Sugar & Spice Children's Market

Swamps, Singing and Smiles

2011-12-03T14:33:00.000+11:00

Who takes the photos in your family? I am the designated photo taker here, always behind the camera and rarely in the photos. I have lost count of the number of family photos we have of my hubby and our kids, and I have had a tiny worry in the back of my mind that my children will look back on all of our photos in years to come and worry about where I was for their childhood!

But my worry was erased recently by the lovely Kim from Kim Selby Photography. I can't begin to tell you how happy I was to have a photoshoot with her... perhaps I'll just let the photos speak for themselves.

Kim had us in hysterics jumping on beds, smiling while standing in swamps and singing on the side of the road. She was unbelievably patient with our IMpatient four and one year old monkeys, and so completely understanding when the kids needed a break or a change of scene... three hours just flew by, and we were left with too many breathtaking photos to choose from.

To anybody looking for an amazing photographer that will capture your family in such a beautiful way; who can simultaneously distract a four year old from an impending tantrum while chasing a one year old that's escaping out the front door, all the while making parents feel totally calm amoungst the chaos AND have the biggest smile about being knee deep in a swamp, Kim Selby is your girl. Kim, we feel so lucky to have had this experience with you and loved it so much we think we should book in once a month for updated wonderful photos!

You can contact Kim and see more more of her amazing work at www.kimselbyphotography.com or on Facebook, and you can also have a chat to her at our market at St Ambrose Hall in Woodend tomorrow!

All Things Nice - Missy Minzy

2011-12-02T13:42:00.000+11:00

Why wouldn't you want to buy handmade this Christmas when the products you're buying are put together with love and care and are unique and gorgeous??

We love handmade and one of our new retailers that you will have the pleasure of meeting this Sunday, is Irene from Missy Minzy. Irene hand illustrates, designs and produces Missy Minzy's stand out range. Pop by her stall on Sunday and sift through her whimsical designs yourself :)

Are you more sugar or spice?

Definitely a bit of mix between the two!

What inspired you to start your own business?

It’s one of the dreams I wanted to achieve in life. The dream unfolded more clearly when I was made redundant from my graphic designing job during the recent global recession. My hubby was the one who encouraged me to put my illustration skills to good use. I then fell pregnant with our first child a few months after that. Most of my hand drawn illustrations were a reflection of every precious moment during the pregnancy. It was and still is a lovely moment looking at all of the illustrations drawn at that time.

How did you name your business?

Minzy is a short abbreviation of my little nick name in the cyberworld - Minnies, I really like the nickname so much that I was considering changing my name to Minzy in real life at one stage.

Irene - the creative force behind Missy Minzy

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

I am loving and enjoy applying my hand drawn illustration onto all possible media.

My current favourite piece is the newly launched product range – Removable Fabric Wall/Décor Stickers. It features some of my hand drawn illustrations. Each of them was hand cut by me individually. Handmade 100%!

Where else can we check you out?

FB: https://www.facebook .com/MissyMinzy

Blog: http://missyminzy .blogspot .com/

Store:

http://missyminzy.bigcartel.com/

www.madeit.com.au/missyminzy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/missyminzy

We will be at Sugar & Spice Children's Market for the first time this Sunday in Woodend. Our last market for the year will be at the Camberwell Sunday Market on 11st December in Camberwell.

Thanks Irene!!

Jump, Jump, Jump!

2011-11-30T20:58:00.000+11:00

We've got something fabulous to entertain your little ones at our market on Sunday! Our lovely friends at Jumping Mania will be bringing one of their super fun and super jumpy jumping castles to St Ambrose Hall in Woodend! Bouncing is FREE for the kiddies all market long.

Jumping Mania are the people to go to for Jumping Castle hire. They have 3 castles to choose from: Mickey Mouse, Dora the Explorer and Batman, and all of their castles are cleaned after each use, ensuring your kiddies have a safe and fun experience!

Check them out on Facebook or call Cveta on 0410 907 908 or email jumpingmania@live.com.au for bookings or further info.

Hope to see you Sunday for some Christmas Fiesta shopping and fun.
9am - 1pm St Ambrose Hall, Corner of Ambrose & Templeton Streets, Woodend.

Amazing Christmas Fiesta Raffle!

2011-11-27T12:39:00.000+11:00

Check out the wonderful items you can win just by purchasing a ticket for our Christmas Fiesta raffle! Tickets can be purchased at our Woodend market next Sunday. Make sure you come and visit us on December 4 at St Ambrose Hall from 9am - 1pm... One lucky winner will win this entire prize package, full of beautiful products from our stallholders!

All proceeds donated to SIDS & Kids.

1 more sleep until our last Ballarat market for 2011!

2011-11-12T11:49:00.000+11:00

There's plenty of reasons to join us in Ballarat tomorrow...

It will be our biggest market to date, with over 30 stalls of wonderful and unique handmade products!

Our market will be in conjunction with the Baby & Children's Expo, Ballarat, so there's sure to be a wealth of information for parents, plenty of activities for kids, and so much to see and do!

You might like to go exploring with Dora, have a dance with Dorothy
or a laugh with Elmo.

You may also like to enter our fabulous giveaway from Bohemian Secret Photography
(check out the details here).

These gorgeous items are from our Ballarat retailers:
Skirt from Bridie-Jane,
Skirt & Mini-Monster from Silly Milly Moo,
and wall art from Piggywinkles

Check out our retailers list and start writing your shopping lists, Christmas is only 43 sleeps away! Come find us at Alfred Deakin Place, enter via Camp Street, or Police Lane, or through the Mining Exchange on Lydiard Street.

We hope to see you there!

All Things Nice - Shady Days

2011-11-10T21:42:00.000+11:00

A retailer making an appearance at our final two markets for 2011 is Shady Days. A wonderfully innovative brand that not only has your kids looking stylish but also protects them from the sun's harsh rays... what a great concept.

Shady Days sells clothing and accessories for the 1-6 year age group and their garments take into consideration the recommendations of SunSmart, the Cancer Council of Victoria's internationally recognised skin cancer prevention program. This means their designs ensure high levels of protection for all young children who love to get outside.

Here is the duo behind Shady Days, Colleen and Laura, to give you some more background on their brand... (thank you ladies)

Are you more sugar or spice?

Colleen - When it comes to sweetness I leave that up to the kids, or my not so infrequent snacks. As for me, I’m definitely more spice.

Laura – I’m addicted to everything sugary and sweet but am definitely more spice myself.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Colleen - Despite my sun protective efforts for my daughter at a summer day barbeque, she still got too many ‘kisses from the sun’ a.k.a. sunburn. Mortified, I went shopping for clothing that would cover her up in the sun, unlike the pretty dresses and strappy singlets she had in her wardrobe. When I went home empty handed I thought I’d found a gap in the market that needed to be filled. The Shady Days concept offered us a creative outlet in which we worked on a product we really believed in. It’s even better when we receive affirmation from customers about the designs and the sun-protection concept.

Laura & Colleen's little people :)

How did you name your business?

We wanted a name that was reflective of our sun protective message and design objectives but that also conveyed the fun and fanciful days that childhood is full of. It didn’t take us long to settle on Shady Days.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

Colleen - It’s hard to choose, but the family have been getting out and making the most of the spring sunshine lately in, not surprisingly, Shady Days gear. I love the rugby top – it covers all the bits prone to sunburn with a collar and long sleeves, it is loose and comfy and easy to whip on and off. Evey and Hugo wore theirs all weekend and they looked really good on as well!

Laura – I’m partial to our Peace, Love & Mung Beans! hoodie. It’s been getting a massive workout in our house at the moment because it’s great for spring when the mornings are a bit fresh but the arvos heat up. It can be worn all day long and protect the kiddies from all the elements we encounter.

Where else can we check you out?

Our website is www.shadydays.com.au where you can see our full range and check out lots of sun protective information. You can also check us out on Facebook.

We will be at Sugar & Spice's last two markets for the year. This Sunday in Ballarat and Sunday 4^th December in Woodend. We’ll also be attending the Piccadilly Market in Geelong on Sunday 20th November and Mathilda’s Market in Caulfield on Sunday 27th November.

You can win a Shady Days kaftan in our Woodend Christmas Fiesta raffle!

Mudpies & Mudcake.

2011-11-06T19:46:00.000+11:00

Our friends over at 1000 Homes of Happiness decided to make mudpies this weekend as part of the Playlist and I couldn't wait to join in the muddy fun, it has been a few (!) years since I've baked a mud pie. Miss Sugar however, was not convinced. "But I don't like pies Mum". Hmmm.

So we changed the menu! Cakes are definitely the way to Miss Sugar's heart, and we decided to bake Mudcakes instead. Off she went, hunting through my kitchen cupboards for cake tins and wooden spoons, and then raided her toybox for cake decorations and her chef hat... Mudcakes are serious business.

Over 2 hours later she was still busy creating, squishing mud between her fingers and asking me what I thought the mud would taste like. She would only come inside for dinner when I promised that we could do it all over again tomorrow - of course we can, we have the main ingredient in our backyard!

The thing I love most about the Playlist is that it shows how simple it can be to encourage outdoor play.

And so here is our secret recipe for Delicious Mudcake: (it's really easy)
STEP 1: Get outside!
STEP 2: Get bucket of mud!
STEP 3: Have lots of fun!
STEP 4: Repeat!

Nature.

2011-10-30T17:57:00.000+11:00

This weekend I'm thankful for 1000 Homes of Happiness' Playlist for so many reasons.

For getting us out and about on what would be the only decent day of weather this weekend.
For allowing us to explore a place that we would normally just drive past.
For giving us reason to wander this magical place, that is pretty much in our own backyard.
For giving us this 'outdoor' mission and allowing the night-shift-working-Daddy-of-the-house some peaceful sleeping time!
For bringing things like gum nuts, bull ants, beetles, wildflowers, dragonflys and frogs to our Saturday. But most of all for allowing little hands and inquisitive minds to touch, see, hear and feel nature.

Nature - Yippee!

The count down

2011-10-26T20:09:00.001+11:00

Almond Tree Frames Christmas Rules Card

(Come visit them at our December Woodend Christmas Fiesta!)

There is officially only:Days to Christmas Countdown

59 ^days 3 ^hours 41 ^minutes 50 ^seconds
left until this Christmass Christmas

to go until Christmas (at this very moment in time)...... eeeeeeeeeeek!

This means shopping, shopping, shopping :)

Make sure you save some of your list though as we have two very special markets planned to finish off the year. We're ending 2011 with a bang!

If you're looking for gorgeous, unique, handcrafted and inspiring gifts for the little people in your life, our next two markets are not to be missed.

Sunday 13 November

Ballarat Sugar & Spice Children's Market

(in conjunction with the Ballarat Baby & Kids Expo)

10am - 4pm.

Alfred Deakin Place, behind the Baby & Kids Expo at Ballarat's Mining Exchange Building.

Enter via Camp Street or Lydiard Street's Police Lane.

Sunday 4 December

Woodend Sugar & Spice Children's Market

(Our big Christmas Fiesta!)

9am - 1pm.

St Ambrose Hall, Corner of Ambrose & Templeton Street.

Hope to see you there :)

Rain.

2011-10-23T09:51:00.000+11:00

Dr Seuss, The Cat In The Hat

Does your heart sink when you have to put layer upon layer of clothing just to go and check the letter box? Mine does! I pine for Summer during the colder months, I adore daylight savings and swimming and going barefoot and laying on the grass in the sunshine with my two giggling monkeys!... So these past few months when we'd get days and days of rainy-rain-rain, I'd find myself becoming very grumpy indeed... and I'm sure Ms Sugar (3) and Baby Spice (1) thought they were acting out the first page of The Cat In The Hat (which we have read on many a rainy day).

But not anymore! Thanks to 1000 Homes of Happiness' Playlist, I've been reminded that it's great to get outside, no matter what the weather! With this week's play theme being RAIN and Baby Spice blissfully napping (lucky baby!), Ms Sugar spotted a rainbow from our kitchen window... We grabbed our gumboots and umbrellas, and off we went to have a better look - and found not one, but TWO rainbows! We couldn't believe our good fortune!

We hope you can see the second (fainter) rainbow between the two trees!

We then went hunting for some puddles, who knew there'd be so much happiness to be found in a little pool of rain? It's just too hard to be grumpy with so much splashing and giggling going on!

So excited to for next week's playlist, we hope you're playing along too!

All Things Nice - Small Print

2011-10-22T08:24:00.003+11:00

It's not long now until the Sugar & Spice Children's Market heads to Ballarat! On Sunday 13th November we'll be joining forces with the Ballarat Baby & Children's Expo to bring you loads of gorgeous market stalls, together with the wonderful and informative attractions of the Expo. So grab a cuppa and let us introduce you to another fabulous Ballarat retailer, the lovely Claudette from Small Print! (and for those planning to visit our Christmas Fiesta in Woodend on December 4, Small Print will be there too, yay!)

Are you more sugar or spice?
I like to think I’m a little bit of both, as it makes life more interesting!

What inspired you to start your own business?
A long time ago I realised if I spent my life working in an office, I’d be spending more time with my work colleagues than my family and I hoped one day I could turn that figure around and spend more time with the people I love, instead. While on maternity leave I thought it was a great time to start something I could do from home and fit around our family and Smallprint allows me to be creative and run the business around my one-year-old, Logan, while still getting lots of interaction with the community.

How did you name your business?
Although we can put hand and foot prints as well as drawings and writing on our fine silver pieces, the concept first began because of our main range, which is fine silver keepsakes made with loved one’s fingerprints – small prints… This then evolved to Smallprint!

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

I am currently wearing a cable chain necklace with a toggle and my son’s fingerprint on a heart pendant (similar to the one in the photo below) and I just love it as it’s nice and chunky. I took the print on Logan’s 1st birthday so I know that I have that day captured forever.

Where else can we check you out? (website? facebook?)

Our website is: www.smallp.com.au where you can see the full range or visit us on facebook, where you can see the events I’ll be at, photos and details of competitions I’m running. I’ve also just started a blog on www.thismum.com where I’m hoping to write more about my experiences being a mum and small business owner but I literally just put my first post up last week so watch this space!

Sand.

2011-10-16T21:37:00.000+11:00

I don't know about you but my fondest childhood memories include one common factor.... the outdoors. Playing with all of the neighbourhood kids until the street lights came on, collecting shells at the beach, finding yabbies and tadpoles at our nearby dam, riding bikes, climbing trees.... the list goes on.

In an attempt to reinforce outdoor, free-ranging play with our little people we will be linking up with 1000 Homes of Happiness' Playlist each week. It's a great idea riding on the coat tails of a bucket list of sorts recently released by the WA Government. The concept is to tick one outdoor play theme off your child's list each week in an attempt to make them better, resilient, well-rounded, fit adults. We're in.... and we think you should be too.

1000 Homes of Happiness

Jackie and I will take turns each weekend bringing a little bit of the outdoors to our four munchkins. My Master Spice (5) and Miss Sugar (2) and Jackie's, Miss Sweet (3) and Baby Spice (1).

This weekend's word is SAND which is easy when you have a beach on your doorstep :)

We live with sand and sand lives with us.... it is always there!
It piles on my floor when Mr Spice gets home from kinder and removes his shoes, bringing half the kinder sand pit with him.
It falls on the pizza shop counter when I open my purse to pay, because I seem to have a portion of the beach living in my handbag.
It finds its way everywhere but IN the sandpit in our backyard.
It was one of the first solids my little people experienced, much to my horror... pumpkin, sand, sweet potato :)
It seems to have swallowed every one of my tablespoons thanks to sandpit imaginative cake mixing.
It brings so much delight, creativity, cooperation and most of all fun to my busy babies.

Stay tuned for next weeks edition of the playlist :)

All things nice - Whimzi

2011-10-06T09:55:00.000+11:00

Each day we are locking in more and more talented stallholders for our big Ballarat market (in conjunction the the Baby & Children's Expo, Ballarat). Sunday 13 November is promising to be a wonderful event. We are thrilled to have the gorgeous brand, Whimzi, retailing with Sugar & Spice for the very first time on the day. You can learn a little more about Whimzi and it's talented creator, Suzie, in today's 'All Things Nice' profile. Thanks Suzie!

Don't forget Ballarat peeps - this will be the last time Sugar & Spice will visit Ballarat for the year, so it's a perfect opportunity to start ticking off that Christmas list :)

Are you more sugar or spice?

I like to think sugar, but I think most people would say spice!

What inspired you to start your own business?

My mum taught me to sew and I quickly fell in love with creating beautiful things for my little person…which turned into creating for little people near and far!

How did you name your business?

It all started on a bit of a Whim!

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

During the cooler months I am all about our Signature Swing, but now that the sun is out I am loving our Bubble Gum Summer shorts & Tees. So cool, stylish and sweet.

Where else can we check you out?

www.facebook.com/whimzi

Twitter: whimzikidz

www.whimzi.com.au

Thanks Suzie!

Market Day Giveaway!

2011-09-24T08:49:00.000+10:00

Ballarat shoppers you are in for an exciting treat....

Our beautiful friends at Bohemian Secret have generously donated us a HUGE prize to give away at our next Ballarat market. Hooray!

Timeless images from Bohemian Secret

All you have to do is visit us on Sunday 13 November.
As you know this market will be a little different to our norm as we are combining with the very first Ballarat Baby & Kids Expo. You will find some of our stallholders sprinkled inside the expo, at Ballarat's Mining Exchange building, but our Sugar & Spice Market will predominately be held outside and behind the Mining Exchange, at Alfred Deakin Place. Happy weather thoughts. We will be open for shopping rain or shine! from 10am - 4pm.

So.... as we were saying, just visit our Sugar & Spice stall on the day and you can enter the draw to win our amazing Bohemian Secret giveaway. Drum rolls please!
You can win....

A Bohemian Secret photography session.
Including:

Initial pre-session consultation (what to wear, available props, choosing location and getting to know you)
2 hour photography session carefully thought through and prepared for each family individually. (As a part of our preparation Sonia likes to visit and explore the chosen location, for available light, backgrounds and feel.)
Black and White medium format film
1 fine art gift 8x10 Print professionally matted
Digital darkroom processing or traditional darkroom negative developing
Private viewing session
Print preparation
Print delivery

Just by visiting our November market you could win some stunning pics like this of your loved ones.

Bohemian Secret is a family run business, led by Sonia Macak, that is a blend of love and art. Their specialty is their stunning timeless black and white photography. The Bohemian Secret Studio is a fully accredited member with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. In only 5 months since opening its Ballarat studio doors, Sonia's work has been internationally recognised and will be published in an international fine art magazine as an emerging photography artist to buy or collect. All signature prints are printed on fine art papers only and are delivered mounted.

This wonderful prize is valued at $450!!!! Wow
We hope to see you at our upcoming Ballarat market as we can not rave enough about how talented (and lovely) Sonia from Bohemian Secret is.... this is a must win prize :)

http://www.bohemiansecret .net/

Good luck!

Let the sun shine!

2011-09-19T07:42:00.000+10:00

We hope your week is full of sunshine :)

Sunshine nursery print by Almond Tree Frames. You can see more

from them at our Woodend Christmas Market (Dec 4)

Things To Do!

2011-09-09T10:39:00.000+10:00

Photo credit: Sarah Le

We are super busy doing the final planning for our Sugar & Spice Springtime Market in Woodend this Sunday, the 11th of September.

You should see our To-Do-List!

Cupcakes? Check!
Free goodie bags? Check!
Face-painting for the kids? Check!
A great giveaway prize to a lucky visitor? Check!
Plenty of gorgeous and unique items to guarantee a wonderful shopping experience? Check!

So let us save you the trouble of writing your own To-Do-List this Sunday: just come and visit us at the Sugar & Spice Children's Market, St Ambrose Hall in Woodend, it's sure to make your weekend complete!

All Things Nice - Bedros Designs

2011-09-05T15:23:00.001+10:00

Our Woodend market is almost here, pop it in your diaries, 11th September, THIS SUNDAY! With over 30 retailers eager to showcase their beautiful items, we're sure you'll walk away with some amazing finds! So let us introduce you to another of our wonderful retailers, the lovely Aline from Bedros Designs!

Are you more sugar or spice?
I am definitely a spice girl but occasionally I have some days where I am 100% sugar

What inspired you to start your own business?
My Grandma taught me how to knit, crochet, and embroider since I was about six, so you can say craft is in my blood. Naturally I studied Fashion Design at RMIT and worked in the Fashion industry for 10 years designing kids wear for major retail outlets around Australia, but I have always dreamt about owning my own business, and maybe my own shop some day to deal with my customers directly and getting to know what they like. There is nothing more rewarding then seeing people’s eyes light up and have a smile on their face when they are looking at my products, that’s when I know I have made the right decision.

How did you name your business?
That was a tough decision as I had the option to choose a really cutesy name, but I chose to name my business after my family name, as it’s a way for me to remember the sacrifices my great grand parents and grand parents made during the Armenian Holocaust in 1914, and that I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for them.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?
It’s a bit difficult to choose as every piece I make is special to me, but if I were to choose, it would be my new product range of cushions/softies, I enjoy sketching my ideas on paper then coming up with the pattern and seeing them come to life.

Where else can we check you out?
I will be at the next Sugar & Spice September market and you can also find me at the Mornington Main st Markets on Wednesdays. Oh, and did I mention that Bedros Designs is also available for home Parties (Party Plan)

https://www.facebook.com/bedrosdesigns
http://www.madeit.com.au/bedrosdesigns
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bedrosdesigns

A splash of colour...

2011-08-29T11:20:00.000+10:00

There's so much happening in the beautiful Macedon Ranges this Spring, it's the perfect time to get out and enjoy some gorgeous sunshine, and why not pop along to our Springtime Market in Woodend on 11 September! There'll be goodie bags to the first 100 through the door, yummy cupcakes and delicious coffee, and of course, FREE face painting for the kiddies!

Our fab face painting friends at Pass-The-Parcel are busy with the Kyneton Daffodil Festival, so we have a wonderful new face painting business on board for our September market... Let us introduce you to Colour FX!

Kerriann, face painter extraordinaire, is the creator of Colour FX and a mum of two. Happy to travel to your function, Kerriann is skilled at providing face painting, body art and special effects for all sorts of events and themes, including birthdays, fundraisers, community and corporate events, markets YAY!, and even nightclubs! Her designs not only cater for children, but also the young at heart.

Kerriann promises to splash a bit of colour around our lovely Springtime Market, so prepare yourself for some wonderful creativity, a great deal of fun, and loads of smiling painted faces!

Check out their Facebook page: Colour FX Face Painting

All things nice - Eoh and Roro

2011-08-27T08:17:00.000+10:00

There is a lot to love about today's 'All Things Nice' profile!

This little visionary brand called Eoh & Roro is all about teaching kids about animals. through the clothes they wear. Each garment comes with a card that is jam packed with info about the animal that it features. Even better $1 from each product sold goes to a selected environmental protection agency.

We love this, which is why you will be able to check out Eoh & Roro's full range at our Springtime Market, in Woodend, on September 11 :)

Here is Jacinta to tell you more about her business...

Are you more sugar or spice?

Definitely more sugar! It wouldn’t be rare to find me cooking up a chocolate pudding at 9pm at night to settle a little craving I may need to indulge!

What inspired you to start your own business?

After having baby #2, it was very obvious that my career in the film and tv industry was not going to be sustainable. My little boy was forever asking me about animals, where this animal came from and what that animal liked to eat and as my partner is a wildlife photographer, I felt it was a huge injustice to see his amazing images just sit on a hard-drive and I knew we could do something special with them, so Eoh & Roro was born.

The Eoh & Roro Family

How did you name your business?

My son came up with the name Eoh & Roro for me. His name is Leo and our Staffy’s name is Ronin, so when he was little and ‘learning his words’ he use to call himself ‘Eoh’ and our dog ‘Roro’. Seeing he was my inspiration, I figured he also had to be part of the name.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

My favourite piece from our current range would have to be the zebra. Many people love the giraffe and his long, long neck, but I love stripes of the zebra.

Where else can we check you out?

We have a website – http://www.eohandroro.com.au/, where you can link to our facebook, blog and twitter profiles.

Joining Forces...

2011-08-24T20:38:00.000+10:00

Pic by Bohemian Secret

Ok, so the word may be already out, but we are more than a little excited that Sugar & Spice is joining forces with the Ballarat Baby and Children's Expo, in holding one huge event this November.

On Sunday 13 November, at Ballarat's Mining Exchange, the Ballarat Baby and Children's Expo will be held, and our favourite part is that we will be bringing a bit of Sugar & Spice love to it, by organising the handmade market section. You will find Sugar & Spice on the day, behind the Exchange building in the outdoor Alfred Deakin Place (please send positive weather vibes for us!)

It is an exciting opportunity for retailers to get their creations out to a big (hopefully) audience and for our usual shoppers to see even more talented stallholders.

The Expo is about providing education to parents on their choices in raising children, as well as activities, entertainment and of course the Sugar & Spice handcraft market.

The main guest speaker for the day will be well-known, Pinky McKay, and many fun and informative activities are planned for children and parents alike.

If you would like to showcase your business at our Sugar & Spice Market to be held at the Ballarat Baby & Children's expo please apply through our online retailer form found here

YAY!

(Our original market planned for 27 November will now move to November 13 so we can be a part of this wonderful occasion. The event will be from 10am - 4pm. We have a very small number of stalls inside the hall but these will be allocated by ballot to the retailers who had previously booked into our November market. A huge thank you to our web man for updating our retail application form!)

Sherryn & Jackie x

A gaggle of goodie bags!

2011-08-23T11:11:00.000+10:00

Photo by Bohemian Secret

Our goodie bags have always been a popular addition to our markets. Usually snapped up in under an hour, 100 lucky shoppers take home with them a bag full of treats, samples, valuable info and pamphlets. Who doesn't love a freebie!?!

The goodie bags for our next market (September 11 in Woodend) are being organised by a lovely new company called Got It In The Bag. They will no doubt be a hit.

If you would like to advertise your business (for just $10) to our keen shoppers be sure to contact the ladies at Got It In The Bag before August 30.
http://www.gotitinthebag.com/ or their facebook page.

P.S For those interested - our exciting announcement is still on its way. We haven't forgotten! Awaiting some lovely changes to our site, to ensure everything runs smoothly :) ahhhh the anticipation. Actually it is just one of many exciting announcements on their way.

Sherryn & Jackie

All things nice - Calico Kids

2011-08-09T11:28:00.000+10:00

Next stop for Sugar & Spice is the lovely St Ambrose Hall in Woodend, on Sunday 11 September. Mark it in your diaries as we have changed the date to avoid clashing with Father's Day. We wouldn't do that to you Daddy's!

One of our lovely retailers booked in for that market is Calico Kids. Calico Kids is a new brand created by Mum-of-two, Rebecca. Her cute calico range is uni-sex (smile) and includes personalised library bags, aprons and shopping bags. We will hand over to Rebecca to fill you in a little bit more about Calico Kids...

Cute Calico Kids

Are you more sugar or spice?

Oooh tough one..I’d say 75% sugar and 25% spice!

What inspired you to start your own business?

My son just loves being read to and I’ve enjoyed taking him to the library for little outings. I always found myself stuck juggling a big stack of books whilst also trying to hold onto his hand so started to look into library bags..there were a few out there in the market, but none that really inspired me, so my husband and I thought why not use our direct to garment printer to make unique and personalised library, tote and shopping bags (amongst other things).

How did you name your business?

It really evolved naturally from the products themselves. I’ve always been a big fan of calico as its so versatile and environmentally friendly. It was a name that immediately sprang to mind when thinking about creating the business.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

It’s really hard to choose, but I have been a bit in love with all things Owl of late, so the owls print is one I really like. I think my favourite will ultimately change as we add more and more prints over time!

Where else can we check you out? (website? facebook?)

We are online at www.calicokids.com.au and also on Facebook under Calicokids and of course we are having our debut market appearance at the upcoming Sugar and Spice market in Woodend on 11 September which I am really excited about.

Rebecca and her boys

Sherryn & Jackie x

Online Giveaway - Dots & Daisies

2011-08-02T21:14:00.000+10:00

One giveaway ends and another one begins! Lucky you again.

This one is for the little Miss's and is a great addition to any young girl's hair accessory stash!

Dots & Daisies are regulars on the market circuit, you may have already met the lovely ladies behind the brand for yourself. Not only can you meet them face to face regularly at our markets but they are also an online boutique full of gorgeous non-slip hairclips and accessories for girls. Their products are direct from Ribbies Clippies in the USA and are new to the Australian market. The clips are covered in grosgrain ribbons and have a unique colour co-ordinated foam insert which prevents slippage (even in the finest hair). We desperately need some for Miss Spice, who has a habit of letting hair clips slip right out of her hair into the great abyss!

Dots & Daisies clips are comfortable and easy to use. No tangled hair, no slippage and stunning designs and patterns. Big girls can wear them too, we can attest that a friend of Sugar & Spice wore them as a type of brooch attached to her frock during a recent girly night out!

Up for grabs in our wonderful Dots & Daisies online giveaway is a pretty Aqua Butterfly Clippie Holder, 6 gorgeous clips (including an Ava gift set and a lovely red bow) plus a pink floral clippie purse. All you have to do to enter in visit the Dots & Daisies online boutique, browse their gorgeous range and come back to this post and leave a comment here telling us what your favourite Dots & Daisies piece is.

Postage for Dots & Daisies purchases is low and actually free for any order over $75. A lovely free gift is also included for any purchase through their online store over $30. You keep up to date through their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dotsanddaisies

Good luck!

The winner will be drawn at close of business on August 31 2011. Only Australian residents can enter.

Sherryn & Jackie x

10 good reasons to visit us in Ballarat this Sunday...

2011-07-29T21:31:00.000+10:00

1. Goodie Bags, full of 'goodies' of course, go FREE to the first 100 shoppers through St Alipius's door.
2. Face painting for the kiddies by the talented Katie of Sharp Kids.
3. Yummy cupcakes for sale from The Inspired Occasion.
4. Visit the Mister Mista stall, give them your best rendition of the Rainbow Connection, and pick up one of their cool t-shirts for free!
5. One lucky person will find a year membership to the Ballarat Toy Library in their goodie bag.
6. A chance for the kiddies to join the Kiddies Food Kutter demonstration outside and chop some veggies.
7. We are a toasty and warm, indoor shopping experience.
8. Delicious, hot coffee from Curbside Coffee.
9. The chance to enter the Sugar & Spice Family Giveaway - two prize packs full of handmade goodness are up for grabs.
10. Finally, the piece de resistance, over 25 totally gorgeous stalls, selling a variety of unique baby and kids products.

Sherryn & Jackie x

All things nice - Mister Mista

2011-07-26T18:38:00.000+10:00

We can hear the Mama's of little boys cheering after reading this 'All Things Nice' profile... one for the boys!

Are you more sugar or spice?

Definitely spicey! Read some of our character bios to judge for yourself.

What inspired you to start your own business?

It’s something we had always wanted to do. In 2009 with the combination of Travis’s illustration skills and my marketing background we were motivated by our growing young family to create something extra special for boys – an often neglected part of the market! We’re really proud of how it has grown over the past two years. We are always getting feedback saying that it’s great to finally see a ‘real’ boys range and we continue to be motivated when we hear from mums who say that their little Mister’s didn’t want to take their tops off – we’ve heard of some kids wearing their tees for 4 or 5 days straight. Recently we’ve discovered some little sista’s also wearing them.

How did you name your business?

When our son Oscar was a baby we used to call him 'Mister Mista' and we thought it was a great name for the label.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

Definitelyy our first t-shirt design Ozzie. For sentimental reasons, as it was the first design and it was named after Oscar, but also because it is pretty cool! It was actually chosen in T-World Magazines A-Z of coolest kids tees!

Where else can we check you out?

www.mistermista.com - for a full list of our wonderful stockists and to view our range or join our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mister-Mista-Kids/106149336108246

Sherryn & Jackie x

Keeping the kiddies happy...

2011-07-22T10:00:00.000+10:00

We are thrilled that local Ballarat business, Sharp Kids, will be joining us at our market next weekend.

Their job brief is.... to keep the kiddies happy!

Our face painter extraordinaire on the day will be Katie Tilson, creator of Sharp Kids and Mum of two.

Sharp Kids bring fun, learning and music to the people of Ballarat. Through their shop they offer music and movement classes, children's parties and sell a range of gorgeous educational and fun toys. And for those of you not based in Ballarat you can now purchase their unique toy range online. Yippee!

Katie is more than experienced in the little people arena, having studied Early Childhood Development and taught in various kindergartens and schools. Her own two girls road test all of the items in the store to ensure their appropriateness.

We can't wait to see where the little people lead you with their imaginations at the market Katie, and to see all of those happy painted faces :)

You can visit Sharp Kids online: www.sharpkids.com.au

Or their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SharpKids

Sherryn & Jackie x

All things nice - Tulip Rose Quilt Shoppe

2011-07-20T08:41:00.000+10:00

We're going to try and squeeze in a couple more 'All things nice' profiles before our next market. Hopefully this will give you a chance to get to know some of our wonderful Ballarat retailers a little more. Today we focus on Glenda from the Tulip Rose Quilt Shoppe, a lovely handmade business :)

Are you more sugar or spice?

I would have to say definitely more sugar than spice!

What inspired you to start your own business?

I am addicted to purchasing quilting fabric and had accumulated more that I could ever possible use for my craft and quilting, so I decided that I needed to get rid of some of the stash! I started my business to sell the fabric but customers seem to be more interested in the display pictures that I used of my items to showcase the fabric, and the more requests I received the more I realised that I could also sell my creations!

How did you name your business?

I wanted to start a store that incorporated both “country” and “shabby” themed fabric and creations, as I had a mixture of both. I associated tulips with the country theme items, and definitely roses with the shabby items….hence the Tulip-Rose Quilt Shoppe was born.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

That’s a hard question!...I love the “lil girl” cupcake tote bags because they are so cute and every little girl needs a handbag to carry around her precious “stuff” but I have just finished designing and creating “Hootie” the heat bag…these are so cuddly and warm on a winters night so I think that “Hootie” has become my favourite item!

Where else can we check you out?

You can find my website at www.tuliprosequiltshoppe.com

You can follow my crafting journey on my blog:

http://tuliprosequiltshoppe.blogspot.com

You can visit my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/TulipRose-Quilt-Shoppe/354785348192

Thanks Glenda!

Sherryn & Jackie x

Team work

2011-07-18T20:55:00.000+10:00

Gratitude Jewellery from Etsy

Hi! I’m Jackie, the new girl here at Sugar & Spice...

It’s a bit tricky being the new girl, there’s those pesky new job jitters and I’m still learning the ropes of how things work around here. The past few weeks have included quite a few “firsts” for me, so I think I’ll hang on to the title of Sugar & Spice Apprentice for a little while!

For starters, it’s the very first time I’ve been involved in a business partnership! A big big thank you to my new business partner Sherryn for giving in to all of my pestering and letting me be involved in something that has so much potential. I am really looking forward to what we can do together.

It’s also the first time I’ve tweeted! And writing on this blog, well that’s a first too! Twittering and blogging are VERY new to me.

Perhaps I should tell you what I have done before and what I bring to Sugar & Spice?

I have two beautiful kids, and I’ve been running my own graphic design business from home since having my first baby almost four years ago. Like many mums, I wanted to be with my kids as much as possible, and freelancing from home has been great for that (especially because I have the option to sit at my computer in my pjs!).

Prior to that, I was a personal assistant in the corporate world for ten years, which involved a myriad of organisational juggling together with a part time role in IT training. My design, IT and juggling background is already being put to good use here at Sugar and Spice, so in the midst of all the new things I’m learning, there are some things that are second nature too.

Sherryn and I have some contrasting skill sets that seem to complement each other really well. It allows us to fill in the Sugar & Spice gaps in ways only a great partnership can and I look forward to seeing where that takes us.

So, I look forward to meeting lots of you at the coming markets, please be assured that I’m very busy trying to get with the Sugar & Spice program, I’m diving in headfirst and learning as I type. And you know what the best thing is?

I’m loving every minute of it.

Jackie. x

All things nice - Tillytom

2011-07-13T12:43:00.000+10:00

Our July 31 Ballarat market is coming up quick!

Many stunning retailers from Ballarat and beyond are booked in to showcase their beautiful goods with you - one of whom is Anna from the lovely Tillytom. Anna is shining in our 'all things nice' spotlight today. Thanks Anna!

The Tillytom Family

Are you more sugar or spice?

Definitely sugar – I am a serious chocolate lover and eat way too much of it!

What inspired you to start your own business?

After the birth of our second child Matilda I bought myself a sewing machine and originally started out sewing cloth nappies to build up my own stash as I had two in cloth at the time. Then I started making all things ‘pink’ for Miss Matilda, little dresses and pants, and with the encouragement of family and friends, it just snow-balled from there to my first local market and opening up a store on madeit.

How did you name your business?

My business name came about simply by a combination of our oldest two children’s names Tom & Matilda (Tilly). Our newest little family member Nate was a surprise package, and people are always asking me if I am going to change the name of the business. Nope, but maybe a new range in the future might be included with his name in it : )

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

Right now, my favourite item is the new ruffle dress. I have it in a few different colourways and it’s a simple little peasant style dress with flutter sleeves and a great big ruffle down the front. Generous sizing and easily layered in the cooler months or on its own in the warmer months.

Oh my I think I just found Miss Spice's latest wardrobe addition!

Where else can we check you out?

Website: www.tillytom.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tillytom

Blog: www.sewbusymama.blogspot.com

Twitter: tillytomdesigns

Hello Friend...

2011-07-08T18:31:00.000+10:00

Some exciting news for you tonight....

Enter from stage left my new business partner and friend.... Ms Jackie.

Hooray! Jackie is coming on board as Sugar & Spice's official other half, which I am beaming from ear to ear about. She brings to our markets a whole new skill set that is completely different to mine and can only add wonderful new aspects to Sugar & Spice. She is a clever design guru, multi-tasking mother of two, and what makes this even more exciting is that she is SO lovely.

Jackie and her little friends :)

I LOVE Sugar & Spice and I want to see it grow, develop and reach its full potential. There are so many talented and clever people that we showcase through our markets and I think they deserve the very best of what we can offer... and with two heads we can most certainly offer a whole lot more.

There are lots of exciting and big projects underway behind the scenes and Sugar & Spice, that I am itching to tell you about, but we will wait till everything falls perfectly in to place.

Welcome friend, I can't wait to see what we can achieve together.

The handmade bug

2011-07-07T21:47:00.000+10:00

I've spoken about this before... that I am well and truly surrounded by people who have caught the market/handmade bug.

Magoo the monkey made by Nanny Sugar & Spice

It is so nice to share this love of the handmade and creative world with the people closest to me. My Mum, my sister, sister-in-laws, mother-in-law and friends, all have their own talents and they are often a source of inspiration and creativity for me. We can chat for hours about material, patterns, handmade businesses we admire and our love for markets. I have heard a brother-in-law of mine suggest that our girly 'market talk' is worse than their boy 'boat talk', hmmm not quite!

It is lovely to have a common interest with those you love and when it keeps the little people's wardrobes stocked with beautiful, unique pieces it is win/win all round!

I LOVE handmade because it is polar opposite to the products that the big chain stores churn out. They're usually one-of-a-kind pieces, they can be 'upcycled' from old fabrics, they have less of an impact on the environment, you know they are Australian made and they are almost without fail, very, very beautiful.

So....... it is with a huge sense of family pride and love that I introduce the handmade Sugar & Spice family giveaway!!!

Visitors to our July 31 Ballarat market have a chance to win one of two prize packs all made up of unique, handmade pieces created by my very own family and friends.

There will be a girl prize pack and boy prize pack on offer and all you have to do is visit us on the day and fill out a short survey. Simple!

The two winners will be drawn at 1pm on market day.

The prizes are all crafted by clever, talented people; some who have started their very own businesses and some who just do it for the love. Thank you family. You can check the two prize packs out on our facebook page.

See you at the market!

Coccinella Eco - Giveaway!

2011-07-01T13:24:00.000+10:00

They just keep on coming....

I hope you're getting as much joy out of meeting some of our new retailers and friends, and having a chance to WIN some of their wonderful products, as I am.

Today I would like to introduce you to this lovely, small and friendly online shop run by Mum, Renata, called Coccinella Eco.

Renata began Coccinella Eco after struggling to find natural and eco friendly clothes and toys that were kind to her daughter's very sensitive skin.

Through her online store she now imports gorgeous, chemical free goods from her native Poland and surrounds.

Head over and have a look through her Coccinella Eco store, as doing so can win you some of her very cute toys!

All you have to do is visit Renata's website, browse through her range and then come back to this blog post and leave a comment about what you liked the most at Coccinella Eco. One lucky person who comments will win TWO gorgeous toys from Coccinella Eco - and here they are:

Eubolobo's Giant Crazy Wolf Pillow

The perfect soft toy for babies and children to hug and adore. He is huge (around 50cm tall) with a squeaker nose, a jingle bell head and crinkle paper in his legs and tail.

Kalimba Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf Toy Set

A cute and quirky toy just perfect for imaginative play.

It is SO easy to enter and like the old cliche goes, you have to be in it to win it!

It is also the perfect time for you to meet the lovely Cocinella Eco as it is super sale time for the month of July. 20% discount can be found on some of Renata's favourite brands including; Mon Petit Bebe, Frugi, Kalimba and Bajo.

The prize winner will be drawn on July 31 2011 by random generator. Good luck!

Entrants must be a resident of Australia. Prize in not transferable.

Bohemian Secret

2011-06-29T19:12:00.000+10:00

With my foray into the Ballarat market world fast approaching, it is fitting that I get to make a wonderful announcement today that is all about new beginnings.

A new, growing business from the heart of Ballarat is joining the Sugar & Spice family as our brand new official Ballarat Market photographer. Smile!

Bohemian Secret is a family run business, lead by Sonia Macak, that is a blend of love and art. With a focus on custom made childhood and family photography, they offer sessions in both traditional darkroom (film captured images) as well as digital photography. A Bohemian Secret specialty is their timeless black and white photography.

Not only will they be capturing all of the handmade love at our July 31 Ballarat Market, they will also be sharing some of their favourite products from their Ballarat studio.

Pop over and visit our beautiful new friends at Bohemian Secret.... if you're like me you will be there for awhile :)

Giveaway - Naughts & Crosses

2011-06-24T17:08:00.000+10:00

Did somebody say Giveaway......?

If one giveaway for the month of June wasn't enough for you - we are over the moon about giving you the opportunity to win some more Sugar & Spice retailer goodness.

Louise from the amazingly stylish brand, Naughts & Crosses, is giving you the chance to win one of her pretty girls dresses. You can choose ANY frock from her range and in any size. Lucky you!

I am quite besotted by this one....

Proudly designed and made in Melbourne, Naughts & Crosses garments represent a return to yesteryear - when children dressed in stylish, age-appropriate clothing, that they were free to have fun in. Naughts & Crosses offers a range of gorgeous garments that are not only Nanna approved, but also come with the added advantage of being specifically designed to withstand the rough and tumble of the playground. It also helps that they are very, very, very, beautiful.

For a chance to have a little piece of Naughts & Crosses in your little one's wardrobe, all you have to do is head over to the Naughts & Crosses facebook page, 'like' them, maybe leave her a little love while doing so and then leave a comment here on our blog telling us that you're now a Naughts & Crosses Facebook fan. Easy! The one lucky winner will be drawn by random generator on Friday 8 July. Best of luck.

1st Birthday wrap up

2011-06-07T20:30:00.000+10:00

Our special 1st birthday market has been and gone and I think it is fair to say it was a success.

Happy shoppers, smiley kiddies, busy retailers and lots of fun.
Goodie bags disappeared in under an hour, $264 was raised for SIDS & Kids through our raffle (congrats to Woodend local, Fiona Makin, who won the prize package) and the coffee lady was run dry just after lunch.

Thank you to everyone who braved the cold and visited, retailed and shared in Sugar & Spice's 1st birthday. A huge thanks to our lovely sponsors for the day; Pass-the-Parcel, The Inspired Occasion, Kim Selby Photography and Peekaboo Melbourne Magazine.

What a special way to begin my market life! Thank you

A very happy Miss Spice with some of her market day purchases.
Her new Miss Ruby May Dolly (she insisted that Ruby Dolly wore her seat belt while shopping) and beanie from Spunkee.

All things nice - Creative Chic

2011-06-03T17:55:00.000+10:00

I thought I might give you one last chance to meet one of our 1st Birthday retailers, before this Sunday's market. Don't forget that St Ambrose Hall, Woodend will be open from 9am-1pm this Sunday for lots of gorgeous shopping, kiddy entertainment, yummy cupcakes, 100 free goodie bags and spot door prizes. Can't wait to see you all there!

A Creative Chic personalised card

Our 'All Things Nice' business for today is Creative Chic. Two lovely ladies, Sharon and Janelle who create stunning personalised keepsakes.....

Are you more sugar or spice?

J: Oooh, both.

Janelle and her lovelies

S: Definitely Sugar… I’m a chocoholic!

Sharon and her boys

What inspired you to start your own business?

Individually, we began making pieces as gifts for family and friends. We would have a regular show ‘n’ tell and then give advice and bounce ideas off each other. Friends started asking us to make gifts more and more. We could see there was a gap in the market for quality personalised keepsakes, so decided to join together. We both had different skill sets and style that we believed would complement one another.

How did you name your business?

We looked at our product range, what we were designing; and how we viewed those products. They were all our own “creations” with a “shabby chic” feel to them and were all with the ideal of our items being quality “personalised keepsakes”.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

J: That’s tough, I ♥ all our pieces. Perhaps the digital design element of our range – announcements, invitations etc.

S: The Baby Keepsake boxes for their uniqueness; they make a ‘special’ gift and Name tiles for something ‘a little bit different’.

Keepsake Box

Where else can we check you out?

Best place to find us is on Facebook.

Thank you Sharon & Janelle, looking forward to seeing your creations in real life on Sunday.

buntyandsars giveaway!

2011-06-01T11:03:00.000+10:00

Who doesn't love free stuff???
I confess that I had a small stint during my maternity leave as a 'competition enthusiast'.
Well this was the official job title I gave to myself.... and it gave me a free pass from Mr Sugar & Spice to spend as much time as I wanted on the laptop, as he thought I was busy with the pursuit of winning things! I had great visions of winning cars, 5 star holidays, games for the kids etc, but what I was awarded with was NOTHING, sweet bloody nothing.

So it gives me great joy today to bring you a wonderfully exciting NEW initiative from Sugar & Spice..... drum rolls please....

Our very first online giveaway!!!!! Yay

buntyandsars character 'Felix'

Our first online giveaway is bought to you by one of our beautiful retailers - buntyandsars.
Emily of buntyandsars is this ridiculously talented individual who creates gorgeous things for kids from her own individual illustrations. Interactive colouring books, pencil tins, handcrafted cards, bookmarks and brooches are all beautiful creations that come from her own personal drawing room. You can meet Emily for yourself at our upcoming Ballarat market on Sunday 31 July where she will be retailing.

Emily has bundled up some of her favourite goodies for our giveaway - the Buntyandsars Hair Clipettes Illustrated book and the Finger Monsters Illustrated book. How unique are these two little treasures?

They allow kiddies to cut and colour their very own hair clips and finger puppets and you can have the chance to win them for yourself. Also included in the prize bundle is a pencil tin and a bundle of textas, because colouring-in is no fun without the colours! All you need to do is visit Emily's blog, check out her gorgeous illustrated range and post a comment below on this blog entry stating what is your favourite buntyandsars product. The winner will be drawn randomly on June 30th. Good luck!!!

Some buntyandsars love ready and waiting for a new home!

http://buntyandsars.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buntyandsars/163017427080144

Peekaboo

2011-05-31T10:01:00.000+10:00

We're a little excited today - it is the eve of an exciting event.
Peekaboo Magazine are spreading their wings and growing from one magazine to three, and their new publications launch tomorrow!

If you haven't seen it before Peekaboo is Australia's FREE boutique family lifestyle magazine full of beautiful and inspiring things for you and your munchkins. It is printed quarterly with three versions; Brisbane, Sydney and now Melbourne - which means localised stories.

We are thrilled that our Sunday Woodend market is going to be one of the first places you can get your hands on this gorgeous mag. Yet another reason to come along and join in our 1st birthday fun!

With much regret

2011-05-30T19:56:00.000+10:00

It is with much regret that I'm posting tonight to let you know that I'm taking Mornington off Sugar & Spice's destination list - which means I have cancelled both upcoming Mornington markets.

After a mix up with the original venue booking - it has come to light that the hall is not a hireable space. Sadly, the local council has a number of beautiful halls for hire but refuse to hire these out to businesses. Even after much pleading! The church halls that I investigated also had no availabilities for the year. So sadly, we have no hireable spaces available in the area which has led me to this decision. I am incredibly sorry and upset that this is the way it has turned out.

My extreme apologies to all Sugar & Spice friends and retailers who had booked/applied/shown interest in us coming to Mornington - it wasn't meant to be. We hope to see you at our markets in our two existing locations; Woodend and Ballarat.

Glass Ball...

2011-05-29T16:14:00.000+10:00

Shopping at Sugar & Spice

This time next week I am predicting :) .....

Sugar & Spice's 1st birthday celebrations will be all wrapped up.

Hundreds (??) of shoppers would have browsed the 28 stalls on offer at Woodend's pretty St Ambrose Hall.

100 free goodie bags and copies of the new Peekaboo Melbourne Magazine would have been snapped up early in the morning. Shoppers would have oohed and ahhed at the gorgeous party goodies on offer from The Inspired Occasion.

Little munchkins would have smiled and danced to Pass-the-Parcel's music, with balloon creations in hand and their faces all painted. Delicious cupcakes from Sweet Cravings Patisserie would have filled their bellies, while their parents relaxed with a hot, fresh coffee.

Cupcakes by Sweet Craving Patisserie

One lucky visitor would have received a call telling them that they were the winner of the 1st birthday raffle giveaway and the entire prize package would be making it's way to them! SIDS & Kids would be impressed with the money raised and donated to them through the raffle.

Some of the prizes you can win in our 1st Birthday raffle giveaway

Retailers would be happy and pleased to see their gorgeous products and creations leaving the hall and making their way to new homes....

This time next week :)

Behind the news

2011-05-25T21:12:00.000+10:00

Do you find joy in what you do?

I most definitely do. After a lengthy career in PR , and a recent 2 year stint on maternity leave, it is so nice to return to using those dormant skills and to acknowledge that yes there is a ticking brain in there that can do wonderful things (aside from changing nappies, mopping the floor and teaching the alphabet). Although these other things bring me so much joy it is nice also to have something aside that is just for me.

My background is in Public Relations - and although this may raise visions of glamorous parties and air kissing, high-heeled women saying 'oh dah-ling that is fabulous'... there is also a more practical side to PR. I have push started a vintage motor car for a photo shoot, while in 3 inch heels and 6 months pregnant. I've wrangled kids and tried to keep them behaved during Today Show weather crosses. I've been the photographer's flash holder on too many occasions - to ensure they get the best pic. I've written a million and one media releases and cold called nearly every media organisation within Victoria.

There have been great successes; wonderful exhibition launches, millions of dollars worth of free publicity generated for my workplace and great relationships established with journalists and photographers.

and then there have been the epic fails!! The launch of a new beaut lighting generator that chose not to work right when every major Melbourne newspaper and TV station were ready and waiting, not to mention the government ministers. Brand new million dollar Planetarium technology that decided to freeze 3 seconds before a live weather cross, and a girl so freaked out by the giant animatronic spider behind her that the photographer just couldn't possibly get a good shot. I can laugh about these now!

To me, seeing a story I generated in the media, brings such a sense of achievement and pride. I love when a journalist purely lifts my words from a media release and pastes it word for word in their article. I love being behind the news - and it is lovely that Sugar & Spice is allowing me to tap into that world again.

The 1st Birthday Market publicity train is chugging along nicely... Articles will appear in Kyneton's Midland Express, the Macedon Ranges Leader, and there will be upcoming listings in Nurture Magazine, Herald Sun and a few other surprises along the way. Stay tuned!

Through the lens...

2011-05-23T11:03:00.000+10:00

A picture can tell a thousand words... so I will let these one's do the talking -

We are very lucky at Sugar & Spice to have some amazingly talented photographers involved with our Markets and today I would like you to meet our official Woodend photographer, the very lovely Kim of Kim Selby Photography.

Kim captures all of the gorgeous creations, shoppers and the feel of every Woodend market, through her stunning photography. Her photographic style during her booked sessions is very relaxed, natural and candid. Her aim is to capture the smiles, frowns, laughter, kisses and cuddles - but most importantly your family just being themselves. She shoots exclusively on location and uses natural lights.

Her photography skills have recently been acknowledged, winning 6 silver awards at the Victoria Institute of Professional Photography Awards 2001. I will let Kim explain in her own words a little bit about herself and her business:

I am a Mum of two gorgeous boys. With the amount of running around I do after them, I should have a Kate Moss body.
I love cooking (hmmm perhaps that's why I don't have a Kate Moss body!)
I adore listening to the sound of the rain on my tin roof at night when I am tucked up in bed, warm next to my husband.
I love living in Woodend and the Macedon Ranges - gorgeous countryside, fresh air and lovely community.
My passion is photography, and I feel so lucky being able to capture those special little moments that abound in life everyday.
I am a proud member of Heartfelt, www.heartfelt.org.au which is a volunteer organisation of child photographers from all over Australia who have come together to form an organisation dedicated to giving the gift of photographic memories to families that have experiences stillbirths, premature and ill infants, terminally ill children and children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of their local hospitals.

Thanks Kim, we can't wait to see how you capture our 1st birthday celebrations in Woodend.

http://kimselbyphotography.com/

All things nice - 5 Star Baby!

2011-05-19T12:59:00.000+10:00

Now my Miss Spice has quite a wardrobe and it is considerably better than mine. Half of her ensemble is made up of beautiful, handcrafted, frocks. I had to giggle when a friend of mine said that maybe she should return to work to fund her baby girl's wardrobe.....so true, so true!

How she ended up with those exquisite goldilocks still astounds me...

Here she is modelling one of her dresses created by our 'All things nice' business for today -
5 Star Baby!

You may know Katie from 5 Star Baby! already - she is a regular on the market scene and has a unique range of creative and beautiful products that I have no doubt you will love. You can come and visit her gorgeous stall at Woodend on Sunday June 5.

A little bit of love,

A little bit of fun,

And lots & lots of cute!

Are you more sugar or spice?

Oh, definitely spice. I eat lots of sugar to compensate!!

What inspired you to start your own business?

Our little 5 star babies of course!!

Our venture began 6 years ago, gorgeous different things were hard to find, and overpriced, so it all began, my sister (who was studying teaching) and I (who was desperate for something other than washing, feeding, baby vomit, and well, you get the idea!!) we would get together in uni holidays and sew our little hearts out. It was chaotic and wonderful. 5 star, baby! Is all my own now, as my sister has gone on to teach full time, but she remains a huge source of inspiration and encouragement in everything that I do.

How did you name your business?

A bit of an inside joke between my sister and I, but let’s just say, between us, we had 4 (and one on the way) babies, and well, we think they are 5 star!!

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

My all time favourite thing is my signature headband. No matter what I have in my range, it always stays. It is a must have item, and you can never be happy with just one!!

Where else can we check you out?

www.5starbaby.com.au

www.facebook.com/5starbaby

Thanks for being a part of 'All things nice' Katie :)

Step by step

2011-05-12T09:18:00.000+10:00

What inspires you?

At the moment inspiring me are easy to follow, free web tutorials. Love an e-tutorial that spells out in step by step detail, how to make some sort of craft goody.

Now, I'm not a crafty expert by a long-shot, but I do love getting creative and having a bit of handmade fun.

Three web tutorials that I have called upon lately and were incredibly handy were...

Good old Martha Stewart's web tutorial on how to make tissue paper pom poms.

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to

I was lucky enough to be given the job of organising a baby shower recently. I have always admired how tissue paper pom poms add an instant touch of class, so got my googling boots on. Martha Stewart's tutorial comes complete with step by step images, so with my $2 shop tissue paper and florist wire I made these pom pom beauties very easily.

Another favourite web tutorial of mine at the moment is Molly Chicken's love bird. A cute little softie project.

http://mollychicken.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/02/4th-attempt.html

Ok, so I had to get my sewing-guru Mum to help me with it initially, but I have churned out about 6 love birds on my own since. Quite an achievement for someone who can't thread a bobbin. I didn't bother with the pocket on the front though and added a little rattle bell inside instead. They have been a great little pressie for the newborns in my life and I lovingly refer to them as my 'dodgy chicken rattles'

Finally a great wet weather e-tutorial for the munchkins. Perfect for today's dreary weather. A fun make over for the broken bits and pieces of crayon you have laying around at home. The munchkins and I followed these instructions from Little Melbourne and they had a great time in doing so... so much so, that they have started intentionally breaking crayons so we can do it again :)

http://www.littlemelbourne.com.au/to-do/staying-in/a-make-over-for-crayons.html

Have you found any web tutorials that are worth their weight in gold?

More fun than a toy shop!

2011-05-11T09:15:00.000+10:00

Anyone who drives a car like this just has to ooze fun right?

I am very excited that Ffyona and the team from Pass-the-Parcel have come on board to 'bring the fun' to our 1st Birthday Woodend Market. Face painting, balloonology, yes that is a technical trade, music and unique toys will be on the agenda for Pass-the-Parcel to celebrate Sugar & Spice turning one!

Based in Kyneton, in the beautiful Macedon Ranges, Pass-the-Parcel have been sharing their fun for over 10 years. Their services include; roving performers, event entertainment, face painting; balloonology, mobile kids parties, craft classes, circus and clown skills lessons, music sessions - the impressive list goes on.

Headquarters is their cute shop front in Kyneton where they have a strong focus on selling Australian made, green and eco friendly toys.

You can check out Pass-the-Parcel here for more info pass-the-parcel.com.au

Or make sure you pop into St Ambrose Hall on Sunday June 5 to share in some Pass-the-Parcel birthday fun.

Today, Kyneton's Midland Express Newspaper will visit their shop to take a picture to accompany an article about our upcoming 1st Birthday Market, yay!

Just because...

2011-05-10T12:27:00.000+10:00

Do you have a friend that helps you just because???

I am lucky to have one such Mama friend in my life. She is always there for a a bit of last minute help, to listen to a rant, to vent to and to share the joys of the little people in our lives.

It's not just me that she is continually doing things for, just because, I see her doing things time and time again for others. She is a gem and I think you will find the beautiful posters and postcards that she has created for our 1st Birthday market just as beautiful as she is. Thank you Jackie...

These 1st Birthday posters and postcards will be finding new homes at shops, kinders, child care centres and schools throughout the Macedon Ranges.

The Inspired Occasion

2011-05-04T08:25:00.000+10:00

Some wonderful businesses have come on board the Sugar & Spice bandwagon, and we are more than excited about the lovely sponsors that we have secured for our big 1st birthday bash. It makes me smile to introduce you to one of them today:

The term 'Mumpreneur' is most definitely becoming a fixture of our everyday language. You may know the story - where clever Mum's create new businesses from home, that fit around the little people in their life. Two very clever Mama's who keep proving that the rise of the 'Mumpreneur' small business phenomenon may be unstoppable, are Renee and Alex from The Inspired Occasion.

Their divine boutique event management business is rapidly growing with booking after booking. You may have spotted them recently with a huge appearance on Network Ten's, The 7pm Project and a feature article in the Herald Sun.

They believe that the special moments of celebration with your children should be as beautiful as they are. Whether its a baby shower, children's birthday party, christening, naming day, anniversary, special dinner or small celebration they will help you turn it into an Inspired Occasion.... and why wouldn't you if your celebrations turn out looking like this!

Welcome Renee & Alex to the Sugar & Spice community. We can't wait to visit your beautiful stall on June 5 at Woodend, because the Inspired Occasion is truly a perfect fit with all things Sugar & Spice!

See more of Inspired Occasion's beauty here:

www.theinspiredoccasion.com.au

All things nice - Little Puddles

2011-05-02T20:19:00.000+10:00

Today's 'All Things Nice' post features Natalie from Little Puddles Custom Jewellery.
Natalie's accessories for little people can be found at our Sugar & Spice, June 5, Woodend Market and Ballarat in both July and November.

I know first on my Woodend shopping list for Miss Spice is this cute piece :)

Are you more sugar or spice?

I would like to think I am more sugar, but I think I am naturally more spice...I will leave it up to others to come to their own conclusion!

What inspired you to start your own business?

I would like to say it is because I had some kind of calling, but it's because I have an addiction to jewellery, accessories, and homewares...and when I started crafting products for myself, I found that my friends and family were interested in purchasing these from me! It was a huge compliment and from this, I have expanded into a mini-empire (in my dreams!) which now includes accessories for my beautiful baby girl, Emily Mae.

How did you name your business?

I love this question...my mum is Welsh and her maiden name is Poole. She is one of 12 kids. When her mum (my grandma) used to go for walks with the family, people used to say, 'There goes Mrs Poole and all her Little Puddles'.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?

I have 2 favourite pieces:

1. MaeBaby Headbands! I made these for Emily Mae because a lot of the headbands sold at retail outlets were too tight for her head and had 'bits' in them that made them unsafe for babies like Emily who put everything in their mouth...these are completely safe and so soft and stretchy that even I can wear them!

2. Bunting! So much fun to create and I am absolutely addicted to crafting with fabric, so making custom orders for people completely makes my day! I'm currently sewing a set for Emily's first birthday in a gorgeous mix of reds and pinks.

Where else can we check you out?

Come visit me at www.facebook.com/littlepuddles

or at www.littlepuddles.com.au

Natalie and her inspiration, Emily Mae

Thanks Natalie!

A beautiful read

2011-05-01T16:57:00.000+10:00

Nat from Tiny & Little has done it again! Issue 2 of her gorgeous online publication is full of beauty and inspiration.

If you haven't checked out Tiny & Little before, be sure to click the link below. This edition is all about the little men in our lives and the notion of a 'slow childhood'. Ah does that mean I can skip this week's early morning kinder drop offs?

Divine pics, thought-provoking quotes and contributions from us yay, and some of our friends including; Little Melbourne, The Little Hip Traveller and Little Eats.

(Our feature is all about the market bug - which I'm sure most of you may know well!)

Issue 2, Tiny & Little:
http://www.tinyandlittle.com.au/2011/05/issue-02-tiny-little-magazine/

Mud Babies

2011-04-26T21:37:00.000+10:00

If there is mud, Master Spice and Miss Sugar will surely find it!

It doesn't help that we live in a new, not-fully-landscaped house. We have half dug trenches, stump holes and garden beds that were created with good intentions, but haven't yet quite been completed. In the eyes of my little people this makes perfect conditions for making mud pies and puddle jumping. They splash in the mud so often that now when I hear rain I sigh, get the shower ready and NapiSan in hand.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves....

If you have mud babies of your own make sure you check out Pickle & Pop's gorgeous gumboot range at our June 5th, 1st Birthday Market in Woodend and our Mornington launch on July 10.

Pickle and Pop

All things nice

2011-04-19T16:21:00.000+10:00

I thought it might be nice to give you the opportunity to regularly 'meet' some of our gorgeous retailers, via our new 'All things nice' blog post. Stay tuned for your chance to find out more about some of your favourite retailers and see the working-forces behind them!

First up, I would love for you to meet Jo from Grumpy Heflumpy what a gorgeous name for a kids business! Jo is a new retailer to Sugar & Spice and you will be able to meet her and her gorgeous range at the upcoming Woodend market on June 5 and our Ballarat market on July 31.

Jo and Noah (aka Grumpy Heflumpy)

Are you more sugar or spice?
I think I am a good blend of the two. On the surface I probably come across as “sugar” but it’s the “spice” that drives the business I think.

What inspired you to start your own business?
Having my own gorgeous boy I struggled to get something cute and unique for him to wear… the commercial look was just not my thing and my love all things that remind me of my travelling days and have developed a very unique taste and style.

How did you name your business?
My son was a big baby (nearly 10 Pound) so we nick named him heflumpy… and he was such a good natured baby he really only ever got a bit grumpy so the nick name stuck… He is my inspiration …my “Grumpy Heflumpy”.

What is your favourite piece from your own range?
My NEW little traveller range I love! These long sleeve tops are organic, super soft and have very subtle, fairly gender neutral designs. The fabrics are from Japan and feature designs of Paris, London and Russia. There are 3 designs per country in the range and available in sizes 00, 0 and 2. I think with this season I have found my groove and am very happy with how they have turned out.

Where else can we check you out?
We have a website: http://www.grumpyheflumpy.com.au/
And a facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Grumpy-Heflumpy/155157667839740

The 'little traveller' range

Thanks Jo, we look forward to seeing you at Sugar & Spice soon!

Boy: A noise with dirt on it

2011-04-15T11:12:00.000+10:00

My Master Spice has a secret. A secret that if exposed would bring out his best angry face. Ahh how he is renowned for mastering the angry face! Arms crossed, head down, eyebrows dropped, a look of thunder, which is usually unleashed when he is embarrassed, tired, grumpy, the list goes on. My little rough and tumble boy, who adores dinosaurs, Ben 10, and all things footy, isn't quite as tough as the world perceives. Nearly every night without fail he sneaks down the hallway and crawls into our bed and curls his fingers around mine. Yes, my Master Spice sleeps while holding my hand. Little boys were definitely made to melt their Mama's hearts.

Angry face - who me?

I know it has been said before but it's the little men who often get forgotten about in the handmade world. There is definitely a niche in the market there and I am putting a call out to all of you crafty, creative and clever people to bring on the boys goodies! Sugar & Spice would love to have you at our Markets.

Here are some of the gorgeous boys products previously seen at Sugar & Spice Children's Markets.

These beautiful pics were taken by Kim Selby.

1. Pirate dolls - Miss Ruby May

2. Little boy print - Almond Tree Designs

3. Boy bunting - Retrobub

4. Boys tees - 5 Star Baby!

Happiness is...

2011-04-12T21:23:00.000+10:00

Time for a cup of tea? Are the munchkins sleeping?

Whatever you may be doing, if you have a few spare minutes and are up for a quality read, then click on this little link and you will be taken to a whimsical place...

http://1000homesofhappiness.blogspot.com/

My super creative and clever sister has a little (BIG) blog project underway where she plans to 'release' 1000 origami homes.... just because. She writes a word on each home and posts about her life as a working Mama of three little ladies and their interactions with the world.

I thought I would share it with you as I find her blog inspiring, beautiful and full of ideas. I have no doubt that after reading, you will leave with a smile on your face and even better you can get involved by requesting to 'release' a home of your very own. I am quite fond of my blogging sis!

You may also get the chance to meet her as one of our retailers at the upcoming Woodend 1st Birthday Market, where she will be selling her quirky children's paintings. On the condition that she never publishes embarrassing childhood photos of me on her blog ever again. What better time to introduce you to her blog when she is giving one of these very paintings away!

Enjoy...

Blow out the candles!

2011-04-07T13:20:00.000+10:00

Sugar & Spice is turning one...
Our June 5, Woodend Market, marks one year of Sugar & Spice goodness.

A year since Ali's vision resulted in a bustling, much-talked about boutique market.

A year since the delicious cupcake stall was sold out within two hours.

A year since 100 goodie bags were snapped up by keen shoppers in the first 45 minutes.

A year since over 60 applicants applied to fill the 20 plus stalls on offer at St Ambrose Hall.

A year since Sugar & Spice Children's Market began!

On June 5 we plan to replicate all of this and more with a beautiful Sugar & Spice 1st Birthday Market in Woodend. We would love for you to join us for some celebrations and of course yummy cake!

Miss Sugar discovers the beauty of 1st birthday cake

We are currently looking for sponsors to be involved in this special event. Email me at sugarandspicemarket@gmail.com for further info.

Big Shoes....

2011-04-03T18:10:00.000+10:00

It is with great excitement that I introduce myself to the Sugar & Spice community and friends. My name is Sherryn and I am the new Owner and Director of Sugar & Spice Children's Market yay.

I can not go any further without giving much kudos and love to Sugar & Spice creator, Ali. Not only is Ali a lovely person, she is incredibly clever as well. Ali has created this gorgeous little brand that celebrates the world of handmade and takes beautiful and unique kids products to rural Victorian locations. I am so humbled that she chose me to take over! Ali has stayed true to the 'boutique' style market and I know that I wouldn't be alone in saying shopping at Sugar & Spice is a gorgeous experience all round. Thank you, Thank you Ali. You have poured many hours and lots of love into Sugar & Spice - I promise to take great care of your 'baby'.

A little background on me, I am the mother of two beautiful little people, Master Spice, 4 and Miss Sugar, 2. If only you knew how fitting this was to their personalities! I am a crafty lover and have been known to stalk all things market related. Including this very blog.

Have I told you we live in a beautiful part of the world?

I have 10 years plus experience working within the PR/Marketing & Event Management industry, and have just resigned from my role as Scienceworks' PR person to devote my attention to Sugar & Spice.

So from here I plan to throw myself in wholeheartedly. Let's hope for some fun, new relationships, LOTS of publicity, smiley shoppers/stall holders and busy, busy markets.

Drop me a line to say hello. Your suggestions and ideas to further the growth of sugar and spice are so very welcome. sugarandspicemarket@gmail.com

Sherryn

Goodbye and hello!

2011-04-01T20:56:00.000+11:00

Well today marks my last day as the owner and organiser of Sugar & Spice. It is a very bittersweet moment, especially typing those words. However, it is most certainly onwards and upwards for the Sugar & Spice market with it's lovely new owner, Sherryn. There are some exciting things happening for S&S this year so watch this space!

Sherryn has a strong background in PR, marketing and event management which is exactly what the market needs. I am sure that Sherryn will introduce herself to you all in the next day or so.

Before I sign off for the last time I just wanted to thank everyone for their understanding and support in the last few weeks. Your messages of support have been touching and heart warming to say the least. I also wanted to thank all of the beautiful businesses that have put their trust in S&S (and me) you guys are what make S&S such a fantastic little market.

Lastly many thanks to the lovely, lovely ladies behind Little Melbourne, Tea & Jam, Little Eats, tiny & little and The Little Hip Traveller. I would have been lost without your friendship and support. You all inspire and humble me with your brilliance every single day.

I wish you all happiness and success. Especially you Sherryn, I can not wait to see where you take Sugar & Spice from here.

The Mornington launch has been postponed

2011-03-15T20:08:00.000+11:00

I am sorry to inform you that I have made the very difficult decision to postpone the Mornington market.

This is not easy for me to write but I feel that it is the least I can do. At the end of last year I experienced a fairly traumatic experience in the midst of all of the Christmas markets. I was devastated at the time and did not feel strong enough to share any information with you all. So I soldiered on and thought all would be fine. Then it was Christmas with all the work do's and running around and on top of that we moved. I kept busy and I thought I was still fine.

But several weeks ago it call came crashing down. A friend of mine experienced a similar tragedy to mine, and it brought all of my sadness flooding back to me. Unfortunately I am also prone to depression and that is where I have managed to spiral to. My husband travelling overseas for a few weeks has not helped either.

Please be assured that I am receiving the help that I need however, it has impacted on my preparations for Mornington and things have not progressed as I would have liked them to. The launch market is very important and I do not want to mess it up by doing an okay job.

So I have decided for the sake of my health and for the sake of the market it would be best to postpone the launch until July.

I will also be handing over the reigns to Sugar & Spice sooner than I had planned and I have found the PERFECT person to take over S&S, but that is a whole different post.

Mornington sweetness!

2011-03-07T22:23:00.000+11:00

How sweet is this little hall? I love its blue doors, almost the exact same colour as the hall at Woodend It is going to look even prettier in a few weeks time when it plays host to the first Mornington Sugar & Spice!

Many thanks to the very lovely Nada of Red Mango Design and Photography for these photos. Nada is also the official photographer for the Mornington market!

Mornington Sugar & Spice

Sunday 3rd April

9am - 1pm

RSL Memorial Hall

19 Main Road, Mornington

The show goes on!

2011-02-28T16:23:00.000+11:00

Hello all,

Thank you for the concern you have all shown me the last few days. Please rest assured that my family and I are fine and dandy. The catalyst for finding S&S a new home was brought about because my husband is going to travel more and more with his job (and it is a job that he adores so I can't be selfish and tell him to find a new one!!). There are some simply lovely people interested in taking over S&S and they all have some pretty impressive qualifications too, it is gong to be a difficult decision for me to make! The future for S&S is very bright indeed.

I hope you are all looking forward to the Woodend market this Sunday, I know I most certainly am. Here is the list of retailers you will be able to shop at!

Milladdi Kids
Bunty and Sars
DEAR life
Shady Days
Impressionable Kids
Retrobub
Little Herriot
Mr Moo
Cool Kids Creations
Bridie - Jane

And not forgetting our lovely lovely photographer Kim Selby Photography

To a good home .....

2011-02-26T21:57:00.000+11:00

I realise that this is a little unexpected however, due to some personal circumstances Sugar & Spice needs to find a new home.

S&S needs someone who will take the market to the next level and there are already some very exciting developments on the horizon for Sugar & Spice.

If you can offer the right home for S&S please let me know.

Poster perfect!

2011-02-21T17:29:00.000+11:00

Prue has out done herself once again! How gorgeous is this poster??!! As we speak (so to speak) 100 of these are being printed on glossy A3 paper. Volunteers to help get these posters out and about would be much appreciated.

Ballarat prettiness

2011-02-07T21:55:00.000+11:00

I love Tea & Jam photography, I really honestly do! Kate and Nathan are such lovely people and they take spectacular photos, a perfect combo as far as I am concerned. Here are a few ace photos they took of the very first Ballarat Sugar & Spice and you will find a lot more on our facebook page.

For those of you in business, you should also check out Kate and Nathan's other baby, Tiny Agency

And so it begins again!

2011-02-07T14:33:00.000+11:00

Hello everyone! I hope you are all safe and dry after the torrential rain falls we had over the weekend .... is it safe to declare the drought over yet?

I hope that you had a lovely Christmas and New Year with your families! My little family spent a lot of time packing our belongings into boxes because we moved into our lovely new home in the Macedon Ranges and we are loving it.

School has started again which also mean back to work for me (boo) and Mr O is back at school too, though he did inform me that he needed another holiday! He was super excited when I told him he could have 2 days off (the weekend of course).

Of course our lovely markets are back on too with Ballarat the first cab off the rank this year. We are back at the lovely St Alipius Parish Hall at 78 Victoria Street (see the map for a bit of assistance) 9am - 1pm, with a lovely array of stall holders to browse : ) Here are just a few of them!

Myrtle & Grace

Little Brown Owl

Silly Milly Bow-tique

CharlieCharlieCoconut

Almond Tree Frames

Baby dimple

Bridie-Jane

Our ever popular goody bags, packed this time by the Goody Bag Exchange, will be available at the market! HOWEVER, to get your hands on of the 50 bags you will need to bring in a Sugar & Spice ad that we have running in this weeks Courier newspaper. There will be just to two ads this week so you will have to keep your eyes peeled!

Merry Christmas everyone

2010-12-20T12:16:00.000+11:00

I just love Kim Selby and her lovely, lovely photographs! This one would have to be my favourite. Head over to our facebook page to see lots more gorgeous photos from the last Woodend market

Wishing you all a safe Christmas filled with love, laughter and loved ones as well as wonderful New Year

Congratulations Chantell

2010-12-14T19:43:00.000+11:00

Calling Chantell Brooks you are the lucky winner of our gorgeous Christmas giveaway.

Many thanks to all of you who entered our giveaway there was over 100 forwards which is fantastic. Also a huge thank you to all of the businesses that contributed to the giveaway:

MoonmuM

Giggleberry

Little Kitchen

The Cupcake Wrapper Co

Tiny & Little

Little Sooti

MissRuby May

Ah Tissue

Style Me Gorgeous

Mini Envy

And just incase you missed it Sugar & Spice will be closed from this Friday until the 17th of Jan next year. Retailers need to have their applications to me by this Friday to secure your retail space at 2010 prices.

Better late than never .....

2010-12-11T09:47:00.000+11:00

Honestly where is my time going these days? I feel like I am living in some sort of a time warp!
Anyway here is the retailer list for tomorrows market. Better late than never as my gran would say!!

Charlie Bird Clothing

Adorning Al

Kim Selby Photography

Osihi-M

Fawn & Fox (formerly Little Elk)

Picanniny rugs

ByeBye Birdie

So make your list and check it twice ... I know I am going to be shopping up a storm tomorrow! There will also be coffee and free face painting, sadly no cupcakes this time around : (

The weather is going to be lovely, but even if we get a shower do not panic, we are an indoor market!

They say a change is as good as a holiday!

2010-11-26T18:17:00.000+11:00

Well this change has given me a few early grey hairs in the last couple of days, but "they" might just be right!

Due to safety issues the Ballarat market will no longer be held at St Patrick's Hall this Sunday. But the very lovely, determined and resourceful Kate from Tea & Jam refused to let me cancel the market outright and tracked down a wonderful alternative location, the gorgeous St Alipius Parish Hall. It is rather lovely isn't it, dare I say even lovelier than the original location?

So just incase you missed those details here they are again in bold!!

Sugar & Spice Ballarat

St Alipius Parish Hall

78 Victoria Street (right next to St Alipius Primary School)

9am - 1pm

Make sure you tell your family, friends & neighbours of the venue change too!

Visual Merchandising tips by Kristine Bryce

2010-11-25T20:42:00.000+11:00

Tonight I have a special treat for you. The very lovely Kristine of Adorning Al has very kindly agreed to do a guest blog post with some awesome tips on how to make your retail space beautiful.

Visual merchandising is the art of presentation and an integral part of any business’ marketing plan – no matter how big or small your business! To build long term brand loyalty and maximise sales, projecting the right image is crucial.

As a visual merchandiser for 10 years I have worked on and seen many effective and beautiful displays, and just as many bad ones. Draped satin fabrics and fake flowers are just some of the bad props I’ve encountered on my travels.

This December, I am delighted to be attending Sugar and Spice Market showcasing my brand, Adorning AL. Here are some of the tips I consider when planning a display:

1) Graphics and signage: use attention grabbing, yet clear graphics to communicate your brand. Forget fancy fonts or too much information - get straight to the point. Use computer graphic signage or a designer to help you with signage and price tickets. Do not scrimp here, it is all part of your image and reflects what you’re about.

2) Trends: When you next go shopping at a large retailer, take note of what makes you stop and look at their window, then enter and spend $$. The story the retailer has created has silently led you in and before you know it, a sale is done. So, jot down these steps and review… whether it was a catalogue, poster, price point or display prop, these are the points you need to consider when creating your own display style.

3) Space: Think about the total space you have for display. Use the space above and behind your stand, as well as the space on your trestle table or in front of you. Get creative and practise your display well before market day – it will mean less stress on the day and a quicker set-up time!

4) Synergy: Incorporate visual elements like a colour scheme, material type, use props like flowers, ceramic or glass bowls, build height and create levels by using boxes, use backdrops, the list is only as limited as your imagination! Group similar items to make it easy for the buyer to purchase and make sure there is flow. Group items together by size, colour, or product type. Make sure any props used complement, not distract your product.

5) Think outside the box: With so many stalls at markets, you want to grab the attention of potential buyers. What is so special about you that makes people want to purchase your product instead of those from the stall next to you? It maybe as simple as using lights or a lamp, a coloured table cloth or backdrop that make your items stand out more. It’s the little touches that can make a BIG difference.

You have only have a few seconds to catch a buyer’s eye… so remember you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to view and buy your product. Keep it clean and simple. Create your own style and be passionate about visual merchandising!

A drum roll please!

2010-11-16T21:04:00.000+11:00

The dates for next years markets are ..........

Ballarat - St Patricks Hall

13th February
31st July
27th November

Woodend - St Ambrose Hall

6th March
5th June
4th Sept
4th Dec

Mornington - RSL Memorial Hall

20th March
17th July
20th November

TA DAAAA!!!

Does anybody know how to add a calender to blogger?? Anyhow .....

The online booking form will me modified asap so you can start applying for next years markets if you feel so inclinded : )

The other exciting news for the market is that there will be 100 goodie bags to giveaway at every market and even better, I will not have to pack them YAY!! The Goodie Bag exchange is a new business that offers affordable advertising for mumprenuers. If you are thinking about how to spread the word about your business but your budget is on the modest side, then you should seriously consider The Goodie bag exchange. They distribute goodie bags through out Australia but you also have the option to select which bags your material appears in .... retailers with Sugar & Spice will be able to place material in our bags at a discounted rate.

Did you get a copy of our gorgeous new newsletter yesterday? I have received such positive feedback but I can not take all of the glory for the newsletter, Prue from Gigi & Lulu made it pretty and the contributions from Nat (tiny & Little), Jo (Little Melbourne - or Little Melby as I like to call it now!!), Jem (Little Eats) and Sabrina (Little Kitchen) were so incredibly awesome!! And you will be seeing more of their fabulous work in the future! Make sure you spread the love by forwarding the newsletter to your friends and gain yourselves an entry for our awesome Chrissy giveaway for each person you forward the newsletter to!

How gorgeous is this photo of just some of the chrissy goodies to win by Kim Selby?

Have you met .........

2010-11-10T14:14:00.000+11:00

Rebekah, the maker of the most lovely upcycled rabbits in the world? Also otherwise known as the creative force behind Dandelion!

Are you more Sugar or Spice?

Definitely more sugar, I'm a lover not a fighter!

How did your business Dandelion come about?

I have always enjoyed sewing & making things for my five children and this led me into starting up a small business from home. I also have a passion for op shopping and vintage fabrics. On a visit to the Creswick Woollen Mills I fell in love with their amazing alpaca blanket offcuts & saw huge creative potential. I wanted to create a toy that combined a variety of recycled materials and that is how my Blanket Bunnies were born. My mum helps out by knitting the girl bunnies gorgeous little cardigans using Australian wool from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne. I am now making boy pirate bunnies too. Since Dandelion began I have made hundreds of bunnies who have gone off to loving homes all over Australia & the world. Knowing that one of my bunnies is part of someone's life, a part of their childhood, is the best feeling ever!

What is the number one thing you can not leave the house without on market day?

My eldest daughter, Charlotte, who is the best helper in the world!

What has been your best purchase at a market?

It would have to be my super ace sky- blue flowery leather purse that I picked up at Paddington Market this year. It always makes me smile.

Where else can we catch you?

You can visit me at my blog www.dandelion-beck.blogspot.com, or via my shop www.dandelion.bigcartel.com, or at Sugar & Spice in Ballarat & Woodend. Come and say hi!

How could you say no to taking one of these home?

Have you met .........

2010-11-08T08:47:00.000+11:00

The very lovely Jane of Janey and Kipp?

With the help of Jenny from the Letterbug we are asking Jane the tough questions that you all want answered!!!

Are you more sugar or spice?

Sugar- what you see is what you get with me-I'm def not spicy!

How did you catch the market bug?

I think I was born with the' market bug' , as a kid I tried to sell lotions and potions I made from my herb garden on the side of the road- not one car stopped? I only have started doing markets though since some fantastic one have come to Ballarat.

What has been your best market purchase and where did you bag it?

My best ever market purchase would be some bamboo pj's for my little boy Kipp at Mathilda's market in melbourne.

What do you think is key to creating an enticing and gorgeous stall display?

I think an exciting display consists of a theme, height and depth and clearly marked prices.

On market day, what is the one thing you can not leave home without?

One thing I couldn't leave home without on market day would be food!

I am super excited that Jane will be retailing at the Ballarat Market on the 28th of this month, there are quite a few of her items that have made it onto my wish list. Take a peak at her gorgeous goodies in her etsy store and also on her blog. But I will leave you with my favourite, the divine bird houses she creates.

I've been naughty!

2010-11-03T21:27:00.000+11:00

I get a beautiful new blog thanks to Gigi & Lulu and then I ignore it.

It's a bit rude really.

In my defence I have been busy. 2 kids. 1 husband. 1 part time job as a teacher. Sold 2 properties. Brought my forever home (and it is truely gorgeous). Being ill ........

Busy is actually an understatement but not an excuse! So I promise to try and pay my pretty new blog the attention that it deserves

Goodie bag goodness

2010-09-28T21:21:00.000+10:00

The goodie bags are a popular feature of Sugar & Spice markets ....so popular, in fact, they disappeared in 25 minutes flat!

I am always very touched by the small businesses that put their hands up to be part of the bags. One of the loveliest ideas yet for the goodie bag came from the Jenny of Ooakly. Jenny designed the very sweet "love ya to bits postcards" which featured the classic Ooakly giraffe. The sweet philosophy behind the postcards was simple, surprise someone that you love with a hand written note. And who would not love recieving something so sweet in their mail box?

Were you lucky enough to recieve one? Jenny brought them with her on the morning of the market and I was not quick enough to keep up with the demand for the goodie bags! If you were one of the lucky few please pop over to Jenny's blog and let her know as she would love to hear the story of where your postcards travelled to!

You would have also discovered some gorgeous gift tags by Mecollie designs. Stock up on some more gift tags for Christmas on their website as 100% of proceeds from the sale of the tags will be donated to HeartKids. Lovely!

Whilst we are on the topic of goodie bags ...... 100 of them disappearing in 25 minutes is fairly staggering and I do so dislike telling people, who have arrived to the market early, that they are in fact too late for the bags. So I might hand out half of the bags when the market starts and then the last half a few hours laters.

What did you buy?

2010-09-27T14:46:00.000+10:00

I have a very tolerant husband, which is just as well really as I set myself a budget to spend at the September market ..... and then blew it by 50%!!!

I have discovered that it is quite a dangerous thing, running a boutique market and having a little girl, dangerous to the bank balance that is!!

This market I had a bit of a spending spree on dresses. I also grabbed a few gorgeous bibs from Gromarts and I will have to share a photo of them on facebook with you as they are in Miss T's room and she is having a snooze as I type this.

This lovely little dress is from Pinikity

This gorgeous dress is by Miss Haidee and is made from some old table cloths! I just adore the details ...

There was another dress I could not resist from Little Ray as well, but for some reason blogger has decided that I am not allowed to upload any more photos *sigh* I will have to post that one on FB too!

What did you buy at the market? I would love for you to share photos of your purchases over at our facebook page!

P.S. How pretty is my new blog??!! The makeover was done by the lovely Prue of Gigi & Lulu. My favourite bit is the retailers form that you will find under the retail tab. No more using ticket systems in evil (and confusing) ways

The goodie bags & a few things

2010-09-11T08:37:00.000+10:00

Packed and stacked ... all 100 of them! Chock full of vouchers and lovely products for the lucky people to get them. I never knew 100 bags would take up so much room and thank goodness my girlfriend came to help me or else I would have been up all night doing them ...... or my husband would have been forced to help!

Here are are just a few of the lovely companies that you will discover in the bags tomorrow! There are soooo many other lovelies in the bags but I do not want to spoil the suprise!!

On another note, due to some personal reasons La Torina will unfortunately be unable to make it to the market tomorrow, but in their place you will find the very gorgeous My Poppet!

Forecast for tomorrow: Sunny with a little bit of wind YAY!!!

See you there

Ali xx

A slight change of plans

2010-09-05T09:33:00.000+10:00

Due to some unforseen circumstances Tea & Jam Photography will not be able to attend next Sunday's market.

However, we are very lucky that the lovely Kim Selby has agreed to be our official photographer. Kim is mum to two gorgeous boys and a Woodend local. She takes the most magical pictures, especially of busy little people and their families. Kim's style is very relaxed, natural and candid. She aims to capture the smiles, frowns, laughter, kisses and cuddles but most importantly your family just being themselves!

Make sure you pop over to her blog to see some more of her gorgeous photos. And stop by her stall next Sunday & have a chat!

I am also very thrilled to let you know that Kim has also agreed to become the official photographer for Sugar & Spice Market in Woodend. You will still be able to catch Tea & Jam Photography at the Ballarat market.

See you next Sunday

Ali xx

I simply had to share

2010-08-19T19:43:00.000+10:00

These stunningly gorgeous postcards designed by the very ace Sarah from Style Me Gorgeous. Sarah whipped these up in a day, truely, just the one day. They are off to print but I will not have them until the end of August. There will be 2500 of them printed so if you are keen to help spread the word then let me know and I will pop some in the post as soon as I get my little hands onto them!!

I also have some A4 flyers being printed to be put up in kindy's, local community notice boards, businesses ... essentially anywhere I can get them. They are so so pretty

Yesterday I had a photo and interview for one of the local newpapers (the Macedon Ranges Telegraph for the locals), and will hit letter boxes next week. Another interview has been organised for the other major local paper which should appear in the week leading up the market. Did I mention that I hate having my photo taken? But what terrifies me even more is that there is the possibility of a TV interview for WIN news .... see the lengths that I go to for the market??

Ali xx

The September market is full

2010-08-18T09:31:00.000+10:00

Just a quick post to let you all know that all of the stalls for the September market have been snapped up. Thank you to all of the wonderful businesses that applied, I really wish I had the space to fit you all in.

If you are curious who is retailing this time around have a looky at the September retailers page.

Ali xx

Spoil yourself ... stay for the weekend in Woodend!

2010-08-11T09:52:00.001+10:00

We are very excited to announce a fantastic accomodation package at the very beautiful Campaspe House in Woodend.

The bed & breakfast package for a double is normally $280 per night, but for those of you attending Sugar & Spice it is a ridulous $160 a night!! That is a massive saving of over 40% and is available the Saturday night prior to EACH market. Here is a description of this package from their website:

Be spoilt on arrival with our Campaspe Country House welcome drink, served in our gracious guest lounges, or in the historic Edna Walling gardens.
Relax in our intimate accommodation, with a choice of either a courtyard room with ensuite, or one of our two historic manor rooms (which are not ensuite but have their own private shower facilities).
Indulge in our extensive continental buffet, which is followed by an a la carté cooked breakfast, served in our restaurant.

Gorgeous!!

So why not treat yourself to a lovely relaxing evening in a beuatiful boutique hotel, a sumptious breakfast in the morning and then a short stroll to all of the delights Sugar & Spice market offers ........ bring the kids along too (or not!!!)

To book this wonderful package simply contact Campaspe House and mention that you would like the Sugar & Spice Market accomodation special. Then simply sit back and dream of the lovely weekend you are going to have!

So back to Woodend ...

2010-07-18T09:18:00.000+10:00

With all the chatter of Ballarat it would be easy to forget the Woodend market!

Applications for the September market opened last Sunday and there has simply been a flood of application, and may I say how many simply lovely businesses there are out there making gorgeous bits and pieces for the kidlets. The September market is going to be very lovely too!

I am also trying to be being super doper organised by starting to plan the Woodend Christmas Sugar & Spice and I would really like to have a bigger venue. Now do not get me wrong I really do love St Ambrose Hall, but a bigger space = more retailers = more variety with the added bonus of more space .... and a lot of you have told me that more space is really important. So, do you have any suggestions of a suitable location. I would preferably like to keep it in Woodend but I am open to any suggestions really!

Ali xx

Brace yourselves Ballarat!

2010-07-12T12:58:00.000+10:00

The Sugar & Spice Children's Market is definitely setting up shop (so to speak!)

When: 28th November 2010
Where: St Patricks Hall (adjacent to St Partrick Cathedral on Sturt Street)
Time: 10am - 2pm though this is negotiable

St Patricks Hall is simply magnificent and twice the size of St Ambrose Hall in Woodend, so there will be oodles of room for the lovely businesses that have already contacted me expressing interest! Seriously, do not buy any Christmas gifts for the kids, neices or nephews .... I promise there will be loads of gorgeous stuff to buy them at the market

Who is up for a road trip .........

2010-07-08T09:51:00.000+10:00

...... to Ballarat??

If you have not caught wind of our news yet, Sugar & Spice Market is coming to Ballarat!!

The news was broken in the local newspaper (The Courier for those of you playing along at home) on Monday and the response has been VERY positive already, YAY!! Luckily my parents live there still and mum has saved me a copy of the article.

I am really hoping to have a Ballarat Sugar & Spice by the end of the year (late November is the current plan); that is if everything falls into place nicely for me. Now to continue my search for the perfect Ballarat venue, it is proving to be a little more challenging than I orginally thought!

Ali xx

P.S. "Like" us on Facebook to be kept up to date with our progress in the B town!

A few gorgeous pics from the market

2010-07-02T12:02:00.000+10:00

I just know it is going to be a great day when I receive an email from the lovely Kate of Tea & Jam Photography. Monday's email was no exception as the gorgeous photos they took of the market were sitting there patiently waiting for me.

So yes I have been a little slow to get these up, but I hope that you enjoy them!!

Many thanks to Kate and Nathan for these photos. You will be able to catch them again at the September market but if you can not wait that long Kate will happily book a session for you via email........ be quick though as appointments for this year are filling quickly!!

Did you take any photos of the market? If you did I would love it if you would share them on our facebook page.

Ali xx

Well & truely launched!

2010-06-21T07:58:00.000+10:00

As I was frantically doing all of the last minute things Saturday night I paused for a moment and realised that organising the first market was very much like getting married. Months and months of preparation and planning for 4 hours of fun.....

.........but what a 4 hours that was!

The scrumptious cupcakes from Cupcake central sold out in 2 hours flat
The 100 goody bags were all gone in 45 minutes
Dad's corner was an absolute hit with the dads (& the mums hehehe)
The poor face painter did not stop for 4 hours, there was even a ticket system!!
David Cosma's music set the most wonderful vibe for the day
I did not count the number of people through the door & I will not even try to guess. Safe to say it was over 100!
I finally got to put a face to my lovely virtual friends, some of whom I have been chatting with for ages!

In amongst all of this chaos, I did not get a chance to take photos, tweet or sit down really. Luckily the amazing Nathan from Tea & Jam was given the task of taking photos and I can not wait to share them with you!

I did, however, manage to find the time to shop up a storm!!

This beautiful doll from MissRuby May is for my little girl Tess who turns 1 this Saturday ... but secretly she might end up being mine!!

This gorgeous little coin purse is from Robin Street Market and it was just perfect to carry my ever dwindling money yesterday

My sister announced at the begining of last week that she is pregnant with her first bubba and the timing on her behalf was magnificent because I was able to grab a few things for my new neice/nephew!! Above is some lovely burp cloths from Smallish and a beautiful body suit with an owl ... my sister loves owls!

Another gorgeous purchase for my little girl a skirt from Mira Narnie.

I also brought myself a wonderful flower from Bursaria but I can not find it at the moment ......

We also got a mention in the Sunday Herald Sun yesterday! I am yet to see it, I have managed to bring the paper in from the car but I have not gotten much further.

For those of you who asked (and there were lots that did) the next market in Woodend will be on the 12th of September. To be kept in the loop make sure you sign up to the mailing list - the sign up box is at the top right.

...... and I was right, it was very much like getting married!! A little stressful but loads of fun with lovely music, food and wonderful people. I also can not remember that much of it (but that is not due to alcohol consumption this time!!)

Have you made it over to madeit yet?

2010-06-07T20:09:00.000+10:00

Love handmade - check

Love shopping online 'cos you can do it in your jarmies - check

Love Etsy- check

Hate paying for Aussie made goodies in American dollars - double check

Then you need to head on over to madeit. Lovers of handmade will rejoice at the abundance of gorgeous Australian made fashion, art, homewares, accessories, stationery, children and babies clothing and toys and much much more. Lots of our lovely retailers have a madeit store ......... Piper+Lily, Here We Go Loopy Lou, MoonMum and MooBee Tees spring to mind (I know there are many more but, forgive me, they are escaping me at the moment).

Shopping on madeit is a breeze and great way to support local designers & crafters, I have been shopping up a storm over there today. I am in desperate need of some fabulous new cushions to go with my fabulous new couch arriving the day after the market (!!) and I really wanted something different to the mass produced (and totally over priced) blandness I have been seeing in the shops recently. I love that I can purchase something unique and lovingly created with just a few clicks!

Sprinkled throughout this post is some goodies I am absolutely loving at the moment, I wish I could figure out where to hang some of these divine tissue paper Pom Poms at the market .........

If you are maker of lovely handmade goodies you should give some careful consideration opening up your own online madeit shop!

Say hello to LouandBoo

2010-05-27T20:29:00.000+10:00

Introducing the very gorgeous LouandBoo, one of the lovely retailers you will have the pleasure of shopping with at the June Market.

We are two sisters on a mission, with the gracious help of Lou and Boo and their friends to bring back some spunk into the lives of your precious little ones! You've guessed it LouandBoo is all about the kiddy-winks! We specialize in handmade baby sleep sacks and original art prints for a lovely addition to any nursery.

You can get a sneak peak at beautiful LouandBoo products on their online store.

I can not wait to see to see Lou, Boo and thier friends at the market!

Our custom buntings

2010-05-26T13:46:00.000+10:00

The very gorgeous Amy, creative whizz behind GiggleBerry Creations, whipped up some super sweet Sugar & Spice Market buntings last week. They arrived in the mail today and they are fabulous!
Now to figure out where the best place to hang these will be!!

Sweet & Innoscent

2010-05-22T08:48:00.000+10:00

In my household we take our skin care very, very seriously! That is quite a strange statement to make. I know. However, we need to pay extra attention to the products we use use on our skin as I suffer from psoriasis and Owen has eczema. The reality is that Tess will more than likely have quite sensitive skin too (we are a bundle of fun aren't we??!!)

I have many not so fond memories of my mother soaking me in various smelly potions, all in the aid of ridding me of my itchy, dry skin. Bless her, she was trying to do her best for me with the limited products available at the time but anyone who has experienced the pine based (yes as in pine trees) will know just how horrible children skin products were back in the early 80's. Oh and there was a phase where mum used an ointment on me that she had to buy from the vets ... as a teenager that is quite a traumatic experience!

Now having my own children with sensitive skin I have been very anxious not to subject them to the same smelly products that I was. Fortunately skin care products for children have advanced quite significantly in 30 years but I was still not thrilled with the choices until I discovered Little Innoscents.

Little Innoscents produce the most beautiful pure, organic and chemical free skin care products I have ever had the pleasure of using. And the best bit, they are all naturally scented using the finest organic essential oils so they smell fantastic .... so fantastic in fact, that the use of the products are not limited to the children! I love using the baby massage lotion as hand cream and I regularly pinch some of the hair and body wash for myself!

Owen's favourite product is the hair & body wash. Owen has always been very resistant to washing his hair as he hates getting shampoo in his eyes with a passion. Washing his hair became such a battle that it turned into a task I rarely attempted but not any more!! Now Owen quite cheerfully rubs the hair & body wash into his hair, and the beautiful essential oils that it contains has an awesome staying power. I love to use this body wash myself!

Tess's favourite at the moment is the bottom balm (well, yes, ok, technically that is my favourite for her). My baby has started teething recently and as a result the poor little popette has had some horrid nappy rash (even with using cloth nappies). Whenever Owen had nappy rash I always used a popular brand of paw paw cream because I believed I was using something natural on his skin. I have recently discovered however that this particular brand is petroleum based and they fail to mention this in their ingredient list!!! This time round I knew exactly where to source a gorgeous natural and organic bottom balm for my darling. Within a few hours of using the cream her little bottom looked much much better and the rash was gone within 24 hours. And of course it made her bottom smell oh so lovely too!

I am terribly excited that Little Innoscents is sponsoring the market so you will be able to smell these gorgeous products for yourself! Also they will be including some samples in the goody bags so get to the market nice and early to grab some samples!

Our local paper advert

2010-05-12T21:11:00.000+10:00

Check out the simply gorgeous advert that the mind blowingly talented Sarah from Style Me Gorgeous whipped up for me today.

Many thanks also go to very lovely Dot and her trusty side kick Jenny from the Letter Bug for helping get the words oh so right, just like they always do!

I simply can not wait to see the flyers Sarah designs for the market ... and then get them out there so people know (and absolutely positively want to come) to the market.