Knock Knock! Who's There?

Well, it's US! We are Nicole and Ally, the co-founders and hardworking crafters of I Heart That! Dance -- makers of cute, affordable handmade accessories, warmups and gear for Irish and Highland dancers (or those that just want to look like one!) We started this company because (a) we needed an outlet for our glitter obsession and (b) we believe that you can have handmade quality at good prices.

Our online store and Etsy shop should be available soon, but in the meantime we've started this blog so folks can get to know us a little better, get a sneak preview of existing products and new designs, and see some behind-the-scenes glimpses into life at I Heart That! Dance (mostly it's trying to make things as sparkly as possible). Also, please visit our Flickr site to see photos of designs and past projects, as well as things in the works!

Now onto the introductions!


Ally has been Highland dancing for 6 years (minus one year out to have a wee Peanut named Wendy) and Irish dancing for 2 years. She took up Highland after spending a year watching dancers compete at assorted Ontario Highland Games while tagging along with (then-boyfriend, now-husband) Phil, who was piping for the competitions. Nobody told her that Ontario dancers just make it LOOK easy, so she decided to take it up. Turns out it's about the freakin' hardest thing ever, but also fun as all heck so she's still around, doing a little competing and training for her teacher's exams with Nancy Richardson of the Richardson School of Highland Dance.

Having had the bug for Irish dancing since LONG before Riverdance, Ally is very happy to be a student with Michael and Patricia Farrell at Greenfire Academy in Toronto, Ontario -- not in the least because this is where she and Nicole met! Actively competing in the Novice "&Overs" she is looking forward this year to dancing her new steps and new traditional set (Job of Journeywork) in her NEW SOLO! Yeah!

Craftwise Ally is responsible for the "sewing" side of the business -- from her first tries at quilting to the current addiction to shiny applique she loves to put things together people can hopefully love and use for a long time to come.