The can't go wrong gift - a Crayon Chick rope necklace. Or bowl. Or wall hanging.

Another great Australian-designed and handmade gift idea! Crayon Chick's Michelle Harvey creates beautiful rope necklaces, bowls, wall hangings, earrings and more in her Melbourne workshop. 

Ellie Beck recycled skateboard jewellery

Hang on - super-cool necklaces and bangles handmade from recycled/upcycled skateboard decks? I'm in! My friend Ellie Beck and her husband Sam Messina make these amazing jewellery pieces using their stash of broken skateboards in the hinterland of Murwillumbah in Northern NSW. They're bright, fun, sustainable and each piece is one-of-a-kind - totally my style.

These bangles are cut, sanded and finished by hand. Each has a coloured side and a cool scratched-graphic side to amp up the cred.

Most skateboards are made from seven-ply of Canadian Maple in a rainbow of colours.

The rainbow skateboard deck bead necklaces are incredible too. Each is strung on a vintage brass chain.

Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of Ellie and Sam's skateboard pieces - either for yourself or as a gift. Head over to the Ellie Beck online store to pick one up. I love them all.

Images: Ellie Beck

So Little Time painted wooden jewellery

I love my So Little Time wooden laser-cut earrings so much that I literally have not taken them off since my birthday. In fact I am wearing them right now! I have these cute-as-a-button neon orange dipped wood disc earrings that were given to me by my dear friend Anni...

Partners Kirsty and Josh hand-craft their earrings, brooches, and necklaces from locally-sourced or recycled wood, shaping them and painting them in their Melbourne studio. I particularly love the geo ball and faceted necklaces - like wooden crystals!

 How gorgeous is this wooden locket for keeping a pic of your loved ones close to your heart...

I can hardly resist this sweet ice cream brooch - what a gorgeous gift or party favour for a little one...

Thank you so much Anni for such a thoughtful gift - you know me so well! x

You can find So Little Time jewellery in the online Etsy store and at the upcoming The Finders Keepers market in Sydney next weekend (their last market for a long time!). Tell them I sent you.

Images: So Little Time

Love: Tiges and Weince changeable pendants for girls

What a cute gift for girls! Kylie Loy from Tiges & Weince has collaborated with Aileen from LimeDaisy Design to create these sweet pendants for girls. Each necklaces comes with four magnet-backed glass button designs to swap out when the mood strikes. They are packed in a cute metal tin for safekeeping. You can find the pendants in the Tiges & Weince etsy store.

Images: Tiges & Weince

Loving: hundreds and thousands jewellery for girls

These adorable rings and pendants for little girls are selling like hotcakes. Handmade in Sydney by Kelly Slip of My Third Wish, the jewellery is created using hundreds and thousands sprinkles, set in resin. They look good enough to eat! Kelly's preschool class loves them and they are a great alternative to lolly-filled goodie bags for a little girl's birthday party. You can find them in the My Third Wish online store. Contact Kelly directly for bulk orders. More goodies on the My Third Wish Facebook page.

Image: My Third Wish

Emily Green accessories and artwork

When Nicola rocked a fabulous polymer clay necklace at our abcd soiree, I went into investigation mode to hunt down the designer behind the baubles. Behold the goodness of Melbourne-based Emily Green!

 

Emily hand-makes these great necklaces and earrings, dreamy watercolour artworks and cool brooches. Emily's work is so spot-on with current fashion and design trends - her work is much-loved on Pinterest. Don't those necklaces look practically edible. More Mother's Day fodder right here! You can send this post directly to Mr Bondville.

You can find Emily Green's work in her online store, as well as stockists (check the website) across Australia (and L.A.) and online.

Images: Emily Green

Renee Treml's Australiana necklaces, brooches and ornaments

Some people are just plain talented. Renee Treml is one of those people. She is a friend, mother, wife, breast cancer survivor (yes, really), sweet, sweet person, and an incredibly talented artist. And on top of that, Renee has just launched a fabulous collection of necklaces, brooches and ornaments featuring her lovely Scratchboard illustrations of cute-as-pie birds and animals. 

If you've never heard of the scratchboard technique before, head over to Renee's website where you will find a description of this intricate process of scratching clay away from a surface using a fine craft knife. I can only fathom the amount of work that goes into each illustration, with no room for error (or erasers!). Stunning results, I'm sure you'll agree. 

I love Renee's new line of jewellery and ornaments featuring native Australian fauna and flora, as well as birds a little farther from home. And what glorious gifts these would make for friends and family overseas, and for souvenirs. And while you're there, why not pick up a greeting card or art print from this amazing artist.

You can find Renee's artwork and accessories in the Renee's Artwork Etsy store, as well as at stockists around Australia and online. Read more about Renee's artwork here on Bondville.

PS - look out for Renee's illustrated book coming soon!

Images: Renee Treml

Hip Products: Kimono Reincarnate

After living for a combined six years in Japan, Melanie Gray Augustin returned to Australia and started her Kimono Reincarnate jewellery label to share her love of Japanese art, kimono fabric and 'kawaii' culture with the rest of the world.

Using combinations of vintage kimono fabrics, Japanese cottons, silver, crystal clear resin, bamboo and brightly coloured, and laser cut acrylics, Mel creates amazing brooches and necklaces to add a little Nihon-chic to your wardrobe. Many Kimono Reincarnate pieces are limited edition or one-off, so if you see something you like, best grab it quick smart.

I met Mel at a Brown Owls get-together in Brisbane a few years ago (remember me, Mel?) and have been keeping an eye on her work, but the recent launch of her paper crane brooch begged to be showcased. The crane brooches are laser-cut from sustainable bamboo, hand-sanded, and painted with delicate plum flowers to bring a little peace, love, health and longevity to the wearer. I truly love all of Mel's work, and I know my big girl would love those kawaii pendant necklaces too.

You can find Kimono Reincarnate in the online store, the Etsy store and at stockists around Australia. You can read more about Mel and all things Japanese and crafty and good over at her blog.

Images: Kimono Reincarnate

Hip Products: Madeleine Brown Jewellery

Lovely Madeleine Brown of Madeleine Brown Jewellery is a talented bespoke jewellery designer based in Brisbane who also has a gorgeous range of handmade earrings, necklaces and brooches available for sale on her newly launched online store.

My favourites are the one-off doily earrings and brooches, made with lace doilies hand-knotted in cotton thread, then cast into sterling silver. The cotton burns away in the casting process making each piece one-of-a-kind. The sterling silver 'lovely bird pendant' is also pretty special with its bezel-set topaz and hand-pierced text: "Nay lovely bird, thou art not vain" by WH Davies. Oh, and the gorgeous silhouette locket. Um, they're all pretty great aren't they.

So if you're looking for a gift that's a little bit special, skip the little blue box and support independent, handmade, local design.

You can find Madeleine Brown jewellery in the online store. Commissions are welcome; check Madeleine's website for full details.

P.S.: I met Madeleine at the very first ABCD Meet up in Brisbane; she's just delightful.

Images: Madeleine Brown

Hip Products: Lovestamp

Congratulations to Jo who has just launched her first product range, Lovestamp. Jo's jewellery line includes lovely sterling silver necklaces hand-stamped with the names or initials of your loved ones. These would be a perfect gift for a Mum to keep her little one's names close to her heart all day. Jo has even whipped up a lovely gift for expectant mothers - the delicate Pea in the Pod necklace. So sweet.

Queensland-based Jo is also having a launch giveaway on her site; head on over for a chance to win a necklace.

You can find customised Lovestamp jewellery on Etsy (for international buyers) and Madeit (for Australian and NZ buyers). For more information about Jo's world, check out her blog Jogirl's Journey. You'll also Lovestamp at the upcoming Mathilda's Markets in Brisbane on 19th July, 2009.

Image: Jogirl

Baby Shower Gifts: Baby Chime Necklace

Need a unique baby gift for a baby shower? Look no further than these cool Mexican Bola chime necklaces. They are such great gifts for baby and for a pregnant Mum to be - the chime inside the pendant tinkles softly when it is moved, providing a soothing sound for both mother and baby.

A baby chime necklace looks great worn long and resting against a pregnant belly. After birth, use the bola chime pendant as a rattle, or sew into a toy for the baby to recognise. Or the new mother can continue to wear the baby chime necklace herself.

I can't find any history on these chimes, or any authenticity to their "Mexican" heritage, but they are definitely a chic and unique pregnancy gift for a mother to be.

If you are in the UK or Europe, you can find a range of bola chime necklaces and other baby shower gifts at Mumstheword.