Christchurch

[sarahdotcom]

Right-o, here's the long-overdue Christchurch thread!

Places to shop:

Hands, on Normans Rd, Bryndwr (sp?).  Treasure trove of cool stuff, unfortunately priced for the upper-middle-class housewife.

Spotlight, in the Spotlight Centre on Colombo St, Sydenham.  Lots of fabric, haberdashery, embroidery, floral, and doll-making supplies, as well as general crafting supplies.  Huge, yet perpetually empty, yarn aisle.  Cheaper than Hands though lacking in the sort of atmosphere in which inspiration strikes.

Bunnings Warehouse, Tower Junction.  DIY heaven, and the cheapest in town.  Good for all sorts of wooden and cardboard things to decorate, cheap paints and canvas, glue guns, and fun power tools.  Friendly, helpful staff who think it's perfectly natural for a girl to be in a hardware store (unlike Mitre 10, where the staff act like I must be lost!  But don't get me started...)

To be continued...

[stargirl52]

and another- Kutwell fabrics, They r havin a closing down sale- up to 70% off! i havent been yet but i NEED to!

The art centre market- more buyin crafty things than supplies, but great for inspiration!
God, i just can't get over the awesomeness of hands! They have absolutely THE BEST crafty stuff- yesterday i saw this gorgeous intalian style paper that would be PERFECT for collaging, and all these papier maché(sp) shapes and boxes!!!
***Georgia***

[sarahdotcom]

I went to the Kutwell sale!  That's where I got the denim and calico for my basmati rice bag project: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1910

The calico is really cheap - I think it was $1.95 a metre.  I got heaps of it!

I love the paper at Hands too - but it's $5 a sheet, right?  Heh, we should go in on it and get half a sheet each!

Speaking of the Arts Centre, let's not forget the legendary Beadz Unlimited!

Something I want to know is some good places to buy yarn in Christchurch.  I know about the place on Peterborough St, but where else is there?

I really hope some more Christchurch people come out of the woodwork! 

[stargirl52]

O yeah, how could i 4get the LEGENDARY beadz unlimited! Hav u eva done their necklace/bracelet/wateva makin courses? I have piles of necklaces i have made there! My mum wore one to a party, and got like... 7 comments on it! It's burgundy and light pink and soooo kool
Have any fellow christchurchonions (that's like chch pplz not the vegetable) been to boxes on New Regent St??? That is the best shop ever to walk this earth!!! They don't sell anything that any1 who isn't a professional thingy-maker could make, but GAWD is it beautiful! They have jewellery, photo frames, purses, bath products, boxes, scarves, and lots more gorgeous semi-antique looking stuff! I got a freshwater pearl necklace for $$12, and a silk embroidered box for $$13 (as in really cheap) but my mum got some israeli (sp) sterling silver and opal earing for $$52!!! And most of their stuff is double that!
What's this i hear about yarn on peterborough st? What's the shop called?? I want some of that kool really soft stuff that sorta goes fat-thin-fat-fat-thin-fat-thin-thin etc! I can't find it anywhere!
Yeah- that hands paper is $5-7 a sheet, but if you were just collaging a small box or sumthin like that i'm sure it'd be perfect! I LOVE the old music style stuff- all i need now is something 2 do w/ it lol
ANyway, i'm rambling so i'll go and eat some sweet potato/kumara soup (mmmmmm)
***Georgia***

[Toast.]

I've been meaning to go to Chch. I live in Nelson and I've never been further south than that.
If I end up coming down later on this year would you two be interested in meeting up for coffee and a tour of these amazing sounding craft stores?

[sarahdotcom]

I've never done any of their courses, Georgia, but I do buy supplies there from time to time.  Usually findings as I tend to make my own beads out of various things!

I think that italian paper would look lovely on a box or maybe a mirror frame, with a crackle finish on it - can you imagine?  Oooh, I really want to do that now.  I'm probably moving up to Wellington next year though so I'm trying not to accumulate too much more stuff...

I can't remember what the shop is called!  It's in the Yellow Pages though.  It's right down the quiet end of the street (who knew Peterborough St was so long?  I love going to parts of the city I've never been to before!).

Kumera soup = yum!  I visited my parents last weekend and came away with a whole lot of it that my Mum made me.

I would love that Toast!  Although I think Nelson is a pretty exciting place to be, craft-wise!  Anyway, keep us posted =)

[sarahdotcom]

Oh, and I've never been to Boxes either - I wonder if I could interest them in some of my stuff...?

[stargirl52]

lol that italian stuff is just the bomb!
About findings, i got this weerd but gr8 thingy from the warehouse for about $6, it was sorta like a findings kits, it had those sorta tiny metal beads that u clamp 2 use 4 floating neckalces, about 4 kinds of claps in silver and gold, and some wirey stuff! I use it all the time!
What kinda things would u put foward *4 boxes*? they sorta sell doodaddys in general lol. If u make jewellery, u could contact lumiere *there's a tiny 1 in merivale mall, and a better upstairs 1 in city mall opposite mcKewings * i think* but u have to look hard because it's hard 2 find and not noticeable when u just walk past. They have lots of paul frank *my fave* but accesories frm other brands etc too. Talkin bout paul frank, as soon as i've got my digital camera all hooked up and downloaded, i will post *somewhere* pics of this awesome paul frank mural i have made- hard 2 describe but soooo funky!
***Georgia***

[stargirl52]

Another fun place is Supa (or super, either lol) shed. I havent been there but they sell *i believe* things that people have just thrown out but can be resused! My friend got an old, faded half chandileir sprayed it silver, added mirror beads and pearls, got it wired up, and it looked sooo groovy!
Also (oh poo, ive 4gotten the name) there is a huge second hand clothing shop *and i mean huge, it's like an emporuim* out....somehwere... ..! I think it's also called super something, or something shed. I'll try and remember sometime! My friend had a fancy dress party and i went as agnetha from abba, i got me a poncho, a white shawl, a white crocheted handbag, and a white lacy skirt! Alltogether it was like... $15 or something!
***Georgia***
edited cause i can't spell
edited AGAIN beacuse i can't spell "spell!!!"

[sarahdotcom]

Savemart!  There are heaps of them - one in Hornby, one on Cranford St, one in New Brighton I believe and one just off Colombo St in Sydenham.  Also Toff's in town is owned by the same person.  It's more expensive than real op shops, I think.

I live on Euston St (yuck yuck yuck) in Riccarton, and there's a good op shop right on the corner - they sell a lot of retro stuff.  Living so close means I can keep an eye on all of the new stuff, and the ladies in there always give me discounts!  For price though you can't go past the Salvation Army.