A personal video from Santa for the little people in your life

I just had to share this one - many of you may have already come across this fantastic free personalised video message from Santa but I have only just stumbled on it and I love it!


I particularly love it because I am incredibly disorganised and have way too much going on, therefore despite best intentions of having my little ones write a letter to Santa (on Write to Me Santa note paper bought just for that purpose) and posting it in the city as we did last year, I resorted to email. Today. And I've just learned what no. 1 son would actually like for xmas. Boy did I get that wrong.

Anyway, Santa responded to Max's email in double time with a personalised video message. We were both very excited and I have to say Dad was very impressed as well.

So if you need to cover off that last minute communication piece, go to:

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

Enjoy and all the best for the festive season!

Lovely new things

We've had so many wonderful things coming in over the last couple of weeks I thought I'd share some with you, and also the "make over" one side of the shop received to accommodate new clothes. The ladder was home to the jewellery but I just couldn't find a clothes display that I liked (or that our barely studded walls could handle) so the ladder has found a new purpose just for now, no doubt I'll rearrange again in the next few weeks!

Now on the hunt for an interesting jewellery display option!

Write to Me drawstring bags

"Summer Sleeps", Stories by Starlight

Katarzynkha bags (and Allypops Stag mirror)

Katarzynkha silk/hemp/leather clutch

Mookah Fairy Penguins - because I just can't get enough of these little guys

Cosse soy candles (christmassy orange & cinnamon and the lovely lemon verbena)

Zilpah Tart bags from Canberra

Zoe.O satchels with the most devine purple vintage fabric lining! 

Arthurs Circus kids tee's

Zoe. O cotton cord skirt with vintage doily embellishment

Arthurs Circus framed photos

Delilah Devine earrings

and the winner is.....

Yay for the girls at Write to Me. 

Either Anna or Nicoletta have posted the closest ages of my kids in the Lisa Cahill giveaway - I'm not sure who left the comment but shall send you both an email today.

The correct ages are Max age 5 and Mila age 2.

A lovely pair of polished glass earrings on almost on their way to you. Congrats!

Lisa Cahill giveaway and my own little xmas story

OK, OK I know you're all interested in the give away bit (ie. what a lucky reader is going to receive absolutely free, gift wrapped (if so desired) and posted (woohoo!)), but first here are my random thoughts and competition details......

My eldest has been patiently suggesting every day that perhaps it's time to put the xmas tree up. Usually I'm the first to the decorations bag but it's been a bit hectic 'round here with the creation of Maker Handmade.

I couldn't say "tomorrow" one more day, however it also collided with assembly of the youngest's first (junior) bed so I handed my two cherubs all of the non-breakable decorations and asked them to get a head start, and try to not put all said decorations in the same spot.

Now - I like a little symmetry when decorating the tree, and I also love a colour theme. My tree is generally, rather preciously, perfect. (Aside from the fact that it's now fake, but I can't seem to keep the real ones alive from year to year...)

This is what I saw when I came into the lounge room -

It's not colour themed, and it's certainly not symmetrically decorated - but instead of smug satisfaction I got the warm fuzzies. I think it's the loveliest tree I've had so far.

So here's the competition bit - which is not open to family, close friends and those I've waxed lyrical to re my children. (My darling brother: this is not a cheap way to get an xmas present for your lovely wife.)

(i) You need to guess the age of the two children (mine) who decorated the tree - which can be safely based on the height of where the decorations hang. For context, you can see the height of the tree against a standard chair & ottoman in the picture.


(ii) Answers must be posted on this blog as a comment to this post.


(iii) Closest to the real age wins - up to you whether you submit how many years old, month and year born or date of month and year born.


(iv) Competition closes next Wednesday, 15th December.

OK - so here's what you really want to know. The winner will receive a pair of beautiful Lisa Cahill (an established glass artist) polished glass earrings, fresh in the store this week. If you're a local, feel free to pop in and select which pair you would like. Otherwise, the winner will have this pretty piece wrapped and posted:

Good Luck!!

Delilah Devine art now adorning shelves

I had the opportunity to catch up with a few Makers yesterday who were in town for the Magnolia Square Market at St Kilda Town Hall. So lovely to catch up with people and also meet the lovely Linda Marek from Delilah Devine in the flesh. I have been lusting after her art works but rather than freight them in figured I would wait for an opportunity which came along yesterday - I managed to bring a couple of pieces back to the shop and I just love them.

I also had to top up last week's top up of Mookah softies - these fellas are very popular! 

Very dapper Fairy Penguin from Mookah

I found some lovely new Makers as well, so keep an eye out for new stock coming through!

Stopping to smell the flowers

I'd like to be blogging about all of my wonderful new stock arriving in store - but I haven't had time to talk to new Makers as my head has been stuck in our first end of month paperwork storm: figuring out processes, realising there are probably a few gaps in my creative excel based accounts, trying to re-order top up stock after that wonderful opening night last week...

No time to visit all of those wonderful weekend markets that are currently on and which provide me with a great source of talented Makers to entice to our store - and make my job so very pleasurable.

So this morning I stopped and took a little breath. I had bought a bunch of cornflowers from the local florist and spent some time putting them in small vases around the shop. I love having flowers around.

with Cosse products and Ally Pops Hummingbird mirror

In the window...

so pretty

I have also planted some summer loving flowers in a terracotta planter with Kabwares Hope, Wish Dream teaspoon garden markers.

Take a seat, look around....deep breath... straighten back....relax shoulders...at $6 you couldn't get a cheaper form of therapy!