Tuesday 22 September 2009

Leaside




Well, hark at me doing a sale on a Sunday! How unlike me! My lovely bosses David and Joanna kindly sprung me from my usual gig minding the store at Studio 998 to allow me to participate in the annual Rotary Club corn roast at Trace Manes Park last weekend. It's a dear little community fair with bouncy, climby, drivey fun for the wee ones, corn on the cob and hot dogs, and a few vendors, like moi. Joanne, a jewelry making fellow Market vendor, hipped me to it.

I ran into an old friend from another lifetime ago, Andrea Villiers. She has a pet-sitting business, and with her animal protection background, I can't think of a better person to take care of your fur children. She'll be getting into pet photography, too. Phone her at 416-421-6051.

And young Ali, hamming it up. But Pam bought the purple poorboy later.

Farewell to Summer




This was really the last weekend of the summer, and once again, the weather was spectacular. A teeny nip in the air on Saturday morning, but warm enough for backyard parties later.

This was also my last Saturday for the season in the "Park" at St. Lawrence Market , the area between Front and King on the west wall of the North Market. And what a glorious send-off I had! Sheila, my friend and fellow milliner came by, as did hatty blogger Darla Sycamore, which was fun. Otherwise, I was preparing myself for a philosophical moment of accepting fortune's vagaries (i.e: sales were slow), and went in search of a consolatory pizza slice. As I did so, Scott, my best beloved, sought me out to tell me someone at my table wanted to buy four hats! So the pizza and I went flying back to find Karen, who had been by earlier, and who clearly knew a good millinery deal when she saw one. She absolutely made my day.

After next weekend (when I won't be there for once) the tents are coming down and the Saturday craft vendors who remain will be vying for the few carts on Front Street, or on Market Street, which runs south off Front on the west wall of the South Market. So please look for me in both places on nice Saturdays in October, because I'm not sure where I'll be.

From top to bottom:

Karen, day-maker

Abby, who reminded me of Kate Hudson, especially in this hat. She didn't buy it...

...which left it available for Christine, who will be taking it back to Florida with her (note to self: must start map/pin system to track millinery world domination progress...)

Rachelle, rocking her new hairband with grey flannel rosies

Sheila and yours truly

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Market Corrections







Millinery takes its toll. Last week I had to quit my volunteer job I'd had for over four years, narrating books at the C.N.I.B. for people with poor vision. I loved that job and the people I worked with, whether volunteers or staff. It was a privilege to do that job, and you have to pass two auditions to get it. It hurt to say goodbye, but there are not enough days in the week as it is for me to do and make what I want with my hats, so say goodbye I did.

Still sucks, though.

So here are some images that remind me why I did what I did.

Snoopy was the absolute cutest husky puppy who waited patiently for his "granddad" to retrieve him at the Market last Saturday.

Denyse Dufour looks tres chic in her jazzy new blue fedora. She put it on at a rakish angle immediately, so I knew she was a true hat person. Look for her in it at the theatre this season, especially if it's in French.

Lauren (left) and Leslie took some time out from settling back in to university life to invest in some of my embellished hairbands. They look lovely, and as they are both studying opera, they sound lovely, too.

Young Pascale (bottom), Dawn, Danielle and Aleque (L to R), models. They came from Ottawa.

Jeanine in her new red hat and her friend, who approved her choice.

And just as I was packing up, Amy made her big decision and bought the tapestry fedora. I hope she'll love it for years to come.

Thank you, universe, for another gorgeous weekend! And thank you to everyone who came by!

Thursday 10 September 2009

Fierce!


My friend and former classmate Jorge Midence is such a shy, retiring sort who lives to blend into the background.

Not.

His cutting-edge hat designs and reflections on contemporary style are quite arresting and may be found here.

Tuesday 8 September 2009

Labour Day Weekend



Summer is unofficially over. It isn't fall until September 22, but women of my vintage and background are still putting their white shoes away until next year. But not until after May 24, of course. Someday I'll learn to shed these cultural inhibitions.

My sweet babboo and I spent Monday bicycling the Leslie Street Spit, a.k.a. Tommy Thompson Park, a tradition we seem to adhere to on summer long weekends. It's so cool down there, full of the man-made and natural reclamation, and exciting aircraft, if your timing's right. I took pictures and I'll link to them here when I've uploaded them.

Quel digression!

Anyroad, the weather for the weekend was absolutely gorgeous. Thank you, Mother Nature! The Market was bustling and lots of people graciously came by to try, buy or just say hi. Like buddies Chloe (left) and Natalie (right). Michelle is taking her gift of a new brown poorboy home to Manitoba, continuing the hat-as-citizen-of-the-world tradition. And Marcelle is very pleased with her new stripey bucket! I'm so glad; I worked hard to get the stripes to line up on the component pieces, like I did the checks on Natalie's.

All forces aligned to give me my best Market sale day yet. Thank you, everyone!

And hey -- if you want to know when your photo's been posted here, email me and I'll do that.