To market, to market - Adelaide style.

Adelaide, Adelaide, ever-lovin' Adelaide, as any Guys and Dolls fan will remember - city of churches, home to Hans Heysen, capital in the land of the Murray's mouth, ghost gums, picturesque villages with German names, a million or so cellar doors, grape vines horizon to horizon...wimcee's Easter get-away. 

The pier at Glenelg on dusk, Easter Sunday

And apart from a cook's tour of most of the above, plus some wonderful meals, not one, not two, but three different Easter week-end markets!

The first in Adelaide city was the famous Central Markets - unbelievable fresh produce, Chinese cabbages three times the size of what's available to us in Brisbane, and chrysanthemums the size of entree plates - plus cheeses, cold meats, fish, and so on and so forth, all of amazing quality. This was reflected to in the fruit and flowers sold from street stalls in Rundall Mall.

The second was really, not to mince words, a pretty miserable excuse to charge the public an entrance fee and the stall holders who knows how much for a four day event, and left me feeling sad for everyone involved (except the organisers).

But the third was vastly different. Located in historic Port Adelaide, the Fisherman's Wharf markets are an enormous collection of dealers in antiques, bric-a-brac and collectibles on a scale I've yet to come across in Queensland. Interspersed are some handcrafts - crocheted wooly hats and granny square quilts of awesome authenticity - a whole shop of handcrafted doll's houses, with and without furniture, as well as coin shops, metal toys shops, military regalia and uniform shops, extensive collections of old linen and lace, and books to bursting. I had about 20 minutes allowed to me and I felt I could have spent days exploring there!

Vintage aprons!!

Now THIS is a market.

Wimcee's next markets will be in early May - more about those shortly.

From Boutique to boutique!

Dear Reader,

I have found one of the nicest hand-made outlets in s-e Queensland, The Collective Store of bayside Wynnum, and wimcee is now in store with the lovely Leonie, the owner and manager of the collective. Thanks also to the BrisStylers for the tip via their blog a few weeks ago. 

I got lost (nothing new there) on my way to deliver my little load of stock this morning and ended up driving in north from Manly along the esplanade, with the sun playing on the bay and boats bobbing in their moorings - so contageously contented.  Love it! Always want to move to be by the water when I see it like that, not mad school holiday coastal resort living, but sleepy sea-side village-like. 

If you are over that way, Reader, drop by and visit because Leonie really has been very selective about what she has - wonderful hand-made craft, and a huge range of different genres and forms, all screaming care and quality.

My next market will be the launch city market at Bleeding Heart early in May, but more of that in another post. Have a wonderful week!

Window shopping to match the week's mood!

Etsy shopping that reflects this week's Kimono Reincarnated Project opening with a smattering of offerings with a Japanese theme...

Luuurve Japanese craft and sewing books...

Japanese Craft Book

From DramaofGiftedChild

...have just made a little padded jacket for a one-year-old out of the crocodile and hippo cousins of these elephants....

Japanese, Large Elephants on Grey, FAT QUARTER

 From Sweet Dearly Loved

...super-cute capri pants...

Size 2 Japanese Print Capri Pants

From AH4649

...and some very Japanese-like bagging

Japanese Robot Artist Tote Set in Linen

From Henry and Zoe

The Reincarnated Kimono Project plus Boutique to go-go!

Thursday night is the Artists' Night at Hanasho at Brisbane's West End, for the Reincarnated Kimono Project. The inspirational and exciting project of the lovely Melanie from Kimono Reincarnate, this has brought together a group of artists/crafters in a collaborative project that involves each in producing a special piece or pieces using they exquisite vintage Kimono fabric that Mel has provided.  Although the exhibition has been open to the public since Saturday I have yet to view it or see more than a few hints of what's been provided from the other participants - I am, to be quite frank, just a bit scared about how my work will stand up in such illustrious company. However, Thursday is V-day (for V-iewing by me) with no where to hide, and, now we're told, a speech to deliver!

Not sure about that one...I have much to say about working on this project - what really blew me away in dissecting the fabric was how totally universal colour and pattern really is, way beyond our fairly closed concept of  cultural, chronological and geographic differences. But whether I can stand up and talk about this remains to be seen...! The exhibition will run for all of April, so if you are local do drop by and have a look.

Then, on Sunday, my first big 'marquee-market' for the year, at Boutique Markets Portside, Hamilton. Being on a bag-roll so to speak, more bags ready to go at Portside, each embellished with charms and created from some really special fabrics; but also aprons, quilted jackets, birdie brooches, children's skirts, soft toys, woolly hats - the usual spread of chic unique from wimcee. Looking forward to being back amongst it, catching up with stall-holders and shoppers alike! And hoping for less cyclonic and more sunny autumnal conditions!