NORTHSIDE MAKERS

Making Tea Cosies workshop

2011-02-06T13:31:00.006+11:00

Bundoora Homestead Art Centre have released their guide for 2011.

Not only do they have exhibitions, but they also have hands on workshops as well for minimal cost. An up and coming one that I thought Northside peeps might like is the crochet tea cosy workshop.

Isn't this gorgeous! image via Folksy

Making Tea Cosies
Session: Saturday May 7 2011, 1.00pm to 3.00pm Tutor: Marg Lane and Maryanne Noonan
Materials: Please bring wool, needles, crochet hook Cost: $5.00

Co-curators of The Nature of Teacosies exhibition, Maryanne Noonan and Marg Lanne conduct a master class on the art and craft of tea cosy making.

If you are going, let us know!

Enjoy!

Margaret

Gallery Market on today

2010-12-05T07:39:00.001+11:00

Come find the Northside Makers collective stall at Gallery Market today!

Gallery Market @ Northcote Town Hall Civic Square
Sunday 5th December 10am-6pm
189 High St, Northcote
10 min walk from Merri and Northcote train stations
86 Tram - Stop 30

Northside Makers at Gallery Market

2010-12-02T09:22:00.003+11:00

Now that December has arrived it's time to put your handmade market shopping into high gear! Where better to start than with our very own Northside Makers collective stall at Gallery Market?

Gallery Market @ Northcote Town Hall Civic Square
Sunday 5th December 10am-6pm
189 High St, Northcote
10 min walk from Merri and Northcote train stations
86 Tram - Stop 30

Ladies Night at St. Matthew's Primary School this Friday

2010-11-11T10:49:00.006+11:00

Northside Member Piccolamia has a stall at the following event this Friday. So if you have some time, head on over to St. Matthew's School and enjoy some crafty goodness.

A warm invitation to all the women of St. Matthew's School, family and friends...

Friday 12th November ...is.... Ladies Night

via Sealed with a Kiss

St. Matthew’s Primary School
95 William Street, Fawkner

From 6.30 pm til late
Entry is $5.00 per person
with complimentary Champagne or Orange Juice on arrival

You will find over 30 stalls
Offering jewelery, cosmetics, bags, shoes,
sweets and much, much more ... with many prizes to be won !!

Be sure to bring along all the women you love to have fun with because this promises to be an unforgettable evening

Alphington Primary School Christmas Market

2010-11-03T13:18:00.002+11:00

A quick plug for a small Makers Market on this Friday night.

Alphington Primary School
Yarralea Street, Alphington

Open studios Nicholas Building 2010

2010-08-16T14:00:00.002+10:00

It's that time of the year again. The time to take a look inside some very creative studios and get inspired and motivated all over again.

Open Studios Nicholas Building 2010

Thursday 19th & Friday 20th August, 2010
4pm-9pm (both nights)

picture via Visit Melbourne

Over at the Nicholas Building Blog, there's an eInvite where you can see the list of all the artists and it is like a who's who of Handmade in Melbourne!

You can wander in and out of studios, take a look at some wonderful handmade items and if you are lucky, partake in champagne and nibblies. Get there early because it can get a bit crowded and most of the transversing of levels occurs via stairs and not the ricketty manual elevator which is probably heritage listed.

Are you going? Have you been?
Share your experiences of the Nicholas Building Open Studio.

Exhibition - The Journey Home

2010-07-19T09:00:00.000+10:00

We hope as many readers as possible can join Northside Maker Tinniegirl this Thursday at the opening night of her maiden exhibition, The Journey Home.

Here's a map, in case you haven't visited Chair 14 before. The food is wonderful.

Daylesford Roadtrip: tired but happy!

2010-07-03T20:41:00.004+10:00

Morning tea at Lark

In absentia - wish you could have been with us Curlypops!

$75 puppy dog - Finki and Mrs Beckinsale both wanted this for their little boys!

Mill Markets bathroom wallpaper

Roadtrippers, add your photos to the Northside Makers Flickr pool!

Daylesford Roadtrip tomorrow!

2010-07-02T08:47:00.003+10:00

Little bird, little bird, what do you see?

We've still got a couple spare seats for our Saturday 3rd July roadtrip if you'd like to come along - only $13 per bum. Just email northsidemakers [at]gmail.com to let us know!

P.S. The weather forecast is a min of 3 and max of 11, fog followed by (yay) sun. Rug up warm!

Images from Alice Jean's, Pivotal Xpressions, Lark and Unicorn House

Daylesford Roadtrip

2010-06-20T19:24:00.002+10:00

As our darling members already know, Northside Makers are going on a roadtrip in a couple weeks! We've booked a minibus and we're on our way to check out the Daylesford Makers Market on Saturday 3rd July. And to make the day even more special - you're invited too! You don't need to be a Northside Maker to come along on this day of fun, shopping and inspiration.

Our itinerary for the day is still evolving but here it is in essentials:

9am: Meet in Northcote & hop on the bus
First stop: Special Northside Makers shopping event at Lark, including the twice-yearly Lark Garage Sale and a very special discount just for our roadtrippers!
Then: On to Daylesford Makers Market to see some of your favourite crafters and meet heaps of new ones
Lunch: at The Food Gallery with plenty of vegetarian & vegan options (at roadtrippers' own expense)
Afternoon: Free time in Daylesford or pop back on the minibus to visit Mill Markets
When we're all tired out: Stumble on to the bus and wake up in Northcote

Seats are $13 a head and are first-come-first-served, payable on the day. To book a seat for yourself and maybe your bestie, sister or mum email us now at northsidemakers@gmail.com!

We'd love to have you with us!

Craft Hatch Saturday 12th June

2010-06-10T15:09:00.001+10:00

If you are kicking around the city on the 12th June, pop in and say hello to a few Northside Makers at Craft Hatch at the City Library.

253 Flinders Lane, Level 1 Gallery, Melbourne, 11am-4pm

Flickettysplits

Konstant Kaos

Mrs Beckinsale

Craft For A Cause: help North Korean refugees

2010-05-18T10:50:00.004+10:00

Northside Maker Sandra of Pepperberry & Co is jetting off to spend some time working with the LiNK Nomad team in the US. Amazing!

Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) is a non-profit organisation that raises awareness about the human rights abuses and humanitarian crisis in North Kora. You can read more about this crucial project at www.linkglobal.org and www.thatLiNKproject.blogspot.com.

Before Sandra heads off she is hosting two fundraising events to support LiNK Nomad.

If you're feeling creative sign up for Light Up For Link, a craft class with a difference. Come along to craft, giggle, chat, be inspired and create your very own paper lampshade, all whilst making a difference to the people of North Korea.

Light Up For Link
Thursday 27th May 6:30 - 8:30pm
Kaye Coghlan Theatre, Thornbury High School
238 Collins St Thornbury
$30 ($20 conc)

Bookings are essential as places are limited. Call 0401 766 348 or email thatLiNKproject [at] gmail.com to reserve your spot.

If you've got a brown creative thumb you can make a difference by watching a film. Enjoy a night out watching one of the most powerful movies ever made, whilst raising much needed funds to help end the human rights abuses and humanitarian crisis in North Korea.

Based on a real-life story, Kim Tae-kyun' Crossing tells the tale of a North Korean defector and his desperate fight to save his family. An uncompromising, touching and inspiring movie, its depiction os the harsh reality of life in North Korea will touch your heart and move your soul.

Crossing
Thursday 3rd June 7pm
Kaye Coghlan Theatre, Thornbury High School
238 Collins St Thornbury
$15 ($10 conc), $120 group of 10

Bookings are essential as places are limited. Call 0401 766 348 or email thatLiNKproject [at] gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Even if you can't make it along to these events please visit the blog and download some flyers to put up on your work noticeboard and hand out to friends.

Stitches & Craft weekend!

2010-05-07T19:22:00.006+10:00

Have you been to the Stitches & Craft Show yet? If you've been doing your nine-to-five all week this weekend is your chance to check it out!

If you can get there early Saturday come meet up in the Incubator section (I'm told it's upstairs) at 10:15 and introduce yourself. You can then pop into the free screening of The September Issue at 10:30, if you can drag yourself away from the indie craft goodness. Plus, every second blogger we know is helping out on an Incubator stall this weekend so you'll have plenty of friends to catch up with, or friends to make.

If you'd like to stand out as a craft blogger, the show organisers are handing out I LOVE STITCHES badges so bloggers can identify themselves to each other. It's totally free, coz Stitches & Craft lurve bloggers.

One warning - camera use is restricted at the Show. It's all about protecting intellectual property and respecting how craftspeople want images of their work reproduced. If you'd like to bring your camera along go ahead - it's not going to be confiscated - but be sure to ask permission before whipping it out. Plenty of stallholders (in the Incubator at least) will be happy to have you promote their businesses on your blog.

If you need any more convincing check out some photos from the Show so far at Jodie Ric Rac's blog. She's the one who made the famous selvedge frock and her softie patterns are to-die-for. Earlier this week she wrote a passionate testimony of why each and every one of you should come check out the Show:

In the craft world, the guys behind Stitches and Craft are the ones out there offering support to little indie businesses. They give us the chance to take part in a HUGE event and gain exposure that most of us couldn't normally afford to do (like not even close)...
I think it's fair to ask people to support Stitches and Craft because they are out there promoting and sharing and getting the word out about craft. Their show helps raise the profile of craft and handmade and that has to be a good thing right? Surely getting craft out there in the world has to have a trickle down effect, more people know about craft, think it's great, are more likely to look for handmade when the need arises. More people get excited by craft and go home and take up knitting or sewing or raffia hat making or whatever fuels them....so our community grows and new exciting stuff happens...
And apart from all that? Maybe one day YOU will want to get a teeny stall in the Incubator and spend five days meeting people and showing off your stuff and having a great time, or maybe your mum will, or one of your blog friends. How sad would it be to say "oh there used to be this great place for little businesses at a craft show- I never went though, I wonder what happened to it?"

Jodie will be at her Incubator stall all week so be sure to say hi, and thank her for taking one giant leap for craftkind. (Photo from Jodie's blog, if you hadn't guessed.)

P.S. On your way to Caulfield Race Course drop in at Malvern Town Hall to check out the first ever Modish Makers Market. Northside Maker organiser Margaret Konstant Kaos has a stall!

Stitches and Craft Show Melbourne 2010

2010-04-29T09:00:00.002+10:00

It's only a week until the fabulous Stitches & Craft Show opens at Caulfield Racecourse!

Wednesday 5th May til Sunday 9th May, 10am til 5pm daily
Tickets $10
Heaps of transport by train (Caulfield station), tram (route 3 stop 52), some buses and also carpooling.
You can download a program here for all the exciting details.

To add to the excitement for 2010, two Northside Makers are taking part in the Incubator indie craft market and presenting Craft Labs!

Holly of Two Cheese Please is teaching needle felting and showing participants how to make a bird's nest brooch. Join in on Wednesday and Thursday at 11am, Friday and Saturday at 3:30pm.

Sandra of Pepperberry & Co is teaching almost more Craft Labs than I can list!
Textile Card Creations - Wednesday 11:45, Thursday 11am and Sunday 12:15
Cozy Cushion Cover - Friday 12:30
Custom A5 Notebook Cover - Wednesday 3:15 and Saturday 4pm
Snug As A Bug Baby Blanket - Thursday 12:15 and Saturday 2pm
Living Your Crafty Dream - Friday 11am and Saturday 11am

So, are you excited?

Would you like to be part of a not-really-organised Northside Makers expedition to the Stitches & Craft Show?

If you're able to attend on the Saturday and are a public transport user meet on Flinders Street platform 6 in time to catch the 9:38am train to Caulfield, arriving platform 2 at 9:54am.

If you'd like to offer your services as a carpool driver please raise your hand, nominate your departure point and if you're able to do pickups along the way. If you want to accept a carpool ride please offer to pay for parking!

Public transport users and car travellers can meet up in the Incubator section at approximately 10:15am - and then probably hang around there for the next couple hours because it's so damn exciting to be there! From there it's a full day of Craft Labs, Craft Bars, Make Do & Mend, fashion shows, and then the dozens upon dozens of crafty retailers...

The only thing Stitches & Craft doesn't have is lessons on how to conceal your spending from the rest of your household once you get home!

Photo by Handmaiden

Australasian Quilt Convention

2010-04-13T11:00:00.002+10:00

As the weather gets colder, the people who love handicrafts start to come out of the woodwork again ... crochet in front of the fire, quilting while watching a movie!

So to coincide with the lovely autumn weather, the Australasian Quilt Convention returns to the lovely Royal Exhibition Buildings at the Carlton Gardens for another year, on the weekend of Thursday 29th April to Sunday 2nd of May, 2010.

The thing that I love about this convention (in addition to all the lovely stalls with fabric and gadgets) is the award winning quilts that are on display. The last time I went I spent ages just looking closely at the workman ship of the Quilt Show.

So who is going?

Northside Makers Market 13th March 2010 - the first photos!

2010-03-14T18:45:00.004+11:00

What an utterly perfect day - thanks Weather Goddesses!

The Collective Table

Indoor goodies

Outdoor goodies

Yummy stuff

Family funtimes

See a whole bunch of photos from Saturday at our Flickr group page. Got some to add? Just request membership and we'll add you ASAP!

Northside Makers Market Saturday 13th March

2010-03-13T08:00:00.001+11:00

Come spend one last Saturday with the Northside Makers before we take a well-deserved break.
Look forward to seeing you there!

Market day tomorrow!

2010-03-12T17:57:00.002+11:00

Do you live in Clifton Hill, Northcote or Thornbury? Be sure to check out this week's Northcote Leader to see our gorgeous ad on page three!

The weather forecast is gorgeous, the musos are practicing, the bakers are baking and the stallholders are making lists and checking them twice. Come join us for an all-round spiffing day tomorrow at Northcote Uniting Church from 10:30am til 3:30pm. See you there!

Stitches & Craft Show - Volunteers Wanted!

2010-03-09T08:03:00.006+11:00

A year ago I had the most wonderful day out at the Stitches & Craft Show at the Melbourne Showgrounds. I went to a felt doughnut workshop and met Holly Two Cheese Please*, then at a PVC wallet workshop I met Jodie Ric Rac of the selvedge frock, and little did I realise at the time but one of the crafters I sewed next to went on to become Miss Sandra Pepperberry! I was awed by the talent shown in the Incubator section, by far the most out-of-the-box stalls at the show. There was a refashioning zone, skill displays by lacemakers and feltmakers, and sooo much to buy. Looking at 2009 photos on participants' blogs today is getting me excited all over again.

Two Cheese Please's Incubator stall, 2009
I've spent the last twelve months counting down to 2010's Stitches & Craft (and vowing to take along more cash next time). The big event will hit Melbourne from Wednesday 5th to Sunday 9th of May. And I've just found out from Jodie Ric Rac's blog that they're looking for volunteers!

Ric Rac's lifesize selvedge projects via Whip UP
If you can hand sew, crochet or embroider and love to share your skills, the Craft Bars need you! Craft Bar volunteers will teach visitors new skills and have a laugh while doing so**. In return for you hard day's crafting and teaching you'll be rewarded with two free tickets to the show! That means that as well as spending one day at the Craft Bar, you can spend another two attending workshops and shopping! Or if you're feeling altruistic you could give one to your bestie and spend a crafty day together. I advise leaving your kids with a babysitter***.

2009 Craft Bar photographed by The Lark
If you'd like to find out more about this opportunity get in touch with the organisers via enquiries(AT)stitchesandcraft(DOT)com(DOT)au.

* There's an interview with Holly in the latest Mixtape, which you can buy this Saturday at the Northside Makers Collective Table!

** Laughing is mandated. Or I may have made that up.

*** Says the woman who didn't get to see the Handmade Nation doco due to the demands of her friend and herself shepherding a six month old and 19 month old all day long. I did however manage to schedule a breastfeed during a presentation on building a craft business. And the parents room was quite well appointed apart from the lack of a change table.

See you on Saturday...

2010-03-08T12:00:00.003+11:00

Well it's been a fantastic summer season of markets for Northside Makers and it's not over yet...

This Saturdays market day is shaping up to be one of our best.

There will be the fabulous vocals of Kirsty Morphett of 'Koto' filling the air, the scrumptious aroma of two local bakers' scrummy treats, free craft table activities for the kids and our best yet offering of hot, hot, hot craft from the northern suburbs.

Be sure to pop down,
this Saturday 13th March
Northcote Uniting Church
251 High st, Northcote
10.30am - 3.30pm

To see the talents of all these lovely crafters:

Alannah Banana Designs
Babushka Baby
Buttonlicious
Celia Adams
Chuckles Designs
Clifton Hill Pottery
Crafted Things
CurlyPops
Daniela Carvacho & Liliana Remedi
Elena Kamenkovich
Elmie
Ena Designs
Finki Handmade
Flickettysplits
Hawthorne Cottage
Holden Street Neighbourhood House
Kate's Stuff
KCamilleri Handcrafted Jewellery
Konstant Kaos
La La Hi Prism
Little Cooties
Little Waltz
Me & M'lee
Mecino
Melbourne Epicure
Mrs Beckinsale
Nice Biscuits
Pepperberry & Co.
Piccolamia
Pink K Designs
Pivotal Xpressions
Polly Pratt
Rabbit & the Duck
Red Parka Designs
Red Tree Studio
Susan Cusinato
Sylvia Segon
Tiges and Weince
Twisted Stitches
Two Cheese Please

Two Bits Patches

There will also be the renowned Northcote Primary School Fete going on only one street away and plenty of Mixtape zines stocked at our collective stall, for a great crafty read.

This will be our last market for summer and your last opportunity to come see what Northside Makers Market is all about, so don't miss it... We'd love to see you there!

Social Network with us!

2010-03-05T09:00:00.001+11:00

Have you invited your nearest and dearest to Northside Makers Market yet? It's easy with our Facebook event listing! Just click the link, RSVP for yourself and send an invitation to all your friends. Be brave - don't just invite your real friends, send an invite to those people from high school who you haven't seen for fifteen years. It could lead to discovering a mutual love of handmade and a resparked friendship!

Bring your friends!
When we first planned Northside Makers Market we decided to hold four markets over what could losely be described as 'summer'. We've had October, November and February... yep, that means March is the last one for now. So if you've always meant to come check out our lovely market but haven't quite made it, Saturday 13th March is your last chance (for now)!

Don't panic! Northside Makers have plenty more social activities in the works.

We are in Mixtape!!

2010-03-03T23:59:00.006+11:00

The new Mixtape has arrived and it is jam packed with lots of goodies! Articles on craft, pop culture, food, gardening, music, books and lots more.

There is an article in the zine by Tinniegirl on the Candence of Crafting and on page 10 you will find a Northside Makers ad!

Mixtape will be on sale at the Northside Makers Collective Marquee at the next market ... come on down and pick up your copy (we also have some of the last edition as well!).

2 week countdown

2010-02-26T11:15:00.000+11:00

We are all very excited over here at Northside Makers, the March Market is going to be the biggest yet!

And we have a special treat for you all ... in addition to the children's craft table, face painters and fabulous crafters we also have a musician to entertain visitors and stallholders alike.

So help to make this one the best yet, please email this pamphlet to family and friends and make sure that we cover Melbourne in Northside Makers Market posters.

Email northsidemakers [at] gmail dot com if you would like a marketing pack sent out to you (A3, A4 and A6 pamphlets) to help spread the word.....

Screenprinting Workshop

2010-02-24T17:00:00.001+11:00

Northside Makers are thrilled to offer members our first workshop opportunity doing screenprinting at Olive Grove!

Classes are run by the director of Olive Grove Studio, Roze Elizabeth. She teaches at RMIT's Fashion & Textiles school and recently conducted a workshop for Marysville residents as part of 'The Colour of Hope' project.

Roze offers monthly workshops at Olive Grove Studio teaching the basics of screenprinting. The workshops are ideal for both absolute beginners and those who've screenprinted before but want to polish up their skills.

Photo from Olive Grove Studio

Mark your calender and be sure to keep the day free on Sunday 14th March as Roze is running a screenprinting workshop exclusively for Northside Makers members. We are offering places to members at discounted prices. So come learn, work and play with other Northside Makers (and save a few dollars too)!

The details:

Screenprinting Workshop at Olive Grove Studios
159 Sydney Road Brunswick
Sunday 14th March
11pm-3pm
$85 for Northside Makers members* (usual cost $105)
$75 for Northside Makers members that hold a concession card (usual cost $95)

There are only six spots in the workshop and at this price they will go fast.

So if you would like to participate shoot us an email at northsidemakers@gmail.com and we'll send you the payment details. Payment can be made via Paypal or bank deposit and must be made before Wednesday 3rd March to secure your spot.
Allocation is first come best dressed.

Hope to see you there!

*Discounts apply to existing Northside Makers members only. Non members are welcome to come but full price applies.

Craft & Cider Tonight!

2010-02-24T09:05:00.001+11:00

Don't forget tonight is Northside Makers' Craft & Cider evening!

Cider quilt by Retta Warehime

Hope to see you at:

Northcote Social Club
Wednesday 24th February
7:30pm 'til we start yawning

Bring a craft project, cider money and gossip!

Craft & Cider evening

2010-02-19T19:00:00.001+11:00

It's an even-numbered month which means were due for a Craft & Cider evening!

Cider quilt by Retta Warehime

All and sundry are welcome to join the Northside Makers at:

Northcote Social Club
Wednesday 24th February
7:30pm 'til we start yawning

Bring a craft project, cider money and gossip!

March applications are still open... but not for long!

2010-02-17T09:26:00.004+11:00

Have you been thinking about trying your first ever market stall?

Taken a break over Christmas and are ready to get back in the swing of things for 2010?

Northside Makers Market still has a smidgen of spots available for our next market on Saturday 13th March. But you'd better get your application in quick - we'll be allocating the last places in the next couple of days!

Applying is simple and 100% online - just click here to get started.

An important note - if you've been accepted for one of our markets before and had to pull out, please complete the application form again so we don't forget about you! Our memories have a finite capacity.

February Market: First Photos

2010-02-06T20:10:00.005+11:00

We're too weary to write about today's lovely market, but here's 86 photos.

You can add photos to our Flickr pool here. We'd love to see your visuals of the day!

Did you attend the February Northside Makers Market?

2010-02-05T08:20:00.003+11:00

Did you come along and enjoy the festivities of the day?

If so, we would LOVE your opinions.

It is important to Northside Makers to practice continuous improvement, so please click along to our Visitors Survey and give us your feedback.

Have YOU Seen This Ad?

2010-02-04T19:27:00.003+11:00

Do you live in Alphington, Fairfield, Clifton Hill, Northcote or Thornbury? Run to your letterbox and check out page 3 of this week's Northcote Leader paper!

That's our ad, waiting to be seen by 28,000 locals!

If you live a little further away you can still check out our ad by visiting the Leader Community ePaper site, clicking on the tiny little map of Northcote and checking out page three. Ain't the internet grand!

Saturday's forecast is for early showers and 26 degrees. Here's hoping BOM restore the word 'sunny' in our forecast...

See you on Saturday for our next Northside Makers Market...

2010-02-02T22:21:00.012+11:00

After a hearty break over Christmas and the new year, all our crafters are bursting at the seems to come back for the next Northside Makers market this Saturday.
Well rested and full of fresh new ideas, this one's set to be even bigger and better than our last one. We're glad to have many of your favorite stallholders back for the February market, as well as welcoming a lot of new faces and quite a few first time stallholders. It will be a real treat for the eyes.

Check out all the fabulous stallholders that will be displaying oodles of handmade wonder at our February market 2010. (in alphabetical order):

Ada Henna Body Art
Alannah Banana Designs
Amanda O'Donnell

Buttonlicious
Cathie Crocker
Cherry Stew
Daniela Carvacho

Ena Designs
Finki Handmade
Flickettysplits
Giant Shoots
Holden Street Neighborhood House
Jenny Balzan
Jo Woodberry
Kate Symmons
Konstant Kaos
Lalahiprism
Lauren Williams
Little Cooties
Little Ray
Mecino
Melbourne Epicure
Mrs Beckinsale
Olive Grove
Passions Dreams
Pepperberry & Co
Pivotal Xpressions
Polly Pratt
Rabbit and the Duck
Rebound Books
Ros Chambers
Ruby and Sam Shoes
Susan Cusinato
Sylvia Segon
Stitch in Time
Teddybears Wednesday
Two Cheese Please
Two Bits Patches

* Not every one has a blog or web to link to, so you'll just have to come see them on the day!

Once again we'll have free balloons, and craft table activities for the kids, as well as badge making and a face painter from 10:30 - 2:30. So head on down to:

Northside Makers Market this Saturday 6th Feb
9.30am - 2.30 pm
251 High St, Northcote

Come and support all the amazing handmade craft your local community has to offer.

See yah there!

Meet the Crafters: Two Cheese Please

2010-02-02T18:00:00.000+11:00

One of the many crafters making their Northside Makers Market debut this Saturday is Holly from Two Cheese Please. Hola Holly!

Tell us about what you sell ...
I suffer from craft ADD so I tend to make a lot of things! When I first started my wee crafty 'business' I was just trying to sell whatever I had fun making, but I think that worked out to be too broad a range, so I've narrowed it down to custom plushies, hand-carved stamps, and my felt/needlefelt range of toys, jewellery, and needlefelt sculptures.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
I love felt and fabric! And polar fleece which is kind of like a softer, stretchier felt. I started off using felt as a medium because it's so forgiving and you don't need seam allowances, which is great for a beginner. I've since moved on from store bought pre-made acrylic felt to hand dyed 100% wool felt and of course, my new love, needle felting! Oh and of course how can you forget the carving rubber for my stamps!

What would you be lost without ....
I'd be lost without my kitchen paper which I use for drafting patterns, tracing, and pattern templates. I'm also a big fan of my rotary cutter and quilting ruler - I have a neat little set-up on a kitchen cutting board with my cutting mat to fit and my rotary cutter - great for cutting fabric while watching TV on the couch!

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
I have a rather ecclectic range of music but for crafting I prefer softer music with a good upbeat beat and a nice melody. I love too many artists to possibly name!

Your proudest crafty moment?
Definitely attending the Stitches & Craft Show last year. I hadn't done any markets before and so it was completely nerve-wracking. I was filled with self-doubt but it was one of the best experiences I've had since starting my craft journey, so I'm so glad I could take part!

Are you working on something new for this market?
I'm madly working away on some needle felted jewellery, which I hope to have finished in time for the February Northside Makers Market! I'm a big fan of treating yourself to something new and pretty to wear, and I think needle felted rings and earrings (and maybe a few necklaces) will be something interesting and different.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
I have an etsy store people can visit at twocheeseplease.etsy.com but since a lot of my work is custom/commission, a better idea is to pop over to my flickr portfolio and check out the sort of work I have done before (and could do for you!).

Meet The Crafters: Mecino

2010-01-29T14:00:00.000+11:00

The first maker featured in this Meet The Crafters series is lovely Michelle from Mecino.

Tell us about what you sell ...
I sell a range of handmade vintage and contemporary jewellery. I use brass, copper, silver, Swarovski crystals, glass and pearls. I love unique charms that are a little quirky and fun. I love people discovering new little charms at my market stalls and making them smile through my jewellery :)

What inspires you?
Fairy Tales, childhood memories, romance and a whimsical world.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Pearls, crystals, cameos and lockets.

What would you be lost without ....
My husband, who always encourages me, my family, my little dogs and my creativity.

What's your fave crafty read?
Frankie magazine and DUST.

Your proudest crafty moment?
When I received my copy of Melbourne Bride Magazine, to find my necklace made the cover, and other pieces were featured within the magazine.

Are you working on something new for this market?
Yes, I am currently designing a new range made up of freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals, finished with pretty French charms. This is a new range and will be available at markets in early 2010.

What's your favourite street, suburb or city for crafty delights?
I would have to say Brunswick, Northcote, Thornbury, Preston - mainly the inner northern suburbs. I always come across really crafty people when out and about and stores that support handmade products and local crafters.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
www.mecino.com.au

Come one, come all!

2010-01-22T14:00:00.000+11:00

The calendar informs us it's only two weeks until the next Northside Makers Market - hope you've enjoyed your break because it's market season again!

As always we've created an event listing on Facebook so you can easily invite all your friends and help promote Northside Makers Market around teh interwebz. Click here and start sending out those invitations!

If you can help by putting up a Northside Makers Market poster in your workplace, school, childcare centre or nearest poster-covered powerpole send us an email at northsidemakers [at] gmail.com and we'll send some out to you! We also have A6 flyers available which are just right for leaving on the counter at your favourite cafe (get the manager's permission first!).

Northside Makers Market is operated by volunteers - help us make your market great.

Craft Hope

2010-01-19T16:00:00.002+11:00

In amongst all the posts for Valentines Day crafts, I stumbled across this one ...

Craft Hope is an initiative of a number of crafty women who wanted to make a difference. Sale from their etsy shop are rapidly approaching $10,000 and proceeds go towards the Doctors without Borders. If you are feeling helpless like I am, perhaps this is something you can do.

All proceeds of the Craft Hope Etsy shop will benefit Doctors Without Borders in Haiti. All items have been generously donated by the crafting community. If you'd like to donate an item please visit the Craft Hope website (www.crafthope.com).

We are humbled, overwhelmed, and grateful for everyone who has supported this shop. We will continue to accept donations through Wednesday 1/20. After that point we will take a short break to be able to get systems in order to go forward. You can read more on the Craft Hope website. The shop will remain open.

Find all of the information you need at these links:

Coffee, Craft and Community

2010-01-13T09:00:00.001+11:00

What a start to the year it has been! Many people who do regular markets see January as "my crafty time", a chance to make for themselves after the madness of Christmas. While you've been enjoying creating pretty little things, the Northside Makers Committee have met and nutted out a few things for the first quarter of the year.

As most of you know, we have a market scheduled for 6th February, so we are busy going through applications and there are lots of them. If you have applied but not heard, do not fear, our online widgets have your details and we are hoping to have most of the applicants processed by the end of next week.

But we thought we would kick off the start of the year with another of our Coffee and Craft events at CERES. Good fair trade coffee and yummy gluten free cakes ... The weather man says that the weather is going to be fine, with a few light showers. We'll get a table under cover and enjoy the non-45 degree days! Bring along a hand-crafting project to work on as we gossip, sip and sup. If you don't have a project you're welcome to come along anyway!

Event: Coffee and Craft
When: Sunday 17th January, 2010
Where: CERES Environment Park, at the Cafe
Cnr Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East, Victoria, 3057 (Enter from Blyth street near Merri Creek)
Time: 1pm to 3pm

Other events we have planned for the first months of 2010 are:

6th February: Northside Makers Market, 9.30am - 2.30pm
17th February: Cider and Craft @ Northcote Social, 7.30pm - 9.30pm
6th March: Screen Printing workshop, all day
13th March: Northside Makers Market, 10:30am - 3:30pm
3rd April: Daylesford Daytrip, all day

More information will be released closer to the events. Keep your eye out for booking details for the screenprinting and daytrip events because participant numbers are limited! If you have ideas for events, or you would like to host a workshop, drop us a line at northsidemakers [at] gmail [dot] com or come along this Sunday for a coffee and share your ideas.

Northside Makers is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers.
All offers of assistance and ideas are welcomed with open arms. Be involved, make a difference.

Threads of Connection

2010-01-11T11:04:00.001+11:00

2010 is the Embroiderers Guild of Victoria's 50th anniversary year. They have a special exhibition scheduled at the Shrine of Rememberance.

The following is taken from their web site:

THREADS OF CONNECTION :
A SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT THE SHRINE

Birdwood Avenue
South Yarra, VIC
(Melway ref: 2F J12)
(03) 9661 8100
Email - reception@shrine.org.au
Friday January 29 - Sunday May 9
10-5 daily (closed Good Friday)

The exhibition shows articles of textiles and embroidery worked in connection with any armed conflict in which Australia has been involved.

Items may have been worked to alleviate boredom, as patriotic home crafts, as a war necessity (such as socks or uniform), as part of rehabilitation, or as a keepsake or love token.

These talks are free but interested people should book:

Friday 29 January, 12:30pm
Threads of connection: wartime embroidery
Presenter: Jane Peek, Curator, The Australian War Memorial

Tuesday 23 February, 2pm
Textile conservation workshop
Presenter: Bronwyn Cosgrove, Textile Conservator, NGV

New Tricks

2010-01-08T14:00:00.001+11:00

Want to learn a new skill in 2010? DoMore.com.au has a wealth of short courses around Australia not only in arts and crafts, but also food, languages, recreation and more. Here's a quick link to their selection of crafty courses around Melbourne.

If that's whetted your appetite, take a look at courses available through some of your local neighbourhood houses and community centres:

Thornbury Women's Neighbourhood House

Holden Street Neighbourhood House North Fitzroy

Preston Neighbourhood House

Jika Jika Community Centre Northcote

Brunswick Neighbourhood House

Fawkner Community House

Nicholson Street Community House East Coburg

Sussex Neighbourhood House Coburg North

Image by Ballymena U3A

6th February Market Applications open!

2010-01-05T09:00:00.001+11:00

Crafty peeps, start your engines!

Applications are now open for the 6th February Northside Makers Market

Just click on the link above to use our funky online application form.

Things to note:

The process is not first in best dressed, but rather local artisans, members, community centers and first time stallholders get first consideration. In the interests of representing Melbourne's northern suburbs we've defined 'north' as the cities of Yarra, Darebin and Moreland.

Remembering how hot the start of February was last year the running times for this market have been changed to 9:30am to 2:30pm. This allows shoppers to visit the market before the day gets too hot and means those with outdoor stalls won't be roasting on High St all afternoon. The different time will be listed on the February market poster, our advertisements and all online promotions.

Please be mindful of your 2 x 2mtr space restrictions with indoor and outdoor stalls. Don't be offended if we ask you to take down a rack or stand because it impinges on other stalls.

Outdoor stall applicants need to be prepared for four seasons in one day! As the market will be going ahead, come rain hail or shine........

Also please do not forget to email through images of your products to northsidemakers [at] gmail.com. Images need to be under 500kb each. If you have had a stall with us before, no need to email pictures again unless your product range has changed.

We look forward to seeing all the fabulous new things you've made over Christmas and the new year and having another fantastic market day for all.........

My Year In Craft

2009-12-23T17:00:00.001+11:00

It's the time of year to reminisce, look back on the completed projects with pride and take the unpicker to our mistakes. Post your answers on your own blog and pop your name in Mister Linky so we can all read about your year in craft!

1. In my twelve months of crafting, my crafty self made all these...

2. If my year was a colour it would be...

3. This year I spent way too many craft hours...

4. This year I wish I'd had more craft hours for...

5. My proudest craft moment of the year was...

6. My biggest craft disaster was...

7. This year I had stalls at/visited this many markets...

8. My most enjoyable market was...

9. My best handmade purchase/present/swap/acquisition was...

10. After this year I swear I'll never again...

11. Next year I'm determined to...

12. But I'll probably do this instead...

Be sure to link back and visit the other players!

Northside Makers Cider, Craft & Christmas

2009-12-22T09:00:00.000+11:00

The Northside Makers had a brilliant evening to celebrate the holidays. Drinks, a handmade Kris Kringle swap and of course crafting! Thanks to all our wonderful members who came along and shared the fun.

Here's some photos...

An artistic interpretation of nachos

A pile of handmade pressies

Pick a number from the embroidery hoop
Dive for a present!

Photos from Carols in All Nations

2009-12-13T12:03:00.005+11:00

What a lovely evening to be out at the carols!

More photos in our Flickr pool.

Northside Makers at Carols in All Nations

2009-12-12T13:14:00.002+11:00

It's that time of year, the time for getting together with friends and family, the time for having way too much on your calendar and the time for seasonally inappropriate holiday songs. The City of Darebin is embracing all these special things tonight with their annual Carols in All Nations.

Carols in All Nations

All Nations Park, Northcote

Saturday 12th December 6pm-10pm

It's a wonderful excuse to keep the kids out late, meet up with your neighbours and hairdresser and second cousins, have a sing and get a warm fuzzy glow that will hopefully last another thirteen days.

Northside Makers will have an extravaganza stall at the carols tonight. There'll be a wealth of goodies from Northside Makers members on offer so make sure you've got some cash left over after stuffing yourself at the food tents. Please drop in and say howdy to Jennie and Jay - we'll be the ones singing "We're All Going On A Summer Holiday".

Photo originally uploaded at wollahra.nsw.gov.au

Northside Makers Market : Gone With The Wind

2009-12-06T09:00:00.003+11:00

Despite the predictions we made back in August about November being a calm and sunny month, Saturday 28th November was a day of grey skies and gusty winds.

Pinwheels seeking shelter in the hall

But happily the scariest part of the weather forecast - afternoon showers - held off until 3:35pm. Thank the heavens for not-so-small mercies!

A very small mercy cuddles up safe and warm

It was a day to make friends, a day to share talents, a day to sell wares and a day to hold onto your stock for dear life lest it be blown down High Street.

Melbourne Epicure cupcakes - I know where those belong! (Photo by Melbourne Epicure)

And of course, a day for treating yourself to something a little naughty.

So thankyou to our talented stallholders for the hours of work they put into preparing such wondering offerings for our market, for being so professional in the face of unpleasant weather, and simply for being the splendid people that you are.

A small sample of who you'll find at Northside Makers Market. (Photo by Celia A)

Enjoy more photos from market day in our Flickr pool and even share your own.

Thanks again for sharing Northside Makers Market with us...

Jennie, Jay & Margaret x x x

Did you visit Northside Makers market on Saturday.......

2009-11-30T09:00:00.005+11:00

We hope you had fun at our second Northside Makers market and found lots of beautiful handmade goodies to spoil yourself with.

Please take the time to give us your feedback over at our surveymonkey site

We would love to hear your comments, advice and suggestions, so we can continue to work towards creating the ultimate market experience for us all.

But what do I do if it rains......

2009-11-27T10:30:00.000+11:00

With our next marking quickly approaching and the weather forecast not budging from its tale of early rain, I'm sure many of you are pondering 'what do I do if it rains'.

November rain: By strawberry paintbrush

All you indoor makers will be okay, but there are a good sum of us, (organisers included) who will be outdoors for the day.

So as in all of life's decisions, there are always options and it's up to you to weigh up the pros and cons of a wet weather forecast.

Option one is of course the easy out...

The option is to cancel, stay at home on the couch and think of what could have been.

Or

Option two.....Buck up, be prepared and wear a smile.

Cause you know what....we have all gone to a lot of effort to promote the event and you won't make any money or friends, sitting at home on the couch.

Margaret, Jennie and I all had to make the exact same decision on Thursday night as we all set up for our stalls at Northcote's Kris Kringle night market. (read my take on it here)

Yes it rained..... but we came prepared, we brought our rain coats and our smiles and the night was a success for all.

So my advice, just like the girl guides motto...would be...BE PREPARED.

Your customers are still going to come looking for you, your friends are still going to to pop in and say hello, and your stock is not going to sell itself from stock boxes in your study so........

Here are some ways to prepare for Melbourne's unpredictable weather:

Bring an umbrella to protect yourself
Bring plastic sheets or bags to put over your stock during the odd shower. (you can get clear thin vinyl table cloths from those cheapy shops for $2)
Bring a tarp or plastic sheet to put on the ground under your table, so all your excess stock, packaging and boxes stays off the ground.
If you are prepared to bring and share your marquee, let us know and we can jiggle the layout so that a few of you can fit under one. (Margaret, Jennie and I all squish into one)
Don't forget the sandbags if you bring a marquee. If the wind picks up we don't want a "wizard of oz" moment!
Bring rocks.....sounds silly I know, but you can weigh down the lighter things by putting rocks in or on them so the wind doesn't blow them away. Alternatively, a lovely fabric covered brick might work .... crafty!
If you lay things flat on a table, think about having strings with weights (rocks) on the end that can lay across them and hold them down.
Hanging things on nails and peg boards...just put elastic bands over the ends and they won't fly off.

But most importantly bring your smile ...

Your customers come to see you and all the beautiful products you've spent so much time making, so protect yourself, protect your stock and Be There! Your customers and you, will be glad you came.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Nice Biscuits

2009-11-26T14:00:00.000+11:00

We are happy to welcome another food stall to Northside Makers. Reading through Nice Biscuits' creations, I am looking forward to sharing her baking with my gluten free friends!

Tell us about what you sell ...
Cakes, biscuits, cereal, muffins, loaves, pies, etc. My focus is on fresh organic and local ingredients and I am fascinated by interesting combinations like chocolate and zucchini or chocolate and curry (and others that don't necessarily involve chocolate). I also venture into dietary accessibility, so I'm doing a lot of vegan and gluten-free goods. I have very recently discovered that milling my own flour is a really amazing process and the product is easier on the tummy and much more flavourful, so I'm looking at making that the standard for wheat and spelt.

What inspires you?
First and foremost, the farmers' markets. I have some of my best ideas there, just based on what's before me. I'm also frequently amazed by Helen Addison-Smith, who runs Each Peach where I've had my first foray into 'professional' baking. Bloggers who I'm crushing on at the moment include Coconut and Quinoa, Sprouted Kitchen, 101 Cookbooks, and the one I can't believe I lived without for so long - Food Blog Search.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Freshly-milled organic spelt flour and Tatura butter. I'm also really excited about coconut flour but it's rather fussy so my success rate is not so high. And sorghum flour. I have expensive taste in flour.

What would you be lost without ....
My computer. Life halts without it. It enables pretty much everything else I do.

What's your fave crafty read
I love Nigel Slater's work - Toast and The Kitchen Diaries have influenced my approach to food.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
The Cinematic Orchestra is my fall-back. It's easy to get lost in its textures, which is quite what you're aiming for with baking as well.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Blogs replaced forums for me - see my list above.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
My most immediate goal is to perfect gluten-free portugese custard tarts. But I guess I'm just building up my repertoire at the moment - Nice Biscuits is still but a wee thing. I want to be working with more provocative ingredients all the time. I really do like the places in which 'baking' and 'craft' intersect; the handmade, the innovative, the aesthetically intentional. So I guess I'd like to keep merging them as closely as possible.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects), what are they?
There is some gluten-free snickerdoodle dough sitting in the freezer. They are way too tart but it was a double-batched fail and I can't bear to throw them away. Sometimes I can actually feed things I really don't like to other people - my friends seem to have no ability to tell when something hasn't worked - so they may make their way to the oven someday.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
I'll be at Sprout Market in Thornbury (with Each Peach) on Thursday 3rd December, Eltham Community Market on the 6th and 20th of December, and the new year's schedule is still being determined. You can also find some of my work on the abundantly-stocked shelves of Each Peach, 506 Lygon St in East Brunswick. And I do take special orders, commissions, and suggestions at nicebiscuits.net.

Special offers for members......

2009-11-26T09:00:00.005+11:00

I know you probably don't need any more incentive to come shopping at Northside Makers market this Saturday....but......who doesn't love a bargain.

So for market day only (Sat 28th Nov) members can take advantage of these great specials:

10% off your purchase at the Pepperberry and Co stall.

10% off your purchase at the Finki stall.

10% off your purchase at the Kathleen Camilleri stall.

Screen printed diaries for only $24
at the Mrs Beckinsale stall

(see more of Mrs Beckinsale's Silly Season Specials here!)

If you would like to offer a special discount on market day too, just drop us a line at northsidemakers@gmail.com and we'll share the crafty luv.

Don't forget .......these are member only discounts, so don't forget to bring your Northside Makers card to be eligible. Be sure to flash your membership card at the Collective Table for an extra special super secret discount!

See you there!

See you on Saturday for our next Northside Makers market...

2009-11-25T20:00:00.001+11:00

We can't believe how much time has flown in the lead up to our second Northside Makers market. This one's set to be even bigger and better.
We're glad to have many of your favorite stallholders back for the November market, as well as welcoming over 20 new stalls.

We have more food, more jewellery, more clothes, accessories, home wares, stationary and more. It will be a real treat for the eyes.
I have no doubt you'll be able to do all your Xmas shopping in one place this year, whilst supporting all the amazing handmade craft your local community has to offer.

Check out all the fabulous crafters that will be displaying oodles of handmade wonder at our November market 2009. (in alphabetical order):

Babushka Baby

Blue Blue Places
Buttonlicious
Celia Adams
Chuckles Designs
Cottage nerd
Custom Culture
Dora's Daybed

Ena designs
Elmie
Finki Handmade
Flicketty Splits
Found and Bound
Frank and Dollys
Hannah Jones
I can Yodel
Hawthorne Cottage
Jenny Balzan
Jo Woodberry
Judith Jackson Joyce
Kathleen Camilerri
Kate Symmons
Kazzalblue
Kaye Massage
Konstant Kaos
Lauren Williams
Little Cooties
Little Waltz
Luis Esudero
Made by Sarah
Mecino
Mee and M'lee
Melbourne Epicure
Miniarabella
Monkey Face
Monster doll
Mrs Beckinsale
Nice buscuits
Pepperberry & Co
Piccolamia
Pivotal Xpressions
Polka Dot Rabbit
Polly Pratt
Rabbit and the Duck
Red Letter Press
Robyn Stewardson
Ros Chambers
Street Vamp
Slap Cosmetics
Stitch in Time
Twisted Violet Jewellery

* Not every one has a blog or web to link to, so you'll just have to come see them on the day!

Once again we'll have free balloons and craft table activities for the kids, as well as the face painter from 11 -3. So head on down to:

Northside Makers Market this Saturday 28th Nov, 10.30 - 3.30 251 High St, Northcote

See yah there.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Monster Doll

2009-11-25T14:00:00.000+11:00

I'm loving Libby's Monster Dolls and all the unique combination of fabrics that she uses to create them!

Tell us about what you sell ...
I sell soft toys. They are kooky, friendly, grumpy individuals, all with their own unique personalities. Some are dolls and some are monsters. They are all handmade originals.

What inspires you?
I draw influence from animals, being a mother, fraggle rock, marty monster, Tim Burton, Old Tom and Holly Hobbie.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
I love buttons and ric rac and can't imagine ever making a soft toy without them.

What would you be lost without ....
My quick unpick and my Mum who looks after my two year old so I can sew.

What's your fave crafty read?
I love art magazines especially Artists Profile and Australian Art Review.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
774 ABC Melbourne.....very daggy

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
Finishing the pile of zombie fairies on my studio floor.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
A giant concrete sculpture in my garden (6 years)
A mosaic ball in the shed (5 years)
A painting of breastfeeding mandrills (2 years)
A knitted skirt (1 year)
My kitchen tiles (1 year)
Several skirts and a rag rug

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
I'm at St. Andrews market most Saturdays and Yarra Glen Market on the first Sunday of each Month. Blue Attic in East Brunswick has some of my work and I will be in the Wyreena Christmas show in Croydon.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Jenny Balzan

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000+11:00

If you have little ones, then you will love Jenny's handmade crayons. They are just the right size for toddlers to get a hold of and draw with!

Tell us about what you sell ...
Crayons.... we re-shape & recycle where possible.

What inspires you?
I am one that just does not like throwing things out when I know I can make something else from them :) and seeing smiles on peoples faces....

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Mmmm ... wax?

What would you be lost without ....
I'd be lost if I had nothing to do.... does that make sense? I am a workaholic, even with 2 kids under 4 and an even bigger kid "my hubby".

What's your fave crafty read?
I enjoy reading anything that involves craft I think...

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Jazz, hip hop, modern music. Sometimes even modern European music (Greek, French, Italian).

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
Sewing & more kidding craft ideas I think :)

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
We always do don't we! Some sewing projects (aprons & art smock making), wrapping paper project.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Made n Thornbury Womens Market & Northside Makers Market for now.

Four days to go!

2009-11-24T15:00:00.003+11:00

It's only four days until Northside Makers Market, and you can bet we're not sitting around twiddling our thumbs! Our stallholders are busy sewing, gluing and printing and we organisers are chanting calming mantras under our breath.

We're thrilled to present another family-friendly day of hot craft, cool design, face-painting and hands-on activities for kids, coffee and a sit-down for grown-ups and mouth-watering cupcakes and gingerbread for everyone.

One stallholder who'll help you relax those Silly Season twinges is gifted masseur Kaye, who can work wonders in under five minutes. After you've had your muscles melted why not ask a stallholder friend if they'd like you to mind their stall while they get a backrub? We organisers heartily recommend it!

We're also very excited about having MixTape available to purchase at the Northside Makers Collective Table.

As if you needed another reason to visit Northside Makers Market!

Watch this space for more Meet The Crafters features and a full list of stallholders you'll find at the market this Saturday. And after Saturday we may well have one or two more treats for you before 2009 is over... be excited!

Meet the Northside Crafters: Twisted Violet Jewellery

2009-11-24T09:00:00.004+11:00

We have fallen in love with some of Twisted Violet's jade creations ... and we are looking forward to seeing them in the flesh on Saturday!

Tell us about what you sell ...
A range of hand made, unique contemporary jewellery. I combine Australian woods, crystals, gemstone, resin and ceramics. I have a love of strong color and texture in jewellery and produce jewellery for both casual and evening wear.

What inspires you?
I take inspiration from other design forms and nature. Often going out window shopping, and deliberately steering away from my own medium, introduces me to color and texture combinations in other design forms. I love looking at furniture, textiles and visual arts for color. I sometimes try to turn a blind eye to fashion, and instead concentrate what feels right for me.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Jewellery - wood, gemstone, ceramic, resin and glass.

What would you be lost without ....
My crafty friends who understand the predicaments, ups & downs and simple pleasures of running a craft based business. Life would be strange without them! Also, my Persian cat Chilli, who keeps me company, and provides hours affection regardless of my work attire and mood.

What's your fave crafty read?

Dumbo Feather Magazine
Five interviews per edition, with artists, entrepreneurs, and people of great inspiration.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Podcasts, JJJ, and ABC Radio National

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
DUST team

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
A BIG change -being due with my 1st baby in late January there will be massive changes to my work schedule, targets, and expectations.
I have no doubt that I can continue my business and at this stage Ive got to be open to an unknown flexibility. In many ways I feel blessed to have a small home based business at this stage of my life.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
My workshop is full of them! I have a range of flower rings that are sitting and waiting for further inspiration on the technical front, that I expected to be done for Xmas trading. I also am due for a massive clean up and reorganisation of my workshop.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Shop online at www.twistedviolet.com.au, and every Sunday at Southbank Market (under the Hamer Hall) and Etsy.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Robyn Stewardson

2009-11-23T15:00:00.004+11:00

We are really excited to welcome Robyn to our Northside Makers Market. Her portfolio looks really interesting and we hope that you can find lots of Christmas presents in her range.

Tell us about what you sell ...
Photographs and cards. Calenders around this time of year, too. These days my photography is mostly Macro or patterns and I have a penchant for the obscure and patterns found in nature, in fact in almost anything.

What inspires you?
Almost anything beautiful. Of course, as with everything, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me it keeps coming back to the details and the generally overseen. Metal objects in decomposition generally appeal. That something so solid eventually crumbles, and with such intense colour, attracts me. Other colourful items and quirky details and patterns in nature rarely escape my lens.
Here are some artists, sites and books that inspire me:
Creative photos by Chema Madoz
A Photographers Guide to Webb Bridge
Andrew Brown Photography
Fruit by Wolfgang Stuppy and Rob Kesseler
Artforms in Nature by Ernst Haeckel
Bronwyn Oliver

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Hard question to answer as a photographer. Close up! I’m a bit of a ‘can’t get close enough’ type photographer. If I had the equipment I’d probably be doing those microscope photographs showing plant & insect details 100x. ;o) It’s all in the hidden/overseen detail.

What would you be lost without ....
My sense of the obscure and the ability to see the details many miss.

What's your fave crafty read?
Can’t say I read any crafty books/mags. I mostly surf the net or go to markets for my craft/art fix.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Depending on the mood: Classical
Soundtrack: The Mission, Passengers, Vince & Grace — Come in Spinner, Sting — Mercury Falling/ Crowded House, Billy Joel, The Audreys, The Waifs

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Etsy Forums and Red Bubble

Whats up next for you on the craft front?

Honing my welding skills with my recent birthday present so I can tap into some of the creative ideas that have been floating around in my head for years!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects), what are they?
An optimistic (read ‘highly advanced skills required’!) piece that I started when I did my first welding course. I aimed for the sky, although I didn’t realise it at the time (it looked pretty easy to me), but as with many things like it, once I had some knowledge on the subject, I realised how incredibly difficult it would be. Haven’t given up yet, though. ;o)

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
My business is still in its embryonic stage but orders by email are always welcome. focus [at] stewardson [dot] net should be set up soon. In the meantime I’m still using robyn.stew [at] rdson [dot] net

I look forward to hearing from you!

Another reason to log onto FB at work

2009-11-18T19:41:00.003+11:00

Just a quickie to let you know we've created an event listing on Facebook for next weekend's Northside Makers Market.

Invite all your favourite peeps!

10% off for Members

2009-11-14T06:12:00.000+11:00

As promised, here is the first members special discount offer.

The Mark Makers are having a fabric and button sale at the Camberwell Market this Sunday the 15th of November. Jennifer is offering an extra 10% off exclusively for Northside Makers members!

Just flash your Northside Makers membership card to take advantage of this great offer. Get there early or we might snaffle it all up first!

Find more details here: www.themarkmakers.blogspot.com

Keep an eye on our blog for more members specials to be announced soon........

Pin-up Crafters

2009-11-13T09:00:00.001+11:00

There's only two and a teensy bit weeks until the November 28th Northside Makers Market. You know what that means? Time for ~~pasta~~ ~~pansies~~ ~~ponies~~ posters!

Last market we postered Northcote, Westgarth, Thornbury, Fairfield, Brunswick and Fitzroy. This time we're hoping to go even further - with your help!

We're looking for volunteers to put up a poster at their workplace, school, childcare, library, tram stop, favourite cafe or anyplace else you see event posters stuck up. If you're really enthusiastic you could even help us distribute posters along major shopping strips in the area. We've already got a list of shops which accept posters to help take the guesswork out of who to approach. It's a great way to get some exercise - I lost two kilos postering for October's market.

If you can help send us an email at northsidemakers @ gmail.com and let us know how many posters you need and where you can put them up. If you've got a colour printer we'll email you a copy to print out; if not we'll pop some in the post ASAP.

Brooches anyone?

2009-11-09T09:00:00.002+11:00

Living Creatively have announced their competition for November, Beautiful Brooches!

So head over to Living Creatively, sign up and get making something nice and creative. Submissions close on the 27th of November, and you have a chance to win a $100 voucher.

Melbourne Paperific Expo

2009-11-07T09:00:00.002+11:00

13, 14 and 15 November 2009
at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale
just Northwest of Melbourne's City Centre

The expo runs for three days:
9.30am to 5pm - Friday and Saturday
9.30am to 4pm - Sunday

Get the rest of the details at their homepage. Beky, one of our Northside Makers went along to the expo in June, read her review here.

At a loose weekend.......Nov 6th - 8th

2009-11-06T13:12:00.014+11:00

It's the weekend again! Here's the fabbest places to be seen on your days off.

APS Christmas market.
Enjoy a glass of wine and some cheese while finding quality handcrafted Christmas gifts made by local crafts people.

Fri 6th November.
7 - 10 pm
Alphington Primary School
Yarralea Street.
Mel 31 A10.
(you might see a NM member or two there)

Teeny Tiny sisters market
This time the sisters have put together a market especially for the kids.
From toys and clothes to accessories and stationary. It's all for the young and young at heart.

Sat 7th Nov
10 - 4
Brunswick town Hall
Sydney rd, Brunswick.

You'll see our friends from Chuckles and some goodies from Lark.

Melbourne Bead Expo.
Selling lots of beading supplies as well as running workshops over the entire weekend.

Fri 6th - Sun 8th
10-4
Camberwell Centre
340 Camberwell Rd,
Camberwell.

Entry: $10

Whittlesea show
Fun and agriculture for the whole family.

Sat 7th Nov 9am to 7 pm
Sun 8th Nov 9am to 5 pm

Whittlesea show grounds
Yea Rd, Whittlesea.

Melways ref:246 J7

Watsonia Neighborhood house Market.
A great little market run monthly that supports local talent.
This month you'll see our very own Beky from Pivotal expressions.

Sat 7th November
47 Lambourne Rd,
Watsonia.

10am - 1pm

Theo's Discount Craft

2009-11-05T15:00:00.001+11:00

Four times a year Theo's Discount Craft in Boronia have their warehouse sale.

Theo's Discount Craft Sale
10th November to 14th November
Shop 3B Macquarie Place
Boronia 3155

They stock just about anything and on sale days. Ribbons, zips and other habby things are drastically reduced. Be prepared to buy lace and elastic by the 30 metre cards and uncover odds and ends that you just don't find in any other sewing or craft shop.

Any Creative Women out there?

2009-11-04T09:00:00.001+11:00

The Creative Women's Circle have their last speaker event for the year on November 14th.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saturday 14 November
10am - 12 midday
Guildford Lane Gallery
20 Guildford Lane, Melbourne CBD
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Spring is definitely a fashion-frenzy time for many Melbournites, and so it seems fitting that our next speaker is up-and-coming designer Stephanie Carello, creator of chic Melbourne label alabakov.

Stephanie has been enthralled in fashion for as long as she can remember. After graduating a clothing production and manufacturing course at RMIT, Stephanie worked within the fashion industry for a few years before her stylish label, alabakov was born. The vision of alabakov is to deliver timeless, classic and beautiful fashion pieces and each piece is designed and hand made by Stephanie!

Stephanie will speak about her experience as a young fashion designer in Melbourne, and about the unique business model she developed to bring her stunning alabakov creations to her increasing customer base.

Seating is limited so if you are planning to attend, please RSVP to tess /at/ tessmccabe.com.au as early as possible.

The Creative Women's Circle is proudly supported by the Guildford Lane Gallery. Check out what is currently showing at the Guildford by visiting www.guildfordlanegallery.org

4 weeks until the next Market

2009-10-30T13:04:00.003+11:00

A friend reminded me that I only have four weeks until our November Market.

So crafty peeps, if you already know that you are having a stall, please advertise far and wide.

This image is linked to a higher res image on our flickr site.
Feel free to print it, pass it around and pop it on your blogs and websites.

The Redwork Quilt Project

2009-10-28T09:00:00.000+11:00

Not sure if you have stumbled across "The Quilt Project" in your online travels. The site is certainly worth a few moments of your time.

For quite a few meetings, young Mel brought her block along to work on at Coffee and Craft gatherings ... her finished project is truely inspiring!

via The Quilt Project

Northside member Curlypops has also done a square!

An online community friendship quilt made up of 66 squares.
A modern twist on traditional redwork - participants were asked to "work a square in red".

After hours of handwork by each of the participants the squares were posted to Melbourne where they were photographed & assembled into a temporary quilt.

Displayed for one night the quilt squares will now be returned to their creators or swapped.

The Quilt Project is a permanent record for everyone to enjoy. Thanks for your interest.

The Quilt Project was initiated in Melbourne by Kirsty from kootoyoo.

If you are interested in similar projects , check out Block Party Blog for some inspiring ideas.

Cider and Craft at the Northcote Social

2009-10-27T22:49:00.012+11:00

What better way to spend a Monday night, than crafting and drinking with a bunch of Northside Makers gals.

We all met up at the Northcote Social club on Monday night for dinner then craft.
The night was aptly named Cider and Craft because the Northcote Social does not serve tea or coffee! .......and maybe because our intentions were out side the realms of serenely sipping coffee!

There was much craft to be had, from hand sewing to stamp carvings ...

Some of our crafters were sporting skills that we had not seen before ...

and lots of discussions happening from toddler taming....... through to bath mat knitting with left over sheets ...

Talking about our crafty plans for Christmas and of course......

some glasses of wine and cider shared along the way! Lots of fun!
Hope to see you at the next one.

Melbourne Bead Expo November 6th to 8th

2009-10-25T09:00:00.001+11:00

On cup weekend the The Bead Society of Victoria have their Melbourne Bead Expo.

Camberwell Centre, 340 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VIC
Friday 6th and Saturday 7th November 2008 – 10am to 5pm
Sunday 8th November 2008 – 10am to 4pm

This expo involves a broad range of workshops, all good value and the full expo brochure is available on the link above. It costs $10 for a 1 day pass or $25 for a three day pass.

So if you are a jewelry maker, pop along and check out the new techniques and supplies for sale.

Art for the kids....

2009-10-23T14:14:00.007+11:00

If your kids are anything like mine, they could get lost for hours in a sea of glitter, paint and coloring pencils. Well it's all fun and games 'till it's time to clean up the mess.

Sign by: I'm not spoiled designs.

Lucky for us, someone else has jumped on board and decided to begin art classes for the kids.

Starting on Monday October 26th, there will be 'kids art afternoons' hosted by the lovely ladies down at Thornbury neighbourhood womens house.

Includes afternoon tea to share & all art materials.
$10 full $5 Concession/per session.
Family discounts apply.

MONDAYS: 26TH OCT to 30TH NOV 2009
TIME: 4.30 pm to 5.30pm
Bookings ph: 9480 0466

THORNBURY WOMEN’S NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE
131 Shaftsbury Parade, THORNBURY

Do you think we could all pass as 5 year olds !
Might see yah there.

Monday 26th October - Craft and Cider at the Northcote Social

2009-10-22T13:30:00.002+11:00

Hooray for daylight savings and a little bit of spring weather. The days are getting longer and warmer...... So what better time to host the first of our Craft and Cider evenings!

picture via Twinssoon on etsy

We would like to invite all those members that ticked "weeknights" on there forms, to a Craft and Cider, or beverage of your choice, evening at the Northcote Social club (Directions here)

Monday 26th October
Northcote Social club
301 High st,
Northcote.
7pm onwards.....

A few of us will be ordering dinner at 7 as we come straight from work. If you don't want dinner you are welcome to come just for chats and drinkies or arrive a little later, so that you're not tempted by the lovely smells.

There's lots of us now, so hopefully we all fit in!

RSVP here, so that we know who is coming and who to make room for.

We'll set up out in the back area of the Northcote Social, near the dining room.
You can order food, alcohol, cake and coffee as we chat and chew our way through crochet, embroidery or any hand held project.

It's the perfect time to share any ideas you've come up with about how you'd like to see the collective evolve.
Look forward to seeing you all there....
and don't worry if you didn't tick evenings on your form.....you're still welcome too.

Counterfeit Crochet

2009-10-19T13:00:00.000+11:00

Hello Northsiders!

Can you tell that one of us is 30,000 miles away in the land of "u" "k"? The blog has been mysteriously quiet of late ... Jennie's adventures in England can be found on her blog.

In the meantime, Jay and I have been busy sorting through the applicants for the next market, and geez do we have lots of applicants for our humble market!

We had our first work through last night, making a "yes" and "maybe" list. Our first priority goes to local newbies who don't do a lot of markets. There is only so much we can do without our final team member. Our virtual team infrastructure has been having a workout, with wiki's, google docs and MSN being used to make decisions.

We are also tossing around dates for Coffee and Craft and even Cider and Craft when I came across this site.

Counterfeit Crochet ... debasing and defiling designer items one step at a time...

via Pinku Crafty

Hope you are all having an enjoyable crafty week ... stay tuned for news of our next craft-a-long session.

Margaret
xx

The Black Market Sunday 18th October 12-6pm

2009-10-17T22:03:00.005+11:00

The north has many eclectic markets and gatherings this is just one. If you are upto nothing on Sunday, come down and have a look at this market.

The Black Market
Sunday 18th October 2009
12 noon till 6pm
7 Eunson Avenue, Northcote
by the banks of the beautiful Merri Creek

Facebook event page

The Black Market happens only a few times a year and attracts the local goth, steam punk, rockabilly, psychobilly, punk, ska, hippy, emo, metal and cyber crowd. Lots of second hand and brand new stuff with an alternative theme.

BBQ & LIVE MUSIC - THE RESIGNATORS! (help get these guys touring overseas, band souvenirs, CDs & refreshments for sale to help the cause)

A nice chilled arvo under the gum trees with a bevy or 2 & ya mates getting rid of all that STUFF!

There will be a few Northside Gals selling their wares, so come down and say "hi!".

Victorian Button Collectors Club

2009-10-15T09:00:00.000+11:00

Thank-you Mrs Vintage aka Nicole Jenkins from Circa Vintage for her post on the World of Buttons, presented by Victorian Button Collectors Club.

When: Saturday October 17th, 930am to 4pm
Where: Burwood Heights Uniting Church Hall, corner Burwood Highway and Blackburn Road.
Cost: $3

ABC Collectors did a show on them in 2007 and it seems that there are plenty of button clubs around the world!

Applications now open...............

2009-10-14T09:00:00.006+11:00

Ladies and gents, get your engines started! The applications for our

November 28th market are open

Apply Now

We've had an overwhelming amount of interest for the November market and have taken on board your responses to our survey on opening hours, stall fees and advertising.
A big thank-you to all the October stall holders who filled out our "very quick" survey yesterday. Having your comments and thoughts allows us to make informed decisions.

For this market application, we have decided to offer it TOTALLY online.

No paper or printing required...Why?

Apart from saving the trees and the hip pocket on printing costs, it also cuts down on the manual data entry at our end and allows the committee to easily consolidate information ... (as we can suck the data into a spreadsheet and do funky things with it ... can you tell that one of us is in I.T?)

Planning meeting at the Wesley Anne ...

I'm sure that you'll agree the new application process is much more agreeable than trying to work with PDFs and word documents.

If you have any questions don't hesitate in dropping us a line northsidemakers@gmail.com

Otherwise .... let's get this party started!

Northside Makers Market : An illuminated page

2009-10-13T14:00:00.002+11:00

f we can think of one person or group's craft experiences as a story, be it adventure, romance or comedy, then each project or event can be thought of as a chapter, and the end result as a single page in that story. A beautiful page with illuminated lettering and a gilt edge, written painstakingly in ink by near-blind monks.

The inaugural Northside Makers Market was such a page in the burgeoning story of the Northside Makers. A delight to read, to behold, to experience. The sun shone warmly and birds sang in the trees. The only smudge on the page was the very late cancellation of the sausage sizzle, but our other food suppliers Melbourne Epicure and Cafe Koula rose to the challenge and liquid papered over the mar. (Can I shelve this analogy now?)

We organisers were genuinely moved by the number of stallholders who arrived first thing in the morning to help us set up. After all the tables were set up we hurried off the set up our own tables. The first time we returned to the hall and saw the visual offering our stallholders had prepared, the sight was breathtaking.

With all the months of planning and organising we had put into this day, it would have been for naught without the talent and quality our stallholders brought to the event. You are what makes us great!

Of course our outdoors stallholders were equally a delight to behold.

One innovation of Northside Makers Market was to offer our members the opportunity to display their work even if they didn't have enough to fill a whole table themselves. The result was a diverse Collective Table with six makers contributing stationery, accessories, screenprinted bags and more.

We received a lot of comments about the family-friendly vibe of the day, which was one of our top goals. The face painter and kids craft table proved a valuable distraction while parents shopped or relaxed in the shady courtyard with a coffee!

We'd love to post every photo from our new Flickr Pool here, but they would cripple your bandwidth. Instead we invite you to click through and take a look for yourselves, and even join up to contribute your own market day photos. It would be satisfying to sign off this post with a photo of we exhausted yet happy organisers - anyone take one?!

See you again on November 28th.

Jennie, Jay & Margaret

x o x

Did you visit the Northside Makers Market?

2009-10-12T11:00:00.004+11:00

Here at Northside Makers we espouse the theory of continuous improvement.

If you had a chance to visit our market, but didn't have a chance to fill in one of our vistor survey sheets, then you are in luck ... we have set up a quick survey at survey monkey which will take 5 minutes to do, it will be open until next weekend.

So please, tell us what you think!

Share your Northside Makers Market photos!

2009-10-11T13:03:00.005+11:00

We will bring you a full market wrap-up post as soon as we've recovered.

In the meantime we invite you to join the brand-new Northside Makers Market & Events group on Flikr and share your views of the day. Just click here and make a request to join. We'll approve you ASAP so you can start sharing your photos!

See you on Saturday.......

2009-10-08T18:00:00.001+11:00

It's almost market day and after months of preparation, hours of stitching, painting and gluing, we are proud as punch to be presenting an awesome selection of handmade products for you this Saturday at the first and definitely not last, Northside Makers Market .

Check out all the fabulous crafters that will be displaying oodles of handmade wonder at our October market. (in alphabetical order):

Amanda O'Donnell

Blue Blue Patches
Buttonlicious
Celia Adams
Chuckles Designs
Cosmetic Cat Creations
Curlypops
Custom Culture

Daneeta Hennessey
Elmie

Ffarff Art
Finki Handmade
Flicketty Splits
Found and Bound
Hawthorne Cottage
Jenny Anderson
Jo Woodberry
Kazzalblue
Konstant Kaos
Lauren Williams
Light of the times
Little Cooties
Little Ray
Little Waltz
Luise Adams
Made by Sarah
Mecino
Mee and M'lee
Melbourne Epicure
Mrs Beckinsale
Pepperberry & Co
Piccolamia
Pivotal Xpressions
Polly Pratt
Retro Print Revival
Ros Chambers
Samantha Ramage
Selina Bayliss
Slap Cosmetics
Stitch in Time
Tinniegirl
Tirese Ballard

Vintage Sew and So
Whittaker Rose Designs

Not everyone has a website or blog to link to so you'll just have to come by on market day for an up close view of the real thing. (if we've missed you just shout and we'll fix it right up),

There will be scrumptious gingerbread cookies, tarts and more... made by the lovely Cathie at Melbourne Epicure, delightful coffee and eats from Cafe Koula and a sausage sizzle to raise funds for the local Girl Guides.

And don't worry we haven't forgotten the kids....there'll be a face painter around from 10.30 - 2.30, free craft table activities and balloons all set up in the courtyard so you can sit and relax with your coffee and cakes whilst the kids are entertained.

The stage is set, the weather forecast is sunny.....the stallholders are preparing a feast for the eyes.....all we need is you.

Blog about it, Facebook it, tweet it, text it....whatever your method is just make sure to tell all your friends to come support your local crafters this Saturday.

See Yah there
Jennie, Jay and Margaret
xx

Publicity

2009-10-08T17:00:00.002+11:00

As well as postering four corners of the northern suburbs, the press releases we sent out are starting to pay out. Here's our clipping from this week's The Melbourne Times, distributed to 95,582 readers from Richmond to Flemington, Reservoir to Alphington and everywhere in between:

Have you seen Northside Makers Market promoted somewhere? Leave a comment and let us know!

Meet the Northside Crafters: Retro Print Revival

2009-10-07T15:00:00.001+11:00

While working on this "crafters" post, I found myself listening to 70s music (and also listening to a bit of Pornland ...) and thinking of fondue ... enjoy reading about Retro Print Revival.

Tell us about what you sell?
Retro Print Revival make lamps and lampshades made from rare 100% vintage fabrics and lamp bases creating a true retro look. The lampshades vary in style from 60's floral patterns to bold 70's geometrics.

Each lamp is made as a one off piece giving you a truly unique piece of decor for your retro or contemporary home.

What inspires you?
I surround myself with inspiring things everyday. Other crafters inspire me, the colours and patterns in my fabrics inspire me, the demand for handmade products inspires me, and switching on a lamp that I've just made inspires me.

What is your favorite medium to work in?
Vintage fabrics

What would you be lost without?
The great designers of the 1960's and 70's and the amazing people in my life that listen to me talk about lamps ALL THE TIME, who are always on the look out for new materials for me, who inspire, encourage and support me in my endeavors.

What's your favourite crafty read?
I've just picked up this 1970's book from the op-shop full of quirky craft ideas and very funny illustrations.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
It could be anything from The Beatles to Elton, Leonard Cohen to Wilco or Nick Drake to The Stones.

What other crafty forums do you lurk in?
I havent quite tapped into this side of the craft scene yet but I do like Meet Me at Mikes forum.

Do you have any UFO's?
I have recently started a new line of decor. The product is vintage fabric stretched over circular wall hangings that come in all different sizes and widths. They offer something different than you're standard rectangular or square wall hanging. I will be selling them in sets or individually and I've got some for the kids room too!
It's a new project for me that I would like to get off the ground in the coming months.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Retro Print Revival will be doing markets in the spring/summer

Rose Street Artists Market, The Sisters Market, Thread Den, Craft Hatch, Yarraville Market,
Substation Market. Look on my myspace for market dates shortly and soon to be stocked in stores!

Meet the Northside Crafters: Kazzal Blue

2009-10-07T09:00:00.015+11:00

Kazzal Blue make the most gorgeous knitted finger puppets you have ever seen ... come along and check them out!

Tell us about what you sell ...
Anything baby or children oriented. For example, baby booties, singlets and baby quilts, toys for small children such as finger puppets for pretend play. Amazing what a 3 year old comes up with when he has pirate finger puppets. Other soft toys also, and colouring wallets for 2 year olds plus, that hold everything you need for drawing.

What inspires you?
I love making things. I dont really know where it all comes from, a long line of talented parents and grandparents I think. Also I love the results, when an idea works out!

What's your favorite medium to work in?
I like fabric the best but I knit a lot too.

What would you be lost without ....
My cutting board, my stash of fabric which I love to look through for motivation and ideas. Probably my twin sister who I throw ideas at and who I share some of the sites with.

What's your favourite crafty read?
Have you seen Material Obsessions. A lovely quilt book put out by two Australian ladies who had a common interest. Gorgeous pictures and lovely to just look through over and over.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
I love the peace and quiet, which is pretty tough to come by living in a house with 6 males, so I don’t listen to anything usually. If I do I love Bryan Adams spirit of the black stallion. Great instrumental music.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Too many. DUST, Etsy, Madeit, I like seeing what everyone is up to and what the latest trends are.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
I am going to try dying next I have decided.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
Far too many. Quilts I was making for my boys, one for my Dad also, Toys sitting on shelves waiting for bits, Bags that are unfinished. The list really is toooo long.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
You can find me at www.kazzalblue.etsy.com I can also be contacted through my blog at http://kraftybiz.blogspot.com/ or you can leave me a message on my email at jandklove [at] netspace.net.au

Meet the Northside Crafters: Flickettysplits

2009-10-07T09:00:00.008+11:00

We thoroughly enjoyed putting together this "crafters" post .. I am sure that you will enjoy reading Flickettysplits response to our probing questions!

Tell us about what you sell ...
I think what I really sell is colours and stories. Those are the things that make each of my pieces unique, and I think it's fundamentally what my customers want to buy. Craft customers don't want a mass-produced item made on the other side of the world and shipped here inside tonnes of packaging - they want something original, something local, something special. Every one of my pieces has a story I can tell you, whether it's about where I found the fabrics, or how I put them together, or what I was doing at the time - boy troubles, work stress, a trip away - it's all there inside my work. It might be just the name, or it might be something deeper. So on the surface it looks like I make softies as well as cushions, tote bags, doorstops, pencil rolls, fabric buckets and whatever else takes my fancy .... but really what I'm selling you are the colours and stories of my life.

What inspires you?
I am fascinated by colours and patterns and textures. There is no way I could ever live in a minimalist house of beige colours with a polished concrete floor. No, if it was described in a catalogue my style would be "Versace Threw Up" - prints and patterns and colours wildly clashing all over the place. But that's what makes me "me", and it's what my customers love. I am never afraid to take risks with material.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
I am a fabric hound. I live inside a fabric house and I eat fabric food and I breathe fabric air (it's quite thick and hard to force down).

What would you be lost without ....
Well, obviously my Bernina!

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
The aching, weighty sound of silence in the house. Punctuated by the occasional snip of scissors, the whir of a sewing machine, and the never-ending stream of babble inside my head.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
I'm afraid I'm a completely unfaithful blog reader. One week Blog A is my next best friend, next week I've turfed it outside to sit quietly sobbing by itself, while I'm shimmying up alongside the new and sparkly Blog B. I love you all, you crafty blogs you!

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
I think I'm going to take a detour into clothes for a bit. Every time I wear something I've made I get a nice comment on it, so perhaps that's a talent I can bring to other people as well. It's all about the colours, naturally.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
Well, there's this dress I tried to make in my first ever sewing class, which is a complete and utter abomination - the pattern was WAY beyond my skill level - so I butchered it, but I love the fabric so I can't throw it away, even though I can't finish it either. I'm thinking of cutting the good fabric out to use for something else.....

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
I'm on Etsy along with the rest of the craft world, and you can visit me on my blog All Toile And No Reward. Plus if you haunt craft markets in the Northern Suburbs - Northside Makers, Made N Thornbury, Sonny & Coco, Shirt and Skirt Market, Northcote Town Hall markets - you're bound to bump into me somewhere. Please come and say hi and I will tell you a story

Meet the Northside Crafters: Pepperberry & Co

2009-10-06T15:00:00.003+11:00

Northside Makers are excited to have Pepperberry & Co at their market. Sandra has built up her business over the last year and her drive and enthusiasm is truely inspiring ...

Tell us about what you sell.

Pepperberry & Co. is my boutique textiles store specialising in earthy, natural products. My products are crafted by hand using natural cotton & cotton/linen blends, use unbleached fabrics where possible & are 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free. My signature items include Notebook Covers and Passport Covers, and I am looking to expand with a Baby Range shortly.

What inspires you?
My mother, who passed away when I was 14, is a constant inspiration. She worked so phenomenally hard and achieved so much even though, as a non-English speaking immigrant from the war in Poland, she had so little. I am growing up to be just like her, and I love it! I am also inspired by the broader crafting community. I spend a ridiculous amount of time each day browsing Etsy, blogs, and great crafty websites, just soaking up the talent, creativity, passion and inspiration.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
I have two core addictions: fabric and paper. It's not a wonder I have two shops that celebrate each one! I believe you can create anything with these two mediums and a touch of creativity.

What would you be lost without?

My family! My partner Sharon and our five fluffy rescued cats and dogs are the reason I get up each day and live my dreams. Without their love and support, none of this would be possible!

What's your fave crafty read (linked to Amazon)?

As a crafter who wanted to transform a hobby into a business, I got a lot out of Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco. I would highly recommend it! The book I'm saving up my pennies for at the moment is Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials by Jeannine Stein. I've got my fingers crossed it appears under the Christmas tree!

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

Silence! I've never worked well with any kind of noise, although I do tend to enjoy the purrs that emit from my cats as they sleep on my sewing machine... and on my fabric pile... and on my laptop keyboard...

What crafty forums do you lurk in?

I'm a regular in the Etsy forums, as I find I gain so much from my chats with other crafters there. I also pop up in the forums for the Etsy teams I'm on- the Australian DUST Team, the EtsyVeg Team, the Cruelty-Free Team, and the Vegan Etsy Team. (editor: Sandra also has a good post on crafty haunts ..)

What's up next for you on the craft front?

There is so much coming up! I have yet to fulfill half my ideas for Pepperberry & Co., and I'm sure there will be even more as the time goes. At this stage, I'm working on Christmas Cards and Baby booties, but I also have plans to expand my travel and baby ranges and release a Pepperberry fabric range. So much to do, so little time!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects)? What are they?

I have too many to count! I even have a special box set aside for these, so that it sits there and taunts me from the bookshelf. Right now, I'm in the middle of making a Softie Mouse, hand-carving a stamp set and making a Coptic-Stitched Journal- oh, and learning how to draw!

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

I have two online stores on Etsy: Pepperberry & Co. and Papers By Pepperberry. I'm also a regular at Yarraville Markets and the Made 'N Thornbury Market. An up-to-date list is always available on the Pepperberry & Co. blog, and I always hold specials for Fans of my Facebook Page and my Followers on Twitter.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Me and M'Lee

2009-10-06T09:00:00.006+11:00

Me and M'Lee are a new collaboration and their first market is at Northside Makers this weekend. They have a wonderful range of practical products for your home.

Tell us about what you sell ...
Me & M’lee is only 3 weeks old however I’d been doing this sort of thing for my kids school carnival until a friend suggested I try my hand at selling these products at the markets, (thanks Andi); Lavender Wheat Bags with removable, washable cotton covers, Adjustable Aprons, Any occasion Fabric Greeting Cards, Cot Sheet Sets, Cot Comforters, Hand Creams and Lip Balms, Hand Knitted Neck Scarves, Kids Hair Accessories

What inspires you?
The end product! I just love to shop for gorgeous fabrics and then see it turn into something mum and I are really proud of and hope others will love too.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Textiles and Yarn

What would you be lost without ....
My MUM! and her Necchi sewing machine (mines a Janome).

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
We usually just chat and enjoy each others company however anything relaxing is best.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Need some free time to surf the net and investigate.

What’s up next for you on the craft front?
Seeing as this is our very first market, we’d like to get some experience at the Northside Market and see how buyers react to our products. We’ll also be making shopping/tote bags which we would have loved to have on offer next Saturday but we’re running out of time to make all these items.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Northside Makers Market

Meet the Northside Crafters: Lauren Williams

2009-10-05T18:00:00.005+11:00

Tell us about what you sell ...
I make jewelery/accessories using fabric covered buttons.

What inspires you?
The fabric I use inspires me. I have a small (ok…huge) obsession with Japanese fabric and paper

What's your favorite medium to work in?
Fabric at the moment

What would you be lost without ....
My plastic button ‘tools’

What's your fave crafty read?
Craft Blogs and mixtape zine

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Usually the TV as I craft at night when my son is asleep

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
I don’t lurk in any forums (yet!) I lurk in lots of blog though!

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
Getting thru the Christmas rush and enjoying all my upcoming markets

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
umm…too many to mention! I did start some felted containers in winter that I’m very keen to finish once I can find some spare time

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Madeit, Georgie Love, Inspirasia, I dream a highway, Shiva designs and Trends on Barkly. Full details of stockists and markets can be viewed on my blog www.laurenwilliamshandmade.blogspot.com

Meet the Northside Crafters: Konstant Kaos Designs

2009-10-05T09:00:00.010+11:00

Konstant Kaos Designs make a range of crafty things with an alternative edge to them. Margaret is also one of the crafty ladies behind the Northside Makers.

Tell us about what you sell ...

When I first started to make things to sell I started with baby shoes and bibs. My daughter was 9 months old and it was really out of necessity more than anything else. Since then I have made pouches, wallets, bags, pendants and of button hair ties . I tend to go where the fabric takes me. I will buy a gorgeous piece of fabric and then spend days working out what I am going to make with it. I tend to make things with quirky fabrics, I don't sew with natural linens or pastels. Mostly blacks, reds and purples.

What inspires you?

Functionality inspires me. Having a beautiful hand made object that is functional rather than superfluous. So when I make my bags, I make them with a clip for keys and pockets inside. When I make baby shoes, I make them with a little tag to help the parents put them on. I try and develop each product so that I meet my customers needs.

I am currently working on a design for a new wallet, so for a few weeks I will take my notebook everywhere and sketch shapes, textures and ideas for my product. Then I generally work through the design life cycle about four times until I am happy with the product. Then I sew, sew, sew for markets!

What's your favorite medium to work in?

I am definitely a lover of textiles, but I have also done some jewelry and resin casting work. I love the Kokka range of japanese fabrics.

What would you be lost without ....

My stitch unpick! I generally always have pile of things sitting there to be unpicked. Maybe they are prototypes I am working on, or perhaps they are combinations of fabrics that didn't work out too well.

What's your favourite crafty read

I quite like to grab a copy of Australian Homespun from time to time and I love going through older vintage sewing books such as Golden Hands. I am an avid reader of Frankie and Peppermint. I also have a number of blogs that I subscribe to ranging from local gals to international quilters.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

A combination of music if I am using the machine through to podcasts if I am just cutting things out. Then it depends on whether my daughter is upstairs asleep. Anything from VNV Nation through to Tori Amos

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....

Etsy Forums, Dust team, Craftster, Meet me at Mikes

Whats up next for you on the craft front?

I want to try my hand at some children's clothes, I just have to the momentum up and running. I have done a number of customs so I have patterns that I have developed and graded and they are ready to go, just need the right fabric!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?

Many of them. The crafty graveyard is full of embroidery, crochet and sewing projects gone wrong. I have a little bag full of the prototype's for the shoes that I made, I should really take a photo of how far I have come with those.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

Konstant Kaos has an etsy shop, we keep a blog, we will also be at Northside Makers and Made n Thornbury.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Stitch in Time

2009-10-04T09:00:00.001+11:00

'Stitch in Time' uses wonderful retro images to create contemporary items that everyone loves!

Tell us about what you sell ..
I sell greetings cards/ gift tags / bookmarks and notebooks- all things stationery. I also do a range of calico bags using the same images- culled from my extensive dress pattern collection and kitsch images from 50s & 60s romantic fiction.

What inspires you?
It's always great to see how people react to the dress patterns- it really brings back memories for lots of people, they wore the clothes or made them, you hear some fascinating stories. Also, I love the warped humour in the romantic fiction- the covers still make me laugh.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
I'm devoted to paper but very happy to explore anyones stationery cupboard. Haberdashery is also a weakness.

What would you be lost without ....
Double sided tape, superglue, my boyfriend's car and my Pfaff.

What's your favourite crafty read
Inside Out /World of Interiors and love love Selvedge ( I'm hoping someone will buy me a subscription for Xmas)

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
I like talking books or BBC Radio 4.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
None, barely have time to do this!

What's up next for you on the craft front?
Working four days a week instead of 5 which will make everything possible.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects), what are they?
More interior stuff- it's still bit vague.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Work in progress- sign my email list for the latest market stall updates.

2009-10-03T20:38:00.008+10:00

Last chance for some school holiday fun before it's back
to school on Monday.

'Spring open day 2009'.
Don’t miss the FREE events on offer, including:
- Live music
- Lots of children’s activities
- Garden discovery walks
- Secrets of the Herbarium tours
- Behind the scenes of the nursery

'Dreaming of spring' by Sascalia.

Check out the full events list here or visit www.rbg.vic.gov.au

Most importantly be sure to visit 'Markets in the Gardens' for a Sneak preview of some unique stalls featured at Markets in the Gardens this summer.
*10am – 2pm, Observatory Gate precinct where you'll see our 'Northside Maker' baker....Cathie from Melbourne Epicure selling some of the most scrumptious gingerbread, olive loaf and more....

*Don't Forget Victoria's daylight saving will start on Saturday night/Sunday morning. So don't forget to move clocks forward one hour.

Meet and Greet

2009-10-02T15:00:00.003+10:00

Last night we held our first stall holder meet and greet for the Northside Makers Market. Stallholders were invited along for a get together at the Wesley Anne on High Street in Northcote and a walk through of the church hall where we are going to have our market.

Ended up that the hall had double booked us so we unfortunately interrupted a meditation group going through their motions! But a good time was had by all. Stallholders got to talk to each other and the newbies got to ask lots of questions!

We look forward to many more opportunities to get to know this fabulous community of crafty sellers in our neighbourhood.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Melbourne Epicure

2009-10-02T09:00:00.008+10:00

Why do craft markets have food stalls ... to keep the crafters fed and happy of course! When we started to plan this market, the first thing people asked was "will you have cupcakes there ..."

Tell us about what you sell ...
A variety of baked goods, olive & herb bread, haloumi & herb bread, fruit muffins, gingerbread men, variety of cupcakes, sesame & nut bars and the occasional savoury delites as well.

What inspires you?
Food wise I love tastespotting for a variety of food blogs and of course recipes.
A lot of blogs inspire me as well with their wit, commitment and I LOVE great images on blogs.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Photography has always been my true love though I would love to get back into printmaking.

What would you be lost without ....
oh my...my CAMERA!!!

What's your favourite crafty read
I love a good cookbook and have soo many, favourites are Apples for Jam
and anything Donna Hay

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Some quiet at the moment.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
None at the moment but I love blog surfing around the world.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
Like to go beyond baking and try a little sewing and patchwork

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
There are a lot of things that I'd like to start on besides the baking but with my two little cheeky monkeys around all the time it's a little hard to get started at times.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
We are at Bundoora Farmer's Market on the 1st Saturday of the month and The Garden's Market on the 2nd Saturday of the month from November till April, Made n Thornbury and of course Northside Makers Market.

International Day of Felt 3rd October 2009

2009-10-01T11:46:00.006+10:00

Hey did you know that it is International Year of the Natural Fibres?

via fibrespace on flickr

So Northside Makers ... do you have any felt you would like to show off? Blog about it and link to this post!

"In celebration of the first-ever International Day of Felt, a group of felt artists has formed under the name ‘Felt United’ and have invited felt makers from around the globe to join them in helping to raise awareness of felt making, both as a craft and as an art form. Felt United has set a theme, which is ‘a slice of the colour wheel’, yellow through red. They have also set the task of getting felt makers to display their felt and to make a project of getting people together to make felt.
This is an open call to felters around the world who have not yet heard about FeltUnited. We are asking felters everywhere to participate on October 3rd, 2009. Display your felt - on your front door, in the park, along the road or on your car." via Canberra Felters

Meet the Northside Crafters: Found n Bound

2009-10-01T09:00:00.001+10:00

We are very excited to have Found n Bound as one of our crafty stall holders on the 10th of October ...

Tell us about what you sell ...

I recycle old, vintage hardcover books and make them into writing journals. The old covers are so beautiful and I retain all the goodies you find in a book (library cards, award plates, illustrations and even children’s scribbles)

What inspires you?
I’m inspired by the need to be kinder to the planet and work with materials that already exist. I’m also inspired by the nostalgia and creativeness that goes into making or buying something handmade.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
It would have to be paper for sure with fabric coming in a close second.

What would you be lost without ....
My bookshelves

What's your favouritecrafty read?

I’m a big Mary Englebreit fan who is a beautiful & whimsical illustrator in the US and produced the Home Companion magazine. It has just recently ceased publication (US recession has hit the mag market) but you can find her on-line.

I also love popping into visit craftcitymelbourne as it’s a good spot to find some quirky things around Melbourne.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

It has become almost a ritual that Michael Buble croons me through my working hours.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
There are so many wonderful places to lurk and I wish I could spend all my time reading but then I’d never get doing! I peek into craft gossip forums.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
I would love to learn about screen printing and I’m looking for inspiration (and time) to reuse the beautiful old illustrations from children’s books. Oh – and I’m definitely going to try a macramé wall hanging (I knew I should have kept my old ones)

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?

I had an ambitious idea to get all family & friends to create their own quilt block with words of wisdom or illustrations. Well, that was 10 years ago and I’ve not put the quilt together as I got distracted by making my sister a quilt for her wedding. I will do it one day, but the pieces are still beautiful just as they are.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

Markets:
Williamstown, Mornington, Red Hill

On line at:
Found n Bound Etsy
Found n Bound Madeit.com

In the shops of:
Fannyz, 174 Chapel Street
The Cool Room, 133 Carlisle St, St Kilda
The Local Shop, 262 High Street, Northcote
Rusty Spade, Canowindra, NSW

Social Craftworking

2009-09-29T14:00:00.001+10:00

Have you caught up with Northside Makers on Facebook? Our fan page is a great place to connect with other local crafters, share news and post photos of your latest craft success.

We've also created an event listing for Northside Makers Market, which you can use to invite all your favourite people along on Saturday 10th October. Just click here and start sending invites! The more the merrier.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Pivotal Xpressions

2009-09-29T09:00:00.005+10:00

Pivotal Xpressions makes unique paper goods that are sure to delight ...

Tell us about what you sell ...
Pivotal Xpressions sell organisational stationery, gift wrap, cards, and paper craft items.

What inspires you?
I find if I go shopping down Brunswick Street, that always inspires me and gives me a boost, (I always take a camera with me). Also everyday activities and events. Recently I went to the Pink concert which had a circus / fun house theme. The event inspired me to design a trapeze greeting card. Inspiration appears at the oddest of times for me.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
Pixels and paper. I design a lot on my trusty computer, thus the pixels. I love to also create with paper. There is nothing like working with paper that has beautiful textures and patterns on them. I'm also starting to have an interest in working with ribbons as well.

What would you be lost without ....
I would be lost without my husband, who has given me lots of encouragement. Also be lost without my creativity and my computer.

What's your fave crafty read

I enjoy reading 'Mixtape', Real Living Magazine (Australian version) and Computer Arts.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
I tend to listen to the radio through the Internet. Often listen to ABC News Radio or the BBC News Radio. Yes I am a news junkie.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
I don't venture into the crafty forums, however I read a lot of paper / stationery blogs that are from America. I have noticed there seems to be a lot more paper blogs originating from the US than Australia. My favourite paper blog would have to be 'Papercrave'.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
I want to tackle making notepads and develop my gift wrap more. Also want to venture more into crochet. I found more success with crochet than knitting.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
I have too many unfortunately. I have this terrible habit of starting a project, leaving it aside and starting on a new one. Not very productive. A personal project that I have worked on over a two year period, is a mask.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
People can go to my etsy store www.pivotalxpressions.etsy.com.

Vintage Fabric Sale

2009-09-28T15:00:00.000+10:00

Courtesy of Circa Vintage, notification of a vintage fabric sale! If you have never been to Camberwell Market before, be warned .. you need to get there early!

Meet the Northside Crafters: Piccolamia

2009-09-28T09:00:00.000+10:00

Piccolamia is one of the newest kids on the block with some lovely home decor products for your kids bedrooms.

Tell us about what you sell ...
I sell hair accessories, bags, wall decor and kids aprons.

What inspires you?
It's all about colour! The internet is also a great source of inspiration, you have the creativity of the world at your fingertips.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
Fabric.

What would you be lost without ....
My family, my sewing machine and my computer too!

What's your favourite crafty read
Various crafty blogs

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
Sometimes I like to craft in silence...otherwise FM radio, my CDs or my daughter reading.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Not really a regular in any forums, but I've recently found etsy dustteam and lurk there a little .

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
I have a few new projects in mind which I'd like to get started on for my market stalls coming up to Christmas, but whether that happens is another story!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
My UFO are clothes adjustments...taking up pants or repairing zip, they never seem to get done, too many other exciting things to start on!

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Piccolamia can be found at: Makers Market, Abbotsford Convent every 3rd Sunday
My Etsy Shop: www.piccolamia.etsy.com
My Madeit shop: www.madeit.com.au/piccolamia
My blog: www.piccolamias.blogspot.com

Market Newbie - Part 2: How can I show my stuff?

2009-09-26T09:00:00.006+10:00

Stall presentation is not something that comes naturally to me. I'd happy just dump all my stuff on a table, let people rummage through it and if they find something they like they can have it!

However, a handmade market is not a car boot sale and my natural inclinations simply will not do! While hardcore handmade fans love nothing more than spending five minutes at every stall making sure they've seen everything you've got, the average market shopper will decide at first glance if your stall is worth stopping at or not, especially if they've got bored kids with them.

This makes it very important to make sure all your wares can be easily seen and your most unique and eye-catching stuff is what a shopper sees when they run that first sweeping glance across your stall.

You probably won't want to go to the expense of custom-made display furniture for your first markets - unless that's what your craft is! I know an awful lot of craft marketers who head straight for IKEA when redesigning their stall, including myself. Half my market display furniture can be found in IKEA's small storage listings. An equally popular option is your local op shops for more unique finds.

Before you go shopping try to have a clear image of your stall aesthetic - clean and crisp, earthy and natural, dark and gothic, funky and bright, arty and hip. Decide if each item you pick up is in keeping with the look you want for your stall. Also take along a list of the wares you need to display so you don't miss anything, or buy more than you can use.

The phrase I keep in mind when choosing my stall setup is 'Golden Age of Travel'. This is in keeping with my old tram theme. I choose display boxes that look like old luggage (and if I ever find some affordable old luggage I'll use that!). I also like unusual retro fabrics, so my tablecloth is made of fabric I bought for $2 a metre on Sydney Road. I use fabric boxes from IKEA to make a tower for my cushions.

Northside Makers committee member and market veteran (compared to me) Jay and shares this advice:

"Look in your own sheds and kitchen cupboards before heading to the shops. I use a CD rack lying on its side for my gift cards, kitchen platters for my earrings and an upside down ice tray for my rings. It's important to think outside the box, and utilise what you have, but maybe in a way you just hadn't thought of yet."

Here's some photos of appealling stalls I've found online or in person.

Originally uploaded by Covetables

Melbourne maker Rabbit & the Duck. Originally uploaded by Rabbit & the Duck

Northside Maker Pepperberry & Co. Originally uploaded by Pepperberry & Co

Originally uploaded by Marisa Bogg

Melbourne maker Penny Walker-Keefe. Originally uploaded by Craft Victoria

Melbourne maker Brittany Veitch. Originally uploaded by Craft Victoria

My last tip is that if you plan to do a lot of markets, you can save a lot of money buying your own trestle table rather than paying table hire fees. Officeworks has a bi-folding trestle table that'll fit in any car boot, and at only $69 you'll make back the investment in no time.

If you've got any more suggestions of where to find great stall designs, leave a comment and share!

Missed something? Find Market Newbie: Part 1 here.

Main photo: Northside Maker Finki. Originally uploaded by Finki.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Little Cooties

2009-09-25T09:00:00.000+10:00

Tell us about what you sell ...
Little Cooties started out making clothes for the little cuties in my life, and after a few requests to make some for other parents’ cuties, I decided to try my luck in the markets. I make dresses, and other clothes for girls as well as tops and pants for boys. I also make softies that range from cute and cuddly to vampire inspired creations. Today I thought about creating some pendants out of found objects that I came across today.

What inspires you?
Other crafters out there are a definite source of inspiration, the amount of talent and creation out there is incredible. My children inspire me to make things that they would like. They are my critics (although to date, they love everything, so I think they are a little biased!) Movies and tv series also inspire me to create – hence the vampire dolls/

What's your favourite medium to work in?
At the moment polar fleece has got my attention, as it is so versatile. Fantastic as clothes, hats and toys, such a textural fabric.

What would you be lost without ....
My computer, which is my classroom. If I ever need tips on how to do something new, I look it up. I can source materials using it, and of course communicate with other crafters.

What's your favourite crafty read
I recently bought Bend the rules sewing by Amy Karol – she is a truly inspiring woman!

And also Sew what! Skirts by Francesca Denhartog and Carole Ann Camp – which is funny as I don’t normally wear skirts! Ha! But I like what I see and I can feel the creative juices working away.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

Koop, Koop Islands is fantastic for chilling out and creating with
Sugarbabes, Suga Babes to really get me pumping
Ministry of Sound Chillout sessions are always a great thing to have in the back ground.
And lastly Coastal Chill 09 which is a compilation of Australian artists and really fantastic.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
Crafster of course! Threadless is also a fount of information 

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
Will be trying my hand at resin jewellery…. I spent the day the other day catching red-back spiders, and my husband suggested resin to preserve them, so it’s a thought.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
No unfinished, but lots of “I’d love to start”

Where else can people shop for your goodies?
Etsy has some dresses of mine, and I had a few items on made it, but sold them elsewhere, so need to put some more things on there, otherwise, my blog is a good place to look at my wares and contact me further.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Mrs Beckinsale

2009-09-24T09:00:00.002+10:00

Mrs Beckinsale is one of the Northside Makers and she will her wonderful vintage-inspired travel wares for sale at our October Market.

Tell us about what you sell ...
W Class Cushions and accessories for the discerning public transport user. Myki pouches, magazine covers, diaries, fabric postcards and whatever else I feel like making.

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by Melbourne icons like trams and old buildings, old school tattoo images and costume dramas.

What's your favourite medium to work in?
I'm pretty much limited to textiles. I can't draw, sculpt, paint, woodwork, silversmith or throw a pot. But I've used only thirty years of my life so far, so there's still heaps of time to expand my repertoire.

What would you be lost without ....
My Melways. A ha ha. No, Easyfix. It's my preferred brand of Vliesofix equivalent.

What's your fave crafty read
John Peacock's Fashion Sourcebooks series.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?
If I'm lucky, the sound of silence while Little Jack has his nap.

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....
I haven't been a forum user for a few years now. It's hard enough keeping up with my huge blog reading list.

Whats up next for you on the craft front?
A few more diary designs for 2010 and some very special new cushions.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?
A pile of W Class Cushions for custom orders, my new cushion prototype and a cocktail dress for my sister.