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!

a new organic dress

I will be listing a new organic cotton dress in the shop tomorrow which will be made to order. It will be available in sizes 6 mos up to size 4T. If you would like one by Christmas, I suggest you order early as I will likely only have time to make one before the Christmas mail rush.

Canada Post's suggested mail dates for Holiday packages are December 11th for Canadian customers and December 8th for U.S. customers. That means orders for this dress need to be place a full week ahead of these dates to allow time for it to be made.

I really love how this dress turned out and as you can probably tell by the photos, my daughter is quite delighted as well!

shop update for November

A few new items added to my shop!

sweet jane

Originally written and produced by Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground, covered by Canadian Band The Cowboy Junkies in 1988 when I was 16. Lou Reed himself described it as "the best and most authentic version I have ever heard." Still hauntingly beautiful today.

Recipe: Delish Cranberry Sauce

This recipe for cranberry sauce is oh-so-easy and would make a much-appreciated gift for a hostess or for your child's teacher during the upcoming holiday season.

 You will need:

1/2 cup of honey
1 cup of water
4 cups of frozen or fresh cranberries

Optional ingredients include orange zest, raisins, blueberries or spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. Use local ingredients for the best tasting sauce. I added a cup of wild blueberries and a dash of allspice, but next time I think I would opt for the cinnamon instead.

Bring the water and honey to a boil in a heavy pot and then add your cranberries. Stir.

When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce your heat and allow the cranberries to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries burst. At this point I added the blueberries and a touch more honey as I found these a little tart.

Ladel into your prepared jars, put your covers on and you are done! Don't forget to save a little for yourself!

tiny floral and lace

A new organic cotton blouse I just added to my shop. One only for now, although I may soon get a little more of this fabric. The fabric is from Westfalenstoffe of Germany. It is quite different from most of the modern and bold type of designs that seem to be popular with organic cotton designers right now. I like those, too, but this is so sweet and soft.

a portrait begun

after the first sitting, composition laid down, figures blocked in. This is my first painting in 8 years (since before my son was born). What lovely muses they make. Funny how they push and pull you like that.

boho chic

a new dress for the shop, size 4T. Sewn from one of Harmony Art's organic cotton sateen fabrics called Eyes of the World. It seemed to be fitting with this peasant style dress. I've attached a handsewn fabric yoyo to add a little festive flare.

I had only enough fabric for the one dress and will be posting it as soon as I get a chance.

oh happy day

Last night the tail end of a hurricane passed through. Today was the perfect summer day for flying a kite.