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.

Monday 6 September 2010

The Brrrr Months Begin

It's Labour Day weekend and the weather wants to make sure you know that summer's over. Not officially, of course, but to all intents and purposes. It was darn chilly and grey and occasionally rainy this Saturday at St. Lawrence Market. My poor neighbour was underdressed for the sudden drop in temperature, jumping up and down to keep warm in his shorts and T-shirt.

It was a very quiet day, with very little foot traffic. Quite the juxtaposition to last weekend's hot and crowded Buskerfest. There was one interesting event, though. Someone kept announcing that there would be a marriage-related event at 12:30 on Front Street and that we should all pay attention. At the appointed time, a crew of young men performed a spirited dance routine. One of them did a back flip. Then another young man with a bull horn told a young lady that he was ready to go the distance for her for the rest of his life, got down on one knee, and proposed. She accepted, and the crowd went wild.

Did I mention that all this took place in front of the movie theatre where they're playing "Going the Distance"? Because it did. So I don't know if this was real or if it was a creative, yet excessive, way of getting into the movie for free. If you know, leave a message. But it was an amusing performance in the middle of a drab day.

I took shaky pictures for you.


Here is pretty Erika in her new headband with vintage lace from my great-grandfather's lingerie factory.













Rick, looking quite dashing in an Ivy cap.














See the couple in left corner? They are as yet un-affianced.









She says yes.























She accepts congratulations from passersby.