Bring on Spring!!

Ok Winter, we have had a lovely time. Slow cooked meals, log fires, snuggling under doonas and lots of excuses for hot chocolates. But my friend it is time to move on.

As pretty as the frost is in the morning I am busting to see what the bulbs I planted earlier will look like and where I actually put them. With only four weeks left of Winter I am really getting ready for Spring. I am off to Melbourne next Friday to source lots of lovely new products to freshen up your home once the weather permits windows to be flung open again. I am looking at some wonderful florals, linens, candles, soaps, storage ideas, kitchen utensils and must haves. I am also going to be on the hunt for some fantastic one off vintage pieces that we can put the Bendy stamp on. We have two of these great finds in store at the moment. A pair of ottomans that I rescued and upcycled with some vintage French burlap I got in mixed with gorgeous florals and leather handles. I have some other great fabrics that I have collected along the way that are just waiting for the right piece of furniture.

With the warmer weather comes exciting in-store events. First event is the very exciting Floral Design Workshop to be held on Saturday 10th September. This will be hosted by Rachel Uys of Lavande Designs in Sydney. Here is a bit about Rachel, she is amazing...

Profile Rachel Uys - Lavande Designs

Lavande Designs is a boutique floral design company that creates lush, sophisticated floral compositions that are luxurious and undeniably chic. Floral designer and owner Rachel Uys began her career in New York City before returning to Sydney to establish Lavande Designs. Its philosophy of Stylish, Seasonal Beauty is reflective of Rachel's design style which blends elegance and modernity – using only the finest quality seasonal blooms available. During her time working at Chestnuts in the Tuileries and Studio Sweet Pea, two of New York's most distinguished floral design and event companies, Rachel designed flowers for Vera Wang, Beyonce, Anna Wintour, Kate Winslet, Mariah Carey, Martha Stewart and Renee Zellweger amongst others. Join us for a floral design workshop at Bendy Street Emporium and explore creative combinations of colour and texture to create a gorgeous spring flower arrangement for your home. Rachel will discuss the latest trends in wedding, event and party flowers and design styles. You will learn tips for dressing tables with beautiful blossoms, designing bouquets and ideas for using flowers in unexpected, yet memorable ways.

We will of course be closing the shop for this VIP event and dressing it up with lots of flowers and plenty of room for everyone to take part in this workshop. Champagne is a must and will be pink and included in the cost as well as dedicated driver friendly beveridges. We started taking bookings on Friday and as of today (Sunday) we are already half way to a full house so if you want to be a part of this fabulous day I would book early. Either email, phone or visit our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bendystreetemporium) to save your place.

The cost for the day is $100 which includes the following: 2 hours of tuition, an information pack, use of equipment and includes all materials. Each participant will take home a beautiful arrangement of spring blooms in a classic glass vase, which they themselves have designed under Rachel's instruction – plus many wedding trend ideas.

This will be a great girls day out.

We have also teamed up with the very clever girls from Park Life children's clothes. We will be officially launching Bendy Street as a stockist on the 22nd of October as part of the Wine Week celebrations which will include the Twilight Markets. The plan is to close off the street and allow everyone to enjoy the festive feel of a great food and craft market. We will be showcasing the Parklife Range and putting on a bit of a high tea to celebrate. We have a few pieces of their range in store and will be carrying more sizes as we get closer to October. Park Life clothes are all designed and made in Australia and celebrate classic yet functional kids styles. Beautiful florals, sturdy denims and quality trims make this perfect for any style of wardrobe.

And last but not least, some new products to share:

Floor rugs in natural and striped coirs, hall runners and large room size rugs.

Vegie crates. White timber stackable vegie or fruit crates. Perfect for keeping potatoes and onions fresh in the pantry.

Iron wall sconce. A beautiful provincial style iron wall sconce. Simply place a simple pillar candle in the glass holder and enjoy a glass of wine on the verandah by candle light.

For the upcoming racing season, designer headbands with a contemporary twist.

I have a huge shopping list for Melbourne and I will keep you posted when I get back as to what is coming to Bendy Street.

In the meantime, enjoy the last chilly days of Winter and we will see you in Spring.