Have you always wanted to learn how to sew?

The following classes will give you some basic information on hand and machine sewing, even if you don’t have a sewing machine !

Over 3 Saturday mornings, 2 hours per session, I’ll be teaching folks how to sew – with the assumption that you have no previous experience or just that high school class you took a few years back!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

Sign up soon if you would like to get sewing!

• Sewing Level 1 – $50.00 Register – Course #: 678157

  Saturdays, Jan 28 to Feb 11, 2012 – 10:00 AM 2.00 hours

  Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]

Description:

Learn how to hem your own pants, sew on your own buttons and the very basics of sewing! This course is based on hand work, with the option to bring in your sewing machine for the second class.

And once you’ve covered those basics, or perhaps you already know them, the level 2 course will take it up a notch!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

• Sewing Level 2 – $50.00 Register – Course #: 678181

Saturdays, Feb 25 to Mar 10, 2012 – 10:00 AM 2.00 hours

Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]

Description:

Learn to alter your clothes, install a zipper and general repairs. Hand and sewing machine work. Basic store bought patterns will be covered.

Info: Muslin will be provided and a basic zipper. Students may choose to bring in their own projects to work on. An information sheet will be provided upon registration or via email.

And after that:

Level 3 will take place in April 2012 – on the 14/21/28 – and details for it will be updated online closer to it!

This project connects the past to the present and the future as the bride took the gift of her grandmother’s veil, and has graciously divided it into matching pieces for her bridesmaids – all cousins and granddaughter’s of the matriarch in question.

Making 5 matching garter’s was the best way this bride could envision sharing this piece of history with her family and feel the energy passed on.  These ladies can wear them at each other’s future weddings, knowing their family ties are connected by the delicate threads creating these pretty pieces. Here are the finished 5 garters!

I’ve been happy to have connected with Chantal and Jay of LifeWithoutPlastic.com from the early days of Eco-TAV. I had spoken with them when I was first getting rolling about helping them design a lunch bag, they were very early supporters of my line of Pouches and Napkins and have become my main retail partner!

My Blossom Bags were an early idea I had shown them, but was not quite what they were looking for at the time, so I created my own line of Artisan Blossom Bags, using reclaimed textiles and keeping them out of the organic fibre realm, just in case…

And this spring, Chantal and I played with the idea of creating the organic canvas line of Blossom Bags for LWP  - and you can check those out on their website here.  I was also pleased to brainstorm with her to create their line of Placemats with cutlery holder { I called them “CutleryMats”, but they have chosen more words }  You should email them and tell them you think “Cutlery Mats” is a better name- hint hint!

And now, new fabric has arrived from India after much research and hunting, and this Khadi is beautiful.

Very soon, the first Khadi Blossom Bags and Cutlery Mats will be available at Life Without Plastic – so go sign up to their newsletter to find out when you can get your loved ones some Ottawa-made, environmentally -appreciative goodies for the upcoming holiday season! – and all year round!

Have you wanted to learn how to do some basic sewing?

Saturday morning starts my 3 Saturday Level 1 session at the Routhier Community centre – where I’ll be teaching basics like sewing on a button, hemming pants and other fun stuff.  Save money by doing it yourself, or gain appreciation for how it’s done !

Details are HERE!

And then Sunday brings me to the Dancers’ Bazaar!

I’m restocking my Eco-TAV pouches, napkins and have a few gift bags and Blossom bags remaining from previous stock – think SALE!

There will also be a limited selection of ready made pieces in the dance costume realm – my main love for clothing is custom making it for you with your own ideas in mind, but i like to have a few pieces handy just to show some options and feed the quick purchase needs! Head over to my Artfire site for a preview- see the left sidebar and click on through!!

And hope to see you Sunday!

Whats up with that?

Creativity.

As hobbies go, costuming, sci-fi, fantasy and all that kinda jazz is pretty much kid’s stuff for me.  As in, I’ve had an interest in dabbling in various realms of this ilk since childhood!

I’ve always loved costumes, and where do the most original pieces get their inspiration? sci-fi and fantasy  in my world!  Historical can be fun too, but really works best when a pair of teeth are added and suddenly it’s a little bit more…fun!  Or copying characters from a show, especially when I can make it a couple costume – that’s fun too!

Cap'n and Inara

3 years ago, my hubby {@wtl on Twitter} and I began volunteering at the Ottawa Browncoats CSTS event.  A movie screening, and some great raffle prizes and more.

Last year, we moved up the food chain to be more involved with the admin crew, and this year, only 3 of the previous admin crew were able to organize the 2011 event, so we welcomed new blood and shifted gears a bit, to take it more local and outside the realm of the CSTS.

Thus the Ottawa Serenity Charity Screening was born.

And we needed to reserve the theatre with a deposit, so my business stepped up.

Darner Media, the other Gold sponsor of the financial kind, will take care of the other half.  This freed up the Bicket sales to go almost completely to the charities.

Once we had settled the booking aspect, we were so pleased to have two more Gold Sponsors come aboard as prize sponsors!

Zombieinof.com and FireflyCargoBay.com are providing much of the goodies that will be given away in the form of raffle prizes, costume contest prizes and door prizes!  We also have some serious Friends of Serenity, local businesses who are donating prizes, gift certificates, and more to also be doled out to fabulous Ottawa Browncoats!

I have only a few events during the year to which I donate time or items. I’m a small business, I want the publicity – let’s be honest here – and the good will/ good karma that comes from donating!  But it’s really important for me to be giving to events/organizations/etc. that mean something to me.  And when I can do that, I’m giving 110%.  Or more…

As “chair” of this one, it’s so good to really be working with other like-minded souls who are giving it their all and doing what they can to make it such a great event.  The generous spirit of folk who are doing something that has meaning for them is contagious!

Next year, I hope to pass the torch to one of our newest Ottawa Browncoats Crew members . He’s young, enthusiastic and full of freshly found love of Firefly/Serenity, and if he’s up to it, he’ll make the 2012 event amazing as well.  We’ll be there to help, but I’ll be happy to step back from the constant juggling of promoting this event along with my other upcoming Dancer’s Bazaar and still amidst fall weddings, and potential fall artisan shows…. it’s a lot some days!

We all find our ways of giving back, and I hope to keep finding new ways to try, experience and enjoy!  Hope you do too!

Oh and the folks we are helping with this event are indicated above: iSisters and Equality Now – go check here for more info about these two organizations!

And maybe I’ll see you Sunday!

Have you always wanted to learn how to sew?

The following classes will give you some basic information on hand and machine sewing, even if you don’t have  a sewing machine !

Over 3 Saturday mornings, 2 hours per session, I’ll be teaching folks how to sew – with the assumption that you have no previous experience or just that high school class you took a few years back!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

Sign up soon if you would like to get sewing!

Sewing Level 1 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:

Learn how to hem your own pants, sew on your own buttons and the very basics of sewing! This course is based on hand work, with the option to bring in your sewing machine for the second class.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, October 15, 22, and 29, 2011 – 10:00 AM  to 12 noon
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.

And once you’ve covered those basics, or perhaps you already know them, the level 2 course will take it up a notch!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

Sewing Level 2 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:Learn to alter your clothes, install a zipper and general repairs. Hand and sewing machine work. Basic store bought patterns will be covered.

Info: Muslin will be provided and a basic zipper.  Students may choose to bring in their own projects to work on. An information sheet will be provided upon registration or via email.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, November 5- 19, 2011 – 10:00 AM  to 12 noon
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.

IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND AND WANT SOME SEWING HINTS, CHECK MY VIDEO LESSONS PAGE !

is sabbatical the right word?

Does my going off into the woods to commune with my family, nature and the occasional crew of friends count and a sabbatical?

sabbatical |səˈbatikəl|nouna period of paid leave granted to a college teacher for study or travel,traditionally every seventh year : she’s away on sabbatical.

Nope, I guess not.

But hey, every 11 months, I need a break.  And I do teach, along with everything else I do with my other businesses, so I think it’s more than a vacation.

At any rate – I’m outta here.

I’ll be back in September to get things rocking’ again, but in the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer and talk to ya later!!

Tracey

Eco-TAV Creations

The next one I’ll be setting up at :

First Annual Spring Art and Craft Sale at the Firehall

Come down to the Old Firehall Sunday, April 10th from 10 am – 3 pm for OSCA’s first ever spring sale featuring  the work of our very own local craftsmen and artists. A great opportunity to purchase some truly one of a kind gifts: featuring jewelry, paintings, cards, baked goods, photography, and more. Although all vendor tables are now reserved, call (613) 247-4946 or email osca@oldottawasouth.ca to be added to the waiting list.

LOTS OF ECO-TAV Napkins and Pouches and maybe some new stuff!!

Aisle Style Sample Sale

Sunday, March 27, 2011

10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where:
107 Murray Street, Weddings InStyle, Ottawa, Ontario.

Website: FACEBOOK EVENT

Tracey of TAV Creations/Eco-TAV accompanying Luxe Bridal!

AS I create custom made dresses, I don’t actually have the luxury of carrying a line of samples in house. So no, I won’t be selling samples of original TAV Creations pieces here. I will be using my Eco-TAV sewing skills to help support “Dress for Success”, the charity event involved with this showcase of fabulous ready made gowns!

With my new adventures with Luxe Bridal Salon on Dalhousie Street, as their “Alterations Specialist”, the lovely ladies have invited me to tag along with them to this fun event and asset brides in getting a quick idea of alterations as they explore purchasing gowns from Luxe!

I am all about being flexible and creative in my journeys into the Sparkly side of life and am really looking forward to being a part of this amazing Ottawa opportunity!

… let me rephrase that!

Over 3 Saturday mornings, 2 hours per session, I’ll be teaching folks how to sew – with the assumption that you have no previous experience or just that high school class you took a few years back!

Learning to sew yourself is a great way to be more environmentally aware, repair things that can be salvaged, reuse things that need to be transformed!

There are a few spaces remaining, and the class is limited so that i can spend time with each person as we go along!  Sign up soon if you would like to get sewing!

Sewing Level 1 – $50.00 plus HST

Description:

Learn how to hem your own pants, sew on your own buttons and the very basics of sewing! This course is based on hand work, with the option to bring in your sewing machine for the second class.

Register online or call 613-244-4470 for more info
Saturdays, Feb 26 , March 5 and Mar 12, 2011 – 10:00 AM  to 12 noon
Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Street, Ottawa, ON [Map]
Note: Check the Room location upon arrival – signs are inside the main entrances.