For the moment

I don't have the time to write a full blog post.   But I must share this song that has me absolutely hooked.   

2012 has a theme already.

I hope life is grand! There's some 'back to normal' in the near future, see you soon.

Lego Love.

I love Lego.  I have been a Legomaniac since I was a kid. 

In my opinion, there is no better toy in the world.  I still have mine from when I was a younger.  

And no, they're not in my mom's basement, they are here, in my apartment in Toronto under the bed. 

Here are some of the amazing things online from other people that clearly love Lego too.

Colossal.com featured Albert Seveso's Ink Surfing collection and I love it. 

There is a group on Flickr of album covers recreated with Lego.  Some of them are really impressive!

I'm trying to think of one that I'd want to recreate...

I created an Etsy treasury of all the coolest Lego inspired things there.

 

And some more goodies from the web:

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2009/11/lego-inspired-digital-watch/

And I would love to do this in my own kitchen, but I don't want to give up the blocks!

http://www.dwell.com/articles/lego-island.html

Any other Legomaniacs out there?

new age. new haircut.

Hello hello.

I hope your Wednesday is going well.

I had a very nice day yesterday, my 29th (gulp!) birthday.

I had the day off, so I started it out by reading lovely facebook messages from friends.  Perfect start.

 And the sun was out and warm.  Amazing.

Then I went and got my haircut.  I went for the big change-up, because for some reason I do that on my birthday regularly...(sometimes not by choice)

Voila.  My new hair - a classic bob with fringe. 

I am not sure how I feel about the bangs, they're taking some time to grow on me.  *bad pun - groan.

After the haircut I met up with Cindy for a chocolate milk :) and then met Steve for dinner.

Torontonians - don't be fooled by "Big Daddy's Crabshack & Oyster Bar"  - they didn't actually have crab.  Which is my fave.  I did get crabcakes, and the rest of the food was good, but really - I would have gone to Red Lobster.   At least I got crème brûlée.

I got spoiled with birthday gifts!

My mom, bro & sis got me the JoTotes Betsy camera bag, which is great, and the perfect size. 

And among other pretty things (for one the t-shirt I'm wearing)

Tegan and Sara : The Con

 Steve spoiled me with records.

Radiohead : In Rainbows

Architecture in Helsinki : Moment Bends

 

The first two are older favourite albums of mine, and the third one is new, I've never heard it before, but love the band.

A solid birthday all around.  

When is your birthday?  Any fellow Libras reading?

See you soon with some photos, baking and a fall craft!

~mel

missing summer, but fall is ok.

It seems like on every blog I read, everyone's head over heels for fall.

I think too many of the blogs I read are based in places like Arizona.

missing summer

- no more air drying my hair

-sundresses are boxed up

-lines on my ankles from wearing socks

-windows are closed for the first time in months

-popsicles are no longer a treat.  soup is.

-berries grown in local fields taste better

liking fall

-i get to wear my cute coats

-it's ok to turn on the oven and bake

-tv shows are back

-cozy curling up under blankets

-spiced pear body wash

-deciding what to be for Hallowe'en

The biggest difference, in my corner of Canada at least, is what to wear to go out. 

Summer:

getting dressed in summer is easy by smilesfrommel featuring sterling silver necklaces

Pink dress
GUESS summer shoes, $35
Mar Y Sol straw tote bag, $88
Aurélie Bidermann sterling silver necklace, $705

Fall, thankfully, still looks good:

getting dressed in fall takes more effort by smilesfrommel featuring knit hats

Oasis sleeveless dress, £35
Cardigan, $23
Coat, $150
Betsey johnson tight, $20
R2 slouchy boots, $60
Kate Spade printed tote, $145
Vintage glove, $15
H M lace shawl, £2.99
Armani Exchange knit hat, $38

 What do you miss about summer/like about fall? 

The worst thing about fall?  It's one step closer to winter.  

Wish I could have bought: at Renegade Chicago

I still have to sort/edit/print/scrapbook/blog the pictures I took in Chicago, but I thought I should at least share something(!) from our trip there. 
I was thrilled that the Renegade Craft Fair would be on while we were in town.  So of course I headed to Wicker Park to walk around and check it out.  It was great ! 
I spent all of my money I had brought, picked up some Christmas presents as well as goodies for myself, and endless inspiration for future craft projects. 

I wanted to buy so many things, but couldn't get them all - so I collected business cards to make this little list of coolness to share.

My etsy treasury of those who had etsy shops. 

Mind bending wooden jewelry

Food inspired goodies for your kitchen

The cutie little hat that looked great with my hair

T-shirt shop - featuring the yellow tee I bought

Pretty jewelry made using vintage stamps

Quirky graphic tees - one of which I bought for Steve

Cool graphic design prints

Handmade vinyl wallets & bags

Porcelain necklaces, etc (I bought one)

Enjoy the links, and thanks Renegade crafters for sharing your talent!

Must watch.

We interrupt this long weekend to bring you this. 
So many beautiful outfits! No idea what the Sept 13th thing means, but after this, it must be cool.

I think the 40's and black 60's dress are my faves.
What's your favourite era?

My fave bookshelf & Vintage Enamel Flower Brooches

Welcome to my favourite (so far) part of our apartment.  

This little bookshelf is home to some of the prettiest things I own. 

The painting was from my mom, who thrifted it. (go mom!)

On the bottom shelf are my scrapbooks, vintage fashion magazines and boxes of photos.

2nd shelf has photo albums, data discs storing photobackups, an old Pentaz SLR and an ice cream cone that is actually a bubble blower.
Above that we have my 2 polaroid cameras (post about them to come) and the typewriter in my favourite color that I found at a yard sale for $7.

Then we've got a vintage globe, (the first of a hopeful collection - I love inaccurate geography.) my lomography camera, the camera from my grandpa (story here) and my vintage flower pins. 

 They were a little dusty yesterday, so I cleaned them up and then did a little photoshoot :)

They've all been thrifted over the past 6-7 years, never bought online, only found surprises at yard sales and good will shops.  I find it more exciting of a collection that way, they're all found treasures. 

Tonight my friends are hosting an outdoor movie night in their backyard E.T. & Jaws under the stars.  What are you up to this weekend? I hope it's a good one!

Crafty links & things.

I browse online a lot.  And I make a lot of bookmarks. 

I really make too many bookmarks. 
And so, in what's finally a brilliant idea - I will share the links here.  I'll still be able to find them, and you can share in the fun of cool things online. 

I am also on Pinterest - where I save pictures of pretty things. 

Arigami - the art of making things out of balloons.  Incredible things - like ballgowns, clones of yourself and this giant octopus. 

Inkodye - a crafty paint that activates in sunlight - they have a few cool DIY projects worth checking out, I'd love to try this.

Did you know that Sharpie has fabric markers!?! I haven't seen these in Canada yet, but will be going State-side soon and will hunt for these!

Another reason for me to have an iphone.  Because when I don't have an iphone, I can't use the Instagram app, which means I can't order this mini book of my photos from Printstagram.

I don't have an iphone.

( I hate those commercials rubbing it in my face, btw)

Over at the Design Dazzle blog you can make your own bubble wand kit - for making gigantic bubbles!
This was my fave thing ever as a kid, my grandpa would make the best ones, my brother would always pop them.

And for those who are less crafty, and more shop-crafty, did you know about this tool ?  You can browse Etsy (or ebay) listings with loads of photos at once - making the hunt much quicker.  This is what I found when I searched for my favourite vintage enamel flower brooches. 

Alas, that's it for this week, I'm sure I'll have more soon!

30 days of getting to know me. day six & seven.

is it terrible that i'm already a little bored of these questions? haha.

i think i'll post them every couple days instead, and bunch them together.

day 6 - a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

i don't have any photos of annie liebovitz's photo assistant. 

i would ask so many questions!

day 7 - a picture of your most treasured item. 

this was my grandpa's camera when he moved to canada in the 1940's.

he gave it to me a couple of years ago when i was moving away from my hometown. 

he taught me my love for photography. 

it's bittersweet. 

just as i was finally old enough and would have loved to go on photo expeditions with him

 his parkinson's disease had taken over his body so much that he could no longer operate a camera.  i would load his camera with film for him, but he'd struggle so too much to be able to focus and push the shutter.  it would break my heart. 

he still appreciates photography, and i know he's proud of my work, but i would give almost anything to be able to go on a photo walk with him. 

30 days of getting to know me. day four.

day 4 - a picture of a habit you wish you didn't have.

this is a tough one for me.  

i don't have any bad habits that i can recall.

i suppose i have a habit of not-going-to-the-gym-enough, but that's tricky to photograph. 

so my habit -which i certainly enjoy - but probably should grow out of - is bargain shopping.

 i can often get caught in the trap of buying something just because it's on sale.  

i don't need it.  i wouldn't buy it if it was regular price, but tell me it's 75% off and i'm all over it! lol

i am trying to get better at this.  the goal is to buy more 'perfect pieces' for my wardrobe.

quality over quantity.  

but who am i kidding - how can i turn down the navy blue silk/cashmere v-neck sweater at banana republic that is now $12?!! 

it's a tough habit to crack :)

30 days of getting to know me. day three.

day 3 - a picture of the cast from your favorite show.

it is totally and completely, hands down a win for mad men. 

i am telling all of my toronto friends to catch up already so i can throw a party for the next season premiere in july.  

oh joan is my favourite.  

this makes for a short post.  so here are other shows i am watching. 

 glee i like to stream online.  that way i can skip through the ballads.  hate the ballads.  

i also *gasp* hope it ends soon, it's already losing its coolness.

 bored to death from hbo.  this trio of actors is hilarious together.

 pushing daisies is already long dead and canceled, but sometimes it's nice to watch a show where you don't have to wait a week for a new episode.  the styling on this show is divine.  

very inspired by amelie.

and our canadian contender - being erica. 

she's a 30 year old gal feeling lost in life, but she gets to go back in time and relive all those moments she regrets, in the hopes of change.  (via a strange therapist)

hmmm my description sounds sappy, but i can identify all too well with her sometimes, so its worth the watch for sure.

30 days of getting to know me. day two.

day 2 - a picture of you and the person you have been close with for awhile.

Meet my great, kind, wonderful, talented friend Cindy. 

Here's a pic of what facebook has to say about us.

We have been friends for over a decade.   We first met at our elementary school, she was in class with my brother, I was in class with hers.   We re-met later through a mutual friend Meg, at a murder mystery birthday party, I believe.  We were acquaintances for a while, and then laughed to find out that we were in the same film production program in college.  From there, it's only gotten better. 

After graduation, Cindy moved to Toronto, and I took about 4 more years to follow.  I moved into a shared house with her brother, then a room opened and I moved in with Cindy.  

We've had, bake-a-thons, Sex and the City marathons, dance-offs in the kitchen, Christmas decorating parties and loads and loads of laughs.  She is truly like a sister to me. 

In the newest development, Cindy and her boyfriend Francesco got engaged, and asked me to be in the wedding party.  Whoo hoo! I get to help my best friend plan a beautiful day.  

oh! and Cindy's dad also figured out that we are, on far-reaching branches of the family tree, related.  She is family after all.

30 days of getting to know me. day one.

I am going to join Minnesota Girl in her 30 days quiz. 
Day 1.  A picture of you and 15 random facts about yourself.

C'est moi:

me0509, originally uploaded by melaniegodecki.

and the randomness:
1. My most favourite colour hair dye has been discontinued. 
I am constantly on the search for a great red.  
2. My favourite food is pineapple, the fresher the better.
3. I am amassing a collection of vintage hats that I love. 
4. Dresses with pockets are the best invention ever.
5.  I have a younger brother and younger sister.
6.  I find it hard to buy books.  I am a library  gal through and through.
7. Yesterday I bought a book on food styling for photographers.
8.  I recently won first place in a football pool. $282 in winnings.  All flukes!
9. I could eat breakfast foods for dinner for the rest of my life.  yum.
10. I am a little bit messy.  Especially with laundry. 
11. I will never get tired of the smell of coconut.
12. I wish I lived near the beach again.
13.  My dream job is to be the on staff photographer for a magazine.
14. My 2011 calendar is black and whites of Paris. 
15. I procrastinate but am never late.  
Take right now, when I should be in the shower getting ready for work.  lol. 

Let me know if you do this silly quiz too - it'd be nice to get to know you better :) 

my boyfriend has started blogging.

hello hello!

just stopping in with a quick note to tell you some exciting news.  

(i have already spilled the beans in the blog post title.  i realize this.)

steve has started a blog, which is very academic and is focused on political theory and philosophy, which he studies.  in case you or anyone you know has an interest in it, check out:

nonideal theory

cheers!

p.s.  i should have some real posts soon, i have just finished a 9 day stretch of no days off, and am fully looking forward to having the next 2 days to do what i want. 

(but sadly groceries, laundry and cleaning too)

A new take on the flash mob

None of this is in English, but you will understand what happens.
Awesome that this man's boss organized it for him for his birthday :)

Music to love. Pogo.

 

this is my favourite thing on the internet lately. 

Pogo remixed some Snow White to make this beautiful and addictive track. 

(He also has Harry Potter, Toy Story and more on his site - i believe he now works for Disney)

fun things.

just want to wish you canadians a very happy thanksgiving!

we had a nice quiet dinner here. i enjoyed cooking the big meal and i'm very thankful that steve did all the dishes after. <3 and we have leftovers for days.

also - i forgot to tell you that www.melaniegodecki.com is finally here!

my photos are there, as a sort of online portfolio, especially if you live in the toronto area ;)

and finally, something too cute to not share. i walked to the nearest goodwill in search of halloween decor last week and stumbled upon knitomatic - on bathurst near st clair.

they have a knitted bike. it's awesome.

and i love these colours of wool - they make me want to knit a million things for fall. (but i think i will have to sign up for some of their lessons or classes - i've forgotten most of what i learned from youtube last year.

hope you had a wonderful weekend.

birthday wish list

 hey hey hey. 

my birthday's on monday.  so i'm going to be self-indulgent and post a list of things i like. 

maybe you'll think something is cool too, so i have links for you ;)

how cute are these!

silicone cupcake teacup molds

a camera bag that doesn't scream "i have thousands of dollars of stuff in here, please rob me"

good looking camera bags

i could be joan from madmen for Halloween. just need to find that necklace

pinup dress in pink

these are just fun

grey boots

how does one become a celebrity portrait photographer?

any photography book featuring annie leibowitz, but this one seems extra interesting

i am saving for this beauty.

the canon 24-70 2.8 L lens

i am a big fan of jamie oliver and he has a new cookbook:

 

 but i think the release date might be different in North America...

and finally

this lot of vintage brooches would be a welcome edition to my collection.  

too bad it sold on ebay, for over $550! that's a bit mad.

when is your birthday? what would you like?

i like to scrapbook. :)

and i even used to do it.

my scrapbooking supplies and i have been apart for a long while, and while the weather seems too nice to sit inside and create a page, i am reminiscing about my love for the craft and looking forward to spending chilly nights with a silly girlie movie, my paper cutter, gluesticks and stacks of paper. 

here are some of my fave pages:

my papa (grandfather) in a photobooth circa 1957

my shoes (though this page is a few years old now, i may have to match it with a whole new set - i can only see 3 pairs that i still own!

i made a scrapbook for steve for our 1st anniversary.  i love papers by bampop!

i think this one takes the cake as my fave page ever.  thanksgiving 2008.

from the time i tried to call steve from a payphone in paris.  he didn't get to the phone on time and i left a machine message.  my credit card was later charged $42.00.  super lame!

this is my cousin melissa, in a pic i took ages ago.  but it was fun to use rockstar papers, because you know, she's like that ;)

if you'd like to see more - my set is on flickr here.

and do you scrapbook? i'd love to see your layouts too!