Etsy Canada - belated review

Hi everyone!
It has been a while since my last post and I hope you all had a great time. I was super busy with Kirameku and as some of you have seen on my Facebook page, I'm currently working on another exciting project. I can't tell much more than that for now. But what I can tell you is my experience at the first Montreal Etsy Made in Canada craft show! :)

There was gorgeous weather on that Saturday and we happily head down to the shop Angus, me, my boyfriend and my Mom (who is also an Etsy artisan). Once at destination, we looked for the entrance with a bit of difficulty but then we were greeted by big orange and white pompoms and an Etsy banner inside the shop Angus. Ouf, we managed to find the place! We were surprised to see there was no list of artisans and the room was so huge we didn't know where to start. Here, let me show you the beautiful space the vendors had.

The wonderful shop Angus and Etsy Made in Canada!

The cute kiosque of Gredin! 

Puces Pop - lifting the mystery

Hi everyone!
I hope you all had a wonderful week! I made wonderful discoveries this Friday and I wanted to share it with you, handmade lovers! :)

Friday night after work, I visited for the first time the Puces Pop exhibit, despite the subway being shut down exactly where I wanted to go. I had heard of Puces Pop before but I wasn't sure what to think about it, I don't know why, maybe because the posters had so much information on them I didn't know if it was a music fest, an art show or both. In any case, I jumped in and visited the expo and all that in very good company. As soon as we walked passed the door, we were welcomed by Mathieu amazing pieces, sending waves of bright colors and a hint of vintage. Need I say more? I was charmed by his original pieces and surprising color palettes. We talked about his technique and I was amazed to see the perfection behind his transfer technique on wood. I mean... Wow! He has recently opened an Etsy shop nammed Gredin, which you can visit here. He will be at the Etsy Made in Canada craft show this upcoming weekend! Here's Mathieu at his booth with his wonderful creations and here's are my purchases...! :)

When we got to the show, I have to say it was packed! We got there at about 6h and the show had opened his doors at 2h. I'm sorry I don't have any good pictures of the entire fair as I couldn't find a spot elevated enough to stand on but you can see for yourself on the Puces Pop Facebook page. If I may make a suggestion to the organization for the next show, and I know space is limited, but would it be possible to make the alley a bit wider? If people stopped at a crafter's table on each side, I caused a traffic jam and we had to squeeze between them and I'm sure this was not super fun for the customers and disturbed them while the crafter's were trying to make their pitch. But that's just my humble opinion

But wait, don't stop here! :) I have two more extraordinary crafter's to introduce you to. I've also met Wai-Yant from Creations Li. When I saw her cute creations on her kiosque, I just had to get one! I would have bought more than my adorable smiley bowl but my budget didn't allow it. I just loved the whimsical and simple shapes of her design. Her adorable pieces even go to the dishwashers, that was a great selling point and made my purchase an awesome gift. Love her cuties? Wai-Yant will be at le Salon des Métiers d'Arts de Montréal. You can also visit her website here.

Last but not least, I met again with the wonderful Norma from CaraCarmina. I browsed through her adorable cards and cute kiosque. I wanted to buy one or two cards but couldn't decide which one was the cutest, so I ended up getting 5. One of which I'm putting to good use today - Happy bday 'Ma! :) I just love how senorita Norma conquered the handmade business with her own willpower and dreams. Speaking of which, stay tuned, Norma said yes for an exclusive interview for my blog! :) (Gracias señorita!! ) Meanwhile if you want one of her creation you can visit her Etsy shop here or simply meet her in person - which is way better! - at the Etsy made in Canada craft show next weekend.

On this everyone I have to run, I have a birthday to attend to. I hope you enjoyed my discoveries and that you will support you local handmade artist for this upcoming Holiday season.

See you soon everyone! :)
*M*

My Spring wish list

Hi everyone! :)

Spring is in the air even despite the pouring rain and lack of heat in Montreal. It's a time of year where everything gets in full bloom and we get that sense of renewal and are craving changes in our life (well, that's how I would describe my spring fever). May it be big or small, today I would like to present are my favourite inspirations pieces for spring 2014.

Just to add a bit of context to this list, one of my resolutions this year is to keep my consumer goods to a minimum, as we are often buying much more than what we need. For example, I would go to an art store and buy various products that I used once or that are still perfectly sealed months/years after their purchase. I did a lot of massive cleaning up in the last month and I was stunned to see how much I had. I ended up recycling, up cycling, selling or giving away a lot of items. So long story short, this is why I'm presenting you with a list of inspiration that are basic products. Everything on my list can be easily mixed and matched, upcycled into DIYs or has many uses.

Fashion picks

I'm currently obsessed with yellow and I'm sadden to see it was disregarded in the winter collection - I don't understand why, grey and yellow make such a lovely combination…! Here are favourite picks for this spring.

Coquette Dress in Mustard yellow
I love this Coquette dress in mustard yellow…! It's so versatile, you can wear it to work with a small blazer, with sparkling earrings for a date and even with a blouse underneath it when the weather is a bit cold! And did I mentioned it's handmade and has pockets….?!

Coquette Dress in Mustard by Fleet Collection. All rights reserved by Fleet Collection.

Polka dots Messenger bag
Polka dots are such a classic, especially in black and white…! They will look perfect with anything - I would even add especially with that Coquette dress!
Handmade, custom orders accepted, adjustable strap…sold!

Simon's draped shoulder's tshirt
I know many of you loved the shirt I was wearing on my first photoshoot, so here's my reference : ) (And if you love this necklace, click here for more info!)

ASOS Midi Skirt In Scuba With Full Pleats

Pleated skirts are going to be ultra in fashion this year, but what I love about them are that they are a classic in any wardrobe, just like A-line and circular skirts. Those never get out of fashion. This lovely coral tint will brighten up your day as well as your basic blouses and shirts. Combine it with a small stand up collar blouse for travelling in summer, with a turtleneck for fall or with a simple vneck thsirt for a day out with your girlfriends!

Home picks

Spring is the season for flowers and gorgeous bouquets! Here are my blooming picks for the house.

Imazinerie's wooden tissue box

Can you believe those flowers are all made out of paper….??!  It's a tissue box but it could also be used as a pencil or paintbrush holder, or to keep your loose change.

Ikea SKURAR flower pot

I simply love the lace like pattern on those! I think this gives them this little bit of chic that will make any plant look great and will hide the flower pot with elegance. They can be updated easily with spray paint and there are so many DIY to do with these if ever you do not need them as flower pots anymore.

Indigo's Glass Cloche Terrarium
I'm so in love with any glass cloche…! I love this one from Indigo as it's base makes it easy for you to find it new uses. How about a succulent garden to decorate your table at diner time or to add a touch of green in your studio? You could also use this cloche for any centrepiece for any Holidays, use it as a cupcake holder or to display any small object you would like to preserve! Tired of it's plain look? Decorate it with spray paint, washi tape and much more…! :)

Crate and Barrel's Peterboro Handmade Pie Basket

Baskets are such a classic! Instead of packing your pie or cake in a cardboard box, here's a simple solution next time you bring dessert over! How lovely would it be to have your pie inside and flowers under the lid as part of your hostess gift? This is also perfect for a small pick nick for two, road trip or for storage! : )

Yes Conference and Cara Carmina

Hola everyone : )

As promised, I'm back to tell you a bit more about the YES Conference I add ended this week, on ''How to be your Best on Etsy''.

Just so you know a bit about YES before we start : YES (Youth Employment Services) is a non-profit organization based in Montreal that helps young entrepreneurs and Quebecers find jobs. The people at YES are always super smiling and friendly. I love their conferences and ateliers, it's always full of insights and great tips to help you out. And you have something for every budgets.

I noticed a few days ago that they now had conferences on Etsy - how cool is that?! So I attended the event and loved it. The conference focused a bit more on how to start your Etsy shop since there was a lot of people considering that option. I wish they had shared more advanced insight ( you know, I've been for 5 years on Etsy ) but to get to meet the lovely Norma from Cara Carmina, it was totally out braving the snowstorm outside. Her passion and love for her work instantly filled up the room and 2 hours flew by almost without us noticing…! She's super sweet and colourful. She unfortunately didn't had the chance to tell us all about her passion for social media as we ran out of time, but you know she's just one of those people you would sit down and listen for days. She was natural, super friendly, and if I may surprisingly tall. (When she got up at the end of the conference I was like, wow, that woman is tall…!  And beautiful ;) ) I definitely hope she will consider doing a panel on social media, it was so interesting to hear her talk about it.

Just to show you how sweet she is, look at what she gave to everyone attending the conference:

Her work is whimsical and has lovely references to traditional mexican art.

She gave us a tip that I totally want to try out. She said something like ''Do you know how exotic it can be to your readers to see Montreal?'' And I totally agree with her! It never occurred to me and it's a great idea! I will try to keep you guys posted on Montreal and add more pictures ;)

If you want to discover more about this lovely funky señorita, you can read her article about her conference here or visit her Etsy shop, or check out her great website.

On this, thanks again Norma! :D 

I hope you will continue giving conferences dear! :D

* Maxime * 

Valentine's goodie : Interview with Sweet Lee's Rustic Bakery

Hi everyone! : )
My flu seems to have calmed down for a bit, so I'll take this chance to post my delayed goodie for Valentine's day : ) Here's the interview with Sweet Lee's Rustic Bakery…! :D

I've met Liana and her brother Greg back in 2010 at the craft fair at Dawson college. They had a table full of yummy goodies that kept tempting me…! After one bite of their salted savoury scones, I was addicted! Over time their business slowly and surely grew as they went from fairs to events. They finally opened up their first bakery in St-Henri in 2011. In January 2014, they opened the year with a bang, introducing their relocated gorgeous bakery. I decided to go take a peek at 4150 Wellington street and I met with Greg by a freezing February afternoon.

How did you start that wonderful adventure?
My sister Liana always wanted her own bakery. She would talk about it a lot and I realized she was in it over her head. I told her : ''You won't be able to do it alone so I'm going to do this with you'', gave her a hand at least. We then started furnishing small cafés, doing small orders, fairs and soon enough we needed a retail space. Then we started looking for a little space, starting out small, try not to go wild. And then we found a spot in St-Henri and stayed there for about two years and a half. When we decided to go to Verdun, it took us almost a year to get the new place ready to open.

We started with small amounts of our own savings. The first event we ever did was a neighbourhood gathering. We were selling baked good and had invited a few of our friends that displayed their art. I guess you can say it's where we got the very first taste of Sweet Lee's.

Describe Sweet Lee in three words (or maybe 5): Heum…. a rustic bakery…. ? (laughs) 

Well, I guess… natural, hearty and homy…. And definitely original, different.

Why the move from St Henri to Verdun?
We couldn't expand as much as we wanted over at St Henri, even if we were well established. We only had two seats and it was cramped, with not a lot of space to develop our products too. It wasn't what we wanted. It took us almost a year to find this new place, we looked in Verdun and St-Henri but since St-Henri is growing in popularity, the price of rent skyrocketed ( 2 to 3 times what is used to be…! ) Also we had been living in Verdun for a time and with our hyper busy schedule is a very good thing to be close to home. Now we have to get used to all that space and the seating spots, I guess we're almost like a restaurant now. Also we went from 2 employees to 8 so it's a good change.

Why opening a rustic bakery?

We like knowing what we eat. We're not into ''pretentious-looking'' food that is overly priced or decorated. We like food that looks like food and that tastes like it's supposed to be. We also put the lowest amount of ingredients as possible to make it as rich in flavour as possible. We want to make it as healthy - even if we serve a lot of deserts - but we don't want to add ''garbage'' like preservatives in our food.

How long did it took you to set up Sweet Lee's ?
We evolved over time, like we had our business cards redone 6 times, tweaked a bit the logo. But you've got to go with the flow I guess. Adjust with where you are heading at a certain time. Now we have a more refined look than our previous location which was more of an old country home look. But we always had the same mentality over all these years.

Quick Feature !

Good evening everyone ! :D

I am just popping in a few minutes in between two school projects -and while being at school - to make a feature about a super cute artist. I am like a week late in this feature, as it was asked to me and I'm in the middle of my semester, so you can pretty much say that I sleep between 7 to 5 hours a night, and work from 7h till 11-12h every day.... Hurray for my schedule... O_o

That being said, I'll just skip that part and go to the awesome one ! Marie's interview is coming up too !

All right ! So, let me introduce ElizabethOHara ! :D

She has two shops, but I am presenting the one that I find more colorful, but it's just my personal taste. Her second shop is more about home decor and of course handmade objects.

She studied in Art and has been in that domain for most of her life. She sold her art from Galleries to craft fairs, and obviously on our lovely Etsy !

Check out a few of my favorite pieces of hers ! :D








Other ways to reach her !
www.elizabethoharaart.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/@oharart

That's it for today guyz !

See ya all later !

* M *

O....M... G... !!

Hi everyone !

I will make this post kind of very very quick because.... my ! I am having so many orders I just can`t stop dancing in joy !

On the 28th, I had the honor of being on the Etsy daily Finds email. The sideeffects ? Lots lots of loves and hearts ! And sales as many as I had never seen them in my shop..... !!! O_O

Wow ! I am so honored to see that you guyz love what I do so much ! Wow, I don`t know what else to say but a huge HUGE thank you ! And lots of hugs ! :D

So, as promised ! I have goodies for you ! :D

I am doing a Flower Paper Earrings giveaway for this week on Krista`s lovely blog !

She was kind enough to write a review on them as she worn them for a whole week ! Result ? She fell in love with it ! :D

Yes, I am telling you, you will fall in love with my items ! And that will just make me super happy to send you unique items that I had so much fun creating ! ;P

On this, once again, thank you !

And simply follow the link for my lovely giveaway ! :D

Have a marvelous day everyone !

* M *

I am going back... !

Oh my, hi to all !

It has been such crazy weeks since the last time I blogged, fiouf !

All right ! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and voted, it is really going to pay off for you guyz, so if you haven`t done it yet, go to the Vote! page right away ! There`s 3 tiny poll but oh so important ! :P

I went on a mini trip for my tiny vacarion and I was so glad to have the suprise : I had made my 18th and 19th sale while I was away ! :D

It ws a great way to patch up the fact that I had been coughing my lungs out for almost the whole trip. I was so sad and so darn tired I could barely do anything and I felt bad for the one we visited. Anyways, I still had a great time, but i did feel pretty stupid running around for tissues and buying cold medecine at the end of summer... -_-''

I`ll add up the picture later lol, as I am too tired to just fetch the camera, but I tried macarons for the first time, and I was kind of disapointed. We took each of the flavors there was in a french pastry and only one was actually to my taste... on 20.... Yeah, I am picky lol. But I didin`t like their flase sense of crunchyness, as if the sugar from the dough had crystalised while baking, and having it so moist in my mouth after and having my fingers all sticky cuz the macaron squished under one bite... Too much sugar in those, and you could tell. Well, not for me simply I guess.

I`ll stick with my usual classics, such as Profiteroles ! :D

All right, that`s it for today, I can`t even type straight anymore lol.

Btw, I am open to suggestions for the new Fall collection ! :P

See ya guyz soon ! :P

* Maxime *

Funny Cards and Switches

Snif, snurb...

Hi everyone !

Ah gee, I don`t know what happened but I woke up yesterday with a stuffy nose and I sneeze like 20 times a minute. I thought it was allergies, but turns out that it got worst this morning... Yep, I managed to cathc up the flu in summer..... T_T

I guess that I caught cold when I went to buy my conteact lenses - it was pouring outside and the AC in the store was really hi.... Oh well, I guess I`ll just have to take a lot of tea and sleep all day....

All right, but before I do such a thing, here`s my review on Dandee Etsy shop ! :P

It is a cute, humoristic shop, where you can find light switchplates and funny handmade cards made of a 100% post-consumer paper !


The cards can be customised too !


Add up a bit of vintage to yout room


Or a bit of sexy too, with eco-friendly messages

You can find this cool shop on Etsy or follow the blog or twitter !

On this, have a great day everyone !

* M *

After the rain, sunshine !

Hi there everyone !

Yeah, long time no see ! The last few days I was barely on the Etsy forum and I appologise for my few quick posts and run, but I barely have time to do anything these days­... ! T_T

They pump up my hours at work and I have my driving lessons taht started. Ouf ! Driving is sure harder than I thought ! O_o

I practiced a lot these days and it hopefully got better ! I have my second class coming up soon, so we`ll see how it turns out ! :P

Before I forget it, I want to say a special thanks to all of those who votes in my new poll section. I do not have a lot of entries though, so I can`t really have any concluent data, so pretty please, take just 2 minutes and give me a few clicks on my new vote page ! :P

I also went to put up another artwork at Le Papillon Bleu, a very lovely and delicious Fine Sechuan Cuisine in Downtown of Montreal.

I already have 4 more artwork framed there for sale. My prices are quite for every budget, and the owner is wonderful and kind. It is a great place where I have tasted the best chinese food ever, like his Honey and Garlic Chicken that will make your tummy yearn for more. And yeah, I am picky with food.


Here`s my new Beauty Artwork, a colored pencil work on Bristol paper.

Also, I have joined two Etsy Teams, wich you can see the banner on the side of the Blog. I did not have enough time yet to go into the presentation forums and all, and I`ll have a few days off soon, so maybe there I`ll have time to do it.

Meanwhile, I`ll have to go cleaning and all, but I will be back for a feature on Dandee, wich is one of the member of BEST and I was asked to do a feature on this shop.

So stay posted ! :P

See ya later !

* M *

So much to do, such tiny time lap...

Hi there !

Fiouf ! What a crazy week !

Seriously, I didin`t thought that being a moderator would mean so much... ! O_o
I wonder if I`ll be able to keep it up when I`ll go back at shcool ... :S

In any cases, we will see when we will be there and I am pretty sure that I`ll be able to find somebody else to take my spot.

All right ! I have picked up my pen again and I haven`t been able to let it down lol, so stay posted cuz I will put up more artwork soon in my shop ! :P

Yay ! I have a few days off from work so I will probably be out, sneeking at the Fantasia Festival or just meeting up friends ! :P

Now, I have a great discovery for you today !

I happened to have cross this gorgeous paper flower shop that just opened today !
I don`t know about you, but I can barely believe that those are paper flowers ! O_o

Here are a few from The Crimson Poppy !







* All rights reserved to The Crimson Poppy

Oh this amazing discovery, have a nice day everyone ! :P

* M *

So, how are your super powers ?

Ah, what a day... !

Got a lot of stuff going all at the same time, waiting for a lot of beads orders to come in, starting a new promotion thread, xmas sale in july, an agenda art contract... Ouf ! Sometimes I feel like I would need super powers !

I felt just like that today.... O_x



Fantasia International Movie Festival

Just a little word on the Fest :

Fantasia is a great movie festival that is hosted one a year in Montreal. You can find anything, really anything, from animation to horror movies, from romance to foreign movies,... You can pretty much see anything you want, anything out of the ordinairy. That Fest is amazing ! I saw gorgeous movies like The Banquet or super cute animation movies, or simply thrilling action scenes.

Ah, we just wish we could borrow super powers sometimes, like to watch all those great movies all at once. Don`t we all need super powers sometimes ?

That`s it for today !

On this, I`ll go work on a new pair of earrings, from the Sunset Collection... :P

Have a nice night folks !

* M *

199 hearts and classy vintage

Hi everyone ! :P

Yes yes, I know, I have been quite busy and away these days, don`t remind me ! :P

Also, I wanted to let the spotlight on for StudioHaus for a bit, since her pictures are soooooooo pretty !

Oki then, little update on my shop :

I just wanted to thank everyone how hearted an item or my shop ! It is such a great pleasure to see that your art is appreciated ! Thanks you guyz ! I am three months away from my one year anniversary and I have 199 shop hearts so far !

* Big hugs everyone ! *
Thank you ! Thank you !

Oki !

So, what`s new today ?

Well, I was browsing and all, and I found amazing vintage jewlery - yeah yeah, you heard me right, vintage, wich I am not really into. But those pieces from Yeahiamgroovy are just soooo coool and classy ! :P

Come take a peek !


These are the stunning pieces that caught my eyes this morning !


Isn`t that just tooo cute !?! Availible also in baby blue ! :P But green is better :P



Uuh, just like blood... ! O_o


You liked it ? Come check her shop ! She has amazing one of a kind vintage and kawaii finds ! Quick before it goes away !

http://www.etsy.com/shop/yeahimgroovy

Thanks for reading guyz ! :D

* M *

Blooming Passion

Hi everyone ! :P

It is with great honnor that I gladly introduce the very first interview of this blog ! I want you to meet the shop owner of Studio Haus, who is generous, passionate and as sweet as chocolate.


What would you like to tell us about yourself ?

I'm originally from the midwest but recently moved to Pennsylvania and I'm loving it!


When did you discovered your passion for photography ?

I've always loved photos and photography but it wasn't until the summer I was working at a portrait studio that I actually realized that this was something I wanted to do.


Do you have any other passions ?

I do! I love all art, the beach, Paris (I went once and fell in love!), and great friends because they are hard to come by.



All rights Reserved - Copyrights StudioHaus


What type of landscape do you prefer ?

I love waterfalls and beach scenes. Anytime I get a chance to visit either I do!

What artist inspire you the most in your art ?

Definitely Ansel Adams ~ http://www.anseladams.com/
His landscape photography is so inspiring and would love to travel to all the beautiful places he did.


Your perfect photography trip ?

Oh gosh, its hard to say just one place but I would really love to go Yellowstone. I think the landscapes there would make for some amazing photos.

One tip you would give to starter photographer ?

I think my best tip would be that clouds are your best light diffuser! I always thought that I needed bright sunlight but found that it causes harsh shadows and washes out details on beautiful flowers and waterfalls. Just before or just after a storm can create some great lighting (and sometimes lightning so be careful!) and lead some awesome shots.




All Rights Reserved - Copyrights StudioHaus


What type of camera do you use ?

Actually *blush* I use a Kodak point-n-shoot. I'm saving for a Cannon 50D and can't wait to get my hands on one!


What lead you to open your Etsy account ?

I wanted to see if there is anyone out there who likes my photos as much as I do. Etsy was an easy way to either be rejected or justified.


If you could add another product to your store, neverminding the budget, what would it be ?

Oh it would definitely be canvas prints. Those look so amazing and I love how they make a photo look like a painting!



All Rights Reserved - Copyrights StudioHaus


What do you like the most about having your Etsy shop ?

The community aspect of Etsy is amazing. All the support and tips have really helped me improve my shop from where I started a year ago.

What would be your typical day ?

Well mornings are mostly listing and networking through twitter and facebook. My afternoons are spent exercising, doing chores, and taking care of the mundane things. Evenings I try to spend time with my husband until he goes to bed (really early!). I more of a night person so I stay up late editing photos and this is usually when I list new photos into my shop.


Do you exhibit in galeries, restaurants ? Do you exhibit at craft fairs ?

I have done a few crafts fairs and will be doing a few in the fall. I will be posting on my blog or facebook with the shows and dates.


Where can we contact you ? Do you sell somewhere else ?

I only sell on Etsy and at shows.
Email: mystudiohaus [!at] yahoo.com
Blog: studiohaus.blogspot.com
FB: www.facebook.com/studiohaus
Twitter: www.twitter.com/studiohaus

Welcome back Mister Sun ! :P

Ah ! Finally !

The sun is back from vacation ! Hurray ! :P

I had a marvelous week-end, but unfortunately I had to spend it most working... T_T
Oh well, that is life ! :P With a hint of chance I will be able to get toasted a bit tomorrow ! Out out silly winter white ! :P

So, I have a giveaway that is going to be host this week, right here ! :P And thanks to those who voted, the item will be turquoise ! :P Yay ! Stay posted !

I have the confirmation for the blog feature that I will do as soon as I have the replies. So here is a great, sweet shop owner that will have the spotlight here soon !
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StudioHaus

On this, I say no more ! :p To be continued....

Countdown : 41 items posted
39 more to go !

Yeah, before I go, I know it is a bit late and all, but I am having a sale on twitter for those who follow me. Just add me up and get a special 10% discount untill midnight tonight.

On this folks, have a great night ! :P

* M *