The Square: Bendigo's Handmade Market

We're back! The Square continues on...

So happy to let you all know that our little market will be continuing on with the support of the Town Hall managers and the City of Greater Bendigo! We're chuffed to know that Bendigo will still have The Square as a great market event and our much-loved creative folk will have ongoing venue to showcase their wares. Yay!

The first market for 2014 will go ahead on Saturday 8th March!

Stallholders please pop over to the 'info for stallholders' page and submit your applications - CLICK HERE TO APPLY. We'll need to hear from you as soon as possible as we'll be booking successful applicants in on Monday, 24th February.

The market's back before you even had a chance to miss it :)

 

A birthday / christmas giveaway...

Three lucky winners to celebrate our third birthday...

CLICK HERE TO ENTER.

This giveaway has now ended. Thanks to all who entered!

Three years old...

After a wonderful Spring market on Saturday we are already onto planning the big two-day christmas market which also marks our third birthday! Three years and going strong thanks to the support of you guys, thank you kindly.

Pop the dates on your calendar now, you won't want to miss it! We'll have different stallholders each day and a few birthday celebratory-type-things happening too...

 

CHRISTMAS MARKET:

Saturday 30th November

and Sunday 1st December

9am - 4pm both days

Bendigo Town Hall

 

Sign up to our newsletter if you'd like to be kept up to date every now and then with our market happenings! Click here.

And yes, stallholder applications are now open. We accept online applications only, just click over to our info for stallholders page (link on the left) for all the information you'll require and the application form.

Enter to win some chrissy spending money

A little christmas spending money...

We're giving two lucky market-goers $50 each to spend at their favourite stall! Sound nice?

How to enter:

1. Peruse our full list of stallholders for the weekend.

2. Choose your favourite.

3. Click here to enter.

On Friday at noon we'll choose a random winner for both Saturday and Sunday.

A $50 credit will be left with your favourite stallholder, ready and waiting for you to arrive on the day!

Get to it.

*** COMPETITION NOW CLOSED ***

 

Countdown to the Spring market - stallholders announced!

We have been waiting oh so patiently for the end of winter. Enough with the cold, hello Spring!

And what better way to celebrate than filling the Town Hall with a whole lotta handmade goodness. We've just put up the full list of stallholders - click here (or on the Spring market link on the right). A bunch of new stallholders this time around which we're absolutely loving, and, of course, some of our favourites are returning again. As always, we'll be posting a few stallholder sneak peeks here on the blog between now and market day.

 

We are also happy to let you know that our Spring market is being proudly supported by Connect Pink, which is a social media initiative for women across Australia from The Bendigo Advertiser and Fairfax. Click over and check it out. There will be an info table in the front foyer on market day where you can have a chat to learn more and sign up.

We're also hosting the lovely Chef Sonia (of Masons of Bendigo fame) at this market. She'll be baking up a storm of yummy cupcakes for her fundraising stall for Pink Ribbon, the foundation dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness and funding for research. Sonia is amazing in the kitchen so we know those cupcakes are going to be oh so good...

Only two weeks until market day. Make sure the 15th is circled on your calendars :)

Crafting for a cause follow up - blanket project done!

Remember the 'crafting for a cause' project we did back at the September market last year? We asked you guys to donate knitted or crocheted squares that could be made into blankets for women at the  Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia...

Check it out, they're done! Thanks to the lovely Amanda in Melbourne they're completed! Yay! And a massive congratulations to Amanda, who must surely have the patience of a saint to stich all those little squares together.

Can you see your square in the blankets? I can see my three, yay :) Absolutely LOVING how they all came together.

Many, many thanks to all of you who contributed your time and stitches :) Even though the blankets are only a small thing, they're a wonderful and practical way to show the women who receive them that we care. Thank you again.

Belinda @ The Square

Two lucky winners!

This morning i've had the super nice job of calling the two winners of our VIP shopping competition! Yay! Picked with the random number generator from heaps of entries. So much fun chatting to the lucky ladies, they were both so very excited. I've been smiling ever since and i'm sure they are too :)

Congratulations to Tracy and Alison... we're really looking forward to having you both as our special guests this weekend!

And thank you to everyone who entered with your wonderful comments. We really appreciate how many of you took the time to leave us feedback about the market too. 

The VIP shopper bags...

If you haven't entered our VIP shopper competition yet, you realy really really should. Really. Our VIP bags are full of heaps of great stuff! Entries close midnight on Wednesday. Our wonderful stallholders and some lovely local businesses have been so very generous... check it out!**

Our SATURDAY VIP will receive:

* a hamper from Bob Boutique

* $75 gift voucher for Milt and Joe

* cute bib from Little Poppet Handmade

* soft toy and bunting flags from Miss Ruby May

* child's singlet with feather wings from Liz at Little Things & Co (you should see this, it is absolutely darling! You can exchange at her stall for a different size if you need to.)

* decorative art block from Pink Possum

* a box of yumminess from Chef Sonia

* earrings from the talented Lisa Kennedy

* christmas cards and gift tags from Here we go Loopy Lou

* $20 gift voucher from The House of Cloth, our wonderful sponsor this year

* stuffed elephant toy from Vintage Chenille

* earrings from Era Beads

* the cutest crocheted toys from LaDeDah Kids

* $30 gift voucher for the Love Paper Scissors art stall

* $20 gift voucher from Greta Kids

* $10 gift voucher and a hand's free carry bag from Jan at Warana Country Crafts & Flowers (whose stall will be at The Square on Sunday)

* two bird decorations from The Bear and The Whale

* vintage wallpaper notebook from Moonmum

* small snap purse from Bags by Meg

* plus we're throwing in a $20 gift voucher for El Gordo cafe in Chancery Lane for you too! After all that shopping surely you'll deserve a coffe and a yummy :)

________

And our SUNDAY VIP will receive:

* earrings from the talented Lisa Kennedy

* the cutest crocheted toys from LaDeDah Kids

* bookends from Jayangee Craft & Signs

* $75 gift voucher for Milt and Joe

* Soaps by Jules gift pack, including 6 soaps

* a hamper from Bob Boutique, containing pocket mirror, calico carry bag and badge set

* 20% off voucher for the Alternative Thoughts stall

* El Gordo coffee gift pack which includes a handmade espresso cup (from Bendigo Pottery) and one of their locally-roasted custom blend bags of El Gordo coffee 

* $10 gift voucher and a hand's free carry bag from Jan at Warana Country Crafts & Flowers (whose stall will be at The Square on Sunday)

* a box of yumminess from Chef Sonia

* a handmade paper luminary light from Pink Possum

* glasswork earring from Bead-licious

* christmas cards from Here we go Loopy Lou

* photographic work by Megan Spencer

* $20 gift voucher from The House of Cloth, our wonderful sponsor this year

* two bird decorations from The Bear and The Whale

* large snap purse from Bags by Meg

* stuffed elephant toy from Vintage Chenille

* greeting cards from Moonmum

* earrings from Era Beads

* $25 gift voucher from Milton Long, studio jeweller

* plus we're throwing in $20 gift voucher for El Gordo cafe in Chancery Lane for you too! After all that shopping you'll deserve a coffe and a yummy :)

________

I hope i haven't missed anything...

It's pretty amazing right? Two people are going to be so very happy with their loot. Good luck to everyone's who's entered the competition and if you haven't filled in an entry form yet then DO IT NOW!

** there are a few things listed in the description that didn't make it into the photos, but rest assured they'll be in the bags on the day :)

Be a V.I.P shopper at The Square... win!

 It is our first birthday! And it's nearly christmas! The last 12 months have flown by and we've been so wonderfully amazed at the support you have all shown us... so we think you deserve something a bit special :) Fancy being a VIP shopper at the market?!?

Competition details: the bags are not redeemable for cash and cannot substituted in any way. Ensure that you are available to shop on your selected day, they are both a one day deal only. We'll draw winners at random from all valid entries. WInners will be advised by phone on Thursday 8th Dec - if we can't get hold of you on Thursday we'll draw another winner. It's our birthday and christmas... enter as many times as you like :)

Go now!

Good luck,

The girls @ The Square

Edit: look at what's inside the bags! Click here.