Ellie Beck recycled skateboard jewellery

Hang on - super-cool necklaces and bangles handmade from recycled/upcycled skateboard decks? I'm in! My friend Ellie Beck and her husband Sam Messina make these amazing jewellery pieces using their stash of broken skateboards in the hinterland of Murwillumbah in Northern NSW. They're bright, fun, sustainable and each piece is one-of-a-kind - totally my style.

These bangles are cut, sanded and finished by hand. Each has a coloured side and a cool scratched-graphic side to amp up the cred.

Most skateboards are made from seven-ply of Canadian Maple in a rainbow of colours.

The rainbow skateboard deck bead necklaces are incredible too. Each is strung on a vintage brass chain.

Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of Ellie and Sam's skateboard pieces - either for yourself or as a gift. Head over to the Ellie Beck online store to pick one up. I love them all.

Images: Ellie Beck

Bondville's Australian online shopping directory

We have so many amazing small businesses in Australia working all hours to bring you great products for Mum, Kids and Home through their online stores (so we can shop from the comfort of home!). Many of these businesses support Bondville so I can continue to write and share Australian design with you. Here is a quick snapshot of the fabulous stores in the Bondville online shopping directory and some of my favourite pieces:

1. Paddington jacket (charcoal marle) from eeni meeni miini moh | 2. Yellow bubble dress from Minyaka Design | 3. Nova Harley Manhattan nappy bag from Tots n Tales | 4. Liberty snuggle pod from Chibebe | 5. Baby stationery set from KatyJane Designs | 6. Charcoal jumper from Mooce | 7. Oliver + S Birthday Party Dress pattern from DuckCloth | 8. Apron pack from OUCH clothing | 9. Kids CreativiTea workshops from Free Range Living | 10. Sterling Silver "Little Silver Star" Pendant Necklace from A Little Bit Of Cheek | 11. Boho 2 piece set from Off The Peg | 12. Changeable Charms Girls Necklace - Sky High from Tiges & Weince  |  13. Groovy Surf Hooded Jumper Grey from MIDA | 14. Daily Tea Boys Dog Sled Tee from Where Did You Get That? | 15. Chevron Grey Modern Cloth Nappy fabric from Nappies Covered | 16.  Wild Things Funky Little Dresses baby mouse character play dress from Down That Little Lane | 17. Reaching giraffe silhouette wall sticker from 41 Orchard | 18. Baby pure wool Juniper boots in ocean and sea from Little Tree Kids / Small Forest Shop | 19. Alex & Ant Marta dress from Looking At You Kid  | 20. Quince Butterfly dress (red) from Juliet's Closet | 21. Oishi-m Keep Keep On skinny jeans from Denim Baby | 22. Wheely bug from from Happy Little Hippos  | 23. Water bottle from Pouched | 24. Little Red Fish long sleeve rashie from Mini Sandcrabs | 25. Nautical invitation DIY printable from Sassaby  | 26. Baby boy reversible Thomas cap from Ollie Rose  | 27. Rainy Days mac from Small to TALL  | 28. Max navy with white stars classic pyjamas from Four In The Bed | 29. Red spot waterproof kid's apron from max & ella  | 30. British Bulldog art print from Team Kitten | 31. Navy Freckles bean chair from Lelbys  | 32. Little Robot leather baby shoes from Boyosaur

Thank you to all the wonderful businesses that support my work here. Please click through to visit them for all your shopping needs.

If you have an online store in Australia with products for Mum, Kids or Home, make sure you are listed in the Bondville online shopping directory for 2013-214. Applications are open now until 30th June 2013. Head to the advertising page and contact me at steph at stephbond.com for more information. I'd love to hear from you.

Rachel Castle's kids' rooms in I Love My Room book by Megan Morton

If you follow uber-stylist and champion-of-beauty Megan Morton on any social media, you will know that her exuberance and love of life is infectious. This joyfulness has translated beautifully into her new book showcasing... wait for it... children's rooms!!!! I Love My Room documents kids' rooms with heart and soul, by some of Australia's most talented parents.

Would you like a sneak peek? I'm so thrilled to showcase the rooms of artist/homewares designer Rachel Castle's children Cleo (10) and Lucky (7) in Sydney. The use of judicious colour against a neutral base and lots of Rachel's lovely artwork is right up my alley. I think this book might have been written just for me.

 

Cleo and Lucky's rooms feature Rachel's Castle Castle bedlinen and many pieces of her beautiful artwork.

I sent some interview questions over to the unstoppable Megan Morton about these two rooms - read on for the downlow; I think you'll love it!


Rachel has the knack of creating a room that is a riot of colour but still seems put together. How can we achieve the same without it hurting the eyes?
MM: If you look closely Rachel's work because of the volume of stuff. Any less you would potentially register it as colour collisions and any more would be overkill. Like her work, she is a master of restrain in an abundant way. This is the basis of her signature and why lots of people copy her but no one really can.

Most houses seem to have a big ticket item (like a quilt or bed) gifted from a well-meaning family member that just doesn't suit our taste - how can we work an ugly piece into a room (because you know they want to see it being used)?
MM: I don't ever fall guilty to that stuff. Yolo I say! You wouldn't want your own kids to do something out of decorative obligation so you shouldn't either!

Rachel's kids' rooms have a neutral base for all that gorgeous colour. What can renters do if the walls are pre-determined? Is a colourful room still possible?
MM: Like Rachel's, most rental properties have neutral bases for which the colour plays out so joyously.

I love that Rachel forgoes the traditional bedside table for vintage chairs in the kids' rooms. Are there any other pieces that would work equally as well?
MM: I use stools as bedsides, upturned boxes, apple crates and recently sourced a planter box on a stand that has become a fabulous and super diligent bedside as the books sit up in place of plants and all the other bedside necessities are stored and the piece itself is long and skinny - perfect for this room size.

It's so great that you can embrace a cartoon icon - like Lucky's batman wall art - and still have a room that feels design-oriented. Is there any way to make a child's favourite licensed character work in their room?
MM: I would go out on a limb to say that only Rachel Castle could do it so successfully! Everything Rachel does is done with heart, not for design and especially not her kids bedrooms who she is devoted to. Her interpretation of batman wings for Lucky is purely her little love letter to him! Lucky lucky right?!
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Thanks so much Megan! I Love My Room features many more kids' rooms and interviews with the kids who sleep in them. The book by Megan Morton, Jason Busch and Penny Shek is published by Thames & Hudson and will be released on Monday 17th June 2013. Head over to Megan's online store to pre-order a personalised and gift-wrapped book now. And if you're in Melbourne, head to the book signing at The Woodsfolk on Wednesday 19th June 2013 from 6:30-8:00pm.

Read more about Rachel Castle and Megan Morton here on Bondville.

Images: Megan Morton | I Love My Room

JAB Designs Australian animal melamine plates at UrbanBaby - 25% off

You know I'm a sucker for good Australiana and I love these melamine plates featuring Australian animals by JAB Designs. Head to UrbanBaby where they are currently 15% off, and get an extra 10% off with the code JUNE10 through until 16th June, 2013. Perfect for the kids and the mono-colour photo prints are so on-trend right now.

Image: UrbanBaby

Hello Tokyo fabric range from Lisa Tilse at the red thread - 30% off

Lisa Tilse (the red thread) is well known for her beautifully designed craft panels and softie DIY kits, as well as her graphic design, craft, styling and art. Lisa has taken her love for cute Japanese kawaii-style design and created a gorgeous range of fabric and craft panels for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. I got a sneak-peek of the fabrics when Lisa came over to do a mini photo-shoot in my daughter's bedroom:

The Hello Tokyo range is absolutely gorgeous in real life too. I love the fun, bright colour palette, and of course those super-cute Japanese kokeshi dolls and sweet kitty cat character panels to sew up into cushions and softies, or use for applique.

The Hello Tokyo fabric range will be available in the US later in the year, and is stocked in Australia at various retailers now (no stockist list yet, but check via your favourite search engine). And we're in luck! the remnant warehouse is offering Hello Tokyo at 30% off for Australian customers until 18th June, 2013. (Prices are displayed at the full cost – discount is applied at checkout). I can't even wait to have a quilt made with these fabrics. I might even try my hand at it myself. Happy shopping and crafting!

Images: Lisa Tilse | the red thread

(prices displayed are the full cost – discount is applied at checkout) - See more at: http://www.theredthreadblog.com/#sthash.ldjcTuEa.dpuf

ouch flower dip-dyed tassel garland room decor

Can you imagine how gorgeous this handmade tassel garland by ouch flower would look in a girl's room? Each tassel is hand-dyed in Melbourne by Pippa to your colour choice. Head over to the ouch flower online store to find tassel garlands, macrame hangers, tassels and beautiful wall hangings. You'll love them all! (Thanks Pippa for stopping by Bondville to comment - and so lovely to find that you're a fellow Voices of 2013 finalist!).

Image: Ouchflower

Fable Baby super-cute sustainable handmade baby clothes

Another great find at The Finders Keepers markets in Sydney on the weekend was the beautiful sustainable baby clothes from Melbourne lable Fable Baby. There were hand-screenprinted polka dot cropped sweaters and stripey leggings, farm animal prints and knottied onesies. I love the cuffed sleeves on the tees. Oh, and the knits were beyond cute (poncho with pom poms, anyone?).

1. Hand Knitted Chunky Unisex Organic Cotton Hooded Vest - Light Grey 2. Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Top - Navy Animals on Cream 3. Handmade Unisex Cotton Spot Shorts - Blue & White 4. Handmade Unisex Cropped Spot Sweater - Grey & White 5. Organic Cotton Knottie Sleep Suit Onesie - Red Spots on Cream 6. Hand Printed Organic Cotton Leggings - Navy Animals on White

Fable Baby was established exactly one year ago by cousins Phoebe Newlan and Prue Ryan with their combined backgrounds in textile and fashion design. Fable Baby uses only high quality organic and/or locally-produced fabrics. Knitted pieces are made from either organic cotton yarn from Peru or hand-dyed wool and silk from the Otways of Victoria. All garments are designed, hand-printed and handmade in Melbourne.

The current collection includes tees, knotted onesies, shorts, pants, bibs and the cutest knits you ever did see. All babywear items are thoughtfully designed with easy dressing in mind. For new Mums, that design element can make all the difference between a lovely clothing gift that sits on the shelf and one that is worn daily. With lots of unisex colours and designs, Fable Baby is a no-brainer go-to gift for a newborn or baby shower.


You can find Fable Baby in the online store as well as stockists listed on the website.

Images: Fable Baby

Super Duper Supertrooper Studio Scandi art for kids

Finding the gorgeous Supertrooper Studio at The Finders Keepers market in Sydney on the weekend was a real a-ha moment. I was literally stopped in my tracks by the Scandinavian-inspired artwork and homewares for kids.

The illustrated city art prints first caught my attention. The Super Places collection includes Sydney, Melbourne, Manly, Fremantle (with more to come), translated into posters, cushions and tea towels. Who doesn't love a graphic homage to their favourite city - and Supertrooper Studio does it so well...

This kids' memory card game is features fun, stylised animals in classic red, blue, black and white. The quality of these cards is lovely:

 The kids' animal artwork is also available as wall prints which would work well in both boys' and girl's rooms:

 I particularly love this MiniTipi canvas store playhouse/teepee for kids:

Based in Manly, Supertrooper Studio is one to watch. I can imagine these gorgeous graphics as bedding, quilting fabric, kids' fashion and any number of applications. These guys are hot! You can find Supertrooper Studio products in the online store.

Images: Supertrooper Studio

Peg board wall nursery by Marjorie Silva

Sydney-based Marjorie Silva is an interior designer and stylist and shares with us today a gorgeous nursery that she styled for Australian designer homewares online store TheHome. I love Marjorie's genius use of the pegboard wall for an ever-changing wall art gallery. Note also how the base colour palette of black and white makes this room look modern and fresh.

Baby Bottles: Cherub Baby Bottles
White framed wall art: Little Big House
Black-framed wall art: MidCenturyChild A3 Australian animal prints
Booties: Annabel Trends
Rug: NSW Leather Co pink cow hide
Rabbit wall decals: Little Sticker Boy

Cot linen: IKEA
Cot pillows: Xavier & Me
Storage basket: Mor Stor

Small storage cups on wall: IKEA
Spice rack book and bottle shelves: IKEA
Side table: Componibili

My favourite pieces are the gorgeous MidCenturyChild echidna, koala and cockatoo wall prints with their harlequin pattern that would work well for both boy's and girls' rooms. Once your child can sit up in bed, the pegboard makes it really easy to move decorative pieces higher on the wall. You'll want to keep any wall decals or picture frames out of reach of little arms, unless you want to find them on the floor!


Marjorie also offers her top hints for putting together a nursery - some gems here:

 1. Invest on items that will carry the design through your baby’s first years. For instance, the cot should be the item you spend the least amount of money on – unless it turns into a child’s bed.

 2. According to the teachings of Feng Shui, movement is important for your baby’s growth and development so invest in a mobile to hang over the crib. If you can, keep the mobile as close to the window as possible so the wind will move it gently.

3. A clever way to make a change table is to use a chest of drawers and add a topper to it. That way, once the baby grows into a toddler, the topper can go and the dresser will continue to shine!

4. Keep the lighting layered in your nursery. Having an ambient light next to your nursing chair and accent lights will have a calming effect on your child.

Head to TheHome to find all the products in the nursery above. Save an extra 20% for the next two weeks with this exclusive discount code for Bondville readers: BONDVILLE (expires 12th June 2013). Thanks Marjorie for sharing this great space with us.

Image: TheHome

Sydney's The Finders Keepers market June 2013 - my favourites

My friend Anni and I spent a wonderful afternoon wandering around the Sydney The Finders Keepers market today. I caught up with lots of old friends and made a few new ones. There was a fangirl moment with Emily Green, some snatched hugs from QLD friends and I made some great new discoveries too.

The new venue at Australian Technology Park was perfect - a hip industrial-chic setting with plenty of room between stands. There was the requisite be-bearded musician on stage, food trucks, potted fir trees, and a serious amount of talented, creative people selling their wares.

I fell head-over-heels in love with everything in the Beattie Lanser-for-Harvest Textiles collaboration (and in fact anything at all from Harvest Textiles). The melted icecream jumpsuit had my name written all over it. One day...

Then there was the just-like-a-string-of-marshmallows necklace by BOXY that looked good enough to eat...

Emily Green's new polymer clay egg-shaped drop earrings are hot, hot hot. I'd never be able to pick just one...

And I loved everything from new-comers Fable Baby and Super Trooper Studio. In fact, they were so amazing that I'm going to dedicate posts to each of them. Watch this space!