Be inspired by the new Beci Orpin DIY book Sunshine Spaces

Beci Orpin's brand new DIY book Sunshine Spaces is the kind of book that makes you feel prettier and cooler just owning it. Scattered throughout the book are thoughts from Beci about her relationship with urban nature, a range of DIY ideas from very easy through to challenging, and page after page of beautiful images of kids and grown-ups connecting with the local outdoors.

Arro Home moon and stars kids bedding

Fun news! Australian homewares brand Arro Home, under the design directive of much-loved artist Beci Orpin, has just released a kids' line of bedding. You'll find doona covers, sheet sets, blankets, pillow cases and scatter cushions with a constellation/astro or sunshine theme. Too cute!

Head to the Arro Home online store to preorder (available 7th November 2015).

Images: Arro Home

Ruby's 3rd Rainbow Confetti Birthday Party

I really connect with Photographer Danielle Trovato's sense of style and love her use of colour and clean, simple design. I've featured her daughter Ruby's bedroom here on Bondville before and it is still one of my favourites. So of course I asked Danielle if she would share some tips the effortlessly chic 3rd birthday party that she put together for Ruby. I love that it's not too fussy or complicated, with the focus on the amazing cake and the feature wall inspired by Beci Orpin's crafty-cool Find & Keep book. Happy birthday Ruby!

Organised by: Photographer Danielle Trovato (Ruby's mum!)
Location: At Home (Mt Martha, Mornington Peninsula, VIC)
Theme: Summer Rainbow Confetti!

Beci Orpin's Find and Keep book

My big girl finished preschool on Friday and we wanted to mark the end of this special time before starting Big School in a meaningful way. After her preschool Christmas concert and afternoon tea, we all went for a "fancy" dinner in her honour at a teppanyaki restaurant. The girls just loved it! (especially the big flash of fire and of course watching Mummy get egg all over her face). We also gave our big girl a gift that we hope she will love for a long time - Beci Orpin's Find and Keep book.

This new craft book is full of gorgeous projects that we can make together with Beci's signature folk art-cute style. I went along to the Find and Keep book launch here in Sydney a few weeks ago where I picked up a copy for Beci to kindly sign. There were so many fun craft projects from the book on display... here are a few to whet your appetite.

You can find the Find and Keep book at great bookstores as well as Fishpond and Amazon online. Read more about Beci Orpin here on Bondville.

A huge thank you goes to the very kind Eglė who I met at the launch and who lent me her iPhone (with only 10% battery remaining!) to take these photos. And even though we had only just met, Eglė also kindly emailed them to me a few days later. Such a lovely and thoughtful thing to do. Thanks Engle :)

Images: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Beci Orpin milestone baby cards and homewares

I saw these amazing Milestone Baby Cards illustrated by Melbourne-based artist Beci Orpin in the Lark newsletter the other day, and thought I would check in to see what else Beci has been up to. And it looks like a lot!

Beautifully-designed products with Beci's signature folk look keep coming with these fun cushions, leather coin purses, screenprinted notebooks, shopping bags, jewellery, mobiles and art pieces. The sweet folk face cushion is fast becoming a new Australian design classic for kids' rooms. And the pieces in Beci's shoppe are just the tip of the iceberg. Head over to Beci's blog to keep up with all the amazing design work that she has been creating and collaborating on - third drawer down pillows! Japanese sweets! and... a book! (and don't forget kids' label Tiny Mammoth - I'm not sure this lady sleeps)


Now back to those Milestone Baby Cards - what a great concept. These cards, illustrated by Beci, were developed in the Netherlands by Mum Gemma who stared hand-writing her own notes to include in photos of her son. Fast forward, and now those notes are beautiful cards that you can add personal details to. Put card and child in the same frame and snap! These cards would be lovely displayed in a child's growing-up journal, or sent to friends and family - or framed and displayed on the wall in a glorious Beci Orpin-designed timeline.

You can find the Milestone Baby Cards at stockists around the world (including Lark here in Australia), and Beci's homewares, jewellery and stationery in the Beci Orpin online store (hurry - there are lots of products 50% off at the moment).

Read more about Beci Orpin here on Bondville.

Images: Beci Orpin (top images) and Milestone Baby Cards (bottom images)

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.

Events: Three Of A Kind art show

While we're on the top of Mexican-inspired artwork, I have a special new show to share with you: the first collaboration between one of my favourite artists (who has a strong Mexican folk art bent) Madeleine Stamer (aka Little Circus Design), the inimitable Beci Orpin, and fellow Victorian jeweller and artist Irene Grishin-Selzer (a.k.a iggy and loulou).

These three Australian talents are bringing us Three Of A Kind, with the first show at Lab X Gallery in Melbourne from 20th - 29th November, 2009. The event will feature new and recent work by the trio which I'm sure will blow everyone away. For more information about the event, check out the Three Of A Kind blog.

Check out the Bondville profiles on Madeleine Stamer and Beci Orpin for more details on those artists.

Images: from top - Three Of A Kind, Madeleine Stamer, Irene Grishin-Selzer and Beci Orpin.

Australian Artist Spotlight: Beci Orpin

Melbourne artist Beci Orpin caught my attention with her amazing donation to the Art Fights Fire event last month. Beci is most famous for her cult fashion label Princess Tina, which she recently retired to focus on her hip kids' clothing label Tiny Mammoth and a new homewares, stationery and accessories range under her own name coming soon.

In fact, Beci is incredibly prolific. You might recognise her Sad Tooth image on t-shirts, jewellery and prints, or her designs for Bloom, Little Horn children's clothing, Mambo and many many other projects.

Beci's current artwork includes collage, papercuts, sculpture, gocco prints and illustration. I love the fantastic folky style and quirky characters in her work. And I also love her list of inspirations: Bulgarian folk embroidery, Chinese packaging, Chinese slippers, polaroids taken by her partner Raph, chiyogami, completed paint-by-numbers pictures, cicada wings, poppies, making cupcakes and rain.

You can find Beci Orpin art at Outre Gallery in Melbourne and Sydney and for sale in the online gallery. Find out more about Beci on her personal blog, and check out her website for the upcoming shoppe. If you'd like to know more about Beci, there is a fantastic interview over on The Design Files that I know you'll love.

Image: Travel illustration for Sunday Life magazine by Beci Orpin

Events: Art Fights Fire - art raffle for Victorian Bushfires

This is another fantastic way to find out about some great artists, maybe win some amazing art, and contribute towards rebuilding the areas devastated by the Victorian bushfires this month.

Gemma Jones (curator of the Outre Gallery and The Kaotic Kraft Kuties website) has teamed up with Outre Gallery to organise the Art Fights Fire raffle and fundraising event on 25th February 2009. Tickets are only $10 and prizes have been donated from more than 20 amazing artists including Aussies Ali J. and Beci Orpin (the illustration shown above is part of the prize pool).

The event will be held at Outre Gallery, 249 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, VIC. Apart from the raffle, artwork will also be auctioned on the evening. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009.

If you can't make the event, you can still buy raffle tickets from Gemma's site (international tickets welcome if you are able to pay $25 postage for prizes). More info at The Kaotic Kraft Kuties.

Get onto it!

Image: You Let The Light In by Beci Orpin