Catch it!

If you don't have a Catchframe yet, you don't know what your missing! Hilary Thomson makes beautiful one-of-a-kind frames to hold your prized possessions: your jewelry, pictures of your crush, snippits of inspiration...
I use mine for my earings and necklaces, but the possibilities are endless. Each frame has a name, and comes with a matching pouch of pearled hatpins to stick into your Catchframe. I love, love, love Hilary's designs, especially the ones she did exclusively for our shop. We even have her first cluster of small frames, with branch imagery extending throughout. Drop by to see the pieces up close and personal!

www.myspace.com/catchframes

Pretty white cluster (the sisters)


Evelyn


Pouch of Hat Pins


Mona


Urmula

Organic Cotton Baby Faces

Leading up to my forthcoming line of products for babies and little ones, I've brought in these adorable organic cotton baby dolls by local designers Velvet Moustache . There is a fish, a bunny and a chick and they each have their own pouch in front to hide a special treasure, or maybe hide a tooth for the Tooth Fairy!

This quote I snagged from their website pretty much sums it up:

"For Majorie Labrèque-Lepage and Benoit Massé (collectively known as Velvet Moustache), by combining their multi-disciplinary backgrounds in fine arts, fashion and graphic design, it should come as no surprise that their line of Déco Toy is charmingly designed and endearingly playful. More importantly, by implementing a method of production that stresses social responsibility, Velvet Moustache’s deliberate attempt to keep things local and ecological is also transforming the toy into an accessible platform to reflect the practices and implications of the current toy industry." Thumbprint Magazine, March 2008

I love their designs, and am so excited that Majorie is currently designing some custom doll/gift holders for Honey Flower. We'll also be getting in some of their tiny soft soccer balls made with certified organic cotton and recycled materials. I love them because they remind me of the nerf balls I used to play with as a kid. Remember Nerf?

Woodturning

I'm carrying some really lovely wood pieces that were made by a really wonderful craftsman, and all around great guy... my Dad! So far I am carrying tea light candle holders and bud vases, with more to come.

My Dad is Gary MacKenzie, and he handcrafts each piece using fallen woods from eastern Ontario (where he lives) such as maple, ash, cherry and oak. Sometimes he uses spalted wood which is a natural process where bacteria acts on the fallen trees causing colourful patterns in the woodgrain. I've seen some of his work with beautiful streaks of red, yellow and green. If you have an idea for something we don't carry at the store, he may be able to do a custom piece for you as well. Just ask!

I think what engages me the most about his craft, is the idea that everything old is new again. He's creating both beauty and function from naturally dead trees, rather than using new wood, so each piece is environmentally responsible as well. Now that's something to feel good about when accessorizing your home!

This Ol' Shoppe

If you're in Montreal and haven't dropped by for a visit, please do! The new atelier-boutique is open the following hours:


Wednesday 12-6pm
Thursday, Friday 12-7pm
Saturday 12-5pm

54 Duluth ave E.

See you soon!