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self expression. pieces of many.

self-expression-photography

my brain – heavy
my knees – weak
you came without warning
left me barely able to speak

my vocab – little
yours – textbook endless
look into my soul
where there’s more
tell me.
can you see through the darkness?

yes.

we’ll still be friends
smile and wave
though my insides be aching
i’ll brave.

cause i’m a leo
through and through.
an arrogant
stubborn
pushy
jealous
lofty
brash
vain
smug
cunning
proud
over-ambitious
patronizing
temperamental
bossy
pompous
controlling
lustful – person.
you know it’s true.

so
party on
you’re a rockstar
wherever you are.

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road tripping to nowhere in particular.

becky-car-camera

hey there.  that’s me behind the lens – taken last august on one of Josh and i’s many “let’s just get in the car and drive” trips.  also known as our “green adventures.”  we’d often take a quick look at google maps, pick a patch of green space we had yet to explore and just go.  not knowing what we’d find once we got there or what we would pass along the way.  it’s the mystery of it all that’s so exciting.  the free feeling of no set plans.

this cold weather has really put a damper on my soul.  every once in a while i’ll get a glimpse of sunshine and warmth but just as quickly as it comes, it goes away again bringing on the negative temperatures.  it’ll come.  soon enough.  i just have to keep reminding myself of this.

lately i just want to get up and go.  that’s where my heads been at.  GET ME OUTTA HERE!  to nowhere in particular.  bring along a few people who have the same agenda as i do – an agenda of nothing – who want to have a ton of fun while doing so.  sounds great doesn’t it?  i think so.  pack snacks, a map and my camera and i’m set.

road snacks like
roasted nuts
crisp apples
homemade granola & trail mix
thermos full of caffeine and mason jars full of lemonade.

so – who’s coming with me?  and where are we going?
let’s just jump in the car and go shall we.

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the travelling crockpot – becky’s dinner |||

for my third dinner, as it was around the holiday season, i wanted to do something that felt a little more special, and when i say that, i really just mean, i spent a stupid amount of $$ on a gorgeous piece of beef.  once it was all cooked up, sliced and in our mouths though, there was no complaining coming from me!  i’d buy it again and again and again.  as gordon ramsey described it – it’s something he’d be happy to eat as his last supper.  i’d have to agree.

i’d say my biggest problem with these dinners is wanting to dig in right away – who needs pictures when it’s staring you right in the face saying EAT ME!!!  but then i think about you, my wonderful readers, and i hurriedly snap away.

TC-bec-3-soupTC-bec-3-wellyTC-bec-3-gingerbread

menu
becky-made amaretto sours
butternut squash soup topped with maple cinnamon roasted squash seeds
beef wellington served with celeriac puree & sautéed kale, apples and onions
gingerbread cookies with royal icing

i really enjoyed making this dinner!  i planned the majority of it ahead of time so that i wasn’t scrambling last minute – which around the holidays is KEY to being stress free.  you can find the wellington recipe here – i found the video incredibly helpful.  it was nikki who gave me the inspiration to roast my squash seeds – never am i ever going to throw out squash seeds again – soooo good!  the soup was made with butternut squash and SO MUCH GINGER, which i then drowned out with apples and carrots.  the amaretto sours were my favourite though, and the most time consuming out of the entire meal when i think about it.  don’t worry,  i’ll share that recipe with you soon.  it is my favourite drink after all – it deserves a post all to it’s own.

even though the holidays are over and we’re well into january, this meal would be great to serve your special someone on valentine’s day.  instead of soup and gingerbread cookies, i’d probably do something light, like starting with a green salad and finishing with homemade raspberry sherbet.  mmm.

until the next crockpot – happy eating!

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i’m just winging it.

cat-computer-collage

take a peak at my instagram feed and you’ll quickly notice that i spend lots of time with tut and my laptop.
do not be fooled though – the truth is…
i’m just winging it.
when it comes to this blog and the back end of things.

ha ha – back end.
i’m such a child at heart.

i’ve seen it happen to other awesome bloggers i follow – site down due to maintenance – i have nightmares about this happening.  do i have a backup?  how often should i backup?  should i care?  it’s just words.  words i never want to forget though.

one day this site is not going to work and i’m not going to know why.
because – i’m just winging it.

are you someone who’s just winging it too?  here’s hoping i’m not alone.
what can i say – i’m a creative first and techie second – but i’m learning!  google is a wonderful thing.

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you’ve got mail… the real kind.

there’s a wonderful mystery to receiving a parcel or letter in the mail.  and not just any parcel or letter – it’s the kind that comes from a real person.  and with the news of canada’s upcoming postal service change – all the more fitting.

i am one of lucky few who get to open such a package.  a package packed by a real person.  no machine was used in the making of.  the grin that comes across my face is like none other.  little notes and treasures hidden among the biodegradable packaging peanuts.

i am, of course, talking about parcels specifically sent from my mother.

when did it all begin? hmm… i believe it was my first year at college.  my parents own their own business – Workshop Supply – so naturally, my mom is able to ship things across the country with ease.

i remember feeling so independent the first time i received such a package.  i even had to show ID upon picking it up – i’m so grown up i thought.

laundry detergent
a new towel
articles ripped out of magazines
old pictures

were but a few of the items that came inside.  7 years has passed since i moved to toronto and i’m still receiving packages in the mail.  last month i opened one up to find a trinket box my grandma had given me long ago, probably lost and then found in my childhood bedroom, some pictures and birthday cards from highschool, a stamp, gold embossing powder, a pin of a christmas present and a tiny note from a friend hidden inside the trinket box.  it arrived to my work, finding its way to my desk.  (mom, christie – you both sure made my day!  thank you again.)

grandma-gift

when was the last time you sent something in the mail to someone?  i joined a postmark society a little while back, and don’t like to admit that i have yet to send my blogger pen pal a letter.  i even have a letter i was supposed to send to someone in Japan back in, oh, i don’t know… JUNE!  i’m challenging myself to do both of those things this week, because, who doesn’t like getting mail from a real person!  on time or not!  i even made both of my grandmas the little package pictured above as their christmas present.  stamped january through to december – i will write to them once a month, giving updates on the odd and awesome happenings of my life.  i’ve already received a letter from one of them!

i encourage everyone to take the time to send something to someone in the mail.  it will be fun for the both of you!  fun for you because you get to decide what to send – a package, a postcard, letter, a doodle, whatever you fancy!  and if you don’t tell them by text or tweet ahead of time, they’ll come home to a pleasant surprise one day.  the unexpected can be fun!  just don’t tell them if and when you’re sending it – because if you forget or it gets lost, or the dog eats it… they’ll never be the wiser.  classy.

***if you stumbled upon this blog hoping to read about one of my (and i’m sure one of your) favourite romantic comedies – you’ve got mail – then i suggest you head on over to Design Sponge, and check out the post that Amy put together inspired by the film.  or just go watch it – because it’s an awesome movie!  probably on my top 10 list to be perfectly honest.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – January 15th, 2014.

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cinnamon buns and shower thoughts.

cinnamon-buns

1 | i made cinnamon buns from scratch for the first time ever!  it was also the first time using my christmas present from mohawk – a gorgeous kitchenaid stand mixer.  i’m a lucky gal!  although i must say, when a former coworker asked me how it went, i promptly told her how my arms didn’t hurt because there was no kneading involved – on my part anyways, and my hands weren’t dirty and covered in floury goop – i feel like a fraud!!!  but you can’t really beat the efficiency it provides.  it’s really a magical piece of equipment.  i adapted smitten kitchen‘s breakfast bun recipe to make the batch pictured above.  classic cinnamon and sugar.

2 | who doesn’t love thinking in a hot shower?

happy sunday – wherever you are!

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movies i watched in 2013.

film-slate

hot shots.
chasing mavericks.
looper.
the hobbit.
ted.
frankenweinee.
bernie.
skyfall.
zero dark thirty.
butter.
valentine’s day.
hotel translyvania.
moneyball. x 2
beastly.
new york, i love you.
jeff who lives at home.
the experiment.
the perfect host.
being elmo: a puppeteers journey.
vegucated.
arthur christmas.
paranormal activity 4.
glengarry glen ross.
the man on the train.
les miserables.
the rum diary.
safety not guaranteed.
extract.
the giant mechanical man.
the beginners guide to endings.
blue valentine.
everything must go.
seeking a friend for the end of the world.
a good old fashioned orgy.
now is good.
the campaign.
limitless. x 2
beasts of the southern wild.
larry crowne. x 2
prometheus.
super 8.
30 minutes or less.
just go with it.
desperado.
what to expect when expecting.
12 monkeys.
oz the great and powerful.
ice age 4 – continental drift.
world war z.
ghostbusters.
ghostbusters 2.
starbuck.
the iron lady.
superhero movie.
movie 43.
i don’t know how she does it.
the help.
mugimundi.
salmon fishing in the yemen.
national lampoon’s vacation.
the place behind the pines.
how do you know.
hungry for change.
bad teacher.
aziz ansari – dangerously delicious.
aziz ansari – intimate moments.
the son of no one.
life of pi.
why stop now.
the internship.
star trek – into the darkness.
spring breakers.
sky captain and the world of tomorrow.
epic.
pain and gain.
this is the end.
the watch.
pacific rim.
percy jackson and the olympians.
mud.
youth in revolt.
food inc.
ghost town.
hanna.
the croods.
iron man 3.
the hangover 3.
i love you phillip morris. x 2
a knights tale.
my idiot brother.
it’s a disaster.
let’s go to prison.
children of men.
captain phillips.
the last exorcism.
monsters university.
42.
you will meet a tall dark stranger.
horrible bosses.
the descendants.
chasing ice.
hall pass.
year one.
the hunger games – catching fire.
man of tai chi.
big.
the wolverine.
o brother, where art thou.
elysium.
the hobbit: the desolation of smaug.
the muppets.
sleepless in seattle.
to rome with love.
vicky cristina barcelona.

that’s 114 movies!  and with the 4 i watched twice – 118!  that’s basically 1 movie every 3 days!

i’m not sure whether to be proud of that, or deeply saddened at the thought that i sat on my ass for who knows how many hours on end.  and no, i really don’t feel like adding it up.  go ahead – be my guest if you’re so curious.  and then let me know because truthfully i’m curious too.  i just don’t want to do the math.
also keep in mind there was a movie or two that i forgot to write down.
in any case – one hundred and seventeen is a lot!  if you’re interested in knowing my thoughts on any of the movies listed above – ask away!

i now give you permission to go sit your ass down on a comfy couch and watch a good flick.
popcorn included.

***update – the original post stated 117 movies but after chatting with mohawk, i realized that i forgot to list “the croods” and thus – 118!

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sunday skims + snapshot.

pomeranian-dog

she’d get lost in the leaves.

1 |  how is it already the end of october?  do you know what you’re doing for halloween?  a trip to canada’s wonderland is in order for a good scare and anyone looking for spooky inspiration should visit martha stewart.

2 | having only just learnt how to make poached eggs (thanks Adrienne!), i decided to keep practicing and made them for brunch this saturday for some visiting friends.  poached eggs on top of blanched asparagus – along side roasted potatoes, tomatoes, onions and garlic drizzled in niagara grapeseed oil and chopped fresh oregano.  all from the farmers market – of course.  i love breakfast food so much! and when it’s also 100% local – happy happy joy joy!

3 | found this article on home renovation to be rather interesting.  i dream of the day that i own a house.  one that needs lots of tender loving care.  one with an open door policy.

happy sunday – wherever you are!

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happy birthday – to me.

my birthday was on saturday.  i am now 26 years old.  i am no longer considered a “youth” by via rails’ standards.

beckygean-birthday-1

i’m a leo – hence why i don’t mind letting the world know.  both on the blog, and by wearing the shirt Josh made me last year that says “worship me, it’s my birthday!”

i had taken the train back to my hometown.  it brought back many memories to awake in my childhood bedroom on the morning of my birthday.  Josh had gotten up at 5:45 a.m. in toronto, went to the farmers market and headed to my parents house where he made me “birthday breakfast in bed (kind of)”.  he made the coolest instagram video to let me know too!

we then packed up the car and headed to the kingsville/leamington area.  what a windy day it was!

beckygean-birthday-2

i love being by the water.  it was the perfect, relaxing, no stress day that i was hoping for, including a delicious meal at jack’s gastropub.  they were kind enough to even stick a birthday candle in my creme brûlée.  this made me very happy.

next year it’ll be my champagne birthday!  27 on 27!