Some fun on a Thursday evening; I’ll be vending my hand bound journals, book themed jewellery and hand printed fabric items at the first Toronto Indie Arts Market ‘Summer Sunset Series’!! Come out after dinner for an evening stroll and stop by the Gladstone Hotel for a drink and to soak up the handmade wares in the Ballroom.
We’ll be there from 7pm till 11pm and admission is FREE!
Hello everyone, just wanted to post a quick note to say Hello and let you know that I’m still around! My apologies for the radio silence lately, but there are a lot of exciting things in the works! I cannot spill the beans just yet, but soon!
In the meantime, a big Thank You is in order for everyone who has come out to support me at the various shows, workshops and fairs that I’ve been participating in lately. This weekend I was at the Small Press & Literary Festival by Toronto Indie Arts Market and the Annual Printmaking Fair at the Cambridge Galleries, where there were so many talented printmakers. When at shows, it’s always so nice to see a familiar face and meet someone in real life that I’ve been chatting with online! If you haven’t had a chance to check out one of the many artisan/maker/book arts fairs/craft shows I participate in, check out the Upcoming Shows section on my site. And keep your eyes peeled on the Workshops section for upcoming bookbinding classes that I will be teaching.
In the online world, I was a featured artisan earlier this month over at Small Batch Magazine! It’s a wonderful and eloquently written piece that really captures the drive and satisfaction of being a maker in the modern world. I’m proud to be featured on this all-Canadian website that profiles makers and artisans, something I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I encourage you to take a read and check out their website (it’ll be worth your time, I promise). Otherwise, if you’re interested in what I’m making in the studio, new items are being posted to my Etsy shop on a fairly regular basis these days.
I thought it was about time to formally introduce my latest project; Hay Fever Hankies. I know some of you have seen them on my social media, in my Etsy shop and maybe you’ve even seen them in person at a market or fair! I’d like to share a bit more about these little gems and show you where they come from, what they’re made of and all about.
This is a product that is proudly made from reclaimed materials. This means that each edition or collection will be different, depending on what fabrics are available and most appropriate for the season. 
You may remember the first collection of Hay Fever Hankies, as pictured above: crisp white fabric with imagery in summer colours.
This time around I decided to change things up and refresh my original idea. I started with fabric in four springtime tones: Mocha, White, Pistachio and Grass Green and kept the images in a neutral grey. When looking for fabric I always hunt for 100% cotton, no scratchy fabrics! 
The prints are lino cuts based on my sketches of local plants: Timothy/Hay, Ragweed and Crowsfoot. These are printed onto the fabric using water-based earth friendly inks. They are heat set, sewn by me and then pre-washed.
I really like how the Crowsfoot turned out. Since the printing is done by hand, each handkerchief is a bit different, giving uniqueness and character to each.
If you’re into getting outside in springtime, check out my Upcoming Shows to snap up some hankies of your own! This saturday, April 26 2014, I’ll be at the Wayzgoose in Grimsby! Otherwise, they’re available online here.
Ps. You may have noticed that the prints on the Grass Green fabric seemed to have disappeared. This isn’t your imagination, I’ve decided they have a different purpose than hankies . . . this is all I’m saying for now, so stay tuned!
Sprouts Press 