after the market....

These are some photos of our stall at the Finders Keepers market this weekend past. We had a lovely, very tiring weekend. Great people watching - all those pretty bright-young-things showing off their legs! The flowers we arranged on my op-shopped bookshelf (taken from my front room at home), got a lot of attention. I wouldn't be surprised to see them popping up on some other blogs, as there was a few photos taken (one sweet couple left us a little flower from their own bouquet). All the other props were from Sylv, Lea or my house.

As you may notice, we changed the whole stall around after only half an hour on the first morning. {A tiny bit of watching, showed me that it wasn't the best lay-out and people were looking at the clothes racks without coming into the stall. I always like to be able to say hello to everyone}.

I'm still a bit at a loss as to what to think about the reactions to my launch fashion collection. I do think that it wasn't the best customer base for me to show my pieces at. So, that's something I'm really going to have to rethink (as I did think it would be a good place). All feedback we received was very positive, and made me feel good about it - and everyone who tried something on looked really good, and it fit them in a flattering and comfortable way, while still being pretty and show-offy. That's exactly how I designed my range, and it was good to see it all on a range of women and find that all the styles and cuts worked as I had designed.

So - with the market over now, and the house + studio (+ our family life) yet to be set back to normal, I'm already planning and starting to think out the next steps. The new collections, and designs, cuts styles products........ I think that's the way it has to be, but it's also the way I am. I put so much into getting this all ready for Finders Keepers, and now I'm ready to move onto the next collection. Just need to find someone to enjoy the process of marketing the current collection! (Sylv? Lea?)

I want to say the biggest ever thanks to :: 

+ My sweet lovely beautiful sisters, Sylv + Lea, who helped all weekend at the market, and stayed up late sewing buttons and cutting fabric circles for the button making machine. Who kept me positive throughout the weekend, and supported me (when I felt like I may have a tiny bit of a break down in our cosy make-shift change room).

+ Sylv, who continued to help me screen print, and talked through designs and fabrics. And modeled everything for me, so perfectly and beautifully. And so much more.

+ of course Sam, who always helps me out, even though sometimes it's not as obvious to me in my stressed.freaked.out.caffeined.overworked.overthinking frame of mind.

+ and Sam's parents, who put their holiday off for an extra day to look after the kids. Always thankful. 

+ Sam's brother + sister-in-law for driving especially out of their way to lend me their mobile eftpos machine (of so needed in this age of technology).

+ all the positive feedback + support from you all as well. And my friends who popped in to see me at the market, and during the weekend before. Thanks thanks thanks. 

Okay - hopping off my podium now.

After the market we all slept in for as long as possible.........

The lighting was quite low in our room, and my digital camera doesn't like minimal lighting, and I don't like using flash. Hence the graininess of all the photos.

Finders Keepers {the secret is out}

Now that the announcements have been made, I can finally let the secret slip that I've been not quite mentioning for a few weeks now. I've been talking about this big design market, but haven't been able to say which one until now. 

So - YAH! We'll be at Brisbane Finders Keepers in a few short week's time. 

I'm super excited about being part of this excellent market for many reasons ::

- because I'll be launching my very first fashion collection.

- because I'll be spending the whole weekend with two of my sisters*, which in itself is going to be just.super.duper.fun and giggly.

- there's so much hand picked talent and design/art/craft/maker skill at these markets; it's a real pleasure and privilege to be part of it.

- the Old Museum, at Herston, is such a wonderful.beautiful place to spend a weekend.

- there'll be so many excellent.interesting.beautiful people to chat with.

- people watching at Finders Keepers is super fun.

- I'm excited about styling my market stall - clothing will be different than homewares and textiles (there'll be that too, but the clothes are the feature).

- and many other reasons.

Apologies in advance if the next few weeks turns into market chit chat. And major stress out! I may need your help to keep me in control, to offer me advice and assistance, to soothe my brow and remind me to breathe and have a cup of tea. And mostly to keep telling me that it's all fun, and that whatever I can do is all that I can do. And that I'm not super woman, so there's limits to what I can design and make. 

I'm going to start the market chatter with a little request for help......

I'm still trying to decide on whether I should only have my fashion collection there, or should I also have cushions, tea towels, little zippered purses, etc, etc etc (you know those little things I like to make the night before market day - don't even bother telling me you haven't done it!). Please tell me what are your favourite items that I make, that you've spotted on my blog or online shops (things you remember** you may have seen...). I'm keen to hear your thoughts on what you like best - colours, designs, etc. 

*For those of you keeping track, or trying to keep up, with my sister (and the sibling count). I have two sisters and one brother. My younger sister, Sylv, is the one in the photos of my fashion collection, and who I talk about most often as we live nearby to each other and our boys go to school together. She'll be with me at the market stall. The other sister mentioned isn't my 'blood sister', she's a 'relation sister' (the mother of my nephew; my brother's first girlfriend, who spent a lot of high school years at our house as a friend and sister; who I love chatting with, and hanging out with, and have much in common with, and who just happens to look like she could be our 'blood sister').

I have another sister, my oldest sister, who is currently having a wonderful time in the UK (and nearby fun little places to visit). Hi to all my sisters and brothers - blood or relation or friend.

**Unfortunately I don't have a full website at the moment, as it's being rebuilt, and I also don't have all my products on my online shops - so everything isn't easy to look at. And I've been pretty slack lately in loading all my new things onto Flickr. Hmmmmm........ so, I realise I'm asking a pretty hard question here; which means that any answers are totally awsomely appreciated!