Craft Hatch marches on

Last Saturday was the Craft Hatch market for students and emerging designers. It was great fun to see so many fresh new artists and their fabulous work, as well as familiar faces too. The wet weather outside made the City Library a cosy place to escape from the rain - and a good place to stock up on some well-made handmade goodies!


Here's a peek at what was in store last weekend (warning, image-heavy post ahead)

Beautiful 'wing' brooches from Jen Hall. Each brooch consists of 3 wings hand cut from plywood and covered with a beautiful photograph. There were also stud earrings that came in small and large sizes.

Deirdre Hoban and Jasmine Targett were great additions to the market, and their unique jewellery was extremely well received. Deirdre's work ranged from pastel-coloured ceramic triangles on silk cord to hand cut car and canoe necklaces. There were also rings and earrings too, as well as some brooches. Too cute!

Jasmine's work presented a new take on glass jewellery. Delicate and super shiny (and also super attractive for magpies like yours truly), Jasmine's dichroic glass pendants changed colour depending on the surface they were laid on. Fantastic! What was once green pendant on a black dress was transformed into a pink pendant when placed atop a white t-shirt.


Next to Deirdre and Jasmine was Ellen Kocjancic and her label, ellka designs. Consisting of sweet little embroidered brooches featuring cats, strawberries, teapots (pictured below) and other ridiculously adorable motifs, Ellen was also industriously working on new brooches to add to her flock.

Plenty of stationery goodness from Kim McGeachin's label, Moose and Me.
Janine Kleynhans, whom some of you may remember from the February market, was back with plenty of brilliant new jewellery.
Many makers were busy bees this month, crafting away on new work while bantering with visitors.
Over in the seminar room lay plenty more of delicious goods. The seminar room is where you will find larger work, including bags, furniture, clothes and the like. So next time you visit, don't forget to turn round the corner and make your way down!
Lovely bags from one of Craft Hatch's dearest, Christiane Poulos of Le Petite Poulette. Don't forget guys, Christiane also makes bags to order so do enquire!


Intricately detailed ceramic vases and vessels by Moj Habibi.
Button brooches and accessories by Mixamasha (Tasha Hassapis). Colourful pops of colour to brighten your Melbourne wardrobe.
Favourites Box Hill TAFE were back too with plenty of fine jewellery.
Catherine Preston's fun LEGO jewellery and accessories made an appearance as well...

...and not to mention 2 candy dishes full of pretty badges. All at $1 too! Bargain beauties (literally!)

Lisa Engelhardt and her beautiful textiles executed under her Orchis Morio label. Check out her blog post on the market. The products below are pillowcases. Good for lounging upon, which is what we like.




Jules Musgrove of Poppet also graced us with her ultra-cute wares. Check out her blog for a closeup of the cutest fruit and vege necklace we've ever seen, honest!





The next market is Saturday 4 April. We've pushed the date forwards as our usual slot falls on Easter weekend. Don't forget to write it down in your diary!

Lump of Clay workshop

Last Friday was the first of many workshops to come featuring Chicks on Speed. Entitled Lump of Clay, the workshop was presented by Irene Grishin-Selzer (of Iggy and LouLou). It was extremely well attended, with gallery visitors milling around the table of crafty participants, eagerly peeking at what splendid creations were in the making.


Alex Murray-Leslie and Dani M crafting away
Here's a sample at what some of our lovely ladies came up with:

Barely an hour later and Dani's nimble fingers have produced the sweetest little gumnut baby frame (it's Snugglepot of course)
Irene's little guy.




A big thank you to our generous supporter, Northcote Pottery for kindly supplying us with the materials for the day. Thanks guys!
Also, do check out Dawn's post on participating in the workshop - thanks Dawn! The next workshop to look forward to is the Indigo Dye Workshop happening tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon. Indigo Girls is a craft-action dye event that has previously been performed in Taxco, Mexico and Brooklyn, New York. This workshop is open to everyone (your fine self included!) and there requires no previous knowledge/skill about dyeing. So come, dye some clothes and watch them form part of Viva La Craft! For more information or to book a place, call us on 9650 7775. Be quick!

Opening night shenanigans

On Thursday night CVHQ opened its doors to throngs of keen art appreciators, crafty afficionados, fans and the thirsty. With a median age of 25, it was great to see so many fresh new faces! The above picture is of the queue that formed in the minutes prior to opening. The line extends from the staircase and down the length of enCOUNTER!

As expected, it was really packed but we had a great system of letting people in only when people left. Simple, but effective.

There's also currently a large piece of fabric waiting to be embroidered by anyone and everyone. Next time you're in the area, do drop by and be a part of it!


Happy revellers.

To all who came, thank you and we hope you had as great a time as we did! More pictures of the performance and event will be up on CLOG later in the week and on Facebook, so keep an eye out.

Introducing... Dani M

CLOG is very excited to present to you an interview with one of Melbourne's most exciting jewellers - Dani M! Queen of deliciously pastel-coloured geometric pendants and earrings, Dani M is as sweet as the jewellery she designs. In addition to her jewellery line, Dani crafts sweet little porcelain vessels, also from Southern Ice - a type of porcelain that produces a translucent finish that is smooth to the touch.

Don't forget to check out Dani's website and blog too! Dani is currently working on some new silver jewellery. Revisiting work from her previous exhibition, The Tea Party, Dani has served up some frilly silver shapes that are sitting prettily in COUNTER at the moment. Well not for long more to be honest!


About Dani M…
I just finished uni, was at a total loss and my partner suggested, since I liked porcelain, why don’t I try and use my design skills and make homewares. I did for a while- then I started some basic jewellery pieces and had lots of fun with it.

It’s been a great 6 and a half years. It’s also been along time and I’m finding myself ask more and more if I’m ever going to make it! I have been working casually the whole time, and now that I’ve been forced to quit due to an injury, I can’t ignore the issue of can and will I do this full time. It’s a lot of pressure and I can’t perform under pressure – I get stage fright!

But, there have been many encouraging words to keep me going. From my forever supportive husband, great studio mates that help with problem solving and buying my work, to strangers I meet that know or wear my work. Having people believe in you helps so much. Although my parents are a bit bummed I’m not a successful lawyer, they have been ace. My dad even built me a shed in the backyard!

The most exciting thing for me so far…
I still think the Vogue editorial years ago was the best thing that’s happened to me. Also having Michelle Jank (fashion designer, jeweller and stylist) use my pieces in Harpers Bazaar was amazing too.

My favourite design of all time…
I still love the gloss heart necklaces – they look so delicious shiny…and they are easy to wear.

In your website bio you write that each collection is a reflection of you. What are you currently working on at the moment and how does it relate to you?
I design/make things I want to wear – that’s always been the way I work. I can’t create something that I have no relationship to. Right now I’m not working on anything new – and that’s a reflection of where I am right now – lost! The last thing I created was the leaf earrings. I had been working on ‘diamonds’ collection and was getting bored. I really wanted to make something completely from scratch – they took ages and don’t know if I’ll make another pair again. Maybe.

Some of my favourite Melbourne spots…
Elizabeth St Espresso every morning for the smoothest latte and a chat with Pete and Jess; Heidi on a sunny day; Hot Poppy on Errol St for breakfast; Ian Potter, NGV, Craft Victoria (of course) and Lamington Drive.

10 years I ago I was…
Finishing 1st year uni at Swinburne, not a care in the world, falling in love. Why they let me into Industrial Design I will never know!

…and in 10 years’ time,
I hope I’m still making jewellery…I will be making something. Maybe we will have a shop selling our wares. Steve (my husband) should be making shoes by then. We can’t even honeymoon without getting the urge to be crafty!

Getting ready...

CVHQ has been a hive of activity over the past few days. Busy bees from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop have been weaving as fast as their nimble fingers can, Erik and Bianca have been working their collective installation genius magic, volunteers have been scurrying here and there and it's been all hands on deck for the CVHQ team. Busy indeed!

We've been getting ready for our big bang of an exhibition, Viva La Craft , a dynamic and interactive performance/installation by Melissa Logan and Alex Murray-Leslie of Chicks on Speed (you may have heard of them...) Here's a peek at what we've been busy with...


A glimpse at the giant tapestry/musical instrument currently being woven... come see it in its finished form tonight!



Viva La Craft opens tonight at 6pm, with a special DJ set by Alex and Melissa of Chicks on Speed. This event is free and there is no need to RSVP, so do come early as we're in for a crazy packed night... see you soon!

Take a Ball of Thread... workshop with Melinda Young

Last Saturday, previous Gallery 3 exhibitor Melinda Young held a workshop based on the theme of her exhibition, Take a Ball of Thread... Participants were invited to create their very own special piece of jewellery using thread (naturally!) as well as some complementary materials. Here is a peek at what some of the lovely ladies came up with:

CVHQ Retail Head Honcho Carmel's handiwork.
Deirdre Hoban's blue beauty. See more of her work at Craft Hatch this Saturday.
Jo Jepsen - we love the perforated silver piece!
Amina McPhee demonstrating another creative use of the perforated finding. Amina will be participating in the April Craft Hatch, stay tuned!

Rhiannon Smith's wonderfully knotted creation. She'll be sharing a stall with Amina at Craft Hatch next month.

Dearne Herrenberg of Mainichi's little pocket of sunshine. See more pictures on Dearne's blog!

Vicki Mason's delightfully verdant number.

We have several workshops coming up in conjunction with our Chicks on Speed exhibition (opening Thursday night from 6-8pm!), starting with Lump of Clay this Friday, a workshop presented by CoS and Irene Grishin-Selzer of ceramic jewellery label Iggy and Lou Lou. With materials sponsored by Northcote Pottery (thanks guys!), this event is free although places are strictly limited.

For more details, visit our list of events/workshops/lectures on our website.

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