Auckland Art & Craft Fair

Sponsor Spotlight: Foxes

2011-12-09T10:00:00.000+13:00

Clever Fox tote

My name is Jessica Whiting, and I am the lady behind Foxes.co.nz and I also co-run the Auckland Art & Craft Fair with Kylie. Foxes isn't just a super online shop, it's also a way that I can still make and design things myself for all the lovely Foxes Folks. I also have previously had my own craft label, Bam Bam Creative; while I don't make a whole lot of new stuff for Bam Bam anymore, I can appreciate both sides of the maker/shop story! Being a Graphic Designer by trade, Foxes is a great way for me to get my own work out there.

Bam Bam Creative sweatshirt

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Aside from many of the awesome stuff that I stock from other talented designers, I will have Foxes graphic tea towels, tote bags, hand-painted cups and prints.

Wash The Dishes tea towel

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? I'm exploring into perhaps making some Foxes jewellery and expanding on the clothing that I've already made in time for next Winter.

Be Great A4 print

Where are your favourite places on-line? I can't get enough of Pinterest. It's like a personal online image storage space where you can catalogue your own personal style and see how it develops. I follow A LOT of amazing blogs with some of my favourites being Fancy! Design Blog, Pretty Zoo, Daydream Lily and Here Comes The Sun. I alos love Keiko Lynn for style inspiration and So Much To Tell You — all well worth a look.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? I'm usually running the store! Or talking on twitter, blogging, pinning things on Pinterest, hanging out with my amazing little girl who is now 6 and our pets, Ollie our 1year old dog or Leo our cat. I really value and enjoy spending time with my friends and family too, they make all this hard work worthwhile.

Artist Interview: Tiny Happy

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000+13:00

Kia ora, I'm Melissa of TinyHappy. I'm love making things and mostly work with textiles. I especially loveto take old things that are unloved, and turn them into something new andbeautiful. Tiny Happy has been going for about five years now, and I've beenkeeping an almost-daily blog since the beginning which I use as my inspirationjournal and connect with other makers.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I'm currently working on some woolembroidery, and I hope to have a small collection of crewel-work purses forsale. I'll have some things for babies and kids- my signature reversible babyshoes as well as some rabbits made from antique velveteen fabric. Some of mywatercolour paintings will be made into sets of cards with envelopes and I'llhave some hand-painted ceramics and hand-printed fabric pieces too.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I hopeto keep on making things and writing about them.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I lovepinterest at the moment- actually, I'm a bit addicted. Etsy and Felt are myfavourite places to explore and look for presents, and I've always lovedbrowsing on Flickr.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Hangingout with my children (8 and 6 years old) and my partner. Baking cakes andscones. Obsessing over music. Meeting friends for coffee. Going out at night tosee films.

Artist Interview: Reignbow

2011-12-08T12:00:00.000+13:00

Why, hello there! My name is Kylie Richardson. You may better know me as one half of the organisers of this Fair or the owner of New Zealand Beading Supplies. Or you may just know me as Kylie, either way ;) Reignbow is a revamp and re-brand of my previous label, Skipapple. Life has been rather busy the last couple of years (just the way I like it) and my style and taste had changed along the way, so a label overhaul was in order. I tend to personally wear a lot of black or neutral clothing so find myself most comfortable adding a pop of colour by means of accessories. My large cocktail style rings are by far my favourite pieces - see below. They really add that extra something to an outfit :)

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Reignbow is officially launching for the very first time at the Dec 2011 Fair with a collection of pretty jewellery and accessory items inspired by feminine tones and antique bronze finishings. The current collection has a lovely vintage feel with a combination of chain, flower cabochon's, pendants and charms.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? I always have lots of plans for future work, in everything I do. I would really like to expand and offer few different "ranges" of jewellery and more accessory items. If time permits, I'd also love to design a range of clothing. I've loved sewing ever since my grandmother taught me when I was about 5 or 6 years old, so I'm sure there will be something along those lines in the future.

Where are your favourite places on-line? Lately I've been well and truly hooked on Pinterest. It's probably my favourite website in a long time. (You can follow my boards here) Of course I also love to peruse Etsy and Foxes.co.nz for my weekly dose of handmade and designer goodness. I hang out on Facebook and Twitter for day to day happenings of friends and twitter peeps, and some of my favourite blogs are Frankie, Auckland Street Style, Here Comes the Sun, Fancy and Made by Girl. There are loads more but I can't think of them all off the top of my head!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? I'm not very good at relaxing for too long, so always have an array of things on the go at any one time. When I'm not making my wares I can be found either keeping myself busy co-organising the Fair with Jess, packaging up bead orders for the bead business, pinning away on Pinterest, deciding on which study I am going to partake in next (which happens to be a Diploma in Interior Design), coming up with new ideas for business ventures or writing to-do lists. I am particularly fond of to-do lists and like to keep mine pages long. It feels so rewarding crossing things off, but I am constantly adding to it so it's a never ending project. However in saying all of that, when I do manage to talk myself into some down time I enjoy reading non-fiction books, catching up with friends for a coffee or wine and listening to music.

Artist Interview: memeGO

2011-12-07T23:17:00.000+13:00

It all started out with 2huge Russian shoulder scarfs my mom owned. One in black and the other in whiteprinted with the most colourful vibrant flowers. I remember spending hours infront of the mirror, wrapping and draping one or both of them around me. Thelove for colours, dazzling, cheerful, riotous, vibrant stuck with me as did mylove for and understanding of the need to accessorize oneself. My startingpoint is a beautiful 100% Wool felt, made in New Zealand from which I createaccessories like for example makeup bags and earrings.

My label is still young, manyideas yet to be formulated but what I have was born out of a strong desire tocreate something more personal then a high street shop item and it's formulatedcolour and design. That's also a reason for me to offer brooch DIY kits. Becauseit's fun and extremely satisfying to wear something of your own making.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Everything I will present will befresh of the press.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? At themoment I very much tied up with getting my label off the ground. But in thefuture I would like to introduce other materials into my work. I particularlylike felt combined with leather. My ultimate goal is to combine my whimsicalside with the more practical to truly create good design which not only pleasesthe eye but also makes daily life a bit easier.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? www.myvibemylife.com

www.missmoss.co.za

www.kristinaklarin.blogspot.com

www.trendtablet.com

www.thingsbecomethings.blogspot.com

www.dict.leo.org

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? creatingcollective sounds - I drum with Tamashii, an Auckland based Taiko group., travellingimaginary worlds while reading, attempting to get foot/hand coordination sorted- I learn to dance flamenco and many many more things. The most importantthough, collecting inspiration, just happens along the way.

Artist Interview: Hue

2011-12-07T15:00:00.000+13:00

Hi, I'm Nicola Walker and Hueis my crafty little inspiration where my passion for colour, fabrics and bags combines - giving me blissful, creative,child-free moments late into the night! I love the challenge of up cycling scarfs, tea towels, table cloths and clothes of yesteryear and combining themwith textiles of today. Actually my most favorite thing is hunting, finding andmatching the material! Most weekends you will find me at the beach with thekids or at a craft market - sometimes with the kids!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? This season, satchels havedominated my range. These have been sized to carry laptops. notebooks, andnetbooks plus they have been utilised as baby bags, overnight bags and unisatchels. To compliment the technology carrying theme, I have recently releasedthe 'Hue-tech clutch'- a gorgeous clutch-like padded protection for netbooksand ipads. As I dislike any wastage, I always have popular little coin pursesmade from the remnants and sweetened up with highlights of beads.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Hue'sfuture revolves around the love of creating, colour and craft markets. Continuing with the popular satchels and being inspired to design and make new bags - when the fancy takes meand the time allows!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Outsideof Hue, I have 3 gorgeous children that keep me on my toes, make me laugh andshare my love of being outside and building sandcastles!

Artist Interview: S4SH4

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000+13:00

Hi, My name is Sasha Maya.I'm very excited to be joining the Auckland Art & Craft Fair for the firsttime this December. I am a Graphic Designer and artist / crafter. I grew uparound the world and rediscovered home at the place of my birth, Aotearoa. Likemost artists, I suspect, my background and experience do influence and informmy work. This includes my current medium of choice: wool, which I wasintroduced to, via an apprenticeship of sorts, by a group of Steiner women.It's tactile and versatile... I love that most people want to touch my work - notjust look at it.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? This year I will primarily bringcushions and blankets ... many of them featuring New Zealand flora and fauna. Iknow a lot of people have seen 'upcycled wool cushions'... but I hope that mostof what I'm bringing is quite unique. I create what is exciting and inspiringto me at the moment, and move on. So you will rarely see two items of mine thatare anywhere close to identical, though you may see recurring themes until I'vemoved past them... which keeps it interesting for me, and hopefully my clients.
I've also started delving into smaller works in wool, but I'm not sure how manyof those I'll have available on the day (depends how much I get made betweennow and then.)

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I'mfinding myself exploring, personally, the line between hand crafts and art. Asoften seems to be the case for me, I start exploring things personally - inworks with no commercial intention - and then as they culminate they cross overin to work I sell. So depending on where the journey takes me ... I may end upselling artwork featuring some handcraft techniques I currently use.
I have also begun making some accessories, such as cuff bracelets, featuring 3dimensional flowers I've created out of wool. These have been being requestedby friends, which often heralds the transition of things I'm making for myselfinto my 'for sale' category of creative pursuits.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Istruggled with this question because I don't really have favorites... I doenjoy trawling Etsy, Felt and TradeMe. I regularly visit Facebook which hasbrought back into my life many friends from a childhood spent overseas (but Idon't like to list it as a favorite becuase I have a love / hate thing goingwith it - it's no substitute for a cup coffee with a friend).

I enjoy the access to learning -I've (re)learned to crochet flowers for a project using YouTube. I use it toresearch all manner of things. I love peaking into other people's creativeworlds - Lorenzo Duran doing exquisite leaf cutting work, and his artisanjourney of letting his client determine the value of his work(http://naturayarte.blogspot.com/). Map quilts: got to love an original (and beautiful)idea: http://www.hapticlab.com/pages/custom.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I keepbusy in my boutique Graphic Design company www.lilbirdcreative.co.nz.. I'm trying my hand at my firstvegetable garden this year, and we're enjoying free range eggs from our ownchicken. I built her a coop from materials bought at a demolition yard! I'vejust finished recovering, and almost completed refinishing, a retro AirRest armchair bought of TradeMe.
Farmers markets, weekend festivals, and A&P shows are things I love doingwith my daughter (whom I adore), when we're not playing frisbee with our dog,cleaning up feathers the cat decorated the lounge with, or having a BBQ withfriends. And October 30th we carved jack-o-lanterns with one of my daughtersfriends... which means Christmas (with all its projects, baking, and fun) isjust around the corner!

Artist Interview: The Art Room

2011-12-06T13:46:00.000+13:00

Hi everyone. My name isHayley and for the past few years I've been building up a range of limitededition screenprints for kids rooms under the name The Art Room. It startedwith an ambitious project - a large lion print for my daughters room - I didn't stop at one and I printed 35 of them! I followed that with a Seal and Giraffeprint. They went so well I've carried on and my new range is all aboutStorybook characters. So far there is the Owl & Pussycat and just launchedis Little Red Riding Hood & the Wolf. In between big print runs I'vestarted doing little gift cards and cute stamp sets too... there is always anew project on the go.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? At the Fair I'll be bringing myoriginal prints, some teatowels, gift cards and stamp sets. I've had a digitalrange printed (in smaller sizes - A4 and A3) of the original limited editionprints and I'll have those available too. My friend Ingrid is a fantastic sewer- we've collaborated and she has made Red Riding Hood and Wolf toys. You'll beable to get the matching set - toys and print! I'm working on a set of Christmasgift cards so if all goes well they'll be launched at the Fair.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Futureplans include adding to the Storybook Series, finishing a range of Christmascards and trying my hand at fabric printing. Fabric printing has been in thepipeline for a while so I'm looking forward to giving it a go. I think it willbe a simple pattern to start with and maybe for adults this time... I'd like tobe able to sew up some cushions, pillowcases and try getting a light shademade.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Favouritesites include designsponge http://www.designsponge.com/, print and pattern,http://printpattern.blogspot.com/ and Melissa's blog from tinyhappy.http://www.tinyhappy.typepad.com/

I'm always check the New Zealandprintmakers site too for any new ideas. http://nzprintmakers.blogspot.com/

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I'm aMum first and that takes up most of my time :). I also work two days a week fora magazine company as a graphic designer so I just try and fit in printmakingaround that. I love heading out on thewater whenever I can and spending weekends out of Auckland - somewhere quiet...

Artist Interview: Amber Brook Design

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000+13:00

Hello my name is Amber Brook and Irun an art and design business. I paint full time and also run a professional art school forboth children and adults which has been very successful in helping otherscreate their own pieces of art learning new techniques and some even going onto exhibit and sell their works. My aim is to create beautiful pieces oforiginal and individual artwork. There is nothing more rewarding than finishinga piece of art and being able to able to share it with others. To be able touse the beautiful pallette of colours in which nature holds and show it withinmy canvas.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A wide range of smaller moderninterior pieces all individual that enhance the home or make great gift ideas.There will also be a variety of my landscape New Zealand pieces

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? My aimis keep painting and producing new and modern pieces of art , trying to exhibitmore in the public arena.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Theinternet is such a wonderful thing, I enjoy looking at other peoples photos andtakes on the world. Reading up on different artists and the styles of theirwork and lifestyle Andrew Wiese and James Bama would be amoungst my favorites.And of course there is always something to be learnt on facebook

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? It ishard to find the switch off button when art is such a passion as you never stopcoming up with new ideas most of which are at obscure hours of the day. When Iam not painting I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and gettingout and enjoying the greater surroundings

Artist Interview: Hunter Gatherer

2011-12-05T18:22:00.000+13:00

We are Husband and wife and we are makers. Based from our cozy home in Onehunga we spend our days creating, drilling, painting, drawing and imagining in the hopes that you will love our wares. We hope you will want to hang them from your necks and your walls, to wear them in your hair and on your fingers and to take them on adventures with you.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? We will be launching our new range entitled " The Whirlwind is in the Thorntree " necklaces, rings, tee's and more inspired by everything from the stars, to the stones in the ground, and everything in between. Hunter Gatherer is still your old friend, just grown up a little.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? Oh jolly! So many! You may see us popping up in a few lovely places around our fair land, Our lookbook will be out, a few collaborations are in the pipeline and our new website will be on the up and go: www.huntergatherer.co.nz

Where are your favourite places on-line? Of course the lovely people at Frankie : www.frankie.com.au and www.smithjournal.com.au. Our dear friends at Here come's the sun Blog, Two Happy Hearts blog. I am also always nosing around Once it, Assembly of text, Rifle paper co and anything else that feasts my eyes and generally helps me procrastinate.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? Down in the garden drinking cider in the sun, Getting tattoos, Rummaging at Garage Sales or Thrift Stores, Taking pictures, and eating delicious meals.

Artist Interview: Helen Kerrigan

2011-12-05T15:00:00.000+13:00

Hi, my name is Helen Kerriganand I have long had a passion/ obsession with vintage and retro china. I haveincorporated this into my work and now produce a range of giftware includingbird-feeders, candles, clocks, cake stands and brooches. Not only does thisprovide me a creative outlet, but it allows me to indulge in my favouritepastime, browsing the many fabulous opshops and second hand stores around our city.

I have a strong conviction that in order to create something that others willbe drawn to, you have to start with quality materials. It is to this end that Ionly use English bone china and well preserved Crown Lynn ceramics to make myrange.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? As well as my previously mentionedrange of up-cycled vintage range (bird-feeders, candles, clocks, cake stands,brooches) I will have various brooches using recycled doilies, stamps and vintage books. I'll alsobe bringing my Little Golden Book clocks, which were a great success at thelast fair. Who knows, I may even have a few new surprises on the day!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? My workis always evolving and changing, so watch this space.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I love abit of on-line shopping on Felt and Etsy. www.instructables.com is alwaysgood to while away a bit of time and get the creative juices flowing. As for blogs, I don't have anyparticular favourites but I love to look around when I have the time (whichisn't often).

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Betweenmaking my wares, selling at markets and looking after my six year old son,there isn't too much spare time. I try to keep things local and as I live inGrey Lynn that's fairly easy. Most of my favourite places are here. I love roadtrips, especially with someone who shares my op shop obsession. There isnothing better than a drive down the country stopping in every town to huntdown treasures.

Artist Interview: Native Creative

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000+13:00

From my studio overlookingstunning native bush in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, I've built up my craftbusiness, Native Creative, from an original range of collages on plywood to acollection of innovative product designs inspired by New Zealand birdlife.
I'm a big fan of plywood. I love the beauty of the grain, the multi-layerededges and the many ways in which it can be used.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I make unique native bird creationsout of plywood which is printed with my own patterns designed to reflect thepersonality of each bird. I incorporate the beautiful wood grain as part of thefinished product. My range of products includes prints (inspired from myoriginal collages), slot-togethers, mobiles, restickable wall decals, broochesand a jewellery tree.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I'verecently released a new range of products and it's always an interestingprocess to see which items people are attracted to, more than others. Customerfeedback is so important to my product development and I find the process ofselling at markets and craft fairs, direct to the customer, a fabulous way ofidentifying demand and fine-tuning ideas. So this is always an ongoing process.

I've had a whole swag ofstores who have contacted me over the last few months who are interested in mywork, so I'm very likely to start wholesaling to retailers soon as the demandis certainly there. I'm currently working on my first piece of furniture designwhich is very exciting!

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I have toadmit to spending a fair amount of time on Facebook - both for my business andfor fun. Attending to my Shop on felt.co.nz, checking out the weather forecast(for some reason I'm a bit obsessed with it) on www.metservice.com, streamingthe FANTASTIC radio station cruizefm.co.nz, and general time spent googling allmanner of things that I'm researching or just looking up for interest.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? When I'mnot "working" I love to jog around one of our local lakes, dive offthe jetty in the summer time, mountain bike our wonderful local trails, go toyoga, hang out with my two young children, drink wine, read inspiring stories,go sailing and generally get in amongst it.

Artist Interview: NZ SAND ART

2011-12-04T19:44:00.000+13:00

Hello everyone, my name isNancy Tschetner, I am from east Germany and have been living in Taupo, NewZealand since Jan. 2003. I fell in love with the nature, lifestyle and the Kiwipersonality. New Zealand gave me the inspiration, freedom and space to createsomething very unique.

- Natural New Zealand Sand Art -
I consider myself as a natural creative person and always had an eye fordetail. I enjoy working with contrast and New Zealand nature gave me thecontrast and texture, I was after. I first discovered black sand in New Zealandand used it for contrast and texture on my acrylic paintings. Over the last 8years I have developed my sand paintings into fine art with great detail. Ialso started creating sand portraits in 2004. I give people the chance tocapture their special memories, loved ones or beloved pet in a unique way. Italso gives art lovers from all over the world, the chance to own their own,unique piece of New Zealand and take a unique, personalized souvenir back home.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? At the Auckland Art & Craft Fair,I will have something for everyone on display and for sale. All sizes andprices. From Animals over New Zealand Scenery to abstract pieces. Most of myart is created with over 12 different shades of natural New Zealand sand, thenatural tones fit into every house, never fade and give your wall that specialtouch. A few pieces are created with sand and acrylic colours, to fit everyone's taste. I also take on commission and orders for portraits. Be excited and enjoybrowsing ......

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I amalways full of ideas and open for suggestions. I recently started doing sandpaintings on different products, like wood carvings and pottery. My plan is tobecome well known nationally and internationally and to make NZSANDART a fulltime business. I enjoy being creative and never run out of ideas........onlyout of time. So it would be great to keep doing what I love and to be able toshare my love for New Zealand nature. I like making people happy and I amthriving on achievement.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I oftengoogle different art and photography. I love contemporary Art and admirecreative people of all kind.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I enjoy designingall kinds of art. I enjoy giving furniture a new face, designing and sewingclothes, wood carving and anything that can be lifted with colour, shape andtexture. I am working part time as a sign writer and there for grew up with aneye for detail. I enjoy design work and my favourite job as a sign writer is towrap a vehicle or other products in prints and to design and apply motorbikegraphics. I am studying photography and love wedding and maternity photography.As an outgoing, active and social person, I love mountain biking and trailriding, fishing and wake boarding. I am never bored and love living life.

"Carpe Diem"

Artist Interview: Annie B Handmade

2011-12-04T15:00:00.000+13:00

My name is Ann and I have abit of a addiction to vintage fabrics, buttons & bits & bobs. I have awee shed at the bottom of the garden path where I hide away to work on my rangeof Bags, Purses, Journals & Accessories. I started Annie B Handmade a coupleof years ago so that I could work through my many boxes of fabric & trimscollected over the years (which had started to take over the entire house -much to my husband's dismay!)

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I have a new range of purses made withvintage clasps and fabrics, some gorgeous wee zip purses ( perfect for gifts)and some swandri journals for the guys- along with my standard vintage blanketjournals and purses.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I have arange of leather Bags, Wallets and Journals planned for early next year andsome new summer bags coming up soon.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I spendway too much time online but I love to visit Poppytalk, Meet Me at Mikes ,Rummage, The Little Craft Store, HerLibrary Adventures and have just discovered Here Comes the Sun which is alovely blog.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I go opshopping and to garage sales & church fairs. I enjoy listening to music,cooking, gardening and hanging out with my family & friends. I like to keepbusy so I always have a craft of some sort on the go ( knitting socks for thefamily at present) and there are alwaysnew ideas to try out so I always find something to do.

Artist Interview: Erupt Prints

2011-12-04T09:00:00.000+13:00

Hi! We are Helen and Craig ofErupt Prints. We began our mission of 'Relieving Boring Walls' in 2009following the birth of our daughter the previous year. We wanted artwork thatwas vibrant and fresh yet affordable for her nursery but couldn't find anythingthat met our criteria so being graphic designers we decided to create our own. Sincethen we have evolved our designs for kiwi kids young and old, takinginspiration from Aotearoa's uniqueness!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? We will be showing off another 3 orso new print designs to compliment our graphic NZ inspired works. They will bebacked up by our 'Rainbow Height chart' and 'Ma is White' designs which haveblown us away with their popularity. Our kids print designs will also bepresent as always.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? We arepretty young on the scene (only 2 years in December) so for us its just doingthe basics like building our range and keeping our designs fresh and affordable!We are always keeping an eye on trends for printing on other materials such astea towels, tee shirts etc, but for now we are pretty happy with good ol paper.We have been fortunate to have our designs selling in some amazing stores andgalleries around the country, and our designs are also proving popular over inOz with a couple of ex-pat business ventures.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Fancy //newzealanddesignblog.com, ffffound.com, MAIYA //myadventureisyouradvantage.com, ohdeedoh.com. . . and many others!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? We havetwo little girls (a 3 year old and a 4 month old) plus our own little slice ofheaven in tropical Onehunga (well it will be eventually once renovations are sortedin years to come!!) so if we aren't out and about with the girls, slowlyticking off the house list is very rewarding, especially our backyard mission,in time for summer...ahhh happy days.

Artist Interview: NZ Green Buttons

2011-12-03T21:00:00.000+13:00

Hi my name is Louana. I have ablog NZ Green Buttons that I use as an online diary. I love to crochet and sew.I really enjoy creating useful things from things I find in op-shops or vintagestores. It's a nice feeling to give new life to things that most people thinkare past their best. I'm a mum of two and try and fit my crafting in aroundsleeps, and school runs.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I've got a big stack of vintageembroidered linen notebooks to bring along. I've started to experiment with aproduct that stiffens crochet and I've been busily been making chunky pendantsand delicate snowflake decorations. I'm also bringing up-cycled cards andnotebooks too.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I loveto find new crochet techniques and apply them to things I make, working with arange of materials, like wire, fabric and even paper.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? It'svery hard to narrow down the long list of NZ blogs I like to visit, but acouple of favourites are:

www.tinyhappy.typepad.com

www.http://verydarkhorse.blogspot.com

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I'malways crafting something! I really enjoy making things for my children, a bag,clothes for a toy or costumes. I also rather enjoy baking too, anything yummythat can be shared with good friends.

Artist Interview: Toodles Noodles

2011-12-03T19:32:00.000+13:00

Back when Toodles Noodles wasstarted up as a company between two sisters they were trying to come up withthe best name for their new company. They had come up with a long list of names butnothing quite felt right. Then signingoff from a phone call one day they did their regular “alright, Toodles Noodles”a sign off they’d used for years. Andthat’s when Liora clicked and said “that’s it! That’s our new company name.”. They both knew instantly that it would be the perfect name for twosisters to start a stationery company. The term Toodles Noodles comes from both of them having the middle nameNudel and getting teased and being called Noodle all through their childhood.The saying stuck and became part of a family well term. So now it is our, my, great pleasure to bringsome of that Toodles Noodles fun to you.

Here at Toodles Noodles - NewZealand Made and Owned we have a love of stationery and all things colorful andcheeky. We're proud to offer high quality cards, tags, and wrapping paper thatare printed locally in New Zealand, and hope our products bring a sense ofhappiness to those who discover them.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Wrapping paper, gift / thank youtags, mini note cards, desk calendars and bookmarks.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Our goalis to increase our presence here in NZ and expand globally first with Australiaand then UK.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I'm ahuge twitter fan. I only got intotwitter in June but since then have become a big addict. I have grown mybusiness, made some great creative friends / connections, find out of the latesttrends, news, everything. Twitter is myconnection to the design / fashion / news world.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I'm asun baby. I love sitting outside in thesun, walking in the sun. If it's sunnyout, you will not find me indoors that day. For example, filling this form outright now, I am sitting on my deck with my laptop because it is a rare day inWellington where the sun is shining down and it's stunning.

Artist Interview: donnashaw

2011-12-03T18:00:00.000+13:00

Hi I'm the creator of thedonnashaw range of unique fabric baby booties and other great baby gifts. Ilove working with fabrics and coming up with unique fabric combinations for mybooties.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A great range of fabric babybooties which come in two sizes, 0-6 months and 6-12 months. Also in thedonnashaw range is fabric baby blocks with bells inside, cotton baby blanketsand cot and room decorations.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I alsoenjoy gardening and sports mainly running.

Artist Interview: Millicent Crow

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000+13:00

My name's Emily and throughmy business, Millicent Crow, I sell gocco prints and screen prints on paper andfabric, inspired by my love of things that are old and ghostly. I make screen printed patches that you can sewonto your clothes, screen printed fabric brooches and cards printed from myoriginal drawings.

I am inspired the things that people leave behind...abandoned houses, ramblinggardens, ghost towns, discarded photos, disused sewing boxes, and the inorganiccollection (I'm also a terrible hoarder). I love botanical illustrations and I often come home with my pocketsoverflowing with leaves and flowers to draw!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I'll be bringing along a selectionof my gocco prints (hopefully including a multicoloured one), screen printedpatches, and greeting cards. I'll alsobe bringing along some new goodies. I'vejust had a foray into zine-making and I'll be selling my new zine,Denizens. I'll also have some newgreeting cards featuring collages of my drawings and vintage fabric, and somescreen printed fabric brooches having their market debut.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I've gotlots of plans for Millicent Crow! I wasrecently gifted twelve wonderful oval canvases, so I'm working on a series ofoil paintings on those. They're going tobe similar to my prints - old fashioned-looking people and giant flowers. I'd love to make some more zines - one day Ialso want to turn the characters from my zine into a gocco-printed book. Myother big plan for my work is to design some Millicent Crow fabric!

Where areyour favourite places on-line? LatelyI've been enjoying:

www.theselby.com for beautifulphotos.

www.sarahelaing.wordpress.com forhilarious and perceptive comics.

www.bondstreetbridge.blogspot.comfor great storytelling.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I lovegoing on long rambling walks around town (preferably with a stop for coffee onthe way), taking photos, sewing myself dresses and reading.

Artist Interview: eccScentric

2011-12-01T22:12:00.000+13:00

I create natural and eco friendlybeauty products, which are kind to the body and environment. My labeleccScentric is inspired by delight and flamboyance of pampering with a lusciousarray of natures ingredients as well as the creative combination of essentialoils providing 100% natural fragrance.

I am passionate about usinghome grown, organic and environmentally friendly products from trusted sources,which are a real treat to enjoy.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? My most popular products,nourishing peppermint foot balm and body scrubs will be available as well asother favourite balms such vitamin E lip balm and healing balm. I will also becollating some gorgeous pamper packs ideal for Christmas gifts, and newfragrant bath products.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I lovelooking for new inspiration in nature and discovering the incredible healingproperties of plants and herbs so I will be continually developing and addingto my collection. The next products I am looking to launch are a soothing balmfor colds and relaxing foot soak for summer feet.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Decor8,creature comforts and tartlette are my favourite creative blogs, which alwaysget me excited and inspired!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I lovebaking, gardening, running on the beach and walking in the bush. All of whichare connected to my passion for nature and creativity I suppose!

Artist Interview: Sweet Little Days

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000+13:00

I'm Audrey, the person behindSweet Little Days! I create homeware, totes and others with antique fabrics Isource in France (my homeland!) and Europe. I love to salvage these materialsthat were made with practicality, only, in mind and re-purpose them with moreprettiness in mind!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Just like in June I will bringcushions, notebooks and totes. Will be added to that photo albums, homemadecandles poured into old Agee jars, and many more!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I amreally happy with the pace my business is going at right now. I am stocking afew cool shops which was one of my many wishes a few month ago... I guess mywildest dreams now would be to start selling antiques from France.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Pinterestis the new ocean I get lost in for WAY TOO LONG!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I loveto go op shopping... I have been really lucky with my finds lately! I love totake my dog for long walks, it's the best way to watch the seasons pass by. Iwish I could add cooking to this list but it would be a big old lie.

Feel free to pick any pictureyou like from my website

Artist Interview: Orange Space Photography

2011-11-30T21:00:00.000+13:00

For me photography is allabout observing and creating images which reflect a part of how I perceive theworld around me and how I show it back. Myphotographs are inspired by nature and its elements, colours, forms and light.I also feel inspired by poetry and music and like to create images which give a visual form tothese expressions. Through the medium of photography I like to create fine artimages which capture the feel of the place or the subject.
Photography gets me in that zone where there is only me, camera, the thoughtprocess going on in the mind for that image and the subject. The rest of theworld just dissolves ways...I like to call this as my orange space and hencethe name of my business- Orange Space Photography. I believe that if looking atmy photographs the viewer can feel that "orange space" that I feltwhile making the photograph, all the effort that went into it is worth it, andthe photograph is fulfilled.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? In the exhibition the viewers willbe able to see my photographic work on impressionism, which will be capturingthe feel of the subject, rather that document the subject with accuracy. Thephotographs that will be displayed are inspired by nature and its elements. Myattempt has been to create images which can evoke an emotion in the viewer bythe sheer play of light, colour and form. The photographs will be available infine art prints with the option of sizes as per requirement. The photographswill be matted or framed.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I loveto listen to music, go for a walk on the beach or in the bush, cook, watchmovies and spend time with family and friends. When I have a little more time,I love to travel and explore new places.

Artist Interview: The Stitchsmith

2011-11-30T18:02:00.000+13:00

I create contemporaryneedlepoint and cross stitch kits for the modern stitcher. I am delighted tosee the resurgence of interest and craft generally and would like to be part ofthe movement to make craft, including needlepoint and cross stitch, attractiveto a new generation of stitchers. My designs aim to be non-intimidating withbright colours and block shapes so that people wanting to get into stitchingand make their own stuff can comfortably complete a kit. I think the designs alsoappeal to more experienced stitchers looking for something contemporary with aninterior design focus. NZ is bursting with inspiration – particularly in thecolours and shapes of our natural landscape and Maori heritage.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I will be displaying my cushionkits, both needlepoint and cross stitch. Also smaller kits for pincushions andChristmas decorations.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I amholding some workshops and classes next year which I'm very excited about. It'sso rewarding to teach people and see them enjoy stitching as much as I do.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? DesignSponge of course!

Flikr - there are severalembroidery groups whose members create stunning works

Feeling Stitchy - more amazinglytalented stitchers

Pinterest - where you can wasteliterally hours of time!

needlenthread.com - lots of helpfultutes on various stitching techniques

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I havejust taken up golf which I am not sure I can say I actually enjoy - yet! I loveto cook and get a bunch of people over to eat. And I love pottering aboutdesigning and doodling.

Artist Interview: Belle and Beau

2011-11-29T15:00:00.000+13:00

I design and make women's clothing from organic textiles and aim to produce everything sustainably. Stylesare inspired by all the things I love to do. Mooching around markets on sunnymornings, pottering around in the garden, music festivals, wandering in foreignplaces. There is definitely a relaxed silhouette to my designs with all thesethings on my mind.

The fabrics I use are spun in New Zealand and coloured using dyes certified bythe Global Organic Textile Standard. The details (eyelets, buttons, etc.) arealways considered for their purpose and on how they were produced before beingused in production.

It's not always easy beinggreen, but it sure is worth it.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A bunch of new styles with summerin mind. I have just bought a large roll of striped Organic Cotton Jersey, sothere will be some tops and dresses made from this for sure.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I havehad the range of basics established for a year or so now, but have just begunto introduce some new pieces. I intend to continue to produce new items andbuild that into seasonal ranges. The dream is to one day have my own store -but for now the markets are a great place to be.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I have alot of friends travelling all sorts of wonderful places at the moment, so Ifind myself regularly trawling through their online albums.

Peppermint Magazine is a favouriteof mine and their website is pretty good too, www.peppermintmag.com

I love how gardener Lynda Hallinanwrites so enjoy checking out her blog http://lyndahallinan.com/

Other than that I am a bitforgetful when it comes to blogs etc and usually tend to stumble acrossexciting pages when I should really be doing something else.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I loveto grow my own veges and berries, and just lately flowers too. Over labour weekend I planted out six raisedbeds with pretty much all my favourite crops.
I am also set on learning french - so I can actually converse with people whenI go to France next, rather than just blurt out random words accompanied by notso obvious (and not so cool) charades moves.

Artist Interview: TOFUTREE Art & Design

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000+13:00

TOFUTREE Art & Design isa group of young artists and designers graduated from Elam School of Fine Artsand School of Architecture design, University of Auckland, who have cometogether to create beautiful and meaningful things that matter to our life.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? We will bring as many products aswe can, including our new exciting products such as the artsy bags, tea towelsand jewellery.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Our mainsource of inspiration is the natural beauty and kiwi lifestyle that can befound only in our precious country. We tend to reflect the uniqueness of trueNew Zealand identity through every work, whether it is the people, nature, orthe environment. We hope to continuously make lovable things and share themwith you.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? http://www.notcot.org

http://www.designboom.com/

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Moviemarathon!!

Artist Interview: Artisan Jouel

2011-11-28T16:00:00.000+13:00

Hello, my name is AnjanaSusane and i create a range of jewellery and accessories under the name ArtisanJouel. I enjoy creating items that are wearable, affordable and a littlewhimsical too.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I'm excited to be unveiling my newpieces for 2012 at the Auckland Art and Craft Fair. I will have plenty ofnature inspired pieces such as butterfly jewellery, pretty floral hair wreaths,hair pins, flower rings and earrings. I'll also be bringing along some elegantjewellery created with pearls and crystals. I also enjoy mixing up my designswith some quirky pieces and i'll have some eye-ball rings on the day (you willhave to come and see!) as well some funky chalkboard pendants.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I planon being busy creating and adding to my designs for 2012! Now that i amfinalizing my designs for next year the next step is to create all theproducts. I'm having a lot of fun making my floral hair wreaths and can't waitto introduce them to customers and have them more accessible to everyone in NewZealand.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? www.ellinee.com/blog- Absolutely gorgeous blog for wedding and party inspiration as well as freebiedownloads.

www.marthastewart.com - For craftideas and inspiration

www.pixelofink.com - For freeebooks for my kindle (see next question)

I also like looking through eHowfor their diy tutorials.

Mostly though my time spent onlineis catching up on emails, on Felt, Etsy and Facebook

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? 1.Catching up with friends and family
2. I enjoy reading.
3. I also love watching movies especially horrors and thrillers but sigh at thestuff that's being released lately.
4. I also love to travel.
5. I especially love good food and trying out new places to eat and combinedwith number 1 that's my perfect day.

Artist Interview: Megan Doran-Read

2011-11-28T12:00:00.000+13:00

My name is Megan, I am anaspiring young artist based in Auckland, studying design and with a passion forpaint! I create abstract large scale works as well as smaller thought-provokingpieces. I am inspired by Modern Art and strive to reflect myself in my work.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A range of paintings from 2010 -present. Each painting will be individually crafted and thought-out to createan emotive aspect to the work.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? To buildup my body of work to have a substantial range of paintings to best showcase myideas.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Tumblr,Stumbleupon, Youtube and Facebook

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I studya bachelor of Spatial Design ant AUT so most of my time is consumed by researchto develop my knowledge of art and design. I also enjoy running, and work as apart-time shop assistant at a retail sports store.

Artist Interview: Mermaid's Purse

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000+13:00

Mermaid's Purse grew out ofmy need to create and discover after completing art school and starting myfamily. It is where I get to test outideas and share things I love with other people. I develop my own patterns from what inspiresme and what I see my children enjoy. Ilike to reflect back on the quality of hand made items and strive to makebeautiful, practical long lasting products for you too.

I am a mother of two, I livein Auckland, I love vintage fabric and have a large stash of vintage goodiesand treats, mostly inherited from my Nana and Mum. I'm a bit obsessed withvintage fabric patterns and some toys from my childhood, I also love Star TrekTOS and other old school sci novels...

What can people expect to see from you on the day? This year I have some new beautifulpurses available, made from vintage fabric, lined with cotton prints, andvintage fabric cuffs, with lovely machine embroidered edges. I have more sewingkits too, great for festive decorations and as started sewer projects.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I'mstill really keen to get into apparel, I'm beginning to sew garments formyself, I'm very inspired by vintage patterns and plan to try out a number (forme) next year. I'm also starting to put together more sewing kits, simple onesfor kids and some more advanced projects.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I lovelove love http://wesewretro.com/ and have just started out sewing vintageoutfits! This blog has heaps of interesting projects and tutorials and is a bitof a hub for some other inspiring craftsers.. http://www.purlbee.com/

I also enjoy just browsing over athttp://blog.craftzine.com/ so much to see!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I lovesewing anyway, and am working on three vintage dress projects, so when I getspace I like to shut myself away and sew even more. Or I'm reading, gardening, spending time withmy kids at the beach or museum. I also love getting into some of my mums sewingand fabric stash when I visit, but little people always seem to want to getinto it too! And I also love cooking, I'm getting into vegan food these days,so much to learn.

All wrapped up...

2011-11-27T16:56:00.000+13:00

We know that Christmas is a busy time for all, and the last thing anyone wants to have to worry about is wrapping all of those lovely presents you've purchased at the Fair. So on the day, you'll be able to get all your goodies gift wrapped for FREE at our fabulous gift wrapping table.

And if you have been reading our Artist Interviews that have been going up on the blog the last couple of weeks, we're sure that you have already started a mental shopping list so why not print out our lovely Christmas shopping list that we have designed! Print it out and take it with you to the Fair to help with your Christmas shopping. It's a simple black & white on A4 design with space to write who you need to buy for, possible gift ideas, check boxes and even an extra bit to jot down things you spy for yourself later!

Artist Interview: Bailey & Bailey

2011-11-27T15:00:00.000+13:00

I'm Emmaline Bailey, born andraised in Mt Eden, Auckland. I am a full-time painter and jewellery designerwho works from home in my converted studio that I share with my equallycreative partner. I use new and salvaged materials to make unique and sometimesone off items of jewellery. Leather, charms, crystals and metals are all usedto create little treasures. Various members of my family contribute in one wayor another but I am the constant Bailey behind the brand Bailey & Bailey,which started off as a sideline to painting and has grown from there.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Otherthan buying materials and scouring second hand shops for pieces I could use inmy creations, I don't really plan what I create. Its all trial and error for mereally. But, I do have plans to make some more hand-cut and hand-painted woodenbrooches. Which incorporates my love of painting into my rekindled love formaking jewellery.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Painting,reading and collecting images for my inspiration pinboard.

Artist Interview: Bron Alexander

2011-11-27T09:00:00.000+13:00

Hi everyone. I'm BronAlexander! I'm a Waikato born and bred graphic designer, illustrator andwannabe surfer. I fell in love with graphic design in the early 90's whileworking at the local Whare Taonga. With a young family to take care of I wasnot in a position to study design full-time so instead I began experimentingwith design and taking on freelance work. I've been so lucky that I have beenable to build a career out of something I'm so crazy about. Making the decisiona few months ago to start creating and selling illustrations has been one ofthe scariest but most fulfilling decisions of my life. I have so many ideas forillustrations I want to create, and in my wildest dreams illustrating for aliving could be a reality. With so many incredibly talented artists in NewZealand, its hard not to be inspired and excited about this industry, I lovethe fact that New Zealanders are so keen to support local artists. What I wishmore than anything is to see many more of our talented Kiwi's becomingsuccessful on a national if not international platform.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I’ve been really busy creating abunch of new illustrations ready for the Auckland Art and Craft Fair, so I'mreally excited to have them printed and ready for people to buy! If you want tobe able to take your print home and hang it straight away I will be able toframe them on the spot for a really great price. Along with my prints I will bebringing along my sweet little greeting cards, and my new range of prettylittle journals – perfect stocking fillers!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I’m areal paper-phile, and its not uncommon for me to buy stationery never planningto use it, rather to just collect because I think its really sweet, or thepaper is lovely! I’ve just finished creating a range of journals using my ownillustrations and I really love them, creating more stationery items isdefinitely a direction I want to keep moving in. While it’s far more expensiveto produce these stationery items in New Zealand I’m really committed tobacking local businesses and products. It’s been a dream of mine to create achildren’s book also, so I’m hoping that perhaps there will be time in 2012 tomake this happen.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Nearlyeveryday I seem to find something new and gorgeous online sites likewww.pinterest.com, which certainly don’t help when it comes to trying not toprocrastinate! I have a totally unmanageable amount of favourite sites saved,mostly made up of foodie and design pages. My most frequently visited sitesrecently are a couple of great NZ design blogs - www.newzealanddesignblog.comand www.longwhiteclouddesign.com. I always love checking out www.fab.com, somany beautifully designed products I want!!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I reallylove street art and have spent a lot of time photographing some amazing worksof art in Auckland and Melbourne. A couple of my most prized possessions aretwo photographs of street art I purchased of Max and some of the creatures from“Where the Wild things are”, I'm gutted I didn't find that gem myself tophotograph! There doesn’t seem to be a lot of spare time at the moment inbetween working full time and illustrating on the side, but I have recentlyjoined a social Lacrosse team with my partner and youngest daughter, I’ve neverplayed a team sport before so it’s a learning curve - its just fun runningaround and having a bit of a laugh. This summer I really hope to take some realtime out and get to the beach as I’ve just started learning to surf and havepurchased my very first surfboard – surfing has to be the ultimate way torelax!

Artist Interview: Bonjour Sweetie

2011-11-26T15:00:00.000+13:00

Bonjour Sweetie is an escapefrom the 9 to 5 world and allows me to explore every corner of my creativemind. It's always ineresting to look back on the things I have created;sometimes I have to say to myself 'what were you thinking!' My interestschange, sometimes quite rapidly, and this in reflected in the items that Imake.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I will have my satin ribbon bobbypins, brooches and hair pins as well a new range of necklaces that embraceminiature items and vintage images.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I havereally enjoyed working on my new necklaces and I look forward to creating moreof them.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I lovelooking at food and fashion blogs - I'm not good at either of these things soit gives me a lot of good ideas and inspiration.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I enjoythe ususal suspects - travel, reading and watching movies, but I also likewalking and looking at the sky. We always walk around looking at the ground,but I always look up to see the whole picture (plus, if you are looking up it makesthe people around you look up, which makes me laugh!).

Artist Interview: minu

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000+13:00

I am a Wellington basedillustrator, toy maker and artist and I am very interested in the idea ofnon-definitive storytelling. I am - and always was- interested in the thingswhich are left out of a tale, the images and words hidden behind the words. My workevolves around this non textual material as well as archetypal characters andscenes from old European, Scandinavian and Japanese folktales.

5 years ago, when I moved from Germany to New Zealand, I promised myself tore-discover traditional printmaking techniques. Today my illustrations are allhandprinted using screenprint, etching, drypoint and woodcut.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I will bring a selection ofdrypoint, etching and woodcut prints as well as my little plush creatures.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I amworking on my first book and I am considering spending some time in a hut inthe middle of nowhere to make some real progress. It's just hard to find a hutor bach with broadband :)

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I loveFlickr. I am have a selection of my favorite artists from all over the world.They are illustrators, printmakers as well as street artists.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I docontract work as online producer and I actually like it. I love to go for longwalks and to sit under a tree.

Artist Interview: bakadesign

2011-11-25T15:00:00.000+13:00

I make all sorts of books andstationary based in Auckland: diaries, notebooks, journals, occasional books,wedding guestbooks, albums, pompom pencils and cute crochet monkey. Everythingis lovingly handmade by Baka. I started my business last year in December, it'sreally delightful going to Art and Craft market to celebrate Baka's 1stbirthday!!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I am more focusing on Christmaspresents, and 2012 new diaries!!!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? May bethis is my dream, but someday it may happened to me. who knows? ok!! here itis!!! I would like to have a small shop called Bakadesign in Auckland and havevariety of papers and books, that customers enjoy to come and find exactly whatthey need. The book is a tool for communicating with customers. And making themfor different customers, the book turned out a unique object perfectly designedfor its own customer. Oh!!! I should stop here!! :)

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Etsy.comand 10x10.co.kr

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Myboyfriend bought me a little kitten for my birthday and I enjoy spending timewith him.

Artist Interview: Hush Baby

2011-11-25T09:00:00.000+13:00

Hush Baby is the creativechild of designer Anneke Higgins. Annekehas carefully and thoughtfully designed a stunning range of Boutique Blankets& accessories that ooze style and scream cool! Every item of the Hush Babycollection is proudly 100% New Zealand made from Anneke’s Home Studio inHamilton, while raising one crazy cool kid named Ryder, who is the inspirationbehind Hush Baby.

Hush Baby's original and best selling product the "Biggie Blanket"was developed in 2009, due to the frustration of not being able to find afunky, cool, yet stylish Blanket for her soon-to-born Son. Taking matters into her own hands she whippedup the very first "Biggie Blanket". Hush Baby snowballed from thatvery design and the rest is history! That design was fine tuned into what it istoday, a 'Stylishly Cool' Blanket that Parents would be proud to show off orFriends would be excited to gift, while providing children with hours ofentertainment and interactive fun.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Hush Baby will be bringing alongtheir most popular products, the famous Biggie Blankets and the highly sortafter Mini Blankets along with some brand spanking new products that have notyet been released, the very cute Crinkle Mini Blankets & Hush Bot Toys andmany exclusive items that will only be available on the day. Hush Baby willalso be debuting their 'Party' range.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Hush Babyis brimming with future plans. Without giving away too much Hush Baby will belaunching their very own website in early 2012. The rest is tight lipped.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Etsy.comis definitely a heavily visited site along with Pinterest.com two veryinspiring websites! At Hush Baby we like to keep it local and shop New Zealandmade as often as possible felt.co.nz is a favourite along with toggle.co.nz weheart all thing NZ!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Qualitytime with Family & Friends is on top of the spare time list! But an alltime favorite is going on adventures with my Son we always come back with newinspiration for Hush Baby.

Artist Interview: Coco and Co Ltd

2011-11-24T15:00:00.000+13:00

Jo Pearson, co founder ofCoco and Co Ltd and shameless promoter of the handmade. Born in the Hawkes Bay,I left school and studied textile and fashion design and then misspent a few yearsin London and abroad. Made Sydney my home for 12 years and then returned togods own with a shipping container filled with treasure and a couple ofdegrees. Bought a house, dug a garden and grew up and became a teacher.

I design a range of homewaresmade almost entirely from re-purposed domestic paraphernalia. Next venture - theCoco and Co workroom and store in heart of the Fruit Bowl of NZ. Coco and Co.has grown out of our passion for hand-made, design led, found, up-cycled andrecycled objects.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I really have to curb my enthusiasmhere, or I'll end up with an infringement notice for overloading on StateHighway 1. I'll definitely be bringing the summer and winter Fatty range, theAvian cushies and Random Jambs. Maybe I'll try and squeeze in a lamp or two andsome placemats.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Myfuture plans are very much about collaborating and working with other craftersand artisans. I have too many ideas, notenough time and lack the skills I need to execute many of these ideas. I amlucky, as over the past few months Coco and Co has formed a network of makers,who all have a great attitude about sharing skills and ideas. I'm thinkingahead to a 2012 range of lampshades and larger wall pieces. I'm keen to alsoget back into my collage and print works...the list is endless.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? www.cocoandco.co.nz

www.trishhunterfinds.com.au

Advancedstyle.blogspot.com

http://beciorpin.com/

http://www.newzealandhandmade.co.nz/

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I have afull time teaching job at a local girls school which I love. The days go quick.When I'm not walking the dog, cooking, drinking tea with my business partner ortaking a sojourn through the thrift shops, I'm gardening. A new found passion since I bought my littlehome. I read, watch people, travel and talk alot, the house is rarely quiet orempty. I sometimes sleep....

Artist Interview: Smash Palace Jewellery

2011-11-24T09:00:00.000+13:00

We are both artists who boththink people are the most important thing. We have known each other for atleast ten years and have gone beyond friendship to family.We have workedtogether, made art together and are now smashing plates together. Does it get anybetter than that?
Our business has evolved over the last 18months and has moved from a hobby intoa full time business. We love making and creating, talking and most of all welove meeting new people and turning their gorgeous broken china into somethingbeautiful and functional.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A fabulous range of gorgeousjewellery all made from broken china. We make an extensive range includingbrooches, pendants, cufflinks earrings and hair clips. Made from a range ofvintage, retro and modern china everything is a unique one of a kind creation.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? We arein the process of developing a range of heirloom wall hangings from gorgeousantique china as a tribute to Christchurch and the devastation reeked upon thepeople of Christchurch's china cabinets. We are also planning to return toChristchurch to continue our commission work.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? We lovereading crafty blogs and searching the internet for other artists who workwith china. However most of the time our computers are dominated by small boysobsession with Lego universe.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Oh we dolove a good cup of Wellington's finest coffee and a good old catch up

Artist Interview: LUU

2011-11-23T17:36:00.000+13:00

Hola! I'm Luzette, a Mexican girl who likes to work with naturalmaterials like driftwood, feathers, leather and crystals to create uniquepieces, each one with their own history. My work is inspire in tribes, MotherEarth, sacred geometry, energy, music and consciousness awakening. I createobjects that harmonize everything around connecting us with the mystical worldwe live in.

Terrariums are miniature, modern living sculptures, and are the perfectsolution to bring nature to your home or office, these tiny ecosystems aredrawn to scale and they are creative for those seeking an indoor garden.
Mobiles and Dreamcatchers are hand painted and crafted, they are one of the kindpieces. The uniqueness of every Mobile and Dreamcatcher relies in the fact thatevery wooden piece on them is collected from Mother Natures"wastes" that are no longerused.
So this is my way to honor Nature and instead of leaving it in the ground astrash, convert it into beautiful art objects, and make conscious that thesepieces can help us to be in direct contact with nature. Combining as wellpatterns and colors that are intended for have us remember all the ancientcultures throughout the world.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Lots of surprises and new goodies, I'vebeen working in new ideas... hope that you like my new stuff!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? hmmm...I want to try lots of things like print tshirts, accessories and stationary ..also I have some new and fun ideas for Valentines day.. coming soon, wait forit!! hehe

Where areyour favourite places on-line? ● www.blogolpeavisa.com ● www.luxirare.com ● www.ffffound.com ● www.deardeer.com.mx ●

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I'malways looking for interesting recipes, cooking and eating yummy food, going onadventures and road trips. I looove Watching movies, being in nature &practice yoga.

Artist Interview: Note To Self

2011-11-22T21:00:00.000+13:00

My name is Sam Thom and I amthe creator of Note To Self. I love stationery. Nothing quite compares to thefeeling of putting pen to a fresh page. In an age where we are spending most ofour time in front of a screen, there is something timeless and sacred about theact of putting pen to paper which will never be replaced or go out of fashion.

It has always been a dream of mine to start and run my own business. In June of2010 at the age of 22 I decided in good kiwi fashion that it was time to givean idea I had a go! Creating my own brand of stationery was exactly what Iwanted to do and I pursued this desire with all the youthful passion and energyI had in me! Less than nine months since coming up with first designs I foundmyself launching Note To Self which is a journal range. It is proudly made inNew Zealand using environmentally friendly materials.
It is my hope that Note To Self will bring to life the writer, artist, designerand poet within.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I will be showcasing the full rangeof Note To Self journals. Note To Self is simple in design and full of joy.This was just the feel that we were after. The burst of colour on the insidecovers give the range a sense of personality and fun. Arriving in varioussizes, there is always the perfect journal that will let you capture everyidea, thought, word and design.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I wantto take Note To Self overseas next year and begin selling the product in othercountries. Also I am currently working on extending the Note To Self range andam designing and developing news products which I hope to release early nextyear.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I spendtime everyday on Facebook looking after my Note To Self page. It iswww.facebook.com/notetoselfTM ,I like to post something daily to keep our fansconnected and up to date with our brand.

I enjoy discovering blogs andwebsites which show the latest and greatest things from around the globe suchas The Cool Hunter. TED.com is also a personal favourite. I enjoy listening tobrilliant and inspiring people share their ideas.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? When Iam not spending time running Note To Self I am studying at Auckland Universitywhere I am finishing a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce.
My passions in life is the sea and almost everyday I like to get on the watereither kiteboarding, sailing or going for a fish!

Artist Interview: SilverStone Jewellery

2011-11-22T18:09:00.000+13:00

Hi, I'm Lori from SilverStoneJewellery. I am delighted to share our range of fabulous and unique jewellerydesigns with you.I am the business half of a great partnership with my husband- a jeweller with over 25 years experience. With our user-friendly website andmoney back guarantee you can shop online for our range of contemporary sterlingsilver with confidence, knowing that we are just a phone call or email away. Ilove women to try new styles of jewellery, to be bold, to wear somethingextremely beautiful that celebrates who you are - your uniqueness as a woman.

It is important for women toexperiment with different looks and push the boundaries as far as your 'look'goes. It is not about being 'safe', it is about wearing jewellery that youlove, that makes you feel good about yourself, and makes a statement about thereal you.

My husband, Alex Achmad and Iare the owners of SilverStone Jewellery Limited and we have three lovelychildren. A son, 22, currently overseas travelling in South east Asia - alittle worrying at the moment because right now he is in flood ravaged Thailand!He is just completing his Creative Writing degree, we also have two adorableidentical twin girls aged 9 - they are a huge joy for us - very sporty girls,competitive, heaps of fun to be around. combined with running our business itdoes make life rather busy!

We are based on the NorthShore of Auckland and have a fully equipped jewellers workbench on our premises- meaning we can do all jewellery repairs, resizing and remodelling withoutsending your valuable jewellery off site.

If you cannot find what youwant online please contact us - it may be that we have it in stock as we have alot more jewellery that never makes it online or we may be able to design andmake a special piece for you. If you are looking for something a little out ofthe ordinary - a special ring for a special occasion for the special person inyour life - talk to us - we would love to help design and create your dreamjewellery.

Alex has worked with preciousmetals and stones for more than 25 years. While he continues to work with goldsand platinum, diamonds and rubies, he also hand makes and design many of oursterling silver jewellery range that you see on our website.

Originally from East Java inIndonesia, he immigrated to New Zealand in the late 1970's. While he love themodern clean lines in the fashion that you see in the latest European jewellerymagazines, you will always see shades of his cultural heritage coming throughin his work. He also continues to explore and create jewellery that reflects myadopted homeland - I have recently released some lovely New Zealand jewellerydesigns - including greenstone earrings and a solid silver koru pendant, silverjandals and a new range of footprint jewellery!

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Each year we create a few one offpieces of gorgeous jewellery - these sit along side the 'bread and butter' ofour rang - I will bring these to the market - they include a wide cuffbracelet, with heavy filigree work set with a variety of natural gemstones -really outstanding.
I will also bring our entire range of earrings and pendants - a huge range toselect from - ideal for Christmas presents or gifts for yourself! Earrings arepriced from $30 and pendants from $60 - so a good price point for gifts. Wehave many single stone stud and drop earrings that are extremely popular andmake fabulous gifts. Our summer rang is in the process of being launched(pricing as we speak...) and that will be showcased on the day as well.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Futureplans? That's a biggie! Ideally we are looking for growth for our company -we have consultants who sell ourjewellery through jewellery parties and markets but we need more - especiallyin Auckland! This would free me up to concentrate on growing and building thecompany, setting up procedures etc.

We enjoy creating short runsof pieces - for example, we recently designed a pendant from a schools logo,and created enough pendants for their choir - we would like to do more work ofthis nature. Making crest rings for families is another thing we enjoy doingthat we would like to do more of.

Alex has ideas to create moreranges in sync with nature - I think next on his list is a daisy range ofearrings, pendants and ring.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? * I loveGala Darling! She is fresh and exciting and a very clever successful blogger -www.galadarling.com

* facebook of course!

* International GemstoneAssociation - www.gemstone.org

* www.flicks.co.nz

* twitter

* you tube

* www.homebizbuzz.co.nz

* www.ehow.com

* www.visuwords.com - great when youare looking for new words to say the same thing!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Where tostart? Being Mum of 2 very active young girls keeps me pretty busy and out ofmischief. I love movies and reading, music, social media, catching up withfriends, cafes, travelling - went to Indonesia and Singapore earlier this yearwhich was wonderful, love weekends away with family or girlfriends. Love to goto great beaches and be the only person walking in the sand. Best weekend away?Booking into a traditional NZ bach and heading to a glorious part of thecountry for a couple of days - bliss. Also enjoy visiting Wellington. I alsoenjoy baking although leave most of the dinner cooking to my husband - he doesthe most amazing Indonesian dishes - people beg to come to dinner! (I thinkI'll keep him - he makes jewellery AND cooks!!!). We have chickens in thegarden (we live in the suburbs!) and have a great supply of free range eggs!!!Also have 2 guinea pigs, and aviary full of finches and a lovely cat calledCrystal. That's me!!

Artist Interview: Happy-go-knitty

2011-11-21T18:06:00.000+13:00

Happy-go-knitty sellshand-dyed yarn and knitted goodies.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I will bring heaps of colourfulhand-dyed yarn. Cotton, merino and yummy 12ply core spun wool. And of course Iwill bring my new sock yarn, both BFL and wool/nylon. It comes in semi-solidand very cool self-striping. Stripy socks without the hazzle of doing all theends! Among my knitted goodies you will find the very stylish bead-knittedcuffs, funky kid's beanies, brooches with knitted flower and lots of otherknitted goodies. Everything made in a Happy-go-knitty kind of way.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Myhand-dyed yarn is proving very popular and I'm hoping to grow the range evenmore. I'm a knit-a-holic and love experimenting with new ideas. How knows whatwill be in my range in the near future?

Where areyour favourite places on-line? I lovethecoolhunter.com.au – it's such an inspiration!

Great websites about yarn areminspiration.blogspot.com and kiwiyarns.wordpress.com

And I'm often on facebook!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? I lovetraveling, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

Artist Interview: Artisan Soaps

2011-11-20T20:06:00.000+13:00

Hi, we're Aroon and Anjanaand we're the mother daughter team behind Artisan Soaps. We create a range ofscented bath and body products that are SLS, SLES and preservative free. Wemake our soaps in small batches using the purest oils, butters and fragrances.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? This December we're going to haveplenty of new scents for our customers so if you're shopping for Christmasyou're bound to find something you like. We'll have some delicious scents toremind you of the holidays as well as some scented soap for men. Some otheryummy scents include bubblegum, cotton candy and wedding cake!

We'll also be bringing alonggift packs to make your Christmas shopping a little easier.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Ourplans for the future are to keep experimenting and having fun. We have a bunchof new recipes we're waiting to try and some new scents we can't wait to playwith. We're also planning to attend a few craft shows in 2012 to teach othershow to make soap.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Most ofour time online is spent checking emails and on our favourite sites such asFelt, Etsy and Facebook.

Some others we go back to are:

www.craftster.org

www.craftideas.info

www.craftgossip.com

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? We enjoyspending that time with family and friends. We like to travel and go campingduring summer. We also have a few overseas trips planned for the coming yearand we hope amongst our personal shopping we can pick up a few things for thebusiness as well!

Artist Interview: Lula

2011-11-20T09:00:00.000+13:00

Lula is the designs andlabour of love of Sheridan and Arna. Weare basically a small web-based business working from our homes to create ourdream dresses for our littlies. As a team creating our Lula brand we are aperfect match as Sheridan’s background is in fashion and costume and Arna is aGraphic Designer.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Our range incorporates our vintageinspired reversible pinafore dresses and accessories.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? We arecontinually being inspired by the things around us; books, film, friends andcrafty folk - always looking at new ideas to further develop Lula!

Where areyour favourite places on-line? http://www.larkmade.com.au/

http://www.papier-mache.com.au/

http://www.frankie.com.au/

http://felt.co.nz/

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Spendingtime with our children, Reading, Film, Holidays, Baking and Sewing.

Artist Interview: iDear

2011-11-19T20:00:00.000+13:00

Hi I'm Ali, thestationery-obsessed girl behind iDear. iDear began with many doodles andscribbles on many scraps of paper. I was studying advertising, but dreaming ofdesigning greeting cards. After graduation I decided to stop dreaming andturned my ideas into, well, iDear! My cards and paper goods are quirky, fun andcute. They are inspired by puns, pop culture, song lyrics, everydayconversations and the desire to make people smile.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Lots of quirky greeting cards, gifttags, notecards and some cute recipe cards too! They'll also be some brand newstationery bits and bobs that I'm working on!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? I'd loveto start doing wedding stationery. Really colourful, funny, cute stuff. There'salso many more greeting card and stationery ideas sitting on paper waiting tobe designed!

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Pinterest!A place to lose many hours and gain lots of inspiration. Ohsobeautifulpaper.com,it's stationery/paper/invite heaven! I also love reading the blogs of awesomecreative mums like Stella at verydarkhorse.blogspot.com (her illustrations areto die for!), Stace at lilknightlights.blogspot.com and Kristy atpaisleyjade.com.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Runningafter a cheeky 16 month old boy. Walking on the beach or through the localpark. Reading home magazines. Planning my wedding and crafting bits and piecesfor it. Drinking tea with my Mr once our little one is asleep.

Artist Interview: Wolf Cub

2011-11-19T15:47:00.000+13:00

I'm Lucy Moore, the creatorand design of Wolf Cub. I started Wolf Cub when I began making floralheadpieces for myself a few years ago and become completely obsessed by them!Every piece I make I fall completely in-love with. I wish I could keep them allfor myself (however my own personal collection is far to large!). I'm alsostudying a Bachelor of Visual Arts which is where most of my passion andinspiration comes from. I aim to create something new each time I sit down tomake new pieces. Along with making the floral headpieces I also make otheradornments and crystal jewelry. I appreciate the effort and time put into doingsomething which you love. Vintage, pre-loved and new materials are used in thecreation of each piece. I am also more than happy to make custom pieces, justsend an email to me at thewolfcub@hotmail.co.nz.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Lots and lots of new floralheadpieces! I'm very excited to start making a whole new collection to bringalong on the day. There will also be the pieces which are currently featured onthe Wolf Cub facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/thewolfcub. I will also bebringing along the collection of jewelry and some new crystal jewelry designs!Yay!

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Wellthere are lots of things happening for Wolf Cub at the moment. Most of them areyet to be announced officially but in the future expect to see Wolf Cub in acouple of shops in Auckland and featured on an online boutique. There are alsoplans to work with several different photographers creating a lookbook andstyle shoots. So fingers crossed everything goes to plan!

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Most ofthe interesting and inspiring images I find around the place are in acollection here, http://thewolfcub.tumblr.com/. I love looking at ColorCollective (http://color-collective.blogspot.com/) for new color pallets andideas. I spend a lot of time lust over everything posted on Field Guided(http://fieldguided.blogspot.com/), not to mention the amount of time I spendon the blog Singular Forms (http://singularforms.tumblr.com/) from the UK basedartist Emily Grundon. I could go on and on but those are my favorites!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? If I'mnot busy making headpieces or jewelry I'm usually working in my studio at Uni!I'm studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts, majoring in painting so I'm constantlygenerating new work and researching my concepts. Playing with all my flowerscreating new designs is a great way to procrastinate while trying to get workfinished, however I find the more of each I do the more inspired I am. I alsospend a lot of time just looking at things and taking in the finer details ofthe things around us. It's this attention to detail which helps make or break agood design.

Artist Interview: Porcelain Rove

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000+13:00

Porcelain Rove is my creativeoutlet, it started as a short course project and has spanned into a need tomake. My aesthetic has evolved and morphed over the years but still remainsrooted in the tactility of objects and their relationship with their owners.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Since they were so popular lasttime I am bringing along a big range of crumpled and squeezed ceramic vessels,some of the same subtle pastel colours that have been a hit but also somesummer brights. I have also been working on a range of little ceramic animalsthat will be making their début at the fair.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? Developinga seasonal colour range for 2012 and some new patterns are in the mix.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? proustitute.tumblr.comis a great source of beautiful visual inspiration, I pop in to say hello quiteregularly.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? Helpingothers create, it is a great source of motivation to see others finding theirown passion.

Artist Interview: Go Benny Go

2011-11-17T20:32:00.003+13:00

We are a New Zealand-basedcouple with a background in traditional animation. We met many years ago whileworking in Sydney for Walt Disney Animation Australia. Having once beenimmersed in the magical, creative world of Disney it was obvious to us when westarted a family that children's products were too often dull or cliché. Oursearch for inspiring canvas prints left us empty-handed and with a newdirection for the children's gift label we were planning. Go Benny Go is highquality, vibrant, energetic art designed to stimulate a child's imagination. It's cute but it's cool. We hope you like it,
Brenda and Mike.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? Limited Edition Canvas Art Prints, Posterson quality 250 gsm stock, Gift Cards, and our popular children's reward charts.

Do you have any future plans for your work, couldyou describe them? My(Brenda) passion for surface pattern and fabric design may influence thedirection Go Benny Go takes into and beyond 2012, but as Go Benny Go is just a newventure and with a second child on the way, we are hesitant to make anydecisions until well into 2012.

Where areyour favourite places on-line? Brendadocuments surface design, illustration and fashion that inspires the pair ontheir blog www.kittyasapicture.com

Regularly visited sites are www.designseeds.com, www.lilmagoolie.com, www.printandpattern.blogspot.com, and favourite design sites/blogsare www.orangeyoulucky.blogspot.com, www.janefosterblog.blogspot.com, www.maymaychung.com, www.popandlolli.com

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy makingyour wares? (Brenda)I am thoroughly enjoying my new job as a fabric designer. With that, Go BennyGo, and a toddler, there is no time for anything else! But if time allowed Iwould be reading, and I love to write - it is my dream to learn the art ofwriting one day. As a family we love good old-fashioned kiwi camping.

Artist Interview: The Little White Box

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000+13:00

I have a favourite mug - doesn’t everyone? Mine was a gift from my god-daughter and I use it religiously every morning. She hand-painted it so it’s unique, one-of-a-kind and secretly makes my morning cup of tea something more wonderful. The Little White Box was an idea born from that very cup of tea. The fear that one day I could lose or break my mug made me set about creating the ‘country mug’ and, as the idea brewed, more tableware progressively came along with it. Faithfully hand-painted, no two are exactly the same, which makes each of my ceramic pieces little art works in themselves.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? A tea party! I’ll be bringing along the essentials: teapots, teacups and saucers, mugs, sugar bowls and jugs in the Kiwi Dots, Red Hearts and Lucky Stars designs. We also cater for the little ones and have a range of gorgeous ‘fluffy’ or babyccino cups and saucers so they too can join in on the fun. I’ll also be bringing a range of our hand made ceramic ornaments as Christmas is just around the corner.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? It’s always evolving and never static and I'm working on two new designs as well as extending and adding more tableware products.

Where are your favourite places on-line?Favourite blog site at the moment is www.myblackbook.free.fr/ I found her blog as she has a love of some of my favourite shops/places in Europe. It’s a real treasure trove of gorgeous things for your home, special occasions and holidays.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? Restoration projects. I get a real kick out of restoring life into old pieces of furniture that no one no longer wants or needs. I’m currently working on an old English writing bureau that when finished will take pride of place in my office/sunroom.

Artist Interview: run.cutie

2011-11-15T23:19:00.001+13:00

I am Chrissie Mckain, creator of the NZ handmade jewellery brand run.cutie.

run.cutie began in 2010 with the launch of the 'Wearable Art' collection. The range included pendants, earrings, brooches and rings featuring my own illustrations.

2011 has seen run.cutie develop onto an exciting blend of resin & beaded jewellery, clutch bags, greeting cards and feather accessories. The new 2011/2012 'Designer Collection' will be available at selected Auckland + Hamilton craft markets and online at www.runcutie.com.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? The new range of feather accessories, resin jewellery and clutch bags will all be available on the day. Lots of new designs just in time to accessorize your summer wardrobe!

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? The number one future plan for run.cutie is to keep expanding and evolving with each new collection.

Where are your favourite places on-line?Facebook for catching up with other crafty people and Eventfinder to search for new markets and shows!!

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? If I'm not busy making something for run.cutie, you can almost guarantee that I am dreaming up what the next creation will be!

Artist Interview: Adventures of Alex O & Co

2011-11-06T23:35:00.000+13:00

Three and half years ago I joined the Craft group at my sons Steiner School. This group meets once or twice a week to create children's craft for the annual school fair. Up until then I can honestly say I had done very little sewing. I suddenly found that I loved hand sewing. I learnt so much from the ladies in the craft group. Six months after joining the group the lady that ran the group moved on to do new things.
No one was keen to take over the job so my friend Gina and I took over. We learnt by trial and error and had a lot of fun along the way. This year I decided to leave the group and go out on my own, thus the birth of "Adventures of Alex O & Co". I had my first market in July this year and I have not looked back. My craft started with Steiner origins but it has moved and changed along the way I love colour and detail. One of my favourite artists is Gustav Klimt who also loved colour and detail. So I draw from a number of sources.

What can people expect to see from you on the day? I work with wool felt that I dye myself, wool blankets, vintage and recycle fabrics and 100% wool fleece stuffing. I try to use as many natural products as possible. You can expect to see: Beautiful felt hair clips and Headbands plus brooches, Embellished Jute bags, Children's stuffed toys, Pixies, Hot water bottle Covers, Dolls Blanket and Sheet Sheets, Christmas Decorations and more.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? It is still early days with us not yet 6 months old. Business wise every day I am learning new things I need to do. The ladies from NZ Handmade have been a big help to me, I am so glad I joined there group. http://www.newzealandhandmade.co.nz/ Creatively I have a number of ideas. I would like to look at doing embroidered purses and more brooches.

Where are your favourite places on-line?I love strolling through Etsy and seeing what other crafters are doing around the world. I have a number of favourite blogs but probably my two favourite are Pretty Little Things and Soule Mama. These two blogs are very different from each other, however I find both very inspiring.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? I love hanging out with my husband and son, my family and friends. We are slowly renovating an old bungalow which at times I love doing and other times I hate. I love the beach the sun the summertime. I have worked in the travel industry for nearly 20 years so I have the travel bug and love to travel. Although I must confess I am not so much a back pack kind of girl any more.

Lend a Helping Hand

2011-11-05T15:59:00.003+13:00

At the Fair, we rely on volunteers to help us get through the day. We do the Fair because we love it and we love what it does for all our vendors, if you would like to come and hang out with us on the day, lend a hand and help out, you can fill out this little form and we'll be in touch!

No good deed goes unrewarded!

Jess & Kylie

Sneak Peak: Market Money!

2011-10-29T21:12:00.000+13:00

As you know, each Fair we personally select an artist to design our market money* and this year we asked Miss Tiki to create something for us. We have just received her amazing artwork and we can give you just a little sneak peak. Miss Tiki is inspired by traditional tattoo designs, line work and uses a combination of a basic colour palette and technical shading. We love her style and can't wait to share the real thing with you on the day.

*market money: on the day we offer an EftPos only cash out facility, but rather than offering real cash, we provide you with our version of cash; our market money. You can use this to purchase anything at the Fair, and receive from each vendor real change.

Drum Roll Please...

2011-10-20T22:17:00.001+13:00

We know we've kept you waiting long enough, so here you have it - The list of wonderfully talented artists, crafters and designers that will be selling their wares at the December Fair. We're proud as punch to be having them all along :)

Adventures of Alex O & Co, Amber Brook Design Ltd, Annie B Handmade, Aprilmay, Artisan Jouel, Artisan Soaps, Bailey & Bailey, Bakadesign, Belle & Beau, birdinabunnysuit, Bits & Kaboodles, Blendy Knits, Bliss in a Teacup, Bonjour Sweetie, Borrowed Earth, Bron Alexander, Chan Andreassend, Cheek Pinchy, Clink Jewellery, Coco & Co, Debra Fallowfield, Donnashaw, eccScentric, ellaQuaint, Emma Walsh Design, Erupt Prints, Etchings & Engravings, Ethel and Harriet, Go Benny Go, Happy-go-knitty, Helen Kerrigan, Honey Design, Hue, Hunter Gatherer, Hush Baby, Hydrangea Ranger, iDear, Jacolily Design, Jayne Shearer Art + Design, Karla Jane, Kilowatt Katie, Kute Kiwi, Linen Tea, Lula, Luu, Make Believe, MayMay Chung, Marko - Sushi King, Megan Doran-Read, MemeG0, Mermaid's Purse, Millicent Crow, Minu, Miss Tiki, Native Creative, Nobue K Jewellery, Note To Self, NZ Green Buttons, NZ SAND ART, Orange Space Photography, Planet RAWR, Plastic Fairy, Porcelain Rove, Reignbow, Rekindle Design, Rock & Roller Coasters, Ruby in the Dust, run.cutie Jewellery + Design, s4sh4, Santa Maria, Shoe Candy, SilverStone Jewellery Ltd, Smash Palace Jewellery, Sweet Little Days, The Art Room Limited, The Little White Box, The Stitchsmith Ltd, Tiny Happy, Toodles Noodles, Tofutree Art & Design, Tommy & James, Trixiedelicious, Tui, Whimsy Fix, Wolf Cub.

Over the next couple of months leading up to the Fair we will begin profiling each of the Vendors on the blog, so be sure to keep checking back to check them out!

Kylie and Jess
xx

Applications are OPEN!

2011-09-16T14:52:00.002+12:00

Applications are officially open as of today, click the button to the right to open to application form and apply.

Applications are nearly here!

2011-09-07T13:24:00.001+12:00

Applications for the December Auckland Art & Craft Fair will be officially opening on Friday 16th of September, hooray! We've been busy organising things and getting more and more excited about it as each day goes by!

With that in mind, here are a few tips with how to submit an application to us:

Please, answer each question. Everything we ask for a reason and an incomplete application means we can't accept you!
Be clear and concise when answering; it's great that everyone is so excited about their work! But at the same time, if there is too much to read it can be off putting.
At the Fair, we love well finished products and cohesive branding. We are showing our guests on the day the very best of what design, craft and art has to offer and we want you to look your best too!
You need an online presence; it doesn't have to be huge, it can be a blog you sometimes update or a facebook page that you load photo's to, but we really like our vendors to be online.
Think about your display; we do ask for a photo of your display if we haven't hosted you before. Take time to think about how to best showcase your wares.

Hope that helps! Of course, we are interested in hearing from each and every person. These tips aren't set in stone but we hope that it helps you put together your application for us — especially if you are doing so for the first time.

Jess & Kylie

Thank You!

2011-06-13T19:26:00.020+12:00

Thank you SO much to everyone that made it out on the day! There were a whopping 5,500 of you that walked through our doors and supported our event and each designer. Everywhere I looked were people holding shopping bags or boxes of new goodies to carefully take home.

A massive thank you of course to our vendors, we couldn't have done it without your talent! To each of our volunteers; you guys were awesome, to our sponsors Frankie Magazine, Foxes.co.nz and 95bFM, to our hosts THE EDGE and to Teza for giving out all the yummy free drinks — you all deserve a high five!

Photo's are currently being uploaded and we'll be able to share these with you soon! Thanks also to our great photographer Alex from ACB Photography, you did an awesome job.

Thank you! It was an awesome day and a huge success.

it's TOMORROW!!

2011-06-10T10:08:00.011+12:00

Yup, the 11th June Auckland Art & Craft Fair is happening tomorrow!! So much still to do but there's a little bit of electricity in the air (or maybe that's the humidity from the rain, yikes) and excitement too....

Parking is easy in the Civic car park which is directly under the venue and you can walk right into the Fair, without even seeing the sky. Entry is from Mayoral Drive and as we're the only thing happening at the Aotea Centre there should be lots of spaces.

See you there!

11am to 3pm
Aotea Centre

Right, now back to packing all our goodies, it's like the ultimate game of tetris....

Frankie sorts you out...

2011-06-08T14:17:00.017+12:00

Our AMAZING sponsors and good friends at Frankie Magazine are sending across the ditch some awesome prizes (again) for our Fair! We'll be giving away these prize packs on the day; how do you get one? Two ways: buy something on the day and get an entry form or vote for your favourite table!

We'll also have loads of other cool prizes and giveaways too so make sure you come along and check it out.

Saturday 11th June
11am to 3pm
Aotea Centre, Auckland Central

Each Frankie pack contains a copy of Sweet Treats, The Photo Album AND a 12 month subscription; that's 6 issues of Frankie goodness in your letterbox for free — your postie will be jealous.

Thanks Frankie, top job.

Artist Interview: Hunter Gatherer

2011-06-08T14:00:00.004+12:00

We are Hunter Gatherer. A husband and wife team who love nothing more than rummaging around op shops & garage sales. We started a little over a year ago with our vintage inspired bow's and since then have moved rapidly into bow ties, painted necklaces, illustrated tee's, tote's and postcards, precious stone necklaces & now an abundance of vintage clothing gathered from New Zealand, North America and beyond! We love to take something reminiscent of the past ( or actually from the past ) and recreate it into something we hope will be loved and treasured.

What inspires you? Things old and new, furry animals, paper, fabrics, picnics, tree houses, pirates, the sea shore, tunes, tattoos, mexico & travels, whimsy & love.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? We are hoping to expand into silver cast jewelery, and more illustrated pieces.

Where are your favourite places on-line? Frankie, we heart, here comes the sun, two happy hearts

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? Rummaging in Op Shops & garage sales for our own goodies!, playing piano accordion & drums, cooking delicious food, drinking cider with friends, going on adventures & getting tattooed.

Artist Interview: Flossy's Fancy

2011-06-08T09:00:00.015+12:00

Flossy’s Fancy is a one-man-band business that squeezes into my daily life as much as possible.

I was constantly finding and collecting vintage embroidered items, doilies and tray cloths etc, not to use as intended, but because they were beautiful with great colours.

I knew they were destined for another purpose.

My first bunny softie was made with some of this embroidery as the body, and from there they just multiplied (as bunnies tend to do) and this aesthetic has since branched into various other handmade creations. I’m a bit sentimental and love salvaging and re using things, so I’ll especially gravitate to pieces with marks or holes that I can rescue. It’s satisfying giving something a new life or purpose.

What inspires you? Trawling through antique and op shops. Lots of inspiration comes randomly from all sorts of places though. Lately I’m looking at lots of amazing photography.

Natural history diagrams, drawings and displays. I like dark Victorian cabinets and drawers with the idea of all variety of things lurking inside to peek at.

Travel to new places. Empty beaches. Music

I’m definitely strongly inspired by vintage stuff! I think it’s the nostalgic associations, along with the focus on workmanship, technique and skill these things encompass. From prints and designs of vintage fashion to mundane everyday items and there worn, washed out colours and patterns. I get caught up in details and textures.

Do you have any future plans for your work, could you describe them? I want to be more prolific. Enough so that I might be on a couple of online sites like Foxes and Etsy, and even stock a few shops.

Where are your favourite places on-line?www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com, www.finelittleday.com, www.eatdrinkchic.com, www.spoonfulzine.com, www.olivesfriendpop.com, www.fortysixthatgrace.blogspot.com

What do you enjoy doing when you aren't busy making your wares? I seem to be into baking at the moment. Not so great at it but I enjoy the process. Sewing for myself, friends and family as theres always a backlog of that. Getting out and about. Camping in the warmer months and nesting indoors with a movie and some treats in the cooler months.