Pyrrha and FIG

I'm a HUGE fan of shopping locally and even more so of purchasing/supporting a truly Canadian product!

I was downtown Guelph with some gal pals a while back and we walked into a shop called POD Designs. It is SUCH a funky shop, with amazing selection and variety of products...I didn't know where to start!

The two main items that caught my eye were the Pyrrha Jewelery and the FIG Clothing.

Here is  the bio on the designers and creators of Pyrrha Jewelery:

DESIGNER BIO

From their Vancouver studio, jewelry designers Wade Papin and Danielle Wilmore handcraft the heraldic talismans cast from 18th and 19th century wax seals that have become the Pyrrha signature. “Jewelers traditionally try to make everything look perfect, say Danielle and Wade, “but we like to show the maker’s hand. We celebrate the original cracks in the waxes.”

The pair designed the Pyrrha Talisman collection after they came across a box of 19th century wax seals. “Making jewelry out of them was inspired by a desire to give the fragile waxes new life and permanence.” say Danielle and Wade. The handcrafted, thoughtful pieces are a striking contrast to the glut of overseas factory made, mass produced jewelry that is so common in their industry. Wade and Danielle explain, “everything seems to be cranked out at a staggering pace and then left for dead. Because we live in such a throwaway society, it’s necessary to create some things that can be kept."

The story behind this jewelry is incredible! Each piece is so unique and inspiring, I am still having difficulty choosing which one I would like for myself! 

This is one of their new pieces that I am really leaning towards....

Follow Your Dreams Talisman Necklace

This handcrafted talisman necklace features an eagle with wings spread, which is symbolic of the freedom obtained by following your dreams. The rose signifies the passion that is ignited by doing what you were meant for.

The other great find I came across was FIG Clothing!

From their website:

"FIG Clothing is a Canadian sportswear brand for active, urban and elegant women who love to travel. The collection is inspired by adventure and practicality. It is designed for those in need of versatility. Each mini-collection is made of its own unique fabric to provide maximum freedom of movement. FIG is essential for travelling in comfort!"

This is their Fall 2013 Safari Collection.

The Guelph and Elora POD stores are holding a contest today (Friday) that if you go in and try on a FIG item, you could win $150!

I have a few pieces of their clothing already and I LOVE them for their comfort, style and durability! They are my new 'go-to' for outdoor wear, travel and sports gear!

Pyrrha is based in Vancouver and FIG is based in Montreal, so they truly do encompass both coasts of this country and it is so good to see amazing products being produced right here at home!!

If you have a chance this weekend...get out and explore your town/city and see what other Canadian businesses you can support and let more people know about!

 SPREAD THE CANADIAN LOVE! SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS!

RR

Found it!!!

Since moving into my home almost 2 years ago, I have been looking for the 'perfect' piece to use as an entertainment centre.

I have a 10 foot length of wall that I wanted the piece to run the full space of and it had been a challenge finding exactly what I had envisioned.

My parent's neighbours are getting into the reclaimed wood business and I had planned on asking them to put something together for me....but....then Mom and I went on a shopping road trip to the town of Neustadt.

We frequent this small town quite a bit for their wonderful shops and the fantastic people who own/operate them. To our happy surprise, we found a new shop called Refurbishment and needless to say, I could have decorated my entire home with their reclaimed, up-cycled, refinished, refurbished and one-of-a-kind pieces!

I was walking around, letting it all soak in when I saw it...THE piece I had been looking for!!!

An 11foot length of aged, raw pine with gorgeous antique legs.....the word SOLD leaped out of my mouth so fast I couldn't believe it!

My heart almost broke when the shop owner said that another patron had been in earlier in the day and had asked her to 'hold' it until she could go home and do some measurements....

We left the shop, after giving he my contact information, with fingers and toes crossed that it would not fit in the other patron's home as I knew it would be perfect in mine....

About 45 minutes later I received a text....IT WAS MINE!!!! A short happy dance ensued and we set up a time for delivery (yes, she would deliver it to my home in Guelph....COULD THIS GET ANY BETTER?!?!)

After some major re-arranging at home....here it is installed! :)

I LOVE IT!!! 

These pictures were taken just shortly after getting it together and set up so I will likely still play with some of the styling and items located on/around it. We had to take a bit off the one end and I will turn that into a shelf, but other then that, it fit and works impeccably with the space!

Here's a close up of the raw, natural edge (I LOOOOVE, LOOOVE, LOOOVE it!), the unfinished wood and those gorgeous (and heavy) antique legs!

This piece has finally brought the room together and given it the look and feel I had been hoping for....it even makes the room and overall space seem bigger!

So...if you're on your way to lake Ontario from the GTA...detour through the cute lil town of Neustadt (just outside of Hanover)...it is WELL worth the trip!

RR