So today I really want to celebrate all things handmade and give all crafters and artists a big round of applause. I've noticed several blogs recently talking about how it feels that 'handmade' is really having its day in New Zealand at the moment...and I totally agree. Here's my list of recent things I've felt excited about:
1. FELT is one of the three nominees for the 'online selling store of the year' award in the Net Guide Awards 2010. Yay Lucy - you totally deserve to win and EVERY craft blogger or follower needs to vote for Felt!
2. Kraftbomb is turning 2 in a couple of weeks - will be a fantastic event!
3. New suburban craft markets are popping up everywhere in Auckland - there's yet another in Auckland with info on facebook and some 'night' markets
4. A whole bunch of 'support groups' are forming - joining Auckland Craft Collective and Crafty Business is 'New Zealand Handmade' - a collective that has started an Etsy group under the same name to promote New Zealand crafts to the world; Supporting WAHMs in NZ - on facebook; and Linked NZ - another facebook group supporting home NZ businesses
Join New Zealand Handmade!!
5. One of my favourite magazines, Your Home & Garden, which has always supported 'DIY', not only has a cover story on knitter extraordinaire Mel Clark's home and craft, but dedicates its foreword to supporting handmade: "Adding something handmade to the mix is one of the best ways to say something unique about you."
6. Foxes online store recently opened, and had awesome 'mainstream press' including a big double page feature in Viva!!!
7. Auckland had its first 'Auckland Art and Craft Fair' at the Art Gallery, which was crazy buzy
8. Joining the huge amount of 'underground' zines is Extra Curricular magazine, which celebrates people who do creative projects in their spare time
9. Joining other mum-run online stores selling designer and handmade NZ goodies for kids like Little Kiwis Nest is Mum-Made
Now these are just the things I know about, and I readily admit I am really more of a 'mainstream' crafter than an 'alternative' or 'uber-cool' crafter type. I just love using amazing fabrics and colours to inspire my children, and other people's children, to be creative. I have no problem mixing my craft items with (well-made and preferably eco-friendly) store-bought items. Yet I have noticed all these arty things happening...so surely, that means other middle of the road families have too.
What else is happening that we can add to this list?
Anyway, I'm proud to let you know that I'm going to be doing my best to bring crafty goodness to more families in New Zealand each week from now on. The online magazine Baby Bites
(http://www.babybites.co.nz/) has for a little while now run a column called "Handmade Heaven". Its editor Jodi loves good design and handmade goods too, and she's been running this column (she recently featured my lily pads). But she's a very busy woman running two businesses and needed some help with scouting and writing. I noticed her request on "Mums on Top" recently for help... and anyway long story short I'm now helping her out with writing it. If you make your own, or notice great kids products made by hand that would be good for the column, please write me and let me know!
