A Month's Worth of Nails

New Fairytales

The Drawf's Dream by Jessie M. King for The Birthday of the Infanta by Oscar Wilde
via artsycraftsy

Last week it was reported that a collection of 500 fairytales had been discovered. Compiled by a 19th century historian and archived in Germany for 150 years, these stories contain myths and legends that Franz Xaver von Schonworth collected from country folk, labourers, and servants. These are stories that were previously only being spread by word of mouth until von Schonworth wrote them down. While this isn't unheard of for fairytales, von Schonworth, being a historian and not a writer, did nothing to add to the stories he collected—and leaving the stories untouched in something notable. Reading these stories will be like reading the oral histories from hundreds of years ago. A collection of these stories have been published (umm, English please?), but you can read one of them online here.

Fairytales are not just stories for children, and many of them contain real life lessons that are beneficial to any age. From the article: "Eichenseer says that fairytales are not for children alone. 'Their main purpose was to help young adults on their path to adulthood, showing them that dangers and challenges can be overcome through virtue, prudence, and courage.'" And, sorry, but you'd all be lying if you claimed not to need a little bit of that.

Hans Christian Anderson was a Danish writer revered for his fairytales—many still-famous tales were written by him, like Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling. I also really liked The Storks. The Brothers Grimm have some great tales as well—these came from oral tales just like von Schonworth's, but the Grimms added their own literary devices to these old found tales, so in essence the stories became a collaboration. Some fault them for this, but the stories are still haunting and fantastic. You should read The Goose-Girl, The Juniper Tree, and The Queen Bee, and ignore that movie by Terry Gilliam. Oscar Wilde has also got some great fairytales, like The Young Prince and The Birthday of the Infanta. Lots of important lessons to learn there, guys.

Also very fairytale-like are The Middle Stories by Sheila Heti. I honestly wouldn't be able to choose a favourite, so read all the available-online stories here, and buy the book. These modern fairytales are quirky and charming—written in a traditional-esque fairytale style, they force us to look for lessons where there may or may not be. It's a modern take on an old style of tale telling, and it's wonderful.

Game Changers: A Stylish Set

Blogs are near and dear to my heart for lots of reasons. Some have interesting takes on daily life; some teach me things both big and little; some are eye candy, pure and simple. Some of them I've already told you about (Penelope Trunk, Coke Talk, Ravelry). But being a gal who likes to challenge her wardrobe on the daily, there's a big section of my Google Reader dedicated to style bloggers, gals who inspire me to try new things and expand my personal style horizons, a select handful of which I read as often as I change my underwear. Here's a sampling of stylish blogs that I just can't get through the day without reading.


Love Aesthetics
Ivania Carpio's modernist style is just so inspirational to me. Her stripped back aesthetic marries the best of easy minimalism and colourful accents in a way that seems so natural and so bold all at once. I like that she admits she wears the same pieces over and over, and isn't afraid to be daring, like wearing a balls-out 80s burgundy suit or using hardware nuts and bolts as jewelry. Her DIYs are really great, practical ideas that add a little extra cool to your life, and her site is well-organized and simply designed. Somehow, she always looks effortless and thoughtful. She is the ultimate 90s dream girl for me, right now.

Arriving in London

Half Way Manicure

Thrifted Slit Dress

Miss Moss

Man, I don’t even know if I have words to describe Miss Moss (aka. Diana). She is the patron saint of aesthetes, the saving grace for those who love beautiful things. She is the ultimate curator of the web and insatiably curious, scouring the LIFE archives, latest runway shows, and breathtaking interiors and design – and she somehow shares it all while writing with a voice that sounds like your best in-the-know girlfriend. She makes way-cool mixtapes, pairs food and paintings with street style photos, and delivers lots of attainable prettiness for right now, like finding adorable (and affordable) Etsy shops. You never quite know what you're going to get when you check her blog, except that you know it's going to be wonderful. Oh god, is my girl crush showing enough yet? Just read her blog. Do it now.

Food & Fashion

Six Months in a Leaky Boat Mixtape

Prunella Soap

Clever Nettle

Portland-based Anja feels like a lost soul sister. She digs cats, mysticism, nature. She takes gorgeous pictures, sells way cool vintage duds, and now, makes clothing and leather accessories under her new label, Ann-ya. She is warm, friendly, and totally personable online, calling people ‘buddies’, which I find utterly charming. I feel like she’s really come into her own the past few months, pairing up with great labels and retailers like Natalie Joy, Hopeless Lingerie, Sara Bergman and Summerland to shoot their lookbooks, and I feel this weird sense of friend pride for her, even though she’s like, so out of my league.

Dark Mirror for Hopeless

Ann-ya Leather Goods

Friday Variety

What are some of your favourite style bloggers?

Happy Days

I have a few reasons to celebrate lately, one being this article of mine on the Toronto Standard, the other being that Dan and I are going to be moving in less than 2 months! I feel like I'm on a roll. Here is some internet goodness that is bolstering my mood.

via loveraedar

I love grey cats with yellow eyes—they already look like aliens but this just pushes that envelope a little further.

via kennedyholmes

I miss the days when it was fashionable to be a total glamazon. Versace encompassed that whole look so well.

via saltwater

Isn't this beautiful? I just want to hang out here with a coffee and a good book. I've always wanted to grow my own fruits and veggies. One day I'll live on a farm and live the dream.

via thehairpin

Cheesy spinach casserole! If I was only allowed to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be this. Or meatball subs.

via ritaliefhebber

Perfect day-to-day outfit. And check out the beatiful Rita Liefhebber jacket! Swoon!

Things I Feel Very Conflicted About

Diet Coke
It's amazing, right? I grew up drinking Diet Coke, so it tastes so familiar, so comforting compared to regular Coke, in the same way that milk just tastes better than cream. But it's really bad for you. I mean like obesity-inducing, diabetes-causing, heart-attacking bad for you. But it's also amazing, especially the trashy version with lime. CONFLICTED.

Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now"
I know he's like, the embodiment of evil. I even hate that by listening to this song, it's being tracked on Last.FM  and Youtube and somewhere, my listens are being counted as a win for this colossal asshole. His parts aren't even very good. And probably if it hadn't had such great guest verses, I could move on. But shiiit, BUSTA. How does your mouth even MOVE that fast? I'm chalking this up to a case of assholes being good artists sometimes and not letting white feminist guilt get the best of me.

Ghosts
I actually don't feel that conflicted. What I feel is irrational certainty. I hate ghosts. I hate those fuckers so damn much, and I can't protect myself from them, and I hate it. I hate that I don't believe in an afterlife and yet I believe in ghosts. I hate that oxymoron within myself, but I must accept it because it's true and I encounter that part within me at least a couple times every day.

Money
I'm so good at spending it. Too good. I am highly skilled at spending. I wish spending money on great shit could be my job, because I'd be SO GOOD, and I'd get so much great stuff for such low prices that it would be unbelievable. But the problem is I can't do that with other people's money, only my own, so I'll be broke forever. I'll just dry my tears with all my great buys, I guess.

My Evening Routine
I've started trying to do my general appearance and health a solid and a) remove my makeup nightly, b) wash and moisturize my face, and c) floss. It's a long term goal that I have to keep making short term decisions about until it becomes habit, which it feels like will never happen. It feels like I'm going to have to be like, "Ugh, again?" every time I look in the mirror after brushing my teeth and so I feel like giving up then and there. It supposedly takes up to two months of daily repetition to form habits, and I'm already like, 10 days in. Go team happy skin and gums!

Game of Thrones
There's only one thing I feel conflicted about: why is everyone so goddamn young? I saw the HBO series like everyone else, and thankfully, they aged up most of the actors. Because, really? Daenerys Taragaryen is thirteen? I'm really enjoying the first book, but those details really weird me out and make me feel like a creep, especially during my morning commute.

One thing I don't feel conflicted about?

Weekends. Enjoy yours, everyone.

Mixtape: Faux-Winter Blues

It's been a while since we've shared what we're listening to, and the first day of March is as good a day as any. It's cold out there, and kind of snowy. Are we finally getting the winter that never came? I sure hope not. Here are the songs I've been listening to while trudging through the half-snow, wearing my second-warmest winter jacket, curling up in bed, and hiding from the elements.

Faux-winter blues

photo by Dan Epstein

Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison

White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Undergorund

Stay Away - Charli XCX 

You Hit Me Where It Hurt Me - Alice Clark

Pourquoi Pas Moi - Stella

All Around and Away We Go - Twin Sister

Paradisco - Charlotte Gainsbourg

Strollin After Dark - The Shades

I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes - Slim Whitman

Taboo - Gene Summers

Life and Soul of the Party - Mally Page

Ramona - Craft Spells

A Real Hero - College (feat. Electric Youth)

Editions of You - Roxy Music

Long Distance Lover - Fanny 

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