Collect the whole set

Every Saturday, after I finish my class at the gym, I find myself wandering across the road to Zakkaya. They have lots of cool stuff but their ceramic animals, two of which I own (thanks, Bridget!), draw me in each time. Aside from the two pictured here, there’s also a squirrel, a kangaroo, a rooster and… a rabbit, I think. Maybe I like them because they’re tapping into my former obsession with Sylvanian Families. (Don’t tell me I was the only one.)

Zakkaya
52 Johnston Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Opening hours erratic, but Saturdays around lunchtime are a safe bet

:: Arwen ::

Photographer: Yoko Inoue

Apart from causing serious apartment envy, the photos of Yoko Inoue also capture such lovely light. I imagine the above shots as taken in the afternoon of a winter’s day, when it’s pale and cold outside and all you want to do is curl up on the couch with that dachshund and have a hot chocolate. Mm. Hot chocolate.

The photos feel very Japanese in atmosphere to me, but it might also be the subject matter – zakka and beautiful homes.

Yoko’s site can be found here.

:: Arwen ::

Rosebud, me hearties

More finds from various op shops in Rosebud over the weekend – above, sparrow salt and pepper shakers; below, melamine cups and an original Decor water jug. Hot damn, Rosebud is a treasure trove of great op shops. And the op shops are treasure troves of great stuff. In truth, there is much treasure to be found – but there is no map. I feel I should put in some kind of piratey interjection here, what with all this mention of treasure, but I’m not channelling Captain Jack Sparrow very well this evening.

Brotherhood of St Lawrence
Shop 1a, Rosebud Central
Nepean Highway
Ph: (03) 5981 1201

or

Vision Op Shop
2279 Nepean Highway
Phone: (03) 5985-2289

are two of the many.

:: Arwen ::

Medical? Chemical? Decorative?

{ thanks for the pic, Reuben! }

I’m not going to hazard a guess at what these were originally intended for, but I’m mighty fond of them now they’ve found their way to my windowsill via Industria on Gertrude Street. (See, The Croft Institute hasn’t snaffled all the laboratory glassware in Melbourne.) It’s a wonderful shop and I’ve found several brilliant dresses and skirts in now-rare fabrics (crepe! rayon!)  in the racks at the back, but most of the excruciatingly cool furniture and homewares are simply out of my wallet’s reach. Except for these little guys, that is – ranging from about 75c to $2, they’re “I’ll take eight” affordable, and they’re available in a few different shapes and sizes.

They’re also perfect for teensy flowers – until I’m living my oft-mentioned dream life which involves a fresh baguette and massive bunch of flowers every Saturday morning, these tiny jars will do nicely for a snippet of whatever’s blooming in my neighbour’s front garden.

My camera and I have had a much whinged-about falling out, so I’m very grateful to photographer extraordinaire Reuben for capturing the essence of my windowsill so well.

Industria

202 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
(for more Industria goodness, check out Hellblazer’s photos on Flickr)

:: Kate ::

Nanna’s kitchen

My dear grandmama has just moved into assisted living (it’s not quite a nursing home! She just needs someone to remind her to take her meds) and my cousin and mother helped her clean out her little house before the move. What delights Nanna had tucked away in her cupboards, which have made their way to me as the retro/kitsch kitchenware aficionado of the family. I am now the proud owner of a matching milk jug, butter keeper and sugar bowl set (above), not to mention small and large serving plates (below) in beautiful melamine.

Such plates deserve more than just a normal recipe – these plates call for a Retro Recipe. Kate gave me Afternoon Tea for my birthday and I’ve subsequently made a number of very old-school recipes (often involving condensed milk, dessicated coconut and gelatine) from its humble pages. I hear very good things about the lemon hazelnut syrup loaf (page 67) from my lovely colleague A, whose mother is responsible for this particular inclusion.

:: Arwen ::

Humble instrument, etc II

Following on from my previous post on the joy of teatowels (and no, haven’t yet been into the shop… but soon, my pretties), I discovered more teatowels online at To Dry For (hats off for the pun) thanks to Sally and Dave. I’m cautious about mentioning online shops because of nasty postage costs (especially when the Australian dollar is still crap) but here it’s a not-too-bad £2 per teatowel. 

Of course, Australians are already familiar with the delights of cool teatowels. Third Drawer Down has been doing wonderful things with linen for a while. The difference between To Dry For and Third Drawer Down are the designs – Third Drawer Down uses original artwork from international and local artists. I received a beautiful one for Christmas – see below – but in all honesty, it’s too good to use for the kitchen. Instead, I’m sneakily getting it stretched over canvas to hang in the kitchen as a surprise for my fellow flat-dweller.

:: Arwen ::

This little piggy

My sister-in-law is pregnant – ecstatically so, and exhaustedly so – which meant that her birthday last weekend was celebrated minimally, without processed meats, and with gifts going To Baby. It should have been easy to shop for a bird-sized unborn, but for the fact that its expectant parents have already bought or received boxes of toys and games, and clothes, and a car seat, and an ark. And I have a quiet loathing for designer baby belongings… I left the house with only one idea – to head to the Lost & Found Market on Smith Street.

As the Market has recently moved, I was sidetracked briefly by Dave’s Boutique, which is about to relocate as well (or Dave is, at least). I have scored here before, particularly since it split into two premises, but all the wares are now back together again and a serious rummage requires a willingness to shift two dusty stacks of vinyl in order to properly see the fold-up-chair, which is great but it’s eighty dollars and it’s sticky and there’s a plank loose on the seat.

I was quickly back on track, and crossing the road to a part of Smith that I rarely venture – between Victoria and Gertrude Streets. The new(ish) Lost & Found markets have street frontage (the former site opened out from a long, dark bottleneck), which makes the vast array of vintage goods look even more cheerful and rainbow-coloured. I really didn’t know what I was hoping to find but it wasn’t long before I was making mental calculations and calling upon staff to open up various cabinets. Within fifteen minutes I had chosen – several old picture catalogues for scrapbooking and card-making, a funny set of building blocks, plus adorable salt-and-pepper shakers (For Mummy) – and was happily charging over the road to the 7-11 for more cash, congratulating myself on being the best relative in the world.

The inside word is that, yes, the Market’s staff do prefer being able to see the weather from the service desk of their new home… but it won’t be long before they are taking shifts back at the mineshaft, as the original premises will be reopening for business as well.

:: Lee ::

The humble instrument of washing up

Shop alert: Fine Art Linen Co on Burke Road, Camberwell. If you live anywhere nearby, you’ve probably walked past it a million times and never noticed it, but this is the ultimate teatowel experience. Strap yourself in folks, for a teatowel extravaganza – not to mention manchester and fabrics. I’ve wanted to visit Fine Art Linen for some time now, but I’ve been stupidly chicken about going in. Every time I walk past, it seems dark and customer-free inside, and I fear a League of Gentleman-style ‘Are you local?’ series of questions upon entry. No doubt there are just a couple of nice, teatowel-loving members of the grey brigade instead. Whether it’s birds, horses, horseshoes, cats, famous landmarks, fruits or native flora that rocks your boat, Fine Art Linen appear to have it (going by their window display). Yes, I will make it inside one day soon.

Fine Art Linen Co
847 Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124

:: Arwen in Vietnam ::

Pimp my kitchen

My kitchen’s a bit forlorn at the moment. I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to grow herbs on my window sill for the last year and  now boast a sad collection of withered-looking parsley, oregano and thyme. I’ve been looking at the same tablecloth for a year as well, and I want some teatowels that aren’t covered with coffee stains or miscellaneous burn marks from culinary misadventures. All this will be addressed, with any luck, by my kitchen spring (er, summer) clean when I’m back from Vietnam, but in the meantime I found these cool placemats and teatowels while killing time online at Solitaire.

:: Arwen in Vietnam ::

Everybody loves Ryan

I just discovered Rob Ryan’s opened a shop called Ryantown. Of course, I am in Melbourne, and the shop is on Columbia Road in London, so I won’t be popping over any time soon. If I were, these cushions would be my first purchase – to give to someone who doesn’t take things personally. Or someone blonde (ha! just kidding. I’m sort of blonde. Really). Actually, I wish Rob Ryan would open a gallery, rather than a shop. I want to be able to see all his work on display with no incentive to purchase, just to admire.

Seems many people don’t feel the same as me, though,  as photographed by Annie Mole when the shop opened in June, below. That’s a whole lotta people wanting printed cushions and cute knick knacks.

PS. Hope everyone has a nice day tomorrow, assuming they live in a country where tomorrow is culturally significant and a public holiday. How PC am I?

:: Arwen ::