MzMeenie Studios

Ameena Siddique has been offering freelance animation services under the moniker MzMeenie Studios since 2011. In March of 2019 she expanded her business to include a multitude of fun pop-culture and geek inspired textile products. I was able to speak with Ameena about it and she was first inspired to expand after finding a printed fabric she loved and making some things for herself, and then for friends and family as gifts, and things evolved from there!

Filled with eye-catching colours and patterns, she opened her space in the Junction Arts Market in March of 2020. In the MzMeenie Studios shop, you’ll find reusable cloth masks in three sizes, including a child-friendly one, all featuring adjustable ear straps, a pocket for a filter (not included), and reversible designs. One side of each mask displays a range of colourful or neutral repeating designs, while the other focuses on geek chic, with recognizable princesses, villains and heroes, and more.

Hand sewn cushion covers in a myriad of fabrics adorn the shelves, patterns boasting cartoons to craft beer, to characters from fan-favourite sci-fi or comic franchises. Available with or without a cushion insert, these playful home accessories are ready to brighten any living space, and make excellent house-warming gifts. A row of pouches hangs on a pegboard, and still more fill wire baskets on the shelves. These pouches range from small coin and card holders to larger versions that could accommodate anything from makeup to stationary to electronics. In her first open air markets, Ameena had mostly prints of her original work with only 8 or so pouches. People began asking if she had more sizes or other textile works, and so her repertoire began to expand as she anticipated customer suggestions and moved towards eco-friendly solutions with fun printed fabrics.

Through trial and error she began to create new things and would retire them or make more depending on how they were received. Thus, in her space you’ll also find fun themed bowties for the dapper individual in your life, or be able to pick up a slim art book filled with original work, along with small prints of original work and sailor senshi. All of Ameena’s work is handmade locally in Toronto with care, and custom orders are available too! She loves drawing, which is what MzMeenie Studios was originally about, but she has embraced the evolution of her business. In the next few years, she hopes to move into creating her own fabric patterns for use in interior design.

In the short term, keep a lookout for her reusable cloth utensil pouches coming to Arts Market soon! You can find MzMeenie Studios at 2978 Dundas Street West, Toronto or virtually on Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy.