Weekend Workshop + Book Recos + Monday Motivation

This weekend was fun. I went out for one last kayak before we put all the stuff away. It was surprisingly warm, but damp, great weather for getting things done. Although it’s a lot of work, and I can feel it in my arms today, closing the cottage is something I kinda look forward to. Sean and I do together as a team; heaps of lifting, holding the ladder, carrying the canoe, putting away the outside stuff, and family trips to the dump. We had Embot with us and her fav part was deff packing the trailer then chucking everything into the huge garbage at the dump. For years I’ve been wanting to make cutting boards from some of the beautiful wood laying around and we finally did it! I marked and measured, Sean put them through the planer, then cut them into pieces. I spent ages with the sander making them nice and soft. Before I started my project, I did a look of research and read quite a lot of information on orbital vs sheet sander. After careful consideration, I realized which one I should be using for a nice finish so it was a good job I…

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Make It A November to Remember: #NaNoWriMo + My Next Travel Adventure

The other day I scrolled an article on Vogue w/ Wes Anderson’s best interiors and discovered Hotel Chevalier. I’m obsessed now,  watched it 5+ times. It’s a 13min American-French short with Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman, set in Paris at Hotel Raphael. I have not been to Paris yet but I will go to this place one day. The more I learned about the film the more I wanted to know. Wes Anderson is so creative with the minute details of everything and I love it so much. Have you seen Grand Budapest Hotel? In Hotel Chevalier, Natalie Portman was cast after W. Anderson get her email from Scott Rudin, the producer of Closer. [Another movie I totally love and it super weird.] This movie is only 13 minutes but is so beautifully written and styled, it inspires me. I love it. I love the colours, directing, script. It’s great.  This month I’m heading on a week-long vacation (sponsored by ME!) back to New Orleans and staying at a beautiful villa w/ a few friends in the French Quarter. I was there for my first time in September for a speaking gig. Booked this trip months ago and would love Sean to come with me but I also love…

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It’s In The Cards

Today was so much fun. I’m feeling really excited and inspired this week. It’s one of the busiest few days I’ve had in a long time with a different job each day and 3 different cities but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I met up with a blog OG friend Danielle Meder, who recently started Drawing Tarot where she combines ‘a thoughtful Tarot reading with a live watercolour portrait session‘. Mine portrait is above and I framed it when I got home. The reading was just what I needed today, this week. I’d like to go back again in a month or so. You can book an appointment to see her at the Darling Mansion or her studio near the Junction Triangle here. Tonight I bailed on going to anything TIFF so I could stay home and put in a few hours on a presentation and get a good sleep. I have no FOMO only JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) because I know that self-care is important and if I don’t take care of my priorities, I’ll lose my mind. This week is a crazy one, especially after my very relaxing summer. Monday was filled with TIFF stuff and celebrities…

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Live Action Short Drama? Story of My Life! 2017 #CdnScreenAwards Recap

Last weekend I attended the Canadian Screen Awards as a guest of the First Weekend Club. It was my second year attending the ‘Canadian Oscars’ after last year winning the award for Voice Pioneer at CSA’s Social Awards. The awards were hosted by Howie Mandel and held at the Sony Centre on Front Street. I absolutely love attending these kinds of Canadian events. Since my first job working in TV almost 10 years ago, and being on tv/in a couple documentaries since, I’ve grown to know a lot of people in the industry. I love seeing old friends and colleagues take the stage and supporting creative work by amazing Canadians. One highlight of the show for me was when Strombo announced an award in the name of Canadian filmmaker and friend Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) who recently passed away. Starting in 2018, the award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series will be in Rob Stewart’s name. The pre-show was hosted by Emma Hunter (The Beaverton) who was super funny. My fav line of hers was when she was announcing the nominees for ‘Live Action Short Drama’ and she said ‘story of my life’. I was like ME TOO GIRL, ME TOO. Haha. I made…

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