Unexpected Hiatus

I really wish I could have written this post when it first happened, but my laptop decided it had lived a long enough life last month, and called it quits for good. I don't have the money to get myself another one right now, so I'm taking an indefinite hiatus until I scrape together the cash for a new one. The good news is, in the last month I've finally managed to find steady work, so I'm kind of ecstatic about that. Everyone I work with is an absolute doll too, I really love the place.

I hate how rushed this post is going to be, but I'm flying by the seat of my pants. I'm home visiting for the holidays, so I wanted to let you all into the loop while I have access to a computer. I'd just like to wish everyone very happy holidays, no matter how or what you celebrate. I hope everyone is doing great, and I'll be back here as soon as I can, I miss all of you a ton. Here's to an awesome new year, best wishes for all my readers and all the new friends I've made through The Myopic Squid.

Before I take off again, I'd like to share a few of the photos I've taken in the last little while. As some of you might know, Toronto was hit pretty hard by an ice storm last week. I personally had no power from Saturday to Monday night, and I know some people were still out even yesterday. It was awesome to see so many people reaching out to help out neighbours and their communities. While the storm and the effects felt by the city were not so pretty, the result of it was. I regret not taking more photos, but I wasn't brave enough to take on the icy conditions for too long. Here's a look at the aftermath, and a couple shots from back home where they got a lot of snow:

Halloween Photos

...of me. I didn't bring my camera with me Halloween night, or the next night when I went out. So here are some not-so-great photos from 3:00AM November second when I felt exactly how I looked - like a zombie. I ended up working my first shift that day. I left the house forty minutes before I actually needed to thinking I could grab something to eat, and ended up not having time due to bus delays. I gave myself nearly two hours to get there, and still ended up being ten minutes late. Talk about good first impressions.
It took me over two hours to get home too, so after waking up at 6:30AM and not getting home until 8:30PM I rushed to get into my costume so my makeup didn't turn out how I wanted it at all :(
At least I had fun though!

And hey, if the sight of blood (even fake blood) and bullet wounds and such makes you cringe you may want to avoid the following pictures (and I'm sorry!)

I really love doing SFX makeup. I should get back into it. My work here is shabby, but it's here nonetheless:

Zombie Ballerina. I couldn't find ribbon for my leg laces in time :C

Costume malfunction, oops! Can you tell how half assed these photos are?

 

My signing off tagline has never felt more appropriate than now.

A WEEKEND OF FIRSTS

So, life has been busy. I've been staying at my Grandpa's for two weeks now helping my Aunt clean the basement out, hence the lack of blog activity. It's been a pretty huge job and I'm glad we got through as much as we did. We still aren't done, but there's been definite progress. In the meantime, I found some photos I took at the Pacific Mall last month before I saw any of the signs asking for photos not to be taken. Oops. They're just so colourful and bright I couldn't resist sharing. Enjoy!

First order of business, get some money. You'll need it. Trust me.

So conceited, tsk tsk

I love how bright it is in here, and how everything is set up. It's like a giant maze!

Love the cat and dog pair! And the platforms! And the stripy high tops! And- okay I want them all.

Some of the coolest tattoo tights I've seen

Yummy!

 

Love me some Sailor Moon!

I met my roommate's friend Katherine that day, and I adore her. She's the one who figured out how to get us here, and kept giving me interesting tidbits on various parts of Japanese culture all day. She's kind of the bomb. You'll see her in later photos from Nuit Blanche (oops those are overdue too!)

My cousin was up from the States to visit this weekend, and it was a weekend of firsts for me thanks to her. I had my first karaoke night (so much fun. I can't wait to drag Katrina out with me), first bubble tea (which I'm addicted to now. Thanks Ashley), first pedicure (I'm waaaaay too ticklish for those, my goodness), and first time trying red bean ice cream, which is delicious. My Aunt also showed me how to make káposztás tészta, so it was my first time making that. And it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself! I've learned to make a couple simple Hungarian dishes the past couple weeks and I can't wait to try it all out on Katrina (poor Katrina). 

All-in-all life has kept me pretty busy. I've become a bit of an instagram addict  over the past couple weeks because it's much quicker to throw up a photo than it is to write a blog post, so I can do just that while taking a break from the dust and basement-y smelling stuff (yuck). I'm going back home tomorrow to sort out some things there, and figure out a Halloween costume. I'm thinking a zombie of some sort. 
Happy Monday!

Maddi by the Bay

At the end of last Thursday's post I mentioned that I would be doing a shoot with Maddi. I had a real blast catching up and getting out with her for the day, but unfortunately the weather just wasn't cooperative. When she picked me up in the morning it was raining and our hunt for an umbrella wasn't all that fruitful. After stopping by Walmart to buy one, we came out of the store to find... sunshine. Ha! I swear it's me, I have the worst luck. We headed down to the lake and snapped a few shots, but her on-call cut the day short so we only captured one outfit. I actually love how the pictures turned out anyway. I think this is my favourite shoot this year. Thank you Maddi for being so pretty and letting me go snap-happy on you, you're the best!

Here's a look at my obnoxiously watermarked preview shots:

Stay Scary,
Berlyn

The Mushrooms Have Taken Over

Seriously. We put down our lawn a couple weeks ago (whole other story there. I became the master of sod-laying for a couple days) and since then a plethora of tiny mushrooms have cropped up all over the grass. They do have to go so I felt slightly less guilty about picking these guys, but man I just think they are so cute. There were varying sizes, but all were pretty small. I think my favourite is the teeny-tiny one.

...yes they did gravitate indoors. Guilty. heh

This wasn't even all the ones I picked!

Having a little fun with arrangements

My favourite! It's just uber-cute! ...I really need to wear gloves when spray painting though

I then, of course, had to go walking around my backyard to see if I could sniff out any others. Awhile ago there were hundreds of all shapes and sizes just about everywhere, but I was staining boards the days they were in their prime, and stain and cameras do not mix (at least when you got more stain on your hands than you did on the boards. I have a real problem with tinted hands don't I? heh.)
Now there aren't too many, but I only walked half the property and didn't bother with the woods. We're having a really bad year for mosquitoes and I feared I'd have no blood left if I stayed back there much longer. This is what I did come across.

These two (one on the left, the other on the right) are just so pretty to me

This eye-catcher had snuck up from underneath piles of leaves from last fall. I'll be checking back on this one often. The one on the right had been uprooted already, and I just love the texture on it.

With spray paint in mind, I know I said I'd post my DIY can organizer this week, but the week just sort of flew by for me. I didn't make any progress on it so I'll save it for next week. As for the rest of today, I have the lovely Maddi coming to get me for a photoshoot of sorts. I haven't seen her in what feels like forever. She's bringing a couple outfits with her, which is awesome for me because I rarely get to shoot people other than myself lately, and the more variety shots I can get of her the better. Here's to a day of happy shooting and catching up!

Stay Scary,
Berlyn

July In Photos

I've been on a no makeup kick for awhile now

Gratuitous pictures of myself. Part of the reason I started this blog is to force myself to be in front of the lens instead of constantly behind it. Fixing up this section of belt into a headband seemed like the perfect excuse for photos. I picked it up at a thrift shop for $1 thinking it was a necklace. It had two jumprings missing but that was easy enough to fix. The way it hung on my neck, however, made me rethink my assumption that this was a necklace. I could snip off two of the connectors on each large triangle to have it hang properly as a necklace, but I rather like it as a headband so I think I'll leave it for now.

Out back

I regret not getting out there to take photos when I first noticed these little guys. By the time I actually got around to taking photos most of them were already dead.

Excerpts from an outfit post that never got posted. Life is a little hectic lately.

These photos are misleading. The one on the left is only about an inch long, if that. The one on the right is closer to four inches.

Excuse my old and nasty "manicure"

This was taken a week or so after the ones before it. These guys really seem to like hanging out together. We're pretty sure this isn't the same moth though since he's (she's?) a different size.

Sleepy Kitty is Sleepy

Sleepy Dog is Sleepy

Another Sleepy Kitty

Yes, my dog does have a heart on her butt

Chris and I decided to go spend a day in Midland. Of course that was the day that neither of us checked the forecast. That fog there isn't fog, it's rain. I honestly thought we were going to have a tornado.

Having some fun with jumping shots

I think acorns are really neat, especially when they're first growing. I think it's early for them to be falling, but I don't know much about that (time to use the internet for something useful...). I love how the pattern on the "hat" reminds me of feathers.

I made a new buddy

...This may just be the most random collection of photos I've posted anywhere haha!

Stay Scary,

Berlyn