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Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Give Thanks

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Vintage fork with hand-hammered message (above) by Wooden Hive.

My business contacts in the US are always surprised when I tell them that my office will be closed at the beginning of October in observance of Thanksgiving. “There’s a *Canadian* Thanksgiving?” they inevitably ask. Why, yes. Yes, there is.

Fall wreath with upcycled tin-can flowers (above) by Custom Created.

Thanksgiving north of the border differs a little from the holiday celebrated by our American friends, but along with the name, there are some traditions that we both share. The similarities include football, family and a propensity towards incredibly cute home and table decorations, as seen throughout this article. You won’t find any pilgrims up here, though; our holiday is an autumn festival to mark the end of the crop season and give thanks for the bountiful harvest.

Handpainted, upcycled record bowl (above) by Eye Pop Art.

While our native peoples have been giving thanks to the land for countless generations before our arrival, the anglo history of Canadian Thanksgiving is a little sketchy in places. The first accounts date back to 1578; when a European explorer held a ceremony to give thanks for surviving a long ocean journey (sound familiar?). In 1872, Thanksgiving was observed in Canada as a civic holiday; however, the date and theme was changed from year to year. Thanksgiving has been celebrated on the second Monday of October, since the passing of an act of Parliament in 1959.

Rustic cutting board/serving platter (above) made from sustainable black walnut by Grey Works Design .

As far as the food is concerned, the Canadian Thanksgiving feast is made up of many of the same foods as the American. Turkey is the traditional main course, although I have seen a few hams hit the table in my time. The roasted bird is, of course, accompanied by sage-spiked stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Usual side dishes are mashed potatoes, veggies, squash dishes, breads and salads.

Pumpkin made from vintage 1970s fabric (above) by Whoopsie Daisies

Visitors from the US sitting down at a Thanksgiving feast in Canada will probably notice one glaring omission – in 38 years of giving thanks, I have never had to “pass along” a casserole of cloyingly sweet, marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes. It’s not that we have anything against sweets; we’re just leaving room for pumpkin pie!

Pinecone and wire turkey place card holders (above) by Carrieveau Craft.

I shouldn’t diss the sweet potato casserole, though. I’m sure that Americans need all the energy they can get for Black Friday; an event that, to a casual observer, almost seems to trump Thanksgiving itself in the US. We do not have an equivalent to Black Friday up here, unless you count December 26th (aka Boxing Day), and usually spend the long weekend raking leaves and napping. Oh, the glory of tryptophan!

Cotton/wool acorns with real acorn “hats” (above) by Rose Cottage Boutique 2.

So, there. That’s Canadian Thanksgiving in a nutshell. I would love to hear from readers on both sides of the border – what are you thankful for?

My Mom Rocks

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A couple of years ago, a one of my mother’s friends took me aside at a family event and told me, “Your mom would move mountains for you, Rebecca. Remember that.” At the time, I took as an off-hand comment, but it was actually a prophecy of sorts. Just 6 months later, when I called my mom to tell her that I was planning to leave the West Coast and move back to the Prairies, she said, without skipping a beat, “Great. Rent a truck. I’ll drive.”

A few short weeks later, with Vancouver in the rear-view mirror of my Jetta and my mom at the helm of a packed U-haul, I headed home. It took us 3 days to make the 2000+ kilometre trip. My mom was Thelma, I was Louise, and the gas-guzzling U-haul was called “Piggy”. A lot of laughs, a few tears, and a couple slightly-sketchy hotel rooms were shared as we made our way across 3 1/2 provinces. At the end of our trip, when my belongings and I were safely in Winnipeg, my mom asked for nothing in return. She just gave me a huge hug, told me to behave, and hopped on a flight back to BC.

Someday, I hope I get the chance to pay it forward and do something like that for my own kid. (Except I’ll probably make him drive the U-haul.) In the meantime, since my mom is my rock, I have gathered up this collection of stone-cold awesomeness in her honour…and just in time for Mother’s Day!

According to Lindsay, unlike children, air plants require minimal nurturing to keep them alive. They don’t even need soil; just a sunny spot and a twice-weekly bath. This Tillandsia makes his home in a sandstone pebble planter, which has a lovely modern, organic design. Check out Lindsay’s shop of all sorts of unique and beautiful gifts for mothers (and others.)

Dean & Sue of British Columbia carve words and designs into stones that have been polished by the Pacific Ocean, using a sandblasting technique. They will carve all sorts of words and images into the stones, but I think these sweet little baby feet would be perfect for a new mom. The pendant pictured above, from the Monkeys Jewels shop, hangs from a silver bail and comes on a black leather cord with a silver clasp.

I love how these felted pebbles fool the eye. At a glance, they appear smooth and hard; but in the hand they are warm, soft and touchable. Taking her inspiration from nature’s organic forms and textures, Delica creates her tromp l’oeil rocks by felting natural merino wool. The set pictured above is made up of nine grey pebbles; each as unique as their stone counterparts would be in nature.

And, finally, some rocks of a different kind – the edible kind! These decadent mini rocky road cheesecakes (pictured above with the peanut butter cup cheesecake) from the Bakesalery are topped with loads of vegan marshmallows, ganache and chopped almonds on a chocolate cookie crust. The best part, though, is that they come in pairs; perfect for sharing with mom.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9th, 2010.

Bikini Babes

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I’m lucky enough to be going on holiday soon, so I’ve actually been the target audience to all the swim wear on offer in the high street. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve wasted looking through rails of clothes and trying on various combinations of bikini tops, tankini tops, bikini bottoms, coordinating skirts and one-piece swimming costumes. It’s actually been doing my head in. You can’t do it quickly either! In order to try on swimwear, you have to take (almost) absolutely everything off! (Then of course, you need a different size and being a British citizen, rather than an American one, (and not shopping in high class, super expensive establishments), this means getting at least partially dressed again, scurrying across the shop and back to the changing rooms hoping for better luck this time.)

Ok, enough of my whinging. Shopping is supposed to be fun isn’t it? Well, it’s always fun on etsy! I can waste hours of my time window shopping on etsy, but it’s so much more enjoyable because the swimwear is different, unique and so much more a joy to look at. Unfortunately this didn’t occur to me until just now, and just now is too late to order something in time for my holiday. For some reason I suppose I assumed swimwear wouldn’t be available handmade.

One of my favourites is the one above by My Sugar Doll. Little poodles printed on the lycra fabric is genious! It’s very cute, but a little bit naughty as well.

I am always a fan of 50s style clothing and I actually discovered this swimwear maker in an article in an antiques magazine! Anna Winston makes them by the sea near Hastings, UK, where I regularly used to drive down to for fish and chips, usually in the rain, where we’d park by the shore next to the fishing boats and watch the waves crash on the pebbles! Ok, enough of my reminiscing – take a look at these gorgeous swimming costumes. I love them. “If a woman feels comfortable and elegant on the beach then she’s more inclined to enjoy herself,” she says. I completely agree.

I also love this electric blue bikini, made to order by LoveLucyBea. In her shop there are all kinds of unusual designs in lots of different colours. Definitely worth checking out. I just love all the ruffles!

If you’re wondering what I bought for my holiday in the end, well I bought a bog standard purple bikini and made myself a pixie style dress to wear over the top (from my roll of black lycra I usually use for waistbands), and cut little holes in it so the purple shows through.

Halloween Costumes

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Last year, I put my Halloween costume together at the very last minute. I thought I was pretty clever dressed up as Jazzerciser, complete with sweat bands, scrunch socks, tights, 80s makeup and a leotard. But, if I would have thought my costume through, I would have realized that a too short leotard can make for a very uncomfortable night on the town–yikes! This year, things are going to go a little bit differently. First of all, I’ll be planning in advance, instead of scouring the thrift store at the last minute, and secondly, I’ll be putting comfort and style before anything else.

It’s fun to play the vixen on Halloween, but I’ve always been drawn to the sweeter characters. This candy corn costume (sweet, get it?!) by I’m Your Present immediately caught my eye. You can’t get much more comfortable than a tent dress, and I love that this costume doesn’t require any heavy makeup in order to be believable.

A Halloween mask is a great way to stay comfortable and chic–think masquerade ball–during your trick-or-treating adventures. This red Rococo mask by Tom Banwell Designs is just breathtaking, and could easily be dressed up with a gown or worn with a more casual pants outfit. No matter how you style it, this mask is sure to stand out among the usual ghost, ghoul and witch costumes.

Decorative headbands are another great way to look cute and stay comfortable. I love the black bear headband by Em & Sprout, a great twist on the typical cat and bunny ears costume, but just as sweet. Similar to the mask, this headband can be worn with clothes you already own, and can be easily dressed up or down depending on your mood.

I haven’t decided what I’m going to be for Halloween yet this year, but no matter what I choose, I’ll be sure to skip the leotard!

**The witch painting featured at the top of this post was created by Wood Wings.

Oh, Canada!

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Unlike our neighbours to the south, with their somewhat-brazen flag waving, we Canadians are notoriously humble about our patriotism. Sure we show our red maple leaves with pride, but it is always with an underlying sense of moderation and polite restraint. However, the one day of the year that we allow ourselves to really let loose is July 1st, when we take a collective day-off to observe our Nation‘s birthday. In honour of Canada’s 143rd, I’m inviting you to embrace your inner Canadian and take a peek at some terrific handmade finds from the unabashedly polite people at the top of the continent.

Rhonda, of My Handbound Books is a bookbinder and book artist hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who is constantly working on new ways to practice her craft and often includes an eco-friendly element. Some of Rhonda’s journals are made entirely from recycled/reclaimed/repurposed materials; to create the one pictured above, she didn’t have to go any further than her stash of leather scraps and salvaged trims and closures. To match the virtue of the cover, it is filled with unlined cream paper with 30% recycled content. Check out Rhonda’s blog http://myhandboundbooks.blogspot.com/ to see more of her eco-friendly projects, including her awesomely kitschy “as seen on tv” product box journals.

Released in 1983, Bryan Adams’ album “Cuts Like a Knife” was the third studio album by the Canadian singer/songwriter, and can easily be credited for giving Adams his first real mainstream popularity in both Canada and the US. Montreal’s Odd Bob has taken this iconic piece of Canadian music history and preserved it as a funky piece of functional art for the home. The signed and numbered piece has been carefully reshaped and three non-slip feet have been added. It even comes complete with its original cover! (Music lovers and collectors need not worry – Groovebowls are made only from records that Odd Bob has deemed “unplayable”, due to pits and scratches.)

Mariclaro Canada is a small design collective based in Toronto with a mandate to design and create sustainable products. The bag pictured above, made from seatbelts, upholstery and bike inner tubes, is a perfect example of their work. Created from 99% recycled materials (the thread makes up the remaining 1%), it is a truly unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Toronto locals (and visitors to “The Big Smoke”) can find the brick-and-mortar Mariclaro shop at 457 Roncesvalles Ave, just south of Dundas West.

Lucky me – one of my favourite Canadian designers just so happens to live right here in my home province! Winnipegger Kelly Ruth absolutely loves Manitoba summers and you can tell by the way the vibrant, earthy colours of her hand-dyed garments (pictured above) reflect the natural beauty of our ever-changing prairie landscape. By using special, fiber-reactive dyes on super-soft and sustainable bamboo-blend knit fabrics, Kelly creates one-of-a-kind pieces that no only look gorgeous when you buy them, but will not fade over time.

The upcycled Canada atlas envelopes at the beginning of this article are made by Prairie Peasant, a member of the Etsy Trans Canada Team. Visit the team blog to find out how you can win one of two fabulously Canadian prizes in their “Handmade in Canada Party”. Hurry – the contest only runs until Canada Day!

Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is a celebration marking the anniversary of the enactment of the British North American Act of 1867, which united two British colonies with a province of the British Empire into a single country. Similar to the way Americans celebrate their Independence Day, we Canucks will spend the day with family and friends; eating, drinking, gathering, parading and setting-off fireworks…with the utmost of polite moderation, of course.