Mathilda's Market this Sunday in Melbourne

Take a sneak peek here!

Wildly wonderful and woolly

When a new baby comes into the world, I think a baby blanket is one of the most lovely gifts you can receive (or give!) They make such wonderful keepsakes - my Mum still has my bassinet blanket, and although its scent is a little musty now, it's so nice to have it.

So this is one stall I'll definitely be making a beeline for at Mathilda's Market in Melbourne this Sunday 30 May: Woolly Wugs. They are a South Australian company, bringing us snuggly, sumptuous baby blankets made from super soft, 100% Australian merino wool and backed with pure cotton. They currently stock two blanket styles - 'Vroom, Vroom' for the boys and 'Flutter, Flutter' for the gals. When it comes to bubba blankets, these ones are just irresistible. Spot Woolly Wugs' signature grosgrain ribbon, incorporated into all their creations. Aaaaaaah!

Oh, but I am saving the best news for last ... Woolly Wugs also make a sleeping bag for the littlies too, which is adjustable for babies from size 000 to 2. FINALLY, a child's sleeping bag designed in Australia with our climate in mind, AND one that adjust to fit a baby as it grows! Now that's smart - not to mention great value for money. The one size is easily adapted for growing babies with the use of an underarm press-stud. The extra length provides baby with room to move and grow and can easily be doubled over and tucked under baby’s arms to create extra security. All Woolly Wugs sleeping bags are made from 100% cotton and will wash and wear over and over again and still look stylish! 

Find the Woolly Wugs team at Mathilda's Market in Melbourne this Sunday 30 May and in Adelaide on Saturday 3 July.

Peta x
Mathilda's Market blogger

Turning kid's art into treasured keepsakes

Growing up, I remember it was quite the fashion to have your child's drawings and paintings printed on to melamine plates - I'm sure it's still possible, although I've not seen it in too many houses recently! In the eighties I remember lots of dinner plate clocks on the walls of  houses I visited. Despite having three kids, my Mum never had any of our artwork turned into dinnerware. Back then, I thought it was because she didn't really love us - but I now suspect I could have had that wrong!

I really like the idea of preserving and celebrating your children's artistic talent - and if you are looking for a really attractive and stylish way to do this, then you'll love Kids With Crayons.

You can have the artwork of your children turned into beautiful keepsakes, such as pendants, greeting cards, brooches, magnets, keyrings ... even gorgeous framed masterpieces! Take a look ...

Like what you see? Well, if you are in Melbourne this weekend, you can visit the Kids With Crayons stall at Mathilda's Market in Malvern on Sunday 30 May, to place your order. Why not be prepared and take some of your children's drawings with you? And if you're not able to get to Malvern this weekend, just pay Michelle Harvey a virtual visit at http://www.kidswithcrayons.com.au/.

Michelle is the creative force behind Kids With Crayons. Michelle ('the Crayon Chick') started her business in 2005, after receiving an overwhelmingly positive response to a gift she crafted for a friend. The pressie was a set of framed art pieces, which she created by embellishing and enhancing the drawings of a friend's 4-year-old. All pieces by Kids With Crayons are handcrafted by Michelle, and are utterly fabulous!

And if you'd like to see some of Michelle's more "grown-up" projects, click here to visit the Crayon Chick's Etsy store!

Peta x
Mathilda's Market blogger

Getting To Know ... Vanessa from Gelati Art

I am passionate about … my family, my business: Gelati Art, and my home.

I get frustrated when … I have computer problems!

I started my business because … I couldn’t find anything for my children’s walls when I was decorating their first rooms in 2005 and 2006.

My favourite TV show is … ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ – my daughter, Isabella and I love watching it together. It’s our special mummy and daugther time. I also love ‘Australian Story’.

If I could be anywhere right now I’d be … Sipping a glass of champagne with my girlfriend, Ness, who moved to the USA a few years ago. I miss her dreadfully.

I am most proud of … My children – Isabella, who is seven years old and Alexander, who is five years old. They are the sunshine of my life and my proudest achievement.

My favourite item from our product range is … Our large Strawberry canvas giclee print with ribbon trim. I have one hanging above my daughter’s bed and every time I walk past her room I think to myself how lovely it looks. I also love our ‘My Very Own Initial’ canvases. My son has an ‘A’ hanging above his bed – I never tire of this classic design.

I love listening to ... At the moment a bit of Duffy. My kids and I love dancing around the kitchen to her on the weekends while my husband cooks something yummy for us.

My heart sings when … My children tell me they love me.

The hardest part of running my business is … Finding enough hours in the day to do everything that I would like to do with my business.

I love sipping on … French champagne if it's on offer, or failing that, a lychee martini or tall glass of Sangria will do.

One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen is ... My son, Alexander, dressed up as a beautiful princess in a tutu, high heels and tiara. (His sister styled him one day when they were bored).

The best part of my day is … Every part. Life is good.

My favourite food is … Anything I don’t have to cook and anything with seafood in it. I don’t eat meat so seafood is an essential part of my life.

I struggle with … Finding time to fit in visits to the gym at the moment.

Friendship to me means … Knowing you have each other to turn to or call on for help if the need arises …I am blessed to have some truly wonderful friends. We all look out for each other.

I just can’t live without … My husband (my soulmate and best friend) and my children.

 

More than just making do!

I am feeling all inspired & creative, and looking at the bits of paper and empty containers in the recycling collection with fresh eyes today, thanks to this fabulous post over at http://www.kidstylefile.com.au/. The post was all about makedo, which is basically a set of reusable connectors that you use to join together all sorts of household materials, to make fantastic creations from the "stuff" around you. You have NO idea what I'm prattling on about, do you ... I don't blame you! It's kind of hard to explain, so the best thing to do is watch this very quick video. It shows how you use makedo's hinges and connectors to join things together - like eggs cartons, coffee cup lids, tubes, boxes, fabric, and plastic containers - to make wildly creative things, such as cubby houses, cars, pretend pets, furniture, buildings, decorations, wacky costumes - what you can do with makedo is really only limited by your imagination! Here are a few of the makedo creations showcased on their website. 

And you can visit the gallery here to be wowed by more astoundingly clever creations - as you can see, you can start simple with makedo and as your imagination opens up and you become more skilful with the connectors, you can go on to craft some mind blowing junk art! It's an environmentally friendly product, because the really cool thing is how it enables us to actually use the "junk" around us to make groovy things - so one person's trash really is another person's treasure! Great for kids and adults alike, the makedo kits are available to buy online from the makedo website, with prices from USD$25.00 (approximately AUD$30) including shipping for a limited time only. Thanks Kidstylefile, for again shining the spotlight on a product well worth knowing about!

Peta x
Mathilda's Market blogger

Getting To Know ... Allison from Lark

I am passionate about … Many things. I’m a very passionate person. I have big, lifelong passions like my work and family, social justice and animal welfare, travel, food, history, and I have lots of little passions, things that I obsess about for a short while, like currently I am collecting vintage wallpaper, I can’t stop looking for it wherever I go.

I get frustrated when … I see someone walking out of an op shop with a pile of interesting-looking things just as I pull up outside.

I started my business (Lark) because … I had wanted to do it since I was small. For as long as I can remember, I have always been planning business ideas in my head. Having kids gave me the push I needed to finally take the plunge.

My favourite TV show is … anything starring Rupert Penry-Jones. Sigh.

If I could be anywhere right now I’d be … In an old pub in a pretty English village, with all my family around me, sitting near an open fire planning our next adventure.

I am most proud of … My oldest son’s ability to make friends, and my youngest son’s passion for learning about the world.

I think the biggest obstacle our kids will face in the future is … Narrowed horizons.

My favourite item from our product range is … Our hand-knitted play food. And some of the other lovely ranges we stock in our shop, like Belle & Boo and Cath Kidston.

I love listening to ... Loud music on my iPhone while I am folding and putting away the laundry on a Sunday evening. It’s the only way to get through the monotony of it.

My heart sings when … I kiss my kids in the morning, and they smell of sleep and milky cereal.

The hardest part of running my business is … Not being able to buy from all of the talented designers and makers who contact Lark. I would love to support everyone who takes the time to contact us but it just isn’t possible, that’s the hardest thing.

I love sipping on … A cup of English breakfast tea, until 5pm when I’ll happily switch to a large glass of wine.

The best part of my day is … Dinner time.

My favourite food is … Middle-Eastern food. I’ve been a vegetarian since my twenties, and I love the delicious vegetable dishes you find in Turkish and Lebanese cooking. I was recently taken to Greg Malouf’s restaurant, Momo, for my birthday. Yum!! I love pretty much all food, actually, and my husband is a really good cook. That’s how he originally won my heart when we were both 21, living in a student share house, and he was cooking this amazing food.

I struggle with … My weight, especially since having kids. I just love food too much. I am doing Weight Watchers at the moment. I’ve lost 14 kilos since I started last October.

Friendship to me means … Liking someone for who they really are, being loyal, and sharing lots of laughter.

I just can’t live without … Worrying.

Find Lark at Mathilda's Market in Melbourne at the Malvern Town Hall on Sunday 30 May, and at Mathilda's Market in Melbourne at Caulfield Racecourse on Sunday 21 November, 2010.

Recollections of a marvellous mulberry tree

I have fond childhood memories of the mulberry tree in our family’s backyard. As a kid, I’d stand at the foot of its trunk and gaze wistfully at the tip of its branches, wishing I was perched there. I wasn’t much of a girly girl ... trees and Lego and BMX bikes and playdough and fuzzy felt made me buzz with excitement, rather than Barbies. And there was nothing more thrilling to me than the mulberry tree at Ash Avenue. One morning, when I was around 4 years of age, I crept from my bed and set out to achieve my dream – to touch the top of that tree! It didn’t end well. My nightdress got tangled around the branch and I cried heartily. My poor Mum, who was heavily pregnant with my sister at the time, called on our next door neighbour to launch a rescue mission. It curbed my passion for tree climbing ... for a few weeks, at least!

So when I heard about Mulberry Tree Organic, I immediately loved the name, and having seen their stall at Mathilda’s Market in Melbourne, I’m now a fan of their environmentally friendly, organic cotton clothes and accessories for babies and pre-schoolers. They sell top quality boutique brand names from all over the world, including Piccallily (UK), La Queue du Chat (France), Frugi (UK), Dimples (NZ), Lyssy May (Australia), Uimi (Australia) and Milk Skin Care (Australia), with more names coming soon.

Everything sold by Mulberry Tree Organic is practical, gorgeously colourful, stylish and free from nasty chemicals or additives that can irritate young skin. (You’ve gotta love garments made from organic cotton ... they’re luxuriously soft and hard-wearing).

I loved the sweet fable on their website of how Melbourne's Nicky Flood started Mulberry Tree Organic – read it here!

You can grab your virtual shopping cart and hit the Mulberry Tree online store here (online orders are shipped between 24 and 36 hours later, and are packaged with love and great care). Or you can check out all that Mulberry Tree Organic have to offer when they set up shop at Mathilda’s Market in Melbourne at the Malvern Town Hall on Sunday 30 May.

Oh, I have another lovely childhood recollection to do with mulberry trees – silk worms! Having a mulberry tree in the backyard made me popular at school when all the kids needed the leaves for their silky squirmy pets ... another reason why I think mulberry trees are just the best! Is my affection for mulberry trees a good enough reason to go on a shopping spree with Mulberry Tree Organic? Yep ... I think so!

Peta x
Mathilda's Market blogger

Nighty night!

Is there a chill in the air where you are? There certainly is here in Melbourne – wander outside and you immediately need to brace yourself against the cool air and icy winds. Brrrrr! I have a love/hate relationship with winter. During the day, it’s a bit of a trial – having to add all those layers, not being able to send the kids outside to let off steam, that interminable drizzle and those overcast skies  ... But at night, I adore it. Warm pyjamas and ugg boots, snuggling on the couch under a thick quilt, bowls of warm nourishing stews and soups for dinner – yes please!

Speaking of quilts, here’s a business crafting some absolutely divine baby quilts and bedding sets. It's called Smallish, and Cassandra de Vaus is the woman behind this label.

All Smallish products are handmade by Cassandra in her Melbourne home. Her philosophy is an eco-friendly one, so Smallish creations are made only of natural fibres – from the stitching and material you see, to the fill that you don’t! Cassandra is a big advocate of bamboo, so the label use plenty of bamboo fabrics – as well as being kind to the earth, few fabrics are as fabulous for making baby garments and bedding as good old bamboo. Read more about its benefits here. With so many of the baby bedding found in stores made from artificial fibres that don’t breathe well, it’s nice to know there’s such a stunning alternative out there!

Smallish does a roaring trade in custom made bedding sets. Can you imagine a more beautiful gift for a new baby than a gorgeous cot set, crafted with the colour scheme of the nursery in mind?

Cassandra recently made this quilt for her daughter – it has a frill in the middle of the quilt – now that’s something I haven’t seen before!

Smallish also have a sweet range of bamboo fleece blankets, change mats and burp cloth sets.

Cassandra is mum to a five-year-old and three-year-old. When she’s not busily making beautiful bubba bedding or running after her kids, Cassandra squeezes in some part-time study: she’s striving to finish her Bachelor of Education.

(Wow, no wonder she makes quilts and blankets – she must often feel like a good lie down!)

Cassndra cites the three things she can’t live without as her hair dryer and straightener, the internet (she loves that it enables her to have exchanges with other real life adults during the day!), and music and books.

If you love the big ideas in baby bedding coming from Smallish, you can find their stall at Mathilda’s Market in Melbourne on Sunday 30 May at the Malvern Town Hall.

Peta x
Mathilda's Market blogger