Lily + Jae is indie fashion at it’s finest – and I think their fall 2010 collection is gorgeous. Designed and manufactured in Vancouver, Lily + Jae has found a large fan base far beyond our city. While it’s tough to imagine bundling up now, fall will be upon us soon enough! Trends I’m noticing for fall – and am personally very excited about: a definite return to a more tailored shape, plaid, minimalism, and classic silhouettes with a twist. The message in the bottle above, from the Lily + Jae lookbook, “Less is more” really sums up the collection nicely for me – and I think it’s a great approach to life and fashion. There is a definite beauty in keeping things simple.

~Posted by: Amy

Even before the term handmade and the ethos of shopping locally had become somewhat mainstream – there was Dream Apparel and Articles for People here in Vancouver. Launched in 1993, this mainstay of Vancouver’s Gastown also has a sister store on Granville Island, Little Dream. This is a mecca for lovers of indie fashion, handmade jewellery and accessories.

To say this shop is special would be an understatement – it’s actually pretty wonderful. I hadn’t visited in awhile but was wandering around my neighborhood on the weekend and thought I’d pop in. The range of handmade and local goods currently available is outstanding. I also spotted Allison Wonderland’s lovely designs on sale too! I’ve featured some of the brands that caught my eye above: Glam Vintage Remix, Flightpath Designs, and Bywa Bags. It was my first time spotting a Bywa bag and I was happy to learn that their bags are all made from recycled leather and repurposed materials.

If you haven’t stopped by Gastown lately, I think now’s the time as the summer sales start to kick into high gear! If you’re not a Vancouver local do check the links above as these lines also offer online shopping.

~Posted by: Amy

We`ve got a couple upcoming events on our radar that we want to share!

First up – Laura Bucci is having a mini art button making workshop with several dates throughout the month of July for both kids and adults alike. You`ll be making personalized button pins or magnets (great gift idea!) and Laura will be sharing fun ideas using different materials and techniques such as paper collage, rubber stamping and working with fabric. Click here for all the details.

Next up – the very popular Vancouver Modern Quilter`s Guild is having their second meeting at the Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge, Thursday, July 15th. Be sure to stop by, show off your quilts and meet with other members to share your ideas for future quilting guild events. Photos of the last event are courtesy of Sonja Callaghan.
Click here for all the details.

Hope your weekend`s great and you`ve got some fun plans to avoid the heat

Posted by: Amy

Bowen Island, BC ~ Weekend Getaway

Nestled on BC’s coastline, Bowen Island is a weekend trip for someone who wants it all. The first thing I noticed about Bowen Island that made it special, beyond it’s gorgeous landscape? It smells heavenly. Seriously, someone ought to bottle up the various scents and sell them – I’d certainly buy a bottle or two. Even more fun for us – the island is filled with very tame wildlife. I took the top photo, standing just 5 feet or so away from that buck, the ducks in Snug Cove are comfortable with close up shots, and the bunny who we noticed having a snack in front of our b & b was happy to eat out of the palm of my hand with very little coaxing.

Our weekend was spent hiking, exploring the island, and enjoying Bowen Island’s great restaurants, cafes and shops (many feature locally crafted artisan goods). The local chocolate shop, Cocoa West, serves up organic chocolates made in house (they’re delicious), and just steps away is the Artisan Eats Cafe. It’s got a beautiful view and features a large L shaped table for anyone to sit at, so guests can mingle if they’d like. We had a really great lunch there followed by an afternoon hike on the Dorman Point Trail. We found the main trail branched off on to a lesser known trail that provided some breathtaking views of Bowen Island and the mainland. The kind of views that you can’t capture on film, no matter how hard you try.

I could write pages about Bowen Island – and for those of you who live in BC, I think you’ll want to visit it sometime this summer if you can! We’re planning to go back in September to explore more and see if we’d like to make it our new home.

~Posted by: Amy

Top right photo is courtesy of: Bowenhomes.ca

Nixxi Fall Preview

It’s pretty clear I’m falling for Nixxi’s autumn collection! I had one look at their fall preview and knew I needed to post about it. Nixxi is a Vancouver line and you’ll find that their collections are always sleek, wearable, and great for the environment too. This season’s collection is constructed from soft fabrics like organic cotton, organic wool, and hemp jersey. You’ll find the collection in stores and online here in mid-August!

~Posted by: Amy

Allison Wonderland – Fall 2010 Preview

You say summer – I say Fall! With the weather we’ve been having around here, perhaps it’s not too tough to get the seasons confused. Either way – I’m pretty thrilled to share a preview of Vancouver designer Allison Wonderland’s Fall 2010 collection with you today. All of the fun pieces from Allison’s fall collection have been cleverly named after films from the 1970’s, such as the plaid Annie Hall blouse and the Kramer turtleneck. You’ll be able to purchase the collection online and in stores beginning mid-August!

~Posted by: Amy

It’s shaping up to be another very fun weekend in Vancouver! A wonderful group of local artisans is teaming up to bring you Studio Shop. You’ll find a beautiful selection of handmade pottery, art, jewelry, handbags and more from some of the cities most talented makers. With a few of the designers offering special discounts and wine and cheese at the ready – this is a sale not to be missed.

Sale Participants:

Handbags & Accessories
Bronsino
Patina Designs

Pottery and Ceramics
Dahlhaus
Cul de Sac
Eikcam
Hey Day Designs
Kelly Austin Design

Jewelry
Su Foster Jewellery

I’ve had my eye on Eikcam’s gorgeous handmade pottery and jewelry for quite some time and felt this sale is the perfect opportunity to highlight it. Each one of her pieces is so unique and wonderfully detailed – do take a look at the rest of her work here.

Studio Shop Event Details:
975 & 965 Vernon Drive, East Vancouver (Mergatroid Studios)
Sat. June 26th & Sun. June 27th: 11am-5pm daily

~Posted by: Amy

Vancouver Events

Swap-o-rama-rama Vancouver is here! What is swap-o-rama-rama you ask? Well, it’s a super fun opportunity to swap your gently used clothing and crafts with other locals this Saturday, June 26th. Not only will you get to trade for fun, new to you items – they’ll also have a station set up if you’d like to do some upcycling right on the spot – with screenprinting and sewing machines available. Admission is just $5 if you pay in advance, $6 if you pay at the door.

Click here for all the details.

~Posted by: Amy

Images above: 1). Urban Pink 2). Wren & Chickadee 3). Alice B Gardens

Sweet Links of the Week – Vancouver Events & more

1). Did somebody say cupcake?? Vancouver’s first cupcake challenge is this Sunday, details here.

2). My favorite non-profit, Just Work, will be taking part in the Commercial Drive Car Free event on Sunday. Pick a street, any street (Car Free Day takes place at numerous Vancouver locations) – and enjoy food, merchandise from unique vendors and more. Click here for details.

3). Thanks to Timothy at Handmade Spark for interviewing me recently – you can read the full interview here.

4). How gorgeous are these personalized table linens that Kim Vallee posted here.

Well kids, that’s a wrap! Hope you have some fun weekend plans. I have the whole day off on Sunday, away from work and the computer… Still trying to decide just what to do – maybe a hike, or some time at the cupcake contest – and also hoping to stop by one of the Car Free Day festivals. Whatever you do, I hope you’ve got some time for fun – would love to hear your plans!

~Posted by: Amy

Why do we love Adhesif clothing so much? Not only is each piece gorgeous and unique – we’re also impressed that designer Melissa Ferreira takes great pains to upcycle vintage clothing into all new creations.

Melissa’s new boutique not only stocks her own line, but also other local favorites such as Little Houses, Dru’s Designs and Bronsino amongst many others.

For you out of towners you can also visit Adhesif’s online shop – and Little Houses has a wonderful Etsy shop here too.

Visit Adhesif Clothing’s Boutique at:
2202 Main Street (corner of E 6th Ave), Vancouver
Tuesday-Saturday: 11 to 7 – Sunday 11 to 5 – Monday: Closed

~Posted by: Amy

Store pics courtesy of: Roger Mahler of Union Photographers