Wrap up - The Big Design Market

It has been very busy here at the Crafty Squirrel headquarters of late because for the last few months in the lead up to Christmas I have been filling my wholesale and online orders, managing shop sales, setting up pop up shops and going to markets. 

All in all - flat chat really. So it was a big call to shut the shop and pack everything up and head on down to the first ever 'Big Design Market' held over 3 days at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Carlton Gardens.

And BIG it was! Over 170 designers from around Australia and internationally came along to sell their wares - it was an amazing honour to be side by side with some of the best creative designer/makers around.

To say it was a HUGE success would be an understatement...apparently they had a massive 33,000 customers come through the doors over the 3 days....and I must admit by the end of it I had almost sold out of everything I had brought with me and was so tired I could hardly speak!

Here are a few snaps of the stand for those that couldn’t make it!

And for those of you who live in or around Ballarat – you can see me at my last market for the year – The Design Exchange, on this Sunday (16 Dec) at the Mining Exchange on Lydiard Street, Ballarat from 10am to 4pm OR visit the shop on Fridays 10am to 5pm and Saturdays 10am to 4pm. Last day of trading for the year is Sat 22 December.

Visit me at the POP UP Shop Ballarat!

I’m very very excited to be participating in my first ever POP-UP SHOP!

And guess what? It officially opens tomorrow!

The brain wave of two talented ladies I know Laura Day and Lisa Cressey - the inaugural POP-UP SHOP will be a curated retail showcase of the Ballarat and surrounds best hand-made products.

I spent a bit of time there today setting up and I must say – there are definitely some treasures to be had!

The POP-UP SHOP will be open for 7 days, from Friday 30 November to Sunday 9 December. It will be held at the Backspace Gallery in the heart of Ballarat’s cultural precinct - Huyghue House, Alfred Deakin Place @ Camp Street & Police Lane, Ballarat.

Pop-Up Shop treasures!

          
Friday 30th November: 

11am to 4pm Lunchtime Launch

Get an exclusive preview of the Ballarat POP-UP SHOP at the Friday Lunchtime Launch. Grab a delicious Sweet Decadence brown-bag lunch, enjoy some lively entertainment, and kick-start your holiday gift-giving during your midday break AND from 6pm to 8pm – come along and join in the fun with a glass of sparkles at the Gala Evening Opening.

Other opening times are as follows:

Saturday 1st December: 12noon to 4pm

Sunday 2nd December: 12noon to 4pm

Thursday 6th December: 12noon to 4pm

Friday 7th December: 12noon to 4pm (re-open 6pm to 8pm for Xmas Fair)

Saturday 8th December: 12noon to 4pm

Sunday 9th December: 12noon to 4pm

I hope you can come along and support Ballarat’s Creatives. I just know that this is the beginning of a fabulous annual affair!

The Crafty Squirrel Online Shop is now OPEN!

Secret Squirrel Alert!

Finally...after much behind the scenes squirrel work - I am very pleased to announce that you can now peruse at your leisure our brand new online shop!

Of course it was very tricky to decide what treasures were going to be loaded up as there are SO many to choose from in our bricks & mortar store...this is really just a taste of the kinds of things we have available.

Lot's of the vintage treasures are limited in number and can sell out fairly quickly. Other items we only get in a limited amount of stock and so really my best advice is - if anything you see makes your heart skip a beat - then make it yours before someone else does!

And if you ever see anything in other photos I post about new stock or treasures I have in the shop - then just let me know that you would like to buy it and I will upload it into the shop - just for you....just like that. Easy huh!

Can you tell I'm excited! Just a bit......Yay!

Thanks for visiting.

Morgan xx A.K.A The Crafty Squirrel!

Crafty Girls Talk

A few months ago local Ballarat author Jennifer Forest (of Jane Austen's Sewing Box fame) sent me an email inviting me to be interviewed for her new book - Crafty Girls Talk. Naturally I was delighted to be asked and had a lovely afternoon chatting with Jennifer about the ins and outs of my business - what I do and how I do it. Of course my story is only one of many.

Crafty Girls Talk is a collection of interviews from around the world of women who craft for fun, for profit and for others. Each story is an exploration of that crafty girl's world, what they make and where they have taken their passion for creating.

Those of you who know me will know that I love a good chat! I love to hear the stories of those that pop into the shop or whom I meet at a market. I love to hear about what others are creating, crafting, making. What inspires them, who they learn't their skill from be it sewing, knitting or crochet or just what inspires them in their creative lives.

This book is like having a good chat about all of those things. Learning from others about what they do and why and namely how is just so inspiring. This is definitely the type of book that you could sit down with a nice cup of tea and get totally lost in the stories of these creative women from across the globe.

When the book was nearing completion - Jennifer got in touch again to ask if it would be ok to use a photo I had taken of one of my apple pincushions on the front cover of the book. I was honoured!

Yesterday after much awaited anticipation - the book arrived! How exciting! And in the name of celebration - I have decided a little giveaway is the order of the day!

From now until 3pm on Saturday 6 October - if you like and share my photo on the Crafty Squirrel facebook page - you will go into the draw to win your very own signed copy of Crafty Girls Talk and also a handmade apple pin cushion made by yours truly. You've got to be in it to win it - so get liking!

I will also have copies of the book for sale at The Design Exchange Market on Sunday 7 October at the Mining Exchange, Ballarat - with Jennifer Forest herself hosting a book signing from 11am and also at subsequent design markets I am attending this year and of course in the Crafty Squirrel Shop!

Spring Sale at the Maribyrnong Makers Market

Many moons ago now I had an idea...to start a craft market that supported local artists and craftspeople within the inner west region of Melbourne where I lived.

After finding a lovely group of like minded souls who saw the potential in my vision - we finally (after lots of discussion and planning) launched the Maribyrnong Makers Market (MMM).

Run as a not-for-profit volunteer organised community craft market - the MMM has now been running for 5 years and even though I made a tree change to Ballarat 18months ago I have continued to have a stall at the MMM - because it is like a family reunion every time I visit.

The market happens 3 to 4 times a year and is so well loved by the local community and visitors a like - I always really look forward to having a stall there.







































Each year at the September market it has become a tradition for me to have my big Spring studio clear out sale. Over the year I save up all of my samples, seconds and end of season lines and offer them up at bargain basement prices.

Of course this year is no exception! I have lots of Mumma & Baby Bushkas, scarves and bits & bobs I have made for the shop - great for pressies or just because!

This is one sale not to be missed! Love to see you there!

Wonderfully Warm & Woolly Scarf Making Workshop

Yesterday I ran the most wonderfully fun workshop just down the road from the Crafty Squirrel Shop at South Street Art Studio. We started off the day with a delicious morning tea of scones and muffins and all sorts of yummy things (thanks to Linda our lovely host!) and whilst we all got to know each other over cups of tea - I could tell the girls were itching to get started!

Using a beautifully soft length of wool cashmere (I'd prepared earlier) as our scarf base and lots of felted woollen jumper pieces from my studio - we then played around with various techniques and methods to create one of a kind scarves.

I was so impressed with their creativity and whilst we ran out of time towards the end...probably because we got chatting over the gorgeous lunch Linda made (we could have stayed on stitching for another 2 or 3 hours I think) - the girls were happy with what they had done and I was delighted with their end results. Their scarves were beautiful! What a fun and memorable day!

Vintage Treasures

Gorgeous vintage crayons - I just LOVE the box! 

It's no secret that I am a lover of vintage. Every day items from yester year just seem to tug at my 'love' strings. I think it has a lot to do with the packaging, the illustrations, colours and styling.

I can't help but be nostalgic and I know when I have visitors to the shop - they often comment on how it takes them back in time.

This love of vintage and strong re-purposing and recycling nature gives me lots of material to work with in my own creative journey and in my own products I make to sell.

But a love of travel and treasure hunting also leads me to seek out things from all over the world to share with you....these are just a few of my recent finds. Enjoy!

Vintage crochet hooks - love, love, love the colours.

1950's vintage party decorations - made in Japan.

Gorgeous 1950's hair clips - made in Hong Kong.

Who wouldn't want to sew with 'Sun Sewing Silk'.