Handmade Finds

Handmade Finds: Storm Watch

Thursday, September 2, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

September might be here but nobody told Halifax about it-we are in the middle of a heat wave. Today it was 34 degrees Celsius (44 with the humidity) that is 93-111 Fahrenheit=HOT! This unreasonable heat is thanks to Hurricane Earl, the storm that has the whole city running around buying generators and stocking up on candles. There is the potential if the storm hits here Friday night for the city to loose power and (gasp!) internet too, so if I am offline for a day or two that is why, although I might resort to standing in the hurricane with my Iphone trying to get a signal so I can post an article! Since everyone is talking about the potential storm I thought it would be fun to do a storm themed post, and hope it keeps the nasty weather at bay.

The “I will be grateful for this day” print from Vol25 is exactly how I will feel if we get a little sprinkling instead of a full blown hurricane and this aqua cloud from Italy’s atelierpompadour is so sweet, it certainly makes me grateful for the rain!

If we do get a big storm these finds are a bit more appropriate; a rainy day pillow from Modernality to snuggle on the couch with by candlelight and a pair of superhero shoes made by smallfly if things get really bad. A Cloudy Day linocut by littlebirdesigns is the perfect image for a stormy day on the East Coast and I also love the whimsical sweetness of Heidi Burton’s “Pale Irretrievables” illustration.

An Aqua Clouds ceramic bowl from CeramicaBotanica would make a gray day lunch party that much nicer and this tiny needle felted Little Blue Cloud Cottage made by chetanddot is helping with my thinking about fluffy white clouds instead of nasty angry ones.

I hope that you are keeping safe and having fun storm watching wherever you are!

Handmade Finds: Pedal Power

Sunday, August 29, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

This post is to celebrate my friend Megan Rose’s completion of her cross-Canada cycling adventure. She biked from Denman Island, British Columbia all the way across our massive country to finish her trip here in Halifax, Nova Scotia-over 6,000 kilometers later! She biked a fair bit of the way by herself and I for one am hugely proud of her. People do the trip every year, but not MY people, so I wanted to acknowledge her total amazingness with some of the handmade bicycle finds available on Etsy.

1.From Paris, home of the public bike system Velibe, comes this beautiful bicycle themed bag made by Ikabags.

2.This sunny yellow kids shirt from WrenWillow has a silk screened BMX print-perfect for a cyclist in training!

3. I love these little bicycle notebooks from Halifax’s very own, MyHandboundBooks

4.Bring the love of biking into the nursery or bedroom with a sweet print of a bird on a bicycle from barkingbirdart

5. Reduce, reuse, recycle and make your house beautiful with a clock made from a recycled bike wheel from pixelthis

6. Bring the outside in with a bicycle wall decal sticker made by JMcreation

7. These Keep Moving coasters made by AngelEllie are a great way to remember to always keep moving forward!

8. Embrace silliness with this whimsical t-shirt from darkcycle clothing available in a number of sizes and colours.

Happy Cycling!

Read more about Megan’s adventures on her cycling blog or listen to her music (and a song about bicycles, of course) here.

Handmade Finds: Babywearing 101

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

I spend three days a week talking about two of my favourite subjects; cloth diapering and baby wearing at Nurtured, since most of my work revolves around art or computers it is important for me to connect with women and do some work outside the home that I feel is important to my community. Along with a crew of incredibly diverse and talented women I help parents find ways to make their lives easier, healthier and more beautiful. Helping women (and men) choose the right carrier is one of my favourite things to do ever. Gently suggesting a vintage tattoo print Babyhawk mei tai for a fun young couple or a green linen Ollie GoLightly ring sling to a new mother who needs an extra set of hands, makes me absurdly happy and from the feedback, parents we help feel the same.

Babywearing and handmade go together perfectly, if you are going to wear your baby you might as well look and feel fantastic doing it! So I wanted to combine my knowledge about the two and offer a little guide to finding a great carrier.

Rings slings are my number one choice for new babies, since they often like to be carried close to the heart or sleep tummy to chest. When all I needed was an extra set of hands my ring sling gave me back my own! They are absolutely the easiest carrier to breastfeed in and the extra fabric in the tail makes a lovely cover. In hot weather they are great for wearing right into the ocean, pool or lake with an older baby. Here are my three favourite slings pictured from left to right:

1. The Ollie GoLightly linen ring sling in ocean has a hand-printed jellyfish design and is finished with grosgrain ribbon to help take the guesswork out of adjusting your sling. They are also so beautiful that people will be stopping you on the street to ask where you got your carrier.

2. MayaWrap ring slings are the go-to sling, they have been in business for over 10 years and all their handmade slings are fair-trade, they also are a socially responsible company that uses some of their profits to support humanitarian efforts worldwide.

3. Sakura Bloom slings are the Cadillac’s of babywearing with a price range of $80-580+. Their Artisan silk collection is stunning (if totally out of my price range)!

I loved my wrap style carrier with my second baby, once you get over the initial learning curve of figuring out how to tie it up since it is essentially one long piece of fabric, the range of carrying positions it offers makes it a great choice. Pictured above are the Ellaroo woven wrap and the Moby Wrap in the Born Free print, designed by the makers of the movie “The Business of Being Born”, a portion of the proceeds of each sale is donated to the Coalition For Improving Maternity Services.

Mei Tai’s are a traditional Asian baby carrier that come in a wide variety of prints, you can even have one made with your own fabric! They have a rectangular body, two long straps that tie up in the back or front, and are very easy to use, you can carry your child on the front or back, facing in or out. Pictured above is the Catbird Baby mei tai (I love this one because of the hood and the length of the straps) and the BabyHawk mei tai. BabyHawk has a creative Design Centre feature which is fun for parents with different styles, since mei tai’s are reversible you can each choose a print you like.

Structured carriers like the Ergo and the Manduca (pictured above) are also wonderful, I prefer this type of carrier for babies over six months or for heavier babies and toddlers. This type of carrier is an excellent choice if you have two young children and want to be able to use the same carrier for both. We love our Ergo and have clocked hundreds of kilometers trekking around Halifax with our now 18 month old happily bouncing along.

I hope that this post helps you choose the right carrier for your family and makes your life a little easier too.

Happy babywearing!

Handmade Finds: Getting Crafty

Monday, August 16, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

I have an absurd love of all art supplies from paper to fabric and could easily loose a whole day (and a pile of money) inside a craft store. I am cheating a bit today and posting a quick selection of some fun, fabulous and even edible art supplies so that I can spend time pampering my partner who is going in for dental surgery tomorrow.

Art supplies pictured clockwise from left to right:

1. Who knew masking tape could be so incredible? The only problem with this Japanese washi paper tape from Happy Tape is deciding on colours!

2. Encaustic paint (hot wax painting) is one of my favourite mediums, the colours are incredibly vibrant and you can’t beat smelling beeswax while you are working. These encaustic paints from Bee’s Knees Encaustics are made with 100% filtered Canadian beeswax and come in a range of beautiful colours-they are almost too pretty to use.

3. I must try my hand at making some edible crayons like these ones from Luxirare, there are some suggestions on making your own and I am thinking of doing them as party favours for my daughter’s sixth birthday in October.

4. Love brown paper packages? Divine Twine butcher’s twine from Whisker Graphics comes in a bunch of lovely colours and is eco-friendly too!

5. (below) Fancy Tiger’s needle felting kits are a great birthday gift for children 6 and up, and would also make an excellent birthday activity for a small party.

Happy Crafting!

Handmade Finds: OMHG Goes Back to School

Friday, August 6, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

August is here and that means it is time to start thinking of September and school supplies. I will be sharing a number of getting ready for school posts as we near the first week of September, while I was compiling some great handmade finds I realized that our contributors have some wonderful back to school items! So our first back to school post showcases the incredible talent and craftiness of OMHG contributors. Our kids won’t be heading back to the books with dirty looks, they’ll be skipping happily through the halls in style.

1. Make sure that water bottle makes it home with a customized Olliegraphic waterbottle from sarah + abraham

2. Start the year off on the right foot with your child’s teacher with these personalized teacher note cards from InkSpot Workshop

3. The Folktale messenger bag from Mee A Bee is the sweetest thing ever!

4. I lost three lunch boxes last year on the bus, this September I am getting Ila one of these personalized lunch boxes from Little Cupcakes Company.

5. The I Love Books button and For The Love Of Books print from Bumpkin Bears would be an adorable back to school present.

September will be here before you know it, hopefully our crafty contributors can help you get ready and have fun too!

Handmade Finds: Daydream Believer

Thursday, July 29, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

Today’s dreamy collection of handmade finds was inspired by the whimsical pictures above from Mila’s Daydreams, a lovely collection of images created by mother Adele Enersen while her baby naps. I love the idea of being able to take a peek inside our children’s minds while they are sleeping and see what fantastic worlds they adventure to in their dreams.

1. These ceramic drawer knobs by almapottery are the perfect mix of beauty and function and would transform the most ordinary piece of furniture into a work of art. The pictures remind me of a cross between the Lewis Carol line from Alice in Wonderland “all in the golden afternoon full leisurely we glide…” and The Owl & the Pussycat.

2. An embroidered work of art from one of my favourite artists, LittlePinkHouse, is like a little daydream caught on canvas.

3. I love these wool tree pillows made in Los Angeles by hitree, just the thing for dreams of wilderness, fairies, and climbing trees.

4. Falling asleep in this handmade woodland themed bed by attiladesigns would be the stuff that dreams are made of (as would having the money to not look at the price tag!).

5. Send your baby off to bed under a sweet bird mobile made by KLTworks, the nest image was “drawn” in thread using free motion sewing then screen printed onto fabric, the end result is stunning.

Sweet dreams!

A Whale of a Window

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

My dream job has always been to be the person who creates fantastic window displays and transforms mundane spaces into magical ones. In March of this year April MacKinnon of Nurtured gave me the chance to do just that. Her store front has a generous amount of windows that weren’t being used to their full potential and she bravely gave my imagination free reign.

So far I have done a Nest/Spring themed display, a birthday party display for Nurtured’s first birthday at the current location and last month was a Down in the Garden theme. This month I wanted to feature all of Nurtured’s new summer related products and to celebrate the beautiful weather we have been having with a “Day at the Beach” display.

I love to make things BIG and window displays are the perfect venue for showing that off. I made a nearly three foot long white wool whale (dubbed Moby by the Nurtured ladies and mistaken by some customers for the latest and greatest in breastfeeding pillow design!) and a flock of fifteen flying fish. A roll of heavy brown paper sheathing usually used for underneath flooring was painted with tempera paints and cut to make the waves and a large hanging sun.

I finished it off with a borrowed ships wheel, a refinished wooden toy boat rescued from the thrift, and a message in a bottle (blue glass, of course).

I am really happy with how it turned out and I wish I could take photos from outside to do it justice but I think the only time I might be able to do it without the images being ruined by glare is at dawn, which I haven’t had the heart for yet. Are there any photographers out there with some tips for photographing window displays? Until then these will have to do. Next up for the Nurtured window? A fall forest of child sized wool trees and a felted christmas village!

Handmade Finds: Colour Your World

Sunday, July 18, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

This collection of handmade finds and craft ideas was inspired by the stunning rainbow cake that I found on the blog of author and director of Handmade Nation, Faythe Levine. I couldn’t do a post on colour without adding a few activities as well-enjoy!

1. This sweet “Bonjour” 8 x 10 print from Toronto based BellyBabies is truly adorable.

2. Photo via bookjournal’s Flicker photostream and this post by Faythe Levine. I love the idea of eating the rainbow. I think a great party idea is to have the birthday child get a map to a pot of “gold” (chocolate coins or other golden goodie) with their piece.

3. I love this bright and creative upper and lower case felt alphabet set from michimaland and the super cute drawstring bag makes for easy storage.

4. Make mealtimes fun with this colourful bib in the fantastic Juicy Jungle print from paisleybaby.

5. Teach your child about colour with this fun wooden toy set by MamaMayI

Now that I got your imaginations all fired up I wanted to share my favourite new find of the month: Clementine Art supplies. Their art supplies are non-toxic, earth friendly and beautifully packaged. Pictured above from left to right are their modelling dough, natural paints, natural markers, crayon rocks and natural soy crayons (I love the torpedo shape!).

Then put your new art supplies to good use with these great retro colouring pages that I found over at wish & wonder and had to share with you.

Handmade Finds: Oh Canada-Glorious and Crafty

Saturday, July 3, 2010

I wanted to share my love of Canadian handmade with OMHG by showcasing a small bit of the amazing talent to be found here in the Great White North. It was so hard choosing just 10 items to share with you!

1. The whimsy of these tiny ceramic Canada Houses by thelittlereddoor capture two of my favorite things about many Canadians; they are both welcoming and cheerful!

2. Make friends with the Hansel & Gretel stamp from Corrabelle in Hamilton, Ontario.

3. The mama bear in me is totally in love with the “We Are Strong” limited edition print by Toronto’s zukzuk.

4. I wanted to add everything made by Sewn Natural, also from Ontario, but forced myself to choose this adorable Matryoshka quilt.

5. These sweet squirrels come from my hometown of Vancouver Island via MelissaAbram

6. This wee plush tree stump from littleseedlings is also from British Columbia. What says west coast more than lambswool & lentils?

7. More trees! Play catch with a vibrant tree print ball from dressmeup in Victoria, BC.

8. Go fish with this bright and clever magnetic set made in Halifax, Nova Scotia by Cerra

9. A reversible denim baby coat by Halifax’s Louloubellbaby is perfect for rainy East coast days.

10. I think “Looking Forward” is a great metaphor for this post and was captured perfectly by Montreal artist shirae in this lovely art print.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at some of my favorite Canadian handmade items!

Handmade Finds: Hello Frosting

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

by Sara Tams of sarah + abraham

Edible frosting decals by Hello Frosting

I recently came across a new company called Hello Frosting owned by Erin McGinley, a former events professional turned stay-at-home mom, who is the baker, photographer, and sometimes designer behind these edible icing decals. I was instantly smitten! The decals are printed on thin sheets of icing using food-grade inks and merge with your frosting, producing a completely smooth texture which you can easily cut or bite through.

You’ve probably seen this printing method used on “photo birthday cakes”, but I think the way that Erin’s using this technology with modern designs is much, much cuter!

Luckily I saw these right around the time I was starting to plan my son, Jack’s, upcoming football-themed birthday party, so I spoke with Erin, and she was happy to accommodate my request for some football-themed decals to use on cupcakes and sugar cookie party favors. The designs she came up with are prefect, including some with a football helmet in Chicago Bears colors with his name and the number 7 (that’s how old he’s turning). Jack loves them, and I’m sure they’ll be a big hit at the party!