Market Mashup - What's on the Market Calendar Summer 2014

Tis' the season for Markets so I thought I would compile a handy list of upcoming markets for you in Christchurch. As you can see there's a lot on the calendar!  I hope to see you at some of these either shopping or stalling it (in a good way).  Also if you know of any other Market events please contact me and I can add to the list or please feel free to comment below.

Cathedral Square Market

Running most days throughout Market Season (check website for details)
Time: 10am - 4pm
Venue: Cathedral Square
Official Website: http://www.hazellovesdesign.com/

New Brighton Seaside Market
Every Saturday from 8th November to the 20th December
Time: 10am - 2pm
Venue: New Brighton Pedestrian Mall
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/NBCommunityMarket

Sumner Sunday Market
Every Sunday from 19th October to the 5th April
Time: 10am - 2pm
Venue: Sumner Village Green
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/SumnerMarket

Riccarton Rotary Sunday Market
Every Sunday
Time: 9am - 2pm
Venue: Riccarton Racecourse, 146 Racecourse Road
Official Website: http://www.riccartonmarket.co.nz/

Shabby Chic Market
Date:  (1st Sunday of every month)
Time: 11am - 3pm
Venue: Rochester Villa
Official Website: Shabby Chic Market Day

Lost and Found Market
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Market
Date: Sat 15th Nov
Time: 10am - 3pm

Venue: CPIT CPSA

Official Website: http://lostfound.co.nz/

The Revamp Vintage Market
Date: Saturday 22nd November
Time: 10am - 3pm
Venue: The Pavilion @ Rangi Ruru Girls High School
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheReVampVintageMarket

Christmas Encraftment Market

Date: Saturday 29th November
Time: 10am - 4pm
Venue: The Foundry Bar, 90 Ilam Rd
Official Website: the blog or https://www.facebook.com/Encraftment

Mandeville Craft Festival

Date: Sunday 30th November

Time: 11am - 4pm
Venue: Mandeville Sports Club, 431 Mandeville Rd

Official Website: http://www.mandevillecraftfestival.co.nz/

Rolleston Community Market

Date:  Sunday 30th November
Time: 10am - 2pm
Venue: Rolleston Community Centre
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolleston-Community-Market/

Shop Me Pretty
The 12 days til Christmas Fete

Date: Saturday 13th December

Time: 11am - 4pm
Venue: 280 Hasketts Road, Yaldhurst

Official Website: www.shopmepretty.co.nz

Lincoln's Christmas Twilight Market

Date: Thursday 18th December

Time: 4pm - 7pm
Venue: On The Green bside Hillyer's Cafe, Lincoln

Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/lincolnmarket

My Inspiration Monday - Sewinspired by Kelly Roe

How did your business come about?

 I guess you could say I have always been quite creative, this lay dormant while I was in my uni years (funny how a great social life interferes with such things!) and really came in to play after the birth of my second son. 

A friend of mine enjoyed sewing and had made a blanket for my little man and I fell in love!   I was given my sewing machine 3 years ago and it has not stopped humming since.  I started with quilting blankets and duvets for close friends and myself then it just exploded from there! I love to try new things and tend to make all my own patterns for everything I make. The things you can make, the beautiful fabrics, the ideas are endless... I tend to get very carried away - I even recently made my own modern cloth nappies for my 1 year old! 

I dabble a little in upcycling too - however that's more of a pastime than business centred. Now I have my facebook business which is slowly growing and keeping these crafty hands busy - and I love it!

Where did the name come from?

When starting out I had no idea what to name myself - so I did what most normal people do (right?!?!) I threw out the question to the Facebook world. A very good friend of mine suggested Sewinspired, I loved it and I thought to make it a little unique I'd add my name. So it became - Sewinspired by Kelly Roe!

Where does your inspiration come from?

Magazines, the internet (don' even get me started on Pinterest!!!), people in general, are all good sources of inspiration. I spend a lot of nights sprawling the internet for new fabrics, a lot of these give me inspiration as I get a feel for what might look cool as leggings/t- shirt dresses/blankets/cushions/homewares/bibs etc. I also tend to follow trends - at the moment I love geometrics and triangles and bright colours.

 My children are also a huge source of inspiration. I have 3 sons, Lochee, Sawyer and Kingston, I'd like to really progress my business so I can remain essentially a Stay at Home Mum while also running my little sewing business. Wouldn't it be great to be able to do the two things I enjoy most at the same time - being  a Mum and sewing!

What do you love about what you do?

What's not to love really... creating, making, starting with a piece of fabric and turning it into something gorgeous... It is such a neat feeling.  When you begin you have a vision and it is so neat to see that vision come to life!  Making something that is essentially unique and one of a kind is awesome, we all like to be individuals and by buying handmade items it is ticking so many boxes - 

• buying NZ made,
• supporting local businesses, 
• unique one of a kind items, 
• supporting local WAHM's (work at home mums). 

I absolutely love receiving pictures and comments about how people love what I have made up for them - it is so rewarding and definitely makes it worth all the blood sweat and tears. 

I also make my 1 year old son a lot of items - and it is so neat dressing him in things I have made for him, he is one trendy little boy I can tell you that much! 

My house is a huge compilation of everything I have made from my cushions and dining suite to all the beds having duvets and throws made by myself (Even my lamps all have been recovered by myself!). It is neat to walk through the house and think - I did this!  I am a huge fan of the shabby chic, upcycled vintage look, as you can see!


What's hard about what you do?

I guess like anything - there are parts that are difficult. For me they are pretty trivial - I spend far too much time searching the internet for fabric! (and then consequently spending  a lot of money on fabric!) 

Also working from home poses the difficult decision on whether to do housework or to sew (sewing wins every time!) And I would say the only other thing that is hard is the amount of pressure I put on myself. I worry right up until the point someone has received their parcel and told me it fits / they love it / I sent the correct item.( I have yet to send the wrong item so unsure why this one bothers me as much as it does!) 

I guess at the end of the day I am human and I do my best, and if others can get some enjoyment out of something I have created then why not share the love.

Where do you find time to craft?

I get asked this a lot. I am a single mother to 3 beautiful boys, I work one day a week and I run the household. Sewing is my happy place and I find once I get in the zone there is no stopping me. 

My crafting area is my dining room table / kitchen area. Terrible - I know. But I have 3 sons under 6 and if I was to have a room on its own I just don't think I would get anything done. This way, I can (sometimes) sew when they are busy playing in the lounge where they can still see me and demand food and drinks as they do.

 I always get straight to work when my oldest is at school, second at Kindy and baby is asleep. On a good day he will give me 2 straight hours of sewing and its amazing what you can achieve once you get organised. I have found it helps me too if I can have a lot of my pattern pieces cut out and ready to go at night time (usually during the ad breaks of The Block!) then when baby is asleep its a case of sitting down and sewing!

What’s next for you?

Business wise I hope to keep growing, expanding the business and perhaps one day have a shop where I can sell many items - different types of fabric, items I have made, homemade items others have made, furniture that has been upcycled.  Trouble with me is I love all things creative - sometimes I need to take a step back and filter things down so I can focus on one main component. Ideally in the next couple of years I would like to expand enough that I can stay home with my little rascals and help them develop into wonderful little humans while also satisfying my creative needs. They say do what you love - and I love to sew!

Kelly has a bundle of her cute creations to giveaway to one lucky reader (who will be looking very cute!)

To go into the draw head to Sewinspired by Kelly Roe Facebook Page and 'like' her page.  Leave a comment on the giveaway post about who you would give this super cute bundle to. Easy Peasy!

- one comment per person

- you must live in New Zealand

- giveaway closes on Monday 3rd November

Images used with the kind permission of Kelly Roe (Sewinspired)

Market Mashup - Lost & Found Market

I was recently a stall holder at The Big Melt Market which was another great Lost and Found Market event. It was fun to be part of the market scene again, being amongst very talented and creative people (you guys rock!).  While I was a very busy bee on my own stall I did manage to have a wee sneak peek of all that was on offer and here are some of my faves....

Foxy Foxes from Ameliorate Designs

Pin Cushion Ring from El Pato Guapo

The latest designs from Gracefield

Snowflake Cookie Cutter from Making It!  Perfect for Miss 3's Frozen themed party!

Flustercluck from Off Beat

Snow White cushion from Shakey Smiles

Winter Double Sided Pendant Necklace from Pretty Birds

Cloud Cushion from Remember when you used to be a Rascal

Wall Decals from Sticky Tiki

Oh Deer Cross Stitch kit from Stitchology

And something just a little bit cute from me....

Photo courtesy of Glow Studio

My Craft Space

Source

It's always nice to create a space where creativity flows but if your supplies are everywhere and the place is a bit of a mess, chances are creativity won't hang around long or even turn up at times.  So create a space where you can let the creativity flow and hang around a while, you never know what might, well um..... be created.

This was my table before I decided to knuckle down and get creating.  You know that process of 'I will buy this or these or that, they will look good when I get my table organised' or 'hmmm more craft supplies I must have' and then you add them to the pile and it grows kind of outta control? Yeah that process.  Then I started freaking out a little bit and got tidying, moved a few things around and my space ended up looking like this.....

Now granted, it doesn't always look this tidy!  I used the table to make a mock table set up (see below) for markets and it kinda stayed like that for a few days afterwards.  But then I decided to create a little more, and my space became tidy again.  I'm  not one for visual stress, so it didn't take long.  Visual stress (that horrible feeling where everything has to be in order - you know like OCD but less obsessive....or not?)

Giveaway
What does your craft space look like?  Do you have a space or a small part of the house where you can create?  A table, space in the hallway, or a whole room (jealous much?!) Post a photo to my facebook page where you find the link for this post and the best photo get's a little something to pop in your crafting space.
P.s. it's going to be cute.

Tutes Cute Tuesday - a little box of Craft Love

You may remember it was my birthday (well it was in May so you may not) and I gave 5 lucky readers on Facebook a little box of craft love.  This was inspired by this little box of crafty love from messyart.  I really liked the idea and had a few (quite a few) bits and pieces to go in them.  These would make great care packages for fellow crafters or just because.   One if my lucky winners was giving hers to her daughter as a birthday gift - CUTE!

My inspiration.....

First I made a felt heart for the inside lid, 2 pieces of felt stitched together and left 'hollow' so the pins can be pinned through.  Pop in some cute pins and voila!

I covered  the gift boxes with this cute wrapping paper and then glued the pin heart to the lid......

Popped in a few bits and pieces....

Added the Craft Love stamp....

I love brown paper packages....

Add a wee gift tag, I personalised each one with the recipients name....

Happy craft love giving xx

A little crafty business....why it's been so quiet around here

If you've been wondering why it's so quiet around here lately (or you haven't wondered but are now slightly intrigued) I've been busy working on some crafty business.  Crafty business that has been rolling around in my creative brain looking for a way to break free.  Ideas and thoughts that have consumed some of my thoughts for quite a while, it's so nice to see it become 'real'.   

I've always loved the idea of miniatures and fairy gardens, they lend themselves to just a little bit of cute really don't they?  So while I've been concentrating on that the blog has been a little quiet (well actually non-existent really).  I can't multi task on more than one creative venture at a time, I can elsewhere but just not with anything that.  Go figure. Anyway rest assured I'm back, posting will resume as normal.

What have you done lately that's been an idea rolling around and you've now turned it into a reality?   Can you multi-task with more than one creative venture at a time?  

Market Mashup - Winter Encraftment Market

Well the Winter Encraftment Market was certainly the event to be at last weekend!  It was super busy right from the start, my sneaky plan to beat the crowds didn't quite go to plan. It was great to see so many stall holders and their handmade creations.  Here is a snapshot of some of the cuties I found and wanted to buy and I'm sure you will agree you want to, too.  Thanks to the lovely stallholders who I spoke to and caught up with, it was great to see you and to see you have such a great market day.

These bright coloured embroidery hoops and Pom Pom flowers caught my eye from Miss Mavis

These Story Stones from Jambalaya Handmade Crafts would make a great gift to encourage the kid's imagination, the illustrations were super cute with lots of characters, props, and settings.

I loved the little clay houses on driftwood from Creative Clay Studio so much, that I bought one.  And the cone brooches are just so Christchurch aren't they?  Who knew you could make them look so cute!

These wooden toys from Off Beat would be a boy's or girl's best friend for EVER.  They are super cute and so much work has gone into making them so.  The little features and details are what makes them so special (and cute of course!). 

These other cuties caught my eye in my travels and would have loved for them to have come home with me!
Pocket Toys from Ameliorate Designs, Hooded Bear Cowls from Les Pommes Rouges, Buttons from Buttoflies, Girl's Woollen Dress from Snippet

My fave purchase of the day though, was this Toadstool Cookie Cutter from Making It!.  Can't wait to do some baking with Miss 2.5 and create some toadstool cookies.

And the next Encraftment is rumoured to be Sat 29th November, you can keep up to date here.

Images used with the kind permission of Jen from Utterly in Love.