Call us at (250) 592-1262

A Young Wood Turner to Watch

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

A Young Talent to Watch Kayden Dorma is just 17 years old and lives in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island BC. He has been wood-turning for about three years and has fallen in love with it.

Continue Reading →

Posted in candle holders, Kayden Dorma, salad bowls, vases, wine stoppers

Beautiful Hand Made Silver Jewelry from Saltspring Island

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Beautiful Hand Made Silver Jewelry from Saltspring Island  

Alvaro Sanchez was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he studied design, music and architecture.

 

 

Since leaving Argentina he has lived in almost every country in Latin America until 1990 when he established residence on Saltspring Island, British Columbia. As a self-taught silversmith Alvaro has gathered influences, techniques and inspiration from the ancient and contemporary art of the many cultures he has been immersed in.

His artistic jewellery style has an urban Latin flavour. Using precious metals and natural gems, Alvaro creates beautiful, fine jewellery that is both stylish, unique and very comfortable to wear.

 

You can see much more of Alvaro's beautiful work at Side Street Studio.

http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/collections/jewellery/alvaro-sanchez-unique-jewellery

Posted in alvaro sanchez unique jewellery, amber, bracelets, Canadian Gifts, earrings, fine jewellery, gold, JEWELLERY, local crafts, necklace, oak bay, pendants, shop local, side street studio, silver, wedding gifts

Canadian Scarves with the Colours of Nature

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Lois Thompson was born and raised in rural British Columbia, Lois grew up with a strong creative spirit nurtured in BC Wilderness. Lois has always been fascinated with the colours of nature and the textures of fibre.

HERON SILK PICTURE SCARF

As a young child her art included the use of lichens and birch bark in her paintings and when she began sewing and designing doll clothes she experimented with the use of colour found in scraps of fabric, lace and ribbon.

IRIS SILK SCARF

Schooled as a fashion designer her creative pursuits lead her to painting on Silk where she could create her own fabric colours on a variety of silks including satin, chiffon and crepe.

DOLPHIN DESIGN SILK SCARF

All Lois” work is hand drawn and painted using high quality imported dyes. Many of her designs are inspired by the beautiful Oceans, Mountains and wildlife of the B.C. coast where she lives.

BC COAST DESIGN SILK SCARF

 

B C COAST DESIGN SILK SCARF

Her easy care silk are lightweight, luxurious, washable and colour fast. www.sidestreetstudio.com  A World Made By Hand

WILD ROSE DESIGN SILK SCARF

Posted in apparel, gift, local crafts, lois thompson, oak bay, orcas, scarves, shawles, shop local, silk scarf, silk scarves, textiles, wedding gifts, wild rose

The Unique Art of the Silversmith

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

The Unique Art of the Silversmith


Doreen Schneider
writes, ” My professional life has been varied, indeed. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in science at the University of Saskatchewan, I moved to Burlington, Ontario and spent the next twenty years developing and teaching the biochemistry program at the Hamilton and District School of Medical Technology.  

                                                                                                                                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I have always been interested in the creative arts and when my husband was transferred to the west coast, I took the opportunity to return to university where I obtained another Bachelor’s degree, this time in Fine Arts at the University of Victoria.

 

 

     

 

 


After completing the advanced course in silver smithing at Camosun College in Victoria B.C. I was ready to start designing and handcrafting jewellery.


 

 

You can see Doreen’s magnificent and superbly affordable work Side Street Studio

Posted in doreen schneider unique jewellery, sterling silver

Sarah Sladen’s Fabulous Sass Bracelets

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Sarah writes, “I left the corporate world behind when my family moved from Victoria to Whistler for a one year sabbatical. That one year has turned into six and now Whistler is home for my husband, our two children and I. The natural beauty of the mountains and their ease of access is a daily inspiration”.

“I have collected, played and worked with natural things since I was able to crawl. In my teens and twenties I had a small textile company designing and creating sewn and knitted garments. After 20 years in the nursing and clinical research field, it is with absolute excitement that I am revisiting my creative side in designing and sewing leather and bead wrap bracelets“.


“These leather wrap bracelets are hand crafted using buttons and beads from around the world. I purchase the Karen Hill Tribe silver beads directly from a fair trade company in Thailand. My wide range of wrap bracelets are comfortable enough to wear on a hike but dressy enough to wear out in the evening. An earthy gem stone double wrap can be “blinged-up” by adding a wrap or two of silver, cubic zirconia or onyx. Play around with the colours, textures and sparkle to create your own unique look!”


“Beyond the dream of making jewelry for a living, I’d love to travel the world and personally collect my materials and gems from the international craftsman that cut, shape and mold them!”


“Please take care of your unique piece by not getting it wet, the leather doesn’t like it and neither do some of the gems. Enjoy! ”

See more of Sarah’s fabulous bracelets at www.sidestreetstudio.coml


Posted in bracelets, gifts, hand made jewellery, jewellery, leather, local crafts, oak bay, sarah sladen, sarah sladens unique bracelets, shop local

Unique Hand Felted Wool & Silk Scarves & Wraps- From Pender Island

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Monica Bennett writes: “I love colour. It is always what interests me first, what my eye sees first. Texture and pattern combined with colour inspire me and get the creative ideas flowing. My hand felted, wearable art pieces showcase colour, texture and pattern in a pleasing balance of form and function”.


“My wraps may look delicate but they are very wearable. Made mostly from Merino and Corriedale wools felted on to iridescent silk chiffon, they are soft on the skin, lightweight but warm, easily draped around the shoulders on a cool summer evening or wrapped around the neck, tucked under the chin and into a winter coat.”


“I was born and raised in West Vancouver. I received my Bachelor of Applied Arts in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ryerson University in Toronto in 1988. In 1991, I took my first quilting class and from that moment on, fiber became my creative outlet”.


“Throughout the 1990s, I studied embroidery, hand and machine stitchery, fabric dyeing and surface design with a variety of international teachers. I started teaching quilting in Vancouver in 1995 and continued to teach even after my husband, Trevor, and I moved to Pender Island in 1999. When I started learning to hand felt in 2001, I knew I wouldn’’t be working in fabric arts anymore”.

“Once I saw how my hands could get into the creation of the art – literally – I was really excited”.

“Almost overnight, I stopped working with fabrics and started working with sheep’s wool, goat locks, silks and exotic fibers such as camel down,bison, qiviut, alpaca and llama. The ability to design and create the very fabric itself is an amazing feeling”.

“Everything I make is done by hand. I lay out the unspun fibers then felt them – gently rubbing them with warm, soapy water, then rolling them in bubble wrap over and over, constantly checking and adjusting as the work progresses. My hands tell me when a piece is felting, where it needs more attention and when it is finished.”

 

Monica’s beautiful, handcrafted work makes a magnificent gift and all represent outstanding value. 


 

Posted in corriedale wool, felting, gifts, local crafts, merino wool, Monica Bennett, oak bay, shawles, shop local, side street studio

Inspired by the love of Nature

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Beach Pebbles Studio

Inspired by the love of Nature. Created by artist Sharon Beatch.

The studio was started when we purchased our Island cottage in 2010.  It is located a stones’ throw away from Beachcomber Marina in Nanoose Bay on the beautiful West Coast of Vancouver Island. 


Our family enjoys time strolling the secret beaches in the area and playing along the shore.  It is fun to find the interesting pebbles, sea glass, shells and driftwood and it’s great exercise to walk then carry the treasures back to the cottage. 


I have always loved doing crafts and creating things from almost nothing.  Setting beach treasures out after we got them home and washed quickly turned into visions of art.


 Some pebbles have been tumbled in a rock polisher to bring out their colors, others have been left natural to show off their powerful roughness designed by mother nature.  I create simplistic and unique shadow box pictures which to me represent love, life, family, friendship and caring- all the values we hold dear in our hearts.

Oh Holy Night Shadow Box

Some of the ideas were inspired from family and friend events like the birth our grandchild, weddings, boating, camping etc

I hope you enjoy them. You can see more of Sharon's beautiful work at www.sidestreetstudio.com   

A World Made By Hand

Beach Pebble Studio Shadow Boxes

Posted in bc art, beach pebble studios, gifts, local crafts, oak bay, shadow boxes, sharon beatch, shop local, side street studio