Handbags

Of the new products, my current favourites are the new large organic handbags.

I've really never been a hand-bag sort of person and until a few years back I was attached to my trusty plain black backpack. We'd had a long, easy relationship of about eight years, but as all good things do... it came to an end.

I'm a bookworm and so, I will never leave the house without a book - I also always carry a water bottle or flask, and so there's already a problem developing, I needed a bag with separate compartments to keep my book safe and my water handy. On top of this as a standard, I carry a day-to-the-page diary, a notebook, a jumper and a first aid-kit/travel bag. I like to be prepared for any situation and there have been many delayed or cancelled busses/trains over the years for which I have been grateful to have a book in my bag. Having a bad back meant that one shouldered handbags were never an option, but every backpack that I have had since has disintegrated within a matter of weeks.

I tried to design a backpack, but it just got too complicated and big and so I decided to give a handbag a try. It's safe to say that now I am not often seen without my handbag. I made is specifically to be my new 'Mary Poppins'' bag, and to do so without impacting on my back. It has a few features that I'd like to share with you:

- It's triple stitched through and through for durability, it's also overlocked and top-stitched
- It has a very very wide strap to distribute the weight across your shoulder, this can be folded and shaped to fit your body
- The strap has a flannelette lining which makes it incredibly soft as well as being cool in summer and warm in winter.
- A large zip that goes up the inside of the straps for security
- It has a large, external, zipped pocket, in which I can fit: two phones, a purse, a massive bunch of keys, business cards, lipbalm, pens, headphones and sometimes more
- It has a large internal 'book' pocket which is usually filled with a large book (I just don't get kindles), a day-to-the-page diary (I can't figure out how to digitalise my diary without deleting everything regularly), a note book and a sketchbook and pens.
- And it still has enough room in it that I can fit a one litre water bottle standing up, a jumper, my laptop, my travel bag, lunch, my hard glasses case, my hard sunglasses case and still have room left over
- The outer cotton is 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, the inside is 100% certified cotton flannel and the lining is currently recycled cotton, I will be using new cotton in the future and for the moment it won't be organic, I am currently working on finding a supplier of plain organic cotton and will keep you updated as to when I can swap over.
- The zips and label are all Nylon. Last year I paid for some gorgeous organic cotton brand labels from the US, but they never arrived, so again, I am trying to source a new, reliable source so that I can phase out the nylon labels.
- All the thread used on the bag is 100% organic cotton from the US.

This gorgeous brown and blue bag was custom made for a lady in Brisbane who took it all across Europe over the festive season.

The bags are available online now at www.pixieinthepark.com. They are currently custom order only. You can choose from 30 different designer fabrics and four colours of flannelette.

I will be releasing a new, full, range of them on Monday 4th March, which will see the end of custom orders on them for a while. As Monday is my birthday I will be doing a HUGE sale on the bags, so keep an eye on the website as it's a one day only sale.

I hope you enjoy your bag as much as I do mine.

Sunshine and Smiles.
Paisley.

2013

So it's been a really long time since I have stopped by...

Here's a little update of what has been happening:

- Over the last year I have been working on finishing the designs, which have now been launched, and expanding the certified organic cotton range. There has been a lot of back-end work and so I took a step back from the markets and social media.

- There are now a few lovely people who are working with me, Paisley, on the Pixie In The Park project, so you will see a lot more of "we" around. This is the only place that I can guarantee it will always be me behind the screen.  It has proven to be an ever evolving team and it's so lovely to have so many wonderful people around me. Thank you all.

- The website is finally finished: www.pixieinthepark.com. This has taken a long time, lots of hard work, and again lots of other lovely faces, to get it finished and functional. Check out our web designer and photographer too.

- I have launched the following ranges available now:
-- organic cotton pixie shorts, with pockets.
-- recycled pixie skirts, available here.
-- large organic handbags
-- foldable organic shopping bags. 

I am really looking forward to blogging about each new product in detail over the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for new posts or subscribe to keep up to date.

Remember you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@pixieinthepark).
I also have listings on MadeIt.

Thank you for sticking around through the quiet times.

Smiles and Sunshine.
Paisley.

West End Market

A quick last-minute update...

I will be at the re-opening night of the West End Twilight Markets which opens tomorrow at 4pm.

West End Twilight Markets is a specialty marketplace, featuring an eclectic mix of treasures, tucker and performance.

WHEN?

Every Saturday night.
Starting Jan 21st, 2012

WHAT TIME?

4pm–9pm.

WHERE?

Reclaimed Hangar - Corner of Wilson and Boundary St, West End, Brisbane.

Looking forward to spending another evening with some of Brisbane's most wonderful people, artists and caterers. Come along for dinner and hand-made goodies.

Exhibition

Reverse Garbage is preparing for the first exhibition of the year.

Welcome to Trash Amour:

That says it all I guess, for the loved up month of February expect lots of red and pink and hearts and from me.... lots of glitter! Join us all from 6pm with drinks, local live music and lots of laughs and smiles. Plus all the work is available for purchase on the night and through to the 29th February.

I am well underway with getting things ready and I have already dropped in a few small pre-exhibition wonders. Reverse Garbage is open 9-5 Monday-Friday and you can find them in their new location at 20 Burke street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

See you there!

New stock

Hi there, it's been a fair while since I've been on here and I have a lot to catch you up with.

As I said at the end of last year, this year is all about new designs and new ideas and I have been really busy developing these....

I have finished some clothes, which you can view on the Facebook page for now. We will be doing a photo-shoot next week to prepare for sending out the new clothing designs. All items are eco-friendly, sustainable or recycled - NOTHING BOUGHT FROM CHINA.

This has been a huge issue on my mind lately, as much as people are getting excited about hand-made I have noticed that a lot of the components are still being bought from the mass producers including the Chinese market-place. I find this to be such a shame as we all put a lot of time and effort into our work and the thought that some people are risking their quality and name on externally produced details, when this is their direct competition upsets me. It is hard enough to break through into the market without this happening. A lot of us generally aim to produce better quality designs than those on the budget market currently. But the hand-made melding with these "bad" products is not reflecting well on those of us who make 90%-100% of our items from scratch, I felt a little soul-destroyed today when I went into a predominantly hand-made gallery only to find out that the requirement is only 50% hand-made components. Perhaps it's just me... thoughts anyone?

Rant over and moving on...

I also put out a new design this week, it is a simple lined fold-over clutch purse. All the components are 100% recycled. Available at: www.pixieinthepark.com/store

This design is in anticipation of the collaboration between UrsaLady Creations and myself. We will have some great designs coming out in the next month. UrsaLady Creations can be found on the Logan Road strip in Stones Corner, only 10minutes from Brisbane CBD.

I will be at the Laneway Festival in Brisbane on the 28th January 2012 with the Suitcase Rummage.
Come and join us all from 11am -6pm. There will be music and drinks and lots of great stalls on the day.

Store...Coming along

So... Slowly does it as they say.

The new website is up: www.pixieinthepark.com

The shop is coming together one painful day at at time: www.pixieinthepark.com/store

Postage is calculated at the current Australia Post postage rate and you can view postage by:

Adding an item to your "Bag"
Heading to "Checkout"
You will see Tax/Shipping Cost and click on "Choose My Address"

Once you add your address postage will be visible for all items.


If you live in Brisbane and you want to save some postage you still have time to grab a few items before Christmas you can find my work at:

-Incube8er in Fortitude Valley
-Good Concepts in West End
-Ursa Lady Creations in Stones Corner
-Reverse Garbage in Woolloongabba

Go do your last minute Christmas Shopping.

NO B.S.!

I don't know about you, but I have finally had enough of all the B.S. from every company/shop/sales-rep/estate agent and so on that I deal with. What ever happened to good old fashioned honesty and transparency? How about when I request a quote you quote me the full cost instead of giving me a price I can budget for then adding GST and shipping on top. Or how about if you tell me that I don't have to pay for something then you bill me for it... you have the courtesy to let me know.

Or how about this.... you sell me the product that you told me you were selling me instead of selling me something completely different then showing no remorse for lying. Or when you print something you check the design before you send it to the client and apologise for screwing the client around...

Ok, so basically I have had a very bad year with dealing with companies. And in light of this... welcome to the new way in NO B.S. companies...

My aim is to be 100% honest with each and every one of you and be completely transparent in all that I do. This has always been my aim, but not it seems ever more crucial to make a statement about it. Each product will be labelled with it's material content and with the new look and complete content overhaul of my stock, this blog and the website: www.pixieinthepark.com I will be publishing a report on where my stock comes from, it's environmental impact and include a list of all of the new products that I use. This will be available for anyone to read. You will be charged the ACTUAL postage rate that I get charged from the post office, plus the cost of the packaging. I have a feeling the new website makes you put in your details before you see the shipping, so I will add a price list for the postage.

I really appreciate any and all of your feedback. If you have bought something you're not happy with - I need to know... If you've bought something you love - I need to know. If you think I'm hiding something - I need to know! You can email me any time.

If you too are sick of the B.S. make a complaint to the company direct or go above their heads to the Office of Fair Trading, don't let them get away with it anymore, we deserve a lot better!