Merry long weekend!

I'm sure most of you will be kicking back and soaking in the last unofficial weekend of summer. Well, not me! Big plans are afoot with the reno-ing: ceilings are being patched and painted, appliances moved, countertop and fabric decisions being made, and flooring being installed. Can you say e-f-f-i-c-i-e-n-t? I can!

Updates to come next week!

Grass

Not just for mowing. Just think of the possibilities!

Lovely Metaphys Circle Grass Garden
(This I really like, and the cat can mow it for me.)

You could always have the low maintenance rug version.

And if you're going to start with a rug, why not add a chair?

With all that work done, you'll surely want to put your feet up.

I'm sure you'll be hungry after all of that. Why not have a snack?

But, be careful not to drop that on your dress!

Folding bicycle and other practical travel items

I've been looking for accoutrements for our trip in October (we're finally caving and getting some of those tacky neck pillows) and I came across the travelling section on A+R Store. Thinking that I would find the aforementioned neck pillows (fingers crossed that they might be a notch cooler here), I instead found a few quirky items that have no chance of making it into my single checked piece of luggage, but figured it would be worth showing here.

Mark Sanders Strida 5.0 Folding Bicyle
(Sad note here, it doesn't come in green!)

Citizen Citizen 'Shoplifter' Tote Bag
(Um, I wouldn't want to push that point, especially in a foreign country.)

XXD Folding Picnic Set
(This would be great for packing a nice lunch onboard a plane...if we weren't in economy.)

Stamp

This came attached to a package containing a low-res sample CD of the photo shoot that was done last Thursday. Besides all that, it's more of the blue-y-green-y-ness kick I'm on. Pretty.

Messing with the camera

Tomatoes

There's something really satisfying knowing that I grew these from seed. These are the first two ripe and picked from the back yard, with many more changing colour. If I'm lucky, there will be enough for a salsa. (mmmm...salsa!)

Goodbye kitchen floor

The destruction started last night. Scrapers, crowbars and hammers galore. Soon there will be a pretty hardwood floor to look at.

Finding a style

I can really get down with Audrey Romano's digs. I think it might be all the blues and greens that I can't get enough of lately.

via design*sponge

Hanging with my peep

Saturday was a girlie day, with my sister and her hub visiting us for the weekend. We started the day with a little photo shoot (so she can look back and say that she is/was a 'hot mama'!) worked our way to Whole Foods, fabric and craft stores, and ended the day with a BBQ full of sticky ribs.

If you've got time to spare

Check out mygazines, a website that lets you browse current and archived issues of almost* every magazine out there.

*It's still a new-ish site, so I wasn't able to find some magazines I was looking for ('Olive', a magazine from the UK, was one search that came up empty).

Updating on all the goods

I figure there should be a post on what's been happening around the house with the reno 'situation' as of late. Well, it's all going swimmingly so far; we're almost at the end of the basement (touchups, caulking, painting, some laundry room assembly to do) and now we're striding ahead to the main floor again.

In the last while I've painted the living room, dining room, entrance area, loft and stairwells (they all share the same colour as there's no doors to break them up). Just this week I've moved on to the kitchen and family room -- and that's close to being done as well, although the kitchen area is a bit more challenging with all of the things I have to move. Trevor's been spending the week installing pot lights in the kitchen (good bye ugly puffy ceiling light!!!) and figuring things out with his media center (I say 'his' because I haven't been given the tutorial on how to use it yet).

We had Home Depot come out and measure the countertop in the kitchen and they came back with a rotten price for doing it, so we're investigating other options and going to consider a solid surface option that might be economical (really I'm saying 'economical' with a cringe because I have no idea what that means anymore). We have also picked out a new hardwood floor for the kitchen/family room which is now sitting in our living room adjusting to the temperature of the house (yes, you have to do that).

And in the midst of all of this I have a full day photo shoot in Stanley Park to direct tomorrow (nice early start there *yawn*) and then I plan on taking most of Friday off to wipe off the doorstep for my sister and her hub who are coming to stay with us for the weekend (yay!).

So if the posts are spotty for the next few days, you'll know why!

A litta bitta illustration

Sometimes you can't beat hand drawn illustrations. The work of Yehrin Tong is fab.

via d.sharp

Vintage signs

Nice set on flickr.

via the serif

Poster inspiration

Cool posters for the Museum of Childhood.

via the serif

S-M-R-T logo

Nice new logo for Bobby's Burger Palace (yes...'palace', strange!) in Lake Grove, Long Island. Best part is that the interior designers based the restaurant interior on the logo.

via Creative Review Blog

Ode To Joy

A blog that makes me ooooo and ahhhhh

Delicious Days is sooooo lovely to look at. The photos are stunning, I mean REALLY stunning. Just look at the three I've plucked from it:

*sigh* I could do a big life 'tradsies' with that right about now! Must research a new macro camera lens as well, lol!

Seriously, now

I have been trying to figure out plane tickets all week. You would think that we have the most complex schedule, but really, it's only between 5 cities in 4 countries. Not a huge and exotic schedule (I think): Vancouver - Toronto - London - Belfast - London - Barcelona - Vancouver. Just try and book it through any travel site and you'll realize what a mess it is (not that I recommend it because then you'll just fill up the seats I want!).

I think I've finally been able to figure it out, but the connection part always makes me overplan. Is 3.5 hours enough to connect from an international flight to another international flight in different terminals (in Heathrow of all places)? Oy.

At least I'm better at finding accommodations. I've booked the B&B for Northern Ireland and we're staying here. I'm looking at booking this for London. And this one for Barcelona.

A fanny pack for your face

I came across this beauty on Etsy today.

Now that you're scratching your head (and pondering how you too, can have this textile marvel they call the 'nekk n brace'), let's take a look at it's description from the seller:

a lil bit nekkn a lil bit nbrace
Its a scarf. bandanna. with a pocket to hold your treasures. like a fanny pack for your face.
bold geometric pattern
choose your own adventure style. many different ways to wear the nekk'n brace.
great for ridding bikes and looking swass.
made from 100% salvaged materials

Neck brace. Check!
A scarf and bandana and pocket all in one? A scandanet? Check, check and check!
A fanny pack for my face. MY SEARCH IS OVER, check!
Bold geometrics, great for accentuating the face. Check!
Choose your own adventure (like the books!). Most definite check!
I can 'rid' my bike AND look 'swass' with it! Damn right check!

All this for just $40 (plus shipping of course) and you can be the coolest kid in your 'hood, right on time for back to school!
(Granny's old speckies, 10-speed and shirtlessness optional.)

As if you need another reason to got to Target

More great packaging from Target (as usual), this time updating their 'Archer Farms' brand and steering away from the country-kitsch look towards a fresher*, sharper and more graphic look.

This description from the studio that created it, sums it up better:

Target Corporation needed an upscale look for its premium food label—one that would go against the grain, standing out among the clutter, din and hue of typical supermarket shelves. Our solution centers around a fresh "sprout" logo that steers away from a barnyard look that might be expected of a brand called Archer Farms. The system is clean and simple featuring sans-serif fonts, a vivid palette and a decidedly European use of white space.

*Okay, here's where I blow the whistle on them...I've seen this shape and design done before - and it was very similar to what Target has done. I've been trying to remember where I've seen it but can't put my finger on it. Now this is going to bug me all day.

Olympics

These aren't exactly timely, but I love these two photos.
via fffound

The little man is getting bigger

This was taken last Friday when I was in Victoria. You can almost see what he's going to look like a little more now, and he's got a rad little (au naturale) mohawk going on!

The passport office is more efficient than you'd think

I was up early this morning to get to the passport office when it opened around 8am, with the keener idea of avoiding big waits. When I arrived, there was a smattering of people waiting in the seats and everything went smoothly (well, except for questions about what happened to my passport -- it got wet 5 days after it expired last month).

I was back at the house around 8:50am and ready to start on today's tasks (even though I don't feel like doing any of them). Boooooo...

Just one more post before tomorrow

Ferry Staverman does some seriously impressive work. Think of those Hallmark decorations that you could pop out and make table top centerpieces for Christmas...but these you could keep out all year (although not near a blustery open window...).

Get your pattern on

I'm posting an uncharacteristic entry at the end of the day (as opposed to my usual A.M. bursts) since tomorrow morning I'll be standing in line, bright and early, at the passport office.

The pattern work by Nippy Sweetie is faaaa-aaaaa-aaaa-you get my point-bulous. I am so taken by the last pattern (but love all of them):