Today some elegant stationery from Brisbane label, Lily & Cino.
Lily & Cino also offer a personalised stationery service where you can choose your own wording and colours from their extensive selection. I think a personalised letterhead set would be a lovely gift for newlyweds.
Lily & Cino are currently working on their website, so in the meantime you can buy from their etsy store or find out more on their beautiful new blog a lily in bloom.
We're going all out for mum today with some decadently luxurious gift ideas.
Left Column (from top to bottom): Matte Satin Caftan by Oscar de la Renta, Lancome Set - Secret de Vie Collection, Feathered Satin Slippers by Victoria's Secret, Stola Leggera Unita Wrap by Loro Piana, Prada Set - Infusion D'Iris Coffret.
Right Column (from top to bottom): Small Scented Candle by Ginger & Smart, Small Blue Topaz Half Moon Enhancer & Bead Chain Necklace by David Yurman, Eau de Parfum Prada Gift Set , Gauffre Flap Wallet by Prada, Petite Albion Prasiolite Earrings by David Yurman, Pique Vesta Robe by Joelle by La Perla.
More luxe shopping at Neiman Marcus, Ginger & Smart and Victoria's Secret.
Books are a fabulous gift idea. They last forever and are non-fattening. Click the picture to see a bigger view.
Left Column (from top to bottom): Couture Interiors by Marnie Fog, Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile, Infinitely Beautiful: The Dessau Worlitz Garden by Thomas Weiss, I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile, Andy Warhol published for the ‘Andy Warhol’ exhibition organised by the Queensland Art Gallery and The Andy Warhol Museum, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.
Centre Column (from top to bottom): Papunya Painting edited by Vivienne Johnson, To Each His Home Inspired Interiors as Unique as Their Owners by Bilyana Dimitrova, Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous A Nutritionist's Guide to Living Well While Living It Up by Esther Blum, Brenda Kinsel's Fashion Makeover 30 Days to Diva Style! by Brenda Kinsel, Palm Springs Weekend: The Architecture and Design of a Midcentury Oasis by Alan Hess and Andrew Danish.
Right Column (from top to bottom): The Outdoor Living Room: Stylish Ideas for Porches, Patios, and Pools by Martha Baker, Robin and Lucienne Day: Pioneers in Modern Design by Lesley Jackson, Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects by Amy Butler, Patio: Garden Design & Inspiration by Jamie Durie, Cartier by Hans Nadelhoffer.
Books from Chronicle Books, Amazon and Queensland Art Gallery Store.
With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I'd devote the week to some gift ideas. Everything today comes from Fjorn Scandinavian.
Clockwise from Top Left: Blue Fluted Full Lace Coffee Cup from Royal Copenhagen, Klippan Candy Apron in Lotta Glave fabric, Royal Copenhagen tea pot, Floral Lamp by Bengt & Lotta, Lido Chairs by Skagerak Denmark, Black Fluted Half Lace tea cups by Royal Copenhagen, Calendula towels by Ekelund Weavers, Handblown Crystal Barn Owl by Oiva Toikka. All from Fjorn Scandinavian.
The Russian nesting doll (Matryoshka) trend has been around for a while now - and rightly so, they are adorable. I always called them babooshka dolls. I think this trend is going to expand to include folk art, in particular kurbits designs (popular in Sweden between 1780 and 1870). I'm going to be on the lookout for more folk art inspired pieces but in the meantime here are some ideas.
Clockwise from Top Left: Dalahorse from Nordiska Museet, Embroidered Wallhanging from Urban Outfitters, Childrens boots from Vincent, Matryoshka notebook by bismo080, Kitties Wall Art by Fawn Gehweiler at Urban Outfitters, Folk Garden Skirt by Viola at Anthropologie, Swedish Folk Art: Floral and Kurbits Designs by Diane Edwards at Amazon, Two Doves Necklace by Anne Kiel at Moose, Deco Floral Table from Urban Outfitters, Silk Folk Dress by Johnny Was at Neiman Marcus, Cross-Stitch Art by ChezSucreChez.
Beautiful wall decal by Hanna Werning. Available at Made in Design. I would love this sticker (and the chair).
Let me know if you see any other great folk art pieces.
Bright and cheerful notebooks and cushions from Rock Scissor Paper's new Happy collection. Also available in the collection are personalised stationery and organic cotton totes. Visit Rock Scissor Paper's website to see all their gorgeous goodies.
I hope you all have a very Happy Easter!
Gorgeous eco-friendly bunny card from Brisbane designer, Blossom Creations.
Adorable birdie bits and pieces today.
Clockwise from Top Left: Counting Birds Wall Art Cards (comes in set of 10), Owl Soap, Vintage Lavender Birdie by Clare Nicolson, Ceramic Egg Birdhouse by Jim Schatz, Turquoise Owl Necklace by birdzNbeez, 'At a Distance' Print by lilymoon.
Clockwise from Top Left: Book Birdhouses by Dave Vissat, French Handmade Bird Calls, Brass Bird Table Lamp, Bird Pillows, Songbird with Baby Puzzle by usnavyretiredvet.
Images from: Uncommon Goods, Etsy, Clare Nicolson, Neiman Marcus .
Join the best of the British with some Union Jack clobber!
Clockwise from top right: Cushions by Karen Hilton, Wellies and Bag from unionjack.co.uk, Hot Water Bottle from unionjacksupplies.co.uk, Top from unionjack.co.uk, Platform Ankle Boot from Spike Angel, Vintage Union Jack Flag Cushion from Luna and Curious (via Wee Birdie), Heart Cushion by Jan Constantine, Alphabet Keyrings from unionjack.co.uk, Retro Bag from unionjackwear.co.uk, Jeans by Sexy Dynamite London, Union Jack Hat and Scarf Print by Mary Evans from prints-online.com.
Here are some delightfully quirky cards from Red Cap Cards.
They have just redone their website so it is just as lovely as their cards. Makes me wish I could draw.
I found another gorgeous little website recently. It takes a little while to load but its certainly worth the wait. Girls are Made of Sugar is like a vintage storybook and toy box rolled into one.
The vintage inspired jewellery is divided into two collections: Vintage Lady and Trendy Pupee. The website is based in Spain and all prices are in Euros.
Visit the Girls are Made of Sugar website. Sweet like sugar indeed!
I had the good fortune to come across one of the most adorable little online shops. I don't think its very easy to translate warmth, friendliness and personal service via the internet but thats what you feel when you go to Kleiner Kaufladen.
Based in Germany, the owner of this sweet store is the daughter of an antiques dealer and a toy repairer. Her store has adorable old fashioned toys, retro homewares, accessories and handmade delights. And if you have a doll or teddy needing some repairs they even have a Doll Hospital. I can't think of anything more adorable. Visit Kleiner Kaufladen for a dose of loveliness.
Clockwise from Top Left: Vintage Glass Button Ring US$8, Love Directions Necklace US$40, Limited Edition Birds in Love print US$7, Cherry Heads greeting card US$4, Red Dandy magnet $4, Pink Cupcake gift tags US$2.75 for a pack of 10, all from Etsy.
Of course, there is always my Share the Love sale: 20% off all orders over $50. Use code "valentine".
How pretty is the new iPod Nano?
Its available at the Apple Store for A$279.
Well, I think you've had enough time to recover from Pet Accessories (Part 1) so here comes Part 2.
Clockwise from Top Left: Coco Bow Dog Bowl US$39.95 from Wrapables.com, Iguana Pet Dish US$89.95 from Modern Tails, Bamboo Veneer Wowo Pet Feeder US$119.95 from Modern Tails, Wowo Single Raised Feeder US$169.95 from Modern Tails, Infinity Dog Bowl GBP45 from Mungo & Maud, Alessi Tigrito Cat Bowl Light Blue A$116.00 from Peters of Kensington, Designer Dog Bowls from A$29.95 at Central Bark, Big Pooch Dog Bowl (US$99.95) and Booster (US$59.95) from Wetnoz, Striped Dog Bowl US$50 from Jonathan Adler, Speckled Blue Vintage Cat Bowl GBP7.50 from Mungo & Maud, Double Wooden Dog Bowl GBP105 from Mungo and Maud.
What can I say? There are now countless fashion accessories for your pet, from necklaces, shoes, ties, hats, hairclips and even backpacks for your cat. All of fabulous accessories come from the Accessory department of Modern Tails. Its weird to see shoes that come in sets of 4.
Luxury traveler, red chair, caravan and modern home all from Dog is God. Limited edition retro camper van (US$5000!!) from Tag. Luxury dog houses by Doggy Dream Homes. Life is certainly good for some pets!
I must admit that when I thought of the idea for this post I expected to find a couple of fancy dog collars and a 'luxurious' cat bed. Oh boy, I discovered that the life of some pampered pets is much better than mine! Thank goodness my two dogs are not computer literate, otherwise there'd be an uprising. Prepare to be amazed...
Yes, that's right, wigs for your cat. I'm not sure how you get a cat to keep a wig on but it sure would be fun to try it. This unique idea is from KittyWigs.com. The wigs come beautifully packaged in their own little retro beauty case for US$50 (postage is free in the US or an additional US$25 if you live elsewhere). Check out the flickr photo pool to see real pets wearing their wigs. Here are a couple of my favourites:
I'm not going to linger on pet clothes for too long. Personally, I find it a bit weird... wigs fine, clothes weird. Try googling 'pet clothes' - there's a whole other world out there. Here are some stylish numbers:
Clockwise from Top Left: Tiffanie's Little Blue Harness from Pawsitively Posh, Racing Gear from Modern Tails, Posh Pearls from Pawsitively Posh, Paris Dog Party Dress from Modern Tails.
There's no old blanket in a cardboard box for these pets. Clockwise from Top Left: Ellipse Pet Bed US$799.95, Modern Tails; Toile Dip Front Cuddler US$64.95, Modern Tails; Toile Round Bed US$109.95, Modern Tails; Iguana Claw cat scratcher US$84.95, Modern Tails; Antoinette Garden Pet Bed from US$59.95, Wrapables; Bone Applique Bed US$149.95, Modern Tails; Wowo Dog Pod US$649.95, Modern Tails.
Stay tuned for Pet Accessories (Part 2) where we delve into pet dining, jewellery and homes. Have a great weekend!
Have a look at these delightful book plates from The Paper Princess. They are as adorable as they are useful.
The bookplates come in sets of 32 and are customised with the child's name professionally printed - so you don't have to worry about your handwriting. Conveniently, the bookplates have adhesive backs and come in a handy little tin. What a great idea for grandparents to keep a stash of bookplates and slip them into the books before giving them to their darling grandchildren. Sets of bookplates are available from The Paper Princess for US$24.99 and they ship everywhere.
I thought it appropriate that my first real post for the year should be a run down of the presents given and received at Christmas. Before I begin, I have a confession to make. I did pledge to buy handmade at Christmas and I really did give it my best shot. Unfortunately, I left my run a bit late for some family members' presents so I had to resort to department stores. I'll try harder next year.
I gave these beautiful handmade earrings from Manic Trout to my sister and sisters-in-law. The ring (which I love) I kept for myself - that happens a lot. I wish I had bought another pair of the Florica Sweetest Thing earrings (top left) for myself, they are divine. Everything came beautifully packaged. Incidentally, I'm not sure why I bought everything in the same colour. They do have other colours, especially in the rings.
This package of goodies came from Art Star. The print and cards I gave to my husband. They are all by his favourite artist, Kurt Halsey. The Kathleen Lolley t-shirt I bought for myself.
For my sister, a Fly Like a My Little Pony t-shirt from 80stees.com. My husband gave me A Girl for All Seasons by Camilla Morton. It is the follow up book to the fashion guru's hugely popular, How to Walk in High Heals. You can buy it from Dymocks in Australia, Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. And finally, a lovely Royal Doulton Lady Carlyle plate from my parents (I have an ever-growing Royal Doulton collection with Lady Carlyle being my favourite pattern).
There were plenty of other presents, mostly the usual suspects, some absolute shockers which have already secured a place in the back of the wardrobe. In the interests of not upsetting anyone I won't say any more about them.
