// SHE'S UP!

// Location: Toronto 

Before the wallpaper goes into production I have a pretty good idea of what it's going to look like on the wall. Even so I always get a little nervous on installation days. Will it look just as good as I imagined? Will my client approve? What if they hate it. What if I have to rip everything down and start over. These thoughts continue in repeat until the installation is over. Today was only three hours. Good news my naked ladies pulled it off, and it turned out prettyyyy cool. I'll have proper photos [sans Home Depot bucket] up next week!  

// BACK TO THE MAGIC

// 

It's been a while since I've sat on Pinterest clicked on thoughts and scrolled down to the very beginning. Every photo a piece of my brain up until now. I do this whenever life starts to get blurry. When I started this whole textile journey my life felt like something out of a fairy tale. I watched this make believe world I dreamt up become reality before my eyes. Every year more magical than the last. I believe it takes a tiny bit of ruin to make room for transformation, but lately the ruin has been more than just a tiny little bit. I'm still trying to find my balance. When this happens I go back to the core of where I like to operate - a world of old antique bookstores, where Mary Poppins is a real life person, and umbrellas can fly. 

// NAKED LADIES

// Powder Room, Toronto 

The coolest thing about custom projects is working on prints that I would never have come up with on my own. For Claire and Scott's downtown Toronto powder room, bare-naked ladies, vintage, and tropical was the concept I had to work with. This is going to look amazing when installed. We are even doing the ceiling [does the moon walk]. I didn't really do the moon walk, but I did in my head. So technically it's the same thing. Anyway, I'll keep you updated on final photos! x -C

// LIGHTS ARE UP

//  

Can you spot the two year old? This weekend was spent doing some of my most favourite things, Christmas market-ing, and snuggled up on my couch watching Gilmore Girls and Christmas movies which ended with layers of books and sketch books dreaming up Collection N 23. American Thanksgiving marks the beginning of Christmas which makes weekends like this necessary and perfectly acceptable. I can't believe it's already end of November. How is time moving so quickly. However, a large part of me is secretly excited. 2016 needs to come to an end. 

// MY POWER

// 

Helloooo from country roads. The past two days have felt like something out of a fairytale. Mostly because the country makes me the happiest, and secondly because I'm walking into a dream that has been six years in the making. This dream I won't be able talk about until the time is right. But it's going to be so magical when it happens. Stay and trust in your magic, I promise unexplainable things will present themselves as stepping stones closer to your dreams. The obstacles have been relentless, but now is not the time to look back. Forward is the only way. x -C

// COLLECTION N 23

// From the studio 

I believe in surrounding myself around people who are smarter than me, more creative than me, think differently, dream bigger then do bigger. Collectively ideas are better.  This is what sparked Collection N 23, CKD's newest wallpaper collection that plans to launch in the new year. It's going to be different. I've been living far outside my comfort zone, in my work and in life. I've gotten past the sleepless nights, and have settled somewhere between constantly feeling uncomfortable and trusting this is exactly where I need to be. Life rolls through phases, and I have a feeling I'm about to enter a whole new one. 

// CALL ME WHEN IT'S OVER

// 

It's been a weird couple days to say the least. I had a feeling Trump had a good chance, but never did I think he was actually going to become President. Just doesn't sit well. A large part of me wants to believe this might shake things up and turn out better than anyone could have expected. Perhaps this is exactly what America needed. But then I remember his disdain for women and minorities, civil liberties. I wonder how tall the wall is going to be that divides USA from Mexico. Ah, please just call me when it's all over. 

// 7:00 AM

// From the studio 

It still takes me a couple sips of coffee in order to speak or make any other facial expression other than a blank stare of tiredness in the morning. So I don't know how this happened, or why - but over the past five months my best ideas have come between 7:00 am - 10:00 am. Perhaps my brain is too tired to overthink it just focuses calmly until the coffee kicks in. Anyway, this is the studio at 7:00 am this morning. Yes, those are new jewelry designs, and yes that is an oversized vaseline jar. Many new things are coming, unexpectedly. When it rains it pours. Stay tuned!