How I spent my summer

Notice I didn't call it a summer holiday? It has been a very busy summer to say the least. From our first show under the "Who Knew?" banner in late April through to the dog days of August, I've been stitching up a storm. My necklaces and bracelets have been selling well at the Angie Strauss Gallery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Dressmaking clients have been keeping me busy with pretty summer dresses and stunning (if I do say so myself) evening gowns. And I've been working on a new bridal collection. Ellen Steen of About a Bride in Niagara-on-the-Lake is carrying these exclusive designs, including jewellery, wraps and flower girl dresses. The bridal collection will be on view at the Niagara Bridal Show, September 12 at Club Italia in Niagara Falls. Expect to hear and see more of these collections here as we move into the prime wedding planning seasons of fall and winter.

Much to my relief, the trees in Niagara are showing a hint of autumn. Wahoo! Those of you who know me well know that my ability to be polite about being really uncomfortably hot runs out just as ragweed season begins. Bring on the frost! With that in mind, I'm taking out the wool felt again. My helper and I had a photo session yesterday in the backyard, so expect to see new listings on Etsy in the coming weeks!

That Little Something Necklaces

Okay, hands up everyone with a solid colour wardrobe. You are not alone. Many of us have pushed prints to the back of the closet or left them on the sales rack in an effort to look professional, elegant and modern. And now, many women have no idea how to put colours together. I see and hear about this often when doing wardrobe consultations. So, while our mothers and grandmothers could pull all the colours for an ensemble from a print, that isn't an option for many women today. And you want to look pulled together and interesting. So what do you do? Well these necklaces are just the thing to get you started.

Designed to sit just inside the collar or neck edge of your shirt they add colour and interest. As for what colour you should have - if you like it - buy it. Odds are it will go with what you have on. It really is that simple!


Retailing at $50 these necklaces make a lovely gift for Mother's Day.


Available in bright, muted and neutral colourways, these easy to wear necklaces close with a sterling silver toggle clasp. The feature beads are glass, stone or ceramic. Plus sizes are available and custom requests are welcome.

And in the run-up to Mother's Day I've made a made a few for little girls - scaled to fit and with a magnetic closure. Because every woman regardless of age likes to feel special and pretty!

Welcome to my world!

As long as I can remember, I’ve been comfortable with needle and thread. Growing up, we were not allowed to watch TV unless we were doing something else at the same time. Knitting, sewing, embroidery in all its forms were just the things you did in our family. You wore handknit sweaters. You made your party dress. Everyone made the art that decorated their home. As a kid, I just assumed everyone had needlepoint tapestries on their walls.

I’ve been sewing, knitting, embroidering and generally messing about with fabric and thread for over 35 years now. I have taught embroidery techniques and accepted private commissions, generally to supplement my day job and to fund more supplies. Highlights include embroidery demonstrations at the Creative Sewing Festival, having my designs published in Style at Home and Fab Magazine, seeing good friends light up when they put on the wedding dress I created just for them, and selling to celebrities through Etsy. (OK, so I wandered about saying “wow” every five minutes, told half the town who my first Etsy customer was, and insisted the women in the post office look at who the scarf was being mailed to… I was excited!)

In the fall of 2008, I decided to throw caution to the wind, leave the corporate world and pursue these creative endeavours full-time. I am much happier, on the whole calmer, and frankly more fun to be around. 2009 was a year of experimenting with designs and materials, testing the market and judging reactions, and investigating venues for my work. Although I still teach techniques and make bespoke clothing, I am increasingly enjoying making limited-edition accessories. 2010 has brought my first retail outlet, and I am looking forward to finding new and exciting audiences for my work. You can find out more about my range of services and contact me through my website.

My intention is for this blog to chronicle my work and my efforts to find those new and exciting audiences. At the moment I am preparing for a coming out party of sorts for a group of local artists and designers. We are calling it the Who Knew? Fashion and Art Event and you can find out all the details at www.whoknew.ca. I will be launching my new line of jewellery at this event and on this blog. The collection has been designed to be not only pretty to look at but comfortable and easy to wear. I hope women enjoy wearing it as much as I have enjoyed making it!