Sick Days

I've been sick this week but still running errands and slowly working on projects. Shilo has been working on changing store locations but until we get the okay for our new space we keep working on our current location. This morning I woke up and dragged my head cold and chapped lips out of bed to get stuff done.

Shilo and I found an old wooden box in the basement of her store. We sanded it down and painted it and now I can use it for some displays.

I am storing extra stock inside to de-clutter and organize my back area. I'll post more photos of the progress but I might be posting about a new location soon ;)

Vintage Coffee Roasters

 In the summer a woman wandered into my little shop at the back of Shine Studios. She thought my stuff was very cute and bought a necklace that looked like a zipper. She asked for my Instagram and found me the next day. She sent me a message saying her name is Jesslyn and she owned a new coffee shop on King Street East called Vintage Coffee and asked me to do a 'pop up shop'. Curate a little corner of her shop with cute stuff. Shilo (Shine Studios) and I gathered some stuff up and brought it over and she sent us coffee in return.

Vintage Coffee is at 977 King Street East in Hamilton and its SO cute. She sources her beans from sustainable farmers from all over the world, and she roasts all the beans herself each week. Her coffee is great and her space is comfortable and welcoming. I'm very happy she contacted The Wandering Eye and Shine Studios to do this exchange.

  

 

 

Heather's Hamilton Hangouts

Happy Sunday! I thought I'd give a Sunday shout out to one of my favorite spots during work hours. Seriously I don't think I could function without this place being so close and so cheap and so delicious. This 'place' is called Ola Bakery and Pastries. I used to be scared of it, silly to admit but there are ALWAYS old men smoking outside beside a bar that's next door so I always over looked it. My friend pointed out my superficial ass mentality and corrected this injustice by sending me in for a sandwich and coffee. Now I am in almost every morning for a $1 coffee. Yes a $1 and they steam my milk for me <3<3<3<3 I'm sorry I was such a snob Ola your custard tarts are a gem and your sandwiches are cheap ($4.50) thyck and tastie! 

You can find Ola at 230 James Street North next to the smoking old men.

*Picture of Ola from Google Images*

The Wandering Eye x Shine Studios and Boutique Featured Canadian Artists

The first is a Toronto artist named Chanel Markus she is a talented watercolour painter. Her series include creepy aliens, and eerie but beautiful portraits of ladies. You can order originals through her website or prints through The Wandering Eye (linked on the side of my blog).

 

Whimworks is a Toronto Ceramic artist. Her sculptures are SO dreamy and she has a line of ceramic jewelry and mugs that cane be purchased IN STORE at Shine Studios and Boutique or through whimworks website.**Pictures from Whimworks website**

Kelly Grace is a Toronto painter. She is "retro inspired with a modern voice". The prints above are from her 'date night' series inspired by Norman Rockwell's 'getting ready for a date'. Her prints can be bought through Shine Studios and Boutique (listed on the side of my blog) or through her website.

The Drake Hotel's Dirty Dozen

 

The Drake Hotel in Toronto had a birthday party and I went with my lovely friends and had WAY too much fun.

**Photos are from my instagram @pizzapartieprincess and the Drake's facebook page**

Display Tables

Shilo and I were talking about how Shine could use some extra display tables. Little something or others to pull out for over flow or to fill an empty corner. We were going to check out the local thrift stores but when we went to go check our new apartment there were some abandoned end tables. They weren't the prettiest we ever saw but they were FREE. She had extra stain and paint in storage so she got to fixing up some tables.

She sanded the tops down.

Primed the bottom half.

Stained the tops a dark brown.

Then painted the bottom white.

And spray painted the hardware silver.
 

 She wants to had another layer or 2 of stain but for a free/low budget project I think its a great easy add for extra displays!

DIY Shelving

For the past week I've been obsessed with storage solutions for my apartment. I have no closet and am in dire need of organization. This also transfers to my work life. I own a small corner of a retail location to sell vintage out of. The space needs some work and definitely needs some decorating and aesthetically pleasing shelving displays. Being an etsy seller has also made me an etsy enthusiast and have been lusting after some DIY projects. As much as I've admired some shelves on etsy such as:

(click picture for link) and at $27 Canadian its cheap, cute, but totally DIY. It would be perfect for my apartment but I need something more load bearing for a closet and also a retail space.

Like a said I rent a small area of a larger retail space. The woman I rent from is named Shilo (also my soon to be roommate) and she owns Shine Studio and Boutique in downtown Hamilton. She found on the classic pipe shelving project off google. I also know you can purchase them ready to assemble from etsy like this one:

 (click picture for link) Although Shilo took on the DIY version and it turned out fantastic! She prepared the pipes purchased from a reno store and salvage some wood and stained it. And it now proudly stands in her store displaying gorgeous product from a Hamilton Handmade Leather goods brand called The Shoppery.

(sorry for the low quality photo) She only purchased the piping, paint, and stain for around $100 Canadian and now has a pinterest perfect display shelf.  She even has extra piping and painting supplies for more projects!

I have been totally inspired to create and "industrial" closet and visually pleasing shelving for my own spaces.