Far North creative pop-up store provides range of Christmas gift ideas

Annie Tothill with her gemstones stall.

An annual Christmas pop-up store has found itself a new home this festive season, opening its doors in central Kaitaia.

The Kiwi Made Crafts pop-up shop officially opened last Monday and features arts and crafts from 16 local artisans and more inside the old ASB Kaitaia building on Commerce St.

Organiser Geraldine Pennell has been running the initiative for three years, which was held on Bank St last year and in Awanui the year prior, with the location dependent on what empty shops are available to transform.

Pennell runs her own “Made with Love” Kiwiana gift stall and said while this year’s spaces were booked out, people could start to enquire about other pop-up events for 2023.

“We are currently full this year, but if anyone is interested in a stall next year or any of our future events, please pop in and say hi,” Pennell said.

“There are many gifts here that are also one-off items and we’ll be having Debbie Curren with her new book in a couple of weeks’ time.”

The stalls featured as part of this year’s Kiwi Made Crafts pop-up shop include On the Road (fabric creations, hot cowl covers and kids items), Creative Wedgwood (hand-crafted cards and journals), Wild Beauty (dried flowers and macrame), Inner Hippie (candles, soaps with loofa and resin jewellery), Lily Rose Design (jewellery), Nutrakawa (kawakawa and kumerahou remedies), Kerrie Soaps, Slater 3D printing (key chains, signs and fidget toys), Sarah Flexman (kid’s clothing, cot duvets) Ahiparadise (calendars, prints and cups), Bali clothing (dresses, tops, pants and sarongs), Your Vet Nurse (grooming, advise and animal products) and Reiki with John McLuckie.

Tokerau Beach artisan Annie Tothill is also part of the mix and is selling her gemstones.

Tothill recently returned to the Far North and at the same time, her creative ventures, after living in Whangārei for several years.

Tothill explained she was originally a fabric painter and was instrumental in getting the Mangonui Courthouse transformed into a permanent art exhibition space for local artists.

She said it was great to again be working in a creative role and looked forward to selling her wares to the public.

“When I had my fabric painting business, I started with a showroom at home, but then started to display my work at the Mangonui Courthouse,” she said.

“We ended up negotiating with DoC who looks after the building to have a permanent exhibition space and it’s now been running successfully for more than 20 years.

“I eventually got lured away to do other things, but after working with fabric for many years, I decided if I was ever going to be creative again, I would do it with something that only required a suitcase.

“That’s where I transitioned into working with gemstones and I’ve loved it ever since.”

The Pop-Up store will run until December 21 and is open 9.30am-5pm, Monday-Friday and 9am-1pm on Saturday, and closed on Sunday.

For more information, contact Geraldine Pennell on 027636322.