~ Curious Charlie ~

Armageddon Expo - Melbourne 2013 - Craft Stalls @ Sunday, October 27, 2013

Armageddon Melbourne 2013 - Craft Stalls

This is the final installment of the four posts on the Armageddon Expo, and my favourite. While I do love cosplays and costuming I didn't recognize most of them. Last year I checked out the entire expo (held at the Expo & Convention Center) in just a couple hours, this year the venue was much big ~~and hotter and smellier~~. There weren't too many stalls I loved, but this year there's a new element to it, as always there's artists selling stuff, stuff that cosplays and comic lovers liked, but there were also craft stalls!

I do love the craft markets, where women (mainly women, I find their guys do help on the day though :P) sell things they made (rarely do I see something that came from ebay). It looks fun, there's things from felting to beading, metal work and polymer foods (think Tiny Hands but with less shipping costs, no you can't eat that). Lots of gifts for girls, jewelry and home deco mainly.

When I was in middle school one of the subjects that we could pick (I specialized in 'Food as Gifts', IT and Maths) was textiles, I don't remember what the class was called exactly but it was about learning new mediums. We made phone covers from felt (that was pretty cool, though I wished we made something cooler) as it we made the felt, lots of water spray and bubble wrapping. There was that thing where we stuck contact paper (I did stars) to fabric and sponged on colours (I created the night sky), ribbon rose embroidery, cross-stitching and something like water painting, but on silk. It was really fun, most of the girls either don't talk to us or are bitches, but that's what happens when you do all girl classes. We kept our work in lockers that had keys (sabotage was very popular). I wonder if they have those classes here, if they did I assume it would be $$$ and night classes ran by tafes.

There were lots of stalls at the expo, but these are my favourites.

Sucre Noir

The $3 Lucky Dip was sold out pretty quick and very popular. I do like her style - but didn't buy any lucky dips because I didn't want to potentially get earrings (Lily is the only girl I know who who wears them, and SN isn't her style). This is SN's first stall, she sells through other vendors. Last year she did an awesome brain brooch that I bought for Helen (who really liked it, she's a surgeon, but not into brains or plastics). Next time I shall get some lucky dips. :) fb & esty

Molar Earrings $20 - Bunny Skeleton Brooch $12

The molars (?) are pretty cool if you're a dentist. My favourite is a guy though, he was great, and promoted to dental surgeon. Wouldn't that be creepy if it was real teeth? :P

SN does things a glass ball! Not ring person... but she does do pendants!

Lily would love the toadstool one. ;)

Cloud Tree Papercraft

I love papercraft, quilling I think it's called, this style/medium. It's on my list of things to learn I've seen things in frames and on cards, but never seen it as jewelry! It's a work of art.

I like the rainbow cat and pacman!

Not sure how much the necklaces are, but the earring are only $10, which I think is a good price. Lily would love the cherry ones. Not saying if I bought it or not though. :P Didn't see the cherry necklace at the time but now I must check it out! Edit: I prefer the brooch, it's now on my wishlist. ;)

$3 Lucky Dips! To me lucky dips usually translate to 'random crap that isn't worth much that we couldn't sell' but that doesn't apply to craft markets. With the owner at the stall this time we discovered most of the lucky dips were earrings (I don't wear earrings). But there are necklaces and brooches too.

I bought two, a red pencil brooch for le beau (yes I know he said no to brooches unless they support a cause, but he'll like this one). And a flower necklace for me, I don't think it's an actual flower but I do love the rose.

Those were the only two stalls doing cheap lucky dips, there were a couple others who did $10/$15 ones. At that price I don't want what I'm buying to be a mystery...

I Like Shinies

Potter Inspired Potions $16 each or 2 for $30

This lady makes very cool HP Potion Bottle Necklaces!

With so many amazing ones she changes her necklace daily (the one she always wears).

I'd like to buy one, but I can't decide which one...

There's more but I only took a picture of the ones at the front.

She also does an amazing bottle with a rose in it! *pokes wishlist on sidebar*

POW!/BAM! Superhero Comic Necklaces $15

That would be amazing on a tie bar, is it a bit much though?

They have bottles of choc-chip cookies! Sold individually?

Only seem them sold with bottles of milk on etsy.

Chocolate Scented Oreos $8. Same seller as the potions.

Inventoria Designs

Attractive Alternative Accessories

This stall was one of the best set-ups I saw, the way everything's positioned.

Looking to do a class on visual merchandising next year. :P

Bows! I love the top left one, but didn't get it as I don't have anything that matches it.

The bottom left bow looks almost les mis-esque inspired to me.

While she doesn't make these, she does paint each one.

They look interesting, not my style though.

Potion bottles!

They had blue bottles of glow-in-the-dark stuff on a cord. Looks relatively man friendly to me. :P This was probably the one thing I didn't get a good picture of. It's on the one on the bottom right with the silver cap.

A charm bracelet! I love the look of that.

This Kid That Kid

First vendor I met at the expo, she had cool Shrek ears and was a bit shy.

She's from Sydney and she doesn't sell online - yet.

I quite like the purple bunny necklace but didn't end up getting it as honestly I'd wear it only a couple times. That and I felt the cameo rose was it bit off. Something aesthetically isn't right. I wear a lot of brooches that I change weekly, on my blazers. Not a bracelet person, but I love delicate silver necklaces, gifts from le beau are the ones I wear daily.

Same seller also sold these cute little bottles, around an inch high.

Looks like a keychain, but you could stick it on any chain really.

I love little things in bottles, and slowly I'm figuring out what is it about them exactly.

At the moment it seems to be glitter floating in some sort of special water.

Do you like things in bottles? What is it about these bottles that's so pretty?

Anonymous said... on October 28, 2013 at 9:43 AM

Ah that jar of cookies is so adorable!

I love visiting craft markets - it is always so inspiring to go and have a look.

Kay HermosaVogue said... on October 28, 2013 at 11:42 PM

Oh I loooove quilling!! So pretty. Never attempted it myself though.

These markets look great - I'd love to find something like this in Sydney.

Kx.

Charlie said... on October 29, 2013 at 12:07 AM

Kay, there's the East is East Boutique Markets in Kensington. Held on the first Saturday of the month. More info: http://themarketroll.com.au/east-is-east-boutique-markets#62868