March Featured Members and Giveaways!

Due to the overwhelming response to the first monthly BrisStyle blog member feature and giveaway, we will now be offering twice the fun each month, with two featured members and TWO giveaways to be won. This month it is Miriam from Bubba Chenille and Christine from Little Diva Crafts who have agreed to give us an insight into their crafty lives, and who are giving away some fabulous goodies as well. Don't forget to leave us a comment to go in the draw for these two wonderful giveaways!

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Introducing BrisStyle member...



NAME: Christine Poole

ETSY SHOP NAME: Little Diva Crafts

1. Can you please describe the items you are giving away to one of our readers?

Little Girl’s Craft Apron

Every little girl needs somewhere to keep her pencils and scissors etc when she’s being creative, so why not in her very own frilly apron!

Coin/Card Purse

This funky little purse measures 10cm x 9cm and is big enough to keep your money, license, credit cards etc in your back pocket on a night out. Or if like me, you have kids and rarely get a night out, any little girl would love this purse to play with. The fabric is Amy Butler French Wallpaper in Duck Egg with the lining in Red and White stripe.

2. How would you describe your work?

Unique, varied and funky.

3. How did your Etsy shop come into being?

I bought the fabulous book “Softies” and started making lots of them for my kids and as presents. Then I thought I’d design my own softies, who are now known as The Imbi Family. My sister had previously introduced me to Etsy and I thought that would be a fantastic place to start selling my “family” and many other creations.

4. Who or What inspires you?

Most of my inspiration comes from fabric. There are so many beautiful fabrics out there with the most delicious colour combinations and patterns that I really have to stop myself buying them all.

I also get inspiration and ideas from my children and the things they love and need.

5. Can you describe your studio / work area?

I would love my work area to be beautiful, organized and inspirational but unfortunately it’s not! (yet anyway). I currently use my computer desk, sewing board and dining table and keep all of my things in the study.

6. What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

My Diva Dresses – I’ve got more on the way too as I’ve recently received more beautiful fabrics.

7. Do you have any other places that people can view/purchase your work?

Little Diva Blog
Markets Online (Australian online selling place)
Facebook "Little Diva" - Beautiful handmade gifts for your little girl (mostly...)

I will also have my own website up and running soon with links to my online stores, details of upcoming markets etc. It will be www.littlediva.com.au

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Introducing BrisStyle member...

NAME: Miriam

ETSY SHOP NAME: Bubba Chenille

1. Can you please describe the item you are giving away to one of our readers?

Pink and brown chenille zip pouch

This is my new creation especially for this givaway, hope you like it... I have a few of these as they are soooo handy. Here are some uses: camera, small bag (will hold lippy, mirror, cards, cash, tissue and keys) make up bag, small sewing project, really the list is endless. It measures 8.5" x 5.5" or for the young ones 22cm x 14cm. The lining is the same as the third fabric from the top, all are 100% cotton.



2. How would you describe your work?

Spur of the moment! I get an idea and I go for it. It also has to be "quick" or I lose interest.

3. How did your Etsy shop come into being?

I wanted to try and sell my items amongst other handmade sellers and to "get out there" this is the best online store. I sell at markets also, mainly The Handmade Expo, a relatively new market for handmade only.

4. Who or What inspires you?

Clever crafters and sewers and there are trillions of them!

5. Do you ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ as part of your creative process? If yes, how is your art / craft eco-friendly?

Anything that has chenille incorporated in it has come from pre-loved chenille, I am now a self confessed chenille-a-holic! I try to use chenille in all of my items, somtimes though I fall for fabric that I simply don't have the chenille to match but I still need to make the item... oh well!!

6. Can you describe your studio / work area?

My "design studio" is the third bedroom, no you can't look (a fabric bomb has gone off in there!) No bed of course, just sewing table, cupboards, shelves and storage boxes and not much floor!!!

7. What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

The pink striped tote. I had a brain snap, and is made from a Mercer and Reid teatowel, with hot pink chenille trim. I'd rather be making bags than doing the dishes...


8. Do you have any other places that people can view/purchase your work?

Madeit (Australian online selling place)
Bubba Chenille Blog

Thank you Christine and Miriam

The rules:

Simply leave a comment on this post to be in the running to win one of these two fabulous giveaways. Be sure to leave a way for us to contact you. If you don’t have a blog, please include your email address. Only one entry per person. You may enter twice if you mention this giveaway on your blog. If you choose to do this, please pop back after posting to your blog and include the url address to the post it was mentioned on here in the comments. This will count as your second entry. International folk are welcome to enter. BrisStyle members and their immediate families (ie: husbands/partners, dependent children, and their computer savvy pets) are excluded from entering all BrisStyle giveaways. A name will be randomly drawn on the 25th of this month and the winner will be announced on the blog on that same day.

The very best of luck to you all!

February Giveaway Winner!!!

Congratulations Lisa of The Princess and the Monkey blog.

The random number generator decided that you are the winner of the Edward and Lilly Lavender Scented Birdy!!!!

Please send us an email with your postal address to brisstyleteam@gmail.com and Rebecca from Edward and Lilly will pop your birdy in the mail for you :)


And thank-you to everyone who entered. Don't forget, we will have another big giveaway starting on 1st March, so check back to get your entry in for that one. In fact, from now on each month will be a double giveaway - so twice as many goodies to win!! Our BrisStyle team is growing so quickly, and more and more members are keen to give away a sample of their work to help spread the word about our crafty collective!!!

So watch this space, and we'll be back in only 4 days with more BrisStyle excitement!!

Handmade Help Bushfire Appeal

I am sorry but am feeling too heavy hearted to write much about the horrific bushfires and firestorms that have swept through Victoria, Australia recently (and which are still continuing to burn).


If you have not heard about these devastating events you can read news articles here, or a personal account here.

Quite simply, this post is a call to all lovers of handmade goods to pull together as a community and help out where you can.


Please, visit the Handmade Help blog for a full list of information on how you can help out. There are so many crafty and non-crafty ways to provide assistance and support.

Many many BrisStylers have been making goods to go to victims of the fires, many are donating proceeds of their sales to the Red Cross, Wildlife Victoria, and other assisting agencies, and others are helping out wherever they can. Please join us by doing whatever you can.

Be well,
The BrisStyle Team
XXX


Handmade Help
Etsy DUST team's Bushfire Appeal Etsy Shop (all proceeds donated)
Shop at coles this Friday - 100% of profits to Bushfire Appeal
Shop at Woolworths/Safeway next Friday - 100% profits to Bushfire Appeal
Visit the Bushfire Appeal Etsy Shop to help raise funds
Donate money to the Red Cross
Donate handmade Toys to The Toy Society
Create a rainbow comfort pack

February Featured Member & Giveaway!

Introducing...


NAME: Rebecca Cason

ETSY SHOP NAME: edward and lilly

1. Can you please describe the item you are giving away to one of our readers?

Lavender Scented Bird

The aroma of lavender lingers after this sweet little bird. The flowers are hand embroidered on linen set in felt. The bird’s belly is full of lavender flowers and scented with essential oil sourced from Australia. A cute little ribbon holds the bird to a coat hanger, hook, door handle, anywhere you like the scent of lavender.


Lavender Scented Bird Giveaway
2. How would you describe your work?

Edward and lilly designs begin as a gift for a loved one and the design evolves from there. The current rage includes softies, scented birds and zip pouches which are all handmade original designs. Sewing and embroidery are my favourite creative outlets and feature predominantly in my shop. I enjoy the creative process from original sketch through to a completed product line. I feel attached in some way to every piece I create. I believe in the value of handmade to effect change environmentally, culturally and socially hence the edward and lilly blog

3. How did your Etsy shop come into being?

Last year I designed my first softie, a blue dog in a basinet for my animal-loving niece. I uploaded it to flickr and the response took me by surprise. Soon after, a fellow Brisbanite contacted me to commission a similar design in a different colourway. She became my first client. I was still teaching myself to sew and hadn’t thought seriously about selling my designs until then. I was already an Etsy shopper so it seemed to be the best option. I soon followed this up with a madeit shop for Australian buyers.


4. Who or What inspires you?

Every day I feel inspired by something or someone different. Lately I’m inspired by French magazine Marie Claire Idees, Apolline, Julie Arkell, Dries Van Noten, nature, fashion photography, linen, Japanese fabric and the many crafty blogs I read each day. I’m always craving new inspiration so if you have a great find I would love you to leave me a comment on my blog.

6. Can you describe your studio / work area?

My sewing area is the dining table so I try to keep projects fairly contained in case we need to use the table. Every couple of days I like to pack everything away so things don’t get too carried away. The design process usually takes place while I’m walking, that’s when I have my most creative ideas/solutions to problems.


7. What is your favourite thing in the shop at the moment?

That’s easy, the ear flap beanie zipper pouch. It was very difficult putting that one in the shop.


8. Do you have any other places that people can view/purchase your work?

Blog
Madeit (Australian online selling place)
Flickr (Photo gallery)

Thanks so much Rebecca!
The rules: Simply leave a comment on this post to be in the running to win this giveaway. Be sure to leave a way for us to contact you. If you don’t have a blog, please include your email address. Only one entry per person. You may enter twice if you mention this giveaway on your blog. If you choose to do this, please pop back after posting to your blog and include the url address to the post it was mentioned on here in the comments. This will count as your second entry. International folk are welcome to enter. BrisStyle members and their immediate families (ie: husbands/partners, dependent children, and their computer savvy pets) are excluded from entering all BrisStyle giveaways. A name will be randomly drawn on the 25th of this month and the winner will be announced on the blog on that same day.

The very best of luck to you all!

A Very Happy 2009!

Fireworks by Artdecadence
Happy New Year everyone! This may seem to be a rather belated new year greeting but it’s not really. With Chinese New Year celebrations still in full swing, our new year wishes to you are right on time according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The BrisStyle holiday break is now well and truly over and we are back to regular weekly posting. We hope you enjoyed your Christmas and that 2009 is treating you well so far. The BrisStyle Team are all very enthusiastic about this year and have many exciting things planned. Most of which will be revealed closer to the time of them happening, but one of the fun things planned for the year can be mentioned now. The BrisStyle Monthly Giveaways! Each month one of our talented members will be kindly offering something to giveaway to YOU. Yes, YOU! The beautiful readers of this here blog will have an opportunity to win a fab prize each month. Every month! At the beginning of each month the giveaway will be announced, along with a feature of the BrisStyle member who is giving away that particular item. It will be a nice way for you to get to know our members a little bit better, while being in the running to win cool free stuff from them. The winners of the giveaways will be randomly drawn and announced here at the end of each month. The monthly giveaways kick-off in February, so please be sure to pop back in early next week for our very first member giveaway/feature.

In other news...

While BrisStyle was on holidays we were very happy to discover that we were featured on the extremely beautiful and popular Desire to Inspire blog as part of their Brisbane (and beyond) bloggers post. A huge thanks to the Desire to Inspire crew for including BrisStyle. It meant a great deal to us all. Especially so, because Desire to Inspire is a big favourite and much loved blog amongst BrisStylers. If by chance you’ve not yet had the pleasure of seeing this stunning blog, do head on over to take a peek. You’ll be totally smitten with it!

We’ll be back early next week for our very first member giveaway of the year. Just thought to mention it again in case you missed that info in the first paragraph. And it's far too exciting to miss! So until then take care and have a great week!

It's a Christmas wrap!

Get ready for the last BrisStyle post for the year folks. And let me warn you. It's a biggie. You might like to settle yourself down with a cup of tea first. Break out the tim tams. And enjoy the wrap-up.


In case you haven't already heard around the bloggy/crafty traps, the first ever BrisStyle market was an outstanding success. And on so many levels too! Not only was there a steady stream of smiling happy people all day (I think I got to sit down for all of about 20 mins for the entire 7 hour day!!!), but even the heat couldn't keep the huge smiles off the faces of the stallholders. Quite simply, it was heaps of fun.


The atmosphere was festive indeed, with music flooding the hall and courtyard, and excited stallholders chatting away (many of us had never met in real life before, although we had all communicated online regularly, so getting together was exciting in itself!).

From a personal perspective I could go on and on about what a fabulous market it was, and how proud I am to have been a part of it, and what an amazing group of people the BrisStyle crew are. But I'll spare you and let the pictures do the talking (unfortunately I was way too distracted to get round and take photos of all the stalls, so here is just a selection of market pics I've cobbled together from those organised enough to take some snaps!!).

Pedrosprout (top) and Hot Fudge (bottom)

Oh, I'll just also mention, that we raised $247 for Knitting for Brisbane's Needy, the charity that we supported by way of a raffle of members' goods and general donations (congratulations Diane Jones on your win, we hope you love your handmade items!!) .

Raffle Goodies

We also had the lovely Olivia from Scampsville doing a live cross from the market as part of her radio show At The Local on 4ZZZ. So if you'd like to hear a bit of live action from the day you can listen to the podcast, where Olivia interviews Helen (from Ruby Red Studios & Ruby2GoGo), Hayley (from REread) and myself (Beckybean). She also has a chat with Karen from Knitting for Brisbane's Needy, if you're interested in hearing more about this very worthy local charity.

Little Diva (top left) Kitty Boo Boo (top right) and Not Sew Shabby (bottom)

So it was a fun fun day (even if a bit hot...). Did I mention the food? My homemade iced tea (made with real Billy Tea) was refreshingly divine, as was my roast veggie wrap, and don't even get me started on those gorgeous mini christmas puddings that were handed around by Sharlene from Sharlzndollz!!!

Salt Sea Tees (top left) Little Diva (top right) and EmbelISH (bottom)

Bel and Em from EmbelISH also turned into little elves, delivering star-shaped gingerbread delights and other goodies.

Beckybean (top) and Hot Fudge (bottom)

Oh, and I haven't even mentioned yet the sneakiest little elf of all, fellow BrisStyle blog editor Tracy, of Hey Harriet. Although Tracy didn't have her own stall at the market, she was there manning the BrisStyle table, and relieving stallholders, and basically being the most amazing Girl Friday. Thanks so much Tracy - there is no way the day could have run as smoothly as it did without your help. I know you prefer to stay behind the scenes, but I simply can't type this without saying a huge THANKS! XXX

REread (top) and Twinkle Star Art (bottom)

Did I say I was going to let the pictures do the talking? I'm not very good at that am I? Oh well, while I'm at it, can I just say, see that gorgeous little mermaid doll at the front of the dolls shown below? That's MINE!!!! Well, actually, it will be my daughter's on Christmas day, but I can't wait to give it to her :)

Made by Maisie (top) and Bettsy Kingston (bottom....he he...get it???...sorry...)

While I'm rabbiting on here, can I also say I huge THANK-YOU to all the people who supported us in this huge venture. I was amazed at how many people came down to say hello, from other local Etsy sellers to South East QLD bloggers, friends, families and general passers-by. Even the very lovely Kelley, creator of Peppermint Magazine came down to check us out and say hello. Thanks everyone - your support was very very much appreciated and it really added to the wonderful vibe happening on the day.

Wicked Child Designs (top) and Bellabijoux (bottom)

Oooh ooh ooh, and seeing as though I've dropped all pretense of showing any kind of restraint with my waffle, can I also say.....see that t-shirt at the very front below (with the dog applique)? My sister bought one of those for her son, and oh my goodness he looks SO gorgeous in it. He wore it for his first photo with Santa. You can't tell from this pic but the nose is fluffy - EEEKKKK, too cute!!!!

Sharlzndollz (top) and Tees 2 Knees (bottom)

The only problem with this market. *Sigh* I now have the hugest wish list. I'm sure my sister and I bought things from at least half the stalls at the market (thank-you Little Mary Moo, Hot Toffee, Strat Designs and Raspberry Pink to name but a few, and I'm looking forward to extending Kate's Made by Miffy wardrobe next year too....hmmm...and maybe some Mimoo pjs too - they were SOOOO cute). But if you're getting the idea that I could easily have had one of everything then you'd be spot on. Like most people it seems, I came away so inspired by the handmade brigade.

Sunshadow (top left), Ogekko (top right) and Jellygnite (bottom)

And lastly, this whole big event would not have even happened at all if it weren't for the tireless effort, energy and enthusiasm of this amazing lady below. Miss Ruby Red there are not enough words to say thank-you with. The success of this market is a testament to the wonderful person you are. We are all so very very grateful.

The wonderwoman herself, Helen of Ruby Red Studios & Ruby2GoGo

And if somehow after reading this you are thinking "I need to know more" then never fear. Below is a list of links to other blog posts about the BrisStyle market. So you can get more perspectives, more photos, and more info about the wonderful day that was the first ever BrisStyle Christmas Market. Please Enjoy. And on behalf of BrisStyle can I wish you much merriment, happiness, health, love and craftiness for the Christmas holidays. We will be back, bigger and brighter in the new year. Cheers, Bec XXX

Bits of Toffee - a little more...for Sally xx
Charlie and Grace - Tis the season ...
Hot Fudge - Not all Markets Crash
Just Needs Salt - So many things to love, to want, to buy
Kitty Boo Boo - BrisStyle Christmas Markets Review
Little Diva - The first BrisStyle Market was a HUGE Success
Made by Maisie - Maisies Go To Market
Sharlzndollz - Mighty Market Roundup
The Small Stuff - And LO it was awesome!
The Small Things - The BrisStyle purchases
Twinkle Star Art - My first post

Merry Market Mania!

Oh! You better watch out,You better not cry,You better not pout,I'm telling you why:BrisStyle is coming to town!
(town in this case referring to the sweet suburb of Hamilton)
Only five more sleeps until the very first BrisStyle market! It’s just as exciting as that other big event which takes place later in the month involving the chimney sliding shenanigans of one very jovial fellow with an odd fondness for furry red suits.


(a selection of some of the delights created by stall-holders)
Approximately 30 BrisStyle members are participating in the market, so there certainly will be a diverse range of well-crafted and exciting wares on offer. It promises to be a fun and festive day, with live music, and tasty treats and refreshments available in the beautiful courtyard of the charming old Hamilton Town Hall. Also, BrisStyle’s favourite radio station 4ZzZ will be broadcasting live from the event in the afternoon as part of the popular and award winning At The Local program which is hosted by BrisStyle member Olivia (Scampsville) between 1pm and 2pm every Saturday. And if you ever miss the program the good news is that you can always listen to their podcasts anytime.

This market is the first of many that BrisStyle plan to have in the future and it was decided that the group will support a different local charity at each market event. The stall-holders will be donating a gift or voucher towards a raffle prize and tickets will be sold on the day, with all money raised being donated towards the chosen charity. The charities will also be given the opportunity to have a stall (at no charge) at each market to further promote themselves and provide information about what they do. The charity BrisStyle are supporting this Saturday is Knitting For Brisbane’s Needy and all the details can be found here about this crafty cause.

For those who are unable to attend the market, here is a list of all the participating BrisStyle member Etsy shops to check out at your leisure. From wherever you happen to reside. We certainly don’t want our faraway friends to feel left out of the fun!

BeckybeanBellabijouxBettsykingstonBugs in RugsEmBelISHHot FudgeHot ToffeeJellygniteLittle DivaLittle Mary MooMade by MaisieMade by MiffyMimooMiss Kitty Boo BooNot Sew ShabbyOgekkoPedrosproutRaspberryPinkReReadRuby 2 Go GoRuby Red StudiosSalt Sea TeesScampsvilleSharlzndollzStratDesignsSunshadowTees2KneesTrinkets & RosesTwinkle Star ArtWicked Child Designs
This little piggy will be going to market, and then this little piggy will be going Wheee! Wheee! Wheee! all the way home…happily loaded with lovingly handmade Christmas gift purchases!