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. 

Goose and Dust make sustainable kids sunglasses that you'll want too

Here’s a stocking stuffer that will get heaps of use and is recyclable at the end of its life! Aussie designers Goose and Dust make the best sunnies and eyewear for kids that I ever did see.

These cups made from coffee husks make the best Secret Santa gifts

This is my pick for the best Secret Santa gift out there. Aussie designers HuskeeCup create these cups made from coffee husks and have a design award under their belt to boot! They are perfect for your coffee run of course (with matching lids) but great for all liquids; I was introduced to them at a work meeting at a crowd-funding investor’s office, used for water for all the guests. They have a nice feel, look good, and have a great sustainable story.

Ruby Red Shoes - the sweetest 2019 diary for girls

For lovers of the delightful Ruby Red Shoes books, you'll adore the brand new 2019 Ruby Red Shoes diary! It's a beautiful Australian-designed and illustrated gift by Brisbane artist and author Kate Knapp of Twigseeds fame. Be inspired by Kate's illustrations and poetic musings all year long. What a gorgeous gift for Christmas.

Loving right now: Australian design favourites June 2018

Brrr. It's getting chilly and I've got my eye on warm knits, texture, stone, pottery mugs for warm cups of chai tea and the mustard, ochre, tobacco and rust tones of late Autumn. These are a few of my favourite Australian design picks for June 2018!

8 more Australian-designed Mother's Day gift ideas

I couldn't resist putting together another Mother's Day gift guide full of Australian-designed goodies. If edgy is more your style, check out my Gift Guide for Minimalist Mamas. But if you've also got a softer side, like me, here are eight more ideas to pass on to your other half:

8 Australian Mother's Day gift ideas for a minimialist Mama

Mother's Day is really all about cuddles and kisses from little ones and precious time spent with our own mothers. If there's a gift you need to get or a wishlist you're compiling, be inspired by these eight Australian-designed gift ideas that a minimalist Mama would love:

Bondville Aussie Christmas Gift Guide 2016

Well, there are six weeks to go until Christmas and it's time to get cracking. To get you started, I've put together four fun gift guides this year with forty products from Australian designers, makers and Aussie online stores for kids. Choose from kid's room gift ideas, toys you will both love, my picks for mini fashionistas and some favourite Christmas essentials. Go ahead and click on all those links to support Aussie entrepreneurs - most of whom are parents with their own small businesses. Keep it local this year so the money goes into the pockets of the makers and the shakers. I hope you find some great ideas for your family...

Why we should love Australiana again

Why should we love Australiana again? Because it's uniquely us. Because we absolutely should be proud of our iconic flora, fauna and scenery. Because we're supporting Australian design talent. And because it's now cool! There are so many clever Australian designers making beautiful products that don't scream souvenir anymore; and that we should be as proud to show off in our homes as vegemite in our cupboards. Here are some of my current favourite homewares that embrace Australia as an icon:

Great personalised backpacks from Hippo Blue

I've already put together my Christmas Gift Guides this year, but there are still lots of great Australian-designed gift ideas for kids that I'll be sharing over the next few weeks. First up are these personalised bags from Bondville partner Hippo Blue. They tick both boxes - stylish and practical.

Simply choose one of two colour ways (peach/mint green and navy blue/red) and 24 different designs in three different shapes, add your child's name for a completely customised gift. The bag collection includes backpacks in two sizes, lunch bags, and pencil cases that are super-cute and durable enough to stand up to rough treatment at daycare, preschool, school, on camping trips, and holidays.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: Just For Fun

I've left my favourite Christmas 2015 Gift Guide until last. This is a collection of Australian-designed gift ideas for kids that will make them smile - from neon cactii, to personalised books with their own name, Christmas decals and prints for their wall, bright and beautiful kindy sheets, cute pillowcases, fun artwork, fun clothes to play in (for our special needs kids too), and pretty things to brighten their day.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: For Her

I've scoured all the Australian designers and online stores in the Bondville shopping directory and chosen my favourite gift ideas for this Bondville Christmas Gift Guide for a Sister/Mum/Grandma/Bestie/Cousin/Gal Pal. I'll have one of everything please:

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: For Kids' Rooms (II)

Kids are so proud of their rooms and this Christmas Gift Guide is the mini interior designers out there. Add touches of pink to a grey, white and blonde wood base for a Scandi-feel room that will last through to their teens. The hint of metallic, grid pattern, marble-look and weaving wall-hanging are the key trends to layer on timeless big-ticket items. All these gift ideas can be found in stores in the Bondville Online Shopping Directory where it's all-Australian, all the time.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: For Beach Bums

This Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015 is dedicated to little beach bums. Summer and Christmas in Australia are made for each other - school holidays, festive food and drinks, lazing around with full tummies and spending all day at the beach. Pop a couple of these Australian-designed beach items for kids under the Christmas tree to celebrate long days in the sun.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: For Little Fashionistas

Do you have a child/niece/friend who just loves to dress up? My fourth Bondville Christmas Gift Guide this year is dedicated to little fashionistas and showcases some of my favourite party outfits from Australian designers and online stores.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2015: For Baby (II)

I couldn't resist all the cute Australian-designed goodies for baby this year; here is the Christmas Gift Guide for Baby Part 2, featuring some of my favourite items from stores in the Bondville Online Shopping Directory.

Bondville Christmas Gift Guides 2015: For Baby (I)

It seems so early to be talking about Christmas, but I know that many of you are getting organised already, so I've put together a series of gift guides to get you thinking about some of the great local options we have buying online from Australian designers and stores. I'm publishing eight guides this year, with gift ideas for babies, little fashionistas, boy's and girl's rooms, and a one dedicated to big girls - sisters, Mums, Aunts, Grandmas, friends, teachers and other special ladies in your life.

Gift Guide #1 is dedicated babies! These ideas are perfect for baby's first Christmas (or for friends and family with a little one on the way). Each of the products can be found from Australian designers and stores listed in the Bondville online shopping directory. I've picked some of my favourites to make it even easier for you:

Get organised with personalised 2016 stationery from Hippo Blue

So it's less than twelve weeks until Christmas. Crazy right? If you're looking to get a head start on the gift-giving season, it's worth checking out these great personalised stationery designs from Australian designers and Bondville sponsors Hippo Blue. It's such a nice touch to receive a present with your name on it; and they make great gifts for grandparents, teachers, partners, sisters, brothers, or children who love to be organised (or need to be!). I'm sure we all know one of those.

The best of Etsy 2015 - vote to win $100

The Australian Etsy Design Awards are here again, and this year's finalists are amazing. Vote for your favourite by 20th August 2015 for your chance to win a $100 Etsy gift card.  The winning of the Community Choice Prize heads off to the Etsy HQ in Brooklyn, NY and will be featured in the October issue of InsideOut magazine - such a boost for indie design talent. Here are a few of my favourites from the 54 finalists:

Personalised Brett Curzon kids' book by Hippo Blue

Brett Curzon is a pretty fabulous Australian author and illustrator who has teamed up with Bondville sponsor Hippo Blue to create The Adventures You'll Have - a fun 32-page kids' book about being unique and special, and having the inspiration to Dream Big. Even better - the book is available with either a boy or girl main character and can be personalised with your child's name; and we know how much kids love to see their own name printed! Having your child referenced as the main character puts them front-and-centre in this story of self-belief.