Happy Canada Day!

Wow, I really need to do a better editing job, the last line on the flyer blows - nonsensical grammar and a "typo". The fact is, we will be processing all Canada Day mail orders on Saturday July 2nd. If you have questions pertaining to your mail order, Rachael will get in touch with you on Saturday.

In other Canada Day news, the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper printed an article today about Tim's O-Canada art show tomorrow at the milkman's daughter. Here's a link to the article, and here's the related video.

Glenda came over from Vancouver to help Korinne and Tim hang the show. The shop looks really good.

Remember Home.

Here at the studio we are excitedly anticipating and preparing for the O-Canada art show at The Milkman's Daughter, on Canada Day, this Friday. It is going to be fabulous.

There is another art show we are excited about around here, one that we have not yet announced!

Trish, Rachael and I are doing an art show together at The Fifty Fifty Arts Collective, a Victoria gallery located at 2516 Douglas Street (between Bay and Hillside). The opening will take place on Sunday, July 10th between 1pm and 4pm. The show will consist of works using various mediums, including: painting, sculptural installation, living art, and silkscreening, of course! There will be much to see and taste, with delicious food and wine available.

The show will run from July 11th to July 29th, with the gallery open 1pm - 4pm daily.

Lily Spotlight: Random Revival

Random Revival is one of the fabulous lines of jewelry we carry in the Vancouver shop. The creator/artist/jeweler is Sophie Wyser. She is a really interesting person (she recently did a 400 km bike ride, in one day!!, for charity) and has an amazing eye for unusual angles and recycled materials. All of that finds an outlet in her charmingly ever-changing jewelry line.

Here are a few photos of some pieces that are currently in the shop.

Vancouver Update: Bread Photographs Well!

One of my favourite websites to cruise is a photo blog called The Selby is in Your Place; it's basically what happens when a hipster commercial photographer who knows a ton of interesting people all over the world starts taking photos of his friends' homes and posting them online. Fascinating!

A recent spread he did covered both the workplace and home of the couple who run the Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, and it literally had me dying for baked goods this morning (ok, maybe not literally, but it was pretty bad--look at that photo!!). Just as I was really cursing the fact that San Francisco is so far away I realized that this is the same bakery whose cookbook we carry at The Milkman's Daughter! How sweet is that?

Anyway, we don't have any of these fabulous books in stock in Vancouver (what kind of a "Vancouver Update am I writing, here?!!?), but we'd be more than happy to have the Victoria gals send some over if anyone is interested. I may have to take up baking....

Victoria Update: Our customers are so cool!

We just got an email from one of our customers--Susan, from Salt Spring Island--containing pictures of an art project she's working on inspired by our vintage wool blankets.

This blanket in particular was used to cover a dog crate, and the lovely little bugger decided to use it as a chew toy. Not to worry, though! Susan came up with the (awesome) idea to embroider around the holes and stains and make this beautiful pastel check blanket into something new and totally original.

This submarine (at least that's what my eyes see) totally reminds me of The Life Aquatic. I definitely approve.

Now I'm going to go pull all the damaged blankets out of my goodwill pile (why does this pile never actually get to goodwill...?) and get my art on. Thanks Susan!

What took me so long?

I have frequently given Smoking Lily tea towels as gifts. They are unique and fun - some are pretty, some are edgy, they come in lots of colours and the recipients always love them. It is my go-to hostess gift, usually as wrapping on a bottle of wine...

Funny thing is, up until a few days ago, I didn't own any myself! And I have to ask myself 'What took me so long?!' At last, though, I am the proud owner of an awesome set of tea towels that really dry things (isn't it weird how some don't?) and my quirky kitchen is way cooler :)

Lily Inspiration: Found Vintage Viking Sewing Machine

On my way home the other day, I spied an abandoned sewing machine next to a dumpster. Feeling optimistic I ventured closer and found this amazing vintage sewing machine. It needs a good cleaning, some electrical repair and a couple new parts, but I plan on restoring it and seeing what it can do. In two-tone grey with all metal parts and red accents I think it is unique and beautiful. I have never even seen a machine like this before, so I am thrilled to add it to my collection (it's only my second vintage sewing machine find, but in my books more than one equals a collection).

Exposed wires where a plug should be

It might be a Viking, or maybe it isn't?

This grill reminds me of the front of a classic car

All metal gears are forever

Gorgeous Bike Accoutrements

At the moment it is raining torrentially here in Vancouver. So, when I came across these amazing "dress guards" by Simeli it was nice to feel summer in my heart, if not in my bones. I think they will remain a lovely cycling fantasy (roaming the Dutch countryside) for me as I couldn't bear to see them caked in West Coast mud. Sooooo pretty....

via HONESTLY...WTF

Come get your groove on!!

One of our Lily store gals, Chance, is in an awesome Motown band.
I'm swingin by, you should too!
June 30 - Logan's Pub - Victoria - $10

Studio Update: Sneak Peak!

Hello information highway surfers. I've got a couple snaps of some new things we're working on in the studio today!! New fabrics, new designs, same awesome fun Lily things.

Above is some stuff we're going to get into the box going out to Vancouver today, come down to the Main Street shop tomorrow to try out the striped Simple Tee and the new Keith Skirt!

PLAID PLAID PLAID PLAID PLAID PLAID PLAID PLAID

I really love plaid.

Harmony turning that plaid fabric into drool-worthy dresses. One for me please!

Smoking Lily Home: There's no place like it, but it's good to get away

Times Square (In case you didn't guess) This photo looks like I Google Image searched for Times Square and this is what popped up. I swear I took this myself.

My two best friends of all time moved away from Victoria, one right after the other, coming on a year now. They are off doing really cool things like living in Teaticket (aww so cute), Massachusetts doing research at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and living in Hamilton, Ontario (now cooler thanks to Claire living there!) getting a Master's degree at McMaster University. Claire and her boyfriend were having some visitors who were New York bound, so of course Zoe and I were informed and plans were made.

This road is just minutes away by bike from Zoe's house. SO GORGEOUS (that's Cape Cod for you). I biked around here and took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. Sigh. Sigh.... It was amazing.

Teaticket is about an hour and a half drive from Boston, and Boston is only a bus ride away from New York, so the next thing you know, the girls were reunited! I had the good fortune of being able to first to see what Zoe was up to in and around Cape Cod and Boston. Then, along with her and her boyfriend, we headed down to New York to meet up with the other six. It was a grand affair filled with good people, good sights, good food and awesome memories.

Paul Revere (he did that famous "The English are coming" thing). This is in Boston, of course. We followed the "Freedom Trail" and generally felt like we needed to do more research on American History.

When in New York I made sure to stop by the Erica Weiner store! We carry this amazing line of jewelry in our Johnson Street and Vancouver stores and I was really excited to go see her store front. There was a woman behind the counter, and after introducing myself she got excited and said that she was Erica and showed me around (it's so great when cool shops can have a mutual appreciation for one another!). I was so glad to have had the chance to meet her in person and to explore her adorable little shop (kind of like our tiny store!). I took a video, but unfortunately it is much too large to fit on our blog. Compressed it looks like a movie shot at the bottom of a murky lake...sadly, until I hone my AV skillz, you will have to make due with these few random photos I took other places.

I have a penchant for mail and objects to do with it... I wish we had cool post office mail boxes like this here! This is the post office in Hyannis, where Kennedy enjoyed vacationing.

Random Photos

Tonight, after work, a few of us gals visited Steph and met Oliver. He is so cute, and smelled so good. It looks like Smoking Lily has a new model.

Nicole made this beautiful cake and brought it over to Steph's house. It was a rhubarb bundt cake, so delicious. We need to get her to share the recipe. Great job on the decorations too. Very creative Nicole. (Hey--This is Nicole, I came to share my recipe! I used two cups of rhubarb instead of one and a half and it worked fine...check out Mollie Katzen's other recipes too, they are all fantastic and have never failed me!)

I got my hair chopped off yesterday to celebrate the first day of summer.

Hello Victoria! I flew home, via float plane, after a great visit with some family in Vancouver (plus checking out the Main Street shop - love the new displays Glenda and Erin). I took this photo because I like the tree lines in the golf course and I think it would be a great print.

This is a photo of "the blue bridge" at the end of Johnson Street in Victoria. I'd never seen it from this view before.

Picked up this chair at the auction last week. We are going to re-upholster it in the next few weeks.

There you go, a little random, but I thought I would share a little of our lives.

Vancouver Update: Little Girls Dresses

We have a number of really cute little girls dresses in stores right now. They are light and summery and sweet.

Here is a photo of my niece wearing the Lucy tunic ($46) layered over some fleece to combat the cold Spring air while rocking some summer fashion down at Granville Island.

We also have a cute spaghetti strap dress, the Stanley ($46), in a number of different bright printed fabrics, and one run of a gorgeous puffed sleeve linen dresses ($120). Ready to simplify the morning conundrum of what to wear - just a dress! easy peasy!

Some Customer Love

Just got a great photo from a fave customer who sent it in after seeing Renee's shout out to see what people were up to in Smoking Lily this summer.

"I'm in Paris for the summer, and a friend snapped this in the Belleville neighbourhood on a street known for graffiti art. I always travel with my Smoking Lily! Kate (from Portland)"

Merci beaucoup Kate, the octopus print goes well with the graphic wall. Ayez un grand été.

Victoria Stores Update: Bamboo Pyatt Tunic and Turquoise Mt. Pleasant

This week in the stores we have some great new colours and fabrics in the Pyatt Tunic and the Mt. Pleasant top.

The Pyatt Tunic is now available in Clay in 100% Bamboo. Perfect for layering, this fabric is like nothing else. The taffetta like material is silky smooth with a shiny finish and crisp texture, breathable and light as air. The tunic features a front-back reversible scoop neckline and pockets with a print.

Clay Pyatt Tunic $92 with matching Silk Obi

Shallow scoop neckline and Squirrel print on pocket

We also have a new colour in the Mt. Pleasant top as well this week. Featuring an all-over repeating Canoe print, this Turquoise top is perfect for wearing if you're going out on the water to do a little paddling.

Turquoise Mt. Pleasant with new Canoe print $85

Riding Bikes and Car-Free Day!

Today is Car-Free Day in Vancouver, with simultaneous activities on The Drive, Main Street, Denman, and in Kits. Main Street looks like it's going to have a focus on music, with several stages and some good bands lined up to play outside of Neptune Records and Red Cat.

....And what better way to get to Car-Free Day than on a bike! I just wanted to share this dorky snap I took of myself after riding to work on Friday to show everyone how awesome the Cypress Skirt is for cycling: swishy, comfortable, and long enough you don't have to worry about flashing anyone while dismounting!

Happy Car-Free (and Father's) Day, everyone!

Babyheads

That is funny Korinne! I had uploaded some photos and thought of putting up a post about the awesome cement sculptures on Friday too! Guess I might as well share them now.

As Korinne mentioned all of these small sculptures are made of cement and are garden friendly. They also make great paperweights if your desk is next to a window - we'll finally be opening the windows wide to let in some warm fresh air.