Thursday, August 26, 2010

Mozy Rue on Shaw TV

The other day, Jody and I did an interview with Shaw TV. The reporter who did the piece managed to whittle down our rambling into a very nice (almost) 3 minute piece about the Collective. Click here to watch the video.


I am still getting over the whole "omg...do I sound like that??", but I think the segment turned out really well. And, daaaamn, does that store look good, or what?!?

~ Rebecca

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

New class - T-shirt Shopping Bag

Do you have a T-shirt, but wish you had a shopping bag? Well, lucky you! This is your chance to learn how to make an awesome shopping bag from a plain ol’ T.

Our resident diva-of-the-dominoes, Rebecca Hadfield, is thrilled to present the first in her series of eco-friendly DIY classes. In this fun 90 minute class, Rebecca will guide you through the steps that it takes to create an expandable “faux mesh” tote that will amaze and delight cashiers everywhere. (Well, that might be a stretch, pun intended; but we guarantee that once you’ve made one bag, you’ll want to make more!) And, for those who skipped home-ec class, we’ve got a no-sew version, too. If you can hold a pair of scissors, you can make this project!

By popular demand, the class will be offered twice in September; Thursday the 9th at 7:30pm and Sunday the 26th at 1:30pm.

The $12 fee includes 90 mins of class-time and a take-home instruction booklet with bonus project (You’ve gotta use those sleeves for something, right?).

Please bring a t-shirt and sharp scissors. Note: shirts without side-seams and/or heavy embellishments work best.

Contact Rebecca at zenbecca@gmail.com or call the shop at 477-1900 to register or for more info.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Tell me something good(s)!

Hooray! After much goading and threatening (I kid!), Just the Goods’ goods have arrived at the Mozy Rue ECO Collective!



I first met Milena, the gorgeous curator/activist/purveyor-of-goodness behind Just the Goods, at a craft show last November. Although we were set up in different rooms, I could literally feel the buzz that she and her products were generating. It seemed like everyone who stopped by my table was applying (and raving about) the amazing lip balm that they had just purchased. By the time I made it over to introduce myself to Milena, however, she was sold out! Good news for her, but bad for me. ;-)

In the time since that show, I have continued to hear nothing but great things about Just the Goods shaving creams, toothpastes, body butters and, yes, lip balms. You just have to scroll through the reviews on their site to see the coast-to-coast fan-base that they have generated by selling locally and through their Etsy shop.



So, what are “the Goods”? Just the Goods is a locally-made line of skin care products that contain the best quality, natural, vegan* ingredients. True to their name, their products contain “just the goods…and nothing else”. All JTG products are produced without parabens, sulfates, petro-chemicals, artificial preservatives, synthetic fragrances and dyes or colourants. Everything is made under the credo that everyone should be able to enjoy every day indulgences, but not at the cost of our Earth or our health. Affordable and accountable? What’s not to love?

We are so excited to be carrying the Just the Goods line of handmade, vegan skin and body-care products in the shop; and, according to Milena’s blog, they couldn’t have arrived at a better time. With a temporary slow-down in production and shipping, local fans can stop by Mozy Rue to get their fix of “the Goods”. And, this time I know better than to wait; my toes will never forgive me if I don’t snap up some of the foot butter before it’s all gone!


* Beeswax and Lanolin are non-vegan ingredients that are used to make JTG’s lip balm; however, both are harvested without causing harm.

~ Rebecca

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Voila by Andreanne

Voila: From vois (“see!, look!”), second-person singular imperative of voir (“to see, to look”) and là (“there”), literally meaning "look there!".

Voilà par/by Andréanne: One of Canada's up and coming Aboriginal clothing design companies that offers eco-friendly, fair trade clothing made in Canada. From the initial sketch to pattern making, cutting and sewing, everything is produced in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

When I first saw the Voila by Andreanne line in the shop, I was immediately drawn to it. From across the room, the fluid-looking dresses and tops were practically begging me to cross the room for a closer look (and touch). I knew at a glance that this was no ordinary collection; and, once I had the fabric in my hand, I knew I was holding on to something special.



While the garments themselves have an easy, elegant look, the feel of the fabrics is what sold me. Using blends of bamboo viscose, organic cotton and lycra, designer Andreanne has managed to fuse environmentally-friendly with pure luxury. These are pieces for eco-conscious comfort-creatures with a keen sense of style (and humour).

The dress pictured above is just one of the beautiful and unique items in the Voila by Andreanne collection. It features a stunning freehand painting by local Aboriginal artist David Albert on the skirt. Come in to the shop to see more from Andreanne and add a piece of locally-made wearable art to your wardrobe today!

~ Rebecca

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Everything is ticketyboo at Mozy Rue!

Goodness, I've barely had my morning pail of coffee and I'm already starting in on the bad rhymes. I'm a poet and I...oh, nevermind. ;-)

Seeing as I will be working in the shop tonight, I thought I would make today's post about me, myself and me. And, seeing as I am the only one with the password to this blog, no one can stop me! I'll keep it brief, though, and just share with you a couple of the things that I have in my little section.

The two things I want to share with you have a couple of common threads (pardon the pun)...can you spot them? First of all, they both share a bit of an Asian influence; a style that I am always drawn to, which is no doubt due to my 8+ years living on the West Coast. Secondly, they are both "upcycled"; the pillow spent the first part of its life as a t-shirt, and the wood and silver pendant once graced a Scrabble board. Thanks to a little stitching, stuffing and stamping they are ready to decorate your couch or your cleaveage (I'll let you dedide which is which).



David Bowie "Serious Moonlight tour" t-shirt Pillow - $25



Cherry Blossom Scrabble pendant (with black cord necklace) - $12

~ Rebecca

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Half-pipe Heaven

Ever wonder where skateboards go when they've done their last ollie?
Mozy Rue upcycled skateboard jewelry and accessories, available now at the shop!



Mmmm...emmsgEMs

emmsgEMs are colourful, timeless, funky and fun. Always on-trend, the collection is constantly growing with casually-elegant, easy-to-wear earrings, necklaces and bracelets.



What gives emmsgEMs their distinctive look? "I like to put elements together that you wouldn’t normally expect to be paired – like paper and glass – and I don’t like to over-do a piece," says the designer. "The bead is the star – second to the person wearing the jewelry."



emmsgEMs are available in Winnipeg at the Mozy Rue ECO Collective and online in the emmsGEms Etsy shop.

~ Rebecca

What's in store - Paua Shell Jewelry by JLP Designs

Considered a good luck charm giving peace, prosperity, good luck and good health, the vibrantly coloured and brilliantly iridescent Paua shells are a natural for jewelry. Taking its name from the Maori word for abalone, Paua is only found in the sea surrounding the shores of New Zealand, where it is fished according to sustainable and environmentally sound practices.

Fancy Paua Shell Necklace by JLP Designs - $45
This one-of-a-kind necklace, pictured below, features 15 pieces of Paua shell from New Zealand. Each shell is hand drilled by the artist and mounted onto a handmade wire base. All metals and findings are silver plated (brass & copper).



Want to learn to make your own? It’s not too late to sign up for Thursday night’s class. $40 includes all materials and Jody’s expert instruction.

For more details on this class and others, comment here or contact the store!