full steam festivities

well it's hot and steamy and us crafters have been crafting away in front of the fan and late into the cool of the night. our last little market for 2009 is nearly upon us and promises to be as lovely as our christmas markets always are - we have a few new stallholders joining us with their wares - liz izquerido with her ceramics, judy collins-haynes with the skirts she is making with a collective of migrant women, and angie andrews with her jewelry - and many returning regulars with everything from re-fashioned clothing, funky toys, functional homewares and other assorted oddments. there will be something for (just about) everyone at the markets, as well as a great opportunity for all of us to be transforming our consumer habits into ones that are much more sustainable - for people and the planet. see you friday evening from 5-8pm~

it's getting festive at the little market...

Join us for the second last Little Market for 2009. There will be some new stallholders and some old with fabulous handmade trinkets and treasures for Christmas season gifts including felted creations, recycled, upcycled clothing, toys and homewares, organic skincare, jewelry, kids clothes and toys and hopefully a few suprises too. Drop into the Little Market this coming Friday evening, bring your friends, enjoy a glass of wine and get all your ethically produced handmade gifts - at one place!

October Little Market

spritely spring markets

Ahh... the Little Market swings around again and we're still excited about it, even after almost three years! And I've been thinking that while we do recognise that we are in the midst of a craft revolution and there are lots of happenings with crafting going on that just weren't before, I am still suprised that more people have not set up there own little markets. You know, markets that aren't about having to get up super early and make loads of cash and sell sell sell. Markets that can fit into a tiny space that's fortuitously available in the local area, that are about connecting with people and having a great night out and that create that 'otherness' I reckon we need way more of in our everyday - the dreaming of it into being. Anyhow - I reckon the Little Market is a lovely bit of otherness in the everyday, a celebration of crafting and creating and connecting and a few other nice things too... Hope to see you there x Rowena

August Little Market

I looks like we are in the thick of the hand made revolution! And it doesn't look like stopping any time soon, or ever! As convenor of The little Market at Avid Reader I am lucky enough to regularly meet new makers and have a look at their wares. It is a great pleasure welcome those makers and their new and shared ideas to the Little Market family.
One of these new makers this year is Penny Bristol-Jones whose knitted toys feature on this months poster. Her infectious and effortless positivity show through in the personalities she gives her creations.
I hope to see you down at Avid Reader book shop on August 21 or any last Friday leading up to the silly season.

Cheers
Michael Swifte

Little Marketeers

At our last little market we asked each of the talented stallholders to fill out a short questionnare about what they make and what inspires them. We'll endevour to update this with each new (or old) stallholder so stay tuned.

Penny Bristol-Jones - Noonoo and Friends

What's the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)

Mud pies - 3

What do you make now?

Knitted toys, drawings, paintings

What's the favourite item you've made?

A long legged doll

Who'what inspires you?

Any women who have 'made it'

charpen1@bigpond.com

Angela Keele

What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Crotchet squares, 6 yrs old
What do you make now?
Felted hats, bags and more, beaded jewellery
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
Al capone Hat
What’s your day job?
Credit Control Officer
andyappleknickerkeele@yahoo.com.au

Alexandra Westaway - Luna Bloom
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Wonder woman outfit for my barbie! Age 7
What do you make now?
Natural body products, crystal window charms, astology charts
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
Crystal dreamcatcher with malachite, lapis lazuli and silver feathers
Who/what inspires you?
My five year old daughter inspires me to see the beauty in the world and create with passion.
http://www.lunabloom.com/

Karen Molloy - Kidden Thiele
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
From about five years old I was making clothes for my Barbie with scraps of fabric from Mum’s sewing room.
What do you make now?
Anything that pops into my head, tote bags, adult clothes, children’s clothes, jewellery and homewares.
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
Anchor bag, denim with red and white applique
Who/what inspires you?
I’m about to become an Aunty, so I am inspired to make children’s clothes. I have been pulling out the old Enid Bilchrist pattern books in preparation.
k_swifte@yahoo.com

Lynne Eisentrager - Twisted
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Wrote a song using my toy piano - 8
What do you make now?
Jewellery using silver wire and beads.
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
Choker with handmade silver wire beads, glass beads and jade ships
Favourite quote or song lyric: “If only they used their powers for niceness, instead of evil” Maxwell Smart
fishpaw@optusnet.com.au

Mandy Heritage
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Bead necklace - 21
What do you make now?
Necklaces, bracelets etc
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
A goldstone and azurite necklace
Who/what inspires you? Dalai Lama
mandyheritage@yahoo.com.au

Loni Mills - Lonstar
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Around 6-7 I drew my teacher for a school paper. I included all her wrinkles (sorry Mrs Vaughn) What do you make now?
I paint, draw from life. I make books and cards.
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
A wierd card
Favourite quote or song lyric:
Touch me with your naked hand
Touch me with your glove
And dance me to the end of Love – Leonard Cohen
lonimills@yahoo.com.au

Amanda Makepeace - MANDY-MOO
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
Mud-paint from dirt in the garden
What do you make now?
Pun-cards
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
“You mooove me” sexy cow
Favourite quote or song lyric: Cows with guns
samandamail@optusnet.com

Rebecca Lewis - Little Brown Dog
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
A flamingo marionette from a pink sock, a tennis ball and I think the beak was from one of those plastic puppets you used to get at Pizza Hut with the kids meal deals. I must have been about 7 or 8 and I remember taking it to school for show and tell.
What do you make now?
All sorts, it really depends on what I feel like making when I wake up be it clothes, toys, cushion covers, slippers, whatever I find fits the fabric.
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
It’s usually the last thing I made so my current favourite is a wrap skirt made from old woolen blankets with pockets in the shape of owls.
Favourite quote or song lyric: ‘it was as if the moon rising had said a single silver word: Peace’ Ray Bradbury
www.littlebrowndoggie.blogspot.com/

Rowena Shakes - Lillipilli
What’s the first thing you remember making? (How old were you?)
It was definitely cooking for me when I was younger - I didn't really get into other crafting til I was older and started making gifts for close friends...
What do you make now?
I make an odd assortment of things, mostly from fabric: organic wheat heat packs, kids pants and aprons, Steiner style felt toys, a bit of knitting if the urge takes me, recycled notebooks, quilts and some clothes from time to time, brooches and other oddments too...
What’s the favourite item you’ve made?
Most definitely the two quilts I've made for my daughter - one completely from recycled, vintage and found fabrics and the other from a blend of new and recycled. I tend to give away the things I make and love the most - sending them out into the world...
Who/what inspires you?

Well, not so surprisingly I’m incredibly inspired by crafting. Within our current society I see it very much as an act of social rebellion to reclaim our ability and interest in making what we need and use, a most important ingredient in the re-creating of the ecologically and socially sustainable world I want to be part of and part of bringing into being.

www.lillipilli.etsy.com

Brrrr! The Little midwinter Markets. Yay!

A little market held on the cosy back deck of Avid Reader book shop in Brisbane's West End on the last Friday of each month. The market is put on by a loose collective of locals known as the Lovely Thing Makers.
Our stallholders have been really productive lately and we've had a lot of interest from prospective stallholders. So this months market will have plenty of fresh new creations. Possibly including hand made knickers!

The Little Market for May 09

We are up to our third market for the year. This months market is looking really exciting. Some new makers are coming along so come and check us out on May 29.

This month the poster art is a resin and vintage kimono fabric pendant by Diana Maloney. I'm really enjoying being able to feature the creations of our excellent makers on our monthly posters.

My lovely sister Karen is coming along this month and I can't wait to see what she has made. I'm also looking forward to the creations inspired by visits to the Stitches and Craft show.

Michael

Second Little Market is nearly here.

Hello Folks,

It's nearly time again. The second Little Market will soon be upon us.
There's been a few new ideas bouncing around about things we could do with the market (nothing too drastic). One idea I have is that we all get along to the Stitches and Craft Show and network like crazy!
We have a steady stream of new makers who are interested in coming down and checking out the market (my mum is one of them). It was good to see lots of fruity snacks on offer last time (thanks Rowena). I say keep the creative snacks coming!


Cheers

Michael

I'm very much looking forward to a year of creative craftiness at The Little Market at Avid and I can't wait to see the new and lovely things that will be on offer. I think we are in very interesting times and my feeling is that people will appreciate handmade things more than ever.
I look froward to continuing Rowena's great work and hope to see our networks grow and our ideas and knowledge getting shared around.
I've attached the flyer for the next Little Market 27/3/09 along with the notes for stallholders document. The artwork on the flyer is the work of our own Becky Lewis. It would be nice to feature a different makers work each month. Let me know if you've any ideas.
Please remember to rsvp soon for this months market. So far we have 4 of the 11 places filled. I encourage you to visit our facebook identity Lovely Thing Makers or join our facebook group The Little Market at Avid. It woul be great to see lots of activity and info sharing there.
The next market is scheduled for Friday March 27 5.30-8pm

Cheers

Michael