small apartment : show me the green

I painted something this past weekend. And wouldn't you know it's in Pantone's Color of the Year for 2013 --- Emerald.

I'll spill the details soon. My brain is just feeling a bit foggy from so much computer time at work and in the evenings. Time to switch off for the night.

Any guesses on what has been given a new life with this splashy green?

See you soon (I promise!),
xx Janelle

stop chasing, start choosing.

Made this on Tuesday, inspired by Paul Dalton's quote from the article below.

 
On Tuesday night I read a Tiny Buddha article exploring the idea of being authentically happy. Part of the article really resonated with me and I wanted to share.

I really like the word authentic. While genuine is usually used in reference to an image or expression we show to others, authentic seems to imply more of a connection with oneself. It's a bit more reflective. And as a classic neurotic over-thinker, I'm comfortable with reflection. I can understand it.

#2 in Paul Dalton's list of how to be more authentically happy starts off with a bit of a Freudian ego/id complex and then goes into something I've been struggling with lately - wanting things. I've spent a large chunk of time mindlessly and compulsively clicking through F21 and Victoria's Secret, making summer wardrobe wish lists and quietly coveting bloggers' new purses or dresses. And yet when my eyes are pulled from the glowing screen to the growing pile of clothes on the floor I can't help but imagine how much lighter I would feel if I just gave it all away.  

Okay, definitely not all of it - but a lot of it. At this point, I think my thought processes, values and beliefs lean a bit toward minimalism, but my actions and behaviours for the most part do not. In other words, I'm not exactly living with congruity.

I'm hoping to make a few gradual changes over the next little while and will keep you posted on the progress. I hesitate to follow any specific challenges or rules, like "give away 100 things" or "wear only 30 items of clothing for 30 days". Instead, I'm going to take inventory of what I have, what I need and what I would like. More importantly, instead of being stressed by mess and clutter, I want my apartment to be cozy, welcoming, relaxing and to encourage creativity.
This may seem a little vague, but the truth is I am just beginning to explore this idea. While I don't see myself becoming a true minimalist anytime soon - I want to want less.

And this time, instead of wishing, hoping and waiting. I'm going to try changing. Step one is to pare down.

Would you ever try minimalist living or living with less? If anyone has any useful resources for moderate minimalism, I would love to see them - blogs, books, websites... I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks so much for reading,
xx Janelle

puppy eyes

If you've ever visited my blog before then you've met Abby - the cutie on my header. And if you're a regular then you know she's the star around here. And while she is a rambunctious, tough, dirty, garbage-eating animal as she should be, she is also a certified Beyonce-level diva.

We'll be playing with the rope, tugging, having a good time, growling (yep, both of us) and then I look away for, like, a second and she hits me with one of these.

Or I'll be getting ready to catch the bus in the morning, scrambling to grab my purse and throw together a lunch when I'll look over and she's doing this.

And I fall for it every time.

How am I supposed to look this dog in the eyes and leave for work every morning? Two and a half years later and I still can't handle it. So, I don't. I call out "be good" and fly out the door with my head down.

My kids are definitely going to have attachment issues.

xx Janelle

details : the last 48 hrs

Forever a Metro transit rider.

The picture above was taken on Sunday when D & I were waiting for the bus home from the mall. I've been wanting to capture little moments of Spring, so I've been trying to start bringing my camera with me on a more regular basis.

This weekend I noticed how the rain changes things around me. I got caught walking on a drizzly morning and instead of being frustrated with how wet I was I distracted myself by focusing on the details. The whitewashed wood siding on one of the rowhouses darkened as the rain poured over the side of the roof. A car was painted with long, lines on it's surface that came together and then split apart as they gathered more weight. How each raindrop made waves of ripples in the puddles. I tried to listen closely to the sound of the cars driving on the wet pavement as they got closer and then faded to see how far I could hear them go.

This all may sound a bit weird, but it was so peaceful. Do you ever quiet your thoughts and listen to your surroundings? I'm always surprised by the things I see that I would have missed had I just been sauntering along with my iPod.

And then there was yesterday - the sunniest day we've seen in a week! I took Abby up to the park for an off-leash romp but a few minutes and then she decided to forget her name so our playtime was cut a bit short. By the time we got home I was as hungry as she was, so I whipped up this kale, egg thing that tasted a whole lot better than it looks.

While I was eating I got a surprise phonecall from D asking me if I wanted some soy gelato from HumaniT - my favorite cafe in Halifax. Ummmm, yes. I asked him to pick any flavour he thought I would like and so I got oreo! It was the perfect size for a little treat.

Later on last night when D was watching Game of Thrones, I snuck away to paint for a bit. I started this piece knowing I wanted to use little bits of orange. First I layered in purpley pinks, then yellows and finally some oranges and peach tones. It's not finished yet though, I'm planning to do some hand lettering in the circle at the bottom. I'll keep you posted!

How was your Monday night?
xx Janelle

The details series: Life is all about the details - the moments. Over the next few months I'm going to test out a series called details. Since I don't have instagram or a smartphone to capture my daily life, I'm going to rely on my trust Sony P&S and will share the photos here. I hope you like it!

see other details posts here.

brighten up a small apartment bathroom with $10

Apartments have the weirdest bathrooms. Especially, old houses converted into flats. Although our last apartment was in a tower, it still had it's fair share of design flaws. There was a grate in the ceiling (apparently for venting) but the bathroom had no fan or window and therefore, no airflow. As you can imagine, we had major mould issues. After a particularly hot shower, the condensation would actually drip down the walls leaving little slug lines. It was gross.

Guys, our new apartment has a fan. It's so luxurious! Oddly enough, it also has a window in the shower and a half-wall made of those see-through blocks, which I think are from the eighties. Do you know what ones I mean? The door is a sliding barn door, which I admit would be pretty cool, if it didn't leave a four inch gap on one side and had a working lock.

There's a point to all this, I promise! Keep reading...

The fact that I'm pointing out all of my bathroom quirks might make you think I don't like it, but I do! I really do. Despite the fact that it's tiny, there is a ton of storage and it has the perfect little nook for our plastic storage drawers which hold towels and toiletries and ten thousand bottles of shampoo. A wall-mounted sink also means no countertop clutter, since everything is hidden away in the mirrored cabinet. If I'm given a counter, I will clutter it, so this is a blessing. Thank you, apartment bathroom gods. 

Onto the upgrade! All you have to do for this one is shop. Zero handiwork and/or tools needed. 

Along with all of their weird features, apartment bathrooms can be a little blah. Our current beige bathroom desperately needed a little colour, so I bought a purple orchid, put it in a handmade clay dish and set it on the toilet tank. It's amazing how much of a difference it made. The blooms really pop against the white fixtures and shower curtain. This one was only ten bucks (!!) at Superstore, but I know they have them at Sobeys too.

 

I swear these flowers were made for people who can't keep a plant alive. I have somehow managed to kill every plant or flower given to me, so I can say this with certainty! This pretty lady is still kicking one month later. Not only is it still alive, but it's actually thriving. New blooms just keep popping up. I've also taken to excitedly announcing each new bloom to D. He's somewhat less enthusiastic about it than I am.

How to NOT kill a mini orchid: Stick it by a sunny window. Water it once a week with a tablespoon of cold water.

Never though I'd be dishing out plant advice, but here I am. One mini purple orchid makes a dingy apartment bathroom seem a bit brighter!  

Spring is here!
xx Janelle

PS - I'm sorry this post has my toilet in it. Just focus on the flower!
PPS - I have a long-awaited series of green cleaning posts coming up very soon. Made specially for lazygirls, like me!