Sunday, December 19, 2010

Markets!

Ok this was a rough day with location issues, wind problems (oh Mr Wind why must you follow me to every market? :)
you can see the distance between us and section 1 of the main stalls

yes, yes I sell pebbles o_O



again, a good indication of our location - the populated area was waaay beyond that paved area

our stock

some really good specials on the day

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Shiny Rabbit at The Village at Wellard Markets THIS SUNDAY!

Once again Shiny Rabbit will be gracing the Wellard markets tomorrow but this time with NEW STOCK to launch at special prices! Perfect for late Christmas present buying!

Wild Ride Horse Brooch


There are 10 new stalls to enjoy 65+ in all! Kids rides, fresh delish food, live music and carols and a cool Christmas theme to enjoy on the day!  Same bunny place - Pimlico Gardens Wellard, same bunny time 8am-12pm Sunday.... be there or be something other than a cool bunny :)

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sunset Market Freo was cool!

So, another market gone..many more to come.  Had a productive evening with some good sales and wonderful customers!! Everybody that cam to my stall was just so much fun!  The market organisers were lovely though there are still some minor things to nut out like not putting a band or loud music facing a stall (mine :)) and within a couple meters of it too! Perhaps some really focused advertising as well would be wonderful but other than that the atmosphere was nice and I have to say it must be the diverse stalls and the super cool customers!

Thanks to those who attended and made the night a success, thanks to those who supported Shiny Rabbit - we luvz yaz!




(yes I have my eyes closed - I'm not flash friendly!)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Shiny Rabbit at The Sunset Market Fremantle Friday 10th!!

join us at the sunset market this friday!

Shiny Rabbit will be at the Freo Sunset Markets this Friday December 10 · 4:00pm - 10:00pm@ THE GORGEOUS & HISTORIC VICTORIA HALL, 179 High St, Fremantle, Australia

~~~~Come see us and our new stock!!!!~~~~

Exotic Hand Printed Fabrica Morocco Ring


+PLUS+ Get a discount voucher for your next on line purchase with your Shiny Rabbit market buy on Friday @ The Sunset Market!

Those details again - 
Time
Friday, December 10 · 4:00pm - 10:00pm

Location THE GORGEOUS & HISTORIC VICTORIA HALL
179 High St
Fremantle, Australia

Friday, November 26, 2010

Pledge to buy handmade this Christmas!

I just came across this link and I think it's such a nice idea - it's a pledge site where you can pledge to buy and to request handmade goods for/from loved ones.

We all have complained at one time or another about the commercialism of the holidays and we know that this commercial approach is so ingrained we tend to feel helpless, shrug our shoulders and just pop down to the shops for a gift anyway.  You don't need to - you and I know that.  The best things about buying handmade are
  • you can plan ahead, 
  • the gifts are almost always cheaper
  • they are more unique
  • they mean more than a store bought unoriginal
  • it gets delivered to you! no shopping center nightmares
  • you are supporting the arts!
  • the designer item you buy may be work from the 'next big thing'
  • they mean more than a store bought unoriginal (it was worth mentioning again ;)
So, pledge !




 
Shiny Rabbit Starburst Earrings $15

Thursday, November 25, 2010

More gifts for Christmas from Local Designers! Make life easy - shop Etsy!

I am starting to see some real benefits from buying local!  I just purchased this wonderful Flower Power Pouch from iheartcharlie for a friend (hoping she isn't reading this blog!) and I can't wait until it turns up!
iheartcharlie
I feel sooo good for buying local designer in many ways - I feel like I have supported local arts, I KNOW that this is a unique product with that designer look.... and it was very affordable !  So,  I am going to do a regular post on bargains that are beauties and while I don't have that many followers yet (if you're not a follower please sign up!) but every little bit I can do I will and really - when you see these products you know that you're getting the deal. These will be Western Australia Designers only....

Here are some wonderful products for Christmas made by designers in Western Australia .....

Leaf Cushion in Ruby on Hesian  by OldGreyHouse for $50


Black Dupioni Silk day or evening Bagby EllaAndLiliy for $50 -don;t know about you but I've got NO chance of finding something like this, hand crafted, in Perth designer stores for $50



Leaf Printed Obi Belt OOAK by flokatii $38



Gigi Convertible Wrap top by NextPlease $50 -again no chance of finding something like this is WA for $50 converts into several different dresses/skirts!




I ADORE these! Black Pearl Art Print $14,50 !! its in a limited edition too! by Paper2Rock2Scissors




Felt Bird in a Pod by happyaslarry for $35 - seriously cute! perfect for a young ones room (though anyone would enjoy it!)


Why would you bother with chain stores this year? Buy local, buy smart and buy meaningful hand made gifts for those you love this year. The benefits are extensive including saving time, money and stress and you get to give unique gifts this year.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Black Friday - A Way around the GFC and Christmas!

So we are well into Black Friday shopping season - for those of you who don't know what black friday is, it's an American term (surprise!) that immediately follows Thanksgiving and is said to be the start of the crazy shopping season for Christmas.

Now, I don't know about you, but in Australia the GFC is hitting retail hard. People are not so optimistic about the extravagance of Christmas at all and for many it really is feeling like 'X'mas.  I am starting to feel like many that Christmas is more than ever showing itself as a commercial hitch in what should be a personal and meaningful year - we have suffered great losses in war, mining tragedy, natural disaster and famine. Many have lost their homes and are struggling - we should be changing the way we see the ones we love.

I am at a little bit of a loss as to why the handmade market hasn't caught on as a viable alternative to gift giving this year.  Out of any year we have experienced (in my lifetime anyway) this year is the year to reestablish what giving is supposed to be about - and its not an xbox - ps2 or an iphone... its about giving and telling someone through your gift that you care; that they matter. Money doesn't always say that - in fact it just says "now yours is out of the way and you can't complain because I spent $$$$ on you". Thats not love.

Etsy is a great way around this - you can spend easily under $100 per person - in fact the gifts below are even less and suitable as single gifts  (we feel the pressure to spend more on commercial gifts because they mean less and are less and less personal these days) and I think I am going to go for hand made artisan crafts for chrissy. I think they mean more, are unique and there are many local designers around that you can buy from.

WA designers - ARTY GIFTS UNDER $35 !!!:


Modern Homewares $35 - perfect for a best friend



iheartcharlie journal $29 -such a bargain and so personal!



Faux Rocky Cufflinks by Polyclarific $28 tel me where you can get hand crafted cufflinks for that price!




also from Polyclarific Retro Telephone Stud earrings - $15!



By GetSilvered this Gorgeous! Lunar Copper Necklace and you won't believe it - $27 theres no way you will find a hand made artisan object like this for that price in the streets of Perth

These are only a very small sample of WA artisans selling really lovely objects on Etsy - check out Etsy and look for local designers so your shipping is low cost, your items arrive before Christmas and so ultimately while supporting local arts you give a gift that is truly meaningful and cost effective!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Taking a chance - pay artists for their time and product!

So, this video link came around via Ali J and it's a bit of a touchy complex subject for many.  Theres a video link here that is well worth watching if you intend to ask for one of my products for your blog, competition, event etc for free.

Here's the thing - a while a go I had a great conversation with Kira O'Rielly who is primarily a performance artist about the importance of *asking* to be paid. She, like all of us, occasionally negotiates a fee or service but she pointed out how it is terribly important for ALL creators to ask to be paid.  She stated that you wouldn't think twice about not paying a lawyer or teacher for their service - why assume artists services are free? We are underpaid - while art may appear expensive we may sell one or two a year..sometimes none if you work in the fine arts field I do (bioart - electronic art).  Kira is right - we should be letting anyone and everyone know we expect to be paid as artists; bartering doesn't put a roof over my head or pay my bills.

A couple of years ago we (my partner and I) were invited to exhibit in Spain - we said no. The gallery wooed us - said they would pay for the flights plus a $2000 euro fee.  We said yes not understanding how to protect ourselves being our first international gig.  The work was lost via the luggage system on the way over! and despite months of post discussion, we never saw a cent of that flight money or artists fee.  It was a seemingly difficult situation until we figured out we wouldn't have lost the work had there been proper negotiation - it wouldn't have gone missing had we said no and regardless, we put aside time and money to be involved (we did end up still presenting the work at a conference/symposium). People simply need to be paid. 

It's important galleries, blog writers, competition organisers, event staff, magazines and so on know how important it is to pay artists. And by pay I don't mean "in kind" through advertising or exposure - through cold hard cash. The exposure should be a sweetener if they really want to feature your brand. Please stop selling yourselves taking everyone else with you for a little bit of exposure in a blog or zine.

So, from here on here is my pledge -

Never again will I do any art for free. If they can't pay - I will find another way.


Please watch this video and pass it around...

Saturday, November 20, 2010

This little rabbit went to the Market!

My very first market day has passed and I was quite pleased!  While there is a way to go with my stall set up (I want to add a table and make more things secure, expand my market range etc) I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and supportive everyone was, how many visitors I knew cam to see me and at my sales.  I didn't sell out ;) but I sold a few things.. some to people I know and some to people I didn't (always a big buzz that last one!).



heres some pix I would like to share.....

Mr Rabbits Ring Trays

Me and mascot Hayley (bunny ears at the next market!)

my 'hand on a stand' - looked pretty cool with rings and drew people to the ring trays! it worked!

Necklace stand which blew over twice and broke a few necklaces :/ oh well!  live and learn!!

Table
table

necklace, memory frame for brooches
 In all, it was a pretty good day! Went quickly and while there are some requests I want to make (like a different placement of my stall) and some changes (which are a normal part of growing and learning) the day was enjoyable!  Plus, I had Mr rabbit by my side through the whole thing which was wonderful in itself :)

Hope you can make it to the next one on December the 19th just in time for last minute Christmas shopping ;)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Market Preparation

Market Preparations are well into swing and I've had to make some 'adjustments' to the current state of my budget.  Here are some pictures anyway of what I have started with.








Clever Mr Rabbit made me these ring trays out of black linen covered lids from paper storage boxes and some pick n pluck foam we had left over from our camera cases.  Isn't he clever!





I had to think of something else for my bookmarks so I made this calico cover for a book - chain stitched "bookmarks" on it (albeit not to well!) and it still needs an iron.  But I had a couple of old looking jars and a woven keeper that I tried displaying in as well... I would have loved a nice custom display but I'm hoping these will go down a treat *fingers crossed*  and excuse the table cloth its my work bench...


















I couldn't resist taking a photo of my vintage mannequin who has been repainted by the very clever Mr Rabbit.  She is stunning and always fancies up any area...


Now, last of all is my sign - I'm not too pleased with it to say the least because of the smudging (I tried the transfer method with medium and transparencies) - I am definitely going to replace this but it won't be for this sunday as I simply don't have the time.  I chose a distressed font knowing the method isnt all that crash hot for clarity.  It still needs the edges trimmed and hemmed - its on calico and I intend to hang it up out front - ideally I would like it on the back wall of the gazebo but I guess "prominent" implies out front.  I am really hoping the smudging (and the dodgy bunny dot)doesn't make me look any more a noob than I am.  Send me good vibes! 

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Raspberry Rogue & Peackock n'Pearls!

I have some new listings in - I am so desperately trying to find the hours to list all of my stock that will be at the markets this sunday but it's just getting the better of me!  Anyhoo, a couple picks from the new stock listed are my Raspberry Rogue Fighter Plane brooch and my vintage Peacock and faux pearl earrings.  I don't know how long I will be able to get those vintage peacock drops but they are really really lovely and I have only one pair currently. Check them out and if you have an account, favourite them for me so others can share looking too!

 

 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Occylicious!

New listing on etsy! Occy brooch - this is really one of my favourite products right now... usually the last one you made is always your favourite but this one keeps popping into my mind.  I love the colours and I adore that copper/bronze look cab setting.  Check it out and if you have an etsy account, favourite it for me as it really helps exposure~!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Shiny Rabbit at The Village at Wellard Markets THIS SUNDAY!

Visit Shiny Rabbit at The Village at Wellard Markets this Sunday (21st November) 8am -12 Located at Pimlico Gardens (just a very short amble from the Wellard Train Station)
 

(heres a little preview of some stock you can expect to see! I know! Its a veritable cornucopia of bunnies!)




A map is shown below but its that convenient you can see the market from the train station! Hop on the Mandurah Line Train anywhere and hop off pretty much at the Markets doorstep.

Join me and my fellow stall holders for a fun morning of live entertainment, great food, cool kids rides and super groovy stuff available from over 60 stalls!


Welcome to my blog!

Hello! Welcome to my blog! 

This is the place to keep up to date with news and events as well as images from my experiences. I hope you subscribe and keep in touch -I'll try to post as often as I can with useful and interesting things both about Shiny Rabbit, my creations, and the places I inhabit as Shiny Rabbit :)  Enjoy!