Day 305/365
Today’s the day! I’ll be in Unionville from 11am – 4pm for the Blossom and Bloom show! Stop by and say hi, check out the show and then check out Unionville!!
For more information about the show, go here.
Day 304/365
The latest project: a custom guest book/travel book for a destination wedding! 
This is an exciting combination of scrapbooking, memory-making, journalling and special messages to the happy couple! Imagine what an incredible collection of memories it’ll be to share with family and friends for years to come.
I’m always so honoured to work on projects like these. Especially when given a bit of creative freedom and people put their trust in me to create a book that not only captures the memories of the special day, but also the atmosphere and vibe of the event.
If you have an idea for a special book, click Custom Order along the top menu bar and send me some information about your project! I’ll get back to you with a few more questions and then follow up details – easy peasy!!
Day 303/365
I’m so proud to announce that Sprouts Press items are now available in St.Catherines at Craft Arts Market!! Seriously an awesome shop in a fantastic town!
You can now find a selection of my items here, alongside many other gorgeous wares from local makers.
For more information about Craft Arts Market, their vendors, location and goings on, please go here.
Pro tip: If you go and check it out, make sure to get a doughnut from the shop right next door. They are amazing.
Day 302/365
Day 301/365
Mark your calendars!! I’ll be at the Blossom and Bloom show this saturday alongside many other talented makers and craftspeople!
If you’re wondering what this show is all about, here’s a snippet of the concept behind this show. ‘A public outdoor market showcasing Canadian creative businesses, local florists, artists and artisans in a single event’. To learn more about their vision and what else to do when in Unionville for the show, go here (it’s a gorgeous little town, seriously worth checking out!)
When: Saturday August 8, 11am – 4pm
Where: Varley Art Gallery (in the courtyard), 216 Main Street, Unionville
For more general information about the show, go here.
Day 300/365
Come shop over 40 Ontario Etsy artisan & vintage vendors on Sunday, August 9th, 2015 at the Evergreen Brickworks before or after you’ve shopped the Farmer’s Market. From ceramics to knits, toys to home wares!
Sprouts Press will be there with a selection of handbound journals, albums, bookbinding kits, and mini book necklaces. I’ll also have a few screenprinted zipper pouches and tea towels!
When: Sunday August 9, 10am – 3pm
Where: Evergreen Brickworks, The Pavilions, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto
For details, please see the Brickworks page for this event, here.
Day 298/365I’m so inspired by the warm weather and sunny days that I find myself really looking forward to Sprouts Press’ next event: the Blossom and Bloom show! I’ll be there saturday August 8th with a selection of my handbound books, kits and such.
I love how this event showcases handmade but also the local talent of Unionville. Just spend a few minutes chatting with show organizer, Pheoebe (of Pheoebe Lo Events), and she can tell you about the best of the best in this amazing community!
For details, please see the show website found here.
Day 297/365
I love summer nights, when it’s warm enough to be outside and not need a parka. This is a roundup of all the items that remind me of an inky sky, whether in the bright lights of the city or stargazing in the country.
From the top left, clockwise:
Painted Quick Notes in gold and black, No Nonsense Quick Notes in grey and black, Little Leather Journal in black, Fancy Coptic: Large with black details, Black and White abstract journal with hand dyed papers, Secret Belgian binding with black details.
Day 294/365
I’ll be at this amazing event tonight, selling my wares. It should be a fantastic night of story presentations, drinks and learning!
To purchase tickets online, go here.
Day 293/365
Today I’m going to talk about using your watercolour journal out in the field! It’s fun, I promise!!
I recently took a few days off to enjoy some time in the woods, near a lake and I decided it would be fun to do some sketching. So, today I’m going to talk about my tricks and tips for watercolour sketching when camping/cottaging/hiking.
Disclaimer: I am not even going to try and pretend that I’m any sort of expert at watercolour painting. This post isn’t about how to paint with watercolours, but rather, how to enjoy watercolour painting (and maybe even just sketching), in a handbound sketchbook while out in woods.
6 Tips for Watercolour Sketching In the Field:
6. Choose appropriate paints. For example, I use watercolour pencils, because they aren’t messy, are easy to transport and easy to use. Also, I like to use a refillable watercolour brush, the type where you fill the handle with water. I take a couple of them, pre-filled and I’m set for a day of sketching and painting! If you prefer pans/cakes of watercolour paint, consider getting one of those nifty little travel boxes with foldout trays, and put it in it’s own zip-top bag (no leaky paints!!).
5. Bug repellant. Pretty much assume that there will be bugs that want to bite. Mosquitos, black flies, etc. There are lots of repellants to choose from, do some research on what type of bugs will be at your destination, what types of repellant work best (and are most friendly to the environment and your health) and go from there. Trust me, it’ll be a much more enjoyable experience.
4. Waterproof everything, especially if canoeing is involved or rain is probable. This is simple though, no fancy equipment needed. Just put your sketchbook and paints (especially if you use pans/cakes of paint) in a tough, thick, freezer zip-top plastic bag. Also, if you keep this bag in an outside pocket of your backpack, then it’s really handy for quick-sketching! (Note that my ‘waterproof freezer bag’ makes an appearance in the photo above, it’s underneath the book as it had just rained and the moss on that rock was not quite dry)
3. Don’t be afraid to take your nice sketchbook. I took a full fabric watercolour journal (pictured above, and found online here) and am so glad I did. Not only was it tough enough to handle a few days of camping, but it looks really good on the coffee table after the trip. As long as you follow the previous tips and take the steps needed to protect against things that can damage any sketchbook (fancy or plain), then you should be fine.
2. Slow down, open your eyes, and look around. There are fascinating things everywhere in the woods, all sketch-worthy. For example, hiking one day I passed by a large rock with circular patterns on it and thought it was neat, but carried on. Someone else wanted to take a photo of a rare flower, so we stopped and I thought of the rock again. Going back and inspecting it more closely revealed it was some sort of moss or lichen, with teeny tiny trumpet-like flowers in ash grey. It looked like a beautiful underwater landscape!
1.Take your sketchbook with you everywhere on your camping/hiking trip. You never know when someone else might need to take a rest, or find a patch of wild raspberries and want to stop and pick some, giving you a chance to sketch the local flora and fauna; flowers, stone formations, rivers, lakes, trees, little forest critters, etc.
*Important: if you’re out in bear country just know that berries are bear food. Keep your eyes peeled and leave some for others (human and animal). And of course, know the rules and laws for the land you are hiking/camping, the poisonous plants of the area, local warnings, etc. I’m just sharing this info because I’m a girl guide forever: Be Prepared!!!
And that’s it, those are my tips! I’d love to hear any other tips or exciting art-hiking-camping stories you might have, leave them in the comments below!
*To read more ‘Use Your Journal’ posts, go here for the latest list.
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