A Few of our Favourite Things

This holiday season we’re having fun re-gramming a few of our favourite things. In the weeks leading up to Christmas 2020, we’re re-posting items that caught our collective eye in Summer 2020. From art and food, to fashion and fun, all items are either made in Muskoka, or add to cottage life in a meaningful way. We’re especially fond of gifts you can shop local, or that support artists and writers endeavouring to stay afloat during these odd times we’re living through. Looking for gift ideas? Catch up with @MuskokaStyleMag on Instagram for ongoing inspo, or check back (regularly!) here.

Pop Art by Michelle Vella

Canadian artist Michelle Vella is known for her bold, fun and colourful works. From her studio in Toronto, Vella paints subjects that celebrate pop culture, feminism, fashion, and equality. Her most popular works include her portraits of icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Andy Warhol… and she spends a lot of time capturing the jetset of Muskoka in custom works. For a taste of Vella’s work, here’s a link to a feature we ran way back in Summer 2016, titled Muskoka Brush With Fame & Fashion. 

Nature Art by Wendie Donabie

Anything by artist Wendie Donabie is counted among our favourite things. Stop by her Bracebridge gallery, Heron’s Nest, in person or online, for holiday gifts small or large: paintings, stained glass and more. To learn more, here’s a link to a feature we ran in August 2020 titled The Whimsical World of Wendie Donabie.

An ABCdery of Muskoka’s History

An ABCdery of Muskoka’s History is a beautifully illustrated alphabetical history of Muskoka. Words by Elizabeth Rush Brooks and illustrations by Jennifer Wardle, the book is featured and sold on Facebook and Instagram @lost_together_books .

Doggles for the Muskoka Dog

Dogs need sunglasses, too. We purchased a set of Doggles last summer for Teddy Bear, MuskokaStyle’s honorary, lake-loving pooch. And while we don’t have a review of these brighten-your-day sunnies, we do have a link to learn more about Doggles here and we count them among our #favouritethings.

Throwback Travel Posters

Missing travel? We are. Sifting longingly through Instagram we met Capri Sadler, a Muskoka / Whistler artist with an incurable case of wanderlust. Capri has spent the past few years exploring Australia… in a van. Her vintage posters depict iconic hot spots—Whistler, Byron Bay, The Kee to Bala—in a style that sends us back in time. For more on this travel art, see our Summer ’20 profile: Meet Muskoka’s Latest Poster Girl: Capri Sadler.

Wearable Art

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What is wearable art? It’s art you can wear! In this case, wrap skirts imprinted with paintings by Muskoka artist Michelle Vyn. We’re especially partial to the blue, which is based on a work titled “Convergence of the Four Winds”. The pink/yellow skirt is from “Flower of the Mountain”, and the butterfly is from “Iridescent Beauty”. All three are reasonably priced on Vyn’s online shop, Vine Art Gallery of Muskoka. For more information and a link to Vyn’s work, see our Summer 2020 artist profile by Wendie Donabie titled The One World of Artist Michelle Vyn.

Holiday Cards Made in Muskoka

One day we’ll write a profile of Muskoka’s Cabin Card Co. For now, their Insta feed caught our eye with posts of blank cards for any occasion, including this favourite of ours: a ski scene in cottage country. For more, click here.

Anything in Lake Blue

It’s no secret, we adore the colour blue. Lake blue. Indigo Blue. Cornflower Blue. Royal Blue. Navy Blue. You get it, it’s a favourite of ours. We featured a profile a few summers ago on these round beach towels by Canada’s Tofino Towel Co. Its title: The Roundie. And while we love them still, we’re also re-posting here simply because… yes… they’re blue, and we love blue.