Reminder - Made on the Left Christmas Market Filling Fast

Although you officially have until next Friday 9 October to apply for Made on the Left's sensational Christmas market, spaces are filling fast. Head on over to the Made on the Left site and enjoy the shiny streamlined convenience of our new online application form!

Last year's participants will be able to tell you that the Christmas market was a winner for stallholders and visitors alike, and this year we are building on the success of the July market to offer two days of different stallholders for *extra* handmade goodness.

In coming weeks look out for the unveiling of the Christmas market poster art, plus the coordination of our Christmas Charity raffle for Charitylink.

Clever Colour Workshop

Upcoming Clever Colour Workshop perfect for designers/ graphic designers/ artists/ crafters and anyone interested in branding. Click the images for more information.

Clever Colour

Learn how the astute use of colour can improve your results

Wednesday 14 October, 2009

8:30am registration for 9:00am start. 4:00pm finish

Theatrette, Technology Park Function Centre, 2 Brodie Hall Drive, Bentley

Free parking available at venue.

Erich Buxbaum is an expert in branding and colour. Eric has held senior positions in Unilever Europe, the US and worldwide for 30 years including Regional Director in Europe and Senior Vice President

Home & Personal Care Worldwide with responsibilities for strategy, R&D, branding and innovation. Erich has worked on more than 20 years of colour studies and applied research presented in

seminars and workshops in Europe. He is currently Vice President and World Board Member of the International Advertising Association.

Erich is presenting this workshop in Sydney, Perth, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Please see the flyer (below) for more information.

Swap O Rama coming to Perth!! Artist Open Call

Swap-O-Rama-Rama - Artist Open Call

DATE: 5th December 2009
TIME: 10:00 -4:00
LOCATION: City Farm, East Perth
CONTACT: Sandra Bryans
sewanista@iprimus.com.au
0437 176 629

"There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness." Gandhi

Join in the communal process of reuse and celebrate our collective creativity! You are invited to participate in Swap-O-Rama-Rama as staff. Swap-O-Rama-Rama is a giant clothing swap and series of do-it-yourself workshops in which a community explores reuse and creativity through the recycling of used clothing. At Swap-ORama-Rama consumers are taught to be creators and this transformation takes place through the local talent in the community. Swap-O-Rama-Rama is seeking artists of all calibers, recyclers and creatives of all kinds for the following roles:
publicity, artist taught DIY workshops, designer run sewing stations, silk screening, fashion show production, reuse designers for a recycled fashion show, sorters (get first dibs on clothes) and general help.

Publicity: If you can help with print and other media publicity, we'd love your help promoting this exciting event.

DIY Workshops: If you have a unique skill that transforms would be trash into a wearable item (clothing/jewelry/handbag etc.) please consider bringing this to Swap-O-Rama-Rama in the form of a DIY workshop.

Sewing Station/Fashion Show: If you're a whiz behind a sewing machine and work with reuse, consider being a Swap-O-Rama-Rama designer helping people learn how to mod the used clothing they find at the swap. And join the Swap-O-Rama-Rama fashion show and show off your creations.

Fashion Show production: If you can co-ordinate and manage a dynamic, freestyle fashion show, we'd love your ideas and input.

Silk Screen Crew: If you're a silk screener and would like to join the silk screening crew, offering your fresh designs to bring used clothes back to life, please get in touch!

Music: What's a party without music? If you are a DJ or have a band, we'd love to hear from you.

Example: Previous workshops - http://gaiatreehouse.com/makerfaire07.htm
Previous Swap Images: http://gaiatreehouse.com/makerfaire/luizaleite/luizaleite.html
Previous Fashion Show Images: http://gaiatreehouse.com/makerfaire/luizaleitefs/luizaleitefs.html
About Swap-O-Rama-Rama: http://swaporamarama.org
Swap-O-Rama-Rama is a Creative Commons Project: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
Treehugger Pod Cast: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/03/treehugger_tv_t_1.php

"This Swap-O-Rama-Rama event is part of an international network of non-profit events created by Wendy Tremayne and protected under a Creative Commons License."

Bridgetown Christmas at Home Fair & Market - Stallholder Callout

Christmas at Home Fair

Bridgetown Town Hall

Bridgetown

Saturday December 5, 2009

9am-4pm

The Christmas at Home Fair is a free community event that will bring together local exhibitors in a day that celebrates quality and craftsmanship. Set in Bridgetown’s historic Town Hall, the fair will feature quality contemporary arts and crafts from the Blackwood River region. From woodcarvers and weavers to patchwork quilters and toy makers, this is your chance to meet some of our talented crafts people and designers.

Children will have the opportunity to create their own Christmas decorations as well as other workshops including Christmas Peg Dolls, Hand Made Christmas Cards and Old Fashioned Christmas Crackers.

Take a visit to the Tea Rooms and sample Christmas Pudding served with fresh preserves from our local orchards, home made shortbread and freshly baked mince pies.

Some of our finest producers will be on display so bring your Christmas list and you may just find an extra special gift. Highlights of the day will include classical music from local musicians and the drawing of our Christmas raffle. This will be a day of traditional and contemporary art and craft for all the family.

Applications for Stall Holders are available from the Bridgetown/Greenbushes Tourism Centre or through the committee at bacf@westnet.com.au

Infinite delights unleashed by local illustrator

Billions, Zillions and Trillions, the first solo exhibition of self-taught Perth artist Alexandra Lekias, is a romp through a vivid universe populated by doll-like mannequins captured in situations beyond their control and the disembodied hands that pull the strings.

Lekias’s chic but hollow characters are caught in actions that belie their stylish presentation. Streams of sugar gliders burst from pimples, party girls vomit a technicolour variety of whale breeds and hundreds of fainting couches trickle from a bleeding nose.

A strong sense of the ridiculous and bizarre pervades the black and white ink illustrations, which are illuminated with vivid splashes of watercolour in lolly-like hues. Rich in symbolism, the works draw on dreams, memories and the artist’s personal narrative to explore themes including childhood and an innocent fascination with bodily functions.

Lekias describes the main theme of the exhibition as the expression of a total loss of control.

“The characters I draw have no real will or power of their own, but act as narrative vehicles inhabiting a surreal, dream-like world”.

“They are subject to the normal bodily functions that we don't usually talk about and keep hidden behind the scenes, but with strange but beautiful twists.”

Lekias’ work also adorns album covers and promotional pieces for local band Sugar Army.

Billions, Zillions and Trillions, opens at 6.30pm Wednesday October 7 at the Cracked Gallery, Behind the Monkey and continues until Wednesday October 21.

November Market Artist Preview Applications Open

Exciting News!

We at Made on the Left are pleased as punch to announce the:

This special preview will enable people to have a sneek peek at what some of our artists will have to offer the following weekend at the November MOTL Market, as well as see all the other amasing stalls and activities of the Darlington Arts Festival, held over two days annually in the hills artist villiage Darlington, less than an hour from Perths CBD.

Applications to be part of our artist preview are now open, preference will be given to stallholders who will have a table at the November market, but past Made on the Left sellers are also encouraged to apply.

Please visit our website for the application form, and contact Lauren with any questions.

Perth Integrated Health Clinic Cycling Festival - Stallholder Callout

The Perth Integrated Health Clinic Cycling Festival is in its first year, and promises to be a spectacular event supporting 3000 people coming to view the Tour de Perth national road cycling event. The cycling racing is supported by international teams, SBS TV coverage, the Perth cycling community and Perth Cycling Clubs.

The aim of the Perth Integrated Health Clinic Cycling Festival is to attract a diversity of spectators to the race on Sunday November 15^th, at Perry Lakes near the BMX skate park.

With an anticipated audience of 3000 people, national television coverage, a sunny day and top quality cycling, it promises to be a perfect promotion and selling opportunity.

We have 36 spaces available for stall holders and we want you to register your interest before 15.10.09.

Perth Integrated Health Clinic Cycling Festival Event Details:

Date: 15^th November 2009

Location: Start/Finish area and Event Village will be at Perry Lakes Park, Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat

Time: Festival– 9.00am to 5pm, Stall setup 7am -9am

Contact details for enquiries:

Toby Hodgson

Cycling WA, Development and Participation Officer

skype: tobyhodgsoncyclingwa ph: (08) 9328 3422 e: mailto:toby.hodgson@cycling.org.au

PO Box 481 Leederville, WA, 6903

Striking a Balance

'Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.'

Albert Schweitzer

Striking a balance (and finding happiness on the way)

I am often asked how I balance working, running a (very) small business, raise a family and find time to create. The answer? I don’t. But I try my best and sometimes, and only sometimes it just all comes together. And life rocks.

We each have different backgrounds, different responsibilities and different passions. Some of us may be studying, working, raising a family, running a business, caring for someone or looking to make changes in our life (or all of the above – don’t laugh - I did this last year).

So........ How does this relate to craft? It appears from attending markets, selling online and chatting on various craft forums that crafters are predominantly female. I hesitate to quote but many (myself included) are utilising their creative skills as a self funding hobby/ separate source of personal income. There are broader reasons but I want to stay personal - I thought I would share my own experiences in finding the right mix.

I am a mother to two sweet boys aged 4, and 8. In 2008, I ran into difficulty securing stable ongoing childcare for my sons and decided to return to shiftwork. I am fortunate my employer has been supportive of my priorities.

Around the same time I discovered the whole handmade scene on etsy and a whole range of possibilities opened up. I began creating simple pieces for myself, and then decided to open up a store. Since then, my jewellery has been thrust into the work-life balance as it has become a little business generating a self supporting income. Here are the things I feel are important when searching for the right balance.

*** Establish a basic routine ***

I use Flylady as a tool – establishing routines that allow things to run efficiently when I am on shift. This means everyone in the household (children included) have a role to play – the boys have tasks allocated to them, my husband steps in when I go to work and takes over the homework/dinner/mad evening rush… whatever works for you. I also created a 100 Day Action Plan for myself (based on Empire of Delight founder Jacquie's idea to implement structured change to her life and business venture)

Jot down a quick mudmap of your life – are you happy with the direction your life is taking? What do you wish to change? Are these changes realistic? Achieveable? What will it take to improve or re-direct yourself? And more importantly, what are you willing to do? Kate James Director of the Total Balance Group writes in her recent newsletter that even today, many young people are steered towards career decisions that are the wrong fit. Though it’s never too late, why not lay the foundations now for the life you want to lead?

*** Find a support network ***

I have a strong supportive family who respect and encourage me to continue my dreams. My husband is my number one support, my mother my number one fan. I have friends who accept I am often late, miss get togethers or get completely overwhelmed by it all and become a hermit. They are also great at being honest and realistic when they think I am going too hard. Surround yourself with likeminded people, or with people you know will help and not hinder you.

*** Make Downtime ***

There are always times when present circumstances require a different mix. Leading up to the birth of a new child, final exams, sudden unemployment..... life just happens. Accept this and you are halfway there. Sometimes you may lose your mojo. Perfect break time. Do something different! I picked up my papercrafting this week after a two year break and it was so much fun!

*** Give ***

Now you may think I am crazy for adding this to the mix, but I strongly believe that by giving back to your community, you are strengthening the bonds that keep society together and enriching your life in the process. Giving should be encouraged from early on, supported in schools, and widely implemented in workplaces. I want my children to see this as part of their social obligations. How? Money isn’t always the answer. Perhaps you have a skill that a local school group or nursing home would love you to share. You could donate your handmade pieces for a fundraiser at your local school. Donate blood, volunteer on a committee with similar interests to you…..you are limited only by your creative imaginations.

Happy Crafting!

Miss Johnson's Vintage and Handmade Market - Stallholder Callout

Miss Johnson's Vintage and Handmade Market is being held in Guildford on the 30th and 31st of October. Trading hours will be 6pm to 9pm Friday evening and Saturday 9.30 to 4.30. This unique market is for vintage and collectibles and vintage inspired handmade crafts.

While this is for original vintage items they also have vintage inspired handmade crafts, and are now looking for more stall holders that make vintage styled crafts.

If you would like more information about joining us and having a stall please email quilt@touch88.com.au or jstables@bigpond.net.au

http://missjohnsonsvintageandhandmademarket.blogspot.com/

Ellenbrook Festival - Artist / Stallholder Opportunities

Heather works for the company that is developing the new town of Ellenbrook and has contacted us about a new market opportunity. Part of the strategy has been to invest in arts and culture in the community through the creation of Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation (now Ellenbrook Arts). This organisation has fostered a number of art groups in Ellenbrook and brings workshops, exhibitions and a variety of arts based activities (visual and performance) to the community.

As part of the Ellenbrook Festival, they want to hold a Market Day – either on 7^th or 14^thNovember. They are aiming to have food and wine producers from the Swan Valley, possibly a cordoned off wine tasting area, a book fair (if we can source) and arts and crafts from WA. And are particularly looking for original art produced locally.

Ellenbrook Arts has two main assets in The Gallery at Ellenbrook and The GrapeVine Community Art Space. The GrapeVine is utilized by a wide range of community groups for group meetings etc but has also been designed for artist in residence programmes.

The Gallery is located on Main Street, in the town centre. It hosts a calendar of exhibitions – community focused and several major exhibitions each year. This year we are extremely fortunate to be able to host the exhibition “Treasures from Tarrawarra, a selection of leading contemporary Australian art.

The Exhibition forms part of the Ellenbrook Festival which will run from 24^th October though to the end of November. In addition to the gallery exhibition, there will be a major music event, Shakespeare and a Multicultural festival. These larger events will be interspersed with learning/workshop weekends.

This is a major festival that we intend to host on an annual basis, and will be promoted through a variety of channels to both local vicinity and broader Perth market.

If you are interested in selling at the Ellenbrook Festival please contact:

Heather Awcock

Group Communications & Sustainability Manager

LWP Property Group Pty Ltd

34 Main Street Ellenbrook WA 6069

Tel: 08 9297 9900 Fax: 08 9296 7100

Web: beyondtheplan.com.au

Bayswater Community Street Festival - Stallholders Wanted

Are you looking for another place to sell your wares? The next Bayswater Street Festival is on Sunday, 1^st November 2009 from 10am to 3pm along King William Street.

One of the aims of the festivals is to showcase local and WA talent, products and services. Stalls are 3 x 3 for $50 (vendors can purchase larger space 6 x 6 $100). These events bring in visitors from surrounding areas and we estimate we have between 8,000 – 10,000 visit the festival every year.

King William Street will be closed to traffic to enable residents to enjoy the immense array of entertainment and delights on offer throughout the day.

There are a lot of resources being invested including an immense marketing campaign to ensure the community will be entertained on the day including free rides, entertainment, market stalls and community activities.

Major sponsors include City of Bayswater, Lotterywest, Healthway and Bendigo Bank.

There is a stallholder information PDF for vendors interested in participating on the day. Please contact:

Maria Quaglia

Centre Manager Lead On Bayswater (Inc)

PO Box 389 Maylands WA 6931 |

Tel: 08 9272 3070 | Mob: 0400 778 956 | E-Mail: bayswater@leadon.com.au | www.leadon.com.au

Oppurtunity for Artist Run Initiative in Midland

Loretta from Artsource contatced us at MOTL about this:

Artsource have just taken over a building in Midland for artists studios – and there is also a ground floor former retail space that we would like to offer to creative projects. I thought you may be interested in the info – either for your collective or for other artists that may be looking for interesting spaces to sell and/or exhibit their work.

What do you think?

{ MIDLAND – Artist Run Space/Exhibition Space }

Junction Building, 1 Old Great Northern Highway, Midland.

75m² space of street level frontage (formerly a retail space). $110/week.

Artists or artist run initiatives encouraged to apply for exhibition programs/gallery/retail activities.

The space needs to be run by and benefit Western Australian visual artists! A great opportunity for creative endeavours.

For information contact loretta@artsource.net.au or 9335 8366.

Spotlight on GetFelt

When at markets, I must always resist the lure of other stallholder's shiny things, particularly when I am on helping out and have no float to tinker with!!!

Introducing GetFelt, the dynamic duo of Shan and Glenda whose mutual love of felting led them to setting up GetFelt and combining their talents to produce some lovely, elegant and downright cool silk and merino wool creations. Shan and Glenda operate their business from their respective homes, and use a method of felting known as wet-felting (I am green as green can be when it comes to felting but I loved learning about the process). With wet felting, the process can take several hours for something like a buttoned wrap, to days of start and stop felting for a piece like the cream jacket (modelled by a friendly shopper). Shrinkage is often up to 50%and needs to be taken into account when customising orders.

GetFelt's range included shawls, scarves, wraps, tops and jackets made with merino wool and silk, mixed fibres and threads in all colours of the rainbow. GetFelt will be showcasing their design's at the upcoming Subiaco Craft Fair and monthly at the Kalamunda markets. Thankyou Shan for sharing your passions!

Shan and Glenda can be contacted via email: getfelt@hotmail.com

Spotlight on Yojiki

(Lotta here!) Back a few posts, I mentioned I had an opportunity to chat to some talented and creative peeps while hanging out at Unwrapped on Sunday.

First up is the amazing Linda of yojiki (meaning baby ch'i). I first saw Linda at another Perth market with a wee 8 week old baby in her arms - I was amazed at her energy and focus!!! Maiya is a seasoned market goer - attending 5 or 6 markets in her short eight months. Linda mentioned that although the older children stayed with family, husband Stephen was her helper and they took turns manning the stall and watching over Maiya. What a pleasure knowing you can literally combine your passions and motherhood!

Stephen, Maiya and Linda of yojiki

Australian designed and patented yojiki swagbag

A sample of yojiki's clothing range

yojiki specialises in the baby swagbag nappy bag. The swag bag was borne out of necessity, Maiya being the youngest of three (and as all parents know organisation is the cornerstone of parenthood) Linda and Stephen needed something they could use on the go. The swagbag is lightweight, with a removable cooler bag. It also does duty as a playmat, changemat and nappy bag. Linda's range included baby wraps, skirts, singlets and pinafores in limited edition colours and ranges. Originally designed and used for her own children, friends started noticing her unique designs, the orders came flowing in. Check out yojiki's swagbag nappy bag and other designs on their website here. Thankyou Linda, Stephen and Maiya for the chance to meet you all! Boy was I nervous! Hehehe.

Outskirts and The Cultural Centre Markets

Some lovely snaps of people/stalls who have previously been part of Made on the Left, showcasing their wares at Saturdays Outskirts market!

Bobby and Jackson of Schmokey Tee's


Lara of Smith & Bird


Renee and Ali from Cocoa Pod and Ali J Art & Illustration
and their goodies:

Keep an eye out for some more local west-aussie talent at the upcoming Perth Upmarket, held this coming Sunday at the Perth Town Hall, details here.

Unwrapped: Perth Fashion Festival Sunday 6 September

Happy Monday morning!

Lotta back with some weekend goodness to brighten your day.

Father's Day (yesterday) saw the Unwrapped Markets in collaboration with Perth Fashion Festival held at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), Northbridge. Though I didn't participate in this market, I offered to help out a fellow crafter, Annie Rawle of Annie Rawle, 17 threads and Osmosis fame mind her stall and keep her company. The weather had been ominous, with cold windy weather for Outskirts the day before but all things considering, it held up with the occasional light shower. Not so good for those with stalls outside but for those inside, a blessed relief.

GetFelt

Jacquie of Empire of Delight

foaldesign

Stuffaduck

Osmosis

With over 50 designer stalls, there was something to suit everyone, from frocks and frippery to awesome baby threads and bling. I kept finding pockets of stalls everywhere - I later found out that Markets @ Perth Cultural Centre were in full swing as were the pop up shops on William Street as part of the Festival. A perfect example of finding inspiration!

During a quiet moment, I took the opportunity to have a chat to some funky and talented designers about their creations. I wanted to take dozens of photos but then I got shy about asking people so I only have a few to share. Profiles to follow!

Finding Inspiration

Surely I am not alone in the never ending search for inspiration? The sort of search that I can lose myself in for days, bypassing teeball training, essential meals, ignoring telephone calls and cries for help?

Okay okay, I am not that bad but I am always searching for inspiration to add that extra dimension to my creative work and in turn my life.

So, where does one start?

Flickr

I discovered the joy of Flickr about a year ago but only in the last few weeks have I truly begun to understand the pull of looking through Groups, through people's wide and varied interests, through colour co-ordinated photostreams, themed shoots and happy snaps.

One such person I found on Flickr (I can't explain how I found her, only that I had two cups of coffee and a white chocolate Kit kat wrapper by my laptop when I came to my senses). An article about her project was featured in the Notebook magazine in April of this year; 365 Reasons to be Grateful. Hailey Bartholomew is a photographer and mother of two who felt she was lacking spirit - inner happiness. As a way of finding this, she began documenting each day with a photo of something she was grateful for. To read her interview... click here. For her photostream click here. There are other image hosting sites such as Photobucket and Imageshack.

I found that particular idea resonated with me, and I found it immensely inspiring that she sought inspiration in her own life. I will actually come back to the notion of Gratefulness in a future post as I believe that practising gratitude enriches our lives and allows us to be better at whatever we do.

So the Internet as a whole.... who doesn't find inspiration online? Depending on your craft or your persuasions - there are zillions of sites that cater to almost every passion one could possibly have. I subscribe to several sites, home, fashion, interior, parenting, jewellery supplies - you name it - my inbox is full of it.

In particular I love Etsy's treasuries. Created by real people, they are a carefully curated collection of items on etsy that someone has sought out and recorded as their favourite things. PS. There is even a blog or website of past front page treasuries.... I will update this as soon as I find it.

UPDATE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488923@N05/

People Watching.

How much fun is this! Either you are a born people watcher or you aren't. I used to come into the city and spend at least an hour in Forrest Square just watching the world go by. Talk about streetwear! I still do this now, and find it refreshes my mind and creative process. In my day job I deal with thousands of people everyday and I love that you can get a sense of a person (or be curiously surprised) by the way they present themselves.

History.

Now don't go to sleep on me but don't you find old films fascinating? The language, the dominating culture of the time - my husband interrupts me here to say that he finds old Government/Political advertising inspires him. Hmmm. Not just old films but he has a point there - I love old advertising, signs, posters for films, record covers..... nostalgia with a twist.

Children.

Having my children - I have to admit I thought would be the end of my individuality and creativity. Boy was I proved wrong! As a mother, I am inspired to provide and create a sanctuary for my kids, to ensure that they grow up without prejudice, with compassion and a love for the world in which they live. I am inspired by their fascination with the minute details that pass me by (Why do snail shells have lines on them? Why does that flower have yellow dust on it?) There is much we take for granted! I am often on Kindy roster duty and I just love watching children draw, paint and glue without inhibitions - pure creativity.

Markets.

Now like everything else, inspiration is about gathering ideas and translating them into your own creations. And respecting other people's designs and creations in the process. I love the riot of people at markets, the colours, the buzz, although usually exhausted after a market, I always make time to write notes down of what I liked and didn't like.

Op-Shopping

Colour combinations that should never be seen, and yet they are strangely appealing. Enough said!

Okay - the usual suspects of course - magazines, television, movies, books - I feel guilty piling them into one big lot - but we all know how much of this we absorb, almost as normal as breathing. I am a big fan of Interior and Architecture magazines, and have noticed over the years, that colour trends on the catwalk mirror that of interiors - which comes first? I really don't know. But I love the infusion and the borrowing of ideas. I have to be honest and say I am not a big television nor movie watcher - I guess it's about whatever takes your fancy.

Some of my favourite online sources...

www.designspongeonline.com/ - interior design at its best

www.flickr.com/ - image hosting site

keithlobue.blogspot.com/ - the Stuffsmith jewellery creator

jeanettes.typepad.com/ - Absolutely Beautiful things

www.sweet-juniper.com/ - Photos and blog of life and decay in Detroit

www.instructables.com/ - How-to site

Yes, incredibly random but I enjoy the insight into other people's lives, and indeed their creative process. Perhaps, you may wish to keep a wee record of things that catch your fancy - everyone in my household has a visual diary (boys included) and we carry them with us, along with the camera to record things which bring us inspiration.

Enjoy your weekend!