4.4.11

a day in the life of melanie from kittenrocket


This week's day in the life post is brought to you by Melanie from Kittenrocket, one of my daily blog reads. Melanie's illustrations are so bright and fun and I really wanted to get to know a bit more about her. Lucky for me she agreed to share a day here on the Sadie blog. She also makes jewelry and has a degree in a field that's related to my own area of study. I'm so happy that people are using these posts to introduce us to their pets, too. I know there are a lot of animal lovers out there. Without further delay, here's a day in Melanie's Montreal life...


It’s hard for me to write about my typical day because my days are very different -- I work part-time at an international NGO promoting women’s rights. I also work on several side projects, related to urban planning, which is what I have a Master’s degree in. On top of that, I try to spend as much time as possible creating things -- photographs, illustrations, paintings, jewelry, writing, knitting… I hope one day to work full-time as an artist and writer, and maybe even to photograph for a really spectacular magazine.

On one of my “creative days”, I am usually woken up by my cat, Fern, who always knows the time when I intend to get up and starts licking me about a half hour before that. The first thing I do is make coffee with my very awesome vintage Pavoni espresso machine – one of the best gifts I have ever received. While I drink coffee, I usually look at interesting pictures on the Internet. Lately, I am trying to listen to the radio in the morning in French. I live in Montreal, which is in a French-speaking province. Most people here speak English and French and I have had a hard time improving my French in the last few years (I have been lazy). I am really working on my second language these days…

After coffee I try to answer emails and categorize all the things that need to be done in the different parts of my life (Fern helps a lot). Then I might work on an illustration or on some other design-related contract and try to update my blog. After lunch I usually get pretty restless in my small apartment and go for a walk to work in a café in my neighbourhood. Montreal is brutally cold in the winter so I have to spend about 5 minutes layering up before leaving the house. Whenever I go out around the neighbourhood, I try and take one of my film cameras. I have a couple of plastic toy cameras and a Leica point-and-shoot that I got from a thrift store for $2.00. These are my regular choices.

I like taking pictures of things that get left out on the streets. I also love taking pictures of the contrast between old/new and industrial/handmade – there are so many strange juxtapositions of this sort in Montreal.

In the evening I try to work out and see friends for dinner or a drink. If I stay in at night I usually paint or knit and I try to watch some French TV. At the moment the snow is SLOWLY melting here and the sun is shining. Soon everyone will be out on the streets in Montreal and I will be incorporating a lot of sitting out on my balcony or on terraces into my daily schedule… it’s a tough life :)









Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures with us, Melanie. I really have to get to Montreal again sooner rather than later! Be sure and visit Melanie's blog and shop! Next week's day in the life post will feature the multi-talented Kait from Yuppie Love. Fun times!

8 comments:

  1. You make Montreal seem like a very nice place.I like the pictures with snow (I kind of miss snow, but not the cold!). My french isn't quite up to speed either: last time I was in Montreal I stayed pretty silent, just trying to pass as a local!

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  2. Sounds like a lovely life!! Fern sounds like a good side-kick :)
    I'd like to go to Quebec again as well. I want to go snooping around, and using my French would be nice, although the last time I tried everyone just talked to me in English...
    I love your room, it looks so nice! Especially the square bookcase. A little jealous.

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  3. thanks! it's very true, every time i try to speak french, people just respond in english. they start speaking to me in english before i even open my mouth... i feel like i have a big "a" for anglophone tattooed on my forehead.

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  4. Last time I was in Montreal I did the same as Jeff: stayed quiet! I think the tough thing is that I can generally understand the basics of what people are saying to me, but my brain does not have a French response ready to go whatsoever. So I just end up doing a lot of nodding. Still, what a fun city to visit!

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  5. this girl is so rad. I definitely see why you picked her!

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  6. Cute interview and photos. Montreal is a fun city, not far from Ottawa where I am. And just as cold!

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  7. what a pretty place to call home--- i am envious of her favorite gift. as a coffee lover, i imagine that's such a great way to start the day :) thanks for sharing your day melanie and again sarah, i am loving this series because i get introduced to some very awesome people you get to call friends.

    xoxo

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  8. we went to montreal on our honeymoon. magical city, and i was so envious of everybody who lived there. i truly felt like a foreigner, neither of us can speak a drop of french.

    i enjoyed this little day in the life <3

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