antique gifts for Christmas (that you may not have considered!)

A friend suggested that I post some unique Christmas gift ideas, so here it is! A very small and inexpensive gift could be these gorgeous ceramic pudding dolls which date to around 1900. These miniature dolls were traditionally placed within the Christmas pudding. They are referred to as "feves" in France (Feve is french for Fava Bean, which originally represented the baby in French). Here are other gift ideas from our store that may just suit your hard to buy for friends and family...

For the homemaker...embroidered silk susani cushions from Turkey, handmade scented soy candles and silk ikat cushions, also from Turkey. These cushions have only just arrived in our store, just in time for Christmas!

For the linguist...tiny, tiny printer's stamps (you could send a message, or spell their name), leather bound Shakespeare volumes and a collection of printer's ampersands.

For the gardener...French herb pots, English watering cans and hand tools.

For the entertainer...French cheeseboards (these are a very popular gift at the moment, great for serving cheese or pizzas), French ebony handled knives, French linen harvest tablecloths, and French (of course!) chopping boards and bone handled knives.

For the cook...English cooking utensils, Mrs Beeton's home cookery book (opened at the pudding page, perhaps a recipe for next Christmas?), French linen tea towels, and big and small mortars and pestles.

For the decorator...lamps made from boot tree forms (arrived in store today), reindeer hide rugs, finger coral and sea fan coral, vintage glass fishing floats.

For the collector...chemist bottles, egg timer (this is so cute!), decoy duck, baby shoe lasts, boxed dominoes and sea urchins.

And for the very, very hard to buy for loved one, there is always our hand-stamped gift vouchers (on authentic elephant dung paper). Perfect.

new French style bakery cafe in Hobart...Daci & Daci

I am very excited with the new bakery cafe that has only just opened in the last few weeks, right near Salamanca Place in Murray Street. It is called Daci & Daci, the names of the passionate duo who are currently baking their hearts out to deliver artisan breads and patisserie items to meet Hobart's demands. I called in this afternoon and bought some fig and walnut bread, green olive bread and their grainy bread, too! I didn't know which to try first...And the bread is all displayed on a 19th century French iron baker's stand. The bread has been selling out quickly, as you can see. You may recognise the baker's stand from our store. We were pretty sad to see it leave, we all loved it so much. But now I get to visit it in its new home. And the best part is it is now being used for its original purpose - to display bread!

The antique Gothic style counter has inset marble for the French style sweet pastries. I bought a traditional French escargot pastry to bring back memories of Paris.

The asparagus and gruyere tart had all but sold out. The savoury pastries and fresh sandwiches are displayed on these French style cheese boards.

Other baked items available for purchase, such as vanilla marshmallows, toasted muesli, Christmas cakes along with many other goodies, all made on site. In fact, the building was originally a bakery. There is a photo of the 19th century bakery within the cafe.

You can sit out on the deck on a nice day on these vintage French cafe chairs at original French bistro tables.

It is because of passionate people such as Daci & Daci that makes me love living in Hobart. I am pretty sure I will become a frequent visitor of Daci & Daci...did I mention that they make a great coffee?

antique inspiration in Sydney

On a recent trip to Sydney, and with only a few days to spend, I couldn't resist a hunt in a few antiques stores.

This lamp has been made from an 18th century shoe. Isn't it exquisite?

And even more stylish is this lamp made from an plaster corbel. In this case, it can double as a bookend.

These light shades are actually 19th century French glass garden cloches. We have sold out of such cloches in our store, but I will be on the hunt for some more on my next overseas buying trip.

The pair of mirrors above are made from from original zinc window pediments from French châteaux which are known as oeil de boeuf or "bull's eye". These are highly sort after. I didn't check the price but they would have been pretty expensive.

I fell in love with these gorgeous marble topped side tables. They appear to be Italian and early 19th century . Wouldn't they be great as bedside tables? Or perhaps in a very decadent bathroom or dressing room...

And this little antique shop guard dog found a friend in this tiger. Hmmm. Whilst I was watching the dog sniffed around the tiger's head and then jumped back in surprise and fright as one of the tiger's whiskers happened to tickle his face. Too cute.

And we were fortunate enough to catch the wonderful Picasso exhibition at the Art Gallery NSW. It runs until March 2012. For more information visit here. A perfect way to finish a little break in Sydney.

a white (and silver) christmas countdown

Image: The Laurel Hedge

I am very in love with this gorgeous knitted stocking with little crystal embellishments. It (almost) makes me want to start knitting! But I think I will leave that to the experts and try and source a ready-made version...if anyone knows of where to find, please let me know. Doesn't the colour of the wool look lovely against the white boards? It makes me feel excited about Christmas and the chance to decorate.

Image: The Laurel Hedge

I adore silvered glass baubles such as these. I can't get enough! I have seen them for sale in a store in Hobart, Store and co. I think I will have to go shopping... I am picturing them hanging from white painted branches in a galvanised tin tub. With a bit of linen thrown into the mix. Somewhere.

Image: Château de Moissac

And candles. Of course.

As my countdown to Christmas begins I contemplate how fortunate I am. I have wonderful family and friends to share the time with and can't wait to cook together, laugh together, and to give more of myself. Well, that is the plan, anyway...

new in store...French stool, baby shoe lasts, chic Eastern table, printer's blocks and French linen cushions

This French limed oak stool is the most gorgeous piece in our store at the moment. It has been reupholstered in antique Belgium linen. I think I am drawn to furniture with cross frames such as this. Oh, and limed wood it seems. But then again, who isn't? These baby shoe lasts are also new into the store. I pictured them here with an adults sized last so that you may get an idea of just how small they are. I cannot see these lasting long in the shop! I love the patina on each and every piece of this antique printer's alphabet. The set includes some punctuation and also numbers. One would not need be too creative to make Christmas greeting cards with a set such as this. The unusual font would suit the French greeting Joyeux Noël. But then again, any writing in French looks good, I think. This Indian folding table is the epitome of Eastern chic. I recently took home an inlaid Indian folding table for my lounge room and I can't stop admiring it. I have placed a piece of coral on it with an Eastern lamp and it looks great. The detail in the tray top is amazing, it appears to be silver inlaid into copper and all hand engraved.

Our stocks of cushions made from handwoven grain sack linen has been replenished and are in the garden room at the moment.

And here is our version of Zoe Hoare's Hamptons style cushions (see previous post). These have been made from French harvest linen, used during wine harvests to cover the outside tables. Cushions with history, now that is what I like!

find Vogue living & Zoe Hoare Hamptons style in our store!

Zoe Hoare, Australian expat and daughter of renowned London antique dealer Appley Hoare now lives in this gorgeous cottage in the Hamptons. She found this pair of 1950s bikes at a local antiques fair in the Hamptons, just one example of her keen eye for unique treasures!

She displays her antiques with flair. These are French milliner's heads, similar to ones that I showed in a previous post, on an antique dresser.

She has an amazing arched window mirror in her dining room. The chandelier is wonderful, too. What a light and airy space, the peaked ceiling painted white is stunning.

This is a rare French iron arched window mirror that we have in the store at the moment. It is currently in the garden room as I can imagine it on a courtyard wall. But it would look equally as good in a dining room as Zoe has shown.

Zoe outside with her potting bench. Note the French flower jug and watering cans, and the flower bucket...

...all available in our store!

And her Gustavian settee?

Again, available in our store! The only difference is our settee is an 18th century version, Zoe's is a reproduction available from her partner, Chris Mead's store, English Country Antiques. To visit his store, click here. Well, in actual fact, our settee is still in storage. We bought it on our buying trip earlier in the year but we have not had room for it in our store as yet. It is soon to take prime position, however!

Barnacles and simple cushions are very relaxed Hamptons style, I think.

We only have two barnacle clumps left in store, they make great decorator items.

We will be adding checked linen cushions to our range shortly, in addition to our grainsack striped pillows (above). We have acquired some lovely antique French linen of a similar design to Zoe's cushions. Watch this space!

And the decoy duck on Zoe's shelf above the Gustavian settee?

A very similar model is currently in our garden room. These decoy ducks ooze with character and charm. Do you like Zoe Hoare's relaxed style? We certainly do. (For the full article on Zoe Hoare's Hamptons cottage, see Vogue Living Australia, Nov/Dec pages 142 - 151).

new in store...spools, twine, wooden skis and shoe lasts for little people!

There is just something about balls of twine, isn't there? Well I think so, anyway. Especially when you can get your hands on some quality twine like these hemp balls that have just arrived into the store. I have some similar twine on my kitchen bench at home (and some in the laundry, too) with some scissors propped inside the ball. Whilst I do use it from twine to twine (sorry, bad pun), it really is just there for looks. Take a look through your latest Country Style or similar magazine, I am sure you will see balls of twine throughout...

Hemp twine is so smooth yet textural...don't you just want to reach through your screen and touch it?

These antique rachet ended spools have only just come into store, too. We have put some jute twine around them so that they are ready to be used for the garden.

These spools are cute. They have old coloured yarn on them. And I like the brass ends. I would think these would date to around c.1900.

And these were the find of the week! Original old timber skis, they are 6 foot long!

Finally, size 8 and 10 shoe lasts for children. It is great to be back in the store working and waxing away. I have returned from our buying trip with loads of new ideas and fresh energy. I have many more photos to show you from my trip but I thought I had better first catch you up on what has been happening in store. After all, home is where the heart is and mine is firmly fixed in Tasmania.