Wee Birdy

Wee Christmas finds: Gifts for teens

1. PAM for Covers for a Cause iPhone cover, AU$39, from Incu (ships internationally).

2. Lazy Oaf Spaced Out T Shirt, £25, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).

3. Tatty Devine future Mystic Cluster Bracelet, £33, from Tatty Devine (ships internationally).

4. Lazy Oaf In the Mix Blue Rucksack, £35, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).

5. Urbanears Plattan headphones in turquoise, 60EUR, from Urbanears (ships internationally).

6. Archie Grand Celebrities I Met and Liked notebook, AU$19.95, from NoteMaker (ships to selected international countries).

7. Lazy Oaf Pink Rosy Bear Girl's Sweatshirt, £40, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).

8. Marc by Marc Jacobs jumble-embossed neoprene laptop case, £45, from Net-a-porter (ships internationally).

9. Diana multi–pinhole operator camera, £46, from Selfridges.

10. Apple Notes, AU$9.95, from Raw Space (contact Raw Space for international deliveries. UK readers can purchase Apple Notes from the V&A for £4.50.

11. Painted Beauty Glide On Nail Colour Holiday 2010 Collection, AU$22 each, by Mecca Cosmetica.

Wee Christmas finds: Gifts for wee kids

This one was super-difficult to edit down into one post - there is just so much good stuff online for little kids. Hope my picks help with the wee ones.

1. Indie Rock Coloring Book by Yellow Bird Project, £5.27, from Wee Birdy's UK Amazon shop. (or US$9.95 from Wee Birdy's US Amazon shop). Both stores ship internationally.

2. Handmade cotton Socks the Fox, US$46, from Blabla (ships internationally).

3. Plastisock short sleeve 'Peace Please' T-shirt in yellow, US$24, from Vyssan Lull (only ships within the US.)

4. All About Heidi handmade leather summer shoe, available in a rainbow of colours, $39.95, from My Messy Room (ships internationally).

5. Wooden Solar System, £16.95, from Muji.

6. The Small Object Thumbprint Notecard Set by Sarah Neuburger, US$11.53, from Wee Birdy's US Amazon store (ships internationally) and £6.39 from the UK Amazon store (ships internationally).

7. Hip Stuff Groovy Maracas in blue spot, AU$12, from The Hip Infant (ships internationally).

8. 'Alphabet favourites' print, £20, from Made with Love by Mrs Booth (ships internationally).

9. Press out Giraffe, £3.95, from Muji.

10. Doggie booties, US$27, from Blabla (ships internationally).

11. Duktig 15-piece breakfast set, AU$10.04, from IKEA.

I'm back. I really am.

I’m back. No really and truly, I am. I didn’t mean to take such a looong break without warning, but stuff* kinda happened, things got complicated, and then I decided I wanted to redesign and relaunch the site, so that took a bit of time … and now I’m here. I’m really sorry. But gee, it’s nice to back!

So how have things been for you?

Thanks to everyone who’s been writing in and checking up on me – it means so much to have such a lively and supportive community of readers out there. I hope you’ve all been well and happy!

*In case you’re wondering, here’s a bit of what I’ve been up to over the last six months:

• Renewed my addiction to Golden Gaytimes and Weiss Fruito icecream bars. As well as Frankie magazine, and loads of other Australian sweets and treats. Oh, and I went to the beach as well…

• Moved into our temporary ‘holiday house’ on Sydney’s northern beaches (just a bit of a major sea change from South East London!). Felt very, very lucky and grateful for generous and kind family.
• Gazed at the dazzling views every day. Here’s the view from my ‘desk’...

• Bought our very first flat. It’s in Sydney’s inner west and we move in next week, so the view is about to change (to that of our next door neighbour’s brick wall. Viva la Sydney real estate!).
• Spent months looking to buy a house. Wept a wee bit. Sydney, you really do suck when it comes to real estate.
• Painted walls, ripped out cupboards, hired a flotilla of tradespeople to do stuff I didn’t really understand …Yep, I’m renovating. 
• Participated in Meet me at Mike's Envelope Project.

• Started driving again (after a 14 year break). In a ute. It’s true, I drove a ute in my thigh-high Marni boots.
• Met and instantly liked Likkle Girl, who’s been a long-distance bloggy friend since I started Wee Birdy four years ago. She has good hair, too.
• Drove over the Harbour Bridge on my own for the first time.
• Bought our very first car. At least I managed to significantly reduce my carbon footprint for the first 36 years of my life.
• Had a double winter (although compared to London’s coldest winter in something like 18 years, Sydney’s eight weeks of mild chilliness doesn’t really count, I guess).
• Forgot what honest-to-goodness thundering-down-sub-tropical rain was like. And thunder storms! So different to the ongoing drizzle in London.
• Realised that some pieces of my European wardrobe don’t translate in Sydney. Like walking down Pitt Street mall in thigh-high Marni boots.
• Redesigned and relaunched Wee Birdy. What do you think? More on the new look in the next post…
• Got sick, recovered, and got sick again. Health has not been my strong point over the past 12 months. Spent months in bed. Couldn’t leave the house, couldn’t get in the car, and heaved and sobbed into Mr Bucket on a regular basis. Became somewhat of a recluse. Ended up in hospital. But now? I’m feeling fine. Better than fine, actually, because…
• I’m having a baby! Baby Wee Birdy due 8 March, 2011. It’s a boy!

So tell me, what have you been up to? What have I missed?

'My adventure is about to begin' ceramic tile by Rob Ryan, US$36.

Birdy pick of the week

Loving these organic candles and soap for mother and baby from Baby Bear Shop. Handmade 'Baby bird soap' with organic oils of palm, coconut, aloe vera and lavender, US$8; and recycled glass soy wax candle, made with organic oils, US$24.
UPDATE: SPECIAL OFFER. Buy one glass soy wax candle and get one free. Just enter this promo code: weebirdyblog.

Birdy pick of the week

My stand-out Christmas gift for kids this year: the brilliant PlayShapes by Brighton-based Miller Goodman. These modular wooden blocks can be made into a variety of shapes, characters and animals. £69.95 for a set of 74 blocks. They're also available from Aram Store in London. 

Aram Store
110 Drury Lane
(Nr. Aldwych)
London WC2B 5SG
Tel. 020 7557 7557
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10am-6pm
Thursday 10am-7pm