See You at The Rainbow Carnival TODAY!

What a fantastic thing it was to wake up this morning and see such a sensational day dawning!

Actually, after all the hardwork and effort that's been put in over the past few weeks for the Handmade and Homegrown Stall, it's a wonder we DID wake up this morning. Sleep-ins all round tomorrow!!

We have had such a hoot of time sharing on this blog just a small taste of what will be on the stall today. Truly, a SMALL taste. There is just so much more for you to discover and fall in love with.

We look forward to seeing you at Norman Buchan Park, TODAY from 10am - 3pm for the 2014 RAINBOW CARNIVAL.

Over and out!
K, C and the Sunshine Band
(PS Our final 'hidden link' to some great music is just above! Hehehehe)

Oh Darn It, These Are Just Sew Cute!

If you've been following this blog, you'd know by now I do love a good bun sorry, pun (actually, I do love bun, too!). But I really have to say that these little sewing jars really are so cute! No, I mean it... they are sew cute!

Once they were in a jam, empty and headed for the recyling bin, but they've been saved from that life of despair because we've turned it into a life of repair. We can't pinpoint the exact time the transition happened, but we know they're now happy to have been given a neat little hat that doubles as a pin cushion, and to be filled to the brim with thread, buttons, safety pins and more.

Whether you are a seamstress or not, these are a gorgeous modern take on the sewing kit. So, stop using that dodgy one you got from your last business class holiday and pop one of these in your mother's nook, always at the ready for that missing button or that hem that needs a stitch or two.

If only the sew cute jar could help my failing eyesight and thread the darned needle for me!! (Get it, darned!)

Everything Is Awesome When Your Child's Getting Clean In The Bath

At my house, nearly every night, it is a battle to get my son into the bath. And once he's in, it's a battle to get him out! Well, these sensational little Lego men are just what I need to solve my woes!

How? I hear. Believe it or not, these three primary-coloured Lego dudes are soap! Yes, soap! Priced with the kids in mind, they'll be able to grab their souvenir of the 2014 Handmade and Homegrown Stall and still have money left over to grab a snow-cone and some fairy floss. And perfect for parents, they'll be able to use their Lego soaps on Sunday night to wash away all that dirt that is synomymous with a fun day at the Carnival! Ahhh... happy days.

If you need a reminder of the totally annoying awesome theme song, click here. Now, this isn't the first music clip we've linked to in the blog... did you find the others?

This Will Really Push Your Buttons

Now these, these are the quintessential item for every female's jewellery collection.

Perfectly complying with our pre-requisite brief of renew, repurpose, recyle, these simple but elegant drop necklaces and earrings will effortlessly put the WOW into every outfit you own.

Handmade with classic vintage buttons and supple leather, these individual pieces are sure to be popular. An included bonus, at no extra cost, is that they're ideal if you pop a button on your favourite blouse as you head into the restaurant!! What more could a girl ask for?!

These are just some of the stylish, handcrafted jewellery pieces available at the Rainbow Carnival. Make sure you check out the knitted earrings, too - yes, that's what I said. They are uber cool and a big hit right now with the teens and young mums.

A great range of affordable fashion pieces to suit all tastes and styles will be on display on Sunday at Norman Buchan Park from 10am 'til 3pm. See you there! Gee, that model's familiar... hmmmm.

Kids In The Kitchen

With cooking reality shows geared at the junior market a popular feature during prime time television slots these days, we know that these gorgeous washable children's aprons are going to sell like hot cakes!

In fact, a few years ago, one of the Rainworth children made it onto Master Chef with her culinary kitchen prowess. Way to go! (or should that be weigh to go) (or whey to go!!)

These cute-as-pie styles and fabrics are just a taste of what will be available at the Rainbow Carnival, so make sure you swing by and take a look-see. Perfect for Christmas gifts, there's no strings attached* but you'll certainly earn lots of brownie points!

* Well, yes there are actually strings attached, but that's in the literal sense, I mean how else would they stay in place... I'll just stop now, shall I?!

See you all on Sunday August 31... only a few sleeps to go now!

You Just Have To Get A Grip!!

Oh, my goodness, yes indeedy!

Useful, colourful and fun! Three key ingredients to encouraging children to put pencil to paper a little more often. Whether it's homework time, classroom focussed or just plain doodling, one of these loom band pencil grips will help the budding little author in your family to not only hold the pencil better, but also urge them to keep on task.

Bright colours to suit both boys and girls, these waterproof pencil adornments are perfectly patterned in the very 'in' chevron design.

There is a limited number of these available, so grab yours early. Write on!

The Rainbow Carnival is nearly upon us > Sunday August 31 at Norman Buchan Park from 10am > 3pm. (hehe, notice my subtle use of chevrons. Sometimes I just outdo myself!! No, really I do!)

Pilot For a New Reality Show

Can't you just imagine this as the script for the next hit reality cartoon show, set in a garden - somewhat like Bill and Ben was - and we'd call it something odd like... Getting Fresh With Herb & Co. Not sure of the time slot yet!

"So, Rosemary, who's coming to dinner? And what thyme will they get here?"
"Let's see. Marjoram said she'd come, and Cori an' Der, too. With the three of them, and us, Basil, that's five. I'm sure others will turnip* too."
"Wait a mint, who's gonna look after our daughter, Sage? You know she's a bit of a dill when we've got visitors."

Later at the dinner party...
"Hey, Basil, be a good host and Pars Ley the sauce?"
"Sure. So, Der, have you travelled much in the US?"
"Yeah, I've been to most states, but Oregan? No."
"Gee, it's getting late. Has Tara gon already?"
"Yes, I think she's got a bad case of chives - she started to come out in a rash."

* Yes... technically, this is not a herb but I was having so much fun I wanted to put it in!

Way off topic here! Sorry... these sensational timber herb sticks have been made with love and your garden in mind. There's 12 different hand-branded sticks, and they'll be bundled up in sets of 6 so check out your herb patch before you head to the Carnival and grab the pack that's right for you.

Now, back to that script.... hmmmm, carrot, beetroot, melons. Yep, definitely a late time slot, I'd say! I think I'm going to have to head off to the Scarborough Fair markets.

Man's Best Friend is Dog Gone Gorgeous

The hairy members of the family (and no, I don't mean our husbands!) will not be overlooked at the Handmade & Home-grown Stall this year. C'mon, do you think we're barking mad?! Actually, don't answer that!!

No self-respecting pooch would dare to be seen outdoors without one of these stylish canine neckerchiefs. Your pup will be the talk-of-the-dog-park when he struts his stuff decked out in one of these. With two sizes available, to suit both the smaller model and the larger hound, the fabric choices abound.

But we don't stop there, oh no... they come packaged with homemade 'Dog Dog Treaties'! Your magnificent mutt will think they're king of the house. Packed with healthy goodness (and I'm talking skim milk here - not full-fat!!) you're sure to be able teach that old dog of yours some new tricks with these tempting tidbits. They may even unleash their inner puppy!

Now, if we could just figure out what would have the same effect on our two-legged hairy family members (and yes, I do mean our husbands here!) we'd be onto a winner!

When is a Bag Lady Not a Bag Lady?

These are truly some of the coolest things I have seen come off the Handmade 2014 production line. Designed with our mantra of recycle / repurpose / reuse in mind, this is the best way I have ever seen an old pair of jeans put to use.

The seamwork on these multi-purpose shoulder bags is second-to-none and they tick all the boxes when it comes to fashion, function and form. The range will amaze you, and they'll all be on display on Rainbow Carnival Day - which is, btw, just around the corner on Sunday August 31 from 10am-3pm at Norman Buchan Park.

Most of the designs have an 'i' in mind.... huh? iPod, iPad, iPad Mini... or the equivalent tablet devices that are on the market. The zipper function ensures that the device is secured when on the move, or just being kept safe when you're at home, away from scratchy surfaces. The hip style ensures they'll be used. Again, again and again.

There's even a loop or metal ring at the base of many of the shoulder bags that's just perfect for hanging the cute keyrings also available on the Handmade + Homegrown Stall. How thoughtful is that?! Scroll down to previous blog entries if you need a bit of a refresher.

They'll suit the littlies, the tweenies, the teens, the mums and even the grandmas, so make sure you bag yourself at least one of these. Ideal as birthday gifts or stocking fillers for Christmas, handmade gifts are the new black.

But grab yours early or you will miss out. Now that'll be a bummer.

Now Hair's a Great Idea

You are forgiven for remembering that scrunchies were popular in the 80s. You are not forgiven for not admitting that you had wore them in the 80s! Unless, of course, you weren't around in the 80s, which is probably quite a number of our Rainworth parents, frankly, and you're therefore, excused!

Synonymous with style and flair, fabric hair scrunchies are a staple of most bathroom drawers - usually the same one the hairdryer, the myriad brushes, the bobbypins and the mousse* hang out in (aka 'product' in these modern times!). Whether you're playing in the garden, hopping in the tub or going for a ride on the bike, girls of all ages find scrunchies the true go-to item to keep those long tresses in check and out of your eyes.

They're durable, they're fantastic for using up fabric that otherwise might've made if from the cutting room floor into the bin, and they're just darned useful. How anyone could actually think they ever went of style and then came back in is beyond me. They've always been on the Hot List, IMHO ('in my humble opinion' for those born before the 80s). At the Rainbow Carnival, there will be a veritable truck-load of gorgeous fabric scrunchies to suit all tastes and wardrobes.

To me, scrunchies are up there with Eurythmics, Howard Jones, Bon Jovi, The Bangles, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran (think I still have a record - yes, I said record - of theirs!), Depeche Mode, The Cure, Hall & Oates, Pet Shop Boys, The Go-Gos (oh, how I loved that fountain film clip), Blondie, Adam and The Ants, Talking Heads, Boy George (now he knew how to apply make-up!), The Police... I've got a bit off track here, haven't I?

Anyhow, you get my drift, just like the music, scrunchies are true treasures from the 80s that are just too good to get rid of!

Hail up-styles... long live the Scrunchie!

But wait... there's more - each scrunchie comes with a pair of matching button bobby pins. TOO COOL!

Hold The Phone... Handmade Branches Out!

Just when we thought the Handmade Stall at this year's Rainbow Carnival couldn't get any greener, we up the ante! That's just the kinda gals we are.

"How?" I hear you say. Well, thank you for asking! In the absence of a dedicated plant stall at this year’s carnival, we have decided to include the sale of plants under our marquee.

“HANDMADE AND HOMEGROWN” provides a certain synergy between our products; plants being matched with our groovy recycled denim hanging baskets, hand-branded herb garden stakes (we'll showcase those in the coming days so stay glued to this blog!), and decorated plant pots...just to name a few. Not to mention an enormous reduction in our carbon footprint!

Needless to say, we need your help to make this work, Rainworth parents and community. If you have a green thumb, or two, please feel free to donate any plants suitable for sale at the carnival. Established plants, seedlings, cuttings, trees, shrubs, flowers or herbs – we want them all. Please.

We are also chasing plant pots, especially second-hand terracotta pots of any size that can be refurbished in some way.

A Helping Hand in the Kitchen

Hand towels are just one of those things in my kitchen that seem to walk. They don't have legs and they can't talk, but once you find them, just the look of them tells a thousand stories of where they've been. Do you know what I mean?

Well, weep no more, people, for these little puppies guarantee you will always be able to wipe your hands when you want to... without having to go searching all around the house first!

Beautifully crocheted, these versatile hand towels are perfect for the pantry, the kitchen or the scullery. As the image shows, you simply button them to secure the towel onto a rail or hook for ease of access. Double bonus is they're easy to hang up after use to air dry. You gotta love that.

Minecraft Madness Hits Handmade

I don't think there is a parent on the planet who has not heard of Minecraft (sadly!!). It is an online craze that has certainly captivated our children's minds (and to be honest, I'd like my son's back!!) and taken up much of their focus (well, as much as they can achieve in that small window of 'device time'. And then some!).

It has certainly not divided the sexes, with just about as many girls loving Minecraft (why else would the creators have included cute, pink pigs and flowers) as there are boys.

With that in mind, we know that these crafty Minecraft keyrings will be a hit on Rainbow Carnival Day on Sunday August 31, perfect for personalising backpacks and pencil cases.

These are just a sample of the range we'll have available on the day, so dig your way through the minefield of people and stalls and take a look-see. In fact, if you're wanting to earn yourself some 'hip and groovy parent' kudos, grab yourself a couple for the car keys!

Looking Good From Top to Toe

There aren't too many little girls who don't love their hair and who don't get a blast out of fun and cool clips, bands and pins.

Not only are these hairbands pretty (I mean, look at the detail involved in the multi-layer style of this one in particular - it has beading, ribbon and plaiting) but they are specifically designed to accommodate girls who wear glasses.

Standard hairbands often mean that the arm of the hairband interferes with the arm of the glasses where it sits in behind the child's ear. This can be quite annoying. But uh-uh... no more with this model! The hairband is made with elastic, ensuring a comfortable day of fun all whilst having neat and tidy hair.

And don't forget, drop-jaw gorgeous!

Spoil Yourself Just Because You Should

I know this will sound weird but just looking at these beautiful soaps has me dreaming of a time - about an hour would do - where I get to run a long, hot bath, and soak in it without interruption or worry. Sigh..... it sounds a bit like the plot of Jill Murphy's classic kids book, Five Minutes' Peace, doesn't it!?

Perfect as gifts for guests or just to pamper yourself, you'll enjoy nourishing your body from the outside in with these fragrance-free Olive Oil Soaps. On offer is French Clay (containing olive oil, palm oil, avocado oil, caster oil, lye and french clay) and Honey & Oatmeal (containing olive oil, palm oil, caster oil, oatmeal, lye and manuka honey). They sound just about good enough to eat, don't they?

Moving from inner beauty to outer beauty, no lips should go naked on these cold, windy days. Keep them supple and kissable with a smudge of natural Lip Balm. With 3 different types and 3 subtle colours - Almond Oil, Honey & Hemp Oil and Coconut Oil, you're going to need one for each handbag.

And you're going to have to excuse me...I need to go and find that plug, and the rubber duck, and the scented candles. And a book, yes, a book. I can hear my Bette tub a-calling!

Homage to Guardians of the Ga'hoole & Hedwig

OMG! We are sooo loving these. I mean, what a HOOT!

(sorry, I just couldn't resist!)

The owl and the pussycat might've gone to sea together but I bet every little girl (and even a few of the boys) will be going home with one of these colourful owl keyrings, ready to adorn their pencil cases, backpacks and anything else they can think of with them! In fact, I think they'll be after a parliament of owls!

There's not too much I can say about these without carrying on like a bird brain...they're simply adorable. "Whooo says?" I hear you ask? We do, I mean, whoooo wouldn't?!

Cool Kids Clothes

Whether you're 1 or 100, it's still important to stand out in the crowd, and that special little person in your life is going to be the talk of the playgroup when they rock up in one of these gorgeous pieces.

Available in a range of sizes from 1 to 4-6, the low fire danger, cotton clothes have been personalised with hand-appliqued motifs that are just too cute to leave in the cupboard. There's little singlets, sleeveless onesies perfect for Summer just around the corner, and stylish girl's tees with a sweet cap sleeve.

Whether it's a cute-as-pie polka dot love heart or the ultimate vee-dub car, there's no way you'll walk past these. If only they came in adult sizes!!

Swing by the Handmade Stall on Carnival Day, Sunday August 31, to check out the full range.