BREAKING NEWS!

The Customer Relations Officer 

Rapt! is opening a showroom in the little village of Jamberoo. The shop is located in what's grandly called "The Jamberoo Town Square" on the sign, but no locals know what you mean when you say that... ("Ohh… you mean the shops beside the pub!")
I'll still be working full-time at Bottoms' End (the workshop), but it's become terribly crowded with stock for sale between markets, customers' chairs waiting their turn, and the growing collection of gorgeous fabric samples.
The showroom will be a much better place for displaying stock and fabrics and meeting clients to discuss projects.
I'm aiming to staff it just one afternoon a week (Wednesdays) and open by appointment.

Before (salmon pink and mission brown)

Just putting the finishing touches to interior before moving in. The dominant colour until a few days ago was salmon-pink (c.1970) with a dash of mission brown trim. Following an intensive painting weekend, the colours are now antique-white, aqua and charcoal - a much better background for setting off the riot of mixed colours soon to move in on the furniture.

Opening is Saturday 12th April - which is timed to coincide with a weekend of festivities to celebrate the re-opening of our beloved 'Freddos' general store (after being burnt down last year). The activities include a street parade, numerous stalls (including the CWA ladies famous scones and tea), real-live cow milking (we are a dairy valley after all) and an arts trail - of which Rapt! and the new showroom are part. The arts trail continues all weekend. It's going to be a great fun weekend, and it will be lovely if you can make it - if you do - please come and say g'day (we're in the shops beside the pub!).

2013 Rapt Up (in pics)

SAVE THE DATE(S)

Two great events (Rapt will be taking part in) to put in your diary:

RETRO-DEPOT
Sunday 16th March 
at the Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston ACT.
A celebration of mid-century style, from furniture (of course!) to jewellery, homewards and clothes. Last year's event was a ripper and I think this one will be too.


JAMBEROO CELEBRATES…
...the re-opening of our local store - Freddos - which burnt down last year. The original was a well-loved institution, an historic wooden building which was literally the heart of our village. The new store is nearly finished, and is a replica of the old. To celebrate there's going to be a big day of festivities on 
Saturday 12th April.
Rapt! is honoured to be taking part in the Art Trail and will have a full display of all our current products. I do hope to see you there!

Latest projects

I apologise for being slow to post lately… (keep an eye on my business Facebook page - link top right of page - if you'd like more regular posts).

Here are a few of the recent projects coming out of Bottoms' End:

Featherstone Reproduction 'Contour' armchair in velvet (for sale in our online shop)

Commisioned antique armchair Before...

...After

Eames Dining Chair Before...

… After

footstool made to order to match 'Salvotore' antique chair (2013 project)

'Salvotore' 

'Pilsbury' contemporary wing chair, made to order (similar is currently available in our online store)

Caledonia Wingy

This is the latest wingy to fly the coop. She's named for the range of fabrics used, a new collection of commercial-grade jacquards from Warwick.

'Cally's' sale makes an interesting story:

• She came off the workbench in Bottoms' End last Saturday night 
• Pics were posted onto Facebook later that night
• Taken by truck to our monthly stall at Old Bus Depot Market (Canberra) Sunday AM
• Viewed, and purchased, by 11am Sunday - following viewing on the Facebook page by the lovely Trish, who is taking Cally to her forever home back in Brisbane.

Our quickest turnaround ever!

BEFORE & AFTER ii

before

This set of 4 deep-buttoned diners recently passed through Bottoms' End.
(Wish I'd counted the buttons on each before I quoted. 38 x 4 = 152.)

after

BEFORE & AFTER i

This curvy little number (workshop name "Cheeky") was a roadside find for my client.

CHRISTMAS TRADING

Rapt! is taking part in the following 2 markets in the lead-up to Chrissy.
What great opportunities to get all your Christmas shopping done in one hit - at the same time as supporting small business and local artisans. 

OLD BUS DEPOT MARKET
Kingston ACT
Sunday 1st December
10am - 4pm





MADE IN KIAMA - handmade night market
Kiama Pavilion, Showground Rd Kiama
Wednesday 18th December & Thursday 19th December
5.30pm - 9.00pm

Suzani Makeover

Here's the latest job off the workbench, a little old diner (?) made over using remnant fabric from a Grandfather chair previously done for the same client.

Harris, the Wingy

I've been so looking forward to finishing this chair!  

I had a wonderful holiday in Scotland a few months ago, and discovered the incredibly beautiful island of Harris - where not only are the islanders still making traditional Harris Tweed - but the industry is going gang-busters.

This, I'm sure, is largely due to the excellent management of the brand (apparently the Harris Tweed is one of the world's best known brands) by the Harris Tweed Authority.  

The bulk of tweed is still hand-woven by islanders, usually on their own farms (crofts) from their own sheep, using traditional looms and equipment - it's literally a cottage industry. However, what's really causing the surging world demand for this cloth is the fact that no longer is it just the domain of leather-elbow-patched jackets for old gents, it's now produced in a stunning array of modern colours.

I had a delightful time trying to choose what to bring home in my limited luggage allocation (Geoff was very patient!) - but consoled myself with the list of suppliers who'll I'll be buying and importing fabric from in future.

Here are a few shots of the first Rapt! chair done in Harris Tweed, followed by some of my time on the island.

If you're interested in learning more about Harris Tweed, I strongly recommend a newly published book titled 'FROM THE LAND COMES THE CLOTH'.  Written and published by Ian Lawson, it's basically a photographic 'documentary' showing the link between the land (islands of the Outer Hebrides), the islanders, their sheep (and sheepdogs!) and the way the fabric is produced. It's a magnificent publication largely because the photos are astounding.