Creemore Farmer's Market

Every Saturday between 8 am - 12:30 pm I can hear the hustle and bustle of the Creemore farmer's market behind my house. It brings so many people together, offering not only a tasty selection of food options, but also some artistic things as well. There's something amazing about having the whole town come out to support local farmers, artisans and community groups that makes me so happy; little things like that were so missed while living in the big city a year ago. As I always say, home is where your heart goes to when you are lonely. It could be a place, a person, a feeling... but more than ever these days, I know my home is here.

Copper Kettle Classics

This weekend was Creemore's Copper Kettle Festival, which is a fun filled day celebrating the community and the beer that is brewed here. Part of the excitement is seeing the huge collection of antique & vintage vehicles which line the main street for all to see. This year had the most cars thus far; not only was the entire street filled, but every parking lot and side street along the way as well! It was also the first time I have ever seen the "rat rods" on display, which are ever funkier because the owners purposefully add rust, scratches and interesting items to the car itself, setting them head-and-shoulders above the rest in terms of utter coolness.

 

Baby On Board

At the beginning of this week I had my first-ever maternity shoot with my friend Seana, another amazing person I have met through Store 54, and a fellow lover of all things vintage. We had both discussed ideas for the session, agreeing that a vintage theme with props would be brilliant, given her style and my photography techniques. I met up with Seana and her partner Braden at their adorable house near Collingwood first to do some couple shots, then Seana & I headed to a farm in Singhampton to do some belly pictures. The farm is owned the family of a friend of hers, and it IS still inhabited by the grandfather, though much of the house has been left untouched for many years, giving it a retro/abandoned feel.

I can't wait to meet the little one (due at the end of September) and hopefully do some beautiful newborn pictures for the couple as well. They have opted to be surprised by the sex of the baby, though when asked, Seana admitted she thinks it may be a boy. We'll see!











 

 

A Second Chance

Last weekend I  photographed a beautiful backyard wedding (my first real wedding job!) in Wyevale, where the bride and groom were both tying the knot for a second time. Diane & Steven each had a child from their previous marriages, and the two were the only ones in the wedding party; Steven's daughter Katie was the maid of honor, and Diane's son Quentin was the best man. The small ceremony included close family and friends, with the five of us taking a short drive to Tiny Beach not far from the house for formal shots afterwards. There was something so sweet and intimate about the whole thing that even had me tearing up a little during the ceremony, and I shouldn't have to tell you that its kind of hard to take pictures with watery eyes. But I'm so happy I got a chance to share the day with this family and witness the fact that sometimes, a second chance at love was in the cards all along.

Kempenfest 2012

Well last weekend marked the occasion of my first ever festival as a vendor - and despite some small letdowns, I think it was a great experience. I ended up getting a second place ribbon for my fabulous vintage booth setup, and tons of people raved about how they loved my work. But the sales side just wasn't really there. I found it to be a lot less of an 'art buying' crowd for the most part, and instead was mainly people passing through on their way to the music stages or midway. Alas, I got the chance to show my stuff and network some contacts for the future - like the new wedding client who booked for next year; based on a brochure her sister grabbed from my booth on the weekend and passed along.

I don't think I would do Kempenfest again, however, I would definitely love to do another arts festival. But in the meantime, I will be getting my work back into Store 54 (a local young entrepreneurs co-op) as well as a few other cafes and shops who have expressed interest in showcasing my stuff. There's always a brighter side, right?