Cottage Weekend: An Afternoon with Friends and an Adorable Pup (okay, mostly just Jasper)

While up north for the August long weekend, Ephraim and I had the chance to make the 45-odd-minute drive to visit a couple friends up at a cottage on a nearby lake.  Equipped with hamburger buns and some beer, we set out.  The cottage we were visiting was on a lake, and so we parked our car at the docks and our friends came to pick us up in a motorized dinghy, which I was pretty pumped about.  I had a cottage growing up, but we were always road accessible, and boat rides always felt the most special.  Now, of course, a dinghy doesn't exactly motor along, but I still enjoyed myself thoroughly. 

We arrived at just the right time to settle in and await the final touches on an incredibly delicious lunch.  I have no pictures of this lunch, because it was too delicious.  And because I feel like an idiot photographing everything.  I cannot ever be shamed out of photographing an adorable dog, however, so I took many pictures of Jasper over the course of the afternoon instead.   Some day I will properly document our friend Becca's cooking to share here, because it is truly delicious (and incredibly varied; I need to learn some skills to have a range like that!!).  Becca and her fiance Hugh used to have a food and wine blog, which I think they should really bring back.  It was hilarious.  And informative.  And as the one who lives two hours away, I generally wish all my friends would blog so I could "hear" them a little more often.  SIGH.  Okay, moving on, that's as sappy as I'm getting today!!

It would be wrong to call the cottage "basic", lest that come off not as complimentary as I mean it, and "rustic" seems to be thrown around a lot these days.  The whole place is wood, unpainted, lightly finished, giving the cottage this warm glow.  It's unbelievably cozy, for a place that isn't winterized.  Great big windows swing up and tie off to the ceiling for fresh air.  The wooden supports of the walls become storage for books, board games, and mason jars upon mason jars; I had sadly missed a peach jam making and pickling session; I've been promised a make up lesson to make pickles in October.  The cottage is comfortable without having too many comforts: but it does have - as Ephraim calls it - the most civilized outhouse you've ever seen. 

The rest of our time at the cottage was spent sitting outside, playing Star Wars Trivial Pursuit.  Except that we couldn't find the board, so we just asked each other questions.  Okay, mostly we asked Ephraim questions, and marveled over how he knows everything about Star Wars.  I like Star Wars a great deal, but I don't know many characters names.  Ephraim collected Star Wars trading cards as a child, and as a result has an encyclopaedic knowledge of everyone, what they're called, what they did, where they come from, what their favourite colour is, the works.  It's impressive and frightening.  And unfortunately utterly useless, except in matters of impressing your friends, or strangers on the internet.  Still, it was a fun afternoon, even if Jasper wouldn't pose for me.  I'll get you yet, Jasp.  Hopefully in the winter when you're delightfully shaggy.  You'll see! You'll all see!

This is Jasper's Blue Steel.

--Erin

Studio Shots: Paradigm Designs

I find artists' studios so interesting.  The music they keep around to listen to, the books to be inspired by, and best of all, the tools they use to make it all happen. My studio at home is the most thoroughly decorated in my house (not easy when you live in furnished company housing!), and I am already daydreaming about the studios I will -or hope to- have in the future.  While up north for the holidays, I took a quick moment to cruise around Ephraim's parents' studio and take some photos of the cool stuff they work with to make Paradigm Designs, as well as Jeffrey's independent silver works, a reality.

Susan  and Jeffrey are both silversmiths, though they use their skills to create very different works from one another - when they aren't collaborating, that is!  Silversmithing is the art of manipulating sheet metal into objects: be it flatware (cutlery), holloware (bowls, vases, plates and the like), or jewelry.  While many silversmiths are also goldsmiths, Paradigm Designs works almost exclusively in silver, with pieces ranging from elegant necklaces, to intricate chain work, to more radical showpieces.  My favourite of the latter is a story of two metal bras with chain maille straps. The first incarnation, made of brass, was sold to none other than Carole Pope, the front woman of Canadian new wave band Rough Trade -because yeah, she would need a metal bra in her closet! Years later, a second metal bra - this time fashioned out of silver - was crafted, which is part of the MacDonald Stuart Contemporary Silver Collection in Guelph, Ontario.  Whether they are crafting stunning jewelry with precious stones, or silver tea sets with African Bloodwood handles, they get to work on their projects from the comfort of their own home.  I just loved seeing the multitude of tools they use to manipulate the materials they work with, though admittedly I don't know the function of each one.  In addition to running their own business, Susan and Jeffrey also teach classes on metal working and jewelry design, at the Haliburton School of the Arts.  I'd love to take some classes up there, including, of course, one that they teach! I have an upcoming project that involves some metal working, and I'd love a chance to learn about techniques I may need before I dive in head first. I really must pay stricter attention to the demonstrations Jeffrey does when there is a Studio Tour happening.  I tend to get wrapped up in how amazing his period costume is; I do so like a bit of showmanship!

Of course it can't all be clad in tricorn hats and such fanciful things.  The metal shavings, hammers and drills, the shelves sagging from the weight of books; that's where it's really at. Every day when I go to work, walking into the studio and seeing my tools is what makes me excited to work.  I am so excited for the day when I can organize my paints and sewing machines in plain sight, and have the kind of studio I have always dreamed of.  A space to inspire, to work, to make the best kinds of messes.  A space to build my own career, life and dreams.

Do you have a space at home you like to work in? Be it a whole room dedicated to your craft of choice, a little nook, a desk, your kitchen, or simply a computer, how do you keep yourself inspired to create at home?

--Erin

Baby, It's Cold Outside: Christmas Photo Dump Pt. 2

As I said in the first installment of my Christmas photos, I am really not a fan of being cold.  Like, at all.  So the majority of my time up north was spent in doors, curled up on a big comfy chair in the living room reading or watching a movie or most certainly sipping a cup of tea.  The perfect way to spend a day, in my opinion! With all the lovely decorations up, I got pretty snap-happy as well, so here are some of my favourite indoor photos from Christmas.  The sewing machine necklace was a gift from Ephraim, and the snowflake and wood box are my wrapped gifts for him.  That's totally just a shoe box covered in wood grain ConTact paper, tied up with some twine, by the way.  I really am obsessed with ConTact paper.  That's even the same roll I used to make my wall decals.  Love it!

Naturally with all those beautiful twinkly lights up I had to do some bokeh! Here are just a couple little teasers (I must have taken 100 shots!) of some heart shaped bokeh I did.  I'll be sharing the rest with a bokeh tutorial in the next couple weeks! The black and white photo of Ephraim has some subtle heart bokeh from the tree, definitely enlarge for the best view possible! I think it looks so sweet. And of course wrapping it all up is my favourite ornament on Ephraim's parents' tree... even if Yoda looks a wee bit menacing!! He'd go perfectly with my Star Wars themed Christmas tree I have dreamed up... just sayin'...

--Erin

Walking in a Winter Wonderland: Christmas Photo Dump Pt. 1

Happy New Year, all! Or should I say, happy international hangover day? I hope you all had a swell time last night in whatever way you chose to celebrate the beginning of a new year, and are filled with motivation and optimism for the 365 days ahead until we do it all over again! I'm headed to a friends' house today to enjoy a large and prolonged brunch (you can graze on waffles for hours at a time, yes? Tell me I'm not alone) and a Simpsons marathon, with 25 selected episodes for our viewing pleasure.  It's a good, proper lazy day.

Though I spent Christmas Day by myself in Niagara, I got to head up north to Ephraim's parents' house on boxing day to enjoy a couple days with plenty of snow, reading by a fire, and more food than could ever possibly be consumed.  I of course took heaps of photos, and though most of them were taken indoors (it was cold out, and I am not a fan of being  cold voluntarily!!), I did venture outside a bit.  Here are some of my favourite outdoor shots from those couple of days.  Feels chilly just looking at them!

--Erin

Remnants of Thanksgiving

Readjusting to working life is hard after 3 weeks off, especially when you have photos like these to sort through and edit. 

In related work news, I really should stop beating myself up over how few books I've been reading - or rather, completing - lately.  I look at the 3' thick stack of A4 paper I've read in the past two weeks and my head reels with all the names of the characters.   10 plays.  Gotta count for something, right? 

--Erin

The Old Quarry

While on my solo walk over the long weekend, I made a point to stop by this gravel pit some 25 minutes walk from Ephraim's parents' place.  Ephraim refers to it as the quarry, but I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.  I sure as shit would never ever want to go swimming there, even if I was a rebellious 50's teen.  Sketchy, man!

Regardless, the site was the set for many of Ephraim's science fiction films produced over summers when he was a kid, and I could really see why! There's tons of old abandoned equipment, heaps of sand and rock, a hole who knows how deep full of water, most everything you need for a small scale dystopia.  Heaven for children, and judging by the long irregular footprints down the side of one sandy dune, time hasn't changed that.  Nor is that silly little gate keeping anyone out.  Try harder, gate, or get a proper welcome mat.  Come on!

I loved the way the rusty equipment looked against the autumn colours, the beauty in the death of each of these things.  I have always adored the way corroding metal looks, likewise peeling paint and wallpaper, generally derelict places.  Haunting, peaceful, loaded with stories. 

You know, I kind of want to make a science fiction film there myself now! But perhaps in a smaller scale... taking place within some of this decaying equipment perhaps? Now there's an idea.

--Erin

A Walk Down Autumn Lane

Feeling a bit antsy for a little time alone (for the first time in about 2 weeks), I took myself on a little photo walk on Sunday afternoon.  Just me, my camera, and my tunes - primarily The Shins, if you must know.  The leaves had all changed to brilliant hues, many of them scattered on the ground, and I knew I must take action and preserve the beauty in my lens while I could.  But enough yammering, here's a bit of what I found.

on the road to nowhere

I'm going to be really sad when autumn is over, winter feels awfully long when you live in a small town and haven't got a car! 

This last week off has been all about running around, seeing as many friends as I can, and preparing for my long weekend in Quebec.  I've read tons of plays in preparation for next season, and have managed to get sick...again.  I'm putting myself on a strict regimen of tea drinking, soup slurping, Dr. Who watching and sleeping so that I can enjoy at least one of my little mini trips out of town in good health.  Wish me luck! Or rather, wish my immune system luck? Ugh.  Anybody got any cold remedies they'd like to send my way? 

--Erin