Category: Featured

When shopping for the best online shoe shops Australia there are a few important aspects that must be taken into account. Online shopping has become a highly popular trend these days due to several benefits that it has to offer. With that said, buying shoes online may be daunting, especially if you are not used to Internet shopping, but it is relatively convenient. In this article, you will find out about the process of shopping shoes online.

When looking to purchase shoes online from a shoe shops in Australia, one of the most important things to do is to consider the size. You may have to enter the correct size manually. It is recommended that you look for shoes in your size, rather than buy shoes and then see if they are the right size. Selecting your size is not difficult because online shoe shops would allow you to pick the size.

With so many types and options available, you could be tempted to purchase more than you want. So before you start shopping, it would be better if you could set yourself a budget and stick to it.

A major problem that deters people from shopping online is the risk of fraud and identity theft. For this reason, it is absolutely vital that you know the features to look for, in order to ensure that you are shopping at the right site. Here are some key aspects to look for:

1. Make sure that the site is safe and secure.
2. Make sure that the site offers secure payment methods.
3. Check reviews to see if other customers are satisfied with the service provided.

Thus, you ought to consider all of the above-mentioned aspects when finding the best online shoe shops Australia. These guidelines and tips would allow you to buy the best shoes online at a reasonable price.

The Internet business plan has become an indispensable part of most of the Australian population. A big percentage of the total population uses the internet for one reason or the other. With the growing demand for internet services over the past few years, the number of service providers has also increased. At present, there are several internet providers in Australia. However, not all of them are the same. There are differences in the services they offer. One of the most important factors when choosing an internet service is speed. Most of the time, people choose an internet provider by speed. So, most people think about how to get fast internet in Australia. Let us take a look at how we can get high-speed internet service in Aussie land.

Several companies have been conducting speed tests in order to find out the fastest internet in Australia. The results of different companies are different than others due to some factors. According to Business Insider, the fastest internet speed is offered by Telstra. Their speed test was based on Netflix i.e. how long did the videos take to buffer videos. According to their January report, their top speed reached 4.38 Mbps. It is to be noted that this result is for their NBN service only. Their non-NBN service ranked number 4 on the list of fast buffering speed on Netflix standing at 3.83 Mbps being the highest.

The second highest on their list was Optus giving a speed of 4.04 Mbps offering three different types of service – fiber, cable, and DSL. The third one is Exetel that showed the highest speed of 3.99 Mbps while using Netflix.

As you got to know about the services of the three best companies, you should not worry about how to get fast internet in Australia. You may choose one of the options mentioned before so that you can enjoy using fast internet in your home or office.

Jason Cesani and Nadia Husiak are the creative force behind the colourful and mesmerising textile design studio, Printink, based in Collingwood, Melbourne.  With an experimental eye for geometric design and natural colours, this inspiring duo who met while studying at RMIT, offer an eclectic range of hand screen-printed products that are 100% locally designed, sourced and crafted.

 

For those who don’t know, how would you describe your work?

Tinker by Printink Studio is distinguished by its celebration of colour, nature, imagination, nostalgia and the mesmeric beauty of patterns. Our designs uplift and imbue their environments with lightness, spark and cheer. The bright, bold and distinctive prints prize and preserve the artisan skill of hand drawn designs and the creative adventures involved in hand screen printing our fabrics.  All products are unique and Australian Made.

The colour-fuelled lifestyle range spans homewares, linen tableware, fashion accessories, organic toddler, babywear. We also are planning to launch a small capsule range of women’s fashion.

 

How did the Tinker by Printink journey begin, what Is your story? Who or what inspired you to begin in your field?

We were both drawn to textile design for various reasons, however there was always a strong passion we both shared – for pattern and surface design. We actually studied together at RMIT in the mid 90s, completing our BA in Textile Design, majoring in screen print. (Jason is now a sessional lecturer at RMIT).

After finishing university, we all had the opportunity at different times to work with Georgia Chapman, formerly of Vixen Australia along with freelance work. It was an inspiring environment to work in, everything we did was hand screen printed. It allowed us to gain incredible knowledge and expertise of different techniques that helped structure our skill set.

Around the same time, there was a resurgence of the ‘handmade’ that was starting to make a comeback. With our confidence and desire to create something that was our own, we took the plunge and started Printink Studio.  Our Tinker label shortly followed a couple of years after and was launched in 2008.  The Tinker label has grown into a lifestyle brand crossing many genres, from homewares to organic kids’ clothing and fashion accessories.  Each product, garment and fabric is printed by us in our studio in Collingwood and we work alongside some amazing talented local makers who also help manufacture some of these products.

#handprintedforyoubyus is incorporated in all our branding and we are strong believers of our hash tag and mantra.

 

What are your current artistic influences and what inspires you to carry on doing what you’re doing?

With all our ranges, our mantra is to incorporate a variety of geometric designs and work them back alongside florals.  We use a combination of hand drawn elements and motifs to create all-over patterns and then juxtapose them with bold lines and geometric shapes. Colour is a major component and alongside pattern is one of the most important qualities that make up the Tinker brand.

 

What’s a typical day for Tinker by Printink?

Fortunately, there is not a typical day for us, especially when you introduce a three year old into the business (she is in the studio with us 2 days a week!).  We are the face and sole runners of the business so juggling our time to meet deadlines for our clients and be the creative force behind Tinker is certainly challenging…but we would not have it any other way.   Hand screen printing would be the only thread of ‘typical’ for us that links all the components of our business together.

 

Which other designers are you looking forward to seeing when you come to Bowerbird, 5-7 May?

Julie White for her colourful and distinctive scarves and products (plus she is local).  Temono, for their beautiful hand crafted leather goods (you can never have too many belts!!), plus we have recently done a collaboration with them.  So we have printed our designs onto leather which they have made into bags, purses etc.  Erin Lighfoot for her beautiful crafted ceramic ware.

 

What’s your favourite piece of your own work that will be available for at Bowerbird?

With autumn on its way and winter around the corner….. our favourite product that we will have at Bowerbird would be our new silk/wool scarves.  They’re amazingly soft and light, but so super warm and comfy.  Plus with the addition of colourful bold designs printed on them they are a must to accessorise any garment, with the added bonus of staying warm.

 

What advice would you give other aspiring artists and designers?

Nowadays artists, designers, students and graduates have so many options.  You can be more of a hand made designer and maker, or you can work in many commercial areas that use designers, not just in textiles, but fashion, graphic design and many other areas of this creative environment.

Advice would be to love the freedom that design can give you in terms of its creativity and having an artistic appreciation.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with anyone who is reading this and coming down to Bowerbird?

Looking forward to seeing everyone at there and escaping to Adelaide for the weekend.  Plus if we are organised enough we will be launching a small women’s wear capsule collection which we would love to have with us!!!!

Leaving behind the managerial nine-to-five to follow his passion, Pete Cromer is from the Victorian Surf Coast and a man who lives by the light of the morning sun. An artist, designer and illustrator who creates his own bright and colorful patterns, Pete combines his artistic passion with his love of native Australian flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes in delivering some unforgettable design collections.

 

For those who don’t know, how would you describe your work? 

My work is meant to put a smile on your face. I like to create works that are bright, colourful and evoke feelings. I experiment with my mediums working across paint, collage and sculpture. I’m inspired by the personalities of my subjects – everything and everyone, in my eyes, is full of colour and life. I like to bring that out using colour and shapes.

 

How did the Pete Cromer journey begin, what is your story? Who or what inspired you to begin in your field? 

It was an itch that needed to be scratched. I was working as a creative manager for a company and it was very unfulfilling. I need challenges in life. I constantly have ideas in my head, so I quit and just gave my own thing a crack. Best thing ever.

 

What are your current artistic influences and what inspires you to carry on doing what you’re doing? 

Todd James, Amy Sol, Dan Lam just to name a few. Love their use of colour and forms, makes me feel good. I get inspired by the people I live with, they are just the best bunch of people and I’m grateful everyday to have them in my life.

 

What’s a typical day for Pete Cromer?

I live by the sun, so I get up when the sun rises and have a coffee and go to the gym. When I get home, I pop the kettle on for another coffee, and go through emails and plan my day. My husband works with me too, so I delegate a few tasks to him and then head down to my studio in Torquay by mid morning.  Here I create my collages and experiment with new ideas and mediums.  Time flies when you’re having fun. I try to revisit any emails later in the day just to keep on top of them. Some days are heavily creative and others are heavily hustling. I don’t like to work in the dark so by pm I’m done for the day and get home and unwind.

 

Which other designers are you looking forward to seeing when you come to Bowerbird?

I love seeing all the others designers and it will be great to see new ones too.  I am a sucker for Unforgettable Products. It’s so addictive.

 

What’s your favourite piece of your own work that will be available at Bowerbird? 

My favourite piece would have to be the Resin Budgies and Druids.  They are fun and colourful and each of them has their own personality.

 

What advice would you give other aspiring artists and designers? 

Back yourself and be yourself. Don’t worry what everyone else is doing, focus on your own path, it’s yours, not anybody else’s. Be friendly, work hard and go with your gut.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with anyone who is reading this and coming down to the Bowerbird design markets? 

Just soak up the amazing designers and atmosphere. My husband will be working on my stand too, he’s not as shy as me, so come by and say hello and enjoy the market.

For some of the best chocolate brownies, cakes and sweets around, Four Seeds is a sweet tooth’s little piece of heaven. We caught up with founder and baker extraordinaire Mim Gollan, to discover more about the flavoursome delight that is Four Seeds.

 

For those who don’t know, how would you describe your work?

Two words — chocolate brownies. Or four words — salted caramel chocolate brownies. Or, if you (like me) have coeliacs, or an intolerance to gluten, then you’ll want to hear six words — gluten free, salted caramel chocolate brownies (but don’t tell the gluten lovers – they’ll never guess). Four Seeds’ retro kitchen cupboard pops up at events and festivals around Adelaide, serving up soul-nourishing chocolate brownies and a range of other small sweets. I have a couple of feeding philosophies, first and foremost that sweet treats should be satisfying, and second that even people with special food needs should be able to enjoy flavourful food. At Bowerbird I will have gluten free, dairy free, vegan and sugar free options –so hopefully no one has to miss out on a little energy kick to fuel their shopping experience. Also, when I’m not popping up around Adelaide, I create buttercream cakes for special occasions like weddings and birthdays and I supply small sweets to a number of local cafes.

 

How did the Four Seeds’ journey begin, what is your story? Who or what inspired you to begin?

I’ve always loved creating delicious and wholesome food, and even better if I can share it with others. When I was a toddler Mum had to balance me on her hip whenever she was in the kitchen, I had to watch what she was doing. After a decade of working in an office environment, I wanted to ditch the days of fluro lights and leaving the office as the sun set. I tested the waters with Four Seeds as a weekend hobby and my ever-patient boyfriend and I spent weekends baking and attending markets. Over time Four Seeds has grown to be my full-time profession (but is still Jesse’s weekend ‘hobby’).

 

What are your current artistic influences and what inspires you to carry on doing what you’re doing?

My Instagram feed is full of magnificent buttercream cakes, Scandinavian home wares, stunning (and immaculate) kitchens and glorious floral arrangements. Not all of these images inspire my baking directly, but they certainly feed my inner creative and let me dream a little along the way too.

 

What’s a typical day for Four Seeds?

A typical day? There is honestly no such thing. I’ve drawn myself up a weekly schedule, and each day is supposed to start with time in my garden. Unfortunately this is rarely (never) the case because I have a terribly habit of trying to pack too much into each day and writing unachievable to-do lists for myself. So instead of serenely waltzing into my day, I get straight onto the ‘important’ things like baking and replying to emails and doing my BAS and washing the dishes and washing the dishes (repetition intended). Needless to say I’m still working on that life balance thing, but I’m determined to get there.

 

Which other designers are you looking forward to seeing when you come to Bowerbird, 5-7 May?

Bowerbird has become like a big family reunion for Jesse and I. This coming event will be our eighth market, so many of the returning designers are now friends – incredibly talented friends. That makes it hard to list any favourites. However, we are building a new house this year, so I’m looking forward to being tempted by some creative homewares, and of course I’ll wistfully dream over a piece by Alfie & Audrey.

 

What’s your favourite piece of food that will be available for at Bowerbird?

Chocolate Brownies!! Bowerbird does such a great job of providing a fabulous spread of food, and it keeps growing! Now that I can’t eat gluten, my food choices are generally limited whenever I eat out, and that’s a very sad state of affairs when food plays such a strong part in my life. However, Let Them Eat always keeps me well fed and Sit Lo’s spring rolls are delicious.

 

What advice would you give other aspiring chefs?

I’m so not qualified to give any advice, especially not to a trained chef. But if I was giving myself advice, I would remind myself that there are only 24
hours in a day, and no matter how much I wish for more time there is only so much I can achieve in a day. While I do tell myself that, I’d be too embarrassed to show you the schedule I’ve been keeping since the beginning of 2017, it’s completely insane!

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with anyone who is reading this and coming down to Bowerbird?

We’ll be changing our position this year, you’ll find your favourite brownies in the middle of Bowerbird, so you can have a quick break and energy top-up as you explore the amazing talents and creations that make BB one of our annual highlights.

One of South Australia’s most dedicated  jewellers and shop owners, Sarah Rothe has quickly made a name for herself in the Australian market, and shows no signs of slowing down. Bowerbird caught up with Sarah to find out more…

 

 For those who don’t know, how would you describe your work? 

Primarily my work consists of contemporary etched and coloured (anodised) titanium jewellery. Titanium colours amazingly though anodising (an electrical process where voltage is used to change the surface of titanium without dyes or additives). It is also very strong, lightweight and hypoallergenic. Perfect for jewellery, especially those with allergies. I translate fragile and delicate natural forms into long lasting and strong pieces in titanium.

 

How did the your jewellery journey begin? Who or what inspired you to start? 

If you want to go WAY back… I guess my journey started with a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, a gourmet weekend in the Barossa and a small stand selling cornflake cookies, lemonade and bracelets made from willow branches (from the neighbour’s yard) from out the front of our house. Fast forward about 8 years and I enrolled in a short course in jewellery making at WEA. I always knew I was going to art school, but this started my love of jewellery making. After studying jewellery at Adelaide Centre for the Arts I went straight into an Associate position at the Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design. Towards the end of my time there, I undertook a residency in Jingdezhen, China. The inspiration I took away from this residency started my titanium collection as it is today. I launched the collection and the very first designs, at the first ever Bowerbird, at the Queens Theatre in 2009!

 

What are your current artistic influences and what inspires you to carry on doing what you’re doing? 

At the moment I’m moving back to some old influences while designing a new range of precious rings. These are inspired by medieval and ancient jewels, while also having a modern feel. I’m pretty excited about these!

I’m also working on some statement jewellery in titanium. Large necklaces and earrings. I will have a few pieces of both the precious range and the new titanium work at Bowerbird! Can’t wait to see how people react to these and discover which are their favourites!

Looking back on what I have achieved keeps me going. Looking forward also makes me really excited and there are so many more things to come!

 

What’s a typical day for you?

Most days involve me waking up around 6:30, having a coffee on the couch and a cuddle with my fur babies (two adorable pugs), which is always drawn out longer than it should – they are very good at making me feel guilty for leaving them. I then like to get a few things done in the morning, maybe a quick order, resize, or some emails, this helps to get me productive and motivated for the day. I have a shop/gallery now in Regent Arcade and on Mondays I keep the shop closed so I usually use this for a workshop and design day, the rest of the week it is into the shop/gallery where my days are usually pretty varied depending on how many customers come in and what needs to be done.

 

Which other designers are you looking forward to seeing when you come to Bowerbird on May 5 – 7?

There is such a fantastic array of designers that come to Bowerbird. I am definitely looking forward to catching up with interstate designer friends such as Atelier Nomada, Emma Kate Co, Hannakin, Koa by Kaitlin, Linogirl, The Gently Unfurling Sneak and also fellow South Aussies like Kitty Came Home, Dana Kinter, Delilah Devine, Days of August, Namoi and Claire Ishino.

 

What’s your favourite piece that will be available for Bowerbird? 

Ooo, that’s a hard one! My favourite pieces change all the time! I think it would have to be my new brooches! Inspired by poppy petals and using very fluid curls and curves, along with graduating colours! All are unique and no two are the same.

 

What advice would you give other aspiring designers? 

Work hard and be persistent, keep learning and surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed.

SEEK. EXPLORE. FIND. COLLECT.

Bowerbird…  Held twice a year in Adelaide, our Autumn/Winter 2017 event was just held the weekend before Mothers Day.
Setting a new bar, with great feedback on organisation, quality of stalls, atmosphere, flow and numbers of visitors through. A bumper event all round!

Our next (Spring/Summer) event will be held 24 – 26 November 

Please join our DESIGNERS MAILING LIST to be kept in the loop and notified when applications open VERY SOON. 

 

ABOUT BOWERBIRD

Bowerbird Design Market is a curated event held twice a year in South Australia since 2009, celebrating high quality design and workmanship, fresh ideas and innovation. Now in our eighth year, we are the leading design market in South Australia, with a reputation for promoting and nurturing emerging and established Australian designers, makers and artists, who sell and promote their wares in a dynamic and inspiring environment to thousands of South Australian attendees each event.

Stallholders do not just receive a space, but a chance to become part of our design community and the support, exchange of ideas and opportunities this brings. We aim to foster our stallholders by providing information and access to tailored professional development workshops, and encouraging collaboration and networking opportunities at each event.

Bowerbird Design Market is an unmissable experience that attracts design-savvy consumers who are passionate about supporting small production runs and the handmade. We would love you to apply for our next event!

 

WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE AS A STALLHOLDER?

• .  3 days of promoting and selling to a large, established, enthusiastic and growing South Australian audience
• .  Generous-sized stall hire with back stall fence, and white cardboard cladding provided
• .  An event run by designers who have also been stallholders. A venue that’s thoughtfully designed and high quality curated stalls
• .  Hireable extras such as trestles, clothing racks, chairs and power
• .  A listing and image on our website designer directory in the lead up to, during and post event
• .  A listing and image in our Bowerbird booklet, provided free to visitors and used for post-event sales
• .  The benefits of our event promotion and additional media and advertising opportunities
• .  Easy and accessible bump in and bump out
• .  Access to complimentary professional  workshops, such as visual merchandising, signage, photography, selling + wholesaling
• .  The availability of great food and coffee, and an invitation to our Stallholder Drinks on the Saturday night of the event
• .  A promotional pack which will guide you to promote your involvement and make the most of your market experience
• .  Friendly, helpful support

EVENT MARKETING AND PROMOTION

We engage in a comprehensive calendar of strategic online and print advertising and editorial, social media promotions, radio, marketing and public relations to raise awareness about our creative stallholders and the event. We continue to grow our investment in time and expenditure to increase the reach and audience of Bowerbird, and believe in telling Bowerbird’s story and the skills, craft and story of the designers taking part. We do this through the following platforms for each market:

• .  Extensive social media promotion to our audience of over 27,000 online followers (Facebook + Instagram)
• .  Wide-reaching advertising and editorial campaign across South Australian media.
• .  Press and photo opportunities featuring stallholders are coordinated with appropriate online and print publications in SA
• .  A newly updated website, blog and e-newsletter
• .  Engaging radio promotion and TV crews
• .  Distribution of over 20,000 postcards and posters throughout metropolitan Adelaide in the months leading up to the market
• .  Regular e-newsletters to our extensive mailing lists
• .  Hosting online competitions and giveaways that promote stallholders, drive attendance and increase online engagement
• .  Local collaborations and networking to spread awareness of the event further

APPLICATIONS + CRITERIA

Bowerbird stallholder applications open three to four months before each event with 150+ designer makers selected to take part in each three day program.

We invite Australian designers, makers and artists with high quality products and a professional approach to their business to apply.

All work must be designed (and preferably made) in Australia by the stallholder, and selection is based on high quality workmanship and fresh contemporary ideas.

A cohesive range, professional online presence, high quality images and stall presentation also influence selection.

Variety within each event, and between events, is also considered in bringing together an exciting range of furniture, ceramics, lighting, prints, paintings, photography, glassware, clothing, stationery, homewares, textiles, accessories and more.

Please join our DESIGNERS MAILING LIST to be kept in the loop and notified when applications open VERY SOON for our 24-26 November event. (Prices and further information will be available on our application form.)