NostaligiArt

Counting my Blessings: Elementary School Teachers

This week I am especially thankful for everything I have experienced in my childhood. Especially grateful to those who teach and have taught me. Memories of my elementary school Regent P.S. (1915-2010):

My French teacher Mme. L hosted French nights where we were educated about French Cuisine and culture; she extended our knowledge and interest of the language with music, art and best of all food! There is always a mystique that accompanies a French teacher and she definitely possessed it. At my age now I wish I could’ve stayed in touch; she had so much knowledge on art, history, culture and travel.

Mrs. D my grade four teacher was a secret artist (secret, because at the age of 8 you don’t really see your teachers as people). For Valentine’s Day she always gave out these beautiful home-made heart shaped glass ornaments. She was also the first teacher to teach me how to draw in perspective...you know, the road and phone lines disappearing into the distance. Oh! She also emphasised the importance of learning cursive, which I am so thankful I paid attention to! (Not least, she read us Harry Potter).

Mrs. B was my grade 5 teacher for a bit, retired within the year. She loved horses (my favourite animal as a child) and was lovely and bold with her then fashion-forward pixie cut. Next, Mr. M came in; he was young when he started. I remember his efforts with a couple of the misbehaved children as he tried to encourage their special talents. The highlight of his class was the freedom of creativity he allowed for each written assignment. My favourite being a farfetched tail I told about being late because I was swept away into a crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon like battle. He also introduced me to sarcasm, which I had difficulties grasping at the time, but appreciated his sense of humour nonetheless.

Mr. J my grade 6 and 7 teacher was a literate enthusiast. He taught us to use the thesaurus and never gave me more than a B+ in my short stories which frustrated the socks off me! He encouraged us with daily brain teasers and awarded everyone at the end of the year with prizes for highest grades and improvements. He battled cancer and won the fight. He was memorable in the stories he introduced us to – he encouraged personal style and developing our vocabulary. He read us Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events...I have since read every novel I could get my hands on of that series.

Ms. J, now Mrs. J-H finished off my elementary school memories. I remember being so excited when I was selected to be in her class. She was the young, cool, new teacher. The only time she got frustrated with us was when nobody had studied for our Canadian history test and all except one did poorly. She let us re-take the test in which we all heeded her warning and studied. She was my volleyball and basketball coach and we ended up spending a lot of time together outside of school with the team. She was the first person to tell me things would be okay after I got my first zit. She is now the mother of two lovely daughters where I know her maternal instincts will be put to great use.

A Belated Diwali Post

Just a month ago I had the marvellous experience of celebrating Diwali, India's festival of lights. I attended a student run event and it introduced me to the strength of a culture as I witnessed second and third generations fully embracing their traditional heritage.

Every colour of the rainbow was well represented in saris and suits. The visual design stimulation of the night was able to satisfy any appetite. The room filled with flawless skin, never-ending lashes and prominent features only to be complimented by the bright colours of the delicate materials that enhanced each movement. The modesty in the shape of traditional attire was contrasted with exquisite embellishments and the pairing of 4 inch heels that showcased the modernism and youthful adaptations of a younger generation.

The entertainment for the evening was spectacular. The dance floor became a stage as four Bhangra dancers took to showcasing their fancy footwork. There was a tremendous shift in energy when the Bollywood/Western mixes entered the atmosphere. The sense of community was enough to make it feel like Christmas morning with your family. The dancers fed off of the cheers and shouts of the crowd and the enthusiasm was rewarded by the dazzling heights of each leap and speed of each turn. A thrilling dance battle ensued between dancer alumni and the current performers – the energy continued to incline as the females took the stage and the room was graced with elegance.

What happened after felt so surreal: the lights dimmed and beams of colourful rays bounced from the walls. The dancers motioned to the crowd and before you could blink the dance floor was jam-packed with smiling faces, dancing, and what seemed to be Bollywood girl groups and boy bands all singing the chorus to that song I didn’t quite know.It was amazing!

Amongst the crowd I paused and took a moment to soak in everything around me. I knew then that I was partaking in a part of a tradition like no other, the spirit of Diwali gave me a very particular gift, in a crowded dance floor, while embracing an unfamiliar culture I felt very special as I just had a glimpse of one of the world’s most traditional celebrations.

On a style note - The most significant accessories I noticed were the jewelled head pieces that hung from the foreheads of a few girls. This traditional Tikka has been inspiration to many accessory makers and wearers. Having never been to India, one can still feel like an Indian Princess which Karl Lagerfeld took inspiration from, adding even more luxury to his Pre-Fall 2012 Chanel collection. Diloveli I'd say!

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Madonna and Parliament Hill

John Guare wrote it, Will Smith played it and we are all living it... it being the six degrees of separation, the idea that everybody on this planet is connected.

This past May while volunteering at a conference where creativity meets commerce, I learned something interesting related to my current city of residence.  

Ottawa is one degree away from Madonna.

Every summer for the past few years I have delighted myself to viewing the Mosaika light show at the Parliament buildings, if you haven`t yet witnessed the patriotic light show check it out:

This yearly spectacle on Parliament Hill is produced by Montreal`s Moment Factory. Moment Factory also produced Madonna`s insanely well lit half-time show for Super Bowl XLVI (and presently on tour with the material girl too). 

Kind of exciting right!? I definitely gained a broader appreciation for Mosaika...after all THE style icon of the 80's uses the same type of lights!

DIY: A stud life ft. Kim part 2

I got these two years ago and have since been my summer go-to sandal. But alas my studded gladiators broke :( On the bright side, the broken sandals got me to create!

After creating my studded crop top I was idling while Kim was working on her shirt (fringe takes a long time) she started to cut off more fabric and inspiration hit! I decided to refurbish my beloved sandals using her cut-off material into these...

DIY refurbished Sandals..a little touch of bohemian chique (pardon my nomadic feet).

                                  ... hope Mr. Kors doesn't mind!

Here's how:

I'm so happy these sandals get a second life. My feet were so comfortable in them. Now they have a splash of colour and still have the stud detail!

DIY: A stud life ft. Kim Part 1

My friend Kim and I recently had a DIY picnic. We both had things we wanted to spruce up. So we gathered our materials and started work in her backyard on a picnic table.

Kim decided to get her tan on so she changed into something more "tannable" if you will. All from H&M.

Kim wanted to spice up a large t-shirt she found thrifting. She went for the fringe look. I decided to get in on a more recent trend that's booming - studs! Though stud embellishment can be sourced to punk fashion in the 70's there are two major credits for making this trend mainstream:  the iconic studded Louboutin's and  studding accessories.

Photos from Upscalehype.com and Purseblog.com

Pharrell Williams is in the Christian Louboutin Freddy Flat LasVegas Shoes and Lady Gaga embellished her Hermes Birkin - this was in 2010. Soon started the trickling of stud studded accessories and clothing in major retail stores...

River Island Studded Crop Top and Aldo Blye women's flat

Now available to the masses the stud trend is growing steadily. Studs can make any outfit edgy and can easily convert an article of clothing from day time to night time.

Now for the DIY...
I had this cute denim crop top from American Eagle that was kind of plain so studding it would be the perfect ingredient to add some flavour. I only lined the top with studs so it wasn't too flashy but it would look good on the bottom too.

American Eagle denim crop top DIY studs paired with black high-waisted shorts from H&M

   Kim took a picture of me via instagram...kind of gives a preview for part 2 ;)

I'm wearing a bandeau from American Apparel. Follow Kim on Instagram her handle name is Kimjob.