As promised, a selection of valentine cards that I made with the kids on the weekend. It’s way too cialis much fun making these….oh to be a kid again!
More crafty valentines
Category: Crafting
Crafty DIY Valentines
Inspired by my friend Alex over at NorthStory, I decided this year was the year for DIY valentines. Sure, I could have gone over to Dollarama and found some super hero themed package of valentines for a buck that came from some factory way over there but I decided NOT to choose the path of least resistance. This year, Valentine’s Day was going to be personal. So I rummaged through my craft cabinet and there among all the forgotten crafts purchased years ago when I was an eager and enthusiastic first time mom I found a bag full of foamies brimming with hearts in a rainbow of colours and sizes.
With the little spare time that I have (read: none) I decided to make my kids’ valentines for school and daycare. I know, I know, I know: THEY should make them. Not me. And they did help me–for about a nanosecond. So I enlisted my oh-so-willing husband to help cut the card stock (who are we kidding? I gave him my best puppy dog eyes and begged) and got creative with some glitter glue and colour play.
I draw the line at filling in the cards for the kids but it’s fun to *be* a kid again making the cards. Maybe I’m being too sentimental or ideal but I really believe teachers, parents and kids not only appreciate the homemade valentines but they remember them and the people who made them.
Well time’s awasting–eight down, forty to go.
Crafty Dreams
I’ve been reading this book called Craft Inc. Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business and it’s got me daydreaming about a life where my days are whiled away in a beautifully decorated craft room. In that beautiful room I’d be inspired to make precious heirloom baby quilts and hug pillows. I’d make a name for myself in the crafting world and people would seek out my wares. Some rich, famous and beautiful celebrity mama would be photographed on the pages of a mag with their celebrity offspring clutching one of my handmade blankies and then I could start charging top dollar for custom made blankies and hire a partner to adopt my techinques and share in the spoils….Alas, I am not independently wealthy and therefore unable to make this dream a reality (yet). But reading this book and looking at inspiring craft rooms, like that of Alicia Paulson , Jenny B’s All Sorts, FroggyMonkey or HappyZombie among others, is almost enough to make me get off my behind and create a special space for myself in my home. Well, one of these days my threats might actually convert from idle to real and I’ll follow through. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the eye candy.
A Mother Of A Day
I try not to set any expectations when it comes to Mother’s Day. Yes, it’s a holiday that recognizes the hard work, effort and love that knows no bounds of a mother, but it is hardly a holiday from mothering. But I’ve got to hand it to my husband–today was a great day. It started with a “sleep in” until 7:40. Yes, believe it or not, that is sleeping in around these parts. I was woken by a soft kiss on the cheek from my 5-year-old and a beautiful tray full of yummy breakfast; a perfectly cooked 2-egg omelet with a fanned strawberry atop, two slices of cinnamon raisin toast with blueberry jam, fresh mixed berries, a mug of tea and some juice. The presentation was impeccable, as evidenced in the picture below.
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Then came the gifts. Both my boys had made me gifts at daycare. The elder made me a lovely jewelery box and necklace, and the younger, what appears to be a hanging mail holder. These are by far the best gifts a mom could ever receive because there is no monetary value attached to these, just pure sentiment and that’s exactly what every mother covets from her children.
- Jewellery Box
The rest of the day was spent with family celebrating mothers and grandmothers and even one great grandmother. I even had an opportunity to share some one-on-one time with my Mom. I decided to take her to the nursery to pick out flowers for her planter, which I offered to buy and plant for her as a combined Mother’s Day and birthday gift (her birthday is a few short days away). While it may not sound like a glamorous outing, it was what I like to call “time well spent.” I consider my Mom to be my close friend, and any time spent together is a good time. I think it’s safe to say that mothers and daughters tend to have a special bond that’s different from the bond shared by mothers and sons. However I do hope that I remain close with my boys as they get older.
The day concluded with a barbeque right at home. My contribution, other than the venue, was my 1-2-3-4 lemon cake, which was a big hit and looked spectacular (if I do say so myself). In some ways I wish every day was Mother’s Day, but if I really think about it, every day IS Mother’s Day. Not a day goes by that my boys don’t need the comfort or care of their mom, and while there are moments where it gets to be too much I think I’ll take it while I can get it. I already know how fleeting childhood is and while I will always be their mother, I imagine a day when my boys will no longer wish to cuddle in my arms or be tickled. But I do hope they will always seek me out for advice or simply be a shoulder to lean on. Happy Mother’s Day.
Spring One Of A Kind Show
categories: Crafting
I may have mentioned that in this blog I want to feature others who are into the “homemade” way of living, and artisans tend to be those who best live by that mantra.
So it’s always inspiring to meet someone who does what they love for a living and finding a whole bunch of people who do what they love for a living all in one place is even better. This place is called the Spring One Of A Kind Show and I had the pleasure of attending the opening with my friends Barb and Jenny. We wandered the show floor to meet the vendors and check out their wares.
Among the many talented artisans we discovered several who were creating unique and beautiful clothing, jewellery and accessories. And now I get to share their stories with you.
“ANTLER LADY”- Actually her name is Dandi Maestre and she makes beautiful jewellery from found objects. She moved to Toronto from Columbia six years ago. Originally trained as a graphic designer, Dandi, like so many new to Canada decided to reinvent herself when she moved to Canada. Dandi’s accessories were recently seen on the runway at Toronto Fashion Week in Lucian Matis’ collection. Dandi, a self-taught jewellery designer, describes her pieces as “tribal.” Using all-natural materials like horn, hooves, antlers, seeds from the Amazon, coconut and reclaimed wood, Dandi’s jewellery really are statement pieces. This jewellery is definitely for the confident woman.
“FEATHER GIRL”- Nicole McInnis is a third year student studying fashion design at Ryerson University. She was selling these precious hair ornaments at the Show. If you can’t make it to the show this weekend, you can always check out her online shop, Oh Dina! on Etsy.com To her delight, there were many shoppers interested in her accessories. They ranged in price from $30 to $125. Nicole, who also loves to make hats, says she gets her inspiration from Pin Up girls, vintage Hollywood glamour and as she says, “anything pretty.” Great for dolling up any outfit, or even as an accessory for your wedding day up-do, these feathered friends really are worth checking out. My photographs hardly do these ornaments justice, so go visit her Etsy site to get a better view.
Honeybea Design Hive– This vendor immediately caught my eye when I saw these lovely button bags on display. Becky Caulford is the creative genius behind Honeybea. With fashion design under her belt, Becky decided to create a line of “sustainable fashion” five years ago and began pedaling her wares at fairs and festivals across the country. Traveling in her VW wagon dec’d out with daisies Becky is a modern girl living the flower child lifestyle. Her fabulous button bags ($79)Â truly are eye-catching, as are her sexy mama halter tops ( for $59 which I procured for myself, as did Jenny) all have a very ’70’s vibe about them. All of her gear is made from discarded fabrics and objects like curtains, coasters, napkin and curtain rings (the “buttons” on her bags are actually made from vintage wooden drink coasters!) that she finds at thrift stores. Becky truly is a modern-day environmental maven. The best way to describe her style? “Not hokey, but folky.”
