tweal

Merino Time

2012-01-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

I ended 2011with a great idea for 2012 - and it involves upcycled merino wool, cashmere, and silk.

Oooh la la.

Go on and check it out.

You know you want to.

Giving It Away

2011-12-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

It's around this time of year that many of us start feeling generous.

We think of the families who can't afford gifts for their kids, the people without enough food for a holiday meal, perhaps even the animals that stay in the shelter all season. Our hearts open and we find ways to give to others, to share our love and include people in this beautiful season.

And I am no different.

This year, I've decided to donate some of my tweal and PanKiMade merchandise to a local women's shelter. I've also started trading my goods for other items that can be gifted to the shelter's residents. And it feels really good.

In addition to women's rights and feminism, I have always felt passionately about homelessness. When I was a young child, I fantasized about coming to the big city and handing out sandwiches to hungry people. In my 20's, I volunteered in 2 different shelters for a few years. And boy, did it open my eyes.

The most important thing I learned is that people who use shelters are just like you and me. No really, just like us. All it takes is a few wrong turns to end up without a place to stay or food to eat. Being without doesn't make you a bad person, a criminal, a 'bum'. It doesn't take away a person's dignity, a person's pride, a person's right to live.

Being without means you sometimes don't have the things you need, let alone the things you want.

And that's where I come in.

I don't have extra money to buy holidays dinners. I don't have a home with a large yard that I can fill with rescue animals. I don't have extra money to buy gifts for children who may not otherwise get them.

But what I do have is A LOT of gorgeous sewn and knitted merchandise. It is doing no good just sitting on my shelf, waiting to be purchased. In fact, it depresses me to see things I've sewn last year, or the year before that, folded up and tucked away without ever being seen or appreciated.

I hate knowing that my beautiful creations are being 'wasted' while so many people go without love and beauty on a regular basis.

Whether you have a home or not, family or not, friends or not, everyone deserves some happiness in their life. For many people staying in shelters, the holiday season is no different than any other day filled with struggles, stress, and judgment from others. It is hard to feel good about yourself when everyone else feels so badly about you.

I believe that my sewing and my mother's knitting could really brighten someone's day. I know that our beautiful from-the-heart creations could give someone a smile. I want our handcrafted lovelies to fill people with warmth and love and confidence, so that they may have the courage to face the world and win. While I realize a sweater or scarf doesn't fill an empty belly, it can fill an empty heart.

And isn't that what the holidays are all about?

*If you'd like to help out, get in touch with me about trading or donating items of your own - twealtweal at gmail dot com. If you're not in Ottawa, consider donating to your own local shelter. There are appreciative people everywhere.*

Baby It's Cold Outside

2011-12-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hello December!

I have 2 upcoming shows this month:

Craftalicious - Crafts & Treats from Local Crafters

Saturday December 10th, 2011

10am - 5pm

St. Matthew’s Anglican Church

217 First Street (just two blocks from Bank St.)

Ottawa

Holiday Trunk Show

Wednesday December 14th, 2011

7pm - 9pm

77 Anderson St. (between Preston & Rochester)

Ottawa

2 great opportunities to score some fab holiday gifts - for yourself or someone else.

I will have upcycled wool mittens, cashmere mice, cozy sweaters, beautiful scarves, hand knit socks, upcycled yoga mat bags, and so much more!

Come out and show your support for local, independent, handmade endeavours. Help us put a holiday meal on our own table. We crafters and artisans really appreciate it!

In The Salon

2011-11-20T04:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I dropped off some fabulous Tweal items to Hair Expectations Salon and Spa in Richmond, Ontario.

My good friend Jen owns and manages the salon, which also includes a lovely store with lots of great products beyond hair and body care. Think purses, jewelry, candles, scarves, and so much more!

For quite a while now, we have been talking about showcasing some of my Tweal goods within her store. I finally got my act in gear and I am proud to say that you can now find some of my lovelies at Hair Expectations.

There are sweaters.....

Mittens....

Purses.....

Mice.....

Panties.....

and even more!

Pop over to Hair Expectations on 3480 McBean Street, Richmond, Ontario. Get your hair done, have your nails painted, or just browse through the goodies. There are a lot of them!

Thanks to Jen for giving me this opportunity - a good friend is hard to find,
but easy to keep :)

Knits

2011-11-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

Knitting is a strong gene in my family.

Just about every female on my mother's side is a knitter, and a fantastic one at that.

Somehow I missed out on that knitting gene, and I got the sewing gene instead.

Which I am totally fine with.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been knitting. She made teeny tiny dresses for Barbie, great big stockings for Christmas morning, bunny bum sweaters for picture day, warm toques for tobogganing adventures, afghans for snuggling, and so much more.

When my sister and I were teens, we took my mom's knitting to sell at craft sales and farmer's markets. People were always really impressed with her work, though my sis and I took it somewhat for granted. Didn't everyone's mom knit as much and as well as ours? Apparently not.

Now that I'm a wise adult (ha!), I can see for myself just how beautiful and amazing my mom's knitting is. And with almost 50 years of knitting experience, it's no wonder she's really good at what she does!

On top of all this knitting talent, my mom also has a strong Reiki practice. While she knits, she practices Reiki, infusing each and every piece with love, positivity, and good intentions.

In a meditative state, she knits and purls and stitches and dreams. Her completed knits are not only beautiful, but spiritually charged too.

So without further ado, I introduce to you Pan-Ki Made.

Hand knits infused with Reiki available now on etsy.

Enjoy!

It's On

2011-11-04T04:17:00.001-07:00

Craft sale tomorrow!!

I've been hard at work creating new fun items for tweal. Cashmere mice, patchwork yoga bags, stylish upcycled purses, cozy repurposed wool mittens.

Lots of great gift ideas that help support independent business and handmade culture.

Local artisans and crafters need your support. Help us to continue doing what we love - we appreciate it, and everyone benefits. That's a win/win shopping situation!

L’Arche Ottawa’s 4th Annual Local Artisan Christmas

Craft Sale

Saturday November 5, 2011

St. Richard’s Anglican Church hall,

Merivale Rd + Withrow Ave, Ottawa, On.

Cashmere Love

2011-11-01T06:01:00.000-07:00

Cashmere mice.

Oooh la la.

I hand-crafted these adorable mice with a luxurious repurposed cashmere sweater, and I think they are just perfect for the upcoming holiday season!

Finished with red plaid flannel or swirly green satin - or both - these lovely little critters are super cute and cuddly. They range in size from 4 - 5.5 inches long, and each mouse has its own charming character.

I will bring these little red cuties, along with many other fabulous tweal items, to this weekend's craft sale:

L’Arche Ottawa’s 4th Annual Local Artisan Christmas

Craft Sale

Saturday November 5, 2011

St. Richard’s Anglican Church hall,

Merivale Rd + Withrow Ave, Ottawa, On.

See you then!!

Warm Hands

2011-10-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

Now that I have a dog to walk every day, and it's the end of October, I need a good pair of mitts. Inspiration for my latest creations.

Upcycled wool mittens that are soft, lightweight, cozy and pretty adorable too. Fun colours - purple, green, red, grey and some argyle prints. Cold weather just got a lot more fun!

Also check the blue heart fleece mittens - what soft and warm mitts these are. I will be keeping a pair for myself.

I will be taking these new eco mittens, along with lots of other tweal goodies, to:

L’Arche Ottawa’s 4th Annual Local Artisan Christmas

Craft Sale

Saturday November 5, 2011

St. Richard’s Anglican Church hall,

Merivale Rd + Withrow Ave, Ottawa, On.

It will be a fun day with lots of great vendors and amazing holiday gifts!

I hope to see you there!!

Quotable Quotes

2011-10-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it - I'm a quote collector.

Whether from someone famous or common, from a song or a story, from a conversation or an official statement - if they've said something interesting, chances are I have it saved somewhere.

If I'm having a crappy day, or if I just need some cheering up, I turn to my quotes. There's some for when I'm happy, some for when I'm sad; some about myself, some about the world; and some are just plain funny.

There are many people I can count on to provide me with intelligent quotes; and some people that surprise me when they say something worth remembering.

Among my favourite quotes are:

"If you're not trying to make something better,

then as far as I can tell

you are just in the way." Ani Difranco

“You have your way.
I have my way.
As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way,

it does not exist.” ~ Friedrich Nietzche

"There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be." The Beatles

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

Buddha

"Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow." - Oscar Wilde

“I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation.....
I don’t care if you think I’m strange,
I ain’t gonna change.” Joan Jett

"You have a moral responsibility to disobey Laws which are unjust."

Martin Luther King

"People say that motivation doesn't last. Neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

"Keep on going and chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it.
I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down." Charles F. Kettering

"Nothing is completely wrong. Even a broken watch is right twice a day." Paulo Coelho

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Harold Thurman Whitman

What are your favourite quotes?

Meet Bodhi

2011-10-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest addition to my household - Mr. Bodhi.

What a fun guy he is! At only 14 months, this handsome fellow is still very much a puppy.

He is active and friendly, and so easy going. He is exactly the dog we have been looking for.

A friend of mine mentioned on facebook that she knew of a dog needing a home. When I contacted her about it, I found the owner was another woman I already knew through our mutual involvement in Workermade. We connected and arranged for my husband and I to meet Bodhi a few days later.

He immediately stole our hearts! There was no question that he needed to join our family, so the next day, we brought him home. He fits in perfectly, and although he's larger than what I thought I wanted, I don't find him too big at all.

We go for lots of walks (he is the best exercise program I have ever heard of!), and spend lots of time hanging out. I've already given him 2 short Reiki sessions, which he clearly loves. I can't wait to do more with him.

I am so in love with Bodhi and I feel blessed to have found him. What a lovely feeling it is to have a beautiful animal so close.

Do you have any pets or companion animals?

What would be your ideal animal to have?

Thank You

2011-10-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

I love Thanksgiving.

Ever since I was a little girl, it has been one of my favourite holidays. Autumn is such a beautiful time in Ontario, so combining that with pumpkin pie, family, and warm sweaters is really fantastic!

But as I got older, the Thanksgiving myth began to fade and I started to question what exactly we were really celebrating.

Native people lived on this continent long before anyone else. They did not give away their land and they did not ask 'us' to join them - this land was taken from them, along with their cultures, traditions, and way of life.

Is that really something to celebrate?

For me, I believe it is. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to learn from the past and do things right - to learn from our mistakes. To be thankful for our mistakes. I do not celebrate what happened to the indigenous peoples of Canada, nor do I give thanks to the Europeans for doing what they did.

Instead, I take the opportunity to give thanks to all life on this earth. To everyone who is here now, who has been here, and who is coming. I am thankful for all that has happened on this beautiful earth to bring me to this point in my life.

What happened in the past is the past. It is out of our control. What is in our control is today. And today - this weekend - I choose to be thankful for everything in my life. The good, the bad, all of it. I would not be who I am today if things were not exactly as they are and always have been.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I have created this beautiful treasury on etsy to give thanks to all crafters and artisans and supporters of handmade. Without this lovely community, life would indeed be much less pleasant.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Forward We Go

2011-09-27T04:38:00.000-07:00

Remember back in March when I posted about

Craft It Forward?

"I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They in turn must post this statement and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their blog post."

"The only other rules are that (i) it must be handmade by you and, (ii) it must be sent to your 5 people sometime within 2011."

Well it's still on! No one participated last time, so I'm giving it another shot.

It's a simple fun thing to help spread handmade love, so why not join in? Leave a comment on this blog post, and I will send you something adorably handcrafted.

Then you re-post this message and continue the cycle.

Then pat yourself on the back for doing something cool and selfless.

It's that easy!

Purpletacular

2011-09-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm a skirt kinda girl.

I like pants too, but skirts are my first fashion love.

Maybe it has something to do with my shoe love.

We all know that shoes are better shown off in skirts.

But sometimes a skirt is more than a skirt. Sometimes a skirt is also a top.

Like this lovely purple version that I made a few days ago.

Constructed from a repurposed cotton t-shirt, it has a stretchy elastic waist and the

cutest little black ruffle along the bottom.

Easy and versatile.

Wear it low on your hips as a skirt, or wear it above your bust for a tube top.

Throw a jacket or sweater over top, and it's a great fall look.

Plus, there is no distinct front or back, so you can twist it and wear it

however you want - put the swirl here or there, it's up to you.

Doesn't choice feel good?

Yellow Can Be Sexy

2011-09-19T05:15:00.000-07:00

Yellow isn't the first colour that comes to mind when

we think 'sexy lingerie.'

But maybe it should be.

Made from a repurposed cotton t-shirt, this yellow lingerie set is comfortable, soft, and versatile.

Plus it's cute as heck.

Patterned with stars, guitars, amps, and turntables, it's hip and musical and fun.

The perfect lingerie for people who don't love pink and lace and frills and bows.

It's a little bit tom-boy but a whole lot sexy.

What a great mix.

Bags R Us

2011-09-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have been making so many bags lately,

I am considering changing tweal to Bags R Us.

Ok maybe not, but I have been busy with upcycled purses and bags. They are fun and easy to make, and obviously very useful. The only problem is I want to keep them all for myself.

That happens a lot when I sew.

But these special bags are not meant for me - they are meant for my upcoming craft show!

L'Arche Ottawa's Christmas Artisan Sale

at St. Richard's Church

on Merivale Rd. in Ottawa,

on November 5th 2011.

So far, this is the only show I've been accepted to. Hopefully I get into a few others too - my fingers are tightly crossed that I make the cut.

These beautiful eco bags are made with recycled and new fabrics, and each is one of a kind and totally unique. Handy for carrying around your essentials, and stylish enough to be the star of your outfit.

True to form, I enjoy sewing yoga mat bags way more than I
enjoy actually doing yoga.

Maybe having a pretty yoga mat will encourage me to exercise more.

Or maybe it will just inspire me to sew more.

Either way, I'll be happy. That's the important thing.

Mark your calendars for November 5th - it's going to be a fabulously crafty weekend!

* If you're looking for something fun today in Ottawa, consider checking out the

Eco Fair taking place at Carleton University.

Adorit will be there with some tweal pieces - pop by and say hello! *

It's PJ Time

2011-09-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Pearl Jam, that is.

Live! In Concert! Tonight!

I am very, very excited. My husband keeps saying "I had no idea you were such a Pearl Jam fan."

To be honest, I had no idea either. The last album of theirs that I bought was Vitalogy in 1994, and I have since lost the cd - but thankfully I still have the case. What a relief that is.

So even though I haven't bought anything from them in a long long time, I still listen to their music. Ten is one of my favourite albums. Vs. was pretty good too.

Seeing them tonight will be a life event. Just like graduating hair styling school, or getting married, or getting my first tattoo, seeing Pearl Jam live for the first time will be something I always remember. And hopefully not because Mr. Vedder is too drunk to perform. (But even if he is - that will be memorable and pretty cool too. I enjoy live music but rock star drama is a close second.)

I didn't have any luck finding a PJ t-shirt to revamp. Boo. I may try making one today. Or I may not.

Either way, I have a date with Eddie tonight. And 20,000 of our closest friends.

It's gonna be awesome.

Back to Work

2011-09-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

I used to loathe back-to-school time.

Now that I'm a grown up and all done with school, I don't have to worry about it.

This year, I've set my sights on going back-to-work. Which is much better than school.

I'll take a paycheque over homework any day.

Love love love these earrings.

A few months ago, I quit my salon job. After 9 years of working as a hair stylist,

I just needed a change.

It didn't feel like me anymore.

So pretty, it takes my breath away.

I spent the summer relaxing and working on tweal. It was great.

But now it's fall and I need to find some work.
Pronto.

Shoe love.

I'm quite excited about getting a new job.

Well to be clear - I'm quite excited about getting dressed for my new job. I miss being fashionable.

Adorable.

Salons are notoriously fashionable places.

We get away with being a bit more daring, showing a bit more skin, having a bit more bling.

It's expected of us - no one wants a hair cut from someone in a t-shirt and ponytail.

I need this dress.

'Professional' doesn't have the same meaning in a hair salon as it does in an office building.

What fantabulous shoe dreams are made of.

Being a hair stylist gave me a reason to get dressed up.

Working in a salon gave me the confidence and courage to take fashion risks.

Standing in front of a mirror all day kept me on my style-toes.

Oh stripey purse, how I love thee.

The unfashionable truth is, once I stopped working in the salon, I put away my high heels,

my dangly earrings, my quirky belts.

I started wearing yoga pants and t-shirts instead of dresses and skirts.

Sure it's comfy but where has my fashion sense gone?

I love a good sweatshirt.

I have a closet full of fabulous clothing, and a head full of glamourous autumn ideas.

I think a new job will be just the outlet I need to reignite my fashion spark.

This skirt is so me. I can't go on without it.

I am really craving these perfect fall pieces.

Aren't you?

Even my furniture can be fashionable for fall!

What's on your fall shopping list?

Do you feel fashionable at your job?

Take It Outside

2011-09-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

I wish I enjoyed photography more than I do. It's such a big part of having an
online business.

This past week, I took a trip to visit some family out of town. Unlike me, they have a lovely yard that is the perfect backdrop for photographing crafty goodness. I brought along some quilts and fabric bunting flags with hopes of getting some great nature photos.

It's amazing what the right setting and backdrop can do for a photo. I have always struggled with properly photographing my quilts, as the lighting in my home is not great and I don't have access to nice outdoor spaces. Plus, my normal photography space is not large enough for me to back up and get perspective - which is very important when showing a quilt.

Well, it seems I have solved that problem. From now on, I will take my quilts with me when I visit family, and hijack their yard - and wood pile - for an afternoon.

Seeing these quilts really inspires me to keep quilting. Looking at my own work, I forget for a moment that I did that!

Funny what a little perspective can do.

It Suddenly Feels Like A Party

2011-09-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for a party?

String up one of these stylish recycled fabric bunting flags and it will feel like a celebration.

Indoors, outdoors, for children or adults, these eco-friendly fabric bunting flags are a great affordable way to add some playful fun to the every day.

Made from repurposed cotton fabrics, they are fantastic for a party too! Regular occasions become special when these are around.

Try one for a birthday party, wedding, anniversary, or baby shower.

Fun and playful is always in style!

Lots of colours and fabrics to choose from in my etsy shop.

Which one is your favourite? What would you use it for?

Cooler

2011-08-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

Aren't sweaters great?

They're warm, soft, fuzzy, and wonderful.

Sweaters are a big part of why I look forward to autumn.

And pumpkins too. And coffee.

Great combination.

Solid colour sweaters are nice but I find them a bit boring.

That is where patchwork steps in, and 3 unique buttons stop by to sweeten the deal.

How lovely a simple sweater can become.

Upcycled sweaters embellished with new materials and

vintage buttons.

Perfect for fall.

Warm without weight, they can be layered with many pieces for different looks and occasions.

Quirky and eye catching, they are all one of a kind.

Cozy and comfy to wear, and easy to care for: hand wash in cold water and

lay flat to dry.

Easy peasy.

Some of these sweaters will be available at Adorit on York St. in the

Byward Market, Ottawa Ontario.

Some will be in my etsy shop shortly.

Keep watching for more unique recycled sweaters coming soon!

Regrets No More

2011-08-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

I have few regrets in life.

There's that one haircut, and that other one too, but the things I regret most are missed concerts.

Janet Jackson in 1997 and 2011. (In 1997, the cashier at our local grocer mentioned she was going and I was so unbelievably jealous. Today, I discovered Miss Jackson is doing a 2011 #1's tour and I missed it - dammit!)

Beastie Boys in 2004. (I could cry. I better get another chance to see them.)

The Rolling Stones in 2005. (More tears.)

Ozzy Osbourne in 2002 and again in 2010. (Yes, twice. Double the regret).

Dream Theater in 2010. (I let anxiety get the better of me and missed this concert - lesson learned.)

Thankfully, my list of "Ecstatic About Having Seen" list is much longer than my regrets - Ani Difranco x5, Girl Talk x2, Soundgarden, Jane's Addiction, CSNY, Aretha Franklin, John Butler Trio, Bachman/Cummings, Green Day, the Foo Fighters, DOA, KISS......

So deciding to see Pearl Jam this fall was an easy thing.

Pearl Jam!

Live!

In Ottawa!

My teenage self is wetting her pants right now. Pearl Jam was MY band. It wasn't my mom's records or my sister's tapes, it was MY band. I loved Pearl Jam. Loved loving love.

Missing their concert would be the biggest regret, moreso than missing the Beasties. And that was tragic.

My determination for seeing Pearl Jam was strong - no matter the price, I would be there. And none of this nosebleed seating - I may as well stay home and watch a video at that point. Nope, I want to be up close and personal with Mr. Vedder & Co. Floor seating or bust.

See, I'm spoiled by Bluesfest and smaller concerts. I don't love crowds but there is something thrilling about pushing through thousands of people to get really close to the stage to see famed musical legends. With my feet on the earth and the wind in my ears, experiencing Bob Weir or Peter Frampton or Chris Cornell or Roger Hodgson; those moments are magical.

Needless to say, stadium concerts don't excite me nearly as much. Big parking lots, lame stadium seating, high ticket prices, a roof over my head. It really takes away from the live music experience. But it's Pearl Jam - I can't miss this!

Last night I finally bought my actual tickets. Not sure what I was waiting for. But the 'signs-to-buy' were all there. Intuitive shoppers, you know what I mean.

It was the 29th yesterday - 7 months since my birthday on the 29th of January. The 2 tickets I found online were for the 29th row. In my 29th year. Obviously, 29 is my favourite and luckiest number.

And the seats - 9 and 10. My husband's birthday and lucky number is 9. Coincidence? I doubt it.

If those aren't clear signs that I am meant to see Pearl Jam on September 14 2011, then this definitely is:

The price ended up being half of what I expected - for 2 tickets instead of 1! Even though it's still much higher than Bluesfest (which, at $22/day, is bargain basement pricing and really not a fair comparison), I don't care - it's Pearl Jam! I missed Ozzy - twice - because of high ticket prices. I can't make that mistake with my PJ boys.

I have not been this excited for a concert in a long time. Ok, since Soundgarden in July but still - this is epic! I need to find a Pearl Jam t-shirt that I can makeover - sadly, my 2 PJ t-shirts from teenage life are long gone. Another regret.

Did I mention how excited I am? Pearl Jam! Live!

I fear I won't be able to talk about much else for the next while. Consider yourself warned.

What was your favourite concert?

What concerts do you regret missing?

It's All Patchy

2011-08-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer isn't even over, and I can't stop thinking about autumn.

Am I cheating on my favourite season?

I don't think summer would blame me though. I mean, look how awesome
these new cardigans are!

Made from repurposed and new fabrics, these sweaters are stylish, versatile, and so comfortable. They're lightweight but warm, perfect for chilly fall temperatures.

Similar to the Cloud 9 accented sweaters I made last week, these new additions feature different fabrics, including some by Amy Butler. There's also something totally new: square patches to keep the back quirky and cute. The front can't have all the fun!

Now that I've caught the sweater embellishing bug, it may be a while until I start any other projects. These are really fun to make! Plus they are a great way to use lovely new fabric in a recycled design - it's the best of both worlds.

Wear one with jeans, skirts, dresses, or even over summer tops to transition into cooler weather. Dress up a casual outfit or dress down a formal one. Whatever you choose, you can count on tweal when your outfit needs a shot of personality.

Check out my etsy shop for other fall fashions, including vintage shoes and lingerie.

What is your favourite season?

What have you been creating for fall?

Random Fall Favourites

2011-08-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

Lazy Sundays are the best.

Casual strolls through the farmer's market, sampling maple cotton candy, raspberry kombucha, and veggie samosas. Thrift store visits. Rain.

That has been my Sunday. What about yours?

Today I felt inspired to curate the following collection of favourites from etsy. Behold, the random fall favourites of yours truly.

Two words: Yes please.

I don't know why I love this sewn print so much. The mystery, perhaps.

Normally I hate mushrooms - but there's something about these that I find so charming. Sugar can have that effect.

Yet another example of creative genius that boggles my mind. These miniature felted dogs are truly amazing.

Who among us hasn't done this? The hair stylist in me wants to reposition her scissors properly but that's part of what I love. It's so real. A moment in time.

Which of these items is your favourite?

How do you like to spend lazy Sundays?

Upcycled Fall Fashions

2011-08-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Autumn is coming.

I can feel it in the air. Soon the leaves will change and that's when you really know; it's time to put on a sweater.

Lucky for you, I've been hard at work designing and creating some lovely recycled autumn fashions. Fusing quilted patchwork and repurposed clothing, I have developed these lovely and versatile cardigan sweaters.

Made with new Cloud 9 Nature Walk fabric and reclaimed sweaters, all 3 cardigans are totally unique and one of a kind.

Adjustable and versatile, the sweaters are all comfortable and very easy to wear. They can be buttoned up or left open. And check the buttons - unique and quirky, who doesn't love that?

Layer over a tank, cami, or t-shirt. Wear it with anything from jeans to skirts or dresses. Coziness without bulk.

Unique and eye catching - sure to

attract attention wherever you wear it.

This is the kind of fashion I notice on other people. In fact, I noticed a lady's unique dress at the National Gallery recently and had to stop and ask her about it. The striking design had caught my attention as we walked towards each other in the Great Hall. Perhaps that incident influenced these designs!

Pop on over to my etsy shop and have a look at my other tweal creations. Many of my summer designs can easily be layered for cooler weather, and I have some fantastic vintage shoes for sale as well.

Happy browsing!

What is your favourite thing about autumn?

What fall fashions are you looking forward to trying?

I Do Adorit

2011-08-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

Read all about it:

Tweal items are now available for sale here in Ottawa!

Find this top at Adorit...

Visit Adorit Fair Trade Eco-Fabric Boutique at 153 York St. in the Byward Market to find some of my upcycled dresses, tops, lingerie, bags, and accessories.

It is the cutest little shop, exactly the kind I love poking around in to see what treasures I can find. Lots of handmade fair trade and eco-friendly goodies, and it smells fantastic in there too. Always a bonus.

....along with this dress.....

As I mentioned to the owner Emma, I will probably put any money I make right back into the shop, buying stuff for myself - and she said I wouldn't be the only one! So many interesting and unique items, a mixture of new and vintage, and so many items just waiting to come home with me. There is a particular red t-shirt that caught my eye, and a few pieces of jewelry too.

...this patchwork tote bag....

This store has been open for 5 years and I've only just discovered it now. I can't believe I've been missing out this long! Ottawa isn't necessarily known for its fashion, but there are some really incredible little shops here and there if you know where to look.

....this dress, and more!

I'm hoping to do a few craft shows this fall, and I'll be a part of Workermade's second trunk show sometime too. In the meantime, pay Adorit a visit, browse the lovelies, and don't forget to pet the little grey doggy sleeping in front of the desk.

Have you ever discovered a wonderful place,

only to realize it's been there for years but you just didn't know?

Does your town or city have any eco-friendly handmade boutiques?

Inspiration

2011-08-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I woke up feeling cranky. It was a beautiful summer day here in Ottawa, but that didn't seem to matter. I felt whiny and just wanted to stay in bed all day.

I hate days like that - especially in the middle of summer. This is supposed to be major fun happy time!

My remedy? Taking myself on a date.

First I went to lunch at one of my favourite restaurants, The Table. I eat here quite often and it's always delicious and healthy. Their dijon stewed onions were particularly tasty this time.

After that, I hopped on a bus downtown and went to one of my favourite places in the city. A place I have been many times before and will likely visit many more times in my life. Somewhere that I feel peaceful and calm and contemplative. Somewhere sacred.

The National Gallery of Canada.

That place is magical.

I'm not what you would call an art expert, nor am I an art historian or anything equally as impressive sounding. I am just a person who admires art. It has a way of taking me out of my little bubble of life, and exposing me to a whole different world. A world filled with beauty and drama and history and despair, somewhere beautiful and painful, almost fictional but not. A real place of raw emotion.

This summer, the National Gallery is running an exhibition of Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome. Having never heard of this guy or knowing anything of his style, I was eager to learn and experience something totally new. I was ready to discover Caravaggio for myself.

And discover I did! What a stunning collection of paintings - truly spectacular. As I wandered through the gallery admiring the art, I was surprised and even a bit honoured to discover some paintings of Judith. That's my name - exciting!

Until I actually looked closely at the paintings and saw what Judith was doing.

Did you know about this? I sure didn't.

In any case, the Caravaggio exhibit knocked my socks off. I was not eager to leave the gallery, so I perused some of the other exhibits and the permanent collection too. And like all the times I've visited before, it blew me away.

Monet, Picasso, Klimt, Cezanne, Degas. History, beauty and culture entwined.

One of my favourite paintings in the whole gallery is Hope 1 by Gustav Klimt. I had the honour of attending an exhibition of his a few years ago, and that really transformed me. He was my first favourite artist. Seeing this hauntingly beautiful painting always stops my world for just a few minutes.

I wandered the other rooms, admiring the work and absorbing all the inspiration I could. There is nothing - and I mean nothing - that makes me feel the way these old paintings do. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed, I cry - and this day was no exception. Tears filled my eyes as I saw before me the creative endeavours of people long gone but not forgotten; people who no doubt felt creatively unfulfilled during their short lives, aiming for admiration but settling for survival. I felt both grateful and sorry for these artists; for the poor, tortured souls who sacrificed so much just to paint. It is hard to imagine the life of struggle that would have been led by those we now consider 'famous'.

Not only are these paintings beautiful and detailed and intensely personal to the artists, many of them are hundreds of years old - sometimes 400 and 500+ years old! Whaaa??

Imagine that - paintings older than Canada. Older than any buildings in Canada. Paintings that took years to complete; paintings of ideas that were conceived long before television or internet or movies. Paintings so big and grand and intricate, it's hard to imagine they were created before photographs, before electricity, before book stores carried specialty how-to books for every artistic technique under the sun.

And perhaps the most crazy part of all this - many of these artists never received recognition during their lifetime. Often it was after their death, sometimes hundreds of years later, that they were considered masters and their work revered. At the time, they were just regular people painting pictures. Big deal.

I can't help but apply this analogy to my own life. Who I am and what I am doing? Am I really any different than these painters hundreds of years ago? Does our inspiration not spring from the same well? Do we not share a bond of some sort, artistically linking us through time and space? I feel we do.

I am not a master; my work is not hung in galleries. But perhaps it will be in a few hundred years. What I do now is not very different from what Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio did 400 years ago; it is creation from the heart, brought to life through the hands. I do not create because I should or because I have to - I do it because I want to, and also because I can.

As I stood in front of these masterpieces, my face sometimes just inches from the painting, I felt small but not invaluable. I am one piece of the puzzle.

I left the gallery feeling inspired, excited, and happy. Yes happy.

Those 500 year old paintings sure have a way of improving my day.

I told you it was a magical place.

Have you ever cried in a museum or art gallery?
Please tell me I am not the only one.....

J'aime Les Animaux

2011-08-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love animals.

I have favourites - like seals. Kittens. Baby ducks. Bees. Cows. Turtles. Groundhogs. I've been known to ~~waste~~ spend ~~too much~~ time on cuteoverload.com.

And there are some I don't like - Monkeys. Eels. Bats. Bugs and worms [shudder].

But all in all, I do love all animals, even the ugly and scary ones. Everyone needs love, right?

This little weasel is especially easy to love. He looks inquisitive and held back, but about ready to surprise.

And this postage stamp kitty amazes me. How someone thinks to do this in the first place is beyond me - my brain does not go in that direction, and I have nothing but total admiration for those who can harness this type of creativity.

A sewing bird! So charming and quirky, and I love teal so that's a bonus.

Cows are very near and dear to my heart. I live very close to some cows that I try to visit a few times a week. I should go every day - I really love those cows.

They are the most gentle and calm animals. I watch them sit or stand in the field, eating grass and drinking water. I talk to them, they watch me, sometimes they come over to me, very occasionally they let me feed them or touch them. They seem to silently communicate by touching noses and brushing against one another, as similarly described in this article by Portia De Rossi. The cows behave like a group of friends, moving together and following each other's leads. It's fascinating to me.

I love the above painting - the cow facing us looks just like one of my favourites from the field nearby! Is that strange I have favourite cows? I used to have favourite high heels (Nine West) and favourite perfumes (Prada, J'adore) and favourite lipsticks (Clinique vivid berry) - now I have favourite cows (335).

I have some favourite geese too - the little goslings I keep visiting at a local park are quickly growing up. On my last visit, the momma cautiously let me feed them and stroke their soft fur. They were very trusting and I didn't exploit that.

One of the things I love about observing animals in the wild is watching for the mom-baby dynamic. When I was feeding these geese, the mom stood over and watched while I fed the babies, but she never leaned down to eat from my hand. When I raised my hand up to her level, she ate, but she would not take food from her babies.

This is a far cry from the territorial hiss emitted by adult geese when one gets too close to another's food supply - let alone eats any of it. It just goes to show ya,

Even geese mommies feed their babies first.

And speaking of animals, I just recently applied to adopt a beautiful little Daschund doggy. I am waiting to hear back but I have a good feeling, and I am so excited! We've been wanting a dog for about a year but we haven't found any that seemed to fit our lifestyle. This little darling is exactly what we want, so my fingers are crossed that we get to bring her home.

What is your favourite animal?

Do you have any animals in the house?

Custom Before & After

2011-08-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

In my sewing world, I make all the decisions.

What fabric to choose, what colour to use, what style to make, what size to sew, how many to make. It all falls on me.

I prefer it that way. I'm particular about things, and I know what I like.

For this reason, I don't normally accept custom sewing projects. Following orders cramps my style and puts a damper on my creative flow.

But rules are meant to be broken, right?

When Joy contacted me after I did a giveaway on Eat, Drink and Be Vegan, she wanted to know if I might be interested in doing a custom sewing job with some sari fabric she had. My first reaction was 'no way', but after chatting with her and finding out what she had in mind, I realized this sounded like a pretty cool proposition.

Fabric before cutting and sewing.

See, she loves the fabric but doesn't sew. She didn't have a specific sewing request for me, instead giving me free reign to do with the fabric whatever I please. Those are the kind of directions I follow very well.

When I received the fabric in the mail, I was impressed by both its beauty and its size - 45x245 inches! That is one huge piece of material.

At first, I didn't know what to make with the fabric. A dress seemed like the obvious choice but for some reason, I never felt 100% about that, and so I let the fabric sit in its box while I decided its fate. If there is one thing I have learned in sewing, it's not to rush projects. If I can't decide, I wait.

So I waited. Joy waited. The fabric waited. Patiently.

Until finally, I came up with the most fabulous idea ever: lounge wear!

First, I made this gorgeous robe using the most embellished and embroidered part of the sari. I am considering attaching some kind of front closure ties - maybe.

Then I moved onto making this adorable little short and halter set.....

....This pretty little nighty.......

....And this skimpy bra and panty lingerie set.

All in all, 6 pieces. And possibly a 7th and 8th piece coming later today too. I showed Joy a few of these photos last night - she thought they were awesome! I can't wait to hear her reaction when she realizes she only saw 1/2 of what I made.

I had so much fun working on this project, experimenting with new ideas and patterns. It was a big step outside my comfort zone, but it proved worthwhile. And hopefully Joy agrees.

What would you have made with this fabric?

Do you accept custom orders?

The Trouble with Quilting

2011-08-02T03:54:00.000-07:00

Bright colours. Soft fabrics.

Quirky combinations. Puzzle appeal.

There's a lot to love about quilting. It's one of my favourite hobbies, something I crave doing, a talent of which I am very proud. Quilting is in my soul.

What makes quilting even better is upcycled quilting - using repurposed fabrics to make new items. Flannel is lovely, and as you can see, a personal favourite.

However, there is one major problem with quilting.

I am running out of room to store my finished quilts!

See, quilts are big, they are puffy, they take up lots of space. The don't always fold easily and they rarely stack together nicely. They are beautiful but not the easiest house guests to keep.

Don't get me wrong - I love all my quilts and I would easily keep them for myself, but it's a space issue. And a practical issue - I really don't need 20 flannel quilts just for myself. Ottawa isn't that cold.

So along with all the items in my shop, all of my handmade recycled patchwork quilts are 20% off. Use code word 'cleanup' when checking out in my etsy shop.

On top of the space issue, seeing this huge pile of unappreciated quilts every day is kinda depressing.

I want my quilts to be loved and used and washed and cuddled and remembered and cherished. My quilts are handmade with lots of love and are totally one of a kind and unique. I don't use patterns so each one is quirky in its own way - like you and me!

They are my little works of art. Remember my sketchbook contribution? I still get teary-eyed thinking about it.

Many quilters will agree, making a quilt is a very personal thing. There is a lot of you that goes into it. There has to be - it's so damn frustrating at times that you wonder why you don't give up! But there's always something that pulls you back. For me, it can take months between quilting projects, but I always go back.

Right now, I feel hesitant to start another quilt because I already have so many here. And I know that's a bad attitude, because I should be sewing for the fun of it. And I am - I do. But some of that fun melts away when my finished projects just sit on a shelf.

So if you are having a baby, if you know someone having a baby, or if you just want a lovely, soft and cuddley quilt, pop over to my etsy shop and have a browse. I have lots of different styles and colours, and each quilt is sized individually and can have many uses, from lap quilt to baby blanket to picnic blanket to play pad.

Don't forget to use code word 'cleanup' to receive 20% off your order.

What are you making today?

Recycled Drawstring Tote Bags

2011-07-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have a knack for finding fun new ways to

repurpose cotton t-shirts.

Lingerie is a great project for upcycled t-shirts, but it can get boring. Err rather, I get bored of making the same thing. And that is how these striped drawstring tote bags were born.

I had a heap of donated t-shirts (thanks Cynthia!) and wanted to try something new and stripey. I half-made one bag and left it on my shelf for a month or two. I was stuck on what kind of handles to use. Then one day - bam! That eponymous great idea struck me.

Drawstring tote bags!

Super cute, soft, stretchy, durable, washable, and reversible too. Can it get any better?

Yes! Each bag is one-of-a-kind and made without a pattern, so you're guaranteed to look fun and original no matter where you take it or how you use it.

Perfectly sized for the beach, the gym, library books, or even a purse, these eco-friendly cotton bags add a dash of handmade sass to any occasion.

Available on esty, and more coming soon!

What would you fill one of these drawstring tote bags with?

Tweal Department Store

2011-07-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I love to shop.

That I love fabric.

That I dream of department stores.

It's all fine and dandy until someone loses a spare room to stock, inventory, and raw materials.

Seriously. I have way too much stuff.

My home has turned into Tweal Department Store. And I'm short on organizational staff.

I have a shelf full of quilts.

2 shelves full of clothing.

A stack of purses and tote bags.

Way too many shoes, vintage and otherwise.

Fabric pennant buntings, lavender sachets, flower hair pins,

upcycled plastic purses, eco-friendly cotton panties,

cute recycled lingerie, pink wool mice.

On and on and on.

It's good - I like department stores and I love sewing but I might need some space for, you know, living. How about helping me clean up the house?

Use the code cleanup on etsy to receive 20% off your order!

Furnish your home, dress your kids, buy some gifts - browse away in the lovely

Tweal Department Store.

Patchwork Totes

2011-07-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

Summer has been good to me.

Bluesfest, swimming, boating, eating, reading,
family, friends, fun.

Upcycled beige linen + new quilt cotton.

This doesn't leave much time for sewing though. It's hard to get the sewing machine outside by the pool, and even harder to step on the foot pedal from the deep end.

I did make some really great patchwork quilted tote bags though. They are made with recycled and new fabrics, fully lined and very sturdy. A little birdy told me they are the perfect size and shape for laptops.

Recycled denim + new quilt cotton.

New fabric is quite fun to use - as much as I love repurposing fabric and clothing, having a flat rectangle to work from does have its advantages over a wrinkled button down shirt. And while I love vintage fabrics, these new fabric designs are pretty awesome too.

These tote bags are fun and simple to make. While I don't often make the same thing over and over, I felt compelled to continue with this idea, slightly refining the pattern with each version. So far, I've made 7 tote bags and I foresee even more in my future.

Repurposed beige linen + new quilt cotton.

Perfect for library books, as a beach bag or shoe

bag, or even used as a purse.

What would you use it for?

Like A Convertible

2011-07-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I fell in love with Ottawa Bluesfest. I had been to the 2 week-long music festival before, but never with a full festival pass to attend concerts every day. It was life-changing.

The main reason I bought a pass last year was to prove to myself that I could go. Alone. And I did. I challenged one of my fears, a source of major anxiety for me, and I won. This year I bought a full pass again, knowing that I would regret it if I didn't.

The lineup this summer looked amazing - Soundgarden, Jane's Addiction, John Fogerty, Girl Talk, Steve Miller Band, Peter Frampton and more. Lots more! So many artists that it's a bit overwhelming. And while I'm on this topic....

No it's not just blues music. I used to think that too. It started as a blues festival, but a festival needs to make money and so bigger, non-blues acts were brought in. This is a hot topic in Ottawa - many people just can't ignore the festival name, and I feel sorry for them - they are missing out on one kick-ass summer event over something so silly. It's called Bluesfest and they host all kinds of musical artists. Get over it.

I was really looking forward to the last day of the festival. John Butler Trio were playing, and after seeing them last year at Bluesfest and loving their style, I was pretty excited to see them again. Joe Satriani and Cheap Trick were playing too, and Death Cab for Cutie, so it was going to be a big night with lots of running between stages to make sure I see all the acts that I can.

My husband decided to come with me that night. He needed to buy a ticket to the show, so I went ahead into the festival and waited while he bought his ticket. On my way into the festival, the lady behind me commented on the lightning she'd just seen in the sky - she said something like "Oh no, that's not good!" I said to her "Nope, not good, but hey, at least this will be a memorable concert!"

I had no idea how right I would be.

As I waited for my husband, I noticed how dark the sky looked. Too dark for 7pm. The wind was picking up, and it definitely looked like a storm coming. I thought of my umbrella at home on the table, and said a silent 'thank you' to the fashion gods for telling me not to wear a white t-shirt.

Once my husband was through security, and we could hear, but not see Cheap Trick playing "I Want You to Want Me" (one of my fav songs!), he also noticed the sky. It was even darker now, angry looking, and the wind was so strong that it was whipping sand into my eyes.

We both looked up and saw the birds flying sideways. Or rather, being blown sideways while they were flying. Lots of them too. "Strange", I thought to myself. "This reminds me of the Wizard of Oz".

And then, "Oh my god!" from my husband. I followed his gaze to the tower in the centre of the crowd, weaving and moving in the wind, debris flying off in every direction. "Oh no," I thought, "I hope the tower doesn't come down onto the crowd!"

The wind picked up and inflated the huge main stage, the stage on which Cheap Trick was playing. The sides puffed out, it all lifted up - and then it folded onto itself. So quickly, so effortlessly, like a convertible putting the top down. Like that was what was supposed to happen all along.

It happened so fast.

I stood there staring, not really getting it, not quite understanding what I'd just seen. Had the main stage at Bluesfest just crumbled onto Cheap Trick as they were playing? Was it a joke? A trick? Was this a tornado? Were they ok? What do I do?

Thank goodness my husband was with me - he knew what to do and he stayed so rational. I was in a daze. Disbelief. Had I really just seen that? Yes.

Luckily we were close to the entrance/exit, not even having stepped onto grass yet. We heard the gasps and the screams as everyone tried to understand what they'd just seen, and we ran. Out of that festival, into the street, into the pouring rain and wind, among thousands of other scared festival go-ers, garbage flying through the air and sirens coming from all directions.

It was so scary. So surreal. I didn't know what was happening. I wasn't sure which way to go. Was there more coming? What was happening? I followed my husband's lead and tried not to focus on my panic.

And then we were on a bus, on our way home, packed in with other soaking wet music fans, worried about Cheap Trick and their crew and all the backstage folks, hoping everyone was ok. We got home, we sat on the couch, and we watched the storm outside. We checked twitter and facebook to see updates, and soon enough we saw that it had not been fatal. Injuries, yes, but for the most part people were ok.

I felt relieved, and yet still really shaken up. Yes we were all ok, I was safe now, the storm was over. But what if it hadn't been? What if I'd been alone? Would I have known what to do and where to go? I'm not sure.

Hopefully I never experience something like this again, but if I do, I'm prepared. I guess that's my lesson out of all this.

My thoughts are with anyone who suffered injuries as a result of this event. It was a freak accident and I hope that we can all accept this and move on without placing blame onto any person or organization. Sometimes nature just has to remind us who's boss.

After a busy 2 weeks at Bluesfest, I am heading to the lake for summer vacation. I hope to get some reading done, enjoy what is left of July.

Happy Summer!

Summer Heat

2011-07-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Did it just get hot in here?

Take off some clothes!

Sure dresses and skirts are fun, but why should they get all the attention?

Underwear needs love too.

Try something colourful, ruffled, frilly, and girly, something

eco-friendly, recycled, and did I mention

sexy?

You know what makes these cute panties even better?

They're made from repurposed t-shirts!

That's the best kind of recycling I can think of.

With soft, adjustable hip straps that can accommodate many sizes,

they will fit a variety of body shapes and sizes.

Plus, they can be really fun to untie....

Available for sale here.

Enjoy the summer heat!

Scrappy

2011-07-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

Do you love fabric scraps?

Do you keep them stashed away for that perfect sewing project?

Do you save little bits 'just in case'?

Are you running out of room for all these precious scrappy fabric bits?

ME TOO!

Itty bitty fabric scraps sewn together...

I will be the first to admit that I have a hard time getting rid of things. I always look for a second use, a new way to use what will otherwise be discarded. Fabric scraps are no exception - if it's bigger than a deck of cards, I'll keep it, and sometimes I break even that rule. I never know when a small purple triangle will come in handy for one of my crafty projects.

....to form squareish quilt pieces......

It's a great theory but in reality it just clogs up my already-overcrowded tiny sewing room. I need to get rid of or use up these scraps because they take up way too much space.

......that also become sewn together.

During a recent sewing-room cleaning, I found a bag of flannel scraps leftover from quilting. Feeling the urge to hand-sew, as I'm realizing I will every 3-4 months, I set about making a scrappy 'crazy' quilt with all these colourful and soft flannel scraps. I've never done a crazy quilt before but it's turning out to be very fun!

Ta-Da!

I've also experimented with weaving. My recent visit to the Textile Museum of Canada inspired me to build my own makeshift weaving loom. It's very basic, and is barely functional, but it's better than nothing and it introduced me to weaving. Which I love! It's so relaxing and calming, to just sit and pass thread under thread, or in my case, fabric under fabric.

Naturally, I am using fabric in my weaver instead of thread. I had some donated fabric that wasn't inspiring me clothing-wise, so I cut it into 1/2inch strips and used it for weaving. So far I've made a few table runners/scarves, with another on the loom right now.

And to top it all off - I'm having an etsy summer sale! Just like those cheesy commercials say, I would rather you buy it than have to count it as inventory. Check out my etsy shop for deals!

Summer Sale

2011-07-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year:

my sewing room needs to be cleaned and organized.

And you can probably see where I'm going with this; the less inventory I have, the better. That's good news for you - I'm having a summer sale!

Satisfy your summer fashionista with some of tweal's upcycled dresses or tops. Look great, feel comfortable, support the environment, and help me clean my room. Win/win.

Check out my etsy shop to see all the sale items, and more.

Thank you for supporting tweal!

Hot

2011-07-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Happy July!

What a gorgeous summer this has been so far. It's been hot and sunny, just how I like it, so I'm spending a lot of time outside. And very little time sewing.

In fact, I haven't sewed in a few weeks. I've been interested in other artsy mediums, including weaving. After visiting the textile museum in Toronto, I was so inspired by weaving that the first thing I did when I got home after a 6 hour bus ride was make a handy dandy MacGyver style loom for weaving my own fabrics. I've been using secondhand fabrics cut into thin strips, and so far I've made 2 table runners/scarves, with another nearing completion. Fun stuff!

I just came back from a short camping trip feeling renewed and ready to start painting. Admittedly, the ROM and the AGO both inspired me to branch out from sewing and try new things. I have painted a bit in the past so I am excited to start again and implement some ideas that have been brewing for a while.

And strangely, or possibly not, the summer has me craving my guitar. Finger callouses will be arriving shortly.

Enjoy your summer!

Dinosaur on Board

2011-06-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

And we're off!

My summer holiday to Toronto has officially commenced.

Look how fancy I am - using my laptop on the train! Technology really amazes me sometimes.

I'm what you might call 'old fashioned' (some people have more creative words for it but I'll stick with old fashioned for now....). I don't use a cell phone, my computer knowledge is basic at best, and I opt for natural approaches whenever possible. So when it comes to travelling I am often reminded how behind-the-times I am.

While packing my bags last night, I remembered one last thing to add: a pen and notebook in case I want to write anything down. I even brought 2 pens in case one runs out. Then I packed up my laptop and realized "Oh yeah...I can use my laptop to 'write things down'!"

Duh.

Then I charged up my ipod battery and added all my favourite albums. I had to pick and choose only my most favourites, as space was limited. On the way to the train this morning, I remembered that I can put more songs on my ipod whenever I want, since I have my laptop with me.

Duh.

So now I'm sitting here on the train and using my computer while in motion. Unbelievable!

It's the small things in life that bring me pleasure - even if discovering these small things makes me sound like a dinosaur!

Toronto - be ready. I'm on my way.

80 Recent Favourites

2011-06-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

After all that talk of my upcoming Toronto trip and how little shopping I will be able to do, I turned to etsy to satisfy my shopping spree urge.

And I found 80 wonderful things.

Enjoy!

How do you satisfy shopping urges without shopping?

What is your favourite item here?

Toe Ron Toe

2011-06-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Wait a second - it's already halfway through June? When did that happen? How did that happen?

June was a busy month for tweal with Idle Hands and the Workermade trunk show. I had a blast doing both shows and can't wait for my next craft show - whenever that may be!

To kick off summer, I've planned a little holiday for myself: I'm heading to Toronto for a few days to visit my good friend Jkat.

Jkat is an amazingly talented nail artist who is living the single urban fashionista dream. She and I have known each other for about 8 years; we met when she was doing a high school co-op at the hair salon where I worked. Doing finger-waves in her prom hair is one of my favourite hair memories.

Jkat has been living in Toronto for a couple years now but this will be my first trip to visit her (and my first trip to TO in about 4 years). I really cannot wait to hang with her and people watch and eat and drink and party and dance and shop and enjoy Toronto! And hopefully I can convince her to give me some crazy gorgeous nails too.

There is so much I want to do while in TO. Shopping of course - but only the window variety as my closets are beyond full. I will shop for inspiration. There are also way too many places where I want to eat. I have not visited Toronto since becoming vegetarian, so I am pretty excited to try some of the veg and raw restaurants that I keep hearing about. And museums - yes I do enjoy a good museum, and art galleries too. Jkat mentioned a free Aretha Franklin concert and also a trip to Center Island - this is shaping up to be one fantastic summer holiday!

Do you have any recommendations for Toronto eating,

shopping, sightseeing, or anything else?

What is your favourite place in Toronto?

With a busy month behind me and a relaxing week ahead of me, I felt very summery and inspired this morning. I channeled that energy in making this beautiful treasury on etsy. And now I feel even more summery and inspired!

And just to showcase how much great manly stuff is available on etsy, I made this treasury yesterday. Happy belated Father's day!

What are your summer holiday plans?
Are you visiting any old friends this summer?

Workermade Trunk Show

2011-06-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

Looking for something fun to do in Ottawa on Saturday night?

Come to the first Workermade Trunk Show!

I am so happy to be a part of this awesome collective. Our first trunk show will feature lots of fun creations from many talented crafters and artisans. And we'll have wine and snacks and music too - so it's guaranteed to be a fun evening.

This past weekend I was at Idle Hands craft show in Chinatown, and it was wonderful! I met so many great people, sold a lot of my creations, and even traded products with a few crafters too. Nothing like coming home from a craft sale with over $120 in traded items!

We'd love to see you at the Workermade Trunk Show, so come and say hi! Pick up a few gifts for yourself or someone else, meet some local creative talent, and help to support the indie craft scene in Ottawa. Don't forget to mention my blog and receive a free gift from Tweal.

Happy Summer - Shop Local!!!

Tweal's First Etsy-versary!

2011-06-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

One year ago today I opened my etsy shop. It's true that time flies when you're always sewing. I mean having fun. Same thing.

In celebration of my first Etsy-versary, today I am offering 20% off my entire etsy shop!

Quilts, clothing, lingerie, vintage shoes - all of it!

Use coupon code Etsyversary1 at the checkout on etsy. Only redeemable on June 13, 2011 until 10pm Eastern time.

Thank you for enjoying and supporting tweal!

*please note that shipping times may increase in the event of a Canada Post strike.*

Tweal Newbies

2011-06-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

What's new with Tweal?

Kids dress size 2-3, made from an upcycled skirt.

All of this!

Kids dress size 2-3, made from a repurposed button-down shirt.

I'm busy sewing upcycled goodies for Idle Hands on June 11, and also the first Workermade Trunk Show on June 18. What a fun and busy month June is becoming!

Be there or be square.

With Canada Post on strike, online business is at a stand still and I am putting all my efforts into creating new items for these 2 upcoming shows. It's better to have stock for a show than raw materials on my shelf!

Drawstring halter made from an upcycled t-shirt.

Upcycled cotton sweater - much better with lettuce edged flutter sleeves and a pretty ruffle.

I love upcycling - it is just so fun to take something boring or ugly and make it beautiful. When I can't decide what to make, I let the fabric inspire and guide me.

Kids dress size 2-3, made from upcycled stretchy cotton.

Kids dress size 2-3, made from vintage linen. I love this fabric!

These drawstring cotton bags are a new item from Tweal, made from repurposed t-shirts and fully lined so they are also reversible. Perfect for the beach or the gym, or anyplace else you might think of.

Reversible drawstring cotton bag made from upcycled t-shirts.

Reversible cotton drawstring bag from repurposed t-shirts.

One of my favourite drawstring bags - made from upcycled t-shirts.

This is but a small sample of what I've been making lately, and there's lots more to come. So many ideas are bouncing around inside my head, it's time I bring them into this world to share with others.

Come out and support local Ottawa crafters and artisans at Idle Hands and the Workermade Trunk Show. We'll have treats and wine and crafts galore, and it's a great chance for other crafters to come and network with us too.

And as a special offer for my blog readers, I am offering a free gift at either show if you mention this blog. Come and introduce yourself - the world is better when we're friendly :)

Happy Sunday!!

Weekend Shenanigans

2011-05-31T06:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I volunteered with the National Capital Vegetarian Association at the Great Glebe Garage Sale here in Ottawa. We held a vegan bake sale and garage sale, and ended up raising almost $900 for 2 important causes - Project Jessie and the Ottawa Food Bank. It was busy and the community energy was fantastic - so nice to see people out and about on the weekend instead of inside watching tv or shopping in a mall.

Yummmmmmy. Notice the one lonely potato square about 1 hour into the sale.

At one point, we heard some live music nearby, and then heard from a customer that it was coming from a 13 year old singer and her band around the corner. I stepped away from our tent to confirm that yes, it was indeed some young teenagers playing Joan Jett, GnR, and more - right on their front lawn! But it sounded great, even better than some live shows I've been to. I love seeing young people (gawd that makes me feel old....) doing great things on their own.

Pink cupcakes always do well.

I ran into some old friends, made some new ones, and sampled a few of the delicious vegan goodies we had for sale. Holy sugar rush. I was smart to make something savoury with my Potato Spinach Squares, as they were the first thing to sell out. It seems a lot of people don't want chocolate and sugar at 8am. Who knew?

Delicious Potato Spinach Squares from Vegan Brunch

Another popular item was my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. They ended up being the only GF option at our table, and I now know to make lots and lots of GF treats for future bake sales - there were a lot of requests for GF items.

Gluten free Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

My (or Dreena's, as it were) P-Nut Butter Chocolate Squares also went fast, with one man coming back for a second bar and exclaiming how delicious the first one was. That's always nice to see. (I knew these were going to be amazing and I set aside 2 bars here at home - notice the bite? They were heavenly and I want to eat them every day.)

P-Nut Butter Chocolate Squares from Vive le Vegan.

The Lemon Bars were tasty and well-received, even if the pretty powdered sugar disappeared into the bar leaving the shiny top attractive to small fingerprints. Next time I'll keep the shiny bars at the back of the table beyond small-arm reach.

Lemon Bars from Veganomicon

For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to sell this Cherry Clafouti whole. It sat for hours with no one even noticing it. Then I decided to slice it up and sell the pieces individually, and they sold within minutes. Literally, one piece after another as I cut them from the tray. Another lesson learned - single serve portions win every time. (I also heard feedback after the sale that this was delicious and people were asking where to get it - yay!).

Cherry Clafouti from the Urban Vegan

Erin, who also volunteered at the sale, made these amazing cinnamon buns. I stood over them for about an hour, inhaling their luscious aroma, before I gave in and tried one. Wow. Really wow.

They had potatoes in them! That's almost like breakfast, right?

What a great start to the weekend!

And then.......

On Sunday, I was supposed to be at Ravenswing Craft Fair but unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay and sell. Despite having a rain location directly across the street and confirmation on Saturday that it would be held inside due to rain, I showed up at 10am Sunday morning, in the rain, to discover it was being held outside. Last minute decision with an email sent out at 9am that I missed because I was preparing for the craft sale. So there I was with a car full of goodies and no umbrella or tent or even a jacket to wear, in the pouring rain. I had no choice but to turn around and come back home. I am disappointed but I believe there is a lesson in this for me. There always is.

I was feeling pretty low after that incident - I was really looking forward to vending at that sale. And I had done so much work and gotten everything ready. If I had know there wasn't actually a rain location or that it wouldn't be used, I wouldn't have applied for the craft sale. My merchandise is just not rain-friendly and I can't risk it getting wet or ruined.

I sulked around the house for a bit until my husband dragged me outside when the sun eventually came out. We went to Bate Island, a small patch of land on the Ottawa River between Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. Apparently it's a common spot for adult night-time activities (ahem....), but I didn't know that and we only go in the daytime anyway. There are lots of geese on the island, and also some ducks and groundhogs and other wild cuties. Being in nature and among animals, wild or not, always restores my spirit and energizes me. It's the best antidepressant.

I am in love with groundhogs. That's probably because I don't have a garden for them to destroy.

Those ducks are cute but not very friendly. I kept telling them I wouldn't eat them but it's like they didn't hear me.

I ended up feeding and petting some geese, which was pretty cool and lifted my spirits immensely. (I don't normally advocate feeding wild animals as I believe wild animals should stay wild - but this island is very public and these animals are always fed, so I made an exception. Plus, I was feeding seeds to the geese and apple to the groundhog, not white bread and mini-wheats as I saw other folks doing.)

Snack time

Where did it go?

I also chilled with my favourite groundhog and fed him some apple, which he seemed to enjoy. They seem like friendly, gentle animals and I just think they are so cute. It was fascinating to watch him dig his hole and push big rocks out with his nose. Industrious little things, they are.

Sometimes he ate right out of my hand and I felt his little chin move as he chewed. p.s. Groundhogs are not as soft as they look.

My husband noticed one of the geese was limping, and then I saw that it had a fishing lure stuck in its leg and the fishing line wound around. The goose kept trying to pick at it with its beak, but it wasn't working, and so my husband and some other people tried to catch the goose to help take the lure out. That totally didn't work - I think it just stressed the goose out more, and it went to sit in the water away from people. Poor thing, it looked to be in a lot of pain. We tried calling the city to find out about animal rescue but didn't have any luck. I really hope that goose manages to get the lure out, or that someone else can help. It breaks my heart when human pollution hurts wild animals.

See him on the rock? He stayed like that for quite a while before getting the water.

And to top the weekend off - I was supposed to start a new part-time job today as a receptionist in a tattoo studio, which I was very excited about. But......the owner found someone else who wants full-time and is more qualified. So no job for me. I totally understand and I would do the same thing in her position. Bittersweet nonetheless.

So all in all, it was a good but strange weekend. Some highs, some lows, but thankfully, no groundhog or goose related diseases have shown up in my body yet.

And I now have the day off. Scratch that - the summer off. Yippee!

Do you go outside in nature when you're feeling down?

What wild animals are your favourites, to watch or feed

or be near?

Bake or Sew?

2011-05-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Now that's a tough question.

Usually, sewing wins over baking. I like baking and I love sweets - that in a nutshell is why I rarely bake. Because I will eat it all.

So when I heard about the NCVA's Vegan Bake Sale taking place on Saturday at the Great Glebe Garage Sale, it sounded like the perfect excuse to bake decadent treats, and I signed up before even thinking about what I had just done.

You know, committing to baking goodies and volunteering at the table of the bake sale the day before I have a craft sale with tweal. Ooops.

Thankfully I'm ahead of the game for Ravenswing DIY Craft Fair this weekend, and I have some extra time to dedicate to this worthy cause. Plus, I've always wanted to go to the Great Glebe Garage Sale but never had the chance until this year. Hopefully the weather holds up!

Once I decided to participate, my favourite vegan cookbooks came off the shelf and I sat for hours perusing the pages, searching for the perfect recipe to try. Lucky me, I found 5 recipes to try! I wanted to pare down the list, but then I thought of the animals at the shelter and the hungry people in Ottawa, and I can't deprive them of money that comes from my delicious kitchen creations! It just wouldn't be right.

On my to-bake list for today is:

Cherry Clafouti from the Urban Vegan (I seem to have developed a cherry allergy and the 2 bags of frozen cherries in my freezer need a new home. Clafouti it is!)

Gluten-Free Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan (GF people need sweets too, y'know!)

Chocolate P-Nut Butter Squares from Vive le Vegan (Chocolate and pb - No explanation necessary)

Lemon Bars from Veganomicon (I'm pretty excited for these - no guarantee that a full batch will make it to the bake sale!)

Potato Spinach Squares from Vegan Brunch (Not everyone likes sweets. This is for them)

Doesn't that sound like a delicious list? And yes I was hungry when I chose the recipes. I'm hungry now just looking at the list!

If you're in Ottawa, come down to the Great Glebe Garage Sale and stop by the NCVA table on Clarey Ave. Yummy treats, garage sale goodies, and hey - it's for the animals. You don't need any more reasons to eat a cupcake, do you?

Here are the deets for Saturday, as stated by the NCVA:

The National Capital Vegetarian Association is proud to announce that we will be participating in the Great Glebe Garage Sale held on May 28, 2011 from 9am - 3pm (http://ottawastart.com/glebe.php).

The NCVA will be hosting a yard sale / vegan bake sale to support Project Jessie (www.projectjessie.ca) and the Ottawa Food Bank (www.theottawafoodbank.ca/).

75% of proceeds will be donated to Project Jessie, which works to protect companion animals that may be legally surrendered to research facilities after 72 hours in a shelter in Ontario.

25% will be used to purchase and donate healthy vegan food items to the Ottawa Food Bank. Items that can’t be sold will be donated to local non-profit thrift stores.

Trade Up

2011-05-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

I don't like money.

I use it, I need it, and I rely on it, but I don't like it.

My alternative to money is trading. In my ideal world, I'd make you a quilt, you'd plant my garden, and we'd call it even. Or maybe I'd sew a party dress for your daughter's birthday and you could do my taxes. Whatever lets both of us shine and benefit from the arrangement.

I've been lucky to find some people in my life that also like to trade services and products. A good friend of mine is a massage therapist who happens to enjoy my delicious raw vegan desserts, and I don't think I've paid for a massage yet. Sure I buy the ingredients for the desserts but it's still better than paying for a massage.

The last time I got new sneakers, they were payment for a hair cut. If only all my hair clients paid me in shoes.

Unfortunately not everyone feels the way I do about trading, and most people prefer to deal with actual money. I get it - trades don't pay the bills. But what about all the other stuff you want that falls outside the bills? Those things can be traded for.

A few months ago, someone on etsy contacted me about a pair of shoes she was interested in buying. I checked her profile and found that she sells amazing face and body care products, so immediately my interest was piqued. She was just as interested in trading products as I was, so we worked out the details and both walked away happy without really exchanging money. The ironic thing about this is that 2 weeks before hearing from her, I had approached 5 different body care sellers on etsy to see if they were interested in trading, and didn't hear back from a single one. Their loss.

But I get that too. Time is money, business is business, and besides that, if there's nothing you want then a trade isn't to your advantage. Just don't assume that a trade now won't translate into sales later.

See, I ended up buying a mother's day gift - with money - from this same vendor that I traded with. What started out as a 'free' trade generated a regular sale. Whooda thunk it?

And not only one sale, but that gift went over so well, my mom plans to continue buying the same product when she runs out. A customer for life, perhaps.

So all this to say - I am open to trades! I can't trade with everyone all the time, and it's not to be taken personally if I have to say no, but if you like the idea of trading, contact me and we'll see if we can work something out.

My Trade Wish-List:

- felted wool slippers. I keep seeing these on etsy and I would love a pair but I'm cheap. I even considered learning how to felt just so I could make my own. Because I don't have enough things going on right now and I really need to learn a new craft with all that extra time I have.

- clothing! I like making my own clothes but sometimes that gets boring. And again - I'm cheap. Want some lingerie, or maybe a quilt? I'll take that hoody in purple, please.

- earrings. Ok I really don't need earrings but I have a slight addiction, and that is why I want to trade. It's not really a bad addiction if I don't pay for it - right?

- other jewelry. Again, I don't need it, but I will have a hard time saying no if I really love it.

- art and photography. I'm always searching for something new and quirky for my walls or shelves.

- glass drinking straws. I used to have 6, now I have 3. Apparently they were unbreakable and guaranteed for life but that didn't really work out. I could use a few more and I promise not to break these ones.

- vintage knickknacks and generally tacky things. I love that kinda stuff. In case you couldn't tell by looking through my treasuries.

- face and body care products. Specifically facial wash or scrub, or maybe a lotion. I like natural stuff with essential oils.

- beeswax candles. I love the smell and they generate negative ions for health and well-being.

- vegetable and fruit seeds. I'd love to get my hands on some organic heirloom seeds without having to pay for them. I've been in contact with one place about this, but nothing has worked out just yet.

- wall decals. I've waited long enough - it's high time I had a large tree on my wall.

- food. This is aimed at local Ottawa folks who might have farms, gardens, or food forests. But if it's something that can legally and safely be mailed to me, I'll probably eat that too.

- services. Maybe I could advertise on your blog or website and you could get a dress. Graphic design would be helpful as well.

- Reiki, acupuncture, and other holistic healing modalities. I love Reiki and I've always wanted to try acupuncture. Reiki for quilt seems an even trade.

- other cute and fun things! Maybe I just don't know I want it yet. Go ahead and ask.

Well that is my list! If I have contacted you about trading, please don't be offended. It's not that I don't think your stuff is good enough to pay for; I'm just a crafty hippie who likes to cut out the middle man. Let's me and you benefit and forget about those cartoon people on dirty paper.

If you're interested, send me an email at twealtweal at g mail dot com. The worst that happens is I say no, but I promise to say it nicely. The best that happens is we both get something great.

And that sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

Have you ever traded products or services?
What do you like/dislike about trading?
Share your experience here!

Shoe-tastic

2011-05-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

This may come as a surprise to some of you. I know it did to me when I first found out. I'm still in disbelief, to be honest.

Not all women love shoes.

I know, I know - it's crazy. But they exist. Along with women who don't love to shop, there are women who don't care about shoes.

It should go without saying that I am NOT one of those women.

For as long as I can remember, I've been infatuated with footwear. As a very young girl, I enjoyed colouring books, and had many of them. My favourites were the Barbie or fairy tale ones with pretty ladies in beautiful dresses. As much as I loved colouring the outfits of these lovely ladies, their shoes were much more important. In fact, I often 'saved' the shoes (along with the hair, lips, and nails) of my colouring book characters for very last. They were the toughest style decisions to make. Within some of my colouring books, Barbie and Cinderella stood in coloured dresses with lush surroundings, only to have pale hair, shoes, lips and nails - I hadn't yet decided what would best suit their outfit. See what I mean - shoe love has been in me since birth. (And probably no surprise that I became a hair stylist - those hair colours were very important to me as well. How I wished for different shades of brown and blonde in my Crayola pack - even then, I knew that Big Bird yellow wasn't a good highlight colour.)

The first time I really fell in love with a shoe was at Kmart, when I was about 7 or 8. I had wandered into the shoe aisle, and there before me were the most perfect little works of art I had ever seen. Black semi-pointy 'dressy shoes' with a thin high heel and fancy accents. I stared at them for a while, wondering if I could get my mom to forward my next few allowances so that I could own them. 'But where would I wear them?' my little 8 year old brain asked. 'Church?' That was the fanciest place I ever went.

I didn't end up getting them but the memory is vivid in my mind. I can recall playing with my mom's 'fancy' shoes when I was a kid, sometimes using her pumps as a car for Barbie. She fit right in there nice, and what a great car those pretty heels made.

Vintage blue textured pumps.

I also remember playing dress up and toddling around in those same shoes - I never felt more grown up or fabulous.

Once I was old enough to buy my own clothing and shoes, I began to amass quite a collection of footwear. In my teens, I had over 40 pairs of shoes, and I don't think I've had less since then. My normal shoe count is around 50, which doesn't seem high to me but then why would it? More is never enough. (Speaking of which, have you seen photos of Mariah Carey's shoe closet? To. Die. For.)

Throughout my life I've ended up with many impractical and uncomfortable - sometimes even unsafe - shoes. Some of them I wore, and had the blisters and sore ankles to show for it. Others I left in the closet, to be appreciated for their look rather than their sub-par performance. Some shoes are so beautiful they don't need to be worn; just looking at them is enough.

Working as a hair stylist in a salon gave me good opportunities to wear fabulous little shoes. Never mind the comfort - bring on the style! Sure I was standing for 9-10 hours a day, but I was young and 3 inch heels didn't seem so bad after the first hour or two. People told me "you're going to ruin your back", and I knew they were right but........this was my shoe opportunity! "If I don't wear them now, when I'm young and stylish, when will I?" That was my logic. It seemed sound.

But dammit, age came quicker than I wanted it to, and now I rarely wear my pretty little shoes anymore. The last time I wore heels, my feet and back were sore for days. Sore for the night I can handle - but for days? Even I don't love shoes that much.

Now my shoe-focus has shifted. Instead of searching for the perfect pair of shoes for me, I scour the secondhand shops for the most fabulous shoes so that I can share them with the world. Remember that thrift store shoe dream I talked about? I'm holding out for the reality version.

My recent shoe finds have been wonderful. Although I wish I could keep them all for myself, I know I'd never wear most of them anyway. I just don't have a fancy-shoe lifestyle anymore. (I still play 'dress up' once in a while - nothing takes away my stress like sitting on the floor surrounded by my gorgeous shoes as I try them on one by one. Like a kid in a candy store, I tell you.)

Since I can't keep all the shoes I am enticed to buy, re-selling them is the next best thing. I'm like a foster parent for wonderful shoes - bring them home, clean them up, give them love, and send them on their way.

Vintage Italian leather loafers. Brand new soles.

Even if I don't keep them forever, having them to admire for even a short time is always a treat.

Do you love shoes? What is your favourite shoe memory?

Coming Soon....

2011-05-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

....to a Craft Fair near you!

Handmade Harvest whet my craft fair appetite. I am craving more.

Luckily, I have two more craft shows coming up: Ravenswing and Idle Hands.

Ravenswing

On Sunday, May 29, 2011, local Ottawa arts group Ravenswing will be hosting the fifth annual Ravenswing: Ottawa’s Do-it-Yourself Craft and Zine Fair from 11 am – 4 pm in Minto Park, in the heart of Centretown. This fun, family-friendly event showcases a variety of local artisans and writers and features independent musicians and skill-sharing workshops.

Founded by Sean Zio and Faye Estrella, the fair was established with the intention of creating an accessible arts venue for independent and do-it-yourself artists and writers. The fair bypasses the high table fees of many arts festivals that can impede artists from exhibiting their work. “We strive to have a diverse group of creative people at the fair to really represent Ottawa’s spirit of creativity, community and inclusivity,” says Zio.

The fair also features free creative workshops by Les Ateliers; this year’s workshops focus on creating jewelry from recycled fabrics, as well as an improv workshop.

Complementing the great visuals and workshops will be the sweet summer sounds of local musical acts Male Nurse, Mark Alexander McIntyre, Django Libre, Lipstick Lesbian and Silkken Laumann.

Ravenswing is proud to once again share Minto Park with the Clothesline Project, a public art display in support of ending violence against women.

Idle Hands

Come join us for our first annual spring sale, to be held at St.Luke's Anglican Church 760 Somerset Street West , in the heart of Ottawa's Chinatown, from 10am till 5 pm, Saturday June 11 2011 .

We are offering up delicious food, unique jewelry, clothing, artwork, bath and body products, children's toys, glass works , music, home decor, letterpress prints, and much much more.

Admission is $2 with a chance to win one of our fabulous door prizes ! Please note that this is A CASH ONLY EVENT !

This year we will have a fund raising raffle to help support the non-profit arts collective Chinatown Remix's growth and future events. Prizes have been kindly donated by our vendors, as well as local businesses, including Venus Envy, Patrick Gordon Framing, The Papery, Restaurant 18, Social, artist Adrian Gollner, to name a few.

I'll be spending the next few weeks getting things ready for these 2 fabulous shows! I hope to see you there :)

Crafty McCraftalot

2011-05-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

Success! My first craft show with tweal went as smooth as silk. Vintage silk, that is.

My table was set up in time, I had a great friendly neighbour, the weather was beautiful, the tunes were enjoyable, and the turnout was amazing. The organizers of Handmade Harvest, Colleen and Emily, did a fantastic job of keeping things running smoothly, and really provided a great environment for this sale to take place. I was proud to be included, and I hope I am invited back for the xmas edition.

While at the sale, I learned a lot and I already know how my next craft sale can be even better. I was without a clothing rack for this show, but that will change - a rack is absolutely necessary. I also need a better way to display my quilts - I am thinking a ladder might work.

Overall, people were really excited about what I'm doing. Upcycled wasn't a popular term and I had to define it for a lot of people, but once they got it, they GOT it. People are really interested in recycled and eco-friendly products, and they were very supportive of my work. That always feels nice!

One little girl was looking at my fabric mice, and when I mentioned that I made them from recycled fabric, she said "So it's green!" Smart kid.

I had a few surprises at the sale - for one, I didn't sell a single mouse! Just about every person to pass by my table picked one up and admired it, but no one purchased. Also, my fused plastic purses weren't popular, and I had expected them to be. Interesting.

I came home from the sale invigorated and inspired. There was a lot of unique and beautiful creations to be had, and lots of creative energy flowing around. I love discovering really interesting and original creations, and it always amazes me to see how others express their creativity and interpret art - when I see something fabulous and think "Now I never would have thought of that!" Sure I can make a quilt out of pj's or a dress out of a shirt, but a felt sandwich? Cute! Or a bird-twig mobile? Yes! It's fascinating how each of us has different ideas about what to do, and how to do things. I love the diversity.

One of my favourite vendors at the show was Jennifer from UpWords Art Alphabet Photography and Designs. I had never seen alphabet art and it blew me away - it is so original and quirky and fantastic! Jennifer and I shared a laugh regarding inspiration - I get distracted in public by the upcycling potential of people's clothes, and for her, it's the letters that appear in every day objects, including nature. Once your mind starts opening up to creativity, you see inspiration everywhere. As Martha would say, That's a good thing.

Because I had so much fun at Handmade Harvest, I have also signed up for Ravenswing on May 29, and Idle Hands on June 11. I will be one busy bee for the next little while, and that is great - I wouldn't have it any other way.

Enjoy your Monday!