The holidays: all done and just beginning...

Well, the work is done, and the fun is just beginning!

First of all, thanks to everyone who supported Marmalade this holiday season.  I am so thankful to the wonderful people who find my creations "so cute!" and remind me of why I like to make things in the first place:  To see the faces, young and old, break into smiles, excited by the tiny little pictures, inside those tiny little charms.  Why are things just so much cuter when then they're little?   In case you're wondering, I NEVER get tired of hearing these joyful exclamations.  Makes the work, the chaos, and all the craziness surrounding this time of year, worthwhile.

And let me tell you,  this year had its fair share of chaos.  We moved, exciting! But less so when scheduled for the last Saturday of the One of a Kind show.  So my mother-in-law came in and together with my husband, basically packed up our entire house.  Coming home to boxes, an exhausted (but much appreciated) mother in law, and an out of sorts toddler, didn't make for the relaxing nights one craves during the show.  But we all knew we'd get through it, and we did.   Corrupt movers, cranky husbands suffering from post-move PTSD,  and all.

I'm starting work on my new studio, and its going to be really beautiful.  Its in my backyard, which is really convenient.  It was a storage shed, but in my opinion it was far to nice and too big to just store stuff in.  So we are having it insulated, adding a skylight and a window, and its sure to become an amazing place to work.  I'm looking forward to setting everything up, and getting to to work in the new year.
Till then...
Here's to the holidays!

A Bit About Me and Marmalade

My name is Kate.  I live in Toronto.  And I am responsible for all things Marmalade.  Marmalade is my jewellery company.  A passion project which I have been cultivating since 2002.  Back in those days, I was soldering pieces of stained glass together, packing up my then blue (now green) station wagon, and peddling my pendants at craft fairs and folk festivals across Ontario.   I thought "wow" could this really be a "job"?! And so began my full time career at the helm of the Marmalade empire (he he)...not exactly! But, after plugging away for the better part of 10 years, I am very proud to call Marmalade my baby, or adolescent I suppose. We've come a long way since those days:  I went to school, learned how to work with silver, bettered my digital drawing skills, figured out how to work with acrylic resin, and buttaboom - Marmalade 2012 - A line of brushed sterling silver pendants, rings, bracelets, and earrings, made unique by the linen prints, which I draw myself, and set into each one, before coating it with a layer of clear acrylic resin.  I also do letter pendants, which are made the same way, except I embed pieces of colourful linen silkscreened with letters into each piece.  The great thing about my line, (I think), is that it is so customizable.  You can choose from many many fun images, and letters, and put together your own creations.  I'm always excited to see how people put together my pieces in such unique ways.

I'm also a mom to one, my 2.5 year old daughter Amelia.  She brings me more smiles each day, then I ever could have imagined.  I thank her for giving me 2 years of pause from my business when she was born.  Time to think, grow, and change.  I really think these times are necessary so that we can assess and evolve.  During this period I did much more thinking, planning, and drawing, than actually making, and feel regenerated and ready to jump back into Marmalade with more vigour and pride than before.

I also have a fantastico funnyman for a husband: Dave.  He's always been an important part of my business:  He does all of my photography, builds my art show booths, and just helps me in general to make sure I'm sufficiently caffeinated and fed, my cell phone and laptop are charged, we have toilet paper in the house - you know, that type of stuff.

well, enough about me!

till next time...