March: Don't pull those bullshit February moves.

Can I just go on for a minute about how glad I am that it is March? Not that March is in itself any great shakes but it is in a Canadian's mind the month before the month before the almost end of crap weather. I know I went on a bit about how happy I was that it was February but now I know better and I won't do that again. I mean with the 8 inches of snow that was dumped yesterday I have learned my lesson. As was explained to me today by a seasoned Canadian "at least you know in March, even if it's freezing cold and nasty every day, which it often is, at least you know it is near to the almost end of it sometimes. Kind of. (pause) Sort of." Heh?

Sewing bags. Lots of bags. Cute little patchwork bags with velcro fastenings and mix-matchy linings. I am trying to perfect a pattern and have been having some luck. I am currently on bag 4 and I think I have almost got it the way I want it. Perhaps I shall post a tutorial when I am happy with the results? My first tut. yeah! The bags are made all from my stash and mostly repurposed fabric. Here's a snap of the first one:

There's a little Heather Ross goodness in there courtesy of my friend Mad via Annie. Love her stuff. Note to self, before taking photos, iron. I don't make my bed either.

Been thinking alot lately about consumerism as I have been feeling quite needy for new clothes and bright, shiny new stuff - anything! I love stuff dammit. I don't have alot of extra coin for stuff right now which makes me think of stuff all the time. But I do have willpower so... I have made a decision that I am not going to buy any new clothing for myself. I don't want to say "never" but, well that's the idea. Every item of clothing that comes into this house for me will be of the hand-me-down variety (I have a very generous sister-by-another-mother (and father) and a girlfriend of mine so it's not like I'm hurting. Other than that I will purchase only thrifted and handmade items. When I told my dear friend Whitney this she said/asked, "but you're going to buy your socks and undies new?" I told her "hell no! I'm going to upcycle them." Don't tell her I'm joking.

I'm itching to make more bags before bed. Love.

In My Backyard

As I scramble to come up with ideas for family and friends for Christmas, all my best intentions for making gifts with my two hands are proving unrealistic. As Christmas approaches, (can you believe it is two weeks away?), I have realized that I need help. I'm a strong believer in handmade and it has been an easy decision to accept that if I'm not going to make it, I'm happy to invest in someone who can.

So buy handmade. Great. Love it. But I think I can do better. Over the last few months since moving back to Canada, I have had the opportunity to start exploring the crafting/creating scene here in Ottawa and I am loving what I am finding. There are so many talented people that are putting their heart and soul into their creations. As a friend pointed out to me the other day, we are not Toronto, or Montreal, or Vancouver where the movement is much more visible. But Ottawa has what's going on - you just need to dig a little deeper to find it.

And although I am specifically speaking about Ottawa, I believe there are fantastic things happening just about wherever you are in this big beautiful world. It's now very easy to shop locally on Etsy and support your local artisans in whatever town you live in. Once you are on their homepage scroll down until you you see "Ways to Shop" on the left hand column. Select "Shop Local." I promise you, you will be amazed but what you find.

So back to my local, Ottawa. I am really excited that I have been able to connect with some local artisans and I want to share them and their creations with you. So here are a few of my local favourites for your enjoyment...

For upcycled children's clothing, Wave Kaia is superfun. All Laura's creations are made almost exclusively from repurposed material and upcycled clothing. She sells the funkiest hats, leggings and trousers but I really adore the versatility of her dress shirt dresses for girls. These are great because when they becomes too short for a dress you can pair them with leggings. High on cute, comfort, and style. Check out Wave Kaia for all the kiddos on your list. Laura also blogs here.

Haley of HaleyByHand is a wonderful sewer who currently is featuring a gorgeous line of owl softies. And when I say soft I mean oooozing softness. Her choices in fabrics and attention to detail in every piece she makes ensures that anyone who is gifted with one of these beauties will have a friend for life. Haley makes stunning things, check out her handmade goodness here and her blog here. You can also find Haley at the Shang Winter Craft Sale this Sunday Dec. 12th from 10-3 (Shanghai Restaurant on Somerset).

I spent a lot of time browsing through Urbanite Jewelry's Etsy Shop yesterday trying to select a couple of photos to show you that reflected the quality and workmanship as well as the style and gorgeousness of Krista's pieces. After much mulling I choose the following three but you really must check her stuff out yourself - it's awesome. Krista is also very active in the crafting community and is co-founder of the Craft Co-Op which is an amazing source of info for all those interested in the subject. Coming next for Krista is Wed By Hand. But first...her killer jewelry:

And if you have ever read my blog before you know of my love for Annie Bananie. Friend, felter, kindred spirit, teacher, day care provider, kundalini instructor. She rocks the free world. For the purpose of this post, I will focus on what she sells - lovely, soul nourishing felting kits that are appropriate for those aged 5 to timeless. She offers several different kits but the ones I particularly love are her ball kits - great for beginners or experienced felters looking to create simple beauty. All of her kits are complete with everything you need and detailed, clear instructions with photos. Annie's Etsy shop is coming soon so follow her blog to keep current of her projects and amazing workshops - joining community through creative expression.

I hope this post has inspired you to shop local handmade this Christmas and throughout the year. Keep watching these women, they are constantly churning out new products and designing amazing awesome things! They are passionate about what they do and everything they create is from love. Now who can resist that??