31.7.09

whats going on in August

http://www.alvestaltd.com/Images/news/waste-paper-1.jpg

July saw us knee deep in prototypes for our 2009 Fall/Winter collection...

Well August is just a continuation of that: we are busy bees, preparing orders for consignement stores, with a few new ones to add to the list!

We will also be reviving our online store, which has long been neglected for lack of time...

The official unveiling of the new collections is soon; keep your eyes peeled!

30.7.09

a thrifted life with Tanis Alexis

Here is "a thrifted life", a new column for our blog; it is an ode to thrifting, yes, but also to buying less, to living a slow life, to dumpster diving, mending, fixing, reusing and finding new uses to old stuff over and over again!

Have a great item you found / a fabulous thrift shop you almost live out of, and you want to share? Contact us!


Tanis Alexis is a Vancouver artist we have featured quite a few times on our blog. She not only is a great friend, she is a pure spirit and a source of inspiration.

Tanis scored this vintage dress at the thrifts a few months back, while on a fun thrifty day-trip with the spectacular Christi of Buenostyle

The fabo maternity dress is a Pennington's original-made in Hong Kong, 100% cotton

Notice the baby bump?
:o)

Tanis is having a once in a lifetime sale!
You should check it out!




blogged here

29.7.09

sneak peek at the Fall 09 and Winter 10 collections

Here is a little preview of whats to come!

The new collections will be available this fall!
Stay tuned!

27.7.09

indie find of the moment : Mahoohoo


Shop name:
Mahoohoo


Shop address: Mahoohoo.etsy.com

Tell me a little about yourself...

My name is Christiana Kalos and I am currently living/working just south of San Francisco. Growing up on the opposite coast, in the state of Maine was beautiful. However, the move out west provided me with great connections to various art forms.

I graduated from the California College of the Arts fashion design program. While attending design school I both polished my technical skills in traditional construction of garments and nurtured a desire to experiment with more offbeat materials and techniques.

Accessories have always been a fascination of mine, and my current work is exploring jewelry through pattern and repetition. I like exploiting a very specific technique, coming at it from every possible angle. In the past I have iterated on ideas like knitting, and ended up constructing full garments out of knit metal.
Now I’m plugging away in my home studio, designing and making various custom items, as well as my jewelry line, which is carried through etsy. In this line, I am using different types of leather, exploring each one’s inherent characteristics, through carving and shaping.

What are your favorite materials?
No favorites. I love everything!

What inspired you to do this?
I’ve always had a passion for making. My mother is an artist and art teacher, and always encouraged my crazy ideas.

The leather collection sprung from experiments I was conducting during the making of a wedding dress belt.


Do you remember the first thing you made? What was it?
I grew up making, so it would be impossible to remember the very first … However, jewelry wise, it was a pendant (positive negative study) when I was in high school. Still wear it to this day!

What is your favorite item? And why?
Loop Hoop earrings. They make me feel like a million bucks. I’ve always received complements on my creations but these in particular get noticed everywhere I go. They are super comfortable and lightweight.


Why should people buy handmade?
To support the revival of artisans. Aside from the fact that I love using my hands to make, I feel that mass production has reached a scary point. I despise the fact that it’s hard to buy a t-shirt without a brand name smattered all over it.

26.7.09

eco tip of the day : let it all hang out!

we have two words for you : laundry linewe LOVE the smell of clothing dried outdoors!
it saves energy, and can look so pretty!

25.7.09

songe d'une nuit...

d'automne/hiver!

Nous sommes en plein production de notre collection automne-hiver!

Restez à l'écoute pour plus de détails sur cette collection qui sera en boutique en septembre!

24.7.09

thinking of fall and winter?

so are we!
we are well on the way of having finished the production of our fall and winter collection, to be available in stores in september! Stay tuned for details about the roll-out!

23.7.09

RECHERCHÉ - mannequins masculins!

.tomate d'épingles. est à la recherche de mannequins masculins pour faire des photos des pièces de notre collection qui sont pour hommes!

T'es un beau mec? T'aimerais voir ton joli minois un peu partout sur Internet? T'as un ou deux après midis à perdre en échange de vin et de pizza?


Contacte nous!

les mecs en coulisse

Les mecs au défilé Récup' ta mode

S'il vous plait envoyer votre cadidature, vos questions et commentaires à info@tomatedepingles.ca

Merci!

Guylaine & Isabelle

.tomate d'épingles.

22.7.09

giveaway?


did someone say giveaway?
Tanis Alexis is having a .tomate d'épingles. giveaway on her blog
go check it out!

indie find of the moment : Little m Design

Shop name: Little m Design


Tell me a little about yourself ... :
I moved to NYC from S.Korea 12 years ago to go to an art school. Since then I managed to stay here!


What are your favourite materials? :
I love this thing called 'Hydrocal' - it's similar to plaster, but stronger. There is something poetic about the finished look. Also I can paint them with any color I want.


What inspired you to do this? :
One day, I made a few drawings of earrings that have been lingering in my mind. The visualizing process was way more interesting than I thought. I went ahead and materialized the drawing. That was the start of everything. I've been a 'maker' all my life, since I was very young.. I enjoy coming up with designs and making them - it's something very natural of me.



Do you remember the first thing you made? What was it? :
it was 'Red Drop Earring'!


What's new and exciting in your store? :
I just made a bunch of new designs with casts of various stones. I always look for new sources and themes and that's an exciting energy!



What is your favourite item? And why? :
Oh it's more than one. I think my favorites are 'Sweat Pea Necklace' and twig-themed designs. They define the characteristic of Little m Design.


Why should people buy handmade? :
When you buy handmade things, you get the unrepeatable, special and personal energy that resides in each handmade items. Mass produced ones don't have this quality.



What is the importance of being eco conscious for you and your store? :
As a nature+wildlife lover, I try to share the beauty of nature with other people. Also I try to convey the importance of eco-consciousness by donating 5% of all sales to various conservation organizations and my buyers can feel good about their purchase too.

21.7.09

a thrifted life with Kay

Here is "a thrifted life", a new column for our blog; it is an ode to thrifting, yes, but also to buying less, to living a slow life, to dumpster diving, mending, fixing, reusing and finding new uses to old stuff over and over again!

Have a great item you found / a fabulous thrift shop you almost live out of, and you want to share? Contact us!

Have a look at Kay's vintage finds blog :
www.kaylovesvintage.blogspot.com

She has such a great sense of style - after all, she was featured in apartment therapy - and scores so many nice finds!

Above is a picture of some of the fabulous vintage stuff she has in her office. I love those fans!

20.7.09

eco tip of the day : the power of citronella

Plant citronella inside in small pots, and keep it near the garbage can, or in the bathroom; when pesky odours appear, just gently shake the leaves, the citronella's natural smell will cover all!


Its also a good plant to have as a center piece on your patio table : it keeps most bugs away!

18.7.09

a thrifted life with Lorimarsha

Here is "a thrifted life", a new column for our blog; it is an ode to thrifting, to buying less, to living a slow life, to dumpster diving, mending, fixing, and reusing stuff over and over again!

Have a great item you found and you want to share? Contact us!


Lorimarsha is an inspiration to me.
I love what she does, I love that she does what she loves!

Some find their fashion aesthetic in the malls of America, others in flea markets or obscure on-line shopping categories, Lorimarsha is yet another alternative. She has been designing handbags and jewelry for about ten years and a couple of years ago, added recycled and redesigned clothing to the mix.

Lori sources her raw materials in magical thrift stores :o)
Here is one of her favorite finds: A dozen 1940s rayon ties... all found in one day, at the same thrift store! Score!

Find more of Lori's superb finds in her Salvation Etsy store

15.7.09

indie find of the moment : The Stratus Silver Jewelry Co

Shop name:The Stratus Silver Jewelry Co. (Renee Lemoncelli and Roberta Hawkins/artists-owners)

Shop address: www.stratussilver.etsy.com

In a nutshell: We're a sterling silver casting company that specializes in nature jewelry. Our original, prototype design is created using components that are hand cast by us from organic botanicals.
Tell me a little about yourself ...
We are long time co-workers in our day jobs and great friends who somehow gave birth to a business which we are both very passionate about.


What are your favourite materials?
Natural organics that have glorious texture and tremendous character.


What inspired you to do this?
We'd love to say the Nature Line was planned, but the truth is it began one day when we were bored and decided to see what would happen if we cast some twigs. 2 pounds of sterling twigs later, the twig bangle was born. The Nature line has taken on a life of its own since then.


Do you remember the first thing you made? What was it?
For Renee it was an American Indian style, carnelian ring. Berta first made a pair of Australian mookite earrings. (Both still being worn.)

What's new and exciting in your store?
Our newest design has not been introduced yet, but will be very soon. It's been created from daffodil petals......


What is your favourite item? And why?
Too hard to pick a fave.

Why should people buy handmade?
Buying handmade is one individual supporting another. It's an exchange of love as well as commodities.


What is the importance of being eco conscious for you and your store?
We both have homes in the rural hills of southern Ohio. The Wayne National Forest is on our doorsteps. We'd like to see the bounty of nature and the natural life cycles preserved for our children to witness....


Anthing else?
It is our hope that our jewelry will inspire appreciation for the beauty of nature and an attitude of conservation in others. We like to think of our work as a personal contribution to the cosmos.

13.7.09

MP_-> TYPO

J'ai découvert récemment

MP_-> TYPO

qui sont des créations graphiques par Marie-Pier Lemieux. J'ai toujours adoré le graphisme, et j'ai un amour particulier pour les fontes. Voici un extrait de son blogue, ou elle explique de quelle manière elle a créé la font PLIURE... à l'aide de lettres fabriquée en origami!


L’histoire de cette série de lettres débute dès mon entrée à la maîtrise. Ce projet marque le début d’un réel processus de recherche. Armée d’un épais cahier de notes vierge, de crayons et de « Post-It », je me présente au cours, prends des notes et participe aux discussions. Pendant ces discussions, je griffonne et bricole. En m’amusant à plier un « Post-It », je crée la forme d’un A ensuite d’un B.

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Je me suis demandé immédiatement si, à travers ce papier carré, toutes les lettres pouvaient être conçues. J’ai alors tracé une grille fixe à partir des pliures sur le « Post-It ». Par essai/erreur, j’ai manipulé le papier pour créer plusieurs lettres de l’alphabet, ce qui m’a permis de corriger la grille pour qu’elle puisse les accueillir toutes.

image-6

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La grille établie, j’ai changé de canevas, le « Post-It » étant trop petit pour mes expérimentations. Sur une feuille de carton noir de 8.5 pouces sur 8.5, j’ai exploré les formes que me permettait la grille.


image-8

Comme il était difficile de réfléchir à toutes les formes possibles, j’ai schématisé les pliures à l’écran et généré les caractères à partir de l’ordinateur

image-9

Rapidement je me suis rendu compte que plusieurs formes de A, voire des centaines, étaient possibles.

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À ce moment, j’ai commencé à collecter les formes disponibles pour chaque lettre de l’alphabet. Avec ce procédé, j’ai recueilli des milliers de signes.

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Le rassemblement m’a permis de créer neuf sous-familles. Chacune des sous-familles possède des particularités et des niveaux de lecture différents.

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Dans une autre étape, j’ai sélectionné la sous-famille qui me paraissait la plus intéressante du point de vue de la lisibilité. À partir des contours octogonaux de cette sous-famille, j’ai exploré la possibilité d’en faire un caractère plus fin et plus léger.

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12.7.09

nous acceptons les dons

Vous faites le grand ménage du printemps, mais vous ne voulez pas jetter?

Tout vos articles qui sont encore utiles / qui ne sont pas brisés peuvent être donnés à divers organismes. Notre préféré :

Le Village des Valeurs

Tout vos articles qui sont brisés, par contre, ne sont pas nécessairement voués à la poubelle!

Plusieurs items se recyclent, votre municipalité peut vous informer au sujet des cueillettes sélectives ... et .tomate d'épingles. accepte les dons!

Nous sommes toujours à la recherche d'objets inspirants:

  • négatifs de photo, de films, diaporamas, etc
  • bijoux de tout genres, perles...
  • vêtements en cuir ou en soie;
  • accessoires (sacs, chapeaux, ceintures, foulards, etc.);
  • tissus;
  • accessoires de couture (fermetures éclairs, patrons...);
  • paillettes...
  • etc!
Contactez nous!

11.7.09

Défilé extérieur pour La Gaillarde!


La Gaillarde présentera un défilé extérieur samedi le 11 juillet à 14h à la terrasse St-Ambroise de la brasserie McAuslan qui se situe le long de la piste cyclable du canal lachine (5080, rue St-Ambroise). Le défilé mettra de l'avant les collections printemps-été de la boutique.

10.7.09

indie find of the moment : On The Inside


Shop name: On The Inside

Shop address: www.OnTheInside.etsy.com
Physically I am located in the Phil Mechanic Building in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC USA


Tell me a little about yourself ...
I'm 34, a mom to 2 sweet little girls, have a loving boyfriend named Michael, and I just bought my very first home.


What are your favourite materials?
I'm really enjoying working with organic cotton these days...I find it to be very sturdy, durable and extremely soft. And, obviously, it is a good thing to support the organic movement. But generally, I will work with any fabric that simply feels good!


What inspired you to do this?
My good friend, Myah Hubbell, and I came up with the idea a few years ago, then after about a year, I took it over and have been running full force ever since. I really enjoy all that comes with making comfortable lingerie. There are the women that are just so thrilled to finally something that fits and feels good, and then there are the men that are buying something sexy for their women, and that's really fun to help them along in that process. It makes me smile to think that I'm helping keep some romance alive out there for some people ;)



Do you remember the first thing you made? What was it?
It was a pair of panties, and in fact, I still have them and wear them quite often...they are one of my favorite pairs.


What's new and exciting in your store?
I have just recently started offering an option that people can add to any bra that is a very thin padded cup. I sew in an organic cotton liner to the bra and the pad is removable, so you can have the cup in when you want it and take it out when you don't. It gives you a little extra lift when you're in the mood...I think that's pretty fun. I have also just started offering an option to add on detachable garters to any of my panties, so you can have them on when you want and just unhook them when you don't.


What is your favourite item? And why?
My favorite item is my organic black cotton Lily of the Valley panties. They are made with the softest organic fabric, and I just absolutely love the cut of them...a little bit boyshort, but still really sexy and so incredibly comfortable. This is definitely my favorite style of panties that I do.



Why should people buy handmade?
I think it's great to support artists in what they do. And you really often get a much better quality product when you buy handmade. As far as buying my handmade products, you also get the added bonus of something being made just for you. My customers send me their measurements and I make every piece of lingerie specifically for that person, so you get a custom, personalized fit with each of my pieces.


What is the importance of being eco conscious for you and your store?
I try to be eco conscious in everything that I do from where I shop to the food I eat and I am working to bring more and more eco friendly fabrics into my store, and finally offer women the option to have sexy, yet comfortable, organic lingerie.

9.7.09

Juillet en vente! chez La Gaillarde


La Gaillarde sera en vente tous les jeudi de juillet!

Jeudi le 9 juillet - 25% de rabais sur les robes d'été
Jeudi le 16 juillet - 25% de rabais sur les bijoux
Jeudi le 23 juillet - 25% de rabais sur les hauts (camisoles, chemises, etc.)
Jeudi le 30 juillet - 25% de rabais sur les bas (bermudas, jupes, pantalons, etc).

6.7.09

a thrifted life with these days in the french life

Here is "a thrifted life", a new column for our blog; it is an ode to thrifting, to buying less, to living a slow life, to dumpster diving, mending, fixing, and reusing stuff over and over again!

Have a great item you found and you want to share? Contact us!


i have been following these days in the french life's photstream on flickr for quite a while now...

her story is so inspiring!

Since August of 2007 she and her family have not shopped. Only food and that is severely limited as well, farmers markets and the organic store.


They look for food in their surroundings, find all the material objects they need at dumpsters or from friends and family.
I admire her so!

She says :
We are happier, more content with what we have and cherish each other and what nature give us without the constraints of money in our lives. I believe her!

Above is one of her inspiring pictures: an antique chest she stained with... found soy sauce! (and hoisin and coffee and tea as well)
it not only didn't cost her a dime, its quite ecological! (and maybe even tasty haha)

5.7.09

we like : men's shirts


especially if they are transformed into something so cool!
these purse are by Angelique4you