Happy birthday LC! I confess I enjoy fireworks, especially in the shape of a heart.

Writing my blog for the past two years has been both a rewarding and exciting endeavour.  I write about haphazard musings that have taken hold of my fancy, from the frivolous to the heartfelt.  Time and again, I am surprised to meet strangers who follow me regularly, am utterly thankful for your ongoing support and am touched by those who embrace ‘living with inspiration.’  In many exchanges, I am asked how it was that The Love Collage came to be (here is a refresher).

When I originally built my website in Wordpress, you only had one instant to choose a title.  The title was everything and for me, it had to convey sincere meaning with a dash of wit. 

“What should I name it?  Hrmm, what should I name it?”  Perplexed, my eyes darted around the room searching for an idea to spark a revelation.  I stared out the window.  The afternoon rays were peaking through the wooden blinds.  I sighed heavily.  My head twisted to the left.  There it was.

A month prior I had decided to feng shui my bedroom.  In my tidied love quadrant, lay charms meant to invoke love, the theory being that a mini-shrine to love would create an abundance of love.  This presumption made sense to me and plus, there truly was no real harm in creating a tableau in hues of red and pink.  Sitting atop an otherwise empty shelf was a vintage postcard of entwined tango partners, a tanned Spanish George Hamilton look-alike in a 70’s one-piece dance outfit and his female dance partner attired in ruffled flamenco garb, an oversized faux rose bouquet and a love collage which I had painted and carefully pieced together on my birthday.

And so became the title of my blog, The Love Collage.

I have come to grow very fond of this title because it captures the sentimentality of memories, the passion of dreams and the small things we treasure.  The Love Collage is more than a diversion – I write because I love to write but am ever thankful that you love to read.

The Love Collage is inspired by…

Early Carrie Bradshaw. I do type in cute outfits where possible or paint my nails between checking emails. Mad skills.

Do you dream in black & white or colour? A sketchbook a day keeps the doctor away. The mini hoarder in me collects postcards, jots down observations and sketches inspiration.

NERD Alert: I am like reallyx3 into the library lately. I want to wear a tweed blazer with patches on the elbows and my Lisa Loeb glasses. Nerd pick-up lines: "Study much?" "Do you want to be my french tutor?"

The possibility of travel: In 2012, I have resolved to hang glide from Sugarloaf Mountain in Brazil (tandem of course). Oh yes, I am a fashionistah adventuress.

The Love Collage presents Creative Heart Collective Fall Show and Sale for local artisans, crafters, designers, bakers and retailers.  The mission of the event is to give artists, entrepreneurs and retailers an opportunity to connect and showcase their wares with the community in a fun and inviting atmosphere.  We will also be hosting FREE community workshops where attendees are invited to participate in arts and craft activities.

The focus for the show will be:

• Emerging and local artists (small sized artwork, prints, cards)
• Indie arts and crafts (toys, art/craft supplies)
• Fashionable artisan gifts (jewellery, accessories)
• Homemade food (baked goods, preserves)
• DIY presents
• Apparel & Vintage

Creative Heart Collective is looking for high-quality artisans, bakers, artists, crafters and local retailers to exhibit and sell their work on Sunday, September 18th, 2011, 12pm – 6pm.  This daytime event will be taking place at The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West) in The Ballroom (click to view images).

Submissions will be accepted until Saturday, July 30th, 2011, however, please apply early as the number of available spots is limited and will be curated on a first-come, first-served basis.  For more detailed information on how to apply, please visit www.creativeheartcollective.com

With Erica, making this grosgrain ribbon necklace is sooo easy. An excerpt from her book, PS I Made This.

Crafternoons are lovely, are they not?  Flipping through a magazine and then realizing you have a bureau of fabric scraps, threads, findings and a glue gun.  Why spend a $500 on a mass-produced bauble when you can make it for less?  Plus, the slow pace of creating has a cathartic quality akin to meditation.  Ooohm-chante-chante, pass the sequins-ooohm.

Erica Domesek of PS. I Made This  blog fame is the modern girl’s answer to Martha Stewart.  With her bright, whimsical storyboards, she makes crafting fashionable with her many easy step-by-step DIY projects.  When I saw a photograph of her craft closet on Casa Sugar, I almost died.  For me, the craft closet is #3 on the list of dream rooms in future dream house, only after #1 walk-in closet with vintage divan and #2 Harry Potter-esque library with wall height step ladder.  While I can always daydream about my castle in the clouds, her new book PS. I Made This would make a great gift for someone who loves to make things.  Hint-hint.

Heavenly: Ahhh! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alle-luia...I think three angels just earned their wings once she opened up this craft closet. Tiny drawers for ribbons, coloured post-its and glue sticks.

Have them asking, “Who’s your dress by? Alice + Olivia?  Alexander Wang?” Reply with, “No you silly.  It’s a (insert your name) Couture!”  Ooh la!  The Party Dress Book by Mary Adams provides sewing fashionistahs with patterns to create timeless silhouettes.  The photos of swirling fabric and printed ribbons, makes me want to shut myself up in a room for days to give a few of these patterns a go.  Compliments are doubly exciting when you can say that you’ve made what you’re wearing.

For more advice on novice sewing, check out my post Sew Impossibly Chic.

The Party Dress Book: Sew be it!

This dress says tra-la-la to me. I can sew a dress without a judy, however, I prefer to use one than poke myself with pins.

Is that your shoe? Follow skinny jeans westward (to the tune of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road")

Bored much?  Sad and depressed that you have to start wearing a jacket?  I feel your pain.  You know what will cheer you up?  It’s that time of year again for the 8th Annual Queen West Art Crawl.  I know ART can draw you out of your funk.  Best of all – it’s FREE!  Taking place from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, 2010 the QWAC is an annual event celebrating local artists and the community.  The theme for this year is ‘Intersections’ which means the art and installations will have a mash-up quality.  Remixes are always fun, non?

The QWAC centers around the Outdoor Show and Sale in Trinity-Bellwoods Park but there are many interesting happenings going on along Queen West West and deeper into Parkdale.  A curated list of things to check out:

• Opening Night Gala at The Gladstone Hotel -  An Art Battle, two artists will compete in a timed paint off.  You be the judge. 
• Outdoor Show & Sale – Over 250 local artists and food vendors will be setting up shop in the park.  A great way to interact with artists and decorate your living room.
• Symposium Series – Set up in the park will be a number of artistic organizations and artist guest speakers talking on various subjects from creative process to local ’stitch n’ bitch’ meet-ups.  
• Walk the walk – Make sure to stop by the many galleries, cafes and shops lining Queen West; similar to Nuit Blanche (but not open all night) many are community partners and will likely have some special programming.

I encourage you to design your own art weekend and visit the Offficial Website for the Queen West Art Crawl.

Gwen's nod to Chola's of SoCal (Southern Cali (fornia)): "Shhhh, or i'm gonna pop you bi-atch." Love the use of double short form/acronym/bracket.

The other day as I was getting my long overdue pedi, I came across some ridiculously fun samples of nail art.  While the girl in the adjacent massage chair had requested the embellishment of her big toes with a crazytown pattern, I had a momentary tinge of ’should I?‘  An internal debate raged on in my head (felt like an eternity, lasted only 30 seconds);  I ended up deferring this time around.  My resolution being that next time I have a party/social, I would choose something wild for my finger nails as a ‘conversation piece.’ Plus, who the heck’s gonna look at my toes?  Maybe the one closet foot fetishist in the room.  Dramatization:  I point at random things and hold my champagne flute at eye-level.  “Oh my nails are inspired by Modgliani’s Reclining Nude and I decided to go tribal ikat with my pinky fingers.”

The song that best matches these fingers is Notorious B.I.G.'s Hypnotize.

There’s a quality about Nail Art that is kind of borderline tacky-gangstah.  I won’t lie.  I kind of love it.  It reminds me of Chola style and hip hop.  What is a Chola, you ask?  I kid you not, an excerpt from The Urban Dictionary:  “Hardcore latina gangbangers. They usually have thin, arched, angry looking tattooed-on or penciled-on eyebrows, brown or dark red lip liner, ‘Monroe’, eyebrow and nose piercings, tats, Converse or Nikes, flannel shirts, lots of gold jewlrey (with their name and crosses), crunchy gelled or moussed hair either down or gelled in a high perfect ponytail either straight back or gelled in a design, and they go out with cholos… It is much more common to just look like a chola, and not act like a chola.”  And while I don’t necessarily recommend leaving the house in head-to-toe Chola (unless you want to be the latest Crip or Blood recuit), there are some fun styling homages that I do suggest.

Two-Finger Rings – Of late, there has been a huge influx of two or three finger rings.  I don’t think they are very comfortable but fashion has never been about comfort, has it?  The sensation feels like your fingers are crazy-glued together at the base.  I think the look is reminiscent of knuckle rings, used to pack a powerful punch and kick the crap out of someone in a fight.  These days you can find them emblazoned with your name (a la Carrie Bradshaw nameplate necklace)  or with dainty birds or flowers. 

LC's gold nameplate ring. Don't mess.

Mega-bling Gold - Chunky gold necklaces are pretty major.  I can’t get over the look which has been going strong for a few seasons now.  The necklace can be very street flashy when the gold link has a bit of toughness to it and is oversized almost to the point of parody.  When you wear one, you can refer to yourself as your street cred name.  ie. ”Holla!  Miss X-tina in da house, papy cholo.”   

Editor’s Note:  I just read this post again and to answer the question lingering in your mind: “Yes, I am a lil’ bit loco (English translation – crazy) funny.  And I do talk a lot of smack (crazy-talk) in real life.”

Intense! Kenneth Jay Lane gold chunky link necklace.