Flowers for you

Thanks so much for all your kind words and encouragement yesterday! I was debating whether or not to even write about it, since it's a whole year away, but it's really all that's been on my mind and I just couldn't keep it to myself! It's funny, when I was thinking about moving away from my friends I realised that a bunch of the people I was thinking about where people I hadn't even met in real life, haha. I consider so many of my 'internet friends' my actual friends (shocker), and there is a comfort in knowing we'll still all be connected via blogs and the like. Now if only I could figure out a way to gather everyone together so we could all hang out for reals!

When I was looking for that photo of Kate and I that I posted yesterday, I found these ones I'd taken of some flowers I had in my room back home. I can't actually remember what they were for now, but I kinda like these photos that I took with my giant kodak digital. I'd love to have you all over for tea and give you bunches of pretty flowers to say thanks and let you know how much you all mean to me, but for now these will have to do. I hope you enjoy them and are having a lovely day!

Smart ladies

Through the magic of the internet I've been lucky enough to have met a whole bunch of smart & creative ladies who are doing what they love, building businesses and generally working really hard to be able to do so. One such lady is the lovely Jen, who has just this past Friday opened up her shop Hound for business! While I really enjoy sewing, making actual clothes to be worn by myself is still a little ways off, let alone drafting patterns, so the idea of designing and making a whole beautiful line of clothing both overwhelms and amazes me. I know Jen has been working really hard on this, and it has totally paid off as it looks fantastic!

I think what strikes me the most about Hound's Spring line is the real cool ease it has about it, everything looks like it would be so comfortable yet sophisticated at the same time. I seriously love the cartography print that runs through Jen's line and I'm pretty sure I need both that tote and the Helen sleeveless top in my life!

Speaking of smartypants crafty ladies, did you see that Erin and Victoria now both have vintage shops? Oh man, so much good stuff! Also, Liz has recently announced that she's planning on opening a yarn shop! Moss Stitch, such a perfect name (and also my most favourite stitch). I'm super excited for her, and generally inspired and motivated by all these fantastic, entrepreneurial ladies!

Crafty Goodness

Seattle was so much fun! We headed out early-ish Saturday morning, only to have a 2 hour wait at the border, but the car company (and lets be honest, air conditioning) was so good that it wasn't really that much of a big deal. I travelled down there with Kim, Lili and Rhiannon and while there was a lot of car time, it was actually really nice being able to hang out and chat with a bunch of girlfriends - awesome crafty ones at that! They even gave me my first real taste of Taco Bell, which was both terrifying and sadly delicious at the same time. I feel like in the past 6 months or so I've really made some great friends here and have been pushing myself to get out and meet people a little more. It's tricky for a homebody like myself! Not that I ever didn't like Vancouver, but it has made me all the more content and happy with my life here now that I've found fun and like minded people to hang out with. So good.

Anyway, we ended up spending about 3 hours or so at Urban Craft Uprising which I would never have thought possible! Not only did I pick up some sweet stuff, I also got to meet some sweet people. A little while ago The Berkleys and us set up a swap, and being the slacker I've been lately I finally had their stuff ready to take down to them this weekend. Which, secretly was a good thing because it meant I got to meet them in person and find out just how lovely and funny they really are (plus I picked up this super sweet* print for Richard). I also got to meet Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching fame, who is also very lovely, and chat with her a little about the Daniel Johnston embroidery patterns which I had somehow never seen before but are weirdly fantastic!

Naturally, there was also much shopping to be done. I picked up those cute brooches up the top from Mucho Design and Schmancy. I really love that little twig! Next up are little business card holders from Mugwump. I love that quote on Richard's one, which I'm pretty sure is from an Edward Gorey book from the looks of it. I very nearly got one made from a map of New Zealand, but the hydrangea one was just so much prettier! Sorry, Stewart Island.

We decided to play Secret Santa on the way home, to beat the traffic boredom, and all had to buy a $5 gift for someone else in the car. Of course, there was no traffic on the way home just to spite us so we exchanged gifts while driving. Rebels, I know. I was lucky enough to get this fantastic notebook from Lili, that is made out of a vintage dictionary! The best part is that they've kept some of the old dictionary pages in which is both cute and potentially useful!

Alrighty, I'm so very tired and listening to some whacked out version of Benny and The Jets on youtube. Does anyone else do that, use youtube kind of like a radio? Hmm. Anyway time for bed for sure. Tomorrow is my 1 year bloggiversary, so look out for a fun giveaway or the like. To be honest, I thought the anniversary was on Saturday so I have no idea what I'm doing yet, but it will be good!

Night!

xo

Handmade Nation and a busy week.

Hello! I'm so sorry that it has been such awhile since I've posted here, but we've been so busy! Just after Canada Day we had our second round of family visitors come stay with us. Richard's sister Kathy and her partner Beth who was visiting B.C. for the first time. We had a lovely sunny weekend which was spent eating lots of stone fruit, picnicking in Stanley Park and going to All India buffet (and getting very, very full...like, top button undone full. Oh, Gulab Jamun).This last week we had the Vancouver premier of Handmade Nation, which was absolutely fantastic. Faythe Levine, the film maker, flew in for the occasion and not only was the movie showing great but a bunch of local crafty types also got together for a party to welcome Faythe the night before the screening. It was so lovely getting to meet a bunch of people that I've made friends with online, and just to hang out with lots of fun like-minded people. There was a wee showcase of local crafters at the premier, which we had a table at showing our wares (I forgot my camera sadly! Fortunately there was a photographer there so I will hopefully have photos for you soon!) and chatting with new found crafty friends. I got to meet my friend Heather from Dalhaus who makes absolutely beautiful ceramics, Amy (aka Crafty Dame) and her sister came to introduce themselves to us, and picked up one of our new wooden bookmarks which were hot of the press! We snacked on chocolate vegan cupcakes from Coco Cake Cupcakes, celebrated the lovely Ms. Werker's birthday and met Jan from Poppytalk who has been so encouraging and supportive of us and it was really great to be able to thank her in person! Hanging out with all these Vancouver crafty folks (and more!) was such a fun time and made me love this city all the more!

The movie itself was absolutely fantastic, I really loved it. We both did in fact. With Richard having grown up in the punk/DIY scene, I think there was a bit of a reawakening for his passion for making. I loved how real and authentic everyone in the film was, and also the overwhelming theme about the importance of being creative, making for yourself and in ways that you love. We both came a way really fired up, with lots of ideas and even more sure that this is something we want to do not only for a living (if possible) but also for our own satisfaction. There was lots of talk, both in the film and in the Q&A with Faythe afterwards, about the danger (or maybe worry is a better word?) of the handmade movement being co-opted by corporate retail which admittedly is a scary prospect. However I really loved something Faythe mentioned about the fact regardless of what is selling or currently trendy, people are always going to be creating and making. This also really rung true throughout the various interviews in the film, it was so obvious that people were not only genuinely passionate about what they were doing but that making was such a natural (and sometimes subversive and political) act for them. I think this really resonated with us both because we feel similarly, but also because of how easily that can get lost in the clutter of life. Needless to say we came away inspired and with some resolutions for ourselves, and lots and lots of ideas! Big thanks to Andrea and Rob of Got Craft for putting on such a fantastic event!

On that note, it is late, late here and one of my resolutions is getting up at a decent time so I best scurry off to bed! I hope you're all very well and I promise you will be hearing from me lots more soon!