Handmade in the Bush pop-up selling locally made goods to support Macquarie Homestay

Handmade in the Bush - an annual pop-up store selling everything from home-baked Christmas cakes to hand-sewn quilts - opened up in September at 163 Macquarie Street and is bustling with shoppers.

"People come looking for us now because we are unique and they love coming in. We wanted to create a space where people could sell their crafts and any money left over from the running of the shop would go to a local charity," said Belinda Edmonson, one of the pop-up's six volunteer organisers.

"We've already had people coming in to do their Christmas shopping, they're loving it."

Everything on sale in the store is handmade by local people in small batches and not mass produced. Because of the limited supply of each item, the store's product range is constantly in rotation meaning customers can find something new every time they visit.

"We always say to customers, come and check back later because there is always new stuff coming in. There are a lot of really clever people in our community and this store gives them an opportunity to make a few extra dollars doing something that they love," said Ms Edmonson.

"It's a good opportunity for crafters who don't have the opportunity to sell things and get their name out there without the cost of running a shop or posting items."

"There's all sorts of cushions and lots of children's clothes and doll's clothes. We've also got beautiful hand made timber bench seats, lots of garden art and hanging pots made from scrap metals."

Local crafters who want to sell their goods in the store pay a $10 joining fee to help cover running costs and the store takes a 20 percent commission.

"People will pop by and show us what they've got to sell and if it meets the standard we accept it and it will go up in the shop," said Ms Edmonson.

Any extra money made after expenses will go directly to this year's charity, Macquarie Home Stay. The locally-run service provides high quality and affordable accommodation for people receiving medical treatment at Dubbo Hospital.

"We want the money from the sales to stay in the local community and Macquarie Home Stay is an absolutely amazing cause - for instance helping people getting cancer treatment with accommodation, it's been built up by the hard work of community members," said Ms Edmonson.

This year's pop-up will run until Christmas eve and then close until September next year. With so many people already coming through the store this year, volunteers are already thinking about how to make it better next year.

"We want to try and diversify a bit next year and get some upcycled furniture as well and support that circular economy, still with the emphasis on the fact somebody has hand made it," said Ms Edmonson.

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