Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Workshops at Woodford Folk Festival


Hello!

Wishing you all a safe and fun festive season and thank you all for supporting my little creative venture.

Just a reminder that I will be running workshops with Brisbane Brown Owls at Woodford Folk Festival! Workshops will include rubber stamp making, 17th century fabric brooches, basket weaving with fabric and macramé!

You can find all of the details for Woodford Folk Festival and the full program here.

Also check out the full line up of workshops in the visual arts/craft section here.

If you're planning on going let me know, I would love to see you there! You can also keep up with all the fun of Woodford on my instagram, Facebook page or Twitter.

Keep an eye on your in-boxes early in the new year for a fabulous line up of Art Bites workshops as part of Brisbane City Council's BrisAsia Festival that I will be producing as Brisbane Brown Owls. If you're not on my email list already sign up here

See you at Woodford or in 2014!
Rebecca x

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

make a christmas bird


On Saturday I'll be sharing a special Christmas craft at Brown Owls. If you're in Brisbane come along for our last meet up of the year and make your very own version of the edward & lilly Christmas bird. All of the details can be found here.

two brisbane handmade markets to go

matching sets - custom orders taken now!

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Or perhaps you still need to treat yourself to some beautiful handmade wares for the season! 

There are only 2 handmade markets left for edward & lilly and both are on this Friday!

Bleeding Heart Gallery Massive Christmas Market
This one is perfect for those of you who work in the City, duck out at lunch time and shop local handmade wares! More details here.
Friday 13 December, 10am-3pm
at the old School of Arts Building, 166 Ann Street, Brisbane CBD

BrisStyle indie Twilight Market
This is the biggest 100% handmade market of the year! And also a great night out for the whole family with loads of entertainment including the Christmas pantomime happening right in the heart of the city.
I'll be sharing with Dyani of Little Deer Creations, we'll be near the huge Christmas tree :)
More details here.
Friday 13 December, 4-9pm
King George Square, Brisbane CBD




I look forward to seeing all of my lovely regular customers and crafty friends there to wish you a fabulous festive season :)

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

brisstyle indie market this saturday


On the search for the perfect Christmas gift? Support local artisans this Saturday at the BrisStyle Indie Market!

Saturday 7th December, 9am-4pm
City Hall, 91 Ann Street, Brisbane City

See you there!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

amigurumi for beginners


Last weekend I ran a little amigurumi meet up for Brisbane Brown Owls. It was great fun and a lot easier than I thought it would be.

If you'd like to have a go at it yourself I highly recommend Fresh Stitches Beginner's Guide to Amigurumi, it's a free pdf download and can be found here.

Once you've got your skills down there's also some great patterns on Craftsy and I'm sure Ravelry have some good ones too.

If you're in Brisbane early next year there will be some more fab amigurumi for beginners workshops happening, details will be announced soon and you can sign up to my email newsletter here to be the first to find out!

Happy hooking!

Monday, December 2, 2013

macramé workshop at jungle


It's happening again!

Macramé workshop at Jungle
Join me for a cocktail and some basic macramé at Jungle bar in West End.
When: Wednesday 4 December, 7:30pm
Where: Jungle, 76 Vulture Street, West End, Brisbane
Cost: Free with any cocktail purchase. Materials included!


This time around tackle the square knot, the basis for all your macramé adventures!


See you there!

Thursday, November 28, 2013

QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market


I'm so excited to be part of the QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market, it's this Saturday!

QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market
Saturday 30 November, 2013
9am-4pm
at the Gallery of Modern Art
Facebook event is here

See you there!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

in the press


So honoured to be featured with Bronwen from Bravo Juliet in today's South East Advertiser for the GoMA Christmas Design Market.

The market is on Saturday 30 November from 9am-4pm at the Gallery of Modern Art, Cultural Precinct, South Brisbane. There are so many fabulous designers lined up, I'm really looking forward to slipping away from my stall for some Christmas shopping!

See you there!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

brisbane amigurumi workshop


Join me this Sunday for a basic amigurumi workshop with Brisbane Brown Owls. Details are here.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

the finders keepers brisbane


I'm so excited to be part of the Brisbane Spring Summer 2013 Finders Keepers market on this weekend. I'll be in the third room along with lots of lovely crafters and designers. Here's all the details for those of you coming along!

When: Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 November, 10am-4pm each day
Where: The Old Museum, Cnr Bowen Bridge Rd & Gregory Tce, Herston
Entry fee: $2
Parking: Available at the RNA Showgrounds for $12 if there's no street parking
ATMs: Available on site
Stallholders: The full line up is here
Music: Looks awesome, check it out here

For more details including directions head here.

See you there!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

macramé workshop at jungle


Join me tonight for cocktails and macramé!

Macramé Workshop
Jungle Bar, 76 Vulture Street, West End, Brisbane
7:30-9pm
Free with purchase of a cocktail!

See you there :)

Saturday, November 9, 2013

make advent bunting


If you're in Brisbane you can join in on a Brown Owls workshop at Ministry of Handmade this week to make this stylish advent bunting for your home. You can make it in any style or colour you choose too!

Check out the the details here.

Friday, November 8, 2013

brisstyle indie market


Stitching some little cuties for the BrisStyle Indie Market tomorrow! A gorgeous market in a great location, there's also loads of prizes including BrisStyle market vouchers up for grabs! Check out all of the details here.


BrisStyle Indie Market
Saturday 9th November, 9am-3pm
City Hall, 91 Ann Street, Brisbane City

See you there!

news from edward & lilly


Just in case you missed it I sent out my newsletter last night chock full of info about workshops, markets and new products.

You can catch up on all the news here.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

embroidery workshop


This Saturday I'll be teaching embroidery with Brown Owls at West End library, it's free and will be loads of fun. Not a meet up for those looking to learn traditional embroidery but an opportunity to experiment with stitches in your own unique way!

Further information can be found here.

And more info about the Brisbane chapter of Brown Owls here.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

october markets


The silly season is drawing closer and I'm so excited about some very special markets coming up over the next few months in the lead up to Christmas.

During October I'll be here:

BrisStyle Indie Market
Saturday 12 October, 9am-3pm
Brisbane City Hall

BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market
Friday 18 October, 5-9pm
King George Square, Brisbane CBD

I'll be back soon with some exciting Christmas market news! My little hands can't move quickly enough crafting up some special treats :)


Friday, September 13, 2013

new work

granny circle christmas decorations

crochet edge vintage french postcard

These new treasures and more will be at the BrisStyle city hall market tomorrow and in the shop soon!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

brisstyle indie market


I'm loving the new design for the BrisStyle city hall market by the super cute and talented Ella Mobbs.

It's this Saturday!

I'm working my hands off prototyping some new Christmas goodies, there might even be a sneak peek  at the market on Saturday :)

BrisStyle indie Market
Brisbane City Hall
Saturday 14 September, 9am-3pm.

More info here including music line up and fellow marketeers.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Recycled fabric weaving at Redfest


Redfest is the Redlands Spring Festival, a music and cultural festival at the Redlands Showgrounds with loads of activities including a sideshow alley, fireworks, a lantern parade and the world famous strawberry eating competition!

On the Sunday I’ll be running a basket weaving with fabric workshop. All materials will be provided.

Recycled Fabric Weaving Workshop
Sunday 8 September, 12-1:30pm
Cleveland Showgrounds
Long Street, Cleveland


See you there!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

using the stash

crochet jars

I have developed what could be seen as a really bad habit of loading up on yarn from op shops this year knowing that either I will use it or it will go into the Brown Owls stash. This, along with my new found addiction to finding eco friendly yarns, has led to a huge pile of yarn almost as tall as me in the corner of the lounge room aka sculptural installation aka the naughty yarn corner.

crochet bowls

And so for the last month I figured with the BrisStyle Eco Bazaar looming I'd get my hooks out and use up as much thrifted yarn as I could.

crochet bowls - not sure if these ones will make it to the stall

Have I made a dent in the yarn pile?
Not yet. I may have accidently added to it... oops!

treasure collectors for beach walks and bush walks

Is my hand cramping and feeling permanently bruised on one side from too much crochet?
Yes! Not to mention the crochet callous. If anyone has any suggestions other than a good hand massage and putting the hook down let me know!

These goodies and loads more eco friendly wares will be on my stall at:
BrisStyle Eco Bazaar 
Saturday 7 September, 9am-3pm
Queensland Museum Whale Mall
More info about the market and all activities can be found here.


Plus Country Boy will be there and between the two of us we'll be manning my stall and teaching loom weaving as part of a Brown Owls meet up, all are welcome. Details here.

See you there!




valuing process: little deer creations


In my own craft practice process is really important to me and I'm always inspired by fellow crafters who put time and effort into making their wares from scratch.

Dyani Evans, the eco crafter behind Little Deer Creations and I share a stall together at the BrisStyle Twilight Markets but it was only this year while scrolling through my instagram feed that I was truly blown away by Dyani's craft process. The careful selection of colour and pattern in the magazine pages to be upcycled, the cutting, intricate rolling and varnishing of each individual bead is not only amazing but also quite unique in a sea of crafted objects both online and at markets.


In Dyani's own words:

"I mostly use handmade papers and pages from magazines, but I've also used junk mail and business envelopes as well. Each strip is tightly rolled using a special tool, which is similar to the ones used in quilling, to form the bead. The ends are sealed with a little dab of glue. The beads are then given three coats of sealer to make them water-resistant."

"I love the simple beauty of paper beads. There is so much variation in colour and texture depending on the paper that's used to make them. When I use magazine paper to make my beads, I'm never quite sure what the final colour and pattern will be, and I love that element of surprise and discovery as the bead is rolled and the pattern emerges."



"I guess there are two main reasons why creating my own beads is important to me. Firstly, it fits with my passion for recycling. I love that I can create something beautiful and functional from scrap paper that may otherwise just be discarded. Magazine paper in particular is too glossy to use in my paper-making, so I'm pleased that I can use it to create beads instead! The other reason is more personal and relates to my feelings as an artist. To me, "handmade" is more than just assembling a few pre-fabricated components. It's about creating something from scratch. Something unique that reflects the maker, that captures a little of the heart and soul that goes into making it. Using my own handmade beads allows me to put more of me into my work, and I can proudly say "I made that"."


Dyani will be at the BrisStyle Eco Bazaar this Saturday 7 September from 9am-3pm at the Queensland Museum. You can also check out Little Deer Creations here and the Facebook page for more of Dyani's amazing handmade paper adventures, her thoughts on crafting an eco life and inspiration for incorporating more earth friendly materials in your own making.

Thank you Dyani!

Sunday, September 1, 2013

weaving a world: textiles and the navajo way of seeing


An important part of using my hands, heart and mind to make things is having an understanding of the cultural background of different techniques and materials I use and, where I can, passing what I learn on to others.

I love researching as much as I love making, for me the two go hand in hand as a learning process and provide an underlying respect in my own making and for those makers who have gone before.

In developing the recent loom weaving meet up for Brown Owls I read a book that really brought everything home to me about what handmade means and how culturally important process is. Weaving a World: Textiles and the Navajo Way of Seeing by Roseann S. Willink and Paul G. Zolbrod is a beautifully told story of Navajo weaving.

Elders of the Navajo Reservation in eastern New Mexico provide an analysis of the patterns in individual weavings. It’s an amazing journey of symbology in weaving and the importance of asymmetry and chaos. What I loved most about this book though is the cultural importance of weaving in everyday life, the songs, prayers and ceremonies that accompany the process of weaving; the tiny what we may call ‘imperfections’ barely visible but intentional and filled with so much importance; the handing down of process, prayer and stories to future generations.

There are many beautiful weaving stories told by the elders in this book, one account that really touched my maker’s heart was this:

            ‘… if a feather falls from a bird in flight and is caught before it touches the ground, the feather becomes a symbol of deliverance and should be woven into a rug.’  (p. 56)

Weaving a World: Textiles and the Navajo Way of Seeing
By Roseann S. Willink and Paul G. Zolbrod
1996, Museum of New Mexico Press

If you’re in Brisbane you can borrow it here.

The next Brown Owls loom weaving meet up will be at the BrisStyle Eco Bazaar, it’s free and all are welcome including kids. More info can be found here.



Friday, August 30, 2013

hen's party crafternoon


In between orders, getting ready for the eco bazaar and prepping for workshops I've been putting together some hen's party crafternoon kits for a workshop on Saturday. This will be the first official hen's party workshop I've done and I'm really excited about it!

A few people have asked lately about craft workshops in Brisbane and one on one classes, I'll be adding a page to my blog soon for workshop bookings! In the meantime you can email for more info at rebecca (@) edwardandlilly.com.

eco tassel making workshop



Tomorrow I’m teaming up with BrisStyle, Brisbane Brown Owls and Queensland Museum for an eco tassel and pom pom making workshop. We’re making an eight metre banner for the BrisStyle Eco Bazaar next Saturday! It’ll be a great day and all are welcome including kids :)

Tassel and Pom Pom Workshop
Saturday 30 August, 10am-3:30pm
INVENTory, Level 4
Queensland Museum



And check out the final banner as well as loads of handmade eco friendly wares, vintage goods, crafty de-stash items, a loom weaving workshop with me and the Brisbane Brown Owls and loads more at the BrisStyle Eco Bazaar!

BrisStyle Eco Bazaar
Saturday 7 September, 9am-3pm
The Whale Mall
Queensland Museum

See you there!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

brisstyle indie twilight market


I've been quietly working away this month on some new mini hanging baskets for Christmas and some larger ones for storage solutions around the house.


I'll have a range of them available at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market this Friday night 23 August from 5-9pm. I'll be sharing with my Twilight buddy Dyani of Little Deer Creations who makes the most fabulous eco friendly paper products and jewellery. Look how fab our stalls go together!



See you there!

BrisStyle indie Twilight Market
Friday 23 August, 5-9pm
King George Square, Brisbane CBD.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

eco felt


Because my range is 100% vegan it means that I don't use any wool felt in both my bird decorations or on the backs of my brooches. Instead I use eco felt. I often get asked about eco felt so I thought I'd answer a few common questions here.

What is eco felt?
Eco felt is made from eco-fi, a high quality polyester fibre made from 100% certified recycled plastic PET bottles. It can go into any textile product such as clothing, blankets, carpets, wall coverings, auto interiors, home furnishings, and felt. You can read more about eco-fi here.

Is eco felt as good as wool felt?
Before going vegan I used wool felt and yes I agree it has a lovely soft texture. The down side of wool felt was that I would sometimes find moth holes in it. Plus depending on where you buy it, it's not so easy to know the conditions it's sourced in. Eco felt is softer than acrylic felt so for me it was the perfect solution, and I like that it's recycled.

Where do you buy eco felt?
In Australia I have always bought Kunin eco felt from The Thread Studio here. I've never seen it in store nor have I found it anywhere else on an Australian website.
In America and Canada the Kunin brand is everywhere, check out the outlets here.

So there you have it! Please leave me a comment if you have any other suggestions or questions and I'll keep adding to this post :)

Thursday, July 4, 2013

my creative space


I'm playing catch up this week on my last creative space post. There's been lots happening as always including having a crack at screen printing with Brown Owls, learning from the amazing Catherine and Vanita of cat&vee who shared so much screen printing knowledge with us. Their generosity went above and beyond everyone's expectations. What an amazing craft community we have here in Brisbane!


My screen printed lighthouse, I'm pretty happy with my first attempt, not sure what to do with it yet :)


The GoMA Winter Design Market was fabulous as always, a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hi :)


I even managed to knock out a good selection of crochet necklaces which will be in the shop soon!


Speaking of crochet! I've been working on some fun, super quick and easy crochet jewellery designs for our Brown Owls meet up this Saturday!


I love this one, it's teeny tiny, worked in a very fine linen yarn. I'm thinking a bracelet version would be really cute.


And to round it all off, a fabulous end to BrisStyle's Saviours of the Lost Arts program. What an amazing three months it's been, so many great Brown Owls meet ups have formed part of the program. With the final one a mix of basket weaving, rag rug making and crocheting. The most popular crafts of course!

For more spaces or to show off your own head here, it's a great way to keep on top of documenting what you've been up to :)