Nautical is a classic theme for babies and toddlers, and it’s also a pretty safe present that suits both boys and girls. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. From whale cushions and pirate artwork to sailor-style bloomers, there are loads of gorgeous and unique gift ideas on Etsy. Get ready to inspire Christmas gift envy from your family and friends!
Here are my top picks.
Modern whale bamboo wall clock, AU$82.23, by Decoylab.
Baby mobile paper boats, AU$77.53, by Moran Alhalel.
Organic cotton whale pillow, AU$64.71, by Cecil Clyde.
Retro pirate print for nursery, AU$24.71, from Emu Designs.
Nautical baby bloomers, AU$30.59, by Mabel Retro.
Sailor baby boy onesie, AU$32.89, by Mabel Retro.
Baby origami zoo mobile, AU$51.28, from Kidivist.
Red Christmas pompom baby booties, AU$32.94, by Mabel Retro.
Cotton print baby sun bonnet, AU$44.71, by Urban Baby Bonnets.
Personalized wooden boat push toy, AU$35.24, by KeepsakeToys.
New born origami boat pin and greeting card, AU$15.29, by Moran Alhalel.
East London store (and old Wee Birdy haunt) Luna and Curious have these brilliant new limited edition Mr and Mrs Jones candleholders by Polly George. Photography by Luna and Curious/Instagram.
British artist Lesley Barnes spotted this amazing London-themed children’s book, by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow, at Somerset House. Photography by Lesley Barnes/Instagram.
Tell me: has something amazing caught your eye on Instagram this week?
If you’re shopping for a little person this Christmas, there’s a good chance that they really like rainbows. I should know. My three-year-old son is obsessed with rainbows, and I love searching Etsy for new and unique handcrafted rainbow-themed toys, accessories, and decorations for this room.
Here, I’ve rounded up 12 rainbow-themed amazing presents from Etsy that would make any small person’s Christmas day.
Just click on each item to view more details on Etsy.
Spread Love, Vintage globe art, AU$411.76, by Wendy Gold.
Color palette hedgehog purse, AU$35.12, by Misala.
Retro hair bobbles, AU$6.50, by Smukie.
Rainbow height chart,
AU$34.71, by Erupt Prints.
Scalloped rainbow flower pillow cushion, AU$104.71, by Colette Bream.
Paper rainbow star garland, AU$14.65, by Pelemele.
Rainbow People 8×8 photograph of vintage toys, AU$29.37, by Quercus Design.
Children’s artwork display hanger, AU$22.94, by Shellyka.
Four years old sculpture or cake topper, AU$41.11, by Bunny with a Tool Belt.
Hot air balloon puzzle, AU$23.52, by Berkshire Bowls.
Hanging chair hammock, AU$175.03, by Yellow Leaf Hammocks.
Personalized cup and ball wood toy, AU$9.40, by HC Woodcraft.
It’s that time of the year to start thinking about your Christmas shopping, if you haven’t started already. I’ve pulled together an edit of the best presents on Etsy for guys. Make sure you put in your order now, and allow plenty of time if you want to put in a customised order, as well as considering delivery time.
100% natural beard tonic, AU$23.53, from Herbivore Botanicals.
Self tie diamond tip bow tie, AU$55.29, from Moaning Minnie.
Neon blue slingshot, AU$40, from HellaSlingshots.
Mustache wax, AU$11.76, from
Soap Revolt Naturals.
Set of 3 men’s hankies, AU$31.76 from Urban Bird and Co.
Faceted geometric wood bottle stopper, AU$25.88, from Brighton Exchange.
You Da Man set of 3 soaps, AU$27, from Vice and Velvet.
Handmade bamboo Wayfarer sunglasses, AU$57.65, from
Shades of Bamboo.
The Stone Roses print debut album as Penguin Books, AU$33.49, from Standard Designs.
$33.49 AUD
Set of 3 BAZINGA pencils, AU$4.71 from the Carbon Crusader.
Harris tweed flat cap, AU$64.71, from Moaning Minnie.
Mid-Century vertical garden with rust patina, AU$258.82, from Urban Mettle.
This week’s Frock on Friday is the perfectly pretty floral print Eden dress from Australian design company Fabrik. Made from 100 per cent soft cotton muslin, the drawstring waist pulls you in for a flattering fit.
It’s the perfect dress for warm weather and the three-quarter length blousy sleeves provide good arm coverage for those who don’t like sleeveless dresses. It’s also a great trans-seasonal dress and can be worn during colder weather with a cardigan or denim jacket, opaque tights and boots.
Why yes, I would like to lounge in a hammock in this pretty frock. Photography courtesy of Fabrik.
I love the gorgeous vintage-inspired floral print, which is reminiscent of ’40s Liberty prints.
Fabrik founder and designer Sarah Hardie has worked with the likes of Lee Matthews, and has developed a passion for for hand-embroidery, vintage fabric and muted tones. If you love the Eden dress, make sure you check out the super-sweet floral print shorties and matching bralette, as well as the divine collection of vintage-inspired frocks for little girls and babies.
Eden dress, AU$115, from Fabrik. Photography courtesy of Fabrik.
Tell me: would you wear this frock? Have you seen any other great frocks around?
Full disclosure: Fabrik is one of Wee Birdy’s valued sponsors, and I approached them for sponsorship because I love their brand so much. Please note that I only blog about things I genuinely like, and think you should also know about. Editorial is based purely on merit and its ability to make me smile (exploding confetti jets optional).
Thank you for supporting the small businesses and independent brands that make Wee Birdy possible.
Move over boring old fairy lights! The must-have accessory for Christmas 2014 has arrived: copper wire string lights. I spotted this genius product in Lark’s line-up of gorgeous new decorations for Christmas, and they would make a seriously pretty new addition to home (and best of all, you could keep them up all year).
Add a touch of delicate sparkle to every corner of your home. Photography courtesy of Lark.
Copper and rose-toned metallics have emerged as one of the biggest trends in design and interior decor this year, and you can add a little touch of this trend to your home for just AU$39.99.
A handful of wee fireflies (almost). Photography courtesy of Lark.
I’m a little bit obsessed with these simple string lights, and have already imagined them in various decorating scenarios all over my home.
The tiny lights remind me of fireflies and they appear more delicate than your average string of fairy lights. The rosy golden tones of the thin copper wire are illuminated, creating a warm glow.
So many decorating options! Photography courtesy of Lark.
The copper wire string lights are available in both five and 10 metre lengths, and your decorating options are seemingly endless: pop them in a bowl; hang them on your Christmas tree; add a glow to your unused fireplace; or trail them down the centre of your dining table.
Short on space for a Christmas tree this year? Create an outline on your wall using the copper wire string lights. Photography courtesy of Lark.
Not keen on copper? The string lights are also available in silver wire, which is great news for those who love their silver decorations.
Tell me: how would you decorate with a string of copper wire lights? And do you love them as much as I do?
Full disclosure: Lark is one of Wee Birdy’s valued sponsors for Christmas this year. Please note that I only blog about things I really, really like, and think you should also know about. Editorial is based purely on merit and its ability to make me smile (exploding confetti jets optional). Thanks for supporting the brands that make Wee Birdy possible.
The winners of the first-ever Etsy Design Awards have been announced, and I’m delighted to see that the chosen six designers represent a rather handsome pool of Australian design talent.
The winner of the Community’s Choice award is Fairina Cheng, a Sydney-based jewellery designer who combines both 3D printing technologies with traditional hand skills to produce a line of contemporary jewellery using materials such as natural gemstones, sterling silver, gold and stainless steel mesh. Best buys include her tiny sterling silver stud earrings.
Community’s Choice winner Fairina Cheng. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Fairina working on her handcrafted jewellery. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Winning pieces: handcrafted rings and necklaces by Fairina Cheng. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Fairina wins a trip to Etsy’s Brooklyn-based headquarters, as well as a dedicated feature in Inside Out magazine, along with a host of opportunities to promote her business within the design industry.
Britta Boeckmann of Bold B working from her home workshop in Melbourne. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
After studying Industrial Design in Germany, Britta discovered a passion for working with wood. She now lives in Melbourne where she designs and makes all her jewellery from her home workshop. Britta developed her signature resin & wood jewellery making technique when she was part of a community woodworking group in Wangaratta, Victoria. Best buys include the large statement ring.
Some of Britta’s beautiful creations made with resin and Australian timber. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Jo and Andy from Olive and the Volcano. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Husband and wife duo Andy and Jo design, print and make letterpress paper-goods from their home studio in the hinterland of the Tweed Valley in Australia. Best buys include letterpress Christmas cards and bunting.
Olive and the Volcano’s workshop in the Tweed Valley of NSW. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Details from the home studio of Olive and the Volcano. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
The Etsy Design Award for Art and Illustration. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Some of Olive and the Volcano’s handmade paper goods. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Ton of Wool is a social enterprise founded by Kylie Gusset which involves the whole yarn-making process from sheep to skein. Passionate about locally-grown and manufactured yarn, Ton of Wool products are made from the sheep of the founding family of the Cormo (Corriedale + Merino) breed in Tasmania. Each skein is not only a skein of wool, but a piece of Australian history. Best buys include their mini sample pack of Cormo wool.
Kylie Gusset from Ton of Wool. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
A skein of rare Cormo breed wool from Ton of Wool. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Etsy Design Awards winner Etsy Design Award winner Mei Ong from Vice and Velvet. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Melbourne-based Mei Ong creates a beautifully-designed collection of bath and body products that are handmade from scratch using natural, sustainably-sourced ingredients. She never uses pre-manufactured “bases” and ice & Velvet products are 100 per cent vegan and tested only on human beings. Best buys include the mini gift set of signature gem soaps.
Mei hand-stamping each handmade soap. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Soap, glorious soap. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
A handful of handmade gem soap goodness. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
New Talent winner Carl Holder of Foreply. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Foreply’s furniture is both sculptural and supremely practical. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
Product designer and artist Carl Holder is based on the Sunshine Coast and creates furniture pieces that are both wonderfully sculptural and immensely practical. Inspired by mid-century modern design, his pieces are made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified Australian local sustainable timbers. Best buys include his plus-minus stool/side table.
Handcrafted from locally sustained timbers, Carl’s pieces are inspired by mid-century design. Photography courtesy of Etsy.
The winners were selected from a pool of 58 amazing finalists, and were judged by leading Australian design and creative industry experts including Claire Bowditch (creative business mentor, singer and actor), Jason Grant (Interior stylist, author and blogger) and Claire Bradley (Editor-in-Chief, Inside Out).
I mentioned in my blog post about the finalists that I didn’t envy the task ahead of the judges, as the standard of talent was exceptionally high, and the actual pool of design represented was extremely diverse. How do you compare the likes of intricate custom-made paper doll creations with handcrafted organic soap or skeins of rare-breed wool? And there were some seriously strong contenders for each category.
You can see (and shop) the products of all 58 finalists over on my Etsy Tastemaker’s page. It makes for a really strong snapshot of the diversity and talent of Australian design. Head on over and check them out – it’s a great opportunity to buy something special and unique for Christmas, and you’ll also be supporting these brilliant Australian small businesses.
Tell me: what do you think of the winners? Did your favourite Australian Etsy seller win?
You can’t beat a unique present with a special, personalised touch. Custom-made presents that incorporate someone’s name or likeness shows that you’ve gone to a lot of effort, and they’re almost guaranteed to be instant people-pleasers.
People love things that are made in their likeness, like quirky portraits or paper dolls, and kids get a big kick out of it too.
But you need to put your orders in NOW, as many Etsy sellers already have loads of back-orders, and things may be getting tight for personalised items that need to be handmade in time for Christmas! If you have missed the Christmas delivery cut-off date, you could always get an Etsy gift card for a particular item instead.
Here’s my round-up of the best personalised presents on Etsy: for babies; kids; couples; families; mums; pet owners; new house owners; and the person who seems to have everything.
Full disclosure: I’m an Etsy Tastemaker (woo-hoo!) and I hand-picked these pieces for my Etsy Tastemaker page. If you buy something from Wee Birdy’s Tastemaker’s page, I will receive a small commission fee (which would be jolly helpful since Wee Birdy is my full-time job). Please note that I only blog about things I genuinely really like, and think you should also know about. Editorial inclusion on Wee Birdy is based purely on merit and its ability to make me smile (exploding confetti jets optional). Thanks for supporting the brands that make Wee Birdy possible.
Pompom baskets, just one of the projects in Make & Do by Beci Orpin, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $39.95.
Beci Orpin is back with her third amazing book, Make & Do, and I’m delighted to give you a sneak peek in this very special excerpt on Wee Birdy today! I’ve chosen to feature her pompom baskets project, because they are really easy to make and you can give them a festive touch for Christmas. In fact, a Christmas tree would look gorgeous in one of these baskets.
The pompom baskets tutorial is just one of 25 projects created by Beci in Make & Do, designed to beautify your home or studio space. In the book, Beci invites you into her own studio, and introduces you to all of the different materials that she personally loves to use: textiles, paper, wood and found objects.
Make & Do is a wee ripper of a book and would make the perfect Christmas present for all of your crafty and creative friends and family.
Beci working in her home studio. Photography courtesy of Beci Orpin and Hardie Grant.
Take it away, Beci…
One of my theories in life is this: if you put a pompom on something, it instantly becomes better. This can be applied to many things, including cushions, headbands, cats and, now, wicker baskets. This is an easy project – but with maximum impact. The hardest part might be finding the baskets. I searched many places: the Swedish flat-pack furniture store came up trumps, and I also found some in our local discount store.
You will need
* wicker baskets
* pencil
* masking tape
* paintbrush
* acrylic paint
* pompoms, with long strings
* wool for pompoms
* scissors
LET’s GO
1/
Use a pencil to draw your design onto the basket.
TIP/A pencil is best for this; if you use a felt-tip pen in a dark colour, the outline may still be visible once the design is painted.
2/
If the design has straight edges, mask off the areas you don’t want to paint.
3/
Paint the design using acrylic paint. You will need two coats of paint to get an even coverage.
4/
While the paint is drying, make your pompoms. Make sure you leave a long string on the end of each pompom for tying.
5/
Thread the long pompom string through the basket and tie a knot on the inside to fasten it.
6/
Work your way around the basket, securing the pompoms in place.
STYLE/
Tie a cute headscarf around your head and fill your basket with fruit. Pop it on your head and ta-da – Carmen Miranda!
Project and images extracted from Make & Do by Beci Orpin published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $39.95 available in Australian stores nationally. It’s also available online via Booktopia.
Tell me: do you love Beci and making pompoms as much as I do?
Here are seven wee finds that caught my eye on Instagram this week. From donut wall stickers to hand-painted cookies, this is just a sample of some of the best of Australian design.
I do. It’s an annual tradition I really love and, and this year, I’m looking forward to getting my three-year-old son involved in stamping all the cards and popping them in the post. And then there’s the joy and excitement of finding a stash of Christmas cards from all over the world in your own letter box!
But there’s one thing that literally cramps my Christmas style, and that’s writing by hand. Oh my. After writing 30-odd personalised greetings, my hand is barely capable of anything beyond a scrawl. It’s the one annual exercise it really gets, as I rarely write anything by hand anymore. The pain!
So now we’ve moved to the Treehouse, I think it’s time we invested in a custom-made return address stamp, to save my hand and add a personalised touch to our Christmas cards. Practical and nice!
I rather fancy the woodsy tree stamp by Sparkvites on Etsy, but it doesn’t quite capture the essence of a treehouse in the middle of the Australian bush. Still, there are loads of personalised stamps in all manner of designs on Etsy, and now is the time to put your order in, as the turn-around could be two-to-three weeks.
Tell me: do you still send out Christmas cards? And which address stamp is your favourite?
Full disclosure: I’m an Etsy Tastemaker (woo-hoo!) and I hand-picked these pieces for my Etsy Tastemaker page. If you buy something from Wee Birdy’s Tastemaker’s page, I will receive a small commission fee (which would be jolly helpful since Wee Birdy is my full-time job). Please note that I only blog about things I genuinely really like, and think you should also know about. Editorial inclusion on Wee Birdy is based purely on merit and its ability to make me smile (exploding confetti jets optional). Thanks for supporting the brands that make Wee Birdy possible.
Do you remember the SodaStream? I was a child of the ’80s, and I distinctly remember staring longingly at the seemingly magical machine in the SodaStream TV ad. Instant fizzy drinks you can make yourself! In your own home! My tiny mind was blown.
Fast forward a few decades and the SodaStream is back, dressed up in a range of six bright new colours and a new name: SodaStream Play.
In case you missed the ’80s, the SodaStream Drinks Maker allows you to transform regular tap water into refreshing sparking water in seconds. You can add one of their ready-made flavoured syrups, such as cola, lemon-lime and orange, but I use my SodaStream to make instant sparkling water. And it’s been a revelation!
My new yellow Sodastream Play adds a pop of colour to my kitchen. Photography by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/Wee Birdy.
Ingredients for tasty fruit-infused sparkling water: fresh limes, lemons, ginger and mint. Photography by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/ Wee Birdy.
You see, I’ve been making an effort to reduce my sugar intake over the past few months, and I’ve cut at all sugary fizzy drinks. This hasn’t been easy, especially when I had a borderline addiction to ginger beer. Oh, how I adore ginger beer, smacking of Enid Blyton picnics and hot summer days. I just about mainlined the stuff while I was pregnant, as the ginger really helped with nausea. But it’s full of sugar, and it had to go.
But replacing delicious ginger beer with a glass of boring old plain water isn’t the best strategy. But “special sparkling water” infused with fruit is something much more enticing and palatable.
I came up with a lemon, ginger and mint sparkling water, inspired by the zingy hot water version at Cafe Longshot in Beecroft. All you need is a bunch of fresh mint, fresh ginger and a lemon.
1. Cut up slices of fresh ginger and add it to a glass, along with some slices of lemon and a good squeeze lemon juice.
2. Pack the glass with fresh mint leaves.
3. Give your SodaStream three good pushes, and voila, instant sparkling water!
4. Add the sparkling water to your ginger, lemon and mint, and top with ice cubes. Give it a good stir to infuse all of the flavours. And there you have it – healthy sugar-free fruit-infused sparkling water.
Fill an ice cube tray with slivers of ginger and sprigs of mint for instant sparkling water goodness. Photography by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/Wee Birdy.
The SodaStream is super-easy to use and the Play Drinks Maker was designed by Yves Béhar, making it a streamlined and stylish addition to your kitchen bench. You can keep things minimal with a simple white design, or add a pop of colour to your kitchen, like my new vibrant yellow SodaStream.
WIN A SODASTREAM PLAY!
UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON WEE BIRDY’S FACEBOOK PAGE ON NOVEMBER 15.
The nice folks at SodaStream want to give two Wee Birdy readers a brand spanking new white SodaStream Play, valued at $99 each. To be in the running, all you need to do is:
1. Sign up to my brand new weekly newsletter (see below), which will be packed with more Wee Birdy goodness. If you already subscribe to my newsletter, you’re automatically qualified to enter the giveaway.
2. Leave a comment below (along with your email addressed, which won’t be published) telling me how you would make sparkling water extra-special. Maybe you have your own recipe using soda water?
Entries will be judged on creativity. Entries close Friday 14 November at 5pm AEST. Winners will be announced and contacted by email on November 15, 2014. Sorry, competition open only to Australian residents – I’ll have a giveaway for overseas readers soon!
Disclosure: Wee Birdy was gifted with a SodaStream Play for review purposes.
Keep parents happy with a present from Fortnum & Mason. Image courtesy of Fortnum & Mason.
What’s the perfect present to take home from London? That’s the question I answered recently for The Club, the digital travel magazine for members of the British Airways Executive Club.
My brief was to find the best presents from London for your parents; a friend; your lover; a child; and yourself.
Naturally, I recommended that you should head immediately to Hoxton Street Monster Supplies for a jar of The Collywobbles. Haven’t heard of The Cobblywobbles? Find out exactly what they are, and why your favourite little person in your life deserves them, over at The Club.
Want to know what to take home from New York? RackedNY editor Tiffany Yannetta also gives her top tips and recommendations on where to find the best presents.
Many thanks to The Club for the opportunity to work on this awesome story. It was right up my (London) alley!
Tell me: what’s the best present you’ve ever bought (or received) from London?
