Pinterest Inspiration // 12

1. @babeskills 2. Mark Appleton 3. Habitually Chic 4. @andicsinger 5. @lucidlines 6. Unknown

To say that this semester has been hard would be an understatement. 
Both personally and school-wise I do not think that I have ever been so drained. I am eternally grateful for friends that make it somehow more bearable.

There's something magical about this time of year in the city that makes my heart sing a little. The lights, the music, the hustle and bustle, gift-giving and decorations, it all just feels a little like a movie. But I have always been a romantic that way. 

I'm doing my best to try to soak all of it in, usually in-between study sessions and grocery runs (so romantic). 

I've been struggling with the notion of home lately. I think it is something that I have continually struggled with over my uni career, but it just seems as if some of the dynamics have shifted since then. It's not that unusual. Things change over time and I knew that. I guess I just thought they would change more on my own terms. But that's not really how things work is it?

I read a quote the other day that basically said, "we don't write to be understood, we write to understand" and I couldn't help but think that that perfectly sums up the feeling I get... It's somewhere in-between a tightening in my chest a sort of panicky restless feeling that only really goes away when I both feel like I understand what's been happening inside my head and when I feel like I've sufficiently wrote enough to be understood. But first and foremost it's for my own understanding. 

So if home is where the heart is I think I might be a little doomed. I don't know where my heart is half the time. It flickers back and forth between old and new, familiar and day-to-day, and I'm not sure if that makes me lost or just a wanderer. 

A wayfarer. 

It sounds romantic...I can assure you it's not all the time. 

It's exciting. It's displaced. It's comfortable and uncomfortable. It's content and unsatisfying. It's all these things separately and somehow all at once. 

What I do know is that this year has pretty much hit me with all that its got and I feel a little beaten down and a little exhausted and I'm not sure how much more I can take before things start to take a bitter turn as they are want to do. I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel here somewhere. Christmas break is near. But I'm starting to taste a bit of it's familiar acidity on my tongue. I'm trying to ignore it as best as I can and keep my head up. Mind over matter, you know? 

With that said here is a bit of inspiration for you, and me:

1. Hell yeah.
2. Doesn't London at Christmastime just sound wonderful to you?
3. The first snow.
4. I wish I could fill up my wrists with dainty bracelets, some pretty not-the-week-after-finals nails would be nice too.
5. Elegant? Dainty? Yes. Timeless? I don't know...I think I'd like to find out though.
6. Always a good idea.

Pinterest Inspiration // 11

1. Gardenista 2. Nessa K 3. Unknown 4. Unknown 5. Vogue Beauty

Somehow I've made it through my first batch of midterms and essays, nothing worse for wear as far as I can tell...except perhaps my dishes are piling up which poses a problem when you want to have a cup of tea, or just one spoonful of ice cream. Not that that's what's happened here anyway...

What I'm trying to say I suppose is that I am in great need of some inspiration! Out with the books and psych terms and in with some sweet nothings!

1. My dorm room is quite drab I would say, I need to get on this temporary gallery wall idea. Nat! I think there's a photo-booth calling our name! And we should be all over that :)

2. Lately, Paris and London seem to be on my mind. I've been going through some of my blogposts where I've posted pictures of my trip last June, while listening to Ben Howard, that is basically a recipe for nostalgia! (P.S. you can too if you want, just click, here, here, here and here)

3. Monochrome? Yes. 

4. I've been thinking a lot about the future and people I love. I get sad thinking that I might have to say goodbye to them for what seems like ages, but will probably only be a moment in time. And I've noticed that they are the ones that "get it". They just do. And it's amazing. It's also terrifying thinking that they might be gone. What if I don't find anyone else that "gets it"?

5. My ideal red. I've been thinking of going red off and on for a long time now. This reading week just might be the time! Who knows!

Pinterest Inspiration // 10

1.  Unknown 2. The Virtual Typewriter 3. Wide Eyed Legless 4. Purl Soho 5. Steve Madden 6. The Vanilla Bean Blog

1. The ultimate minimal, chill outfit and somehow still appearing stylish.

2. "I will learn to love the skies I'm under." Mumford & Sons need to bring out a new album a.s.a.p.!!

3. A cute mini low bun -- #hairgoals

4. I am starting to crochet a white and black scarf using People Webs pattern...I'm starting to wish I had this colour though.

5. I have yet to pick up a pair of boots for winter... I have been wearing flats or else my ever trusty moccasin booties. The snow will be upon us any second now and I should really be prepared. This Steve Madden pair is definitely on my wishlist!

6. Can we just appreciate the oozing chocolate from this perfectly presented chocolate cake...mhmmm...

* * *

School has been such a learning curve so far, I've figured that university is where you discover you suck at what you always thought you were good at, I'm hoping this is just a product of being out of practice. Hopefully I will do better for this next set of essays that are coming due all too fast. 

On another note if you haven't already checked out Ben Howard's new album "I Forget Where We Were," I would strongly advise you to do so at your earliest convenience, Ben has a knack for such poetical and soothing lyrics and songs, it's been on repeat almost everyday the past couple of weeks. 

Also Taylor Swift. (Don't judge.) 

Pinterest Inspiration // 9

1. we the people 2. Unknown 3. ZARA 4. Weekday Carnival 5. Unknown 6. Fossil 7. Rag And Bone

1. I really love this. I wish I would have done something like this while I was still bleaching my hair...
2. I've been really into illustrations of pineapples lately, I have no idea why, I just think that it can look so modern and no matter how distorted you draw it, you still know it's a pineapple.
3. I have been eyeing-up this jacket from ZARA for a while now. I always think that you have to have a certain style to pull off a black leather jacket -- which I do not have! This jacket is different though, it's slightly more feminine and definitely more wearable with my wardrobe.
4. This free calendar download is just perfect. I love it's simplicity, and I am definitely going to print it out for my room.
5. After I wrote, "if you're bolder than the darkness", I found this pin and felt like this fit in with part of what I was trying to saying. 
6. I buy cheap watches from the drugstore, at least every six months when the batteries finally die or something goes glitchy. I never found it worth it to buy an "expensive" watch but after my last one died and I was out a watch for a week -- feeling quite lost I must say -- I took a look at some of what Fossil had to offer. Let me just say women's watches can be the most ugly, decked out, bedazzled, mess of metal and diamontes, I literally scrolled through over 80% of their watches with a disgusted look on my face. This watch caught my eye because of the simplicity (sensing a theme here?) of the face, metal, strap and everything! It looks really chic, would go with just about everything and has a good sized watch face. Win!
7. Now I have been looking for a black felt hat, that wasn't so huge and floppy and conspicuous as what everything seems to be that I find, for just about a year now I'm sure! This hat would be perfect if it wasn't sold out and a ridiculous price anyway -- I'm so cheap lol. So alas the search continues.

Pinterest Inspiration // 8

1. Zsa Zsa Bellagio 2. Social Proper 3. Blog Baesil 4. Topshop 5. KENDI everyday 6. A Pair of Pears 7. Zanita

1. Most of my "Mouthwatering" board on Pinterest has been taken over these past couple of weeks by cakes that I pinned purely for how they were decorated, one of my favourites is this white ruffly cake edged with gold and topped with roses.

2. That's not what ships are for. I have a difficult time thinking about leaving home and going to school, I know it will be difficult at first and be terrifying, but that it will get better. I can't quite get my head past suddenly being so very alone and out of my comfort zone, I also know, however, that I can't stay here at "harbour" because that's not what I was made for.

3. I want to live there. Wherever it is. In the meantime, where can I get a striped bed set? And an apartment in London?

4. Plaid has been spotted quite frequently on my "Lovely threads of cotton" board, also, tweed and herringbone. I have yet to get my hands on either one. It's quite shocking really. I should get on that.

5. I keep telling myself that spring is around the corner, but really I just want it to be warm enough to wear something like this outside. When it's minus 25 and feels like minus 32, you won't be getting away with wearing something like this. I have more than once made the mistake of being overly optimistic and switched out my long heavy wool coat for a thinner fall version -- I may have turned to a popsicle.

6. Whilst planning my future as a student and planning my trip to Europe, I have felt as I lay in bed that I had "too many tabs open!" and it is a lot harder than just clicking the small "X" at the corner of each tab, when it's in your head.

7. This is a beautiful photoshoot and I love the effect that the 85mm lens has in comparison to a 55mm. It makes such a lovely hazy bokeh in the background, making the subject clearly the main focus.

Pinterest Inspiration 7

1. World on a Fork 2. Unknown 3. Oh No They Didn't 4. ban.dō 5. Emerson Fly 6. Unknown 7. Peek of Perfection

1. Don't those look divine…that is the sort of dessert my grandpa would love…probably every night! Technically they are Swedish yeast rolls but they look like cream puffs to me ;)
2. "Comparison is the thief of joy," perhaps not joy, but definitely peace -- peace with yourself and who you are. Plus imagine that poster framed adding a pop of colour to a space!
3. Oh, Michelle, so classy! This is actually my outfit inspiration for part of my grad pictures -- semi spoiler alert!
4. Next Friday is my last cut to keep up my pixie, after that it's just going in to trim my growing "mullet" and hopefully in a couple of months it will look something like a bob and barrettes like these will be my best friend for saving bad hair days!
5. The weekend after my grad we are going out to the city to drop my sister off at uni and pants is on my list, classic fit and looks like this that can be worn both at work or on the weekend is a rare find.
6. I love the look of this picture, its very European looking  -- if the buildings in the background didn't give that away to you already ;) Plus it's a cute cut!
7. When I saw this pin, I was like "Yes. That is me in every sense." Whenever I am in a store -- I am usually pretty flustered so I tend to rush and just scan until I find something that catches my eye, stripes catch my every single time. Generally I have to talk my self out of buying another striped item, but sometimes I can't help it :)

I trust everyone will have a great weekend :) Coming off a four day week it should seem like it's been a short week but that doesn't seem to be the case, I am quite ready for the weekend and sleeping in and general laziness!

xo Bronté

Pinterest Inspiration 6

1. Kris Atomic 2. Unknown 3. Janelle Burger on etsy 4. Savor Home 5. The Bay 6. Unknown 7. Unknown

I just watched this video and I thought it was cute…if I had an extra day and it remained special, because that's the catch I think, Everyday must be special always or it will very soon just become an extra Saturday or Friday, etc. If it remained special I would make a point to do everything I never have time to do or put off or always wanted to do, just on that day. I would make it a day where nothing was too great or insignificant, where I would do at least one thing that I have never done before or don't do often enough, like going to the local museum or watching the sunrise or taking a day trip with no destination. 

I think despite the fact that not every week are we going to take time to do these things, even if we should, the idea of Everyday is a nice thought and perhaps every so often we should set an Everyday to do all the things we can't in a regular week.

1. This picture is of Brighton, there must be some sort of fair going on…anyways I thought it was so pretty and I can't wait to see and experience these things when I go to Europe for my Grad trip!

2. Oh! Marion Cotillard, why are you so beautiful?! After my graduation I'm going to grow out my hair into this sort of bob, blunt, and long enough that I can curl it like this. It's going to be tough I think…a lot of growing pains to go through I think!

3. This watercolour…it's very french and I love it so!

4. I think everyday and I don't mean Everyday, we should be reminded of this…

5. I don't think I need to explain why this dress is here. Oh! just look at it…I would love to flounce around in that…

6. I love the simplicity of the girls outfit and that she has left her nails and lips as the main focus. Plus I love the pose that she is in and the focal point…just all around lovely :)

7. This picture makes me ache for summer slash spring slash the snow to be gone!! Ugh, if only I could take my bike out and feel my legs burn and the breeze on my face and the crunch of gravel beneath the tires…one can dream…

xxoo Bronté

Pinterest Inspiration 5

1. Unknown 2. tinkijenn via flickr 3. This Modern Romance 4. Design Sponge 5. Unknown 6. Unknown

It's been quite a week! I've finished all my exams and now can breathe easy...kind of. Whilst staying at my Great Grandma's I've been going to school studying (sometimes all-day) for a math diploma that wasn't. My grade had the great privilege of blazing forth a new curriculum for High School math, as we entered our provincial exam and started our tests something didn't seem right, however we continued and two thirds of the way through something was very wrong! Our Vice Principal came around to each of us, 10 minutes left in our exam, "You've probably noticed by now that your writing the wrong exam, just finish up as best as you can, we're working on straightening this out." Umm...I'm sorry but you made us go through two and a half hours of inner turmoil, leading us to believe that we were probably going to fail an exam which is worth half our grade?! You expect us to finish an exam with questions that we have never even heard of before?! Let's just say I finished my last 10 questions or so pretty quickly, when in doubt pick C right?!! We were given the previous curriculum's diploma exam instead of the new one. We are still waiting to see whether or not we will be exempted or if we will have to redo the exam in June. Needless to say it was stressful day to end my week. One week from today I'll be back out at the acreage, starting a new semester and hopefully all this will be cleared up. Anyway enough of this it's over and life goes on...

1. When I first saw this picture I thought of how beautiful the trees and the sky were and what a unique way of portraying a landscape picture! I love everything about this :)
2. I'm a sucker for botanical prints, this particular one I can imagine gracing the cover of a journal, or even in the mix of a wall of art.
3. I came upon this photoshoot originally from, The Clothes Horse, who I follow on Blogger. It has a great mix of colour and black and white old Paris esque pictures. I just love the very stereotypical 1920's Paris cafe scenes that you can see throughout this photoshoot.
4. I must say that after seeing again and again DIY's that listed washi tape under the supply lists, nothing sold me on this tape except this picture frame DIY. For an apartment, dorm room or rental that doesn't allow you to hang anything on your walls, this is perfect!
5. After recieving the wide instax film camera for my birthday, I've been experimenting with the film world. This picture which includes a beautiful colour pallette that stretches from the peachy and yellow poppies, and the bluey-grey rustic table to the dreamy polaroid pictures themselves, inspires me to create and strive for this sort of mood in my pictures as well.
6. A beautiful form of politeness...dressing beautifully is indeed the best way to make an impression, aquire your own taste, and ultimately be polite.

Pinterest Inspiration 4

1. Unknown 2. Unknown 3. Muitaihania 4. chezjolly from etsy 5. chocolate and carrots 6. Who What Wear / Vanessa Jackman 7. Unknown 8. A Cup of Jo 9. Marc Johns

What with the reappearance of snow and the lack of daylight to take pictures with after I get home from school, I must admit the view from where I sit has been rather gray. So far I've contented myself with the fact that November is coming and with it the start of something like the Holidays and that it's been almost a year since I've read Pride and Prejudice so therefore my vintage copy is begging to be read again. 

1. I love the typography of this first quote, I may not know what I want to become as far as after school, but I just have to satisfy myself with today and what I've become since the beginning of High School -- and  I think I like who I am becoming :)

2. The mood of this watercolour, coupled with the colours helps personify the mood of clashing winter and fall. 

3. I love this crocheted blanket! I think this will definitely be the pattern for my first blanket that I make <3

4. Someday I will walk the streets of Paris and Southern France and take beautiful pictures of beautiful buildings like this one.

5. This cake. Chocolate Raspberry Forest cake…I didn't know what I was going to have for my birthday dessert but this is definitely in the running -- it's competing with pumpkin cheesecake so I don't know we'll see which one prevails!

6. I love this outfit, I kind of did my own spin on it for my thanksgiving outfit but without the collar and with tights :) so cute.

7. "I love you to the moon and back" I remember when we would say this to our parents as they were tucking us in except we would go back and forth with things like, "I love you to South Africa and around the world 20 times and to the sun and back." haha

8. I'm thinking this will be my november challenge. Red lips everyday. 

9. This last picture has to be the epitome of ME, "Sometimes the only thing left to do is put on your favourite striped sweater and get on with the day," except it's "favourite striped dress" or "favourite striped shirt" etc. Sometimes thats what I have to do to get through the day.

Anyways have a good week <3 Oh and tell me what your going to be for Halloween…I'm thinking of being Twiggy -- the inspiration for chopping off my hair :)

Pinterest Inspiration 3

1. Visionary Dreams 2. PariDesigns on Etsy 3. Unknown 4. An Edible Mosaic

The nights and days are getting crisper, we've been spending our evenings sitting round a fire, whittling in Calder's case, listening to a playlist of Andrew Belle, Birdy, The Fray and Dean Martin in my case whilst talking to dad and begging for attention in Seth and Ezra's case. It's been a good start of the week after a wonderful long weekend of shopping, a wedding shoot and family!

I love this outfit post by Danielle of Visonary Dreams, it's very fall esque. The cotton ball garland is a bit early but I can't help getting excited/dreaming about Christmas in our new house and this Chocolate Hazelnut custard looks so invitingly delicious. 

Well I hope you have a wonderful week and that you "dwell in possibility," the endless possibilities of pumpkin desserts perhaps ;)

Pinterest Inspiration 2

1. Unknown 2. Unknown 3. Unknown 4. Coco Rose Diaries

 We are moved! Our construction site has turned into a home. The first night we slept here was Sunday August 12, 2012, a truly monumental day for us. Pictures will be coming quite soon hopefully. It took awhile to actually get our internet up and running out here, so we got a bit of reading done, started and finished my first book in what seems like months. I think we are officially country folk now, picking wildflowers and taking walks at sundown…ahh...I can get used to this. 

The lack of an oven kind of stings though, my idle mind keeps dreaming of french macaroons, a lavender iced cake on our newly un-boxed china plates and rolling out pie crust on our marble island…one can dream. Oh and if you have any stovetop dinner recipes please share, the lack of oven and a barbecue really strain our creative juices, meal-wise.

Another monumental event, we used a dishwasher for the first time in 2 years the other night, and I don't mean a human dishwasher…an actual factual mechanical dishwasher! It was quite the event, which may seem sad to most but it was tiresome washing a mountain of dishes twice a day.

Anyways have a great week!

P.S. sorry for the lack of links to the original owner of these pictures but tumblr does not help in that department and unfortunately that's where these were pinned from.

Pinterest Inspiration

1. Le Dans La 2. Ashley Goldberg 3. J. Crew 4. Jemma Keech 5. Cole Haan Air Morgan Slipper Ballet 6. Unknown