April 22, 2010

Studio Sale – Gailan Ngan

A friend told me about this wonderful studio sale, and the work of talented potter Gailan Ngan (thanks Leigh)! In preparation for her move to Hornby Island Gailan is opening her doors this weekend, everything will be up to 40% off.

If you’re not in Vancouver do check out her work online – I noticed she has an option for Mail Orders too. Click here for Gailan’s website.

Sale Details:
898 East Georgia St, Vancouver
Sat. April 24th: 1-6pm
Thurs. April 29th: 5-8pm
Up to 40% off all pots

Celebrate 14 years at the East Georgia Studio with a glass of champagne and some wonderful deals.

~Posted by: Amy

Category: Events, Handmade Finds, Home Decor | 1 Comment »
Tags: gailan ngan, handmade, pottery, vancouver events

April 20, 2010

Spring has sprung. I just love the fresh scent in the air and all the blooming flowers, and what’s almost as wonderful? Spring shopping! I think it’s time to get outside and visit Gastown for their bi-annual Shop Hop, this Thursday, April 22nd from 5pm-9pm. What makes it even more fun? Complimentary beverages. Drinking, socializing and shopping locally – sign me up!

Click here to see the flyer at full size.

Here are some of my favorite Gastown shops featuring local designers:

1). 212 – Check out their Spring 2010 Collection here

2). Obakki – Modern, wearable separates made locally in their Vancouver atelier. Check out my post on their Spring 2010 collection here.

3). The Block – A great shop to scoop up all the latest from local line, dace

~Posted by: Amy

Category: Events, Indie Fashion, Vancouver | 2 Comments »
Tags: 212, dace, gastown shop hop, obakki, Vancouver fashion

February 17, 2010

Vancouver is hopping these days – you’ve probably heard by now about a little event we’re hosting! Lots of things to see and do, and it’s wonderful to hear about the local artists who are exhibiting their beautiful goods so that visitors can see more of the diverse talent our province has to offer.

This Thursday through Saturday two open studio events are being held in co-operation, giving visitors a taste of our famed Eastside Culture Crawl. Some of my favorite locals will have their work on display at the Mergatroid building: Flight Path Designs, Bronsino, Patina Designs, and Su Foster. This is by no means an exhaustive list, you’ll find art, pottery, and much more from an extensive list of designers!

Thursday, Feb. 18th and Friday, Feb. 19th: 10am-6pm
Saturday, Feb. 20th: 12pm-5pm
Parker Street Studios (1000 Parker St.), Vancouver
Mergatroid Building (975 Vernon Drive), Vancouver

Category: Events, Vancouver | Comments Off
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January 26, 2010

Don’t miss out on a great opportunity this Saturday to pick up some goodies (all for under $10!) at the Portland Garment Factory’s First Annual Flea Market. They’ll have a variety of products including fabrics, vintage items, and music – and if you need to refuel while shopping they are also serving Potato Champion fries and Bipartisian coffee.

The Portland Garment Factory is a great resource for local and regional designers because it gives them a chance to produce their lines in town, keeping their costs down and keeping products local. The Factory can help with everything from pattern drafting to sample construction and full line production. To top it off, PGF also offers tutoring for $20/hr to the general public, so if you’re having trouble with a project or need to use an industrial machine, they can help you out!

Where: Portland Garment Factory • 7910 SE Stark St • Portland, OR T: (503) 752-4030
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Hours: 10AM-7PM

~Posted by: Amy

Category: Events, Indie Fashion, Portland | Comments Off
Tags: Flea market, portland fashion, Portland Garment Factory

January 25, 2010

Vancouver is not just the city hosting the 2010 Olympics this February – it’s also the home to a lot of wonderful local talent. Athletes – yes, but we’d like to let you know about some of the other talent… Over the years this great city has come to be known not just for the beautiful mountains, parks and ocean views – but also for its artists and burgeoning design community. We’re happy to highlight several fashion designers whose focus is on eco fashion – meaning their designs are manufactured locally and that they use sustainable materials with a lower environmental impact, and in some cases reworked vintage materials.

To celebrate all of this great local talent, Vancouver’s Eco Fashion Week will premiere April 20-22, 2010.

In the meantime, Vancouver Eco Fashion Week is holding a party February 19th with music, art and a sneak preview of the spring lines from these great designers: Adhesif Clothing, Ashley Watson, Dotted Loop, Kim Cathers Elements, Nixxi, and WE3.

This event is in support of Eco Fashion week and tickets are available online here for $45 with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the David Suzuki Foundation.

Date & Locale: Fri. Feb. 19th at 8pm – Promenade at the Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC).

To keep up to date with news about the premiere of Vancouver’s Eco Fashion Week and more party details click here.

Pictured above, clockwise from top: 1). Ashley Watson 2). Dotted Loop 3). Nixxi

Posted by: Amy

Category: Eco Friendly, Events, Indie Fashion, Vancouver | Comments Off
Tags: Vancouver fashion, Vancouver's Eco Fashion Week

January 22, 2010

My two favorite words right now, in no particular order, 1). weekend and 2). spring! I can’t complain too much though, we’re having a lot of very seasonable weather lately in Vancouver and that’s been great…

I hope everybody has at least one fun thing planned this weekend! I’ve been daydreaming all week about the weekend and I’ve got a few fun things planned and some to-do’s to take care of too.

One of my funnest to-do’s – must get my Valentine’s cards ordered – here are a few of my favorites from Etsy:

1). fookaDESIGNS 2). Eva Juliet 3). rachel Ink

Saturday night is date night – I heard about “The Main Event” from a friend and it looks great. Lots of restaurants in and around Main Street are participating. They’re all offering set menus of 3 or 4 courses with set prices ($25 – $35 – $45) so we may take the opportunity to try out a new restaurant as there are some really fun choices. All the details and links to the restaurants websites can be found here.

Otherwise I plan to spend some time reading and I’m sure a cup of tea won’t be too far away. Funnily enough, I only “discovered” tea a few months ago, but now I’m so hooked. I don’t have my favorite flavors/brands picked out yet and am considering this shop on Etsy. Such beautiful packaging and the shop’s owner notes that she is a practicing master herbalist… I like how all the health benefits are noted for each of the different teas.

Hope your weekend’s fun!

~Amy

Category: Events, Uncategorized, Vancouver | 3 Comments »
Tags: the main event, valentine, valentines, Vancouver

January 20, 2010

Here’s a post for all you artists, designers and creators – I got word from the folks at Vancouver’s One of a Kind Show that the early bird deadline for their December 2010 show is quickly approaching… If you book by Feb. 3rd – you’ll save $75 off your booth fee. If you’re not able to make the February deadline, you’ve got until April 30th to reserve your booth. This is one of “the” events of the Christmas season for buyers and sellers – every year it features a wonderful array of very talented artisans. For more details visit: One of a Kind Vancouver or email: vancouver@oneofakindshow.com

Category: Events | 2 Comments »
Tags: early bird deadline, one of a kind show, ooak vancouver, Vancouver

January 14, 2010

I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the exciting new exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver, Art of Craft, last night and I’m excited to give you a preview of the show!

Art of Craft showcases 173 spectacular fine craft works in three parts:

Unity & Diversity: Selected Works – 75 pieces from across Canada recently on display at the 2009 Cheongju International Craft Biennale in the Republic of Korea.

By Hand/BC and Yukon – 51 pieces from Canada’s West Coast with a focus on the artists’ creative processes and studio environments.

Craft from the Republic of Korea – 47 pieces demonstrating the excellence of traditional and contemporary crafts.

The exhibition is an amazing representation of the creativity and skill of these artisans. I know from time to time over the years there has been some question if craft is indeed an “art”, but after seeing this exhibition you cannot deny that craft is a vital and legitimate art form.

Of the many talented artists from Canada and Korea, a few really stood out for me – Marina Dempster’s work blew me away, I love the intricacy of her work and the unexpected form and mixture of materials. Malcolm Zander’s Heart Series, spectacular wooden art – his pieces are so delicate and beautiful. Aaron Lowe’s Horizon, Alex Anagnostou’s Seeding Clouds, and Jane Kanyon’s Crevice were also at the top of my list.

I urge you to head to the MOV to take a look at these pieces and check out the other artists as well. The Art of Craft is on now through April 11th.

~Posted by: Christine

Category: Events, art | 2 Comments »
Tags: art of craft, mov, museum of vancouver, Vancouver

January 14, 2010

Indie I Do is a different kind of wedding show. A joint production between Vancouver B.C. based lotus events, and Blue Olive Photography, this fantastic event is in it’s 2nd year. If you’re planning a traditional wedding with a twist or a totally different wedding event, this is the one wedding show you’ll want to attend.

Indie I Do brings together over 30 different local vendors. You’ll find Pretty Lulu Bridal with their gorgeous clutches, Something Green showing off trendy and eco-friendly wedding cards, April Cakes yummy and beautiful creations with flavours like Mocha Buttercream, Chocolate Ganache and Caramel Walnut, and many more.

Offering unique products and services, you’re bound to find that special item to make your wedding unforgettable. In an industry dominated by commercial products, Indie I Do offers an innovative opportunity to totally customize your wedding to your personality. We’re excited to be giving away 1 free pass (good for two people) so you can attend this must-see event! For your chance to win please email: info@handmadeevolution.com and let us know why you’re interested in attending – the winner will be selected by a random draw.

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
11am – 5pm
Heritage Hall
3102 Main Street
Vancouver British Columbia

~Posted by: Christine

Category: Events, Uncategorized, Vancouver | Comments Off
Tags: indie i do, vancouver wedding show