A Summer of Farmers' Markets and Outdoor Events

Paper Turns at the Evergreen Brick Works Etsy Market - Photo: Evergreen Brick Works

 

 

 

Summer is my favourite season. Sure, it could be a wee bit cooler on certain days, but overall, I love being able to spend hours on end outside, without a jacket, soaking up the sun, and enjoying some gelato. I also love farmers' markets. Walking from tent to tent in the morning and then creating a summer salad with fresh produce for dinner makes for a perfect day, in my opinion.

Made of paper, Paper Turns greeting cards are obviously sensitive to the elements, which limits my ability to participate in outdoor markets, but the combination of fresh summer air plus a roof in case of rain is still irresistible. This is the reason you've seen me pop up at the Etsy Markets at the Evergreen Brick Works every summer for the past few years. Sheltered by the Pavillions and yet outdoors, and usually with a farmers' market a few feet away, it's a perfect environment. If you enjoy this as much as I do, you'll be pleased to hear that Paper Turns will participate in two Etsy Pop-Up Markets at Evergreen Brick Works this summer! Here are the details:

     Etsy Marketplace at the Sunday Market

Come explore 30+ Etsy artisans, local food, and refreshing drinks at Evergreen’s weekly Sunday Market on July 30, 10am-3pm.

More information at https://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/event/etsy-marketplace-at-the-sunday-market/

     Etsy Marketplace: A Summer Wednesdays Pop-Up Market

Bask in the setting sun at Summer Wednesdays! Explore local Etsy artisans and enjoy the tastes of local food trucks, wood-fired oven platters and ice cold beer. Wednesday, August 23, from 5:30-10pm at Evergreen Brick Works.

More information at https://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/event/etsy-marketplace-a-summer-wednesdays-pop-up-market/


Last weekend I had the pleasure of being part of the Makers' Market at the Withrow Park Farmers' Market for the first time. I shared a tent with Green Eyed Kitty Jewelry, and we all had a wonderful morning. The organizers made a short video that gives you an idea of the creativity represented at the market (you'll see Paper Turns at 2:35min). The Makers' Market takes place twice a year, and the next one will be on September 30. Unfortunately, I won't be able to be back for that one, and if you look closely at the picture below, you'll know why. But hopefully again next summer!

I'm still here!

Origami Easter chicks populating my desk...

I know I haven't written anything or added new cards to the shop in a while. So sorry about that! My day job in academia has kept me very busy these past few months, as I am currently teaching two courses at two different universities, one of which has me commute two hours one way, twice a week. Oooff! Unfortunately, this has left me with very little time to update PaperTurns. Buuuut...

   ... the Etsy Shop remains active and open for business, even if you'll have to be patient for a wee
       bit longer when it comes to new designs.
   ... I managed to participate in the Toronto Etsy Street Team's Valentine's Pop-Up at their new
       gallery! (More below.)
   ... and I booked my first Spring Market! For the third year in a row I will be returning to the
       Spring Artisans' Market at SickKids Hospital, which always takes place the Friday before
       Mother's Day. Mark your calendars and check out the market on Friday, May 12, 10am-5pm, in
       the Atrium of the hospital (170 Elizabeth Street, Toronto). You'll find me there with plenty of 
       cards for Mother's Day, weddings, birthdays, baby showers and many other occasions, as well as 
       card sets and origami magnets. And yes, there'll be new cards, too! Yay--finally!

For now, let me wish you all a wonderful spring, and to those who celebrate Easter: Happy Easter!

This is how you say "Happy Easter!" in German

Finally, here's a glimpse at the Valentine's pop-up that was held at the Toronto Etsy Street Team's new gallery space on 906 Queen Street West in early February. It's a beautiful space where all year long pop-ups, workshops, exhibitions and other events will take place. Check it out!

And the pop-up continues! Trinity-Bellwoods looks soooo pretty in the snow, so take a stroll and pop in. 906 Queen St West (near Shaw) - we're open till 6pm. . . #etsy #paperturns #handmade #trinitybellwoods #valentinesday

A post shared by Paper Turns | KD Urschel (@paperturns) on Feb 12, 2017 at 10:09am PST

Live demo of how I make my cards... Coming up on Saturday, November 12

When people look at Paper Turns greeting cards, one of the first things I hear from them is often, "Wow, these are so intricate. How long does it take you to make one?" (Answer: It depends!) Or they ask, "How do you do origami with such tiny pieces of paper?" (Answer: It takes a lot of practice.) But with every art and craft, it's so much more useful to show, rather than tell. And so here is a unique chance to watch me fold origami and see the magic that goes into my cards live! Thirteen unique artists and crafters will be at the Gibson House Museum next weekend and demonstrate their work processes. On top of that, each artist will also have a vending table where you can purchase gorgeous handmade goods. Organised by the Toronto Etsy Street Team, this "intervention" has been included on several lists of not-to-miss holiday markets this season, including those on blogTO, and Narcity. So what are you waiting for?


If you have never heard of the Gibson House Museum, let me tell you why it's a really cool location for this event. The Gibson House is one of 10 historic museums operated by the City of Toronto. It was built in 1851 and is an elegant farmhouse with Georgian-style exterior. Scottish immigrant David Gibson and his family were the original inhabitants, and today visitors can travel into the past and experience what living there was like. The Etsy vendors will be set up throughout the house, which gives you the opportunity to take in both the historic grandeur of the museum and experience ancient crafts such as embroidery, sewing, jewellery making, and paper folding in their modern artistic reincarnations. On top of that, the museum has a tea room where you can enjoy festive treats and of course plenty of tea.

Event details:

When: Saturday, November 12, 11am-4pm.

Where: Gibson House Museum, 5172 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M2N5P6.

Participating Etsy Vendors: Check out this LookBook featuring all participating vendors. 

How to get there, admission etc.: All available on this website.

Facebook Event Page: Confirm your attendance, set event reminders or invite your friends on this page.  

I looking forward to seeing you there.

Hello from Europe!

Have you ever been to Iceland? No? Then you should go! It's AMAZING. I spent the entire last week travelling around the country and was blown away by the spectacular landscape and wildlife. Breathtaking waterfalls, geysirs, geothermal baths, volcanoes, craters, glaciers, glacial lagoons, whales, seals, birds, plus sheep and horses everywhere you look. Iceland got my creative juices flowing as well, of course, and because I can't sit still for too long without doing something crafty, I started a six-part photo series entitled "Origami in Iceland". Every day I folded something inspired by the site(s) I was visiting that day. Check it out on Instagram or Facebook. Here's a little taste.

Origami in Iceland - Day 6: Ice and Fire. We started with a view of icebergs and seals at the glacial river lagoon Jökulsárlón, then visited the Eyjafjallajökull visitor centre that documents the 2010 eruption only to finish with a stunning view of one of Iceland's most active volcanoes, Hekla. Got photobombed by a rainbow too. What an amazing day. #icelandorigami #paperturns #iceland #Jökulsárlón #mthekla #hekla #icebergs #glaciallagoon #iceandfire #elemental #origamielements #artistonvacation #makersgonnamake #origami #rainbow

A photo posted by Paper Turns | KD Urschel (@paperturns) on Aug 28, 2016 at 3:27pm PDT

Now I'm in Germany for two weeks, visiting family and getting ready for my sister's wedding. I will have plenty of crafting opportunities in the coming days, but they will all be wedding-centric (stay tuned for pictures on Instagram). In other words, I won't be making any greeting cards while I am in Germany...  If you've been wondering why you can't see any items in my Etsy shop at the moment, that's why. The shop is in vacation mode and will reopen on September 12. That said, if you would like to discuss and/or order custom design, please get in touch! I won't be able to fill orders before I am back in Toronto, but I would be happy to discuss design options, pricing and time frames.

One final piece of information before I go back outside to soak up the German sun:
I have lined up five craft shows/pop-up markets in Toronto (Brick Works, Roncey, Trinity Bellwoods) for the months of October, November and December, with possibly more to come, so mark your calendars! You can find more information HERE.

Happy Summer!

It's promising to be a warm and sunny Sunday -- no better reason to head to Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works for the day. Their Sunday Farmers' Market is well worth a visit, but even more importantly (I think so anyway), the Brick Works are yet again host to a selection of over 30 local artisans this Sunday. Whether you'd like to treat yourself to a new pair of earrings, get a gift for your best friend's new baby, stock up on handmade soaps, buy a greeting card for your cousin's wedding, or pick up a ukulele to complete the Hawaiian summer feeling: the Etsy Marketplace will have something for you!

Here are the details: 

When: Sunday, August 7, 10am - 3pm

Where: Evergreen Brick Works, North Pavilions (Farmers Market), 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4W 3X8


 

Have you seen my new cards yet?

Much like last year, Paper Turns will be present at the Brick Works with a big table full of greeting cards for all sorts of occasions: birthdays, weddings & engagements, birth, sympathy... I will also have a big selection of blank cards, which include some customer favourites such as the cherry blossom, dragon fly, signature crane and fish cards. If you have been following me on Instagram, Facebook or Etsy, you will also know that pandas and sunflowers have been added to my line of blank cards. I will have a bunch of each for sale at my table  Are you a Pokémon Go player or know someone who is? Then you might want to come to the Brick Works not just to go on the hunt for Pikachu  & Co. but also to get your hands on my new Pokémon Origami Heart cards. I'm sure you know someone who is "a real catch" and deserving of this cute card. Of course, I will also have lots of card sets again. I know you'll want to add them to your own stationery stash, but they also make lovely gifts... just sayin'! Finally, as always: plenty of origami magnets for your fridge and notice boards. 

Panda card (Art. no.: 00JO-JP-WHI16061), Sunflower card (Art. no.: 00JO-A2-YEL16071) and Pokémon cards in different colour combinations

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday! Stop by my table and say hi. :)

Yours Truly Got Interviewed

The wonderful and resourceful blog of the Toronto Etsy Street Team features an ongoing interview series with Toronto-based Etsy sellers. For the purpose of this series, Michelle Wong of ElixirChicDesigns, a new jewellery label, and I, creator of Paper Turns, were paired to interview each other. It was a fun process, especially once we realised that we had a few things in common, including the fact that we both teach AND craft, and that we're both foodies. The fruits of our labour have now been added to the blog. Check out this interview with me. My interview of Michelle is here. Our interviews are numbers 93 and 94 in the series (a pretty impressive number, eh?), and if you scroll down on the T.E.S.T. blog and look to the right, you can find links to all the other 92 previous interviews. So much talent in Toronto!

Black Friday/Weekend Sale... My way of giving thanks to YOU!

Welcome to the Black Friday / Weekend Sale in the Paper Turns Etsy Shop! 

As a token of my appreciation for my customers, I'm giving all of you 10% off any orders of $25 or higher. Use the coupon code BLACK10 at checkout. Valid through Monday, November 30.

Fall Craft Shows: Some impressions

Etsy Market at Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto

On October 25, Paper Turns returned to Evergreen Brick Works for its second Etsy Market. 40 crafters offered a great range of local artisanal products to an audience of young and old, while the weekly Farmers' Market offered local produce and yummy food. The event was in the open air (only with a roof over our heads), and everyone was grateful for the sunshine and relatively warm air, something we couldn't take for granted in late October...

As always: greeting cards for all occasions

 

Paper Turns was offering holiday cards for early Birds and a whole range of new card sets. Many customers commented on what they deemed the "prettiest sign-up sheet ever", where customers can provide their email addresses in order to receive regular updates on Paper Turns' craft show appearances and special sales. 

The next event for Paper Turns at Evergreen Brick Works will be the Holiday Container Market on December 19. Stay tuned for more details.

One Stop Shopping at the Newmarket Community Centre

On November 7, Paper Turns participated in a special fundraiser for the Canadian Mental Health Association (York and South Simcoe) at the Community Centre in Newmarket. More than 40 vendors set up shop for this great cause, children were entertained by a balloon artist, Frozen's Elsa, and a face painter, and the supportive customers enjoyed the raffle, the auctions, and some local poutine. They didn't hold back with their donations, so the organizer was able to raise over $6,000. It was a fun day, and a great opportunity to contribute to an important cause.

Upcoming Etsy Market with Paper Turns

Impression from the Etsy Market in August 2015

 

A market hall full of Etsy vendors... including Paper Turns!

Paper Turns is returning to Evergreen Brick Works for another Etsy Market on the last October weekend! Just like in August, there will be over 40 craft vendors who will sell their unique and locally crafted wares. You can find anything from ceramics and knits to toys, home wares, and greeting cards! The Paper Turns table will feature the new 2015 holiday greeting card line (Christmas & Hanukkah), some autumnal/Halloween cards, a broad range of birthday, wedding, new baby and thank-you cards, greeting cards for many other occasions, blank cards, card sets, and origami magnets. If you're looking for seasonal gifts, why not consider buying a card set or some unique origami magnets made from gorgeous Japanese paper? 

When:  Sunday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Evergreen Brick Works, The Pavilions, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto ON, M4W 3X8.

Close-up of the Paper Turns table at the Etsy markt in August

For more information see http://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/event-details/11613/

The Etsy Market is hosted parallel to the Farmers' Market, and there are several other events for kids and families as well as a free Yoga class taking place during the same time, in case you need an additional reason to come out and browse the craft market...

I look forward to seeing you there!

The Etsy Market @Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto will feature... Paper Turns!

Come visit me next weekend at the Etsy Market at Evergreen Brick Works! Paper Turns will be among over 40 craft vendors who will sell their unique and locally crafted wares at the market. You can find anything from ceramics and knits to toys, home wares, and greeting cards! My table will feature all my latest creations, including a broad range of birthday, wedding, new baby and thank-you cards, greeting cards for many other occasions, blank cards, some holiday cards for the early-bird seasonal shoppers, and card sets. I will also be launching a new product... Pssst, it's a surprise!

When:  Sunday, August 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Evergreen Brick Works, The Pavilions, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto ON, M4W 3X8.
For more information see http://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/event-details/11613/

The Etsy Market is hosted parallel to the Farmers' Market, and there are several events for kids on as well, in case you need an additional reason to come out and browse the craft market.

I look forward to seeing you there!



Update: If you would like to see some impressions of the market, go HERE.