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?

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Above you see what my neighbourhood looked like in 1890 and more or less what it looks like now. What change 120 years can bring! If you have access to your city or town's photo archives take a look sometime soon. It's amazing what you can learn about your part of the world by looking at a few photos from The Olden Times. I could spend hours digging through such files. 

I became interested in our neighbourhood history for two reasons: one being that I've been doing historical research for the design studio that I'm TA-ing after the February reading break and, two, because of the interesting history of our building. When I have more time I'm going to do some more searching and see what I can come up with. In the meantime, here are a few more photos from our place. I've decided to save the record collection for a post all its own some time in the future. What do you collect?

Looking at this I realize that we rarely buy new furniture. All of the above is stuff we've been given, found on Craig's List, or bought second (or fifth hand). Even Lola! Well...it's true. We got her from the Cochrane SPCA in Alberta. And just so you know she's just trying to look depressed so we'll give her another dinner.

Two parts of the same little shelving unit. Above is a photo I bought for Jeff at the Fort Langley antique mall last spring. Yup, that man is giving that deer a piggyback ride, except I think he also killed the deer, though it looks very animated in this photo. Specimens of desert rose, geodes, and quartz, some pine incense, and a loupe mark the beginnings of a growing cabinet of curiosities. Below you can see our travel books and nerdy nature reference manuals. We like to travel and look at birds and trees. The truth is out.

I miss being in NYC and have this little reminder of Brooklyn and the awesome time we had their last summer. There were some really good trees to look at there! Below are some old garden design books that my mom brought for me this time around and some vintage paperbacks that we're using for a special project later this year. Hope you have a great day!