Branksome House and Heintzman Hall*

* Okay, Heintzman House and Branksome Hall. It's been a hectic week.










Gia, aglow in her new red sinamay fascinator.


















The indispensable Scott and my table

The holiday season is off to a rousing start with two back-to-back sales on consecutive weekends. First we made our second appearance at the Heintzman House Artisan Craft Sale, their 40th. I'd say it was pretty well established! We (the indispensable Scott and me) shared the second floor Heintzman Room once again with Wendy Emery, the fused glass wiz, and Janice, doll maker, and her pal, Luella. It was nice to see them all again. We make good roommates.

My display looked awesome, if I do say so myself. Wendy also had the great idea of angling my table at the far end, which looked really good and gave us more room to move behind it. Janice wisely made many more dolls this time, as they simply flew out of there last year. Wendy's display was once again by the window to allow the sunlight to play with her creations. It had grown, too, by at least a tree.








Wendy's table








Janice's table

Scott and I enjoyed seeing crafty old friends again, along with the lovely ladies of the Auxiliary who are so gracious and helpful, and some of whom do me the honour of becoming customers. It was another successful sale for us all. Yay!
Betty
















June













Marina














A bevy of Branksome beauties

The momentum continued with one more week of mad millining (yes, I know it's not a word) leading up to Plaid Tidings, the holiday season craft sale at Branksome Hall. It's a private girls' school in Rosedale. The sale was established about twenty years ago, and this was my first time there as a vendor. It's really beautifully done. The new gym is professionally outfitted with red carpets, draped booths and spot lighting so that it looks like a mini One of A Kind Show. And the vendors were all superb quality and had items at all price points. As at Heintzman House, there was a tea room with tasty treats to keep one "suffunctified" while browsing. The $10 admission was well worth it.








Good thing I brought extra lights!
I was next to my friend, Jacqui Uza, and her husband, George, my hosts last summer when I shared her tent at ART by the River in Amherstburg. Peripatetic to say the least, they travel the world, selling Jacqui's breathtaking beaded, vintage style purses as they go. It's great to see them as they cross my orbit, however briefly.

Friday evening was the opening gala, with a silent auction, wine and canapes -- and a piper, of course.








Piping in the season

As may be deduced from the name of the event, it's a very Scottish theme at Branksome Hall. Clans and kilts abound. Jacqui spent the evening swamped with admiring customers. I love it when people are smart enough to know gorgeousness when they see it, especially when it's the work of a friend.








Jacqui's busy table








A clearer view









Leslie looking lovely
















Lydia Levin, Communications Manager














Frances and Gwen









Amelia and Elizabeth












A & E again, international women of mystery








Mimi and Riannon








Riannon in her new poorboy cap

















Lauren














Daphne














Tanya














Lauren and Lexi

Saturday and Sunday were very good with lots of people shopping. On Sunday we were approached by a lady who was promoting a similar event at another school. She looked so familiar, and I finally figured out that she bore a striking resemblance to my high school art teacher. I was right! She was as tickled to run into an old (ancienne, not vieille, thank you) student as I was to run into her. We had a fun chat. Oy, such a small world!








Mary Lou













Caroline













Maggie













Maggie fascinating















Kathryn
















Various vendors:








Brave Brown Bag









Vendor neighbour Susan Cavanagh's Collectibles, all the way from New Liskeard




Julia McNeely's awesome animal art. I love them!








Weaver's Cabin. Beautiful, cozy woven woollies from Severn Bridge








Shane Lambert's gorgeous woodwork. The pepper mills! Oh, the pepper mills!








Willa Designs had an architect design their necklace displays.








Christy's Gourmet Gifts. Yum.



The staff, planning committee and girls were all lovely, and the customers were, too.
It all added up to a most successful sale. Thank you, Plaid Tidings! I hope to be there again next year.

And the season has just begun! Next up, it's the Artisans Gift Fair at the Tranzac Club, Saturday, December 3 and Saturday, December 17, noon to 6 p.m. Free admission! And on Friday, December 16, I will be at St. Lawrence Market once more, but this time inside the North Market (where the farmers are on Saturdays), for a holiday craft sale of St. Lawrence Market's craft vendors. I'll also be elfing somewhat. Stay tuned!

Plaid Tidings of Great Joy

Holiday Craft Show Schedule 2011

40th Annual Artisan Craft Sale
Heintzman House
135 Bay Thorn Drive, Thornhill
Saturday, November 12 & Sunday, November 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission $2
A well-established annual event in a historic house, Ontario's first adobe structure, and named after its most prominent inhabitants, the piano-making Heintzmans. Proceeds benefit the house's upkeep.








Plaid Tidings
Branksome Hall
10 Elm Avenue, Toronto
Friday, November 18, 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, November 19 and Sunday, November 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission $4.50
Since 1992, Plaid Tidings has offered a lovely selection of creative vendors for seasonal shopping, in support of this private girls' school's programs.This is my first year at Plaid Tidings. I visited the show last year. It's like a mini One of A Kind show, with the room professionally set up and lit. Wish me luck!








Artisans Gift Fair
Tranzac Club
292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto
Saturday, December 3 and Saturday, December 17, noon to 6 p.m.
Free admission
For over twenty years a really nice, down-to-earth, family-friendly neighbourhood event in the Annex.

Last Saturday

Last Saturday was my last Saturday at St. Lawrence Market for the summer season, which starts in mid-spring and goes to early autumn. And what a gorgeous day it was! We were expecting all kinds of "meh" or worse weather, and instead were treated to warm and sunny. Lots of relieved-looking people were about, browsing and shopping.

Someone was giving away these cool burlap bags, so I nabbed one.

















This week's musicians noticed I was aiming my camera at them and obliging smiled for me.

Salome had the nerve to be absent for my last day. Instead, her lovely daughter, Adrian, filled in for her. We fed her big, soft pretzels, as was only fitting, as her mother usually shares hers with us and many others. (We get them at the farmers' market at Oodles of Strudels. You should, too.)

Steve was around again, so I put him to work as a hat model. Look for him in weekends to come, with his high-tech fabric active wear.











I had made some new hat pins, which were well received. Here's Marg, who plans on wearing hers on a scarf.















Raelene from Perth, Australia bought a hat. It's always extra flattering to have one of my pieces chosen by someone who lives in a millinery hotspot.















And speaking of travelers, here is Marlin, from the U.S.A., in his new poorboy cap.








And speaking of poorboy caps, Jill made an inspired choice with this one.









Charlie in a pink hairband.








Charlene in her new hat. Clearly, ladies whose names begin "Char" know how to flatter their outfits and complexions with headwear.

Roberto and Stephen pointed out their new "Open" sign, which was tres amusant.












A small child on a Winnie the Pooh leash came by, too cute to miss capturing.













This lady demonstrated why she looks good in headwear -- her head could have been the model for the ubiquitous styrofoam ones. And that girl can wear anything.


Three disparate examples of Market style. The bike looks like it belongs to a resident of Ward's Island. For non-Torontonians, Ward's is one of the islands in our harbour, and the last one with homes. There are no cars allowed, so the residents have these nifty, tricked-out bikes of impressive variety to do as much duty as possible, like lugging home groceries. And, apparently, tiny canoes, like on the back of this one.

















And, finally, the lovely Ms. Gail, who celebrated her birthday with a sinamay swirl and feathers. A career ballerina, she was also quite taken with a white feather fascinator she dubbed "Swan Lake". The one she chose didn't require pointe shoes, however.

Well, that's a season. And a glorious one it was, too, after the first few wet weeks. Lovely weather, people and sales. Thank you, one and all, and a big thank you to you, universe!

I'm now in major production mode, getting ready for my holiday season craft sales. So stay tuned for news about those.