Wednesday 13 July 2011

Design:Made:Trade – 21 to 24 July 2011 Royal Exhibition Building


Well I am delighted to say that now my corner shop The Crafty Squirrel is open for business
(I still can’t quite believe it is finished!) I can turn my attention back on to my other business under my eponymous label. To think I sowed the seeds for this business about 7 years ago now is amazing. And to think that I am still doing it and still feel as passionate and creative as I did when I first started, says one thing to me - if you do what you LOVE and LOVE what you do – everything really will be right for you.

I am doing what is right for me and I am very pleased to say that this is really super supported by my husband and my family and by the Australian Housewives Association (see endnote). Which means that even when I have days where I really do wonder whether I can continue to grow and sustain my business, I have my family to encourage me and to provide support and assistance. Thank goodness for them because I just don’t think I could do it otherwise!

So in the name of supportive family…next week I am heading down to Melbourne for 5 days to exhibit as one of a selected group of 12 Craft Victoria members at the State of Design's Design:Made:Trade event. This group has been chosen by Craft Victoria to represent the spirit, creativity and diversity of contemporary craft and design in Victoria.

What an honour it is to have been selected and how exciting to take part with some very clever fellow exhibitors like Gaye Abandon, Harvest Textiles and Pocket Carnival.

Returning for its fourth year, Design:Made:Trade features small manufacturers, product designers and product makers from a diverse range of design disciplines including industrial design, graphic design, textiles, lighting, furniture, fashion and handmade objects.

Thursday and Friday are trade only days but Saturday and Sunday are open to the public. So if you are in town and feel like dropping in for a visit (especially Australian housewives who know good design when they see it) – please do J

Endnote
The Federated Association of Australian Housewives was established in Victoria in 1915 and was broadly dedicated to representing the interests of housewives, through political lobbying as well as various efforts to help members keep their household costs down, including domestic advice and member discounts. The Association’s aims were to ‘support, protect and raise the status and interests of the home, women and children; to promote and establish co-operation among housewives; to oppose profiteering in every practical manner and to encourage the greater use of Australian-made goods.

With a combined membership of 115,000 by 1940 - 41, it was for a short time the largest women’s organisation in Australia.

The sticker shown above is stuck to a dress making dummy that I bought in an op shop about 15 years ago. I have always wondered who the Australian Housewives Association was – so I took a look!

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