Greek wedding crowns

Untitled by Halyma
Untitled, a photo by Halyma on Flickr.

I had a last minute call this week to create two matching crowns for an upcoming wedding blessing ceremony.

I quite enjoyed the creating of these two pieces . It’s been a while since anyone has requested a headpiece as fresh floral head wear has become very poplar, but it’s nice to see a resurgence of headpieces with pearls and beads.

We’ll see where this takes us!
These will go off this week to enhance a marriage ceremony and I am pleased to have been able to help at the last minute this way!

Spring is almost here – and the craft fairs cometh!

The next one I’ll be setting up at :

First Annual Spring Art and Craft Sale at the Firehall

Come down to the Old Firehall Sunday, April 10th from 10 am – 3 pm for OSCA’s first ever spring sale featuring  the work of our very own local craftsmen and artists. A great opportunity to purchase some truly one of a kind gifts: featuring jewelry, paintings, cards, baked goods, photography, and more. Although all vendor tables are now reserved, call (613) 247-4946 or email osca@oldottawasouth.ca to be added to the waiting list.

LOTS OF ECO-TAV Napkins and Pouches and maybe some new stuff!!

 

Aisle Sample Sale – March 27, 2011

Aisle Style Sample Sale

Sunday, March 27, 2011

10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where:
107 Murray Street, Weddings InStyle, Ottawa, Ontario.

Website: FACEBOOK EVENT

 

Tracey of TAV Creations/Eco-TAV accompanying Luxe Bridal!

AS I create custom made dresses, I don’t actually have the luxury of carrying a line of samples in house. So no, I won’t be selling samples of original TAV Creations pieces here. I will be using my Eco-TAV sewing skills to help support “Dress for Success”, the charity event involved with this showcase of fabulous ready made gowns!

With my new adventures with Luxe Bridal Salon on Dalhousie Street, as their “Alterations Specialist”, the lovely ladies have invited me to tag along with them to this fun event and asset brides in getting a quick idea of alterations as they explore purchasing gowns from Luxe!

I am all about being flexible and creative in my journeys into the Sparkly side of life and am really looking forward to being a part of this amazing Ottawa opportunity!

 

TAV creations/ Halyma

CliCK on the Photo for more pics!

@ecotav or @halyma, originally uploaded by Halyma.

My booths at all trade shows represent my universe of creativity/activity/craziness!
The Ottawa Dancers’ Bazaar is not different!

With just about 200 people coming through the doors, our numbers have been declining in mass but increasing in sensitiveness – the folks who are coming in are all leaving with something so we know they are there to shop!

With everyone classes down a bit over the past few years, it’s easy to see why we are not swamped with folks to entire afternoon. At the same time, it is so nice to see all of the familiar faces, and meet the folks who have emailed me over the years and now I finally see them in person.

So, once again, I take the Monday after the Bazaar to reflect and clean up – repacking the volunteer box, putting away the tents and poles and everything fun we use to create a comfortable relaxed atmosphere for our shoppers and vendors….

NExt one will be October 16th, 2011. Yes, deposit has been made.  Registration for vendors will take place in September.  Bug me then 🙂

But in the meantime, if you are looking for some great belly dance or bollywood goodies and did not make it to the bazaar, but sure to check out this link for the bazaar vendors who have websites, and the Shopping Opportunities page connected to the Dancers’ News for other vendor info !

And if you know of anywhere amazing to get stuff throughout the year – please post the info in the comments !

Thanks to all who came, supported, shopped, sold and how lucky are we-we’re a part of a great community here in Ottawa!

3 Saturdays to save money- what a bad title…

… let me rephrase that!

Over 3 Saturday mornings, 2 hours per session, I’ll be teaching folks how to sew – with the assumption that you have no previous experience or just that high school class you took a few years back!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

There are a few spaces remaining, and the class is limited so that i can spend time with each person as we go along!  Sign up soon if you would like to get sewing!

    Sewing Level 1 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:

Learn how to hem your own pants, sew on your own buttons and the very basics of sewing! This course is based on hand work, with the option to bring in your sewing machine for the second class.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, Feb 26 , March 5 and Mar 12, 2011 – 10:00 AM  to 12 noon
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.

Sewing Lessons in Ottawa

After a very successful first run in the fall, I will be offering two more 6 hour sessions coming up this winter!  Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

The first session coming up in late January  is actually a Level 2 course – continuing on the information taught in the Level 1 course from the fall.

    Sewing Level 2 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:Learn to alter your clothes, install a zipper and general repairs. Hand and sewing machine work. Basic store bought patterns will be covered.

Info: Muslin will be provided and a basic zipper.  Students may choose to bring in their own projects to work on. An information sheet will be provided upon registration or via email.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, Jan 29 to Feb 12, 2011 – 10:00 AM  to 12 noon
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.


And to revisit the basics:

    Sewing Level 1 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:

Learn how to hem your own pants, sew on your own buttons and the very basics of sewing! This course is based on hand work, with the option to bring in your sewing machine for the second class.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, Feb 26 to Mar 12, 2011 – 10:00 AM 2.00 hours
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.

 

IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND AND WANT SOME SEWING HINTS, CHECK MY VIDEO LESSONS PAGE !

What to do for the holidays and gift giving?

I think everyone reading this will already be part of the choir, so I won’t let this turn into a rant – I swear!

With the Bombardment having begun before Halloween was even over, and now the US has had its weekend of shopping/ feeding frenzy, which seems to affect a lot of us up here in the Great White North too, it all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Encouraging local shopping, supporting the artisans in the area, and trying to keep from running amuck  are annual events for me and my hubby.  The entire concept of gift giving out of obligation is an incredible marketing tool – so at least if you are getting it on sale, then you are winning too right?

We don’t give gifts anymore.  Or at least in a very limited way.  If we do give something physical, it’s either a re-gift [ if I cannot use it and you can, I’m happy to pass it along any time of year – holiday time included!] or it’s a piece from a local artist or someone we know even if they are not local.

We give to charity on your behalf most of the time.  Last year, I set up the Canada Helps Eco-TAV/TAV Creations page to let our friends and family know what charities we give to.  And sometimes we let the recipient choose by giving a gift card.

Our support of the economy happens all year round, so we try to not go crazy this time of year, but sometimes a bit of crazy is fun.

This year, I’ve used some of the reclaimed textiles that have come my way to make fun little and big reusable gift bags.  Based on my classic Eco-TAV Pouch design, these bags are also french seamed with the flip top, and can be typed with your own ribbon or in the case of the smaller ones, just flipped and they’ll be fine!

I’ll be putting photos and details up on my Artisan page soon, and will figure out some sort of special offer for those purchasing the standard Eco-TAV Napkins and Pouches – if you get a set, you can have them gift wrapped in a gift bag… that kinda thing.

I do have to say that it feels a bit funky, offering a holiday special, and helping feed the beast of consumerism, but I guess I can remind myself that at least I’m encouraging folks to use re-usable stuff, not disposable… #torn

Happy Holidays … 😀

To Whet Your Appetite…

Witches Gathering: October 30, 2010

Once again, Eco-TAV has contributed to the prizes in for the winning costumes!

Details from the Witches Gathering WEBSITE:

October 30, 2010

Doors Open: 7 PM

Traditional Wiccan Samhain Ritual: 8- 9 PM

Costume Contests/Drumming/Dancing/Libations: 9 PM – 12:30 AM

Dancing And Libations continue until 2 AM

Where is it?
This year the Witches Gathering is moving to Mavericks / Café Dekuf on Rideau Street in Ottawa, Ontario.
Mavericks and Café Dekuf
221 Rideau St. (near the corner of Rideau and Cumberland)
Ottawa ON

This year’s theme is: A Night in an Enchanted Gothic Garden
This year for Samhain, take a midnight stroll through our gothic garden, where beauty and horror live side by side. Tiptoe past the gargoyles and crumbling tombs. Tread warily through tangles of black roses, nightshade and belladonna, and try to ignore the ravens that watch your every move. Life and death, growth and decay, all are intertwined in this shadowy place. Exploring the dark pathways, you will come face to face with the fantastic, the mysterious, the macabre and the bizarre. As the moon rises, what dark secrets will be revealed?
Join us as we invoke the dead and explore our darker sides this coming Samhain…a time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest…