house Archives - Page 45 of 61

Make Something Mondays | Geninne’s Studio

I love process. I’m such a believer in the importance of it. I’m probably sounding like a broken record to some of you, but I think my motto bears repeating. “Beautiful process, beautiful product.” Life can be messy {life is ALWAYS messy?} but beauty and meaning are always waiting to be discovered around countless corners, not just in the obvious places of our defining moments of achievement.

This love of process is in part why I believe in the psychology of environment. Our spaces can either contribute to or hinder our process of working, living, connecting, creating, relaxing, dreaming and resting. What defines a “sacred space” for each of us will be different, but I think it’s always fascinating to peek inside that space and understand how it has become the canvas upon which each person paints their life. This can be especially interesting when artists are involved, and today I’m delighted to share with you the working and living space of artist Geninne.

The first thing I notice is the natural light bathing the space with golden warmth and possibility.

Perhaps this gorgeous daily flood of amber is just one of Geninne’s muses, drawing her imagination outside and into nature where the characters she creates are quietly nesting in the trees, waiting to be discovered?

I just love seeing the diversity of mediums that Geninne explores in her studio. From delicate paintings on paper and rocks to lino-cuts and paintings on vintage postcards, Geninne is an artist who embraces the art of exploration.

What is your space inspiring in you today? Perhaps you need a change of environment to see your creative, working and living adventures differently? Is it time to rearrange the furniture, change up some art groupings, refresh a room with a new coat of paint or even just wash some windows to let the light pour in unfettered? Whatever it is that inspires you, go find it and find a way to surround yourself with it every day. I promise, your process and your product will become more beautiful as a result. Thank you for offering us such inspiration, Geninne!

xo
s.

P.S. GENINNE IS COMING TO TORONTO FOR A WORKSHOP!! If you love lino-printing and wish you could learn from Geninne in some way, you’re in luck! Bookhou At Home is hosting a workshop with Geninne in Toronto on December 2nd in support of her new book, Making An Impression. She’ll be teaching those in attendance how to make your own hand-carved lino-cut stamps. Sounds rather delightful to me! See you there?

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 29th, 2012|2 Comments

Joy Cho | Blog, Inc!

Photo by Bonnie Tsang

In seven short years, Joy Cho has taken the blogging world by storm with her delightful blog Oh Joy! After working as a graphic designer with numerous fashion clients in New York, Joy brought together her passions for food, fashion and design with the launch of her blog and business in 2005. Her ensuing blogging and design success have led to collaborative opportunities to design stationary, textiles, wallpaper and even a line of children’s clothing. If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, this lovely and talented lady has also amassed an impressive portfolio of brand development projects for clients in the fashion and food industries through her Rx program. Joy Cho is clearly a woman for whom the sky is the limit, and the launch of her latest book, Blog, Inc! is just further proof of her creative prowess.

Blog, Inc! really reads like an inspiring conversation with a great friend who is offering you her best advice over a good cup of coffee. Packed with insights for everyone from seasoned bloggers to those just starting out, Joy offers wisdom on how to create community while translating your passions into an inspiring online presence. Joy’s business savvy and strategic approach {along with the many features of other interesting and highly successful bloggers such as Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere} left me dog-earring countless pages! She also left me feeling like this little blogging adventure I’ve nicknamed “my sanity project” isn’t so crazy after all. In fact, it might just be a really wonderful way to knit together my life and work. Thanks for the encouragement, Joy!

Joy was kind enough to do a small interview with me as a part of her blog tour. I hope this little Q & A offers you a more personal glimpse into who Joy is and what she’s all about.

1. If you could express your blog’s mission statement in one sentence, what would it be?

A place to come and feel inspired and happy.

2. Your blog has evolved into a beautiful business, leading to several opportunities to create lovely product lines via collaborations with other creative individuals and companies. How many of these opportunities developed organically, and how many of them were as a result of strategic goals you set for yourself?

Thank you! I’d say it’s a mix. I certainly set goals for myself of things I want to accomplish. So, some opportunities came from me approaching various companies I wanted to work with and simply asking or pitching my ideas for a collaboration. And, in some instances they approached me with the opportunities. I’m all about being a go-getter, and believe in going after what you want. The worst thing that can happen is someone can say no. And the best thing that can happen is it works out, and you’re now working on your next big dream project!

3. How do you envision the next season of your creative life unfolding? Dreaming big, where would you like to take your blog and your business next?

I’d love to design more products. So far, I’ve done lots of smaller capsule collections, and I’d love to go into more in-depth collections where I can really showcase more of my ideas on home decor products.

4. In what ways does your blog enable you to live and work outside the boundaries of your physical location, and in what ways has it empowered you to nest and savour the sacredness of “home?”

My blog has made it so that I can do my job from anywhere. A few years ago, we had to move twice in two years for my husband’s job. While many of his colleague’s spouses stayed behind and had to have long-distance marriages during that time, I was in a unique position to be able to move with my husband since I have my own business that’s not dependent on being in a specific location. And in contrast, I’m even more of a homebody than ever. I love the fact that I can work from home, but I always try and make work time separate and stay in my office most of the day if I’m not out at meetings or running errands. I keep the non-working areas of my home (living room, dining room, etc.) separate from my work day so that they feel special and a place I come to unwind at the end of the day.

5. What are your best recommendations for creating meaningful community in the ever-changing, fast-paced world of social media?

Just be yourself. People love seeing your style, your creativity, and the things that make you special. But they also like knowing you’re a real person dealing with the same things as everyone else.

6. What is your favourite way to decompress from work and stay grounded?

It used to be exercise. I’d work out 4-5 times a week as my stress relief, and it was always an activity that totally distracted me from blogging or my design work since it’s so different from what I do for a living. But ever since I had my daughter last year, now my favorite thing to do is spend time with her. Nothing gets me away from the computer and living real life more than playing with a baby!

Photo by Bonnie Tsang

I’m with you, Joy! Time spent with my sweet family is truly my favourite way to decompress and get reconnected with what {or more importantly, who} matters to me most. As my little guy is getting older, working out has started to become a part of our family time together as well! Best of both worlds.

Wishing all of you, my lovely friends, the opportunity to just unplug today and get nose-to-nose, eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart with the ones you love. Happy Thursday!

P.S. Here is Joy’s outrageously adorable trailer for the book. {Warning: you may come away craving a slice of chocolate cream pie and a mint green Vespa!}

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 25th, 2012|3 Comments

Weir’s Lane Lavender Farm + Apiary

Some days just cry out for an adventure. Not necessarily a big one, but a change of pace, a new environment, a sensory experience. On just such a fine and recent day, a friend and I decided to take a drive out into the country to visit Weir’s Lane Lavender & Apiary. When we go on these adventures {we are prone to day trips together} I always try to brand it a Thelma and Louise adventure. She then reminds me that Thelma and Louise actually kill someone in that movie. I acquiesce that perhaps it’s not the best branding of our adventure, and then we move on to just being our normal, pacifist selves and enjoy the day together! It’s a rather charming pre-adventure ritual we’ve developed.

Photo by Cathie Coward

It really is amazing to realize that our South of France lavender field of dreams is being realized just outside of Burlington in the sweet farming community of Flamborough. The couple who own Weir’s Lane have quite an interesting story. After 25 years in the software industry wearing thin for one, and the other tiring of the commute from Toronto to teach at McMaster University, the owners decided a few years ago that a major change of pace was in order. They packed their Bloor West bags and headed for the country, still uncertain of what they might do with the farm they had chosen to be their new home.

After exploring the possibilities of goat farming and realizing that the cost of enclosures to protect the goats from the local coyote would be too precious, Kevin {the former software specialist} landed on lavender. I’m not sure he realized how poetic and therapeutic a choice this would prove to be.

Kevin describes the process of slowly converting their massive corn fields into lavender fields, smiling about the learning curve he’s been on since he has taken on this fragrant adventure. We wander and listen intently as he tours us through the newest lavender plants he put in this past Spring. Even the rarer white lavender are doing well, and it’s clear that Kevin has honed his agrarian skills quickly as he describes his process to us.

Where there is lavender {especially lavender in abundance} there are bound to be bees, and this simple law of nature led Kevin to Part 2 of his adventure: The Apiary. Bringing in an experienced local apiarist to get him started, Kevin is now producing raw honey and beeswax in abundance.

Photo by Cathie Coward

The farm now boasts an impressive 250, 000 bees who feast not only on the lavender, but also on the natural wildflower fields that frame their main source of sustenance. Most of the bees die off for the winter save the queens and a few of their workers. The process of disassembling the hives is fascinating as the bees literally clean the screens themselves, eating away at the remaining honey and beeswax.

The lavender harvest at Weir’s Lane leads to all kinds of amazing uses. We learned that French Lavender – less fragrant and milder than English – is primarily used for cooking. In contrast, English Lavender is the therapeutic lavender most of us would think of being used in aromatherapy to soothe frayed nerves. It also has some amazing uses topically, such healing cuts and scrapes and soothing bug bites!

Photo by Cathie Coward

Of course, the lavender can also be purchased dried by the bunch. The buds can be purchased by the bag if you feel inspired to create your own bath salts or therapeutic eye pillow. The charming little farm store is brimming with lotions and creams, beeswax candles and even lavender-infused raw honey – endless gift-giving options. Just delightful.

The season really has come to an end now, but I highly recommend putting this fragrant farm on your adventures list for this coming summer! We will definitely be back to see how the newest fields of lavender are doing while we drink in the therapeutic bliss of their fragrance.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 24th, 2012|0 Comments