Market Wrap Up: Blackwood Street

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, isn’t it?

We had a wonderful day at the Blackwood Street Farmers Market yesterday, and loved talking to so many lovely customers about their Christmas plans. It was deliciously hot, and we were surrounded by the best gourmet and locally produced food – which makes for a pretty perfect Sunday morning.

We’ve got two weeks to tackle (and conquer!) a maddening list of sewn goodies, and then it’s off to our last Mathilda’s Market for the year. If you’re in Brisbane, come on in for a look - The line up for this market is just divine, and featuring a lot of our favourites, including the very cool Furious Kingston, lovely summery Kaftan Kids, the bright and eclectic Wimcee, and the snuggly Frankandharps. And there’ll be dumplings for lunch from Happy Little Dumplings – delish!

We’ve also been hard at work creating some fun new products – one in particular I absolutely can’t wait to see transform from sketch to reality. Think small tattoo, nautical, eye patch, and ‘Land Ho!!’ (Sneak peek soon!)

Have a wonderful Monday,

Nat

Grateful #14 - What are you thankful for today?

Happy weekend, lovely readers!

I’ve always been a big fan of getting things done around the house. We’ve got a list as long as my arm of things that we’re keen to do to our airy, light-filled home, but we’re realistic – some of our must-haves may never happen; others may take ten years to complete. I’m ok with that.

I’ve wished big wishes for a studio space here, and quite frequently lapse into crazy daydreams about building something wonderful in our leafy backyard. And even while my imagination goes haywire, I’m aware that my musings are not really about a fancy-shmancy space; it’s more about having a room that belongs to me - where my books are safe (from babes who have taken to sneakily ripping random pages), and where I can work on and leave out whatever project I happen to be doing, without the threat of inquisitive sticky fingers wanting a look too. A place where carefully cut material will stay exactly where I left it, bobbins won’t disappear, and pins don’t have to be monitored. A quiet place, with a door to close, and lots of light.

(Oh dear. Even as I’m writing this, I feel horribly selfish for all the mine, mine, mine! connotations in the previous paragraphs… but, creatively minded or not, I’m sure you know what I mean)

So, with all of that in mind, this week, I’m very, very grateful for:

My lovely new sewing space.  It started with a fold-up table I found in the shed, and the realisation that we actually had space in our bedroom for a sewing nook. Oh happy day! I eagerly scrubbed down the table, moved all of my bits and pieces into the bedroom, and set up right in front of the bright bay window, overlooking the vege garden and the street. I’ve been sewing in there daily, and it’s such a treat! A closed door to keep everything safe, and a cheerfully lit corner with a lovely, leafy view.

And then, Dave, partner-carpenter extraordinaire, found a bench top in the magic shed that he’d saved from a dismantled kitchen, and he spent an afternoon sanding it back to brand new honey-coloured wood. It’s going to be stained, sealed, legged and fitted to my bay window spot to make a semi-permanent sewing space.

I’m so happy; can you tell? And so grateful for a small space that’s all my own in the busyness and bustle of our family home. It’s my little, neat, organised piece of handmade heaven.

What are you grateful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Linking up with the wonderful Maxabella Loves – and you can too! Link your grateful post here, or write your grateful list in the comments section below.

Heavenly Handmade...

Do you buy handmade?

There has been a real resurgence for handmade in Brisbane, and steady growth in clever local artists selling their beautiful goods – and I for one am very glad. Sites like madeit and Etsy have made accessing handmade even easier, and little boutique markets are popping up all over the place and developing a loyal handmade following.

I love handmade items – and no, it’s not just because we run Quill and Ink Handmade, and love making gorgeous things for lovely people. I love buying handmade because it supports local artists, stay-at-home mums and dads, hobbyists, and clever creative types; I also love buying something that’s been made with care and love, something that’s been locally designed and produced, and something that supports our local economy.

But my favourite reason for buying handmade? Every artist generally has a great story to tell about the origins of their business; and therefore, every piece has a great story.

Take, for instance, the lovely Steph from Mon Petite Poppet: she began her French inspired clothing label when little daughter Bijou was born. Admitting to having a passion for all things French, Steph wanted to create clothes for her little jewel Bijou that weren’t frilly or fussy, that were practical, made with beautiful natural materials, and that shied away from the brand name gauntlet. The result is the most divine collection of French inspired blouses (and one seriously cute denim cape with red and white polka dot lining), which feature beautiful patterns in soft natural colours.

 Available at Mon Petit Poppet on Etsy

Another favourite: The beautiful and very sweet Kia from Hello Kia. Kia handcrafts the loveliest stamps sets which combine traditional Japanese carving methods, learnt in the mountain village of Takayama, with the Danish idea of hygge (sense of warmth, homeliness), and taking joy in ordinary things. Quite a culture mix, huh?

Her stamp sets are distinctive, quirky, fun, and sweetly simple – and each one celebrates the everyday in the most delightful of ways. The clever Kia also makes gorgeous crochet baby rattles using super soft Australian merino wool – a skill learnt as a child from her mother, and an old fashioned style that she’s lovingly reviving.

 Available from Hello Kia on Etsy and Kia Hing Fay's Website

I love that Brisbane is bustling with handmade loveliness, and that ordinary people are taking the plunge and creating extraordinary, beautiful, and meaningful things. And it’s a lovely thing to be a part of this blossoming community of creatives.

 Do you like buying handmade? Have you recently bought a handmade item with a great story behind it?

Nat

Ps. Follow Kia and Steph in blog-land too!

Kia: http://www.kiahingfay.com/blog/

Steph: http://monpetitpoppet.blogspot.com/



 

Getting the balance right...

How tricky is it to get the balance right in life?

I have two toddlers under two-and-a-half, run a small business with my sister Kim, manage busy and messy household, forget to exercise and to drink water, eat way too much cake and chocolate, try really hard to be the best wife I can, and often neglect my vegetable garden.

I feel like I’ve had a very messy and disorganised last couple of years; so, this year, I promised myself that I’m going to make an effort to get some balance back into my life.

Of course, there are some old favourites in the mix – to exercise, eat well, and to love the place that I’m in and the people that I’m with. But I’m adding in some new ones too: to read at least a chapter just before bed; to tell the people I care about that I appreciate and love them more often; to write more letters and send birthday cards; to make an effort to see and spend more time with friends and family. I’d also love to live a more creative life by taking more photos, by experimenting in the kitchen, by writing on a regular basis, by taking a sewing class, so I can make my children beautiful clothes using beautiful materials, and by making the kids a handmade birthday present each year. I’d love to grow watermelons and apples, would love to give my neighbours fresh herbs from my garden, would love to grow sweet-smelling creeping flowers all over our white picket fence, and would love to install a timed water feeder in the garden, so if I forget to water the plants they won’t wilt in the heat.

Looks like so many things to do; luckily, the year is long…

How do you get the balance right in your own life?

Nat

Putting love into every stitch...

My mum, Nanette, made my youngest, Lou, a beautiful handmade cot quilt for her first birthday. To me, it’s a little work of art, in peaches and pinks, hand-stitched hearts, and small floral prints. And even though I helped Mum pick out the fabric, the first time I saw it all made up and beautiful, I couldn’t help but be emotional. I just loved the time and the care that had gone into it, and I could see her love for Lou in every stitch.

What I didn’t expect was how much Lou would love it too. She holds one corner in her small hand as she falls asleep – the corner that Mum had sweetly hand-stitched “Love Mama” onto. When she feels unwell or needs comfort, she will pull the quilt through the bars of her cot, and tuck it up under her arm, the rest trailing behind her on the floor. It’s been a constant companion for the first few uncertain weeks at day care, goes with us on long car trips, and needs to be checked-up-upon while drying on the line after a wash.

There’s just something so lovely about a handmade quilt. They’re soft, warm, traditional, and comforting, yes - but they also speak to me of rest, of a safe place, of family.

I also love the quilts that take pride of place in the home. You know the ones – draped over the arm of a couch, like an old companion; the more intricate ones, with months and months of work, hung with delight on a lonely wall.

A friend of mine has a beautiful marriage quilt hanging in her home – it’s a mismatched collection of decorated squares (each family had their own square to adorn), all sewn together. Nothing matches, and the individual styles are so varied - but it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen; it shows the devotion of an entire family and their shared marriage blessings of longevity, lifelong happiness, and the sweetest of love for the newly wedded couple.

Do you have a favourite / comforting quilting story? 

Nat

Ps. Nanette’s beautiful handmade cot quilts will be available at our stall at Mathilda’s market on Saturday, 12th March.