Spirocreations

A New Year Begins

2012-01-31T20:32:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! It has been a long time since the last post and a lot has gone on. In May I took on a full time job at a Lapco Leather Company in Auckland. This was very timely as Isaac and I truly needed some stability after such an up and down year. Since that time, I have found it difficult to balance Spiro time with work schedule. I am settled into the routine now and feel a new vigor to communicate so here we go!

I have been in NZ two years now...what a feat! It seems unreal that this amount of time has passed. Since moving to Auckland a lot of life has finally come together. I am slowly making great friends and beginning to feel like NZ could be my home.

In light of two years I miss the weirdest things, though hard to put into words...I miss the 'feeling' that Canada gives me...certain smells and sights which I can't conjure up here. I miss the crisp smell of fall and crunching leaves. I miss the animals, I miss the sounds of snow crunching under my boots. I miss having numb cheeks and seeing my breath. I miss truck stop restaurants and pick up trucks with dogs. I miss the First Nations community and the diversity of ethnic identity in Canada. I miss quiet lakes and stately pines, wide straight country roads which go on forever without a hill or curve. I miss the warmth of my family and friends. I miss the smell of cinnamon and apples. I truly miss my home...it amazes me how much of my identity is wrapped up in where I originate from. I am so proud to be Canadian...it is hard to transition to a new land.

NZ smells sweet and is lush and green. The bird life is amazing and I adore the Tui's and Fan tails. It rains a lot here. The natural land scape is breathtaking and reminiscent of Middle earth. I love the blend of British and Island/Maori culture. The amount of tea cup envy is amazing! I love how people love the outdoors and truly live their lives. Kiwi's are very carefree and yet reserved...an interesting mix. The fish and chips are to die for and the lemons heaven on earth! I love the amount of bare feet I see and the fact that a beach is only potentially an hour away from any part of the Island.

I have made some incredible friends and taking a full time job has really helped me to open up and feel capable. Working at home by myself all the time was not helping me to transition into NZ life. Though I do feel the grind of trying to balance creative time with means to an end work time, I am grateful for stability. I am also learning a lot about leather and the leather artisan community in NZ. Isaac is also working full time at the moment for Meadowlark jewellery as well as making some wedding rings on the side. We are very grateful for a time of peace and rest. We are making enough money to survive and feel very nourished in our beautiful home.


looking into our studio space

In Sept of last year we headed home to visit my family and our friends in Canada. This was an amazing trip, so good for the soul and wonderful to invest again in incredible people. I ate enormous amounts of dill pickles (can't get this here) and my mothers home cooking! We had a whirl wind week in Winnipeg(5 w's)...it was crazy to try to fit everyone in and in the end I wish we could have stayed longer! Winnipeg has a huge piece of my heart and I truly miss my place there. The majority of the trip was focused on supporting my mom and dad. My dad has been fighting cancer for a long time, and due to recent complications with his blood, is now in need of a bone marrow transplant. If you have any moments over the next few weeks, can you please pray for them both as my father is going to be doing his transplant mid February. This has been very hard as my heart is quite torn. Thank fully Isaac and I were able to really spend some amazing time while helping practically around the house which allowed me to be able to return to NZ. This is another element of marrying into a different land...someones heart is always a bit torn. I believe in my dad and know he is a fighter. He also has an incredible family and friend base around him which I know makes all the difference. (thanks Aunt Linda!) Thank fully Isaac and I also have supportive family and friends here...thank you guys!

Dad, mom me and Isaac in the wagon dad built.

me and my dad:)

Isaac and I on my parents property

These photos were taken by my beautiful life long friend Tracy of Fathers Eye Photography.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about where to take Spiro as I had lost a lot of my inspiration and essentially needed to let it evolve. I still am trying to get my act together...classes are on the list for this year, as well as a new range of shoes and boots. I will keep you updated as I design and put the pieces in place.

I have been struggling a lot with feeling like I 'have a place' or have become 'someone'. A huge amount of this is linked to having to completely redefine myself in a new place. The readjustment period really disabled me from being able to move forward in a creative sense and I felt a bit lost for direction. I am still very keen to begin a masters in Art therapy later this year as well as working slowly to grow Spiro again. I'm sure you can relate to having a creative dry time...its a bit unnerving and has kept me up late at nights. Thank you again to all the friends who have kept me sane through this...I have so much to learn.

Isaac and I have worked hard to put our house together...Here are a few photos of our space as well as some of Isaac's latest creations.

Our new bed Isaac just finished making. Note the rigging...there are no nails.


Updated bedroom

Isaac's studio

Updated Kitchen

Updated Lounge

A beautiful Shaker side table that Isaac designed and made.


My studio


Our new movie corner!

Isaac's new tattoo...bison playing the accordion and smoking a pipe!

I hope that gives you a window into our life....until next time!

Treehouse Life

2011-05-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

A LOT has occurred since my last post....so much that I doubt I can summarize it all easily here.

March was spent enjoying the company of my good friend from Winnipeg in our cozy house by the sea. At the end of March, we had to leave our home on the coast as it was becoming to awkward to live so far from the city. We managed to house sit for friends in Auckland over the course of March-April...they being nice enough to allow us to cram all of our stuff into their garage. I was able to use the old granny flat at the back of the garage for a studio...this flat had been lived in by all of the couples sons over the course of many years. It was truly a boy cave and I really enjoyed retreating to my cave to work every day.

Isaac continues to work for Meadowlark finishing jewelery. He is also getting out to the wood shop when he can to continue his training as a furniture maker.

Once May rolled around we were searching hard for a new place...which proved difficult as what we required and what was available did not match up. We managed to stumble upon the most incredible 3 floor studio in the bush..and I am very happy to say it has become our new home! The house was built by a sculptor and 2 journeymen from Germany. It is incredibly unique and features all the details we love so much. We are literally still pinching ourselves to come to terms with the beautiful place we now get to live..thank you God! There is a lot I could say about the house but I would rather let the pictures do the talking...enjoy!

Kitchen

The Studio...2nd Floor. Divine light! Note that the doors are 13 feet tall!

My new Studio!

Studio looking up to 3rd Floor

The bedroom.

The view out our bedroom window.

The house is only a small drive outside the city center, so we are able to commute in easily and still have access to a natural, more laid back life. The place is surrounded by native NZ bush...I am still so grateful that I get to hang out with birds and go to sleep amongst the treetops. I also am blessed to have the most incredible studio space! A far cry from the boy cave I was using before. After an incredibly hard year of transition it feels as if we have finally come home. Fingers crossed.

More changes are in the mix. I have decided to take on a full time day job to help us continue to stabilize financially and to get out of the house for a change! Ironically, it is at a leather store...a perfect fit and I am just giddy everytime I get to sell leather to someone...I am so weird! It has been a huge relief for both of us...Isaac can now focus more on building his own creative business and I can step back from Spiro a bit, allowing myself to go back to a place where i can resurrect my creativity and inspiration. Churning out orders has dampened my heart and I need to be able to play again. It is a relief to be able to enjoy Spiro rather than depending on it to pay our bills. I have many ideas...already I have a new shoe design in the tube and am leaning back toward creating one of a kind beautiful pieces. Stay tuned...more to come.

I was also able to find a part time job teaching soft leather craft via a really cool art studio in Auckland. I am crazy excited and will begin teaching a few weekend classes over a few months. Anyone keen in Auckland to learn more about leather craft should come out to play! I will let you know more about the classes very soon.

We were also fortunate to be featured in the very lovely 'Extra Curricular' Magazine'! If you haven't checked it out you should give it a read. The magazine is based around crafty creative people and looks into their creative process and projects. Thank you so much Ellie for the special feature and blog post! We appreciate you:)

I have to say that I feel incredibly happy and content. It is as if our lives have finally come together and life is making sense.

I'm sorry I have been so bad at corresponding over the last little while. In a way, life has been so stressful that I have been unable to share and too tired to function. I feel more alive now then I have in awhile...it still amazes me how life can turn around and present you with a beautiful home and perfect job. We are truly blessed and I feel ready to find my feet.

Love Barb and Isaac:)

An Update....FINALLY!

2011-02-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

SOOO much has been happening and it has been crazy around here. We had a wonderful extended family Christmas with the Morton clan in Opunake...a tiny surf town in NZ. This was my first summer Christmas and I actually really enjoyed it though I did miss the context of snow and cold and cozy homes which really is Christmas for me in a lot of ways. It was really fun to enjoy a Christmas day water fight...and I spent a lot of time getting to know family members I did not know which was great. New years was also fun with heaps of food and fireworks on our deck...several of which went awol and barreling toward our neighbors homes...luckily nothing was damaged in all the excitement though we did have a good laugh about it!

New Years on our deck.

We received our friends Matt and Karin in from Canada the end of December and it has been great to catch up and to re-experience NZ through their eyes. Matt was our clever photographer who originally photographed our shoe designs. His lovely wife Karin is the beautiful blond model in so many of our photos. They are both very talented people and if you have a moment you should check out Matt's photography collection here.

Karin and Matt fresh off the plane

My parents also arrived here from Canada Feb 6th so I have had an influx of Canadian warmth to keep me going! It has been really wonderful to see my parents again as it had been a little over a year since I saw them last. They are enjoying the momentary break from the cold and we are enjoying showing them the sights of NZ as well as spending time together catching up.

Showing mom and dad our beach


Mom finding shells

Beautiful sunset

We decided to have Christmas together here in NZ , so we enjoyed an amazing dinner (courtesy of my mom), gifts (complete with several squirrel themed items which I was VERY happy about) and played vintage Christmas records which were always played over Christmas when I was a kid.

Christmas in Feb

Presents!

End of January we helped to move out our good friends Gem and Nathan to their new home in Auckland. We were sad to see them go but are happy for their new adventures. Together they create 'Hunter Gatherer' goodies. If you haven't heard of their crafty wares, you should check out their quirky design and accessory work here.

Hunter Gatherer

Isaac and I have been VERY busy as we are also preparing to sell our wares at the upcoming festival of world music and dance in Auckland called Jambalaya. You should definitely check out this festival if you can...when I found it I drooled over the line up as I am a HUGE world music fan. In essence, Isaac and I really just wanted to attend so we decided to also set up shop as our pieces really fit into the overall feel of the festival. The festival also features workshops which include Tango, Swing, Beatboxing, Salsa, Hip Hop, Dance Hall, Contemporary, A Capella Singing, Samba drumming, African, Flying Trapeze and many more. If you have a chance please come round for a dance, a workshop and a bit of a browse as it would be lovely to see you. Festival information can be viewed here.

Another gorgeous sunset

We also are thrown back into a season of transition as we sadly have to leave our beautiful home on the coast as we can no longer afford it on our own. This has been hard on us but we always knew this day would come so we are trying to be grateful for our beautiful summer and are searching to find a new place to live in Auckland city for April. Both of us are excited for the change as it will be lovely to see our friends, have access to art and music and also be closer to Isaac's current work at Meadowlark. We feel a bit torn to leave the beach as we are pretty tied to nature but as we have literally lived on the coast for a year over a variety of locations, I think I can give it up for the time being. So...if you know of a 2 bedroom place with a garage in the city for rent...let us know!

Last one

We are back in a tight place financially and have been praying that our needs would be met. Amazingly within a week of finding out we had to move we were featured like crazy on Etsy and I sold a few pairs of shoes. We are so grateful to the Etsy community for their support! Thank you Etsy for being so wonderful! One piece that I was particularly honored to have my mukluks featured on was a handmade portrait of Mabel Pike...a Tlingit Native elder in Alaska who creates incredible moccasins. Please take a moment to view her story here. My parents arrival meant lots of food to eat...they are really so lovely and generous! I seriously have gained five pounds since their arrival! Please keep your fingers crossed for us that everything will come together. I feel a surprising amount of peace about it all as we have really gone through this all year and have never lacked a place to live or food to eat. I am looking forward to getting into a new place and NOT moving for 2 years....sigh...that would be great.

Shoes that I made for my friend Layce

Anyways...that's about us. Hopefully I can see a few of your faces in the near future or bump into you at Jambalaya. Thank you again for all your incredible love and support!

Love...Barb and Isaac

New Winter Creations!!

2011-01-17T22:28:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

I know...I am in trouble...I have not updated you since the holidays and a LOT has occurred...for the moment I have to say that there is too much to report...though we are alive and well and several pounds heavier post holiday feasting. I will give you a proper update once I sort out all the details...

In the meantime I wanted to share with you a new creation...my very first winter leather and possum fur muff! I have had this idea for a really long time and wanted to come up with a really beautiful muff/bag combo which would practically suit the cold winter gal who still wants to be fashionable. The piece was hand created entirely and I literally hand pieced it together. I lined the inside with almost am entire possum hide which is ridiculously soft and supple. I also included a front pocket to practically store all your goodies. I would love to hear your thoughts on the piece...it was a lot of fun to make and I am proud of it!

Go to my etsy shop to view this creation and more new stuff....

Christmas Madness...

2010-12-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for your amazing support of Isaac and I and our creations this year! We couldn't have done it without your help.

We are gearing to enjoy family Christmas in a few days...it should be really interesting to experience my first beach Christmas...I will let you know how it goes.

I just wanted to share these photos of a pair of Deer baby moccasins I crafted today for my sister in laws new baby (due in Feb). I was quite happy with them...even my sad beading attempt...I may have to start crafting more of these in the future!

Have a lovely Christmas everyone!

Love Barb and Isaac

Craft Fair Trades are the Best!

2010-12-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

Isaac and I had a super fun time at the Auckland Art and Craft fair. Thank you so much to everyone who came out to support us! The event started really well as the event coordinator (Jess) was kind enough to make mention of us on the radio. We were really honored and it was incredibly encouraging pre-fair. Thanks so much Jess! Jess runs a really cool online store for NZ handmade called FOXES. If you have a hankering for some hand made or still need some Christmas presents you should check it out. She is an amazing lady who runs many Craft focused events in Auckland.

Of course....between the two of us...we still managed to forget to shoot any pictures of the event. This is a constant trend with us and it's sort of funny as I have no event photos to share. Instead, I decided to share with you the AMAZING trade scores I received at the Craft fair. Trades are so much fun and very important to Isaac and I as we are always broke but still have our eye on other peoples nice creations. I always feel very honored to take away a piece of someones art. There are so many amazingly talented people around and I wanted to take a moment to rave about a few.

Firstly...we did a trade with our friend Louise who is the creative force behind 'Bibliographica'. You may have seen her work around town as she hand creates amazing leather hand bound journals of all shapes and sizes as well as tiny book necklaces, earrings and a beautiful assortment of vintage accessories. She is an amazing craftswomen who pays close attention to detail. When I look at her work, I feel like I am transported back in time as her pieces and artisan-ship reflects the medieval age when books were works of art, hand crafted out of the finest materials and by expert hands. She also works with beautifully aged and supple leather. Isaac and I both chose small journals which are very lovely and special. I have been admiring her work for awhile so I was very excited to finally own one of her creations! Here is a photo of mine:

Isn't it beautiful! Get to her shop quickly and buy one for yourself.

Next on the list....a gorgeous black velveteen bunny made from vintage materials created by Melissa Wastney of 'Tiny Happy'. Check it out:

I have to say I am IN LOVE with this bunny. I have a quirky passion for stuffed bunnies and squirrels (my friends are well aware and laugh at my obsession). I think this is partly due to the fact that I REALLY want a pet dwarf bunny and have been trying to work Isaac down into letting me get one. He tells me I really want a baby...I tell him...no...just a bunny. He's actually the clucky one! Anyway...Melissa makes beautiful hand sewn accessories of all kinds. Her work is very delicate and finished, and she in person is an incredibly warm person whose genuine loveliness reflects in all she creates. The bunny brings me back to childhood and holds a lot of whimsy for me. Thank you so much Melissa for your beautiful creation! Please check out her store for other great creations...Now...to get Isaac to give me a real bunny...

Lastly I received a beautiful hand created ceramic ring by Vivienne Frances Long. Vivienne is the creator behind 'Ceramics Can Fly' and creates really fun, quirky animal inspired masks, necklaces, rings and more. Her work is very conceptual and 'outside the ceramics box'. I really like her fresh approach as her work is often fun, beautiful and thought provoking simultaneously. Here is my new ring:

Isn't it beautiful! I am afraid I may break this piece of art but she assured me that it was strong and able to withstand my clumsiness. Go to her blog to check out more of her great work.

Hooray for trades...I am grateful. A perfect end to a fun craft fair. Thanks again for all the support!

Auckland Art and Craft Fair

2010-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00


Medium Fringe Bag

Ok...if you haven't done your Christmas shopping yet, come out to the Auckland Art and Craft Fair this Saturday. We will be there hawking our wares as well as many other talented artists. This is a great chance to support the handmade community in NZ...handmade are always the nicest gifts!

Here are the fair details:

When: Saturday December 11
Location: Aotea Centre, Auckland City
Time: 11am-4pm
Cost: FREE

I have been working on many new bags, clutches, tiny keepsake bags, cuffs and earrings for the event. It would be lovely to see your faces and to hear your thoughts on my new creations.


Mini Keepsake Bag

Medium Keepsake Bag

Thoughts On Creating and Selling

2010-12-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

William Morris

This may sound strange...but I feel a bit weird trying to promote myself. I know as a self employed creative I have to be part of the money driven world if I want to sell anything. I just find it hard. I know I should start a facebook page and update my blog and do promotions and twitter constantly but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. Its honestly that I feel a bit akward and sort of weird singing my products praises. I kind of just want to quietly make things in a corner...and if they impact someone who chooses to buy them that's great. I really like being connected to my process and to other people...I find it hard to think...'will people buy this or that' or find my inspiration through current trends. I am not trying to sound arrogant here...I just find it really hard to make and sell stuff in a profit before people focused world.

Morris and his good friend Edward Burne-Jones

Morris' Wallpaper Design

A painting by Morris

One of my big hero's is William Morris who was the founder of the Arts and Craft Movement in Britain in the late 1800's. I wrote a research paper on his life and found myself really amazed by his spirit, writing and charisma. He was the kind of person who swirled revolution around himself..who really set out to be different and found people following him. He lived in the midst of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, and witnessed horrible factory working conditions and the literal destruction of the land around him by belching, dirty factories and mines. He was a major advocate of hand craft, artisan-ship, beauty, joy in labor and people before profit driven societies. He wrote amazing poetry, novels and political/philosophical works. He was also prolific as an accomplished architect, painter, furniture maker, illustrator, designer and even weaver! Ironically, he was a gifted business man, and created products that the public really desired. This frustrated him as he found himself attempting to retain his principles within a capitalistic profit before people structure. In short, in order to function within the framework of society he had to play by the rules and adjust his process to reflect this. Toward the end of his life he abandoned business to become a socialist. He realized that rather than attempting to fit within the current economic structure, he needed to pull down the structure itself and begin again. His end aim began pushing towards a socialist, people before profit society where he felt his process could function with integrity.

Here is an excerpt of Morris' thoughts on factory production:

"We should be the masters of our machines and not their slaves, as we are now. It is not this of that tangible steel and brass machine which we want to get rid of, but the great intangible machine of commercial tyranny, which oppresses the lives of us all."

These are the words of his student Walter Crane concerning Morris:

"As an artist, no doubt at first he saw the uglification of the world going on, and the vast industrial and commercial machine grinding the joy and leisure out of human life as regarded the great mass of humanity. But as an employer he was brought into direct relation with the worker as well as the market and the public, and he became fully convinced that the modern system of production for profit and the world-market, however inevitable as a stage in economic and social evolution, was not only most detrimental to a healthy and spontaneous development of art and to conditions of labour, but what it would be bound, ultimately, by the natural working of economic laws, to devour itself."

Now I am not saying we need to pull down society as we know it and become socialists. I am only trying to express that I understand exactly how he felt. Convicted but trapped within the current system. Desiring to create and sell pieces to sustain our life, but overwhelmed by the hoops we need to jump through. This is my beef...I really feel uncomfortable with the current system of economy.

This is why I love handcraft and its movement toward a more sustainable, people loving economy. I am glad to be a part of this change.

I do not want to be part of a manipulative marketing world that essentially coerces people into believing they 'HAVE' to have this product when they really should be paying their rent. I know I have to do some amount of marketing/selling, but if so, I would like to do this in a respectful manner. I do not want to push or prod or try to be something I'm not. I think that people are lovely just as they are and shouldn't have to try to be 'cool' or fit in to a trend. I really want to celebrate individuality and the beauty of choice. I want women and men to feel comfortable with themselves and realize that they are valuable, incredible beings with lots of good to offer the world.

I am not trying to sound haughty or better than anyone....this is something that I really wrestle with and want to shine light on it. I understand that marketing and selling is part of life. I just want to be real and not feel pressure to change myself in order to make some money. I need to eat and like having a home but would really like to accomplish this in a way that I feel comfortable with. Is this so hard? I am writing this rant as I do feel the pressure...its certainly lots to think about and really stirs inside of me. What do you think?

New Home On the Coast!

2010-11-26T00:17:00.000-08:00

Again, it has been a very long time since I have updated you on our adventures. I am tying hard to be a better blogger but find myself often drowning in shoe orders unable to take the time to write anything of interest! I promise to update this blog at least once a week with small anecdotes...I commit to try.

Since we last spoke, much has changed. Life has improved substantially. After living in our friends house bus for a month and a half, we moved into our friends house to house sit for two months while they traveled. The perks of this situation: no bills, access to a huge house and a projector and screen! We made a lot of use of the projector and I spent some time just wandering from room to room because I could.

Towards the end of our house sitting experience we began searching for a new home to settle. Much to our surprise we have been blessed with a HUGE home on a hill overlooking the ocean. Honestly, its everything we could have wanted. We now live in a huge old villa with a huge deck, lots of light, natural wood detailing, a fireplace and hard wood floors. It even has a GIANT studio space complete with rounded bay window. Isaac has a double garage to create a workshop and we even have enough room to put in a little garden. The house is surrounded by trees and there are many cheeky Tui birds constantly on the move. We even have fruit trees! Its honestly the most amazing end to a really rough start. Both Isaac and I feel way more settled and relaxed. We have two friends living with us at the moment as we are unable to afford the house alone. They are a really fun couple who we love a lot. Considering my last post on vulnerability...I feel humbled by how God always seems to take care of us. We are very blessed and soooo grateful for the change. Finally..a home.

Here is a little tour around the place:

Our giant deck:

Backyard:

Our View of the ocean from the deck

Front Entrance:

Kitchen:

Lounge:

Studio:

My Canada wall:

Music Room:

Hope you like it! I do have to pinch myself a bit as I can't believe I get to live here. Good things do come to those who wait.

Aside from this, Isaac and I have been working hard. I filling orders and he doing finishing work for a local jeweler. I have been doing lots of researching into nutrition and have begun to play around with fermenting food. I have started a batch of sauerkraut...I will let you know how this goes!

It is starting to get really nice here as spring turns to summer. It is so weird to walk into stores in a sun dress and be facing off with Christmas trees! So strange. Christmas really does seem out of context in NZ. It's very weird indeed.

If you have some snow...please send it...I would be happy to receive!

More to come soon...

Back with New Fall/Winter Designs

2010-10-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone....

It has been a painfully long time since I have posted anything exciting and this is due to moving into an AMAZING new house and locking myself away to create some new fall and winter designs.

First off...I gotta say a HUGE THANK YOU to my great friend Jill of 'I LOVE LUNE' who did a great job reinventing our blog design. You should really take a chance to check out her work...she is a very talented lady with her hands in the Earth who is a very lovely and inspiring person! Check out her store here. She also writes a very cool blog which I must read daily. You can read it here.

I also am excited to introduce you to my new footwear designs...I would love to hear your thoughts:)

Detachable Fringe Woodland Boots

These beautiful boots were created with the lady in mind who wants to wear a variety of looks but would rather not pay for 4 different pairs of boots. In one pair you can wear 4 different looks, fringe or no fringe, slouched or straight. These boots are also lined with a super soft semi NZ wool which actually feels like angora. I LOVE mine and honestly they are so comfortable I never want to take them off. You can buy this perfect fall winter boot here.

Ankle Fringe Wrap Booties

Cute and comfy these eye pleasing booties are perfect for dancing and adventures:) I can craft these from a variety of colors in super soft suede. Again these boots are super comfortable and I have been wearing these when I give my brown ones a rest! You can buy these boots here.

Unisex Leather Woodland Shoes

I am happy to finally create a shoe style for men! Guys shoes are a very important issue. When I was single and if I thought a guy was cute, I would ALWAYS check the shoes as it was very important (for me a shoe girl) for guys to have good shoes! My friends and I always joked about HAVING to check the guys shoes to make or break the decision to pursue...so funny and actually kind of silly. Thankfully my husband has good taste in shoes (when I can get him to wear them...he prefers bare feet) and I designed this pair with him in mind. Isaac loves to longboard barefoot and wanted a pair of shoes he could use which would feel like he was barefoot...only not! Hence the Woodland shoe...super soft, comfy and functional. The ultimate barefoot shoe. These are great casual shoes and dress up nicely. Ironically I have had a number of ladies RAVE over these shoes...so these are also available in women's sizes. This is your chance ladies...buy your man some shoes for Christmas(...or for yourself of course)! You can buy these shoes here.

Custom Mukluks


This is my mom in her Muklucks I made for her.

Custom Mukluks can be crafted in either the raw edge (first photo) or fringe (pink photo) styles. I have been making mukluks from the beginning. These are some of the first pairs I made long before the shoes styles. Each pair will be lined with super thick faux sheep's wool and trust me...they will keep you warm. I wore mine in -50 Winnipeg weather and my feet were toasty! Even I was amazed. There are a lot of Muklucks on the market so I have attempted to create something unique and functional. Here is a way to look good and not freeze! You can buy these boots here.

All of these new styles will be hand crafted by me and made with love...and a LOT of patience! i am really proud of these new styles and hope you like them too!

Here also is a new vest and bag to peep:

Special thanks to my great friends and talented photographers Caren and Jonny Smiles...through rain and shine they shot these wonderful new pictures. Thanks guys!

Vulnerability...

2010-08-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

Life is so interesting. It's amazing that when you choose to follow your heart there are so many unforeseen trials to complete. I have always known that following your hearts desire requires an amount of cost...it's just interesting finding myself in the middle of the process.

Here I am in a totally new country, starting all over, trying to make a full time go of hand crafting and pursuing a simpler lifestyle.

I never knew how much it would challenge my willpower, confidence and comfort levels. It was a lot easier talking and romanticizing about this process than actually walking it out. I have always desired to live what I believe...and this is a huge test of putting my beliefs into practice.

Isaac and I had a very comfortable existence in Winnipeg. We both had good jobs, stable finances and an apartment to call our own. Close friends were literally a few minutes away and every time I stepped outside my door the patterns of life in Canada made sense to me. I was somebody in some senses and felt secure in who I was.

Throughout this time Isaac and I were (and still are) ever aware of a lot of injustices going on around us. We in some ways feel very old soul...as if we were born into the wrong time and could relate more to the values of a distant past. We both wanted to live in a such a way that we left a gentler imprint on the earth and the people around us. We both wanted to unravel our lives and learn how to live sustainably.

Stumbling onto leather craft and being exposed to the possibility of working for myself was a start in this journey. Before we left Winnipeg I was hand crafting Spirocreations full time. Moving to New Zealand was the next step.

Since living in New Zealand we have literally seen our lives unravel before our eyes. It truly felt (and still does) that everything we tried to make happen fell away from our hands. I have always believed in God but this was a brand new level of submitting our lives to his will and believing in faith for our everyday needs. Having the comfort of stability taken away really is a painful process. I really began to see how much I disliked risky life...its actually quite humbling to start all over...I struggled a lot with comparing life in NZ to life in Winnipeg and worried we had made the wrong decision.

I found myself dealing with insecurity, lack of confidence, fear and loneliness. I struggled with a lack of motivation and a strong desire to give up, pack my bags and high tail it back to Canada. In many ways, I really faced myself. The weak parts of my character that I wanted to pretend weren't there.

Thankfully...I have been (by the grace of God, friends, family and my husbands support)able to face off with these feelings, choosing to re-focus my attention and start again. I really love what I do and want to embrace living in New Zealand. I want to make it my home and carve out a place here. I don't want to give up on Isaac and I's dreams of creating for a living, living sustainably and trying to make small positive changes around us. I want to keep moving forward.

It has been really inspiring to witness miracles in small ways...friends opening their cupboards and filling bags with groceries for us, beds and even a house offered to live in for free. A van received through friends we had never met, Isaac stumbling into his creative dream of woodworking and receiving a job after chatting with someone at a skate park. Etsy featuring us enabling our creations to sell and in small ways sustain us. Waking up each day and being able to look out over the ocean...we are honestly so blessed and taken care of.

Living out our beliefs is not easy. There is a huge cost and I am often romanced by the idea of giving up getting a normal job and having my own bed to sleep in:) Working for yourself is risky...you never know if enough money will come in to feed you...there is no guaranteed paycheck at the end of the week. Isaac is not being paid by his apprenticeship...but I would rather he do what he loves then work a job he dislikes for the sake of comfort. I know in the end life will come together...and in many ways it already has...I just wanted to be straight up with you concerning my process...my attempt to go against the grain for the sake of conviction. I cannot buy into a profit before people society...I can no longer exist through life....I actually want to live it.

In retrospect I am deeply honored that we even have the choice of deciding how we will live. For most people of the world...this is not an option...their lives are subject to survival and a lot of hardship. Knowledge of the blessing of 'choice' and 'options' helps to keep my attitude in focus.

Thank you for your constant support, encouragement and prayer. We are overwhelmed by the graciousness of friends, family and kind souls met through creative exchange. Thank you also to all who have purchased Spirocreations pieces and supported our dream...in so many ways you have made our process of change possible...thank you so much for chances, options and a path forward.

much love,

Barb and Isaac

Brand New Mid Summer Creations!

2010-08-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy the last few weeks creating some brand new Spirocreations designs. I would love to hear your feedback on the items...I am especially proud of the lamb hide halter top...this is the first of many clothing items I would like to add to Spirocreations repertoire. Enjoy!

We are Featured on the Real I

2010-08-06T14:37:00.001-07:00

Hey all,

Check out our feature on the Real I...an online web show dedicated to showing the best of emerging websites, designers and more on the web so you don't have to spend time searching for it.

Melissa (the Host) is wearing a custom made corset belt I designed for her.

You can view the video at the top of our blog page....let me know what you think!

Since We Last Spoke...

2010-07-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

It has been WAY to long since our last blog post. Our life is an ever continuing adventure and many changes have transpired along the way. Over the course of the last month we have moved from Wellington to Whangaparoa, received a FREE van, settled into a house bus and will be moving into a beautiful house in a few days as house sitters for dear friends.

But let me start at the beginning. As soon as Isaac agreed to take the Furniture making apprenticeship with Opus Libero we were in a frantic state of faith. We secured a flat in Whangaparaoa, gave our notice on our Wellington flat and began scheming how in the world we would move all our stuff eight hours North without a vehicle.

Miraculously, an Etsy seller named 'Thimble-Scratch' (check out her stuff...she makes beautiful clothing and accessories), emailed me a few days prior to our decision with some big news. She and her husband had immigrated to NZ from the states and had been living in Wellington and Nelson for the past year. We had tried to get together a few times but kept missing each other. She emailed to inform me that they had had a beautiful baby boy and were off to America for a year or so to visit family and friends...this led to the fact that they had many items they wanted to to give to us...including a van which was ours for FREE! Isaac and I were honestly stunned...we had literally prayed and asked God to give us a van as we could NEVER afford one in a million years. We had no idea he would deliver so fast! To make a long story short, we flew down to Nelson, met Tammy, Jason and London, made fast friends and picked up our new van. The icing on the cake was that the van had a built in platform and brand new mattress....exactly what we wanted. It works like a dream and is in great condition...what a special gift! Thanks Tammy and Jason!

Tammy, Jason, London and Us:

Isaac and London:

The Free Van (WOOT!):

We had to do two trips from Welly to the Mount (Isaac's folks place) in a weekend to get all our stuff up North. When we got onto the road the first time Isaac and I were very concerned that our life was going WAY to easy in contrast to our rather bumpy and chaotic experiences of past. Luckily we blew a tire (when I was driving of course) on our first trip up to the Mount with our stuff which brought us back a bit of normality. We heaved a huge sigh of relief as our life is NEVER so perfect. Isaac saved the day by changing the tire....what a hero!

Here are some pics of our journey from Wellington to Whangaparaoa:

A few days after this we received a call from dear friends in Whangaparaoa informing us that they were leaving to travel for two months and really needed house sitters over their time away. We again were stunned as this meant three months rent and bill free...perfect as we desperately needed a chance to get caught up financially. We accepted. Ironically, we were arrving a month early, so they arranged to have us stay in their mean as house bus until we could move into the house. The house bus has served us very well...it is outfitted with a full bathroom (shower included) a bedroom, and functioning kitchen. I actually laughed out loud as our life is truly so ridiculous....from tent, to flat to house bus...so funny! We truly are living the gypsy dream.

The Bus:

We were cleaning out our van and this random chicken decided to hop on in and check things out. This chicken is MAD...no fear whatsoever...I had to take a few shots...way to funny!

I was given a room in the house to use as a workshop which I have set up as Spirocreations headquarters. It's actually my friends old room so it comes complete with bed, stuffed animals and children's books. Again, I have to laugh at how loosely we hold our life at the moment...we have to be crazy flexible and adaptable to survive. My little workshop is great and I enjoy listening to bird song and basking in sunlight.

Can I say how INSANE our view is...again we are living on the coast just a few steps from the ocean. It is WAY warmer here and I am grateful to wear a t-shirt out in the dead of winter.

Stanmore Bay:

Isaac has settled into his apprenticeship and LOVES it. He is learning heaps and has literally come alive. We are reconnecting with friends and I am grateful for a bigger circle of support. I am feeling content and more at home here.

I had my first big homesick breakdown...right around the six month mark. I wanted so badly to see my friends and family and to surround myself with normality once again. More than anything I just wanted to jump on my bike and get to Winnipeg. I wanted to see people I knew on the street and visit old haunts. Isaac was able to comfort me...he arrived home armed with chocolate, candy and salt and vinegar chips...he is way to good of a husband...he knows how to fix me very well!

Isaac and I also had our 3rd wedding anniversary which is very exciting (June 16)...we are both pretty excited to have found the perfect half to love and who will manage to deal through all our crazy troubles and adventures...we make a great team!

We also managed to see the seals (EEEKKK!!) in Island Bay before we left Wellngton...I was in my glory as I adore seals so much. Here is pics of the aftermath:

I have received in a shipment of deer hide from Canada and am busily completing orders...(thanks guys!). Etsy has been featuring us again which has provided lots of traffic and sales. I have LOTS of inspiration and many new ideas to create. I have made a pile of new accessories which I will post this coming Friday.

That's about us...Thank you to all the beautiful ladies that came round to say hello to me at Kraft Bomb. It was amazing to meet you and also great to catch up! Thank you for your support...enabling me to feel more at home in NZ.

Thank you also to all our great customers for your support! We had a great June July...

Cheers:)

Barb

KraftBomb This Sunday

2010-07-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Calling all Aucklanders!

Spirocreations will be selling this weekend at Kraft Bomb! Please come round to say hello and check us out. I (barb) will be all alone and would love some company. I have made up a bunch of adorable bags, wallets, cuffs, earrings and belts.

Here are the details:

Sunday 25th July, 2010
11am-2pm

Grey Lynn Community Centre
Main Hall - 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland

free entry!
Lots of crafty stalls, food, rad people and playground!

It would be great to see you there:)

Etsy Feature on Kaboodle

2010-07-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Wow! Etsy Admin has chosen to feature our Lace up Ballet High tops on their recent Kaboodle blog post concerning 'Tribal Trends'. Please check out the article here.

Spirocreatons featured on the RealI

2010-07-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Real I Episode 39 - The best free videos are right here

Featured Seller Interview on Felt

2010-07-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

Check out our featured seller interview on 'Felt', New Zealand's equivalent to 'Etsy'. Felt features a wide variety of New Zealand Talent and is worth a view.

I was honestly honored and it is really fun to re-think through the reasoning behind what we do and what inspires us.

You can read it here...just scroll down a bit.

Changes

2010-06-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

In a crazy turn of events, Isaac and I have decided to move again!

In two weeks we will be heading North to Whangaparaoa (North of Auckland) as Isaac has found an unpaid fine furniture making apprenticeship with 'Opus Libero'.

Opus Libero specializes in finely crafted, free standing period kitchens. Styles such as 'arts and crafts, shaker, art deco and art nouveau are some of what they can offer. Isaac nearly had a heart attack when he found this site as we both share a strong passion for the Arts and Craft/Arts Nouveau movement and appreciate the artisan-ship involved in crafting these pieces. Isaac also gets access to four different mentors and a huge workshop...needless to say he is beside himself with excitement.

So, like proper gypsies, we will once again be packing our bags and heading off into the sunset. We have secured a new flat and find ourselves excited for this new challenge and opportunity. We have really enjoyed living in Island Bay and will miss our friends and little seaside flat.

More info to come soon:) Wish us luck!

We are Back in Business!!

2010-05-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

we are very pleased to announce that we are back to work and have finally re-listed our shoe and boot styles to Etsy for purchase....just in time for summer!!

Each pair is carefully handmade, and no two pairs are a like. You literally get your very own pair crafted for you alone...the shoes will grow and mold to your feet you as you journey on. My First Nations friend once told me that moccasins were designed to keep us grounded. Your feet literally feel the earth beneath them and stay connected with each step. We too desire to keep you grounded and connected to the Earth.

If you have been desiring a pair of handmade, one of a kind, unique and gorgeous shoes, you can buy them right now here!

It turns out that NZ is the land of very little leather selection....so some of the colors (including gold deer) will have to be shipped in from Canada. We are going to be putting in an order for gold deer right away, so for the moment gold deer will not be available. As soon as the shipment comes in we will notify those desiring deer.

I have several new styles in the mix...these should make an appearance very soon...I have drawn a lot of inspiration from the serene, majestic trees around us, as well as the rugged coasts and wild ocean....I am quite excited about them and hope you will like them as much as I do!

Thank you for your incredible patience and support...we appreciate you all and look forward to crafting some beautiful shoes for you very soon!

The Latest and Greatest

2010-05-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since we have posted a NZ update. Much has changed and we are beginning to settle in nicely.

By random chance I happened to find a nice apartment for rent in Island Bay, which is a beautiful suburb of Wellington. Isaac and I were well over living in a single room in a university house. Though the company was lovely...it seems a clean bathroom and kitchen outweighed cheap rent. We managed to get down to Island Bay to view the place, and ended up landing a sweet little flat right across from the ocean! Honestly, I am overjoyed to be living in such a beautiful little piece of the world. Island Bay is nestled along a long and winding coast, dotted with rugged headland, jagged rocks and blue green ocean.

Our new home!

Our corner...look how close the ocean is!

The beach across the road

Much to our excitement, the new flat featured a very large master bedroom which has lovingly been transformed into my new studio and creative space. Ironically, our room is a little cave...literally a 'bed' room. We don't mind...Wellington homes are 'FREEZING', central heating does not exist...so little cozy spaces are valued.

The new studio!

The 'Bed' Room...

We have been fortunate to have such caring friends and family. Between them all we have accumulated some furniture, a full kitchen and a bed...FINALLY! I can`t express how amazing it felt to finally unpack our suitcases and actually put items into drawers and onto shelves...I was so OVER living transient that I nearly chucked our suitcases out the door! Isaac and I honestly are overjoyed to have a home at last...I almost burst cooking my first meal in our new kitchen...amazing how much you appreciate things when you can`t access them for awhile.

The only down side to our little place, is the lingering cat pee odour...this we have militantly attempted to make go away...finally after a few weeks it is disappearing. Humorously, the old tenant has moved upstairs, so the old cat still hangs out outside the house. Many times Isaac caught the cat trying to come inside our place, looking around anxiously and meowing in a very confused tone...the poor thing can`t understand why it can`t come inside...its even more distressed when Isaac pushes it out the door...no more cat pee thank you!

It has been amazing to go for walks along the coast and enjoy the natural beauty. I find it very inspiring and a nice break from work. We are now finally settling into life. Isaac is working hard with special needs adults and I have been focusing on getting Spirocreations back up and running. Ironically the leather supply in NZ is very slim (despite the 1000`s of cows and sheep) so much of what I used before will have to be shipped in from Canada. I have found two good suppliers so luckily I can source some leather from NZ. I am working on several new designs and have finally re-listed the shoes on Etsy (woot!). It feels great to get back into more of a normal routine...after our first few months of adventures we were ready for a bit of normalcy. I am still homesick but am working hard to meet new people and explore what NZ has to offer.

Lastly, the best part of living in Island Bay is the Seal colony that hangs out just up the road! I am beyond pumped! Anyone who knows me knows I adore seals...so its super crazy to stroll up the road and see them...way too cool...makes life worth living indeed!

Much love from NZ to all our friends and family in Canada...you are missed and need to immigrate here STAT!

Till next time...

Haute Handbag Feature

2010-05-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

We are pleased to announce a current feature in Stampington and Company's magazines 'Haute Handbags' Spring issue, on-stands now! The article, (written by yours truly) overviews our 'Old World Leather Clutch' available here for purchase. The magazine chronicles many different beautiful handmade bags in a variety of mediums and also features various 'How To' tutorials.

If you are keen you can purchase the magazine here.

More Kiwi Adventures

2010-03-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Our life has changed significantly since our last blog post. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes...it meant A LOT and we are grateful for your love and support.

After reading about our tent saga, our lovely friends Linden and Alice had compassion on us and invited us to stay in their lovely spare room for 2 weeks. this was AMAZING as we finally got to sleep in an actual bed for a change. We had a blast living with this amazing couple..and recovered a lot after a rather rough start. Thanks Linden and Alice...we love you guys!

Isaac and I headed up to Hamilton to attend 'Hamtown Smackdown' where Isaac was asked to jump up on stage to perform with his old band 'Brick vs Face' as they played their final show after 6 years. He did an excellent job, the crowd loved it and I was proud as a peacock!

We managed to get to another craft sale in Auckland: Kraft Bomb...where we shared a table with our good friends Nate and Gem. They have collectively formed a craft company called 'Hunter Gatherer' and create incredibly beautiful and whimsical pieces. Please check them out here.

After Kraft Bomb...we jumped on a bus and headed down to Wellington with the goal of sorting out a place to live and a job for Isaac. Our incredibly awesome friend Dallas took us in for a week (even vacating his room for us!) and helped us heaps in trying to make things come together. We also attended a super fun outdoor craft sale in Wellington where we met lots of lovely Wellington people. We meant to do another craft sale the following week...but torrential rains defeated us.

We sorted out a giant room in a flat of 4 students to stay for 2 months while we save our pennies and try to sort out a place on our own. The advantage is that the room is large enough to accommodate our workshop, so I am excited to finally get back into the routine of creating. We are having some trouble sorting out a leather supplier in NZ...leather is not exactly plentiful here (which is ironic considering the sheep and cows outnumber people here 4 to 1!) so we are finding this to be our greatest obstacle. i am almost in a place to begin crafting shoes again...so all those who have patiently anticipated shoes for spring...your wait is almost over!

Once we sorted the room, we took off in Dallas's sweet van back to the mount to collect our stuff to bring back to Wellington. The trip between the Mount and Wellington is a good 8 hours....we stretched the trip there and back over 2 days. Dallas's van is equipped with a tape deck...so we rocked out to old 60's 70's and 80's favorites/metal...including Zeppelin, Neil young, Creedence, Janis Joplin, Guns n Roses and more. This provided hours of entertainment for us...though we did feel we were reliving the 69 Woodstock dream as we cruised around in our psychedelic van! I did a good portion of the driving this time...which I am proud about! It felt good and I think it is becoming more second nature. we looked so perfect in our hippie van..our dream of roaming the country as gypsy's was almost materializing!

I have to say...the trip was beautiful....now that the stress has somewhat calmed down, both Isaac and I are finding it easier to take in and appreciate the natural beauty around us...here are some lovely trip photos:

Once back in Wellington, we moved into our new room, breathing huge sighs of relief over being able to FINALLY lay out our stuff for the first time since December. One huge downer about Wellington...is the MASSIVE hills throughout the city! My out of shape body got the shock of its life as sight seeing was equivalent to small hiking excursions! Our house is at the top of a giant hill...going to get groceries is indeed a mission as I am just about dead once we reach the top. More annoyingly...Isaac can race to the top with minimal effort...grrr...this means NO biking for me...as the thought of crashing to my death is not appealing. On the flip side...I will gain legs and buns of steel within 2 weeks...one advantage I am willing to sacrifice for:)

Isaac has now sorted a job working with special needs adults (hooray) and we are crossing our fingers that he gets another position assembling furniture for a local company. We have set up our workspace and I am working hard to get Spirocreations back in business. We both feel a lot of hope and excitement for Wellington...we have already met great people and really like the bustling city itself.

We love and miss you all and wish we could transplant everyone here to NZ with us...once the Canadian migration begins to NZ...life will be just about perfect!

Much love from Barb and Isaac

New Items Up on Etsy!!

2010-03-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hey crew!

We finally have found a place to settle for a few months and have found the time to post a few new items up to Etsy with more to come. We also are finally in a position to almost begin making shoes again! Yeah! At the moment we are still sourcing leather in NZ...but the wait for beautiful shoes for spring and summer is almost over.

Here is a peak at some of the new pieces for spring (I hope you like them):

much love from Barb and Isaac

A Tent with a View

2010-02-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

It has been a long time since I have posted an update on our NZ adventure. We have arrived safely in NZ...no mishaps with customs...I am now an official NZ resident extrodinaire!

It has been great to catch up with Isaac's family who we missed dearly over the last 2 years in Canada. We needed at least a week of jet lag recovery, which we spent chillin in Mt. Maunganui...Isaac's home town. Once we were rested we moved our party to Isaac's brothers place...a sweet little cabin in the middle of NZ rural paradise. Luckily, Isaac's parents gave us a super sturdy little tent which has been home sweet home for the past 3 weeks! Thankfully it is rain proof...though not quite bug or damp proof. David has allowed us free access to his garden and INSANE avocodo grove...(see photo below). We literally have 20 or so avocodos ripening on our windowsill at the moment. (strange for a Canadian...)

Davids neighbor (and our good friend) has an army of chickens and roosters which have the run of the place and occasionally come round to say hello every so often. One particularily cheeky rooster has gotten into the habit of standing right beside our tent wall to ensure we wake up every morning stat at 5:30am. It tends to sound a bit like Jurrassic Park around here...especially at night. I am aware that NZ has NO predators but I still spent the first week jumping at every night sound until I got used to it. One particular night we heard heavy breathing right next to our tent wall....which I, a Canadian pictured to be a bear, wolf, coyote...you get the idea...turns out it was the cutest hedgehog ever and I have nothing to fear. Ironically I think I had to get over West End Winnipeg syndrome...realizing that the chickens were not going to break into the car or tent.

We left Canada with no debt but turned up in NZ with no money. This was fine as we knew we were going to be selling a contacts wares at an upcoming NZ festival. Ironically this contact let us know a week before that we could no longer sell the wares at the festival. This really hooped us as we had been planning our entire re-settling around this weekend. So...I got to work madly whipping up leather goodies and Isaac went to work for his brother David gibbing. We ended up doing the festival with Spiro pieces...and an amazing friend offered to pay our stall fee if we also sold his product. This was an amazing gift for us...we did the festival...though sales were not amazing and somewhat dampened by Sunday torrential rains! We did sell some Spiro goodies and made enough to cover our shipping costs which was great...though not quite enough to aid with re-settling...(insert sigh here...)

Thank you to all who supported us at the festival...We love you...no REALLY! Some of our close friends blessed us with some finance which was beyond amazing and made me cry...it was beautiful to see our friends coming around us in a somewhat frustrating time.

After the 4 day festival..we got a little depressed. Our goal of heading down south to settle was much further away as we now could not afford a car, or bond on an apartment. We are now re-thinking our whole process and brainstorming for our next steps. (If you are a praying person we would appreciate your prayers at this time!) We are aware that everything will come together and are soooo grateful for the incredible support of our friends and family. We have food to eat and a roof over our heads (even if its a fabric roof)and are living in a gorgeous country. Sadly this also means that Spiro will continue to be on hold until we are able to get ourselves settled and re-sourced...tents don't make the greatest workshops...we need to find a space.

This past weekend we took part in our sister's wedding ceremony (Isaac's sis) and got to re-connect with Isaac's extended family. It was a brillant time...a gorgeous day and special weekend. I am feeling part of the family now, it was a relief to be accepted and embraced. We hit the beach and forgot our frustrations for awhile. We slept in a bed for the first time in 3 weeks which was AMAZING!! It's so funny how much you appreciate things when you are cut off for a season...It was also nice to be in a clean house minus the chickens.

This week I am focusing on getting Spiro more organized as well as re-connecting with friends and trying to learn to drive standard...on the wrong side of the road...(hear that Isaac...the WRONG side!!) David took me for my first standard driving lesson which was hilarious...I did well...though the road was soooooo curvy (terror for a prairie girl) that I was afraid to go faster than 2nd gear, also due to the shear cliff drop just a few feet from our car. Isaac and David were slightly afraid though they said I did well. I am also afraid of round abouts...which I am willing to conquer. More stories to come soon...

I think that about sums up our last month or so...I will try to be more constant with my updates...love and hugs to all our Canadian friends...we miss you and are thinking about you in the freezing cold...as soon as we have a plan I will let you know!

Davids Deck...where I am typing from:

The Kitchen:

Neighbors Place:

The Veggie Garden:

Home Sweet Home:

Cheeky Chicken:

Avocodo Grove....Yes these HUGE trees are all avocodo trees!!:

This ones for Andee...look at ALL the fruit!:

Please Vote for US!!

2010-01-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Spirocreations has just been nominated for best handmade accessories courtesy of 'Poppy Talk' a Vancouver based fashion blog. If you have a moment could you please go to the following link to cast a vote for us here:) You can only give one vote per computer...

Thanks heaps for the support!!

Getting Ready to Fly

2010-01-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

I apologize for the lack of blog updates over the holidays...we have been crazy busy!

We wrapped up our apartment and life in Winnipeg in a whirlwind, catching our breath to say goodbye to our dear friends who mean so much to us and who we will miss greatly in NZ. Over the course of a week we managed to work a craft sale, finish shoe orders, sell and move all of our belongings to our friends, pack up 2 small crates to ship to NZ, pack up 10 small tubs for shipping to my parents in Ontario, clean our apartment, attend our goodbye party and somehow make it to the airport in time!

We spent the last month with my family in Ontario, eating plenty of yummy food courtesy of my mom, enjoying the holidays with our Ontario friends and family. We have packed and re-packed more times than is sanely possible...our entire life crammed into 5 suitcases and 2 carry-ons. It feels great to simplify...though the majority of the suitcases are filled with leather, supplies and tools with the exception of a shirt or two! We are crazy excited to get to NZ now...the limbo is beggining to drive us slightly nutty. My parents have been incredibly gracious to us, putting up with our sprawling stuff and crazy ways!

It has been hard to say goodbye to friends and family, though it was extra hard to say goodbye to my Oma (grandma). I hope she will hold on for the next few years so that we can be reunited again, but I did have to say goodbye to her as if it was the last time. She and my Opa, left Holland after WW11 to board a ship to Canada, saying goodbye to their family in the anticipation of never seeing them again! I am amazed at her bravery, as my own experience is somewhat lessoned due to the convinience of the internet age. I am grateful that I can 'see' my friends and family thanks to the internet.

We are preparing to fly to Vancouver tommorow for a 2 day hiatus to say goodbye to more friends...and then will be off to Auckland on the Friday night! I can't even wait to get myself to a NZ beach...in only a few days I will get to breath in the NZ ocean again.

We are planning to see friends and family in NZ for the first few weeks, and will then be driving around to find a suitable place to rent. We are hoping to settle into a home, sometime near the end of February or the beggining of March. At this time we will need to begin resourcing all our materials and finding a good place to create from. Once this process is complete we will begin creating shoes once again, though there will be some adjustments comcerning pricing and materials depending on what NZ has to offer.

We will let you know once we have landed safely in New Zealand. Our etsy store will be on vacation for a short period, but keep checking back for new goodies come Febrary!

Isaac and I wish you all a Happy New Year and send our love! Thank you for all the incredible support in 2009 which enabled Spirocreations to get off the ground! We are so grateful for the oppoutunity to create!

Intro To Hand Sewing Soft Leather Workshop

2009-12-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

I am going to be teaching an Intro to Hand Sewing Soft Leather Workshop at Studio Lune December 10th from 6:30-9:30. This is a chance to overcome your fear of working with soft leather! I will introduce some tools of the trade, different types of leather, basic hand sewing skills and more! Cost is $45 and includes a sewing awl, leather needle, leather thread and a portion of leather to create a small project. Feel free to bring unfinished leather projects and I will try to brainstorm with you.

For more information and to sign up visit Studio Lune, or Etsy.

Hope to see you there!!

Purchase Spirocreations Goodies for the Last Time in Winnipeg at This Ain't Your Grandma's Craft Sale!!

2009-12-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

Hey All!

Come say hello to Isaac and I at 'This Ain't Your Grandma's Craft Sale! This is a very fun event and your final chance to purchase Spirocreations goodies in Winnipeg. Here are the details:

Fourth Annual... THIS AIN'T YOUR GRANDMA'S CRAFT SALE

The show will feature over 30 local artists/crafters. There will be a live DJ playing everything from minimal techno to George Michael! It's in the fantastic space of The Park Theatre so drinks and food are available.

WHEN: Sunday, Dec 13 from 5-10pm
WHERE: Park Theatre, 698 Osborne Street
ADMISSION: $2 (goes towards Art City)

If you need more info, e-mail us at thisaintyourgrandmascraftsale@gmail.com
Visit the blog here.

We hope to see many of you there!

New Items!

2009-11-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

The encroaching Winnipeg hibernation has gotten my creative juices flowing...Check out these hot new items fresh off the cutting table:

Sexy Deep Wine Leather Shawl...sooo beautiful and sooo soft...the ultimate accessory! You will stand out in this stunning piece!

Electric Blue Leather Cowl...seriously...be the ONLY one rocking this piece...I have never seen leather cowls before...but you will be seeing more soon!

Woodland Shoulder Bag

If you like what you see...please stay tuned as I will be posting up new pieces all week...any of these items can be purchased through our online store here.

Working Hard

2009-10-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

I thought you may be interested in our little makeshift workspace...here's a few photos to draw you into our world...

We are Moving Country!

2009-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I apologize for my terrible ability to keep up with blogging...I am so busy making orders (which is great!) that I am not finding time to keep you all updated...oh well:)

So, if you did not know, Isaac and I are moving to New Zealand to settle in January. This is crazy exciting for us...Isaac is a Kiwi citizen hence he is heading home, whereas I will be starting a whole new life in a new country. I admit I have mixed feelings. Super excited to live in gorgeous land...and sad to leave dear friends and family. I even am starting to feel sad about leaving the Winnipeg winter...can you believe that! Crazy lady!

So, Spirocreations will continue in full array over our transition and re-settling time in New Zealand, but we will not be taking any custom orders between November 9th 2009-March 2010. Ready made items will still be available through our Etsy shop, so check back regularly for new and exciting creations!

This means...if you are dying to purchase a pair of shoes this year...please get your order in to us before November...This will be greatly appreciated:)

We will be keeping you updated as our adventure unfolds...I am looking very forward to living gypsy style without a home for a short period...this gets my travelers heart beating faster:) Who knows what lies ahead....exciting!

Spirocreations Interview in Parasol Craft Magazine!

2009-08-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Hey All!

Check out our interview in Parasol Craft Magazine, an online/pdf magazine dedicated to Handmade, Inspiration and lots of Downloads. Craft is the primary focus and the objective is to promote and inspire creativity.

The magazine also features interviews with many other talented artisans and Etsy sellers. It is an independent publication which needs your support! You can purchase the magazine for only $2.50 here.

You won't be disappointed!

Spirocreations Featured on Etsy!

2009-07-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness!! We are being featured right front and center on the Etsy Blog! Check it out here!

Spirocreations Summer Shoe/Boot Line

2009-07-27T19:57:00.001-07:00

All these styles can be hand made to fit you in a variety of colors! Check out www.spirocreations.etsy.com for exact details and pricing.

Spirocreations Belt Love

2009-07-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ironically...Matt, Karin and I set out to shoot these great belt photos only to be shut down 1/2 an hour into it by the railroad cops! So ridiculous...It was pretty funny...we ended up leaving without a fine, which was nice. Here are the shots we managed to get before the police arrived...

Feeling the LOVE!

2009-07-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Its been a crazy 2 weeks for Spirocreations...I finally have a moment to breathe! We did not anticipate the incredible support on Etsy to the extent that we have received it. Thank you to all who took a moment to say hello and to encourage us...we are truly touched:)

We are currently featured in the following creative blogs:

http://www.stiksel.blogspot.com/
http://fonetik.wordpress.com/
www.brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com
http://www.scoutiegirl.com/page/3/
http://maryjanefrances.blogspot.com/2009/07/handmade-shoes.html
http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/

(thanks heaps to all who posted!)

Spirocreations Design

2009-07-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

I am proud to display our new Spirocreations design hand drawn by my girl Amy Middleton! Amy is a very talented artist and has worked with a variety of creative mediums. If you like what you see and have a moment, please check out her portfolio here.

I also wanted to take a moment to explain what 'SPIRO' means. Spiro, is a Latin word (pronounced 'spearo')and means: to live, to breathe or to be inspired. We felt this idea summed up our creative process, as creativity brings life and is as important to our well being as breathing. In ancient times, 'inspiration' was thought to occur from God breathing (or whispering) ideas into our minds from which we would become inspired to live and create. We too feel that through the process of creating we are connected to something greater than ourselves and find that this process also reconnects us to the earth, its inhabitants, its past, present and future.

We hope that our creations can inspire you to reconnect to your own unique creativity. You are an inspiration and have much to give to the world around you!

Spirocreations is at Sew Dandee!

2009-07-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

I am excited to announce that several of my fringe utility belts and cuffs are on sale now at Sew Dandee in Osborne Village! Sew Dandee is located at 105 Osborne Street and features many other talented local Manitoba designers. My Peter Pan Belt is in the window today! Come by and check it out!

Check out the Sew Dandee blog:

Learning From the Past

2009-07-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

Many of the pieces I create, have been influenced by the First Nations heritage. This has been my starting point. I am also very influenced by a long history of craftsmen who have used hides as clothing and foot coverings for centuries.

Running the art program at Siloam Mission, enabled me to form friendships with individuals who have been my teachers and inspiration for creating. I am honored to create through relationship and am grateful to be connected to their lives and to their stories. It became clear to me, how important it was to stay connected to the earth and to respect its peoples and resources. Much of my desire to preserve handcraft traditions stems from this and I have learned much from the wisdom of these friends who intimately understand this balance.

As I do not claim First Nations heritage personally, I have attempted to create my own style, which has grown out of the first baby moccasin lesson I received. As a part of this journey, I was honored to arrange a meeting with a local elder, to ensure that the pieces I created were not in any way disrespectful to the culture and that in all ways, I was embarking into leather work respectfully. This meeting was uplifting and inspiring. I gained a greater appreciation for the medium I was working with and received the approval I was seeking.

I also will be learning to scrape and brain tan my own hides later this year, in order to connect and understand better, the medium I am working with. In this, I am excited to gain an ancient skill with the intention of working my own hides for my future pieces.

Woseley Arts Festival!

2009-07-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

On June 20-21 Spirocreations was at the Woseley Arts Festival for our second craft sale ever! Thanks to everyone who came out to support us and also for all the great feedback on our pieces!

It all Started with These

2009-07-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

I recently finished out a year of running an Art Program at Siloam Mission to take up leather crafting full time. Much of my inspiration began with this program. Our program received 15 boxes of scrap leather in early August 2008. At this time I had been thinking often on wanting to take up leather craft. I began playing with the leather scraps and instantly connected...it was strange really...I have tried many different creative mediums over my life, but none compelled me like this one. I was hooked.

One of my fellow co-workers led a baby Moccasin workshop for the program participants. After undertaking this process, I was compelled to make my own moccasins. This evolved into lace up boots, of which I have posted photos above. This process led me to begin researching the history of moccasin and shoe making, as well as to think further on the resourcefulness of those who lived close to the Earth and used what it provided to meet various survival needs.

The process of making my own boots was very empowering. It connected me to a rich cultural history which is kept alive today. It also enabled me to reconnect to the Earth and its resources. Out of this head space, my leather crafting was born.

After the lace up boots, I decided to try making mukluks to see me through the winter. These are the fur lined mukluks that took me well over 40 hours of love and trial to complete.

After the Mukluks, I began making a variety of belts, bags and other shoe styles. I love working with deer, cow, lamb and buffalo hides. Isaac makes our buttons from Saskatoon berry bushes, and I also incorporate Paua shell from New Zealand.

I hope you enjoy my leather creations! I definitely enjoy creating the various pieces. I do everything by hand and make every piece unique. Like people, no pieces are alike and often the piece will find the person well suited for it.

More to come later...

2009-07-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

Welcome to Spirocreations! I apologize for the delay in posting both this Blog and our Etsy store. Life is busy and I am waiting on a few elements to come together. This being said...you can definitely expect a running Etsy store up by the end of next week...this I promise.

I am currently working out of our apartment Monday to Friday. If you are interested in viewing my leather creations, feel free to email us at: spirocreations@gmail.com to arrange a visit.

Currently I am hand-making leather belts, bracelets,bags, clutches, shoes and boots, as well as feather earrings. I am also open to custom creations if you so desire.

Thank you for checking out our blog, more will follow soon.