Heintzman House Boutique Sale

My spring hat season was off to a great start last weekend. On Saturday Heintzman House was bustling (which is not really supposed to be a 19th century costume reference, but what the heck). Ladies of all ages and a few good men hummed through the house, fortified with complimentary coffee and cookies, doing some spring shopping with vendors of many ilks sprinkled throughout, to benefit the house's ongoing preservation and refurbishment.

The historic Thornhill property is beautiful and intriguing. Ontario's first mud (adobe) house! Since 1817! My indispensable right-hand man Scott and I were shown a piece of this under a movable panel in the front parlour. Techno-nerd that he is, Scott also found an old intercom in a room next on the list for refurbishment. We hope it stays. It's so cool!

Auxiliary ladies modeled spring fashions throughout the house. Thank you to those who borrowed pieces from me to top off their looks!

We had many visitors to our display and two charming roommates in our second-floor eyrie -- Wendy and Inna, jewelery makers both. A long but very pleasant day, all in all, in gorgeous surroundings.

Thank you to Sabina Margitta and the ladies of the auxiliary.




Maya in the gold hat, Naomi in the blue, and their mums.











Olivia tried on just about everything. Here she is in a small selection.








































Where did Sarah go?






There she is!









Dorit looking quite fab.

Spring!

It's spring and I couldn't approve more. In my world (my head), it's pretty much spring unless it's Christmas. It's absolutely my favourite season, especially right around now, with the trees all fluffy before they burst into leaf. That fluffy-tree smell is about the best thing ever. Thank you, Universe. Excellent work!

So yes, I'm still here. Sorry to have been away so long. I have been working away, though. My showroom-to-be (STB) wall is filling up with colourful new hats. I have a new design or two, too. All will be revealed at my first show of the season, and I quote:

Please join us at The Heintzman House for our Fabulous Boutique Sale
On Saturday, May 1st, 2010
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Admission $2

Exquisite jewellery, fashion accessories, fashion show, mini makeovers and massage, and much, much more from top quality vendors.

Here endeth the quote.

The $2 admission goes toward keeping the Heintzman House in good nick. It's an historic property in Thornhill, the earliest mud (adobe) house in the province. Their website indicates that it's quite beautiful, a lovely place for weddings, etc. I'm really looking forward to seeing it. I love historical houses.

They're having complimentary nibblies and a fashion show. Speaking of which...

Fashion Week


...I was invited to a Fashion Week show! David Dunkley, of KC's Hats, to whom I lend my petits mains on a regular basis, once again provided the millinery accoutrements for Pat McDonagh, the grande dame of Canadian fashion who designed the military style coat Michaelle Jean wore to greet President Obama shortly after his inauguration. The coat was very popular, and her fall/winter 2010 collection was all over it. David kindly invited me to the show. It was a Cinderella-ish moment (and I do mean moment; those shows are short!) and I had a lovely, brief time.

My old classmate Jorge was there. He's quite the scenester, it seems. Here's what he wore when I saw him:
Thanks, Jorge's blog.

My costume was rather more conservative, I'm afraid. I was even too shy to wear my latest frippery, which would have gone perfectly with my ensemble: The Garlic Pasta and Kale headpiece! Silk "pasta", rayon "kale" and gold bead "garlic". It's what's for dinner chez moi, quite frequently.

What an occasion to not check the batteries in my camera. As a result, I can only show you the sign that was on my chair. They spelled it correctly! I had to save it. Who knows when my name will be on another chair at Fashion Week?

I really liked the collection, personally. And I learn that the creator of the necklaces will be at the Heitzman House show! What a small, tangled world.

Beach Sale Beached

In case anyone was planning to come to the last holiday craft sale I had booked, it's been cancelled.

401 Redux

Well, it's all over. But it was great while it lasted.

The 401 Richmond Street Holiday Marketplace took place from last Thursday to last Sunday. The weather was quite kind, overall, and the traffic of visitors was excellent. Vendors are invited to participate by residents of the building. I felt very honoured to have been included.

I was pretty nervous about taking part in a sale that lasted four days straight. Long days, too, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all but the last day, so no time or inclination to make more things for the next day. But as it was, I did have enough hats and smaller fare to last throughout, without having my display look sadly diminished at the end. Good thing I began preparing for the holiday season well in advance this year! Yay, brain! Sometimes it really functions well!

Did I mention that I helped decorate the joint, too? Because I did! Under the expert supervision of Carol Greaves, set dresser by vocation, awe-inspiring accessories creator (and vintage ephemera dealer) by avocation. It was a good way to get familiar with the somewhat convoluted main floor of the building, and to collect smiles and compliments. I'm a sucker for those, I admit it.

So here are some images of this wonderful sale. Make sure you watch for it for next year. It's a great shopping experience for anyone.

Pictured, from the top:
My table
Decorated railing
Carol's table
Our tribute to Cristo. (Just because it's wrapped, you know? Like he does?)
Janet Bike Girl, rocking her new rusty bucket hat
Mary-Ann Jelonek, jams and woolies wallah
Kathie Young, Phoenix Arts Group

401 Traffic

Today I spent helping to decks the halls at 401 Richmond Street. Mercifully, Carol Greaves was "lead hand" on this one. She is a film set dresser as well as a creator of lovely cuffs she sews and embellishes, plus a dealer in nifty vintage items. Naturally, I forgot my camera.

It was pretty gratifying to have so many tenants of the building say complimentary things as they passed by. It helped take the edge off the time spent away from millining. (Yes, I know it's not a word.) But the place looks great, especially our pillar tribute to Cristo. So you should all come and see it. And shop like mad while you're at it.

Holidays

I've been so busy making things for the holiday craft shows I'm participating in to blog. I'm so busy I've developed calloused thumbs.

I've got hats, blocked and sewn, soft caps, embellished hairbands, fascinators and lil' tree ornaments. (Handy hostess gifts for your hattier friends.)

Please come see the fruits of my labours at any (or all) of these shows:

Saturday, Dec. 5:
Artisans' Gift Fair, Tranzac Club, 282 Brunswick Avenue (Bloor & Brunswick), noon - 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 10 - Sunday, Dec. 13:
401 Richmond Street West Holiday Marketplace
401 Richmond W. at Spadina
Thurs., Fri. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Heather

We're over Hallowe'en and bracing for the holiday season, making time for remembrance.

Heather, my best-friend-since-high-school, just celebrated a significant birthday. So naturally I made her a hat. Blue has always been her colour.

Isn't she a picture?

The Milliner's New Hat

It's high time I had my own felt hat, don't you think? Here it is. I recycled it from an old felt hat that cost almost nothing. Fun, no?

Still Here. Still, Here.

I am and it is. My hat display is cold and lonely on Market Street, so I've bailed on it for the season. I'll go back in the spring, if they'll have me back again. I have to reapply.

Now, Christmas looms. We'll see what that means, millinerily. Right now I'm confirmed for one craft sale, Traditions of Christmas at St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School in Oakville, on November 28.

I've been making hats, of course, and noodling with new ideas for hair accessories for the Christmas season. As soon as I have some photos to share, I'll post them.

In the meantime, do you want to see a photo of Chuck being adorable amongst my fabrics? Silly question. Of course you do.

Leaside

Well, hark at me doing a sale on a Sunday! How unlike me! My lovely bosses David and Joanna kindly sprung me from my usual gig minding the store at Studio 998 to allow me to participate in the annual Rotary Club corn roast at Trace Manes Park last weekend. It's a dear little community fair with bouncy, climby, drivey fun for the wee ones, corn on the cob and hot dogs, and a few vendors, like moi. Joanne, a jewelry making fellow Market vendor, hipped me to it.

I ran into an old friend from another lifetime ago, Andrea Villiers. She has a pet-sitting business, and with her animal protection background, I can't think of a better person to take care of your fur children. She'll be getting into pet photography, too. Phone her at 416-421-6051.

And young Ali, hamming it up. But Pam bought the purple poorboy later.

Farewell to Summer

This was really the last weekend of the summer, and once again, the weather was spectacular. A teeny nip in the air on Saturday morning, but warm enough for backyard parties later.

This was also my last Saturday for the season in the "Park" at St. Lawrence Market , the area between Front and King on the west wall of the North Market. And what a glorious send-off I had! Sheila, my friend and fellow milliner came by, as did hatty blogger Darla Sycamore, which was fun. Otherwise, I was preparing myself for a philosophical moment of accepting fortune's vagaries (i.e: sales were slow), and went in search of a consolatory pizza slice. As I did so, Scott, my best beloved, sought me out to tell me someone at my table wanted to buy four hats! So the pizza and I went flying back to find Karen, who had been by earlier, and who clearly knew a good millinery deal when she saw one. She absolutely made my day.

After next weekend (when I won't be there for once) the tents are coming down and the Saturday craft vendors who remain will be vying for the few carts on Front Street, or on Market Street, which runs south off Front on the west wall of the South Market. So please look for me in both places on nice Saturdays in October, because I'm not sure where I'll be.

From top to bottom:

Karen, day-maker

Abby, who reminded me of Kate Hudson, especially in this hat. She didn't buy it...

...which left it available for Christine, who will be taking it back to Florida with her (note to self: must start map/pin system to track millinery world domination progress...)

Rachelle, rocking her new hairband with grey flannel rosies

Sheila and yours truly

Market Corrections

Millinery takes its toll. Last week I had to quit my volunteer job I'd had for over four years, narrating books at the C.N.I.B. for people with poor vision. I loved that job and the people I worked with, whether volunteers or staff. It was a privilege to do that job, and you have to pass two auditions to get it. It hurt to say goodbye, but there are not enough days in the week as it is for me to do and make what I want with my hats, so say goodbye I did.

Still sucks, though.

So here are some images that remind me why I did what I did.

Snoopy was the absolute cutest husky puppy who waited patiently for his "granddad" to retrieve him at the Market last Saturday.

Denyse Dufour looks tres chic in her jazzy new blue fedora. She put it on at a rakish angle immediately, so I knew she was a true hat person. Look for her in it at the theatre this season, especially if it's in French.

Lauren (left) and Leslie took some time out from settling back in to university life to invest in some of my embellished hairbands. They look lovely, and as they are both studying opera, they sound lovely, too.

Young Pascale (bottom), Dawn, Danielle and Aleque (L to R), models. They came from Ottawa.

Jeanine in her new red hat and her friend, who approved her choice.

And just as I was packing up, Amy made her big decision and bought the tapestry fedora. I hope she'll love it for years to come.

Thank you, universe, for another gorgeous weekend! And thank you to everyone who came by!

Fierce!

My friend and former classmate Jorge Midence is such a shy, retiring sort who lives to blend into the background.

Not.

His cutting-edge hat designs and reflections on contemporary style are quite arresting and may be found here.

Labour Day Weekend

Summer is unofficially over. It isn't fall until September 22, but women of my vintage and background are still putting their white shoes away until next year. But not until after May 24, of course. Someday I'll learn to shed these cultural inhibitions.

My sweet babboo and I spent Monday bicycling the Leslie Street Spit, a.k.a. Tommy Thompson Park, a tradition we seem to adhere to on summer long weekends. It's so cool down there, full of the man-made and natural reclamation, and exciting aircraft, if your timing's right. I took pictures and I'll link to them here when I've uploaded them.

Quel digression!

Anyroad, the weather for the weekend was absolutely gorgeous. Thank you, Mother Nature! The Market was bustling and lots of people graciously came by to try, buy or just say hi. Like buddies Chloe (left) and Natalie (right). Michelle is taking her gift of a new brown poorboy home to Manitoba, continuing the hat-as-citizen-of-the-world tradition. And Marcelle is very pleased with her new stripey bucket! I'm so glad; I worked hard to get the stripes to line up on the component pieces, like I did the checks on Natalie's.

All forces aligned to give me my best Market sale day yet. Thank you, everyone!

And hey -- if you want to know when your photo's been posted here, email me and I'll do that.

Buskerfest

Buskerfest has just ended. For you non-Torontonians, Buskerfest is a four-day festival in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood where performers from around the world perform in the blocked-off streets. It's been going on for ten years now. There are stiltwalkers, clowns (more Cirque du Soleil than Ringling Bros.), acrobats and aerialists, amazing contraptions and tiny dancers, people who like playing with fire, puppeteers and magicians, and more. They put on shows that last about fifteen minutes, varying their performance spaces around the street, then pass the hat for donations. It was my first Buskerfest as a vendor and so much fun just being there, Friday's crummy weather notwithstanding. I felt like such a carnie! (Carny?)

I had some lovely new customers and visitors to my hat display, as well. Like lil Kendra, pictured here. And Judit who bought her friend Sharona my black and white plaid bucket hat for her birthday. My hat will soon be off to live in Israel! A few weeks ago a blue one went to live in Italy. Hats By Anne goes international!

And Darla, she of the "Many Hatty Returns" blog.

Come see some pictures from this special weekend

Band Aid

Jane, the first customer ever to buy one of my new bands with an artfully stripped coq feather and beaded medallion.

August 22 Market Report

Another summer Saturday at St. Lawrence Market. Changeable weather, but no tornadoes, thank goodness. Many joyous peals of wedding bells from St. James Cathedral behind me. First time I've noticed that, actually.

I'm making hats for fall/winter now. Here is Christine in hers.

Sebastian

This is Sebastian, looking in this hat, as he put it, "adorable like a baby kitten." Sebastien was the funniest thing that happened last weekend.

Adrian in "Audrey"

Everyone said this hat reminds them of Audrey Hepburn. I have to agree. Here is "Audrey" being modeled by its new owner, Adrian.

Market Report

Here we are again, for week two of our St. Lawrence Market adventure.

Friday was exciting, as my first Market customer picked up her bespoke hat and graciously posed for this commemorative photo. Doesn't she look great? Jane, you hold a special place in my milliner's heart. Merci!

A La Carte

Before and after.

My new gig at St. Lawrence Market, north side, in front of the fountain. I'll be here every Friday in August. Unless there's a monsoon. I also hope to be there many Saturdays while the weather holds. Same side, just a bit further back from Front Street.

Please come by. And buy. Or at least say hi.

Name That Source of Inspiration

Does my new black straw braid pagoda hat remind you of anything you may have seen before?

Les Vaches Qui Skient

A fabric print darn near impossible not to love. If you're me, anyway.

Flora and Fauna

My first full piece in sinamay, a fascinator with leaves, flowers and a rather personable bug. It's held on by a comb.

Flora-Dora!

For shy, retiring sorts.

Resident Installation Artist

I'm not the only one who's into creative modes of expression at my house. Oh my no. For instance, we have Chuck, who has been working on an installation piece for several months now. I suspect the completion day is nigh. Submit your bids.

He's heavily into deconstructionism as a form of social protest. Or maybe it's just monkey-wrenching. We won't get into how his colleague Audrey goes about it.

The piece is entitled, "You said you'd feed me as soon as that last seam was done..."