A day off looking back to another day off...

In a last minute decision yesterday I decided to take today off. I had a very stressful week both professionally and personally and I just needed to sleep in and recharge my batteries. Perhaps you can call this a mental health day ;)
Two weeks ago I had the Monday off, instead of Canada day. You see working in finance means that you close the books and not take a day off even if it is a national holiday. Anyway, Amy and I traveled, got lost, and eventually found our way to Blue mountain for a overnight little get away.
We were a bit confused to walk around the Blue Mountain village wondering what people do at night there. Well I thought this is when you get your sweater, sit on the cool chairs and talk the night away. We are used to always search for entertainment and some kind of stimulus that not doing anything is a foreign concept.
My new promise to myself is to try to find the calm and peace in a Friday night in, just me, myself and the cat. Stop rushing and always pushing forward, looking constantly for more and wanting more. I will learn how to be thankful for all that I have, all that I have achieved and be at peace with myself.



Blue Mountain village in the Summer



The village and I



Step 1 taking a moment!

Update

Really if you would like a quick and up to date account on what I am up to visit my little Twitter page ;)

I have been incredibly busy with everything else including dreaming of working on art work but actually creating.
I recently managed to get out the ink and turn out a new Lino and woodblock print



"Dreaming in Green"

Now I have a big Case exam on May 14th, and instead of studying I have been sitting around and simply shooting myself in the foot, since this is a career defining exam.
Good job me, now I wish I can find some motivation & concentration.
I hope to get out of work by 4pm tomorrow, and spend 2 hours studying at a coffee shop prior to picking up my Little Brother for our weekly 2 hour activity. I think I forgot to mention, that I am volunteering as a Big Sister & it has been challenging.

Summer is here....

well perhaps for just one day, but I took full advantage of the sunshine and headed for the Beaches in Toronto

I discovered the boardwalk and beach last year for the first time at the end of the summer and this year I will be there every weekend. Just a weekend beach bum ;)
I can't believe I didn't know how wonderful it is there all of these years.


I even enjoyed my first Ice Low Fat Light Ice Latte of the season ;)

I decided to go by the water and look for sea glass. Lately I have been looking at wornderful jewlery made out of sea glass and thought if I would be lucky enough to find a piece... well



I am going to wire wrap some of the bigger pieces and perhaps get my hands on a drill...
Anybody worked with sea glass before? Ideas...
I may put some in the shop as supplies...

Twitter me and I will twitter you ;)

hehehehee I joined Twitter the other day and now I am part of the addiction...




I am doing my best not to activate it on my BlackBerry because you know it will be all down hill from there for me ;p

Sometimes...

Ever think really hard about someone and they end up calling you the next day? Just out the blue, someone perhaps you didn't think you would ever see again...

Anyways, this was a weekend filled with moments, for lack of better way to describe it.

Saturday night I celebrated my best girl's birthday with a night of dancing. I was a bit of a 5th wheel since it was two couples and me but hey I tend to have fun no matter what.
I made her this little necklace as a present


I really like this shot of it



I also had one more shell bead and made a similar necklace for the Shop!




Sea and Sky necklace

Goodbye winter

The grey blahs of winter are almost over, I see the sun outside that is actually starting to hurt the eyes instead of it struggling to show behind the grey haze of clouds and coldness.


My little trip to Ottawa last weekend, left me smiling as I climbed on the last little pile of snow ;)

I am excited for the long warm days when working late won't matter because the sun will still be out at 9pm. I can't wait to feel the warm from the sun as it gently (I say gently because I will be wearing 30spf sunscreen) tans my skin.

Summer is coming!!!!

Tourist for the Day

An event I discovered last year in my little city of Toronto is Winterlicious . Great, out of my price range, restaurants have set menus for a lot lower price. Today I had lunch at the top of the CN tower, something that I really really wanted to do. Now this is not the famous spinning 360 restaurant, but the Horizons restaurant , still 100% worth it.
Just check out this view from our table:




and the menu was pretty good for $15 and $10 to get up there
I started with Smoked Salmon Salad

Followed by a Chicken Pot Pie



and a Sour Cream Ice cream and Apple crumble



and if you are up there you have to go on the glass floor of the CN tower and sit on it like all of the tourists :)



Actually most people are scared of the glass floor. It does feel a little weird at first but really nothing freaky about it. And really I am a tourist in my own city as I hardly ever visit the attractions. This is only the second time I have been up there.

Black and White and Red SPT Jan 22 09

Black and White and Red SPT Jan 22 09
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

I wonder how I will change over a year. How my view of the world will change, what I will look like and if I will be happier.
I took this photo at the end of the day on the 22nd, tired and stressed and confused and feeling ice cold towards most parts of my life. Wishing that things are just black and white, yes and no, forward or backward, stop or go.
On the other hand I am thankful for my friends and my family. I am happy that my brother is back and living with me. My one bedroom apartment is a mess but it is a home. I am happy that when my sister visits she calls my apartment "home".

The moment was calm, but you knew it won't last

"The moment was calm, but you knew it won't last"
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

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Sometimes life throws you a punch and instead of just taking it, you punch back hard and it spins you out of control.
This is what lies behind this photo.

I learned how to add textures and layers in Photoshop today. I am really proud of myself. ;) Now I am looking into photography lessons, since it has been a dream of mine to use photography as another layer in how I express myself.
What do you think, for a first try...15min exercise? For texture credits please see my flickr.

Day off!!!

in Montreal
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

After spending the weekend (16 hours in total) in class, I was lucky to have the day off from work today. I actually have a few days that I will try to fit in by the end of the year. I hope to have the last week of December entirely off, to just sit around and not do anything. Please Please Please.

My little sis spent the weekend here, and today we shopped 'till we dropped. ;)
I bought the cutest little skirt and tights ( I never thought that I would buy tights), to go with the skirt. The combo with my black boots is awesome!!!! I can't wait to wear the outfit ;)
Now I am getting ready for my week, that is only 4 days long!!!

ps the Picture is from last month, when I was in Montreal

400 Hearts and hello

400 hearts!
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

yey a little celebration!
Now I want 500 by the end of the year, and to reach 200 sales in my shop!
I can do it!, I know I can....

Where have I been, well I don't even know....
Working,studying, taking little trips..... New York, Montreal, Ottawa (check out my flickr for photos) and oh yah meeting new people and trying to learn about dating....

My mission is to be back on track here, since I really want to be able to call myself a full time artist not an artist by night.

Off to Europe - SALE

"Strength" earrings
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

I am leaving for Europe in two weeks for two weeks ;)
and decided to have a little sale until then. 15% everything in my shop until July 10th!
(excluding custom items)

Please do come for a visit The Shop!

new "Strength" Earrings

Hi there,

Candy star pendant
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

How are you?

Life is changing for me in a flash, one minute I am moving the next I am not.
The good news is that I don't have to study for the rest of the month and really hope to do some block printing this week or even perhaps a bit of painting.
I had a dream that I sold a few paintings, I really wish I would find the energy to really work on my so called art career. The current corporate life is slowly making me loose sense of who I am.

For now I am working on new accessories because they are fun and quick to do.

Visit this cute pendant when you have a minute "Candy Star"

It is very gray here, I hope that were you are you have a bit of sunshine.

Good Morning, Tassimo!

Good morning, Tassimo!!!!!!!
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

Meet my new morning friend!
Mornings should be a little bit better with wonderful machine.
I have been hoping for a tassimo and now I have one.
yey!

I have been sitting in my toasty apartment today, relaxing.

I just joined www.swap-bot.com and now I am participating in 2 ATC swaps. I find that swaps always challenge me and keep me creative.
One is a Valentine theme and the other is a 10 favorite things theme.
This should be fun!

I have 3 hats on....

I have 3 hats on
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

Last weekend was the worse snow storm in years and I was on the road.
I went to Ottawa to visit my little sister, about a 5 hour drive from me.
I was smart enough to take the Greyhound bus there and back. The snow storm that hit Saturday night/ all day Sunday was horrible, it took me only 10 hours to get back.

It was worth the trip since I haven't seen the little one, well she is 2 heads taller than I am, since Thanksgiving - the Canadian one in October.
Ottawa is COLD, in this pic I have 3 hats on. 3! I had to buy thermal leggigs while I was there and walking around. I don't think I will be going to Ottawa in the winter again.

Today starts a whole week off for me, I won't be back to work 'till Jan 2nd!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Expect a lot of art and almost daily blog updates!
Wow I will be chilaxin' at home, I can't wait!!!

Algonquin

"Algonquin" block WIP
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

I was bad this week and instead of studying I worked on art.
I sketched this block and just had to start carving it. It is larger than 8x10 inches and so far I have done some partial prints that you can see here
"Patience"
"Changes"

The inspiration behind is my trip to Algonquin at the end of August. Beautiful trees.
Last weekend I did buy some new papers that I have to cut up and play with. The hardest part of printmaking for me is cutting the paper. I am not a straight even lines kind of kid and I manage to get all kinds of funky pieces. But it has to be done.
This weekend the plan is to actually sleep and study and work on more art. I really would love to have a few 'portfolio' pieces both prints and paintings. I have to start contacting galleries. I really really have to.

for a smart girl... I do a lot of stupid things

I was really tired yesterday after work and shopping for work clothes. I can't ever find anything when I am looking for it.

I stopped over at the grocery store to pick up something. As I was slamming the door shut of my car I realized the radio is still on. Yep I locked my car from the outside while it was still running with the keys in the ignition.
I guess there is a first time for everything.
Paul came to my rescue since I was only five minutes from home.
My brain is fried officially

Busy Busy

Card Swap card sets for EtsyGreetings
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

I have a long list of things to do this weekend and it's not getting shorter.
I just finished, well I cheated and used some of the cards I already have, my little swap for Etsy Greetings. Checkout the link because my little photo cards are featured.

I also wanted to dye my hair black, to rebel you see, and did. Somehow I still have the same colour I started with. The dye didn't take.

I finished making the lip balm my sister ordered and packed the colab cards. I have to drop them off tomorrow at the Post Office.

I watched my first 5 hour lecture, I have to do the homework, watch the second one and do the second homework set.

I wanted to finish the Valentine swap prints. I have my little lino block ready to print. They are not due 'till February but I wanted to see them done, because they will be really cool looking.

I wanted to also print the new block I carved.
Ohh and the apartment is a mess and a half.
Paul wants to go apple picking so that we can bring the apples to his mom's for her to make pie.
The fridge is also empty.
aaaahhhh.

more eBay

Last week was the first time I had success on eBay and this week I have two more auctions.
This ACEO and another "Self Image" print

"Changes" Work in Progress

"Changes" WIP
Originally uploaded by iva_o.

This is a new painting in the works. First time I really picked up a paint brush since I started work.
Originally this was a painting in my layered round abstract style but after I finished the painting, it felt very childish. I discovered that I am done with that style and now I have evolved to something different. About a month later I painted this over it, I am about to add a few papers to it and play some more.
Don't you think that "Changes" is a good name for a painting linking my past with my current?


ps My registration for the Certified Management Accounting Program was approved. Also at the end, 7 months from now, my company might be paying for the course. Sadly $2,500 just came out of my credit card and credit line. So much for being credit card debt free. Investment in my future right? right