Hip Products: Tightology tights for Kids and Mums

My friend Lesley and I had our second babies at the same time and as we were emerging from that baggy clothes/maternity wear ugly-clothes phase, Lesley turned up to a playdate in a pair of chic tights, looking and feeling awesome. I had to have them.

After a little investigating, I found the perfect pair at Evolve on Peregian Beach. Grey, footless, with a subtle but cool black nature-inspired print on the outside of each leg. They are Tightology organic cotton legwear and they are designed in Melbourne by the talented Vera Havari.

Tightology tights come in a range of prints and sizes for kids and women, and they are all fantastic. Ever eco-conscious, the Tightology folk also package the legwear with 100% recycled paper stock, printed with environmental inks.

What's not to love? I just had to buy the cupcake tights for big girl Bondville too and she adores them.

You can find Tightology legwear in the online store as well as at stockists around Australia and the US.

Images: Tightology

Hip Products: Queen B Candles

I bought a Queen B beeswax candle from one of my favourite stores Biome last year and totally adored it - a sweet square votive in a delicate porcelain cup, and packaged in a lovely recycled cardboard box. It was simple and perfect.

I've since found that Queen B has a range of great candles, all created with pure cotton wicks and 100% Australian beeswax, which means no parafin, no soy, and no palm wax. I love the idea of supporting our regional beekeeping industry, and Queen B's dedication to minimal impact on the environment. Find out more about why Queen B uses Australian beeswax here.

Queen B candles are individually handmade in Sydney, where you can watch the artisans hand-roll, hand-pour and hand-finish each candle, try 16 different types of honey and check out the other beeswax and honey skincare products on offer.

You can find Queen B beeswax candles in the online store and at stockists like Biome (check the website for details).

Images: Queen B

Iconic Oobi Baby and Kids

There is a great thread on the Oobi Facebook Page at the moment that asks fans what their favourite Oobi clothes are (from recent collections and archives). There are some lovely pieces on there, and I thought I would weigh in with some of my favourite pieces that have had much use from the Babies Bondville:

Little Bear Hoodie Jacket
One of my favourites (we have the chocolate and pink version), this knit is made from cotton and has undergone countless washes (machine, cold, delicate cycle) and two girls.

Ruby Rabbit
Truly iconic, the Ruby Rabbit has been hugged and squeezed and still looks great. I'm sure has made its way as a hip accessory into many a designer living room.

Bat Romper
Goodness this has been a little head-turner! It may have been designed with boys in mind, but like the dinosaur egg print, this bat design looks amazing on my girls.

Gelati Dots Party Dress
This was Sophie's first party dress and I still adore it. I was first attracted to the gorgeous candy-coloured spotty fabric, and we still get use out of the matching rosette. Too sweet.

Striped Knit Pinny
This pinny makes even the plainest outfit look stylish and is the piece that keeps on keeping on. Layer it over everything for years.

Dotty Raincoat
A relatively new addition, this raincoat is sunny and fun to brighten up those dreary days.


Parisienne bloomers
And of course the Parisienne bloomers which I believe started a huge return to frilly knickers four years ago and were my first introduction to the delights of Oobi.

And thanks to the amazing sale yesterday, we now have a fabulous tulip reversible cancan skirt, a pink April skirt, pink spotty tights and three more hats for our big girls' birthday. What are your favourites? I'm sure that Alex and crew from Oobi would love to know!

You can find Oobi at stockists around the world. Read more about Oobi here on Bondville. For more Australian designer kids clothes, check out Bondville Kids. And don't forget to shop online for kids fashion from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Images: Oobi Baby And Kids (except for bloomers by Kate Galatoulas and raincoat by Carly Ballard via the Oobi Facebook Page)

Drool-worthy Designs: Chickenfoot Designs

I got a great media release recently introducing Helena Harry's Chickenfoot Designs cards and tea towels. Drills? Electric beaters? How could I resist. Helena's quirky designs are screenprinted onto linen tea towels and would make a fantastic Father's Day gift - whether Dad is into cooking or carpentry.(and needs a little nudge along in the washing up department).

All Chickenfoot Designs products are created in Melbourne with the environment in mind; the tea towels are hand silk-screened on 100% European linen using water-based non toxic inks; cards are printed on FSC certified recycled paper and envelopes are 100% recycled post consumer waste.

You can find Chickenfoot Designs tea towels and cards in the online store and at stockists across Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The new designs above will be available mid-August, just in time for Father's Day.

Images: Chickenfoot Designs

Hip Products: fromWoopWoop table mats

Another elegantly designed product, this time from an Australian studio, is the ingenious fromWoopWoop table mat. The mats are made from 70% recycled cork composite and jigsaw-cut to reveal 2 separate placemats, 2 coasters and a trivet-style heat mat.

I love the Australiana motives printed on the mat, the use of recycled material and the dual-purpose design. The complete mat would make a lovely centrepiece for a table, and cause quite a stir as it is re-assembled to form a complete table setting. Oh the cleverness of it all.

fromWoopWoop products were designed in Melbourne by Studio Periscope. The mats were exhibited at the 2009 Milan International Furniture Fair, and launched officially in Australia at Design:Made:Trade in Melbourne today. I've been looking for a cool table cloth, and I think this table mat might just fit the bill. At any rate, with the Australian motifs and light weight, they will make fantastic gifts for my overseas family and friends.

You can buy fromWoopWoop tablemats in three different Aussie designs (Wattle, Bottlebrush and Gumnuts) on the fromWoopWoop website with more stockists coming soon.

Images: fromWoopWoop

Hip Products: bbqcanvas Stylish BBQ Covers

The focus here at Bondville is on Australian design but I just couldn't resist sharing with you this GENIUS design from across the pond. Based in NZ, the guys at bbqcanvas® have created fantastic covers for your BBQ.

Stylish and practical, I know these beauties are going to sell like hotcakes (at a great price point). The covers come in four designs and three sizes (M, L, XL) and make the most of a tight weave, piped seams and velcro bindings to ward off the elements.

bbqcanvas® co-designer Arjan van Woensel sounds like a bit of a hoot too: “The bbqcanvas has already cornered a niche market in New Zealand, where it’s transforming boring covered barbeques into an attraction rather than some sort of outdoor style crime". And I love the tongue-in-cheek sheep design.

You can find bbqcanvas® covers on the Australian bbqcanvas® website.

Images: bbqcanvas®

I Love Barambah Organics

I was absolutely delighted to find my favourite food brand at my favourite grocery store in Sydney today. Barambah Organics is a dairy company based in Brisbane that produces a beautiful range of dairy products including milk, cream, cheeses and a whole collection of yoghurts.

My absolute favourite product is the glorious award-winning full cream milk - pasteurised, but not homogenised with a lovely thick plug of cream on top.

The Barambah Organics farm is located on the NSW/QLD border where cows are free to access organic green grass on the banks of the Dumaresq River. Without chemicals and hormones, you owe it to your little ones and yourself to try this lovely brand.

The packaging is sweet and simple and will always remind me of my daughter growing up. You can find Barambah Organics at great retailers around Australia including About Life in Sydney (which I discovered today).

Images: Barambah Organics

Wall Stickers For Kids

My dear friend Estelle asked me for my wall sticker recommendations for her son Karsten's room. Here are some of my favourite Australian wall decal designers. Let me know if you have any more:

mae
I have a mae Christmas tree and the quality is great. Easily removable and repositionable and I like the matte fabric finish.

Mooo
Vinyl Wall Design

The Wall Sticker Company
My friend Linda has this sticker collection on her son Luke's wall and it looks fantastic.

Little Chipipi

My Munchkin Home

Stick Meon
Includes this must-have limited edition from Bondville favourite Aunty Cookie.

Bosco Bear

For Walls
Wall Sticker Shop

Buy Online
You can also find a nice selection of childrens wall stickers online at these Bondville partners:
Urban Baby
Ekidna Kidswear
The Hip Infant
Poppy Clementine

Stylish Kids: Humble Bumble

Introducing a new rising star in the Australian childrens clothing scene - the sweet and sassy Humble Bumble. I met Humble Bumble designer Jacqui Hollins at the Eumundi markets last month where I was stopped in my tracks. Her stall was a standout with racks of glorious gelati peach, dove grey, soft denim and pure white jersey clothes with lashings of style.

Not only is Jacqui a talented designer, but also one of the loveliest people you will ever meet with a great sense of what Mums want. Her designs are modern, pretty and clever, with lovely touches like ruffled bums and pin tucks. No patterns or Fancy Nancy here - just sweet, not-so-basic basics.

You can order Humble Bumble childrens clothes from the website and at the Eumundi Markets, Sunshine Coast.

For more Australian-designed childrens clothes, check out Bondville Kids. Shop online for kids fashion from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Images: Humble Bumble

eeni meeni miini moh 30% Off Sale - code

We have finally moved into our new pad in Sydney, boxes are unpacked and there are only half a dozen piles left to be sorted. And we have internet access at last. I've already filled every nook and cranny with vases of gorgeous camellias from our garden. Divine.

So some news for you. Our partner eeni meeni miini moh (fabulous Australian childrens clothing label) is having a great end of season sale with savings of 30% off the entire current eeni meeni miini moh® and e3-M™ Autumn Winter 2010 collections.

Simply enter the code BOND30 at the online checkout to receive your discount. Hurry...the sale ends on the 19th July 2010 and stock is limited!

Some of the great savings include:
eeni meeni miini moh Ballon Dress - previously from $89 now from $62.30
eeni meeni miini moh Raw Pant - previously from $58.80 now from $58.80
eeni meeni miini moh Cropped Wrap + Vest Twin Sweater - previously from $99 now from $69.30 (we have this in the Mulberry colour - it's gorgeous, and the angel wings are a real head-turner)
e3-M Shake-It Skirt - - previously from $89 now from $62.30
e3-M iJean Pant - - previously from $94 now from $65.80
e3-M Long French Terry Jacket - - previously from $94 now from $65.80
e3-M Balloon Trench Jacket - - previously from $149 now from $104.30

It's a great idea to become an eeni meeni miini moh/e3-M VIP to receive a $10 eeni meeni miini moh/e3-M voucher for your children on their birthday and receive advanced notice of new collections, competitions, special online offers, promotions and sales previews.

Images: eeni meeni miini moh®