pigeon toe ceramics at branch

oh i'd just love to have some of these pretties on my kitchen counter, wouldn't you? loving the combination of grey + mustard + turquoise in those nesting bowls, it's just so fresh. you can get these and other gorgeous items from pigeon toe ceramics at branch.

images via branch.

definitely check out the pigeon toe ceramics website, where you'll find oodles of amazing goodies like these.

pretty prints

happy thoughts, warm feelings, pretty prints.

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom.

all around you :: studio mela

everything wonderful happens here :: laura george

best day ever :: erin jane illustrations

raindrops on my shoulder make me happy

did i get that line right? i'm just looking for some rainbows in my gloom.

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

the bright side :: studio mela

monsieur under the rain print :: cosas minimas by blanca gomez

raindrops 18x24 poster :: deedee9:14

sick day

my family + i have had a bit of a rough time this past 8 weeks or so. health has not been on our side. nothing serious, thankfully, but a steady string of awful days, making our 2010 seem pretty glum thus far. yesterday, a new bug hit, and my husband is down for the count with the stomach flu. i can only hope that it ends here, and we can go from feeling shriveled + bleak like this

to feeling perked up + bright + cheery like these lovelies. please, i'm begging.

type + travel

i came across these awesome travel-inspired prints last night while trolling around etsy. one of my favourite ways to search is by colour, and when i typed in my current fave combo [grey + orange, of course] this is what came up. and i'm so so glad it did, i think i'm in love.

images via taylor's typographical art posters

i'm loving the combination of bold type + clean graphics, and the gridded layout definitely appeals to the draftsperson in me. i can imagine it must have been fun to choose which iconic images to draw to properly represent each city. if you're looking for more great affordable art, head on over to taylor's typographical art posters on etsy.

city love :: olympic fever

this past weekend, we took the kids downtown to spend the day amongst the olympic revelers. locals + tourists alike were out in force. we explored the sights at livecity yaletown, then wound our way through town to the library, ending our day at the vag + robson square. i thought i'd share a few pics i snapped along the way.

first up, here are some shots from inside vancouver house. local artists, designers + media with eco-minded practices are highlighted in this minimal, stylish space. i love the lighting installation at the centre of the pavilion, shown below. curved natural plywood slats surround vellum bulbs lit with leds. very cool. there was a lovely + quiet lounge area, showcasing some coffee tables from brent comber's shattered series. i only wish i'd had the chance to read the various written blurbs, but with two busy kiddos running around and getting impatient, i had to be satisfied with a quick tour and a few hasty snapshots.

next up, the library. since the new building was completed in 95, it has been one of my favourite spots downtown. i love the extensive use of glass, and how the angular construction cause it to reflect its many panes over + over. downstairs, you can write a wish for peace on a sheet of vellum, fold it up into an airplane, and launch it up to land in a net suspended above in the atrium. at night, tiny led lights at the tip of each plane twinkle like stars in the sky.

and the crowds. by far the craziest thing, i've never seen so many people out in this city. the excitement and the buzz, along robson street especially, is just amazing.

my little guy, enjoying some music in front of the art gallery

while i've had many mixed feelings about these games [which i'm just not going to get into here, i'm not here to chat politics!], i must say i definitely felt proud to be able to call vancouver my home.

a strategically placed building wrap, reflecting a perfect canada flag.

{edit :: march 17 :: some of these links may no longer be live, as many of the olympic websites seem to have been removed since the end of the events. sorry for any confusion!!}

vancouver fashion for spring

definitely loving seeing some of the new spring/summer collections coming from local vancouver fashion designers this month. i highlighted some of my favourite looks from lily + jae last week. today i'm sharing a few more of my faves, from three more local lovelies.

images via lav & kush

images via nixxi

images via dace

i love the flirty feminine ruffles over at lav & kush. the denim romper is my fave, for sure. i was also happy to see a lot of black punched throughout both the nixxi and dace collections. it's nice to see black used with the lighter summery silhouettes, rather than just reserved for the heavier looks of fall/winter.

as we continue to have crazy mild + spring-like weather here in vancouver, i'm definitely looking forward to donning some sweet dresses very soon. i'm kind of over the lack of winter around here, let's hope the usual march chill doesn't put a damper on my desire for spring.

where i live :: vancouver

one of the many reasons i love this city. how could you not?

via poppytalk, via 2 days in the rain.

my little valentine

won't you be mine?

{image sources} top left :: top right :: bottom left :: bottom right

a touch of romance

a few romantic ideas, some things i'd love, both to give and to receive.

how will you be showing your love this weekend?

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

mine is the heart you call home :: nan lawson

love letters :: rebecca plotnick photography

anniversary -- personalized wall display :: a. e. wilder

two sided secret poetry stackable ring :: delias thompson

you make my heart shine, heart of gold :: paloma's nest

why isn't it in vancouver, part III

oh, j. crew, your preppy goodness is needed here in vancouver. pretty staples, nice feminine basics, and great dresses. please, come soon.

oh, and my sweet little girl needs you, too.

all images via j. crew

lily + jae :: road tripping

spring is almost here. can you feel it? local vancouver fashion house

lily + jae is always one of my first stops at this time of year. they consistently put together an amazing collection, and spring/summer 2010 does not disappoint. channeling the 60s with a definite thelma & louise vibe, designer jude feller is taking us along on her summer road trip.

bohemian florals, relaxed denim, teal + coral + white. ruffles, pleats, defined waistlines + shortened hems. relaxed feminine beauty, a lily + jae signature.

i've mentioned here before that i'd love to don one of lily + jae's frocks for a styling solstice camping trip. this summer, maybe you'll find me singing around the campfire in this little beauty. now if only i could just hop into that classic olds, i'll be on my way.

all images via lily + jae

inspiration :: seasons in bc

thought i'd share some of my photos from the past year or so, month by month, to give you a little taste of the natural surroundings that inspire me on a daily basis. i think i live in one of the most scenically beautiful corners of the earth. i love that i can call british columbia my home.

{from top}

february :: dundarave beach [west vancouver]

march :: mackenzie beach [tofino bc]

april :: daffodil [my front garden]

may :: canopy of trees [stanley park]

june :: lynn canyon [north vancouver]

july :: the alders [merville bc]

august :: burrard street bridge [from granville island]

august :: weaver lake [harrison bc]

september :: chesterman beach [tofino bc]

october :: yellow tree, mosquito creek park [north vancouver]

november :: capilano reservoir + the lions [north vancouver]

december :: grouse mountain, peak [north vancouver]

december :: van city + pacific ocean [from grouse mountain]

january :: van city [from north van, near my house]

february :: crocus flowers [my front garden]