THINGS FOR TOMORROW.

Tomorrow is Zine Dream 4 at The Tranzac! As per usual, I did not get around to putting together a finished zine (I'm starting to think this might be an impossible task for me!), but I did manage to put together a couple new things today. The eleventh hour is my hour.

1. Some weird, colourful wishbone prints. To bring more luck and magic into your life. Perhaps you could rip the print in half with your loved ones on Thanksgiving?

2. I printed a pattern onto 6 different vintage silky tanks and tees (one of a kind styles). I picked up all these tops when I was on vacation in New Brunswick. #exotic I will even iron them.

See you tomorrow!

CAMP LIFE.

Week one of my vacation was spent doing a very foreign activity (for me) - camping. I never went camping with my family when I was younger, and classic outdoorsy things (besides drinking in the backyard) were not a big part of our summer schedule. I did spent a lot of time outside in my various neighbourhoods as a youth, but never really in anything you could classify as wilderness (some fishing, the beach, etc). So I got in the van with my pals Rob, Lee, and Tim and headed to Killbear to test my ability to sleep in tents, fend off mosquitoes, and jump in lakes. The verdict? It was awesome. It would appear that I mainly took photos of sunsets and water, because like a typical city dweller, that shit makes me dizzy and jealous. Swimming in the quiet lake 3 times a day was such a treat. Imagine living in a house on the water? Hello new life goal - nice to meet you. If you're going to go camping for the first time, it's helpful to go with someone who knows everything (aka Lee Rose: Master Of Camp Life). She reinvented my perception of what "camp food" means - burritos, pasta, pancakes, etc. And for a little excitement, we almost had a run in with a bear. Grade: A+.

ART CRUSH: JOHN MALTA.

I recently participated in a sweet mail swap with US illustrator John Malta. As you can see here, he does amazing things with colour, texture, lizards, prickly plant life, envelopes, and shaky text. My new well dressed mini lizard painting and the refreshment lover on the tote are both A+. He also makes necklace charms, like this shade sporting cactus (series also includes: melting pizza, bones, big gulps, etc). Check out his website for more! And for those of you not quite ready to usher in the fall with open arms (like me), he's got some sharp summer party shirts in his shop.

ZINE DREAM 4.

Logo by Steph D.
Zine Dream: Facebook / Site

Mark your calendars, cancel your plans: Zine Dream 4 is fast approaching! This annual event is filled to the brim with cool comics, books, music, zines, hand made crafts, prints, and more. Zine Dream is one of my favourite annual Toronto events because there's tons of interesting stuff to check out, and they've got a good casual atmosphere thing going on. And if you're so inclined, you can also enjoy a cold one as you browse! I'm gonna try my best to see if I can come up with a new thing or two before the week is out - the heat is on.

Zine Dream 4
The Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave)
Sunday August 21st
12-5pm
PWYC

GONE FISHING...

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a two week leave of absence from Toronto life. In other words? VACATION TIME. I'm already scheming about all the things I want to work on when I get back, but until then I am going to be embracing the joys of camping, relaxing on the East Coast, and neglecting computers. Yes!

A few random moments from late July: 1. Printing t-shirts in the dungeon for one of my softball teams. The Rebels have been taking a bit of a beating this year, but spirits remain HIGH. 2. Re-printed a whack of cards which are now available at Nouvelle Nouvelle in Vancouver and Press: Works On Paper in San Francisco! 3. Treats from Whitney (an all-star third basewoman). 4. Important ingredients for my favourite mixed drink of the summer. 5. An amazing new triangle/pyramid necklace handmade by Danielle. Been wearing this guy all the time. & 6. 3D glasses for some very old school (aka ghetto) 3D visuals at The Toronto Underground Cinema.

Lastly, if you're in Toronto on Saturday August the 13th check out The Bloorcourt Arts And Crafts Streetfair Marketplace that Jen put together. Vendor list: here!

ART CRUSH: ROB HODGSON

This Rob Hodgson graveyard print taunted me from my Etsy favourites list for quite some time. You know when you see something and you're immediately in love with it and kinda jealous at the same time? Well, this one can now haunt me from the comfort of my home. It's the perfect mix of pretty and spooky. What a beauty!

Rob Hodgson is an illustrator from Bristol. Check out his excellent work here: website / shop / blog

PROGRESS REPORT: GARDEN.

The haphazard fences protecting my two garden boxes look a little intense, and they're kind of a pain to navigate around, but a family of raccoons frequently tramp through my yard like they own the place. Scrambling up the fence in a line 5 deep, hanging out under my deck, making their noises. Watching the little guys learn how to climb fences and get their sneak on is actually kind of cute though...

So, I've worked through my lettuce and done some replanting. Been harvesting radishes and beans. Made some pesto from the basil. I hate being all growing food is cool blah blah blah boring blahhhhh, but it kind of is. Jalapenos and tomatoes are popping up all over the place. Chard, kale, and cucumbers are coming along too. And there are even a couple pumpkin plants in the very back of the yard. It's a (mini) jungle out there!

Fact: tomato leaves are hands down one of my favourite smells. If I go in the backyard, feeling up the tomato plants is job one.

FRIDAY NIGHT SIGHTS.

I've kind of been kind of missing in action on the design and printing front lately - been busy the past couple of weeks soaking up the summer, doing some music stuff, and generally avoiding excessive extra curricular computer use. But there are some things going on behind the scenes - reprints, general scheming, and maybe a collab with a friend? In the meantime here's a more extensive peek into where I've been spending Friday nights lately...

We recently moved into a new practice space on tha East side. Dennis' band practices here too. Highlights include (but are not limited to): the crazy doll lamp, the old Babydolls sign, The Notorious B.I.G., the yarn installation from a past show, the woodsy mural, the guy that rides through the halls on his homemade electric bike, and the old school piano. I don't think we'll end every practice with a trip to McDonalds, but sometimes you just need to have a heavy dose of sugar and salt, ya know?!

ART CRUSH: LUKE BEST

Double sided cards that tell the tale of a dangerous journey... One dedicated, agile man and one brave, spider killing woman risk their lives to retrieve perfect tokens of love - one precious rock and one special little tree. To the top of the mountains and to the bottom of the oceans, people. I plan to frame these guys and hang them up in my claustrophobic bedroom. Off-kilter lines get me every time.

Luke Best is an artist from London UK. His catalogue of work, style, and colour choices are all super excellent. Inspiring stuff!

GARDEN PARTY.

Slices From The Past Few Days: Garden Edition.

1. This gnome resides in one of my herb/flower boxes. He's my urban scarecrow. He guards against squirrels, raccoons, and keeps shit generally real. Full lips, two teeth, and an attitude. 2. Patio flowers and other newly planted things that I hope will grow. That chair and table were left by the previous tenants - score. 3. My pal Shayna on our overcast day trip to St. Jacobs market. She's like a flower, but instead a human woman I like to eat poutine with. 4. Flower stand at St. Jacobs Market. I bought a truly impressive assortment of delicious food stuff that day. And enjoyed one of my faves - a pickle on a stick. 5. One of my garden boxes. Things are actually growing! I feel like gardening, while time consuming and kind of unexpectedly expensive at times, makes me feel awe in the same way I did when I was a kid. Like, I'm shocked to watch plants actually grow. My faith in not killing things around me is generally very low, ha.

COOL LOCALS: KID ICARUS.

kid icarus // the screen printing duo from stillmotion on Vimeo.

Just dropped off a boatload of cards at Kid Icarus. If you live in Toronto and haven't stopped by the shop yet, you should definitely add a visit to your future destinations list. They've got a wide selection of handmade goods/screen printing supplies, are enthusiastic supporters of all kinds of makers/designers/etc, and they also offer screen printing services (which you'll see happening right in the store). Michael and Bianca recently celebrated Kid Icarus' 4th anniversary, and this gorgeous video by StillMotion gives you a great peek into what they're all about.

WE HEART HANDMADE.

The We Heart Handmade event this past weekend was a hit. Thanks so much to everyone involved: Etsy, West Elm, Anabela, Mildred's Temple Kitchen. And thanks to all the cool people that came out to eat snacks, hang out, and support independent makers of all kinds. As per usual I completely forgot I had a camera in my bag, so this photo of my talk show style comfort zone was punked from Fieldguided's blog (they actually used their camera - pros). It was really great of West Elm to join forces with Etsy and promote independent makers in their store.

Check out Fieldguided's post about the event for a more thorough visual documentation. Also: Beaux Mondes, Wicked & Weird, and West Elm.

By some small miracle, I only came home with one souvenir. I was incredibly tempted by a necklace by Big Tinsel and a backpack by the super charming Wool, Leather, and Wood - mark those things down on my items to procure in the future list. I did pick up this peachy pouch by Scout & Catalogue though. That's one hot summer pouch. All of Bre's stuff was excellent.

Also thanks to Shayna, Tallulah, and Rob for loitering like pros on the couch with me for the majority of the day. You guys are the best. And to those of you who said hello or introduced themselves - it was nice to meet you.

FLOWER POWER.

New things: brightly coloured floral cards (from the Acid Trip Flower Shop?) and mountain/cave pattern postcard packs. Made these guys for the Etsy/West Elm pop-up this Saturday. What's with all the intense colour? Must be feeling the summer vibes.

This weekend is going to be nuts. Nuts in such a great way though! Playing a show on Friday, reppin' at the Etsy/West Elm event on Saturday, attending my pals wedding brunch on Sunday, and playing softball on Sunday/Monday nights. Does anyone have any recommendations for maintaining energy that don't require sleeping at home, sleeping at my day job, chilling out, or eating well? Please forward all suggestions to sandiisgoingcrazy@gmail.com (not really!).

Anyhow, I hope to meet/hang out with some of your nice faces this weekend at West Elm! Please say hello and we will enjoy each others company and talk about things. Potential topics include (but are not limited to): screen printing, Etsy, Toronto, the weather, your favourite beers, what you can't stand the smell of (me: coconut oil and cilantro), summer trips, home remedies, family secrets, and what I'm sure will be your impeccable sense of style. Until then!

THE WEEKEND THAT WAS.

Started off this weekend in band mode with a practice on Friday and a recording session on Saturday. Two new songs recorded: Fine Lines & Magical Thinking. Pretty stoked to finish these two.

On Saturday evening I finally started to get my garden together. I'm not typically a handy person (I'm way too hasty and impatient for all that fine measuring), but I actually managed to put something together that will work. I think.

Unpictured: a late night card printing session for the upcoming Etsy/West Elm event! My basement printing dungeon is absolutely terrible for photo taking - gotta get some light up in there.

Ghost Cat with her weird, translucent grey coat dropped by while I was building on Saturday. I love when she visits/hangs out/forcibly enters my home. Cabbagetown is full of free roaming felines.

Sunday morning I got one 3X6 square foot gardening box fully assembled and planted, and the second one in the works. I had to put this large wire fence up because my yard is a haven for squirrels, raccoons, and cats. I bet this won't stop them (and it looks a little intense), but I've gotta protect those peppers and tomatoes of the future. Operation Backyard Oasis is officially underway.

And this weekend ended like every other weekend this summer will be ended - by playing with my Sunday night softball team The Rebels. This team is comprised of a lot of Steamwhistle employees, who bring a lot of Steamwhistle to the game - so the good times tend to roll with these guys...

ETSY + WEST ELM POP-UP.

Looking to spend an afternoon perusing the wares of local TO Etsy sellers, refreshing yourself with drinks, satisfying yourself with snacks, enjoying good company, and window shopping (or shopping for real) for your home? Well, Etsy and West Elm have paired up and organized a pop up event (something they've done in other cities) with the curation assistance of local taste master/maker of romantic goods extraordinaire, Fieldguided.

You can RSVP here or via the Facebook page. You don't have to RSVP to attend, but this does give West Elm an idea of how many drinks and snacks to have available. I don't know the full list of participants, but I hear that Scout & Catalogue, Big Tinsel, Bookhou, and Fieldguided will be there (me too). Sounds good, right? Hope to see you there!