Friday, March 30, 2012

NEW Tool Necklace

My Personal Favourite, as modeled by me in my sexy grey sweatshirt. Brass Hatchet Necklace $20

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Available today! Russet&Empire is proud to be the newest stockist of Kinfolk Magazine. Our first issue is Kinfolk volume three, just in time for spring. This volume explores how the experiences we love can become a part of our daily habits and routines, instead of merely storing them up for special occasions, or weekends away. The images and stories remind us to casually celebrate food, community, and simplicity as often as possible. There are lots of Toronto based contributors that you will definitely recognize, and Toronto is host to one of 6 North American stops in the Kinfolk Dinner Series (see you there).

All photos from Kinfolk Magazine

Easter Holiday Hours

Shop while the shopping's good! Russet&Empire will be closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. That still leaves Thursday and Saturday to shop don't worry. Happy most anthropomorphic holiday of the year

XOXO R&E

Friday, March 23, 2012

New Necklaces

Tool Necklaces, $20 each

Made of brass and measuring just under 1" these functioning tools are my new favourite. I've only been wearing the pocket knife for one day and its sad how many people I've threatened to cut.

Purse Challenger Liz Ikiriko of The Arthur!

Our challenge has been met by friend and fellow vintage business lady Liz Ikiriko who owns The Arthur on College Street (close to Bathurst). She might win because there is video AND comedy components. Blast! We're obviously all very busy today.

Okay, here goes:

In my purse:

1: Custom made Augustine leather & waxed canvas tote/purse that I love with all my heart (and you can buy at the shop!)
2: tape measure. I measure shit allll the time. Like me Grandma did. It’s true – I live like an 80 year old.
3. Rimmel glossy lip gloss. That’s pretty much as ladylike as I get. Lip gloss and mascara. Snoozey, I know.
4. One green pen. For some reason there’s never a freaking normal pen within my reach.
5. Today is The Day day planner. Designed by the stupidly talented Jessica Hische.
6. One black belt. For absolutely no real reason is that in my bag.
7. Cheques cheques cheques.
8. My red canvas velcro wallet. I thought I’d splurge and buy a sweet leather real-lady wallet but then I found this one and it’s the best damn 80’s wallet I’ve ever had.

Most days this purse is full of scarves, napkins, mushed muffins in takeout bags and spare underpants for my kids. You just happened to catch me on a day where I’d cleared out the weird crap.
And how apt that you should ask me about my purse today when this is what I was watching...(Watch it. Love it. Live it.)

Whats in your purses Russet&Empire? Hmm?

Ever see those posts on pretty lifestyle blogs where the author sets out the contents of their Marc Jacobs purse and organizes by colour and brand. They honest to goodness carry around cooling eye serum and thousand dollar DSLR? Guy, thats what an iPhone is for! Want to see what it looks like when you have kids and run your own new business? There is an impressive amount of lipstick involved aparently:

Jenn Hannotte

1. That's my empty sac. I think it was on sale at Zara and I've noticed Elaine Benes has a similar one. So that's cool.

2. Oh, just a stack of valentines from my daughters that I didn't even look at since I didn't even know they were in my bag!
3. Samples of MOR lip glosses from the store
4. R&E business cards and a card from my mom
5. my wallet, it's empty :(
6. a broken spoon (duh), three lipsticks, one of my daughter's barrettes and a tiny tea pot (duh, again)
7. Matches from Co-Op in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan that I stole from my Baba's house (Sorry, bubs)
8. hair elastics
9. nail clippers and....cream.
10. an appendage of my wallet
11. gravol for the kids when they make me nuts (JK!) (OR AM I)
12. garbage, so much garbage
13. "Beer and Popcorn Money" from the gov't

Micah Lenahan

1. Rose scented vaseline and MOR blood orange (thanks to the benefits of new packaging)

2. Empty tube of Norweigan formula

3. A respectable amount of keys with a poppy seed bagel key chain from Magic Pony

4. Flash drive

5. A wallet that used to be yellow suede, then milk spilled on it

6. 3.53 in British Pounds

7. Phone and earbuds. If your earbuds break within one year the apple store gives you a new pair free!

8. Current issue of the Grid

9. Antique brass M broach

10. Two reusable Gothenburg transit passes

11. Hairpins and elastics

12.Mini American flag

13. One good Muji pen, one crummy ballpoint
14. Lipstick zone
15. Big glasses 4eva
16. Fancy fake leather purse
17. TTC day pass and map for Vintage's Night Out
18. New book, yet to be cracked

We challenge you Mrs Huizenga and The Arthur! Show us your purses!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

More Sweden

Best neighbour Phillipa came over yesterday to shoot a secret new project for me at the shop and took a few glamour shots of some of the items that are still in the shop from Sweden.

Come by this weekend and see what else we have, plus did I mention it's my birthday and I'm giving away tote bags on Saturday? I know I did, I was just pretending to by coy.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Totes back in stock!

PLUS , it's my birthday this Saturday and I'm working. So if you spend $40 big ones, I'll give you a tote because it's my party and I'll give shit away if I want to.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Swedish Finds

Crystal Bulb Vase $47. It's amazing and honestly weighs 5 lbs

My attempt at flower arranging for the opening night party. Alison at Coriander Girl must be embarrassed for me. Sorry xoxo.

24 Karat Gold Plated Tea Light Holders $65

Pressed Glass Vase $23

Pair of 60s hanging lights $55

Good Valentine Jar with Cork Lid $21

There is so much more to post I could go on and on. And I will. Tomorrow you lucky dogs! Or you can come down to the shop this weekend and see for yourselves. I'd love to see your faces, and could you please also pick me up a latte (no sugar). See you crazy maniacs soon.

XOXO R&E

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Party this Thursday!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

That is all.

Good one

Monday, March 5, 2012

Sweden Update: Chin up!

I'd like to think that we are close enough that I can confide in you right? Well friend...I'm having a slight freak out, which you might have already noticed since I am blogging from the shop on a Monday (of course you know that Monday's are my day off). I have been home from Sweden for a week now, but my luggage and all of the beautiful pieces that I bought for the shop are still not here. I managed to track them down early this morning, and apparently everything is at a FedEx depot in Mississauga and has been sitting there for 3 days now. So I guess that's good right?

You may have read in The Grid that I had a problem with 'rough treatment' of the baggage, which resulted in a lot of damage going from Sweden to England, so the stuff that I am waiting on now is fairly precious to me. For my flight back to Canada I needed to make room in my luggage, so I decided to take a few completely random pieces and bring them carry on, which I shot photos of to make myself feel better. I'll let you know as soon as (or if) everything shows up.

Friday, March 2, 2012

We Heart The Grid !

FRI MAR 2, 2012
PLACES

How’s Business?: Russet & Empire

BY: IAN WORANG

When Micah Lenahan opened Russet & Empire (390 Keele), her shop focusing on “smaller decor and giftware,” a year and half ago, her initial focus was on Canadiana (as was the case when The Grid first visited last year), but over time—and by way of two buying trips to Sweden—she’s found the geographic scope of her influences expanding.

“Before this, I worked for years and years at an office job to save up to be able to afford to do this,” recounts Lenahan. Despite a relative lack of hands-on time in the business—”this is my first retail experience,” she says—Lenahan’s always had a strong affinity for interior design. “I’ve always really loved design and craft, but I just don’t have the capacity to do it myself. It’s just not in me to produce it, so instead I try and curate it.”

The Junction has proven to be an ideal location for Lenahan to learn as she goes. With rents lower than in other more established neighbourhoods, the neighbourhood provides a certain amount of economic freedom. “I don’t have to play it safe and I can afford to take chances on stock and, if it doesn’t sell, it’s not the end of the world,” she explains.

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There were some growing pains at the beginning. “I know what I’m looking for now,” she says, “but when I got into The Junction, I was like, ‘Everyone is pregnant, everyone has kids’… and the kids’ stuff just flopped. I don’t even know why. I invested in a lot of French wooden toys and they’re slowly being given away as gifts as my friends get pregnant.”

One drawback to a less established neighbourhood like The Junction, however, is that it’s low on day-to-day foot traffic. Lenahan describes it as more of a “weekend destination,” noting a seasonal aspect as well: “When bike riding season starts it definitely picks up.”

The economic freedom that The Junction provides has also given Lenahan the opportunity to take her search for wares abroad—on two occasions, in fact. “This is the second time I’ve gone to Sweden on a buying trip,” she says. Her focus on the trip was to bring back “mid-century, iconic, Swedish design—the stuff that I’m after, it’s almost like it’s a cliché there.” She sees this kind of aesthetic as a perfect complement to her core Canadiana stock. “There’s a lot of parallels between their design and our lifestyle—it’s all about embracing the wintertime.”

This new merchandise will be unveiled and out on the shop’s floor quite soon. “March 15, we’re going to start,” Lenahan reveals. “We’re going to have a nighttime party and sale.” While there will be lots of merchandise for Scandinavian-design aficionados to pore over, just exactly how much remains to be seen. “On the way back [from Sweden], British Airways ran over my bags,” says Lenahan. As many fruits of her buying trip are still in transit, the exact amount of damage is yet to be seen. “We’ll find out in three days!”