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/

Neon Pink Obsession

It seems that I am having a neon pink obsession...
I thought I would do a frame for instagram (@twineysworkshop) on neon pink, so I walked around the house and collected all the neon pink accessories, clothing, stationery & hair clips I could find...oh my gosh! I didn't quite realize that I liked pink so much and I certainly didn't realize that I had so much of it until I took the photos...

Neon pink has slowly taken over my life.

Easy to do with my daughters clothes and hair clips because with her big blue eyes, that hot pink really suits her...but my stationery and accessories seem to have been taken over too!! Maybe its been a summer colour for me! As I sit here in my office, I am staring at a neon pink photo frame, that I clearly forgot to include in my photo frenzy.

May be it is time to withdrawal with some of this seasons up and coming colours, like rust orange, blue, purple...
I'll let you know through Winter how that goes....

Enjoy the pics...

True Vintage

We are on the Gold Coast in Queensland for a short getaway this week. It's so nice to have a change of scenery & go to the beach. Our little one can't get enough of the sea & the sand.

I've been coming here every year since I was a kid, so it feels like my second home. I know my way around & what's new & what's old.

So with my afternoon off today, I headed straight to the Gold Coasts hidden gem, Arkive, a True Vintage store hidden upstairs in the Centre Arcade (the arcade next to sportsgirl) I remember visiting it last year but didn't get a chance to have a good look. This visit I did and it was such fun.

They have a great collection of men's shirts, surfers shorts, tees & knits - all of which are unisex. They also have some great dresses, short sleeve silk tops & bags for the girls.

I had a great chat with Jake, the owner. No wonder the vintage stock is first class he worked in vintage clothing stores & learnt his trade in Shoreditch, East London where all the cool kids hang out (I did a year in London & loved this area for its always buzzing vibe). Shoreditch is vintage heaven (think Kate Moss & Pete Doherty) and Jake (who is English) & his wife Angie (a former employee of rokit 5 - the UK's largest vintage clothing company) have brought a piece of this vintage heaven to the Gold Coast.

A lot of their pieces come from the UK & Paris & some from the US. Prices are really reasonable & there is heaps to choose from.

I love the anticipation of vintage shopping, the feeling that you may strike gold, and if you do knowing that no one else will have it on this season!!!

Well, I did strike gold! I found this purple checked 3/4 sleeve dress for $55. Teamed with black leggings, a beaded belt & ankle boots it will be perfect this winter. I'll post a pic of me in it when the weather turns cold!

So, if you're not on or visiting the Gold Coast, rest assure you can still hunt virtually... head to instagram & their Facebook page where they have an abundance of great pics of clothing & accessories that you can buy & will ship worldwide!

Soon, you can also buy from their website: www.arkivevintage.com

Facebook.com/arkivevintage
Instagram @arkivevintage
Twitter @arkivevintage

Oh and when you're done browsing Arkive Vintage you can pop next door for a drink & a bite at black coffee lyrics - an equally cool coffee shop!

And finally, if you're in to vintage clothes & wonder about the lives the dresses had before you get them, then check out the fiction book 'The Secret Lives of Dresses' by Erin McKean. A fun, light read which will only encourage your vintage clothes shopping...by the author of the popular blog www.dressaday.com