A blog meet up

The shop opens soon and before we open our doors to the public we will be holding a blogger get together so that people can meet our designers, have some tasty snacks, listen to some wonderful live music and do a touch of craft!

It's all just an excuse to hang out with friends and meet up with some amazing people who I have been online stalking for a while (that's nowhere near as creepy as it sounds)

McKenzie will be there, sharing her music talents with us live (check her out on soundcloud) and some of our designers will be there to lay out their wisdom and impress you with their foxy craftiness.

The list is filling up fast, but we would love to know if you can make it. It's not just bloggers that are invited, but if you are super keen on the old crafts (we're thinking more 'knitting' than 'sorcery') then I highly recommend that you come along and check out the shop.

It's free! You just need to bring your good selves along to our shop in Parramatta.

Let me know so we can have all our fun goodies together for you.

Put up signs for markets. Seriously.

Does anyone have a Samsung phone? I have a Galaxy 3.

I got it because earlier this year in a moment of brilliance I managed to drop my iphone (which was epic and had great battery life and no problems) into the bath and I didn't want to pay an extra $20 a month for the iPhone 5.
My Galaxy dies every day. Some nights, after being plugged in all night I'll look at it and see that it's only on 17% or something tragic like that.

I mention all of this to make excuses for the SINGLE dark and uninspired photo that I have of my market stall on Saturday. I only had 50% battery to last the whole day. It didn't last.

It was a quiet market. I learned plenty about the importance of visible signage, for example, but it was great to meet so many other amazingly talented people.

Right next door to me was Chanelle who has some of the most crazy detailed drawings ever. I am in love with these elephant fellows. Like... the detail is just mind boggling.

The Mouse and Me

And this awesome artist Jennie, who illustrates some nifty foxes and some animals in Star Trek cosplay and Dr Who outfits who I think are super awesome. Officially you might call them "children's" or "nursery" prints, but I kind of just want them for myself.

Hiccupart

Everyone had stalls that were about a thousand times more awesome than mine, and I got a lot of ideas and was totally inspired so after feeling sick and like a mental case for all the rest of the weekend I have woken up today (it's Monday) with a brain full of ideas and a whole lot of brainstorming to do as we count down to The Elm Tree's official opening on the 28th of September.

First though, I have to clean the house. Ugh.

Father's change nappies too. True Story.

One time when I was younger, a man who was unstable came into the church where I was sitting and started to swear at me and verbally attack me. Near by a man (who I knew) just sat and watched smiling uncomfortably.

I was holding my baby brother and the man was kind of big so I just sat there and occasionally defended my rights (not really in a very productive way 'I can look at who I want to look at' for example, wasn't a helpful thing to say) until someone who heard the rukus went and found my dad who took the man aside and told him in a firm voice that "that b!tch" was his daughter and could he please leave the building (where he told him some other things...)

And I was glad that my father was there, and glad that I could see him defend me. No one else was and it was wonderfully reassuring to know that he would always be on my side. I still remember how it felt to know that someone cared about me enough to confront someone to defend me  (My dad is awesome)

I promise this is relevant.

Today is Kyle's birthday.

He's at home editing his most recent film project which means that we have been able to spend the day together and so off we went to get haircuts and eat lunch and play at play grounds (I even took photos)

And we had to change the baby's nappy. It happens.

The sign on the door said "baby changing room" and we walked in behind two women talking very loudly about something which they obviously didn't mind us hearing about (or they wouldn't have continued talking so loudly surely) and we changed the baby.
As they came out of the toilets one of the women started to say (just as loudly) that she was sure men weren't allowed in there as 'hearing women piss' is just wrong and couldn't he have stayed outside, and I'm going to check because I think it's completely wrong and sick and at that point I turned around and said:
"IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT US, SAY IT TO US!"

... And then I said a few other things... which might have included "if you have a problem with men hearing you go to the toilet then go to the ladies room, it says baby changing room on the door -  I don't see your baby!" And the woman I was talking to backed away.

We walked out later and saw a council worker who told us that the women had spoken to him about it all and he had told him the same thing that I had. Go to the ladies bathroom if you want there to only be ladies around you.

Kyle had been ignoring the women's conversation entirely so he was surprised that I had snapped at them, and I know that if he had heard what they had been saying he would have said something himself - but just so you know Ky. I've got your back. I'm on your side. Even though I get a bit shaky and emotional when I have to do things like that and even though I stay all riled up about it for the whole rest of the day (and post blogs about it).

I'll confront people (even though it's pretty beyond my comfort zone) to defend you - and your right to use a room designated for people caring for babies and children.

You can use the baby changing room... you know... TO CHANGE THE BABY. 

Happy Birthday.


Apologies for the awkwardly compiled photos. The boys didn't all fit in the photo because Ronin was way below table level. In other news good on you Boost and Salsa for giving free things to customers on their birthday. Don't rate the burrito but at least no money was wasted in figuring out that they aren't that good.

 Gabe blowing bubbles (he thinks it's so cool... it's so gross) while Kyle gets his hair cut. I spoke to the hairdresser in Mandarin and she didn't understand me (devastating) but it was only because she didn't expect it from me (phew!) after that she understood everything I said. Crisis averted.

 Blurry :( 

Nerd Power

I figure this is as good a venue as any to track the progress of Kyle's film making.

This is a 6 minute assignment that he did for school. The first film that he wrote and directed himself.

HR in this office must not do anything because there is some serious bullying and invasion of personal spaces and properties going on here...

While we were setting up our market, Ky was shooting his next assignment... here's a preview...

Yep - the samurai got in on the action too...

A handmade market

Our mega glam garage sale was an effective experiment, though perhaps not the roaring success that we might have wished it to be. (You know - when heaps of people come and give us all their money)
The weather was fantastic, and although there were a significant number of hiccups in the morning as we got things set up (including a man who wanted to buy McKenzie's guitar - NOT FOR SALE!) it all looked wonderful (if I do say so myself)

Thanks to Analiese and her photography talents I can give you a tour of our little market and it's wares.

This is my work:

Prints. Note to self: iron tablecloths. (Even when they are just unfinished quilt tops)

Framed prints. Notebooks. Reina's rice filled heat packs. Zana's bags, and Reina's cushions.

Zana's monogram key chains and dresses (below)

McKenzie's prints are beautiful. Her music was lovely too, and after buying her CD I have listened to it on loop all day today... Do yourself a favour and check her out.

Katie's booties and muesli. Tool box/magazine holders and Candle centrepieces (below) by Reina (and Ryan)

Jess's cupcakes and brownies (the brownies were especially yum!)

We will be opening our shop on September the 28th and you will be able to find all these things and much more from other amazing local talents.

If you want to catch up with me in the mean time I will be at the Makers Market at UNSW next Saturday (September 7) so feel free to come and visit me (and a whole troop of other awesome etsy sellers) when you are done voting!