Bought a tent!

And survived my first outdoor show unscathed so there will be more of those over the summer.  Please check back here for updates.  In the meantime, some photos from the Handmade Market May 12th and 13th in sunny Beamsville.

Long overdue update from sunny Guelph

As most of my followers know, Tom, the cats and I relocated to Guelph this year. (And yes we did acquire a fourth cat during the move.) It has been a very busy time, getting our living space comfortable, setting up our office and studio and learning about our new community. We love it here! The arts community is so supportive and the opportunities that have come my way in the short time we have been here are nothing short of shocking.

I am continuing to teach at Bee Modern Yarn and Fabrics. We have added knitting and crochet to the schedule. Monique and Heide are so much fun to work with, and the shop sooo lovely, that if you have not been to check it out or seen the new yarn room you really must make the trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

I am also teaching at Triangle Sewing Centre here in Guelph. Classes are going well and we are working on the schedule for March through September. Do drop me a note if there is something you would like added to the calendar.

My jewellery and scarves are available at the Guelph Artisans shop in Old Quebec Street mall. I'm typically in the shop on a Thursday afternoon if you wish to see what I've been up to or just drop in for a chat.


And I've been working on a new line of special purpose totes, bags and cases. First out of the gate are cases and cozies for apples of every kind - from MacBook to iPad to Granny Smith.


At a recent show the latter sold so well that I had to resort to a handwritten note.


More of the same will be appearing shortly in a revitalized Etsy shop.

Hope all is well with you and yours and that you find time during this busy season to enjoy each other's company.

Holiday 2010 Show Dates

I've been working on retail orders and getting ready for Holiday Shows. You can see my latest work at:

The Handmade Market
Good Earth Food and Wine Co., Beamsville
Saturday and Sunday, November 27th and 28th

SpeakEasy Holiday Sale
Gladstone Hotel, Queen West, Toronto
Thursday, December 2nd

Movies & Makers
Fox Theatre, The Beaches, Toronto
Saturday, December 4th

All three shows are artisan run so please do help us get the word out. With the wonderful vendors that are participating, I'm looking forward to doing some Christmas shopping myself.

And of course I've had help in the shipping department....

I put fresh tissue in the box before sending it out. I do, however, think lavender is quite fetching on Ms. Samantha.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Now there is a question. And it is a question I get fairly often. Particularly from design students. Particularly when showing my wool pieces. On Saturday I kicked off my 2010/11 wool collection at Art of Fashion during Nuit Blanche and yes I got the question again. This time it caught me off guard so I fumbled about a bit.


Then today I came across this Seth Godin quote on Scoutie Girl's blog (fab blog btw!)
"If you’re managing a project, figure out what the scarce resource is (it’s not usually money). Climbing Everest? It’s warmth and weight you care about, not how much the sleeping bag costs.
 Scarcity creates value." And that got me thinking about what is the scarce resource I am offering through my work. This is what I came up with.

I like colour and I like clean, tidy lines and geometric shapes and I love texture and natural materials. From this starting point, I look at the way women dress today, especially as life gets fuller and busier. I think they need something easy to throw on with classic, quality basics that expresses something about them. I know I do. Something that pleases them and tells others that this is an interesting and vibrant woman at first glance. And I hope that is what I have created - fun, interesting and easy to wear pieces.

Because little girls roll down hills,

they need special occasion dresses that are hard wearing and allow little girls to be little girls. So, I've created three styles of party dresses that are, pretty, age-appropriate and (moms are you listening?) machine washable. What could be better for a flower girl? These dresses made from 100% cotton are comfortable to wear and easy to care for. All three styles have a bow and are just waiting to be twirled in. Available through About a Bride in Niagara-on-the-Lake, they will be on display at the upcoming Niagara Bridal Show, September 12th, noon to 5:00 at Club Italia, Niagara Falls.


Rose is the classic little girl dress, with a trim bodice, full skirt and short sleeves. It buttons at the back and has a wide waist sash. To make the experience of being in your wedding party all the more special for the flower girl, she can choose the contrast trim for the dress.

The dress is fully lined and features french seams and bias finished edges.

Daisy is a racer-back dress, with a raised waist and A-line skirt. Again the contrast edging can be chosen by the bride or the flower girl.

Fully lined, it closes with an invisible zip and snap at the side seam.

Flora is a sleeveless shift dress with extra fullness in the back. In eyelet with a contrast lining, it has a vintage feel.

The keyhole closure features a button and fabric loop.

The dresses are available in white, cream and soft pastels. A fitting is included in the price of the dress. These dresses will delight bride, flower girl and mom since they are feminine and sensible, just as we hope the wearer grows up to be.

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!