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. 

Tiff Manuell art clutches and bags

South Australia-based artist Tiff Manuell makes the most amazing clutches and bags, as well as some great fashion, accessories and artwork. They are fun, cool and truly pieces of art.

Inkkas fair trade Peruvian shoes for kids and adults

One of my favourite Australian online stores (with retail stores in Brisbane too!) is Biome Eco Stores, and I quite often flick over to see what new goodies have arrived. I'm glad I do, as I have fallen hard for Inkkas - fun, fair trade shoes handcrafted by local artisans in Peru using traditional fabric designs and patterns. How great are they!

emiti designs jewellery and styling

My girls found my beloved emiti designs lollipop ring under the couch at Nanna and Pops' today (looking for Lego!) and I couldn't be more thrilled. It had been missing for months and I was still mourning it, but now I have it back and will be wearing it with a happy heart for New Years' Eve here at the Sunshine Coast.

I was flicking through the emiti design online store today and fell in love with this cute photo. The wooden Apple Pastels necklace is sweet and I love the styling to bits.

Painted newspaper dress! Coral-orange lips! And a sweep of coral-orange blush so high it's practically eyeshadow. So cute clever Kim!

You can find emiti designs wooden jewellery, cotton voile scarves, accessories and homewares in the online store - everything is made in Melbourne by Kim or her sewing team.

PS: Thank you again Anni for the ring; I love it!

Image: emiti designs

Naomi Murrell Jelly Cup Studs earrings

Oh I do love these new resin and rose brass Jelly Cup Studs earrings from Adelaide-based Naomi Murrell. I'm always looking for rose gold or brass as an alternative to silver and gold. These cute studs are a little pop of colour on your lobes. Head to the Naomi Murrell online store to see the collection - in fact, all the earrings are super-cute!

Image: Naomi Murrell

Keren Brown cockatoo and pineapple iPhone covers

Keren Brown's fantastic textile designs are now available on iPhones at The Dairy. I love the cockatoo design and I know that the pineapple covers are going to go like hotcakes. There are a whole range of Australian-designed iPhone covers on the site - head over to The Dairy to take a look. Click here for free shipping worldwide.

More about the pineapple trend here on Bondville.

Images: The Dairy

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

Bailey Nelson super-affordable optical and sunglasses

I love it when someone takes an old business model, shakes it up, and creates something pretty fantastic for the buying public. Sydney eyewear company Bailey Nelson has done just that with their super-affordable optical glasses and sunglasses designed in Australia.

By taking away huge overheads, creating their own brand (rather than relying on an established designer name) and focusing on good lenses, Bailey Nelson can offer gorgeous frames for only $95 - brilliant!

These are design-savvy frames for those who are more interested in style and affordability than labels. Hey, that's me! I would love any one of the women's glasses on the site. Have a look and let me know what you think.


You can find Bailey Nelson frames in the online store or the Sydney and Melbourne boutiques.

Images: Bailey Nelson

Celebrating Australia Day with Modern Australiana

Happy Australia Day! Of course every day is Australia Day here on Bondville where every product featured is designed in Australia or by Australians overseas. I'm particularly excited when Australian designers embrace our unique landscape, flora and fauna, incorporating some of our indigenous shapes, textures and colours to create a new "modern Australiana".

Local jewellery designers Polli have just launched a new Australiana collection that I am utterly in love with, and will be sharing with you in more detail in the next week, but for now, my favourite pieces are the Banksia earrings that are oh-so-chic.

And in the spirit of supporting our own authentic style, I've been inspired by these earrings to pull together a few other Australian designers embracing Australiana in a new, modern way that is stylish and never kitsch (although I love a bit of that too).

1. Banksia beding by Cloth Fabric
2. Kookaburra cushion by Bonnie & Neil
3. Rosella cushion by Cumulus Living
4. Banksia rug by Cloth Fabric
5. Kookaburra tea towel by Bonnie & Neil
6. Native flowers tea towel by Laughing Bird Designs
7. Gum leaf wallpaper by Catherine Martin
8. Cockatoo cushion by Bonnie & Neil
9. Cockatoo lamp by MOZI
10. Banksia lamp shade by Cloth Fabric
11. Bilby print by Renee Treml at Udessi
12. Gum leaf table cloth by Dandi
13. Grevillea cushion by Ink & Spindle

You might also like to check out Saffron Craig who has some gorgeous wombat, kookaburra and banksia fabric designs, the great lifestyle textiles products at Utopia Goods, and the Brown Trading Co. which has beautiful, vibrant cockatoo silhouettes in blue, green and pink.

Go ahead and embrace a little modern Australiana into your home - and send some to your overseas friends and family too. We need to be proud of our unique environment. Happy Australia Day!

Loving: Neon Lights purses, wristlets and iPad cases by Bubala

I adore these Neon Lights purses, wristlets and iPad cases made by Jo from Bubala - hand-screen printed, and sewn with love here in Sydney. I've met Jo at one of our abcd meet-ups and follow her on Instagram, marvelling at her crafty ways, especially with three little ones! You can find Bubala products in her online store on Etsy.

Image: Bubala

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

Frankie Ray and Squids sunglasses for kids

In our fierce summer, we think a lot about "slip, slop, slap", but do you know that our eyes can be damaged by the sun too? The best protection for our pupils, and our little ones' too, are a good pair of UV protective sunglasses.

Melbourne-based EYETRIBE owner Bec Bennet knows a lot about keeping eyes protected, having worked at Oakley and the Cancer Council. Now with two daughters, Bec launched her 100% UV protective sunglasses brand to provide both fashionable and functional eyewear for kids.

EYETRIBE's Frankie Ray label caters to the cool crew with fashion-forward designs for boys and girls, 2-12 years old. Those floral sunnies are amazing and I'd love some for myself.

 

The Squids and Mini Squids labels are aquatic sunglasses for 0-10 year olds that are flexible, float and wrap closely around a child's face to provide protection, particularly during water sports.

 All designs comply with the Australian Eye Protection standards (AS/NZS 1067; 2003) and feature Category 3 PC safety lenses.

You can find EYETRIBE sunglasses in the online store and at retailers around the world.

Check out more stylish SunSmart ideas for kids here on Bondville. For more information on being safe in the sun, head over to the SunSmart Victoria website which has wealth of information that we all need to brush up on.

Images: EYETRIBE

Subscriber Giveaway: Renee Treml ornaments and necklace

The Bondville Best of November 2011 newsletter is ready to go out in a few days - have you subscribed yet? If so, you will be in the running to win a set of three gorgeous ornaments or an amazing owl necklace from talented Brisbane artist Renee Treml. Perfect timing, yes?

Renee creates intricate works of art using the scratch board technique, which are then transformed into ornaments and accessories - all featuring Renee's signature snuggly-cute birdlife and animals. Read more about Renee's work here and here on Bondville.

To win the set of ornaments or an owl necklace, simply subscribe to the Bondville monthly newsletter or daily email. One subscriber will be randomly chosen to win the set and announced in the newsletter and here on the site in the next few days. Will it be you?

Images: Renee Treml

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

Scoops Design accessories and childrenswear

I got the cutest mirror seal brooch in my ABCD meetup goodie bag last month. It is so much-loved at Bondville headquarters that I have to seriously negotiate with my 4-year-old about who gets to wear it. The brooch is part of a great range of jewellery, accessories and childrenswear by talented Sydney designer Sophie Cooper (Scoops) under the Scoops Design label.

b.sirius bags and accessories

I'm on a roll with cute bags this month. Annabelle from b.sirius designs crafty-cool bags, clutches, backpacks, purses, luggage tags and iPad covers in her Melbourne studio.

You'll find patchwork and appliques as well as sweet details like bird buckles, buttons, and ric rac bows. My favourite piece is the foldover bag (bottom pic) that slumps with panache when popped on a table or chair during a business meeting or coffee with pals. Oh, and I totally adore the whale print fabric bags and purses that are (luck for us) on sale at the moment! I think I've just talked myself into one.

You can find b.sirius in the online store as well as stockists in Australia and New Zealand.

Images: b.sirius

Oktoberdee handbags and accessories

My pals Kylie and Alischa are pals with Lauren Ferry from Melbourne-based Oktoberdee so I thought I had better check out the goods on offer. And wow - they are pretty fabulous. Hip leather bags, neckwear and accessories.

Oh yes! I do recognise the neckwear from Finders Keepers markets - great neckerchief-like pieces made from ties, wool and leather. They are totally cute. But the leather and fabric bags are my favourite. They are fun and hip and all grown up without making you look older than your years (yes I'm talking to you, leather handbags across Australia!). There's lots of crafty details, embossing, ruffles and braids. These babies look like they have stepped straight out of Frankie magazine.

You can find Oktoberdee in the online store and stockists around Australia and New Zealand.

Images: Oktoberdee

Sir Tom accessories

Yes it's Father's Day just around the corner, but that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself too. Why not pick up an edgy-cool clutch just for you by Sydney indie accessories label Sir Tom.

The Sir Tom range of accessories and homewares includes limited edition clutch purses, medium purses, coin purses and cushion covers. The purses and cushions are made with original fabric designs reated by Sir Tom designer Anne using a combination of traditional screenprints and digital printing.

The fabric designs are quirky and head-turning. Jodie uses illustration and photography to create images of the things around her (many of them uniquely Australian - love the bottle brush and banksia designs). My favourite is the lemon and grey triangle deco clutch (top) whichI know will stand the test of time. And that cushion above showcasing waves crashing near Icebergs at Bondi is bang-on-the-money. I'm sure some of those surf-loving Fathers out there would approve too.

You'll also find designs for kids made by Jodie using vintage fabrics and original Sir Tom fabric designs (see dress above) at Sir Tom Baby.

Look for Sir Tom accessories and homewares in the Etsy store and keep up-to-date on designs via Facebook.

Images: Sir Tom