Magnets

Rivaling my t-shirt and mug "collections" (read: things I obsessively buy) is my collection of magnets. I don't know exactly why or when I started purchasing magnets, but by looking at my fridge one thing is absolutely clear...

...I buy magnets.

Magnets are great because they serve a purpose (holding stuff up) while being pretty or fun to look at. I created a little mosaic of some of my favourites:

Coronation Street makes a frequent appearance on our fridge. As do lots of Matthew Porter monkeys. And a little bat that I picked up at Studio Ghibli when we were in Japan. There's the set of 2x4 "I Like You/I Don't Like You" magnets that I got at SFMoMA a few years ago. And who could pass up a classic Britney Spears magnet, particularly when you have a Weiner Queen postcard that needs displaying?

I've also go this sure-to-be-classic piece of Canadiana:

A CBC Vancouver "Canada Now" magnet courtesy of my Uncle Wayne. Hooray for magnets!

Mahogany Heart Necklace

While scouring local craft fairs last December for Christmas presents I fell in love with a necklace instantaneously. I had one of those moments where everything around you goes into slow motion and your eyes zoom in on the desired object. In this case it was a necklace created by local designer Billy Would.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a thing for hearts. This heart made my heart sing. It's made out of reclaimed mahogany and on an extra long chain. I think it's just lovely.

Pencils

A few years ago my New Year's Resolution was to use pencils more often. I figured it was a resolution that I would actually stick with. And, although I can't say for sure, I feel that I've used pencils more often ever since then.

Even if I haven't been using them, I've certainly been collecting them. These photos show some of my favourites : pencils from The Curiosity Shoppe in SF, a pencil from the Warner Brothers Archive in LA and a large pencil from the Kennedy School in Portland. It's just a coincidence that they're all from the US, but it's true that I do like to pick up a pencil here and there when I travel.

A few years ago I bought a package of pencils from Daiso because they had "Golden Sword" imprinted on the side. I use those when I put my hair up in a bun when dressing like a librarian.

There's just something so comforting and solid about cradling a pencil in one's hand. The feel of the wood. The smell of the eraser. I enjoy a good pencil.

Fox necklace

My sister gave me this necklace for my birthday this past Spring. Every time I wear it I am guaranteed at least one compliment. Today I got three! It's cute and coppery and goes with a lot of my outfits. She bought it at a now-closed shop on Main Street. I believe it was made by someone local, but I'm not entirely sure. At any rate, it's pretty bang-on in terms of my style. Plus it has a little mother of pearl star.

Round toe ankle strap shoes

I bought these shoes during the Boxing Day Sale at Gravity Pope last year. As soon as I saw them I knew that I had to make them mine! They're very simple and clean looking, but with an old-timey flair that made me squeal a little when I saw them on display.

I added some leopard print Dr. Scholl's in-soles 'cos that's how I roll.

Zombie Finger Puppet

I bought this zombie finger puppet at a store called Wacko in LA. Wacko has a little bit of everything, but mostly stuff that you don't really need. Unfortunately for my small apartment this is the type of stuff that I really like. I also really like zombies. There were a few variations of zombie to choose from, but this little guy seemed to have a bit of everything: a hanging eyeball, exposed brains, a missing hand, ample blood splatters and a few intestines hanging out. He is a trooper! The zombie finger puppet doesn't serve a particular purpose, but I do stick him on my thumb or pointer finger occasionally to kill time or entertain myself while waiting for web pages to load...or whatever.