Strategic Shopping...

I love to shop and I love a bargain.

I can justify another purchase when I've saved some dollars (which makes no sense as I'll usually end up spending more) as I'll have twice as much to show for it.

Lumiere Art & Co have many beautiful textiles to choose from, AND they also have a page on their website dedicated to SALE.

Unlike many other Sale pages, this one isn't the rejects; instead it's chock full of gorgeous linen towels, cushion covers, throws and art work.

Do you have a gift drawer? Do you gift your host/ess when you visit? Then might I encourage you to fill your cart with some of the following handmade goodies to always have something on hand?

You are sure to be giving something individual, something that will punctuate your host's living space and ensure you a repeat invitation!

Teatowels start from as little as AUD$10...in fact you could pick up one each of the following and have change from $150. Now if that's not a bargain...

Velvet Round Cushion - with pom pom!

Set of four linen napkins:

Linen bath towel with 'to-die-for' fringing:

Tea Towel:

Cushion cover (never could resist a pom pom!):

Based in Melbourne Australia, The Lumiere team want to share their craft. They offer workshops where you can learn the techniques to take home your own creation - think of it as a gift to self. 😉

S x

Gold threads

When I saw the words:

 "Handwoven"

"Beautiful" and

"Textiles"

in the introduction to Langdon Ltd's website, I was confident there was going be gold on the following web pages and I was right - literally.

Metallic threads weave their way into many of the designs by Langdon Ltd. Having spied their stall at the recent Life Instyle exhibition in Sydney, I was besotted with everything they have on offer.

The cushions, bags and rugs are to die for, but the idea of elevating my humble door mat to designer level with some gold, is, pure gold!

Start your salivating now. Prices start from AUD$79 for doormats.

Langdon Ltd pieces are designed by Sydney sisters who have a serious dislike for Polyester. 

Who's with them?

S x

Holiday finds...

Holidaying provides the perfect opportunity to uncover new "finds".

Whiling away hours in boutiques & markets rather than the shopping malls of usual life,  is for me, the perfect therapy. Coupled with family time at the beach too of course!

Shared below are just some of the plentiful hand-crafted discoveries I made over our recent summer break.

Design House Love Hate offer Australian hand crafted jewellery, ceramic wares, clothing, & leather goods. Shapes & colour palletts inspired by the designers surroundings, these sweet pieces are as unique in their designs as they are in their manufacturing process.

Earrings & Porcelain Necklace AUD$65, Linear Brass Necklace AUD $49.

photos by Love Hate


It seems every market has someone peddling Turkish Towels.

I blogged about them back in 2012 here and am still very much an advocate, using mine on high rotation this summer; but I haven't seen colour ways like those on offer by Knotty.

Brights or pastels, in colour blocked styles, wide stripes and some stunning designs for your home, these beach towels are a refreshing take on the Turkish towel.

Prices start from AUD$39

photos by Knotty

Well documented is my love for all things sparkly; so it would come as no surprise that the combination of both in these gorgeous ceramic wares made from Birdy & Clementine appealed to me!

Robyn is the lady behind Birdy & Clementine and in her own words:  "I create modern feminine ceramics: practical pretty tableware and porcelain jewellery with a touch of bling". Robyn will be bringing her range to the next Finders Keepers Markets in Sydney. Yay!

Photos by Birdy and Clementine

Summer and florals = smiley face. Mrs Darcy from Santa Monica, California has a most comprehensive range of homewares, kimonos & accessories.

Made from original artworks, Kimonos start at AUD$79 and this stunning round cushion is AUD$99. A perfect pressie, the clutches are AUD$49.95.

Photos by Mrs Darcy

So much goodness to souvenir - it pays to pack an extra suitcase when holidaying.  

Sx

To Market, to Market...

Fellow peddlers of hand-made loveliness at the recent KRB Spring Fair, these small businesses were just some of the delightful folk I met while exhibiting the find...found...forage wares.

Fi from The Inspired Paddock had set up the most stylish stand. She was selling pieces such as antlers that have been naturally shed, wreaths made from barbed wire, and lamps, vases and decor items made from the trunks of Birch trees.

Looking for pheasant feathers? Want a deer hide? Or how about a hand-made backgammon or chess board? Fi has gotten busy in her studio shed and made all these items herself. By hand.

Be prepared to drool....
(all photos taken by Fi herself)

Need to get your Christmas Gift Wrap theme sorted? Are you using wrapping paper as a centrepiece for your Christmas table? What about the bon bons?

Wrappsody were also at the KRB Spring Fair with the most comprehensive array of wrapping papers, co-ordinating ribbons and gift tags. Not only were there tons of options, but the rolls of paper came in quantities sure to wrap all your loot.

Rolls of 10m or 50m of the highest quality papers are sourced with co-ordinating ribbons. I for one, cannot wrap a gift without finishing it with a ribbon. Amy and her team solved my Chrissie wrapping conundrum.

I've already wrapped a trio of gifts on their way to the UK...

photos from Wrappsody 

Lucy from Frayed was another talented crafts-lady with scrumptious offerings. This time of the Shibori kind. All manner of linen delights were on offer from cushions, to napkins, placemats and bunting.

Her gift tags alone will convince you to style your Christmas blue this year!

photos courtesy of Lucy

Fairs and markets are on in abundance at this time of year.
Get yourselves along to one and pick up some pressies that are sure to tick the 'unique' box.
Sx

Pocket Pillows

Last weekend I enjoyed our Annual Boarders Weekend with the girls, and while there was plenty of champagne, catch ups, food, shopping, deep & meaningfuls and did I say champagne (?), we also managed to get our Craft On.

Yep. That's right. We dragged the gals off for a secret activity of some old fashion crafting to blow off the cobwebs from the night before.

The ladies at Makers Loft have relocated to Cammeray; and while they are still in the middle of their refurb - deluxe coffee station and cafe about to be opened within the space - nine of us managed to take over the studio and create ourselves (or rather the little people in our lives) a little keepsake and memento from the weekend.

Pocket Pillows will be perfect for the tooth fairy to deposit her coins, or for secret notes to be stashed. Fashioned out of off-cuts from old clothing, the recycled effect was cute beyond words.

Foxes, Owl, Cats and even a monkey were the end products of just 2 x hours of labour. We did drink coffee and we did chat, but mostly, we had to actually concentrate to pull these off in the time frame!

Despite a few initial groans, the group retreated to a bit of schoolyard girly competition, and knocked these out in no time. 

Satisfying too, taking home a little souvenir crafted by our own hands. Some of the recipients however are still rather doubtful as to who actually made them. 

Women of many talents us Mums.

Sx

Wrap Up

I do love the chance to forage.

At the end of the day, it's not even about the find, but the foraging process....

Just back from a holiday and side-trip to see my ballet flat supplier, I snapped photos of hand-made & repurposed inspo to share with you here....

Here's a visual wrap up (don't forget to can follow find...found...forage on Instagram for more eye candy):

The ice bucket getting some palm & banana leaf treatment:

Are they a neckpiece or are they an artefact? Your choice, but we had many versions decorating our Villa in Canggu

Welcoming us to a morning of White Water Rafting out of Ubud, was this pebble mosaic:

The quirk factor was off the richter scale at La Favela in Seminyak. Recycled and repurposed is what they do best:

Their menu on the street outside the restaurant is displayed on this old movie camera:

Just a reminder to any would be thief at Butter Cake & Coffee Shop in Canggu:

More repurposed goodness at Butter :

Hubby sporting a rattan backpack made by hand in Borneo...Thinking of stocking them in my shop. What do you think?
Could also look fab hanging as a pendant light shade....

New favourite coffee stop of the trip, Bungalow Living had photo opportunities around ever corner:

Welcoming us each morning were these fresh flowers:

Why not add a pop of fluro to your crucifix?

And look at the way they hand-wrapped each brownie slice:

If you have a cushion crush, check out the Bungalow Living  website for many divine designs....

Popped into Coco & Ginger - have been meaning to get in there for the past few trips - and snapped this colourfully painted pot on the way in:

And finally, I have to share the lush setting for our ablutions for the week in Villa Maxceo:

All in all, another inspiring, relaxing, motivating, rewarding, sunny, fun, family holiday to Bali.

And great to be home too!
Sx