Crafted Didgeridoo

Crafted Didgeridoo

Fabulous Fremantle: Western Australia’s Shoppers Paradise

One of the great pleasures of visiting enchanting new places such is the chance to pick up some of the local products. And whether as keepsakes, souvenirs or just clothes or

jewellery to wear, Fremantle has a range of inimitable items ranging from opals to chocolate. Here's a look at the Fremantle shopping scene.

Fremantle has its High Street shopping scene with Essex Street, Market Street, and High Street all offering fine shopping options. Fremantle is home to the usual big department stores located around the malls and King's Square. They are the places to pick up brand name cosmetics and designer fashions. But to really experience shopping here you have to head for the specialist shops and markets you can find around every corner.

First stop, get hold of some baubles to adorn your body. In Australia this means opals and pearls. Local opal shops buy directly from the miners and so prices are very competitive. They also create jewellery either with their own distinctive designs or to your specifications. Items in sterling Silver, and nine carat, 14 carat and 18 carat gold are available.

South Sea and freshwater pearls are another Perth speciality. Australian South Sea pearls are farmed in the waters off the northern Kimberley and Northern Territory coasts. They are considered the most beautiful and lustrous pearls in the world.

Another of Perth's shopping delights is chocolate particularly the handcrafted chocolates produced by the Fremantle Chocolate Factory. You can visit for complementary chocolate and fudge tasting and watch the craftsmen at work making the chocolates. Among the offerings are truffles, pralines, chocolate bars, and novelty chocolates.

Aboriginal Art and Crafts are another great Fremantle purchase. These include original paintings and ceramics, wooden carvings and masks, along with items such as boomerangs, didgeridoos.

And finally, no visit to Fremantle would be complete without a visit to the city's many markets. Fremantle Markets on South Terrace is the most venerable institution offering everything from fresh fruit to jewellery and local handicrafts. Visiting the Fremantle Markets is as much a cultural as a shopping experience, offering a rare and magical glimpse into Fremantle heritage.

Another gem of a market is the E Shed Markets in Victoria Quay. It date back to 1897 and was restored in 1975. Overlooking Fremantle wharf, this grand Victorian building features over 150 outlets selling everything from furniture, prints, pottery, antiques and old books, to seafood, cheeses, herbs, and spices.

E Shed Markets also features musical performances and magic shows and other amusements including rides for the kids. You can also get a massage or a hairdo here.

It also houses the E Shed Food Court and many cafes. You can get everything from Aussie tucker to Japanese and Indian cuisines, ice cream and fruit juices.

Fremantle is a shopper's paradise and also offers a fine range of accommodation. Among the best Fremantle hotels are the Quest Harbour Village Perth and the Tradewinds Hotel Fremantle.

About the Author

Richard Greaves has over 20 years experience in the travel industry and writes for Cheaper than Hotels. Cheaper Than Hotels offers Fremantle hotels as Quest Harbour Village Perth and Tradewinds Hotel Fremantle.

What kind of materials work well for inlays on a curved wooden surface?

I'm just now beginning to experiment with inlays onto/into wood.

I'm still a bit clueless as to the process. Does this make sense: carve out my design with a dremel tool; use a colored epoxy clay, perhaps add some kind of texture agent (saw dust, perhaps a complementary color of craft store sand.). Place epoxy in the groove, sand and finish.

I'm doing this on various woods that are all roughly conical (I'm actually making a version of the didgeridoo!).

I feel as if I'm missing something -- that it could look much cooler if I did something different.

AM I missing something? ANY wisdom on inlaying to wood would be appreciated!!

Thanks!

You might want to check out using polymer clay as your inlays in the curved wood surfaces. (Polymer clay comes in various brands and lines, most of which come in premixed colors but some are only one color).

It can be inlaid as *prebaked* chips or bits of small sheets, or it can be inlaid while it's *raw* then cured right in the wood with a heat gun if it's too big to go into the oven,etc (held a certain distance away, for 10 min or so depending on the thickness of the clay). Polymer clay doesn't shrink appreciably like many other clays will, unless it's in large thin sheets, and it can be colored endlessly, shaped easily, and have all kinds of patterns created in it or metallic effects put on its surface, etc., etc.

Here are some examples of polymer clay being used in wood objects with depressions:
Cynthia Tinapple's bowls and drum with inlays
http://www.tinapple.com/oldsite/cynthia/bowl2000.html (several bowls, one with Balinese Filigree clay pattern)
http://www.tinapple.com/oldsite/cynthia/bowl399/index.html (+ lesson)
http://tinapple.com/cynthia/?p=16 (with inlay of "dot slice" from clay gun)
http://www.tinapple.com/oldsite/cynthia/djembe.html (drum)
...Cynthia's stairs with inlaid raw polymer along the edge (short, border, "railing")... cured with heat gun

http://www.tinapple.com/cynthia/stairs.html

....Cynthia put a strip of textured clay on her DH's 4' tall poplar chest, between drawers (also added clay handles)

http://www.tinapple.com/oldsite/cynthia/poplarplinth.html

Bonnie Bishoff's disks of patterned baked clay into the top of a wooden stool ... and a wood chair back
http://www.guild.com/artitem/28168.html and http://www.guild.com/artitem/28170.html

If you want more info about polymer clay, or about using it as inlays or even as whole veneers, check out my site (this is the Table of Contents page):

http://glassattic.com/polymer/contents.htm

......and check out these pages in particular for this use:
--Inlays
--Covering > Veneers
-----and Covering > Wood if you want to put the wood and raw clay in the oven together
--Glues
--Fauxs-Turq.&Wood > Wood > Parquet (if you want to actually create the inlays from faux wood made with polymer clay, as well)

HTH, and have fun!

Diane B.