put a crown on it. 6.

what says 'spring' more than cherry blossoms? next, in the spring floral crown series, i used blossoms of the pink variety. this is a simple version...a more ambitious headpiece to follow...

Photography: Fiona Galbraith  Crown and styling: Nicole Valentine Don

daydreaming of: london.

london town has never been high on my travel list (except for maybe when i was huge spice girls fan). however, one of my best friends is living there at the moment and i am heading home to Canada for christmas this year (lucky me!)... traveling from as far as australia to get anywhere during the festive season ends up being quite pricey and if you can believe it, an around the world ticket is the same price as most direct routes. so, now i'm beginning to daydream about heading home via europe to visit her and re-visit one of my favourite cities in the world- paris (see also tokyo & regina ;)

here

inspire me.

i recently saw a parallel between a Paul Gauguin painting - Riders on the Beach, (1902) - and a photo of me by Fiona Galbraith. the similarities came to my attention after mine and Fiona's shoot, but the Gauguin work was saved on my desktop before, so...it's hard to know which came first- the chicken or the egg? like, did the Gauguin painting influence my styling choices in this shot or is it a mere case of happenstance? personally, i believe that everything we see/hear (experience) touches us in some way and most certainly colours are lives from there on in (plus, i do fancy myself a bit of a Fauve). regardless of how coincidental the colours and balance in these two works may or may not be, i do get a little thrill making connections like these.

Gauguin:

Galbraith:

see?!

put a crown on it. 5.

spring is in full swing down under and the blooms in sydney have popped up everywhere it seems. *i have to remind myself to keep my eye on the road and not on the floral scenery when i'm driving these days.

so, with this colourful inspiration in the air, i felt like making some beautiful spring flower crowns. i had so much fun with my winter floral crowns that i am going to do it for all seasons this year. stay tuned.

for the first of the spring series i chose ranunculus in my favourite colour- orange (the colour options are endless with this flower)- and golden light!

Photography: Fiona Galbraith Styling and Crown: Nicole Valentine Don

on this harvest moon...

'But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.' - Neil Young 

i had a totally spontaneous moment last night where i went outside for a breath of fresh air after a bath and for some reason went up to the corner of my street (which i never really do) where i was surprised to see the most incredible, bright, giant moon in the sky over the ocean. i felt compelled in my body to follow it down to the edge of the cliff and have the closest look possible at it. i walked a couple of blocks in my star-spattered fleece pyjamas (with a beer in hand no less) and just stood in awe for minutes. this moon's energy was so intense that it had the power to lure me out of the house and down to the water's edge; i felt like a proper wolf woman. hear me roar howl!

bougainvillea love.

i've spent countless summers oohing and ahhhing over the glory that is the bougainvillea. they truly are a spectacle of colours and vibrance. today, i bought my own little plant of the fuschia pink variety, so that i can have my own slice of mediterranean heaven at home. i can't wait for it start growing crazy!

 

pinterest

daydreaming of: romantic adventures.

home, lately. 3.

a few more from around the house...

inspire me.

i saw this piece that Vogue commissioned for Yves Saint Laurent in 1962 and was inspired to do my own version. not only was the artistic side therapeutic, but thinking hard on what i love in this world was a great exercise of gratitude for me. when all was said and done, i ended up with tons of likes and loves that wouldn't fit on the page. in a round about way, this makes me want to celebrate thanksgiving properly this year, with friends, a warm heart and all the fixings (highlights will include a game of cards and pumpkin pie!).

Nicole Valentine Don for The Transcontinental Affair, 2013

Yves Saint Laurent for Vogue, 1962

home, lately. 2.

and more from around the house this week...

home, lately.

as much as i'm all about the well styled interior, i do love the disarray of an honest, lived in home. you know a week or two in between cleaning the house, when the dust settles and you still have flowers around that should have been thrown out yesterday? that beautiful decay.  i've taken some shots around my home today, highlighting the details of where i've been living lately.

This one is my favourite: Hollywood award amongst dust and dead flowers.

the polar express.

feeling a bit nostalgic for my childhood summers after seeing these photos posted over on fieldguided of the Canadian National Exhibition rides. i love the polar express, but i'm not sure i was ever game enough to go on the zipper!

here

dress up: berber bride.

my trip to morocco last year is still inspiring me to this day.  i thought i would combine my girlish love of dress up, with my soft spot for interiors and obsession with travel & culture. here is my take on the moroccan berber bride; all draped in the wedding blankets i brought home from overseas. from interiors to fashion, its almost as if i'm dressed as a favourite room in the house.

Photography: Fiona Galbraith Styling: Nicole Valentine Don

16 year old Moroccan Berber bride in National Geographic