Yes we CAN!

Over the last couple weeks, I've bought the lumber, found the help, worked out a design, the Shop is on its way!

Very soon after making the decision to move my workshop out of the house, I found the perfect spot.
Just minutes from my house, 15 Alder Point Road is called "Bras d'Or Place", but it used to be my elementary school--Unit 6, the one I'm in, used to be my grade one classroom! So many memories.

Right now, Unit 6 is 600 square feet of possibility, a major shift from the 100 square ft. workroom I've been calling headquarters till now!

Half the space will be my new and improved work area where I will continue to produce new paintings and Finders Keepers, the other half will be the Lamoore Shop! Can you believe it?
I can finally answer the #1 question I hear, "can I visit your shop?" with a resounding, "YES!"
No more kitchen table meetings and coffee shop deliveries!

The Lamoore Shop will feature the latest from my workbench, along with neat-o things from Canada-, U.S-, and UK-based designers and makers.

Here are some behind-the-scenes snapshots:

my 19 foot workbench. made from a reclaimed menuboard...


my helpers: handsome *and* handy--lucky me!...


I surprise my nana with the news...


The parental unit supervising the raising of the wall--exciting!...


I learn to use this fantastic contraption: a Ramset (gunpowder is involved! neat!)...


The construction is going great, stay tuned for updates on the proposed saloon doors and innovative shelving (fingers crossed). We are assessing every decision in terms of environmental impact: using what we have rather than buying new, selecting materials that are responsibly manufactured, keeping an eye on waste and "afterlife" (what happens when our work eventually reaches the end of its useful life).
The products to be sold in the Lamoore Shop are similarly assessed-- the Designer's Field Guide to Sustainability is an excellent reference tool.

if all goes according to plan:
Grand Opening will be sometime in the Spring/Summer 09 season, with some fun shopping events before that--I'll let you know as it unfolds--can't wait to see you!

Where to begin?
First: Apologies to anyone who may have checked on the journal over the summer months to see what's new...business has been busier than ever, and i finally reached a wall of sorts.
I love being busy, but watching customer service slip as a result was extremely stressful...I was driven ever closer to distraction as deadlines wooshed by, emails went unanswered, plans were cancelled--and remember that "Balance" concept from my New Year's post? haha, not even close.
It came time to re-evaluate my plans for running a successful business, and as I worked away into the wee hours each night, my mind wrestled with the questions:
how can I do this better?
How can I provide a better service?
How can I find a healthier work-life balance?

And the result of all this soul-searching:a new plan, my friends. As shiny and full of promise as a schooldesk in September, the Plan is designed with Your Happiness (and my sanity) in mind!
I will start with getting back to the people and things that I left hanging along the way.
Once we're all caught up, the changes begin immediately.

Please Note!! Lamoore Designs will not be a part of the traditional Christmas Craft Fairs as I have in previous years. I may return to these in the future, but I'll keep you posted for what to expect for Christmas 2008 as an alternative to the traditional Craft fair.

The REALLY big news though?...I'm shopping for a new home! Lamoore Designs has outgrown the humble-yet-lovable workshop within my personal living space, so I'm upgrading. This has me all a-twitter and I can't WAIT to share the details with you. Working outside of my home will mean so much to my house-sharers who've patiently tolerated my many and varied messes these past 4 years. It will also mean increased efficiency (bigger space=grander scale of production). But the Ultimate Advantage? I think you're going to LOVE the new Lamoore!!

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