A photographic tour
When you walk around a busy craft market, you don’t often get the chance to take everything in. There are so many amazing things to see that it can be a sort of sensory overload. This feeling is why I always recommend that people take one walk all the way around first, then come back for a second, more detailed look. If you only go around once, there’s so much you can miss!
Round the outside
We’re going to break up our visit into manageable chunks. This post will cover the first 13 stalls around the outside walls of the hall (in yellow).
Wheat Bag Buddy
The first stall on the left as you enter the hall is Monique’s Wheat Bag Buddy.
“Six years ago, I redesigned the wheat bag into the Wheat Bag Buddy.
I have loved wheat bags for years. We all know how great they feel! There was just this one thing about them – you would get them in just the right spot, then you would move, and you had to start again. I thought there had to be a better way. And there is!!”
“
Wheat Bag Buddy is so popular that I have had children & adults argue over who is going to use it next. I have friends in homes that love it when they go to sit outside in the cold. Animals love them as well! It has given so many friends & family enjoyment.
All Wheat Bag Buddies are double thickness to help contain the heat, and I like to use new updated theme materials.”
Next is
Shop Nikkis, with fun, geeky crochet creations.
“I do hand made crochet- not your usual blankets and booties, though. Anything from science fiction and fantasy.”
“A geek hobby was born when I made my boss a crochet dalek in an attempt to get a pay rise ! Now my creation is only limited by my imagination- and the space I have in the spare room. Dr Who, Star Wars. Pokemon. Guardians of the Galaxy and much more crochet loveliness. I can also make things to order.”
The Sewphist
Working our way along the lefthand wall, the third stall is
The Sewphist. Elisabeth
loves to play with fabric, creating original stitched accessories to brighten your day!
”I developed a love of fabric at a young age, and I’ve never quite stopped playing with it. When we bought our house, it came with a workroom, and suddenly my hobby turned into a business.
For the first few years I obsessively acquired fabric to use in my products, but gradually realised that I needed to be using fabrics that no-one else had. So I revived my long abandoned drawing skills, and relaunched my products using my own fabric designs. These days my business is a celebration of the beautiful environment we have here in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Next, we have Candice from
In the Den.
“
In a nutshell, I’m a Graphic Designer by day and illustrator and printmaker every other waking hour, in Wellington.”
“I work predominately in monochrome, using bold lines and negative space to create custom illustrations that are used across mediums, including tattoo work. My style and compositions are inspired by flora and fauna and tradition print making methods.
My work includes custom Illustrations for prints, cards, colouring books, notebooks and tote bags.“
To see more of my work and what I get up to, visit my Instagram profile
@inthedennz or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/inthedennz/
Our fifth stall along the wall belongs to Jemma from
Button + me.
Button + Me is an online boutique where you can find something for yourself and something for the little ones.
“I sell a range of products catered for both mums and little ones including silicone nursing/teething necklaces, bunny comforters, home decor, hand crafted wooden toy cameras, personalised birthday invitations and hand painted plates to name a few.”
The last stall against the left-hand wall is Leah’s
Ickle tings –
baby toys made from high quality cotton – their point of difference is the crinkle in their ears! Wabbits, meece and pusscats in a wide range of fabrics including some exclusive designs. Toys without noise – superwabbits, hobby horses, hobby unicorns and stick-o-saurus; Tooth fairy bags and receipts designed by a local illustrator; Kickmats/car seat protectors to save seats from muddy feet – all oilcloth; Bookbags in durable oilcloth.
“As a mum of 2, I left the full-time world and pursued my passion to make things. As my kids have grown, my product range has evolved. I handmake cotton toys for babies and beyond; I’ve introduced hobby horses (and unicorns and dinosaurs), tooth fairy bags and super heroes. I’ve also developed a ‘spin off’ product line with tinga-me-bobs. I make kickmats (car seat protectors) and book bags from sturdy oilcloth. I frequent various markets over the year and I supply a couple of retailers.”
The first stall against the far wall, below the stage, is
The Kokedama Hutt with Denise.
“I started making kokedamas as a hobby about 18 months ago. From there it became bigger with friends etc wanting to purchase the kokedamas so I started making more and trying a wide variety of plants. I now sell the kokedamas at several markets throughout the year.”
Libbydid
“I love to play with fabric and colour. Out of that passion came hair accessories, funky badges, balloon balls (the best toy for all age groups) and beeswax foodwraps (reusable cotton fabric treated with food grade beeswax to replace your plastic wrap).“
Lynne Campbell
“Hi, I’m Lynne, and you can find me and my stall at all three Petone Winter Markets.”
“I’m a nana who likes to knit but my grand-babies are all grown up… So this gives me an excuse to keep knitting!“
Next is
Serene Naturals.
Serene Naturals products are lovingly hand poured in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Using 100% natural soy wax and recycled cotton wicks making any environment feel cozy and relaxed.
“I make 100% natural soy scented candles. My mum is now joining my small business and we would be very keen to share our product with you. We sell soy candles, oil diffusers, soy melts, tealights and bath bombs – all natural products, and they smell divine.”
In the corner, by the window, we have Ange from
SilverCircus Clothing.
“SilverCircus started 12 years ago with making clothes for my daughter and friends at playcentre and is now my full time job.I design, draft patterns, screenprint and sew mainly children’s wear.”
SilverCircus clothing specialises in Natural fibres, cotton, organic cottons, merino, wools, bamboo, linen and retro and vintage fabrics.
Creating wearable, comfy, practical children’s wear in Petone, Wellington NZ
2017 range includes
merino beanies and singlets, bandana bibs, sunhats, undies, leggings, phat pants, trousers, skirts, dresses, wool Paddington coats, pea coats, wool vests, rompers, cordorouy overalls, and more…
SilverCircus collaborates with local illustrator/artists Kieran Rynhart and Ruth Carr and screenprints their work on tees and hoodies.
Stockists- the Dowse Art Museum, MatchBox Gallery Cuba St, Wellington and K’Rd Auckland, Cool Store Gallery, Mapua Nelson.
Find out more about me here:
www.facebook.com/Silvercircusclothing
Maria is next, with her beautiful glass creations.
“I make ferns, koru, birds and custom pieces made to order.“
In the last corner for this leg of our tour, doing some live burning – decorating a rolling pin – is Ngaire from
Burnt Offerings.
“I create unique, practical art pieces for everyday living, by etching glass, mirror, stone and burning onto wood. Most of my items are second-hand finds that I either etch or burn to give them a new lease on life. This also means you won’t find them elsewhere – they are unique, one-off pieces.”
Carry on the tour!
Continue your visit by clicking one of the images below to see more of August’s stallholders.
