2022 somehow felt like the longest and shortest year.
In person shows slowly gained speed, but ongoing (and very valid) concerns about the prevalence of COVID-19 and other illnesses within our community had an impact. Online shows continued and we tried to settle into a new hybrid normal. There seemed to be little political will for continued controls, and voluntary mask-wearing proved intermittent at best. Out of an abundance of caution and a desire to find a better work-life balance, I did notably less in person shows this year than in other years.
A notable exception to this was the return of Capital Pride! And folks, it came back with some fabulous gusto. It was an amazing weekend. It was made extra special by our addition of a 10×20 tent for queer makers as an extension of Pride, Not Prejudice. It was so nice to share the experience with other queer makers!
Otherwise, I chose to shift some of that time and focus normally spent at shows expanding my wholesale presence. This was successful and made up for the shortfall in sales from in-person markets, allowing our donations, as detailed below, to still be something we are proud of. So thrilled to be able to show off a growing list of stockists!
| Cause | Yearly Total |
| Ottawa Food Bank | $129.75 |
| Ten Oaks Project | $2182.00 |
| LGBT Youthline | $229.00 |
| Sit With Me* | $513.22 |
| Adopt Me Cat Rescue | $72.25 |
| Maggie’s Place | $41.25 |
| Planned Parenthood Ottawa | $1002.75 |
| Minwaashin Lodge | $35.75 |
| Ottawa Pet Rat Rescue | $65.50 |
| Assembly of Seven Generations++ | $474.27 |
| HighJinx++ | $725.65 |
| Grassroots work for Ukrainian Refugees Abroad | $809.00 |
| TOTAL: | $6280.39 |
*This total includes the amount raised by collecting empties from the community and from folks doing local pick up.
++Includes donations as a part of Pride, Not Prejudice.
All this is possible with the support of everyone who has made a purchase, interacted with our social media posts, and shared their love of our products with their family and friends. We are so thankful.
With love, K-Rae and Jon
PS. Our Instagram top nine shows how passionate the city was in their disdain for the convoy @$$hats, our desire for work-life balance, and an appreciation for mental health and queer folk. I think that’s a pretty apt summary!
