Christmas 2015 Holiday Decor

The time to drag out the Christmas decorations is almost upon us, and what better time than now to add a few more holiday pieces to your collection.  I love a festive sale and if you're anything like me, you'll have collected a mix of odds and ends from the bargain bins over the years.  This year I think it's the perfect time to update the holiday decor and add a few of these luxe to less pieces into my collection.  When did the holidays start getting so stylish, no plastic Santa's in sight (he can still stay in the cupboard though).

ferm LIVING Christmas brass triangle decoration

ferm LIVING Christmas stocking in Black Splash

ferm LIVING paper top star - grey splash

ferm LIVING Christmas Tree Blanket Mountains

Country Road Marbled Star Decoration

Country Road Cone Glass Decoration in Seafoam

Typo Ceramic Ice Cream Cone Ornament

Typo shine bright lantern

BLOOMINGVILLE Hanging Diamond Ornament Copper/Black

BLOOMINGVILLE Set of 3 Black & Silver ornaments

Pony Rider Festive Tree Wall Banner

Freedom Metal Christmas Tree

Etsy + Bride Wedding Trunk Show

Here's one for all the lucky Melbourne based brides (and grooms) to be!  Our favourite online market place for handmade and vintage goods, Etsy, is teaming up with Bride magazine this October for the very first Etsy + Bride Wedding Trunk show.  This is your chance to get up close and personal with those amazing wedding goodies you've been bookmarking away on Etsy, and to also meet some of the sellers.

Visitors will have the chance to try on gowns, get beautiful styling ideas or grab some last minute pieces to complete their big day.   There will also be three different workshops held over the two days of the trunk show, where you can learn how to fold origami, create a gorgeous flower crown or try your hand at a calligraphy class.  Get in quick, places are limited.

For more information and to reserve your place at the event or workshops, click here.

Etsy + Bride trunk show
Friday 16 October ­ 5pm to 9pm
Saturday 17 October ­ 10am to 5pm
1000 £ Bend, 361 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Here's a sneak peak of some of our favourites from a few of the sellers who'll be showcasing their stores at the event.

1) Anna Marguerite Laurel Leaf comb
2) House of Bec stamped spoons
3) She Fox Invitations
4) Bonlux candles

Kip & Co - SS15 Summer Storm

Hooray!  Kip & Co have just released their latest collection for SS15, Summer Storm.  This collection, is maybe my favourite yet with it's vibrant hues and bold graphics.  Better yet, in addition to their bed linen and sleepwear, this season they have also released a stunning range of wall weaves and rugs.  Be sure to check out a couple of my favourites, the tassel bed throws and Storm rug while you're drooling over all the goodies!

Tiff Manuell - Handbags

Tiff Manuell is the creative genius behind these 80s inspired wearable pieces of art. Tiff creates her bespoke range of hand made treasures out of her studio in Adelaide.   Each piece is hand painted, individually detailed and desined to be worn, used and loved.  The explosive colours and patterns in her range of handbags, clutches, tote and laptop bags are out of this world.  The perfect addition to your wardrobe! Buy yours now via her website or Etsy store.

Bella Freud - Parfum and Candles

Image Source: Igor Termenon for Hope St Magazine

Hunting for a new signature perfume on the weekend at Mecca Cosmetica, I came across Bella Freud!  Oh my lordy, obsessed is an understatement for the way I feel about this new range. Available exclusively at Mecca Cosmetica in Australia, Bella Freud parfums and candles are from leading British fashion designer and award winning perfumer, Bella Freud and Azzi Glasser. The Bella Freud Eau de Parfum collection was launched in 2014 and has gained a cult following since - think Alexa Chung and Kate Moss.

The immediate stand outs for me were the Je T'aime Jane candle and parfum, an ultra feminine scent capturing Jasmine Night Flower, Queen of the Night Flower, Ylang Ylang and Orange Blossom. It has a romantic and seductive base accord of Black Oud, Sandalwood with a hint of Powder-Musk, making it completely intoxicating.  The Ginsberg is God candle is also sure to be popular in spring with it's fresh green scent, featuring fig, tomato and vine leaves.  Head to your nearest Mecca Cosmetica store and check it out!

Flower Posies - Delivery Services

 
I love having fresh flowers in my home, but rarely have the time to head down to the local market or florist to grab some!  Even when I do get down there - I can never work out what goes with what or end up spending way more than I was hoping to.  Fresh flowers brighten up even the dullest and darkest of rooms in my CBD tiny apartment.  All I ever want is just a cute posy of mixed flowers, nothing too structured.  I've recently discovered a bunch (pardon the pun) of amazing little posy delivery sites thanks to my bff, Instagram.  For a small amount of money - $30 in most cases - you can log on and check out the daily posy of the freshest, in season flowers they have on offer and they'll deliver it to you or your nearest and dearest, ready to display.  Many sites even offer a discounted subscription service, where you can receive your posy on regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.  Some sites also offer little add on gifts, like candles and tea which you can add to your posy order to make it even more special.  

Here are a few of my favourite posy delivery sites:

The Little Market Bunch - Melbourne Delivery

 

The Little Posy Co - Perth Delivery 

Little Flowers - Sydney Delivery

The Posy Supply Co - Sydney's Northern Beaches Delivery

Daily Blooms - Melbourne Delivery

Hi Petal - Melbourne Delivery

The Finders Keepers Market

A market that never fails to please are The Finders Keepers markets.  I head along every year, and always end up with a few bags of goodies to take home.  Each market has a uniquely curated line-up, with new debut stalls featured at every event, a Vintage emporium and a line up of live music, food & beverage stalls, Food Trucks, as well as bars and coffee stations.  There's so much there, you'll never need to leave (until they kick you out, of course!).  The Sydney event happened earlier this year, but if you're in Melbourne or Brisbane, you can head along to your local market this July. 

 

Belinda Marshall - Art Prints

Belinda Marshall is a Melbourne-based artist & surface designer who works mainly acrylic on wood and linen.  I have long admired Belinda’s work and have three of her beautiful prints in my home.  She has recently released her new collection and I’m really loving the brightness and vibrancy of the latest pieces.  Her artworks not only add a little burst of colour to your walls but look perfect just propped up on top of your office desk or sideboard.  They have really added the finishing touch to my home, I even have her calendar in pride of place above my desk at work!  Make sure to check out her work in person if you are heading along to the Brisbane or Melbourne Finders Keepers Market this July.

Linear by Resident GP

 

 
Resident GP is one of my all time favourite stores for luxe homewares.  After running their Resident GP store for just over a year, the owners have decided to take the plunge and create their very own product range.  Linear by Resident GP is the debut Marble Collection from the team - and it's an absolute gem!   The collection features beautiful trays, vessels, platters and planters made from white Italian Carrara marble with gold or copper accents.  There are also a few select pieces in black marble for those who prefer the dark side.  These pieces are so versatile - perfect to display your soaps and candles in a bathroom, trinkets and perfumes in the bedroom or why not serve up something yummy at your next dinner party!  I'm finding it hard to pick a favourite piece from the collection, I love the metallic accents and geometric forms, if I was forced to choose (can't I just have them all?) I would probably say it's the hexagonal white marble platter, I have a soft spot for hexagon shapes. 

 

Finell - Bags & Homewares

I recently stumbled across an amazing store called Finell.  Finell is a designer and manufacturer of neo luxe housewares and fashion accessories, based in Austin, Texas.  Their range of handbags and homewares are a stunning blend of geometry and minimalism.  I'm particularly obsessed with their Rae handbag, I'd love to get my hands on one but their Australian stockists are currently scarce.  Hoping more retail outlets pick up this design gem soon! 

Mr Printables - Free Printables

 I've been obsessed with crafts ever since I was a kid.  My best friend and I were always off to Spotlight and Lincraft in our school holidays to get materials for our latest projects.  Every birthday present I wanted was always some new knitting, crochet, embossing, stamping something!  Our projects always ended up half finished, but half the fun was just giving it a go even it didn't work out.  So I wish we had something as awesome as Mr Printables around when we were looking for something to make or decorations for our parties.  Mr Printables is one (if not THE) best printables site around.  Not only are most of the printables FREE, but they are just so darn creative and all you need is a printer, some scissors and a bit of glue!  I'm totally going to get printing and crafting.

Keep/Resin - Resin Homewares

KEEPRESIN is the creation of Mornington Peninsula based artist and designer, Alice Keep.  I was lucky enough to drop by her stall at Markit@FedSquare over the weekend and was blown away by the beautiful range of hand crafted resin home wares, lighting and planters.  The designs are fresh and striking, celebrating colour and simplicity in form allowing for complimentary pieces to mix and match.  Perfectly suited to the scandi, industrial and minimalist palettes, the Autumn/Winter 2015 collection features soft tones of grey, with the accents of birch and khaki.  The inclusion of a black and white retro collection packs a real punch and perfectly harmonises with the rest of the muted palette.

The hand crafted nature of the products, from the initial design through to the final stages of sanding, ensure that each piece is unique and that no two items will be exactly the same.  These pieces are little pieces of art.

Etsy Craft Party 2015

 E​tsy Craft Party is an annual celebration of meeting and making. On Friday 5 and Saturday 6 June, people around Australia and the world will come together to turn paper into beautiful works of art in exploration of this year’s Craft Party theme, Kaleidoscope: Paper Taking Shape. 

As well as flagship Craft Party events held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth. Canberra and Adelaide, communities are invited to come together and organise their own local Craft Parties wherever they may be in Australia. In celebration of the joy of community and crafting, Etsy is encouraging everyone from seasoned crafters to first­timers to bring their creative ideas and get involved by attending local Craft Party events or hosting their own. 

We'll be heading along to the Melbourne event at the NGV on June 6th! The event is completely FREE so to find an Etsy Craft Party near you, visit etsy.me/craftpartyaustralia.

Redfox & Wilcox Furniture

Last year I came across the work of Melbourne duo Tara Wilcox and Nicola Grey and their artisan furniture brand, Redfox & Wilcox.  Combining their love for beautiful design, quality materials and honest craft, the brand is based from Wilcox’s Collingwood studio, where unique custom designed pieces are crafted by hand from recycled materials. 

The pieces are simple; understated and un-obnoxious. Locally salvaged timber in an array of honeyed tones is shaped and fitted against clean, geometric lines of powder coated metal. Strong and structural, the pieces remain light and lend themselves to fresh, white washed walls and potted plants.  One of the most appealing aspects of their stunning furniture, is the ability to customise your piece from a variety of geometric table top designs, colours and finishes.  Their Big Italy range now introduces marble and glass into the mix.  They have achieved the perfect blend of affordability, craftsmanship and easy living, with a timeless appeal.