Camels are the new donkeys (foxes, owls...whatever..)

 You heard it here first! Camels are the new donkeys.... Well I made that up. But why not? Why can't I be the arbiter of international style trends? I'll put it out there and see what happens....and if you start seeing camels everywhere.......... then remember you heard it here first!

I've been playing with camels for the Materialized exhibition at Gleaners inc - part of the cultural program at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

For this exhibition, Liz Jones, curator, and hostess with the mostess (and all round creative maker of all things in recycled linoleum) gives each participant a swatch from the same fabric.  Here it is!

You can use it (or in my case, lose it!D'oh!)in any manner - for inspiration, colour, pattern, incorporated into your piece or not.


Word was going out that it was a bit Morroccan or Arabic in design and I started thinking about how we as westerners interpret other cultures through our very "white" western lens...about our sense of what is exotic?

So I wanted to use very common craft techniques and materials - crochet and tapestry - to make "exotic" emblems....and I thought about the camel....and then added that other "exotic" cliche...

...the pineapple! 

Then I kept going....

Because camels and pineapples go together like...well....camels and pineapples.

Materialized exhibition is at Gleaners Inc,2 Ballarat St. Brunswick. Opens 7th of March and runs through to the 23rd. 

On the 12th day of Market, My true love gave to me.....

Lots of re-sew-cool bag-tag kits,

many re-sew-cool brooch kits,

heaps of re-sew-cool Christmas kits,

a bundle of Milgros medal brooches

loads of Mexican paper flags,

a selection of candle sticks,

a swag of sweet by and by necklaces,

 a few painted nichos.

  A couple deer garlands,

three sugar skull garlands,

two turtle doves

and a new sample felt fruit tree.

Phew! Sister outlaws will have all of these goodies at The Maribyrnong Maker's Market tomorrow!

Maribyrnong Makers Market - TOMORROW!!!!

If you are in the area come and check out this wonderful market - the Maribyrnong Makers Market. The sister outlaws have only been there once and we just LOVED it.  What lovely people, gorgeous church hall and all round atmosphere of hand made goodness!
We will be selling a range of re-sew-cool craft goods - perfect for keeping the kids busy in the up coming school holidays. We will also have some sweet by and by  crocheted beads, necklaces  and bangles to brighten your Spring wardrobe.

Mexican Goodies at The Fitzroy Market

Tomorrow is market day for the sister outlaws! 
We will have a stall at the Fitzroy Market from 10 am - 2 pm

Along with our usual market goodies  like our winter woollies,

 

craft kits 

 

and hand made jewellery  

we will be selling a selection of colourful and unique hand made items from Mexico!

It's a great market with music, food, second hand clothes and best of all a lovely community feel. Come and say Hi if you are in the hood!

My Creative Space: tassels

It's all about the tassels here in my creative space today.
But now it's time to get ready for the Kris Kringle Night Market at the Northcote Town Hall. Yes.  I know it's VERY hot in Melbourne today. But hopefully some people will still be wandering in later in the evening!
Check out some more creative spaces here. 

Maribyrnong Maker's Market - Tomorrow!

It's reached that point - the blur of the to do list, the slight feeling of nervousness - Have I packed enough? Will anyone buy anything? Will everything go smoothly? What have I forgotten? 

It's market day tomorrow!

The sister outlaws will be selling their Christmas wares at the Maribyrnong Maker's Market. 

In preparation today I did a bit of a trial run of the set up in the back yard. Just to make the back yard even crazier! Some neon pom poms to decorate the umbrella are needed I think!

And we have been making some new display samples of the re-sew-cool kits too!

Okay! I'd better get back to it. Where's that list?? 

If you are in the area tomorrow, please come and say "Hello!"


 

Blogtoberfest Sweet By and By Giveaway Winner

Is it over already? Blogtoberfest 2012 finished and gone? Well not quite.  There's still some housekeeping and finishing off to do - like announcing the winner of the Sweet By and By necklace giveaway.

Frankly, I'm tempted to send everyone a necklace. But that's not really practical because I don't have enough! But thank you to everyone who entered and in fact a big thank you to everyone who commented on blogs during Blogtoberfest. It really helps! And boy were there times when I needed it!

SO the winner is..................Jen from Madeonthecouch! She chose "Winter"

Finish things Friday

Another FTF (finish things Friday)because I'm trying to stick to some sort of routine; clearing the decks before the weekend...otherwise it just goes on and on and there is no weekend - in fact, there is no end.... so today, finally, the finished the sugar skull garland...

and made about half a dozen of these plaited leather necklaces....

and some crocheted hexie brooches....

But I couldn't resist....and I did start something too....

My Creative Space - pretty necklaces with trim

With a few upcoming markets I thought I'd make some pretty little things for gifts for little girls. 

Using trims - lace and fringing. I had some short snake chains and with a tiny crochet hook and embroidery yarn, I crocheted around the chain and through the trim.

 

A few tricks - don't crochet too tight or it won't sit flat as you can see in the picture - I have had to unpick it and start again!

See what's happening in other creative spaces here...