Personal

Memories of France

France, Personal, Travel

While going through some old photos I came across slides that my Grandpa took decades ago in Paris, probably in the 1970s. It made me think about my first trip to France about 10 years ago in 2011. I thought it would be fun to share some of my old photos from the amazing trip around France with my family. It was really a dream trip, 3 weeks around France. We started in Paris and then went north to Giverny, Honfleur and Mont Saint Michel. Then we traveled south to the Loire Valley to see chateaux then to the walled city of Carcassonne and to Provence. There were visited Arles, Nimes, Avignon the Pont du Gard and Orange and continued to Nice for some riviera sunshine. To finish off we head back north to Chartres before flying home from Paris again. It’s always fun looking back on old photos and memories from great travels. I’d love to return to France and see more of this beautiful country.

Continue reading →

Unity

Art, Canada, Ontario, Ottawa, Personal, Travel

Since I’ve been unable to travel for over a year I’ve enjoyed exploring my own city. Even though I’ve lived in Ottawa my whole life there are areas of the city I’ve never explored and new things that I’ve discovered. One of the fun things I’ve been doing is seeking out public art around the city. Unity by Yasaman Mehrsa is a recent installation on the steps down to the Rideau Canal in between the National Arts Centre and the new Senate of Canada building. This beautiful artwork has a lovely message too. The houses represent humans and the pathways represent nature, but together they symbolize unity. Ottawa has so much to offer and there is so much to explore in this wonderful city, especially at times like these. Now that the weather is getting warmer I can’t wait to get back out exploring.

Continue reading →

Quarantine Crafts: Potato & Beet Block Printing

Personal

Like a lot of people staying inside the prevent the spread of the coronavirus I’ve been looking for some kind of creative outlet. But the problem I found was many art supply stores were sold out of many items. Thanks to Block Shop Textiles who posted a fun little tutorial on their Instagram about block printing with natural materials I was able to do some arts and crafts with things from the grocery store!

Continue reading →

Memories of Venice

Italy, Personal, Photography, Travel

If you’ve seen my Ultimate Venice Travel Guide then you’ll know that I absolutely LOVE Venice! I’ve spent a fair but of time there and I’d go back in a heartbeat. My travel guide was very long with lots of info so I tried to keep the photos to a minimum. But I have so many that I want to share still so this is a little photo diary of my memories of Venice at sunrise and sunset, two of the most peaceful and beautiful times of day in the city.

Continue reading →

Merry Christmas!

Ottawa, Personal

Merry Christmas!

There are so many wonderful things about the holiday season and I love all my old and new Christmas traditions. Baking cookies, picking out a Christmas tree and decorating it with family (although we tend to go fake these days), seeing the Christmas lights around the city, big family dinners, making and decorating gingerbread houses, listening to Christmas music and watching some of my favourite Christmas movies like Elf, Holiday Inn and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Continue reading →

Shop my Photographs on Society6!

Personal, Photography, Shop

A selection of my photographs are now available on Society6! You can purchase prints, framed prints and canvas prints. I’m adding new photographs all the time and if there is anything you don’t see in the shop that’s been posted here on the blog or on my Instagram that you want just send me a message and I’ll add it! Just click the Shop tab on the menu at the top of the blog or follow the link here!

A little introduction…

Personal

Welcome to my blog! My name is Rachel and I’m a recent M.A. Art History grad in Canada’s capital Ottawa. I really love my hometown and exploring all it has to offer and I thought, hey why not share it with the anonymous internet! I also want to share my love of travel, food, art and photography through this new blog. So if you happen to stumble onto my little creative space here I hope you enjoy it and come back again soon!

If you do find yourself back here expect to find posts about all that there is to do in Ottawa (the best food, things to do and places to see!), photos and tips from future and past travels around the world (Spain, Italy, France, Canada and the US so far), maybe some recipes I’m trying out, art I love and I’ll probably be showing off my photography here and there. If you do stop by feel free to introduce yourself and connect with me through Instagram.

IMG_6919

At Gaudí’s beautiful Park Güell in Barcelona scouting the Instagram walls, May 2018