Feb market has been postponed....

Hi everyone!

I'm afraid we have a sad announcement to make - the Love Handmade Feburary Market will be postponed. Both of us have had some unexpected major changes happen in our lives recently, which means we are unable to afford (at the moment) to give the market what it needs.

After reviewing feedback from our wonderful sellers so far, we have decided to look into another venue also. This break will give us the time we need in order to look into this further.

We are also looking into getting the Love Handmade "look" developed further to give it a more fresh and professional look.

This will not be the end of us and we are not going to dissapear!
Instead we are going to focus our time not only on developing and improving our market, but also supporting artists & crafters, featuring blogs, upcoming events and developing and expanding our newsletter.

So keep an eye on our blog and our facebook page and twitter for exciting updates in the arty and craft world, and make sure you sign up to our newsletter. It's going to be a goodie!!

---
Rhiannon & Alana
xxx

Applications for Feb are OPEN!

As the title says, the time has arrived - applications are open for the first 2010 Love Handmade Craft Market =)
Applications will close on the 22nd Jan at 6pm so don't miss out!
Alana and I have been working really hard over christmas on new ideas and marketing which is exciting!

Love Handmade Craft Market

Saturday 13th Feb

10am to 1pm

The Rose Centre, Belmont (near Takapuna)

COMING SOON: There will be a link to the right to download the PDF flyer (you can click on the image now to get a .gif) for you to send around to friends and family, to post on your blog, to post at work, to post on Facebook - anywhere you can think of =)
---
Rhiannon
xxx

Ah, Holiday time.

So much free time - but what to do with it?

Well, I tend to make stuff.

Here are a few links to patterns/tutorials that I have saved to my favourites list...

Click on the images to be taken to the applicable website...

A collection of easy-to-make paper toys - designed by Marilyn Scott-Waters - including instructions for these supercool Koi Kites!

The sweet "Child" cloth doll pattern, by Mary Tressler.

(A word of advice - If you've never made a cloth doll before - don't try doing the individual fingers in this pattern. Adapt the hand into a "mitten" shape instead. Much less infuriating, trust me.)

Assorted Free patterns (including Meri the Merbaby) at Dollmakers Journey. there are some very simple projects here - some may even be simple enough to distract the children...

And Art Jewelry magazine's website has some very cool projects and articles (and not all aimed at beginners - which I like)

Have a happy and safe holiday - and have lots of fun creating.

I know I will.

Alana
xox

Update for 2010

We hope everyone is ready for Christmas with it being only a day away (how did it get here so fast?!) I know I'm not and my last minute shopping is to be done tomorrow morning. I am hoping to miss the traffic but I think tomorrow will be crazy everywhere!

I thought it was time to give everyone an update as to what is happening between now and next year with Love Handmade. Alana and I have decided to have our first market in February instead of January because we want to have the extra time to work out a few kinks and re-look at our advertising strategies! We have got some exciting ideas which we are already working hard on and we are working on getting extra tables so that we can utilse the covered area out the back of the venue. Designing of our February flyer is already underway and we hope to have that finished early January.

We have also just started a mailing list which you can find on the right hand side of the blog. We will be creating a newsletter every two months, which will include news about local crafters, updates on Love Handmade, and anything else we think may interest crafters and the craft lovers of Auckland. So make sure you sign up - our first one will be sent out late Jan 2010.

We have a busy Christmas break ahead of us but it will all be worth it in the end - both for us and for you! So until 2010 - I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday! =)

---
Rhiannon
xxx

Christmas Market 09

It was such a beautiful day - sun shining through and lots of chatting and catch-ups to be had. It was a lot quieter than we had expected, despite the large amount of money we had spent on advertising, but it didn't seem to dampen the festivities =)

Check out some of our talented crafters who were at the December market.

Alana and I have been brainstorming on how to market the market (as such) for 2010 and after a pleasant “business meeting” accompanied by a coffee in the sun today, we have some great ideas that we are going to start working on today. So make sure you keep checking back for exciting updates!

Have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year everyone and see you in 2010! =D

Rhiannon

xxxx

A snug Christmas...

Christmas can be a hard time for people on a tight budget and our lovely friend Jessica from Bam Bam Creative has done a wonderful post on her "Penny In My Purse" blog about how to survive on minimal money. Make sure you have a read - it has definitely given me a few ideas on how to save some money this year!

Penny In My Purse: A snug Christmas...

---
Rhiannon
xxx

December Flyer

After a lot of playing around we have managed to finish our wonderful Christmas flyer. Take a wee look =)

---
Rhiannon
xxx

Made & Sold - book review

I like books.

A lot.

And I particularly like pretty books.

So when our lovely friends at Gordon Harris asked if we’d like to take a gander at a book they got in recently… well, let’s just say I didn’t need my arm twisted…

Made & Sold is a very pretty, glossy book showcasing a wide variety of projects

(one of the only things I like more than books is projects!).

This book shares a philosophy with Love Handmade – that quirky objects and shiny things are much more fun if it’s clear that someone really enjoyed making them…

It’s an eclectic celebration of glorious and eccentric art. Inside are over FIVE HUNDRED exciting graphic projects – covering buttons, t-shirts, plushies, jewellery, vinyl toys, canvases, flipbooks, crockery, and even paper craft taxidermy.

(…and OMG! Bags!)

With 1000 pictures crammed into 240 pages, it’s perfect for inspiring new ways to market your ‘brand’ and a great way to shake yourself out of a creative slump.

(I WANT that Cernunnos pendant…)

Made & Sold is available at Gordon Harris.

Alana
xox

Christmas Love Handmade - 19th Dec

Due to a last minute change of date, as we didn't want to clash with another well loved market, we have extended our applications until next Monday (23rd Nov). Make sure you don't miss out on the next Love Handmade - it's set to be a festive one! The market will now be held on:

Saturday 19th December

10am to 1pm

The Rose Centre, Belmont (Takapuna)

With a light and bright venue, a park next door for kids, a great coffee shop within walking distance and Devonport right down the road - you don't want to miss out on what is going to be a great day!
---
Rhiannon
xxx

Photo's of the first market...

Take a peek at the first Love Handmade Craft market - the first of many to come

Piper and her little stall - Piperoni!

---
Rhiannon & Alana
xxx