Introducing the Toys

Sammy the Snail comes in green, yellow, blue and purple.  2 pieces -  body and shell (roller rattle with bells inside) - $35

I've been pondering what to write about today and have just realised that I have never introduced the toys.  I'm not sure how that happened - perhaps I just assumed that you would know about them!

Are all your (Daffy) Ducks in a row?  She is also two pieces - body and egg, which rotates on her wheels.  Comes in blue, yellow, green, purple & pink - $35

Anyhow, my partner, the Toy Boy makes these gorgeous toys - of course!.  They're all made of wood and many hours are spent in his man-cave cutting out the pieces.  He brings them all into the workroom and paints them there - I often help - I always seem to get to paint the red bits!  

2nd Shelf - Henrietta Hen is two parts - body and egg, which rotates on her back wheels.  She comes in red and yellow $40 and Colin the Caterpillar wibble-wobbles along $55

An awful lot of the work in the toys lies in the painting - they all have four coats of high quality lead-free paint, including an undercoat, and we know they last for years and generations of children.

Foreground - Shape Train comes with an engine and 3 carriages of shapes $120.   Vintage truck $65 and                      Kiwipost Moneybox $70

 The toys are mostly pull alongs with a rainbow coloured cord - they move freely and are kid-sturdy.

Ferdy the Frog hops along $30

The Toy Boy sells through the little shop come workroom (called Traders of the Lost Arts) in Commercial Street, Takaka, on the Nelson Market every Saturday and through my sister on the Wellington Underground Frank Kitts Market - she has the Stitchbird Fabrics stand.  We also go to the Dunkley's Great New Zealand Craft Shows in Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill in September, the Culverden Fete in October and Hunters Garden Marlborough in November.

Tyrone the Turtle's shell goes round and round as he wheels along - he's all one piece and comes in yellow, green, purple and blue $30

This is just some of the toys - there's a grasshopper, a push along penguin, a snake, a hippo....

Please contact me if you would like some more information.  Though the Toy Boy doesn't have a website, he'd be happy to send you a catalogue - look out for Golden Bay Toys.

We think they're pretty cool little critters!

Shop Update

Things have been moving along happily in the little shop in Takaka - we are still yet to build some storage and work units, but we are thoroughly enjoying being in the main street.

I'm enjoying having the torch, jewellers bench and office in the same place and often swing from one to the other and feel like I'm getting more work done.

I'm looking forward to hanging some favourite local artists work around the room.
We have lovely big windows along the side of the building and will build units to make enticing  displays there.  Do you see the sweet little French candelabra?  I bought it to embellish, but I think I love it just the way it is.

The toy shelf is slowly filling up for the winter - we will need to have lots more made by the time August rolls around and we have the Dunkley's Great New Zealand Craft Show South Island run.

The space isn't huge, and we occasionally struggle with sharing, but generally we manage to get along pretty well.  You can just see the Toy Boy working at his painting bench in this photo.  I often work opposite him swinging a paintbrush on the toys.
The whole move into the village has been good, and we feel much more social - even if we do drink way too much coffee these days!

Creating our Space

The Toy Boy and I have been as busy as bees for the past month creating a space to work in in Takaka - the little village in the area we live in.
I'm calling it a workroom, but it has a small retail area in the front for displaying our wares, and we are on the main street in what we jokingly call the CBD of Takaka.
Because my needs are greatest...in terms of space, that is (!), I seem to have cornered the largest share of the area, and have my torch, kiln and jewellers bench there, while I have kindly given the Toy Boy a corner and a large cupboard. My generosity overwhelms me sometimes! The toys will be painted and finished there, so we will both be there most of the time.
We are taking baby steps at the moment, and things are very empty and unformed, but we have opened our doors to the public, so I will share a little with you, too.
The colours are the same as they are in my studio at home - I still love them after living with them for eight years.
It's all so exciting - we are really enjoying putting everything together!

The Culverden Fete Thursday 28th October

It's getting exciting...
Things are really busy here - both the Toy Boy and I have been very productive in our studios preparing for the Christmas Country Fete in Culverden next week.
It's always a gorgeous day out, with wonderful food, music and early Christmas shopping - I always manage to find something extra special for gift giving there.
So put the date on your diaries - Thursday 28th October, 10 am till 4 pm
I'm in Stand A57 and the Toy Boy is in Stand A56 with Golden Bay Toys, right next door.
Come and say "Hi" - and remember to bring your sunhat!
See you there!