Spring has Sprung

I love September, but nothing quite compares to the sweet arrival of spring. We may not have had much of a winter, but I did not see any leaves on the trees in February. And now that the time has changed, our lengthening evenings are a treasure.
So here are are a couple of 100 Mile Finds vendors with a touch of spring expressed in their creations:

Chocolate is really an all-seasons kind of product, but these tattooed bunnies and hand painted eggs by COCO Crafted Organic Chocolate are a spring treat I am looking forward to.

Sockbun has been featured in the blog lately, but I could not resist another mention since there is nothing that says Easter or Spring more than a bunny. Lois here (at right) is rocking some spring colours and I am sure would love to be adopted this April.

And finally, the piece at left by Designed by Craig Ewing is called 'Spring Garden of Flowers'. You can wear this little touch of spring all year long.

Happy Spring!

sockbun

Sockbun is a new vendor to join 100 Mile Finds, and we are very excited to introduce Lisa's long eared charmers to you. Sockbuns are cuddly colourful rabbits made from little more than a pair of socks and a bit of thread. Each one has its own personality and style - read a little bit about each character on the site. Featured here are Paul (at left) who is a bit of a book worm, but good at keeping secrets, and the more adventurous Seamus (at right) who will charm you with his Sea Shanties.
Lisa started making sockbuns as "crafty and imaginative Xmas gifts for family and friends and was overwhelmed by the positive response her quirky minions generated. An ex-pharmacy technician, warehouse worker and sometimes blogger, Lisa now makes sockbuns fulltime".
Because of Lisa's love of rabbits, she is a proud supporter of Rabbit Rescue Inc. in Milton Ontario. A portion of the proceeds of each sockbun sale is made to Rabbit Rescue who help find permanent homes for abused, neglected or abandoned domestic rabbits. Now buying local gives you something else to feel good about!
We welcome the entire cast of characters to 100 Mile Finds with the hopes that they all find good homes soon.

I.M. Wyred

New 100 Mile Finds vendor I. M. Wyred was "created with the modern woman in mind. Silver and copper wire are used to create elegant and functional pieces of jewellery. My main line of jewellery is hand-knit with silver and copper wire. Each piece of jewellery is individually handcrafted by myself and uniquely designed out of silver and copper wire, shapes, semi precious stones and pearls. I started knitting when I was seven and I have loved it ever since. When I discovered that you can knit with wire, well I have been hooked. I absolutely love creating jewellery."
These single bangle bracelets were so much fun to create. You can mix and match colours or wear them SOLO. They definitely brighten up any outfit. And the knitted silver bracelet cuff is "Contemporary, Simple and Elegant". I can just imagine this cuff worn with an LBD - gorgeous. Welcome to 100 Mile Finds, I.M.Wyred!

Yours Only by Weronika

100 Mile Finds welcomes new vendors here on the blog, and we are thrilled to introduce Yours Only by Weronika. Here's a little bit about Veronika:
"I fell in love with beads when I was a child. All of the beautiful colors, the different shapes and the endless combination’s you can create just by using beads amazes me to no end. Tiny stones, rocks and gems that have been around for centuries are staple accessories in various cultures, worn by all walks of life, and still they remain one of the strongest ways to express oneself in today’s society. One could say I am obsessed with beads, but I am just very passionate about them. I feel when someone is so passionate about something that passion should be shared with everyone.
That is where my original jewelry designs have come in. I want to share the beauty of beads with people; to make someone feel special and beautiful and even confident when they are wearing one (or many) of my pieces. I want someone to know that they are the only ones in the world who are wearing that necklace or those earrings or that coordinated set. Working from my home in Toronto with my daughter by my side, creating these one-of-a-kind pieces, is a dream come true; a dream that was only realized after I had my gorgeous girl".
We love her original designs and creative use of materials. Welcome to 100 Mile Finds!

aTana Designs

100 Mile Finds welcomes new silver jewellery designer, aTana Designs . The jewelry that Wendy Gardham makes is inspired by nature, art, and travel. Using Precious Metal Clay (PMC), she is able to sculpt intricate designs that when fired produces a piece that is 99.9% pure silver.
Wendy graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and her jewelry has been featured in Sweetspot.ca in 2010.
Featured here are Wendy's silver maple key, and fine silver succulent necklaces. The maple key looks like it has just helicoptered off the tree. What a great Canadiana piece to give to a visitor. The succulent is inspired from the plant so fondly known as Hens & Chickens--a little touch of summer. I am so impressed by the level of detail and almost 'hyper-realism' of these pieces. We are happy to welcome aTana Designs to the site.

Kid Culture

Kid Culture is one of the newest retailers to join 100 Mile Finds. Kid Culture is a kids' shop dedicated to selling fun stuff for kids of all ages.
"Our goal is to give children and parents a store they can love. With everything made locally, we try our best to carry products that are well constructed with the best materials organic cotton, bamboo, and re-purposed fabrics. We listen to our neighbours and produce what they want. Many items are available on a custom order, we want to brag about our amazing designers and the stuff they make locally". Several 100 Mile Finds vendors are available at Kid Culture, including Play me Mama Crafts and Sorad.
And while you always feel good about buying local, you can feel great about buying uber-cute, like this Ninja training outfit.

White Feather Designs

Welcome to 100 Mile Finds White Feather Designs! On Breanne's website she shares the source of inspiration for her company name - and perhaps the work itself:

“It is commonly thought in most cultures that feathers are symbols of higher thought, spiritual progression. The line of thought here is that birds were considered divine creatures in primitive/ancient cultures because they are creatures of the sky (heaven) and therefore closer to God. When you find feathers upon your path it could be taken to mean that you are on a higher spiritual path (whether you accept it or not), and it may be a sign of encouragement as you philosophically travel on this path.” -Avia Venefica

In the winter of 2007, white feathers drew Breanne to Mexico to study the art of Silversmithing. It was a short trip that only lasted 3 months, but it grew into a full-time job. Many of Breanne's techniques are self-taught, but she is grateful for the amazing support of local jewellers and her instructor, Billy King.

"I have always been drawn to creating pieces from scratch, and have the ability to make a vision become reality. I was influenced by the best of both worlds growing up. My Mother, a Gemologist, taught me how to appreciate all the different styles of jewellery and is always teaching me valuable skills that are needed in the industry today. My Father, a cabinet-maker, taught me how to respect the machines that you work with, and by taking raw forms of material and turning them into works of art".

Many of Breanne's designs are inspired by nature and the creatures among us - including these 'slither studs' (made from a mould of a snake vertebrae) and this sterling silver antler necklace. We are always inspired by the level of craftsmanship of our artists - so glad you came aboard.

A.S.K. Designs

Have you ever found that perfect jacket/dress/skirt but it just needs a little tweak? Do you love the look of vintage but want it to be a bit more contemporary? A.S.K. Designs can help you. A family business established in 2000, A.S.K. specializes in alterations and dressmaking services which include bridal parties and special occasions.

A.S.K. offers a wide selection of ladies fashions whereby each garment is sewn or hand knitted by them personally. On 100 Mile Finds, A.S.K. is featuring their hand knitted frilly scarves.
A.S.K. also does custom embroidery for group or corporate attire. This might be the company you are looking for - just A.S.K.!