This Is Me In Grade Nine Baby

Theres a girl here and I know I went to highschool with her. She looks like the saddest girl in the world. I don’t think she recognizes me, maybe she never did. She was older than me, popular, sexy. I would totally say hi, but it feels so highschool.

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I named him Isaac, after Newton.

Who?! A new someone… Isaac Newton joins Andy Warhol & James Dean as the important units in my life, my computers. Why Isaac? He’s  “considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived.” I’ve named one after an artist, one after an actor and I wanted to name this one after a scientist. Newton talked about  universal gravitation, laws of motion, the universe, attraction and I’m into that. I name my gadgets after inspiring men in history because I spend so much time with them. Technologic boyfriend. They fuel my creativity. Computers are boys names, cameras are girls. Thanks Dell. I’m not used to using a PC even though I’ve only been Mac for less than a year. Time flies eh? Started a new sketchbook and working on some creative ideas for the year. Have an Ultrabook, tips, or any questions about the device? LMK.  I’m ready to test it to it’s fullest and compare it to my darling little Macbook Air. Tomorrow I’m giving away those Palladium shoes to some lovely young lady so if you have small feet and would like to me send them to you, leave a comment on the post here. I’ll send them to anyone in the world but will pay for shipping anywhere in North America. 🙂 Spending the night at home w/ Keri Blog, blogging, watching movies and drinking the Sapporo beer I had a few vouchers for.  I’m hoping we don’t dip into the tequila that was delivered today but y’never know! Have an awesome day.

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“Conversations With Myself”

I’m tempted to write a memoir with this title about my life and the past seven years blogging. I started April 2005, first on myspace, then blogger, then Tumblr, Posterous, and WordPress. Throw all the other platforms into the mix and there has been lots of change in how content is shared and how I personally deliver my stories to the world. It started out as a dairy, a place to keep my memories and back then, I never even imagined it would turn into a career and open up all the doors it has. One of my favourite posts is “A Blog is An Engine” from February 5th, 2010. “A blog is an engine and behind that blog is a person. There, in that very chair,  sits a  person with bounds of creativity. The type of creativity that you can not ever imagine because it is unimaginable to your mind. It creates.  By the time you are reading this the engine has worked twice as fast,  faster.  The engine is moved by some type of driver and the engine has many tools. It employs services to work as engines in order to make it grow. The production must try to keep up with the mind yet the creativity, it DOES NOT STOP.  It flows and drives and moves and the more it makes the more it has for it is infinite.” I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a book for a while. I wrote my first book at 16 and became a published Canadian Author so if I could do it then I can SURELY do it now. I strongly feel that the more creativity I let out, the more I let it flow the more I have.  There’s lots going on but that only motivates me MORE to do the things I…

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MASS EXODUS, 3F, PEACOCK PARADE SALE & GAGA

Hallo & guten morgen! I woke up earlier than my alarm, reckon that’s a true sign of a happy life. Lots to do this week! OK, LEGGGGGGGO! Thursday is MASS EXODUS the annual fashion show put on by Ryerson University’s School of Fashion. I attended the show in 2010 wich featured a rad performance by Fritz Helder. This year I’m working with one of the sponsors, 3F and I’ll be attending Thursday for media night. Promo video for Ryerson’s MASS EXODUS 2012: Today I get to see all those photos from the super professional shoot I had last week w/ Adrian Fiebig. I’m pretty stoked. Planned a new tattoo I’m getting Friday, y’know, Friday the 13th. I used to hate the day until I took charge and got a tattoo I loved one fine Friday the 13th many moons ago (story here). It was way back when I had no tattoos on my arms at all. Well, that’s never gonna happen again! New tattoo goes with Sailor Jerry sleeve theme and there’s a heart and a girl involved. SWORN TO SECRECY! Ok, jk, it’s kinda like this. This afternoon I’m heading to the fashionable Burroughes Building at 639 Queen St. The Peacock Parade and their event partners, Foxy Originals, Luved Clothing and This Is J. Have you checked out Peacock Parade before? I’m just about to make my very first purchase! The company is a Toronto based startup that offers different sales each day on really, really nice designer items. Looking good is feeling good baby! Deets on the Peacock Parade Pop-up Shop: Remember how excited the world was when this game out? I’m feeling Gaga inspired today so I just watched it again. Have fun with it stuck on your head ALL DAY! BTW my Hunger Games obsession has been taken to a new level, I ordered a Mockingjay pendant from Etsy. OBSESSED.…

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Going Home

Older people always tell you ‘time goes fast then’ you get older and you become that person. It’s true. Both things. When I get really drained from life & the city I like going back to my home town. I grew up in Cambridge, Ontario, I went there this weekend. Have you been? It’s quite lovely, and quiet and you can see way more stars. I have a group of friends there that I always see. One even lives across the street in Toronto but I pretty much only get together him when we’re all home for a holiday. It’s awesome. No matter how tired I get from travel, events, work life, nothing reenergizes me like some home cooking and chatting at a familiar place with the crew.  Other great re-energizers are yoga and cottages. This weekend has for once (in a longish while) been really relaxing. Saturday night I had a hot tub and went to bed early. Friday night I had poutine and some serious Draw Something. Add me: casiestewart.  We all get so busy and technology is such a part of our lives that it’s really hard to shut off. Ok not for everyoneeeee but lots of us. Especially me. I’m sitting in my old room at Mum’s as I wrote this and it’s quite magical how inspiring it is for creativity. Tonight her and I went on a date to see Hunger Games and I loved it; girls night AND the actual movie. Have you seen it? The fashion made me really excited for Halloween. Or whenever! Look at those lashes and hair. I love this, I do. Hat gloves, earings, eyebrows, lipstick. I know I’m late to the boat but sheesh, why didn’t anyone inform me of this. There was even love story! The movie used 35 full-time makeup artists. And there were…

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Blog Life: Sometimes I don’t feel like it. #6

Today was a really busy business day and all I feel like doing is getting a huge slice of chocolate cake and sitting on the couch. It’s my fav night for TV, Criminal Minds & Modern Family. I want to shut my brain off but there is no brain off button. I didn’t blog today until now which usually gives me anxiety but to I just didn’t really feel like today. I tweeted, had my hair done and went to a PR event. I made a couple drafts but nothing made it to publish. I’ve been reading poetry while I watch TV that I wrote years ago. I used to write all the time. Did you know I was a published author in 1996? I co-wrote an anthology of poetry and prose. Lots of work from 2003-2008 lives on MySpace in a far away blog from many moons ago. I’ve been thinking about sharing it here, I just might 😉 Updated the old drawing blog Borderline Artistic too. It’s gettin’ artsy around here ladies & gentlemen.  Rogers included part of this old video on my episode last night, which was amazing by the way. Super humbled by the whole thing. I can’t wait to show you. Enjoy! ♥ CASIE Wind Lift The wind lifts a tissue, Roughly tosses it up and around Sharply throwing it to the ground. It races thought people on the street Catching on things as it passes And things it meets. It rises and meets the sky, Gets caught. Finds love.

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deliberately undeveloped literary fragments

Tried marble nails last night. Need practice. Didn’t blog yesterday. First day off in ages. Made cabbage soup. Hope to drop a few LBs. Slept funny on shoulder. It’s hurting now. Have lots of meetings this week. Work is good. Looks relatively warm outside. Sun is shining. Might clean my room today. Probably not likely. Feeling rather artistic. Breakfast with my sketchbook. Heart’s a little empty. Missing you a bit. Time to make coffee. Have a wonderful day. <3

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Sometimes I don’t feel like it. #5

Blogging is a weird and wonderful thing. I love it but just like everyone else, sometimes I don’t feel like going to work. I’ve been sitting in front of my computer, watching a movie, editing photos iPhone for upcoming posts. I made jello earlier. I have lots of things I want to write about but, sometimes I don’t feel like it. Sometimes my mind is distracted and floats into an ocean of ideas, it takes a vacation. I keep gazing out the window and watching the lake.   It’s very peaceful out there today. I need to catch up on sleep this weekend. I’ve been going non-stop for days, months and it’s only beginning to sink in that SXSW is next week, then Fashion Week, then Canadian Club secret adventure, Canadian Music Week, and then, and then, and then. NO MORE AND THEN. I get anxiety thinking about all the people, events, travel, everything.  Had some of the jello, it’s strawberry & delicious. This is a good song. This weekend is break time. I need to tidy up and pack for our drive across America. I’m watching this movie called ‘Cyber Bully’ and it makes me sick/sad hearing this girls story. I can only imagine what it’s like for kids in school these days. (Am I old now for saying that?) I had a hard enough time in high school and there wasn’t Facebook, Twitter or blogs. Her ‘friend’ created a profile of a cute boy who made friends with her and then spread rumors and basically ruined her reputation which leads the girl to attempt suicide. Having a jealous friend is the worst, worst, worst. If you have one, beware. They’re toxic to keep around, better to ditch ’em.  I learned that lesson the hard way. I think it’s time for a nap. Upcoming posts &…

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This one time I sent a really mean valentine.

When I was in primary school this boy Adam really liked me. I was in grade 5, Mrs. Rolt’s class and he was in grade 4. I did not like Adam. I wasn’t a romantic then like I am now. (Mum is going to have a giggle when she reads this.) I made a bunch of valentines on our old computer to give to friends in my class and around school. They were quite lovely, beautiful actually,  I hand coloured the hearts by hand with pencil crayon. (This was back when printer’s were black & white and  the paper had holes on the sides.) I wrote recipients name & class number on valentines and cupid would deliver them by end of day. Well, my valentine for Adam was REALLY special. I coloured his in with special care and signed my name. Before sending I wrote “I HATE YOU” in bold pencil. I hated him. He was really mean to me all the time and I was really upset. It’s not nice to be picked on. As a creative person & writer this is how I dealt with the bully. It was not really the right way to deal, but, hey, I was in grade five and I didn’t know any better. The valentine did NOT go over well. I had a pending application to the leadership council and my Mum got a ring form the school and  was told how “that type of behaviour would not be tolerated” and I should not be a leader on the council.  Mum explained how he had been bullying me and I was upset and I was just a kid and I was a creative person and I had hurt feelings. I got let off the hook and joined the leadership council the following year. Adam was so sad at the…

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DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH

Morning! I’ve been added as a speaker to a second panel during Social Media Week and this one is probably the most personal talk I’ve even agreed to take part in. It’s about to get deep, we’re talking ANXIETY. One of the things that gives me the most anxiety and possibly you too, is not having money. I’ve gone through lots of ups & downs in my life and I don’t come from money so all I have, is all I’ve earned. When I returned from Australia I was so skinny from living on next to nothing I looked like Nicole in her anorexic days, not by choice. It’s hard to carve out a way to get paid for what you love doing. Especially as a creative person. Last summer I wrote a post about how you can’t pay me in chips or chocolate bars. I got sick and tired of people asking me to do work for them in return for things I don’t need. What would I do with a bunch of chips & chocolate? I go to the gym for a reason! Helloooooo. If they (whoever is asking) are getting a paycheque and are asking me to do work, I should get paid too. You wouldn’t believe some of the extreme things I get asked to to in return for ‘publicity’. I turn down way more than I accept. (That’s not to say I don’t love getting a few freebie’s along the way!) Lauren posted this video that’s an excerpt from an upcoming documentary on Harlan Ellison, “DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH“. He’s an excellent writer and inspiring man. I’m sure you will enjoy it. My startup disk is full so I’ll be spending the afternoon moving TO THE CLOUD. Have a spectacular day. It’s lovely & sunny in Toronto 🙂

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Have Confidence in Your Business

Watched this talk last night by Mike Monteiro about being a person who works in the business of being creative. He talks about relationship building and uses good language. The start is amusing and I learned a few things. I drew on iPad while he was talking. He brings in his lawyer, who is quite insightful. Especially when it comes to how to take care of client service contracts as a small business. Sounds boring but it’s not. I watched the whole thing. Having a business lawyer like Weisblatt Law Firm can really help expand and build on your business in the best way possible with sorting out legalities. If the person you are working with has their lawyer on the call, you should have yours. 2011/03 Mike Monteiro | F*ck You. Pay Me. from San Francisco Creative Mornings I like when he says ” I would like designers to stop being bottoms, realize the power you have in the relationship”. (You’ll enjoy that part I’m sure.) I love listening to entrepreneurs talk. It’s like candy for your brain. At the end he says something that I say to you and myself like, errrrrrrry day. Go do something awesome.

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THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN’T DO

I want a balloon tree. I always have. The Balloon Tree by Phoebie Gilman was one of my favourite books as a child. We used to read heaps of books. Each summer Jenie and I would join the Summer Reading Club at the Preston library. I spent so much of my childhood at that place. I was either there, the dance studio, or gymnastics. I’m pretty sure I had my first reading by Robert Munsch at the Preston library.  I remember meeting Phoebie Gilman and having my photo taken with her. Authors were my celebrities back then.  When I wrote ‘Jeans: an anthology of poetry & prose‘ in 1996 we had our book launch there. We sold over 80 books that night and one dollar from the sale of each went to the Women’s Crisis Shelter.  It was a magical night. I’l never forget how good it feels sitting there signing your own book for a lineup of people. I’ve been (slowly) working on another  book. Write more, read more, that’s what I keep telling myself. I’m a big believer in the power of positive thought and a few things I’ve been thinking about lately are libraries and speaking. Not necessarily together but in general. The crazy thing is, I got an email from Marketing Magazine asking me to speak at an event next month and guess where it is? A LIBRARY. My favourite library in the city, Toronto Reference. We’re talking youth culture and the founder of VICE Magazine will also be there talking about The Creators Project between Vice & Intel. I’ve been a Vice fan for about ten years and have a diploma in marketing so this is all quite exciting. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN’T DO. The Creators Project is really cool and well, CREATIVE. “I have…

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What time is it?

Time to get up. Time to get off the couch. Time to pick up the phone and make that call. Time to start living. Time to start loving. Time to make that list of things you want to accomplish and not let anything get in the way. Time to let go. Time to take abreak. Time to make a move. Time to sit back and relax. Time to do something. Time to break free. You’ve  got the whole world in your hands.

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If not now, when?

Ask yourself this every single day.  I’m sitting in the Boston Logan Airport lounge listening to music and soaking up as much free wifi as a girl can. I got to thinking about life and goals and what I dreamed of doing and where I’m going. Not like, back to Toronto but where am I really going? I think January is a time everyone does that introspective look into their life and wonders, what am I doing? It’s probably also why people get sad and maybe have breakdowns! Last year in January I considered giving up blogging and getting a 9-5 job. I’m really glad I didn’t.  The last two years have been filled with all kinds of things I only ever dreamed would happen. How did I get to do them? How did I make them a reality? I feel inspired to tell you today. When I was in Australia at Uni (2004 & pre-blog) I often felt homesick. I missed my sister terribly and everyone from home seemed light years away. One fine day I went to a bookstore in search of  ‘something’ that would give me guidance or direction or make me feel better.  I picked up The Power of Kabbalah by Yehuda Berg, a book that claimed to be ‘technology for the soul’. I went home and read it cover to cover in one sitting, staying up all night, moving from couch to bed to floor until it was finished.  I was not raised religious and this book wasn’t about that at all. It was about the power of the universe and creating the life you wanted.  It was spiritual wisdom. It helped me realize that I could have everything I ever wanted. It helped me understand that I already did. As I embarked on this journey of self-discovery (I…

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