As many of you know, my family and I moved over to Vancouver a few months back. Well, before the summer actually – time has flown. The dolls are still made over on the Island by our lovely sewing mamas but the other side of stuff is now done over here. Where I used to have Brooke, Brandi and Makiko handling the uploads and shipping side of things while I sewed and did things like book keeping and staying on top of the business-y stuff – it’s now me. So, it’s been intense. And freaking awesome. And quiet with a lot of thinking. I feel like I’ve gone back to when it was just me a dozen or so years ago but with all the knowledge of what I’ve learned and the vision of what I want things to look like moving forward. Bamboletta really feels like it’s own thing, it’s own entity that has moments of growth and then hunkers down with some tea and stays put for a while. It’s seasonal and has it’s own flow. Right now, I’m hunkering and it feels like I’ll be like this until spring. I want things to settle, connect into the incredibly talented and fantastic maker community here in Vancouver and see where things go.
I looked at a studio this week that is absolute perfection and , wouldn’t you know it, is available in the Spring. This is what I’m thinking in terms of the future. I thought my home studio may work as an ‘open to public’ space once in a while but that doesn’t feel right. Anyhow, a space for a little retail, a little workshop here and there – I have so many SO many ideas but for now I’m enjoying this hunker time and I’m marinating in my dreams for the future – this is my idea of business planning.
So, until then – no Granville Island Public Markets. I really tried to make this work but the 10 hour intense retail hours market days (tourists ALL day) are too much for me to take on along with my current work schedule and my family.
Clothing uploads will be coming more frequently. I’m in the process of hiring on a few new people here to do some clothing and have reorganized things with my current seamstresses over on the Island. So, the hope is to have more things on the site soon!
And those Forever Friends! My heart is so taken by these dolls. Something about the length of them (about 20″) and their lankiness is sweet to hug and cuddle. The clothing has been made by my friend Melissa who’s been mixing vintage fabrics, linens, tea stained laces and general fabric deliciousness to create these one of a kind outfits. She has an incredible sense of style and I can see it translated into the dolls. But, most fav part of the dolls is the little pocket in the back of the body. I’ve been slipping some quartz hearts and love notes in them before I send them off. Details like this make me swoon!
And, kits! I do plan on re releasing them back into the fold eventually. It’s something I want to move over here to Vancouver so I need to have things in place here for that to work – so many pieces and people to organize for things to click along. Heads, noses, hair, bodies, fulfillment – so many bits to put together.
It’s been nice ‘chatting’, Friday evening with a mug of tea and good music blogging? This is luxury! Thank you for reading!
xo
Christina
PS My apologies for my delayed in responding to emails lately – I’m trying to stay on top of it but it’s been a bit hard. If you don’t hear from me please bug me and resend – things are getting buried! Customer service stuff is going through Brooke but other stuff is on me and I’m not doing such a great job of keeping on top of it. xo
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