my messy desk

Since I'm stuck at school on a Sunday morning (well, afternoon really) I thought I'd share a few of the things that I keep at my desk as inspiration. First of all, my desk is a disaster zone, but if it isn't it's because I either a) haven't been working or b) have just cleaned it up because it has finally gotten to a point where the mess is preventing me from working. So, as you can see from this gross picture, messy desk = I've been doing something. Not sure how useful those things I've been doing will prove to be, but I've been doing them nonetheless. Oh, I should also mention that this is my school desk, not the desk I make jewelry at. That would be my dining room table at home.

First, I have this awesome vintage bird cut out that my friend Rebecka gave to me. I think she might have given everyone in our class one while she was here on exchange. Studio just hasn't been the same without her, and neither was the legion last night! I'm really hoping to meet up with her again in Sweden some day soon.

Second, a spirograph drawing that Jeff made for me. Remember spirographs? Turns out that the occasional awesome dollar store (or, here in Vancouver, Yokoyaya123) still has these things kicking around. 

Now, this last thing is just ridiculous. My friend Mary sent me this porcelain cat face, obviously painted by an amateur, likely a child, that she found. With the help of my friend Lara I added gemstone eyes. What really makes this thing an inspiration for my design work is the note Mary included. You can read it for yourself above. So true.

Incidentally, those of us who are in studio today witnessed quite a dramatic break-up then reconciliation outside of our building this morning. Two pretty young people doing some screaming, crying, hugging, and making out. They walked away together but it looked like they might have rough times ahead. Good luck to them! Also glad that they moved their drama to somewhere other than right outside my window. Now back to work...

five friday favourites

dizzy cat print by patriceartgallery

fresh print by abbytrysagain

rubber dipped chain necklace by mijiandyou

the libro pouch by scout & catalogue

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The theme of this post is spring colours and light, with the exception of the image just above this text. I just started reading Jane Eyre and thought I'd include it on my list of favourites. I don't like to focus only on things that need to be bought. I've read a lot of Jane Austen, but only Wuthering Heights by Brontë when I was in grade ten or eleven. I'm looking forward to a good novel after reading narrative non-fiction lately. What are you reading right now? Have your read Jane Eyre?

All of the items on this favourites list are things that are at the top of my wish list right now. I love love love the Scout and Catalogue leather bag and have recently developed a thing for psychedelic cat objects. Go figure. I don't even have a cat!

let's talk about friendship

another old photo, but a good photo

I had a post all lined up for today, but at the last minute I've changed my mind about what to write about. Let's talk about friendship for a few minutes. In fact, I want to tell you a bit about my friend Heather, an amazing woman and one of my best friends for over fifteen years now. Heather and I were really close friends in our late teens and early 20s and then we fell out of touch. I still remember the day that she walked back into my life. She came into the shop I was working at and was going on a life changing adventure. We promised each other that when she got back from her travels we'd hang out again and get reacquainted and we kept that promise. Since then our relationship has grown in leaps and bounds. She threw one of the best parties I've ever been to for her wedding (and I drunkenly threw about 400 forks on the ground by mistake), and I've watched her beautiful family grow and always feel lucky to be part of her life. When I get married this fall Heather will be standing next to me.

If you have a friend like Heather, and I'm sure you do, make sure you tell them how you feel. These are the people who will be there for you when you need them, and, in return, you will always be there when they need you. I bring up my friendship with Heather today because she is facing some unbelievable challenges in her life, and yet she still manages to be a picture of generosity and grace. When Jeff and I chose our attendants for our wedding we had in mind people who make us better people. Heather, with the strength and devotion to family and friends that she always shows, is exactly that, someone who makes me a better person. I'm so thankful for her and can't wait until the next time we find ourselves in the same city. Make sure you tell your friends you love them today!

welcome

This picture was taken a while ago on a very windy and freezing cold beach. I'm not joking when I say that I'm wearing sunglasses in almost every picture ever taken of me and I think it's kind of important to show a picture without the shades for a change! I've noticed I've recently gotten some new followers and want to welcome you all with a little post introducing myself. Hello! Here are five things that you might not already know about me, Sarah, the person behind Sadie Designs:

I am always busy. I often read a book while watching tv and checking my e-mail. I don't know when I started to be this way, but it's how I am now. I want a cabin on the Oregon coast where I can go to do nothing. Nothing!

I have traveled a bit, but not enough. This picture of Jeff and I was taken in the Netherlands pretty much the day after we got engaged. On that particular trip we also went to Barcelona (most fun ever!), Paris, London, and all over the place in the Netherlands (traveling by bike, canoe, boat, bus, train, tram, and plane, no less!).

Speaking of our engagement, Jeff and I have been together since we were young twenty-somethings (a while ago now!) and are getting married this fall.

On a cross-country road trip with my family in 1990 I accidentally drank the water that my stepdad was soaking his tooth plate in. In other words, I downed a glass of water with a false tooth floating in it. I'm still kind of grossed out by that and I also still act like it was no big deal when I'm around my family, who like to retell this story every Christmas.

I used to work at a migratory bird sanctuary and the best bird I ever spotted I saw with my very good friend, Jill, one memorable May day. We saw a Western tanager near Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. What a thrill (for nerds like us)!

I hope this sheds some light on the person behind Sadie Designs. I've had a great time getting to know many of you already and look forward to meeting new followers, too! In the next few days I'll be sharing some new jewelry that will be showing up in the Sadie shop including...some new Cave Explorers!

our space

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Sadly I already wrote this post once and somehow lost my draft of it. I'm putting that aside now though and am excited to share some more views of our apartment with you. Above is my neighbourhood in 1890 and the same area now. 120 years has brought a lot of change to Vancouver. If you have access to your local archives you should take a look at some photos. They're usually mostly available online and it's amazing what you can learn from looking at a few pictures of The Olden Days.

Looking at these photos I realize that Jeff and I barely ever buy furniture new. Everything in this photo is stuff that was given to us, from Craig's List, or that we bought second (or maybe fifth) hand. Even Lola. Well...it's true! She's from the Cochrane SPCA in Alberta. And just so you know, she is just trying to look depressed to get a second dinner.

Above is a plate that reminds me of our awesome time in NYC last summer, along with some vintage garden design books my mom brought me this time around. Below is a black and white poster that I made out of one of my photos from Amsterdam. I did a design studio there for five weeks two summers ago and brought my awesome wide angle Canon point and shoot with me. Next time I make a poster I'm going to be sure to leave a white border. I think it looks better that way. This one is about two feet by four feet.

Geodes, specimens of quartz and desert roses, some pine incense, and a loupe. The beginnings of a cabinet of curiosities, really, though my Northern Flicker wing and fox faces aren't there. The photo I gave to Jeff for his birthday last year. Yup, that dude is giving the deer a piggyback ride! But, I also think he just killed the deer, despite the fact that it looks so alert there in the background.

Below you can see our collection of travel and nature guide books. We like to go places and look at trees  and birds. The truth is out! I wish we could head out on a trip sometime soon. I think I'd go to the southern U.S. somewhere. My sister is going to New Orleans soon and I'm jealous. Where would you go if you could leave tomorrow?