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Weekly Roundup 14 November
Happy Friday everybody! I hope you've all had a lovely week. This week has just flown by here at TN HQ...so much so that I can't even think about what to report on for you! This weekend we will be at the Rototuna Market on Sunday from 10am - 2pm, fingers crossed our new Eftpos machine will arrive in time! If not, there is a cash out facility on site just a few stands away. Our spot is the same as last time so just under the tree in the centre of the market. Have a fantastic weekend!
Weekly Roundup 3 October
Happy Friday everyone! What another big week we've had - so much work behind the scenes, orders going out - love how busy it all is! You may have noticed that there is a new button on our home page featuring all upcoming markets! Click here to view where we'll be the next few months. The list is constantly changing so make sure to check back often! This weekend we'll be at the Little Big Markets over in The Mount - though due to weather this may be postponed till Sunday. To find out more be sure to go to their Facebook page. Also with a new month comes a new free desktop and iphone wallpaper designed by us for you. Click here to download the latest wallpaper featuring our new design 'be brave'. This design is featured in our 2015 calendars and is available as an A3 gold foil print. Lastly our 'Ultimate NZ Giveaway' is due to close in just 2 days! With over 1300 entries, be sure to check it out and you may be in to win this amazing prize! Hope you all have a great weekend and that lovely weather we had at the beginning of the week comes back soon...!
The Ultimate NZ Giveaway
We have put together for you the Ultimate NZ giveaway! As a thank you for reaching so many amazing milestones earlier this month we've contacted some fantastic local NZ business to see if they wanted to help promote small business in NZ. One lucky person will win this EVERYTHING in this ultimate giveaway which includes:
- Punch fear in the face shield - Ginger & Jack
- 2015 Daily Planner - Toodles Noodles
- Custom rhino artwork - The Humble Heart
- An assortment of Bakers Twine - Pop Roc Parties
- Delicious custom blend muesli- The Muesli Hub
- 2 fun notebooks - FRANK Stationery
- Ceramic Kereru - Borrowed Earth
- Decorative wall tiles - Tikitibu
- Favour bags and tags - Wink
- Pohutukawa cushion - Moth
- Dream Believer pillow set - elephantandbird
- Succulent kokedama - Pickled Whimsy
Be sure to get your entries in, giveaway closes in 7 days. Check out the images below and check out these awesome businesses! And thank you so much to them all. [caption id="attachment_2539" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Shield by Ginger & Jack | Succulent Kokedama by Pickled Whimsy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2540" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Kerukeru by Borrowed Earth[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2541" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Rhino wall art by The Humble Heart | notebooks by FRANK Stationery[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Custom pack of muesli by The Muesli Hub[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2543" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
2015 Daily Planner by Toodles Noodles | Assortment of bakers twine by Pop Roc Parties[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2544" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Wall art tiles by Tikitibu[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2545" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Pohutukawa Cushion by Moth | Favour packets by Wink[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2546" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Dream Believer pillow set by elephantandbird[/caption]
Weekly Roundup 19 September
Happy Friday everyone! It's been exciting month for us here at TN with lots of lovely mentions in magazines and blogs! You can read more about how Toodles came about in this issue of Nourish magazine, our cheerful 'love you sunshine' print is on display in Your Home & Garden, it's pineapples galore in this issue of JOT magazine and we have an amazing feature and exclusive design up with Holly from Decor8. We've also been busy filling up our market schedule for the next few months. You can find us this Saturday at the General Collective Market in Ellerslie. If you have a market near you that you'd like us to attend, just drop us a line and we'll try to attend! Our full market schedule will be up soon. Have a great (and dry) weekend everyone!
- Vegas Boneyard Letters
- Pop Factory A3 print
- Fiona Walker UK animal heads
- Berg print
- + wall decals
- I like nice things poster
- Think less, live more vinyl sticker
- Stripe bow cushion
Weekly Roundup 12 Sept
Happy Friday everyone! Our summer (though it's feeling quite wintery today) market is kicking off with a bang this weekend. We have the Gordonton Country Market this Saturday from 8:30 am - 1 pm and the Raglan Creative Market from 10 am - 2pm on Sunday! Our new products are making their way to our local retailers around New Zealand and will be available for sale via our online stores within the next few weeks! To see where you can purchase some Toodles Noodles goodness near you, check out our Retailers page. We have some really exciting blog posts coming soon so be sure to keep checking back in with us. Hope you all had a great week!
Aura Home
This week's weekly roundup is slightly different. We have solely showcased (no, this is not a paid post, just a big fan) our latest obsession for homewares Aura. I'd seen their amazing products before online but when we went to Melbourne we finally got to see them in person. The colours and the quality of the products is just phenomenal. Whether your someone who loves some bright neons or more into the subdue greys, Aura has you covered. As you may be aware this past weekend we did our fourth NZ Gift Fair! It was a real hit where we showcased all our latest products and designs - but more on that later! Have a great weekend!
Meet the Maker - Alex Fulton Design
[caption id="attachment_2491" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo credit to: Sophie Jensen[/caption] Today on the blog we have the amazingly talented and inspiring Alex Fulton of Alex Fulton Design. Alex has been super generous with her time and has answered some questions for us including how it all began.
Background
Q. Describe a bit about your background, how did AFD all start? I was always sure when I grew up that I would be a doctor. I was fascinated by Science and used to spend hours pondering over my step-fathers anatomically correct Dr’s models. My love of science was also accompanied by a love of art. Together they were my two favourite subjects. After school I ended up studying nursing then Science at Otago, which lead to jobs in both medical and pharmaceutical sales. It was after having my first daughter that I discovered the world of interior design. Another new mum and I came up with an idea for putting graphics onto canvas which was affordable and fun - neither of us had a clue about interior or graphic design but we were fast learners and our business was born. This was my first glimpse at a world that was to change everything. I was selling to designers and I loved their world. After moving to Christchurch while pregnant with daughter number two I sold my design business and started a new venture - Alex Fulton Design. There really was a lot of towing and throwing about wether to study or not, so I took the middle ground and studied online while setting up my new business. A very good friend of mine saw my inner turmoil and sat me down and gave me this advice. "Alex, you have a designers mind, a creative heart and a natural talent for colour - you need need to trust that. When the next person asks you what you do for a job, you say 'I’m an Interior Designer’” and that’s what I did. My first job was a contra job for a graphic design company that did my first logo in exchange for designing their new office space. I was in-business! [caption id="attachment_2481" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo credit to: Hardhat Design[/caption] Q. What was your reasoning behind the rebrand? I started AFD officially in 2006 and I knew the power of ‘looking the part’. As I said above, it was also a touch of fate that lead me to my first job, and therefore my first logo and branding. I had that logo for 8 years and I loved it. It was inspired by my initials and a pattern I had seen on a retro light fitting. In 2013 I decided it was time for a re-brand and I had been thinking about it for some time but who was going to do for me was going to be key.
The Rebrand process
Q. How did you come about choosing Hardhat for your branding? I had admired the team at Hardhat ever since I saw their award winning branding for Supreme Coffee. It was edgy, innovative and told a story and it’s imaginary stayed with me until I saw more of their work again with Douglas and Bec and on the Fancy! Calendar. They now had a connection to my world of design. I was unsure about how they would like my world of colour, pattern and chaos but I approached them none the less and "yes please" was the answer. [caption id="attachment_2480" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo credit to: Hardhat Design[/caption] Q. What was the best and worst part of the whole process? It must have been hard at times also being a creative? Yes, you are right, it was a little difficult to let another creative essentially take control of my new ‘look’ but the key to this was to give a tight and comprehensive brief. I know when I design for other people I research the heck out of them before I establish a plan so I guess I was aware of the creative process and gave them ‘the works’ to work with. Easily the best part was opening that first files and the worst part was waiting for it to arrive in the first place! [caption id="attachment_2484" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo credit to: Hardhat Design[/caption] Q. What’s your favourite part of your rebrand? Personally, we love your email signature - so fun! I loved handing over ‘me’ to Hardhat to interpret. It was nice to be on the other side of the design coin and to be the client. I loved seeing the graphic incarnation of 12 years in my design career and what that looks like to someone else. I am ultra proud of the work that Hardhat did for me and they continue to out-do themselves in the projects we are currently working on with extensions of the brand. It was a no-brainer to use them again when starting the new AFD Store so that it links back to AFD but still remains an independent entity. [caption id="attachment_2482" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo credit to: Hardhat Design[/caption]
Expanding
Q. How would you describe your individual style and how does this feed and adapt into your new AFD store? Individual! It has taken years to embrace who I am and to feel comfortable in my our design skin. It’s such an organic process and it will only fail if you rush it. I sometimes wish that I have ‘found myself’ earlier in life but then I realise that it wouldn’t have come from a very genuine place. I’m happy with where I am and what I’m doing - I just wish I had more time in the day to fit it all in!! The AFD Store is really a physical manifestation of Alex Fulton Design as a whole. It’s a place with products that reflect me, my style and how I curate. The next stage is getting AFD Store online and in front of the world. I respect my suppliers, their craft and the art of creating and that is paramount. My products range in price, functions and style but they are united by me, and that’s what I want to share. [caption id="attachment_2485" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo Credit: Alex Fulton Design Instagram (@helloalexfulton)[/caption] Q. What’s the story behind how this all came about? How did you choose what to stock & pick that location? The AFD Store wasn’t really on the plan. There was always a unopened door that had the idea that I wanted to ‘sell’ what I talked about and I constantly had people telling me that I needed to open a shop. It wasn’t until a space came up in The Vines Village retail complex that an seed was planted. My husband and his brother/business partner own the complex and I have been working with them closely on their new ‘make-over’ so it seemed the right thing to do to move from a private studio space into a work/store/design hub set-up. The bonus of being situation in Blenheim is that the rent is a lot cheaper than more metropolitan centres but the down side is that you don’t get the foot traffic. It’s also been nice to provide Marlborough with a design space that’s a little different. The most common reaction is that people are delighted to see products for real rather than just online. Q. Why is now the time to do this? I’m not sure and who know’s if this is the right time?! Retail is hard and is a real money suck but the good outweighs the bad and I feel pretty lucky that I can do what I do. It’s hard work but I know that is how I work and thrive. I try not to over think big decisions too much, right or wrong, and for now I’m happy as.
The Studio
Q. Describe your work place. Tucked away on a mezzanine floor above the AFD Store surrounded buy stock, boxes, and sampling. It’s organised chaos. There is also huge white board for writing lists (I love lists). Q. What is the most exciting and most terrifying aspect of your adventure so far with AFD? The fact that it is AFD - Alex Fulton Design. It’s me, myself and I. The buck stops with me. I now have three amazing staff members and there is a huge responsibly to that which I take very seriously. Like anything I undertake I want to give them, and what I’m doing 100%. I just keep moving forward with new ideas, collaborations and life. [caption id="attachment_2487" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo Credit: Alex Fulton Design Instagram (@helloalexfulton)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo Credit: Marlborough Express[/caption]
Going Forward
Q. What are the long term goals for AFD? Having just completed the first round of AFD School workshops I would love to develop that a lot more. I get a kick from talking about design and there is a real hunger out there for people to learn about stuff they are actually passionate about. What I have learnt along my journey is that my knowledge is not mine to keep close to my chest, it’s there to share and I would love to do that more and more. [caption id="attachment_2486" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Photo Credit: Alex Fulton Design Instagram (@helloalexfulton)[/caption] To find out more about the talented Alex and stay up to date with her fantastic finds - be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram! I can guarantee her colourful posts will brighten up your day.
Weekly Roundup 15 August
Happy Friday everyone! So sorry we've been quiet on the blog lately. With our trip to Melbourne and prepping for the Gift Fair at the end of the month - time just seems to be flying by! We had a fantastic time in Melbourne at the beginning of the month - so many beautiful buildings and delicious food. The city really reminded me of a large Wellington / flat San Francisco - loved it. As mentioned above we are currently busy prepping for the gift fair at the end of the month - what does this mean? This is when we launch our new products and designs for the next 6 months! To see some sneak peeks of what is coming your way, be sure to follow us on Instagram. Hope you all had a great week and exciting weekend plans!
- Aprons handmade in South Africa.
- Reclaimed wood art from California.
- Pennant flag handmade in the USA.
- Never Give Up wall decal from Australia.
- Pretty pencil cases from Arizona.
- Baby honeycomb soaps handmade from Nevada.
- Felt and wood necklace made in Melbourne.
Weekly Roundup 25 July
A big happy Friday to everyone! Even though it's quite frosty outside things in the studio have been are looking hot! New calendars for 2015 have come back from the printers, custom display stands have been making us giddy with excitement and new designs are popping up every day! We had a fantastic Saturday last weekend at the Tamahere Market - thank you to everyone who braved to cold and came along. It was a fantastic market and hope to do it again soon! There won't be a weekly roundup next week as we'll be off exploring Melbourne! We are beyond the moon excited to visit this amazing city for the first time - eat amazing food, drink lots of coffee, and checking out some spectacular artists at the Life in Style show! Hope you all have been having a great week!
- Wish Chair by Citta Design
- Melibu Floor Rug by Freedom
- Ashwood Trivet by Country Road
- Impression Bowls by Freedom
- Ambient Pendant Lamp by Citta Design
- Matte Black juicer by Country Road
- Glassware by Country Road
- X Cushions by Pony Rider from MintSix
Weekly Roundup 18 July
Happy frosty Friday everyone! My goodness that sure was a lot of frost on the lawn this morning, but she's looking like a beautiful (cold) sunny day outside now! This Saturday (tomorrow) we will be at our first Tamahere market! The market is starts at 8:30am and runs until 1pm, located on the grounds of St Stephens Church. For more information on the 110 venders, visit the market's Facebook page. These last couple of weeks we have been busy coming up with new designs for the upcoming NZ Gift Fair and redecorating the studio! To see some images of our studio, follow us on Instagram. This week's round up is full of bold designs using colour brilliantly - enjoy!
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