Melbournians: Your Call to Action!
Hello Melbournians!

Just a quick reminder that my final fundraiser is on this Thursday night, and I'd love it if you could come! I fly out to begin my voluntary work on Saturday, so it'll not only be a great night out but also the last time we can catch up- which is definitely enough reason to come along, yes? :-)

Tickets are on sale now, and need to be booked soon-ish (read: now!) so that I can confirm details for Public Liability insurance. Please help out by spreading the word to your Melbourne friends, blog readers, facebook friends, tweety followers, etc!

Here are the details:

WHAT: Movie Fundraiser: Crossing
WHEN: Thursday, 3rd June 2010 @ 7pm
WHERE: Kaye Coghlan Theatre, Thornbury High School, 238 Collins St, Thornbury
HOW MUCH: $15 (full) - $10 (concession) - $120 (group of 10)
TO BOOK: Call 0401 766 348 or email thatLiNKproject@gmail.com

Don't forget to check out my new blog to see all the details of what it is that I'm doing and why, and to keep in touch with my adventures while I'm away. And if you can't make it along, pretty please donate via PayPal- every dollar makes a difference!

Thank you in advance!

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9:06 AM | Category: , | 11 Pepperberrians Said...

I'm Off To Change The World! Help Out and Enter My Giveaway!
Hey, are you busy next Thursday night? What about the one after? Well, I am, but you'll never guess what I'm doing! Oh, ok, I'll tell you. But only coz I like you!

I'm changing the world! And you're invited!


Ok, that might be a tad dramatic, but it's pretty close. I, in fact, am running two fundraisers (including a craft class and a movie!)- and no, before you jump to that conclusion, they are not to support my ever-increasing fabric stash. They are to support a voluntary project I've been accepted for!

What voluntary project, you ask? Well... I've been accepted to undertake a placement with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an organisation that works to help people escape from the atrocities in North Korea and rebuild their lives in free countries! I'm off to the USA in two weeks to spend 3 months working with them, and there are heaps of ways you can get involved.

Would you like the full story? Fair enough. It's all a bit of a surprise, isn't it?! Here's the story (and if you just want to come to the crafty fundraiser or the movie fundraiser, skip to the bottom of the post for all of the details, or just head here).

CHANGING THE WORLD!
I had always been vaguely aware that there were significant humanitarian issues in North Korea. On a cold day in 2009, however, that vague awareness was shattered when I was introduced to the harsh reality of what was actually happening in the country.

I was surfing the internet at the time, using StumbleUpon to find new & exciting websites. One of the topics that I regularly surf through is ‘Activism’, and that’s the channel that I was on when I came across an article about the crisis in North Korea. It detailed the atrocities that were occurring right under my nose, the lack of international response to the situation, and the desperation of the people involved.

As I explored the crisis further, plans that I had had for the day ahead disappeared. I read article after article, watched videos that brought me to tears, found stories from survivors, and was touched by tales of underground bloggers and journalists. I couldn’t put my computer down, and by the time the night came, I was convinced beyond a doubt that I somehow had to become involved in the solution to what I now knew was a massive problem.

Throughout my research, I kept coming across one organization that was making a noticeable difference to the people of North Korea: LiNK. I was inspired by the fact that unlike other organisations, LiNK didn’t simply fight from afar; they were on the ground, assisting people to escape from the country, supporting them to develop educational and workplace skills, and helping them to relocate and live lives full of freedom and choice. By the end of that fateful day, I was a monthly supporter of LiNK.


One day in April this year, on a morning like any other, I received my regular email update from LiNK. This time, the update was a little bit different to normal. Although there were still inspiring stories of change that had been created as a direct result of supporters, there was also a call to action: Become A LiNK Nomad.

A nomad? I thought. What's that?

Off I went to the LiNK Nomad website, where I found a little description that read:

North Korea is one of today’s least known yet most complicated crises; but where skeptics would argue that the future of North Korea is already written, a collective of passionate individuals – LiNK Nomads – are standing to say that the ink is not yet dry. They refuse to adhere to prescribed formulas and have instead chosen to bring this crisis out of the shadows to empower more North Korean refugees.

Don’t wait for others to be the change. Be on the frontlines, rewriting the history of North Korea. Are you ready to make this your story? Become a Nomad...

Above this description was a video, and it was a video that ended up changing my life:

Within a week, I had submitted my application. Within another, I had been accepted. In two weeks, I am off to the United States to change and save the lives of people I might never meet, but who I now know will experience a freedom that I take for granted on a daily basis.

This is where you come into it! You can join me on this incredible journey by coming along to one of my fundraisers:


LIGHT UP FOR LINK: A CRAFT CLASS THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
Come along to this gorgeous craft class, where you'll receive beautiful handmade paper from Papers By Pepperberry and be taught how to create your very own Paper Lampshade.

As if crafting, creating, chatting and giggling isn't enough, you'll also receive a lampshade base and lampshade pattern to take home, as well as have all of the tools and materials provided. And did I mention that all of the funds raised support a great cause? What's not to love! So, grab your friends, family, kids and any randoms you find on the street and come along:

WHAT: Light Up For LiNK- a Craft Class that makes a difference!
WHEN: Thursday, 27th May 2010 @ 6.30pm - 8.30pm
WHERE: Kaye Coghlan Theatre, Thornbury High School, 238 Collins St, Thornbury
HOW MUCH: $30 (full) - $20 (concession)
TO BOOK: Call 0401 766 348 or email thatLiNKproject(AT)gmail.com

 Click on the flyer to check out it in all of its glory,
and save it to your computer so you can email it to all of your friends!


CAN WATCHING A MOVIE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WATCHING THIS ONE CAN!
Enjoy a night out watching one of the most powerful movies ever made, whilst also raising much-needed funds to help end the human rights abuses & humanitarian crisis in North Korea.

Based on a real-life story, Kim Tae-kyun’s Crossing tells the tale of a North Korean defector & his desperate fight to save his family. An uncompromising, touching & inspiring movie, its depiction of the harsh reality of life in North Korea will touch your heart & move your soul. Don't miss it!

WHAT: Movie Fundraiser: Crossing
WHEN: Thursday, 3rd June 2010 @ 7pm
WHERE: Kaye Coghlan Theatre, Thornbury High School, 238 Collins St, Thornbury
HOW MUCH: $15 (full) - $10 (concession) - $120 (group of 10)
TO BOOK: Call 0401 766 348 or email thatLiNKproject(AT)gmail.com

 Click on the flyer to check out it in all of its glory,
and save it to your computer so you can email it to all of your friends!

I hope to see you there! If you're not in Melbourne or can't make it but would still love to support my quest to change the lives of North Koreans, you can always help out in any of the following ways:

- Learn all about North Korea, and then learn even more about North Korea and what's being done to change the situation at the LiNK website

- If you can't come along but still want to make a difference, donate! Even $5 can make a difference, and most of us have that to spare. I'm accepting donations of all sizes for my Nomad Project via PayPal- simply click on the link below! (EFTPOS, Bank Cards, Credit Cards and PayPal Account payments are accepted)

Donate to thatLiNKproject via PayPal

- Speaking of donations, LiNK are always looking for one-off and longer-term supporters to help more people escape from North Korea and start new lives elsewhere.

- Become a follower of thatLiNKproject to stay up-to-date with what's happening

- Spread the word! Let your friends and family know about how much the North Korean situation has shocked you, point them to the LiNK website, or grab them by the wrist and bring them along to one of the fundraisers!
 
AND A GIVEAWAY!
And now for the giveaway! 

The more people who know about the situation in North Korea, the better. And the more people who come and craft or watch the movie at the fundraisers, the more fun we'll have! So, I need your help: your help to spread the word. And what better way of saying thank you for helping than by entering you in a giveaway?

What you'll win is the entire range of the soon-to-be-released Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns:
 
 
To enter, simply blog, facebook or tweet about my crafty fundraiser (or my movie fundraiser, or both!) and leave a comment with the link. You'll receive one entry for each!

Thanks in advance for your support. I'm off now to panic about how much I need to get ready in the next two weeks!
 
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P.S. The haunting images in this post were sourced from CompleteAll.

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3:59 PM | Category: , , , , | 6 Pepperberrians Said...

Crafty Creative Craziness: The 2010 Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show
PHEW!

That is the main word that keeps escaping from my mouth now that the mind-bogglingly brilliant and phenomenally fantastic Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show has finished. As usual, the Show was five chock-a-block days of crafty and creative goodness, with inspiration galore and enough fabric, fibre and paper goodies to make even the most stoic crafter go giddy at the knees!

It all began on Tuesday morning, when the great challenge of setting up began. I, of course, was still running around Melbourne like a mad chook, organising patterns to be printed, buying furniture for the stall, and folding and ironing fabric. 

Even though the venue opened at 7am for set-up, Sharon and I didn't arrive until 7pm... not that that stopped us from creating an exciting and extravagant Pepperberry & Co. stall, complete with a built-in-a-panic Ikea shelving unit!


As a small, indie crafter, I was lucky enough to have a stall in the beautiful Incubator section with a group of uber-talented, ridiculously fun crafters. Below are pictures of their amazing work- can you imagine being surrounded by this kind of brilliance every day and not buying every thing? Sheesh, talk about high expectations!

From left to right, top to bottom, my fellow Incubator pals were: Jen from Red Parka Designs and her stunning handbound books; Claire from Craft Shmaft and her super-cute owls; Jodie from Vintage Ric Rac and her too-cute-for-words softies; Nic from Yardage Designs and her stunning hand screenprinted fabrics; Michaela from Wren's Nest Studio and her incredible Paper Quilts; Kristen Doran and her inspiring fabrics and softie friends; Pauline from Funky Friends Factory and her collection of cute critters; Nicole Mallalieu from You Sew, Girl! and her amazing bags; and Lisa from The Red Thread and her funky cute friends. Also inspiring me on a daily basis were Hollie from Two Cheese Please, Caitlin and Leisl from Pippijoe and the girls from Ink & Spindle.

Apart from running the shop (which the wonderful Sharon was in charge of!), and shopping up a storm (which I was in charge of!), I also taught sewing classes, where I met some gorgeous crafters from all across Australia (and even the world!); gave Small Business talks to a group of inspiring and inspired up-and-comers; and even squeezed in taking some classes, which resulted in the world's cutest sock owl and a Japanese patchwork purse! 

To say that I'm exhausted would be an understatement, however the smile that is still on my face from the Show means it was all very well worth it. Thank you so much to Angela, Ross, Graham and the team for putting on such an extraordinary event! Here's to many more.

xx Sandra

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3:45 PM | Category: , , , | 7 Pepperberrians Said...

Sewing Pattern Testers Needed!
UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

Yep, it's true- Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns are about to graduate from my Lab and into the real world! Before they can be launched at the Stitches & Craft Show, however, they need to pass one last test- the Crafty Community Challenge. 


What I'm looking for is sewers of all levels who would like to come on board as Official Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern Testers. What you'll receive for participating is:

- A free sneak preview of a Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern (the range includes a Passport Cover, Notebook Cover, Cushion Cover and Textile Card!);
- A free copy of the final ePattern of the project you have completed; and
- Your choice of one of any of the other Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns, as a little thank you. 


As a Pepperberry Pattern Tester, you'll need to be able to do the following over the next 3 days:

- Get the materials you'll need for your pattern (they're small projects, so you probably have most of what you'll need in your scrap pile!)
- Sew the project, following each of the instructions in the pattern (each project takes no more than an hour); and
- Complete a brief survey about the pattern.


Pepperberry Pattern Testers can be anyone, from anywhere in the world, who has any level of sewing experience- including absolute beginners! The only thing you need is access to a sewing machine and the time to complete the project over the next 3 days.  

To apply, please leave a comment or email me (littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com) with responses to the following:
Name: 
Email:
Sewing Level:

And perhaps a little note about why you are interested in becoming a Pepperberry Pattern Tester!


I can't wait to hear from you!

xx Sandra

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UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

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3:24 PM | Category: , , , | 20 Pepperberrians Said...

Living The Dream

As you all know, this little Pepperberry journey that I'm on all began because of a wonderful, inspiring and life-changing craft gathering: the Stitches & Craft Show. What you might not know is that I have now come full circle, and I will be at the Stitches & Craft Show again this year- but not as a visitor!


This year, I am so, so proud and excited and happy to let you know that I will be there as a stallholder, speaker and teacher. I will not only be selling my handmade goodies, but also teaching other people on how to kick butt on the sewing machine and make Notebook Covers, Baby Blankets, Textile Cards and Cushion Covers. And if that's not enough, I'll be running Small Business talks to share all of the crazy things that I have learnt on this Pepperberry & Co. journey. Squeal!

Here are the details of the Show, which is happening next week (excuse me while I go and hyperventilate...):

WHEN: Wednesday 5th May til Sunday 9th May, 10am til 5pm daily
WHERE: Caulfield Racecourse
HOW MUCH: $10 for 1 day; $15 for two days; Children free!!

Now, if you've never been to a Stitches & Craft Show, you are seriously missing out. It is P*A*C*K*E*D full of crafty goodness- workshops, classes, freebies, competitions, hints, tips, networking opportunities, and so, so much more. I spent 4 days straight there last year and still didn't get to all of the crafty events I wanted to see and do! Don't dilly-dally now- grab your Show Guide here, book the classes you want to be a part of, and enjoy being immersed in craft heaven.

Last year's show, featuring the gorgeous Audrey & Maude. Photo from Living Creatively.

Now that I have convinced you of the wonder and joy of this Show, I would like to proudly present the classes I will be teaching at the 2010 Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show! To book into any of them (and pre-booking is advised!), just give me a call on 0401 766 348 or email me at littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com.


WHEN PAPER MEETS FABRIC: TEXTILE CARD CREATIONS

Using handmade plant fibre paper and hand screenprinted fabrics, you will sew 4 unique, beautiful and personalised cards. Learn which threads and stitches work best with paper and receive a take-home kit so
you can keep on creating!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Wed 5th May @ 11.45am ~ Thu 6th May @ 11.00am ~ Sun 9th May @ 12.15pm (incorrectly listed as Saturday in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $12



A COZY CUSHION COVER
Sew a unique cushion cover using stunning, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen. Learn how to work with interfacing, insert an invisible zip, create boxed corners and make your own cushion
inserts. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Fri 7th May @ 12.30pm
Level: Intermediate +
Cost: $30


CUSTOM A5 NOTEBOOK COVER
Using beautiful, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen, you will sew your very own notebook cover. Learn effective cutting/pinning techniques and how to use ironing templates, creative stitches and a walking foot. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When: Wed 5th May @ 3.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 4.00pm (incorrectly listed as 3.45pm in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $24


SNUG AS A BUG BABY BLANKET
Sew a soft, cozy and comforting baby blanket using gorgeous natural cotton and snuggly fleece. Learn how to create basic appliqué, stitch around curves, work with stretch fabric and create mitred corners. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:Thu 6th May @ 12.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 2.00pm
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $20


And, if you're wanting to stop working a job and start living your passion, come along to my small business talk:


LIVING YOUR CRAFTY DREAM: MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Ever dreamt of running away from the rat race and crafting for a living? I did just that and so can you! Come along to this talk to learn all about the ins and outs of running your craft business, including blogging, online marketplaces, bookkeeping, taxes, local craft markets, advertising, marketing, media and more!


When: Fri 7th May @ 11.00am ~ Sat 8th May @ 11.00am
Level: Everyone!
Cost: Free!

Finally, of course, you can come say hi to Sharon and I by visiting our stall, where we will not only have hundreds of my handmade goodies, but also Sewing Patterns, Sewing Kits, Fabric and Paper so you can do it all yourself.

If you can't make it to Melbourne or the Show this year, fear not! All of the wonderful things will also be available at my Etsy shop, which I must say is looking rather sexy these days with all of its new Notebooks and Cushions!



See you at the Show!

xx Sandra

P.S. Sorry to have been away for a while- Sharon's Nana sadly passed away and we've been hiding away from the world just looking after ourselves and each other.

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2:02 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

Sewing Does Occur!
It may have come to my attention that I very rarely blog about all the wonderful little goodies I actually create.

Most of that comes down to the fact that I have the attention span of a flea, and I can never quite remember to take my camera to work, photograph the products, edit the photos, then pop them online. I'm exhausted just looking at that list!

Luckily, I'm surrounded by a group of wonderful crafters who actually do these things, and when they are at markets they do me the great favour of taking beautiful piccies of my things too!

So, thanks to the lovely Margaret from Konstant Kaos, here is my lovely range of Notebook Covers...



And a big fat stand of Passport Covers...


And here is a sneak peak of my Cushion Covers...


All of which will soon be available in my Etsy store... if my attention span will get them there!

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9:31 AM | Category: , , , | 17 Pepperberrians Said...

Crafty Market Love
After the rough trot of last weekend, I must say I'm quite looking forward to this one!

Friday night will see Pepperberry & Co. launching our sexy range (full of brand spankin' new Notebook Covers, Cushion Covers and even Luggage Tags!) at the brand new craft market at Borders in South Yarra- how exciting! Borders is one of my favourite places of all time- how could anyone not be just delighted to be surrounded by that many delicious books, gorgeous comfy couches, and the smell of roasting coffee? If this combination and a little bit of handmade goodness sounds like heaven to you, come and hang out with us at:


Then, a few hours of sleep later, I'm off to my favourite market- the Northside Maker's Market. This market is always filled with so many wonderful things- unique, handmade goodies, a warm-and-fuzzy community vibe, and great food. I don't know about you, but I sure couldn't ask for more! 

If you've never been down to the market before, this is your last chance- it's the fourth in a series of four and it's unknown whether this magnificent crafter's haven will continue! So come and play at:

And let's just hope that neither of the markets experience last weekend's bad weather or bad luck!

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2:42 PM | Category: , | 9 Pepperberrians Said...

A Bit Of A Rough Weekend
Some weekends just don't turn out as planned.

On Thursday...

...as Sharon was driving home, she found a little ginger ball of bones that turned out to be a kitten.


Boris, as he is now known, is all spine and ribs and sunburnt face, but not much else. He now lives in our bathroom and is being regularly stuffed silly with food and water and vitamins. His ears and nose, which are badly burnt, are covered in paw paw cream, as is his little neck, which has lost all of its fur.

On Friday...

... our car died. Totally and completely died. After an adventure with towing and many phone calls, we were told our engine needs to be replaced.

 Please note: Not our actual bus! Just a cute, relevant photo :-)

We're now using Sharon's giant school bus and keep getting inspired by the idea of a road trip!

On Saturday...

... a severe storm hit Melbourne. If you didn't see it in the news, here's a great update:


Normally I get very excited by storms. They mean lots of silliness and running around and squealing in the rain. Saturday's storm, however, flooded the Pepperberry & Co. studio. Bad drainage in the building meant that water rushed in at ground level, and the crazy, 10cm large, solid hail stones broke through the roof and flooded us from above. 

We lost quite a bit of stock, particularly paper; our office furniture got soaked; and we are yet to see if all of the machinery (computers, sewing machine, overlocker) that we rescued actually function. Our office kind of ending up looking like the shop they show in the video above.

We moved out of the studio on Sunday, and are currently working from home. Next weekend, we're moving the office into the spare room of our temporary rental property. And then, we'll try to regain some semblance of normality in our now very wet world. 

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4:18 PM | Category: , | 20 Pepperberrians Said...

My Very First Stockist!
Some things in life are so overwhelmingly exciting they just don't seem real.

A year ago, in March 2009, I dipped my nervous little toes into the big wide world after a bout of Chronic Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I found the wonderful Stitches & Craft Show.

I learnt how to sew. 

From scratch!

I started a business.

I made stuff.

I sold stuff!


And I slowly got better.

And now, a year later, I have another mind-blowing achievement to celebrate... my very first stockist! 


A year ago, as I was sitting in my sewing classes and listening to the wisdom of some of craft's brightest stars, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day, something I made with my very own hands would be sitting on an actual shelf in an actual shop. 

But there they are, at the gorgeous Little Shop Of Handmade run by the even more gorgeous Bec. 

The Little Shop Of Handmade at 8 Woorayl St Carnegie

And I couldn't be more proud! Thank you to all of you who have supported me from day one. I couldn't have done it without you!

May all of your perseverance, blood, sweat, tears, laughter and hopes too turn into a dream come true...

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1:49 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

The Mum That Became an Eco Power Knitter
One of my very favourite quotes in the world goes:

'If you think you are too small to make a difference, you've never been in bed with a mosquito'.

It always reminds me that no matter how insignificant it may seem, every little positive action can create an inspiring chain of reaction... well, maybe with the exception of a mosquito bite, which simply creates annoyance and some naughty words!

Whilst the internet is full of wonderful projects that take the concept of turning small things into big ideas to create magic, one in particular caught my attention today- the wonderful idea that is ReKnit. 


The mother-and-son duo behind the concept take your old, uninspiring sweater, unravel it, then knit a beautiful piece of fashionable wear and post it back to you. Better yet, each month readers get to choose which pattern the team will work on next by voting. 


It's design, creativity, recycling, ingenuity, community participation and fun all in one idea- perfect. But with only 30 items knitted each month, you'd better get that op-shop jumper in to them fast!

Now it's your turn to inspire me! What creative ideas have rocked your socks recently?

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6:36 PM | Category: , , , | 4 Pepperberrians Said...

Sustainable Craftiness
For anyone who has not ever had the fortune of visiting or living in Melbourne, please allow me to share with you one piece of advice: the months of January through March are the time to come. Why, you ask? One word: festivals. 


If this beautiful city knows how to do one thing well, it's celebrate. From the Midsumma Festival and Chinese New Year, to the St.Kilda Festival and the Melbourne Fringe, us Melbournians will head out in droves to anything that screams 'art', 'craft', 'culture' and 'environment'. And that's why I love living here!

This weekend saw one of the highlights of our festival calendar come to town- the Sustainable Living Festival. This 3-day show, which raises awareness around the issue of sustainability in all its manifestations, is filled with practical workshops, interesting talks, great performances, gastronomical delights and some of the year's best shopping opportunities. And did I mention it's free?


As any proud urban hippy did, I too headed to revel in SLF over the weekend. Ok, I did more than revel; I moved in. In fact, I have spent the last three days doing nothing but soaking up the inspiring world of people who are changing the world for the better in a crazy and creative number of ways. Bliss!

One of the absolute highlights of this year's program was the gorgeous Slow Fashion Show.  Now, before you cringe at the very idea of the misogynistic, self-absorbed industry that is mainstream fashion, know this: the Slow Fashion Show was the exact opposite of just that!


The models were stunning, 'real' women and men; the event was open to all members of the public and was free; and best of all, every single item on the catwalk had a light environmental footprint. There were four key categories: Fairtrade, Sustainable New Materials (such as organic, unbleached and hemp items), Locally Handmade, and Second Hand/Vintage. I felt very proud that Pepperberry & Co. would fit into two of those four categories... if only we did fashion!

After delighting in the creativity and eco-goodness of the Show, I headed off to Re-Mixed Re-Worked Re-Fashioned, a workshop aimed at giving sexy new lives to sold favourite, op-shop gems or shocking Christmas gifts. There, I spent five hours doing some of my favourite things: laughing with fellow crafters, chopping up second-hand goodies and making a present of funky and stylish 3/4 pants for Sharon.



The highlight of the workshop, however, was discovering a true gem of the crafting landscape: Social Studio. The Studio is an inspiring concept that fuses the creativity and wisdom of Melbourne’s refugee community with recycled and excess materials from local industry to create original fashion garments.

In a nutshell, some of the most disadvantaged members of our community are welcomed into a space where they learn, create, craft, build long-lasting relationships and gain employment. It just makes my little former-Social-Worker's heart go all fuzzy! The Studio is located in Collingwood and runs these types of workshops every Saturday, and worldwide shoppers can also support this brilliant cause through their Etsy shop.

What did you all get up to on the weekend? Were you also spoilt with some crafty goodness?

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1:44 PM | Category: , , , | 3 Pepperberrians Said...

Custom Love
Receiving a request for a custom item can be many things: exciting, challenging, flattering, and fun. Unlike the production of regular stock, a custom order presents you with the opportunity to get back to your roots and... shock!... get creative. 

There's the mind-boggling, mathematically-loaded logic puzzle that is figuring out the pattern...


Then there's the trial-and-error process of making, fixing, remaking, fixing, remaking, wanting to cry, and then fixing it again...


And finally, there's that precious moment of putting it all together in the most beautiful fabric you own and being presented with the final piece...

 
A Pepperberry & Co. Luggage Tag

Which comes out beyond all of your expectations and makes you feel all warm and gooey inside. And is that, ladies and gentlemen, not exactly why we craft?

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8:58 AM | Category: , , , | 8 Pepperberrians Said...

Gasp!
Ok. So, I may or may not have not blogged for... please cringe with me... nearly two months. And I may or may not now be too petrified to return to the world of blogging. But, fortunately for me, I am surrounded by a group of beautiful Melbourne crafters who have promised me that writing a blog post after so long will be nowhere near as scary as it seems... so here I am! Peeking out from under my little hat of blogging laziness and hoping that at least some of you will still be peeking back. 


Seeing as this is my Official Return To Blogging, it seems quite essential that I update you on all the a-happenings over the past two months! With that in mind, please sit back and enjoy a very speedy, super-succinct Top Ten Things in Two Months:

1. WE SOLD THE HOUSE!
Wee-hee! You may remember that I posted about our beautiful renovation and impending house sale, and the brilliantly exciting news is that our house sold within one week of being on the market for $100k more than it was valued at! Needless to say, we were just a little bit over the moon. 

2. HURSTBRIDGE IS OURS, ALL OURS!
That's right! We've settled on our beautiful 20-acre lot in Hurstbridge and now our heads are buried in a crazy amount of information about water tanks, septic systems, fire safety, solar panels, wind power, insurance, planning permits, and a million other things we've never dealt with before. So exciting!


3. WE HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LIVE!
Not being homeless is always such a nice feeling, and luckily for us, friends of ours have just bought a new home and are renting their old one to us whilst we build on our land! There's room for all of our pets (6 at the moment!) and even for us. 


4. I SEWED THROUGH MY FINGER!
Ok, so I don't know if that deserves an exclamation mark, as it really wasn't that exciting. But it sure was painful! In a momentary lapse of concentration whilst sewing at the highest speed, the needle managed to go right through my finger, pick up the bobbin thread, and bring it back through. I then panicked and pulled away, which resulted in the needle ripping through the entire tip of my finger. EEEWWW!


That's not my actual finger (mainly because there was so much blood I couldn't take a photo!) but that's exactly what my finger felt like!

5. THE PEPPERBERRY & CO. TEAM HAS EXPANDED!
This has got to be one of the most exciting things to have happened since I started this journey- I now have people working with me! They are a wonderful team who deserve to be introduced properly in a blog post, though, so I'm just going to leave you with that tantalising bit of information and tell you more later!


6. WE GOT A Wii!
Ok, so it's totally unrelated to craft and my business, but WOW! How much fun are Wiis? I've already pulled my shoulder muscle playing tennis, peed myself with laughter doing obstacle courses, and felt proud to be 20 years old one day and 40 the next. Seriously addictive.


7. I CAUGHT UP ON MY FINANCES... ALMOST!
Yes, this is the most boring member of the list. Bur possibly also the most important! January was a crazy month that saw me open a Business Bank Account (all growed up now!), get an EFTPOS machine (endless excitement!), finally get an accountant and call the ATO (scary!), and get my income and expenditure into order. Phew! Good luck to everyone else out there trying to do the same...


8. WE SURVIVED THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS!
Christmas itself was a delightful pleasure, but the 17 markets we did in four weeks were a little less so! Of course, meeting all the lovely crafters and crafty lovers from around Melbourne was a highlight, but working every Saturday and Sunday, getting up at 6am, packing, unpacking, keeping on top of stock... well, that was that was not quite as much of a highlight. We survived, however, and had a blast along the way. Here's to many more Christmas periods of madness!


9. POSSUMS, LIZARDS, ECHIDNAS, & PREGNANT WALLABIES...
We've seen them all! Our little possums from way back when are all grown up and almost ready to be released. We rescued a very fat lizard who had been hit by a car and she gave birth to fifteen (FIFTEEN!) babies (ouch!). Whilst walking on our block a really fluffy bush moved and it turned out to be an echidna. And then a mummy wallaby with a little bub bounced past!So much cuteness all at once.


10. I MISSED Y'ALL!
I haven't read a single blog in two months, or emailed friends, or facebooked, or tweeted... and I miss you all! I miss laughing out loud at your crazy blog posts, being involved in your crafty projects, hearing all the inspirational stories, and most of all, getting to know you better and better through back-and-forth emails. I can't wait to get back into it!


See you soon...

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