WINTER MARKET : Friday 19th June at VU at Metrowest

We are very excited and busily making for our next market, which will be in a new venue. VU at Metrowest is a lovely fresh community space in Footscray's busy hub provided by Victoria University, and we have been invited to hold our market there on Friday 19th June . It's especially wonderful because the space is just down the road from the Asylum Seeker's Resource Centre, and Friday 19th June is actually World Refugee Day. So please mark the day in your diaries. The market will be going for a whopping 7 hours! 11am until 6pm.
Please let your friends know, and if you're on Facebook, remember to share the event there.
If you would like to contribute handmade lovelies, please contact us directly via email: annabranford at gmail dot com

UPDATE:
We are squeezing in just one more crafternoon before our Winter Market. Please come by, have a cup of tea and craft with us. Bring your own project or let us provide you with some materials. Beginners and advanced crafters all warmly welcome! All our creations will be on sale at our event the following week and all funds raised will be donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC).
SATURDAY 13th JUNE 10am - 2pm at VU at Metrowest, 138 Nicholson Street Footscray

Creating A Welcome Christmas Market: SAT 6th DEC 2014

Our Christmas Market at Chalice Unting CHurch, Northcote is tomorrow! Saturday 6th December from 10am until 3pm.

Please come along and buy everything we have as all proceeds go to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. As our  current federal governent here in Australia still seem intent on passing legislation which makes it difficult for people seeking asylum in this country to settle, the role of the ASRC is increasingly vital as a compassionate and vital service for asylum seekers and refugees.

There was a wonderful radio documentary by Maddy Mac from PBS about the ASRC music group. You can listen :HERE

Now feast your eyes on a fraction of the wonderful wares you can find tomorrow at our mini market! See you there!

two sleeps

Creating a Welcome's mini market at Chalice Uniting Church is two days away.
Our first market stall at  Northern Regards was an absolute hit!! A whopping $1170.50 was raised!

The feeling we got from all our customers was one of goodwill and encouragement. I had a sense people were immensely pleased to have the opportunity to show support for an organisation really at the coalface of the terrible treatment of asylum seekers in this country. It was so wonderful to witness excited people consulting their friends as to which hand-embroidered protest badge they should choose to wear at the Palm Sunday rally the following week! I know the market on Sunday will feel just as heartening.

We will be pitching ourselves out the front of Chalice except in the case of inclement weather (don't you love that word, 'inclement', sounds so old fashioned), when the cosy church will be ours to shelter in with candles, warmth and handmade generosity.
Thank you Chalice for your generosity in providing the space for our community craftivism. It feels auspicious that The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre opened the doors to the new Home of Hope in Footscray (214-218 Nicholson Street) today!
Chalice also  kindly hosted some workshops, where anyone who wished could come along and learn how to make items to sell at the stall. I took some pics at this morning's cosy affair! Lovely!
Oh, and there'll be live music provided by two charming young local musicians, Charm of Finches at 10.30am! x Jo

See you Saturday 10th May 2014: 10am - 3pm!

creating a market!

Slowly, and magically, the first Creating a Welcome stall is taking shape!
It's a marvel to watch the eclectic mix (and it must be due to the nature of this project) rise to the surface! What is marvelling still, is the instant and enormous interest this project has attracted. A couple of hundred Facebook "likes" in a matter of days, and just popped the 500 "likes" mark this week! I am told this is a small milestone in the facebook universe.

It's been inspiring to watch the increasing, varied and interconnected activism arising in our community to actively participate in helping asylum seekers. People in Australia are realising they cannot wait for politicians to change, and are initiating grassroots solutions. As an example, the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC) are raising funds for a Food Justice Truck, an absolutely wonderful project which will provide affordable food for Asylum Seekers, while at the same time supporting local farmers through Spade & Barrow, another inspiring initiative. Grassroots rocks! (literally)

Let's have a look at some of the delicious offerings:

 

from top left across: nest brooch by Anna;  crocheted owls by Sharon from gentle stitches;

Celia's felted-jumper baby doll; brooches by Atomic of Melbourne; hearts by Anna; paper-cut treasures by Rachel; Needles books by Celia; snuggle pillow by Jodie from Wilderness Fairies; Gianna's home grown lavender hearts; stitched necklace by Anna; Echidna Kid's knitted vest: Anna's brooches

The first market is coming up soon!

NORTHERN REGARDS 

artisan market

APRIL 5th,  11am - 4pm 

@ Northcote Social Club 

High Street, Northcote.

x Jo

home

Welcome to creating a welcome!
Here is the hub for crafty creatives to pool their itchy stitches in support of justice and compassion through a project designed to raise funds for the Asylum Seekers' Resource Centre in Melbourne, Australia.
Stay tuned for posts about this ever evolving project, our crafting in the street, and the array of craftivism emerging from the hands, hearts and minds of people who care about asylum seekers and want to contribute to positive change.