Remainder of stock on SALE...

If you live in Brisbane and want a fantastic bargain, come and visit us at Mathilda's Market this Saturday 17th April...

We'll be there as our new business, Kawaii for You, but we'll have a box at the front of the stall with the remainder of our Little Diva Designs stock on sale.  Click here to see some of what we currently have available.

Also, head on over to our Kawaii for You blog for more market information and some fantastic specials and giveaways that we'll have on the day.

Hope to see you there!

It's coming......

Make sure you mark this one in your diary...


Sorry my blog posts have been few and far between lately but I just did my fourth market for November last night and now it's time to get more stock together for the upcoming BrisStyle Market.

Don't go away though as I've got a giveaway coming up very soon....

Started your Christmas Shopping yet ??

Sunday 8th November from 8am to 1pm, Portside Wharf


Click here to go to the Boutique Markets website...

Help support your local community....

Just in case you've forgotten, here's where I'll be tomorrow night (Friday)...

Come along and say hi, have some yummy food, listen to some music and of course, get your Christmas shopping started...

Coming up to a VERY busy week....

Starting Sunday I have three markets in one week.... eeeek !! Not sure what I was thinking but I've been crazy busy trying to have enough stock of everything. No doubt I'll still be going nuts sewing, glueing and crafting next week but hopefully it won't be too bad.

So here's the rundown and I hope to see some of you at one of the markets...

Sunday 1st November - Mathilda's Market
Brisbane City Hall, King George Square (between Adelaide & Ann Streets), Brisbane City
9am to 1pm


Friday 6th November - C & K Salisbury Kindergarten Market Night
135 Lillian Avenue, Salisbury
7pm to 9pm


Sunday 8th November - Boutique Markets
Portside Wharf, Hercules Street, Hamilton
8am to 1pm



P.S. I've also got two markets in December but I'll fill you in on those details a little closer to the time and then I'm doing nooooo markets in January !!!

Fabulous Photographer spots Little Diva Designs....

I received a lovely email last week from Rachel Richter telling me that she'd been browsing the Mathilda's Markets website and clicked through to my site. She said one of the dresses looked very familiar and when she looked back at a photo shoot she'd done she was sure it was a Little Diva Designs dress:

(click on photo to enlarge)

It sure is and doesn't little Chloe look just divine! What a beautiful little girl and what gorgeous photography.

I looked further at Rachel's blog and her photos are so beautiful. Rachel is a photographer based on Brisbane's southside and has been photographing families and children for six years.

Click here to see more photos of Chloe and also here for the website of Rachel Richter Photography.

Thank you Rachel and Chloe's mum for letting me post this photo on my blog and thanks to Rachel for emailing me...

P.S. The citrus fabric is running out and has been discontinued so click here if you want to buy one of your own...

This is one market you don't want to miss...

Mathilda's Market is coming to Brisbane again and Little Diva Designs will be there this time.

These markets are becoming very popular and well known for gorgeous, unique and mostly handcrafted goods for kids. It's on Sunday 1st November from 9am to 1pm and from what I've heard, you should get in early!!


What a fabulous way to stock up on Christmas Goodies for the kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids etc...


You'll find Mathilda's Market at Brisbane City Hall, between Adelaide and Ann Streets, King George Square, Brisbane City and entry is free. Click here to see which amazing stallholders will be there.


P.S. These photos are a small selection of stallholders who you'll find at the Markets - click on the photos to be directed to their websites...

It's market time again....

It's that time of the month again (market time that is!!):


Find Little Diva Designs at the Boutique Markets, Portside, Hamilton. This Sunday 9th August from 8am to 1pm.

FREE Parking all day, yummo Fish and Chips and beautiful restaurants, fabulous coffee, great playground for the kids just across the road.

If that isn't enought to tempt you then have a look at these to-die-for cupcakes from Tabitha's Place:


They have the most amazing flavours and I'm trying a new one every month ! Make sure you get in early though as she sells out every time.



P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already. Click here.

It's markets galore in Brisbane at the moment...

There's been some fabulous markets on in Brisbane over the last few weeks and another gorgeous market is on this weekend too - the Mathilda's Market.

"Mathilda's Market is a fabulous niche market that offers unique, stylish and affordable baby & kids goods that are lovingly handmade or from limited production line. The retailers are hand pick to ensure an exciting product range, and most of them do not have a shop front, so you know you'll find something special, not available anywhere else. Mathilda’s Market is coming up in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth in June & July. With up to 70 gorgeous stalls, yummy food, free kids entertainment, this is a fantastic day out for young & old. For a sneak peek, have a look at the gallery on Mathilda’s Market website (www.mathildasmarket.com.au) and enjoy browse through past Markets. "

Unfortunately I won't have a stall at the market as I thought three weekends in a row might be a bit much but I'm happy to say I've been accepted for their next market on Sunday 1st November.


Anyway, the market is on this coming Sunday 19th July from 9am until 1pm at Brisbane City Hall. Click here for further details.


I'd get there early though as I heard it was really busy last time!

Lots going on this week....

Firstly, make sure you tune into Channel 7 this Sunday 28th June at 5:30pm to catch and glimpse of me and some other BrisStyle Members on The Great South East. You might also see my little twinnies doing a bit of modelling!!

Here's a photo of some of us with the host Sofie and Producer Carol:


Speaking of my twinnies, they will be turning 5 next week. OMG, where does the time go!! In one way it feels like they've been around forever and 5 years doesn't seem like any time at all but on the other hand it feels like just the other day I was coming home from hospital with an empty back seat (thankfully I was allowed to bring them home two days later!). Here they are bundled up into the pram (which they didn't even fit into) to get to the car:


Here's a photo I took the other day of Riley and Charlotte (doing a bit of modelling for me):


The blouse's they are wearing are my new "Beachie Blouse" that I've started making. I originally made them to throw on over swimmers or for a light summer top but they look really great over a long sleeve & jeans for winter too. Here's another one:


I've listed two of them in my Etsy store but I'll be listing the third one soon and getting them into my Made It store too.

Anyway, back to the birthdays. We're having a little family party (still more than 20 people though!!) for the girls on Sunday as it was the only day in the next couple of weekends that we could fit it in. Not great timing though as we've got my sister-in-law's 30th on Saturday night. Might be a bit hungover.... eeeekk.

Then, it's also my sister's birthday today, my newest sister-in-law next Friday and next weekend we have two kids birthday parties to go to on Sunday. Whew.... gonna be tired after that !!

And that's after I have my stall at the fabulous BrisStyle Market next Saturday:



I'm feeling tired already......

Little Diva... now a regular at the Markets

You might remember me doing a post recently about the new Boutique Markets being held at Portside Wharf, Hamilton.


Well, I can now announce that I've been accepted as a regular stall holder. YAY !!

So on the 2nd Sunday of every month, you'll be able to find me there from 8am-1pm. There will of course be the occasional one that I'm unable to attend so you might just want to check my box over on the right of the blog to check.

The first market is coming up very soon - Sunday 14th June.... see you there...

New name and market location revealed...

"A unique shopping experience featuring some of the best local talent in art, craft and design located in one of Brisbane's premier riverfront dining and shopping precincts!"


The Boutique Markets (formerly known as the Designers Emporium) has recently found a new home at Portside Wharf in Hamilton, Brisbane. Since its inception in 2007 our market has grown in profile and size to become a hub of local creative talent which offers a unique shopping experience; boutique shopping in a market atmosphere. Our expanded market will now be located in the exclusive riverfront shopping and dining precinct of Portside on the second Sunday of each month, between 8am and 1pm.

Proudly supporting local independent design and craft, our market will host the work of more than fifty South East QLD -based stallholders including artists, designers, stylists, crafters and artisans. The market aims to promote and cultivate emerging local talent by offering a forum to promote and sell their work to the public.

This in turn offers design savvy shoppers unique access to high quality handmade and limited edition products not available elsewhere, direct from the region's thriving art and design community. As a locality Portside offers a great day out with an array of waterfront eateries, bars, cinemas, fresh food markets and retail shopping in addition to a first class international cruise terminal. The Boutique Markets offers a perfect compliment to the venue; it creates a festival style ambiance in the outdoor plaza. Spend the day meandering between stalls and stroll the waterfront promenade before enjoying lunch in one of the many restaurants or cafes.

The new Boutique Markets website and our new blog offers a portal to keep up to date on market events or to discover the stallholders which will be featured there. Be first in the know by signing up to our newsletter and stay tuned for some exciting special events and attractions which will coincide with the market day in coming months!

Interested in applying to retail - be quick, spaces are limited.

Visit the trade page on our website for more information.


I had a stall at these markets when they were Designers Emporium held at Everton Park Hotel and they were always fantastic with many lovely stallholders and their beautiful wares. I'm hoping to have a stall at the Boutique Markets debut on 14th June - will keep you posted!

a busy couple of days....

Well it's been a very busy couple of days and although I should be sewing right now while the 2 year old is sleeping and the 4 year olds are at Kindy, I'm filling you all in instead... it's called procrastination!!

Anyway, on Tuesday and with the help of hubby on Tuesday night, I was running around the house cleaning like a mad woman
On Tuesday morning I must have been having a brain snap as I offered to host the Great South East photo shoot at my house. They wanted to do a feature on BrisStyle and our many talented members and they decided to do it at short notice due to the horrible weather and the cancellation of their pre-planned outdoor shoots. I was also fortunate enough to have an extra little feature done on Little Diva.

Anyway, after much scrubbing and tidying (we just won't look in the spare room!!) I think it was up to scratch. The house has never been so clean and certainly the sewing room looked like a whole different area ! I had been using the desk as my sewing table and the overlocker was sitting on a foot stool - not a good look! As luck would have it though, my hubby found an old plan table at his work on Tuesday and brought it home - he cut the legs down a bit and put a hole in the middle for the cords and it was just perfect!! Much more professional...

Here's a few shots of the sewing room/study before it falls back into a horrible mess... I do have to share it with rugby union jersey's on every wall but if I didn't, they'd end up all over the house - he's still trying to put one in the kids rumpus room!!




The first part of the shoot was some of the BrisStyle ladies sitting around chatting and showing each other of things etc like we were having one of our get-togethers. Sandrine from SM Boutique also got to do a little extra part with her hats and then I did my little feature in the sewing room.

Here's a pic of us all after the shoot had finished:


From left to right is Lauren (Raspberry Pink), Amanda (Twinkle Star Art), Robyn (Hot Fudge), Myself (with Charlotte on my lap), Sophie Formica (show host), Sandrine (SM Boutique), Carole Horne (show producer) and Helen (Ruby 2 Go Go & Ruby Red Studios - with Riley on her lap).

Riley and Charlotte even got to do a bit of modelling in my dresses and playing with the Snigglebottom's.

They then headed on over to visit Bec and Jade from Beckybean to do a little feature with them too.

The show at this stage will be aired on Sunday 5th July - 5.30pm on Channel 7. Also, see Robyn's blog for more photo's.

The show is well and truly over....

This week it's back to the grind !!! Not that the show wasn't work as such but it was so nice to spend five days doing something different and chatting to all those wonderful people.

I just wanted to say thank you again to all of the fabulous Incubator stall holders for being such wonderful, creative and supportive people.

Here's a few lovely items I picked up at the show:

Cute little felt hair clip from Kenzie and Coco - I got one each for my girls.


Here's a pic too of the Kenzie and Coco/Rourke and Henry stand. For some reason I didn't take one until the last day.


This nifty little gadget I picked up from Hobbysew:


I always seem to lose my little embroidery scissors when I'm hand sewing etc so this has little cutters in between the flower petals and it also has a needle threader in the bottom. AND a cord to put it around your neck so you don't keep losing it while you're working.

This beautiful package was a gift from Old Yarns Reclaimed Linen as well as a beautiful box of biscuits (thanks Kristina).



This little pack is instructions and materials to make a string of paper boats and I've put it away for a rainy day. The girls will love making these...


and lastly here is my fabulous Biddy Bag - I did a swap with Samantha from Biddy Bags for a few of my items.



I haven't been anywhere to use it yet but I can't wait until I do..

So farewell to the show and onto the next challenge - will post about that later!!

I'm in love....

with my new stickers....... aren't they the cutest !!



Thanks to Angela from Studio Art who designed them for me. Not only does she offer modern, contempory artwork for your home and amazing mirror art, but she is also a graphic artist.

She can design and print anything from unique business cards:

to all types of invitations:

(Click on pictures to see large size).

If you want to see her canvas art and mirror art, go to the Studio Art website or click here for her contact details to get in touch regarding designs, printing etc.

Only 1 week to go....

Well, this time next week I'll be at the Stitches and Craft show here in Brisbane. It will be the first of what no doubt will be five tiring yet very exciting days.


I've got my stall setup sorted out and will be there on Tuesday to get it all ready. I won't spoil it by showing you any pics yet as it just doesn't look the same in my lounge room as I'm hoping the real thing will. Here's a couple more Snigglebottom's just about ready to go though (just need their little ribbon belts).

(Iggle, Jynessa and Scotty Snigglebottom)

My only hiccup is a very frustrating encounter with an online fabric shop in the US. I received an email on 4th April advising my fabric order had been shipped. I was getting worried that I hadn't received it so I chased them up yesterday and got a reply that they don't know what happened but it was only just posted out on Monday !!!

The order was for quite a bit of fabric and I was going to make a few more dresses for the collection but a lot of it was for my DIY skirt kits that I'm putting together for the show. If only they had told me of their mistake, I would have had them send it some way that would get here quicker. Let's just hope it at least arrives next week !!

Anyway, here's just a little example of good and bad customer service that I have experienced recently:


Example 1: BAD - you know the story from above so basically they forgot to post my order; didn't bother to let me know; received a weak apology after I chased them up and nothing else. Actually the word sorry wasn't even mentioned, only "we are not sure what happened but it's on its way" - gee thanks !!


Example 2: EXCELLENT - I made a fabric purchase from another online fabric store based in the US a while back and once received I went through it all and noticed there was one part of the order missing. Just 2 yards of a particular fabric. I emailed them to advise them and would have been happy with a refund for that 2 yards. But not only did they post that 2 yards to me at their own expense but they also offered me a 30% discount off my next order.

We all know which shop I "won't" be going back to....

Anyway, it's a beautiful day here in sunny Brisbane and I have a 2 year old asleep and two 4 year olds about to have rest time, so I might head outside for a quite cuppa before getting into some more sewing and show preparation....

Stitches and Craft Update

I just realised that once Easter is over next week, it's only two weeks until the Stitches and Craft show. I could add a few of these right now, **** ****, but I'm trying to stay calm.

I'm struggling to stay on one line of thought - I'll be busy sewing and then I'll think of something great for my stall and all of a sudden I'm on the computer for 40 minutes trying to find what I'm after... concentrate, concentrate !!

Anyway, I've been trying to get the dress stocks back up so at least my clothes rack is full;


I'm also constantly working out how I'm going to set my stall up so that I can actually fit people in - it's only 2m x 2m so quite a challenge. I'm going to put some masking tape down on the loungeroom floor soon so I can "see" the space instead of just imagining it.

I'll have my clothes rack so don't really think I'll be able to fit a table in too, so was thinking I could pilfer from the kids.

This toy box can be my storage as well as a seat:


and this bookcase will be great as a display and also to have things sitting on top:


What I'd really love is one of these ladder shelves:


anyone have one I could borrow for a week ??? or seen a cheap one for sale ???

I've also just found something that I think will look really great on the walls but I'm not going to give that away just yet...

(P.S. If anyone read this post this morning and wondered where my photos were, it's because I didn't actually mean to post it - just realised when I can back to it that it wasn't a draft as I thought... see what's happening to me!!).