Applauded for his expert craftsmanship and well finished one-of-a-kind designs, Joseph Peady is a stallholder you won’t want to miss.

Creating hand crafted garden sculptures, unique gifts and candelabras from wire and recycled metal is certainly a unique occupation, but Joseph was destined to create.  A graduate of the Canberra School of Art, his range includes best sellers; mini flower-shaped candelabras that hold tea lights with beautiful glass bead detailing – to large scale statement pieces, his candelabras.

Joseph refers to himself as a ‘poor man’s blacksmith’ but his creations are skillfully executed and finished to precision.  Once a furniture designer and maker, Joseph started creating his stunning sculptures and candelabras 18 months ago, and has been selling at the markets for 12 months. His candelabras promise to create a dazzling atmosphere, emitting a beautiful candle-lit glow. A lover of form, design and craftsmanship, all of Joseph’s creations are extremely eye catching.

If you didn’t see him last time you were at the markets, well – you now have a reason to go back!

There will be an additional 30 talented stallholders all focusing on things just for children.  Come along to browse and buy from the wonderful range of items including bright, funky, modern and wearable handmade clothes for little boys and girls, the latest and grooviest accessories, handcrafted toys, art works for kids’ rooms, specialist gear for newborns and much more.

Plus there will be entertainment throughout the day including Milo the clown, pony rides and a jumping castle.

Hailing originally from the US, Paula is a lawyer by profession but after arriving in Australia two years ago following seven years in Europe, she now prefers to spend her time creating beautiful works using her skills in metal work and gilding. Her jewellery range including rings, earrings, cuffs, bracelets, pendants and necklaces, mostly made from silver, have proved very popular since she began as permanent stallholder earlier this year. She gets lots of repeat customers looking for original silversmith pieces and her iconic ring – made from silver or gold and including gorgeous embossed flowers and leaves with stones like garnets, citrine and white topaz – sells very well. Paula has also just branched out into producing gilded home wares including clocks and candlesticks.

You can meet Paula and browse and buy from her collection each Sunday at the markets.

Winter is approaching, but don’t worry – things are already warming up at the markets with plenty of brightly coloured wool for our special annual event, A Celebration of Wool, to be held on Sunday 20^th May.

Taking place just as we’re all getting ready to pull out the winter woollies, A Celebration of Wool is now in its seventeenth year. There will be around 40 additional speciality stalls at the market with hand felted garments and accessories, designer knitwear, millinery, weavings, funky beanies and farm label knitwear. With a vast array of woollen yarns, including hand spun and hand dyed yarns, you can stock up on woollen hats, scarves and socks in time for winter, or purchase some wool to get cracking on your own creations. Meet and speak to wool producers, craftspeople and artists, view hand spinning, learn about hand felting, watch people weaving.

If you enjoy knitting, felting, working with wool – or if you just want to keep warm this winter, A Celebration of Wool is the perfect day out!

Portobello Road is a favourite amongst those who love browsing for collectables and small antiques, and offers a fun day out for those ready and willing to trawl the aisles, scan the stalls and pick through the piles of interesting curios. The fun is in the hunt as you never know what you might find amongst the stalls.

Portobello Road will offer around an additional 35 stallholders offering everything from Scandinavian mid century chairs, bright and colourful vases and cut lace tablecloths, to oil lamps, antique cuff links, Parisian buttons and old trading card collections. Rummage through a stack of old suitcases, funky lamp shades, tea cups and saucers and ceramic and glass flying ducks to decorate your home. Retro decorative art blends with antique jewellery, china and art glass, silver, linens and restored pieces.

And if the idea of some chocolate or other tasty treats tickles your fancy… well, we have plenty of other stallholders who can help you with that too!

Catering mainly for children, Winsome creates a wide range of bright and colourful hand and finger puppets, soft toys, masks and tails for childrens dress-ups, as well as eye-catching hats featuring chickens of every colour. The designs are based on Australian animals and birds and her range also includes African animals such as giraffes, lions, zebras and cheetahs.

All her products are made from felt, synthetic furs and feathers and will brighten any child’s bedroom and create a sense of fun and play.

Based in Canberra, Winsome has been a part of the markets since 1998 and attends every single Sunday that the markets operate. She designs and makes every toy herself, with a little help from her ‘market tester’ Australian Kelpie dog ‘Jacka’, and sells all her products exclusively at the markets.

Taking up painting at the mere age of nine months old, she’s always loved art. And it shows in her range of original, vibrant works which impart a sense of fun and whimsy. Born in Sweden of Finnish parents, Marja-Leena moved to Australia with her Australian born husband in 2008.

Having only recently located to Yass, she’s had many different jobs over the years but, having always kept her hand in her art, is turning to it full time.  In the past her pictures have been used for puzzles in the USA, mobile phone accessories in Japan, cards for Hallmark and Christmas cards for UNICEF, and she’s also received many other accolades.

We’re delighted that Marja-Leena has just started at the markets with her range proving popular amongst market-goers who have been admiring her original paintings, canvas prints, posters, hand painted bags and very popular greeting cards.

On Sunday 18th March 2012 come and enjoy traditional music and dance groups throughout the day while browsing handcrafted treasures – Russian babushka art, Ottoman jewellery, Italian hand painted ceramic plates, French provincial tablecloths, Indian block print textiles, Vietnamese lanterns, Burmese textiles, lapis jewellery from Afghanistan, Turkish porcelain and fabric, and Japanese kimonos and lanterns.

Visitors can watch many traditional dance performances throughout the day including Israeli folk dancing, a Mexican dance troupe, Indian Folk dancing, and performances by Argentine Tango and Prosperous Mountain Lion Dance.

And of course, you’ll leave the markets with satisfied tummies after tasting some amazing international cuisine from Spain, Laos, Ethiopia, France and Mexico… after filling your bags with delicious take home food such as Turkish burek, Thai curry and stir fry pastes, French nougat, and real Indian chutneys!

International Day – special program of performers

10.00-11.00: Israeli Folk Dancing
11.00-11.30: Mexican dancing troupe
11.30-12.00: Indian folk dancing
11.30-12.30: Drum Assault (outside)
12.30-1.00: Argentine tango
1.15-2.00: Prosperous Mountain Lion dance. www.canberraliondance.com
2.15-2.50: Isistars Belly Dancing. www.canberradance.com

Start off the year hunting out that unique collectable, small antiques, crystal and china, retro decorative arts, collectable books and maps, linen and lace, antique jewellery and other curios. Antique and collectables dealers from around the region come to offer the old and the unique.

Happy New Year everyone.

Hilde Botten and Pieter Bouwman are a husband and wife team creating interesting and unusual stainless steel wind mobiles.

Based in Sydney, Botten and Bouwman’s Geo Mobiles move in the wind and create a beautiful display of movement and reflection. The mobiles are precision made from Marine grade stainless steel and come in three interesting shapes – circle, square and teardrop, and range in price starting from $59 each. Having started at the markets around five months ago, Hilde and Pieter will continue to be market regulars with their Geo Mobiles and will be at the 2011 Christmas Markets on Sundays only before Christmas.