Wrap Bracelets

I'm in the process of getting ready for our fall/winter shows, busy creating necklaces and earrings and wrap bracelets. Our wrap bracelets are our most popular item we sell. And as quickly as I make these wraps they seem to disappear in a blink of an eye. My husband does all the hand stamping "Stay True",  "Dream Big", "No Regrets", "Into the Woods" to name a few. I find vintage components: lockets, skeleton keys, chain, parts of broken jewellery, leather and more to create these one of a kind bracelets. These bracelets can actually be worn as necklaces or anklets, 3 pieces of jewellery in one. If anyone would like a wrap bracelet with the colours and wording they want, please get in touch with me, because these don't last long!

Happiness, Sold

Free Spirit, SOLD

Dream Big, Sold

Thank You, Martintown Mill

This pass weekend we participated in our first local show, The Martintown Mill Market and what a wonderful reception we had. 

Every Sunday from June 16th until September 1st the Mill Market is opened from 9am until 4pm. The Mill Market offers locally grown food including organic beef, pork and chicken, local honey and maple syrup products, organic dog biscuits, handmade soap, and seasonal fresh produce. A new art gallery inside the historic mill showcases the works of 4 different artists every week, one of which this past weekend was Crazy Fox. Guests visiting the Mill have an opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy a bit of country culture. We enjoyed ourselves so much, the people are warm and welcoming and the location and atmosphere is wonderful. If you have the time drop by the Mill, meet some talented artists, see a little piece of history, by some local produce and make sure you stay for lunch and have a yummy organic beef burger! We will definitely be participating in some more local shows, thank you Martintown Mill! 

The Martintown Mill was built in 1846 by Alexander McMartin. It is located in the center of the village of Martintown in historic Glengarry county, Ontario. The mill is a charming, rustic building in a picturesque setting on the north bank of the Raisin River. It is a popular destination for tourists. The mill operated by water power that was eventually supplemented with a gas engine. Commercial use of the mill ended in 1947. By 1986 the historic stone mill was near collapse. After several major stabilization projects the mill opened for public access for the first time in 2004.

Martintown Mill

New pieces from Crazy Fox

Check out the Mill on Facebook

Spring is Here!

“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"..."It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...”  The Secret Garden

Finally, after a long winter of hibernation Spring is finally here! It seemed like the most grey and dreary winter in the last 20 years! But, I hear the birds chirping and can smell the ground melting. Soon the buds will be popping up and the world will be abloom again. And I cannot remember a busier winter, so much freelance design work which is good, however in turn I have neglected my blog and Crazy Fox. But, there is big news on the horizon, new adventures and more creations coming, so stay tuned and thanks for your patience. This weekend we will at the Urban Craft - Spring Edition. Featuring over 45 indie & gourmet makers from Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Williamstown! Stop by and visit all these cool talented crafters! Sample some tasty treats and listen to some slick beats! Sunday, March 10th, 10am - 3pm. At the Glebe Community Center, 175 Third Ave. Admission is FREE

And we have some new creations just in time for Spring and you!

NEW! Forget-me-not necklace, made with vintage tin

Handmade Harvest Craft Show - 2012 Swag bags

The Handmade Harvest Craft Show Holiday 2012 Edition is just around the corner, Saturday November 3rd & Sunday November 4th, 2012. The Almonte Old Town Hall will host the 2 day event with approximately 40 different vendors of all sorts each day. Crazy Fox will be participating in the Novemeber 3rd show! This is the best show I’ve ever participated in. One or I should say two of the reasons are Emily Arbour and Colleen Hewitt, they select, organize and market this show like no one else. Another reason is the swag bags, which will be given out to the first 50 Saturday & Sunday shoppers. People line up early in the morning to receive these bags and they hold some of the coolest items. Oh, the show also has the best door prizes, maybe you will get lucky and win yourself a basket full of unique indie crafts!

I have been busy getting my swag bag items completed. This year I made feather brooches. I love and collect feathers, I once spent $185.00 for feathers at an auction (my husband, almost killed me). These feathers were from a milliner (hat-maker) and dated back to the Victorian period. Over the years I have made hair clips, earrings, necklaces and now brooches with these feathers. I hope you think they are cool and I hope you drop by the Handmade Harvest show. Christmas is just around the corner, why not start your shopping and visit the best craft show going!

feather brooches for Handmade Harvest swag bags

Wear these feather brooches, on a hat, purse or a belt

Perfect fall accessory for your coat

Finnegan's Flea Market and Animatch

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. Josh Billings

I always say I'm going to go to Finnegan's Flea market once a month in the summer and it never seems to happen. However this last Saturday, we finally got to Finnegan's for the first time this year. Finnegan's is such a beautiful spot located in Hudson, Quebec. You can spend endless hours visiting all the booths hunting for treasures. This time I did not find too many items, a couple of old tins, which will soon be turned into bracelets, some keys (as seen below), some vintage jewelry (normally I find more, but it is the end of the season) and some really cool vintage medicine bottles, which will be great for backgrounds in photographs. All in all it was a great day, however the real reason I wanted to go was to say Thank You to Animatch. We met Wally, our Norfolk terrier last year at Finnegan's at a "Meet and Greet". Once a month, Animatch brings 3 to 4 dogs to Finnegan's so people can meet these amazing dogs. Each dog has their own story. Animatch finds "forever homes" for every dog that comes through their doors, however long it takes and they do a great job! So thank you to Animatch, my life is so much richer with Wally in it!

Finnegan’s market is open Saturdays from the first Saturday in May to the last Saturday in October. Located at 775 Main Road, Hudson (Trans Canada Highway exit 22) east of Montee Lavigne (Trans Canada Highway exit 17). 

Tapestry Dreams

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by.  Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery.  Oliver Wendell Holmes

When I find a piece of beautiful embroidery it brings me back to my childhood, when I would sew daisy chains with my mother. I would sit for hours trying to get the stitches perfect. My mother had so much patience with me and I'm sure when I went to bed at night Mom would fix my work because every morning my work looked better than the evening before... Over the years all the pieces I had embroidered have disappeared, but my love for the art never has. I often wander flea markets in search of "Tapestry Dreams". I look for table cloths and runners with stains and holes and come home with these treasures and turn them into repurposed items like bracelets, purses, pillows, lamp shades and more. Endless hours have been spent embroidering these pieces and I think it is really nice to honor their beauty and their story. Try some of these ideas yourself, maybe you have a piece of embroidery from your Grandmother waiting to be transformed into a unique one of a kind item!

 And check out some great ideas on my Tapestry Dreams pinterest board

Crazy Fox Bracelets

An amazing moth made with vintage embroidery

Custom initial jewelry with repurposed items

A mother's heart is a patchwork of love.  Author Unknown

I love working with my customers to create unique one of a kind pieces for them.... I worked with Kim to create this wrap charm bracelet with the initials of her three girls. Forever "K" initial wrap bracelet is made from vintage, repurposed and found items. Four letter "K" initials to represent Kim and her three daughters all with the same first letter to their names. An antique typewriter key K, vintage cuff link K, a script K and hand-stamped K create this one of a kind bracelet. "Forever" and "XOXO" is hand stamped into copper and represents Kim's love for her children. This bracelet wraps around the wrist twice and has its own unique story. Copper, brass, metal, pewter, glass repurposed vintage beads, hearts and more. This bracelet can also be worn as a necklace. Two pieces of jewelry in one! and it was a joy to create this for Kim and her girls...

If anyone would like a custom piece please drop me a line and we can talk about your own original piece of jewelry. The bracelet can represent your children or grandchildren or any of your loved ones. A new take on the traditional charm bracelets. Maybe you have a piece of jewelry from your Grandmother or Mother that could be incorporated, a broken necklace or rhinestone brooch. Or maybe a quote that means something to you, "Forever", "Lovely Girls", "With Love"... I made myself a wrap bracelet with the words "With Grace" after my sweet dog Gracie who, passed away last year. I like my pieces to tell a story, a story of love, hope and happiness.

Created for Kim and her girls

Made from copper, brass, metal, pewter, glass repurposed vintage beads, hearts and more.