CHRISTMAS 2018
your christmas guide to shopping local HO, HO, HO! Guys, gals and all in between, we have just over a month to get our shit in order and buy gifts before the big C-Day. If you’re like me and tend to just run out last minute (seriously, every Christmas Eve I’m one of those panicked idiots running around spending hundreds on crappy gifts because I forgot Christmas was happening), then the team and I are here to save you. Now, this year, we’re making a conscious decision to either make our gifts ourselves (sorry to those that are getting popsicle stick cup holders covered in glitter), or BUY LOCAL to support our Aussie makers, shop owners and artists. We feature all of these amazing Australian creatives throughout the year in our issues, yet when it comes to buying from them for gifts, we pretty much suck at it. Until now. We’re determined not only to change our shopping habits, but to change others as well while we’re at it. A strength in numbers sort of thing.
We’ve put together a small guide in sections to our favourite local makers, designers and artists for you to shop from this year - most of which have stockists you can visit, or markets in which they’ll be attending in the next month for you to collect from (if you don’t want to wait for the postie that is). We’ve even put together a list of stores for you to visit to do your Christmas shopping in - because we’re great like that. You never know, you might just run into me doing my hectic shopping this year at Think Thornbury or Creatrix as I splash my cash around in a mad rush to remember just who is in my family and what they would like. I need a gin & tonic just thinking about it. Happy Shopping Creators! And Happy Christmas - or whatever you celebrate <3 OH - Also, a print subscription to The Eye Creative makes a GREAT gift. (Just sayin...)
Samii & The Eye Creative Team.
S UB SC RI B E!
Pop the kettle on.... We all know there are a few within the family that cannot function without their morning cup of joy, whether that be coffee or tea,. And I’m sure, certain in fact, that you would know at least one human that has THAT favourite mug that they need to drink it out of. SO, what to get these fussy little caffeine addicted humans for Christmas that would bring a smile as big as the first sip of coffee in the morning smile to their face? Just look below. We’ve got the perfect Aussie-owned businesses for you to choose from, with a GREAT range of products that would win you a gold medal on Christmas Day for sure.
DOUBLE WOOD COFFEE Double Wood Coffee is the ideal gift for that person in your life that loves great quality coffee, travels frequently and can be a little fussy when it comes to their daily brew. These convenient little coffee drip bags can be taken ANYWHERE and they taste so damn good, we’ve replaced our normal office coffee with these delightful little packets of bliss. FIND THEM HERE: doublewoodcoffee.com.au doublewoodcoffee
I T ’ S A P U B L I C H O L I D AY Damn straight it’s a public holiday! IT’S CHRISTMAS!! And we’re totes excited to introduce you to these beautiful handmade ceramic beauties. These are a front-runner for this years BEST GIFT AWARD so make sure you order early to avoid missing out on gifting these to your loved one’s. You’ll find a stockist list on her website too! Check that out to see if you can grab one locally to save postage during the silly season. FIND THEM HERE: www.itsapublicholiday.com itsapublicholiday
STUDY TEA The new kid on the block - Study Tea is your freshly created tea angles that your tea-loving mates will fall madly in love with. With blends such as ‘‘siesta’ and “reset” - these teas are carefully crafted to benefit your mind, body and soul. They even have chocolate tea. Game over. FIND THEM HERE: www.studytea.com.au studyteaaustralia
YIYING LEE Of course I have one of these guys in my mug collection, because yes, I’m one of ‘those’ that I mentioned earlier. HOW COULD YOU GO PAST THESE LITTLE CUTIES, THOUGH?! It makes me smile everytime I drink out of my happy little cup, so I feel like this makes the ultimate gift for anybody. Absolutely anybody who drinks liquid in any form. FIND THEM HERE: www.yiyinglee.com byyiyinglee
E M I LY O N LY It’s been a few months since I saw Emily and her beautiful wares at Finders Keepers Market in Melbourne back in July, but fuck - I still dream about all the mugs I left behind when I picked up my little pink handled cutie. Note to self - must buy gifts for self this year. FIND THEM HERE: www.emilyonly.com.au emily.only
for those with style...
What could be more perfect for those fashionistas in your life than a unique piece designed and created by Australian Designers? With a HUGE variety of labels to choose from, we’ve selected a few of our favs across a few different price points for you to choose from. Enjoy!
TA R A W H A L L E Y Bold hand-painted patterns, roomy shapes and comfortable as hell garments? Yep, that’s Tara Whalley. And lucky for everybody, she’s just released a brand-new line! Grab a pair of pants, a tee or a coat (or all three) and make someone’s year! FIND THEM HERE: www.tarawhalley.com tarawhalley
SQUINT You don’t have to squint to see these big beautiful designs by Scottish-born yet now Melbourne local, Ellie Vallely. Yet, the brand is just as cute and quirky as the name suggests, creating a cool world of squiggles and shapes that take us back to the wonderful 80’s era of epic fashion. Be brave, be bold - buy Squint. FIND THEM HERE: www.squintclothing.com squintclothing
TWOOBS The Twoobs girls have just released their new collection, JUST in time for Christmas. How nice is that? It’s like they planned it or something ;) BEHOLD THE METALLIC TWOOBS OF YOUR DREAMS. Santa mate, we want a pair in every colour. 39’s please. FIND THEM HERE: aus.twoobs.com twoobs
FA R N Oh, the lovely Farn. Can’t go past this one if you have a fashionista in your life. Handdrawn/painted florals bursting with Australian Natives and muted earthy colours, paired with forgiving and feminine shapes. We hope there’s a Farn piece under our tree this year. FIND THEM HERE: www.farn.com.au farndesigns
CAMP COVE SWIM Camp Cove is the newest brand on The Eye Creative radar, and so far, has our vote for best swimwear label for ladies of all shapes and sizes. Girls, don’t hide away in boring all-black one-piece bathing suits, grab yourself a treat from Camp Cove and swim in the colourful, body-positive world that these lovely designers have created. FIND THEM HERE: www.campcoveswim.com campcoveswim
the gallery types...
Art is one of those things where you kind of have to know the person really well to be able to buy for them. But art prints, they’re a whole other story. We’ve put together some of our favourite Aussie artists below that have a broad range of art prints available for you to get your hands on before the big man arrives on the 25-Dec. All you have to do, is choose the print, get it delivered, put it in a frame and Bob’s your uncle, you’ve just won Christmas.
THE FEELS CLUB Ahh... Welcome to the Feels Club. Where our friend Chloe illustrates powerful (yet cute as fuck) quotes and pretties that showcase just how OK it is to have feelings. This is perfect for any young person (or old) that are finding their way in life. FIND THEM HERE: linktr.ee/welcometothefeelsclub welcometothefeelsclub
L U K E J O H N M AT T H E W A R N O L D Well, there’s not much else to say about Luke John Matthew Arnold’s prints except they’re FUCKING FANTASTIC. If you’ve got someone in your life that loves to express their true feelings in a bold way, these are the art prints for them. FIND THEM HERE: www.lukejohnmatthewarnold.com lukejohnmatthewarnold
MIN PIN Min Pin is an artistic all-rounder. She can draw, she can paint, she can make ceramics and create stunning jewellery. I have a ring in the shape of a weird little bat-face that I call batman. It’s the best. Her artworks, however, are next level amazing. FIND THEM HERE: www.minpindesign.com minpindesign
C H LO E J OY C E Delicate detail, feminine storytelling and oh-so-beautiful styling, Chloe Joyce is for the romantics and the lovers of Asian inspired, 80’s handdrawn artworks mixed with contemporary ease. FIND THEM HERE: www.chloejoyceillustration.com chloejoyceillustrations
CLAIRE RITCHIE Claire is FUN. FUN FUN FUN. If you’re not sure what to get the art loving person in your life, then we suggest you grab a Claire Ritchie print. They are all so colourful and the shapes are so weirdly fun that you can’t actually go wrong. I’m yet to find one person yet who doesn’t love her. FIND THEM HERE: claireritchie.com.au claire__ritchie
for the beauty lovers
Beauty lovers are in fact, some of the easiest people to give gifts to. A brief trip to Mecca or Sephora will have you in the good books for the entire year - or at least until their upcoming birthday. However, we’ve decided that they would be chuffed to get something a little bit left-of-centre, a little unique and a whole lot of fun. Why not try a deodorant paste? All natural of course - something that you wouldn’t think of, but smells like a garden full of loveliness. If that’s not up your alley, try some of the other Aussie-made products below from some of our favourites.
BLACK CHICKEN REMEDIES This is my favourite product EVER. For those looking for a all-natural deodorant paste, this is definitely the product to buy. It smells like a garden - a really lovely smelling garden. It’s actually the perfect gift. PERFECT. I’d be the happiest person if I got this under my tree to add to my stock. FIND THEM HERE: blackchicken.com.au blackchickenremedies
LEIF PRODUCTS Leif is also a new kid on the block for us, and safe to say, we bloody love it. Check out that colour story for the packaging. You really can’t get better than that. We hear the product inside of it though, exceeds all expectations. For the stylish, beauty loving trend-setter. FIND THEM HERE: www.leifproducts.com leifproducts
ENA PRODUCTS Ena is perfect for those that love something a little luxurious, but a little left-of-centre. Created by two of the most lovely humans we’ve met, Ena is the Aussie-made equivalent to Aesop (But in our opinion, so much better.) Make sure you pick up a lip balm - it’s the bomb. FIND THEM HERE: enaproducts.com.au enaproducts
DRUGSTORE I find their name and their branding such a juxtaposition, which makes me love this brand even more than before. We prescribe drugstore to those who want to stand out as being different and for those who don’t usually use skincare (trust us they will be obsessed after using Drugstore). An easy but cool introduction to the world of beauty. FIND THEM HERE: www.drugstorelove.com.au drugstorelove
M Y RT L E & M O S S Tried, tested, loved with all our hearts. Myrtle and Moss is the perfect gift for the feminine, and petal scented humans of the world. With a large range of candles, scents and skincare, you really can’t go wrong. FIND THEM HERE: myrtleandmoss.com.au myrtleandmoss
for the men
The hardest buggers to buy for....MEN. Unless you have an eccentric, fashion loving man in your life, these guys are repeatedly the toughest to find a gift for. Why? Mostly because they always go out and buy what they want, when they want it. Which means we are left with NOTHING on the santa list to actually go out and take credit for. Therefore, we’ve put together a list of things that maybe (just maybe) they haven’t thought of yet. Go forth and shop!
H U N T S K AT E B O A R D S This is the sort of gift that you would want to get someone only if you’re willing to be on their mind for eternity for getting them the best gift in the history of Christmas. That is, if they’re a skateboarding fan. Our mate Alex hand-makes and hand-paints these boards FROM SCRATCH. They’re insane. And slim. And oh-so-fucking-cool. FIND THEM HERE: www.huntskateboards.com.au hunt_skateboards
FIELD ISSUE These are for the manly men that still want to come home to a fresh smelling home without it smelling like flowers. The tins are manly, the scents are manly (outback being one of them), the branding is old school and classic - perfect for any lad really. FIND THEM HERE: www.field-issue.com fieldissue
ORBIT KEY Is the man in your life always losing his keys? OR ARE YOU? This stylish solution to your key woes suits ALL. Keep all your keys neat and tidy in one convenient place with the added bonus of a hot leather handle that holds your keys not only together, but silent!!! ....And you can get it monogrammed. FIND THEM HERE: www.orbitkey.com orbitkey
PEGGY & FINN Give me a matching bow tie and pocket square combo any day. Throw in a floral pattern, and you have yourself a winner!! That’s why we’re totally crushing on Peggy & Finn and their adorable and timeless classic illustrated patterned men’s wear. FIND THEM HERE: www.peggyandfinn.com.au peggyandfinn
F O RT I S G R E E N Oh, don’t you just love seeing all the dudes in their boring suits walk around the CBD? I do. Why? Because I enjoy watching their feet to see which one’s are bold enough to wear socks like these. You may call me crazy, but I’m just out here looking for the fun colours in the world. Be that colour - get these socks! FIND THEM HERE: fortisgreen.com fortisgreenapparel
Time to accessorise!
Accessories are definitely everyone’s favourite go-to gift these days. They’re like the new chocolate and flowers, and we’re OK with that. Especially when there is an abundance of amazing, unique and talented Aussie makers out there creating gems like these below for you to choose from! Gifts for all ages and personalities. When you get stuck for ideas - this is the page to buy from.
E M I LY G R E E N Emily Green is the perfect go-to for any earring lover. Her range includes studs, drop earrings and necklaces all handmade using beautiful colour stories that would match any personality. They’re all handmade in the back of Pinky’s Store in Preston too, a must-visit for any Melburnian. FIND THEM HERE: www.emilygreen.net helloemilygreen
M A Z D E VA L L I A PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR AWESOME. Mazdevallia is the HOTTEST, newest accessory kid on the block. She’s not a kid, though; she’s fully grown and absolutely lovely. We met her at Finders Keepers and her earrings are still haunting my dreams (in the best way possible). Hand painted, mixed-media artworks for your ears. Not for the wallflowers. FIND THEM HERE: www.mazdevallia.com.au mazdevallia_designs
KITSU My personal favourite - KITSU. I can’t go past a good kitsu piece. I have so many now.. she’s always bringing out weird and wonderful shapes that I just can’t get enough of! I mean, pink and red?! YES PLEASE. FIND THEM HERE: www.kitsu.com.au kitsu__
ERNEST & JOE If the person you’re buying for is into more of the ‘simplistic’ gold & silver jewellery, then Ernest & Joe is the place to shop. Unique shapes, but simple and delicate, Ernest & Joe is set to impress. FIND THEM HERE: www.ernestandjoe.com ernestandjoe
STUDIO ELKE Studio Elke is for those that like a pop of colour and a statement piece, without being the centre of attention. These perfectly created pieces look like they should be hung in a gallery... FIND THEM HERE: studio-elke.com studio_elke
start shopping! THINK THORNBURY (MEL)
thinkthornbury
FIND THEM HERE: 800 High Street, Thornbury VIC
YOKE (PER) FIND THEM HERE: 919 Beaufort St, Inglewood. WA
yoke_a_store
R E D PA R K A ( H O B )
theredparkashop
FIND THEM HERE: 22 Criterion St, Hobart TAS
NOOK (BNE) FIND THEM HERE: 19 Browning St, South Brisbane QLD
nookbrisbane
B R I C K & M O RTA R C R E AT I V E ( A D E )
brickandmortarcreative
FIND THEM HERE: 49 George St, Norwood SA
EACH TO OWN - THE SHOP (NSW) FIND THEM HERE: 10-12 Commercial Road, Murwillumbah NSW
eto.the.shop
C R E AT R I X ( M E L )
creatrixmelbourne
FIND THEM HERE: 62-70 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC
HYPMOTIVE HUB (SYD) FIND THEM HERE: 155 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW
hypmotive_hub
WWW.THEEYECREATIVE.COM