Glitter nails!

The other day I was at the bank and got to talking with my teller about her awesome nails.  They looked kind of like this:

(This photo was originally tagged as “bridal”, which is just too hilarious!).

I thought they were so cool, but they cost her $50 and they’re gel nails.  And obviously I can’t have nails like that (right?!).  

I found a great substitute!  Essie has a new topcoat that’s nice and flashy:

Here’s the end result:

Ugh, why do hands always look so wrinkly in photos?

The glitter pieces are all different sizes, and really pretty! 

I think typing just got a lot more fun.  

Sunburst mirrors

I love sunburst mirrors!  They originated back in the 17th century with Louis XIV, and I think they’re amazing still today. 

via ballarddesigns.com

Hopefully I can find one for really cheap some day at an auction!

both via Miguel Meirelles Antiques

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What a crazy-looking movie!  Can’t wait!

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

Baby rock star

I just read this article:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/travel/19journeys-babies.html

(via Cup of Jo). 

Amazing!  I would love for Joe and I to do this when we have our own!

The Sashiko trials

I’m going to try a new craft this year!  Knitting consumed me for the past few years, but I’m feeling the need to branch out.  Maybe because I have all of the scarves a person could need, and I’m moving to Brisbane in a few months where the average winter temperature is 21 C.  

I first noticed sashiko on the Purl Bee, and I was immediately drawn to it.  One of my loves is repeating geometric patterns, and this embroidery is pretty much that!  

It seems simple but beautiful, and is a craft I can do on the bus.  I ordered some supplies, so I should be getting started any day now!  I envision eventually making a queen-size quilt covered in repeated shapes- but I’ll start with the sampler and see how that goes!  

Photo from the Purl Bee

Wanted: Shelter bag

I love both of these purses from Shelter:

The bright, geometric Taplin:

and the black and white ikat Taplin:

Amazing!  The company also has a great blog full of earthy photos and fun travels.

All photos from the Shelter Big Cartel shop.  

New sunnies!

My mom gave me a lovely present for Christmas- new sunnies (that I picked out)!  What do you think?  They call sunglasses “sunnies” in Australia FYI.

I

Christmas at the cottage

After a wonderful visit in North Augusta we all drove to my parents’ cottage on Dec 26.  It is in Haliburton Forest, and my mom and stepdad had it built about five years ago. Beautiful!

One of the highlights was visiting the Haliburton Forest.  This place really has it all- dogsledding, snowmobiling, cabins, lakes, hiking trails, a farm.  The list goes on!  Our first stop was to see their baby moose, Hershey.

His mother was hit on the road, and they took him in at the Forest Centre. 

He was friendly!

He came right over and ate leaves that we found for him.  We also found him some hay, which he gingerly took into his mouth and then promptly spat it out.  He’s a browser, not a grazer!

I’ve never touched a moose before.  He was soft!

He also had really sweet, shy eyes.  

Hershey can’t be released into the wild, because he never got the chance to learn any of the wild behaviours he would need to survive.  He seems pretty happy at the Centre though!

Here he is eating snow off the top of his enclosure.  He was kind of like an awkward teen- all awkward limbs and knees.

After visiting Hershey, we went on the Art Walk, which is a short walk in the woods that has art along the way.  It’s such a great idea!  All of the pieces are really natural-looking, and most are made from wood.  One of the most fun ones is the Castorimba- a big set of chimes made from sticks cut down by beavers!

You play the chimes with big sticks.  Kids would love this one!

Adult kids too.  After the art walk, we were heading back along the road while my mom was telling us a bit about the Wolf Centre at Halibuton Forest that we were walking by.  They have a wolf pack, and in the visitor’s centre you can see them being fed and learn all about them.  All of a sudden Joe says “There’s a wolf right there!”.  To our left, a black wolf with bright yellow eyes was staring at us!  

It was spooky, and so cool.  They’re not usually out where we were, so it was a great treat to see them.

There turned out to be four wolves in total- two black and two gray.  I liked the black ones better- it felt like they were staring into my soul!

After a nice, fatty lunch of poutine, fries and grilled cheese, we walked along a nice beach in the snow, looking at expensive cottages.  It was so much fun!  Joe and I are really lucky to have such amazing parents.