Hi,

Kalimna here. I just wanted to say a big thank you to the many supporters and volunteers that brought the Christmas Makers Market together.

This year we were supported by Nelson Alexander with local billboards, Brenta Meats with great sausages to sell, the Ivanhoe Rotary Club volunteers wrangled the BBQ and the Alphington Open Studios artists shared their wonderful works inside.

We would also like to thank our own volunteers like Marie-Louise, Elaine, Monika and Anne who looked after our new kiosk and the craft and preserves sales. And Cheryl and Richard who helped out with kids activities.

There were stalls raising funds for various charities and causes this year - which we love supporting. These included Friends of Baucau coffee sales, CWA craft, fundraising for Ivanhoe Grammar’s Cambodia community service trip and Manu’s fundraising to support children in India.

And lastly thank you to all the stall holders - we hope you enjoyed the day.

There were lots of shoppers and the market provided many great Christmas gifts to the people that visited from our community.

It is fabulous to be able to support locals to shop locally.

Join us on Friday 15 December for Christmas lunch at ACC. We’ll have a cold buffet of ham and chicken and salads, with a selection of Christmas desserts - including fruit and mince tarts, shortbreads etc. We’ll have it in our garden - weather permitting. It is always so lovely to catch up with everyone! Let us know if you plan to make it by emailing here. You can of course always just drop in … but a general sense of who is coming will help us with catering!

And a lucky door prize to win (just for coming along!) … and we’ll also have a visit from Santa.

We hope you can make it.

ALSO

Don’t forget that Christmas Carols are on again! Sing your heart out at Alphington Bowls Club - from 7pm on Sunday 17 December. A gold coin donation will go to a charity. Thanks once again to our wonderful community organisers for this event - and the Alphingtones Choir members who step up to lead the singing and keep us all vaguely in tune and in time!

Hi Kalimna here …

Thank you to Music for the Wetlands and ACC for giving me the chance to capture this magical day.

When it rains fabulous arts and creative community events in Alphington, it pours it seems!

This coming weekend is the start of Alphington Open Studios - our annual event where local artists exhibit works here at ACC, in the Parklands, and in home studios dotted across our suburb.

Grab the map and check them out.

If you come to our Christmas market you’ll be able to go inside and see works by Sharon West, Katie Roberts and Maxine O’Brien and find out about all the other artists who are part of this wonderful neighbourhood event.

Congratulations to all the amazing people in our community who put so much work into the Music from the Wetlands event this weekend.

Beautiful weather, yummy food and excellent music. It was just soooo great to see local families and friends of all ages enjoying our neighbourhood. I caught up with neighbours and colleagues and family and friends - so super!

And whilst I was (mostly) running the kids activities tent, Kalimna spent the day taking photos - so we’ll be able to share her (what are sure to be) fabulous pictures in the next week or so. But here’s a few phone snaps from the event in the meantime.