Pure and General - Sydney Store

Where have I been? Well...no excuses really, a bit of this, a bit of that and nothing much in particular. I was amazed when I had a look at the blog stats this afternoon, after a fairly dormant few months its amazing the people still find you - the internet, what a wonderful thing...

Almost as wonderful, but not quite, as this new Sydney store tucked in the side streets behind Kings X. What I love is that the owners have sourced their products world wide during a year long sourcing trip (aka 'the dream') They have found the most wonderful and quirky homeware from all over the world, added is the feel good factor of providing a platform for guiding and showcasing local artisans who are tucked away in the forgotten folds of the world.

Anthropologie on a smaller scale. (Speaking of which, have you watched Keith Johnson (Anthropologie buyer) 'Man Shops Globe'. Find episodes on you tube.)

Visit Pure and General you next can, it will keep you occupied for hours, in awe of what is created 'out there'

Illustrator Luci Everett

This work is so inspiring, from Luci Everett based in Melbourne Australia. The colours are eyecatching and the designs fresh....see her blog http://www.happinessetc.blogspot.com/.
Watercolours in illustrations are so on trend at the moment, classic and calm....I guess in line with all that is handmade and vintage. LOVE these....and somehow relate to that feeling the girl might be having with her head up the stigma of an enormous bloom!!

These event posters she creates are eye catching, why dont more events spend just a little more time creating something attractive and different, surely they would help pull in the crowds.

Lucky Luci to have such talent and flair....and good on her for using it x

Murano Lamps

I have an obsession lately, trawling markets and ebay looking for glass Murano lamp bases.
Murano is an tiny island off the coast of Venice, famous for its glass. I went to Rozelle Market in Sydney yesterday hoping to find my pair, there were one or two there but werent quite right....

They are so elegant and add a dash of colour with their organic and individual shapes.

Here are some of the lamps that have caught my eye...they sell on ebay from about GBP 30, not bad really and better than a new lamp in my opinion!

Beautiful and the kind of thing I think you'd always find a spot for and keep forever....

Pinterest...

Oh my! What a great idea.
Let me introduce you to http://pinterest.com/
You should settle in, get yourself warm and comfy for I think you might not be moving for a while.
This is a place to share creative ideas, travel dreams, DIY projects, receipes and to generally saturate your minds....
Im not yet a member, although I have requested an invite and I'll be keenly watching my inbox.
Seems I was a lil late...they already have close on 300 000 followers!!

SOHI (Creative Southern Living)

I need to tell you about this great Australian magazine.
It contains all the best kept Australian secrets in the New South Wales world of creativity.

We picked up a copy of SOHI (Creative Southern Living) on our roadtrip south of Sydney a few weeks back, it was so inspiring and useful as we used the shop directory in the back at our pit stop guide.

Our copy was the handwritten 197/3000 limited edition. Makes it a little extra special dont you think?

It was wonderful browsing through creative mine fields, eating lunch at secret home grown spots and coffee breaks to die for. We so easily could have missed them!

Mr Pickles and Me was one such shop in Nowra and stocked among many other interesting bits these gorgeous flat pack bird houses...seeing flat pack has been on my mind...

Another gem was One.Wise.Owl in Berry. Its eco friendly ideology makes a fab little creation...

I encourage you to do the road trip with a copy of SOHI - a good weekend away if anywhere nearby!

Unto this last

Flat Pack conjures up images of cheap Ikea put-together-yourselves-and-sorry-we-forgot-the-screws headaches....
But look at this clever mob aiming to get back to local craftmanship at mass-produced prices.

Unto this last make gorgeous pieces in London out of birch ply with digital routers in their back room ...with on-site workshops in Brick Lane and in Battersea. Oh I love the East End.

'Unto This Last purpose is to offer you the convenience of the local craftsman workshop at mass-production prices
We design along a single principle; less dependence on heavy industrial processes, more use of innovative digital tools adapted to the small workshop.'

UNTO THIS LAST: Choose your colour, pay not much and have yourself a very merry little piece of gorgeous furniture. The fun part is watching the guys behind the glass, carefully creating the next coffee table while you browse their creations.




Is this not beautiful?



Honeycomb shelves

See website http://www.untothislast.co.uk/

Fancy an intership? Just send in your CV. Love IT!

Brick Lane Workshop
230 Brick Lane London
E2 7EB 020 7613 0882

Talking Markets...Moscow

Just thinking about markets....markets are just my favourite things, I guess its never quite knowing what you will find that makes them so exciting...

Ive been to a fair few in my time, one of the most 'far out' was the huge sprawling market on the outskirts on Moscow, Izmaylovo Market. It sold everything, fur gloves, fake dvds, russian dolls a plently and a healthy stash of vintage relics to rummage through...

I would love to go back and buy and buy....crate loads full because some of the stuff I havent seen for sale before - like the friendly wolf! All of amazing quality, the value a little lost on the masses.

Round dolls, skinny dolls, fat dolls, peasant dolls, many many dolls..

War memorabilia, standing Stalin proud

Amazing and random oil paintings and iconography

Genuinely old Virgin Mary's

Light fittings, books, vintage maps..

..And the friendly wolf