ummmm....

sooooo...much for my resolution of posting weekly! well, it's a new year and a new slew of things going on and getting done. promise. to myself, at least!

I have been very busy. I swear...even though there isn't much here or there to be seen...I had my first foray into wholesaling this past season. It was a lovely experience, though likely unconventional. I supplied a wonderful shop here in downtown Guelph (Coriander) with loads of my goodies, and the response was wonderful. Both from my friends and acquaintances and total strangers. This is so exciting! I was dubious about the "wider" appeal of some of my new loves - especially the cowls. I made loads of mitts for them too - which I have yet to post pictures of, but will soon.

I was so inspired (and am) that I'm going to try and expand this. I am working feverishly on finalizing some designs to offer up for wholesale. I have my list of shops to approach and hope to find a few more this year that are willing to give my creations a shot.

I have also been paying a little bit more attention to etsy... I've had a little surge of orders, which is very exciting. I'm going to get a whole bunch of photos taken tomorrow to post the leftovers from christmas and start on some spring/summer things - though I will still be making winter things all summer. It's just too much fun...

So, I've been burning the candles at both ends it feels like, for awhile, but have decided I need to focus more on some things and less on others. We're heading into some crazy BIG changes here at the humble home studio, and thinking about even crazier ones. It's all very exciting and inspiring. Makes me want to work super hard at creating lovely creations. Here is one big reason why!

My friend and fellow hat-lover recently got a hat from me, and posted THE most lovely note about her experience. Wise, wise and wonderful woman. I asked her if I could share her story. I was so happy about it!

The following is from her...

I have a new hat. I love my new hat. It is warm and cozy. It is spun in winding, spiraling circles of beautiful shades of purples and blues and a flash of turquoise at the tip. It's a fun hat, and when I wear it I can't help but smile and feel cheerier as I move through the normal day's activities, be it rushing to get the kids to school or stopping for a coffee or just driving around in my car. In my hat, I feel like an elven fairy, outwardly navigating the streets of suburbia but secretly wandering the woods of Lothlorian.

My hat makes other people smile too. Maybe they just like my hat. It is always easier to talk to new people when you have a fun accessory (people with dogs and babies will agree - and yes, I am using the word "accessory" to refer to my children, tongue in cheek of course). But with my new hat on, all of a sudden my neighbour who never looks up when I come outside is waving to me. I am making new friends on the playground as I drop Jalen off at school. Everyone is talking to me. It's a whole new world.

Maybe it's just the cool hat. So first lesson of the day, is dare to be different. Dare to wear and do things that stand out. Express your own unique spirit in every way, including the way that you adorn your physical temples, be it your bodies, your homes, or other spaces. Life is just much more interesting that way. When my mom (@Nancy Wiatt) used to drive around in her 100% purple convertible (purple exterior, purple interior, purple leather), I can tell you that she made a lot of friends. In fact, we had a lot of crazy colors and objects in our home growing up, and it always made for fun conversation.

Or maybe, the hat gives me secret superpowers. A friend of mine in my cultural production workshop (@Sara Mohammad) is a mask-maker. She made an interesting point the other day in class - usually therapy work talks about taking OFF the masks that we wear - unarmoring and showing our vulnerability by de-masking. However, she talked about how using masks can be empowering, such as for women who have suffered abuse, and can help them to take on a persona with a little extra strength to tell their story or to confront their abusers. I thought this was amazing - and as I reflected on it, it brought me back again to the superhero theme. Bruce Wayne wasn't Batman without his costume and Batmobile. Jalen and Mateo definitely feel more powerful as they parade around in their capes (dishtowels tied around the neck) and superhero gloves (dishwashing gloves) and shields (pot lids) and swords (spoons). So maybe my hat has magic powers. Superfriendliness at 8 a.m. in the schoolyard before I've had my morning coffee. Superwarmth in the face of biting Canadian cold. Supercheer to face the day.

But I actually think the first piece, the fact that I'm happier in the hat, makes a even bigger difference. It feels like ME. So I feel like ME. And that's a good way to feel. Whenever we are truly standing in our most authentic selves, be it through the words we speak, the actions we do, the energy we put out into the world, the choices we makes, or even in the silly hats we wear, we are at our most powerful. And those are superpowers we all can access, in our own unique way.

(nb: to buy a cool handmade hat like mine from my friend @Anwen Sutherland, or to have her make you your own unique piece that suits YOUR spirit, visit humblehome.etsy.com)

I am so grateful for that story!

So I have been busy, other than the wholesaling too. Here are some of the hats I've been making for etsians..

And I'm off to be busy s'more. I really love the process of making and it's just made all that much lovelier when I hear that people are loving their wares. I know it's all sappy of me but I just LOVE it!

I made one of my most favorite cowls yet for an order recently too - it's off to Barrie, I think.

There's a picture of it at the top of this post and here are s'more...

and one that is still on etsy, that I also love. This size (the not quite as big as the chrysalis cowls size) has the new name of curious cowl. The ever-loving grey..

so that's it for today. More more more next week. I'm working on a bunch of fingerless gloves, posting the leftovers, planning a SALE on etsy AND a contest for FREE stuff....stay tuned!

not for lack of making...

soooooooooo.....other than the regular excuses i CAN say that i have been busy busy busy making. and here's the proof...

a sweet hat for little ones - and big ones. this will be my first make-to-order deal on etsy...

cowl-ness...

so much fun...

I think these will be called chrysalis cowls...

this one has an extra long sleevey cozy...hmmm...anyways, they should be up on etsy soon. LOTS more...too...and a few glovettes and hats...

thanks so much to Julia of Green Cocoon for taking photos and inspiring and sharing her gorgeous backyard...look at those beautiful golden globes scattered in the sun-speckled grass...yaaaaa...i should have had her model the cowls for me, though...i am so not photographable 98% of the time...

close up of a cowl

i am so excited to be done procrastinating taking photos and look forward to making and sharing more....

my darling tried one of the more perfect globes of gold, picked from the tree...i think it tasted pretty good, actually...

Shelves are Done!!!!

Wow - feels like so much has been swirling and churning and changing. I got a new job, my shelves are built and almost moved in and the cabin dream is tickling my fingertips! Hard to believe!! Soooo wonderful. And it's been so absolutely beautiful, and I have been truly lounging, which I don't think I've done since having children!! Ha!!

It's the hazy lazy days of spring! Yikes and yum...

I haven't been being very crafty as everything has been topsy turvy while the walls of the craft room had to be cleared, piled elsewhere, then shelves cut, sanded, installed, electrical hooked up, light put in, then everything mounted and home-finding, which is what is going on right now. I have some photos from the last shoot that I am going to post on etsy soon - one of my fave creations yet... the totally tubular cowl/head something-or-other...

There are more pics on my humblehome facebook page...hmmm, I should put up a link to that one, I guess...

Anyhooo - trying to find time to unwind with my newly wound thrift finds. Why does it seem so challenging all of a sudden!!?? Got to slide back into the mood. I think this always happens in the summery times. It's so nice out, I am busy tip-toeing around barefoot and tasting the green shoots and now I am busy day-dreaming (hee hee). Oh, yeah, and a seven and four year old and job and umm...housekeeping, gardening, guitar playing, business-making --- guess it all adds up!

More soon! Promise!

been busy sewing and making a mess in my living room. We had a little photo shoot in the backyard - a cold grey evening. Not the best time to shoot summer stuff - but it was better than nothing. That seems to be the most challenging bit for me right now: photos! It was an eventful shoot, though: between my littlest sweetness smacking her head on some wood on the trampoline and the neighbors party-hollers and puking, we had no lack of entertainment. Luckily both occurred near the end of the shoot, so we got a few photos out of the evening...

Here is my darling pre-smack...
a hooded vest...
some new glovettes...
and a wonderful spring scarf: this really doesn't capture the color! It is electric!!
Cheers for now...busy organizing my room again to facilitate more sewing...

glovettes and spring

been posting and working away all day. Thank goodness my studio has a huge window and a tree right outside of it. I've been stuck in computer world - reading and posting and organizing. It's amazing how much time some of this actually takes - - and how much I'm actually enjoying it! It's nice work when you have the day to yourself, and I've made sure to stop for treats and tea and some crocheting, too!

I've been working on some stuff for spring and just setting up the space today for sewing. I made some new glovettes today and posted some older ones on etsy. Keep an eye out there to see what else is coming. I still have to get into the community aspect over there - just still getting my feet wet! I am just brimming with ideas for spring and summer and will post as soon as the newer ventures are done - or at least in progress. It's rare to have a day all to myself like this - definitely taking it a little slow!

Here are some newer pics of glovettes....

On Etsy, Finally!

*sigh* (of relief!!)

after what feels like weeks of gearing up for this it is finally here! For you computer-challenged people like me (and I feel not quite so, now) you will be able to relate to all my worry and ancy-ness about doing all the steps necessary to get Etsy going. It's really not THAT hard - I just found it challenging. In a Good Way, though, it turns out!!

I posted my first items last night, and checked my mail thismorning and one sold! I am trying not to get my hopes up, but this felt so good! It's nice to share, too, and give me something to work towards. It's also a bit like creative fire in a bottle over there - I mean, there are SOOOO many crazy talented artists. I was thinking of starting to put up links from here to other artists sites - but I wouldn't know where to stop!! It's a great feeling to be part of such a vibrant and creative community.

Here's something not everybody knows...you can SHOP LOCAL ON ETSY! yep! You can search for items based on whatever area you are in. Now, it's not necessarily better than buying something from someone in person, but it beats rushing out to Zellers because there wasn't a craft show that weekend. Chances are, if you find an artist close by, you could even pick the item up! Fast, Easy, Local!

Sooooo...I have to go take more pictures now and get going on some spring and summer projects. I'll post pics as soon as I have them. I am applying for some shows this summer too - just to dip my toes in. I'd prefer to operate incognito from my cabin in the woods, but if stepping out into the wilds of Festival Hoop-la is a step in the right direction I will do it for sure! I will be making hoops and fun hoopable accessories and some crazy hats, necklets, handwarmers and such. Let me know if you have any suggestions. . .

Cheers!

I've been busy...

...and instead of boring with words I'll just post a bunch of pics to make up for the months and months of nothingness! I have nothing against nothingness, but here it goes anyways.

These are some things I'll be offering up in my new etsy store which should get up and running tomorrow (if I'm not mangled by another headache and job applications).
I'll post a link here, of course. But in the meantime, you can sneak-a-peek...

an electric cowl...

warming fingerless mitts, a la nature...

and a...mmm...I don't know what to call it.

Thanks to my beautiful models who braved the coldish day to put hat after hat and cowl after cowl on...check out my etsy store soon to see more. I'm warming up for spring and revisiting my sewing machine. I'll post some pics soonish of what's to come then. For now I'm still unwilling to say goodbye to Winter!