Yes, I am still here

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Er yes, well, it has been a while, hasn't it?

I've been busy! Not only have I had the usual markets at Hall to make stock for, but in the last few weeks Mama Goose and I have also had a stall at Mathilda's Market and also at the Baby and Kids Market.

In addition to that; Little Poppet turned one, Miss Diva turned a much-anticipated four (it really isn't fair being the last person in your family to have a birthday each year!) and we escaped to the coast for a few days for a much needed getaway.

One more market for this year at Hall on Sunday the 6th of December, and then a break until February. Not really a break though, there are lots of ideas buzzing around my head that I want to experiment with for the new year.

We have a marquee now (we really are going up in the world!) so hopefully our allocated spot at Hall this month will give us enough overhead space to put it up. I've added a Christmas range of Fabric flowers and button clips, so look out for the sparkles!

October already?

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Well, Spring is well and truly here.

Mama Goose and I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Spring and the warmer weather so that we no longer have to wear three pairs of socks each when we have our stall at Hall Market. Unfortunately those days are not quite here yet - brrr! We have been very fortunate with the absence of rain on market days however, and our new location under the trees at Hall has meant we have enjoyed the sunshine during the colder mornings but have the promise of shade for the Summer months ahead.

Here are some photos from our September market at Hall:

Here's hoping our lucky run with the weather holds until we buy a marquee!

News Flash!

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In news just to hand, Mama Goose and I have learnt that we will be a part of Canberra's Mathilda's Market in November. We are very excited!





If you haven't yet heard about Mathilda's Market, then you should know it is a fantastic place to buy handcrafted and unique things for babies and children and you might just find something for yourself there as well! I visited the last Mathilda's in April with Little Poppet, and was very impressed with the range of beautiful things on offer and the talented stallholders we have here in Canberra.

So, when and where?

Sunday the 15th of November
Manuka Oval (Bradman Room)
Manuka Circle, Griffith, ACT

Hours are 10am to 2pm, and there is free parking available.

You can click on the Mathilda's logo above to be redirected to their website.

Little Sweeties

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I've been searching for some of this cupcake fabric for quite some time and had just about given up hope; it was proving quite elusive to find.

But today while Little Poppet and I were taking shelter from the (very) cold and (very) blustery weather I stumbled upon some in a local fabric store. I felt like snatching it up and running to the counter while shouting "Mine, mine, it's all mine - bwa ha ha ha ha!" but I had to push the stroller so it wasn't really possible. I'm thinking this will be put to good use making hairclips of various kinds, magnets and some birthday party bunting. What a lucky day!

What is it?

While at times in Winter it can seem like the world is going to hibernate forever, inevitably Spring eventually arrives. And although at the moment a lot of the trees are bare, quiet miracles like this are pushing their green shoots through the soil towards daylight, with the promise of green and growing things to come:

And I have no idea of what it is! We bought and moved to this house in March, so there are little surprises like this popping up all over our otherwise sleeping garden. I can't wait to see the colours that emerge over the coming months; various bulbs number among my favourite flowers and I always look forward to the spectacular Floriade with great anticipation. We moved to Canberra at the start of Spring in 2007, and I also have two Spring babies - is it any wonder I love Spring?

So while I've been enjoying Winter, I've been busy creating my own little Spring garden of Flower Clips from a range of gorgeous fabrics. After the first market at Hall, it appears others love them just as much as I do. These photos are of my much depleted stock after the market; I need to stock up on the popular colours and patterns again, and add a few more to the range. I love tracking down the ditsy prints and dots and finding new colours. 

Miss Diva is also quite taken with them, and is fast amassing her own little collection. Truth be told, I suspect she thinks all of the clips are hers, but since visiting the market stall she has a better comprehension of just why Mum is coaxing these little blossoms along. She loves wearing the hair clips I make, and I've even been known to wear them myself! I have plans to expand the range of Flower Clips for future markets.

Flibbertigibbet's Button Clips also proved very popular at Hall market. Whimsical ladybugs, butterflies, flowers, stripes, tiny Matryoshka dolls, lots and lots of dots and spots; there was something to capture the attention of little and not-so-little girls alike, they really did appeal to all ages.

People especially loved fossicking through the big wooden bowl 

of Button Clips, mixing and matching their own pairs.

Seen anything you like? Let me know in the comments and I will 

set it aside for you to collect at the next market.

 

As with the flowers, I have a few other plans for these covered buttons too. Since 

the success of our first market stall, my mind has been fairly buzzing with new ideas.

Flibbertigibbet and Goosey Gander will be 

at Hall Market on Sunday, August 2nd, 2009. 

Look out for expansion of the current ranges and the addition of some new ranges; bunting - perfect for birthday parties and children's bedrooms, and quirky mobiles and wind chimes.

*** Oh, and I haven't forgotten I promised you photos of the range of handbags. The photos are uploading to the computer as I type, and I will be back ASAP to add them.

Hazy Shade of Winter

One of the many things I love about living in Canberra is that we get to experience the four seasons in all their glory.

I love Autumn, with the amazing colour palette of the deciduous trees followed by the crunch of leaves underfoot. Winter in Canberra brings those incredibly crisp, clear days where the sun shines brightly and once you rug up appropriately it can be surprisingly enjoyable to spend part of the day outside.

It can also be bitterly cold and dreary at times, so if you need to brighten up your day then one of these hand bags just might fit the bill. I've been carrying around the prototype of this range for over a year and have been asked countless times where I got it. The answer then was that it was created for me by my very talented mother-in-law, Mary. Now that Mary has gone into exclusive and limited production for Flibbertigibbet, I'll just hand over a business card!

The Winter's day I took these photos definitely fell into the 'cold and dreary' category, so I will be back with another post tomorrow with more photos to better capture the colour and detail of these one of a kind bags.

A new arrival ...

Flibbertigibbet made its highly successful debut alongside Goosey Gander at Canberra's Hall Markets yesterday. Would you believe that in all the flurry and excitement of our launch, Mama Goose and I both forgot to take our cameras? What a shame!

Thanks to the clear blue skies (I even got sunburnt) there was a good turnout for such a chilly July day, and we loved seeing and hearing our products being admired by browsers and buyers alike. 

A big thank you to all who called by; we will be regulars at Hall from now on and hope to secure a spot at various other Canberra markets too. We hope to see you again soon!