Tie me a bow

Lawyers don't wear bow ties. They wear suits and short skirts and robes and wigs and things... or so 90s television tells me. And they're so busy in the court room by day and sleeping under mountains of paperwork at their mahogany desks by night, that surely they don't have time for regular crafternooning.

However, one Brisbane lady - a lawyer-to-be, but a busy bee nonetheless - is super fond of slotting in some craft time whenever a gap amongst the serious stuff appears. Yenzo makes fancily versatile bow ties, for the collar, as a necklace and even as a hair bow. And she's made so many of late that we've got three to give away, huzzah! Simply email your name/address to winstuff{at}seammagazine{dot}com to be in the draw. But remember - first in, best dressed! Yenzo also stitches up the cutest handmade critters - scroll through her blog to ooh and aah at them all. We like the french monster and forest creatures.

Hope you all have a swell (and un-sweltering) weekend ahead of you!

To market, to market

Photo credit: West End Twilight Markets

So there’s this lovely lady called Sally and this lovely chap called Scotty and they like a really well crafted coffee. They also like zines, typewriters, collage, and arty crafty design-y type things. So one day over a love-heart topped latte, they decided to start the West End Twilight Markets.

A mixture of all their favourite things, situated in the perfect location of a reclaimed hangar in West End, these new evening markets are in a league of their own. What’s sparking my curiosity is the performance side of things – spoken word, visual arts, street theatre, a-capella busking and cabaret. For nannas like me, these enticing acts on a Saturday soir mean I can leave my dancing shoes at home, soak up some local talent early on, and be back snug in bed before the clock strikes 12.

They’ve got stallholders who fit into all our favourite buzz word categories – vintage, recycled, reclaimed, organic, fair trade, sustainable, handmade, locally or ethically produced, unique, one-off, one of a kind – with new stalls each week to keep you guessing. More details here.

Also on in Brisbane this Saturday is BrisStyle’s annual Indie Eco Market, featuring crafty wares produced from eco-friendly materials and made by hand by local BrisStyle ladies and lads, with a dash of vintage and de-stash items mixed in for good measure. If your Christmas shopping list hasn’t quite come to fruition yet, why not pop down to these markets and pick up some handmade presents, supporting local designers and protecting the earth’s resources all in one pretty little package.

follow the finch

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

So last weekend I was wandering about the Young Designer Markets, minding my own business (well not really, I was snapping photos of trendy folk), when the follow the finch stall jumped out into the walkway, grabbed me and took me prisoner among its pretty handmade wares. And it was awesome!

Follow the finch is one delightful little label, stocking wallets handmade from carefully curated combinations of recycled fabric, notebooks featuring vintage music parchment and typewriter-ed titles, and sunglass cases made from vintage fabrics and old dress patterns. My favourite of the wares though is the kitchen clutch – named just so because they’re made from top-notch, never-been-used, vintage tea towels. The designer Renee inherited a whole stash of English tea towels from her grandmother and rummages about op shops when the collection is running low. The designs are all limited run and Renee makes everything by hand herself – from her business cards and swing tags to all the products.

She’s based near Byron Bay, so you won’t see her friendly face at markets every weekend, but check out the finch’s facebook or website for when she’ll next be flying about (and online sales of course).

Trash to Treasure

Necklace made from recycled newspapers.
Photo Credit: Tree Hugger

Looking for a creative solution for your recyclable goods? Well look no further!

Reverse Garbage has been converting trash to treasure for almost 40 years now by saving items bound for the landfill and redistributing them for practical and creative reuse.

They’re the largest creative reuse centre in Australia and last year converted 15,000 cubic metres or 50 football fields of what would have been garbage into reusable goods!

This Saturday evening they’ll be opening a sustainable art exhibition featuring hand crafted items made from a range of recycled materials. You'll be able to browse and buy all sorts of creative pieces as well as enjoy a drink or two and some live entertainment.

Help support a great cause and stroll over to the Gabba for some inspiring recycled riches!

Opening night: Saturday 10 September, 6-9pm (exhibition runs until Thursday 22nd September)

For more details visit Materialistic Exhibition Opening.