wOOly Nesting Blankets: the straw bale home collection

wOOly Owl's nesting blanket: The straw bale home collection

Inspired by my husband John, this collection is a reflection of our future together. After searching for the past year, John and I found a beautiful piece of land where we intend to build a sustainable existence. I have always wanted to live in a way that if I take something from the earth I can return it as easily as it had been extracted in the first place. 

To achieve this dream, we plan on building a sustainable Straw-bale or cordwood home,  a garden for self-sufficiency,  grow winter vegetables, mushrooms, farm bees, raise chickens and goats, preserve and can our goods, and live as off grid as we can

I am looking forward to that cold winter day when I am sitting in my studio in our hand-built home. I will be sipping my own organic handpicked tea and creating all that is wOOly. 

To this Dream,

       I offer my wOOly Nesting Blankets: The Straw bale Home collection

The Straw bale Home Collection is an amalgamation of every aspect of who I am and what I want to achieve. By taking fragments of up-cycled wool, I have quilted them together and created images of Straw bale homes nestled in Muskoka landscapes. 

100% up-cycled wool, 100% certified organic cotton, and 100% handmade with love from me to you.

Until our next chat,

{o,o}  The wOOly Owl

|)__)

-”-”-

Inspiration

Muskoka, Ontario.
One of the most beautiful places I have ever lived. Such a vivid place which offers plenty of inspiration.

wOOly Soaker

                            Toddler size soaker

                   Corresponding owl and soaker

Pretty tO lOOk at wOOly Owls

                    Reclaimed clay button eyes and Alpaca batting

                            Reclaimed lace collar wings

Craft Affairs

I never realized how hunting for the perfect craft fair was like searching for the perfect partner...

Among sewing up a storm, scheduling to meet with moms for sizing and product trials, fixing broken needles and the regulars of life, I decided it was time to enlist my products into a Winter Craft Fair. I had spent many hours online searching for the right location, a fair that would encompass all that is me and my wOOly things. It was like an online dating service, sifting through the potentials, discarding some because they were too big or too small, some that seemed a bit strange and others too pretentious.

Large Venues: Throughout my searching I began feeling completely overwhelmed with all of the potential opportunities that are out there for artisans such as myself. I landed on the One-of-a-Kind website http://www.oneofakindshow.com/xmas10/index.php. The cost alone to have a booth was startling and a quick decision was made that I will participate in that event next year (probably the spring show?) seeing as that would be an investment too large to invest in at this time......and the sheer size of the whole arrangement was startling.  It was mentioned that over 7000 people pass your booth in JUST ONE DAY!!! The level of inventory needed to supply such a large group of people seriously gave me an ulcer. At the same time however, I see the excitement and possibilities in such a huge event and look forward to the day when I am prepared to take on such a large venue. Like the bad boy of fairs.......exciting, but maybe not yet appropriate.

Closed Venues: So just as I set my eyes on the prize candidate, The Muskoka 2010 Arts and Crafts Christmas show and sale http://www.muskokaartsandcrafts.com/Christmas_Show/christmas_show.htm  (Saturday, November 27, 2010 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 28, 2010 11am-4pm), I was informed that those who were interested had already been selected and JURIED. Juried!! (The stand-up)

Side note: I commend those who have had their prized pieces of craft rejected from any Craft show and continue to work and better their products, because I have to say, that would require major dedication and determination for one’s true passion and craft.  (Rejection)

Closed Venues Part Two: So then, here I am faced with disappointment, the one I wanted was unavailable...It’s like after a bad break-up and you think you will never love again and then you get your hair cut and you meet the perfect man ......

Raymond:  That is what I felt about Raymond. November 13. Craft Sale at the Raymond Community Hall 9:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. November 13^th Expect Jams, jellies, baking, honey, sewing, jewellery, folk art and much, much more. (And YES the wOOly Owl)

I knew when I set eyes on the advert that it was the right one for me. I called and the sweetest lady answered the phone with a warming "hello" and a comfortable how do "you do?" She offered me a booth for a reasonable amount along with tips and advice for my first (ever) craft fair and then together we set the date.

Side note #2 (I now live happily with my fiancé John (Husband for short), best friend and best ever hairstylist)

Good Goals: My intention for entering into a fair is to inspire me to create more and to be directed into the arms of handmade fanfare; to keep the stakes high and to encourage new and innovative ideas. I have downsized all of my glorious ideas into seven amazing products of which I will pour my heart and soul into each and every piece. I even tailored my organic supplier into two potential sources (a serious accomplishment).  This week I have focused on creating my logo and designing a sense of who I am and what the wOOly Owl stands for. Likened to the reflection of your choice of partner in life, so is the choice of Christmas craft fairs.....and I think I found the perfect date:  Raymond. 

Until our next chat,

{o,o}  The wOOly Owl

|)__)

-”-”-

100% Up-cycled wOOl sOakers

 

The wOOly Owl is proud to present,

                                       100% up cycled wOOly sOakers

                Remember in my last blog how I mention that "One of the most important facts about wool is its natural tendency to wick away and resist water...... oh yeah and that it is temperature regulating. My wOOly diaper cOvers hold in your baby's urine while keeping it at body temperature to ensure a uninterrupted sleep, (which means you sleep more and the whole family is happy again!!)"

$23.00/ soaker......


{o,o}  The wOOly Owl
|)__)
-”-”-

The Best Thing My Boss Taught Me

I have to say that these last few days have been a bit inspiramidating. This is my word to guiltlessly say that I have been feeling a bit intimidated by all of those sewers out there who have just as many great ideas as I yet are a year ahead of me in their practice.....all of their pretty postings on Etsy (check out my shop @ http://www.etsy.com/people/thewOOlyOwl ) and knithack force me to have something to compare my work with......but that should inspire me right?

The more I jumped into the rabbit hole that is organic sewing and the whole natural movement in general, the more I felt like here I am at the beginning, a newbie, that young girl who walks into the sewing store looking for lanolin and gets that timeless look from the other ladies who say...oh well so and so are already doing that.......... well made me feel like, "Damn, I have bitten off a really big chunk to swallow!" Starting a business and following my passion had one small catch....

Competition.

Okay...so the words of wisdom.....
 As a BC girl I had the privilege of working with a woman who impacted me in more ways than one.

                                                                       Mary

Mary Lucas is the owner of the Victoria artery of Hip Baby. I worked with Mary for a few character building months before my adventures brought me to Muskoka. One thing that placed Mary on my Top Ten List of Strong Woman in My Life was her attitude about competition, or in her words, partners.

 From the beginning, Mary made a strong conviction that there will always be other business that will sell the same products as you. Instead of looking at these businesses as competition or intimidation, Mary takes the professional and positive approach that, not only are other individuals in the same field as you valuable connections, they set the level of standards by which each business can inspire the other to become better, to deliver higher customer service and products and to have an all around, more positive and lasting enterprise.

 I had to compare my insecurities with her attitude and realized that my intimidation came from the desire that I want to be successful in this area of my life. Sewing to me is what makes me happy. It is what makes me lose track of time and it is what makes me feel independent from others around me. To realize that others out there are jumping onto the green dragon made me want to jump on as well which in turn stressed me out that I would somehow (in the matter of a week) miss my great opportunity to ride to my own green success. STOP Alissa, realize that with time the hands become wiser and so does the spirit.

So as I sat there is my sewing room inspecting my work, ensuring that my seams were right and that I needed to focus on craftsmanship and that extra handmade touch, I realized that there is a huge source out there of inspiration if you only chose to see it that way. Yes, there are others out there who are up-cycling and creating beautiful hand made things....I will take their efforts, work harder, pay attention to detail, slow down, and dammit, Love every minute of it.

To all of those out there creating beauty with their hands, you are my inspiration.


{o,o}  The wOOly Owl
|)__)
-”-”-