Eight full days in Australia, two days to do anything I wanted. And so I made my way to the one thing that made this trip worth it – The Finders Keepers market.
This was my second trip to Melbourne and Sydney, and the warm 27 degree (celsius) weather was perfect. I arrived the last week of March and it just so happened that The Finders Keepers market was happening that weekend. Fantastic.
The Finders Keeper market happens several times a year – taking turns in either Sydney, Brisbane, or Melbourne. It showcases new and emerging independent designers from Australia – whether it’s fashion, stationery, art prints or jewelry. I have not seen anything in Vancouver come close to what they put together here. The market was huge and overwhelming at first, but exciting in every direction I turned.
I’m the type of shopper that hates to dig. I will spend money for good merchandising if it means I’ll find what I want straight away. But this market was a different story. I was obsessed with digging as there was so much good stuff to find. It’s too bad I couldn’t take it all home with me. But trust me, I did end up buying an extra bag to haul all this good stuff on to the plane.
It was a 5 minute tram ride across the CBD (central business district) to get to Docklands. Hidden along the shore was Shed 4 – what looked like an abandoned warehouse transformed for the weekend.
I was greeted by the wofting smell of hot dogs and lively music by a band performing on stage…. draped with colourful paper crafts strung from the ceiling.
Below is a closer look at the paper pyramids, courtesy of the Finders Keepers site.
Okay, so I start zig zagging my way through the market – Cassie & Christine style. It’s a very pragmatic approach, but the best method for not missing out on anything good. Oh and by the way, there was no admission, so that was a bonus!
The stationery tables were one of the first to come across. And that’s where I met Cathy, who manned the table for The Paper Convention Collective and the creative group, Trial and Error.
Designers and artists of all creative backgrounds get together to run workshops and events to inspire and create awareness of the endless creativity paper can bring. Call it a solace for budding paper designers or crafters who just want to inspire. Build and fold paper displays….. like the one that’s hanging above the stage. You can thank Cathy and team, and the ladies at Trial and Error for helping install that beautiful display!
They were super busy entertaining visitors that dropped by their table with hand illustrated cards for sale, and fun paper crafts to take as a souvenir. Visit their site here to learn more about what they do.
Another booth around the corner, Vintage Prints, recycled paper products into greeting cards, wrapping paper, and more…
There was also a table with children’s vintage toys – loved the iconic wooden toy tram. If you’re ever in Melbourne, there are free trams that circle the CBD for free – great for familiarizing yourself with the city’s sites and sounds.
And mid-century furniture made their appearance too… So wish I could have taken that green teak armchair home with me.
But that’s not all! I’ll be back with another blog post showcasing more designers, and the rest of my trip. Meanwhile, get to know all the good stuff The Finders Keepers shares through their blog too.
Cheers,
> Christine
{ images from The Finders Keepers, and Christine’s camera }
