April 2013 Shows: Coming to a neighborhood near you!

Polka dot crop jacket, comes in two versions

Harobed Designs, my company, is currently booked to do three shows this April!

Rather than create a separate blog post for each, I've decided to post once and put all the details in a single post, for everyone's reference.


Here are the dates and cities; full location details are at the end of the post, below the photos.






Sunday, April 14 - Thornhill, ON

Shawl in abstract design, from silk pieces

Sunday, April 21 - Bronte, ON

Saturday, April 27 - Waterdown, ON

With the approach of summer, I'll probably be changing the mix of items I offer, although everything has been designed here in Canada and made here as well.

Periwinkle cozy wrap

I'm still rather surprised - and sometimes shocked -  that, for some show visitors, the "Made in Canada' moniker seems to be a turnoff. These folks actually favor factory-made product from India and China;  when it is offered by one of the vendors, that's what sells.

Some shows have stricter policies and do not admit foreign imports

One-of-a-kind vest

Detail of vest

April 14, 2013

B.A.Y.T. Craft and Gift Sale, 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sponsorhood by the Sisterhood of BAYT synagogue, to raise funds for their community outreach work

Peony & sea foam hangers

613 Clark Avenue West, corner York Hill Blvd. Thornhill, ON, near Bathurst Street.

The show is in the wedding hall. Parking is available!



April 21, 2013

Spring Has Sprung!  10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bronte Legion Branch 486
79 Jones St. Oakville, ON near Lakeshore Rd.

Sponsred by The Paper Bag Bride.  Beneficiaries may be a local dog rescue organization, which the craft sale organizer hopes to have on site, with dogs for adoption.

I've been told there's "tons" of free parking spots and lots around!

April 27, 2013

Hostess pinny in sunflower

2nd Annual Spring Artisan & Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by the Waterdown Legion's Ladies Auxiliary (Branch 551)
Proceeds allow the Ladies Auxiliary to continue their work with veterans and their families.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at:

deborah(dot)harobeddesigns(at)gmail(dot)com

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

  

Winter Blues Vendors and Craft Bazaar (Feb. 23, 2013)

Who says you have to have the blues in winter? It's easy to avoid them by doing some shopping.

Whether you're looking for yourself - or for birthday or wedding gifts - you'll find plenty to choose from at the upcoming Winter Blues and Craft Bazaar.

Harobed Designs is taking part - and we're already wondering about the merchandise we'll be offering...







Is it still a good time of year to offer one of our luxurious tea cozies?












Or how about adding some sunshine to someone's life, via our sunflower yellow apron?

Then, there's always a selection of our Cozy Wraps, lightweight but super warm, in case anyone is going on a cruise or will be in overly air-conditioned places in the not-too-distant future...









Or, shall we give fashionistas a head-start on spring weather, with one of our one-of-a-kind vests?

All these and many more of the items we make are possible. But, to know for sure, you'll have to come out and join the fun!!

The Winter Blues Vendors and Craft Bazaar is being held at:

Erindale Presbyterian Church
1560 Dundas St. West
Mississauga, ON

The church is located just to the east of Mississauga Road, if my consultation of online maps serves me well.

Or, you can call the church for directions: 905-277-4564.

The show runs from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 23, 2013!

See you there!


Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

Unleash Your Inner Scarlet Woman!

February is all about Heart! Not only do we have Valentine's Day on February 14, the entire month has been chosen as heart month.

As a result, my company, Harobed Designs, is offering to donate $5 to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, for any item purchased from the following, curated from our collection for our Unleash Your Inner Scarlet Woman special.


First, we offer several items in sumptuous velvet - stretch velvet, that can be washed in most cases.

 Pullover in luscious red velvet with white fox trim, size M

 Flirty Velvet vest with ruffle trim, size M

 Deep Crimson Poet jacket, one size fits most.

 Regal velvet vest with satin back and half-belt at back, size M

 Sheer scarlet cover-up, with black trim, one-size-fits-most








 Our Cranberry Glamor Wrap adds a touch of luxury to whatever you're wearing, especially when you are too busy to change before going out. A travel must-have! One-size-fits-most.




















You can also unleash your inner scarlet woman in more subtle ways... as with scarlet accents.

 Silk noil hostess pinny with stunning scarlet poppies. One-size-fits-most - and it's wasahble!

 There's no limit to where you can add a dash of scarlet! Chic hangers such as these give new life to your closet!

 Another cover-up option. Stylish enough to wear out and about - or save it for the boudoir. Again, scarlet adds a subtle but stunning accent. One-size-fits-most.

To purchase, please go to our Shopsite at the following link. Please note, to return to this page, you'll need to use your browser back button, not the Shopsite links.

http://www.deborahcsawyer.com/shopsite_sc/page6.html

Questions about items can be sent by email or via our office line 416-968-0786 or 716-852-2220.
Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

A Sweetheart Deal! (February 2, 2013)

If you didn't get shopping out of your system over the holidays late last year, here's another opportunity!


Even better, the Sweetheart Gift Show and Crafts Sale will provide opportunities to contribute to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, just bring all your pennies for the donation jar.

Other than that, admission is free and you can shop till you drop, at least for a few hours.

And...  Harobed Designs is taking part! Once again, it's short notice, so we're busy planning what we'll offer for sale...

For example, even if you won't get an opportunity to spice up your love life this Valentine's Day, you can spice up your closet - or the closet of a friend - with some of our sensuous silk and satin padded hangers.



Perhaps you have more conventional plans for February 14?



In that case, we'll bring some of our flirty pinnies or perhaps a little something in red velvet?







Then again, it's that time of year when people make plans to travel. Harobed Designs' one-of-a-kind vests make great travel accessories.

They fold up really small and offer great ways for wardrobe stretching as you gad about on your travels.

 All are made from re-purposed fabrics and ribbons, many from remnants that would otherwise have been discarded, and are completely washable.

Then again, maybe we should be more practical? After all, this is Canada and it is winter... So perhaps we'll offer some of our fleece vests, which combine the warmth of fleece with some extra style!

To join in the fun, here are the details you need:

Sweetheart Gift Show and Crafts Sale
Saturday, February 2, 2103
Noon to 5 p.m.
Port Dalhousie Legion
Rooms 1 and 2
57 Lakeport Rd.
St.Catharines ON
905-934-1261


Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

A true gem of a vest

With most of the vests and other items Harobed Designs makes, we create one-of-a-kind pieces and, occasionally, limited run quantities.

I strive to make each item truly a gem. Sometimes, this happens almost by chance. I found myself with some lovely teal ribbon plus some metallic ribbon with a hint of teal in it. Voila! A vest design suggested itself and I got to work

.
The result is truly special. The photos don't do this item justice. You really need to see it in person. It will pair beautifully with white... black... gray... teal... and delicate silver lurex if you have a top in that fabric. The teal can be picked up by the stones in your jewellery.

This vest is also ideal for any woman who prefers silver jewelery - the cool fire of the moon - as opposed to the hot fire of the sun (gold).

Such a vest is also a boon when you're travelling, especially if you are on a tour or other trip with a lot of sit-down dinners. With the right colors in your suitcase, just one skirt or pair of slacks, 2 or 3 tops, and 2 or 3 vests like this one, and you're all set.

As for this little gem, we'll be offering it for sale at the Made By Hand Show. It comes in Medium size only.

And only one lucky woman can own it!

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer

This season, not just shades of gray...

There's been a lot of attention paid to gray lately with the publication of the book, 50 Shdes of Grey, but it's not just literature where gray is strong.



Some people are even referring to gray as the new black and, in truth, it is far more multi-seasonal an option than black. In the warmer weather, black can look heavy and make you feel heavy, whereas gray is lighter in look and color.



And, when temperatures drop, gray in suede, wools, knits, silks, etc., creates an extremely elegant silhouette for women of all ages.



With that in mind, I've created a few gray pieces for the upcoming Made By Hand Show on October 27, 2012, in S, M and L sizing.


These vests are truly versatile, you can wear them over a maxi dress... with a sweater and slacks... with a tunic and leggings, ...with a two-piece skirt suit, to turn it into a 3-piece and add another very stylish layer to your outfit.
The fronts of these vests feature our signature Maypole Weave (TM) fabric while the backs are made from washable micro-suede.

The photos show just three of these designs - and, just for those who truly seek the individual and unique, NO TWO ARE ALIKE. When you purchase one of these vests, you will truly own an original!

You can also learn more about Harobed Designs on our Facebook page, including an overview of some earlier designs:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harobed-Designs/167779129904463

For show details, please go to http://www.madebyhandshow.com

Glamor! Style! Luxury! - and 100% washable!

Ebony with butterfly motifs

Many people nowadays try to avoid having too many garments that need dry-cleaning. For one thing, some dry-cleaning methods are not environmentally-friendly, for another, there's the cost associated with dry-cleaning.






At the same time, not all fabrics can be washed. The real reason they cannot be washed is that they don't have memory built into their yarns or fibers to spring back into shape after washing. In other words, the washing isn't really the issue, it's how the garment dries up that's the problem.

Teal with maple leaves

No such problems exist with the Glamor Wraps (TM) from my company Harobed Designs, I'm pleased to say. The glamorous satin crepe fabric is 100% washable as are the Dupioni silk motifs we applique onto the wraps.

A show volunteer in an amethyst Glamor Wrap

Dressing up a gray sweater and slacks with a cranberry wrap

Another plus is that these wraps fold up well for travel and spring back into shape relatively quickly. We designed them to offer women an option for dressing up in a hurry.






No need to take off a comfy sweater and slacks to go out, just pop on a color-coordinating Glamor Wrap and you're good to go!



Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer




Don't forget. We're at the Made By Hand Show on October 27, 2012. Details at the following link:
http://www.madebyhandshow.com