Recently I became a member of the EcoEtsy Street Team. What is a street team? "Etsy Teams are groups of organized Etsy members who network, share skills, and promote their shops and Etsy together. A Team forms around a shared location, crafting medium, or another interest." EcoEtsy is a team of like minded people who have come together because of our care for the environment and to share ways that we can have less impact on this prec… Continue

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THROW-AWAY PLASTIC BAGS I have recently launched a new shop called Kootsac with products that I have been developing for quite some time: re-usable bulk food bags. I was inspired to create them af… Continue

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the things that I try to accomplish in a day. Creating a space of timelessness in my daily life, even if just for a moment, reminds me that there is so much more to life than this constant frenzy of activity.
Today, seeking just such a moment away from my studio, I went out my back door into the softly falling snow. I was surprised and enchanted to see our stone statue of the Buddha seated so serenely in the snow.

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My textile and art studio is on the top floor of our heritage house, which was built in 1909. My workspace had to be put to use immediately when we bought the house and so it's the only room with the original crumbling plaster walls. The rest of our beautiful old vintage lady has been lovingly re-worked with care in preserving her character and integrity. All the window frames and staircases remain original and a lot of our antique furniture comes from the neighborhood.

In the foregrou… Continue

Ever since I started working with the Japanese textile patterning technique called shibori my relationship to the world of cloth has slowed right down. Instead of becoming bored with the tedious nature of binding and stitching cloth, I have embraced the meditative quality of this new process. It has enabled me to realise my connection to textile traditions and women all over the planet. I've also realised the importance of preserving these traditions from cultural extinction so… Continue