My pledge from last year still stands: Christmas will be a handmade affair once again. And it’s hardly a challenge! Since this time last year, Felt has grown radically and there’s loads of gorgeous handmade gifts to choose from. I’ve picked out some gift ideas for inspiration here, but here’s just a small selection:

For the pamper-worthy person in your life, a shea body beauty bar by manaia; a set of 5 colourful linen NZ flora print teatowels by shakyisles will brighten up the kitchen for those home bodies; for the handy man, a men’s utility apron by bellathreads; pretty heart ceramic tiles by caitlin are great conversation pieces; Just like Tiki, painted onto a recycled record by organiks will appeal to music and art lovers alike; and a unique piece of jewellery like this bird ring by plainjane makes a lovely gift.

Christmas decorations and stocking fillers

Felt is full of little treasures great as stocking fillers – pop them into a recycled wool blanket Christmas stocking by claribell. Tiny crocheted Russian dolls by shirley and stickers made from Japanese washi paper by freedom make gorgeous stocking treats for Christmas morning; and your tree will look beautiful with handmade decorations like this Madonna and child ornament by sweetwilliam, beaded felt decorations by erika_eddles and a candy cane hobby horse by teribear.

It’s All About Style
Amy of the Loop Knittery in Christchurch is hosting a crafty afternoon tea with image consultant Joanna Giles from 3.30 – 5.30pm this Saturday 29th November. More information is available here.

Birkenhead Artisan Market
One of Auckland’s premiere markets, Birkenhead Artisan Market is on from 9am – 1pm this Saturday 29th November, featuring an array of textiles, jewellery, homewares and art, at 110 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead.

Paekakariki Fair
I’m told that The Little Gems and Sonya of copper-red will be out in force at Paekakariki Fair this Sunday, so if you’re in the 04 be sure to drop by and say hello to Helen, Shelley and Carmen in Wellington Rd, Paekakariki from 10am – 2pm, Sunday 30th November.

Kraftbomb
An explosion of crafty goodness, Kraftbomb kicks off at 11am this Sunday, 30th November at Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.

Last but not least, issue 4 of World Sweet World will be available Monday 1 December, so don’t forget to get your copy on Felt!

It’s been a great year for Felt and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many talented crafty people – Felt users are such a friendly bunch! Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm. Here’s to another successful year in 2009!

Enjoy the festive season,

For those of you who are more fashion confused than fashion conscious, Amy at the Loop Knittery in Christchurch is hosting a traditional afternoon tea with image consultant Joanna Giles this Saturday, November 29th from 3.30 till 5.30pm.

The event is targeted towards crafters, especially knitters, who want to find the shapes and colours that fit them best. Not only will Joanna speak on “knowing your best shapes and colours”, but she will also talk about how you can incorporate these ideas when looking for patterns and yarn. Part two of the series will go into how to adapt knitting patterns to suit your new style.

It’s the perfect pre-summer Christmas gift for you and someone you love. Pre-register for this event via the Loop Knittery website or email amy@loopknittery.co.nz for more information.

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought New Zealand needed a little reminder of all the gorgeous things available on Felt, so these colourful Felt postcards are appearing in cafes and stores around the country, with the help of the lovely folk at Phantom.

If you’re interested in contributing to future Felt promotions, email me at lucy@felt.co.nz.

Birkenhead Artisan Market kicks off at 9am this Saturday 15th November and again for a special Christmas market on Saturday 29th November. Selling artisan foodstuffs and an amazing array of textiles, jewellery, homewares and art, the Artisan Market is a mixture of farmer’s market and upmarket craft market.

The market is located at Highbury House on Hinemoa Street in the heart of the cafe strip in historical Birkenhead. There is plenty of street parking in the area.

Make a day of it and meet up with friends and family in a convivial atmosphere that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

www.birkenheadartisanmarket.com

50 projects for turning found items into contemporary design

“Without leaving the mall, you can buy pre-faded T-shirts with “vintage” graphics, distressed furniture with factory-applied patina, or home accessories that mimic the style of decades ago. Each gives the appearance of having a history and a soul. In reality, it’s just the same mass-produced stuff that everyone else is buying”

Re-Creative is an inspiring collection of ideas to recycle, restore and repurpose found objects. If you’re the sort of person who likes all the ingredients laid out and readily available before starting a new project, this is probably not the book for you. For those who frequent garage sales and second-hand shops, getting their kicks from the thrill of the hunt, Re-Creative will have you itching to get out and find precious junk to assemble into a masterpiece of design and ingenuity.

The first part of the book gives tips on coming up with your own projects and sourcing materials, as well as a section on craftsmanship, Shaker design and product design in the twentieth century. It’s more of an overview than a detailed synopsis, but it’s an interesting read and provides easily digested food for thought.

Part two is dedicated to “ready-to-make” projects, although these are best treated as a source of ideas rather than step by step tutorials, because many of them include materials that you’ll require elements of either luck or dogged persistence to find the exact right thing. That said, there are some great ideas here using simple materials and methods to create really lovely finished products. The cardboard tube vases caught my eye, as did the section on novelty clocks, which features a “perpetually incorrect bathroom scale”, gutted to make a stylish wall clock.

Re-Creative is well worth a browse if you’re between projects and seeking inspiration for what to do with your stash of interesting junk that was too cool to pass up. It’s a nicely designed book with great photographs and an easy-to-read style.

This morning’s Viva magazine with the NZ Herald features an interview with Karen Dennis, the face behind Trixie Delicious vandalised vintage.

And the talented Marjorie, also known as WHSKR, recently had her art dolls featured on the front page of the Life section in the Dominion Post.

Both Marjorie and Karen slipped in a mention of Felt, which makes me very happy – thank you ladies!