Wednesday 31 July 2013

Storming Wychwood Barns

The indispensable Scott, the hats and I made a field trip to Artscape's craft sale at the Wychwood Barns last Saturday. They do this once a month from spring to fall.

The indispensable Scott is a skilled roadie. (As a recovering musician, he comes by this honestly.) He figured out a way to load a little bitty dolly with a tremendous amount of display grids, table and merchandise that cut down our load-in and load-out times by a wide margin, not to mention stuffing everything into a little Mazda for every show we do. My hero!

The first time I was at this venue was for a holiday craft sale last December. It's so cool there! Artscape took the wonderful old TTC streetcar barns near Christie and St. Clair at risk of demolition and turned them into a community hub incorporating live/workspaces for artists and artisans. There is also a Saturday farmers' market outside in the summertime, inside in the wintertime, and entertainers.

The best part is we craft vendors get to be inside! So it doesn't matter if it rains! What a refreshing respite from being under tents at St. Lawrence Market. It rained a little, just at closing time. No big deal.

Two of my favourite artists/artisans also had their wares for sale -- Lily, creator of Soap Utopia, and Joanna Furtado (née Sipos), newlywed artist of Belle Boutique, of whom I have spoken many times before. I haven't seen Lily in a couple of years. She used to be a regular at St. Lawrence Market, which is where we met. Lily is a really nice person, and I sincerely adore her awesome, handcrafted soap. It is just fabulous, so I made sure to stock up.

While the show was on, a TV crew from Fairchild TV came through. I gave my first millinery TV interview! Of course, I cannot find it to see it, much less link to it, and the reporter will not answer my enquiries, so there you go. Sigh...

(Mea culpa: My spelling is contraction-free because my computer thinks I am speaking French. I cannot disabuse it of this notion, so until I can, when I want to shorten, say, it is, it comes out itès. Thus far pressing Help has availed me no help. Soooo not a computer person.... Au secour!)

It was nice to experience Wychwood in the summer. At the holiday craft sale last year, people were very nice and very supportive. They said nice things (and without being patronizing -- bonus!) and invested in my work, too. I could not ask for more. This time the love was still there, as well as some customers, but it was a fairly quiet day for sales. Other vendors were having a similar experience, so taking it personally was not necessary. Phew!

A wedding party wandered through for photos. The bridesmaids wore the blingiest dresses I have ever seen. Very Hollywood glam, as you will see.

Anyhoo, on with the show:

My table.

Piper in her new head band with her awesome lion . He had eyes just like Puss in Boots has in beseeech mode in the Shrek movies.

Ronnie, first seagrass cap purchaser! Yay!

Pamela bought this natural sinamay leaves fascinator for a wedding that afternoon. Milliner-on-the-spot!

I learn so many new ways of wearing my pieces from my customers!

...and droppers-by.

This Gatsby Collection fascinator has been waiting patiently for Cybèle and her matching hair. Love!

Talia looked just about perfect when she tried on this headband that I asked her to model it for this photo...

...and this one...

...but this is the one she ultimately chose. Thank you, Talia!

Tracy and Kate came by and played dress-up.

The view down the barn.

The new Mrs. Furtado and her Belle Boutique display of wire-wrapped jewelry and belts.

The lovely Soap Utopia display. Lily herself is camera-shy.

Our next-door vendor neighbour, David Lifson with his photography. Really beautiful work. The indispensable Scott, budding author and no slouch with a camera himself, wagged chins enjoyably with David all day.

The farmers market outside.

Artisinal cheese display. I myself enjoyed a delightful grilled cheese sandwich with homemade ketchup at the Stop Café inside. I recommend it.

Lawyer in a farmers market!

Something for my dog peeps.

Musician the first.

Smoothies!

Delicious yarns and their spinner.

Musician the second.

Lots to do on any given Saturday at Wychwood Barns. You should go.

The Tibetan garden. Other nationalities were also represented. I hope the dog was at least part Lhasa. (I amuse myself so... )

Their blinginesses and groomsmen.

The happy couple, listening to their own photographer.

The resulting shot.

The happier couple.

Their blinginesses smile their approval.













Wednesday 24 July 2013

Wychwood? I Would!

This time it's so on. I will most definitely be at the Wychwood Barns this Saturday, July 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. selling my millinery wares. It's indoors, so the weather can do whatever it likes. (I hope it's nice out, though).

Come and see me, along with the other fine crafters and food purveyors, near Christie and St. Clair. Back at St. Lawrence Market next Saturday, August 3

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Dogs and Cats

Another beautiful day at the Market last Saturday. Just about perfect, really. Warm sun, cool breeze... Wedding parties and costumed War of 1812 interpreters were lucky that they they were spared the wall of heat and humidity that hit us the next day and continues as I type this.

Young Isabella did me the honour of wearing one of the hairbands I made with her charming Parisian purple ensemble. Snappy dresser, that one.

A quick sale (to a camera-shy customer) early in the morning was an optimistic start to the day. Two returning customers came by -- always a delight! Jean came by again, bringing another daughter. While she was there, another familiar hat came up, perched upon another Anne, who was looking to add to her collection. She had taken the jolly yellow daffodil bucket she bought a couple of summers ago to live a glamorous life in Rome. This time she chose a straw braid with natural quartz gently blinging the band:


It must have been waiting for her, since it's a particularly small head size. She looks fab in it, but again, she was disinclined to be photographed. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Salome gasped most obligingly when I showed her my latest fascinator. She had donated some fantastic fabric remnants and I used one of them on it. Voila:


Then she regaled me with episodes from "Despicable Me 2". She can mimic a mean Minion, man. (Okay, I'll stop.)

My friend Adena, another Market aficionada (yes, spellcheck, it's a real word. Sheesh... ), dropped by with a donation of bits and bobs of jewelry to noodle with. How lucky I am to have friends who bestow goodies upon me!

Amy Marcus, the Rice Queen of the south market, in her rice tiara. Her father, Rube, started the business as soon as space in the south market building was made available in the mid 1970's. He died recently an is much mourned. There's a lovely photo of him and Amy in the link.

They were handing out balloons for the musical "Cats". Very popular, those balloons.

Darwin, the daily dog. He's an old friend and a regular. We all love him. He's very sweet.

This guy was too irresistible to not snap. He reminds me of my cousin George. He was a bulldog, too.

I don't think this one actually got wet, but I was rooting for him to, so I could empathically enjoy the cool.

Young Sara came by for a quick bit of dress-up.

Pablo Garcia on the move. This bike has been to over eighty countries! I wonder how many tires changes it's had?

A strawberry bites the dust, artily.

More accidental art.

This is Cora. Half Jack Russell terrier, half chihuahua. And all adorable.

And just as I was packing up at the end of the day, Yvonne came by in need of a hat. After much trial and consultation with Salome and Erin, my tent neighbour, she chose this one. She struck this beautiful pose, like a real sport. Thanks, Yvonne! I hope you and your sage grey hand-dyed linen Lily Garbo will be very happy together!












Sunday 7 July 2013

World Wide

Yesterday there was no rain at St. Lawrence Market, just a lot of sticky heat, mitigated by the blessed breeze up Market Street, right in front of my table. People of the world were much in evidence as the tour buses dropped them off and picked them up. It was a good day, but the heat drove many vendors to pack up a bit early.

I wasn't the only one kicking myself for deciding to listen to last Saturday's weather report erroneously calling for rain. I overheard another vendor echoing my moaning, but the moan-ee reported that the day was pretty "meh" despite the unexpectedly good weather. It was comforting news, which I choose to believe.

After two bad weeks, sales were really good yesterday. What a relief! On with the weekly show:

This is Pablo Garcia. He has been bicycling around the world since 1999! So far he has visited over eighty countries. The image at the top of this post is of little pins he's selling to help finance his trip.

Pablo's documentary, in Spanish and English versions, also on sale. He also has a photo album with spectacular shots he's taken on his epic journey.

This is Helen. No sooner had I finished sewing in the lining of this hand dyed and appliqued Lily Garbo style than Helen snapped it up. It makes her skin glow most becomingly while keeping it nicely shaded.

Sara liked the fascinators, but this band is not too over-the-top for everyday wear. And it harmonizes beautifully with Sara's pretty hair and complexion.

The daily dog is Brooklyn! She is a nine-month-old boxer, and a total suck. She is heavily into tummy rubs and handshakes, as I learned immediately after snapping this photo.

This Lab was a popular photo opp as he or she cooled down in the fountain, like all sensible children and dogs are wont to do. I wish there was a sociably acceptable alternative for vendors.

The costumed folk were back, in their hot woollen uniforms and long frocks, with an anachronistic loudspeaker to tell stories about the War of 1812. Those men are made of stern stuff to withstand those uniforms in such heat and humidity. It makes me feel quite limp just looking at them.

Also happening in Toronto is a convention for barbershop quartets. I'm fairly sure two of them are at the right of this shot, looking on with appreciation as the costumed people sing their go-to call-and-answer ditty about the lady who wants to marry a reluctant soldier.

Dagmar hemmed and hawed before choosing this snappy trilby. I think it's going to live in Denmark.

Heather knows how to dress for this weather. She chose two feather clips, one of which she promptly attached to the band of her own hat. Clips are so versatile!

Kathy almost chose another fascinator, but this one proved more irresistible. Just right for a night at the opera.