C'était un jour pour ne faire rien

It's the end of another semester, the light is starting to become visible at the end of the tunnel, le moment est arriver, tout est fait! I digress. I'll admit I'm getting a little anxious to end this semester. It's easy to fall into a comfort zone and studying (or not studying in my case 75% of the time), coffee, class, buses, sleep...I'll be doing something of an adjustment when i jet to Italy in exactly 21 days (!).
Until then, I'm working on a paper on the influence of Picasso in the early 20th century. As you can see, I'm hard at work. Ensuite, je vais faire mes devoirs de francais. Alors, ce n'est pas mon choix prefere, mais pour etre reussir a mes examens la semaine derniere, c'est important.

On another note, I am partial to photography that examines the human form with a non-human abstraction. Thus, I bring you Edward Weston. Amazing photographer in the 1920s. Here is one of my favourites.

Nude, 1925

image borrowed from History of Photography

all the pretty little boxes

I love antique suitcases and old looking cases, containers, boxes and furniture. There's just something about things with a story to them, or a little wear and tear that I love.

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Domenica in febbraio

Another Sunday, and sadly no housewifing today. I'm in paper writing/procrastinating mode, the latter being a little less successful at the moment. However it is perfect weather to stay inside and do a bit of work now and then. The rest of my time is spent cruising Svppy, my new addiction. How is everyone spending this snowy Sunday? Or if it's not snowy where you are, (lucky) go out there and enjoy it!

I'd rather be here...

or here...

On the other hand, this paper (Theological Baroque concerning Caravaggio and Bernini in the 17th century) is making me lust for Italy. My trip is approaching soon, and honestly, half of my thoughts are about shopping. Canada gets pretty left out when it comes to fashion. The shopping opportunities are just so much more plentiful in Europe! I have a short list though, but I feel like it might grow once I'm there. Time to tighten my belt and freeze the Visa...

{mmm Italian olive oil}

{i'm also planning on getting some art, postcards, and maybe a vintage italian poster...and also clothes of course}

Ciao xoxo

Valentine's Eve

I apologize for lagging on the countdown this weekend. I was enjoying my own Valentine's and didn't make the time. And so, just in time for the evening before the big day, I wanted to post one of my favourite Shakespeare sonnets.  I know Shakespeare is overdone but if you can't read him at Valentine's...

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds 

Admit impediments; love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds, 

Or bends with the remover to remove: 

O, no, it is an ever-fixèd mark,

That looks on tempests and is never shaken; 

It is the star to every wand'ring bark, 

Whose worth's unknown, although his heighth be taken. 

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks 

Within his bending sickle's compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, 

But bears it out even to the edge of doom. 

If this be error and upon me proved, 

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

The Seventh Day of St. Valentines

You know how there's the 12 days of Christmas? Well in my opinion, I think every wonderfully over-commercialized holiday should be extended by at least a week. Argo, the 7 Days of St. Valentines. In honour of the celebration of love, both plutonic and romantic, I'm going to do a Valentine's countdown, sharing some lovely love-themed tidbits and trivia. Firstly, having just had to research this myself, where does the whole tradition come from anyway?

The (fascinating!) history of Saint Valentine's day comes from, as so many Christian holidays do, the martyrdom of a Saint. Although there were many St. Valentines, the two honoured on February 14 are Valentine of Rome, a Roman priest, and Valentine of Terni, a bishop during the time of Roman emperor Aurelian, who was also martyred. Why all the romance then? Well, it wasn't in fact until the 14th century that the notion of romance was even associated with St. Valentine. By that time, the original two saints had all but been forgotten. 

In fact, the first association with romantic love and Valentine's Day was brought to us by Chaucer. From there, cultures developed a romantic link with the date of February 14. By the 16th century, the idea of sending paper valentines had come about, and by the 19th had become so popular than entire factories made the love-themed little notes. 

Now, the electronic versions have become the valentine-de-jour. I still enjoy the paper variety, and seeing as there are so many adorable versions to choose from, I think I'll stick to the tradition. 

Hope you've enjoyed this tiny history of St. Valentine's Day! More tomorrow as I continue the countdown of the 7 Days of St. Valentines!