very exciting

I follow several vegan Instagram accounts for food inspiration and, through Nom Yourself, I found some very exciting shoe inspiration: Nicora Johns. 

Nicora Johns is an American brand founded by shoemaker Stephanie Fryslie. The brand is a reaction to two things: (i) unemployed American artisans who could be benefiting from having full-time fulfilling work as craftspeople making shoes yet are out of work while Americans spend billions of dollars annually on shoes, and (ii) between the chemicals required to treat leather or make synthetic materials, and the agricultural destruction caused by overgrazing livestock, shoe materials make the top ten list of the world's most polluting industries every year. 

Nicora Johns is a project that hopes to pave the way for an eco-consious and socially-conscious US shoe industry comeback. 

All the shoes are crafted from high quality man-made materials (i.e. they are vegan, people, no animals harmed). Since the shoes are handmade locally and the materials are bought from local suppliers, they are able to make custom sizes for little or no extra cost and the customer can choose custom materials and colours. To add good news to good news, the average price point is under $100.

All photos from Nicora Johns. Shoes can be purchased on Kickstarter.  

put a bird on it

... Or a fox, or a rabbit, or a hedgehog, or some carrots, or a camper van. I don't care, they are all lovely! 

My sweet and charming friend Dan sent me a card in the mail for my birthday from the other side of the country and inside the card was a small square of brown cardstock covered in tiny owl nail stickers created by Kate Broughton. I really dig owls. 

Of course, he managed to find one of the only shops in Canada that sells this stuff so I went online. On Kate's site, you can find all types of lovely things. All the drawings are hers and she handmakes each item. 

rabbit pocket mirror

 cacti writing set

 caravan tote bag 

 

hedgehog notepad

veggie gift wrap 

whales of the world pins 

woodland creatures nail stickers

All images (except the nail photo) from katebroughton.co.uk. Nail photo by me, filter by Instagram.

typeset

You may have noticed I am in love with my neighbourhood. From deep fried pickles and veggie corn dogs at 1 a.m. with Andrea to a soap shop that lets you fill up your own container and sells bamboo toothbrushes. And then there is the dim sum, the winter's farmers market, cocktails that taste like cream soda, buildings that let you have pets, plus several of my best friends are my neighbours... Shall I go on?

One more thing to add to the list is my new stop for really great cards or card craft supplies: The Regional Assembly of Text on Main St @ 23rd Ave. Not only do they have really pretty cards that are reasonably priced (suck it eight dollar bookstore cards), the employees are lovely, and the place is stocked with paper supplies as well as button-making materials that you get to use to make our own unique sweet stuff.  

Just in time for February birthdays (like mine).  

All photos from The Regional Assembly of Text.

it has gotten worse

But I still love you all, I will probably survive (although that is not 100% guaranteed), and I am building a collection of ideas for posts that I will be sharing when I am able. 

I am a bit sad that I am so occupied because the pre-holiday period is such a good time to talk about food and crafts but I do have two small tips:

SHINY FUZZY MUDDY holiday craft fair is on at HERITAGE HALL on the weekend of DECEMBER 8-9.

GYPSY VINTAGE MARKET is holding court at FORTUNE on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16 (5-midnight). 

Since you have lots of time, if you were shopping for me, I would suggest some of my favourite online shops: Solestruck, Yo Vintage, The Caravan, Black Milk, and Nasty Gal. 

And while we are on the subject of the internet, Miss Moss puts together some very exellent gift guides. 

xx Aubrie.

crafty mommas

I am pretty sure it is not going to be difficult to convince you (if you are not already in this camp) that smaller is better. It is the cute factor and I know it but I still get sucked in. Consider:

Babies are better than teenagers. 

Yes, partially because they are submissive and will listen to your music without complaint but also because they are smaller. And their small feet need small shoes that you can make yourself. If you have a sewing machine, which I do not. But I also do not have a baby. 

Find the how-to here. 

Photos and craft idea from a beautiful mess.

the knit kid

My knitting situation is currently on hold because I dropped a stitch and my brain is so full (of law stuff, I assume)... that I have forgotten how to save the damn stitch. So I wait. For Robyn and my schedules to align so my Knit Yoda can help me.

Luckily, other people can still weave wonders with their needles and one of those people is Sabrina Weigt. She is based out of Berlin and running a line called the knit kid. Thank you to Tyla for pointing her out to me.

All photos from the knit kid on etsy.

quick note

Mother's Day is this Sunday (May 13) and a beautiful mess has really cute idea for cards if you are the folksy craft type. Quilted cards.

Photo from a beautiful mess. 

a beautiful mess

Spring is in the air. And what that means is it smells like barbeque and sunscreen outside. The sunscreen might be in my imagination but I swear I can't walk more than a block without smelling someone else's dinner sizzling.

But what am I doing out and about, really? You know and I know I am hitting the books right now and my jaunt outdoors was in the name of groceries. And maybe a small tea. And maybe a small chat with a friend.

While I am getting my learn on, I wanted to leave you with some craft-inspiration because that is what spring really is about. Creating. Eleven more days, and I will get to join the real world again. You're all invited. 

Enough about me. Meet the babes behind A Beautiful Mess. 

Photo from a beautiful mess.