Archive for the 'accoutrement' Category

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LOVE & RUMMAGE GOODIES

Published on February 11, 2009 in accoutrement, local and the workroom. 7 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

The grand finale to my weekend was the much anticipated Love & Rummage Trunk Show. I don’t think we realized how enticing the ‘rummage’ aspect was going to be. Everyone was so excited to scoop up the vintage fabrics, buttons, clothing, housewares and trims. I have to admit, so was I. I got the sweetest vintage hankie with squirrels and bunnies on it and a lovely piece of vintage floral fabric from Claire. I also got a super colourful Vera scarf from Margie, which I think will bring a little spring to these last winter days and a darling grey vintage blazer from Jen.

I think I now officially have a Trunk Show bunny tradition. I can’t seem to resist the bunny! At this show I picked up one of Sarah McNeil‘s crazy cute knit bunny brooches. Of course, I also got one of Margie’s (Resurrection Fern) crochet sea stones. I have been coveting those stones for a very long time.

We were blown away by the crowds that showed up right at noon and had a steady stream of people until we started closing up the trunks at 5pm. It was pretty incredible and exciting.

We got a lot of great press for this show, including that lovely article in the Toronto Star and mentions in The National Post, BlogTO, and Toronto Life. Many of you early birds also heard me on CBC radio’s Metro Morning on Friday with Jane Hawtin. It was a live chat, so I got up at 4:30am to be in the CBC studio for 5:30am! I didn’t realize that so many people listened to the radio so early in the morning. (while I’m usually fast asleep for a few more hours) It was really wonderful to meet all the people who discovered us through these mentions.

Since we never rest on our laurels over here, the end of a trunk show means the start of planning for the next one!

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INTRODUCING : LINES BY: DAVIS.

Published on December 4, 2008 in accoutrement, introducing, local and the workroom. 3 Comments Tags: , .

The Holiday Trunk Show is quickly approaching and I’m so excited, if you can’t tell. I’ve been really busy tidying up the shop and stocking up the shelves with new books and supplies. Handmade Nation, The Gentle Art of Domesticity, Seams to Me, Creepy Cute Crochet and Zakka Sewing arrived a few hours ago. I’m looking forward to spending some time perusing them for new project ideas when I’ve got a few minutes to spare. the workroom will be bursting at the seams with all kinds of crafty goodness this weekend!

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Davis Khounnoraj last week when he dropped by to ‘sew by the hour’ and work on his tea towels. It’s really awesome to see the process behind someone’s work, even if it is just the ‘production’ part. lines by: davis. will be selling amazing screen-printed pouchettes, tea towels, hand bags and greeting cards at the trunk show on Sunday. Just another trunk that will be impossible for me to resist!

Are you self-taught? Did you take something creative in school?

Davis : I would consider myself self-taught because I never went to post secondary school for any kind of formal design training. I have been experimenting since I was a teenager with clothing and deconstructing things to see how they were put together. I have always been obsessed with fashion. My dad bought me my first sewing machine when I was 17. I begged and pleaded for it. He didn’t think anything of it, but I remember getting it and being really happy. I think in his mind, he thought I would use it for alterations and hemming. I soon began experimenting with clothing and made bags for fun. I loved being hands on and trying to sew because it felt very expressive and free to do my own thing.

In school I took art and did anything that had to do with art, so I was pretty creative in different mediums. I remember in 8th grade home economics there was a cooking and sewing part of the class and in the sewing part we had to sew these stuffed animals from a pattern. I think I was the only guy in my class who got a high mark. It was annoying because all the guys in my class would make me help them finish their sewing projects. They didn’t even know how to thread a needle.

Tell me about your process. How do you come up with your designs?

Davis : I normally sketch out my designs in my book and then if I really like the design I will draw out a pattern for it as close to the original drawing. I come up with my designs in different ways. If I see a shape that I like, I try to picture it in bag form and go from there. If there is something specific that I want to make, I might spend hours trying to figure it out by making samples and rearranging pieces of fabric until I like what I see.

What has been inspiring you these days?

Davis : Music has been inspiring me a lot. I need to listen to music when I sew because it gets me in the vibe of things. Lately it’s been music and fashion. It sounds very cliche but they go hand in hand and I couldn’t live without either of them. Musically, I’ve been into the Black Kids and in fashion I’ve been loving the new Balcenciaga Spring 09 show and Lanvin’s Spring 09 show. The Lanvin dresses are so effortlessly worn and I’m digging the pastels, shapes and vibe at the Balenciaga show.

Is there a craft or medium that you’ve always wanted to try that you haven’t yet?

Davis : I think I would like to crochet, I’ve knitted in the past but I would love to try crochet.

What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?

Davis : Going on Perez Hilton.com is my guilty pleasure. It’s like second nature after facebooking I think.

What’s at the top of your holiday wish list this year?

Davis : I think a laptop computer is on my wish list! We’ll see.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your work?

Davis : lines by: davis. was probably an idea in book that happened a few years ago. I never thought doing what you love and sharing it with others would ever be a possibility. I still to this day thank every girl and guy who has bought or appreciated my work. I hope to continue and grow with my work as it evolves every day.

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INTRODUCING : PANDACUB

Published on December 3, 2008 in accoutrement, etsy, introducing, local and the workroom. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a weakness for Japanese cute, especially the fabric kind. Little Red Riding Hood, Hedgehogs, Lambs, and of course, Robots. I have never known a fabric to cause more of a stir than the Robot fabric. Which, by the way, is on order and I promise when it arrives to make a big announcement so that you can get a piece of it! I discovered Pandacub on etsy in the Shop Local section. Stephanie Caruso makes cute Japanese fabrics even sweeter by turning them into rings, magnets or bobby pins. Load up on these fun accessories at the Holiday Trunk Show this Sunday and you’ll be guaranteed a smile every time you look at them.

What is your creative background? Have you always been crafty?

Stephanie : I studied art and art history throughout high school and university, but never thought of it as a viable career (I come from a family of engineers, so, you know…). I ended up in a career in marketing and communications, so it’s as creative as I can get in my day job. As for being crafty, I think I always have been, but my choice of “craft” changes often. As a kid, my mom taught me to knit and also introduced me to Shrinky-Dinks, papier-mache and homemade play-doh.

How did you come about starting your sweet line of button accessories and selling them?

Stephanie : I fell in love with some really cute fabric button magnets a friend had bought and started investigating how to make them for myself. Unfortunately, I then developed a fabric obsession after seeing all these beautiful prints and ended up with lots of new buttons and nothing to do with them. So I started creating hair accessories and button rings, at first for myself, and then for others. I had already been on Etsy as a buyer for a while, so decided to take the plunge and open up a shop.

Do you have favourite sellers on etsy?

Stephanie : I have way too many favourite sellers on etsy, especially for supplies. But some of the “non-supply” shops I really want to blow my paycheque on are The House Of Mouse, Immortal Longings and Beastlies. I’m also a huge sucker for any shop that sells felt toy food. (I know, it’s weird)

What is at the top of your holiday wish list this year?

Stephanie : A new digital camera! My old one, which I’ve had for years, is quite large compared to the newer, sleeker ones, plus it has a broken battery latch, so it’s held together with a huge rubber band.

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INTRODUCING : MR. SKÖNA

Published on December 2, 2008 in accoutrement, etsy, introducing, local and the workroom. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

There is a definite lack of handmade goods for men out there, so when I learned that Reva was planning to make a line of men’s accessories from upcycled materials, I was very excited. Many of you will know Reva as one of the workroom‘s teachers, most notably of the popular snap coin purse class. Each of the items in this line have been thoughtfully designed and made with care for the men in your life. The Holiday Trunk Show will be the debut for Reva’s beautiful new line, so you’ll be the very first to see it and buy it in person.

Where did the term mr. sköna originate?

Reva : Well, a little randomly to be honest. When I was setting up my blog, I was trying to find the right name. The word ‘sköna’ came to me in a dream. I had no idea what it meant or where it came from but it resonated with me for some reason. I googled it and discovered that it means ‘beautiful’ in Swedish. It was the perfect fit for my blog since it references my Scandinavian heritage and the fact that I try to live a beautiful life.

Originally, I had a different name in mind for my line of men’s accessories. My boyfriend one day suggested mr. sköna instead and it was the same experience of it feeling right so I abandoned my first plan.

What is your creative background? Have you always been crafty?

Reva : I have always made things. We had lots of arts supplies around growing up and more often than not, I was either crafting things or drawing pictures of clothes. In high school, I got into theatre and wanted to be a set designer. At UBC, I discovered I was not that spatially oriented and focused instead on costume design. I have been designing costumes for film, theatre and dance for the last 7 years.

Why menswear?

Reva : I was inspired my boyfriend. He was complaining one day about not being able to find a wallet that he liked. Being crafty, I said that I could make him one. He loved it. I noticed that there weren’t a lot of minimal, design driven, handmade goods for men around so I decided to make some.

I also decided that if I was going add more things to the world, that the items and how they were made would have be as sustainable as possible. I want mr. sköna items to last and not be thrown away in a year. I only use natural materials (linen, wool, cotton, leather) which wear well and can be recycled easily. The 90% of the materials used are recycled, repurposed or thrifted (only thread and elastic are new). Packaging is minimal but nice and can reused. As much of my energy needs as possible are met either through human power (I ride my bike everywhere) or green powered (my studio is Bullfrog powered).

Do you find using upcycled goods challenging? Are there some things you haven’t been able to find for your line that are recycled?

Reva : Upcycling goods is challenging but for the most part, it’s a good challenge. I love going into thrift stores, finding a coat made of beautiful material and imagining what it could become. I love problem solving which is probably why I like the design process so much.

The not-so-good challenging part of using upcycled goods is that it takes a lot of time to find just the right thing. Sometimes it will take days of looking before I find what I want. I generally don’t use recycled thread or elastic because it’s hard to find and it’s often old and not in good shape which shortens the life of the item I am making.

What is at the top of your holiday wish list this year?

Reva : An industrial machine (it’s a wish list, right?), nice earrings and some new cookbooks.

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INTRODUCING : DEAR SUKIE

Published on December 1, 2008 in accoutrement, etsy, introducing, local and the workroom. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

Hello December! I guess it’s officially time for me to start worrying about holiday preparations, especially when I see so many of you finishing up little gifts, buying more supplies and carrying around trees and decorations. There are just six days until the Holiday Trunk Show and there are going to be lots of wonderful gift options there. I just have a sneaky feeling that I’m going to end up buying myself a whole lot of presents rather than the people on my list.

For sure, I know that I will be checking someone off my list with something from Dear Sukie’s trunk. I can’t think of a more perfect gift for one of my dearest friends. Kristy Boucher is the girl behind these fabulous wallets that I’ve been spotting in people’s purses for a while now.

Tell me where the name ‘Dear Sukie’ came from?

Kristy : The name Sukie comes from my favourite tv show Gilmore Girls!

Have you always been crafty?

Kristy : I guess I have always liked making things, doing crafts and drawing since I was little. I started by learning how to knit but I’m not very patient and it takes sooo long to complete a knitting project, so then I turned to sewing. I love paper and patterns so I came up with combining paper and sewing and making accessories which I also love.

When did you make your first wallet? I love that you have so many versions, perfect for everything from business cards, money and even mini moo cards!

Kristy : I made my first paper/vinyl card holders about 2 years ago and started selling them online on Etsy shortly after.

What’s the thing you’ve made that you’re most proud of?

Kristy : I really like my new Pocket Wallets. I like that they are compact but can still hold a lot of cards and money.

Are there any local artists or makers who inspire you?

Kristy : A lot of them! Most of all is my boyfriend who is a jewellery designer. He has been very supportive and encouraging for me to start my own business. Also, I have always loved the work of Three Green Apples. Her designs are very cute and well made and she photographs her work beautifully.

What is at the top of your holiday wish list this year?

Kristy : I would really like a good quality camera!

Visit Dear Sukie on Etsy!

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INTRODUCING : TARA GILCHRIST

Published on November 27, 2008 in accoutrement, introducing, local and the workroom. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

For the next tens days leading up to the Holiday Trunk Show at the workroom, I’ll be introducing you to the lovely talent you can expect to meet. I hope you’ll take a peek here each day and then I definitely hope to see you at the show. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the workroom filled to the rafters with people who love, make and buy handmade.

I’ve just recently discovered the Shop Local feature on Etsy. It’s a super way to support local indie talent. This is how I found Tara Gilchrist, who makes beautiful wearable glass art. I have always wanted to try glass blowing and I really admire all glass artists because I know how hard it is from my limited experience doing neon “sign making”. (I never made any signs, just abstract scribbly things)

I’m especially smitten by all her pieces with insects.

Have you always been crafty? Did you go to school for jewelry/glass?

Tara : I think I have always been crafty, some of my favorite memories include needlepoint with my grandma at a very young age. (I wouldn’t know where to start if I tried it now though!) After high school I studied photography and years later I returned to school for glass art at Sheridan college. I currently blow glass at the Living Arts Center in Mississauga.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your work?

Tara : I love bold colors and patterns and often look at fabrics even though I can’t sew.

What is it about glass that you love?

Tara : I love bold opaque colors and that makes much of my stuff not look very glassy, but I love the process. I love blowing glass in the winter- when it’s really cold outside, it’s always warm in the hotshop (it’s like standing in front of the sun) however it’s not as much fun in August.

Who would you love to design a piece of jewelry for?

Tara : That’s a tough one. I usually design my jewelry based on what I would wear and then just hope that others like it as well. But I would love to design cuff links for Don Cherry.

What is at the top of your holiday wish list this year?

Tara : I have a giant weakness for handmade bags, but more practically I would like a macro lens for my camera.

Visit Tara’s etsy shop to see more of her lovely pieces.

All photos are courtesy of Tara Gilchrist.

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NEW AGENDA

Published on November 18, 2008 in accoutrement, hello and vintage. 10 Comments Tags: , , , .

There’s nothing like a brand new agenda or notebook to get a girl excited. All those fresh blank pages, full of possibility. That was probably one of my favourite parts of the school year when they handed out the new agenda books. Some years I went over the top with decorations and drawings and one year I actually made my own agenda. Shocking, I know.

These day, I’m perfectly happy to just buy a sweetly illustrated agenda and concentrate on all the lists I’m going to fill it with. This is the second year in a row that I’ve gotten one by Shinzi Katoh. I bought it at The Paper Place, one of my all time favourite shops. I couldn’t resist picking up some sweet coloured pens with super fine tips. Everybody knows that if you have the right pens, you’re sure to be way more organized.

January is still a ways away, but these agendas start in November, so I can get a head start on that ‘new year feeling’.

You’ll notice I also picked up a big fat eraser. I won a vintage schoolhouse pencil sharpener on ebay yesterday!

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SECURITY ENVELOPES

Published on November 7, 2008 in accoutrement and local. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I’ve been meaning to talk about how cool the patterns are inside of security envelopes for a while now. I’ve been collecting them aimlessly for a few months now. Finally, I’ve been nudged into action with the opportunity to also talk about how cool Becky is too.

Becky has a never-ending list of cool crafty-ness on her resume. Her company, Sweetie Pie Press has been supplying the universe (literally) with sweet one inch buttons since the beginning of time. (or at least for many many years) She is also a part of and affiliated with City of Craft, Toronto Craft Alert and Church of Craft. Her craft influence is not just based here in Toronto. She’s currently wrapping up a North American tour of the craft fair circuit. It’s impressive and you can (and you should) read all about her adventures on her super entertaining blog.

Back to the envelopes. Becky has hatched a plan for a massive art project that involves the collection of security envelopes from around the world. In exchange for any envelopes you might be willing to send to her, she will send you a set of security envelope buttons. What a deal! Read all about it here.

Also – Jill told me about Kristiina Lahde who makes cool art from security envelopes. There is treasure in to be found in that pile of pesky bills!

security envelope button sets – photo by Becky

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IN MY POCKET

Published on November 4, 2008 in accoutrement and hello. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

It’s just so lovely out today, so I decided to wear a jacket I haven’t worn in a very long time. When I reached into the pocket, I pulled out a few memories… a transfer from the TTC airport bus, a couple heart-shaped dog cookies and a pink pin from the MET in New York. These are from a trip I took two years ago! I love finding old treasures in pockets and purses.

I also wore my felt brooch by Nightjar today.

Today is one of those special Indian summer days that totally lifts your spirits. I’m making a few wishes today, one for a country and a couple for some friends who need a little extra wishing power.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Published on October 14, 2008 in accoutrement and hello. 9 Comments Tags: , .

October 13 is a special day on the calendar for me. It’s my birthday. It’s also my parent’s anniversary. They got married exactly one year before I was born. I also share my birthday with several dear friends. Happy Birthday Liz, Ashley and Esther! I hope your birthday weekends were as fun as mine.

If that wasn’t enough, October 13 is the workroom’s birthday too! I don’t think I could jam any more wonderful things into one day.

My Tinctory necklace arrived last week and it’s even more precious and delicate in person. I’m so incredibly delighted with subtle colours of the silk and the thread. Thank you, Eva!

p.s. Happy Birthday to Angelune, whose birthday was also this weekend!

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