October 2011
|
ISSUE 1
Partner n omotio
Pr
e 1 year Get a Fre bership em Sellers m
At Home WORKOUT Plan
APPLY
INSIDE
Discover the Delicious
Look your best
without leaving the house!
Perth Street Fashion who was caught
SHERBET CAFE!
Wise Owl BEAUTY
Look
out-and-about this month!
A WEEKEND with IVY a blog about Interiors, Design,
Tips & Tricks plus MUCH MORE
ALWAYSon
HUNT.
the
with Kalyn McCutcheon
The Dell
Retreat away from reality. Put up your feet and grab a hot cup of coco.
Photography, Fashion & MUCH MORE
Crafty with
Ceramics at Revisions Design Studio
SUBSCRIBE TO
WIN!
a copy of
*Sponge at Home
MORE DETAILS INSIDE
By Grace Bonney
October Quirky Bird Features
Our Soaring Partners
The Dell
Join Us
who knew we’d find a beautiful retreat in the quaint countryside of Western Australia.
Do you design quirky products and would be interested in selling them to a larger online market?
A Weekend with IVY
Engram Clothing [Canada]
Chosen as one of IKEA FAMILY LIVE ‘s BLOG of preference. Ivy puts together a visual diary full of everyday quirks.
Revision Design Studio [USA}
Follow Ben Riches as he hits the streets of Perth to see what the cool kids are wearing.
Want unusual ceramics to decorate your home? Check out these designers!
ALWAYS ON THE HUNT. Follow New Yorker Kalyn McCutcheon through her NYC appartment. Full of quirky & unique lifestyle ideas!
Beauty, Body & Soul Body Detox Get your body into shape. Prepare for spring with great tips from Audra James. Work out at home Kellie Long gives a background of her journey to personal fitness. She also provides some great tips on how to work out at home.
2011
No ordinary T-shirts, this dynamic duo create quirky & edgy graphic tee’s you wont find the average joe wearing.
Perth Street Fashion
Sticky Beaks
ISSUE ONE
Milestone Decal Art [USA] Fishy plates, who woulda thunk it! For hand painted, certainly unique seafood platters, these guys have got you covered.
Places that make our heart sing Delicious Sherbet Cafe Discover the delectable flavours that make up Sherbet Cafe. Your mouth will be watering with all these scrumptious treats!
Bigger stories Federick Hollows Foundation The gift of sight is truly awsome. We look into the works of Federick Hollow and how we can all contribute to an amazing cause.
Front Cover & Contents Images Potfolio by Iro Ivy Nassopoulos See article “A weekend with Ivy” www.domesticstorieswithivy.blogspot.com
About editorial Audrey Anderson
Birch + Little will give customers the ability to browse & procure different products from hundreds of designers through a single checkout. Birch + Little will offer our partners the ability to connect with prospective customers through this contemporary medium that is Online Shopping. We are looking for small unique Business Partners to advertise and sell online with us.
Our aim is to get in touch with a much larger customer base than what each individual partner would be capable of doing. We welcome your application to join us!
Articles & Copy Editor Hannah Weir
art & production Art director & Designer Tenille Westerhout
advertising & partner accounts Audrey Anderson
office 97 collier road, Morley, Western Australia 6062
We will publish a bi-monthly online magazine which will feature some aspects of our partner’s products. This will provide our partners with a free online magazine to showcase their products.
p: +61 08 9370 3108 f: +61 08 9272 1516 e: birchandlittle@iinet.net.au ABN no 68 152 202 278 ACB no : 152 202 278
What makes us distinctly different from other sites is that we are discerning about who sells with us. B+L will remove the burden from our partners by utilizing our understanding of online social commerce marketing. Through our Birch + Little Web page, Magazine, Blog and social media platforms Twitter and Face book.
Our website will be launched shortly!
B+L
For more information email birchandlittle@iinet.net.au
APPLICATION
Hints & Guidelines
We are looking for designers who offer unique, distinctive and high quality merchandise, yet nonetheless marketable and commercial enough to catch the attention of an online shopper. Make sure your offering is individual and quirky.
White Background Product Shot
Quality images from our partners are essential to ensure you maximize sales.
Lifestyle Image
Sell More!!
The
Dell A cosy lodge, tucked away from reality. Put up your feet and grab a hot cup of coco.
The Farmer in
The Dell
hi-ho, the derry-o, the farmer in the dell
B
uilt in the early 1920’s, the Dell is a private farmhouse located in lush bush land in the burgeoning Ferguson valley region, a mere two hour drive south of Perth. From this vantage point at The Dell you can head outdoors with your picnic basket to surrounding areas in the picturesque Wellington Dam area. Here you will have the opportunity to travel around and sample many delicacies provided by the local gourmet producers such as cheese, home baked cakes, and bread or enjoy a light lunch at one of these wonderful venues, set amongst the rolling green pastures.
The dell has been lovingly restored by the property owners, the Drexel family. Striking just the right sense of balance betweenh the home’s original architect designed “art & crafts” influences and providing the luxuries of a contemporary home. The Dell bears testament to the marrying of these two contrasting styles. 4 Continue on page 8
Breezy & Easy The Dell’s 4 out of the 5 bedrooms have romantic French doors that open out on to the veranda.
O
perating as a cattle stud, the Dell is positioned on 130 acres, with Crooked brook and the Preston River winding serenely through the property. This stunning farmhouse is nestled alongside lofty Australian gum trees and the magnificent river flats. The Dell provides it’s visitor’s with a welcome respite from the stress of living in the urban jungle. The living areas within this beautiful home provide each guest with an idea about the talent of Tori Drexel’s artistic design approach. These airy rooms showcase Tory’s amalgamation of the latest furnishings, to the quirky objects that we at Birch + Little truly love. Sprinkled throughout these handsomely well appointed rooms are the quaintest antiques that create an enduringly timeless quality. The Dell’s 4 out of the 5 bedrooms have romantic French doors that open out on to the veranda. All linen & towels are provided to ensure maximum comfort during your visit.
Kick Back & Relax Tory’s amalgamation of the latest furnishings.
The stylized farmhouse kitchen opens onto a flag stoned courtyard. Where with a glass in hand you can watch the sun setting in the distance, what a wonderful place to catch up with friends and family. Imagine preparing your meals using these gourmet produce of the Ferguson Valley. For this is what dreams are made of and how we should spend our days. Birch + Little love The Dell , as much as Karen Blixen loved her farm in Africa.
“In the day-time you felt that you had got high up , near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold�
-Karen Blixen.
Scrumptious Treats Imagine preparing your meals using the produce of the Ferguson Valley.
Treat Yourself
Margaret River a selection of the country’s premier fresh produce.
I
f you can bear to tear yourself away from the Dell to replenish the larder then Bunbury, is still only 15 minutes away on the coast. It offers 6 day a week shopping, cafes and restaurants.
farther afield to Margaret River are afforded a selection of the country’s premier vineyards, fresh produce, fine dinning and world-class surfing. You can have the best of both worlds.
Travelling slightly further afield with your map in hand, theh Margaret River/ Yallingup wine region beckons. For those who travel
For a holiday, business trip or just a relaxing weekend away. The Dell is a destination full of character and memories waiting to be made.
The only downside to The Dell is the farewell. We long to return again soon. B+L
For more information on The Dell visit www.birchandlittle.com
Birch + Little - October - 11
Bird Magnets, Mirrored Laser Cut Acrylic
Revision Design Studio
Revisions Design Studio is the creative team of Michele Dugree & Janna Fox & Torrey Dupras of Marquette, Michigan.
Modern Acrylic Candelabra, Black Laser Cut Design: Phantom Candelabra
Polyhedron Candlesticks, Mother of Pearl Origami, Set of 2
M
ichele received her BFA in Ceramic Design from Northern Michigan University’s School of Art and Design in 2006. Her previous professional experience includes, working as an interior designer inspired a love for all products big and small that bring joy into peoples lives. Thus, Revisions was created as a way to bring designers from different backgrounds together to collaborate in a multi-dispenlary design studio that focuses on bringing limited production products to market through in house prototyping and fabrication. Michele’s portfolio includes several unique domestic and jewelry products along with large scale custom lighting installations. Michele also enjoys collaborating and problem solving the designs of her other talented team members. She takes a heavy role in the manufacturing and marketing processes of all of Revisions’ products. She is also the one who individually hand makes all of Revisions’ spoon rings. Janna Fox joined the RDS team as a full time designer and fabricator in the Spring of 2010 after receiving her BFA from Northern Michigan University with a major in Human Centered Design. Her newly acquired skills and talents have given RDS the ability to utilize cutting edge design and rapid prototyping technologies. You
Laser Cut Acrylic Flower Stand
can find her several days a week running the laser cutter or working in the ceramics studio. She is a native of Florence, Wisconsin and lives in Marquette, Michigan with her husband. She is an avid outdoor and recreation enthusiast, especially in biking and kayaking. Torrey Dupras joined the RDS team after receiving his BS from Northern Michigan Univeristy with a major in physics, mathematics, and computer science. Almost 90% of all business is done at RDS using technical equipment and it’s Torrey’s main priority to keep all of it running smoothly. Whether it’s web or product design, Torrey provides a variety of solutions to the technical challenges we experience on a daily basis. He and Michele also just happen to be husband and wife. Revisions is a multidisciplinary design studio based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Their objective is to create everyday pieces of functional art. Each of the designs are handcrafted in limited production batches in house, by them! The team enjoy being able to take a break from designing on a computer all day to get their hands dirty! B+L
For more information on Revisions Design Studio visit www.birchandlittle.com
Birch + Little - October - 13
always on the hunt.
Take a tour through vintage lover and seller, Kalyn McCutcheon’s, Williamsburg apartment …some deck for this…. Brooklyn, New York. Copy & Photos
By Kalyn McCutcheon
It’s modern living with old school character.
I
’m the kind of girl who can’t wear a white dress without getting something on it. I tend to go for the guy that looks like he’s wearing last nights clothes. And I rather spend $200 to reupholster a new chair rather than spend that money on a new one. It’s just an inevitable trait of mine (whether I like it or not), things are just better when they’ve lived a little. And my home is no different. The sea glass I started gathering when I was just five, is probably decades older than me. The tag sale finds, which I would cross all over town for when I first learned to drive, are still things I own and love today. Even my rescue pup, Ellie, has had a whole other life I don’t know anything about. So many of the objects in my space have been found in my life’s treasure hunt. To the little old lady who would mysteriously receive boxes of bulk vintage jewelry (& sell each piece for just a dollar!), to the dilapidated shed on the side of the road where I have found the most beautiful oil paintings for pennies – I am always aware of where there are incredible deals. My boyfriend likes to say I have an incredible nose for value (and he works in finance mind you). My Danish Arthur Umanuff bar cart? Fifty dollars on craigslist. My pearsall side table? Eight dollars at a thrift store. A rare Austrian Hagenauer figure? Fifty cents at a yard sale. Birch + Little - October - 17
“The sea glass I started gathering when I was just five, is probably decades older than me. “ Says Kalyn
Birch + Little - October - 19
a
My finds are scattered throughout my home, along with a rotating stock vintage home décor that I sell in my online store, GallivantingGirls. My shop not only gives me an outlet to constantly recycle and refresh my personal space but also gives me the excuse to stop at that dilapidated shed twice as often. I don’t take myself too seriously and I think my space reflects that. A pop of whimsy, a bit of irreverence and certainly a lot of uniqueness make me feel at home.
My design philosophy is that I don’t believe rooms need to be perfect, they just need to be interesting. The same goes for the people (and animals!) you share them with as well Kalyn is an Art Director who lives in Brooklyn, New York. For all the treasures she couldn’t fit in her home, go to birchandlittle.com B+L
For more information on Kalyn visit www.birchandlittle.com
a
weekend with Iv y. www.donesticstorieswithivy.blogspot.com Birch + Little - October - 21
photogA blog abo aphy, c ut inter issuesr& rafting iors, des probab , style, ign, ly a lit fashio tle mor n, life e -Ivy
&
Visual Diary
Household Quirks A
fter a long lazy day in Frankfurt spent at a Spa, I enclose photos of my Saturday evening. Whilst there is still plenty of light today I managed to take these photo’s.
The weather in Frankfurt is temperamental with yesterday being dressed graciously in all manner of grey’s, I lit tea light candles , to relax with a simple table set for tea, and a little bit of magic. Greek “Total” yoghurt, with blended almonds & honey, all held within pure white bowls with spoons in various shades of pink all contained in a simple circular bamboo tray. We supped on a bowl of fresh blackberries dipping them into the yoghurt. Peppermint tea in two of my favourite simplest mugs, black for him and white for me “Ivy”. I think my favourite part of our Spa visit in “Heaven Spa” Frankfurt yesterday, was actually our return home and our tea together. Sitting quietly watching James Bond “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, {sadly not on a large tv screen as we currently own no t.v, but on a laptop’s one}. So relaxing at home with 2 pizza’s from our local pizza shop was truly a pleasure. With all this around me in Frankfurt I sit and remember that I’m a girl from Greece brought up by the sea...for me the best Spa is a sunny day at a beautiful beach. Free for anyone. On Sunday I took a break for a coffee and snack. Greek coffee & vanilla Macedonia Halva sprinkled with cinnamon. Light nutritious and energising. Then this Monday morning has been a cleaning one, and I’m so glad the sun finally showed up, as it makes everyhing brighter & easier! Doesn’t some sun make the simplest things in life just nicer? and our bed’s pillows taking some sunshine & fresh air at the veranda? B+L
For more information on Ivy visit www.birchandlittle.com
- Ivy.
Birch + Little - October - 23
No
Ordinary T-Shirt. “Our designs represent mostly our inner expression that is why we are not profiled in one direction. Sometimes we are funny, sometimes mystic and dark.” -EC Exped mo cus dolupta quidest fugiam, omnis dolut officim aut maximagnati blabo. Ped ex eatisqui di dolestiur?
E
On exercid uciisim olupta doluptatur, The main motivation behind this line was ngram clothing startedsoluptatum in Florida doloreriae comnisitas Alit verro and coremodionet ium tee ex exceru to have shirts which they would love in 2007abo. as Ironspider now has officia
moved to Canada where they trade under the banner of Engram Clothing. What they do to their tees is simply eye catching. Thier less is more philosophy is also what drew Birch + Little to them as one of our Flagship designers. You will not see dozens of these designs when you are out and about. Engram Clothing – is a small indie label. They are a team of two people that do everything themselves, from creating t-shirt designs and websites, to printing and marketing. The dynamic duo, initially decided to create their indie designs which are outside what mainstream mass produced tees are doing. They wanted to work outside the box, from what you usually find in those concrete mazes called a shopping mall. Their brand is truly artistic and they have been honing their skills with different print techniques and design ideas.
to wear themselves. Birch + Little are so lucky to find a Partner who loves what they are doing. “The strength about this small label is that you are the company the company is what you do and it is kind of an adventure every day. The weakness in being a small label is that there are days when we think that there are too many clothing/t-shirt companies out there and the market is saturated.” the duo said
“
We are perfectionists and quality freaks
”
Creating design and transferring it on a shirt is a long process of trial and error. “We are perfectionists and quality freaks, which also is something that the big companies are missing sometimes because it is time consuming, but for us it is the part of the process. Our designs represent mostly our inner expression that is why we are not profiled in one direction. Sometimes we are funny, sometimes mystic and dark.” All of Engram Clothing designs are hand screen printed on the garments;there is no mechanization in the process. They make use of a manual press. Doing it by hand is their guiding principle and it is part of their distinctiveness. They only use high quality fabrics from American
Apparel – made in US. They are currently trying to use mostly eco friendly water based inks and minimize the use of plastisol. When you look at their work on Birch + Little you know that you are receiving a piece of work with the signature of high quality garment and print and original design. We at Birch + Little know it is not that easy being a fledgling business, and Engram clothing know that it is also not easy being small limited company these days, but this is their passion and they really believe that working hard is the answer. For now, they are using online sources of marketing –websites, submission sites etc. Engram Clothing believes that overpricing any product is counterproductive. Like Birch + Little they feel that their business is not driven by greed, but by quality and a passion for what they do. Engram Clothing lists their influences by artists from the industrial , dark , ambient , punk music movements, movie makers like J. Svankmajer and W. Herzog, painters like H. Bosh and A. Durer. B+L
For more information on Engram Clothing visit www.birchandlittle.com
Darth Vader is Riding It Men/Unisex Tee printed with ECO ink
Darth Vader is Riding It Men/Unisex Tee printed with ECO ink
Samurai Owl Toddler / Youth American Apparel T-shirtink
Mickey’s Hug Toddler / Youth American Apparel T-shirt
T-Shirts are 100% cotton men/unisex American Apparel t-shirt, they fit both genders perfectly. Printed with one color soft hand ink. The print has no touch. Is very soft and comfy.
Ben Riches, Photographer
lifes tyle and onto, gr Fisiangsphiho apher.
advert
ng. een Per th and Hong Ko Spending my time be tw cause People of ten hire me be doing.
I am I know wha t the fuck
-B
Perth Street
By Ben Riches in Collaboration with Karamea Ngatai-Stokes
“Out in perth shooting the stylish. -Where are you?�
A documentation of the fashionable and quirky styles that grace the streets of Perth.
MIND&BODY
Kellie Long Personal Trainer
Kellie Long is an experienced Personal Trainer who is not unfamiliar with the pain of being unhappy in her own skin, both physically and emotionally.
I
was once 93kgs and can proudly say that after 18 months of hard work I lost 30 kgs and have never looked back. Was it easy? NO! Was it worth it? Yes! This is why I have been working and studying in the fitness industry for the past five years. I enjoy training people of all walks of life whether they are mothers, aspiring firemen, police recruits or business men and women. I’m proud to be a partner in their lives and a catalyst for them to reach the goals they strive for.
to handle stress and of course their new found strength in all their physical achievements.
My goals for my clients are to see not just the improvement of their physical capabilities but their mental and emotional progress also. Physical training cannot be separated from a person’s emotional state. Therefore, my training has a holistic approach in building self confidence through client’s achievements and newly formed lifestyles of clean eating, their ability
How I fuel my body, my amazing machine, is also important! I look after myself through clean and regular eating - supported with the all important water. I won’t lie: I love my treats as well (chocolate and a nice glass of red wine) but I keep these in moderation. I am a wife and mother. I have three boys who are fantastic!
My own personal fitness regime now, (as I was once the girl who hated physical education and would do anything to get out of it) involves body building, boxing, hard core metabolic training (intense cardio) and horse riding (my passion is dressage). I like to better myself by setting my own goals and surpass them.
Kellie’s
TIPS for
Training at
home!
My tip today is about training at home as I have had many people ask me for help on this issue. I’ll give you ‘MY TOP TIPS’ on how to succeed in training at home. PLAN it! Make the time & make it YOUR time! Say to yourself “today I will train, I may have to slip it in between cooking dinner or finishing that report for work, but I will do it today”! Have a SET ROOM OR PLACE that you can move in, about the length & breadth of your body. A place you can shut yourself off from other house mates, children, spouses, partners etc. Make it known that you won’t be available for trivial questions or chit chat and lock them all out! Be strong! If you are a mum like me, you will know that quite often we spend a lot of time fielding trivial questions and refereeing squabbles that really don’t require our immediate attention. Dads you need your wind down time and space as well! So make it known you will be a lot happier to answer questions, deal with homework and discuss world topics after you have had 20-30 minutes to yourself to de-stress through your home work out. Keep it SIMPLE! Body weight exercises. Train your biggest muscle groups first - chest, legs and back. TIME it! That way people who want or need you will know that for 20-30 mins, you are not to be disturbed and tell them this is your time.
MUSIC Something that will make you want to get active! If you are having a 20-30 minute stretch session something slow but uplifting! START WHERE YOU ARE! If you have a treadmill but have never ran on it start by walking briskly and I mean as fast as you can for 1 minute then dial it down and walk at a comfortable pace for 30 seconds then increase your speed again so you are uncomfortable and puffing. Keep the working pace up for 1 minute then take it back to your resting pace for 30 seconds. Do this for 20 minutes the first 3 alternate days, then increase your time to 30 minutes and your working time to 90 seconds the next week. This way you will be easing your body into training and reducing your risk of injuries and your training will have a continuing GOAL and not be BORING. You will enjoy your training a lot more and be more inclined to CONTINUE!!! The problem is that we have all these good intentions and yet sabotage ourselves by trying to commence our training where we need to ultimately take it/ finish it. Unfortunately, all this does is make exercise a CHORE and you SORE! It also keeps you inactive when you know you need to be active. This is why having a good personal trainer is valuable, as they help to pace you through and get you where you need to be. B+L
For more information on Kellie Long visit www.birchandlittle.com
Birch + Little - October - 29
W
W
By Audra James.
iseBeauty. Owl
A
t this time of the year I like to undertake a simple Body Detox to get my body (and mind) ready for summer. I've never been a lover of harsh treatments and beauty regimes– I think sometimes they can give an instant result, but very often (just like a crash diet) they can make things worse in the long term.
I find it much easier to incorporate some simple lifestyle changes. These take only just a few minutes each day but are wonderful in giving a much needed boost to the mind, body and most importantly your skin. Here are my favourite body Detox tips to get you looking and feeling good in time for summer. Start each day with a glass of warm water and lemon juice. This has a cleansing action and aids digestion. It’s also refreshing and best of all makes.Add a few drops of your favourite uplifting essential oil to the shower base each morning– lime, grapefruit, orange, lemon all give and instant mood boost and turn an every day shower into a mini-spa. Spend a few minutes doing some dry body brushing with a natural bristle body brush—this is a great way to stimulate circulation and eliminate dead skin cells. Using long sweeping movements and always work upwards towards your heart. Sip water throughout the day. This has a multitude of benefits for your body—it assists in speeding up metabolism, helps flush out toxins and can also eliminate feelings of hunger. Room temperature is the best.
arms, backs, even legs to cleanse, purify and help smooth your skin. Daily massage—think of this as a way to spend a few minutes on yourself. Use a natural body oil that you love and massage using long flowing strokes from your feet right up to your neck. Use a small amount of body oil so that it absorbs quickly. The plant oils in the blend have skin softening benefits and the essential oil formula will make you feel energized or relaxed, depending on your chosen blend. I find by incorporating these simply but highly effective mini rituals into my everyday life. I feel so much more energized, positive and that gives my skin a glow and puts me in the right mood for summer. Rather than going on a diet and eliminating certain foods, aim to increase your daily intake of natural foods– fruits, vegetables and proteins that are packed with vitamin’s, nutrients and essential fatty acids. The benefits are increased energy and glowing skin. Mini meditation—I started doing this over 25 years ago and it’s a wonderful habit to get into. Even 5 mins a day gives amazing benefits in terms of stress relief and having a more positive attitude. I love knowing that, whatever I’m feeling, I can just take a few minutes out of my day, close my eyes, focus on my breathing for a few minutes and that somehow everything will seem better afterwards. B+L
For more information on Audra James visit www.birchandlittle.com
Get your skin ready for Summer by gently exfoliating the body—especially the parts that are often neglected during winter. Natural sea salt is a fabulous natural exfoliate. Treatment masks—such as natural clays can also be used on Birch + Little - October - 31
Fred Hollows Foundation Birch + Little have decided to support the Fred Hollows Foundation, as part of our commitment to the global community.
In 1992, Fred and Gabi Hollows decided to set up The Fred Hollows Foundation to continue Fred’s work. Despite having been diagnosed with cancer in 1988 and knowing he didn’t have much longer to live, Fred started raising money to build an intraocular lens (IOL) factory in Eritrea, so IOLs could become more accessible to people who were blinded by cataracts. “By significantly increasing the supply of affordable high quality IOLs to developing countries, we will reduce one of the barriers to disadvantaged people having their sight restored.” At the time, treating cataract blindness was prohibitively expensive. An intraocular lens which is used to replace the damaged lens of the eye in cataract surgery cost up to USD$100. Mystique also surrounded the idea of modern IOL implant surgery, putting it into the league of open-heart surgery or organ transplant surgery. Fred wanted to lower the cost of IOLs, for under US$10 each. His aim was make IOL implant surgery safe, affordable and more widely available for people in developing countries. This proved difficult as the multinational IOL manufacturers refused to drop their prices that low. In true Fred style, he decided The Foundation would make its own.
In addition, Fred also wanted to develop robust and effective microscopes and YAG lasers to help improve cataract surgery in developing countries. In both cases, Fred and The Foundation were able to find Australian companies interested in developing low cost, durable, portable and robust equipment. A year after he died, Fred’s dream came true. In 1994, The Fred Hollows Foundation opened modern intraocular lens manufacturing laboratories in both Kathmandu (Nepal) and Asmara (Eritrea). Since opening the laboratories have produced more than four million lens for local and export use. Today, the Fred Hollows IOL Laboratories are independently owned and continue to produce high quality low cost IOLs which are exported worldwide. This was the start of Fred’s dream. Today, The Foundation International, is ensuring Fred’s work lives on delivering results and offering hope, dignity and opportunity. We are proud to be a supporter of this Foundation. Make a donation today by visiting www.hollows.org.au
Partner Feature
Decal Art D Milestone
ecal Art is an Ossining, New York based studio specialising in original and custom ceramic and porcelain design. Husband and wife team Philippe d’Arlhac and Erika Boetsch met each other in Philippe’s Paris flat at days before the dawn of the year 2000. “I was studying German and spoke barely a word of French,” says Erika, a New York native. “Philippe knew a little English, but not so much. We laugh now when we think about how we managed to find each other and fall in love with barely being able to understand a word between us.” Maybe it was the excitement of Y2K?“ We have two young boys now, but we still try our best to party like it’s 1999,” says Erika. Since launching their studio in 2008, Milestone Decal Art has created the “fishy fish” dinnerware line as well as a number of other original home decor and giftware products. “Our greatest creative inspiration is nature,” says Philippe. “Our original designs are almost all inspired by the artwork of the Earth.” He adds, “We also do a lot of custom printing and product creation work for other artists and designers. We follow our own dreams but also welcome those of others.”
Fine white porcelain platter featuring a decal of a 19th century hand drawn fish
Milestone Decal Art specialises in assisting artists and designers to bring their dream to fruition. From “soup to nuts” they can guide you through the creative process starting with an idea and finishing with a final product. Artists, Designers, Enamellists, Potters, Ceramicists, Photographers, Glass Fuse Jewellers alike- if you have ever thought about transforming your work Milestone can make that happen for you! B+L
For more information on Milestone Decal Art visit www.birchandlittle.com
Birch + Little - October - 33
Special Feature
T
Sherb Cafe
ake a trip back in time to 1950 with a wistful visit to Sherbet, a cake shop of yester year. You only need to travel to Maylands, in Perth Western Australia. Hidden amidst a block of quaint shops opposite the Maylands train station, there lies the Sherbet cake shop. Run by Luke, this cake shop was inspired by those many quaint & quirky cake shop’s in the infamous New York City.
The staff at Birch + Little consider ourselves connoisseurs of this old fashioned cake shop, which serves the most flavoursome homemade cakes, slices and cookies. We have been dinning at Sherbet for the past 18 months, and with the launch of our Birch + Little magazine we have an occasion to coo about one of our favourite places to haunt in Perth. Luke has chosen to use only the premier quality ingredients available, he bakes all the cakes onsite in small batches. Madagascan vanilla bean, Valrhona Chocolate, free range eggs, and the best seasonal fruit available. Sherbet has the most endearing store front and exceptionally uncomplicated vintage interior. With seating for up to 24 people inside supplemented by outside garden benches and tables. You are at all
times sure to find a little alcove to position yourself, to sit peacefully to savour the great coffee’s and exceptional cupcakes or cakes.
Birch + Little can safely say that we have sampled more or less everything on the cake menu. The cupcake assortment is chocolate +chocolate which is a chocaholic’s dream, Vanilla +Vanilla, Vanilla + Raspberry or Espresso, Banana + Caramel, Chocolate + Coconut, Carrot Cake. We cannot decide on our favourite so, it means you will have to try them all. Trust us you will have a tough time deciding what to have. So possibly get a few friends and share between youself or plan to make a few visits. An even better idea is to take some cupcakes home for later. Of Sherbet’s whole cake range, we do love the Coconut Layer cake the best. A wedge of this cake will make you believe that you are sitting at your grandmothers table eating one of her gorgeous cakes at afternoon tea time. There is Sherbet’s red velvet cake which is to die for. We recently ordered a whole one for our own afternoon tea birthday party (though plenty of notice is required for special occasion cakes). Those who are gluten intolerant are not forgotten at Sherbet they also do a gluten free Turkish orange cake.
bet
Humming Bird Cake On of the many popular cakes you will find in Sherbet Cafe.
Coconut, Blackberry & Lemon Syrup Cake You’ll have to pop into Sherbet to taste this delicious cake!
Red Velvet Cake B+L recently bought this cake for a lovely sunday afternoon tea party!
Usually on the counter you can also find the lemon angel food cake, or their darling angel food cake. Sherbet also does breakfast + lunches. Their staff are always agreeable, and willing to assist you. We believe we are visiting the local corner cake store from years gone by and we are never disappointed. We have spent late afternoon’s sitting there over a cup of tea and milkshake after picking the kids up from school, or rushing in for a take away coffee and cake. So do yourself a favour if you live in the vicinity and stop by and see Luke + his staff for a treat.
e 5/5 r o n o c i t S 5/5 B+L resenta P es 5/5 Cak ice 5/5 Se r v
Sherbet is closed Monday’s and Public Holidays . B+L
For more information on Sherbet Cafe visit www.birchandlittle.com
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Birch + Little - October - 37
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What we can provide you... Not just any online shop, Birch + Little’s extensive on-line marketing strategy includes an Online Magazine ‘Birch + Little’ campaigns, social commerce media, exposure on our blog page, Twitter feeds, and Facebook pages. B+L are publishing a bi-monthly online magazine which will feature aspects of our Partner Products. This will provide our partners with a free online magazine to showcase their products. B+L will also offer our partners paid advertising, in the bi-monthly magazine, which tags back to your online products on the ‘Birch + Little’ Website. Our advertorials will be accessible for a lot less than print magazines.
our partners products within their homes and lifestyles. B+L will take the burden off our partners in their online marketing strategy by utilizing our understanding of online Social Commerce Marketing, i.e. our Birch & Little Web page, Magazine, Blog and Social Media platforms Face book, Twitter & YouTube. With our Birch + Little blog updates 2-3 times a week, we anticipate to feature in google’s natural search results for key terms such as Personalised gifts, Interior accessories and Homeware goods. Increasing the sites multiclick rate and in turn your product turn over.
The B+L magazines will offer feature articles. One section called “Sticky Beaks” will look into the lifestyle of featured Partner’s and Designers homes. Showing our online customers ways to utlised
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www.birchandlittle.com birchandlittle@iinet.net.au
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2011