FRIDAY FRENZY - NICHE & APRON

Well Launceston, congratulations for coming out in droves!  Two at once - success!!

Lyn met me for drinks first at Mud - how civilised - then we perused the offerings at the inaugural Apron Design Market .  Lots of others were looking too and the weather was fine...a bit windy but the shelter created by those white marquees ensured that stall holders and visitors alike were comfortable. The atmosphere was great. I was pleased to chat to Loz with her beautiful Grandeliers and enthused over the stunning 9 Fruits - flat pack fruit bowl from young designer Adam Aberle - a finalist in the 2009 Design Awards. Impressed also with Bek's lovely cards and linen aprons.  But they were all fantastic. All of them.  Look at the website for stall holders.

So then we jumped in the cars and tootled down to the Tramsheds to the third Niche for 2010 and oh boy!  The crowds were stupendous.  Loved the venue Liz - best yet - and think yes, the second room is a  must for next time!

I spent a happy time shopping for THE NEW SHOP and talking to the host of wonderful makers - old and new!  Was really liking Margaret's lamps as well as AdoreU Design's security card holders  - great to see some design going into these mundane accessories we are forced to wear.  Lovely!!  Who else ? Well just look at the Niche blogspot and you'll see who.  All great, all being patronised and the venue chokkas with people shopping!  St Giles will benefit, Liz will be stoked.

So then we went off to Blue Cafe .  I had the prawn and avocado salad and my assistant had a yummy wood fired pizza, but the desert was to die for : dark chocolate bouchon pudding with caramel dirt & vanilla bean
icecream. OMG !!! I took a photo of it for here but the wine had made my hand shake and it's not quite suitable for publication LOL. We staggered off into the sunset, shopped out and replete.

Print Making with Isis

The lovely and talented Isis ran a print making workshop at The Mill Providore And Gallery in Launceston.

What a fantastic time we had !

                                 Day One - Screen Printing on Monday 25th October

Day Two - Block printing with lino cuts on Tuesday 2nd Nov

There were just three of us in the class !   (Our teacher believes in small classes and individual attention.)

Louise and her lovely daughter Asher came and me.

We made lots of mess but Isis didn't mind.

......we learned how to cut stencils and remembered everything we'd forgotten about lino blocks

.....and then we made some beautiful prints. 

These pics are from Day 2 with the lino blocks.....

It was great!   

And then Isis got her Hillbarn Box delivered to The Mill and we ooohed and aaahed over the wonderful fresh produce...and she got ROSES TOO !

I had a terrific time, learned heaps and made some beaut cards I was really pleased with. 

THANKS ISIS & BECKY and SAM!!!  

Waiting for the NEXT workshop.

Allwrappedup again!

I was just so so pleased to be able to make my donation to St Giles Launceston based on my sales for the two days just gone of Niche allwrappedup for August 2010.  I don't have much disposable - us crafts people work hard and profit little in $$s  (but lots in other benefits) - so it's a great way to share with the kids at St Giles who really need all the love and assistance we as a community can give them!  The staff are singularly magnificent in their care.  I know this from personal experience as two family members have benefited from their help!

So, how did we go ?  Well once again it was an absolute pleasure to be surrounded by such fantastic, happy and friendly designer makers from Tasmania.  We had a great time and apart from a few relatively minor hiccups out of most every one's control, everything went really well.  Saturday especially was busy and throngs filled the space to near capacity more than a couple of times!

To all those who stopped by Rowena to say hello - thanks for making my market stall a happier place and to those who liked my wares enough to purchase, I truly hope you enjoy your scarf for many wears to come!  Thanks for all the encouraging comments, the new ideas and the reinforcement of what I am already doing.  I was also encouraged by the interest in the new Superfine Tasmanian Merino Lambs wool scarves and in the Conara range made from the lustrous Wanstead Park English Leicester yarn!   It seems also that we can sell balls of Barb's lovely handspun - there was much interest.  Perhaps, if I can get guaranteed supply, I may be able to find time to hand dye and ballup the superfine and sell in small lots - wouldn't that be a pip (to quote Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy).

I must get busy now on my trusty AKL as there are three orders to fill and Jude and Felicity and the girls from Eastside Makers Market have encouraged me to part with the readies for a spot at the next market in Bellerive on Hobart's eastern shore next Sunday 5th September 2010. ....and I really need to update Etsy and MadeIt .

...another Niche all wrapped up!  Thanks Selena and to Zoe who looked after us wonderfully at the Academy Gallery venue!   Do hope those who were at the Boatshed venue had just a great a time!

PS...the jacket sold !  Thanks to Lee's mum for the first try-on - it was so wonderful to see the garment modelled by someone whom it suited!  And to Trish who missed out - I'll barter when I get another made.  To Pat who won the battle, do share won't you !  LOL.  Enjoy!

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS...new page on tab at top of page.  Everyone deserved a spot but thanks to those who were happy for me to take their pic and post to this blog!

Getting ready

Conara in the Darke

 Lots and lots to do....and ran out of black ink in the printer !

I decided to do new labels - sometimes I think I'm more concerned with the marketing than the work itself, but then I remind myself that it's got to look good and that includes good labels!  So I have been playing around with ideas and also working on that "range" concept.  You know, the one that makes you focus on exactly what you are trying to achieve.  I think the labels have helped !!   Rowena now has everyday and hundreds & thousands for commercial wool and synthetics and then conara and pure for the pure wools and the new spun for the handspun and woven!

Here is a lovely silver grey scarf woven from some of the Bendigo Mohair Farm persian lamb and mohair I have had in my stash for positively years!  Barb has had a great time spinning it and the result is gorgeous.  The warp is a (coned) french pure wool with an interesting finish.

And look as this stunning italian Filatura di Crosa Buffo which looks great in an open weave.  I laid it on a kid mohair warp and mixed in some good old Australian Cleakheaton Astra Khan.  The resulting wool and suynthetic mix makes it light and luxurious! This is a fashion statement scarf. 

Some of the 'pure' scarves

The finishing takes longer than it does to make them!  But there they are, all nicely steam pressed, labelled and hanging on the "competed" rack waiting for next Friday morning!    ...or at least about half of them......so I'd better get back to it. 

Launceston, University of Tasmania Academy Gallery, Niche allwrappedup Market for Tasmanian designers and makers.  10am - 4pm Friday 27 and Saturday 28 August 2010.  Supporting St Giles.

The daphne's out

Barbara's spinning

Niche at Launceston Junction 2010 Regional Arts Festival

Well the advertising has started on TV for the Junction 2010 event.  Launceston sure will be busy if the predictions come up to scratch!  I've done the Facebook thing with the Niche poster etc and have sent details out.

Hope the University Gallery is OK for us.  I'm a bit worried we'll be in a corner and not see the passing crowds.  Hopefully all will be well.

Is this last minute nerves ?   Anyway, this time next week the cases will be packed and we'll be ready for a 8.15 am set up, bump-in or drag all the stuff out of the car exercise!   Still excited  lol.