Loving: Ink and Spindle leucadendron wall art

I adore this Leucadendron wall art print by Melbourne-based Ink & Spindle's Lara Cameron. It's part of three art prints that Lara has designed from the Protea family. The bold colours and mid-century modern style would work equally well in a child's room or an adult's living/working area. You can find this print in the Ink & Spindle online store.

Image: Ink & Spindle

Stylish Kids: Inklet

I'm a huge fan of the Ink & Spindle eco-friendly textiles and surface art, so when the Melbourne-based girls teamed with childrenswear designer Dana from Twiglet, I knew the resulting collaboration was going to be something pretty special. Behold, Inklet eco-friendly kids clothing!

You'll find a great range of t-shirts and onesies (sizes 0-4), bibs and blankets with fun trams and bikes, ocean faring, and sweet twig motifs. All Inklet products are locally made with certified organic cotton fabrics and screen printed by hand with water-based, environmentally-friendly inks.

It's so great to see a range with a strong focus on designs that appeal to the boys as well as the girls. And if you fancy yourself handy with a sewing machine, Ink & Spindle offer the Pirates and Sea Creatures and Trams and Bicycles design on jersey by the metre (and for textiles too!).

You can find Inklet in the Ink & Spindle online store. Read more about Ink & Spindle here on Bondville. And head over to Bondville Kids Style for more great Australian-designed clothes for kids.

Images: Ink & Spindle

Stylish Kids: Knuffle Kid

While chatting to the lovely Caitlin Boyce (designer of amazing jewellery for kids and Mums) at the Kids InStyle show a few months ago, I couldn't stop looking at the kids clothes on one half of her booth - cool retro styling with original fabric designs. I had to find out more.

It turns out that Caitlin was sharing a booth with Emma from Knuffle Kid and we quickly got chatting about her great label. Made by hand in Melbourne, Knuffle Kid features Emma's environmentally-friendly fabric designs (printed locally by cult textile printers Ink and Spindle) and lots of flare.

Kunffle Kid's current Winter collection includes pieces for boys and girls aged 1-8 years old. My favourite pieces are the every-girl-needs-one-this-season cape and the head-turning Ava skirt. And Emma, you had me at the sassy redhead model! This label is unique and fun, just like the little ones in our lives.

Watch this space for the launch of the new Summer range later in the year - totally fabulous.

You can find Knuffle Kid in the online store (limited stock) as well as at stockists around Australia and online.

Images: Knuffle Kid

Shop The Flood! QLD Flood Appeal

Hip hip hooray for the Australian design community who is rallying around to raise money for the QLD Flood Appeal. Don't spend your money at the mall - shop the flood! Check out these Australian designers below for donations they are making to the QLD Flood appeal - every item sold counts. Hop to it! (this list will continue to be updated)...

CURRENT

Art4Heart
Truly amazing artists donating their gorgeous works for the QLD Flood Appeal Art Auction. I'm bidding on Madeleine Stamer's bird print. And my friend Kim Wallace has a gorgeous ceramic brooch up for grabs. Last Lot #3 closes 31st January 2011. Go get 'em!

Polli

20% of every online sale until 31st January 2011 at Polli.com.au will be donated to the QLD Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. You really can't go wrong with Polli jewellery - everything is gorgeous.

BrisStyle

The BrisStyle "Handmade Ark" Flood Appeal is a huge collection (614 at last count) of donated goods from BrisStyle members (cooperative group of Brisbane-based handmade artists selling on Etsy). Some super-generous BrisStylers are donating proceeds from their entire stores, and in many cases, 100%, to the Flood Appeal. Read more about these special artists here on Bondville.

Etsy Down Under Street Team

The Etsy Down Under Street Team have set up a page on Etsy showcasing products with 100% of proceeds going to the QLD Flood Appeal. Some amazing contributions from designers including modern lamps from Electric Firefly, Jorpin softies from Emily Orpin, resin jewellery from DEL-icious Designz, origami earrings from Joji Creations, and many, many more. New items being listed all the time.

Craft Relief (Stitch by Stitch)

A great collection of crafty goods for sale from Australian designers non-profit cooperative Craft Relief (Stitch by Stitch) including craft pack by Aunty Cookie (a Bondville favourite), Ink and Spindle (more Bondville favourites) and beautiful art prints by Jennifer Kate. Money raised will be donated to the Premier's QLD Flood Appeal and the RSPCA's QLD Flood Appeal.

Style MILK

Jen from Style MILK has pulled together a great group of Australian kids fashion designers to donate beautiful clothes for a auctions on the Style MILK Facebook page. All proceeds go to the Variety QLD Flood Appeal. The auctions close at 10pm AEST Friday 4th February, 2011 and is for Australian residents only. Gorgeous pieces include lots of Bondville favourites including an Olive's Friend Pop coat and bonnet, eeni meeni miini moh pirouette outfit, jewellery from Lovestamp, Team Kitten gumboots (we love you too Team Kitten!), more gorgeous headbands from Minni Mittsie (did I mention how much I am dying over those headbands?) and more. Find all the designers and auction items here on Bondville. Love your work folks!

Tickets For Coco

Gorgeous new indie fashion label Tickets For Coco by former Magnolia Square maven Brooke Murphy is offering a huge 50% of all online sale proceeds until 8th February, 2011 to the QLD Premier's Flood Appeal. And, postage is free for all Queensland addresses. You can find more information on the Tickets For Coco blog. Head over to the online store and treat yourself to something fabulous.

Toben
Cool limited edition A1 poster created especially for the QLD Floods Appeal with 100% of proceeds donated to the Premier's Fund. Toben is a Sydney-based graphic design and art direction studio. Get your poster here - quick, there are only 250.

The Hungry Workshop
If you are in Brisbane, head along to the Powerhouse in February 2011 (date tbc) for the Queenslake exhibition organised by The Hungry Workshop featuring letterpress prints designed by a group of fabulous Queensland artists including Rinze, Kevin Finn, The Letter D, Inkahoots, Spew Corp, Listen To The Graphics, Bright Yellow, The Hungry Workshop and more. Keep an eye on the website for more information. You can buy the prints for $50 each with 100% proceeds going to the Premier's Relief Fund.

DONATIONS COMPLETED

My Sweet Prints

I adore the nursery and birth announcement prints from My Sweet Prints. The lovely Janette is offering 10% of profits from all prints sold between 12th January and 26th January 2011 to the QLD Flood Appeal. More info on the blog here.

The Red Thread

The wonderful Lisa Tilse of The Red Thread (in conjunction with Shelley of Sew Much Easier) is holding a HUGE giveaway on her blog for Australian readers who donate $10 to the QLD Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. First prize is a brand new Janome sewing machine worth $899 and a range of The Red Thread sewing patterns and sewing kits and fabric packs from Posie Patchwork, Retro Mummy and Lisa's own private stash (total prize worth $1,200). Three runners-up will receive the Ooshka Babushka Pattern Kit and Hello Birdie Pattern worth $34. The giveaway ends on January 26th 2011 when the winner will be drawn. Head over to The Red Thread blog right now.

Handmade Kids and Rudy & The Dodo

Absolutely massive Auction from Friday 14th January to Monday 17th January 2011 from Handmade Kids and Rudy & The Dodo. 100% of proceeds are going to the QLD Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. Lots of fantastic donated products from designers including Rabbit & The Duck, Lovestamp, Trellis, Skookum For Kids, Candy Land Handmade, Minni Mitsie, How Tweet It Is, Love Henry, Imaginart, Princess Allure, Monkeys Over The Moon, Appleberry Kids, Indy and the Ninja, Sebastian and Sienna, Giggleberry Creations, Sophie and Jack, Ulli Clothing, Mrs Fickle and the Loopy Pair, Holly and Eddie, Adorable Child, Plushka, Ah-Tissue, Halle Jay, Tilly Tom, Little Toot Creations, and many, many more.

The Oz Material Girls and Make It Perfect

The Oz Material Girls in conjunction with Make It Perfect will be holding an enormous number of auctions to raise funds for the QLD Floods. Check out the Master Auction List on Make It Perfect. You'll find handmade toys, dolls and softies, handcrafted jewellery/accessories, quilts, sewing patters/books/mags/zines, handcrafted clothing/bags, prints/paper goods/art/photography, fabric/sewing/art supplies, sewn/crafty items. The Auction will start on Monday 17th Jan 2011 and run for a week. Keep an eye on the Facebook auction site here.

Jewels By Lulu

Online auction from Jewels By Lulu who has also pulled together a huge number of donated goods for auction. Auction begins Friday 14th January at 8pm. Closes Monday 17th January at 8pm QLD time. You'll find lots of handmade goodies including lovely girls' dresses from 1 Puddle Lane, Patooties Boutique, Isla's Cottage, kokeshi rattle dolls from Milla Ruby Designs, personalised applique t-shirts from A Little Bit Fancy, a beautiful Marimekko Pieni Unikko Cushion cover from I Just Love That Fabric, sweet apple applique singlets from Mad Stitches, art from Tracey Potter (more!), Spotty biodegradable straws from Mon Tresor, the cutest-ever Tilly Whistle baby ballet slippers from Little Sparkle and many, many more. For full details, check the Jewels By Lulu Facebook page.

Itty Bitty Butts

Online auction from Itty Bitty Butts who has gathered a host of handmade designers, starting Saturday15th January 2011 at 8pm. You'll love the Itty Bitty Butts bloomers, as well as art from Tracey Potter, gorgeous bloomer, bib and bow sets from SofiBOO, divine hair accessories from Miini Mittsie (again!), cute girls' outfits from CNS Designs, Chasing Butterflies and Lil' Moo Designs among others. Find the preview images for the auction on Facebook here.

Wild Things Of Noosa

$5 from every full price item sold will be donated to the QLD Government Flood Appeal. Check out my favourites - the long shorts, the bloomers and the hard-wearing hats. Everything handmade on the Sunshine Coast.

Welcome New Sponsor Duckcloth

It's so great to welcome new Bondville sponsors as I always have so much in common with them; particularly those that strongly support Australian design and artists. The Duckcloth online textiles and fabric store is no exception, with a strong selection of my favourite Aussie designers including Shannon Lamden (Aunty Cookie), Ink and Spindle, Kristen Doran, Pippijoe, Prints Charming, Saffron Craig, Shibori, Sprout Design, The Cut Cloth, and Thea and Sami,

Apart from our Aussie textile designers, Duckcloth also has a great range of natural fabrics (cotton, linen and hemp) including Japanese design, contemporary, floral, basics (spots, stripes, solids), children's, eco-friendly and American design in medium and light-weight fabric. You'll also find a huge range of sewing patterns (clothing, softies, homewares and accessories) and gift ideas.

These are a few of my favourites finds from Duckcloth:
Top:
Ladybird Garden notepad by Aussie Kristen Doran
Parrots material by Saffron Craig
Middle:
Bonsai charcoal on cream hemp by Lara Cameron (Ink & Spindle)
Baby Chibi Doll pattern by One Red Robin
Bottom:
Acacia olive on linen by Lara Cameron (Ink & Spindle)
Pohutukawa material by Ingrid Andersen made into a laundry hamper

Head over to the Duckcloth website to order textiles and sign up for the newsletter to be alerted of sales and new fabrics. And check out the Duckcloth blog for gorgeous fabric and craft ideas.

Images: Duckcloth

Events: Brisbane Stitches & Craft Show Incubator

It's Mother's Day next week (have you got something nice sorted out yet?), and I thought it would be nice to take Mum to the Stitches & Craft show on Friday. Mum headed straight for the beads, and I headed straight to the incubator section (emerging independent crafters) to check out some old friends and meet new friends showcasing contemporary craft and design. Here are some of the fabulous finds there:

Great hand-printed fabric, clothing range and accessories at Thea and Sami. I particularly loved this bag made in collaboration with Lyssy May.


It was so lovely to meet Tegan, Bianca and Lara from Ink & Spindle with their gorgeous hand-printed fabric.

Cute softies from Dear Fii.

Beautiful reclaimed European linen from old yarns.reclaimed linens.

Adorable children's clothes, sewing patterns and softies from Little Diva (left) and cushions from Red Seed Studio (right).

Divine children's clothes from Blossom Child (left) and beautifully-made wall art from Rellesh (right).

Ink & Spindle fabrics (left) and softies from Dear Fii (right)

It was also great to meet Helen from Ruby 2 Go Go, and see Kelley from Peppermint Magazine and the fabulous Kristen Doran. I'm now so inspired to whip up a skirt for Sophie with the pattern I bought from Little Diva, and my new Thea and Sami mushroom fabric.

If you're interested in more Stitches and Craft photos and round-ups, check out the great posts on Hot Fudge, The Handmade Expo, Blossom Child, Little Diva, Ruby 2 Go Go, Thea and Sami, Red Seed Studio, MixTape and My Girl. I know there are many more - please feel free to leave links in the comments.

Images: Steph Bond

Drool-worthy Design: Hollabee

Bondville has been an homage to Australian textile and fabric design of late, and today I'm thrilled to profile Hollabee. Bianca van Meeuwen is the brain behind the brand, and designs and produces all Hollabee textiles, stationery, homewares and accessories in Melbourne. She is also a co-founder of the Ink & Spindle group which specialises in hand-printed textiles.

Bianca is orginally from the Netherlands and has made Australia her home since 2005. Amazingly, she has no formal education in graphic design, which is a complete inspiration for those of us who are self-taught artists.

I absolutely adore some of the new designs that Bianca is printing through Ink & Spindle and can't wait for them to be officially launched. This "Seeds in Green Tea" design is so serene and would fit just as beautifully in an Aussie beach shack as on an adirondack chair in Cape Cod.

The Hollabee textile range is hand printed with water based, solvent free inks on cotton/linen and hemp/organic cotton and paper goods are printed in Melboure.

You can find Hollabee fabrics at these stockists and at the Hollabee Etsy store.

Image: Hollabee

Drool-worthy Design: Lara Cameron

More gorgeous Australian textile design for you, this time from Lara Cameron of Kirin & Co. and the newly-formed Ink & Spindle cooperative in Melbourne. Lara designs and produces beautiful fabric and crafts that are right on-trend but also have a timeless quality.

I'm also excited to see the new designs to come from new business Ink & Spindle, which is described by the girls as a "yardage screen printing business, with an environmentally friendly focus".

You can find Lara's textiles and crafts at her online shop Kirin & Co. and at a select number of stockists, listed on the Kirin Notebook blog site. And for inspiration, you can check out craft that other people have made using Lara's fabric on Flickr.

Image: Lara Cameron