Hip Products: Retro Bird Designs bird cages

I was immediately attracted to Retro Bird Designs by their ever-so-cute vintage doll-printed stuffed toys. And when I enquired further, I found out from founder Melinda about the amazing bird cages that they have been designing in Brisbane, along with a whole range of other products including appliqued bird tees for boys and girls, dresses, dolls and jewellery. These gorgeous pieces would be great on top of a nursery dresser, or just propped around the house somewhere for a dash of whimsy and nostalgic-cool.

You can find Retro Bird Designs on Etsy and at select markets around Australia (check the Etsy store profile for details).

And shop online for kids products from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Images: Retro Bird Designs

Craft: Make your own Soy Candles Tutorial

Happy Earth Day! To celebrate all things green and good for you, I'd like to share with you this excellent DIY tutorial to make your own soy candles from talented textile designer Danielle Stewart. Perfect for parties, weddings events, or just for around the home.

Danielle's wedding featured on Wedding Ideas Australia (my other home) and incorporated some fantastic handmade elements. She has graciously shared her step-by-step instructions and photos for making eco-friendly soy candles here.

Get green and get crafty!

Images: Top: Nina Otranto; Middle and Bottom: Danielle Stewart

Hip Products: Kindling clothes, art, accessories

One of the great things about our Brisbane ABCD meetups is that you never know who you might meet and what cool, inspiring project you may discover them working on. One person that made me smile was the delightful Nina O'Brien who I met last year.

Nina's label Kindling is an umbrella for her vast creative output which includes mens, womens and kids clothes, cards, art prints, and accessories. I was re-reminded of her great clothing line when I popped into Lamington on Hastings St, Noosa Heads over Easter. Her bamboo t-shirts for kids and adults are great (see cool fox design above), but I am really in love with the womens clothes. I'd love that comfy cotton 'Marrakesh' dress (top), the cute-as-can-be 'Cloud-Suit' pantsuit (second image) and the swingy 'Dreaming Dress' (third image) - all look flattering and current too.

While you are browsing the Kindling website, make sure you check out Nina's art prints which are gloriously folky, as well as her multitude of other works of art.

You can find Kindling in the online store and at stockists across Australia.

Images: Kindling

Great Packaging: Preshafruit fruit juice

Always a sucker for great packaging, I fell for the neat, triangle-shaped bottle of Preshafruit Pink Lady apple juice and am pleased to announce that the juice was as refreshing and delicious as it looked. Created by Australian company Donny Boy Fresh Food Company, the range of juices includes apple juice, orange juice, fruit coulis and chunky fruit packs.

Interestingly, Preshafruit juices and fruit are pressurised cold using High Pressure Processing (not heat pasteurised) to preserve flavour, texture, colour, smell and nutrients. The packaging is fantastic, fits neatly in your hand and would be great for a lunch box (and each apple juice contains only the juice of four apples - so good for you too!). I'm still using my bottle on my desk; I just can't bear to throw it out.

I have found Preshafruit at Woolworths; look out for it at a store near you.

Image: Preshafood

Brisbane ABCD Meetup Ad Winners

We couldn't decide, and awarded the Autumn 2010 Brisbane ABCD Meetup goodie bag prize to Samantha from Jetta's Nest for her gorgeous art cards, and Bel from Enticing Icing for her handmade sugar art for cupcakes and other baked goodies.

I've written about Samantha's fabulous artwork and craft before, and my Sophie owns two of her gorgeous handmade tops - one made from a vintage Holly Hobby pillow case and the other a mushroom applique featuring one of Samantha's signature sassy girl faces (check them out here). Both are adorable and one-of-a-kind, like all of Samantha's work.

You might know Bel as one half of girls' hair accessories label EmBelish, but did you know that she has just started her own company Enticing Icing? She makes, rolls, and hand-cuts gorgeous sugar art for use as cupcake toppers and a myriad of other pretty things. Here are some of her butterflies in flight on top of cupcakes that I made for Livingstone's birthday party. Bit more fab than my usual cachous!


Images: Steph Bond

eeni meeni miini moh and e3M Sleepwear/Underwear Offer – Save 50%

More great prices for you today, this time from our sponsor and award-winning Aussie children's brands eeni meeni miini moh® and e3M™.

To celebrate the launch of their new autumn winter collection, we have a fantastic sleepwear and underwear offer. Purchase any item from the eeni meeni miini moh® and e3M™ sleepwear and underwear collection from the online store and receive 50% off a second sleepwear /underwear item*. Choose from the super-cool rib pyjama, brief and vest sets, sleeping cocoons (quilted and unquilted) and enfant sleeping sacks (how adorable is that Mulberry sleep sack above? My favourite. Looks sooooo cuddly).

To receive your discount, enter the code BOND2010 at the online checkout. Hurry - this offer ends 12th April, 2010 or while stocks last!

Also look out for eeni meeni miini moh® and e3M™’s new autumn winter collections now in stores and in the online store.

* 2nd item must be of equal or lesser value. Offer excludes Pure Newborn and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer is only available from the eeni meeni miini moh® / e3M™ online store.

Images: eeni meeni miini moh