Behind the Art: Bridges

January 23, 2022

 


Several years ago, I created a map of the city I grew up in that had a few of the places that stand out (to me) as places that would be recommended to visitors. They are the places that many locals would tell you are the first to pop into their minds when asked about something that stands out in their city, and they are places that I like to go myself. 


In the middle of this map, I put the South Saskatchewan River as the riverbank is one of the things that Saskatoon is most known for, along with the bridges that help you go from one side of the city to the other. Since I drew the map, the city has gained a few more bridges, and so I created the Bridges art print to showcase the beauty of the bridges that help residents across the river.


Starting in the north end with the Chief Mistawasis Bridge and going all the way to the southern part of the river and the Gordie Howe Bridge, I drew the seven main traffic bridges that can be found in the city (yes there are a few more). I tried my best to pay attention to the details of each bridge, but still keep the simplicity of all of the other pieces of artwork that I have done.


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Weekend DIY: Front Entry Makeover

January 16, 2022

When you live in a small house that is trying hard to use up every inch of space, sometimes you end up with strange little places (I never said they did a good job designing the use of every inch of space). For years we had this weird, useless niche in our front entryway that I could never figure out how to decorate or utilise. Then it dawned on me that we can use it as another place for hanging our coats and storing hats, shoes, etc.


We purchased a panel of beadboard that we used for the length of the niche, put 1/4" round trimming where it joined with the other walls and the ceiling, sealed it up, and applied a couple of coats of paint. After the wall was finished, we set to work making the shelving units and the coat hooks. The niche is not very deep, so the shelves could be no wider than 6 inches. It makes it a bit difficult for storing larger items, but hats and other smaller things can still fit.


We eventually found a glass pendant light that we really liked and added it to the space. After having lived with the whole thing for almost 2 years, I can't remember what it was like before we put it into place. It's honestly weird seeing the photo of the space before we added the beadboard and shelves, but that just shows how much we needed a space like what we created. 

It's made it easier to use our front closet as more of a storage space, and has helped make up for a lack of storage overall in the house. Looking at what it does to the space and how it has added to the house also makes me so happy and love our home even more, which is the ultimate goal when doing small renovations.

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My Korean Skincare Routine: Cleanse & Prep

January 09, 2022

When I started the journey of learning about Korean Skincare about a year and a half ago, I did not start off with the double cleanse, but with just a gel cleanser. I have never had a lot of luck with cleansers as I find that they tend to dry out my skin, but as time has gone on, and I have learned more about the reasons behind double cleansing, I have added the oil based cleanser into my routine.


THE MAKEUP REMOVER & OIL CLEANSER



My skin has always hated oil based products, but when I decided to start doing the double cleanse after learning that it is the best way to remove make-up, sunscreen, etc. the Green Beaver Co. Sensitive Skin Makeup Remover became an instant favourite. This is one product that I will never substitute with something else. I does an excellent job of removing my make-up (including my waterproof mascara), and has not irritated my skin at all. 


I do this step every night regardless of make-up as it also cleans off my sunscreen. I noticed a huge difference in my skin after implementing this step, and it made me realise that I should have been doing it all along.


THE WATER BASED CLEANSER



Initially, I was using the gel cleanser from Cerave, but decided to try some of the Korean brands instead after the bottle was empty. I was anxious to try a foaming cleanser as they typically dry out my skin, but so far the Pure Fit Cica Cleanser from COSRX has been working really well. It does create a gentle lather as you rub it on your skin, but it doesn't tend to get overly bubbly and settles down into more of a paste as you rub it around.


This step is important as it cleans off the things left behind on your skin that cannot be cleaned with the oil based cleanser. I use this cleanser every night as my second step.


THE TONER



While the next step is typically exfoliation, it is not something that I do every day and I will get to it in another post, the next thing that I do after cleansing (on a non-exfoliating night) is apply Pixi Collagen Botanical Collagen Tonic to a reusable cotton pad, and then wipe and pat my face.


The toner was another product that I was anxious about because I had bad experiences in the past with alcohol based toners, but I know it is an important step because it helps to clear off any residue and dirt left behind from the cleansers.. Thankfully as time has passed, people saw the need for alcohol-free toners like this one, and I have absolutely no problems with it.


My Korean Skincare Routine: Nourish

My Korean Skincare Routing: Protect

Healthy Body: The Beginning of My Korean Skincare Routine

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Life Lately: Farm One Forty

January 03, 2022

The weather has finally afforded us the opportunity to go outside for the first time in a couple of weeks. We were asked by family friends if we would like to join them on a hayride at Farm One Forty, and we didn't pass up on the opportunity. Not only did we get to visit with friends, but we also got some hot chocolate by the firepit and the chance to see nature in winter (I will never pass up getting to be around horses).

The best part about it all was getting to learn about the work of Farm One Forty and how they are taking farming to the next level, while still keeping it old school and making it easily accessible to the public. I grew up visiting cousins on the farm, and that provided me with experiences that my child has not had many opportunities to receive, so it was really nice to be able to show him with a little piece of what life on the farm can be like.

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