a little visit

behind the church where our team was staying during the build, there was a preschool. the little room was empty of little ones when i took a little visit.



{ day 018 | tue jan 18 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 190 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

before the build

our team of 13 all journeyed from canada for the habitat for humanity build. we arrived at the site on monday morning and watched as the fundi marked off the area that would eventually become the family's brick house. vince became fast friends with the boys in the community. hellen, the matriarch of the family is in the background - she and her husband, moses, have eight lovely children.



{ day 017 | mon jan 17 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 190 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

oh beautiful kenya

we arrived in kenya safe and sound! after waking up in nairobi, our team had breakfast, did some last minute shopping, and ate lunch. then we took the long drive to our build site in kapkatet. on the way, we were treated to magnificent vistas of beautiful kenyan countryside. oh my - the light is absolutely wonderful in kenya.



{ day 016 | sun jan 16 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 190 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

drained

this was the day i had my bag stolen at charles de gaulle airport.

eventually, we recovered the bag with most of the contents but the three petty thieves took my money, my beloved point-and-shoot camera, my truffle-chewed iphone cord and earphones, my used make-up (that's pretty nasty), my hand and face cream, and three ballpoint pens - one for each of the stealers i suppose. thankfully, the thieving trio left my credit cards, my bank card, my health and travel medical cards, my new book, my nivea toner, my half-filled moleskin notebook that included a few photos of truffle, and one pen. doubly thankfully, i had my iphone, vaseline, and air france sleep mask in my jacket pockets.

what made me so angry and frustrated was that i noticed the three girls behind me at the security check and could have done a number of things to thwart the theft. but hindsight is twenty-twenty. and of course, replaying the scene over and over again in my mind didn't help.

thieves, if you're out there, i'm shaking my fist at you. remember karma.

all the drama made me drained so i slept most of the way to nairobi.



{ day 015 | sat jan 15 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 190 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

fun at the airport

silly but true. vince and i enjoy taking silly photos at the airport while waiting for our flight.

well, vince pretends not to enjoy it but this photo proves that he does.



{ day 014 | fri jan 14 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 190 | helga viking | claunch 72 monochrome | no flash }

the very merry christmas project

every year, belle and i get together for a christmas celebration. we meet during the busiest time of the shopping season and set a budget for each other's christmas gifts. then we shop. yes, it's crazy but it's become somewhat of a tradition. we take turns thinking up the themes. a few years ago, belle introduced a photography component to our annual celebration and this year, it was my turn to think of a project. i decided on the very abstract concept of the twelve months of christmas - which was quite obviously based on the song, the twelve days of christmas.

for january, we had to put together an image inspired by twelve drummers drumming.



the above image is my interpretation of the theme. when i think of drums, i think of movement, intensity, and colour. i combined two photos to create the final image.

a) the hand. this was the first photo i took the day belle and i met for the challenge. i immediately knew i wanted to use the photo because the composition reminded me of a drummer's hands. the only problem was that the person in the billboard was holding an ipod. so i just made sure to remove all traces of the ipod when i used this image.

{ canon 7d | canon 35mm f/1.4 | iso 200 | f/1.4 | 1/50 sec | no flash }

b) the colour. i took a photo of some streaks of colour on a whim. i am really into abstracts lately and these colours caught my eye immediately. i manually adjusted my focus so the colours became slightly blurred.

{ canon 7d | canon 35mm f/1.4 | iso 200 | f/1.4 | 1/50 sec | no flash }

when i looked at the blended image with the two photographs, i felt like something was missing. the link between my image and the theme was a little too loose for my liking. i added the words as an afterthought. i love typeface anyway and this little addition made me much happier with the final result.

i can't wait to see what belle came up with!

as i peel away my mask

sometimes i don't quite feel like myself. i had such a stressful thirty minutes at the end of my workday yesterday that it took me a few hours, lots of pizza and wings, and a long conversation with friends to finally recover. it's funny how relatively minor annoyances can have such a big impact on my mood.

but no more complaints because life feels right again.

as i slowly peel away the mask that i wear on most weekdays, i am ready to open my heart for my next big adventure. vince and i are going to kenya for habitat for humanity. back in two weeks. :)



{ week 03 | canon 5dm2 | canon 35mm f/1.4 | iso 400 | f/1.4 | 1/50 sec | no flash | cable release }

temporary home

the mayor of poopoo city has officially settled in at his temporary home for the next two weeks. we dropped him off yesterday and he seems to be doing well but we miss him already. i'm so used to calling his name when i come home, watching where i step or sit as he runs around me, and petting him as i'm watching tv or working on my blog.

he's changed so much over the two short months that we've had him. his ears have grown, he's lost some of his baby fur, his face is narrower and more elongated, he's more muscular, his bones are stronger, and his markings are a little different. i wonder how much he'll change in the next two weeks?



{ day 013 | thu jan 13 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | bettie xl | ina's 1969 | no flash }

sometimes only the jimmy lens will do

she sells sea shells by the sea shore... i happily chanted under my breath as i skipped back to my desk with three guylian chocolates tucked in a cocktail napkin. i needed a little pick-me-up this afternoon and these delicious morsels fit the bill. i quickly photographed them (i say quickly because my stomach started grumbling at the sight of them) but something was very different. my go-to helga viking lens was all wrong. i wanted to convey golden light and sand. fun in the sun. and that's when it hit me. only the jimmy lens would do.



{ day 012 | wed jan 12 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | jimmy | ina's 1969 | no flash }

you make me feel like dancing

with only two work days left until seventeen long awaited days off...

you make me feel like daaancing.
i'm gonna dance the night away.



{ day 011 | tue jan 11 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | salvador 84 | pistil | no flash }

as the dusk retreats

on the best of days, winter would still be my least favourite season. while i love the quiet hush of a fresh snowfall and the gentle sparkle of giant snowflakes falling in the moonlight, my favourite part of winter is when the days start growing longer. as the dusk retreats, i can feel the promise of spring draw near.



{ day 010 | mon jan 10 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | john s | ina's 1969 | no flash }

i heart

sunday mornings
streaks of colour
vintage photographs
instant cameras
old fashioned goodness
this silly boy



{ day 009 | sun jan 09 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | bettie xl | ina's 1969 | no flash }

for the possibility

about a month ago, i found an old polaroid camera at a thrift shop for three dollars.

my mom had bought me a polaroid camera when i was eight or nine years old. at that time, a pack of ten exposures cost ten dollars and i happily went through packs and packs of film until i eventually broke the camera. as an only child, i suffered from intense boredom, which i alleviated by learning how to pick locks, balancing on the backs of dining room chairs until i fell on my face, teaching myself how to do back walkovers, and playing with the mechanical parts of my polaroid camera to try to figure out how it worked. that is, until i broke it.

standing in the thrift shop, i reminisced about my old polaroid while i gingerly turned the three dollar camera in my hands. it was a different model and i had no idea if it would work. but i purchased it anyway. for the faint possibility that it would.

with my three dollar polaroid camera in hand, i set about looking to purchase some film. ebay was too expensive so i decided to try the impossible project. the film is still quite experimental and can yield unpredictable results. there was only silver shade available and i wanted colour. but it "only" cost around thirty dollars including shipping for eight exposures so i purchased it anyway. for the possibility that my camera would work.

and it did.



{ day 008 | sat jan 08 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

in my dreams there would be flowers

vince surprised me with some pretty carnations last week and i am glad i was able to incorporate them into both a daily photo and this selfie before they wither away. flowers are a little piece of heaven for me. i delight in their beauty, texture, and aroma. i could have them in my home all the time and i still wouldn't tire of them. oh yes... flowers make me really really happy.



{ week 02 | canon 5dm2 | canon 35mm f/1.4 | iso 400 | f/1.4 | 1/30 sec | no flash | cable release }

a tea latte away from sanity

from january seventh to sixteenth, tazo tea lattes from starbucks are half price from two o'clock to 5 o'clock in the afternoon! i've been eagerly anticipating this day since vince sent me the e-mail notification on tuesday.

- what kind of tea latte should i get?
- should i stick with my usual chai latte?
- or should i order my second choice the yummilicious earl grey latte?
- or should i try something new?
- i enjoy rooibos so maybe i should try the vanilla rooibos latte?
- or should i order an awake latte for my caffeine fix?

these questions have been running through my mind since tuesday. on repeat. and i'm not even joking.

at two o'clock sharp, i stepped into our local starbucks and ordered an ultra decadent soy green tea latte. it was a great choice. finally, with my fancy drink in hand, my mind returned to relative normalcy. it was good to know that i was only a tea latte away from sanity.



{ day 007 | fri jan 07 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | helga viking | pistil | no flash }

leafs nation

just after one o'clock this afternoon, i got the following text from belle: "hey what r u doing tonight? i was just given hockey tics, wanna go?"

hmmmm, lemme think about that.
okay, i've decided. YES YES YES!!!

to say that it was a great game would be a gross understatement. it was so much fun. so exciting. we screamed 'til we were hoarse and then we screamed some more. we even screamed for ice cream. leafs scored in the first fifteen seconds of the game. leafs won in a shootout. the game was literally pure adrenaline from start to finish. my kind of game but my heart still hasn't forgiven me.

i actually had two images i wanted to use for my 365 today. below is the photo that made the final cut. i really like how armstrong and boyce (who scored and assisted on the first goal respectively) share the frame with the banners of retired maple leafs. oh how i love to juxtapose old with new!



{ day 006 | thu jan 06 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | melodie | dream canvas | no flash }

my second choice is below. it's closer to my aesthetic and i like how the photo in a way reveals the hushed anticipation both on and off the ice. michelle madeira was singing the national anthem at the time and i got shivers! but i ultimately decided on the other image because i thought it better reflected the mood of the game. which do you prefer?



{ day 006 | thu jan 06 | redux | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | bettie xl | ina's 1969 | no flash }

deflowered

so many things added up today to make this a great day. i found a ttc token on my walk to work. i took a break from work and went to whole foods at lunch. i found a shortcut. i made a delicious dinner. vince and i shared some maple pecans for dessert. vince gave me my belated 9 year date-a-versary present. i had so many options for my photo of the day but then this happened.

our little trufflesaurus became a man.



{ day 005 | wed jan 05 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }

home is where the clementine is

wedding consultations are a natural high for me. i enjoy nearly everything about them - meeting new people, hearing about their upcoming weddings, swapping planning stories, talking about my photography, and especially answering lots and lots of questions. i've always enjoyed answering questions - about pretty much anything. i always challenge vince, "ask me anything!" but of course he never does. he's too mature to pry. i, on the other hand, have never been offered the same freedom to ask him questions. because he knows i will.

but i digress.

what is most important to me is that people feel comfortable at the consultations. wedding planning can be stressful and awkward so i do whatever i can to offer a relaxed environment... both for my potential clients and for myself. since i tend to meet with clients in the common area of my condominium building, i try to add something to the room that reminds me of home. today, for example, i set out a bowl of gorgeous clementines. no one ate any but just seeing their bright orange dimply rinds made me smile and put me at ease.



{ day 004 | tue jan 04 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | melodie | ina's 1969 | no flash }

for the love of shoes

on any given monday, i can think of a variety of excuses to stay wrapped up in my cozy covers. it's so much warmer in here. just one more snooze. the carpet at work hurts my eyes. what finally pulled me out of bed this morning was the thought of my grey ankle booties, which i had left under my desk over the holidays for 10 whole days. and that was far too long to be away from them.



{ day 003 | mon jan 03 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | lucifer vi | ina's 1969 | no flash | booties by chinese laundry }

domestic bliss

returning to work after a wonderful holiday is always so difficult. i've had ten glorious days to relax, cook and clean, watch movies, recharge my creative juices, make stuff, blog, catch up with friends, cuddle vince, and snorgle truffle. it has been pure bliss. oh if only i could be a full time domestic goddess. in fact, i'm so good at it that i suspect it might be my secret calling.



{ day 002 | sun jan 02 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash | recipe adapted from nigella lawson's kitchen }

can't get you off my mind

alongside my three sixty five project, i am also tackling a project of fifty two self portraits. i tried doing a year of selfies in the past but failed after a miserable three months. it was horrible. horribly difficult. horribly boring.

a funny thing happened as i was looking through my old selfies. there were some photographs that i really liked. as torturous as the project was at that time, it challenged my creativity and i was rather proud of the collection for the most part. for twenty eleven, i decided to create a less demanding series of self portraits and thus this fifty two week project was born.

my mind has been plagued with a new obsession lately. everywhere i go, i am drawn to the likeness of birds. it started in 2009 when i bought a feather earring in chile and got more serious last year when i bought a three tiered jewellery holder with a bird on top but it didn't become a full blown obsession until recently. i just can't seem to get birds off my mind. i purchased the bird used in the below image from bowring on boxing day for a whopping buck ninety nine. it was literally the only thing i bought for myself that day. i bought it with the intention of wearing it on my head. so here i am. with a bird on my head.

side note: i toyed with calling this bird brain because that's what i felt like when i saw the expression on vince's face when he saw me. oddly enough, he wasn't surprised by my new look. i don't know if that made me feel better or worse.



{ week 01 | canon 5dm2 | canon 35mm f/1.4 | iso 800 | f/1.4 | 1/50 sec | no flash | cable release }

from russia with love

a forgotten christmas present is the best.

in early december, i ordered a little something for myself to be opened during the holidays. excited as i was, the gift somehow completely slipped my mind until today. i ordered the "tori" limited edition box set, which includes an unreleased, autographed live recording, from russia with love, AND a special edition diana f+ camera. an odd combination indeed but perfect for me.

to kick off my three sixty five project, below is an image of the lomo photograph that was tucked into the package almost as though it was an afterthought. this blurry capture of my favourite musical artist is probably my most cherished item in the box. it reminds me of all that i want twenty eleven to bring... creativity, exploration, casual elegance, fiery red hair, unrelenting beauty, and unyielding love.



{ day 001 | sat jan 01 | iphone 3gs | hipstamatic 185 | helga viking | ina's 1969 | no flash }