the Handmade Market come down . . .

Greetings all,
Thanks for all the best wishes for the Saturday Handmade Market, you're all so sweet, especially to follow up with emails & asking if i was in a post-market-coma as no blog post yet.  Yes, tired but truth is, i leant my camera memory stick to Tania McCartney (who is responsible for these images which i stole from the Handmade blog) & i haven't downloaded my own yet!!  We like to share at Handmade!! 
Here is a quick whip around from the day, starting with my smaller-than-usual-cosy-managable stall, Danielle Kathleen, Little Slave, Retro Mummy & Schmooks.  I went into this market remarkably calm & with my heavy work load of late (Shop Handmade, Posie on line, Edna&AliceMay wholesale & all those children of mine) i decided to be more craft enabler with fabric, buttons, badges & cards.  Gosh it lifted the pressure, i thoroughly enjoyed the day, even went to the bathroom TWICE & took my middle daughter who came home with her 3rd Allana C giraffe & enjoyed cupcakes, pop corn, chatting to designers . . . it was glorious weather & with a lighter Winter crowd than the regular 10 000 market goers, it was fabulous & another success!!
Thanks again for all those who came along, sent well wishes, are supplying Shop Handmade, working on a submissions for Handmade Living & just all round loving supporters of the Handmade movement.  I'm having a ball & will be dragged kicking & screaming from Canberra at the end of the year.  My husband is teasing me about coming back to Canberra soon, i just kind of want to skip the leaving bit!! 
If you missed the Market - come to the Shop, it's busier than ever, over 100 designers in Shop & new stock arriving daily!!
Want some gorgeous knitting needles & craft goodies, don't miss the G I V E A W A Y in the last post.  Winner to be announced on Thursday.  Love Posie

for the love of giving . . .

Greetings all,

Well i love giving.  Be it babysitting your children, making a handmade token or baking my way to your heart.  My mother would NEVER attend a friend's house with empty hands, she was quite the queen of sewing & baking, plus happily had all the neighbours children over non stop, effortless & welcome.  I hope i replicate that same attitude, i certainly try.
I know my girls LOVE anything quirky from Japan & collect Babushka dolls so when i read a tip off over at Sheeps Clothing that My Poppet was having an instore closing down sale or 15% off on line, i had a peek.  Cintia has some gorgeous goodies, so i stocked up some pieces (to add to 'our' collection) including a set of Matryoshka dolls, a wooden plaque, pig fan & these super cool paper balloons (monkey, tiger & world globe).  Like the shelf, the children play from this shelf all the time.  Also got some 'jumping' elastics for the playground & a book, ace!!  A fun school holidays gift bonanza!!

Now tomorrow is awesome Rachel's birthday - she is one half of the fantastic Shop Handmade & simply full of love, happiness, creativity & kindness.  After playing around with ribbons today with her daughter, i had to incorporate one into her gift.  I picked these fabrics which i know she'll love (all from Retro Mummy) & instead of a Posie tag, added a pretty one which reads 'handmade', how perfect.  The back fabric has the recipe for chocolate cake & inside a cute strawberry cross stitch print.  Sealed up in tissue with a Dutch sticker.


How cool is this - Shop Handmade Staff get to nominate their pick of the month, voila!!  Loving this pendant from Danielle Kathleen, i already want another one, like her Victorian cuff which she's about to release!!  How on earth am i going to work there & not buy up the whole Shop??

Finally - notice the new badge over on the right??  As my knowledge & experience is growing with all things Handmade, i'm going to give a tip off each month as i have my eyes open ALL the time.  Check it out!!  Have a lovely day, i'm taking all 4 children to the dentist, they LOVE the dentist, weirdoes, love Posie

so then my husband said to go back to Shop & buy myself a treat . . .

Greetings all,
Ok, i know, i'm a tad pumped about Shop Handmade but it's something i believed in, like Handmade Market, from the first tiny dreamy thought.  I am so incredibly proud to be working in the Shop too - when school goes back, right now i'm busy babysitting the children of Shop owners.  Here are some long shots for you, which i took in the light of day of the Grand Opening.  My goodness, took me an hour to get snaps clear of customers, it was busy all day.  When i walked in there were 4 ladies at the counter with goodies piled high, like a super market check out, only totally glamorous.  These images should give you a better feel of the layout.

My personal shopping (gift from faraway soldier) . . . the Red Stitch Owl i bought last night apparently was for my middle daughter, she eyeballed me in a way that i couldn't argue, so i bought the last one left in store, hiding up in a tree with pink wings; plus a Danielle Kathleen pendant; & Little Slave resin bangle, love love love . . . my husband!!

This collection of lovelies is for my school Mother's Day Raffle . . . i spy Plushka hair tie, Yardage Design tea towel, Prim&Pretty brooch, Look Mama card, Hugs&Kisses candle, Lindsay&Edmunds chocolates, Little Mustard Seeds tea cup, My Indulgence Time soap, Highland Habitat face mist.
ALL this for $100.40 - my point is - gorgeous high end handmade unique products AT market prices, no inflation as the designers/ makers get 100% of the sale of their wares, no store mark up, so you really are supporting micro handmade businesses at Shop Handmade, many of us are mummies working from kitchen tables & home craft rooms!!

Goodness, look at those dressing room curtains, who made them i wonder?? 

The Shop is huge, 140m square, i think these sweeping shots attempt to do it justice for space.  Note wide aisles for prams or customers shopping in groups!!  All welcome!!

Personally love the shelf options at the back of the Shop, so much room for customers to stay & take their time.  Plenty of sales are coming from this area. 

A beautiful morning tea welcome spread was put on for our first Shop customers today.

So if you have products in store, congratulations - you're so clever.  They are beautifully presented & supported by a knowledgable sales team, not to mention posted all over blog land, Canberra Times + lots of great magazines, stay tuned . . . Shop Handmade is my ONLY shopping destination now!!  Love Posie