A huge thank you to everyone who voted Arts Market in this years NOW Magazine Readers Choice Awards! We are thrilled to be keeping our title, with over 175 vendors between the three locations, you don't have to look much further for the ultimate local shopping experience.
Making my Enid Hi-Fashion Glamour Doll 2016 A.D Costume
I have had my beloved Enid Doll for many years, as many years nearly, as I have been a what I would call #1 fan of Daniel Clowes work. I generally have a hard time with favorites, but when it comes to comics, his inspiration to me has not be surpassed. He is to many, a voice that helped define and articulate so accurately the authenticity in the silent marvels of the day to day, a minds eye into the most humble, neurotic and relatable characters as well as the internal monologue of the silent rebel, a rebel against rebellion and the struggle in defining yourself, for a start.
This year for Halloween, I decided I would finally get it together and create this Enid Doll costume.
I will show some pictures of the process I used, which was based on my instincts of finding and manipulating existing objects. Please comment if you have a suggestion for me about something I can do differently next time!
Still figuring things out here
I ended up scrapping these ears made out of rolled foam
I picked up a plastic prop football helmet, and removed the front face guard. Using craft foam, which in retrospect, should have been thicker, I cut out the mask part and smoothed it all down using duct tape.
I then after trying a few different things for the ears, I found one of those cheap hard plastic batman masks, and cut off the ears, which fit perfectly, when turned backwards onto the shape of the helmet. I also used the nose piece for structure.
The gun base is a plastic handle, turned backwards cut off of a toy dart gun, an empty bottle and a suction cup. Actual Enid Doll toys for reference.
Here the paper mache has been lovingly applied, I did also add it to the ears.
Below, I have coated both the Ray-Gun and Mask in wood filler, which was then sanded down very excruciatingly, before being painted.
After coating the paper mache in wood filler, the Ray-Gun and Teenage Bondage Mask are ready to be sanded and painted.
Jacket painting in progress
The finished paint job. Helmet was spray painted, and gun was hand painted with acrylic.
The finished paint job. I would like to go back and add the extra texture details to the Ray-Gun, but this was my first time, and it got down to the wire for Halloween.
I also painted the back of an old jacket, because it is indeed October, and this costume required one or two, I assume, Enid approved, additions.
I made these lapel pins quickly out of printable shrink plastic. One of Daniel Clowes and the other is the EIghtball #13 cover. Usually when I make these types of pins, I like to coat them in resin, but there just wasn't time for it, as it was a last minute addition.
Outfit: the orange wool sweater is vintage, I picked it up while thrifting, as well as the skirt.
I couldn't believe how perfect the pattern was when I found this skirt. It was much too big for me and much too long so it needed some quick adjustments on the sewing machine.
Freckles.
Helmet
The finished paint job
New This Week at Arts Market
Pendants, earrings and plenty of home decor arrived at my shop this week, make sure to drop in the Leslieville Arts Market location to pick up something special for yourself, or as a gift!
Beautiful clip on earrings made into one of a kind sterling silver studs! Browse my selection of one of a kind earrings in store!
New Bone Collection Designs
Made using cruelty free Python ribs, these naturally inspired necklaces are of my most popular designs. Snag one of the newest pieces at my shop, I rarely make the same design twice!
Beautiful Bracelets
From the depths of my personal jewel archives come these lovely cuffs, one victorian, one vintage! Find these lovely pieces at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market.
Dainty Details
New this week at my Leslievlle boutique! A sparkling Mechanical Heart and 1/2" circular pendant. Both containing layers of watch parts set over a hand painted background, throughout layers of shiny resin!
Golden, Timeless Things
The newest watch related gems, and an interesting brooch! A few of the recent arrivals at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market located at 1114 Queen St. East!
Pocket watch winding key pendant
The most interesting brooch I have ever seen
Art Deco gold filled watch case & movement
Tigers, Gators and Others
Many Moons
"When you reach the moon, then?" acrylic painting and two moon abalone pendants are currently available at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market.
Brief Rest in Restoule
Roughly 4 hours north of Toronto there is a place called Restoule. It is a place where you can swim in a private lake, a place, where nobody is anywhere around. I only spent one evening here, and had to try and rush the relaxation vibe, but overall I think it is undeniably refreshing for any amount of time. Took a few minutes to do a quick watercolour of the view from the (thankfully screened in, bug free) deck.
view from the dock
view from the porch
New Jewels at Parkdale's Made You Look!
Just a few of the colourful new pieces that you will find when you visit the amazing jewelry haven that is Made You Look Jewellery! From engagement rings, custom design or every day jewelry, they have it all. Located on Queen Street in the West end of Toronto,
This deep set rectangular watch part pendant has more layers than your average resin pendant! It is composed entirely of old golden watch parts, highlighted by the hand painted white background.
Colourful cufflinks! Summer wedding? Perfect, Always available in custom colours on request.
New Original Art
You can find all of this pieces and more, currently available in my Arts Market Shop
For the first time a print of Super Zero is available in this mint vintage frame
Original illustration of a Mystic in detailed vintage floral frame.
Colour test for Pantone Tyrone, available in a unique gold white and blue hand painted frame.
Silvery Bits
Here are some lovely sterling pieces that are now available at my shop, 1114 Queen Street East, inside the Leslieville Arts Market.
Sterling Silver pendant containing a hand panted sapphire blue base and five layers of beautiful, delicate tiny watch parts, set in separate layers of resin.
One of a kind Sterling Silver ring, made from vintage base. Deep hollowed cabochon setting inlaid with 5 sparkling layers of resin containing only the tiniest watch parts!
Long hanging watch part pendant with signature fringe, contains a unique watch part composition, highlighted by the hand painted royal blue base,
Brassy Bits
There is something old and something new about each of these pieces! Find them at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market.
Deadstock vintage copper pennant with a centre stone made of resin and tiny watch parts
This heart shaped watch case is something special, it contains a small eye and lots of shakeable, tiny watch parts.
Easy to wear, easy to put on - bracelets made using expandable vintage watch bands are unique, cute and time saving
Detailed brass pendant
Unique pendant with plenty of lovely small details and a mother of pearl centre
Something Unique for Father's Day
The perfect gift for gear head dads, or snazzy dads who are always looking for unique options to add to their cufflink collection! Each pair has a hand painted colour base and contains several stacked layers of authentic disassembled antique & vintage watch parts. Each layer is carefully composed into a one of a kind design and set in glossy, rock hard resin! Available in a wide variety of colours and designs, you can find my cufflinks at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market and Made You Look in Parkdale.
Summer Style Vintage
Dresses are the easiest thing to throw on when the sun is beaming down, make sure you have a few classic vintage ones in your closet! There are plenty of new vintage looks to choose from at my shop in Arts Market.
Hand Painted Sign for Acadia Books!
I've been working very hard freshening things up lately at Acadia Books, my favourite local bookstore! My latest project there was designing and painting their sandwich board. Of course I had to use the adored store cat and mascot, Michou as my inspiration! Using her and some fancy gold leaf paint, this is what I came up with, and I am very happy with it!
Acadia Books is now on instagram! Follow us for inspiring posts featuring art, prints, books and of course the adventures of Michou! Or better yet visit the shop for art books, rare books, postcards maps and other ephemera!
Spring Vintage Has Arrived!
I have finally started to put out all the lovelies spring vintage I have collected through the winter times! Visit my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market to see whats new :)
New Bracelets and Other Jewels
An antique enamel french souvenir bracelet, a brass art deco necklace and porcupine quills. What do these things have in common? They have all been made into something new, and are now available at my shop in the Leslieville Arts Market!
Simple brass pendant using a link from an art deco necklace.
Two lovely bracelets, one made from pieces of an art deco necklace, the other was taken from a beautiful french souvenir bracelet!
Sterling Porcupine quill earrings are back! Find the newest pair at my shop now!
This beautiful sterling piece has been made into a bracelet with a watch band, find it at CHOSEN Vintage.
Eagles and keys, new pendants available at the Leslieville Arts Market <3
An Evening with Noel Fielding at the Danforth
Because peacock dreams can come true!! I got to see Noel Fielding in the flesh, in the BEST seats and it made it all OK, how long I had waited for this precious moment!! Noel is as charming and mesmerizingly funny live as I would have ever expected. How exciting it is to be in a room full of Mighty Boosh fans, a room where we all love Noel! Come back soon NOEL!!!!!
