Finders Keepers starts today!

It's been a whole year since my last FK and I am just a wee bit excited! Great designers selling their wares + live music + a bar...is there any better combination??

Please come and say hi if you are there - we are at stall B8 :-)

The finished articles

I don't know if I am happier with how the prototypes turned out or with the pretty pictures my new camera helped me take of them!

Thanks for your kind comments on the 'before' pictures - I am glad I shared!

They are instore now :-)

Prototypes...

Some new goodies headed for the kiln this weekend...I feel a bit nervous about sharing 'unfinished' pieces but being an inquisitive type myself (read nosey) I always appreciate a peek into other people's work spaces :-)

half baked

My new porcelain earrings are almost ready...these tiny handmade discs are blissfully light and ever so slightly translucent. No two earrings are the same....making them a couple more than a pair which I kind of like...matching is so 2010 ;-)   They will be in the shop later this month.

 Lots more new things to come in 2011.....my brain keeps having little creative epiphanies. To be the first in the know then follow ensparkle on facebook - even better why not sign up to the newsletter too!

Keep cool!

On the road again....

ensparkle is headed for Canberra this weekend...we would LOVE to see you there :-) The Hyatt is devine and Mathilda's market will be choc full of Christmas loveliness!

Get Christmas sorted!

I LOVE the idea of doing all of my Christmas shopping under one roof! Hopefully I will manage to sneak away from my stand to indulge in a spot of retail therapy.

Three fabulous days of gorgeous designer wares....will you be there?

ensparkle will be at Magnolia Square with lots of lovely new Christmas goodies - if you make it then please come and say hi :-)

Dear blogging friends....

are you a friend on facebook too? We would love for you to join us

Tonight sees the launch of the ensparkle newsletter...lots and lots of you have signed up to receive this at markets over the past few months - thank you!

If you haven't subscribed yet you can do so here. We have a super dooper Christmas offer just for you lovely people ;-)

she's apples

before

after

I love baking...perhaps more than baking I love the certainty of baking. Your creation may not turn out exactly like the recipe (my apples for example did not sink as promised) but you are pretty much guaranteed an edible outcome :-)

The kiln gods (very UNcertain creatures) have been a bit fickle of late and so my Christmas goodies are taking longer than planned to go into my shop....they ARE coming and next week should be the week.

If you fancy trying the apple cake above you can get the recipe here

If you like my fancy pants rounded corners and want your own try here ;-)

the process

See - 3 post in 2 days!

I thought I would share some photo's of my work in progress.

Clay is an unpredictable medium and all of my pieces have at least 2 firings - meaning the kiln gods get at least 2 shots at ruining my hard work! Last week I spent an evening playing around with some new Christmas decoration & wedding designs. Here they have just had their first (bisque) firing...I will post photo's when they are complete :-)

I almost forgot

If you are not a facebook follower you would have missed ensparkle's tv debut! Check it out below....click on 'postcards' and then 'Episode 29 - Mathilda's Market'

http://www.visitvictoria.com/videos/

slack blogger repents

Yes I know....I am pretty useless at this blogging lark but in fairness I didn't ever promise I would post regularly ;-)

Sometimes life (and work) take over and I find my self left with little time (or inclination) to share the goings on at ensparkle HQ!

Christmas is coming and my Christmas design will be listed in the shop later this month (yes, I know it is September).

Recently I have worked on some lovely orders from some lovely customers....sometimes I like them so much that I just take a wee snap before I parcel them up....maybe I have separation issues...

I promise it won't be so long next time :-)

are you a follower?

If you are on facebook and you are not yet an ensparkle follower/liker (or whatever the term is now!) then head over to our page and join in the fun. We have a special offer this weekend just for you lovely facebook peoples....

What can a dollar get you?

Not a lot these days? Well sometimes I am pleasantly surprised...

I heard about Mia Nolting via the wonderful Li'l Magoolie

Mia is an artist who as she says 'went to art school and learned how to draw letters'....and she will write/draw any message or name you like in chalk and email you a high res image to print all for.....$1!!

How cool is that? Now I know I could go and write on the ground myself with some chalk but it would never look this cute!

I ordered one for each of my boys and the finished product is above - lovely don't you think? I am going to get some white frames and hang them in their rooms...

new cows on the block

A lovely Lady at Mathilda's Market in Melbourne ordered some custom cow cups to make a set with one of my cow jugs...they looked so adorable that I had to take a photo. As I was painting them a certain 3yr old took a shine to the design so I made one for him too...he was delighted when I gave it to him this morning...

Have a great week

warm and fuzzy (despite the cold!)

A 3am start and -3 degrees outside....the drive to Canberra today was Chilly! One head on encounter with a deer, 2 wombats and a baby bunny later I arrived at the Hyatt where they had thoughtfully cranked the heating up! Typically I forgot my camera...sorry!

As always Mathilda's market was lovely but today I really appreciated what a fantastically supportive group of market friends I have made in the 6 months since ensparkle launched. These ladies are nearly all 'work from home Mums'...most juggling family life and designing/handcrafting their wares. It is rare to find so many women who are as open and generous with their knowledge and support. I feel really lucky to have made the acquaintance of these beautiful people....

Sarah, Monique, Sarah, Annabelle, Corrie, Michelle, katie, Amie

Now speaking of women in business, a few stallholders asked me today about a business course I have been doing over the past few months. I have become a little bit evangelical about it and tell everyone I meet how helpful it has been to me as a small business owner. Every stall holder who spoke to me about it today....listened to me waffle and then said "Yes but how much does it cost???"

Well here is the most wonderful thing about this course....it is FREE....yup that's right...absolutely gratis!!! Free childcare and lunch is also provided!!! It is only available to Mums and you need to be in business or have a business idea.....if you fit the bill then you would be bonkers not to apply!

http://www.biznessbabes.com.au/

Tomorrow it's back to the business of unpacking after moving house last weekend and  to the orders that need painting.....

tomorrow is...

your last chance to visit Magnolia Square in Sydney until it pops up again in November!

I have spent two lovely days in awe of the talented designers and gorgeous goodies on display...I have already made some purchases and will be making more tomorrow! Make sure you don't miss out :-)

I do...

I LOVE a good wedding and recently I have been busy creating some custom wedding cake stands. How lovely that these cake stands make a gorgeous wedding gift....and can even display the wedding cake!

They are available to order now in my shop

Finders are definitely keepers!

So I have been a bit absent in blogland but I have a good excuse! I had a stall at Finders keepers this Fri/Sat and it was amazing! Carriageworks is a beautiful building and I had a great spot with lots of natural light. The standard of the other stalls was beyond my imagination...I only wish I had managed to get photo's of them all but as it was I was by myself on Saturday and just managed to snap some pics of my own set up...

I met lots of other lovely stallholders many of whom I have followed in blogland and I will post about them this week. For now I am going back to putting my feet up for the last few hours of mothers day :-)

stocking up

It's heads down round here making sure I have enough stock ready for finders keepers this weekend. Here is a new batch of brooches off to the kiln tomorrow for their last firing...lets hope the kiln gods are feeling kind ;-)

One big sleep...

until Mathilda's at Lane Cove! I am pretty excited as it is my first visit as a stallholder....I went last year to shop and let me tell you it is Mummy retail heaven!

Hope to see you there :-)