It's almost time!

It has been a loooong few weeks and I have one more before I head to T.O. for the One of a Kind. I'm pretty sure my lungs are full of wool and my muscles have begun to atrophy from sitting all day on my sewing machine, but its' all coming together! Every day I'm crossing more and more off my list and it feels really good :P

Here is a coupon to save a few dollars off you tickets, and make sure you come visit me at Booth X-33!

After the show I immediately have to come home and make all my christmas presents and start packing! I'm moving to a new place, a whole house! I'm going to have so much storage I can't wait. I love my place right now, but actually having a living room that is not storage will be so awesome, plus I'll have a yard! I will be able to BBQ!!

So something that keeps me going when I'm super busy are awesome videos like this :) Henry in his Super Henry cape, which he actually wears in just his underwear calling himself Captain Underpants. With his little shadow Jack who copies everything he does. I'll be making him a cape for this year :)

This summer

So I spent a lot of time this summer procrastinating :) Which means I had a great summer, but will be totally swamped for the next couple of months getting ready for the One of a Kind Show. Every time I finish a show I swear I'm going to be more organized, I don't know why I bother trying to fool myself :P

So I did a couple of shows this summer with my new booth set-up, which is basically a smaller version of my One of a Kind set-up. I think it looked pretty awesome, actually almost too awesome as a LOT of people stopping at my booth had more to say about my trees than my owls, but they do look pretty cool :) Make me really appreciate all the help I've had from my dad, I can't imagine what it would look like without him.. even my past setups were only possible because he made my super light-weight folding tables.

The other exciting new thing is squirrels! I've finally finished the squirrel pattern. As much as I actually hate real live squirrels (I have to have friends retrieve my walls for my shows due to a squirrel) I think the stuffed squirrel is pretty cute. I'll take better pictures soon and get them up on Etsy. They are double sided so each one has two different fabrics on the tail. They take a bit longer to make than the owls so although I have them priced at $60 for now I think they may go up a bit soon, I haven't totally decided yet. And no baby squirrels yet, but I think that'll be a January project.

Anyways, that's all for now.. I want to get to bed, but I'm probably going to go cut some more fabric :)

The Boys

I thought I would share a couple of projects I did for my nephews. Lately they have been in to dinosaurs so I decided this year for Christmas I would give them some dinosaur/dragon tails. They were a pretty big hit, they love chasing after us and hitting us with them :)

Then for their birthdays, which are only a month apart and right after Christmas, I followed this super easy pattern I found online for a tent. I don't normally follow specific patterns, I find them really boring, but this one was really easy and fast. The hardest part was finding the room to lay a sheet out to cut it.. my apartment is a tad crowded :)

I would have KILLED for a tent like this when I was a kid. I always made the most elaborate tents with poles and blankets and duct tape. They never lasted long as I usually built them really big and right in the way of the washer and dryer. I just always loved having a totally private spot to read and do puzzles (I was a bit nerdy... ok, I still am).

Anyways, I suppose what I hope is that when the boys are old, they'll remember all the cool handmade presents they got from their aunt Hilary :)

I know...

It's been waaaaay too long. I have no excuses. Other than being super busy in the Christmas lead up and super lazy after :P I was also in Barbados for a week, I know just one week but the build up and wind down was at least a month :P I so wish I could go back :)


One of a Kind went really really well. I did better than expected and I will be at the Spring so coming in March, yay! My booth turned out I think really well, I had a lot of help from my dad building my trees and walls. And tons of help from my sister who stayed the entire two weeks!


So a new year and I need some new product I think. The owls are still moving really well and the alphabets have been getting more and more popular. But I keep thinking I need to start working on all the ideas that have been rolling around in my head for the last year. Oddly enough the first thing I attempted just came to me two days ago, but I was kind of excited to try him out. He needs some work, but I think he's pretty darn cute. I used burlap for the stripes cause I love that texture and I think the quilting fabric would be just too busy.

Thoughts?

Army of Owls

So in preparation for the One of a Kind I've been making tons of the same things and so I thought why not take some pictures. Unfortunately it was super super windy today so I didn't get the shot I was imagining since the owls kept blowing over, but I think these turned out pretty good. I'll probably try again soon. It's fun playing around with my new camera, which is just a small point and shoot, but so much better than my old one!

Some of the craziness has ended!

So I've finished my two summer shows. It never really seems like it's going to be that much work, but after 10 hours of sitting in a tent smiling and chatting with strangers it can be quite exhausting. I love doing it, don't get me wrong, but I always seem to need a few days afterwards to re-coop. Especially after lugging all my stuff back up 3 flights... next apartment will definitely be ground floor!

The best part about doing shows, is trading. I have collected some really awesome works of art in the last two years, so much that I really have no wall space left. But I keep wanting more! This weekend I met Earl Beadle, he had the coolest booth I think I've ever seen, complete with dangling wooden squirrels and mannequin hands protruding from logs. It was completely inspiring and I absolutely loved everything in his booth. Lucky for me he liked my stuff too :) So here is my new piece, I love it and can't wait to hang it!


Now I get to settle in for a summer of sewing. I have two shows in September and the One of a Kind in November. Lots of stuff to make but if I keep my head down and work hard I think I'll make it. That is of course after this week, since I'll be in Ottawa for Bluesfest :)

Falling behind

So this was an exciting week. The Kingston Interiors magazine came out and I finally got to see my article :) I'm really happy with it and have already had people stopping by Dwell to buy owls, so yay! Here's an image of the article and links to the photographer Scott Adamson and the writer Jasmine Brooks 's blogs.



I'm also, as I figured, a bit behind on my schedule :P Mostly because I've been working on Etsy orders, but the afternoon naps I've been taking lately aren't helping either :P

I'm taking a bit of a break next week to go SKYDIVING! My brother is coming to town for a few days and we'll be jumping on the 17th. I can't wait! I'm sure I'll be terrified on the day, but right now I'm just excited!

Here is a picture of the flower artwork I finished for the Art After Dark the other week. I actually really love it and don't know if I'll take it to any of my shows.. I might just keep it :)

One of a Kind

I got in! I'm so excited!

I got the call today, earlier than I was supposed to. Valarie, my contact was too excited to tell me and couldn't wait :)

I'll be there for the full 11 days and I got the 5x10 booth I requested. So now the work begins, I'm actually a little freaked out since I don't have any clue what to expect. I was reading their checklist online and I have to think about lighting, flooring, what to do for walls, shelving.. and not to mention I have to figure out how much product to make!

Something tells me I'm not going to be sleeping much tonight.. or for the next 6 months!

New stuff

It's been a while again.. but how boring is it to post the same thing over and over and that's all I've been doing lately, owls, owlets and lots of alphabet pillows.

I've been busy applying to shows, I still haven't heard from The One of a Kind show, fingers crossed, and I did not get into the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibit, which would have been amazing, but I think it takes years of applying to get in!

I've been asked to submit some pictures for a Greek magazine, it's not 100% yet, but how fun is that! I've also got a copy of the Australian magazine I was in in the mail, I can't wait to see it! Kingston Interiors is out on June 6, I'm not sure exactly what will be in, but I submitted pictures of my owls and they came for a photo shoot. I think I blogged about the disaster my sewing room was, so I can't wait to see what they did with all the info and pics :)

I'm going to have artwork up at Dwell for the Art After Dark show, which is May 27 and I think 7-9... I will have some of my papercut peices and some fabric ones. This is a pic of one I started tonight. I wanted to try something a little different and a little more grown up than owls in a tree :P Not 100% how I'm feeling about the colours on the first flower, but we'll see.


And a pic of one of my paper cut pictures. I love using old windows for the frames, I have a few shutters too, which are cool cause they'll make really long and narrow frames.. not sure what I'll put in those yet.

Kollaboration Kingston

So I think I posted about this collaboration project before. I'm working with a bunch of other artists on a number of projects. It's been hard, I'm having difficulty finding the discipline to work on everything.. I'm too used to leaving it all to the last minute!

But I have worked on this one little guy. The plan is that I will create my little critters and then Tracy Olan will take some pictures of them in a setting... kind of like a little diorama, but not as dorky as that sounds.. at least I hope not.

So the owl is finished, but the mouse is just a test guy, but I like him. I can't wait to see this project when it's finished!

Photo shoot

So I'm being featured in Kingston's magazine Kingston Interiors, which is super exciting and flattering :) But also stressful! I have a photographer coming to my 'studio' today to take a picture of me in my space.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I'm a GIANT packrat. I come by it honestly, my dad has boxes of salvaged switches wires, casters and so on. He still has the old cedar planks from his childhood bookshelves. Unlike my dad however, I have zero skills when it comes to organizing, and a complete inability to put things away when I'm done with them.

Anyways.. so this photo shoot kicked me into gear and I have spent the last few days slowly tidying and I think it's paid off... I've never seen my room like this, and probably never will again, but it feels so good to have it done at least once! At least it'll feel good once my allergy attack is over :P

Henry's Birthday

So this weekend is my nephew Henry's 3rd birthday. As per usual, I am pretty poor :P So I talked with my sister and she suggested an apron for the kitchen that he got for Christmas.

I borrowed a kids apron from Dwell so I could get the sizing right (unlike his cape that was HUGE). I think it turned out pretty well. My sewing machine does embroidery, but only a few letters, so I had to realign the loop to finish the s and n, but I don't think you can tell.

I hope he likes it!

Encaustics

The other weekend I took an encaustic painting course. I've wanted to do it for a really really long time, I LOVE Julie Davidson-Smiths work. I really love her style and her abstract images. I was really hoping to be able to do something pretty similar, but I have a really hard time letting loose and doing anything abstract. So here are the few pieces I made. My favourite is the business man reading the personals :)

Starbucks

So this month I have some art hanging at the Starbucks that I work at on Princess and Wellington. So far I've sold 2 pieces, which is pretty exciting! A few people have mentioned that I'm selling them for too little, but I say, better sold than sitting in my apartment gathering dust! If you get a chance come down and visit :)

Here's a quick pic of the one that sold right away.. I framed it in an old window, I love the old paint chipping off :)

Bird pillow...

So I've been thinking lately, what's my next thing? Spring is coming and with that hopefully some orders. I'd like to have something new to offer... so here's maybe an option? I've also thought about adding a belly of a different fabric for some contrast... any thoughts?

Kollaboration Kingston!

So I've been invited to participate in this really cool project. Lindsay Fair, an awesome metal smith and artist has come up with this fantastic idea to get a number of local artists at all stages in their careers, to work together on a number of projects. I think the most challenging part will be working with other people. Mostly because sewing is such a solitary trade, as I'm sure most other mediums are, but I am really excited and can't wait to get started! I hope I get to pick up some new tricks and maybe a new medium?

Check out the site to see who is participating, and we also have a blog to post any ideas.

It's been too long!

So I haven't been very good this year with my blog... bad Hilary. But here we go, a new attempt!
I had my friend Justin Kerr over to take some photos of some of my products. He's only sent me a few so far, but they're great! I needed to get the photos for my brochure, but I will also be featured in Interiors Magazine here in Kingston, yay!

Check out Justins blog and flicker site for some more of his amazing pictures!!

Yet again.. Alphabet pillows!

This is pretty much what I have been up to lately.. other than mass producing owls! Just a few more letters that I do :)

Craft off the Lot

It's hard to come up with new posts lately, mostly since I'm just reproducing tons of the same-old stuff! But I will be in Toronto for Craft off the lot and anyone in the area should come see me and more of my stuff :P

When: November 12^th-15^th, 2009

Where: 1030 King Street West (at Shaw)

Opening Night: November 12^th 7pm to 11pm

Cocktails, Hors D’oeurves & Music provided by DJ Floh Back ( www.flohback.com )

Exhibition Features:

Over 75 Exhibiting Artists of all Mediums

Free Parking

Daily Original Craft Raffles

Living Lighting on King –Functional Art Competition Launch

In-house Café

Framing Services

Tickets: Pay What You Can Admission

(With each $5 donation receive a free raffle ticket)

Check out the website for more details: www.craftoffthelot.com

Jackets jackets jackets

Well like I've posted before the alphabet pillows have been selling quite a bit. So I took another trip out to Value Village and spent way more than I wanted too :P But look at all these fantastic jackets!I can't decide which one I want for myself... I love the first one in the first picture.. that looks like a sofa.. but it doesn't go with my colours :( It even has giant brass buttons and puckered pockets.. ah well. Maybe the rusty velour?