Winter Warmers....

We've another month and a half of Winter in the Southern Hemisphere, so I've been searching for handmade products with a toasty theme to keep the Winter chills at bay.


The finest British yarn has been used by RowPinto in London to handcraft this beautiful cashmere dream set.  I'd be sure to dream sweetly with these luxurious pieces. GDP240

Crochet Tea Party made this Hot Water Bottle Cover using a crocodile stitch. Who knew there was such a thing? And if you're so inclined, she shares her patterns on her blog too. 

Animal Liberationists look away now, as this colourful scarf by daymisfurry is made using genuine fox fur. GBP40

Made in Nepal, I could have done with this 100% cashmere neck-warmer on our recent ski trip. For AUD$59, you can pick one up at Black Arrow Label

We've all heard of a tea cosy right? Well Twinkknits makes a mug cosy. Tea sure, but I think this would be perfect for keeping the mulled wine as well as your hands warm around the campfire this winter. AUD$14

To be fair, we barely get a winter in Sydney. When the mercury drops below 18 everybody starts to freeze and hibernates indoors. I for one, would choose summer over Winter any day, but will concede that there is something comforting about rugging up and inhaling that crisp, fresh Winter air.  

Plus, Winter is the perfect excuse to purchase cashmere. 

Sx

Gifts at The Gallery

I love a good Museum shop.  Embarrassingly, it can often be my highlight when visiting a museum / art gallery.

Yesterday, prior to seeing the Collette Dinnigan Exhibition at The Powerhouse Museum, I found myself in the newly-renovated MAAS Store mentally ticking off many gifts from my scarily extensive Christmas Shopping List.

Check out some of these hand-made discoveries:

The interlocking wine rack you can configure to suit your needs / space.  Made by Power to Make, these plywood sets come in different colours and you can add sets as your wine collection grows. The best bit is they come flat packed for building, so easy to post & carry. Starting at AUD$55 for the 6 bottle set,  this would go down well in any home at Christmas.

I was totally crushing on these flower frames by Sydney company Rainy Sunday. They come in all sorts of delicious shades. I imagine gifting one of these with some fresh blooms, as they provide a beautiful keepsake long after the flowers have gone. Single black one will set you back AUD$52. 

Having laid Tasmanian Oak Floors in an attempt at a slightly Scandi interior, Oak is still very much on my radar. These oak homewares by Normann Copenhagen caught my eye in the Museum Shop. 

Great gifts, good prices and so smooth and tactile to boot.  A house can NEVER have enough hooks and here are a couple of stunning oak versions, and a luxe timber trivet to protect your bench tops. Truly Scandinavian, all items online are sent from Denmark, so prices are in USD. 

Curve hook - USD$28, Trivet - USD$33 & Stick Hooks - USD$25

I could account for at least a third of my Xmas Shopping List at The Museum Shop - I recommend it highly for some novel pressie ideas, some amazing books and they even had some yummy fodder on hand for the hungry visitor.

If you have the chance to see the Collette Dinnigan Exhibition - on until Aug 2016 - you won't be disappointed. Tickets are $15 and she has a book out too. That's the perfect Xmas gift combo right there!

Spoiler alert.....some visuals of her most AMAZING mood boards at the exhibition below....

Something for everyone at The Powerhouse right now!
Sx

Purchasing Power...

There have been a whole load of handmade treats to tempt me while styling the updated pad.

Some I've succumbed to, and others are still firmly on my wish list.

Here's a few that have made the cut:

This print by Oh Eight Oh Nine is providing some luxe in the laundry. A3 size is AUS $20.

This lovely marble look handmade cotton pouch by Behr & Co spectacularly sets off greenery of any sort. From AUS$13.95

This sweet little handpainted wooden feather garland combines my two loves: glitter and fluro! By The Great Lakes Goods. Their motto is "handmade goods with good vibes" - that's a mission statement easy to adhere to!! US$18

 


The kid's playroom has a pinkish theme going on, so one of my find...found...forage macrame hangers is doing it's thing in there. AUD$$45:

And in DIY news, I took some humble HB Lead Pencils (it's amazing how many of these I found lying around the house!) and covered them with some Japanese Paper to improve their look and use as party bag fillers.  Click here for a tutorial to do something similar yourselves.

Support the independents and embrace the charm.
Sx

IT'S SALE TIME @ find...found...forage

Nothing beats a good sale. Not the waste of time 10% off type sale, but one where you are truly nabbing yourself a real, deal.

Enter the find...found...forage online shop SALE!

To clear out stock and make way for some new finds arriving very soon, I am offering a whopping great 20% off everything.

Let me do the sums for you:

Ballet Flats @ $80 = now $64

Baskets @ $20 = now $16

Macrame Hangers @ $48 = now $37

Necklaces @ $15 = $12

Just enter "Year End" at the checkout to receive your 20% discount!

Shop 'til you Drop.
Sx

Modern Crochet - there is such a thing

Not only did a recent camping trip north of Sydney introduce us to a beautiful part of the state - National Parks, Stunning beaches and Pristine lakes - it also introduced us to the monthly Pacific Palms Market!

Among an array of market stalls, pony rides, live music and yummy food, was Two Alike; a clever family run operation who had the most grooviest crocheted hats for people of all ages.

I know. Groovy & Crochet - who'd have thought?

Particularly for the boys - who often get left behind in the cute / handmade market, these are unique and funky. There was a great fireman's hat too that I failed to photograph.

Check these out. Starting at AUD$30.

Two Alike are the masters of custom orders making all sorts of other crochet designs. Wall Art, Rugs, Garlands, Hair clips and more.

In their own words:
"I crochet so I don't kill people"

S x