Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Vintage Kimono Fabric Sale at BiECO!

Anyone who has a deep love for the beautiful fabric and designs of vintage kimonos will not want to miss the Kimono Reincarnate sale at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market! Melanie will be setting up shop in the centre of St Augustine's Church Hall with an extensive selection of kimono fabric and her very own gorgeous Kimono Reincarnate products.


"I'm very excited about the upcoming Eco market for a few reasons.

Firstly, it really makes me assess how "eco" I really am being with the pieces I make. I use re-purposed vintage kimono fabrics in most of my pieces but often combine them with other material. For this market, I'm really focussing on those that are mostly recycled or from sustainable material.

I've been having a great time folding and hand-stitching away, making my Japanese kanzashi flowers, all made from either vintage or antique kimono silks. They usually come in a cute little tin, but if at the Eco market, you choose for them to go "nude" you can take a little off their normal price."


"The first pieces from my new "Kyoto" range will be making their BrisStyle debut. These pieces are little Japanese Kokeshi dolls made from bamboo and vintage kimono silk with hand painted details. I love working with bamboo, firstly as it's a sustainable wood, but for me it also conjures up memories of the the bamboo forests in Kyoto and well, it's just so beautiful to the touch. So silky and smooth."


"The other reason I'm extra excited about the Eco market is that I get to share many of these gorgeous kimono fabrics. There will be fabric pieces big and small, full obis and full kimonos all for sale. While I've been sorting and bundling them, I sit and just breathe in their history, trying to imagine their past, who owned the kimono and where they wore it. I love sharing my love for these pieces and understand that glint in peoples' eyes as they find a fabric that really speaks to them. I love hearing the excited ideas for their use, or the hushed confessions of plans of adding it to the stash."


This is a once in a lifetime event for all fabric lovers! Only at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market on Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm at St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. BiECO is supported by Peppermint Magazine.

Wimcee at BiECO

For those who love a little bit of up-cycled Wimcee, here's a sneak peek of what Steph has in store for the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market!


"While most of my usual stock is made from new fabrics and fibres, I have previously offered a few eco-friendly pieces, so the BiECO is a wonderful opportunity to devote extra time and energy to up-cycled denims, reconstituted and embellished woollies, and all manner of wimcee-cal numbers put together from my supply of vintage fabrics, buttons, ribbons, trims and scraps. As usual, just never quite enough hours in the day and days in the week to make good all the ideas I'd like to try out, but so much fun!"

Check out fabulous new Wimcee wares at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market on Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm at St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Alipink at BiECO


Ali from Alipink has some gorgeous treats in store for shoppers at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market. Alipink is a must-have for your BiECO shopping list, get there early to avoid disappointment!


"I use vintage and repurposed fabric and notions because I love them and because it is fun to find new ways to use old materials. But with increasing awareness of the environmental damage caused by mass-manufacturing my choice of materials has become more important. I will have a range of products for sale at the BiECO - bags made from repurposed curtains, purses made from vintage fabric, hair pins decorated with vintage buttons, and even some vintage craft supplies."


Check out Ali's fabulous re-purposed wares at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market on Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm at St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. BiECO is proudly supported by Peppermint magazine.

Monday, June 28, 2010

a little original at BiECO

If you're looking for some sweet eco-friendly threads for your little ones swing by the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market. Vanessa from a little original has got you covered with gorgeous clothing, toys and accessories.


"Just about everything at my stall will be close to 100% recycled - kids clothing, toys, kids accessories. I make kids clothes out of upcycled vintage fabrics as well as repurposed adult clothes, and add details like lace, doilies and buttons that are all recycled as well. Usually with my clothes, the only things that are new are the thread and elastic, with toys it's just the thread and stuffing and with accessories like crayon rolls and art totes it's the thread and velcro!"


"At the moment I'm at home parenting our children while they are young but I'm also an ecologist (environmental scientist) so using existing resources is very important to me. I like to think that as a family we tread gently on the earth by recycling as much as possible, and I think this really translates into my craft. I think my stall will look very boheme on market day with all my recycled goods, and being my first BrisStyle market, I hope it goes ok, but I'm so excited and really can't wait!"


And we can't wait to check out your fab stall Vanessa! A little original will be at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market on Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm at St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. BiECO is proudly supported by Peppermint magazine.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Little Chrissy at BiECO

Chris from Little Chrissy has been sewing up a storm for the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market. Her newest product, lavender scented eye pillows are sure to be a hit, perfect for taking a little time out in comfort and style.


"The eco lavender eye pillows are made from gorgeous recycled and vintage fabrics. Each one features different fabrics on each side, and they have been individually embellished with embroidery. They have been filled with organic linseed and lavender, and contain a few drops of essential oil just to give their divine scent a little boost. They are perfect for anyone who needs to de-stress, for use at the end of yoga, for meditation, to help sleep..."


Chris will also have brooches made from eco-felt and vintage fabrics, origami bunting and brooches made from recycled magazine pages, vintage fabric bunting, eco-felt necklaces and clutch purses made from recycled fabric.


Get there early for your very own Little Chrissy creation!

BrisStyle Indie Eco Market
Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm
St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds
Racecourse Road
Hamilton

BiECO is proudly supported by Peppermint magazine.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Shop Handmade: Handmade Heaven

Liesa of Handmade Heaven joins us today for the BrisStyle Shop Handmade series.

Handmade Heaven is a funky little boutique which is located downstairs in the Old Flour Mill, Brisbane Street, Ipswich.

Full to the brim of handmade gifts and goodies all made by local and interstate artists/designers/makers/crafters.


With 70+ "handmadies" involved you are bound to find something wonderful and unique.
From handbags to brooches, from homewares to kids clothing/accessories, from candles to manchester and softies to greeting cards. There is just so much variety in store.

The Old Flour Mill is a little hidden away, but the perfect setting for this unique shop.

Open 6 days a week, it's perfect for that handmade fix in between the monthly Handmade Expo.


"I have always been around handmade...Mum (aka Bubba Chenille) has always been crafty so it is in our blood. Me, no...it skipped a generation, but the passion for handmade, promoting and selling on "handmadies" behalf is perfect. There is definitely a niche for this in Ipswich and South East Queensland. Everyone seems to be embracing it."


Handmade Heaven proudly stocks the wares of BrisStylers Bubba Chenille, Vintage Visions, Sybella Boutique, Cute as Buttons, Sandra Darling, Enticing Icing, Chelley Bean Designs and Kitty Boo Boo.


Handmade Heaven
Downstairs at The Old Flour Mill
Brisbane Street, Ipswich
Open Monday 9am-12pm, Tuesday - Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am-2pm.

Friday, June 25, 2010

REread Design at BiECO

Our BrisStylers are gearing up to give the earth a big hug at Brisbane's first BrisStyle Indie Eco Market supported by Peppermint. In the lead up to BiECO we'll be giving you a sneak peek into the behind the scenes action of our marketeers.


Kicking it off is the super talented Hayley from REread Design...



"I source almost all of my materials from op-shops, left over/unused stationery from work and a lot of donations (old Christmas cards etc.). For my brooches I hand cut each shape and then give it several coats of resin. My cards are made from old cards, often with a message inside, I paste on a page from a vintage children's book and then find a silly caption to accompany the image. Usually I get the captions from romance novels, an endless source of fun and cheeseisms. No two brooches or cards will be the same as I don't scan and print the images, they are all originals. I just love taking an old Golden Book that has 'had it's day' and making it into a funny card that makes someone laugh. I really love dong the BrisStyle markets, I love that people like my art, and get a kick out of the funny, random words I use."


Check out Hayley's wares and more at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market
Saturday 10 July, 9am-2pm
St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds
Racecourse Road, Hamilton.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The crafty world of Bubbachenille

This week the BrisStyle team caught up with the mother of all things chenille, Miriam of Bubba Chenille for a little chat about her fabulous wares.


How would you describe your work?


Funky and modern, creating smiles for passers by! After all, who of a certain age, hasn't had a chenille bedspread? When people see my work and realise what it's made from you can see the connection from realisation to smile!

How did your Etsy shop come into being?

I seem to recall Trish, from Trishalan Designs telling me all about Etsy and BrisStyle in 2008 when I first met her at The Handmade Expo Market, I got onto it straight away!


Who or what inspires you?


Well if I didn't say my family first and foremost I'd be in big trouble. After that I think simply the materials I work with are the inspiration!


Do you ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ as part of your creative process?


All of the chenille I use is vintage, (the new stuff just isn't the same!) and I am now sourcing bedspreads further afield in the US, where there is more available, patterns and colours that you just don't see here. I also use vintage sheets in some of my work, they are nice and soft, all cotton and great for linings and trims. It is the part of my life where I am being a true recycler, not just a half hearted one like in other parts of my life!


Can you describe your studio / work area?

I have a separate studio detached from the home, in the backyard. We were getting sick of all the fluff in the house from the chenille, so when we were looking to relocate, this was something we had on our list of wants. I kind of go to work and come home every day now.

What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

I love everything.


For more Bubba Chenille check out these hot spots:

Blog
Handmade Heaven
Etsy
Flickr
madeit
Facebook

Thanks Miriam!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Shop Handmade: Nook

We're very excited to feature Nook in the BrisStyle Shop Handmade series. Nook is a gorgeous little shop in West End run by Pedrosprout's Michelle Gillies.


"I opened Nook in August of '09. The previous year I had spent making and selling my own creations under the label Pedrosprout. I was feeling frustrated at the time with the lack of Brisbane shops that were stocking handmade goods. I was lucky that with the support & help of friends and family I was able to start my own little handmade shop, Nook in West End. We've been open for nearly a year now and the assortment of handmade goodies is growing daily."


While you're there keep an eye out for fabulous wares from BrisStylers Edward and Lilly, Jetta's Nest, Moose & Bird, Wicked Child Designs, Hot Toffee, Chi Designs, Find Hers Keep Hers, Red Seed Studio and Nosovich.


Nook: 19 Browning St, West End.
Open: Mon- Fri 10am to 5.30pm, Sat 10am to 4pm, closed Sundays & public holidays.


STOP PRESS: As a little treat Michelle is offering BrisStyle blog readers who mention this blog post 10% off instore purchases at Nook until Wednesday 7 July!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Welcome to BrisStyle!

The BrisStyle team is super excited to introduce 5 new members this week!

Mon Petit Poppet - handcrafted goodies for little poppets


Good Boy Cracky - where recycled fabrics (and more) are transformed into new lovelies!


Pass the Parcel - Vintage inspired handmade jewellery


Collecting Feathers - beautiful, unique treasures, re-purposed and re-made by hand


And a big welcome back to Eliza from Elven Hair Hats!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The crafty world of Strat Designs

This week the BrisStyle team caught up with Sophie from Strat Designs to get the low down on her gorgeous resin jewellery range!


How would you describe your work?


Bright, bold, stylish and fun. I predominately use a range of resin beads in my designs but also feature glass beads, felt balls and whatever else takes my fancy.

How did your Etsy shop come into being?


A friend told me about the handmade expo. From their website I followed a link to the BrisStyle blog and from there...ETSY! And wow! That was such a mind blowing experience, I just read and read and looked and looked. I was totally hooked. I couldn't rest until I was signed up and listing stock. It was a huge learning curve but one I’ve really enjoyed. I had to close down my Etsy shop for a time recently and got serious withdrawal symptoms! It’s so good to be back and a part of the Etsy/BrisStyle world again.


Who or what inspires you?

This constantly changes! My background is actually in fine jewellery, both antique and modern, so I’ve got a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and design talent of jewelers, and try and bring that into my own designs. But colour is what really gets me going, I love how it can enhance your mood, lift you up or soothe you. I’m a great people watcher and sometimes just seeing someone with a certain style will set me thinking about what piece of jewellery I’d design for them and then that’ll morph into something on the bench, which will in turn develop into a new item.


Do you ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ as part of your creative process?


I certainly do! I’m a collector of vintage jewellery/objects from way back and am slowly putting together a micro collection that will use some of my older pieces re-purposed with my more contemporary resin range. I love felt balls, and often they are made from re-purposed clothing, but best of all, any Strat designs that don’t sell, or I just change my mind over, I simply break down and re use the components - one of the real benefits of using beads - you’re never stuck with old stock – they’re all reusable!

Can you describe your studio / work area?

It’s very modest and was once our spare bedroom/study. It has French doors out onto a verandah where I do all my photographing, and this means people can come straight into the workshop from outside without having to come through the whole house – handy when I haven’t got around to vacuuming!


When I first started Strat Designs we still had a bed in there and I sort of squeezed in along with the computers and the furniture. Now the bedroom is a distant memory. My husband made me workbenches and shelves and I’ve spread throughout the whole room. The computers are still there, and I love to have my son in doing his homework while I’m working – that way I can keep an eye on what he’s up to and he sees what I’m doing at the same time! I do have to be pretty organized to stop the stock and supplies from spreading out of control, but I love it, and probably spend far too much time in there.

What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

My new “bubble ball” lariat and bracelet range. It’s quite delicate by my standards and so a bit different for me to work on.


Check out more fabulous Strat Designs here:
www.stratdesigns.com
www.stratdesigns.etsy.com

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Big BrisStyle Giveaway

The Big BrisStyle Giveaway is on again!

At the start of each month a group of BrisStylers will be hosting a giveaway on their blog!

So, what are you waiting for? Get clicking and check out these great giveaways. BrisStylers will be entering links on this post throughout the month so check back later for more glorious giveaway updates!

Please note only members of BrisStyle are eligible to enter their link below.


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

BiDM: It's a Wrap!


Brisbane blessed the BrisStylers with another beautiful Winter's day for Sunday's BrisStyle Indie Designers Market!


Our marketeers stalls looked better than ever with fabulous wares and exceptional display proving once again that the BiDM is Brisbane's HOTtest destination for everything handmade.


And everything yummy!


Miss Dish
Thanks to Sandrine and Emma for the great photos!


Check out more BiDM tales direct from our marketeers:



NEXT UP!!!

The BrisStyle Indie Eco Market (BiECO)
Saturday 10 July
9am-2pm
St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds
Racecourse Road
Hamilton

BiECO promises to be loads of fun, our BrisStylers will be bringing out their best handmade environmentally friendly wares as well as a huge selection of vintage goodies! More exciting BiECO announcements coming soon!

Friday, June 4, 2010

BrisStyle Indie Designers Market Tomorrow!

Only one sleep to go till we kick off the BrisStyle Indie Designers Market, Brisbane's HOTtest destination for everything handmade!


Check out the details and our line up of marketeers here!


Thursday, June 3, 2010

Two sleeps to go!

With only two sleeps to go until the BrisStyle Indie Designers Market here's a little sneak peek at what a few of our BrisStylers will have in store for shoppers!


Very cool flash art pendants from Kitty Boo Boo, check out more designs here.



Send your correspondence in style with new and improved printed envelopes from Flight Industries.



Fabric is given new life with Up In Annie's Room laundry birds pendant.


Gorgeous dresses for little ladies from Hot Fudge, check out more here.



And with Winter now on our doorstep stock up on Bubbachenille's heat packs. Plus our Queen of all things Chenille will also have new eco wash cloths available!

You can find all this and more at the BrisStyle Indie Designers Market, this Saturday 5 June, 9am-2pm at St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton!

See you there!