BrisStyle Eco market tomorrow
Just popping in quickly to remind you all that the fabulous BrisStyle Indie Designer's Eco Market will be on tomorrow.
Everything there will be either organic, sustainable or refashioned, upcycled, vintage.... Whatever you want to call it, it's all ECO.
I do wish that we were going to be having a stall there, as of course Red Seed Studio fits right in with the 'eco' market. Unfortunately I've been too busy being a mum, and dreaming of other {life} plans to have a stall this weekend. Next time around, for sure.
Do go and visit. Peppermint Mag will be there. As well as 35 other stall holders, vegan sausage stand, coffee cart, music, Reverse Garbage, and a fun day out. I'm hoping to make it along - I always love the chance to be on the other side of the market stall and check all the wares out as a shopper. {Not to say that being "stuck" behind a market table isn't wonderful at such events where all the customers are friendly and lovely to chat to}.
I'm taking along my pocket money, as I've heard rumour Kim from KW Ceramics will be having a sale on her beautiful pieces. Would love to add a few more to my collection.
{I'll be back soon, I do promise, have just needed a short while away to clear my head - or sit in the small patches of sun with the little ones, and try to not go too crazy with wishful thinking over the what-ifs and would-bes of looking at new houses and land in the country to buy.... yet not quite finding our dream home yet}.
craftiness the Bris-Style way
This coming Saturday sees another glorious Winter day (fingers crossed we get the sun and not the wind and rain!) at the beautiful St Augustine's Church Grounds. Bris-Style's Winter Indie Designer's market is always a day of the best craft around, and the friendliest smiles and of course great displays too. Make sure you do come along for a fun day out - rain or shine we'll all be there.
Here's just a small line-up of a few of my favourites from the Bris-Style gang (which continues to grow each and every day).
Edward and Lily's Cherry Blossom Hand Embroidered Pendant
Flight Industries Local Owl Linocut Print or Sweet Little Cards
Hot Toffee's Juicy Apple Dangles or Juicy Lemon Lolly Cubes Fused Glass Earrings
SMBoutique's Hand Felted Scarflet with shades of grey, pink and white
Moose & Bird's Fabric Doll
Jettas Nest's Juicy Pear Brooch
Blossom Child's Summer Dress or Boys Plane Shorts
Enticing Icing's Edible Butterfly Cake Toppers or Sugar Letters
A Creature Strange's Yoyo Necklace in Caramel and Chocolate
Ruby2GoGo's Brilliante Frida Necklace
And of course, I'll be there too. With some new things that I'm making, and our fabrics - scrap packs and fat quarters. I'll have my trusty mirror/badge machine, which had a lot of fun at our last market outing, so bring your creative self and make a little treasure to take home.
See you Saturday.
market loveliness - Miss Dish
I keep forgetting to let you know about the lovely and super sweet Nat from Miss Dish. I will be sharing a stall with Nat at the Bris-Style Twilight Market this coming Friday night. It's going to be so fun to hang out with such a girly girl, and have chats and giggles.
I'm really going to have to make sure I remember to put my make-up on for market night - as Nat is always so stylishly dressed up.
Nat and I got to know each other at the Bizness Babes course. It's been lovely sharing market, business, crafting and Roller Derby news with her. (We both recently attended the Derby, though didn't know each was there until after the night - what with 4500 other people!)
Have a look at her beautiful jewellery pieces. Old world charm, Hollywood glamour, vintage meets modern meets pretty.
So, come along and visit us. There'll be shimmery lights and friendly smiles lighting up King George Square, from all the Bris-Style girls and guys.
*All images used with thanks from Nat at Miss Dish.
in other news
I've been mentioning it here in little snippets, but it's all official now (well, it was last Friday - but been a bit busy since then doing other stuff). So, we have SOLD our house. In less than a week, how amazing is that. We had the first open for inspection on a Saturday, and an offer in on the Thursday night.A lovely young(ish - you compared to old 35-yr Sam and 31-yr me!!) couple, who have lots of ideas (and the funds) to do this old (at least 70+ yrs old) house some justice. We already told them that we'd come and check it out in a year or so.
So, we have to be out of here in about 7 or 8 days. Have we started packing. As if, no way! Why would we want to start doing something like so early. We want to do that at the last minute, hey. We did already pack up half our stuff and move it to a storage place (to make the house look less "cluttered" for open inspections). But, we still do have a lot a lot a lot of stuff. We've been living here for about 7 or so years (more, can't remember now), and have the accumulated junk that comes with not moving too often.
In our new house I will have my own little sewing studio. I'm calling it a studio, rather than a sewing room - sounds much more fun. It is little, but I think it has lots of good light. I'm dreaming about it. Oh, the possibilities. The excitement.
Currently I have my sewing table in the corner of our living room. And it's simply not enough for me to have my thinking space and creative space and try and run a business in as well. So, good things ahead.
Please help me out with dreams for my new studio. I'd love thoughts and ideas on what works for you in a smallish space, for multi crafting, and to accommodate kids, and a guest bed. I'd love links to inspirational photos. So, if you have a great room yourself, or have been dreaming similar dreams of your own room, please speak up.
I took these photos the other day, when the kids + I had lunch in the backyard. Despite all my wishings it was different, this house has been good to us. And I know how lucky we have been.For those of you in Brisbane, make sure you get to the Portside Boutique markets on Sunday. Peppermint will be there, selling issue 3 and subscriptions. As well as many of the beautiful BrisStylettes with their wares. At last I'll be able to look around and see it all, being on the other side of the market table will be nice. Oh, and did I mention there'll be a coffee + chocolate festival too.
I'm sure you're all hanging on the edge of your seats waiting to hear about my market weekend marathon.BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market, on Saturday, was so so lovely. What a glorious, friendly, smiley and talented group of women. The weather was almost perfect (bit too windy and standing in the sun all day took it out of me). The customers started before we'd even properly set up our stalls and continued until just after lunch time - when we were allowed to pack up and go home.The location was so perfect - the grassy grounds of a church, and inside their hall. We missed a bride, but did see the groom and best man as well as some well dressed guests.
Unfortunately I didn't get around to see all the stalls. I did take one extended (chatting along the way) toilet break, but apart from that missed out on the great set ups and amazing crafts and wares that were on offer.Check over at the BrisStyle blog to see all the other Stylettes, and read a great little round up of the whole glorious day. Also, thanks to the ever-smiley and beautiful Steph Bond for taking a photo of our skateboard buttons before they all sold out. You heard it - Sam had to rush home and make more for the Southbank YDM, for Sunday. Still didn't get to see her little one - fast asleep in the pram.
The biggest thanks must go to the amazing women - Helen, Sophie, Chris, Bel, Ali, Robyn, Bec & Rebecca - who put so much into getting it all organised and together. For working tirelessly, during your "normal" jobs, your own crafting and parenting and general life. For putting the word out there, getting promo spots all over the place. And for having all sorts of customers come along and support the handcrafted movement.
Kelley and I had a fun, exciting day - meeting people, and smiling and saying hello (many faces I know, but not always able to put names to! Please forgive me if I didn't remember you....). 
Southbank Market wasn't quite as sunny or warm. But I did get to spend the day with Katy, from whatkatydid. I met her at Brown Owls, where we chatted over granny squares. And when I put out the call for help, she offered. We chatted all day (seeing as how there were basically no customers... poohy) about all sorts of things. Katy is so much more mature than her years (ok, I don't know how old she actually is - but she looks like a "spring chicken" to me. like I'm some old-fogie). She's one of those people that tries all sorts of things and has skills and talents in so many different crafts and arts. Check out her new machine - can't wait to see that and have a play with it. Thank you so so so so much Katy for spending your day with me, and helping. It was fun and I learnt so much from you. Can't wait to catch up again.
Also, she wore her world's coolest skirt. I forgot to take photos. I think we were chatting too much!
********** I'm sorry about the quality of my photos. Not sure what's wrong with them, hope my camera isn't starting to do cheeky things.
in my hands :: reworking :: remaking :: remembering
Market prep work today. Kids were at Sylv's. After pancake breakfast (yes, third day in a row - no bread in the house*).Sam went downstairs to his little room, and measured and cut and then sanded. He kept running back upstairs to show me the newest piece. Each one beautiful and unique and fun. I'll show you tomorrow the buttons and little pieces he's been making. All from used skateboards. They have such colours and graphics.
He's been using a big sanding machine, of my dad's. It sounded like there was a steam train downstairs!
And me, upstairs. I've been slowly unpicking some special treasures that some dear dear friends sent to us a little while ago, from Japan. Thank you Dan + Aya. We treasure your friendship so dearly.
The kimonos and obis are sewn with care and tenderness. I've been thinking about who sewed them; those tiny, invisible and accurate stitches. And who wore them; the stains along the bottom as it dragged on the ground; the extra piece patched in that was possibly from another family heirloom. And thinking about where they will go once I unpick and then resew them into new pieces. For other people to take home. To add their memories and stories to the material.
So. That's what we've been doing today. Taking apart and reworking pieces of life, of memories, of thoughts, of feelings, of adventures.Sam with those skateboards that have been ridden** and jumped and snapped (with excitement and joy and sometimes fear).
Me with the fabric and material of everyday cottons or special day silks.
Please do come and visit us at the BrisStyle market, if you live round these parts. Otherwise, I'll be sure to have some photos here, or flickr or even on our website soon.
*I am sad, sorry, embarrassed to say that I have not made any bread this whole entire year. I could be a bit wrong, but I really do think that it's been all this calendar year that we have not kneaded or risen any bread in this house. I guess I should make one last loaf before we move out.
**Some were ridden by him, some by other skaters that he knows.
style in the city
I've been accepted into the wonderful BrisStyle group.
BrisStyle is a fantastic group of artists, crafters and artisans, who have joined forces to show Brisbane how much talent there is, if only you have a little look. Check out the blog, and you'll see the vast selection of crafters and designers and artists. There is so much colour and vibrancy. All BrisStyle members sell their wares on their Etsy stores.
They are a very supportive and caring, and sharing group. Together to help each other out, and push each other to fulfill our skills and talents.
They also have regular giveaways, so make sure you check that out.
If you are in Brisbane, make sure you check out the BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market. It will be held Saturday 4th July, St Augustine's Church Hall, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. This market will be jam packed with some of the best and hottest designer's and crafters around Brisbane. Every stall holder will be selling their own wares; pieces they have designed, sewn, painted, crafted, beaded, knitted. So, please do come along and have a fun day out, while supporting some of your local crafters.