THE RAIN

Dear Elizabeth,
I woke up to the pouring rain today. Everything is grey and I cannot see the mountains beyond the bay. There appears to be no end in sight; I am reminded of the final chapters of The Grapes of Wrath. All I can think is "Thank God for my wellies!" My Hunter boots were the single most important purchase I made before moving to Vancouver and I have been so thankful ever since. In a city such as this where any morning you can awaken to something from the Book of Genesis, you need a really solid boot you can rely on to keep your feet dry. Needless to say, being able to carelessly jump in puddles is an added bonus.

SIGNE CHANEL EPISODE 2

READY TO FALL

The leaves are finally starting to change colour here, although you have to look closely at times. The beauties in the maple family are an exception however, they are stunning. The remarkably elegant trees line my street, completely covered in solid glowing red leaves, ready to all drop any minute. With endless rain in the forecast, I plan to enjoy the leaves while I can.

SIGNE CHANEL EPISODE 1

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS

{ann demeulemeester images from style.com}

Perhaps I speak only for myself when I say this, but there comes a time when "pretty" is about the last thing a girl wants to project. A point is reached when freedom from all that harmless frippery and the move to a meaner, streamlined & seductively mature look seems truly desirable. The draw of making an impact vs. getting lost in the crowd.

Currently I'm feeling hugely inspired by Ann Demeulemeesters Spring 2010 collection. I love her use of skin, both human and animal, and the interplay of natural imagery & form with decidedly man-made accessories and attitude. In fact I'm rather obsessed with her zippered leather cummerbunds and chain & feather body jewellery, perhaps I'll have to work on versions for myself.

Also excited about the exaggerated length. I'm telling ya, floor-sweeping hems are the new body-con, mark my words.

ps. Mary, it snowed yesterday. Yes, I live where it snows in the second week of October. Please send furs and vodka.

THE MORNING STILLNESS

Good morning! I hear it's a little chilly in certain North American cities right now, but where I am the weather is perfect. I just enjoyed an amazing breakfast on my balcony where the air was crisp and the sky was clear. It has been an unnaturally dry October so far in Vancouver (or so I believe) and I am not complaining. Nothing really compares to sitting outside on a fall morning and starting your day where you can just see your breath, looking out at a pale blue and yellow sky, mountains covered in shadows and low mist rolling off the ships sitting on the bay.

Last night I made my very basic granola while listening to Nick Cave's Abattoir Blues (which I highly recommend as listening material when it comes to granola making.) This morning I was able to enjoy it with vanilla yogurt, prune plums, dried blueberries, and Earl Grey tea. You should make this granola, it's so easy!

Here's my recipe, the roots of which come from a recipe by Smitten Kitchen:

Basic Granola, makes two large baking pans

6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sweetened (I often use un-sweetened) flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup other chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts this time because they were on sale)
1/2 cup pepitas
1/4 cup flax seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon (my man loves cinnamon, you could use less or more, to your own taste)
a pinch salt
1/3 cup brown sugar (I often leave out the sugar, especially if I am using sweetened coconut)
3/4 - 1 cup light honey (I used a wildflower honey from the farmer's market that my man picked up and that smelled like heaven as soon as I opened the jar)
3/4 - 1 cup vegetable oil
2 - 4 cups mixed dried fruit (totally optional! I usually don't add any, that way I can customize my granola every morning)

Preheat oven to 375°F and line two large baking pans with parchment paper. Stir together, in a large bowl, all ingredients except the fruit. Spread the mixture evenly over the surfaces of your baking pans. Bake 15-30 minutes, stirring every five minutes and check often to avoid burning. Let cool for an hour or so before you add any dried fruit. My little tip is that after I remove the pans from the oven I like to press down on the granola with a wooden spoon before I let it cool, that way it sticks together and I can break it all apart into large delicious chunks.

I hope you have a fantastic Friday morning!

SACRED THINGS

The studio continues to improve as I find places for treasures old and new. I hope to start some patterns on Thursday, though finding the time to accomplish everything is beginning to pose a problem. Who knew unemployment could be so time-consuming?