back in the saddle

oh i have been doing such a poor job of communicating in this space recently! this fall has, in turns, flown and crept by but all the while i've been to-the-gills busy. which is great, except when it comes to finding time.

i've done a few shows for the season and there are a few more to go. this past saturday i displayed at royally crafty, a mini fair in the recently opened river market in new westminster. the space is opening in stages and has been totally recreated into a bright, modern and stylish shopping and community venue. it's a fantastic development in a city on the verge of big changes. with exciting boutique shops tiny (where small is beautiful) and great wall of tea (wow, check out that awesome wall!), a donald's market and eye-catching art and light installations it was a compelling space for a craft event.

for more photos of the developing river market space, check out this great post at the new domestic.

lovely mondays: got craft? favourites

i fell in love with so many of the creations at yesterday's got craft? event, and i figured my four top favourites from folks who also sell on etsy would make a perfect collection for this week's lovely monday post... clockwise, from top left:

i loved the unique cards from thebeautifulproject. combining 'original illustrations, cheeky sentiments and a bit of whimsy', they're the perfect answer for anyone asking "why don't they make better cards?" you can buy them from her etsy shop (some designs are even on sale now - scoop them up while you can!) or at local shops like dandelion and paper-ya.

i'm always drawn to things made using old maps. i think it's the timelessness of travel, particularly to places with history... kohana jewellery (etsy's ktwigs81) was selling lovely handmade jewelery featuring vintage maps and glass. i especially love the londres (london) pendant. the 1" pendant comes with a 16" silverplated ball chain.

i should have bought some soap from olive, maker of delicious natural bath & body products. funny: i overheard a couple walking away from the show. the woman wanted to buy some soap and the guy was muttering "we already have lots of soap". girl, you should have bought the soap. ;-) i love this high tea soap bar - made of luscious palm, olive and coconut oil and including bergamot and spruce essential oils, a touch of sweet orange and exfoliating black tea leaves.

there's just something about the colours in this print - grayhounds by elseetee. 3 x 4 x 1.5" block featuring a print from one of her original drawings. the sides of the block are decoupaged using premium, silkscreened japanese chiyogami paper. also available in larger sizes if you're looking for something to fill a bigger space on your wall.

got craft? AND sunshine? lovely...

yesterday i set up the hudsonny table of smiling creatures for got craft? and had a grand time. we started out inside at little mountain studios - an independent art space just off main street at east 26th. loved the indoor work - very cool.

it was car free day in vancouver, so main street from king ed down was closed to vehicular traffic and it was such good weather that we all moved outside to get a bit more exposure (to that glowing ball of gas known as the sun and of course to craft-seeking visitors!).


this is only a few of the tables shown - mine is in the middle and we were mid-set-up when i took this... of course as usual i forgot/neglected/was too shy to take any/good photos of everyone's table but suffice it to say some of vancouver's most talented crafty folk were there to represent, including roxypop with their whimsical knit and sewn creations and the much-coveted apple cozies, lovebobbie with terrific accessories and my lolo with an amazing display of one-of-a-kind stamped and hand sewn earrings made of recycled leather pieces. and check out this week's lovely monday collection of four finds for more got craft? love.

featured on etsy: vancouver's elephant & chickpea

check out this inspiring interview with etsy's current featured seller, jinsil haveliwalla of vancouver's own elephant & chickpea. maker of fantastic handmade limited-edition house shoes, made using reclaimed and natural fabrics.

i love them all - and am especially crazy about these ones: the ladybug mary janes.

photos from etsy.

lovely mondays: the colour mustard

this week's 'lovely monday' post features a much-loved and often misunderstood colour: mustard! not the bright yellow mustard of hot-dog fame, but more the murky tint of a lovely dijon or grainy english condiment.

knee-length linen tunic dress from pamelatang featuring lovely hand-stitched embroidery details. love the look of mustard, charcoal and denim together.

girl and cookie jar mixed media collage from vancouver fave, cabin+cub. original and one-of-a-kind, it's a totally unique piece: vintage book illustrations, paper ephemera and ink illustration on wood veneer. and of course, everyone loves cookies.

the crafty fox says goodbye to visitors from the fantastical matte stephens, one of my very, very favourite etsyians. we have two of his prints in cole's room (the kaliedoscopic-pipe-smoking duke of ny and no-longer-available gocco bear monster) and i adore everything he makes. have you seen his new piece, charles eames as a log? love! must have!

the fantastic truffle bag in mustard from morelle. i have been coveting her bags for an age. they're so beautifully constructed and so fashionable. large enough to carry a laptop or books, this one is made of leather and perfect for yourself or as a gift.