Unique and locally made: A Personalised Place
Handcrafted decorations that stand the test of time help make a sustainable Christmas. 
I f they don’t break when the cat knocks over the Christmas tree, and are personalised with family names and dates, magical memories will reappear year after year.
It’s Tina Dudley’s fourth year at Christchurch’s Riverside Market, where she sells her personalised decorations and also incorporates The Soup Bar – inciting Kiwis to try her home country’s hot homemade cornbread to dip into delicious soups.
The American-born artist made her first decorations in 1996, before moving to Christchurch and selling them locally and nationwide.
“I hand-cut different designs from durable, non-fading, coloured-Polymer clay sourced from Kiwi companies.
I still have some 30-year-old pieces. The archaeologists are going to be digging these up!
“The Trans Tasman Unity ornaments feature a cute kiwi and koala. They are so light and easy to post. People can now purchase online at A Personalised Place, but children love coming to Riverside Market to choose a decoration to put their name on.
“The cruise ship tourists go crazy for them too, and now they can also enjoy some warm, tasty cornbread. Everybody loves the new flavours such as cheesy jalapeños, gluten-free, and vegan. And I’m hoping to have my cornbread mix in the supermarkets next year.”
