The 2009 Photos are IN!

We have just finished uploading the 2009 Mardi-Bras photos, courtesy of the amazing Carlos Avalos!

We're thrilled with the pics, hope you enjoy them as much as we did, if you have any you want to share, give us a shout and we'll put them up.

Check 'em out on the MB photo page!

The big number!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Thanks to your generous support, Mardi-Bras 2009 is pleased to announce the big number!


TA-DAAAAA!

That's right! $2,334.04 raised to benefit Princess Margaret Hospital through the Toronto Weekend To End Breast Cancer!

Keep your eyes on the blog and the site for photo updates, in the meantime, here's the first Mardi-Bras video on YouTube, our own Brynhildr of Boobies, The amazing Patte Rosebank!

Road closures!

According to the Toronto Star, there are several road closures this weekend in Toronto, including Lakeshore Blvd. near the Gladstone, so please don't get caught in traffic and miss the show.

See you tonight!

The "better way" to fight cancer

Wow, just one more sleep!

If you are taking the TTC to the Gladstone, the 29 Dufferin bus - which runs quite frequently - goes right by the venue, taking you to and from the Bloor-Danforth subway line at Dufferin Station. If you are travelling from the east or the west and taking the TTC, the 501 Queen streetcar runs all the way from Neville Park Loop in the east to Long Branch Loop in the west. Double check the TTC website for details. The Gladstone is at the corner of Gladstone Avenue and Queen Street, just east of Dufferin Street.

See you there!

Dressed up like a million-dollar trooper! Super-duper!

The five reasons we're asking people to dress up for Mardi-Bras this Friday:

1. You'll never know who you might lock eyes with that evening and you'll want to look your best.

2. Dressing up lends an air of sophistication to any gathering.

3. Yes, you're fighting breast cancer while attending Mardi-Bras, which will make you feel good on the inside, but dressing up in your Sunday best will help you feel good about your outside too.

4. Fighting breast cancer is serious business.

5. Dressing up is fun -- did you see our Mardi-Bras queen from last year? Hubba-hubba!

Despite the incontestable logic of the above, if you feel you can better fight cancer in your jeans, shorts, bathing suit, Batman costume, whatever, we will certainly not turn you away at the door.

If you have any questions about our event, please go to our FAQ section on the Mardi-Bras website.

A mover and a shaker!

As mentioned in an earlier blog post, we have a fabulous halftime show lined up for Mardi-Bras this coming Friday with belly dancer Kristina Shea, who performs under the name Kaharamana.

However, if entertaining our guests at the halftime show weren't enough, she has also kindly stepped forward to be one our models for the fashion show!

Kaharamana - which is Arabic for blue diamond and pronounced as Sahara - has been a belly dance performer for the past 10 years. She has performed all over, from the Middle East to Las Vegas. She is presently a certified dance instructor in Burlington, Ontario, teaching dance and belly fitness at Cedar Springs Health Club. Kaharamana performs for corporate events, grand openings and ladies' nights, and teaches group and private classes. Her Student Troupe Habibi also performs at various events in the GTA and always is looking for new dancers!

Kaharamana has been so kind, so enthusiastic, so giving with her time and her talents for our event that we had to do another post about her as she's such a wonderful person!

Thanks Kristina Shea!

Say cheese!

This will be a night to remember! As such, we wouldn't want you to forget the second Mardi-Bras show and have enlisted the services of photographer Carlos Avalos to capture the fun this Friday.

Carlos Avalos is a Toronto-based photographer servicing the corporate, private and public sectors. In business for over a decade, Carlos has built a reputation for delivering exceptionally high quality images to his diverse range of clients. His work has been published in various magazines, both here in Canada and in the United States. For a more complete look at his image stock, please visit carlosavalos.com.

Thanks Carlos for working while the rest of us will be having the night of our lives this Friday!

An endless source of inspiration and positive energy

We at Mardi-Bras would like to send out a special thank you to Katrina Carrier.


Katrina was an artist and model for last year's event. Her bra was a lovely chain mail creation, composed of thousands of tiny silver handmade links! Even though she is swamped with work, Katrina has found time in her full schedule to once again contribute another wonderful bra to our fashion show this year.

Katrina is an endless source of inspiration and positive energy, she's super enthusiastic and really generous with her time and talents.

We're delighted to have Katrina Carrier back and just want to say "Thanks!"

Looking good, feeling great, fighting cancer!

We're delighted to unveil the latest donations to Mardi-Bras silent auction.

First on the block is a delightful pink ribbon handbag. This stylish denim tote is lined with a pink ribbon pattern and finished with a pink support ribbon. This lovely creation will look good anywhere!

Next is a wonderful pink bow clutch, handmade and also accented with a pink bow. The perfect accessory for a evening on the town.

Both of these bags are from Cherrylicious Designs. Lisa Farinaccio of Cherrylicious Designs is also the person who kindly set up our Facebook event page for us! What a lovely person!

Our other donation is from Odd Bird Designs, who also kindly donated to our event last year. They have given us several charming domino designs that are sure to become one of your favourite jewellery pieces.

Fighting cancer has never made you look so good and feel so great!

Thanks so much to both Odd Bird Designs and to Cherrylicious Designs!

Celebrating 5 Years Free!

Five years is a big milestone for cancer survivors.

When you hit five years, your risk of recurrence is significantly reduced, and many five-year survivors will also see ten years disease free! Doctors schedule appointments further apart, you're back to a more regular exam schedule and your insurance companies start to lighten up. Life becomes a series of "nexts" as opposed to "ifs".

It's a place of relief and a time for celebration!

Anne Campbell, a good friend of Mardi-Bras has just celebrated her fifth year treatment free!!! Congratulations Anne!

Anne is one of life's exceptional people whose good cheer and humour no doubt steered her into such a wonderful recovery. The sentiment on her anniversary party invitations gave me such a warm fuzzy I had to share it:

A hair prosthetic named Osmond: $800.00
Shawls, wraps and raglan sleeved tops: $75.00
Pink socks and T shirts: $50.00
Registration fee to walk for the cure: $40.00
Friends who helped me through the journey and continue to help me celebrate: Priceless

Congratulations to Anne and all of the 2009 Five-Year Survivors!

Kropserkel - correcting the course of our entire social structure on the planet Earth.

New this year we have the talent and enthusiasm of Kropserkel contributing a bra to the show.

Without giving away the surprise, this one is very topical to some big news at Kropserkel. They've acquired the rights to the very classic Metropolis Robot! (SWEET!)

A Canadian-based creative studio serving the entertainment industry and private clients with physical artifacts, Kropserkel is a creative workshop that designs and fabricates props, costumes, and other curiosities. Their licensed Metropolis Robot, the 'Maschinenmensch' will be completed later this year.

Their rather impressive credits list includes fan favourites like Battlestar Galactica and Resident Evil: Apocalypse!







Thank you so much Kropserkel!

Two more wonderful silent auction donations!

Mardi-Bras has two more wonderful silent auction announcements to make.

Adrian Kuzyk, a wood craftsman, has kindly donated this lovely salad bowl. It's made from maple wood, is hand turned and has a walnut oil finish. The bi-coloured bowl will be perfect for those salad days!

Next, J. Paul Ionine is a ceramic and lithographic artist, who created this lovely white porcelain bustier. It has mother of pearl finished panels and is accented with pink ribbon, and has been plaque mounted and dated.

Plus, ten percent of the final bid for this wonderful one-of-a-kind piece will be matched and donated to the Grimsby Rotary Foundation for World Health Issues!

Thank you to both Adrian Kuzyk and J. Paul Ionine!

That's Incredible!

The Mardi-Bras silent auction has another incredible donation: A signed NFL football from Fran Tarkenton, who is a former professional football player and television personality.

This generous and one-of-a-kind item was kindly donated by Wolf and Monika von Brisinski, who are business partners of Fran Tarkenton.

Fran Tarkenton was a quarterback, who played with the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. For those non-sports types, you probably know Tarkenton's name from being a co-host of That's Incredible and a commentator on Monday Night Football.

This pigskin is sure to be one that football fans and television fans will want to get their hands on!

Thank you very much to Wolf and Monika von Brisinski!

Parking for Mardi Bras

Follow the link for Green "P" parking info!!!!

Link to parking

Udon Entertainment

For the second year, Mardi-Bras sends a big thank-you to Jim Zubkavich and the many talented people of Udon Entertainment!

They have, very generously, donated a whole pile of great Udon prizes to our raffle and silent auction! Art Books, Comics, some of their new Manga for Kids, and a 3 pack of Resident Evil for Playstation games!

Thank you so much Jim Zubkavich and Udon Entertainment!

Grand Prize Raffle; Oh what a night!

Get your hands on two of the hottest tickets in town! 

Enter the Mardi-Bras Grand Prize Raffle for your chance to win two tickets to see Dancap Productions' Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons! But, if this weren't enough of a reason to open up the piggy bank to get your hands on the winning ticket, we will also include a gift card to Milestones for dinner!

Dinner and a show, what a combo!

The amazing people at Dancap have arranged it so the lucky winner gets to pick the date of the show, which is currently playing at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, until the end of September. A Milestones is close by the theatre and both are within walking distance of the TTC subway line.

Thank you so much to Dancap Productions!

A reflection of good taste

Mardi-Bras is delighted to announce the latest generous donation to our silent auction from an anonymous donor.

This piece, Floating Table with Cup, is by Mark Manchester, who is a key grip and amateur photographer.

According to Mark, this photograph was taken using a Pentax 750z digital camera while working on the set of Being Erica, during the summer of 2008. The picture was cropped and slightly colour amended in iPhoto before being printed on an Epson R280 printer.


Mark writes: "The interest to me at the time was the number of reflected elements visible. The table is reflected in the window of the building that was a location for our television show. The building across the street which acts as a background was being lit by reflections of sunlight hitting our building. The green and black squares shown are the reflection of the building we were in. The cup in the foreground is also the cup on the table.

"As a key grip, I play a role in the lighting of a set. Light, shadow and reflections all fascinate me and create a richness of texture which helps become that temporary world for the actors and storytellers. On occasion I will record an interesting image as I see it. Lucky for me the sets have been lit by a talented team of professionals... I merely take advantage of proximity."

Don't be so modest, Mark! This is a beautiful fleeting moment that has been captured forever by someone who noticed it and the resulting masterpiece will be treasured by a lucky bidder in our silent auction.

Thank you very much to our generous anonymous donor!

Keeping in touch

Further to an earlier blog post, we can now tell you about Dave Staffen of Send Out Cards' other donation to the Mardi-Bras silent auction.

Dave is donating a $25 greeting card account to our silent auction. The lucky bidder will have access to the Send Out Cards system for one year and they will receive enough points to send out 10 greeting cards or 20 postcards. They will also be able to personalize the inside of each card with a picture or a message of their own. Send Out Cards features more than 16,000 cards, which you send from your computer through the post to a friend or family member. Your recipient gets a physical card from you that they will treasure.












Plus for every new account that Dave sets up in the next 12 months, he will donate $5 to the Cancer Society in memory of his family member who passed away from breast cancer.

Thank you so much Dave Staffen of Send Out Cards!

The Super Bowl ain't got nothin' on our halftime show!

Hooray! We recently got confirmation that we will have a wonderful halftime show during the Mardi-Bras parade -- which is less than two weeks away!

Keeping with our celebration of the human body, we have a belly dancer to entertain our many guests as a break during the runaway section of the show. Kristina Shea is a professional belly dancer from Burlington, who will dazzle and delight you with her belly dancing skills.

We look forward to Kristina's performance and know that you will enjoy it as much as we will!

Sci Feye Candy is Back!

Sarah Cresswell of Sci Feye Candy is officially back for her second Mardi-Bras as an artist and generous sponsor!

Along with this year's fabulous creation Sarah is donating one of her super-handy leg-holster bags as seen in her accessories gallery. (I love mine, makes you feel like Lara Croft.)

Based in Scarborough, Sarah works on a custom order basis and from the looks of her website, she can make just about anything you can imagine! Sarah started Sci Feye Candy after graduating from the Fashion Techniques and Design program at George Brown College. In addition to getting Sci Feye Candy up and running, Sarah currently works part-time at Plastik Wrap in Toronto.







Thank you so much Sarah of Sci Feye Candy!

Taking the High Road

The wonderful people at High Road Communications Toronto, have very generously donated a collection of DVDs to our raffle and silent auction!

We won't give away the titles, but this is a really nice collection with a lot of variety!

High Road is a Communications and PR firm. According to their mission statement; "It’s about the passion to drive your company onward. We shape innovative communications strategies for your brand. And we deliver on them."

This is not the first time High Road has given to the community. Recently one of their CEOs, Mia Wedgbury, created and contributed a piece of art to the Sketch auction. Sketch is a Toronto art studio devoted to street youth.

Thank you so much High Road Communications!

Nails By Natalie

Nails By Natalie of Toronto has very generously donated gift certificates for two people to enjoy a manicure and pedicure!

After all, the only thing better than a mani and pedi is enjoying them with your favourite person!
This pair of gift certificates will be added to our grand prize raffle so you'll have to be at the show to win them! If you just can't wait that long you can book your appointment with Nails By Natalie at 14 Isabella St., Toronto (416) 961-nail (6245).

Thank You So much Nails By Natalie!

Suddenly, I could use a Mai Tai

Our latest addition to the Mardi-Bras show comes from Wendy Aaltomaa of Thunder Bay.

Without giving away too much, Wendy's theme has us all thinking of warm breezes, sunsets, ukulele music and sipping on something frosty and fruity while digging your toes into the hot sand.

Wendy is a graphic designer and as a good Northern Ontario girl, she enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, scrapbooking and spending time with her cats. This fall, she and her husband are looking forward to the birth of the first new addition to their family!

Wendy would like to dedicate her lovely creation to all breast cancer patients and survivors.

Thank you and Congratulations Wendy!

We're officially coast to coast!

Today, Mardi-Bras got it first Mardi-Bras Bra from the East Coast, and our second out-of-province submission. This lovely piece of art -- yes, it's a bra, but it's a lovely one-of-a-kind creation -- is from our talented Bra Artistian, Sarah O'Malley of Halifax! It's a really beauty and continues the high standard for Mardi-Bras Bra submissions we have received so far! Thanks Sarah!

Just 15 days to go!

Fifth Avenue Jewelry

Mardi-Bras is pleased to announce the addition of another generous sponsor to our silent auction!

Heather Faulkner, independent jeweler with the Fifth Avenue Collection has donated some lovely pieces for your bidding pleasure!

Heather chose a business opportunity with Fifth Avenue after deciding to stay home with her children. She needed a flexible business plan that allowed her to get out and socialize while stabilizing her income. Fifth Avenue fit the bill!

You can find the full catalog at Heather's website. While you're there you can book a show and if you choose to become a VIP customer, shipping is free on orders of $50 or more!

Thank you so much Heather of Fifth Avenue Jewelry!

The Bras are coming in fast and fantastic!

We at Mardi Bras are thrilled to announce that another wonderful Mardi-Bras Bra has been received!

This lovely creation is from Bra Artistian Karen Killbride. Karen is a classically trained animator and illustrator. Her career includes credits with Disney and Warner feature animation. Presently, Karen’s time is occupied with her wonderful family and job, yet she still manages to squeeze in a little time to be creative!

Karen dedicates her Bra, as always, to Heather and Jodi, who are at the top of her list. Then, to the memory of darling Michelle and the future her tiny children face without her.

Thanks to Karen Killbride for her superb creation which is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Our first out-of-province Mardi-Bras Bra

We are over the moon to announce that we just got our first out-of-province Mardi-Bras Bra from Deanna Partridge-David of Deedeebird Art & Illustration. Deanna took part in last year's event and we are truly delighted to have her back again.

The bra, which came all the way from British Columbia, looks great. We'd love to show it to you, we really, really would. But that would spoil the surprise. It is gorgeous! Do you want to see it? Well, you'll have to come to Mardi-Bras on July 10th to see it and all the other fantastic Mardi-Bras Bras from our talented Bra Artistians.

Deanna dedicates her wonderful creation to Ruth, her husband's aunt. Ruth is a breast cancer survivor who is participating in studies to further breast cancer research. Good for Ruth and for Deanna!

Thanks to Deanna of Deedeebird Art & Illustration for her excellent creation which is sure to be a crowd favourite!

22 Days to Go!

The date for Mardi-Bras is drawing nearer and nearer! July 10th is going to be so much fun!

The planning, the tiny details, and behind-the-scenes programming for Mardi-Bras' second fund-raising event are well under way. We have lots of models (but could do with a few more fabulous ladies!); lots of wonderful bras are coming in, including out-of-province creations; more wonderful sponsors who know a good thing when they see it; great artists donating their time and talent to help us raise money with the silent auction in the fight against breast cancer and a few surprises up our sleeves to make the evening a magical and memorable event. You'll have so much fun!

Just 22 days to go!

Janac Sportswear

Mardi-Bras would like to turn our spotlight on Janac Sportswear for this blog post.

Janac Sportswear was launched about 10 years ago when Janet Cockburn couldn't find a good sports bra to wear after having a mastectomy. Janac Sportswear, a Canadian company, fills an ever-growing need to help breast cancer survivors feel good about their body-image. The company has two products -- various styles of sports bras for women who have undergone mastectomies, and Been-A-Boob, a prosthesis that acts like a breast, which is also available in various shapes and sizes.

As we all could guess in a fight with cancer, every bit of morale counts and Janac Sportswear fills an important need for breast cancer survivors to feel good about themselves.

How tweet!

Mardi-Bras is now on Twitter. Follow the adventures of Mammy Gram's girls as they put together the social event of the season!

A generous anonymous gift!

Mardi-Bras is pleased to announce its latest donation to our silent auction, a $50 gift certificate which will be honoured at either Klaxon Howl or Delphic. This very generous donation has been made anonymously.

Klaxon Howl is location at 694r Queen Street, West (rear entrance) and Delphic can be found at 706 Queen Street, West, at Manning Avenue, just west of Bathurst Street in Toronto. Klaxon Howl, according to its blog spot, draws its inspirations for its clothing lines from the spirit and icons of the past, creating unique clothing with a nostalgic, ardent feel. Toronto Life’s review of Delphic describes its fashion line as current streetwear that is classic enough to last, the shop also carries some women’s wear and jewellery.

Thank you very much to our very generous anonymous donor!

Kookaburra Laughing Productions Presents A Very Special Guest Artist.

Seven-year-old Kalyna Kuzyk was only two when her Mumma was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although she doesn't remember too much about that time, Kalyna understands how breast cancer has affected her Mumma's life. Proving that little people can do great things, Miss Kuzyk decided to paint one of her magical birds on wood and donate it to Mardi-Bras to help raise money to end breast cancer. In her spare time Miss Kuzyk loves to read novels, write stories, paint unique, colourful birds, "do" art, and trains six hours a week in competitive gymnastics. Kalyna hopes her bird entitled Marcellus, the Slicker Chicken raises "at least $40, if that's not too much" at Mardi-Bras. Let's not disappoint this budding philanthropist!

Mardi-Bras on Facebook

Lisa Farinaccio of Cherrylicious, and one of our own Mardi-Bra artists has graciously gone to the trouble of setting up a Facebook event page for us! Please feel free to invite your entire friends list and share with everyone you know!

Share on Facebook

We'll have a (basket) ball!

Mardi-Bras is proud to announce its two latest submissions to our silent auction: a fine-looking basketball and jersey, both signed by the Harlem Globetrotters! These two exciting items were kindly donated to our silent auction by Dave Staffen of Send Out Cards.









Send Out Cards features more than 16,000 cards, which you send from your computer through the post to a friend or family member. Your recipient gets a physical card from you that they will treasure. Send Out Cards has more than 500 Christmas cards and over 200 Hallowe'en cards! You can also design your own one-of-a-kind card when you want to let that one-of-a-kind person know that you are thinking of them. Dave invites you to visit the website to send a free card.

A future post to our Mardi-Bras blog will be about Dave's other generous donation to our silent auction and more information about his company, Send Out Cards.

Thank you so much Dave Staffen of Send Out Cards!

Fuzzy fun!

Banjo Puppets has once again added some fuzz and fun to the Mardi-Bras silent auction! We are the proud temporary custodians of three little puppets, who are all eagerly waiting for new homes! The puppets donated by Banjo Puppets for last year's silent auction were a hit and more than one person was sad not to go home with one of the adorable critters. (They are very trainable!)

Banjo Puppets is a Toronto-based company, which makes fabulous hand-crafted puppets that have been featured on television, in music videos, on live stage and in festivals.


Joel even made us a Mardi-Bras exclusive. She is so glittery, drag queens would think she's a bit much. We've named her Zsa Zsa. Won't you consider giving a home to one of these wonderful puppets?


Thanks so much to Banjo Puppets!

An old-fashioned way to beat breast cancer

Jamie Pratt has donated two handmade books to the Mardi-Bras silent auction!

Several years ago Jamie took a course on bookbinding and has subsequently bound dozens and dozens of books; both old volumes with worn bindings, which required some loving care to once more become treasured objects and new books made from blank pages. Jamie is currently rebinding an early 19th-century set of Samuel Johnson's works. After rebinding each volume in the set, Jamie is reading it, so by the end he will have read all of Johnson's papers, introductions, essays, novels, etc.

The two books Jamie has donated to Mardi-Bras are purse/pocket size and have blank papers which are perfect for jotting down thoughts, recording journal entries or for drawings.

Thanks so much to Jamie Pratt!

The Bata Shoe Museum helps us take a step towards curing breast cancer

The Bata Shoe Museum, one of Toronto's great museums, has kindly donated a Family Pass to Mardi-Bras' silent auction!

The Bata Shoe Museum features a one-of-a-kind collection; shoes from all walks of life! The Museum has tens of thousands of boots, mules, slippers, clogs, pumps, sandals, etc. Each one has a fascinating story, such as shoes worn by Elton John, ballerina Karen Kain, or "lotus" shoes for bound feet once considered the high of beauty for women in China. The collection of the Museum spans the globe and 4,500 years of history!

The Museum also features a charming section about how shoes have played a role in children's literature over the centuries. (Where would Cinderella be without her shoes?)

Thank you so much to the Bata Shoe Museum!

All Dressed Returns!

Our latest contribution to the Mardi-Bras silent auction recently arrived from Arlen of All Dressed couture!

Like last year, it's another gorgeous handmade scarf, using a silk blend velvet lined with 100% silk charmeuse and chiffon. She does the burn out pattern by hand and as always, her work is absolutely flawless.

All Dressed is Arlen's own label. She is an accomplished couture with an education in historical costume and can handle any kind of special request. Arlen has created everything from original costumes for bands, film, television to tiny puppets and enormous mascots, and replicas for those of us with a taste for authentic Hallowe'en costumes. She also handles custom-fit corsetry, bridal and evening wear.











Thank you so much Arlen of All Dressed!

It was in the cards

Mardi-Bras is delighted to have our tarot card reader return from last year's event.

Since childhood, Leanne has felt a special calling to the imaginative power of archetype, and has devoted much time and study in her adult life to further understand the mysteries of our universal story. She considers the time she spends reading the cards as a spiritual practice, intended to shine a light on situations in our lives that can confound us if we do not recognize the richness and complexities that surround our circumstances.

Please spend some time with Leanne and the tarot to help us beat breast cancer at Mardi-Bras!

Toronto Raptors and Mardi-Bras!

More exciting news from Mardi-Bras Headquarters. We have recieved an official Jose Calderon #8 autographed plaque for Mardi-Bras courtesy of the Toronto Raptors!


Thank you so much Toronto Raptors!

Lola By Design

This very exciting gift has just been donated to the silent auction by Lola, one of our glamorous models, a Mammy Gram's girl, half of team Cola and brilliant mind behind Lola By Design!

A private four-hour workshop (value: $150) - Introduction To Flameworking

This individual one-on-one workshop will serve as an introduction to the art of glass bead making.

The weekend class is four hours long with a one-hour lunch break. All tools, glass, safety glasses, and equipment are included. Students are asked to tie back long hair and wear natural cotton fabric clothing with long, tight-fitting sleeves. Old jeans are suggested as the workshop can sometimes get a little messy.

The workshop will start out with a overview of the equipment and tools, as well as basic safety information.

Bead making topics will include pulling stringer and twisted cane, how to make spacer and round beads, adding dots, stringer and twisted cane decoration to your bead, floral beads, and tabular beads. You may expect to finish 5 - 10 beads during the four-hour workshop.

All beads that are made in this workshop will be kiln-annealed and available for pick-up the following day.

Lola is an award-winning animation director who enjoys the meditative practice of working within the medium of glass. Fascinated by the process of rearranging a substance at the molecular level by the application of the primal element of fire, she suspends these moments in time allowing her to create unique developments in the colour, form and texture that is ultimately present in the finished pieces.

Thank you so much Lola By Design!

The First 2 Mardi Bras!

It's been a big week for Mardi-Bras!

We have received our first two bras for the show! Just like last year it was Jenn of Paper People Clothing who was first to enter and first to hand in! In case you missed out last year, Jenn did a fabulous pair of designs using all recycled materials! She even hand punched her own sequins from pop-cans! Talk about attention to detail!

Just like last year, we're not going to post photos of the Bras. We're saving the big reveal for the show. In the meantime, here's a bit about the artist herself:

Jennifer Fukushima grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, where the only clothing options were cookie cutter fashions from the local mall and second hand findings from the Salvation Army Thrift Store. In search of something different, she began surfing the internet, perusing crafty DIY sites like Sparkle Craft and Epitome Girl. At the age of seventeen, Fukushima decided to launch her own line, Paper People.

Fukushima moved to Toronto to study fashion at Ryerson University and soon her line was carried at local downtown boutiques. She sourced second hand t-shirts and turned them into funky, eclectic tank tops. Paper People has since evolved to include eco-friendly options, such as bamboo, hemp and organic cotton garments. The line blends colour, texture and pattern for a DIY, handmade appeal.

Today Paper People is carried at many independent boutiques in Toronto and across Canada. Check out: www.paperpeopleclothing.com for more information and shop listings.












Thank you so much Paper People Clothing!

www.mardi-bras.com

We made it "official" and bought www.mardi-bras.com. It's still under some construction, but go check it out. We've got photos up from last year, links, and the standard 411.

More to come!

The Princess Margaret Changes The Face Of Breast Cancer Diagnosis In Canada!

These are the kind of headlines that keep us stoked about continuing support of the amazing team at Princess Margaret Hospital!

This is so thrilling! As you probably know by now, Mardi-Bras is a fund raiser in support of Princess Margaret Hospital. In the past 6 years that they have been doing the Weekend To End Breast Cancer, millions of dollars have been raised to support research, treatment, and survivorship services to one of the top 5 cancer hospitals in the world! One of the programs the WEBC has been seeding is the rapid diagnosis program. (One of the biggest weapons in fighting any kind of cancer is early diagnosis and treatment.) Thanks to an incredibly generous $12.5-million donation provided by Emmanuelle Gattuso and Allan Slaight, the Princess Margaret has announced same-day diagnosis, effectively eradicating a 37-day wait and all the anxiety that goes with it!

How phenomenal is that?! We're so excited about it, I'm pasting the full WEBC newsletter and corresponding links below, it's really worth checking out. As terrific as this news is, the fight isn't over yet. Although we'd all love to have $12.5 million to donate, every little bit helps. So come on out and have a great time for a great cause at Mardi-Bras, and if you can't make it, you can still pledge the hospital directly through the WEBC for a tax receipt, or just to feel great about being part of the team who is going to beat cancer!!

Congratulations to PMH!

Dear Friend,

You are making a difference! Don’t stop fundraising. Every dollar counts. Today, The Princess Margaret Hospital announced the creation of The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre named after the generous gift of $12.5 million from Emmanuelle Gattuso and Allan Slaight. This centre was seed-funded by the dollars you raised during The Weekend to End Breast Cancer^® benefiting The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret.

As there are often long wait times for breast cancer screening and diagnosis, patients of The Princess Margaret will be able to avoid the anxiety of waiting and receive same-day diagnosis.

The program and its capacity will grow over time. In the next few months the program will be able to accommodate 15 patients per week (or 750 per year) and will increase exponentially with a vision of diagnosing 3,000 patients per year by the time the program is running at full capacity in 2013. We hope The Rapid Diagnostic Centre will help transform patient care not just at The Princess Margaret but elsewhere.

Using a new pathology processor funded by The Weekend to End Breast Cancer participants and donors, the vision for the program is for women and men suspected of having breast cancer to receive all their tests, diagnosis, and treatment plan in one day at Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Globe and Mail has reported on this exciting news. To read more, view the article here.

Know that you are helping those like Karen Louie, who took part in a pilot project at the hospital, to fight a daunting disease. Ms. Louie was given her breast cancer diagnosis and a treatment plan within three hours of her biopsy in May 2008.

"When we left, we were shell-shocked, but felt reassured that at least we now knew what we were dealing with," Karen Louie, vice-president, general counsel and secretary at Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., said of the three-hour wait with her husband for a diagnosis. "We had a plan of action we could focus on."

Paul Alofs, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, said he hopes other centres can replicate the service and that it can be expanded to other kinds of cancer.

Sincerely,

The Weekend to End Breast Cancer
Benefiting The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret

The Bigger, Bolder Weekend. Fighting all women’s cancers, step by step.

Air Combat Zone!

Attention all you urban Top Gun (ers)!

We have received word from Air Combat Zone, (ACZ Mississauga) that two people will be needed to accept a high flying mission into Awesometown!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to spend 90 minutes training and flying live action, head-to-head combat with one of your friends in the cockpit of a CF-18 Hornet Jet Fighter flight simulators! From signing in at flight ops, right through to your return to base, missions at Air Combat Zone are a completely unique entertainment experience from start to finish. Relax in the ready room until your mission launch time, complete your flight and combat skills training, attend the pre-mission briefing and then you're off to take to the sky on a mission in CF-18 Hornet combat flight simulators. Your mission will be the most fun and realistic fighter pilot experience available without joining the Air Force.

If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to be a real F/A-18 pilot, now’s your chance to find out. The Air Combat Zone experience redefines entertainment to bring you the thrill of a lifetime!

*no previous flying experience necessary.

This amazing experience will be added to the Mardi-Bras silent auction, so get there early and get in your bid!











Thank you SO much Air Combat Zone!

The Mannequin Pimp!

Mardi-Bras would like to thank our wonderful sponsor Conn Burke of Recycled Displays, who has generously donated the use of display mannequins to honour the Courage and Strength of all woman who are affected by Breast Cancer, especially Lorraine Waldman.

Direct From KuKu CaJu!

The lovely ladies from KuKu CaJu, in the booming metropolis of Damascus, Ontario, have generously donated one of their whimsical paintings on wood for the Mardi-Bras Silent Auction! Check out their funky work at kukucaju.etsy.com! We are so grateful, and excited to have them on board!

Odd Bird Designs

Just got word from Tara of Odd Bird Designs that Mardi-Bras will receive another 10 of her one-of-a-kind domino pendants! These were a big hit in the silent auction last year.

Odd Bird transforms ordinary little objects into pieces of unique jewelry. Inspired by game pieces and bric-a-brac, Odd Bird sets out to create mixed media pieces that are decidedly quirky yet fun to wear. Odd Bird is for those who want to stand out from the flock!

Tara Campbell has always enjoyed alternative crafting. She is a member of the Fresh Collective (designers' co-op) in Toronto and also works in the animation industry. Check her out online at her site or on her Etsy shop!


Thanks so much Tara of Odd Bird!

Get Spun

Everyone knows that keeping yourself in good health, reducing fats, not smoking and getting lots of exercise is a great way to reduce your risk of developing cancer.

To that end, I'm particularly excited to have Get Spun on board as the latest Mardi-Bras benefactor! They have generously donated a gift pass for a full month of unlimited spinning classes! Get spun is one of the friendliest work out facilities I've been to. They offer cycling, pilates, and gravity classes for all fitness levels. You can even pay per class if you're not sure and want to try it out first!

Thanks so much Christie Ness and the super staff of Get Spun Toronto!

Ultra Bras!

Exciting news from Mardi Bras Central. A generous person, who shall remain nameless, someplace somewhere in North America managed to procur four autographed bras of super talent DJ's and musical artists. A full list of autographs is on its way, but for those curious, here's a link to a picture of the phenomenal Fergie, from the Grammy Award-winning Black-Eyed Peas, signing one of our bras! Stay tuned for more!

Photos!

It's been expressed that a few people were having trouble finding the photos from last year. Can't have that, they're too fantastic to hide!

Here are two links to the blog posts with the photos from last year's Mardi Bras.

Hope they inspire all kinds of new and wonderful things for this year!

Imaginism Studios

This week I picked up a very beautiful and generous donation from the incredible artists at Imaginism Studios!

Six, specially selected prints from their collection for our silent auction! I'm not going to give away which ones were donated, you'll have to come see them at Mardi-Bras! In the meantime, have a browse through their online gallery, I'm sure you'll enjoy their work as much as I do.

...well, ok. Here's a sneak peak:


Thank you so much Kei & Bobby of Imaginism Studios!

Banjo Puppets

Banjo Puppets, a favourite from last year's silent auction, has generously offered to sponsor us again for Mardi-Bras 2009!

Joel, will also be at the One Of A Kind show and sale from April 1 to 5! Check out the artisan profile.

The little friends he created for us last year were so popular and so well made, we can't wait to see what he's got prepared for this year!


Thank you so much Banjo Puppets!

Gladstone Hotel

Mardi-Bras wouldn't be as large as it's become this year without the very generous support of one of Toronto's finest establishments, the Gladstone Hotel!

Business and leisure travellers flock to experience the Gladstone Hotel’s artist-designed accommodations, local cultural events, diverse, friendly staff and great food and drink presented in a truly Torontonian neighbourhood environment. Restored and revitalized in 2005, Toronto’s historic landmark Gladstone Hotel has established an international reputation as a unique urban hotel providing an authentic experience of local creative culture. The hotel has become a social and cultural incubator facilitating new ways of experiencing art, culture and community.

One of the top 10 art hotels in the world!

~ LUX Magazine Summer 2008

One of the top 10 hotels in Toronto and “best artistic experience”

~ Guardian UK 28.12.07

Personally, I'm very excited about the atmosphere the Gladstone gives this event! They have great photos on their website, so I'll only post a few here, but check out the gorgeous old wood bars and rich drapery! It's elegant, colourful, the staff have been so wonderful and accommodating, I would recommend them for any occasion.

Thank you so much to all the folks at the Gladstone Hotel!