Updates and New Favorite Aprons

It's a mad house at the ole studio these days with preperations to the One of a Kind fully underway. Ups and downs along the way of course, but I do have the help of 3 lovely interns from Ryerson!! Chelsea, Katy and Yvonne. (Hello to the parents who have been googling me... ;))
These ladies are rocking my world! Tons of help.

I'm currently working with denim for the first time. Which in turn broke my serger... which thank-god-fully has been fixed. Production stopped for a day and I almost went crazy... pacing the floor...

I'm so excited about my denim skirts! There is also corduroy in the works. Hopefully I can have some photos by the end of this week. No promises.

For now here are a few of my favorite new aprons that will be available at the show! Notice how the monkeys in the pink apron have pink hearts for bums...

Show at the Drake!

So there's a last minute little show going on at the Drake Hotel this coming Thursday!
A handful of designers from Fresh Collective will be there, including me of course!

The Make Sale presenst - "Living La Vida Local!" (that's us) :)
at The Drake Hotel - 1150 Queen St. West @ Beaconsfield Ave. Room 222
9pm to 1am

Precious Pink Designs - Semi-precious, glass, wood, etc. Jewelry
Zippan Designs - Sterling Silver and Wood Jewelry
Keri Rounding - Hand Felt Accessories
Cipolla - Bags, Wallets, Cute Accessories of the sort
Jordynn Mackenzie - Bags and Wallets

I believe there should be cocktails... but I'm not sure exactly of the venue... so just come out anyway :)

We'll be in Room 222!!!
See you there!

Desserts 'n Skirts at FC

I know I mention Fresh Collective a lot but I'm not sure if I've ever said what exactly it is.

Well... it's a very cute little boutique along Queen West (the shopping mecca for those not familiar with Toronto). There is an average of 20 designer who are members of the store. As a member, you rent out space and work one day a week in the shop.

This is my little 3-foot clothing section for Desserts 'n Skirts.

I also have two jewelry cabinets that the previous jewelry shot was taken from.

I work on Thursdays! You should visit.

And the AFTER

Fabric Fabric Fabric!

Doesn't even look like the same space does it?

Studio

So, we've been in the new studio space since mid June. These photos were taken pretty much that week, right after the move. The photos here are pretty much the four corners of the room, it's one nice, big open space.

The first photo here is my corner. It's where it all goes down.

Notice my empty cutting table, not too cluttered floor (yes some clutter, but in a creative world there has to be).

So, we'll call this photo the before photo, as I am about to show you a more recent photo of my work space. In all it's glory.

Necklace

Notice the necklace on the bust that I made with the pendant I showed you earlier in the month!

This is one of the shelves of the two jewelry cabinets that I have at the store... Fresh Collective.

My blue shelf.

Window Display

Here are the photos of the display that I've had since mid August at the Fresh Collective. My new favorite fabrics on the skirts! I have this window until the end of the month... so merely days left :(. Bye bye window.

More Fun Fabrics

Most of these fabrics are for aprons (especially the psychadelic black and crazy ones) but some I loved so much I though I'd try skirts with them, like the beige and camouflage ones... I'll show you later. ;)

I've been slaving away in the studio for the past couple of weeks. Tons of aprons coming out AND I made a dress!! I love my dress. I've only made the sample which is full of mistakes and fixes so I'll show that one off when I've made more. I'm also going to try and make a blouse out of the same idea of the dress. So much to do and get photos of to show you!!!

Also, I've been slacking off on this blog thing. In my mind I would like to post at least 10 times a month. And it's now the 29th so it looks like you're getting hit with 6 posts in about 3 days.

Not a problem. I have things to show you.

See you in 5.

New Pendants in the Making...

I've been wanting to start making these for almost a year now, maybe even over a year? I'm finally on it! It's been a matter of finding all the things I needed to make them... but here we are. At least it's begun. I still need to find some lighter coloured wood.... a bit of variation.

For now here are a couple of pendants that I have yet to turn into necklaces. Coincidentally they match PERFECTLY with my new fabric that I showed you the other day... with the browns, blues and yellows.

That wasn't even on purpose. Can you believe it?

It's true.

Mmmmm mmmm good

As per summer tradition, here is one of the (not-so) little guys that was consumed while on holiday. (Notice that he doesn't even fit on the plate?)

I miss him so.

Now back to work.

I have begun work on all the skirts for the feature window coming up on the 16th. Very excited about that! After that it's straight on to the One of a Kind Show preparation. Full speed ahead and I should be able to reach my insane goal... or at least get close. We'll see.

Tons of fabric to play with and more photos coming soon!!!

It's Go! Time

Back home and back to work but so excited! I have so much new fabric it's a bit insane.

I'll have a feature window at the store (Fresh Collective) from August 16th to the 31st and I'm making a bunch of skirts out of this fabric!

I can't wait to see the finished products and will definitley post photos!
Some really cute fabrics for aprons I'll show you soon too!

Stay tuned.

My dad just walked in with a box full of lobsters...

Just sayin' is all.

Clams - Check!

Thank god I got those out of the way.

So I'm home, catching up on rest. I always sleep more when I'm here. I think it's because it's so quiet, and I just revert back to being 16 years old.

I will be checking out the fabric store (yes, singular) while I'm here. I always find some cute stuff for the aprons when I'm here. That way when I get back I can start slaving away at the sewing machines... Oh the excitement up ahead... ;)

I DO look forward to the day when I can pay people to do my sewing for me... just open a box and have a pile of finished merchandise... Ah the dream.

On Holiday!

I'm off to visit the family in Moncton N.B. for over a week... where I will be baking lots and eating lots of lobster, fried clams and of course... home cooked meals.

I'm sure that once again, in the coming month, I will be posting more about food than anything else :)

Oh yeah, I will also be seeing friends and stuff like that... ;)

Yeah I had this a couple of times...

Mmmmmmm Poutine....

Some Photos From the Shows in London

Considering how weird the weather has been I can't complain. It rained off and on for the second show but the crowd was determined to not let it ruin their day! Amazing!

I'm getting to know a few people in London now just from doing these festivals and they come back year after year... so THANK YOU!

Yeah you. ;)

My ever-popular cube collection. I will never let it go.

A little from behind the scenes.

This is a new collection that I am very excited about! More individual photos soon...

So I WAS on the waiting list for the Xmas One of a Kind Show...
Now I'm actually IN the show!!! Woot Woot!

There was a cancellation! They emailed me yesterday to give me the good news!

So excited.
Of course this means work...TONS of sewing to do.

That will have to wait until after my last London show though, which I leave for in the morning.

So... if you're in London come on down to Victoria Park this weekend for Home County Folk Fest!
I'll be there with my jewels...

See you there.

Back from London!

... and off again on Friday!

I had a great 4 day show last weekend and I have just enough time to breath and make new jewelry. My regulars in London are keeping me on my toes. I need to make sure that I have new designs now every time I go! And, for all my regulars, I have been hard at work on a brand new collection off shiny, pretty, new things. So excited!!!

I will have photos next week, they're on my camera, I just have to focus on making new things right now as I am off to London again this Friday (my birthday!!!) for 3 days.

So, again, if you're in London Ontario this weekend, come by and say hello!!!

Home County Folk Fest
Victoria Park, London Ontario

See you there!

First Big Festival of the Summer!

Don't forget, all you Londoners (Ontario of course), that Sunfest is this coming weekend!!

I will be there.

In the Park.

Victoria Park.

Thursday July 9th to Sunday July 12th.

Come by and say hello if you're there!

Here are some photos from the last show that I did, Slam Gallery, at Fire on the Eastside.

My gorgeous display!

Some pretty necklaces...

Superstars Maureen and Ally!
Wearing, oddly enough, the two necklaces I posted about the day before the party.

See 3 posts down :)

My Stalkee...

I went out to Niagara Falls last weekend (or the weekend before?)... time flies... and I HAD to go to Anna Olson's bakery! Screw the Falls right? I'm kidding, they're amazing... but, here is the first photo I will post, of me with her, of course, in front of the sweets counter. :)

Of course.

We had the White Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake (3 of them between two of us) and a delicious Creamy Lemon Square. We had one each at the bakery then I got two more for the road but then 30 minutes in the car I realized they probably should be eaten soon.

So we did.

Of course.

Her bakery is in the middle of a vinyard in Niagara on the Lake.

It's really quite amazing. We had our desserts with fresh cherry juice in the backyard overlooking all the vines.

R.I.P M.J.

He changed the face of music in all aspects.

New Beads, New Necklaces

These are the things that make me happy... among many others of course.

At the show on Thursday!

Now if I could only get my website updated with some of this stuff...

Slam Gallery 2

Another night of art (and me) at Fire on the Eastside!

Please join us on Thursday June 18th from 7pm to 10 pm!

Fire on the Eastside
6 Gloucester St., Toronto (two streets north of Wellesley, just east of Yonge)

There will be Art
There will be Jewelry
There will be food
There will be booze

Choose your poison... I mean, passion.

"Fire on the East Side presents Slam Gallery. In this second installment, we feature artists Suzanne MacRury, Neil Young, Jewelry designer Nicole Boudreau and others. Mill Street Brewery will be on hand to sample some of their products as well!Please come out and support the arts in your community!"

See you there!

What's new?

We are officially in Suite 306! Finally, no more drilling and sawing outside my door...

Creative Peacefullness....

Tomorrow is organization and creation day.

Tonight is Lemon Meringue Cheesecake night. 4 minutes on the timer. They will be in the coffee shop tomorrow morning. Freshly delivered!

2 minutes 52 on the timer...

In case you can't find me...

This snazzy new sign in the building lobby will point you in the right direction...

Except that next week we will be in suite 306. Hopefully they'll get that switched up right away.

Then I can post another photo!! And Photoshop a Graffiti heart around my name once again!

Come visit. I dare you.

Pretty Goodies...

This is what I've been baking twice a week for the past month.

The top two cupcake looking ones are mine. The middle one is actually a cupcake... vanilla... but the one on the right... ooooh... that's a cheesecake. The Lemon Meringue Cheesecake. :) Mmmm.

I'm struggling a bit to find the time to do the baking twice a week but I'm enjoying it. It's pretty awesome that I can get all this baking done and I don't have to eat it all.

But if I have to, I will. Don't get me wrong.

I will.

Tomorrow is baking day so if you're at all tempted to have one of these bad-boys, you will find them at T.A.N. Coffee on saturday. 992 Queen St. West!

Get 'em while they're hot (or set and chilled...), they do not last long.

Headaches this week...

But these headaches are leading to a new and exciting thing!

Our studio space is moving to a new suite! Same building, different floor, different number.
The owners of the building decided to tear down and open up the entire 5th floor... my floor... so they had to find a new place to put us. It's all working out for the best as they are giving us a slightly bigger space AND they're tearing down all the walls inside so that it is one big open space! Something we planned on doing eventually anyway, only now we don't have to pay for it :)

All good!

Except that for the past 2 weeks I've had to walk through a construction site to get to the studio. And all this week it's been going over proposals, signing new leases, getting new cheques written, choosing paint colours, getting all four of us in the space at the same time... and out of the four of us who share this space, it's my phone number they have.

I swear I hear my phone ringing even when it's not.

Anyway our new lease starts on June 15th so we should be moved in by monday!!

End Rant.

Cupcakes 'n Cheesecakes!

Baking all morning/afternoon for the coffee shop!

T.A.N. Coffee 992 Queen St. West

Coming up later this afternoon....
Lemon Meringue Cheesecakes
and Vanilla Cupcakes

DE-LISH

Oh...

There is also a small write-up on the Lou Lou website.

http://www.louloumagazine.com/english/insider/louloushops/article.jsp?content=20090520_094006_6340

A Store Feature!!!

Amazing Amazing Amazing!

Fresh Collective is featured in the June issue of Lou Lou Magazine!
I can't wait to see what the outcome of this will be. I know the store has already had people coming in because of this. And it's only just the first of June!

Go team!

I've gone ahead and put an arrow pointing to my necklace that is on the bottom mannequin... :)

Feel free to click on the image to see it larger. Yes I know it just looks like a birth mark... but it's my necklace, I swear.

The woman in the photo is the store owner. Laura-Jean the Knitting Queen, or, LJ the KQ as I tend to call her.

Check it out!

Thank you

The party last night was a huge success!
Thanks to all who came out!

My lemon cupcakes were a huge success too! Yay!
Maybe they'll make their way into the coffee shop... who knows :)

Another Etsy Treasury

One of the designers from Fresh Collective created a Treasury on Etsy featuring a few of the designers from the shop.

So this is also a sample of the work that you will find in the FC.

Don't forget the party is tonight and the sale is all day long at the shop.

Fresh Collective 11am to 9pm

692 Queen St. West, Toronto

AND I made some pretty fabulous lemon cupcakes that I will be bringing to the party... as if the sale wasn't enough!!!

Come for the sales

Come for the cupcakes

Come for the company!

Some Jewelry...

...that you will see at Fresh Collective this week.

I will also be posting a lot more items on Etsy in the coming two weeks.

New supplies coming soon and then it will be full speed ahead for Summer stock!

I know, I know... not a lot of colour. This is where the new supplies come in though!

Stay tuned...

This fabric is back...

...by popular demand.

You can get it at Fresh Collective @ 692 Queen St. West.

It is also out of print so I won't be able to get anymore!

This makes me sad as I love this one... but I suppose I have to move on to new fabrics.

Bye bye corriander pine.