September 4, 2009 – Today is Eat Atlantic Day. Did you know that?? I am doing not too bad with some locally made muffins, some local produce and tonight’s menu is going to be a pasta dish (pasta which is not local – fail) with local tomatoes, basil and portobella mushrooms. Obviously my store is all about local even though Canada is our boundary. What I rarely feature or talk of is our selection of local musical selections. True you can pick up CD’s at concerts but if you are like me, you are going out as much as you used to (read: more obligations not a lack of desire). But now if you hear a tune at Love, Me or on CBC or wherever you can now pick up some local favorites. (Kev Corbett just dropped of CD’s – yah! – and that is what spurned this discussion. So tonight after the local supper is eaten, the dishes are done and the kidlets/pets/parents are put to bed, check out some of these sweet local treats:
September 1, 2009 – The first artist I remember getting the “ooey gooeys” for is Marc Chagall. I discovered him in highschool. I finally saw some work in person during my backpack through Europe trip in my mid twenties. I went to a museum featuring his work in Nice, France. I came out and sat down on slab of grass and became very emotional. It might have been an overreaction due to too little sleep and too little food – or – it could have been a genuine overwhelmedness to his art.
I heard of Ambera Wellmann before I saw her work. A friend had mentioned a recent Ambera purchase and then directed me to her site. “Check her out.” I was gob-smacked. I got the “ooey gooeys”. I wrote to her about doing a show half expecting her to say that she was represented by such and such gallery and that an exhibition wouldn’t be possible. Instead she said YES!! And now – she is here on our walls!!
Ambera’s style is romantic and haunting and dreamy. Her oil painting technique is exquisite and reminiscent of some of the romantic painters of the late 1700’s like Friedrich, Turner, and Constable.
Her work really needs to be seen in person. These pictures do not do justice to the layering, the colouring, and the movement of her paintings. If you love art you need to ssee this show. If you collect art and you love these as much as I, you need an Ambera. I think she is one to watch.
August 25, 2009 – Ever since my brother’s wedding at the end of May, my daughter is obsessed with weddings (any fancy party really) and dressing for the occassion. The days I wear a dress, I am acceptable to go to her (imaginary) parties. She loves when I “girl” my get-up with jewellery or hair accessories.
Lately we have had two designers in our store supply us with “girly” hair accessories. (Both of these lines would be stunning for wedding hair, BTW. Anyone getting married??)
One line is by milliner Thea Crawford of Leave Your Hat On. Her hairbands are clear (read: less distracting) and adorned with small flowers and feathers. Her flower and feather combs are a smaller, more manageable, and a less birdie version of Carrie’s colourful bird hairpiece in the Sex in the City movie.
The Bridget Turner line is for a more tropical gal. Her orchid clips and picks are so beautiful. I love the little silver stamens she creates and added to the flowers. Truely one-of-a-kind!
What I like about both lines is their “wear again” abilities. The orchid picks would be great with a sundress or tropical outfit and the feather and flower combs would be lovely for a cocktail dress kind of night on the town. And because we have no images for you…you are just going to have to come check them out for yourself!
August 19, 2009 – Another hot one out there! I am not complaining – no siree! While I love my little shop, a small part of me wishes I was wading around in the ocean and sipping on lemonade or iced tea (the real kind – Nestee yuck!)
Well we know this won’t last forever, so we gotta soak it in. My advice – pick up a gorgeous reminder of the sea to wear during sunny, rainy, and snowy days. Love, Me is now carrying Jovial Designs “Swim” Collection. These lovely sterling silver pieces are cast or inspired from found shells and are made to look worn and full of history and stories from the ocean. The image below is of her Periwinkle Shell Pendant.
August 15, 2009 – I hope I didn’t come off as too preachy there in my last blog post. I think the gist of what I was trying to say is “surround yourself with things you absolutely love” or something along those lines.
Have you heard this / read this – Home is where the art is. I love that! It is so me. It is so my store.
And there is so much great art out there – either already in existance or inside of us ready to be created.
Our shop is full of diverse and lovely art - some soon to leave us, some soon to join us, other pieces which just arrived. And it all vastly different. Some of my favorite art purchases at Love, Me have been the woman who bought a small Lori Joy Smith work as a 1st birthday gift for a child (Great idea – start a kid off with an art collection!! Also see mini parent and tot folk paintings by Shelagh Duffett.), the aunt who bought a work by her niece through our shop b/c she knew her niece would just “give it to her” and she wanted her niece to value what she produces, and a visiting couple who had purchased a new home and wanted a work that could hang on their bare walls that reminded them of their trip to Halifax. And this morning, a gentleman purchased one of Shannon Webb-Campbell’s Souvenir Photo Projects on behalf of his mom as a Christmas gift.
I love that the shop has low cost reproductions and prints to help bring art to someone’s life without breaking the bank. I love when couples fall in love with a work, leave, then come back excited to take that work home. I love that artists get genuinely excited when their work sells.
I am loving the mini floral works by Lynn Rotin in our shop right now. They are delightfully colourful and textured and so petite they could fit in anywhere. I am thinking perhaps my kitchen?? And then there is Zach Gough. His pen and ink portraits stopped me on way to the shop after running a few errands. These portraits are quirky and colourful and full of movement. And how much do I love Genevieve Jodouin’s gorgeous folio of 8 small silkscreened “love”ly prints??? SO MUCH!! Shannon Webb-Campbell’s show comes down at the end of this month (Have you not come in to check out this lomo photographic show??) as do the fab paintings of Aaron LaShomb at the end of September.
If your in the need/want/desire for new art – keep Love, Me on your radar. For more expensive works we have try and buy programs. At least come in for a chat.
August 13, 2009 – While some Haligonians are off experiencing H&M Madness (yes, Halifax’s first H&M shop is opening today), I am thinking about “stuff”. I once went into an H&M after reading and hearing the bounty of cuteness that was to exist within its walls. I made my way through a crowded Eaton Centre to said shop and turned around 10 minutes later. Really? This was what the fuss was all about? There were racks of generic looking “stuff” shoved on racks, sad plastic jewellery cases and product strewn all over the floor.
Where I am going with this??? I guess hype like this (over mass generic stuff) makes me think about the stuff we live with and bring into our lives and give to others. I am not so naive as to think that we need to be so intense and conscious of every single thing we buy, but it makes me sad when I think of how we (myself included) have sucumb to the cheap deals or quick fix purchases as opposed to the pitter patter “I just can’t leave this behind” joyful treat scenarios. In my shop I am fortunate enough to see the joyful excitement purchases that I suppose I wish that for all of us as a more often than not.
I think specifically of a customer this weekend whose face lit up when she was talking about a ring of hers that I commented on. She told me the story – of the ring, of the jeweller, and of how she came to acquire it. She went through Love, Me a couple of times and while she “loved everything”, she picked a few treasures to take with her. I think of an artist I met with this morning whose life is blossoming in many ways all because of her discovering the artist within herself. It gives me such joy to meet the makers of treasures, to then share their stories, and finally to see someone fall hard for the item just as I did.
I hope I haven’t offended anyone here. I admit now that I am coming from a place of being given lots of “stuff” by a few people in my life and me having to refunnel it out again. And perhaps that makes me weary. (Just dropped off many boxes at the Salvation Army.) There is a quote out there about not bringing anything into your life that isn’t functional or beautiful and I suppose this is what I am aspiring to do in both the store and in my personal life.
August 7, 2009 – I won’t name names but some stores have full fall windows! I am just not there yet people. I just took out my summer skirts a few weeks ago! Well, the truth of the matter is that regardless of the humidex, the fall is fast approaching. If you are like me, you can’t bear to look at cordoroy or wool before the nip of October. So then the dilemma becomes do I spend money on some sale summer pieces (which we do have here at Love, Me btw) or pick up goodies that are going to sit in your closet? And what do I wear as September approaches? Enter these beautiful Dace numbers….
…the Bonnie Tunic… and … the Virginia Dress.
I think these are great transitional pieces – wear them now with sandals or flops (for a casual look), pop on a cardigan as it cools off, and then pair them with tights, boots and a thicker cardi for the late fall/winter.
July 28, 2009 – I am trying to let go of my Canada Post bitterness (I feel I got royally ripped off) and turn my frown upside down. I am going to focus on the positive. Firstly, the sun is peaking out. Second, I have some yogurt and fresh local berries waiting for me to finish this post. Third, the shop is full of some fun new arrivals. For you fashionistas out there, we have what I think is the sexiest little dress ever. It is so easy peasy to wear and is supa comfy (bamboo and organic cotton). I think Deux FM (maker of said dress) hit the nail on the head with this one. It is a great beach/pool coverup and is the answer to what should I wear to that pool party or what should I pack to go on my sexy beach honeymoon? This dress is hot hot hot! But throw on leggings and a skinny tank and flats and any over 20-something would also feel comfy in this on a Saturday about town. And extra plus – this would be super sexy on a pregnant tummy. Just sayin’.
Not feeling the super sexy summer vibe yet? We are also stocked in some great tshirts by Deux FM, One Life Surf School, and Kat Miller. All kinds of prints. All kinds of cute.
July 22, 2009 – I am thinking ahead to fall. NO – not because I want summer to end. But because as a business I have to do some planning and lately that planning involves fall merchandise and activities. In October Love, Me will be celebrating our 2 year birthday! In October we will be starting back up our workshop series. We will also be participating in Nocturne again this year. (If you didn’t go last year, make a point of going this year. It is a beautiful evening where the city is alive and there is tonnes of great art and activity to see.) All this planning has lead me to think about things that were on my “to-do” list that I have yet to tackle. One of those projects is to create a cozy or sweater or wrap for the tree outside my shop. It is full and green during spring and summer. But during the fall and winter months, it just looks so sad. Plus I love yarn bombing projects…
So…any knitters out there? Want to participate in making some squares of any colour, any size which can be attached to make one big wrap for my tree? I would love to wrap the tree the night of Nocturne – October 17th. So we would need the squares or bits by the beginning of October. This is a great way for knitters to participate in a yarn bombing and Nocturne. Whose with me?
July 18, 2009 – I will try not to make this post a “Boo-hoo. Where is our &*&^% summer?” I will try to focus on the fact that our spring was gorgeous and that we have had some great days here and there and if nothing else this rainy, foggy weather might encourage some indoor crafty goodness for some of you all.
I have decided that the adorable silver cloud, raindrop and bird necklaces and stud earrings by Love, Me new comer Simone Richmond from Vancouver, is THE halifax summer ‘09 jewellery.
So what are your summer plans? Going anywhere? Doing any visiting? I want to remind you that Love, Me is stocked with some goodies for you to bring as a Thank You. (I am a believer in good manners such as these.) Here are some quick suggestions – a locally made & lovely looking soap (Uptown Tub has some scents like cut grass, fresh linen, cucumber…), some local music (We carry a bunch – Christina Martin, Tanya Davis, Mary Stewart, David Bradshaw…), or the hilarious “martime” themed teatowels by Besoke Uprising – they have images of all things maritime like rubber boots, donair, and granite brew!
