keepin busy

Its been a few months that I've bene living in Port Aux Basques.  Rural life suits me and I'm inspired to make something or do something awesome everytime I turn a new corner.

I’ve got three etsy shops that cater to each one of my leisure musings:

Happy Utilitarian started as an excuse to be constantly using my incredible 1958 Singer sewing machine. It was one of the few things I bothered to move here with and I’m sure glad I did. Ideas for the shop spawn from what I think might be useful for my everyday life. When I think of something, I make it, and the end result is half decent, I refine the design and it makes the cut.

  

Matters of Little Consequence is a little more frivolous.  I was urged to make this shop after reading le Petit Prince (which is what the name of the shop refers to). This shop features little embroidered images.  I make custom embroidered images too!

  

Eureka Paprika is my flagship shop.  Its where I sell vintage finds and my scapegoat for my thrift shopping addiction. The thrift here in Port Aux Basques is limited, but when I do find something special, it goes straight to the shop.

 

New means of living

After an exhaustive job hunting effort, I'm still unemployed.  Looks like rural Newfoundland is experiencing a job shortage... Who knew!  In the meantime, I'm living off fumes from my lean bank account and stretching out every dollar.  To exercise this, some of my new hobbies include hunting for coupons online and studying the latest edition of the Foodland flyer.  These aren't bad hobbies, but things are getting pretty desperate.  A student's life is never easy...  But when you're in a tight space, you always find ways to get out I guess.  So, I present to the world, my two new etsy shops!

Matters of Little Consequence, my little shop of miniature embroidered illustrations.  They're really REALLY small.

and

The Happy Utilitarian, a shop of useful items for the person who likes to get down 'n dirty.  Right now there's only a tote bag in there, but I've got some canvas carpenter's aprons and gardening aprons on the go that I'll post pretty soon.

I won't be able to make a living from my shops any time soon, but hopefully with some elbow grease and a little amateur internet marketing, I'll be able to afford a head of broccoli now and then (broccoli is like $3.50 in these parts... that's the price you pay when you're only accessible by boat.).

death of a metropolitan fashionista

The hardest thing about moving here so far has been leaving behind so much of my stuff.  I could only come here with as much as my two hands can hold, which isn't an awful lot.

It was especially hard to shortlist what I could bring considering my mammoth clothing collection.  If fashion is a hobby, it's definitely one of mine. I love finding vintage goodies in thrift stores and thus became my excessive wardrobe.  Along with leaving my clothes behind, I also had to abandon my hobby.  Somehow dressing up in a faux-fur coat and heels seems inappropriate in this neck of the woods.  So in the end, only three outfits managed to make the cut: all denim and cable knit sweaters.

 

After some adventuring

I went exporing on foot a bit today.  I learned that Port aux Basques is fragmented into a few different regions.  Today I ventured into the "downtown", which historically the town was built around.  There's the harbour, a few shops and no shortage of beautiful scenery.

This is a view of "downtown" 

First Morning

I just arrived in Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland less than 24 hours ago. It's my first morning here and it's low tide.

Having moved around Montreal's Plateau borough a bunch for the past 5 years, the whole neighbourhood became my home. I knew every street and recognized every face. The shop was around the corner, my job was down the street and my friends were a phone call away. Things got really comfortable and I needed a change. I tried going back to school: flop. I tried to find a new job: flop. Yep, moving to the middle of nowhere was the key.

From North Sydney, NS, I boarded Marine Atlantic's MV Blue Puttees vessel that rode atop a big wave for 13 hours to get here. Here are some of my first impressions: 

Ferry in north sydney

entering port aux basques

from my bedroom window