Making Things

Good morning! Today I’m guest posting about how I live a creative life over at one of my favourite blogs, Gussy Sews. Maggie has been a big inspiration to me for the past few years, and I love her approach to blogging- if you haven’t discovered her, check her out! Today I’m sharing some of the daily rituals that are important to me, along with how I try to center myself to approach each day with the right attitude, because to me that makes all the difference. Click here to read my post on living creatively If you’re visiting from Gussy Sews, welcome! Please leave a comment & tell me about who you are so I can get to know you, and I’ve gathered some of my favourite posts here that will help you get to know me :) How I Quit My Day Job: Part One How I Quit My Day job: Part Two My whirlwind, nine month journey from full time office worker to full time self employed creative Croissantosaurus Rex Two of my studio mates are extinct, and love baked treats

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Last month I went thrifting for the first time in a while, and found the first six books in a set of craft books from the early 70′s. Each book has all different of crafts in them, from knitting and sewing basics to completely elaborate projects and they’re one of the most definitive craft series from their time. When I brought them into the studio I realized that Leigh-Ann had a number of the matching Golden Hands magazine binders filled with the specialized topic magazines that they published! I’ve been knitting a lot lately, but I haven’t been crafting as much as I’d like and I couldn’t pass by such a complete set of inspiration. Looking to the past is one of my favourite ways to learn new techniques and see how other people have used a common skill in different ways. Take a look at some of the projects… Why limit your love of crochet to lampshades & blankets? Crochet your home’s insulation for a truly handmade touch! ;) While I’m definitely skipping some of the projects, I love that just exploring these books will keep me busy for hours and that they’re the start of a new collection. Anyone have a #7 [...]

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Working with my hands is one of my favourite things in the world. Knitting, crocheting, making jewellery and inventing custom journals and agendas for myself is so energizing! It’s one of my biggest passions- alongside thrifting, design and blogging that is. And cooking & baking! :) In the past year, Leigh-Ann and  I have been really focused on growing our web design business, but we both have a big place for handmade in our hearts. Since the fall we’ve been exchanging ideas about how we could take each of our “old” etsy shops and combine them into one mega-shop that represented both of our personal styles. …well, it’s here!! Our etsy shop is FreckledNest.Etsy.Com and features knits, necklaces, and photobooth film strip albums. They all have fun, tongue & cheek names that are references to pop culture- since LA & I are both pop culture addicts.  And the necklace listings have a photo guide to which length is best for your body type. $78 – Cozy Charcoal Grey Scarf $21 – “Celine” Airplane Necklace $24 – “Nancy” Photo Booth Album $24 – “Amelie” Tiny Key Necklace $24 – “Veronica” Photo Booth Album $23 – “Sara” Antiqued Leaf Necklace $24 – “Deb” Photo [...]

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Early morning at the studio is one of my favourite times. While the prairies might be cold in the winter, one of the things that makes it lovely & liveable is we’re absolutely drenched in the most gorgeous sunlight during the winter months. It’s warm & golden, and the huge windows in the studio catch all of it for us to rest in during the day. It makes it easy to look forward to coming in for the morning, and makes me feel incredibly lucky :) What part of each morning do you look forward to? My next favourite thing to the studio’s sunlight is having tea & a muffin while I’m working- I looove having a sweet little snack!

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I have some very (very!!) exciting news to share today… The popular Indie Business online workshop series is back and entering new waters in 2012! With all new content for past students and new entrepreneurs, Indie Business is the ultimate resource for small business owners wanting to start, survive and succeed in the word of creative business. Since 2009, Indie Business has supported over 1,500 creative entrepreneurs worldwide in achieving their dreams of being business owners. The newest addition to our series is sure to set you in motion for the new year! The brand new Indie Business: Compass eCourse is the perfect starting point for your Indie Business journey! It takes students through eight chapters of teaching, prompts for journalling and self reflection that have been specifically developed for people in the very first stages of starting a creative independent business. The Indie: Compass is the foundation for understanding yourself, your motivation and what you bring to the marketplace that makes (or will make) your business so irresistible. Read the full Indie Business: Compass eCourse pre-view HERE! Indie Business: Compass will launch on January 26th, 2012- but registration in the eCourse is open now! Be among the first students to [...]

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Halloween is one of my favourite holidays- I’m a Halloween and Christmas girl. I also love using my hands and when I figured out that I liked carving pumpkins a serious seasonal addition was born! This Halloween was really exciting because after sharing photos and stories from opposite sides of the country for years, Amber came over and carved pumpkins with me!! And she rocked it. The girl is seriously handy with a knife! I usually carve 2-4 pumpkins a year, so I’ve done a lots over the past five years but my favourite is to do a set of characters… Twilight: so bad it’s good!! Two of my favourite characters from such an amazing movie! …because True Blood has been one of my big addictions in the last year! It’s fun to have people get excited when they come to our house on Halloween, but I really love the carving process! I wish it was something I could do more than once a year- maybe I should try carving stamps and get into block printing… Tonight, in keeping with our other Halloween tradition, Jesse and I are going to be eating Sloppy Joes & Sloppy Janes (that’s a Sloppy Joe with veggie ground round!) [...]

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I’ve been daydreaming about getting new dresses for fall. Even though I’m not going back to school, that back to school time of year still has a hold over me- I want to buy fancy “school shoes” and pack bags full of books to go read under shady trees. Dress from Modcloth + Plugs from Omerica Organics Tote from Pannikin on etsy + Shoes from Aldo I couldn’t help myself from putting together an outfit with the help of some of my favourite shops online! While I might not be buying these right away, they’re high up on my Most Wanted List. If I could dress in clothes that have a romantic + feminine colour palette, that’s accented with geometric or structured details I would be in heaven- but for now I’ll dream. Well, I’ll dream and buy new pens to try and curb my back to school impulse shopping ;)

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I’m excited to be working on opening up my etsy shop A Little Thistle again for the fall, and I’ve been dreaming up all kinds of new knits, vintage and jewellery for the re-launch. Choosing a name for my shop was one of the hardest and earliest decisions I made when I was starting the business, but when I started working out what I wanted the inspiration and feeling behind my business to be the name fell into place. I choose the names A Little Thistle because thistle’s are beautiful and unique, but resilient and down to earth. They’re traditional but have an alternative attitude to them with their funny tufts of purple, and come in all kinds of beautiful otherworldly shapes refuse to be ignored. I love the idea of a little thistle, growing in the prairies making an unassuming statement just by being its self. And since I love my wild short hair & the crazy bed head that goes with it, before I get ready for the day I look a little like a thistle. Don’t you agree? ;)

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above photos of the Terrarium Craft launch party by anja louise verdugo, used with permission Ever since I planted my tiny succulent garden I’ve been thinking about other ways to add low maintenance plants to my house, and I’ve been finding more and more daydreamy images of incredible terrariums. The whole idea of setting up a miniature self contained world to take care of and experiment with is so endearing and Victorian that I can’t help but love it. The Victorians used an early terrarium style called Wardian Cases, which sounds so proper and starched that it makes them even more perfect, don’t you think? As much as I like the heavy glass domes that look so stately and traditional, the new style of terrariums that’s light, minimalist and airy is decidedly my favourite. I was excited to be contacted by Timber Press about their new book Terrarium Craft, that not only shows off some incredibly beautiful examples of creative terrariums, but walks you through the materials and steps needed to create each of their unique designs. With this book, not only could you have a beautifully photographed world to escape into, but you could then hide the book and intimidate your friends and family with your alarming micro gardening [...]

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