the Drill Hall Emporium's goodies in Country Style magazine!

I have made no secret over the years writing this blog that I love Country Style magazine.  It is truly one of those magazines that make you feel like making yourself a cuppa and settling down to devour the whole issue cover to cover.  The March issue is no exception to this rule, rating up there as one of my all time favourites.

The March issue is based almost entirely on Tasmania, and is named the Tasmanian issue "Island Dreaming".  The decorating pages are filled with Tasmanian only products including pieces from our very own Drill Hall Emporium.  Our orchard ladder looks right at home against this sandstone wall, above.  And our 19th century chaise longue doesn't look too shabby, either.  No actually, it is meant to be shabby.  It suits perfectly!

Tessa Kavanagh, Melbourne stylist with a unbeatable eye, was responsible for putting these decorating pages together.  She sourced and assembled a beautiful mix of Tasmanian art, woollen blankets, wooden spoons and handmade porcelain pieces among other uniquely Tasmanian products.  She showed how much Tasmanian has so much to offer in terms of quality materials, the handmade and the unique.

Another feature in the March issue is the privately owned Satellite Island upon which sits the most stylish beach (or should I say island?) home.  In fact, you can book to stay on the island when the family are based in Melbourne.  The perfect hideaway!  Some of the pieces including the jars, cafe chairs and trestle table, above, were originally bought from our store.  Who else would love to have a seafood lunch on this deck?

And I would really love to read a book at this setting!  Notice the blue striped grain sack cushion?  Mum will be happy to see that the owners have put it to good use...  To see more on Satellite Island visit their website.

If you are planning a visit to Tasmania the March issue also plans out an itinerary starting in Launceston and heading south through the Midlands and on to the Derwent Valley.  You could base most of you holiday on these few pages alone - where to stay, where to eat and what to do.

And most excitingly, Flywheel, our sister store to The Drill Hall Emporium, is featured over two fantastic pages.  The article tells how and why we started Flywheel and shows some pictures around the store, including a shot of Rachel working the c.1915 Arab platen press!

So if you need any more convincing to go buy a copy and put the kettle on, I really cannot help you...

Until next time,

Christmas display and letterpress gift vouchers now in store!!!

 

We have been so very busy at both the Drill Hall Emporium and Flywheel with preparations for Christmas.  This is a result of our missing out on a proper Christmas trading period with Flywheel last year, we opened just a week before!  So we have went a little crazy with baubles, gift wrap and letterpress goodies at Flywheel.  At the Drill Hall we have created a subtle Christmas themed entrance. 

 

We have opened up our Cherrywood buffet de corps which now plays host to Christmas gifts wrapped with paper from Flywheel.

 

Displayed on the Spanish trestle table in front we have a small fawn and a very large elk antler with mercurised glass acorns. 

 

 

You may see that we have used vintage buckles for embellishment on the gifts.  These are made from bakelite, gilded metal, wood and mother-of-pearl.  Rhinestone buckles would also look nice but we have stuck to a more natural and neutral look. 

 

On the carved Indian table we have a brass tray set with a Christmas inspired candle, now available in store, and these gorgeous 19th century etched and gilded glasses.  Eggnog anyone?

On the French walnut armchair we have a super soft Scandinavian reindeer hide, so very cosy. 

Maybe we took things a little far by having our own resident "angel"?  But we really couldn't help ourselves. 

But that is not all we have been doing in preparation for Christmas.  At Flywheel we have printed Christmas gift certificates for the Drill Hall on our Chandler and Price platen press. 

 

These are letterpressed with hand mixed red ink on white cotton card and feature little snowflake details.  I want one myself!

 We as a family are proud to admit that we adore Christmas and the anticipation that grows as the countdown begins.  And now that it is officially less than a month away, we are already counting down!

 Until next time,

French toile linen cushions and Flywheel blog launch

It has been far too long since I have updated recent news for The Drill Hall Emporium.  I have been oh so focused on Flywheel, our new store that opened just before Christmas.  But, folks, I am back for a  year of exciting times and beautiful products that we love to have in our store.  My mum has been busy curating a lovely collection of beautiful toile linens to form her latest collection of cushions for the soft furnishings room.  These cushions are not yet on our website, so as usual you are all getting the first look.  Mind you, this is just a sample, I did not get a chance to photograph all of them...

I love these Watteau linen cushions, the colours are soft and pretty and the scene is for the romance in all of us.  I am pretty sure this is a one off fabric for the store, and as such there are only two cushions available.  Can you see the lovely texture of the linen?

These are definitely a favourite of mine, I found the fabric a few years ago on my travels in France.  I am pretty sure it dates to the 19th century.  I have a bit of a weak spot for French toile, especially the raspberry colours like this example.  Mum has finished the edges with a complimenting fringe detail.

The blue toile is very popular, this linen is not as old but I also found it in France a few years ago and couldn't resist.

 Lastly, these cushions are made from an oriental inspired design and depicts peacocks in raspberry red colours on a green ground linen.  Magical, no?

My time is now divided between the two stores and I have a vague yet constant sense of wanting to be in two places at once.  I often joke about cloning myself but now I am earnestly starting to wonder how close scientists are to this feat?  If I could be greedy and have multiple clones (not just the one) one of them would be at home catching up on the pile of magazines!  And having a cuppa.

The big news for the week is that our Flywheel blog has now officially started!  So please take a look and follow for all Flywheel related news and events.

Until next time

Flywheel opens its doors! (and I don't want to close them...)

 

"Keep calm and carry on" was a motto I kept repeating inside my frantic head last Saturday as we finalised preparations to open our new store, Flywheel last Saturday.  But since that day I can't help but be so very happy with the response so far.  Not only have we have been busy in the store, we have had so many well wishes of support that it is truly overwhelming.

 

  

 

We have been open for only 3 days and each of those days I have loved so much, it really hasn't felt like work at all.  I didn't even want to close the doors at the end of day!  But after 6 weeks of renovations and set up, the home has been a little neglected and in need of some attention.

 

 

 

Until the official Flywheel blog is underway here are some pictures of our store and some of our products.  Above are Japanese paper tapes which have already been very popular (I couldn't resist a couple myself!).  

 



The letterpress studio has been in full swing, I have heard the sounds of the Adana at work throughout each day.  And until the Flywheel blog is officially underway, I will share a few images of our products such as these gorgeous little Christmas gift tags.  I particularly love that little children have been coming in and choosing a few of these tags for their gifts, very sweet.

These Christmas cards are cute, too.  We are so full of ideas and can't wait until the lead up until next Christmas to fulfill them!  We were restricted to just 10 days before Christmas this year...

A vintage globe and index drawers in the front window display.

19th century letterpress trays.

Flywheel will be open 5 days a week, closing Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We will be open both  Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend 22nd and 23rd December, closing Monday and reopening the Friday 28th December. 

Until next time,



introducing Flywheel, our new store opening this Sunday!

I can finally with absolute confidence reveal that we will be opening our new store, Flywheel this coming Sunday the 16th December.  I am sorry it has taken so long to give a date, there seemed to be so many unknowns with setting up a new store.  But in the last week our signage went up, the paintbrushes washed out and we are at last moving in!  I think the shop front has come up really well.  And you may not be able to read the description under our name, Flywheel, but it reads "vintage office, stationery and letterpress studio".   And I think that pretty much sums up our new store...

Just today Rachel has been printing our business cards, here is the lead type in the Adana letterpress chase.  

The lead type in the Adana impressing each card, one by one by a hand lever.

We also have two larger platen presses in the letterpress studio that arrived last week from mainland Australia and weigh nearly a tonne each! These will be our workhorses for the letterpress studio. Above is a Chandler and Price press that was made in 1923 in Ohio, Cleveland.

 

Cards laid out flat to dry on a blue workbench in the studio.  It makes it all seem so real, we have been living in a bit of a dream of late.

We are all very passionate about our store.  It will be filled with antique desks and filing cabinets, articulated desk lamps, French boxed stationery, chunky brass scissors, Viennese paper twine, our letterpress gift tags and cards and so much more.  And we plan to eventually cater for people seeking their own unique business cards, personalised and wedding stationery.

I will be handing over the Flywheel updates to my sisters who will start a blog dedicated to their journey in letterpress and with the store.  But I will try to sneak a few of my own tit-bits about Flywheel on this blog!  I am sure the Drill Hall Emporium won't mind...

Until next time,