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Weekly Roundup 23 January

Happy Friday everyone - my goodness where has January gone!? This month has truly flown by - we have been busy designing new products, designs, meeting some amazing manufactures around New Zealand and of course making time for those BBQ's and soaking up some sun! We are also super excited to report that all our felt flags are now back in stock - woohoo! So get on ordering! We will also be bringing stock along with us to our upcoming markets - so be sure to constantly check our schedule. We hope you all have a lovely (long for some) weekend!

1. Keepsake / wedding ring box
2. Hex wooden base and ceramic planter
3. Cactus leather pouch
4. Fox wallet
5. Wooden mini bowls
6. Waxed canvas bag
7. Geometric planter

Design vs Craft

Happy Friday everyone! I know I told some of you that there would be a big exciting announcement today but unfortunately it has to wait until next week - I promise - the suspense is worth it! This Saturday we will be attending the Tamaki Christmas Market from 9am to 1pm - it's their last market of the year and should be a goodie! It's located out near Mission Bay - a great location for a sunny Saturday stroll. So if you're looking for something to do, make sure to pop along and say hello (eftpos machines will be onsite)! This week instead of a roundup I thought I would share an article that I wrote yesterday for Design Assembly. This topic is most likely very close to your hearts and would love to know what you think! Have a great weekend! ++++++ What makes design so hip and craft so unfashionable? Is design a term used just for the cool kids? Craft, more often than not, has a bad reputation. If a stranger asks you what you do for a living – do you say that you’re a designer or a craftsman? Where do we draw the line? Most designers are both. They plan out a design and then execute the end product. So again, why does craft have a bad reputation?

Lucy Arnold is the founder and graphic designer behind Board of Design – she is also the founder of Felt, an online marketplace for handmade goods. Arnold has shared some of her thoughts on the matter, “ I've been thinking about craft pathways – how craft is so accessible but there's no quick way to be awesome at it. Which I think is maybe part of the reason it gets a bad name. People want instant gratification, whereas craft is a long slow learning process. If you cut corners in that process, it shows in the end product – and with the internet now, we get to see the whole spectrum... it's not selective.” Justin McGuirk from The Guardian states, “It seems no magazine about material culture, from Monocle to Inventory, is complete these days without a behind-the-scenes story on a little-known clothing or furniture brand featuring people in leather aprons and workbenches strewn with chisels and offcuts. There's nothing new about the kind of products these studios create. What's new is the desire to reveal the process and not just the finished object. These are not-so-subtle messages reasserting the value of the handmade over the machine-made.” Still unclear whether to call yourself a designer or craftsman? Maybe this video will help: I am proud to call myself a graphic designer and a craftsman. I come up with ideas, sketch them, analyse them, and test the market. But I also work with my hands everyday (away from a computer). I take great pleasure in making things with my hands and get a certain satisfaction that can only be achieved when creating something unique. Crafts are often associated with “arts and crafts”, which is often associated with goods of low quality or skill (kindy). However when you break those two words down “Art” and “Craft”, it speaks of a high level of skill. At the end of the day design is a craft. There are good and bad designers out there; those who are good at their craft, excel in their field. An Artisan or Craftsman is someone who is a master of their given skill. Be proud of what you do and the skills you have.

In the Spotlight - Gifted Design Store

This past week I was lucky enough to go back to my favourite New Zealand town - Wanaka! I positively love this lakeside town. It has an enormous charm, stunning scenery, great eateries, strong coffee - what's not to love!? While there I popped into one of my favourite stockists Gifted Design Store. I met Rachael and Caz at the last NZ Gift Fair and knew we would hit it off right away! If you're ever down south and in the area, make sure to pop into their store! Though beware you will want to purchase everything inside! Store Name: Gifted Design Your Names: Rachael Bowering and Caz Cruden Job Title: Co-owners Location: 19 Helwick st Wanaka How did the idea of the store come about? There was a real gap in the market when I started it 8 years ago. I use to go the city and covet the beautiful Design Stores wishing there was something like it in Wanaka!! Why the name? The designers we stock are Gifted! What kind of products do you sell? Homeware, Jewellery, Leather bags and wallets, Art, Stationery, Occasional furniture. What are the best and worst things about owning your shop? Best things are....Loving your job, talking to people who love what you’re doing. Finding exciting new product/designers. Worst things Wanaka’s shoulder seasons are a little slow.... need to be careful when ordering and staffing at these times. What's your favourite creative outlet? Changing displays....constantly. Also when new stock comes in. What are your top 5 websites/blogs at the moment and what makes them stand out?

1. Studio Home - We love Studio Home, Julia is constantly sourcing new designers and ideas to keep her blog fresh and addictive!!
2. Design Sponge
3. The design files
4. Fancy
5. Finders Keepers
6. Etsy

How do you find new designers / products to stock? New Zealand and Australian fairs, Magazines, blogs etc and they often find us – which is nice. What song or album are you currently playing in the shop? Nadia Reid – Letters I wrote and never sent. She played here in Wanaka last week. Where can people find you physical shop and on the web? 19 Helwick St Wanaka, Also our facebook page – Gifted Design Store