Saturday 27 October 2012

Last Market Absence Alert for 2012

This was supposed to me my last Saturday at St. Lawrence Market for the season.  Well, due to the bad weather, I won't be there today.  It's raining as I type this and the forecast for the day is not good. Hats being fibre and textile and feathers, they are not fond of damp weather, and people are not fond of trying on damp hats.  So that's that.

Stay tuned for further news like holiday craft sale dates and locations!




Friday 26 October 2012

Apple Day

Yesterday was the day Scouts and their ilk sold apples to the St. Lawrence Market crowds, wherever they were.  They sure weren't hanging around the craft vendors.  I can't blame them.  It was cold and gloomy and threatening rain all day, before it really did mid-afternoon.  It was the post-Thanksgiving slump.  Also, the  traffic barricades were beginning to be put up for Sunday's Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which makes traffic stay away before it really has to.

Speaking of which, we saw the runner who is over 100 years old go by!  Fauja Singh, the Turbaned Tornado!  I guess he was getting in some last-minute training.  If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is.

The farmers inside the north market seemed to be as busy as usual, so that was good.  Smart shoppers stuck to the indoors.

We craft vendors spent a lot of time visiting each other, commiserating and blowing on our fingers.  Did I mention it was cold?

Very quiet sales day.  Many vendors stayed home, which was a wise move.

I'm still glad I went, though.  It's still a high point of the week to see our friends and see what kind of reaction new creations get, from them and from visitors.  Very helpful.

My friend Janet came by, too!  I hadn't seen her in quite some time, and that was probably at the Market, too, when she said admiringly "Cool gig!"   A person of keen discernment.  She also has one of my hats, so she is also a person of taste.  (!)

And if I had stayed home, I wouldn't have met the nice people who came by my table and who don't live in Toronto.

Like Dianne, who liked my new tucked toque in creamy brocades so much that she decided to take it to live with her in New Jersey.  Just the thing to go with everything, especially this lovely lace jacket.  Thanks, Dianne!
 And Izzy, the almost five months old poodle/bichon mix, who was absolutely irresistible, as Salome's face will attest.  So friendly!  I had my own special moment with him too, I'm happy to report.
Did I mention it was a quiet day?  The park is practically a bowling alley.
Parker!  A very sweet, very trembly Yorkie.
With his "mom", Dana, and her new felt circles band.  I transferred the discs to a band to blend in with her hair.  I aim to please.

That's Roberto in the background in the grey felt I made him earlier this year.

Just after this it started to rain, which was a clear sign from the universe to pack it in already, go home and eat tomato soup.  So we did.

Thank you to all the brave souls who made it as far as my table Saturday!  I appreciate it very much.  Let's hope next Saturday's weather  is much better.

Second-last Saturday

The second-to-last Saturday of the season came and went.  Of course it was chilly and of course rained, but it was sunny first thing.  Just enough to make a few sales before we had to dive for cover for an initial cloud burst.  After that, it looked like it was going to be clear again, but the clouds came back and the rain with them.  We packed it up early and went to a movie studio wardrobe sale instead.  (I got some excellent unblocked hat bodies for a fabulous price!  Thanks, universe!)

Sachi in her cozy new tucked toque.
The Lemon Bucket Orkestre has bookended my Market season:  there at the beginning and again at the end; not so much in between.
The two members who came, and their lady clown.
A Schnauzer and his friend.
Another bearded terrier.
Hat by Anne, bling by Salome.
Rain on my iridescent tablecloth.  And so farewell.

Thursday 11 October 2012

Thanks, Thanksgiving!

It was my first Thanksgiving weekend selling at St. Lawrence Market last Saturday.  They tell me it's traditionally the busiest day of the year for the farmers and food sellers, even bigger than the festive season.  If it was, the extra crowds were sticking to the farmers' stalls, inside the building and outside, hidden around the corner from us.  Inside the north market building they had hung jolly banners from the ceiling, which gave the place a jolly holiday atmosphere.  Fall harvest was abundant, and there were still strawberries and haricots verts, which was fantastic.  How lucky we are to have such bounty to choose from for our Thanksgiving feasts.  Thank you, kind universe!

Outside it was darn chilly!  But you wouldn't know it from some of the people passing by, of which there were still a goodly number.  Sensible folk were wearing jackets and scarves and,yes, hats and caps, but there was a contingent wearing shorts and flip flops and T-shirts.  Even little kids!  Either they came from arctic regions, or they were in deep denial about the season.  Looking at them made me feel so much colder!  Brrrr....

Anyhoo, it was a really good day for me!  (Better than the photographic evidence would suggest.  Lots of my customers are camera shy.)  It was fun, too.  People were in a good mood.  That busker was back, and this time I made sure to get his card so I could mention his name, which is Jaffa.  He's from Haiti.  His real name is Dieufaite, which means, if my French isn't too rusty, God made.  Isn't that lovely?  We like his music, and he's a good sport, too.

I met another musician, who came by with a friend to admire my work.  He just looked like a musician.  His name is fiZ.  His name suits his pretty music.  Pop!  Bet he was sorry he chose that chilly weekend to be away from his steady gig oceanside in California.

It was a good day to eat pretzels from Oodles of Strudels, whose creations I can wholeheartedly endorse.  So I did, and shared them around.  They come in handy for harried moms who don't always get breakfast, like my vendor neighbour, Maria.

On with the show:

.My table in the pretty early morning light.
The banners inside the farmers' market building.

Julieta's family bought her this hat as an early Christmas present, and a bracelet from Salome, too.  They were so nice!  It was a great start to the day.  Thanks, everyone!
Here's a photo of all of us that Julieta's daughter Jaquie sent me afterwards.  Tha's their friend Becky on the right.
Just look at him!  What a sweetheart.
Jaffa, playing his recorder and giving his singing voice a rest....
...and later with an appreciative audience.
Elana, so pretty in her new felt disc band.
Revy, short for Revelstoke, waiting for his mom to stop talking to Salome.
Different dog, same story
Karena, looking fab in her new purple bucket.
One of a handful of wedding parties who came by.  Oh sure, it looks all warm and stuff, but no!  It was darn cold!  Every bride said through chattering teeth, "It's not so bad!"  Brave, deluded souls.
Lucy, in her new cap.  Very cozy!





















Tuesday 2 October 2012

Bring on the Brrr Months

They start with Septembrrrr and go on to Decembrrrr.  Of course, it was still summer at the beginning of the month, and the weather behaved accordingly, but by now we've needed to layer up a bit more as we work our outside displays at St. Lawrence Market.  Change of clothes, change of merchandise, change of displays.   Change change change.  The only constant.

It's been a spotty month for attendance for me.  The weather has kept me away twice in September, but last Saturday was really nice.  Sunny, mostly, temperate, and dry!  I hope it continues like this for Octobrrrr, because for the first time I will continue my Market Saturdays until the end of the month.  After that, the tents come down, and my spot goes away.  Sigh...  I wish they'd stay up until the holiday season is over..

My fall hats made their first appearance, and were kindly received by the Market visitors.  One was Dianne, who bought my personal favourite fascinator from me last June.  (This one.)


She needed it to wear to the Queen's Plate.  I asked her for a photo of herself wearing it at the grand event, and she came by to show one to me.  Too shy to let me share it with you, but I'm tickled that she took the time to let me see it.  It's the first time that I know of that anyone's worn something I've made to such an illustrious hatty occasion, so I was dead keen to see it deployed.  And, of course, Dianne looked lovely in it, and, more importantly, looked like she was having a great time.

On with the show....

Salome modeling a felt chapeau that goes with her ensemble du jour.  And her awesome necklace from her new Rock n' Roll line.  (See that big black button in the middle?  She lurrrrves it.)

The giveaway du jour was this yellow bag promoting Canarydistrict.com.  I love me some free bags!  And I love me some yellow!  And I am very sorry I never went to the Canary Restaurant, a funky old diner, after which the district is named.  It closed some years ago.


The lovely Yvonne  in her new equestrian cap, in which she looks very swell.  Her friend Shirley brought her by my table.  Shirley bought a similar cap earlier in the season, and she's a warm, jolly soul that warms the cockle of my heart.  It's a tonic to see her, and so flattering to have her bring her dear friend, Yvonne.  I'm beholden to both of you ladies!

Shirley, from last August.

Busker, taken last August.  He was here again last Saturday, and sings in French and English, and plays recorder as well as guitar.  His music is charming, and so is he.  (Must get his name sometime so I can give him full props.)
Jessica chose this raffia braid band, and I supported her in her decision.

Catherine, in one of the two caps she bought.  But will she wear them to church?  That's the big question.
Zoya, playing dress-up.  We learned that you can slip a hairband through the bobby pin loops and have another option for how to keep it on.  Dress-up can be educational.  I always suspected as much.
A face only a mother could love.  And me.  She is a very sweet pooch whose name I did not get.  Bad me.  No biscuit.
And finally, Salome's daughter, the awesome Ms. Adrian, rocking her Halloween bonnet..  No, I did not make it for her.  I dared her to wear it that night to Nuit Blanche, but she declined.  Chicken.

Her T-shirt days "gangster-ish."