La Mistinguette: Eco-Responsible Boutique in Verdun, Quebec

So I'm starting to realize that 2013 is not the year that I post a lot of blogs. I'm still working away, doing my thing, but social media has become something I rarely think about these days. I mean, what do I post when I do repeat monsters all the time, and almost never anything new?? It's really hard to come up with things to talk about on Facebook (although that's the site I update the most), and my blog is suffering. To all my followers, I'm so sorry! :)

Thankfully today I have something great to talk about! There's this shop in Verdun (a suburb of Montreal, Quebec) called La Mistinguette, that focuses and sells only items that have been recycled from other items. It's only a year old, and it's worth checking out. The owner, Catherine Audet (same last name as me, no relation!), is very sweet and if you're fluent in French will talk to you about her products. The store is located 1 long block west of Verdun metro, or 4 short blocks south of de l'Église metro on the green line, at 4537 Rue Wellington, just after rue Willibrord.

What I really like about this store, besides the great authentic ceiling and the awesome things she sells, is how she displays her work. If you do visit her store, check out the wooden boxes up against the walls. They're all old dresser drawers! If you look on the bottoms of them, you can see the knobs. That's some great recycling right there! What she also has for sale, which I forgot to photograph, is a hand painted coffee table with orange fishies all over it. It's very cute, and kitsch. :) It might still be there, that is if someone didn't already buy it.

So without further ado, here are some great shots of what's available at La Mistinguette!

La Mistinguette: Eco-Responsible Boutique

They've kept the original ceiling that was used almost 100 years ago. Isn't it beautiful?

The owner, Catherine Audet, posing for the camera. Behind her are cleaning supplies from the company Bio Nature

Handmade bags and monsters by Curious Little Bird! For a time, my foxes are on sale for 20% off the regular price!

New monsters, sold exclusively at La Mistinguette, made out of plaid shirts that I buy from the local church store on my street.  Aren't they just the cutest?? They're the same size as my furry monsters, and selling for  $36.

Soaps!! I really love the illustrated scents. :)

Here's a closeup of the company Odeur des lengendes.

A small section devoted to body stuff, and there are even eco-friendly diapers, feminine products etc. Best to stop by and check it out for yourself. :)

Because everyone needs earrings made out of zippers, right? Unfortunately I do not know their website info. 

Earrings made out of old records by Les creations d'Ana

Otra makes these and other items in the store too. 

Hanging flower pots. Sadly the website does not say what material these are made out of. 

Ada-jito jewelry

ÖOM - They make clothing and bags

So seriously, if you're really into eco-responsible gift items, La Mistinguette is the place to be!

Have a good one!

In the workroom... November 2nd!

What's new in the work room at Curious Little Bird? For starters, tomorrow I'm going to be heading westbound to Ottawa for the URBAN CRAFT fair at the Great Canadian Theatre Company. I'm very much looking forward to it.

In other news I have a few new items that will be available this weekend. I have a new monster that I made out of kelly green fur. She's going to be called Sage, and will be available this weekend as well.

Isn't she adorable with her cute wings??

Lastly, I have some new pillow monsters for this weekend as well. They're one of a kind, and will be retailing for $70 each. I just need to find names for them before the end of today... They measure about 14 inches tall, and 10 inches wide not including the limbs.  I've photographed them next to my kitty Littleone (who happens to not look impressed, but he's just sleepy) for size reference.

Have a great Friday, and a wonderful weekend! If you happen to be in Ottawa, please stop by the craft fair and stay hi. Maybe you can adopt a monster for yourself. :)

Going behind the scenes: August 14

There have been some new developments this past month (my favourite word this week).  :)

I've made my first ever tote bag with a furry monster appliqué on it, and Carol in the UK got it! She's the happiest customer today!!

Carol posted this awesome photo on her Twitter account

Here's a closer look of the bag itself! This will be the hit of all of the UK!!

In other news, I have a new client to add to my list. Fleurs et p'tits caprices bought a nice odd number of monsters for their flower slash handmade boutique shop in Maniwaki, Québec. Here's a view of their shop:

Right there in the middle you can see some stuffed toys. Clearly my competitors are there first, but that means it's a good place to sell! :)

I've also been sought out by an online toy store in Australia, and I'm waiting for their confirmation of a wholesale order. It's not yet set in stone, and according to the world clock it's barely morning there right now. It was evening when he wrote me this morning. :)  It's so backwards! Hahaha

Last Tuesday I sent out an email to the head of the buying department for Chapters and Indigo. For those of you not familiar with this name, it's a Canadian bookstore chain spanning across Canada. I've emailed their buyer of the lifestyle department, but haven't heard a word from them in a week. I suppose I could call them and follow up. :) My business counsellor tells us half the time the reason we don't solicit stores is because we're afraid they'll say yes. In this case, he's correct. The reason I haven't called them sooner is because I'm scared they'll buy lots. I mean, the money would be awesome, but that would mean for me hiring on at least 2 full time people. That's something I'm unable to do just yet, no space. However, I'm focusing on the problem and not the solution! :) I will call them... soon.... give me time to build up the courage.

 Today I sent out a new package to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. These monsters are on their way to fill up the shelves of Dots and Loops Handmade! There will be so many more happy people once these little guys get all adopted.

In other news, I have a craft fair at the NDG community centre happening on August 19th, just 5 days away. I believe I will pass on it, because I haven't yet built up my inventory for Comiccon, and I've applied for the September Puces Pop which happens to be the following weekend. I'm not saying I'll get accepted, but I have been once, so I can't see why they wouldn't accept me a second time, right? Besides, the event in Montreal (NDG) is only expecting 200 people, and I could use the day to catch up. Sometimes slow events are more of a waste of time than anything. Perhaps if I had someone helping me sew, it wouldn't be so bad, but I've learned my lesson... As a full time entrepreneur selling artistic products, you can't do every single event. It's always best to choose the events that will bring you the highest payback. If you work 6-7 hours, and your time (say it's $12/hr for example) multiplied by 6 isn't higher or equal to the amount of money you made (after you paid your table), then it was clearly a waste of time. The point of these events is to pay off the table, and make more than that in sales. If you're barely breaking even, it's not worth it. I only attended one event this year where I couldn't pay off my table at all. I know it's not my product, but the location and the kind of people that came. That makes a big difference too!

Also, Comiccon is coming!! It's exactly one month away! Check out who's going to be there as special guests!? I wonder if being in the artist alley, I'll get a free pass to the whole event?? I'd LOVE to meet Patrick Stewart!!!

 I am so not prepared (inventory-wise) for that. I've been under pressure by my entrepreneurship program, and my counsellor to continue soliciting stores. I'm currently up to 11 right now, and if this Australian online shop agrees to buy, then that'll make 12. I haven't yet finished the 11th store's order. Thankfully the batch of monsters I was working on last week for myself and Dots & Loops happened to fall into the same ones this store ordered, so yay.

For the next month I'll be working for the new stores, and Comiccon (and possible Puces Pop), oh and of course for the Christmas rush that will be upon us soon enough!

Lastly, I know it's not Christmas, but I have a great deal going on in my store right now!  Some of my limited edition monsters will no longer be available soon, so it's best to think about what you'd like now, rather than watch them disappear forever!

Here's a list of monsters that most likely will NOT be available at Christmas time (starting as early as October):

Bloo

Olive

Peach

Pika

Drew

Lavender

To grab any of these cutie pies, you can stop by my shop here: www.curiouslittlebird.ca

Until next time!!

Funky Friday Favorites: Little Green Guy

Hello, and happy friday. This week's edition of Funky Friday favourites is a new online friend of mine named Brittany Rae Martin. She owns Little Green Guy!

Visit her:  Blog ♥ Facebook ♥ Etsy

• • •

How did your crafty business come about? What made you want to start it?


My business came about when I made a plush monster for my younger sister as a gift. I love to give handmade things, and with the current economy sometimes that was more affordable! I then did a little doodle of the plush, and showed my friends. They all loved it! And started asking for their own paintings. From there I just kept creating. I am proud to say that as of summer 2011 I didn't even know how to operate a sewing machine, and now I am constantly expanding my plush line! 

What inspires you to create? What supplies do you use?

My children inspire me, watching them get into things, their expressions when they see something new and exciting, I like to translate all of that to my Little Green Guy. As far as supplies, if I am painting I am a bit stingy about only wanting to use Strathmore watercolor pads, my brushes however I have had forever and have a strange emotional attachment to them. For sculpting I LOVE Super Sculpey, and my hands. I don't use many other tools while sculpting, I like the handmade look of my sculptures, finding a bit of a fingerprint here or there makes them original and I love that. As far as sewing I started off only working with fleece, and that is what my Little Green Guy plush is made of. But I have expanded to awesome fluffy fur! I am in love, my sewing machine doesn't always appreciate it, but he does a good job. I sew on a Kenmore, which I have hijacked from my mother, he is now mine forever, she just doesn't know that yet. 

What is your favorite project or most memorable thing you've created?

Gosh that's a tough one! I really put love (as cheesy as that sounds) into everything I create and wind up falling in love with the project. I have to say my proudest moment was self publishing my first children's book. That was a life goal for me, I didn't care if it just sat on my shelf, I wanted to create something for my children and myself. Fast forward to now and my first print order is close to sold out and I have done several classroom visits. Seeing children enjoy my book gives me such pleasure I can't express. 

Aside from crafting, what do you do for fun?

Is there anything other than crafting? Well, crafting is my “fun” but I like to DIY as well outside of Little Green Guy. Before my son was born I had a decorating blog, where I had $15.00 a week to find a few items and refinish them. That has taken a bit of a backseat now that I am working on my business, but I still love to design, DIY, and transform household things! My sons nursery was a recent labor of love!

I have to ask a totally random question, so here goes. If you won millions of dollars tomorrow, would you do with your little business?
Oh man! Well if I didn't die from shock I would TAKE THE FAMILY TO DISNEY! Corny? Yes. But they would love it. When we came back I would open my own store, without a doubt. I see shelves lined with Little Green Guy plush toys, sculptures, etc. As well as having a section for other local crafters. The only rule being everything I stock is entirely handmade. Maybe even a birthday party section for children, where they each can sculpt their own monster or paint a Little Green Guy! Ahh, possibilities!

• • •

Thanks so much for this wonderful insight into you! :) It was a pleasure getting to know you!

Visit her:  Blog ♥ Facebook ♥ Etsy