In The Studio : Back to work, well, paper work:(

I made it back from vacation refreshed and totally inspired to create some new goods. I really don't regret taking a break at the worst of my madness, not at all. Of course, I'll have to come up with some way to pay for it, and getting caught up with everything at home is stressful, but here's what my "office" looked like for 7 wonderful days:


yep, totally worth it.

But it seems like even though I ran away for a short break, my paper work, books and tax receipts didn't. Time to pay the piper and get caught up on all the yucky part of owing my own business. Here's my office before I got started (I couldn't bear to show you what it looks like now that I'm 1/4 done!)


It's not exactly the view I had on vacation, but I am glad to be home and lucky enough to have a great place to work on my ideas and inspirations.

Now if only I could get through all my government forms and back to the spot I really love - my studio table, beckoning me to come back soon:

Time for a break.

Kisses From The Beach by zuppaartista

I am usually the heartiest of Canadian Girls, but apparently, even I have my limits and I have reached them.

The truth is I've been in need of a break for some time. I have been really, really down and this cold winter hasn't helped one bit.

I tried creating my way out of my blues. I have made so much progress when it comes to work lately, but I can't seem to see the upside of it lately.

I took a break from some of my work and social commitments, book club can get by without me I'm sure, the dinner party we've been planning can be postponed and my custom clients have been very understanding when I push back deadlines. But still I'm feeling the weight of it all.

Last Tuesday, with husband away and work piling up, I felt that I was just tyring to get by with the kids when it occurred to me: I need to get away, we all do. Of course financially the timing couldn't be worse, and in terms of schedulling, deciding on a last minute beach vacation during March break is kinda nuts, but it's time - it's really time for a break.

I will be taking a short, but much needed break as we take our kiddies to the beach. I know that it won't fix everything, but I am hoping to come back a little rested and alot reengerized.

In the meantime, the shop will be closed tomorrow, March 14th until MARCH 26th. I promise to be just a little cheerier upon my return!

Cheers,
Penny

New For Spring

Some New Pendants are starting to find their way into the shop. I'm very happy to be turning to some bright, lively colours in hopes that spring will find it's way here after many, many, many months of winter (is it just me or has this been the longest ever).

To celebrate the coming of spring, enter coupon code 03000 and get 15% off your purchase for thwe next 7 days.

Sneak Peek - In the studio

It has been a very busy week in my studio. In fact, I realize I haven't been out of my space for awhile, and I'mnot unhappy about it. I love when I actually have time to focus all my energy on a work project.

Lately, I have been re-visiting the size of my current pendants. While I do like the bolddness that my current line reflects in size, I do get many requests for smaller or larger pendants which I create on a purely custom basis.

I decided to re-focus my current spring line on making new designs in three different sizes. My hope was to create options, while still mainting the bright, airy feeling I wanted.

Here are a just a few designs in progress. More work is needed to perfect and finnish the pieces, but they'll be available in the shop soon:





While I have been toiling away, I haven't been completely alone. Max, my large, furry companion, has been making sure he maintains his real estate in the most inconvienent of places, right on my work table. Hopefully, he'll decide to move on soon so i can get these pieces finnished:)

What a difference a day (ok, 2) Makes

I snapped the first pic below of my back yard view from my studio window on Friday because I wanted to brag to a friend about the lovely little thaw we have been experiencing the last week or so in Toronto.



If you can ignore the ugly plastic kid toys, you can see that we actually had a patch of grass! After this killer winter, I have to admit that I was giddy with the prospect that it might actually be over soon.

Of course, it didn't last. This is my yard as I found it this am:




I really hate to be so sterotypically Canadaian (we do love to live here AND complain about the weather) but I AM SO DONE with winter.

Just when I was really getting down and grumpy about the snow, my biggest little one (my 9 year old) offfered to go shovel. I quickly accepted his offer, as long as he took his little brother out too.

When my 5 year went out to shovel the back yard pathway to the garage, he kept falling over because the shovel was too big for him. It was too good an opprotunity to pass up, so I grabbed my camera. Just as I was about to shoot, he looked around and, confident that no one was looking, he decided not to shovel after all. What this snow needed, was a little snow angel action:



With moments like this, I can ALMOST bear the idea of winter for a tiny bit longer. ALMOST. But spring better be coming soon, I have a garden to plan!