Studio Update

           This summer has been a bit crazy- I've found it really difficult to carve out time to work in the studio- and to be perfectly honest I haven't wanted to- I so enjoyed spending my hours adventuring with my Littles- I have no regrets! In spite of all the fun times a few things have managed to come out of the studio and made their way into the Plain Jane Etsy Shop- lots of custom orders which was fantastic! It's tricky this whole work/ live balance and as I have said before I tend to look at it as less of balance and more of a dance- finding my rhythm and moving to Mother Nature's tune.

           These little swing tops have been super popular this summer- easy to wear for any little gal on the go- in fun colours and fabrics- each top is unique. Initially I designed this pattern in celebration for back to school- the days of September are still warm but the Littles need something on their shoulders- perfect for the playground. School or no school my gal has been wearing hers a tonne- I have a few more going up into the Plain Jane Etsy shop today.

          This fall Plain Jane is looking a little different- I have really narrowed down what I enjoy making and have fun with- great fabrics- natural dyes- little things for some of my favourite small beings. I'm so happy with how things are unfolding in the studio these days- feeling refreshed by the changing season- feeling like nesting in our home. Although school is still not back in I feel like fall is the start of the new year- fresh and crisp- new beginnings!

Plain Jane Studio Update

         I have been spending a tonne of time outdoors as of late- mostly at the beach- which is pretty natural considering how spoiled we are out on the West Coast- it makes up for the endless weeks of rain in the winter. There really is nothing quite like an entire day spent on the beach- surrounded by blue- skies and water. So it only makes sense that this colour has followed me home and into the studio!

        Loads of new items are finally making their way onto the virtual shelves of my Plain Jane Etsy shop- these wee Wabi Sabi quilted hot mits are among my favourites I think! I am getting excited not only about colour but about quilting as well- piecing those little gems together makes my heart sing!

          A few weeks ago I started my indigo vat and it was life changing- I've taken some of that lovely hand dyed indigo fabric and quilted it into these great little one off throw pillows. I only have one in the shop currently due to popular demand (ahem) but more will be online soon- along with a much bigger project that I am swooning over- and possibly panicking about. I'm working on a full sized pieced quilt- I've been working with other natural dyes and can't wait to see how it all starts coming together!

          Studio work not with standing I am actually heading out on vacation soon- two glorious weeks in the Okanagan- we all can't wait to be under those clear skies- floating in the lake. So this next week I will be wrapping up a few custom orders- getting things all tied up before hitting the road. Of course being on vacation doesn't mean idleness - I'm looking forward to working on my quilt- perhaps getting some expert help from my Mom who is my quilting Guru!

          As a painter my surroundings always influenced my pallet- how could it not? Now as a fibre artist I find myself drawn once again to nature for inspiration- the colours naturally lending themselves to quilting and natural dyes. I'm finding myself charged and often with out enough hours in the day- as we head towards the longest day of the year I'm honouring the natural rhythm of the season- working as much as I can and soaking it all in!

Studio Update

              I have been very busy in the studio as of late- often what gets sewn up doesn't make it to my Etsy shop- selling out before hitting the virtual shelves- my shop these days is looking a little bare to say the least. So I finally have gotten to a place where I have a few new items to post in my Plain Jane Etsy shop- which I will be doing later this afternoon! It's easy to become inspired when the weather is so lovely- creating these sweet little hot weather tops- mainly with my own girly in mind- she wants clothes that she can play in- things she can be a little girl in.

        I'm really excited to be offering two styles of tops right now for little Miss'- sweet and swingy- perfect for picking flowers in Momo's garden! The cap sleeve top pictured above is one of Miss Lo's favourites- easy to wear like a t-shirt but with enough feminine flare to satisfy any four year old. As she says it's like wearing a dress but not- perfect for an active gal who has mountains to climb! I love this little top so much- sewn out of natural linen on top and adorable organic cotton print on the bottom.

        Of course our favourite hot weather criss cross top is back- this time in two prints- one with a totally vintage print- a sweet vintage floral print- these are actually sense from vintage sheets! I have two of these bright tops left- they went fast- one small and one large. The second criss cross swing top is sewn from hand dyed indigo fabric- this is my new passion- I am a bit indigo crazy these days- everything indigo! Organic cotton gets a hit of blue and is the perfect weight for hot weather- easy Summer dressing for wee gals!

          I have so many other exciting and half finished projects hanging about in the studio- I am hoping to have them wrapped up soon and out on the shelves of my Etsy shop. I find the creative process for me is a bit like a spider web- one idea begets another and away I go- leaving a string of half finished projects in my wake. My current goal is to reign in my focus and to actually complete more things- to get them out for sale!

Studio Update

            It feels like forever since I shared a proper studio update and yet it feels like I never stop working! I'm very pleased to announce that Plain Jane linen Heritage pillows can now be found and Nineteenten Home Boutique on Main Street here in Vancouver- this is such a lovely store- every item is carefully chosen and assembled into a gorgeous collection of treasures. It is simply thrilling that my pillows have found a place on their shelves- and in the window!

            I feel this last order really pushed me to create a well thought out and well finished item- I changed a few things including my embroidery thread- switching from a traditional silk thread to a heartier merino and silk blend- the impact on the pillows is much more graphic and I feel a lot warmer. Another change is how I finish the backs of Heritage pillows- these small decorative pillows now come with an envelope style closure which means the insert can be removed if tragedy strikes and a spill occurs!

         Over the past month or so I have really been thinking about the nature of Plain Jane and where it's going- my first love is screen printing however I feel there is a bit of a glut in the screen printed textile market- it is time to move on from that. Also cards- I love, love, love creating my one of a kind cards- however I have noticed that demand for them is down- like way down- sadly I feel folks are just not mailing love anymore. So while I will still have limited runs of Plain Jane cards in the shop they will not be the back bone of the business anymore- it's a sad day but when something is just not working it's time to move on! It can be a difficult thing to be really honest with one's self and change behaviors when something just doesn't work- I am trying to be really realistic with myself.

          The flip side of that sad coin is that now I am freed up to try out new products- I am super pleased to be introducing my new line of feather pins into the shop at the beginning of April! Of course they are available now but just in limited numbers- shown below each small, hand embroidered pin is about 2" long- backed with linen- each mini work of wearable art is only $15 right now. Designed in memory of my Grandma who loved bird watching- I'm wearing mine everywhere this week.

           So you can see that a large portion of that radio silence was in part due to how busy I have been in the studio- a new exciting direction has me all fired up! Not one to rest on my laurels I am already hard at work on the next batch of Heritage pillows headed for the old Etsy shop! I am happiest when my hands are busy- I love the portable nature of this craft and how I can be busy just about everywhere.

         I remember the summer I learned to embroider- I thought it was the most boring thing on earth and I am sure my sampler went unfinished- as many summer projects tended to be for me. I must have been about thirteen- we were living in our new house way high up above town- all my friends were down at the beach but it was too far for me to walk alone- so I sat moping for most of that summer. In an effort to staunch the moping and the whining that I am sure accompanied it my Mom put a blank piece of cotton and a hoop in my hands and showed me the basic stitches- I think the first pattern I worked on was a Holy Hobby type Prairie girl. Hello irony! Proof that you never know what you learn as a child you may one day use to make a living!

PS- as an added bonus I am offering 25% off in the Etsy shop on all in stock items! Just use code Spring1

On A Friday

      On this Friday the fog is swirling so low that it is wrapping around between the buildings of our city- muffled fog horns sound from a few blocks away and I have decided to curl up with a second coffee. This has been one busy and intense week- lots of emotions- lots of night time wakings from our little ones- they claim nightmares- I blame the fog horns. Its that broken sleep that is bringing all the emotional behavior to the table and so as Mum I've been digging down deep to find extra reserves of patience- as they say "thank goodness it's Friday"!

    In addition to a lack of sleep I have been racing to meet two big deal lines- so I have been putting any extra energy into my work- pillows galore! I am very excited about that is happening in my studio- AKA kitchen table- lots of yummy natural linens, indigo Ikats and striped Japanese gauzes! I work well with a deadline- in University I thrived on deadlines- cramming for exams or under the gun to finish a gallery installation. The difference between University me and current me is that my time is spread so much thinner- I can already feel I am overextending myself -so if you happen to be one of my regular coffee dates and I disappear for a bit just know I am probably buried under a pile of gorgeous linen and colourful threads.

      As you may have read in my previous posts I don't usually make New Years Resolutions- however I am beginning to see the necessity to lay out a plan for myself for the coming year. I'm turning 38 years old this year- yup 38 and I'm good with aging- I can feel the grace and wisdom I craved as a young woman starting to seep into my soul- what I am not good with is whatever it is my body is doing to me! So I think I need to learn how to balance out my time between my family, myself and my business- and if there is any leftover time the dirty dishes! My big challenge lies in separating creating for pleasure and creating for work- I need to find something creative to do just for fun- something to take my mind off Plain Jane.

    It's tough to make that separation when you work from home- often folks will assume because I'm working from home that I'm not doing anything. Someone recently asked me besides being a Mum what is it that I do all day long? I could rant all day long about how being a stay at home Mum is one of the busiest jobs ever- throw in a full time small business and you will see there is not a tonne of time left to relax in my day. While it's true I have lots of flexibility in my day- I can do school pick up- I can go to a yoga class- I can go for the occasional coffee- what few people see is me still sitting at the sewing machine at 11:00 at night. So this is the separation and balance I seek to make happen in my days- currently things are wildly out of balance.

    Anyways it is Friday dear Friends- I am so happy- by the end of today one of my two deadlines will have been met and I can relax a tiny bit- I have a bottle of wine waiting for me in the fridge! In our neck of the woods the weather is looking fine for the next few days- no rain so to speak- if you need me look to the paths of the forests as I trying to catch my breath there! Happy Friday Friends!

January Studio Update

         Often I get so carried away creating new items that I forget to post or write about them- often they don't even make it into my online shop- gasp! Try as I might this is one area of my studio practice I really need to work on- this is my goal for 2014- become better organized at the business side of my studio practice! It is easy to make great things and to stand at markets peddling your wares however- realistically- if your online presence is not sorted then opportunities are missed. As I find my business growing this is the one area I really need to focus on.

      Since stepping back into the studio a few weeks ago I have been busy pulling together samples for the upcoming Vancouver Farmers Market jury committee- I am super nervous about this as the standards are very high. A quiet voice in the back of my mind will even admit that I am a bit scared but at this point I have committed to having my work go in front of a jury so the only way to go is forward.

   I'm dabbling around with a few new- to me- products- including switching over to a beautiful blend of merino wool and silk thread from Maiwa Handprints Studio- I am in love with this thread! It creates a chunkier- crewel type stitch rather than a fine embroidery stitch- which I just love the look of- much more graphic. Also I have a number of new handmade Ikat fabrics that I am backing my pillows with- I am jumping on the Indigo bandwagon- it is a hue that is so earthy and soothing a person can't help but love it. Working with new materials always helps to energize my work- gets me excited about sitting down with a project- letting the textiles come to life in my hands.

     I am excited to say that I will be adding a couple of new items to my Plain Jane Designs Etsy shop today- I feel the Etsy shop is looking a bit sparse after pretty much selling out over the holiday season (yay!) and so I'm breathing some new life into it today. As always all items will also be posted on my Facebook page- fee free to pop over and have a gander- show some love and give me a like if you feel so inclined! Meanwhile look forward to a few changes here in this space as I struggle to bring this whole- wonderful - crazy thing together!

November Studio Update

        I am so pleased to be a part of the upcoming Maternal Creations Craft Fair- coinciding with the East Side Culture Crawl- taking place this Saturday at the Canuck Family Education Centre of William Street- just off The Drive. Vancouver is home to so many creative Momma's- there is sure to be a little treasure for everyone to be found at this weekend's event.

        I have been busy in the studio this week- lots of fun Holiday goodies are coming together- organically coming around to where my cards started- this new batch is a lot more "collagey" than what they have been- loads of vintage ephemera seeping into these Holiday missives- velvet, stamps, pages of books, tags- all combined with my signature prints. New life to old postage to be sent around the world again!

        This is Plain Jane's last craft market of the season- but never worry both the Etsy shop and Facebook page are positively full up with new stock! Lots of little zipper bags which make for perfect stocking stuffers or hostess gifts in addition to lots of mini Moleskin notebooks.

       I'm not sure if it is the prospect of spending time with other local creative Momma's or just the time of year but I feel this is my best batch of cards yet. If you are local and hoping to start your Holiday shopping please come out and say hello- lots of unique goodies to chose from!

       

Birds of A Feather- Set Up Shop Together

      I know I'm always going on and on about how many talented folks I am blessed to know- this is only because it is completely true! Working in the arts community it is just natural to become close with many of the artists working along side you- ditto for the craft market community- I have met and become friends with some incredibly talented artisans. Recently a few of us put our heads together 

(OK really it was all Margot's idea) and decided to host a one day open house trunk show- three amazing businesses under one roof for one day- sounds exciting doesn't it!

     This coming Saturday for one day only- as I mentioned- Crystal Connections, Catch My Drift Words and Plain Jane Designs are coming together with some of our most fabulous items. This is an invite only event but if you are local and want to do some shopping- snagging an invite and all the details couldn't be easier- simply click on any of our business links to our Facebook pages and then drop us a private message! There are going to be some real goodies for sale on Saturday- I thought I would give you a sneak peek and an introduction of each of these talented ladies!

     Margot is a Registered Massage Therapist who also happens to be the creative force behind Crystal Connections. Coming from a healing background she is always interested in various methods of healing. She began researching and using the healing stones in her own life and saw the shift in her own emotions and energy. It was then that she knew she had to share her passion and knowledge for healing stones with the world.

      Margot designs one of a kind jewelry , crystal chakra sets and cat collars with all with healing stones. Margot is amazing at reading people's energy and intuitively knowing just what stone an individual needs in their life. Lots of yummy Crystal Creations will be available this Saturday- ROCK YOUR LIFE!

 
   Leona from Catch My Drift Words took her enjoyment of beach combing to the next level with the creation of her business- in her own words:

"I took a beautiful piece of driftwood when at the beach with my two girls- without knowing exactly what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted to do something with it. About a week or two later, my mom made me go to a yoga class with her to do something for myself and to just relax (working mom of two... doesn't happen often!)

 While I was supposed to be meditating and have a clear mind the word "calm" kept repeating in my thoughts. Then I though of my lovely piece of drift wood and thought that the word calm would be perfect painted on there... thus making it a Drift Word!"

 
  All wood has been collected by Leona and her girls on the Sunshine Coast. She used a line of locally made chalk paint- Fat Paint- for all the text and varnishes each piece to keep the words integrity. Each Drift Word is finished with a hanger on the back making this instant art for any space.

"I have always loved creating things and the outdoors... this combines the two perfectly. I love the time collecting and painting the Drift Words, that help me forget about the everyday craziness of life"

     Of course if you are a regular reader here you will have by now become immune to my almost weekly studio updates- this week has been no different- lots of busy making in the studio- AKA the kitchen table! I thought though that I would take a minute to speak about what Plain Jane is and how it has evolved over the years. I am for all intensive purposes a "painter" I love to paint but when I had babies I was really concerned about the use of solvents and pigments around their little bodies- so I stopped and turned to collage- which was fun and creative and filled all my needs as well as being much more gentle on those little growing brains.

     Plain Jane Designs started as a means of sending those collages out into the world- I love the concept of mail art and thought that a greeting card company would be a little like a giant mail art project! This is how my home business began- I collaged and then started incorporating screen printing while my babies napped- I sold my cards casually to my friends and family- then started an Etsy shop- the rest is kind of history!

    Over the years my process has changed and new products have been added- I'm always growing and looking for new ideas to incorporate into Plain Jane. This year things have really started to take off- I am incredibly proud of what I am creating- not only with my cards which are the back bone of what I do- but with my totes, pillows, tea towels and just the general feeling of what Plain Jane is!

 
 Plain Jane speaks to a slower life filled with lovely, high quality items that you will have for a long time- even the cards can linger for months or years! Every item is made with love and joy in my home studio- which by now you all know is the kitchen table! Plain Jane has allowed me to do what I love and remain at home with my Littles- which I feel is the greatest part of this whole deal!

    I really hope to see some of you lovely readers out this Saturday- we all know the Holiday's are approaching- we mock Costco for having Christmas trees in July but now really is the time to start thinking and shopping. Get everything wrapped up before the start of December so you can sit back and enjoy all those parties or just quietly snuggle in by the fire place. Saturday's open house is an excellent opportunity to get out and do a bit of shopping in a calm environment all the while supporting three local businesses!

P.S. we will be accepting cash, Visa & Mastercard

Tales From The Weekend

        Last weekend feels like it was a bit of a blur- it went by so fast if I had blinked I would have missed it. The big event of course was the long anticipated Urban Market out at Highstreet in Abbotsford which was put on by the ladies from Spruce Collective. Set up in the middle of a brand new modern mall the Urban Market was anything but your typical cookie cutter mall fodder. Looking around you in fact would be hard pressed to even know you were in a mall- the market was so packed with vintage goods and some amazing set ups it was more antique market than anything!

        On a bit of a whim I took a batch of my Holiday 2013 cards and they sold out! And I am so happy I grabbed them at the last minute as it seems folks have Christmas on the mind early this year- with plenty of unique items to chose from shoppers were stocking up early on one of a kind gifts. I love that somewhere someplace people will be opening up carefully considered treasures on Christmas Day- a handmade-vintage Christmas is the best kind of Christmas!

         Even now two days later it is difficult to gather all my thoughts about the market- it was pretty overwhelming- so many great vendors- both craft and vintage- being surrounded by so many talented people was like a weeks worth of inspiration rolled into a day- I'm still marinating! The market started off with a celebratory anniversary party for Spruce Collective- 150 tickets were sold for a sneak peek evening which of course was full of fantastic food and beverages. I got to meet a few of my design heroes and was a total fangirl.

        Saturday morning all remnants of the party were gone- save for the twinkle lights- and it was down to coffee and business. The Urban Market was definitely one of the more well attended events that I have been a part of - the crowds were thick and business was brisk- lots of people were attracted by the vintage element- myself included- of course I could not leave empty handed! I'm such a vintage hoarder that a few goodies came home with me- a mini wreath for the dollhouse, some teeny tiny Christmas trees, an beautiful over sized rosary, enamel wash basin and my big score of the weekend- a vintage postal bag- which will be revealed in a makeover soon!

          This morning I am sitting here sipping my first latte of the day and thinking about the weekend- planning where to take my next event- which incidentally is next weekend! Plain Jane is a part of an exciting open house in North Vancouver- please comment me via my Plain Jane Facebook page if you are interested in more details. The open house in in conjunction with Crystal Connections and Catch My Drift- lots of one of a kind gift items- avoid the crowds at the mall- come on out to visit and do some shopping! Cash, Visa and Mastercard will be accepted.  Last weekend was a great reminder that the Holidays are quickly approaching- folks are starting to shop and I need to be prepared!

Studio Update On A Thursday

         These past few weeks have been a flurry of activity around the old studio- A.K.A. kitchen table- yes I have been forcing my family to have many picnics in the living room- scrambled eggs and toast have become a regular occurrence. I am in the final throws of prepping for the Urban Market at Highstreet that is happening this Friday and Saturday! Put on by those clever ladies from Spruce Collective this market is sure to be full of treasure- of course I had to really knock it out of the park with a few new Plain Jane goodies!

         I had such an amazing response to my hand embroidered pillows from the Plain Jane Heritage Collection I have decided to run with it- not only am I loving the new direction my work is taking aesthetically but the actual process has totally inspired me. To make a long story short- I am falling back in love with embroidery- a skill my Mom taught me many years ago that I thought was akin to torture. I'm not sure how many other twelve year olds spent the summer of 1989 sweating over a piece of cotton and a wooden hoop.

      Drawing with thread has become kind of addictive- bringing together my two loves- sewing and drawing- I get to work with lovely products like linen from Belgium and silk threads from France. There is something romantic and old fashioned about this method of working- I feel like I am making something that will last and be a special part of someones life. Of course the images are all drawn from my own history- how could I not create an ode to this amazing Province we live in!

        These days my work really seems to be clicking for me- I am excited to keep working and find it difficult to sit down and "relax"- if an idea is brewing my hands are itching. Working from home is not with out it's challenges- peers do not seem to realise what I do is not a hobby- this is my job- this is what I am doing to make money to buy milk and shoes for my kids- this is how I contribute to the family income. I think there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding that artists who work from home are not just sitting around- while I do have the luxury of a flexible schedule that I set myself- I am at work by 6:30 am and often do not finish my work day until after 10:00pm. Still I am loving the synchronicity that seems to be happening these days- good things are happening and for that I am extremely grateful!

         The Urban Market at Highstreet is just one of those good things that are happening- I have long admired Spruce Collective and am so excited to be a part of something so fantastic! I love the group of vendors Spruce has lined up- everything from fun playtime accessories for children to beautiful scarves and loads of vintage items. Of course Plain Jane will have lots of cards- possibly Holiday 2013 will even sneak it's way in there- a selection of Heritage Collection pillows, notebooks, zipper totes and these sturdy bucket totes with handles- perfect for storage or transporting!

         I am loving the feeling of freedom and independence that is rising up in the Maker community- folks are no longer content with poor quality goods mass produced over seas- I think the public is starting to raise their consciousness and understand the importance of buying locally. When you buy from an artisan or crafter you are supporting a family- you are buying time for an artist to keep working at their passion. A world with out passion would surely be a very dull place. With the Holidays quickly approaching think about where you are doing your shopping- does it involve a big box store or Etsy? Are you supporting some big Fat Cat corporation or a Stay At Home Parent?

      One final thought- artisans sales, craft shows and art shows are not bargain basements- Makers have worked hard and poured not only their time but a great deal of heart into what they have proudly displayed for you. Please don't expect discounted prices- this is art- this is craftsmanship-in many cases these are very well educated people- please consider this!

       If you are out in the valley this weekend I hope you take a moment and swing by Highstreet for the Urban Market- sure to not disappoint! Friday evening is a sneak peek and tickets can be purchased through Spruce Collective- Saturday is open to all 9am-4pm.