Ta-Da! My New Home Showroom Springs Forth!*

*or What I Did This Winter (with lots of help)

What to do with a growing client list and an unnecessary spare bedroom? Repurpose the bedroom into a showroom!

That's what I decided to do, and luckily for me, the indispensable Scott let me do it. (It's his house.) Not only let me, but helped me immeasurably and, of course, indispensably.

The first hurdle was the vision. After staring at the room in its un-renovated condition for way too long, I realized I was much too close to the trees to see the forest, so to speak. Enter Barbara Quinn of Breathe360, stylist extraordinaire. She came, she saw, she figured it out. It was awe-inspiring to watch her scan the room and envision what would go where, and in such detail. We had a plan and we started to work it.

I collected four bookcases over some months through Craig's List and Kijiji to display my hats and store fabric and other supplies. For my birthday last year, Scott's present for me was a beautiful antique wardrobe, for more storage. The lovely quarter-sawn oak desk and my grandma's oak table were already in place. Scott painted the walls a cheerful, soft yellow, painted the bookcases white, created cabinets in the bottoms of the bookcases and hung pictures. I made curtains, slipcovers and an inspiration board, and we both made oodles of hat stands with leftover MDF from the cabinet doors, dowel and styrofoam balls.

Once the paint was done the energy changed dramatically. It's the sunniest room upstairs, and the yellow paint makes my heart sing. I now work in here, too, and tidy up for clients' appointments.

My liking it was all very well and good, but what would my clients think? "Oh, wow!" was the first impression of the new showroom's first visitor. Phew!

Okay, enough with the talk. On with the photos!

This is the first impression from the hallway.



















This is the room before we got busy.







Hats much?












Handy to have this aptly-coloured and sized framed print waiting to be put to use.












I love my cabinets. I thought them up, and the wonderful Neil at Rona told us how to make them. Neil is awesome.

Sewing projects: curtains and window seat cover, with cutout for windowsill. Hooray for spring-tension curtains rods!

I really am a milliner, see?











The very beautiful wardrobe Scott gave me, now a storage cabinet. Inside there is a wee Ikea shelving unit stained to match. This gives me the storage I needed without having to drill holes to hang shelves, which would have been a crime in such a gorgeous piece.






My new inspiration board, with lots of family souvenirs. I'm feeling my British roots, leading up to the royal wedding.











And so farewell!

So it works! I have a pretty, functional room in my home in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood to which to welcome my clients. When can I expect to see you??

Contact me for your appointment!

Thimble

David Dunkley's been to London and brought me back a particularly apt Royal Wedding souvenir, purchased, most appropriately, in a shop behind Buckingham Palace. It joins a roster of other royal souvenirs, such as a Charles & Diana tea towel and a mug and plate commemorating the Queen's coronation.

So this is what I'll be wearing as I try to stay awake in the wee small hours for the big event April 29. Because a fascinator might get mooshed against my pillows.

Things That Have Been Springing Up Chez Moi

Mushrooms?

Hat stands!

Mini Millinery

A recent project for no good reason whatsoever.

I call it "Come On, Dover!" Extra marks for whoever can name the inspiration!

And the makeshift hat stand. Can you stand it?

Judy Welch, R.I.P.

Very sad to learn that Judy Welch, my funny, fiery legendary St. Lawrence tent neighbour, died in her sleep Tuesday. It just won't be the same without her.


Rest in peace, Judy. Scott and I will miss you very much.

Is It Spring Yet?

HATS READY FOR SPRING

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.

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?

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?

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.

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!

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!

Hat Fractions

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

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.