Giveaway Winner - Sisterhood Sewing

Congratulations to Laura, who is the winner of a brand new custom designed handcrafted Owly friend.

Please email contact.hatchling@gmail.com with your postal details.

Thanks so very much to the lovely Ellie from Sisterhood Sewing for her generosity, if you would like to get an Owl of your very own, check out Sisterhood Sewing here: 
Web: http://www.sisterhoodsewing.com/
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sisterhood-Sewing/129267170454120

Giveaway - Sisterhood Sewing

Hello, here I am yet again, and you must be too if you're reading along.

This time, I'm here to announce, cue the trumpeteers.... a giveaway!
Hoorah!


Ellie from Sisterhood Sewing has generously offered up one of her cute-as-pie Owls to be given a new home with one very lucky fan/follower/reader, however you would like to term that.

Here he is, little darlin' ...

Just look at his big Owl eyes, so full of hope and anticipation, ready for you to love him all up.

You need to be a fan of Sisterhood Sewing on Facey to enter the giveaway, so click here to do that, then come back and leave a comment under this post for your chance to have a scrumptious new little Owly friend.

Thanks so much to Ellie for her generosity

Much love
Hatch ..xx

In their own words - Sisterhood Sewing

Hello again,

I prepared a lovely post for you all, featuring an interview with the lovely Ellie from Sisterhood Sewing and yesterday it was supposed to appear on the blog for your reading pleasure, but it somehow got swallowed up by the great (and sometimes quite unfriendly) web monster.  I wonder where it went, certainly not here that is for sure!

So, here today, I bring you an interview with darling Ellie, an apology for this not arriving as expected, and a note to say that I will also be posting the wonderful and exciting Sisterhood Sewing giveaway today, in a separate post.

So read, enjoy, be inspired.

Thanks to Ellie for taking the time to share with us, and be sure to check out her lovely wares, and show her some support http://www.sisterhoodsewing.com/ and on Facebook here


When did Sisterhood Sewing begin? 
Sisterhood sewing began 2009 . I belong in a group of fabulous women from Generation Church who have monthly events called Sisterhood.  One night we had a guest speaker from teen challenge queensland ( which helps young people to get free from addictions).
I  thought how can i use what God has given me to help others,,,, from there my mind was flooded with creative ideas and i started my first range of babushka dolls. once my friends knew what i did they started ordering them and telling their friends.

How did you learn your craft?
mainly self taught, trial and error.

What was the motivation to start creating? What was the push that saw you decide to start selling your items? in my spare time, ha ha ,being a stay at home mum i had made a stock pile of babushkas and owls. My sister helped me run my first market stall at the coolangatta beach markets. it did sell products but it was so exhausting that it took me about  year to do more markets.

How did you decide on the best forum for showcasing and selling your wares?  Which have you found the most successful and why?trying different local markets to see which ones attract my kind of shopper.
The village Markets are great because they promote their stallholders and advertise well.

What are your favourite materials to work with?beautiful cotton fabric,luxurious furnishing fabrics.  and my personal fave Cool VINTAGE fabric which i find so hard to part with.


Where do you get the inspiration for your pieces from?i look for trends eg babushkas and owls at the moment and i try to make mine a bit different and extremly cute.
i  have lots of creative friends of all ages and they often have some fantastic ideas and i work on the pattern. for example the pirate owl idea was from a friend who is a graphic  designer.  I made 5 of them for her nephews for christmas with their initials sewn on the wing.

Who do you imagine to be a buyer and lover of your items?my range at the moment is ALL ages. i have people buy mainly for themselves but so often for gifts for friends and family of ALL ages, to people tracking me down for baby gifts.


What has been the highlight for you since it all began? What about the most challenging bits? the popularity of  handmade has helped, and FACEBOOK is the best way for showing people what you are up to.

What was the last thing you created?am in the process of a vampire owl.... stay tuned.

What new things will we be seeing from Sisterhood Sewing in 2011?different styles of owls


What is the best thing about living a creative life on the Gold Coast? so many markets to choose from
meeting other friendly helpful creative stall owners

What is the most Challenging?most challenging is keeping work, life, family balance.

Thanks Ellie!

Much love
Hatch ..xx

Showcase Wednesday - Sisterhood Sewing

Aloha,
Yes, yes, I do realise that today is Saturday, and my timeliness on posting this is all whacked out, but we have been very busy behind the scenes with efforts for the Queensland Floods, so I do hope you will forgive me. But that is for discussion at a later date, as I don't want to detract from the joys I have to share with you right now.

I am infact here to introduce, to those of you who haven't already heard, a lovely lassie by the name of Ellie, who is the creator extraordinaire behind Sisterhood Sewing

Ellie is not originally from these parts.  She grew up in a small town in South Australia called Laura where her first ever job was in a sewing shop over the school holidays at the age of 15. This, she found far more appealing than the Child Care work experience she had already done, in her words "love kids, have two exceptionally gorgeous ones myself, and admire anyone who could be in a room with 30 of them all week"
And there, in that sewing shop, the seeds of crafting passion were born.

Then, when she went to visit her dear Grandma in the big smoke of Adelaide and they went on an excursion to Spotlight, Ellie thought that she had found fabric heaven.

This developing passion for creating was willed to blossom by Ellie's darling mother who  encouraged her and her two sisters to pursue the things that they enjoyed, which for Ellie of course was "sewing and FABRIC"




And how could you not love fabric like this!?

She recalls her mother taking their one little television to the op shop, but never missed it as she was quite content to while away the hours on a sewing project instead of watching the tube.  I tell you, every child needs a mother just like this, to encourage you to create like this...

And this....

Not to mention these little beauties....

After finishing High School, and being excepted to Uni, she decided instead to take a job at a soft-furnishings company. It was there that she learned to tools of the trade, and how to wrangle an Industrial sewing machine. As she says "hold on tight, those things go fast!" And from then on, there was just no stopping her.

And in the process of creating, Sisterhood Sewing was born.

You can find Ellie, and her amazing Sisterhood Sewing Creations in the following web locations:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sisterhood-Sewing/129267170454120
Website: http://www.sisterhoodsewing.com/

If you want to meet her and her treasures in person, you can find her
(on a nice day) at the Gold Coast Beach Markets
On the first Sunday of every Month at The Village Markets

And there are currently four shops on the Gold Coast stocking her wares.

She is already somewhat of a celebrity, and her treasures have even graced the pages of Frankie mag...

Tomorrow we will be sharing an interview with this darling lady, so be sure to head back and find out what makes her and her sewing machine tick.

And, on Monday there will be Sisterhood Sewing goodies up for grabs! Hooray!

Much love
Hatch ..xx

Savage Kitten Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Maddo, you are the lucky winner of this wonderfully generous, and truly gorgeous prize pack from the lovely Kim at Savage Kitten

Please email your postal details to contact.hatchling@gmail.com

A great big thanks to Kim for her great generosity, and thanks to everyone who entered.

This week's intended showcase artisan has had to be postponed due to our efforts to raise funds for the Queensland flood victims, but we will be sharing some wonderful posts, including a giveaway really soon, so be sure to check back.

Our thoughts are with all the people affected by the flooding, we hope you are all safe.

Much love
Hatch ..xx

I shot Myself on Tuesday

Sometimes, and especially on grey and rainy days like today, it feels like you are the only person in the world, but today it appears that I might actually be the only person in the world, how very lonesome indeed....

Here is me, all on my own for I shot Myself on Tuesday.

Hatch Ling

Please don't leave me here all by myself!  Feel free to join in the picture taking, self-reflective fun.

Find all the info here

If I am the only person in the world, who am I hoping will read this?

Love Hatch ..xx

Giveaway - Savage Kitten

Today is your lucky day! Why is that? I hear you say...

The darling Kim from Savage Kitten is one generous gal indeed! And it is you dear reader who gets to reap the spoils!

Kim has offered up a great stash of goodies which you get the chance to make your very own.

Thanks be to Kim!

Here are the goodies that you might just get to be the lucky owner of....

My oh my, look at all those treats!!

The pack includes a felt pin brooch, matching earrings, ring and hair slides. Yummo!

It is a condition of entry into the giveaway that you are a fan of the Savage Kitten Facebook Fanpage, which you can find by clicking here.
So make sure you do that before you enter (I will be checking you little rapscallions!)

When you head over there be sure to give Kim and Savage Kitten a great big cheer for their generosity and their brilliance.

You can find more Savage Kitten goodies in the following places...

http://savagekitten.etsy.com/
http://twitter.com/SavageKitten
http://savagekitten.blogspot.com/
http://kimwheeler.wordpress.com/

The winner will be drawn next Saturday by random.org

Good luck you clucky ducks!

Love Hatch ..xx

Giveaway Winner - Alipink

Congratulations to Bextarose, who is the winner of the Alipink clutch purse, please email us with your postage info  contact.hatchling@gmail.com

Thanks so much to Alipink for her generosity!

p.s. (congratulations to me, who finally figured out how to take a screenshot! Duh!)

In Their Own Words - Savage Kitten

Oh Helloooooo!

Sorry to have been absent from this space yesterday, I know, I was supposed to share with you an interview with the darling Kim at Savage Kitten, but all number of weird, wacky and downright interruptive things kept me at bay from the keyboard. 
One of which, involved removing an itsy bitsy gecko from a banner that was hanging on the wall, to which he had crawled into drying paint, and found himself well and truly stuck!

But, enough about me and Mr Gecko, onto far more impressive and inspiring things...

Today, Ladies and Gentlemen, I WILL bring you an interview with the darling Kim from Savage Kitten.

Read away, be inspired....

How did Savage Kitten all begin? What was the lightbulb moment when you decided to sell your goodies?
Savage Kitten started in a much different form to its current form. I used to make felt logo’s and sew them on t-shirts. Funny story about how that came about, but I think my audience has changed from those days. To be honest I have no idea why I started making jewellery, but somewhere about 2 years ago there was a lightbulb moment and it just happened organically. 

How and when did you learn your crafting skills?I have never had any formal training as such. I remember in school getting high marks for cross stitch, sewing, all that kind of thing. I think I just had a knack for it. I love hands on. My mum and I used to sit in our laundry and sew on an old Singer sewing machine with a foot pedal that was pretty cool.

What inspires you to create?Everything… I visualise things a lot. I did a drawing course about 2 years ago and it taught me persistence more than anything, but it also seemed to give me an artist’s eye. I def see the world differently since opening up this side of my brain. I can’t go outside without seeing a photo opportunity!

What was the last thing you made? What will be the next?The latest thing I have made is what I have called hair-candy. These are hair accessories made from felt, with buttons and beads. I have had quite a few requests for hair accessories.  I think these have an art nouveau look to them.
What’s next… well I would like it to be dresses, everyday dresses. That is the plan, but we’ll see. I have started to group some of my items under a sub-heading of wardrobe by Savage Kitten, so I hope to explore this is 2011.

What do you wish there was more of for artisans on the Coast?A dedicated, indoor (!) artists markets that does not sell second hand, vintage or mass produced items.

What has been the best moment since it all began?Feedback. I have received the most extraordinary feedback and it just blows me away. When people get what I am doing it is all worthwhile.

What about the most challenging moment?I find trying to sell, analyse, get numbers of followers and general number crunching to be so tiresome. It can also put so much pressure on you. Last year I wanted to throw it all in as I think I had become obsessed by all of this. I had to stop and remember why I do it and enjoy that. I prefer to create and do not like making on the premise of selling, tis a difficult balance for a business, tis perfect for the artist.

What is 2011 bringing for Savage Kitten?As I mentioned I would like to work on the wardrobe side of Savage Kitten, this includes my scarves and felt brooches and hair-candy. I would also like to see SK in some stores and to work on my art and maybe start to sell prints etc.


Thanks for sharing with us Kim!

You can find out more about Savage Kitten below:


http://savagekitten.etsy.com/
http://facebook.com/SavageKitten
http://twitter.com/SavageKitten
http://savagekitten.blogspot.com/
http://kimwheeler.wordpress.com/

Tomorrow (and I promise it WILL be tomorrow) there is going to be a giveaway generously donated by Savage Kitten, so be sure to check back if you would like to get your hot little hands on some SK goodies.

Much love

Hatch ..xx

Showcase - Savage Kitten

Well hello there you!
Don't you know I have something brilliant to share with you? I hope you are as excited about it as I am!

Today, I am delighted, and so very excited, and you are invited to take a peek at the wonders of...
(are you ready for this!?)





Savage Kitten

  Yay! Hooray! Hoorah!

Kim Wheeler is the brains, beauty, and creative brilliance behind the joy that is Savage Kitten, and Oh, what a joy it is! 

Kim is an Australian born artist, designer and creator. She has always been a 'maker of things' from her self stated early obsession with scissors, through to today, and her love of all things creative. 
This includes painting, drawing, photography, and baking.

If Savage Kitten is anything to go by, let me assure you, this woman will most definitely whip up a mean choc brownie!

She refers to her passion for making as " the creativity monster inside" something I think all creatives understand, as it never lets up, but Kim and her creativity monster seem to get on just fine, and she would be rather empty inside without him.

In Kim's words, "Savage Kitten is currently about jewellery, pins, scarves and accessories, oh and the occasional manly item.  I have very strict quality controls and everything in the range is made solely by me. I have heard people describe SK as pretty with an edge, this is exactly what I am trying to achieve"

You can find Savage Kitten on the Webby at the following locales:

Etsy: http://savagekitten.etsy.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SavageKitten
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SavageKitten
Savage Kitten Blog: http://savagekitten.blogspot.com/
Kim's Blog: http://kimwheeler.wordpress.com/

Tomorrow we are going to share an interview with Kim, so be sure to check back for a big dose of creative inspiration, and a little look into the mind of a wonderful Gold Coast Creative

Thanks so much to Kim, and Savage Kitten for letting us share.

Much love

Hatch ..xx

The first ever - I Shot Myself Tuesday 04/01/2011

Here my fine friends are the wonderful contributions for the first ever I Shot Myself Tuesday.
To participate, find the info here



Hatch Ling



Savage Kitten



Asha Kidd



Giveaway - Alipink

Oooh, we've got something lovely to give away!! Hooray, hooray I hear you say!

A treat in the shape of a little clutch purse from Alipink!

In the words of Ali, "It is made from original 1980s John Kaldor fabric and reminds me of a Rubiks cube. It is lined with cotton fabric and is secured with elastic and a vintage button.  The clutch measures about 24cm (9 1/2 inches) wide and 17cm ( 6 1/2 inches) when folded.   It comfortably fits a phone, keys and wallet.  Great for lunch date or night out."

Isn't she just a sweetpea for sharing her wonderful goodies with us all?

If you aren't a Facebook fan already, jump on over here and give her a fanning in return for her generosity!


All you have to do for your chance to win is comment below this post, random.org will draw the winner this time next week.  Good luck my dears!

Love Hatch
..xx

In their own words - Alipink

Today my little darlin's you can find out even more about the delightful Ali from Alipink! 
Hooray, I hear you say!
She is a super-dee-dooper lady indeed, with a crafting conscience, an artistic view of the Gold Coast's future, and best of all, a huge love of creating! Read on my merry men, and find out for yourselves!


How long have you been in business, and what was the light bulb moment that made it all begin?I have been in business since late 2008.  Prior to then I was making and selling items to friends and friends-of-friends.  On-line markets such as etsy have made selling handmade goods more achievable for little businesses like mine.  Oh, and my children got a little older which gave me more time at the sewing machine.

What do you think makes alipink unique? When it comes down to it is is the fabrics that make alipink products unique.  alipink is part of the movement towards a more thoughtful use of resources.  I believe that by using beautiful and unique fabrics in products then this encourages 'mindful' use of these products.  Choosing to purchase a handmade item rather than a throwaway mass-produced item also fosters mindfulness.  It is great to see so many artists and crafters with the same philosophy.

What are you influenced and inspired by when creating? I am inspired by the fabrics themselves when I am creating - the size of the print, the colours and the need to avoid holes or marks often dictates the size and shape of an item.  I also love to browse craft books and magazines and have a growing collection of vintage craft books.  I don't really read blogs but I do pop in to check out http://www.meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/, http://www.whipup.net/ and http://www.designspongeonline.com/ every now and again. 

When did you last create, and what was it?
The last major project I undertook was a coin quilt for my friend's new baby boy.  Each 'coin' was a different vintage or retro fabric in shades of blue, red and yellow.  I knew she would appreciate the time and effort that went into the quilt and I can imagine her little one choosing his favourite 'coin' when he is older. 

What will you be creating next?
I have four unfinished quilts in my sewing room at the moment so hope to be completing them over the Christmas / New Year break.

Where or how did you learn your craft? I have been sewing and crafting since I was a child. I can remember being taught to embroider and knit by my grandmother.  My mother is a great sewer and made all our clothes when we were children.  It was a while before she'd let me near the sewing machine though!  I bought my own sewing machine in my early twenties and have been developing my sewing skills since then.  I still knit and embroider and have recently learnt to crochet (thank you YouTube!).

What has been the best moment since it all began? What about the most challenging?The best part of alipink is getting positive feedback from customers.  I also love the nostalgia that my fabrics produce in buyers.  I often get comments like "I had sheets with that print when I was a child" or "My grandma had a table cloth like that".
The most challenging part is trying to make this venture self-supporting.  At the moment I can justify my expenditure as I have a part-time job but I am always conscious to avoid being a drain on the family budget.

What are your favourite materials to work with? Where do you source them? I love all vintage fabrics but am particularly enamoured with vintage bed linen at the moment as I have recently started quilting.  My fabrics are sourced mainly from op shops but I have kind family and friends who pass pieces on to me.  When I am looking for new fabrics I go to local online sellers http://www.ijustlovethatfabric.com.au/, http://www.voodoorabbit.etsy.com/, http://www.funkyfabrix.com.au/ and http://www.fabric4u2.com.au/.

Describe the Art/Craft community of the Gold Coast as you see it?It is constantly surprising.  I am originally from Sydney and moved to the Gold Coast about four years ago after a period of time in regional NSW and in London.  The Gold Coast is not all shopping malls, canal developments and bogans -  there is a diverse population here with a definite creative and environmentally and politically aware thread running through it.  I love living here!

What do you wish there was more of available for crafters and artisans on the Coast?
I would love the Gold Coast to host a dedicated handmade market.  There are lots of great markets here now and it would be great to be able to showcase artists and crafters without competition from mass-produced / imported products.

What do you wish for the future of art, creativity, and culture on the Coast? 
I can see the creative community growing here on the Gold Coast, especially through groups such as Crafty Coasters and The Hatchling Society Crafternoons.  The push against the giant shopping malls has begun! 

And what about the future for alipink?There are some new ventures ahead for alipink in partnership with other creative friends here on the Gold Coast. I am always looking for opportunities to reach new customers too and would love to be stocked in some local shops.  Hopefully 2011 will be the year that alipink becomes self-supporting.


Here's where you can find more of those truly scrumptious Alipink goodies....
Etsy http://www.alipink.etsy.com/
Facey www.facebook.com/alipinkbags
Web http://www.alipink.com/
Tweet http://www.twitter.com/alipinkbags

Thanks so much to the wonderful Ali for taking the time to share with us! What a gem she is! Tis nice indeed to find locals with the same creative, handcrafting ideals, perhaps this 'Gold Coast artistic Utopia' thing I keep rattling on about is not implausible after all!  Ali is on my side!

Be sure to check back tomorrow, to find out you can get your hot little hands on a FREE piece of Alipink treasure all for yourself! Nice, Thanks again Ali!

Love Hatch
..xx

Showcase Creative - Alipink

Well hello there! 
It has certainly been a while!  

Christmas makes everything so very crazy, and The Hatchling Society is no exception, so we have been on a little hiatus while the madness ensued.

But here we are again, stuffed to the eyes with turkey and plum pud, and ready to roll out the next year, and a whole lot of lovely and wonderful creative joys.

Today, my fine feathered friendlings, I have some more delightful handcrafter Gold Coast goodness to share with you, this time from the delightful Ali, from Alipink.  Mmmm scrumptious!

Coast local, Mama, Nurse, and crafter Extraordinaire, Ali does it all, and with such great gusto and talent that we feel the need for a swoon... aaaaah!

She creates pieces that are classic, functional, and beautiful to boot. She also has a love of retro designs, and takes joy out of re-purposing fabrics, which means each and every item she creates is either one-of-a-kind, or a limited production. Hoorah to being unique and individual!

So, step away from that pitiful Gold Coast mass-produced mindset, take a dive into the world of Alipink, and you can have yourself a little piece of unique, handcrafted, locally produced treasure.
Doesn't that sound just lovely!?

You can find all these gorgeous treats and more from Alipink online at:

Etsy http://www.alipink.etsy.com/
Facey www.facebook.com/alipinkbags
Web http://www.alipink.com/
Tweet http://www.twitter.com/alipinkbags

And if you are venturing to the big smoke, you can see the lady and her lovely wares in person at the BrisStyle Markets.  Loverly!

Tomorrow, we will be sharing an interview with Miss A. herself, so if you want some great inspiration from a crafty Gold Coast lady, check back. 

Aaaaand, on Friday, there might possibly some lovely treats from Alipink up for grabs, infact, I am quite certain that yes indeedy there will be!
Come back and win free stuff, it's handcrafted, and made locally, and simply just great!

Love Hatch ..xx

Giveaway - Friends for Felix

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree, how Friends for Felix are your branches...

Today, dear readers, you are very lucky indeed, for the generous and wonderful Mel from Friends for Felix has been oh so kind, and has offered up Christmas treats to make you go 'Squeee!'

There are TWO felty, loveable, wonderful Christmas Decoration packages up for grabs!  Thanks Mel!!
Each pack contains three decorations of your choosing, (there are five designs to choose from.) 

Here is just a little taste.....

To figure out which ones you love the best, head over to the Friends for Felix facebook page and have a peek at the Christmas Range Album.

Once you have it all worked out, leave your comments below this post.  The TWO winners will be drawn this time next Friday by random.org

If you are on the Coast this weekend, you can also see all of these, plus many, many more of Mel's wonderful little creations on Sunday, at the Burleigh Arts and Crafts Markets, so head down, say thanks to Mel, and show your support in person, I am going to be there for sure!

Good luck everybody!

Hatch ..xx

In their own words - Friends for Felix

This week is all about the wonderful little felty treasures made by Mel from Friends for Felix.
Today we share an interview with her, find out about her passion for crafting, her inspiration to create and her dreams for the artistic future of the coast.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Mel.

If you want to see the real life Friends for Felix goodies, you will be able to find them, this Sunday, at the Burleigh Arts and Crafts markets

How long have you been in business, and what was the lightbulb moment that made it all begin?
since mid 2010. After my son was born I was trying to think of someway that I combine my love of craft and the love of my son! (I teach drama classes with children by trade and was missing that creative outlet)

My lightbulb moment was in the baby changeroom at a local shopping centre at Burleigh where they have mobiles over the changetables. Seeing my son's enjoyment made me decide that that was what we needed at home. From there I realised that I could also create stuffed feltie toys for him. At the time he was little enough that I could sew while breastfeeding (no way I could do that now, he would want to join in!!!)

I had friends and family members tell me that I should sell my work so I got up the courage to make myself a facebook page. This weekend I am taking the next step and having a market stall at the Burleigh Arts and Craft markets.

What has been the most rewarding experience so far?Recieving orders from strangers and having people trust my craft enough for me to create custom orders for them. Getting positive feedback is very rewarding and witnessing other babies playing with my feltie toys is magical!


What are your favourite materials to work with? Where do you source them?
Three top materials are felt, ribbon and embroidery thread. Felt by far is my favourite. It is really forgiving, great to cut and no hemming!!  Good old spotlight at the moment is the source of a lot of my goods.

 I wish that there were some great local craft stores around my area. I also love to upcycyle/reclycle old fabrics. At the moment I am working on some stuffed toys created from old business shirt sleeves (still a work in progress)!

Describe who you imagine a buyer/lover of Friends for Felix goodies to be? I would love those who appreciate handmade goods, love all things cute, and be of any age. I would love for someone to buy a feltie or a mobile for themselves, not just for the children in their lives!

When did you last create, and what was it you created?
Things have been so busy of late in my house with our little man teething, my 'real' job, getting organised (and anxious! ek!) for our market stall and life in general that I haven't created any new pieces for a while. Last night I finished a new mobile. It is by far my favourite piece and given me a bit of a new lease on my Friends for Felix life! A mobile consisting of four little clouds, a smiling sun and a hot air balloon. Which got me inspired and then I made some little icecreams stuffed feltie toys that I finished this morning.

What do you wish for the future of art, creativity, and culture on the Coast? 
There are so many talented artists and musicians on the gold coast, it would be wonderful to see it become more and more popular. For more people to support local talent, there is so much of it on the Coast.
I would love to see a handmade-only store on the gold coast, wouldnt it be great to see somewhere like james st in burleigh? A kind of collective where artists could display their works for sale, maybe with a coffeeshop using local produce and supporting local live original music, a space for workshops with local artists - wouldn't that just be amazing! I can dream!!!

_______________________________________________________________________

Mel and the Friends for Felix loveables can be found in the following places

friendsforfelix@gmail.com - for orders etc
www.facebook.com/forfelix - to check out what is currently on offer
http://friendsforfelix.blogspot.com/ - if you want to read about what goes on behind the scenes in the Friends for Felix household!!!
_______________________________________________________________________

Head down to Burleigh beach markets this weekend and show your support for Mel and her little felt treaures, and don't forget to come back tomorrow for your chance to win some handcrafted special little Christmas treats from Friends for Felix!

Showcase Wednesday - Friends for Felix

Well hello there!  After a somewhat lengthy hiatus in which the Internet became a worst enemy and lots of curse words were thrown about, Showcase Wednesday is back! Hoorah!

This week, The Hatchling Society would like to introduce you to Friends For Felix, and the lovely Mel who is the bringer of life to Felix's friends.

Mel had always been a crafter extraordinaire, and when her darling little son Oliver Felix came into the world, Mel thought 'Wowee, I could craft like crazy, and get to spend my days with this little guy instead of trudging off to work and missing all the fun!'

 What a brilliant idea! And so, Friends for Felix began.

Mel hand crafts the most gorgeous, squishy, loveable little felt creatures as buddies for her little babekin, like this fine fellow....

and these little guys...

She also creates beautiful mobiles with birdies, and planes and all things whimsical...

If that is not enough, inspired by The Toy Society and Spreading Random Acts of Kindness, Mel packages up some of her little creations and hides them places for other people to find and take home and love all up.

What a wonderful Mumma little Oliver has got!

Aaaand, this Christmas, she wants your tree to be the fairest of them all, for she has created a range of Friends for Felix Decorations which are just scrummy, yummy, delightful!!

Mel and all of her stunning little creations will be appearing this weekend, Sunday the 28th, at the Burleigh Arts and Crafts Markets, which you can find out about here so be sure to head along and support her and her stay-at-home Crafty Mumma dreams.

If you would like to contact Mel you can find the Friends for Felix Facebook here, the blog here, and you can contact Mel by email here.

Be sure to come back, as tomorrow we will share an interview with this amazing lady, and on Friday, a little felt birdie told me there might just be some festive Friends for Felix treats up for grabs! Wahoo!

Love
Hatch ..xx

Hungry Designs Giveaway Winner....

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 12 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations to H Sandery, three truly scrumptious Hungry Designs brooches of your choice coming your way very soon! ..xx

In their own words - Flat White Spaces

Firstly, may we apologise profusely to Dave Child and Jay Woods of Flat White Spaces. In a very unintentional error, we ommitted their names yesterday as the brains and brilliance behind the Flat White Spaces art project.  Oh whoopsie doo, how very amateur and embarrasing a thing to do!  Sorry boys! A big congratulations to you ALL for the marvelous endeavour that Flat White Spaces is.
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And now, in todays post you will find an interview with one of the three, (yes three) marvelous men behind Flat White Spaces, Dave Lydiard. 
Find out what their passion is, where they are headed, and how the Gold Coast is going to become a beautiful arts hub because of them.


What was the motivation behind starting up Flat White Spaces?
The motivation behind Flat White was to make the Gold Coast a more visually rich and cultural environment. The Gold Coast is home to some super talented artists who don't get the recognition they deserve, unless they up and move to another city or country. We hope that with time and the help of the community and other like minded groups to change all that.

Who do you hope will be influenced/inspired by what you are doing?Hopefully we can inspire artists of all disciplines to stay on or come to the Gold Coast to exhibit and progress their work. We also hope to help the general population accept and appreciate how valuable art can be to a their community and environment.

What do you find to be the most rewarding thing about working within the Arts spectrum on the Gold Coast?
The most rewarding part about working in the arts scene is seeing an artist who has worked really to progress their works get recognized for it. It also really encouraging to hear how pumped people are when we tell them about our plans for Flat White Spaces and the Gold Coast.

What is the most Challenging?
At this stage, the most challenging part of the project is doing all the planning, paperwork and behind the scenes boring stuff. It's really tough to sit down and do it when there are so many opportunities out there right now but we want to create a solid foundation for Flat White so the project doesn't just roll over and die due to poor initial planning.

Describe the art scene of the Gold Coast through your eyes?
Through our eyes, we feel that up until recently the Coast has been a bit of a cultural wasteland. Things are slowly changing though, with galleries like 19Karen popping up, arts collective Rabbit + Cocoon which will be opening in January and events like Swell Sculpture Festival beginning to get really popular.

What do you wish for the future of art, creativity, and culture on the Coast?
We hope for the Gold Coast to become internationally recognized as a place that accepts, supports, produces and promotes artistic talent...a bit like Melbourne, except with way better weather!

What about the future of Flat White Spaces?
Hopefully, Flat White Spaces can help the Gold Coast become the type of place described in the previous answer...we know the Gold Coast has the talent and people willing to work hard to make the region a cultural and artist powerhouse, and we want to be around when it happens! As for what Flat White Spaces will evolve into, we have our plans...but they are too top secret to say just yet!
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If you are a Gold Coast Artist, would like to find out more about Flat White Spaces, or have a 'flat white space' that might be perfect for filling up with local creative pieces, you can find them at:  
                        
                                                   http://www.flatwhitespaces.com/

Showcase Local Creative - Flat White Spaces

Have you heard about the Flat White Spaces project?  If not, it is certainly one that you should get invloved in and show support for.  Dave Lydiard, Dave Child and Jay Woods, the men behind it all have a passion for supporting and showcasing the talents of artists within the Gold Coast community.

For a long time, there has been a wide-held view that the Coast is devoid of creative talent, a myth which Flat White Spaces aims to dispel.  A wealth of artistic brilliance resides here, but without the means for exhibiting their work, and sharing it with the wider community, many artists struggle to get the recognition and support that they deserve, and many of them up and leave in search of places where they are able to do this.

"Flat White Spaces was established in July 2010 as a means for emerging and established artists to exhibit their work in under-utilized spaces around the sunny Gold Coast. It was born with the vision of helping the Gold Coast become a more cultural and artistic region with art being exhibited amongst the happenings of everyday life." - FWS 

Think, how streamlined and industrial parts of the Gold Coast landscape are.  Imagine the joy of discovery when wandering this landscape to find artworks hidden down alleyways, on otherwise barren walls, bringing brightness and colour to the aluminium and concrete surrounds.

Not only is Flat White Spaces an endeavour to support the artists of the Gold Coast so that they may remain living the 'beach' life, but also a fantastic project to bring richness and cultural delight to all members of the community.

If you are an artist with brilliance to share, or someone with a 'flat white space' which could be utlised, or perhaps just want to show your support and find out more, you can find the Flat White Spaces website here or contact them here