BIG WEEKEND - DESIGN FILES OPEN HOUSE, WOODSFOLK POP UP, DAIRING, HUT 13

open house, open minds, open wallets

So last weekend was yet another completely mental Melbourne festivus of openings of galleries, exhibitions, warehouse doors and well curated houses. This time of year as we speed toward the Christmas it's hard not to feel just a little battered by the sheer weight of events. Seriously people there is new stuff on EVERY DAY!!! I don't know how we're all going to cope. In an attempt to start crossing stuff of our own to do list this past weekend team handmadelife made a plan.  Hit the design files open house then take a side trip to the lark/woodsfolk open warehouse pop up and then make for the new Hut 13 and super sleek yarn store Dairing while we were in the hood. We had an itemised agenda, google maps, and a whole load of shite music courtesy of our travelling companions smooth FM and Gold 101 and nothing was going to stop us. 

First stop Design Files Open House. 

artwork by Kirra Jamison ceramics by The Fortynine studio

Wooden vases by Stampel and what we think are Anchor ceramics

This was the third iteration and clearly they were working a blue theme. Its always great to see some of our favourite makers in a super slick domestic setting, especially artworks on the walls in a mass salon style hang that makes us wish we both had double height ceiling and bank accounts to match.

For ours Sandra Eterovic won the coveted (?) HML 'best on ground' award with her gobsmackingly beautiful and detailed portraits.

There was loads of good stuff on show, and even a couple of surprises like these pom pom crosses by Byron Based Jai Vasicek of Ahoy Trader.

and these glass domes by the one of our fave new melbourne glassies the wonderful Amanda Dziedzic.

And although we would have liked a little more variety in the ceramics department (sue us we're obsessed) we were pretty taken by these Bakerhouse pots by Sophie Moorhouse.

And while Sandra may have won the BOG, clearly the peoples choice was the Dulux dog... as Ramona said "it's like meeting a superstar!" another win by Lucy Feagins and the Design Files crew.

Second stop Lark/Woodsfolk Pop Up.

This turned out to be just as crazy busy as the open house - people lining up literally around the perimeter of the building - we happily snapped up a load of birthday party guff, wire baskets (which we'd seen moments earlier at TDF Open House) and all manner of stocking fillers. We were very happy with our haul, although were pipped at the post on a great Orla Keily teapot and super cool geometric yardage..by mystery lady in purple leggings with speedy gonzales snapping fingers!!!

While there we rediscovered Phillipa's hole in the wall bakery outlet,  which was just as well because clearly we needed coffee and brownies and mince tarts and ciabatta. We'll definitely be back.

Third stop Dairing and Hut 13.

Dairing yarn and knitwear was a recent discovery of ours (like two days before) via the power of Instagram (thanks pasadenamansions) and to be honest we lost our minds a tiny little bit over the linen thread, space dyed cashmere, copper metallics and super fine reflective tape.

The new Hut 13 in Richmond just down the road also didn't disappoint - full of the pops of colour and craft we've come to expect. I am now kicking myself that I didn't buy the oversized resin pineapple earrings I flounced about the shop with so I'm thinking they are a must for the Santa's list. Its definitely reassuring to see some retailers doing well enough to open up new spaces in new areas - despite the plethora of markets on the scene.

So as it turned out while everyone else had their doors open we ended up with our wallets open. Still who could be unhappy with bags full of superior craft supplies, birthday party booty and super cool stocking stuffers. We were so exhausted by the end of it all we didnt even manage MarkIt at Fed square the next day, which is usually an annual pilgrimage. In the meantime its going to be hard to manage to stay on track with our book work with our new supplies calling us from deep in their paper bags, but i'm sure if we support each other we'll manage... until Wednesday at least. BECK