I'm squishing your head

Some of you may have noticed a new addition to Meandering Design. I'm pleased as punch to announce that my friend, and maker extraordinaire, Sheska will be creating fabulous things for the shop from her perch in Vancouver. I think her bio best describes why I'm so happy to have her join me in this venture-

Krusheska (Sheska) Quiros, whose alternate persona is "Razorwinged... more than just a little butterfly", is the Usable Crafts Maker and Spatial Logistics Director at Meandering Design. Sheska has an insatiable need to collect and apply knowledge, and to make usable things. That combination meant she: pursued a Masters degree in Anthropology and an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts Accredited by Le Cordon Bleu (just because), sewed custom backpacks and bags for her brother, dad and others, built a greenhouse, drafted sewing patterns, made holiday cards using the traditional printmaking form of etching, utilized open source software for various projects, patched her favorite jeans to keep them going and altered them so they were better for bike riding, traveled the world cooking for an international circus, took up crocheting like a duck to water with intense concentration and perfect stitches and in her free time she goes bouldering. She is not constrained by one medium but utilizes everything at hand including paper, fiber, metal, food, beverages (she makes a mean Mexican hot chocolate), electronics, software and whatever she can manipulate to do her bidding.

Sheska and I share many of the same values. We both believe that we can do good for the environment by upcycling, we have a strong respect for artisans, crafters and makers, we both love to share our passion through teaching, we both have a voracious appetite for new knowledge, and we are both constantly making things. Sheska brings a more utilitarian aesthetic to the table, and while she can appreciate my love of 1960's floral polyester, she isn't going to be wearing it anytime soon. 

I think I summed up our partnership best on our "About Us" page when I said-

Together Kandy and Sheska make up Meandering Design. An engaging clash of Victorian and modern, romantic and industrial, and Luddite and technophile. These two individual design styles create a harmonious tension within Meandering Design. Regardless of style both designers are influenced by their need to repurpose items and give them a new life, along with a new story, and by a profound respect for good design.

You will also start to hear her very unique voice on the blog, on facebook, and on twitter.