// SANTA'S POP UP BAR

// Location: New York

Three cancelled flights kept me in New York longer than expected. The perfect extra long weekend in meetings, working from the new Ludlow Soho House serendipitously creating more meetings, and spending quality time with my ny fam. I'm now curled up in the studio fully aware that I won't be leaving here until late tonight. 2017 is going to be busy. 

It was cold in New York. Yet even when the coldness would find it's way to my bones through my layers of clothes I couldn't stop smiling. I walked into a magazine newsstand Thursday night in Nolita. The same newsstand I would spend hours in dreaming of one day picking up a magazine with Candice Kaye Design in it. Then the moment happened. Milieu Winter 2017 has gifted me a six page spread in it's Profiles section. I literally started dancing when I spotted it. I've created something that is now this real living thing with it's own pulse. Thank you Milieu for making dreams come true.

So New York has Christmas pop up bars scattered around in the city. This is new. I've been wanting to go to Rolf's forever, but could never get a reservation. Until someone thought why not make our own Rolf's in our own existing bar. Change the menu, only play Christmas music, have the bartenders dress in Santa shirts, serve drinks in santa mugs, and decorate the place in all Christmas. Genius. Our christmas pop up was Hawaiian theme. Santa in a speedo, and drinks served with rum and tequila. Alright, headphones on. Back to work. x -C

// 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.