Rose in Thorns

Milestones and a Merry Christmas to you

2011-12-24T09:14:00.012+13:00

Yesterday, I was working through my pre-Christmas to-do list. I had just sent my Christmas newsletter out to subscribers, and then moved on the the next item on my to-do list, the end of year blog post. There were a whole lot of marigolds growing in the front yard of a broken house that I had wanted to take a photo of for a while, and I thought it might be nice to use that for the post. The flowers had taken over entire front yard, on what used to be a concrete pad – you can't even see that now! I thought it was a nice symbol of how nice things can happen in the face of ruin. So I walked down to get the photo, then came back, uploaded them from the camera, found the image I wanted to use, and saved it to my blog images folder.

Then came the familiar wobble of an impending aftershock, so I got up and opened the door. It got worse, so I decided to go under the dining table, which involved getting past the chairs while everything was madly shaking, so ended up with a couple of bumps to my legs. As I live on the western edge of the eastern suburbs, the power always goes out here when there is a decent shake, so I wasn't able to make a start on the post, or do anything else on my 'work' to-do list. So I went outside to do some gardening, but after the second slightly larger jolt, decided it might be a good idea to just give up for the day!

So... this year that has already been quite interesting, just keeps on going. I remember looking back last year over a rather eventful year, having no idea how much more eventful this year would be. Who knows what next year will bring!

In that post I said I hoped to build my business into a sustainable source of income for myself. This hasn't been an easy task, but in the last two months I have managed to achieve that milestone. That is, bring in enough money to cover my costs, and pay myself my modest token salary. Now I hope to continue that and hopefully build on it in the new year. A big thank you to everyone that has supported my business this year, in any way, even if in a seemingly small way. It all counts, and I couldn't have done it without you, especially through such challenging times.

As this city has faced some major events this year, I have also had a few milestones myself. I recently turned 30, which isn't a major milestone in itself, but I do feel I have achieved quite a lot in those years. We have also recently purchased our first house, which we move into in January. This is really exciting, and even more of an achievement when one of you is self-employed – banks don't really like lending on little starting out incomes!

So over the break I will be busy sorting and packing everything up, as well as a trip to Nelson to visit my family, and a trip to Wellington for a wedding. I won't be closing my Felt shop per se, but there will be a delay on posting orders. Any orders placed between now and the end of next week will be posted on Friday 30th December, and any placed after that will be posted on the 9th January.

So wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and hoping my fellow Christchurch citizens don't get too shaken up over the holidays. See you all again next year!

All I want for Christmas Market

2011-12-08T10:39:00.005+13:00

This weekend will be my last Christchurch market (but not my last market, I still have three more of them lined up!) It is the All I want for Christmas market, held on Saturday from 10am - 4pm at the Shirley Intermediate school hall. It is organised by the lovely ladies from the Craft Collective who brought us the two markets at Goodbye Blue Monday last Christmas, and the Monster May Market earlier in the year.

I will have some owl candles with me – if they don't all sell on Felt in the meantime! I also have a special on tin candles at the moment if you but three of any one size. Three small tins for $40 (save $8), three medium tins for $50 (save $10) and three large tins for $60 (save $12). The essentials are three small for $45 (save $9), three medium for $55 (save $11) and three large for $65 (save $13). A great way to stock up for Christmas, or yourself. I am planning to phase out the small and large tins, to streamline my stocks a bit more, so this is a way to help clear them out. I will also have some other specials, so I have less stock to move in January. Though as I need to fit everything all onto one table (after getting quite used to my two tables with the outdoor sites!) I won't be able to put a lot out at any one time, and will rotate it throughout the day. Feel free to ask to see what I don't have on display.

The Women's refuge will also be there, and will have a drop of box for gifts for the children for Christmas. If you would like to bring something along to donate, please leave them unqrapped, and here a some ideas for items to give: new toys and books for children, model making kits, colouring in books, jigsaws, puzzles and games. There will alway be a raffle to raise money for the Women's refuge also.

My remaining three markets after this are:

Kiwi Christmas Market: 5pm - 9pm, 14th December at Westland High School, Hokitika

A Christmas Cracker: 12:30pm - 5pm, 17th December at the Baptist Church back room, East Belt, Rangiora

Methven Farmers Market & Christmas Craft Market: 9:30am - 12pm, 18th December at the Heritage Centre, Methven.

Tea Party – The Summer Edition

2011-11-30T08:27:00.003+13:00

It's that time of the year again – time for the Rose in Thorns Tea Party! Like usual there will be baking, pretty teacups and candles available for purchase. A nice relaxing way to do some of your Christmas shopping.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that something new and exciting was happening, and I would tell you all what it was when it was all signed and sealed. We've bought a house! This is quite an achievement, as since I became self-employed and earn less money than I used to, our house buying plans did get thrown into a little disarray. We move in January, which gives me a bit more time to get organised and pack.

This means this will be the last Tea Party at my current address (I'm as yet undecided whether to continue them after we move). It also means I have some stock that I am quite keen to clear so I don't have to move it, so will have some good clearance specials.

It will be at my home in Rochmond, Christchurch from 3pm-5pm on Sunday the 4th December. You are welcome to bring a friend with you, and if RSVPs could be made by 5pm, that should give me enough time to get everything organised. You can RSVP on the Facebook event, and/or this link, if you need my address, I will email it to everyone who RSVP's via the link.

This weekend's events

2011-11-25T09:33:00.005+13:00

This weekend I will be at the Christmas Encraftment Market at on Saturday 26th November, from 10am – 3pm at Christchurch Girls High School Gym, 10 Matai Street, Riccarton.

There will be lots of great craft stalls, including Black Swan Designs, Cloud Nine Creative, Mudbird, Green Jean, Honey and Spice, Freedom Creative, Natural Star, In my Backyard, The Busy Finch, My 2 Monsters, Sailor Spy, Relique, lots of yummy baking from the Sweetheart Bakery and many, many more great stalls.

I can't thing of a better place to start your Christmas shopping (or finish it if you're super organised!) I will have the new owls, along with some brand new Christmas candles – you'll have to come along if you want to be one of the first to check them out!

If you can't make it to Encraftment, or feel like squeezing lots of Christmassy goodness in one day, pop out to Rolleston for an Open Christmas House and Craft stalls. This is a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House, a charity that provides support and a place to stay for families of sick children that have to come to Christchurch from out of town to the Hospital. The company I used to work for is a supporter of the house. While there I did some of their design work, including their newsletter, so learned a lot about the great things they do.

I won't be there personally, as two events in one day is pushing things a little bit. The organiser of the event has arranged someone to look after my stall for me. I will be donating 20% of all sales to Ronald McDonald House. It's just $5 entry to this event, in support of a very worthy cause.

Mandeville Craft Festival this weekend

2011-11-18T13:52:00.003+13:00

I feel like I've been neglecting my blog a bit lately – sorry about that! I've been super busy with lots of markets, design work, and organising something new and exciting. Once it's all signed and sealed, I'll let you know what it is!

This weekend I will be at the Mandeville Craft Festival at Mandeville Sports Centre on Saturday 19th November from 11am – 4pm. It's just a short drive from Christchurch, and there will be an array of quality craft stalls, christmas gifts, live music and a gourmet food court. Experience the atmosphere and excitement of a country fete minutes from the city.

My painting group's annual exhibition opened yesterday, and will run until the 15th December at South Library, 66 Colombo Street. As always there is a great variety of paintings for sale, at very reasonable prices. A big thanks to Maree for finding us a venue this year, when such spaces are so difficult to find. I'm not organised enough to have photos of my paintings to add to this post sorry! I might add some later.

This weeks markets

2011-11-01T20:28:00.004+13:00

I may have mentioned earlier I had booked in quite a few markets this year. Well I went a bit crazy for this week, and have three days worth of markets planned!

The first, on Thursday, is the Geraldine Summer Fete. This will be the second year of this exclusive country fete. There will be a selection of New Zealands's finest home, garden and lifestyle products together with the area's quality local produce for a day of indulgence and elegance held at a spectacular South Canterbury property.

The fete is this Thursday November 3rd from 10am-4pm at Stover Farm on State Highway 72, Geraldine. Tickets are $10, which can be bought online, or at the gate on the day. With over 120 stalls – including gorgeous clothing from Tava and Talikins, tours of the iconic Stover Gardens and a Pimms and bite to eat on the Village green, this will be a great day out.

Then, after a day to replenish my stocks and have a well deserved break, I will be heading to the Manderley Home and Garden Festival. Set in a beautiful valley on Banks Peninsula, near Little River, the gardens and grounds of Manderley are the perfect location to showcase 140 stalls selected for the quality and originality. Many food outlets will provide tasty gourmet food complimented with the best of wine and beer. Live music, dancers and many more entertainers will provide something for everyone.

The festival will be held wet or fine, from 10am-4pm on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November at 3875 Christchurch/Akaroa Highway, Little River (opposite Lake Forsyth rest area). Admission is $10, children under 12 free. You will also find Relique Jewellery and Mudbird there as well. I'm looking forward to a great weekend!

Evening by candlelight

2011-10-18T19:16:00.006+13:00

Some powercuts are better than others. The ones that occur immediately after an earthquake aren't much fun, and tend to escalate the tension already caused by the pesky ground shaking. The best kind are ones that happen for other reasons, while I am testing candles. Everything dims to lovely mood lighting.

When we had one a couple of weeks ago, it was shortly after I had blown the candles out when they had finished their test burn for the day. So I had to scramble around in the dark to find the matches and light them again. Then I proceded to plug in the vodem to the laptop to find out why the power had gone out.

It went out again on Friday (yet again, another shake free powercut), while I was testing some new candles. So this time I decided to take a more relaxed approach, and shun all technology more sophisticated than a torch. There is something very soothing about candlelight, and it is much better appreciated without any electric lights on.

As I sat there writing out this blog post – with a pen, on a piece of paper – I realised how all too often I forget to appreciate the simple things in life. Then an hour after it went out, it came back on as suddenly it went out, and everything whirred back into life. The whole experience was a great reminder that sometimes, technology just isn't that important, and powercuts aren't always a bad thing.

Spring Flings and a winner!

2011-10-10T12:21:00.005+13:00

Firstly, I would like to announce the winner of my soy melt prize pack – Marie of Crafty Rie fame! Congratulations Marie, your prize is winging it's way to you right now.

This weekend I have a stall at the inaugural Ellesmere Spring Fling. Situated in the beautiful Broadfield Gardens near Hornby, this will be a garden party with a country fete feel. There will be demonstrations, arts, crafts, entertainment and champagne picnics and other food available.

There will also be art by Sarah Deans, sculpture by Allan O'Loughlin and garden tours along with wine and beverages, a jazz band, a string quartet and a touch of Shakespearian theatre all in a lovely sheltered garden.

This event is a fundraiser for Lincoln Community Care. Buy your ticket now for $25 from Paperplus Merivale and Hornby, various Ray White real estate offices, Lincoln New World and Linclon Community Care. There will be no gate sales on the day, so you will need to buy your ticket in advance. Eftpos cash-out facilites are being planned, but it's always a good idea to come prepared with some cash.

It will be open from 10am – 4pm on Sunday 16th October at Broadfields Garden, 250 Selwyn Road, Prebbleton. I have been working a way on a gorgeous new product, and hope to have some ready to bring along on Sunday.

Oil burner and soy melt gift pack giveaway

2011-09-22T08:35:00.005+12:00

Since I released the soy melts, I have been asked several times if I sell the burners as well. I have since sourced some lovely white porcelain oil burners which are now available for purchase. They are available on Felt with either a gift box of melts and tealights, or with a box of melts.

To celebrate Spring, and the addition of oil burners to my soy melt range, I am giving away a gift set to one lucky newsletter subscriber. The prize pack includes a porcelain oil burner with a gift box of 10 soy melts (or 12 space invader soy melts) and three soy tealights.

If you're already a subscriber, just follow the instructions in the newsletter I sent out on Tuesday. If you aren't already a subscriber, you can sign up here. Not only will you be entered in the draw, but you will also receive monthly updates with information about new products, upcoming events and exclusive offers. To be in to win, you just need to sign up before the 30th September. Entries are limited to one per person, and the winner will be drawn on the 1st of October. Don't forget to tell your friends who might be interested in receiving my newsletter and winning this great prize to sign up as well!

Whirlwind trip to Auckland

2011-09-09T11:55:00.003+12:00

Last weekend was an action packed trip to Auckland. I managed to fit in visiting some potential stockists, catch up with family and friends, had a lovely day at the Devonport Craft Market, and catch the very last show of the Circ de Soleil – which was awesome. I think I'm only just recovering now!

At the Devonport Craft market I got to catch up with Elizabeth from Zippity Doodah and Sarah from Songbird Designs. I also met lots of new people, including Glen from Glennie Knits, Leanne from Feel at Home, Helene from Happy go Knitty, Diane from Nala Boo, Renee from The Little White Box and Kylie who makes mosaics from broken china. If I hadn't started to feel guilty about neglecting my stall I would have introduced myself to more of the local crafters.

I'd like to do a shout-out to Sarah McLeod to say thank you for her awesome hospitality, and also for so kindly offering to take some of my candles to sell on my behalf at future markets in Devonport. Thank you also to the shoppers that came and said hi. It's always lovely to put a face to a name.

This weekend I'll be a bit closer to home, at the Spring Encraftment Market tomorrow at Villa Maria College Hall, from 10am – 3pm. See you there!

The art of candle making

2011-08-30T17:32:00.007+12:00

As my business continues to grow, I am making decisions about how I want to proceed. So, after a lot of thought, I have decided to register for GST on the 1st September. Unfortunately this means I will have to add it onto my prices. So I thought I would give you, my loyal followers some advance warning (sorry this post was meant to go up yesterday morning!) You have until the end of Wednesday to purchase goodies without the added GST in my Felt shop.

I have decided to absorb the cost on some items for various reasons, and so the following items will not be increasing in price – Soy melts, Scented soy tins (excl essentials), Soy tealights and Heart tealights.

As anyone makes things to sell will know, it's always a tough balance to figure out what price to set. I read an interesting blog post last week shared by Lylly-Fysh entitled 'Why handmade is so expensive'. It's a great insight into the work that goes into handmade, so I thought I would share an overview of my processes, inspired by that post.

Stage 1: The design/prototype phase

This begins with an idea, and depending on it's complexity, may need to be drawn and designed first, or it may be based on a conventional method or mould. I'll use the teardrop as an example. I make the moulds for this candle by hand, and it has taken me many batches to perfect the design and reinforcing of the mould to get it just right. Then I need to make prototype batches to test out which wick works the best, and whether or not the candle will actually work. This has been a steep learning curve. In earlier days I have rushed this process in order to get a product out, and then not been happy with how it burned down. As you can imagine, the testing can be quite time consuming when you have to burn down each candle to see how it goes, and which one lasts the longest, and burns the nicest.

Stage 2: The production phase

Step 1: Melting the wax and preparing the moulds

This involves measuring out the correct qty of wax for the number of candles I plan to make, and melting it in a double boiler on a stovetop. While this is happening I prepare the moulds, and put the wick in them, as well as measure out the fragrance and dye.

Step 2: Pouring

Once the wax has reached the right temperature, I mix in the dye and fragrance, and pour it into the moulds, taking care not to overfill them, and hoping they are sealed up properly and won't leak. Depending on the type of candle being made, I have to repeat this up to two more times.

Step 3: Un-moulding

Usually I wait until the following day to take the candles out of the moulds, as this gives them enough time to set properly. Once I have taken them out of the mould (they are poured upside down) I melt the base of the candle to flatten it off.

Step 4: Finishing

This entails tidying up the finished candle, and adding the labels and any embellishments, such as the paper bands on the tins.

Interestingly, the finishing aspect takes longer that I think, and I always end up under-estimating how long it will take. However I take pride in getting this right, as I think the finishing touches are part what sets my products apart from others.

Most of the cost of making my candles is the actual time. Especially for the recycled candles, as I have to filter the wax first, which is quite time consuming in itself, and I don't actually factor this into the cost of my candles.

I will try very hard to make sure this is the last price increase this year – hopefully I've got it right this time!

On tour to Auckland

2011-08-29T15:42:00.006+12:00

This weekend I am heading to Auckland, and will be mixing business and pleasure. On Friday I will be visiting shops who might be interested in stocking my candles, so if you know of any great little shops in your area that might be a good fit, do let me know.

On Sunday I will be at the Devonport Craft Market which I am very much looking forward to. If you live in Auckland, and have been admiring my products online, this will be the perfect opportunity to come and see them for real. It also means you can smell all the gorgeous different scents I have to offer, which is something you can't do online! I am also looking forward to meeting the other stallholders, and admiring their wares as well.

I will also be going to see Saltimbanco while I'm up. I have always wanted to see a Circ de Soleil performance, so I was careful to time my trip up with this years event. I'm very much looking forward to it!

If you come along to the Devonport Craft Market, do come and say hi! If you make a purchase of $20 or more, and mention you read my blog, I will give you a free tealight candle of your choice. Also don't forget to bring along your old candles to be recycled for a 10% discount off your purchase. Bring along an empty Rose in Thorns candle tin for a 20% discount.

A selection of upcoming events for interested sellers to apply for

2011-08-16T14:27:00.008+12:00

I have just come back from a weekend selling at the Methven Craft Fair. The upgraded memorial hall is a great space for events like this, and there were lots of great stalls there. I had a successfuul weekend, and even managed to get home before the forecast heavy snow hit.

I get a few requests for my 'list' of upcoming events to apply for. Also, in my capacity as Felt support person, I get occasional emails from event organisers looking for stallholders. Here is a list of upcoming events, mostly in the Canterbury region that may still have spaces available.

Celebrate Summer party, Sumner – 4th September 2011

This will be a one day festival to celebrate the strength of our community, to commemorate the anniverary of last years earthquake and to raise funds for the Sumner redevelopment. For info on how to apply, click here.

Royal Melbourne Show – 26th - 30th September and 3rd - 4th October 2011

The 2011 Royal Melbourne Show Art, Craft and Cookery Pavilion will hold a makers market with targets those artisans and crafters who hand make contemporary or retro-style works and would like to offer them for sale. Stalls start at $75 per day. Email me for a copy of the application form, but get in quick as applications close on the 20th August. (Click the 'view profile' link on the right for my contact details.)

Centrewood Spring Fete – 15th October
Contact Jo Sutherland on 03 689 6035 for an application form, and check out their website for more information.

Ellesmere Spring Fling – 16th October 2011

This Fete will be held at Broadfield gardens, and is a fundraiser for Lincoln Community Care. For info on how to apply, click here.

Mandeville Craft Festival – 19th November 2011

The organisers of the inaugural Mandeville Craft Festival are now inviting registrations of interest. Head over to their website for more info, and to apply.

Some other upcoming events that may still have space available, and could be worth checking out, are:

Geraldine Summer Fete – 3rd November 2011

Manderley Home and Garden Festival – 5th - 6th November

Geraldine Arts and Plants Festival – 10th - 13th November

If you know of other events that other crafty sellers might be interested in, post a link or the details in the comments below. You can also check out the Felt Forum for details on upcoming events.

Methven Craft Fair

2011-08-11T09:39:00.004+12:00

This weekend I will be at the Methven Craft Fair, on at the Methven Heritage Centre, 160 Main Street, Methven. It is a weekend affair, running from 10am - 5pm on Saturday, and 9am - 4pm on Sunday.

There will be a huge range of art, craft and giftware from all over Canterbury, with over 45 stalls. There will also be a selection of food available, including all day mini high teas. This event is a fundraiser for the Methven Playcentre. It will be a great weekend for shopping!

Winter Wonderland

2011-08-08T09:10:00.004+12:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had a lot of snow, that transformed everything into a winter wonderland. It was beautiful!

The next day, I decided it was the perfect time for an outdoor photo shoot with some of my candles – fire and ice!

An ice candle in it's natural habitat.

Floating candles nestled in the snow.

To continue the snow theme, a selection of my candles are now stocked in Vesta Design in Queenstown. What a great way to relax after a hard day on the slopes!

Escape from the City

2011-07-22T10:00:00.004+12:00

***EDIT***

Due to forecast low temperatures and adverse weather conditions, this event has now been cancelled.

***EDIT***

This Sunday I will be attending Escape the City, a gala event that offers the opportunity for Christchurch residents to unwind in the beautiful Canterbury high country. Glenfalloch Station, at the head of the Rakaia river will open it's gates to the public from 11am – 3pm on the 24 July.

There will be entertainment, a farmers and artisan market and art exhibtion, a musterers luch, and plenty of opportunties to explore the rugged high country. When you arrive you will be warmly welcomed with a hot chocolate and some mulled wine. The weather forecast for the area is looking better than for the Canterbury plains, and there has been lots of snow on the mountains making the area very picturesque.

Ticket can be purchased for $15 per car from Traiteurs in Merivale, or Mercato at Fitzgerald Ave. otherwise you can pay $20 at the gate. Driving directions can be found here. Proceeds from the event will go to the Canterbury earthqauke recovery fund.

Big Chip in for Christchurch

2011-07-14T15:37:00.007+12:00

We've had a pretty eventful year in Christchurch, so some folks have come up with the idea for The Big Chip in for Christchurch, on Friday 15th July. The basic idea is that everyone does something for someone in Christchurch. It could be ringing a Christchurch based friend to say hello, placing an order with a Christchurch based business, or getting all your workmates to wear red and black as a show of support.

One really easy way to help even if you're out of town is to buy something online from a Christchurch based business. A lot of stores that have had either lost their premises, or have suffered a downturn in foot traffic have opened up online stores. One in particular is one of my stockists in Sumner, Flock. They have recently launched a website with an online store, so you can shop in your slippers! If you are local, and feel like a trip out to Sumner, you can go check out the wares yourself at shop 2, 43 Nayland Street.

Up until the February quake, three friends of mine ran businesses from this building in Bedford Row, which has since been red-stickered (I just happened to be standing outside it at the time, watching it begin to disintegrate). Felt, Black Swan Designs, Board of Design and The Wardrobe which were all based there, are now operating from home. Nin from The Wardrobe has had to start her business almost from scratch again. You can help her out by buying one of the gorgeous hats, purses or accessories from her shop.

For some other great Christchurch shopping, here is a selection of shops on Felt to check out:

relique – a funky range of vintage and contemporary styled jewellery

mudbirdnz – unique handmade ceramic pieces

threadmark – felt birds

freedom – jewellery, accessories and homewares

blackswan – jewellery, accessories and totebags

feltgood – cute wheatbags

For two great Red Cross fundraising initiatives, check out cloudnine and natalie-anne.

Soy melt invasion!

2011-07-13T12:56:00.004+12:00

A few weeks ago I finally launched a range of much awaited soy melts. If you haven't used them before, they are a small block of scented soy wax which you pop into your oil burner. The wax melts to release the scent and fragrance the room. When you're finished, just let the wax set in the top of the burner. If you want to change the fragrance, just pop the burner into the freezer for ten minutes or so, and the wax should come out easily.

I was testing them out in the week after the June 13 aftershocks, whilst I was also trying to dry out the carpet with the dehumidifier running 24/7, after the fishtank smashed and spilled water all over the floor. As anyone whose lived with wet carpet will know, it doesn't smell real good! The fragrance dispersed from the soy melts was enough to satisfactorily mask the wet carpet smell. Of course I can't guarantee they will disguise every smell, but they do a great job of improving the pleasantness of a room.

I have a variety of scents and shapes, which I are available in two different sizes, and two different package options. There are space invader shaped melts, and a variety of other shapes as well. You can purchase them from Felt in either a box of 8 (shapes) or 10 (space invaders), or a gift box with three unscented soy tealights, with a burntime of 8 hours each, and 10 (shapes) or 12 (space invader) melts. I haven't finished testing the length of time they last, but I would think about 20-30 hours. Once the scent has dispersed from them, you can return the wax to me to recycle, and receive my 10% recycling discount on your next purchase.

Lucky last teardrops

2011-06-29T11:53:00.003+12:00

My clearout of mini-teardop candles is almost at an end. If you want to take advantage of the half price clearance offer, you will need to get in soon. I only have small quantities of the Rose, Orange and Frangipani fragrances left now. The Rainforest fragrance is the only one available in sufficient quantities for the set of five. I will have the remaining stock with me on Saturday at the Winter Encraftment market. If you can't make it along there, I have all the mini-teardrops available listed on Felt.

They are being replaced with small teardrops, which are available now. I have improved upon the mini-teardrops – the small size is 20% larger, and they last about three times longer, and the wick is a more suitable size. These are still available at the introductory price of $10 each. This has almost come to an end, and I will be raising the price of them on Monday to $14 each, to reflect the true cost of creating them. I will also be increasing the prices of the Valentines Hearts, Floating candles and Hand-dipped tapers at this time as well. I been revising my wholesale pricing to make sure it is sustainable, which means I need to raise the retail price as well to keep them in line. You have got until the end of Sunday the 3rd July to take advantage of my current prices – either at the Winter Encraftment Market, or on Felt.

Winter Encraftment market

2011-06-24T16:45:00.002+12:00

The next market I have coming up is the Winter Encraftment Market on July 2nd at Villa Maria College Hall, from 10am-3pm.

This is a new market, and with over 50 creative stalls, there will be something for everyone. Bags, gifts, crafty items, toys, games, kids decor, vintage and modern jewellery, clothing, crafting supplies, homewares, garden art, children's clothing and accessories as well as amazing food, coffee and hot chocolate.

You will find goodies from Locket, Mudbird NZ, Feltgood, Green Jean, Cloudnine, Relique, The Wardrobe and many more. Forget the malls, come beat the chill of winter and the shaky ground with some retail therapy at Encraftment!

Focus

2011-06-14T11:38:00.003+12:00

Yesterday was quite a topsy turvy day for me. I spent the morning in hospital under sedation, and the afternoon fuelled by adrenaline, after the world came crashing down again. Fortunately I was home from the hospital before the first aftershock struck. In fact I was just sitting down to relax to recuperate from a second gastroscopy (this one was to check the gluten free diet is working, and the results came back as normal, which means it is – yay!) We'd just cleaned up the mess, checked in on facebook and sat down again when the second one hit.

Just like February, the fish tank fell over and smashed again, throwing the fish on the floor again and spilling water all over the carpet again. The poor fish must be quite traumatised by now. Fortunately they both survived, as they were only on floor for a minute or so this time. We also got another liquefaction volcano in the backyard. Still no where near as bad as a lot of other people further east have it though.

All this shaking tests the resolve just a little. I'm sure we've all become much more resilient since September, but each time it gets a little harder to hold it together and stay focussed on the bigger picture.

For me, the bigger picture involves growing my business to a sustainable level that provides a proper income for me. Starting a business is never easy, but to start one in a year punctuated by earthquakes certainly doesn't help make it any easier. The majority of the retailers I supply in Christchurch have been affected, along with other local companies I work with. I don't want to sound too melodramatic though, as some businesses have lost everything, and I haven't lost a thing.

However, this makes me more determined than ever to make my business succeed. As long as I am self-employed, I am keeping a job open for someone else who needs it more. In the longer term, my business may grow to employ other people, and help grow the Christchurch economy when it so badly needs it.

I have a list of things as long as my arm of things to do, which I have been slowly ticking off. There are two important things I need to do to help with the forward momentum, and I feel if I write them here, it might give me more accountability to get them done! Firstly, I need to finish my website, which is at least half done. Secondly, I need to find some more retailers interested in stocking my candles. I have a few in mind I plan to approach, but if you know of any shops in your area that might suit, or you have a shop yourself and would be interested in stocking them, then let me know.

I do plan to still have my Tea Party on Sunday. It may begin with an earthquake briefing, but other than that I'm determined not to let tectonic plates get in my way! If you'd like the distraction of shopping, high tea, and great company, then come along, and feel free to bring a friend. You can RSVP here by 5pm tomorrow, and receive all the details by email on Thursday, and check in on the facebook event here.

Last night I kept thinking of that parody song 'I'm on a boat', and thinking that's what it was like with the house swaying so often. Which reminds me of how if someone is feeling seasick, you always tell them to watch the horizon. Which I what I intend to keep doing.

And the winner is...

2011-06-09T19:23:00.003+12:00

Drum roll... Rosie from Honey and Spice! You have won a tall ice candle, and a small essentials tin. I will email you with the details.

Thank you all for your comments and feedback, it's always nice to hear which products people like. Also, just this afternoon I have reached another milestone, of 30 sales in my Felt store!

If you'll be in Christchurch next weekend and feel like some high tea and shopping, you might like to come along to my Tea Party. You can RSVP here.

Tea Party – The Winter Edition

2011-06-08T11:45:00.004+12:00

It's that time of year again, the Rose in Thorns Tea Party is back! It will be a great blend of tea, fine china, baking and shopping. There will be a full range of my candles available to purchase, some great deals on sale stock, and demonstrations of some of the different candles.

It will be held on the 19th of June from 3pm – 5pm at my home in Richmond, Christchurch. You will need to RSVP by Wednesday the 15th June here, and will receive address details the following day. You can also RSVP on the facebook event I have created. You can RSVP on both, I will check to make sure I don't count anyone twice! Also, feel free to bring a friend along with you – just mention that when RSVPing so I have the correct numbers. I don't want to run short of teacups and baking!

You can bring along any old candles for recycling for a 10% discount of your purchase. Also, don't forget my giveaway is still open, you've got till tomorrow to enter.

Giveaway time!

2011-06-03T16:16:00.006+12:00

A big thank you to everyone that helped me to pass the 200 'liker' mark on Facebook. When I wrote my 100th blog post, I said that I would celebrate by doing a giveaway when I reached the Facebok milestone. So, without further ado...

The prize consists of a tall ice candle, a round acrylic plate and a small soy essentials tin candle. The winner can choose between the white and blue/purple ice candle shown, and one of the following essentail oil fragrances: Cinnamon, Patchouli, Geranium, Rose, Lavender, Manuka and Ylang Ylang.

To enter, all you need to do it take a look at my Felt shop, then comment on this post with what your favourite item from my shop is. Easy! Entries will close on Thursday 9th June 2011 at 7pm, with the winner chosen at random from the comments. Good luck!

Handmade 2011

2011-05-31T17:11:00.004+12:00

Handmade 2011 is on this weekend at Te Papa in Wellington. It is a two-day symposium celebrating all things handmade, with workshops, masterclasses, lectures and tours. Felt is a supporting partner of the event, which means I am lucky enough to be attending as part of Team Felt. I am very much looking forward to this, and have spent ages trying to decide which workshops to attend. If you're in Wellington, and don't have your weekend booked out yet, I'd highly recommend checking out the Handmade 2011 programme to see what workshops you might like to attend.

If you have any burning Felt questions, or just want to say hi, it would be great to meet any blog readers who are also attending. It might not be really obvious who I am, as the company that prints Felt's t-shirts is in the redzone, so we haven't been able to get any new ones made up. However I will wear my Felt badge, to make identification slightly easier for you.

The Monster May Market on Saturday was a great success. Juliet and Abbie from the Craft Collective did a great job organising it yet again, with a fabulous selection of stallholders and a great turnout. I look forward to the next one!

Monster May Market this Saturday

2011-05-25T17:15:00.005+12:00

This Saturday brings a shopping event like no other to eastern Christchurch. Since the earthquake in February, both malls on this side of town have been closed, along with the shops in the central city red zone. This has left a rather large gap to fill, so the girls from The Craft Collective, who brought us a Craft Christmas market last year, decided to create an event to fill this shopping void.

There will be a great selection of craft stalls, as you have come to expect. Along side these, there will also be a selection of High Street shops and cafes to really enhance the shopping experience. It sounds like a great day out to me, so why not come and join us this Saturday 28 May from 10:30am till 3pm at North Linwood School.

Don't forget to bring along any old candles or candle stubs for me to recycle, and I will exchange them for a 10% discount off your next purchase.

Weekend by the sea

2011-05-24T17:31:00.004+12:00

We went to Kaikoura for the weekend, and it was lovely to have a break away. We went to the seal colony and watched the adult seals basking in the sun. We also went to the waterfall where the seal pups hang out at this time of year. They were like a bunch of children playing about in the water, it was great to watch!

The museum was interesting, I found some old wooden type from the old Kaikoura Star printing press. There was also the old town jail there, completed with a padded cell.

This week I'm busy trying to get myself organised for the Monster May Market on Saturday – it's going to be great. Also I hope to get my newsletter out this week, so if you'd like to receive it, but haven't signed up yet, you can do so in the sidebar.

Felt Shop update + Monster May Market

2011-05-19T17:50:00.005+12:00

I've been re-photographing some of my products, and generally been giving my Felt shop a bit of a spruce up of late. There are some new teacups, and I have re-photographed the fragranced soy tin candles. I have one listing per size for the tins, then you can just specify the fragrance you would like from the options in the listing in the notes to seller when you checkout.

I have also added a very limited edition listing with 5 mini-teardrops and a round acrylic plate. This is the last one left, so first in first served! I have also added a listing for 3 mini-teardrops with a rectangle plate. The mini-teardrops are starting to run low, so if you've had your eye on them, you'd best get in quick before you miss out!

The matching sets of 5 are now only available in frangipani and rainforest fragrance. There are only a few left of the rose and orange fragrances, so they are also first in first served. Don't stress out if you do miss out though, as I have the new small teardrop candles available. They are an improved version of the teardrop candle, and last a lot longer than the mini-teardrops.

If you'd rather shop in person, and will be in Christchurch next weekend, pop along to the Monster May Market at Linwood North School, 221 Woodham Road on the 28th May, from 10:30am till 3pm. Organised by the lovely ladies from the Craft Collective who ran the Craft Christmas Market at Goodbye Blue Monday in December, there is a great lineup of stallholders, there will be lots of shopping to be had!

Newsletters

2011-05-11T17:12:00.006+12:00

You may have noticed that I have just added a new box at the side. You can signup to receive a regular newsletter with updates on new products, upcoming events and special offers.

If you sign up now, you can receive my very first newsletter – due out in the next few weeks – hot in your inbox. How exciting!

My 100th blog post

2011-05-06T16:43:00.004+12:00

This very post marks my 100th blog post. I really enjoy writing this blog, and getting to know the regular readers. So much has happened since I first began. The very first post was written in the build up to my very first market. My products and presentation have changed considerably since then – and for the better I hope!

I feel some kind of giveaway is in order to celebrate this milestone. However, since my facebook page isn't too far short of it's next milestone, I have decided that once I reach 200 fans on my facebook page, I will then do a giveaway. I have yet to decide what to give away, so any suggestions welcome.

Finally, I have my first market in a while this weekend. The Methven Farmer's market is holding a craft market to co-incide with the Girls on Bikes cycle race that is happening this weekend. It was originally intended to be held in February, but like a lot of events was postponed because of the earthquake. It runs from 9:30am till 12:30pm on Sunday the 8th May in the Square on the Main Street. So if you're out that way, stop and say hi!

New teacup candles, just in time for Mother's day

2011-04-28T19:15:00.004+12:00

I have been busy making some new teacup candles, which I have began uploading into my Felt store today. I'm hoping to get some more up in the next few days.

Mother's day is gettting closer, and if you're still deciding what to get her, a teacup candle might be just the ticket. Of course if you have children, you might want to start dropping some subtle hints! Mothers do so much for us, so it's nice to say thank you now and then. My mother shared her love of crafting with me, something I'll always be grateful for.

Mother's day is on the 8th May, so there is still time left to get orders in the post.

Last week I was privileged enough to be featured in Mel from Wildflower's "Have you seen this" feature, where she interviews a crafter that has caught her eye. You can read the post here.

I hope you all had a nice break over the long weekend. We went to Nelson to visit my family, and were lucky enough the experience the fringes of a 4.3 earthquake near French Pass. I swear they must be following me around, when we got home on Sunday we were greeted by another 4.3.

Essential oil soy candles now available

2011-04-20T17:14:00.008+12:00

I have been working on creating a range of essential oil scented soy candles. I wanted to offer a candle that is as natural and sustainable as I can make it. Soy wax is made from pure soybean oil, and is a natural, chemical free, biodegradable renewable resource. I use tins that are fully recyclable, and glass jars made from recyled bottles which are also recyclable, and they are also both refillable. I embellish them with paper which can either be recycled or composted – or reused in your next craft project.

Essential oils are a natural fragrance option which can also have aromatherapy benefits. Although I don't proclaim to be an expert on this subject, I will continue to research the therapeutic properties of the essential oils I use.

The fragrances I currently have available in my Felt store include:

Citronella – great for keeping bugs at bay outdoors

Cinnamon – helps to dispel tension, and improves wellbeing

Patchouli – calming in low doses, yet refreshing in higher doses

Geranium – refreshing, and improves stamina

Just introduced this week are:

Rose – calming and comforting, aids with sleeping

Lavender – calming and soothing, aids with sleeping

Manuka – calming, with antiseptic properties

Ylang Ylang – generally soothing, with a sensuous aroma

Some precautions to note, if you would are having trouble sleeping, light the candle in the room you are in before you go to bed, and make sure you put it out before going to sleep. It is also recommended that pregnant women avoid use of essential oils.

These candles would make a great mother's day gift, or a practical addition to your emergency kit. I would recommend one with calming properties for your emergency kit.

Red Cross Earthquake Appeal Fundraiser

2011-04-14T12:06:00.001+12:00

In March I decided to donate 10% of my Felt shop sales and also a portion of selected items to the Red Cross 2011 Earthquake appeal. I raised a total of $17.00, which has been donated to the Red Cross. Thank you to everyone who made a purchase during this period, and helped with the fundraiser.

Ruins, and shining gems

2011-04-03T17:17:00.009+12:00

I watched Eat, Pray, Love for the first time on Thursday evening. There was a scene in it which struck a chord with me, when Elizabeth Gilbert was at the Augusteum.

"We all want things to stay the same. Settle for living in misery, because we're afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins.

Then I looked around in this place, at the chaos it's endured, the way it's been adapted, burned, pillaged, then found a way to build itself back up again, and I was reassured. Maybe my life hasn't been so chaotic, it's just the world that is, and the only real trap is getting attached to any of it.

Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation."

Those words seem so fitting to what Christchurch is going through at the moment. Particularly when the following day, a list was released of buildings approved to be demolished. The problem is, I had got rather attached to having those buildings around. I moved to Christchurch when I was 18, and lived within the CBD for the first five years I lived here. Many of the buildings have memories attached, along with being lovely to look at.

There were many buildings on the list that were rather obviously going to be there, that had already suffered extensive damage, and were in no way salvagable. (*EDIT* In my original post, I wrote that the building my old work was in was published on the demolition list. It turns out this was a mistake on the list, and they meant a building a couple of doors down the street, which was the building I initially thought they were referring too. The building my old work was in is still safe, and I apologise for any confusion this may have caused.)

Last year I wrote this post, with images of some of the buildings that were still standing after the first quake. Sadly, quite a number of these have suffered much more significant damage this time. I hope to do another post in the same vein, and find the real fighters that have withstood the most recent shocks. However it will be some time before I can get back into the city and find them.

Here are two rather significant heritage buildings which appear to have survived relatively unscathed. The first being the Isaac Theatre Royal, a gorgeous old theatre in Gloucester Street. The second being McLeans Mansion in Manchester Street, a stately old home that I have always admired through the trees, which is now used by a vocational training organisation. So all is not lost, Christchurch still has some gems in it's crown.

As a final note, this footage of the February 22nd earthquake has just been released. It taken was only a block or so away from where I was at the time.

Being Prepared

2011-03-24T17:48:00.006+13:00

I'm one of those people that means to get all the appropriate survival items on hand in case of emergencies, but never quite gets around to actually buying them. So when the first earthquake struck, we weren't particulary well prepared. Cellphones were used as torches, and I had to listen to the radio on my car for updates.

So I prepared a very short list of must have items that are really useful in an emergency, to get for any future emergencies. If you're like me, and you also mean to get a kit prepared, but just haven't got around to it yet, I thought this would be a good starting point. For information on everything you might need, here is the Civil Defence guide.

– Water for drinking. Really quite important when you don't have running water.

– A torch with batteries that work. Because it gets really dark at night when there is no power.

– Hand sanitiser. Rather useful for washing your hands when you don't have running water.

– A battery operated radio. Useful for finding out what's going on when you don't have usual means of information.

There is lots of discussion on the interwebs about useful things to have on hand so I won't go into detail about every single thing you need. There is one thing I found came is handy after the second earthquake was the really thick rubber/plastic coated gardening gloves used for pruning roses. If you have lots of broken glass to pick up, these are great, as cutting yourself on broken glass is not really something you want to happen at this stage.

If you're without power for a prolonged period of time, you're going to need an alternative source of lighting in the evenings. The two most common choices to use are camp lanterns and candles. Camp lanterns are good because they have a much lower fire risk, and are easy to carry. However they can produce a harsh light, and the warm glow of a candle can be much more comforting.

If you're thinking of stocking up on candles for your emergency kit, I would recommend container candles, rather than the traditional candle stick in a candle holder. This is because they are much more stable, and less likely to tip over if knocked, or there is a strong aftershock. In my Felt store, I have two kinds of candles I would recommend for emergencies above all others. These are the tin candles, and the recycled glass bottle candles. Both are made from soy wax, last for ages, have good stability and don't drip, due to being a container. Another advantage of soy is that if the container does tip and spill the wax, it does wash out in hot soapy water. The tin candles would be the safest of the two, as they are wider than they are tall, and won't break if they do fall on the ground. The glass candles are really good for light, as the light shines through the glass, all the way to the bottom of the candle.

These candles are available in scented, unscented and essential oil scented options. I have finally listed my new essential oil candles. You might like to pick a soothing scent to help calm those rattled nerves! If you would like a different scent to something I have listed, just let me know and I will tell you if I can make it up in the scent (or unscented) you are after.

Also, don't forget I am donating 10% of all sales in my Felt store till the end of the month to the Red Cross earthquake appeal. I have raised $15.50 so far through my fundraising efforts, and would love to increase this total before the end of the month.

roseinthorns

$22.00

roseinthorns

$28.00

roseinthorns

$19.50

Life in Christhurch post Quake

2011-03-16T12:58:00.006+13:00

I started to write this blog last week, as an insight into what life here in Christchurch is like. I didn't get around to finishing it and posting it up here, and then yesterday another chapter was added to this story. Be warned, this post does have a sad ending. If you are still in an emotionally fragile state, you may not wish to read the whole post.

While the quake was violently shaking everything in the city, it seemed as if someone was actually trying to destroy the city. It wasn't something I could have imagined, and even now my brain struggles to comprehend it. To describe it, I have a picture in my head of things stacked up in the base of a boardgame box, and someone shaking it from side to side, trying to topple them over. It was horrible watching buildings shake like that, with some starting to crumble. It felt very real, but like what was happening wasn't supposed to happen. This was the worst case scenario, things like this don't actually happen. We prepare in case they do – buildings had been red-stickered and had fences and shipping containers stacked up in front of them to stop the spread of rubble if they had collapsed. These things had been done in case something like this happened, not because it would happen. We had been told after the first quake to expect a magnitude 6, but I think most of us imagined that meant it wouldn't be as bad as the first one.

Afterwards, it kind of felt like the end of the world. I knew it wasn't actually the end of the world, but it did have that feel about it. In a way it was – the end of the world of Christchurch as we knew it. A new chapter in Christchurch's history began that day. Everything changed from that point. It was like someone had hit the reset button, or, to use the boardgame analogy, you had gone back to go, and had to start again. You couldn't expect anything you knew about Christchurch to be like it was before. You had to relearn everything. All I knew in the moments after was that Mel and I were ok, then shortly after, Lucy. Nothing else could be taken for granted. As the day and then week wore on, I learned that my family and friends were ok.

I had parked my car in a parking building, and wasn't sure what to do about it. Should I go and get it? Was it safe to? I still have no idea what condition it is in, and it will probably be weeks before I know. (I have now registered it's whereabout and my contact details with the police, but it could still take some time before it is safe to recover cars from that particular building.)

On the walk home, I didn't know if I could actually get home until I made it there. Walking up Fitzgerald Ave, we learned the bridge was closed to cars. Would I still be able to walk across it? Would my house still be standing? What was it like inside?

You take a lot of things for granted, such as having water, power and sewage systems. Trust that the ground will stay still, trust that buildings are safe. We all lost this in September, but over time it slowly built up again. Now it has been completely shattered, and will take a lot longer to come back this time.

When I first read of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I felt slightly ill, as I had an idea what they must be going through, though to a lesser degree. As the days go by, the scale of their tragedy had put a new perspective on things happening here.

***Warning – sad bit below***

Lastly, the one thing I had hoped wouldn't happen, did happen yesterday. I was reading the list of victims names released, and one jumped out at me. The only New Zealander on the list yesterday, Adrienne Meredith was active in the local craft community. I got to know her at Crafty Business gatherings, and then saw her at various markets we both attended. She was a regular at the Lyttelton market, and a great source of knowledge on which markets were worth attending. She sold under the label Revived in NZ, making clothing and accessories for women and girls. I last saw Adrienne at the Nelson market on New Years day, and I will miss seeing her friendly face at future markets and crafty gatherings. She was working in the PGC building on the day of the earthquake, and sadly was one of those who didn't make it out.

Rest in peace Adrienne. You may be gone, but are not forgotten. xox

Lake Tekapo NZ Made Fete

2011-03-10T17:31:00.005+13:00

This weekend I will be at the Lake Tekapo NZ Made Fete, which be a nice break from all the happenings in Christchuch. It is on Sunday March 13th at the historic grounds of Mt John Homestead. It is a fundraiser for the Lake Tekapo School, and will have free children's entertainment, a bouncy castle and face painting to keep the kids amused. There will be a selection of arts and crafts, scrumptious food, fine wines, boutique beers to purchase on the day, and entry is only $5 per person. Sounds like a great day out to me!

I will have a selection of items of which I will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Red Cross earthquake appeal, as well as my full range of candles and other goodies.

Helping Christchurch

2011-03-03T14:49:00.006+13:00

It's been heartbreaking to see the devastion in my city. From those who lost their loved ones and those whose homes are ruined, right through to those who have helped out, this tragedy has touched everyone.

I feel fortunate that I still have a home, which also housed my business. A lot of others are much less fortunate, so I want to do something to help. For the rest of March, I will donate 10% of all sales in my Felt store (excluding postage costs) to the Red Cross earthquake appeal. I will also select items in which the whole sale price will be donated. After the September earthquake, I received some very pretty teacups from The China Cabinet that had suffered broken handles. As I still have these – one is made up into a candle, the other two still waiting – I think it fitting to donate the proceeds of the sale of these teacup candles to the earthquake appeal.

roseinthorns

$26.00

I have amended the listing already up on Felt, and will add the remaining two once I have made them up. However that might have to wait until next week when hopefully the aftershocks will have decreased a bit more.

Shaken to the core

2011-03-01T14:05:00.010+13:00

When I wrote this account of the September 4th earthquake last year, I never expected to be writing one again less than six months later, about a much more devastating earthquake in the same city.

I was in the central city at the time, and due to have a meeting with Lucy from Felt at 1pm. At around 12:50pm, I was rounding the corner of Bedford Row, and walking towards her office, a lovely old two storey red-brick building. As I got nearer, Mel was just leaving the building. She saw me coming, and went back to unlock the door for me. Before I got close enough to say hello to her, everything started to shake.

Thinking it was just another aftershock, we quickly moved away from the building into the middle of the road. It soon became obvious this was not just another aftershock. The buildings around us began to shake violently, and the road was moving from side to side. Bricks started falling off buildings. Then, with horror, I watched as the top-storey of a building which had been red-stickered from the first earthquake collapsed back onto itself. This building was next door to the one that Lucy was in, which was also beginning to crumble. Bricks were falling off, and a lot of dust was coming out of the building. Eventually the shaking stopped, about ten very destructive seconds after it started.

We were very concerned for Lucy at this point. The building was still standing, but had lost a few bricks. She appeared at the door less than a minute later, surrounded by a cloud of dust. I have to say, I have never been more pleased in my life to see someone walk out of a building!

(Above photos by Mel Blowes)

People soon poured out onto the street from neighbouring buildings, and nearby acquaintances of Mel and Lucy came by to check they were ok. I looked around to survey the damage, and noticed most of the older brick buildings around me had lost at least part of their walls. Then I looked up and saw the top of the Hotel Grand Chancellor. A couple of the windows near the top were out of line, which clearly wasn’t right. At that point I realised how serious this was. I texted Josh to check he was ok, and got a reply about ten minutes later to say he was, which was a great relief.

I was tossing up whether it was worth going to retrieve my car from the parking building I had left it in. I wasn’t real keen to go and get it, and my nerves were far too frayed to drive safely anyway. Then a policeman came by and told us to leave the area, away from the CBD, so I figured walking was a good option. He had also mentioned that there had been fatalities. We had concluded this was likely, but it's not good to have those suspicions confirmed.

When we got to the end of Bedford Row, there was a lot of smoke and dust to the left of us further up Madras Street, where we were headed. Some builders standing at the corner told us not to go that way, as there was a lot of carnage. I took a very quick glance, and saw the CTV building. All I remember was that the sign was on the ground, and it didn’t look right. I quickly looked away, as I couldn’t take any more in.

On the walk home, we walked past a car that had the radio on. It was reporting that the earthquake was 6.6, and only centred 1km deep near Lyttelton. I had figured it wasn’t as high on the Richter scale as the first one, as it hadn’t lasted so long. However I had assumed it must have been centred right under the CBD as it was so violent. It later turned out to be 6.3, and 5km deep. I also thought I heard someone say that the bus exchange had collapsed in the middle, so began to wonder about the state of my car, which was parked in the Crossing carpark. I haven’t heard any similar reports since, so am now hoping my car is safe and sound, and now believe they may have been talking about the bus depot. I imagine it could be weeks before it is safe to go back and retrieve it.

The last part of my journey home proved interesting. The bridge on Fitzgerald Ave was closed to traffic due to damage. It was still walkable though, so I ran across the bridge, and then gingerly stepped over the newly formed step at the other end. It was quite an obstacle course to navigate the next part of the road that hugs the river, the road was cracked and had lots of humps and hollows.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got home. There was a bit of liquefaction in our street, when there wasn’t any at all last time. Our house looked fine from the outside, which was a good start. It was a complete mess inside, much worse than last time. Glasses had fallen out of the cupboard and smashed all over the kitchen, and the fishtank had smashed and spilled water all over the carpet.

It was sad to see the fish lying on the floor, and I wondered if I should find a container of water to put them in, just so I could feel like I had tried to give them a shot at life. Then one of them wiggled, so I raced around trying to find a suitable container, and some water to put in it. I ended up scooping it out of the toilet cistern. I picked up the two fish I could see and put them in the water. They both wiggled, so still had some signs of life left. I looked around for the other two, and found one under the ottoman. It didn’t move when I picked it up, and after leaving it in the water for five minutes, took it back out, as it was clear it was too late for this one. I looked around for the other one, but couldn’t see it anywhere, and wasn’t keen to start picking up the cabinet to look for it, with all the broken glass on the floor, and continuing aftershocks. Still, I thought it was a good effort that two had survived after being out of water for an hour.

I started to clean up the broken glass off the floor, and began to field calls and texts from concerned family and friends. I knew I could switch on the radio to find out what was happening, but still couldn’t take any more in at this stage. It was hard enough to comprehend what I had experienced.

After Josh came home, he started cleaning up the mess in an effort to locate the other fish. It still wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so we took another look, and I saw it under the couch. Josh got it out, and, after nearly three hours, it was still moving! So we now still have three out of the four fish which I think is pretty impressive.

The fish in their new home

We finally switched the radio on at about 5pm, and I learned why I had so quickly looked away from the CTV building. It had collapsed, along with another, the PGC building. The numbers feared dead were in the hundreds, and it was clear this was a day I will never forget.

We stayed at our house the first night. I had considered sleeping downstairs in the lounge, but with the carpet sodden from the fishtank, the upstairs options was still slightly more appealing. The next day when we still had no power or water, we decided to take up the offer from Josh's parents to go and stay at their house in Waikari for the next few days.

Abandoned buses that couldn't go any further due to the damage to the bridge and road

Events like this highlight what is truly important in life. The only thing that really matters is people, everything else are just nice little extras. Every time that afternoon I saw a familiar face, a tiny piece of order returned. This wasn't the end, and we can get through it.

It has been really humbling to hear from all the people who were thinking about me, and wanted to know that I and my family were safe. The messages came from all over the world, from former colleagues from London, to friends, family and blog/facebook/twitter followers all over the country. It means a lot to know you are all thinking of me, and I would like to express a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has thought of us.

My heart goes out to all of those people who have lost or are missing family or friends, it has been a terrible time for this city.

I had planned to write a blog post on Tuesday summing up what I had achieved over the last year, as it was a year to the day that I lost my job. I never in my wildest dreams imagined how the day would unfold.

Kia Kaha. Christchurch will get through this, and be stronger than ever before.

Safe and Sound

2011-02-24T10:06:00.001+13:00

Just a quick post to let you know we are safe and sound. We have escaped an hour north to Josh's parents in Waikari for some respite, running water and electricity. Our house is still in pretty good condtion, but had no power or water when we left. Will post a more detailed account at a later date.

'One Couples Quilts' Exhibition

2011-02-11T10:34:00.010+13:00

While I was in Tapawera a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be there at the same time as a quilt exhibition on at the school hall. The exhibition was made up of the largest private collection of quilts in New Zealand, owned by Rinny and Peter Gordon of Mapua. The Gordon's purchased 25 of the quilts from leading artists over 30 years. This includes the one pictured above, called Putanga O Te Ra (birth of the sun). It was created by Waikato artist Gwen Wanigasekera, and it won a national competion in 1990.

Another 15 quilts in the exhibiton were made by Rinny herself, who sadly passsed away from cancer a year ago. Unfortunately I didn't get a copy of the program, so I can't tell you which ones are hers. The exhibition also had quilts from local quilters, and a guest quilter, Barbara Bilyard.

Dad came along for a look as well, and was really impressed by the works. I was speaking to one of the organisers who was telling me how the men that came to take a look all really liked it. Especially interesting since this was in the country, so a lot of the men would have been farmers!

I was really inspired by the variety, and all the different techniques and fabric choices used. I didn't really know a lot about quilting, but this has made me think perhaps it is something I might like to try sometime. Just not this week...

All in all it was a great weekend, as this and my previous post on the painting workshop can attest.

Please excuse the quality of some of the photographs, the lighting wasn't ideal.

Painting workshop

2011-02-09T09:01:00.004+13:00

In the last weekend of January, I took a road trip back to my hometown* of Tapawera to do a weekend painting workshop. The Visual Arts Society of Tapawera had organised the workshop to be taken by award winning mural and trompe l'oeil artist Marc Spijkerbosch. My mother is a member of the society, but as she isn't a painter, and I've been known to do the occasional painting, she thought I might like to take part.

Our project for the weekend was to paint a picture of Mitre Peak. Marc took us through the process step-by-step, and like all good painting tutors, made it look really easy. You'd think I'd have learned by now that it's never as easy as they make it look... but no.

My painting at the end of the first day

On the first day it was quite hot, and the paint was drying as soon as it went on the canvas which was a little frustrating when you were trying to blend it. So I wasn't real happy with my efforts after the first day of painting.

On the second day we worked on the foreground, and learnt some glazing techniques which I have never done before, plus some other tricks like how to paint underwater rocks.

Marc diligently following the instructions of his students

Marc's finished painting – ie what mine was supposed to look like!

My finished painting

I think it was a successful weekend all up. I learned some new tricks, and have more confidence to attempt some of the more difficult aspects of landscapes in the future.

While I was there, I went to take a look at the VAST exhibition which had a fantastic array of talent. There was also an amazing quilt exhibition on at the school hall, which I will dedicate a seperate post to. It was a little strange walking in my old school for the first time in over ten years! There was also a motorhome rally on in the school grounds (it was a long weekend in Nelson), so I went for a walk around the school too. It was funny how some things were exactly the same, where others were completely different to how they were when I was there.

I also took a look through the trunk of paintings my grandmother did. I had looked through them more than once before, but it still felt like I was looking through them for the first time. I was really impressed by the variety of different subjects and mediums she had used, there seemed to be an example of everything. Except acrylics, which is what I usually use!

*It's far too small to be considered a town, really. Village is probably a better word.

Crafty Mumma's Market this Sunday

2011-02-03T17:51:00.006+13:00

This weekend I will be at the Craft Mumma's Creative Market on the 6th February from 10am – 2pm at the Cashmere Club Carpark. I will have some of my brand new heart tealights for Valentine Day, along with my usual selection. There will be a bouncy castle to entertain the kids while you browse the selection of wonderful crafts. Sounds like a great excuse for an outing to me!

Candles for Valentines day

2011-02-02T14:41:00.005+13:00

Valentines day is fast approaching, and if you're stuck for gift ideas, candles are always a great choice! Always popular are the teardrop heart candles, which come in your choice of rose or passion fragrance. The Passion fragrance is an Oriental bouquet of kumquat, lily, patchouli and cassis on a background of amber and musk. It's a great alternative if you're not a huge fan of rose.

This year I have launched a new product – a red heart-shaped tealight. These are very cute, and add an extra touch of romance! They are also available in rose and passion fragrances.

If you're after a candle that will work year round, and isn't Valentine's themed, I have plenty of candles to choose from in my Felt store. The soy tin candles are very popular, particularly in Mandarin and Mimosa fragrance. The teardrops are also popular – get in quick and get a set of five mini-teardrops while you still can!

Bigger and better teardrop candles

2011-01-26T14:18:00.007+13:00

I'm sure most crafters would agree that their products are in a constant state of evolution. As your processes improve, or you learn something new, your products improve as well. Candles are no exception, and I'm constantly learning as I go.

Last year I started developing some larger versions of the popular 'mini teardrop' candle. As I was working on these, I realised a few improvements could be made to the original version to help it burn for longer. I made a few prototypes, and did some tests, to discover that they worked best when made 20% larger. So I decided to name this new size the 'small teardrop', and to phase out the mini size, as it wasn't very economic to produce.

Passion Scented Smal...

roseinthorns

$10.00

Rose Scented Small T...

roseinthorns

$10.00

Orange Scented Small...

roseinthorns

$10.00

Frangipani Scented S...

roseinthorns

$10.00

The good news is that the new candles burn for approximately 16 hours, which is about four times as long as the original size. They are currently available at an introductory price of $10 each. This is only a $2 increase from the mini size, and you get a 20% larger candle which lasts four times as long. If you have been eyeing up the mini teardrops for a while now, they are now half price while stocks last. That means a set of 5 is only $20! Get in quick though, because once they are gone, there will be no more.

*sale* 50% Off â�� S...

roseinthorns

$20.00

*sale* 50% Off â�� S...

roseinthorns

$20.00

*sale* 50% Off â�� S...

roseinthorns

$20.00

*sale* 50% Off â�� S...

roseinthorns

$20.00

Happy New Year!

2011-01-14T17:36:00.010+13:00

After a very busy leadup to Christmas, I had a lovely break in Nelson over Christmas with my family. We camped in my great-aunt's backyard in Mapua, and made the most of the sunshine. We even managed to miss the boxing day aftershocks.

I attended the Nelson market as a stallholder for the first time, and had a great day soaking up the atmosphere. It was something I'd wanted since I was a teenager, and first started selling candles. I even went in with some family friends once who had a stall, to see what it was like. All I can remember is having to get up at a ridiculously early hour of the morning!

I'm really looking forward to 2011. I hope to continue growing my business, and to earn enough to live off, as I have grown rather used to working for myself! I've got lots of great things planned, so stay tuned to keep up to date.

I have compiled a selection of some of my favourite photos from over the last month or so. Enjoy!

The view south from the front yard of where we were camping.

The view north.

Ruby Bay.

Cable Bay.

The Nelson Market

From A Craft Christmas Market at Goodbye Blue Monday, December 18th.

Gorgeous bird boxes made by the lovely Lindy from Maisons de Birds – A Kiwi Christmas Market, Hokitika.

Nelson Market this Saturday

2010-12-30T19:10:00.002+13:00

After a busy few weeks leading up to Christmas, I have spent the last week relaxing in the Nelson sunshine with family. I always enjoy coming up here in the summer, and am feeling much more refreshed and relaxed now.

This Saturday, the 1st January, I will be at the Nelson Saturday Market, from 8am till 1pm in the Montgomery Square carpark. As a well known market in my home town, it's one I've been wanting to do for a longtime, so I'm looking forward to it. If you're also in Nelson at the moment, do pop down and say hi, it's always nice to meet blog readers.

2010 – What a ride!

2010-12-22T09:43:00.003+13:00

The past year has been rather event-filled, to say the least! At the beginning of the year, I was hoping that 2010 would be an improvement on 2009. I'm not so sure that it was an improvement, but it has definitely been action packed. Things have had quite a shake up, both figuratively and literally.

Firstly, I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in February. This wasn't so bad, as it provided answers to why I kept getting sick last year, and I had known for a couple of months that a positive diagnosis was highly likely. I have got into the swing of things now, and am loving the fact there are so many gluten free options available in Christchurch. I have added some great recipes to my repertoire, including anzac biscuits and bread. There is also a scone recipe still to come.

Two weeks later I was made redundant from my graphic design job. This wasn't much fun, as I had got quite attached the regular income it provided. I still miss it a lot. Within the following few weeks, I realised finding another (similar) job was going to be very difficult, as the economy had given the entire industry quite a knock. I had thought about going out on my own, and after talking to a life coach about it, decided to dive in head first.

This was quite scary, and it has had it's ups and downs. I got some regular work from Felt, doing support and administration work, as well as the odd graphic design job, and I sold a few candles. I had my first Tea Party, and attended a few markets, including A Craft Affair, and the inaugural Auckland Art and Craft Fair. It was nice to meet some of the other sellers who I felt I already knew from having regularly read their blogs.

Then, early on Saturday the 4th of September, us Cantabrians were rudely awoken by a 7.1 earthquake. I was beginning to wonder what else was going to be thrown at me this year, I had thought losing my job was enough drama for one year! We had lots and lots of aftershocks, and I almost started to get used to them. They have eased off a lot in the last few weeks now, and it feels like things are getting back to normal. We were very fortunate to suffer very little damage, when only blocks away, there was somevery severe damage. Some of these houses still have portaloos now.

In October I travelled to Palmerston North, and then on to Wellington for my debut at Craft 2.0. I had another Tea Party in November, and then some great markets in December, including the Craft Collective's A Craft Christmas Market, and a fun road trip to Hokitika with Srey to the Kiwi Christmas Market. I think I might be due for a holiday now! I will be heading to Nelson on the 23rd December, so my shop will be in holiday mode. As I will be attending the Nelson Market on the 1st January, I will have some stock with me, so may be able to fill some orders.

I would like to thank everyone for all the support and encouragement I have received this year. From the shoppers and retailers who have bought candles, businesses who have offered me work, to the market organisers, attendees and other stallholders, the blog/facebook/twitter readers/followers, all those who have shared lovely encouraging comments, and to my husband, family and friends for all their support.

Next year I hope to build on what I have achieved this year, and grow my business into a sustainable source of income for myself. I would like to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas, and a happy and prosperous New Year.

A Craft Christmas Market

2010-12-14T20:02:00.008+13:00

I had a great day at the first Craft Christmas Market. It was a great venue, with a fabulous selection of handmade items, and attended by lots of lovely people.

Two of the lovely ladies behind the event – Jo and Juliet

Mudbird NZ

Relique Vintage Jewellery

The Wardobe and Stitch

If you're reading this, and lamenting the fact you missed it, don't worry, it's on again this Saturday, the 18th December! Same time – 10am-4pm, and same place – Goodbye Blue Monday, Poplar Lane. There will be a slightly different mix of stallholders this time. They include The Wardrobe, Relique Vintage Jewellery, Freedom Creative, Black Swan designs, PixelBrid, Mudbird NZ, Emilie Berri Switchblade, and many more. It's great opportunity to do some last minute Christmas shopping, or if you're one of those organised people that has already finished, come along and treat yourself to something nice.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Road trip to the West Coast

2010-12-13T17:58:00.005+13:00

On Wednesday I will be setting off on a road trip to Hokitika with Srey from Podflower. We will be taking our wares to sell at the inaugural Kiwi Christmas market in Hokitika, which has been organised by Christine of My 2 Monsters. Markets like A Craft Affair and Craft 2.0 inspired her to create something similar in her home town, so she set about organising the Kiwi Christmas Market. I like that kind of initiative, so thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce my candles to the West Coast.

The market will be held at this magnificent venue, the Carnegie Library Building in Hamilton Street. It is on Wednesday the 15th December, and will run from 5pm – 9pm. I'd love to meet any blog readers/facebook followers, so do say hi if you come along!

Also, there will be a donation box in the foyer for people to donate to the Pike River Relief fund. I watched the events unfold with great sadness, and my thoughts go out to the family and friends of all those involved. It made the earthquake here earlier in the year seem rather insignificant in comparison. Although I'm not from the Coast, I grew up in the Tasman district, which is 'next door' to the Coast, so it did feel close to home. I've been there a few times, and remember visiting the memorial to the miners that died in the Brunner Mine disaster. Once I've covered my costs, I am going to donate a portion of my sales to the fund.

Rolleston Community Christmas Market

2010-12-10T10:26:00.002+13:00

I will be at the Rolleston Community Christmas Market this Sunday, and it will be the last Rolleston market for the year. It will be at a later time this week, running from 2pm – 6pm.

I will have my usual range of products, and I am going to make some Christmas Spice scented soy tins today to give my range a more Christmassy flavour. I have some great deals on some of my older candles which I won't be making any more of once they're gone, so get in quick before you miss out. Most of these specials are also available in my Felt store.

I have four markets on next week, so I apologise in advance if there aren't as many blog posts as usual!

A Craft Christmas Market this Saturday

2010-12-02T16:09:00.003+13:00

On Saturday the first of two Craft Christmas Markets will held by the Craft Collective. Outside Goodbye Blue Monday, in the Poplar Lane precinct, it's central city shopping at it's craftiest! Once you have perused all the great stalls, you can relax with a well deserved drink at the bar.

It runs from 10am – 4pm on the 4th and 18th of December. I will be at both of them, and I hope to see you there!

Vibrations art exhibition opening

2010-11-30T11:21:00.007+13:00

The opening of the annual exhibition of the painting group I attend was held on Saturday at the Bryce Gallery, 122 Riccarton Road. This is my third year exhibiting, and it's a great way to exhibit your work without the pressure of doing a whole exhibition by yourself. As always there are lots of great paintings, in a variety of styles – something for everyone!

Our usual venue, Gallery O in the Arts Centre was damaged in the earthquake, so Maree had to find a new venue. The Bryce Gallery came to the party, and kindly offered us a space in their gallery. There are some other great exhibitions on there at the moment as well, so it's well worht a visit. Vibrations runs until Friday 3rd December.

The black and white wall ran with the earthquake theme, and before all the pictures were straightened, it was decided they fitted the theme better if left that way!

Above is my work for the black and white themed wall, titled 'Mists of Maruia'.

Below on the left is my other painting of Lyttelton Harbour.

Upcoming Markets and Events

2010-11-25T16:20:00.006+13:00

I have a few events planned over the next few weeks, so I thought it would be helpful to put them all up now, and blog about them in more detail closer to each event. You may notice there is one missing. Some of Christchurch's wonderful historic venues have been damaged in the earthquake, and will take time to repair. This means that the Night Market has been cancelled this year, which is very sad. It will be back again next year though, once the building has been repaired. The annual exhibition of my painting class has also been relocated, as Gallery O in the Arts Centre was also damaged. Fortunately the owners of the Bryce Gallery in Riccarton very kindly offered to help out, and have provided a space for us.

27th November – 3rd December: Vibrations

A collection of works from Art and Company

Bryce Gallery, 122 Riccarton Road, Christchurch

28th November: Rolleston Community Market

10am – 1pm, Rolleston Community Centre, Rolleston

4th December: A Craft Christmas Market

10am – 4pm, Goodbye Blue Monday, Poplar Lane, Christchurch

12th December: Rolleston Community Market

(updated time) 2pm – 6pm, Rolleston Community Centre, Rolleston

15th December: Kiwi Christmas Market

5pm – 9pm, Carnegie Gallery, Hokitika

18th December: A Craft Christmas Market

10am – 4pm, Goodbye Blue Monday, Poplar Lane, Christchurch

19th December: Methven Christmas Craft Market

9:30am – 12:30pm, Venue TBC, Methven

1st January: Nelson Market

8am – 1pm, Montgomery Square, Nelson

High Tea

2010-11-23T19:36:00.004+13:00

Tea was drunk from the prettiest of teacups, scones were piled high with jam and cream, and a good time was had by all. A big thank you to everyone that came, it's the great company that really makes an event like this a success! I think I may have even found myself a good gluten free scone recipe. I will post it up later in the week for any who is interested.

I launched an improved version of one of my most popular candles, which I will post more detail about when I finally do my way overdue Felt shop update later in the week. I will also post a list of my upcoming markets and events for the rest of the year sometime tomorrow. I hope you're all having a good week!

Sumner: The perfect summer spot

2010-11-11T20:33:00.005+13:00

After the gorgeous hot sunny day we've had today, there's no doubt in my mind that summer is here. All good kiwi summers involve some time at the beach, and Christchurch is no exception. Sumner is a popular spot, and I popped over for a visit today to drop off some more teacup candles to my newest stockist, Flock.

Flock is a new design store in Sumner, featuring local design and found objects. It's your source of beautiful NZ design with a focus on quality, innovation and sustainability. It's well worth a visit on your next trip to the beach! It can be found at: shop 2 / 43 Nayland Road in Sumner.

Outdoor market equipment available for hire

2010-11-09T15:43:00.003+13:00

Since my foray into outdoor markets this year, I have been investing in various things to make it a bit more fun. Like a heavy duty 3m x3m gazebo, which is really good for keeping the sun and the rain off. So, if you've thought about doing outdoor markets, but aren't so keen to invest in one yourself, I am happy to hire it out to any crafter that may like to use it. Of course I get first dibs, so it won't be available if I have a market on that day! It's also quite heavy, and wouldn't be very economic to post, so you'd need to be able to pick it up from Christchurch.

If you would like to use it, you can email me on rose [at] roseinthorns [dot] co [dot] nz. It will cost $50 for a one day hire, or $70 for the weekend. I will give you instructions on how to put it up. It is quite heavy, but I am not very strong and I can almost put it up by myself, I just need to ask someone to help clip it in near the end. It is a heavy duty gazebo, and is designed to withstand wind gusts of up to 50km/h, but it is not recommend for use in strong winds. So if the forecast is for a gusty nor'wester, it may not be suitable. I also have a couple of trestle tables available as well, one solid one and one that folds in half, which may also be available for hire.

Tea Party – The Summer Edition

2010-11-08T14:06:00.005+13:00

After the success of my first tea party in June, I have decided to hold them twice a year. The next one will be on the 20th November, from 3pm–5pm, at my house in Richmond, Christchurch. Once again there will be vintage teacups, cupcakes, candles and great company. Come along to do some early Christmas shopping, treat yourself, or just enjoy the tea, baking and company. I have lots of new candles, including some outdoor citronella candles, perfect for summer bbqs. I will have my full range of candles, with some great specials, espeically on the older candles! There will also be a selection of lit candles, as they really come alive once they are lit up.

Please RSVP by the 17th November if you wish to attend. This is so I can confirm numbers, and send guests my address. You can RSVP via the facebook event, or by emailing me on rose [at] roseinthorns [dot] co [nz]. Feel free to bring a friend – invite them via facebook, or let me know when RSVPing.

Northwood Village Fair

2010-11-04T15:34:00.004+13:00

This weekend I will be attending the Northwood Village Fair. It's the closest one I've done for a while! It is on Sunday, November 7th from 10:30am – 2pm, at Northwood Park. It's an annual event with arts and crafts, music, activities, kids games, and displays. All in all, a great family day out! It is also a fundraising event for Belfast School. Hope to see you there!

Craft 2.0 roundup

2010-11-02T17:21:00.006+13:00

After what felt like a manic week, Craft 2.0 rolled around, and what a fabulous day it was! The Wellington weather even played it's part, which I understand is a bit of a coup...

I enjoyed the chance to show my wares to the crafty connoiseurs of Wellington, and they seemed to like what they saw, with lots of candles finding new homes. I got the chance to catch up with some stallholders I've met before, and meet some new people too! I did a spot of shopping as well, and made a start on my christmas present list, so I won't disclose those items here. I also bought a gorgeous necklace from my neighbour Emma of Freedom Creative – I've been wanting one for ages!

Thanks to Sue and her helpers for organising a great day. Hopefully I'll be back again next year!

My Wellington debut at Craft 2.0

2010-10-28T19:02:00.006+13:00

My nationwide tour of Rose in Thorns has picked up from where I left it in July, and is about to arrive in Wellington. I am in Palmerston North right now, and will be heading down to Wellington tomorrow. This is so I can be at my very first Wellington Craft 2.0. I am very excited to be at the home of Craft 2.0, after attending and selling at the Christchurch events. I will be joined by Emma from Freedon Creative, Lucy from Felt, and Mel from Black Swan Designs who are also coming up from Christchurch.

Craft 2.0 is New Zealand's biggest contemporary craft event, and features some great talent from Wellington and beyond. If you're in Wellington, it's well worth the trip to The New Dowse in Lower Hutt. It has expanded upstairs this time, so will be the biggest Craft 2.o ever! There will be a crafting space where you get to make things, a huge prize draw, and free entry too. It's on from 10am - 3pm. If you come along, do say hi, it's always nice to meet readers of my blog!

Off the Rails at Little River

2010-10-23T09:37:00.003+13:00

Thank you for all the lovely comments about my couch. It looks like there is now a waiting list for my skills, and at six years a couch, the next spot should be available in 12 years! I haven't had as many opportunities to sit on it as I would have liked – it's in a completely different part of the house to my candlemaking, and for good reason too!

I've been busy working on some new products, which I hope to debut at the upcoming markets I am attending. The next one is on Monday the 25th of October, at Off the Rails @ Little River Fair with Flair. There will be craft stalls, raffles, children's lucky dips, face painting, live music, pony rides and much more. All of the stall fees have been donated to the Little River Volunteer Fire Brigade.

It should be a great day out. Then I will be getting ready to go to Craft 2.0 in Wellington the following Saturday. I will be going via Palmerston North to visit my brother and sister-in-law, so it should be a nice wee break.

My couch and it's many outfits – Part 2: The Finale!

2010-10-20T19:27:00.003+13:00

Along with riding around around on my bike in a pink dress over the weekend, I also finished the (seemingly) mammoth task of finishing the new covers for my couch. If you missed the first post, with before pictures, you can read it here. It is a great feeling to finally finish a project that has been going for a long time, over six years I think! Here are the pictures. The light wasn't great for taking photos, so I apologise for the quality.

All the cushions are double sided, which means I can change the look of the couch whenever the mood strikes.

Since the last recover, I replaced the calico on the base of the couch, put on some new feet, replaced the foam chip seat cushions with foam squabs, and replaced the wadding on the back cushions with some recycled wool batting. As well as sewing new covers for the whole thing!

So, what else needs finishing...?

Frocking out

2010-10-19T18:25:00.005+13:00

I had bike fixed up in time for Frocks on Bikes on Saturday. I'm not sure how well I did on fitting the tyres and tubes though, as the air didn't stay in them as long as I would have liked. I cycled through town in my pink dress, feeling a little self conscious. That's until Briar arrived on her tandem bicycle adorned with ribbons!

Mel and Lucy (of Black Swan and Felt fame) were also there with their bicyles. Mel even had a wee portable stall setup on the back of her bike. I'm already scheming how I might be able to replicate that on mine... Unfortunately Briar left before I got the chance to photograph her and her daughter on their tandem bike. There were lots of bikes on display, including this very pretty Pashley Princess which I took for a wee test ride.

Earlier in the week I hadn't chosen which dress to wear. Then I remembered a conversation I'd had with Ninotchka of The Wardrobe at the last Crafty Business. While regaling her with stories of my sewing skills, I mentioned that once, a long time ago, I had made a dress without a pattern one evening. I had only worn it that night, and didn't go out until it was finished. Which ended up being about 2am. The design revolved around the length of zip I was able to acquire on a Saturday evening. I searched for a supermarket with a decent haberdashery section, and eventually found one at Woolworths.

So she challenged me to find the dress, see if it still fitted, and put a picture of myself wearing it on my blog. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and wear it to Frocks on Bikes. It isn't the most practical style to bike in, so the leggings were a much needed addition to the outfit. As it wasn't that warm, I added a long sleeved top to the mix as well, so I was secretly a little bit glad it wasn't really hot day. Here are the pictures to prove it, showing front and back!

My winning streak also continued, and I won myself this sweet t-shirt as well. Maybe I should get myself a lotto ticket?

Felt like helping out

2010-10-17T17:47:00.004+13:00

Black Scallop Top - ...

feltaid

$80.00

Original Gouache Che...

feltaid

$100.00

Circle Skirt In Rayo...

feltaid

$40.00

Amy Butler Crib Shoe...

feltaid

$28.00

Lilu No. 15 - 2 Rabb...

feltaid

$32.00

Coffee Scented Soy T...

feltaid

$24.00

In the days following the earthquake, the Felt community wondered what it could do to help out. After some discussion, the idea for a FeltAid shop was born. Crafters have been donating goods to the shop, which the proceeds from will go to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal. So far a whopping $4,000 has been raised, and they would love to hit $5000 before the shop closes on the 31st October. Sarah from Songbird Designs and Ana from Amiana have put in a great effort setting up the shop, soliciting donations, listing them, and co-ordinating the sending of goods from the donaters to the purchashers. Felt has also stepped in and offered no commission and free listings for the shop.

I have recently submitted a donation, as I thought it is a great cause and wanted to help out. You can help out too by browsing through the shop and purchasing some christmas presents, or perhaps a wee treat for yourself. If you would like to donate something, head along to the blog for more details.

My couch and it's many outfits – Part 1: Setting the scene

2010-10-14T20:06:00.006+13:00

This is a two part blog piece. There are two reasons for this: I haven't finished it yet, and I wanted to create some suspense. It is nearly finished though, so you won't have to wait too long...

Many years ago, while halfway through my graphic design course, myself and a couple of friends decided the YMCA student hostel just wasn't the same anymore, and it was time to find a flat. A friend from my course mentioned that her sister happened to have a spare lounge suite and dining suite, which we promptly snatched up. This became pretty much the only furniture in our student flat. Especially as only one couch made it up the stairs, the other was far too big. That one eventually found a new home with some other poor students.

The couch endured many hours of television watching, and numerous parties. I even have a photo of some dancing on the couch (which will remain in the photo album, and off the internet, I might add). After a year of this it was beginning to look a little worse for wear, so I decided it was time for some new covers. (Isn't that orange wall just so fetching?)

After a trip to Kutwell Fabrics, and about 10 metres of fabric for a grand sum total of $30, I set about drafting a pattern from some newspapers. Within a weekend I had drafted and sewn new covers for the entire couch. It was now resplendent in navy blue, and had no worn patches. (This is the before picture while it lived in the garage before I re-covered it again!)

A year or two later, it had started to fade, and I was a little tired of the foam chip cushions. So I decided to buy some foam squabs and cover them. This time I bought some remnant furnishing fabric. Some in a red/black fleck, and some black fabric. I covered one squab with this.

Since then, I went to London, and lent the couch to a friend. I eventually picked it up again about a year after I got back. Then I got married, so the project stayed on the backburner. After the wedding I went to Fabric House to buy some proper furnishing fabric for it. This was a little more expensive than the first time round, but I like to think it was worth it. I told the lady in the shop I would bring in pictures of it when i finished. I haven't forgotten!

That was nearly two years ago, and at a snails pace compared to the first time round, I have slowly made progress. I just need to sew the covers for the cushions now, and it's all done. It now lives in the studio/spare room, and I have grand visions of reclining on it whilst designing some new range of something.

The big reveal will come once it is finally finished, and I have had time to take some nice pictures. So don't hold your breath, but now I've put it out there, I might have to make sure I finish it sooner rather than later.

Frocks on Bikes

2010-10-12T13:26:00.003+13:00

I was very excited to discover last week via the Black Swan blog that Frocks on Bikes is returning this weekend. I missed it last year because I was out of town. Since then, I have acquired a much more stylish bike than my current mountain bike. It needs a few repairs, so I went out yesterday to buy the required parts for my blue, folding Raleigh 20 bicycle. I just need to get them all installed before Saturday! Once that's done I just need to cross my fingers for a nice day like today, and decide on which frock to wear.

A Star of Craft 2.0

2010-10-05T15:23:00.003+13:00

My profile for Craft 2.0 in Wellington has gone up on the blog today. Have a wee read to find out what makes me tick, and while you're there you can check out all the other talented crafters who will also be selling there.

Markets Galore!

2010-10-01T12:26:00.003+13:00

It was nice and sunny for both my markets on the weekend, but I could have done without the wind on Sunday at Rolleston! I had some of my mum's handmade bobbin lace bookmarks and earrings to sell as well. I made a few sales, and it's always nice to chill out and do some people watching in the sun.

I used my new gazebo on Monday at Ashburton, which provided me a nice cool space to sit. I didn't put it up on Sunday because of the wind, which turned out to be a wise move, as it got so windy we all started packing up shortly after 12.

I have some more markets coming up. I thought I would try a few different ones out this season, and see which ones work well for me. So next up is the Methven Craft Market in the Square, as part of Springfest, this Sunday the 3rd October from 10am - 1pm.

In the next few weeks, I will also be at Off the Rails @ Little River with Flair on Monday the 25th October. Then the following weekend I will be at Craft 2.0 in Wellington. This will be my first time travelling to Wellington for Craft 2.0. and I'm really looking forward to it. Keep an eye out on the blog for my profile, sometime between now an then!

Road tripping, and markets on this weekend

2010-09-22T10:54:00.013+12:00

Things have been pretty busy here of late. I went to Nelson last weekend, to catch up with family, do some Rose in Thorns reconnaissance work, and have a break from the aftershocks. I promise I didn't run away from the aftershocks, this trip had been planned before the earthquake. I did become paranoid that the Alpine Fault was going to go right about the time I was driving over the Lewis Pass. Fortunately that didn't happen – it snowed instead! It has just started on the way up on Friday, and when I came back on Sunday, there was still lots of snow all around the side of the road, and even on the trees, so I kept stopping to take photos.

This weekend I have Rolleston Market on Sunday, and I will also have a stall at the Ashburton Boulevard day on Monday. I even bought myself a gazebo, so I don't get wet if it rains! So I'm very busy getting organised this week.

Rolleston Market – 26th September

Rolleston Community Market will be in the carpark of the Rolleston Community Centre this Sunday, or it will move indoors if the weather is inclement. Here you will find a great selection of handmade goods, including candles, clothing, children's toys and jewellery, as well fresh produce. There is something for everyone, including hot food and a bouncy castle. For directions, click here

Ashburton Boulevard Day 2010 – 27th September

Ashburton's renowned annual market day extravaganza, featuring over 140 stalls, live entertainment, children's activities and a delicious range of food. It runs from 9am - 4pm, and is held on Ashburton's East Street.

As usual, you can bring along your old candles to recycle, and I will give you a 10% discount on your purchase. It would be lovely to see you if you can come along to either event!

Christchurch – still standing

2010-09-12T14:33:00.012+12:00

Yesterday we went for a walk in the city, to see how much it had changed. There has been lots of talk about the heritage buildings that will be destroyed, so I went to see how some of the more significant ones had fared. I'd had an enquiry on Twitter from Sarah as to the state of Our City, where A Craft Affair and the Night Market are held. I had very briefly seen a shot of it on the news, and it seemed to have only suffered minor damage. I'd had hoped that as it was a council owned building, it would have had earthquake strengthening work done to it already.

There was some tape around it to protect people from falling bricks, but I was very pleased to see that it had a green sticker, and had only suffered minor damage, with some fallen bricks and tiles. As I walked around the city centre I was heartened to see that a lot of heritage buildings did appear to have survived with minimal damage. Although it is sad to see the buildings that will have to be demolished go, we still have a large number of old character buildings remaining. Here are some pictures to celebrate some of my favourite buildings which appear to have survived without major damage.

The old Public Trust office has recently been refurbished, so I imagine some earthquake strengthening work may have been done at the time.

I've always loved how this wooden building has defied the progress all around it, and managed to remain there all this time. It appears even an earthquake can't faze it, as Shand's Emporium was open for business as usual.

The Hanafin's store and money exchange were open, so I think it's safe to assume this iconic building will remain. Interestingly, the Westpac tower in the background appears to have sustained some damage. Not being an engineer, I don't know if it's significant or not.

Events like this often bring out the best in people. From the students mobilising on facebook to help with the cleanup, to businesses helping out competitors whose premises have been destroyed. I have been very impressed with the reponse to this, especially the tireless effort that has been put in by all the services that are there to help out by checking the safety of buildings, and restoring essential services right through to people contacting elderly people living along to make sure they are ok. There have been messages of support from all over New Zealand, and all around the world. A big thanks to all those that have helped out, and offered their support. It makes me proud to be a kiwi, and live in such a great city. We may have been badly shaken, but we haven't been beaten.

A story from the Murchison Earthquake, 1929

2010-09-08T09:43:00.005+12:00

(click here for info on this picture)

When I was younger I remember asking my Grandmother what it was like in the Murchison earthquake (7.8, in 1929). She was 18 at the time, and was sitting outside on a log when it hit. I'd wondered what it must be like to be in an earthquake like that, and now I have a pretty good idea. Here are some excerpts from her memoirs. I can totally understand how she was feeling now. She lived in the Maruia Valley, which was very remote at the time.

"It was certainly a never to be forgotten experience when the big 'quake shattered our peaceful valley and left us feeling very insecure and unsettled, especially Ruth and me.

"It took months for the shakes to subside and for years I was nervous of those uncanny shakes, and still am.

(click here for info on this picture)

"Almost a week afterwards the Matakitaki refugees started coming out of their valley on their way to Christchurch where they had been invited, to help them recover from the shock. The weather was very bad at that time; cold winds with thunder storms and floods. Our river was up but not high in flood, so Dad ferried the refugees across with the horses and wagon while someone else took them on to Reefton to catch the train to Christchurch. While waiting their turn to cross the river, they came into our home out of the rain and cold. We were very busy pouring cups of hot tea and providing a bite to eat. Some of them told us that there was another big quake predicted which did not help quieten our fears at all; this being the reason why they wanted to get away as quickly as possible (and I don't blame them). Some weeks later the refugees returned home, the Christchurch people had given them a wonderful time.

"We did have some quite severe aftershocks after that but the big one didn't eventuate much to my relief."

When I spoke to Dad the other day, he said that they really thought it was the end of the world. It's good that we now know why earthquakes happen, but it doesn't make them any less scary!

My eventful year of 2010 continues with a jolt

2010-09-07T14:39:00.009+12:00

As you probably know, Christchurch was shaken by a very large earthquake early on Saturday morning. It has definitely changed life as we know it in this city.

I awoke to the house shaking rather violently in a tremor that seemed to last for ages. A quick glance at my alarm clock indicated it was 4:38am. During this time the TV fell off the set of drawers it was sitting on, and hit the heater on its way down. I was convinced it was ruined. When the shaking stopped I asked Josh to get up and turn the light on so we could survey the damage. It didn't work and he said the power has gone off. I looked back at my alarm clock which was now completely blank. This emphasised the seriousness of the situation quite quickly for me – everything is scarier when it's dark.

Josh went downstairs to survey the damage, using his cellphone as a torch. A few minutes later I felt brave enough to get out of bed and take a look at the damage myself. I was concerned for my computer, so looked in the study to see that it was still perfectly fine. The bookcase had fallen over spilling all it's contents onto the floor, and blocking access to the room. The fishtank in the lounge had sloshed about quite a lot and lost a bit of water. It hadn't fallen over though, and the fish are fine. I went back upstairs to plug in the old-fashioned phone I have kept hold of for times like these. Of course I had unplugged it a while back to help trouble shoot some internet issues. So there I was in the corner in the dark using the light from my cellphone to find the phone and plug it back in again.

By this point I was shaking like a leaf, as the tremors just kept coming. I began to worry about how bad it was elsewhere, as I imagined the main faultline in the Southern Alps had gone, and the quake was even worse somewhere else. I was also quite sure there would have been some fatalities. Josh had interent access on his phone, and found some information that the quake was centred only 30km from Christchurch, which made me feel a bit better.

I grew up in the Nelson region which is near a lot of earthquake prone areas. My grandmother had been through the Murchison earthquake in 1929, and my parents and grandparents the Inangahua quake of 1968. So I had never considered Christchurch a particularly high risk earthquake area. It turns out the scientists hadn't either!

We went back to bed, but I got very little sleep. It was very good to see daylight appearing a few hours later. We got up at about 8am, and I went to the garage to listen to the radio in the car to try and find out what was happening. When I found a station reporting on it, it was clear how serious it had been. I texted my family in Nelson to ask if they had felt it, and let them know we were ok. It had woken up my brother whose room is on a second storey. We then went for a walk around the neighbourhood, to discover a lot of broken and cracked chimneys, as well as lots of bricks that had crumbled off the side of older buildings.

When we got back the power was back on, so we just sat in the lounge glued to the TV while the scale of the disaster was revealed. It was a very surreal experience to have actually experienced the event, and be in the middle of it all. Normally the news happens somewhere else. It still doesn't seem quite real now. We went for another walk to see how much damage there was and took some photos this time.

Later on I plugged in the TV to discover it still worked after it had fallen on to the floor. I tidied up the study, and moved the bookcase to the other side of the room. At least if it falls over again while I am in there, it shouldn't hit me or block my access to the door. The TV will live on the floor for the next couple of weeks. Then it will live a bit further away from the edge of the drawers.

The aftershocks since the earthquake have been very unsettling. I was beginning to relax yesterday, as they seemed to have dimished in severity and intensity. That was until just after I had fallen asleep, only to be woken by a stronger aftershock, and subsequently several more over the course of the night.

I feel very thankful that there were no fatalities, that our house appears to be undamaged, and we didn't suffer much damage to our belongings either. Some people are not so lucky, and will never be able to go back to their homes.

Fortunately none of my candles or candle-making equipment have been damaged, so it won't cause too much disruption to the business side of things. So if you want to stock up your emergency kit with locally sourced, handmade candles, you still can! I was really surprised to discover hardly anything had moved in the garage. I have some large heavy duty shelves with blocks of wax etc on them, and everything is still on the shelves.

I don't think 2010 is a year I'm ever going to forget, it has been full of unexpected surprises. I'm just hoping that any further surprises are nice ones!

Rolleston Market's first birthday bash

2010-08-30T19:37:00.003+12:00

I think it's time I did a pictorial blog post! Here is a picture of my stall just after I finished setting up.
Some pics of the stalls and shoppers.

I was lucky enough to won one of the raffle draws, and chose this gorgeous book from Tessa Warburton as my prize. My neighbour wrote me out a list of some of the shows and fairs on in Canterbury that would be worth doing. So I might apply for some of them and see how I go. Watch this space for more details!

Rolleston Market's 1st Birthday Bash

2010-08-25T16:18:00.002+12:00

Rolleston Community Market turns one this Sunday, and there will be plenty of ways to celebrate. There will be balloons and face painting for the kids, a $2 raffle with prizes drawn every half hour and 200 cupcakes to be given away. This is in addition to the usual array of stalls selling fresh produce and handmade goods. You'll find a selection of organic fruit, cheese, bread, meats, fresh flowers, candles, clothing, children's toys, jewellery and art. There will also be hot food, coffee and a bouncy castle. So if you've been thinking of coming along to check it out, Sunday would be the perfect day!

I'll have my full range of candles, including the teacup candles and soy tins, and some new starfish rattles. Don't forget to bring along your old candles to recycle for a 10% discount, or take advantage of my August special, and bring along an empty Rose in Thorns candle tin for a 20% off your purchase.

The gluten free bread recipe

2010-08-18T12:24:00.005+12:00

It does become apparent your life maybe a little boring when you get excited about perfecting a recipe for bread. In my defence though, I think it is an accomplishment to create a loaf of gluten free bread that tastes as good as any 'normal' bread. I'll even go as far to say that it's better than some other bread.

The main purpose of this challenge was to create a tasty loaf of gluten free bread without breaking the budget. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may remember that six months ago I lost my job two weeks after I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. As you can imagine, I was quite pleased to see the end of February. I decided to pursue self-employment, which wasn't so compatible with the added cost of gluten free food.

I started ordering food through the coeliac prescription service, which has saved money on things like flour and pasta. So I have based this recipe primarily on the products that are available to me to keep the costs down. These products are also available at most supermarkets, so don't panic if you can't get them via prescription! I have adapted it from a recipe in Gluten Free bread and cakes from your breadmaker which is a fantastic book if you're gluten intolerant and have a breadmaker.

The Recipe:

1 egg

450mL water

4T oil (I used olive oil, but just use whatever is in the cupboard)

4T milk powder

1T clear honey

200g Healtheries Simple Baking mix

100g Bakels gluten free bread mix

75g Buckwheat flour

1 tsp xantham gum (I imagine guar gum would work too)

2 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp yeast

Method:

1. Beat together the eggs and water, then pour into the breadmaker pan.

2. Add the oil, vinegar, milk powder and honey.

3. Add the flours, gum, sugar and salt, then sprinkle the yeast on top.

4. Set the machine to Basic, 700g/medium (my breadmaker doesn't have this setting, but it doesn't seem to matter), medium crust.

5. When cooked, switch off the machine, sprinkle the bread immediately with a little buckwhat flour (optional) and leave in the breadmaker for 10 minutes.

6. Turn the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack. When cool enough to handle, remove the paddle, if necessary.

7. When cold, store in the bread bin for up to four days, or slice and freeze.

Some notes: The buckwheat flour can be found at Binn Inn stores, and probably your local wholefood store. I get mine from Piko's. I have used a Breville breadmaker which doesn't have a gluten free setting. Use an active yeast, such as this Edmond's one. I have used Mauripan yeast, but I know some breadmakers don't like it, and I'm not sure where to get it from, I buy it from Nelson!

Feel free to leave any comments if you try this recipe yourself, I'd love to know if anyone else likes it as much as I do. I'm sure it could be made without a breadmaker, I'm just not sure on things like rising time, oven temperature or baking time. If you do figure this out, please share below in the comments. Enjoy!

Great goodies up for grabs, and a part-time job

2010-08-17T08:45:00.008+12:00

There are often so many fantastic giveaways happening around the place, I thought it was high time I started sharing them with my blog readers!

Firstly, The China Cabinet has a giveaway that runs until the 22nd August. It is at the Bridal Expo that is currently running at Northlands Mall in Christchurch. Go along and check out her stand, and enter the draw to win this gorgeous prize pack, which includes: two trios; Royal Albert Enchantment (I LOVE this one!) and Lavender Rose. There are also some very special teas from Harney & Sons Wedding Tea Range, a voucher for delicious cupcakes from The Cupcake Parlour and lots of other treats. The hamper is valued at $350! I've already entered, so if you don't get the chance to pop down and enter, that's totally fine with me...

Next up is a beautiful children's hat by Alison of Green Jean. Alison makes gorgeous children's clothes from recycled jeans. The hats are brand new, so pop over to her facebook page to check them out, and enter her competition to win one! Entries close on the 30th August.

Ana Aceves makes gorgeous prints, illustrations and dioramas. She is also having a giveaway, you can enter the draw to win this print by leaving a comment on her blog. You have until the 30th August to get your entry in.

If you live in Wellington, and fancy a part-time job helping out the lovely (and very busy) Colleen from Dear Colleen, pop over to her blog right now to find out how to apply for it. The deadline for applications is the 26th August. If you don't live in Wellington, or don't need a job, you can still get in on the action that is Dear Colleen. She has recently launched her first charity project, a tote bag designed to raise funds for a very worth cause, the Oxfam Gulf Oil Spill fund. If that's not enough, she has also made her 'spoil' logo available for download for other people to use in their own fundraising projects. Find out more about it here.

Op-shop finds

2010-08-12T16:18:00.007+12:00

I went on an Op-shop mission yesterday to find some more teacups for a wholesale order. Here is a pic of some of my new goodies. I found some great shops on my travels. I went to Woolston first – a great desitination for any avid op-shopper or retro fan! I found a vintage candlebra in a secondhand shop a couple of doors down from the Salvation Army Family store. It will be great to use on my stall to display candles – the other one I've used was hired. On my way back to the car, I noticed a bike shop that specialises in buying, selling and restoring classic/retro bikes and parts. I mentioned a rather large stash of bicycles in this post that needed a new home, and I just might have found it! The shop is at 618 Ferry Road, worth checking out if you're in the market for a retro bike, or some parts.

I bought a couple of old ring binders from the Super Shed to re-cover with some handmade paper I bought from the Drawing Room earlier in the week. I've noticed they are never in short supply at op-shops, and decided earlier in the year to buy them second-hand from now on. The paper wasn't quite as large as I'd hoped, it was the exact width of the folder. I had to tape along the edges instead of folding them over, but I'm still quite pleased with how they turned out. I might even file away my receipts more often now!

I have been slowly working away on my business plan, and have finished the marketing section. I worked through the Business Growth Planner from Crafting an MBA which I can recommend. It's designed for crafters, and helps you to turn your goals into a plan you can follow to help them become a reality. To get some numbers to work with, I figured out the minimum income I require to pay for living expenses etc, and added on an approximate weekly amount to cover overheads. This got me my starting figure. Then I took the amount I'd like to be earning in a years time, added on the same overhead amount to get my target for the next year. A simple way to get incremental targets that bridge the gap between the two is to subtract the first number from the second, divide it by twelve, and increase you monthly target by this amount each month. I hope that makes sense! So now I have some numbers, I just need to try and hit them. I'll keep you posted every now and then with how that goes, and what I did to get there.

My first step is to start improving the copy in my listings on Felt. I have taken some advice from this post from the Craft Venture Series on the Paper n Stich blog. I have started with the listings for my soy tin candles, and will work through them all over the next few weeks. I'm hoping this will increase my conversion rate from views to sales.

I have also been working on refining my budget friendly breadmaker recipe for tasty gluten free bread. It might sound like an impossible feat, but today's version is tasting very good. I think I might be almost there with perfecting it. I'll post up the recipe when I've got it just right.

Special offer for August

2010-08-05T16:07:00.009+12:00

At the last two markets I have attended, the soy tin candles have proved very popular. Both times I had hoped to promote my recycling offer, but got too busy making the candles to make any flyers. The deal is, if you bring back an empty Rose in Thorns candle tin, I will give you a 10% discount on your next purchase. Since I hadn't told anyone this, I am going to do a special offer till the end of August:

If that's not an awesome enough deal already, if you make a purchase from Felt before the 20th of August, you go in the draw to win the latest copy of Peppermint magazine. It would be perfect for reading while you relax in the bath with your new gorgeous smelling candles going...

image courtesy of Felt

If you wish to redeem your discount on a purchase via Felt, just send me a message via Felt first detailing what you would like to buy, and I will put up a custom listing for you with the discount included. If you live out of town and need to post back the empty tin, I can also include a credit in the postage to cover the cost of sending it back.

*discount only applies to full priced items.

Monday catch up

2010-08-02T15:40:00.007+12:00

I just noticed when I went to start this post that it's my 50th post! That's quite a milestone, half a century. It also suggests I've been neglecting it from time to time – it's over a year old, so that's less that one per week.

A few months back I asked Mum for her crochet dishcloth pattern. I was getting tired of throwing synthetic dishcloths into landfill once they were worn out, and wanted to make one out of cotton so I could put in into the compost once it had reached the end of it's useful life. Mum has always made her own, so I knew they were good from my years of doing the dishes at home! I made a start when I first got the pattern, but due to the fact I was using a thicker thread than what Mum had used, it looked way too big, and seemed to be taking forever. I finally finished it yesterday – after pulling it apart and starting again from scratch! I made it about two-thirds of the original size, and it was much quicker to make this time! It may be a little on the small side now, but I'll find that out once I've started using it. You can see me working on it the first time round in the picture in this blog.

I think the new month has inspired me – I started working on my business plan today! I have been collecting information about starting a business for years, these books are just a snapshot of what I have. While I was studying Graphic Design, I had an idea for a product which some people suggested I try my hand at making and selling. I looked into it, but going from an idea, to figuring out how to manufacture and market it while worrying about patents and finance was too complex for my 19 year old self. Which is where the first lot of planning books came from. I still have that idea, and might adapt it to something that can be sewn, hence removing the need for mass production! So watch this space for that one...

The marketing book was from an evening class I did that my first employer was kind enough to pay for. My last employer paid for me to do an advertising class last year too, I was obviously good at finding nice people to work for! So this whole self-employment thing definitely wasn't a spur of the moment decision, it's something I've been thinking about for years. Now I just need to turn it into a source of reliable income. I'll keep you posted on how the planning goes.

Also today, I have successfully made a Gluten Free loaf of bread that actually has most, if not all the desirable characteristics of bread. This is no mean feat! Since I have been diagnosed as a Coeliac, I am able to get some gluten free items on prescription at a subsidised price. This come in very handy after I lost my job and had to start watching my pennies. I can buy pasta, flour mixes and bread mixes through this scheme, and make bread a lot cheaper than I can buy it. One of the bread mixes is rather terrible on it's own, so I've started experimenting with mixing it with other mixes and flours to try and improve it. This was my first attempt, adapting a recipe from Gluten Free Bread and Cakes from your Breadmaker. It came out really well, but I'm hoping to hone it a bit and include less eggs, as three really doesn't quite fit with keeping it budget friendly. Once I have got the recipe right I will share it here on the blog.

Whirlwind trip to Auckland

2010-07-29T14:51:00.005+12:00

What a weekend! I think I'm still recovering. After managing to fill one of my suitcases right up to Air NZs 23kg weight limit (candles are heavy, ok!) and squeezing another 18kgs of stock, props and clothes into a second suitcase, the Mr and I set off to the airport for my first out of town fair. He came along for moral support, some extra arms for carrying things, and the additional luggage allowance. I haven't managed to get him excited about crafts just yet though...

We caught up with one of my original flatmates for dinner, and realised it had been far too long since the last time. We had a great time reminiscing about 'the old days' and all the people we used to know at the YMCA, which is where we met, as students fresh out of high school.

The next day we wheeled the two suitcases to the Auckland Art Gallery, and I must say, Christchurch's footpaths are much more wheel-friendly. I set up my stall, and waited in anticipation for the hordes of people. It filled up pretty quickly, and was busy for the whole day. I had a lovely neighbour, Louise from the The Binding Studio who I got to know throughout the day.

Luckily for me, Lucy from Felt had come up to check out the Fair, and kindly looked after my stall for a while in the afternoon. This gave me a chance to have look around at all the lovely things, and chat to some of the stallholders. It was great to finally meet some of the people whose blogs and tweets I've been following, including Blendy, Honey Design Books, Tiny Happy, Victoria n' Bird and Zippity Doo Dah, as well as catching up with Dear Colleen and Sarah from Songbird Designs again! I also got to meet the organisers, Jess and Kylie, who have done a great job of organising and promoting the Fair.

Yet again, I've only got photos of my stall. Please don't look at them too closely, I'm not good at taking photos indoors with no flash or tripod! I didn't think to get a photo of me behind the stall. By some strange co-incidence I happened to be wearing a top that was quite similar in colour to the wall behind me, which was made even stranger by the fact the wall was only that colour behind my stall. If you keep and eye out on the Auckland Art and Craft Fair blog, they are going to put some photos up of the event, so you'll be able to see what the rest of it looked like!

My Auckland debut

2010-07-22T09:28:00.003+12:00

This weekend, for the first time ever, I will be taking to the skies with Rose in Thorns, and bringing my wares to Auckland. I'm excited to be involved the inaugural Auckland Art and Craft Fair, along with a very talented selection of New Zealand crafters and designers. The Fair is designed to showcase these artists, whose products have an emphasis on quality, craftmanship, creativity and style. You can purchase direct from the seller, knowing that you are supporting New Zealand talent and you will be taking home a special piece that has soul.

It is being held in the Art Lounge at the Auckland Art Gallery. Why not make a day of it, you can check some of the exhibitions at the Gallery, take a stroll around Albert Park, and have lunch at the cafe. There will be eftpos facilities available, where you can withdraw special market money which has been designed by illustrator Sarah McNeil. There will be $4 parking available for visitors to the Fair that use the Victoria Street Car Park, with a special discount voucher from the gallery.

I will be bringing my selection of recycled wax candles, including mini-teardrops and hand-dipped tapers, as well as my new range of soy tin and tealight candles. There will also be some recycled cassette tape purses, and if I can squeeze them in, some of the first of my range of soft toys, starfish rattles. You can bring along any old candles you would like to be recycled, and in return receive a 10% discount off your purchase on the day. If you come along to the Fair, do say hi, I like to meet lovely blog readers.

New Goodies available in my Felt shop

2010-07-21T09:07:00.005+12:00

I've been busy this week, photographing and listing new items in my Felt shop. I have added soy tealights which I introduced at A Craft Affair. These are a little taller than your average tealight, last for about 7 hours. They come in a range of fragrances, or are available unscented. I have updated all the listings in my soy candle range to include all available fragrances . There are two new fragrances now available in the mini scented cube range as well – Coffee and Cinnamon. I have also added my new, and much talked about Starfish baby rattles. They are made from upcycled fabric remnants, and stuffed with natural New Zealand wool. If you didn't get a chance to check them out at A Craft Affair, pop over and have a look.

Now I'm busy preparing for the Auckland Art and Craft Fair this Saturday, I will post another blog about this in the next day. I won't be at the Rolleston Community Market this month, as I get back from Auckland late on Saturday night, and thought I deserved a break!

An Affair to be proud of

2010-07-15T16:21:00.005+12:00

I had a great day at A Craft Affair on Sunday. Although I was still rushing at the last minute, I was much calmer than for my first market, Craft 2.0 a year ago. I did manage to finish my new product, starfish baby rattles, but have yet to upload them to Felt. They were literally brand new, I finished stuffing them at midnight, and sewed them up in the morning. My new soy tin candles went down a treat, and I sold out of the Mandarin & Mimosa fragranced ones.

I met some lovely sellers from other parts of New Zealand that I knew 'virtually'. It was nice to put faces to blogs and felt shopnames, as well as getting to know some local crafters a little better. As usual, it was rather busy, so I didn't get a chance to look around the whole building. Emma from Freedom Creative kindly watched my stall for me while I did a quick tour of the top floor.

I only got photos of my stall, so to see the whole fair, take a look at the A Craft Affair blog. Lucy has been putting up a virtual tour of the fair. Maddie from lilmagoolie blog has written a great overview, and you can read some great writeups from other sellers – Songbird Designs, Relique Vintage Jewellery, little minx, Black Swan Designs and Miss Millie. Finally a huge thanks to Lucy for doing such a wonderful job organising A Craft Affair. Yet again, you've done a fantastic job!

One day to go!

2010-07-10T10:26:00.003+12:00

It's nearly here – A Craft Affair hits town for the very first time tomorrow! I have been very busy making lots of candles. There will be some new, never been smelt before fragrances on offer in my new soy candle range. They will be available in three different sized tins, tealights, and of course, in teacups too. I have also been very busy putting together something new. But I won't say what it is or post a picture here – you'll have to come along tomorrow if you want to be the first to see what it is!

If you do come along tomorrow, don't forget to bring your old candles along for me to recycle. In return you will get a 10% discount on your next purchase! You can choose to spend this tomorrow, or keep the coupon for a later date. There are plenty of good reasons to come, including free entry, cupcakes, the best hot chocolates, and of course lots and lots of fantastic handmade items made by some very talented crafters.

A Craft Affair is on from 11am till 3pm, Sunday 11th July at Our City O-Tautahi, corner of Worcester Boulevard and Oxford Terrace, Christchurch (the old information centre, right next to the bridge). I hope to see you there!

A new look!

2010-06-24T16:43:00.005+12:00

I have recently updated my logo, and have just finished changing all my avatars over. It seems that graphic designers like to tinker with their logos, so I'll give you a bit of background as to why I have changed it.

Firstly, although my business name was originally rose among thorns, it seemed every time I signed up to something online, that was already taken. When I first opened my felt shop, I discovered it was too long for their 12 character limit, so racked my brains trying to think of a way of shortening it. Eventually I came up with roseinthorns, and my felt shop was born. So everytime I signed up for something and roseamongthorns wasn't available, I used roseinthorns instead. Then one day someone suggested I change the name to Rose in Thorns. I mulled over this for quite some time, and when I moved to full-time self-employment, thought it would be a good time to make the change.

Secondly, I had got a few comments that my logo looked more like a tulip than a rose. I was quite convinced it looked more like a rose, but eventually felt it might be best to have a logo that didn't resemble a tulip to anyone. I am quite pleased with how it turned out, and even though I really liked the old one beforehand, I like the new one much better now.

If you are in the market for a new logo, or perhaps another graphic design project, do get in touch, and we can discuss your requirements. I am planning on making a website to go with my new logo, which will have some examples of what I can do for you. In the meantime, enquiries are welcome.

A round-up of upcoming Fairs and Markets

2010-06-23T10:53:00.010+12:00

It's rather mad here at the moment, because as of Sunday I will be at a craft market/fair every second weekend, so there is lots of work to be done. I'd love to see you if you can make it out to one, so this is where you can find me:

27th June - Rolleston Community Market

This regular market is being held indoors over the winter period, which is very welcome news with the weather we've been having! It's not too far from Christchurch, and you can find a great selection of handmade goods, including candles, clothing, children's toys, jewellery, and also fresh produce, including organic fruit, cheese, bread, meats and fresh flowers. There is something for everyone, including hot food and a bouncy castle.

11th July - A Craft Affair

Formerly known as Craft 2.0 Christchurch, A Craft Affair has grown from the success of these markets, and we now have our very own fair. Regular attendees will already know about the great selection of high quality handmade crafts available. If you haven't been yet, it's well worth a visit. If you're not a fan of crowds, I'd recommend coming a bit later in the day, as it usually quietens down a bit as the day goes on. You can find out more on the blog, and even plan your shopping, as interviews with all the stallholders are being put up each day - keep an eye out for mine. If you happen to have a copy of today's Press, have a look at page 14 of Zest, there is a feature on A Craft Affair, including a quote from yours truly! For a readable version, click here.

24th July - Auckland Art and Craft Fair

For the first time, Rose in Thorns will be hitting the road, and Aucklanders will have the opportunity to peruse my wares. This will be the first ever Auckland Art & Craft Fair, a one of a kind, special event designed to showcase a selection of New Zealands best independant and contemporary designers, artists, and crafters. It will be held at the Art Lounge of the Auckland Art Gallery, from 11am till 3pm. For more info, and artist interviews, check out the blog. You can read my interview here.

All the Tea in China

2010-06-22T17:11:00.010+12:00

When you combine great company, beautiful china, unique candles and some home baking, you end up with a fantastic Rose in Thorns Tea Party. Thanks to everyone that came, it was great to see you all. Here are some pics for those that couldn't make it. Oh, and because I know you are wondering where I got all the beautiful china from, it was hired from the China Cabinet, who I highly recommend if you are ever in need of some china. They have a fantastic selection to choose from, and provide great service as well.

We have a winner!

2010-06-15T17:52:00.003+12:00

The lucky winner of my giveaway for reaching 100 fans on facebook is... Maddie aka lilmagoolie! Congratulations Maddie, I hope you enjoy your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered, and all the lovely comments you left, I really do appreciate them all, and it's nice to see which products are the most popular.

If you are thinking of coming to my Tea Party on Sunday, and haven't RSVP'd yet, if you could so in the next day or two, that would be grand. Then I can make sure I have enough teacups, cupcakes and free gifts to go around! If you aren't on facebook, just leave a comment on this post, or send me an email.

In other news, Rose among Thorns has had a makeover, which will be unveiled in the next few days. Watch this space!

Time for a cuppa

2010-06-09T17:11:00.004+12:00

I am pleased to announce that I have a new candle stockist, Madame Fancy Pants. If you are in Wellington, you can now buy a selection of my candles, including the soy teacups, from their store in Cuba Street. It's a great wee shop filled with lots of awesome goodies. Definitely worth a visit!

If you are in Christchurch on the 2oth June, you can come to my soy candle launch tea party! I am even contemplating making cupcakes for the occasion. I've never made them before, but there is a first time for everything. There will be vintage teacups and other such things to set the scene. It will also be a great opportunity to pick up some bargains, as I will have some specials on the day. I will also light a few different candles so you can see how they look, as they come alive once they are lit up.

Giveaway for reaching 100 fans

2010-06-08T09:41:00.006+12:00

Now that I have reached over 100 fans on facebook, it's time for a giveaway to say thank you! I wanted to include one of my new products, which is why I didn't do this as soon as I had reached 100 fans. The prize pack up for grabs is: 1x mini teardrop candle, in your choice of rose, frangipani, or rainforest fragrance, 1x pair of hand-dipped tapers made from recycled convent candles, and 1x small soy tin candle, in your choice of rose, frangipani or vanilla.

To enter, all you need to do is be (or become) a fan of my facebook page, and leave a comment below this post saying what your favourite item from my shop is. If you tweet, facebook or blog about this giveaway, you'll get an extra entry – just don't forget to mention in your comment that you have done so. The competition will run for a week, and will be drawn on the 15th June.

Good luck, and thanks so much for all your support!

Rolleston Community Market this Sunday

2010-05-27T17:34:00.003+12:00

I will be at the Rolleston Community Market again this Sunday, so pop out and say hi! The market has moved indoors for the winter which is great news for stallholders and shoppers alike. Being able to browse through locally made handcrafts and produce whilst staying warm and dry is definitely a very big bonus right now! I will have some soy candles this time, so make sure to stop by and sample the gorgeous fragrances I have on offer.

For directions on how to get there, click here.

A winner and some Teacup Candles

2010-05-14T16:57:00.005+12:00

It's been a busy week here at Rose among Thorns. Firstly, a big thanks to everyone who entered and promoted my giveaway on the Lilmagoolie blog, and an even bigger thanks to Maddie who organised it all. A winner was drawn, and some rose scented candles are now on their way to Anna Vincent. Congratulations Anna!

The other exciting news this week, is that I launched the first candles of my soy wax range – teacup candles. They have proved rather a hit so far, with requests for new fragrances to add to the collection. Chocolate will be first on the list, and coffee will follow once I get the fragrance in. They are make to order, so if you fall in love with a cup, you can have a candle made with your favourite fragrance. Some cups are very limited edition, and I only have one. So if you really like one, get in quick before you miss out! Currently available are: Strawberry, Frangipani, Vanilla and Rose. Other fragrances will be added once I have tested them in the soy wax.

I was back in Nelson a few weeks ago, where my parents had cleaned out underneath their house in preparation for my husband to insulate it for them. Over 30 years worth of things had been stored under there, including about 10 bikes – if anyone in Nelson wants some old bikes to do up, please let me know! I rescued this great vintage suitcase. It has had a bit of a rough life, and it's hinges have rusted out, but it makes a great prop for photos, and might look quite good on my stall as well...

A Giveaway a day

2010-05-07T15:32:00.005+12:00

This is one for those of you who like giveaways – and really, who doesn't? The lovely Maddie from lilmagoolie blog has been doing a giveaway each day this week. I met her a couple of months ago at Crafty Business. She writes very popular blog which is packed full or allsorts of inspiring things, is a stay at home mum, and has just started out doing freelance graphic design as well. I don't know how she fits it all in!

My mini-teardrop candles featured yesterday. There are some great prizes on offer, including some from fellow felt sellers, Relique Vintage Jewellery and hjrd design. There is still time to enter, so pop over and have a look.

Choosing a sustainable candle wax – Part 2

2010-05-06T08:22:00.009+12:00

I have been using recycled wax to make candles with for almost a year now. Last June I put up a sign at Craft 2.0 saying I could recycle old candles. This resulted in me becoming the proud owner of more than 100kg of old convent candles that a nun had collected up to recycle herself.

I have been slowly working my way through all of the boxes, sorting and weighing them, and filtering out all of the gunk so the wax can be used again for new candles. There are lots of different types – beeswax candle stubs, paraffin candle stubs and some quite large bags of little pieces of wax that have dripped down the side of a candle holder, and been scraped off. There are also some blocks of unused paraffin, which also needs to be made into candles, rather than sitting gathering dust in someones garage. I thought I'd share a bit about how I go about recycling all of this wax, to explain how it works.

Firstly, I sort the candles by colour and wax type. This is done by eye, so if two kinds of wax have been mixed together, I can't tell what percentage of each wax they contain. Often beeswax candles can contain a higher proportion of paraffin wax. Also, when you're melting the contents of a bag of wax chips, it's impossible to tell exactly what blend of wax might be in there. So although I can't offer a guarantee of what type of wax a candle contains, I do have a pretty good idea.

Then I melt the sorted wax down, and filter out all of the dirt, dust, wicks, stickers and anything else that may have accumulated. I end up with block of clean purified wax ready to be made into new candles.

I also collect as much as I can of the waste wax that accumulates during the candle making process, such as drips and spills etc, and recycle this too. This wax doesn't get sorted first though, as it's often already mixed up. So it usually ends up as one of many shades of brown! I then mix this with some beeswax, and make it into block candles.

It's very satisfying to take something that is usually thrown away, and turn it into something beautiful. I hope you enjoy the candles as much as I enjoy making them!

These items in my felt shop are currently made from recycled wax:

Floating citronella candles, Hand-dipped tapers and recycled tealights. Some of the mini-teardrops are made from recycled wax, the older ones aren't.

Choosing a sustainable candle wax – Part 1

2010-05-04T17:24:00.008+12:00

Once my stockpile of paraffin wax began to decline last year, I looked into more sustainable sources of waxes. Buying something made from oil just didn't make much sense anymore. I did some research, and found two different options: waxes derived from natural sources such as soy wax, palm wax and beeswax; or recycling old candles. In this blog post I'll talk about natural waxes, and tomorrow I'll talk about recycling wax.

One thing to consider when choosing which wax to use is which type of candles it is best suited to. Each of the readily available natural waxes have different properties, which make them suitable for different uses. Soy wax has a low melting point, which makes it ideal for container candles. Palm wax has a much higher melting point, so works well for pillar candles, in a similar way to paraffin. Beeswax has it's own distinctive colour and fragrance, so is best used au natural, or blended with other waxes, as it does tend to be more expensive.

There are also environmental issues to consider. The supplier I use sources all of their palm wax from members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. This organisation was founded to develop and define best practices for sustainable palm cultivation, and protection of the environment. However, there has been a lot of negative press in New Zealand about de-forestation and habitat destruction due to the cultivation on palm oil crops. So at this point I'm unsure if even sustainably sourced palm wax is something I should be using.

Soy wax has become very popular in recent years, largely due to it's low environmental impact. It is a sustainable resource that doesn't damage the eco-system, and it can be grown fast enough to keep up with the rate of consumption. It seemed like a good option, and meant I could expand my range to include container candles, something I hadn't done before. So I have purchased some soy wax, which I am currently in the process of testing. Once I am happy with the results, hopefully within the next few weeks, I will be launching some new soy wax candles. So watch this space!

Tomorrow I'll explain how my candle recycling works, so stay tuned. I welcome any comments you may have about this topic.

Rolleston Market

2010-04-24T22:04:00.005+12:00

Two posts in one day? I think that might be a record! I will be back at the Rolleston Community Market tomorrow. If you feel like an outing, pop out for crafts, fresh produce, food and coffee, and come and say hi! I will have a new product debuting, so you can be the first to check it out. The market will be held later than usual, due to it being Anzac day. It will run from 1pm till 4pm on the grassy area next to the Community Centre. If it's raining, it will be held indoors at the stadium. Click here for directions.

Recipe for gluten free Anzac biscuits

2010-04-24T14:08:00.003+12:00

I made a batch of these the other day from the Coeliac UK cookbook, and have been asked for the recipe by Mel of Wildflower Designs, so I thought I'd share it on the blog. I've always been partial to Anzac biccies, so was happy to find a recipe for a gluten-free version. They are very easy to make too. The only ingredient that might be a bit tricky to track down is the millet flakes. I popped down to my local wholefood store Piko, who had some, along with what seemed like every other gluten free ingredient you might need!

Ingredients:

110g millet flakes

110g caster sugar

110g desiccated coconut

50g rice flour

50g tapioca flour

50g ground almonds

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon golden syrup

110g butter

2 teaspoons baking soda

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160˚

Mix together all the dry ingredients except the baking soda in a bowl.

Put the water, golden syrup and butter into a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, add the baking soda and stir. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Roll mixture into balls and place onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Space them sufficiently far apart for the biscuits to spread as they cook. Flatten with a ford and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave to cool on the baking tray for about 5-6 minutes, or until firm enough to handle, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.