Author Archives: topbird

1. 33 gorgeous designer presents for under $50 (£30)

   December 11, 2013 10:04 am 3 Comments

   

   Being on a budget for Christmas presents doesn’t mean you have to steer clear of luxe names like Comme des Garcons, Vivienne Westwood, Lanvin, Mulberry and Dior. There are lots of little luxuries around that make special presents for people you want to treat, starting at £11. Here’s my round-up of the good stuff for under 50 bucks. Amazing!

   1. Marc by Marc Jacobs set of five skinny rubber bangles, AU$36.55 from Shopbop.
   2. Nars lip gloss in Wonder, £17.50 from Liberty.
   3. Marc by Marc Jacobs Mareika tulip-printed iPhone 5 cover, $42.76 from Net-a-Porter.
   4. Marc by Marc Jacobs Heathrow trompe l’oeil neoprene tablet case, $33.13 from Shopbop.
   5. House of Harlow 1960 sunburst button earrings, $39.98 from Shopbop.
   6. Kate Spade New York small square stud earrings, $43.41 from Shopbop.
   7. Marc by Marc Jacobs cutout daisy stud earrings, $47.98 from Shopbop.
   8. Vivienne Westwood Sigg bottle no.3, €25 from Vivienne Westwood.
   9. Orla Kiely flower stripe hand towel, $24.95 from Lark.
   10. Aesop protective lip balm SPF30, AU$19 from Aesop.
   11. Vivienne Westwood Peace Not War handkerchief, €25 from Vivienne Westwood.
   12. Paul Smith multi-striped socks, £17 from Selfridges.
   13. Ted Baker Geoboy repeat pocket square, £25 from Selfridges.
   14. Karen Walker narrow enamel bangle, $35 from Karen Walker.
   15. Kate Spade New York Penny for Your Thoughts journal, $27.42 from Shopbop.
   16. Jonathan Adler Utopia cat mug, $29.70 from Shopbop.
   17. Shu Uemura Takashi Murakami collection lip & cheek tint colour, £20 from Selfridges.
   18. Paul & Joe hair and body mist, £12 from Selfridges.
   19. Smythson gilded wafer pencil, £20 from Smythson.
   20. Lancome Hypnôse ultra dazzling eyeshadow limited Christmas edition, £21 from Selfridges.
   21. Smythson Bond Street Blue kings correspondence cards, £11 from Smythson.
   22. Vivienne Westwood black Orb tights, €20 from Vivienne Westwood.
   23. Paul & Joe Body powder, £25 from Selfridges.
   24. Maison Martin Margiela ostrich feather pen, $49.66 from Net-a-Porter.
   25. Dior Duo Manucure Bijoux gold nail lacquer base & crystal pearls, £30 from Selfridges.
   26. Dior Diorific Vernis nail polish, £20 from Selfridges.
   27. Liberty London pink speckle print frill knickers, £20 from Liberty.
   28. Aspinal London post box key ring, £25 from Selfridges.
   29. Mulberry A6 notebook, £20 from Mulberry.
   30. Lanvin set of two rubber luggage tags, $49.66 from Net-a-porter.
   31. Bobbi Brown Everyday pretty lip & eye palette, £24 from Selfridges.
   32. Comme Des Garcons fragrance Series 8 eau de toilette in Grapefruit Energy C, £25 from Liberty.
   33. Stella smooth bikini briefs, US$14 from Stella McCartney.

   Prefer handmade? I’ve got that sorted, too. Head straight to my Christmas present guides on Etsy for the best of the bunch.

   Disclosure: Some, but not all, of these links are with affiliate programs, which helps to support Wee Birdy. Please note that affiliate links do not influence my edit of lovely things. I don’t put crap on Wee Birdy, yo.

2. Shopping in Melbourne: Spare Room Project and Wish You Were Here

   November 28, 2013 4:14 pm Leave a Comment

   

   If you’re in Melbourne right now, you might like to pop along tonight to the historic Nicholas Building in the CBD (a Wee Birdy favourite) for the opening of the Spare Room Project. Hosted and curated by Melbourne designer Matthew Thomson of Mattt (another Wee Birdy fave), the shop-within-a-shop brings together some of Melbourne’s leading designer-makers including Beci Orpin, Ask Alice, Sandra Eterovic and Victoria Mason Jewellery.

   

   It’s perfect timing for picking up some lovely Christmas presents. You’ll also get to meet the makers and ten per cent of all proceeds go to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Super-lovely!

   The shopping event will also coincide with the launch of the Ask Alice ‘Wish You Were Here’ calendar and print exhibition, which will be donating 100 per cent of all profits to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. If you’re a fan of Ask Alice’s extraordinarily sweet range of stationery and prints, you will love the 2014 calendar. Sass Cocker, the lovely lady behind Ask Alice, has brought together 12 international artists to illustrate the theme of ‘Wish You Were Here’ for her annual charity calendar.

   
   
   

   I’ve illustrated this post with some of the artworks from the calendar, including Cape Town by Studio Muti, Sydney by James Gulliver Hancock and Tokyo by Masako Kubo. If you’re out of town, you can still purchase the calendar online here. I think it’s hands-down the Best Calendar for 2014. Nice one, Ask Alice!

   matt SHOP
   Third Floor, Nicholas Building
   Corner Flinders Lane & Swanston Street
   Melbourne

   Opening hours:
   Thursday 28 November to Saturday 30 November
   10am to 6pm (9pm Thursday and Friday)

3. My Etsy Picks for Christmas: Presents for Teen Boys

   November 23, 2013 1:42 am Leave a Comment

   Xmas Gift Guide: Teen Boys
   curated by Wee Birdy on Etsy

   Teen boys can be a bit tricky when it comes to presents. It’s hard to find something that ticks all the right cool, fun and original boxes. Hopefully my round-up of the best Etsy buys will help, including a skinny knit tie, creepy/cool chalkboard skull and a little something for Big Bang Theory fans.

   Click through on the image to see the full list.

   Now is the time to order all your presents from Etsy if you want them in time for Christmas, so hop to it!

   Head over here for all of my Etsy Christmas present guides. Do you have an awesome present idea for teen boys?

   Disclosure: Wee Birdy is a member of the Etsy affiliate program.

4. My Etsy Picks for Christmas: Presents for Teen Girls

   November 19, 2013 6:42 pm Leave a Comment

   Xmas Gift Guide: Teen Girls
   curated by Wee Birdy on Etsy

   Hmmm, this could very well be my own wishlist, so perhaps I’m projecting my inner-teen just a tad. But I really do love all of things I’ve cherry-picked in this wee collection of original presents for teenage girls. From the bargain confetti nail polish to the candy-print leggings, there’s a whole lot of handmade gorgeousness to love. Click through on the image to see the full list.

   Now is the time to order all your presents from Etsy if you want them in time for Christmas, so hop to it!

   Head over here for all of my Etsy Christmas present guides. What do you think?

   Disclosure: Wee Birdy is a member of the Etsy affiliate program.

5. My Etsy Picks for Christmas: Presents for Babies

   November 18, 2013 3:00 pm Leave a Comment

   Xmas Gift Guide: Babies
   curated by Wee Birdy on Etsy

   
   There is so much handmade loveliness for little ones on Etsy right now. Check out my full list of Christmas presents for babies by clicking on the image above. Happy shopping! Tell  me which presents caught your eye.

   Disclosure: Wee Birdy is a member of the Etsy affiliate program.

6. Xmas presents to order now from Etsy: Rose gold

   7:00 am 1 Comment

   Xmas Gift Guide: Rose gold
   curated by Wee Birdy on Etsy

   I’m back – and just in time too! Suddenly it’s November 18 and Christmas is scarily just around the corner. This time of the year always snowballs for me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they can’t keep up.

   I feel I need to apologise for being kinda quiet on Wee Birdy this year. We had a few unexpected hurdles and life with my wee toddler man has taken precedence. I’ve also been editing the Craft section for Tuts+, and just a few weeks ago we up and sold our wee flat! And we’ve just bought a house … in the bush!

   We move in just before Christmas, and in the meantime I’m a tad frantic with renovation plans and packing and moving.

   But I couldn’t miss my favourite part of the Wee Birdy calendar – my annual Christmas present guides. I’ve been cherry-picking my favourite buys for the past few months, and I was super-chuffed when the lovely Etsy folks came a-knocking, asking me to put together my favourite Etsy picks for the brand new Wee Birdy Etsy page.

   I can’t wait to share all favourite Etsy discoveries with you over the next week in my annual Christmas present guide.

   For starters, I’ve chosen rose-gold as one of this year’s hottest trends for my present guide. Just click on the image above to check out all of my picks on Etsy. Let me know what you think!

   Can’t wait to hear your thoughts. X

   Disclosure: Wee Birdy is a member of the Etsy affiliate program.

7. Sponsored post: A flavour-packed afternoon tea

   September 18, 2013 7:00 am 7 Comments

   

   I was recently invited to the pop-up Masterchef Dining and Bar in Sydney to experience ‘High Tea Brewed by Lipton’ with master tea blender, Kurush Bharucha. As a self-appointed aficionado of tea and cake, I was excited to check out the new pop-up and explore the new range of Lipton‘s Pyramid teas. And I was also eager to sample some of the sweet treats that have featured in Australian Masterchef over the past few years. My date for the afternoon was my mum, the original aficionado of all things tea and cake.

   

   First surprise? The magnificent set-up of the Masterchef Dining and Bar, which was a much grander verision of your usual wooden-crates-and-make-do nature of a pop-up. This was pop-up deluxe, with marble benchtops, magnificent lighting installations and Masterchef’s signature mezzanine, where our afternoon tea was taking place.

   

   

   Our table was set with an intriguing line-up of bell jars housing samples of tea leaves, with another row of glass tea cups and a third row of Lipton Pyramid tea bags. After our glasses were filled with hot water, we were introduced to Lipton master tea blender, Kurush Bharucha, who is a man who knows a wee bit about tea. So much, in fact, at one point in his career he was tasting 1,000 cups of tea a day. Blimey!

   

   Kurush guided us through each tea, explaining the finer points of each blend as we infused our hot water with the new pyramid tea bags. It was an experience for all the senses, and represented a departure from your usual automatic-robot-tea-bag dunking, as we could observe the tiny leaves, flowers and pieces of fruit within each pyramid swirl and burst into colour and fragrance.

   Second surprise? The Russian Earl Grey tea pyramid came to life in the hot water. The pretty sky blue cornflower petals swirled amongst pieces of orange and lemon peel and the gentle aroma of bergamot and citrus wafted up from the cup. I’m not generally a fan of Earl Grey but this one had a subtle flavour that was gently warming.

   So what’s the big deal about the pyramid shape? Kurush explained that it allows them to use longer tea leaves and bigger pieces of ingredients such as lemon peel, cinnamon bark and jasmine petals – which is responsible for the swirling visual treat in my cup! Also, the roomier teabag means that all the goodness in the tea bag can dance about and release more flavour. It’s a bit like having a mini teapot with loose leaf tea in your tea bag. Nice!

   

   Third surprise? We were also introduced to the new range of the delightful Lipton tisanes, with blends including Forest Fruits, Raspberry Passion and Peach Mango. Most of you will know that I generally like a good old cup of builder’s tea – English Breakfast is my blend of choice, but I really loved exploring the new fruit tisanes. Anything with a flavour punch of passionfruit gets a big tick from me. I usually fill my tea with milk and sugar, but there was no need for anything else with these cupfuls of rich flavour.

   

   We were also introduced to last year’s Masterchef runner-up, the lovely Julia Taylor, who took us through the tasty afternoon tea menu featuring Waldorf finger sandwiches, friands with tea-infused raisons, Zumbarons, Adriano Zumbo passionfruit tart and her signature Vegemite caramel chocolate cups.

   Lipton’s Forest Fruits tea went down a treat with the zumbarons! The stand-out sweet morsels of the afternoon were the incredible friands, the flavour-packed passionfruit tart and the Vegemite caramel chocolate cups, which were the absolute highlight. Sweet and salty and incredibly moreish, we sat in reverent silence as we consumed the heavenly mouthful of the most surprising ganash.

   

   The best surprise of the afternoon? Discovering that Lipton’s pyramid tea is indeed a clever and innovative way to enjoy your favourite brew, and the 16 new flavours provide a real treat for your senses.

   Who knew a tea bag could provide so much entertainment?

   WIN! Lipton Pyramid Tea

   To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me in 25 words or less which Lipton Pyramid tea flavour would you pair with your favourite sweet treat? The giveaway is open to all Australian residents 14 years and older, and ends at 5pm Friday, 27 September 2013.

   The five most creative responses will win a sample pack containing eight different flavours from the Lipton Pyramid range. Click here for the full competition terms and conditions. Please don’t forget to leave your email address in the space provided in the comments section – it will only be visible to me.

   This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.

8. Make something this weekend: a modern dreamcatcher

   August 11, 2013 8:52 am 5 Comments

   

   Who knew dreamcatchers could look so fresh and modern – and dreamy! This wee beauty is the work of the very talented Lisa Tilse of The Red Thread, and she’s made an excellent step-by-step tutorial for Crafttuts+.

   

   Lisa holds your hand through every step of the way, showing you how to hand-wrap the rings and attach the beads and feathers. It’s the perfect project for the weekend. Head over to Crafttuts+ now for the full tutorial.

9. Make something this weekend: Knit an adorable kerchief

   August 3, 2013 7:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   Isn’t this the most adorable knitted kerchief you’ve seen? You can make it yourself with this excellent tutorial by Andi Satterlund of Untangling Knots for Tuts+.

   

   The step-by-step tutorial has full photography and is perfect for knitters of all levels. In fact, if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to knit, you might like to follow the series of Knitting Fundamentals tutorials.

   

   I love that Andi shows you how to style the kerchief for two completely different looks. Such a sweet vintage look, don’t you think?

   Head over to Tuts+ for the full step-by-step tutorial.

10. Australian design: Relaunched Tony Parker furniture

    August 1, 2013 3:31 pm 3 Comments

    

    There was a moment back in May when I’m not ashamed to say that I literally squeaked with excitement. I had just discovered that Tony Parker, of Parker Furniture, was relaunching a capsule collection of his iconic ’50s designs in an exclusive collaboration with Surry Hills design store WORKSHOPPED. Anyone who’s a fan of mid-century furniture probably squeaked in unison, creating some kind of modernist-fuelled squeaky, squealy chorus as the Parker name translates to Australian mid-century modern LEGEND.

    

    It was only a few weekends ago when I finally stumbled into WORKSHOPPED that I actually laid my hands on this glorious new furniture. Re-worked in American Oak and American Walnut, the pieces have been gently tweaked and reinvented in that unmistakable Parker style.

    I loved the beautiful white oak extension butterfly leaf dining table, but I made a beeline for the iconic coffee table with its organic lips, marvelling at how fresh and well, modern, it looked at once. Funny that.

    

    I couldn’t be more overjoyed by this happy collaboration, breathing new life into one of Australia’s greatest design names while offering brand new pieces that have been reworked by Tony Parker himself. The new range is made by Covermore Designs, a company featuring many of Parker’s original staff and craftspeople, which offers a lovely sense of continuation.

    

    The timing for the new collection couldn’t be better, with mid-century modern a key trend and source of reference in mainstream design and interiors. (That doesn’t stop short-sighted Sydney realtors from flogging incredible examples of mid-century architecture as potential for detonation and new apartments, but that’s another rant.)

    

    Kudos to WORKSHOPPED Director, Raymond Scott, for bringing the Parker name back into currency, and three cheers for Tony Parker, for his undeniable verve in relaunching this collection.

    

    In the meantime, our original teak Parker coffee table is currently in storage, as we have a rather unlovely Thomas the Tank engine train table in its place. Tell me, parents of older children, when do I get my beautiful teak coffee table back, assured that it won’t be used as a racetrack or a surface for pounding neon orange playdough? When? When will the sippy cup ring stains stop?

    Tony Parker mid-century furniture is available at WORKSHOPPED
    Shop 2 / 8 Hill Street
    Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Australia
    Tel. + 61 (0) 2 9146 4353

    All photography courtesy of Workshopped.

11. Make it: Vintage floral Hama bead coasters

    July 30, 2013 9:33 pm 1 Comment

    

    Do you love making things with Hama (or Perler) beads? You might like to try this easy tutorial I created for Crafttuts+.

    

    I was inspired by big, bold vintage florals, the kind you’d find on domestic bed linen from the ’60s and ’70s. What do you think?

    

    Head over to Crafttuts+ for the full step-by-step tutorial.

12. Wee find: Marcelle Crosby’s folded paper dresses

    July 28, 2013 2:00 pm 1 Comment

    

    I stumbled across Marcelle Crosby’s folded paper dresses while researching my top 12 affordable art prints for babies and children’s rooms, and thought they deserved a post to themselves.

    
    The Traveller by Marcelle Crosby.

    The Melbourne-based artist’s astonishingly beautiful – and completely unique –  mini works of art are made using paper prints and maps, and they would make a gorgeous decoration on the wall of any little girl’s room.

    
    Miss Italy and Miss Paris Pink by Marcelle Crosby.

    Each dress tells a story, so if you or your wee one has a special connection to Paris, the vintage-style map dress of ‘Miss Paris’ would make a delightful keepsake. The paper-folded pieces are sold on the hanger, so you can directly hang on them on the wall, or get them framed.

    I really love the way they look on the hangers, and these paper-folded wee beauties would add such a unique textural layer – and handmade element – to any child’s space.

    
    Clockwise from top left: Cats; Miss NYC 2; Around the World; Dogs; all by Marcelle Crosby.

    My personal favourite is The Traveller, pictured at the top of the post, which features a vivid nostalgic print of vintage travel luggage tags. But I’ve also got a soft spot for Miss London, naturally. I’m seriously considering get it for myself!

    
    Miss New York, left and Miss Paris red by Marcelle Crosby.

    Each folded dress is AU$70 and can be found in Marcelle Crosby’s store on Down that Little Lane.

    It’s a week of babies and kids on Wee Birdy! Make sure you haven’t missed:
    12 more beautiful baby presents, from £2.72
    A wee tour: My modern vintage baby’s room
    Top 12 affordable art prints for children’s rooms
    Wee find: Laikonik once-a-year baby record books
    19 clever ways to transform a kid’s room with wallpaper
    The 12 best presents for baby girls
    A wee historic royal baby exhibition
    The 12 best presents for baby boys

13. 12 more beautiful baby presents, from £2.72

    July 27, 2013 6:47 am Leave a Comment

    

    I’m on a bit of a roll with baby presents right now, and I thought you might like to see the rest of my pastel-hued favourites. Most of these presents I’ve sourced from Etsy, which is actually one of the best online shopping destinations for baby gifts.

    Prices start at £2.72 – if you knit the nappy cover yourself! I’ve thrown in the odd bright present because pastels mixed with brights is bang on-trend right now. So if you’re after a contemporary nursery, add a splash of yellow or red to your pastel mix.

    My favourite present? Definitely the hand-knitted personalised dolly rattles (no. 2) by Chickabiddy, via Etsy. I’ve given many a sock doll rattle to my friends’ new babies. They make such a sweet little present and a nice little keepsake.

    

    1. Hot air balloon wall stickers, £18 from Belle & Boo.
    2. Lil sock baby rattle, £13.59 from Chickabiddy Baby Boutique’s Etsy shop.
    3. Rubber duck diaper cover knitting pattern, £2.72 for an instant downloadable PDF from Easy Care Knits’ Etsy shop.
    4. Baby bird mobile in gender-neutral hues, £66.58 from Baby Jives Co’s Etsy shop.
    5. Knitted wrap cardigan, now AU$27.48 by Pure Baby.
    6. Maple crochet teething rings, £11.55 from Apple n Amos’s Etsy shop.
    7. Baby blue diaper covers, £14.95 from Mabel’s Etsy shop.
    8. Personalised alphabet block print, £25 from Ruka-Ruka.
    9. Ducky tee, AU$24.95 from Seed.
    10. Sea breeze bonnet, US$48 from Misha and Puff
    11. Pink forest ballet slippers, £29.21 from Evie Lala’s Etsy shop.
    12. Boo and friends boys mug, £6 from Belle & Boo.

    It’s a week of babies and kids on Wee Birdy! Make sure you haven’t missed:
    A wee tour: My modern vintage baby’s room
    Top 12 affordable art prints for children’s rooms
    Wee find: Laikonik once-a-year baby record books
    19 clever ways to transform a kid’s room with wallpaper
    The 12 best presents for baby girls
    A wee historic royal baby exhibition
    The 12 best presents for baby boys