Hello loves,

In these uncertain and anxious times, I wholeheartedly wish you all comfort at home. I hope your haven feels safe and cozy, and that you feel grateful for it more than ever these days.

As a restless soul who always had her next travels in mind, I only began to truly appreciate "home" when I moved into my place that is affectionately referred to as "The Pink Palazzo", and even more so when I became self-employed and during those times in recent years where I had to stay home to recover from surgeries and immunocompromising treatments.

Staying home for health brought me a lot more joy and clarity than I ever anticipated. I discovered a new side of me, a side that was more observant of my surroundings and of my inner voice. I took more pictures, even of mundane daily details. I journalled, I gardened, I cooked, I created, I worked, I listened to music, I listened to myself, I grew, and I thrived.

I also decorated and nurtured my space during that time. There's something so special about creating a space that reflects you, because when you least expect it to, it actually takes care of you.

All this to say that time at home doesn't have to feel negative or claustrophobic. It can feel liberating in many other ways. I truly hope you can find joy in this new rhythm, that you can practice gratitude, and that you can feel nurtured by your space.

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

The time has come to reveal the new Côte d'Azur collection, and I am SO excited!

Creating a new collection is one of the most fun yet time-consuming aspects of my shop! There are SO many steps involved, and each one is done with careful thought and feeling. 

It all starts with choosing a destination based on what the heart craves. Then, exploring that place mindfully, slowly, keeping in tune with how my senses react, how the light makes me feel, and whether I am pulled to stay. Capturing feeling through photography requires precision, experimentation, creativity, inner peace and hours of physical work while I chase interesting angles, reflections, perspectives, lights, patterns and balance.

Then comes the most painstaking part of all - sorting among the thousands of photos to narrow it down to the few hundreds that will be adjusted and edited over the next days and weeks. I get to know them as I work on them, already get attached to a few favorites, and share them with you little by little on Instagram or Facebook. Once I have my favorite hundred or so (!), I write blogs about the place and share my impressions or tips with you. (Psssst! If you haven't read my two Côte d'Azur blog posts yet, you can open them in a separate window by clicking here and here!) 

But not all of my favorite photographs make the cut for the collection. They have to be scrutinized for imperfections and distractions first. I fine-tune them, test-print them, hold them in my hands and up to the light, frame them and get to know them even better. You'd be surprised what the eye catches on paper that it missed on a screen! This leads me to fine-tune them even further and print again. 

Once I'm happy with the collection, I give each one a title and caption in English and French so you will know where it is and why I reached for my lens. Often, I sneak a message for you in the caption, so the photograph might speak to you even more once you read the back of it. 

I photograph the photographs - which is not an easy task! I try to show you how they look framed, unframed, in various sizes and ratios. I edit the photos of the photos, and create a bunch of different graphics I'll be able to use in my online shop or social media.

After a few weeks of this process, I then share them with my dear VIPs who are subscribed to my newsletter. These are individuals who support me and follow me wherever my travels and heart may lead! I am so grateful to them that I give them 20% off the collection and first dibs on it before I add it to my shop. This often allows them to get limited edition or one-of-a-kind pieces! Once my VIPs get first pick, the collection is launched globally.

Lastly, I add the images to the web shop and Etsy shop, fine-tune the keywords so they can be found in searches. I print, package and ship them, so they can be a part of your day, your home, your inspired thoughts, memories and dreams of future travels. 

By the end of this sequence, I need another vacation! And yet your words, orders and reviews make it all so fulfilling and worth it!

Now you have a better idea of why I always say, "from my heart to yours".

Order any of these prints and frames using your special VIP coupon by following this link!

I've also printed a whole bunch of mini square prints (4x4 inches) which can be displayed casually, framed in a mosaic frame, or sent as cards! They are printed on eggshell cardstock with a white border and a blank back, so you can write a personalized note.

I only produce postcards once a year during the holiday season, so grab your favorites before they disappear by contacting me or visiting me at the Nutcracker market in Montreal between November 28th and December 8th. 

The Côte d'Azur collection is full of color, texture, perspective and feeling. I hope it will resonate with you as much as I loved creating it for you! 

Let me know in a comment which one is your favorite! 

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

From November 29th to December 9th 2018, I will be participating in a well-known Christmas market at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal for the second year in a row: the Marché Casse-Noisette / Nutcracker market. It is my biggest show of the year, in the sense that I will have a large booth to present my world to you - all those colors, feelings and inspiring scenes that make you connect with Veni Etiam!

This year, I thought I'd offer a sneak peek at some of the large pieces that will be showcased in my booth, to give you a special chance at reserving them in advance at a special VIP rate (10% off).

Why? These large specialty pieces take over 2 weeks to produce, so by reserving them early, you make sure you have them before the holidays. It's also a way of thanking you (and rewarding you!) for being bold with your decor decisions, and for being part of my community. 

Here are the large pieces you could reserve right now (until November 26th):

Li Prisuddi (Italy)
Satin print 16x24 inches
White wood frame included
Framed: $125 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

New Life in Hiroshima(Canada)
Satin print 12x18 inches
Black wood frame included
Framed $100 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Mirror Waters of Levico (Italy)
Brushed aluminum (metal) art 12x18 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$189 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

If any of these large ready-to-hang or framed pieces have your name on it, contact me right away to reserve it at 10% off. (Please note that the item must be paid in full in advance). 

To get an early start on your shopping, visit my shop or my Etsy shop and use the coupon code INMTL to pick up your purchase to save on shipping fees and delays.

I can't wait to help you find inspiring decor items this holiday season. See you soon!

From my heart to yours.

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​Some places teach us about contrasts and ironies, fleeting time and persisting time. They marvel us with how they can be aging yet timeless, how they can be captivating without being boastful, how they can emanate a distinct character and mood almost immediately, when we've barely even begun combing its streets. 

​Some places leave us quite speechless, instilling a sense of nostalgia in us while we are still there, standing on its soil. We follow its lead, go where the place pulls us, linger on the simplest details that hold us hostage for a moment or two. Details that highlight imperfection and time – an uneven street, a peeling façade, a decaying staircase. ​Every few steps, a sight draws us in, makes us pause, begs to be recorded.

Humble and complex, Havana holds the eye, the lens, and the heart. 

This detail of a crumbling wall stopped me in my tracks. 

Layers of Beauty looks beautiful on textured or satin paper, in vertical or square orientations. Its rustic details and rich colors also come to life on canvas, acrylic, metal or wood. Frames are available upon request!

Prefer functional objects to wall art? Layers of Beauty has also been produced on a notebook, and on a wood tray or placemart as part of a new collaboration with designers at LAMOU. 

Bring the world home!

From my heart to yours.

Follow me on Instagram for more about the cafe and a full reveal of our gallery wall!
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From my heart to yours.

In case you missed it, I fell in love with beautiful Nova Scotia and Cape Breton this summer while traveling there for the first time. 

Now, after combing through thousands of photographs for weeks, tweaking my favorites and getting a sense of your reactions by sharing them on Instagram, I am excited to reveal the scenes that will be added to my art shop this fall.

​Why don't I add them right away? Because the Quebec City collection is still very new, and this way my VIP community members get first-pick of the new pieces at a special rate before the general public does! (Want to be a VIP? No problem, sign up here.)

Without further ado, meet the Nova Scotia Collection - a collection full of feeling, color and hope. The heartfelt captions beneath each photograph accompany the printed product, for an extra bit of inspiration.

​It doesn't matter where you go, as long as you are happy to be there.

When the most evocative moments are the simplest ones.​

The Nova Scotia collection is available as framed or unframed prints on fine-art paper, satin paper, as well as on canvas, wood, acrylic or metal. Become a VIP to shop the collection before its autumn release or stay tuned by following Veni Etiam! 

From my heart to yours.

It was high time I added a Quebec City collection to my Montreal & Toronto series. You had asked me time and again, but I was waiting for some down time in my schedule to go take my camera on a road trip. It was a wonderful weekend, and I ended up with many more photographs than I expected! (Although, let's be honest: isn't that always the case with me?!)

It is with excitement that I introduce the QCity collection to you! You'll find that the "usual suspects" have inspired me: architecture, urban details, textures, colors, geometric patterns and moody hues. 

The collection is currently available in exclusivity to my VIP members who can order their favorite(s) via e-mail with a special pre-launch coupon they got. (Not a VIP? Remedy that here and now). Prints and coasters will be launched at the ​Etsy Ville de Québec spring show on May 26-27 in Québec City. 

Tell me: Which one's your favorite?

Mothers' Day is just around the corner and, although most Moms will tell you they don't need any gifts, they surely appreciate being spoiled with pretty things that will inspire them year-round. 

Mothers' Day is especially touching to me for all those women who are not (yet) moms, but wish it wholeheartedly. Let's take a moment to think of them and send them love.

Having heard from MANY of you in person or through your written requests, I know which items often get chosen as gifts for Mom. I also know which items my own Mom adores!

​So, without further ado, here is a visual list of gift ideas for Mom, either on Mothers' day or "just because". Clicking on each image will take you to my Etsy shop, because Etsy is sponsoring a Canada-wide free shipping promotion until May 14th! 

If you're in Montreal, come see me on Mothers' Day Weekend (Saturday + Sunday) at the Etsy Montreal show at the Locoshop Angus. Details here. It's free! I'll have ONE of each of these with me. Reserve it if it's perfect for Mom! 

From my heart to yours.

If you've followed me for a while, you know I always have something up my sleeve. Nothing mischievous, just always something NEW! 

Last time, it was the Havana collection and updates to the Canadian collection.

The time before, an exciting design collaboration with Ann and Lena from Lamou Design. 

The time before that, new product lines such as high quality birch wood coasters, notebooks and pouches. 

All of this within a year's span!

Well, why not? Art should be versatile and functional, suited to your own daily life, moods and decor. 

Here's a sneak peek at what I have up my sleeve this spring. I'll give you a hint: it's a new collaboration with Lamou design!

But here's the thing: My VIPs always get the news first as to what is new, and they get first pick on limited quantities. 

So... if you want to be in the know, here's where you sign up. Why bother? Because, in addition to getting special treatment (like exclusive picks and coupons), you also get a monthly newsletter for that bit of extra connection and inspiration. Not to play favorites but...

Are you in? Sign up here.

From my heart to yours.

​I love living in a place that has four seasons.

But...

By the time February rolls around, I'm ready to say arrivederci to the snow, slush and sleet. Trouble is, winter will still have us in its grasp for another three months at least (if we don't see any flurries in May like we occasionally do! I know, *gasp*, right?!).

Although I try to live in the now, I do get antsy. As a form of wishful thinking, I start to surround myself with color, as an attempt to accelerate the arrival of spring.

​

Got a favorite? Let me know in a comment!

If you're a color-loving soul like me, you'll love what awaits you in the shop. (But don't worry, there are many moody black and white options too).
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From my heart to yours!

As I'm writing this, IT'S STILL SNOWING. Gah. 

As Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and since we probably all need a pop of color in our wintery days, in this Monday's inspirational post I thought I'd share 10 photographs to start your week, instead of the usual five. 

Head to the shop or to Etsy to shop this post!

From my heart to yours.

The seasons are changing, and with it your projects, moods and color palette.

​Now and then, I love to share with you which pieces of the collection are the bestsellers of the season. It's always fun for me to discover which scenes and colors catch your eye more than others, and how this changes over time. Some of your favorites seem to be carved in stone (you'll surely recognize these "signature pieces" because they're my favorites too!), but others sometimes take me by surprise.

If any of these favorites inspired you, you could shop here or on Etsy, and as usual you have the option to choose between paper, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood as your finish of choice. Not sure about the options? Here is a handy visual summary! 

P.S. I hope we're connected on Instagram, 'cause that's where I share the most!

From Day One, my shop's motto has been "from my heart to yours", because of all the places, colors and moods I share with you in my words and photographs. But it especially comes from my heart when clients ask me whether I could take a particular photo of a place that means a lot to them. ​

When I first created my business, I knew that customization was an important feature of my art shop - I wanted you to find yourself, your travels, your dreams and decor tastes in my images and in all the options you could select to create a piece for your space. But I somehow didn't imagine that through connections and dialogues with you online and in person, I could also be asked to create photographs of places I had not captured yet before. A place you ask about obviously means something to you - and if it means something to you, it means something to me.

This summer, a client asked me whether I had photographs of two Montreal spots that were special to her family - the Farine Five Roses factory building and the clock tower at the Old Port.

These were two spots her late father adored, and she wanted prints of them in her home, to remind her of him daily. 

These were two landmarks I had not yet photographed in a way that made me feel like adding them to my shop. It could partly be because I did not feel attached to them in a profound way, or also because I knew many other talented artists in our Montreal community had done such an amazing job at capturing them. But this client asked me to photograph these landmarks in my own style, because she loved the feeling of my work, and she wanted it to be meaningful in memory of her father. So, I set out to find my voice with these landmarks and to prepare a whole bunch of prints that she could then choose from. 

When I showed her the scenes I had collected for her, she was touched. She loved the mood of one of the Farine Five Roses shots, and the composition of the photograph of the Clock Tower. "It's like it's pointing up at the sky, to my Dad," she wrote. That touched me so much, that I dedicated the print's caption (on the insert that accompanies each print) to her and her dad. 

That is the beauty of creating something one-of-a-kind, something that touches someone's heart and represents a piece of their story. Moments like these make me feel really blessed to have this artistic outlet to inspire you. In turn, I am always astonished and grateful of how you inspire me in return, with your own vision, your own story and your words. Thank you for this gift. 

Together, we put together a gallery wall of seven prints for this lovely client, the two commissions being unique to her wall, as they have not been added to my online shop.

Some of the other variations have been added to my art shop and my Etsy shop, and I will have them with me for the first time this weekend at the Etsy Fait au Quebec Montreal show. 

You may also opt for larger wall art on paper, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood. 

If you'd like to connect, just leave a comment on this post! I'd love to hear from you.

From my heart to yours.

In my long history with Venice, it had never rained while I had been there – not a drop. When it did rain, I would always miss it. My train would pull into Santa Lucia to find only the faintest trace of rain; puddles and high waters. The damp marine air would greet me, and I would chase reflections, like a child holding onto something that did not exist. 

If you are a Venice-lover like me, "Gondola" is waiting for you in my art shop on fine-art paper, metal, canvas, acrylic or wood.​​

From my heart to yours!
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P.s. I am writing a book of travel stories and my favorite places. Sign up here for news.