Holidays 2013 Gift Guide

Candyland with York University

Freedom is happy to announce it will be participating in Runway for Research Fall 2013 Show with York University and The Canadian Immunology Research Association (CIRA)

"The majority of Canadians diagnosed with diabetes today have type 2 diabetes. The likelihood of eveloping this type of diabetes can be reduced through healthy lifestyle choices such as losing excess weight, eating well, and exercising. Since the development of type 2 diabetes is closely related to obesity, maintaining a healthy weight is especially important."

Taking an ironic approach to World Diabetes Day, CIRA will be holding a fashion show themed: Candyland
Why we chose this theme: Raising awareness about Diabetes is important, but we would also like to raise awareness in how to decrease or delay diabetes. What is most often suggested is a healthier lifestyle, which includes a healthier diet. Although the theme of the Fashion show is "Candyland" we will be showcasing food sponsors, businesses and organizations that believe in healthy lifestyles and hey maybe there's a couple prizes available too.

Where: Underground
When: November 22nd
Time: 6pm-10pm
Cost: 10$ at the door 5$ in advance
This event is a Casual/Dress event

Made in Canada Series: Lindsay Bickford

I have been a crafter for longer than I can remember. It started with visits to see my cousins, who would take me to craft stores and let me get anything I wanted. Who needed to be a kid in a candy store when you had crafts? The options always seemed endless. It was a world of possibility…and fun!

When I was about twelve, the same cousins taught me how to cross-stitch. There started my passion for creating beautiful things that took ages to complete. Cross-stitch is a craft that I have never managed to put away completely. It is a lifelong hobby, with enough projects to last me well past retirement.

From cross-stitching I moved onto many other crafts: drawing, painting, scrapbooking, latchhooking, quilting, knitting and then card making. Having a tendency to flit between crafts, I find it reassuring to have a few hobbies that I can always come back to, like my knitting, card making and cross-stitching. No matter what else I do, I find comfort in these ones in particular.

Owls, Monsters and Hippos, oh my! All on a bed of comfy frilly scarves.

The variety of projects you can knit always astounds me. I remember the day I progressed from making a simple knit square or rectangular pot-holder to making a simple knit cowl! Oh, the joy! Since then, I have tried my hand at blankets, socks and amigurumi, finding particular pleasure in monsters and owls. I mean, really, who doesn’t love monsters?

Birthday cards – who doesn’t love burgers and Lego? 

For my cards, I take a lot of inspiration from my fellow Stampin’ Up demonstrators. This community of crafters are always so encouraging and full of amazing ideas. The days I get my supply deliveries are still some of the best days, even after three years. 

More cards! Finding joy in different colour combinations!

Getting back into scrapbooking has been an interesting journey, but I love my little Explosion Boxes. These are boxes that fold out into scrapbooks. You can put all the usual pictures, journaling, ticket stubs or whatever else on the pages of these boxes, and they can also be used to hold other gifts, such as a pair of booties for a baby or a gift card for a friend.

 Explosion Box awesomeness – sizes big and small! With one completed from my recent Newfoundland trip for you to peruse. 

I welcome you to follow my blog or Facebook page to see what other creations I will come up with in the coming days! Who knows what I’ll make next!
Blog – www.craftylindsay.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/StampsandStitchesbyCraftyLindsay

Made in Canada Series: The Pipes Are Calling

The original tube necklaces

My father was a welder before he retired and my brothers are pipefitters so it’s not surprising that I’m overly drawn to items from the plumbing section in the hardware store. I’ve always had a fondness for industrial looking pieces, whether in art, design or jewellery. I’ve been using copper pipe to make tube necklaces for many years now, starting with a more bohemian look and gradually morphing into a cleaner more modern style. But of course the little wheels in my head are always turning and recently I decided I wanted to expand my use of pipes into other areas.

The original tube necklaces

The current tube necklace

Close up of regular vase - look at that colour!

The idea of bud vases had been floating around in my brain for a while but I knew I needed a stable base for them. I considered wood and glass but for those options I had to find pre-made bases or rely on someone else to make them for me. Fitting the bases could be tricky as well since I use a LOT of enamel layers so enamelled pieces often end up a much different size than the original bare pipe. But I happened to see an article on making concrete candle holders and voila, the light bulb went on! 

The pipes before they are enamelled

Firing a large vase - I hold my breath when I put it in and take it out of the kiln!

Bud vase

 So now I had my mission, to make concrete bases that would work for my new bud vases. When I mentioned the idea to Karen and Jelena of Freedom they said that candle holders were also very popular, so of course I had to add those to my repertoire as well. I realized I already had the perfect mold in my used enamel containers. I am a full time enamelist and I also teach classes so I go through a lot of enamel. And that means a lot of empty containers.

Candle Holders

 Armed with my empty enamel containers I attempted my first trial batch of concrete. I’m a tad on the impatient side and not always the best at following directions so the first result was less than perfect. I added too much water because I thought the mix was too dry and then proceeded to poke at them and try to get them out of the mold before they were properly cured. But even with my meddling they were beautiful. I like the concrete so much I’m also using it with plain copper and brass pipe as well as my enamel pieces. And soon you’ll be able to find them all at Freedom Clothing Collective along with my enamel tube necklaces and my myriad of other jewellery.

Regular vase

 And on a non-pipe related tangent, I’m also making new miniature decorative enamel panels. For the moment I’m putting them on some gorgeous wood blocks that were custom made for me by The Woodlot but I think I may try those with a concrete base as well.

Decorative enamel piece with wood block by The Woodlot

-Yvonne
from Torched Studio

www.torchedstudio.com
www.facebook.com/TorchedStudio

Made in Canada Series: Mykel Riley

Mike Riley makes shiny wonderful rings from old cast off antique cutlery.

I have a silly amount of hobbies really. My mom is an amazing crafty person, she can sew and make anything out of any material really, wedding dresses, irish dance skirts, anything.  She was making awesome purses out of recycled leather jackets and was using bits of old cutlery as buckles and fasteners. She wanted to have the entire thing made from recycled material.

The designs on them were awesome and she had a whole box. She said I could have some and that her and her friends used to make rings out of them in the 60’s. I started by making myself a few and then like most of my hobbies, I got carried away and now make quite a bit. It’s nice to have a decorative ring that is not crazy expensive. Anyone can buy it, wear it, and feel fanciful. 

I like the cast off and forgotten bits of cutlery i find at antique stores, or in a box of random assorted pieces i find on ebay. It sounds nerdy but i like looking through them to find pieces that have interesting styles and decorative features. It’s like giving them a new life, after all it’s a beautiful piece of metal with great design, seems a shame to simply eat with it.My tools are pretty crude. I use a dremel, rubber mallet, mandrill, wrench, lots of silvo and of course band aids. I’m rather clumsy and have cut myself many times in the process but I like doing it, I find making stuff relaxing whether it’s rings, sculpture, music. My house is covered with all my artistical experiments. It’s debatable if that’s a good thing or not. I guess I don’t sit still very well.

needs polishing

cleanliness!

high tea anyone?

Mike Riley is a Freelance animator, artist of traditional and non traditional media, musician, father of two. A maker of wearable art, music, pies, beer, cookies etc.

Check out Mykel here: 

fantasticmykel.com

twitter.com/mykelone

instagram.com/mykelone