Wah Wah

This gorgeous porcelain heart pendant was my treat to myself at Markit. It was made by the talented Zoe Churchill of Wah Wah Wears. I was lucky enough to have my stall next to Zoe's on Sunday. She has some amazing limited edition pieces.  You can see more of her work in her Etsy store and on her Flickr page.  It was so lovely to meet Zoe. She was a delight to be market neighbours with and thankfully was happy to cover my stall when I had to spend a penny...or two! Thanks Zoe, you're a legend!

Eye Candy

Hello! I'm back from Melbourne and I've unpacked my suitcases (strangely heavier than when I left), now to unpack my mind. Today is a day for thought gathering and studio tidying. I have lots of ideas that I want to explore and new directions that I'd like to take Notions next year. I have the next 3-4 months off from markets and I'll be using this time to (hopefully) develop my brand and explore new avenues. But more on this later.

I'm be back with a 'proper' post tomorrow, but for now I'll leave you with these sweet images...

MARKit @ Fed Square

Tomorrow I will be doing my very last market for the year. Between 10 and 5pm I'll be in the Atrium at Fed Square in Melbourne selling brooches, hair clips and earrings. If you're in Melbourne on Sunday come on down and say hello and do a bit of Christmas shopping. There will be over 50 Australian designers selling their wares so be prepared to shop, shop, shop!

My new acrylic earrings have been selling like hot cakes, so I've got lots of new Summery colours and new flowers shapes in stock. Here's a peek:

Twilight Market Tonight

Hello! Just a quick post to let all my lovely Hobartian followers know that I will be at the Collegiate Twilight Market tonight 4-7pm at Collegiate School. I will have Alice in Wonderland and Red Riding Hood brooch packs and some lovely new earrings for sale so come a long and do some Christmas shopping. 10% of all market profits goes to the school fundraising account. Also, less than a kilometer away, at St George's Church Hall in Battery Point, the Christmas Mother's Market will be on, 4-8pm.

Fancy Threads

Photos credits here

Rue

Issue 2 of Rue Magazine is now available online.  As expected it is full of delicious eye candy. These 1950s-esque Christmas images caught my eye. I love the golden hues and the shimmery turquoise...divine!

Stuffed

I'm not a big fan of taxidermy. It creeps me out a little. I once ate a buffalo burger while a buffalo (attached to the wall) watched on...I have to say, those big black eyes staring at me made me feel a little guilty.  But I wouldn't mind one of these guys in my living room.

Rachel Denny

Eye Candy

Eye candy courtesy of Amy Atlas Events.

The Apron Design Market

Wow, what a fabulous three days of markets I've had. The Apron Design Market at Seaport (Launceston) was amazing. There were so may great things about this market...I think it's my favourite so far. The weather was beautiful, the setting was perfect, the stalls were amazing, the food delicious and the customers delightful

I made some stock especially for this market, including the above Black & White collection. I was really happy with how this display turned out. It was a last minute idea that I didn't get a chance to do a practice run but thankfully it all come together. 

These little babushkas were also new. The lovely Black Eyed Susie gave me the fabric last time I was up in Launceston- thanks Suse!

Suz and Georgina did such a wonderful job organising this event. I'm so pleased that it will be become a regular on the Tasmanian design market circuit. What I loved most about this market was the opportunity to set up my own little 'shop' for the two days. I packed up my little car with as many pieces of vintage furniture and props that could fit (sadly there wasn't any room for my mum- sorry mum). I knew all that thrifting and hoarding would come in handy one day- even my new gingham table cloth got a showing.

These flower brooches were made from scraps I picked up on my last thrifting trip up north. They work perfectly with the new flower slide packaging...sadly I only had enough of these fabrics to make 5 of each colour.

The next Apron Market will be in Autumn...almost makes me want to wish away the Summer...almost!

Thrifted

I had to make an emergency dash to the op shop on Thursday to grab some cut glass bowls for my market stall at the Apron Market.  I scored three lovely bowls and then my eye caught this sweet blue gingham table cloth...I love the ricrac trim. Even better, it was half price!

Christmas Doily Garland

The other day I whipped up this sweet little deer and doily garland in less than five minutes. As you know I have a penchant for doilys and I want to incorporate them into this year's Christmas decorations around the house.  I was so pleased with how this project  turned out I thought that I'd share the process with you. You can make the garland as long as you like, you just need enough doilys to alternate them along the string. I used three different sizes of doily, but you could use as many as you like (or have on hand). I also used a glue stick, wool and double sided tape. The deers were a gift from a friend (from Ikea). 

Start by gluing smaller paper doilys to the centre of a larger ones. 

 

Then attach decorations to the doilys (you could use any light weight decorations or old Christmas cards or even crocheted flowers etc). I used double sided tape to attach the deer to the doilys.

Fold a round or oval doily in half. Thread a length of string or wool onto a needle and starting about 30cm in from the end of or string lay the string across the fold of the first fold doily and glue doily closed (being careful not to glue too close to the string (it will then move freely if you need to adjust the placement when finished).

Take your needle and thread through the doily holes along the top of your larger decorated doilys.  Repeat until all the doilys are attached to your string. Viola! A sweet little doily garland of your very own!

Inspiring Image

Okay, enough words... here is a lovely image from Dottie Angle.  Check out her latest post...full of lovely handmade Christmas ideas.

Words of Inspiration

After writing yesterday's post I cam across this (via Ink+Wit).Talk about timing!

If power in numbers is a goal for standards, ego, power, or self gratification, it will often fail as it is solely based on one's desire to attain more and more rather than simplify the goal of an intention or function of a thing. Often, a few friends, a few days, or a singular object can fill our hearts with supreme happiness and gratification. If we keep searching for more and more outside of ourselves and want and want we will look around one day and find nothing but material objects sitting as dead weight taking up space and our thoughts. And empty days passed without knowledge of the true self. But, if we think, choose and spend wisely based on what we really need and can use for self discovery, we will live simply and harmoniously in our life. We will be surrounded by a few things that have an intention, a purpose, and a role. Our company will uplift us not bring us down. Our bills will be in control. We will not keep taking to have more which pollutes the heart and causes us to keep wanting and wanting instead of being still and feeling content with exactly what we have now. Exactly what we might have if our house burned down. Self knowledge and experience. There is a great amount of quality in self knowledge. Self knowledge, as it is revealed to you will eliminate all wants and desires for that which does not serve you. You will be live simply in a space that is purified from ego, illusion, and lack of wanting more stuff, notice, fame, name and dwell in a place of ease.

    ~ Tara Hogan / INK+WIT

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