. I love going driving for no reason, but road trips with the girls are better. Getting away for a weekend in a posh hotel is great, but my cottage or camping is where I'd rather be. I have my showers exceptionally hot, but have to sleep with a window open in winter.

I don't ask for much, never have, never will. There is nothing in life I can't work hard and get myself, and only a few things that irritate me in this world. I would never expect you to give me the moon but would love someone just to be there for the ride. As much as I have these quirks, at the end of the day... a simple gesture goes a long way in my books.

xx

Shattered, or respected?

Rules. 
Who follows them? 
Or better yet, who breaks them? 
I don't want to sound like the wise old woman of centuries past, but why do we even need so many of them? Sure, I am one of those "realists" if you will. Go ahead, point that boney finger in my direction. But, before you do.. think for a second
When did we become so damn dependent on that four letter (five, if you use it in plural) word? 
Rule(s). 
They pop up in the simplest things (Ikea furniture), yet go without notice in even greater complexity (having a child).  And don't even get me started on the 21st century relationship problems -- a hint, they are in jpeg format above. Don Cherry wouldn't have his weekly seven minutes of fame if it weren't for them, and base jumping wouldn't have been invented if it weren't for people trying to break them.

Maybe I am the one who asks to many questions.. but it's only because I push the boundaries of how I like to live,.. and I will prove my point by asking you this. When have your silly little rules ever let you do what my questions have?
xx