Tag Archive for 'Holiday Trunk Show'

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.

Share

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.

Share

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.

Share

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!

Share

INTRODUCING : KARISSA COVE

Published on November 29, 2008 in etsy, introducing, local, stitchery and the workroom. 6 Comments Tags: , , .

When I was told that Karissa Cove had retired from doing craft shows, I didn’t realize just how long she’s been behind a craft fair table. Karissa grew up touring around with her crafty mom. Wow, now I really feel like a newbie to the craft world! I’m extra honoured that she’s coming out of retirement for the Holiday Trunk Show on December 7th, especially since I’m in love with her knitted berets.

What is your first ‘crafty’ memory?

Karissa : I have a few memorable young crafty memories…I was 3 or 4 sitting on the floor making outfits for my cat, Dudley, out of my mum’s scrap material while she sewed on our kitchen table…making a quilt out of wool scraps while I was about 4….painting my feet green, then crawling around my house on my knees to avoiding leaving green foot prints….

How do you come up with your designs? I noticed one of your bags is called the Country Mouse Tote – does your childhood play a big role in your work?

Karissa : Yes, it really does, but I think that my whole life plays a role. When I was growing up my mum was a crafter, so I spent just about every holiday season with my mum at craft sales all over Ontario. Once I got a little bit older, I would make little book marks, and other little crafty items to sell along my mum’s crafts. Since I was a child I have understood how to figure out the cost of an item by the materials used, the length of production time, how to make the most of material.

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

Karissa : I can’t wrap my brain around crochet! I tried to teach myself from a Japanese amigurumi book and despite all the diagrams I just kept going around and around and ended up with a grey patty instead of a cute Japanese elephant.

Do you have any favourite local artists that you really admire?

Karissa : My local favourites…inspirations…admiration…goes out to:

Jen Anisef from Toronto Craft Alert, Dana DeKuyper from Damned Dollies, yarnovermovement, Allison Moyer from Cordially Yours.

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

Karissa : I really don’t need for anything, however, I would like the Martha Stewart circle cutter so I can finally cut a perfect circle out of print making softoleum!

Visit Karissa’s etsy shop and her flickr page for more!

Share

INTRODUCING : HELANA E

Published on November 28, 2008 in etsy, introducing, local and the workroom. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , .

At the Kid’s Trunk Show, 10 year old Ella Kohlmann made her craft show debut with her totally enchanting polymer clay kitties. Pretty much her entire inventory was snapped up and I’m happy to say that I’ve got one of those little kitties on my bedside table. Apparently Ella inspired another young girl attending the Trunk Show to open up her own etsy store and thus, cupcakequeen11 (aka. Helana E.) was born.

Remember pet rocks? Helana makes darling hand-felted pet pebbles and each one comes with a traveling case. It is so exciting to see younger gals being so crafty and enterprising. Both Helana and Ella will be at the Holiday Trunk Show on December 7th selling their handmade goodies.

Where did the idea for making pet pebbles come from?

Helana : My mom started felting and she showed me the different things you could make including rocks. I remembered people talking about having pet rocks when they were younger and the idea just grew from there.

When did you open your etsy shop?

Helana : I opened the shop in September of this year.

Have you learned anything interesting from running your own store?

Helana : I have learned in order to have a successful business you really need to market yourself to let everyone know about your shop. It is always a good idea to test out your product before you start your shop and take your time to figure out how much it costs to produce and ship. You have to be very organized so that your product is ready to be shipped right when someone orders.

When you’re not making your pet pebbles, what else do you like to do?

Helana : I enjoy dancing, theatre, knitting and I love to read, write and cartoon. In general I love crafting.

What would be your dream job when you grow up?

Helana : I really love to bake and right now my dream job would be to be a baker. I LOVE CUPCAKES!!!!!

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

Helana : This year I would love The Gourmet Girl Cupcake Maker and craft supplies.

(NOTE: Please check out The Gourmet Girl Cupcake Maker link and watch the commercial. OMG, how cool! I want one too!!)

Share

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.

Share

UPHOLSTERED CUBE

Published on November 27, 2008 in stitchery, textiles and the workroom. 6 Comments Tags: , , , .

Hi, how are you???! I know things have been really quiet here, but generally that means that things are bustling with everything else in my life. The biggest thing keeping me busy has been preparing for the upcoming Holiday Trunk Show at the workroom. It’s Sunday December 7th, noon – 5pm, which happens to only be 10 days away!!! From now until the show, I’ll be posting about all the wonderful vendors you can expect to see at the show. It’s a really great mix of people and I’m so excited to have them all together.

In other crafty news, I finally finished my upholstered cube. What a super fun class that was. I had the hardest time deciding on fabric. I put it off until the very last second and finally decided to go with the Porch Ribbon fabric from Denyse Schmidt’s County Fair line. I love it. I just need to head over to Lee Valley to pick up some legs. I really love the idea of making and upholstering your own furniture. How I would love to re-upholster my couch. This may be way too ambitious for my own good though.

Nora and Kathryn made little presents for everyone in the class congratulating them on their finished cubes. I tried to hold off eating the sweet treat inside until I had actually finished my cube, but alas, my willpower is not that strong.

I always feel a bit sad when classes like that end. In a way you wish they could just go on forever. But then there’s always something new to learn…like UNDERWEAR, in January.

Share