Gabriela Hansen Photography Archives - Page 2 of 3

Giving Thanks

Today being American Thanksgiving, I thought it appropriate to share my thoughts on gratitude. While those of you south of the border gather around the harvest table and give thanks for all that makes your lives abundant, my reflections will be quite simple. In fact, my gratitude can be summed up in two words: my family.

My amazing husband is truly my best friend and my partner in love and life. There’s nothing better than the kind of unconditional love that presses in through good and bad {and the truth is, we’ve had plenty of both}. He’s that kind of guy in spades, and I am very grateful for his love, encouragement and belief in me.

Our now nine-year-old and insanely tall, sweet boy has personality in spades and a wicked sense of humour. Life is just a bigger adventure with him in it, and his perspective continues to teach me to see the world with fresh eyes and a sense of possibility. I am a better person for being his mom.

We are all three very different personalities, really, representing a fascinating spectrum of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, pragmatism and dreaming, adventurous spirit and the need to just nest and snuggle at home and be together. I guess you could say that we are continuously finding a balance in the way we do life with each other, always learning and growing because of the way we give each other wings while being rooted and grounded in love.

If all I had was my sweet family, I would have enough. But I am blessed beyond that with amazingly supportive friends and creative collaborators who draw out the best in me {and I hope I do the same for them}. From friends who love to join me on foodie adventures in the kitchen, design excursions on the road, hands-on projects and spontaneous, creative discoveries to amazing talents like Gabriela Hansen who took these beautiful family photos for us this year, the simple truth is this: I. Am. Blessed.

As Marcel Proust said, “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” In this bountiful season of harvest, that is the garden most worthy of cultivation. So go love your people, friends. Let them know the difference they’ve made in your life. Plant seeds of hope. Harvest joy together. Give thanks by giving love, for it is the loved ones in our lives who make us who we are.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|November 22nd, 2012|1 Comment

Thanksgiving Table Décor | Part 3 | Menus + Linens

PHOTO BY GABRIELA HANSEN

I love it when all of the lovely details start to come together. With the floral centrepiece and Moroccan-inspired “punched tin” mini pumpkins complete, it was time to finish the place settings. I love a simple yet layered place setting, and I am a big fan of the use of beautiful typography to set the mood for the special meal. Enter my lovely friend Melody Hansen, who graciously offered to design menus for this year’s Harvest Gathering in order to give it an extra special touch of thoughtful detail and design.

PHOTO BY GABRIELA HANSEN

I love collaborating with people who understand my aesthetic. The natural and organic simplicity of Melody’s hand drawn illustrations framing the top and bottom of these elegant menus were the perfect choice to communicate the casual elegance of our seasonal celebration. The watercolour paper on which we chose to print the menus had the same quality as a natural linen fabric – simple yet substantial and sophisticated.

PHOTO BY GABRIELA HANSEN

I’m a big believer in linen napkins – firstly because they are better for the environment, and secondly because they make the meal feel more elegant. That said, I didn’t want the table linens to feel formal. With 14 people sitting around the extended table that we added, I also needed to come up with an option that was cost effective. The solution? $5/yard fabric from Designer Fabric Outlet, a bit of time in front of my sewing machine, and voila! French bistro style cotton-linen blend table napkins that were the perfect bridge between formal and casual, just like the menus.

PHOTO BY GABRIELA HANSEN

With the table settings complete, tomorrow I’ll dive into the food preparations. Can’t wait to share some of my favourite Harvest recipes with you!

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|November 7th, 2012|4 Comments

Balzac’s | The Lost Art of The Daily Ritual

Any good design excursion requires fuel. The process of gathering together fresh ideas, new materials and exciting products can spend energy faster than you realize, all swept up in the moment of inspiration. But when the realization hits, it is imperative to have a well-mapped layout of the city’s best coffee shops on hand for immediate action. There is no underestimating the urgency of this situation when it hits, and the need for REALLY good coffee at a moment like this is a serious matter. One of my favourite “suppliers,” nestled in the heart of the Distillery District, is the artisinal coffee roaster and neighbourhood café Balzac’s.

If, like me, you believe that daily rituals can be art, then Balzac’s is the place for you. With their exposed brick walls, vintage signage everywhere and industrial lighting mixed with antique chandeliers, the environment is the perfect backdrop for great conversation and great ideas. Not to mention that they present their lattés as coffee art {one of my favourite touches}.

Named after the French 19th century novelist whose prolific satirical works were said to be fuelled by endless cups of strong, black coffee, Balzac’s coffee culture is steeped in history while meeting the needs of the modern day joe-junkie.

It almost seems a shame to drink it at first! But it would be even more shameful to waste that slow-roasted goodness. And getting to the bottom of each cup {for me} is a ritual of seeing how my coffee art unravels with every sip. I try to have at least the tip of the milk-foam leaf left at the bottom of the cup as testament to where we began {just for fun, of course}. And then – fear not – I drink that, too.

An empty cup and a filled tank, ready for more adventures. Where do you get your fuel fix? Tell me about your favourite and inspired coffee shops and local eateries {and how you turn some of your daily rituals into art}. I’ll add your favourites to my ever-expanding “emergency map.”

xo
s.

All photographs by the lovely Gabriela Hansen

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 31st, 2012|5 Comments