All these stunning pics by Melbourne photographer James Geer.

Portraits of Rose Byrne by James Geer (tough subject!)

Details from Julia DeVille’s home, shots by James Geer for Habitus

Jeepers creepers could we possibly have ANY more brilliant photographers in Australia?!  I mean seriously.  I feel as if I discover ANOTHER insanely talented photographer almost every week!   This week’s find – Melbourne-born photographer James Geer!

James began his professional career as a graphic designer in 1997, but it didn’t take him long to trade in his computer for a camera! (Good move!)  He assisted for a while, and then came a stint in NYC  – a rite of passage for many Australian photographers it seems…?  James returned to Melbourne in 2003 and has since built up an impressive portfolio of work with an unmistakably ‘Australian’ feel.  I can’t put my finger in it… but he really does seem to have a knack for capturing his subjects in the most relaxed, carefree way – perfectly described by his agent Kirstie Gadsden as ‘quintessentially Australian’.   (…the beach and all those golden sunkissed bodies certainly help him out there!)

James is a true all rounder, with an impressive collection of work which covers interiors, as well as quirky portraits and his signature relaxed style of fashion photography.  His clients include Levis, Fairfax, Nike, Hermes, Quicksilver, Roxy, Monster Children, Sneaker Freaker, and Habitus.  And because I know you love all the little personal details (me too!!), he’s 34, has two young kids, and moved back from NYC in the end for his beloved blue heeler – still hanging in there at 18yrs of age!

Thanks so much for James for his time and beautiful shots, and to his agent Kirstie for facilitating this interview!  James is represented by Viviens Creative Management.

Tell us a little about your background – did you always want to be a photographer? What path has led you to what you’re doing now?

As a kid I was always interested in art, my mum would let me take time off school to go to the gallery with her. I still remember the Pop art Exhibition 1985, Picasso, 1981, Joan Miro….

From about 16 I would always have a camera on me documenting all the parties, surf trips, girls, skating and hanging out that was going on.
I studied Graphic Design at the National School of Design and worked as a designer for a few years before realizing it was not for me, so I took a job as a photographic assistant. Went to NYC to get serious, stayed for 3 years and came back with a fresh book and a healthy dose of ambition.

What have been some of your favorite shoots / clients in recent years?

Shooting Rose Byrne was a dream, it is great to work with people who can take direction and make it there own.

I am often commissioned to photograph the spaces of professional creatives. Shooting Julia DeVille‘s studio for Habitus magazine was pretty different. Nick Cave played all day and every now and then the doorbell would ring and someone would drop off a dead animal of some sort, a mouse, a kitten, even an ostrich.

Shooting for Roxy and Quiksilver has been great, there’s nothing like making the beach your office for the week.

Julia DeVille’s home, shots by James Geer for Habitus

Julia DeVille’s home, shots by James Geer for Habitus

There are so many brilliant photographers in Australia, it can be really hard for emerging photographers to get noticed and get their first ‘big break’ – what practical advice would you give to emerging photographers who are just starting out?

Shoot what you love, don’t follow visual trends, have a relationship with your work and support each other, the rest will follow.

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

Thankfully there’s no such thing, but a good day starts with a cup of strong, black tea, some time with my beautiful family, showing up to a inspiring location with a great team and letting the creative process unfold. The real buzz comes at the end of the day when you realize that you have created something better than you could have planned, even more beautiful than what was expected.

Where do you turn for creative inspiration – books, international magazines, the internet, your environment, travel, nature, family or friends… etc?

Mother Nature, her colour combinations, the ocean, and sunlight.

Which other photographers, designers, or creative people are you most inspired by at the moment?

I am into architect Mies van der Rohe, artists Joan Miro, local painter Vincent Fantauzzo, and director Martin De Thurah for his work on the Fever Ray clip “When I grow up“

What would be your dream project?

Something on an warm island, capturing the beauty and ritual of an undiscovered tribe of ocean worshiping natives.

What are you looking forward to?

My trip to Indonesia with my family, no computers, no phones, just banana pancakes, warm water and cold beer.

Exhibiting my most recent project, a series of abstract photographs….. stay tuned!

Melbourne Questions –

Your favorite Melbourne neighbourhood and why?

Mordialloc, for the creek, filled with old timber picnic boats and Pompy’s boat building yard right on the banks.

It truly is a slice of Melbourne maritime history.

Your favourite bookstore in Melbourne for reference books and inspiration?

The Avenue Bookstore, Albert Park, it has a great little nook up the back and the best burger joint across the road.

Where / what was the last great meal you ate in Melbourne?

Lamb shoulder, Cumulus inc.

Melbourne’s best kept secret?

I could tell you but I’d have to kill you.

Typographic paper puzzle by Upon a Fold for the Pop-up Alphabet Co-op in Sydney this weekend!

A-OK!  ‘A’ by Brilliant Benja Harney, ‘OK’ by the lovely Liane Rossler!

The Pop Up Alphabet Co Op is a type-based exhibition / installation / pop-up shop curated by the very clever Sarah King (aka, Sarah K!).   You may remember me gushing about Sarah K’s many talents here – she is one inspiring lady!  (also, you have also seen her house here! :)

Sarah K has pulled together a seriously stellar line-up of local designers, crafters and makers for the Alphabet Co-op, each of whom have created a limited edition typographic artwork especially for the exhibition at Object Gallery in Sydney this weekend!  The line-up includes many TDF favourites!  Lovely peeps including Liane Rossler, Benja Harney, Tamara Maynes, Shannon Lamden (Aunty Cookie) and even this week’s guest blogger – Justine Fahd of Upon a Fold!

The Alphabet Co-op is a ‘Pop-up’ in the truest sense of the word – there’s only a  2 day window of opportunity to visit!  All work on display is limited edition and is available to buy…. type-inspired prints, lights, jewellery, knits, clothes and postcards will all be on show at affordable prices for this weekend only!

Attention Sydneysiders!  Head to Object Gallery this weekend and snaffle yourself a typographic masterpiece!  :)

Pop-up Alphabet Co-op
Object Gallery
417 Bourke st
Surry Hills, NSW

Opening night this Friday night Sept 3rd, 5.00pm – 8.00pm.  Exhibition / shop open all day this Saturday and Sunday only!

Top – Liesl Hazelton’s ‘Alpha Beta’ rings, made out of discarded computer cabling.  Buy one for you and your partner – follow Liesl’s instructions which come with the ring to assess who wear the ‘alpha’ and who the ‘beta’!  Bottom – Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious letterpress cards by by graphic designer Chris Norman.

The Pop-up Alphabet logo, featuring Tamara Maynes’s cross-stitched letter A, and other salvaged components (all available to buy at the show!)

‘ I did this instead of going out’ by Sarah Maxey..  Love it!

Pete’s workspace, where he makes his intricate carved jewellery… ‘If only it was always this clean’ he says :)

Pete’s stunning carved jewellery – the ship is ebony and ivory from the piano (see shots below), with silver.  Le nature morte (still life) is a dandelion plant in reclaimed ivory (pre 60′s off-cuts).  Pete’s  jewellery is all made by hand using very fine saws and files, and he is also teaching himself how to work with silver.  ‘It is sad to pull apart a piano but it gives the ebony and ivory a second life which it much deserves!… such amazing materials to work with.’ says Pete!

Wideshot of living room… love that light!

Love these vibrant colours on the dining table – bring on the springtime!

The hospital surgery light is an Ebay purchase (Pete says it cost more in freight from QLD than it did to buy!). The small print above piano is by Hertha Kluge-Pott, the piano Pete found outside an old church down the road…. he dragged it up the street to the house! It’s now missing most of its keys which have been made into Pete’s carefully crafted jewellery (seen above).  Vase on table is a ‘Rathjen’ from the 60′s.

Pete’s ‘crazed collection’ displayed in his rustic pigeon-hole unit.

This extremely gorgeous home in Melbourne’s Fairfield belongs to the spunkiest couple I know – Peter Trott & Jessie Bridgfoot.  They are seriously goodlooking people. Which is not entirely relevant, I realise, but I don’t know – maybe there is a case for some correlation between spunky people and a seriously spunky home?

Pete is a film industry guy and we’ve worked together a  bunch of times… I know I say this about everyone, but he is just truly the loveliest fella, and is also a super talented designer own right – he creates stunning intricate carved jewellery, some of which you see here.  Amazing stuff!  Pete is also a self-taught taxidermist, which I guess is slightly less appealing.  But no less impressive!

Pete has always loved industrial and well-used items (‘anything that looks like it has a history’), so nearly anything can make its way into the house – he is always salvaging hidden treasures and giving them a new lease on life!  Jess works in an art gallery and would have a more minimal look if she could, so is constantly de-cluttering!

Pete has lived in this amazing place for almost 3 years, and Jess moved in a year ago.  The pair share the lower level of a large brick warehouse – someone else lives upstairs… (but Pete and Jess get the garden!).  It’s a unique set-up, and this is a home I am sure will always hold a very special place for these two, despite a few interesting quirks – like having a roller door in your loungeroom! (The white screen behind the work desk was put in just to stop the noise and cold coming through…!)

Pete and Jess love having such a large, light-filled space to live in… ‘We get beautiful winter sun through the house and get to open up the house to the garden in the summer.’   They also really love living in Fairfield, ‘it’s got some amazing food shops and the people are great’ says Pete  (Apparently, Cardamones deli is a must!).

Hmmm… I am beginning to think there are more hidden gems to discover in Fairfield!  Seems like a bit of a gold mine for quirky, creative Australian Homes….

HUGE thanks to Pete and Jess for sharing their lovenest! OMG they are going to kill me for saying that.  Sorry dudes! x

Dear readers, please forgive me for including the rest of the pics of Pete & Jess’s place as a photo gallery below!  YES you have to click a thumbnail to see it full-size… then you can easily scroll through… SORRY I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but you seriously have no idea the struggles I am having with bandwidth at the moment!  Forgive me! x

Images from the brand new MAIIKEstore in Hawthorn!

I feel like a totally negligent local blogger for not mentioning  Maiike before now.   Sorry Maiike!   Local crafter Aly Peel makes these gorgeous soft toys, scarves, cushions and quilts from re-cycled knits in the most beautiful soft colour palettes… they are seriously so lovely you must go look at Aly’s Flickr to really understand the cuteness.

Somehow, in-between crafting up a storm, being a Mum, and teaching keen young fashion students at RMIT, Aly has managed to open her very own brand new shop in Hawthorn!  Amazing!  …and it looks SO freakin’ cute, too!

The Maiike shop has been a labour of love for Aly and co, who have fitted out their gorgeous little space with a mismatch of reclaimed floorboards and, apparently,  ‘furniture sourced from the finest hard rubbish nature strips, trash and treasure markets and garage sales’! Nice one!

MAIIKEstore stocks all Maiike’s beautiful things, plus a brand new range of cotton childrens wear, as well as many lovely things by other local crafters – including ceramics by Alistair Whyte, jewellery by Dani M, organic wooden toys and towels from Muku and knitted items for adults and children by UIMI.

AWESOME WORK MAIIKE!

Pop down and buy some things -

MAIIKEstore
54 Church St.
Hawthorn
Vic 3122.

Ph. (03) 9687 8352

MAIIKEstore

Best in Park ‘Dog Lover’s Kit’ giveaway! – collar of your choice, Best in Park identity medallion, Eric the Bassett, Walter Wall Plaque, and a lead of your choice!

You may remember many moons ago I blogged about ‘Best in Park‘ – seriously stylish pet accessories by Melbourne designer / dog lover Christina Teresinski!  Not surprisingly, since launching her gorgeous range only 10 months ago, Christina has been bombarded with orders, and has already launched some lovely new products including her ceramic ‘Eric the Bassett’ ornament pictured above…!   There are also new doggy wall tiles and even something for the kitty-lovers out there… do pop over to the website to see the full range!

BUT before you dash off, you should totally enter this super-generous Best in Park giveaway!  Up for grabs is a ‘Dog Lover’s Kit’, hand selected by Christina, comprising -

1 x Collar (winner’s choice)
1 x Lead (winner’s choice)
1 x Identity Medallion
1 x Walter Wall Plaque
1 x Eric the Bassett

Total prize value – AU $241.75

Please leave your comment here before the end of the day to be in the running to win this fabulous prize!  Ensure you leave your email address in the email field so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner!  The winner will be selected randomly and contacted by email tomorrow.  If you subscribe to these posts by email, please don’t reply to your daily email, just pop over to thedesignfiles.net to leave your comment!  Thanks and good luck!

*Update – thanks so much for all your hilarious comments guys! The winning comment was #73 – Cate has been contacted by email!   Thanks again so much for entering… this competition is now closed :)

…and if you need MORE reason to love Christina’s work – Best in Park donates $4.00 from every online sale to the PALS (Pets are Loving Support) program run by the Lort Smith Animal Hospital in here in Victoria. PALS volunteers visit hospitals, nursing homes and day care centres with their own specially trained dogs, providing companionship & affection to hospital patients and the elderly. Oh the love.

Highlights from Tokyo’s Oedo Markets from Justine’s guest blog this week!

Despite having only launched in February this year, Sydney-based online store Upon a Fold has already won a place in the hearts of many local paper-lovers… I don’t know how she does it, but Justine Fahd is doing such a seriously incredible job of finding beautiful papery stuff you really don’t see anywhere else! Do pop over and check out Upon a Fold’s brilliant range of stationery, pop-up books, cards and unique paper gifts and accessories – it is just the most perfect collection.

Truth be told, I can’t quite get enough of Justine’s beautiful products… or her beautiful home, or her beautifully-designed website, or her beautiful paper-loving blog…. SO I decided I’d steal her for some guest blogging action!  This week on the guest blog Justine will share some of her favourite design finds (papery and non-papery) from a recent trip to Japan!

Be warned, come Friday I think we’ll all be itching for a plane ticket! (I am already!)

Velvet and polka dot bedlinen, and artwork by Rachel Castle – photos by Jason Busch, Styled by Megan Morton.

Artwork by Rachel Castle

Artworks, yellow velvet cushion and confetti garland by Rachel Castle.

Right so last night I txt Megan Morton – ‘I am interviewing your pal Rachel Castle on the blog tomorrow… how I should I intro her?’.   Because, you know, I LOVE Rachel’s beautiful bedlinen range and super sweet artworks…. and of course I’ve also seen her styling prowess within the pages of Inside Out magazine… but, truth be told, until this interview I didn’t know toooooo much more about her!

Megan called me back immediately, and, with a sense of great urgency, said the following -

“Oh. My. God.
words cannot describe how I feel about that woman….
Rachel Castle is….
….SUNSHINE!
I love her so much it makes me…….
….a bit scared.”

I am not exaggerating. In actual fact if anything I am paraphrasing. There was a great deal of LOVE which I really wish I could remember more of!

So really with an intro like that, what more can I say?   This Rachel Castle lady is clearly one super lovely lady!

Rachel wears her heart (art?) on her sleeve.   According to MM, to know Rachel’s artwork is to know Rachel – so I’m guessing she must have a truly bright, summery and optimistic outlook on life!  I love the upbeat personality of her work… it’s just so cheerful!  Just think how much more chirpy the world would be if everyone woke up to Rachel’s polka dot bedlinen in the mornings?  I reckon polka dots could solve a lot of the world’s problems actually.

But there’s more to Rachel than polka dots and pom poms.  After graduating from RMIT in Communications, Ms Castle spent years working at Country Road in the homewares marketing division, before heading to the UK to cut her teeth at The Conran Shop (as you do).  After leaving The Conran Shop, she established her own successful branding agency in the UK with two business partners.  THESE DAYS Rachel is busily designing gorgeous things for her homewares brand CASTLE, being a Mum, contributing to the odd magazine, and being generally busy / lovely / smiley / optimistic.  Hey, someone’s gotta do it!

HUGE thanks to Rachel for this fab interview!  Please do pop over to her website and buy yourself something with polka dots on it.  Or a pom pom.

Rachel Castle gets crafty

Tell us a little about your background – what path has led you to what you’re doing now?

I originally studied Communications at RMIT and moved straight into the PR department at Country Road doing all the marketing for the Homewear brand. From there I moved to London to work with Alex Willcock at The Conran Shop in the buying department, and ended up heading the branding division responsible for all the printed material for the shops and restaurants worldwide. From there Alex Willcock, myself and Russell Pinch set up our own branding agency called The Nest which we sold 7 years later to St Lukes in the UK. From there I started having babies and re-engaging with my love of hand-making anything I possibly could.

You have spent the past 20 years working in the homewares industry both in Australia and abroad…. What prompted your move into interiors styling and writing for magazines?

I guess the freelance nature of styling and writing is perfect for stay at home mothers. We need to work in little snippets of time and so a day on a shoot and then writing 2000 words at your own pace is a real luxury.

How do you find a balance your freelance editorial work with designing your gorgeous line of homewares and artworks for CASTLE? How do these two roles complement each other?

With difficulty at the moment. CASTLE is taking up more and more time, both the bedlinen and the artworks, and so I’m finding I do the odd house here and there at the moment, rather than a consistent amount of work.

How would you describe your interior decorating/styling aesthetic in your own home? How does this compare with the aesthetic you bring to your commercial styling work?

My style at home is very ‘abundant’ or as my fussy architect friend calls it ‘chaotic’. It’s a lot of stuff everywhere in a big white backdrop. I love clutter I must say, it makes me feel at home. I do however, like to have a specific spot for everything. This is where the jugs go, this is where all the chopping boards belong, this is where the cookbooks stand, this is where the sugar bowl sits. I tidy the house to within an inch of its life every Friday afternoon and Monday morning, without fail.

With the clutter comes a need to make everything else as neat and tidy as possible. On a shoot I will ALWAYS make the bed, set furniture at right angles, be careful to put everything in its place.

oh my.  Is there any better colour combo than dusty grey and egg-yolk yellow!?

Which designers, artists or creative people are you inspired by?

There are just so many. David Band, Gemma Smith, Paul Rand. I love Jonathan Adler, he is hilarious. You should read his book, I laughed out loud it is so funny. I remember as a child my friends mother, Annamieke Mein, was an embroiderer, and I was very inspired by her workspace. I like to sit in my ‘making’ room surrounded by my ‘making’ stuff, probably just like she did.

Where else do you find inspiration – ie books, magazines, your environment, travel, your family and friends?

I feel really inspired by work itself, by the process of retailing, even if it is online I still have interaction with my customers who are just so appreciative and delightful to deal with. If I just had to sit and sew or screen print all day every day I would go potty. The mix of making and selling is really a perfect balance. Oh and I read every magazine known to man and just as many blogs.

CASTLE bedlinen and artwork

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

Sewing, there is always sewing, wrapping parcels, pleading with my bedlinen manufacturer to PLEASE let me have just 15 metres more of our cotton fabric, then pleading with our lovely printer to print me another batch of spots yesterday, and then I spend the other half of my day at the Post Office. My Post Office people are so lovely because I spend my entire life there. Can I say hello and send my love to Janet and Sam from Northbridge Post Office?

What are you looking forward to?

Time to make some new embroideries and do some new screen printing. Ask me what I’m not looking forward to… our house renovation where we have to move out for 4 months.

Sydney Questions –

You favourite fossicking spots in Sydney for unique furniture and home accessories?

I would have to say Koskela. All Australian design, everything from furniture and rugs, to pottery and exceptional aboriginal weaving and paintings. They are lovely, lovely people.

What and where was the last great meal you ate in Sydney?

Spice Temple in Sydney on my birthday.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

On the side of the road arguing with the sat nav somewhere in Pymble driving Cleo to netball.

Sydney’s best kept secret?

I adore the Sydney Opera House. It is my favourite building in the world. It is an unbelievably beautiful piece of architecture inside and out, and I feel a serenity and peace whenever I am there. On any given day there is music and ballet and caberet and theatre and tours and things for children, so much going on. It is a very special, sacred, magical place that I visit often.

Confetti Garland by CASTLE

Limited edition silk scarves by Melbourne artist Joanne Ritson.

Oh my how pretty are these scarves by Melbourne sisters Julia and Joanne Ritson!?  Both Julia and Joanna are talented local artists, and have teamed up to reproduce a selection of their original paintings on limited edition silk scarves.

I LOVE the dreamy colours, and the contrast between Julia’s abstract grid-inspired works, and Joanne’s organic, hazy landscapes… so beautiful!  Each scarf measures 97cm x 97cm with hand-rolled edges, and is in a limited edition of either 20 or 25 .  Starting at $320.00 each, they’re a little pricey for a scarf…. but pretty cheap for a limited edition artwork! :)

You can buy these at Grace, Christine and T.L Wood in Melbourne, and Artisan in Brisbane.  They can also be ordered online (free delivery) from Julia’s website.

Limited edition scarves by Julia Ritson

The Caulfield home of Shelley and Lance Davis and family

How good are these stools!?

Cute kitchen details

Most photos here are by me.  But some of these more beautiful moody / hazy ones are actually taken by my dear friend Jess Leski!

OK so there are a LOT of photos here!

I just don’t know where to start with how much I love this house!  It’s just so full of life and love and humour and creative industrious energy!  Lance and Shelley are a super creative couple – Lance is a production designer in the film industry, he works on lots of TV commercials (which is how I know him – nicest boss ever, seriously!) and Shelley is a crafter extraordinaire from way back – she’s been making her gorgeous ‘Special Friends‘ Waldorf dolls for years, and also has a beautiful little handcraft / toy shop not far from home called Little Sparrow. (there are some photos of Little Sparrow at the bottom of the post!)

Lance and Shelley’s colourful, bustling little house is also home to their two teenage kids, Charley and Harry, and a veritable menagerie of animals (dogs x 2, chickens, a bird and a mouse!?).  Brilliant!  They also have a gorgeous lush garden full of vegies and herbs and of course the chooks (their sweet little white coop was a birthday gift for Shelley, built by Lance, who is very handy like that).

I LOVE the retro orange stools in the kitchen.  I LOVE Shelley’s op-shops finds, proudly displayed on every wall and every surface!  I LOVE the sunlight streaming into the back room, the flying ducks on the wall, the vintage bread basket, and the mint green vintage mixmaster! I cannot find much not to love!!

Huge thanks to Shelley and Lance for letting us run around their home taking hundreds of photos!  I hope we have captured the fun and colour and creative spirit of this beautiful family home!

If you love Shelley’s home you will love Little Sparrow! Do pop in and say hi next time you’re in the area! -

Little Sparrow
Shop 2, 101 Orrong Crescent
North Caulfield

(near the corner of Orrong and Alma Roads)

Open 10.00am – 5.00pm Mon to Fri, 11.00am – 4.00pm Sat.

Ps) ALSO you should know I brought my dear friend Leski along with me and she took some of these photos too…! (mine are bright and sharp, hers are moody with beautiful soft focus – spot the difference!).

Kitchen and light-filled loungeroom

Soft focus = Jess Leski! (Man I really need a 50mm lens!)

Shelley stitches a new doll whilst we dash about…!

Hallway

Hallway details

Bedroom details

Bedroom details

Bedroom details

Bathroom details

Charley’s bedroom (15 yrs? I think?)

CUTE details!  The sketch in the top pic says – ‘a dream home for Lance and Shelley and family’!  Also love the kids’ height chart in the doorway (Eagle eye Jess spotted that!)

Garden, chicken coop and front door detail

Caulfield ZOO! (and this is not even all the animals!).

Little Sparrow! And one of Shelley’s custom Waldorf dolls.

Little Sparrow!

Father’s day gift ideas, clockwise from top left - Paul Smith for Stelton bowls at Corporate Culture (starting at AU$50.00), handmade watch movement cufflinks from Etsy seller OnTheBead (US$66.20), Armagnac Tryst original vintage poster from Galerie Montmartre (25cm x 33xm – AU$200.00), Australian Boutique Beer Pack from the International Beer Shop (AU$53.99), TOCA Clock from Via Alley (AU$250.00), Lamy Swift Moroccan refillable rollerball pen from Notemaker (AU$99.00), Leatherman Blast Black Multitool from Tip Top Shop (AU$125.00), Grand Designs series 7 DVD from the ABC shop (AU$37.99), Thomas Paul Tobacco Pouch from Safari Living (AU$13.00), BYO Coffee Cups from HookTurn Industries ($10.95 – disclaimer – you guys KNOW these are my Mum’s coffee cups – forgive me! ), 3-month Coffee Club Subscription from Market Lane (AU$125.00), ‘Sparrow’ Australian kangaroo  leather wallet from Tailfeather (AU$99.00), Fu-Magnum moustache mugs from Third Drawer Down (AU$27.00)

OMG how good is my photoshopping?! NOT very!  (I know there are lots of graphic designers reading so please forgive the jaggedy edges! :)

But, what I lack in Photoshop skills I hope I can make up for with great gift ideas!?  Most of these items are available online or over the phone and can be shipped anywhere in Australia (and some internationally).

I can’t take the credit for all these myself though… My lovely occasional helper / research assistant Miriam McGarry helped find many of the fab Father Day gift ideas here! The Australian boutique beer pack I think is particularly genius, and I most certainly wouldn’t have come up with that one on my own!  Nice one Miriam!

(Father’s Day in Australia is 2 weeks away – next Sunday September 5th.  I am not sure if it is the same all over the world…?!  But anyway.)