MAJESTIC PAPER BIRDS

I came across the work of Sydney-based artist Anna-Wili Highfield when checking out the Australian blog, shipbuilding. All of the sculptures shown here are created out of paper and copper pipe. Anna's pieces are so thoughtfully constructed and yet display a sense of calm and simplicity. She has managed to capture the very nature of each animal, where there is mystery and sentiments deep within that humans can only struggle to comprehend.

But really I just think they are pretty and I would like one horse head please.

THREE YEARS

Today RB and I have been married three years. The funny part? With all the upheaval in our lives as of late we both would've completely forgotten our anniversary if my father hadn't mentioned it on the phone Monday night. Go us.

I love you RB, happy anniversary.

PAINT IT BLACK

Ever since my mom helped me paint my bedroom black in highschool I've wanted to splash enveloping, rich & cozy ebony paint over my walls again - I've just been waiting for the right walls I guess.

Enter our Montreal kitchen. When we moved in the back wall was painted green, which was fine, but I'm so sick of colour, colour everywhere and find myself craving simple white & grey & black and nothing else.

So I painted it black, and I love it. I want to paint everything black. I used chalkboard paint and am still toying with the idea of painting the entire wall above the stove black and getting R to do a large drawing on it. Whaddya think?

It still needs a lot of work, we'll have to get new appliances eventually and some fresh flowers/art wouldn't hurt either. One thing at a time though right?

URSA MINOR STUDIO

I've decided to start another blog to document and share my studio practice & to show off my new clothing line, URSA MINOR.

As I've been getting this new line together over the past few months I've really missed sharing my progress/successes/adventures/failures with a group of peers. Throughout this time I've struggled deciding whether to launch my collection uber-professionally or in a more organic manner, showing pieces as they develop. I've finally decided that, for now, I want to be able to reveal my work on a more regular basis, to dwell on the process and the product and to build a community around me. What this means for the seasonal/selling format of my line I'm not yet sure (though you'll be the first to know.)

So I invite you to come visit me over at URSA MINOR STUDIO whenever you want to see what I'm up to professionally/creatively. I won't promise that I'll post often, but I do promise to show-and-tell (most) all about my work and probably ask for advice too. Visit often!

And, of course, I'll continue to post life-related items regularly right here on Persuasion.

CAKE REVOLUTION (NOT 18th CENTURY FRANCE)

100 Layer Cake highlighted these cakes by Magpie's Cake last week and they are simply dreamy. I'm not sure I would ever even want a wedding cake, let alone something so dramatic as these.... but maybe I could just have one for a party sometime? So what if they start at $10 a slice -- art (even the edible variety) is worth it, right?

GINKGO

Some people dream of great careers, or families, or having ponies, or I don't know, world peace, but I dream of Ginkgos. I hope one day I can plant one of these prehistoric beasts and watch it grow. The trees have been around for millions of years and are extremely resilient to disease and other naturally occurring threats. When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 six Ginkgo trees were some of the only survivors within a 2km radius.

Have you ever seen leaves so beautiful? In the fall the whole tree will become a beautiful shade of golden yellow and then *poof* within hours all the leaves will drop. I can't wait for Autumn!

COOL, CLEAN AND GREEN

Montreal makes me want to eat clean, simple food. Perhaps it's the humidity that has me craving greens and grains and fruit and strong coffee. Perhaps it's the proximity of a lovely little grocery store just around the corner that has me cooking so simply. It's so easy to stop in, pick up whatever looks fresh & delicious, toss together a simple summer lunch and then do it all over again for dinner.

I've also been reading Rachel Eats a lot lately, a favorite food blog written by a UK ex-pat living in Italy. She has a way of making food seem so wholesome, so delectable, so simple and precious and nourishing - the Italian way I suppose. I'm inspired by these simple blends of simple ingredients which transform lowly lettuce, for instance, into something quite special indeed. These things make me happy:

Fresh picked greens,

& sunflower sprouts,

With crisp English cucumbers,

Lots of fresh parsley,

Creamy avocado,

And cool, silky herbed tofu with sea salt,

Tossed together with lemon and tahini and I'm in heaven.

And then I replaced the ballcock on our toilet - cause that's just the sort of renaissance girl I am.