Tuesday 28 December 2010

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Constant Comment

I've been told that it's not easy to make comments on by blog. I hope I've rectified that now. You no longer have to register to comment. So bring it on! Just please be nice.

Saturday 18 December 2010

401 Redux the Second


It was a long four days at the 2010 401 Richmond Street Artisans Marketplace, but I survived. The weather was on the warm side, and often drizzly. Not so very Christmassy, but not a blizzard, either, which we were half expecting for Sunday.

Two other vendors and I were on hand to decorate here and there on the building's main floor on the preceding Tuesday. And when I say I, I really mean they. And when I say they, I mean Marina Babic, creator of beautiful, fine jewelry, and Leslie Peters of Opal Owl, energy healing practitioner and creator of fantastic talismans. I knew what had to be done, and they did it. (Honestly, it was their idea!) And we were done very quickly, thanks to Carol Greaves's having figured it all out last year.

Friday was enlivened by a late-afternoon fire alarm which we were told was not a drill. Little kids from the daycare were paraded out. Reluctant to leave our tables, a kind lady came by to babysit them for us while we exited the building and enter the rainy street. Trucks came, sirens blaring, and we waited while they went in and almost as promptly came back out. Then we went back in and sent the nice lady on her way. No sign of smoke or anything, fortunately.

I asked the super what happened. Seems someone in the coach house with a welding torch set off the alarm. (There's a coach house? Who knew?)

This year's show was slower than last year's. I heard that from vendors I know about other shows this season, too.

My vendor neighbours were lovely, as is so often, and so fortunately, the case. On my right in our hallway location there was Alison of Grace Design, who makes beautiful accessories from rare obi and kimono fabrics. To my left was Doreen Dotto who was introducing uKloo (pronounced "you-clue"), an awesome reading/treasure hunt game for little kids. She developed it for her own son who was too wiggly to settle down with a book when he was learning to read. Now he's a university English major, so I guess the game works. Doreen had a steady stream of friends and relations come by, charming and supportive people all. To her left was Dan Nolan and his beautiful stained and fused glass. He's been making it for years and his expertise and artistry is very apparent in his work. His lovely daughter Clair joined him on Sunday. (That's her beaming out from Dan's table.) And Marina was on his left. More vendors were in a big gallery.

That wrapped up my sales season. But stay tuned, because millinery doesn't sleep!




Marina














Alison of Grace Design's friend, whose name I do not write down. (Bad milliner! No buckram!) But if she emails me, I'll rectify that tout de suite.








Max, the stylin' baby.















Another Alison, Doreen's friend, in a poorboy cap par moi. Merci, Alison!
















Shelly, in her new poorboy.







My table.













Heather, in "Cherry Darling." I don't always name my hats, but this time I did. Aren't they an attractive couple?

Tuesday 7 December 2010

401 Richmond Artisans Marketplace, December 9 - 12


Just finished decking the halls at 401 Richmond for the big Artisans Marketplace that begins this Thursday at 11 a.m.

You'll be there, right?

Thursday 18 November 2010

Wendy's Sale

In a recent post I mentioned that I would have news of my Heintzman House sale roommates later. Later is now!

Wendy Emery has a holiday season craft sale at her home in Richmond Hill to benefit a local swim team that's dear to her heart. She invited me and Janice, of Ceilidh's Kidz, to be a part of it.

I won't be there in person, but a selection of my work will be. I'll be in my workroom, millining away for the 401 Richmond Street sale, at which I will be present for four long days.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

My Fifteen Minutes Start Now


My fierce friend Jorge Midence has profiled me on his blog, Fierce Lives Here. I'm that tickled!

I met Jorge at my last millinery class. He's severely talented. It's very flattering to me to be chosen as a profile subject. I follow his career with interest, and expect amazing things from him. And if he ever has a launch party, I totally want to be invited!

Sunday 14 November 2010

Heintzman House Ushers In the Holiday Season


Heintzman House looked very pretty in its seasonal finery this weekend. Talented crafters of many kinds filled its three historical floors for the 39th Annual Craft Show and Sale, and there was a steady stream of visitors both days to shop and sup in the charming tea room the wonderful ladies of the Auxilliary had set up. Saturday's weather was so gorgeous that some summer-loving guy strolled through in shorts and sandals. (No socks, you'll be glad to hear.)

Les chapeaux, Scott and I were in the same upstairs room as we had at the Boutique Sale there last May, and fortunate enough to share with one of the same neighbours, the lovely and talented Wendy, stained and fused glass artist. Her wares sparkled by the window (Wendy's a canny display space selector). Our other roommate was Janice, who makes life-sized dolls dressed in real kids' clothes -- Ceilidh's Kidz. (You'll notice they rocked my poorboy caps, too.) She and her friend Luella were very nice and lots of fun. And those Kidz just flew out of there, adopted into loving new homes. Way to go, Janice! More about my two neighbours later.

It was a very nice weekend, and the ever supportive and always indispensable Scott and I had a great time. Many thanks to the lovely folks who stopped and shopped. If you haven't been to this sale before, please try to do so next year, if you possibly can. It's juried for quality and diversity and it rocks! A big thank you to the Auxilliary members, led by Sabina Margitta, who did a splendid job of organizing and being ever gracious.

Lots of nice people came by to look at, try on and buy hats, like the ones in the collage at the top of this post. And...

A United Empire Loyalist lady, a.k.a. Diane










Sabina Margitta of the Auxilliary, fearless leader of the show.










Scott, the indispensable one. Transportation captain, chief roadie, and indefatigable moral support.







Wendy, glass alchemist extraordinaire.











Janice, and one of her well-behaved "babies."
















Luella, Janice's friend.













My table.














Wendy's table.

















Janice's "kidz".






Jacqui Uza came from LaSalle, Ontario, with her gorgeous vintage style purses, which she knits (!) and beads herself. She sells them, in person, all over the world. She'll be at Branksome Hall's seasonal craft show, Plaid Tidings, next weekend.









The name of this lovely young purchaser of the pictured hairband somehow got lost in the shuffle. My apologies. Please email me, o mystery girl, and I'll add your name forthwith.






Mary, a real cutie-pie.












Helen looked radiant in her new red Trilby.












Jeannie had me take her photo with her own camera, to capture how I styled her hat on her head. Clever!

Monday 8 November 2010

Hat Fractions


A sneak preview. All will be revealed at the holiday shows I mentioned two posts down.

Monday 1 November 2010

All A-Twitter



Oh looky, we've gone all tweety for the 401 Richmond sale!

Email me and tell me what you'd like me to make for the sale.

Sunday 17 October 2010

Holiday Craft Show Schedule



Mark your calendars, friends and customers: this season I will be participating in two holiday craft sales. I may have another to tell you about in between these two, so please keep checking in (or subscribe).

The first show is the Heintzman House's 39th (!!) Annual Craft Show and Sale, Saturday and Sunday November 13th & 14th, from 10:00am to 5:00pm at 135 Bay Thorn Drive, Thornhill. I'll be upstairs (I think), so please come find me there. This is my second time at this wonderful, historic property, but my first time at the holiday season show. If you're a history and/or architecture buff, you really should come see this place -- Ontario's first adobe house! You'd never guess!

The second show is the 18th Annual 401 Richmond Street Holiday Artisans' Marketplace from Thursday, December 9 to Sunday, December 12. Nice long hours for your shopping convenience: Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's on the main floor of 401 Richmond Street at the corner of Spadina. It's a juried show, as is the one at Heintzman House. We're aiming for a good variety of high quality, original work of many types.

It's another interesting place -- a factory in 1899, due for demolition in 1994, but saved by the Zeidlers and re-created into a lovingly restored, environmentally friendly building full of artists and craftspeople, non-profits and other interesting enterprises. Many of the artists open their studios during the artisans' sale. I will post more information on this as it becomes available.

Sunday 26 September 2010

Buy-Buy


My last Saturday selling hats at the Market has come and gone. It was quite bittersweet, I must say. Weather was meh -- neither here nor there. My perennial tent neighbours, Judy Welch and Ian, were not there, so I couldn't say goodbye to them. Salome was, though, so that was comforting. She's such a blast -- funny, very kind and very talented. (Check her out: burfurtart)

As mentioned earlier, I decided to have a sale to go out in style (or perhaps so my customers could go out in style). Many hats found new homes with new customers -- people who have good heads on their shoulders. It was also great to see Gail again, who has bought two bespoke hats from me this season. She needed some fall hats, and scooped some great deals.

Next order of business is to work on new hats and head pieces for the holiday crafts shows. I'll be posting my schedule here soon. (Subscribe to my blog if you don't want to miss the announcement. See the sidebar at right.)

And without further ado, here's my photographic Market adieu:
Gail in one of her new acquisitions -- a coppery bucket with a wonderful aqua iridescence. It makes her complexion glow.


Joanna, looking very cute in her own new bucket hat, which she chose along with a feathered headpiece.




Anne Marie chose this floral tapestry piece. Another excellent, complexion-flattering choice made.







Salome in her new bespoke purple bucket. She dressed for it, too! She also looks awesome in her new, sage green fedora. I'm always so honoured when someone with talent like hers chooses to wear one of my hats, and to lend her practised eye to help a customer choose one.

Peter, a.k.a. "Daddy's Little Monster," rocking a baby-sized Ivy cap. I like a dapper baby, don't you?




See those leaves back there? They're not getting any greener, you'll notice.







Having taken possession of my please-pay-attention-to-my-sale balloons, Salome bids us a forlorn farewell.

Thursday 23 September 2010

Sale!

My last day at St. Lawrence Market for the season is this Saturday. To celebrate the end of a successful summer, I'm having a sale! Already low prices will be ridiculously so. Please come and make me not have to pack much up at the end of the day, while forcing me to make a whole lot of new things for the holiday season sales coming up.

Say you saw it here!

Sunday 19 September 2010

September Song


It was another good weather day at St. Lawrence Market this Saturday. Mild, no rain while we were at our table. Fewer craft vendors is the theme for September, weather notwithstanding. (Weather or not. Hee hee. Oh stop it, Anne.) Busloads of tourists are still being offloaded throughout the day and the homegrown shoppers are still in abundance. But there's no denying it -- this is the last weekend of official summer and the season is winding down.

A couple of musical buskers helped jolly up an otherwise dull day. One was a young girl, maybe ten years old, playing her violin. Scott (my indispensable one) told me that after her first number when no one paid much attention, she looked at her mum, shrugged, and started a new tune. What a little trouper! I think she made out okay, though. We certainly ponied up, as did some of the other vendors. She was very cute and pretty darn good, too. Later on a grownup with a guitar played many Can con hits that kept me bopping and singing along behind my grid screen. (It's like a car window. You feel kind of invisible behind it, even though you really aren't.)

Last week's "guardians" were still there this week, this time with young women to help them hand out posters. There were also young naval cadets selling tags, which became the vendors' accessory du jour. The cadet I spoke to had polished his boots so they looked like patent leather. He pointed out that these were only his work boots. At this rate I don't think I'd want to view his dress boots with the naked eye.

Pretty quiet at my table. Not a lot of visitors or customers. And then, to save the day, along came Denyse to buy my rakish fedora with the film strippy ribbon band. It's so wonderful when returning customers keep returning! It's very encouraging and motivating.

This was my second last Saturday at the Market. It sure was a fast four and a half months. Whatever shall I do with Saturdays at liberty? Make stuff to sell at Christmas, that's what! Stay tuned to this blog for news about the craft shows where I'll be selling my hats and accessories.

Pictured at the top of this post is Scott (another one, not my personal one) and Buddy, not his, but his frequent companion. Scott sells beautiful pashminas. Every time I see them together, Scott always says that Buddy almost killed him. I don't know if this is a recurring thing, or a one-off. Buddy almost kills me with cuteness, certainly.

And on with the show...
Audrey lending her grace to her new silk rose.
















Denyse always looks fantastic in the hats she chooses. Thanks, Denyse!








Ian, Judy Welch's indispensable one, modeling one of Judy's chunky stone necklaces. (I told you it was kind of a dull day.)

Monday 13 September 2010

September 11, St. Lawrence Style



September 11 was as it should be -- a beautiful, peaceful day. It was mild and sunny while we were selling at St. Lawrence Market this past Saturday. More visitors were milling about, now that Labour Day weekend has come and gone and people return to the school year schedule.

Froshes were froshing (from Ryerson, I think), too. There was also another movie promotion going on. A Roman centurion named Alejandro was handing out free posters to little kids for something called "Legend of the Guardians". Owls are involved.

It was a much jollier Saturday than last week. Warmer weather, visits from friends who live or work nearby, and being regaled by descriptions of silly films my tent neighbour of the day, John, had made as a student. (He had an awesome hat on, too, which was unfortunately not made by me. A Sherlock Holmes-ian affair made of many fabric scraps.)

The big film festival, TIFF, is on, too. Sadly, no movie stars stopped by to try on my excellent black felt fedora with the film strip ribbon. (Which means you're still in luck!)

Lots more people did come by to try and/or buy. A couple of nice pooches, too. To wit:
Chimo. His name means "hello". I thought he was a Bouvier, but no -- he's a giant Shnauser. Giant-est one I ever met. And a real sweetie.

His counterpoint:











Lucy! A wiggly, wall-eyed cutie.








Michael tried on this green poorboy cap....











....but it was Keith who bought it.











My headpiece with the zipper, feathers and ribbon found a forever home with lovely Marlena.








Natalie snapped up my latest band with silk yo-yos and beads.








Froshery.










Tonya fell for my new cloche style. The feeling is mutual.