July 7, 2020
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
“Reduce, re-use, repair, repurpose” and now re-think. There’s a lot of that going on these days and SeeingSquared is no exception. I’m re-defining my focus, re-organizing my studio, re-evaluating my social media, and re-building my website.
It’s all a bit of a mess right now, but if you bear with me, I think you’ll enjoy the new version when it emerges.
Follow me on Instagram (@seeingsquared) for glimpses of fabulous things to come.
March 23, 2020.
After months of planning and preparations, we were into the home stretch with Chapter 3 of our Novel Attire show within view. The storyline was developed, models and outfits were matched up, tickets were on sale, and suddenly COVID-19 marched in with a giant club and pounded us into the ground.
OK, that’s not actually how it went, but that’s how it feels to so many people around the world. Long-anticipated plans hijacked and we are all sent to our homes to hunker down and hope this passes us by. Community resources shuttered and our only connections with neighbours now dependent on the social media we’ve loved to hate over the last while.
At SeeingSquared the first obvious step was to postpone Novel Attire Chapter 3. It’s not cancelled. It’s carefully packed up in a box, ready to pull out and run when the powers that be determine that is appropriate.
Next, we started working on Chapter 4. There was no reason to sit around waiting. The theme is set (1001 Canadian Nights), the stories are starting to flow, and from them will come the garment designs and all the rest.
The hard part is looking at the long-term. No one knows how long COVID-19 will have us in hiding. Some say a few months, others warn that it could be a year or more. What does this do to our businesses? Social distancing changes shopping and classes and custom services but doesn’t necessarily remove the needs for those things. Delivering what is needed is the challenge and that’s what we’re all having to work through now.
There’s a lot at stake and it’s not just financial. We need each other as much as we need the groceries and health care that are rumoured to be in short supply. I’m not sure how my business will best fit in this new community but adjustments are coming. That’s a given. Watch here for details.
In the meantime, wash your hands, disinfect your phone, and then call someone – actually talk to them instead of texting. Let’s renew the art of conversation.
October 28, 2019.
It’s been another whirlwind year. I now have a dedicated studio space just a short walk from home, and I love it. There was an open house (that I forgot to post here) that felt like a house-warming party. It was lovely seeing so many familiar faces and so very many new ones as well.
Thank you to the Kissing Bridge Trail Studio Tour crew who so graciously welcomed me to overlap my event with theirs. That’s a talented group of artists and it is a pleasure working with them!
With the studio now set up, it’s time to turn my attention to Novel Attire. Chapter 3 is in the works with a few changes. Instead of a winter Saturday afternoon show, we’re going with a springtime Thursday evening show. We are at The Registry Theatre in Kitchener, ON, at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 7. Details to come.
December 21, 2018.
We have several new things up and running. There’s a new shop on this site. So far the only things in it are tickets for Novel Attire: Chapter 2. The plan is to open up online sales of actual stock, but that’s not likely to happen right away because right now, all my efforts are being poured into preparations for Novel Attire:Chapter 2. However, because the shop itself is up and running, it won’t take much to add other inventory.
It will also be easy for me to add other inventory, because I have hired someone to take care of a lot of my online business and social media. (HUGE sigh of relief!) Jamie set up the shop, sorted out the financial arrangements, and takes care of a lot of the publicity for Novel Attire: Chapter 2. That makes her a strong contributor to my emotional stability, without removing the part of my “crazy” that stretches my creative ideas. Thank you, Jamie!
New details for Novel Attire: Chapter 2 – Bramble Rose.
- Showtime is 2 pm Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Glen Acres Fellowship Hall on Hartwood Street in Waterloo.
- Pop-up market opens at 1:30 pm and runs again after the show.
- Tickets are $20, half of the admission price goes to support LearningForHumanity.org, a venture that provides educational materials to under-resourced schools.
- More scenes, more models, more vendors than last year for a bigger show
- On Facebook, “Novel Attire not your usual fashion show” is where you will find details, updates, vendor profiles, and more.
I hope you can join us!
September 27, 2018.
We spent most of our summer moving – downsizing actually, so there was a lot of clearing out as well as packing and unpacking. Now that I’m back to work, and the worst of my backlog is cleared, we’re looking ahead. Plans are well underway for Novel Attire Chapter 2, new clothing ideas are taking shape, and there’s even a plan for waking up the fairies after their long, long nap. Stay tuned for updates.
April 9, 2018.
I don’t know what the big deal is. When I sit down to actually update the website or to post on FaceBook, it’s usually easy and it doesn’t take that long. I have new ideas for posts almost every week so it’s not a shortage of material. Somehow, actually sitting down to do that 5 minutes of work takes about 3 weeks of concerted mental effort (and usually some kind of deadline). So here we are, nearly 2 months after Novel Attire 2018, and the first few pictures are just coming online. Click on the Clothing tab to take a look.
(There are more to come, but I’m not sure when…)
December 15, 2017.
Fashion show prep is moving right along. Deadlines are flying by and I’ve been able to keep up with most of them. We have a name (Novel Attire), and posters, and tickets (that are also cloth bookmarks). We have models, and props, and some of the clothing is already ready to go. We also have dreams that have been corralled into plans without losing all of their crazy fun and excitement. As the poster says, “fun, fashion, and perhaps of madness.” I’m looking forward to it!
October 20, 2017.
It’s been a real struggle sorting out what to post in the Clothing gallery. I’ve been doing some private client sewing and that wasn’t available to post. I have also been working on prototypes and garments for the fashion show coming up in February (only 4 months away!!!!!) and I didn’t want to display those garments ahead of time.
On the other hand, if there’s nothing showing in the gallery, how will people know if they want to come see the show? I want you to come but how will I pique your interest?
So there are now some tiny teaser photos in the Clothing gallery. The captions won’t give away much either. Think of it as a mystery – there are clues as to the sorts of things that might appear in the show, but you won’t actually see the garments for real until February 24, 2018 at the earliest.
It’s like a Tana Hoban picture book – can you picture the whole garment based on the little square windows I’ve opened? Maybe we’ll have a contest…something to think about.
July 6, 2017.
I remember the first time I inherited something. I was about 12 years old and I was given my grandfather’s tie clips. What was a 12-year-old girl to do with tie clips? I didn’t want to put them away and forget about them, but I wasn’t going to start wearing a tie, either.
I don’t remember how long it took for the idea to form, but I was soon wearing those clothespin-style tie clips as hair clips, almost every day. Years later, I was in university and still pinning my hair back with Grandpa’s tie clips, remembering him long after he’d gone.
Since then, I’ve met many people who have sentimental attachments to objects they can’t readily use. A reminder that’s tucked in a drawer for safe-keeping is out of mind as well as out of sight. It doesn’t do much reminding. Sometimes preserving the object is crucial, but when it’s not, it’s fun to consider how it can be adapted to become part of everyday life, or even just for special occasions. Then it actually works as a reminder, and the memories are preserved, even as the object fades or wears.
That’s one of my favourite parts of SeeingSquared – reviving memories by re-purposing reminders.
July 1, 2017.
I hesitate to call this a blog because a blog implies frequent posts and I know that’s not going to happen. A blog, however, is often a catch-all for the bits that don’t fit elsewhere on the site, as well as for things that are most effectively displayed in reverse chronological order. That fits. So if you’re new to the site, take a good look around. But if you’ve been here before and just want to see what’s new, this is where you’ll find it. This is also where I’ll post instructions, and whatever else comes to mind. I hope you enjoy seeing what I’ve posted. I certainly had fun making it!