Christmas on a Dime in 8 easy steps

I haven't had a full time job in 3 months. Money is tight. But I'm not going to let that interfere with the holidays.

I managed to create a comfy, cozy Christmas experience in an 8-foot x 3-foot space. This is how:

1. I cut over a dozen paper snowflakes of varied sizes and duct taped them to the wall. I also used left over pom poms from halloween as added snowballs.

2. I fashioned a fireplace and mantle out of paper and painted logs, flames and the texture of wood to make it look real, sort of.

3. I hung a wreath I made last year from vines I pulled off the outside of my stepfather's house.

4. I made garland out of paper and thread, cutting shapes of popcorn and berries.

5. I took a centrepiece I won at the BoobyBall over 3 years ago, strung lights and put a tree topper on it that I've had for years for a tree.

6. I installed a window, painted the background black, added a moon and Santa flying across the sky.

7. I took a wooden screen I've had for years and hid the kitty litter.

8. Finally, my boyfriend hung a stocking he made for me at his dad's workshop and a santa hat to the mantle and presto - all set for holiday festivities!!

New Paintings ...

"Ol' Blue Eyes"

Acrylic on canvas in Brilliant Blue

"Rosebuds"

Acrylic in Titanium White and Yellow Light and water colour in Pink on canvas

Halloween Inspiration

I’ve always been fascinated by the carnival and all things amusement park and local fairs. I find them wondrous, magical, scary and beautiful—all at the same time.

It’s been a dream of mine to ride the Wonder Wheel at Coney Island in Brooklyn ever since I saw the video to Please Don’t Go Girl.

The lights, the sounds and the smells of a carnival turn me around inside. There’s something nostalgic about it all. When I read The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom I couldn’t help but be whisked away and feel every emotion it conjured up.

I grew up watching scary movies. The movie Freaks scared me half to death—but something about it was relatable. Maybe I realized at a young age, I too was a freak in my own right, like Daryl Hannah in Splash.

Halloween is the one night we all get to be the things, people and creatures we’ve always wanted to be—there are no limits. This year a group of us are going out as Circus Sideshow Freaks. There will be a Ring Leader, a Clown, a Half-Woman-Half-Man and a Wolf Man, among others. I’m going to be The Bearded Lady.

Bearded ladies have been women of legend, curiosity, ridicule—even fashion. Her beard makes her the attraction, but it’s sexy, it’s mysterious, it’s something people will pay for the privilege of looking at her.

There is a raw beauty to The Bearded Lady. No smoke, no mirrors, just the presence of her own androgyny and frank sxual ambiguity.

A little history …

In ancient Egypt queens wore strap-on beards called postiches. Norse pagans worshipped the Earth goddess Friga, who was repeatedly portrayed as a woman with a beard. Many of the most well-known pagan deities, such as Aphrodite or Venus, were worshiped as having beards once.

These Bearded Ladies were Goddesses, complete, supernatural women who rose above the boundaries of our mere human existence. And their androgyny was a symbol of their own spirituality. The beard symbolized the fact that because of her divine status, Friga was able to take on both feminine and masculine characteristics at the same time.

Subsequently, what this reveals about the rest of us humans is that no matter the era, or the culture, androgyny can captivate us.

Catch Salma Hayek as Madame Truska the bearded lady in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant in theatres on October 23.

Bang Bang …

I woke up early this morning. I had a lot to do, some errands and things. I took a shower and like I normally do, carried on with my normal morning activities. I ate some Shreddies, answered some emails… thought about what I’d wear today, that sort of thing. It wasn’t until I put my bra on that I looked up and out the window, only to see a blonde and sweaty, 20-something year-old dude wearing a wife-beater and cargos working on the neighbour’s roof. About 40-feet between us.

I ran into the bedroom, only to see another blonde, sweaty, 20-something dude wearing a wife-beater and cargos working on the neighbour’s roof. So I ran into the bathroom, trying to act all cool-like. I managed to avoid eye contact with both dudes… but “did they see me?” I wondered. Then I grabbed a towel, kept my head down, grabbed some clothes and proceeded to change in the bathroom. Face flushed red, I ran out of the appt. and into my car to run some errands and get on with my day. Now I’m back, facing the music, bang bang go their hammers.

This is my view.

Kensington, the bubbles to my blues

It's been two weeks since I resigned my full-time position at a custom publishing company in Toronto's Old York neighbourhood.

Since then I've sent out nine resumes. Three were for part-time jobs (H&M, Town Shoes and Three's Company Cafe). I just heard back from H&M:

Dear Natalie,

Thank you for your interest in working with H&M.

We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you an opportunity with our company.

Thank you again for the time and effort that you have invested in your application and we wish you all the best in the future.

Sincerely,

Recruitment Department

H&M Hennes & Mauritz Inc., Canada

The whole purpose of my resignation was to free up my time so that I could focus on my crafts. Whether it's hairbands or crochet dolls, I wanted to spend my time making things that would make other people happy rather than sitting behind a desk and feeling unhappy and unfulfilled.

And I've been doing just that for two weeks. Making things, creating things, meeting people.

But I'll admit, unemployment is depressing, if you let it eat away at you. Too much daytime TV can make you feel worthless, and the constant commercials about losing weight and going back to school and freeing yourself of debt don't help. I guess I had a bit of the blues.

So today, after chatting with Julia (partner in crime), I decided to go to my happy place, Kensington Market, Toronto. Some say it's not what it used to be, and they're right, but for me Kensington will always hold a special place in my heart, because special things happen here, magic happens here and good things happen here.

My favourite part of the day was not parking in the Bread level in the Green P on St. Andrews, not the fresh Ontario-grown artichokes I found, not the amazing bag of goodies I grabbed in Twilight - but the totally awesome and delicate hair clip I discovered in Courage My Love made by Suki, a sweet girl behind the cash. It's got white feathers, chiffon and pearls and I just love it. Thanks Suki.

Now I'm home, my spirit lifted by some bubbles and a charming girl in Kensington, some fresh vegetables and sunshine.