Amenity has stolen my heart!

So, as some of you know, I am about 5 months pregnant...this is Kelly writing by the way...I don't want to get Joelle in trouble! I am very much into design (duh) and I have been searching for the right combo of baby colours...well let me tell you...it ain't easy. The mainstream resources out there offer a plethora of 'way too cutsie' for me patterns that really DO NOT reflect my style at all. I don't want to have to decorate the room in either blue for boys or pink for girls...it just ain't me. So recently I discovered this adorable pattern with everything I truly wanted in a room! I have an old rocking chair painted green and some orange spliced into the mix which is a great mixture but VERY hard to match up to. This blanket encompassed everything I wanted in the design - a cute bunny - but not too cute, and splashes of citrus hues that are bright, cheery and gender neutral. The designer is called Amenity, and I wanted to thank them for saving me from baby nightmares! The only hard part will be letting the new bebe cuddle up and possibly poop on this blanket...that is hurdle number two, but I'll deal with that later...

gettin' figgy with it

We just finished a website for an up-and-coming jewelry design company called "Frankly Fig." And I won't be modest here, but the owner of the company is my extremely wonderful and talented cousin Julia!

Julia is seriously fashionable...and when this chick {Joelle} has days of not-so-wicked style {an occurrence happening more and more I'm afraid}, I look to Julia to see what trends are in, and for inspiration in her wonderfully funky outfits. So it is no surprise that her resin jewelry collection is equally fashionable and creative.

Check out the entire collection at her freshly launched website - www.franklyfig.com - and get Figged!

paper pop-ups

Kelly and I have travelled to the National Stationery Show in NYC a few times, and it has made us long to visit New York every Spring. Ah the blossoms in Central Park, the cupcakes from Magnolia bakery. Unfortunately we couldn't make it this year, so I had to get my stationery fix online. Publique Living, an exhibitor at this year's Show caught my eye. Check out their beautiful 'Pop Mats' - paper placemats and pop-up name cards in one, made of 100% recycled paper. The cleverness!

going to the zoo zoo zoo

I have always been obsessed with pattern - on fabrics, gift wrap, paper, wallpaper. And more recently the use of patterns in design work. How I love the look of a muted damask wallpaper behind a cute website! But perhaps it's the patterns that exist in nature that intrigue me the most. In fact, for one of my school projects I illustrated a children's book about patterns in nature, trying to get children to 'look closer' at our environment and develop an appreciation for it.

This past weekend was shiny and bright so Pete and I decided to head down the road to the Toronto Zoo. Again, I found myself drawn to, and fascinated with the patterns on these strange and wonderful creatures. And with my camera and trusty jumbo lens, I was able to get up close and personal. Take a look at these gorgeous colours and very graphic patterns...

These guys below don't have any special graphic pattern...but were just too darn cute to leave out!

the chicks are on etsy!

Finally, the chicks have made the leap to join the Etsy phenomenon! For those of you who have never heard of Etsy, it's a glorious online 'craft show' filled with art, handmade items, and vintage finds...it's also a real time burglar so make sure you have a few hours to spare as you start perusing all of the eye candy.

Be sure to check out our line of imprintable invitations and we will soon be adding our mommy card collection. Stay tuned!

Hair today, gone tomorrow

So, as many of you know already I used to be a hair stylist before I became a Kanvas Ink. chick. Those might have been the best hair years of my life and I'll tell you why...I wasn't afraid of cutting my hair. Simple really..but true. Now, I can't say they were the most attractive hair styles I have sported, but at least no one ever called me boring and I was always trying something new and exciting. It has been oh, about 8 years since I was standing behind that booster chair and so much has changed.

The reason I write this is that I have been struggling with the decision to chop my locks off once again and I have no idea why this is a difficult decision for me. There was a time that I was able to sit in that chair, cut my hair to about a 2 inch length and colour it bright red without blinking an eyelash. Now that was NOT my most flattering moment by any stretch, but at least I was fearless. My hair is now the longest it has ever been, and I am just considering a short bob a la katie holmes, which isn't that short and in my experience with hair design, it would actually be very flattering to my face shape...so why the panic now?

I know that if I was still doing hair and someone like me came into my chair I know exactly what I would say to them...it's only hair and it will grow back, have some fun with it! I have seen too many make over shows of women who are petrified to cut their hair and for what reason? Judging from their current look it can ONLY look better. So my question is this: why, as women are we so scared to chop the locks? Is it because we are afraid we won't be sexy with short hair, is it because we won't be able to try different looks by wearing it in 'up' styles, or is it because of some deep seated emotional issue that we are clinging to those straggly locks? I remember one client who stared at me in the mirror with her boob length hair and said: 'I never let a woman cut my hair normally as they will always try to make me look ugly so they look better then me'...what the?

Whatever your reasons for not taking a chance on your hair...I say baloney! Why would I sport a hairstyle that looks good only on the days I have to spend an hour working on it...why look good for only 10% of your life? I have become one of THOSE people, someone I would have tried desperately to guide into good hair-dom...a ponytail toting, headband wearing, hair catastrophe! My husband keeps telling me (as I ask him 100 times a day) not to cut my hair as he is afraid I won't like it...well all I can say to him is: it is ONLY hair, and it will ALWAYS grow back, now excuse me while I dial my hair salon and get back into style...

PS. Whatever you do, be brave, be daring..but NEVER do this...especially to your kid...

a fan of the cuppy

Cupcakes...they are one of my favourite things, perhaps because they are the perfect combination of pretty and yummy. I saw some of these clever cuppy ideas that were finalists in a Martha Stewart cupcake competition, and I just had to share. I am dying to try the flower pot idea but am wondering what type of plant could be stuck in there without making the cupcake taste all...planty. A sprig of mint? I think that is what they used here. Am loving the sushi cuppies too. And, of course, the birdie ones. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

j