Ginger

When I was a little girl my mother always made us a special treat for Christmas: chocolate dipped crystallised ginger.  I've been a ginger tragic ever since.

 




















So I was really chuffed when the wall hanging I made for Melanie's curated exhibition a few weeks back took out second prize in the Small Quilts section at the Brookfield Show over the weekend.

This delightful show has the unenviable reputation of bringing in the rain.  In fact, it has been known to break droughts.  This year was no exception, but like the parson's egg, the weather was good in parts and the crowds weren't deterred by a little bit of mud.

However, it's time to do the Dance of the Sun, as this Friday evening BrisStyle will be at King George Square for their now famous Twilight Market.

This exciting event will take place rain or shine.  Shine would be better.

Markets and Weddings

What else could they throw at us?  Who would have predicted that the Royals would organise a wedding to take place on the evening (local Brisbane time) of our Twilight Market?  And to add insult to injury, we were hit with not one but two severe storm fronts over the course of the evening.

Water-logged King George Square - even the free bikes were abandoned.

But we are a tough breed in BrisStyle Land.  We simply relocated to the covered deck area in King George Square, dispensed with our marquees and snuggled into much cosier spaces.

Setting up

Mr Fudge wisely brought his Kindle along with him.

Despite all the odds stacked against us, the crowds quickly built up during the next few hours and our market worked its traditional magic on the buyers.

Luckily my stock stayed dry.

I had the best of neighbours:

lovely mum-to-be Samantha of Jetta's Nest, and

the effervescent Sophie of Strat Designs.

And there was music.

I am kicking myself for not taking photos of the two raging storms, but I was too busy hiding under the table. 

A lovely English visitor in Brisbane for a conference stopped by for a friendly chat.  She was really impressed by the high standard of our market.  As a regular visitor to the top markets in London, she expressed the opinion that our BrisStyle market was far superior.   Music to my ears.

On the way home we pulled into the local  McDonalds (I know, I know, but we were very tired and very hungry) and arrived home clutching our burgers and chips in time to see the newly-weds on their way back to Buckingham Palace.  We toasted the happy couple with red wine and we stayed with the live broadcast until The Kiss.  We then watched the first part of the wedding which we had pre-recorded until way after midnight before staggering off to bed.  All in all a very busy and satisfying day. 

Oh, and I LOVED the dress, very reminiscent of Princess Grace. 

Friday's Big Event

Friday 29 April.  Where would you rather be?  At a wedding in London or the BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market in King George Square, 5.00 - 9.00pm?  I know where I'd rather be.

 





















Time for that last-minute check list:

Dresses: check.

Skirts: check.

Cushions: check.

Bunting: check.

Tomorrow will be spent checking in more items and furiously whipping my poor sewing machine into a last-minute frenzy. 

For those torn between watching the wedding (if you must) or coming to the Twilight Market, don't forget that you can record the wedding, whereas once you miss the market, that's it.  No reverse buttons, no play-back buttons, no fast-forward buttons, and best of all, no commercials!  It's a no brainer I know.

Twilight Market

BrisStyle is holding its Twilight Market on Friday 29 April, which is a little over three weeks away.  This will be my first market for 2011 and I can't believe how quickly the time has come around.

These two little jumper dresses for toddlers are the latest off the machine and will be available for sale at the market.  They are also available through my Etsy shop.