business time

It's been a bit all business, all the time around here (and in my life in general as both my day job and Sadie have ramped up a few notches in the past few weeks). There are still packed boxes in our new apartment and my to-do list just keeps getting longer, no matter how much I accomplish in a given day. I'm sure you know the feeling. It's just a busy time of year.

So today I just wanted to share one small thing. This is the view I have from my lunchtime walk Monday - Friday. From my office on the North Shore we have an amazing view of Burrard Inlet, the Port of Vancouver, downtown Vancouver, and more. Turn around and there are the North Shore Mountains. It's a beautiful place and on days like these, when I'm insanely busy and a bit stressed and the sun is shining (in November in Vancouver?) I have to take a walk to soak some of this in. I thought you might want to take a look, too. That right there is the Pacific Ocean, friends. What did you get up to this weekend?

portobello west all weekend long!

I'll be at Portobello West all weekend long, so be sure to stop by and say hi. There are coupons for free admission in The Georgia Straight this week. You can find me and my friend Sam at Table 19 down the centre row. We're going to have tons of new necklaces, earrings, and a few special, limited edition hand dyed scarves to share with you. Some items will be deactivated in the shop starting later tonight as they're coming with me tomorrow! Have a great weekend everyone! See you at the market!

Portobello West runs from 11AM - 5PM both Saturday and Sunday at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre in Southeast False Creek (Athlete's Village). Come get some holiday shopping done!

meet the holiday cave explorers

These new cave explorers will be joining me at Portobello West along with a couple of other new miniature figure pieces this weekend. You might also find them in the Sadie shop this week, though the little man in the beige coat has already found a new home. These guys are really fun to make, but it takes me a long time between batches to find the right stones and materials to use. I'll be sure to let you know when more hit the shop!

In slightly unrelated news, my friend Laura came over last night and helped me do some major prepping for my upcoming shows. I have to thank her here so that you guys can all know how awesome she is! She helped me get all caught up on online orders, ensuring everyone who's ordered up to this point will get things in lots of time before the holidays, and having her and Emily here to chat with helped make the night fly by and we made a ton of stuff. So, thanks to both of you ladies for coming over to our new place! And thanks to Jeff for always taking things to the post office for me! He's the one who really makes sure you get your orders quickly! Looking forward to seeing everyone at Portobello West this weekend! I'll be at table 19, down the middle aisle just in front of the entrance! Stop by and say hi!

sadie scarves

Our new apartment is pretty great, though not entirely unpacked or cleaned up yet. One of my favourite things about it is the new paint job. Alice recommended simply white by Benjamin Moore and our landlords were kind enough to paint everything in the colour we chose. I couldn't be happier with the bright, clean feeling this white lends to this place. It is so much easier to take photos in here than in any of our other Vancouver apartments.

Now on to the scarves! If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that Emily and I (and Camilla Tie Dye Ingr) have been hand dyeing everything from scarves to underwear since the summer. One of my favourite things to make are these large organic cotton scarves. They are big, nearly 2m long, and super lightweight. I use mine as a blanket to sit on in the park, a scarf, or as an adhoc sweater in the summer.

Wednesday morning I had a serious dye session in between drawing landscape plans for work and I got some awesome scarves made for Portobello West this weekend. As you can see, they still need to be ironed, but they're almost ready to go. I'm so glad I managed to pull of making these in time for the shows I'm going to be at. Any that I still have after PW and Got Craft? will be available online in the Sadie shop...except that last one...I might have to keep it for myself. 

white agate pendulum necklaces

As I said in my last post I'm going to be sharing a lot of new Sadie pieces here over the next few days. Previous pendulum necklaces were made with grey quartz, these are made with a beautiful banded white agate. One is accented with a vintage brass tassel charm, the other has a working brass fan with an etched dragon motif. You can find them both in the Sadie shop now. Thanks for taking a look! I'll be sharing an exciting new project here tomorrow morning.

they are coming

Did I mention I've been busy? Well, I've finally had a few daylight hours at home (thanks to being able to bring my office job to my living room today) and have had a chance to catch up on some photographs and projects that needed to get done ASAP in order for me to be ready for Portobello West this weekend. Stay tuned! Over the next couple of days I'll be showing you some of the pieces that will be available, like this dude above who can be found in the Sadie shop this afternoon, both online and in person at Got Craft? and Portobello West. Hope to see you at one or both of these events, Vancouverites! Happy Thanksgiving to my American pals, too!

it's dark

Dear friends, I've been busy! And more than that, it's been dark here. I leave my house in the dark every morning for work and I leave my office every evening in the dark. It's not that I'm a workaholic (far from it) but it's getting dark so early now. So, in lieu of beautiful, daylit photos of my new apartment, I hope you'll accept this video for now. It's my favourite song from the new-ish St. Vincent album.

A few more things: I'll be at Portobello West all weekend long with new necklaces and earrings for you to peruse if you live in the Vancouver area. Portobello West is now located at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre at the former Athlete's Village. Which is to say, formerly the 2010 Olympics Athlete's Village, not the village for former athletes.

And finally, last night Jeff and I and Lola (on the upswing, thanks for asking!) were sleeping soundly when we were awoken by what could only be described as the sound of a dump truck plowing through our apartment walls. Turning the lights on in a panic, we realized that it was nothing that bad, but that our closet bar and shelves had all pulled out of the wall and crashed down along with everything we'd just unpacked. Adventure mess! Lola believes she was nearly killed, though that's far from the truth. I think the whole thing might have a small relation to an accident that did happen on our street last night. Someone drove through a fence and knocked over a traffic light. Perhaps that impact was just enough to jolt our closet bar free of its tenuous moorings and send it crashing to what was likely its inevitable fate, overloaded as it was.

Excuse the drama. I've been stressed. We are slowly making our way through the giant mess that is created when you move from one home to another. The move has been a good one for us. Pictures soon!

DIY Crystal Collection

Jeff and I were in Whistler not too long ago and we stopped in to check out a rock and gem shop. Although their selection of stones was pretty limited, they did have a wall of collector's kits that was kind of awesome. Inspired by these little boards with a variety of stones glued on them and interpreted in various ways (metaphysical stone collection, dinosaur fossil collection...) I've made my own mini crystal collections as swag for Got Craft? at the beginning of December. The first 45 people through the door on Sunday, December 4th at the Royal Canadian Legion on Commercial Drive will get swag bags, and each one of those will have one of the bedside crystal collections that I've put together. And yes, making 50 of these things did take a few episodes of Breaking Bad.

For those of you who aren't able to make it to Got Craft? I thought I'd share how I made these little boxes so you can make one of your own, with stones of your choice.

Supplies (and where to find them):


kraft paper box, I used 3" x 2 1/8" x 1" (available online here or at local beading supply shop)
clear-drying craft glue (I used Beacon 527 multi-use glue)
1/2" wooden cubes (optional - I used one for each stone)
Avery 5667 clear labels (or equivalent)
label template
various stones (look for mixed lots online, be sure to check dimensions, like this one)

The real key to this DIY is this list of materials. After that, it's all pretty self-explanatory.

1. Design your labels in Word or Indesign and print out one of each of your labels to see if you like the scale of the text and if they will all fit in the box you're using. I had to trim the labels in order to evenly space them inside the box. My text refers to some of the properties that some people believe these stones possess, you could also list things like the name of the stone, the type of crystal formation of the stone, or a full description of the physical properties of the stone.

2. Place all of your labels inside the box.

3. Glue in wooden cube plinths (if you're using them). It's a good idea to use this glue near an open window or in a room with good airflow. Let the glue set a little bit before adding the stones.

4. Place one drop of glue on the top of each cube and drop your stones into the glue, trying to position any flat side of the stone down for better contact.

5. Decorate the lid of your box however you'd like. I used a simple Sadie stamp and then tucked a mini card into each box.

That's it! You're finished! If you make one, please send me a picture!

collecting and buying vintage with marie from pillowsophi

While setting up posts for my Get Featured blog series I was so happy to come across Marie's beautiful shop, Pillowsophi. The vintage collectables she offers are beautifully photographed and I noticed right away how well curated her shop is. She knows what she's looking for and the result of her searching for specific types of items is evident in her shop. Everything feels like it fits and flipping through her listings you run into page after page of beautiful mid-century vintage items. For Marie's post she's offering some tips on starting your own vintage collection. Thank you so much for sharing, Marie. Enjoy, everyone, and be sure to visit Marie's beautiful little shop!

denby studio pitcher from pillowsophi

Blue Mountain Pottery fawn from pillowsophi

Marie from pillowsophi here; I’m thrilled to have been invited to write a guest post for Sadie Designs! Today I’d like to talk to you about one of my favourite subjects: vintage goods. Specifically, I’d like to talk about the art of collecting and – as the holiday shopping season is upon us – give you some tips for buying vintage items online.

If you’re a seasoned collector, I’m sure you don’t need any advice regarding what to collect or how to grow your collection. However, if you’re new to collecting, I suggest you ask yourself the following questions.

Deciding what to collect

1. Do you want a functional collection? Sometimes it’s fun to collect things that will become integrated into your daily routine. The most obvious example of a functional collection is dishware. Dishes may seem like an odd thing to collect, but the process can actually be quite rewarding if you come across a rare pattern you really love and will be proud to display in your home. Personally, I collect Denby’s “Studio” pattern. Even though it was manufactured from 1961 until 1974, pieces in this pattern are still relatively hard to come by. This pattern also has a nostalgic connection for me, as there is a “Studio” coffee set at the cottage where I went every summer as a child.

2. Would you prefer to have a large collection of objects that are relatively easy to find (although specific items within the collection may be more rare), or a small collection of extremely rare objects? If the former appeals to you, you may want to consider collecting milk glass, depression glass, teacups, salt and pepper shakers, pieces from a big pottery company, or any other item which will allow you to create a large, impressive, interesting and carefully curated collection. However, remember that large collections take up a lot of space! It’s also worthwhile to remember that large collections may require a lot more effort to sell if your tastes change. For my display-only collection, I went with the latter option. I collect pottery by Dybdahl of Denmark. Dybdahl was a small pottery studio – run by a husband-and-wife team – which started production in 1952. My collection currently consists of three pieces: a plate, a small bowl and a mug. Although my collection is small, I’m quite proud of it, since these items are hard to come by:

3. How much are you willing to spend on your collection? Do you want your collection to increase in value as the years pass? Some people don’t care about the monetary value of their collections, while others look at their collections as investments. Before you start spending money, you may want to think about which attitude you’d like to take. If you’re going to treat your collection as an investment, it is advisable to do a lot of research so that you will have a realistic idea of the present value of your items, as well as a reasonable estimate of their future value. One thing you should NOT do is rely on eBay for value estimates. Which brings me to the next section of this post...


Tips for buying vintage items online:

1. Make sure the seller knows what she’s selling. If the seller doesn’t quite seem to know what he’s talking about, be extra wary of high prices. I have seen many eBay sellers slap ludicrously high price tags on things they haven’t been able to identify. I think this is usually done for one of two reasons: either a) the seller is hoping the high price will create the illusion of value, or b) the seller is hoping somebody who knows what the item is will be shocked by the price and get in touch, thereby saving the seller a lot of research time. Obviously, it’s important not to buy overpriced items (unless you’re absolutely in love with the piece and don’t mind overpaying). However, it’s also very important not to judge an item’s worth based on a misleading online listing. The bottom line: if you see a photo of something you recognize, read the description before taking the list price as evidence of the item’s market value. Of course, none of this applies if the high price is the result of the bidding process in an auction; often the potential buyers will know more about the item than the seller.

2. When in doubt, assume the worst. If a seller says nothing about the condition of an item, this usually does NOT mean it’s in excellent shape! Good sellers will do their best to describe their items accurately; a short description which is lacking in detail is often a sign of carelessness on the seller’s part. After all, this isn’t like buying something in a bricks-and-mortar shop; you can’t hold the item in your hands and inspect it for flaws yourself. If the seller doesn’t provide a detailed description and clear photographs, proceed with caution. And remember, you can always ask questions before you buy! It’s better to be safe than sorry.

3. Check measurements. This is especially important when it comes to vintage clothing, but it’s generally a good idea to pay attention to measurements whenever you’re buying anything online. Remember, if a seller is doing her best to get detailed, close-up photographs, the item may look bigger in the pictures than it does in real life. Also, one person’s “mini” may be another person’s “child size”, which may be another person’s “individual”; one person’s “small mug” may be another person’s “demitasse”; one person’s “medium vase” may be another person’s “small vase”. Don’t rely on words; always check the measurements. I’d even recommend looking at a ruler, just to make absolutely sure you understand the real size of the item.

Thanks for reading my top tips for choosing a collection and buying vintage items online! I hope you’ve found something useful in this post. If you’re looking for further advice, please feel free to contact me via e-mail or through my Etsy shop! I’m always happy to help.

royal albert cup and saucer from pillowsophi

I hope you found Marie's wonderful post helpful. I think it comes back to my previous post about minimalism in some ways. Thinking about what you want your vintage collection to be about is helpful when you're deciding what to collect or how to grow your collection and keeps you from having a lot of clutter around, too. Happy collecting! Be sure to visit Marie's shop and send any vintage collectible questions her way! Thank you again, Marie, for sharing on the Sadie blog! Tomorrow I'm posting a little DIY that will walk you through the process of making the swag I contributed to Got Craft this year!

less is more

source

I had a long post about minimalism half written, but the irony was too much.

The more we pack away in boxes, the more I like certain parts of our apartment and the easier I'm finding it to get the simple things in life done (when climbing the box maze that we have built isn't part of the task, that is...). Doing the dishes is a lot easier when you only have two pots and two plates. We are really trying to prioritize and ditch some stuff during this move.

Simplify.

How do you get organized?

Would you ever consider taking the 100 Thing Challenge?

moving next weekend

source

It seems like a long time ago that Jeff and I moved into the place we are living right now, but it wasn't. It's just that since we moved here we successfully retrieved all of the money our former landlord owed us (it only took ten months!), I finished my master's degree in landscape architecture and landed a new job and we got married. And yet, we've been in this former nun dormitory apartment with high ceilings and excellent built-in shelves and big windows for less than a year. It's been a busy year, full of ups and downs, but more on that another day.

For now, I'm just writing to share how excited we are to be moving into our new place. It's bigger and better and the tree-lined streets are going to be perfect for Lola. We have friends who live relatively close to our new place, including Lola's frenemy, Hazel, and we're excited to check out a whole new-to-us part of Vancouver. So wish us luck. I'll give you a tour of the new place (complete with real natural light!) as soon as I can! And I'll try to get the print that we've chosen for over the fireplace made soon so I can share that, too! Thanks for your advice on which one to pick. Have a great week, everyone!

P.S. You can read an interview with me on Caiti's blog, Life is a Canvas today. And there might be a little giveaway, too!

some decorating advice, please

As you guys might have read, Jeff and I are moving next week and our new apartment has a gas fireplace in the living room. A fireplace requires some nice art to go over it and we currently only large black and white photographs that I got plotted at a local print shop that would suit that space, but we are thinking we'd like something a bit more colourful. So, if the above images were framed in a 20.5" x 20.5" frame, which one would you prefer as the focal point of your living room? Most of our furniture is neutral or dark wood. I was thinking the frame would be black, but perhaps white would be worth a try, too? All of these photos I took with either my Diana or my Holga. They were taken in Merritt, B.C., Vancouver, Millersylvania, WA, and Portland, OR, respectively. Thanks for the help, friends!

new sadie mini cards

Two weeks ago I ordered some new mini business cards from Moo and they have finally arrived! I now have six different cards to send out with holiday orders, each one featuring a different photo from our amazing Lighthouse Park photoshoot with photographer (and friend) Ryan Mathieson. I'm excited to start shipping them out and to show them off at Portobello West here in Vancouver on the weekend of November 26th and 27th at Creekside Community Recreation Centre at the athlete's village.

In other Sadie news, I am updating the shop regularly. There are many new pieces listed as of yesterday, including my new favourite (pictured in the second photo in this post) which mixes vintage brass chains and charms to make a delicate, minimalist necklace. I'm going to have to make something similar for myself, I think. I'm also planning on getting a few new cave explorer necklaces made to keep this guy company as soon as I can. Now back to packing for this fast-approaching move... Have a great weekend!

11/11/11

A playlist for epic winter days. Something about this time of year makes me want to watch Twin Peaks and listen to weird music. Here are a few of the songs that I'm obsessed with right now or have been obsessed with in years past as winter sets in. Enjoy.

tracks:

1. nightcall - kavinsky & lovefoxxx

2. rock classics - the knife

3. spanish armada - ratatat

4. i never learnt to share - james blake

5. the palm of your wave - bibio

6. lay in a shimmer - pantha du prince

7. feral - radiohead

8. the children - yeasayer

9. got 2 let u - the knife

10. return to the violence of the ocean floor - moonface

11. bay of bigs - destroyer

(Thanks to Camilla, Marigold, and Emily for introducing me to some of these gems.)

parker fitzgerald

I recently discovered the work of Portland, Oregon-based photographer Parker Fitzgerald. I love the colour and light and all of the greens that show up in his work. His photos remind me of everything that I love about living in the Pacific Northwest: dense forests, outdoorsy people, grey days that are easy to romanticize (and that we all come to dislike as winter sets in). You can check out Parker Fitzgerald's Flickr photostream and blog (all of the images above are from Flickr). You'll find page after page of amazing images like these ones. It was hard to choose favourites for this post.

In slightly less exciting news, Jeff and I have started watching Breaking Bad and we are really into it. I think I know what we're doing this weekend between packing and getting ready for some holiday craft shows. Enjoy the long weekend, Canadians! I'm assuming it isn't a long weekend south of the border since you lucky dudes get four days off for Thanksgiving soon!

core samples

Can I just say that this week is going by waaaaay too fast? Jeff and I are moving in about ten days and we are nowhere near ready! Sure, we have like six boxes in our apartment, but they're pretty much all empty, and the ones that are packed Jeff took care of. I have been busy busy busy making things for the two shows that I have coming up at the end of November and beginning of December (check out the sidebar for more information about Sadie holiday events). Part of my pre-holiday updates included adding new silver dipped amethyst core samples to the Sadie shop, including a listing for a special deal on two amethyst core sample necklaces. This evening I just wanted to share a couple of photos with you of these new pieces. I'm really happy with the way the top image turned out. It's given me some inspiration for how to set up my displays at Portobello West and Got Craft.

Oh, and I picked up Mindy Kaling's new book (normally I'd get it at the library, but I'm kind of boycotting the Vancouver library right now because they keep finding bedbugs in their books!!!) and I'm really enjoying reading it everyday during my seabus commute. My favourite line so far:

There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.

So true. Have a great week, everyone!

some wedding details

Let me start by saying thank you to everyone for your response to my last post about the things that I've learned being an Etsy seller. Your response was so positive and it was great to hear from people who were inspired to get making some new things, walk away from their stats, and who wrote to tell me that they appreciated my perspective on Etsy. It was great to hear because I honestly never thought I'd write a "tips" post. Thank you.

Today I thought I'd share some of our wedding details. All photos are by the brilliant Elle & R. Our flowers were put together by the wonderful Ali at Oasis Flowers in Vancouver. I loved the seed pods and the perfect shade of purple that Ali used. Having all of our flowers around our apartment after the wedding was awesome, too, we enjoyed them (and used them in Sadie jewelry photos) until there was no denying that their day had come and gone. Our lighting was all purchased online and was put up by friends who didn't necessarily consider themselves decorators. The heart was the work of Jill and Doug, key members of our decorating committee.

The banner that hung from the front of the schoolhouse was forgotten there at the end of the night. Given the condition of our guests by the time the party bus arrived, it's not hard to figure out how such a thing could have been overlooked. The banner was from an Etsy shop that doesn't seem to be around any longer, but there are lots of other shops that make similar things.

Our place settings were very much the work of my mother and Jeff and I. We all collected vintage plates from thrift shops in Vancouver and back in Alberta, my mom finding the lion's share. The mismatched plates and simple floral arrangements helped us create the relaxed atmosphere we were looking for. Soon I'll share the table numbers that some of our artist friends created for us. My favourite thing about all of these plates is the fact that they are going to be used at another wedding next year. We are so happy that they're making the wedding rounds and that a friend can take advantage of this awesome collection, too.

The amazing lemon poundcake with lemon curd, white chocolate ganache, and marshmallow fondant was made by Camilla. Her baking is incredible and her preserves are pretty great, too. These days I'm considering another wedding so I can marry her strawberry and meyer lemon jam, which I brought home  with me from Montreal. Marshmallow fondant makes fondant not just edible, but enjoyable!

The rest of our decorations were made by some great friends. We made huge backdrops with modified Martha Stewart tissue paper pompoms attached by wire to foamcore. Twisted streamers spelled our names across one of the walls of the venue (excellent idea, Marigold!) and it all came together thanks to the wedding day efforts of Asrai, Jill, Amanda, and Kyle, not to mention our incredible caterers, Savoury City.

Jeff and I have now been married for just over two months and we're about to move into a new apartment, too. One that will have more space for Lola, jewelry making, bike fixing, and cooking. We're excited to get settled in our new place (first I suppose we have to pack and move first) and will be super busy (as usual...) this month. I promise to share my last couple of wedding posts before December hits! Have a great Sunday, everyone, and thanks again for reading and commenting! It's great to hear from you all!

my etsy tips

This kind of post is totally out of the ordinary for me, so let me start by saying that I am by no means an expert Etsy seller, nor have I quit my day job, been featured very often on the ever-coveted front page, or been able to break out into the design blog world in a big way. What I do have is a successful small (tiny?) business that allows me to do something that I really love (make things) and share them with other people. I have customers that have become friends and important contacts and I am still passionate about what I do two years later.

I’m pretty happy with where I’m at, though I’m not confident (ever) that things will stay this way, and I’d like to share a few of the things I’ve learned from my experience as an Etsy seller with you as the busiest time on Etsy approaches. If you’re also an Etsy seller please feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree or have some tips of your own to add!

Don’t give up, but do change.

This is the single most important thing that I’ve learned in my nearly two years of being an Etsy seller. The first six months were especially depressing. Like a lot of sellers, I was totally obsessed with checking out my shop and dismayed at the small number of sales I was seeing, despite the effort I was putting in to making the pieces I was listing. I began learning more, branching out, and making new things. And some of those new things caught on and some even became popular. Had I just stuck with the original materials and methods I was using, my shop would likely still be stagnant. Diversifying, improving, and changing brought me both customers and creative satisfaction. Build on what is working best for you and your customers and you won’t be disappointed in the results.

Kill them with kindness.

We all have customers that can’t be satisfied or that ask for unreasonable things. I try to remind myself that while it is hard to deal with tough customers, it is much harder to be someone who is often dissatisfied and ready to do battle. When a customer contacts you with a legitimate concern or otherwise, they are likely on the defensive. If you are kind, no matter what the situation or whether you’re saying yes or no to their request, they will understand that you are not against them. This is so important that I might someday do a whole post about online business customer service. Bad customer service is the worst! I am not talking about giving the customer whatever they want or that “customer is always right” nonsense. I am talking about giving the customer respect and not getting defensive or taking customer comments personally. It really works! I promise!

Use your time to move your business forward.

This means thinking about whether you’re spending a lot of time looking at your Stats or Google Analytics or engaging in other time sucking activities and choosing to use that time in a more productive way. Browsing Etsy listings can turn into treasury making time (a small way to promote your own shop and show appreciation for others), checking e-mail can turn into taking the time to e-mail a blogger or Etsy seller that you admire and tell them that you appreciate their work. Finally, stalking your shop stats is time better spent making things, organizing your supplies, filling orders, blogging, researching upcoming craft fairs, and so on. When you find yourself (as I think we all might) going into that black hole of internet paralysis force yourself to walk away and do something relaxing or productive.

Take time off.

This is a big one for me. Twice in the last year I have put my shop into Vacation Mode to take time off to finish my graduate thesis and to get married. Time off felt really good! It gave me a chance to truly focus on the important things happening in my life and also to get some perspective on my business and make some things that I might otherwise have not had time for had I been filling orders or answering convos.

Make things for the sake of making things.

Maybe this isn’t the most succinct way to put this one, but not everything I make ends up in my Etsy shop. Making gifts for friends, one super special item for myself, or something made with a new material or using a new technique does not always turn into a new business venture. In fact, it rarely does. I find that making things for the sake of making thing is hugely fulfilling to me and reminds me of why I started this all in the first place: I like making things. I don’t just make things to sell things and that is important. To put it another way: keep some things just for yourself and you’ll enjoy making them a lot more! Give something special to a friend and they’ll appreciate its uniqueness and the thought you put into making something just for them

As I said earlier, I’m by no means an Etsy expert, I was just interested in sharing some of the things that have made a difference for me as we approach this busy holiday season. Let me know if you agree or disagree or what your best tips are! How does this all sound from a buyer’s perspective? Thanks for reading!

a lola update

Hi friends, Lola had her surgery on Tuesday and is doing well. The vet found two abscesses in one of her front legs, likely a result of fluid on the joint...like tennis elbow, but for dogs. She's pretty wiped out and has a cast and a cone and some other gross stuff going on, but she's on the mend! Thanks to everyone who wished us well! And you can still make use of the FREE SHIPPING coupon code GOLOLAGO in the Sadie shop for one more week!

P.S. Isn't this photo of Lola in Powell River at Thanksgiving awesome? She's a beauty, although slightly zombie-like these days. 

get excited

One of the best parts of our Montreal/Vermont trip was sharing so much good/new music with our friends. Yes, we enjoyed our share of YouTube parties and listened to some really baaaaaad (but funny) stuff and at some point I think we all made a note about something to look for and high on my list was this album by The Knife. Wanna get excited about a concert that took place half a decade ago? Watch this video. This is my new favourite thing ever.