Halloween ★

There isn't much to say today except: Happy Halloween!

Be safe and enjoy the candy :)

Virginie

Last Night's Movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas ★

THIS is the movie you should watch on Halloween's Eve! Enchanting, magical, appropriate for the whole family and featuring of our favorite Holidays. Not to mention a technical exploit and a simply great film.

Or House of a Thousand Corpse. If you are looking for a spookier movie. SO scary and kindf of enchanting too, in a twisted, Rob Zombie, way...

Favorites ★

Right now this is my favorite vintage dress

and yellow leaves are my favorite backdrop.

Being outside is my favorite place to be

and this scarf is my favorite way to keep warm.

A smile is my favorite accessory

and vintage boots are my favorite thing to collect.

Fall is my happy place

and a simple kind happiness is my very favorite.

Virginie

On Our Day Off ★

Yesterday, Ramiro and I took a little afternoon adventure to Wendake, a Huron village close to the city. We checked out the Kabir Kouba waterfall and hiked along the river and it's little canions (!). It was so cool. Although in the city there are still colourful trees, in the forest most trees are now bare and the scenery is very Sleepy Hollow-esque.

I wanted to thank you so so much for all the supportive comments, e-mails and phone calls I have received since sharing this post. Thank you for the kind words, for sharing your story of how you have been through it too and for making me feel so very hopeful that things will come back to normal. And be even better than before.

And a special thanks to Ramiro, who always always puts a huge smile on my face and makes me fall in love with him a bit more everyday by being the sweetest husband a girl could dream to have...

Love you all!

Virginie 

I've Been Wanting to Tell You For A While... ★

I have written, deleted, re-written and deleted again this post so many times in the last weeks, I've lost count. See, I've been wanting to share something that is going on in my life and I don't really know how to adress it... So I'm just going to come out with it, ok?

A few months ago, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disease (edit: I wasn't ready to say it then, but it's depression). I had felt it for a while and pushed it under the carpet for too long, burying mysel in work. But then I started having destructive behaviours and very dark thoughts, which I didn't really understand. It scared me to bits and that's when I knew I had to seek help. 

So after much denial, I finally went to my doctor and broke out in tears. We talked for a long time and then he told me the diagnosis. Since, I've started seeing a therapist and I'm so glad I am; not only is it très Woody Allen, but it's so great to share thoughts with an objective person. It's been doing me a lot of good and for that I am thankful. So far I have learned that being a workaholic is not necessarily a good thing, that being sensitive is not necessarily a bad thing, and that stress is like an onion, made of many many layers. I have slowed down my everyday life and am learning the art of relaxing.

I wanted to talk about it with you because keeping it a secret hasn't been much help at all. Pretending takes a lot of energy. I can't lie, at first there was a lot of darkness, depression, self doubt and loathing. It was not pretty and I felt like I was going crazy. But now, I can see the light. Not only am starting to feel better, but I can see how this challenge is going to bring so much positive in my life.

I also wanted to share because mental illness can be associated with many prejudices and when you suffer from it, it can seem so hopeless. Maybe you suffer from it too. Maybe someone around you does and you are not sure what to do. I'll tell you, nothing feels better than having the support of loved ones and counting on a listening ear and an open heart. I think this is something that a lot of us might face in our lifetime and that together, we can support each other and make each other stronger.

Now that I have told you, I feel a bit naked. But I also feel like being myself can be challenging at times and that right now, this is a part of the person I am. It won't be forever, and it will make me better. Of that I am sure.

You have always been there for me through this blog and I want to thank you so much for that! I appreciate your support more than you will ever know and I am grateful for your understanding. You are part of the things that fill my life with happiness. Thanks for listening.

Virginie 

Last Night's Movie: Scream ★

Everyone, say Hello to my favorite Scary movie franchise. Ever! Yes, now you know everything: I'm a huge Scream fan! I could not say which one of the 4 I like the best, although the latest installment is really rocking my world right now. To me, Scream is really scary because it's real people, not ghosts or zombies. I love the way the characters are built and the way it satirizes pop culture. Funny and scary? Sign me up!

What's your favorite Halloween franchise?

Virginie

Life Lately // Rainy Week-End ★

Jackets and scarves for the first time of the year

Thrift shopping (guess wich I got?)

Practicing photography with a 85MM lens 

Doing crafts, lots and lots

Photographing new items for my little shop

Sending out orders to different parts of the world

Eating way (wayyyy) too much Pizza Hut and drinking tons of ice tea

Watching The devil's Rejects, and Rec, and The Cabin in the Wood, and The Abyss... 

A few of the things that made this grey week-end lovely and relaxing. Hope yours was too!

Virginie

Gloomy ★

It's official: I've watched way to many scary movies this week! Now I jump every time the phone rings and got super scared when there was a knock on my door this morning... Turns out of course it was the postal worker. The weather has been super gloomy and I'm enjoying it to bits, I kind of like being scared and although I don't have plans to dress up this Halloween, I love getting in the Halloween spirit. Plus I live next to a church with a small cemetery... both comforting and frightening at the same time!

Of course I have plans pf watching many more scary movies this week-end, I just can't help it! Any suggestions for me? Have a great week-end everyone!

Virginie

Cape / Sweater / Boyfriend Jean / Heels 

Last Night's Movie : The Strangers ★

I have been watching a ton of scary movies this past week and I think this one might have been my favorite (although to be fair, my Crackle froze during a screening of the 1980's hit The Blob...).

I loved that The Strangers has such a non stereotypical premise. I tells the story of a young women (Live Tyler) who just refused her boyfriend's (Scott Speedman) marriage proposal. They return to his parents home late in the night when a mysterious young women knocks at their door and a sequence of eerie occurrences start to take place. The movie has a bit of a Lars Van Trier feel to it  and a romantic photography that is refreshing in a world of scary movies full of dumb blonds and jocks. I loved Liv Tyler's performance and got really really scared ("she pauses from typing and looks over her shoulder, to make sure there isn't a stranger in her studio..."). I truly enjoyed the auteur film quality of the production (it was written and directed by Bryan Bertino) and would definitely recommend it.

Do you have other scary movie suggestions for me?

Virginie