Saturday, August 25, 2012

Fall 2012 ... Never looked so vibrant

This is just the first sampling, lots more coming soon...

Textile Platypus, Betina Lou, Awake and Dreaming, Rae Designs
This fall expect some really cute, never compromising comfort, outfits from your local Canadian designers. Clothing that will last the test of time, never get old and never look out of date. Beautiful pieces will be coming in weekly as the Fall chill makes it's romantic way in. Sustainable  breathable fabrics and dresses with pockets!

Limeshop, Voyou, Tryst Jewlery, Torched Studio, Poppyseed Livng, Worn, Cathy Peng, Soaptopia,  Freedom Reconstructed

Torched Studio and Tryst Jewelry 

CComme Ca, Betina Lou, Freedom Reconstructed

Betina Lou, Kathryn Rebecca, Noujica, Freedom Reconstructed 

Betina Lou and Kathryn Rebecca 

Atelier b, 1 Percent Talent, Rae Designs, Fluevogs (tee hee)

Atelier b, Freedom reconstructed, C Comme Ca, Noujica, The Woodlot Rae Designs

Atelier b, C Comme Ca, The Woodlot, Noujica


Betina Lou, C Comme Ca, Tania Love

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Bloorcourt Arts & Crafts Fair

Had such an amazing stroll at the fair this morning that I had to share photos right away. You have until 7 pm tonight to meet all these amazing people! Props to City of Craft and the Bloorcourt BIA!

Below are new amazing things by our designers and friends...

Hillary Wornette has been making leather belt & pouch at Site 3 Collab around the corner!

New day bags from Sparrow Avenue
New totes by Sparrow Avenue
Wornettes talking a future fashion designer.
Turns out that 1% Talent has been hiding some super cute totes from us.. busted!
Well, those totes are actually by Orico, whose sharing a booth with 1% Talent.
There is more to Knotted Nest than cheerful coasters! 
Like this embroidery!
Love everything in the rcboisjoli booth!
Especially these salt shakers!  
New Mule Mother Books!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Bloorcourt Arts & Crafts Fair and Freedom Sidewalk Sale

It's time for the second annual Bloorcourt Arts & Crafts Fair and we can't be more excited!

Come on out to meet the people whose handmade goods you've been drooling at Freedom: 1% Talent, Mule Mother Books, Old Weston, rcboisjoli, Sparrow Avenue, Knotted Nest, and WORN Fashion Journal. Don't be afraid to tell them how much they've brightened up your life!

Handbound books by Mule Mother Books
We're also excited to meet new faces in the Toronto craft scene that we hope to follow suit in becoming household names in the Bloorcourt community. City of Craft always does such a fantastic job at handpicking the best of the hand-mades.
Vase by rcboisjoli
If that's not enough for you, there are tons of activities going on throughout the day, from screen-printing wars to a bookmaking workshop. Plus, a campfire complete with a ukulele and s'mores!
It's all happening in our 'hood, all along Bloor from Dufferin to Montrose, this Saturday the 18th from 11 am to 7 pmClick here for more details.

To top it all off? We're joining in on the festivities with a too-good-to-be-true Sidewalk Sale!!! Yay!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Inspirations: Get Started!

Inspiration is a term that people often associate with artists and creative minded individuals. Many do not realize that inspiration touches the lives of everyone and is a tool that allows one to open up their mind to the hidden beauty of the world around them.

My personal experience started with a dusty old sketchbook that I had abandoned months before in a creative rut and had given up filling it’s endless blank pages. Finally one day I picked it up again, flipped it open, and spontaneously decided to give up on worrying about keeping every page perfectly tidy.

I started with pasting together magazine clippings and photos. My random clippings soon bloomed into pages of collage and random doodles expressing my thoughts on what I saw and experienced around me. To me, it was an outlet for my daily thoughts and feelings. To others, it was a compilation of visual eye-candy that was amusing to flip through. I soon dubbed it my ‘Inspiration Journal’ and it became a tool that allowed me to open my mind to the smaller details around me.

This practice made me realize that looking for inspiration on a daily basis changes the way you see things and the way you appreciate your surroundings or the little details that are often taken for granted. It makes your mind more productive and keeps your imagination alive.

My journey to discovering the magic of daily inspiration has been gratifying, and I encourage others to join in on the experience. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it’s fun. Here’s how to get started:

Inspirations are ever-changing according to the places you travel, the people you meet, and the experiences you encounter. They are as personal and unique as you are. It can be as simple as a ticket stub or an old recipe. Try looking through the bottom of your purse, or through the drawers of your desk. Keep an open mind. Did you discover a cute new boutique? Snatch up their business card. It’s as simple as that.

Inspiration journals are a great way to record your daily musings and are fun to flip through afterwards. Stop by Freedom Clothing Collective for a great selection of attractive journals and notebooks. All you have to do is cut, glue, and paste. Don’t worry about it being neat and tidy – the less you analyze it, the better!

Inspiration boards are another fantastic way to display your creativity and insights. Their exposure gives others an idea of the thoughts running through your head. Check out the cardholder boards at Freedom for a stylish base for your project. It’s easy to interchange clippings and makes a great point of interest in a room.

More of a literary fanatic? Try posting inspirational quotes on one of Freedom’s chic restyled framed chalkboards. Make an effort to change it daily, and have fun with it!


It won’t take long to notice the benefits of this exercise and the way your eyes will start to open up. The world is a beautiful place and it’s important to be able to appreciate what’s around you. All lifestyles and age groups can benefit from a daily dose of inspiration. I encourage you to try it out, you’ll soon become hooked. Open up your eyes, and have fun.

~ by Megan Jana

Friday, August 10, 2012

Cheers to Jessica Bartram!

Jessica Bartram is an illustrator extraordinaire! When she first had her exhibition at our gallery in October 2010, we had no doubt that her enthusiasm and vision would take her far. Last year, she joined forces with Pam Lobb and Erin Candela to open Graven Feather Gallery, prepared for another all-out solo exhibition in February, and re-enrolled in school to be a graphic design master.

We're so pleased to say that she's now a published illustrator extraordinaire with a piece in the Globe and Mail.


Oh, and, Jessica started a graphic design company with Ian Sullivan Cant called The Commonwealth Studio, which combines hand-drawn illustrations with impeccable taste. No biggie.

It's been such a thrill for us to watch Jessica take over the world with her watercolour creatures and thanks to social media, you can enjoy the same privilege! Visit these beautifully designed websites to follow Jessica's every move via twitter, tumblr, etc. 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

NOW ON:
the summer sale


// including the much-coveted spring/summer bags from c comme ça //

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Fundraiser for Made You Look

Made You Look is a store supporting over 100 local jewelry designers, including a couple of the makers that we have here at Freedom.

It's devastating to hear that they experienced a robbery in early June.

A lot of their designers also have their primary studio space on the premises. Unfortunately, their expensive supplies and tools were also taken during the robbery.

The good news is that owner Sarah Dougall has decided to continue on despite suffering from a lost of $300,000. While the stock of handmade goods at the store is covered by insurance, the designers' supplies, tools, and unfinished pieces were not. This is a major setback to these independent designers; some designers have lost the pieces that they have been working on and are forced to not only remake them, but also covering the expenses. Made You Look has organized a fundraiser to help the designers get back on their feet. One of the ways that you can help is by contributing to their Indiegogo fundraiser before August 28th, 2012.

Freedom Clothing Collective thanks you for extending your support to local makers.