Kathy Pardell
Photographer + Writer
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Instagram: @kpardell | kpardell.com
The Joy of Slow Living
Slow living is about carving out a time in the day to sit with my cup of tea and think about my life and how I am using it to challenge myself and support others.
Beauty To Me
Someone who lives their life through the lens of wonder, and who is truly grateful for everything in their lives. I have a few friends who live this way, and I am always inspired by their inner beauty.
One of My Greatest Lessons
This sounds cliché but is very true. Life is short. After my son passed away, it struck me just how short our time here is, so don’t let anything hold you back.
What I Wish I Knew 15 Years Ago
How important friends are in your life. These relationships need nurturing and are worth the time. You may need to rely on these friendships when your world turns sideways.
Nurturing Your Spirit
Make getting out in nature a priority. Nothing humbles us more than walking in the grandeur of the trees and hearing birdsong. It renews the spirit.
Creative Self-care
We are all creative beings. I find that taking a few minutes or more every day to nurture that inner spark can keep us healthy and joyful.
The Best Piece of Business Advice You Were Given?
When I first was creating my card shop, I was constantly worried about the output of money I was spending just to produce simple sets of cards. My husband reassured me with this advice, “You have to spend money to make money.”
A Quote That Moves Me
From a portion of an Albert Camus letter that is particularly relevant to me right now: ‘In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found, there was within me, an invincible calm. I realized through it all that, in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer.
What’s on Your Reading List
Once Upon A River, by Diane Setterfield
Creative Ideas I Love
Whoever started taking photographs of tea and flowers was really onto something. These photos evoke a calm and deeply beautiful feeling, that I can’t get enough of.
The 411
I am a photographer and retired teacher living in Alberta, Canada. My passion is still life, where I photograph images of my creation in natural light. I enjoy the challenge of curating using props within the changing seasons.
Books & Authors I Love
I love author Guy Vanderhaeghe who wrote The Last Crossing. He is a fellow Canadian who writes compelling stories with the most impressive vocabulary.
Recent Discoveries
Though it’s been around for awhile, I just discovered Juniper Books. They have the most amazing book collections for shelf displays and you can even customize your book jackets in any color.
Creative Apps I Love
I am using 2 apps that help me with my Instagram. I use UNUM for planning out my photography grid. You can move photos around to find the look you’re after. I also love the Pic Tap Go app, that corrects the light in photos. I can brighten my photos without sacrificing the quality.
Favorite café in Vancouver
Platform 7 in Vancouver. It’s decorated like a train station and they serve coffee in beakers and slow drip tea that is served on wooden boards. Thoroughly charming.
Travel Tip
If you are flying and have a sinus issues or plugged ears from a cold, you should purchase Earbuds. They were created by pilots and you can fly pain-free!
Favorite Boutique Hotel
If you ever want to get away from it all-truly, then a stay at The Finikas Boutique Hotel in Naxos Greece is just what you’re after. It is a magical and supremely quiet hotel located on stretches of beach that are pretty much uninhabited. Someday I plan to return and write a novel there. There are literally NO distractions.