One of a Kind experiences...

On Friday, Dec. 3, my cousin Stella and I went to Toronto's One of Kind Craft Show and Sale. This is a huge crafts market, featuring artisans from across Canada. There are a myriad of vendors and it is held in a vast exhibition hall on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition.
There was a huge array of goods for sale -- including jams and jellies, shortbreads, various fruits covered in chocolate, jewellery, pillows, clothing in silks, woolens, furniture, almost anything you can think of -- and then some. I got some ideas for new projects in the new year -- and some lovely examples of talented artists who make things that are not only beautiful, but affordable.
From Grace Lee of eikam, a Vancouver-based handmade ceramics studio, I found these pretty buttons. I don't know what they are for yet, but I love them. I also bought a little bird ornament, one of hundreds she made for the show. By the time I got there, she had three left. (You will see the bird in the post about the memory tree)
Her website is http://www.etsy.com/shop/eikcam Check out her lovely designs!
Jenna Rose, a Hamilton Ontario-based textile artist, made wonderful some screen-printed soft furnishings and bags. She also created some clever pins. I (heart) handmade caught my eye and came home with me. Her website is www.jennarose.ca She has an appealing range of fun and functional goods that are right on the modern linen trend, which she has drawn and screen printed by hand. Making my own fabric would be really appealing -- if I had any drawing talent whatsoever...
This talented artist is also a very friendly person. We had a nice chat while I was buying my much-loved pin.
The beads were a surprise. I found them at a booth called Tasci, which had some very fun and funky jewellery designs. Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw the beads which just screamed 'bring me home.." so I did.
All in all, it was a wonderful chance to get out and get some new ideas, and meet some really talented artists.

Jewels!

On November 28, the Beade Faerie Collective had a very successful sale of our handmade jewellery. The Faeries are friends who get together to create and have a great time doing it. We also try and support charity. This year, the proceeds of our Christmas sale went to Plan Canada's Because I Am a Girl campaign, which helps to improve the lives of girls and women around the world.

Creating Tomtes with crafty friends

On Friday night, my crafty friends and I got together to have a nice dinner and make Tomtes. These little elves are Swedish and they help Santa check up on little boys and girls in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Mind you, the girls gathered around my kitchen table are in some serious trouble with Santa. We had a lot of laughs at some very naughty jokes!
These Tomte are featured in Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman. They are deceptively easy. The pattern isn't difficult, but one has to be aware of the difficulty in working in tight spaces. At one point, legs and arms are tucked into the body cavity AND you have to figure out how to sew it all together.
The stuffing process is also critical to the success of the Tomte. If they don't have enough stuffing, they simply can't sit up and take notice for Santa.
I am a slow and steady kind of Tomte maker. I was last to the finish line.

It was all a lot of pre-Christmas fun!

Celebrating!

Here are a couple of things I've done recently to celebrate some milestones. The pink bag was for my friend Amanda's birthday. The little sack is a commissioned piece for a friend who wanted a fabric bag for her grandson's baptism present.
I love making things to help people celebrate!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day -- and celebrating everything for no particular reason...

Found a new setting on my camera!

You know how you almost never take the time to read the manuals that come with things like computers and cameras? Okay, maybe that's me.
Anyhoo, I was noodling around trying to send a photo of a sewing machine foot to Sandra Sews and I found MACRO focus on my camera. Suddenly, I can take way better close ups for this blog!
Cool huh?
More photos tomorrow -- now that I know how amazing my camera can be.
In the meantime, I will be pouring over Kajsa Wikman's new book Scandinavian Stitches. I love the way the book is laid out, and the projects are simple and fun.
Have a wonderful day!

...here are a couple of things on offer

Here are some lavender sachets. Filled with lavender grown in my garden.
Also, some snow angels made from silk noile with looks a lot like snow.

Hand crafted from the heart...

On the weekend, some of my friends and I did a Christmas Craft sale featuring beaded creations and some hand sewn creations.
Sales were not impressive.
We had a few customers that appreciated and bought our work. Several passersby remarked about the quality of our work, and yet thought it was expensive. A number of booths at the sale featured resellers of commercial products, and so it was impossible to comparison shop.
I sometimes wonder if people really appreciate handmade things. Then, there is the problem of working out what to charge for the things we make.
Having said that, our work ranged in price from $30 for a very complicated bead design, to $5 for a beaded bookmark.
I'm not whining here, I am just saying that working from the heart, with one's hands, is highly personal. It's hard not to take it personally when people say, "Thanks, but no thanks."
However, onwards and upwards. We are doing another sale on November 28. Hopefully, with a better reception.