CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE…..DEC. 3 & 4

November 25, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

My Christmas Open House at my home studio is just 8 days away. I have days where I can produce so much and then days where I just wander around waiting for not only motivation, but inspiration. This can be very frustrating. But it is a fact. Ideas can whirl through my head at, it seems at break neck speed, and if I don’t sketch them out (and believe me my sketches are minimal and very rough), then they are gone. Creativity is a hard taskmaster. Sometimes very obliging and other times, well…….
Sometimes I develop a rhythym (not sure that is the correct spelling) and am happily working away when….life intervenes. And the link is broken. And it is very hard to connect again.

A young boy of about 10 came into my showroom with his mother during the studio tour in October. He looked around and then said to his mother “this place is a woman’s dream”. This young boy is going to do well. I liked him right away!!!

It is my mother’s birthday today. She is an active 86. My brother and I are going to take her lunch as she really doesn’t like going to restaurants and then we are having a family party on Sunday, with her favourite, Chinese food.
Her car was stolen and we have been making sure that she gets where she wants to go. We will get her another car within the next 2 weeks, but she has become less enthusiastic about this. I think it is because she sees us so much now and is quite used to having us around regularly. She passed her driving test which was quite uplifting for her, especially after the car theft. Lots of changes in her life this year. She is doing well.
On Dec. 10th the women of the family are gathering and my mother is going to show us how to make pyrohy (known in the English world as pyrogy). This will be quite an event.

TORONTO….via VIA (also known as the train)

November 6, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

As I was in great need of jewellery supplies such as silver, I decided that this time I would go into Toronto by train. I went with my eldest daughter who works there so it was an early trip in.
I had to buy single tickets as I didn’t know my return time. This amounted to over $46.00. It seemed a lot to me but then when you figure in the cost of driving and parking which alone, often amounts to over $22., then perhaps not so much. (the Go is much less at just over $18.00 return but the times are not as convenient). Since I had the whole day, my plan was to walk to all my suppliers. And this I did.
As well, I met my niece, who attends U.of T. for lunch. There I was, standing on the corner of Dundas and Spadina, waiting for her, when I get a call from my brother (her father). Now how odd is that! He was certainly surprised to know where I was. But he called to pass on unfortunate news. My mother’s car had been stolen from her parking space, that morning. It is a 2000 Honda Civic and as we found out eminently desirable. Probably because it is relatively easy to break into. My mother had just moved into a senior’s apt., a very big change for her. She does love it. Now this happened. She is due to take a driving test soon, so we will wait to see if she passes. She always has before, and in fact, is a confident driver. Then my brother and I will get her another car if hers doesn’t turn up. She initially said no, that perhaps she could stop driving now, but the loss of her independence is telling.
Back to Toronto….my niece and I had lunch at the Urban Herbivore in Kensington Market. This was great as they have bowls that have a rice or quinoa base and then 6 toppings of your choice…vegetarian of course….on top. Delicious. When I was telling my 9 yo grandson about this, he wanted to know why his cousin hadn’t taken him there yet. He is a real foodie but not so fond of meat, so this type of meal, totally appealed to him.
I continued on after lunch to several other suppliers. I had visited 2 in the a.m. and found some great gemstones…grey jade, very light smoky quartz which I will pair with black onyx and peacock blue and green keshi pearls. Look for a multi strand necklace of those. I very much liked the walking and I must say that it was an absolutely gorgeous day. The only problem was that as I accumulated supplies, the load I carried got heavier and heavier. Nevertheless I soldiered on and at the end of the day met my daughter at the Library Bar at the Royal York which is right across from Union Station. Very handy, I must say. And packed.
Oh and I forgot to mention that I also managed to buy myself a jacket which is very smart. It is amazing what can be accomplished on a day of accomplishments.
The 7:00 p.m. train home and I walked into the house at 8. And I was exhausted. I had been up and on the go since 6:15. It took another day to get over this, so somehow I will have to modify my trips…..or get younger (or as my daughter would say…get fitter!)

TWO WEEKS LATER…..

November 1, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

The Beyond the Valley Studio Tour has been over for 2 weeks, I have had a rest and am now back at work. Thank you for coming out to my home studio during this 2 day event. As usual we had a lot of fun, a lot of jewellery went to good homes, and now it is time to move along. My Christmas Open House is coming up which is the first week end of December. Also I will have pieces in the Carnegie Christmas Small Works Exhibit. The Opening reception is the evening of November 4th. The Carnegie will be open every day in the month of December. Check my events page for address etc.
And do remember that I am open by appointment, so if you need a piece for yourself or a gift, do give me a call. I will be glad to see you and show you my latest pieces.
To change the subject totally……I don’t always think about jewellery……my husband and I have decided to have at least one meal in every restaurant in Dundas. We have already eaten at a number of places but not all. So we started out by having a breakfast once a week, until we run out of restaurants that serve breakfast, then we will move on to lunch and then dinner. So far we have sampled 3 restos for breakfast. Would I recommend any of them….well no….except for coffee in one. There could be a book in this. Once we are done the breakfast routine I will comment on our experiences during our morning meal.
Tomorrow I am off to Toronto to visit suppliers….time to get started on the Christmas collection.(yes, I know, I do think of jewellery all the time!)

Beyond the Valley Studio Tour…..the day after tomorrow…..Saturday, Oct. 15 & Sunday, Oct. 16…..10 a.m. to 5 p.m

October 13, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

It is crunch time as the studio tour is the day after tomorrow. And am I ready…..well, never!!There is always something that I wish I had completed but working up to the last minute seems to be what I do.

We had excellent Thanksgiving weather and were able to have our dinner outdoors. Turkey leftovers for a few days but that is a good thing as there is no cooking on my part. Altho the turkey that was left was a bit skimpy. We had a 22 pound bird, also ham, for 20 people. Let me say that it was a hungry crowd!

And now back to the tour. Our group was very fortunate to have The Spectator publish a lengthy article about us in the Go Section…actually made the front page of that section. It featured Paull Rodrigue our glass, artist; Scott Barnim, a potter and one of the founding members of this tour; and Michelle Prosek another glass artist. And I am happy to say that I was mentioned, a there was a picture of one of my pieces. I knew that the article was coming, but was surprised to get a phone call yesterday about sending in some images of my work. Which I did promptly, need I say. It was a very well written article. Our studio tour is in its 29th year. Celebration next year.

And now….. it is back to work for me.

THANKSGIVING IS ALMOST OVER….and the STUDIO TOUR is in 5 DAYS!!!

October 10, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

For most people, Thanksgiving is over, with a dinner yesterday and today a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. For us, the dinner is this afternoon as it has been for many years. Two of our children have cottages, so this timing gives them an opportunity to enjoy the country and yet still get together as a family. Right now we are thinking that we could eat outside, it is so balmy. The drawback is the number of wasps that immediately appear upon smelling food. My husband was stung the other day as he sat down outside, so they are numerous and edgy. I was hoping that they would all go to the Rockton Fair. We will eat around 5, so perhaps they will dwindle in numbers.
And then comes the Beyond the Valley Studio Tour….this Saturday and Sunday. Oct. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sadly it looks like rain. Dundas has another studio tour the week end before Thanksgiving. For the last 2 times, they have almost been rained out. Most of the participants in that tour are outdoors and suffer the consequences. Our tour is entirely indoors.

We have a great line up. A new studio has entered the mix…Heather Vollans does wonderful work. Check out the tour website….www.BeyondTheValley.ca…. and you will get the details of her work. Better still, much better, go and visit Heather at her studio. You will be amazed. The Lawsons joined us this past spring in May. They had a great tour and are excited to be back.
Terry Osborne has a show at the Carnegie Gallery featuring her wood fired kiln pieces. (I am not sure that is correctly phrased). We went to the opening reception this past Friday…a huge turnout….and it was evident why….Terry’s work is outstanding.

I will have some unusual stones this tour….green onyx….opaline….copal (a type of amber) to name a few plus different shapes in black onyx…one of my favourite stones. Just so versatile.
The bracelets that are on the front of our brochure, advertising the tour, are fine pieces that look very attractive with watches. There will be a large selection of these featuring quartz, jade, onyx, pearl,agate,and so on.
As well, I have incorportated vintage findings in some of my earrings. For a different look!!!

TOURISM – HAMILTON

October 4, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

Getting ready for a studio tour and our fall one is upon us, takes lots of work, besides working at one’s craft. I spend many hours designing and creating jewellery but I also spend many hours sourcing supplies, for example. One of my jobs as a member of the tour is to distribute our brochures. I hand deliver brochures to the Burlington Art Centre, to local galleries including the Hamilton Art Gallery, libraries, where ever they might attract the notice of the public.
One of my locations for delivery is the Tourism – Hamilton Information Centre, which is very good about then distributing to local outlets across the region. Great people to work with. At one time their storefront (so to speak) was on James St. S. between Main and King.
This was moved to Jackson Square and I delivered brochures there for our last 2 tours. This year, off I went to the same spot, which was boarded up. But not to worry, there is a map of Jackson Square and I soon found the new storefront which was just down the hall. But alas, Tourism Hamilton was not there. I checked another map – same incorrect address. Not one to give up, I went off to the Main branch of our public library and phoned for a new address ….Which was…..James St. S., so off I went thinking, well perhaps the original space had been renovated and Tourism Hamilton was back. I arrived and yes – found the administrative offices of Tourism Hamilton and also a sign saying that their information centre was beside the indoor entrance of the Public Library in Jackson Square. (where I started off about 40 minutes previously). I don’t give up easily and so I quickly returned and yes indeed there was the storefront next the the library entrance…..Strong signage…well maybe not or else I am not well sighted. I went in and said that it appeared that Tourism Hamilton did not want to be found….The response from a lovely and pleasant volunteer was that she heard this frequently. And this was not the final location as the information centre was moving to the Lister Block. 50 minutes of walking = good exercise albeit frustrating. So is this good for visitors to the city????

OPEN HOUSE…TOMORROW….SATURDAY, AUGUST 20TH

August 19, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

I am having a one day OPEN HOUSE tomorrow which is Saturday, August 20th. It is also Cactus Festival in Dundas, so there is lots of activity and lots to do and see.
Last year, I was going to exhibit at the festival but my arm was broken, and so I decided to hold an open house. This worked out really well. A sign went out front that my studio was open and I did send out a few emails. This is a similar endeavour. If you didn’t get a notice, I do apologize.

I have concentrated on making earrings. There are a number of new bracelets and necklaces as well. I remember when I started designing and making jewellery. I really didn’t like making earrings, but I find myself quite enamoured of it now. Part of the fun has been finding new findings. (is this a pun??). A great supplier in California has some unusual pieces and you will see some tomorrow. The rest I am saving for the studio tour in October. It seems far away, but time soldiers on, not at a walk but at a run.

There was a huge rain yesterday, part of which fell during the Cactus Festival parade. It is a given that it will rain at some time during this festival. My first show several years ago was at this festival and it did pour. I have to date missed exhibiting twice. Once because we were on a cruise to the Baltic and Russia, and the second time last. But I fear my outdoor exhibiting days are over. I shall carry on at my home and studio. Beautiful gardens and a lovely Victorian home…..can’t get a much better setting than that.
I hope to see you tomorrow!!

BACK FROM CHICAGO!

August 16, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

Chicago is a city that is worth visiting. I think that I might like it better than New York. We spent 4 days there, and it was worth every minute. Our hotel, the Amalfi, offered a continental breakfast that was excellent. Plus there was a happy hour every day with snacks, such as veggies and dip, salsa, cold cuts, pita, cheeses and free drinks. You can’t beat that for dollar value.
Food is one of the great attractions of Chicago. Alinea, considered one of the best 100 restos in the world is located there. We dined at Shaw’s for seafood, Gibson’s for steak, Uno for deep dish pizza, Havan for Spanish. All excellent. But I think that one of my favourite places was around the corner from our hotel, State St. Pizzeria with thin crusted pizza that was absolutely delicious. It was a good stop for a slice of pizza and a drink, just when you are feeling somewhat peckish.
Chicago is divided into neighborhoods. We visited Lincoln Park and came upon a street fair. My understanding is that each neighborhood has a streetfair on a rotating basis. I could live in Lincoln Park. This was our third trip to Chicago and might be our last for a while. So many places to go and see. We are thinking of Washington next.
And now I am getting ready for a somewhat impromptu Open House, this Saturday which is Aug. 20th. The emails have gone out, and sign will go out and we will see what happens. The Cactus Festival is this week end in Dundas. Considered one of the top 10 festivals in Canada. Last year I was going to exhibit there but I broke my arm and decided to exhibit at home.

I AM OVERWHELMED…….

June 12, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

To be overwhelmed can be good and it can be not so good. The Beyond the Valley Studio Tour was 2 weeks ago and it was definitely a good overwhelming. The studio was packed…. people were waiting for it to open on the Saturday morning. This was definitely a good overwhelm as it was a very successful week end for me. Thank you everyone for coming out and choosing my pieces. It is a most wonderful and gratifying feeling to know and see that my work is appreciated. I will never take it for granted! And thank you to all my helpers. Without my friends’ support, I don’t think that I would experience all this success or have as much fun.

A not so good overwhelm is what I am involved in now, which is helping my mother move to a senior’s apartment. This is a good and timely move for her. She is happy to be going, and giving up her house which had become more difficult to manage. But the overwhelming part comes in going through all her stuff….sorting, culling, packing, preparing for sale and moving. This woman is totally neat. Everything has a place and it is a tidy place. Whoever owned the house before her created storage out of every nook and cranny. And, unbeknownst to me, every nook and cranny was full! What she couldn’t use, she simply stored. It is amazing what is coming out of that house. And it is touching when I see items that I remember from childhood, stored and safely put away. When she came to Canada in 1949, a McBrine trunk came with her. It is still there, with the label, the original paper lining, brass fittings and all is in excellent condition. My brother is going to keep that at his house. It needs to stay in the family. There are pieces of 50′s fabric that I remember as curtains hanging in our living room. I am going to make pillows out of that.
And the list goes on and on. Although there is an enormous amount of stuff to handle, it is wonderful in many ways to be able to remember the past.

New Images – Check the Gallery

May 6, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized

The Gallery page has been updated and new images are posted now. These were done by Greg Fess, of Waterloo and Michelle Prosek of Dundas. Lots of colour for spring.

I found some new stones this past week. Jet which is a coal derivative and very light in weight, creates a pleasing effect when combined with silver.
And mentioning silver, it, as you know, has increased substantially in price. Fortunately, I still have a goodly supply of silver that I purchased last year.
Zoisite is another new stone with colours of green, pink, black and white. Stunning!
One of my favourite things to do is to combine unusual colours and textures. That you will see! And colour blocking is a fashion term this year. Colour blocking will also appear in my offerings for the Spring Studio Tour – May 28 and May 29.