Shop of the week: Peter Alexander

I love pajamas!
And I love Peter Alexander Pajamas.
I have been wearing them since I was a teenager ordering them off the catalogue - how Peter Alexander started his business.  I still remember the pair I took on School camp!
They last FOREVER and have always been fun, quirky and comfortable enough that you wouldn't hesitate to wear them all day or even out of the house! Of course I'm wearing the flannelette as I write this blog post!

So, this weeks Shop of the week goes to the Pajama king - Peter Alexander!

Peter Alexander has a great story. Melbourne born and bred, he was voted "least likely to succeed" at high school according to Wiki. I guess he took that negative attitude towards him and turned it into something fabulous. Not only is he an entrepreneur but he is a great guy (I've heard him talk in the past) and has a great business which is full of  fun.

His PJs are quirky, kawaii - cute, colourful, humourous and also classic. He has fun styles like toasters, vegemite, gingerbread men, ducks, clouds, rainbows, dogs - his passion and so many more fun filled designs he has come up with over the past 25+ years... They are also classy & chic with beautiful florals and gorgeous colours. PA also designs fun mens PJs - the current collection includes beetle cars, eggs and toast and dog cross bones to name a few. Of course they have some equally as cute kids PJs - and some kids Pjs even match the womens collection  - what a great Mother's Day present, matching PJs! Too cute!
Accessories, ugg boots, knick knacks, books and other fun things fill the gaps between PJs in store.

Peter Alexander's shop windows, just like his Pjs make you happy. How could I resist walking pass this cute window and not snap away for shop of the week. It just made me smile.

With over 50 stores in Australia and New Zealand - I guess he proved his High school teachers and peers wrong - nothing better than that is there!!

check out his website here  - winter in Aus is on its way. Who wouldn't want to be pulling on a pair of his flannel Pjs on a cold, rainy night or a pair of cute boxer shorts for those going into the warmer weather.

Finders Keepers Market

200 designers showcased in one space...I was in Australian design heaven!

On Saturday I headed to the Finders Keepers Market at the Royal Exhibition building.
The market had a great vibe with live music, the Frankie caravan and fairy floss all in the grand surroundings of the Exhibition building.

I love how this market has such a large amount of designers in one spot and continues to have new emerging designers featured in each market. It really is great to see new market holders at these markets, some of whom released their very first ranges at the market. I felt like I was at the 'frontline' of Australian design.

Everything was covered from accessories, to homewares, craft products, paper goods and even live music. Trending was lots of brightly coloured cushions, neon and pastel accessories, lots of  fluro pink and orange and lots of  hand-formed polymer clay necklaces and bangles in vibrant colours and shapes. Emily Green has always been the stand out in these clay beaded necklaces. Check out the pics below of all the candy coloured necklaces I saw on the day and the gorgeous pillows I was loving by Dan300.

Some of the more fun and unique products I spied on the day included colourful and fun necklaces, brooches and rings, framed by a one of a kind miniature embroidery hoop from the adorable Dandelyne. Sonia, the designer embroidered/appliqued retro glam-avans, bicycles, teapots, knitting yarn and needles, bunting, dandelion parachutes, mountains, clouds, embroidery stitches...She can even custom design a hoop for you to wear of someone you love or embroidered your whole family on a bigger hoop.  I have a mountain design necklace on order. I love this wearable craft.

Other unique products included the very well established Betty Jo designs which includes recycled vintage linoleum, pre-loved buttons and antique embroidered doilies which are then turned into keepsake brooches, pendants and clocks (which Ben Sherman decked his shop out with in the past). I also loved the quirkiness of Cat Rabbit,  which are felt versions of the designers illustrated characters. Nerdy rabbits, frightened raccoons, well-dressed badgers and thoughtful foxes feature highly in her range of super friendly and collectable plush toys, embroidered and wooden jewelry and printed fabric products. Some cute pics are below.

DIY was also trending  at the market. There was embroidery and craft kits on sale from the beautifully laid out Morgan Wills stall, DIY hot air balloon mobiles by Craft Shmaft . BLANK had a range of packaging and project supplies, such as gift boxes, bags, wrapping and craft, party and play supplies to inspire you to create and decorate just the way you like. Finally there was the fun and popular terrerium DIY kits which were just delightful by Love and clutter.

I took home a chic white ceramic sushi/tapas patter with a black streak by Andrei Davidoff. Perfect for Japanese themed dinners.

The market showcased pattern, originality, quality and colour! Products were fresh, bright, unique and cheery.   

If you would like to have a closer look at some of these designers and their work, their profiles can be found here http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/autumn-winter-2013-melbourne-market  
You can also view more pics on instagram @finderskeepers or #melbournefinderskeepers or #thefinderskeepers @twineysworkshop also has some fun pics of the day.

Here are all my fun photos from the day...


The grand exhibition building where the market was held....

beautiful natural light...

The gorgeous Morgan Wills stall...

Emily Green & her beaded necklaces...

Sunday Morning designs fun mexican themed stall

Betty Jo brooches made of recycled vintage linoleum


 Some market goodies... including crochet hot water bottle by Morgan Wills, Fury creature by Cat rabbit, Notebook holder by Frankie, terrerium DIY kits by love and clutter

I loved these handcrafted artwork by One Sunday Morning

Sonia and the colourful Dandelyne store with her mini hoop necklaces, brooches and rings...

more mini wearable hoop necklaces. I love the custom made people..

Chic pillows by Dan300

Polymer necklaces in different shapes and candy colours..

Fun plant holders...

DIY boom...mobile kits, embellishing craft products and terreriums

Cute as a Button..pillows by Morgan Wills

The show piece by Jude

My purchase...sushi platter by Andrei Davidoff...

the Frankie caravan

Shop of the week: L'uccello.

L'uccello is a secret and enchanted hideaway in Melbourne's CBD filled with vintage haberdashery, millinery supplies, accessories, homewares, craft kits and gifts.

L'uccello is situated in the Nicholas building (built in 1926) in Swanston St, which is home to 100 artists, alternative shops, small galleries and quirky small businesses. The L'uccello adventure begins by taking the famous lifts filled with photos, pictures, flowers and fake plants up to the second floor. 

The lifts were subject to much debate and petition last year when the lift attendants (one of whom worked in the same lift for 35 years) were replaced for automatic lifts. They were some of the only lift attendants in Australia and apparently the last in Melbourne. A small part of Melbourne history was taken away last year.

Once you arrive on the second floor and open the heavy patch worked door,  you feel like Alice who has fallen into wonderland.

The wonderland begins by walking pass a small nook filled with circus like memorabilia. You feel like you are on the set of the glamorous movie Water for elephants. They even have a gorgeous trapeze decoration on the wall to suit the theme. (handmade by Kim who styles the Kleins perfumery windows)

When you peek around the corner, the shop is revealed and you think to yourself, this is magical, it almost twinkles. 

The room that owner Kim runs her shop from overlooks busy Swanston St and from her shop windows was the very spot where the ticket-tape was thrown from when the men returned from war. It's soaked in history and the products Kim stocks fits just perfectly with the rich tapestry of the building and room. 

Vintage buttons, antique French silk ribbons, vintage bobbins, vintage stamens and flowers, 

vintage threads and needles, French antique linen and sackcloth, Valdani hand dyed thread, lace, vintage millinery braids, vintage and new threads, French General fabrics by Moda and vintage French Sajou haberdasheries fill the shop.

Alongside Kim's beautiful L'uccello branded authentic vintage ephemera craft kits,scented sachets and vintage cutie doll kits is also brightly coloured felt and felt products, like the liquorice allsorts pictured below and stunning colourful scarves, bags and gloves by Sophie Digard.  

Walking through the shop, you feel you are in another era and should be wearing a hat and gloves and should go home to a lovely mug of English Breakfast tea and spend the afternoon by the fire sewing with all the beautiful supplies you just bought from L'ucello.

A lovely shopping experience.

For those who can't go in store, you can follow Kim on her blog 

Online store is almost about to open, so watch her blog closely.

Pinterest @luccello

L'uccello
The Nicholas Building
37 Swanston Street
2nd Floor Room 5
Melbourne 3000

To find out more about the happenings of the artists in the Nicholas building, check out

http://thenicholasbuilding.blogspot.com.au/