The perfect match - ceramics and honey at Win's Creek Pottery and Meadery

More beautiful locally-made gift ideas for you: the lovely ceramics and honey (and ceramics holding honey!) from Win's Creek Pottery and Meadery near Canberra. Snap up ceramics and honey from this talented bunch!

Mini ceramic vases by Paper Boat Press

For anyone that has ever received a little gift or offering foraged by a small person, these mini handmade ceramic vases with magnets by Paper Boat Press in Brisbane are absolutely perfect. Pop the tiniest of blooms in and stick on the fridge for both you and your wee one to admire. I love them Kylie!

I got Mum this Kim Wallace Ceramics bowl for Mother's Day

Yesterday I visited my friend Kim Wallace at her ceramics studio on the Sunshine Coast for a catch-up and a lovely lunch. We chatted as Kim stamped a few of her pieces and talked about colour trends and her whopping 300-bowl order for Matt Moran's new restaurant. So fun! Thank you Kim!

I was also there to pick up a Mother's Day gift for my Mum and fell for this shallow bowl - one of the new pieces from her Ebb Tide collection. I can't wait to see what Mum thinks.

You can find Kim Wallace ceramics in the online store. Watch out for a huge sale this week on the Vintage Lace collection - get in quick.

Image: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Raw Ceramics handmade screenprinted vessels

Brisbane-based ceramicist Freda and designer/screen-printer husband Aaron are the brains behind fun homewares label Raw Ceramics. Along with potters Anthony and Mandy, they create fun, vintage-inspired ceramics that make great gifts.

I'm all about the Dad's BBQ Pot For The Lot vessel for, well, anything. It's got me dreaming of pulled pork and ribs. The dog food bowls are brilliant, and I'd love a milk jug or two. The vintage-style graphics make these pieces great for the blokes too. In fact, this is a good one to keep up your sleeve for Father's Day which is just around the corner.

Each Raw Ceramics vessel is thrown on a wheel, fired, hand-glazed, screen-printed, and re-fired by the team in Brisbane. Love it.

You can find Raw Ceramics vessels, bowls, jugs, and dishes in the online store as well as stockists across Australia.

Images: Raw Ceramics

Kathryn Mitchell ceramics

Spotted on the Udessi Australian Art Store website are these gorgeous ceramic pieces by Gold Coast artist Kathryn Mitchell.

Bondville Lucky Door Prize - personalised Christmas stars from paper boat press

If you have read a Christmas feature in an Australian blog, newspaper or magazine in the last few years, then chances are, you've seen paper boat press artist Kylie Johnson's lovely ceramic stars, birds and decorations hanging from mantles, Christmas trees, and adorning gifts. They are a super-stylish way to decorate for the festive season, and the personalised star ornaments in particular will become family heirlooms. My girls each have one hung on their bedroom walls throughout the year.

This month for our monthly Lucky Door Prize, Kylie is giving away ten paper boat press ceramic personalised star ornaments to two Bondville monthly newsletter or daily email subscribers! One subscriber will receive six personalised stars (RRP $95.70)  and the second subscriber will receive four personalised stars (RRP $63.80).

Look out for the winners in the monthly newsletter, coming your way in the next few days. Read more about paper boat press here on Bondville.

PS: to celebrate the opening of the paper boat press store in Brisbane in late 2012, Kylie is offering readers a 12% discount on all stock in the online store before 31st August 2012. Quote the word TWELVE in the discount code section and update your shopping cart. Lucky us!

Terms and Conditions:
1. Lucky door prize will be allocated to one Bondville monthly newsletter or daily email subscriber.
2. There are no entry requirements.
3. This Lucky Door Prize giveaway is open to all Bondville subscribers in Australia and internationally.
5. This Lucky Door Prize giveaway is hosted by Steph Bond-Hutkin via the Bondville blog at blog.stephbond.com.
4. The two prizes consists (1) six personalised ceramic 5-sided star ornaments RRP $95.70 plus postage and (2) four personalised ceramic 5-sided star ornaments RRP $63.80 plus postage from paper boat press.
5. Lucky Door Prize winner will be notified in the Bondville Monthly newsletter, sent to subscribers the week commencing 13th August 2012.

Images: top: paper boat press bottom: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Spun Mud ceramics

The ceramics of Spun Mud artist Bec Lindemann caught my eye at the Eumundi Markets this morning. Dinnerware, vases and jewellery sat side-by-side embellished with Bec's own retro flower, tattoo and paisley designs.

It turns out that Bec and I have lots of shared friends in the QLD ceramics world. We chatted about the local handmade scene while I tried on adorable coral pink patterned rings.

Bec is based at Mothar Moutain on the Sunshine Coast where she throws each pot on the wheel (powered by solar energy) and decorates with original screenprinted transfers. Each piece is hand painted to finish and stamp bowls are pressed with hand-carved clay stamps. Pots are bisque fired and then gloss fired with a clear glaze to around 1240 degrees in Bec's gas kiln.

I'll be back to pick up some of Bec's lovely rings and I'm really tempted by the milk and sugar set. Love the Eumundi Markets - yet another great find.

You can find Spun Mud in the Etsy store and at the Eumundi Markets, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Keep up-to-date on Bec's designs through the Spun Mud Facebook page.

Images: Spun Mud

Mel Robson ceramics and the I heART Japan appeal

Talented ceramic artist Mel Robson got in touch today to let me know about the gorgeous tea bowls that she is donating as part of the I heART Japan on-line art charity auction to help raise funds for the Red Cross Japan and Pacific Appeal 2011.

The auction has been organised by Japanese-Australian ceramic artist Kenji Uranishi and his partner Sonia, who have gathered together a wonderful collection of artworks from 20 ceramicists, painters, sculputers, photographers and designers from across Australia. Some fabulous Bondville friends have donated beautiful ware including Sophie Milne's street side bottles, and Kylie Johnson's Three Poems bowls.

You can view all the works and bid for them at the I heART Japan site. The auction is live now and finishes this Sunday night 10th April 2011 at 8pm (EST).

Read more about Mel's ceramics and Kenji's ceramics here on Bondville.

Images: Mel Robson

Hip Products: Goldenink ceramic jewellery

If St Valentines didn't surprise you with gifts and goodies, I give you full permission to treat yourself to something special. Actually, even if you did get goodies, go ahead and treat yourself anyway. Something like these divine ceramic and hand-painted jewellery pieces.

Goldenink is the collaboration of clever printmaker Abby Seymour and ceramist Katherine (Kate) Wheeler, based in Melbourne. They have just launched their new online store where they stock a range of their jewellery including porcelain bangles, rings, pendants and earrings that are utterly compelling and unique.

Each piece is handcrafted, painted and fired in their own kiln - wearable art. How deliciously amazing do those ink blue and white bangles look with the striped tee. And the sneaky yellow inner surface of the feather-like bangle pictured top.Everyone will be asking you where you found these gorgeous pieces.

You can find Goldenink jewellery in the online store. Shipping within Australia is free! Check out more behind-the-scenes info on the Goldenink blog.

Thanks so much to Tiel of Tsk Tsk fame for first pinning the feather bangle (pictured top) on Pinterest where it grabbed my attention.

Images: goldenink

Australian Christmas 2010: Kim Wallace

My Brisbane-based friend Kim Wallace from Udessi has created gorgeous ceramic ornaments in a sophisticated palette of dusky hues and snowy white for Christmas 2010. Each decoration is handmade and imprinted with vintage lace; no two are exactly alike. Simply beautiful.

Choose from coloured stoneware or white porcelain strung with delicate ribbon. But you may have to get in quick; the ornaments are selling out quickly (especially as they were featured in the latest issues of Home Beautiful and Australian House and Garden!).

You can find Kim Wallace ceramic ornaments in the Udessi online store and at stockists around Australia. and if you're in Brisbane, stop by the Christmas Pop-Up Markets in Woolloongabba on 11 December 2010 for a chance to buy Kim's ornaments and ceramics as well as goodies from some of my favourite local designers including Red Seed Studio, Edward & Lilly and Renee Treml.

Find out more about Kim Wallace and Udessi on Bondville. And check out more Australian Christmas 2010 ideas here on Bondville.

Images: Kim Wallace

Hip Products: Lucy Vanstone ceramics

I bought a gorgeous pottery beaker/vase with a crackle glaze interior at Biome last year and have been trying to find out more about the artist, Lucy Vanstone since then. I even visited Lucy's Wheel Of Life studio in Brunswick Heads, NSW, but alas it was closed on the day of my visit.

Luckily, the fabulous Shannon Fricke styled Lucy's work in a November 2009 Country Style magazine article, and I was able to find out all about the artist and her work. It's a lovely read, especially the story about the salad bowl that Lucy nonchalantly uses worth 10,000 pounds (and made by relative of the family, British potter Michael Cardew).

15% Off Sale at Udessi online art and craft gallery

If you love Australian art, craft and designers, then you'll love every carefully curated item on Kim's Udessi online gallery. And lucky for us, Kim is having a huge 15% off sale on many items until 8th April 2010.

The sale range includes art prints, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, bags, greeting cards, homewares and ornaments. So if you have been coveting a The Red Thread sushibird tile, some divine Pippijoe fabric, feed the dog textile art panel or chic HeatherKeiko felt necklace, now is your chance to scoop them up!

Image: Udessi

Hip Products: Kim Wallace ceramic jewellery

My friend Kim Wallace debuted her divine handmade ceramic jewellery range at the Finders Keepers markets recently and I've been dying to show them off to you. Imprinted with vintage lace doilies, the pendants are strung on cotton cord and brass chain. They sit beautifully and look gorgeous on - like delicate shells, or icing sugar moons. Feminine and hip at the same time.

I'm also taken with the limited edition pendants that Kim has created in collaboration with artist Belinda Kemp (see bottom image). Each porcelain disc pendant sits on a sterling silver chain, with a sweet hand-stamped design and the artists' initials on the back.

These are perfect last minute Christmas gifts. You can find Kim Wallace ceramic jewellery in the Udessi online gallery (also curated by Kim). Order before this Sunday 20th December 2009 to ensure delivery to major Australian cities before Christmas.

For more about Kim, check out the Kim Wallace profile on Bondville.

Images: Kim Wallace

Events: Paper Boat Press shopping event

The dear and lovely Kylie from Paper Boat Press will be holding her annual Christmas shopping event this Sunday 22nd November, 2009 in Brisbane. Always a lovely experience complete with cups of tea, you'll be able to browse Kylie's works (delicate ceramics, thought-provoking poetry and special pieces combining both her loves).

Last year I picked up the delightful Count Me The Stars poetry book, some sweet ceramic earrings, and ceramic quote tags as gifts. This year I have Christmas ornaments, pendants and the 2010 calendar on my wishlist.

Details: 10am – 2pm, 22nd November, 2009, St Francis Theological College, 233 Milton Rd, Milton, QLD (entrance via Baroona Rd).

If you can't make it to the show, you can always pick up Paper Boat Press goodies in the online store and these stockists in Australia and New Zealand. Happy shopping!

Image: Paper Boat Press

Hip Products: Shannon Garson ceramics

I was really excited to have much-loved ceramic artist Shannon Garson visit Bondville recently and wanted to show you some of her work.

Based in beautiful Maleny on the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, Shannon creates both tableware and exhibition porcelain pieces. In 2005 Shannon received a Churchill Fellowship and spent 3 months travelling in Europe studying the art of the medieval and Renaissance periods. Shannon's background as a painter is evident in the glorious drawings that each vessel hosts.

Some of my favourite pieces are from the Herbarium and Nest-Series One collections of work, including the magnolia, leaf and bird's nest vessels pictured above. The delicate hand-thrown bowls have such a dreamy quality and I love the use of botanicals in the pieces.

You can find Shannon Garson porcelain designs at galleries around Australia. Read more about Shannon on her blog Strange Fragments.

Images: Shannon Garson

Hip Products: Ky Curran ceramics

There's something about Brisbane that breeds incredibly creative ceramics artist. Witness the cool creations of Ky Curran. Ky's functional works of art are all about making the daily life of the owner more lovely.

Ky's work runs the gamut from simple, beautiful vessels (like the wheel-thrown twin tea bowls, above), to thought-provoking pieces (love the "trouble" gun brooch) to meditational (sweet Mother Mary tiles are a modern shrine of devotional art). I particularly love the tongue-in-cheek Briz Vegas series that is becoming very hard to get your hands on. Ky's ceramics are wheel thrown and her jewellery is decorated with a variety of handmade glazes, Japanese tissue paper and decal images.

You can find Ky Curran ceramics at Artisan, Kiln, the Museum of Brisbane and Fusions Gallery as well as shows around Australia and internationally. Contact Ky Curran for more stockist information and wholesale orders.

Images: Ky Curran