The Cross Bedding and Down Event starts today!
How do we sleep?
Post by Megan
When our customers are purchasing bedding from us, they always ask : "What do you sleep on?" So here you go! A sneak peek into what we're sleeping on at our own homes!
Lovely White Home
Post by Megan
Ahh what a refreshing and peaceful home! I love this living room so much. It's owned by blogger Sophia of So Binique. I fell in love with the first photo immediately and it just keeps getting better….
Images courtesy of Decor8 Blog
Make sure you also check out Sophias blog – There's some serious eye candy on there.. Enjoy!
-mc
John Robshaw Bedding and Textiles
We are very proud to carry this wonderful line of bedding and textiles here at The Cross. So much thought goes into each lovely print. Out of his traditional block prints he makes : textiles, bedding, decorative pillows, robes, tablecloths, shower curtains and more… Please come into the store to see the pieces we carry!
Here's what they say about John Robshaw on their site:
After he earned a fine arts degree at Pratt and studied traditional block printing in China, John "I-Caught-the-Asia-Bug" Robshaw journeyed to India to find natural indigo dye for his paintings. Instead, he fell in love with the local artisans fabric-making traditions. The hands-on immediacy and vitality of textiles dyed, printed, woven, stitched, and worn piqued what was to become a lifelong fascination.
"It's so simple and natural. You touch a woodblock to wet clay and then to the fabric. After the clay dries, you dip the cloth into the indigo vat and the clay stays on. One dip gives the fabric a sky-blue color, two dips and it deepens to cobalt, three dips and its a saturated midnight blue. Then the fabric is laid out to dry in the sun and later the clay is washed off. The dyer says the indigo vats are like a mistress because they need constant attention. I was completely fascinated by the dyeing and printing processes, as well as how the finished product is used. Textiles become intimate companions in daily life, whether as a pillow, bedcover or sarong."
John's forays in Asia have taken him to the villages of Gujarat and Rajasthan to work alongside artisans and study their traditional printing methods; he has made court batiks in Yogakarta, Indonesia; block printed sarongs alongside a family who has been printing for four generations; he has vegetable-dyed ikats in Thailand. In India, John found that he could apply a painterly aesthetic to the traditional method of block-printing by mixing up patterns and overlapping them in a more formally artistic way. There, his signature dynamic look was crafted: an updated spin on the exotic, handmade object; a vibrant mix of sophistication and romantic allure. "I want all the colors, processes and designs from each culture to blend. I redesign them and mix up the processes in ways no one has ever done before. I try to edit them, learn from them, make them my own but retain their essence. In piggybacking these designs and techniques with each other or with my own ideas, what emerges is new and fresh, and yet retains that sense of tradition, of the handmade. When I need to hire someone to help, I pick the old printers. Their hands are shaky and their eyesight is poor, so the pattern comes out slightly off. I want to feel that human touch," says John.
Now John works with various workshops in India, where he travels several months out of the year to oversee production, experiment with new dyeing and printing techniques, and to work alongside the artisans creating the fabrics. He takes care to cultivate and preserve their traditional techniques, but not only in India. As a consultant for Aid to Artisans, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating economic opportunities for craftspeople in developing nations, John has traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and most recently, Bolivia, in support of the textile artisans there.
"By producing my textiles abroad, I get to become a minor character in the lives of the people I work with, and I can take inspiration from what I see and do there. I go to their weddings, celebrate their festivals, I get sick with them, I develop relationships with the people who are teaching me. When you look at my textiles, its like you've been on the world tour along with me."
Farmhouse Fairytale
Post by Megan
What a dream! I've always loved the idea of completely renovating a home with so much character. This farmhouse, originally built in 1850 needed a little lovin'. It had been abandoned for several years before the current owners moved in. Here's what they did with it.
This lovely home was originally featured in Rue Magazine but I spotted it on Decor8 – What do you think? Would you want to put that much work into a home?
New Valentines have arrived!
These adorable cards from Banquet Atelier & Workshop have just arrived. We have more new Valentines arriving soon so be sure to check in a see them – We always sell out early!
The Cross is announced as Retailer of The Year!
We're so thrilled to announce this! We were voted overall 2011 Retailer of the Year by the CGTA. What does that mean you ask? Well, we were chosen by our suppliers based on outstanding achievement in Canadian retailing. The criteria includes visual merchandising and store design, business achievement, advertising and promotion, and community involvement.
Here's the article that was published in Retail News!
Welcome 2012
Bring it on! With a new year comes fresh and new ideas. We're looking forward to all the amazing things we have planned for this year.. Stay tuned
xo
Happy New Year!
To you and yours,
Wishing you all the best in 2012 – We hope all of your dreams come true this year!
Love, The Cross xoxo
Rustic and White
We're back! After a BUSY BUSY holiday I want to share some beauty with you. I want to live here….
Introducing : Love Medals
Looking for something special and unique for your love this Christmas? How about these handmade sterling silver gems that hang from exquisite ribbons. Each with their own thoughtful message, Love Medals by Talia Tanaka are sure to please that impossible to buy for person in your life!
Enjoy!
Introducing:Oblation Greeting Cards
We're loving these hilarious and somewhat off-side new Greeting cards in the store.The sayings may not be for everyone but they are embossed on a gorgeous thick cardstock and made in Portland!
Here's a few examples:
Darci’s Home at Christmas
In 2009, Darci (Co-owner of The Cross) decorated her house for Christmas to be feature in House and Home Magazine. I wanted to share these photos in case you missed them! All Photos by Janis Nicolay.
Enjoy!
Leah Alexandra Jewelry
It feels like we JUST started carrying Leah's Jewelry here at The Cross but the truth is, we've had her lovely pieces here for over a year. It probably feels new because she comes out with a gorgeous new collection every season. Inspired by the ocean and beaches, her collections have a very delicate and organic feel that is so refreshing. Leah's jewelry is timeless, fresh and versatile with pieces that will compliment anything from jeans and a T-shirt to a wedding dress! Materials used in the line included Sterling Silver, 14 Karat Gold Fill, 24 Karat Gold Vermeil, and carefully hand-selected gemstones and freshwater pearls. All jewellery is handmade in Vancouver, just a short stroll from the beach.
Heres what Leah had to say about her new collection:
"I love getting inspired by the gemstones themselves and playing with colour combinations. All the stones are high quality and carefully hand selected. For the new collection I wanted to really bring together colours that evoke the colors that come to mind when you hear the word "GEM"- such as Iolite (a beautiful blueish-purple), Pink Amethyst (light purple), and Rhodolite Garnet (which looks like pink ruby). I still think Black & Gold is one of the best color combos of all time. In the silver collection the "Black Diamond" Swarovski Crystals really pop against the Labradorite, Moss Aquamarine and Olive Quartz stones."
Pop into the store to see her collection – They really do make the perfect gift for that special someone on your list!
The Cross Christmas Giveaway!
You heard it right folks.. We're doing a Christmas Giveaway! We're giving away a $100 Gift Certificate to The Cross and here's what all need to do:
Go to our Facebook page and post a pic of THE BEST gift you've ever received (or given yourself) from The Cross in your home.
The pic with the most 'likes' wins – it's simple! We will announce the Winner on December 15th 2011 (right in time for Christmas)
Who wouldn't you LOVE a $100 at The Cross!
Simple and White
Post by Megan
I love the simplicity of this home mixed with tiny little surprise details everywhere. My favourite part: the dreamy glossy white hardwood floors. I spotted it first on SF Girl by Bay and fell in love. I could totally live here-
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