Hi Ho to all you fashionistas out there.

This weekend I began to unroll my textiles from France and to sew my way into JustB’s winter’s tote bag and home decor collection. The fabric is sheer bliss to work with and I am just loving the results.  This 100% cotton weave is so soft to the touch while being robust enough for hand bags, pillows, cosmetic bags and more.  The ideas keep coming.. but I can only make so much for my upcoming gift show.. besides, I must keep something in my hat to pull out this Spring!  I get this crazy creative feeling that there are dog beds, beach bags and sun hats coming down the pipe line!  I can’t wait for the Spring colours to come out . They are all so crazy gorgeous.

The tote bags now have a lovely leather handle, thanks to the guidance and skills of my leather mentor James Brooks.  Now that I am working with him part time, he is a treasure trove of insight and is so very generous with his time. I just love working with him in his studio.

My upcoming gift show is just a tad overwhelming. Not only is the inventory a constant effort, but I have to design and build my booth.. on a small budget. To be considered are matters such as bright lighting, carpeting, wall surfaces, shelving, branding and overall image. I have everything worked out in my mind.. just need to execute. Had a bit of a panic this week as I read through the gift show regulations. each booth for this show comes with a black curtained backdrop. Not my first choice in colour!  I had in mind to hang white curtains on all three of my 10×10′ booth walls as a clean backdrop, and to match my white IKEA shelving. Turns out there are serious fire hazards with hanging one’s own fabric as a backdrop.. so it is not permitted. Great!…UNLESS (I soon learned) the fabric is treated with a fire retardant substance.  Turns out I can buy this at the hardware store and apply it to my curtains.. and that this conforms with the fire rules.. fewf!  I was having nightmares of needing to build some white walls and spending more money. Renting peg board walls would have cost $500 for each 10′x8′ wall. I would have needed three times this surface area!  nasty huh?

That being said, the show is very well organised. They have planned a media day which I think is so useful to us exhibitors and small business owners. I submitted a few photos and a bio note to their Public Relations company as was proposed in the welcome kit to all exhibitors. The media is invited to the show before the doors open to the public on 10 Dec. Hopefully I will have the chance to meet some of them and promote JustB Designs!

It is all pretty new to me, so I decided to contact one of the exhibitors I met at the same show held last spring. Carolyn Barnett owns and operates a sweater design company and runs hand machine knitting lessons in the Kingston Ontario area, amongst other places, called Carolyn M. Barnett Designs. Her advice to me was invaluable. She not only gave me insight on display ideas, but so many useful tips on what to bring with me – including hand wipes, tissues, healthy snacks such as nuts and fruit, and reminded me to take my vitamins in order boost my energy levels and to keep me healthy throughout the 10-day show!  I was worried that I might need someone with me during busy periods and to enableme to take a washroom break. But as she suggested, it makes sense that I can manage on my own, by connecting with neighbouring vendors who might be kind enough to watch my booth while I step away for a quick break. And to of course reciprocate for them when their time calls. I am sure that will work well. This is exaclty how it worked out when I was selling at the Old Chelsea Famer’s Market this past summer. Made some amazing friends in so doing.

Speaking of which, a few of my lady friends and I have formed a casual networking group here in our rural community. I had discussed the idea with one of the great women I met this summer at the market and we held our first meeting last week at my place. We thought this kind of association of creative and like-mined “slow goods” women entrepreneurs would provide support and feedback on our ideas as we evolve our businesses. I just love these women. All so creative and energetic. It is guaranteed to be a very positive and prosperous association.

On that very exciting note, I bid you ta ta on this incredibly warm day in November!  Keep in touch and keep sewing!  Anne

Hi everyone!  yes I am still alive.. just swamped with work. Sorry for the low radio signal over the past month.

Some of you may be receiving news from me for the first time as I have recently updated my blog subscriber list from the mailing list sign up book I set up while working at the Old Chelsea Farmer’s Market this summer. (if you wish to deactivate this subscription, please do not hesitate to do so on my blog under the subscribe section!)

I recently discovered that being a one woman show only allows for so many hours of production in a day.. yup.. sad but true.. I can only produce so much by myself.  I also discovered after estimating my forecasted sales for the Ottawa Originals Craft Show coming up on December 9, that I need every single working hour of the days left this month to get things done in time for that show.   These gift shows are something to be reckoned with!  Make no mistake!  I sure did not expect to be in this situation. Just humming along all summer in my farmers market tent and before I knew it..  that event was over and I was facing the next gig on the schedule – which is going to require a much greater inventory.  I have to produce for an 11 day show.. fewf!  Behind this production schedule I have a part time job since mid September, I ran a half marathon that month as well (all those hours that went into training for it..) I am trying hard to fill a few retail orders, I just started to dig up my summer garden crop.. plus, throw in a 10-day mad dash construction project to build my greenhouse which I did two weeks ago.. and I am exhausted just thinking about my gift show.

Well/  it isn’t all that dismal.. I am still enjoying my work tremendously and escaping up to my studio to move Just B Designs a little further ahead is sheer bliss… I received a fantastic order of woven fabric from France last week. I can’t wait to start creating with it – the colours are vibrant and modern.  I also started making some really funky blankets from recycled wool sweaters that I have been buying from local second-hand shops. They were a big hit during the last three weeks at the farmer’s market. My hats and fingerless gloves made with the same sweaters sold like hot cakes because the price point is just great.

The downside of my busy schedule has resulted in too many things sliding for my liking.. like by blog! and my etsy site.. I went on last week to discover that all my product listings had expired and there was nothing active at my store.. these items were all coming down anyway since the most were from my summer collection. But I was absolutely frustrated with myself for things get to that point.. .. argh….

I will fix it all later this week.. I hope this first year in business will teach me how to manage my time a little better!

I got back into taking Oscar for his daily walk again this week. Poor puppy!  I hope your lives are not so crazy-busy..  ciao for now!  Anne

Hi ho everyone!  Had a great few weeks working on some new ideas while I sew up my Fall bags. I seem to have a difficult time sitting still, specially when watching some after-dinner-wind-down-TV.  Always need to have something in my hands that I can whittle away the time with.. cannot be idle for a second – who can when there is so much to create?..

Over the course of the summer I have made quite a few sales with my coffee warmers made from recycled wool sweaters that I shrink up to a felt. They become all stiff and nasty looking.. good thing they don’t belong to me.. Don’t you hate it when you accidentally wash your favourite wool sweater, take it out of the machine and hold it in your hands cringing with anger for having made the mistake?  they get all small and mangled..   anyway.. I digress..    My coffee warmers have sparked many requests for tea cozies so I started to play around with a few ideas.  Here is one of them with a funky crocheted flower to top it off.

This design works for a small tea pot. I need to collect a few more pots from my local second-hand stores to showcase a collection of different sizes and colours. Love making them. For now, I am sewing the blanket stitch myself which takes f o r e v e r..  but will soon have a new machine to take care of that chore..

I also ordered some felted wool for my winter evolution of the tote bag design I currently work with.  It is a great textile.  The felt is rather stiff, but smooth and soft.  I have several new ideas churning in my head for new bags and other gift ideas like laptop bags, cases for reading glasses and pillows.

Have you read about Alabama Chanin?  This sewing style has got my mind swirling with ideas as well.  I love the reverse-appliqué technique used by Natalie Chanin, the designer behind it all.  Loved reading about the history of Florence,  Alabama, where the stitchers in her project have reconnected with the origins of the cotton industry of that region. The work is just beautiful and Natalie Chanin sells her incredible hand made clothing the world over. Check out her web site .  Imagine some felted wool in reverse appliqué?

Here is my latest felted wool creation – still a work in progress. As I said, I love the rigid texture of the felt. It creates a new depth for this design and will make the bag extra strong for carrying a laptop and books.

Will be posting some of my Fall bag designs next week.

Stay tuned!

Happy sewing!   Anne

I sent out my very first wholesale invoice yesterday. Yup. I am so very thrilled needless to say.  It all happened thanks to a lovely lady friend of mine who happened to be in this amazing boutique wearing one of my bags. The shop owner apparently loved it and asked where it was from. And voila, the rest is history now.

If ever you are in the picturesque town of Wakefield, Quebec, (just 30 minutes north of Ottawa) be sure to drop into Burro Borracho on Riverside to see Eva. (No web site just yet) She is amazing. (and not only because she likes my bags!) Her selection of shoes and clothing is enough to make any girl want to just whip out that wallet and splurge on something to make her feel just wonderful all over. Eva has an amazing design sense and will fit you out in something that will make you smile for a week.  I myself picked up a groovy pair of shoes by El Naturalista last Saturday and am still smiling! (OK – it’s been a long time since I bought a pair of shoes, I am a bit over-the-moon about it)

Cute or what?

anyway.. that was my splurge for the summer.. Yay!~

These days I am busy making sure I stay on top of scouting retail opportunities. Last night I composed a long, format letter of introduction that I will email to shops in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto with my wholesale price list attached.  Thanks to my good friend Kelly in Toronto, I have a few stores on my list to contact in that city. Montreal is close by so I can check out the scene with friends there soon enough.  Ottawa is going to be the easiest search since it is in my back yard and I had a list made up a while ago.  Might work on Vancouver this year as well.

The tricky part is learning when retailers place their seasonal orders well in advance of the time of delivery. At least eight months ahead.  I am definitely late on the orders placed for this Fall. But where I think I can have some success is on filling in the merchandise gaps at the end of a season (and hopefully during), with a small selection that is not a huge financial outlay for the boutique owner.  I am working on getting myself into a few wholesale trade shows this year.  That is my target audience. What vbetter a venue that one which brings all the retailers to you?  I am no longer interested in the craft show circuit and will only invest time, energy and finances on the big gift shows at Christmas time or a few well established events that are more than less guaranteed to generate wholesale leads and sales. I decided I can invest in two of these shows per year. It is such a huge time commitment that must be worth my while.

I ordered some amazing felted wool made by  German company and distributed in Boston at FilzFelt. It came in last week. I finally chose a product after receiving samples from a few companies in the US and China.  I will use the few metres of felt for making sample Tote bag sets to present to store owners this Fall. It is amazing fabric. I can think of a multitude of design applications for it. I chose three colours to start. I think it best to keep the selection small to begin with and if I get a positive response, will invest in more colours later on. Can’t wait to get going on this work.

Next on my list of investments: a blanket stitch sewing machine. I was referred to the Merrow sewing machine company by a woolen mill owner I contacted last Winter. (I had purchased a blanket from his store years ago and liked the blanket stitch he uses) Merrow manufactures a seemingly infinite number of sergers for special design applications. I found the one I like but it costs over $3000 US.. ugh..  the representative at Merrow was so very kind enough to connect me with a Canadian company that refurbishes used Merrow machines where I have since found the model I like, for considerably less. I am planning a purchase in late August. Stay tuned!

Some people get a thrill buying a bike (like my husband) or a painting, or a new pair of shoes!  I get my most serious thrills collecting colourful skeins of wool, finding vintage or funky fabric, admiring my button collection and acquiring sewing machines!   Crazy. I know.  (but I bet some of you out there can relate!)

Hi again! Back from Montreal and happy to have some time to catch up on my blog and tackle some office work (my desk is full of papers that need filing!). How did the show go you ask? Well.. it got a fat zero from me I hate to report. And once again, I find myself examining my impulses to attend these affairs.  Grumble grumble…..

Here I am in my booth on St. Catherine Street, Montreal. (I was smiling for the camera, though not terribly thrilled with my results at the show)

I sold two bags, a coffee warmer, a wallet and a cosmetic bag. Abysmal, but I should have known better.  This festival was primarily focused on paintings, with photography and some sculpture mixed in, and about 5 artisan vendors out of 200.  I knew this, and I didn’t think it was ideal, but I signed up anyway. Passers-by were kind of out for a stroll in their neighbourhood and not exactly shopping for tote bags, if you get what I mean.  Some people were put off by my prices as well, and even huffed when they found the price tag. At $95 a-piece, the bags were often just out of affordable range.. “ooooo, not something I can afford, but they are lovely”.   After two days of that kind of reaction, I became a little annoyed with myself for having jumped in to attend this event.   It became quite apparent that this was not my target audience.

Since I don’t have a whole lot of experience in the domain of gift shows, it’s a bit like hedging bets at this stage of the game, but could I have prevented this misguided choice?  I think so.   I had a gut feeling when I first read about the show and thought it was not ideally suited for my products. It was an art show after all.  When I was set up on the street, it was as though my collection of bags were on display in a coffee shop. i.e. most people were buying coffee, and though pleasantly tickled to discover my pretty bags, not in the mindset to buy.   Quite a few passersby were picking up my business card, so who knows, some might end up browsing my etsy shop in the next while.

I hedged my bets when I signed up. I worked so hard to build up an inventory for a four-day show. And in the end, I don’t think it was worth the trouble.
Both Thursday and Friday were quiet during the day as I watched people running errands; doing a grocery shop; stopping into the pharmacy. The evenings also turned into somewhat distressing experiences once the sun set given the number of drunk and wired-out homeless people wondering our block. Some were shouting and weaving in and out of booths, laying on the sidewalks until they were moved along by the police, and not soon enough for my liking. This did nothing but detract from what I think was meant to be an up-scale shopping ambiance.  By the time Saturday rolled around, I had made up my mind that I was leaving the show that night. And though traffic was getting heavier as the day progressed, it was just more of the same for me. I took yet another gamble to pass up on the increased flow of pedestrians, and the very remote possibility of a few more sales Saturday night and Sunday. I was packed up by 6:30 and heading home.  I am not proud of having skipped out early. I don’t normally get so impatient nor irritated. I just decided that I should listen to my gut this time and pass up on the last day instead of sitting there regretting my mistake and wasting time.

Of course there is always a silver lining. I did meet some terrific people. My neighbour / artist was most interesting. We chatted often about her previous enterprise as a production artist in ceramics. She offered me many insights into the gift show and wholesale circuit and we plan to stay in touch.  I met a wonderful portraiture artist from Philadelphia. She and her daughter came round each day to say hi and sit with me for a while. They were accompanying her husband who was exhibiting at the show. We plan to reconnect as well.  I also had the chance to stay with a very old friend whom I had not seen in years. She was a big help tearing down every night and delivering meals (and sitting in for my pee breaks!)  Plus, my lovely sisters dropped by to visit with their kids and deliver lunch on Friday, which was great fun for me and much appreciated.

I can’t say I regret the the experience. Heck, I now have a full and lovely inventory of bags for the summer! It’s just that I have to listen to my gut more often. A bit like what Malcolm Gladwell proposes in his book “Blink”, combined with a bit of rational thinking and doing more research as proposed by Michael LeGault in his book “Think”.  I am already committed to two shows between now and December. One of them I am confident will be more of a success, but the jury is out on the second one.   More research required before I sign up to another show, and am happy to get back on track with my quest to sell to boutiques!      Until next time,   Anne