Posts Tagged ‘Katrin Leblond’
Pets in the Workplace
More and more businesses recognize the benefits of having animals around. Did you know that employees at Google headquarters can bring their pets to work? In fact, they are actually encouraged to?
Many companies, recognize that animals make us better people. They align us with our values. They help awaken our senses. Their needs are simple – a bowl of food here, a trip to the vet there – but it’s enough to keep us in a healthy rhythm ourselves. It’s enough to keep us on track.
Pets make us more productive, and certainly more creative.
Artists have long understood the importance of keeping pets around. Mary Oliver wrote an incredible book of poetry mostly inspired by her morning walks with her dog. Sarah McLachlan attributes getting through one long creative block to her companionship with her pup. I know some of my best ideas are the ones I first share with my cat.
Animals can sense the things we’re often desensitized to. They know when we need a snuggle, a hand-licking, or when we need to play. They also know when we need some fresh air. What’s better – and healthier – than a cigarette break? A dog-walking break!
- prints from Katrin Leblond’s spring collection
One of Katrin Leblond’s, um, more furry of team members is Arthur, Kat’s brother’s dog. He hangs out a lot at the studio, keeping the team company. Does he earn his keep? You betcha. The creative inspiration he brings to the workspace, as well as his boundless ability to love, is priceless. It’s a treat to be in the studio or boutique when Arthur’s around. He just has a way of keeping everything more real.
Much of Kat’s new spring collection was inspired by animals. Monkeys, fish, and elephants all made their way into her latest designs. However, I believe that more art than we give credit for is inspired, in one way or another, by the pets in our lives.
Express your beauty as you are. Dance in your kitchen and sing to the stars.
Sarah Pearson
All photos in this post by Erin unless other wise mentioned
Fabric. Art, that is then used to make more art, that is then used in the art that is your life. High quality 100% cotton. This is luxurious, high thread count, cotton. We love this print by Kaffe Fassette. Kat’s team made it into a “cerise” dress (that means “cherry” in french), a skirt, bedding and more…. available in the store.
I personally can’t wait for it to come in as throw pillows. I really want one for my bed that is already dressed in various Katrin Leblond bedding mix and matches.
It reminds me of a kaleidoscope, mandalas, Van Gogh’s Starry Night swirls, Klimt, Toller Cranston’s costume details in his paintings of the nutcracker, summer, fall, arts and crafts, the universe, gypsy magic, and the bindis on my daughter’s custom embellished bicycle that she loves and I Love, LOVE, LOOOOOOOOOVE.
Bindis are normally used for ceremonially decorating the faces of women and girls all over south Asia including Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Indian. They are kind of like tattoo stickers. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colours. The ones on Aya’s bicycle are covered in rhinestones.
I have to brag. I thought I was a genius when I came up with the idea of lacquering bindis onto her bike.
I loved fitting the bindis onto the shapes of the bike frame. I loved finding a place for them that seemed like they were always meant to be there.
Try and find the bits of broken disco ball.
Peeka boo! I see you!
Dring! Dring!
The image on the bell is Ganesh the Hindu elephant god of abundance. Success! Good fortune! This cheerful safety accessory for your two wheeled vehicle is made by a local Montreal artist, Glen, that crazy Mile end metal sculpture artist, responsible for the sculpture park near the train tracks. You can get his bells at the used sports equipment store on Bernard between Parc and Saint Urbain.
The seat is covered in swimwear fabric, of course! Kat helped to hand stitch. Swimwear: Stretchy so it fits snug and dries fast when it rains. Cover a bike seat for a small person you know with one of the swim suits they have just out grown. A few whip stitches is all it takes!
We made this bike from a street side reject with a sign on it that said “If you want it, you can have it”. My daughter and a friend cleaned it up and she rode it for a while till she complained about the rust.
What colour would you like it to be? I asked.
“Gold” she said to my surprise.
The end result is covered in bindis, spray painted gold, lacquered with nail polish, sparkles and more spray laquer.
I am very proud of this little art project and Aya and I had a really lot of fun doing it. The basket and handle bar fringe are from Canadian Tire.
Yeah for bikes! Pedal freely forward. Free from gas prices. Free from constant repair costs. Free from the emissions guilt. Float on two wheels. Yeah! Bikes! Don’t forget your helmet!
I bike in my cerise dress on my own bike, along side Aya, all the time.
Kat wears the cerise dress available in store. Photo by Barry Maccleod.
Your life is your most powerful art. See you at the boutique.
Erin.
Sylvie H wears the KL Jolly Dress in white ($139) and Wendy Thomas necklace ($30)
The KL Sylvies (yes – we are lucky enough to have TWO in ONE store) have been enjoying what seems to be an absolutely drop dead gorgeous retreat to the Santa Maria del Sol yoga center in the South of Italy, Puglia!
Of course they packed along their beautiful KL wardrobes and are vacationing in true style… enjoy some of the photo’s they sent us from various locations!
Sylvie G wears the Hanna Broer Venus Tunic ($78)
Sylvie H sports her KL Leggings (normally $85 and now on sale for $65)!!!!
Sylvie H in her Katharina Deluxe Dress ($149)
Sylvie H total rocks the Sexy Dress ($99)
Sylvie H (left) wears her Paris Cami ($75)
Stay tuned! More travel pics of their exciting Italian adventure to come!!!
Happy Tuesday!
xox
Happy Monday Morning lovelies! I hope your weekend was great and you all made the very most of the rainy/cold weather… snuggling up with a good book, cozying up to a hot cup of tea or/and making a beautiful homemade dinner with the people you love 
Sometimes though, the weekend just doesn’t feel like quite enough escapism… sometimes, come Monday, you still feel the overwhelming desire to stay those extra few minutes in your bed… or crank the shower water temperature up a notch…
Sometimes, you’ve got to allow your body the time to adjust to shifting back into “work mode”… and sometimes your meal ticket to avoiding reality for a little while longer is allowing yourself a few extra indulgences 
This is what life is all about after all is it not?
Allowing the simple things to become the things you desire the most… the comfort and satisfaction of enjoying something perhaps a little longer than you should have…
I leave you with the beautiful artwork of Randi Antonsen… a true visual getaway for the start to anyone’s week! Her paintings remind me so much of all the texture and color (not to mention nature theme) that defines Katrin’s work.
Enjoy!
xox
World, meet the incredibly talented Montreal-based artist (and new mom) Vanessa Yanow! Safe to say one of my favorite local jewelery designers, Vanessa’s hand blown glass and zipper creations are real statement pieces! Each telling a different story, glass teardrops capture small tokens and trinkets delicately and intricately.
Vanessa has been contributing to the Montreal art scene for years now and can be found exhibiting her instillation works at various galleries both locally and worldwide! She is both a talent and a wonder, achieving muchly deserved praise wherever she sets her sights!
Her zipper necklaces are one of my favorite items to gift… I know I will always get an amazing reaction when the receiver opens the box and see’s a hand made adjustable neck piece with some of the most beautiful and imaginative materials capsulated inside hand-blown glass.
Vanessa Yanow’s spirited jewelery collection is available in the Katrin Leblond Boutique… Her earrings retail for $38 while her darling necklaces go for $45. A steal when you think of how innovative they are (not to mention that they are completely crafted by hand)!
Happy Weekending!
xox
There is nothing more uplifting on a rainy day than a a colorful and positively happy umbrella (and matching rain boots if you can find)! It is an accessory so powerful it can alter miserable moods to elation (take my word for it – I can’t get enough of mine)!
As the weather has been all over the place here in the 514, here are some of the in-shop picks we have to choose from for our next (sure to be) rain day (here’s hoping not snow day!!!).
Go crazy with florals, butterflies, ladybirds, polka dots and frills!
You’ll see you won’t stop at using them for the rain… they make for great beach/picnic shade, keeping your hair picture perfect in a snowstorm and maybe if you are prone to a little magic you may just be able to get around town Mary Poppins style
Just kidding!!! Unless of course you actually can…
xox
Happy Day!
Although she may be on vacation, Katrin seems to be expanding her creative realm with a fruit carving class!
Gorgeous imagery we all hope will somehow get incorporated into her fashion (fingers crossed)…
This just blows my mind… how on earth do you get it so perfect?!? I can hardly carve triangle eyes into a pumpkin… let alone etch a bouquet into a papaya!!! Amazing!
Best part is that Kat looks happy, radiant, rested and beautiful
xox
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