Santa

WHO: Santa Claus, the jolly old man with the big sack of gifts. WHEN & WHERE: Stopping in at The MacKenzie Art Gallery Holiday Celebration. CLOTHES: Vintage red and white couture, designed by his elves.

Always looking good in red and answering to St. Nick, Father Christmas and, most recently, Yo Fat Man, our trusted friend is always in good spirits this time of year. Since we were young, he has kept tabs on our naughty or nice factor. And now that we’re adults and we (probably) don’t even leave cookies and milk out for him anymore, we know he still might leave us a little something under that sparkly tree. (Don’t worry about the milk; he’s become lactose intolerant over the years.)

How are you feeling with it being so close to your busiest day of the year?

Stressed. And of course with the coalition government stuff, I don’t really know which provinces it’s safe to land in.

Where is Ms. Claus today?

Oh, baking cookies of course. She has been busy booking our trip to Jamaica; we leave on the 26^th of December. So she has been preparing by doing her Pilates and spinning classes.

What is your favourite Christmas movie?

It’s a Wonderful Life. That or Smoky and the Bandit.

How many elves work for you?

Well, with being unionized, it goes up and down. But I would say around 2,500. In real people height, that would be 1,500.

What do you suggest we not leave under the tree for you?

My mother-in-law’s cooking, anything from last year, or beans.

What’s the worst Christmas you’ve ever had?

It would have been the time a 375-pound person came running across the room and landed on Santa’s lap.

Do you ever get to hang out with the Easter Bunny at all?

Oh yes! I hang out with him and Jack Frost quite a bit. Jack and he are always getting into the shooters. He’s the worst one when he gets into the sauce a bit too much.

What do you dislike about Christmas?

The greed.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for prairie dog.

Merry Christmas...

xo Carey, Bill, Waffles and a turkey.

tall buildings!

My lovely friend Heather makes these fantastic pieces for our little friends out there. And perhaps our grown up friends as well...

All I have to say, is that I wish I had one when I was 5 and thought that Spiderman lived in the bushes next to my house.

Check out more of Heather and Tall Buildings here.

enjoy xo.

I want to be their neighbour.

I recently picked up the January issue of Canadian House + Home, and instantly fell in love with this house. Built and designed by two architecture grads, Christine Ho Ping Kong and husband Peter Tan, this home is so much more than just beautiful.

Love, love, love.

enjoy...carey.















Images: Rob Fiocca

i heart my jammies.

I just need to take a moment, and talk about my new favorite thing. That is, my new favorite thing, for this week.

When I was about 18 or so, I had this pair of striped men's pajamas. And I loved them. They were warm, comfy, and just plain old awsome. They are still in my box of things I can't quite throw away. Although I think I am missing the bottoms. No idea how I just lost just the bottoms.

So, anyway. On Saturday I decided that my Halloween themed pajamas are out of date, and I needed a new pair of pj's. I was looking through the women's stuff, and everything was just dumb. Stupid designs, too frilly, and just blah. Not my thing. So I headed over to the men's department, and low and behold...all my lovely memories came flying back. I picked up a nice pair of flannel plaid pj's. And they were $13. You can't beat that.

Since then, all I can think about on my way home...is getting into my new jammies. I LOVE THEM! Even though I wake up sweating, since it is a bit too warm for flannel right now...I don't care. I have found my perfect winter outfit. I am even wearing them right now. And, if I ever grow a penis, I have a built in opening already in place. Now, who can beat that!

xo carey

Alexis

Since it is almost time to retire her much loved Schwinn Cruiser for the winter, Alexis is planning on buying her first pair of cross country skis soon. Given that winter is her most hated season, she is hoping to find a hobby that she enjoys enough to get her through the season. But there is a good chance that her January trip to Cuba with her family will help her get through it.

First things first. You always have great hair every time I see you.

My mom and grandma have always been very conscious about how their hair looks. My grandmother once said that it doesn’t matter how nice your clothes or outfits are put together, if you hair doesn’t look nice you outfit isn’t complete. And I love getting my hair and nails done.

I noticed all the bright colors you have on. Do you like wearing bright colors?

Everything in my wardrobe is black. It is a sea of black. I used to never wear any color but it was never meant to be “Goth”. I hate Goth. It is my most disliked trend. But pink is my new favorite color, although black will always be my base.

Tell me about your tattoo.

It is the Day of the Dead skull surrounded in flowers. I lost someone close to me five years ago, and although I love flowers so much, receiving flowers as a condolence was rough. Flowers are beautiful to me again though and I am ready to put them back in my life. And I love the mix of flowers and the skull. I have always loved mixing things that normally wouldn’t go together.

Would you say mixing different things together is part of your style?

I like to look nice, although I need to keep in mind that I could be unloading forty kegs for work. So I try to be functional. But I love girlie things. I love pink and makeup. I paint my nails every single week. I love that kind of stuff. BUT, I am not soft like a flower that is for sure. I love everything girlie, but I don’t think I am a lady…quite yet.

You have been working at the Owl for ten years now. What styles do you think have been most prominent?

No matter what comes and goes people still wear sweatpants. And they just shouldn’t. On guys, I LOVE the moustache! And I love the fact that with moustaches, men are doing the grooming the same way women have to do with their hair and eyebrows. There is this one guy who has a modern moustache that is killer. Overnight, he has gone from attractive to handsome.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for prairie dog.

Confessions of Stanley

I can't hide my obsession with chick lit any longer...

If you understand my conundrum...
turn down the volume,
make sure no one is around
and click here.

xo carey

Handmade Nation! Yay!

Ever hear of Handmade Nation? No? Well you should. Simple as that.

Check out the blog here. And the new documentary here. Documentary...yay!

And if you are into embroidery...check out the design to the left here.

Now go. Make something!
xo carey