House of Sass & Magic -- Maker Mondays: Recent Episodes
House of Sass and Magic
Maker Mondays -- real talk with real creatives
Join Stacey Gonder, a 20+ year veteran of the custom fashion industry, as she interviews artists, designers, fashionistas and the fabulous, getting to the heart of running a creative business, what it takes to succeed, and what lines we just won't cross.
Maker Monday - Keisha Kerr
About our Maker:
Keisha is an experienced makeup artist with a deep love and devotion to her craft. Her style has been described as transformative and polished when she touches her clients face. Her goal is to connect with each client and make them feel their beauty from the inside out.
@keishakerrmakeupartist talks to us about her learning experiences going from seeking out friends and family to give away free makeup looks to film and TV makeup to recently starting her own makeup brand! She's a go-getter and such an inspiring boss babe!
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
Camille Stone @ Top Collective
Tonight we are talking to our lovely friend Camille Stone of the Top Collective. We already know how fun Camille is, but you need to watch to learn about her brainchild Top Collective and see just how cool she really is
💗💖
About the Top Collective: We believe that fashion holds meaning within our reality. It is a reflection of our everyday life, our past and our future. Where self expression and consciousness are the roots from which all creative projects grow. It is one of the greatest forms of self expression. Our mission is to curate and create quality pieces of art meant to be worn on the body. This site is the place where art and design meet commerce. @topcollective is also a pop up shop and vibe squad, gathering the coolest people we know.
We love bringing people together and creating moments of joy. We also love music festivals and any opportunity to dress up in character. We think festivals are one of the best places to show up fully self-expressed.
🎵@hatiras
Poinsetta Lane
Our friend Poinsetta "Tessa" Lane has been in love with all things fashion since childhood. Making her way through many different avenues including fashion design and jewellery design, she's now settling into the perfect fit: styling and creative direction.
She also manages The Library Sustainable Fashion which is an eclectic mix of designer pieces and statement-making vintage.
Styling Portfolio: link in @poinsettalane's IG
The Library Sustainable Fashion: @thelibrarysustainablefashion
Trishelle Esposito
Trishelle is so fun-loving and just a great person to be around! She has a love for everything drag, and she starts thinking of her Hallowe'en costume in January so she can continue her reign as the 👑 Queen of Hallowe'en.
This makes us a great match since we are THE BEST at making wicked cool Hallowe'en costumes! We talk about how life, and more specifically creativity, has been affected by the pandemic - hint: it's not always doom and gloom, peeps! In @trishellicachannel's own words: I’m a writer & content creator with a passion for everything colorful.
Fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community for all the beauty they’ve brought to my city and life. Oh, and the biggest little monster you’ll ever meet.
🎵@hatiras
Maker Monday - Camille the Creator
You may notice the beautiful Camille from our Instagram feed, but we also want you to know that she is a great friend, collaborator and an amazing creative force.
Check her out on IG - @camille_the_creator:
Renaissance Woman🌈
Living in Hyper Colour🎨
Light Warrior 💡
Founder of @topcollective 🔝
Check Out @camillestonerocks to learn about 💎✨
Astrid (@sedgvvick) is a multi-published model, fashion student and journalist, makeup artist, stylist, extrovert, creative spirit and perpetual seeker of fun. She has had the pleasure of participating in numerous high-profile runway shows and interviewing many of the Toronto fashion industry’s prominent figures.
So far, she has had the privilege of seeing her face on a movie screen in a packed theatre, on television and the new multiple times, on the cover (and in glossy pages) of many fashion magazines, in ad campaigns run on websites for many brands - and so many other things that she once could have only once dreamed of. And she is just getting started!
Suzan Mazur is what we call a powerhouse. We’re pretty sure she has some kind of secret nuclear reactor supplying her energy. Like a Terminator…only not as scary. And not made of metal. And more human. So…nothing like a Terminator, really. Except for the indestructible part. Her non-robotic hands have helped produce many hundreds of hours of quality television programming.
Her other passions include writing and performing stand-up and sketch comedy, with a preference towards political satire. Some of her friends admit to using her as their exclusive source of news. Both willingly and unwillingly.
This is a very interesting chat with @suzanmazur about the television and film industry, how to be a good person in whatever you do and the benefits of being open to learning from others.
🎤@xolovebo
🎵@hatiras
John Mielke
The Milky Show began in 1992 on KOOL FM Ottawa where John Mielke, known then as “The Milkman” (@milkyshow) started as the overnight host, then evenings, then mid-day host. Over the years the stations he worked at went through many evolutions and technology changes. Eventually he went out on his own. Now John owns and operates his own internet station, BlastTheRadio.com (@blasttheradio).
In 2012 John was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety.
John says "I have chosen to be open about my battles with this disease and have made it my life’s mission to become a positive champion for this cause." He is very open about his diagnosis, and as a champion for better mental health, the conversations on his show about this subject are very important.
John is so energetic and raw, and you can't stop listening to his crazy-smooth professional voice-over and radio voice. This is a fun chat - so check it out!
STAY TUNED for more Chat with Friends Fridays every (wouldn't you know it) Friday with our House of Sass and Magic kings, queens and everyone in between!
🎵@hatiras
Mackenzie Knowles
About our Maker:
Mack is part of a golfing family, and is a avid golfer. She spent some time in sales/marketing/events in the beginning of her working life. After spending the better part of 3 years in the sports industry in Toronto and working for the PGA (Professional Golfers' Assocaition) of Canada, Mack saw the opportunity in the female golf apparel market within Canada and went for it. And Ada's Golf Boutique was born - @goshopada.
We talk to Mack about the golfing community, the disproportionate female representation on the golf course, the lack of accessible variety and sizing of women's golf apparel and our mutual love of expressing one's self through clothing!
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
From this week's Maker and the Leader of NOYADESIGNS @ @christinagwira:
Without a university degree, college diploma or training certificate, I was able to: learn how to build websites on WordPress (and Joomla!), create graphics with Photoshop as well as design in print for print with Illustrator. By 2016, I had accidentally built my web design agency NOYADESIGNS (@designsbynoya).
I can call multi-national magazines, global non-profits as well as trillion dollar financial institutions my clients. Oh! And I’m also a part of Barak Obama’s Young Leaders of the America’s Initiative, being one of the first Canadians to be selected to participate in the program. Pretty dope, right!
Today, I help aspiring web designers move from that freelance life to a life of freedom as an agency owner with the tools, framework and techniques that I wish I had access to when I first started out as a “jackie-of-all-trades”.
🎵@hatiras
Shayne Gray is a creative commercial photographer/videographer based in Toronto, Canada who has been widely published among top media including British Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue China, GQ Brasil and has been featured as a valuable established educational resource on CreativeLive, SLR Lounge and Retouching Academy and has given photography lectures and lighting demos as far away from home as Lagos, Nigeria.
His work has featured Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau and he has done campaigns for Google, former Police drummer, Stewart Copeland, T-Fal, Canada Goose, Cavalia, IKEA featuring top Canadian talent, Scott McGillivray & Jessi Cruickshank, YTV, TVO, George Brown, OCAD University, Nanoleaf, Century 21 and many others. Among other awards, Shayne Gray was a winner at the 2015 SNAP! Awards. Shayne Gray also sat on the Board of Directors at Gallery 44 for several years.
Shayne is such a smart and insightful dude. We had a great time talking to him about his business and how he believes that, no matter the business, we should always be willing to to improve and learn new things.
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
Maker Monday - Alan Stanjah aka STRANJAH
About our Maker: One of the early ambassadors of drum and bass in North America, STRANJAH has cemented his position in the bass music world with seminal releases on Metalheadz, 31 Records, Renegade Hardware and Hospital Records.
Recently @stranjahbeatz has done work for massive labels such as Critical Music and Hospital Records. Drawing from a number of influences, STRANJAH’s sound is incredibly eclectic and essentially impossible to label under one umbrella. His modern-day sound is best characterized by retro-synthetic soundscapes, pulsing basslines and blistering drums.
STRANJAH also runs his own record label Deviant Audio @deviantaudio uncovering new talent and exploring the boundaries of bass music. Quiet, humble, inspiring and passionate, it's so great to talk to Alan about his neverending desire to innovate bass music, while bringing his knowledge to a new generation of music producers through his YouTube channel.
🎵@stranjahbeatz
🎵@flowanastasia24
🎵@tyrkohout
Alexis Brenner is one half of the ownership and build team behind DB Trailblazers (@dbtrailblazerswildscaping). Along with her partner Andrew Duncan they created DB Trailblazers as a specialized trail development company based out of Grey County, Ontario focused on the design and installation of custom sustainable trail systems and unique outdoor experiences.
Alexis is a builder, entrepreneur, dancer, maker, mom of 2 young humans, avid tree hugger and trail adventurer, keeper of chickens, cats, and a snake. She loves hugs and music and cool chats with neat people. Alexis and her business are so interesting, you'll love to hear about as much we loved to hear about it. She says it's not glamourous work, but she sure loves what she does, loves environmental stewardship and the beauty of nature.
Check it out! And stay tuned for more Maker Mondays!
Lindsay Keefe is a certified international yoga therapist. She has been teaching yoga therapeutically for 5 years and teaching private, group and corporate classes for over 10 years. She has a B.A.H. in Psychology and Religious Studies from Queens University and B.Ed from Brock University.
After 7 years of persistent back pain from a car accident, she finally found permanent relief through yoga therapy in a short amount of time. She has worked with children as young as 1 years old and adults up to 90 years old. She just moved to Gananoque from Toronto and offers her services online - visit lindsaykeefeyoga.ca. During her downtime she loves going for long walks, gardening, and afternoon tea.
Lindsay discusses her amazing yoga adventures and you can see her passion for yoga. She is so knowledagble, cherishes the connection she has with her clients and just loves that moment when she knows she has made a difference. Same, girl same💕!
🎵@hatiras
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #selflove #yogatherapy #yogathatresonates
About our Maker:
Sarah lives in Coquitlam, BC and is the owner of Brim Reaper Customs (@brimreaper.customs) where she makes custom fun hats to show every just how fun you are! Sarah also runs Hey Look Collective (@heylook.collective) which showcases other wonderful makers from in the Vancouver area. Brim Reaper is making the shift to an online store so Sarah is keeping pretty busy at the moment.
Sarah is a true creative and is such a joy to talk to, and we cannot wait to be back on the festival circuit with her when the world opens up again!
🎵@hatiras
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #localart #hatmaker #customsnapbacks #craftsandmusic
Tonight is our chat with our positive, enthusiastic, ever gorg friend, Zula.
@zulajewelry makes nature inspired jewelry with a deeper purpose and is a true believer that her jewelry and her attitude can be a hopeful force for others.
Stacey and Zula talks about how business vs. creative self can be a fun rollercoaster, and how creativity can come and go (and that we need to be okay with that) and the most important thing is to take time for creativity. Zula exudes optimism and she is so fun to be around - so make sure to watch and enjoy!
Did you get a chance to check out Gio and his podcast Listen 2 Me this past week?
Then you will know a bit more about our guest Gio Petrucci! He's genuine, fun, talented and hardworking. Stacey and @giografik talk about their love for owning their own creative businesses, the creative process, creative burnout, staying connected and the importance of choosing the projects that are right for your client and, most importantly, YOURSELF! You won't want to miss this interview... Lots of laughs and great insight into the life of another amazing creative.
Tune in to our IGTV or catch the interview on our blog - https://housesmtdot.com/blogs/news
🎵@hatiras
Maker Monday - Dan Snow
Dan Snow is the founder of the Snow Collective, a marketing and business strategy agency designed to support businesses as they grow, evolve, and elevate within their market.
A connector by nature, @dsno_ loves to meet folks from all walks of life and business, learn about their goals and challenges, and create the right team to support them. Dan actively seeks out BIPOC, indigenous, disabled, and generally diverse clients in order to support grassroots businesses that want to level up and step into their limelight.
Dan hosts a monthly peer-mentoring and strategy meeting, the Snow Collective Leadership Connect call, to connect leads to their business and each other.
Dan is one of the most positive people we know and he is smart, savvy and sexy too. We love any time spent with Dan, it's always a ton of fun, and also insightful and uplifting.
🎵@xolovebo
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #marketingiscreating #marketinglife #marketingexpert #marketingmind
About our Maker:
Antoine Elhashem is a media and marketing expert and is passionate member and advocate in the LGBTQ2S+ community. @antoineelhashem is the president of INspired Media Inc. (publishers of The Pink Pages Directory, PinkPlayMags, theBUZZ, The Local Biz Magazine, and producers of the talk shows ON the COUCh and The Queer Bunch). He is also a co-partner in Brainspired Publishing. In his volunteer time he is the founder and chair of the board of directors of INSPIRE Awards. Recently he was awarded Community Business Leader of the Year 2020 by Canadian LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. In the last year and in his spare time he has pursued his passion of music and released a few cover songs, and is currently working on a double album - @elhashemmusic.
We talk to Antoine about his move from Kuwait to Canada so that he could pursue a career in marketing and media 33 years ago. Antoine is so humble, even with all of his accomplishments and so warm and community-oriented and it's amazing that his passion for media is still so very apparent, even now.
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #inspiredliving #inspireawards #lgbtqcommunity #lgbtqtoronto #pinkpages #thebuzz #onthecouch
✨Chat with Friends Friday✨
Mars Alexander (otherwise known as the Unfriendly Black Hottie) is a non-binary trans femme of Indo-Caribbean descent. By day they work on sets modelling or doing wardrobe direction and by night they are a performer/entrepreneur, honouring states of freedom, queerness, & hedonism. Performances have undertones of anarchy, mental illness, fetish & symbolism. As @smorezz_ would say "Approach with a doobie for good fortune~"
And make sure to catch Mars on their very own Group Sext episode anywhere you get your OUTtv subscription - coming SOON!!
✨Chat with Friends Friday✨
Bringing one of our chats out of the vault in case you missed it!!
The always amazing Miss Diva (@divaliciousptbo) is longing for in-person performing, but we have to say that her makeup skills and stage looks are still on point! The House of Sass and Magic and Miss Diva have been creating fabulousness together forever and in this interview you get to find out how the House SM melds with the World of Diva.
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud
chatwithfriendsfriday
About our Maker:
Deja Louve has been performing burlesque since 2014, prowling her way across stages in Canada and the United States. With a love of sultry blues and heavy-hitting industrial, @dejalouve pairs classic elegance with raw, carnal power into a performance style you'll want to see over and over again.
Deja is so happy about her Scarlet Mary Rose, Erin Thompson and Judith Stein are who I'd like to give a nod to from the Kootenay burlesque scene. Kootenay Costume Co. is my local costumer. Keenan Harrison, Sugar Jones and Beava Las Vegas are my Production team.
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
📸 @ambrophoto
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #burlesque #burlesqueperformer
About our Maker @apanakitemitayom:
Apanaki Temitayo M is a Toronto-based multi-disciplinary artist.
She is the 1st Artist-In-Wellness for CAMH and was the 2017/2018 Workman Arts Artist-In-Residence. As part of Workman Arts Art-Cart Program at CAMH, she teaches participants with mental health and drug addiction. She has pieces featured at Workman Arts, Being Scene 18th Annual Juried Exhibition 2019 at the TMAC Gallery. Oju Olurun: Eye of God I is currently a part of CAMH Corporate Collection. The Amazing Nina Simone Documentary Film by Jeff Lieberman, with her piece Nina Simone Fragmented. The first woman of colour to be in Room Magazine: Woman of Color Issue for 2016. Oshun Blooming was the face of Grow Room Feminist Literary Festival 2018 in Vancouver, which is a part private collection of Donna Slaught.
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #artistsoninstagram #mentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing
It's Family Day long weekend! 🎵We are family, hey yay ey ya ey yah🎵
A perfect reason to feature our lovely leader Stacey’s sistah from the same mistah, Ms. Madge @madgenthat! It’s so fortuitous that Ms. Madge took to the stage around the same time that Stacey finished design school… You’ll see that Madge is the 🦄Sass and Stacey is the ✨Magic!! Search back in our insta to see some of their amazing collabs!
STAY TUNED for more Chat with Friends Fridays with our House of Sass and Magic kings, queens and everyone in between!
🎤@xolovebo
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #familynfriends
About our Maker:
Ugyen Wangmo, CEO/editor-in-chief of FORWARD Fashion Magazine, likes a simple, straightforward and authentic life, a personality that resonates in the pages of FORWARD.
FORWARD Fashion Magazine is published twice a year with contents that blend high fashion and world-class photography, with features that allow Canadian talent to showcase their skill and inspire–each beautifully crafted edition is a collectors’ item.
@forwardfashiontoronto is curated to champion the diversity of local voices in Fashion and encourage creative freedom.
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
This is Venessa and Perry of Arcane Coda, out of the small town of Salmo, British Columbia. Arcane Coda is made up of clothing and accessories for the life-loving, passion seeking, rock and roll adventurers. From grunge denims to colourful cloaks, soft cotton jackets to bamboo booty shorts, we love to play with ideas and create wearable, fun ways to express yourself, stay wild, and live free.
We met these beautiful souls in the festival scene and again in the vendor and market life. These are some of the loveliest people ever. Please watch and check out their very cool small Canadian business!
🎵@hatiras
🎵@xolovebo
📸 @ambrophoto
HouseSMtdot #sassandmagic #hawtfashions #fluidfashion #wearwhatyouwant #betheselfyouare #torontofashion #liveoutloud #makermonday #staywildlivefree #festivallife #festybesty #canadiansmallbusiness
Sitting down talking to the wonderful, smart, funny, beautiful-inside-and-out Becca Love @love.is.inclusive. A self-proclaimed queer sober non-binary Jew from Toronto, who now lives in Montreal, Becca Love is a fashion designer that uses ethically sourced materials (and fair paid labour) to make items that are truly inclusive - inclusive of gender identity & the queer community and inclusive of sizing, as well as keeping in mind inclusive representation.
Tune in as we touch on all of these points and have a laugh riot doing it.
About this week’s Maker - @cassmoy:
In a world where fashion is on-demand and shipped the next day, bringing a conscious brand into the world isn’t so easy.
What they make is for uncommon people. Uncommon people who are conscious, sustainable, and mindful.
As strong believers in the slow fashion movement, many items are made-to-order, and handcrafted with care in Cassandra’s Toronto studio. All products are made from locally sourced, hand selected materials, with off-cuts from previous projects upcycled into new designs.
In honour of Stacey's birthday month and the new Spring Collection, Stacey is the interviewee for this week's Maker Monday. Learn a little bit more about the driving force behind House of Sass & Magic in this fun interview by Suzan, one of Stacey's most treasured friends. Stacey says "Her [Suzan] & I have been through some shit! She is one of the most reasonable, level headed and honest people I know. We are chosen family & I am so so so frickin' grateful to have her in my world and share space on this planet with her." Suzan is just the perfect person to interview Stacey!