Greenleas Handcrafts information blog
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At last we have joined the rest of the country at Alert Level 1 so the Matakana Market at the Old Dairy Factory is up and running again at full capacity. Although it was a blustery day yesterday the market was well patronized and I really enjoyed meeting past customers who had been waiting for me to restart so they could purchase gifts for someone special.
Although it is only October, people are beginning to think of Christmas, particularly if they have to post items overseas. This is where my table mats and runners come in as they are beautiful and light weight. The 75cm table runners weigh only 150grams, the set of 4 table mats weight just 200grams while the 1.23 metre table runner of 3 NZ flowers and 3 NZ birds comes in at 350 grams.
I look forward to seeing you in the Creamery at the Old Dairy Factory on Saturdays.
SusanPosted: Sunday 11 October 2020 -
Hello
It is nearly time again for me to start my Summer Season at the Matakana Market. I will be in the Old Dairy Factory in my usual corner. Covid-19 allowing, I will be back with my hand made homewares on Saturday 3 October. I will have the very popular Table Mats in sets of Four, Table Runners approximately 75cm long and the 1.25 metre Table Runners. All of these are in the beautifully coloured Kiwiana fabrics with Bali Batik borders. Wall hangings, Art Quilts, and the ever popular Pot Mats will also be available. Everything is made in very good quality cotton which when washed still looks new.
The beauty of my items is that they are very light weight so do not cost an arm and a leg to post. The 75cm Table Runner weighs 150gms, the 4 Table Mats weigh 200gms and the 1.25 metre Table Runner is 300gms.
I am looking forward to meeting my returning customers again, and of course new customers who are looking for something special and handmade as gifts for themselves or friends, family or guests.Posted: Friday 18 September 2020 -
Hello Everyone
It is a long time since I have been online owing to my husband's nearly 2-year illness. Fortunately he is now well and gaining in fitness, so I am able to continue with my quilting and painting again.
I have been at the Old Dairy Factory these past few weeks, just getting back into work again very slowly. However I will not be at the Market for the months of August and September but will return for my weekly Saturday Markets from 3 October.
I have really enjoyed meeting my past customers recently and thank you to those who have ordered items for gifts to send overseas. The beauty of the table mats and table runners is their light weight which helps to keep the cost of postage down both nationally and internationally.
So although I will have the months of August and September off from the Market I am still accepting online or email orders.Posted: Thursday 16 July 2020 -
I hope everyone has had a very Happy Christmas. I am very sorry that I have not been in my corner in the Creamery at the Old Dairy Factory these past 2 weeks and I won't be there tomorrow either. I broke my wrist and now am sporting a bright blue fibre-glass cast. HOWEVER I intend to start back on 4 JANUARY, so I hope to see you then.
As well as my lovely kiwiana items I also have colourful children's cot/play quilts and unique, one-of-a-kind wall hanging art quilts. In addition to these I have a small gallery of paintings.
So HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my customers and visitors, I hope to see you soon.
SusanPosted: Friday 27 December 2019 -
It is less than 2 weeks now before I begin my new Summer Season at the Matakana Market on 5 October. I hope you will visit me there in the Old Dairy Factory building. I have some new fabric ranges which will be available as well as the favourite table mats featuring 4 different NZ birds.
There will be a range of Children's Quilts which are really colourful and happy. As usual I will have a range of contemporary Art Quilt wall hangings, all original designs for that unique piece of art for your home.
I look forward to seeing you and of course you can always get in touch with me from the CONTACT US page.
All the best
SusanPosted: Tuesday 24 September 2019 -
Well Winter is now upon us and I have retreated to hibernate in my workroom surrounded by fabric and paints. It will be a colourful winter! I now have 4 months to restock. It has been wonderful meeting you all - past customers coming to have a chat and new customers buying my creations. It has been a pleasure to meet you. I will not be at the Old Dairy Factory in Matakana again until the first Saturday in October which is the 5th. I will look forward to seeing you some time during my summer season.
I can always be reached via email or phone - see Contact Us page for details.
All the best
SusanPosted: Wednesday 5 June 2019 -
For those of you who have been visiting but have found nothing changed or updated on this website, I am sorry. My husband was extremely ill in hosptai for some months and I spent my days with him. He is now home and recovering and I am back at the Matakana Market in my usual corner. But for the rest of my season - until June - I will be there only every second Saturday.
I now have a small painting gallery in my space so I have one wall for quilted things and the other for paintings.
I look forward to seeing you at the Market again.
SusanPosted: Monday 18 March 2019 -
We are certainly well into winter now and I am on my Winter Break from the Matakana Market. My season runs from October to Queen's Birthday in June and then I have 4 months off to make new items for the next season and to take a holiday in the Sun!
Thank you to all my customers - local, New Zealand-wide and International. It has been a pleasure meeting you and being able to provide you with just the right item for your own home or as a gift for family and friends. I have really enjoyed our conversations and lots of laughs as well.
There are some new fabric designs for the coming year as well as new batiks. I am in the process of updating this website to have examples of everything I have to sell - kiwiana table mats, table centers, long table runners, wall hangings, pot mats, quilt art wall hangings, children's play quilts as well as paintings.Posted: Sunday 1 July 2018 -
Somehow the months have whizzed by and I haven't taken the time to update this little blog. However a few of my customers reminded me that it is now February!
It has been wonderful to meet many of my past customers at the Market again this year. It is so good to be able to catch up and to get your feedback on what styles you would like added to my range. Thanks to a couple of customers at the end of last year who said that they would like a set of table mats with 4 different birds in the set. It seems that others wanted the same as Four NZ Birds is the fastest selling table mat style - they keep flying off the table. I vary the combinations of birds, but of course I can always make to order.
This past Saturday was one of our wettest days, but inside the Old Dairy Factory the atmosphere was upbeat with music, conversation and more than a dozen stalls of handmade goods for sale from my Kiwiana items and paintings to wonderful leatherwork - belts, bags, wallets; colourful custom-made shirts, hand wrought silver jewellery, lotions, potions and jams, leadlight angels and beautifully crafted cutting boards and kitchen trolleys ...and a whole lot more.
Time for another visit even if it is wet!
Till next time
SusanPosted: Sunday 11 February 2018 -
It was great to meet so many people last Saturday and I now have items winging their way to the USA, the UK and as a housewarming gift in NZ.
Starting October 14 you will find me inside The Creamery which is the building at the right of The Old Dairy Factory. It is a building filled with character and now is the venue for lots of NZ art and craft including me and my quilted items and I will have a little bit of display room for my paintings. Landscapes, flowers, and sometimes old buildings and sheds in acrylic and watercolour. So now I will be able to combine my two loves - quilting and design and painting.
I look forward to seeing you.Posted: Tuesday 10 October 2017 -
After the dreadful weather of Winter, Spring is here and that means a return to the Market at the Old Dairy Factory in Matakana for me.
I have new kiwiana products which make wonderful gifts to send overseas or of course for yourself. They are very well made, original to my own designs, and the domestic items such as table mats and table runners wash and wear extremely well.
I also have a range of children's quilts - some traditional, others funky and colourful - just right for that special child.
So I look forward to seeing you at Matakana - the Old Dairy Factory.Posted: Thursday 21 September 2017 -
Posted: Sunday 30 October 2016
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It is Spring at last and 1 October is the beginning of my 2016/2017 Season at the Old Dairy Factory in Matakana. If you haven't visited the Old Dairy Factory in Matakana, now is the time to come. There are so many artisans, most of them local, who make and sell their original creations at The Old Dairy Factory.Posted: Saturday 17 September 2016
