Snow Angel

Happy year of the Ox!
May the soil you till be rich and fertile.

Right off the top we would like to thank everyone for making the start of our winter season such a success. Your enthusiasm was heart warming. With your valued patronage we will continue to make magic.





Wow! What a fresh start for the New Year. It’s frosty white here in Toronto. Of course if you’re the proud owner of a Gwendolyne Hat it's perfect. Say hello winter baby and enjoy it every day.

With the weather we’ve had lots of sightings and positive feedback. Apparently Art Eggleton was seen wearing one of our Tibetans. Is it true? I don’t know. Keep your eyes peeled; if you see others please let us know.

A lot has happened since we last spoke. The end of the year is always such a busy time. Our focus going into the 2008 One of a Kind Show was tremendous. All year long we had pursued a path of growth and re-invention in a landscape of economic uncertainty. Think Positive was our daily mantra. Whatever the outcome, we were going to roll up our talents and have fun. The marketplace would decide.

When the doors to the show opened something remarkable happened. People were excited to see us and they wanted what we had to offer. Our beautiful hats, bags, scarves, talismans and zipper fobs were all the rage. We felt blessed. Our determination to inspire both the world and ourselves had carried the day.

With a new look and an upbeat attitude our booth was a magnet for happy people and smiling faces. Gwendolyne even managed to get on TV twice. First CTV Weather live with Tom Brown at the show. Then CBC Newsworld with Colleen Jones, which broadcast right across the country. After that we had a buzz in our booth and it followed us home.

It's great to be back in the studio. Time to send all that positive energy forward and catch up with the demand. Gwendolyne's just finished a beautiful new edition of her ever-popular Abbey Road cap. You can see a couple of juicy brights from this batch above. Who knew winter could be so fun and colourful. These beauties are definitely a cure for the winter blahs.










This month our cozy Atelier was filled with laughter and delight. Gwendolynes' Sunday Salons have become such a wonderful addition to our creative life. They're popular too, so we've added a Monday night. We love our studio and it feels good to share it. All you need to join us is the desire to create beautiful things with your own hands.

As an artist Gwendolyne has had a creative connection with the needle and thread for the better part of her life. Her textile art courses are a lot of fun and encourage a community of spirit. They are a wonderful opportunity to open your mind, explore your creativity and bring more art to your life.

I encourage you to read further by visiting her new BLOG Atelier Gwendolyne. If you're interested in joining please click here.

Here's a New Years greeting!

Our Fertile Oasis!

by William

What a magnificent Spring we’ve had this year, so fresh and green. All we need now is the warmth of the sun. Then we can look forward to a big burst of colour to top it all off. It's the perfect opportunity to step out and enjoy life. Our studio has been filled with laughter and enthusiasm this month. Gwendolyne has begun teaching a fiber art workshop on Sundays called
the Four Elements. If you are interested in joining us please click here.

Water is the first element in this series and the weather has been very co-operative, with lots of rain for inspiration.

You may have seen Gwendolyne Hats on CityTV recently, JoJo Chinto stopped by our shop. He was doing a story about the award winning building our business calls home; 401 Richmond St. West. While JoJo tried on some hats, Gwendolyne talked about how this vibrant creative community has helped us and other people grow.

There’s always something exciting happening here at 401 Richmond and Our Atelier is no exception . If you love Culture, Design and the Arts you must drop by for a visit. It will uplift your spirits and enrich your life.

Sometimes you discover a special spot in the world that's so amazing you put down roots and blossom. That's what our atelier means to us. We're on the top floor. Our windows look out over the courtyard and onto the roof garden. It's a lush oasis of climbing vines and new growth out there these days. How inspiring!










It’s a quiet day today as we recover from Doors Open Toronto. We’re a popular destination on this city wide tour and this weekend was a lot of fun. Our Shop was bustling with activity as many new people took advantage of the opportunity to play dress up with our latest designs. As you can see we're more than just a hat shop. It was very rewarding to see the positive response.

There's a guest book in our Shop for comments. But, this weekend Gwendolyne got a big smile when the Lady Julia said,

"I am so happy to find this place. This is what the world needs these days, things made with care, wonderful materials and so much beauty. Your work speaks of individuality, I am so excited.
I want you to be successful as I love what you are making. You are making things that I can relate to, that have spirit and meaning". Then Julia bought something for herself to celebrate that idea!

It's great when people totally understand where you are coming from and cast their vote for the positive things in life. That's certainly what Gwendolyne and I believe in. If we noticed one common thread this weekend... More people are feeling this way too.