Soft landing

I'm enjoying a sunny morning two days from Christmas, and as a special treat we had breakfast out down in Apollo Bay this morning.

It's dawned on me that I've got until the end of February to just stay local and enjoy the town, and the holiday feeling, and the visitors.

I've spent a bit of time this month getting ready for the weekly Saturday morning market on the Apollo Bay foreshore.

We've got a steady flow of friends due down through January, so I wanted to have time to spend with them without having to run away to my workroom to sew.

So I have a big pile of new cushions all ready to go to market.

Although, they look so nice all lined up on our bench out on the back deck I might be tempted to just sink into them with a magazine and a drink...

Ready?

.

And just like that, I've nearly reached the end of my Melbourne market year.

With one more trip this weekend, I've got lots to look forward to.

Another dinner out and stay in St Kilda (with a birthday timed perfectly), a last-one-for-the-year catch up with my market friends at the Abbotsford Convent on Sunday.

And then, instead of packing up and coming straight home, I'm going to keep heading east for a quick visit with my friends the gorgeous Mookah girls over in Inverloch.

What a nice way to run down into Christmas!

Shirt & Skirt Market

Abbotsford Convent

1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford

Sunday December 18

10am - 4pm

A present for you

Loving this Santa, aren't you?

I'm overcome with Christmas jollies I think.

With one more road trip before I can call it quits on the travelling for this year, I'm looking forward to Christmas day and the January beyond.

I know I still have a bit of shopping to do, and if you do too, then I've got an early present for you, but you'll need to be quick!

Until midnight tomorrow if you fancy something from the Frankie & Ray online shop, then use the code ONEDAY (yes, in capitals) at the checkout, and I'll be happy to take 20% off everything, and I promise to post it to you in plenty of time for gift giving too.

Or, maybe you just need a treat for yourself....

ho, ho, ho

It's that time of the year again!

It sneaks up on me every time. Every year I promise myself I won't get caught next year.

(so remind me won't you)

I always think I'm going to have a quiet month, and then before I know it, I'm madly running around ordering fabric and tees, and making a daily dash down to the post office!

Thank goodness for the patience and support of my suppliers. I can sleep easy knowing that everything I need for January is on it's way.

I'm loving the idea of some Frankie & Ray things under people's trees for Christmas. I hope they all bring a smile to the girls they're going to.

These belts are lined up waiting to be packed off first thing on Monday, a couple as presents for others, and a couple as a present to the lovely girl who's made the order. I'm a firm believer in buying yourself something for Christmas!

Ah, December. 

You were supposed to be the lull before the January coastal madness!

No market this weekend, but I'll be back on the road for a final Melbourne fling for 2011 next week!

From one end to the other

All the way at the other end of the Great Ocean Road is the charming little town of Barwon Heads, famous as the home of Diver Dan (sigh), Cadel Evans (winner of Le Tour!),  fellow blogger girl Lizey Lou, and lovely clothing designer Nerida Hansen too.

Something worth bottling in that sea air maybe?

In the modern way of things, Nerida and I met at a market, found each other on facebook, and a nice friendly relationship has followed. Hooray for technology!

And now, I'm delighted to say that Frankie & Ray tees are making their way down the coast to Nerida's shop in Barwon Heads, just in time for the Summer.

A perfect match, from one end of the coast to the other!

Nerida Hansen

3A Bridge Road

Barwon Heads

Edit: Nerida's little pop-up shop is now closed, but what a great Summer it was! 

Once more

I was supposed to be having a day off from the market going today.

But, I had the car all packed for the Apollo Bay Indoor Market (where the lovely Beth will look after everything), so when the weather seemed ok this morning, I thought, what the heck....

...it's the last chance to be down on the foreshore before Christmas!

I had a lovely morning. There were quite a few locals out and about, and an interestingly large number of European and English tourists.

One of my tea towel cushions is off to the UK, insert and all. The new owner was smitten with it as a souvenir of her holiday, and she's going to use it as a pillow on her journey home on the plane.

Another lovely local lady has bought a cushion for her daughter who is returning home after 2 years living and working in London. That one had a map of England on it.

I love how people make a connection to the tea towels I've used, and when that happens there's never too much thinking about the purchase. Plus, I get to hear some delightful stories!

Of course, I couldn't have managed this morning without my hardworking assistant....

ps. All these photos are for you, Wendy!

As promised!

I've had fun with these!

The best part of making these tea towel bags is the choosing of which ones to use. 

I've made five new ones, and they are all in the shop today.

Quick sticks, these are all one-offs!

A week of possibilities

It's Monday morning, and I'm not quite sure where I should start this week!

It's been more than a month of just keeping ahead of things, and lots of driving. Not that I mind. I love a road trip, and a visit with city friends, and all the markets I've been at.

Saturday was looking a little challenging at Maribyrnong Makers Market. To say that it rained somehow doesn't quite give the right impression of how the weather turned out. It poured, teemed, bucketed....!

But, I was set up under my market umbrella, and staying dry. It was actually too wet to pack up, so I just settled in to wait the weather out. And then the most amazing thing happened.

People started arriving armed with their umbrellas and good humour, and they just carried on as if the rain wasn't happening at all!

This is what makes this market my favourite Melbourne market - it's so well supported and anticipated that even a flood of rain wasn't going to stop anyone from shopping! And I have to thank the fantastic organisers for that.

And now here I am at the beginning of a few weeks of not travelling, and I'm thinking I might just have a play with some of my tea towel collection for some new bags. All of a sudden I'm down to just one in my stock.

Stay tuned, there might even be some to go in the shop later this week!

Rain, hail, or shine

Well, lets face it, the forecast for Saturday is looking slightly dodgy for a market day!

But, don't let that put you off, and keep your fingers crossed.

I'm hoping it might not get too wet, or that we get a few breaks in the weather, or, if we're really lucky, the weather boffins might have it completely wrong, and Melbourne will turn on an absolute stunner...but bring a brolly just in case!

Dressland

I've refreshed my frock fabrics in the last week, and there's nothing better than having some lovely new patterns and colours to work with.

In fact, a new fabric is like a red rag to a bull to me, I just have to get straight into it with the scissors and thread.

I'm still living in the world of dresses. 'Dressland' according to my friend Pia! I'm loving making them, and seeing how the fabric translates into the garment. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Sadly, there was only enough of this one for just one solitary frock. I opted to make it up in a size medium, so perhaps it'll be like that glass slipper waiting for the right girl to slip it on.

Find it, and some others, and all the rest of my goodies at the last market in my big run of weekly events this Saturday at the most fabulous Maribyrnong Makers Market.