Biscotti Togs

Blast from the past pillow...

2011-07-05T10:54:00.000-04:00

For the first time in a long time, I'm living in a place with a front porch. So I've been adding elements that make it a comfortable place to spend time. The cushions on my bent willow chair badly needed recovering, so I've recently tackled that project. It was a small project, and a good way to ease back into my sewing machine's good graces.

I re-use the same pillows for a very long time. How long? Well, when I took off the outer layer of one, I found this:

Humble beginnings! This is a pillow I made in Home Economics class in Grade 7. The felt has pulled as it's worn under a layer of covering fabric, but it's in relatively good shape. Ugly, but in good shape! lol

So it's not got a new cover (the fabric is from an old Ikea bedspread). And I'll soon forget what's inside, until I get another pleasant (if humbling) surprise.

Not quite a post card...

2010-08-01T20:11:00.000-04:00

While waiting for the postcards to arrive, I realized that I still had a stash of those mini cards from MOO.com. Whipped up some note cards, tucked in some extra mini-moos... and all but one are sent out. And (!) I've received a letter already, so Round 2 will start shortly. :)

Wish You Were Here...

2010-07-19T16:31:00.001-04:00

summer
Originally uploaded by Erin Wilson (wilsonian)

I'm doing a little photo project thanks to a little magic happening over at Shutter Sisters. Real live snail-mail penpals, incorporating our photography.

I'm going to make some post cards of the places that are meaningful to me, and then send them out to my Shutter Sister matches.

Since I'm making up some cards, I thought I might open the pool a little. Anyone want to exchange real mail? Yours doesn't have to involve photography, if that's not your thing. But something personal included with a note would be amazing.

Leave a message here if you're interested, and we'll sort out the postal details off-blog.

Neighbourhood Camp of a different sort...

2010-07-05T12:41:00.000-04:00

"Master weaver Babajan of the Los Angeles weaving shop, Pets With Fez, wove his first rug at the age of six, a lovely tapestry sampler populated by frogs and turtles. He grew up in San Francisco, the son of a Kurdish shepherd who fought in World War I as a teenager before emigrating to the States. Baba’s father worried that in America there were no programs where his sons could learn the cultural traditions of his homeland. So the extended family came together to run an after-school program modeled on their villages. Aunts, uncles — whomever knew a technique — would give lessons in traditional weaving, music, and languages. Baba and his brothers all studied weaving but it became clear that it was only a calling for Baba." -via Etsy's The Storque. (worth clicking through to see the brilliant photos by Faythe Levine)

Yes, a theme developing here. What are your skills? Who are you passing them on to?

Neighbourhood Camp

2010-06-28T17:47:00.001-04:00

"A few summers ago, the granddad of one of Emma's classmates invited a few kids to a week long summer "cribbage camp". It was held every morning for a couple of hours. The kids would meet, pair up, and learn all the components of cribbage from the granddad. It was extremely cute and quite serious, and we would often come in at pick up time to a completely quiet house, a roomful of kids completely absorbed in their games." -Blair, at Wise Craft.

What a brilliant idea this is. Someone's granddad got to share a skill. Kids got to learn a skill. Kids were happy. Parents were happy. It didn't cost a lot of money, and knit the neighbourhood a little tighter. Does it get any better than this?!

I wonder what kind of skills are exist in your neighbourhood? There are so many amazing possibilities for those who are open.

And you know... I'm thinking that a grown-up version of this would be pretty much divine.

I Am Peerless

2010-06-22T20:48:00.003-04:00

"It's so hard to stand out. It will always be hard. But it's absolutely necessary if you want to survive and thrive. Uncommon and unparalleled vision cannot be easily imitated. That's your goal. Don't bet the farm on a passing technique or technology that may or may not be here tomorrow, nor may it stand the test of time. Instead, bet the farm on unmatched, unequalled, unsurpassed vision. That which is solely inward. And all about you. Not your tools and techniques." -Jack Hollingsworth

Writer, painter, designer... or photographer? This is such a great read, regardless of your medium.

Feeling like a little summer camp...?

2010-06-10T21:35:00.005-04:00

Think your summer camp days are behind you? They don't have to be.

I had such a good time with the Mondo Beyondo experience, I did the class twice. And the brilliant gals behind MB have baked up a summer camp for grown-ups called Mondo Beyondo Dream Lab. The best stuff from summer camp, except that you get to sleep in your own bed and there are no mosquitos.

*I'm stepping out a bit with this post. The links provided in this post are affiliate links. That means that if you sign up for the Dream Lab through this post, I get a commission. If you know me at all, you might find this a departure for me. It's more in my nature to simply send you to the site. I'll tell you why I chose a different route: I tend to be a cheerleader about things I like. I will, from time to time, include a post like this promoting something that I've experienced and loved. If I've signed on as an affiliate, and attached my name to something, you know that I'm serious. Whenever I post an affiliate link, I will include a disclaimer like this, just so we're all clear.

2010-05-28T19:00:00.002-04:00

Some quick plant tags for my container garden...

Old silver forks I can't seem to part with + plastic cut from litter container + black permanent marker

Easy peasy, and prettier than the plastic alone.

Sari Maker

2010-05-06T20:03:00.003-04:00

Photographer Matt Brandon has posted a great multi-media piece from his recent workshop in India. Wasim: The Sari Maker of Varanasi is beautiful. I also found it to be powerful. It's hard not to be moved when you see the humanity of someone who works long hours creating beauty for others by embellishing textiles... yet receives such a small amount of compensation.

2010-03-22T17:18:00.003-04:00

Oh yeah, I'm posting this on every blog I have! lol. Can I tell you about the very neat thing that happened to me today? The super cool Sabrina Henry interviewed me on her photography blog!

I'm obviously a fan of Sabrina's, and love her blog. She has a way of writing posts and asking questions that are thought-provoking and community-building. And her photographs, particularly from her recent African safari, are gorgeous. Sabrina is a generous soul, and it was such a great experience to work through the questions she posed!

I have to admit that it's also a little weird though, putting myself out there like this. I feel a like I'm standing against the wall at a Grade 7 dance. If only Ladies Night would come on the radio... I'd know exactly what to do. ;)

2010-03-21T12:09:00.002-04:00

[sadly there is no image to go with this post. I've just noticed that I have a serious lack of kid content in my life. I think I might need to change this.]

Two fantastic book projects related to kids:

The Rest Is Up to You -- "Like many kids, third grader Cohen Morano likes to watercolor. What's different about Cohen's paintings is that his father, Aye Jay, sends them out into the world to be embellished and altered by a stellar roster of artists and illustrators." via poppytalk.

Best Book Report Ever. Courtney at Two Straight Lines knew that her son had his first book report coming up for school. So not only did they work on the book report... she helped her son write a book.

There are so many things to love about these projects...
-it's a powerful thing to teach children that they can just do things like this. They don't need to get older first.
-it's a powerful thing to teach ourselves that we can just do things like this. We don't need to get older first. We don't need to learn more. We don't need to get anyone's permission. We don't. We just need to do it. Whatever it is... do it.

2010-03-05T20:28:00.000-05:00

You'll never guess what I've got on the needles now!

2010-02-24T07:39:00.003-05:00

I know! Shocking! Another scarf!

But what I really wanted to note was the lovely lovely yarn I knit this up with. Hand dyed in Chile. Soft soft soft. I picked this up at PassionKnit in Toronto. I don't get to a decent yarn shop very often, but as it happens, this one is right down the street from a friend's office. Fate? I think so. The store is well named, as the few times I've been in the staff show that they are clearly passionate about what they do.

2010-02-22T10:42:00.003-05:00

Finished this scarf. In fact, I've finished another since and have one more on the needles. I know... how many scarves does one person need. Apparently, a few. :)

This scarf took 3 50g. balls. That surprised me. I rarely use more than 100g. for a scarf. I had the cotton on hand though, so that wasn't an issue. As you'll see in the photo, it's not blocked yet. I might not even do that. Because you'll also notice fuzzies on it. I wore it to bed one night lol. Worked like a charm.

On a completely unrelated note, there is a great post up at Design Sponge about Displaying and Cataloguing Your Child's Artwork. Some really great ideas for what do do with all of the wonderful projects that come through the door.

2010-02-06T18:13:00.003-05:00

"When I was cutting these curtains out a few days ago, Michael asked me what I was making. I told him that the living room was a mess and the dining room/studio/office was being reorganized and I had card designs due next week so I was making new curtains for the kitchen. He said that sounded about right."

-Julie at Under the Tulip Tree

I wouldn't know anything about that. Ha! :)

2010-02-05T20:06:00.003-05:00

I needed to come up with a photo to express my favourite colour for an ongoing photo project. After some failed attempts outside, I came back to the comfort of my studio and started pulling reds. It ended up being a fun little shoot, so I think I'm going to revisit the theme each week with a different colour. For now... red.

2010-02-02T21:45:00.002-05:00

I was reminded of my favourite wheat-paster, jetsonorama when I found this old shot taken in Hamilton. I loved the idea that someone had wheat-pasted the recipe for past... to encourage more to play. Nice.

Michael Bierut on Clients

2010-01-31T18:42:00.004-05:00

I just discovered the CreativeMornings video series at swissmiss. This talk by Michael Bierut is about working with clients. He is a designer speaking to an audience of designers, but I think there is much to learn for photographers, and other creatives.

2010/01 Michael Bierut from CreativeMornings on Vimeo.

2010-01-30T14:31:00.005-05:00

Because I have a thousand things to do... I'm teaching myself how to crochet. Yeah, of course. I have to admit that I haven't always liked crochet, preferring knitting. But I'm being won over by the texture you can achieve when using natural materials. I have a lot of cotton on hand, so started in on a scarf. Making scarves is pretty much my go-to way to learn. Working this one up in double crochet, trying to get a handle on consistent tension. I'm quite excited about having an even more convenient project to keep in my bag and in the car. I don't mind whipping out the knitting while standing in line, but this will be even more convenient.

Learning from the book The Happy Hooker (put out by the Stitch and Bitch crew), and a great tutorial by Kim Werker here.

Also loving the work of Krochet Kids. Can I just say it... men who crochet are the coolest.

Because I am insane...

2010-01-28T21:15:00.002-05:00

...there is one more blog in the fold. It seemed like Biscotti Togs was getting crushed under the weight of photography posts that just didn't fit. I'm such a random kind of gal, it's tough to figure these things out as I go. So I'll slowly be migrating photography related posts to Erin Wilson Photo. And things go well, I'll have a playground here for crafty things soon.

Where Books Come To Life

2010-01-20T17:49:00.004-05:00

Brilliant stop-motion animation from the New Zealand Book Council. (via Kim Carney)

I heart letterpress

2010-01-06T20:27:00.001-05:00

I've long been a fan of letterpress, but oh... be still my beating heart. LOVE this fab piece about letterpress.

Letterpress Coasters from Quarter Productions on Vimeo.

Pre-Planning

2009-12-26T19:18:00.002-05:00

Fate=Decisions by Indexed

While I believe that sometimes our path involves simply letting go, I also believe that results come from hard work. The plan for 2010 is to organize the creative side of my life and develop something sustainable out of it.

Anyone else in the same boat? What are you putting into place to make sure that happens?

Choicemob

2009-12-07T12:02:00.006-05:00

There's a cool movement starting up called Choicemob. The basic premise: encourage fairness, compassion and respect for the earth in the marketplace.

Today is their first event, focusing on Better World Books.

From Choicemob...

"How Better World Books Earned the Choicemob

The Choicemob stands for Fairness, Compassion, and Respect for the Earth. Better World Books has wrapped that ethos in a business.

The two key elements of BWB’s social impact:

1 - Funding Literacy Around the World - Better World Books has given $4 million to select non-profits for literacy programs globally and here in the US, and $3.5 million to libraries and book-oriented thrift shops. Literacy and education are two enormous challenges facing our world, and BWB is at the forefront of our collective answer.

2 - Saving Books from Landfills - Millions of books are thrown away each year, wasting natural resources and fueling unnecessary consumerism. BWB has saved over 30,000,000 (30 million) books from landfills, honoring their value as idea-carriers, and preserving our planet.

Moreover, BWB treats employees well and buys carbon offsets for all shipping.

And BWB is great for consumers who want a books at a discount, offering used books for great prices and free shipping anywhere in the US. Plus, books make great gifts, and ‘tis the season.

Win. Win. Win. Choicemob."

What a great choice to feature BWB! I've loved this company for quite a while. In fact, I found an email from them in my inbox this morning. I'd ordered a book over the weekend (No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories by Miranda July) and received an email that it was being shipped out.

Now, here's the thing... they turned what could have been a regular (read: boring) business transaction into something that gave me great delight.

"Hello Erin,

(Your book(s) asked to write you a personal note - it seemed unusual, but who are we to say no?)

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world!

I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana."

How can you not love that??!! And reminds me again about the powerful role of story, especially in unexpected places. Now... I wonder if there's something else I can order today? :)

Addictive Diversion

2009-12-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

Integrity | Photography

2009-12-05T17:49:00.002-05:00

"One of the things I'm keen to put across to photography students is that if photography is a means of communicating an experience (and it surely is), then it is essential to have actually had the experience in the first place." -Gavin Gough

I think the same could be said for a lot of other things.

Generosity | Photography

2009-12-01T19:53:00.003-05:00

The more I get into photography, the more time I spend online with the blogs/sites/twitter feeds of photographers. And you know, you'd be hard pressed to find a more generous group of people. Case in point: Zack Arias. Arias read David duChemin's book VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography (he's profiled in the book too). Now, I love the book. Clearly Arias does too, because he started tweeting quotes from it right away. Tweets weren't enough though, so he put together a give-away contest that kept on growing. Go have a look for yourself.

Now here's the thing... you can't win a prize for yourself. You can only win a prize to give away.

"We love stories around here. We want to hear the story of someone you know who would really, really, really be blessed by this gift of encouragement. Someone who lies awake at night dreaming of becoming a photographer. Someone who is doing all they can to make this dream happen but they just aren’t there yet. Maybe they are just learning and dreaming about it. Maybe they are 1 year into it and are having a hard time. Someone you know needs a big ass package like this to help them get through the winter months and keep going. Every single person listed above knows about this contest and are personally interested in giving this stuff away to someone who will appreciate it, love it, and RUN with it!"

So how cool is that??!! If you know someone who fits what they're looking for, go for it!

But I think this goes way beyond photography. Who do you know who is talented, working hard, and can use some encouragement? What would it take to make a difference for them? Can you pass on some resources that have been meaningful for you? How about making some introductions with people who would be great connections? Or offering your wisdom? Are they investing so much into their craft that there isn't much left-over? How about making them dinner.

With a little creativity you can give someone a real leg up.

2009-11-23T13:47:00.003-05:00

The good people at Craft passed along news of this lovely sale at Chronicle Books. Get 35% off all books with free shipping to boot! Use the promo code FRIENDS at checkout from now until Dec 4th.

The bad news is that it only works for US type folks. Makes me sad, as I had a bunch of gift shopping picked out before I figured that out. So, if you live in the US and like craft books (as well as a whole range of really great gift + cookbooks), take advantage of this great deal.

**Update**
For Canadian type folks, I've found an end run. If you've found Chronicle books that you'd like to have, check them out through Better World Books. They've got a holiday sale on now, and offer free shipping to the US, cheap shipping elsewhere. Yay!!

Sunday | Cooking

2009-11-22T16:43:00.004-05:00

Poor, poor neglected blog :( Shall we try this again?

For the last while, I've tried to do my shopping and cooking for the week on Sundays. When I don't have a week's worth of food prepared, the results are pretty disasterous. Lots of junk food. Lots of crap. Not good. Also very, very expensive. Eeek. So, in hopes of eating better and spending much less, a little organization. Also, I don't mind eating the same thing all week, so this shouldn't be this hard.

So, for this week...

Breakfasts: homemade chunky apple sauce (made this afternoon) and plain yogurt, topped with toasted oatmeal flakes, chopped walnuts and unsweetened coconut (toasted in a dry frying pan while the apple sauce heats in the microwave). I like this a lot.

Lunches: Black Bean Chili with orange and cumin, with a cornmeal muffin. Very unusual chili recipe courtesy of the Epicurious website, cornmeal muffin recipe from the Harrowsmith Cookbook Vol. 1 (printed in 1981). Except for the muffins which are still in the oven, everything else is finished portioned and in the fridge.

Suppers: Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew from Martha Stewart herself, I'm sure. I have several kinds of squash here from a friend's garden, so I substituted a hard squash instead of the sweet potato. This was also made this afternoon, portioned and in the fridge.

Betweens: raw carrots + green beans with hummus in the morning, pear in the afternoon.

I think I'll be eating very well this week, for a third of the cost of last week. Yay!

2009-07-31T13:06:00.002-04:00

"I wander if any of the painters rave on about their gear or debate about which paint or brush is better, as photographers often do?"

-Mitchell Kanashkevich, as an aside on a post about chiaroscuro.

Rhubarb Love

2009-07-13T15:28:00.004-04:00

So, I didn't think I liked rhubarb. I certainly don't like the texture of most cooked rhubarb. Turns out though that I like pretty much anything baked with brown sugar. This is a recipe from Canadian Living's web site. Made a couple modifications... used an egg substitute for baking instead of an egg (1 tsp. baking powder + 1 tbsp. vinegar + 1 tbsp. water), and left out the butter in the topping and added about 2/3 C. walnuts. Baked in mini-loaf pans. Made 8. Oh, they're really good.

2009-06-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

It was so hard to leave this morning. Just feet from the registration desk, I turned and walked away. A local antique mall is shutting its doors, and today two auctioneers are going head-to-head, ushering out goods from a well-filled building.

And I managed to walk away.

Like so many bloggers I follow, I have a love for beauty. And beauty, being infinately varied in expression, can reveal itself in myriad ways. A particular shade of colour. The graceful way a pitcher handle curves before touching the vessel's bowl. Perhaps the way flaked paint, gentle brown foxing or worn patches reveal the complexity of story in a seemingly simple object.

Auctions are dangerous for me. I have always been the protective sort, lover of the underdog, and able to see a beautiful story others quicky dismiss. And as the hours while away, and the crowds at a big auction disperse, I inevitable feel the need to bid on the misunderstood, homely/beautiful items left languishing. I want to gather them all and bring them home. But I am moving in a different direction in life, and am trying as much as possible to lighten my footprint, and give away or sell things I do not need.

*this has been hiding out in draft form since Nov 2006. Funny how I'm still trying to lighten my footprint.

This Is Where We Live

2009-04-25T09:22:00.001-04:00

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

Super cool little stop-animation piece. Via Loobylu.

Illustrated

2009-01-08T23:31:00.002-05:00

How cool is this... Glaucia made a drawing of one of my bags.

Strap Make-over

2008-12-26T12:51:00.002-05:00

This was the perfect Boxing Day project. Something simple in my exhausted state + something I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I've been looking at several blog posts and etsy listings with camera strap covers. I loved the idea, but didn't want the extra bulk. I know that some people want professional-looking, logo-bearing straps... but I'm not one of those people. I wanted something beautiful, but not too showy. When I saw this ribbon last week, I bought a yard knowing I'd use it soon (probably for a messenger bag). But as soon as I got it home, I realized that it was the exact width of my camera strap. Bingo.

Folded the cut ends in, stitched down in a dark grey thread. That's it. My machine didn't exactly love sewing through the thick strap, but did a fine job. Five minutes, start to finish. Yay!!

Courageous Sucking

2008-12-07T09:44:00.002-05:00

"...Nobody likes feeling like a noob, especially when you’re getting constant pressure on all sides to never stick out in an unflattering way. And, in this godforsaken just-add-Wikipedia era of make-believe insight and instant expertise, it’s natural to start believing you must never suck at anything or admit to knowing less than everything — even when you’re just starting out. Clarinets should never squawk, sketch lines should never be visible, and dictionaries are just big, dumb books of words for cheaters and fancy people. Right?
I think finding your own comfort with the process (whatever that process ends up being) might just be the whole game here — being willing to put in your time, learn the craft, and never lose the courageousness to be caught in the middle of making something you care about, even when it might be shit and you might look like an idiot fumbling to make it. What’s the worst thing that could happen?..."

-from Photography, and the Tolerance for Courageous Sucking. Fabulous article, applies equally to knitting, sewing... whatever.

Advent :: Reverse Advent Calendar

2008-11-29T22:36:00.002-05:00

Reverse Advent Calendar
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

This morning I put together this year's Advent Calendar. It's a reverse calendar actually. Instead of getting a treat each day, I get to give one.

I've been wanting to participate in the Hope Revolution for ages, and this seemed like a great chance to do that.

Started with mini-cards from Moo I'd had printed using some of my photos (because I am totally vein, and thought my pictures would look cute on little cards... and I was totally right, but am now fighting the urge to hoard their cuteness). I glued heavy paper to the back of each card (to conceal my contact info printed on the back), cut out when dry, and wrote a different message on the back of each card. They say things like "You are loved", "You are beautiful", "You are not alone", etc. Each night I'll walk through my neighbourhood/city and leave a message to be found. (If anyone local sees this post... you're hereby sworn to secrecy!)

02 | 2girls | 2continents | headshots

2008-11-02T17:48:00.003-05:00

Originally uploaded by wilsonian

Second week for Dani and I, playing with 2girls | 2continent. This week's assignment was "Headshots". Dani's shot is on the left, mine on the right.

It was a difficult one for me to tackle, as I really shy away from taking pictures of people. Perhaps it's because I hate having my picture taken, perhaps it's because I'm not confident enough in my skills and am embarrassed to have someone watch me work it out. Regardless, because of a gracious new photographer buddy who agreed to sit for me, I was able to take on this week's assignment. I learned a lot about staging a shoot (even a casual one like this), and again... a lot about how much I have to learn. But it was fun and stretching. And I really like the photo that came from it.

Of course, I was most pleased that Dani chose to shoot such a perfect counterpoint to my shot. We don't discuss our approach to the subject before we shoot, and don't see each other's images until we post. I love the softness of her shot, and think it suits the subject perfectly. Thanks again to Dani for putting the diptych together.

2girls | 2continents

2008-10-26T23:58:00.001-04:00

01dip
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

When I think about how many amazing people I've met through blogging, it really makes my head spin. I've been blessed with life-changing friendships, life-changing conversations, life-changing trips... I could go on, but I think you can see where I'm going with this. All kinds of cool and unexpected things have come out of it. One of those things is a photo project I've recently started with my good friend Daniela. 2girls | 2continents came about because we wanted a way to learn more about photography, and also more about each other. The fact that we live several thousand kilometers apart makes it all more interesting. Since Dani doesn't blog (shocking, I know), I wanted to give her a shout out here. This is a weekly gig for us, so you may see more of these in the future. In the shot above, the assignment was "Leaves". The top shot is mine, the bottom one Dani's. Dani put the two together.

Thanks Dani :) Oh, and thanks to Mike and David too... you were the reason I got to know Dani in the first place. It's been rich!

Food Photography

2008-10-22T10:48:00.003-04:00

If you're at all interested in shooting food, for your blog or anything else, I came across a gorgeous tutorial today.

Food Photography for Bloggers

Now... if only I could get blogger to cooperate :(

Random, just like me

2008-09-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

This post is quite appropriate. Where I should have put a post with pictures of my show... there is a meme on randomness.

I was tagged by Amy A. at Pretty Shiny, the only person I know who could have a garage sale, pack a house and move across states in what seemed like a week and a half. And despite the fact that I completely suck at following through with tags and memes, Amy set the bar pretty darn high. Ahem.

The "rules" of the game are as follows:

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. I have a terrible habit of chewing the insides of my cheeks. The only way I can seem to stop myself is to walk around life holding a pen or pencil between my teeth.

2. I have mad crushes on photographers.

3. I dream of living in Africa part time.

4. I became a vegetarian a couple months ago, and it is one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

5. I get new clothes when my mother decides I look so much like a hobo that she can't stand it, and drops off clothes for me to try on at my workplace. And this is working for me since I hate shopping. But I'm 40, and sometimes think this is something I should be able to manage on my own.

6. I love Hawaiian slack-key guitar music.

Wanna play too?
Leave a link back here so I can come see your answers.

ps. yes, I know I'm weird :)

My First Show!

2008-09-01T23:21:00.002-04:00

This is so cool! The wonderful folks at Studio West Café, a local fair-trade café, asked if I would hang my bags for the month of September as their featured artist. They did! And I said yes!

Pictures will follow. But if you happen to find yourself in Southern Ontario (Canada)... lol... please come to the party!

ps. This invite is also my first foray into Illustrator! Woot! Well, I didn't design the logo. It was designed by the amazing David duChemin (before he was gone a huge chunk of the year photographing the world!). But I made dotted lines! Yay!

DIY Photo Hijinks

2008-04-07T18:02:00.003-04:00

Some Photojojo links I want to keep track of:
Resurrect Your Vintage Camera, Digital Style
Faking Cross Processing
The $1 Tripod Trick
DIY Fisheye
Fixing Haze in Photos

Embellished

2008-04-05T19:54:00.006-04:00

I visited the Textile Museum of Canada back in March, and will be posting some shots I took of the AMAZING fabrics on display. First up are four pieces which are embellished with stitches. The first two are garments and the second two are pieces of quilt.

Bright Border

2008-03-28T21:41:00.004-04:00

Came across a book this week with this fabulous graphic. This is the border on the cover. Dates from 1896. Chain link and lightbulbs... just doesn't get more fantastic than this.

Acholi Beads

2008-01-14T20:03:00.000-05:00

Have you seen these??!! Gorgeous enough to break a 4 month blogging slump!

What would you say if I told you they were made by Ugandan refugees, living in Acholi Quarters slum?

Here is a bit of a the story, from their website (as are the photos):
"The beads are made from recycled paper from local printers. They are made by men and women whose families are, in the terminology of international aid and development, ‘vulnerable.’ This means that they don’t have a safety net. If something goes wrong they don’t eat, don’t get medicine, don’t go to school. Acholi Beads are made by 10 people from such families and are helping them go from vulnerable to successful.
Acholi Beads is a socially proactive business. As we grow we hope to hire more displaced people to make these beads, and to offer them training in how to best use their incomes."

This is gorgeous in more ways than I can count. I know y'all love hand-crafted, and this is just a fab as it comes.
Want to see more?
Want to make a purchase?

Thrifted Love

2007-09-15T15:32:00.000-04:00

No, not the post where free things are to be found. That will be next. I just had to post what I found yesterday. The cutest little box of threads came from St. Vincent de Paul, as well as the solid fabrics. The printed fabrics came from an antique store. As all the printed pieces have a seam running through them, they were quite reasonable.

The spools of thread are tiny. The third shot gives some perspective, as I've used a regular sized spool for comparison.

Also playing with a new camera. This camera and lense cost twice as much as my first car. And what am I photographing? 8¢ spools of thread. Yes I am.

Postal Love in Shades of Orange

2007-09-08T16:19:00.000-04:00

I'd like to say that I'm finding September refreshing, because it's back to school time and back to routine time... HA! As a single gal long past school, and with no kids of her own, time just keeps on rolling. But I am starting to find my way in my new home. I may always eat breakfast out on Saturday mornings because I run into so many people. It's becoming church, if that makes any sense.

So anyway, I've received some amazing things in the mail since I moved...

See this beautiful magnet? It came in the mail the day before I moved, and was the first thing I "unpacked" in the new place. It's all the way from South Africa, courtesy of the generous Heather Moore at Skinny LaMinx. One talented designer, I'll tell you that. Her latest posts have been really inspirational, seeing how she goes from concept to design to product... in weeks (not years, y'all). The first shot shows you how pretty it looks on my teak dining room table, and the second shows you where it's perched: on the side of the fridge where I can see it best. It's big! And it will never be cluttered with a clod of paper! Thank you Heather!!! :)

Now. Let me tell you about this product from Moo. They are brilliant people that live in the U.K. Brilliant. See the orange pack? It's a book of stamps, made up of pictures I've uploaded to my Flickr site. Seriously. They are so beautiful I can hardly stand it. This book I won (yes, it was a good month) through a contest by Photojojo (more brilliant people) as a promotion for this new product.

They cost $9.99 for a book of 80 stickers (randomly placed in the book). Wanna know how much I love them? I bought a book as soon as I laid eyes on the first set. Now, I wouldn't spend that much for myself, but I had some pictures posted on Flickr of a friend's house. Voila: perfect Christmas present. Yes it is! The second one came with a green cover, and is just as cute. Oh, and see the little slip in the first picture? That's a return address lable. In case there was anything wrong with the stickers and I needed to return them. Seriously. Are all Brits so brilliant with customer service??

And I'm rounding things out with a surprise package from Sookie of Remake (yes, I am spoiled!!). Since I use Etsy to sell my handbags, I try to purchase from other artists on the site. I find it works particularly well when I'm buying a gift for someone who lives away. So I purchased a couple hand-bound booklets made from recycled papers, and had them sent to a friend in Colorado. Sookie was kind enough to stick in a note for me (so the package didn't seem quite so random lol!). My friend loved the books. All was well.

And then... then I got a little package of goodies in the mail. Treats for me!! Eeeee. Made me one happy girl. It is one of those things that I love about purchasing from artists. It has never failed to be a beautiful experience!

Whew!

Now, while I'm not a believer of karma, I am definately a believer in mojo. So to keep all this beautiful mojo flowing, I'll have a few things you can win in my next post. And there might even be enough for everyone :)

Love ya'll.
Erin xo

Tagged... many moons ago.

2007-08-14T20:18:00.000-04:00

Ahem. I won't use up a number below in confessing that I suck at memes. But for reasons which will become apparent below, here I am dusting off a tag by the amazingly talented Kim Carney over at Something to Say. Should I add that she tagged me two weeks ago? Yea.

The Rules:
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog.

*****

1. I develop crushes on photographers. Not inappropriate-romantic-crushes but crushes none-the-less. Some of the photographers making my head swirl today : David duChemin, Miles at Mute, Chip Thomas, Nicholas Hendrickx, and Kim Carney (which is why I came back to this tag!)

2. 90% of my furniture either came from the side of the road on "big garbage day", was rescued en-route to the dump, was a hand-me-down, or came from the As-Is room at Ikea. My couch is from the forties... it is teal, and I love it. In fact, if you offered me a great, inexpensive painting or a thousand dollar couch, I'd take the painting every time :)

3. I'm a hoarder. Bad news for someone who has just (very nearly) completed move #19. All kinds of things look like building/crafting materials to me. But there just isn't enough time left in life!!! How can I be 39, and already feeling the pressure of running out of time??!! lol...

4. I'm playing with photography, sewing, silk screening and tiny bits of knitting. I've recently aquired the Adobe Design Suite, and am dying to learn these programs!!! I have dozens more things I'd like to try, and am searching through my bookmarks to find hand-work to do while I sit at the laundrymat, because...

5. the first time I had to use a laundrymat was three weeks ago when I moved. I've always been spoiled, and have either had machines in my places, or have lived in building with machines. So now, I'm going back to find all the cool hand-work posts to find things to try. Most folks write that they work on these pursuits in front of the television, but...

6. I haven't owned a television in many years. I won't go back. Not an ethical choice, I'm afraid. The truth is that I have almost no self-discipline. On Saturday mornings I would start with cartoons (yes... as an adult :), move to PBS for home-building shows, then cooking shows, then Lord-only-knows what kind of DIY shows. Bed time would roll around, and I'd still be in my jammies. Sigh. I got nothing done, so the tv had to go!

7. I used to be a magazine junkie before blogs. I still buy a couple once or twice a year... Donna Hay and Marie Claire Idees. I've picked up a Blueprint or two. But to be honest, all the rest I've long left behind. They pale in comparison to the amazing, creative, talented folks I've come across online!

8. I'm pretty much a slob. If I start a project, it will remain spread out for weeks. My largest requirement in this recent move was an extra room to use as a studio, with good lighting, and a door that could be closed :)

Now for tags... you know, I just checked my stats, and I have 6 brave souls reading this blog daily. LOL! Not even enough to make up a full complement of tags. So... If you found your way here, you are officially tagged. Thank you Kim!

cottage: door frame

2007-08-13T20:22:00.001-04:00

cottage: door frame
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

Cottage. McLean Lake. August 11.07

The door frame between the kitchen and the living room. The whole thing is covered in markings, whether the progressive heights of all branches of the family, or good catches (as seen above, when my grandmother recorded her husband's catch of a 16" pickerel on Sept 25, 1958).

This was a key connecting place for family. Even if you didn't see various branches for many years, you could always stand up against the same door frame and compare height.

This door frame was also a key connecting place for the cottage interior, as we found out when we removed it... and left a wobbly log wall behind. As the new owners plan to demolish, it hardly mattered.

cottage: banana stickers

2007-08-12T20:26:00.001-04:00

cottage: banana stickers
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

Cottage. McLean Lake. August 11.07

The kitchen door frame was adorned with the stickers off bananas. A couple generations worked on this masterpiece. I remember agonizing over choosing the "right spot" to place my sticker.

We spent our last hours at the cottage yesterday. I had hoped to take a lot of shots, but in the end, have only a few weird shots that help to hold onto some memories.

Carnie Graphics

2007-07-02T21:35:00.001-04:00

Friendship Festival 3
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

Just could not get enough of the graphics on The Scrambler. Kept thinking it would make a great tattoo. And come on... who couldn't love a ride named "Big Eli".

finally in gear...

2007-07-01T21:29:00.001-04:00

caboose wheel
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

Holy.

I knew this was going to be a big deal. Maybe that's why I've put it off so long. Finally tried to get my bookmarks, Google reader and sidebar links to match.

What a mess.

It probably wouldn't surprise you at all to know that I've never balanced my checkbook. Yea.

So, if I've sent you to weird ad sites that have taken over old blog domains, I'm really, really sorry. And if I should have returned link love long ago... yes, I'm sorry about that too.

Yes, it feels good to tidy up a bit. Mind you, considering that I'm moving house this month, and haven't thought about packing yet, I should probably be tidying my house. Sigh. :)

Feels good anyway.
xo

I know it's summer here, however...

2007-06-30T14:25:00.000-04:00

"Now is the time to start work on your Winter wear, my dear knitters. I just have one suggestion. Most of the homeless are men. And, well, men like manly stuff, manly colors, manly styles (most of them anyway). And though I appreciate your desire to cheer up the homeless with bright colors and flowery designs, you’d have a hard time getting any man, homeless or not, to actually wear such finery. Believe me, a scarf is enough to warm someone’s heart. The gift, and a smile from a stranger, will do more than dayglow pink ever could. God Bless you for your efforts. Yet don’t for get the homeless women who would more appreciate pretty things."

-this from The Homeless Guy

I have to confess that I don't think much about the style or colours I choose. I tend to make what I like. I'm glad that Kevin posted this, as I'll certainly put more thought into things like this in the future.

Fear of Piping

2007-06-18T07:56:00.000-04:00

What was there to be afraid of?!? For ages I have avoided using piping or curves in my designs because of some weird fear. Yes, over a little piping. But no more!

The batch of bags posted yesterday were done for a client on spec, and while I was making a variety for her to check out, I thought I'd be a little adventurous. So glad that I did. It was easypeasy! I used a wide bias tape, so I didn't even have to cut fabric. Wow. I'm going to use effort to keep from piping everything in sight :)

Urban Tote in Red and Orange - SOLD

2007-06-17T22:29:00.001-04:00

Detail of quilting, in process.

This tote in done in red and orange cottons. The front is embellished with a bit of quilting and a large pocket. It is lined in orange cotton.

15" x 9"

I call it an Urban Tote, because it would be great for an urban picnic... it perfectly holds a magazine, bottle of wine, bagette and some cheese.

Urban Tote in Mod Flowers

2007-06-17T22:08:00.000-04:00

This tote is a total vintage expression. Both the flowered cotton and green cotton are vintage. The scooped portion at the front of the bag is a pocket, piped in yellow and closed with a vintage button. This bag is lined in orange cotton.

15" x 9"

I call it an Urban Tote, because it would be great for an urban picnic... it perfectly holds a magazine, bottle of wine, bagette and some cheese.

Tote with Bird - SOLD

2007-06-17T21:59:00.000-04:00

This is a light-weight tote, made in a really neat fabric. The leaf and branch pattern is flocked, so the brown pattern feels fuzzy. A small leather bird is appliqued to the front of the bag (vintage leather mind you...). The lining and handles are made of brown shirting. The bottom of the bag is a brown double-wale cord.

11 3/4" x 10 1/2" x 3"

The model is my beautiful Mom. Oh, the things you do for your children :)

Book Tote, Lettered - SOLD

2007-06-17T21:52:00.000-04:00

This tote is in denim, lined in cream cotton. The flap is piped in black. An inside double pocket would be perfect for a note pad and pen.

15" x 8 1/2" x 4"

Book Tote in Silver and Black

2007-06-17T21:38:00.000-04:00

This tote is in a silver and black fabric with lots of body and a satin sheen. I hate to call it satin... but it likely is. It is lined with black cotton, woven with a texture much like linen. The front pocket is the perfect size to tuck in a newspaper purchased while out and about.

15" x 10" x 3"

Modelled by my beatutiful Mom. Oh the things you do for your children :)

Book Tote in Cabana Stripes

2007-06-17T21:13:00.000-04:00

The outer fabric for this tote is vintage lawn chair canvas. It's slightly lighter than regular canvas and made around 16" wide... the perfect size to repair a lawn chair. Lined in orange cotton.

14 1/2" x 9" x 3 1/4"

NPS resources

2007-06-14T17:57:00.000-04:00

There are some great resources available online through the National Parks Service. They have been digitizing their catalogue of reports, and some real gems can be found.

I loved this report on Wallpapers in Historic Preservation. Some interesting illustrations as well as timeless information.

Spools of Silk

2007-05-28T19:49:00.001-04:00

spools
Originally uploaded by wilsonian

My aunt had given me a huge bag of vintage spools of silk thread a few years ago. The problem was, they completely reeked of mould and cigarette smoke! I left them in a shed to air out for a few years.

Rather than pack one more UFO, I tackled the bag. I began by unwinding a layer of thread from each spool, and found I could salvage nearly half. The rest, I cut the thread off to save the spools (which were just too cool to throw away!).

More shot of spools and thread over the next few days.

A Little Free Advice

2007-04-09T20:57:00.000-04:00

An excellent article by one of my favourite photographers, David DuChemin:

Advice: An exercise in presumption (Or: How To Transition To A Life of Gratifying Poverty as a Humanitarian Photographer.)

Clearly written to those interested in humanitarian photography, but I think much of his advice is broadly applicable. I dream of being self-employed... making my living by crafting things with my own hands. No one is going to come knocking on my door, out of the blue. I've got to get these hands in gear.

Tell A Story...

2007-04-09T19:08:00.000-04:00

Should I start by telling the embarassing part of the story first? As if not posting for two months wasn't embarassing enough...

I was visiting my friends Ed and Vun, while they had friends visiting from out of town. Well, to be completely truthful, I probably begged to come over. One of their friends coming to visit was Donna, of The Winking Circle tribe. I had seen their film at The Freeway several months before, and was blown away. I had heard that Donna was amazing... how could I help butting my way into the party?!?

So not only did I get to meet Donna, but I also got to meet their friend Shannon... who is also amazing. I'd been told that Shannon was an artist, and late into the evening, Shannon brought out some of her work. And that was when I realized... that Shannon was Shannon Gerard. And I already knew and admired her work from the web. And had learned how to silk screen from her tutorial posted online.

And it was right about that point that I thought my head might explode.
You know?
I got to hold/explore/experience some of Shannon's pieces, and just thought my head was going to explode.

[I might interject here that I've never been one for celebrities. If a movie star walked into the room right now I'd probably ask if they'd mind getting me a glass of water while they were up. But artists and photographers... mercy! I lose it and become an embarassing fount of gushing.]

Not only did I think my head was going to explode... I actually said that out loud. Maybe twenty times. Added in "I cannot believe this!!!" a couple dozen times for good measure.

Sigh. Okay, the embarassing part is over now.

But that is not the point of this post (though I have an extraordinary ability to make every story about me). That evening, Shannon gave me these great cards, requesting stories for her next project (ignore the bit of her address I mucked up while disguising the location of the Bat Cave).

Shannon said that I could pass along the goodness here. If you'd like to participate, send along a story. I heard a rumour that if she uses your story in her work (an art book), you'll get a copy. Time is short though... just till the end of April. Visit this page to get a feel for the kind of art books she makes (cause they're not what you're thinking).

A Different Kind of Security

2007-01-19T19:40:00.000-05:00

"I've been in an email conversation with Mark Flowers about the hum and drum of being an artist who finds himself having to "work" for a living. I used to be embarrased that I had to have a job for my living. Like I was not realy an artist unless I made my living by art. I believe that most artists either have to work a job to support themselves or they have to forgo the luxuries, say 3 sqaure meals and haircut, and live hand to mouth begging for loose change as they go. I tried that lifestyle for about six months five years ago and it made me to nervous knowing that bills were emanent and money was never a sure thing. Now I work eight hours a day so that I can work three more in my studio, and I sleep like a baby knowing that my ten year old 14" Magnavox television will not be reposessed."

-Aaron Tucker

I love this quote. Aaron doesn't have comments enabled on his site, so I've come over here to scratch a few things out.

If I were to be totally and completely honest, I dream of being able to work for myself... to support myself through making things with my hands. Whether that be through sewing handbags, or something else, I do harbour that dream.

But... (there's always a 'but', right?)

...as with many other things (I would include ministry here), I have found that it is the rest of our lives that inform our art. If I had whole years to devote to my art/craft, I would likely become excellent. But I can't help but wonder if my work would also be a bit shallow, lack texture in a spiritual sense. My hope is that my work will be no less excellent, even if less proficient. My hope is that the depth and texture achieved through the broader experience, will make a beautiful portfolio.

Aaron, if you ever find this, I love your work.
Not so crazy about my inability to leave a comment, but I'll get over it.

Crewel in Blue

2007-01-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

A little bag that went to live in Kentucky.

January Thoughts

2007-01-05T21:17:00.000-05:00

Oh. My. Goodness.

We've cruised into a New Year. This is what happens when I blink. Note to self: watch the blinking...

Thought I'd share one of my favourite projects from December. A friend, who happens to be a drum-playing, head-banging, torch-weilding welder complained about the cheap-o welding beanies they were given at work. One washing and they were falling apart. I asked for one to look at (as I've long ago lost my welding beanie from school. Yes, you read that right :). Cheap is right. The edges weren't finished and the stitch length was huge. So I set about to make a week's supply in a fabric that was more his style.

First I took apart the sample beanie to make a pattern. Cheap cotton, loaded with a supplier's logo. Just not cool.

And now? A set of five beanies, all in a slightly different colourway of red, orange, and that great black and flame fabric. I love how these turned out. I mean, I really love how these turned out! And best of all... my friend loved them too. He declared that he will definately have the coolest beanies in the plant. Now how many folks can say that?!

So, being that I blinked, and that it is a new year and all, I thought I'd put down some dreams here. No resolutions. Just dreams.
-take a photo every day
-post at this blog more often
-make what makes me happy
-use the fabric I love
-work hard and maybe some day I can make a living from this (I said these were dreams afterall)
-don't blink

oxo

No Snow Mojo

2006-12-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

You're looking at the extent of my Christmas decorating this year. No Christmas Guitar. No. Just not feeling it this year. But this card, purchased at Toronto's One of a Kind Craft Show two years ago is providing some cheer.

Can you see the shadows? This cutie card is made simply of paper, a bit of water colour paint, pen ink and bent wire.

The wire sits a bit off the card, and makes a great bold statement.
Can you see the neighbour's green grass? Maybe that's what's wrong with me.

Special x-ray view :)

I can't seem to find the artist online anywhere. A shame really. I'd like to get some cards to send away, as I can't seem to part with this one.

I'll have lots of pictures of handbags and messenger bags to post after Christmas. In the meantime, I pray blessings over each one that makes their way here. Long afternoons free for creating. Lovely thrift-store surprises. And peace. Lots of peace.

Erin oxo

Soffia Mojo

2006-11-15T22:01:00.000-05:00

Haven't knit a thing in ages. Ages. Tried a knit-a-long last winter, and just could not get the mojo going. So last Saturday I was at a framing shop, finally getting a print framed, when I spied some really colourful balls of yarn for sale. 60% off. Music to my ears. These lovely looking balls are not the luscious wool roving that most of you use... no considering where I live, the 100% acrylic content is not surprising. But I absolutely love the colours.

The balls in pinks and oranges felt like a scarf. Then again, everything feels like a scarf to me :) After several starts, none of which looked right, I went back to straight purl stitches. Seems to leave lots of room for the uneven nature of this Soffia, Four Seasons yarn by Grundl (Germany). In fact, it seems to have created a scalloped edge all on its own.

Now that my hair is no longer Lucille Ball Red, I can wear these kinds of colours again. Maybe the mojo has a chance of surfacing!

On Point Pocket

2006-11-11T17:08:00.000-05:00

One more fruitless visit to Value Village. Only one wool sweater in the whole store, and it had dubious felting potential. But I did leave with a photo.

I noticed a really interesting lambs wool coat and flicked the lapel back to find the most gorgeous lining, and the single most fabulous pocket ever. I love the thought of this so much... beautiful detailing hidden away, a little secret for the woman who wore it.

Alas, the coat was $40. It stayed behind. But I brought home a much greater appreciation for detail.

Friend of a friend

2006-11-05T08:32:00.000-05:00

Been thinking a lot about friendship lately. More specifically, that near relation-- the friend-of-a-friend. For some reason, we usually come into contact with a friend-of-a-friend out of need (whether theirs or ours). Whether we need help moving (and they own a truck), or are looking for an apartment/house/job/whatever, it is this next ring in the social circle which usually comes through when we strike out with our friends.

And that is how I came to meet Mokgadi. Mokgadi is a friend of Ryan's, and he made the connection with me, knowing that I have a crafty streak. Mokgadi does too. In fact, she dreams of going to school to become a fashion designer. She needs a sewing machine and help with tuition. How could I not help with that??!! Come on now, the girl wants to sew. I don't have a lot of funds at the moment, so I sent along what I could, and am giving 25% of my sales from Biscotti Togs (which is admittedly modest at the moment) until she's got enough funds. She's the friend-of-a-friend, you know.

The other details in the story are interesting, but sort of irrelevant. Mokgadi lives in Pretoria, South Africa, and currently does all the cooking, cleaning, shopping, and laundry for her family of eight. Sewing for her would not be a sideline, but would support her family. Ryan finds her to be a sweetheart. Generous, hardworking and sharp. He believes that she can make a go of this if given the opportunity.

So, why are these details irrelevant? Because she's Ryan's friend. And that's enough for me.

This world is a small place, friends. Pop over to Ryan's place if you'd like to help.

** and yes, I will have a 'regular' post up soon **

Catch my virus... please!

2006-10-22T15:32:00.000-04:00

A little challenge to make a difference...

Mike and Robert are in the midst of a little experiment with huge implications. Inspired by the Product (RED) campaign, they want to see if the viral nature of the internet can make a real difference. Read what I ripped off Mike's blog (and read Mike's full post here):

"I’ve come to the conclusion that I love this program. And I hate it. Let me try to explain why.

The love part is easy. I love it because it will provide funds for saving lives. What’s not to love about that?

Here’s the part with which I’m having trouble. I hate it because it’s a sad commentary, a mirror if you will, reflecting the reality of our culture back to us. The currency of the Kingdom is love. The currency of this material, self-centered culture is “stuff.” Bono is brilliant as he has realized this, and knows we will not give out of love. HIV/AIDS is killing people in numbers too horrible to give voice to. And while this troubles us, it apparently doesn’t trouble us enough to give out of love. The brilliance of Product (Red) is that it will get the money out of us anyway. No love? Fine, then we’ll appeal to your need for the other currency, for stuff. Want a new Gap shirt, and a trendy one at that? Great. Here you go, and by the way, a couple of bucks will go to life-saving drugs..."

"Now for the challenge. Robert and I have been discussing for some time the need for us to start another campaign to raise some funds here at WorD.

We’ve been looking at the (RED) iPod specifically. When you spend $200 US on the iPod, Apple will contribute $10 to the Global Fund...

I don’t have a clue what the profit margins are like on the iPod, but $10 doesn’t strike me as a lot of money. Let’s be realistic. It’s not. Here’s the choice: You can lay out $200, get a new iPod, and contribute $10 to a good cause. Or, you can just contribute the $10. We believe we can get 1000 people to donate $10 each. We’d like $10 from everyone in the developed world, but we’ll settle for you, and everyone you know. And when we’re done, we’ll pass the money--all of it--along to the Stephen Lewis Foundation."

Okay... so here's the deal: I've given my $10. I'd like you to join me in catching and spreading this virus. You already know that I'm not the girl who floods your inbox with forwards and tags. I really believe that we can make a difference with this. So I'm going to be sending out emails too, because I don't want you to miss out on this cool opportunity.

You don't have $10? Email me. You don't know how to use Paypal? Email me. You don't know how to convert currency into Canadian dollars? Paypal does it for you.

Once you've given your $10, blog about it. Tell your friends.

(Red)emption is a beautiful thing.

hiding no more... almost.

2006-10-19T21:37:00.000-04:00

About this time last year, I painted this self-portrait. It is only my second piece, so there's no need to feel creepy about my primitve effort. Was meant to mark my place, to drive a stake in the ground... hold out the fig leaf and declare that I wasn't going to spend any more of my life hiding.

As you can see, I had some trouble with the fig leaf. Truth is, I didn't know what a fig leaf actually looked like, and as I was painting at a cabin in the Canadian woods, I didn't have a ready source to study. So, it's rather vague.

Seems the same can be said for my declaration.
I didn't even know what I was hiding.
Holding out my hand again...

Diving into The Living End

2006-10-10T18:32:00.000-04:00

It was six years ago when I sat in a dark theatre, weeping as quietly as I was able. The surrounding darkness was the perfect setting to be drawn into the story of Pay It Forward. In the midst of my own real-life attempt to "pay it forward", this movie struck a chord so deep in me that I was left nearly speechless. Needed to hold it all in front of me a little while longer. Needed to feel it all... pain, compassion, grief and deep joy. Words would break the spell. And so I sat in the back of the car on the way home in near silence, my two friends up front.

It was a little while later that one of those friends made fun of that silence. He just couldn't see how much my heart was affected, and chose instead to think me silly.

I've rarely been to the theatre since.

Stopped reading novels about the same time.

There is something about the power of story that moves me deeply. And a well-crafted novel draws me in with the same power as any film, song, photograph or painting.

And after following Lisa Samson's blogs (my first introduction to her writing was her blog on social justice issues) for some time, I decided it was high time I dove back into the waters of fiction.

And I'm so glad that I did. Samson's novel The Living End is certainly not her most recent title, but it holds up incredibly well. Poignant and powerful, Samson explores many deep topics of the heart, including love, grief, families of birth, and families of our choosing. While her characters are often quirky, they have a depth and warmth that make them seem quite real. I found much beauty in this novel. And a measure of healing.

No wonder I ordered two more of her titles a few days later*.

*And I have to say, her book covers are lovely...

2006-10-03T22:14:00.000-04:00

“Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore, now I will you to be a bold swimmer, to jump off into the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me, shout! and laughingly dash with you hair.” -Walt Whitman

First read here, via megs.

What would that look like for you? Where would you find yourself?

Handbag in Chocolate and Robin's Egg Blue

2006-10-03T13:19:00.000-04:00

Latest handbag. Colours in the photos came out terribly... the exterior is chocolate brown and the interior is robin's egg blue. The last of the brown satin from my stash. I'm not a satin-kind-of-girl, but this fabric was heavy and so nice to work with.

I'm really pleased with how this handbag turned out.

My client chose a lining fabric which was quite thin. I debated between doubling up or ironing on interfacing. In the end, I decided to quilt it. It was such a good choice! While it added quite a bit of time to the construction of the bag, it added such great texture and body, that I won't hesitate to do it again.

One last shot with the tag attached.

PBA Exhibit

2006-09-30T06:55:00.000-04:00

PBA 8 sm
Originally uploaded by wilsonian.

This is where I've been hiding for ages. This exhibit finally opened last night. Much toiling. Much sweating (yea, gross... I know). Much worrying. Much praying. Much begging of the suppliers to produce the goods... then promising them pie to produce...

I thought I'd spend the weekend catching up on much needed sleep, but here I am, 6:49 am, writing this post :) The balance of the weekend will be spent cleaning the wreckage that's accumulated in my house... and unearthing my sewing machine!!!!

I look forward to catching up on your blogs...
See you soon :)

ps. More shots here if you wanna see... all have a PBA tag.

Pressed

2006-09-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

chair back 1 smaller
Originally uploaded by wilsonian.

I have the strange luck to find beauty in things which others find unlovely. Like this chair, freshly moved from the garage and placed in a yard sale. This chair and its mate have been waiting for attention for years, and it seems that I will never have the time. So I hoped someone else could see what I saw... the nice shape, the delicate pressed pattern, and the quirky way one spindle marches out of step.

But no one even gave them a glance.

So they went back in the garage.

I will make time for them.

Silk Screening

2006-08-31T21:30:00.000-04:00

Tried my hand at silk screening at home recently. I have a tiny budget, but lots of ingenuity, so made due in my best McGyver imitation. Here you can see my rig-up to burn a screen.

-Two-step ladder straddling the bathtub, which was lined with a piece of black fabric. Only light in the room was a small night-light behind me.
-A 500w shop light fit perfectly between the steps of the folded ladder.
-A prepped screen lies on the black fabric, topped with two aligned transparencies and a piece of glass from an old picture frame.

Minutes later, I unplugged the light, whisked everything out of the tub, and rinsed the screen right there.

Worked well!!
I was a very happy camper.

I'll be doing much more of this for a couple ventures coming up. I'll take more pictures of the process as I go, and soon will provide a list of the online resources I used to show me the way to go. I created my own hybrid (obviously LOL!), but it's amazing how many great resources there are out there.

Queens of Hearts

2006-08-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

Had to show off a lovely piece, made by Kristine. I was looking for a gift to send a friend who had just published her first book, and wanted to support another artist in the process.

This heart fit the bill perfectly.

Kristine was so lovely to work with, and tucked a note into the package for me, and wrapped it up beautifully.

If you'd like to see other (large, fabulous!) pieces by Kristine, check out her flickr site. Really lovely work!

Thank you, Kristine!! :)

2006-07-22T14:50:00.000-04:00

He's young. He's bright. And he knows what he likes.

And apparently, I am more oblivious to fashion than I thought, because he had to point it out. His belt. I somehow missed it.

He has a huge appreciation for irony, and loves being the vegetarian who wears a belt tooled in images of tackle, fastened with a fish.

"But wait", he said "there's more..."

Indeed there was more... a tape measure concealed in the fish.

I'd like to say that my first thoughts were of the leather shop my father ran when I was young, of punches and tools arranged along a well lit workbench, or of my favourite turtle-shaped purse which hung unsold in the storefront. But I didn't remember that shop until I sat down to write this post.

My first thought: this is totally blogable.

My second thought: I would never have to wander around Ikea looking for a paper tape measure ever again.

2006-07-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

A couple shots from my stint as House-Sitter last week. What a lovely time! Beautiful home. Beautiful gardens. And sleeping in air-conditioning. Now, it just doesn't get much more beautiful than that!

Lining the walk to the front door:

Nestled in the untended fringes:

Messenger

2006-07-08T17:50:00.000-04:00

The Bag:

The Story:
You could call this bag a Messenger Yoyageur. The orange and red plaid lining was designed by a lovely Swedish person, I imagine, as it was originally fashioned into a drapery panel sold at Ikea. It was purchased by a woman who does rather fabulous merchanside displays in her giftware store. The drapery panel was used as a prop in one of those displays. After a season, it was retired. A few more seasons passed. Then it was presented for sale, with several hundred other items, in a prop sell-off. And that is where I spied it. It spent a few seasons in my fabric stash, as I wondered what to make. Along came this Messenger. Just right.

*****

Finally (finally...finally) getting around to posting a few more things in my online shop. They've been made for a while, but seemed to have trouble getting them photographed and listed.

This is the first messenger bag I've made. And I really like it. Rather torn actually about selling it. I will definately be making more of these!

These shots were taken this morning in my back yard. I don't have a good spot to photograph things to put in the shop. Sadly, the colours in these shots are a little wonky. The bag is quite red... and not pink at all. Yes, it does say "Lil Folk's Home" on the shed out back, thanks to the family who lived here before me. And no, I don't grow much other than weeds, unlike weirdbunny.

Gift Tag Swap

2006-06-21T21:45:00.000-04:00

Gift Tag Swap
Originally uploaded by Dacia Ray.

I was so excited about the tag swap Dacia organized, I didn't even pause long enough to snap some pictures of my tags! I've stolen this shot from Dacia. Yikes. Hope she's the forgiving type!

I think maybe each of the tags I did were different. And if I remember correctly, they all used vintage bits of one sort or another. The first tag here is of a vintage photo and vintage stamps my Nanny saved. The second tag is made of vintage wallpaper.

Next post I'll show off all the lovely tags I received, but if you want to see them photographed really nicely, check out Dacia's flickr page here.

And if you arrived here because of the swap... thank you very, very much!

Hercules

2006-06-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

Meet Hercules, my newly aquired bicycle. Built in 1971 in Nottingham, England. A co-worker plucked it from certain death at the local dump. New tires and tubes, and he's good to go.

Now, the fact that I have a bicycle is a bit bizarre. I have almost no cartiledge in my knees, which has made riding a painful experience. But recently, I have felt compelled to try it again.

I love this logo on the front of the bike. I find it beautiful. And I love the kind of redemtive action that caused it to be mine. Whenever I start out on a ride, I think of redemption... and how much my butt hurts.

Btw... I've been battling a gross case of poison ivy for a goodly long time now. So I've been reluctant to touch my textiles (or much else) for ages, and won't be likely to until the grossness lets up. So until then... no crafty posts. But I am planning a foray into silk screening. Exciting times ahead.

Red Friday

2006-06-16T19:38:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the week, my first strawberries of the season. Fresh from the Jewson's farm, and still warm from the morning sun. When I bit into the first berry, I thought it quite likely that my head would explode from the rush of flavour. Simply extraordinary!

An Ode in White

2006-06-14T20:47:00.000-04:00

Have you seen all the fabulous, colour co-ordinated shots springing up everywhere? It's almost like it was planned or something.
Well... it was.
Stephanie at little birds and Mav at port2port have spun a beautiful web of neutrals this week.

It's Wednesday today, but I'm pretending its Monday. I've been battling poison ivy for nearly a week (and am in a nearly permanent state of being grossed out, btw), and am very behind in life. So, I present my Monday offering... and Ode in White. Oh, and considering how icky I've been feeling, I'm totally breaking the "one photo" rule.

Whew!

2006-05-25T21:20:00.000-04:00

If you folks would stop posting such great stuff, I could stop reading for a bit and get something up here. No... don't stop. I didn't mean that. Really. But it is true that I could easily spend my days being inspired by all the great creativity going on out there. You make my life so much richer!!!

So a couple Fridays ago, I finally (FINALLY) took in one of the free workshops offered at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. Unbelievably fantastic programme they've got going on there on Fridays. To start with... it's free. Totally free. Admission- free. Parking- free. Workshop- free. Supplies- free. Sometimes concerts- free. Sometimes movies- free. Should I go on...? And I can't believe it took me so long to get there!

To be perfectly honest, I was scared. It is an amazing place, and I was incredibly intimidated. Nervous about going by myself, even though I do loads of things alone and don't mind at all.

What finally drew me in? A workshop in Monotype Printing.

How did it go? Um... Well, I had fun LOL! I didn't give myself the full advantage, as I arrived late (darn post-9/11 international border!), and for some goofy reason, my glass plate was thicker than anyone else's so it didn't go through the press correctly.

What did I get out of it? I'm not scared anymore.

Some shots of the evening:

The plate. Painted with acrylics, fairly thinly so that it would dry quickly. I tried to put a very thin wash on the background, but that wasn't successful, so I think next time I'll try painting more densly.

The press. What a cool old piece of equipment.

My plate on the press. I'll spare you a picture of the final product. Not my favourite piece LOL! But I did accomplish something important for me. Faced a huge fear. Entered the land of greats, and learned that I could play too.

Tile Envy

2006-05-06T20:55:00.000-04:00

I could spend every moment of ten years photographing the walls and ceilings of the NYC subway system, and not get bored. If only I had a ladder, tripod, and better working knowledge of my new-ish camera!

Just returned from a few days in New York City. My sister and I took our mother, to help her celebrate (and avoid) a very traumatic birthday. It was a lovely time, and can I confess this, I was a little nervous about it... I've been really over-extended lately (aka: cranky), we are all very independant people, and haven't travelled together as a trio since the late 70's. But the magic that is NYC worked wonders. My mom is a pretty amazing person, and I was happy we could pull this off.

Happy Birthday, Mom...

Two to The Hat

2006-04-26T21:42:00.000-04:00

Here are two bags leaving tomorrow for Medicine Hat. I love this story!

The Two-Toned Taylor: There is nothing she cannot make. This farmer, wife of a farmer, daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. As with many women who live on a farm, she has learned to make most everything her family has needed. Such needs include kitchen curtains, of course. And ever frugal, she kept those curtains, knowing the fabric too good to discard.

The applique details on this handbag have been cut from those kitchen curtains. She was right.

The Mod Daisy Handbag: There is nothing she cannot make. This farmer, wife of a farmer, daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. As with many women who live on a farm, she has learned to make most everything her family has needed. Such needs included clothes for the kids, of course. And ever frugal, she kept off-cuts of bright daisy fabric which became a pantsuit in the 60's.

She knew the fabric would be put to good use some day. She was right.

*****

Stories sound similar? The vintage fabric for both handbags came from the same sewing room in Fonthill, Ontario. The only bags in my webstore that had fabric from this particular sewing room were these particular bags. And they're going to live with a mother and daughter, who share a house.

I absolutely love the fact that the fabric in these bags, which lived together for thirty years, are going a few thousand kilometers away, to continue to live together.

Button Tale

2006-04-24T18:16:00.000-04:00

So, my life has now excellerated to the point where I can no longer ignore it. Only slept two hours last night, suddenly very aware of all the looming deadlines. Now, you will understand the wackiness of this situation when I explain how I spent four hours on Saturday afternoon:

Yep. With buttons. I had the amazing good furtune to spend Friday evening pouring over the contents of a fantastic "church basement" garage sale, the night before the rest of the world were allowed to shop. Among my purchases was this bag of vintage buttons:

Yep. Just $2! And they looked so luscious in the bag, I just had to spread them out on the kitchen table to have a look... and then, well, I just had to see what kinds of gorgeous colours were there. Sigh. Four hours later, this:

By that point, I could barely distinguish colour anymore, and was left with a pile of buttons of indeterminate colourage LOL! They went into a bag to go into my garage sale.

Oh, I just love looking at them, and won't have to buy another button for a LONG time!!

Thrifted Beauty

2006-04-18T20:34:00.000-04:00

First garage sale of the season. Easter Monday, on my way home from a girlfriend's place. I didn't stop at first, but doubled-back. So glad I did. Found this little hooked rug. Lovely scene, and although you can't tell in the picture, some of the blue fabric in the sky is a little shimmery. And it's almost as beautiful on the back as the front.

All this loveliness for $.50
Yes, it made me very happy.

"What was I thinking?"... and more answers for Kelli B

2006-04-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

From Kelli B, in the comments of my last post: "May I ask how you got into the business/art of making handbags?"

Sometimes a person comes to the point where they have to find a practical justification for their obsessions. Kidding. Well, partly kidding.

I have always loved vintage fabric. I don't know why, and can't remember how far back the love stretches, but I do remember playing in a particularly magical upstairs closet at my granmother's house. The closet in my mom's old room (and her sister's before that) stored the most fantastical things! My favourite was a dress my mom wore as a flower girl when she was young. It was pale yellow, had the fullest hoop-skirt, and came with a matching hat, gloves, and a little basket filled with artificial flowers.

Over the years I have picked up vintage fabrics travels. Boxes full. Vintage drapes and upholstery fabric. Designer samples. Scores from thrift stores, garage sales and auctions. There was always the plan to use it someday, but as all too often happens, someday never comes.

And one day while reading "crafty blogs", I happened upon the Craftster site. An utterly beautiful moment!! I found all sorts of people making all sorts of things... literally. It's a site for more edgy crafts, so no hearts and duckies. But you will find a knitted digestive system. People post there who craft just for the love of it, and some post for feedback because they make their living at crafting. And I love making things, and one day thought... if all these folks can do this, why can't I? I have always loved small purses and handbags, so this seemed the natural place to start. If no one bought a single thing I made, I could use them myself! :)

And there it is. I have no idea where it's going to go, and I'm not too concerned about it. I'm LOVING it! That's enough for now.

Speaking of Craftster, and since I mentioned a digital camera bag on my last post... below are pictures of the pattern and camera bag. I posted it on Craftster so other folks could make it too if they wanted. I found it too small to work on to be enjoyable for me... so I wouldn't want to make too many more.

So Kelli- if you are inspired to do the same, please let me know where I can find you!!

My New Handbag

2006-04-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

Well, you've got to know that a hazard of sewing handbags most nights, is wanting a new one for myself very often. This is the new bag I'm carrying. The Levi's tag on the front was salvaged off a pair of jeans more than 20 years ago. It is a total miracle that I could still put my hands on it! The lining fabric is my very favourite vintage fabric purchase to date... and I will be very, very sad when its all gone.

Made up a case for my digital camera at the same time... I'll post it next :)

I know I've been falling down on the "story" part of these creations. That will be rectified shortly.

Denim Duo

2006-04-03T22:29:00.000-04:00

Finally, finally, finally had a day with sunshine, so I could take some shots for my webstore. Unfortunately, I erased a quarter of them before posting. Ugh!!! Wonder how long I'll have to wait for another sunny day?

Have been making bags in pairs and sets, really enjoying playing with the combination of fabrics and styles.

Didn't pay close enough attention to the setting of these bags, setting them on the arm of an Adirondak chair on my front porch. Never noticed how disgustingly dirty the siding is... had to photoshop out most of the dirt.

***update- fixed the webstore link. Thanks so much, Kelli, for the heads-up!!***

Border Closure

2006-04-01T11:23:00.000-05:00

This handbag is headed to Alberta, in thanks for help from a friend. The closure tab is my favourite part of this handbag. There was a piece of border on this matilese spread that fit the pattern perfectly. I love it when that happens :)

Bowls

2006-03-30T19:11:00.000-05:00

I love bowls. I have no idea why. Maybe bowls suggest hope and promise. Maybe they suggest cookie dough. Regardless... it's love.

I've been collecting these bowls for years now. Most are of the pink and bue striped variety, like the largest one pictured here. I'm not really a fan of pink. Not really a fan of blue. But combine them with this creamy coloured slip... beautiful!

These sit on top of my kitchen cupboards. Don't mind the dust.

Salutations...

2006-03-29T20:47:00.000-05:00

Had fun making some Valentine's cards for girlfriends. Um... yea, I didn't get them in the mail. So, I'm using them for other occasions. These were trials, and the mistakes are very obvious, but I'm quite happy with the concept.

Vintage photographs, bought at a garage sale.
Blank cards purchased at Ikea, post-Christmas sale.
Red thread and embroidery thread.
Vintage buttons.

Morning After a Wild Night with The Girls

Mabel always knew a good catch when she saw it...

ATC Cards

2006-03-15T13:25:00.000-05:00

Wish You Were Here and Waiting for Word

I tried my hand at two artist trading cards, aka ATC cards. They've been sent to the United States, to a woman I met via Postcrossings.

These are two small collages, made with vintage wallpaper, photographs, stamps and a photo corner. Both are 'regulation size', 2.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches tall. Small! But taking a chance on something so small gave me courage, I must say. Got great satisfaction out of these two little pieces. Hope to do it again.

Any one up for a trade?

More information on ATC cards here.