Off and Racing

Today at Lyssy May I am excited to announce that a gorgeous new range of felt hats have arrived just in time for the Winter Racing Carnival Season. The designs are available in a range of stunning colours and designs.

Pictured right is one of the 100% wool felt hand appliqued designs that has been teamed up with a one off Lyssy May bag that features a handknit flap closure and an original 1920's button that I collected in an antique button shop in Hampstead (London) about 6 years ago.

I love collecting little treasures like buttons, buckles and ribbons and squirreling them away for a special project. For me, the best part of design is spending the time on the detail to see what looks just right and works for the overall feel of the handbag. There were 3 buttons in contention for this design and it must have taken at least 30 mins of deep thought until this treasure won out!

Ditch the Slippers for Mum this Year!

Until next Sunday there is an offer on the Lyssy May website to buy 2 bags and get the one of lesser value for half price. This is a great idea to buy a bag for your Mum and one for yourself at the same time. Check out the website for all the details as I'll even wrap them prettily and post them straight to your dear mother for you!

Arian - gorgeous illustrations with heart

One of the most amazing things I love about the internet is the access we now have to the work of artists all over the world. In the maze of talent that is etsy I have discovered one such illustrator, Arian, who creates beautiful work (the print above is my favourite) and I am gradually building a gallery of her prints and postcards on the wall above my register at Lyssy May. In addition to creating her designs, Arian also donates proceeds of her work to some important causes (at the moment she is focusing on supporting the digging of clean wells in Africa).

The Swankiest of Hankies

I am a bit of an old fashioned girl and this definitely extends to my love of the humble hanky.

Not so long ago a new assortment of designs arrived in store and it is always exciting for me to see the mix of fabrics that has been selected by Donna of 4 Corners. Her Mudgee based business exemplifies all that I am striving to promote in my store - handmade Australian brands with an eye for putting a new spin on traditional products. If you are struggling to think of what to send your friends living overseas for a gift - a Swanky Hanky will fit nicely in a card and is cheap as chips to post.

Be sure to visit http://www.4cornersdesigns.com.au/ to find out if they are stocked near you!

Stacks of cardholders

It's always a good day at Lyssy May when I put in some solid time at the machine to complete a decent batch of sewing. This was the case when I finished this stack of oilcloth cardholders this week. I use my own cardholder to house the many loyalty cards I have accumulated from various stores. Actually, 'loyalty' seems to be a very strong word when it comes to my collection of cards - I think my shopping habits could be better described as promiscuous to say the least!

Bonnie Beyond Pluto

One day at Lyssy May some sassy girls arrived in the form of ceramic pendants by 'Bonnie Beyond Pluto'. This fab jewellery is handpainted and glazed in a kiln by Bonnie Hislop - a talented young lass whose designs made a splash at the Southbank Young Designers Market in March. Spying the pendants from a few stalls up I was happy to learn that a little batch of the pendants could make their way to Lyssy May's store. The necklaces they are strung on can be easily slid into a short or long style - the trouble is which one to choose first!

Mixtape - a zine for the craft keen!

One day at Lyssy May I had a lovely packet arrive containing the first two issues of mixtape - 'a zine about making time for the small things'. The newsy pages are full of articles on crafty things and ways to create a sustainable lifestyle - 2 things that mean a lot to Lyssy May. The cover designs are worth the price alone but for a tiny $6 you won't be disappointed with the great reading inside!