Monday 20 February 2012

Featured Artists: 3 Little Mice, Dirty Dove and Take Your Canvas Bags.

One week to go! Here are some previews of the sort of magical stuff you'll be able to find on the night, next week. There will be lots more sneaky peeks coming this week so keep those eyes peeled! And remember, the first 15 people through the door get a goodie bag, so get there early.

The Night Market
Tuesday 28th February @ The Golden Fleece
Mansfield Road Nottingham
6pm - 10pm +

3 Little Mice

These wonderful ladies make a whole range of glorious goodies, from cute little owl brooches and hanging plushies, to lovely little covered notebooks and brooches, doorstops and cushions. They also have a range of wooden brooches and badges that are plain adorable and each have gorgeous little details that leave you not knowing which one to buy (oh, all three!). An absolute must see, these girls are new to the creative scene in Nottingham and have successfully made their stamp on it all ready.







Dirty Dove

Dirtydove, offering contemporary designs with the use of reclaimed toys and childhood memories..
Handmade old school inspired jewellery taking inspiration from the eighties and classic hip hop enthused designs. Homeware goodies adding a little something extra to the usual clobber, limited clothing to inspire yourself with, dont be shy..
Born in Nottingham dirtydove offers a contemporary feel to old school objects giving retro toys a new life, if this be on a necklace or photo frame. A distinguished outlook to fashion and life itself, Dirtydove represents the people wanting something a bit different to standard designs, standing out from the mandatory day to day life.








Take Your Canvas Bags

For a fantastic range of brilliantly detailed and wonderfully designed canvas bags, this is the place to go.
Each image has such depth and character that it stands out well above anything you'd buy in a branded shop. With an increasing supply of ethically sourced items and very reasonable prices, Take Your Canvas Bag are a definite addition to any fair.

Here are some of my favourite designs, but pop along on the night to see many more!


Well that's just about that for now then, we'll be back shortly with another sneaky preview at some of the work to be featured on the night. Dont forget, we've music from the fabulous Louis Scott and the fearsome Evil Jack as well as Tapas offers, cakes and some delectable drinks to dabble in.

6pm + @ The Glorious Golden Fleece
Music starts at 8pm
Food served throughout

Friday 17 February 2012

The Yoga Room


Looking for a peaceful place to relax and free yourself from the stresses of life? Leigh Keemer offers a bespoke, tailored Yoga class for you in The Yoga Room, a beautifully decorated and calming room based in the heart of Mapperley park, away from main roads, busy jobs and all those other things that contribute to our daily stress. See Leigh, relax, unwind and all for a fantastic price of just 7 pounds per class! Even better than that, your first class is Free! What better reason to give it a go. Leigh's contact details are below... give her a call and see which class will suit you.


Telephone: 07757083838

Email: Leighkeemer@hotmail.co.uk


Bagsy the Turquoise mat on the left....

Thursday 16 February 2012

An opening exhibition, Tonight!


Pop along to Hotel Deux to see the opening exhibition of Leanne Trappe's work in the Bistro room tonight! Having just taken on a studio space in Hopkinson's gallery, Leanne is celebrating the opening with an exhibition of her work. The evening coincides beautifully with Cafe Boheme so finish the night off with some beautiful music from the fabulous Maniere Des Bohemiens and Cecille Grey!
Not to be missed, Leanne combines photography, print, painting and other mediums to create an exhibition of eye-catching quality. Tonight only:

Hotel Deux, 2 Clumber Avenue
Sherwood rise
Nottingham

7.30pm Tonight!

**Free drinks with invite only** - But do pop along for a look even if you dont have an invite.


Monday 13 February 2012

The Night Market - Artist Announcement

Hello everybody,

Its that time! We can now announce the fabulous artists and makers that will be keeping us company on Tuesday 28th February @ The Golden Fleece.

Look out for more info and featured artist previews coming soon!

Jeanniewear - Textiles + Knits
Paul Gidley - Paintings and Prints
Fiona Shore - Resident Tarot Reader
Carrington Beauty and Holistics - Massage and Manicures
Zalisander - Contemporary Jewellery
Bibusa - Ethically sourced and made African Jewellery and textiles
Leanne Trappe - Photography and Record Art
3 Little Mice - Textiles, badges brooches and more
Leslie Brown - Flowers, recycled bags and more
Crafty Glass - Glass and recycled items and more



There are still a few names to come, with a total of  12 stalls!
(If you are a stallholder and are wondering why your name isn't here... please email themollyqueen@googlemail.com as soon as possible)

Dont forget we've got music from Evil Jack and Louis Scott and lots more to look forward to.

**goody bags for first customers**

**Live Music**

**Tapas**

Check back soon for updates.

MQ

An Artistic Preview... The Night Market 28th February @ The Golden Fleece

Zalisander Contemporary Jewellery will be showcasing their gorgeous items at The Night Market. Based in a studio at Hopkinson's Gallery on Station street, there's an air of quality and originality to Zalisander's pieces that will leave you either with a gorgeous new piece of Jewellery (or two!) or a commissioned order for that special something you've always wanted; and have now found the perfect designer! 

With a range of different styles, materials and mediums, Zalisander has a fantastic contemporary look and feel, the maker is a bit of all right herself too.

Here are some images, but don't stop there... pop on over to her website and have a browse.




Zalisander @ The Night Market
Tuesday 28th February
6pm +
The Golden Fleece

Friday 10 February 2012

An evening with Sura Susso, Tonight!

Tonight, in the wonderful setting that is The Jam Cafe on Heathcoat street in town, in a quiet backdrop to the manic setting of Light Night in Nottingham, none other than Sura Susso will be playing away on his much loved and beautiful Kora, an instrument much like a Sitar but also very, very different. Here's a link to his myspace page so you can have a sneaky listen before wandering out for tonights festivities and making the Jam Cafe your final destination. I'd advise getting there early to get a seat as tonights event is certainly going to be popular.

Free event with
With support from Hemulen Soundz DJ



Surahata Susso is a young composer, virtuoso Kora (22 string West African harp lute) player & percussionist from The Gambia. From the well-known Susso griot family, a truly natural performer, he sings in his mother tongue Mandinka. Also a talented percussionist, Sura brings a highly distinctive blend of African and Cuban percussion styles, and has been adding this flavour to the Seckou Keita Quintet since 2004. Touring worldwide, performing at festivals and events such as, Glastonbury, Montreal Jazz Festival, The Hay Festival, WOMAD International Music Festival, in the UK, Austrailia and New Zealand.

Do not miss this chance to see him in such an intimate venue.





Thursday 9 February 2012

The Night Market - Evil Jack - A musical preview

The Night Market is fast approaching, hopefully the ice will have thawed by then and we'll be wearing less 'outerwear' as we wander the streets. We are very proud to present the fabulous Evil Jack who will be warming our ears with his music, along with our favourite musical munchkin, Louis Scott.

Heres a link to Jack's Soundcloud page so you can have an eavesdrop and see what you think.



The Night Market
Tuesday 28th February
6 - 10pm (and later)
At the Golden Fleece
Mansfield Road, Nottingham

As well as fabulous music, expect the usual array of talented artists and crafters, along with some splendid new faces, tarot readings and massage and holistic beauty therapies.

Check back soon for artistic previews!



Tuesday 7 February 2012

Marvellous Meeting Tonight!

From 7pm at The Loft on Mansfield Road.

Bring whatever creative project you are working on (if its portable) and come along for a catch up.

Also tonight, collect your Free Art starter packs, do a spot of creative writing, raid the resource table and pick up flyers for the next events.

Its also a drop off point for application forms and payments, and we're all there to answer any questions/queries or quibbles.

See you there from 7pm, Mines a Pepsi!

xx MQ xx

Monday 6 February 2012

Application Deadline REMINDER

Just a quick reminder, all applications for The Night Market
 MUST be in by Friday February 10th.

If you are hoping to attend there are very limited spaces left, so you will need to email us as soon as possible to request a form and return it to us urgently. If you have posted your application but are yet to hear from us, please email themollyqueen@googlemail.com and we'll reserve your spot until the postman sorts himself out. If you have any queries, get in touch!

Look out for Artist Previews after February 10th! We've got some fantastic artists and crafters all ready to showcase their wares. We also have music from the lovely 'Evil Jack' and 'Louis Scott' with lots more to be confirmed.

Happy February!

Marvellous Meeting - take 2!

Its the first Tuesday of the month, we'll be meeting once again in the upstairs bit of The Loft on Mansfield road from 7pm tomorrow evening for a crafty make-session, to share our new projects and to plan for the upcoming markets. Pop along for a natter, get involved with the Free Art project, a spot of creative writing or come and pick up some flyers for the Night Market or Marvellous Market. Bring whatever creative stuff your working on (if its portable) or get stuck in with our crafty bits and have a go at Origami, card-making or whatever else you can think of!

We'll have 'Free Art' packs for those who want to help us get the project out there and moving, we've also got publicity packs for those stall-holders who want to shout about the events.

We'll be there, regardless of snow, with extra lighting than last time and lots more lovely faces.
Look forward to seeing you!

xx MQuizzle xx

Upcoming events

The Night Market - Tuesday 28th February 2012 - The Golden Fleece 6 - 10pm
Live music from Evil Jack and Louis Scott

The Marvellous Market - Sunday 25th March 2012 - Federation House, Claremont Road, Carrington - Live music and Circus Entertainment workshop 11 - 5pm
(Workshop 1 - 3pm)


Friday 3 February 2012

Free Art - Get involved!


Free Art

There is nothing more exciting than finding a mystery gift addressed to a stranger, its akin to answering a phone box call, receiving a mystery valentines and getting mail from your pen pal. Free Art is a MollyQueen Community project that aims to spread the reach of Art to the community and incorporate the act of kindness and giving into daily life. All you have to do to get involved is make something, be it a painting, a picture, a sculpture, a sketch, a card, a  patchwork quilt, a poem, a flower moulded out of paper and tied with ribbon left hanging on a railing in Nice, a book mobile.....anything! As long as you consider it 'Art', then wrap it nicely with a note explaining the project and leave it out somewhere for a stranger to find.

Dont forget to take a photo of your item and its location so we can document the project as it expands over the city, the country....THE WORLD! Mwuahahahaha!

Please make sure that you're package is presented nicely and looks like a gift (we don't want to set any 'bomb alert' alarms off!) and make sure that 'Free Art' is clearly visible to the finder.

If you're intrigued and want to know more or would like any help with your ideas, pop along to the marvellous meeting on Tuesday to pick up a 'Free Art' package and get on your merry making way.


Here is the text for the 'Free Art' note if you want to get stuck in yourself...

"Hello and welcome to FREE ART - A Nottingham based project that aims to spread the joys of art and creativity to everyone. This gift is YOURS to keep, all you must do in return is make something yourself, a painting, a picture, a poem, a model made out of plastecine....(anything creative!) and leave it out for someone else to find. 
Leave a note like this one clearly visible to the finder to keep the project going.

Please take a photo of your work or what you have found and get involved on the 'Free Art' facebook page, or email themollyqueen@googlemail.com for more info.

Happy Free Art!"


Creative Concessions... MollyQueen's new home!

Mollyqueen have decided to put down roots by taking up a 'creative concession' space at the wonderful venue that is The Hopkinson Gallery on Station Street in town.

We'll be nestled into a corner in the main room upstairs, alongside some fabulous works from other Nottingham based creative/design companies. The building is bustling with all sorts of fabulous things to see, open studio's including that of Leanne Trappe (opening soon!), vintage and original artworks and now, a collection of work from the wonderful Mwanabibi Sikamo and Mollyqueen Decoupage. There'll be more artwork showcased over the coming months, and of course lots of information about our upcoming events. 

There's also a fabulous tea room with the most amazing range of teas and some glorious cakes to while away those hours in the most eclectic and truly spectacular setting; amongst fur coats and match-boxes, next to an indoor caravan and amidst the biggest collection of vintage goodies, jewellery and pretty much everything you can think of! 

Well worth a visit! Dont forget to pop upstairs!

We're officially moving in tomorrow, so feel free to pop along and have a browse! 

If you'd like to be involved with the space, please email us at themollyqueen@googlemail.com and we'll let you know the details!

See you at Hopkinson's or the next Marvellous Meeting - taking place on Tuesday @ The Loft on Mansfield road.

A day in the life of writer Panya Banjoko

Writing, thinking, carefully pondering,
in cafes drinking Americano,
at home in bed with ginger tea,
in galleries sipping elderflower,
at home on the settee.

Crawling to bed at 3am, 4am, sometimes five.
After two weeks, first draft finished.
two more to go
one, must read well on a placard, A2 size.
Theme: Romeo and Juliet.
free write, sit hard and think write,
pace up and down write, approach it upside down write.

The next piece about relationships
the secrets and lies type, he or she has had an affair
some know, some don’t,  some pretend not to know...
capture the essence in a poem
write on paper, with biro, with pencil, tap on keyboard,
try with five year old Parker pen  saved in the hope that one day in times of emergency it will  radiate magical aromas to beckon lazy thoughts
words don’t come,
should have bought a Sheaffer!
new approach
hmmm glass of wine!
Think
Doze and think,
Try format
Sestina
Quatrain
Haiku? Nah!
Write, then write, and write, and then write some more
Finally, just before a search warrant is issued for the poem
It falls into place, each word concocting rainbow coloured images
Now, memorise, learn inside out and backwards,
Finally perform...

By Panya Banjoko - MollyQueen Featured Writer

To view Panya's other works, visit her sites here:

http://www.panyabanjoko.wordpress.com/

Thursday 2 February 2012

Thought of the week

No this will not be a regular slot on the MQ blog... just something I thought I'd share with you this time. I'm currently covering a colleague's position while they are on leave and therefore have the wonderful job of 'keeping an eye' on the notice board. That includes removing old out of date notices, keeping it 'tidy' and updating the infamous 'Thought of the week'...

Here's a few quotes I found that I quite liked.
Guess which one I used!

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage" - Anais Nin 1969

"How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it." - Robert Brault

"I'm so optimistic i'd go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take the Tartar sauce with me."

“But better to be hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie.”
Khaled Hosseini

"Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don't have. It's so simple, yet so hard for the human mind to comprehend."

"Pleasure is not happiness. It has no more importance than a shadow following a man."
Muhammad Ali

"I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.”
The Kite Runner

"Be helpful.When you see a person without a smile ,Give him yours."
Zig Ziglar