Those clever clogs over at Gorman (sorry, couldn’t resist) have just released this summer’s ultimate shoe: introducing the copper clog. Aren’t they beautiful?
Copper continues to dominate fashion and homewares trends well into the European Autumn/Winter 14/15 season, so you can buy it safe in the knowledge that it won’t be going out of fashion any time soon.
The best thing about copper? It goes with just about everything, making it a really versatile addition to your spring wardrobe. If brogues are more your thing, don’t miss Gorman’s amazing copper brogue and nude star-spangled brogue.
Today marks the 90th birthday of my favourite author. Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, Janet Frame is one of the most significant writers of the 20th century. I was first introduced to her work as an undergraduate by my New Zealand-born lecturer, Dorothy Jones, and I was instantly hooked, going on to write my Honours thesis on her autobiographical trilogy and fiction.
This led to my very first publication – in a literary journal, of all places! It’s difficult reading the earnest feminist voice of my 21-year-old self. I’d love to give it a good edit and come to some kind of braver, more conclusive stance on the issues I was exploring. Or maybe I’ve since been co-erced into the dominant patriarchal hegemony… or something like that. Anyway, I’m still really proud of it, and it’s probably the last sensible thing I’ve ever written.
When Frame died in 2004, she bequeathed her copyright to her literary trust, with ongoing royalties from her literary estate granted to New Zealand writers of poetry and imaginative fiction.
The Janet Frame Literary Trust also maintains an informative website, which dispels all of the popular misconceptions about Janet Frame, as well as a fascinating blog, An Angel @ My Blog and Facebook page. Along with the publication of posthumous work, it’s like the gift of Frame just keeps giving.
If you’re not already familiar with Janet Frame’s work, you may have heard of the Jane Campion film based on her autobiographical trilogy, An Angel at My Table.
If you’re interested in reading some of Frame’s work, you could start with the first volume in her autobiography, To the Is-land, where she first encountered an “adolescent loneliness of self”. Or, if you like short stories, you could read her excellent posthumous collection of short stories, Gorse is Not People.
“Life is hell but at least there are prizes. Or so one thought.”
– Janet Frame(from the short story ‘Prizes’ in The Reservoir: Stories and Sketches)
It’s bucketing down here in Sydney right now. And because it’s not officially spring yet, I can’t even quote ‘Spring Rain’ by The Go-Betweens. (Wee diversion: Do you love The Go-Betweens? Aaah, so good.)
Anyway, one online search led to another, and before I knew it, I had rounded up a collection of the most beautiful umbrellas. I don’t know about you, but carrying one of these beauties would make even the most horrendous weather seem slightly more bearable.
Isabella Albonico looking cheered by her fancy brolly. Photography by Nina Leen, March 1958.
Now, remember the key word here is beautiful. If you’re after something super-practical, try Japanese brand Snow Peak’s UL Umbrella, which is apparently one of the lightest and most compact umbrellas around. You can buy it from Goodhood in London, which also has a rather good online shop.
But back to beautiful brollies… here are my top 12. Just click on the individual product and it will take you through to the original shop source.
Color Wheel umbrella, US$48, from MoMA Store.
Frilled heart-shaped umbrella by Love Umbrellas, AU$37.24, from Not on the High Street.
Yoyo umbrella by Gina & May, AU$49.95, from Everything Begins.
Sunflower umbrella by The Brolly Shop, $55.82, from Not on the High Street.
Starry Night umbrella, $48, from MoMA.
Lady Bug umbrella by Gina & May, AU$59.95, from Everything Begins.
Multi Flower Check birdcage umbrella, £32, from Orla Kiely.
Foil spot umbrella, AU$49, from Gorman.
Black stripe umbrella by Kate Spade New York, $38, from Shopbop.
Sparkle umbrella by Love Umbrellas, $149.20, from Not on the High Street.
Andy Tuohy children’s umbrella, £10, from The Tate Shop.
Sky umbrella by Tibor Kalman and Emanuela Frattini Magnusson, $48, from MoMA.
Still can’t get enough of umbrellas? You might like to read my post on London institution James Smith & Sons. I guarantee you’ll find a darn fine umbrella, and you’ll also enjoy a trip back in time to Dickens’ London (pssst… they also have an online shop, but it’s not nearly as exciting as a trip to the shop itself).
Tell me: do you have a darn-fine umbrella I should know about? And do any of my top 12 brolly beauties take your fancy?
Disclosure: Some of my wee finds are also affiliate links and I will be paid a small commission if you buy them, which would be jolly helpful since Wee Birdy is my full-time job. But don’t worry, all of my wee finds are based on their awesomeness and ability to make me smile. Confetti jets optional. (To be honest, I don’t even know which ones are affiliate links, if any. It’s all beyond me. Just saying.)
I always look forward to the new collections from Ferm Living, a homewares company who have established themselves as one of the design world’s Danish darlings.
The wallpapers always tick the right boxes for me – graphically gorgeous but the designs are unobtrusive and subtle. They’re just… beautiful. And the children’s homewares are consistently charming.
This autumn/winter 2014 season sees two new additions to their children’s wallpaper: mountain tops (top) and a native-inspired wallpaper with hand-drawn teepees, feathers and arrows (above).
They’ve also added some gorgeous homewares to their children’s lineup, including a wooden house lamp, bear cushions and graphic wall flags. The new collections are always styled so beautifully and are kids’ bedroom inspiration in their own right. Check out these beauties.
How glorious is this ‘Birds of Australia‘ print by Australian designers Inaluxe? Based in the Grampians in Australia, Inaluxe is a small design team consisting of Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd.
You’re probably already familiar with their bright and bold, retro-inspired art, as they’ve worked with high profile brands such as IKEA, Kate Spade New York, Urban Outfitters, John Lewis, Bloom Cosmetics and Earth Greetings.
The Birds of Australia print isn’t a new piece, in fact, it’s probably around 12 months old, and was made alongside the wrapping paper Inaluxe designed for Earth Greetings. I can’t believe I stumbled across it on Pinterest just now. You can spot some of their favourite Australian native birds in their print, including the now extinct dwarf emu, red winged fairy wren, blue wren, lyrebird, kookaburra, currawong and the Black Swan.
It’s a reproduction archival print created from the original gouache paintings and collage, and is printed on gallery standard art paper. At $39, it’s an affordable piece of eye-catching art for your wall, and best of all, the printed area is sized to fit an inexpensive store-bought frame.
All the new spring/summer homewares are dropping into stores in Australia right now, and I can’t help but feel excited about summer – and giving our home a good spring clean. The thing is, we’re right in the middle of renovating, and I’ve just been made redundant from my part-time editing job. So things are a bit tight and spending on extra bits and pieces for our home isn’t our highest priority. I’m used to living on a budget, especially when we were living on a single income after my son was born, and my usual reaction is to Just. Stop. Spending. On stuff.
As much as love stuff, too much stuff can be… too much stuff. And all non-essentials are strictly off the table. This is a big deal for a blogger who likes to write about stuff. But my driving passion is admiring beautiful design and other people’s stuff, so I’m OK with that.
But sometimes? All it takes is one thing to instantly brighten up your home and bring it bang up to date. Fresh flowers and foliage from the garden will do that. But so will these 21 new things that have just arrived in store in Australia.
I’m really impressed with Target‘s new Essentials range, and their great value bedding collaboration with Real Living magazine.
Also, the design team at Freedom have been working with artisans in Thailand to create a collection of limited edition vessels for their new spring collection. They’re really very beautiful and you can see the detail and handmade quality in each one.
Kmart, meanwhile, are going great guns with their new homewares collection. I talked to Kmart’s Australian design team at last year’s Kids Business NSW Bloggers Brunch, and they were very excited about the opportunity to work on a new range of homewares for Australia. And it seems the new collection has been a huge success, with several products already sold out, no doubt due to their current TV ad campaign.
The prices are exceptionally good, but of course, everyone queries the quality of mass-produced stuff. When I visited my local Kmart last week, I couldn’t assess the quality of furniture as they had sold out, but I was very impressed with the lovely Mosaic textured bath towels, which are reminiscent of Missoni’s luxury home collection. They’re a steal at $12.
I also had the opportunity to talk to Kmart’s Australian PR, who asked me if I shopped for homewares at Kmart. I admitted that I was predominantly concerned about where the items were made, and under what conditions. When I see products that are extraordinarily cheap, alarm bells go off in my head. I can’t ‘unlearn’ what I already know about underage sweatshop labour in third world countries. Kmart’s PR assured me that they had changed factories and carry out regular checks on workplace standards and worker well-being. So with that knowledge in mind, you just have to hope that these standards and checks are being maintained.
New to the Australian market is Swedish retailer H&M, and while their Melbourne store has been open since April, online shopping is not currently available. However, I’ve included a few good buys from H&M’s homewares collection, as the Sydney store will be opening at the Macquarie Centre in October. Hurrah!
Right, mini-rant over. Here are my top 21 picks for the best value new homewares in Australia. Just click the product images to be taken directly to the original shop source.
Boathouse desk lamp in blue, $59, from Target Australia.
House Lantern in yellow, $7, from Kmart.
Knitted ottoman in charcoal, $29, from Kmart.
Chimney vessel in Spearmint, $39.95, from Freedom Australia.
Real Living Dina Euro pillowcase, $30, from Target Australia.
Wire orange storage basket, $9, from Kmart.
Summer Days placemat in Zest, $3.95, from Freedom Australia.
Set of 4 porcelain papier latte cups, $10, from Target Australia.
Linen cushion cover, $19.95, from H&M Australia
Inca vessel in yellow, $24.95, from Freedom Australia.
Round acacia wood paddle board, $10, from Kmart.
Navy coverlet for King bed, $45 from Kmart.
Allegra vessel in Surf Spray, $39.95 from Freedom.
Zedd decorative chair 16cm in Sunshine Yellow, $9.95 from Freedom Australia.
Banyan cushion in Teal, $34.95, from Freedom.
Braiden throw in Blue Grey, $39.95 from Freedom Australia.
Two tone tea light Holders – set of 3, $7, from Kmart.
Trove planter medium in white, $29.95, from Freedom Australia.
Duvet cover set, $29.95, from H&M Australia.
Mosaic textured bath towel in citrus, $12, from Kmart.
Hello Sailor print cushion, $20, from Target Australia.
Tell me: have you bought anything new from Target, Kmart, H&M or Freedom? Any major likes or dislikes?
I’m making some free downloadable and printable posters with inspirational quotations as my gift to you.
This week’s words come from Aesop, “It’s not only fine feathers that make fine birds”.
Hope you like it! To print it out, just click the image above and save to your computer to download and print on to A4 paper. You might like to use a heavier stock for a more luxe look.
Then just stick it up on your wall with some washi tape or pop it in a frame for A4 pics.
Here’s another gorgeous and super-easy DIY tutorial I commissioned over on Crafts & DIY Tuts+. In this step-by-step tutorial by Danish crafter Mette Jakobsen from Monsterscircus, you’ll learn how to transform plain wooden boxes into practical storage boxes for your desk.
Best of all, like all good things Scandi, it’s functional and looks gorgeous!
All you need are some boxes, paint, and large bulldog clips. It’s really that simple. Mette used pastels, neutrals and neon paint for a look that pops!
Today’s pick is the Marilyn dress from British fashion online retailer Boden. The Marilyn dress proved so popular last season that Boden has brought it back for autumn in an pretty magenta and red print. It really pops!
The keyhole neckline adds interest to the flattering and super-feminine cut, which features full-length sleeves, an empire waistline and full skirt. It’s a great trans-seasonal piece to add to your wardrobe for this time of the year.
The frock is available in UK sizes 6 to 22, and it also comes in two different colour ways, including a rich teal and mauve magenta. Boden ships internationally, including to Australia, which is great news for Aussie readers!
Tell me: what do you think of this frock? Is it a yay or nay? Have any other frocks caught your eye this week? Leave in a comment in the space below – I always love reading your thoughts and ideas.
When the talented team behind the One Fine Day bridal fairs turned their attention to babies and kids, it was never going to be a shabby event. They set out to organise a fair with a difference, showcasing the best creative talent in the baby and child industries. Cue the inaugural One Fine Baby fair.
And it was a very fine day for parents and little ones alike, with a line-up of some of the coolest, stylish and most inspirational stuff around for babies and kids.
I went along on Sunday to the Australian Technology Park (ATP) and was really impressed by the wealth of new Australian talent in this industry.
It’s come a long way in the past 10 years, and Sydney’s youngsters and parents are spoilt for choice when it comes to the best in design, clothes, toys, furniture and entertainment. So much in fact, that I’ve split my highlights from the event into two posts.
One of the first sights to welcome visitors to the fair was a fun party set up with a brightly patterned play tent and balloons behind a white picket fence. This was the impressive display by Australian brand Sunny Jim, showcasing their collection of brightly patterned UPF50+ sunshades with matching beach bags. The giant festooned balloons by Bespoke Balloonery‘s Heidi Moore Gill added a fun and festive touch.
Sunny Jim‘s festive stall at One Fine Baby. Photography by Wee Birdy.
Bespoke Balloonery by Heidi Moore Gill at Sunny Jim. Photography by Wee Birdy.
Over at TMOD, I was impressed by the line-up of crafty kits for kids including temporary tattoo cards, animal mask kits, chalkboard paint and macrame kits. It’s great to see this indie Sydney brand humming along nicely with their creative and clever products. And it’s all so beautifully designed and illustrated.
Temporary tattoos at TMOD. Photography by Wee Birdy.
My next stop was Aleksandra’s flower stall, and that’s exactly what I did. Stop. In my tracks. Behold the glorious Hills Hoist clothesline, bedecked in garlands, tassel streamers and flowers.
The amazing floral and tassel garland maypole installation by Aleksandra. Photography by Wee Birdy.
I’ve bookmarked Aleksandra as the go-to lady for event styling. This lady has magical powers with flowers. (I swear I didn’t mean to rhyme right there, but I’m going with it.)
Details of the garlands and tassels by Aleksandra. Photography by Wee Birdy.
Buckets of poppies at Aleksandra‘s stall. Photography by Wee Birdy.
Plyroom was another highlight of the fair, with its collection of simple and streamlined plywood children’s furniture. Designed and made in Italy using sustainable European birch and beech, the simplicity of the furniture worked beautifully with the stunning large-scale abstract art by Belynda Henry.
Plyroom‘s furniture with art by Belynda Henry. Photography by Wee Birdy.
I also lingered over Hubble & Duke’s stall, admiring their collection of handmade baby leather moccasins. Their range of ballet-themed screen-printed T-shirts was also a highlight, and I adored the collection of tiny gold and silver leather crowns, perfect for dress-ups and birthday parties.
Screenprinted T-shirts and tutus by Hubble & Duke. Photography by Wee Birdy.
I love this poster of Andie/Molly Ringwald from Pretty in Pink. It was made by Melbourne artist Alice Oehr for Meet Me at Mike’s special benefit screening of Pretty of Pink for Craft Victoria’s Craft Cubed Festival. You can read all about the night over at Meet Me at Mike’s.
Did you know that in the original ending of the film, Andie was meant to end up with Duckie? Instead of boring old Blaine (Andrew McCarthy)? Gah!
Alice’s Pretty in Pink posters are A2 high quality prints and they’re only $20. They would make fantastic presents for friends who are fans of the film. But be quick as there are only a limited number of posters left.
I’ve rounded up 20 awesome pink things as a wee tribute to Pretty in Pink. It’s my 2014 take on Andie’s style. Have you noticed that pink is a major trend in fashion and homewares this season? Andie is back in fashion! (Not that she was ever out of fashion!)
Just click on the product image to buy – it will take you through to the original shop source.
Bera cushion, $59.95, from Country Road
Queen of Hearts vase, $69, by Lovestar.
Geometric Lucite + Brass Bead Necklace 01 by Adelia Mae, US$34, from GREAT.LY.
Pink linen sheet set, now $74.50, by Gorman.
Cambridge peach pink satchel, $205, from Shopbop.
Casey Vessel, $22.95, from Freedom.
Chimney Vessel, $39.95, from Freedom.
Crosley Princess Phone, $39.99, from Amazon.
Garrett Leight Dillion Sunglasses, $325 from Shopbop
Stacey Jumper, $99, by Gorman.
Tai stone stud earrings, $40, from Shopbop.
Gala cotton voile quilt, $160, from Arro Home.
Diagonal Mug, $3.95, from Freedom.
Small squares pillowcase, $49, by Arro Home.
Marc by Marc Jacobs mini pinwheel head scarf, reduced to $47.40, from Shopbop.
Lismore stool, $149, from Freedom.
Pretty in pink 6 engraved pencils, $8.82 from The Carbon Crusader’s Etsy shop.
Marc by Marc Jacobs sawtooth nesting bangle bracelet, reduced to $68.60 from Shopbop.
Rebecca Minkoff Moto Rocker Bag, reduced to
$115.50, from Shopbop.
Geo triangle print, $299, from Freedom.
Tell me: do you love Pretty in Pink too? Are you Team Duckie or Team Blaine?
Disclosure: Some of my wee finds are also affiliates and I will be paid a small commission if you buy them. But don’t worry, all of my wee finds are based on their awesomeness and ability to make me smile.
Exciting news for Australian designer/makers this week, with the announcement of the first-ever Etsy Design Awards.
It’s an amazing opportunity for Australian Etsy sellers with active Etsy shops to be recognised for their talent and creativity, with prizes including a trip to Etsy’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, and be featured in the December issue of Inside Out.
There are loads of incredible Australian designers who don’t have shops on Etsy, so I’m hoping that these Awards are the incentive they need to set up shop.
The Awards have six categories, including Community’s Choice, New Talent, Business As Unusual, Art and Illustration, Home and Lifestyle, and Fashion and Accessories.
Aussie Etsy sellers will be judged by some of our country’s leading creative talent, including Editor-in-Chief of Inside Out Claire Bradley; interior stylist, author, and blogger Jason Grant; creative business mentor, singer, and actress Clare Bowditch; and Etsy’s Creative Director, International, Julia Hoffman.
The deadline for entries is 12 September, 2014, so if you don’t have an Etsy shop, now is your chance to sign up and enter. Read all about the prizes and full terms and conditions here.
I made this poster this weekend as a tribute to the marvellous Robin Williams and his rainbow-suspenders-wearing character, Mork. I thought some of you might like it, too. Just click the image above and save to your computer to download and print on to A4 paper. You might like to use a heavier stock if you want to hang it on the wall.
You may have noticed that when I recently relaunched Wee Birdy, I chose two ‘charities’ to link to in my sidebar. One of them is actually a not-for-profit Australian organisation, The Black Dog Institute, which is a world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
The Black Dog Institute aims to improve the quality of life for those living with mood disorders, and they are doing some important and vital research into depression and suicide prevention.
Acccording to The Black Dog Institute, “Suicide is the most common cause of death in Australians aged 15-44 years. Australian young people are more likely to take their own life than die from motor vehicle accidents or skin cancer. Every year 400,000 Australians experience suicidal thoughts, 65,000 make suicide attempts, 35,000 are admitted to hospital for suicide-related injuries and 2,500 die. Suicide is recognised as a public health crisis both in Australia and around the world.”
Next time you vote, you might like to find out where your MP or political party stands on mental health issues, and exactly what plans and strategies they have in place for improving public access to better mental health facilities. Personally, I think we need to put money into providing better support for people having an emergency mental health crisis. Simply relying on family, friends, or our over-burdened public emergency departments isn’t good enough. We need better emergency mental health facilities, and we need them now.
The permanent link in my right-hand sidebar links to Team Black Dog, which allows you to donate money or fundraise for The Black Dog Institute. Their clinical and research services are mainly funded by the government, however, their education programs rely heavily on the support of individuals, community and corporate supporters. Please check it out and think about donating to the The Black Dog Institute.
I know this is fairly off-topic for Wee Birdy, but I can’t ignore this issue when I have this opportunity to spread the word about incredibly important organisations like The Black Dog Institute. They believe that people deserve peace of mind.
Like so many of you, I’m devastated that Robin didn’t have peace of mind. I’m upset that like so many other people with depression and anxiety, he felt desperate after enduring what must have been unimaginable pain and mental torture. Rest in peace, Robin.
