pitter platter

I had previously featured one of Craft Pudding's adorable handmade stamps, but I have to reintroduce Craft Pudding again and her range of mini ceramic bowls. The great details are made using her handmade rubber stamps.

to be a child all over again

Just so you know, I let out a rare but very audible gasp of delight when my eyes fell upon the wares of Arthur's Circus. The retro colours! The vintage-y old-school goodness! A real brick and mortar store based in Melbourne, they also have an online shop and an etsy store. 

Clockwise from left: (1) Vintage Lolly Jar; (2) Giraffe Planter; (3) Night light; and (4) Cushion - alphakids.

the animal farm

Helis is dubbed by the owner as her "little farm and book shop", a whimsical description we frankly quite adore. The animal-themed jewellery and mini books with their illustrated covers don't disappoint either. Particularly interesting was the array of little animal wall-hangings (second row, left), a cute twist on traditional animal trophies, and we love the idea of a changing things up in an animal-friendly way.

Clockwise from top left: (1) Cow Brooch; (2) Dotted watch dog brooch; (3) Little Book about a girl and an orange balloon; and (4) Piggy Wall Hanging. 

confused stomachs

Before you get your hunger pangs going on this Monday morning, I'm afraid to drop the news that these aren't actual food. Your stomach might be mightily confused by this - but they are actually candles. True to its name, Candle Confections not only make candles that look like food but also smell like food. (Try your best not to see if they taste like food too)

Clockwise from top left: (1) Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Bakery Tart Melts; (2) 7-up Pound Cake Mini Trifle Dessert Candle; (3) Raspberry Zinger Bakery Tart Melts; (4) Butter Brickle Candy Jumbo Cupcake Candle

silk opulence

I'm not usually too into really feminine stuff, but I'm really liking these delicate pillows from B Studio. The pillows cases are made from silk and each come with special detailing in the form of silk ribbon embroidery for that extra texture and feel. Other than pillows for the home, there are also a selection that is perfect for that special wedding.

Left: Patchwork Butterfly Pillow in Pink; Right: Dragonfly Ring Bearer's Wedding Pillow

staring down the seconds

Even counting down time by watching the clock can be a fun affair with these handmade designs from Vertikker. The simplicity and minimalism of its shape means it will go well with a modern home without cluttering up the wall, but the choice of backgrounds mean you will definitely find a design that fits your personality or preferred theme. 

light lighting lit

I'm liking the idea of light switch covers, especially when it comes with such vibrant pictures! Joanna Goldman has been making them for over 3 years, and you can request for any of the available print designs in her shop to be converted into a light switch cover. A great idea if you are running out of space for prints but still want that coveted design on your wall. Her etsy shop here.

declaring bankruptcy

Cabin + cub has uber gorgeous art and stationery items, and I was hard-pressed to choose just a few to feature. Its goodies are created with techniques such as woodburning, collage and gocco. Being already broke, I am trying hard to fight the urge to add all these stuff to my cart so instead I'm spreading the love here by sharing this treasure trove with you (sigh). 

Clockwise from top left: (1) Girl and Balloons Collage; (2) Cute Little Squirrel Woodburned Wall Art Panel; (3) Mini Cute Woodburned Cork Board with 4 pins - Chipmunk and acorn; (4) Gocco Printed Hard Cover Notebook - Happy Elephant.

prints and such

Decoylab Design Studio combines traditional graphic design, art, illustration, motion graphics and interactive design to create many delightful art posters and other home decor pieces. I like in particular, the clocks that are made out of especially sturdy paper and the lovely patterns that are etched on it. 

From the topmost: (1) Ecoylab 10" Melamine Plate: White; (2) Grow Your Own Poster: Fairy Tale; (3) Wall hanging Clock - Bouquet - Aqua

feed the dog a cushion

Having a striking cushion cover can make all the difference to an otherwise ordinary looking couch or bed and certainly adds to the comfort level! Feed the Dog is a good idea as a stop for limited edition, some one of a kind, cushion covers made from natural fabrics, which are hand-made with techniques using screenprints, lino prints, topstitching and applique.

Clockwise from left: (1) country home-ooak; (2) the sheep are nervous; (3) tease; and (4) trees1.

pod it

  

While lighting appliances may tend to be overlooked as being less important in decorating, a truly discerning decorator will know the beauty and value of picking out a signature piece of lighting. At Niche Modern, one can find hand blown glass light pendants, and no two are exactly the same. They are available in various shapes depending on the theme of your place, and also come in attractive and modern translucent hues. While the prices may be a little steep, it's only to be expected for such futuristic yet hand made glass items.

geography nerds

I am no big fan of geography as a subject, but I sure like the idea of incorporating maps in home decor. Especially if you are an avid traveller, you can put to good use the volume of maps acquired from past trips, and let them serve as testament to memories past. One way is simply to frame up one such map as a centrepiece as Jawcey (top left) has done, to the more challenging use of national geographic maps as an eco-friendly and cheap alternative to wallpaper (Joyce/Pedal Power, top right). I also really liked how Chez Larrson used maps as part of an overarching theme, using it to personalise a lamp shade (bottom left), and having map-print pillows to complement the wall art (bottom right). 

And here are some great goods that have infused new life into old maps:

Clockwise from top left: (1) Kent map decoupage coffee table from Bombus; (2) Recycled Map Stationery from Dote; (3)  Metro Map Bowl // San Francisco from Pica Pica Designs; (4) Air Routes Map Journal from Bower Box.

doing up the drawers

Drawers (the furniture) seems like a necessary evil in the house - often just a boring set of brown, black or white which serves the practical necessity of containing messes and keeping things out of sight. Hence it was quite a surprise to discover that there are people who actually paint drawer knobs, and beautifully at that. 

Definitely a way of injecting some interesting colour and detail into an otherwise plain-looking piece of furniture! Best of all, they are all very affordable, so you can simply use an inexpensive, simple set of drawers, and instantly add some personality to it. 

Clockwise from left: (1) A set of three animal print drawer knobs from Art by Malhotra; (2) Butterfly Drawer Pulls from Knobs; (3) Hand Painted Drawer pulls from Dania 27 and (4) British Knob with Purse Motif by Doodle Pad Designs.