four decades of love

Ever since I first started taking my photography seriously, I've wanted to do a shoot with Mom and Dad. But you know how it is - there's never time or it's never convenient. And one sad but true fact I've observed is that as people get older (and I'm talking sometimes 35 or 40!) they become more and more reluctant to have their portrait taken. I don't know why, as the stories on people's faces become ever-so-much-more interesting with every day that passes.

But I digress. One fine fall day this November as they were driving me back to Halifax, the sun was slanting at such an angle that I absolutely had to pull over and get some shots. My parents essentially had no choice in the matter. And just like that, their impromptu photo shoot began.

Have I mentioned before how amazing my parents are? Well, they are. And I consider myself a lucky pup to have witnessed the growth of a marriage - a delicate balance cemented by love - that I can refer to as a healthy and vibrant reference point when navigating my own life. For two people to have been in love every single day for over 40 years is nothing short of incredible. And I really do think these pictures highlight something magical. xo.

PS: This jumping shot was all Mom's idea. Seriously!! :)

bedroom love

I love our bedroom. There's something about the quality of light that shines through our windows that is so delicate and magical. It makes me swoon. Most days I am getting ready for work around 3 o'clock and always think to myself, "I need to get a picture of this."
But then never bother. Well, a few days ago I tried but the picture is never as good as being there.


Anyway, the above photo is showing you my favourite spot in our apartment. I am in love with this area for 4 reasons:

1. I love our tall windows and the pale yellow curtains that cast a golden glow on sunshiny days.

2. The teddy bear. Meet Sir William! My parents were married in 1969 when real fur was all the rage. Sir William was originally a coat that was a gift from my father to mother their first Christmas together. A few years back Dad had the coat made into three teddy bears - one for me, my mother and sister. I think Sir William is cute as a button watching over things all day on his chair.

3. Draped over the chair is an afghan I wove. My mother weaves and it's always been something I want to learn too. It is so neat to take a skein of wool and turn it into something useful like a warm snuggly blanket. This afghan was my first major project of hopefully many more to come. My dream is that some day Mom and Dad will show up with the loom and let me set it up in the spare bedroom. [*hint* *hint* if you're reading this. I love you and want to be like you! :)].

4. The painting is my most favourite painting Mom has ever done. It's called "Ma & Da's house" and it's where she was born in Newfoundland. I love that it's mainly black and white with a splash of colour for extra punch.

I love my apartment. Sometimes I feel like people scoff at the thought of interior design and buying/creating things purely for decoration. But I think it's so important to be enamoured with where you live and happy when you look about your surroundings. I strongly believe that where you live should be a reflection of who you are and how you love. Don't you think?

A Birthday Valentine & Trip Home

My mom's birthday was near the end of January so I went home for an overnight visit. And what a lovely visit it was.

The pretty birthday girl.

What do you get for the woman who has everything? How about some love on a string?

Wrapped in a lovely brown paper bag.

Now tell me apples don't fall far from the tree.




The artist at work.





And what's a trip home without a game of Scrabble?


Guess who won?

And not just won... but completely trampled the competition. (Which is why I don't mind the gloating!).


I wish I could get home to visit more often!

(All these photos were hand-held... no tripod means high ISO which translates into g.r.a.i.n.y. Now I know!).

I'm A Lucky Girl!

Have I ever mentioned how amazing my parents are? Sometimes I get a little teary-eyed when I think about how much I love them and how special they are. So I would be surprised to hear you say I've never mentioned them before!

The great thing about my parents is that they're doers and problem-solvers. I have never seen a domestic issue that they couldn't tackle and end up figuring out an ingenious solution. Sometimes I find myself doing things that I have no idea where I learned how to do it... and then I realize it's something I learned from my parents or have at least seen them do over the years. How lucky am I?!

Anyway, I had this "problem" of not being able to find an economically priced craft table that suited my needs. Since we've moved into our new place, I have been using the island in the kitchen for my crafting. This was tedious because between setting up and tearing down, every time I wanted to do something, it was adding about 45 minutes to the process.

Now my Mom especially understands the need for your own space. Ever since I can remember she's had her own "art room." I remember when it was a walk-in closet underneath the stairs. I've also seen it grow into a full-fledged room with custom-built storage, a counter and a sink for her painting, weaving and endless artful endeavours.

So you can imagine that when I mentioned I wanted a craft table, they were on it. Again, how lucky am I?!

Words can't do it justice so instead I've taken oodles of pictures to show you my beautiful Christmas gift. My very own, custom-built craft table! And accessories! It's very special knowing my parents built it with their own hands and put so much love and time into it.

With such an amazing space, it looks like 2009 can't fail in the crafting department. Happy New Year!