Thinking of Spring

It feels funny to be finished our season and it's not even Christmas yet but that's how it goes. The One of a Kind Show is our main show for the year and our main pay check so now all that is left to do is catch our breath. Catch our breath and clean up after the big push. I hate walking into the studio after the show because we always leave it in such a mess. Derek will be working on his part of the studio for the rest of the week while I won't even get out to my jewellery studio till next week. This week I am moving furniture in the house. My cutting table and sewing machine are going down stairs to the family room which means I will be able to get some work done, other then knitting, while watching Tyson. Leigh-Anne and I are launching a clothing line. Mostly dresses with some tops and pants.

So my Christmas season may be over but my Spring season has already started.

First Weekend of the Show

We are at the One of a Kind Show once again, it's our 24th year! The sales at the show are our major paycheck for the year. I am so thankful for all the work done by the girls that run the show who keep getting thousands of people through the doors. Many come with Christmas lists in their hands and they are ready to shop. The "art nest " once again is our best seller. We all love the birds. The idea is that the birds will take the yarn out of the container and use the yarn when building their nest. Later in the season walk through your neighbourhood and look for the beautiful nest creations.

What are you going to wear this Halloween?

The days between Thanksgiving and the day before Halloween have always been saved for costume making. I have made princesses, dragons, the cookie monster, papagena, and lots of other outfits so when I saw this I had to share it with all of you. I hope this little guy gets a sack full of candy even if his Mum and Dad have to help him eat it.

Thankyou Sunshine

It's getting down to the crunch time and we can't sit and wait for good weather. Last night I put Tyson to bed early and headed out to my foundry. It had started raining an hour before and the sun had set which meant that I would be casting in the rain under the lights. I was casting silver, which melts faster then bronze, and I only had only 2 flasks. Things went quickly so we didn't get to wet. Today we had 7 flasks of bronze and the weather man said we were going to get heavy rain later on in the day. As the temperature in the kiln was rising and getting close to casting temperature the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds. We were able to get all of the casting done while staying dry and see everything without the aid of a flashlight. I have told my children many, many times as they were growing up "look for the joy in life". Joyful events don't have to be big. They can be having the sunshine come out just at the right time, or have the rain stop just before you go outside to do a task which is much nicer done in dry clothes.

I really like this collection of acorns and would like to know what kind of tree to plant to get a harvest as colourful as this. Better ask Frank because it can't be found in my gardening books.

Inspiration Work

I was breezing through some photos and came across this great one of some felted hats. I love the colours, the patterns and the texture of the whole photo. I was thinking about making a felt hat. Now I know I will be.

Farmer's Market

Only a few more Saturday mornings left for this years farmer's market. It moves inside at City Hall the first Saturday of November but only a hand full of members continue for the winter. With 3 Christmas shows this year I won't have time to do anything else. For the last 25 years Derek and I have only ever done 1 Christmas show and that has always been the One of a Kind show. I must be crazy adding 2 more to our list but we need a new furnace. We've never done shows in Ottawa and Sudbury so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We will have a lot of Art Nests with us and you know how people love their birds. Derek is working on 850!!! art nests. He told me that after this run he doesn't want to make another for a long time.

Cabbagetown Weekend

The weather was absolutely perfect for an outside fall art show. How Canadian to start off by talking about the weather. As a nation we always talk about the weather, but it was nice. The crowds came out on Saturday like they usually do but sales were a little slow. All of the summer shows this year have been a little soft. Let's hope everyone brings their wallet to the Christmas shows. My new scarves and knitted necklaces were received very well. I am enthused for the next seasons shows.

A Busy Season Ahead

My first show for the summer season starts July 9. It is the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition which runs Friday through Sunday. Every weekend after that until the civic holiday weekend will be spent at a show. After Toronto Outdoor comes the Muskoka Arts and Crafts show in Bracebridge, then the Haliburton Art show and finally Kempenfest in Barrie.

I have been busy casting bronze in the shape of birds, sticks, nests and teacups. The teacup or teapot to me is a metaphor for family or friends. The ritual of making the tea and then sharing it is my way of showing love or friendship. The birds and rabbits in my work often take on human characteristics and are usually shown with teacups. I guess this shows I love my family and I like what I do. Lucky me.

The wax sculpture.

Melting the bronze before pouring in to the mold.

Still warm.
Bronze pieces cast and still covered with bits of the mold compound.

Cutting the sprues off of the pieces.


Brushing some of the compound off.


Now grinding off the rough edges.

All that is left to do is the filing, putting on the patina, waxing and then polishing.

Finally Back At It

After a break which was to long I am back writing.
This past weekend was a busy one. Derek drove us all to Kiwi Gardens in Perth where Caitie and I set up a show and then he and Leigh-Anne continued on to Tanglewood Massachusetts. Leigh-Anne is spending the summer at Tanglewood Music Centre, a place I didn't know much about until recently. On their website it says.......

The number-one summer activity in Lenox MA is, of course, the Tanglewood Music Festival, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO).

Since 1934 the concerts have been held in July and August on the grounds of Tanglewood, a fine estate about a mile from the center of Lenox out in the Berkshire Hills.

The main concert venue is the amusingly-named Koussevitsky Music Shed, a simple but spacious hall capable of holding an entire Mahler-sized symphony orchestra—some "shed!"

Many chamber music and ensemble performances and solo recitals are held in the modern Seiji Ozawa Hall near the Music Shed.

In addition to the seasoned musicians from the BSO, there are performances by the young and extremely promising musicians who attend the Tanglewood Music Center for study and advanced training.

Maestros Seiji Ozawa, former music director of the BSO, and Leonard Bernstein of the New York Philharmonic, were once among this young up-and-coming elite.

Cait and I had a good weekend at the Art in the Garden Show. The sales were good and the garden was beautiful. Not many garden centres have acres of mature gardens to wander through while deciding on which plants will have to make the trip home with you. Droves of people made the trek from Ottawa, which is an hours drive away, to meander about the gardens. Luckily for all of us they brought their wallets with them.

Garnets By The Pound

Have you ever seen a bucket full of gem stones? Well I saw a couple of them. Pretty impressive. Well.... they are not quite faceting quality but very nice. I saw some garnets that were 1/4" diameter and some that were the size of plums.


Derek has been really inspired by seeing all of the large quartz crystals on display at the gem show. There is so much of it here it's hard to believe there's anything left underground to mine. We purchased some great small samples which we will have for sale in our shop.


Amethyst being one of favourite quartz crystals will be influencing my summer collection of clothes. The colour and some of the points and angles will show up, just wait and see.


I'll be back in my studio by the first of March, can't wait!!

Hello Tucson

Derek and I are back in Tucson again this year. We arrived the day before the main gem shows started which meant we would be up and moving early the next morning. So out we went Saturday morning and the first thing I see is what I think is my ride. It's the same colour as my hair! Unfortunately no, we're walking.



This year I'm looking for large beads made of precious materials and Derek is looking for pyrite cubes and quartz crystals.



The day was drawing to a close, I was tired and I found a comfortable spot to sit on this lovely orange leather sofa behind the $30,000 petrified wood coffee table. The legs are cast bronze with the texture of bark. While sitting there chatting with the maker of the tables a woman wandered up and asked the question which I have been asked hundreds of times. "How long did it take you to make this?"
Good news from the table maker he's already sold several tables. It's a sign, we're all going to have a good year. Yeah!!

New Year, New Ideas, New work, New Me?

Well... not exactly a new me but I am trying to be the best Me that I can be. And with saying that I have to tell you that after 2 and a half years of threatening to try yoga I finally did. I joined Ann Green's "Bliss" studio and have jumped in with both feet. Ann is running a program called "Blissology" which has me up and down to the studio by 6:00am. I know most of you can't believe that I can actually get myself vertical at that time of day but I've done it. I am at the beginning of the third week and still going. I feel so happy with myself for persevering and trying something different.


As far as new work I am crocheting new funnel shapes which I will add to necklaces. Right side up or up side down my work always ends up looking Dr. Suessish. As long as it brings a smile I've done my job.



When I was young people use to comment that I always had a smile on my face. I lost that for a number of years but I hope I'm getting it back. For the past year or so strangers have stopped me to say they like my style or they like my glasses. I must be smiling to give people I don't know the courage to stop and talk to a stranger. With that I hope I can pass on that smile and encourage you to "shine on".



Here's what I have done with the new funnel shapes. Flower vase necklaces.