gems from down under...

spotted on Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia

i've not posted for a while, nor been mattress spotting much, too wrapped up in house renovations and kitchen installations (promise to upload photos soon).  so i was delighted to receive an email yesterday from the likkle girl who wurves pwetty things with this photo of a cheery little mattress she spotted in Sydney, Australia!  isn't it groooovy....how come our Brit-mattresses are so boring - all stripes and faded flowers - i love this wild one! being surrounded by sunshine and colourbursts of inspiration no wonder she also makes beautiful fabric "gem" jewellery and rosettes, available in her store the empress dowager's new jewels. LUSH.

now back to unpacking those boxes!

windmills

how gorgeous are these tiny windmill/pinwheel earrings (spotted via i am a greedy girl)....perfect for summer!

foxy lady

being a city dweller, i always love seeing the urban foxes in London, it feels like a bit of nature creeping in from the country and taking over...usually while we're all asleep (they make a right racket in my garden in the wee hours!). naturally i have a fondness for anything foxy so am loving this dress by Jill Stuart (Fall 2011) spotted via a beautiful mess.  well, i probably won't be able to get my hands on the gorgeous dress but i have been wearing this cute foxy brooch from etsy on my winter coat lately.

 

PS (17.02.11): spooky, foxes must be in the air!  check out today's etsy uk newsletter also entitled Foxy Lady...with some cool foxy products for sale!!

papal picado

ooh...loving this amazing piece, in the mexican Dia de los Muertos style, spotted via greedy girl .... wish i had the bucks for this, would be perfect for future Halloween parties!

robin love

 

everyone knows - any bird jewellery and i am totally smitten...so i have naturally fallen in love with the cute bird range from New Zealand store boh runga.  i am particularly craving the silver and gold robin pendants and charm bracelets.

as mentioned on their site the Black Robin, which lives on an island just off the coast of New Zealand, almost reached extinction with only 5 left in the world. however, through dedicated conservation efforts, the Black Robin has had a miraculous comeback.  we in the UK, of course, have our very own national bird the gloriously chirpy chubby little Robin Redbreast - a welcome sight in my garden every day, especially during the winter months. we would of course be completely devastated if we lost them so i can really appreciate the Black Robin's success story and it makes these beautiful pieces of jewellery even more desirable as a reminder of the important role these little birds play in our lives. 

just as an added festive note - did you know the reason why robins feature so heavily on christmas cards and ornaments? it's because in Victorian times postmen wore red tunics as part of their uniform, they always worked over the christmas holiday period continuing to deliver cards and gifts and so they were often given the nickname Robin Redbreasts - the birds began appearing on cards, linking the bird and the postman and the tradition has stuck!

dot dot dash

great morse code necklaces spotted via a cup of jo.  get your name, love, sos, fine & dandy, etc....cute and cool!

journey of a jewel

 

 

see this amazing blog about the making of this fabulous Tiffany brooch....is it not the most beautiful!

neology

 

 

beautiful stacked silver and gold rings from here  via this is glamorous... i covet!

molecular

stunning molecular jewellery from aroha via the brilliant kingdom of style

oh my!

 

 

 

i just love these limited edition prints and brooches from Oh My Cavalier! spotted via design is mine.  love love lovely...think i must have the pink brooch with the robin - how cute!

peacebomb

jewellery for a good cause seems to be all the rage at the moment and i love it and fully support it!  having already fallen for the wonderful falling whistles, i have now discovered these peace bomb bracelets.  made in Laos, the most heavily bombed country in history, these bracelets are crafted by local artisans who repurpose the bombs. war into peace, horror into beauty...what a great idea...naturally i've just ordered mine!

finders keepers

love these beautiful pieces of embroidered silver jewellery from caro baertling - aren't they just darling.  caro has just relocated from the Netherlands to Australia and i heard about her via the Melbourne based finders keepers who are dedicated to bringing home-grown designers and crafters to the fore. they now hold regular craft markets with a festival feel with stalls, cafe, bar and live music from local musicians.  Melbourne really is THE place to be right now....i must visit one of these days, especially as friends have also relocated there in the past few years - so really there is no excuse not to.

let them eat cake

love these brilliant bangles from untamed menagerie as spotted via the fabulous kingdom of style... and they have some other rather lovely handmade silhouette jewellery items....

shake your feathers

i really want some of these fabulous feather earrings from owlita seen via kingdom of style

holy hairy sox!

 drown in a blossom brooch

 

 shark bait hair clip

what a giggle - check out these wonderful pieces of jewellery from hairy sock - items available here

kris's color stripes

beautiful hand painted wooden bead necklaces from Milan-based designer (and brilliant blogger) Kristina Klarin seen via the design files

division collection

delicious new line of jewellery inspired by patterened interiors from jess lc spotted via this is glamorous reminds me of honeycomb....bzzzzzz

panic button

check out kate wilson's new birdy illustration...soooo cute...

 

i just love everything she does - and she's just done some work for laura tabor's new jewellery sweetie collection ...with sugar mice...oh joy!

 

more here

broken fingers

cute jewellery from etsy seller broken fingers art

birdy num num

love these necklaces from me me me - i have the bunny already...now i want the birdy!