Textures:a combined effort of area artisansa.k.a. Textures Craftworks

Shortbread & Eggnog: It's TEXTURES CRAFTWORKS Christmas List 2011

2011-12-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

Extended holiday hours

in effect until

December 23rd:

MON-FRI 9:30 am - 9 pm

SAT 10 am - 6 pm

SUN 10 am - 5 pm

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Hi everyone-

It may be 12 degrees outside right now, but snow will be falling sooner or later -

so to help you out with your holiday shopping here’s a selection of locally handcrafted gifts by our artisan members that is sure to please anyone on your list:

-wood ebook holder- Thomas

- handfelted jacket- Gran

- lovely button or stone picture- Terry, Marci

-Walter the giant cat- Sally

-cyber clock- Dad

-sgraffito plate- for me from Santa

-chainmaille watch- Susan

- giant coffee mug - Aunt Janis

- raku pendant and earrings- MaryLou

-snowman mugs-

teacher, babysitter, newsgirl, secretary, librarian

-wool cable knit cowl- Ted

-appetizer bowl with platter- houseparty, neighbour

-stained glass electric guitar- Billy

-soft infant quilts- baby Ginny , baby Todd

-silver clay earrings and pendant- Manda

-Mr. Spock sock monkey- James

-irridescent glass clock- our living room

-wood cutting board- Simon

-handpainted silk scarf- Aunt Louise

-selection of original ornaments–

the kids, Aunt Julie , our tree

-selection of original cards good for framing- extras and money gifts

- warm knit hats- all the snowlovers

-tug toys or catnip balls- pets

-large handturned wood salad bowl- Fran & Jerry

- 6 cup porcelain teapot- our tea Granny

-leather travel journal- Chrissy

- flatware or glass windchimes- cottage

- felted evening bag- Sandi

- computer brush- Greg

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*gift certificates, boxes, and complimentary gift wrapping are ALWAYS available!

(And don’t forget to collect your complimentary quarter

for the parking meter...)

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL

FROM THE ARTISANS of TEXTURES!

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Textures Craftworks

236 Locke Street South (at Charleton)

Hamilton, ON L8P 4B7

905-523-0636

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Serendipity at Textures!

2011-10-20T15:22:00.000-04:00

by Monika Minnis - Textures member since 2011

One of the things I love about Textures is that you never know who is going to walk through the door, or the conversations that will ensue. On one of my recent shifts, I met Agnes Hayhurst and her husband, John. Agnes is a raku sculptor and potter, and was a long standing member of Textures in the early days. She was active in the Hamilton Artisan's Guild as well.

Agnes and John Hayhurst.

I may have missed all of this info because the store was very busy that day, but I usually have Core Member, Margo Griffith's words, "Always greet every customer!" ringing in my ears.

Margo and Tom Griffith.

And so Agnes and I discussed everything about Textures past and present, including how marbles are today's gemstones!

By the time Agnes and John left the store, we had made plans for a visit due to having things in common. I'm a ceramicist as well and was excited about seeing her work. The visit was such a pleasure and I would never have made this connection but for the serendipity of being behind the counter at Textures that day!

Illustrated bowl by Monika Minnis.

Making these kinds of connections is one of the things that sets our collective apart. I hope this aspect is always nurtured. Textures has quite a history, and to me it is one of the icons of the arts community in Hamilton. With new customers, long standing supporters and members past and present, you never know who is going to visit.

Cheers to Agnes and John for popping in and making my day!

Monika Minnis

Textures Fall Newsletter

2011-10-18T08:37:00.001-04:00

We won't be decking our halls at Textures until November 7th this year - because we like to celebrate our holidays one at a time! But if you like to plan ahead, check out the Christmas Countdown clock for the up-to-date time remaining to get your holiday shopping done!

http://www.xmasclock.com/

In the meantime, if the cooler weather and shorter days are putting you in the right frame of mind to start (or complete!) your holiday shopping, here are a few ideas for "inspiration"!

That should get you started, but check back with us frequently between now and December 24th as new handcrafted things come in all the time!

We recently got new signs - what do you think?
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At Your Service:

gift certificates
layaways
free gift wrapping
Happy Endings service
our new, free bookmarks
special custom orders - order now to receive your handcrafted, made-to-order items in time for the holidays!

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Lastly, we would like to thank you all for your support and encouragement over the past year, and for nominating us in six categories in the Hamilton Spectator Reader's Choice Awards! The winners should be announced soon, so stay tuned!

ALL OUR BEST,

And all the Artisans of Textures!

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Margo- part deux

2011-05-11T08:40:00.001-04:00

Was having trouble loading photos yesterday, so as a continuation of my post about Margo, here are a few photos!

Margo gives a warm greeting to one of our Textures members at our annual general meeting!

Margo was a nominee for Volunteer of the Year at the 2009 and 2010 Tourism Hamilton Awards!

Margo shares a joke with her husband, Tom, at the 2009 Tourism Hamilton Awards.

Sock monkeys are one of Margo's most popular items offered for sale at Textures!

Each sock monkey is lovingly created by hand in Margo's studio, and they all have very distinct personalities...

Margo's repetoire also includes one-of-a-kind felt animals - cats are a special favourite!

Margo's Got the Cargo, Bye!

2011-05-10T13:55:00.000-04:00

Following a brief "blog hiatus", I am finally returning for a new series of updates for our loyal followers, and offering a glimpse "behind the magic" that is Textures Craftworks! I thought I would start this series with a bit of history on our group of merry creators, and how we came to be, which naturally leads to one of our Core Members, Margo Griffith, and the founding of Textures.

After a 10 year career as a teacher, Margo Griffith was ready for a change. A keen interest in textile arts led Margo on a path where she quickly met other local artisans who shared her creative vision. Realizing that no self-sustainable, year-round venue existed in the Hamilton area where artisans could display and market their works, Margo collaborated with five other artisans to establish the not-for-profit organization, Textures…a combined effort of area artisans. Margo’s brainchild is a unique cultural attraction that invites the curiosity of visitors to Hamilton and provides opportunities for tourism.

Operating entirely through the volunteer labour of its members, each artisan participates in the running of Textures. Margo brings a very high level of professionalism to the group after years of service on local and provincial arts councils and committees, and she provides an exceptional example to our membership of what can be accomplished by working cooperatively.

As a firm believer in the importance of volunteering, Margo practices what she preaches by devoting more than 40 unpaid hours each week to developing Textures as a positive experience for visitors. Whether propelling the daily operations of our organization; or developing and maintaining working partnerships with arts organizations, suppliers, and the Locke St. BIA; or taking the time to serve the young boy who comes in with his piggy bank to shop for his mother each Christmas - deftly gift wrapping his purchase, and making sure to add the card he has made; Margo is unfailingly generous in sharing herself with others!

Margo has created a loyal following over the years by always showing a steadfast resolve to enhance the level of customer satisfaction felt by visitors to Textures. Dedicating countless volunteer hours to crafting and polishing Textures into a premier visitor attraction, and sustaining our organization through the building of relationships and partnerships within the community, Margo generously shares her time and knowledge with all she meets.

Her background in teaching has given Margo a generosity of spirit and a love of learning, and when approached, she has freely advised over 14 different arts groups across Canada in how to develop and implement their own successful “combined effort” organizations.

Many fellow artisans are drawn to Textures as visitors and they are always greeted warmly by Margo, becoming regular patrons in no time! Her natural aptitude as a communicator allows Margo to make instant, lifelong connections with people. She will spend many hours of her own time mentoring interested people in their creative pursuits, and suggesting ways in which they may develop their work.

Visitors to Textures always receive the benefit of Margo’s expert knowledge of her craft, as well as the techniques and materials used in the creation of works by other member artisans, and she can be counted upon to make appropriate gift suggestions as required.

One Christmas Eve several years ago as business was finally starting to die down, a local lady made her first visit to Textures shortly before closing. Unbelievably, she had not done any holiday shopping at all yet, and needed a raft of gifts!

Margo took the initiative to efficiently help the overwhelmed customer select the large number of gifts she needed, and thereby expedited the customer’s purchase. Once that was taken care of, Margo set to work artfully gift wrapping and tagging all the selected items, to the amazement of the beleaguered visitor.

Ultimately, it took three hours to complete the selection and wrapping of all the gifts for this visitor – two full hours past closing time. But Margo says it was worth it, as this lady now visits Textures regularly!

Our appreciative customer is better prepared now, starting her holiday shopping about a month ahead of time. She likes to remind Margo of the Christmas Eve she was so behind schedule on her shopping, and how Margo was late for dinner because Textures stayed open past closing time to help her!

To hear Margo tell the story, she says “Christmas is special, and we should put ourselves out to help people! We’re Santa’s big elves at work!!”

And that's a bit about Margo. As someone who has known her now for more than 12 years (my, how the time has flown by!), I can tell you that she is very generous of spirit, and is always willing to go the extra mile. She's smart as a whip, knows a lot about a lot of things, is willing to share her knowledge with anyone who asks, and is eager to learn more all the time! She's got a great sense of humour, and this is often evident in many of her unique creations including one-of-a-kind sock monkeys, and her "nunsense" nun dolls. I think Margo is great!

You should drop by for a visit and say "hello" to her sometime - usually at the end of the month when she is working in the shop. You may not find "dungsee clocks" gracing the walls at Textures - but if you ask Margo real nice, I'm pretty sure she'll find someone who can make you one...custom orders are gratefully accepted!

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2010-11-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

TEXTURES CRAFTWORKS AND GIFTS

NEWSLETTER December 2010

Textures: 236 Locke St S (at Charleton)

Phone: 905 523-0636

Hours thru Dec. 24: Mon-Fri 9:30-3:30 Sat 10-6 Sun 10-5

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2010 has been a great year for us at Textures, and we have you to thank - so, thank you, from the artisans of Textures Craftworks!

We were nominated for five Tourism Hamilton Awards http://tourismhamilton.com/awards/ earlier this year, and last month we won the 2010 Hamilton Spectator Readers Choice Platinum Award for Best Craft Shop! And if that wasn't enough, we are now enjoying our 28th year of business - a rare accomplishment in the arts!

The next year is also shaping up great so far, with a record nine nominations for the upcoming 2011 Tourism Hamilton Awards. If you'd like to help out our cause by sending us a testimonial letter or email comments or stories to support our nominations, we'd love to hear from you! We are nominated in the following categories:

-Front Line Customer Service Representative- June Barber

-Front Line Customer Service Representative- Sharon Beasley

-Front Line Customer Service Representative- Margo Griffith

-Tourism Business of the Year- Textures Craftworks

-Sustainable Tourism "Green Award"- Textures Craftworks

-Brochure or Promotional Piece- Textures Craftworks

-Volunteer of the Year- Margo Griffith

-Volunteer of the Year- Sharon Beasley

-Arts Ambassador of the Year- Margo Griffith

Letters can be sent to the attention of Sandra Rodwell at Textures, 236 Locke St. S, Hamilton, ON L8P 4B7, or by email to ethers@mcmaster.ca

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And now, to help YOU out with your holiday shopping list, here’s a selection of locally handmade gifts by our artisan members that are sure to please anyone on your list !

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blue handfelted vest --Mom

snowman mugs --Nana

Sari silk infinity scarf and beret --Chrissy

thrum mitts and slippers --Tim and Nikki

dinosaur puzzles and finger puppets --Teddy and Ginny

Abby-style (NCIS) necklace --Ayla

recycled cyber clock --Jason

porcelain platter for a great turkey dinner --house

soapstone wolf carving --grandpa

dog sweater, kitty balls or tug toys -- all the pets

spider” handblown glass ball --Bethany and Greg

cherry salad bowl --Marcus and Tina

really long silver ovals and jade necklace --Manda

handwoven rug --Aunt Bette

handblown glass paperweight --Danny

slumped glass plates and vases --Marion, Julie, Sally

leather travel journal and wood pen --Dad

glass, acrylic, wood, feather, wire ornaments --teacher, sitter

yoga socks --Melissa

hobo bag or party purse --Michelle

sock monkey hockey player --Eric

teapot --our tea Granny

original cards (frameable) for $ gifts, housewarming --Dini

**and gorgeous leather or tapestry Christmas stockings!

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At Your Service, Year-round:

• Repairs and custom orders

• Happy Endings service

• Gift certificates

• Layaways

• Free gift wrap

• Visa, MasterCard and debit.

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And when visiting Textures, we'll even chip in for your parking, so don’t forget to collect your quarter for the parking metre!

Who says no one ever gave you anything?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU FROM the ARTISANS of TEXTURES

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Follow us on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/texturescrafts

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Join our Facebook Group, Friends of Textures:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?v=wall&gid=2426841526

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Read our blog:

http://texturescraftworksblog.blogspot.com/

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Website:

http://www.ihighlyrecommend.ca/listing.php?cat=artists_artisans&url=textures

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Top 5 Excuses Why I Have Not Made a New Post in FOREVER!

2010-09-08T23:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, like every summer since I started this blog, it seems I have dropped right off the radar! That is never my intention, but again it seems that nothing has gone up here since Mother's Day. I admit it - I have a blog problem. And I am told the first step to getting help is to admit that you have a problem, so I have taken that first step.

The next step toward my blogging salvation is to give excuses for why I have been so tardy, so without FURTHER ado, my excuses are:

5. Computer burn-out.

I stare at a computer all day at work, and during my lunch hour I read the news online, and I also add content to our Facebook group, Friends of Textures http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=2426841526, and find other places online to add event listings for Textures, so by the time I get home I can't bear to turn on the computer again.

4. Too busy. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

3. Too lazy. More to the point than number 4.

2. Too many cats getting in the way.

This is Emma "exploring" my desk (she's at my feet again - okay, scratch that - she's prowling around my desk and meowing RIGHT NOW!)

Nelson snoozing on my keyboard (he's resting up from sitting on my mouse earlier and preventing me from moving it).

And finally,

1. Too darn hot!!! If I haven't mentioned it before, I live in a three-storey Victorian home, and my workshop is - you guessed it - on the top floor! While I do technically have what was described to me as "central air", that functions best on the first floor and then rapidly drops off in effectiveness as you approach the second floor. By the time you get to the third floor you might as well forget it!

So, my husband and I trekked up to Collingwood for the annual Elvis Festival, and stayed at the Red Hills Bed & Breakfast in Thornbury instead. And I don't have a laptop, so I REALLY couldn't update the blog from there. Just look - could you bring technology to a lovely place like this?

If you get a chance, do make a visit! http://www.redhillshouse.ca/

So that's why I haven't updated the blog since May. I am bad, but I promise to do better in future!

Loving Mother Raises Family - and a Ruckus if Family Misses Mother's Day!

2010-05-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

There is no need in this day and age for any loving mother to "raise the roof" - be warned that Mother's Day takes place on May 9th this year! A wee bit of planning on your part in the remaining few days will go a long way to saving you from a world of pain!

Do not forget to: a) make or purchase an appropriate card to express all the love you have in your heart for the woman who "brung you up" - feelings you always have, but the words that may only be said at this time each year, and b) make or purchase a token of your affection for your Mum.

Hell hath no fury like a passive-aggressive mother scorned! (Love ya, Mom! And yes, I'm safe - I think - she has not yet made it onto the internet, so will likely never see this and take it the wrong way!) Do your part now to recognize the years of work she has put in on your behalf. She may say she's "fine", and "don't waste your money on me", and "I really don't need a thing" but don't believe her - this is ancient code for "let's see what they really think of me". You MUST get her something.

Luckily, we can offer a multitude of options in many price points for your Mother at Textures Craftworks, and if you wish, our helpful artisans will make suggestions of one-of-a-kind gifts for your one-of-a-kind Mom! And if you don't see the exact right thing in the exact right size or colour on our shelves, we also offer gift certificates so your Mum can make her own selection, or many of our artisans will create a custom piece to your exact specifications!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Spring has Sprung!

2010-04-14T14:18:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid this post is woefully late in coming, so now it has been transformed into a "Spring" musing, rather than the pre-Easter message it was supposed to be!

I'm afraid that things that demanded immediate attention just kept "sprouting up" around the homestead, and then there were the drawn out illnesses. Now that my flu has past, my husband is out of the hospital and his pneumonia is clearing up, the old porch and broken steps are now torn down and replaced with new & level porch with non-broken steps, the overwhelming willow tree threatening my house foundation has been dispatched and carted off, and my cold (that replaced my flu) is starting to clear, NOW I have (just) a moment to catch you up on Textures' happenings over the last month...

In March, Textures and several of its individual members were nominated for Hamilton Tourism Awards. Award nominations were as follows:
-Textures Craftworks: Tourism Business of the Year
-Textures Craftworks: Best Brochure or Promotional Piece
-Sharon Beasley (bookbinder & Textures Treasurer): Front Line Customer Service Rep of the Year
-Margo Griffith (textile artisan & Textures Core Member): Volunteer of the Year
-Sandra Rodwell (jewelry artisan & Textures Promotions): Arts Ambassador of the Year

We did not take home any of the big awards on our first Tourism Awards outing, but it was great to be out and mingling with other folks working in the Hamilton Tourism industry. If you haven't been to Hamilton before, do consider a visit this spring or summer - we have MUCH more to offer in "Steeltown" than just steel. Check out the Hamilton Tourism website for ideas and assistance in planing your visit: http://www.tourismhamilton.ca/ And of course, while in Hamilton, make sure to pop into our artisan shop to check out our fine selection of local crafts!

Meanwhile, back at our Locke Street shop, our artisans have been busy creating plenty of original handcrafted gift and home decor items to tickle your fancy this spring:

-handpainted clocks for spring

-colourful pottery with a spring theme

-fused, stained & blown glass in spring colours

-and of course, unique items to express your personal style!

Now that the weather is getting more hospitable, hop on down to Locke St. and see what our artisans have in store for YOU! I'll be working in the shop on April 17th, so pop in and say "hi"!

Spirits in Stone

2010-03-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

From March 8th through March 29th, Textures Craftworks presents the exhibition, Spirits in Stone - an original collection of soapstone carvings by local artisan John Tice.

After many years as a woodcarver, John turned to soapstone after picking up a small piece at a flea market and playing around with it.

Soapstone is a metamorphic stone comprised mainly of talc, the softest mineral. It occurs wordwide in areas where where a tectonic plate has submerged below another.

While soapstone is most often associated with the black stone carvings of the Inuit, it can also be found in many colours from brown to light green. It has been utilized by people around the world for thousands of years. Many native Americans used it to make bowls, pipes, lamps and other implements and adornments. In parts of Asia it has been used to make massive temple statuary.

Tice purchases the stones he uses for carving from Ben Henry, a renowned Onondaga carver from Six Nations Territory, who imports them from Brazil. I was surprised to discover the outside layers of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were also fashioned from this same soapstone because of its enduring qualities and ease of use.

"I like to capture human or animal spirits and emotions in my work" says Tice.

Textures is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Follow us on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/texturescrafts

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Join our Facebook Group, Friends of Textures:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?v=wall&gid=2426841526

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Website:

http://www.ihighlyrecommend.ca/listing.php?cat=artists_artisans&url=textures

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You Give Me Fever!

2010-02-27T15:46:00.077-05:00

Hi everyone! A message from Margo:

This winter, may your only illness be Olympic Fever. GO CANADA GO!

The winter has not been too bad for us so far (okay, not counting this week), but we need something to enliven those gray skies. Why not drop into Textures and wrap yourselves in some colour?

We are open daily, Mon-Fri 11-5:30, Sat and Sun 11-5.
We're at 236 Locke St S. Our phone number is 905 523-0636.
Be Welcome.
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We have recently welcomed several new artisan members to our group, so come by to meet them and see what they do!

Shelley Holden--environmentally conscious creative knits

Diane Irons--interesting new pottery

Tara Lynne Franco--clay artist

Cheryl Laakes--costume jewellery

Siobhan Lynch--stained glass

Angela Sirrs--excellent dichroic glass jewellery and some splendid slumped glass

Lynne Therrien--stained glass and handspun knits

Ian Waterbury--child safe toys

Mary Jean Monte--classy socks.

What's new:

•   A glorious array of winter gear
•   Oodles of glittering jewellery
•   Unique stuff for kids
•   Gifts and original greeting cards - and bags to put them in!

I hope you have been by to see our current show at Textures, "AT THE SOCK HOP: SOX IN THE CITY". It features socks of all kinds, legwarmers, slippers, delicate girlie socks, yoga socks - and sock monkeys!

How to care for: wool socks.

For the wool socks, wash in cool water with Woolite. Rinse well in cool water and lay flat to dry. No shrinkage if you wash them this way. We have to keep our toes warm and dry, and wool does the trick!

Shows Coming Up:

• Mar. 8 - Spirits in Stone:
Soapstone carvings by John Tice

• Mar.29 - The Monster Mash and Bowling Bunnies:
An all toy show for the kid in everyone!

• Apr. 9 - Hitting the Mother Lode:
Stuff for Mom, just in time for Mother's Day

• May 10 - Betty's Hotpots:
An all clay show.

At Your Service:

• Repairs and custom orders
• Happy Endings service
• Gift certificates
• Layaways
• Gift wrap
• Visa, MasterCard and debit.

ALL OUR BEST FOR YOU,
From the Artisans of Textures!

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Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/texturescrafts
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Join our Facebook Group, Friends of Textures:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?v=wall&gid=2426841526
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Website:
http://www.ihighlyrecommend.ca/listing.php?cat=artists_artisans&url=textures
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Textures Gift Guide for Your Valentine

2010-02-04T18:17:00.014-05:00

According to Wikipedia, Valentine's Day was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. February 14th has traditionally been a day when lovers express their feelings for each other. And if you don't put at least a little thought into your gift choice for your beloved, you could be spending some time in the doghouse!

To avoid this potential problem, the artisans at Textures Craftworks have assembled these helpful shopping ideas that are sure to earn you a "gold star", and a blissful night ahead!
;-)

1. Jewelry. A traditional choice, but so much more thoughtful if you select something hand-crafted!
Make sure you notice the kinds of jewelry the object of your affections wears day-to-day before making your choice. Is it always silver? Some people have a very strong preference for silver vs. gold. Are ears pierced? Do they wear bracelets regularly? These things can help you make the right selection from one of our many jewelry artisans, so spend a few days before going shopping to do your research!

And if you really aren't prepared when you get here, we can still help you. Just ask for a gift certificate, and then write a short note to your lover about giving them the gift of a "custom piece of jewelry, made to their very own specifications, by one of the jewelry artisans at Textures"! Some samples by me, Sandra Rodwell:

2. Flowers. Also a perenial favourite. You can't go wrong with it - and we don't sell fresh flowers. You can get those at La Jardinere, 246 Locke St. South http://www.lajardinere.ca/. (Got my wedding flowers there, and they were fabulous!)

But, to up the "thoughtfulness factor" and prove that you put a little effort into this, stop by Textures first and pick up a great, handmade pottery vase. Then walk two doors down to La Jardinere, and ask them to make a special arrangement for you using the lovely vase you just got at Textures! Not only does your love receive beautiful flowers, but when the flowers are gone, your sweetie will remember you long after Valentine's Day when they get to use the lasting vase over and over! Smart thinking... we have plenty to choose from, including these by Tara Lynne Franco, and Lisa Skog. *Note: raku pottery is porous and not water-tight, so make sure to put another watertight container inside if you plan to use it for fresh flowers...

p.s. We do have some really nice, handcrafted silk flowers by Sumi Nogami, who does traditional Japanese arts.

3. Chocolates. We also don't sell chocolate. I am very sad about that. You can get that just up the street at La Chocolaterie Forrat, 185 Locke St. South. https://www.forratschocolates.com/ (I recommend the dark chocolate chili truffles - mmmmmmm).

But again, before you go there, pop by Textures Craftworks to select a one-of-a-kind glass tray or bowl, or a piece of functional pottery on which to present your gift of fine chocolate! These by Toni Major, and Peggy Dunmore:

4. Stuffed animals. Something we do have lots of! Come and pick out one of Ruth Oldham's special knitted kitties, or maybe a Valentine "Honey Pot Bear" - each comes with a unique name, and is dressed in a cozy sweater and knitted pants and scarf. Or if your valentine has a nostalgic bent, Textures has a wide selection of an old favourite - sock monkeys by Margo Griffith! Cute stuff!

5. The Gift of Warmth. We have a varied selection of hand-knitted scarves, hats, slippers, socks and gloves, including the tube scarves by Diane Paquette and Ella May Russell that were recently featured in the Hamilton Spectator, as well as Diane Paquette's newest item- "Smitten Mittens" - a strange looking creation that allows lovers to hold hands while walking on a cold day, while sharing one mitten! You must try it...

6. Glass. Present your amour with a celtic lovers knot, wrought in stained glass by Siobhan Lynch, and watch the sun shine on your relationship! Or maybe a blown glass ball in an array of colours is more to your liking? And finish things off with a collection of special handpainted glass magnets (by me) to prove your attraction is still strong...

7. Cool Stuff for Guys. Is it just me, or are guys tough to buy for? No matter how difficult it is to pick out something for your man, chances are you can find something great for him at Textures! I have found that men seem to naturally gravitate toward things such as wood, leather, stone and metal, and we have many items here made from those materials.

Try leather shearling hats and mitts by Lauch Harrison, or a hand-turned wood bowl or a computer brush by Malcolm Cumming. Or maybe a leather bound journal by Sharon Beasley, or even a hand carved soapstone sculpture by John Tice might be the right thing? We have it... and if that doesn't work for your guy, you can select a manly mug by Toni Major (slip in a nice package of special coffee to finish off the gift!).

8. Time. Mark the days you spend together in a special way by giving a very special time piece- we have numerous watches and clocks to choose from, such as a chain maille watch by Rebecca Johnston, or maybe a beaded watch by Michele Mijatovic? Or we also have spectacular raku pottery clocks by Lisa Skog, and whimsical "electronics" clocks by Sharon Beasley...

9. Don't forget the kids! Again, you can select one of Ruth Oldham's "Honey Pot Teddys" or one of her embroidered felt hearts with a surprise red candy sucker inside. Or perhaps the little girl in your life would be delighted with a crocheted flower hair clip by Linda Somerville? And for the boys, Linda has cute felt roll ups for carrying all their favourite Matchbox cars...

10. Words of Love. And by that, I mean a special art card from Textures! We have many to choose from by different artisans. Once you find the graphic that suits your partner, it's up to you to write a few words expressing how you feel. Can't help you there - I don't know your sweetheart, and if I did, it might upset my sweetie!

What I can say is that most people think they can't write. What you don't realize, though, is that if you write a few words from your heart, it should be the right thing. If you still need help, find yourself some poetry for inspiration!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

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Happy Endings

2010-01-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

During the Christmas holidays, (there, I said it- I celebrate Christian holidays - and that is not meant to offend the non-Chrisitians of the world. I like your holidays, too!) and after my custom orders were completed, and all jewelry re-stocking requirements for Textures Craftworks were taken care of, I decided to finally take some time out to do different things for a change. More and more of my free time during the year gets taken up with making jewelry and "feeding the demands" of my membership in our little craft cooperative enterprise, and while I do enjoy it, I finally realized that other pursuits were taking a back seat.

Things like painting my dining room, for instance. I've been looking at the same patchy white walls since I moved into my house over three years ago, and I always thought I should "do something" about them. But I didn't. Mostly, because I was lazy. I admit that the thought of clearing off and moving three bookcases and a buffet packed full of china made me tired. And that was just the thought of it! The reality was SO MUCH MORE!

I did attack the project in stages, however, and in the end I got through it. For your reference, I recommend waiting until you have someone with strong arms to help you move the furniture. I didn't do that. Bookcases got stripped and moved to a new home in the living room, and then they were redressed there. That took one day because, well, you kinda have to vaccuum after you move furniture out of the place it has been sitting for three years. Who knew? The plan at that point was to start with the painting once the wall was unearthed, so it was dry before the family came visiting for Christmas.

So, once Christmas was over and my husband set off to work on his Boxing Day sales, it was time to begin. I must say, I hate doing prep work more than anything during any project, and that will often scuttle any project I contemplate taking on. But I got out my ladder, and diligently taped the baseboards and the ceiling (not that you can tell there - oops!) before really getting to work. For a change, I also looked after myself during the execution of my project by taking regular breaks, and I kept myself hydrated. Important things to remember if you wish to survive. I stopped working for the day when I was half way through, and moved furnishings back into place along the first half of the wall.

On the second day, I continued to work until I finally reached the end of the walls to be painted, and once they were dry, the rest of the furnishings for the dining room were put back in place, and a few new nail holes were added to the finished product in order to hang existing artwork in new locations. And after that, I sat back to gaze upon my handiwork and think about painting the kitchen! But there's always next Christmas for that - just thinking about that pantry cupboard that would have to be emptied and moved...

So with the wall now painted an actual colour (called "Lover's Rock, incidentally - kind of an olive-y green, golden brown-ish colour that changes in different light throughout the day) I decided to take up my next project - knitting myself an infinity scarf! Several months ago I was contacted about helping to coordinate a "Shopper" feature in the Hamilton Spectator featuring infinity/tube/mobius scarves. After working with our knitters Diane Paquette and Ella May Russell to coordinate this, and seeing the project come to fruition, I thought that I would like to make one of these lovely things for myself! If you missed the feature, unfortunately it never made it to an online posting, but it was fabulous.

Here is the page:

I hardly believe it, but I was able to find my knitting needles in the first place I looked, and I sat down with them and the lovely balls of brightly coloured yarn I had purchased in anticipation. And then it hit me - I haven't done any knitting in about 15 years! I don't even remember how to cast on! All of the craft books I own that covered any sort of knitting project made the basic assumption that the reader at least knew how to knit! Duh. Luckily, it was Google to the rescue! You can look up just about anything on the internet, including "how to knit".

Five minutes later, I was refreshed, and on my way! A friend of mine asked if Google will tell you how to untangle skeins of yarn, too. Yes, it will! Check out this delightful blog posting explaining how to go about it: http://togs-from-bogs.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-untangle-skein-of-yarn.htm

Several weeks later, I am quite a few rows into my infinity scarf, but it is still no where near being done. Good thing the heavy duty snowy weather has held off so far! But I am still plugging away at it. Ultimately, I probably should have gone to Textures and bought one of Diane or Ella May's beautiful scarves. Maybe I should just go to Textures anyway and request their "Happy Endings" service. That way, a professional knitter will finish for me the project I started with such good intentions - and finish it before the first buds of spring are opening, at that! Happy Endings all-round...

The Circle of Life Continues!

2010-01-01T14:24:00.002-05:00

Here we are on the first day of the new year - January 1, 2010! Folks always seem to be so pumped about all the great possibilities a new year holds. I must say, I actually feel more open to the unknown this year than I have in other years. My natural tendency is to look back and mourn all that was left unfinished in the old year, but I think 2010 is going to be amazing!

The year 2009, while challenging for most people in some ways, was a mostly great year for Textures and our little band of independent artisans - and we have you to thank for that! Our customers are great people, and have been very supportive! It is encouraging for all creative souls to find an appreciative audience, and your continued trips to our little gift shop on Locke St. South in Hamilton keeps our group of about 50+ local artisans fired up with creativity to make something even more amazing than the last great creation!

Our group is much like a family, and we do have our occasional squabbles (if you have a sibling, or you have two or more children you know what I'm talking about!) - any group of individuals is bound to have disagreements about the direction the whole group should take. But one thing we always agree on is our love of creating the best we can for our customers!

Thank you for all your support and encouragement in the last year, and we look forward to welcoming you back for a visit in 2010!

We are starting off our new year with a show of all that is colourful and bright - "Passion and Panache" starts tomorrow, and is sure to banish the grey days of early January. Hope to see you soon!

The painting I referred to way back in the spring...

2009-12-09T16:13:00.005-05:00

Something new to replace "Polar Bear in a Snow Storm", as referred to in "New Year, New You" posting earlier this year - this is the painting I ended up doing:

And here is the original scene, from a street my husband and I visited during our honeymoon in Quebec City, while looking for cheese:

Quebec cheese is amazing. Now I'm hungry...

P.S. We did not find cheese here. We pulled off the highway on the way back to Ontario and visited Fromagerie Bergeron, and attempted to order in French. Luckily they understand pointing and measuring with one's fingers...

Everything old is new again!

2009-12-09T14:38:00.003-05:00

Judging by the kind of custom orders I've been getting recently, everyone has a stash of broken/outdated/mismatched/vintage jewelry that they may enjoy but cannot wear. It may not occur to some, but these bits and pieces of treasure that may or may not have sentimental meaning can be transformed into wearable art again in the hands of a jewelry artisan willing to take on the task for you. A jewelry artisan like myself, for instance!

One friend in particular (thanks Marie!) has kept me occupied over the last two years by periodically bringing me a ziploc baggy filled with old necklaces and bits of beads from her family members. From these bits rescued from the back of her closet, I have made quite a few new necklaces for her twin daughters to take off to university, a necklace and earring set for a niece, as well as bracelets & earrings of all descriptions. Marie has been so pleased with the results that she keeps finding more old pieces for me to work with, and she recently gave me the "heads up" that she gave another friend of hers my card to take on some future work for her!

I guess Marie got the idea from me, when I mentioned receiving jewelry boxes filled with odds and ends of costume jewelry from both of my late grandmothers. Some things were good to use as I found them, but other pieces (broken necklaces, earrings without their twin, hideous styles from a bygone era, necklaces made for people with teeny-tiny little necks, and the old clip-on earrings) , although interesting, could only be worn again after a complete overhaul. So I set to work converting old clip-ons into pierced earrings where possible. I restrung tiny multi-strand necklaces into long, modern styles. I repaired some brooches as I was able, replacing missing rhinestones, etc. And when I was done, I shared these new pieces with all the girls in the family! It meant a lot to them to have something made from one of grandma's pieces! I even created a rosary for my aunt's husband who was Catholic, and very close to my grandmother - an unusual but acceptible way to present a man with beads from a woman's necklace!

One necklace from my grandmother was in really bad shape, but I always loved the beads and thought I'd do something special with it someday. That day came last year when I was married!

Turns out the beads matched my wedding dress perfectly (don't you think?) so I created a simple necklace and earrings for my special day. It meant a lot to wear something new that day that just so happened to be created with something old that once belonged to my grandmother.

So think about what you might have lying around in a drawer somewhere - maybe I can create something new for you!

You're makin' a list, and checkin' it...twice?

2009-11-19T15:45:00.000-05:00

Greetings! Gee, no postings since April, huh? Well, if your year has been anything like mine, it has flown by and once again we find ourselves face to face with that time of year - the really, really busy one!

To help you out during this busy time, here are some great gift ideas compiled by Margo, and featuring handmade treasures by our local artisan members:

- watch with coloured chainmaille band

- cream mohair snood with matching infinity scarf

- monster finger puppets

- large hot chocolate/tea mugs

- sterling silver cuff links

- Kooljammer lunch carriers

- hemp chokers for boys

- abstract stained glass window panel

- felted kitty playballs and doggy tug toys

- tea cozy and runner set

- camouflage pencil cases and carry bags for “stuff”

- baby mats and hair barrettes

- super long necklaces

- felted mitts (a cold winter is forecasted!)

- soapstone spirit carving of a loon

- handblown glass wine bottle toppers (add the wine!)

- maple fruit bowl

- beach glass jewellery

- Circuit Kitty cyber clock

- letter opener

- holiday earrings (trees, labs with Santa caps, penguins, )

- original Christmas ornaments ( stained glass, felted, glass, wood, Fimo, knit)

- original greeting cards (frameable, and great for money gifts!)

Don't forget to pick up a "little something" for the teacher, the sitter, your Mom 2 Mom group, paper delivery person, hairdresser, the kid's coach, your nice neighbour who sometimes shovels your sidewalk...

And you don't want to arrive at that house party empty-handed - pair a fresh wheel of Brie with a beautiful handcrafted pottery Brie baker from Textures!

AT YOUR SERVICE:

-Repairs & restyling of jewellery
-Gift wrapping & boxes
-Gift certificates, layaways, Visa, Mastercard, debit

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Happy holidays to all

from the artisans at Textures!
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Address: 236 Locke St S (at Charleton)
Phone: 905-523-0636
December Hours: M-F: 10-9 Sat: 10-6 Sun: 10-5
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Change it up a little!

2009-04-19T12:48:00.003-04:00

It is a fact that most people I know who are creative in any way manifest their creativity in multiple ways. I guess that this quality just can't be contained!

When you are a creative person, you are not satisfied to just pursue one creative outlet - you are nourished by trying many different things.

As a member of Textures Craftworks, an artisan cooperative shop in Hamilton, I have been known as someone who has had her hand in many different things - I started out making jewelry from seeds, beans, tree bark, and all manner of other cheap and handy materials. I also did a line of humourous greeting cards, had a line of painted floorcloths for a while, and created various little characters out of old corks! The flying nuns and little Elvis-es seemed to be most popular. I used to work in the hotel industry, and I had people for miles around saving their corks for me, so I still have a large drawer full of those. I also created creatures from dried gourds, such as penguins, chickens, and cats.

I have also dabbled in needlework (needlepoint, crewel embroidery, etc.), taught myself to knit and crochet, and have done sewing, but that is one area I have never been drawn to. Must be why I no longer work in Theatre doing wardrobe! And speaking of Theatre, I started my professional career as a special effects makeup artist.

I say "started my professional career" because I didn't stay there for long before moving on to other things. Have often wondered if I was a "flake" because my career took so many twists and turns, and I have done so many different things for a living. I currently work as an administrator in a university P.R. office, and I think I have finally found somewhere I can stay for a while. Although the main part of the job is routine, there are so many variables each day that you never know what you will be asked next, and this seems to suite my creative bent.

Over the years I think I have come to realize that the creative person - and I do consider myself that - needs to keep exploring new vistas, and changing things up to keep life interesting. Whether it is in my "day job" or in my "creative life", I now know I have to keep exploring new outlets. Just not sewing.

All the creative things I used to do at Textures 10 years ago when I became a member of the group have since fallen away. I have developed skill as a jewelry artisan over the last few years, and have been working more and more with traditional jewelry materials like beads, crystals and stones, and I still enjoy making jewelry.

However, I have started thinking lately that it is time to try my hand at something new again. In the last week, I have put my brushes to canvas and have finally started filling in the big blank canvas that has been parked over my couch for the last year. Who knows where this may lead? Just not to sewing...

CPSIA--not just an American Issue threatening handmade articles

2009-01-27T21:44:00.000-05:00

CPSIA--this is NOT just an american issue
Although I am a Canadian, and my products are all created by myself here in Grimsby Ontario Canada, I do sell my products to a number of boutiques in the U.S.A. I also sell my products directly to an increasing number of American customers who have searched for my products as a unique and safe alternative to the mass-produced imported accessories and products for children. For myself, this new bill is inconvenient. The majority of my sales are still Canadian based. For my American peers however, this bill will effectively terminate their home-based businesses. How does this affect us? It limits our choices as parents and consumers. The tests that have been proposed are too costly for the average small business. (over $400 EACH TEST from Feb 10 through August . In August 2009, stricter "third party" testing will be required. The more involved testing in august will cost crafters over $1000 for each test.) There are currently no locations in North America approved for third party testing--apparently items will have to be shipped to facilities in China (the country where the majority of lead-tainted products have originated from..)As a mother I am not against stricter testing. I want the very best for my own child as well as yours and I treat every item I create with the greatest care that can be imagined. I do not bring materials into my home that I suspect would be harmful to my child or any other child. This is not a problem with the individuals who create unique one-of-a-kind handcrafted items. My suppliers have already started testing their products and there has not been a single item that has raised concern regarding lead,phthalates or any other banned material. Their testing is not sufficient under the new bill. Each and every one of my items will need to be tested (each design, each color) as a finished product should I choose to continue to sell in the USA.The spirit of this original bill was to protect the public from the careless and cheap mass-production of toys and children's items by large faceless corporations. Many of whom have outsourced their production to the cheapest bidder with little or no supervision of the materials used in their manufacture. Recent recalls have created a knee-jerk effect within a public that has grown frightened of the increasing number of perils facing our children from toys to luncheon meat and peanut butter.If you think that this is only an American issue please reconsider the long reaching effects that this bill may have for us all.Here is a "blog" entry from a fellow "etsykids" team member. She has asked that I share it with you:As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too. How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples: To the Parents of Young Students:Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.To the Avid Reader:Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322To the Lover of All Things Handmade:Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.To the Environmentalist:Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.To the Second-Hand Shopper:Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.To the Entrepreneur:Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America. To the Antique Toy Collector:Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.htmlTo the American Economy:Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake. To the Worldwide Economy:Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses. If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbeshttp://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.htmlAnd for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Lawhttp://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.htmlDid you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

New Year, New You

2009-01-27T13:43:00.005-05:00

Well, the holidays are finally over, and we are smack dab in the middle of the dog days of winter. That almost makes it sound better than it is because dogs are pretty cute for the most part, and usually a lot of fun. However, winters in Hamilton are not all that. (Is that even said by anyone anymore? I am about to turn 45, after all, so no one is accusing me of being "hip" these days - just waiting for my first "ma'am" at the grocery store).

Anyway, since the Christmas sales rush appears to have subsided and orders for new jewelry are at a minimum, it is a perfect time to think about organizing one's work space and making sure everything is where it should be before things start to pick up again.

Emma the cat has got the ball rolling for me by "reorganizing" the tub full of beads and spilling them from one end of my office to the other. An hour or two of crawling around on my hands and knees and (I think) all the beads are now picked out of the carpet.

I did start by organizing all my beads and putting things from previous projects back in their respective containers. Although it was a long and tedious task, it felt good to finally have things back with their "like" partners, rather than all dumped together in old margarine lids. I tend to put a handful of beads and findings in an upside down margarine lid as I work on a project, so I can see what different beads will look like together, but I'm not so good about putting things away when I am done. A year or two later, who knows what you've got left to work with when everything is all mixed up all over the place? So, it's good to re-organize and start again sometimes!

With cats crawling all over your work space, it's also more critical to be organized - it's annoying when they make a mess, and it can be dangerous if they tend to eat beads and other craft supplies. Ditto for children if you have those!

Cleaning up your space is also a good exercise spiritually, since it gives you a new "jumping off" point in your work and does not pose a psychic drain on you. Hard to work on new projects if there is a nagging voice in the back of your head telling you "you really should do something about that mess"!

Once that's all done, you might even feel like trying something new to expand your creative horizons. I've recently been inspired to pick up the ol' paintbrush again after 25 years or so and I tried slapping some paint on canvas. Boy am I rusty! Could use a lot more practise before tackling that 4' x 6' blank canvas that has been hanging over my sofa for the last year. Someday, though, I will have something new to replace "Polar Bear in a Snow Storm"...

Keepin' it Real

2008-11-27T14:26:00.004-05:00

It has been way too long since I posted something here, so in the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I thought I would talk a little about the real vs. fake options in semi-precious stones used for jewelry making these days.

I just took a quick trip to Toronto this past weekend to pick up a few more strands of beads (can NEVER have too many!) for the pre-Christmas jewelry-making blitz, and was again dazzled by the array of different "semi-precious" stone beads available these days. I have only been making bead jewelry for just over a decade, but in that time I have seen a whole lot of new things become available that I never even heard of when I started!

Once I do a bit of reading, however, I begin to find that not all stones are what they seem. In fact, some stones aren't even stones at all, but composites of glass and stone bits, irradiated or heated or dyed to take on various colours and qualities! And some cheaper stones are dyed or processed in order to mimic the look of more expensive and rare stones - case in point - Howlite is often turned into "poor man's Turquoise", and is sometimes even sold as Turquoise. I guess a good rule of thumb is if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is! Definitely a "buyer beware" situation out there in the world of stone beads, so be careful!

I have always been a big fan of "keeping it real" with my stones. I like the idea of a rock being dug out of the ground or the side of a mountain, and then cut and polished into a bead (or beads!) and then nicely drilled so I can string it on some jewelry wire to make something fabulous. Natural stones are thought to have their own special healing qualities. I do NOT like the idea of someone using stone scraps and glass and glue to create the "spam" of beads. What kind of healing qualities would something like that have? And it just wouldn't be a REAL stone bead! Or, would it?

After giving the matter some thought, I have lately come to the conclusion that, although a bead may have had dubious beginnings, there really is a place in the world for something that just looks good. Not everyone believes that stones have special powers, so what difference would it make to them if it was dug out of a mountain by Juan Valdez or not? They just want something that is budget-appropriate, and that adds spark to their outfit!

So, maybe there is a place in the world for all beads - be they real, or fake, or really really fake! Vive le difference!!! (Pardon my lack of French...)

Ideas for makin' stuff

2008-07-21T11:14:00.002-04:00

People always wonder where I get my ideas from, and I'm really at a loss as to how I explain it. Ideas just "come" to me - but if I try too hard, the ideas can retreat just out of reach. I'm usually FULL of ideas for what other people should do, but when it comes to my own work it can be a bit more challenging.

Ideas tend to flow more freely when I am immersed in creative tasks over a long period, like when I first started working on setting up my own store. I found it to be a very spiritual experience, really, and I would describe the feeling as being a conduit for creativity. I have never felt that the ideas I receive have been my own, but rather a gift from a "higher power". The more you open yourself to receive, the more the ideas begin to flow! Very new-age-y stuff!

Anyway, I've been craving more dedicated creative time lately, but the pressures of daily life do intervene. It is certainly difficult to balance all the day-to-day pressures of work, home life, family, social obligations, and if you are like me, wedding planning! Like anything, some discipline is required. I had grand intentions of working on some new jewelry pieces on the weekend, but I got gardening while the sun was shining, and then when the thunderstorms drove me inside, an unexpected flood cancelled out my plans. When things go like this, the ideas sometimes dry up.

I have often found it is a good idea (!) to keep a notebook and/or scrap album when the ideas are a bit more plentiful. That way, you can always go back and pick up on ideas that never quite made it to fruition. But do yourself a favour, and leave detailed notes - I have sometimes gone back and wondered what the heck I was talking about, because over time we can forget wisps of ideas we once had!

I have found inspiration in nature, books, magazines, online, and in the works of others, but there is a rule about "borrowing" - never duplicate someone elses' idea EXACTLY!!!
ALWAYS change something and make the new item your own creation! Otherwise, there is no creativity involved - you have merely practiced your ability to mimic someone else.

This is one of the high points of Textures Craftworks, where I sell my creations. All work is juried for originality and creativity, and NO COMMERCIAL PATTERNS are allowed - all work must be designed and created by the artist. There is a time and a place for patterns, and that is meant for newbies to practice and improve their skills, or for people who just want to try something they haven't done before. After that, it's time to come up with some ideas of your own!

Have it YOUR way!

2008-06-20T15:55:00.002-04:00

Several of my co-workers at my "day job" have recently learned about my secret life as an artisan. This has had the delightful side benefit of generating a little more business for me because, like many of my fellow Textures artisans, I do custom orders!

If you are ever looking for a particular thing, in a particular colour or style, and would like to have it made just the way you want, look no further than our little cooperative! Not only will you be getting a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind work of art for yourself or your loved ones, but you can shape the final product. Once and for all, you can go to one place with your colour swatch, and ask someone to make you your very own 3 ft. tall, lime green steel widget with purple feathers and silver sparkles! No more traipsing all over town, desperately trying to match up your swatch with all the other wrong green shades of widgets out there - you will save time, energy and gas by stopping by, and will get exactly what you want!

And if it's a pair of earrings or a necklace you want, in just the right shade of blue - give me a call!

Only in Canada, you say?

2008-06-17T13:01:00.002-04:00

I worked my second shift at Textures for the month of June this past weekend. Father's Day did not prove to be a big draw for bringing hoards to our doorstep, but I did have an interesting chat with one gentleman who was in town from Los Angeles to work on a film.

After making out like a bandit in our store choosing handcrafted pottery, silk scarves, jewelry and notepads, my visitor said how delighted he was to find an artisan shop here. Being in the film business, he has occassion to travel all around the world, and he likes to pick up handcrafted items that are unique to the area he is in to take home as a momento, and also to give as gifts. Sounds reasonable to me!

He related the story of going to Belize, and how excited he was to go out and look for something really special, that was only available there. Unfortunately, all he found were mass-manufactured items for Sears! Not to bad-mouth Sears, but when you go somewhere exotic, you want to be able to find some exotic trinkets to take home and make everyone else jealous that you were somewhere exotic, and they weren't! Items from the latest Wish Book just aren't going to cut it. May have worked when you were 8 and waiting for Santa, but not now.

Visitors to Hamilton are not as unfortunate as those who go to Belize. They can come to Textures and find a beautiful turned wood bowl made from an old butternut tree that fell down in someone's backyard just a few blocks away! Or at least, they can find it until I get back to the shop to buy it myself... ;-)

Star for a day! The joy of free publicity...

2008-06-12T09:20:00.005-04:00

Every artisan must have their day, and I guess today is mine! Check out some of my necklaces that appear in today's Hamilton Spectator - "The Shopper" feature: http://www.thespec.com/go/style/article/384994

It has been a while since my work has received any publicity - last time I appeared in the paper was last fall, as part of an article on the changing face of the Canadian family. Andrew and I were the "shacked up" couple. But now we're engaged to be legally wed, so everything is good, and we will no longer be going to that "extremely warm place" waaaaay down south.

As a working artisan, every little bit of publicity helps the cause. Before moving to Hamilton and becoming a member of Textures, I owned my own gift shop called "FRED- a store...", and I found out what a struggle it can be to get the word out about one's creative activities. I had been unemployed for a year before opening my store, so there really wasn't any money for promotion and I had to get really, really creative. It became my mission to get my name and/or picture in the Sarnia Observer as often as I could, and I did pretty well.

The trick was to take part in some sort of charity or benefit event, so I teamed up with a friend who owned a nearby cafe, and another acquaintance who ran a clothing store, and we organized a charity fashion show featuring one friends' clothing from her store, accessories that I created, and located at the other friends' cafe. We got free event postings in all the local daily and weekly papers, as well as a pre-event photo, and when it was all over, we got another photo in the paper as we handed over the cheque to our chosen recipient organization!

Another thing I did to get my name and location out was to call in to the local radio station's all-request hour to request a song. When the DJ would answer the phone, I would say something like, "Hi, it's Sandy calling from FRED- a store... on Ontario Street, and I'd like to request I Think I Love You by the Partridge Family."

I met people around town later on, and when conversation got around to the "what do you do for a living" question, and I said I owned the gift shop, FRED- a store..., I had more than one person exclaim, "Oh! I've heard you on the radio!" So never underestimate what people will hear and retain. Remember to use your powers for good, not evil.

Another idea is to celebrate your "Grand Opening" waaaay long after your actual business opening. Small town newspapers will usually run a story or a photo when you are opening a new business in town. But they will also come out to photograph a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a "Grand Opening" a year later! Who knew?

But then again, the Sarnia Observer used to run a local news column back in the late '70s that featured such colourful items as "John and Jane Smith recently had a visit from their great aunt Ethel from Kalamazoo. They served tea and crumpets." So maybe my little gift shop opening seemed like the big time. Or, they would just print anything...

Other places to visit us!

2008-06-11T13:17:00.002-04:00

Facebook Group: Friends of Textures
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2426841526

I Highly Recommend
http://www.ihighlyrecommend.ca/listing.php?cat=artists_artisans&url=textures

My Hamilton
http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/Events/artstheatre/TexturesCraftworkspresentsGoingDotty.htm

eventinfo.ca
http://www.eventinfo.ca/view/business/textures_craftworks/

Ontario Tourism
http://www.ontariotravel.net/TcisCtrl?site=consumers&key1=siteTools&key2=search&key3=results&linkType=I&language=en

A few examples of my handiwork...

2008-06-11T12:41:00.002-04:00

Let's get this party started...

2008-06-11T11:36:00.003-04:00

As the inaugural posting for our artisan cooperative, Textures Crafworks, I have been finding the blank page a bit daunting. So much pressure! Where to begin? Starting a blog for our shop in Hamilton seemed like such a great idea at the time! Profit magazine said so! Oh well, I guess I'll just dive in...

A bit about our group-
"Textures: a combined effort of area artisans" was the brainchild of textile artist Margo Griffith, bookbinder Sharon Beasley, and silk painter Janne Hackl. In July 1983, these women realized there wasn’t a year-round outlet for Hamilton-area craftspeople to sell their work other than government-supported galleries, or small owner-operated shops. They dreamed of building a business that would be totally self-sustaining in an environment where most artisans relied on government grants.

One month later, six craftspeople were on board to invest in opening and operating a shop in Hamilton’s Hess Village, becoming the Core Members of the fledgling enterprise, “Textures…a combined effort of area artisans”. Eleven additional artisans paid a small yearly membership fee to join the newly-formed group.

Twenty-five years later, Textures has changed locations twice, but the original philosophy of a not-for-profit shop that is managed, stocked, and staffed by member artisans remains the same.
“While sales in the early years were made up mostly of silk and woven clothing, and pottery was basic brown, we now offer a wide range of items including slick city ware in current colours and designs, high quality jewelry in sterling silver, gold wire and dichroic glass, and unique items for babies and pets,” says Core Member Margo Griffith. “Bookbinding still has a large following, and quality leather mitts are perennial sellers”.

Loyal customers have supported Textures and helped it grow. From an initial membership of seventeen, Textures now boasts more than fifty talented craftspeople between 18 and 80+, and members continue to work together to guarantee a broad range of fine-quality, original craft pieces in a welcoming environment. "Part of Textures' success is the fact that we provide personalized service and information, and treat the customers very well," adds Core Member Sharon Beasley.

Custom orders are encouraged, and the Happy Endings service can even complete that expensive craft project you began so long ago, but never quite seem to finish.

Visitors are welcome to drop by the store, which is currently located at 236 Locke St. South (at Charleton) in Hamilton. One of our artisans will be on hand to greet you daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., unless you show up on a statutory holiday when the store is closed. If you come by this Sunday, you will find me there for my second shift this month.

"Enough about me, more about you - so what do you think of me?" Or, who the heck is Sandra, and why do I care what she is writing?
I usually only work in the shop once per month, since I also hold down a full-time job at McMaster University. However, I happen to be getting married this fall, so I have opted to work extra shifts over the summer so I can take care of other things closer to the "big day" aka Halloween.

I have been a member of Textures for 10 years now - also the length of time I have lived in Hamilton! Hard to believe it has been that long already. Back then, I was creating a whole line of jewelry from pumpkin seeds, beans, twigs, and other assorted seeds under the name, "Seeduction". (Yes, I am indeed a punny girl.)

Before moving to Hamilton I lived in Sarnia for two years, where I owned and operated my own gift store called "FRED- a store..." on Ontario Street. As with many creative ventures, I was forced to give it up and get a "real job" again, so I moved back to Toronto for a few months, but found I couldn't go back to the big smoke after gearing down in Sarnia. If you've ever lived in either place, you'll probably understand. So I decided to give Hamilton a try. Didn't know a soul there, but got on the GO bus one day and came to check it out.

I found an apartment, and then collected 3 part-time jobs within a week to enable rent-payment, and then maybe grocery purchase if I was lucky. Shortly after arriving in Hamilton, I checked out the arts scene and discovered Textures, which was located in Hess Village then, mere blocks from the new apartment. Although Textures does not usually accept new members after October because it is too difficult to train new workers right before Christmas, they made an exception for me - they liked me! They really liked me!

And so I was a member. Over the years, I expanded my product line to include painted floorcloths, greeting cards, and all manner of weird and wonderful ornaments because one can only make so many fruits, veggies, flowers, insects and creatures out of pumpkin seeds before the idea gets a little old. In more recent years, I have been concentrating more and more on fine jewelry made from more traditional materials such as semi-precious stones, crystals and sterling silver. Frankly, I make more money now, so I can afford better craft supplies!

Anyway, now that I have a (surprise) wedding to plan and pay for at the age of 44, I need to get cracking and make jewelry for all of you out there! After 9 years with my beau, I certainly wasn't expecting the Christmas day proposal - must explain why I burst out laughing when he got down on one knee in front of me (sorry Andrew - love ya!). Since my father passed away a few years ago, I guess I have to make enough jewelry to pay for the ensuing shindig, so any help you wish to provide in the form of custom orders will be gladly accepted.

If you wish to see some examples of what I can do for you, check out my photos on the Facebook group, "Friends of Textures", or keep an eye out this week for the "Shopper" feature in the Hamilton Spectator, which will be featuring a selection of my chunkier necklaces...