Crafty Goodness today

Tori and I are up bright and early as there is much to do today. Tori and Andreas fly off to Germany next week and there is lots to pack and organise ..

If you are in Melbourne today there is no excuse to be bored as there is so much on!

Taken by my gorgeous Husband at Docklands, Melbourne

Craft Expo is on at the Old Exhibition Buildings. I hear you groan "not another craft expo", we are a bit blessed with expo's that happen every 2 -3 months. But this seems to be the last one before the Christmas madness. I hope that they have some interesting Christmas ideas.

Finders Keepers has it's first market on today in Melbourne, previously a popular Sydney event. It's a two day event, but the good stuff will probably be all gone today! There are lots of local bloggers and designers on show including Yardage Design, and my favourite local silversmith Victoria Mason.

Sisters Market is on at the Brunswick Town Hall. I know that Mecino will be there with her lovely jewelry. I always get a comment when I wear her creations to work.

And if that is not enough, check out Whitehat for listings of more markets in the South Eastern and Outer Eastern Suburbs.

Tori and I are going to hop on the tram and wander down to the Craft Expo to give Dadda some "me" time before he has to spend 2 1/2 weeks with a 3 year old continuously ..

Sisters Market October 3rd

After reading that just about everyone had a stall at the Sisters Market today, Tori and I wandered off for a look-see.

Anna from Polly Pratt was tucked inside the front door with lots of her handmade goodies. I promised I would take lots of pictures as her camera was broken :(

Jay was there with little Miss Finki who was busily creating scarfs behind the Finki stall.

Michelle from Mecino was there with her lovely jewelry ... she'll be there at Northside Makers Market next weekend.

There was lots of other stall holders as well, such as Rabbit and Duck and Chuckles. As for Tori, she was strapped to my back in our "packy". Randomly pulling on my hair and demanding more "crackers" ...

Sisters Stash

I am waiting for cookie dough to harden in the freezer, so I thought I had better do a post about the Sisters Market yesterday. The day was quieter than I have ever seen the market, but I did ok, especially since it was the middle of winter!

I had a rack to put things on, but there was no space either side, so the rack went behind and was used as a storage device. I put a few bags on the table for people to look at and tried to display things behind the stall.

The most popular product of the day was .... pirate baby bibs .. go figure. They walked out the door. So I might have to do more bibs and some pirate screen printed tops for the kids for the next market.

The lovely Jay had a stall opposite me, knitting away and selling lots of stuff. Beky and Jennie visited to say hello and when Andreas came in for my lunch break, I managed to do the rounds and buy a few treasures.

Firstly a gorgeous illustration that we will frame and maybe put in Tori's room by Elise Hurst, I got some fabric from the lovely PippiJoe and a lovely crafty necklace from Lauren Williams. Overall a good experience, the next market is Made n Thornbury and after that Northside Makers in Northcote (Beky has blogged about it).

Lunch Bags (or mini toes)

Most of what I do comes out a need in our household. I make something and think, what a good idea, I'll make a handful for the Sisters Market.

The little Lunch Bag or mini tote is an example of this ... when my hubby goes off to work he generally takes a plastic bag with left overs, fruit and sometimes a can of something. Inevitably the plastic bag finds it's way into the bin and the plastic containers tend not to find their way home. So I made him a black lunch bag with Chilli fabric (I thought it looked manly).

It is a three panel tote with Cotton Drill on the outside and high quality cotton full lining so it sits quite square when there is nothing in it. But it is not too stiff. And the thing I like about them is that they are washable. So if you spill something in them, chuck them in the wash with your jeans.

My daughter yesterday quite liked the size and wandered around with it on her shoulder and put her teddies into it ... so I thought I would make a few for Saturday's market.

Sisters Market

The panic always kicks in the weekend before a market. Will I have enough stock? Have I filled in all the gaps from the last market? Do I have the energy? Is my stuff good enough?

Next weekend I have my first stall at the Sisters Market in Brunswick Town Hall on the 1st of August. Many of my fellow crafters have done this market time and time again, but alas, this is my first go! So nervous, I am!

So come along ... take a peep at my stall ... give me feedback ... bring me food ... but most of all, enjoy the market and all the craftiness it has to offer. Finki Handmade will be there, along with Lauren Williams, Rabbit and the Duck and Printspace. Hopefully I will see you there?