Making Spaces Marketplace * Made From Pretty Little Things

So long, farewell!

2012-01-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

Making Spaces was privileged to have played a part in the dynamic

Pop Up Parramatta initiative and we are forever grateful for the opportunity.

For all who contributed to making this empty space a creative one, we thank you!

Our time with Pop Up Parramatta has come to a close

2012-01-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

Making Spaces Marketplace has enjoyed 6 months of introducing the handmade community to the broader community and offering a place for independent designers to showcase their wares. With the support of Pop Up Parramatta and Arts NSW we’re very pleased with what we’ve achieved in such a short space of time, making connections and generating close to $30 000 in sales for the small businesses that have traded with us.

As shop girls, we’ve been delighted to be involved in the project and cannot speak highly enough of how it is growing the CBD and inviting new life into the city, as well as supporting micro industry and creativity. We hope that it continues to strengthen over the coming year and wish all involved every success!

We would also like to thank all of the designers who have committed to trading with and promoting our shop. It’s been an incredible privilege to work along side such diverse talent. We couldn't have had such a vibrant store and developed a loyal customer base without them.

Making Spaces closes its doors at 3:30pm Saturday 21st January - so if you’ve been meaning to pop by and stock up on handmade designer wares, make haste!

Thank you again for your tremendous support and enthusiasm, what an amazing time we’ve had!

Yours in handmade
Kirrily and Kirsten

Christmas shopping day wrap up!

2011-12-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a day!There was a wonderful festive feel all day at Making Spaces yesterday. Youcame, you shopped and shopped and shopped some more! We're so pleased that yourChristmas list was full of lovely handmade things from the shop.

We're also pleasedthat you got to go into the draw to win 1 of 14 incredible prizes donated tothe event by our generous designers. All winners have been contacted and are listedbelow. A very big THANK YOU to our designers, our customers and our helpers formaking our Christmas Shopping Day such a wonderfully successful event!

First Prize
(approx $200.00 value)

A Phoebe Lamps lamp ofcustomer's choice
+ Making Spaces $25 store voucher
+ store hamper

WON BY: Emily P.

Second Prizes

(approx $50.00 value each)

RMD Jewellery :: sterling silver and resin set pendant andmatching drop earrings

WON BY: Susan Z.

Billy Mac Clothing:: 2 short-sleeve tees - winners choice of size, colour & design

WON BY: Mrs C.

JennaAppleton :: stunning sterling silver designer jewellery

WON BY: Suzanne H.

Muzz:: a red MDF Christmas tree and 3 mirrored swallows

WON BY: Martina Y.

SuzARTeCreations:: beautiful framed image and 2 cards

WON BY: Christina C.

ApplecartCo:: handmade dress and coordinating hairclips

WON BY: Mel R.

Third Prizes

(approx $25.00-$35.00 value each)

Mumma’sHugs :: $25 gift card to be used to purchase Mumma's Hugs in store

WON BY: Jade D.

TheTwin Thing :: a handmade bean bag counting toy set

WON BY: Tim P.

Georgia’sCloset :: a handmade skirt in Christmas fabric

WON BY: Bernie B.

Gift packs

(approx $20.00 value each)

Gift pack 1 :: a pretty little Jenna Appleton piece + NaksWax candle

WON BY: Lynnette S.

Gift pack 2 :: NaksWax candle + Hilltop Jewellery earrings

WON BY: Lynette A.

Gift pack 3 :: Gitane Jewellery kids jewellery pack

WON BY: Sabrina J.

Gift pack 4 :: Curious Empireearrings + frankiemagazine

WON BY: Tess C.

Your Christmas shopping needs covered

2011-11-21T16:46:00.001-08:00

We've been working hard to make Christmas shopping easier for you! So, as well as our amazing Christmas shopping day, we've developed a gift guide to get you started.

We will have printed copies of the guide available in store soon but for those who need a little time to get their ideas together for the shopping day, you can download a PDF version of the guide right here! Just click the pic:

Making Spaces is pleased to support :: Mountain Makers

2011-11-21T02:14:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, Mountain Makers is on - A designer and artisan market held at Springwood, in the mid Blue Mountains. We know that many of our customers are mountain locals, so do stop by if you are in town. Be sure to look out for our designers Needle vs Thread, planettreasures and Indigo Elephant too!

Discover who's trading and location details here.

Mark this in your diary!

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

All the detailed info is here!

Designer in Focus :: Jenna Appleton

2011-10-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

We love pretty shiny things and Jenna Appleton's jewellery is that and so much more! In her own words "Jewellery satisfies both my need to learn and my need to create objects with my hands. I try to bring an ‘engineered’ perspective to much of what I do, because that’s how my head works… I’m a problem solver first and an artist second."

The engineered approach is evident in the beautiful, precise and simple lines, infused with stunning textures and splashes of colour.

View the range in store or online.

bespoke giveaway

2011-10-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

A little treat for you!

Go into the draw to win a copy of *bespoke* zine by leaving a comment here. Simply state which issue you'd love to own (this is a perfectly acceptable case of judging a book by its gorgeous hand illustrated cover!) and cross your fingers until 19th October when we'll draw 3 lucky winners.

issue #4

issue #3

issue #2

*bespoke* is a quarterly independently created Australian zine all about handmade, vintage, photography, art, micro-business, eco-friendly goodness and much more – all in a sweet little A5 sized package that you can take anywhere! Professionally printed in full-colour, brimming with crafty goodness! Only 1000 units are produced of each issue and Making Spaces is a proud stockist of this delightful little zine.

Making Spaces Grand Opening :: cancellation

2011-10-02T03:17:00.000-07:00

We have some news regarding our planned Grand Opening – Centre Management have advised Parramatta Council (who were hosting the event) that we (Council/Making Spaces/African Hub) are not permitted to hold a function in the plaza on Thursday 6th October due to public liability concerns. If you have forwarded an invite to anyone, please do let them know.

Whilst this is disappointing news and we were very much looking forward to celebrating, we are absolutely not letting this veto get us down. In lieu of an official opening, we will be hosting a Christmas Shopping Event with lots of wonderful plans, including complimentary seasonal gift wrapping and lucky door prizes. Mark Thursday 1st December in your diary! More details to come closer to the date.

Thanks for your understanding, and thank you again for your commitment to indie design, small self representing businesses and Making Spaces.

Yours in handmade
Kirrily and Kirsten

You're invited...

2011-09-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Designer in Focus :: Muzz

2011-09-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Designer Leanne of Muzz makes these incredible timber pieces in her home studio. They truly are a delight, super good looking and her swallows keep walking out of Making Spaces faster than she can create them! Not pictured, but just as stunning, are personalised acrylic Christmas decorations - a perfect gift! Muzz also offers custom laser cutting for small businesses, so be sure to contact them if you need any short run acrylic or timber jobs completed.

View the range in store or online

Designer in Focus :: Creative Wishes

2011-09-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

We love love love these! Felt play food and toys, made by hand, by the lovely Melinda of Creative Wishes. The detail is amazing - pie with a blob of sauce, cupcakes with frosting, fairy bread and even liquorice all-sorts! A favourite is the sweet fishing set, complete with magnetic fish that are easy for toddlers to "catch".

View the range in store or online

Designer in Focus :: Phoebe Lamps

2011-09-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

These are quite something... And we can't put it any better than the designers themselves
The Phoebe lamp is unlike any lamp you have seen before! It’s unique design allows you to effortlessly change the appearance of the lamp. The idea being that you can tailor its look to suit the user or setting. The decorative part of the lamp, typically a piece of paper or fabric, is independent of the lamp itself. When purchased the lamp comes with an insert, however when the appropriate time comes to change the look of the lamp, there is a world of possibilities awaiting. Almost anything you can imagine will work in a Phoebe lamp, from fabrics and wall papers to wrapping paper and even original artworks.

We think these would make a wonderful gift! View the range in store or online

Design in Focus :: ApplecartCo

2011-09-01T03:59:00.000-07:00

ApplecartCo is a family business run by Jodie and her mum Maureen. They proudly come from a long line of crafty and creative women and create all of ApplecartCo's beautiful pieces between them.

Find ApplecartCo instore or online.

Designer in Focus :: Inner Earth Soaps

2011-08-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

Inner Earth Soaps specialises in making traditional cold process soaps, with a wide selection of styles, scents and colours to suit every taste, as well as some delectable lotions and lip balms.

If you're looking for a great Father's Day gift, we've got some of Erin's Bloke Soap and Shaving Soap too!

Find Inner Earth Soaps in Making Spaces and online.

Designer in Focus :: Elm Design

2011-08-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Elm Design is the work of Blue Mountains ceramic artist Peta Misbrener. Elm Design came about through her love of design, porcelain ..... and getting her hands dirty.

Find a selection of Elm Design in Making Spaces and online.

Designer in Focus :: RMD Jewellery

2011-08-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

RMD Jewellery is the creative label of Rachel Moore, a Silversmith in Sydney who creates a range of simple modern jewellery using metalworking techniques together with a range of kiln fired enamel jewellery for a splash of colour.

Find a selection of RMD Jewellery in Making spaces and online

A peek at some of the designers in Making Spaces for August

2011-08-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

benconservato : elm design : needle vs thread : christine's millinery : muzz

xavier & me : tanya carter : naks wax candles : RMD jewellery

new flag outside the shop

paper ivy : red elephant creative : RMD jewellery : christine's millinery : elm design

maria's mosaics

red elephant creative

tika bear

inner earth soap

Who's Talking About Making Spaces?

2011-08-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

If you follow us on Twitter or are a Facebook fan then you’d know we’ve had a little media coverage lately – most exciting. If you've not already seen the Made It interview published last week be sure to take a look. Thank you for your wonderful support!

But that's not all - this week, look out for an interview with Kirrily and Kirsten in The Parramatta Advertiser! It will be in print and online from tomorrow.

Remember, you can help promote Making Spaces too. If you're a featured designer, be sure to let your customers know they can buy your wares in store by using the blog button and code to your right -->

We're two weeks into our creative venture and having a ball. The response from customers and designers has been overwhelmingly positive - we love that you love what we're doing! We are heading towards our second month now and looking forward to more of the same. If you are a current designer we will be contacting you shortly regarding your cluster space and securing you for another month. If you've been thinking about applying to join Making Spaces now is a great time to get your application in as we'll be allocating retail spaces and market showcases for August/Sept very soon!

Opening Day!

2011-07-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

With special thanks to Jodie of ApplecartCo for not only taking these amazing shop photos, but also for being Making Spaces very first customer.

We had a wonderful first day - thank you to all who stopped by to say hello and browse our store of lovely handmade goodness!

One more sleep!

2011-07-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

Our doors open at 10am tomorrow...

Our market traders for the day are

planettreasures

orange who?

christine's millinery

Hope to see you there!

We get by with a little help from our friends

2011-07-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

{man of the moment finishing the application of our logo in the shop window}

Today was all about the muscle.

We called on our nearest and dearest to shift large furniture, climb ladders, solve problems, and generally help us power through the insanely large To Do List that is our lives at present. Many thanks to all who gave us their time today - it is so very much appreciated.

A very special thank you to our friend Jenna for her assistance with our signage preparation - she's saved us countless hours! You can view Jenna's amazing studio jewellery here and in Making Spaces from 20th July.

We continue to eat, sleep and breathe Making Spaces.

As you could imagine, life is frantic at the moment, but in the most wonderful of ways!

Bringing in the troops!

2011-07-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

When there is a shop to prepare and you've several children underfoot due to

school holidays, there's only one thing for it. Put them to work of course!

{Keen boys cleaning the shop counter}

{A mini shop girl}

{More elbow grease}

{A stop by Grandmas for refreshments}

{And a quick trip here for super secret shop supplies}

Another productive day at Making Spaces!

Time to get busy!

2011-07-11T03:20:00.000-07:00

It's all coming together! Many hours have been dedicated to this project so far, in terms of planning and discussing and dreaming, going as far back as November 2010.

As you know, we were allocated a shopfront under Pop Up Parramatta only 2 weeks ago, and since then we've spent a lot of time doing this....

{that's one 1/2 of Making Spaces - Kirsten}

And today, we got the shop keys!

{this was much more exciting than it looks}

We couldn't be happier

{and that's the other 1/2 of Making Spaces - Kirrily}

Over the next week we will be conducting very secret shop business,

getting things ready for our grand opening on 20th July 2011!

{no peeking until the big reveal next week}

We are part of such a wonderful and supportive community, and we thank you for spreading the handmade word about this exciting venture! Make sure to check out our dedicated featured designers page and please continue to let your friends and family {both designers and customers} know all about Making Spaces.

We open on Wednesday 20th July!

2011-07-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

It's all systems go at Making Spaces HQ. We're painting furniture and fielding enquiries and making plans and many more things besides. Exciting times!

What we need to make this new creative project take off is you! We want you to help us fill Making Spaces with your beautiful handmade wares. You can find out more about the concept here and how to get involved, what options are available and apply if you think Making Spaces is for you. All your queries should be answered in the above links, but if not please ask us.

The enthusiasm is strong and we already have some amazing indie business owners and designers on board - we'd love for you to join us too!

And so it begins!

2011-06-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's happening! It really is!

Late last week opportunity knocked and we answered the door. On Monday this week, we viewed and secured a shop front! Making Spaces Marketplace has become a reality - from 20th July 2011 we begin trading at Shop 17 in Greenway Plaza, 222 Church Street Parramatta.

Things are moving swiftly now. We've had our heads down working with the solicitor, Pop Up Parramatta people and completing paperwork... LOTS of paperwork. Information will be distributed from Friday 1st July, so if you haven't already, now is the time to jump on board and express your interest in the project.

We're so excited and very much looking forward to what is to come!