Gidget goes Ga-Ga for BrisStyle!

It’s United Nations Day on the 24th of this month. It’s the International Year of the Potato this year, as declared by the United Nations. How does this relate to BrisStyle you may well ask? Well, it doesn’t really except for the fact that potatoes are a popular vegetable and most BrisStyle members likely eat them on a fairly regular basis. When I think of potatoes I think of chips. Hot chips. With fish. Yes, fish & chips on the beach! So this post will feature a selection of BrisStyle seller items that fit in with the theme of sunny days on the beach eating fish & chips. So you see, there is a link to potatoes after all that. Phew! Lucky my first thoughts were of chips and not mashed potatoes. That would be a tricky theme to work with…

Print - Teasing the Waves Original Artwork
by Elizas Art

Dazzling Board Shorts for your Little Surfie

by Ogekko

Surfers Paradise - Vintage button Earrings

by Ruby Red Studios

Julie Coquelicot (pretty pop) Hat

by SM Boutique

Little Portrait of a SURFER GIRL - Art Print

by Twinkle Star Art

Northern Waters Wolf Brooch

by RE-Read Designs

Haven’t seen any wolves on any of the beaches I frequent, but sure wish I did. They’d chase away those pesky Ibis birds that are so fond of rudely stealing my lunch!

Pink Sun Top

by Hot Fudge

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

by Wicked Child Designs

I swear I saw our PM Kev on the beach recently. Or somebody who looked remarkably like him. He was wearing speedos. And it wasn’t pretty.

If you fancy purchasing any of the super items featured here, then simply click on the seller name to be transported to their Etsy shop. Best of all, in celebration of United Nations Day this month, if you purchase any of these items during October, a bucket load of good karma will be headed your way. That good karma will also extend to the purchase of any item from any BrisStyle member by the way. There’s plenty of good karma to go around! And chips! Would you like one? Ooops…too late. All gone.

Celebrate Christmas, the BrisStyle way!

If you are a budding ethical consumer who is looking for gifts that are unique, well-made, with a little soul, and a lotta style, then The 2008 BrisStyle Christmas Market in Hamilton is the place to Shop.

Find all these goods and more at the BrisStyle Christmas Market

The Historic Town Hall in Hamilton creates the perfect environment for this boutique event. Ample Street parking & easy access via the Rivercat, the hall has wheelchair and pram access as well as plenty of shade.

The gourmet food stall in the leafy courtyard is catering for the Brisbane summer with cool drinks and traditional Christmas treats.

Meander through the stalls of the distinctive and the fresh, chat to the makers and learn about them, and their wares, while the soothing sounds of the acoustic entertainment kindles your Christmas Spirit.

You’ll find something very different here. Like most sellers on etsy.com, the BrisStyle designers take great pride in adding that little extra for their customers. Whether it’s beautiful packaging, personal gift wrapping, little cards, or extra gifts, it’s sure to be something that touches the heart.

This Christmas the artists and designers of BrisStyle will also give their support to various charities with the hope that through your gift giving, you and they can make even a small difference to someone’s life.

So embrace the BrisStyle enthusiasm, support your local community and shop ethically this Christmas.

Location: Hamilton Town Hall, Cnr Rossiterand Racecourse Rd, Hamilton, Brisbane
Date: Saturday 13th December 2008
Time: 9am – 4pm

PARTICIPATING SHOPS
(watch this space, as we add more shops to the list over the coming month)

Beckybean
Bellabijoux
Bugs in Rugs
Eliza's Art
EmBelISH
Hot Fudge
Hot Toffee
Jellygnite
Little Diva Crafts
Little Mary Moo
Made by Maisie
Made by Miffy
Moore Taste
Pedrosprout
Ruby 2 GoGo
Ruby Red Studios
Sharlzndollz
StratDesigns
Sunshadow
Trinkets & Roses
Twinkle Star Art
Wicked Child Designs

Let's hear it for the boys!

It is often said that it is difficult to find quality handmade gifts for boys. But never fear, BrisStyle is here to help! Here you will find a selection of goods perfect for lovely lads ranging from newborn babies to big little boys.


Shirt - long sleeve cotton weave check - Size 5
by Hot Fudge
$35



African Inspired Toddler Pants - 6 mths to 4 yrs
by Ogekko
$20



FIRE FIGHTER kids personalized fire engine truck name print with boy's NAME, HAIR colour, BIRTH date
by Twinkle Star Art
$19.00



Phizz-z-z-z - boy's 'cash and cards' wallet
by Beckybean
$18



Neon Blue Dottie Baby Booties
by Pedrosprout
$30



Funky Little Kiddies Singlet
by Bubba Chenille
$7



Travel Crayon Roll - racing cars
by Bugs in Rugs
$9.50



Camouflage Cameron
by Wicked Child Designs
$30

Spring into Spring

Spring has sprung - the flowers are out, the birdies are chirping, and sunny Brisbane is living up to its name! So what better way to put a spring into your step than with one of these sunshiny creations from a few of our talented BrisStyle members.

Hair Clip Holder - Daisy Fabric
by EmBelISH
$15.00

Pixie Pin
by Art Decadence
$5

Swarovski Crystal Wire Pendant
by Marlier
$28

Red Daisy Sling Bag
by Little Mary Moo
$35

Her Daintiness - Featuring Pale Pink Rose
by Trinkets and Roses
$64.95

Vintage Delight - Spring Garden
by Love, Janie Lou
$34

60s Retro Ladies ACEO - Dotty Blue
by Jellygnite
$4.00

Lime Blossom Studs - Fused Glass Earrings
by Hot Toffee
$25

Sunlight Pair Necklace
by Scampsville
$17

Sunrise at 5.16am - ACEO
by Hey Harriet
$11

Paper Gals Paper Doll - Hearts and Flowers
by Sharlzndollz
$6.30

The Schoolhouse Quilter's Exhibition

If you were in Brookfield this past weekend, you may have been lucky enough to pop into the Schoolhouse Quilter's Exhibition, which was set in the beautiful Brookfield Hall (a very pretty heritage listed building and the perfect place to hold an exhibition).


One of our very talented BrisStyle members, Robyn of Hot Fudge, was one of those taking part in the exhibition, which was a roaring success, with a gorgeous display of bright sunny weather to grace the weekend, and an even more gorgeous display inside the Brookfield Hall, which was a kaleidascope of quilting colour!


The crowds on Saturday morning were very large and kept the girls in the sales room quite busy - so much so that Robyn didn't even have the chance to stop to take some photos. However, to give you an idea of the loveliness on offer, Robyn sold many many of these sweet little booties.


And is now very busy restocking her Etsy shop after seriously depleting her stock of wonderful children's clothing and accessories.


The exhibition was enjoyed by all who came and most people took advantage of the refreshments room or sitting outside under the marquee, renewing their strength with cups of coffee and tea and enjoying lovely sandwiches and home baked slices.

For the first time, this year the Schoolhouse Quilters invited the local primary schools to participate in a competition to make a quilt using the theme of fire prevention (as the proceeds from the charity raffle quilt this year went to the local bushfire brigade.


As Robyn herself puts it, "frankly, we were gobsmacked when the entries poured in from little children in Grade Three - 7 and 8 years of age - and this was their first attempt at making a quilt. My hat goes off to those dedicated school teachers who guided their pupils in such a way that the enthusiasm oozes out of the finished products".

Overall, the event was a huge success. And by the sounds of it, there is now a whole new generation appreciating the craft of quilting! Well done Robyn, and thanks for sharing the experience with us :)

The Ipswich Handmade Expo

The very first Ipswich Handmade Expo, held on Saturday 16th August, saw many BrisStyle members not only making great sales, but getting some fantastic feedback, and even publicity as well!

With close to 2000 people coming through the doors of the 87 stallholder event, various BrisStyle members described the day as huge, wonderfully organised, busy and exhilarating! Some of the BrisStyle members who sold their wares at the expo included:

Michelle from Pedrosprout and Sharon from Shazzabeth Creations, who both had photos of themselves and their stalls featured in the Queensland Times paper (click on the photo to read the whole article).


Michelle's gorgeous booties and other handmade sewn goodies made a beautiful display, and Sharon's original beaded, wirework and chainmaille Jewellery brought lots of crowds, with earrings being her most popular items.


Other BrisStyle members who attented included Jacqui from Bellabijoux, selling beautiful one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces.


Trish from Trishalan Designs, also had a beautiful stall set up, selling wonderfully vibrant hand-dyed fabric and threads, with the threads being a particularly popular item.

Polka dot Rumba pants were the most popular item for Louise from Made by Miffy, who sells boutique wear for kids and the kitchen! And Eliza of Eliza's Art was happy to find customers falling in love with her gorgeous art prints.

All members who attended agreed that the morning was the peak time for crowds, with many stall holders not getting a coffee break until well into the afternoon. They also said that the organisation of the event was superb, as was the publicity leading up to the event, and they are sure that next month's Expo will be even bigger and better, so stay tuned for more information on the next Expo happening in September. We will put the information in our 'What's Happening' section of the blog (in the top right hand column) as details come to hand :)

The BrisStyle Ekka Extravaganza Etsy Sale!

The ‘Ekka’ is the annual agricultural show held in Brisbane, Australia. It is a fun-packed 10 days of bright lights and rides, local produce, entertainment and cute animals! We thought it would be a perfect excuse to have a sale on etsy to promote our BrisStyle team and our talented members, as well as a chance for lovers of handmade goods to snap up some great bargains!

The Ekka Extravaganza Sale runs from Saturday 9th August to Sunday 17th August (ending 12 midnight etsy time). Participating shops are offering a variety of great deals like percentages off, free postage and bonus gifts.

Here is a list of the participating shops – check out the beautiful BrisStyle stores and their great deals!

jellygnite - 15% off all items in store + free art card / aceo with every order over $15 (excl postage)

HotFudge - 15% off all items in store

EmBelIsh – Free Owl Brooch & Gift Wrapping with purchase

TwinkleStarArt – Free children's 'gift card' with all purchases. Purchase two or more art prints, receive an additional art print, of your choice, for free.

Sharlzndollz – 10% off all items in store

Shazzabeth – 10% off all items in store + free postage on orders over $100

Elizasart – 10% off all items in store + free postage on orders over $100

MooreTaste – 15% off all items in store + a free pair of gemstone earrings on purchases over $100 after discounts

Beckybean – Free gift pack (bookmark, felt hairclip & postcard) with any bag purchase

ruby2gogo - Retro Brisbane gift cards with all purchases. Show Bag with purchases over $40

rubyredstudios – Retro Brisbane gift cards with all purchases. Show Bag with purchases over $40

Hey Harriet – Free postage on all purchases

Hair Doos - 10% off all items in store + free postage on orders over $100