out at the TMC

A morning out at the TMC to catch Maremekko, with love.

 I went with my old  friend Marja, who is a Finn and had lots of inside stories to tell.  It was a trip down memory lane for us.

Marja must still have about one half of the items on display.....I remember her in that purple and black little number ( below right).  I had the blue stripe third from right, always loved the quality of the cotton.

Vivid,vibrant little exhibition,very nicely displayed. Although I always renew my membership at the TMC, I often ( but not always) find the museum is cliquey and a bit amateur. The shop is excellent!

 

Marja still has a keen eye, here she is, at the show,  in an upcyled cardi made for her by DianeSimmons from an old hoodie. I think the cardi has a Klimt like appeal.

Then we went out for Dim Sum.

Street Food

Toronto could have the best street food in the world as it is such an ethnically diverse and culturally rich city.

 Instead it is bound by an uptight and bureaucratic Department of Health. Pre cooked sausages are the only food allowed to be sold from a cart.

New Zealand seems to be more outward and encourage entrepreneurship.  Here are some stalls that I enjoyed around Tasman district last month.

But all is not lost....Toronto is having a bit of a food renaissance  in the form of Food Trucks and  I have found a couple of sites and blogs with information. Unfortunately, the trucks appear to pop up infrequently and are confined to trendy

downtown areas, not the  middle class, mid town neighborhood where I live.

I am encouraged however and have signed on for updates. Bring 'em on.


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At last ...rare scarf alert...

I have been searching for this silk  scarf for a few decades, at last, it has tipped up.

 A coronation souvenir designed by Oliver Messel. 1953.  Decorative and romantic in the extreme.

 
The Jaeger logo in the corner. Normally I save all Jaeger scarves for my sister,but this one is too badly damaged for her. Doesn't bother me, what do you expect for 50 cents?

Another beauty from about the same era.  Les fables de La Fontaine,  with a 'pure soie' tag.

 Lovely quality and an exuberant, detailed  design. Again, a wee bit worse for wear so it will have to stay with me.

The scarf front has been very interesting recently, so I am afraid you are in for a few more posts on the subject. 

Interesting that the souvenir scarves I sold in my etsy shop yesterday were from Cyprus and Venezuela.......what does that tell me?

New finds Liberty scarves

New finds this week for my vast Liberty scarf collection.

 Perfect for spring, a large floral with the 'arts and crafts' logo that I think was used mid 60s - mid 70s....please correct me if I am wrong.
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 Another  1970s number.....sort of a take on art nouveau, with the black outlines that date it.

My favorite sort of Liberty scarf, simple paisley with the early label, cream,butter and black.

And another that has not crossed my path before, floral in heliotrope and nutmeg...very sweet. Early 80s perhaps?

Along the tracks

I love hiking along the tracks in New Zealand....always so well kept by the Department of Conservation  (or DOC as it is affectionately referred to )

Textures always appeal. I can see inspiration for textiles here.

embroidery....

weaving ...try turning the photo around,

knitting....

and perhaps simple potato or block printing.

all roads lead to Rome

 As the Roman catholic church is about to get a new pope, I dug around my box of vintage souvenir scarves

for ones  of Rome to list in my etsy shop. I believe Prince Phillip said ' never miss an opportunity'
I found 10, only one is silk and a couple have some minor damage.

I'll get them up tomorrow.....shall I list them all at once?

opping again

Although I barely can fit anything more in my suitcase I could not resist these opportunities....http://www.opshopdirectory.co.nz/ .   Bloody blogger, but this is a great link.

 Homey, hand knitted hot water bottle covers....$1 each, and one of 4 hand smocked, hand made, little dresses. All will be seen on my market stall at the Toronto Brickworks Farmers Market when I start up again this summer. I always find a few baby items are irresistible to buyers.

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 Scarves for my etsy shop have been thin on the ground here lately. In fact, the only scarf I have found will have to go in my personal Liberty collection.

Also, 3 meters of Liberty Tana lawn ....$4......that I will keep for myself.

back to Canada tomorrow.....sob, sob.