for me, the idea of being a crafter is inextricably linked with being part of a community. there are so many ways in which this plays out - some of us are part of an etsy network, some of us have built broad and diverse collections of fellow bloggers around us, others are part of craft circles or knitting groups, and still others like to get out to a good old fashioned market. and some of us do all of the above!
today my partner and i went to have a look around at sisters’ market, which is right in the heart of my little community, being just around the corner from where i live.
i wasn’t sure what to expect, having never heard of it before this week, and i was very pleasantly surprised by the bright, busy & bustly little community of crafters i found gathered there. there were so many pretty, clever, cute, striking, innovative, and fun ideas there - never has the old cliche ‘kid in a candy store’ been more appropriately applied to me!
i brought my camera along, shall i show you a few of my favourites?

♥ i absolutely loved the adorable buttons and badges that pollipop had for sale. she’d displayed them so prettily on vintage saucers, and they were all made of such cool fabric:

(see the pair in the top corner - the front and back halves of a doggie? so cute!)
♥ grace was very cleverly sharing a store with her friend carol, of pinky pig who makes so many adorable things, mainly out of the cutest japanese fabric in the entire universe. she had pouches and bags as well as hair ties and clips, but my favourite were these little brooches:

♥ i’m not a mum yet, but i have a few friends with babies, and the sheer amount of stuff they have to carry around to tend to their littl’uns is incredible. that’s why i was so impressed by the change mate, by rachel sharrock and emma hindhaugh. it’s compact, practical, and pretty. i think they’d make a really useful gift for an expectant mum, and i’ll be visiting their website next time a mate gets knocked up!
♥ sophie of mistress of the upper fifth was selling the most beautiful necklaces (wasps, butterflies, little scotty dogs), funky wallets made out of old dress patterns, and more!
♥ i’m a sucker for any kind of textile art, so when my partner pointed kirsten zdraveski’s store, indigo rose, i fell instantly in love. she makes stunning jewelry incorporating her sister’s intricate crochet. there was one piece i simply couldn’t leave behind - ivory coloured crochet, rose quartz and pearl beads - so gorgeous!

♥ i was lucky enough to meet the lovely michelle harvey of kids with crayons, who takes the precious one off drawings of little people, and does beautiful things with them! you can have your kids’ masterpieces made into pendants, brooches, screen printed onto bags, or even made into key rings. she had lots of examples on display and they were so pretty and clever.
♥ a lot of you will know that i love felt - making it, making things out of it, and looking at all of the cool things other people make out of it. i’m also a teacher, and a psychologist-in-training, and that’s why the stunning creations of kim and donna of the friendship tree. they had gorgeous toys designed to stimulate children’s imaginations and encourage creative play. my favourite creations were these little guys:

♥ i really love the creations at the button tree, particularly the cards and badges made from vintage children’s books - i couldn’t resist taking these two creations home:

i am aglow with glee at the creativity of the people in my community, and i’ll definitely be going to the next one!?maybe you should find out what’s going on on the market circuit in your own community, and be inspired by the cleverness and creativity of the people around you!
til next time,?
essie xoxo