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Archive for December, 2008

Resolutions…..

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

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It’s that time of the year again, when we look forward to all the new opportunities a new year brings and try to make changes in our lives…… quite often giving up after about a week, or when we go back to work after the Holidays. I’ve been thinking about making some changes in 2009, so here’s some things that I’ll be paying attention to this year here at Astrosatchel…… let me know what you think!!

In 2009, we will:

- launch a newly improved website with more products available online (for Spring 09!!)
-use more recycled fabrics in our products

-open our studio more often to the public, so people can see what a working studio is like, and see where things come from: it’s easy to forget that the things we buy are made by real people

-create a more diverse line of products

It’ll be hard to do it all, so we’ll try our best….. we’ll eat even more vegetables and get more exercise. We’ll spend more time with family and friends, and try not to be bothered by the little things in life. We’ll try new recipies and hairstyles. We’ll declutter our closets. We’ll be more concious consumers when we shop, and try to watch less tv….. we’ll see what happens, how about that!! Happy 2009!! Janna

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Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

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Warm Wishes!!

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

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Wishing you a happy and warm holiday season filled with friends, family and pets!! We hope you got all the toys you wanted, all the home made cookies you could eat and a chance to frolic in the snow!!

XO Janna

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Studio Sale Dec 9th-13!!

Sunday, December 7th, 2008

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Hey Everybody!! If you had a chance to come by Shiny Fuzzy Muddy this weekend, I’m sure you had as much fun as me….. and got lots of great stuff from all the other fabulously talented ladies (I’m loving everything I came away with!!) But if you didn’t get a chance to come by, or are obsessing over something you saw, we’ll be having a more casual little open house this week, starting on Tuesday ’til Saturday (Dec 9-13th) from noon to 7pm daily. It’ll be a good chance to see the studio too, if you missed us during the Culture Crawl….. so come on down, we’ll be there, and with our friend Audra’s animals, and Pam’s hand made hats, there’s lots of good stuff to be had. See you!! Janna

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’tis the season…..

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

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Hey Everyone!! It’s the start of December, so we’re all thinking about the holidays and ways to make our lives easier. Cheese in a can sounds like a good idea in theory, but I have a feeling it’s probably pretty gross….. Here at Astrosatchel, we have lots of thoughtful presents that don’t require a trip to the mall (and trying to find parking for half an hour) and a couple ways to get them:

Shop online: You don’t have to get dressed, and we’re open 24 hours. If you want us to ship directly to the recipient, just let us know and we’ll even wrap your purchase and stand in line at the Post Office for you…… it doesn’t get much easier than that!!
Shiny Fuzzy Muddy is this weekend, and we’ll be there with a sampling of our fun stuff that you might not be able to part with…… Scroll down to our last blog entry for full details.

Studio Sale!! Starting Tuesday December 9th, to Saturday December 13th we’ll have our studio open for holiday shopping from 12-7pm daily: lots of gifts under $40.00, more stock items than anywhere else, sale merchandise and a couple Astrosatchel exclusives…… Have a look:

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Oven Mitts and Potholders….. it’s the start of our little Housewares Collection, just in time for the holidays!! Brighten up your own kitchen or that of someone else on your list, we have an assortment of fun ones for women and men— we know they like to cook too! Oven Mitts are $18.00 each, Potholders are $12.00 each and are meant to mix and match. The Oven Mitts are ambidexterous and reversable: they feature another print inside that’s equally cheerful…… Mmmm, yummy!! Perfect for the foodie who has every gadget ever made already.

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Our Snap Wallets are big enough to hold a passport, so at $36.00 they are good for the frequent traveler, but won’t cost you all your air miles!! Plus they’re pretty flat so you can express courier them to whichever exotic locale they’re in this week, and the happy colours will be easy to find in a stuffed carry-on bag.

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Our bright and cheerful Clutch Wallets are the perfect size for holding all the essentials, so they’re ideal for your gal pal that’s always nipping out for a coffee and doesn’t want to take her huge purse with her…… and she can use it as a clutch for after work cocktails too. At $36.00, you’ll still be able to buy your own drinks, even when your Visa bill comes in…….

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Our D-Ring Strap Wallets are perfect for your friend who loses anything that’s not strapped to her, and make a great camera case for the friend who’s constantly creating albums on Facebook. At $29.00, these make a good item for the secret-santa gift exchange at work too…..

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If gift cards or cash are more your speed, give them in something that they’ll keep long after, our Lipstick Cases are a useful catchall for daily needs: bandaids, advil, tampons, lipbalm or change, they hold all the stuff that floats around at the bottom of your bag, and are a practical present for the “hey, do you have a —-” person on your list. At $22.00, these are a good stocking stuffer too.

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Scarves are a holiday tradition, perfect for ice skating or sipping hot chocolate. We have our recycled cashmere ($68.00)and recycled cotton ($54.00) this year, so there’s a scarf for everyone, including your hard-to-buy-for environmentalist brother, and luxury fabric loving sister.

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We have lots of Hats this year, and these seem to look good on just about everyone….. I love it when that happens!! One size fits all, and a colour for everyone too. $44.00 each.

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Our Medium Tote is our most popular style of bag, it just seems to work for everybody. There’s loads of selection in our online shopping site, and even more at the studio, so if you’ve been wanting to give one for a while, we’ll have it!! At $75.00, it is a good gift when you consider the years of use they’ll get out of it, but if you’re reading this, chances are you already knew that!!

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For the girls that already have a collection of Astrosatchels (I know you’re out there!!) how about a one-of-a-few Friday Purse with vintage fabric, winter wool or recycled prints…..These still hold quite a bit of stuff, but in a more dressed up way. $95.00.

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With all the talk about the economy these days, we’re all looking to get a bit more for our money. Our Sash Tote seems a bit more pricey at $120.00, but when you consider that it can be worn in multiple ways (with or without the interchangable sash, let out or nipped in by the snaps) it’s good value for your cash and a classic shape that won’t go out of style. This is my go-to carry on bag when I travel: it fits under the seat on the plane, and I don’t have to lift it onto my lap to dig out my water, magazine or gum thanks to the open top style.

We have lots of other great pieces too, but these are my personal holiday picks for this year….. These are versatile, useful and good quality items that you can be proud to give, knowing that your gift didn’t involve cruelty or exploitation. Buying locally handmade products helps the local economy more than spending hours cruising big box retailers, it’s better for the environment, and it’s a low stress way to get a unique gift….. now that’s what I call easy!!

See you at our Studio Sale: December 9-13th, 12-7pm. Our address is 339 Railway Street, between Gore and Dunlevy……. Bye for now!! xo Janna

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