Etsy Made in Canada

Just two weeks until the Etsy Made in Canada Show at the Bell Sensplex in Kanata! At last check the Facebook event page had 10.4 thousand RSVP's, which is craaa-zy. I'm a little scared, I won't lie. I've been busily sewing during baby's naptimes, and hope I'm prepared! Hope to see you all there — it's going to be a fun and festive event!

(Due to the large number of intended visitors to the show, a second day has been added on the Sunday, but I will only be set up on the Saturday.)

Gnomes Around The Globe!

Check out my fun new page (soon-ish to be a website of it's own), and fun spin-off project: Gnomes Around the Globe!

A little word for 2015

Hello! I feel the need to introduce myself because it's been so long... (blows dust off keyboard)... I guess it's not too surprising that with a wee babe on the scene now, I haven't been able to keep up with blogging. How naive I was to think that I would have more time while on maternity leave! Oh, this humble pie is delicious!

Well, let's start the year off fresh! Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a lovely and restful holiday filled with laughter and good times, and perhaps some quiet time curled up in a cozy nook with your favourite book and a cup of tea.

Welcome, twenty-fifteen! Twenty-fourteen sure was an epic year, and I am so excited for all to come this year. I do love this time of year for that hope-filled feeling of starting fresh; reflecting on the past year, and thinking about what you want to manifest in the months ahead. To that end, I have picked one little word. As Ali describes, it's a word to focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as you go about your daily life. The word I've chosen is pause. Pause to take the time; make the time to really notice. Pause to recognize all the wonderful little things, and to feel gratitude. Pause to listen, instead of speak. Pause to really gather my thoughts before jumping to a conclusion. Pausing before rushing straight into the next task.

With life zooming as it does at lightning speed (how is Fletcher almost 5 months old already?!), I want to stay grounded and present in the hereness — soak up every morsel of every day — frequently take a little pause to appreciate and savour each moment.

What's your word?

613 Pop-up Shop, in Almonte, this Saturday!

Come to Almonte this coming Saturday, October 25th for Support Local's lineup of awesome events! 

I'll be at the 613 Pop-up Shop at the Old Town Hall, 14 Bridge St, Almonte, from 10am-4pm. Featuring makers from all over the area with local bands serenading your pop-up shopping experience. I'll have a fresh new batch of Gnome Stuffies as well as all my regular wares: wee fabric houses and puppets for all!

And if you need a ride, there's a shuttle for $15 per person, and includes a return trip from downtown Ottawa to Almonte. Visit uniiverse.com/supportlocalshuttle to book your tickets.

Happy birthday to my Etsy shop!

Exactly one year ago today, I opened my Etsy shop! And what an exciting year of designing and creating it has been — it is such a joy to be able to do what I love, and I am so thankful for all of your wonderful support and encouragement! Thank you so much!

And though I'm taking a bit of a break now to focus on my new little bundle, I am looking forward to many years to come!

And just like that, life is forever changed.

It will never cease to amaze me how unique each and every birth story is. And how often you hear that things go differently than what had been hoped or expected. Well, our birth story is definitely not what we had planned, hoped, or expected. Rather than the natural homebirth we had planned, what resulted was a 52-hour labour: we laboured at home for 40 hours, making very little progress, then transitioned to Monfort hospital for an intervention-laden birth that I had been trying to avoid. Had you told me ahead of time how it was going to pan out, I would have been so upset, and yet, on the other side of it now, I feel so incredibly positive about the whole thing, and I realize that I did end up with the empowering birthing experience I was hoping for.

He's here!

The little Mr finally arrived! He was born to our joyous arms on Monday, August 11th at 11:32pm. We are deliriously in love, and can't stop watching his incredible range of expressions and listening to all his adorable coos and gurgles. And just like that, life is forever changed. I'm working on writing out his birth story in between feedings and trying to sleep, before I forget, and so that I can share it with you. More soon!