HAPPY NUDE REAR!

HAPPY NUDE REAR EVERYONE!!!  

Sending some New Year's loving to all of you who give me the greatest gift of being able to be a creative spirit in the real world.  THANK YOU!  I am going on 9 years of being a full-time artisan and can honestly say that I am one lucky gal.  I am broke most of the time and damn-near close for the rest of the time.  haha!  But I answer to no one and am able to infuse my imagination and creative soul into my daily work.  High fives all around!

2014 was an extraordinary year for me, both in my work and my personal life.  It was full of synchronicity and serendipity, magic and awe, great friends and new friends.  A friend of mine was just remarking yesterday that she really fostered her son's imagination when he was young and now he is a really adventurous person.  She said that he can think to pursue these adventures because he can imagine them first.  That was very significant to me.  I think it's so important to live partly in our imaginations because that is what will allow us to achieve extraordinary things -- the fact that we can first imagine them.  So, let 2015 be a year of imagining!  No limits!

A real powerful mate for imagination is persistence.  My fave brand of persistence is slow and deliberate.  Taking baby steps might seem elementary but I think that subtle progress is usually the most strong and permanent kind.  One little tiny and sure-footed step in a certain direction can inevitably change the entire trajectory.  Backed-up by the fuel of clear intention and you're really on your way!  

As you can see, I'm really waxing philosophical today.  haha!  Leaving my head for a minute, I am happy to say that I have some great new products coming at you online in 2015.  Many of these I already have been producing and selling at craft shows, but will now be available online.  Yay!  Here is a booth pic from the show I just did in Ottawa in December.  

I was ready for business and had an awesome show.  I am getting to know my Ottawa clientele now that I've done the Christmas show 3 times and the spring show once.  I am happy to say that my newest upcycled products were a hit!  Legwarmers, armwarmers, hooded cowls, hats, and skirts all sold quickly, leaving a few customers empty handed when they came back to buy what they had seen a few days earlier in the show.  

UPCYCLED SKIRTS -- What a hit!

The above pic shows some of my skirts made from recycled sweaters.... super fun, super cute, and one-of-a-kind.  

These are my armwarmers made from recycled sweaters, too... funky, warm, and very affordable.  Will post some model pics in the near future so you can see how sexy they look on.

All for now.  I will leave you with this awesome pic that I took yesterday at a nearby beaver pond.  It is an incredible spot located in the Green Mountains Reserve (more on that magical place soon!).  Beavers sure do work hard!

Again, all the BEST to you in 2015!  I would love to hear your feedback on your outlook for the New Year, so please comment below and feel free to share this post with others if you've enjoyed it.  THANKS!!!  Much love!

Renée

p.s.  I will be posting some new stuff in the shop next week but in the meantime there are some AWESOME bags still available.  Get bagged in style!  Take me to the shop..... www.thehobotrain.com

GIVING AWAY FREE SWAG!

Hellooooooo my lovelies!  

Yup, it's that time again.  SWAG + FREE = AWESOME!  I'm having a GIVEAWAY!  It is ridiculously fun to give stuff away.  I love giving back to my amazing customers and followers, as they give me so much already..... *grabs kleenex*  This GIVEAWAY is pretty much exactly like the last one for those to participated last time.  I am giving away an awesome skull and roses regular-sized hobo bag.  However, the winner can choose to have that bag or their choice of any regular-sized bag in the shop.  Of course, I will also ship the bag for free to anywhere in the WORLD!  Ya baby!  Here a pic of the swag bag....

A real beaut for sure!  There is a maximum of 25 entries per person.  Yes there are a few little hoops to jump through to obtain the entries, but that's the fun part.  There will also be some surprise chances at BONUS entries over the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!  The giveaway ends on September 24th and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter.  The winner is picked randomly by Rafflecopter, so it is truly anyone's win!  

Here is the widget...

a Rafflecopter giveaway



If you have any questions at all, feel free to message me or post at the bottom of the page.  You can email too via thehobotrain@yahoo.ca .  And there's always the FB page.... THEHOBOTRAIN .  Check it out!

If you want to see what new stuff I have in the shop, please have a visit.... SHOP THEHOBOTRAIN

THANKS in advance to everyone who participates!  This is going to be a good time!

HOBO BAGS + FUN = THEHOBOTRAIN

Renée

CANADA15!

Hellooooooo!  As it happens I'm part of an awesome team on Etsy that is called Montreal Etsy Team and is filled with amazingly creative artisans.  A bunch of us are teaming up to have a spontaneous sale.  Yup, you heard right.  SAH-WEEEEEET!!!   Use the coupon code CANADA15 to get 15% off your purchase in any of the shops HERE .  Of course this includes my bag SHOP, too.  Ya baby!  I think we'd all agree -- it's time to buy ourselves a prezzie.  lol  I'm always encouraging people to be good to themselves.  Treat yourself well and you will feel well.  :)

I was just perusing the other shops that are participating and I have to say:  HOLY WOW!  There are some talented artists out there.  Here are a few items and their corresponding shops that you might wanna check out.  So inspiring!  :)

From Polymer Clay Bijoux , these are gorgeous Celtic design earrings for only $14, plus 15% off using the coupon code CANADA15.  No brainer!

From BLPhotography, put your herbal tea down on one of these gorgeous coasters and then Namaste your way through the day.  

From AelaDesign, brighten your day with some painted bohemian jewelry.  Total wow factor!  Love this colour combo and can't beat the price.  Thirteen dollars, before even using the coupon code CANADA15 for 15% off.  Sweetness!

On another note, I can't resist posting this leopard print bag from my shop.  It will surely bring out the animal in ya!  I'm even keeping one for myself, too..... like I said, gotta be good to myself.  lol   RAWR!  Click here to see the full listing..... LEOPARD PRINT BAG!

Speaking of animals, check out one of my newest backyard neighbours.  What a beauty!  I'm hoping he will leave a few feathers behind, as they look so gorgeous.  He is usually travelling in a pack of 10 or 12 others and the other day they were napping at the edge of the woods.  Pretty funny!

All for now.  Have an awesome day everyone!  Please feel free to spread the word about the CANADA15 coupon code.  The coupon code is valid until February 25th.  Again, to see the list of shops participating, check out this link:  CANADA15 .  THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Maybe a little tune before signing off?  A great reminder by the great Van Morrison never to let your spirit die.  Enjoy!

Love to all!  Please comment below.  Love hearing from you guys!

Renee :)  

www.thehobotrain.com

GIVEAWAY!!! Ya baby, free stuff! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!   It's 2014 and whatcha gonna do about it?  Well, I'm sitting here in my workshop just a hangin' out.  It's too damn cold to go outside and take pics of my products and I'm feeling very thankful for some recent happenings that have changed the course of my near future in an awesome way (more on that later!).  I feel like giving back.  I've talked about doing a giveaway before and I think the hour has come.  

Ya baby!  

Since I just decided to do this, the details aren't ironed out yet, but I'm gonna fly by the seat of my pants here.  I would like to drive some traffic to my FB page www.facebook.com/thehobotrain as well as to my Etsy shop www.thehobotrain.com and get a few more followers on this little blog of mine.  

Just took a few minutes and set it all up on Rafflecopter.  SO EASY!  About to install the widget... hope this works!  Here goes...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WOW.  That was just too damn easy.  lol  Click on one of the options under 'enter to win' to find out how to get entries into the giveaway.  Each option gives you a certain amount of entries (gaining you more chance of winning).  The giveaway will run until February 6th, at which point the winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter.  Awesome! 

Here's a pic of the bag that you will WIN!  However, if you win and there's another bag that's screaming your name, then you're welcome to pick any other regular-sized bag, too.  I'm flexible like that.  :)

Here's a link to the listing if you wanna read all about this funky and sexy bag.... 

AWESOME BAG

GOOD LUCK to everyone!  Feel free to spread the word!  

HAPPY 2014!!

Much love,

Renee  :)

It's SHOW TIME! :)

Hey peeps!  Yup, it's mid-May and the anxiety is building.  Time to build stock for shows and inevitably I get some AWESOME bulk orders at the same time as I'm preparing for the summer (which is totally fantastic, but of course it all comes at the same time.... eek!). 

Here's my show schedule:

Art in the Park (Windsor, ON) June 1 and 2. 

Artfest (Kingston, ON) June 29, 30, July 1st 

Home County Folk Fest (London, ON) July 19-21st

Brome Fair (Brome, QC) August 31st, Sept.1, 2, 3rd

Ottawa Folk Fest, Sept.5-8

Oh my, I think that's enough.  *insert heart palpitations*  

Shows are great!  I get to meet my customers face to face, see their excitement for my bags, and make a lump sum of money (rather than one bag here, one bag there).  I also get to be on the road, out of my workshop, sleep in hotels (loves this!), collect carnie tales of adventure (oh my, do I have a few!), and come home stinky and tired but usually satisfied and feeling validated (except for a few crap shows over the years.... don't wanna remember those!).  Yup, shows are an experience!  :)

However, there is also a very ominous side to doing shows.  The fact is that the artisan vendor is always at the bottom of the food chain.  We pay upfront months in advance for ever-increasing booths fees (sometimes exorbitant amounts, with randomnly-set premiums for a corner booth) often with ridiculous cancellation policies, not to mention the application process itself which requires a life-story, and CIA screening (well, not really... but it can be an ordeal!).  On top of the booth fees we have to pay travel, hotel (not always, but often for me), and many times parking fees. I also pay to rent a trailer to tow my stuff behind my car.  All the shows I do in the summer are outdoors, so I have to have the right equipment (canopy with walls, etc).  There is usually 'security'..... ahem....  Some people do pack their stuff up at night, but it's really not feasible for most of us.  So I close my tent walls, cross my fingers, and hope for the best.  This is very unsettling when I usually have all my inventory sitting in a public park, separated from the open sky by a thin piece of plastic tarp material.  This is where I take a deep breath and surrender to the universe.  lol  Of course, these shows also require that I carry 2 million dollars liability insurance in case my tent blows over and injures some unsuspecting person.  This translates to almost $1200/year for me.  Yikes!  So, as you can see, just getting to the show and being set up is nothing to scoff at.  And after all this, I have to cross my fingers and hope it doesn't rain.  And the final coup de grace is that I've spent all this money, taken the corresponding risks, and there no guarantee that I will sell anything.  *Over and Out*

So as I was saying, shows are great.  hahahaha!  Obviously I do make money at shows, which is why I do them.  But ya gotta have nerves of steel and be just a little bit foolish, too.  lol

Hopefully I will have the opportunity to meet some of you at my shows this summer.  Come by the booth and say HELLO!  I highly recommend attending all of the above shows, as they're quality events with lots too see.  Yes!

All for now.  Would love feedback from other artisans who do shows, or any show-goers about their experiences.  Feel free to comment below.  :)

HUGS!  All aboard The Hobo Train!

Renee  

www.thehobotrain.com
Twitter: @thehobotrain

HOBOS

Hello my fellow hobos!!!!  Did you know that the word 'hobo' reportedly originated from the expression 'HOmeward BOund'?  Hobos were the original adventurers.  They were people who would ride the trains traveling around the country and finding room and board in exchange for work.  It is indeed the rare soul that would try this today, with all our rules and regulations and fears.  The original hobos were not considered outcasts or vagrants.  They were simply travelers.  Everyone is familiar with the stereotypical picture of a hobo with a sack tied to a stick over his shoulder....

The sack was called a bindle and the hobo himself was also called a bindlestiff.  Love that old-style lingo!  That was the original HOBO BAG!!!  lol  Now the bags that I make are a far stretch from the bindle of yesteryear, BUT I do have to say that one large improvement is the 'hands free' aspect.  In olden times the hobo would have to occupy one of his hands with the job of holding the stick.  With the more modern crossbody hobo bags, those of us with hobo spirits can be comfortable wandering throughout the land 'hands free'.  lol  

For all you music lovers, here's a hobo tune by Charlie Winston.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nOd5_Bdc8I
____________________________________________________________________________

Okay, so the big news is that I'm opening a new Etsy shop soon.  It will feature upcycled clothing and accessories.  LOVE the upcycled movement!  I'm 100% in love with the idea of making glorious new things out of already-existing resources.  No need to use more of the earth's precious resources.  There is so much that is awesome about upcycling.  Everything is so special and one-of-a-kind.  It's very personalized that way.  I like to believe that each piece finds its way to its rightful home.  Anyway, as soon as we get a break in the weather, I will be taking pics of the new products and opening the shop for business.  I will keep you posted!  

In an earlier post I mentioned a GIVEAWAY.  It is coming up soon.  I will post details here as soon as I know them.  lol

Big love!

Renee xxoo