Beating those mid-winter blues, Bendigo style!

Oh Bendigo, how I love thee!! 

I have been a super proud citizen of my town recently - there have been pockets of sweetness to add a little light to the mid-winter 'blah'.

Our town has it's very own yarn bombers! Under the cover of night some wonderful locals have been helping the town rug up against the chill - trees and poles now wear scarves,  bicycle racks are now snuggly and the trees are decked out with pom-poms and assorted colourful woolen creations. I took the above snaps of the most recent additions to Bendigo's Hargreaves Mall, but here are some links to some other local delights:

 House of Humble - Post Cosies and the Snuggliest Tree

Bendigo Advertiser - Yarn bombers blanket Bendigo

Bendigo Advertiser - Bombers Knit Hargreaves Mall

It seems to have had a massively popular response, I posted the photo above to our facebook page to thank the anonymous yarn-bombers for brightening up the place and our fans have been very vocal about how fantastic they think it is. I have to agree, it has added warmth and run to a space that (since refurbishment) has been criticized for being a bit of a 'concrete jungle'.

I spotted these most recent yarn bombs Tuesday morning, on my walk to work, only to be greeted by this adorable welcome when I arrived. Thank you to whoever was responsible for the phantom flower delivery - it was the perfect way to start my morning!

 

These two moments have given me a much needed boost this winter! Perking me up by filling mundane daily events with joy - I still can't help but smile each time I look at either of these images.

Yarn Bombers and Phantom Flower Deliver-er, I salute you!

Stockist Spotlight - Urthly Organics

For today's Stockist Spotlight we get to know a little more about Julie from Urthly Organics

2005

When I was a young child I used to collect soap, Each Christmas and birthdays I remember getting novelty soaps and placing them amongst my small collection. I also remember grating our green eucalyptus soap and velvet soap up to make soap balls, I wondered how soap was made and dreamt of one day making my own all up from scratch.

In 1998 I stumbled upon a small book on how to make your own aromatherapy soaps for $7 at the Yarra Glen market, It was the find of my life and I couldn’t get the money out fast enough! My first batch of soap was an all coconut soap with lavender flowers, ingredients that were easy to come by in the supermarket and I used an ice-cream container for the mould and then cut it up. I haven’t stopped making soap and I still enjoy making soap, it makes me feel so  rewarded.

I started out making soap with not a lot of money and so each grocery shopping trip I would scour the spices and teas etc.. thinking up combinations in my head, hide a few blocks of ‘frymasta’, ‘copha’ and olive oil into the shopping trolley. At one point we had so much soap but I was addicted to making more...the possibilities were endless.

My first market was at the end of 2002 a starlight foundation event and I made I think $50, the stall next to me told me to try St Andrews Market, a stall cost $3 and “your products would do really well there”.  In Feb of 2003 I first did the St Andrews market and have been going ever since, I ended up quitting my pastry cooking job to continue on what I loved doing.

2008

There are several reasons I make natural products, less likely to cause someone a reaction, making something from Earths nature I find rewarding and sometimes challenging but mainly because when I first started at St Andrews people wanted to buy my soap because it looked earthy, natural and rustic.

My customers that made me educate myself as to what we are actually putting on our skin and actually eating. My 3 children used to think I was becoming obsessive as to reading labels and not allowing them certain foods, “mum your becoming a health freak”!!.

2011

So please don’t buy that supermarket stuff, by handmade because “life is too short to use cheap products”