winkel

It's Been Swell

2010-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

After almost six years in Leslieville, I've decided to give Winkel a break for a while. Too many other things going on and I just don't have the time or energy to keep up with a bricks and mortar store. I will miss my lovely regular customers and Hubble will miss all the lovin' he got every day at the shop. Special thanks to Marla and Josephine for their years of support and keeping my little shop going when I was busily off doing other work. I'm hoping to launch an online business next year, so check the blog for future announcements.
It's been a fantastic six years thanks to a great bunch of regulars and the best neighbourhood in Toronto for a little shop with a lot of stuff. I will miss you all.

Kari
& Hubble

Holiday Wanderlust 2009

2009-11-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

We're gearing up for another fun Holiday Wanderlust night in Leslieville. Stop by for screenings of vintage holiday specials (Christmas with Sonny & Cher, Charlie Brown Christmas) in the front window, a photography exhibit by Faye Liolis, and gift baskets for sale from Forbes Wild Foods. We're also giving out the new edition of our Winkel buttons with every purchase and everything in the store will be 10% off! Please join us for an evening of fun, warmth and holiday cheer.

Oilcloth Addicts

2009-09-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Winkel's trusty craft sleuth, Marla, sent me a link to Oilcloth Addict today. Tons of tips, projects, and tutorials for you oilcloth obsessed folks.

TorontoLife.com Spots Winkel!

2009-08-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to the folks of TorontoLife.com for including Winkel in their Leslieville Guide. I'm not surprised that they chose to run this great shot of Hubble holding court at the back of the shop. The photographer was laughing at how he would "posed", following her camera the entire time. He's had plenty of practice in front of a lens. I think this is my favourite press photo of the shop so far.

Pulp Fiction

2009-08-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last year I recommended revisiting childhood adventure books for your summer reading, but as the temperatures have soared these past couple of weeks I've been in the mood for a steamier bit of entertainment. The gem pictured above is the autobiography of Lynn Keefe, "...one of the nation's most successful women of pleasure." Apparently the book was made into a film, but I don't imagine it appearing on any Blockbuster shelves near you. Perfect read for a sunny afternoon at the beach.

Hey, Amy Winehouse! Get outta the jungle!

"...a tense and gripping drama of violence and murder which builds and builds to the most horrible, shocking climax imaginable!"

Get Tarantino on the phone, this one's right up his alley. He could even cast Winehouse in the lead as part of her inevitable comeback.

Sure, it's great to engross yourself in a critically acclaimed bestseller, but a quick fix of trash goes so well with a cold drink on a hot day.

Thanks, VIA Rail

2009-07-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

If you're riding VIA Rail this summer, check out the article on Leslieville in the June/July issue of their onboard magazine. Many customers have mentioned the article and I finally found it on the VIA website today. Nice photo, too!

Leslieville Past

2009-07-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Leslieville has changed a lot in the past five years. Many old storefronts have been converted to accomodate the new businesses opening along Queen Street, and some times a bit of history is sacrificed along the way. These tin ceiling tiles were rescued from a building near Logan and Queen which is now a butcher shop. The installation of new duct work meant that the original ceiling had to be ripped out and there was no way for them to re-use the tiles.

After brushing off loose flakes of paint, I just hung one up on the wall and I love how it catches the light coming in from the door. If you're a little more formal, you could also have a simple frame made to finish the edges and you've got a great piece of original artwork that is also a bit of Leslieville history.

There are lots of ways to breathe new life into old tin tiles. Create decorative panels for the face of a counter or bar by attaching the tiles and finishing with a little trim. For an original tabletop, just inset the tiles on a board and cover with a piece of clear glass. I've also seen some interesting birdhouses made from salvaged bits of wood and trim with tin tile roofs. Below are a couple of projects for inspiration.

This cabinet gets a new life with sections of tiles cut to fit into the front door panels. The patina of the tin matches the age of the wood perfectly. Cleaned up and sealed, three tiles hung in a row make a very cool headboard. Finding a throw cushion with needlework that mimics the pattern of the tiles finishes off a great rustic modern look.

In The Pink

2009-07-29T12:57:00.001-07:00

My cure for a week of constant rain: a pair of classic powder pink swivel tub chairs! Makes me want to put on a breezy summer dress, sip on a mojito and get a manicure. Swish, swish!

New and Noteworthy

2009-07-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

I recently found these vintage stenopads at the estate sale of a doctor who practiced out of the basement of his house. He meticulously kept all of his office supplies including tiny boxes of index tabs, red-bordered labels, and a tin with every single one of his used pen nibs. My weakness for paper obviously extends to any type of vintage office material, but I've only kept a couple of these for myself. I love the art deco S on the cover of the one pictured above. The rest, in their limited quantity, are in the shop and ready for your very own musings and inspirations.

For those patriots in the crowd, you can't get much more Canadian than a beaver on the front cover. I still have one or two of these, but they're going fast.

The Dog is in a Blog

2009-07-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Christopher Jones from StyleNorth stopped by for a visit to Winkel. I was excited because I've been following his design blog for some time and was flattered that he had found my shop. He was working on a piece about retail mascots and had heard about my black pug, Hubble. Who would guess that a shopdog would be the lure to get me a spot on a great local design website? He snapped the perfect photo of Hub in his usual state, fast asleep.

Fortunately, Christopher also appreciated the oilcloth that is one of our bestsellers at Winkel, and featured it in a separate post that went up earlier today. Props also went out to Erin Leah Pryde who is the superstar-oilcloth-craftster-extraordinaire. It's amazing to see what she's created with it! Check it out here.

For whatever reason, I'm always grateful for any store publicity. Thanks, Christopher!

Leslieville Stomp

2009-05-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

Fabulous chalkboard sign by Marla.

Yard sale season hit Leslieville in a big way yesterday with the first annual Leslieville Stomp. Thanks to the quick work of folks from The Leslieviller lots of people came out for street sales and sidewalk sales from Broadview Avenue to Leslie Street. For a last minute idea, the response was quite incredible, showing once again that part of what makes Leslieville such a great neighbourhood is the community. Many thanks to The Leslieviller and everyone for coming out to support a great event. (photos by Marla Good)

Oilcloth covered goodie table.

Blossoms

2009-03-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Winter is just not ready to let us go. The temperature has dipped below zero (AGAIN) and I'm desperate for some sign of spring around the corner. One of our local shops was selling apple blossom branches the other weekend--when it actually felt like spring--so I asked Marla to pick one up for the window. Pink blossoms have bloomed since then and it's a little taste of warmer weather while I'm still trudging around in hat, scarf and boots.

The branch inspired a little DIY project for Marla and her daughter Josephine who've been minding the shop during weekdays. They gathered a few fallen branches and hot glued pink, white and green tissue paper "blossoms" to the end of each branch. Delicate and rather lifelike, spring had sprung in the front window!

Once the orchard of blossoms had been created, Marla scoured the shop for all things Asian-inspired. Pottery, menus, figurines, art, and a lovely pair of lamps with a chinoiserie touch. These may have to come home with me one day.

"My little China girl says, 'Oh baby, just you shut your mouth.'"

-David Bowie

Gimme Some Lovin'

2009-02-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

February 1st.

According to a recent survey, 75-80 percent of all Valentines are purchased by women.

Here's your two weeks notice, fellas.

Bald Guy Greetings has added two new Valentines (including the one pictured above) to his collection this year, both of which are available at Winkel. You can also order your very own Bald Guy t-shirt at www.baldguygreetings.com if you're one of his many avid fans.

Hello Lucky Valentine Coaster Cards

The weightiness of these adorable cards will let your sweetie know just how much you care. And if things don't work out, you can always use them as coasters for the many glasses of wine after the break-up.

Get Your Act Together

2009-01-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Santa has made his way to Florida just in time to skip all the shovelling that's happening at Winkel these days and the Christmas decor is put away for another year. Spring cleaning seems to be the order of the day and with that the urge to organize our lives.
Art School Girl, a recent addition to the independent card artistes we like to support at the shop, has this oh-so practical perpetual calendar for those of us with good intentions but not so good follow-through with calendars and day planners. You know when you buy that sassy planner to keep track of important dates, notes and numbers, but by April it's settled into some deep dark corner of your home or office, neglected until year's end when you can no longer use it. This is why I like non-committal calendars that let me fill in the days (when I'm really on top of things) and not worry about an "expiry" date at the end of the year.

The clever folks at Re-Cover Journals have added a Re-mind Planner to their recycled book cover journal selection, with fill-in-the-blank months/days as well as handy paper pouches and an address book in the back. Very together on the inside, but unique one of a kind covers taken from retired old books make sure that no two are alike. I love these!

So it's January 11th, 2009. Have you got it together?????

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas day is closing in, and many last minute missions have been accomplished at Winkel. As we head into the holidays, I want to wish all of you the best of the season and thank you for supporting small and local in 2008!

Window Wonder

2008-12-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

After a busy afternoon of Christmas shoppers, snow was falling outside, so I decided to get some more shots of the holiday window display. I'm quite pleased with it and couldn't have finished it without the help of my friends Theresa and Deb, who came out in separate shifts to bring some beauty out of the chaos.

Snowflakes, silver, and Sassy Santa hangin' out with his pinups. Vintage barware scattered about to add a little cocktail bling.

These little birds were handmade in the sixties. A few of them will be flying home with me this year.

Naughty & Nice

2008-11-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

The highlight of having a little shop is creating a Christmas window every year. I start hatching a plan in October and try to incorporate something appropriate from my ever changing stock. These vintage calendar pinups are from the wintery months of the forties and fifties. I've hung them with silver tinsel garland and they surround my 5ft. waving Santa that I acquired last year.

I was inspired by the new Inked Holiday Cards that are new to Winkel. Saucy tattooed pinups give a sexy spin to Christmas greetings, and I love that they're made right here in Toronto, too!

The Inked collection includes greeting cards, mini card and gift tag sets. One of my favourite things for the holidays.

Holiday Wanderlust 2008

2008-11-21T10:32:00.001-08:00

Christmas shopping at the mall can be a hectic and stressful experience, so why not stroll the neighbourhood for an evening of holiday warmth and cheer? Leslieville will be hosting the third annual Holiday Wanderlust on the evening of Thursday November 27th. Many of the local shops and galleries will be open from 6 to 10pm offering special deals and treats to ring in the shopping season.

Winkel will be screening a collection of vintage holiday specials including "Christmas with Frank and Bing" and "Johnny Cash Christmas 1976". Sweet treats and eggnog on ice to re-energize your shopping spirit, and catch a sneak peak of the new line of Winkel Kards that I've been creating exclusively for Winkel.

Naughty Santy is actually a print block from 1932. Printed with my Line-O-Scribe showcard press.

The ever popular Bald Guy Greetings are back with hysterical holiday cards, too:

I hope many of you can join us Thursday night!

Coming Soon.......

2008-11-14T09:35:00.001-08:00

Before & After

2008-11-02T09:48:00.001-08:00

Sad sandwich board. It has served it's purpose for just over four years at Winkel, but with the new purple and orange colour scheme it was time to freshen up. Rather than ordering up a new sign, I wanted to find a creative way to bring new life to this one--a much greener solution.

I usually have a good selection of vintage magazines at the shop, so I went through a few that were a little ragged and clipped a variety of iconic product and shopping images to create a collage border around the chalkboard painted surface.
It reflects the eclectic nature of Winkel and I get to change the message on a regular basis.

The Winkel Shrine

2008-07-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

Since the opening of Winkel, I've accumulated many small items that make me smile and they live in the Winkel Shrine. It started with the lovely Ganesh that came from a television series I worked on before opening the shop. It's plastic rather than plaster, and many have wanted to purchase my beloved protector, but to no avail. Then the little things started being added...some are gifts from friends of Winkel, others just silly little novelties that give me a chuckle when I see them.

The Dutch girl is so wrong she's right on. Did fluorescent pink and orange replace the classic Delft blue and white?

Hey Pug! What have you done to Mr. Bill?????

The playdough representation of Hubble, the official dog of Winkel, saved from the Winkelbread house. It gets a little greasy in the summer, but I can't part with it. Buddha boy keeps an eye on things in the back.

An insipid cupid tchotchke rocks it out Gene Simmons style with a KISS makeover. The love child of the KISS Army!

Always the heartbreak in any vintage shop, the items that are NOT for sale. Why are they always the most appealing? When I eventually finish enjoying these treasures I'll send them on to a good home, but the gifts from friends will stay with the shop forever.

Valentine's Chocolate Sale

2008-02-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

Letterpress Obsessed

2008-01-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

First I loved paper. Then I fell for vintage cards and postcards. Fortunately, with the rediscovering of traditional arts and crafts, many people are creating lovely letterpress cards and stationery, which I frequently add to the selection of cards I sell at Winkel. One of the recent arrivals I'm very excited about is Night Owl Paper Goods.

These cards are printed on slips of sustainably harvested wood. I just want to frame and display every single one! No worries about postage handling 'cause these babies are wafer-thin enough to mail.

Another fave letterpress company is ThatSkyBlue from Montreal. Clean and colourful graphics printed on cotton paper stock that feels embossed. Fine quality cards, indeed.

I was lucky to take a letterpress workshop last fall at Kozo Studio Gallery in Toronto. We learned the basics of letterpress printing and cranked out a few of our own creations. I was hooked! A couple of weeks later I bought a vintage tabletop proof press called the "Line-O-Scribe". It's pale green punched metal and small enough to set up on my kitchen table. I've also been collecting printing blocks to start creating my own line of Winkel Kards later this year.

Bad Blogger!

2008-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's been a few months, but I promise to be a better blogger in 2008!

Summer Reading

2007-06-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Under a shady tree or cottage bound, here's a retro spin on picking up a good book this summer. Most of us remember some series of books that obsessed us through childhood. My mom was a Trixie Belden girl back in the day, and I read a few of the books that were still around when I was growing up. I loved the colour illustrations that wrapped around the whole cover.

I grew up in the seventies, and Shaun Cassidy made me a devoted Hardy Boy reader. My grandmother would treat me to a new mystery when we went to Coles bookstore at the Midtown Plaza in Saskatoon. I collected every single one. When I was a little bit older, I discovered the earlier editions of Hardy Boy books with the "burlap/tweed" covers. Very vintage cool...

Not too long ago, a woman came into the shop with her two young sons. In their best "Duuude" voices they exclaimed, "She's got Hardy Boy books!" She quickly told the boys to pick out the ones that they hadn't read and they both flopped to the floor and picked out six or so books. It was great to see kids get excited about BOOKS.

Who are the Power Boys? No idea.

A closer peek at "Halifax Adventure" revealed a Canuck connection in the world of teen mystery novels. The Brad Forrest Adventure Series (this Halifax volume was a gift to David MacDonald from his dad in 1968) follows a young U of T student who works at his father's newspaper business. Brad travels the globe covering stories for the paper, solving many mysteries along the way. He's Canada's answer to the Hardy Boys. Who knew? I've got to find me some more of these books!

Leslieville Barbie

2007-05-26T12:27:00.002-07:00

Wondermom @ Winkel!

2007-05-06T12:07:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day weekend brings Wondermom events to the Leslieville neighbourhood. Winkel will be offering special discounts, a free draw for a Thai herbal massage and Spaah! treats, free roses for Mom and a "Mean Mommie" movie marathon.

Check out East End Noise for details.

Winkel Goes Global!

2007-04-29T10:38:00.001-07:00

When I came across a collection of 170 snow globes I simply couldn't resist. I loved the idea of spreading them out in the front window and watching people smile and explore all the destinations encapsulated in plastic.
My favourite story so far is a woman who bought a New York City globe. On a childhood trip to the Big Apple she wanted to buy a souvenir at the top of the Empire State Building, but when she got up to the cashier she found out that with the additional taxes she couldn't afford the snow globe. Heartbroken, she left empty handed.
Many, many years later she spotted an almost identical globe in my window and fulfilled her childhood wish. She bought the NYC globe for five dollars, no tax.

Snow globes first appeared during the early 1800's in France following the popularity of paperweights. In 1889 the first Eiffel Tower globe was produced to commemorate the International Expo in Paris.

Snow globes crossed the Atlantic in the 1920's and were marketed in America as collector's items. Many of the globes available at the time were made by Atlas Crystal Works, which had factories in Germany and the States. Perhaps the most cinematically famous snow globe appeared in opening of "Citizen Kane" in 1941.

I have a few snow globes that I like to keep around to remind me of special places. On a shelf or a desktop, they can whisk you away for a moment and make you smile.

Think Warm Thoughts....

2007-03-08T14:40:00.001-08:00

As the temperature is supposed to creep up to 6 degrees this weekend, I'm thinking warm thoughts in hopes of SPRING. I've never been a snow bunny, even growing up with minus kajillion winters in Saskatchewan. I feel like I've done my time with cold weather, so by the end of February, I'm done! This is why I get a little wistful when I see things that remind me of warmer temperatures.....

Pour me a cold glass of sangria while I soak up the sun..............

Fine Dining

2007-03-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Chicken ala Tramp? Flaming Sword Dinners? Just a few of the tempting dinner suggestions in this 1953 menu from Nick Yanko's restaurant in Akron, Ohio. This is just a sampling of the HUGE collection of menus that I brought into the shop. I love the graphics inside and out!

This lovely from the New City Restaurant and Hotel in Georgetown, British Guiana is one of my favourites. It's a small menu, but the texture of the card stock and the cover image are sublime. Many holidays, many meals, and what a great souvenir from your travels. Plain paper printouts seem to be the norm these days, and if they put this much money into their menus you certainly wouldn't be allowed to take one home!

"All Fancy Dishes and Drinks Dispensed by Experienced Men" claims this menu from the Normandie in Quebec. Black Caviar on toast for a mere 75 cents, too!

Classic Trader Vic's. Swishy cocktail selections....

Dressed in your best, white linen tablecloths, the warm glow of tiny lamps on each table, AND a ceramic coconut for you to take home! Evenings out were such a classy affair.

The Brown Derby. Old Hollywood Glam. I love it! Please, someone open a restaurant like this NOW!

The Painted Desert Room at the Desert Inn in fabulous Las Vegas! I have three different menus from the Painted Desert. They would reprint them regularly to change the cover image and to change the headline entertainment information inside.

Jimmy Durante was on stage Sept. 1st, 1958, following Ed Sullivan who made his appearance on July 1st.

The Desert Inn was opened April 24, 1950 after four years of construction and 6.5 million dollars. In 1966, Howard Hughes bought the Inn for 7 million dollars, after having lived on the ninth floor for many years. Fast forward to 2000 when Steve Wynn bought the Desert Inn for a whopping 275 million. The Desert Inn closed its doors at 2am on August 28, 2000 and I believe the property has since become a golf course.
Progress.

Frame the cover or the inside menu to create fantastic original artwork for a kitchen, hallway or powder room. A great gift for those who love to cook!

Bon Appetit!

Booty-Licious!

2007-02-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

Oh Baby, look at these booties! Handmade by my mom out west and exclusive to Winkel. The cowboy booties are my favourite, but the roller booties and hockey booties are pretty swell, too.

Perfect for the future Gretzky or Roller Derby Queen!

Winter Wallpaper

2007-01-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

I've got a thing for wallpaper. Groovy, colourful, vintage wallpaper. Flocked velveteen wallpaper-yummy! This winter I've been digging out all of my sample books and scraps to create different decorations for the shop. My latest venture is the wallpaper sample quilt that now adorns the front window wall. I used brass thumbtacks in each corner which sort of "studs" the whole wall. The samples are from a collection of 1970's designs, but some feel quite contemporary.

Winter projects carry on.....

Winkelbread House

2007-01-14T08:54:00.001-08:00

Behold the Winkelbread House! Created for the shop by the lovely Linda of It's The Icing On The Cake, with windows illustrated by Marla, my valued employee. I have saved the facade and the miniature Hubble to be framed in a shadow box and kept for posterity.

December was very busy at the shop. Lots of holiday shoppers and many gift challenges solved. I wish all the friends of Winkel the best for the new year!

I've been hatching a few plans for special events at the shop this year. Coming up February 10 & 11th is the first Winkel Fabric Sale. I'm digging out all of my barkcloth, tablecloths, remnants and getting them ready to share with other textile addicts. Anyone looking for a groovy print to use in their winter projects is sure to find something.

Look for fresh and funny Valentine cards arriving at the shop in the next week or so, as well as new card selections from Bald Guy Greetings, Hello Lucky and Sidepony!

Time to go tend to the shop and watch the snow falling outside the window....

Holiday Craft Project

2006-12-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

I found this roll of lovely 70's vinyl wallpaper around the corner from the shop on Caroline Avenue this past summer. "I can make something with this" was my immediate dumpster-diver reaction and I scooped the roll and took it home. Months passed and with the holiday shopping season approaching I needed some window dressing inspiration. I remembered the castaway wallpaper and decided to make it into my store Christmas tree. I cut the form out of a large cardboard box--2 triangles the same size, one with a slit cut from top to bottom and the other from bottom to top. There were moments of "what was I thinking!" as I cramped up cutting MANY triangles out of the wallpaper, but some gooey double-sided tape made the assembly much quicker and VOILA!

I later added some vintage Christmas cards as the ornaments on the tree. I love how the wallpaper curls up at the edges. Reminds me of those wispy birch bark trees that are all around this year. You just never know where you can find Christmas decor. See you on garbage night!

Dutch Kitsch

2006-08-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

The beloved Dutch children recently featured in the Toronto Star have been the cause of much curiosity. Dutch people are calling to see what other Dutch kitsch we have at winkel, others are offering their Dutch items for sale. Who knew so many folks out there collected this stuff? These two adorable children will never be for sale, but I'll be sure to pick up the next pair that crosses my path.

Watch for a future photo exhibit of some fine Dutch kitsch!

2006-08-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Let's Get This Blog Started

2006-08-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

While I slowly develop a proper website for the shop I will try to keep folks up to date on this blog. Check in for updates on new products and events at winkel.

It's been a very busy summer at winkel! Lots of great newspaper and magazine articles have brought many new visitors to the shop. It started in July with a lovely "Store of the Week" feature in NOW magazine which was very thrilling for me! Next, The National Post featured an article entitled "Go East" highlighting winkel and many other great independent shops along Queen Street East. More recently, The Toronto Star Shopping section featured Queen East as the "new Queen West". It was a very positive article about the variety of great little shops between Carlaw Avenue and Leslie Street and the response from the public has been fantastic. Many thanks to those journalists who support small business!

I've been expanding the card selection at winkel over the last month or so, and I'll be adding photos and links in the near future. My new favourite line of cards is from Bald Guy Greetings, a wickedly funny line of cards with Tim Burtonesque illustrations to match. Nightfire Press is another new card line at the shop. Sheena Kim makes lovely cards and coasters with vintage illustrations but the messages have a definitely modern twist. There's also lots more of the ever-popular Yee Haw Industries cards including some great new card sets with fruit and vegetable prints. I'm proud to say that winkel is the first shop in Toronto if not Canada to carry many of these cards, so if you're looking for a unique sentiment, we probably have that one-of-a-kind card to express it.