Finds...

Today while popping up posters for market3031 I stumbled across the Kris Kringle Night Market at the Northcote Town Hall.
I bought this little hair clip. Why you ask? Well I like to see what other people are creating, as well as to buy other peoples stuff.
This little clip was make by Cherry Stew. She also makes some gorgeous little outfits - but I have no little people to give these to at the moment.

Also in my travels this afternoon I stumbled across Local Shop. The place had a wonderful feel about it...and the smell was beautiful. It is a flower shop at the front and some fantastic products by some very cleaver locals at the back. They now stock Rabbit & the Duck stuff - who has some great photos of the Local Shop in her blog.
They are so new they don't seem to have a website.

Should I get a job???

I quit my job on Friday. I returned from Asia and had this overwhelming feeling I didn't want to go back there any more. For the past 6 years I have been in the 'health promotion' business - encouraging kids to walk to school.

If you know me you know I usually say it as I see it. I told my boss - my heart's not in it any more. Someone else can put thier passion into it. Not sure when I will actually finish - as I am busy at the moment doing my Cert IV in Tranining and Assessment (which work payed for!). and getting more things ready for Yarraville market and Market3031.

I know what I would like to do - but is there a demand for it.

I WOULD LIKE TO TEACH CROCHET.

I have never asked for feedback before but I am now.

Is there anyone out there (in Melbourne) who would be interested in learning the ins & outs of how to crochet???
I'm not asking you to sign up or anything - I just want to know if there is a need.

Christmas market time.......

I think make a bit of an effort this year to buy local and handmade.

To help you out I will be at Yarraville Market on Saturday Dec 5 &
Market3031 on Dec 12

Come and say hello

Lou's market....

Thread Den Market purchases.....

I've been meaning to show you my buttons!

note to self

I just found this groovy shop via Modern in Maroondah - want to go and check it out. I do at times tend to use this blog as a notebook for myself.

I think I need to get ready for the market tomorrow.....

Yarraville Market

My first Yarraville Market this weekend.

If you havn't been before - pop on down and say hello

I've got a busy few days ahead of me.

Via Pepperberry I found a great market check list on badskirt

I've added it to my list

Markets in Melbourne.......

.....Seem to be the way everyone shops theses days

I took X,Y,Z to the Flemington Market this morning....to see Jacquie and her gorgeous makings. She has no Blog, website, esty store or made it site....yet!!!
But you could always get her details via me until they are up and going
Kim does. She sells maternity & kids tees. I particularly liked this one

But I also love the idea of this one On the way home we went past this market. I really wanted to go....but knew I'd be pushing my luck. Next time

Market Day

I went to Sisters Market yesterday....here's a bit of a wrap up of my best bits

My mum collects bookmarks - so I grabbed this one from Alison at 'stitch in time', and mum loved it.

I had quite a chat with Shannon from Rabbit & the Duck. Love her stuff! I got one of her luggage tags.

I thought these were great. I don't need one anymore - but you might!

You can buy them online at mumma's mate. They deliver too

I really loved Madeleine's stuff. So original


Alison from Lark was there too. Cuppa?

They of course were not the only ones there. Rochelle from Little Red Duck, who sells gorgeous t-shits. Nichole's one-off clothes and bags made with recycled and vintage fabrics - redressd.
There were also a few talented illustrators - Philippa and Elise.
Other crafty types there were Tiges and Weince, Indigo Rose and Moyou

Melbourne = 154

I have now 154 Melbourne crafty blogs listed on my blogroll - If I've left you off let me know. That's lots of blogging!

I'm off to here tonight - let you know what it was like!

To Market To Market

Next week is Mothers Day. So this weekend it's craft markets at every turn!
It was a beautiful Melbourne Autumn day. Bit chilly in the morning, but if you could find a spot in the sun....prefect.

My first stop was Yarraville Market run by the lovey Lou
It's on once a month - and definitely worth checking out.

I bought some honey for my mummy! It's from Urban Honey Co.
The honey is collected from around the local area - in fact they have such a low carbon footprint - the bees travel more miles to make the stuff. They deliver it on a specially made bike too. And they make candles & furniture polish. yummm.

Next stop was the new Substation Market in Newport (sorry Lou I had to see for myself). Saw a few stall holders I know. It was in the old - very cold substation - that the council have spend a lot of money on to look great.

Finally - and nearly marketed out I went to the Made N Thornbury market.

I enjoyed this one a lot. They had a bit of food, lots of crafty Melbourne people I hadn't seen before, and some I know of. It had a cosy community feel to it

These gorgeous cushions are made by CravingFrocks and she will make them to order. Love 'em

I bought these cute little purses. The B&W on I believe is Japanese Family crests.

Mum is also getting one of Curlypops bookmarks

And how about these cuties by Flickettysplits - I particularly like the doorstop in retro fabricsAnd Little Red Riding hood made by nettle & brier

I also saw selling their wears today Tania, Finki, TinnieGirl - who I met at the Stitches & Craft Show. Also there was ButtonsByLouLou.

It was a real bloggers market...which has got me thinking again....I better not...to busy

http://vestalvagrant.livejournal.com/

When it rains ....it pours.

OMG!
what was that weather on Saturday????
well despite it a lot of people braved the rain and hail and came out to market3031!
My lovely assistant was there helping me (at times)
If you missed out - or would like to buy more - I will up my remaining stock on Etsy this week.

My 15 Minutes.........

Tomorrow is market3031.
Today I got an early copy of tomorrows paper.
See me in upfront in The Age.

To market to maket to buy........

Popped into Sisters Market yesterday and saw a few familiar faces, and was able to put some faces to some blogs as well........ Auntie Cookie, Grace, and Penny were all their. Got my copy of Mixtape and had a chat to Nic & Jus. Now I just need to find a time to sit and read it!



I've been in full maket3031 production mode.

As the boys from Depeche Mode said so well.......... 'I just can't get enough'

Today the kids were playing at my mum's......................

Why spend 100's of bucks at Chirstmas time........all they play with is the box!

Then they got a hold of my camera.....


My nephew spends all day chatting...I can't understand most of what he says....but for some unknown reason all his sentences end in Elmo.
(Photo by Jack)

This dog snores ...and she even has her own website!
(Photo by Zoe)

Took the kids to Chaddy on Saturday - It was hard work getting them out of the Apple shop.

Popped in an saw the ladies at Ink & Spindle today. They are up and running and I love their designs!

Things are progressing well for market3031 - lots of new crafty stall holders - they just seem to come out of the woodwork! It's fantastic. Now all we need is a day like today!

Coming soon!!!
School had their biannual art auction last night.

My donation was hotly bit on - jump on etsy if you missed out!

As part of the art show there was some great stuff put on the bike shed!

In the post this week I got my first online book.

Thanks Natalie from Arthur's circus for telling me about fishpond -

the Australian version of amazon

Yesterday was a big day!
I went on a school excursion to the Immigration Museum....

60+ preps, on the train, then a walk along the river, have a look around, then back on the train to school - wow. I was exhausted...they were stuffed!!
The photo is yet another bad photo of Jack (silly cheesy smile) - they had to find there name withing the list of immigrants.

If you get a chance go and see the Kimono exhibition - on until the 14 September.

Today Angus is 8 - where drums a good idea?

Another week....gone!

The stall at Rose Street Market last week

I think it was maybe a bit too bright and colourful for Fitzroy

I am always amazed how quickly the weeks just pass by. Every Wednesday after school I'm stilling in the park watching the kids play the same old games, the local boys pass through on their way to footy training, and later after dinner I usually attempt to wash my nearly eight year olds hair without him soaking me!

As I mentioned I am planning a new direction in life. The more I dig the deeper I get tangled in the red tape. But I've got lots of pairs of scissors all over the house - and particularly the red sewing ones - so I'll just keep cutting each piece of red tape as I find it!

I had lunch the other day with the lovely Kaye (happy birthday love!) She showed me a little place she goes and buys furniture - Egan's. Bit tricky to find - along the edge of the Maribyrnong in the back blocks of Footscray (map on website so don't panic) They have auctions there every Tuesday at 10am.

The progress of the next market3031 is coming along. We are going to have a special fund raiser to buy insurance and advertising etc. It will be a 'swap' day. You pay $10, bring 10 pre-loved quality items (toys, books, clothes, Cd's & DVDs) and you get to take 10 new things home with you! Stay tuned for more details.

If you can read Portuguese - check out maçã riscada. It has beautiful things. I of course just look at the pictures!

Can I pull this off...........

I am still trying to get my head around this blogging thing. I forget each time how I lay out my posts. Is that old age or just me!

When I was much younger that I am now I used to be a regular at this ......but it wasn't so public. It was in a diary that I kept under my mattress. Now they are all under my bed. I read them now and then, but they were pretty boring. At least I can put photos and pictures here, where as back then it was stickers and drawings with my latest coloured pencil that I'd saved up to buy.

This was from my garden a few weeks ago....I have quite a lot of lovely weeds growing in my garden.

My Rose Street Market venture wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. Claire (AKA Button Chick) and Meg (from Meg's Threads) did a bit better. I could blame it on the weather etc - but I think Stacey's correct when she said my stuff just isn't as 'edgy' as other artist there. I will persist for the next two and see how things go.

I have been thinking of my next big thing, and if I can pull it off, do I do it alone, with a group or not at all.....more to come on that one!

Rain, Rainbows and Radio

I am count downing to Cambodia. In the next school holidays I am taking the kids and mum to Cambodia to visit Peter (my brother) who is about to become a dad for the first time! He's been over there for a while now running a hotel with a friend. The photo above is of Peter's car outside in the rain about a year ago - hopefully we'll get a bit of beach weather!

I love colour. I also love order!

You can spend a lot of time sorting things....but if my desk, room, house, car etc ....is tidy & 'sorted' my mind is too.

This week I have been making something from the 'last minute patchwork gift' book. Pencil case rolls - which I hope will sell once they are finish - either on Etsy or at the Rose St Market where I will be having a stall in August

Did you know it was 'walk to school' day last Friday? Well Jack got to talk to Hughies & Kate from Nova 100....with a little help from Drew Petrie from North Melbourne Footy Club. They then walked to school together with Zoe, Angus, Frank, John & Pete!