A few weeks ago, I sent my brother and his fiance on a mission. There was a craft show in another town that I wanted to attend, (but couldn’t) and they were conveniently going to be in that very town, on that very day. So they happily became our C+H street team and off they went with instructions to “gather information on anything that you think is cool”. They had a great time, and soon reported back that they had found some really neat stuff. One of their favorites were these beautiful pieces from Sculpted Light. When I went online to see what they were talking about, I was pretty impressed too!
Joanne begins by making her own tissue-thin paper using unique fibers from plants like forsythia and hollyhocks. This gives her paper beautiful texture and depth. Then she shapes them into stunning free-form sculptures using reeds, and finishes them off by attaching a light inside. The result: gorgeous sculptural pieces that glow warmly from the inside out.
Is it ambient lighting? is it art? It's both!
A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Joanne uses organic materials and found objects like leaves and feathers in her work. My favorite piece (called “Orchestra”) looks like this when sitting on a table or shelf:
Simply gorgeous!
Or it can be mounted on the wall and look a little something like this:
Elegant, romantic, and lovely...
Awesome, right? And if you are looking for something to make your holiday greetings stand out from the crowd, look no further! Sculpted Light has these fantastic holiday lantern cards that will definitely *not* end up in the recycling on boxing day:
Just roll the card into a cylinder and slide it over a votive candle, the glow shines through your holiday message for everyone to enjoy
These pieces combine the best of art and functionality, and give a warm, earthy glow that is truly unique.
You can see more from Sculpted Light on Joanne’s Cargoh store, her Etsy shop, Facebook, Twitter, or the Sculpted Light website.
Let there be light!
~Jennifer
Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments for our Handmade Holiday Helper Contest. We have had so much fun reading about all the amazing and heartfelt handmade gifts that you have made and received over the years! We hope that you will continue to support handmade artisans throughout the year.
We have entered all the qualifying entries into the random number generator at Random.Org and we now officially have a winner!
Congratulations to Sarah Taylor from Los Alamos, New Mexico!
We Canadians like to share, so we are spreading the love of our crafters and artisans south of the border too!
Here is Sarah’s winning entry:
“My favorite handmade gift was received the Christmas that I was 8. My very crafty Mom bought me a porcelain doll and sewed an entire wardrobe for her. There was lots of lace, faux furs and calico all carefully wrapped and folded within a vintage luggage case. I loved that doll so much then, and have carried her around with me for 2 decades now, carefully storing her away with the tin of clothes in anticipation for when my own daughters are old enough to play.”
Thank you so much to our C+H vendors for your enthusiasm and all your wonderful contributions to the Prize Pack! We are so grateful for your ongoing support and encouragement.
Part of our goal here at C+H is to help build a network and community full of people who appreciate and create Handmade. Thank you all for being a part of that, and for continuing to spread the word. We are growing every day, and are looking forward to an exciting New Year.
Congratulations once again to Sarah, and best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy holiday season!
~Santa’s Helpers
Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Maybe you still have a few last minute gifts to pick up? Take a peek at some of the great events taking place this weekend! If there’s one in your neck of the woods, be sure to stop by and see what your local elves have been busy creating in their workshops!
Vancouver, BC: You won’t want to miss the One of A Kind Show and Sale, taking over the New Vancouver Convention Centre this weekend. Open daily at 10:00 am until Sunday (closing at 9:00 pm Friday & Saturday, 5:00pm on Sunday). Tickets are $10.00 each, or $6.50 for seniors/students. Click here to purchase & print your tickets online to save $2.00. Sarah sent rave reviews after her first visit yesterday, and I know she’ll be heading back later this weekend to give her feet (and likely her wallet!) another workout.
Vancouver, BC, part deux: It may be smaller, but no less awesome, don’t forget about Shiny Fuzzy Muddy. The 11th annual Holiday sale is happening at Heritage Hall (3102 Main Street, Vancouver) this Saturday and Sunday. Hours are from 11:00 am to 9:00 on Saturday, and 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday. Take a sneak peek at the blog, then visit the show, admission is free!
Edmonton, AB: The University of Alberta’s Butterdome hosts their Christmas Craft Sale. Doors will be open from 11:00 am to 10:00pm today, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday, and 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday. Directions, transportation, and parking details can be found here.
Ottawa, ON: Visit the Originals Ottawa Christmas Craft Show and Sale. The 36th annual show is being held at Lansdowne Park from now until December 19th (but closed this coming monday -dec 13th). Stop in on weekdays from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, or on the weekends from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Adult tickets are $7.00, Seniors and Youth are $4.00. Lansdowne is at the intersection of Bank Street and the Rideau Canal (onsite parking is $5.00).
London, ON: Dig yourself out from all that crazy snow, and stop by An Artists Affair at the Convergence Centre (999 Collip Circle, Western Research Park). Running on Saturday only from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $5.00, but if you bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank (and we suggest you do!), it’s only $3.00.
Winnipeg, MB: It’s the Last Chance Christmas Craft Sale, coming to the Canad Inns (Club Regent Casino Hotel). This event is running on Sunday only, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Click here for a map to the location. Admission is only $2.00 with half going to support Cancercare MB.
As always, happy shopping! And thank you for continuing to support Canadian artists and crafters!
Cheers,
~Jennifer
It’s that time of the year, my friends. The new year is almost here, and you need a new calendar. Yes, you do. And I’ve got a few lovelies to share today!
Hammypie’s shop at Cargoh.com is full of a beautiful line of 2011 calendars! My favourite is the long and elegant script style shown below.
Harmony, the designer and creator behind these lovely calendars, lives in Vancouver and works her day job as a graphic designer. Feeling a lack of stylish calendars in the marketplace, Harmony filled that void with her colourful and locally printed options. The calendars are large – 16-3/8″ tall x 5″ across – and there are so many ways to display them! Hang them with the silver bulldog clip they come with, clip them to a ribbon and spread them across your wall, pin to a corkboard or frame them (they are that pretty!).
Harmony is only half of Hammypie, though! Her partner Eunice chooses needle and wool to display her talents. According to the Hammypie.com website, Eunice has Harmony to thank for opening her eyes to her love of knitting. Now, she’s making lovely cozy-looking cowls, with unique button detailing and 3 sizes to suit! There are Itty-bittys, In the Middle and Big and Slouchy… head over to Hammypie to see Eunice’s work!
You can find the full line of 2011 calendars in their Cargoh shop, as well as on Etsy and their own website. Get ‘em now, before January 1st creeps up on you and you don’t have a new calendar to keep track of all those parties and date nights :)
Cheers!
~Sarah
P.S. Hop over to the Etsy shop for a 25% off sale when you buy 3 calendars! Steal of a deal!
P.P.S. Vancouverites, Hammypie will be at Shiny Fuzzy Muddy this weekend. Drop by and say hello to Harmony and Eunice if you get a chance!
Winter has definitely arrived, with cold temperatures, and some snow (ok, in some places a LOT of snow). That means it’s time to snuggle up with cozy blankets in front of a fire, or stay just a few extra minutes tucked into your warm bed before facing the day. I love the feeling of a nice soft, comfortable blanket tucked around me just right. So when the weather dips into those dreaded negative numbers, out comes my stockpile of fleecy or knitted delights. If you want to wrap your little one in something a little more personal than a generic pink or blue blankey, you won’t want to miss Baby Magoo. I have seen them at shows over the years, and always end up coo-ing over their lovely designs!
I was obsessed with all things purple for several years as a kid... I would have LOVED this!
Choose a custom theme to suit your child's dreams!
If you have a baby shower coming up, or your kids are a bit older, you can choose one of the other styles without the custom work. They are just as soft and beautiful, and you can easily find one to go with any room decor too!
These colourful dots are perfect for a modern mama and her stylish baby!
They also have the most adorable hooded towels in fun animal prints:
This is one giraffe that I could just Eat. Right. Up. too cute!
You can find the full Baby Magoo line (including some sweet “lovies”) on their site, and follow them on Twitter. Stay tuned for the upcoming Eco Magoo products!
The weather outside may be frightful, but staying cuddled up and warm is delightful!
~Jennifer
This past weekend my husband and I bundled up the little one, threw some rope and bungee cords in the back of the SUV, and headed off to find the perfect Christmas tree. We carefully selected a beautiful lush balsam fir, and even managed to get it home and set up without losing any branches (or our minds!). Soon the house smelled amazing, the lights were twinkling, and our lovely handcrafted angel (-my must have purchase from last year’s One of A Kind show) was sitting gracefully on the top branch. All that I needed was a big mug of hot chocolate in one of these great festive mugs from Canadian Creationz:
Complete with carrot nose and rosy cheeks... cute!
There is even a matching teapot!
I think this would be a perfect addition to my teapot collection. I don't have a Holiday one... yet!
This one would be an excellent choice for the “less than festive” folks among us:
In my opinion: The BEST Christmas movie. Bar none.
Or maybe you have a different festive beverage in mind…
Wouldn't these make a great hostess gift?!
Canadian Creationz (aka: Beth) also has beautiful items for other seasons throughout the year, like these glasses in her “woodland trees” motif:
Picture these filled with milk, it would be like a walk through a snow covered forest!
To see all that Beth has to offer, just visit her Etsy shop. There’s salt and pepper shakers, ornaments, oil bottles, light switch covers, and even a painted phone!
Cheers!
~Jennifer
Hello everyone! Welcome to the fun that is a Canadian+Handmade contest, with fabulously Canadian+Handmade prizes! In conjunction with our Handmade Holiday challenge, we thought it would be in the holiday spirit to help someone gift a little more handmade this season… so we chatted with our featured artists, and these are the deliciously lovely gifts that some of them have offered to us, to offer to you! Each of these artists has been featured on C+H in the past 7 months, so you can click through to read more about them and see some more of their work. In fact, we’d really like it if you did. We just want to spread the love and on their feature posts you can find links to their shops and Facebook pages, blogs etc.!
Scroll to the bottom of this post to find out how to enter (but don’t scroll too quickly – make sure you get a good look at all the gifts below!)
So, without further ado, these are the goodies you will find in the Handmade Holiday Helper Gift Pack, coming to you in time for you to sneak them into a stocking on Christmas Eve or wrap for under the tree!
This prize pack is worth over $325, so get commenting and join us over on Facebook and Twitter, too :) One lucky winner will receive this package, and it could be you!
A) Nyne, creator behind Brilliance Found jewellery, has included a feather wrap ring and a skeleton key ring. Both are adjustable and made of raw brass for a really lovely colour. To see more of her work, visit her original feature post here.
This feather wrap ring is made of raw brass, and is adjustable.
This little brass skeleton key ring is also adjustable, and would be the perfect "you've got the key to my heart" stocking stuffer!
B) Penny People personalized prints and artwork has donated a gift certificate for one of Lindsay’s 9×13″ alphabet prints! Anyone with kids will appreciate adding a bit of customized artwork to their child’s room or playroom, or make it a family name and add a little colour to the kitchen or the family office space! Aside: if you haven’t ordered your holiday cards yet, Penny People has some great designs available!! To see more of her work, visit the original post here.
Such a bright addition to any room!
C) Laura from Prairie Peasant has sent us some gorgeously patriotic Oh Canada! envelopes. Perfect for sending little love notes across the ocean… or an invitation to tea for your friend next door. Love these! Check out our original post about Laura’s travel journals and other stationery goodies here.
Made from vintage or discarded atlases, each one is a little piece of Canadiana.
D) The artwork of Shira Sela grabbed me and spoke to me earlier this fall, and I’m so happy that she volunteered to include one of her pieces in this gift pack! The 8.5×11″ “My Favourite Spot” print is such a lovely image, and I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding the perfect home for it. It is backed with foam core and ready to frame! You can see the original post about her work here (warning, I got a little sappy! ha ha!)
We should all be so lucky as to have a peaceful favourite spot!
E) The lovely Thursday of My Girl Thursday has sent us a fabulously vibrant scarf, from one of her new product lines. She use lots of reclaimed fabrics, and this piece has some vintage flair! Since we featured My Girl Thursday, her product line has expanded to include adorable belt buckles, scarves, screen printed totes and most recently, a Book of Secrets download that she is selling for charity. Fun stuff! You can check out our original post here.
These colours will brighten up even the gloomiest winter day!
F) Kathy from Navy Blue Notes must be a pretty fun lady, because her cards and notes are full of humour. Jenn laughed out loud when she first found their shop! They’ve sent us a package of their new Book Club Notes – perfect for the book lover on your list, or keep them yourself for your next book club get together! The original post (with giggle-inducing cards!) is here.
New Year's Resolution: Get my book club notes organized!
G) Take a yeti, add a little hermit and you get Yermits. We love them, and we think you will too. Seriously cute, this little spaceman wants a home with you! He’ll just hang out, eat some pizza. Maybe write a blog post on his laptop. He won’t get into trouble (much!). Thanks to Jenny at Yermits.com for sending this dude our way. You can see the original post here.
Fly me to the moon!
H) I’m a little partial to this particular prize item from Bstudio, because I happen to have one of Brenda’s ruffle rings and I get compliments on it every time I wear it! Her embroidered pieces are really lovely, too! You can see more examples of her work on the original post here.
A little splash of romance on your finger
I) Amanda from Little Knits on the Prairie caught Jenn’s eye with her little baby booties and lovely knits, but she’s recently launched Prairie Sparrow – a new shop, with cozy knitted cowls and felted bowls and more goodies! You can see her original post here, but do check out The Prairie Sparrow as well!
Super cozy for Canadian winters!
J) We kind of love the idea of all those holiday cards that get sent out having a little bit of spring included – this set of Season’s Greetings cards from Botanical Paperworks all have a plantable Christmas Tree shape that will blossom into wildflowers next summer. Awesome. See the original post here for more details.
Send a little spring with your cards this year!
K) Creations by Uli has been a supporter of C+H almost since day 1, and we’re happy to have one Uli’s chainmaille creations to include in this package. The Celtic Star below is anodized titanium in various colours, and measures about an inch across. You can see more of her work here.
Everyone needs a little chainmaille in their wardrobe :)
For these last few, we don’t have photos to share unfortunately, but please click through to their websites or original posts to see the type of work they do!
L) We featured Cloud + Lolly just a little while ago, and I’ve been stocking up on their pretty and modern scrabble tile pendants for babysitter gifts and, yes, even one for myself! The lucky prize pack winner will get a tile pendant of their very own, along with Cloud + Lolly’s 2011 calendar with hanger. You can find out more (much more!) about Cloud + Lolly on their original post here.
M) Shirley from Ear Curls Etc. has included a set of curls to add some sparkle to your holiday outfits! Her booth is always busy, busy, busy at the OOAK show in Toronto and she has a ton of selection! Check out the original post here.
N) And last, but certainly not least, is Magz-Bagz. This shop was one of our first features when we started C+H in the spring, and we’re thrilled that Megan has included a tote bag from her line of modern, funky accessories. Her bagz are laminated, making them easy to clean and perfect for moms on the go, or for anyone who likes a stylish bag with a little bit of flair! The original post is here.
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You have to agree we have some pretty talented and unique people in Canada, don’t we?!
Now for the details…
How to enter the Handmade Holiday Helper Gift Pack contest:
1. You MUST comment on this post (including a valid email address) and answer the following question: What is the best handmade gift you’ve ever made yourself and gifted OR what is the best handmade gift you’ve ever received? Feel free to answer both if you’re feeling chatty, but your answer will only count as one entry. If you don’t answer, you can’t win :)
2. For a BONUS entry, head over to our Facebook page and “like” Canadian+Handmade. Make sure you comment here to let us know, and if you already “like” us on Facebook, that counts too, but you need to comment here so we know!
3. For another BONUS entry, follow us on Twitter. You must comment to let us know, and if you already do follow us, you still need to comment to let us know for that extra entry to count!
See, totally easy, right?
If you’d like to help us spread the word about our Handmade Holiday challenge and this contest to bring a little more handmade Canadian goodness into the holidays, we’d love it if you’d tweet about it or spread the love via Facebook. Let us know by including @canadahandmade in your tweets or by linking to our Canadian+Handmade page in your Facebook status. We’ll offer an awesomely awkward high five and a shout out :)
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Contest Details and nittygritty:
Comments will remain open on this post until 6:00 pm (MT) Friday, December 10th. Winner will be announced the morning of December 11th and the recipient will have until noon on Monday, December 13th to respond with their mailing address. If they do not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected and the original winner will forfeit the prize.
The prize pack will be shipped by courier to arrive by December 23rd. Canadian+Handmade is not responsible, however, for courier shipping or postal delays resulting in the package not arriving prior to December 23rd.
The winner will be selected using a random number generator (random.org), based on the number of qualifying comments received on this post.
Gift sponsors are ineligible to win the contest (sorry, guys!).
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Thank you so much for your support of Canadian handmade, and Canadian+Handmade! Get to commenting, folks :)
Cheers,
~Sarah and Jennifer
Now that it is officially December, even the Grinch-y-est among us starts to feel a little bit festive. The air smells like gingerbread, the lights are twinkling, and the dusting of snow is still new and light enough to be pretty (at least around my neck of the woods!). So why not bundle up a bit, and make some time this weekend to check out one of these exciting events? Hopefully there’s one near you!
Vancouver, BC: See 50 local artists at the annual Got Craft? Holiday Show. It is being held at the Royal Canadian Legion 2205 Commercial Drive (@ E.6th Ave), on Sunday only. Cost is only $3.00, and the show runs from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. As a special bonus, the first 45 guests get a free swag bag! There is also a do it yourself table if you feel like getting in on the crafty action.
Montreal, QC: Join Team EtsyQ (the official Quebec Etsy Team), as they kick off their very first craft show and sale! Creations & Cocoa will run from Dec 3rd to Dec 5th, at Galerie Rye. Sip some delicious organic hot chocolate, and get to know some of the fantastic crafters from La Belle Province! Doors will be open from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday, and from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. You can even win while you shop! With every purchase of $25 or more, get a ticket to win one of the gift draws donated by the participants. Galerie Rye is located at 1331a Ste. Catherine East, close to Metro Beaudry.
Calgary, AB: This weekend the Our Best To You show comes to the BMO Centre at Stampede Park. With over 260 exhibitors, there is sure to be something for everyone on your list. Doors open at 10:00 am daily, and close at 9:30 on Friday, 6:00 on Saturday, and 5:00 on Sunday. Admission is $7.00, Seniors and Youth are $5.00. Re-entry passes are available, so you can come and go all weekend long. Click here for a map to the BMO Centre (formerly the Roundup Centre).
Toronto, ON: Don’t forget, this is your last chance to catch the One Of A Kind show at the Direct Energy Centre. I was there on Monday, and it was fantastic! Doors open daily at 10:00 am, and you can find more details here.
London, ON: You won’t want to miss the 2010 Christmas Craft Festival at the Western Fairgrounds (Progress Building). The show is open from 11:00 am daily, and runs until 9:00 on Friday, 6:00 on Saturday, and 5:00 on Sunday. Tickets are $6.00 each, or you can click here to print a pdf coupon for $1.00 off.
Winnipeg, MB: Aqua Books will host another Crafty Minions show on Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is free, so head over and check out all the unique handmade items. Shop for gifts, or just spoil yourself with something special! Not sure exactly where to find Aqua Books? We’ve got you covered: click here for a map.
There are, of course, many other events taking place across the country this weekend. Kitchener/Waterloo welcomes the Christkindl Market, or there’s the This Aint Your Grandma’s Craft Sale taking place on Sunday in Winnipeg. Here’s hoping that you find something near you to satisfy your crafty side!
~Jennifer
You guys, I don’t know what I’m going to do about this. I just adore these characters from Bad Bunny Puppets, but I kind of feel like I need to some rad piercings or some street cred that I lost somewhere around the 3rd month of my first pregnancy, so that I can justify getting the Rocker dude. I mean, seriously. How awesome is THIS?! Even his hair has been tested and is head-banger worthy.
There's a magnet on his hand so he can properly throw the goat. Honestly.
Paula, childhood lover of puppets and Bad Bunny mastermind, hails from Waterloo, ON and has perfected her craft over many years. The details on her puppets are so great, I’ve been clicking through them over and over again to check them out more carefully. Paula’s personality, and that of her puppets, shines through in the descriptions she offers up on her Etsy shop as well. Take, for example the description of the dude below:
Heh. Disturbed. *giggle*
Disturbed…but in a really good way.
Another party character for the Rocker line of Bad Bunny Puppets, this guy thinks he’s pretty edgy. But I know for a fact that he watches reruns of The Littlest Hobo when he thinks no one is looking.
Mr. Alternative Guy here got busy with the razor one day and gave himself a stylin’ fauxhawk, and hasn’t been able to find a part-time job since. The snake bite piercings don’t help either, but he thinks they make him look dangerous. He also sports two earplugs, and his custom bracelets are made of repurposed bicycle inner tubes. How green.
He’s a big fan of Disturbed, and the patch is just the statement that this pseudo-angsty tough wants to make. Did I mention that he drinks chamomile tea…?
As with all Bad Bunny Puppets, each of his hands has a pocket sewn directly into the palm of the hand to insert the included dowel, for left or right-handed manipulation of the arms. He loves smoothing his hair down into just the right brooding flop.
This little blue fella is an original Bad Bunny – I think he’s too darn cute to really be “bad”! All of Paula’s puppets are designed with kids in mind and are sturdy enough to be dragged around by toddlers. They all have a dowel included to allow you to manipulate their hands and arms, and with faces like these I’m pretty sure you (or your kids. Fine. Maybe let the kids have a turn!) will be able to come up with some great stories!
Paula admits that he might just be more "unpredictable", not really so bad after all!
Love his white patch, and his trendy (in the dog world) bandanna!
You can find more of Paula’s puppets on her Etsy shop, or drop by her Facebook page for a visit. It appears that these bunnies get into a little trouble once in a while, so it might be a good idea to keep tabs on them.
Happy puppeteering!
~Sarah
This post is part of a series related to the C+H Handmade Holiday Shopping Challenge. This holiday season, I am attempting to purchase all of our family’s gifts from Canadian handmade sources. I have plans to make a few gifts as well, and have allowed myself the exception of purchasing books (because I can’t imagine a Christmas without new books) from a local independent retailer. You can see all the details in the original post here! Update #1 is here.
We waited until December 1st to decorate this year, and suddenly as I pulled out our “countdown” Santa from his tissue paper bundle yesterday, I realized there were only 24 days left until Christmas. 23, as of today! Eep. So, time for a little update on the Handmade Holiday Shopping extravaganza that’s been going on over here. Part of our goal for this year was to give less, but give better – better quality, more thoughtful, lovely things. I think we’re meeting that goal and I can’t wait for Christmas morning!
A few of our favourite finds so far, for the little people in our lives:
Cute little ponytail bobbles by OnceUponAButton
Puzzle from an original print by Monika Brint (CranberryLicorice)
Gorgeous, snuggly housecoats by Pixie Dust Kids
And for some of the adults on our list this year:
Great teacher gift, don't you think? Mini Chai Tea Kit by Purpose Design
Custom magnet tile set by Dombots
Mmm, deliciously yummy smelling! African Red soap by Olive Bath & Body
I can’t give away all my gift-giving secrets before the 25th, so you’ll just have to wait to hear about the “big” stuff :) Let it be said, though, that I’m having so much fun with this challenge and I think I’ll start even earlier next year so that I might have more time to source some of the ideas that are giving me trouble! I also haven’t had as much time to work on the handmade gifts that I’d like to make myself, but I’ve finally got a work space back and will be putting together some projects over the next couple of weeks.
We’re also making a concerted effort to bring the focus of the holidays back to family time – to that end, we’ll be doing a “12 Days of Christmas” advent at our house, with a different family activity every day for the last 12 days before Christmas. I’d love to hear the ways that you bring family and tradition into your holiday season – do you always watch The Grinch when it’s on TV? Do you make a special trip out to look at the lights? Do you drink hot chocolate with marshmallows on Christmas Eve? Do you have a special Hannukah or Kwanzaa tradition that you’d like to share? Do tell!
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with one last update before the jolly old elf makes his appearance – until then, happy handmade shopping!
Cheers,
~Sarah
