craft markets- quick review

Last Sunday I dropped in to the North Melbourne craft market, after I saw in The Age that it was on. I hadn't been for a year or so, and the Age gave it a great write up, saying it was the best market for handmade & vintage or somesuch. So I had a look, for 22 minutes. Yep, after coughing up the $2 entry fee (what is with that, does it go to a charity/cover the venue hire???), when I check my watch, I had seen the lot in 22mins. With out rushing. Including a brief chat with the nice lady at the recycled-t-shirts-made-into-rugs-fair-trade-giving-women-a-job-in-a-developing-country stall (ok, that would have been soooo much easier if I had've picked up their card!).
There was the usual ho-hum hair clips (sorry, but I have seen too many of these at sooo many other craft markets), some ok-but-not-me jewellery, and lots of overpriced  former op shop clothes. Basically a market for hipsters, judging by the rest of the punters there. But the BEST of vintage? C'mon AGE writers, I know it is only on once a year, but you can not beat the Finders Keepers Market for recycled/upcycled/new/vintage!
Today I had a  chance to duck into  the Northcote Winter Artisans Market (it is on again next Sat. & well worth a look ). It was only a quick look as we were on our way across town for lunch, but I could have stayed for ages. So many lovely, clever, gorgeous things to see!  Loved the sister outlaws re-sew-cool craft kits, and just lost the last half hour or so perusing their website/blog/links. Tea cup candles were lovely too, and I could just smell them through my stuffed up nose. The stall holder there was telling us how one amazing fruity banana/pineapple  candle (like  when you first open a bag of jelly beans I thought!) was  actually called  "monkey farts" but she thought that was silly & not nice! I said it was from the kids' joke  Q.What is invisible & smells like bananas? A. Monkey farts!
As in the one my kids used to say Q. what is invisible & smells like carrots? A. Bunny farts.
I say used to tell this joke... because now we have a bunny, we can confirm that this is not at all true! No carrot smell, just .... smelly bunny smell!!!

More fete sewing...

These are just a few from the MASSIVE pile of granny squares I found at the op shop last year.  I sewed a square of felt on to one to use as a coaster at home, & after seeing a set of 4  felt backed granny's  selling for $28 at the Finders Keepers a while back, I thought we might as well make some for the school craft stall.
I have been re-purposing a few old pairs of jeans too, photos yet to come ( when I remember to take some!). But for now I am off to bed, exhausted after the school disco tonight - it was a HUGE hit! Tigerboy fell over 5 minutes in, had a few tears but then kept on dancing for the next hour and a half. But once he got home, turned on the tears  (boy that kid can act!) insisting the ankle was BROKEN and must be taken to the hospital now because he CAN'T walk anymore. Didn't stop him DANCING earlier  though did it!  
PS finally got my hair cut today, & dropped in to GJ's to chat about bunnies with Georgie. Well I can't go to Angela T's ( hairdressers)  in  Lygon st Bruns & not go across the road can I? I only bought a little bit of fabric....

I feel the earth move under my feet..

Whoa, how about that earth tremor tonight? I was drying the dishes, and suddenly the pots & pan on the stove top started to rattle, then the panty, fridge, rabbit hutch - I was waiting for the sound of the police helicopter buzzing low overhead ( it makes our house rattle & the little tv on the fridge goes on the blink), but no - just rattling & shaking. The kids came running out a bit scared - with the Jedikid now sleeping in the high bed above his brother, they felt the shake quite a bit!
 Nothing on the net at first, but lots of people calling in to ABC 774 confirmed what we had all felt! It was SOOOO weird, scary & exciting all at the same time! Like  being next to the washing machine in the spin cycle! I hope the chooks didn't get shaken off their perch! Of course the killer rabbit didn't even bat an eyelid. But at least she has finally got over her aversion to the new litter!

That rabbit...

Ok, her name actually is Merlyn, but I think she gets called "That rabbit" more often really, because she can be so naughty & cheeky! Last night I couldn't stand the dusty smell of the litter tray anymore, so I dragged her out, trapped her under a laundry basket & changed the litter to a new brand I had bought. WELL that didn't go down too well, she refused to go downstairs at all! (the hutch has  2 ramps and  2 upper levels)
We left her there overnight, and this morning she was still a pissed off bunny! No sooner had I said "well you will have to go down there and  pee sometime" than the cheeky bugger peed on the 1st floor platform instead!
In the end I tempted her with food treats and a large piece of broccoli stem, & she finally came down! Who would have thought something so cut could be so damned obstinate!!!

Felt critters ready to go!

2 new models for this year's craft stall - cut out  - thank you freezer paper, and my sizzix sidekick!!! - & ready to be sewn up.  Thank you to the lovely Sally who has asked for some hand sewing to do! 

I bought a fantastic cutting die from vicsew - http://www.vicsew.com.au/index.php?cPath=129 which cuts out 2 pairs of small circles-  the tiny teddy eyes, and the purple guys eyes, slightly bigger; as well as 2 other slightly bigger circles (diff sizes but still useful). The hardest part was finding the right shade of purple wool for the little tuft of hair!

Just quickly...

...spinners & weavers show wonderful as always, bought a hank of gorgeous really bright green& blue wool for a bright winter scarf (though I really should be finishing my sister's scarf, since it was her birthday yesterday). Busy putting some fete  craft kits together, so if you want to do some sewing for the craft stall - hand sewing & machine- let me know! I will try & get some photos up tomorrow.