Locally inspired accessible Art.

Bird on a Wire is a mecca for all things local, but most specifically locally produced art.  From their website, “We are the ‘Yes’ store for artisans and those looking for locally made arts and crafts”.  Besides Bird on a Wire being amazing in itself, why are we interested?  Art is accessible, art is affordable and for the couple who has everything art can purchased as part of your wedding registry.

Karen opened Bird on a Wire in October of 2010 with 42 artists.  Now the store boasts 150 artists and acts also as a community meeting place for knitters and crafters alike.   Karen’s mandate is to change starving artists into thriving artists and she is doing a very fine job indeed.

When Karen was first inspired to open her business it was to answer a calling to build community through creativity; to create a space where “dreams can flower, where one can stir the imagination and feed the soul”.  What I also love about her vision is that she wishes to keep alive traditions and techniques from the past.  The store contains upcycled, recycled and handcrafted wares from a wide range of artists and artisans.

For couples, Karen will set up a wedding registry and that beautiful piece of art that you have spied on Bird’s wall can be yours.  Art can move quickly though so keep abreast of the “spotlight on artists” series through the store’s blog and website.  Karen keeps on top of local artists and is always visiting local galleries and artist’s own studios so the store’s walls will have something to match anyone’s tastes.  I currently am impressed with Lori Bagneres’ crow paintings such as the large one pictured above. 

It is not just art that should entice you to visit.  The store supports many diverse artisans from fabric artists, jewellers, soap makers, ceramic artists ( Grace Lee of eikcam is also shown above), wood workers and so much more.  I personally always search for locally produced goods when purchasing gifts.  Ask your family and friends to do the same.  Why register at Home Sense or The Bay when you can choose to support your local community and receive one of a kind creations.

Karen’s suggestion for your art choice, “buy it because it moves you” and not simply as an investment. With the criteria for the art work present being produced within a 100m radius of Vancouver and of good quality, you are sure to be investing instead in your local community.  With all the cutbacks to the local art scene it is up to the community around to support our local artists and artisans. 

The store is constantly growing and in the long term we may see more Bird on a Wire creations popping up in the city.  That can only be a good thing. 

I would like to thank Karen for sharing her story and the inspiration behind Bird on a Wire.

article by Shona Dion, sweet earth photographics

 

 

 

 

Custom, Locally Sourced and Sustainable Wedding Registry – Union Wood Co.

Union Wood Co. only opened its doors six months ago and already the little wood shop on Railway Street is going strong with custom orders of locally produced furniture from salvaged wood.  Many of his clientelle include young couples looking to furnish their first home with unique pieces that have the added bonus of being eco-friendly.

Owner Craig Pearce bided his time until the perfect space became available in his neighbourhood to open Union Wood Co.; a business that combines a viable wood shop with four full time employees and a store front to sell both hand-crafted furniture and collected vintage and repurposed items.  All the wood used to create the store’s one of a kind pieces comes from locally sourced lumber which would otherwise be lost in the demolition of Vancouver’s older buildings.

Craig knows the value of rescuing this wood not only for its quality, but for the history that each piece brings with it.  Everything has a story.   Wood rescued from the R.C.M.P. Stables from 110 East Cordova waits in the wood shop.  Metal parts are also upcycled when found which include repurposed old sprinkler pipes to metal tables bases and antique hardware.  Craig collected, salvaged and ‘treasure’ hunted for years to bring true vintage, non-reproduction objects to the store.  The only items the store sells that are not antique are the light bulbs, but the cages to go around them are all originals.  Hand-sewn aprons from old army tents and pillows created from old sails are also found at Union Wood Co.  and all of this creating/treasure hunting can be followed via Union Wood Co.’s blog.  By the way, did I mention that he is also a full-time fireman? 

What struck me the most while visiting Union Wood Co. is that this enterprise stems from Craig’s passion for  history ( or obsession as he states it ) and his desire to breath life back into discarded items.   The store itself is fully furnished by the past with old barn boards fitted on the back wall, a large marine spotlight hangs over the service area, old racks, rebuilt tables display the collected treasures and all are for sale ( except the barn boards).  Craig calls himself a bit of a hoarder and can’t seem to throw away any wood scraps which is great for the store as he created beautiful solid butcher blocks, door stoppers, other items as the wood inspires him.  Waste is kept to a minimum.  Currently in the shop is a rescued block of wood from an old airplane hangar with bolted metal screws that is just waiting to be made into a coffee or side table perhaps?  I asked Craig how he knows what each scrap of wood will become and he can see almost immediately how the wood will evolve.

What interests us the most at this time is the new addition of a wedding registry.  To the couples who have everything Union Wood Co. offers a non-traditional registry that will enable guests to contribute to a custom designed piece or a credit towards an item found in the store, but beware, all items are one of a kind and stock rotates rather quickly.  If a custom designed piece is what you are interested in Craig and his team will set up a consultation, set up an account for guests to contribute to in amounts that you are agreeable with and you will be that much closer to your goal of owning a stunning hand-crafted, locally sourced, one of a kind furniture piece.

Thanks to Craig and Otis for my tour and for chatting with me.  Union Wood Co. is a very cool shop and I love that being green is just a part of who they are.

 Article by Shona Dion, photos by sweet earth photographics

EP!C weekend

Many  vendors from The Grassroots Wedding Fair are at EP!C this year.  The event itself is quite phenomenal and it truly is an eco-friendly love-in.  The wedding showcase features many old friends and day 1 was great to meet and see how everyone is doing.

The green wedding community is not very large and EP!C is a nice way to welcome new businesses into the fold.  I believe we will all come away from this event more resolved in making a difference in our community. 

sweet earth photographics (that’s me!) and Sweet Naturally Bakery fill out one corner of the wedding showcase quite nicely.  I am enjoying chatting with Francis and Dickson of Sweet Naturally and finding out more about how their stint with the winter Farmers Markets went.  They will return for the summer markets as well.  I love the diversity of their baking specialties from gorgeous wedding cakes to scrumptious scones and cookies.

Another old friend is Onyx from Amoda Flowers who brought in both centrepieces for the Epicurean Court and bouquets for the Wedding Showcase.  Her sense of style always impresses me and the range of bouquets she creates can match any bride’s whimsy.

Shoo-Foo Bamboo offers wedding registries to couples interested in more sustainable options.  Shoo-Foo has a well-organized system to help couples set up their registries and their products are beautifully made.

Pure Magnolia provided wedding attire and Spark Jewelry provided bridal accessories for the EP!C Wedding Showcase.  Patty and Christina make sustainable fashion come to life with gowns made from natural materials and bridal jewelry made from recycled silver.

Olla Urban Flower Project is also at EP!C with air plant boutennieres, stunning bouquets and their signature living favours and centrepieces.

EP!C is a truly exciting event for those commited to sustainability and for those who are curious and want to learn more.  I am very pleased to see so many familiar faces.  Change may come slowly, but attending an event such as this just reminds me that yes, we are on the right path.

Shona Dion

photos by sweet earth photographics

The Organic Sleep Solution

Sleep is a luxury at times.  In this busy life our nighttime respite from the every day is gold.  Unfortunately for the majority of us our beds are not always the safe havens they should be. 

A completely safe and sustainable bedding system is definitely a financial investment, but one that will pay off immediately.  What better way to invest in a more sustainable sleep system by creating a wedding registry that can address all of your nighttime needs.  Organic latex mattress alone can last between 20 and 30 years!

inBed Organics is a local and sustainable company that is unique in its custom mattresses and bedding.  It is also the only company in Canada to offer a complete certified organic sleeping experience.  Their custom-made 100% organic latex mattresses are certified through very strict European and North American standards.

All sewing for inBed Organics is done in-house.  This includes duvets, sheets,  pillows and pillowcases made from organic wools, organic cottons, hemp, natural wood fibres and even shredded organic latex.  Their products are many and can easily be ordered online from their website. 

Jem, the owner of inBed Organics ,started her company Organic O’Canada five years ago when she started asking questions about what her and her family were sleeping on and her own education process began.  Jem believed in a healthy bed and found limited choices available to her in Canada.    What she found about the chemicals added to mattresses to make sure that they are flame retardant left her feeling deceived, angry and mislead.  She began Organic O’Canada as a ‘basic human right’ for anyone concerned about what they were sleeping on. Her advice, “Do your research.  Educate yourself and do not always believe what sales people will tell you.”  Many ‘organic’ mattresses may only have components that are organic without the whole process following those guidelines.

inBed Organics has a wealth of information available through their website and is definitely worth a visit to learn more about how organic latex mattresses can help you live a healthier lifestyle.  For all your wedding needs set up an appointment for a consultation and visit their Vancouver showroom to arrange your registry and allow your family and friends to contribute to a complete organic sleep system. 

article by Shona Dion

photography by sweet earth photographics

Going the extra mile to be green with your wedding registry

The best part of a wedding (at least when it’s all over) has got to be the gifts – the beautiful ones, the returnable ones, the ones you hoped for and the ones you have no idea what to do with. The best way to appreciate your gifts, no matter how out-of-this-world they are, is to know that each of them expresses the planet-lover in you.

With today’s entrepreneurial, post-American-dream economy, tree huggers and mainstream green buyers alike can find eco-friendly, local and fair trade products to compose their wedding gift registry. The dilemma? It isn’t a cinch like walking to the big box retailer and using an electronic scanner to ‘beep’ your gift list within an hour.

But the fact remains that sustainable gift registries and ideas are out there, and it only takes a little bit of effort for the planet-minded brides and grooms-to-be to find them. Yes, it may mean splitting up gift registries into categories of different stores, and yes, it may be an online-only thing, which grandma may have trouble with (until you teach her the modern meaning of ‘mouse’). But is it worth it?

Boy, is it ever! Going with small, local and green companies for your wedding registry will get you the most unique and well-cared for products out there. Green doesn’t have to be more expensive, and in fact the quality and sustainable specialties of green brands are just as prestigious as going high-end on your wedding registry. Take, for example, Cookworks, a local Vancouver kitchenware store. For lovebirds who already have all the household necessities, thinking outside the box with a gift registry is also an option with requests for fine art gifts (a great investment scheme), or experience gifts, like a gourmet kayaking trip from Edible British Columbia. Then there are things like rafting or some other fear-defying activity perfect for learning the meaning of “till death do us part.”

Shoo-Foo Eco Linens, exhibitor at the upcoming Grassroots Wedding Fair, also has a local, green wedding gift registry. It’s a great place to start a gift registry for wedding showers, stagettes and rehearsal dinners that are all about healthy home lifestyles with linens sourced from organically grown bamboo.

Available to add to your Shoo-Foo bamboo linen gift registry includes:

A 300-thread count bedding set. These sheets, pillowcases, duvet cover and blanket hang and shine like silk or cashmere. They are breathable and ultra comfortable for a good night’s rest. They go especially well for people with sensitive skin and temperature problems while sleeping. Click on this link to see them all! http://shoo-foo.com/en/e-boutique/bamboo-beddings/

Luxury bath towels. They’ve got it all from robes to face cloths, shower mats, gym towels and of course, a huge bath sheet! (plus more!). Many of their products come in four colours: natural, royal indigo, sage green and mocha brown, allowing a great match for any home decor! The towels are 600gr/sq meter, which means lasting quality. Best of all, all their products are sourced from organically grown bamboo. View the complete line here: http://shoo-foo.com/en/e-boutique/bamboo-bath-towels/

Are they really green? You bet they are. While rumors abound questioning the sustainability of bamboo products ‘out there’, Shoo-Foo can say for sure that our manufacturing process is certified eco-friendly by multiple governing bodies including the USDA and OCIA. To learn more about their certifications, click on this link: http://shoo-foo.com/en/bamboo/organic-certification/

Receiving gifts is only one way to use bamboo linens for your wedding day – there are plenty more ways! Want more ideas? check out their blog post on How to Use Bamboo Linens for a Green Wedding! Not bad for a Canadian local green gift registry, eh?