The Ridler sisters, Suzie, Jamie and Shannon, discuss their creative projects, from challenges to celebrations, and support each other's creative lives.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January 31, 2012

Jamie

Well, I finally caved and joined Pinterest.
My heart just skipped a beat when I saw that I'd been pinned!


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Shannon

I often spend my lunch planning and outlining, and here are the super-high-tech tools! Notebook, datebook, and.. food! And a pen of course :)



Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

Yesterday was all about food photography. I can't write my foodie blog posts without it! We had just enough sunlight without it being too strong to wash out the photos. Then we had a snowstorm... But I am trying to ignore that fact.

Monday, January 30, 2012

January 30, 2012


Jamie

We went to Cora's to celebrate Mom's birthday. Clearly a wonderful time was had by all!

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Shannon

Weekend Watching: Real Steel (already out) & 2-Headed Shark Attack (out on DVD Tuesday). Also caught up with The Viral Factor in the theatre & Moon Point which is out next Friday - really fun, quirky Canadian comedy. Great set of films! Really lucked out this weekend.

Rinsing Egg Shell
Suzie

I had an unexpected day yesterday. I thought we were going out. Then we were staying home so I started investigating eggshell pendants thanks to this video. Here I am rinsing out the egg shell getting it ready to simmer on the stove. Then the phone rang and we had to dash out of the house which brought on a migraine. Perhaps I am not the most spontaneous person in the world?

Sunday, January 29, 2012

January 29, 2012: Rewind

Jamie

Since it's Mom's birthday tomorrow, I thought it would be nice to do a rewind with her.
Happy Birthday, Mom!





Witch from Disney's Snow White
Suzie

REWIND! I bought this mug when me and friends went shopping in Buffalo when I was a university student. It stirs up conflicting feelings in me. I have often thought about letting it go since I am not really a "thing" person but I am glad I held onto it. I thought it was weird even as a kid that I adored the witch from Snow White. I had no use for for the protagonist's cute little girly voice and attitude. It was the witch I wanted to be. Glad there are good witches in real life.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

January 28, 2012

Jamie

Here is the result of the photo shoot we did yesterday at my house. I look around me and see signs of my life and work everywhere: the dreamboard, the dark-haired Sagittarius figure from Suzie, my coaching manuals, my little doll from San Fran, my encouragement box... This really is a portrait.

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Shannon

Fortune cookie wisdom.

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Suzie

I can not believe the timing on this one! Yesterday I wrote about damning the man and getting a cool watch at the Superstore (left) and right after I posted I found this stunning EMO skull watch (right) that I really, really wanted in the mail for my birthday. Thanks Jamie!!! So excited to have TWO watches I love. I have never had that. I am so spoiled.

Friday, January 27, 2012

January 27, 2012

Jamie
Very exciting day. Talented Guinevere Joy asked me if I'd sit for a business portrait shoot and I said sure! I made sure to turn the tables at least once!


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Shannon
So. Vervain is a real thing. Who knew?
Kind of funny to run into this on Thursday.... a Thursday Vampire Diaries is *not* on!
You just never know what you are going to find in Kensington Market!


Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

Yesterday was Creativity Thursday and I had the best day! I watched videos on YouTube for inspiration and snacked on delicious blueberry tarts that I made, sipped tea and finished working on a Vincent Price pendant that I now adore. Oh and I also made air hardening porcelain clay. So cool!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

January 26, 2012

Jamie

Another great day co-working.
Not only do I get to visit with my dear friend Tanya, I also get to hang out with her cats!

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Shannon

After what feels like forever I finally get out to see some new movies - both ones with women kicking butt: Underworld Awakening & Haywire.

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Suzie

Did a recipe test for Martha's blueberry tartlets. It took me almost all day to make them and I was so busy yesterday that I did not even get a chance to eat one! But at least I have groceries again, woot!

What is photographed above are the tarts made with ground almonds that have been baked in the oven with brown rice used as pie weights. After taking them out of the oven I realized instead of awkwardly putting in random pieces of parchment paper I could have used cupcake liners. Live and learn!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

January 25, 2012

Jamie

Sometimes you just have to take a moment.


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Shannon

Yep, it's Oscar Nomination Time of Year!
I did my annual - don't think just highlight for predictions and how will completely over analyze everything Oscar related for a month. I've been less keen on film awards recently but the Oscars always win me over. Plus, my hear swelled with pride with 3 of last years Book to Film Club Titles ended up being nominated, including a whopping 11 nominations for the lovely Hugo. Wow. That's awesome. I wonder if any of this years Book to Film Club titles will be nominated next year! AH! That's too far ahead to think....


Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

My amazing birthday presents from Shannon arrived yesterday! Jamie and Shannon got to see an exhibit at the Ex about the ghosts that are there and I was so envious. Now with a copy Ghosts of the Canadian National Exhibition it will be like I was there with them! Shannon also got me Red Riding Hood which she knew I wanted to see and now I can with popcorn this weekend. Thanks Shannon! And Jamie, I recognize those slippers!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

January 24, 2012

Jamie

Last year I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in Shannon (aka the Movie Moxie's) Book-to-Film Club,
so I'm doing it again this year. I just ordered a couple of the first books and am looking forward to digging in. What a range!

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Shannon

Late add...this was from yesterday, the bizarre wide selection of syrups at my local store.
Would be much more exciting if I actually...ate syrup. But still, it amuses me.


Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

My day was boring yesterday! Laundry and vacuuming. Woot! I was exhausted and usually spend the night watching tutorials on YouTube via AppleTV but for some reason, I could not connect to it. Not a happy camper. But, I did find out that I can actually listen to podcasts via AppleTV! And found the one Shannon and I do about supernatural TV: Hexed! Very cool! Just the idea of us technically being on the TV was super exciting. Much more exciting than laundry and vacuuming.

Monday, January 23, 2012

January 23, 2012

Jamie

This winter feels like just the right time for turning inward and one of my favourite ways to do that is journaling. I've been loving choosing one image and combining it with something that's caught my eye or ear or bubbled up from inside.

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Shannon

Weekend watching: Pretty awesome selection - I loved The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom - awesome early 70's set coming of age Canadian flick, plus action-awesomeness of Sinners and Saints (warning - it's very bloody), and a double animation attack of Redline and First Squad. Fun times!


Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

It was so cold and sunny on my birthday! Just like the original forecast from a week before said it would be, LOL. We have very little food at home and I did not want to spend the day at the grocery store so Reg was a sweetie and took me out for brunch. He also took me to the dollar store where I picked up some cute supplies for next to nothing. Mostly it was a relaxing day but I did get some sad news from a friend. It was great to talk to Mom and Jamie though and Shannon, thanks for calling and sorry I missed your call! I was on the phone with Jamie at the time. :)

Sunday, January 22, 2012

January 22, 2012: Rewind

Jamie

For Suzie's Birthday:
When We Were Rock Stars
Love you, Suzie! Happy Birthday!

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Shannon

Happy Birthday Suzie!
Rewind Rockin Ridler-ness!
Here's a rockin' photo of you rockin' out!
Have a fantastic birthday
Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

REWIND to 1971! It is my birthday today! And here I am being uber cool getting a Blondie album for my 10th (?) birthday. I can see as usual I dressed up for the occasion in my overalls and bright red turtleneck, LOL. Always the tomboy. I actually thought these overalls were the coolest because I could hang a hammer on one of the loops on the leg.

Jamie is back left and Shannon is on the right. One of the few photos I have of us way back then.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

January 21, 2012

Jamie

Had a great shared workday at my friend Tanya's.
We kept one another company and wrote together for hours with the blessings of her cats.
Wonderful.

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Shannon

Stuck on a median, what are ya gonna do - oh yeah, oh yeah...
I'm a blogger so I'm gonna take a pic - oh yeah, oh yeah

Went to the Doc today and forgot suburbia isn't super pedestrian friendly.
I did make it to the other side. Just like the chicken.
And the thermometer says I don't have a fever. As if.

Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

Mom sent me some birthday money to spend this year! She told me ahead of time so I went and bought jewelry-making supplies online I really needed and they showed up on Friday, right before my birthday!!! I am getting closer to unleashing my crazy creative self and can hardly wait. Birthday forecast? Back to sunny but getting colder... −6C.

Friday, January 20, 2012

January 20, 2012

Jamie

Every year there seems to be one day when I stumble across a bird convention.
Today was the day.
This is just a small sampling of the amount of birds in these bushes.
I was amazed they let me get so close.


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Shannon

One of my weekly rituals is picking up NOW & The Grid (formerly Eye), the Toronto weekly free newspapers and doing one last double check of films being released in theatre each week. This week I am actually sick so I also picked up soup soup and more soup because I had already... eaten all the soup I had! haha!


Under Our Willow Tree
Suzie

It is official! I have declared my Thursdays to now be Creativity Thursdays (without jinxing it). I spent this week making cool pendants and then totally destroying them by accident. And it's all good. Birthday forecast? Earlier today it was totally clear again and now it's going to be −4C with flurries. Planning ahead is completely useless when you are on the east coast.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

January 19, 2012

I love interviewing people for the Creative Living with Jamie podcast.
I feel dipped in wisdom every time.
Here's a wisdom Liv Lane shared with me yesterday.
I'm carrying it around in my pocket.


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Shannon

Getting ready to record Hexed with Suzie.

Under Our Willow Tree January 19, 2012
Suzie

Recorded Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural with Shannon when Gobo (AKA Mr. Man) decided he wanted to visit me through the computer! Then returned back to Shannon's shoulder. Oh and I also found out that my birthday (which was supposed to be nice and sunny around 0C) now has an 80% chance of snowing. In fact, now it's supposed to be a big storm! I should have known...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

January 18, 2012

Jamie

The first art picnic of 2012.
A group of entrepreneurial girlfriends, coffee, journals, magazines and glue.
A great place for percolating.


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Shannon

One of my favourite things is coming home to packages in the mail and today was one of those wonderful day! The lovely folks at Anchor Bay sent me some January titles to review and I can't wait to dive in - Redline was awesome on the big screen and I can't wait to revisit it and also check out First Strike. I can't WAIT to seeaction flick Sinners & Saints - looks like so much fun! YAY!


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Suzie

Caught up with Fact or Faked for Hexed on the computer while doing mega laundry. Unbelievably tired.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

January 17, 2012

Jamie

One of the highlights of my year is being a collaborator in Christine Mason Miller's Desire to Aspire.
My personal copy has arrived!

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Shannon
In honour of the new show Alcatraz, here is me in front of The Rock circa October 2010 while in San Francisco when I went there with Jamie & her honey for our brother Jason's wedding! I had no idea how cool it would be to be to see it, even from afar.


Book Ghost Hunt 2:
Suzie

Jamie got me the book Ghost Hunt 2 by the Ghost Hunters gang for Christmas. Yesterday I took a cab on a very cold day to the doctor's and found out my lungs are doing much better (I am getting over pneumonia). As I waited to see my doctor who reminds me of a fairy, I pondered a question a little boy asked the Ghost Hunters' team: Can the ocean be haunted?

Monday, January 16, 2012

January 16, 2012

Jamie

Ever since I was a girl I loved the delights of pomegranates.
This Christmas I found a little note in my stocking, "Look in the fridge!"
A little elf had wrapped and dropped off this beauty in my fruit drawer.

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Shannon

Weekend watching for reviewing this weekend included just Abduction with out Twi-wolf TayTay. Usually I see more, but that was the only one that made it to the door this week. I also saw some b-movies like Mega Piranha that were very, very entertaining.


Kitchen Window Podleski Sisters' Obi Wonton Kenobi
Suzie

For the most part, it was freezing this weekend. I made Janet & Greta Podleski Looneyspoons' Obi Wonton Kenobi soup on Friday and we lived on it all weekend. I did have to go out yesterday to pick up milk and wish I could have just stayed inside all day.