Starting today’s vendor introductions we have Candice of Buttercream Clothing.

1. What do you make/sell?

Buttercream Clothing is a ladies clothing line that is locally made using high quality fabrics focusing on comfort and style.

2. Why do you make/sell it?

What inspires your work? I decided to start this ladies clothing line as it was so difficult to find Canadian clothing that was stylish and comfortable at the same time. I am inspired by fashion everywhere I go, I love people watching and seeing what people are wearing every new season.

3. Is there anything you’d like to tell others about what you do?

I am very proud to provide a ladies clothing line that is ethically made in Canada with a focus on pieces that will last for years to come.

You can find Buttercream Clothing here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/buttercreamclothing

Instagram: @buttercreamclothing

Website: www.buttercreamclothing.com

Next we have Sue of One Hundred Monkeys.

1. What do you make/sell?

I am a metalsmith! Mostly Silver, but like the colors of the base metals such as copper and it’s alloys such as brass and bronze. I make all kinds of Jewellery including some for your horses!

2. Why do you make/sell it? What inspires your work?

I love the skill and complexity of working with metals, love the textures and images I can create. My inspiration comes from Nature in the form of textures as well as Folk Art symbolism.

My style is influenced strongly by Art Nouveau, Celtic and Classical movements, and my content often centers on narratives and symbolism.

3. Is there anything you’d like to tell others about what you do?

I like to create art that inspires, teaches, and tells a story while at the same time being functional as well as beautiful.

You can find One Hundred Monkeys here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanannesharp

Website: http://www.suesharp.ca/

Next we have Shannon of Heart N Soul Handbags.

1. What do you make/sell?

My collection of handmade leather purses and accessories draws strong parallels to Alberta’s prairie culture and the constant inspirations nature provides. My pieces are both rustic and organic, utilizing raw edges of the leather hides and embellishments such as hand cut leather flowers and feathers, antique skeleton keys and decorative conchos.

2. Why do you make/sell it? What inspires your work?

I wish to share a glimpse of my soul through my pieces and hope it strikes a common chord with people who share the same values and lifestyle as I do.

3. Is there anything you’d like to tell others about what you do?

Using the hide of a once living animal implicates huge responsibility for me. It is my mandate to create something beautiful and functional celebrating the animal’s life. I work to minimize the wastage in my process, utilizing the smallest leather scraps to create flower shapes and accessories in my Heart ’n Soul Handbag’s collection.

You can find Heart N Soul Handbags here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heart-n-Soul-Handbags/137645313020982
Instagram: @heartnsoulhandbags
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heartnsoulhandb/

Next up we have Christine from ImPaper.

1. What do you make/sell?

We sell graphic designed greeting cards, art prints and home decor products that make a difference.

2. Why do you make/sell it? What inspires your work?

We bring forth a line of interior decor in hopes that our products will not only add that special touch to your business decor, office, desk space or room, but also reach out to our customers whether it be an inspiration, amusement or kindred-ship. Graphic design and being socially responsible has always been a passion of mine. Through ImPaper, I’ve been able to tie the two together and this has allowed me to share my passion with others.

3. Is there anything you’d like to tell others about what you do?

ImPaper was founded on the premise of using business as a means of social change.
Every product purchased contributes to a specific cause ranging from tree planting, diseases, providing clean water and more.
We are socially responsible and operate our business with the environment and carbon footprint in mind.

You can find ImPaper here:

Instagram: @impaper

Website: http://www.impaper.co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impaper.co

Finally for today we have Christine of Quirefly.

1. What do you make/sell?

I make jewelry and accessories. My favorite materials change depending on the day and the inspiration, but some of my favorites include annealed steel, copper, semi-precious stones of all sorts, and czech glass. I also work with repurposed fabrics, such as sari silk, to make something new and fresh and interesting.

2. Why do you make/sell it? What inspires your work?

I am an art historian, and as such I am trained to look for the connections between the things that people make, and the reasons why they make them. I look for symbols and subjects, styles and stories and connect those to the events and concerns of artist and audience. It tells me what is important to them, and suggests why. In our own age, I see a strange and curious duality of progression and retrogression, of modern and vintage, of forward and back.

In our world of facebook, twitter, google and email, we can reach incredible places and people without ever leaving our home. There is good and sad in that, I think. This modern age, while opening our virtual doors, can also remove us from the tactile, hands-on experience of the world around us. I think that this, in part, encourages the current drive to make things with our own hands. Although we may embrace the advantages and opportunities afforded us through modern technologies, we still feel a need to connect to each other in a physical way.

This is certainly an influence on me, and the media I choose. I bend wire, knot yarn, stitch fabric (by machine and by hand), and punch thread. My media can be found in the earliest chapters of my art history books, and the most contemporary web galleries.

I know this sounds cliche (what isn’t, these days?), but really my art is a selfish indulgence in creativity. It satisfies my need to be doing something with my hands, to make things that I find interesting and (or) beautiful, to experiment with different techniques, and to combine old and new. It gives me the opportunity to create something personal, and to interact with the world in a simpler, more intimate way.
I love what I do, and I hope you will too.

3. Is there anything you’d like to tell others about what you do?

I have seen a great deal of support for hand-crafted and home grown in Calgary in the last few years. This is really exciting, and I am so happy to be a part of this terrific group.

You can find Quirefly here:

Twitter: @quirefly