Bloggers Who Brunch..

Brunch has been a bit of a theme for me as of late....I LOVE spending lazy Sunday mornings with friends over tres yummy food, great coffee and even better conversation. So...needless to say, when I got an email from Heather, a fellow Guelphite who I met at BlogPodium, suggesting that some of us local Bloggers get together for Brunch, I was 100% in!

We met at 39 Carden Street, a newer bistro in downtown Guelph, across from City Hall. I had been there for dinner about a month ago with a friend and loved it, so I was realllly looking forward to having the chance to go back, but even more so, to meet the lovely ladies I had been emailing back and forth with!

As you enter 39 Carden, it literally draws you in! Their decor and atmosphere are the epitome of my ultimate decor aesthetic! It is the perfect amount of rustic... the leaded glass cupboard windows, the iron details in the table legs, the industrial bar stools, the chalkboard menu, the black harvest chairs...combined with just the right amount of polish and glam...the beautiful chandeliers, the vintage-look light fixtures,the tufted benches, mercury glass mirrors and white bistro chairs.

Once we all arrived, introductions had been made and we and had had a chance to `take it all in`...it was time to get down to the nitty gritty...what to order for brunch! I ended up going with the tried, tested and true....bacon and eggs (over easy)! The food...and the bottomless cup of coffee in those cobalt blue mugs, was absolutely scrumptious!

We`d settled in, food was ordered and conversation just naturally turned to learning more about eachother, chatting about some blogger `hot topics` such as Blogger vs Wordpress, Stats & Numbers but most importantly, and what I found the most interesting, was as the discussion evolved...so many similarities emerged! This is a group of women who are driven, entrepreneurial, creative, passionate, with strong opinions and we all enjoy putting our thoughts, brands and ourselves into our work and our blogs!

Here is the group of lovely #guelphblogbrunch ladies - lovely both inside and out! 

From left to right**:

Heather- Heart Heather,   Moma Lola - Bear and Lion,   Michele - Blushshop,   Diana - It`s Dilovely,  Heather- Heather In Heels  and  Myself - Rustic Retrievals

The diversity of topics, writing styles and design of our blogs say a lot about each of us as individuals but I think you will also find that as a collective...our shared love of writing and our passions shine through!

I think we could have sat there all afternoon and kept talking, but then reality set in and it was time to pack up and get going. We all wandered around the bistro, snapping photos and admiring the decor. A HUGE Thank you to the staff at 39 Carden Street for being so welcoming, the amazing service, the delicious food and for allowing us to come in and make ourselves at home!

Ironically enough, the contractor responsible for crafting, designing and pulling together 39 Carden was also there having brunch. We had a chance to meet Matt Robertson of Iron Edge Design and he even shared with us some of his sourcing secrets!

Here`s Matt, the creative genius behind the reno of the bistro - I think there is quite a Chris Daughtry resemblence..**

Thank you again to Heather for organizing this..such a wonderful idea! Thank you to 39 Carden Street for having us! And thank you to all the ladies for attending and for the chance to get to know more about each of you...I am really looking forward to next month!

Cheers to brunch, cheers to blogging and cheers to a group of inspiring women!**

RR

*Photo credit to Heart Heather on ** photos

Morphing Mixed Medium

Maria Pezzano is a name synonymous for art, painting, textiles and entrepreneurship... It is also synonymous for friendship.

I was lucky enough to meet Maria and her family as they were my neighbours when I lived in my loft conversion in one of the oldest and cutest neighbourhoods in Guelph. Her smile and passion for what she does is infectious, her giving and generous nature are a rarity these days, and her talent....well, as the pictures below will attest...her talent is insurmountable!

Maria explains her artistic 'process' the best, so I will leave it to her to describe how she comes to produce these magnificent pieces....

"The Process"

Maria Pezzano creates paintings using mixed medium.

From these paintings, she creates patterns and designs.

These are then printed with eco-friendly pigmented inks on organic cotton sateen.

These are then sewn into decorative cushions and duvet covers, locally.

Maria's designs are also printed on wallpaper to compliment the soft surfaces.

Other fabrics include: silk crepe de chine, upholstery twill, cotton linen blend, cotton silk and more.

Maria's ability to bring her visions to life through mixed media and to then transform these pieces of art into soft pieces of art through cushions and duvets are both inspiring and brilliant! Talk about the best of both (all) worlds!

The duvet covers are absolutely stunning...

One of her new pieces....

 Her use of colour and texture.....wow.....

 Cushions and cushion covers.

 Her father was a tailor.....

The next time you are in Guelph, be sure to drop by Maria's boutique at 77 Suffolk St. As you step through the front door, you will be greeted with a warm 'hug' of colour, texture and vision.

Maria and her new Studio partner, Karen Whylie/Coyote Photo, will be holding Fall and Holiday Open Studios October 18 & 20 and November 23 & 24. BE SURE TO DROP BY!! Also be sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!

I will leave you with some more of Maria's own words...she truly does say it best..

RR

Pyrrha and FIG

I'm a HUGE fan of shopping locally and even more so of purchasing/supporting a truly Canadian product!

I was downtown Guelph with some gal pals a while back and we walked into a shop called POD Designs. It is SUCH a funky shop, with amazing selection and variety of products...I didn't know where to start!

The two main items that caught my eye were the Pyrrha Jewelery and the FIG Clothing.

Here is  the bio on the designers and creators of Pyrrha Jewelery:

DESIGNER BIO

From their Vancouver studio, jewelry designers Wade Papin and Danielle Wilmore handcraft the heraldic talismans cast from 18th and 19th century wax seals that have become the Pyrrha signature. “Jewelers traditionally try to make everything look perfect, say Danielle and Wade, “but we like to show the maker’s hand. We celebrate the original cracks in the waxes.”

The pair designed the Pyrrha Talisman collection after they came across a box of 19th century wax seals. “Making jewelry out of them was inspired by a desire to give the fragile waxes new life and permanence.” say Danielle and Wade. The handcrafted, thoughtful pieces are a striking contrast to the glut of overseas factory made, mass produced jewelry that is so common in their industry. Wade and Danielle explain, “everything seems to be cranked out at a staggering pace and then left for dead. Because we live in such a throwaway society, it’s necessary to create some things that can be kept."

The story behind this jewelry is incredible! Each piece is so unique and inspiring, I am still having difficulty choosing which one I would like for myself! 

This is one of their new pieces that I am really leaning towards....

Follow Your Dreams Talisman Necklace

This handcrafted talisman necklace features an eagle with wings spread, which is symbolic of the freedom obtained by following your dreams. The rose signifies the passion that is ignited by doing what you were meant for.

The other great find I came across was FIG Clothing!

From their website:

"FIG Clothing is a Canadian sportswear brand for active, urban and elegant women who love to travel. The collection is inspired by adventure and practicality. It is designed for those in need of versatility. Each mini-collection is made of its own unique fabric to provide maximum freedom of movement. FIG is essential for travelling in comfort!"

This is their Fall 2013 Safari Collection.

The Guelph and Elora POD stores are holding a contest today (Friday) that if you go in and try on a FIG item, you could win $150!

I have a few pieces of their clothing already and I LOVE them for their comfort, style and durability! They are my new 'go-to' for outdoor wear, travel and sports gear!

Pyrrha is based in Vancouver and FIG is based in Montreal, so they truly do encompass both coasts of this country and it is so good to see amazing products being produced right here at home!!

If you have a chance this weekend...get out and explore your town/city and see what other Canadian businesses you can support and let more people know about!

 SPREAD THE CANADIAN LOVE! SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS!

RR