Hunting for Treasure

Summer

It seems the summer has been so full, so busy. I deliberately took a few moments out yestereday to take notice of the garden coming into bloom. So pretty.

From the Marine Centre in Norris Point, Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. We were there a few weekends ago as my husband Paul was performing with the Louis MacDonald Trio at the Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival. The beautiful colour, light and textures I saw in one of the aquariums were a feast for the eyes.

Had a little fun recently curating my first treasury on Etsy. I had these colours playing around in my head and had to get them out so I thought I'd try a treasury. I really like how it turned out.

After doing that I thought I might join Pinterest, as a space to collect the images and art that never grow old for me, and a place to discover new work as well. I have of course added a little file to share some of my work from my Etsy shop. I've just begun but drop by my page and check it out! http://pinterest.com/omeadowsweet/

Thanks, Harmony Art, for highlighting what a beautiful and natural option organic cotton is for our children.

hats

 
A few of the new hats listed in the shop this morning. I hope that you like them!

jammin'

A little pick-me-up snack after school today. This jam never lasts long in our house, it is a family favourite for sure. The recipe I've adapted from one I found here  but I've cut the sugar in half and added a splash of lemon juice. The jam is still plenty sweet and thickens up nicely to spread on toast. I like the idea of warming up the sugar first which is a good idea if you are using organic sugar as it tends to be slightly more granular. Yum!

Oh, and yes, that is hot chocolate on the stove. Spring is only around the corner according to the calendar but everything is snow-covered here once again. Here is a good source for this deliciousness! (And here, too!)

S A L E

In anticipation of some new hats I have coming to the shop soon, I am going to sell off the remainder of my current knot hats. The new hats I have coming will feature some new fabrics and a new style. I used to make my older hats on my sewing machine and the new hat I designed to make using my serger. While the older style was longer-wearing, it was a little too labour intensive for the price point at which I was offering it, and unfortunately the design did not carry over well to the serger.

Having said that, I do love the new style I have coming, and it is nice to freshen things up a little from time to time. So stay tuned, and for now, enjoy the last few Baby-Grow Organic Hats I have in stock at 25% off. (All in my shop of course!)

A sample of a few tops and bottoms I just added to the shop. They certainly add a splash of colour don't they! I have a few new infant knotted hats and blanket to photograph and post soon I hope.

snow day

 

Thought I would take the opportunity on this snowy day to get the shop up and running again. I will have a few more items to post tomorrow.

custom organic cotton sunhats

I am now offering custom organic cotton sunhats in my Etsy shop.

Pictured below is one from a customer in Québec. I love the fabric combination that she chose. 

I am working on a few ready-made organic cotton sunhats that should be posted in the shop in the next few days or early next week.

On a side note, school is out for summer. Unfortunately the boy is down and out with the flu but my girl is happily flitting about. Feels a little bittersweet - they grow so fast!

what's new?

Well, a few things since I've last posted. With school winding down I'm gearing up to do a lot more making for the next couple of months. My Meadowsweet Organics Etsy shop is active once again, and I've launched a new shop on Etsy, Sweet Jane Handmade (which is actually a reincarnation of my former shop, Handmade Naturals).

When I began sewing I was fortunate that organic cotton was just becoming readily available, albeit only online, so that is what I sewed with. It fit the bill for me as it was ethically and sustainably sourced fabric, and it was available in some really beautiful prints thanks to designer Harmony Susalla of Harmony Art.

In the last year or two I've come to love a few other charming yet equally sustainable fabrics such as vintage cottons, as well as linen and hemp. None of these fabrics fit with my Meadowsweet Organics line, so I decided not to limit myself and to open Sweet Jane Handmade as well.

Why Sweet Jane? Well, Jane is the middle name of my daughter, who provides me with loads of inspiration, but Jane is also such a classic name which makes me think of simpler times when people were more in sync with their natural surroundings. Not to mention that Sweet Jane also happens to be the name of a wildflower. The handmade part is obvious, and yes there will be probably a jumble of handmade items, buy mainly a focus on handmade girls clothing.

First up are three skirts made from vintage cotton corduroy. I first began looking at vintage cotton corduroy when organic cotton corduroy was very scarce. All I could find was an organic cotton / hemp blend which is not quite as soft as cotton, and certainly no printed organic cotton corduroy (something I would love to see!) Anyhow, I love all three of these vintage cotton corduroys, and yes I am very picky over what I select. These all stir up a sense of nostalgia for me, even though they may be a little before my time. Anyhow, making them for my own little girl is such a hoot, and I am happy that she loves these skirts as much as I do.

In most cases I have only been able to get about a yard of each of these fabrics, I think I have another print or two coming in the mail, so maybe some more options to come later this summer, we shall see. For now, we'll enjoy these sweet pieces . . .

We're back . . .

After a long and enjoyable rest, we are back. I am slowly adding things to my shop. May have a few new offerings as well before too long.

what's so funny about . . .

Meadowsweet Organics is now on holidays and will be away from the internet for an extended period. Peace, love and joy for the holiday season, everyone! xo

a local venue for my work

If you are in the Corner Brook area and would like to check out some of my work firsthand, I have just sent out two of my organic cotton blouses and one of my dresses to JL Gallery on West Street.

I really like Jamie-Lee - the owner's - set up, it is much more eclectic than a typical art gallery as she also has lots of handmade goods and some other handmade children's clothing as well. I am also loving the fact that it is a local venue in my home town.

I think the work should probably be available for sale either tomorrow or Saturday. If you can drop down I think you will be pleased with the quality of the work when you see it in person and should be happy with the pricing as well as I've marked these garments down a little (plus no postal fees will apply - hooray!).

Here is Jamie-Lee's contact information:

86 West Street, Suite 3 Corner Brook NL A2H 2Z3, tel - 709-632-7099

And on a final note I should mention that I will be closing my own shop on Saturday for the holidays. Happy holidays to you and yours!