tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25270798909429557582024-02-07T05:47:39.507-05:00Urban ContessaAccessories for you and your homeThe Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-64694937386309846722015-10-13T09:16:00.002-04:002015-10-13T09:27:15.361-04:00Bookapalooza 2015<br />
Honestly, what in the world was I thinking?
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It's obvious I have been busy, since I haven't blogged in some time. But, instead of ackowleding that I have far too many balls to juggle, I signed up to be an exhibitor at Bookapalooza.
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<a href="http://www.bookapalooza.ca/"><img alt="Bookapalooza logo hyperlink" class="aligncenter" src="http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bookapalooza-type-4-revised-e1407009093281.png" height="59" width="199" /></a></center>
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This is something I have wanted to do for some time. It is the perfect venue for my bookmarks. Readers. Writers. Who else would appreciate my bookmarks more?
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Of course, I have so many other items on my plate, and bits of food keep falling off. For just a moment, I regretted signing up.
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Then I submitted my bio for the event. Added at the end of it--in one short sentence--that I am also editing my first novel. Which, by the way, is taking much longer than I wanted. And will take even longer now that I have to spend time sewing at least five hundred bookmarks for this event.
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And despite my anxiety, moments of panic and general queasiness, I am having the time of my life!
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If you are in the Durham area on Saturday, November 21, 2015, stop by Bookapalooza. It is located at The Durham College, Centre For Food/Bistro 67 at 1604 Champlain Avenue, Whitby. The event runs from 10 am to 4 pm. <br />
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Visit the site at <a href="http://bookapalooza.ca/event/" target="_blank">http://bookapalooza.ca/event/.</a> <br />
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There will be brilliant local authors and you can purchase a bookmark (or two, or several) from me to accompany your new book(s). The holidays are just around the corner and books (with bookmarks) make wonderful gifts. <br />
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See you there!The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-26825034147949447662013-10-14T08:34:00.001-04:002013-10-14T08:37:39.246-04:00Craft Show Disaster<br/>
I was at a craft show yesterday. It was, without a doubt, the worst craft show in which I have ever participated.
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I have had a table at several craft shows where the sales were less than satisfying. It happens. And it happens for a variety of reasons. At Spring shows, if the weather is nice, no one wants to be indoors. Conversely, in the Winter, if the weather is bad, no one wants to go out.
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Sometimes it’s my product. Not that my products are bad. They’re not—I know they’re not! But sometimes kitchen décor is not what the buying public is looking for. However, people still stop at my booth, and they still ooh and aah over my products. It’s not a total loss because I networked.
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But this craft show was a complete disaster.
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As someone who organizes craft shows, I know a thing or two about this.
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I did what I tell everyone to do—I did my due diligence. I looked up the organizer: Carlene McCalla. She runs her own business called KaleidoscopEvents, organizing weddings, fundraising events, corporate functions. I didn’t find anything negative about her. I did have the sense that this would be the first craft show she organized, but I wasn’t going to hold that against her. We all have to start somewhere and if she can organize a wedding, she can certainly run a craft show.
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So I signed up. The cost was $60 for a table. Not unreasonable. The application and contract stated that the event would be advertised, lunch would be provided for vendors and swag bags would be created for the first 50 visitors (we had the option of adding business cards and other pre-approved items).
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I was disappointed when I arrived: there were only twelve tables. Then again, I reminded myself that I’ve been at small craft shows where I sold out, so I shrugged it off and set up. The show opened at eight.
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I expected Carlene to come by my booth at some point, but at nine-thirty, there was still no sign of her. By ten o’clock, no shoppers had come through the door. The other vendors started getting a little anxious, and tried to contact Carlene by text and voice mail. There was no response.
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Just before Noon, someone asked Dean (the man operating the snack bar) when lunch would be served. He wasn’t aware lunch was provided.
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Around twelve-thirty, the vendors started getting angry. Many tried to contact Carlene, but to no avail. By two o’clock, vendors starting packing up. At this point, only six people had come through the door. A Google search of the event came up empty (other than our own Facebook notices), which means absolutely no advertising was done—not even local newspapers.
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Someone commented that Carlene McCalla wasn’t in attendance because Saturday was her Sabbath. She did arrange for someone to be present in her stead, but that person left by mid-morning. Another person was asked to step up, but I think she only did it to be polite and the poor thing was left holding a very nasty bag.
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I could accept this disaster as inexperience on Carlene McCalla’s part. I could say that it was a one-time malfunction. But now that I have slept on it, and I have made a few queries, I have come to the conclusion that the whole thing was a scam.
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She collected our money and, other than sending us a floor plan (which, by the way, was not the same set up when we arrived), we never saw or heard from her again. When I got home, I tried to log onto her site (www.kaleidoscopevents.ca), but it has been suspended. I know it existed before—I looked it up. I would not have participated in a craft show if the promoter’s site was suspended!
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I won’t be asking for a refund. I figure there’s no point because I am convinced that Carlene McCalla of KaleidoscopEvents swindled our money and we’ll never see it (or her) again.
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The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-58059706931561512022013-06-09T21:06:00.000-04:002013-06-09T21:07:52.525-04:00Sarah's Pillows - Part One<br />
As you know, I'm making pillows for Sarah. She has two different pillow covers that she sent me to duplicate: one large square case and one smaller rectangular case.<br />
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"Three of the large, two of the small," she said.<br />
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Unfortunately, she only bought enough fabric for two of each. I hate disappointing a client, but she doesn't seem too upset about this, so I'm going with the flow.<br />
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I had a crazy week at work, and yesterday was a full day at the in-laws, so today I really needed to vegetate and get my head space back in order. Psyche myself up for work, so to speak. So, I didn't finish the pillows, like I'd hoped. But, Sarah (bless her!) assures me there's no hurry. Still, I'll work on them over the course of this week.<br />
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I <i>have</i> been putting a lot of thought into these. Each case has a zipper. There's nothing fancy about them, just plain zippers. I thought that since they're on decorative pillows, they should be lapped zippers. Thing is, I make items that don't require zippers. And I'm self-taught. So I have no clue how to sew in a zipper.<br />
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However, I'm my father's little girl, and my father always had the attitude: "How hard can it be?" The same attitude that led him to build the three-bedroom bungalow our family lived in for more than fifteen years. I inherited the Over-Achiever Gene.<br />
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So, I flipped through some sewing books I have, and I looked up lapped zippers. After reading the instructions, I thought I better do a few test runs. I pulled out some scrap fabric and I practised.<br />
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The instructions weren't very clear and I admit, I struggled. After watching a few tutorials, I realize I'm not the only one who thought the written instructions were confusing. Unfortunately, I didn't watch those videos until I sat down to write this blog. So, my seam-ripper was well-used. However, I figured out how to make a lapped zipper. And that's all that matters.<br />
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It's a little worn after taking it apart so many times, and I haven't cut off the threads, or finished the ends...and I don't even know why I'm apologizing for this. It's a scrap, after all.<br />
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All that matters is that it looks like it should. See? Peek-a-boo zipper.<br />
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Now to sew the real thing. Soon, Sarah, I promise.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-25953894263788153792013-06-04T21:46:00.000-04:002013-06-04T21:46:56.213-04:00Sarah's Drapery<br />
I finished <a href="http://urban-contessa.blogspot.ca/2013/06/drapery-and-pillows-for-sarah.html" target="_blank">Sarah's drapes</a> last night and delivered them to her today.<br />
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When I first saw the fabric, I immediately knew it was Sarah's personality. Bold, vibrant, colourful. Me...I'm a much simpler gal and I like something a little more low key.<br />
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But I have to say, after working with the fabric for a few hours, and once the drapes were done, I really like it. It's a bit like a Monet painting, with swirls of colour that bring forth emotion.<br />
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I have an unhealthy affection for fabric. My therapist says I'm handling it well.<br />
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Sarah picked bronze grommets:<br />
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The lining is lovely!<br />
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And I got to use my new labels.<br />
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Sarah sent me an email once she hung them at home:<br />
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See? Monet.</div>
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The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-85785051975363276192013-06-02T10:39:00.001-04:002013-06-02T10:39:31.002-04:00Drapery and Pillows for Sarah<br />
A friend asked me if I could make her some drapes. It's not something I normally do. Keeping my product line simple and minimal is what keeps me sane. I work a ridiculous amount of overtime, I spend every Saturday looking after my aging inlaws and Sunday is the only day I can catch up with my own house chores. <br />
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But for Sarah, I'll make an exception. Have you met Sarah? She's adorable, and it's impossible to say <em>No</em> to her. Not to mention, I don't think she'd accept a <em>No</em>. <br />
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So, I agreed to make drapes for her. <br />
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She said she would buy the fabric, lining and grommets. All I had to do was cut and sew. Not a bad deal, I think. <br />
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I cut out the drapery panels yesterday. <br />
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My in-laws have an open basement with tons of room to spread out, so I thought I'd take advantage of that and bring the fabric to cut. <br />
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I brought all the tools I thought I'd need: measuring tape (both construction and fabric), rotary cutter, pinking shears, ruler, weights, snippers. In the end, I didn't need all of that, but it doesn't matter. Much better to have it all than to wish I'd brought something.<br />
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Today, I'll have to cut out the pieces for the pillows.<br />
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Oh, did I mention she wants pillow cases, too? No problem. Urban Contessa is all about customer service.<br />
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Of course, I had a moment of panic when I opened the bag of fabric she sent to me. I spread it all out to get a better look:<br />
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Then she sends me a text message: <i>The drapery fabric is the one with the pattern. The pillow fabric is the solid green fabric.</i><br />
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Um...green?<br />
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I don't know how many of you know this, but I am blue-green colour blind. <br />
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For instance, the drapery fabric you see there is blue to me. And the "green" pillow fabric...not so green. That looks yellow to me...mustard yellow. Dijon mustard, to be precise.<br />
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I asked Chris which one was green and he looked at me like I had three heads. He points at the yellow fabric. "That one."<br />
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"Oh. Uh...thanks."<br />
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Maybe a business that relies on colour isn't such a good idea.<br />
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I should probably stick to writing. Black and white. Simple.<br />
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Did I mention I'm writing my first novel? See why I need to simplify my life?<br />
<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-38704362272386019952013-05-07T21:04:00.001-04:002013-05-07T21:04:50.905-04:00Labels<br />
Craft shows, if nothing else, are great for networking.<br />
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One of the wonderful people I've met is Laurie Livingston, the owner of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StitchWhich" target="_blank">StitchWhich</a>. Laurie recently posted on her Facebook wall that a new shipment of garment labels had come in. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I got when I saw that post! I've been toying with the idea of labels, but hadn't had the chance to investigate the matter. Perfect timing!<br />
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I commented on her post, asked her if she'd share her contact. She was generous enough to hook me up with John Laidler of <a href="http://www.laidlerlabel.com/" target="_blank">Laidler Labels</a>, who made me these:<br />
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They're exactly what I wanted. Now, the question is, how should I use them?<br />
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Any thoughts?<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-53147462424549696612013-05-01T16:26:00.001-04:002013-05-01T16:26:40.453-04:00The Aftermath<br />
Well, after a weekend packed with craft shows, I managed to sell almost all my placemats (I have two sets left) and most of my bookmarks. I do have about six tote bags left and several tooth fairy pillows. <br />
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All in all, I think that's not bad. It's what I had hoped for, so I can't complain. <br />
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Now, I need to think about things. Think about what I want to focus on, what my new line will include and perhaps change a few patterns. <br />
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In the meantime, I noticed today that I am now the proverbial Shoemaker. <br />
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I have spent a lot of time, lately, working on my novel. I take advantage of my time on the train and type during my commute to and from work, so I haven't spent much time reading. But I felt that I needed a bit of break, so I bought a book on Monday. <br />
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While eating my lunch and reading, I was mortified (and ashamed) when I noticed that I'm using the store receipt as a bookmark. ACK! I make one-of-a-kind bookmarks, for Pete's sake! Why aren't I using one?!<br />
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As the saying goes...the Shoemaker's children have no shoes. Though, in my world, it's more...the Owner's novels have no bookmarks. <br />
<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-53436415905632130152013-04-22T22:14:00.002-04:002013-04-22T22:15:28.590-04:00Out with the Old, In with the New<br />
Things are going to change around here. The Summer Solstice will be the turning point for Urban Contessa. <br />
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As of June 24, 2013, Urban Contessa will focus on the heart of the home: <strong>The Kitchen</strong>. We will continue to carry favourites (like our reversible tote bags and one-of-a-kind bookmarks) but most of our products will be hand-sewn items to decorate your table for every day living, entertaining, and celebrating special occassions. <br />
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With this new focus, we need to make room. That means clearing out our inventory.<br />
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This is your chance to own Contessa designs for a great price. <br />
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This weekend (April 27 and 28, 2013), we are attending back to back craft shows. Visit the <a href="http://www.urbancontessa.ca/events10.php" target="_blank">Events</a> page at our website to see where we are this weekend. <br />
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Come by our booth and help us clear out our inventory!The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-23013867477479242942013-01-13T22:37:00.002-05:002013-01-13T22:38:04.038-05:00Re-Organizing<br />
I don't know about you, but for me, the Christmas holidays went by like that! (picture me snapping my fingers.)<br />
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I had so many things I wanted to do, none of which I managed to accomplish. Needless to say, a lot of guilt went with that.<br />
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But today, I managed to cross something off my to-do list. I desperately wanted to clean up my sewing room. It was out of control. So out of control, in fact, that I didn't take "before" pictures. It was too shameful.<br />
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But I feel so much better now!<br />
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What I <i>did</i> manage to do over the holidays was get to the Dollar Store and buy a ton of clear boxes and some tiered bins. I may need more, but for now, I'm happy.<br />
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The table is cleaned up and organized:<br />
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I used some stacking bins to store the few things I need at hand. A mini-tree holds the scissors and rotary cutter I use most often. The others are stored in a cutlery tray. Pins are in magnetic trays on either side of the sewing machine. Wooden point turners and seam rippers are close at hand. Rulers are nested in a file folder tray.<br />
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I do need to clean up the cork board, but that's another job for another day. I definitely won't be getting rid of the finger painting. That's something my step-daughter, Cathy, painted when she was four. She's twenty-two now, and probably paints much better, but I still have a soft spot for this one.<br />
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There is a useless alcove in this room. I have no idea what the previous owners intended to use it for, but Chris put up shelving when we converted this to my sewing room years ago. There's a VCR, hooked up to the television (did you notice that in the previous picture?). It's a little lonely in the basement and since I tend to spend hours down there, I like to have the t.v. on for company.<br />
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And check out the retro phone!<br />
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I will clean this up a little more, but for now, this is much better than it was. There are some French and Spanish text books, but most of the literature is sewing, beading and general crafting books and magazines.<br />
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Opposite the alcove are two utility shelves. At the top are bags of batting and pillow forms. Smaller boxes have miscellaneous crafting items and thread (one box of white and black, one box of brown/beige and one box with everything else). Larger bins hold ribbon, elastics, glue gun and glue sticks, jewellery supplies, cut bookmarks and cut tooth fairy pillows. There are four baskets of fabric in various stages: uncut metres, cut patterns and scraps (which are eventually cut into bookmarks).<br />
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It took me all day to clean it up. I took everything out, then brought it all back in as I found a home for each item. I still have some work to do, but I'm very happy and relieved.<br />
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It's late, and I know I have to go to bed now, but all I can think about is going downstairs and sewing.<br />
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Do you think the bosses will believe me if I call in sick tomorrow?<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-43712663705615592612012-12-16T21:31:00.001-05:002012-12-16T21:31:55.123-05:00Tutorial: Mitred Corners<br />
One of the things I'm most proud of is that Urban Contessa's handmade napkins have mitred corners.<br />
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It's much more time-consuming than the corners you see on mass-produced napkins, but the end-result is beautiful and, quite frankly, I'm a firm believer in "if you're going to do something, do it well". And right.<br />
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And mitred corners are right.<br />
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I brag about my corners all the time, and people who don't understand ask me to explain mitred corners. Their eyes glaze over and it's clear they have no idea. Or interest.<br />
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But people who sew, are interested. And they ask me how to sew mitred corners. In the past, I've directed them to various tutorials on the Web, but I think it's time I create my own "how-to" blog post.<br />
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A co-worker ordered eight napkins, so I took this as a sign (and the perfect opportunity) to do my tutorial.<br />
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So, here we go...<br />
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Urban Contessa's napkins are 20" x 20". To yield eight napkins of this size, you will need two and a half metres of fabric. I like to use Galaxy Twill (shown in this post), or broadcloth.<br />
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Start by cutting a 21" x 21" square.<br />
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Using a 1/2" seam allowance guide, fold over each edge and press.<br />
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Fold over the seam allowance once more and press. This leaves a nice clean edge.<br />
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Unfold the second pressed seam to the first fold.<br />
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Fold down the corner, at the point where the seams meet.<br />
It's not very clear in this photograph, but you can use the pressed lines of the seams and line them up with the cut edge of the first seam allowance fold. Press the corner.<br />
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Open the pressed corner, then fold the corner of the napkin, right sides together, into a point. You will see the pressed line from the folded corner.<br />
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Sew along the pressed line. I like to place the napkin in the machine with the folded edge toward me.<br />
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Cut off the excess fabric.<br />
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Turn out the corner using a point turner to get the point nice and sharp.<br />
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Press again.<br />
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Close the seam with a topstitch.<br />
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Look at that. Isn't that pretty?<br />
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Press one last time.<br />
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And now we're all ready for sale.<br />
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As I said, it's time consuming, but the end result is worth it.<br />
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Now that you know how to sew mitred corners, you'll become a corner snob. Whenever you're out, and have a meal with a cloth napkin, you'll check the corners. And when you see those cheap folded-over corners, you will snort your derision.<br />
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Welcome to the Corner Snob Club. I'm the President.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-84379822521542640942012-12-02T21:36:00.001-05:002012-12-02T21:51:25.420-05:00Bookmarks for Breakfast<br />
Some of you may know that I wear many hats. I have an understated legal assistant fedora for my (paying) day-time job, a very large flamboyant hat for Urban Contessa and, of course, a jaunty beret for writing.<br />
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I am a member of the <a href="http://wcdr.ca/wcdr/" target="_blank">Writer's Community of Durham Region</a>. As I mentioned in my <a href="http://urban-contessa.blogspot.ca/2012/11/writers-and-bookmarks.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>, I agreed to sell my bookmarks at our next breakfast meeting. That would be next Saturday.<br />
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It's been stupid busy at my office lately and I'm working fourteen-hour days. I leave home before seven and I don't get home until after nine. Needless to say, I don't have a lot of time to make bookmarks. And yet, somehow, I always mange to make it work.<br />
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So, let's get to started.<br />
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I gathered the few bookmarks I had already cut out. To the right is a pile of 'scrap' fabric from tote bags and placemats. As always, I have my self-healing cutting board, ruler and cutter.<br />
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Several hours later, I have a very large pile of cut bookmarks and a very small pile of waste.<br />
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That's a 14 1/2 " pile of bookmarks!<br />
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Now, I have to find the time to sew them all.<br />
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The game plan is to dedicate two hours every night to sewing. No matter how late I work. And despite how insane that sounds, I'm actually having a great time. I mean, who wouldn't? I'm sewing, I'm blogging and I'm making money.<br />
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It doesn't get much better than this, my friends.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-69958992114458425242012-11-25T19:55:00.000-05:002012-11-25T20:06:01.928-05:00Writers and Bookmarks<br />
I spent the weekend at a writing retreat hosted by <a href="http://writescape.ca/writescape/" target="_blank">Writescape</a>. I thought I would bring along some Urban Contessa bookmarks, give my fellow writers a present and let them pick one for their very own.<br />
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I thought it was a good idea. And it still is. But...<br />
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All the writers thought the bookmarks were wonderful. And several of them asked if I sold them. Well, of course I said yes.<br />
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Yeah, you see where I'm going with this: I'm sold out.<br />
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Well, not really.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjddMmBK_wi_aziZPx2Sh6zbOXgdQAMfDuUz0vFSp70TfvnS8b9KDTlIhrKJtm7pB1ETYQVkbnICHSwg75RIm6s-8YkSm02TxK1EojsffNfg11krIAWOxjBtmTzolmzd3TbF9LEDFFvsC/s1600/UC_Bookmarks_4left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjddMmBK_wi_aziZPx2Sh6zbOXgdQAMfDuUz0vFSp70TfvnS8b9KDTlIhrKJtm7pB1ETYQVkbnICHSwg75RIm6s-8YkSm02TxK1EojsffNfg11krIAWOxjBtmTzolmzd3TbF9LEDFFvsC/s320/UC_Bookmarks_4left.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have four left.<br />
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What's making me panic is the fact that have two craft shows coming up, and the bookmarks are my biggest seller...especially at Christmas. To make matters worse, one of the participants-slash-organizers convinced me to sell the bookmarks at my next writing circle's next breakfast, on December 8. There are a lot of members that attend these breakfasts, and I have to be prepared for all of them to buy three. After all, they sell for $5 each or three for $10. Why wouldn't you buy three, right?<br />
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And then she suggested that I contact a couple of local book stores to enquire about selling them retail.<br />
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Now, I know it sounds like I'm complaining. I'm not. I swear I'm not!<br />
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This is the equivalent of me pinching myself. What I'm doing is trying to convince myself that this is actually happening. I'm feeling very Sally Fields-y right now.<br />
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<i>You like me. You really like me!</i><br />
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The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-62371631110716014592012-11-17T21:53:00.001-05:002013-03-03T13:26:49.506-05:00Hungarian Club Craft Show<br />
Today I was at my favourite craft show, at the Hungarian Culture Club in Oshawa.<br />
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I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I go for the food. I always have reasonable sales at this show, and I like to see the regular vendors that attend, but I go for the food. Who wouldn't? I mean, we're talking about home-made cabbage rolls, home-made goulash, home-made pastries and squares. Just plain home-made goodness!<br />
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But I digress. <br />
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This is the only craft show I do that has round tables. I'll admit, I hate it. I can't seem to come up with a workable set up that properly showcases my work.<br />
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See what I mean? It's too crowded. But there isn't enough room to bring a second table, so I put up with it. It's worth it for the cabbage rolls. </div>
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The big sellers today were tote bags, tooth fairy pillows and, of course, bookmarks. Maybe I need to do something to better market the bookmarks. They are the biggest sellers. I'll have to put my thinking cap on. Or sew myself one. </div>
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I also came home with a great stash:</div>
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Hand made noodles, poppy seed loaf, and a variety of pastries.<br />
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While I think about a new marketing plan, I'll be snacking. Snacking very well.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-6077209910871792822012-11-05T22:44:00.000-05:002012-11-05T22:46:00.423-05:00O'Neill Craft Show<br />
The O'Neill Collegiate Craft Show on Saturday was a lot of fun. It was my first time at this show and I was very impressed. There's something to be said about hosting a craft show at a school.<br />
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I parked my car and spent a moment gathering my empty Starbucks cup (don't judge!), putting away my GPS (again, don't judge!) and when I stepped out, there were eight burly football players standing behind my car.<br />
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"Pop your trunk, ma'am, and we'll help you into the school."<br />
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Well aren't you the cutest things?!<br />
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Three Rubbermaid bins (fabric is heavy!), four baskets, one hand-made wooden carousel (made for me by my Late Uncle Ken), usually take me three trips back and forth from my car.<br />
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Not this time. This time, I just wandered behind them, swinging my purse, whistling Dixie (or some off-key ditty). It was awesome.<br />
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It took a while to figure out how to set up my table. It was smaller than the usual craft show table. The entire time, I kept cursing myself for not bringing my portable table.<br />
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In the end, I stacked two empty bins, covered them with a sheet and used that for the bookmarks.<br />
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Tooth Fairy Pillows were piled up in their basket. Bowl of candies for the men. Yes, the men. They're usually the ones that take one. It's like a treat for them for being such good boys, tagging along with their wives through the craft show.<br />
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I've started blowing up balloons and stuffing them in the tote bags for display. So much neater than newspaper and I hand them out to kids at the end of the day. There's always at least one vendor with kids.<br />
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I'm looking forward to some down time when I can cut and sew up the fabric I bought for totes and placemats. Not to mention the various kiddy fabrics I bought for Tooth Fairy Pillows.<br />
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Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised with the sales. As usual, the bookmarks were a big hit. I'm seriously considering apply for a booth at the annual writer's conference in the Spring. I can only imagine how many bookmarks I'd have to bring with me. I figure about two thousand bookmarks.<br />
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Gee. When I see it in writing, I start to panic a little. I should probably start sewing.<br />
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Gotta go...<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-56829314584682672042012-10-23T21:15:00.001-04:002012-10-23T21:16:01.675-04:00Potato Sacks<br />
A friend is having a Halloween Party on Saturday. She has organized what she is calling "Halloween Backyard Olympics".<br />
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Awesome!<br />
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Included in these events is a Potato Sack Race. Of course, real potato sacks just won't cut it. So Sarah hunted up some old bed sheets and asked me if I could sew them into sacks.<br />
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Of course!<br />
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I folded the sheets end to end and sewed up one side and across the bottom...leaving the top open for people (not potatoes). I left a very large seam allowance (two inches!), then added a top stitch for reinforcement. That should hold up through several jumps and hops.<br />
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Just to be sure they "fit", I asked Chris to jump in for me. Clearly, the sacks are 'One Size Fits All'.<br />
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That dark lump on the left, is Fender, our retired racing greyhound. There was no way he was moving out of the shot.<br />
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It didn't take long to make four sacks, especially when it didn't really matter what they look like, given they'll look pretty rough by the end of the games.<br />
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All that matters is that everyone has fun! Have a great time, guys. Happy Halloween!<br />
<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-71528944745038777342012-10-07T23:11:00.004-04:002012-10-07T23:13:16.514-04:00Buying Spree<br />
We recently made a road trip to Washington, D.C. My husband made sure that a visit to <a href="http://www.joann.com/" target="_blank">Joann Fabrics</a> was included in our itinerary. Yeah, I know...I'm spoiled. <br />
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A while ago, I was surfing the Net and stumbled upon a pattern for a cute star ornament that uses different fabrics to create a country patchwork look. So I picked up some Christmas-themed fabric.<br />
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When I'm done making stars, I'm going Mod Podge the leftover pieces onto Styrofoam balls to make tree ornaments.<br />
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I also found some sweet patterns for tooth fairy pillows:<br />
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I especially like the animal prints and daisy-like flowers.<br />
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Of course, I couldn't walk out without getting several yards of tote fabric. Aren't these fabulous?!<br />
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Today, I spent the day with my cousin, Sue.<br />
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We have a routine when we get together. Sue lives in Barrie and I live in Ajax. Newmarket is the mid-point for us. So we meet in Newmarket about once a month.<br />
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Our routine includes a visit to Fabricland. Sue is awesome to shop with. She carries the bolts of fabric, oohs and aahs over the colours and patterns, gives me her honest opinion and then debriefs with me afterwards.<br />
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We picked out some tote fabric today:<br />
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Of course, remnants from tote and placemat fabric are used for bookmarks.<br />
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So...I'll be spending the next couple of weeks cutting everything up. Then several weeks after that sewing it all together. I can't wait to get started!<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-81019862427769784152012-10-05T22:37:00.001-04:002012-10-05T22:38:37.676-04:00Holiday Sales for 2012<br />
Our line-up of shows for this year's holiday season is finalized. We only have three this year. I say 'only' because we turned down a few others. Not because we don't want to participate in them, but because we have other commitments.<br />
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Elderly in-laws are taking precedence right now, but we still want to squeeze in a few shows.<br />
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Unfortunately, we won't be at the Vaughan Willard School this year. Instead, we decided to attend a different show that day. We'll be at <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;">O'Neill Collegiate on November 5. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;">Of course, we can't miss the Hungarian Culture Club. After all, we need our cabbage roll fix! We'll be in Oshawa for that on November 17.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;">And last, but definitely not least, is the Durham Region Crafter's Community sale on December 15. As you know, this is a craft show that I organize with my partner in <del>crime</del> crafting, Shandell Conboy (from </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.dellzines.com/" target="_blank">Dellzines</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;">We hope to see you at one of these shows this season!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-67762377781027013262012-09-10T23:07:00.001-04:002012-09-10T23:07:45.896-04:00Afghan Project...continued<br />
Yeah. I know. It's taking forever.<br />
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Last February (LAST February!), <a href="http://urban-contessa.blogspot.ca/2011/02/afghan-project.html" target="_blank">I started this thing</a>. If you think it's taking forever, just imagine how I feel.<br />
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It's not like I don't have other things on my agenda. I run a small business, I work a ridiculous amount of overtime at my paying job, I'm writing a novel, I co-run a crafter's organization, I help care for ageing in-laws, I try to visit family who live five hours away.<br />
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I'm missing something in there. Oh. Right. And sometimes I sleep. I have chronic insomnia, so it's not often, but once in a while I get some shut-eye.<br />
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And despite all that, I'm in a good space right now. The cogs of each of my many wheels seem to be clicking in place at this moment in time and I'm going to allow myself to enjoy it. <br />
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So I've been hooking. Get your mind out of the gutter. This is what I mean:<br />
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Slowly but surely, I've been stockpiling my squares:<br />
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And this is where I'm at:<br />
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That's sixty-three and one-half squares. There's a wee bit of yarn left on the ball at the front and behind that, there are two more balls (under the pile of squares on the right).<br />
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I may run out. It's unlikely I'll find the same dye lot, so I think I'll choose a solid-coloured yarn in one of the complimenting colours and make filler squares. It'll be like laying out a quilt.<br />
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Oh! A quilt...hmmm...I haven't made one a while...<br />
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See my problem?<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-23191397694587340492012-08-19T21:11:00.000-04:002012-08-19T21:14:20.359-04:00Our North Office<br />
I recently visited Urban <i>Contessa</i>'s Northern Ontario Office in Sudbury, Ontario for our quarterly meeting. That sounds very official, but really I went to visit my mom and Aunt Cecile, who are UC's jewellery designers.<br />
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Creations by Lynn and Cecile are in high demand. They are called, several times a week, to create one-of-a-kind pieces or for a personal consultation to view their current inventory.<br />
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Their design studio makes me weep with envy. Their bead inventory rivals many stores I have visited. Not to mention, it's organized to a fault.<br />
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Work-in-progress is on the table ready for completion.<br />
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Across the hall, in a spare room, are two banquet tables covered with necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Lynn and Cecile welcome customers by appointment who shop at leisure.<br />
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<span id="goog_477652611"></span><span id="goog_477652612"></span><br />
The inventory changes regularly and there's always something new. It changes so often, in fact, I simply can't keep up with pictures on our site. But the locals know the women by name (and sight) and know where to reach them. These women are busier now that they are retired.<br />
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The jewellery division of Urban <i>Contessa</i> wasn't flourishing in Toronto (everyone makes jewellery here), but in Sudbury, Lynn and Cecile, I am pleased to say, are household names.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-48200902210079152352012-08-11T20:44:00.001-04:002012-08-11T20:44:48.566-04:00Ajax-by-the-Lake Marketplace<br />
Well...to say the craft show was a bust is mild. The rain came down in buckets and no one wants to stick around for an outdoor craft sale--even if it's under a giant tent.<br />
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Despite that, I'm not disappointed. After all, the City of Ajax doesn't charge a fee for the table, so it's not like I was out-of-pocket. Sadly, there were many vendors who simply didn't show up. Personally, I think that's unprofessional, not to mention, rude.<br />
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The people who organize craft shows put a lot of effort into it. As a vendor, you have committed to attend, have committed to sell your wares at a booth, and have committed to participate in a group event. Your absence is noticeable by virtue of the empty table in the middle of the event. It's like real estate: your home reflects on the rest of the neighbourhood. <br />
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Rather than leave empty tables, the organizers opted to take them away. I'm not sure if this was better, as it left empty spaces, but I suppose it's less obvious than an empty table.<br />
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As the table next to me was being folded up, the vendor behind me stepped up asked them if they could leave it and allow me to spread out. "You can spread out, can't you?" she said to me.<br />
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"Of course!" <br />
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They left the table, and I spread out:<br />
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This is double my original size. Needless to say, I was a little cramped before.<br />
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Despite the poor turn-out and disappointing sales, I'll go back next year, if I'm invited. It's not the City's fault that Mother Nature was cranky today. I still had a good time: I met some lovely people, chatted with old friends and found some new vendors for <a href="http://durhamcrafters.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The DRCC</a>.<br />
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All in all, it was a good day!<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-31603785905731594852012-08-06T17:53:00.001-04:002012-08-06T17:54:14.420-04:00Totes for Ajax by the Lake Craft Show<br />
I have a craft show this weekend. We were invited back to participate in <i>Celebrate Ajax by the Lake</i> and we're thrilled!<br />
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It's fun for everyone in the family, so if you happen to be in the area, bring the kiddies with you.<br />
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I spent the weekend cutting and sewing. I made a few tote bags:<br />
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Isn't the beach one at the top the coolest?! If it doesn't sell, I'm keeping it and taking it with me on my next beach vacation. Shhh...don't tell anyone...I'm going to put it at the bottom of the pile so no one sees it.<br />
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I also cut and sewed together what seems like thousands of placemats. I know I should finish them today, but my back hurts from sitting at the sewing machine too long. I really should get a better chair.<br />
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So, over the course of the week, I'll snip the corners, turn them right-side-out, press, then top-stitch. I have enough tooth fairy pillows for Saturday, but I'll need more bookmarks. Friday will be dedicated to sewing bookmarks. Hmm...I need to buy elastic, and perhaps more thread, and maybe some...<br />
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I should probably get a pencil and some paper...<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-69180054051177533182012-07-10T08:46:00.003-04:002012-07-10T08:54:47.227-04:00Orthodox Candle Box<br />
The Greek Orthodox faith has a beautiful tradition.<br />
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At funerals, a candle box is placed near the casket. As family and friends approach to pay their respects, they light a candle, then press it into the sand.<br />
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Many funeral homes have a candle box. It is often a beautiful piece of woodwork, with a tray for the candles and a shallow sandbox to hold lit tapers.<br />
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I was contracted to make a cover for the candle box at our local funeral home; just a simple fabric covering to protect the contents.<br />
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The client selected the fabric and I made this:<br />
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It is easily removed, though the length is such that it allows the doors to open while the cover is in place. It is washable and elegant, complementing the piece as well as the room.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-9410203325116444432012-07-09T12:45:00.000-04:002012-07-09T12:45:10.729-04:00Meet the Designers<br />
When Urban Contessa was launched, the product line included jewellery. My mother expressed some interest in learning to create jewellery.<br />
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"For myself," she said.<br />
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So I showed her how to crimp and shared some design ideas. It wasn't long before she passed on her new skills to her sister.<br />
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It became clear, very early, that everyone makes and sells jewellery in the GTA, and it was no longer profitable to carry the line in Toronto. I asked my mom and Cecile if they were interested in carrying on the line in Sudbury and they said they'd give it a try.<br />
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Today, my mother, Lynn Nadeau, and my aunt, Cecile Landry, are the Jewellery Designers at Urban Contessa.<br />
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They have developed this UC division to become a household name in their area. They regularly host open-houses in their homes, create one-of-a-kind designs for weddings and other special occasions. They have taken this craft to a level I could never reach in my area, but have filled a niche in theirs.<br />
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If you live in the Sudbury area, and would like more information, please visit our <a href="http://www.urbancontessa.ca/jewellery10.php" target="_blank">jewellery page</a> to book an appointment with Lynn and Cecile, or ask about the next Open House.<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-54430834683211377982012-05-21T17:16:00.000-04:002012-05-21T17:16:57.778-04:00New Product Line - Key Fobs<br/>
Any sewer will tell you that wasting fabric is a sin. Maybe not a major one etched on a tablet, but it ranks up there with letting the water run while you brush your teeth.
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So, despite the fact that I have honed my skill to purchase only the amount of fabric I need, and I have fine-tuned my cutting layout to maximize use of fabric, I am still left with remnants. They're small remnants, but it's still waste.
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I make bookmarks with the leftover fabric, which uses most of it. But I'm still left with narrow strips of fabric, and nothing to do with it. I know it's not much to throw out, but I can't help but think that there's something I could be making with it. I've been racking my creative brain, but haven't come up with anything.
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Then a friend sent me an idea: key chains.
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Key chains? Hmmmmm...
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I sketched out a few ideas, and after three discarded concepts, I came up with this:
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I Googled key rings and found several distributors that sell them for a song (which may not be such a good deal, since I can't sing). Buying them in bulk will cost less than a penny each. And since Canadian pennies will no longer be minted, this means they are free, making Contessa Key Rings a pure profit endeavour.
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I have a few craft shows over the summer, so I'll make a few and see how they sell. If things work out, Urban Contessa will have a new product line.
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I may have to give my friend a lifetime supply of key rings to thank her for this idea.
<br/><br/>The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2527079890942955758.post-60584079998056796592012-05-05T23:19:00.000-04:002012-05-05T23:19:45.275-04:00DRCC Spring Fling 2012<br />
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Today's craft show with <a href="http://www.durhamcrafters.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Durham Region Crafter's Community</a> was so much fun! I saw friends I haven't seen in a while and made new friends with other crafters.<br />
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I'm still working on my table display, but I was pretty happy with this one. A few vendors had some creative set-ups, which got me thinking about making a few changes.<br />
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But, in the meantime...<br />
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<br />The Contessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868541244439679581noreply@blogger.com0