Brunch Babe Skirt

Brunch Babe Skirt | Sophster-Toaster Blog

I’m trying something slightly new with the Brunch Babe Skirt. Instead of offering regular, tall or petite sizes directly from the listing, I’m going to make the new pancake print skirt available in two standard lengths – either knee or midi length.

Brunch Babe Skirt | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Really, I couldn’t make up my mind as to whether this print would be better as a knee length or midi length skirt, so I’m making both and letting you decide! Jeans and fancy pants are frequently available with two or more length options so I figured, why not skirts too?

Brunch Babe Skirt | Sophster-Toaster Blog

I’ve had this fruit-topped pancake stack fabric bookmarked for years, waiting for the right time and idea to use it. When another idea for the fall season fell through, I jumped on this echo of inspiration and solidified it into a proper plan. This unique, novelty print by Patty Sloniger of Beck and Lundy is completely gorgeous. I’m so glad I finally got to use it.

Brunch Babe Skirt | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Top Sophster-Toaster
Skirt Sophster-Toaster
Tights ModCloth
Earrings Craft Arts Market / Nicole Gagnon

Tall and petite sizes for either length of this skirt are still available upon request, here, through the shop.

All photos by me.

Playing with Shadows

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Over the summer, I realized that I hadn’t pulled my camera out for anything but work in months. I had turned my hobby and passion into a profession but, in the process, I had completely lost my favourite hobby. To fix this, I made a point to play with my camera; to take it completely off auto – no auto shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance or focus – and have fun with it.

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster BlogPlaying with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

I’ve dipped my toes into the deep end before, preferring to shoot with my shutter speed on auto while manually controlling my aperture and ISO, sometimes experimenting with different white balance settings. But I always held tight to my auto focus for full body self portraits with my tripod and remote shutter release. I don’t see anything wrong with auto settings, especially when trying to grab a quick moment in the life of a busy kitty, but pushing myself to really explore my camera, my skills and my weaknesses has really helped me recapture my favourite hobby and make it mine again.

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster BlogPlaying with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Today I had fun making some ghostly images in a festive dress with a slow shutter.

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster BlogPlaying with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Using a tripod, I set my camera up with a fixed focus, slow shutter speed, high ISO, auto white balance and auto aperture. I used a remote shutter release to open the shutter and capture images as I played around the room.

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster BlogPlaying with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Dress ModCloth
Shoes ModCloth
Tights Shoppers Drug Mart
Earrings Claire’s

Playing with Shadows | Sophster-Toaster Blog

All photos by me.

October Favourites

The leaves are changing, the night air feels cool and the moon seems bigger and brighter. It’s October and things are starting to feel a little creepy. Here are my favourite things for the spookiest month:

1. A cute accessory for kitty

October Favourites | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Hello Harriet’s ‘Too Cute To Care’ Collar Tag

2. A kitty accessory for me

October Favourites | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Autumn Equinox’s Cat Ears Ring

3. Cozy new bed linens for longer nights spent in

October Favourites | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Xenotees’ Cat Nap Pillow Case Set

4. A Halloween serving board that isn’t too kitschy 

October Favourites | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Studio Orijin’s Cat Breadboard

5. An amazing cat fabric

Cat BluePrints

Amber Morgan Designs’ Cat BluePrints via Spoonflower

All images courtesy of vendors.

Rain or Shine

Rain or Shine | Sophster-Toaster Blog

We had every kind of fall weather yesterday. I woke up to a hazy, cool morning. Dressed for the day as the clouds gathered and the sky grew overcast. Sipped my tea through a thunderstorm. Worked while the strong, gusty wind stirred the clouds away. Then ran some business errands in the balmy early evening sunshine. This unpredictable weather seems to create a perfect pathetic fallacy with what’s going on with my skin lately.

Rain or Shine | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Nearing the end of my late twenties, I though I had finally figured out my unique skin type as the sometimes severe acne I had lived with since I was 11 started to clear. My complexion would experience good and bad days, but the bad days were getting fewer and farther between.

Having spent more than half of my life with bad skin, I don’t often let breakouts get me down or shake my confidence. The past few weeks, however, have created the perfect storm on my face. I did a big outdoor market with lots of dirt, sweat and stress, I started using a really good serum again after letting my routine lapse a few weeks and had to go through the purge again, and I got PMS pimples all at the same time. My face is such a mess that I’ve wanted to stay inside and hide until it heals. But this isn’t me, this isn’t what I do. Acne is normal. If I can go out, live my life, meet up with friends, do a photoshoot and not try to hide or cover up and just one young girl or boy sees that it’s nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about, I’ve done my good deed for the day.

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Sweater Old Navy
Skirt ModCloth
Rain Shoes ModCloth

All photos by me *in good light that makes my skin look way better*.