To market, to market...

This Friday night I am setting up shop at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market. This will be my first 'real' market all year and here it is almost the end of August.

Markets are rather special, especially when it's BrisStyle, which is hand-made only and the primary retail out-let for this not-for-profit collective of craftspeople. These twilight markets can be hugely successful, especially running up to Christmas, but it's also an opportunity to catch up with members of long standing and meet some of the newer recruits.

I've got some new work in the pipeline for Friday night, the nature of which has been in part dictated by physical limitations after surgery in July - my beloved sewing machine hates my back at the moment. So lots of crochet and some paper and glue and embroidery have been my most comfortable options.

I have crochet bags:

...fabric and crochet cushions....    

clothing for chickadees...

and some pixie houses that are actually pin cushions in disguise...

Plus plenty more.

If you are local, drop by King George Square from 5 p.m., browse the stalls, bop to the band, and grab a bite to eat at The Groove Train...look forward to seeing you and being back in the thick of a market once more!

A twilight affair

"The city" is a pretty magic place in the nights leading up to Christmas...somewhere I took my boys when they were little to see the lights, the giant Christmas tree in the square, and the Myer windows, and it's where my own parents also took me and my brother and sister when we were small, for much the same purpose.

Debra Lidster's photo of the Myer Christmas windows

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It's great fun to be part of the Christmas events with the Christmas BrisStyle indie Twilight Market this coming Friday night...not just about offering our hand-made goodies for sale as stocking fillers and presents for under the tree in a world where we all have to search harder and harder to find something a bit unusual, a bit special.









It's also about sharing the buzz with the city workers, the families come to see the lights and the tree, those starting out their Friday night festivities, those on their way to pick up trains or buses to get home...the chat is always interesting and stimulating and we all love talking to people who are interested in what we do and why we do it in the happy crafting collective world that's BrisStyle. And the many others we've got to know - the customers, the suppliers, those from allied fields, the extended families, the new babies, those who have faced illness, even a few we've lost along the way. The hand-made world is like a very large, disparate family and I feel very blessed to be part of it.

In BrisStyle we have a little band of special, special people who dedicate a great chunk of their "spare" hours to organising and promoting us and what we do - arranging markets and seminars and workshops, liaising with government agencies and business organisations, supplying us with all sorts of info and suggestions to help us all along our chosen paths, and at the same time still trying to find the time to ply their own crafts.

Peppermint Magazine's photo of a BrisStyle indie Twilight Market in full swing.

So if you are local, come and visit us in King George Square from 5 p.m.  - have a chat, and by all means look around at our wares for some Christmas shopping that's outside the parameters of normal retail shopping. Look forward to seeing you!

Day and Night, Night and Day...

This Friday night sees the staging of another BrisStyle indie Twilight Market in King George Square, Brisbane - fingers and toes crossed for a perfect Brissy-style balmy spring evening under the non-daylight-saved stars! Something a little dia de los muertos about this one too, being just around the chronological corner from Halloween. (If day-of-the-dead over-the-top calavera-chic tickles your fancy, take a stroll and visit the Crafty Chika here, or Calaverita Mexicana here.)

This print for sale from etsy here: Mariposerfuerte

see more of Carmen here: chica chica boom chic

                                            

Things Latino - a la Carmen Miranda and Frida Kahlo - have always had a fascination for me...all that colour and pattern, the symbolism and multi-cultural references, the whole outrageously, joyously, ketch-chi kit-and-kaboodle!

Iconic Frida

So wiggle on down town to King George Square this Friday night - I'll be doing my bit for the festive vibe with lots of new bags, aprons, headwear, childrens' wear, soft toys and accessories,  plus a couple of recycled and upcycled pieces for grown-up chicas! (boom-boom)

Twinkle, twinkle, twilight fair (for Christmas)!

Lots of new creations from wimcee ready to finish the market year on a high tonight at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market in King George Square, from 5 this afternoon. wimcee will be by the Christmas Tree so come and visit, but also check out our record number of participating etsy sellers' stalls all through the square and around into Burnett Lane. This is OUR Christmas Party - come and share the love at the hippest, hottest hand-made destination in town!

Sally sunshine sun dress (size 4)

Lots of little aprons for children!

Sensational benita boho sundress size 3

fabric covered journals, wimcee standards!

large journal with magical cover.

More tea cosies with attitude for the BiTM.

Something for superlative tea-suppers and tea party princesses. Tea cosies for cosy teas-for-two (or four or more).

pretty pastels

A sneak peak of the range of new skirts that will be available at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market and the BrisStyle Mother and Child Market, or go to wimcee.etsy.com.

...and head-bands to match!!

Summer sniffles

Naturally as I haven't markets to do for a bit I've now got the worst of bad summer colds, so only slowly putting together new stock for coming market days/nights. I spent way too much money at the Craft Expo on fabrics and trims, including more exquisite Japanese print cotton from the same people I have bought from at past markets...these superlative French and English design reproductions are printed on the finest of weaves in the most subtle variations of colour. Funky Fabrix are also back from a shopping spree in Japan so more joy there to be had I'm positive, except I need to not go anywhere for a bit or face financial disgrace.

Billie has a heap more of my skirts at BelleVille, and some winter jackets like this one with a custom quilted finish, so depleted racks at home. I will have more skirts again by my next market date - the very first BrisStyle indie Twilight Market on April 30th, taking place in King George Square from 5 p.m. - and I'm working on a few more upcycled adult's woollies, knitting needles also going clickety-clack with small people beanies, and a general sense of controlled frenzy happening in amongst family birthdays.